Ciara - Jackie

Ciara showed up her critics with her self titled opus back in 2013. Ciara was an R&B masterpiece from start to finish, an array of sensual slow jams, gritty underground beats and an introduction to Ciara the rapper. It was a flashback of sorts, taking you to a time when R&B was the governing commercial genre, but she injected enough modern woman sass to make it relevant in the electronic synth dominated market. 

What was truly refreshing about Ciara, aside from not having one skippable track, was that it stepped away from the hyperactive psychobabble of her past efforts. That's not to say her earlier music is without charm, it's just highly inaccesible on any level other than a superficial one. This change worked for her, an artist who was never able to maintain a steady grip on the charts once again became commercially viable as the album reached number two in the United States. 

Ciara's sixth album Jackie doesn't continue the tone of its predecessor, nor does it match or improve on the quality. Opening track Jackie (B.M.F) opens like a West End ballad, before Ciara demands "Harmony drop that beat" and instantly the vibe is transformed into a mildly annoying rap segue with Ciara stating she's a "bad mother f*cker" for delivering a 9lb 10oz baby. The track drops another beat at around the two minute mark and becomes a bit more Ciara and one of the album's most memorable moments. You'd think that the album would continue in this vein, with the theme of motherhood and Ciara just being badass (if not coming across a tad self indulgent). Therein lies another issue. The album doesn't have a clear theme or message, the sounds changing too much between shallow pop and serious odes to an ex. If you're naming your album after your mother, I expect a moral to the story. 

Madonna - Rebel Heart

From the disco reviving behemoth Confessions On A Dancefloor to the hyperactivity of MDNA, Madonna hasn't managed to match her own musical quality over the past ten years. Confessions was an incredible album, from start to finish, yet the two albums that followed didn't sate even the die hard fans. With questions over her relevance in the contemporary pop market, even though she sells out world tours faster than Rihanna releases albums, it felt like now would be a good time for Madonna to release an album that was both relevant but also very much 'classic Madonna'. 

Her 13th studio album, Rebel Heart, is a huge improvement on her past two collections. Lead single 'Living For Love' is a camp dance thumper with an exhilarating chorus and powerful vocal performance and it serves as an exciting introduction. Don't be fooled though, this doesn't set the tone for the album, in fact the production is far darker than this single delves. There are even forays into past musical explorations which didn't work well then but seem to be executed perfectly this time round. The hip hop infused bleeps of the ridiculous 'Illuminati' and the rumbling 'Iconic' are actually welcome additions to Rebel Heart, giving the album an injection of adrenaline when it could have been too 'ballad' heavy.

Ciara - I Bet

Ciara's self titled last album was, to put it simply, brilliant. An album without one dud is hard to find in the pop scene and Ciara's movement away from the hyperactive psychobabble of her earlier songs to a smoother, sultry R&B sound proved to be a winner. Since that album graced our lives she's been on a hiatus, had a baby and apparently almost finished recording her new album Jackie. 

The first single to be lifted from her new collection is 'I Bet',which was released back in January. The annals of Ciara's career show that marketing isn't her team's forte which explains why I knew nothing about this track until a week ago. 'I Bet' is produced and written by Ciara and R&B knob twiddler Harmony "H-Money" Samuels who has worked with the likes of Mary J Blige and XFactor USA false starters Fifth Harmony. It's a strong comeback, maintaining the soft R&B jam vibes of Ciara and its one of the most revealing musical ventures she's recorded to date. Singing about a failed relationship, I imagine her breakup from her baby daddy Future, Ciara's vocals are controlled expertly and a growth in range is obvious. It's a great comeback. Whether it will give her the hit single she needs isn't certain, but it seems like she might have to be content with being a successful 'underground' R&B artist going forward, releasing amazing music that not very many people will be exposed to. As long as she continues to release music of this calibre though, who gives a shit?

4 / 5

Mumford & Sons - Believe

Mumford & Sons never 'split up', let's just get that straight now. I'm going to call it a creative hiatus, because that's what an incredible band does, they take time out of the spotlight to write and record beautiful music. They're one of the most likeable folk bands of the past decade, their music skillfully balancing classic folk arrangements with a contemporary edge. Following on from their last, behemoth success of an album Babel, they're back with a new single called 'Believe', from their upcoming opus, Wilder Mind. 

It's a step forward sonically, ditching the acoustic folk sounds we're used to hearing in favour of an electronic arrangement and Marcus Mumford sounds as authentically impassioned as ever as he sings "I don't even know if I believe / everything you're trying to say to me" on the chorus. The beauty of 'Believe' is how slowly it builds up. The song doesn't explode until the 2 minute mark and by this point you're so captivated by Mumford's vocal performance layered atop the modest production that the change in pace is an exhilarating experience. I hope that the folk elements of Mumford & Sons aren't lost in the past, but for now, this is a refreshing revival of a band that continue to impress with every step they take.

5 / 5

Ariana Grande - One Last Time

Ariana Grande's sophmore album My Everything isn't packed with potential hit singles, but it does have the occasional triumph nestled amongst the mediocre. 'Problem', 'Break Free' and 'Love Me Harder' were all collaborative efforts that left you wondering if she could hack going it alone. So now, to make me eat my words, she's gone and released an amazing (completely solo) single called 'One Last Time' and I am currently trying to figure out how to eat my computer.

'One Last Time' fades into earshot with an array of echoey synths and soft beats layered beneath Ariana's impressive and emotive vocals. It's actually one of the best songs she's recorded to date, particularly because you can actually understand most of the lyrics she's singing. It's got hit written all over it and a nifty, apocalyptic, handheld music video to boot. So that's it for this album campaign. She's released her four best songs so where can she go but onwards to a completely new and better album?

4 / 5

Madonna - Living For Love

Madonna always gets a tough time on this blog. It's not because I dislike her, rather it's because I expect a lot from her. Love her or hate her, she's the most influential female pop icon the world has ever known and it likely to remain that very figure for a long time to come. Beyoncé might have stolen the limelight in recent years but as far as an innovative, boundary pushing artist goes, she can't touch Madonna. Her new album Rebel Heart has potential to outshine her last effort, MDNA which bar a few great dance tracks, failed to find its place in the greatest Madonna moments.

New single 'Living For Love' isn't an instant classic, but after a few listens its charm starts to shine through. It echoes 90s dance with heavy sonic booms and shudders and Madonna's vocal performance is confident and, at times, powerful. It's a better slice of contemporary Madonna and is certainly destined to flood the floors of gay clubs with dancing feet the world over. 

4 / 5

Florence + The Machine - What Kind Of Man

It's been over 3 years since we had a new Florence + The Machine album and really it's about time this was rectified. Thankfully it is soon to be fixed. Third studio album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful will be out sometime in 2015 and until then we have the gorgeous lead single 'What Kind Of Man' to devour.

The song opens with a haunting (almost) spoken word verse that finds Florence's vocal layered with a demonic sounding version of herself that wouldn't sound out of place on Ceremonials. It has Florence singing about an indecisive lover, sorry, ex lover. Things amp up at 0:56 with a thumping drum beat and heavy guitar riffs and anthemic chorus. 'What Kind Of Man' is a strong lead single from the upcoming album and sets the bar high for subsequent releases. Here's a link so you can listen to it on Spotify. 

4.5 / 5

Christina Milian - Rebel

When an artist breaks away from their record label due to "creative differences" you know that is music speak for "I didn't make enough money and got fired". Christina Milian had those very "creative differences" back in 2006 following the release of her 3rd album So Amazin' (budgets were cut so they couldn't afford the "g") and since that very day she has had two single releases that didn't chart on the Hot 100 and certainly didn't make waves over here in the UK. Her new single, her first with Young Money Entertainment, is called 'Rebel' and I got quite excited when I found out it was out in the open. 

It's akin to Ciara's 'Body Party', only it's nowhere near as sultry and certainly not so amazin'. It has its own charm, a retro R&B jam but it's not the best choice for a lead single from an album 9 years in the making. The final minute is the strongest part of the song as the production strips down slightly and the vocals sound less tampered. Background sex music it is, chart topper it isn't. Where 'Body Party' was smooth, with a beautifully understated arrangement, this feels clunky and a little inauthentic. 

2.5 / 5

Rihanna - Towards The Sun

So Rihanna dropped a new song on the world wide web last week. Said musical item is titled 'Towards The Sun' and it's from the soundtrack for the new Dreamworks movie, Home. 'FourFiveSeconds' was/is a serious grower; serious in that it takes some bloody hard work to really warm to it but eventually you do, kinda. Alas, this new song is much more 'instant' and is very likely to be a chart success. It's even more instantly likeable because Kanye West's name isn't attached. It's not the best song she's recorded and it's not the worst. It sits somewhere in the middle, with a memorable chorus and thumping arrangement, but the vocals sound a little overproduced and the finale isn't the climax you'd expect from a neo-power ballad. 

3 / 5

Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do

Ellie Goulding is an acquired taste, although one that millions of people across the world seem to have adapted to rather quickly. Her high pitch can, at times, be jarring and at others it can sound out of tune. Alas, for the most part the music she's released has been impressive and her unique style/sound is now very important in the pop landscape. When I heard she was going to be working on the 50 Shades of Grey soundtrack I winced, however the result is sterling.

'Love Me Like You Do' is a thumping, anthemic power ballad with an enormous chorus and a strong vocal performance from the 'Burn' chanteuse. The hook is ridiculously catching and if this song has done anything it at least lends credibility to one small part of a disastrous piece of contemporary Hollywood cinema. 

4 / 5

Jessie Ware - Champagne Kisses

Although Jessie Ware's sophomore album Tough Love wasn't quite as instantly incredible as her debut Devotion it served as a solid follow up all the same. Laced with romantic lyrics and an array of 80s inspired synth arrangements, it showed off Jessie's incredible vocal abilities and her knack for the emotive. The third single from said album is the wonderful 'Champagne Kisses', the standout track from the opus. It's like a modern day Prince cut and its chorus is explosive, gorgeous and brimming with sincerity. It's the most eccentric song Jessie's released to date and that is most definitely a good thing. The video's a bit wacky too, check it out here.

5 / 5

Rihanna feat. Kanye West and Paul McCartney - Fourfiveseconds

We've been waiting for a new Rihanna song for a very fucking long time and to be quite honest I was sick of waiting until I heard that just what I wanted had been dropped online. It wasn't exactly the sassy, beat driven joyride I was expecting. 'Fourfiveseconds' is an acoustic guitar led, midtempo jam with a pleasant melody and a convincing vocal performance from Rihanna. It peaks at the middle 8, Rihanna's voice cracking in all the right places, complemented by gorgeous gospel keys. Overall though the song fails to make an impact even after repeated plays and by the end you're left wondering if you missed the finale. Then you realise you didn't imagine the limp, lacklustre experience you just sat through. An artist like Rihanna releases songs that stamp themselves into your memory. I will be singing 'We Found Love' when I'm 65, 'Fourfiveseconds' I doubt I will remember ever happened. 

2.5 / 5

Charli XCX feat. Rita Ora - Doing It

Charli XCX had quite the 2014. She snatched her first major hit with the astoundingly catchy 'Boom Clap' (with a shockingly shit music video) and she notched up a collaborative worldwide hit with sometimes talented rapper Iggy Azalea on 'Fancy' (with an awesome music video). Thankfully, music video budgets have been bolstered for her upcoming single, the third release in the run up to her new opus Sucker, 'Doing It'. 

Rita Ora has a verse and does some singing here and there, cementing her status as an amazing collaborator and average solo songstress. 'Doing It' retains the 80s vibe of Charli's last album True Romance but it's a more poppy affair that would have slotted perfectly into the late 90s pop boom. This is a frivolous, infectious romp and the laws nature stipulate that you enjoy it.

4 / 5

Pop Pilgrim's Hopes For 2015

We all have hopes and dreams of what 2015 will bring and I, like most people, hope that by this time next year I'll have hysterically shit myself when my Euromillions numbers come up trumps. However, this isn't a blog about being rich, how much you want your life to improve, blah blah wah wah. It's about music and most of the time it's about pop music, music you'd have been bullied for liking in high school. So here are ten things I plucked (rapidly) from my head that I'd love to see and post about in 2015:

10. BRITNEY SPEARS CONTINUES VEGAS RESIDENCY FOR ANOTHER TEN YEARS

Britney's last album Britney Jean was a cockup. Let's face it, it was a fucking disaster and she needs to learn from this mistake. It's unlikely she will because she is still completely 'hands off' when it comes to her music (not that she's ever been hands on). The only way to avoid another catastrophe is for her to continue miming in Vegas for another ten years and leave her ageing fans to enjoy the diamonds of her back catalogue without this 'modern music' nonsense.  

09. A NEW JANELLE MONÁE ALBUM IS OVERDUE

There's never an unsuitable time for a new Janelle Monáe record and right now I feel very much that I would enjoy such a thing in my life. Her music gets better and better over time which surely means her next installment in the Suite series will be perfect? If you've not immersed yourself in the world of Monáe you need to do so post haste. 

08. RITA ORA GETS ON WITH IT AND STOPS COLLABORATING 

That money from Katy Perry penned collaboration 'Black Widow' with Iggy Azalea won't last forever so Rita needs to get a move on with her next studio album. Her debut album ORA wasn't perfect (no it wasn't super Ora fans!) and really only had a few brilliant tracks on it, which ended up being the singles. So, my point is confirmed. The lead single from her sophomore album, 'I Will Never Let You Down', narrowly missed out on my Top 30 songs of 2014 and is actually very promising stuff.

07. SAM SMITH GETS OVER HIS ONE NIGHT STAND

Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed Sam Smith's In The Lonely Hour and I'm sure everyone can relate to the material in some way. However, as beautiful as mega single 'Stay With Me' was/is, it's time to move on, dump the jonny and look to the future. I anticipate a new album by the end of 2015 because I'm certain Sam is probably at the eye rolling stage when he's asked to perform said single. 

Madonna - Rebel Heart (So far...)

"We go hard or we go home, We gon' do this all night long, We get freaky if you want, Bitch I'm Madonna" states Madonna on the chorus of 'Bitch I'm Madonna', a cut from her 2015 album Rebel Heart which features rap stylings from sensitive, good living, emotive performer Nicki Minaj. It's the kind of lyric you'd expect on a Rihanna album, one of the cheaper tracks that lack imagination and originality. Rihanna's most recent album Unapologetic was her least appealing to date, harnessing a rougher sound that sounded rushed and lacked any heart bar a handful of very well written ballads. The reason I compare in this instance is that if Rebel Heart follows a similar path, a path Madonna has riskily teetered on past albums, it could end up being another disappointment a la Hard Candy.

The album isn't due out until March 2015 but due to the wonders of the internet and the cruel nature of humanity, some twat leaked demo versions and of course many fans run with the idea that these are complete and thus have a poor indication of the incoming body of work. So, Madonna went and did a "Beyoncé" and surprise released five of the album's finished tracks to console her loyal fanbase until the official release and of course, itunes was close to implosion shortly after.

If you're curious about Madonna's new material I urge you not to listen to the hyperactive babble of 'Bitch I'm Madonna' or the reggae infused beats of 'Unapologetic Bitch' which has a line I enjoyed, "You never really know how much your selfish bullshit costs me" and a squeezed siren I despise. These are examples of tracks Madonna shouldn't be releasing at all right now because anyone else could be releasing them. Madonna was a pioneer for the young white females of today's pop landscape in the same way Janet Jackson is for young black females in the business (of course racial background is not exclusive yada yada yada). Now, when she sings about getting down and drinking from bottles you can't afford I can't help but feel it's all very much a reflection of the genericism of some modern pop music, which I hate.

Some Christmas Joy

From Leona Lewis and myself...

POP PILGRIM'S TOP 30 SONGS OF 2014

Ah pop music was good in 2014 wasn't it? The latter quarter didn't really offer anything particularly revolutionary other than an amazing collaboration between Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars (not in the countdown although it should be shouldn't it?) and of course amazing future popstar Fleur East who will no doubt become huge in the coming year(s). However, the early to middle parts of 2014 contained some pretty incredible stuff. Katy B had her biggest hit to date. Ella Eyre hit the top 15 without a DJ holding her hand. Taylor Swift made a spectacular comeback, almost pipping Britney Spears' Oops! I Did It Again for the highest first week sales of all time by a female artist (she lost out by like 8000 copies or so). There were huge hits from Ella Henderson, One Direction, and Jessie J. There were also career takeoffs from the likes of Iggy Azalea who had Rita Ora clinging on for dear life, British singer of lovely song Sam Smith who couldn't let go of his one night fumble (could be about a bag of chips after a night out) and of course teeny tiny Ariana Grande who is older than anyone thought making many men feel a lot less guilty about their sordid fantasies. 

This year's countdown is from 30 to 1. I've gone for 30 this year because when I tried to do 25 again I struggled like Lindsay Lohan in Boots Pharmacy. So many great songs didn't make it through no fault of their own. Well, if they'd been a bit better then sure they'd have made it, so it is their own fault really. I'm sure there will be some controversy in here. If you have a complaint about a song not being here or not being placed high enough or too high then please send this grievance to poppilgrim@couldntgiveafck.com. Enjoy!

30

Ella Eyre - Comeback

At 20 years old she's featured on Rudimental's behemoth number one 'Waiting All Night', collaborated with Naughty Boy and Wiz Khalifa, cowritten 'Changing' by Sigma and Paloma Faith and won a MOBO award. Not bad going. I've only got a few silvers from my primary school sports days and writing credits include, well, everything on this blog. Anyway, her third (but really first because I can't recall the other two) solo single 'Comeback' launched to number 12 in September. It's a thumping pop track with a retro soul vibe and an enormous singalong chorus. 

29

Katy B - Crying For No Reason

Katy's sophomore album Little Red didn't get the same rush of applause her debut On A Mission received. It's not a bad album, it just lacked the punch of her first outing. That being said, it did offer it's own fair share of brilliance. '5 AM', a wonderful, heady dance number and of course the album track 'Aaliyah' which featured Jessie Ware, was the strongest song on offer. In the spirit of keeping this countdown about singles, I have to relegate the wonderful 'Aaliyah' and opt for another amazing song 'Crying For No Reason'. This is kind of a 'cool' power ballad with an escalating arrangement which erupts in the final chorus with thudding synths and an array of electronic bleeps and shudders. It proved to be Katy's biggest single success to date and is the most emotive and vocally powerful she's ever sounded. Now, back to 'Aaliyah'. 

28

Indiana - Heart On Fire

Her debut single 'Solo Dancing' hit number 14 in 2014. An array of synth shakes and rumbles below a half-spoken vocal arrangement, the song proved a hit with the more 'alternative' radio listeners out there. However, the follow up 'Heart On Fire' is where the magic happens and if this song were two people, sparks would fly. Things start of slow but once the chorus kicks in, an uptempo marvel is unveiled and the vocals burst into a sumptuous falsetto that sticks in your head for days. If British pop continues on this track we're in for a treat.

27

Kiesza - Hideaway

Not many had heard of Canadian born Kiesza before her debut single shot to number one in April. It's a solid debut, establishing her sound as a 90s dance influenced electro-pop artist. Her throaty vocals couldn't be more distinct and the trend continues on the follow up single 'Giant In My Heart', which is also brilliant. How enjoyable a full album with her vocal tones would be, I am yet to discover. However, Kiesza couldn't have burst onto the scene with a more infectious, well produced track than 'Hideaway' and it looks like in ten years it'll be an Ibiza classic, propelling people to make involuntary pops and slides.

26

Foxes - Let Go For Tonight

You may not know this but Louisa Rose Allen AKA Foxes was the featured vocalist on Zedd's hit single 'Clarity' in 2013. Her second solo single became her biggest hit to date, 'Let Go For Tonight' is an upbeat, exhilarating pop ride with a gorgeous piano intro followed by an escalating pre-chorus. It's that chorus that pulls you in though, an explosion of electronic synths, keys and a stunning vocal performance as Foxes questions "Let love in your life baby, Who needs sleep tonight?". It's wonderful and whether she can trump this release remains to be seen, but for now let's just soak up the awesomeness. 

Meghan Trainor - Lips Are Moving

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If you've never heard Meghan Trainor's debut single 'All About That Bass' you must be a hermit, living in the Himalayas, in a cave and even then I'd be surprised that you'd not heard it booming through the airwaves. Honestly, I hated the song when it burst into the charts but with a ridiculous amount of airplay it spread through me like a virus and now I can say that I enjoy it a lot more than I enjoy Pharrell's 'Happy'. 

Her second single 'Lips Are Moving' probably won't match the mammoth success of its predecessor but that's not to say it's awful. Really this is just more of the same, poppy beats and an infectious sax melody couple with rapid fire lyricism about no good liars. Girl power etc. It doesn't have the instant hook of 'All About That Bass', nor does it have a sterling chorus or original arrangement. What it does have is charm, not oodles, but a splash. 

2.5 / 5

Jessie Ware - You & I (Forever) Music Video

The new Jessie Ware single's video is now on Youtube and it's cute, sentimental, romantic and at the same time if you're single this Christmas, has the potential to make you open a bottle of wine at 11am and sob watching Love Actually. Oh and the song is gorgeous - that middle eight "oooh" section, wow.

Enjoy!

Union J - You Got It All (Single Review)

A wee Union J and their wee musical career. To be fair they've sold more records than I have but that's only because the world isn't ready for my sound, but it will be. They've done alright, three top ten singles and a top ten album and one single that stalled at number 196, but we don't talk about that one guys, right? To get things going again they needed a hit song and latest single 'You Got It All' proves to be just what their career requires. 

Roping in Nasri Atweh to pen the track (Christina Aguilera, Cheryl, Chris Brown) they've managed to record a catchy ballad so sweet and oozing with romantic sentiment that you might need a bag to be sick in, although now that they cost 5p just try and make the loo. It's so strategic, the release of this song, coming out right in time for Christmas when all the little tweens just want Josh under their tree. Jokes aside, 'You Got It All', as gross out lovey dovey as it is, it's actually an alright pop song and the boy's voices sound the best they've sounded to date. It certainly won't be to everyone's taste but there's a paint-by-numbers charm in amongst the predictable arrangement.

2.5 / 5