Rated Ruby Goe - 'Badman'

I posted about this singer last week and thought I'd just give you a cheeky link to her cool ass video for 'Badman'. This is an epic track: gritty vocals, a wicked bridge and some brilliant dance infused beats make it a total success. The video is so complimentary to the track it's genius. Check it out below:

Rated Joss Stone - Soul Sessions Vol. 2

Joss Stone has taken tonnes of flack in her decade long career, mainly from her homeland. It's a shame that one silly accent mishap caused so much animosity, but I guess the music world is a shallow place and the public can't see the talent beyond the person. The truth is, Joss Stone is a remarkable singer with a voice that coils its way around you as you sip your red wine and puff on your Marlboro on the couch, squeezing ever so slightly with every note. This is the case with the sequel album to her huge debut, Soul Sessions Vol. 2, which has Stone reunite with the mastermind behind the original album, Steve Greenberg.

The evolution of Stone's voice is apparent on Labi Siffre cover 'I Got The...', the same song Eminem sampled on his debut 'My Name Is'. '(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People' opens with an enormous roar from Stone's pipes and as the uptempo soul number kicks in you can't help tap your hands off everything around you. The tempo is kept with 'While You're Out Looking For Sugar', which is about as uplifting as a song can get. 'Sideway Shuffle' is a sassy, sexy soul song that suits Stone's foxy tones perfectly. Covering Womack & Womack's classic 'Teardrop', Stone almost makes the song sound like it was written for her.

The beauty of Stone's voice is that it's timeless. She sounds classically current; like a vintage voice for the modern generation. This is apparent on all songs on the album; reworking Eddie Floyd's 'I Don't Want To Be With Nobody But You' and Barbara Acklin's 'Stoned Out Of My Mind' Stone brings belting soul/funk melodies into the 21st Century and makes them appealing enough to fit in with the current wave of synth overdosing. 

Soul Sessions Vol. 2 is a great album to win back those fans who turned their backs on Joss Stone when she revamped her image and sound on Introducing... many years ago. Fantastic vocals, great soul songs and plenty of charisma make this one of the singer's most exciting albums to date.

4/5


Update! Not going to lie, I did get a little over excited about this. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship (shopping, drinking and dancing that is - no monkey business)

Rated Ruby Goe

A copious amount of alcohol and uneasy start to the day has ended in me being splayed across my bed by 11pm on a Friday night. However, everything happens for a reason and in a certain order, so I believe and thus I have discovered some new music to fluff out my recently played playlist for the coming months only because of said alcohol consumption.

East London entrepreneur and star in the making Ruby Goe caught my undivided attention with her distinct vocals this evening after reading a lovely wee interview with her in the latest issue of Dazed & Confused. A bit like a more vocally capable Santigold (no disrespect - I love Santi!), Ruby's single 'Badman' kicks off with some lovely electronic beats followed by thumping synths while her vocals evolve throughout the track from reserved to emotive, 'shot down those tiny daggers from your mouth' (bloody good line!). This has anthem written all over it.

She cranks up the tempo further with 'Get On It' which is basically about getting set for a night out and then getting on 'it'. It starts off with some heavy bass and rough synths only to burst into a marching band drum beat before the chorus belts you in the nuts. I've only listened to this through ear phones but I can only imagine how amazing it's going to feel when it's pounding out of my speakers tomorrow morning (sorry naybz). Check out the video too where she chunders black oil and then throws it at the wall. Standard.

Big things are coming this girl's way!

Rated Misha B - Home Run

When 'Home Run' kicks off in lounge ballad style it doesn't quite prepare you for the r'n'b insanity that's to come. Misha B was my favourite Xfactor contestant from last year; regardless of what people disliked about her personality she was the most original and exciting performer of the lot. As predictable as this debut single is (who didn't see an American inspired r'n'b dance floor filler coming) it's a total joy. Misha oozes charisma and presents herself as a nu-age Missy Elliot rapper/singer type bird with bigger hair and BOY leggings.

4/5

Rated Little Mix - Wings

Here's the thing, I didn't expect to like this, but I do. I can't help myself, I really like it. No, actually I love it. It's by no means revolutionary, but it is so bloody catchy there's nothing else to do but sing along and feel totally elated by the close. I challenge anyone not to be impressed, even if just in contrast to their original expectations. 

By the way, it's probably going to be number 1, for a long time.

4.5/5

Rated Calvin & Flo's 'Spectrum'

I love Ceremonials and I love 'Spectrum'. In fact it's one of my favourite songs on the entire album and so when I heard the remix was being presented as single I was of course a bit anxious as to the result. However, Calvin hasn't disappointed me before and thankfully he hasn't this time. The remix of Spectrum is brilliant, summery and totally infectious. Rather than stifle the song's charm it lifts it up and in true Calvin style, gets a scream when it blasts onto a dance floor (yes, from me). Nothing will ever satisfy or elate me as much as 'We Found Love' did, but this ranks damn high on my tracks of 2012. Good job.

5/5

Rated National Anthem

We've had 'Video Games', 'Born to Die' and 'Blue Jeans' from Born to Die,  Lana Del Rey's f*cking stunning debut album. Now we get... I just need a moment to regain myself and maybe let out a few squeals of school girlish joy... 'National Anthem' as a single. Here's the thing, this song is bloody brilliant. It's catchy, intoxicating and has some heady beats bumping up and down behind Lana's sort of rap (which is sexy btw). As if this wasn't orgasm inducing enough, the video is fantastic. 'Booyah baby bow down' you say? Lana babe, I'm on my knees already so keep singing.

Words escape me... so good. So good!

Check out the video here

Rated Aiden Grimshaw

My favourite Xfactor contestant of his line up, Aiden Grimshaw showed himself as special as soon as he belted out Kanye West's 'Gold digga' at his first audition. 2+ years on and he's finally here with his debut album Misty Eye, out on 13 August. The lead single 'Is This Love?' is a drum n bass heavy dance track with some stunning vocals showcased throughout. The new single, 'Curtain Call' is a haunting, down tempo number featuring some amazing vocals from a little know female singer called Sherelle. Both of these are brilliant songs so I can only imagine the album is going to a belter.

Rated MDNA

This is hugely delayed, but I can't review something till I've actually had a sit down, with a mug of chamomile and a jar of Nutella (always a fat boy at heart) and properly absorbed it. So I did what I refused to do months ago and listen to Madonna's latest effort at remaining young and relevant, MDNA. I won't lie, my hopes weren't high and my expectations were so low you'd mistake them for dog sh*t. Thankfully for Madge's sake, I was a bit more impressed that what you'd now expect.

Hiding those wrinkles Mad?

MDNA is no Ray Of Light nor is it a behemoth masterpiece like Confessions, it is however a distinct sounding pop album with some fun moments and some growers. I reviewed second single 'Girl Gone Wild' a while back and I slammed it. I feel a review retraction/amendment is in order here as after a few more plays the song is actually a catchy little mother f*cker with some pretty immense dance production and a simple but insanely catchy chorus. This is about as gay as Madonna can get, but it's damn fun. It should seem a bit gross that a 50 something year old woman is singing about being a bad girl, but it's surprisingly convincing. 'Gang Bang' brings on a '........' response the first time you hear it but it too is a grower with a hellishly infectious beat. 'Turn Up the Radio', 'Give Me All Your Luvin'' and 'I'm Addicted' are all great pop songs, the first being the third single from the album and the second being the lead and one of the most funs of 2012. The third has some awesome electronic production going on and I'd stamp it as the album's finest track.


Things don't go so well with 'I F*cked Up', 'B-day Song' and 'Best Friend' with Madge's average at best vocals struggling to evoke any sort of emotion in her performance. Songs like these feel a lot like fillers and could actually have been removed and no one would notice. 'Fallin Free' harks back to the gorgeousness of her classic 'Frozen' with some hypnotising orchestral production and wraps things up in stylish form.


My advice to Madonna is: MDNA is not awful. It has some strong pop songs on it that act as saviours for the weaker/awful songs that litter its tracklist. What I'd say ol' Madge is that you take a step back and think about how you can make yourself different again. When Ray Of Light came out it was like nothing else on the pop music scene at the time, hence its popularity with the public and critics alike. An album like that cemented your position as one of Pop's most experimental, interesting and often daring artists, ever. Trying to fit in with the 'it' crowd isn't going to work now, so get back to what you did best, experiment. NO hip hop!


2/5

Rated Flashback - Lose My Breath

Following some exciting rumours that Beyonce and her backing dancers are going to make a comeback, I thought it suiting to post about one of their best songs. Check it ooouuut.

8 years ago Destiny's Child made a 'comeback' after a 3 year break following their monster album Survivor. What became their last outing as a trio, their final album Destiny Fulfilled signalled the end of the girl group's era, one which they pretty much governed. The album spawned some brilliant rnb/hip hop inspired pop songs such as Soldier and the soul tinged Girl, however it was Lose My Breath that got asses vibrating on dance floors the world over.

A marching band drum line on amphetamines opens the song and then a pounding beat bounces under the group's stellar vocals. This was and still is one of the most exciting and well produced girl group songs of our time, still feeling current and fierce as f*ck! Time for Sunday play number 7.

Check out the NINE dirties in the video too!

Rated Roundup - June - Rihanna keeps going, Stooshe improve and KC keeps kicking

Chris tried to get Rihanna to take a break... she head butted him.

We've been thrust into the summer months with some stunning weather, lots of topless male models strutting about town and street party's a-plenty. Smell shite? Thought so. Well, the weather's been about as much fun as a night in a hostel dorm with Kerry Katona, Louis Walsh and Jean from Eastenders, but the charts are lighting up with some lovely musical codeine to relieve the pain.
Cheryl Cole just obliterated her competition to hit number 1 with the tremendous 'Call My Name' (potential pop song of 2012) and Rihanna's 'Where Have You Been?' is still hovering around the top 10. What else is coming up or knocking around chart world that's caught my eye...ear?

Coldplay ft. Rihanna - 'Princess Of China' 
This is gorgeous. Roaring, epic sounding, inspiring and intoxicating, this is perhaps my favourite Coldplay song and one of my favourite songs of 2012. I didn't take much notice of it when Mylo Xyloto was released but now with it pounding its way through my radio I couldn't stop myself falling in love. Rihanna's vocals are stunning and fit perfectly over Coldplay's incredible electronic production. If you don't enjoy this you're damaged.

5/5


Tyler James - 'Higher Love'
Say what you will about reality TV contestant Tyler James, his cover of Windood's 'Higher Love' is swoontastic. Those falsetto notes are flawless and the ease with which he changes between registers is immaculate. One of my top songs for June, this will keep you smiling on your trudge to work on a Monday morning. Lovely.

5/5


Stooshe - 'Black Heart'
I thought Stooshe's debut single, 'Love Me' was embarrassingly bad. The gimmicky cackling and chatting in between verses and the relentless attempts at exuding girltude were boring, tried and tired. There's still a little bit of this at the end of their new single, but thankfully the song is good enough to overshadow this blip. Better than their debut by a universe's length and breadth, this is a catchy wee bugger that just will not get out of your head. Wee shit.

4/5


Usher - 'Scream'
'Climax' was terrible. I don't know what critics were listening to but it can't have been the same song, surely? He's made a good move releasing 'Scream' as the follow up, picking up the tempo and harking back to the electronic synths and dance beat of 'OMG'. This is by no means great, but it's fun and in a club setting this could be an epic moment. It's a shame he's left behind his more rnb type material from past albums, because as one of the best male pop stars around, Usher could be doing so much more with his direction rather than following the trends that have been set before him.

2.5/5


Kelly Clarkson - 'Dark Side'
Following 'Stronger' was always going to be tough because let's face it, no one disliked that song. If you did, leave my page immediately because I no respect for you. Prick. New single 'Dark Side' is similarly huge sounding, but what Kelly song isn't? Her vocals are on traffic stopping form and as a standalone single, this song actually attracts more attention than it does on the album. That doesn't happen often in the world of duff songs. Keep it up KC.

4/5

Rated: Top Nelly

Since I'm on a total Nelly Furtado joy ride right now I thought I'd make a wee post about how great she is. To illustrate her grandeur I'm going to present the top 5 NF songs, in order. I never post a chart in a favourable order so this is quite revolutionary. Just sayin'.

FIVE
'Powerless' - One of my favourite songs of all time, but I wouldn't say it's Nelly's best overall. A unique folksy, uptempo number with some inspiring lyrics and a beat that makes you feel like singing out loud. Don't do it in Tesco. Lesson learned.

FOUR
'All Good Things (Come to an end)' - A stunning song, harking back to the folky sound of Folklore mashed up with some the Timba/Danja beats, it's one of those songs that just flows so smoothly you could be pouring chocolate fondu into your ears (I don't advise you try this). Lovely.

THREE
'Try' - From the Folklore album this is a stunning, stripped back, ballad showcasing some of Nelly's finest vocals to date. If you haven't heard this you're missing out. It's got the power to turn the most snooty of hipster music snobs.

TWO
'Maneater' - Sexy, sassy and brimming with cool. This is a superb dance/rnb/dirty pop track, packed with attitude. You don't often find a song that has a lifetime stamp on it, but this is one of them. 20 years from now it'll still sound new and still pull me onto a dance floor.

ONE
'Say it Right' - Hypnotic. That's the word I'd use to sum this song up. Haunting production and both Nelly's and Timba's strongest song to date. I'd even go as far as to say this could be one of the top 10 songs of all time. Incredibly satisfying.

This was nails! I think I shifted 2-5 around for about 30 minutes and then changed 2 of them completely. These songs are great, but don't forget 'I'm Like a Bird', 'Promiscuous', 'Turn Off the Light' and many many more.

Woah Nelly!

Rated: Big Hoops

Once in a while a song comes along that is like nails on chalkboard the first time you hear it, but blossoms into something special on the subsequent plays. 'Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)' is Nelly Furtado's new track from her upcoming album The Spirit Indestructible and it couldn't be more satisfying.

The first time I heard it I thought, 'what the hell is this?!'. The second time I heard it I thought, 'Actually, this is fucking cool!'. What makes this song so great? It's completely different to everything else about in the charts, mainly pointing my fingers at the over saturation of dub-step inspired music around right now. With a hip-hop beat and an exciting chorus, Nelly raps 'I'm going down,/I've got my big hoops on'. The song sort of ends only to burst into a trip hop flurry that's more fun than an acid trip on a roller coaster.

4/5

Rated Fall To Grace - The Review

I read a comment today on another review of Paloma Faith's sophomore album that read, 'Paloma seems nice and cute but her music is rubbish'. Aside from the comment lacking in intelligently worded criticism, I found it completely bewildering. Paloma's styling might not be to everyone's taste, but there's no denying she's a fine song writer with an impressive set of distinct sounding pipes. New album Fall To Grace is an impressive collection of pop songs, retaining some of the vintage vibe of her debut but moving forward far enough to stand on its own two feet as something fresh and invigorating.

Lead single 'Picking Up The Pieces' is a glorious, orchestral, midtempo ballad with a gorgeous chorus and '30 Minute Love Affair' continues this quality with its 80s inspired beats and bouncing chorus. The album has plenty of balladry on offer, the likes of 'Black and Blue' and 'Just Be' being top showcases of Paloma's beautiful voice. 'Let Me Down Easy' is one of the strongest moments on the album with its haunting retro synths and Paloma's raspy yet creamy vocals poured over the top like some delicious dessert. 'Freedom' is the strongest track (bar the lead), kicking off in lounge piano ballad form only to burst into an exciting uptempo chorus that makes it one of the most exhilarating songs of 2012 so far. 

There are some weaker tracks. 'Beauty of the End' and 'When You're Gone' don't grab on first listen, nor second. Each has potential to be a grower but when you compare them to the more brilliant moments of the album they are overshadowed completely.

It was inevitable that this album was going to be automatically compared to Adele's 21. This is a comparison I don't quite understand as these are two completely different artists with very different sounds. 21 wasn't and still isn't a perfect album, but it's one of the best selling albums of our time. Fall To Grace is equally worthy of such recognition in the charts and from critics. It maintains some of the retro feel of her debut but songs like 'Blood Sweat & Tears' and the fantastic 'Agony' pull this album forward about 4 decades. Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? was by no means immaculate and nor is this album, but what it lacks in perfection it makes up for in evolution. The strong tracks are really strong and the weaker songs only falter a little. As a second album this is a success and as has been proven by its chart position (debut #2) she's finally garnered the appreciation she's deserved since the beginning.

4.5/5

Rated Fall To Grace: First Listen

I've been girding my loins for the new Paloma Faith album for weeks and in 10 days it will drop into my lap and I'll be floating along to it for hours on end. This morning I discovered the album sampler is available online and so, naturally, I got listening and putting pen to paper. On first impressions this is a strong collection of songs, with Paloma's voice on top form and the production never threatens to drown her out. I notice a lack of the potent retro feel of her debut Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? with its vintage inspired songs 'Upside Down', 'Smoke & Mirrors' and 'Broken Doll'. However, that said, this slight change/evolution in her sound is a clear sign of artistic progression. I guess we'll have to wait and see for sure when the album-full is released on 28 May.

Picking Up The Pieces
A lovely 'oomph' filled orchestral ballad about a crumbling relationship. See my review here.

30 Minute Love Affair
"30 minute love affair/All in the blink of an eye/There you were standing there..."she sings over an uplifting array of pleasant 80s synths. This is a bouncy poppy number that sounds unlike anything she's recorded before.


Black & Blue
One of the stronger ballads on the album, with stunning vocals on the massive chorus that wouldn't have seemed out of place on her debut album.


Just Be
A stripped back ballad, with some unusually restrained vocals from Paloma laced over the top of a gorgeous piano.


Let Me Down Easy
A fantastic sounding mid-down tempo song with a throbbing synth beat and a haunting metallic riff. This is electronic soul at its best.


Blood, Sweat & Tears
This sounds a bit like it was written by Sam Sparro and The Scissor Sisters. A electronic-disco infused pop song, this is a grower.


Beauty of the End
This sounds a bit like a bonus track from her first album. Lovely 'oooohh aaaahh' backing the chorus and Paloma's soulful voice.


When You're Gone
The first thing I thought of when I heard this was James Blake's album. It's no where near as wonderfully weird as that, but it has a faint throb in the background that sounds like he might have had a hand in its production.


Agony
A stronger uptempo track to 'Blood, Sweat & Tears'. "This is agony but it's still a thrill for me..." she belts out on a less bouncy, more orchestral pop song.


Let Your Love Walk In
Again, another ballad with lovely vocals. By this point I'd gotten a bit confused by which ballad was what. This is probably just because I've only had access to 1 minute clips of each, making it harder to absorb each one. Sounds good, potentially not as strong as the others though.


Freedom
One of my favourites. Starting off in lounge ballad form over a piano this song unexpectedly bursts into an exhilarating mid tempo chorus with light synths and an infectious beat.


Streets of Glory
The album closes with a ballad, showcasing just why this singer deserves some more recognition for her talent. It's a ghostly song with a sumptuous strings section and a thumping beat.

On first listen Fall To Grace sounds like it's brimming with artistic promise. There are some truly beautiful musical moments here in the form of 'Picking Up the Pieces', 'Just Be' and the epic 'Freedom'. I have some concern that the ballads might be a little samey, but I will reserve this criticism for when I've heard the full album in all its glory. Right now, I'm pretty confident this is going to be a joyride.

Rated Perfect World

Beth Ditto is back to her belt out best on the Gossip's new track 'Perfect World'. Similarly to 'Heavy Cross', this is a strong example of what's on the rest of their new album A Joyful Noise (review coming soon) and as a stand alone song it's damn lovely. Ditto's soulful vocals meander between the gothic rock synths and riffs, sounding as convincing and powerful as ever. It's typically Gossip and gorgeously Beth.

5/5

Rated Sunday Girl 2012

Ok so it's over a year since I first posted about Sunday Girl and still nothing has happened. Her career hasn't gone into orbit like I predicted and 'Four Floors' still isn't receiving the recognition it deserves. This is something I want to rectify, if only for this one song's sake! It's over two years old now and I still absolutely love it. I want an album god damnit!

Rated Picking Up The Pieces

It's been a while since we heard anything from Paloma Faith, other than the odd burst of 'Upside Down' over the top of the daft Boots adverts. Her last single 'Smoke & Mirrors' didn't even threaten to ignite the charts, which is a shame because it really is a great pop song. Her debut album Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? was a great collection of retro tinged pop songs, with elements of blues and soul entwined in well written pop craft. As her sophomore album approaches, entitled Fall To Grace, she really needed to showcase something special to ensure it makes an impact.

'Picking Up The Pieces' succeeds as a lead single. The standard structure of a song is start off small and end things big, however this doesn't follow this generic layout. Instead, the song's first chorus is huge and gets even bigger as the song reaches its crescendo. 'Now she's gone and I'm picking up the pieces' Paloma belts with her gorgeous vocal on a song about a crumbling relationship, damaged by a past love. The song is well written, well sung and most reassuringly continues the nu-vintage soul sound of her debut collection. It's nice to see she's sticking to her own style and not falling into the habits of many of her peers, jumping onto some boring dub step inspired bandwagon. I just hope this song and the upcoming album gain this brilliant artist the recognition and respect she deserves.

5/5

Listen to the song here

Rated 'My Kind of Love'

Emeli Sande performed her stunning new single on The Voice UK last night on BBC1. One performance so strong and so impressive I thought it needed a post of its very own. Amazing vocal range, brilliant stage arrangement and one of my favourite songs of 2012, this is a performance I'll be watching over and over for months. Take a look below if you missed it or like me, you just can't get enough of Emeli!

Rated Roundup: Cheryl/Tulisa/Rita

She's back and she forgot her trousers!

Something horrendous has happened... I like Cheryl Cole and Tulisa's new singles. I'm distressed as I dance around the flat singing '...when you call my name' at the top of my voice. My poor neighbours, no wonder they moved out. Anyway, here's another roundup of singles for your audio pleasure/displeasure, including those two dirties above:

1. Cheryl Cole - Call My Name

So she's back, Y-I.ing her way back into the spotlight after a much needed hiatus (much needed for us, not her). I won't lie, I liked 'Fight For This Love' and 'Promise This' because they were nothing more than fun coated, sticky sugary pop. Now with 'Call My Name' she's teamed up with Calvin Harris to create a song that sounds suspiciously similar to his behemoth Rihanna hit 'We Found Love'. It's got the same summery tone and a very similar structure, but it's completely different, right? Anyway, that aside, this is a pretty damn good pop song and I won't deny ol' tarty chops her place at number 1. Since I'm the chart controller.

5/5

2. Tulisa - Young

Another one who's thrown me into turmoil with her new single. 'Young' is a well timed dance number about the foolery of youth and how it is an excuse for making silly mistakes and trashing art shows (or giving a guy a blow job on camera, badly). 'Forgive me for what I have done, cos I'm young, Yeah I'm young', sings a vocally impressive Tulisa. It's not perfect though. The Calvin Harris esque build up-dance explosion is fun but not as good as that which it seems to mimic and the repetitive title line gets a bit tiresome. It's just silly pop at the end of the day, so let's not take it too seriously.

2.5/5

3. Rita Ora - R.I.P

First coming to our attention on DJ Fresh's number one hit 'Hot Right Now', Rita Ora caused some confusion as the 'girl who copies Rihanna's blonde hair'. Somehow I don't think hair colour is something attributable to being a rip off, so let's just sack that notion now. 'R.I.P' is her first solo outing and it's pretty awesome. Her voice sounds great, the production is solid (although I'm a bit bored of the dubsteppy sound that's on everything right now) and I can't get enough of the panting bridge segment. For a debut single this is as good as it gets.

5/5