I love stuff like this! Its Robyn before Show Me Love, My Truth and With Every Heartbeat. This is when she was just a teeniebopper. It reminds me a lot of the early Dannii Minogue clips from her Young Talent Time days when she'd bang out Good Ship Lollypop or To Sir Love. Epic. This is the kinda stuff that puts the dust in the star. Oh, hell...lets post something from Dannii's YTT days.
ROBYN's "Number 1" for bonus track on next album please
I love stuff like this! Its Robyn before Show Me Love, My Truth and With Every Heartbeat. This is when she was just a teeniebopper. It reminds me a lot of the early Dannii Minogue clips from her Young Talent Time days when she'd bang out Good Ship Lollypop or To Sir Love. Epic. This is the kinda stuff that puts the dust in the star. Oh, hell...lets post something from Dannii's YTT days.
THE STARS OF TOMORROW (ALL ABSOLUTELY POPTASTIC)
Matt Dusk
Wowzas! Matt Dusk hails from Canada & by no means is he new to the scene. His first proper album came out 2004, followed shortly by the wonderful Back In Town and this year's Good News Cd. Where to place him musically? Its the fact that his album was released in Europe & there could be a chance Good News will likely get a UK release soon makes him worthy of inclusion. A mixture of Jamie Callum and fellow Canadian Michael Buble but whereas Michael has a tendency to occasionally sound somewhat like the master himself Frank, Matt explores that that classic Ratpack/Jazz Crooner while simultanously strives to remain upbeat & contemporary. Michael Buble might be the one that has gone deservedly global its worth checking out Matt. And yes, I used the word wowzas. Because the boy deserves it. Matt Dusk
Mary Ndiaye
Completely and utterly miles apart soundwise is the stunning Mary Ndiaye from Sweden. Mary is very special. And rather unique too. She is very much like poppier version of Robyn with a bit of Gwen thrown in for good measure. The songs on her mypace are absolutely brilliant. Its like she has seen what Kesha has achieved with Tik Tok and utterly improved on her formula. The songs are vastly suporior than anything the rather overhyped Lolene album. Very promising indeed. I've been playing Byema for about 16 months now. Its scorched quite an imprint on my ipod playlist so its time I posted something about this rather fabulous singer. She certainly knows how to write a party anthem....Oh and her version of Pretty Woman is something else. Mary Ndiaye
Heidrun
Heidrun is absolutely amazing. She provides lush sharp electro beats that should please anyone who loved Kylie's more synth turns on X, anything by Goldfrapp and the Finnish pop princess Ninja. You actually might have heard of a Heidrun record before without knowing it. She was on the big Cicada record released earlier this year which I loved. She's sadly put her solo stuff aside for the Cicada project was given greater importance but I think she's certainly one to watch out come 2010. Heidrun
Heidrun is absolutely amazing. She provides lush sharp electro beats that should please anyone who loved Kylie's more synth turns on X, anything by Goldfrapp and the Finnish pop princess Ninja. You actually might have heard of a Heidrun record before without knowing it. She was on the big Cicada record released earlier this year which I loved. She's sadly put her solo stuff aside for the Cicada project was given greater importance but I think she's certainly one to watch out come 2010. Heidrun
Freja
This is slightly cheating. Freja has appeared on Dontstopthepop before but she's just posted new music on her myspace and signed a new deal with TEN Music in the Konungariket Sverige As such, its my duty to feature her here. Her music is ridiculously addictive. The lyrics are wonderful too. She's giving those Le Kid a run for their money in being the most poptastic act to come out of Sweden in 2010, Freja offers a slice of pop is simply stratospheric. Its this kind of pop that cancels out the likes of Lady GaGa. I want the album now. Freja give me what I want. You are on a very special plane of glorious wonderfulness. Freja
Adam Tyler
Now this is very fresh. Very early days yet but its promising. Boys in pop have a tricky time these days. Going by Adams myspace he has managed to avoid mistakes made by other young pop sailors who've tripped over and vanished without a trace. By including a ballad in amongst the wonderful remixes he's proven he's more than just another electronic disco dustbunny. Its the song The Last Time We Say Goodbye that clearly stands out. For sure, Friction is fun but its the rather unusual electro ballad with its sharp yet sinister violins reveals Adam refusing to produce pop fluff that will sound out of fashion by early 2010. Very good. Adam Tyler 
Robin McKelle
TRACK SAMPLER
- Take Me Home (Mary Ndiaye)
- Love Attack (Matt Dusk)
- The Last Time We Say Goodbye (Adam Tyler)
- Back In Town (Matt Dusk)
- Erasing You (Heidrun)
- Hell To The No (Freja)
- Byema (Mary Ndiaye)
- Abracadabra (Robin McKelle)
- All Them Boys (Freja)
- Good News (Matt Dusk)
THE MONTH OF DANNII-THIS IS A DONTSTOPTHEPOP CELEBRATION!
Its Dannii month. We've already had the rather interesting Piers Morgan interview & now comes a bevy of Dannii's releases. Three in all! Although none of the albums are new they contain a bucketload of unreleased material. The most interesting is of course the brilliant 1995 Sessions compilation album. It supposedly includes tracks that were meant for a third studio album that failed to come about. We've only heard Everlasting Night so this is practically a new album. I can't wait to hold this hand and play it loud. I'm gonna open my windows and blast it out. Let the citizens of Hackney jump to the beat of Dannii circa 1995! Yes, its going to be fabulous November! Perfect early Christmas present!
So what is it with Dannii? People have often pegged her without ever enjoying the slice of pop she's baking and instead build stupid stories surrounding the dance pop princess. She isn't as good as her sister. The comparisons have always bored myself silly. She is a popstar. She'd be somewhere in the pop industry whether Kylie was doing it or not. Its always pissed me off that people always instantly lazily judged her work without actually listening to the music. Journalists and radio stations couldn't get beyond her surname. Always asking the same boring questions. I never understood this. No one really compares brothers. Its just taken as it is. However women in the industry are always taken apart because of their clothes, hair colour and family relatives. Rarely is the music and the star individually celebrated. This is my moment to do just that.
Truth is, Dannii's music has always been stellar. You can hear the hard work in her albums. Often or not she's one step ahead of the game when it comes with production houses. Dannii was the first high profile act to take a buck on the pretty unknown songwriter Brian Higgins. This was long before Girls Aloud were on the scene. What? Dannii more cutting edge than Annie, Sophie Elis-Bextor, Gabriella Cilmi, Texas, Sugababes and Pet Shop Boys? In this precise context, yes!
Dannii lives and breathes the industry. She's been in it for four decades. Stardust runs through her dna. Its in her blood. Play Neon Nights & you can hear shades of the mighty Robyn and Confessions on a Dancefloor L.P's that came out a year afterwards. Listen to Dannii's Girl and you'll hear early cries of Cher's amazing Believe album and Madonna's Ray of Light. Ever since the release of Girl, Dannii's studio albums have emerged as great indicative products of pop music. Often or not I find myself humming a current dance anthem that would evolve into something from Dannii's albums.
What makes the Dannii experience annoying is the fact that her record companies tend to mess things up. That's the impression I seem to get. I am just a fan of her music here. Take for example the release of He's A Greatest Dancer. That was a hot mess. Then you hear the bonus bits on her greatest hits and digital only releases like ClubDisco. Love Fight could have been amazing. As would have the JCA collaboration Come & Get It. If they were only released. Still, at least we have the music through the viaducts of additional tracks on greatest hits packages. These have emerged as a little liferope for the Dannii fan. Moreover, they illustrate the difficulties within the music industry at present.
With her current position as X Factor judge many have raised questions about her qualifications. To me this is ridiculous. The arguements are sloppy and ill-thought. It should be someone who has had a U.K number 1. It should be someone who has had huge successes around the world. It should be a superstar. However, looking closely at it all Dannii's position at the table becomes ever more appropriate. Listening to the music it is proof that Dannii is a stern hardworker. Proof that the industry isn't about lying about and things falling into place at the snap of the eyelashes. If you want to be under that spotlight for more than 15 seconds you've got to work to stay there. Many argue its all about being born under a lucky star. However that lucky star gets rather fickle and tired at its subjects. Its always been the case. Its up and down. And often or not, down and out.
Dannii has constantly worked her butt off in all different forms. On stage, on tv and producing. Dannii knows the industry. She's probably the best experienced at being a popstar in this respect. Someone who has only tasted the upper echelons of success could only ever be able to produce advice that is limited in its scope and thus ultimately flawed. Dannii can see the bigger picture. What happens after the show is over. X factor is no star maker. In fact its truly ever created one long term proper popstar. Leon and Alexandra have had successes for sure but not in the longterm. As I said above, many have criticized Dannii and her qualifications as a successful popstar but I'd say it would be wiser to pay attention on the the success of X Factor as so far it seems more of a flop format. My point? Dannii's credentials have been well proven, the show she is on has not. That's where analysis should lie. Not in the judge. It is a monster of a show in which many careers within the music depend on and this is probably too many eggs in one basket. For every Leona...there's a Steve and Shayne. Dannii has nothing to prove. No. The show however does. Success is a funny thing. Indeed Dannii wrote about it when she was just a kid and its all in that second single.
Alas, I am sidetracked. Dannii, Dontstopthepop pours this toast of crispy bubbly just for you. Organic of course. On a more personal note I actually passed my Dance GCSE to the extended remix of Everything I Wanted. Class! I made sure the rest of my class listened back to the entire Girl album back in 1997 (and 1998). We stomped our way through Heaven Can Wait & Someone New (yes, I had the Japanese import from Tower Records London for a snip at £22!-all my pocket money for 2 months!). In the winter months of 1997, Girl and Spiceworld emerged as the critical soundtracks to my dance classes in the drama buildings of my school. Thank you, Dannii! You helped Dontstopthepop get a great grade in my GSCE's but also the soundtrack to my teenage years with the girls from 9LTN and beyond!
"SHES UP ALL IN MY FACE"-I confess, I can't stop playing this...
I know. Don't repeat posts. Especially if it contains the the same act you've featured in the previous topic. Its like a cardinal rule of blogging! But.This.Song.Is.So.So.Good! Its called Satellite. And its by the Danish runner runner up Mohamed. Its very good. As is the album! So So Good!
PLAY IT LOUD! New Pop from Europe
I've just got back from Madrid (Loves it!) and naturally my posts on Dontstopthepop have dipped! Sorry! So, here is a bumper edition. Like Paloma? You'll like Caro Emerald. Like Lady GaGa? You'll like Mohamed! Like crazy disco pop? Just play Sweden's Nanne. There is hopefully something here for everyone.
First off is the glorious new video for the Agnes video I Need You Now. Probably the best pop video set in a desert since those Spice Girls demanded that someone say they'd be there, the new Agnes video see's Agnes in a glorious space car thingy and a brilliant gold chiffon dress. Pop factor to the max! Oh and those horses help!
Staying in Sweden is the brilliant Paul Rein track with Nanne (previously featured on DSTP a few weeks back). Now, she's gone and issued its promotional video and its crazy. Nanne, never ever stop what you're doing. Yes you are demented but its why we love you. Watch all of it below!
A lot is being made of X Factor in the UK. This is understandable. The ratings it recieves its huge. For me its all about Dannii's girls. The others seem unable to sing or convey anything when they sing the lyrics of the songs. Its so automatic. All on cruise control. Take Danyl for exmaple. He's been selected as the favourite but tonight he was very nearly out of the competition despite being one of the best singers in the show. People say he's not connecting with audiences. I agree-to an extent. I think its more that he just has absolutely no tenderness to his performances. Its all about singing with feeling. Finding you're story in the music.
In Denmark, X Factor has given us Martin & now the sweet and poptastic Mohamed. Mohamed Ali has just released his album and its utterly amazing. Please please check it out. If you like Keisha, Simon Curtis and Lolene you'll love the album (Keep It Simple). There is this one track on the album called Satellite which has me going crazy whenever my little ipod jumps to it. Seeing as the boy came third it just goes to show you don't have to be the winner to have the best endproduct. Personally, I think Mohamed just gave the world the best debut album by an X Factor artist. Internationally. Yes, I am including the mighty Leona Lewis in my audacious claim. Mohamed's album is the kind of album you'd expect a popstar to release once he's been in the industry for five years.It is seriously good stuff....
Turning to The Netherlands, I want to spend some love on Caro Emerald. She goes back to the 1950's without ever sounding dated. The girl is incredibly classy. For sure, her voice isn't the strongest but its clean cut and the music is pure silk. Its drenched in a swingtime beat that would please any Michael Buble lovers. What's more it has a subtle contemporary texture to the her modus. The album features an irresistible mix of 40’s-50’s inspired ballroom jazz, cinematic tangoes, groovin’ jazz tracks and infectious mambo’s, combined with smoking hiphop beats, catchy songs and inventive production. Absolutely love it.
I do have a soft spot for pop boys & with Simon Curtis taking off (see here) & Jonas putting the finishing touches to his album I got wondering what the hell happened to Sam Taylor? Its gone quiet! Well I happened to watch Euronews in the airport and occasionally they run features on new artists! Yes, in-between their very noble news reports on European environmental public policy & the Slovenian local democratic process Euronews goes all popdust. And thank god it does! This time it was the turn of Justin Nozuka. He comes from Toronto but his heritage is half Japanese, half American and was born in New York. The mighty BBC gave his album four stars which is understandable as the heady concoction of acoustic folk, skillfully crafted pop melodies and sensitive soul create a beautiful slice of contemporary music that you usually don't hear from a male artist. Amazing.
ANALYSIS OF THE TOTALLY BRILLIANT BETTER THAN TODAY
I love it when Kylie previews a new song on her tours. I whooped when Ruffle My Feathers graced the stage, White Diamond fluffed its unusual sonic shuffles, Flowers bloomed in the spotlight, Free soared into moonshine and Can't Get You Out Of My Head bounced along with her bassist for the first time back in 2001. With the assistance of youtube, I've also managed to piece together that other recent glorious Kylie track That's Why They Write Love Songs which for me deserves equal adoration. Better Than Today is thoroughly additive. Premiering for the first time in on the U.S tour, Kylie has managed to whip out quite a yummy uplifting piece of pop. Written by Nerina Pallot, Better Than Today shimmies under the mirrorball with attitude, sex appeal and pure fun. Its up there with I Believe In You, Wow and Love At First Sight. You can already do the dance moves in your kitchen whilst putting together a greek salad. A key factor which equals success.
So what do I love about the song? First of all it has a really uplifting texture without being cheesy. I still can't quite make out all the lyrics but I think the song could be best understood in the line "what's the point in trying to be cool when there's a million things to be learned that they don't teach in school". Into this, I really like the bit when she questions the world "whats the point if you don't wanna dance?". It is this sort of rhetorical questioning that leads the song to be a follow up to the glorious disco hissy fit that was Scissor Sisters I Don't Feel Like Dancing. Put the two songs together and their like the first and second line of a John Donne couplet. If John Donne wrote pop sonnets. Which if he did would be absolutely amazing.
Another bit I like is when the music starts. Yes, the initial throbbing beat at the start of song immediately wraps you up in a holistic bum wiggle and has you walking down your street with kick in your step. So when she sings "you've got to lose control almost every night" all eyes rest on you. You hold the torch. No one else. This is about your chance to dance whether it be in a club or merely in the bedroom. The next bit, when she goes: "see what you do../I'm talking to you", oneself is forced to disco slide to the left and step out with your right leg so your gliding with the melody of 1980's tinged baseline. You see, synthesizers can be used in a fun way La Roux!
This is the princess of pop of Fever, Made Of Glass & parts of Lights Years. Its electro pop but not of the Lady GaGa kind and what Kylie does best. You can almost imagine ABBA have a song like this if they'd ever fulfill the dreams of millions by returning with a new album. You can almost see this as a lost Nolans Sisters song. But it isn't too retro! Its got its first foot in post-modernity. Indeed, it throws the margaritas & vodka tonics of stable time in the air by proposing a paradox of past, present and future in demanding "tomorrow be better than today" yet placing the moment of the song in the night which is ever always in the contemporary now. A professor once said to me that he is only happy between two places: the one he's leaving behind and the one to which he is about to arrive. I believe Better Than Today could be a song that describes this situation perfectly.
Beyond this, Better Than Today contains a rather interesting layout of its chorus. The bits when she says "what's the point in living when you don't take a chance" are backed with a different electro melody than the initial parts of the chorus. This makes the entire 'chorus experience' not only of sheer jubilation but extended yet differential expectations. The chorus, a place in a song where one expects repetition, is expanded in Better Than Today so that it is multi-layered and multifaceted. I am sure there must be a musical technical term for this but for me the collective refrains backed up by 1st and secondary choruses (and a semi-chant towards the end of the song), ensure this new song is a crown in the new tree of pop anthems. This song is about singing into your brush, remote control or as Kylie did a random lamp (see clip above). With a twist of bubblegum & a sophisticated martini, this rather spectacular pop song has become one of my favourite Kylie songs of all time which is a good start seeing as its not even out yet.
RBW
Its R-Beeeee-Double-U!!!!!!! They first appeared on this blog in 2007! (2 years ago!!!!) Now they are finally hear ready to take advantage of the gap left by Sugababes IV and fitting into the spaces that were once jam packed with Girls Aloud trinkets. The new material consist of little electro neon gems & blippy anthems arn't red hot but instead provide the intensity of heat only proffered through blue flames. In other words, incredibly good. Hence the distinct colour change in their styling. They've gone for a cool, smooth yet irrestible azul shine backed up by sleek saffrons and glorious lace tops that puts them miles apart from the many Lady GaGa-esque girlgroups running around at the moment. Not to mention the multitude of girlbands who seem to think style is guaranteed by spending four hours in American Apparel and Top Shop. For sure, they might look good but unique? I think not. No one can ever excuse RBW of looking (and sounding unoriginal).
They boarded the ship of difference years ago which could explain the difficulty in radio interest. Sometimes pop acts can be so beyond the pale it takes ages for the mainstream to fall in line. Both Scissor Sisters & Lady GaGa took ages to get signed. Katy Perry released 2 other albums before she managed to secure the right look and sound. Not to mention the shelved Leona Lewis album. The thing is: the stars are now alligned for RBW. It not only seems right, but it looks and sounds right too. Welcome back RBW! Official myspace: RBW
Lady GG/Madonna missfire & apparently only Europeans really "get" Kylie: ITS POP NEWS!
ITS POP NEWS!
Actually these are opinions rather than facts but Dontstopthepop never claimed to be unbiased like the BBC. Though I could do with a nice tour of Blue Peter's garden. Okay so Madonna and Lady GaGa appeared together on the once wonderful Saturday Night Live. Ah, it should have been glorious. Madonna is so subversive. Lady GaGa is so challenging. Bollocks. When Lady GaGa's entire modus operandi can easily be upstaged by Sinitta's wonderful foliage arrangement on a domestic reality pop show in Britain (see MyFizzyPops excellent analysis here) then you realize just how relentlessly stupid the Lady GaGa experience has now become.
I'd also steer clear of Madonna. She's like a blackhole of unoriginality at the moment. For sure, tracks on her greatest hits package are wonderful but all they do is tragically remind us just how great the artist (formally) known as the Queen of Pop once was back in the days when she set the pace rather than followed it. The three additional tracks on the album prove this.
The reviews of Kylie's stateside tour are in and they're overly very positive. However one very nasty reviewer concluded that it was only us poor undernourished Europeans that seem to understand what Kylie is about. I don't think he really gauged the show. From all accounts by those actually in the audience they pretty much realized exactly what a trip on KM AIR meant. Kylie doesn't do Janet Jackson style backflips, she pretty much refuses to swear at her audience like Madonna & you'll never see her simply create a playlist on her ipod, plug that into the sound desk and mime the songs. You get something far more real with Kylie. Yes, yes you'll get amazing lasers and trips into mystical hinter-disco-lands but with Minogue you'll get emotion, a good time and a sense of hyper-reality. The trick to Kylie's shows, for me, has been its wonderful ability to be both magical & not too choreographed. That way every show is pretty much going to be completely different to the next. As the audience is treated in a unique way so is the show itself. Europeans arn't the only ones who "get this". So did Latin America, Asia and Australasia which experienced a large chunk of a Kylie tour last year.
The new costumes were as always totally dreamy and an extension to the "fabric" and narratives we'd previously encountered pretty much since 2002. My favourite outfit I've seen her in is this re-dressing of the CyberKylie previously experienced in 2002 only reworked so there's less of the BorgQueen/Seven of 9 and more of the Fritz Lang/Frau Im Mond/Metropolis texture to the outfit. Even down to the planets circulating her body! Absolutely epic.
She previewed a new song from her new album called "Better Than Tomorrow" which sounded absolutely fantastic. Its a real "strutting down the street" kinda song. I'm also adoring Roxanne Wilde. Got a soft spot her anyway. She needs to bring out that album already. At the start of 2009, I gave a small overview of Roxanne Wilde including the glorious "Radiate" which needs to be released in some way or form. I love the way she moves during "Better Than You". Its been ages since Kylie had such a form of dancing with her backing vocalists and I think it totally works.
Agnes Carlsson has previewed her US video for "Release Me". Its pretty much the same as the previous video and in my opinion, a tiny bit of a waste of money but I do like the hair. Yet another version of her album is coming only this time in Germany. This time it doesn't include the Eurovision attempt "Love Love Love" but rather a rather fantastic bevy of new tracks, new versions and remixes. I'm most interesting is the dancier version of "Big Blue Wall". I've always felt it had the potential to be a single and now it suddenly feels very chartworthy with its additional disco twinkles sprinkled throughout. I wonder what will appear on the UK release of "Dance Love Pop" especially when her UK label went with the rather acute choice of "I Need You Now" as the follow-up to "Release Me". All bets were on "On & On" as that has always screamed single status. Personally I love the choice. Its weird, unusual and has the potential to backfire but it shows the record company are thinking outside the box & perhaps building up a credible profile for Agnes here on UK shores.
Talking of a record company thinking outside the box, Upside Records have decided to release
"Vinegar" by Anna Abreu (of Finland) here in the UK. I've always loved Vinegar/Anna and the clever peeps at Upside have re-treated the song so it has a '09 texture to it (hear the Buzz Junkie mix above). I think they might just capitalize on the audience created by Agnes Carlsson's "Release Me". Will it pay off? The bombastic remix seriously gives it the boost the song deserves. Both Agnes ("I Need You Now") and Anna's "Vinegar" will provide great dancefloor fodder this autumn. They'll absolutely compliment each other.
So in September No Angels went and released what was probably the finest pop albums of the year. Yet its completely and utterly bombed in Germany. I think the shift into hard electro-synth-rnb pop was too much so they've gone for their traditional yet ironically titled "Derailed" for the second single. I doubt we'll see a third single but I'd push for "Thunderstorm". It all depends on their tour which fans on their sites say hangs in the balance.
German pop news II! Their younger "pop sisters" Queensberry have pretty much derailed too. They've gone and covered Shakesspear Sister's legendary track "Hello (Turn Your Radio On)" which in itself is fine but no the right follow-up to Queensberry's brilliant "Too Young". It leaves Monrose the only girlband in Germany with a fighting chance of keeping their record deal in 2010. For sure, I hope No Angels/Queensberry keep theirs but it's not looking great.
Tomorrow night (Monday) pretty much witnesses the fantastic return of Same Difference to the world of pop (although it feels like they never left!). DSTP has long championed Same Difference so its great to see them comeback to a popshow stage along side the likes of DSTP/MyFizzypop fellow favourite's Elouise & Waterloo. The event, Popshow Gold, is a bit like the old Smash Hits Tour. It features loads of new acts ready to perform new material and test the reactions of the audience. For more information check out this site here.
Talking of Elouise, I'm loving the new Barbra Streisand album! Its pure gold. It does need a kick now and then but the quartet sessions are available on the deluxe edition of the album are wonderful. She was interviewed by Mr.Ross on British TV the other night which went reasonably well considering his ego but it was still a bit lackluster. There is a tendency to ask female musicians about their private lives and what their eating. This annoys me immensely.
If you like Elouise and Barbra Streisand you might just fancy taking your time out on Melody Gardot. She isn't as glam as the aforementioned singers but she is glorious. Melody Gardot's second full length album, produced by Larry Klein and much anticipated since she signed with Verve about a year and a half ago, is finally out and available to buy in the UK.
How brilliant is Nanne's (of Sweden) Otacksamhet?! In true Nanne style its absolutely mental and very much the polemic we expect from Nanne. Such is the strength of this is song is its Swedishness is no block to how fantastic it is. I find myself singing along to words that I have absolutely no comprehension. I think she does mention something about being on a gay parade and performing at a karaoke bar. So, er...like bring on her album already!
Paloma Faith-Do you want the truth or something beautiful?
Paloma Faith asks the listener two critical questions with her release. Beauty or truth. George Orwell once said in a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. Paloma proposes fantasy and falsehood as the sweet & rather stunning lie & the truth as the harsh disenchantment of modernity. Paloma indeed provides ambitious tablets & trinkets of narratives that belong to the hinterland, dreamsville, underworld and the ether. We know this for the first lyric exposes Paloma’s position. It’s in the first single Stone Cold Sober which you can take a look here. She declares she’ll be the late night lady you won’t recognize. Thus, the subject of the penumbra. You see, the album covets the greats: Marlene, Mae West, Kylie, Piaf, Queen Elizebeth and of course Carole King. Many have subjected her to the same horrendous comparison of Amy Winehouse and Duffy when in reality listening to the album its only in one track (the lyrically wonderful but altogether lacklustre “My Legs Are Weak”) that approaches anything that mirrors material produced by those previously mentioned singers. Indeed, it is only this track that fails to meet the high standard set by Paloma herself.
I have no issue with Duffy & Amy but I believe Paloma shouldn’t be seen in the same light. The album really propels this fact. Paloma does her best to avoid Motown and instead explores themes previously explored by Joan Baez, Julie Driscoll, Noel Coward, Ivor Novello, Doris Day, Marilyn and of course Jo Stafford. The album is a visual journey as well a oral narrative. This is what I believe marks a critical difference in Paloma’s stunning first album. I’m not talking about the stunning album artwork that comes with the physical cd (provided by the singer & Morizt Junge) here. Rather, songs like Broken Doll, Play On, New York and Romance Is Dead are aurally epic portraits of sonic polemic pop songs that are rarely created these days. The use of lush organic strings, harps and powerful melodies that, once merged, provide a gorgeous texture to the album. Putting aside track 9, everything on this album sounds like a modern twist on a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. Everything is pure sweat, blood and tears. Yes, one could argue that the album is perhaps the best musical album that was released but never put on stage. You can almost see how each song could provide a critical plot line where the actors, fairies, goblins, princesses and such other fantastical creatures break into song. Paloma naturally being the narrator. Listen to Stargazer (track 8) and you’ll immediately understand where I’m coming from.
Stargazar is perhaps the track that encapsulates what PalomaWorld contains. Written with Jorgen Eloffson (Same Difference, Steps, No Angels, Agnes, Clea, Robyn, Geri, Leona, TryBe, Tess, Kelly Clarkson & Will Young,), the song is a bout of magical realism of the sort that wraps around the great tragic love stories and those glorious burlesque productions provided by those at the Crazy Horse in Paris. Kylie says in her debut “In my imagination there is no hesitation” and Paloma tries to explode limitations by spinning out an interwoven dreamscape where ten glistening pop songs do their best to achieve a stratospheric level of beautiful hyperbole. Does she get there? Yes. I think this album promises a great future for Paloma & her talent for taking risks is glorious. However, she doesn’t push hard enough. I feel this is simply because the album is far too short. Once you remove the unoriginal track 9 that leaves you panting for more. Its like she’s plucked your imagination and left you there without fully expanding on either the truth or the beauty promised in the title of the album. The second album will be of critical interest for me. I’d like to see her really explore dark sides to this world she’s lured me into with this first album. Such minor complaints aside, it is a tableau of sheer theatrics and must be celebrated. You’ll rarely find a release of this excellent level this year. It is one of the best albums of the year. 9/10
Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? Out Now On Sony Music
Contemporary Affinity Acts: Elouise, GhostvsSanne, Pandering & The Golddiggers, Josh Weller
Official Myspace
Official Myspace
RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW (well, actually tomorrow night)
The trinity that is BwO will be performing at the lovely pop night Scandipop. Its going to be a huge event so its worth the £7 of the door entry which is really just the price of two large coffee's at Starbucks. Scandipop features live acts every month of the Scandanavian persuasion which is a tad fun. Well worth it.
I Don't Usually Do this
Yeah, its from a TV show. But I think i found my new obsession. Paul from MyFizzyPop said this is what really what Britannia High should have been. Couldn't agree more. I officially love, love, love it. Adorable.
KEISHA LEAVES SUGABABES: "SO I LIKE A BIRD WILL FLY TO SEE WHAT COULD BE..."
So thats that then! Keisha has officially left the Sugababes! Their website just stated:
"Monday 21st September
The current line-up of the Sugababes has disbanded.
Heidi Range and Amelle Berrabah will continue as the Sugababes and will be joined by new member Jade Ewen. They release their album ‘Sweet 7’ on November 23rd through Island Records.
Keisha Buchanan will continue to record for Island Records as a solo artist."
Personally I'm not so fond on Jade. For sure, great vocals but something about Jade utterly grates on me. Over time who knows though. Definitely there's a mountain to climb. Popjustice has dealt with the news arguing for the band to change their name and citing the departure of Keisha as the death knell of the brand of the British pop group. I'm not so sure on that one. I always felt the b(r)and has always been bigger than its members.
Moreover, one only has to refer to Central Europe's biggest girlgroup Nu Virgos who've an ever revolving membership with the original members vanishing, re-appearing and disappearing once again (the total number of girls who've been in Nu Virgos is around 11 since they started releasing records in 2000).
With this in mind, this line-up change in Sugababes is nothing huge. However, what is probably more threatening to the life of the brand is the choice of Keisha's replacement & the quality of the new material.
HER NAME WAS PALOMA
The other night I pranced my way down Pentonville Road to the Scala to see the lovely Paloma Faith live. She graced the stage in her usual unique bombastic way. Nothing new there. The girl is utterly fabulous. As she did her thing though I wondered why the hell is she being put in the same box as Amy and Duffy. The two aforementioned are nothing like Paloma. It would be like saying Marilyn Monroe is the just another Marlene Dietrich clone. For sure, Paloma sometimes references the same 1960' wall of sound as the aforementioned songbirds but the Hackney girl is more Blossom Dearie meets Bjork than Motown. Yes yes Paloma also has that certain vocal swagger you hear in Amy but hey Amy doesn't have exclusive rights to that particular modus. Personally, Paloma is vocally more akin to Joan Baez, Julie Driscoll and Carole King. Moreover, while Duffy rides her bike promoting some soft drink and Amy spends her time mumbling through songs, when Paloma takes the stage she shimmers in something the mighty showgirls of Kylie, Shirley Bassey and Mae West. The Scala rarely goes camp but that night Paloma took us all on a ride that was more Moulin Rouge than Kings Cross.
So the point of this "review". I actually don't know other than to say Paloma profers nothing but a trinket of pop that is sheer theatrical and wonderfully stylish. While many diva's these days concentrate on the vocals, Paloma spends a tremendous time on the visuals which is a lovely thing to experience. For sure, you won't actually get to see that while hearing her myspace player which makes her live shows all the more glorious. The last two singles have charted reasonably OK but I think it will be 2010 when we see Paloma absorbed the spotlight she truly deserves to bask in. Indeed she's got a role in Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Heath Ledger's last film). I for one can't wait for the album released next (pre-order it here if you'd like). If songs like Stargazer, Broken Dolls and the current single New York are anything to go by its gonna be in my 2009's shortlist for album of year.
WELCOMING POLLY RAE TO THE WORLD OF POP
Th illustrious Polly Rae is currently working with William Baker and their new show (think Dita von Tease that can sing) is finally coming together ready to fly mid-Feb! So, something to warm the winter months methinks. Who is Polly Rae I hear you ask! Well, shes a kinda West End Wendy-cum-Burlesque queen. She's been the toast of cabaret quarters for some time now but with support William Baker (amongst others), they're re-adjusting what we know of burlesque and adapting the genre so it fits neatly into a slightly more modern setting. So yes, Polly Rae...welcome to the wonderful world of pop!
KYLIE & BENNY ANDERSSON When All Is Said & Done
STOP PRESS-COSMO4 AROUND THE WORLD RELEASED IN SWEDEN!
Straight from the HQs of Lionheart Records....Released December 2009 (for christmas!). To read an interview with one of its members (go here)
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