The stroppiest girlband around have released a new single. Their last two singles have been surprisingly good, so what would I think of Denial?
Denial is a weird song. Imagine a tasty three course meal served in a dustbin. That’s what Denial is like. The vocals are excellent and really catchy, but the music itself is rubbish. The synthy, dancy, repetitive tone of the track doesn’t go with the singing and as a result, this really brings the tune down, which is a big shame.
As much as we hate to admit it, we all love watching the X Factor. The lame auditions, Sharon Osbourne ranting on like an aunty whos just drank a whole bottle of sherry, Louis going in a massive strop because his acts have been voted out the show. Yes, we all watch it and enjoy it and then the realisation suddenly hits us… we now have one more reality tv star blocking up the top 40.
Despite being 2007’s winner, Leona Lewis is still around and enjoying a successful music career. I must admit at this point that I really did like previous single Bleeding Love, but this double A-side left me cold.
If you like pianos, warbling and saccharine vocals about love conquering everything then you’ll like these songs but I was a little bit bored. Better in Time is a bit more lively, and there’s no denying that Leona Lewis has a good set of pipes on her, but even then, neither single is really nothing special. Both singles can be found on Spirit (2007).
Leona Lewis - Better in Time/Footprints in the Sand (Download Track)
Girls Aloud seem to be more famous right now for getting drunk, turning an increasingly vibrant shade of orange, and taking back their philandering husbands rather than for the music they make. Will their latest single from album Tangled up buck the trend?
Can’t Speak French starts well - with lots of synth and rockin’ guitars, but it plods along for the whole four minutes and at the end of it you can’t remember how it went anymore. All in all it’s a little bit forgettable, and lacks the punch of the last two singles the girl group released.
Alphabeat are a Danish sevenpiece who specialise in sparkly, shiny pop that you can get up off your seat and boogie on down to.
I saw this band in February and I really enjoyed them, and I’m really glad that they’ve released Fascination as their second UK single as it’s an absolute stonker. It sounds very eighties, why might not be to everyone’s taste, but the dual male/female voclas sound absolutely lovely and the whole track is very summery. If it doesn’t go to number one, I’ll eat my New Rocks.
Alphabeat have one album, Alphabeat (2008) which is due to be released soon.
This is the third single from the Scottish songstress Amy McDonald, and this track is allegedly one of Paul Weller’s favourites. That’s quite an endorsement, but is it justified.
The verses in this song do plod along a little bit, but the chorus is fantastic and I was humming along to it for ages afterwards. It’s a pleasant little acoustic ditty, but it’s not as good as first single, Mr. Rock and Roll.
Everyone’s favourite Swedish Rock band are back with their first single of 2008. Will it be a good start to the year for them?
This song is a bit weird - it’s not as frantic as their usual offerings and kick-ass guitar licks aside, it’s all a little bit insipid. Howlin’ Pelle’s lyrics aren’t as ferocious as they usually are and the song just limps along. It sounds like the band wanted to go in a new direction and fell flat on their faces as a result.
Depending on your point of view, Brit Award winning producer Mark Ronson is either a musical genius reviving life into tired old songs, or a big old plagiarist - stealing classic tunes and sticking a few horn samples in them.
Previous single Valerie, which featured beehived tramp-a-like Amy Winehouse was good because it turned a so-so indie song into something wonderful. However, this cover of a Radiohead track, featuring the lead vocals of Phantom Planet’s Alex Greenwald doesn’t quite cut it. Somehow the original still sounds better, despite the new vocals, the added horns and the added bassline. Some might even call this version sacreligious.
The track’s one saving grace through is the video - a loving pastiche of the Radiohead one where everyone is lying on the floor for no reason.
Hard Fi’s second album Once Upon A Time in the West hasn’t done too well with the album reviewers, despite initial single Surburban Knights being a fantastic tune.
I Shall Overcome is a guitar led stomper with a Britpop-esque chorus which would sound fantastic live. However, one slight niggle… the verses don’t really work too well - they’re a bit clumsy and instantly forgettable. Not as good as Surbarban Knights I’m afraid.
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