Music: Aloe Blacc, Good Things

I like that Aloe Blacc has given his album such an upbeat title. You might even be fooled into thinking that the songs are all about, well, good things. Oh well done Aloe. In fact, with his gorgeous melted chocolate voice, Aloe Blacc speaks his piece on unemployment, homelessness, alcoholism and twisted politicians. Good things!

With the recession still resonating with listeners here and across the pond, the anthemic and tragic single, 'I Need a Dollar,' has been a huge hit all over. It's vaguely reminiscent of an old spiritual - a soulful protest song. 'Politician' is a funky fight song, while 'Hey Brother' features a wicked wah-wah slap bass. Good Things is a sort of homegrown, rootsy old-school funky soul record, which is safe enough not to ruffle too many feathers when you play it in your car.

With all of this in mind, I wasn't tempted to drown my sorrows or crawl back under the covers after listening to the album. Blacc's delicious voice, accompanied by some funky bass, cheerful trumpets and class-A 'shoopers', makes this a joy to hear. If anything, I was moved to utter a few 'amens' in solidarity with Blacc's struggles. He even borrows from Buffalo Springfield's 'Stop Children What's that Sound,' if you're a fan.

My rating: **** 4/5 stars

Reccommendation: Preach it, Aloe! You'll love this if you're a fan of soul, funk or the 50s-esque stylings of Amy Winehouse and friends.

Eurovision, baby!

I should be there. I should be in Dusseldorf right now, drinking some Liebfraumilch and eating Schweinebraten and Spaetzle. But I'm not. No, I am in Hatfield drinking flat coke and eating an Aero lamb. I'm not bitter that at the very we clicked 'Purchase Tickets' some other goon was doing exactly the same thing with, apparently, a milli-second of an edge on us. No, not at all.

And now, just to rub salt in the wound, this is looking to be one of the best Eurovisions for years. Yes, I use the term 'best' lightly. So, for those of you sad enough to care (I am literally like a child going to Disneyland!), here is my list of the top ten to watch out for. Click on the song for a link to the YouTube video. Enjoy:

HUNGARY - Kati Wolf, What about my Dreams?
Kati is very smiley, and she teeters around in a teeny blue dress on big heels. It's a catchy tune, though, and the epitome of Eurovision. Bookies are backing this one!

AZERBAIJAN - Ell and Nikki, Running Scared
Well, the English lyrics are questionable, but the chorus gets right in your head.

ICELAND - Sjonni's Friends, Coming Home
This is a very happy song with brilliant brass and a lot of smiley middle aged men, but actually has a very sad story behind it. No sobbing at Eurovision!

FRANCE - Amaury Vassilli, Sognu
Just for kicks, let's throw a male tenor into the mix! France's answer to Josh Groban seems very sweet and has a spectacular set of pipes, but is Europe ready for opera?

UNITED KINGDOM - Blue, I Can
Things are looking good for the UK because this isn't too bad. I would even bet we'll get more than "nil points!" We can't win, though - we spent all the money on the Olympics and the Queen!

SWEDEN - Eric Saade, Popular
Hello Sweden! It's got a good dance and Eric is, well, beautiful. Completely unsingable tune, though. I'll give him 12 points just if he manages to sing it all in tune live!

FINLAND - Paradise Oskar, Da Da Dum
This cute little eco tune will be on film soundtracks and adverts before you know it. Very sweet and singable, this would be a welcome change from the ESC's usual big hair, big heels, big pyros winner!

ROMANIA - Hotel FM, Change
It's like a new Cliff Richard has risen from the ashes of a Romanian orphanage. No seriously, this band is fronted by a very Northern man called Dave, who moved out there as a missionary (go Dave!!), met his wife and stayed there. It's cheesy, smiley, fun and just made for the ESC.

DENMARK - A Friend in London, New Tomorrow
This is one of my favourites. Not incredibly Eurovision-y but the front man has remarkable hair and it sticks right in your head all day long. It's anthemic pop-rock - what's not to love?!

and finally...
IRELAND - Jedward, Lipstick
I hate that Jedward have tainted Eurovision with their stupid hair, inability to sing, annoying vioces and even more infuriating faces. But, this song was made for the ESC. Dammit.

There you go. I think it's worth pointing out here that there are some other notable acts (Estonia, Russia, Switzerland, Serbia and Georgia all have the legs) ready to camp it up. And, of course, look out for the joke entrants Moldova (wearing enormous hats) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (an old guy and some very suspect dancing). So, get your face paints out, cook up some bratwurst and get ready for the biggest, campest, most star-spangled x-factor bootcamp you've ever seen.

www.eurovision.tv/
www.youtube.com/user/eurovision

Redeem the Time...

I've been challenged by a friend who thinks that I am too verbose and use too many commas in my blog posts. They reckon it should take 60 seconds to review a film, book or CD. 60 seconds cuts out the crap, waffle, and jargon. 60 seconds gives a clear idea of the pros and cons. 60 seconds is long enough to make up your mind about something. If I can't convince you of a film's brilliance, a band's ineptitude or a writer's genius in 60 seconds, it's not worth your while to read it.

So, the gauntlet is thrown.

Stopwatch at the ready...

It's Oscars Week!

That's right, the countdown has officially begun. The Oscars are in 6 short days and I would not like to be a nominee up against Colin Firth or Natalie Portman right now.

You can get a full list of the nominees in every category over at The Official Oscars Webpage.

Now, I'm not normally the gambling sort but if I was, here's where my money would lie:

Best actor - Colin Firth, The Kings Speech
Best actress - Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Best film - Inception
Best Supporting actor - Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech

Pretty standard, all. I'd like to see The Social Network get some recognition because it really is an excellent movie, but not enough to defeat King Colin and company! Sorry.

Coming up this week:
Movie reviews - The Social Network (saw it ages ago but forgot to blog), The King's Speech, True Grit
Music Reviews - Gungor, The Shelter (Jars of Clay)
Book reviews - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Alchemaster's Apprentice, Billionaire Boy.

What? It's half term, of course I'll have time for all of these! Well, okay, I'll see how it goes.
Be back soon!

Music: Winter Snow

As the snow fast approaches, and the heating is blaring at full blast, I have decide it's about time to start counting down to Christmas with a selection of festive song recommendations. And, what better way to start than with a song I only just heard today?! They say every day is a school day, and this one has been no exception.

Winter Song is a track featured on Chris Tomlin's winter 2009 album, 'Glory in the Highest.' Last year I was completely in love with his song Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger Ground) but in my excitement (and general indifference towards the oh-so-very-CMM music of Chris Tomlin) apparently forgot to listen to the rest of the album. Therefore, this song has come to my attention a full 365 days-ish later!

Audrey Assad lends a beautifully ethereal vocal to the track, which speaks about God's choice to speak to the world not through fire, flame, trumpets or earthquakes, but through the action of sending a fragile and peaceful baby. The piano accompaniment is simple and the chords are, á la CCM, open and ringing. The song is not burdened by all the trimmings of a Christmas track; no sleigh bells, kids choirs or sax solos are anywhere to be heard, and it is all the better for it. The simplicity of the arrangement reflects the sentiment of the song; that the powerful God of heaven chose to speak softly as a light winter snow. It is refreshing to consider the amazing symbolism of the Christmas story and what it reveals about God, and this song leads you to just that.

Check out the rest of the album, if you want to escape the Wizzard and Wham, this season. More Christmas song reviews coming up soon!

Music: Skunk Anansie - Wonderlustre (2010)

Skin is back!

I am so excited about the return of Skunk Anansie. Famously dubbing themselves as 'an amalgam of heavy metal and black feminist rage,' the band had huge success in the late nineties and early noughties before paling into music history. Lead singer, Skin, was that brand of rock-band front-woman who would probably smack you in the face just to be seen as one of the guys. Remember 'Hedonism (Just because it feels good)' and 'Brazen'? Well, fully re-formed and rocking, Skunk Anansie is back, and their new album is a wild ride.

Opening track, 'God Loves Only You,' is certainly a though-provoking song, switching between gentle vocals and huge rocking riffs. Next up is 'My Ugly Boy' which has an old-school brit-pop feel about it. It's the first single, to be released this month, and will definately do well in the charts. 'Over the Love' showcases Skin's delightfully expressive voice - another big anthem that is bound to do well. In fact, there's not a single song on this album which doesn't show off the front-woman's singing ability. It's gravelly, pissed off, tender and joyful all in one. 'You're Too Expensive for Me' borrows from recent brit-rock a little too much for my liking. But the album is redeemed by 'You Can't Always Do What You Like,' which seems to sound like an angry Annie Lennox. The album also offers radio-friendly tunes like 'Feeling the Itch' and the ballad 'You Saved Me.'

All in all, this is a great come-back for this band. Die-hard fans will probably be disappointed by the lack of mosh-tastic, dandruff showering heavy rock anthems, but I think it shows a matured band who have thought seriously about what they want to achieve. All the best to them, I say.

Standout tracks - Over the Love, My Ugly Boy, You Can't Always Do What You Like

My Rating - *** 3/5 stars

Recommendation: Give it a listen. You better listen to the back catalogue, too, if you don't know them!

Films: The Soloist (2009)

Dir: Joe Wright

Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener

Apparently I have recently acquired a penchant for true stories of a gritty nature. The Soloist is just one such tale.

Nathaniel Ayers was a very gifted Julliard-trained cellist who wound up on the street after he dropped out of college at the first signs of mental instability. He embraced the acoustic qualities of busy tunnels and urban spaces and learned to play a two stringed violin. He carted around all of his possessions in a rusty shopping trolley. Then one day, Steve Lopez, uninspired columnist for the LA times, happened across the musical prodigy and found that he suddenly had someone to write about.

The two formed an unlikely bond, overcoming all that separated them from each other and the rest of society around them. Lopez's column became a book, which has now become a film. A beautiful, inspiring, moving film.

Foxx is excellent as the mentally ill Ayers. It's hard to 'do crazy' well, but he manages. His gabbling verbal diarrhoea is endearing, and, a classically trained musician himself, he shows a genuine connection to the music he plays. From moments of calm to emotional peaks, Foxx manages the task well. Excellently.

Downey Jr is, as ever, charming and fixating as the unmotivated and disengaged journalist. At first, you feel that his friendship with Ayers in entirely selfishly motivated (and it may well have been in reality) but, by the end, the relationship has brought as much to his life as Ayers'.

Wright brings a raw energy and grit to the film which was shot largely on location on Skid Row. Somehow, Wright has found a way to make even this grimy setting appear wonderfully vibrant. The crazy characters that colour the street scenes are probably still there even now, singing, dancing, chatting, smoking, fighting, yawning and curling up under sheets of card. The supporting cast (those that are actually actors) are well cast, never encroaching too much on the main focus of the two men. It's a great story, because it does not have a happy ending. The American dream fails some people. Often the most gifted and worthy recipients are the ones who fall short.

My rating: **** 4/5 stars

Recommendation: Be wowed by Foxx and Downey Jr. Be inspired by Lopez and Ayers.

Music: The Baseballs - Strike

So apparently Rock 'n' Roll is back.

I've never been one to don the bobbie socks and do the twist, but when I heard The Baseball's cover of Beyoncé's Crazy in Love I was pleasantly surprised.

The result of a chance meeting in a German heavy metal club, The Baseballs have come out of the blue to blitz the charts with what the band is calling 'Voc-and-roll'. Complete with sleek rockabilly quiffs and with more than a few pairs of blue suede shoes between them, Sam, Basti and Digger are on a mission to "take good songs and lead them to their true calling."

Strike is the band's first album and takes a rip roaring roll from covers of Beyoncé to Plain White Ts and Usher to Robbie Williams, and all with a completely feel good, golden fifties slant. I can't help dancing. For me, the tracks that work the best are Crazy in Love, Umbrella and Hot n' Cold. Who would have thought that the unmistakeable sound of the 50s close harmony, shoo-wop choruses and walking bass lines could transfer so well to contemporary pop music. One thing I will say is that Robbie Williams' Angels may be a bridge too far, but one out of twelve is a pretty impressive freshman offering.

I'm looking forward to what is still to come - perhaps a rock'n'rollin' version of Dizzee Rascal's Bonkers? And in the meantime, I'm going to practise my forelocks styling and swing my hips at every opportunity!

My rating: **** 4/5 stars
Recommendation: Whack it on, turn it up, dance and smile. I don't need to tell you. It will just happen!

Music: Glee - Showstoppers

I don't think I've ever mentioned my unashamed love of Glee on here before. Well, let me say now, against my better judgement, I am completely in love with Glee. It's fun, silly, upbeat and it is just what the world needs. I have to admit, there are episodes which I could live without, characters who grate and storylines that crash and burn. But the music, oh the music...

The latest of the 5 Glee albums (of which I possess 3) is called Showstoppers and features many of the big belting anthems from the most recent handful of episodes in the run up to the grand finale.

I love how this album journeys smoothly from covers of The Beatles Hello Goodbye, through Christina Aguilera's Beautiful, to Loser by Beck and U2's One finally arriving at a stripped down cover of Lady Gaga's Poker Face. It's pop, rock, jazz, showtune, rap, funk, ballad, swing and dance. A musical education in 20 tracks.

My stand out tracks are A House is not a Home, originally performed by Dionne Warwick. This song has been sailing around my head for two weeks. Chris Colfer (that's Kurt to you and me) and Cory Monteith (Finn) perform it beautifully. You cannot pass on Amber Riley's sensational rendition of Beautiful. She could be the only woman who can kill it like Christina. Another fantastic track is a cover of Safety Dance by Men Without Hats as performed by the wheelchair bound Artie (played by Kevin McHale). I use it to break up the monotany of working all day. The show's bad boy, Puck (played by the unfeasibly handsome Mark Salling) swings out to The Lady is a Tramp, joined again by Mercedes (Riley). It is fun, sexy and a complete surprise from these two performers.

My absolute favourite stand out track is one that has taken me by surprise. Chris Colfer performs an empassioned, powerful and near flawless cover of Rose's Turn from Gypsy. This boy has had no formal vocal training and yet turns out a brilliant performance of this track. I could listen again and again.

My rating: **** 4 stars

Recommendation: Watch the show. Take it with a pinch of salt. Buy the CDs. Dance, sing, smile and forget.

Please, for the love of Christmas, can it.

Oh British ITV1 viewing public, why are you so silly?

Did Simon Cowell bring it upon himself with the whole ridonculous "Jedward" situation? It was surely a matter of time before some joke act showed The X Factor up as the shallow, ratings-focussed show that it really is.

Lemme 'splain. Last night on the X Factor another good singer was sent packing because the British public (well, the ones who care) opted to keep a pair of talentless twins in the competition. Not cool, Britain. I'm all for ruffling Cowell's feathers, and I'm all for good entertainment. But, when a singing competition is overrun by non-singers purely for the entertainment value, you know it's run it's course. I think it's about time X Factor threw in the towel and dragged itself off to the elephant graveyard with Big Brother. They can take I'm A Celebrity... with them, too, in my opinion.

It's all a bit silly. Jedward. Oh heavens, can you imagine what they will do to a Christmas single? I'm going to have to be sick...

Why not change channels and try watching FlashForward, an entirely ludicrous US drama about an international blackout which allowed humanity to see 6 months into its future. Interesting premise, no? It's a few weeks in, but there's about 20 to go and I'm sure you'll catch up.
Fiver, 9pm, Monday

Music: Spotify

Friends, nothing in life is free. Well, not for long anyway.

About 4 months ago I downloaded a nifty little music player called, Spotify. It is a virtual Aladdin's cave of music. Type in any artist or track name and Spotify will send the fairies into the stockroom and fish it out for you. Pretty splendid.

So, I have all the music I could want at my fingertips and all they ask is that I endure short adverts every few tracks and a little green icon on my task bar. A fair deal, I think. Sadly, perhaps due to unprecedented success, the Spotify guys have suddenly decided to withdraw their free service. Spotify is now downloadable only for those who are willing to pay to become a Premium user. This will set you back £9.99 a month. I'll let you decide if it's worth it!

It was a good thing while it lasted. And I still have it for nothing. Cheeky!

website:http://www.spotify.com

Music: Owl City

Ever heard of Owl City? No, me neither. Until a friend pointed me in his direction. I am hooked.

Owl City consists of Adam Young, a 23 year old whose music comes to us straight from his parent's basement in Minnesota. A Myspace success, Young claims to make his music purely to combat his insomnia.

His newest album is called Ocean Eyes and it is a glorious blend of synthpop, electronica and new wave. It's like listening to a slightly less polished version of The Postal Service, or an American Get Cape.Wear Cape.Fly. Young has also collaborated with pop-punk band Relient K's frontman, Matthew Thiessen on several tracks. So, Owl City belongs to a noble heritage of electronic mixing salt shaker percussion effects. However, the album is pleasantly uplifting and doesn't once get boring. The Saltwater Room is a sweet duet featuring Breanne Duren, whose voice seems perfectly made for this style of music and who may actually be a robot. A beautiful robot.
Dental Care is a crazy, tongue-in-cheek tune which sings the praises of a thoroughly cheerful trip to the dentist. Why not? After all, dentists deserve their air-time, too. Fireflies is Owl City's most successful track to date (peaking at 7 on the US charts) and dips its finger in the stylings of electro, punk and pop at its absolute best.

The lyrics are childlike in their simplicity, mimicking the music, yet the themes of the album evoke awe and wonder in the simplest and most common things of life. It's hopeful, cute and not at all hokey. Who knew words like 'warm', 'fuzzy' and 'hugs' could be taken seriously in a pop song?

Look out for Owl City in the future (he has just been signed by Universal Republic) and also keep your eyes and ears open for Goodbye Dubai, a hinted side-project with Matt Thiessen. Exciting days.

My Rating: *** 3 stars
Recommendation: If you like electro, you'll enjoy this. It's cute. Happy, and cute.
Website: www.myspace.com/owlcity

Music: Paramore - Brand New Eyes

Ok, here’s my Kingsmill confession. Well…sort of. Anyway, I had previously dismissed Paramore as another teen punk rock band. What’s worse, they were a teen punk rock band fronted by a girl. Oh heavens, a girl trying to scream a point in a male dominated genre. Yes, I wrote them off.

Please forgive me, Paramore. I may actually be addicted to this album.

This is the third full length album from them, and it’s fantastic. 'Brand New Eyes' chronicles the band’s difficult year as they struggled to stick together, lost band members and ultimately decided to give it another shot. I’m glad they did.

Let’s start with 'Ignorance', the first single from the new album. It’s a cocky, angry dig at members of the band’s team who doubted their longevity. It’s a smart choice for a first single because it sounds a lot like their previous material. Catchy, aggressive and powerful, it’s going to do well in the charts.

As for the rest of the album, Hayley Williams’ powerhouse vocals have blown me away from the first to the last audio second. This girl has a set of pipes to be proud of! And she showcases the more tender and controlled aspects of her voice on a handful of surprising and refreshing down-tempo acoustic tracks, 'The Only Exception' and 'Misguided Ghosts.'

The album is full of catchy hooks that make you want to jump, punch the air and join in. I still find myself singing the odd line with gusto hours after listening. The point is, it would be easy to pigeonhole Paramore (i’m blushing sheepishly as I say this) as punky emo kids with rage. This album is hopeful. The band has overcome a potential break-up and yet William’s triumphant cry is, “I can’t believe we almost hung it up. We’re just getting started!”

Another stand-out track is 'All I Wanted', a sublime ballad which begins soft and then launches into a great, anthemic epic. Again, Williams unbelievable vocals manage to melt my bones as she pours out her heart into the line ‘All I wanted was you…’

Tucked away at the end of the record is 'Decode' which featured on the soundtrack for Twilight (2008). Admittedly it was this song (and this film) that flicked the Paramore lightbulb on for me and this track is addictive as Edward Cullen himself. It was written with the story specifically in mind and fits the film perfectly. If you get a chance, check out the acoustic version of the song on the Twilight soundtrack.

All in all, I want to give hundreds of bonus points for a surprising variety in styles on this album and for providing the listener with a gold mine of brilliant chorus lines to belt out when you think no one is listening.

My rating: ***** 5 star record!!
Recommendation: Play it loud and dance like a crazed rockstar.

Music: Mocean Worker

So, here's my salute *salutes* to Mocean Worker aka MoWo aka Adam Dorn.

Yes. This man is a one-stop jazz-funk-swing-electronica-triphop-dance madman and I love him!

To date, MoWo has released 4 full albums, of which his best are Cinco de MoWo! and Enter the MoWo! It is impossible to hear this music and not be carried by a massive impulse straight to the nearest dance floor/empty room/field/car park for a good old dance. And it's also bloody good driving music, too. Although, watch your speedo!

Let's start with probably MoWo's most well known track, Tres Tres Chic. The single appeared on the hit film The Devil Wears Prada which featured Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep. With a cast lke that, it needed a stellar soundtrack to match, and with MoWo, that is what you get. The track encorporates a little funk, jazz and still retains a very contemporary electronic style. It's an easy song to listen to and doesn't invade your ear drums and yet, with neat little piano and electric organ samples dotted throughout the mock-French lyrics, you cannot help but listen to it.

Cinco de MoWo! moves away from the very relaxed to the uptempo electronic dance sampling of Chicka Boom Boom, Shake ya Boogie and Right Now. These tracks are all stand out dancey tunes that you have to move your feet to. They each take samples from bossa nova beats, crackly jazz records and sensational saxohphone and trumpet licks. And each track also lays down a heavy beat that bumps in your car or on your stereo. I honestly just have to get up and move.

Recent work has been more on the modern dance side of the fence, but still holds on to those crackly 50s jazz recording samples. It seems that MoWo is reaching out to a more continental audience with his latest stuff, but don't abandon the old for the new. This guy is seriously talented. He makes solid gold, likeable, danceable tunes. You should definately head on over to his website right now and watch the video for Shake Ya Boogie. You won't be disappointed. Enter the MoWo!

Website: www.moceanworker.com
Myspace: www.myspace.com/mowomoceanworker
LastFm: http://www.last.fm/music/Mocean+Worker

Music: Take That - The Circus

Take That are, without question, the greatest Man Band in the world. I challenge you to show me a band that has made such a successful, likeable and humble comeback. They have none of the celebrity arrogance that comes with huge sell out bands, and the best part is that their music has actually become even better than before. I was never a big fan of Take That the first time round. Now, I am nothing short of a groupie.

The album is a well put together selection of poppy numbers and ballads and the theme of The Circus runs througout. Gary Barlow must be credited as one of the greatest singer-songwriters of this generation and his lyricism and musicianship are wonderfully put on show. Barlow sings with warmth and ease, back beautifully by his band mates whose harmonies blend and flow like they've been doing this for years. Oh...wait...

Mark Owen's deliciously shameless Mancunian accent gives character to the first track The Garden and other tracks, Julie and Hello. Owens distinctive vocal lends itself to the really showy upbeat numbers (as in the excellent Shine from previous album, Beautiful World). Of course, one of the strongest tracks on the album is UK #1 hit Greatest Day. The song is uplifting, epic, moving and simply wonderful. Watching the video, it is obvious that these fellas simply adore making this music. Other stand out tracks are The Circus, Here (which brings the circus right into the music) and Up All Night which is a definite nod to the work of Paul Simon.

All in all this is an excellent, exciting and adventurous album from Take That. It sits at number one on the UK album chart, and rightly so. These chaps are going to be around for a long time yet. So, here's my salute *salutes* to the man band, Take That.

My rating: **** 4/5 stars - Just a few tracks which don't stand out, but after a few more listens, that might become less of an issue and earn them another star!

Music: Fan the Flames - Luke Leighfield

Imagine a world without a little bit of clever piano-pop to make you smile. Yeah, it wouldn’t be a fun place. Thank God for Luke Leighfield.

Leighfield has been touring so hard for the past year that he’s just recently celebrated his 250^th gig. He’s not picky either; he’ll play in your front room, at your little brother’s birthday party, and in real big venues, too. And it’s easy to see that Luke Leighfield is all about his music and his fans; the CD leaf is covered in photos of friends and gig-goers. He’s even slipped a CD into the hands of Prince Charles himself, no joke.

Fan the Flames is Luke Leighfield’s second album and it is an instantly likeable collection of piano-led pop tunes. He’s dubbed himself ‘basically a second-rate Ben Folds,’ which is no bad thing as Leighfield has mastered the art of melodic piano pop which is memorable, honest and fun.

Title track, Fan the Flames, makes an impressive album opener; the piano is complimented by chirpy brass, strings and a masterful sax solo. This is the first of the album’s many catchy, piano-driven tracks served with masses of instrumental variety. Another stand-out track is Don’t Break Your Back, a cry for people to be themselves, which builds up to a soaring guitar solo and huge sing-along chorus. But it’s not all mile-a-minute power-pop, as the tempo slows for a handful of tracks such as Home, Scared and It Goes On. Leighfield’s voice easily carries off these more reflective songs, which also make excellent use of his very talented supporting instrumentalists. But, with a merry band of backing vocalists, upbeat drums and an epic brass section, it is I Got Soul which will have even the most pop-hating cynic up and dancing. You can’t hide from such unabashed, down-to-earth and downright infectious music-for-the-sake-of-music.

Fan the Flames is out on Got Got Need Records and £1 from every purchase goes to Tearfund.

www.myspace.com/simplylukeleighfield

Album score – 8/10 Refreshingly shameless piano-pop!

A Mixed Bag

Music I'm getting excited about:

Newton Faulkner - Hand Built By Robots
A tall fellow with majestic ginger dreadlocks who can slap, tap and strum a guitar til it gently weeps. Check out his amazing version of Massive Attack's 'Teardrop.' It might reduce you to tears.

Luke Leighfield - Fan the Flames
Claims to be 'basically a second-rate Ben Folds,' which is no bad thing. This album is full of pop tunes, amazing sax and guitar solos, lots of chances to sing along with a beer in hand, and general good stuff.

Alan & Brian - The CU Notice CD
Easily the most unique and ingenious release of the year. Southampton Uni students will appreciate it best, but the witty lyrics and catchy tunes are enough to make anybody sing along smiling. Notices have never been so much fun.

Full reviews coming soon.

Did I Miss Something?

WHY, O WHY, O WHY WESTLIFE?!

Ok, that's out of my system. I do think it's a valid question, and a cry shared by millions of bewildered music lovers across the country. Well, I can proudly put my hand on my heart and say I have never bought a Westlife single or album, and I never will. I am willing to say that one or two of them have part-way decent singing voices. But really, people, this has to stop! They're not very good! They don't even have good looks in their favour. I even felt embarassed doing internet searches about them for this post!

The Irish 4-piece have hit on an absolute genius money-making formula for their music, or should I say their management has? 14 hit singles is quite an accomplishment and none other than x-Factor's Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh are the gruesome two responsible for this torture. Every song they release is tediously identical to the previous in structure and execution...

A solitary pianist plays some emotional chords.
The two who can sing on their own without too much embarrassment share the verses with the others 'Ooing' meaningfully.
More OOing and a chorus. Followed by verse three. More of the same.
Chorus 2. Note here the clenched fists and upward glances in the direction of
the camera.
Key change. The boys stand up off their stools and spread their arms.
Insert a gospel choir or rain if indoors.

And that's how it's done. They take a ballad, written for them by some chap who's most likely drowned in Guinness in small studio somewhere, and just do what they know. Now, obviously nobody is forcing me to listen to Westlife (although they get so much airplay, it's possible) and that's not even the problem.

What offends me most, is when they take old songs that are just about manageable and then brutally murder them. They did it to 'You Raise Me Up' (Josh Groban's original version tugs at the heart strings rather than activates the upchuck reflex) and now to 'Home,' a gorgeous song when performed by Michael Bublé, and absolute torture sung by the Irish whiners.

All the while Cowell and Walsh can jolly well sit there smugly raking in the money. They have hit a jackpot. And as long as there are impressionable pre-teen girls, and frankly deaf grannies around, Westlife are probably, regrettably, here to stay. But there's a way to stop their chart dominance. Parents - STOP giving young girls pocket money! Ladies - They are all either married or gay. Deal with it and stop screaming! Grannies - They are not nice boys. Get interested in McFly or someone!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Westlife wagon has been a'rollin for way too long and needs to be derailed. Perhaps it was a joke that got out of hand. I hope so, because otherwise it's just embarassing!