Over the last couple of years, Katy Perry has suffered the same treatment as her nails: All her edges have been taken off and she’s been glossed over in a thick, fake layer of glitter. When she first started, Katy Perry was full of raw talent and fresh ideas. She was seductive and bold, her…
‘Payphone’ may not be the standout hit that ‘Moves Like Jagger’ was for Maroon 5, but it’s an exciting hint of things to come. ‘Payphone’ is the first single from the eagerly anticipated Maroon 5 album Overexposed, and I’ll admit, when I heard the title, all I could think was “Another song about an inanimate…
After Will.I.Am’s return, last December, brought us the likes of ‘The Hardest Ever’, I had certainly thought that his quest to revolutionise music had gone too far… hilariously far. However, ‘This is Love’ is a delightful step back into the club-pop mix that lies somewhere between ‘Boom Boom Pow’ and ‘I Gotta Feeling’: less offensive…
Former X-Factor contestant Aiden Grimshaw releases a track which is a pleasant surprise.
Dear Warner Music; it was really rather irresponsible of you to allow the release of ‘Small Bump’. ‘Small Bump’ is the sort of song that will someone will name as the motive after going on a killing spree, it’s the sort of song that will cause people to crash their cars deliberately when it comes…
Like everything on their collaborative effort Watch the Throne, Jay-Z and Kanye West’s latest single ‘No Church in the Wild’ aims for the epic. The song opens with a brilliantly tension-raising bassline, quietly accompanied by soulful and moving vocals about “gods” and “non-believers” from Odd Future member Frank Ocean, who is quickly becoming the latest soul…
Coxon’s latest single hits the sweet spot
‘Princess of China’ is the latest single from Coldplay’s new album Mylo Xyloto. This song is an exciting addition to the album because it features a vocal appearance from Rihanna, but unfortunately that’s where the excitement stops. Having had this song on a CD in my car for a few weeks it’s a track I…
After the success of ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ everyone must be wondering whether Belgian-Australian Gotye is just another one hit wonder here in the UK. Having been around for a significant amount of time, and with three albums under his belt, it’s surprising that it’s taken this long for a song to break…
It’s been 3 years since Maxïmo Park have released a single, but ‘Hips and Lips’ does not disappoint. The track takes a more techno approach than their previous efforts, but it’s just as catchy. This is the first single from their fourth album, The National Health, and it promises a new approach to their sound…
‘Ghost Lit’ is the latest track to be released off of Diagrams‘ fascinating debut album Black Light. Whilst the single’s melancholy sound is reminiscent of an Arctic Monkeys indie rock style crossed with the chilled, beat driven sounds of Bonobo, the singles deep and minimalistic sound is truly individual; an important but rare quality when…
Sampling Swedish duo Icona Pop’s ‘Manners’ the track begins with upbeat pop vocals, followed by one of Chiddy’s shallow raps which includes lyrics such as “now my vocal perfected / this is audio breakfast”. In fact, the entirety of the song is basically just Chiddy saying how the song is amazing, then saying that haters…
The Maccabees return with the second single from the long awaited third album Given to the Wild. ‘Went Away’ appears to me as a very natural second single. It has the pace of first single ‘Pelican’ whilst incorporating Orlando Weeks’ haunting vocals on the lulls. The guitar riffs and chant-like backing vocals help to build up the…
Why Cheryl’s comeback is like a bollard.