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Maroon 5 + Rihanna = Bleh
If you were lucky enough to land a duet with Rihanna, probably the most successful female singer on the planet at the moment, you'd have the decency to write a new song for the occasion, right?
Wrong. Maroon 5 have instead decided to slap her typically bored-sounding vocals onto 'If I Never See Your Face Again', a song they didn't think good enough to be one of the first three singles from their album. They've popped some extra synths on it too and called it a "remix". The result? Far from terrible, but it lacks the sparkle of the superstar names involved.
On the plus side, Rihanna looks pretty fantastic in the video:
'If I Never See Your Face Again' will feature on Maroon 5's reissued album and Rihanna's reissued album - both out in June. At least it represents good value for money, we suppose.
What do you think of the Maroon 5/Rihanna hook-up? Just hit the usual button to have your say.
| Posted Friday, May 16 at 14:24 by Nick | Click to see and add comments (4) |
The Ting Tings: Battling for number one
Who? Well, The Ting Tings are Katie White, formerly a member of unsigned girl group TKO, and Jules De Martino, a muso who's been knocking around in indie bands since the late eighties. They formed a couple of years ago to entertain friends at Islington Mill, an arty commune in Salford, Manchester.
'That's Not My Name', their second major label single, is DIY pop dynamite, all stomping drum-beats and chanted choruses. It's cheaply-produced, appealing to everyone and very now: let's call it Primark pop, shall we?
Chatting at Radio 1's Big Weekend on Saturday, The Ting Tings told DS they couldn't wait to see Madonna play later that evening. The song they most wanted to hear? "The 'Holiday Megamix' would be amazing," said Jules. Now they're battling Her Madgesty for Sunday's number one spot - funny old world, isn't it?
In case you haven't heard 'That's Not My Name' yet, the video appears below:
What do you think of 'That's Not My Name'? Would it make a deserving number one? Use the space below to have your say.
| Posted Thursday, May 15 at 16:34 by Nick | Click to see and add comments (3) |
That's right, Alanis is back
Predictably, the lyrics aren't of the raindrops-on-roses-and-whiskers-on-kittens variety. Alanis' message? That the small communication breakdowns we endure in everyday life are the root of the world's major problems. "Look at us waging war in our bedroom, look at us jumping ship in our dialogues," she wails. "There is no difference in what we're doing in here that doesn't show up as bigger symptoms out there." Once you've re-read those lyrics to take account of the 187 syllables she's still trying to fit into each line, you might grasp what she's trying to say.
The video features people jumping into a swimming pool that turns them back into children - yup, it's just as thought-provoking/confusing as the song. Enjoy!
What do you think of Alanis' new single? Could it return her to the top of the charts? Just hit the usual button to have your say.
| Posted Wednesday, May 14 at 13:51 by Nick | Click to see and add comments (7) |
Who the hell are Scooter?
Who? Exactly. Led by a man with bleached-blond hair called H.P Baxter, they're the group who brought us hits like 'Move Your A**', 'Ramp! (The Logical Song)' and 'Maria (I Like It Loud)' in the late '90s and early '00s. Critics have described their music as happy hardcore, trance, jumpstyle and council house dance.
If you've still got a puzzled look on your face, don't worry because you're not alone - Scooter's last single, 'The Question Is What Is The Question?', didn't even break the top 40. The Hamburg outfit may have flogged 14 million records across Europe in their 15-year career, but their last UK hit came way back in 2003. In fact, their new-found success seems to be based on two things: one, a permanent place on the Clubland TV channel; two, people who watch the Clubland TV channel actually liking their squeaky dance choons.
Still don't have a clue who they are? Well, maybe this will bring back some nightmares/memories, depending on your fondness for commercial dance music. Press play below to sample the band's 2002 smash 'Ramp! (The Logical Song)':
What do you think of Scooter? Do you think they deserve to be number one on the albums chart? Just hit the usual button to voice your views.
| Posted Tuesday, May 13 at 16:57 by Alex | Click to see and add comments (7) |
Madonna: Live in a tent
On Saturday night we piled into a strange blue tent in Maidstone to watch Madonna perform at Radio 1's Big Weekend. Here's what we saw her doing:
Her choreography was slicker than Elvis' quiff, reaching its peak during 'Give It 2 Me', when Madge's ankle acrobatics could have given Lionel Blair a run for his money.
Not playing the hits
Madonna's set comprised six songs: four tracks from new album Hard Candy, including current UK No.1 '4 Minutes', plus 'Hung Up' and 'Music'. Those expecting 'Like A Virgin' were left sorely disappointed.
Swearing
In fact, Madge seemed unsure how to use the most popular Anglo Saxon expletive, encouraging the crowd to "f**k it up in here". Thankfully, in spite of her goading, nobody attempted to trash the BBC's big blue tent.
Rawkin' out
Madonna began 'Hung Up' by playing a few bars of 'Satisfaction' on guitar, before deadpanning: "You think I have a hard time getting some girl reaction? I don't think so!"
Being inventive
So what if JT couldn't make it? He appeared on four moving video screens, giving Madonna plenty of scope for a little bump 'n' grind action.
Yup, she pointed her lady-bits at the crowd, at the cameras, at the JT video screens, at her dancers, at her speakers... Let's hope Rocco wasn't watching.
Being a little bit human, whatever Dan Gillespie Sells might say
Madonna, perhaps pop's biggest star, still looks at the fret-board when she plays guitar. Bless!
Did you catch Madonna's performance at Radio 1's Big Weekend? What did you think? Just hit the usual button to leave your opinions.
| Posted Monday, May 12 at 18:52 by Nick | Click to see and add comments (6) |
