The Wanted // All Time Low

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Look out JLS! The Wanted are the latest boy band to hit the music scene. Their debut single, All Time Low. It’s a very misleading track with what sounds like an orchestrated opening,gradually building into a great little pop song.

It’s a very catchy song and soon sticks in your head. It’s a fresh injection of talent that’s not been spoon fed to us via some talent show. Hopefully this isn’t hitting a high too soon to make them only one hit wonders. Most likely a very good rival to some other boy bands out there

Rating:4/5

Jedward // Planet Jedward

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No, your eyes are not deceiving you, Jedward are releasing an album. If two singles weren’t enough to put you off, then this probably will.

First impression is that the twins have been stuck in a recording studio and then sung along to the karaoke tracks that you’d find down your local (this is not a dig at karaoke tracks. Some are very good), not something that you would expect.  It’s like something that you might find an amateur recording…

Anyway, moving on. The album itself is all covers including both singles (Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby) and All The Small Things) and the infamous cover of  Ghostbusters. Of course, you can expect the cheesy covers as well (I Want Candy, I Like To Move It and Pop Muzik) Vocally, some tracks seem to be okay whilst others notes seem to be flat or completely off tune. It also seems that in almost every track they either have to mention Jedward or John or Edward as if we don’t know who singing.  Again on the vocals, in a  studio setting no problems, but as we’ve already seen and heard, singing live seems to prove a difficulty. There’s no attempt at making the songs their own, purely just covering them an attempting to make them sound like he original.

Sadly, it’s a known fact that this album will sell thanks to the army of Jedward fans out there, although any one with an ear for decent music will give it a wide berth.

Rating: 1.5/5

Amy Macdonald // iTunes Festival 2010

 

On the 16th July, Amy Macdonald graced the stage at the Camden Roundhouse to perform a 13 song set of which, 6 appear in this new EP allowing fans who attended in person or those fans who watched online can relive the night

The 6 tracks consist of 2 from the debut album This Is The Life and 4 from present album A Curious Thing. Of the 6 there are 4 singles (Poison Prince, Mr Rock & Roll, Spark and This Pretty Face (Current single)). Overall the tracks are good selection from the nights set and gives the listener a look at how people perceived the event on the night.

It’s obvious that Amy is now fully comfortable with the material from the new album (early lives of the new album would showcase a nervousness, probably from the fact that it was new material and she wasn’t sure how fans would react) and bringing in old fan favourites is a guaranteed sing-along

Nice little selection for Amy’s first iTunes Festival appearance and hopefully it won’t be the last. Sadly lacking in a digital booklet that would have been nice to have photos from the night. However it is about the music so lets not complain

Rating: 5/5

Amy Macdonald // This Pretty Face

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This Pretty Face is the 3rd single to be taken from the current album A Curious Thing and is the 1st single to be given a physical release in the UK.

Focusing on the celeb driven culture that we live in, the song is a dig at the world being concerned about how people look outwardly and what they are rather than looking at who they are and what they have on the inside. It’s a great little tune that will soon have you singing along with the chorus before long.

Also included in this release is the W14 acoustic version of Give It All Up (if you’ve heard previous W14 acoustic versions, you already know what to expect), a live version of the Bruce Springsteen track Born To Run (beautifully performed by Amy who makes the song her own) and a remix of Spark by world famous DJ, Tiesto (and it’s one of the better, if unexpected remixes of the song out there)

Overall, the single choice so far from this album has shown the differing styles that’s of the album and this is no exception. It’s very radio friendly and is definitely one of the highlights from \A Curious Thing.

p.s. The physical release will contain a poster featuring all the photos submitted to Amy’s Fan Wall over the last few weeks

Rating: 5/5

Sandi Thom // Gold Dust

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Gold Dust is the second single to be lifted from the new album Merchant and Thieves. For it’s single release though, it’s been given a bit of a remix and is known officially as Gold Dust (Smoking Gun Remix).

Maybe it’s a case of being too familiar with the album version of this song, but somehow, the remix seems to subtract rather than add. It’s almost too commercial and seems to lose some of the emotion of the lyrics. The B-side to this is an acoustic version of I Need Your Love So Bad featuring none other than Joe Bonamassa (the track was original available on the deluxe iTunes version of the album)., which judging on it’s own merit, is a lovely little track.

From a collector prospective, the only track here required is the remix (unless you’ve not bought the deluxe version or the two tracks separately). In many instances, a single remix does wonders but sadly in this instance, the original album version is the recommended listen.

Rating: 3/5

Pearl & The Puppets Live in Apple Store, Glasgow (8th July 2010)

Pearl and the Puppets is a band from Kirkintilloch, Scotland and comprise of singer/songwriter Katie Sutherland (aka Pearl) (vocals/guitar/ukulele), Blair McMillan (drums ), Gordon Turner (guitar), Scott Clark (bass) and Michael Abubakar (keyboards). Her songs have already been used by brands like Vodafone (Australia), Orange (Romania) and Victoria’s Secret (US)) long before any release here in the UK.

Tonight short performance to a packed Apple Store (located on Buchanan Street) comprised of 7 songs and lasted for just more than 30 minutes. The evening started with her admitting that she didn’t expect as many people to turn out to see her and recording the occasion with a photo. Then it was straight into the music with Honey before having a small ‘chat’ as she tuned her guitar. Then it was into her debut song, Because I Do getting the fans into a sing along followed by Mango Tree, both of which appeared on the debut EP. She then introduced and announced that Inside Out would be the B-side to her forthcoming single. The song itself has got a nice melody and rhythm that you’ll soon find yourself swaying along to.

Next in line was Kisses where the ukelele comes into play for the first and last time for the night. It’s something odd to see someone playing the ukelele but there is no effort shown. It’s a shame this is the only song with the ukelele. There’s a lovely sound from it. Then we’re into a more upbeat and, as announced, loud song Better Days. The set was rounded off with the new single (or as she’d announced it, the first single) Make Me Smile with the fans once more getting into the swing and clapping along.

All things considered, it was a great little gig, and no complaints can be made seeing as it was free. This may well have been a warm up for the weekend (where they are performing at T in the Park) and if so, then the festival goers are in for a treat. Fingers are crossed that big things are on the horizon for this band.

Photos © Vhari Lannigan

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JLS // The Club Is Alive

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JLS are back with their new single, the first to be taken from their forthcoming album. Sadly though, this could quite be the worst that they’ve released.

There is sadly nothing going for this single to save it. There is the bad play on words and melody for the title (the bad play is on the classic track The Sound Of Music). The style of the song is almost an attempt to try and stay with what is popular at the moment. Add in the use of auto tune to this mixture and you have a song for disaster! The melody and vocals very quickly get boring, repetitive and down right annoying.

The second track, Only Tonight (featuing Chipmunk) is by far the better track here and more of probably what you would expect from the boy band and much more of a summery song

Fans will of course flock to it like moths to a flame but for the casual listener, the main track is likely to be a turn off.

Rating: 2/5

Bentley Jones // Alpha Dog (US Remixes)

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Alpha Dog is the second single release for UK based artist Bentley Jones. Originally appearing as part of the So Much More… EP released earlier this year, the appearance of this as a separate release is thanks to DJ’s across the pond.

Looking at the tracks as whole, it really works out to only being two tracks: the Phunkstar version and the original, both given slightly different workings. If you’ve heard previous Phunkstar remixes ( songs by Beyonce, Britney Spears, Cheryl Cole and Whitney Houston have had the treatment) then you already know what to expect.  The remix simply adds to what is already a great track (whereas some remixes diverge completely).

The release also includes the original version (which you won’t need if you’ve previously bought the So Much More…EP) and an extended version of it.
It’s nice to see Bentley Jones getting some attention although it is a bit of shame that it is across the pond and not his native lands.

Rating: 4.5/5