Sweetbox // Remember This Dance

Download @ iTunes Japan

After a lengthy delay, the latest studio album from Sweetbox, Diamond Veil (8th in the group’s history and 2nd for current front woman Jamie Pineda) is set to be released at the end of May in Japan.

In the meantime, the (very quiet) release from the album is the ballad Remember This Dance, a personal favourite of Jamie’s. From the very first vocal note, you are made to feel that there is a connection between singer and lyrics. It’s easy to lose yourself in the song and just start swaying along. You could almost imagine it being used as a first dance at a wedding.

There have been comments that maybe this wasn’t the best song to release given that the song I Know You’re Not Alone is set to appear in the Japanese film Paradise Kiss (Out at the beginning of June). But let’s consider Remember This Dance a gentle re-introduction to Sweetbox given that it has been 2 years since the last album.

Rating: 5/5

Nerina Pallot // Put Your Hands Up

Download @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ iTunes

Put Your Hands Up is the first offering in 2011 from Nerina Pallot from her forthcoming studio album, The Year Of The Wolf (set to be released at the end of May).

With a 60's feeling with a bit of a modern twist, the song is one of those that instantly becomes likable on first hearing. It light, bright and classy with fantastic melodies that complement Nerina's vocals. It's a lovable tune perfect for the recent sunny weather and may be an indication of what we can expect from the full album later next month.

A highly recommended listen. A chart return for one Nerina Pallot? We'll have to wait and see.

Rating: 4.5/5

Taio Cruz // Telling The World

 
Download @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ Play.com
Download @ iTunes

Hot off the collaboration with Travis McCoy and Kylie Minogue (though the personal fav is with Kylie alone), Taio Cruz returns with his brand new offering, Telling The World, taken from the new CGI movie Rio.

To be fair, to slate a song featured in a film could be seen as unfair. But this feels a hark back to the Departure days rather than being up there with more recent releases. If we take it in the context of film tie in, then we can let it pass. But as a single, it doesn't do much.

One to maybe give a miss unless watching the film

Rating: 2/5

Glee: The Music // Presents The Warblers

Buy @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ Amazon.co.uk
Buy @ Play.com | Download @iTunes

For Glee fans, The Warblers require no introduction. But for those of you who aren’t maybe too familiar with them, The Warblers of Dalton Academy, an all boys school, are the rival vocal group for season 2 of the show.

The Warblers haven’t been shown much love with the last two volumes of Glee: The Music with only Teenage Dreams being put on the CDs. However, here, you will find all the songs that they performed from the season as well as two exclusive tracks (What Kind Of Fool and the unheard Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?). What makes The Warblers stand out, and rightly deserve their own album, is the fact that they are the instruments. The accapella renditions of these songs work well even for those that you wouldn't think.

The songs themselves appear in order that they did in the show, but that shouldn’t matter. If you’ve not been buying the individual tracks on a weekly basis and you love the versions of the songs by The Warblers, then this should be on your list to buy. Show The Warblers the love they’ve missed from the last two CDs.

Rating: 4.5/5

Clare Maguire @ Oran Mor, Glasgow 15th April 2011

Having been tipped as 2011 next big thing from various lists, and having already supported Hurts and The Script on their respective tours, Clare Maguire finally steps out on her first headlining tour, her only Scottish appearance on this tour at Oran Mor in Glasgow on the 15^th April. Support on the night was provided by Jonathan Carr (who admitted himself, it was a last minute gig).

Hailing from the county of Lanarkshire (making this almost a 'local' gig for him) Jonathan appeared on stage with just himself and his keyboard. It would be easy to class him in the same genre as Jamie Cullum as he powered through a half hour set of his songs including Daisy Buchanan, Not The Cheating Kind (which he explains was difficult to explain to his girlfriend as the song is about a guy who cheats but tries to say he doesn't), The Joke's On Me (where he recounts performing the song and John Mayer inviting him to record the song as well as performing guitar on it) and Love's On It's Way (which he encourages the crowd to download so he can earn 50p from each sale).

Also included in the set is a cover from 'the other gig in Glasgow tonight', and proceeds to perform Adele's Rolling In The Deep and a song that he and Lou Hickey (of Codeine Velvet Club fame) wrote called Perfect To Me. During his set he also mentioned how he was hoping to have his own headline show soon complete with band. Not that he was touting for business. All in all, it was a great warm up to the main act.

After a quick stage re-arrangement, it was time for the main act. Using the intro from the album, Are You Ready? to bring the band and backing singers on stage, it leads into Ain't Nobody using the Breakage's Suck It Up remix as inspiration (many may recognise it from the most recent Renault Clio Va Va Voom advert). It's the first time we get to hear the voice, and if her voice was 'under the weather' as she mentioned on twitter, it didn't seem to show. From here it was straight into current single The Shield And The Sword and then onto Freedom.

During the songs, Clare travels up and down the small stage in small steps that as a fan, you' be worried that she's going to fall over (whether due to the tight little black number she wore, the shoes or a combination of both). You're Electric, I Surrender and Sweet Lie are all up next, the energy and power not dwindling from Clare, the band or the crowd. Break These Chains follows. She then mentions how she recorded as song for the Chase & Status album and performs that very song. Of course, it Midnight Caller.

Before moving on she announces how she first played Glasgow supporting Hurts and how she love the venue she's in (“great food, great drink”). She slows the tempo down with the beautiful ballad Bullet. The slowness doesn't last though as she heads into Burn before announcing her last song, The Happiest Pretenders. During this, she climbs off the stage and walks through the crowd as she sings. In an unusual move, the crowd just seems to part to allow her through, no ambushing her or anything. She ends the song back on stage and everyone leaves the stage. Cue the crowd to start chanting (they've already been told earlier in the night that The Last Dance was coming up)

After a few minutes, Clare returns with guitarist Paul, who she takes great pride in announcing that he's Scottish, getting a cheer from the crowd. The pair then perform Trouble In Mind before asking the crowd if she should bring the band back, to a resounding cheer. Clare apologises but the next song is new so no one will know the songs, but asks the audience to stamp their feet and clap their hands. The song is Mess You Around (which she revealed later on that it's likely to be on the new record). There's almost a feeling that you want to whip your head back and forth and maybe a little head banging.

The night ends on a high with what is probably her most well known track, The Last Dance, which gives the crowd a chance to sing along (as if they haven't the whole night) and go a little mad.

Clare Maguire is one of those artists that to truly appreciate her voice, has to be heard live. As said previously, Clare had posted on twitter that her voice was tired and that she apologised. However, she didn't need to. It's hard to imagine what her voice live when 'not tired' sounds like. Maybe one small draw back was that the venue was small, so whilst it was an almost intimate setting maybe the true potential is shown better in a slightly larger venue. Time will only tell. Still, catching Clare live is well worth the ticket price. If you've been impressed from what you've heard from the studio versions, then you won't be disappointed.

Photos © Vhari Lannigan

Buy Light After Dark @ Amazon.co.uk | Download Light After Dark @ Amazon.co.uk
Buy Light After Dark @ Play.com

Jennifer Lopez Feat. Pitbull // On The Floor

Download @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ Play.com 
Download @ iTunes

It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything from Jennifer Lopez and she returns with a summery electro dance pop tune produced by RedOne.

On The Floor is the debut release for Jennifer Lopez on Island Def Jam Music, after leaving Epic. It features sampling of the 1989 song Lambada by Kaoma (recently also sampled by Ke$ha). Whilst maybe not the most imaginative song in the world with easily learned lyrics, but with it’s latin beats, it will soon have you dancing away. The song itself brings J-Lo bang up to date without losing too much of what fans have come to know.

A great little offering that is likely to filling the dance floors throughout the summer season (and Zumba classes too!). With the song already number 1 in 12 countries and top 5 in others, it’s obviously a very welcomed track!

Rating: 4/5