New Music Friday: Jonathan Carr

Let us introduce you to Jonathan Carr (you may already have heard us talk about him in an earlier post when he supported Clare Maguire last year in Glasgow (see post here)). At 17 he had a scholarship to Berklee College, and was a finalist in the BBC Young Jazz Musician Of The year 2007. He’s also had guitarist John Mayer play on one of his tracks! Not bad for someone who’s only 22!

Below is Love’s On The Way. Enjoy!

Photo: © Vhari Lannigan

Soundcloud | Myspace | iTunes

Film Review: The Hunger Games

 

Based on the best selling novel by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games are based in Panem (what is left of North America) where the 12 districts offer up one boy & one girl as tributes to take part in the televised show, The Hunger Games. It focuses on the main character Katniss Everdeen, who offers herself up as tribute in place of her sister and of course the games themselves.

For those that have read the book, you may be left disappointed. It features mainly the key events of the book with most of the film being based around the games themselves. There have been additional little scenes added such as seeing the ‘control room’ for the games to flesh out the film. Unlike the book which has you from the start, the film is slow. If you’ve not read the book, then maybe you won’t be too disappointed.

Maybe because the book is written from the perspective of Katriss and in the first person, it doesn’t lend itself to well to adaption. Or maybe it’s because in the same sort of time frame, Peter Jackson managed to get much more of the Lord Of The Rings books in than this does of it’s respective book. I would be interesting to see if the film was better with the scenes that were removed before it was allowed a 12A certificate here in the UK.

Rating: 3.5/5

Olly Murs // Oh My Goodness

Download @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ iTunes
Download @ Official Store

The title of Mr Murs new single just about sums up our thoughts about the song. And we’re sorry to say that it’s not in the good way.

Oh My Goodness is the 3rd single from his 2nd album, In Case You Didn’t Know. It feels too slow considering the rest of the music round about this release sounds more up-tempo from this. And it probably doesn’t help that his last couple of tracks have been in this up-tempo area and then to come back with something at the opposite end of the scale.

Rating: 2/5

James Blunt // You’re Beautiful (Q;indivi+ Remix Feat. KERI)

Buy @ CDJapan | Buy @ YesAsia
Buy @ iTunes Japan

Who can forget the James Blunt beautiful ballad that really brought him to attention of the public, You’re Beautiful. Well, in Decemeber 2011 it reappeared in Japan as a remix thanks to Japanese remixer q;indivi+ and 16 year old singer Keri Prather aka KERI.

Now we’re probably about to be really biased here for two reasons; 1) we’ve heard a previous remix by q;indivi (which we loved!) and 2) we like James Blunt. What we like about this remix is that it is sympathetic to the original piece and that the additional vocals provided by KERI are also well placed and not overpowering. Actually you’d swear that they were additional vocals.

Even after all this time, the song is still as good as it was the first time that it was released. Nice to see it being given another lease of life!

Rating: 5/5

JLS // Proud

Buy @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ Amazon.co.uk
Download @ iTunes | Buy @ Official Store

Last week we saw Sport Relief popping up onto our TV screens and this year, the Sports Relief single duties fall on the shoulders of the  JLS lads in the form of Proud.

Now, don’t start panicking! It’s not a cover of the Heather Small track of the same name. No, it’s a nice little ballad that past ballads have told us they can perform well. It’s a feel good song which in essence is about not giving up which suits for the fact that it’s a charity single. Bit of trivia for the video is that they’re the first ones to record a music video in the new Wembley Stadium.

With a minimum of £1 going to Sport Relief from the physical single and a varying rate of 20p to 42p from the digital sales, can’t help but splash the 99p* to help a good cause. Maybe not best single to have come out for Sport Relief (McFly’s cover of Don’t Stop Me Now still rings clear to us) but still, all for a good cause.

Rating: 4/5

New Music Friday: Zemmy

Originally from Nigeria, but now based in London, let us introduce you to singer/songwriter Zemmy Momoh, otherwise known as Zemmy. Her songs are full of beautiful melodies and thoughtful lyrics that complement each other. Check out her songs below and if you like her enough, go buy her songs on iTunes!

Official Site | Soundcloud | iTunes

Emeli Sande // Next To Me

Download @ Amazon.co.uk

We didn’t realise this, but apparently Next To Me is actually the 3rd single from Scottish born singer/songwriter Emile Sande (her last single Daddy apparently didn’t do very much whilst debut single Heaven still rings in our heads)

It’s different from her previous release which felt more dance orientated, as this comes across as more ballady. This, in turn, gives her the opportunity to show what she can do with her vocal ability and shows that she’s not just capable to doing one style of singing. To compliment the ballady feel, you’ll find that it’s piano driven and completed with harmonies provided by a gospel choir.

Having written for other artists including Professor Green (who she just happened to guest vocal on Read All About It), Cheryl Cole, Alesha Dixon, Leona Lewis & Susan Boyle, the song shows that she able to write openly and honestly. Nice to see another side to her.

Rating: 4/5

Alexandra Burke // Elephant

Download @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ iTunes

It’s been a while since we last heard anything from Alexandra Burke (in fact, if we’re right the last thing we heard from her was the summery Start Without You back in 2010!) but now she’s back with latest offering, Elephant.

It seems that she’s trying a new direction with this tune sounding very dance orientated. But sadly, it doesn’t seem to work for Miss Burke. We all know that she has a voice and she knows how to use it. But sadly, there is so much auto-tune involved here that you don’t really get to appreciate what she can do. It feels like the track doesn’t know what it wants to be itself and seems to be a hybrid of other tunes that have already been released in the past few months, if not year.

As the lyrics say, there’s an elephant in this room. Yes, there is, but unfortunately it’s this song!

Rating: 1/5

Katy Perry // Part Of Me

Download @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ iTunes

Miss Perry comes back to the charts with her new offering in the form of Part Of Me, currently getting heard thanks to her involvement in the Sims 3: Showcase game and the first new track from the soon be re-released Teenage Dreams album (under the name of Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection)

It seems to be becoming a trend this year for artists to release ‘empowering’ songs (we’re thinking Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger) and this is no different. With the chorus declaring This is the part of me that you’re never gonna ever take away from me, we think it’s going to be the Hot ‘n’ Cold of this album. Although for some reason, we think that we would prefer this as an acoustic version rather than a full production (we blame the ad which starts off with her playing a guitar)

Not sure whether this is going to follow her previous hits but it is one of these songs that’s bringing us into the summer/festival season and that you can probably see the remixes being played out to packed club floors.

Ratings: 4/5

Lissie // Covered Up With Flowers EP

 
Download @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ iTunes
Buy Vinyl @ Official Store | Download @ Official Store

American folk-rocker Lissie released her debut album, Catching A Tiger last year and once again has been brought to the attention of the public thanks to her involvement with the Twinnings Tea Company in their latest TV advert. The song (which we’ll mention further in) as well as others, features on her latest release, Covered Up With Flowers.

The title of this little EP is quite apt, given that all the tracks that appear on it are in fact cover versions of songs. Originally released last year in the US, it’s now been released here with the additional track from the TV ad (in case anyone’s wondering why we mention 6 tracks instead of 5). Opening with a live version of the Kid Cudi track Pursuit of Happiness, where you get a handle of her voice live. This is the only live track as the rest of the EP appears to have been recorded intimately in a studio.The second track on this EP is the Fleetwood Mac classsic, Go Your Own Way, which is the song featured on the ad for Twinnings.

This is followed by Lady Gaga’s hit Bad Romance which has an eerie odd feel to it with it just being a electric guitar at first before bringing in other instruments and probably because it’s at a slower tempo than the original.Joe South’s Games People Play appears next with a right country feel to it. It’s also the song where you’ll find the lyrics containing the EP’s title( And they wile away the hours/In their ivory towers/Till they're covered up with flowers). The haunting Metallica classic Nothing Else Matters plays next with the EP finishing with The Ship Song by Nick Cave.

For those who first outing with Lissie is from the ad, this make an interesting listen, particularly if you are familiar with the original tracks. The tracks haven’t been overly changed and still maintain their original sound whilst sounding unique to Lissie. It’s worth a listen if you’re wanting to test the waters with her (although you will find an Introduction To Lissie EP on iTunes!) before diving into the debut Catching A Tiger

Rating: 4/5

Will Young // Losing Myself

Download @ Amazon.co.uk

The 3rd single from Will Young’s current album, Echoes, comes in the form of Losing Myself.

It’s hard not to listen to this track and look back at the previous two singles. It feels as if the singles have been chosen in a descending tempo but somehow this song doesn’t grab the attention that Jealousy and Come On did. You almost feel as if the song might run out of steam at some point. We don’t get the single feel from this track, it more album filler material.

Hopefully this wasn’t just put out for the sake of a keeping his name and the album out there. We have heard better from Mr Young. Sadly this doesn’t come up to par.

Rating: 2/5

Marcus Collins // Marcus Collins

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

Usually once the X-Factor is complete, it’s the winners album that comes out first before any of the other finalists, however this time round, 2011 runner up Marcus Collins is first out the starting block with his self titled debut.

Opening with the debut single, Seven Nation Army (cover of the White Stripes song of the same name. See our review of it here), it quickly moves onto Love & Hate, a song that you could see Cee Lo Green sing. Innocence is up next and you can’t help think that it sounds like a 90’s Take That song. This is followed up by Don’t Surrender, a nice gentle pop song that showcases a nice laid back Marcus,

From laid back, we jump into more up beat Mercy featuring lots of horn flourishes before heading into what is quite possibly a favourite from his X-Factor days, Higher & Higher. That’s Just Life comes across as being a nice little summery tune that you can imagine being blasted from the car, with the windows down. Quicken the tempo, we’re brought into Tightrope. This song has got us sitting on the fence (Or maybe the Tightrope!) There’s something we like about this track, but at the same time, there’s something that we don’t. We just can’t explain it….

It’s Time brings the tempo back down to the casual pop tune, that feels very radio friendly.Next we’re back to the 80s with Feel Like I Feel. Finally we have what was the ‘b-side’ to the debut single, Break These Chains (which we loved over Seven Nation Army)

As a debut, it plays to Marcus’ strengths with regards to style. The quality of the songs (8 are co-written by Collins whilst 3 are covers) are of a high standard but our only gripe is that the track order does make it feel a little all over the place jumping from fast to slow back to fast in such quick succession. It feels like it’s been a rush job where someone’s only briefly listened to the tracks, put them in an order and gone done, get it pressed.

Fans from the show will no doubt support and enjoy. Other may take time to be convinced by this release. Only once the current X-Factor tour is over will be truly get an idea of whether he will survive the test of time.

Rating: 3.5/5

New Music Friday // Lissie

You might recognise our NMF artist if your from the UK as she currently features as part of the Twinnings Gets You Back To You campaign. The ad features American folk-rocker Lissie singing a cover of the Fleetwood Mac classic, Go Your Own Way. It’s available to download from iTunes now from the Covered Up With Flowers EP (which we’ll be reviewing soon!)

Official Site

Alphabeat // Vacation

Download @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ iTunes

It’s been two years since the release of The Beat Is… but now Danish group Alphabeat are back with their brand new single, Vacation.

It follows their well known synth sound and reminds us why we all loo forward to the holidays. However, we can’t help but feel that we’ve heard this before from them (our initial though is that it’s a happier key from Hole In My Heart) and that there’s doesn’t seem to be anything new here.

It’s a bright pop song that sounds different from the current sound at the moment, but we’ve got a feeling that it’s going to slip under the radar

Rating: 2/5

Military Wives // In My Dreams

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

If you haven’t heard of the Military Wives, where have you been? Not only did they get the 2011 Christmas number 1 with their track Wherever You Are, but now they present their 11 track debut album, In My Dreams.

First off, let us explain that these songs are NOT all sang by the same choirs. The album features the choirs from Chivenor, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Lympstone and Catterick Garrison. Opening the album is the choir from Chivenor with a rendition of  Adele’s Make You Feel My Love with Nicky Scott taking on soloist duties for parts. Next we have the album’s title track, In My Dreams, with soloist duties falling to  Jonjo Kerr. Name seem familiar? Maybe it’s because he’s the serving soldier who was eliminated on the first of the live X-Factor shows last year! Plymouth appears next with cover of U2’s With Or Without You.

Portsmouth show what they’ve got with a version of Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes duet Up Where We Belong (Love Lifts Us Up) before handing over to Lympstone CTC for their song, True Loves Ways. Plymouth returns with You’ve Got A Friend before making way for Chivenor and Eternal Father (Sometimes known as The Navy Hymn  or For Those In Peril On The Sea). Next we have the Catterick Garrison’s Military WAGs with a haunting rendition Coldplay’s Fix You. The Silver Tassie from Chivenor is up next with Sam Stevenson taking solo duties before Plymouth with soloist Emily Shipman perform the track  On My Own from Les Miserable.

Finally we have the Christmas number one, Wherever You Are, which features our last two choirs  (Chivenor & Plymouth) performing together with once again Sam Stevenson taking on soloist.

It’s maybe a little difficult to see how the songs would work for choirs, however they are all beautifully arranged and performed. With proceeds (according to the album, a minimum of £1) going to the Military Wives Choirs Foundation which helps to set up choirs in all military communities, you can’t help not buy this album and feel good about it. Quite possibly going to popular this Mother’s Day….

Rating: 5/5

Lionel Richie // Tuskegee

Buy @ Amazon.co.uk (Standard) | Buy @ Amazon.co.uk (Deluxe)
Download @ Amazon.co.uk (Standard) | Download @ Amazon.co.uk (Deluxe)
Download @ iTunes (Standard) | Download @ iTunes (Deluxe)

The last time that we heard anything from Mr Richie was back in 2009 with his album, Just Go. Now in 2012, he returns with his new album, Tuskegee.

Before we start, we’d like to point out that our review pertains to the UK/European version of the album (which we’ve discovered that some of the duets are different compared to the US version) The album’s name comes from the town where Lionel was born, brought up and inspired. There is no new material on this album, but re-workings of classic tracks with some of country’s biggest names. Opening with You Are with Blake Shelton, your immediately brought into the sound of the album. Next we have Say You, Say Me with Rasmus Seebach. Stuck On You  features Darius Rucker and features some great harmonies despite the voices sounding familiar whilst Deep River Woman features Little Big Town and as a group effort sounds great.

Kenny Chesney features on the next track, My Love with Rascal Flatts joining Lionel for the still full of energy, Dancing On The Ceiling (then again, this couldn’t have been done any other way). The beautiful Hello (which we now rate as possibly the best phone holding music ever) with Jennifer Nettles features some simple instrumentation with just drums, strings, guitar and vocals. Joining Lionel on the classic Sail On is Jill Johson whos vocals work great together. Next is Endless Love featuring the one and only Shania Twain (someone who, at least this end of the world, has been quiet) although we do think it’s good in it’s own right, it’s not as good as the original.

The 2004 song Just For You comes up next with Billy Currington and sounds just like the original, just in duet form. Next we have two well known country artists in the form of Kenny Rodgers on Lady and Willie Nelson on Easy. Jimmy Buffet and the Coral Refeer Band bring a calypso rhythm to the song All Night Long. Finally, we have Angel with British singer Pixie Lott (and it’s quickly became a favourite of ours from the album).

Lionel is one of these artists who, no matter when he has released has always managed to stay relevant without compromising. Whilst there is nothing new track wise here, it is interesting to hear the tracks re-imagined and still sounding as good as when they first came out. Despite their re-imagining, the distinctive melodies remain familiar and the duets works well right down to harmonies.

Maybe not for all fans but hopefully everyone will find something here.

Rating: 4/5

Film Review: This Means War

Chris Pine and Tom Hardy play two CIA agents FDR and Tuck who end up falling for the same girl, Heather (played by Reese Weatherspoon). And despite having a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ that she won’t come between them, being in the CIA means that they have access to the technology to track and cause havoc with each other’s attempts to get the girl. But it’s not only between them that she comes between, buts ends up causing them to take their eye off their task of finding their target.

It’s not your typical spy movie. The basic story of fight for the lady’s hand is the main premise here and probably works with the idea that the pair are CIA agents. There is the comedy in watching the agents causing havoc in each others attempts. The side story of losing sight of their target is very much a back burner and not much being played to it which maybe would have been a  bit more interesting to see it being weaved a bit more into the story rather than just a filler. It’s just about the right length (approx 90 mins) as it can’t really be pulled out longer than that.

So long as your not looking for too much in a film, then this is good to pass the time. Maybe one of those films that the trailer drowns the rest of the film.

Rating:3/5

New Music Friday Special: Lisa Miskovsky & Kanon

We’ve got a special feature today. These two artists are celebrating their birthdays today!

Lisa Miskovsky is a Swedish singer/songwriter that many may have heard of thanks to the EA game Mirror’s Edge where she sang the game’s theme, Still Alive. This year, she entered Melodifestivalen, the Swedish Eurovision selection show with the song Why Start A Fire. She’s through to the final tomorrow (Saturday 10th March) so we’re wishing her all the best with it!

Official Site

And our second birthday artist today is Japanese classical-crossover artist and pianist Kanon (not to be confused with Kanon Wakeshima!). Many may be familiar with her songs for the animes La Corda d'Oro and Guin Saga. Last year saw the release of her album, A New Story, her 5th in her native Japan but the first to be released worldwide! The album saw her collaborating with Final Fantasy maestro Nobuo Uematsu

Official Site

New Music Friday: Vanquish

Meet Bee, Holly, Lizzy & Rianna collectively known as Vanquish, the latest British girl band to hit the music scene. We’re not too sure at the moment what to make of them, but you can check out the video for their first single The Harder You Love down below. The single comes out next month (apparently). You’ll be able to catch them support Westlife on their farewell tour.

Official Site

New Music Friday: Katie Sutherland

Not recognise the name? Ok, so if we’d to say… Pearl & The Puppets? With us now? Good. According to her, she really just coming out from under a stage name to perform under her own name.Hailing from Kirkintilloch, just Scotland she currently running a Pledge Music campaign to get her debut album released and she currently at 85%. Check out the track Sinner below.

Sinner by Katie Sutherland Music

Official Site | Pledge Music Campaign | Soundcloud

Film Review: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

You know that feeling you get that you’re somewhere that you shouldn’t be? That’s how it felt during as the people were filing in for the viewing of the latest film, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Maybe it’s to do with the fact that the film features older British actors/actresses that explains the older audience.

In the basic sense, it follows a group of elderly Brits from different situations all heading off to India to start a new life in the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, only to find that it’s not what was sold in the brochure (and I’m sure some people have had holidays like that!), how the deal with it and how the country begins to change them in mindset and outlook.

As previously said, it features a cast primarily made up of older British actors/actresses (Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighly, Penelope Wilton, Tom Wilkinson, Ronald Pickup) you can see why the film probably attracts a more ‘mature’ audience. However, it’s balanced out with youngsters Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) and Tena Desae. It has it’s heart warming moments, as well as it’s sad. It shows that no matter the age, we’ve probably all been through similar situations. Great film that hopefully the more mature will enjoy, but anyone of any age who appreciates well matured talent will also enjoy.

Rating: 5/5