New Music Friday: Steve Appleton

If you were here on Monday this week, you’ll have seen us mentioning this singer/songwriter as he supported Sandi Thom on her recent UK tour. To us he sounds a bit like Paolo Nutini & Jason Mraz. Have a look at the videos below and have a listen for yourselves

Official Site

Ella Henderson // Ghost

Download @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ iTunes

Recognise the name? Maybe not so let us refresh your memory by telling you that Ella was a contestant on the 2012 X Factor in the UK, managing to survive to week 7 of the live shows. Now nearly two years on, she’s ready to show what she’s been up to and that first showing comes in the form of Ghost.

The song itself has a bit of an Adele meets Leona Lewis vocal sound to it, but it good little upbeat number and one that seems well delivered. Hopefully one that radio will agree with and that people will see how far she appears to have come since the TV reality show.

Rating: 4/5

Christina Perri // Human

Download @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ iTunes

So it’s been a while since we last checked in with Christina Perri although we did check out A Thousand Years before it & the debut single Jar Of Hearts became so covered! But now she’s back and the first offering from her new album is Human

The song begins with gentle lulling vocals with the melody seemingly building too, only to drop away at the first chorus to allow Perri’s vocals to shine through. But after what can be deemed a vulnerable moment, the music returns for the rest of the track, with what seems a growing confidence in her vocals as the song continues.

We have to admit that this is quite taken with the track it does seem that Perri’s vocals have come some way from our first meeting. It’s a heartfelt yet powerful track and one that many can probably relate to. After all, we are only Human

Rating: 4/5

Sandi Thom @ Howden Park Centre, Livingston 17th April 2014

It’s been just over a year & half since Sandi Thom last toured the UK but that was with a full band. This time around it’s just Thom being a one (wo)man band playing all bar the kitchen sink (maybe she plays this too, we’re not quite sure but wouldn’t be surprised) in a evening of stories and songs performed as they haven’t been heard before.

Before Thom was support act Steve Appleton who was also was his own band, this time though with a little help from a loop pedal. He worked through a set of his own music including Diamonds & Valantina and admitted that he had been trying new material on the Scottish audiences. After a small interval it was time for the main act.

Opening the set with two tracks from the latest album, Help Me & Stormy Weather, it’s clear that this isn’t what has gone before, with the songs being performed in what can only be described as new arrangements bringing a new feeling to them. Thom welcomes everyone to the show before heading into a tale of heading to London to ‘live the dream’ and about the drunk in the local pub who could belt out anything that was requested and that this was the inspiration was the next track, The Human Jukebox.

It’s a jump to the third album, Merchants & Thieves for the next track, Belly Of The Blues before back tracking to The Pink & The Lily for The Shape I’m In (a song inspired by the events of her first visit to LA where after a bit of a wild night with the Scottish Rugby Team, she spent the night on the street). It’s back to the present album for the next track, Buffy Sainte-Marie’s The Big Ones Get Away a song which, on the album, she performed with the lady herself.

Runaway Train provides an opportunity for a little audience participation in a call and response (something the Scots audiences usually can’t resist taking part in). A reminisce of her days in the band The Residents, it time for a cover track, one frequently performed as part of this group. It comes in the form of the Fleetwood Mac track, Landslide. 

Time to head back to the debut album for the next track in the from of What If I’m Right before we get the title track of the current studio album, Flesh & Blood. Things slow down again for My Ungrateful Heart from The Pink & The Lily before it time for I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair) in which she plays the harmonica, strums the guitar & stamps her feet all at the same time. A short break and she comes back for one more track in the form of When Horsepower Meant What It Said.

As said at the start, this was not the usual Sandi Thom concert. The stripped back approach seemed to work with tracks from all 4 studio albums being given a new working bringing them a new life. The venue seemed to be perfect for what very quickly felt like a very intimate experience between artist & audience. The mix of tracks showcased that Sandi’s voice could do quite & tender but also big & powerful but also meant that there was most likely something for everyone in the set whilst showing how far she’s come since she was first presented to us. A different night out and one that we would like to see again.

Photos: © Vhari Lannigan

Sandi Thom
Buy @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ iTunes | Buy @ official Store

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

The Saturdays // Not Giving Up

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

We won’t deny that The Saturdays have never really rated highly with us. However, the latest offering, Not Giving Up has pique our interest.

We really want to call this All Fired Up Pt.2 because that is really what it sounds like. It’s an upbeat, dance number and miles away from the cut and paste job of last October with Disco Love. Great little number to come back on and of course use as a lead track to their forthcoming greatest hits release. Are The Saturdays finally picking themselves up? Time will only tell.

Rating: 4/5

The Vamps // Last Night

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

It’s single no.3 for these cheeky chappies, The Vamps so after one up and one down with us, so where does Last Night fit in.

For us, the latest offering falls not as good as Can We Dance but better than Wild Heart. It’s a rocky number but feels a little overly sugar coated which will probably appeal to their main demographics. We can’t decide if the last three singles have been a showing different sides or testing to find out what sounds fit them.

With their debut album, Meet The Vamps just released, it will be interesting to see what else they’ve got to offer.

Rating: 3/5

The Chainsmokers // #SELFIE

Download @ Amazon.co.uk | Download @ iTunes

Well, we might be a little late to the party with regards to this release, but in case you missed it, there a song based on the craze of the Selfie. And it’s brought to you by The Chainsmokers

Yes, we don’t think we should take it too seriously. In fast if we’re honest, when we just listen to the instrumental, we can’t help be reminded of Psy’s Gentlemen. In fact, if you can last the whole song, we take our hats off to you. Yes it’s just a bit of fun but we don’t see it as a serious thing more of a little filler that will probably pass.

Rating: 1/5

Pitbull // We Are One (Ole Ola) Feat. Jennifer Lopez & Claudia Leitte

Download @ iTunes

It won’t be long now until the world is gripped by the World Cup action this year from Brazil. Last year we brought you the first song from David Correy in The World Is Ours which we reckon is Coca Cola’s offering. But not one of the official songs has been revealed and it’s from Pitbull with We Are One.

To be honest, it’s not a bad track except for Lopez section in the track. When she comes in the perfect rhythm seems to evaporate as if it is a completely different track to what we’ve just been listening to.  The section by Leitte is more with the flow of things from the first part.

The song had potential,and it’s probably one of the weaker songs relating to the World Cup that we’ve heard comparing it to previous song or even what’s on offer this year.

Rating: 2/5

Anastacia // Stupid Little Things

Pre-order @ iTunes

2014 sees Anastacia make a return with her 6th studio album, Ressurection due out in a months time, but in the meantime, we have the first single from that album in the form of Stupid Little Things.

It’s a great little number that lets Anastacia use that powerful voice that she is known for and seems to have her back on form (her last album of original material was back in 2009 while 2012 saw a cover of songs by male artists). It’s a good little rock number and seemson par with what we have at present in the chart but can’t help thinking that there is an Anastacian stamp on things.

Here’s hoping that this is just a taste of what is to come

Rating: 4/5

Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster

 
Buy @ Amazon.co.uk (standard) | Buy @ Amazon.co.uk (Ltd. Ed)

Final Fantasy X has long been a fan favourite since it arrived on PS2 with one of the highlights being the first Final Fantasy game to full voiced. Now, along with what at the time was deemed the first sequel to a Final Fantasy game, Final Fantasy X-2 have been brought together in HD to a new generation.

Both games here are the international versions, which in terms of Final Fantasy X, really means nothing to those in PAL regions; this was the version that we got when it originally came out but X-2 is completely new to all western regions. But we’ll explain the differences as we go through it.

Final Fantasy X
It’s been sometime since we last delved into the land of Spira in which the game takes place and it’s taken a bit of getting used to again after all those long hours on Square Enix other Final Fantasy release this year…oh how things have changed! The differences in the international version were the additions of an expert sphere grid (the system by which you improved your characters in the game but we’re lead to believe actually gives you lower stats than that of the standard one…don’t worry, we’re confused too!) plus the addition of the optional bosses the dark Aeons and Pennance. Lip syncing is still not perfect in the game either or in some circumstances we think that it may even be worse. Visually, the FMV still look absolutely beautiful (particularly the scene from the Lake featuring Sukenei De Na) and the game play does have it’s moments where you can spot the updating. It does appear that fonts have been given a update too all round, making them easier to read.The recorded scores work beautifully too.

Final Fantasy X: Eternal Calm
There’s not much for you to do here other than watch and listen. This video (which we first saw when it was packaged with Unlimited Saga) is your prologue to Final Fantasy X-2 and basically sets up the game by explain how Yuna gets to where she is at the start of the next game. It sadly isn’t a FMV but draws on in game character models which is a bit of shame sadly.

Final Fantasy X-2
This was, in essence, the first direct sequel ever to be made for a Final Fantasy game. Following on 2 years from the event of the original game, you take charge of Yuna as she takes on the role of Spherehunter alongside fellow Gullwings Rikku & Paine as they try to unravel the mysteries of spheres of a man who looks just like Tidus from the original.  Game play isn’t as linear as the first one and there’s a bit more freedom of whether to head off straight to the next main mission or to head off to do a side quest to up your percent completed. Choices at certain points in the game do affect your percentage and can affect what ending you ultimately receive. Hence this is one of those games to make use of multiple playthroughs through new game+.

It’s back to good old grinding for levelling up and the ye old job system rears it’s head in the format of the dressspheres (defaults are Gunner for Yuna, Thief for Rikku & Warrior for Paine) and garment grids (which activating all the dresspheres on a grid allows you to access the special dresssphere for each character). Changes in the International version included two new dresspheres (Festivalist & Psychier) as well as an additional optional boss (Emerald who looks like a hybrid of all the standard Aeons from the first game). Again visually it looks beautiful.

Final Fantasy X-2: Last Mission
In the original Japanese release, Last Mission was a stand alone game but could feed off the game save from FFX-2. We’re not entirely sure whether this is still the case as it’s listed individually on the disc and we could wait to delve into the game and finally understand what we were doing (instead of random button pressing like we did with the Japanese version). This isn’t your standard dungeon though. Taking on the tower either as Yuna, Rikku or Paine, the idea is to climb to the top of tower by completing a number of floors. It’s not as easy as it firsts looks though as you contend with enemies and traps along the way, moving along a grid system. The highest we’ve achieved so far is floor 10…. Finally nice to see this little addition having been translated into English now.

Bonus Audio Drama & Credits
As it suggests, this is just an audio drama with concept art providing a background to it as well as the credits (we assume it’s those behind the re-master) while this ‘drama’ unfolds. In a sense, you would assume that it’s setting up for X-3 (more on this in a minute) We assume that it set after the events of X-2 but in all we find it a little confusing. We’ve heard that the novella Final Fantasy X-2.5 makes more sense than this. And no trophy for sitting through it? Yet one for Eternal Calm? Something doesn’t work out there….

Overall
It’s lovely to finally see both of these games finally out (we’ve only waited an additional year!). They might be in HD but there are still points that date them graphically speaking. Nice to see trophies being added although first glance we thought that it would be easy to secure the majority, we’re suddenly thinking again. We’d forgotten how at points both these games could be frustrating and challenging (and this time, there’s no cheat device to help us out!) But yet we can’t help fall in love with the games all over again. The limited edition version of this game came with a lovely little book of concept art for both games (though mainly the first) and unlike it’s last counterpart (Kingdom Hearts 1.5 –HD Remix-) there is artwork here that is likely not to have been seen until now as well as first press versions coming with Yuna’s Summoners Garb for Lightning Returns Final Fantasy XIII. Nice release for those who remember the original PS2 versions but also nice that it’s being brought to a new generation as well.

Rating: 4/5