Enrique Iglesias // I Like It

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On first listen and without details of the songs/artists, you would be forgiven for thinking that it was anyone else but Enrique performing a track like this.

Taken from the forthcoming album Euphoria, I Like It is the first English track to be taken from it. Combining the sounds of Eurodisco and too much electronic vocals sadly gets tiresome quickly. Pitbull should be chained up and do his own thing instead of hijacking in other artist songs.

It has two saving graces however: one is that it will probably do well with the summer clubs. The second is the sampling of the classic Lionel Richie track All Night Long (which depending when you come into the song, you could be forgiven for thinking that All Night Long had been given a modern dance remix.

It’s not  song that you could listen to again and again, constantly on repeat. It’s has a short shelf life and likely to become one song that will fade when Summer turns to Autumn

Rating: 3/5

Lady Gaga // Alejandro

 

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Alejandro is the next single to be taken from The Fame Monster and is quite different from anything that you are likely to associate with the Lady of Gaga

Produced by RedOne (who has also worked with the likes of Alexandra Burke (Broken Heels) and Pixie Lott (Here We Go Again [Album track]) to name a few), this time Gaga has gone for a more Europop approach reminiscent of the 90's group Ace Of Base. It’s not your typical Gaga track (musically that is, the video is questionable) but it is likely to be one that is going to be one of the summer’s big anthems either in it’s original or remixed format.

Rating 5/5

K’naan // Wavin’ Flag

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You may just recognise this song from a certain drinks advert who are supporting the world cup. Yes this lovable little number is currently running on one of Coca Cola’s adverts to do with how goal celebrations began and how players/teams have since created their own throughout the years.

However, we deviate from the point here. This is not your typical football song. In fact, it in a way has nothing to do with football. It’s full of deep meaningful lyrics that read like the tale of Africa , where it has been and where it is going.  It’s a song of hope. Had it not been for the ad, then we might never have got to hear this little treat. It makes a difference from the usual football songs that come up time and time again when events like this show up. It’s probably going to end up being one of the more memorable of the games.

Rating: 5/5

Christina Aguilera // Bionic

 

Standard
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Deluxe
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Christina Aguilera returns with her latest offering in the form of Bionic. Fans will already have heard Not Myself Tonight, the first single from the album, but what in fact is on this?

The title track, Bionic opens the album and sets the sound for at least the next few tracks with the electronic sounds. Although it could be argued that maybe it would have been better as just an a short opening. Not Myself Tonight and WooHoo continue this electronic, futuristic sound. Glam sounds a little like something that Lady Gaga would release although lyrically it sounds a little Madonna-esque (is this what a Lady Gaga and Madonna child would sound like?). Prima Donna sounds more like the Christina that we know and love, possible cause the vocals haven't been too over produced a computer.

Lift Me Up brings into a series of ballads for the album, with All I Need almost sounding like a lullaby. I Hate Boys raises the tempo back up and brings it back in line with the start of the album, although again, My Girls and Vanity sound like something that Lady Gaga would release.

Overall, fans of Christina will probably be excited to see a release from her after 4 years. For the casual fan though, it may be too drastic a sound. It's sounds too much like the music already out there and doesn't seem to work with her voice. Is this a case of someone trying to hard to regain a position or someone trying to hard to prove that she can rival those who have come through in the time she's been away? Only time will tell how well this album will do and maybe she should do as her last album title suggested and go ‘Back To Basics’.

Rating: 3.5/5

Alphabeat // DJ (I Could Be Dancing)

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DJ (I Could Be Dancing) is the third single to be taken from the group's second album, The Beat Is... and for the purpose of this release has been given a single remix.

The track is a tad different from the heavy electronic sounds of previous singles, but still maintains the sounds that the Danish six piece are known for without deviating too far from their sound. It's a catchy little number and certainly one that you'll sound find yourself singing and dancing along to, even if your not a fan. It's maybe not going to be a great hit, but it's certainly one that will get people on the dance floor

Rating: 4/5

Alexandra Burke // All Night Long

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This latest offering from Alexandra might just be the best so far from the album, Overcome. It’s a great little number with a catchy chorus that is bound to have everyone on the floor dancing along and singing along with the chorus, if not the whole song.

It’s quite possibly the first track NOT to sound like a Eurovision reject and even the casual fan will be able to get into this, even if you haven’t heard anything by her except the debut after winning the X-Factor

Rating: 4/5

Sandi Thom // Merchants & Thieves

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2010 heralds the return of Sandi Thom, as she presents her new album to the world as well as a new style. Released via her own record label (Guardian Angels), Thom retains creative freedom allowing her to make an album that reflect who she is. For Merchants & Thieves, the albums takes on a blues/rock style.

The opening track (Maggie McCall) gets the album underway and delves straight into the new style adopted by Thom for the album. The pace is kept by the following tracks until Let It Stay, a beautiful slow tempo ballad before heading into the album title track which turns out to be a instrumental track (a first for Sandi).

From this point, the album becomes a mix of bag of tempos, kicking off with the first single from this album, This Ol’ World featuring the blues/rock guitarist and vocalist Joe Bonamassa before taking the tempo down slightly for The Sadness.  Heart of Stone brings it back up with what has a highlight of the album. Ghost Town hails another first in which Sandi and backing vocalist Lindsey Clearly sing the track acapella, giving it an appropriate haunting feel. Belly Of The Blues is a track that could have either started or finished the album and settles the album beautifully.

Looking back at what Sandi Thom has done before, there is a feeling that this album is more of what she has been wanting to do and by releasing it on her own label, that is exactly what she has achieved. The style and variation in songs suits her voice and has showcased what she really can achieve and makes for a well rounded album. It is an album of firsts: first release on her own label, first blues/rock inspired album, first instrumental and a capella tracks. The difficulty lies in whether or not that the general music public can put aside it’s pre-conceived ideas regarding her music and realise that she is more than a one track pony and that there is much more that we haven’t seen and quite possibly yet to see.

Rating: 5/5

Amy Macdonald // Spark

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Spark is the second single to be lifted from the current album A Curious Thing. Whilst maybe not the strongest of tracks when compared to the rest of the album, on it’s own, it’s not too bad. The song itself is inspired by those who get on with life after coming through tragedy or difficult times in their life and possibly provide some kind of hope that things will be alright.

The song itself isn’t one of the strongest songs when compared to the rest of the album, however, on it’s own it' isn’t just as bad. Maybe the theme of the song is quite appropriate since we are now entering the season of charity events…

Rating: 4/5

Pearl And The Puppets // Because I Do EP

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Pearl and the Puppets is a band from Kirkintilloch and comprise of singer/songwriter Katie Sutherland (vocals/guitar/ukulele), Blair McMillan (drums ), Gordon Turner (guitar), Scott Clark (bass) and Michael Abubakar (keyboards) and this is the first offering for those in the UK to sample (her songs have been used by Vodafone (Australia), Orange (Romania) and Victoria’s Secret (US))

Because I Do is a fun little acoustic guitar driven song which builds into the chorus and bridges. The song provides a mesmerising melody to go with the equally with the vocals. Girlfriend (track 2) continues this mellowed out feeling. Mango Tree (track 3) wakens the EP up a little but you could see this as a closing track to an album or a song you’d listen to just before nodding off to sleep. The last track, Lower Ground is one of those songs that you could imagine playing at the close of the day

Overall, the EP showcases what Pearl is capable of, and giving a possible tease for what to expect from the album (expected later in the year). A wonderful little gem from Scotland that shouldn’t be overlooked and if possible, be heard live.

Rating: 5/5

Glee: The Music // The Power Of Madonna

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If you haven’t heard of Glee by now, what rock have you been sleeping under?  This album is dedicated purely to the episode of the same name and therefore, features the songs of Madonna.

If you’ve seen the episode then you already know what to expect. If you haven’t then just listen to the tracks and imagine the possibilities.  The tracks are more from Madonna older catalogue, but are given the Glee make over to bring them to a new generationIt is almost a perfect 10 for the album except for the Borderline/Open Your Heart mash up (track 2) which really should have just been Open Your Heart on it’s own, as it is more that than Borderline.

The highlights of the album have to be Vogue (featuring Sue Slyvester on the lead vocals!!), 4 Minutes (which could be deemed to be maybe better than the original) and the finale of Like A Prayer. Overall the album would definitely appeal to those that want to hear the full songs and not the edited versions that appear in the episode.

Possibly don’t expect these songs to feature on Glee: The Music Vol.3

Rating: 4.5./5

Race For Life // Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

 
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The first charity single to be released for Cancer Research UK’s Race For Life event. The song is a cover of the Cyndi Lauper classic and features the celebrity vocals of  singer and DJ Sonique Kym Marsh, Caroline Quentin,  Nicola T (Big Brother),  Danielle Lloyd and Lucie Jones (X-Factor) but also features the vocals of hundreds of women from up and down the country .

The song is a great little number and is basically the theme of the event, women coming together to have fun, have amazing moments and yet helps support a serious cause. Well worth the 79p and all the money goes to Cancer Research UK

p.s. it’s also available as a CD single available from Tesco stores or online at Tesco Entertainment

Diana Vickers // Once

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Another previous X-Factor contestant releases a song, this time, it’s Diana Vickers. Whilst she’ll probably still have the support of her X-Factor followers, for those of us who have never paid attention to the show, this is the first time that we’ve probably heard of her. And unfortunately, her first offering isn’t great.

The song, Once, is an alright song for one off listen. It’s not something that you could put on repeat and listen to again and again. The lyrics are simple, repeated. There’s nothing to the melody. In fact, there’s pretty much nothing in it to make you sit up and take notice or make you want to check the upcoming album.  She has a good voice but unfortunately, the style of song isn’t her.

It’s going to be one of those songs that we’ll hear for a while until we’re sick of it and then be asking ‘Diana who?"’

Rating:1/5