Music To Look Out For This Month

This month, instead of singles, I have opted to write about albums- yes, I know that sometimes, the album can faze the usual buyer and that sometimes the greatest hits or re-release can really get under one’s skin but over the past few weeks, there have been several releases which cannot be ignored.

1. Alphabeat- This is Alphabeat

‘I was not looking for arty farty love,’ the introduction to their latest single, ’10 000 Nights, and certainly not in the running for most original lyrics of the year but this Danish sensation have taken Europe by storm and have put the pop back into pop music. Seen on many prediction lists at the start of 2008 as a band to look out for they have certainly lived up to their expectation and have surpassed in many cases. When I first heard 'Fascination' at the beginning of the year, I was instantly intrigued, was it the quirky, colourful video? Was it the mix of genres within one song (previously described as a dance style pop song with indie vibes) or was it just the simple fact that this band promised fun?

I think the answer is a culmination of all these, and after the release of their second single, '10,000 Night's', I was finally persuaded to preorder this album. With the looming release, they were gradually getting increasing airplay and despite their critics- I think everyone would crack a smile, cheesy pop had certainly returned and I don't think this is a problem, in the 80's and 90's, this was a benchmark and with it's return, the bar has only been set higher. The day of release arrived and after reading neutral to positive reviews of this album, all I could do now was listen and at 10 tracks, the party is just the right length!

Opener, 'Fantastic 6', sets the tone of the album, it would not be hard to have a party to this and this continues through the rest of the tracks, from the fast paced 'Fascination' to the slower 'Nothing But My Baby', we are never let down. Taking 80's vibes with an updated feel, we have synths galore! The UK release has a couple of different tracks to the original Danish playlist from the last year and a new version of 'Boyfriend', the 2008 version is superior!

What sets out to be a fun, happy go lucky, ride ticks all the criteria boxes and does not try to be something it's not. Clearly, the soundtrack to your summer!

2. Coldplay- Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends

It's been a while since Chris Martin's falsetto has graced our stereo systems, but we always knew that they would return and after the major success of 'X&Y', Coldplay thought it was a time for a change. And with that end, they return with Viva La Vida, named after the 20th Mexican painting by Frida Kahlo and showing off cover art by French painter Eugène Delacroix commemorating the French Revolution of 1830.

It was not long ago that we heard several names for the forthcoming album and as Coldplay were deciding on VlV, we were waiting for the album named 'Prospekt' but this only strengthen the promotion for the album and as they denied the name, the public just became more interested in what the new Coldplay album was actually called and what songs would be included.

So on April 29th, the first single to come from VlV, Violet Hill would be given away as a free download for one week from Coldplay's official site and with over 2 million downloads, there was no sign of slowing down in the lead up to the new release. When looking back at the single, this marked a slight change in the style of Coldplay. Was this going to make the old fans happy? Was it going to bring in new fans? Well, there's no time like the present to experiment and Martin's falsetto was still put off as the Violet Hill was a much more conventional alternative anthem but still contained all the original vigor that made Coldplay what they were in the first place.

In the week leading up the release of VlV, Coldplay decided they would allow the album to be played to selected countries from their MySpace and this was where I got my first taste of what VlV promised. When looking back at 'X&Y', 'A Rush of Blood to the Head' and 'Parachutes', there is a clear difference between the past and the present. We can see that time has been on their side this time and they have thought through their release. Boasting both new and old styles to Coldplay, they can only get better and as the summer festival starts, it turns out Coldplay are back and VlV is not just another album but with production from Brian Eno and enough experimentation, this album, is going to be a classic.

3. Panic at the Disco- Pretty. Odd.

I have been a fan of Panic since they were Panic with a ! and their first album was certainly a one of a kind classic, it was easy to listen to and punk music was certainly coming back into fashion but three years later Panic were back with a very different sort of album. Each song is different, ranging from their punk days, to songs sounding like classic Beatles, Pretty. Odd, promises to keep you on your toes but always interested.

After reading various reviews saying this was not as good as the previous and to avoid, I decided to bite the bullet and have found that this album is not only very listenable but the music itself is just as impressive as the first.

A most recommended album, even without the !

4. 21 OST

Other songs to listen to this month include-

Oxford Comma- Vampire Weekend

Keep An Open Mind- Captain

Clubbed 2 Death (Kurayamino Variation)- Rob Dougan

We Made It- Busta Rhymes ft. Linkin Park

Made Up Stories- Go:Audio

May Recommends

There has been so much music that I have been listening to recently, new and old, and yes, I hear you cry, shouldn't I have been revising, yes the answer is, I should have been revising but you never know what gems you can find when you shouldn't be!!! Now, first things, first, if any teachers have just read that, sorry, I am sure you understand this time is stressful and so looking at music is just a way to procrastinate and prolong the process!!!

Anyway, music, that is why we are here :D

What a lot to get through, well seen as the sun has been around for the past week, I know, the rain has come back, but there seems to be some good music to wash about the rainy blues and welcome the sun back... First on my list, I have found that over the past month, I have started to like artists and songs that I did not before and did not want to... and here is the first,

1. Madonna ft. Justin Timberlake- 4 Minutes
Despite my prolonging ambivalence towards this generic, Timberlake powered anthem, I was wondering when Madonna would get back on the music horse and realise that although sex sells, although Justin Timberlake sells, although having a good base accompanied by a rap sells, I would rather stand up for the traditional Madonna and hope that this would not sell! After the revelation that we would have at least another year of the reinvented Madonna with the release of 'Hard Candy', and that it would follow with the same old, boring, chart topping hits (as I am sure, by this point, you can guess I would prefer not to follow the trends!), after being fully informed that at the high point of Madonna's career, she was the trend setter, not follower and although, she may never have got back to the heights of 'Papa Don't Preach' and 'Like a Prayer' but even with her 'Confessions of the Dancefloor' she was trying to break into a genre that mainstream pop was being slightly weary off, despite the negative success of her previous outing (whereas, myself really enjoyed the new style), knew like every other Madonna fan, that this was not going to last to long and we would be expecting a new flavour of the Madonna collective.
And to that end, 'Hard Candy' was released, due to mixed reviews and 30 second previews on iTunes, I will probably keep as far as possible from the new sound, the RnB inspired, 'let me use every big star at the moment', top the charts, pay the bills, ignore every old lesson inspired album. Even with the likes of 'American Life' in the back of her wardrobe, lurking like the years she would rather not speak about (personally, an underrated album with great songs) and yet she would rather find what the mainstream enjoy, you would think that Madonna, could afford to keep fans happy instead of making new ones.

With names like Kanye West, Justin Timberlake and Timberland, all producing, rapping, singing, doing what they do, taking part in the collective that is 'Hard Candy', it seems to be that it's just a random collection of B-Sides. If looks could kill, then I am sure most the music-buying world would be having a fit after taking a look at the cover! At the age of 49, she is not a bad looking woman but whoever decided that to have the neon pink cover with the star wearing what she is, was definitely blind... or having a joke!

Back to the song, I was so adamant not to listen to '4 Mins' that when I actually happened to listen to it, last week, after the storm of chart rising had been and gone, I figured that this song was not too bad and since then it has not left my iTunes top played. Unfortunately for me, only a few people at school like this song and if I play it, well you would rather not hear what people say but put it this way, Madonna's latest is a lateral based symphony, a mix for the mainstream ages where the little known can only get so far without the fanship of the biggest stars. With the like of Kanye and Justin joining Madonna, it is obvious why the smaller stars can't have any airtime, all the biggest stars get their songs played and then the next song, same singers, different collaboration.

'4 Mins' starts with Timberland’s 'singing', what's the point to be honest, as a producer, I applaud but to find him appearing, it disturbs me... (OneRepublic blooper!), anyway, moving on, Madonna starts with a moving beat, Justin joins and together they produce a song of stages... despite the pointless lyrics and the tick tock dance, this song goes against the trend and in fact, get's the thumb up from me.

2. Robyn- Who's That Girl
I have not a bad thing to say about Robyn, the Swedish star who shows that despite her poor pop past, the dance industry is a whole new ball game. The new single to join the past three, finds a new level of self wonderment, does Robyn realise that in English, her lyrics are meaningful and actually show the hidden things that people are always thinking, does she believe in what she sings, by the sounds of the passion, one would think so.

3. Skunk Anansie- Hedonism & Weak
For those of us, still living in the 90's, most of us would remember Skunk, as a multicultural band of many means. Their songs cover a variety of topics and after listening to one, you wonder where you were before you first heard it. Hedonism, attacks the materialistic world, our world, the one that you live in, because you are reading this on a blog and the one I am living in... how else would I be writing this? But apart from, Skin's replenishing voice and the rhythmic beats, one can't quite understand how they would end. Weak, follows the same generic similarity but when watching the video, how come someone get away with this? Does the art of the music video have to entertain, provide a medium for the song or does it have to construct something much more- Weak does just this!

4. Alphabeat- 10,000 Nights of Thunder
When someone listens to this and enjoys it, pop music is firmly back in the place that it should be, at the top of the charts! Thinking back to the days when listening to S Club was socially acceptable or wondering when the next Steps single would be out, shows that pop music was the prime example of the 90's and despite what critics say, everyone loved it!

Well, Alphabeat, bring the old beat back in a new style, from Denmark, they have already made a mark in the UK chart with 'Fascination' (seen ages ago on this blog!), being in the charts for almost ten weeks and not leaving the top 20, one must realise that pop music is starting to make it's mark... (Britney Spears, Blackout, not as bad as I would have thought!) But here we have the cheesy, happy go lucky fun that we all craved! After music becoming too serious for a while, it seems that we need music this is just going to make you smile and love it or hate it, you will want to dance!
'10,000 Nights' is just another song to add to the profile and what a great single, this was the deciding factor as to pre ordering the album!

5. Sigur Ros- Hoppipolla
What's not to love about this song? Simple and great, powerful and beautiful, balanced and perfect, Ros finds that perfection is easy and music comes naturally and brilliantly... Simple as, listen, relax and fall into a new world!

6. (Here's a bonus!) Maroon 5 & Rihanna- If I Never See Your Face Again
A remix of a great song from M5's latest, see's the addition of synths but the similar formula that made them great. America's biggest success story of last year, Rihanna, keeps churning out the hits and with the release of her new single, 'Take a Bow', she does not rest and why not release a duet of an old song with an award winning band in a totally different genre!

The result, the same we know from M5, nothing life changing but nice to see Rihanna adding to her long list of things she has done... she looks great in the video and is a great asset to what could have been, just another M5 release.