Nu e radio pe care să nu auzi noua piesă a celor de la Noisette, o trupă londoneză aclamată puternic în ultimele luni, iar stilul solistei Shingai Shoniwa e o adevărată revelaţie.

Never Forget You e una din piesele pe care să le pui pe repeat:

So here’s the plan; to combat the complaints of artists going mainstream and therefore losing their die hard fans due to ’selling out’, a whole new music chart is going to be launched so underground artists can still claim to be number one in the charts. Sounds simple, but will it be effective?

Later this month two new record charts will be launched (an album chart and a single chart) but is only eligible to artists who have never made the top 20 and are not signed to the four major labels – Sony, Warner, Universal and EMI.

This is all well and good, but I don’t know how successful this will be. Independent labels who deal solely in underground artists and have never made it into the top 40 at all and probably still won’t get a look in. There is also the situation in which an artist on an independent label suddenly makes an impression on the public and everyone downloads their music via iTunes. This will result in said artist being #1 in the single and album charts, but could also take up numbers 2 and 3 in the singles charts too due to iTunes downloads.

On the other hand it is going to bring a whole new feel to the music world, as well as the UK top 40 pumping its drivel into the radio waves there will be a chart of undiscovered talent who’re looking for their big break. However the UK could become inundated with hundreds of unknown artists who have 5 minutes of fame and declared the ‘hottest band around’ before fading out into nothingness. These charts could just speed up the process of rising and falling back down again. Yet, it could lead to super-stardom.

One thing is for sure, there’s going to be a lot more band names to learn to look ‘cool’ these days.

Subscribe to the Music On The Mind RSS Feed: http://musiconthemind.co.uk/feed/

10.  We start off with the impossibly flawless Taylor Swift. Something MUST be wrong with the girl. I refuse to believe that she’s so young, so successful and yet so untouched. Why can’t she be more like Miley, eh ? I’m telling you, ain’t as peachy as she seems. Something’s bubbling. Get on it, people. I want a damn exclusive. Does she turn into Shrek after hours? Has she singlehandedly deflowered every Jonas Brother ? I want to know.

9.  In other news, Flo Rida’s public plea for oral sex is still going strong. Word ! Whodathunk people would respond to such overt sexual innuendo ? First Low, then Lollipop, now this ? Chris Rock is right, shame on us all ! Now excuse me, I’m going down down……the chart ! That was your own little joke.

8.  Hey! That band that’s got Miley Cyrus’ brother in it wants you to shake it ! Ha. I jest. This song is genius. The shake shake shake shake sh-shake its go on for a little too long (jeez, I’m not Shakira!) but it’s SUCH a good song. It’s getting a little old now – especially since I first heard it months ago on a Texan Holiday – but it’s still got a some oomph in it. Plus I’ve heard some other songs from Metro Station’s album and they’re pretty good band. It’s just a shame that Trace Cyrus looks like an anorexic alien. Have you seen the advert for their album ? Way to make me change the channel, fellas !

7.  Another day, another power ballad from our girl B. And yet, where other artists have failed, it seems she’s succeeded in making the Beyonce live up to her inner slut – er, I mean, Sasha Fierce. While I personally preferred putting a ring on it to being a boy (a concept which was ripped off Ciara’s Like A Boy) everyone else seems to be going gooey at B’s sensitive and sentimental side. I personally don’t buy it, but I’m clearly in the minority. Beyowolf lives on.

6.  Love and sex and magic ? Okay, besides the fact that this is a poor excuse for Ciara to writhe around and act as another one of Beardyman’s objects (he’s had Madonna, Rihanna, Nelly Furtado, Keri Hilson, Alicia Keys and Janet Jackson before you, Ciara. I mean, come on. I could’ve stopped at Madonna. Who on earth would want to be Grannyman’s replacement ?)…this track is seriously sh*te. The only person that hates this song more than me is Jessica Biel.

5.  Looks like The Noisettes won’t be getting their cake and eating it with Don’t Upset the Rhythm; which is beyond me, since it’s a MUCH better record than this weeks number one. Maybe the UK is averse to selling out..

4.  Now then, La Roux. What’s the deal with you? I can’t figure out who has the more annoying voice, Roux or Duffy. It’s tough, but I still have nightmares over Duffy’s terrifying rendition of “I’ve Gotta Be Me” – La Roux’s only saving grace is that the song is, after a while, strangely listenable. Don’t get me wrong, the first time it was like she was in for the kill (*guffaw*) on my senses but.. it’s kind of cool. However, let it be known that La Roux is rivalling the GaGa in the transgender stakes. It took me much longer than is flattering to realise it was actually a she.

3. See this for my feelings on the Jai Hoes. Baila baila ! (why such a crappy cover ?)

 2. Meanwhile, GaGa’s Pokerface is still rearing it’s gender-dubious head. Loves it. Mum-mum-mum-mahing is my favourite passtime. Apparently the GaGa’s next UK single will be “Paparazzi” which, much as I love it, is not the strongest song of her album. Love Game was allegedly deemed too risque for us Brits, so we get the Paps instead. Nooo ! Vive le Fame ! Vive la discostick !

And finally, we come to the current UK number one. So, who finally took GaGa down to Chinatown ?

1.  Calvin Harris ! and what a disappointment the song is. Am I the only one that thinks this song is complete balls ? I mean, I love Calvin Harris. I loved Dance Wiv Me and Acceptable In The 80’s too, but this song – his first solo number one – just doesn’t compare. It’s all trancy dancy electrofunk that’s impossible to dance to – and not even that good to listen to. How on earth did it jump straight in at number one without selling it to an advert or prancing around half naked in the video ? ‘Tis beyond me.

Anyway. Christ that was long. I promise you next week won’t be as tedious, especially since I’ll have already talked about most of the songs in this weeks blog ! Leave a comment if you disagree (or more likely, agree ) with my consensus. Until next time.. xox

Singles:

Top 3 holding decidedly steady.
‘Show Me Love’ having yet another chart assult, should climb into Top 10.
Lily Allen’s ‘Not Fair’ is making download inroads, Top 15 this week. Will have to review it next week, then.
The new releases reviewed yesterday are doing very little – the 2 Jacks (Just and Penate) will be scraping the Top 30, with Doves going in even lower.

Albums:

Lady Gaga’s world domination continues apace, could well be looking at a simultaneous single & album No. 1 on Sunday.
Flo-Rida the highest new entry, in around 5.
Leonard Cohen a midweek Top 10, review of that on Stuck Records tomorrow.
A likely Top 20 entry for PJ Harvey & John Parish, review on Thursday.
Pet Shop Boys tumbling down like mad, sadly.
Yay, Ladyhawke continues to climb – now in the Top 30.
What? Metro Station only going in the Top 40? Shurley shome mishtake.

A quick summary of how Ciaran’s chart predictions from this week’s single reviews are doing. His guesses are in brackets.

Steve Angello featuring Laidback Luke and Robin S (3) – Looks like one remix/reissue already, probably will end up a few places outside the Top 10.

Metro Station (5) – Not a bad guess, but looks like it’ll just scrape the 10.

Jennifer Hudson (7) – Very optimistic here, more like the Top 40 basement.

Noisettes (10) – It’s been climbling all week, probably won’t usurp Gaga but seemingly Top 3 bound.

K.I.G. (12) – A few places lower than the prediction but otherwise a fine guess.

Enrique Iglesias featuring Ciara (15) – Will probably only climb a few places from the No. 30 it entered from last week.

White Lies (18) – See Jennifer Hudson.

Sparks (75) – Probably around that area, sadly.

The most interesting battle this week is in the album charts, between the incumbent No. 1 Ronan Keating and the Pet Shop Boys with their rather lovely new release ‘Yes’. For all their long-running success Neil & Chris have only ever managed to have one No. 1 album in their career. Some distributions errors on Parlophone’s part coupled with a more casual-buying market at the weekend will most likely mean that for all their best efforts, they will probably fall short yet again. But even if it only makes No. 3 it will be their best chart placing since 1995’s ‘Alternative’.

Not able to give you much info. today, except the fact that the Top 5 are holding as firm as a Colombian drug cartel at the moment. PSB look as though they’ll just scrape the Top 20, as will La Roux so a good showing for her. Nobody (including his official website) seems to have a clue now of when Eggnog’s single is actually out, so I’m highly sceptical it’s going to get anywhere near as high as No. 15 – I suggest we all get it for our Mums on Sunday (particularly the mums you don’t like).

Following a surge during the middle of the week it looks like ‘Islands In The Stream’ is going to take the No. 1 slot on Sunday. Sighs of relief all round at Comic Relief HQ I bet, though it does leave The Saturdays with the unfortunate distinction of having the first non-Red Nose Day single to not make No. 1 since ‘Stick it Out’ hit No. 4 in 1993. On the other hand it is still their highest-charting single to date so it appears Sats fans don’t know whether to feel good or bad about how it’s done. Nothing else appears to have dramatically moved since the last update on Tuesday.

On Monday Elisa P will joining me for the new single reviews.

I haven’t managed to find out the info I need and of course anything could happen before Sunday, but here’s the state of play so far. My predictions in brackets.

Vanessa Jenkins & Bryn West (2) – A tad optimistic, the Top 3 are so far holding steady. Could both Comic Relief singles miss the top spot? I still reckon its chance will come next week.

Oasis (5) - Just about looks Top 10 bound but not this high, I should have realised their last one went in at 12.

T.I. ft Justin Timberlake (7) – ON THE MONEY

Katy Perry (10) - ALL KINDS OF WRONG. Maybe it’s not just my friend Josey that’s sick of her.

Pete Doherty (17) - Don’t actually know. Could be 11, could be 111. We’ll assume I’m right for the time being.

Thecocknbullkid (24) - See above.

September (26) - Twas a good guess, there or thereabouts.

Dan Black (30) - Again not a clue. Anybody have a M**** W*** subscription going spare?

Adele just topped the BBC’s new talent list for 2008, I feel excited for her. I think that she’ll do wonders for the UK chart. I’m not exactly sure if she’ll manage to get to number one though. A number two is in the works, I reckon. She’s no Mika or Arctic Monkeys.

You know that you just have to be doing something really wrong if even your own lawyer doesn’t want to work with you anymore. I have no idea what’s up with Britney Spears, but man, this is just taking it one step farther.

This is a great new pop group which I hope will be breaking the charts next year. Their music is really good and I could see it doing well on the music channels.

Some of the tracks included on their Myspace is “Kiss Me” and “Show Me” which I really enjoy. I hope that they’ll one day reach the US and get the international success they deserve.

Myspace Profile

Made of Bricks by Kate Nash

I really like this album, it’s very good in what it does, I can’t wait until it finally comes out in the United States. What really got me into it was how she can just say anything she wants, expressing every bad word you could probably think of.

Some of my favorite tracks include “Birds”, “ Mariella”, and “Merry Happy/Little Red,” none which have been released as singles. If “Birds” didn’t have the main word being sh*t, I think it would make a brilliant, sweet single.

I personally never think Robbie Williams will ever recover from the end of his music career and slowly will start to fade away. I can say that I’m not much of a fan either and can only listen to a handful of his tracks.

I think that if he had joined Take That again it would have been a lot better, but you know, I like them the way they are right now. They’re doing really well and have sold so many singles just this year.

Noel Gallagher is amazing, I’m glad he made the top of the coolest guy in the UK. I actually pretty much prefer his songs rather than his brother and listen to them on my iPod all the time! Yes, I’m “MAD FER IT!” As well as most of the Oasis fans, I think he’s a genius writer.

Congratulations to him, he totally deserves it! If you haven’t heard of Oasis, I’m shocked, you should get their Stop The Clocks CD which has a lot of their biggest hits on there. I would give you mine, but it’s been played over 500 times and it’s starting to skip.

Oh no! Posh Spice got all her clothes nicked, what a shame; what with the price people are paying for tickets, I would have thought that could pay for personal security in each of their rooms. I at least know that they couldn’t get a better writer to write their latest single.

It‘s amazing how Emma Bunton managed to sprain her ankle though, they haven’t even been on tour for that long and she’s already broken something. Isn’t she the youngest of them all aswell?

If you want to make a girl happy, please just go out and buy me some Michael Buble tickets so I can see this amazing work of art live! He’s terrific and I LOVE his voice, totally makes Josh Groban look overrated (and he is). This is why I love my job as a CD reviewer, I get to hear everything from rap to classical and ta;lk about how much I love it or hate it.

Here’s my latest review regarding it:

You know, the fact that Westlife covered one of his songs made me go into thinking that this was going to be one of those albums that includes endless covers and soppy love songs, then I put it on: YEAH! This guy is so into it and his voice is amazing, I so want to go see him live now. I guess it’s not your thing if you’re not into the whole “Broadway’s got me singing” motto, but this is just so good!

But I definitely recommend it to anyone who’s into classical and jazz music, he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Alright, I’d like to know who even buys the boring **** that Cascada has been putting out for some time now. To me, she’s just a pretty face with blonde hair, she can’t even sing that well, and that’s me having heard the album five times in a row at a friend’s house. Like I’ve said in my Weekly CD Reviews at AllCDCovers, most of her tracks are covers that have the same backing samples in EVERY SONG (you can hear it on both albums too)!

Don’t even get me started on that Yanou’s Candlelight Mix of the big single of the two albums, I just have a theory about how they’re made. I just truly believe that these could have been the originals that were later edited to sound faster and mix with the cliche backings they used. They’re not even that great, it’s like doing a huge pop and dance album then putting some emo song at the end. It doesn’t work and could have easily been better if it was left out.

But yeah, I just think her music is lame in general, we don’t need another person that does covers when we already have Westlife and Josh Groban. It may be one of the reasons why I totally love Infernal, they’re in the same league as Cascada by not having that many known songs, but they are brilliant and their album is underrated. They need to be at the top, not Cascada!

Alesha Dixon had some great singles, including “Lipstick” which I have no idea why it didn’t chart higher. I was so obsessed with it, playing it on my iPod everyday. “Knockdown” was also pretty good.

It’s great that she survived through the troubles of her cheating husband and getting dropped by her record company, just shows you that you can always make the best of things.