James Arden checks out the garage rockers latest album.
The Christian rock band from Brighton bring religion to the masses.
Recipe for modern R'n'B album: liberal helpings of guest rappers and an overdose of sexual euphemisms.
Russian Roulette, the first single from Rihanna’s fourth (!) album Rated R, takes on a much darker tone than the RnB diva is used to – think Unfaithful but more life-threatening. Rihanna’s writing talents shine in the chorus, with a simple yet powerful melody guaranteed to be stuck in many-a-head for weeks. But the verses drag on, and I imagine that anyone with stronger vocal capabilities would easily trump the Rihanna-esque robotics in a cover of this song, and truly deliver the gut-wrenching emotion it deserves.
Natalija Sasic
Opening with watery ambience, giving way to sampled rhythms, friends-of-MGMT Yeasayer have given their latest single away for free. ‘Amblin’ Alp’ is the fast-moving intro to their next album, full of arresting vocals and rapid synth pulses. The closing fretless bass solo (drenched in effects, you’d never guess the instrument) arrives before it seems like any time has passed, ending the song abruptly on the four-minute mark. All in all, it's great fun, and bodes well for album number two.
Pete Burgess
A standard clubland tune, so in other words it makes my ears bleed. Even for a club track it lacks the pumping energy that would make you want to get up and dance to it – it’s too slow. Couple that with weak vocals and there’s little to make it stand out from the crowd. It has one redeeming feature of an interesting strings backing, but still lacks anything to raise it above the varied filth of clubland “songs”.
Lucie Vincer
For the third single from highly successful debut album Lungs, Florence + the Machine have chosen to propel The Source’s early-nineties dance track ‘You Got The Love’ (yes, that’s right, the grammatical correction in the title is Florence’s) into the twenty-first century. Florence Welch’s voice emerges as soulful as ever before slowly swimming deeper and deeper into the full-bodied buzz of guitars, harps and the onslaught of her omnipotent rhythm section. She really makes the song her own; a unique cover from a unique artist.
Rich Powell
While it may be hard to admit, Mariah Carey does have a good voice. And yet, this still can’t redeem this single from being everything you’ve pre-judged it to be. It sounds like we’ve been transported back to the ‘90s for this Foreigner cover, complete with key change. The gospel choir in the background mercifully cover up Carey’s painful wailing towards the end, but not quite enough. Stick to the original.
Hannah McCarthy
Get to You isn't a bad song, it relies on a safe formula, and it is easy to appreciate. The promotional video for the song is quite good too; it combines one of the best scenes of Enemy of the State with a sweet seasonal song and James Morrison's new album Songs for You, Truths for Me, released on Monday, should sell comfortably throughout Christmas.
Brad Bailey
Marina & The Diamonds and Ellie Goulding also released their amazing (especially in the case of M&TD) debut singles today. The former also equipped with a crazy video involving paper limbs. Any thoughts?
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