Spice Girls: Greatest Hits

The Spice Girls Greatest Hits was released this week in the UK and the US. Thankfully, they do it right here: you get all of the group's singles, including the less popular track of their two double-A side singles, plus two new tracks, the current single, "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" and "Voodoo." Both the new tracks have a production in-line with most of their singles--i.e. they sound more like "2 Become 1" and "Move Over" than "Holler." The tracks are sequenced in order of release, save for "Goodbye," which comes appropriately at the end. Here's a closer look at the hits:

1. Wannabe (UK #1, US #1)

Their first single remains their signature piece. It took the UK by storm in 1996, spending 7 weeks at #1, and followed suit in the US a year later, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for 4 weeks. According to Wikipedia, it topped charts in 22 countries. It was their biggest hit in both countries, and won the Brit Award for best single of 1996. The song is upbeat but not clubby europop, sassy, includes a little section to introduce each girl, and is over in under 3 minutes. What more could you ask for?

2. Say You'll Be There (UK #1, US #3)

This more urban sounding second single was another massive hit. After the frothy debut single, releasing something a little mainstream was a good move, especially in the US, where it was an even bigger hit at top 40 radio than "Wannabe."

3. 2 Become 1 (UK #1, US #4)

Despite the hi-energy image, a big chunk of the Spice Girls hits were ballads, and very accomplished at that. My end of summer 1997 was dominated by this and the Backstreet Boys' US breakout, "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)." Having already shown they can do eurpop and pop/R&B, this string-laden track was bid for the adult pop market, and it became a top 10 hit on the Billboard AC chart, in addition to giving them another pop success. This single was the 1996 Christmas #1 in the UK, the first of three such consecutive honors.

4. Mama / Who Do You Think You Are (UK #1)

This single was never released in the US, as "Spice Up Your Life" was released right after "2 Become 1" in order to promote Spiceworld, a result of Spice having been delayed a year in the US, but Spiceworld was not, so both albums were released in 1997 within 9 months of each other. In the UK, it was another massive hit, further showing the group's ability to conquer a variety of pop styles. "Mama" was another ballad, more earnest than "2 Become 1" and backed by guitar rather than strings. "Who Do You Think You Are" was a stomping pop track with a clubby disco beat, and the bigger of the two at UK radio. The single was 1997's UK Comic Relief charity release.

5. Spice Up Your Life (UK #1, US #18)

The first Spiceworld single was another big hit in the UK, but stumbled in the US. Not content to just copy the winning formula of "Wannabe" or another Spice hit, "Spice Up Your Life" had a distinctive Latin flavor, "Samba-pop" according to Wikipedia. The frenetic production was fitting for the zany image the group courted.

6. Too Much (UK #1, US #8)

"Too Much" is another string-backed ballad, a la "2 Become 1," but musically superior and with more of a girl-group swing to it. It was the band's second consecutive Christmas #1 in the UK, and was still all over the radio when I went to study abroad in London in January '98 (this single was actually the first music purchase I made in the UK).

7. Stop (UK #2, US #16)

"Stop" ended the group's run of consecutive #1 hits, capping that at six, a record at the time for a debut artist, although surpassed by Westlife in 2000 who had seven. The single is also in the '60s girl group groove, a la Supremes, although peppy and upbeat. My friend Erin and I have a little dance we did to this one (okay, we still do it when prompted).

8. Viva Forever (UK #1)

If you've read this far then you're probably not a Spice Girls detractor, but even if you are, you should try to give this song an honest listen, for it is a remarkably beautiful pop ballad. Like "Spice Up Your Life" the song has an obvious Latin influence, but its very different from that song. Spanish guitars play throughout, a lush string solo comes in during the middle 8 and stays around for the final choruses, and the vocals are solid. It was originally intended as a double-A side with "Never Give Up on the Good Times," but Geri's departure shortly before its release caused the record company to release "Viva Forever" by itself.

9. Goodbye (UK #1, US #11)

This one-off single, later included as bonus track on Forever, was the first Spice Girls hit recorded without Geri, and was promoted as a send-off tribute to her. It became their third consecutive UK Christmas #1 in 1998 and their final US hit. It's another strings backed ballad, this time was a slight R&B hilt. Good, but paled in comparison to "Viva Forever" or "Too Much."

10. Holler / Let Love Lead the Way (UK #1)

This double-A side release was the first and only single released from the Spice Girls' third and final album Forever. Sans Geri and sporting an edgier R&B sound produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, the album was a bomb, even though this was a #1. The upbeat "Holler" was the clearly bigger song here. It's not a bad song, but it just doesn't sound like Spice Girls, having more in common with Jerkins' other hits of the day, such as Brandy & Monica's "The Boy is Mine," Whitney Houston's "It's Not Right, But It's Okay" or Jennifer Lopez' "If You Had My Love." "Let Love Lead the Way" is tepid, the weakest ballad they ever put out a single. With Melanie C scoring #1 hits and the others working on their various solo projects, the group no longer felt like a group, and no other singles were released.

Spice Girls: Then to Now

The Spice Girls Greatest Hits album has finally hit shelves. Therefore I'm celebrating all things Spice Girls this week. Who doesn't like the Spice Girls? I remember in spring 1997 when "Wannabe" took the charts by storm, followed quickly by "Say You'll Be There" and "2 Become One." Their debut album Spice was a massive seller across the world, and was quickly followed by Spiceworld, an album and soundtrack to their December '97 film. When I was abroad in London in 1998, "Too Much," the '97 Christmas #1, was just wrapping up its chart run. Vibrant "Stop" came out a couple of months later, the sole Spice Girls single that didn't hit #1--it was stopped at the top by the revival remix of Run-DMC's "It's Like That," which was taking Britain by storm that spring.

By Christmas 1998 things had started to change. During the summer, just before "Viva Forever" became their 7th #1 hit, Geri "Ginger" Halliwell announced she was leaving the band. The remaining four girls paid tribute to her with "Goodbye," their 8th number 1, but it was the beginning of the end. In 2000 they released their third album, Forever, which took their sound in a new more contemporary R&B direction. It didn't work. And although "Holler" was their 9th and final #1 hit, there were no more singles, and the album was a flop.

So what have the girls been up to since then? My guide below charts the highs and lows of what the five ladies have done with their non-Spice Girls careers. Collectively they've scored eight #1 hits, released 13 albums (and recorded a 14th that has never seen the light of day), had 3 husbands, 4 kids (only one of which was with any of the 3 husbands), and 38 top 40 hits. Starting from the top and going clockwise around the picture up top, here's what they've been up:

Victoria "Posh" Adams Beckham

Despite being arguably the most famous Spice Girl, Victoria's music career has been--ironically--the most dreadful. Wikipedia in fact describes her vocation not as a musician or entertainer but as an "internationally recognised and photographed style icon, socialite, and entrepreneur." Right.

Music: Victoria's biggest hit was appearing as vocalist on dance act Truesteppers' "Out of Your Mind," a #2 hit in 2000. She also had two top 10 hits from her only album, Victoria Beckham. A double A-side single "This Groove"/"Let Your Head Go" hit #3 in early 2003, but its parent album, Open Your Eyes, was never released.

Best known for: Marrying David Beckham, shopping, wearing sunglasses

Friends with: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

Melanie "Scary" Brown

Mel B has probably had the lowest profile of any Spice Girl. Practically forgotten until she grabbed tabloids last year by having Eddie Murphy's baby, her second child. She married someone else in June of this year.

Music: Mel B was actually the first Spice Girl to step out solo, collaborating with Missy Elliott in 1998 on "I Want You Back," a #1 hit. She's had a couple of other top 10 hits, two albums (in 2000 and 2005), but nothing else really of note.

Best known for: Having Eddie Murphy's baby

Friends with: Eddie Murphy

Emma "Baby" Bunton

At first, Emma Bunton didn't look like she was going to do anything interesting, and then she went and made a cool album with a '60s sheen before Amy Winehouse made it cool.

Music: Emma's first solo outing was a collaboration with well known dance act Tin Tin Out, who remade Edie Brickell's "What I Am" and took it to #2 in 1999. Emma followed that in 2000 with her debut album A Girl Like Me which scored a #1 single in "What Too You So Long." Her second album though was a real winner, perhaps the most highly regarded album by a Spice Girl. Free Me embodies a fun '60s motown sound, and gave Emma three more top 10 hits, including "Free Me" and "Maybe." Her similarly retro third album, Life in Mono, was a comparative flop, despite having the top 10 hit charity single "Downtown," a remake of the Petula Clark classic. She and her boyfriend had a baby in August.

Best known for: The retro cool album Free Me

Friends with: Justin Timberlake

Geri "Ginger" Halliwell

Geri was the flashiest member of the Spice Girls, so it wasn't such a shock that she was the first to ditch the group for a solo career, since in 1998, her prospects were the brightest. In 1999 she had a remarkable appearance makeover, ditching the red/yellow hair in favor of an elegant blonde look, became a United Nations goodwill ambassador, and launched her debut album, Schizophrenic, which gave her three #1 hits. She's also appeared on TV, including Sex and the City. She's got a kid too.

Music: As stated above, her debut album scored three #1 hits, and her second album, 2001's Scream if You Wanna Go Faster, contained the massive #1 hit "It's Raining Men," which became one of the year's best sellers and the only single by a former Spice Girl to be nominated for the Brit Award for single of the year. Her third album flopped in 2005.

Best known for: Remaking the Weather Girls' "It's Raining Men"

Friends with: Robbie Williams

Melanie "Sporty" Chisholm

Of all the girls, Mel C was the one who emerged as the most dedicated to her craft as a musician, and she's been the most prolific, having released four albums with varying degrees of success.

Music: Like everyone else but Geri, Mel C's first single was a collaboration, "When You're Gone" With Bryan Adams, which was a huge #3 hit in late 1998. Her 1999 debut, Northern Star, was well-received, spawning a #1 hit collaboration with Lisa Left-Eye Lopes, "Never Be The Same Again," and a second #1 hit, "I Turn to You." She's released three other albums in 2003, 2005, and 2007, although none have been as big a hit as Northern Star. Although not a hit in Britain, she hit #1 in several European countries in 2005 with "First Day of My Life."

Best known for: The frothy remix of "I Turn to You"

Friends with: The other Spice Girls; what other friends could one need?

If the Oscars were today...

If the Oscars were today and it was up to me, here's what I'm nominate and award based on what I've seen so far this year.

Best Picture
>American Gangster
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Gone Baby Gone
In the Valley of Elah
Into the Wild

American Gangster is the best movie I've seen this year; not a dull moment in its 2.5 hrs. The other movies here all all still very good, and Michael Clayton was close to making my list too. Yet to come: Atonement, Charlie Wilson's War, Juno, The Kite Runner, No Country for Old Men, Sweeney Todd, There Will Be Blood.

Best Actor
>Denzel Washington, American Gangster
Casey Affleck, Gone Baby Gone
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Emile Hirsch, Into the Wild
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah

As with last year, the male categories are going to be mega competitive this year. All the of above were fantastic, with Denzel getting it for now if only because he was such a big part of why American Gangster was so amazing. But that can be said for Casey, Emilie, and Tommy too. Russell Crowe was also great in American Gangster, but it's unclear at this point whether he'll be pushed in the lead or supporting category. Ditto for Casey Affleck in The Assassination of Jesse James, his other brilliant performance. Not yet seen: Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men), Daniel Day Lewis (There Will Be Blood), Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd), Tom Hanks (Charlie Wilson's War), James McAvoy (Atonement).

Actress
>Julie Christie, Away from Her
Keri Russell, Waitress

Also as with last year, the best actress category isn't looking very competitive; I can't even fill the five slots yet! Unfortunately, a lot of the potential leading actress nominees weren't in very great movies (which I didn't bother to see), like Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth 2 Electric Boogaloo or Jodie Foster in The Brave One. Two upcoming movies look like they'll yield great performances: Ellen Page in Juno and Keira Knightley in Atonement. I've also heard that Marion Cotillard was fabulous in La Vie en Rose--I'll have to Netflix it. Also upcoming: Nicole Kidman (Margot at the Wedding), Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd), Laura Linney (The Savages)

Supporting Actor
>Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Chris Cooper, Breach
Ethan Hawke, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton

I'm such the Casey Affleck fan these days. He's just dynamite here, and so different than in Gone Baby Gone. He easily takes this for me, although Ethan Hawke and Hal Holbrook were very good too. Upcoming performances: Havier Bardem (No Country for Old Men), Phillip Bosco (The Savages), Michael Cera (Juno), Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood), Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Charlie Wilson's War).

Supporting Actress
>Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Ruby Dee, American Gangster
Imelda Staunton, Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
Marisa Tomei, Before the Devil Knows Your'e Dead

At least I can fill in some names for the supporting actress category. Nothing's really stood out yet, but Amy Ryan, Ruby Dee and Tilda Swinton were all very good. I threw Imelda Staunton in for fun. I don't believe she has any real shot, but of all the class act actors that have played small roles in the Harry Potter films, she's been the best, which is really saying something. Looking forward to seeing: Cate Blanchett (I'm Not There); Romola Garai, Saoirse Ronan, and Vanessa Redrave (Atonement); Jennifer Garner and Allison Janney (Juno); Jennifer Jason Leigh (Margot at the Wedding); Julia Roberts (Charlie Wilson's War)

Director
>Ridley Scott, American Gangster
Ben Affleck, Gone Baby Gone
Andrew Dominik, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Paul Haggis, In the Valley of Elah
Sean Penn, Into the Wild

Still to see: Coen brothers (No Country for Old Men), Joe Wright (Atonement), Mike Nichols (Charlie Wilson's War), Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood), Marc Forster (The Kite Runner), Tim Burton (Sweeney Todd), Todd Haynes (I'm Not There)

Kylie: 40 40's under 40

Congratulations to Kylie Minogue, who this week scores her 40th top 40 hit. She achieves the feat at just under 40 too (she'll turn 40 next May). Here's the compete list by year with peak positions, #1s in bold:

1988
1. I Should Be So Lucky (1, 5 wks)
2. Got to Be Certain (2, 3 wks)
3. The Loco-motion (2, 4 wks)
4. Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi (2, 3 wks)
5. Especially for You (with Jason Donovan) (1, 3 wks)
1989
6. Hand on Your Heart (1, 1 wk)
7. Wouldn’t Change a Thing (2, 2 wks)
8. Never Too Late (4)
1990
9. Tears on My Pillow (1, 1 wk)
10. Better The Devil You Know (2, 2 wks)
11. Step Back in Time (4)
1991
12. What Do I Have to Do? (6)
13. Shocked (6)
14. The Word Is Out (16)
15. If You Were With Me Now (4)
1992
16. Give Me Just A Little More Time (2, 1 wk)
17. Finer Feelings (11)
18. What Kind of Fool (14)
19. Celebration (20)
1994
20. Confide in Me (2, 1 wk)
21. Put Yourself in My Place (11)
1995
22. Where is the Feeling? (16)
23. Where the Wild Roses Grow (with Nick Cave) (11)
1997
24. Some Kind of Bliss (22)
25. Did It Again (14)
1998
26. Breathe (14)
2000
27. Spinning Around (1, 1 wk)
28. On A Night Like This (2, 1 wk)
29. Kids (with Robbie Williams) (2, 1 wk)
30. Please Stay (10)
2001
31. Can’t Get You Out of My Head (1, 4 wks)
2002
32. In Your Eyes (3)
33. Love At First Sight (2, 1 wk)
34. Come Into My World (8)
2003
35. Slow (1, 1 wk)
2004
36. Red Blooded Woman (5)
37. Chocolate (6)
38. I Believe in You (2, 1 wk)
2005
39. Giving You Up (6)
2007
40. 2 Hearts (?)

UK Chart Notes

• It's a third straight week at #1 for Leona Lewis and "Bleeding Love." The track also finally reaches #1 on the UK airplay chart, having been beaten the last couple of weeks by Sugababes and Take That. Even in its third week, the single is still raking in 6-digit sales, about 112,000 copies this week. When you consider that only one other #1 single this year managed to sell in the 6-digits range in one week, and Leona's now done it 3 weeks in a row, it's really quite something. With the added sales, "Bleeding Love" is now officially the biggest selling single of the year in Britain. All this bodes well for Leona's debut album, Spirit, which hits shelves in UK music stores today (I'm listening to it right now in fact--expect a review soon).
• Despite its good fortune, this may be "Bleeding Love's" last week at #1, as a serious challenger emerges to next weekend's chart: Kylie Minogue. After an almost 3-year chart absence due to her battle with breast cancer, Kylie has made a triumphant return with "2 Hearts," the first single from her 10th album, X, out in 2 weeks. "2 Hearts" is this week's highest debut at #12 on digital sales, and with the album's physical single out today, expect it to be a serious contender for #1 next weekend. "2 Hearts" gives Kylie the significant milestone of now having had 40 top 40 hits in the UK chart, a career that spans nearly 20 years back to her first single, "I Should Be So Lucky," a #1 hit in early 1988. If "2 Hearts" does reach #1, it will be her eighth chart topper.
• Some of the biggest UK acts from the '90s have reunited lately to stage hyped up comebacks. First there was All Saints, who sadly flopped, and Take That, who have been surprisingly resilient. These acts were huge in their day, but the real phenomenon from that period was the Spice Girls, who after a 7-year wait, have finally released their Greatest Hits collection and are using the occasion to reunite for a massive world tour. First single "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)" was released digitally this week, and debuts at #20. Not shabby for a single not due in shops until Nov. 19, although maybe a bit disappointing considering their cache. What is surprising is the airplay for this single, which had been rising, but makes a sudden downturn from #23 to #28. By comparison, Kylie's "2 Hearts" has been in the airplay top 10 for several weeks now, up to #3 this week. Still, I wouldn't count the girls out until this plays out fully. Come Nov. 25th, it is still possible the group will have scored its 10th #1 hit.
• Back to the top 10, the biggest new single there is the latest release for UK pop/R&B sensation Craig David, who drives up 12 places to #7 upon physical release with "Hot Stuff (Let's Dance)." This is one of those hate it or love it singles, depending on whether you feel his liberal use of David Bowie's classic "Let's Dance" is inspired or travesty. Count me in the former, as this is one of the most fun singles he's ever done. This is David's 11th top 10 hit, 13th if you count his two Artful Dodger appearances. The parent album Trust Me, Craig David's 4th, is out Nov. 20.
• Also making a splash in the top 10 this week is American R&B sensation Alicia Keys, who's third album, As I Am, is out next week in the UK (this week in the US). "No More" is her latest single, rising up to #9 this week. This is only her second UK top 10 as a soloist, her first being her 2001 debut, "Fallin'." She has appeared in the top 10 two other times with other artists, on Eve's "Gangsta Lovin'" in 2002 and Usher's 2004 hit "My Boo."
• Kanye West hit #1 earlier this year with "Stronger," but misses the mark quite a bit with its follow-up, "The Good Life," which rises 19 spots to #23. This follows the pattern set with his last album's singles. After "Gold Digger" became a big #2 hit in 2005, its follow-up, "Heard 'Em Say (with Adam Levine)" only made it to #22.
• Amy Winehouse makes a surprise top 40 debut at #35 with "Valerie." Wait--wasn't that already a big hit? Isn't it still on the chart at #4? The version of "Valerie" at #35 is a live version that first appeared as a B-side on "Back to Black" and now appears on second disc of rarities with the Back to Black deluxe album re-release that just came out. Unlike the big hit version, which is credited to Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse, this version is all Amy.
• Last but not least at #40 is "Taking Chances," the 24th top 40 hit from French-Canadian sensation Celine Dion, and first since she hit #27 in 2003 with "One Heart/I Drove All Night." Her biggest UK hit remains "Think Twice," which spent 7 weeks at #1 in early 1995. At only #40 though, this is decidedly a flop.
• Next week Kylie will duke it out with Leona for #1, Alicia Keys will hope for the top 5 upon physical release, and new singles from Bloc Party (Flux), Fergie (Clumsy/Fergalicious), Hard-Fi (Can't Get Along Without You), and Rihanna (Hate that I Love You) will hope for the top 10.

Album Review: Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (4.5 / 5)

Once again I find myself reviewing an album by an established band of which I've listened to nothing other than the current release. This can be tricky since I can't compare this to previous works, and from what I've read, Wilco's Sky Blue Sky is somewhat of a departure into mellower more straightforward territory. Regardless of what came before, I can tell you that Sky Blue Sky is a fabulous work of soulful, plaintive rock.

Most of the songs are pretty mellow, but certainly not dull. The instrumentation is varied and many songs--even the quiet ones--have crescendos of glorious middle eight sections of dueling electric guitars and strings. "Side with the Seeds" for example hums along as an earnest folksy number underscored by piano and guitar until it hits its instrumental section and the two guitars take over, soaring higher and higher with strings underneath. There's a brief return verse and then bam, another instrumental highlight, this time with piano too.

Good as that song is, the similar "Impossible Germany" has to be the album's best. The 6-minute track begins with fairly mellow guitar, bass and drums--typical reflective kind of rock. The lyrics are a bit mysterious, "Impossible Germany, unlikely Japan," whatever that means. Then about halfway through the instrumental section begins, first quietly with electric guitar over piano, but then building into a melodic section of dueling guitars, with the more prominent one coming out only in the left speaker.

Lead singer and guitarist Jeff Tweedy doesn't have the greatest rock voice, but it does have a sort of honest quality to it that suits the material. The emphasis generally isn't on the singing anyway, as many of these songs have long instrumental sections that sometimes take up more than half the track. On opener "Either Way" his delivery and the lyrics are very matter-of-fact "maybe you still love me, maybe you don't; either you will or you won't." The searching simplicity is nice, because it allows the lovely guitar and string work underneath to shine. Second track "You Are My Face" has a very similar sound at first, although the guitar solo takes a harsher, more insistent tone, followed by a more upbeat section with piano and organ.

Wilco is generally described as landing somewhere between alt-rock and alt-country, and while I don't hear much country influence here, it does come out in the lovely title track "Sky Blue Sky." There's a bit of twang in this reflective, atmosphere number, as well as a lyrical emphasis on setting that feels very country. The country sound also comes through on "What Light," which helps lift the album's downtrodden spirit toward something more hopeful near the end.

The varied nature of many of the songs is another highlight, providing striking musical contrasts. "Shake It Off" shifts between quiet soft rock and harsher '70s classic rock sections. "Hate It Here" has a more upbeat sound with prominent piano and fuzzy guitar, but its subject is downbeat loneliness. "Leave Me (Like You Found Me)" has a depressive quality at first, but then gets a dose of hope in the more upbeat middle section and following verse. Not every song does this though, as "Please Be Patient with Me" starts mellow and just stays that way. After several woe-is-me numbers, jaunty "Walken" is a needed reprieve from the misery, even if it doesn't quite fit in musically because it's so upbeat. "On and On and On" though provides an appropriately uplifting conclusion.

Sky Blue Sky really impressed and surprised me, enough so that I'm planning on checking out some of Wilco's other works such as their 2002 album Yankee Foxtrot Hotel, their most famous work. The music is rich and interesting, and although lyrically many of the songs are about post-break up sadness, there's also a reassuring note of hope and strength.

Best: Impossible Germany, Side with the Seeds, Sky Blue Sky, Either Way, You Are my Face, Shake It Off, Hate It Here, On and On and On

US Chart Notes

• It's a snoozer of a chart this week, as the same ten somes occupy the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for the third week in a row. In fact, six of the singles in the top 10 are in the exact same spots, with Alicia Key's "No One" trading spots with Soulja Boy to move up to #3 and Baby Bash's "Cyclone" doing to same with Kanye West's "The Good Life" to move up to #7.


• Even outside the top 10 it's pretty quiet. The week's biggest mover within the top 40 is DJ Khaled Featuring T-Pain, Trick Daddy, and Rick Ross with "I'm So Hood," up 11 to #19.


• Fergie's "Clumsy" moves up eight spots to #20, making it her fifth top 20 hit, matching the five top 20 hits Black Eyed Peas have had.


• Good Charlotte scores their third top 40 hit this week with "I Don't Want to Be in Love (Dance Floor Anthem)," up three to #39. The Waldorf, Maryland band had their first top 40 hit in early 2003 with "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," which hit #20. Although they had success at top 40 radio with follow-ups "The Anthem" and "Girls and Boys," those tracks didn't crack the top 40 of the Hot 100. The band's last single, "The River," peaked at #39 earlier this year.

Atonement Clip

I have high expectations for Atonement, the forthcoming film with Keira Knightley and James McAvoy based on the Ian McEwan novel, which a personal favorite. This clip is really cool. A trippy blend of joyful elements (chorus, carnival rides) and carnage (war wreckage, dead bodies). All in one take.

Leona Lewis on Radio 1 Live Lounge

BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge has had some inspired performances lately, such as Robyn's acoustic version of "With Every Heartbeat" a couple of months ago or Arctic Monkey's take on Amy Winehouses's "You Know I'm No Good." Leona Lewis was on recently, and performed this lovely rendition of Snow Patrol's 2004 hit, "Run."

Also, clips from her new album Spirit can now be previewed on 7Digital here. The album is out Monday.

Behind the Music: Kara DioGuardi

Kara DioGuardi literally is behind the music. She's pop music's hottest songwriter. This year alone she's contributed songs to albums from big name acts like Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Leona Lewis, Hilary Duff and Nicole Scherzinger. Some of the hits she wrote or co-wrote over the last few years include Ashlee Simpson's "Pieces of Me," Kelly Clarkson's "Walk Away," Kylie Minogue's "Spinning Around," the Pussycat Dolls' "Beep," Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl," and Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man."

She performs too. She formed a band with the Eurythmic's Dave A. Stewart called Platinum Weird. They released the album Make Believe last year, and earlier this year a single, "Taking Chances," the very single currently out for Celine Dion (see previous post). The production is virtually identical, but Kara puts a slightly different spin on the vocal--more soulful I'd say. Check it out.

Celine Dion "Taking Chances" Video

Surprisingly hip video from Celine Dion for her new single "Taking Chances." Has a 24 vibe to it, and I like how it plays off her workplace for the last 5 years. Not a bad song either--has that rocky/poppy vibe like Kelly Clarkson's second album.

UK Chart Notes

• It's a second week at #1 for Leona Lewis and "Bleeding Love." In another strong week, she moved over 158,000 copies, nearly three times the 57,000 copies sold of #2 track, Take That's "Rule the World." "Bleeding Love" was written by American pop star Jesse McCartney, best known for "Beautiful Soul," and Ryan Tedder, the lead singer for OneRepublic, whom along with Timbaland moved up 3 spots to #4 this week with "Apologize." The Timbaland/OneRepublic track also also #8 on the UK airplay chart, #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #1 US top 40 radio.
• Landing at #3 for most acts would be a success, but for Westlife, who've hit #1 with 14 of their now 22 singles, it's a disappointment. "Home" is the first single from their forthcoming 8th album, Home Again. As is the case with most of their recent hits, this is a remake, this time from Michael Buble's recent adult hit. This is the second time Westlife have missed #1 with an album's first single, the first time being "Hey Whatever," the first single from their 2003 album Turnaround, which hit #4. Still, the single keeps up their perfect record of top 5 hits.
• Swiss-Iranian dance artist Samim has one of the year's most ununsual dance hits, "Heater," at #12 this week. The instrumental club track is led by accordian of all things.
• "Hot Stuff (Let's Dance)," Craig David's first single from his forthcoming fouth album, Trust Me, lands at #19 on digital sales. Expect it to be his 13th top 10 hit next week.
• Every Avril Lavigne album has found a tipping point after which the singles just don't perform. For The Best Damn Thing, that point would be third single "Hot," which manages to reach only #30 following the #2 hit "Girlfriend" and #3 hit "When You're Gone."
• Finally Keane released new single "The Night Sky" last week, but it's nowhere to be seen on the chart. The reason? Disqualified because it contains a free gift. Who knew.

Listening to these days....

• "Bleeding Love" Leona Lewis - The UK's latest big breakout star is a former X-Factor winner. This is the first single from her debut album, Spirit, out Monday. It's a good pop ballad that has the sort of immediacy that Mariah Carey's debut, "Vision of Love," had. Perhaps we can just forget that Leona actually debuted a year ago with a tepid remake of Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This." The new single is much better.
• "Headlines (Friendship Forever)" Spice Girls - Back at last and out with a new single that easily slips into their ouvre of #1 hits from the '90s, thanks to the re-teaming with producer Richard Stannard, who was responsible for many of them.
• "Too Many People" Wet Wet Wet - Still known mostly for their 1994 hit "Love Is All Around," featured in Four Weddings and a Funeral and skewered in Love Actually. The new single has a smooth disco groove like a lost George Michael track.
• "Hot Stuff (Let's Dance)" Craig David - Best use of David Bowie's "Let's Dance" since Puff Daddy's "Been Around the World." This is a fun song, more energetic than any of the singles from David's last album.
• "I Found Out" The Pigeon Detectives - Favoring short songs like Arctic Monkeys this high-energy number by the English band clocks in at just over 2 minutes.
• "Teddy Picker" Arctic Monkeys - Speaking of the Monkeys, their album, which I was initially ho-hum about, has grown on me a lot lately. This third, bass-driven, single is darker and tighter than their last, the radio-friendly "Fluorescent Adolescent."
• "Handle Me" Robyn - This should have been a bigger hit, but clocked in at a lousy #17 Sunday. Pity, it's another fun electronic pop song from Robyn's fantastic album.
• "D.A.N.C.E." Justice - This song sounds like what would happen if Jamiroquai gave a song to an elementary school class. It also snagged a surprise nomination at the MTV VMAs for video of the year, along with much more established acts like JT, Kanye, Beyonce, and Rihanna. Funky electronic dance music at its best.
• "Cant Get Along (Without You)" Hard-Fi - Swaggering second single from Hard-Fi's latest has a Smash Mouth feel to it. It comes off like a fun Saturday night singalong with your friends at the bar.
• "2 Hearts" Kylie Minogue - I've already said enough about this. Listen to it and love it. Sounds clips for the album are out now.

Personal Chart, 11/10/2007

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 1 .... Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis (2 weeks @ #1)
2 .... 4 .... 2 Hearts - Kylie Minogue
3 .... 3 .... Apologize - Timbaland Featuring OneRepublic
4 .... 5 .... Rule the World - Take That
5 .... 2 .... Valerie - Mark Ronson Featuring Amy Winehouse (1 wk @ #1)
6 .... 7 .... About You Now - Sugababes (2 wks @ #1)
7 ... 11 ... Handle Me - Robyn
8 .... 6 .... The Way I Are - Timbaland Featuring Keri Hilson
9 .... 9 .... Hate That I Love You - Rihanna Featuring Ne-Yo
10 ... 10 ... Can't Get Along (Without You) - Hard-Fi

Looking Ahead to 2008: Introducing Duffy

Welsh singer Duffy, 22, has a soulful voice that evokes the '60s. Q magazine has already dubbed her the Welsh Amy Winehouse. Her MySpace page has two clips, the latter of which, "Warwick Avenue," is my favorite of the two. Also, check out the Youtube clip of her in the studio recording "Syrup & Honey." Her debut album is due next year.

Album Review: The New Pornographers - Challengers (4/5)

Canadian "supergroup" The New Pornographers are among the best darlings of indie rock to emerge this decade. Their debut, Mass Romantic, won Canada's Juno Award for Best Alternative Album in 2001. Their first three albums all score in the 80s on Metacritic. They've stayed on top because they developed a winning sound and stuck with it: upbeat, melodic pop/rock with a wink to the '60s and '70s.

The formula changes only slightly on their fouth album, Challengers, which favors quieter melodies over the rocking stompers that dominated their previous work. Opening track "My Right Versus Yours" opens softly with vocals and a few stringed instruments, waiting a minute before the bass and band kick in, but even then it's a more restrained beginning in contrast to the big opening numbers of their previous albums like "Twin Cinema" or "Electric Version." "All the Old Showstoppers" follows, with a sound alternating between folksy and '60s-ish.

The album is also their first to not open with the title track. "Challengers," another mellow number, comes third. The song is a duet between the group's principal singers, male A.C. Newman and female Neko Case. It completes the trio of quieter, mostly acoustic tracks that open the album on a more plaintive note than their others.

Quirky "Myriad Harbor" feels like the band's more typical work, transposing spoken word passages with choral responses, building the guitars toward the choruses, and closing the song with some low stringed instruments, cello perhaps. It also shows how the band can play seriously good music without taking themselves too seriously. The tempo doesn't get amped up much until "All the Things that Go to Make Heaven and Earth," a retro-flavored stomper that again features duelling lead vocals. Pounding piano keys keep the song moving along at a clip. Another member (there are 8 in total), Kathryn Calder, takes vocal lead on swaggering "Failsafe," which uses a cool pulsating electric guitar sound (I've heard it before on Soho's 1990 dance single "Hippychick," but I'm sure there are better comparisons).

The tempo slows down again for "Unguided." At over 6 minutes it is the albums longest track, following right behind the 2:37 "Failsafe," its shortest. The track bursts with sound and then reins in it to almost silence. This song clearly has ambitions to be something special, but it doesn't quiet get there for me. That's okay though, as the effort is commendable. "Entering White Cecilia" is another odd one, okay but not a favorite. "Go Places" features the female lead, Neko Case, and is another slower, but very melodic track. This has the feel of an early '70s love song.

"Mutiny, I Promise You" is another upbeat standout, contrasting electric guitar and bass with flute in the strong chorus. "Adventures in Solitude," as perhaps the title would imply, has the gentlest touch of any of the album's tracks: quiet vocals, quiet piano, and no drums. It does kick up a bit at the end with a string section, but only a bit. Warm closing track "The Spirit of Giving" is one of the lovelier slow songs, punctuated by a nice horns and accordion middle.

I'd be curious to hear what longtime fans of the band--a group that includes some of my dearest friends--think of this album as compared with their others. While I like Challengers, I enjoy the more upbeat, energetic tracks the most, which, on this album emerge as the exception rather than the rule.


Best: My Right Versus Yours, Myriad Harbor, Mutiny I Promise You, All the Things that Go to Make Heaven and Earth, Failsafe, The Spirit of Giving, All the Old Showstoppers

US Chart Notes

• Chris Brown (feat. T-Pain) tops the Billboard Hot 100 this week with "Kiss Kiss," displacing Soulja Boy Tell Em's "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" after 7 non-consecutive weeks at the top. "Crank That" now ties Rihanna's "Umbrella" for the year's longest stay at the top, not counting the 10 week stay by Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" That began in December of last year. Sadly this is not another remake of the dance song popularized by Tarkin, Stella Soleil, and Holly Valance, but a new song.
• T-Pain can actually claim the unusual feat of having three singles in the top 10 this week, albeit in a supporting role in each case. In addition to appearing on Chris Brown's single, he's also at #7 on Kanye West's "The Good Life" and at #8 on Baby Bash's "Cyclone." Those two singles trade places on the chart this week.
• T-Pain's not the only artist with multiple top 10 hits this week. Kanye West also appears at #6 with his former #1, "Stronger," and Timbaland is at #2 with "Apologize (feat. OneRepublic)" and at #10 with "The Way I Are (feat. Keri Hilson)."
• Fergie makes her top 40 debut this week with her latest solo single, "Clumsy," which rises 17 spots from #45 to #28. The track is the fifth release from Fergie's debut album, The Dutchess. The last female artist to score five top 40 hits off of one album was Kelly Clarkson with 2004's Breakaway. They are the only ones I know of to manage this feat this decade.

Personal Chart, November 3, 2007

TW LW Title - Artist
1 ... 12 ... Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis (1 week @ #1)
2 .... 1 .... Valerie - Mark Ronson Featuring Amy Winehouse (1 wk @ #1)
3 .... 3 .... Apologize - Timbaland Featuring OneRepublic
4 .... 8 .... 2 Hearts - Kylie Minogue
5 ... 13 ... Rule the World - Take That
6 .... 4 .... The Way I Are - Timbaland Feat. Keri Hilson & DOE
7 .... 2 .... About You Now - Sugababes (2 wks @ #1)
8 .... 9 .... Wake Up Call - Maroon 5
9 .... 7 .... Hate That I Love You - Rihanna Featuring Ne-Yo
10 .. 6 .... Can't Get Along (Without You) - Hard-Fi

New from Dannii Minogue

Kylie's little sister is back with this new single "Touch Me Like That," produced by Jason Nevins. Dannii's actually got a lot going on these days. She's joined The X Factor as a judge, along with Simon Cowell, Sharon Osborne, and Louis Walsh. She also has a remix album, Unleashed, out next week, although this single isn't on it, so I'm not sure why this is being released.

UK Chart Notes

Leona Lewis claimed #1 on the UK singles chart this week in magnificent style with her second single, "Bleeding Love," the first release from her forthcoming debut album, Spirit. Not since Will Young has a British reality TV act emerged with such potential to actually make it big.

While many X-Factor and other reality TV winning acts have been able to transform their TV fame into an initial #1 hit, prospects after that often fall quickly. Take Michelle McManus, winner of Pop Idol's second season, who hit #1 with her first single "All This Time," but was dropped by her record label after her second, "The Meaning of Love," failed to hit the top 10. Lewis, who last year won the third season of X-Factor, is in fact the show's first alum to score a second #1. I'm hopeful that her album, which attracted the assistance of Clive Davis as co-executive producer (with Simon Cowell).

Lewis didn't just top the chart though, she did it with by far the best sales figure of the year, moving over 218,000 copies of "Bleeding Love," more than double the year's previous best sales week for a single, the nearly 86,000 copies The Proclaimers featuring Brian Potter and Andy Pipkin moved of "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" in its first week in March.

In any other week this year then, the single at #2 this week, Take That's "Rule the World," would have been the single with the biggest one-week sales total, for it moved almost 98,000 copies. Still, although it was kept from #1 by a monster hit, the single is a vast improvement over the #17 performance of their last single, "I'd Wait for Life," which ended their run of six consecutive #1 hits.

Another act kept from #1 that is likely accustomed to be there by now is McFly, who lands at #3 with their 13th single, "The Heart Never Lies." Seven of the band's singles have hit the top spot, including their last, "Baby's Coming Back," with 9000 sales fewer than their latest hit. I'll say it again: It was an amazing sales week for the UK singles chart.

Oasis debuts at #10 with their latest, "Lord Don't Slow Me Down," ending their run of 18 consecutive top 5 hits. Not since "Live Forever," their classic 1994 release, have they charted so low.

While next week can't possibly be as grand as this, it's shaping up to be pretty exciting too, as Westlife will go head-to-head with Leona with their latest, a remake of Michael Buble's "Home," which they are hoping will be their 15th #1 hit. Also out are new singles from Timbaland, Samim, Robyn, Keane, Avril Lavigne, Akon and Celine Dion.

Personal Chart, Year to Date, 3rd Quarter

As of the end of September, here's the top 10 songs of the year on my personal chart:

# .. Peak ... Title - Artist
1 .... 1(1) ... Glamorous - Fergie
2 .... 1(6) ... Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie
3 .... 1(3) ... The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani Featuring Akon
4 .... 1(1) ... Say It Right - Nelly Furtado
5 .... 1(1) ... What Goes Around...Comes Around - Justin Timberlake
6 .... 1(2) ... U + Ur Hand - Pink
7 .... 1(3) ... Umbrella - Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z
8 .... 1(1) ... Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs
9 .... 1(1) ... Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5
10 .. 1(2) .. Shine - Take That

Album release update

My listing of key album releases over the next few weeks. With the runup to Christmas now fully loaded there are lots of hits collections and big-name releases. This year's annoying trend would seem to be that if you don't have a new product to release, just put out your last one and call it a "deluxe" edition. Dates reflect UK release dates:

October 29

• Britney Spears - Blackout. See my review.
• Freemasons - Unmixed. Not sure what's on this.
• Backstreet Boys - Unbreakable. Kevin's gone now, but the other four are still at it, releasing their 6th album. While their last album, the 2005 comeback Never Gone, gave them a decent-sized hit in "Incomplete," the first single from this album, "Inconsolable," is a flop.
• Ministry of Sound (Various Artists) - The Annual 2008. The annual 3-CD release of current dance hits.
• The Libertines - Time for Heroes: The Best Of. Greatest hits set from Pete Doherty's infamous defunct group. Includes tracks such as "Can't Stand Me Now" and "Up the Bracket."

November 5

• Westlife - Home Again. Their 9th studio album, which, judging from the tracklist contains a number of remakes such as first single "Home" (Michael Buble), "Have You Ever" (Brandy), and "I'm Already There" (Lonestar).
• McFly - Greatest Hits/All the Greatest Hits. Greatest Hits contains only #1 hits, "That Girl," and three new tracks, while the longer All the Greatest Hits includes all that plus other singles that weren't #1s.
• Amy Winehouse - Back to Black (Deluxe Edition). Includes a bonus disc with some new songs plus "Valerie."
• Dannii Minogue - Unleashed. A remix disc.

November 12

• Spice Girls - Greatest Hits. Finally finally finally the Spice Girls release their greatest hits collection. And they even reformed for it, are touring, and have a new single, "Headlines (Friendship Forever)."
• Leona Lewis - Spirit. This may be the first album worth buying from an X-Factor winner, Britain's current answer to American Idol. Leona is set to hit #1 this afternoon with her second single, "Bleeding Love."
• Celine Dion - Taking Chances. This is a return of sorts for Celine, who hasn't released a hit-seeking English language album since 2003's One Heart (Miracles, her 2004 Anne Geddes tie-in looked like a one-off). First single "Taking Chances" is actually pretty decent.
• Killers - Sawdust. The Killers B-sides, rarities, and remixes set is thankfully heavy on B-sides and rarities, so unless you're a collector, it may feel like a new album. Includes singles "Shadowplay" (US release) and "Tranquilize" (UK release).
• Craig David - Trust Me. British Pop/R&B singer Craig David releases his fouth album, featuring first single "Hot Stuff (Let's Dance)," which features a liberal David Bowie sample.
• Seal - System. Mr. Heidi Klum puts out his fifth album, only his second not to be named just "Seal." Includes a duet with his wife, "Wedding Night," (cringe) and first single "Amazing," which isn't bad. Rumour is that it will be more dance-oriented like his first album.
• David Gray - Greatest Hits. Predictable collection that includes new single "The World to Me."
• Garth Brooks - Ultimate Hits. Two-disc collection of Garth Brooks' singles, which gets an earlier (Nov. 6) release in the US.
• Take That - Beautiful World (Deluxe). Another re-release, presumably to also include current hit "Rule the World"
• Groove Armada - GA10 (Greatest Hits). Celebrates 10 years of the band with a 2-CD set of hits, such as "I See You Baby" and last summer's Mutya Buena collaboration, "Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)"

November 19

• Alicia Keys - As I Am. Her third album, released too late in the year to qualify for a Grammy nomination. Maybe next year. Features first single "No One."
• Girls Aloud - Tangled Up. Their fourth album, to include recent single "Sexy! No No No..."
• Now 68. The latest hit collection.

November 26

• Kylie Minogue - X.If I said earlier this year that Kelly Clarkson's My December was the album I was most anticipating this year, I was lying. It's this one, Kylie's first album in 4 years, featuring first single "2 Hearts."
• Shayne Ward - Breathless. The former X-Factor winner puts out his second album.
• Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds (Deluxe). Another re-issue, to include the new duet version of "Until the End of Time" with Beyonce.

December 3

• Mary J. Blige - Growing Pains. Her 8th album.

December 10

• Nelly - Brass Knuckles. His 5th album, which gets a November 13 release in the US.

December 18

• Natasha Bedingfield - N.B. (US version). Natasha Bedingfield's second album succumbed to a serious sophomore slump--its third single, "Say It Again (feat. Adam Levine)," didn't even chart in the top 75 when it released. Ouch! She's having better luck in the US so far though, with "Love Like This (feat. Sean Kingston)" charting strongly on the top 40 airplay chart.

Not on the list:

• Mariah Carey. Her 10th studio album has been pushed back to February 2008.
• Dido. Current estimated date is March 2008, four and a half years after Life for Rent. According to Q Magazine the album will be more acoustic than her first two.
• The Feeling. Second album, The Moon, is expected in early 2008.
• Goldfrapp. Their fourth album, titled Seventh Tree, is due in February.
• Whitney Houston. Clive Davis promised us an amazing album by the end of the year, but it's not in the cards. Frankly if this ever gets released it will be a miracle. No word yet on a date
• Madonna. Her 12th studio album is expected in March 2008, with a greatest hits package to follow sometime after she's done promoting singles from it. This will finish out her Warner Bros. contract so she can begin her Live Earth era.

Looking Back: Kylie's Albums

The release of Kylie Minogue's 10th album, X, is less than one month away now. Here's my overview of her previous nine releases:

Kylie (1988). (3.5/5) Light and frothy late ‘80s pop that made Kylie a name all over the world. In the U.S., “The Loco-Motion” became, for years, her sole major hit. But in the rest of the world, particularly Europe, the album spawned multiple hits, most notably “I Should Be So Lucky,” perhaps the best example of super producers Stock Aitken Waterman’s (SAW) work at the time. It doesn’t try to be anything more than a good time and it succeeds very well. Essential: I Should Be So Lucky

Enjoy Yourself (1989). (3/5) Kylie’s second album was essentially more of the same SAW fluffy pop. This album falls down a bit though when Kylie tries on a few slow songs, which have never been (and probably never will be) her strong suit. Aside from that though, it’s pretty good. Essential: Hand on Your Heart

Rhythm of Love (1990). (4/5) Things get a little more interesting with Kylie’s third album. Still a SAW production, but with a concerted effort to update Kylie’s sound for the ‘90s, the album wisely avoided the balladry that weakened her last album. The results are not unlike what Cathy Dennis—a future critical collaborator—was doing at the time. “Better the Devil You Know,” the album’s first track, remains one of Kylie’s strongest early singles. Essential: Better the Devil You Know

Let’s Get to It (1991). This is the only Kylie album I don’t own, so I can’t say much about it, but the fact that I don’t have it says something about my lack of interest in it. This was the first albeit tentative step into more adult territory for Kylie, who was becoming increasingly interested in asserting herself in her music and not being just a dance pop producers’ plaything. The singles from the album, if they are indicative of the rest, are just average though. Essential: Finer Feelings

Kylie Minogue (1994). (4/5) After taking a 3-year break and emerging on a new record label, Kylie Minogue was a forceful statement that Kylie was taking a new, more mature direction with her music. Freed completely from the Stock Aitken Waterman production house that made her a household name, Kylie was free to experiment. Nowhere is this more evident than with “Confide in Me,” the haunting, vaguely Middle Eastern first single that is markedly different than anything else Kylie has ever done. Dance pop is still the emphasis, but the flavor is much more adult than teen oriented. Essential: Confide in Me

Impossible Princess (1997). (3/5). Here’s where things got really weird. This is the furthest from dance pop that Kylie ever ventured, and the results are interesting but mixed. The disc spans from the dark trip-hop of “Jump” to the soulful and upbeat “Some Kind of Bliss.” Essential: Some Kind of Bliss

Light Years (2000) (4.5/5). Another long break and Kylie emerged once again into a new musical era, this time embracing the frothy dance pop that made her famous, updated for the new millennium and injected with a heady dose of ‘70s disco influence. Light Years is confident, joyous fun, particularly her campy collaborations with Guy Chambers and Robbie Williams on “Loveboat,” “Kids,” and “Your Disco Needs You.” But the more contemporary tracks, “Spinning Around,” “On a Night Like This,” and “Please Stay,” were good too, and returned Kylie to the top of the charts after the relative drought of her experimental period. Essential: Spinning Around

Fever (2001). (5/5) Fever is the best dance pop album ever made and one of my favorite albums. Every track is a winner and the thoroughly modern sound fits Kylie like a glove. While the camp and retro elements of Light Years were fun, I don’t miss them here at all. This time the inspiration came from the best of current dance music, such as the obvious Daft Punk influence on “Love at First Sight.” Cathy Dennis’ remarkable work on “Come Into My World” and the classic “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” is also notable. Essential: Can’t Get You Out of My Head

Body Language (2003). (4/5) Kylie shifted her emphasis again for Body Language away from house dance pop toward a more electro sound with ‘80s influence. The results aren’t as enjoyable as her last two albums, but this is still solid, particularly on the sexy, breathy “Slow” or “Chocolate.” Upbeat tracks like “Secret (Take You Home)” and “Still Standing” are great too, as is the Justin Timberlake-influenced “Red Blooded Woman.” Essential: Slow

Album Review: Britney Spears - Blackout (2/5)

While Britney’s been a bad girl for some time, it used to be that bouts of bad behavior were followed by coquettish statements from her PR machine. On her own now sans PR (clearly), Britney is content to not even try to hide her bad side, but to exploit it, as evidenced by the title of her 5th album, Blackout, a state she’s surely been in more than once over the last year, a period during which she's shed any last shred of dignity. There are tabloid queens and then there is Britney--shaving her head, checking in and out of rehab, acting like a zombie on MTV, hitting and running, doing who knows what to lose custody of her kids, I could go on and on, and that was all just since January.

That Blackout isn't a complete disaster could come as a surprise, until you remind yourself that Britney's albums have always been producer-driven affairs, with her contribution coming in the form of image, packaging and desirability. So what we have here is basically a bunch of really hot producers offering up ready-made sleek pop songs not unlike what they've produced recently for other artists. Britney showed up (more or less) to do the vocal and voila: slick, electronic, beat-heavy pop with lots of vocal processing and a good dose of attitude. I like a good futuristic electro-pop romp as much as the next guy, but the results here are disappointing, with Blackout being the weakest of Britney's five albums.

There are a few good songs, but "good" is relative. Nothing here stands up to "...Baby One More Time," "Toxic," or even "Stronger." The album's best track is "Heaven on Earth," which 0pens with a pulsing synth bass line and has a faster tempo than most of the other songs. The melodic song embodies an ‘80s sound, reminiscent of the work Gwen Stefani’s been doing lately. First single, "Gimme More," also manages to be pretty good when stacked up against the rest of what she's done here.

I also like both of the songs produced by Bloodshy and Avant, the duo that made Britney's second-biggest hit, "Toxic," a few years ago. "Piece of Me" is Britney's chance to take on her detractors, and the highly processed track makes her sound pretty good, even if it lacks enough melody to really hold together. "Toy Soldier" has a better beat and an interesting sound, but the producer/songwriter who boasts in the opening, "hear a smash on the radio, bet I penned it,” may be waiting to hear this on airwaves anytime soon.

The rest is unfortunate, uninteresting, and in a few cases just unlistenable. Nate "Danja" Hills, who crafted the awesome "Say It Right" for Nelly Furtado, tries to work similar magic for Britney with "Break the Ice," "Hot as Ice," "Get Naked (I Got a Plan), " and "Perfect Lover." "Break the Ice" is the best of this pack, and comes closest to emulating "Say It Right," but emulation isn't a very high bar for a producer, are fine, but nothing special.

Of the rest, "Radar" is electronic, attitude-filled, and bland. "Freakshow" is just bad--a lean track of bleeps, hand claps, and vocals. By the time the end of the album rolls around with "Ooh Ooh Baby" and Pharrell Williams' "Why Should I Be So Sad," I'm too bored to really care.

Anyone who thinks Britney miraculously took a break from her headline-bating ways over the last few months to sit down and pour herself into crafting a fine pop album is kidding themselves. Critics have been surprisingly generous with this; Entertainment Weekly, for example, gave it a B+, but I'm not buying it (literally--I listened to it on MTV's the Leak, which is all I'd recommend doing).

When she doesn't get drowned out by the beats and bleeps, Britney's vocal delivery sounds like it was phoned in. She’s not the greatest singer, and these songs don’t need her to be, which is why a few songs do work, but too often she gets lost in the production. But hey, she likely wasn’t very involved in it in the first place.


Best: Heaven on Earth, Gimme More, Piece of Me, Toy Soldier, Break the Ice

Kylie X preview

Kylie's MySpace page is offering a free download mix of new tracks from her forthcoming X album. You can get it here. It includes:

"2 Hearts" - The single we already know and love.
"Like a Drug" - Sounds cool. Electronic dance music reminiscent of "Can't Get You Out of My Head."
"The One" - This is produced by the preeminent dance group the Freemasons, and it sounds like it's a standout.
"In My Arms" - At first I thought this was the Calvin Harris track, "Heart Beat Rock," but it's clearly "In My Arms," and it sounds good.

Based on this, it sounds like X will be a good blend of the electronic sound of Body Language, but with a stronger melodic emphasis like that of Fever. Could be really great.

UK Chart Notes

• The Sugababes spend a fourth week at #1 on the UK singles chart this week, making "About You Now" their longest-running #1 hit, besting the 3 weeks spent at the top by "Push the Button."
• Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse move into pole position with "Valerie," which also spends a second week at #1 on the UK airplay chart. The move ties Mark Ronson's current single with his previous biggest hit, "Stop Me" featuring Daniel Merriweather, which hit #2 earlier this year.
• Britney Spears returns to the UK top 10 after a two-year absence with "Gimme More," which makes its debut on download sales at #3, giving Britney her 10th top 3 hit, the last being "My Prerogative," which hit #3 just under 3 years ago. In total, she now has 18 top 10 hits in the UK.
• Timbaland makes a big splash at #6 with "Apologize (featuring OneRepublic)," whose official release is still over a week away. Both of Timbaland's last two singles, "The Way I Are" and "Give It to Me" were #1 hits.
• The Freemasons land their biggest hit yet at #8 with "Uninvited (featuring Bailey Tzuke)," their dance remake of Alanis Morissette's 1998 hit, which was not released in the UK. The dance act's previous best was the #11 hit from 2 years ago, "Love on My Mind."
• The Killers make a splash at #13 with "Tranquilize," the first single from their forthcoming B-sides/rarities/remixes collection, Sawdust. At #13, the single performs better than all of the Sam's Town singles except its first, "When You Were Young," which hit #2, making it the Killer's highest-charting UK single.
• Orson makes a disappointing #21 upon the physical release of "Ain't No Party," the first single from their second album. The band's first single, "No Tommrow," was a #1 hit last year, and even their second single, "Bright Idea," hit #11.
• This weekend's chart is shaping up to be a major chart battle, with a good number of notable releases: Take That's "Rule the World," Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love," McFly's "The Heart Never Lies," Britney's physical release of "Gimme More," Freemasons' physical release of "Uninvited," Newton Faulkner's "All I Got," and Mutya Buena's "Just a Little Bit." Any of the first four tracks on this list could easily hit #1: the new Take That single (its airplay is massive and "Patience" and "Shine" were huge #1 hits), the new Leona Lewis single (the first "real" single from a former reality show winner), McFly's new single (they've had seven #1 hits, always hitting #1 with the first two singles from a new album, and this is the first from their greatest hits), and Britney (who debuted very high at #3 last week on downloads alone).

Personal Chart, 10/27/2007

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 2 .... Valerie - Mark Ronson Featuring Amy Winehouse (1 week @ #1)
2 .... 1 .... About You Now - Sugababes (2 wks @ #1)
3 .... 4 .... Apologize - Timbaland Featuring One Republic
4 .... 3 .... The Way I Are - Timbaland Featuring Keri Hilson & DOE
5 ... 11 ... Happy Ending - Mika
6 .... 8 .... Can't Get Along (Without You) - Hard-Fi
7 .... 9 .... Hate That I Love You - Rihanna Featuring Ne-Yo
8 ... 17 ... 2 Hearts - Kylie Minogue
9 ... 10 ... Wake Up Call - Maroon 5
10 .. 12 .. Ain't No Party - Orson

Album Review: Radiohead - In Rainbows (4.5 / 5)

Quick history of Radiohead: First there was their debut Pablo Honey, which gave them their sole U.S. hit single, "Creep;" then highly regarded yet conventional The Bends; followed by highly regarded yet unconventional OK Computer, often cited as one of the '90's best albums (The Bends often is too); then the truly unconventional electronic departure of Kid A and its companion Amnesiac, which some people declare are genius albums and others go "huh?" Then finally Hail to the Thief, a return to a more conventional rock sound, albeit still pretty experimental.

This time the experiment goes beyond just the sound and over to the marketing. Radiohead has been a notable holdout in offering their catalog on iTunes, claiming they don't want consumers to pick tracks off their albums, as they insist they record their work as total album experiences. This is a claim, while pompous, that I would mostly agree with. But with record stores dying off quickly, what's a band that insists it's in the albums business to do? Self-release is Radiohead's answer, the band famously making In Rainbows available only on-line through its Web site, and even more famously, allowing purchasers to name their price (I paid $10, since I figured that's what I'd have been willing to pay had they offered this on iTunes). It's a clever experiment that's generated record heaps of press for the band, and probably delivered more sales in $3-$5 increments than they would have ever hoped to make with a conventional release at $10-$15 a pop.

It's a good thing too, for it's an astounding album. Some electronic flourishes remain, but this album's focus is on good songcraft, not just the soundcraft of Kid A. It's may more accessible than that album, Hail to the Thief, or even OK Computer. It's quite lovely too, with a good blend of upbeat and laid back tracks. Opener "15 Steps" is one of my favorites: laden with drums and blips, the track takes a nice mellow electronic break in the middle. It's a great opening track. Another upbeat track, the feedback-rich "Bodysnatchers" follows. Has Radiohead rocked like this since The Bends? I don't think so.

"Nude" is an aptly titled ballad, stripped of the typical flourishes, it's a simple vocal/acoustic guitar/keyboard/drum track, with just enough ambient synth effects to lend richness. "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" is lush, laid back acoustic guitar and haunting vocal with a musical build-up. It's fine, but goes on a bit long for what it is, making it my least favorite track. Emotional "All I Need" is another standout. Electronic bass and piano pulse forth here with a slowly delivered vocal and a rich, dramatic finish. "Faust Arp," short for arpeggio, is the album's shortest track, a lovely taste of acoustic guitar and strings.

On its face "Reckoner" would appear to be pretty straightforward--guitar and heavy percussion--until halfway through there's an abrupt break in the music, which switches to vocal harmony and strings, before then blending the two elements in the end. "House of Cards," which uses heavy reverb on Thom Yorke's vocals, manages to convey an unusual warmth for Radiohead, despite its atmospherics.

"Jigsaw Falling Into Place" is darker and a more conventional mix of typical band elements, with a good acoustic guitar and bass middle section. Piano chords begin "Videotape," the bleak closing track, which slowly adds in the other elements: vocals, bass, drums, background vocals, and sounds effects. They all recede until only the piano strikes the album's final note.

Media manipulation aside, In Rainbows is a fine album, and although it's rumored that more tracks will be included next year when the album gets a physical release, it feels complete as is. I've admired Radiohead for some time, but I didn't really consider myself a fan until now.

Best: 15 Steps, Bodysnatchers, All I Need, Reckoner, Nude, House of Cards, Faust Arp, Videotape, Jigsaw Falling Into Place

Chart Notes

UK

• Sugababes spend a third week at #1 with "About You Now," matching the 3-week run at the top from about 2 years ago this time of year for "Push the Button." The track is up to #2 on the airplay chart.
• Amy Winehouse has her biggest UK hit this week thanks to her producer Mark Ronson's single "Valerie," featuring vocals from Winehouse. The single rises four spots to #3 this week, beating the #7 peak of her previous best, "Rehab." "Valerie" also climbs to #1 this week on the UK airplay chart, her second #1 after the summer's big airplay hit "Tears Dry on Their Own."
• The Hoosiers debuts at #5 with "Goodbye Mr. A," matching the peak of their last single, "Worried About Ray." This was last week's airplay #1 (there's been a good deal of turnover on the airplay chart of late).
• Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" is up to #14, a new recent high for the single, originally a #2 hit in 1981. This single is perhaps the best example of the potential for the revised UK chart rules, which allow any commercially available track to chart, no matter how old or whether its an official "single" release.
• After only four days of airplay, Kylie Minogue's new single "2 Hearts" managed to debut on the airplay chart all the way up at #17. The single release won't come until November 12. "2 Hearts" is her first single since 2005's "Giving You Up," the second single from her 2004 greatest hits collection.

US

• Timbaland's "Apologize" moves up a notch to #3, matching the peak of his last single, "The Way I Are." Given that it's this week's sales gainer, the chances of it moving higher--even #1--look good.
• Alicia Keys scored her fifth top 5 hit this week with "No One," the first single from her forthcoming third album. Her last top 5 hit was as 1/2 of 2004 #1 hit "My Boo"with Usher.
• Kanye West (featuring T-Pain) holds at #10 with "The Good Life," his second Graduation single. The track matches the peak of the Michael Jackson track it samples, "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)."
• Justin Timberlake's "Until the End of Time," now a duet with Beyoncé, moves up four spots to #24. The track is the sixth top 40 hit from Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds, which is the most top 40 singles to come from one album since Michael Jackson had seven with 1991's Dangerous.

Album Review: Annie Lennox - Songs of Mass Destruction (4/5)

Former Eurythmics singer Annie Lennox's solo career hasn't exactly set the world on fire--she's released only four albums in the last 15 years--but when that foursome includes 1992's Diva, one of the perfect pop records of the '90s, then anything after is worth at least glancing examination. Which was all that her last album, the lackluster Bare, was worth, save for its few winning tracks like "Wonderful," "Honestly" or "A Thousand Beautiful Things."

While Songs of Mass Destruction doesn't hold a candle to the divinity of Diva, it's an improvement over Bare, a winning mix of ballads, upbeat tracks and even '80s throwbacks. At her best, Annie Lennox proves again that she is the best white British soul singer there is. In first single "Dark Road," Lennox reaches into her pain to find strength and hope amid synthetic keyboards and, at its high point, climactic organs. It's a great opening, followed by another soulful number, the upbeat "Love Is Blind," which sounds like it could have come from one of her '90s albums. "Smithereens" is the next great song, a synth and piano ballad with strong choruses, followed by energetic "Ghost in My Machine."

Then the album takes a dip with "Womankind," a typical Lennox woman empowerment song, one of two on this album, neither of which are lyrically very inspiring (they certainly don't measure up to say Diva's "Legend in My Living Room"), although the second one, "Sing," manages to be a pretty decent song despite its pretentions. It opens with an African woman talking about how the song was recorded to raise awareness of AIDS in Africa, although the lyrics are simple feminist stuff "Sing my sister sing, what won't kill you will make you strong" etc. Musically, it's pretty good though, the kind of melodic upbeat song you can't help but shake to. The big coup here is that features background vocals from the "choir of 23," which features a brigade of some of the world's biggest female artists, including Madonna, Beth Orton, Celine Dion, KT Tunstall, Faith Hill, Fergie, Gladys Knight, Sugababes, Melissa Etheridge, Pink, Sarah McLachlan, Isobel Campbell, KD Lang, Joss Stone, Marth Wainwright, Bonnie Raitt, Anastacia, and Dido. No Joke! Funny thing is, the only one I can make out distinctly is Madonna--she must have been close to the mic.

Other highlights include "Lost," a lovely piano-backed ballad about the pain of war. If it sounds familiar, it may be because you saw Paul Haggis' excellent recent film, In the Valley of Elah, where this song appears as the closing credits roll. "Coloured Bedspread" is good too, if only because it nods back so explicitly to the synth-heavy energy of the Eurythmics. I also like the classy closing number, the mellow and melodic piano piece "Fingernail Moon."

Whether the credit goes to Lennox or producer Glen Ballard (who is the producer of one of the '90s other perfect pop albums, Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill) for reinvigorating Lennox's musical style remains a mystery, but kudos to Annie for getting her groove back.

Best: Dark Road, Love Is Blind, Smithereens, Lost, Sing, Ghost in My Machine, Coloured Bedspread, Fingernail Moon

Personal Chart, 10/20/2007

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 1 .... About You Now - Sugababes (2 weeks @ #1)
2 .... 5 .... Valerie - Mark Ronson Feat. Amy Winehouse
3 .... 4 .... The Way I Are - Timbaland Feat. Keri Hilson & DOE
4 .... 8 .... Apologize - Timbaland Feat. OneRepublic
5 .... 3 .... Stronger - Kanye West (3 wks @ #1)
6 .... 2 .... Who Knew - Pink
7 .... 7 .... Ayo Technology - 50 Cent Feat. Justin Timberlake
8 ... 11 ... Can't Get Along (Without You) - Hard-Fi
9 ... 13 ... Hate That I Love You - Rihanna Feat. Ne-Yo
10 .. 10 .. Wake Up Call - Maroon 5

Kylie "2 Hearts"

Kylie Minogue is back and in great form with her new single and video "2 Hearts." The vampy track has a prominent bass-line, thundering piano, and strong vocal delivery from Kylie, who's sounding a lot like Goldfrapp here.

Personal Chart, 10/13/2007

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 4 .... About You Now - Sugababes (1 week @ #1)
2 .... 3 .... Who Knew - Pink
3 .... 1 .... Stronger - Kanye West (3 wks @ #1)
4 .... 2 .... The Way I Are - Timbaland Feat. Keri Hilson & DOE
5 .... 9 .... Valerie - Mark Ronson Feat. Amy Winehouse
6 .... 5 .... LoveStoned - Justin Timberlake
7 .... 7 ... Ayo Technology - 50 Cent Feat. Justin Timberlake
8 ... 14 ... Apologize - Timbaland Feat. OneRepublic
9 .... 6 .... 1973 - James Blunt
10 . 12 .. Wake Up Call - Maroon 5

I'm Back

I'm back from my week-long vacation in Montreal and Toronto, Canada. Both were lovely although different cities. Montreal was more unique and had a European feel--especially in the old part of town. It was impressive to be in a bilingual city. Toronto was larger and more commercial, like a more manageable (and much cleaner) version of New York. Both had great shopping and very nice, fashionable people.

One of the places I visited in Montreal was the Basilica Notre-Dame, a 19th century church where one famous French-Canadian pop singer, Celine Dion, was married in 1994. As the tour guide told us, most people prefer to get married in the smaller, more intimate wedding chapel at the back, but Celine and Rene used the larger main space and broadcast it on Canadian TV. Here's Celine recording her new single, "Taking Chances":

Hiatus

I'll be out of the country for the next week, so don't expect any new entries until I get back. While I'm gone you should be listening to....

• Annie Lennox's new album, Songs of Mass Destruction


• Hard-Fi "Can't Get Along (Without You)"


• Sugababes "About You Now"


• Timbaland Featuring OneRepublic "Apologize"


• Robyn "Handle Me"


• Fergie "Clumsy"


• Kanye West Featuring T-Pain "The Good Life"


• Mark Ronson Featuring Amy Winehouse "Valerie"


• Arctic Monkeys "Teddy Picker"


• Orson "Ain't a Party"


• Rihanna Featuring Ne-Yo "Hate That I Love You"


• Ida Corr vs. Fedde Le Grande "Let Me Think About It"


• Travis "My Eyes"

Fall TV

I've sampled several new TV shows. This is what I think:

1. Pushing Daisies (ABC). I think they've invented the new genre of "cheery noir" and I love it. The pilot was bold, colorful, funny, yet also dark and sinister. The leads really make the show--Neurotic Ned and his perky undead girlfriend. Best so far. A

2. Cane (CBS). A sweeping prime time soap. Powerful families. Lovely people. It's all a cliche, but it's well done and so far manages to be interesting. B

3. Back to You (Fox). Just as NBC's Thursday night, the pantheon of sitcoms, has done away with any vestiges of canned laughter and 4-camera cinematography, here comes a good ol' fashioned sitcom with veteran actors (Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton) that actually is funny. B

4. Bionic Woman (NBC). The pilot was disappointing. Way too much attitude. I get tired of characters that are just mean to each other, like they're just looking for the next opportunity to unspool a pithy comeback. The second episode was much better though, so I'm still holding out hope this will be good. B-

5. Dirty Sexy Money (ABC). I love Peter Krause, and he's the best thing about this silly, soapy drama, and frankly the only actor worth watching among the ensemble, most of whom make up an obscenely wealthy family, none of whom are at all likable. Who wants to watch a show where are the characters are unlikeable unless it's reality TV? D

Chart notes

• Britney Spears' "Gimme More" surges up the Billboard Hot 100 this week, advancing 65 spots to land at #3, making the single her second highest charting ever after her 1999 #1 hit "...Baby One More Time." This is Britney's fifth top 10 hit, following "...Baby...," "(You Drive Me) Crazy," "Oops!...I Did It Again," and "Toxic." The big surge is undoubtedly attributed to the single going on sale last week at iTunes, as its airplay has plateaued of late. Over on the R&R Top 40, for example, the song holds at #18 despite having climbed rather rapidly over the previous weeks.

• Two other singles make big jumps into the top 10. Up 16 at #6 is the third recent top 10 for Timbaland, this time featuring OneRepublic on the ballad "Apologize." His last single, the upbeat "The Way I Are" with Keri Hilson and DOE is still in the top 10, down one place this week at #4. Timbaland hit #1 earlier this year with "Give It To Me (feat. Justin Timberlake & Nelly Furtado)." The other big climber is Feist with "1,2,3,4," which moves up 20 places to #8. The single has been getting VH1 play for awhile, but got a big boost with the prominent feature of the song in the new Apple iPod Nano ad campaign.

Toxic Death Day

While I'm on the on subject of mash-ups here's an even better one. Toxic (Britney) + Die Another Day (Madonna) + What U Waiting For (Gwen) = "Toxic Death Day"

Natasha Bedingfield vs. Chicane "Bruised Water"

Cool mashup: "I Bruise Easily" by Natasha Bedingfield + "Saltwater" by Chicane.

Keane, "The Night Sky"

Keane is releasing a new single later this month, "The Night Sky," to benefit the charity War Child. Listen below.

Madonnna nominated for Hall of Fame

Twenty-five years into her official musical career, Madonna has been nominated for induction in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Acts qualify for induction 25 years after the release of their first record. Madonna released her first single, "Everybody," in 1982. Although not a major hit, it did well at the clubs, and was followed a year later by her first top 40 hit, "Holiday."

Other nominees this year include John Mellencamp, the Beastie Boys, Donna Summer, and Chic. Last year's inductees included R.E.M., Van Halen, and Patti Smith. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Cleveland, Ohio right on the lake. It's pretty cool, if you've never been.

Personal Chart, 10/6/2007

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 1 .... Stronger - Kanye West (3 wks @ #1)
2 .... 2 .... The Way I Are - Timbaland Feat. Keri Hilson & DOE
3 .... 4 .... Who Knew - Pink
4 ... 15 ... About You Now - Sugababes
5 .... 5 .... Lovestoned - Justin Timberlake
6 .... 3 .... 1973 - James Blunt
7 ... 12 ... Ayo Technology - 50 Cent Feat. Justin Timberlake
8 .... 8 .... Young Folks - Peter Bjorn & John Feat. Victoria Bergsman
9 ... 18 ... Valerie - Mark Ronson Featuring Amy Winehouse
10 .. 6 .... Suburban Knights - Hard-Fi

Preview Songs of Mass Destruction

Annie Lennox's fourth solo album Songs of Mass Destruction is out today (tomorrow in the US). You can preview the entire thing here. My initial reaction is very positive--possibly her best since Diva.

Radiohead says pay what you want

Radiohead's 7th studio album, In Rainbows goes on sale October 10. Until December, it will be available only as a download and only from their own Web site--no iTunes, etc. The real catch so to speak is the price--you get to pay whatever you want. That's right. Name your price. I don't know if there's a lower (or upper) limit, but the Web site would appear to accept anything. One thing to be careful of is that it's in British pounds, so if you enter in 10, thinking you're paying $10, you're actually paying $20.44. I think a fair price would be $10, which is what I'd probably pay were it offered on iTunes. That converts to £4.89 as of today's exchange rate.