Boyzone - Back Again...No Matter What

Boyzone are back...on tour and with this new greatest hits package. The Irish group was the UK's biggest boyband from 1995 to 1999, filling the void between Take That and Westlife, both of whom were arguably more popular. While Take That had a trendier sound, Boyzone favored a more mature approach, despite a name that sounds like a supply store for gay clubbers.

Boyzone's 1999 greatest hits, By Request, was pretty comprehensive, so with this new set you get the three new singles: "Love You Anyway," the upbeat current single, "Better," a remake of Tom Baxter's recent hit, and "Can't Stop Thinking About You," which sounds a lot like Sugababes' "About You Now" and "Push the Button." Plus there's the group's final single before they split up (or took a break, since I'm not sure they ever officially broke) "Everyday I Love You." There's also a live version of Ronan Keating's "Life Is a Rollercoaster." Missing are two of the singles from their first album, "Key to My Life" and "So Good," although the better tracks from that work--"Love Me for a Reason" and "Coming Home Now" are included.

The group scored five top 5 hits from that first album, but their first #1s would come from their second album, the better of which is the soaring love ballad "Words." In 1998 they released their third album, which includes yet more #1 hits, such as "All that I Need" and the band's biggest hit ever "No Matter What," which was their only single to be popular in the US.

Still, as I said above, these are were all included on By Request, so if you've got that, just cherry pick the new tracks that interest you.

New Duffy "Rain on Your Parade"

Check out Duffy's new video "Rain on Your Parade." The single comes from the upcoming re-released special edition of Rockferry.

UK Singles Chart, 10/25/2008

1. So What - Pink

Pink rules the UK singles chart for the third week with "So What." American acts have now ruled the top spot in the UK singles chart for 12 weeks--almost a quarter of 2008. That beats the 11-week run for Americans in 2006 when Orson, Ne-Yo and Gnarls Barkley spent 11 weeks in a row at #1 (9 of which were from Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," Britain's #1 single of 2006). As far as I can tell, this is the longest stretch of Americans ruling the #1 spot in the UK in over 20 years. Girls Aloud look set to end that reign next week, returning Brits to the top of the UK chart with their latest, "The Promise." Pink's album Funhouse is out next week.

2. The Winner's Song - Geraldine
3. Don't Call This Love - Leon Jackson

Now for some fun. British comedian Peter Kay is no stranger to the singles chart. His 2005 collaboration with Tony Christie, "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo" was the year's #1 hit, and his 2007 remake/collaboration with the Proclaimers on "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" was a major #1 last year. Now he's gone and teamed up with Gary Barlow to create a parody of UK reality TV show pop singers, "The Winner's Song," from "Peter Kay's Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice," which aired last week on Channel 4. "The Winner's Song" is the victory lap so to speak of that show's "winner" Geraldine McQueen. And it hits all the pop cliches we've come to know and love from songs like "A Moment Like This," "That's My Goal," or "All This Time" like the plodding opening piano chords, self-actualizing lyrics and the last chorus key change (of which this song actually has two).

What's most fun perhaps is that this "parody" of reality TV-produced pop stars has actually trumped a genuine one. Last year's X Factor winner Leon Jackson released his first proper single last week, "Don't Call This Love." Surely he hoped this would be his "Bleeding Love," the similarly positioned record that Leona Lewis has carried to #1 all over the world. Sadly for Mr. Jackson his new single has underperformed, landing at a mere #3. Even Shayne Ward managed better when he hit #2 with "No Promises," his first single after his #1 victory lap. This confirms what I had suspected--while Leona Lewis has gone on to be a international pop superstar, Leon Jackson is going to have to settle for regional (and less substantial) success. I see birthday parties in his future (really great parties though).

5. Up - The Saturdays

Pop girl group The Saturdays prove they weren't a one-hit wonder with "If This Is Love," beating that single to become their first top 5 hit. It comes a week after Sugababes, the reigning queens of British girl group pop hit #3 with "Girls" and a week before Girls Aloud come out with their latest, "The Promise." This is another great track, further piquing my interest. It's got quite an '80s groove, with a deep synth bass line akin to something Michael Jackson would have done. Their debut album Chasing Lights has already garnered a 5-star review from Britain's gay newspaper, Pink Paper, saying "Stop! You might want to remember where you were when you heard that The Saturdays were actually very good indeed."

6. Take Back the City - Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol jump up nine spots to #6 this week with "Take Back the City," the first single from their new album A Hundred Million Suns, out next week. As such, it becomes the group's fifth top 10 single, besting by one place the #7 peak of the first single from their last album, "You're All I Have" from Eyes Open. While last year's "Signal Fire" is their highest charting single (#4), they are best remembered by their 2006 #6 hit "Chasing Cars."

9. Raindrops (Encore Une Fois) - Sash! Featuring Stunt

I'm kicking myself for not having bought this in London last week, for it is not available on US iTunes nor any other download store I know of. Sash! became popular in the UK in 1997, scoring top 3 hits with all of their first four singles, all in different languages. Their very first single, Encore Une Fois hit #2 in March of 1997. They followed with seven other top 10 hits, my favorites of which were "Stay" (#2 in 1997) and "Mysterious Times" (#2 in 1998). It's been 7 years now since they've had a major hit, and "Raindrops" comes from their latest greatest hits collection (they've already had a couple of other ones). It's a mashup with Stunt's, "Raindrops," and frankly I fail to see how it's different from that song other than a woman announcing "Encore Une Fois" before the chorus. Still, it's a fun dance track, giving the German dance artist his 9th UK top 10 hit.

11. Love Lockdown - Kanye West

It's a "grower not a shower" as Reggie keeps reminding us annoying during the Radio 1 UK top 40 chart show. Kanye West is up another three spots to #11 this week and should crack the top 10 next week. This is slated to get a physical release in 2 weeks.

23. Spiralling - Keane

The release of Keane's new album Perfect Symmetry, which tops the UK albums chart this week (their third to do so), send that album's first single "Spiralling" back up the chart 11 spots to the #23 peak position it reached 6 weeks ago.

25. Kids - MGMT

MGMT's "Kids" is proving to be another hit for them, jumping 10 spots to #25. Their last single, "Electric Feel," peaked at #22.

28. Be the One - The Ting Tings

The Ting Tings see diminishing returns from their fourth single, which falls well short of the #1 and #6 placings of their last two singles, "That's Not My Name" and "Shut Up and Let Me Go."

Album Review: Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul (4.5 / 5)

Oasis are an institution in Britain. They were in the '90s what Nirvana was to America--a driving force that helped reshaped the sound of rock. Back then they were leaders of the Britpop movement, Britain's answer to grunge that hearkened back to the guitar and melody based rock of the late '60s. They were like the new Beatles, and their first two albums, Definitely Maybe and What's the Story Morning Glory were met with almost universal acclaim.

Then things took a bit of a bad turn. Be Here Now, their third album, saw the band go too over the top, and although it sold very well, was not as well regarded. Their fourth and fifth albums fell into a similar vein (but with fewer sales)--fine, but not their best. Still, they managed to continue scoring #1 hits, so they were never far from the limelight, and the hope was always that the next one would return them to form. Their last, 2005's Don't Believe the Truth, was largely heralded as a step in that direction, giving us stomping hits like "Lyla" and the gorgeous winter ballad "Let There Be Love."

Dig Out Your Soul finds the band continuing to reclaim their lost ground, putting forth a great set of rocking tunes. There are a few ballads here, but most of the songs are charging rock numbers that retain a mostly standard simple formula. "Bag It Up" is a great opening track--simple, driving and melodic, with a proper emphasis on the guitar, the occasional harmonized vocal and the big orchestra-backed finish. "The Turning" starts a bit quieter, but ends up just as satisfying, tinged with hints of psychedelia and big choruses.

Stomping "Waiting for the Rapture" turns the electric and bass guitars way up, especially after the first chorus. Noel Gallagher sings on this one, and really, it's shame he doesn't do it more, although then I guess the band would have to be called Noel Gallagher's Oasis, given that he is the band's principal songwriter. His voice has more heft but less personality than brother Liam's. It's a nice contrast. Liam returns then on "The Shock of the Lightning," the pulsing first single that sadly missed #1 a couple of weeks ago. The lyrics don't make much sense ("love is a time machine up on the silver screen") but who cares, this is great toe-tapping head-nodding rock.

"I'm Outta Time" is the first and best of three tracks penned by Liam, and it's one of the best slow songs Oasis have ever done--up there with "Don't Look Back in Anger" and "Let There Be Love" from their last album. The always-present Beatles influence is particularly strong here. Piano, guitar, bass, and Liam's voice blend together like the smoothest dessert cocktail--dark and delicious. It's the last of the brilliant five-track opening to Dig Out Your Soul.

And the good news is that the rest of album is good too, although it loses a little steam toward the end. "(Get Off Your) High Horse Lady" plods forth with a strutting bass line borrowed from the Old West. Noel shows up for vocal duty again on "Falling Down," the dark and charging track that was offered on iTunes as an early download for buying the album. Ominous piano chords underpin the strong bass and guitar and the downer lyrics ("We live a dying dream...it's all that I've ever known"). Don't let it get you down too much though, as it's really good.

Like the Beatles, whose songwriting was dominated by Lennon and McCartney, the Gallagher brothers continue to outshine their bandmates' efforts. Guitarist Gem Archer offers up "To Be Where There's Life." That it has a bit of Middle Eastern flavor is interesting, but this is not as good as anything to preceded it. I like bassist Andy Bell's "The Nature of Reality" better. No surprise, the bass is really prominent here, giving it a swaggering stomp not unlike "High Horse Lady." Liam's other two songs are buried here near the end, although that's really fine. "Ain't Got Nothin'" is loud, but unremarkable. Better is closing track "Soldier On," which finds Liam's vocals so reverbed as to constitute a self duet.

Until now I've been a pretty casual Oasis fan (this is only my third album from them, after Definitely Maybe and Morning Glory), but this has really piqued my interest in exploring the band further. I'm happy to report that I like Dig Out Your Soul quite a bit.

Best: I'm Outta Time, The Shock of the Lightning, Falling Down, Bag It Up, The Turning, Waiting for the Rapture, The Nature of Reality

Billboard Hot 100, 10/25/2008

1. Womanizer - Britney Spears

Who'd have thought a year ago this would be possible? The year 2007 saw Britney on a dizzying downward spiral, when the once respectable teen pop star had become tabloid fodder of the worst order--flashing her privates, shaving her head, busting up cars, etc. She turned in a bizarrely wooden MTV Music Video Awards performance. She released a dreadful album that produced only mildly interesting singles "Gimme More" and "Piece of Me." The album was called Blackout, a surprisingly honest assessment of the disaster her life had become.

Then an amazing thing happened--Britney cleaned up. She managed to stay out of the tabloids and appears to have taken herself seriously for a moment. Now we have the results: "Womanizer," Britney's first single from her upcoming sixth album Circus. The single is a power pop romp in the same vein as Rihanna's charging "S.O.S.," and gives Britney her first #1 hit since her first single "...Baby One More Time" topped the chart nearly 10 years ago. "Womanizer" also breaks the record set last week by T.I. and Rihanna as it leaps 95 spots from #96 to #1--now the biggest leap to #1 in the Hot 100's history. The single is Britney's 6th top 10 hit. Finally, Ms. Spears appears to be back in form. Check out the steamy (literally) video on YouTube.

2. Whatever You Like - T.I.
3. Live Your Life - T.I. Featuring Rihanna

So T.I.'s not #1 this week, but he shows impressively at #2 and #3, garnering both the sales gainer (for "Whatever You Like") and airplay gainer (for "Live Your Life") awards.

5. Hot N Cold - Katy Perry

Katy Perry slips into the top 5 this week. "Hot N Cold" is #3 at top 40 radio and looking likely to hit #1 there.

9. Miss Independent - Ne-Yo

Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent" climbs into the top 10 at #9 this week, giving him his 8th top 10 hit.

UK Singles Chart, 10/18/2008

1. So What - Pink

Pink holds onto the top spot on the UK singles chart for a second week. As "Lady Marmalade" and "Just Like a Pill" only held #1 for a week each, "So What" now becomes Pink's longest running UK #1.

3. Girls - Sugababes

Fully released now, the Sugababes' "Girls" manages to rise only one spot to land at #3. Like what happened to Oasis last week, this effectively ruins their run of having their album's first single reach #1, a feat achieved by their last four albums--Angels with Dirty Faces' "Freak Like Me," Three's "Hole in the Head," Taller in More Ways' "Push the Button," and Change's "About You Now."

5. Never Miss a Beat - Kaiser Chiefs

Kaiser Chiefs return to the chart with "Never Miss a Beat," the first single from their upcoming third album Off with Their Heads. This falls a bit short of last year's #1 placing of "Ruby," the first single from their last album, Yours Truly Angry Mob; however, at #5 it becomes their second highest charting single to date, just beating out the #6 peak of "Oh My God." Let's hope their new album's successive singles fare batter than those from Angry Mob--none of which (other than Ruby) charted higher than #19.

15. Take Back the City - Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol also returns with a new single, "Take Back the City," this week selling on downloads. Surely this will be in the top 10 next week--but will it be top 5?

16. The Shock of the Lightning - Oasis

Oasis takes a spectacular second week dive from #3 down to #16. Still, they did manage to hit #1 on the albums chart this week with Dig Out Your Soul--all 7 of their albums have hit #1.

Personal Chart, 10/18/2008

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 1 .... Girls - Sugababes (2 wks @ #1)
2 .... 3 .... So What - Pink
3 .... 6 .... Take Back the City - Snow Patrol
4 .... 5 .... Never Miss a Beat - Kaiser Chiefs
5 .... 2 .... Disturbia - Rihanna (2 wks @ #1)
6 .... 8 .... Forgive Me - Leona Lewis
7 .... 9 .... The Promise - Girls Aloud
8 .... 4 .... Changes - Will Young (1 wk @ #1)
9 ... 10 ... Hold N Cold - Katy Perry
10 .. 12 .. The Shock of the Lightning - Oasis

I'm back

I just returned from a wonderful 6 days in London. I hadn't been since my visit as a student in 1998. It was a great week to be in London as the weather was rather decent for October, including a hot and sunny last Sunday. Here were the pop music highlights:

Pink topped the UK singles chart for a second week with "So What." I got to listen to the chart show via FM rather than Web stream, which was a nice change. I was hoping the Sugababes would've been #1 with "Girls." There were advertisements everywhere for their new album Catflights and Spotlights, and the reviews make it sound like it's pretty good. Despite having held out when it released, I finally picked up a copy of their last album, Change.

The Virgin Megastore chain is gone, replace with Zavvi, which is a poor substitute. I was particularly disappointed by the store at Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road, which had been my favorite. When I asked where the singles where, the store clerk told me they'd stopped selling them just 10 days ago. Great. I did pick up Keane's new album, and it's fantastic. I popped over to HMV to get my singles (Leon Jackson, Boyzone, and Madcon).

Madonna announced her divorce from Guy Ritchie, which was big news in London. I have a knack for being in the right place at the right time when it comes to Madonna. I was in London when she met Guy Ritchie, and I was in Los Angeles (across the street in fact) when she gave birth to Rocco at Cedars-Sinai Hospital.

It was fun to be in a bar that played both Sugababes and Girls Aloud while I was there (briefly, as it was not that great a bar). The bar was G-A-Y, which used to be the gay dance night at the London Astoria, but has now moved into its own space on Old Compton Street. I felt a bit old for it, to be honest. Better was the Ku Bar, which used to be on Charing Cross road in a box-like space but has moved to a better multi-level location down a side street in Soho.

Finally, I got to hear the first play of Take That's new single, "Greatest Day," on Radio 1. I'm hoping it's a grower.

Billboard Hot 100, 10/18/2008

The US singles chart is looking more like the UK singles chart this week, with lots of debuts in the upper half of the chart. Lots of exciting movement and milestones this week.

1. Live Your Life - T.I. Featuring Rihanna

First up is T.I. at #1 who is responsible for several notable chart feats this week. First, he scores the biggest leap to #1 in Hot 100 history, rising 79 spots from #80 to #1. Eventually someone will debut at #100 and move to #1, but until then artists keep chipping away at this record. The previous record holder was--drumroll--T.I. himself! He moved 71-1 with his previous #1 hit "Whatever You Like." That single was #1 last week for the 5th non-consecutive week, so T.I. actually replaces himself at #1. This is only the 10th time that's even happened. Interestingly, it's been much more common in the last 15 years, which accounts for all but 2 of the occurrences (which were notably Elvis Presley and The Beatles, full list on Wikipedia).

"Live Your Life" is the third #1 for T.I. and fifth #1 for Rihanna, who has already scored two #1 hits this year with "Take a Bow" and "Disturbia." Fred Bronson points out that Rihanna is also known for her big leaps to #1--all of her previous #1s rose from at least #34 or lower. Rihanna inches ahead of Beyonce and Mariah Carey to become the female artist with the most #1 hits this decade.

5. Let It Rock - Kevin Rudolf Featuring Lil Wayne

Let It Rock climbs 10 spots to #5, becoming this week's sales gainer. This is Lil Wayne's 6th appearance in the top 10 this year.

7. Keeps Gettin' Better - Christina Aguilera.

Christina Aguilera leads the pack of Hot 100 debuts within the top 40 with "Keeps Gettin' Better," the single from her upcoming greatest hits collection. This is Aguilera's 8th top 10 hit. Her last was "Ain't No Other Man," which hit #6 in 2006.

10. Gotta Be Somebody - Nickelback

Also debuting in the top 10 is Nickelback with "Gotta Be Somebody," the first single from their upcoming album Dark Horse, which follows up their massively successful 2005 album All The Right Reasons. This is their 6th top 10 hit, there last being "Rock Star," which hit #6 late in 2007.

17. Light On - David Cook

American Idol winner David Cook debuts at #17 with "Light On." This is the first single from his forthcoming debut album, out this November.

32. Human - The Killers

The fourth debut within the top 40 is from The Killers. "Human" is the first single from their third album Day and Age. This is their third top 10 hit, following "Mr. Brightside," which hit #10, and "When You Were Young," which hit #14.

Personal Chart, 10/11/08

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 3 .... Girls - Sugababes (1 week @ #1)
2 .... 1 .... Disturbia - Rihanna (2 wks @ #1)
3 .... 6 .... So What - Pink
4 .... 2 .... Changes - Will Young (1 wk @ #1)
5 .... 7 .... Never Miss a Beat - Kaiser Chiefs
6 .... 8 .... Take Back This City - Snow Patrol
7 .... 5 .... Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
8 ... 13 ... Forgive Me - Leona Lewis
9 ... 16 ... The Promise - Girls Aloud
10 .. 12 .. Hot N Cold - Katy Perry

Wild Hot 100

Despite my vacation hiatus (which really doesn't start until tomorrow), if I can I'll post about the Hot 100 tonight. This week's chart is wild. At least one chart record was broken (biggest jump ever to #1). More later.

Beyonce's If I Were a Boy

Beyonce has unveiled "If I Were a Boy," the first single from her forthcoming third album, reportedly titled I Am... Check out the single at Myspace Music. I'm surprised it's a ballad, since her first two albums led with upbeat tracks. There's also a second track, an upbeat one, called "Single Ladies Put a Ring on It."

Vacation Hiatus

I'm away on vacation next week, so except for my personal chart that will post Friday, don't expect anything new until next Friday. Cheers.

Boyzone returns

Following in the footsteps of All Saints, Take That, Spice Girls, and New Kids on the Block, Irish boyband Boyzone have reunited to tour and release an updated greatest hits collection. Boyzone was big in the late '90s, and while they never achieved the level of success of Take That or their successor group Westlife, they did hold their own, scoring six UK #1 hits. Their new single, "Love You Anyway," was a top 5 hit over the weekend, and it's pretty decent.



They had a #1 while I was in London, "All that I Need," their third #1 hit and a personal favorite.



Shortly thereafter they scored what would remain their biggest UK hit, "No Matter What," the fourth biggest selling single of 1998. It even cracked the US top 40 airplay chart.



Three of the band members have had some solo success on the charts. Mikey Graham had a #13 hit in 2000, "You're My Angel," and Stephen Gately had three top 40 hits, including #3 hit "New Beginning." Ronan Keating has been far and away the most successful though, scoring 15 top 40 hits including three #1s. He's had several good singles, including "Lovin' Each Day" and "Life Is a Rollercoaster," but my favorite has to be his first solo single, "When You Say Nothing At All," which was featured in the movie Notting Hill.

Britney's Womanizer

At first I didn't like this, but it's growing on me. She seems to be more into it than she was for "Gimme More." Blackout was the definition of a "phoned in" performance.

UK Singles Chart, 10/11/2008

1. So What - Pink

Fall, the season of great chart battles, has definitely arrived. This was a very competitive week, seeing the release of new singles from Pink, Oasis and the return of Boyzone. In the end, Pink is triumphant, scoring her third UK #1, first since "Just Like a Pill," the third single from her second album Missundaztood, hit #1 in September 2002. "So What" is quickly proving to be another career high water mark for the 29 year-old singer, having hit #1 recently also in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It's from her forthcoming fifth album Funhouse, out at the end of the month.

3. The Shock of the Lightning - Oasis

Trailing behind at #3 is British rock band Oasis. During the '90s, they ruled Britain, more or less as heir-apparent to the Beatles, being heavily influenced by the Fab Four, while also honing their own modern sound as head of the Britpop pack. Tomorrow they put out their seventh album, Dig Out Your Soul, which is already garnering positive reviews about them maintaining their "comeback" momentum from 2005's Don't Believe the Truth. "The Shock of the Lightning" delivers a chart shock this week by not hitting #1, and in doing so, becomes the first time that a first single from an Oasis album (other than their very first before they made it big) is not a #1 hit. "Some Might Say," "D'You What I Mean," "Go Let It Out," "The Hindu Times," and "Lyla" all made it to the top.

4. Girls - Sugababes

The Sugababes climb four spots to #4, still selling on downloads in advance of this single's physical release tomorrow. It's a strong contender for #1 next week.

5. Love You Anyway - Boyzone

Following in the footsteps of the tremendously successful comeback of Take That from 2 years ago, Irish boyband Boyzone have now also reunited to give it a go. Theirs is modeled more off the Spice Girls comeback attempt of last year, the reunion being centered around a tour and greatest hits collection. Didn't Boyzone already release a greatest hits collection? Of course, and this collection offers very little new besides this new single recorded for the ocasion. The boys have certainly fared a lot better than the Spice Girls on the singles chart, landing at #5 to maintain their perfect striking record of having every one of their now 17 singles land in the top 5 (Spice Girls saw their perfect record of top 2 hits shattered when "Headlines" peaked at an embarassing #11). While they never quite achieved the level of success of Take That, or their own successors Westlife, they did score a respectable six #1 hits between 1996 and 1999.

14. Angel in the Night - Basshunter

Despite hovering in the 20s on pre-release downloads, the fully released "Angel in the Night" fails to catapult Basshunter into the top 10, making his third single to miss out on the honor.

20. Love Shy (Thinking About You) - Platnum

Dance act Platnum made a name for themselves earlier this year, when they were featured on H Two O's "What's It Gonna Be," which spent 3 weeks at #2 in March. Now they're back with their own single, selling this week on downloads, out in full next week.

39. Kids - MGMT

Finally, a quick mention of MGMT, who score their third UK top 40 with "Kids."

Next week Sugababes will challenge Pink for the top spot, while new singles from Kaiser Chiefs and Platnum hope to land in the top 10.

Album Review: TV on the Radio - Dear Science, (3.5/5)

I think I may be missing the boat on this one. While critics are raving about Dear Science, the third album from New York's TV on the Radio, I'm kind of ho-hum about it. Q Magazine gave it five stars--the only new album they've given that too so far this year--and Metacritic has it at 90. I'm not saying it's bad, but I don't see why it's the album of the year.

Opening track "Halfway Home" gets things off to a good start, layering varied percussion, guitar and synth sounds under the falsetto of lead singer Tunde Adebimpe. The song nicely ups its urgency when it breaks into an electric guitar bridge. "Crying" is less modern, more funky, and features a brass section of sax, trumpet and trombone amongst the keyboard programming. Upbeat "Dancing Choose" has a heavy electronic bass line, more funky horns, and a rap-like vocal delivery.

"Stork & Owl" is mellower and sparser, little more than electronic beats and a stringed orchestra. It's rather plodding though, and the poetic lyrics aren't enough to win me over. It's the own drawback of the first half of the album though. "Golden Age" is a good mix of electronic keyboards and acoustic brass and strings. "Family Tree" is a lovely standout--a tender ballad about a marriage proposal graced by strings and piano keyboards.

"Red Dress" draws a sharp contrast in an instant, profanely denouncing the war. The funky, upbeat track again adds a brass section over the active beats and electric guitar. Hearing the guitar here is particularly nice, as it generally gets buried (or is maybe absent?) in the layered sound mixes. Melancholic "Love Dog" brings back the electronic sounds, with horns and strings breaking through during the first chorus. This is a lovely song--one of the standouts of the second half.

"Shout Me Out" has a prominent, rapid-fire bass line, but is otherwise pretty laid back. I like the beat here and how it changes several times during the electric guitar bridge. Then there's "DLZ"--not sure what that stands for, but it's dark and one of the more electronic sounding songs. "Lover's Day," about an afternoon delight, is too busy for my liking, again throwing in a hefty mix of percussion, vibrating guitars, and brass instruments. ITunes bonus track "Dogs of Light" is worth noting. It's actually one of my favorites--a soulful, laid back ballad performed as a duet between Adebimpe and a female vocalist.

I'm not a devotee of this group. I bought their last album, Return to Cookie Mountain, because Spin named it the best album of 2006, but I didn't care for it. Critics have written that Dear Science is more accessible, and while I certainly like it better too, I'm not willing to shower it with accolades to the degree they are. It's kind of like a funkier Arcade Fire, another band that critics love that I'm not that into. Good, but not wonderful, in my opinion.

Best: Family Tree, Halfway Home, Dancing Choose, Golden Age, Love Dog, Dogs of Light

Personal Chart, 10/4/2008

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 2 .... Disturbia - Rihanna (2 weeks @ #1)
2 .... 1 .... Changes - Will Young (1 wk @ #1)
3 .... 4 .... Girls - Sugababes
4 .... 7 .... Closer - Ne-Yo
5 .... 6 .... Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
6 .... 9 .... So What - Pink
7 ... 10 ... Never Miss a Beat - Kaiser Chiefs
8 ... 19 ... Take Back the City - Snow Patrol
9 .... 8 .... One Step at a Time - Jordin Sparks
10 .. 3 .... The Man Who Can't Be Moved - The Script
11 ... 5 .... Forever - Chris Brown (3 wks @ #1)
12 .. 16 ... Hot N Cold - Katy Perry
13 .. 13 ... The Shock of the Lightning - Oasis
14 .. 14 ... Better in Time - Leona Lewis
15 .. 18 ... Miss Independent - Ne-Yo
16 .. 22 ... The Promise - Girls Aloud
17 .. 20 ... Forgive Me - Leona Lewis
18 .. 17 ... Spotlight - Jennifer Hudson
19 .. 11 .... Viva la Vida - Coldplay (4 wks @ #1)
20 .. 28 ... In This City - Iglu & Hartly
21 .. 26 ... Crush - David Archuleta
22 NEW> You Make It Real - James Morrison
23 .. 37 ... Be the One - The Ting Tings
24 .. 32 ... Granite - Pendulum
25 .. 33 ... Paper Plane - M.I.A.
26 .. 36 ... Green Light - John Legend Featuring Andre 3000
27 .. 39 ... Love Lockdown - Kanye West
28 .. 12 ... Stepping Stone - Duffy
29 .. 30 ... Lies - McFly
30 .. 31 ... Angel - Natasha Bedingfield
31 .. 21 ... Magic - Robin Thicke
32 .. 24 ... I Kissed a Girl - Katy Perry (2 wks @ #1)
33 .. 34 ... It's Over - Jesse McCartney
34 NEW> Human - The Killers
35 .. 40 ... Lovers Are Losing - Keane
36 .. 23 ... Leavin' - Jesse McCartney
37 .. 15 ... Boyfriend - Alphabeat
38 NEW> Don't Believe in Love - Dido
39 .. 27 ... Look at Me (When I Rock Wichoo) - Black Kids
40 NEW> Don't Call This Love - Leon Jackson

Album Review: Will Young - Let It Go (4.5 / 5)

It's a sad truth that painful breakups are the fodder of great music, a point proven yet again by Will Young's fourth album, Let It Go, a brilliant exercise in retro soul-drenched modern pop that is at times uplifting, at time sad, and genuinely affecting. On the upbeat, frequently '70s-esque numbers Will is confident and assured, while on the acoustic guitar and string-laden ballads he is reflective, even sad. The highlights of the album encompass both styles, representing some of his best work yet.

On Let It Go, Young takes a big step forward in bringing his personal life into his work. While he co-wrote a handful of the tracks on each of his first three albums, here he co-writes all but two songs, and even those two seem like they're telling the same story. During the course of writing this album, Will Young broke up with his boyfriend Conor, and the strains of that story echo throughout most of the songs here--the desire to save a failing relationship, the pain of it ending, and finding the strength to move on.

The album opens with its first two singles, current single "Changes" and due-for-release "Grace." Both are good, particularly "Changes," which is propelled along with an assertive piano and synth brass. "Grace" isn't as upbeat, but has a similarly rich production of keyboards, strings, and electric guitar. While good, these tracks are pretty conventional pop compared to the more retro and soulful numbers that follow.

Upbeat "Won't Look Down" gets the full brass section of trombone, trumpet, saxophone and french horn, plus a undercurrent of strings. It's good, but even better tracks follow, like "I Won't Give Up," which has a slight disco feel courtesy of a mix by the Freemasons. Best of the retro pack though goes to "Love," that seamlessly transitions its brass opening through synthesizers to a "Billie Jean"-like synth bass line. Will Young gives Ne-Yo a run for his money in the "next Michael Jackson" race with this. He's also clearly also gunning for the "next George Michael" tag, and makes a good case. Sure they're both British, gay, and sing contemporary soul/pop, but like Michael, Young delivers his songs with conviction. He's maybe not quite as convincing as the former Wham! man, but he's getting closer.

He shines on many of the album's ballads. Often a sore spot for other performers, Will manages to hold my interest on most all of them, which reflect a refreshing variety of styles. "Tell Me the Worst" is pretty contemporary sounding--piano and strings enveloped in a synth-enriched production with soaring choruses and bridge. Acoustic "Let It Go" is better--an amazing beautiful song that opens softly with just Will and an acoustic guitar, with piano and strings coming in later, building appropriately at the end of the second verse. "I have never been afraid of being alone, It's somehow typical of being a man I know," muses Will. It's a statement of denial though, looking back on a broken relationship and deciding to "Let it go." This so deserves to be a single--I hope it's chosen over something more conventional.

My favorite slow song--favorite song period--on this album is "You Don't Know." It benefits from a crystal clear production that makes the sound of the acoustic guitar player's fingers sliding along the strings make that wonderful squeaky noise. Then there's the lush orchestra that sound like it was borrowed from some heartbreaking film. Will sounds great too, especially when he provides his own back up on the line "took my broken bones and put them back together." I think I'm going to cry now.

"Disconnected" is another highlight, a mellow reflection on the turning point where he realizes his relationship isn't working. "Love should be easier, it should be the time of our lives," he says, urging "we gotta talk baby boy, this can't go on." Baby boy? Was that a male pronoun? Yay! Finally, a gay pop artist who doesn't just address the object of his affection with the neutered "you." Imagine that. Wonder how long it will Clay Aiken to record such a song.

There's not a bad moment here. Slower "If Love Equals Nothing" has a warm production and a bit of a swagger. Lavish "Simple Philosophy" is good, although unremarkable next to better, similar songs. "Are You Happy" is another funky number with a strong brass section. Gentle closer "Free My Mind" is a nice reflective ending.

Let It Go is, in short, Will Young's best album yet, and while it may not score him a #1 hit, it will certainly please fans that have followed him and watched him grow since he released his first post (not mentioning the name of the show) single "Evergreen."

Best: You Don't Know, Love, Let It Go, Changes, Disconnected, I Won't Give Up, Tell Me The Worst, Won't Look Down, Grace

Billboard Hot 100, 10/11/2008

1. Whatever You Like - T.I.

T.I. leads a rather boring top 10 this week. He spends a fifth week at the top with "Whatever You Like." There's some shuffling, but no movement in or out of the top 10.

7. Can't Believe It - T-Pain Featuring Lil Wayne
14. Got Money - Lil Wayne Featuring T-Pain
15. Let It Rock - Kevin Rudolph Featuring Lil Wayne
22. Mrs. Officer - Lil Wayne Featuring Bobby Valentino and Kidd Kidd
24. My Life - The Game Featuring Lil Wayne
26. Swagga Like Us - Jay-Z & T.I. Featuring Lil Wayne & Kanye West

Lil Wayne has 6 of the top 40 singles this week, and last week, he actually had 7 ("A Milli" falls out of the top 40 this week). That's a pretty impressive haul.

36. Spotlight - Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson finally cracks into the top 40 this week with "Spotlight," becoming the 18th American Idol contestant to score a top 40 hit. Two other alums are curently in the top 40: David Archuleta at #20 and Jordin Sparks at #21. Hudson remains the only former Idol to have won an Oscar--a distinction I imagine she'll always enjoy.

Oasis on Myspace

MySpace Music is previewing the new Oasis album. Check it out here: http://www.myspace.com/oasis. I'll have to check it out later tonight--before the debate. MySpace Music seems like a pretty cool feature. Lots of full albums are available to listen to, and some part albums. I listened to most of Kanye West's Late Registration over the weekend. They also offer some free downloads.

October New Releases

October is a very promising month of new releases--perhaps the best of the year. Lots of albums coming out that I'm excited about.

October 6
Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul. Oasis's career has been a bit rollercoaster. Lately its been on the up though, so I'm hopeful this, their seventh album, will be really great. Last album, Don't Believe the Truth, gave us the great singles "Lyla," "The Importance of Being Idle," and "Let There Be Love," and this new album has already produced an upbeat first single, "The Shock of the Lightning" and the dark album cut currently offered by iTunes "Falling Down."








Peter Bjorn & John - Seaside Rock. Swedish Indie band that had a hit last year with "Young Folks" offers their fourth album.

Sarah McLachlan – Closer: The Best Of. Sarah McLachlan isn't a major star, but she did have her moment with her 1997 album Surfacing, which included "Adia" and "Angel," both of which are here in a sequentially sequenced album.

Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping.


October 13/14
Keane - Perfect Symmetry. They've been around since just 2004 and already Keane are poised to release their third album. They fell prey a bit to the dreaded sophomore slump for Under the Iron Sea--great album, but not as successful as the band's debut Hopes and Fears, the UK's second best-selling album of 2004. Known for their piano-backed guitarless pop/rock, the first singles from this album, "Spiralling" and "The Lovers Are Losing," already point to a new and exciting direction, heavy with synths and even featuring electric guitar.






Chris Cornell - Scream. Timbaland produced--no joke. First single "Long Gone" is, as expected, a bit reminiscent of OneRepublic's "Apologize" from last year. From Nelly Furtado, to Justin Timberlake, to Madonna, Timbaland is positively the hottest producer in popular music right now, if not this whole decade. Struggling has-beens everywhere are selling their souls to have him produce their next hit, although he doesn't seem to be as good at launching new artists (see Nicole Scherzinger).







Boyzone – Back Again... No Matter What: The Greatest Hits. Boyzone haven't had a hit in years, but since Backstreet Boys, Take That, and New Kids on the Block have reformed, it seems they didn't want to be left out. Sure, this includes new single "Love Me Anyway," but it excludes "So Good" and "Key to My Life." 1999's By Request did the job, and without more new material, this seems unnecessary.


October 20

Kaiser Chiefs - Off with Their Heads. Another band that had a bit of a sophomore slump (although they did hit #1 with "Ruby") is back for album number three. This time they've enlisted hot retro soul producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse) to steer their sound in a new direction. First single "Never Miss a Beat" is a great start. This just got pushed back a week.









Sugababes - Catfights and Spotlights. The 'babes stumbled a bit with their fifth album Change, which scored only one major hit (the #1 "About You Now") and became their first album not to have a fourth single. First single "Girls" is currently #2 on the UK airplay chart, and looks set to enter the top 10 on downloads this week. Buzz is that they turned things around after the disappointment of Change.


High School Musical 3 Soundtrack (10/20) With the Disney gang hitting the big screen for outing #3, this is sure to be one of the best-sellers of the year, considering that HSM1 was the best-selling album in the US for 2006 and HSM2 was #2 for 2007.













October 27/28

Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns. Until 2004, Snow Patrol were a little-known band. Then their third album Final Straw produced a major UK hit, "Run," and then their fourth album Eyes Open, which was the best-selling album in the UK in 2006, produced an even bigger international smash, "Chasing Cars." The album's first single, "Take Back the City," gets its UK radio premiere next week.









Pink - Funhouse. Pink is back with her fifth album. It's first single "So What" finds the singer in her usual punkish pop/rock vein, and already it's a massive hit, debuting in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and the Australian ARIA chart this week. Max Martin, who helmed her last album's two major hits "U + UR Hand" and "Who Knew" produces the track.










John Legend - Evolver. Soulful R&B singer John Legend puts out his third album. Excellent first single "Green Light" finds him teamed with Outkast's Andre 3000, exploring a more modern sound than we've heard from him before. John Legend has been a critics' favorite, but not a mainstream success. "Green Light" could turn that around.










Bloc Party - Intimacy. The British indie band offers their third album. Already available as a download, the CD gets its release in late October with a few bonus tracks. First track "Mercury" sounds a lot like their previous stuff. Reviews are good, but not great.












Celine Dion - My Love: Essential Collection. Celine Dion releases her greatest hits collection, featuring first single "My Love," a slight reworking of the Taking Chances track. North America and Europe get different tracklists--The North American version is mostly chronologically sequenced, which is nice and includes "Where Does My Heart Beat Now," which wasn't on her 1999 hits release. 2 CD versions appear to be pretty comprehensive.

Anastacia - Heavy Rotation. Anastacia had great singles "Left Outside Alone" and "Sick and Tired" in 2004, so it's a bit puzzling why she's waited so long to release a follow-up. First single is "I Can Feel You," which I haven't heard yet.

UK Singles Chart, 10/4/2008

1. Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon stay on top a third week, earning a double crown as they also debut at #1 on the UK albums chart with Only By the Night. They join Duffy, Madonna, and Coldplay, all of whom also scored chart doubles.

3. Disturbia - Rihanna

Rihanna climbs back up to #3, the peak she reached 4 weeks ago. The lack of a physical release may be helping her album Good Girl Gone Bad, which is #2 this week on the albums chart, a distant second behind Kings of Leon. Her album is now the fourth best-selling album of the year in the UK, behind Duffy, Coldplay, and Nickelback.

5. In This City - Iglu & Hartly

Iglu & Hartley make an impressive nine place leap to #5, a bit of a surprise considering the physical CD was released 2 weeks ago.

7. You Make It Real - James Morrison

The new Daniel Powter may have bombed, but James Morrison proves he's got staying power with "You Make It Real," which becomes his third top 10 hit after 2006's "You Give Me Something" and "Wonderful World."

8. Girls - Sugababes

The Sugababes score their 15th top 10 hit this week. "Girls" gets its physical release next week. It's certainly a contender to become the group's 7th #1 hit.

10. There You'll Be (From "Pearl Harbor") - Faith Hill

Faith Hill's love ballad from the 2001 film Pearl Harbor makes a re-entry in the UK top 10 this week. Huh??!!! No, you're not dreaming, but rather witnesses the power X Factor has on the chart. The song was featured by a performer last weekend. Thus a 7 year-old single outsells the newly released...

13. Changes - Will Young

Ouch. Poor Will. The physical release of "Changes," which debuted at #10 on downloads last week, does nothing to improve the single's position, falling three spots this week to #13. He's outsold by a 7 year-old single from Faith Hill no less.

16. Love Lockdown - Kanye West

Kanye West's rather surprising release "Love Lockdown" makes a big debut at #16. It's a download-only release, but I expect it will climb over the next few weeks.

17. Lies - McFly

McFly are known for their big chart drops, and they make no exception with "Lies," down 13 spots from its #4 peak last week.

26. Another Way to Die - Alicia Keys and Jack White

At first I didn't care for the new James Bond them, but "Another Way to Die" is actually growing on me. It's not out in stores for another 2 weeks. The last Bond theme, Chris Cornell's "You Know My Name" from Casino Royale hit #7 in late 2006.

Album Review: Ne-Yo - Year of the Gentleman (4/5)

On Year of the Gentleman, singer/songwriter/producer Ne-Yo declares that he's in a class apart from most of his other male pop/R&B contemporaries. While Usher and Lil Wayne are busy trying to get laid in clubs, acknowledging women as little more than sex objects, Ne-Yo explores a less carnal brand of female admiration.

Take, for example, "Miss Independent," the upbeat Stargate collaboration that finds Ne-Yo interested in a woman not because she needs to depend on him, but because she doesn't. "She got her own thing, that's why I love her" intones Ne-Yo in the synth-based chorus. Certainly we've heard this melodic beats, synths, and harp sound before from Ne-Yo--"Because of You" and "Sexy Love" in particular--but it's never sounded as good as it does here.

"Miss Independent" is just one of several great moments early on. First track "Closer" takes a confident step into dance pop, a genre R&B-leaning pop hasn't seemed comfortable with for years. The song took awhile to catch on in the U.S.--dance pop being a genre that the U.S. public hasn't seemed comfortable with lately either--but now it's a big hit, currently #7 on the Hot 100 and #2 at Top 40 radio. The retro-sounding "Nobody," another winner, finds Ne-Yo doing a very good impression of Michael Jackson.

Polow Da Don creates a good piano and beats production for "Single," currently a hit for New Kids on the Block (featuirng Ne-Yo). This version thankfully does not include the New Kids, and once again Ne-Yo declares the song is "for girls who got their own car, this for girls who got their own crib." "Mad" is the album's first ballad, and, while not a knockout, is a pleasant piano-based number.

Then there's "Why Does She Stay," a slow burner with piano and trippy synths that finds a self-deprecating Ne-Yo questioning why his woman stays with him when he's such a loser. "Most of the time, I'm so damn selfish, I don't even realize she treats me so well." The song's earnestness is the most it has going for it, for I find it rather lacking musically. "Fade into the Background" fulfills its name too much. Other reviewers really like these two songs, but they aren't musically assertive enough for me.

Things pick up again on "So You Can Cry," a lovely little song about consoling a woman who's just broken up with her man. Ne-Yo is the sensitive guy who will "ask the clouds to bring the rain for you today" so she can have a good cry. Even better is "Part of the List," which has a gorgeous, mature production of piano, strings, and acoustic guitar.

"Back to What You Know" is another good Stargate number, this time with a strong dose of acoustic guitar, punched up with piano and synth during the chorus. Ever the gentleman, Ne-Yo implores his girl to go back to her ex, since he can tell she's still in love with him ("I'd rather you happy, than miserable with me"). Perhaps it's the same girl from "Lie to Me," who "crept back in at 6:45," which Ne-Yo tries to believe was just a dream. While I'm not into the ballads in the middle of the album, I do like the album's lush closer, "Stop this World." When the vocals and strings soar during the chorus, it clicks nicely.

Year of the Gentleman is the first Ne-Yo album I've bought, and I was pleasantly surprised that it held up to my expectations. Ne-Yo's not the most amazing singer, but he's a great songwriter, creating melodic and rich backgrounds that showcase his strengths. Not as important on the album, but he can also dress and dance. In short, he's the whole package.

Best: Miss Independent, Closer, Nobody, Part of the List, Stop This World, Back to What You Know.

Rolling Stone/Q best-reviewed albums of the decade

Rolling Stone and Q are my favorite magazines for keeping up with album reviews. Both reserve their top 5-star rating for only those albums they deem "classic." Q is a little more generous than Rolling Stone in this regard, generally giving several albums per year the highest rating, while Rolling Stone gives it to one, maybe two albums per year. Wikipedia has the list of albums Q awarded a 5-star rating, but I haven't seen a list for Rolling Stone. So I did my own going back to 2000. So far, nothing this year has gotten a 5-star rating.

5-star albums, 2000-September 2008

Bruce Springsteen – Magic (2007)
Bob Dylan – Modern Times (2006)
Kanye West – Late Registration (2005)
Damon & Naomi – The Earth Is Blue (2005)**
Brian Wilson – Smile (2004)
Beastie Boys – To the Five Boroughs (2004)
White Stripes – Elephant (2003)
Beck – Sea Change (2002)
Bruce Springsteen – The Rising (2002)
Mick Jagger – Goddess in the Doorway (2001)
Bob Dylan – Love and Theft (2001)

**This one seems a bit strange to me, but I confirmed it on Rolling Stone's Web site.

Also, since 2005, Rolling Stone has awarded a 4.5 rating as well. So far two albums have gotten it this year:

Lil Wayne – Tha Carter III (2008)
Stephen Malkmus – Real Emotional Trash (2008)
Kanye West – Graduation (2007)
M.I.A. – Kala (2007)
TV on the Radio – Return to Cookie Mountain (2006)
Willie Nelson – You Don’t Know Me (2006)
The Rolling Stones – A Bigger Bang (2005)
Bruce Springsteen – Devils & Dust (2005)
White Stripes – Get Behind Me Satan (2005)

New music I love right now

The Promise - Girls Aloud. Girls Aloud's new single is a slam dunk. I've been listening to it at least daily since it hit the Web last week and I still love it. It departs a bit from the intense electro-pop Xenomania has been creating for them lately--a style that reached its apex with "Biology," a song that lacked a traditional verse-chorus-verse structure. "The Promise" is retro, frothy, and delightful. Who doesn't love that last minute key change? A final act key change always makes for a good pop song. It outshines the Sugababes' latest "Girls," which I like also, but isn't their best. Check out the stylish video:



Love Lockdown - Kanye West. This has completely grown on me the last few days. At first I was a bit taken aback by how unusual it is for him, but now I love it. I like that he's singing and does it well, although it has gone through Cher and T-Pain's computer. That little piano bit at the end may be my favorite part.



Granite - Pendulum. At first, until the vocal comes in, this sounds like a space age James Bond theme. Great energy, fun sound effects, and cool horn refrain.



Changes - Will Young. It's unclear whether Will's going to land in the top 10 this weekend, which is a shame--it should be a #1 contender. Still, it's a great song, and I am looking forward to his new album next week.



Never Miss a Beat - Kaiser Chiefs. I love the call-and-response format of the verses and the "My Sharona"-esque guitar. Great new single--much more fun than "Ruby." Their new album comes courtesy of producer Mark Ronson, so my expectations are high.



Miss Independent - Ne-Yo. Ne-Yo + Stargate is a winning combination, and they've put out another winner with "Miss Independent," a song that extols the virtues of a woman's talent rather than her body. How sad that such a thing passes for novel in music these days.



Forgive Me - Leona Lewis. Nice to hear something upbeat from Leona. And nice to hear anything--finally--since "Better in Time," which was released 7 months ago in the UK. I Cant' find the video anymore, but here's the song:



Green Light - John Legend Featuring Andre 3000. I'm intrigued by John Legend lately, and aside from "Save Room," I haven't been a fan as yet. This is really good though.



Don't Believe in Love - Dido. So nice to have Dido back and with a great, understated first single. Dark and lovely just like we like her.



Daddy's Gone - Glasvegas. I recently reviewed their album and really liked it. This, their latest single, is one of my favorite tracks on it.

Personal Chart, 9/27/2008

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 2 .... Changes - Will Young (1 week @ #1)
2 .... 1 .... Disturbia - Rihanna (1 wk @ #1)
3 .... 4 .... The Man Who Can't Be Moved - The Script
4 .... 6 .... Girls - Sugababes
5 .... 3 .... Forever - Chris Brown (3 wks @ #1)
6 ... 12 ... Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
7 .... 7 .... Closer - Ne-Yo
8 ... 10 ... One Step at a Time - Jordin Sparks
9 ... 11 ... So What - Pink
10 .. 14 .. Never Miss a Beat - Kaiser Chiefs

Billboard Hot 100, 10/4/2008

1. Whatever You Like - T.I.

T.I. climbs back up to #1, scoring his fourth nonconsecutive week at #1. Interrupted runs at the top, which were fairly rare in the '90s, have been much more common lately. In addition to T.I., Lil Wayne had two runs at #1 this "Lollipop" and Leona Lewis had three with "Bleeding Love." Last year, Maroon 5's "Makes Me Wonder" and Soulja Boy Tell Em's "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" both had interrupted runs. The best has to be in 2001 though, when Alicia Key's "Fallin" was #1 for 3 weeks, then Jennifer Lopez's "I'm Real" for 3 weeks, then 3 more weeks for "Fallin," and finally 2 more for "I'm Real."

3. Love Lockdown - Kanye West
10. American Boy - Estelle Featuring Kanye West

Kanye West makes an impressive debut at #3 this week with "Lock Lockdown," the first single from his upcoming fourth album 808s and Heartbreak--his first without a college-themed title. This is Kanye's fifth top 10 hit, eighth counting guest appearances, one of which--Estelle's "American Boy"--is #10 this week.

5. Love Story - Taylor Swift

Country sensation Taylor Swift jumps 11 spots to #5 with "Love Story," the first official release from her forthcoming second album Fearless. Swift hit #10 in August with "Change," a special release that will also appear on the album. She is best known for last year's #13 hit "Teardrops on My Guitar," which spent 48 weeks on the Hot 100. Swift earns this week's sales gainer award--not sure why that didn't go to Kanye West.

9. Hot N Cold - Katy Perry

Katy Perry is no one-hit wonder, scoring her second top 10 hit this week with "Hot N Cold," up three spots to #9.

15. Crush - David Archuleta

American Idol runner-up David Archuleta makes an impressive 17-spot leap to #15 this week. "Crush" initially peaked at #2 on its first-week sales and spent the last few weeks in the '30s. Now it's moving back up with combined sales and airplay.

38. All Summer Long - The Rock Heroes

Another remake band cashes in on the lack of iTunes availability for Kid Rock's hit single "All Summer Long." Kid Rock's version hit #23, while the highest-charting version of the song is by The Hit Masters, who peaked at #19.

41-45. Just outside the top 40 are a handful of singles from pretty big names, all, I imagine, hoping to be in the top 40 next week, including Jennifer Hudson, Nelly with Akon and Ashanti, Carrie Underwood, John Legend with Andre 3000, and Savage with Soulja Boy Tell Em.

Album Review: Glasvegas - Glasvegas (4.5 / 5)

Music critics are always on the lookout for the "next BIG thing," and Glasvegas (Glasgow + Las Vegas) have certainly filled more than a few inches of copy on that subject this year. Nine months ago they made the BBC Sounds of 2008 list along with the likes of a number of other newcomers who have since become household names around the world like Duffy, The Tings Tings, and Adele. They may be the last act on that list to put out their debut, and it's worth the wait.

The album opens with "Flowers and Football Tops," building slowly from sustained synth chords and shimmering guitars. At 7 minutes, it's the album's longest track--most are much shorter. The song has a sweeping rock sound reminiscent of U2 and tells a rather tragic domestic story of a family who's 6 year-old boy is murdered. A refrain from the schoolhouse song "You are My Sunshine" is tacked on the end to punch up the melancholy, lest someone not paying attention to the lyrics were to think that is supposed to just be uplifting stadium rock. And if they didn't understand the lyrics, they could be forgiven for there's no question this is a Scottish band--singer James Allan's accent comes through loud and thick.

"Geraldine" must certainly be the most poetic song ever written about a social worker, holding up the profession as providing a troubled youth an "angel on your shoulder." Then there's a seamless transition to "It's My Own Cheating Heart that Makes Me Cry" an epic of self-loathing despair that manages to be just serious enough to make a point but not so over the top that it can't include a playground taunt ("liar liar pants on fire") and a nod to Oasis ("What's the story morning glory"). Besides all that, it's a lovely song to boot, one of the album's best.

"Lonesome Swan" is more upbeat and provides a good showcase for Rab Allan's guitar playing. It also transitions smoothly into "Go Square Go," the story of a young man who must face a bully in a fight, but the real bully may be his father, who told him not to come home until he'd "killed the bastard." "Polmont on My Mind" seems unremarkable at first, until it unleashes its wall of sound at the end, bathing is in the high-reverb guitars, bass guitar, and drums.

"Daddy's Gone" is a clear highlight. It's vaguely sixties sounding and tells the story of a boy whose father has left the family and the kid's not happy about it, lamenting that "all i wanted was a kick-a-bout in the park, for you to race me home when it was nearly getting dark," but now has to settle for seeing his dad only on Saturdays. Closing number "Ice Cream Van" sounds a note of revolution to "bring back the glory days, active citizenship, and pure community...freedom of faith." It's mostly synth organ chords, which build in intensity near the end.

If there's a misstep here, it's "Stabbed," a spoken word piece about wanting to stand up to a knife-wielding gang but running away instead. While certainly a timely topic as any here, it's done over Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. While it may be one of the most beautiful and melancholic pieces of classical piano, appropriating it in this manner feels lazy. Why not write your own piano backing?

The band's earnestness sets it apart from the popular pack of current indie rockers (as does having a female drummer, Caroline McKay). Earlier this year I complained about Vampire Weekend and other such bands singing about nonsense. This album is about as far away from that as is possible, taking much of its inspiration from a host of urban social problems. And even if you can't decipher the song's lyrical meaning (no offense to you lovely Scots, but to us Americans your accent can be a challenge), Glasvegas offers more than enough melody, hooks and rocking guitars to be enjoyed purely as a musical experience. One of the year's most exciting debuts.

Best: Daddy's Gone, It's My Own Cheating Heart that Makes Me Cry, Geraldine, Flowers and Football Tops, Go Square Go, Lonesome Swan

Killers new single "Human" on the air tomorrow

Arjan Writes has posted that The Killers new single "Human" will get its airplay debut on Radio 1 tomorrow. I can't wait to hear it. The band's forthcoming album, Day & Age, will be released at the end of November.

George up to his old tricks

George Michael has once again been arrested for committing a crime in public. This time it was possession of drugs in a public restroom. Oh dear. He once sang about his fondness for doing such things away from his home, perhaps he can't avoid it:

UK Singles Chart, 9/27/2008

1. Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon spend a second week at the top with "Sex on Fire." Kings of Leon are the third American act in a row to top the UK chart, following Katy Perry and Kid Rock. It was just about 2 years ago the last time this happened, when Beyonce ("Deja Vu"), Justin Timberlake ("Sexyback"), and Scissor Sisters ("I Don't Feel Like Dancin'") all hit the top in a row.

4. Lies - McFly

Now fully released, McFly's latest "Lies" zooms up 19 spots to #4. This was a bit unusual, given that McFly singles generally zoom down the chart, not up. Still, at #4 it keeps up their impressive streak of top 10 singles--all 15 of which have gone top 10 and 14 have landed in the top 5 (all but "Ultraviolet"/"Ballad of Paul K" which peaked at #9).

6. Cookie Jar - Gym Class Heroes

Gym Class Heroes climb six spots into the top 10 at #6. Still just shy of giving them their third top 5 hit.

9. Miss Independent - Ne-Yo

With his physical release still 2 weeks away, he's already in the top 10--a good sign this could be a #1 contender. This is Ne-Yo's fifth top 10 hit.

10. Changes - Will Young
(#1 airplay)

The top 10 welcomes back Will Young, who's taken a 2-year chart hiatus following the promotion of his third album, Keep On. "Changes" is a great single from him, and this week lands at #10 on downloads, with the CD single out Monday. "Changes" tops the UK airplay chart this week, Young's third single to do so following "Leave Right Now" and "All Time Love." His new album, Let It Go, is out September 29.

15. Spotlight - Jennifer Hudson

After Kelly Clarkson and Jordin Sparks, Jennifer Hudson becomes the third American Idol alum to score a UK top 40 hit. Although not a series winner like Clarkson and Sparks, Hudson has the advantage of her exposure in the hit films Dreamgirls and Sex and the City.

87. Join With Us - The Feeling

Missing the top 40 for the third time in a row is The Feeling, who's been hit by the sophomore slump particularly hard. They had a good start in "I Thought It Was Over" which hit #9 and topped the airplay chart, but sadly, follow-ups "Without You," "Turn It Up," and now "Join With Us" failed to connect with the record-buying public.

Personal Chart, 9/20/2008

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 2 .... Disturbia - Rihanna (1 week @ #1)
2 .... 4 .... Changes - Will Young
3 .... 1 .... Forever - Chris Brown (3 wks @ #1)
4 .... 5 .... The Man Who Can't Be Moved - The Script
5 .... 3 .... Viva la Vida - Coldplay (4 wks @ #1)
6 .... 9 .... Girls - Sugababes
7 .... 6 .... Closer - Ne-Yo
8 .... 8 .... Boyfriend - Alphabeat
9 .... 7 .... Stepping Stone - Duffy
10 .. 14 ... One Step at a Time - Jordin Sparks

Kanye's Surprise: Love Lockdown

I just went into the iTunes store and was greeted by Kanye West's new single "Love Lockdown." Released today, it is the first single from his forthcoming fourth album, 808 & Heartbreak.

Billboard Hot 100, 10/27/2008

1. So What - P!nk

Pink climbs a notch to #1 scoring her first solo #1 hit and second #1 after her 2001 collaboration "Lady Marmalade" with Christina Aguilera, Mya and Lil Kim. "So What" hits #1 mostly on its sales strength--the single is the Hot 100's sales gainer for the second week, moving about 250,000 copies this week. That's halfway to gold in one week. This is one of two entries in the top 10 this week showcasing the current power of sales in the Hot 100 (more on that at #9). It's amazing to think that just a few years ago the Hot 100 was basically an airplay chart, with singles sales having declined to nearly nothing and the digital market not having taken off yet.

"So What" is produced by Swedish pop music extraordinaire Max Martin. Best-known for making Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys household names in the late '90s, Martin has since turned his attention from euro-influenced teen pop to a more rock-influenced pop sound, having worked recently with Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne, and Bo Bice. I believe this is only the second single to hit #1 produced by Martin after Britney Spear's "...Baby One More Time" in 1999. Other notable hits he produced that didn't hit #1 include "I Want It that Way (Backstreet Boys)," "Since U Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson)," and "That's the Way It Is (Celine Dion)."

4. Paper Plane - M.I.A.

British hip-hop artist M.I.A. continues to climb up one to #4 this week. This song is growing on me.

9. American Boy - Estelle Featuring Kanye West

Speaking of British female artists, another one makes her top 10 debut this week. Estelle climbs an incredible 44 spots to #9, landing her first Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit. The gigantic leap isn't so unexpected if you've been paying attention. A few weeks ago, her record company announced that "American Boy's" parent album Shine would no longer be offered on iTunes, deciding it in Estelle's best interest to sell her album only as a physical CD (Um, where again am I supposed to buy one of those these days?). In a few short weeks, a bulleted single on the verge of entering the top 10 fell from #11 down to #57. Ouch. Clearly the error of this decision was realized by the wise record company, and last week, as if by magic, Shine appeared on iTunes again, with a rather generous banner advertisement. It is no surprise then that "American Boy's" return to the chart is owed by its iTunes sales, another indicator of the current strength of sales in the Hot 100, and in particular, the heavy influence Apple's store plays in todays popular music market.

Before I move on, it's worth nothing that Estelle is the fourth British female artist to score a top 10 hit in the U.S. this year, after Leona Lewis ("Bleeding Love," #1), Natasha Bedingfield ("Pocketful of Sunshine," #5), and M.I.A. at #4 this week. Madonna doesn't count.

8. Can't Believe It - T-Pain featuring Lil Wayne
10. Got Money - Lil Wayne featuring T-Pain

Lil Wayne scores his forth and fifth top 10 hits this week, while T-Pain scores his 10th and 11th. If these singles keep climbing wouldn't it make a great duel for #1? Can't really call it a battle like Kanye West and 50 Cent last year, since no matter what you both win.

21. I Don't Care - Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy has their 6th top 40 hit this week with "I Don't Care," the first single from their forthcoming album. They had a one-off earlier this year--"Beat It" with John Mayer, which hit #19. Their biggest hit was last year's "It's Not a Scene, It's an Arms Race," which spent 2 weeks at #2.

Leona Lewis "Forgive Me"

The video for Leona Lewis's new single, "Forgive Me" is out. Click here to check it out. Just like Mariah Carey did back in 1991 with "Someday," Leona has followed up her two ballad singles with something more upbeat for her debut's third single. This is another great release from her.

Since this is from the American release of Spirit, Leona will of course release a special edition of the album in the UK featuring this and the other new track on the US release "Misses Glass," coming November 17.

Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent"

I've had this song stuck in my head the last 3 days. I love it. Ne-Yo is completely hot right now. He's a good singer, writes great songs, can dance, can dress, and to top it off, seems like a genuinely nice guy, not a jerk. His new album, Year of the Gentleman, is getting great reviews.

Preview Will Young's "Let It Go"

7Digital added Will Young's upcoming album Let It Go for pre-sale today. Check it out here, where you can hear 30 second clips. Some first impressions...

1. Changes. The single we know and love.
2. Grace. Threatens to be Broadway-ish at first but then sounds like a decent string-laden balled.
3. Won't Look Down. Retro, strings, horns, upbeat. sounds good.
4. Tell Me the Worst. Guitar ballad, tender, sounds nice.
5. I Won't Give Up. Retro, horns, upbeat. I think I see a trend. Not a bad one though.
6. Disconnected. '70s-style ballad, quite melodic. Also sounds good.
7. If Love Equals Nothing. Soulful ballad with a horn solo.
8. Love. Ooh...sounds disco-ish, but subdued. Cool.
9. Simple Philosophy. Sounds okay, probably the first sample that hasn't really grabbed me.
10. Let It Go. Strings, piano, acoustic guitar ballad. Nice.
11. Are You Happy. Funky 70s beat, horns, upbeat. Another winner.
12. You Don't Know. Piano, strings, and guitar ballad. Sounds like its really pretty.
13. Free Your Mind. Guitar, very slow. Hard to tell from a sample if this is a good one.

This is very very promising. Maybe his best yet? I'll have to hear the whole thing to be sure, but I'm even more excited now.

Girls Aloud "The Promise"

Girls Aloud's new single, "The Promise," got its first play on Radio 1 this afternoon. Someone made a rip for YouTube so we, who tuned out after the Chart Show, can listen:



What do you think? Not quite as Hi-NRG as we're used to from them. I think I like it though. A lot. They haven't had a #1 hit for awhile--maybe this could correct that?