UK Singles Chart, 11/29/2008

1. If I Were a Boy - Beyoncé

Beyoncé knocks The X Factor finalists from #1, ending their 3-week run at the top. "If I Were a Boy" is her fourth UK #1, following "Crazy in Love," "Deja Vu," and last year's "Beautiful Liar." She's lucky to be #1 actually. First, it looked like Leona Lewis was going to release "Run" as a digital single, which surely would have topped the chart this week, but in apparent move to push the album, the record company withheld the digital single until December 1 (save for a 1-day snafu where it was for sale on 7Digital music stores, a lucky break for the vigilant). Second, Beyoncé's new album, I Am...Sasha Fierce, performed quite poorly on the UK albums chart, debuting at a measly #10, beat by Leona Lewis's special edition of Spirit at #1 (purchased by those who couldn't wait to download "Run"), Dido's first album in 5 years at #2, Nickelback's latest at #4, and another Simply Red hits collection at #9.

3. Human - The Killers

The Killers rise a spot to #3 with "Human." The album, Day & Age, is out tomorrow. This now ties "Somebody Told Me" as their second-highest charting single.

5. Hot N Cold - Katy Perry

Katy Perry reaches a new peak with "Hot N Cold," the physical release for which is out tomorrow. Last week, I commented on how tomorrow is a very crowded day for new singles in the UK. Despite this charting second highest of those singles out tomorrow (behind T.I. and Rihanna at #4), I think it will be lucky to be in the top 5 next Sunday. Regardless, next week we should see a lot of turnover in the top 10.

9. Womanizer - Britney Spears

Perry's got a better shot of being in the top 5 than Britney Spears, who falls further this week after an initial debut at #4.

15. Rain on Your Parade - Duffy

I would have thought this would have been a bigger hit. Duffy was one of the year's biggest new artists, having scored until recently the year's biggest hit with "Mercy" and a strong follow-up "Warwick Avenue," which hit #3. This song is not available on Rockferry, which I would have thought would have made it must have for the many that have bought the album. Apparently, it's not the case. To be honest, and I'm speaking as a Duffy fan, it's pretty good but not wonderful. It's rumored the song was recorded as a potential Bond theme, but was rejected in favor of "Another Way to Die."

20. Gotta Be Somebody - Nickelback

Nickelback return after a short stay away from the chart with the first single from their new album. They had a major hit earlier this year with "Rock Star"; the #2 hit is the UK's third best-selling single so far this year. This is the band's 9th top 40 in the UK. Interestingly, they've also had 9 top 40 hits in the US, but only 6 of those are common to both countries' charts.

21. Let Your Love Flow - Bellamy Brothers

The Bellamy Brothers novelty continues to grow in strength as the single climbs 7 spots this week to #21.

28. Run - Snow Patrol

So the inability to buy Leona Lewis's "Run" this week sent fans in search in other versions of the song. Many found the original Snow Patrol version. The single was the band's breakthrough hit in 2004, hitting #5. It was the band's first of five top 10 hits and still their second-highest charting single after "Signal Fire" (#4 in 2007). There's also a copycat version of "Run" at #54 by Ameritz, which proudly proclaims to be "in the style of Leona Lewis." While this may signal a missed opportunity for the label, it's hard to argue that point when Spirit, a year-old album, is back at #1 this week.

29. Dream On - Christian Falk Featuring Robyn

Robyn's revived career continues to produce hit singles. This time its her collaboration with Christian Falk. Falk originally released this with vocals from another Swedish singer, Ola Salo. The Robyn version first showed up on the US and UK special edition releases of Robyn. It's the singer's 8th UK top 40 hit, the biggest of which was last year's #1 "With Every Heartbeat."

45. All I Want for Christmas is You - Mariah Carey

It's that time of year again. Anyone want to bet on how high it will go this year? It was #2 the year it was released in 1994. Last year it hit #4.

So next weekend--who will be #1? (Probably Take That) Who will be be in the top 10? Who will flop? New singles out tomorrow from Akon (Right Now), Alphabeat (What Is Happening), Bob The Builder (Big Fish Little Fish), Britney Spears (Womanizer), Chris Brown and Keri Hilson (Superhuman), Katy Perry (Hot N Cold), Madonna (Miles Away), McFly (Do Ya/Stay With Me, this year's Children in Need single), N-Dubz (Papa Can U Hear Me), Pussycat Dolls (I Hate This Part), Same Difference (We R One), Solange (Sandcastle Disco), Take That (Greatest Day), and T.I. and Rihanna (Live Your Life). Next weekend's chart should be really really exciting.

Album Review: Pink - Funhouse (4.5 / 5)

"So What," the first single from Pink's new album Funhouse may start with a playground rant (na na na na) and continue with her propensity to namecheck celebs she doesn't like (this time its a table-stealing Jessica Simpson), but those antics are a foil for the darker side Pink sometimes unveils throughout this 12-song set that chronicles her recent divorce from Carey Hart. "So What" is fun and upbeat--a typically great pop/rock track from pink in the "U + Ur Hand" vein. It shows Pink trying to cover the pain of the breakup by bolding declaring "so what, i'm still a rock star, i got my rock moves, and i don't need you."

That tune quickly changes through the questioning "Sober," another awesome track, upbeat but with a somber strings arrangement. Following that, the realization of the pain breaks through on the most lovely ballad Pink has ever recorded, "I Don't Believe You." It's a tender, vulnerable piece with a lush backing of guitar and strings. These opening three songs capture perfectly why Pink is such a great and under appreciated pop artist. "So What" has her in "don't mess with me" rock mode, "Sober" is the more reflective Pink, and "I Don't Believe You" reveals her damaged inner self. All three would make great singles ("So What" has already become Pink's first song to top both the US and UK singles charts since her "Lady Marmalade" collaboration.)

"One Foot Wrong" is a dark rocker that explores paranoia from a bad choice (perhaps a bad drug experience?). "Please Don't Leave Me," is a good mid-tempo guitar pop number--like "Since U Been Gone" but with not quite as killer a chorus. Like "So What" and "I Don't Believe You," it's produced by Swedish superproducer Max Martin, who along with Billy Mann and Butch Walker helm most of the songs here. In a Pink first, she's used the same collaborators as she did last time on I'm Not Dead, her "comeback," after the relative flop of her third album Try This!

"Bad Influence" is a stomping track with a party strut that takes a break from the divorce story line to booze it up with friends. The story returns on "Funhouse," another upbeat romp that uses the carnival funhouse as a metaphor for her doomed relationship--"this used to be my funhouse, but now it's full of evil clowns." It's the most uptempo song of the album's second half, which is surprisingly heavy with ballads. Folksy "Crystal Ball" is the first of them, a stripped down "this is your life" kind of song with just acoustic guitar and vocals, including backing vocals by the song's producer, Billy Mann. Then there's "It's All Your Fault," which picks up tempo dramatically about halfway through for a rock out ending. Last track, "Glitter in the Air," is also kind of folksy, a piano ballad providing a bittersweet climax to the album. It tries to be poignant ending, but doesn't quite achieve that.

Countrified "Mean" is probably the highlight of the second half. The piano and guitar swagger of the song suits Pink well. Plus divorce is a subject that fits country well (ask a country fan, they will agree). Beyonce's new album contains a track called "Ave Maria" inspired by the classic aria; no such inspiration for Pink's "Ave Mary A," a curious track that starts out with a dark guitar and piano melody and then pumps up the rock guitars for the chorus.

I didn't buy Funhouse the week it came out, thinking I'd prefer the Snow Patrol and Girls Aloud albums more. Boy was I wrong, and I'm glad my partner surprised me with it last weekend. Funhouse is probably Pink's best album to date; it's certainly her most consistent--there isn't a bad track here, and several should serve adequately to continue her current streak of hit singles.

Best: So What, Sober, I Don't Believe You, Mean, Bad Influence, Please Don't Leave Me

Sugababes find a new use for hot men

Thinking of redecorating this winter but bored with Crate & Barrel? Try half-naked, hard-bodied men as furniture a la the Sugababes in their new video for "No Can Do."

Same Difference covers High School Musical

How fun is it that one of the tracks from the forthcoming Same Difference debut album, Pop, is a cover of "Breaking Free" from High School Musical? Fantastic! Here they are performing it on The X Factor last year:



Here's Troy and Gabriella doing the original:

Personal Chart, 11/22/2008

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 1 .... Hot N Cold - Katy Perry (2 wks @ #1)
2 .... 6 .... If I Were a Boy - Beyonce
3 .... 3 .... Human - The Killers
4 .... 5 .... Rain on Your Parade - Duffy
5 .... 9 .... The Boy Does Nothing - Alesha Dixon
6 .... 2 .... The Promise - Girls Aloud (2 wks @ #1)
7 .... 4 .... Forgive Me - Leona Lewis
8 .... 8 ... Womanizer - Britney Spears
9 ... 11 ... Greatest Day - Take That
10 .. 10 .. Miss Independent - Ne-Yo

Billboard Hot 100, 11/29/2008

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

T.I.'s "Live Your Life" rules the roost for a fourth week. That gives T.I. 11 weeks at #1 this year, edging him ahead of Flo Rida to be the artist who's spent the most time at #1 in 2008. "Whatever You Like" holds at #2 for a 4th week. T.I.'s held the top 2 spots with the same two songs for 5 consecutive weeks now. Few artists have achieved this feat. Ashanti did it (sort of) in 2002 with "Foolish" and her appearance on Fat Joe's "What's Luv," which held #1 and #2 respectively for 5 consecutive weeks. Before that, the Bee Gees did in in 1978 with "Night Fever" and "Stayin' Alive," both of which were #1s. The unbroken record for most consecutive weeks with the top 2 hits was set in 1964 by The Beatles with "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You," which held the top 2 spots for 6 consecutive weeks. Just like with T.I. and the Bee Gees, both singles had a turn at #1.

3. If I Were a Boy - Beyonce

That Beatles record is looking pretty solid though as Beyonce rebounds up two spots to #3 with "If I Were a Boy," this week's Sales Gainer. With heavy promotion this week for her new album I Am...Sasha Fierce (great album by the way), she may break through the T.I. roadblock into the top 2 next week.

13. White Horse - Taylor Swift

It's getting a bit rediculous with these Taylor Swift singles. With her album out this week, she managed to get 6 hot 100 debuts this week. Probably people who bought the singles cherry picking the rest of the tracks. Here's how singles and tracks from Fearless have charted:

1. "Love Story" #5
2. "Fearless" #9
3. "Change" #10
4. "You're Not Sorry" #11
5. "You Belong with Me" #12
6. "White Horse" #13
7. "Forever and Always" #49
8. "The Way I Loved You #72
9. "Fifteen" #79
10. "Breathe" #87
11. "Hey Stephen" #94

The album's remaining two tracks are "bubbling under" this week. So far then she's had six top 40 hits from the album--amazing how 5 of them cluster from 9 to 13 peaking in each position. That officially gives her the most Hot 100 hits from any album ever. I'm assuming the previous record was the High School Musical soundtrack, which had nine Hot 100 hits.

28. Single Ladies - Beyonce

Beyonce's other single, "Single Ladies" is up 11 this week, and the airplay gainer.

34. Chinese Democracy - Guns N Roses

Guns N Roses score their first top 40 hit since "November Rain" in 1992, which hit #3. This is the band's 9th top 40 hit.

35. If Today Was Your Last Day - Nickelback

And Nickelback score their 9th top 40 hit since I woke up this morning (at least it feels that way). Actually this really is the band's 9th top 40 hit. What took Guns N Roses 20 years though has taken Nickelback just 7.

7Digital offering "Run" today

For those of you who'd like to buy Leona Lewis's new single "Run" but don't want to shell out for the whole Spirit (especially if you already bought it) and don't want to wait until iTunes puts it out Dec. 1, check this out.

Update: This is gone now. Must have been a mistake, as now it's available only as a pre-order with a Dec. 1 release.

"Run" delayed

So I got all excited over the last 2 days about Leona Lewis's new single "Run." Come to find out, it isn't actually being released today...not until December 1. Apparently the record company is only selling physical copies of the Spirit Deluxe Edition until then. Boo.

Will Young's "Grace" Video

Here's Will Young's new video, where he plays an equestrian. Perhaps inspired by the recent interest in Equus?

UK Singles Chart, 11/22/2008

1. Hero - The X Factor Finalists

It's a third week at #1 for The X Factor brood, now officially the biggest selling single of the year, surpassing Duffy's "Mercy." A fourth week at #1 is a possibility, although they may be potentially unseated by another X Factor-related product. More on that in a bit at #10.

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

T.I. and Rihanna shoot up 37 spots to land at #2. While this may look like the sort of meteoric rise associated with first week sales from a physical release, this is still selling on early downloads, as the CD single isn't out until Nov. 24. This is a dramatically better showing than his last single, "Whatever You Like," which hit #47 last month. Both singles have recently been #1 in the US ("Live Your Life" is still). This is Rihanna's fourth appearance in the top 10 this year.

4. Human - The Killers

The Killers have this week's highest debut at #4 with "Human," the first single from their new album Day and Age that is out in 2 weeks. This is the band's fourth top 10 hit, the biggest being the first single from their last album, "When You Were Young," which hit #2.

5. The Boy Does Nothing - Alesha Dixon

Alesha Dixon rises three spots to just scrape into the top 5 with her mambo-inspired "The Boy Does Nothing." During the midweeks, this wasn't in the top 5--first it was Girls Aloud, then Katy Perry, so it's nice that come the weekend it pulled itself up. Great song.

10. Forgive Me - Leona Lewis

Second week on the chart and Leona Lewis's "Forgive Me" dives to #10. For those fearing Miss Lewis won't be around the chart this holiday season, never fear--for she already has a new single waiting in the wings. In fact, her newly recorded studio version of Snow Patrol's "Run" is out as a digital single tomorrow, and reportedly will get a physical release in December. Her performance of the song on The X Factor Saturday is sure to generate interest. It would be a really cool thing to see "Run" become a massive hit and unseat "Hero" next week. It's a long shot, but it could happen.

14. If She Knew - Lemar

Lemar, the former Face Academy contestant (yes, that other UK reality series that never had as much cache as Pop Idol or X Factor) misses the top 10 with "If She Knew," the first single from his fourth album. Frankly, the song is just okay, certainly no "If There's Any Justice" or even "It's Not That Easy," his last top 10 hit.

22. Rain on Your Parade - Duffy

Duffy's fourth top 40 hit debuts just one notch short of where her last single, "Stepping Stone," peaked. I'm hopeful this will be top 10 (top 5?) next weekend after it arrives in shops tomorrow.

24. Breakeven - The Script

After scoring a massive hit late in the summer with "The Man Who Can't Be Moved," the Script fail to make lightning strike twice with that single's follow-up, which rises 10 spots to #24 this week upon its physical release.

27. Chinese Democracy - Guns N Roses

It's been 13 years since Guns N Roses appeared on the UK singles chart. Their last was #9 single "Sympathy for the Devil" in 1995. They are now, after fits and starts, officially back, with their first album in 15 years, Chinese Democracy, finally getting a release later this month. This is the band's 17th UK top 40 hit. They've never had a #1, but they have had 12 top 10 hits including "Sweet Child O Mine" (#6), "You Could Be Mine" (#3), "November Rain" (#4), and "Knocking on Heaven's Door" (#2).

The most competitive chart week of the year in the UK?

November 24th is shaping up to be a highly competitive week for the UK singles chart--perhaps the most competitive of the year. Physical singles from a number of big-name acts are set for that date, which will compete for spots in the top 10 with the likes of the X Factor "Hero" single that is currently #1, Duffy's "Rain on Your Parade" (out Nov. 17), and Beyonce's "If I Were a Boy" (out Nov. 10). Here's my take on their prospects:

Take That - "Greatest Day" (#1). Take That's first new single in a year should easily be #1 on the Nov. 30 chart. It's highly anticipated, already getting massive airplay and is a pretty good song. Plus their recent track record has been very strong with two huge #1s ("Patience" and "Shine") and a #2 ("Rule the World") that was still one of last year's five best-selling singles.

T.I. Featuring Rihanna - "Live Your Life" (#2). With Take That an easy call for #1, #2 becomes very competitive. I'm giving the edge to T.I. and Rihanna, who on downloads are already #2. Still, the next three could be strong contenders too.

McFly - "Do Ya/Stay With Me" (#3). It's the Children in Need charity single, which generally does well and McFly's never landed outside the top 10. "Do Ya" is available now, but "Stay With Me" won't come out until the 24th, raising the bar for this to do better.

Britney Spears - "Womanizer" (#4). So I expect "Womanizer" will land at #4, just below where "Gimme More" came in at about a year ago.

Katy Perry - "Hot N Cold" (#5). Katy Perry's hot, but not as hot as Take That or T.I. & Rihanna. Still, this could conceivably even beat Britney's "Womanizer." This assumes though that these five singles will push down a cooled off X Factor Finalists's "Hero," which could still be a top 5 contender 2 weeks from now.

Akon - Right Now "Na Na Na" (Top 10).
The Pussycat Dolls - I Hate This Part" (Top 10). Both these singles are getting a fair amount of pre-release download sales. Normally, I'd say they could be top 5, but given the competition, I expect they'll have to settle for top 10.

Same Difference - "We R One" (Top 15). This one is a bit of a wild card, since they are a new act. I'm going to say "top 15," since lately new pop act's first singles seem to do just okay, with later singles charting higher (I'm thinking of The Saturdays and The Script, and to a lesser extent Duffy and Adele, who's first singles were not major hits, but also weren't promoted to be so).

Madonna - "Miles Away" (Top 20). I think Madonna is going to end up being a casualty. "Miles Away" is the third single, and the chart drop-off effect of subsequent singles has been pretty pronounced lately (except for Rihanna). "Give It 2 Me" only managed #7, and that was during the summer when the chart wasn't nearly as competitive as it is currently.

Alphabeat - "What Is Happening" (Top 30). It's their fourth single and the last two landed outside the top 10. No chance for them at this point, despite another good song.

Bob the Builder - "Big Fish Little Fish" (???). An even bigger wild card than Same Difference is the new Bob the Builder single. The children's TV show character had two big hits early this decade: 2000's best-selling single "Can We Fix It" and in 2001 a #1 remake of "Mambo No. 5." Does he still have the cache to score a major hit today? We shall see.

Leona Lewis studio version of "Run"

It was just over a year ago I posted Leona Lewis's Radio 1 Live Lounge version of Snow Patrol's "Run." FizzyPop! has posted the new studio version that will appear on the UK special edition of Spirit released next week, along with the tracks recorded for the US release, "Forgive Me" and "Misses Glass." It's really quite stunning--definitely worthy of being a future single.

Christina Aguilera - Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits

Christina Aguilera's greatest hits collection, Keeps Gettin' Better, arrived in stores this week. While I'm not a die-hard Aguilera fan, I've generally liked what she's done. Despite having put out only three albums (Britney, by comparison will soon release her sixth), she's amassed enough hit singles to make this collection well timed.

What I find irritating about this release though is the extent to which her American fans are being given the shaft. In the US, this is only available at Target, and the US release does not include three key tracks the UK version does: her #1 hit Moulin Rouge collaboration, "Lady Marmalade," her Ricky Martin duet "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely," and her Stripped ballad "The Voice Within." The "Lady Marmalade" ommission is shocking, and the "Nobody Wants to be Lonely" ommission is disappointing, considering that it didn't appear on an Aguilera album nor the original release of Ricky Martin's Sound Loaded. Their inclusion may have made this an attractive package to a fan who already has her albums, but without them, you're just paying $14 for the four new tracks.

And speaking of those four new tracks, I'm not convinced the apparent new direction they point to is a good one. "Keeps Gettin' Better" is decent, but could have been better. The Goldfrapp-ish electropop sound is welcome but undercooked. The mix throughout the song is too even, never allowing the song to really "pop" as it should. "Dynamite" has a better mix, but lacks a good hook. The other two songs are electro remakes of her two biggest hits. "Genie 2.0" features a dark synth melody, but why not give us a new song with it? "You Are What You Are" is a space-age remake of "Beautiful." It's rather flat-sounding compared to the original, and she just sounds bored. Sure, Aguilera's been criticised for excessive melisma in the past, but becoming a robot is not a good solution to that problem. If this is the direction her upcoming fourth album will take, then count me out.

Album Review: Beyoncé - I Am ... Sasha Fierce (4.5 / 5)

This decade has seen the emergence of two major pop singers--a man and a woman--who used to front pop groups. The man is Justin Timberlake, who, since departing 'NSYNC, has had two massive albums and multiple #1 hits. The woman is Beyoncé, who since stepping out from Destiny's Child has had similar international success, hitting #1 in multiple countries with songs like "Crazy in Love," "Irreplaceable" and "Beautiful Liar."

Despite these massive hits, when looking back at Beyoncé's albums, they aren't as strong as you'd think they would be. The 2003 debut, Dangerously in Love, opened with several great upbeat tracks and then quickly slumped into ballads for the rest of the album. While "Be With You" and "Me, Myself and I" were pretty decent, most of the rest were a disappointment. B'Day, by comparison, only had a couple of ballads, one of which, "Irreplaceable," was a real gem. While overall a better album than her first, its formula of beat-heavy, retro-inspired ditties was a mixed bag of great treats ("Get Me Bodied, "Deja Vu," "Green Light") and those that were too thin musically ("Upgrade U," "Ring the Alarm").

With her third album, I Am...Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé tries to further her credentials as a diverse pop artist at home on formats from edgy R&B to traditional adult contemporary. It's an ambitious two-disc set, the first a set of pop ballads and the second consisting of more upbeat R&B/pop. As such, it merges the styles of her previous two albums, and here's the good news: both manage to succeed in ways I was concerned they would not.

Let's start with the first disc. Since I was largely dissatisfied with the ballads of Dangerously in Love, the prospect of sitting through a whole disc of them was daunting. I couldn't have been more wrong though. It's refreshing to see how much Beyoncé's grown as a ballads artist as they are the best songs here. Torchy "If I Were a Boy" is a strong opener, its gentle guitar-backed verses breaking forth with its powerful choruses. It's a call to men to treat their women better through the guise of Beyoncé proclaiming that if she were a boy, she would know how to treat her woman better.

Besides "If I Were a Boy," there are lots of other highlights on the first disc. "Disappear" is a wonderfully understated song, one of several that show Beyoncé understands (unlike some of her peers) that a ballad doesn't have to be belted out at full force to be an effective song. "Broken-Hearted Girl" sounds as obviously destined for radio as "...Boy," backed by a lovely melody of tender strings and plodding piano chords. "Ave Maria" is stunning, inspired by the classic aria of its moniker. "Satellites" is gentle, graced lightly by acoustic guitar and low strings.

One of the best aspects of these songs is how well they showcase the degree to which Beyoncé has grown as a singer. She sounds as good belting out "If I Were a Boy" as she does on the lightly breathy "Disappear," the soaring "Ave Maria," and the restrained "Satellites." Any critic who's previously asserted that her pipes aren't up to the task are proven wrong here. The only drawback of this disc is "Halo." Penned by Ryan Tedder ("Bleeding Love," "Apologize"), its attempt at an epic sound contrasts too harshly with the other, gentler tracks, making it come off as overly bombastic.

"Ave Maria" isn't actually a recording of the classic aria, but a piano-driven pop song inspired by it. It's actually pretty good too. And I don't think Beyonce has sounded as good on a ballad as she does on "Satellites," which also shows a restrained touch with an unusual arrangement of synths and acoustic guitar. This sounds like something from the '70s.

The Ryan Tedder-penned "Halo," however, is a disappointment--too bombastic. It's interesting hearing Beyonce put so much emphasis on ballads this time--giving them their own disc. In the past, they've been her weakest songs, especially on Dangerously in Love, although she made headway last time with "Irreplaceable."

Disc two begins with the delightfully frothy "Single Ladies (Put Your Ring On It)." It's hand-clap beats and quick-fire approach are reminiscent of B'Day's "Get Me Bodied," but with modern synth effects. It's a good beginning to the upbeat set that, while less consistently good as the first disc, explores a satisfying range of sounds. "Radio" is a charging swirl of beats, deep synth lines and electronic effects. "Sweet Dreams" is underpinned with a deep, very '80s synth groove.

Less satisfying is "Diva," Beyoncé's bid to be a hip-hop artist. She alternately sings and raps, mostly just saying over and over that "A diva is a female version of the hustler." Thanks for the insight B. Telecommunications has always been a special subject for Beyoncé (remember when Destiny's Child sang about canceling their MCI long distance service in "Bug a Boo?"), and she stays current with "Videophone," where's she's subjected to being taped by someone's cell phone. She coos about the event over a tuneless beat arrangement.

The standard version of this album is 11 tracks, but an expanded 16-track edition is also available. While I generally subscribe to the less-is-more philosophy, the additional songs are generally as good as the others, and in the case of the second disc, round the set out rather well. Of the two additional songs on the first disc, "Smash Into You" is the better of the two. While I like the guitar sound of "That's Why They're Beautiful," the song never takes off like it seems it should. Disc two's extras include old school- flavored "Ego," an engaging blend of horns and harmonized vocals and mid-tempo "Scared of Lonely," both of which give the "Sasha" half of this album greater depth than the party-minded songs that precede them. "Hello," however, suffers from an identity crisis as it mixes a sweet piano and strings melody with fast beats and lyrics, creating a disjointed tempo.

Despite the fact that having the songs separated into the slow and fast buckets allowed me to evaluate Beyoncé's growth in both modes, I think this album would have been stronger had she mixed them together into one cohesive package and jettisonned the weaker tracks. And the gimmicky "Beyoncé" vs. "Sasha Fierce" persona division is really pointless, as Beyoncé has always been a rather private star, so the first disc isn't revealing in the manner its been purported to be, and Beyoncé's never hidden by a personal before when she's churned out stompers like "Crazy in Love" or "Deja Vu." As a marketing gimmick, it isn't needed in this era of download sales where most people listening to this will have all the songs in one playlist anyway. Overall though this is a really strong album that succeeds in showing off Beyoncé as a multi-faceted pop act.

Best: If I Were a Boy, Ave Maria, Disappear, Satellites, Broken-Hearted Girl, Single Ladies, EGO, Radio, Smash Into You, Sweet Dreams

Billboard Hot 100, 11/22/2008

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

T.I. spends a third week at #1 with "Live Your Life." This is the artist's 10th week atop the Hot 100 this year, tying Flo Rida's 10 weeks at #1 early in the year with "Low." One more week and he'll be the longest running #1 artist of the year. That honor for the last few years fell to:

2007: 7 weeks (tie), Rihanna and Soula Boy Tell 'Em
2006: 10 weeks, Justin Timberlake
2005: 15 weeks, Mariah Carey
2004: 28 weeks, Usher
2003: 17 weeks, Beyoncé
2002: 17 weeks, Nelly
2001: 7 weeks, Janet Jackson
2000: 12 weeks, Santana
1999: 10 weeks, Santana
1998: 18 weeks, Monica

4. Heartless - Kanye West
13. Love Lockdown - Kanye West

Kanye West's second single from his upcoming 808s and Heartbreak makes a surprisingly big debut at #4. His last single, "Love Lockdown" made its debut very high too at #3, but that was the first single and it had much more airplay support. That single is actually this week's sales gainer, moving up one spot to #13 this week. This is West's 9th top 10 hit. Needless to say, anticipation for the new album is quite high.

12. You Belong to Me - Taylor Swift
14. Love Story - Taylor Swift

Another week another Taylor Swift single. Isn't it time for this album to come out yet? Fearless has now charted five top 40 singles, only one of which, "Love Story," has had radio support, making it the "official" single. That single is up 2 spots to #14 this week.

21. Just Dance - Lady Ga Ga Featuring Colby O'Donis

"Just Dance" was a #1 hit in Canada earlier this year, and it has finally found an audience in the US, rising 6 places to #21 this week.

39. Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) - Beyoncé

Beyoncé's other single, "Single Ladies"--the one promoted to R&B radio, as opposed to "If I Were a Boy," which is the top 40 hit--makes its top 40 debut at #39. This is Beyoncé's 14th top 40 hit.

Personal Chart, 11/15/2008

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 3 .... Hot N Cold - Katy Perry (1 wk @ #1)
2 .... 1 .... The Promise - Girls Aloud (2 wks @ #1)
3 .... 5 .... Human - The Killers
4 .... 4 .... Forgive Me - Leona Lewis
5 ... 13 .... Rain on Your Parade - Duffy
6 ... 12 .... If I Were a Boy - Beyonce
7 .... 2 .... So What - Pink (1 wk @ #1)
8 .... 9 .... Womanizer - Britney Spears
9 ... 37 .... The Boy Does Nothing - Alesha Dixon
10 .. 10 ... Miss Independent - Ne-Yo

MySpace previews new Beyoncé album

MySpace Music has the entire new Beyoncé album, I Am...Sasha Fierce available for free preview. Aside from the dual personality gimmick (which I think is really stupid--Beyoncé didn't have to pretend to be someone else to sing "Crazy in Love"), the album is good--perhaps her best yet. My first thoughts about it:

Slow disc: Overall, very good, and definitely more a pop than R&B sound.
Good: If I Were a Boy (fantastic), Disappear (refreshingly restrained), Broken-Hearted Girl (obvious future single), Ave Maria (gorgeous), Satellites (also a nice gentle touch), Smash Into You.
Skip: Halo (too bombastic), That's Why You're Beautiful (odd).

Upbeat disc: This is more R&B leaning, mining the current beat and electro trends with some retro stuff too. As such it's good, but I'm partial to the slower first disc, surprisingly.
Good: Single Ladies (like something from B'day but with video game sound effects), Radio (sound effects rich and made for its moniker), Sweet Dreams (cool '80s vibe from deep synths), Ego (playful and old school). Scared of Lonely (cool synth melody).
Okay: Hello (big sound, but quotes Jerry Maguire)
Skip: Diva (annoying and tuneless), Video Phone (same gripe).

I'll do a proper review soon.

Album Review: Girls Aloud - Out of Control (4/5)

Seemingly disposable pop acts rarely make it this far. Even the greats of the last 10 years really only had a few good years in them each. Spice Girls, Steps, Blue, Atomic Kitten and All Saints quit after 3 albums; S Club 7 after 4. Only Sugababes--with their 6 albums and Westlife with their (gulp) 8--can lay claim to having had a longer continuous career than Girls Aloud, who this month deliver Out of Control, their fifth studio album, and first to top the UK albums chart.

Remarkably, they've yet to show any signs of getting stale. If anything, the group gets more interesting with each album. What Will the Neighbors Say? was their first Xenomania-produced album and bolder than their debut. Chemistry was a pulse-pounding workout of a pop album (with a few dud ballads). Tangled Up, their best yet, was a mix of such hard-edged pop and more restrained numbers like "Call the Shots." That great single appears to be the template for much of Out of Control, which largely steers away from the hyper-kinetic stuff sound embodied on tracks like "Biology," "Love Machine" or "Sexy (No No No)," to something a little more restrained, but still definitely upbeat. Like Tangled Up, Out of Control is also thankfully ballad free and has a decent diversity of sounds both very contemporary and retro.

"The Promise," the group's first #1 hit in 4 years, may be the most delightful single Girls Aloud have ever recorded. This track eschews their usual edgy electronic sound for something softer--a breezy, soulful throwback to '60s girlgroup. Horns, strings, synths, tambourines, and the girls blend together into a seamless mix. Mining the '60s is perhaps the biggest pop cliche of the last 2 years, but here it's done so well as to negate any potential scorn for jumping on this bandwagon. And then there's that most wonderfully satisfying of all pop cliches--the last act key change....Ah.

The rest of the album proceeds along more traditional GA territory--modern electro pop, although it has a darker, less frothy mood than previous albums. The Pet Shop Boys show up as guest co-writers on "The Loving Kind," a warm pop number bathed in rich synthesizer chords. Despite being produced by Xenomania--as all their songs are--it still has that evident PSB touch. "Rolling Back the Rivers in Time" is a pleasant mid-tempo number, awash in guitar and keyboards.

With "Love Is the Key" they get into something a bit harder. It starts with chanting monks, but quickly kicks into a hard-driving tempo heavy with guitar and spoken-word verses. "Turn to Stone" is fairly traditional territory for GA--clearer beats with electronic melody. It has a trance-like chorus of airy vocals and synth effects. "Untouchable" has a light guitar melody not unlike what graced Kylie's "Love at First Sight," building from a quiet opening to a clubby Eurobeat. At almost 7 minutes, its surprisingly long, but works quite well. "Fix Me Up" has a funky '70s strut, but is probably my least favorite track so far, suffering from a curious lack of melody.

"Love Is Pain" has an intense '80s presence, owing to its sharp synthesizers. It's got a rather dark melody, like something borrowed from Depeche Mode. The very upbeat "Miss You Bow Wow" is a frenetic mix of guitar, keyboards bordering on a video game-like quality and rapid-fire vocals. This track is the most like something from Chemistry. "Revolution in the Head" is a odd one--hand claps, synth effects, acoustic guitar strums, and not much melody.

"Live in the Country," which uses a drum n' bass beat with heavy synth melody, is the highlight of the album's second half, complete with closing farm animal sounds. "We Wanna Party" though is a rather by-the-numbers closer. Probably could have been cut.

If it's not as good as last year's Tangled Up, it comes pretty close. The first half is especially enjoyable, with an interesting mix of upbeat but gentler (for this group anyway) pop songs, any of which could be future singles. Out of Control is experimental as any Girls Aloud album should be, even if not all the experiments work as well this time.

Best: The Promise, Love Is the Key, The Loving Kind, Rolling Back the Rivers in Time, Untouchable, Turn to Stone, Live in the Country

Same Difference - We R One

Hear We R One in full:

Sash! The Best of

Continuing on my semi-reviews of this fall's greatest hits collections, it's time to look back at the career of Sash!, the German producer who during the late '90s and early '00s had a fairly impressive run of nine UK top 10 hits, five of which hit #2--quite a lot to never get a #1.

Sash! The Best of includes his 10 UK hits, a few other singles that weren't big in the UK, two versions of new track "Raindrops," and the ballad version of "Just Around the Hill." A second disc includes three remixes of "Ecuador," "Stay," "La Primavera," and "Mysterious Times." This seems a little odd, rather than having mixes of many of the songs.

His first hit was "Encore Une Fois," which hit #2 in the spring of 1997. It was followed in the summer by a second #2 hit, "Ecuador," and then a third in the fall, "Stay," the first in English after the French and Spanish hits. In early 1998 he released the first of four tracks from a second album, the Italian "La Primavera," which hit #3, before hitting #2 again with "Mysterious Times." Several other top 10 hits followed over the next couple years, including another #2 hit, "Adelante."

To a casual listener, Sash! sounds like any ol' eurodance artist. What makes his songs special, is that they show a great deal of ingenuity for a genre that even in 1997 was getting long in the tooth (and hasn't changed much since). His use of multiple languages was inventive, and his songs had better than average melodies for most clubby music--really a pop sensibility. While mostly instrumental tracks like "Encore Une Fois" and "La Primavera," are ready made club tunes, others like "Stay" and "Mysterious Times" could be considered dance pop, as they follow the traditional verse-chorus-verse format.

"Stay" has to be my favorite Sash! single, which has a pretty cool layered synth melody for its chorus. I also really like "Mysterious Times," which is somewhat similar to "Stay," and "Encore Une Fois," with its hard hitting synth line. And i'm partial to "La Primavera" because it came out while I was a student in London. It sounds a bit like the Chariots of Fire theme.

"Encore Une Fois" was sampled in 2006 by UK dance artist Stunt, who added an English vocal to make the single "Raindrops." This appears in two new versions here as "Raindrops (Encore Une Fois)," which hit #9 last month, giving Sash! his first UK hit in 9 years.

Unless you're a big dance music fan this probably isn't something you'd want to sit and listen to straight through, but these do sound great in mixes with other songs, particularly from the late '90s era in which he was big.

Introducing Same Difference

Pop music blogs have been crowing about new British pop act Same Difference (FizzyPop!! in particular has been a big supporter of them). The sister and brother duo--Sarah and Sean Smith--were last year's third place finishers on The X Factor. They are set to release their debut album Pop on December 1, preceded a week earlier by their first single, "We R One." Bigtime '80s pop producers Mike Stock and Peter Waterman worked with them. They sound like the second coming of Steps, which is fantastic in my book, as I love and miss Steps. Here are snippets of tracks from the album:

Sasha Fierce and the double album

Beyonce's upcoming I Am...Sasha Fierce will be released as a double album, that rare release where (one hopes) the music is so good that they couldn't fit it all on one disc and had to give us fans two. Sadly, double albums seem born more out of marketing than necessity, which would definitely appear to be the case with Sasha Fierce. The standard version is only 11 tracks and under 45 minutes--shorter than most one-disc albums these days. Even the 16-18 track deluxe version would probably fit on one disc.

Entertainment Weekly has already reviewed the album, giving it a B+ and praising both the romantic "Beyonce" disc and the upbeat "Sasha Fierce" disc. However they also say that "the collection might have been better served had she edited it down to one disc." While this is an easy criticism to lob at a double album, it is often quite true.

Take Christina Aguilera's Back to Basics double album from 2006. The first disc explored modern takes on classic soul sounds, while the second one was on odd mix of mostly '40s motifs. At 22 tracks it was really long--there were definitely great tracks but also those that could have been cut. Rolling Stone's review remarked that "at one disc, this would have been nothing short of masterful." I don't if I'd go as far as "masterful," but certainly better.

Nellie McKay's reasoning for insisting her debut album Get Away from Me be a double--that she wanted listeners to have something akin to the experience of flipping over a record--is either quaint or just plain rediculous when you consider that in the MP3 player age few people are listening to CDs much, even if they are still buying them.

Then there are double albums that are just disasters. British pop singer Gareth Gates's second album Go Your Own Way comes to mind. The "daytime" and "nighttime" concept was pretty dubious--do his songs really sound tha different? The album performed so poorly that its title became a command from BMG records, and a few years later Gates' contract was pulled.

There have been some sucessful doubles though. Red Hot Chili Peppers' 2006 album Stadium Arcadium was a big seller, an Album of the Year Grammy nominee and widely praised as one of their best works. Outkast's 2003 album Speakerboxx/The Love Below (really two solo albums from Outkast's two members) won the Album of the Year Grammy and produced one of the decade's defining hit singles, "Hey Ya."

Still, it seems that more often than not the double represents more of a gimmick than a true artistic statement. In the age of digital downloads, a listener might not even know they're listening to a double--it may just seem like a really long album with more than the usual number of tracks to skip through. For those who do pay attention, double albums can create a feeling of "more is less"--that the album would have been stronger had they been willing to do some editing and just give us a shorter set of really great songs rather than a longer mix of gems and duds.

UK top 40, 11/15/2008 (1 to 10)

1. 1. Hero - The X Factor Finalists

The X Factor finalists score a second week at #1. I haven't seen the sales figures yet, but it's potentially already one of the year's five best-selling singles, perhaps even #2 behind Duffy's "Mercy."

2. NEW> If I Were a Boy - Beyonce

Beyonce's first single from her upcoming third album makes an impressive #2 debut on download sales. As such, it becomes a strong contender to unseat the X Factor bunch next week when the single is out in stores. This is Beyonce's 13th UK top 40 hit.

3. 2. The Promise - Girls Aloud

4. NEW> Womanizer - Britney Spears

Britney Spears makes a big splash on download sales at #4 with "Womanizer," due for CD release Nov. 24. It's her 22nd UK top 40 and 19th to land in the top 10. Despite (or maybe because of) the controversy she stirred during the release of her last album, she still hit #3 with "Gimme More" and #2 with "Piece of Me."

5. NEW> Forgive Me - Leona Lewis

After an 8-month hiatus, during which time Miss Lewis scored a major #1 hit in the US with "Bleeding Love" (and just missed the top 10 with "Better in Time") she returns with another UK single, "Forgive Me." The track was recorded for the US release of Spirit, and will be available on a UK special edition out later this month. #5 isn't bad, but after the massive success of "Bleeding Love" and "Better in Time" (and the fact that this single hasn't been on the version of Spirit on sale in the UK), I would have tipped this as a #1 contender, not a single that barely made the top 5 (it wasn't selling in the top 5 until Friday). Still, it's Leona Lewis's fourth top 5 hit.

6. 4. Infinity 2008 - The Guru Josh Project
7. 6. Hot N Cold - Katy Perry

8. NEW> The Boy Does Nothing - Alesha Dixon

Alesha Dixon was a member of the girl group Mis-Teeq, best known for their #2 hits "All I Want" and "Scandalous." Dixon tried to launch a solo career in 2006, but after her first few singles failed to sell well, the album was shelved (except in Japan). Now she's back with big-name producers and a cool sound. "The Boy Does Nothing" is her first top 10 hit.

9. 10. Another Way to Die - Jack White and Alicia Keys (still climbing--the movie is out this week.)
10. 3. So What - Pink

UK top 40 (20 to 11)

Top 20 then. Let's pause to congratulate Girls Aloud for scoring their first #1 album with Out of Control. They were #1 with their greatest hits collection, The Sound of Girls Aloud, but none of their other four studio albums were chart toppers.

I guess it would make more sense if I wrote this from bottom to top from now on...

11. 5. Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
12. 8. Love Lockdown - Kanye West
13. 7. Up - The Saturdays

14. NEW> Keeps Gettin' Better - Christina Aguilera

This is a downloads only release, so no physical single. It may or may not climb when the greatest hits collection is out next week. Either way, #14 is a bit low for Aguilera, who's had 14 top 10 hits.

15. 9. Wire to Wire - Razorlight

16. 21. Dangerous - Kardinal Offishall featuring Akon

This looked good for the top 10, having climbed up to #21 on downloads as of last week, but falls well short at #16.

17. 12. Spotlight - Jennifer Hudson
18. 11. Raindrops (Encore Une Fois) - Sash! Featuring Stunt

19. 23. Right Now (Na Na Na) - Akon

This is also out on Nov. 24th.

20. 36. I Hate This Part - The Pussycat Dolls

Pussycat Dolls move into the top 20 with their new single, mid-tempo "I Hate This Part." Not a bad song really. This gets a physical release on Nov. 24.

UK top 40 (30 to 21)

30. NEW> Let Your Love Flow - Bellamy Brothers

Here's a head scratcher at first blush. Bellamy Brothers are an American country band that were popular in the late '70s and '80s. "Let Your Love Flow" was a big crossover hit in 1976--a Hot 100 #1 and even a top 10 hit in the UK. Its sudden reappearance is apparently due to it being used in an ad campaign for Barclays bank. Must be a good ad.

29. 26. Make You Feel My Love - Adele (poor Adele--"Chasing Cars" remains her only major hit")
28. 22. Cookie Jar - Gym Class Heroes
27. 18. When I Grow Up - The Pussycat Dolls

26. 37. 7 Things - Miley Cyrus

It was fully released this week, so #26 may be the highest Miley Cyrus's second UK top 40 single will ever go. "See You Again" hit #11 earlier this year.

25. 30. Use Somebody - Kings of Leon

Fifth week in the top 40 and its CD single release is still a month away. Will be interesting to see if it eventually charts high or if it suffers from early purchases and people buying the album instead (which is a massive hit).

24. 15. Take Back the City - Snow Patrol
23. 16. I Kissed a Girl - Katy Perry
22. 14. Disturbia - Rihanna
21. 13. Miss Independent - Ne-Yo

UK top 40 (40 to 31)

40.NEW> I Wish I Was James Bond - Scouting for Girls

Scouting for Girls return with their 5th single. I feel the same about all their songs--fine, but nothing really special. "Elvis Is Dead" was their best. Probably time for album #2 at this point. Still, good for them for getting 5 top 40 hits off one album. Few acts are able to do that lately.

39.NEW> Live Your Life - T.I. Featuring Rihanna

Speaking of people with 5 or more top 40 hits, here comes Rihanna with her seventh UK top 40 hit this year after "Hate that I Love You" and "Umbrella" (fading after peaking in 2007), "Don't Stop the Music" (#4 in February), "Take a Bow" (#1 in May), "If I Never See Your Face Again (#28 in June), and "Disturbia (#3 in Sept.). This is America's #1 single this week.

38. 33. Kids - MGMT
37. 28. The Man Who Can't Be Moved - The Script
36. 24. Tattoo - Jordin Sparks

35.NEW> Grace - Will Young

Will Young gets a boost from his appearance on X Factor last week, scoring enough downloads to send his upcoming single "Grace" into the top 40 early. It's the follow up to "Changes," which scored a disappointing #10 when it was released in September. I'm hopeful this will do better, but it's coming out in the highly competitive pre-Christmas time frame. Good luck Will!

34. NEW> Breakeven - The Script

The Script scores their 3rd top 40 hit. This is downloads sales--physical release next week.

33. 27. Beggin' - Madcon
32. 38. Superhuman - Chris Brown Featuring Keri Hilson
31. 17. Girls - Sugababes (down 14...ouch.)

UK Singles Chart, 11/15/2008

I'm sick today :( With plans to see High School Musical 3 scrapped, I at least get a chance to listen to the full UK top 40 this week. Here goes...

Album Review: Snow Patrol - A Hundred Million Suns (3/5)

Following up a highly successful album is tough. Too many times it seems artists fall prey to trying to repeat that success--delivering a follow-up that while melded in the vein of the previous album, falls well short of its grandeur.

That, in a nutshell, is my assessment of Snow Patrol's fifth album, A Hundred Million Suns. Their last, Eyes Open, was a major success, becoming the UK's biggest-selling album of 2006 and giving them the massive international hit "Chasing Cars." I thought Eyes Open was brilliant when I reviewed it 2 years ago. I noted how distinctive the songs were, a step forward from Final Straw which suffered from too much of the same thing. Now this album finds the band stalled firmly in their tracks trying too hard to remake Eyes Open.

The album begins with "If There's a Rocket Tie Me to It," which opens with quietly building layers of instruments, is then punctuated by guitar and vocals for the first verse, and finally goes full tilt rock for the chorus. Snow Patrol isn't the first and certainly not the last band to open an album with something carved from U2 marble. It's a good song, but they've been here before with "You're All I Have" which was better (and rocked harder).

Piano-backed ballad "Crack the Shutters" follows. It starts quietly and then pounds those ivory chords along with strings, guitar, synths, and glockenspiel. It's all not unlike "Chasing Cars," but as uplifting as it tries to be, can't recreate that song's emotional punch. These are good songs, and if Eyes Open didn't exist, I might really like them, but I'm too distracted by what seems like an obvious attempt to repeat themselves. Then there's "Take Back the City," an upbeat track that is quite repetitive, although that works well for the band. This was the album's first single--a great choice, as it's probably the best song on the album.

After that, there's not much else on this album that really grabs me. "Lifeboats" is mellow--mostly guitar with space-like synths (outer space being a theme here). Actually, it's kind of dull to be honest. Somber "The Golden Floor" has a hand clap beat and acoustic guitars. If you feel a nap coming on, "Please Just Take These Photos from My Hands," shows up to revive you. This is another track in the stadium guitar rock vein underpinned with some '80s-style synthesizers a la The Killers. In other words, it's a lot like Eyes Open's "It's Beginning to Get Me."

Then there's "Set Down Your Glass," another weepy guitar ballad that starts with the lyric "just close your eyes." "The Planets Bend Between Us" is very mellow and plodding. "Engines" has a nice melody, but is marred by an annoyingly repetitive guitar loop with too much feedback. I've read that the band said this album would be more upbeat than their previous works, but clearly that direction was ditched in favor of even more ballads.

I wouldn't blame you for wanting to tune out at this point, but hang in there, because the end of the album is actually pretty decent. "Disaster Button" is the only saving grace of the second half of the album. Finally a rocking moment from the band! It's a got a great groove, an assertive synth bassline, layered guitars, and its short enough to not wear out its welcome. "The Lightning Strike" is the final track--a 16-minute 3-part song. First there's "What If This Storm Ends?," a dark and dramatic mix of piano, horns and percussion. It's followed by "Sunlight Through the Flags'" lighter mix of multiple pianos. The final part, uplifting "Daybreak," is an effective ending to this epic track.

To sum up, this album has a few good tracks as it opens and ends, but in general has too many dull ballads, too much repetition and too few songs of distinction. As I wrote this review I listened to snippets of Eyes Open to refresh my memory, which in general made me wish I was listening to that instead of this bland imitation. That album was more varied, rocked harder, and soared higher. It's a shame to see such a blessing turn into a curse.

Best: Take Back the City, If There's a Rocket Tie Me to It, Disaster Button, The Lightning Strike

Mariah Carey "I Stay in Love"

Can Mariah Carey get back on track? I'm hoping so with the latest release from her album E=MC². While the album's first single "Touch My Body" was a major hit, its follow-ups--"Bye Bye" and "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time"--were not. "I Stay in Love" is a great single--a simple, melodic pop ballad. It should have been the second single, but I imagine they chose "Bye Bye" because it sounded more like "We Belong Together" while regrettably overlooking that it wasn't nearly as good. Carey will appear on the UK's The X Factor tonight to perform "I Stay in Love," as well as duet with the contestants on her 1993 hit "Hero," which the X Factor brats are sitting at #1 with in the UK right now. Check out the Vegas-themed video below.

Billboard Hot 100, 11/14/2008

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

T.I. switches places with himself for the second time in the last month. For the October 10th edition of the Hot 100, "Live Your Life" replaced "Whatever You Like," and now it does so again just 1 month later. This is the first time an artist has replaced himself at #1 twice with the same single. Interestingly, "Whatever You Like" never replaced "Live Your Life," since Britney's "Womanizer" was #1 the week after "Live Your Life's" last stay at the top. This is T.I.'s 9th week at #1 this year, putting him just 1 week behind Flo-Rida, who spent 10 weeks at the top at the beginning of the year with "Low."

9. Right Now (Na Na Na) - Akon

Akon moves up 5 spots to score his 12th top 10 hit, earning this week's Sales Gainer. I actually rather like this song--I especially like the Blade Runner-esque synths.

10. I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

Jason Mraz holds at #10 this week. This song I rather don't like. Annoying...so annoying.

11. You're Not Sorry - Taylor Swift

Another month, another new single from Taylor Swift. This is the first released in the last 4 months to miss the top 10. Poor girl. It is the fourth single released from her second album Fearless, which is out (finally) next week.

19. Viva la Vida - Coldplay

"Viva la Vida" moves up 3 spots to #19 this week. Anyone know why it's moving back up? It's now been on the Hot 100 for 6 months.

Personal Chart, 11/8/2008

TW LW Title - Artist
1 .... 1 .... The Promise - Girls Aloud (2 weeks @ #1)
2 .... 2 .... So What - Pink (1 wk @ #1)
3 .... 6 .... Hot N Cold - Katy Perry
4 .... 5 .... Forgive Me - Leona Lewis
5 .... 9 .... Human - The Killers
6 .... 3 .... Take Back the City - Snow Patrol
7 .... 4 .... Girls - Sugababes (2 wks @ #1)
8 .... 7 .... Never Miss a Beat - Kaiser Chiefs
9 ... 14 ... Womanizer - Britney Spears
10 .. 11 ... Miss Independent - Ne-Yo

Will Young gets an X Factor

Will Young performed his upcoming single "Grace" on last weekend's The X Factor. Consequently, it looks like "Grace," which isn't due for release until December, will chart in the top 40 this weekend. Hopefully it will eventually fare better than "Changes," which landed at a very disappointing #10.

Keri Hilson delayed

Billboard is reporting that Keri Hilson's debut, In a Perfect World, has been pushed back to early 2009. Hilson failed to turn the album's first single, "Energy," into a hit, peaking at only #78 on the Hot 100. Hilson is best known for her Timbaland collaboration "The Way I Are," which hit #3 on the Hot 100 and #1 in the UK last year.

Her fate is strangely similar to another Timbaland collaborator, Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls. Scherzinger's debut album, Her Name Is Nicole, was set for release last fall until the failure of both its singles to chart on the Hot 100 put its future in jeopardy. While she is apparently still reworking that album for a 2009 release, she's gone back to PCD for their recent second album.

Both Hilson and Scherzinger's albums featured a who's-who of pop music collaborators. In addition to Timbaland, Nate "Danja" Hills and Polow da Don are linked with both projects.

UK Singles Chart, 11/8/2008

1. Hero - X Factor Finalists

Despite Girls Aloud racking up the highest 1-week sales of any single last week for their #1 hit "The Promise," it was no contest this week, as the X Factor charity release--a remake of Mariah Carey's "Hero"--steamrolled to the top, selling over 313,000 copies, about 4 times what Girls Aloud cleared last week. As such, it becomes not just the fastest selling single this year, but produces one of the biggest one-week sales figures of the decade from a #1 single, beat out only by first-week hauls from Will Young's "Evergreen," (1.1 million), Gareth Gates' "Unchained Melody" (850k), Shayne Ward's "That's My Goal" (742k), Leona Lewis' "A Moment Like This" (571k), Hear'say's "Pure and Simple" (550k), and Shaggy's "It Wasn't Me (345k), as well as the second-week tally of Bob the Builder's "Can We Fix It" (360k). Of these, only Shaggy and Bob the Builder have roots outside of reality TV competition shows.

This serves as a preview for what's coming this Christmas. As has been the tradition the last few years, this year's X Factor winner will release their debut single the week ahead of Christmas in the hopes it will be Christmas #1. Looks like they'll have it in the bag again.

10. Another Way to Die - Jack White & Alicia Keys

This was #18 last week during its first week of physical sales. I thought it would peak there, but interest appears to still be building for this new James Bond theme, as the single leaps another 8 spots to become a top 10 hit this week. Perhaps it has something to do with the star-studded gala premiere in Leceister Square earlier this week, attended by both Prince William and Prince Harry, in addition to the cast.

23. Right Now (Na Na Na) - Akon

Akon looks ready to score another big hit with "Right Now (Na Na Na)," which makes its top 40 debut at #23 on download sales. This isn't in stores for another 2 weeks.

26. Make You Feel My Love - Adele

Adele tries yet again and fails to score a hit to come close to the popularity of "Chasing Pavements." At #26, "Make You Feel My Love" is now her lowest charting single, below "Hometown Glory" (#19) and "Cold Shoulder" (#18). Even radio wasn't with this one (it's not in the airplay top 20), where "Cold Shoulder" was also a #1 hit.

35. Thriller - Michael Jackson

Halloween gives Michael Jackson's "Thriller" a chance to reappear in the top 40. It had a sales resurgence last year, but only to #57.

54. Don't Believe in Love - Dido

The woman who had Britain's biggest selling albums of 2001 and 2003 has apparently been away too long, giving people a chance to forget or just not care anymore, as Dido's first new single in four years, "Dont Believe in Love," limps onto the chart at #54. This was with full physical sales too. Ouch.

67. I Can Feel You - Anastacia

Also in the losers corner this week in Anastacia, who tried to make a comeback with "I Can Feel You," the first single from her new album Heavy Rotation. Four years ago she scored two top 5 hits from her last album, "Left Outside Alone" and "Sick and Tired."

Album review: Kaiser Chiefs - Off with Their Heads (4.5/5)

Kaiser Chiefs have settled into a comfortable strata of popularity. Not quite the breakouts that Arctic Monkeys have become, but big enough that Off with Their Heads, now album number three, was met with enough enthusiasm to debut at #2 on the UK albums chart last week, just behind AC/DC. I may be one of the few people who liked their second album Yours Truly, Angry Mob better than their debut, Employment (both made my year-end top 10 lists). Their attempt at something more serious didn't connect with the public as well; while "Ruby" was a #1 hit, none of their last album's other singles peaked higher than #19.

Last time I reviewed a Kaiser Chiefs album I compared them to The Killers, and the analogy continues to hold. Like that American band, album #3 finds Kaiser Chiefs employing a big-name co-producer--Mark Ronson--in an effort to recapture their first album's sense of energy and fun they abandoned in the name of "maturity" for album #2. Why Mark Ronson? He would at first blush seem like a strange choice--his sound being associated more with R&B and retro '60s soul than British pop/rock. But recall that last year he successfully covered the Chiefs' "Oh My God" with Lily Allen, giving the song a second appearance in the UK top 10. So did he turn the band into a five-man version of Amy Winehouse?

Of course not and the results are not disappointing. Off with Their Heads is a fun album, much of it fast and furious. "Spanish Metal" announces itself with dramatic booming bass and guitar before settling into mellow, warm keyboard chords. It's a darkly camp opening. "Never Miss a Beat" turns up the tempo and the guitars. It's the most fun the band's had since "I Predict a Riot," using a call-and-respond format for the verses and a great hook for the chorus ("take a look at the kids on the street, no they never miss a beat").

"Like It Too Much" throttles back a bit with tinkling pianos and a string arrangement courtesy of James Bond composer David Arnold, but gets its noisy moment during the heavy guitar bridge. Ronson's '60s influence shows here, with the heavy layering of sounds to produce a warm, rich sound. That '60s effect where you make a guitar sound a bit like an organ shows up on "You Want History," which also shows an '80s new wave influence. Same goes for "Can't Say What I Mean," which is a really great upbeat song.

"Good Days Bad Days" is refreshingly happy--very sunny '70s and silly (lyrics such as "sticks and stones and animal bones" repeated over and over). "Tomato in the Rain" is the quietest moment so far on the album, but I'd hardly call it serious, since it analogizes a vegetable and is backed by a woman's voice lightly singing "ahh..." "Half the Truth" uses the old-fashioned organ sounds punctuated by the more modern grungy guitars. Ricky Wilson's vocals veer toward spoken word here, punched up by rapper Sway.

Lily Allen shows up to contribute backing vocals to "Always Happens Like That," but ends up buried in the mix of piano, bass and clangy percussion. The percussion set stays in place with "Addicted to Drugs" (cowbells?), which references Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" in the chorus (substituting "drugs"). This quirky number gets a boost of oddity from a short synthesizer effects middle section. The final track, "Remember You're a Girl," is a real surprise: a mellow, '70s-influenced love ballad sung not by Wilson but the band's drummer Nick Hodgson.

The short and sweet approach works well for this band--none of the songs cross the 4 minute mark, and many are under 3. There's a pleasing amount of warmth to this album, particularly from the rich strings arrangement of "Like It Too Much" and the acoustic guitar melody of "Remember You're a Girl." Such warmth is often associated with music being sappy, but this record is anything but, as it exudes upbeat attitude, even camp. Most of the best songs are in the first half, but the second half isn't bad. Overall, this is a very worthy effort--perhaps the band's best yet.

Best: Never Miss a Beat, Like It Too Much, Cant Say What I Mean, Good Days Bad Days, Spanish Metal, Remember You're a Girl

November New Releases

As if October wasn't great enough, November is another very heavy month of notable new album releases. What I'm most looking forward to: Dido, The Killers, Girls Aloud, Beyonce, and Kanye West.

Nov 3/4
Girls Aloud - Out of Control. Girls Aloud returns with their fifth album, featuring the UK's currnt #1 hit "The Promise." Like their last three albums, British production team Xenomania returns for that duty. Word is that there is more retro sounds this time, as evidenced by the '60s-influenced first single, and a collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys, "The Loving Kind."





Razorlight - Slipway Fires. "Wire to Wire" is a fantastic single, but I'm still skeptical about this band, as I didn't care for their last album (despite Q Magazine giving it a 5). This is their third release.

Grace Jones - Hurricane. Grace Jones isn't a major force in pop music, but she's certainly interesting. Perhaps best known (unfortunately) as one of the villians in the 1985 James Bond entry A View to a Kill, Jones returns with her first album in almost 20 years.

Shiny Toy Guns - Season of Poison. The synth pop group whose first album We Are Pilots offered the great single "You Are the One," returns with their second album. I haven't heard anything from it.

Enrique Iglesias - Greatest Hits. He's been scoring hits in English for almost 10 years now--time to package them all together. This appears to have all the major releases ("Bailamos," "Be With You," "Hero," etc.), except for "Sad Eyes," which is more a personal favorite than a big hit.

Nov 10/11

The Flaming Lips - Christmas on Mars. This has to be the month's biggest surprise. The Flaming Lips have gone and made a psychedelic science fiction film. This release will include the film on DVD and the film's score on CD.

David Archuleta - David Archuleta. The American Idol runner-up, currently enjoying chart success with his single "Crush," releases his debut.

Enya - And Winter Came. Irish singer who made "new age" a household name around the world releases her 7th album, much of which is Christmas-themed.

Seal - Soul. Having struck out doing the dance thing with Stuart Price on last year's System, Seal tries for a quick rebound working with David Foster on this collection of soul covers. First single "A Change is Gonna Come" is pretty good, but Seal isn't what he used to be.

T-Pain - Thr33 Ringz. T-Pain releases his third album. Auto-tune fans everywhere rejoice.

Il Divo - The Promise. No, it doesn't include their version of the new Girls Aloud single, which is a shame. Instead I think there's more Celine Dion remakes.

Jason Donovan - Let It Be Me. It's been 15 years since there's been a new album from Jason Donovan, the Australian pop singer who scored a number of big UK hits in the late '80s/early '90s and is best known for his Kylie duet "Especially for You."

Christina Aguilera - Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits. Christina Aguilera's only had 3 albums--far fewer than her peer Britney Spears has released in the same period of time--yet her hits collection is pretty robust. This set has all her major hits except "Can't Hold Us Down," and includes non-album tracks like "Lady Marmalade" and her Ricky Martin duet "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely," as well as new single "Keeps Gettin' Better."

Stereophonics - A Decade in the Sun: Best of Stereophonics. It's about time for this this collection, pulling together all the hits from the British rock band's six albums spanning an 11-year chart career. This is available in a 20-track, one-disc version with most of the major hits (except "Madame Helga") and a 2-disc set that is completely comprehensive. Includes new single "You're My Star."

Hilary Duff - The Best of Hilary Duff. Hilary Duff has released three albums and now two greatest hits collections, an equation that really smacks of record company greed. What do you get here since her last greatest hits collection was released 3 years go? Well, there's 3 singles from her last album Dignity, 2 new tracks (and remixes of both of them), and 5 hits that were included in the previous package--"Wake Up," "Fly," "Come Clean," "So Yesterday," and "Why Not." This is so lean as to be embarassing--clearly a holiday cash grab.

Nov 17/18

Beyoncé - I Am...Sasha Fierce. One of the biggest new releases this month is the third studio album from Beyoncé, the decade's biggest female pop singer. I Am... is a 2-disc concept album--a real risk in the current music market. The first disc is the more personal and downbeat set, including the great current single "If I Were a Boy." Disc 2 is more upbeat and finds Beyoncé channeling her on-stage persona "Sasha Fierce." That disc includes the other new single, "Single Ladies." There are also two versions of this album, a standard 11-track version (which is still split over 2 discs) and a longer 16-track deluxe edition.

Dido - Safe Trip Home. It's been 5 years since Dido has released a new album--a very long time in pop music terms. Dido was a surprising success early this decade--her first album, No Angel, was the UK's biggest selling album in 2001, and its follow-up, Life for Rent, the biggest seller in 2003. New single "Don't Believe in Love" isn't exactly setting the world on fire, still, I'm hopeful this will be up to the standard she set with her first two releases.

Nickelback - Dark Horse. It may feel too soon for Nickelback to be releasing their sixth album, but that's only because there were so many hit singles from their last album, All the Right Moves, that its promotion stretched out 2.5 years. This includes current single "Gotta Be Somebody."

David Cook - David Cook. Not to be outshined by the other American Idol David, David Cook, this year's winner, releases his debut album. Includes current single "Light On."

Britannia High Soundtrack. Britain's answer to High School Musical, which began airing on ITV last Sunday, releases the soundtrack.

Now That's What I Call Music Volume 71. Another worthy entry in the series gathers every major UK hit over the last few months--"The Promise," "So What," "I Kissed a Girl," "Viva la Vida," etc.

Nov 23-25
Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy. To some, this is the most anticipated release of the year--something that looked like it would never happen. Hard rock band Guns N' Roses haven't released a new album in 15 years, since The Spaghetti Incident, which was largely considered a disappointment after their magnificent 2-disc Use Your Illusion achievement from 1991. Time and again it was announced this album was coming, only to see it put off further. Now it's finally set to go. This will be a Best Buy exclusive, which is a shame.

The Killers - Day and Age. The Killers are back with their third album, this time with Stuart Price (Madonna's Confessions on a Dancefloor) at the studio helm. First single "Human" shows his influence, a surprising switch back toward the new wave/pop direction of first album Hot Fuss after the U2-inspired second album, Sam's Town.






Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak. This promises to be an interesting album. For his fourth release, the first not to feature a college-themed title, Kanye West turns away from hip-hop and toward pop, with an album reportedly entire sung (no rap) with auto-tune. Interesting. First single "Love Lockdown" has proven to be a "grower" in both the US and the UK. Originally slated for December, the album's release was recently moved up.



Alesha Dixon - The Alesha Dixon Show. The former Mis-Teeq member releases her first solo album in the UK, featuring current single "The Boy Does Nothing," another Xenomania-produced pop confection.

Coldplay - Prospekt's March (EP). Coldplay releases some of the additional material from the Viva la Vida recording sessions. Disappointingly, the Coldplay/Kylie Minogue collaboration "Lunar" has disappeared from the reported tracklisting. Too bad.

Lemar - The Reason. British R&B singer best known for his 2003 and 2004 hits "Dance" and "If There's Any Justice" releases his fourth album.

Craig David - Greatest Hits. Craig David compiles his hits spanning four albums and 9 years. Again, there are shorter and deluxe versions coming out.

December...

Looking ahead to next months shows a hip-hop heavy month with new releases from 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Akon, Common, Scarface and Bow Wow. There's also new albums from Britney Spears, Take That, Fall Out Boy, and Brandy.

Introducing Alesha Dixon

Alesha Dixon comes from the UK pop girl group Mis-Teeq. While nowhere near as popular as Sugababes or Girls Aloud, the group had a string of top 10 hits early this decade, and even managed to score a top 40 hit in the US with "Scandalous."

Dixon recorded a solo album in 2006 and released a first single "Lipstick" in the UK, which hit #14, but the subsequent single did not chart well, leading to her album never being released except in Japan. She's now recoreded a second album, The Alesha Show, out later this month, featuring big name producers Xenomania, Steve Booker and Stephen Lipson. She's also doing an hour-long promotional, The Alesha Show, airing on ITV November 15.

This is the video for her new single, "The Boy Does Nothing":