Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Top 10 Discopop Singles of the Year
Hello! I'm back... and it's time for the annual countdown of my top 10 singles of the year.
It's been a weird 12 months for the singles' chart, with a pretty high turnover of quality songs at number one (Basshunter's Now You're Gone was the only real stinker).
This presents something of a problem for my top 10. Usually, one record stands head and shoulders above the rest as my favourite track of the year - but this time round it's a pretty even field. The chart is compiled using my iTunes play count, and I've done my best to make sure recent tracks get a fair placing. This involves the application of maths - I knew I'd find a use for it one day.
The downside of this system is that I've had to leave Sex On Fire off the list, because I only realised how awesome the Kings Of Leon were about three weeks ago. Shame on me.
1) Goldfrapp - A&E
Goldfrapp ushered in their new acoustic incarnation with this - the prettiest song ever recorded about attempting suicide. True, the middle eight is a bit muddy and the video was a load of nonsense, but the song rose above it all like a dove of peace soaring into the twilight sky. After slitting its throat.
2) Estelle - American Boy
Home to Kanye West's most inspired lyric of 2008: "Dressed up like a London bloke / Before he speak, his suit bespoke". Awesome, even if it nicked the backing track wholesale from a will.i.am album track.
3) Janet Jackson - Feedback
Heralding what should have been Janet's big comeback, this ended up being the only single released from her underperforming Discipline album. But what a single - three minutes of thumping electronic pop, with those trademark Jackson harmonies and a stonking space cadet video. We'll politely ignore the lyric about her menstrual cycle, though.
4) Goldfrapp - Caravan Girl
The third single from Seventh Tree, this was the moment when Goldfrapp stopped being all spooky and sinister and set off for a Summer Holiday with Cliff Richard. "We'll run away, we'll run away you and me," sang Alison accompanied, for no good reason, by a 12-piece choir. A highlight of their live shows, the only problem with Caravan Girl is that it fades out at least three minutes too early.
5) Girls Aloud - The Promise
I'm actually surprised at how high this has reached. It's certainly not my favourite Girls Aloud song ever (Biology, in case you're interested) but it seems to be the public's - The Promise is still in the top 20 four months after it was released. Hitching a ride on the 1960s bandwagon, the band played to their strengths by channelling the Shangri-Las instead of Aretha Franklin. Now, if only they'd cover Leader Of The Pack.
6) Elbow - One Day Like This
AKA The one that should have been number three. More emotionally honest and joyful than any other single released in 2008, Guy Garvey's tale of domestic bliss is one of those songs that will soundtrack montages of great sporting moments for the rest of your life. But don't let that put you off. Here's their triumphant Glastonbury performance as proof of how life-affirmingly brilliant this song is.
7) Lykke Li - Breaking It Up
With its music hall piano, children's choir and deranged woman shouting down her absent boyfriend through a megaphone - this should have been an almighty mess. But, no, it was one of the most infectiously bouncy, unselfconciously quirky pop songs of the year. Nice remixes, too.
8) Duffy - Mercy
Judging by her performances at the end of the year, even Duffy got bored of this song. But come back to it in six months' time and you'll realise what a timeless piece of pop writing it really is - from the yeah, yeah, yeahs to the cheeky guitar twang that announces the arrival of the final chorus.
9) Elbow - Grounds For Divorce
You know, the one that goes woah-oh-woah-oh-woah-oh-woah-oh-woah-ah-oh-aooooh.
10) Dizzee Rascal ft Calvin Harris - Dance Wiv Me
I've always thought Dizzee Rascal's "unique" rapping style makes him sound like Zed out of the Police Academy films, thereby lending his attempts to chat up some bird on the dancefloor an unintended air of slapstick comedy. Still, you can't argue with that bassline (it's a non-sentient musical concept, you idiot) and even Calvin Harris's singing isn't all that bad. This acoustic version is enormously awesome, by the way:
So that's that. Tell me what your top 10 was in the comments box (or pop in a link to your own blog countdown, if you have one). The albums list comes next...
It's been a weird 12 months for the singles' chart, with a pretty high turnover of quality songs at number one (Basshunter's Now You're Gone was the only real stinker).
This presents something of a problem for my top 10. Usually, one record stands head and shoulders above the rest as my favourite track of the year - but this time round it's a pretty even field. The chart is compiled using my iTunes play count, and I've done my best to make sure recent tracks get a fair placing. This involves the application of maths - I knew I'd find a use for it one day.
The downside of this system is that I've had to leave Sex On Fire off the list, because I only realised how awesome the Kings Of Leon were about three weeks ago. Shame on me.
Goldfrapp ushered in their new acoustic incarnation with this - the prettiest song ever recorded about attempting suicide. True, the middle eight is a bit muddy and the video was a load of nonsense, but the song rose above it all like a dove of peace soaring into the twilight sky. After slitting its throat.
Home to Kanye West's most inspired lyric of 2008: "Dressed up like a London bloke / Before he speak, his suit bespoke". Awesome, even if it nicked the backing track wholesale from a will.i.am album track.
Heralding what should have been Janet's big comeback, this ended up being the only single released from her underperforming Discipline album. But what a single - three minutes of thumping electronic pop, with those trademark Jackson harmonies and a stonking space cadet video. We'll politely ignore the lyric about her menstrual cycle, though.
The third single from Seventh Tree, this was the moment when Goldfrapp stopped being all spooky and sinister and set off for a Summer Holiday with Cliff Richard. "We'll run away, we'll run away you and me," sang Alison accompanied, for no good reason, by a 12-piece choir. A highlight of their live shows, the only problem with Caravan Girl is that it fades out at least three minutes too early.
I'm actually surprised at how high this has reached. It's certainly not my favourite Girls Aloud song ever (Biology, in case you're interested) but it seems to be the public's - The Promise is still in the top 20 four months after it was released. Hitching a ride on the 1960s bandwagon, the band played to their strengths by channelling the Shangri-Las instead of Aretha Franklin. Now, if only they'd cover Leader Of The Pack.
AKA The one that should have been number three. More emotionally honest and joyful than any other single released in 2008, Guy Garvey's tale of domestic bliss is one of those songs that will soundtrack montages of great sporting moments for the rest of your life. But don't let that put you off. Here's their triumphant Glastonbury performance as proof of how life-affirmingly brilliant this song is.
With its music hall piano, children's choir and deranged woman shouting down her absent boyfriend through a megaphone - this should have been an almighty mess. But, no, it was one of the most infectiously bouncy, unselfconciously quirky pop songs of the year. Nice remixes, too.
Judging by her performances at the end of the year, even Duffy got bored of this song. But come back to it in six months' time and you'll realise what a timeless piece of pop writing it really is - from the yeah, yeah, yeahs to the cheeky guitar twang that announces the arrival of the final chorus.
You know, the one that goes woah-oh-woah-oh-woah-oh-woah-oh-woah-ah-oh-aooooh.
I've always thought Dizzee Rascal's "unique" rapping style makes him sound like Zed out of the Police Academy films, thereby lending his attempts to chat up some bird on the dancefloor an unintended air of slapstick comedy. Still, you can't argue with that bassline (it's a non-sentient musical concept, you idiot) and even Calvin Harris's singing isn't all that bad. This acoustic version is enormously awesome, by the way:
So that's that. Tell me what your top 10 was in the comments box (or pop in a link to your own blog countdown, if you have one). The albums list comes next...
Labels: calvin harris, discopop, dizzee rascal, duffy, elbow, estelle, Girls Aloud, goldfrapp, Janet Jackson, lykke li, Music, top ten
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
New video from Estelle (OMG she is famis)
Estelle's is now onto the fourth single from her Mercury-nominated Shine album. This time round, it's the Cee-Lo-featuring Pretty Please, another one of those sunny barbeque joints she's proved so adept with.
The video is another attempt to convince Americans that Estelle one of them, and features cameos from the following stellar talents:
:: Aubrey O’Day out of Danity Kane!
:: Taraji Henson who was in Boston Legal this one time!!
:: Jackie Long, former beau of Serena Williams from tennis!!!!
:: Malik Yoba, who was in Cool Runnings in 1993!!!!!!
Cee-Lo Green has confusingly chosen not to board this runaway train of talent.
Estelle - Pretty Please
The video is another attempt to convince Americans that Estelle one of them, and features cameos from the following stellar talents:
:: Aubrey O’Day out of Danity Kane!
:: Taraji Henson who was in Boston Legal this one time!!
:: Jackie Long, former beau of Serena Williams from tennis!!!!
:: Malik Yoba, who was in Cool Runnings in 1993!!!!!!
Cee-Lo Green has confusingly chosen not to board this runaway train of talent.
Monday, June 30, 2008
New video: Estelle
Rating 3/5 on the good-o-meter, here is Estelle's new single No Substitute Love. I like how she acknowledges that the verse is completely stolen from George Michael's Faith (no, really) by completely stealing the video for George Michael's Faith, too.
Did I say creatively bankrupt?
No, I did not.
Estelle - No Subsitute Love
Question: Can you spot the product placement in this video?
Did I say creatively bankrupt?
No, I did not.
Question: Can you spot the product placement in this video?
Friday, March 28, 2008
Click this, it's Friday evening
I'm really going to stop posting things today, but only after this collection of links...
:: George Clooney on plastic surgery
"I did get my balls done, though. I got them unwrinkled. It's the new thing in Hollywood -- ball ironing."
[Esquire]
:: Tina Fey on Paris Hilton
She has "the hair of a fraggle", and left "nasty wads of Barbie hair on the floor" from her "cheap weave". Ouch!
[Cityrag]
:: Wombat rape
"A New Zealand man who claimed he was raped by a wombat and that the experience left him speaking with an Australian accent has been found guilty of wasting police time."
[Daily Telegraph]
:: Go Fug Yourself on Girls Aloud
"Cheryl Cole: By law, one of us has to look hootchie and also wear a misguided hat."
[Go Fug Yourself]
:: Peter Robinson on Nickelback's Rock Star
"Its most terrifying feature is in its first millisecond, in that Chad's vocals appear completely without warning."
[The Guardian]
:: Estelle's bitter hatred of Ribena in cartons
"Why does the pre-mixed stuff always taste watery? It's irritating! They should let you do it yourself - sell it with the water and let you do it yourself." (conflict of interests disclaimer: I wrote this in my "real job")
[BBC News Website]
:: A man tries to lose weight for his wedding using Wii Fit
"As I get to a certain point with things like push-ups or “plank” exercises, my arms will begin to involuntarily twitch."
[4 Colour Rebellion]
:: Newsreader corpses on air
Charlotte Green goes bonkers on Radio 4's high-falutin Today programme, recreating the incident eight years ago when she fell about laughing after reading out the name "Jack Twat".
[BBC News Website]
:: Actress forced to dye her hair by idiots
Judy Greer, who was in Charlie Kaufmann weirdfest Adaptation, was ordered to go ginger by film producers in case people confused her hairdo with co-star Jennifer Aniston's hairdo.
Please note that, depending on your level of testosterone, you will either find Greer endearinlgly cute or irritatingly ditzy in the following clip.
Judy Greer on David Letterman
Have a great weekend!
Mrdiscopop
:: George Clooney on plastic surgery"I did get my balls done, though. I got them unwrinkled. It's the new thing in Hollywood -- ball ironing."
[Esquire]
:: Tina Fey on Paris Hilton
She has "the hair of a fraggle", and left "nasty wads of Barbie hair on the floor" from her "cheap weave". Ouch!
[Cityrag]
:: Wombat rape
"A New Zealand man who claimed he was raped by a wombat and that the experience left him speaking with an Australian accent has been found guilty of wasting police time."
[Daily Telegraph]
:: Go Fug Yourself on Girls Aloud
"Cheryl Cole: By law, one of us has to look hootchie and also wear a misguided hat."
[Go Fug Yourself]
:: Peter Robinson on Nickelback's Rock Star
"Its most terrifying feature is in its first millisecond, in that Chad's vocals appear completely without warning."
[The Guardian]
:: Estelle's bitter hatred of Ribena in cartons
"Why does the pre-mixed stuff always taste watery? It's irritating! They should let you do it yourself - sell it with the water and let you do it yourself." (conflict of interests disclaimer: I wrote this in my "real job")
[BBC News Website]
:: A man tries to lose weight for his wedding using Wii Fit
"As I get to a certain point with things like push-ups or “plank” exercises, my arms will begin to involuntarily twitch."
[4 Colour Rebellion]
:: Newsreader corpses on air
Charlotte Green goes bonkers on Radio 4's high-falutin Today programme, recreating the incident eight years ago when she fell about laughing after reading out the name "Jack Twat".
[BBC News Website]
:: Actress forced to dye her hair by idiots
Judy Greer, who was in Charlie Kaufmann weirdfest Adaptation, was ordered to go ginger by film producers in case people confused her hairdo with co-star Jennifer Aniston's hairdo.
Please note that, depending on your level of testosterone, you will either find Greer endearinlgly cute or irritatingly ditzy in the following clip.
Have a great weekend!
Mrdiscopop
Monday, March 24, 2008
And the winner is...
Those chart positions "in full"...
1 ESTELLE FT KANYE WEST American Boy
2 DUFFY Mercy
3 LEONA LEWIS Better In Time / Footprints In The Sand
4 ONEREPUBLIC Stop and stare
5 NICKELBACK Rockstar
6 FLO RIDA FT T-PAIN Low
7 MADONNA FT JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE 4 Minutes (oh dear)
8 UTAH SAINTS Something Good 08
9 GIRLS ALOUD Can't Speak French
10 H TWO O FT PLATNUM What's It Gonna Be
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Estelle and Foals in the Live Lounge
Just a quickie - Estelle doing her American Boy song, acoustic-style, and the Foals doing Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl song, indie-style, on Rrrrrrrradio One's totally faborific Live Lounge.:: Estelle - American Boy (acoustic) [mp3]
:: Foals - Hollaback Girl [mp3]
I thank you.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Surprising but entirely welcome chart news
Despite Madonna achieving perfect corporate synergy by releasing her new single the very same day it premiered on radio, she hasn't managed to go to number one "with a bullet" on the iTunes chart.
Instead, it is Estelle whose fulsome and tunesome American Boy single is sitting pretty at the top of the download listings. A richly deserved result, if a little unexpected.
I interviewed Estelle a couple of weeks ago, and she confessed that the bubbly vocals on the track were her attempt to sing like Su Pollard in Hi-Di-Hi. No word of a lie.
Not much else to report today*, so here is a picture of Estelle. I believe Tyra Banks might label it "fierce".
* Except that Sir Alan Sugar is a big cuddly bear in real life
Instead, it is Estelle whose fulsome and tunesome American Boy single is sitting pretty at the top of the download listings. A richly deserved result, if a little unexpected.
I interviewed Estelle a couple of weeks ago, and she confessed that the bubbly vocals on the track were her attempt to sing like Su Pollard in Hi-Di-Hi. No word of a lie.
Not much else to report today*, so here is a picture of Estelle. I believe Tyra Banks might label it "fierce".
* Except that Sir Alan Sugar is a big cuddly bear in real life
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Estelle disappoints
Only one person in the world has listened to the super-groovesome bubbling electrofunk of Estelle's new single American Boy and thought to themeselves: "Hmm, this song is totally flat and lifeless".
Unfortunately, they hired that person to direct the video.
Estelle - American Boy
Presumably the director suffers some kind of reverse synesthesia (the neurological condition where you experience words and sounds as colours). That can be the only reason he has turned in such an uninspired, one-dimensional black and white video, when the song clearly screams out for a sun-kissed, bleached out, hand-held Super 8 film, with Estelle riding around Miami in an open-topped Chevrolet.
PS: If Kanye West is so great at rapping, why can't he think of a word that rhymes with seats other than... erm, seats?
Unfortunately, they hired that person to direct the video.
Presumably the director suffers some kind of reverse synesthesia (the neurological condition where you experience words and sounds as colours). That can be the only reason he has turned in such an uninspired, one-dimensional black and white video, when the song clearly screams out for a sun-kissed, bleached out, hand-held Super 8 film, with Estelle riding around Miami in an open-topped Chevrolet.
PS: If Kanye West is so great at rapping, why can't he think of a word that rhymes with seats other than... erm, seats?
Labels: estelle, kanye west, Music, video
Monday, January 21, 2008
Estelle's stunning new single!
You may remember Estelle as 2004's "find the next Jamelia" London regional finalist. Signed by Britney's label, Jive, she had one massive hit single (1980) then skipped the whole bit where you're supposed to have a similarly successful album and caught the number 26 bus straight to the dumper instead.
But something weird has happened, because lots of influential US producers have taken a day trip to that dumper and pulled Estelle out of it. They even decided she was hot and gave her lots of potential hit records to do her singing over the top of. Consequently, her new album has appearances from Cee-Lo, Mark Ronson, Wyclef Jean, will.i.am and, on her next single, Kanye West.
Called American Boy, it's got a relaxed, sun-bleached vibe. The cutesy, lovestruck lyrics are the sort of thing Jill Scott turns out in her sleep, but underpinning them is a tight little groove that sets controls directly for the heart of disco. In other words, it's superbrilliant.
Lyrically, Estelle has abandoned her UK roots and set her sights on something a bit more exotic. Hence, the chorus runs: "Take me on a trip, I'd like to go some day / Take me to New York, I'd love to see LA / I really want to, come kick it with you / You'll be my American boy (American boy)".
Something about the way Estelle half-swallows the refrain in a supressed giggle makes it the cutest thing you will hear committed to tape this year.
If this description isn't enough to convince you that you will love the song, I suppose you could always try listening to it. Stereogum has an mp3 for you.
Byeeee!
