LONDON, UK (Top40 Charts/ by Jenny McCarthy - Staff Writer)
RECORD OF THE WEEK
U2 - Magnificent: There is no question about U2, and the strength Bono, Larry, Adam & The Edge have shown over the years. They still have a great stride when it comes to making really great songs, and a rhythm that matches too. Which feels like it is a breath of fresh air. That is proof with their latest single, Magnificent, the second single from No Line On The Horizon. The song brings in a good appeal from Bono's voice, and honestly is one of the better singles from the album. The song on its own is a good follow-up to the way Get On Your Boots drove the album out to fans, and this song is honestly better than most of the songs that've been on radio right now.
HOT SHOT RECORD
Britney Spears - If You Seek Amy: Oops! She did it again. The whole point of this song is to be cheeky, titillating and blatant. I can't imagine the impression was ever for anyone to not guess the 'hidden' meaning in the lyrics (though a few notable commentators were convinced that the song was about Amy Winehouse at first) - essentially, Britney and Max Martin are playing a little game with us. Kind of "I know what I'm saying, and you know what I'm saying - d'you wanna make something of it?"
Maximo Park - The Kids Are Sick Again: Aside from the fact it sounds slightly like U2 at the start there's nothing particularly objectional about the song and there's a sort of thrumming threat to the guitars that suggests something really awesome may be about to happen. Maximo Park were best, for me, when they were singing from a personal point of view with a sort of romanticist social commentary possible to read in. That was really awesome....
Tommy Sparks - She's Got Me Dancing: This is an exampe of well-made pop music. Never too clever, never too stupid. Never self-pitying, over-sensitive or weedy, never worried about longevity or the future. And the best songs are rooted in the one glorious second where the world finally, after years of heartache and painful rubbish nonsense, makes total sense, for the first time ever.
Juan MacLean - One Day: MacLean sounds sounds remarkably similar to Human League's lead singer Phil Oakey. When the house chords punch in on One Day it's difficult not to punch the air and grin, particularly when they're followed by guest singer Nancy Whang's sing-song melody. Tunes are central to this endeavour, most of the song make for catchy pop. Maclean's voice, long disguised behind vocoders and various mic-effects, is central to the band's new designs, and its milquetoast vibe creates an often unpleasant distraction. 'One Day' punctures its New Pop froideur with a dash of Italo piano magic!
Steve Appleton - Dirty Funk: This is the debut single from Surrey-born singer-songwriter, Steve Appleton. Combining a diverse range of influences, from drum and bass to reggae, 'Dirty Funk' is described as sounding like 'Jack Johnson produced by Pendulum by way of Mike Skinner'. If you think that sounds interesting, just wait 'til you hear it! The video for this new single was shot out in Cape Town.
Two Fingers - That Girl: Two Fingers are Brazilian beat-adventurer Amon Tobin and Joe "Doubleclick" Chapman. The pair met when Tobin lived in Brighton and bonded over an interest in music that ran way beyond the boundaries of "electronica". The beat-work, in particular, is great. It�s uncompromising, often brutal, yet utterly compelling. And the lyrics, too, are as hard-hitting and to the point as you might expect from the artists delivering them! ('That Girl' takes a look at crazy girls who do too many pills).
OTHER SINGLES RELEASED THIS WEEK:
Au Revoir Simone - Shadows
Brownies - Cougar
Days - Never Give Up
Don Thomas - Come On Train
Fanfarlo - Drowning Men / Sand And Ice
Jessie Rose Trip - Forever And A Day
Josh Weller - Push (EP)
King Blues - I Got Love
Middle Class Rut - 25 Years (EP)
Poppy & The Jezebels - Rhubarb & Custard
She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here
Tiga - Shoes
We Were Promised Jetpacks - Quiet Little Voices
Will And The People - Knocking
11th May
Alesha Dixon - Let's Get Excited
Alex Roots - Fake
Annie - Anthonio
Asher Roth - I Love College
Brick & Lace - Bad To Di Bone
Broken Records - Until The Earth Begins To Part
Deadmau5 & Kaskade - I Remember
Ebony Bones - The Muzik
Eminem - We Made You
Gary Go - Open Arms
Horrors - Who Can Say
James Fox - Say What You Like
Laura Izibor - Don't Stay
Lightning Seeds - Ghosts
Lily Allen - Not Fair
Livvi Franc - Free
M83 - Graveyard Girl
Madness - Dust Devil
Magic Arm - Widths & Heights
Passion Pit - The Reeling
Prodigy - Warrior's Dance
Regina Spektor - Laughing With God
School Of Seven Bells - My Cabal
Sky Larkin - Antibodies
Sparrow & The Workshop - Devil Song / The Cold Hearted Twist
White Light Parade - Wake Up
18th May
Absent Elk - Sun And Water
Agnes - Release Me
Aliens - The Sunlamp Show
Black Lips - I'll Be With You
Blackout - Children Of The Night
Boy Better Know - Too Many Man
Cicada - Metropolis
Daniel Merriweather - Red
Datarock - Give It Up
Dizzee Rascal & Armand Van Helden - Bonkers
Dub Pistols feat Ashley Slater - Back To Daylight
Eels - My Timing Is Off / Fresh Blood
Eg - Broken
God Help The Girl - Come Monday Night
Graham Coxon - Sorrow's Army
Helena Jessie - Speaking Of Happiness / In These Shoes
Innerpartysystem - Heart Of Fire
Jade Ewen - It's My Time
Jukebox The Ghost - Hold It In
Kanye West feat Kid Cudi - Welcome To Heartbreak
Killers - The World We Live In
Ladyhawke - Back Of The Van
Liz McClarnon feat Jaime Jay & Blaaze - Lately
Malcolm Middleton - Red Travellin' Socks
Manic Street Preachers - Jackie Collins Existential Question Time
Marilyn Manson - Arma Goddamn Motherf***in Geddon
N-Dubz - Wouldn't You
Paolo Nutini - Candy
Phantom Band - Howling
Scott Matthews - Fractured
Silhouette - Masquerade
Star Pilots - In The Heat Of The Night
Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar
Team Waterpolo - Room 44
Toddla T & Herve - Shake It
25th May
Billy Talent - Rusted From The Rain
Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow
Cornershop - The Roll-Off Characteristics (Of History In The Making)
Crazy Arm - Broken By The Wheel
Dan Black - Hypntz
Dani Harmer - Free
Eugene McGuinness - Wendy Wonders
Flo Rida feat Wynter - Sugar
Howling Bells - Digital Hearts
Jem - And So I Pray
Joy Formidable - Whirring
Kevin Rudolf - Welcome To The World
Little Boots - New In Town
Luigi Masi - Armed With Love
Magistrates - Heartbreak
Melody Gardot - Baby I'm A Fool
Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Young Adult Friction
Royksopp feat Robyn - The Girl & The Robot
Sonia - Fool For Love
Stunt - I'll Be There
Tori Amos - Welcome to England
TV On The Radio - Crying
Veronicas - Untouched
You Me At Six - Finders Keepers
1st Jun
Ashley Tisdale - It's Alright It's OK
Axwell, Ingrosso, Angello & Laidback Luke feat Deborah Cox - Leave The World Behind
Blazin' Squad - Let's Start Again
Blue Roses - I Am Leaving
Client - Can You Feel
Demi Lovato - La La Land
Empire Of The Sun - We Are The People
Fray - Never Say Never
Hatcham Social - Crocodile
Hockey - Learn To Lose
Just Jack - Doctor Doctor
Kasabian - Fire
Kelly Clarkson - I Do Not Hook Up
Kissy Sell Out - This Kiss
Marina & The Diamonds - The Crown Jewels (EP)
Matt & Kim - Lessons Learned
Nate Campany & The Serenade - Stockholm, Paris, New York
Opposite Worlds - Feel
Peggy Sue - Lover Gone
Pet Shop Boys - Did You See Me Coming
Placebo - For What Its Worth
Snow Patrol - The Planets Bend Between Us
Solange - T.O.N.Y.
Wave Machines - I Go I Go I Go
8th Jun
Airborne Toxic Event - Happiness Is Overrated
All American Rejects - I Wanna
Basement Jaxx - Raindrops
Bat For Lashes - Moon And Moon
Cartridge - The Woods
Chaka Khan feat Mary J Blige - Disrespectful
Gathania - Blame It On You
Lemonheads - I Just Can't Take It Anymore
Leona Naess - Leave Your Boyfriend Behind
Mastodon - Oblivion
Papa Roach - Lifeline
Pixie Lott - Mama Do
Rose Elinor Dougall - Start/Stop/Synchro
Shinedown - Second Chance
Vagabond - Sweat (Until The Morning)
VV Brown - Shark In The Water
15th Jun
Busta Rhymes - World Go Round
Depeche Mode - Peace
Filthy Dukes - Messages
Gossip - Heavy Cross
Jack Pen~ate - Be the One
Jarvis Cocker - Angela
Kid British - Our House Is Dadless
Kid Harpoon - Stealing Cars
La Roux - Bulletproof
Lenka - The Show
Noisettes - Never Forget You
Paloma Faith - Stone Cold Sober
Script - Before The Worst
Soulja Boy - Kiss Me Thru The Phone
White Lies - Death
Wilco - Wilco (The Song)
22nd Jun
Defend Moscow - Die Tonight
Florence & The Machine - Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)
Freemasons feat Sophie Ellis Bextor - Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer
Rob Thomas - Her Diamonds
Slow Club - It Doesn't Have To Be Beautiful / Wild Blue Milk
Wallis Bird - LaLa Land
29th Jun
Ali Campbell - Out From Under
David Guetta feat Kelly Rowland - When Love Takes Over
Jamie T - Sticks 'N' Stones (EP)
Keri Hilson feat Kanye West & Ne-Yo - Knock You Down
Lonely Island - Like A Boss
Saturdays - Work
Silversun Pickups - Panic Switch
Vogue - Twilight
6th Jul
Benassi vs Bowie - DJ
Filthy Dukes feat Tommy Sparks - Messages
Coming Soon
AC/DC - Anything Goes / Big Jack
Alcazar - Burning
Alina - When You Leave (13th Jul)
Anastacia - Defeated (Apr)
Annie - My Love Is Better
Bandito - Rockin' At The Disco
Basic Element - Touch You Right Now
Billy Talent - Devil On My Shoulder (Aug)
Bimbo Jones - And I Try
Blackout Crew - Dialled
Booty Luv - Say It (Aug)
Britney Spears - Unusual You
BWO - Right Here Right Now (Jun)
Cahill - Sex Shooter (Apr)
Carolina Liar - Show Me What I'm Looking For
Charlotte Hatherley - Winter
Chicane - House Arrest (Jun)
Cutback feat Federal - Rock To The Rhythm (Apr)
Daniela - Push It Up
Deerhunter - Never Stops
Detachments - Circles
Dolly Rockers - Je Suis Une Dolly (20th Jul)
Dolores O'Riordan - The Journey
E-Type - Rain (Apr/May)
Elin Lanto - Discotheque
Elliott Minor - Discover (Why Love Hurts)
Example - Girl Can't Dance (Jun)
Flo Rida - Jump It (Jul)
Fragma - Memory
Friday Night Posse - Before He Cheats
Grace Jones - Love You To Life
India Arie - Chocolate High
Janelle Monae - Many Moons
Jenny Jones - Don't Walk Away
Jonas Brothers - Paranoid
Jordin Sparks - Battlefield
Julian Velard - Love Again For The First Time
Just Jack - The Day I Died (Aug)
Kate Ryan - Ella Elle L'a
Katy Perry - Waking Up In Vegas
Kelly Clarkson - Already Gone
Kelly Llorenna - Dress You Up
Lady Gaga - Paparazzi
Laura And The Tears - Love Live On!
Laurent Wolf - No Stress
Lazee feat Neverstore - Hold On
Lonnie Gordon - Catch You Baby (20th Jul)
M Ward - Rave On (Jun)
Maria Lawson - These Walls
Metric - Stadium Love
MSTRKRFT feat John Legend - Heartbreaker
Natalie Imbruglia - tba
Natural Born Grooves - Candy On The Dancefloor
Noisettes - Every Now And Then (Aug)
Paloma Faith - New York
Peacemakerz feat Danielle Senior - Take It To The Dancefloor
Pixie Lott - Gravity (Aug)
Platnum - Trippin'
Private - My Secret Lover
Razorlight - Burberry Blue Eyes
September - When You Leave It All Behind (Jul)
Shontelle feat Akon - Stuck With Each Other
Slipknot - Sulfur
Swingfly - Singing That Melody
Tina Cousins - Sex On Fire
Troubadours - Gimme Love (10th Aug)
Ultrabeat - Starry Eyed Girl
Veils - Three Sisters
DOWNLOAD ONLY RELEASES:
A Camp - Love Has Left The Room (04/05)
Ben's Brother - Apologise (04/05)
Funk Fanatics feat Peyton - Love Is The Answer (04/05)
In Case Of Fire - Enemies (04/05)
Kleerup feat Titiyo - Longing For Lullabies (04/05)
Lenny Fontana & Ridney presents Larisa - Wait 4 U (04/05)
Polly Scattergood - Please Don't Touch (04/05)
Richard Fleeshman - Can You Hear Me (04/05)
Ultra DJ's Feat. Lauren - Dancin' (04/05)
Chairlift - Evident Utensil (11/05)
Honey Ryder - Choices (11/05)
Jessica Garlick - Hard Not To Fall (11/05)
Maps - Let Go Of The Fear (11/05)
Jamie Foxx feat T-Pain - Blame It (25/05)
Speech Debelle - Go Then Bye (25/05)
Blackbud - You Can Run (01/06)
Xcerts - Just Go Home (08/06)
Starsailor - All The Plans (15/06)
Attack! Attack! - Honesty (06/07)