LONDON, UK (Top40 Charts/ by Jenny McCarthy - Staff Writer)
RECORD OF THE WEEK
Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow: The Black Eyed Peas return with a single that's a nod to the past while simultaneously grabbing hold of the future. It is the first single from the album The E.N.D. And just try to keep it from getting stuck in your head. It's a fairly ridiculous robopop stomper featuring no real chorus, 808s & Heartbreaks-style beats, lashings of Auto-Tune, techno synths that arrive half-way through and this vintage diss from Fergie: "I'm so 3008, you're so 2000 and late." It may well become grating, but frankly who cares? Right now this just sounds cracking.
HOT SHOT RECORD
Little Boots - New In Town: This is the first 'official' release from Victoria Hesketh aka Little Boots. She doesn't disappoint! Since being voted as BBC's Sound of 2009 she has been thrust into the media spotlight but is admirably determined to not let the hype get to her, though after this record is released she may be forgiven for feeling thoroughly proud of herself. The song was written during her first trip to LA and is about being 'a stranger in a strange place,' something anyone can relate to. As for the video, she's decided to temporarily drop the songs in PJs that contributed to her YouTube fame to allow director Jake Nava (Britney Spears, Beyonce, Kelis) to do his thing. The New In Town video is set in the back streets of Los Angeles with the aim to capture the essence of the song in addition to bringing in that American style seen so often. Compared to her other MySpace tracks, this one just feels a little too familiar, as if it's been done before. Little Boots' debut album, Hands, due out in June, should surely hold some shinier gems than this. If not, we can always blame the BBC.
Eddi Reader - Roses: 2009 release from the Scottish singer/songwriter and former vocalist with Fairground Attraction. Since the early 1980s, Eddi Reader has helped to define the landscape in which Folk artists and singer/songwriters navigate. With 'Roses,' Eddi continues to fly the flag for Folk, traditional music and jazz (crap video, but what a sweet gentle song!). The intimate recording process was facilitated by engineer Mark Freegard in his little studio in Glasgow, above the Glasgow-to-Helensburgh trainline. Other than that, Eddi's vocals are as usual flawless and the choice of material better than good!
Pretenders - Love's A Mystery: 'Love's A Mystery' comes in at the right time. The calming effect is back again from The Pretenders. Only this time, Chrissie sounds much more involved here with her raised vocals. Somehow, this track has the country feel that would appeal to all country fans. There's a part where the remaining of The Pretenders contribute the backing howls beautifully. It's definitely one of the shining moments on Love's A Mystery. A nice break by The Pretenders.
Sonia - Fool For Love: Sonia, the Eurovision Song Contest runner-up in 1993 when she represented the United Kingdom, will be launching a new single and is penned by Tony Power. Sonia had a string of hits in the early 1990s with legendary pop writers Stock, Aitken and Waterman, including You'll never stop me loving you, Counting every minute, and Only Fools Never Fall In Love.
Tori Amos - Welcome to England: Hell yes! She's back, and I think I'm in love... Again. I REALLY like this! As usual there are all sorts of wonderful things going on in this track. Great words, great melody, and of coarse loads of breath taking piano. There is also a, dare I say, "classic rock" style guitar sneaking up to the surface from time to time. Reminds me of some of the things that I really enjoyed about ADP, which has yet to get old to me. Can't wait for the rest of the album.
Veronicas - Untouched: The Veronicas are possibly the most beaufitul twins I've ever seen... Though it's been knocking about for a while, it's 'Untouched' that The Veronicas are touting as their breakthrough single over here. Sounding like a cross between Pink and Avril Lavigne at her least brattish, it combines surging guitars, a naggingly effective string hook and harmonies a-plenty before building to a catchy, attitude-packed chorus! The chorus, which is total '80s dramapop heaven, treading a fine line between Lady GaGa raunch and Natasha Bedingfield wholesome.
OTHER SINGLES RELEASED THIS WEEK:
Agnes - Release Me
Annie Lennox - Pattern Of My Life
Boy Better Know - Too Many Man
Cass McCombs - Dreams Come True Girl
Cornershop - The Roll-Off Characteristics (Of History In The Making)
Crazy Arm - Broken By The Wheel
Dani Harmer - Free
Eugene McGuinness - Wendy Wonders
Howling Bells - Digital Hearts
James Yuill - Over The Hills
Jem - And So I Pray
Joy Formidable - Whirring
Kate Ryan - Ella Elle L'a
Kevin Rudolf feat Kid Cudi - Welcome To The World
Laurent Wolf - No Stress
Luigi Masi - Armed With Love
Magistrates - Heartbreak
Melody Gardot - Baby I'm A Fool
Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Young Adult Friction
Silhouette - Masquerade
Snow Patrol - The Planets Bend Between Us
Speech Debelle - Go Then Bye
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
Blue Roses - I Am Leaving
Carolina Liar - Show Me What I'm Looking For
Client - Can You Feel
Demi Lovato - La La Land
Empire Of The Sun - We Are The People
Enter Shikari - Juggernauts
The Fray - Never Say Never
Hockey - Learn To Lose
Kasabian - Fire
Kelly Clarkson - I Do Not Hook Up
Kissy Sell Out - This Kiss
Matt & Kim - Lessons Learned
Micachu & The Shapes - Golden Phone
N-Dubz - Wouldn't You
Nate Campany & The Serenade - Stockholm, Paris, New York
Panjabi MC - Snake Charmer
Peggy Sue - Lover Gone
Pet Shop Boys - Did You See Me Coming
Placebo - For What Its Worth
T.I. - Whatever You Like
Wave Machines - I Go I Go I Go
8th Jun
Airborne Toxic Event - Happiness Is Overrated
All American Rejects - I Wanna
Ash - Return Of White Rabbit
Cartridge - The Woods
Hatcham Social - Crocodile
Johnny Bennett - Sailboat
Jonas Brothers - Paranoid
Katy Perry - Waking Up In Vegas
Lemonheads - I Just Can't Take It Anymore
Leona Naess - Leave Your Boyfriend Behind
Mastodon - Oblivion
Mika - Songs For Sorrow (EP)
Neil Sedaka - Do You Remember
Pixie Lott - Mama Do
Proclaimers - Love Can Move Mountains
Rose Elinor Dougall - Start/Stop/Synchro
Vagabond - Sweat (Until The Morning)
VV Brown - Shark In The Water
The Yeah You's - 15 Minutes
15th Jun
Black Stone Cherry - Things My Father Said
Blazin' Squad - Let's Start Again
Depeche Mode - Peace
Dinosaur Jr - Over It
Gallows - London Is The Reason
Gaslight Anthem - The 59 Sound
Gossip - Heavy Cross
Jack Pen~ate - Be The One
Jarvis Cocker - Angela
Just Jack - Doctor Doctor
Kid British - Our House Is Dadless
Kid Harpoon - Stealing Cars
La Roux - Bulletproof
Lenka - The Show
Melanie Fiona - Give It To Me Right
Noisettes - Never Forget You
Paloma Faith - Stone Cold Sober
Papa Roach - Lifeline
Patrick Wolf - Hard Times
The Script - Before The Worst
Soft Toy Emergency - Critical
Soulja Boy - Kiss Me Thru The Phone
Take That - Said It All
Wilco - Wilco (The Song)
22nd Jun
Basement Jaxx - Raindrops
Bat For Lashes - Pearl's Dream
The Big Pink - Stop The World
Bombay Bicycle Club - Dust On The Ground
Cherri V - Until The Sun Comes Up
Defend Moscow - Die Tonight
The Enemy - Sing When You're In Love
Florence & The Machine - Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)
Freemasons feat Sophie Ellis Bextor - Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer
Lazee feat Neverstore - Hold On
Mando Diao - Mean Streets
Marina & The Diamonds - The Crown Jewels (EP)
Rob Thomas - Her Diamonds
Ro"yksopp feat Robyn - The Girl & The Robot
Sally Shapiro - Miracle
Shinedown - Second Chance
Slow Club - It Doesn't Have To Be Beautiful / Wild Blue Milk
Tommy Reilly - Jackets
Wallis Bird - LaLa Land
29th Jun
3OH!3 - Don't Trust Me
Akon - We Don't Care
Ali Campbell - Out From Under
Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes
Billy Talent - Rusted From The Rain
Cascada - Evacuate The Dancefloor
Dan Black - Symphonies
David Guetta feat Kelly Rowland - When Love Takes Over
Don Diablo & Example - Hooligans
Fight Like Apes - Something Global
Gathania - Blame It On You
Hannah - Keeping Score
Jamie T - Sticks 'N' Stones (EP)
Jordin Sparks - Battlefield
Keri Hilson feat Kanye West & Ne-Yo - Knock You Down
Kings Of Leon - Notion
Lisa Hannigan - I Don't Know
The Lonely Island - Like A Boss
Maxwell - Pretty Wings
The Rumble Strips - Not The Only Person
Saturdays - Work
Silversun Pickups - Panic Switch
Square1 feat Siobhan Donaghy - Styfling
Virgins - Hey Hey Girl
Vogue - Twilight
Voluntary Butler Scheme - Tabasco Sole
White Lies - Death
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll
6th Jul
Benassi vs Bowie - DJ
Filthy Dukes feat Tommy Sparks - Messages
Frankmusik - Confusion Girl
Franz Ferdinand - Can't Stop Feeling
Jack Savoretti - Map Of The World
Lady Gaga - Paparazzi
The Maccabees - Can You Give It
PJ Harvey & John Parrish - California
The Twang - Barney Rubble
White Denim - I Start To Run
13th Jul
Alina - When You Leave
Busta Rhymes - World Go Round
Green Day - 21 Guns
Hollywood Undead - Young
James Morrison - Nothing Ever Hurt Like You
JLS - Beat Again
Mr Hudson - Supernova
Pussycat Dolls - Hush Hush
20th Jul
Dolly Rockers - Je Suis Une Dolly
Lonnie Gordon - Catch You Baby
MSTRKRFT feat John Legend - Heartbreaker
September - Until I Die
27th Jul
Flo Rida feat Nelly Furtado - Jump
Private - My Secret Lover
Coming Soon
Absent Elk -Emily (3rd Aug)
Alcazar - Burning
Alex Roots - Fake
Anastacia - Defeated
Annie - My Love Is Better
Bandito - Rockin' At The Disco
Basic Element - Touch You Right Now
Beyonce - Sweet Dreams
Billy Talent - Devil On My Shoulder (Aug)
Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling
Blackout Crew - Dialled
Bob Sinclar feat Sugarhill Gang - Lala Song
Booty Luv - Say It (Aug)
Britney Spears - Radar
BWO - Right Here Right Now (Jun)
Cahill - Sex Shooter
Charlotte Hatherley - Winter
Chicane - House Arrest (Jun)
Chris Cornell - Long Gone
Cicada - Metropolis
Cutback feat Federal - Rock To The Rhythm
Daniela - Push It Up
Deerhunter - Never Stops
Detachments - Circles
Dolores O'Riordan - The Journey (Jul)
Dragonette - Fixin' To Thrill
E-Type - Rain
Elin Lanto - Discotheque
Elliott Minor - Discover (Why Love Hurts)
Enter Shikari - No Sleep Tonight (17th Aug)
Example - Girl Can't Dance (Jun)
Fragma - Memory
Friday Night Posse - Before He Cheats
Girls Can't Catch - Keep Your Head Up (Jul)
Hockey - Song Away (17th Aug)
Humanzi - Bass Balls (3rd Aug)
Janelle Monae - Many Moons
Jenny Jones - Don't Walk Away
Julian Velard - Love Again For The First Time
Just Jack - The Day I Died (Aug)
Kanye West feat Kid Cudi - Welcome To Heartbreak
Kelly Clarkson - Already Gone
Kelly Llorenna - Dress You Up
Kish Mauve - Matthew
Laura And The Tears - Love Live On!
Little Boots - Remedy (8th Aug)
Liz McClarnon feat Jaime Jay & Blaaze - Lately
M Ward - Rave On (Jun)
Metric - Stadium Love
Mica Paris - Baby Come Back Now
Natalie Imbruglia - tba
Natural Born Grooves - Candy On The Dancefloor
Ne-Yo - Part Of The List
Noisettes - Every Now And Then (24th Aug)
One eskimO - Hometime / Givin' Up
Paloma Faith - New York
Paul Van Dyk - For An Angel '09
Pixie Lott - Gravity (Aug)
Platnum - Trippin'
Regina Spektor - Laughing With
Sean Kingston - Fire Burning
Shontelle feat Akon - Stuck With Each Other
Simian Mobile Disco - Audacity Of Huge (3rd Aug)
Slipknot - Sulfur
The Streets - The Edge Of A Cliff
Swingfly - Singing That Melody
Tina Cousins - Sex On Fire
The Troubadours - Gimme Love (10th Aug)
TV On The Radio - Crying
Twiggy Frostbite - Heroes
Ultrabeat - Starry Eyed Girl
Urbnri feat Shaun Ryder - Georgy Best
The Veils - Three Sisters
Zero 7 - Medicine Man (Aug)
DOWNLOAD ONLY RELEASES:
Blackbud - You Can Run (01/06)
Linkin Park - New Divide (01/06)
The Rakes - That's The Reason (01/06)
Solange - T.O.N.Y. (01/06)
Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar (01/06)
Chaka Khan feat Mary J Blige - Disrespectful (08/06)
MJ Cole feat Digga - Gotta Have It (08/06)
Skyla - Breaking Free (08/06)
Stunt - I'll Be There (08/06)
The Troubadours - Surrender (08/06)
The Xcerts - Just Go Home (08/06)
Starsailor - All The Plans (15/06)
The Duckworth Lewis Method - The Age Of Revolution (22/06)
Jamie Foxx feat T-Pain - Blame It (29/06)
Opposite Worlds - Feel (29/06)
Attack! Attack! - Honesty (06/07)
