Gillingham, Kent, UK (By Mikey)
RECORD OF THE WEEK
Blu Cantrell ft. Sean Paul - Breath This song is doing the rounds its gonna be HUGE, at first I did not like this song but now I'm hooked, as the more I listen to it, I get addicted. Last seen in the UK charts with her firing urban debut 'Hit 'Em Up Style', Blu Cantrell returns this week with another brilliant single, this time in the shape of 'Breathe'. Featuring a guest vocal from untouchable star Sean Paul, this is a laidback and catchy mix of r'n'b and ragga that has summertime written all over it.
HOT SHOT RECORD
Lumidee - Never Leave You (Uh Ooh, Uh Oooh!) This song is big stateside, its gonna be a monster hit over here. Looking likely to become one of the big crossover singles of the summer, Lumidee's brilliant 'Never Leave You' is also the latest in an ever-growing line of tracks that makes great use of the Diwali rhythm (already made famous by the likes of Sean Paul and Wayne Wonder). A minimal, haunting, but incredibly infectious urban anthem; the slamming, floor-quaking original is also joined by an even bigger remix (with guest rap from Busta Rhymes) alongside a very useful instrumental, ideal for the more adventurous jocks out there. Don't miss!
Lucy Carr - This Is Goodbye Having rocked the charts (and the dancefloors) with her debut single 'Missing You', Lucy Carr returns this week with 'This Is Goodbye', her latest majestic pop-dance treat. Produced by Kenny Hayes, this single is already looking like it's got what it takes to work the trancier and more commercial floors throughout the summer.
Dandy Warhols - You Were The Last High The Dandy Warhols follow the brilliant 'We Used To Be Friends' with the equally cool 'You Were The Last High', the second single from their latest album, 'Welcome To The Monkey House'. Co-written by Evan Dando, it's already proved a bit of fave with the fans and music hacks alike, and now it's simple uplifting acoustic pop brilliance.
Craig David - Spanish Although his profile might not be as high as it once was, Craig David still remains one of the UK's most versatile and talented urban artists. Seemingly getting better and better with each and every release, here, after the success of 'Rise' (his duet with Sting), the man returns to the kind of sophisticated r'n'b that he seems to have made all his own. Don't miss!
The Hiss - The Clever Kicks Highly-touted rockers The Hiss follow up the release of their limited edition 'Back On The Radio' single with the release of the brilliant 'Clever Kicks', the first taster of their long-awaited debut album, 'Panic Movement'. Produced by Owen Morris (Oasis, The Verve, Ash), who's already claiming it's the best album he has worked on since 'Definitely Maybe', 'Clever Kicks' is an incendiary new rock single that are already looking like one of the new bands to watch in the remainder of 2003.
Hot Hot Heat - No, Not Now Having taken both the charts and the rock underground by storm with their catchy pop-punk debut single, 'Bandages', Canadian outfit Hot Hot Heat return this week with 'No Not Now', an equally raucous single to its brilliant predecessor. All set to see this promising young band cross even further into the UK's rock mainstream, the fist punching, pogo inducing original is also joined by some equally good bonus tracks. A worthy follow-up to 'Bandages'!
Junior Senior - Rhythm Bandits Carlsberg. Bacon. Lurpak. These are a list of some of Denmark's favourite things...well, that's before Junior Senior came along rocking everyone's existence with their hypnotising brilliant debut release, 'Move Your Feet'. That brightened up everyone's winter and now the Junior Senior duo return with an equally infectious follow-up in the shape of the brilliant 'Rhythm Bandits'. Set for summer greatness, the addictive original is also joined by a cool bonus cut, 'Cocodub'.
Kosheen - All In My Head Having been away for the last six months or so fine honing their forthcoming album, Kosheen return this week with a catchy little taster of what's looking like a 'slight' change in direction for the talented trio. Veering away from their dancefloor/drum & bass roots to a more poppy, radio-friendly sound, 'All In My Head' is a daring, but very promising, step forward for a group that always hinted there was gonna be a lot more to them than clubs and festivals.
Lisa Maffia - In Love Having successfully stepped out of the So Solid Crew's considerable shadow with her debut single, 'All Over', Lisa Maffia returns this week with 'In Love', the second single from a debut album that's already promising to be very special indeed. A complete swing away from the raucous posturing of her feisty debut, 'In Love' is a sultry, summery love song that shows there's a depth and sophistication to this talented young starlet that her debut didn't even hint at.
Robbie Williams - Something Beautiful Third single lifted from his multi-million seller hit album 'Escapology'. Something Beautiful is the sleeper on 'Escapology' Robbie Williams's genius lies hugely in his revisiting '60s and '70s sounds and making something new and personal of them. In Something Beautiful we hear hints of The Supremes; funky R&B; a parodic backing group, worthy of Velvet Underground. It'll be a hit in Old Compton Street with its promise of "something beautiful... by the end of the day." The real treat however is B-side Berliner Star, a bittersweet, apparently autobiographical ballad with interrogative backing that distances the singer from reality. This one's going to play over and over.
Maria Willson - Chooza Looza She may be a new name to most, but on the evidence of Maria Willson's very promising debut single, 'Chooza Looza', that's merely a little detail that'll be rectified very soon indeed. A feisty, upbeat cocktail of ballsy rock and catchy, straight-up pop, 'Chooza Looza' is an anthemic intro to the UK's very own Avril Lavigne and serves as a promising introduction to a young artist that we should be hearing a lot more from in the future.
OTHER SINGLES RELEASED THIS WEEK
Bon Garcon - Shake Shake
Paul Carrack - Where Did I Go Wrong?
Crackout - Out Of Our Minds
Discipline - Everywhere We Go
Dropkick Murphys - Walk Away
Fluke - Switch
Funeral For A Friend - Juneau
The Futureheads - First Day
Dana Glover - Rain
Indien - Show Me Love
Kaci - I'm Not Anybody's Girl
M83 - Run Into Flowers
Mankato - Wasted
Motor Ace - Carry On
Relaxed Muscle - Billy Jack
Damien Rice - Volcano
Josh Rouse - Love Vibration
Bob Sinclair - Kiss My Eyes
Sinema - Confusion
Ten Speed Racer - 15
The Veils - Guiding Light
OTHER SINGLES RELEASED THIS WEEK
August 4
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Stop
The Blue Man Group featuring Gavin Rossale - The Current
The Cheeky Girls - Hooray Hooray (It's A Cheeky Holiday)
Client - Rock 'N' Roll Machine
Deftones - Bloody Cape
Dogs Die In Hot Cars - I Love You 'Cause I Have To
Elbow - Fallen Angel
Fabolous featuring Mike Shorey & Lil' Mo - Can't Let You Go (Damn!)
Futureshock - Pride's Paranoia
Thea Gilmore - Juliet (Keep That In Mind)
Layo & Bushwacka! - It's Up To You (Shining Through)
John Mayer - No Such Thing
Keith Murray featuring Def Squad - Yeah Yeah U Know It
Jason Nevins presents U.K.N.Y. featuring Holly James - I'm In Heaven
Stacie Orrico - Stuck
Mark Owen - Four Minute Warning
QFX - Freedom 2003
Kelly Rowland - Train On A Track
Serafin - Day By Day
Supergrass - Rush Hour Soul
Ultrabeat - Pretty Green Eyes
Voodoo & Serano - Overload
Pharrell Williams featuring Jay-Z - Frontin'
Y Traxx - Mystery Land
August 11
Adema - Unstable
Airbiscuit - Lately
Audio Bullys - Way Too Long
Mary J Blige - Love At First Sight
Busted - Sleeping With The Light On
Capes - Regional Heats
Dallas Superstars - Helium
Macy Gray - She Ain't Right For You
P Diddy featuring Kelis - Let's Get Ill
Jaimeson - Complete
Mark Joseph - Fly
R Kelly - Snake
Kings Of Leon - Molly's Chambers
Stephanie Kirkham - Inappropriate
KoRn - Did My Time
Courtney Love - Mono
Nio - Do You Think You're Special
Nova - All This Love
Petrice - Till I Kissed You
LeAnn Rimes - We Can
David Sneddon - Best Of Order
Soda Club - Keep Love Together
State One - Forever And A Day
Stylophonic featuring Shock-G & Humpty Hump - Way Of Life
Tantalize - Definition
Venus Hum - Soul Sloshing
Violent Delight - Transmission
Winnebago Deal - Man Hunt
Richard X featuring Kelis - Finest Dreams
August 18
4 Strings - Let It Rain
Amen UK - Passion 2003
Melanie Blatt - Do Me Wrong
Bowling For Soup - Punk Rock 101
The Clams - Cut Me Loose
Billy Crawford - Trackin'
Culture Beat - Mr. Vain Recall
D Kay & Epsilon featuring Stamina MC - Barcelona
Dizzee Rascal - Fix Up, Look Sharp
Electric Six - Dance Commander
The Free Association - Sugarman
Dave Gahan - I Need You
Girls Aloud - Life Got Cold
Good Charlotte - The Anthem
Grafiti - What Is The Problem?
Jewel - Intuition
Lemar - Dance (With U)
The Libertines - Don't Look Back Into The Sun
Nightlife - Shining Star
Outlandish - Aicha
Queens Of The Stone Age - First It Giveth
Radiohead - Go To Sleep
The Raveonettes - The Great Love Sound
Rancid - Full Backdown
Sash! featuring TJ Davis - I Believe
Stain'd - So Far Away
System featuring Kerri B - If You Leave Me Now
Third Edge - Gonna Get U Down
August 25
A - Good Times
Abs featuring Nodesha - Miss Perfect
Tim Burgess - I Believe In The Spirit
Mariah Carey - Bringing On The Heartbreak
Kelly Clarkson - Miss Independent
DJ Bobo - Chihuahua
Drunkenmunkey - E
Gay Dad - Joy
Groove Armada - But I Feel Good
In-Grid - Tu Es Foutu
Junior Jack - E Samba
Lee-Cabrera featuring Alex Cartana - Shake It (Move A Little Faster)
Love Inc - Here Comes The Sunshine
Annie Lennox - 1000 Beautiful Things
P-Nut - Hey Hey Hey
Sean Paul - Like Glue
Snap! vs Motivo - The Power Of Bhangra 2003
Speedway - Genie In A Bottle
Svenson & Gielen featuring Jan Johnston - Beachbreeze
The Thrills - Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)
Third Light - Movin' On
Shania Twain - Thank You Baby (For Making Someday Come So Soon)
September 1
Audioslave - I Am The Highway
Big Brovaz - Baby Boy
Black Eyed Peas featuring Justin Timberlake - Where Is The Love?
Cooper Temple Clause - Promises Promises
Dare - Chihuahua
Tim Deluxe - Less Talk, More Action
Dido - White Flag
Harry - So Real
Elton John - Are You Ready For Love?
Norah Jones - I Don't Know Why
Lacquer - Behind
Lamya - Black Mona Lisa
Lemonescent - Unconditional Love
Linkin Park - Numb
Marilyn Manson - This Is The New Shit
Moloko - Blow X Blow
Monica - So Gone
Seal - Get It Together
Sonique - Alive
Space Cowboy - Crazy Talk/Just Put Your Hand In Mine
Starsailor - Silence Is Easy
Sugardaddy - Sweet Soca Music
The White Stripes - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself
September 8
AFI - The Leaving Song
Christina Aguilera featuring Lil' Kim - Can't Hold Us Down
The Ataris - The Boys Of Summer
Chemical Brothers - Golden Path
Siobhan Donaghy - Hate
Dutch featuring Crystal Waters - This Is My Time
Gareth Gates - Sunshine
HIM - Sacriment
Lene - It's Your Duty (To Shake That Booty)
Massive Attack - What Your Soul Sings
Metallica - Frantic
Mya featuring Missy Elliot - My Love Is Like... Wo!
Nas - Get Down
Lisa Scott-Lee - Too Far Gone
Travis - Re-Offender
Luther Vandross featuring Busta Rhymes - Lovely Day
September 15
Alien Ant Farm - These Days
ATB - I Don't Wanna Stop
Evanescence - Going Under
Foo Fighters - Have It All
Fountains Of Wayne - Stacey's Mom
Delta Goodrem - Innocent Eyes
Ainslie Henderson - Pretty Girls And Boys
Jamelia - Superstar
Mankato - Pictures Of The Other
Maroon 5 - Harder To Breathe
Nickelback - Someday
Lisa Marie Presley - Sinking In
Spookers - Faster Than You Know
Sting - Send Your Love
Texas - Carnival Girl
Justin Timberlake - Senorita
Finley Quaye featuring Beth Orton - Dice
Rachel Stevens - Sweet Dreams
Westlife - Yeah Whatever
September 22
Atomic Kitten - If You Come To Me
B2K - Uh-Huh
Blondie - Good Boys
Melanie C - Yeh Yeh Yeh
Nodesha - Get It While It's Hot
Outkast - Ghetto Music
Elvis Presley - Rubberneckin'
Soil - Pride
Amy Studt - Under The Thumb
The Thorns - Runaway Feeling
September 29
50 Cent - P.I.M.P.
Beyonce featuring Sean Paul - Baby Boy
The Coral - Secret Kiss
Kosheen - Wasting My Time
Mis-Teeq - Crossroads
S Club 8 - Sundown
Ian Van Dahl - I Can't Let You Go
October 6
Emma - Maybe
Javine - Don't Walk Away
Liberty X - Jumpin'
Santana featuring Alex Band - Why Don't You?
October 13
Craig David - World Filled With Love
REM - Bad Day
