Gillingham, Kent, UK (By Mikey)
Sugababes - Hole In The Head Wild chicks Mutya, Keisha and Heidi return with new single 'Hole In The Head' after time spent recording and playing a few summer festivals. Having already been nominated for 'Best UK Act Of The Year' at this year's MOBO Awards, it comes as no surprise that this latest offering is to the same exceptional standard we are used to from the girls. It's a bit more dancey than the usual Sugababes sound and the lyrics sometimes seem a bit too simple for a developed act like this, but there's simply no stopping those girls on their way further up the ladder of success.
HOT SHOT RECORD
Emma - Maybe As well as dropping her surname, Emma seems to have taken a musical detour along the path of 60's-influenced, easy listening lounge music. With its Latin-y brass section and breathy harmonies, 'Maybe', the first single to be taken from the ex-Spice Girl's forthcoming second solo album, sounds like early Cardigans before they went rock, and is accompanied by a suitably retro video featuring Emma looking every inch the 60s sex kitten. 'Maybe' should follow Emma's last single 'Free Me' straight into the top 5.
50 Cent ft. Snoop Dogg - P.I.M.P. 50 Cent, G-Unit, or Curtis Jackson, however you want to refer to him, is a shining example of one who has had a horrendous life yet was still able to turn things around and become a successful phenomenon. 50 returns with another slamming tune called 'PIMP' off his critically acclaimed album 'Get Rich Or Die Tryin'. PIMP starts off with a steel drum, most likely influenced by 50's birth in Jamaica, and continues on with a solid syncopated backbeat that makes for a perfect head-nodding feeling.
Aqualung - Brighter Than Sunshine Aqualung, in the shape of singer-songwriter Matt Hales, release another classic tune in the form of the single 'Brighter The Sunshine'. Taken from his second album 'Still Life', this has all the markings of a pop classic with its soaring strings, irresistible melody and sheer immediacy. The track was written earlier this year - after selling in excess of 200,000 copies worldwide of 'aqualung' and earning him an Ivor Novello nomination - the single is in Matt's words, 'about as unequivocal a love song as you'll find in the world of aqualung'.
Chingy - Right Thurr Right Thurr is the debut single off the Jackpot album by US hip hop sensation Chingy and first release on his mentor Ludacris label Disturbing Tha Peace. The track is already a major floor filler in clubs and is shaping up to becoming the biggest breakthrough acts of the year. "Right Thurr" features Chingy rapping over a thick, percolating beat that only St. Louis does best. The Ludacris prot�g� is definitely going to cause the same type of urban havoc that hasn't been witnessed since the day Nelly Country Grammar came to light.
Craig David - World Filled With Love After some time spent in the US and a hit single with ex-Police frontman Sting, Craig David is back with this, his new single, 'World Filled With Love'. This will no doubt be hailed as his definitive comeback to the top of the UK, and possibly US charts, as it is a beautiful R&B ballad sung with heaps of emotion and dedication. Talking about the singing, something has happened to Mr David's voice. It sounds much richer and matured which is perfect for the song and, well, pretty easy on your ears too.
DJ Bobo - Chihuahua 'Chihuahua' is a hybrid of 'Mambo Number Five' and 'The Macarena' and it features a rap with the type of rhyming couplets usually reserved for Blue singles. It is a harmless, fluffy and essentially likeable track that will lodge into your head after three plays and refuse to budge. The British charts have a history of novelty foreign dance tunes with 'quirky' English lyrics - think Bacarra, Whigfield and Eiffel 65 - and Chihuahua proudly carries on that tradition with a big grin on its face.
Electric Six - Dance Commander Out of the Great Detroit Rock Hothouse and into the void flies Electric Six, whose bizarre genetic splicing of punk, new wave, disco and arena rock provides a total entertainment solution for the new breed of rock and roller. Having burnt down the disco and put assorted things in us, the Electric Six are now becoming disco fascists and ordering us all to dance. 'Dance Commander' is the opening track to the album 'Fire', and is as always accompanied with a controversial video that sees lead singer Dick Valentine morph between an angst-ridden Avril Lavigne fan and Fidel Castro.
Sophie Ellis Bextor - Mixed Up World Sophie E-B's fans will be pleased to hear the newly blonde posh popstar back on top form after a well-earned year off recovering from the success of her debut album 'Read My Lips'. As you might expect, 'Mixed Up World' is an electro-disco number topped off with Sophie's unmistakably classy vocals, and it's taken from her forthcoming album 'Shoot From The Hip' which will hit the shops at the end of October.
Keane - This Is The Last Time If you dream of bands that have thick, creamy vocals as their high point - Keane are here to make those dreams come true. Having put out two records on their own Zoomorphic label, they release their new single 'This Is The Last Time' on the consistently fab Fierce Panda label. This band is all about the vocals - and what vocals they are. Clear, crisp and flowing - it's like the biggest, bluest sky opened up and decided to sing. The music is keyboard-driven spun sugar sparkles and the lyrics are the stuff of slow dances at the disco.
Michelle Lawson - I Just Wanna Say Debut single 'I Just Wanna Say' by Liverpudlian Motown fan Michelle Lawson is bound to make waves in the seas of Rock and Pop. With her soulful, deep voice Michelle manages to capture the spirit of times gone by on this chilled out track, reminiscent of some early works by Portishead or Massive Attack. If there isn't enough quality music and original artists making their mark in the charts today for you, look no further. Michelle Lawson is one to watch out for and you know where you heard it first.
Kevin Lyttle - Turn Me On When newcomer Kevin Lyttle wrote 'Turn Me On' on the Caribbean island of St Vincent where he lives, little did he expect that it would become not only the anthem of this year's Notting Hill Carnival, but a worldwide hit single. After recording the track with local producer Adrian Bailey it aired at the local St Vincent Carnival and created an inter-island buzz that quickly spread to the US and the UK. Watch Kevin follow in the footsteps of label mates Sean Paul and Wayne Wonder.
R.E.M. - Bad Day The first single from Michael Stipe and co. in ages is a typically rockin tune, upbeat enough to rival some of R.E.M.'s biggest hits such as 'It's The End Of The World As We Know It' and 'Shiny Happy People'. Fans got a sneak preview of 'Bad Day' when the band performed it at their headline gigs at Glastonbury and T in the Park in the summer and it's one of two new tracks which will feature on the forthcoming 'In Time: The Best Of R.E.M 1988-2003' which hits the shops at the end of October.
Super Furry Animals - Hello Sunshine 'Hello Sunshine' is the opening track as well as the second single to be lifted from their fantastic sixth album 'Phantom Power', the first single being their top 20 hit 'Golden Retriever'. Hello Sunshine' starts off as a sombre Cocteau Twins homage and ends up as both a Beatles tribute as well as one of their best songs.
OTHER SINGLES RELEASED THIS WEEK
90 Day Men - Too Late Or Too Dead
Amplifier - The Consultancy
The Beautiful South - Just A Few Things That I Ain't
Biz Markie feat. Elephant Man - Let Me See You Bounce
Cinerama - Don't Touch That Dial
Dave Clarke - Way Of Life
The Creatures - Godzilla
The Eagles - Hole In The World
France - Somebody To Love
Grandadbob - Maybe
David Guetta - Just A Little More Love
Hiding With Girls - Cassette / Painting Still Life From Memory
Inner Terrestrials - Guns Of Brixton
Iron & Wine - The Sea & The Rhythm
Jehst - Run Hard
Lisa Lashes - What Can You Do For Me
Katie Melua - The Closest Thing To Crazy
P.O.D. - Will You
The Pretenders - The Losing
Sleepy Jackson - Good Dancers
Spearmint - Left Alone Among The Living
The Stands - I Need You
T. Raumschmiere - Rabaukendisko
Thursday - Signals Over the Air
Tindersticks - Sweet Oblivion
Tomcraft - Brainwashed
Twen2y 4 Se7en - Patiently Waiting
Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father
Single Release Schedule
October 20
Ashanti - Rain On Me
Daniel Bedingfield - Friday
Big Ang ft. Siobhan - It's Over Now
Blue - Guilty
Sheryl Crow - The First Cut Is The Deepest
Divine Inspiration - What Will Be Will Be (Destiny)
Fatman Scoop ft. The Crooklyn Clan - Be Faithful
Thea Gilmore - Mainstream
Kings Of Leon - Wasted Time
Kosheen - Wasting My Time
Annie Lennox - Wonderful
Liberty X - Jumpin'
Morcheeba - Can't Stand It
Space Cowboy - Crazy Talk
Stacie Orrico - (There's Gotta Be) More To Life
Outlandish - Aicha
Simply Red - You Make Me Feel Brand New
Martina Topley-Bird - Soul Food
Obie Trice - Got Some Teeth
Unkle - In A State
Ian Van Dahl - I Can't Let You Go
Maria Willson - Mr. Alibi
Lara Zola - This Is What I Like
October 27
Acoustic Love Experience - Painted Pony
Mariah Carey - Bringin' On The Heartbreak
Johnny Cash - Hurt
Angel City ft. Lara McAllen - Love Me Right
Kelly Clarkson - Low
Atomic Kitten - If You Come To Me
Matt Darey ft. Marcella Woods - Voice Of An Angel
Delays - Long Time Coming
Eagle Eye Cherry - Skull Tattoo
Elbow - Fugitive Motel
Dave Gahan - Bottle Living / Hold On
iio - Smooth
Kelis - Milkshake
Lumidee - Crashin' A Party
Maroon 5 - Harder To Breathe
Kym Marsh - Sentimental
Mark Owen - Alone Without You
Pink - Trouble
Phixx - Hold On Me
Primal Scream - Some Velvet Morning
David Sneddon - Baby Get Higher
Underworld - Born Slippy 2003
Holly Valance - State Of Mind
Wayne Wonder - Bounce Along
November 3
Blazin' Squad - Flip Reverse
Tim Burgess - About A Boy
The Cooper Temple Clause - Blind Pilot
Dashboard Confessional - Hands Down
Fight Club ft. Laurent Konrad - Spread Love
Gabrielle - You Used To Love Me
Matt Goss - I'm Comin' With Ya
Hundred Reasons - The Great Test
Jet - Rollover DJ
R Kelly - Thoia Thoing
John Mayer - Bigger Than My Body
Kylie Minogue - Slow
Ozzy & Kelly Osbourne - Changes
Pet Shop Boys - Miracles
Britney Spears ft. Madonna - Me Against The Music
Luther Vandross - Lovely Day / Dance With My Father
Robbie Williams - Sexed Up
November 10
Abs - 7 Ways...
All American Rejects - The Last Song
Basement Jaxx f. Dizzee Rascal - Lucky Star
Belle & Sebastian - Step Into My Office
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - We're All In Love
Busted - Crashed The Wedding
Melanie C - Yeh Yeh Yeh / Melt
Electric Soft Parade - Lose Your Frown
Michael Jackson - One More Chance
Javine - Surrender
Iron Maiden - Rain Maker
Ronan Keating - Lost For Words
Lemar - 50/50
Madonna - Nothing Fails
Missy Elliot - Pass That Dutch
Vincent de Moor - Flowtation
Muse - Hysteria
Outkast - Hey Ya
Room 5 ft. Oliver Cheatham - Music And You
Stereophonics - Since I Told You It's Over
Usher - Confessions
November 17
Bon Jovi - Wanted Dead Or Alive 2003
Blu Cantrell (ft. Ian Lewis of Inner Circle) - Make Me Wanna Scream
Chemical Brothers - Get Yourself High
Evan Dando - It Looks Like You
Flip & Fill - Irish Blue
Girls Aloud - Jump (For My Love)
Enrique Iglesias - Addicted
Alicia Keys - U Don't Know My Name
Linkin Park - From The Inside
Lisa Scott-Lee - I'll Wait For You / U sure do
Ludacris - Stand Up
Mis-Teeq - Hip-Hop Star
Alanis Morrisette - Eight Easy Steps
No Doubt - It's My Life
Alex Parks - Maybe That's What It Takes
Starsailor - Born Again
Shania Twain - When You Kiss Me
Westlife - Mandy
November 24
Jennifer Ellison - Bye Bye Boy
Evanescence - My Immortal
Delta Goodrem - Not Me, Not I
Offspring - Hit That
P.O.D. - Will You
Radical Noiz ft. Adeva - In And Out
Rachel Stevens - Funky Dory
Will Young - Leave It Right Now
December 1
Harry Diamond & Lost Boys - I Need You Now
Dido - Life For Rent
December 8
Christina Aguilera - The Voice WIthin
Big Brovaz - It Ain't What You Do It's the Way That You Do It
Nelly Furtado - Powerless (Say What You Want)
Love Inc - Into The Night
Cliff Richard - Santa's List
Justin Timberlake - I'm Lovin' It
December 15
Blue & Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered
The Darkness - Christmas Time (When Will The Bells End?) / Friday Night
Craig David - You Don't Miss Your Water
Avid Merrion - Paper Chrimbo!
Sugababes - Too Lost In You
