by Mikey (Gillingham, Kent. UK)
RECORD OF THE WEEK
George Michael - Amazing George Michael has been away from the music scene for awhile and now he returns with a beautiful song titled 'Amazing', you could say this record 
is truly amazing, pardon the pun, because once you hear the record, it hits you in the face, the voice and the lyrics are purely astonishing to the ears, and the melody is so eye-catching to the ears as well, welcome back George Michael, we all miss you. A sure-fire hit, and it truly deserves to be the No.1 single, this should put George Michael back at the top, hopefully his past, will be put behind him. Worth the wait, go and buy this record, put it at the top of the pile come Sunday at No.1.
HOT SHOT RECORD
Kylie Minogue - Red Blooded Woman Another sexually charged single from her platinum album 'Body Language', this song oozes sensual style and smokey vocals with a deliberate beat that's sure to get you up and grooving. Kylie may be leaving her much loved, funky pop tunes behind but this new sound suits her well and her completes her shift from pop princess to sophisticated lady. This song will definitely set your pulses racing and your heartbeat beating faster and faster, every song she writes and performs is sexy and very seductive, so let you lips do the talking, and let her derriere smile at ya.
Agnelli & Nelson - Hold Onto Nothing It's been awhile since we had an Agnelli & Nelson single in the chart, their last single 'Hudson Street', did not fare too well for them. Here they return with their brand new release 'Hold Onto Nothing', hoping this time round, they could strike gold. This is a song that's got club anthem written all over it, it certainly going to be big in clubs, here's hoping for some chart success this time round. (This single was put back a week, as it was going to be released on 1st March.)
Beenie Man ft. Ms Thing- Dude 'Dude' has already been a No.1 hit single in his native country Jamaica. Keeping the carnival vibe alive, the fresh new fiesta rhythm makes great use of the traditional caribbean steel band sound, both for its catchy hook and for some heavy drums. This version features a vocodered Beenie Man (there's a first time for everything) dropping the verses and ms thing doing an infectious chorus. She wants a dude who'll do her in his van - charming... so the story goes!
Blink 182 - I Miss You This is the second single to be lifted from Blink's eponymous sixth album that sees the boys losing their addiction for boobies and booze somewhat and focusing more on the deeper things in life like wives and love. With a rolling drum beat that's half rock and half little drummer boy, the tune is much mellower than previously witnessed, with talk of breasts and enemas replaced by quirky lines like, "We'll have Halloween on Christmas." It's not in the same league as 'All The Small Things' or 'What's My Age Again?' and I'm not quite sure what to make of the cheesy pop "call and response" chorus between Tom and Mark, but I'm sure the fans will love it.
DJ Casper - Cha Cha Slide The Cha Cha Slide is a new dance created by Chicago DJ and performer Mr. C - short for Casper (his real name is Willie Perry, Jr.). Driven by his called-out instructions ("Slide to the left! Now, slide to the right!"), Cha Cha Slide is sort of like the Electric Slide's younger sister with quite a few added twists and turns. If I had a category for the worst single of the week, this is it, very annoying and highly irritating, should be condemned to the waste paper bin.
FYA ft. Smujji - Must Be Love Kizzi, Tenza and Emma make up the new girl band FYA from Slough releasing their debut single 'Must Be Love' featuring help from Smujji. The perfect R&B sound, one of my favourite singles of the week, it lost out to Kylie as being the Hot Shot record, but it still gets a thumbs up from me. Keep an eye out for this band they are one coolest chick band just waiting to burst out. If you think that Mis-teeq is out-dated then listen to FYA, they are fresh new talent and they have a lot more to offer. Buy this record, its gonna be huge!!!
Goldfrapp - Black Cherry The title track on recent album Black Cherry is blissful. While most of that second album is exciting urban funk, this harks back to the gorgeous expansive soundscapes of Felt Mountain - plaintive strings, spaced-out melodies and soaring over everything, the unmistakable voice of Alison Goldfrapp. B-side Gone To Earth is a treat too, in the same vein. There's a slightly oriental feel to the off-key piano intro before it turns into the most ethereal chill out music imaginable.
Ilya - Bellissimo 'Bellissimo', from Ilya's upcoming LP, begins with space and languidity, simple picked guitar chords, with smoky voice intriguing the listener. The song ambles along romantically, taking the listener down to the Seine and into the smoky bars of Paris. The chorus, however, grates with its simplistic repeats of "Bellissimo Mon Amour", and the vocals have been treated either too much or not enough - the result is dull. The hinted-at melodic progressions through keys don't materialise and although there is vague sense of relaxation, it feels lazy, not innovative. The middle eight break of Davis-like trumpets is an enjoyable surprise, but as it morphs into an orchestrated whoosh, interest is again lost.
No Doubt - It's My Life / Bathwater This double A-sided single is taken from their brilliant 'Greatest Hits' package. 'It's My Life' is a cover version of the old Talk Talk hit of the same name, and was originally released by No Doubt late last year, and failed to enter the Top 20. Hopefully this time round it will do some justice, its such a brilliant re-rendition of the old Talk Talk hit, which it originally peaked at No.13 for Talk Talk, back in May 1990. Along with 'Bathwater', it makes a sure-fire hit this time round.
Britney Spears - Toxic 'Toxic' sounds more like a public health warning to me, well its been around for a long time, and it finally hits the shelf's on Monday doing chart battle with George Michael and Kylie. As for the song, it's a stop-start, Bollywood-meets-Bond dancefloor epic. Not my type of song at all, it's awful, the video says it all, CHEAP! The song has already been played to death, on all music channels and radio stations and the album is back in the Top 20 Album chart, so I can't see this being a No.1 record, if it does, I eat my hat.
Starsailor - Four To The Floor Indie band Starsailor produce their very first dancefloor smash with the excellent 'Four To The Floor', as the third single to be taken from their current studio album Silence is Easy. Hip-Hop strings pulsate on Starsailor's most bubbly single to date whilst James Walsh's vocals have never sounded quite so soulful. 'Four To The Floor' is the sound of a great band comfortable expanding their horizons and determined to never get stuck in the rut of mediocrity.
Thirteen Senses - Thru The Glass Britpack newcomers and Truro lads Thirteen Senses have been described as the English Mercury Rev and to prove it they release the storming 'Thru The Glass', taking from their forthcoming debut album 'Fall in the Dark'. Despite the big indie guitars and big-heart sentiments Thirteen Senses have produced something bold and distinctly un-sappy. Band member Will South is the main songwriter and vocalist along with Adam, Tom and Brendon make up the rest of the group - Thirteen Senses. Probably the start of a long career for this band, well worth listening to their indie sound.
OTHER SINGLES RELEASED THIS WEEK
Acoustic Love Experience - Painted Pony
Calla - Strangler
Paddy Casey - Saints & Sinners
Chicks On Speed - Wordy Rappinghood
Crackout - This Is What We Do
Eastern Lane - Saffron
Engine - Startin' To Feel
The Features - The Way It's Meant To Be
General Levy Vs Zeus feat. Bally Jagpal - Shake (What Ya Mama Gave Ya)
Hothouse Flowers - Your Love Goes On
Kashmir - A Selection Of 2 Lilies
The Mars Volta - Televators
MC Jig - Cha-Cha Slide
Mekon feat. Afrika Bambaataa - D-Funktional
The Open - Close My Eyes
Papa Garcia - Natalie & Nucy
Josh Rouse - Come Back (Light Therapy)
The Shins - So Say I
Stained Glass Heroes - Rodeo
Stylus Junkies Vs UB40 - Food For Thought
Timbaland & Magoo feat. Missy Elliott - Cop That Disc
Velcra - Can't Stop Fighting
Weevil - No Harm
Single Release Schedule
March 8
Amp Fiddler - I Believe In You
Aquabox - Sweet Clarity
Armin Van Buuren featuring Justine Suissa - Burned With Desire
B2K - Badaboom
Bic Runga - Get Some Sleep
Bubba Sparxxx - Deliverance
Cypress Hill - What's Your Number
Despina Vandi - Gia
Elton John - The Heart Of Every Girl
Enrique Iglesias featuring Kelis - Not In Love
Gomez - Catch Me Up
Graham Coxon - Freakin' Out
Jamie Cullum - These Are The Days/Frontin'
Jennifer Lopez featuring R Kelly - Baby I Love U
Jet - Look What You've Done
Josh Rouse - Come Back (Light Therapy)
Jungle Boys - Jungle Rock/The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Laura Veirs - Cloud Room
Marques Houston featuring Joe Budden - Clubbin'
Moneybrother - Reconsider Me
My Red Cell - Knock Me Down
Nic Armstrong - Broken Mouth Blues EP
Northern Heightz - Look At Us
Phixx - Love Revolution
Sarah McLachlan - Fallen
Special D - Come With Me
Stylus Junkies vs UB40 - Food For Thought
The Black Eyed Peas - Hey Mama
The Vines - Rides
Three Doors Down - Here Without You
March 15
Alistair Griffin - You And Me (Tonight)
Aloud - Bob O'Lean
Anastacia - Left Outside Alone
Aqualung - Easier To Lie
B3 - Night Fever/I.O.I.O.
Bell X1 - Alphabet Soup
Bronx - They Will Kill Us All (Without Mercy)
Chikinki - Like It Or Leave It
Counting Crows - Hanginaround
Courtney Love - Mono
Cypress Hill - What's Your Number?
Daniel Wylie - Make Love To The World
Dashboard Confessional - Rapid Hope Loss
Dead Prez - Hell Yeah
Delta Goodrem - Throw It Away
Eamon - Fuck It (I Don't Want You Back)
Four Tet - My Angel Rocks Back And Forth
Frances Rufelle - Smile
Happylife - Way You Hate Me
Haven - Wouldn't Change A Thing
Janet Jackson - Just A Little While
Kanye West - Through The Wire
Katie Melua - Call Off The Search
Keisha White - Watcha Gonna Do
Kid Symphony - Meet You On The Other Side
Kraftwerk - Aerodynamik
Lauren Waterworth - Butterfly Kisses
Lionel Richie - Just For You
Mark Joseph - Bringing Back Those Memories
Moguai - U Know Y
Mum - Nightly Cares
Nelly Furtado - Try
NERD - She Wants To Move
Nickelback - Feelin' Way Too Damn Good
Powderfinger - Love Your Way
Seraphim Suite - Heart
Skylark - That's More Like It
The Age Of Jets - Rpm
The Distillers - Hunger
The Killers - Somebody Told Me
The White Stripes - There's No Home For You Here
Usher featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris - Yeah
Will Young - Your Game
March 22
Amen - California's Bleeding
Blue - Breathe Easy
I Am Kloot - From Your Favourite Sky
Keys - From Tense To Loose To Slack
KoRn - Y'all Want A Single
Missy Elliot - I'm Really Hot
Mountaineers - I Gotta Sing
Outkast - The Way You Move
Pink Grease - Fever
Reactor - Feeling The Love
Ryan Adams - This Is It
Seal - Waiting For You/Love's Divine
So Solid Crew - So Grimey
South - Colours In Waves
Surferosa - Lucky Lipstick
Sugababes - In The Middle
The Darkness - Love Is Only A Feeling
The Delays - Nearer Than Heaven
The Divine Comedy - Come Home Billy Bird
The Generator - Where Are You Now?
Travis - Love Will Come Through
X Is Loaded - Laugh, Point & Wave/The Start Of Everything
March 29
Acoustic Love Experience - Painted Pony
Alicia Keys - If I Ain't Got You
Atomic Kitten - Someone Like Me/Right Now 2004
Basement Jaxx featuring JC Chasez - Plug It In
Beyonce featuring Lil' Kim - Naughty Girl
Boxer Rebellion - In Pursuit
Dilated Peoples featuring Kanye West - This Way
Engineers - Home
Evanescence - Everybody's Fool
Glitterati - Here Comes The Close Up EP
Hawksley Workman - We Will Still Need A Song
Hayley Westenra - Wuthering Heights
Iron Maiden - No More Lies
Martin Solveig - Rockin' Music
McFly - 5 Colours In Her Hair
Michelle - The Meaning Of Love
Neo Cortex - Elements
Ohm - Forget Who We Are
Pet Shop Boys - Flamboyant
Shania Twain - She's Not Just A Pretty Face
Simply Red - Home
Tejo, Black Alien & Speed - Follow Me, Follow Me
Twista - Slow Jamz
April 5
Agnetha Faltskog - If I Thought You'd Change Your Mind
Bellefire - Say Something Anyway
Big Brovaz - We Wanna Thank You (Things That You Do)
Blueskins - Stupid Ones
D-Side - Pushin' Me Out
Dark Globe - Break My World
Dogs Die In Hot Cars - God Hopping
Honeyriders - Colours
Jersey Street - Love Will Be Our Guide
JC Chasez - Some Girls (Dance With Women)
Kelis - Trick Me
Maroon 5 - This Love
Muse - Sing For Absolution
Narcotic Thrust - I Like It
Ordinary Boys - Week In, Week Out
Polly Paulusma - Dark Side
Snow Patrol - Chocolate
The Bandits - No Shoes On My Feet
The Rasmus - In The Shadows
Wiley - Wot Do U Call It?
April 12
Air - Surfing On A Rocket
Ashanti featuring Blackchild - Break Up 2 Make Up
Busted - Air Hostess
D12 - My Band
Dido - Don't Leave Home
Simple Kid - Staring At The Sun
April 19
Deepest Blue - Is It A Sin?
Fraud - On To You
Hal - Worry About The Wind
Jesus Jones - Culture Vulture EP
Lasgo - Surrender
Pink - Last to Know
Scooter - Jigga Jigga
April 26
Ash - Orpheus
Emma Bunton - Crickets Sing For Anamaria
Ian Van Dahl - Believe
Jaimeson featuring Xara - Common Ground
Keane - Everybody's Changing
Morrissey - Irish Blood, English Heart
Natasha Bedingfield - Single
Thalia featuring Fat Joe - I Want You
The Streets - Fit But You Know It
Twen2y4se7en - Hide
