by Mikey (Gillingham, Kent, UK)
RECORD OF THE WEEK
Kane - Rain Down On Me Epic yearning vocals that recall Creed or Live, crunching guitars that thump at the senses and a chorus that scrapes at the heavens. This is 'Rain On Me' the magnificent new single from the mighty Kane. Taken from the stupidly forthcoming studio album 'What If', this is a massive slice of stadium filling rock that will become one of the anthems of 2004. Watch out for this band they are going to be huge, and this track is one great rock sound, you need rocks in your ears not buy this song, it's a great rock tune.
HOT SHOT RECORD
Anastacia - Sick & Tired This is the follow-up single to the hugely successful single of this year 'Left Outside Alone', with her brand new single 'Sick & Tired, taken from the multi selling album 'Anastacia'. Another great song from Anastacia, belting the song out with her powerful voice, and it's a real rock theme. Whatever she does everything turn to gold; this will certainly put her amongst the best artists of 2004, with a widely highly acclaimed album Anastacia to boot.
Busted - 3am / Thunderbirds Are Go The new single from Busted is a double A-sided single along with the theme tune to this year's big summer blockbuster movie Thunderbirds The Movie with their single 'Thunderbirds Are Go', if you are a fan of Busted this is a song for you personally its better left on the shelves, waiting for dust to form, coupled with another pop rock song 3am on the A -side of the single, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, boring, boring, gone.
The Charlatans - Try Again Today The second single to be lifted from the awesome new Charlatans album 'Up At The Lake' is another superb slice of classic indeed indie music genre from the boys that refuse to give up. 'Try Again Today' proves that The Charlatans are firmly back on terra firma establishing themselves in the premier league of British rock bands alongside the likes of The Rolling Stones.
D12 - How Come This is the follow-up single to 'My Band' with 'How Come' another blend of hip-hop music from Eminem and his Detroit group D12 taken from the album 'My World', as for the song not really my type of music to listen to, with all the rapping sounds of Eminem. Hip-hop music is just generalize in a such a big way, and its massive over the States, and its bombarded our music industry, unfortunately British music does not cater for homegrown hip-hop, there is the occasional artist like Dizzee Rascal, but unfortunately the music genre is all American.
Graham Coxon - Spectacular The coolest ex-member of Blur, I know he's the only ex member but if they all left he'd still be the coolest, has produced another stunning slice of blistering punk-pop with the aptly named 'Spectacular'. All sharp guitars and bristling vocals, the third single from the awesome debut studio album 'Happiness In Magazines' is proof again that, there was only one real talent in his previous band, have a guess, who?
Jennifer Ellison - Bye Bye Boy The Brookie Babe Jennifer Ellison releases her second glam-pop of a single 'Bye Bye Boy', a tune chock full of rocking guitars and catchy pop hooks. Jennifer's first single was the brilliant cover of Transvision Vamp's 80s classic, "Baby I Don't Care' and this new track is as equally infectious and can be quite irritable. The blonde bombshell has been hard at work recording her debut album, due out early in 2005, and 'Bye Bye Boy' is an excellent indication of the pop-rock direction she will be following. My stinker single of the week, too blonde and plastic for me.
Mania - Looking For A Place New pop duo Mania are Niara and Giselle, two supremely talented ladies who have already worked on Girls Aloud's 'Sound Of The Underground' and several Sugababes hits. Their debut single 'Looking For A Place' is a funky, catchy and fresh slice of mature pop that mixes killer melodies with killer beats, sultry vocals and a chart bothering chorus to amazing effect. Let's hope they come back for second helpings.
Minimal Chic ft. Matt Goss - I Need The Key The group Minimal Chic was born with the meeting of two people with apparently very different backgrounds, unified by their mutual passion for research into experimental sounds: Max Castrezzati and Gianluca Motta. The former: an experienced producer of international proportions and pseudonym accomplice to various successful records; the latter: already renowned among Italian clubbers as one of the most innovative emerging DJs. "I Need The Key" is Minimal Chic's new single. The voice is that of Matt Goss, superstar frontman of Bros, the knockout 80's English Band. Earlier still, Matt and his brother Luke had conquered not only the hearts of millions of adoring girls, but charts around the world, with "When Will I Be Famous?"
Polyphonic Spree - Hold Me Now is another sublime slice of pop perfection from the eccentric robe wearing Polyphonic Spree. Featuring a tune that nags at your brain and a chorus that is plucked straight from the heavens, his might be the Spree's finest moment since the magical 'Soldier Girl'. Majestic music from one of the greatest bands around, at the moment.
OTHER SINGLES RELEASED THIS WEEK
Ako - Last Goodbye
Breed 77 - World's On Fire
Brooke Hogan - Everything To Me
Camera Obscura - Keep It Clean
Candidate - Another One Down
Cornershop feat. Bubbley Kaur - Topknot
Deeyah - I Saw You
Eight - Supernatural
Ethix - London
Futureheads - Decent Days And Nights
Golden Virgins - Light In Her Window
Grand Drive - Maybe I'm A Winner
Houston feat. Chingy, I-20 & Nate Dogg - I Like That
Master Blaster - Hypnotic Tango
Moby & Public Enemy - Make Love, F**k War
Naked Apes - Extreme/If You See Kay
New Rhodes - I Wish I Was You
Rufus Wainwright - I Don't Know What It Is
Sandra McCraken - Last Goodbye
Secret Machines - Nowhere Again
Skinnyman - I'll Be Surprised
Timbaland & Magoo - Indian Flute
Vinylgroover & The Red Hed - The Answer
Zena featuring Vybz Kartel - Been Around The World
Single Release Schedule
August 2
Acoustic Love Experience - Painted Pony
Ana Johnsson - We Are
Anastacia - Sick And Tired
Angie Stone - I Wanna Thank Ya
Armand Van Helden - My My My
ATL - Make It Up With Love
Avril Lavigne - My Happy Ending
Cesoul Allstars feat. Carl Henry - Bare As She Dare
Cherry Falls - Standing Watching
Damien Dempsey - Apple Of My Eye
Departure - All Mapped Out
DT8 Project - The Sun Is Shining (Down On Me)
Felix Da Housecat - Rocket Ride
Foggy - Come Into My Dream
Grand National - Cherry Tree
Innocence Mission - One For Sorrow, Two For Joy
Jamie Scott - Just
Johnny Boy - You Are The Generation That Bought More Shoes...
Killcity - Bruce Lee
Man Called Adam - Barefoot In The Head
Mark Morrison - Just A Man
Plumb - Sink 'N' Swim
Prince - Cinnamon Girl
Senor Coconut - Beat It
Silvertide - The EP
Sirens - Baby (Off The Wall)
South - Motiveless Crime
Spiderbait - Black Betty
Stellar Project feat. Brandi Emma - Get Up, Stand Up
Switchfoot - Meant To Live
Tali - Airport Lounge
Three Drives - Air Traffic
Tim Booth - Wave Hello
Tuesday Weld - The Ugly And The Beautiful
August 9
!!! - Hello Is This Thing On?
3 Of A Kind - Baby Cakes
Agent Blue - Something Else
Air - Alpha Beta Gaga
Armin Van Buuren - Blue Fear 2004
Bad Religion - Los Angeles Is Burning
Beenie Man - King Of The Dancehall
Biffy Clyro - Glitter And Trauma
Big And Rich - Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)
Charlotte Hatherley - Summer
Constantines - Young Lions
DJ Shog - Another World
Drew - You Don't Know Me
Erick Prydz feat. Steve Angello - Woz Not Woz
Finn Brothers - Won't Give In
Gemma Fox - Gone
Incognito - Listen To The Music
Innocence Mission - One For Sorrow, Two For Joy
Javine - Don't Walk Away/You've Got A Friend
Jay-Z - Encore
Kasabian - L.S.F.
Kealer - Cry
The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now
Lloyd Banks - On Fire
Madrugada - Blood Shot Adult Commitment
Michelle Lawson - Beautiful Thing
Now It's Overhead - Wait In A Line
The Rasmus - Guilty
Scent - Up And Down
Sia - Where I Belong
Skandinavia - Never Too Late
Soda Club - Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)
Soulwax - Any Minute Now
Tat - Peace, Sex And Tea
V - Hip To Hip/Can You Feel It?
Washdown - Right Foot
Wiley - Pies
August 16
The Calling - Things Will Go My Way
Cherie - Number 1
Dizzee Rascal - Stand Up Tall
Fierce Girl - Double Drop
Franz Ferdinand - Michael
Gabrielle - Ten Years' Time
Hope Of The States - Nehemiah
Jill Scott - Golden
Johnny Panic - Burn Your Youth
Keane - Bedshaped
Kristian Leontiou - Shining
Ll Cool J - Headsprung
Macy Gray - Love Is Gonna Get Ya
Marly - You Never Know
Matthew Oliver - I'm Single
Natasha Bedingfield - These Words
No Reason - Man Like Me
NSM - Don't Say It
Razorlight - Vice
The Stills - Still In Love Song
Stonebridge feat. Therese - Put 'Em High
Twista feat. Anthony Hamilton - Sunshine
Wannadies - Skin
X-Ecutioners - Like This
August 23
The 411 - Dumb
Amy Winehouse - (F**k Me) Pumps/Help Yourself
Black Keys - 10 AM
Black Moth Connection - Shake Ur Booty
Christina Milian feat. Joe Budden - Whatever You Want
D Kay feat. Epsilon - Honey
Darren Hayes - Popular
Death Cab For Cutie - Sound Of Settling
Deepest Blue - Shooting Star
Faithless - I Want More
Fountains Of Wayne - Hey Julie
Goldie Lookin' Chain - Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do
Happylife - Silence When You're Burning
Jet - Cold Hard Bitch
Kane - Rain Down On Me
The Killers - All These Things That I've Done
Kings Of Convenience - I'd Rather Dance With You
Lostprophets - Last Summer
Mark Owen - Believe In The Boogie
Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved
Michelle Gayle - Got To Be Me
Mousee T feat. Emma Lanford - Is It 'Cos I'm Cool?
Pop! - Can't Say Goodbye
Raghav - Let's Work It Out
Shifty - Slide Along Side
Sugababes - Caught In A Moment
Ultrabeat - Better Than Life
August 30
Beastie Boys - Triple Trouble
Bent - Comin' Back
David Guetta featuring Chris Willis - Stay
Easyworld - How Did It Ever Come To This?
Embrace - Gravity
JoJo - Leave (Get Out)
Kanye West - Jesus Walks
Nelly - Flap Your Wings/My Place
Neo Cortex - Elements
Paul Weller - Wishing On A Star
Prodigy - Girls/Memphis Bells
Roni Size feat. Jocelyn Brown - Sing For The Future
Sarah Connor - He's Unbelievable
Seether feat. Amy Lee - Broken
The Thrills - Whatever Happened To Corey Haim?
September 6
The 5678s - I'm Blue
Alcazar - This Is The World We Live In
Estelle - Free
Fifth Avenue - Spanish Eyes
Green Day - American Idiot
Groove Coverage - Poison
McFly - That Girl
The Music - Freedom Fighters
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Nature Boy
Ordinary Boys - Seaside
Twen2y 4 Se7en - Where You Are
September 13
Alicia Keys - Karma
Athlete - Wires
Big Brovaz - Yours Fatally
Candice - Hello
Cassidy - Get No Better
The Corrs - Angel
Dark Globe - Feed
Dido - Sand In My Shoes
Fatboy Slim - Slash Dot Slash
FYA - Bring It On
Girls Aloud - Love Machine
Ian Brown - Get What You Want
Ian Van Dahl - Where Are You Now
Joss Stone - You Had Me
Kelis feat. Andre 3000 - Millionaire
The Living End - Tabloid Magazine
Los Lonely Boys - Heaven
Maria Mena - You Are The Only One
Rodney P - Trouble
Rupee - Tempted Too Much
Shaznay Lewis - You
Thirteen Senses - Into The Fire
September 20
Brandy - Afrodisiac/Who She Is 2 U
Jamelia - DJ
Jentina - French Kisses
Modest Mouse - Ocean Breathes Salty
Shystie - Make It Easy
Super Furry Animals - The Man Don't Give A F**k
Usher - Confessions Part 2
September 27
Bellefire - Spin The Wheel
Butterfly Boucher - Another White Dash
Jessica Simpson - Take My Breath Away
Mania - Money In My Pocket
Nina Jayne - No Ordinary Pain
REM - Leaving New York
Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Big Time
Will Young - Love Is A Matter Of Distance
October 4
Ash - Evil Eye
Beverley Knight - Not Too Late For Love
Clor - Welcome Music Lovers
The Hives - Two-Timing Touch And Broken Bones
Robbie Williams - Radio
Tunde - Great Romantic
