Posted December 3, 201410 yr http://25.media.tumblr.com/8dcfa4b612a323971997e50e852e2e15/tumblr_mgfk29qSue1qmsndho1_500.gif Starting v soon with the top 40 albums...
December 4, 201410 yr Author 40 My peak: #3 UK peak: #8 Highlights 1. Braveheart 2. Take Me To Church 3. Trouble 4. Bad Man 5. Welcome To The Jungle Kicking things off is the first (and probably only :lol:) album from girlband Neon Jungle! Following Trouble and Braveheart, we welcomed these ballsy girls onto the scene and the album is in much of the same vein. Whilst this isn't exactly DNA, Chasing Lights or One Touch (if we compare it to other girl group debuts), there are some great pop bangers packed with attitude on here. Plus there is a stunning acoustic cover of Hozier's Take Me To Church which really shows their vocal talent in a way that the singles largely fail to! 39 My peak: #5 UK peak: N/A (US #85) Highlights 1. Sissy That Walk 2. Let The Music Play (ft. Michelle Visage) 3. Tonight (ft. Frankmusik) 4. Adrenaline (ft. Myah Marie) 5. An I Get An Amen? (ft. Martha Wash) Probably the most fabulously camp album in the whole of my top 40 :lol: Who am I kidding, there's no probably about it! This year, I finally bought into the hype of RuPaul's Drag Race and that made me love his music too. Sissy That Walk's highlight status is definitely sided by the fact it was used so often as a backing track for the iconic catwalk section of the show! This isn't the most perfect album of all time, but it's good fun and pretty much exactly as you'd expect. 38 Dean Ray - Dean Ray My peak: #5 UK peak: N/A (Australia #5) Highlights: 1. Into My Arms 2. Coming Back 3. Hurt 4. Reckless 5. Bette Davis Eyes The first of two X Factor Australia cover albums comes from the runner-up Dean Ray with his self titled set. As with the XF Aus debuts before it, this is nothing dynamic or life defining but it's a great set of covers. All of the songs, especially the tortured ballads like Hurt and Into My Arms, suit Dean's gorgeous rock voice to a tee. My huge qualm with the album is that his best performance, New Sensation, is not on there :( 37 My peak: #2 UK peak: #196 Highlights: 1. Echelon (It's My Way) 2. Black Synagogue 3. Planes Fly 4. battle Cry (ft. Sia) 5. Black dahlia She's not up there with the Nicki Minaj or Iggy Azaleas of the world commercially, but Angel Haze is just as fierce and arguably more thoughtful. Nothing tops the slickly produced single Echelon, but the second single Battle Cry is elevated by Sia and writing credits from Natalia Kills and an uncredited vocal from Wynter Gordon shape this as an accomplished debut. 36 My peak: #4 UK peak: N/A (US #56) Highlights: 1. I Adore U 2. Speak My Sex 3. DTF 4. My Address Is Hollywood 5. Party The second of two drag queens in this section is one of the runners-up from this year's series of Rupaul's Drag Race. Also known as Danny Noreiga (he previously finished in the top 16 of American Idol), Adore was behind only Bianca Del Rio in terms of fabulousity but her music really sets her apart! I Adore U in particular is really like something Rihanna or Miley could release. This isn't the most experimental or groundbreaking album of all time, but it's a lot better than some might expect from a drag queen with the perfect trashy look!
December 4, 201410 yr 'Welcome to the Jungle' and 'Dirty Gold' are both fab. Don't joke about it being their only one lol :( i really hope they come back with a new one eventually. The singles off this were incredible and they're easily my favourite girl group going right now :wub:
December 4, 201410 yr Shame that Neon Jungle never really made it huge because they are quite an interesting girl group, Braveheart is probably their weakest effort for me. Some of your other highlight choices are spot on though, especially the title track. Bad Man is a huge jam too even if it's a bit of a mess. Not musically adventurous enough to know the rest, sorry ! :P
December 4, 201410 yr Author 'Welcome to the Jungle' and 'Dirty Gold' are both fab. Don't joke about it being their only one lol :( i really hope they come back with a new one eventually. The singles off this were incredible and they're easily my favourite girl group going right now :wub: They're not my favourites exactly but of course I'd love a follow-up <3 Fingers crossed but they're reminding me of Stooshe and things don't look too good for them right now :P Shame that Neon Jungle never really made it huge because they are quite an interesting girl group, Braveheart is probably their weakest effort for me. Some of your other highlight choices are spot on though, especially the title track. Bad Man is a huge jam too even if it's a bit of a mess. Not musically adventurous enough to know the rest, sorry ! :P Yeah it's a shame, I love the direct in your face-ness of Trouble, Braveheart and Welcome To The Jungle :( Maybe they'll hit it big next era if it happens, who knows? :P
December 4, 201410 yr I really liked Welcome To The Jungle, louder and cant stop the love are my favourites from it
December 4, 201410 yr Author 35 My peak: #2 UK peak: #4 Highlights: 1. My Heart Is Open (ft. Gwen Stefani) 2. It Was Always You 3. Sugar 4. Unkiss Me 5. Maps Maroon 5 are one of my favourite male bands, and this album didn't disappoint! Admittedly, it has nothing on Overexposed and especially Songs For Jane for example, but their sound always just works. The gorgeous duet with Gwen Stefani is the album's absolute pinnacle, but promo single It Was Always You soars as well (and screams single). 34 My peak: #2 UK peak: N/A (Sweden #1) Highlights: 1. Undo 2. Trouble 3. Rainbow 4. You First Loved Me 5. Undo (Acoustic) The queen of Melodifestivslen <3 I was elated to finally see her win with Undo, especially as that meant they were likely to give her another album to tie in with it! Undo slays everything, one of the most epic ballads of recent years. Trouble is classic Sanna too; the melody is undeniable :wub: It's a tad short at just 9 tracks (including the acoustic version of Undo) but most of them are great so all can be forgiven. 33 My peak: #4 UK peak: #7 Highlights: 1. Only Human 2. I Don't Care 3. Waiting For Lightning 4. It's About Time 5. Beats N Bass Although this isn't as great as her previous three albums, Only Human is still a triumph for Ms. Fernandez-Versini. A particular highlight is the gorgeous title track, which is her best vocal performance. The #1 smash I Don't Care is a total anthem too, and the writing talents of Nicola Roberts are utilised on It's About Time. All in all, this is more cohesive than her past efforts, it just lacks more than a couple of really outstanding moments! 32 Jennifer Hudson - JHUD My peak: #4 UK peak: #116 Highlights: 1. He Ain't Goin' Nowhere (ft. Iggy Azalea) 2. I Still Love You 3. Dangerous 4. It's Your World 5. I Can't Describe (The Way I Feel) Next up is a change of style for J-Hud, including making her album title sound like a hip-hop alter ego... Unlike her first albums, which were filled with pop/R&B tracks like the incredible Spotlight, this is influenced by the 70s - especially funk and soul. The Iggy assisted He Ain't Goin' Nowhere is far too funky to deny, whilst Gorgon City elevate I Still Love You with their signature pulsing deep house beats. And although nothing here is as vocally powerful and striking as And I Am Telling You, Jennifer leaves her vocal mark on every track. 31 My peak: #3 UK peak: N/A (US #61) Highlights: 1. I Love You 2. Crush 3. MTBD (멘붕) 4. Gotta Be You 5. Come Back Home Just missing the top 30 is the first of just two foreign language albums in the top 40. Hailing from Korea, 2NE1 are behind my two favourite K-Pop tracks ever (I Am The Best as well as 2012's I Love You which is part of this album) and this is the follow-up to their 2010 debut 2NE1. With it so long in the making, it's a little annoying that it only had 10 tracks - especially when one was released two years ago! But regardless, this is typical 2NE1 and anyone can globalise K-Pop, it's them. This perfect blend of K-Pop sensibilities and Western pop only really has the language barrier holding it back from being massive.
December 9, 201410 yr Author 30 My peak: #4 UK peak: #5 Highlights: 1. Take Me To Church 2. From Eden 3. Sedated 4. Angel Of Small Death & The Codeine Scene 5. To Be Alone Giving the top 30 an alternative tinged birth is Irish singer Hozier. His huge hit Take Me To Church is a good indication of this album, as it blends indie, soul, blues and R&B flawlessly. The songwriting and power of his voice is the real strength of this album; vocally he's like liquid gold <3 29 My peak: #3 UK peak: N/A (Australia #6) Highlights: 1. Stand By you 2. Nothing Else Matters 3. Yesterday 4. Hopelessly Devoted To You 5. Titanium 9 places higher than the runner-up is the winner of X Factor Australia 2014. Aged just 14 for most of the show's run (her birthday fell during the live shows just a couple of weeks before the final), Marlisa captivated the judges and Australia with a wondrous voice and talent beyond her years, clinching the title by under 1%! Like Dean's album, this consists of various studio versions of her performances as well as her winners' single Stand By You. Unlike Dean, she doesn't miss off her best performance, which is a stunning cover of Metallica's Nothing Else Matters. 28 My peak: #3 UK peak: #15 Highlights: 1. Cannonball 2. Battlefield 3. What Is Love? 4. Thousand Needles 5. If You Say So Breaking away from Glee, Lea's debut solo offering failed to make an impact commercially but it's damn good anyway. The lead single Cannonball showcases her wonderful voice perfectly, whilst the stunning Sia penned Battlefield is beyond stunning. The most personal track however is If You Say So, named after her last words to her late boyfriend and Glee co-star Cory Monteith. All in all, her voice alone is what carries a few of the duller and more generic tracks, but this is a solid debut set that isn't too safe. 27 My peak: #5 UK peak: #1 Highlights: 1. Budapest 2. Do You Hear The Rain? 3. Barcelona 4. Blame If On Me 5. Listen To The Man The first UK #1 of this countdown comes from the rather beautiful George Ezra, who lives (or lived at least) in Bristol just like me, woop. Although it's been a bit overplayed, Budapest is still the best track on the album in all its simple brilliance <3 There's not a huge amount of variation in this album, but George has a gorgeous tone to his voice that brings alive the often quite dull bluesy-folk with guitar genre he specialises in. 26 My peak: #1 UK peak: #1 Highlights: 1. Hard Out Here 2. Air Balloon 3. Sheezus 4. Somewhere Only Me Know 5. Life For Me From one #1 to another, it's Lily Allen next. Whilst this is pretty disappointing compared to her epic two albums, it's still fairly strong by any standard. Hard Out Here, which sees Lily at her parodical best, is easily one of the best songs of her career while the airy single Air Balloon is just about odd enough to be pretty great. Some of the good tracks are kind of a hot mess, but nevertheless I can't detract from the fact Lily put out a third great album in a row.
December 10, 201410 yr Some great albums in those sections Liam :wub: Only human is one of Cheryl's better albums, JHUD deserved to be big, Hozier's is great especially take me to church, Lea's is also stunning especially battlefield and I adore Sheezus, such a great comeback from lily :wub:
December 10, 201410 yr Sheezus is an excellent album, none of my highlights appearing in yours though :( Take My Place & Insincerely Yours :heart:
December 10, 201410 yr I agree with your description for 'Sheezus'. It is in no way comparable to the first two albums, but it's still enjoyable. Not heard any others from that crop, but Hozier's sounds intriguing...
December 11, 201410 yr Author Some great albums in those sections Liam :wub: Only human is one of Cheryl's better albums, JHUD deserved to be big, Hozier's is great especially take me to church, Lea's is also stunning especially battlefield and I adore Sheezus, such a great comeback from lily :wub: JHUD love *.* Sheezus is an excellent album, none of my highlights appearing in yours though :( Take My Place & Insincerely Yours :heart: They're probably the next two for me I'd say :lol: so not far off! I agree with your description for 'Sheezus'. It is in no way comparable to the first two albums, but it's still enjoyable. Not heard any others from that crop, but Hozier's sounds intriguing... Hozier's is great *.* Take Me To Church is a good representation. George is beautiful but too young. He's the same age as you (for the next four days :smoke:) :lol: but then we all know about your dad fetish.
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