The Week In Singles;; [12|11|07]

The Week In Singles;; [12|11|07]

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Rihanna // Ne-Yo;; "Hate That I Love You" [Mercury]

What's this?! A straightforward and simple track; something Rihanna's releases this era haven't been up until now. Her acclaim with this "Good Girl Gone Bad" era partially seeds from the fact that she's taking risks with the songs she's 'putting out', "Umbrella" and "Shut Up and Drive" symbolising such a notion entirely. For the third single from her acclaimed album #03 Rihanna retrogrades back into her comfort zone wheeling out the static Ne-Yo to sing yet another crooning song about love. Gone are the idiosyncrasies that have made Rihanna such a dominating figure of Popworld '07 and welcome in stale Rihanna a la "Music of the Sun"; though admittedly a little more classy. So its three steps back for RiRi, expected 4th release "Don't Stop the Music" should put her a good 10 forward.

[6.7]

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Kylie;; "2 Hearts" [Parlaphone]

What is it with the Ozzies eh? They just want to simplify things and get all cosy with us. Gone is Delta Goodrem, replaced with 'Delta', likewise Kylie Minogue has vanished only to be replaced by 'Kylie'. The differences end there though, 'Delta' is still very much making the same music Delta Goodrem did whereas 'Kylie' has decided to lose her electro-poppo stabilizers and release a song which would take on Goldfrapp in the realms of Glam au toilette [of course that would be if the 'Frap hadn't departed for the realms of folky mellowsland]. "2 Hearts" is certainly a divisive track, the stauch Kylieites don't like its near identical nature to the now aged Kish Mauve demo. For the casual fan its another problem; quality. As the video for "2 Hearts" had proven the "X" album appears to be geraring up for what would seem to be very much about a style-about-town of the moment. The Damien Hirst skulls, the Lovefoxx-lite cat suits. Glitter and glam. Ultimate pomp, and its a pomp with very little depth. Musically meager, "2 Hearts" proves that having a very public battle with cancer can't bag you a #01 single...

[5.3]

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Alicia Keys;; "No One" [RCA]

Later this month Keys prepares to release her third album "As I am". Having established herself as something of a RnB-Norah Jones, "No One" departs from her familiar stylings and moves into vocally-audacious area of RnB-Pop. Keys is clever in the sense that she didn't overcook her mellow tone that have kept her afloat over the past two albums; a feat Jones failed to go for with something of a re-run of works past on the ironically titled "Not too Late". "No One" is Alicia's attempt at breaking out of the preconceived musical-parameters she helped establish over the span of "Songs In a Minor" and "The Diary of Alicia Keys". The result is somewhat jarring, not thanks to Keys' jagged vocal the most notable presence on the track. Gone is the mellow pseudo-Starbucks backing music, in its place something almost akin to synth-styled noises. Admitedly I am restrained in enjoying this piece of fresh music from Alicia, due entirely to my lack of ability to enjoy the vocal but that doesn't bias me against the fact that Alicia Keys is stepping out and doing something fresh and given her position in the midweeks chart this week the result seems to be a pay-off for Keys and good for her, we can leave Norah in her repetitive slumber and reclining sales as she pleases...

[7.9]

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Asobi Seksu;; "Strawberries" [One Little Indian]

The first single to be taken from Asobi Seksu's latest album "Citrus", which was released earlier this year. "Strawberries" defines the very essense of Asobi Seksu, Shoegaze Pop amalgamating Japanese and English language lyrics. AS sit well on the One Little Indian rosta, they're unconventional in every sense and hence will never make any mainstream footings, their quirks as apparent as their lose-contemporarys: Bonde do Rolê and Malajube to name but two. Brits are simply fastidiously-minded when it comes to anything which fails to be sung in our mother tongue. "Strawberries" is bold and positively-clangy and Chikudate's light vocals take the track into a soaring place - something which the language barrier aids rather than hinders. A selection of romping remixes from the likes of The Whip and CSS only strength this track as a collective package. "Strawberries" simply put, acts as a meager portion of what the "Citrus" album truly expresses in its stunning form.

[8.5]

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Shayan Italia;; "Reflection" [MX3]

Here features something musically-queer. Shayan Italia arrives in the UK via India. Admittedly more eastern European vocall, lyrically and appearance-wise. One gets the sense that as one listens to "Reflection" that it has all the hallmarks of a mini-label pushing for major adult-contemporary recognition. "Top 5 love song" we're told across his adverts; but top 5 on what scale? Its these cheap gimmicks which sum up Mr. Italia in his entirity. Lyrical nonentities such as "Into the pieces of a broken glass", "Its all for you I pray"/"Stealing my strengh every step of the way" and "What's killing me inside"/"Emotions I can't deny" all highlight Italia's void-nature as a credible music artist. Someone has clearly spent a lot of money on him, be it his own [as I suspect is most likely] or some arduous fool with no grasp upon the 'music-biz' for want of a less thoroughly colloquial term. The video manages rather successfully to show the true Shayan as an artist; the video begins with a somewhat cheesy dedication to his dead parents only for us to enter into a realm of cooing and flirty actions between Shay and 'some girl', the video progresses in similar fashion for 3 minutes and ends with him at a grave laying a rose. The amalgamation of dead parents and impressing a girl is somewhat lost upon me and goes a step further to show the lack of any credibility Shayan Italia has in the real musical world.

[2.1]

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Hard-Fi;; "Can't Get Along (Without You)" [Atlantic]

"Can't Get Along (Without You)" is the 2nd single to be taken from Hard-Fi's sophomore album "Once Upon a Time in the West". Gone are the Indie-Pop values of "Suburban Knights" with its youthful and glaringly mainstream ambitions and in its place welcome a raw-rocky-soul-pop follow-up. From its descrption you'd expect CGA(WY) to be something more of a departure than the song is in reality. It strikes an uncanny similarity to the material of Oasis with its chanty jarring chorus but of course with all that added egotisticalness which naturally comes with Hard-Fi and their positively cover-artish 'NO COVER ART'. Hard-Fi seem to in their arrogance ineptitude to have placed themselves as the commentators of British life in 2007, much like The Kaiser Chiefs have decided to do in a similar fashion. The results are contrived and the preconceived nature of the track is atypical of Hard-Fi. Uninspired and flat, especially for only a second single, Hard-Fi appear to be treading a similar path to their contemporaries the K Chiefs; that's if they continue to put out such glaring monochromatic and linear music. "Can't Get Along"'s worst feature is the fact it's such a rigorously planned and executed track with Hard-Fi keeping themselves very much encased in their lyrical and musical straightjacket. Hard-Fi's manipulation of the manner in which they wish to be perceived by us the music-buying world is what ruins any ability for their music to work, this track is no different.

[4.7]

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The Whip;; "Sister Siam" [southern Fried Records]

The first single single from The Whip since they signed with bona fide-ily trendy label Southern Fried Records. "Sister Siam" is a magnanimously bold piece electro-pop-rock or 'nu-rave' for those NMEsters and/or labelers within our mists. Mirroring the video for the song, the track takes the listener on a journey, blipping and blopping from the offing with the eventual gain of turgidly rugged lyrics which slowly evolve to be an increasingly sensual and light experience. All the while backed by a typically harsh electro beat, which is in fact the band's greatest asset. Unusual in a musical landscape where its lyrics before instrumental and voice before backing. The Whip manage with this track to stage themselves at the very top of a flourishing Mancunian indie-music scene, surrounded by the likes of The Ting Tings and The Tigerpicks. I recently had the pleasure to see them support Hadouken! at the Astoria in London where they managed to get the faddy-scensters [myself included] dancing more to their music than the headline act themselves. The Whip may not have the youthful exuberance of Hadouk! but in-time could prove to make a far bolder mark on the world of electronic music.

[8.8]

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Nickelback;; "Rockstar" [Roadrunner]

Nickelback have never left much of a mark on the UK music scene, certainly in comparison to their profound success in the USA. Their emblamatically American nature is to blame [though in the US this is of course their greatest asset] for Britain turning off to them - though they continue and release another single here. Why haven't they given up yet you may ponder. Well for their new video they seem to have gone positively-OK GO! in the novelty video stakes with a clip incorporating what feels like hundreds of people; ordinary and famous (Ms. Furtado most notably) all miming out rough-styled yet equally playful lyrics: "I want a bathroom I can play basketball in", "I need a credit card that's got no limit"/"Gonna join the mile high club at 27 000 feet". The song and indeed video are so uncharacteristically Nickelback that they've finally come onto something which is actually decent and therefore different from their usual drone [that's if you can cope with the heinous vocal warblings from Chad Kroeger]. Of course the song is nothing without its zanily good video but who am I to stand in way of a solitary hit for Nickelback in the abyss of their samey songs and albums?

[7.1]

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Vampire Weekend;; "Mansard Roof" [XL]

The power of the Indie-Blog on the modern musical landscape eh? Vampire Roof were up until recently unsigned - that was until they recieved a fair amount of musical blog attention and viola you have a UK record deal. Its the way of the current musical landscape, the power of the net etc etc and its a path the likes of The Black Kids amongst others look likely to follow over the proceeding months. But I digress, "Mansard Roof" is the first single to be lifted from their self-titled, debut longplayer; which is expected early next year. the track's greatest asset is Ezra Koenig's vocal, brimming with style and an unassuming depth. The band say they are very much influenced by African music but sadly this is somewhat lost on "Mansard Roof", instead with a styling more akin to vintage Disney film music or indeed I am mistaken and ignorant to the connection and similarity the two share. I can't help but feel that this track is falls ever so slighly short of what the band themselves are tying to envisage within their music. The wholesome vocal sadly does not lead on to a wholesome song, though with time and experience I am sure this is something they will grow out of. Already this lot seem to have attracted the attention of the fashionatta's at Radio 1 with Edith Bowan coiling herself around it and making it her record of the week. Vampire Weekend are a definite band to watch during 2008.

[6.8]

[Also out this week;;]

Alphabeat - Fantastic Six (10”)

Angus & Julia Stone – The Beast (EP)

Ben’s Brother - Carry On

Bi-Polar Baby – Suicide Girl

Bloc Party – Flux

Cage The Elephant – Free Love (7”)

Chromeo - Bonafied Lovin' (7”)

Correcto – Joni (7”)

Darren Hayes – Me Myself & I

Darren Hayes – Who Would Have Thought (7”) [Limited]

David Hurn - Man Who Stayed In Bed Forever (7”)

Delays – Love Made Visible (EP) [Limited]

Dirty South – Let It Go (12”)

Dude N Nem – Watch My Feet

Duran Duran - Falling Down

Elvis Presley – You Don't Have To Say You Love Me

Fergie – Clumsy / Fergalicious

Glasvegas - Daddy's Gone (7”) [Limited]

Grace – Stand Still

The Grid - Put Your Hands Together (12”)

Jim Noir – All Right (EP) (7”) [Limited]

Kaiser Chiefs - Love's Not A Competition (But I'm Winning) (7”) [Limited] (Only available from kaiserchiefs.co.uk)

Kid Carpet – The Kid’s Back (7”)

Kid Rock - So Hott (7”)

Kissaway Trail – 61

Laura Critchley - What Do We Do

Linkin Park - Shadow Of The Day

Look See Proof – Local Hero

Lupen Crook & The Murderbirds – Matthew’s Magpie (7”)

Maths Class – Emporio Laser / Cushion Glamour

Michael Buble – Lost

Pigeon Detectives - I Found Out

Runrig & The Tartan Army – Loch Lomond (Hampden Remix)

The Shaky Hands – The Sleepless

$h!tdisco – I Know Kung Fu (7” + 12”)

Slaves To Gravity – Meantime

Splittr – All Alone (12”) [Limited]

Vincent Vincent & The Villains – On My Own

Wolfmen – Cecilie