Parallel Reality

Highlights for me are 'Music To Watch Boys To', 'Salvatore', 'High By The Beach' & 'The Blackest Day.' I do enjoy 'Art Deco', 'Freak' and 'Honeymoon' too. The other tracks haven't grown on me yet. That said, 'Swan Song' sounds nice and I love the lyrics to 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood'.

09 Video Games 09 Born to Die 09.5 Blue Jeans 09 Summertime Sadness 10 National Anthem 03 Blue Velvet 10 Ride 05 Dark Paradise 07.5 Burning Desire 07 Young and Beautiful 08 Summertime Sadness (Vs Credric Gervais remix) 07 Once Upon a Dream 11 West Coast 07 Shades of Cool 09 Ultraviolence 07 Brooklyn Baby 09 High By The Beach So many good songs here - West Coast takes it for me though - It just sounds so effortless :wub: . 'Ride' and 'National Anthem' are also superb.

The actor who plays Les - his acting is so bad, it's offensive!

It sounds really good on first listen. That chorus :wub: I didn't mind Ultraviolence at all. There were plenty of tracks I don't listen to now but I still enjoy 'West Coast', 'Shades Of Cool', 'Ultraviolence', 'Brooklyn Baby' and 'Florida Kilos' (the bonus track). I am really loving 'I Don't Wanna Go' which is floating around on Youtube at the moment. I think it's just one of the many tracks that she's made a demo of in the past, but it's so good.

I thought 'Honeymoon' was pretty good on first listen.

This evening has been difficult to watch. ANd what's happened to Joel? He's just faded into obscurity the last week or so!

Glad Showbiz is out. I'm not Jack's biggest fan but I feel like he hasn't quite "grown up" yet and is still very naive - Maybe he'll understand after hearing his boos. Glad to finally be rid of Helen though. Please never let her be on my TV ever again.

I just hate how Helen plays the victim all the time whenever someone has an argument with her. Does she think the viewers at home are blind? Because to me, it's crystal clear what's going on.

OMG. Those clips of Aisleyne on BOTS!!

So do most people if you push them far enough!

I think saying Brian looks like a rapist is one of the worst things Helen could say. I am literally at a loss of words for her behaviour this evening. I hope the appropriate punishment is used (but it won't happen).

Just watched the video for 'I Do'. It's obviously on the cheesy side! Betsy Blue looks like such a popstar. :wub:

I literally can't stand Helen. It's a shame so many people are scared about "getting on the wrong side of her". I think I'd explode if I was in a house with her and Marc. This isn't even entertainment. And such a joke how Marc can't be nominated this week because C5 know he'd be toast if he was up. :lol:

Helen hates a showmance? Didn't she kind of have one with Ash last year? :lol:

The sooner Helen is off my TV, the better. Couldn't stand her last series, still can't now. and mega LOL for her having a go at Harry for slagging Simon off, when she's already said worse herself.

I felt so bad for Harry at the end there. She gets nominated by the bunker housemates and then just ignored by all of them (minus Brian). She still had a smile on her face though. Hope she keeps her chin up as she's not a bad housemate IMO.

I don't mind Harry. She's not very likable though, but she does crack me up sometimes. Marc remains awful. But still, I think I would rather have housemates like Marc than Danny who doesn't seem to do anything other than winge!

I think Joel handled the nomination well. It's a shame both he and Eileen are up, two of my favourites. The one week I really want a twist to happen (which won't.)

I think it says it all when Simon was crying, but without any tears. Awful. And so so hypocritical. "I've got so much more going on for me outside the house". Then why are you here then! Loving Eileen atm.

Disappointed with his nominations, especially Adjoa.

My first rate: 01 Adjoa 02 Aaron 03 Jade 04 Eileen 05 Joel 06 Sarah 07 Nick 08 Amy & Sally 09 Harriet 10 Jack 11 Kieran 12 Chloe 13 Cristian 14 Danny Out: Simon (15-OUT)

First time hearing 'American Oxygen' and I do really like it. I agree what others have said though. This era leaves a lot to be desired - I don't mind Kanye as an artist but it seems too much Kanye influence isn't necessarily a good thing. Fair play to Rihanna for being a bit more 'experimental' this era but the songs need more substance IMO.

09 Happy 10 Froot 11 I'm a Ruin 08 Blue 08 Forget 06 Gold 07 Can't Pin Me Down 05 Solitaire 09 Better Than That 07.5 Weeds 10 Savages 07.5 Immortal 'Happy' would have received a 10 if we'd been allowed three. The only one that's not gelling with me is 'Solitaire' but I don't dislike it. Maybe it'll click eventually. 'Savages', 'Froot' and 'I'm A Ruin' are incredible. :wub:

I shall give the album another few spins over the weekend and then I shall contribute a rate to the thread too. :)

This is a fabulous album, and it doesn't deserve to underperform. :( - Good that she just made the top 10 though. I think the main problem was promotion, and although the release strategy and the Froots of the month are good for fans, most casual listeners might have missed new songs/the album all together. Electra Heart got to #1 (on fairly low sales but even so) but 'Primadonna', I'd say, was well known at the time and no doubt helped the album. I'm pretty sure 'I'm A Ruin' could've easily been a top 20 hit. For the future? It's not impossible for Marina to be commercially successful again if she wants - I get the impression that she's just happy to be making music at the moment. She's the kind of artist who will have a strong fanbase for many years to come, even if albums didn't take off too well, commercially. She just needs to get back into the studio, write some new/catchy/relevant hooks (like Savages for example) and step up the promotion for the next era.