Tavi

She dosen't want me to write about her... So just take my word for it

http://tavi-thenewgirlintown.blogspot.com/

I'm Not Your Toy - La Roux

It's great to finally see Elly smile, 3:03 :)

Unplugged

Sometimes, the hair, the flair and the synths get in the way of Elly Jackson...

Cause Blue Skies are Coming, But I Know That It's Hard

Noah and the Whale. Beautiful.

Not Fair (Far Too Loud Electro Radio Edit) - Lily Allen

Laurie Unwin + CD Spinz

Laurie Unwin , remember that name. While making ambient hip-hop sound way better than it's meant to be with his partner CD Spinz, they languish unsigned. What is this world coming too? His Demo track, Pirate distracts Drum n' Bass from the pantomime that is becoming (Thanks to the like of Pendulum) and offers a little more. 'Brain Freeze' is a highlight, starting off with a distant, misty feeling beep n' bass (Imagine Gorillaz smoking zoot with faithless), layering on CD's vocals and leading to grand crescendo of synths *I'm gonna fly away some day* and then fades back into the darkness.

'Raid' and a rework of Bonnie Tyler's 'Holding out for a hero' are the more fun of the records, utterly enjoyable.

Ghosts n' Stuff - deadmau5e ft. Rob Swire

A Tribute to Miss. Winehouse

In October 2006, a beehive bearing, diva gone wrong (with an uncanny resemblance to Janice from F.r.i.e.n.d.s) punched her way into the UK music scene reaching the Top 10 in no time. To those glued to Top 40 records, Amy appeared to have sprung out of nowhere to write one of the most recognisable songs of this decade. The Mark Ronson produced hit, 'Rehab' brought Motown-jazz back to the charts, later winning three Grammy Awards for Best Song, Best Record and Best Female Vocal Performance categories. WOW.

Her first album 'Frank' introduced the Diva, charting at 13 and having entered the Album Charts twice. With this secured success, the industry was ready for 'Back To Black', a dark-soul album with the same sentiment as the old album, but with a Mark Ronson big band feeling. With such favourite lines as, 'What kind of fuckery is this?/ You made me miss the Slick Rick gig.' that take your traditional good-girl divas *Celine Dion*, and punches them in the face. The track 'Back To Black' with it's funeral bells and violins is perhaps the most catchy and dramatic of her songs that depicts a dying relationship better than 'Foundations' *Kate Nash.*

"I asked my dad if he thought I needed to go. He said no, but I should give it a try. So I did, for just 15 minutes. I went in said 'hello' and explained that I drink because I am in love and have screwed up the relationship. Then I walked out."

This is where the substance-abuse comes in. Surely an opening track that states ''They tried to me me go to Rehab / I said No, No, No' must herald a future downfall? Coinciding with the release of her second album, Amy began a downward spiral into addiction. Barely a day went by in 2007 that didn't mention some new Amy-Scandal, she was hospitalized for overdoses on E, Ketamine, Cocaine and Alcohol and videos were posted of her supposedly smoking crack-cocaine. Her abusive relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil did not help and the two were photographed bruised and scarred in London. Amy punches Paparazzi. Amy's dad asks fans to boycott her album. Amy misses gigs. The tabloids were taking advantage again, and it was so readable. It seemed that perhaps Amy's wayward image went a lot further the heavy eyeliner and retro clothing.

But, believe it or not in January 2008, Amy Winehouse went to Rehab. Her husband was sent to jail for Physical assault and Amy took a holiday on the Island of St. Lucia, where she experienced an apparent 'holiday-love' with actor Josh Bowman and starts to look better and better, apparently coming off drugs and making a gradual recovery. It was the outcome that nobody expected, a recovery, eating out at the Prezzo resteraunt and leaving the resteraunt at 10:30 without misbehaving. She's been there, done that and recovered, and every good soul in the country sighed with relief when they heard about it.

Maybe it's time to ask, what makes us lap-up articles about such a bad role-model? Because Britain adores it. The introduction of such icons in the 60's produced National treasures such as Mick Jagger and James Dean. More contemporary youth treasures include the likes of Pete Doherty and of course, Winehouse. There is something so infuriating about someone with an extrodinary amount of talent, who in the words of many middle aged mothers, 'Throws it all away', and the youth love it. They don't want to be like her, but they want to channel her rebellious spirit and style. It's a bonus that she is one of her time's most iconic singers.

Admit it, that little bad side of you finds the mental image of Amy Winehouse appearing dancing topless in front of an audience of posh worrier mums very, very funny.

Originally published at shizazzle.com

Janelle Monae - Many Moons

Apart from sounding suspiciously like the 'Mona The Vampire' theme tune, I think Janelle could be one of the most refreshing things since Febreze and her dancing... Wow. I'm already signed up to her fanclub. If Michael was still alive, he would be proud.

The Covers That if I could hear, I would die a happy man

PLEASE!

In For The Kill - Estelle
Funhouse - La Roux
Fascination - Bloc Party
The Girl You lost to Cocaine - The Mystery Jets
9 to 5 - Daft Punk
Bulletproof - Lily Allen
Just Dance - Ida Maria
Dance Wiv Me - Little Boots and Jamie T
Cassius - CSS
Mykonos - The Magic Numbers
Standing In The Way Of Control - Basement Jaxx
Umbrella - Laura Marling
Little Secrets - Florence + The Machine

Another Elly.. Ellie Goulding

I finally have a newcomer to watch, Ellie Goulding. Her name almost rhymes with Laura Marling and has about the same number of letters, but this girl sings Polly Scattergood landscapes with Laura Marling's blissfull voice with Passion Pit's synth sophistication. The combination is hardly a diva, actually a bit reminiscent of some of Avril Lavigne's downbeat songs, which can be a bit of a flannel dampener. Forgeting the flannel, her music is beautiful folksy electro, a pudding (desert to you americans) to Goldfrapp's 'Seventh Tree'. Try it;



However much I love Passion Pit, I never liked 'Sleepyhead'. It sort of reminded me of the voices that people hear in their heads just before they decide to massacre a school because 'They Don't Like Mondays.' Nice little Boomtown Rats homage there...
This rework with Starsmith is the business, and gives Ellie the upbeat sound she lacked a wee bit;

Drumming Song (Jackbeats remix)

It seems like anything Jackbeatz touch at the moment turns to gold, this is another good example;



Wow....

In For The Kooks / Don't stop being bulletproof

Amazing Mashup mix here, a little bit of the Roux and a wee bit of Kooks. It actually genuinely sounds amazing, could almost be a duet!



Oh and heard the next one on Annie Mac, this is going to be huge! The Jackbeats have been climbing over unsuspecting tracks this summer and this sounds really funky, but with a distinct innocent touch;

Mini Viva

Disco smash? I'm a big fan of the Fred Falke remix, specifically for the lack of vocals in that version. I Love the overall composition of the song, especially the Japanese chorus intro, and I'm sure this'll be a hit. I was not at first a fan of the vocals, but I'm not going to lie, they've grown on me. There are times this week where I think I might not be able to get up in the morning if it wasn't for this song...

Drumming Song

Florence's most dramatic single yet, Drumming Song is ready to be belted on to radio stations up and down the country, and actually gave me shivers when I heard it first. There is also something extraordinarily catchy about the repeated "Louder than cirens, louder than bells, sweeter than heaven, but harder than hell."

The video was filmed in Shoreditch church, and is not as exiting as her previous videos, but I respect it for toning down a wee bit!

This Summer's Theme Tunes

Audacity Of Huge - Simian Mobile Disco

Remedy - Little Boots

Rabbit Heart - Florence + The Machine

Bulletproof - La Roux

Mercy Mercy - Le Kid

We Are Golden - Mika

I Go I Go I Go - The Wave Machines

One More Chance - Bloc Party

Get Shaky - Ian Carey

I Gotta Feelin - Black Eyed Peas

Raindrops -Basement Jaxx

Sticks 'n Stones - Jamie T

Popiholla - Chicane

The Show - Lenka

Le Kid

Ever wondered what would happened if Cyndi Lauper devoured Girls Aloud? Le Kid are the next lot on the acceptable-Europop scene, following in the footsteps of Alphabeat, Robyn and Abba (Do not diss Abba or you will be crucified.) There's no shortage of this genre, but to be fair, who cares!

'Mercy Mercy' might just be this years Fascination , and has made the infamously bad 'Can't Speak French' sound much better than it has any right to sound! The video is also pretty decent, and to me is a breath of fresh air from some this year's awful videos, bubblegum goodness!

What could wonky poppers do next?

According to Wikipedia, 'Wonky Pop is a term used to describe a loose grouping of musical acts that play what the BBC calls "quirky, catchy and credible pop". '
There we go, I've summed it up by quoting someone else's words, so I can go and have a coffee now!

Those hipsters among you that keep keep their pointy noses in the Music Press will be familiar with all the recent documentation of 'Woman's Triumph Over The Pop Genre' in 2009. The likes of Lady Gaga, La Roux, LadyHawke and Little Boots (Weirdly all of which begin with an 'L', coincidence? I think not!) run the Synth corner of this style, and it is not often you will read about one without the other. (Note; despite her chart success, lady gaga is just hitching a ride on the hype horse)

It is believed the term 'Wonky Pop' was first used about Mika way back in 2007, but it is not fair to say that he created the phenomenon. Goldfrapp and Madonna was doing it Wonky-like while the Katie 'Ting Tings' was learning to shout! Now there is a way of describing the music, acts are queuing up to join the party. Given how recent this term was coined, about 90% of these acts have not released their second album (Mika has only just clocked in with his new single) and we are left wondering what they could do next.

Of course, Wonkyness stretches over a wide surface. R&B from the likes of Kid Kudi, VV Brown's Soul influences, Florence's dreamer-rock and Passion Pit's art-electro. As music grows, artists are pressed to find a distinguishing feature and a sound that matches it.

Take La Roux, which translates from french to 'The Red-Haired' one. Paralells could be drawn between her and Blondie, not just the 80's theme, but The Hair Colour. Blondie's eye-catching peroxide and La Roux's redhead rendition of the classic Flock of Seagulls cut. Her looks, in the nicest way possible are androgynous, but this is something that so belongs 80's that she herself emulates. These are things that will be important throughout her career, if not central but he music is a different matter.

Her music has a recurring beat present in every song which gives a tinny effect and uses the same set of synths over her wailing vocals to provide a Sweet / Sour contrast. This is one of my undeniably favourite combinations in music history, but how will the Redhead keep it up for a second album? Madonna was known for reinventing herself with every album, going through a disco stage, hippie goddess, R&B, Urban Pop. The catch is that Madonna relied on new producers, whereas La Roux co-produces her own music with Ben Langmaid, who I assume is a close friend. Can he do anything else?

The Same applies to the other electronic acts, Little Boots and Passion Pit. Where next?

A question is raised, should artists feel they have to change their genre to survive? Strong influences to Wonky Pop were masters of reinventing themselves, David Bowie, Kylie, Madonna, so should this trait be a MUST for all the artists?

Please vote in the polls so I can compile information for a follow-on article :)

No more POISON!

This song will most surely become the soundtrack to my summer. Lacking in Substance? BULLLLLLLSHIT!

Boom Boom... Pow?

I'm actually really, REALLY starting to like the Black Eyed Peas again. Caught in the cliches and chart success, I forgot how pioneering the Pea's music is.
Boom Boom Pow feels a bit like a track from Gorilla'z 'Demon Days', not in terms of sound but in the way it captures a dead futuristic landscape. Where much of the Gorillaz material lacks catchyness, this doesn't fail.