World Drummer

2008-06-19T16:21:00.003-05:00

Coldplay begin a busy summer with the release of new album, Viva la Vida, a series of free concerts and their North American Tour.

Their hot new new album Viva La Vida or Death and All Its Friends came out on June 17 internationally and features UK Chart hit Violet Hill and their American Billboard number one title track.

Alanis Morissette Flavors of Entanglement

2008-06-11T06:50:00.003-05:00

Canadian superstar, Alanis Morissette releases her seventh studio album, Flavors of Entanglement. Produced by Guy Sigsworth who has worked with Bjork, Madonna, Seal and Imogen Heap in the past, Morissette's new album is a highly danceable fun and summery disc you oughta know about. Read my full review here

New Music Review for Week Ending May 16, 2008

2008-05-17T15:50:00.004-05:00

This week iTunes and other online music stores offer new tracks and albums from Ladytron, The Cure, Hot Chip, She Wants Revenge, Delirium, Pendulum and Welsh singer Duffy.

Read more

Taking a Break

2008-04-16T21:20:00.006-05:00

Hello, thanks for visiting my music blog. I have taken a break from this blog to concentrate my efforts as Feature Writer for Suite 101’s Dance and Techno Music site.

Read all about what’s happening in the world of electronica and dance music. While you're there check out some of my travel articles as well as dozens of other articles by some of the planet’s very talented writers.

James

The King, The Tenor and The Drummer Breathe Life into Stagnant Chart

2007-09-17T12:40:00.001-05:00

With the top four singles clinging to their positions for a second straight week, the UK singles chart has a surprising déjà vu feel.

Sean Kingston sits tight at number one with ‘Beautiful Girls’ while Plain White T's hang on to the runner up spot with ‘Hey There Delilah’. Kanye West’s ‘Stronger’ holds tight at three and James Blunt remains at four with ‘1973’.

50 Cent featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland climb three spots with ‘Ayo Technology’ to claim a new peak of number five. Rihanna stalls at six with ‘Shut Up And Drive’, while Girls Aloud slip to seven with ‘Sexy No No No’.

A pair of former number ones fill the eight and nine positions. First off, the brilliant dance record ‘With Every Heartbeat’ by Robyn with Kleerup and the infectious ‘The Way I Are’ by Timberland. Rounding out the top 10, Scouting For Girls slip one notch with ‘She's So Lovely’.

Just below the top ten at 11, retro groove singers Booty Luv jump 31 – 11 with their third R&B remake ‘Don't Mess With My Man’. A fine tune that deserves all the attention.

Up 12 spots from where it debuted on the charts last week, the death of Luciano Pavarotti nearly guaranteed a chart re-release of his most famous work, ‘Nessun Dorma’. Performed at his funeral last week, this single climbs the chart based on downloads alone. This chart performance marks the great tenor’s first posthumous hit.

Two slots down Elvis Presley, no stranger to chart hits from beyond the grave, returns with ‘Party’. This somewhat obscure chart single from the late fifties comes as part of the campaign to re-release all his chart singles to coincide with the King’s 30th death anniversary.

White Stripes are still alive and kicking, however, they are probably kicking themselves over the poor chart performance of latest single ‘You Don't Know What Love Is’ which limps into the charts at 18.

Down four, Armand Van Helden mixes Taylor Dayne’s ‘Do you want it right now’ from her 1987 debut album into ‘I Want Your Soul’, the second cut from his gender bending album ‘Gettoblaster’. A must on any dance floor.

Continuing the retro trend this week, Phil Collins makes an impressive return to the charts with his first solo single from 1981, ‘In The Air Tonight’. This classic Collins track climbs up on downloads alone after featuring in a series of television commercials.

Two new tracks enter in the mid twenties. In at 26, Taio Cruz moves in with ‘Moving On’ while at 27, the Chemical Brothers dip in with a rather ridiculous concept song, ‘The Salmon Dance’. After one spin, you’ll wish you could swim upstream to get away from it.

New at 31, Andy Lewis & Paul Weller with ‘Are You Trying To Be Lonely’. An odd choice for a single in this decade, it sounds more like a talent show gimmick from a late seventies variety show. Completely awful.

Inching up three places from last week, the brilliant Peter Bjorn & John bring their summer influenced ‘Young Folks’ deeper into the top 40.

By all rights, this song should go top ten for at least a month. Considering this is the re-release of said single, the probability of this happening is slim. Still, a killer tune no matter what its chart performance.

Dave Spoon Ft Lisa Maffia dance into the top 40 at 36 with ‘Bad Girl (at Night)’. Not a bad dance track but as a single it sounds too close to wallpaper to truly enjoy.

Hi Tack, the remixers behind last year’s dubbed version of the Paul McCartney/ Michael Jackson team up on ‘Say Say Say’, return to the charts at 38 with ‘Let’s Dance’ based around the David Bowie song. Not a bad dance record, if a little too faithful to the original for a new production. Strip away the electric beeps and you essentially have the eighty’s recording.

Last but not least, Akon debuts at number 40 with an open letter to the people he’s hurt due to his huge success amassed over the last year.

‘Sorry Blame It On Me’ sums up the chart nicely this week.

My New Favourite Song: James Blunt - 1973

2007-08-14T10:20:00.000-05:00

James Blunt dropped into the world’s lap in 2005 with the heart wrenching “Your Beautiful” and the solemnly gorgeous “Goodbye my lover”. His songs raced to the top of the chart, radio played them to the point of saturation and both newly weds and the newly single found solace in his lyrics.

Back with “1973”, Blunt once again muses about love. On his brand new single, he recounts the story of lost days, this time reminiscing about his true love and the best time he spent with her in kitschy discos 34 years ago – when he was but a glimmer in his father’s eye apparently since Blunt is only 33 years old.

Regardless of the soap opera history, Blunt’s new single indicates a new direction for the singer/songwriter. One that is more tightly focused, more musically complex and less sappy – less sappy for a man who builds his albums around sap. Instead of relying on simple voice and piano to express the emotion, “1973” builds to a funk driven chorus with stronger vocals that sound less winy.

A great new single that should establish Blunt with a larger audience than lovesick housewives and the heartbroken.

Timbaland Ends Rihanna’s Reign

2007-07-30T20:11:00.000-05:00

After a history making ten-week reign atop the UK Top Forty, Timbaland dethrones Rihanna with ‘The Way I Are’.

Two and a half months after securing the number one spot, ‘Umbrella’ slips to number 3 leaving Kate Nash, and most of the rest of the top ten cemented in the same positions they held last week.

Numbers 4 to 7 are none movers; Fergie’s ‘Big Girls Don't Cry’, Enrique Iglesias’ ‘Do You Know’, Hoosiers’ ‘Worried About Ray’ and Avril Lavigne’s ‘When You're Gone’ all remain where they sat seven days ago while the bottom three of the top ten is completely brand new.

Groove Armada dances in to the top ten at number 9 with ‘Song 4 Mutya while Mika’s ‘Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)’ gives this new artist his third top ten single out of three releases. Amazingly, six months ago no one had ever heard of Mika.

Brand new single ‘Autumnsong’ gives the Manic Street Preachers their second top ten single in a row from their latest album and this week’s highest debut. Five places down, new artist, Newton Faulkner debuts at number 16 with his folksy acoustic guitar rocker ‘Dream Catch Me’.

While she may not have the number one single in the country anymore, Rihanna can smile easily knowing her second single ‘Shut up and Drive’ pulls in at number 18. One parking spot behind her,
Green Day come back fresh from Springfield where they punked up the Simpson’s theme song and land another download only top forty hit.

Making their UK Chart debut at 26, folk-rock outfit from Chicago Plain White Ts score with ‘Hey There Delilah’, an open letter from a guy to his girl now living in New York.

Already a top ten smash in the States, this stripped down guitar and strings number sounds even more wholesome and original sandwiched between R Kelly & Usher’s awful ‘Same Girl’ at 28 and Kelly Rowland Ft Eve’s hyper boring ‘Like This’ at 25.

Sounding like a banana boat boy on a Mediterranean cruise party, Yves Larock skips into the chart this week with ‘Rise Up’. Not a bad track but I just can’t help but think I’m listening to Harry Belafonte and it makes me long to hear a Day-O, if just once.

Funeral For A Friend leap into the top forty at 40 with their new track ‘Walk Away’. This slow guitar driving modern rock track builds to a powerful chorus and makes a great ending to an otherwise slow week in a slow summer of new songs.

Rihanna Clocks Ten Weeks at Number One

2007-07-24T10:27:00.000-05:00

Rihanna makes UK chart history this week as she manages to chalk up a tenth week at number one. Only a handful of singles have ever managed to remain at number one for longer making ‘Umbrella' one of the greatest singles in history.

Some may argue that Umbrella doesn’t deserve to have that kind of recognition alongside classic from the Beatles, Whitney Houston and Bryan Adams.

However, in today’s world where every single song (album track or not) eligible for download competes for potential chart success, the fact that Rihanna’s song has outsold some 5 million tracks on iTunes for ten straight weeks is nothing short of outstanding and rightly deserves its spot in the history books.

Rihanna’s stronghold on the top spot means Kate Nash, up one spot from number 3, must wait one more week to see if her single ‘Foundations’ can hit number one. Also waiting for a chance at number one with his follow up to ‘Give it to me’, Timbaland climbs to number 3 with ‘The way I are’.

Fergie falls to number 4 with ‘Big girls don’t cry’ while Enrique Iglasias remains at 5 with ‘Do you know’.

Breaking into the top ten this week, Mark Ronson featuring Lily Allen jump from 12 to 8 with ‘Oh my god’ making this the second straight top ten song for Ronson.

Top debut this week comes in at 12. Scottish singer/ songwriter Amy Macdonald brings her folksy style of pop to the charts for the first time with ‘Mr Rock & Roll’. Sounding like the love child of Joni Mitchell and the Beatles, Amy has a style that is both retro and modern. A catchy tune that blows the rest of this week’s debuts out of the water.

Down 5 at 28 Reverend & The Makers – bop in with ‘Heavyweight Champion Of The World’. Their sound echoes that of the Bravery and The Rapture, a tinge of rock over a sliding disco beat. Not a bad single, nothing groundbreaking. However, the repeated anthem ‘Just be like everybody else’ is quite catchy, if somewhat disturbing.

R Kelly & Usher land in the top forty at 32 with ‘Same Girl’. They could have called it same song as it sounds like so many other boring R & B tracks about a girl gone astray. This song totally wastes a listener’s time, even the artists themselves sound bored. A complete disaster and waste of vinyl. How records like this make it to the charts boggles my mind especially when there is so much better music out there from which to choose.

Sunfreakz Ft Andrea Britton dance into the chart at 37 with ‘Counting down the Days’. With a backbeat that sounds almost tribal, this track sounds familiar, like an old dance cut from the nineties that you haven’t heard in a while. Not a strong vocal sitting overtop of the wall of sound. If this is all discoland has to offer, we’ll all be counting down the days – until we hear a good dance track.

New at 38 on downloads alone, Amerie works it on ‘Gotta Work’. She’s looking to dethrone Rihanna as this year’s queen of pop and while this single seems rather throwaway, it has landed top forty before its official release which guarantees at least a top twenty single in the coming weeks.

Coming back to the top 40 at 40, after a few years away, Thrills returns with ‘Nothing Changes Around Here’. A simple guitar driven slow burner that doesn’t go very far, reminiscent of an early Travis B-side or Thrills earlier hits. The title says it all really, their sound hasn’t changed at all. Still, not a bad single to finish off the top 40 in a very slow week of hits.

Jail Term a Real Thriller

2007-07-21T09:32:00.000-05:00

Paris Hilton did her face during her two-minute jail term. Martha Stewart taught her cell buddies how to colour coordinate. But these inmates at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center, Cebu, Philippines not only learned to dance, they now star in their own remake of Michael Jackon’s landmark video for Thriller. Best bit – Looks like they hired Paris to do the drag queen’s make up.

My New Favourite Song: New Young Pony Club – Ice Cream

2007-07-19T09:17:00.001-05:00

New Young Pony Club’s debut single ‘Ice Cream’ leads off with a beat reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s classic ‘Beat it’. And the 80’s influence on this group doesn’t stop there.

Sounding like a cross between Ladytron (themselves influenced by the 80’s new wave movement) and broody New Order material from the pre-Substance days, New Young Pony Club fit nicely into the new-new wave club alongside teamsters Peter Bjorn and John.

While lyrics such as “I could make you ice cream/we could be a sweet team” don’t make poetry worth pondering and this single having missed the chance to advance further than 40 on the UK Chart, it won’t rewrite the history books as one of the best songs ever. But who cares, its fun, its spunky and it sounds like nothing else on the charts today – the perfect car song for those summer road trips.

My Favourite New Song: Prince – Guitar

2007-07-18T10:57:00.000-05:00

Prince’s new single may not have the pizzazz of former hits like “Let’s go crazy”, “U got the Look” or even “Diamond and Pearls” and it certainly doesn’t touch on world topics as did “Sign O’ the times”.

But in keeping with his new-found consistency for crafting great (if embarrassingly un-commercial) albums such as 2004’s ‘Musicology’ and 2006’s ‘3121’, his new track “Guitar” romps through musical genius and comes out smelling like diesel. No artist today makes a guitar sound as sexy as Prince does, and on this new single, his instrument smokes and purrs like anything from his generous back catalogue.

Sounding as fresh as he did back in his 80’s heyday, Prince declares his love for an unmentioned attention grabber, telling her he loves her “But not like I love my guitar”. 80’s era Prince would have amped up the sly sexiness of this song causing much sought after controversy.

Today’s Jehovah’s Witness Prince, however, concentrates on the Bible, only stirring up controversy in England where he has decided to give away copies of parent album ‘Planet Earth' with each copy of the Mail On Sunday newspaper. This bold marketing move has ruffled the feathers of local retailers who claim that giving away music draws attention away from their stores and potential buyers of new albums.

Oh the marketing genius of Prince should never be doubted. Now if he could only score a hit.

Umbrella Ties Crazy for Longest Number 1

2007-07-17T18:01:00.000-05:00

Rihanna officially ties the record for the longest number one reign this decade as ‘Umbrella’ sits nicely atop the UK singles chart for a ninth week. That makes it only the second single to do so since Gnarls Barkley did it last year with ‘Crazy’. To find a chart single that spend that many weeks atop the chart you have to go back 13 years when Wet Wet Wet crowned the chart for nine weeks with ‘Love Is All Around’ in 1994.

Climbing six places to take over the number two spot from Kate Nash whose ‘Foundations’ slips to number three, Fergie inches even closer to the number one spot with ‘Big Girls don’t cry’. That means that Avril Lavigne must wait yet again for a UK number one. Current single ‘When You're Gone’ slides 3-6.

Timbaland brings ‘The way I are’, bad grammar and all, to the number four slot and The Arctic Monkeys break into the top ten at 5 with ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’.

In a relatively slow week for strong single debuts, the highest new entry comes in at 13. Kings Of Leon lead the way with ‘Fans’ followed three slots down by Groove Armada with new dance single ‘Song 4 Mutya (out of control)’. This track features lead vocal from none other than Mutya Buena (thus the name) while her own single ‘Real Girl’ slips to number 30.

Travis try to prove their relevance with new single ‘Selfish Jean’. However, a number 30 debut does nothing to solidify their grip on a fickle audience.

After missing the singles charts back in 1962 upon initial release, the remix of ‘Beggin'’ by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons lands in the top forty this week at 32. There seems no logical reason for this remix, as it is neither a great dance track nor a special remix for a compilation album. Curious choice for a summer single as the song hasn’t aged well, the remix adds nothing original and the singing sounds dated.

Bouncing in at 33, Mika delivers his latest ‘Big Girl (you are beautiful)’. Not an obvious choice for a single, given the other more radio-friendly cuts on his first album, but a fun, breezy ode to the larger ladies out there nonetheless.

The last debut in the chart this week comes from none other than the Foo Fighters whose two-year-old single ‘Best Of You’ returns to the chart after the group's headlining performance at Live Earth.

Here’s hoping that things shake up next week or summer 2007 could go down as the dullest, chart-wise, in a while.

Umbrella Casts Long Shadow Over Top Ten for Eighth Week

2007-07-09T16:49:00.000-05:00

For the second straight month, Rihanna crowns the official UK Chart with ‘Umbrella’. One more week and she’ll tie the record set by Gnarls Barkely last year.

Holding on to number two despite stiff competition from some heavy debuts, Kate Nash keeps ‘Foundations’ around for one more week. This year’s Lilly Allen, Nash proves her MySpace success wasn’t a fluke.

Just below her, Avril Lavigne charges into the top 3 with new single ‘When you're gone’ up from 17. ‘Girlfriend’, the first single from her third album stalled at number two over several weeks do to the staying power of ‘Beautiful liar’ by Shakira and Beyoncé. Could she face a similar fate with current single hitting the chart at the same time as Rihanna’s powerhouse?

Man of the hour, Timbaland, has his hand in more than one pie this week. New single ‘The way I are’ from current solo album ‘Shock Value’ surges 18-6 while just six places below sits ‘Lovestoned’ a track he produced for Justin Timberlake. ‘Anonymous’ credited to Bobby Valentino and Timberland rockets into the top forty at 25 while his former number one, ‘Give it to me’ featuring aforementioned Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, hangs on at 27.

Speaking of Furtado and Timbaland, jumping back into the top forty from 54 last week, her performance at the Diana concert propels ‘Say it right’ back up to 26. Furtado now has the biggest download-only single in British UK chart history and currently one of the longest running singles. She even manages to bring back last summer’s ‘Maneater’ at 71.

That makes no less than six chart entries on the official UK chart this week, either credited or understood, for Timbaland.

Up from 49, Natasha Bedingfield crash-lands the top ten at number 7 with ‘Soulmate’. This stripped down ballad counts as her sixth UK top ten, but after one spin you’re happy she found her mate, maybe now she can move past it and make some better singles.

Right behind Bedingfield, Fergie sheds no tears as ‘Big girls don’t cry’ jumps 20 places to land at number 8. Contrary to the previous single, Fergie proves that four tracks into an album, an artist can still keep the best for last.

Mark Ronson had a top ten smash earlier this spring with ‘Stop Me’ and now teaming up with oft-studio partner Lily Allen, brings a cover of the Klaxons’ ‘Oh my god’ into the top 20 at 20. A full on jazzy affair this single breathes nightclub air while remaining grounded in Allen’s little girl gone bad vocals. A classic in the making.

The Artic Monkeys continue to struggle with that difficult second album. First single ‘Brainstorm’ didn’t make top ten until its official physical release and while the hype was huge, they never managed to conquer the charts when every track from their latest album became eligible to chart this spring. Now second single ‘Fluorescent Adolescent’ misses the top twenty, at 23. If everything goes as history predicts, they should have no problem making a top ten placement next week when the CD single hits the shelves.

Interpol land at 31 with their new single ‘The Heinrich Maneuver’. Sounding just as British as ever, this new single spins a sound reminiscent of early REM. While not the best product they’ve ever pumped out, this new single at least gives them another top forty performance.

Re-entry of the week goes to Puff Daddy. New at 32, the hit he brought to the top of the charts a full decade ago, ‘I’ll be missing you’ featuring Faith Evans, bullets back into the top forty on the heels of his performance at the Diana Concert.

New at 34, Alibi, who has remixed such singles as ‘Beautiful liar, teams up with Rockefeller to bring a dance version of ‘Sexual Healing’ into the chart. Hardly recognisable as the song Marvin Gaye made famous, this new version sounds more like a throwback to 80’s dance than a modern single worthy of chart status. Frankly a disappointment given Alibi’s past success.

Debuts inside the top forty cap off with New Young Pony Club whose first single ‘Ice Cream’ rockets from 197.

Rihanna Defends Chart for Sixth Week

2007-06-26T14:09:00.000-05:00

In a week of strong debuts and stiff competition, Rihanna manages to rack up one more at the top with ‘Umbrella’. Now it its sixth week, the longest number one so far this year gets closer to tying Gnarls Barkley’s nine week performance with ‘Crazy’ in March 2006

Just under Rihanna’s umbrella, Lee Mead’s dream of a number one single stalls at number 2 as ‘Any Dream Will Do’ rockets from 18. Meanwhile Enrique Iglesias freezes at 3 with ‘Do You Know’.

Other than the Editors who leap into the top ten at number 7 from 30 with ‘Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors’, the lead single from their forthcoming second album, the top ten remains stale.

Thirteen tracks begin their run on the chart this week lead by Hoosiers ‘Worried About Ray’. Right behind them, Take That, serenade the charts with another ballad, ‘I'd Wait For Life’.

Muse charge in to the top twenty at 18 with download-only track ‘Map Of The Problematique’. A true guitar workout, it does not rewrite history, but as a mostly instrumental album track, it fares better than some of the proper singles released this week.

Justin Timberlake cracks the top forty once more with a fourth single from his ‘Futuresex / Lovesounds’ album. ‘Lovestoned’ smokes at number 21 where it’ll smoulder for the next seven days until it burns into the top ten next week. Unfortunately, Gareth Gates’ return causes less of a flame. New ballad “Angel on my shoulder’ does little to solidify his comeback and this weak track blends quickly into the background and probably wont be around in two weeks time.

Other new tracks include Jack Penate who rips up number 25 with ‘Torn On The Platform’, Air Traffic takes over the number 30 spot with ‘Shooting Star’, Paramore come in right behind them at 31 with ‘Misery Business’ and new at 31, Ash returns with ‘Polaris’.

In a week of massive chart debuts, none is as spectacular as the return of 65-year-old Paul McCartney. ‘Dance Tonight’, a folksy acoustic guitar-inspired tune from his Starbucks promoted new album, shines as a stripped down ditty sounding more like former Beatle-mate George Harrison than anything Sir Paul has released in the last 5 decades of charting. He’s the granddaddy of pop this week and still kickin.

My Chemical Romance courts the charts again at number 34 with an angst filled guitar pounder ‘Teenagers’, the perfect sing along for stoners. You can almost smell the smoke rise from the basement as this one spins on the player. Good times.

Simon Webbe from Blue comes back to the charts with another solo hit. With a track from the Fantastic Four sequel soundtrack, ‘Ride The Storm’ shares the spotlight with the second A-side ‘Grace’. Fuelled by strings, a gospel choir backing and a vintage diva howling ‘Grace’ every other beat, ‘Grace’ could easily be mistaken for his hit from 2005 ‘No Worries’. The songs sound so similar, Webbe must have decided not only to do a sequel soundtrack song but an actual sequel to his own hit.

New at 37, Fergie brings her ‘Big girls don’t cry’ to the UK chart. Already top ten in her native US, this song marks a departure from her usual sexed up affairs. ‘Girls’ tones down the music to little less than a few strings and a mild drum beat, focusing more on the vocal than instrumental wizardry. Surprisingly Fergie is more than just a pretty face – this single proves the girl from the Black Eyed Peas famous for chanting about her humps can sing with emotion and substance.

My Favourite New Song : Rihanna – Umbrella

2007-06-13T07:18:00.000-05:00

An old school beat drops and Jay-Z begins an unnecessary rap. But once the boys finish their tacked-on interference, this song sizzles with enough summer heat to outlast beach season. An understated dark guitar drives this track where Rihanna summons her lover to weather out the storm under her umbrella. The best part of this track comes during its silly chorus; an infectious repeat of syllables (under my umbrella ella ella ella ai ai ai). ‘Umbrella’ in a very short time has stormed to the top of the charts in the US, UK and Canada, and one listen reels listeners in to the point where humming ella ella ella ai ai ai comes naturally. Sounding nothing like anything else on the radio at this time, Rihanna has hit pay dirt with this risky pop classic, the first true hit of summer 2007.

My Favourite New Song : Enrique Iglesias– Do you know (the ping pong song) / Dimelo

2007-06-12T10:49:00.000-05:00

Using a ricocheting ping-pong ball as the base for a drum line sounds like a bad idea. But Enrique has taken this hallow sounding bounce and propelled it into an international smash. The song follows the brokenhearted formula as a pre-kiss off song (Do you know what it feels like loving someone that’s in a rush to throw you away) and doesn’t stray far from the dancy Latin influence of his other tracks, so it takes barely a listen to feel comfortable with this one. With a great beat and a sing along chorus, its guilty pleasure feel makes it one to pump up as you get ready go out on a new date leaving that loser well behind.

My Favourite New Song : Mutya Buena - Real Girl

2007-06-12T10:44:00.000-05:00

What happens when you mix a little Lenny with lots of suga? You get ‘Real Girl’ from ex-Sugababe Mutya. Getting a jumpstart on her solo career last year with the brilliant ‘This is not real love’, a song she sang with George Michael, Mutya finally takes the plunge as a full blown solo artist. Ripping the familiar opening arrangement from Lenny Kravitz’s “Its not Over ‘til its over” and morphing it into an echo repeating throughout the whole jazzed up affair. You can’t help but move your body to the sway. The problem with this song also makes it great. The familiar feel reminds you too much of Lenny’s original and you long to hear that version, forgetting that Muyta is singing something about how she’s strong and real. A great track, destined to be the biggest number 2 song ever.

Dark Tourism Continues to Fascinate Travelers

2007-06-08T09:18:00.000-05:00

On my recent road trip through New York my list of hot spots to see seemed to grow with each mile I drove. By the end of my trip the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, shopping on Fifth Avenue (love the glass Apple store), Trump Towers and Central Park all sat neatly behind check marks on my ‘to see’ list.

Though it was great to visit such famous landmarks, the emotional blow came when I emerged from the subway and caught my first glimpse of Ground Zero.

Ghastly shadows lit from behind moved slowly along a chain fence. The ceiling closed in on me and the air became a little staler as I neared the edge and peered into the deep hole where two giants once reigned.

Essentially a mass grave for thousands who perished in the destruction, the hole left from the towers’ demise drew me in. The area feels heavy. Silence befalls everyone who nears the hole.

My mind conjures up memories of the disturbing images the world witnessed that September morning, beamed around the world on satellite TV.

As a human it saddened me, as a world explorer I questioned travelers’ addiction to Dark Tourism; ‘the act of travel and visitation to sites, attractions and exhibitions which has real or recreated death, suffering or the seemingly macabre as a main theme’.

While in no way a new phenomenon, Dark Tourism continues to thrive as an underlying purpose for many travelers. Upon my return from New York I identified other places of tragedy visited during my travels. Images of the Agent Orange-soaked badlands of Vietnam, the battlefields of Kentucky and the slave port of Ouidah, Benin seeped into my mind – all unconnected to the World Trade Centre, yet oddly intertwined in our collective history.

Though I had never been to New York prior to tragic event of September 11, 2001, it made me realize how fast things change and how important it is to explore the world’s treasures before any more are destroyed.

Love Alone is not enough at the Top

2007-05-07T18:50:00.000-05:00

Little action affects the top spot this week as Beyoncé and Shakira rack up a third week on top. Just below them, the Manic Street Preachers bullet 26-2 with ‘Your Love Alone Is Not Enough’, their first top ten in ions and the single predicted to take them to the top. A mere 5000 copies separate them from ‘Beautiful Liar’ but for this week, anyway they’ll have to settle for a respectable number 2.

Gym Class Heroes move into the number 3 position with ‘Cupid's Chokehold’ and the rest of the top ten reads much like last week until we get to the lower portion. Groove Armada Ft Stush plough into the top ten at 9 with ‘Get Down’ the song they debuted with last week at 32. This placing gives them their biggest hit ever despite being around since 1999 when they debuted with 'If Everybody Looked The Same' from the soundtrack to Madonna’s film “The Next Best Thing’.

Right behind them at 10, Hellogoodbye attack the entire chart with ‘Here (in Your Arms)’. From California, this band vocodes, bleeps and spins enough sunshine to overpower any other hit on the chart. This single sounds like nothing else on the entire 75 single chart. A cross between Daft Punk and Cher, and Sonny and Cher splitting a coke, this track bubbles with enough fun to claim summer anthem status a whole month and a half before beach season arrives.

While long considered a possible one hit wonder, Amerie climbs 28 – 13 with ‘Take Control’ a guitar strumming romp through super powerful woman land. She belts out her vocal with enough attitude to make you soon forget that this song is about absolutely nothing. A sure-fire top ten in a week.

New at 18, Dada Ft Sandy Rivera & Trix sweeten up the top 20 with ‘Lollipop’. Dada first charted with Deepest Blue a few years back but now along with club track singer Sandy the trio have their first dance chart cross over hit. While not necessarily a subtle single about enjoying the desserts of a lover, the beat infects and makes a great kick off to the summer club scene.

New at 37, crooner Michael Bublé flies the maple leaf along with fellow Canadians, Avril Lavigne (5) and Nelly Furtado (4 - Give It To Me and 27 - Say It Right) with his new single ‘Everything’. Not to be confused with the single of the same name that Alanis Morrissette charted with in 2004, this original recording is surprisingly only Bublé’s second. ‘Home’ his first hit charted in 2005 peaked at 31 but became such a huge hit on radio, stayed around for what seemed forever.

Snow Patrol return to the chart this week with ‘Signal Fire’ from the Spiderman 3 Soundtrack at number 50. Meanwhile eternal flame ‘Chasing Cars” moves up two to number 45 this week.

New at 56, Right Said Fred comeback to the chart with ‘I'm too Sexy 2007’ as if it wasn’t all bad enough. Could those two shirtless Maawdolls have what it takes to shake it at the top 15 years later or is the modern listening public to sexy for this song?

The last new noteworthy track bumps in barely at 74. DJ extraordinaire, Armand Van Helden returns with ‘NYC Beat’. Another summer potential.

Arctic Monkeys Settle for Less; Beautiful Liar Holds On

2007-05-01T21:02:00.001-05:00

While the week started off hot with many predicting a full 18 songs charting by the Arctic Monkey, Beyoncé and Shakira head the pack with ‘Beautiful Liar’ for a second week. The monkey’s great new single proper ‘Brainstorm’ slips all the way to number 7 possibly because all their new tracks became available for download as singles according to the new rules.

They do, however, have the distinction of the only act with three new tracks on the chart including ‘Brainstorm’ as well as Fluorescent Adolescent (60) and 505 (74).

Up one notch each are last week’s 3 and 4, Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake with ‘Give it to me’ and Avril Lavigne with ‘Girlfriend’.

NeYo edges up to 4 with ‘Because of you’ while Mark Ronson Ft D Merriweather hold steady at 5 with ‘Stop me’. Apparently, their song was self-predicting.

Mika lands a second straight top tenner with ‘Love Today’ jumping all the way up from 18 to 6. This move proves he is no one hit wonder. To confirm the power of this greatest new discovery, former number one ‘Grace Kelly’ clings to the number 25 position while ‘Lollipop’ returns to the top 75 at number 73.

Gym Class Heroes has one of the highest movers this week with ‘Cupid's Chokehold’ up 24 – 8. Natasha Bedingfield slips 2 with ‘I wanna have your babies’ while Travis returns to the top ten with ‘Closer’. I never would have predicted a 26-notch jump for Travis since the song is mediocre at best, but then I did predict a number one for the Arctic Monkeys.

Two great debuts clock into the top forty this week. Dame Shirley Bassey makes a dramatic return to the top forty at number 38. Last heard on the Propellerheads fantastic track 'History Repeating' in 1999, Shirley makes yet another comeback.

More or less known as the dame that sings the Bond tunes, this song is neither a celebrated collaboration nor a soundtrack song. It's unclear really why the woman with the unmistakeable voice chose to come back now, unless it was to celebrate 50 years in the biz, but for this week at least she brings her special touch of class to the chart.

'The living Tree' is a slow burner that winds up to a belting chorus as Bassey begs to 'dance till her shoes cry" she howls for freedom and redemption over a tightly performed string arrangement. A beautiful Bond song this would make, in the meantime it’s the 27th chart single for this powerhouse who first hit the charts all the way back in 1957.

My second favourite debut comes from everyone's favourite drama queen. Amy Winehouse, caps off the list of impressive debuts this week that includes new tracks from The Manic Street Preachers (26) and Amerie (28) as well as the returns of Groove Armanda (32) and Lostprophets (34).

At 40 Amy strolls back into the charts with the title track to her international smash album 'Back to Black'. A song of tortured endearment, Amy comes to terms with the death of her relationship. "You go back to her and I go back to black". Truly tragic, truly magnificent. Someone pour this girl a glass of wine – she needs it more than anyone.

Beyoncé and Shakira Sit Pretty at Number One

2007-04-24T20:23:00.000-05:00

This week the all-star pairing of Beyoncé and Shakira takes over the top spot. It was a prediction that anyone could have easily made. The only surprise was that it took several weeks for 'Beautiful
Liar' to reach the summit. In all honesty, it should be a great single. Unfortunately, the best parts of this whole collaboration are the rain soaked bum shakes in the video and the Freemasons remix that all but shakes the girls out of the song.

Right behind the girls and ready to claw into the top next week, The Arctic Monkeys jump 11-2 with their brand new single ‘Brainstorm’. Ironically the band that became so big on hearsay and the internet last year had to hold out for a physical release of their new single before cracking the top ten. This song should be around for at least a few more weeks as parent album "Favourite Worst Nightmare" sees the light of day this week.

Dropping from 1-3, the all star collaboration between Timbaland, Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake loosens the grip its had at the top for the last two weeks. While an awesome groove accompanies the track, ‘Give it to me’ remains little more than Nelly giving the kiss off to all those who called her a sell out, Justin giving the kiss off to all those who said sexy never left and Timbaland giving the kiss off to everyone else while reminding us all of how good he is.

Just below fellow Canadian Nelly Furtado, Avril Lavigne drops one with ‘Girlfriend’ leaving her number –one-less again this week despite strong sales.

At number 4, Mark Ronson Ft D Merriweather drop with ‘Stop Me’ a perfect summer sing-along dance track containing a smashing sample of 'You keep me hanging on’ – More the Kim Wilde version that The Supremes original.

Natasha Beddingfield lands another straight top tenner with her less than coy new single
’I wanna have your babies’ jumping 15-7. Very different from her last, more introspective hit 'Unwritten’, her new track is a fun ditty with a silly read-my-mind chorus and a funny
flute sound that just makes you feel happy. I’d love to hate this song given the inane title but it somehow works and has grown on me.

One spot below Natasha, Enemy pounce on the top ten with their track ‘Away From Here’ leaping 52-8.

Behind these hot movers, Peter Kay, Matt Lucas and the Proclaimers drop to number 9 while Gwen Stephanie loses her grip on the top five and falls four spots to number 10. If there is a God this song will nosedive faster than Gwen’s navel ring and we’ll be rid of it forever.

The highest of many debuts this week jets in at number 16. Ash haven't been in the charts for ions and would have loved to return to the top ten their first time out but as the title suggests 'You Can't Have It
All'.

Mika's 'Love Today continues to rocket up the chart 32-18 while former number one 'Grace Kelly' Hangs on at 22.

Former boy band Busted member, Matt Willis, rocks in at 31 with 'Crash' a brilliant remake of the The Primitives track from the 1995 soundtrack to Dumb and Dumber. Completely faithful to the original, Willis cashes in on his appearance on the British reality television show 'I'm a celebrity - get me out of here' and makes a comeback. But the brilliance of this song makes his paint by numbers cover a welcome return to the top 40. I only hope it doesn't burn up the lower regions before slipping into musical abyss.

At 32 Just Jack returns with 'Glory Days'. He must have last January in mind when he actually had a good single on the charts.

The lower reigns of the chart seem oddly late nineties. Ocean Colour Scene flow in at 34 with 'I Told You So' an odd piece of 60s throwback mixed with electric guitars - or in other words it sounds just like every other one of Ocean Colour Scene's 17 top forty hits.

The boys from Oasis once declared Black Rebel Motorcycle Club the best new band in the world. They were wrong of course and the 'Club soon fell off the radar after a few minor tracks that cracked the top 40, the titles of which I can't even remember or bother to look up. This week they motor in at 35 with 'Weapon of Choice' - my choice is flick the mute button on my stereo.

Travis returns to the top 40 at number 36 with 'Closer'. It’s been well over two years since Travis has had a hit. Unfortunately, this track does nothing to propel them into the midst of modern music, sounding oddly like a cast off from 'The Man Who" circa 1999.

Dancing in at 39 is a great new track from Meck Ft Dino. 'Feels Like Home' feels like a great clubber for the summer with its thumping sample from Felix's 'Don't You Want Me’. I hope that this track
makes the top regions of the top 40 home for a while but then I also hope some warm weather comes soon. But like spring in Canada, anything can happen on the UK Charts.

UK Chart snoozes in spring

2007-04-04T18:07:00.000-05:00

The once obscenely volatile UK charts keep calm this week. The Proclaimers, Peter Kay and Matt Lucas lock on to the top spot for a second week with ‘I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)’.

Just below them Avril Lavigne, moves ‘Girlfriend’ into the runner up spot. With no signs of the number one track slowing down, Avril may just have to wait patiently for a few weeks before taking over the top.

However, since momentum will have slowed by then, ‘Girlfriend’ could remain a number 2 victim.

Gwen Stefani moves back up a notch with the worst song of her career, or ‘The Great Escape’ while Sugababes vs Girls Aloud plummet 2-14 with ‘Walk this way’. One more week ought to do it before their ship has completely sunk.

Just outside the top ten, ‘Last night a DJ saved my life’ by Seamus Haji Ft Kayjay rockets 38 to 13 while Kings Of Leon make an equally dramatic upward move 50-18 with “On Call’. Expect to see them in the top ten next week.

Former Spice Girl, Melanie C, returns with a blah version of ‘I want candy’ at 24. This song could have been named I want money since it sounds so ridiculous and half hearted that the ploy to cash in before she gets too old, comes screaming through every bar of the track.

Faithless dance back into the chart at number 38 with ‘Music Matters’ Ft Cass Fox while Mika jumps in ten doors down with ‘Love Today’.

Still clinging strong to the top ten with ‘Grace Kelly’, Mika's unofficial follow up ‘Lollipop’ climbs to 68 making him the artist with the most songs inside the top 75.

Of note this week, Snow Patrol remain in the top 40 with ‘Chasing Cars’ while follow ups “Set the fire to the third bar’ and ‘Eyes open” have completely disappeared from the rankings. This song may just have another summer run before it drives away.

Some golden oldies re-appear as towards the bottom of the barrel. Cat Stevens plants firmly at 52 with ‘Wild World’ while Elton John’s ‘Rocket Man’ takes off at 62. And to a lesser degree, Justin Timberlake brings ‘Sexyback’ to 72.

The Proclaimers, Avril Lavigne make chart history

2007-03-26T19:45:00.000-05:00

As predicted, The Proclaimers, Peter Kay and Matt Lucas whip into the top spot on the UK chart with their remake of their 1988 hit ‘I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)’. While it’s hard to knock a number one track – this one gets mighty old after several listens. After the initial humour wears off, you’re left with a longing for the original.

That said, the track sold 120, 000 copies this week and claims the title of biggest selling track so far this year. Better still, on its tail, the original moves up 11 notches to number 26 this week. With that move, The Proclaimers make chart history as one of only a handful of groups with two versions of their same song in the top 30.

Sugababes vs Girls Aloud must therefore settle for a lone week at the top of the heap with their version of ‘Walk this way’. There is justice after all, it seems, as the girls bounce Gwen Stefani from the runner up position with “The Great Escape”, which slides to number four.

Another history making record rockets in at number three. Canadian rocker-wife, Avril Lavigne, claims top debut this week with ‘Girlfriend’. Her track originally debuted on the survey several weeks back at number 73 in the week of March 7, and then mysteriously disappeared.

iTunes suppressed the track and its physical release was pushed back ultimately giving the track a low peak outside the top 40. But with the re-release of the digital track, the song becomes eligible to chart once more making this song the highest re-entry on the survey in history.

Call it marketing, call it what you like – the song, (essentially sk8ter girlfriend,) jumps into the top three poised to take over the top spot next week.

‘Destination Calabria’ by Alex Gaudino featuring Crystal Waters swims up from 18 to five while Maximo Park zooms in at number nine with ‘Our velocity’ to round out the biggest movers inside the top ten.

Otherwise, the chart sees little action. With no less than ten debuts outside the top 40, things should heat up next week.

Comic Relief laughs at the top of UK Chart

2007-03-20T20:07:00.000-05:00

This week marked comic relief in the UK. In that spirit both the official and the unofficial songs claim the top spots of the chart.

Sugababes vs Girls Aloud plough into the chart at number one with their Aerosmith remake “Walk this way”. Considering the girl bands, that have had a slew of number one between them, recorded the track as a charity single, one can excuse them for it being such a stinker. The girls’ version has none of the urgency of the original or the brilliant Run DMC remake from the late 80’s. But all’s not lost, in a few weeks this song will be but a distant, albeit an unfortunate, memory.

Speaking of stinkers, Gwen Stefani continues to clog up the top two with her “The Sweet Escape”. This song sounds like cardboard scratching styrofoam– the vocal is forgettable, the screaming, unbearable and unless you read the label, the guest spot completely obsolete – a completely useless piece of pop plastic. On a higher note, it is better than the previous three minutes of nonsense of her previous hit.

Clambering in at number three, The Proclaimers remake their hit from 1988 with assistance from comedians Peter Kay and Matt Lucas to re-chart with ‘I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)’. This marks the second of two comic relief singles in the chart this week. Better yet, the original jumps in at number 37.

The single hasn’t been re-released in the original format and its top 40 debut may be due to an error as thousands of Britons downloaded the wrong song thinking it was the comic relief version. That said however, ‘500 miles has been hovering in the lower ranks of the Top 100 on downloads alone since the new chart rules began earlier this year. It’s this week’s top three redeeming feature, even if the comic sketch stitched into the song rings a little inane.

Calvin Harris jumps seven notches to round off the top ten at ten with ‘Acceptable in the 80’s’.

At 18, Alex Gaudino lands his first hit with ‘Destination Calabria’. The track features vocals by none other than Crystal Waters of ‘Gypsy Woman’ fame. Who knows what disco she’s been dancing at since she last surfaced in the early nineties with 100% Pure Love, but she sounds as good as ever. Maybe Crystal has what it takes to bring real dance music back at the top of the chart.

Now may be time to make your escape, Gwen!

Take That Shine on, Robbie needs a polish

2007-03-13T21:10:00.000-05:00

This week’s top three remains unchanged except that Gwen Stefani and the Kaiser Chiefs have rotated positions at two and three respectively. That means Take That rack up a second week at number one with “Shine”.

Justin Timberlake leaps into the 4th spot with “What comes Around”. Should he land a number one with this one he’ll be six for six on the UK Chart with his string of solo singles that started back in 2003 with “Like I love you”.

My favourite DJ du jour Fedde Le Grande lands another top ten with “The Creeps” featuring Camille Jones. If there is any justice this freaky crawler will repeat the success of “Put your hands up for Detroit” (at number at number 71 this week) and top the chart.

Rounding out the top ten at number ten, Nelly Furtado climbs one notch with “Say it right”.

Robbie Williams debuts this week at number 16 with “She’s Madonna”. The song credits the Pet Shop Boys, adding yet another top twenty to their already extensive list. While the Boy’s album of last year “Fundamental”, one of their strongest in a long time, failed to produce a sizable hit, here they are backing another English phenomenon.

Robbie celebrated the release of this single with his own release from rehab but even his newsworthy status could not keep this gem from achieving a higher debut. His latest album, chalk full of interesting singles and remakes, ranks way up there as one of his best (minus the horrid title track where this former boy band singer attempts rapping – Hey Robbie, leave that to white guys who know better – like Britney’s ex). Unfortunately, Rudebox has been ill-received and this single suffers from the fallout. Shame really as it blows away his old band mates number one “Shine” by a mile.

While we’re on the topic of blow-out albums and The Pet Shop Boys, The Killers slip to number 21 with their latest effort “Read my mind”. As a whole, parent album “Sam’s Town” falls flat of the energy and style that made debut album “Hot Fuss” such a treat. I thought their career was over with the terrible second single “Bones” but they’ve redeemed themselves with this stand out track. “Read my mind” sounds fresh, contemplative and new when separated from the noose of the album.

And what was the connection to the Pet Shop Boys? Not only do The Killers credit them as one of their influences (I would have guessed Duran Duran – but what do I know) but the singe includes a Boys reworking, stripping a little guitar for a few fancy synths and of course Neil Tennant’s backing vocals. One of the best singles of the year and one that may be around for a few months to come if the chart gods are paying attention!

At 28 Joss Stone peeks in with her latest single “Tell me ‘bout it”. Tired of having people tell her what to do, she’s dumped former boxed package and has set out on her own. Based on her schizoid two minutes as a presenter on the Brit awards, I’m not sure Joss Stone knows who she is now that no one is telling her who she is and what to do.

Speaking of the Brits, show openers Scissor Sisters still can’t shake off the curse of their dynamite single “I don’t feel like dancing”. Two singles later and “She’s my man” barely limps into the top 30 at 29.

At number 74, The Arcade Fire enter the chart with their first single from their smashing new album Neon Bible. Unfortunately, “Keep the car running” has had a hard first chart week. With any hope next week they’ll drive up the chart to a position more in line with the greatness of this Montreal band.