LOVE ...et autres drogues

A la base, je suis allé au cinéma hier soir parce qu'il me restait un ticket acheté à mon CE à prix préférentiel et à utiliser avant la fin du mois. J'avais aussi regardé les films à l'affiche et, à part Narnia : le voyage de la Belle Aurore que j'avais été voir précédemment et La chance de ma vie que j'avais vu en vacances, Love et autres drogues était le film qui me faisait le plus envie parmi la quinzaine de films proposés. Projeté à 20H, il m'était aussi accessible après le travail.

C'est donc dans mon costume cravate de la journée au bureau que je gagnais mon multiplex et prenais ma place en espérant que j'allais aimer. J'avais lu que les acteurs principaux avaient donné de leur personne pour le film, offrant leurs corps nus à la caméra pour un film sur le sexe, suplanté par l'amour même quand on ne l'attend pas, entre un visiteur médical tombeur pur sucre interprété par Jake Gyllenhaal et une jeune et jolie malade de Parkinson jouée par Anne Hathaway.

Je ne craignais pas trop que le film tombe dans le pathos et même si vers la fin du film, de très touchants instants m'ont fait mouiller les yeux (c'est parfait pour mes lentilles de contact après près de deux heures dans la salle obscure sous atmosphère sèche et contrôlée d'une salle de cinéma), l'ensemble est avant tout tourné vers la comédie, avec de bons moments plutôt jouissifs.

D'autant que le couple vedette pour la seconde fois à l'écran (ils étaient déjà mari et femme dans Brokeback Mountain), crève le dit écran, s'imprime sur nos rétines et ne laisse pas son image s'en effacer. Sont omniprésents tout le long du film les grands yeux bleus et la bouche rigolotte (avec ses coins relevés à la Donald Duck) de Jake Gyllenhaal et le sourire éclatant de Anne Hathaway, qui n'est pas sans rappeler Julia Roberts période Pretty Woman.

Le duo d'acteurs partage pas mal de scènes sexy/sensuelles en effet, ayant souvent du tourner nus ensemble, et l'on se lasserait presque de voir les petits seins de la belle brune ou les larges cuisses et pectoraux duveteux de l'ex-cowboy. Mais finalement, ces scènes dénudées sont plus souvent tournées dans l'émotion de l'instant, le partage et découverte de l'autre, simplement touchantes, réservant l'excitation pour les dialogues parfois crus et la scène d'action la plus HOT du film où ils se sautent dessus encore habillés et les fait se relever du plancher le jean à peine baissé et la jupe même pas froissée...

Au final, une belle tranche de vie américaine, avec de l'humour, de l'amour et des acteurs épatants, mais avec en trame de fond bien présente l'industrie pharmaceutique pour laquelle travaille le personnage interprété par Jake Gyllenhaal puisqu'il devient visiteur médical pour une firme concurrente du Prozac et lançant le Viagra. A l'heure ou en France s'étend le scandale du Mediator, on en vient vite à la conclusion que les magouilles marketing doivent bien être les mêmes chez nous que dans les cabinets de médecins américains et cette satyre professionnelle partage en réalité l'affiche de ce film présenté comme une comédie romantique mais qui est bien plus que ça.

A noter dans les seconds rôles l'hilarant petit frère obèse, geek et obsédé voyeur (Josh Gad), ainsi que le débonnaire mais hyper stressé responsable de secteur (Oliver Platt), ainsi qu'une belle pleïade de nymphes tombant dans les bras de Gyllenhaal, même si le film est avant tout centré, comme ses caméras d'ailleurs, sur le couple vedette.

Enfin, un big-up pour James Newton Howard qui compose la musique et elle est tout simplement magnifique, tantôt passant inaperçue pour accompagner les scènes de comédie, tantôt se substituant presque aux dialogues pour les séquences émotions, toujours en légèreté et subtilité.

Un film à voir si ça passe encore près de chez vous !

Same Difference's second album ...soon !

On 7th February will be released Same Difference's second album, called The rest is history.

Made of siblings Sean and Sarah Smith, the duo finished third in the UK X-Factor series in 2007. Their first album Pop was certified gold but didn't reached the goal Sony/Syco had in mind with the single We R one only reaching #13 in the UK charts. It features their cover versions of High School Musical's Breaking free and Starship's Nothing's gonna stop us now they sang on the show, as well as the Stock/Aitken/Waterman penned Hazell Dean/Kylie Minogue song from the 80's Turn it into love mixed with pure pop cheesy songs most recorded with sweden producers.

Sean and Sarah turned the X-Factor/Syco page and signed to a new UK label, PopLife, that features as A&R Ian Usher, a SAW/PWL fan who works on the Cherry Pop re-releases too, which means pop quality guaranteed to my ears. They recorded with ex-Pete Waterman partners Mark Topham & Karl Twigg (the duo behind most of Steps hits) first then with Pete Hammond, Dave Ford & Ian Curnow, other PWL stars, as well as sweden 3 stars producers like Anders Hanson (he worked with Alexander Bard and produced Agnes' crossover album) or Tony Nilsson.

The first single didn't do well in the UK charts (#100) last September but Shine on forever (photo frame) was a perfect introduction to their new dance/pop sound and it is not easy nowadays for a small label to conqueer mainstream charts for sure ! With great Riffs & Rays, Thin Red Men and Matt Pop remixes, it cliked nevertheless in the clubs and all pop addicts must be awaiting their new album with anticipation.

Here is the tracklisting :

01 Souled out a pure Steps dance/hi-nrg anthem produced by Topham & Twigg with co-writing by Yamit Mamo

02 Euphoria another perfect dance anthem produced by Topham & Twigg with co-writing by Nathan Thomas

03 Karma karma (feat. Alcazar) a latin dance/pop jewel co-written & produced by Anders Hansson with Le Kid

04 The rest is history a powerful midtempo produced by Tony Nilsson & co-written with Hanne Sorvaag

05 Shine on forever (photo frame) the John Myers co-written & produced first single

06 Waiting for the moment a disco pop uptempo

07 Best mistake a full on retro disco stomper !

08 This is me the only ballad of the album, written & produced by Ian Curnow & Dave Ford with Cathy Dennis' sister Georgie

09 Emotion another powerful midtempo

10 Superstar another catchy upbeat pop number produced by Dave Ford & Ian Curnow

11 Heartbeat a pure pwl retro-inspired pop anthem produced and co-written by Pete Hammond with the duo & Georgie Dennis

12 Broken memories a cooler way to end the album with a pleasant midtempo

From the preview megamix below it sounds promising and I CAN'T WAIT for it ! Expect a full review when I got the CD in my hands...

Clara Morgane's sleepless nights on the dancefloor

Released back in December, Nuits Blanches is the second album that has been recorded by Clara Morgane, a famous former pornstar french blond girl. It’s been a couple of weeks that I’ve bought it and have wanted to post a review for it because it’s a must-have CD but I didn’t have the time with Christmas busy week at work then New Year’s Eve and my following holidays. Today's the day !

Clara Morgane started her career in 2001 by acting with current boyfriend, porn star Greg Centauro, in several X-rated movies but the pornstar cliché seems too much for her as, to my knowledge, she has only played with him for the cameras ; it was more of an exhibisionist trip than a real porn job. It is not as if she had been fucked up by many different men in front of the cameras, isn’t it ?
Her goal may have been to use this exposure as a way to reach higher goals and she succeeded indeed. Truth is her beautiful body and face and charming personality made her a superstar in just one year, with lots of coverture in the press and medias. Her porn experience helped her become a model (for FHM and their annual calendar for example) and sexy underwears in which she decided to work by designing her own collections. She became a TV face too by hosting the Canal+ X-rated show “journal du hard” which could be translated as “the news of the porno world”. It was not until 2006 that she started turning into music, first by appearing into a rap video then signing with Sony Music for a first album DéCLARAtions that had a dance/R&B sound and featured rap artists. Three singles were released, J’aime, Sexy girl and Nous deux, but her best performance for me was her cover version of the Rita Mitsouko’s 80’s hit Andy.

Nuits Blanches has been in the making since over a year now as it was ready for release in 2009. Only slight changes must have been made on several tracks with additional production & remix on Le diable au corps and Même si je sais but it still sounds fresh. Clara Morgane produced it herself and she must have wanted to release it at the best moment and a pre-christmas release with additional 2011 calendar as a bonus was a good idea to reach her male fans and make them get a double feature by buying her new CD : the music and the calendar, even if it is smaller than the FHM type of one.
Talking now about the music, I was happy to hear she changed her musical direction. Nuits Blanches is an electro/dance masterpiece and there is not a trace of her previous R&B flavour. The songs are mostly sung in french, with strong lyrics almost written by Clara, with some english too, and the whole package is very upbeat, made for the dancefloor, althought real club addicts will call it commercial pop. The fact is that her songs are very good dance/pop songs with up-to-date electro sounds. They are not a collage of rhythms, loops and vocal samples but songs with lyrics telling a story, often hot and sexy, on strong dancefloor instrumentals. Clara must have put a lot of her in her lyrics and the result is awesome and incredibly addictive.

The album starts with Vous {You}, an ode to her fans that opens up perfectly the musical voyage into her new personal world with synthé loops building up in the background of several verses into a wall of electro sounds. The result is very laid-back, although still upbeat, and marks the the entry into Clara's nightclub CD.
The real thing starts with Le diable au corps {Devil inside}, the first single follows in its Syndicate Of Bass radio remix form, and you can’t resist it’s killer beat and very good lyrics. "Il faut me laisser faire, ne plus t'en faire, l'enfer pourrait te plaire..." she sings in the chorus and I don't think anyone would be able to resist her from taking you under her spell on this hypnotic groove. With 30 additional seconds, the original radio edit that closes the CD at track #12 is just a little bit more polished, Jey Didarko's remix having added a raw dirty musical touch for the radio release.
Même si je sais {Even if I know} is next and it sounds like a further single for sure, with a strong and catchy chorus melody. The music is hypnotic again, with waves of electro loops coming back onto Clara's vocals with repetitive beats and distortion sounds.
Celle que je suis {The one I am} is more delicate in its form, more melodic maybe, but still very catchy and has nice personal lyrics. Co-composed by Clara with her apparently current boyfriend Jey 'Didarko' Olivier (who is featured on the additional DVD as her love interest in the short film "Haut perchée" as well as the DJ in her video for Le diable au corps and playfriend in the sea on the beach video for Good time), this one sounds as good I would love to see it get a release as a single too, but nearly all songs here could be...
Mademoiselle X {Miss X} has an english chorus but her 'I'm madly, madly in love" sounded first to my ears as "A Madrid..." but there is no flamenco inspired music here ; just good electro beats once again co-composed by Clara with Jey. Lyrically, Clara exposes here the X-rated point of view on love, either with men or women, of a Miss X that could be her sometimes maybe...
IL {HE} may be the song where Clara’s lyrics shine the most and we understand why she says she’s been inspired by Serge Gainsbourg as she uses lots of alliterations with il and elle and play on words. I especially like the verses' conclusion line "Si versatile, viendra-t-il à temps?" that sounds just perfect. A video has been shot for this one and I can't wait to see it get a single release and discover further remixes !
Good time has got less electro and more disco/house sounds with a nice chorus all in english and breezy vocals. Clara wrote this one in Ibiza and it just sounds perfect for summer partying. The video shot in Corse on the beach along her half naked cute and sexy tattooed boyfriend would fit perfectly MTV or M6 video clips selection for next summer... Just one thing to say : it would have sound less lazy to write a second verse instead or repeating the same french verse over and over between the choruses...
Strange enough, the next song has got the same title as Ysa Ferrer’s previous single, and the ladies work in the same league of the electro dancepop divas, but they are very different, Clara’s French kiss sounding less gimmickly with its haunting spoken parts and breezy chorus in english. Once again, it is a song Clara wrote with Jey Didarko and it is the last one, most others beeing composed by Boulawan or Simon Cole. It starts with vinyl scratches and a sexy sultry spoken intro that is the standard form for the verses in fact. Clara's lead theme could be revealed here I think with the line "Au diable les préchi-précha !" Whatever what people or Holy Joe says, she does what she likes...
Nuit blanche {Sleepless night} starts with a soft and tender, nearly childish Doo doo doo doo line but very soon the electro groove comes back to back Clara's invitation to follow her in her sleepless night, on the dancefloor or between her sheets, who knows ?
Un peu beaucoup {A little bit more} sounds as if it samples some Ruychi Sakamoto, OMD or Art Of Noise 80's melody but it doesn't last long and there are no sign of it on the edition credits so it must be only an inspiration. Once more Clara's vocals are light and breezy, on a strong electro arrangement and on this one I get it she is no diva with a big voice but her little voice is perfect for what she has created on Nuits blanches ; she sounds sexy and warm without being too distorded by autotune vocoderized effects like many nowadays.
Hype is the last song of the album before Le diable au corps closes the CD in its radio edit form and it is the one I like the less. Maybe it is because of the mode addict lyrical theme or of the Hype repeated word that doesn't appeal to me. But it is the only one that won't get a A+ note from me here so who cares ?

In conclusion, I must confess I cannot get her album out of my mp3 player nor of my car CD player and I hope I am not the only one who will buy it and play it to death !

Like usual, you can get a sneak preview of it in the 7digital player on the right side of the post so you know what to do :) I know it is mostly sung in french but I would like to know what you think of her music. Get in the comments !

The Best of 2010 from my MP3 player

It is high time for me to post my musical Best Of of that year that has come by and I must say it's been a hard time trying to figure what were my best songs of the year as it was a good year in pop & dance music.

01 Quentin Mosimann "Il y a un paradis"

The first surprise is that the song that I have never get bored of this year and couldn't put off my playlist is not even a single, but an album track from Quentin Mosimann's latest album Exhibition. This perfect piece of disco-house french pop song with wonderful lyrics by Lionel Florence should have been a single and it'd have become Quentin's biggest hit for sure. Nevertheless, it's been in my heart !

02 Groove Armada feat. Will Young "History"

Coming in second place but only because of the calmer beat I think is another song that was an album track on Groove Armada's latest album too, until it apparently got released as a single somewhere but without the big exposure and success it deserved. I posted about it in April and I can only say it again now : It is a mellow piece of vocal house, soulfull and moody, not really instant or pop but incredibly haunting : there's not a special chorus line that sticks to your head, it's the whole atmosphere of the song and its Bronski Beat's Smalltown boy inspired sound with incredible Will Young vocals that all makes it memorable and addictive.

03 The Wanted "All time low"

I have just posted about this song and the UK lads' first album before Christmas so for sure you remember what I said about it : this electro pop/rock midtempo song was a grower I still can't get enough of these days and play it on constant repeat, singin' along on the chorus lines.

04 Brian McFadden feat. Kevin Rudolf "Just say so"

When it got released as first single off this ex-Westlife-gone-aussie boy's third album, I fell completely in love with it despite its sometime irritating overuse of autotune and vocoderized effects on Brian's vocals but the über-catchy chorus is toxic as hell and you can't resist nodding your head along to its rhythm and listening back to it now I still love it as much. It even made me buy the CD on australian import when I already had downloaded the songs ...but I wanted it badly I couldn't wait for the international release ! I did right as it still haven't surfaced on these shores...

05 Kylie Minogue "Get outta my way" (original version / 7th Heaven radio edit)

Second single off Kylie's 11th album Aphrodite, Get outta my way is one of her most addictive song since a couple of years at least ! I knew it would be a single from the first time I heard it on the CD and this uptempo disco/house anthem has not deceived me, except it only reached #12 in the UK charts ...and that is a crime !

06 Boyzone "Love is a hurricane" (original version / 7th Heaven radio edit)

This Ronan Keating rather than Boyzone second single off the boyz' comeback album Brother is another Alexander Gregg pop/rock anthem that has been even bettered when released with a 7th Heaven dance remix. I can't get enough of it with its wonderful chorus lines "One step forward and two steps back, love is like a hurricane..."

07 B.o.B. feat. Bruno Mars "Nuthin' on you"

Unusually for my tastes, it is a rapper's single that features next in my Top 2010 but over the laid back rap verses by B.o.B, it is for the Bruno Mars soulful vocal parts of the chorus that Nuthin' on you stole my heart and got away with it... The chorus melody is irresistible and I was not the only one to think that : it got #1 in England late in May.

08 Kylie Minogue "All the lovers"

Second song from Kylie in my Top Ten and it is the beautiful atmospheric and haunting lead single for her 2010 comeback. Once again, I don't think I'll ever get enough of her sexy whispering vocals on the intro, break and verses nor of the uplifting hands-in-the-air chorus.

09 The Wanted "Lose my mind"

Another double feature for the UK lads this time with their third and recent single. Maybe I am biaised by the fact it is a recent release but for now on, I cannot get enough of this upbeat pop/rock song, perfectly spiced up by the Woh oh backing vocals and the beautiful song structure with slow intro, catchy chorus and slow paced break just before final verse and chorus. I didn't need the remixes for this one to really like the song !

10 Rihanna "Only girl (in the world)"

Final Top Ten song and another one from 2010's second half, Only girl (in the world) benefits from a powerful killer chorus and electro arrangements that helped Rihanna get back in the charts all over the world after her third album and her darker side made me forget how umbrella or Don't stop the music were made for the dancefloor. Welcome back little princess...

11 Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg "California gurls"

I didn't fell at once for Katy Perry's first single off her second album Teenage Dream but after a couple listens and seeing the video, the melody got me under her spell and I liked its robotic groove and funny lyrics. The Manhattan Clique remix helped me too ;)

12 Lady Gaga "Bad romance"

After 2009 and her handful of hit singles, 2010 has been a quieter year in my book for Lady Gaga (I've never really been hooked on the other big single of the year Alejandro) but Bad romance, if not as good as Poker face, has been a standout of the first half of the year for sure. Beware 2011 ; she's coming back !

13 Nathalie Makoma "I just wanna dance"

Next one is another odd single that I discovered thanks to the net and its blogging surprises. All disco/house and made for the dancefloor, this english remake of a J-Pop hit had everything I wanted to hear last summer and it was my personal summer hit. Is there a full album coming soon ?

14 Mylène Farmer "Oui mais... non"

French diva's comeback single is too young by release to really impersonate 2010 for me but it's incredible catchiness and dance appeal couldn't let me ignore it in my Best Of ! Composed and produced by RedOne, it is one of Mylène's most upbeat and electronic single since ...decades !

15 The Saturdays "Higher" (7th Heaven radio remix)

2010 has been a better year for The Saturdays, with their EP Headlines! and singles seeing them back high in the charts. If Missing you was nice and its Cahill remix extra good, Higher and its 7th Heaven dance remix was the real treat for me from the CD. The uplifing pre-chorus and addictive chorus made me jump off my seat and dance along every time I listen to it ! Don't you ?

16 Alex Gardner "I'm not mad"

2010 has not been a very good year for Brian Higgins and his Xenomania production team. After the demise of Girls Aloud, they lacked a new musical outfit to display their music in the charts. Alex Gardner was one of their new singer and I'm not mad was his first single, addictive and inspired, melting soul with electro loops and I instantly liked it and wanted a full album of that sound... Its #44 UK chart position and withdrawing of second single feeling fine must mean I'll have to wait forever for this kind of CD and it's a shame ! This was another hit that didn't need to get remixed by Benny Benassi to find a place in my 2010 discography...

17 Blake McGrath "The night (only place to go)"

The night was another good surprise of blogging when watching a video of a n handsome man and dancer gets you into an electro R&B flavoured sexy midtempo and makes you wait for the next single. It was a FGTH inspired Relax and both made me buy his CD on import, from Canada this time. That is why record companies now cannot understand how the market works : music releases are international and we want our music to buy as soon as it is available, even if it is only on the other side of the world.

18 Alexandra Burke "All night long" (Cahill remix)

This was another release from the UK X-Factor winner diva's first album but the Cahill remix pushed all the right buttons the original didn't completely for me. It took the pop/R&B song into my usual favorite universal dance world and the repetitive chorus was transformed into some orgasmic anthem that got my feet moving to the beat. More of that on your forthcoming second album, please, lady !

19 Mike Posner "Cooler than me"

Listening back to this first single of the american young multi-talented Mike Posner, I understand it makes me think of B.o.B.'s Nuthin' on you hit. Maybe it is his voice that is soulful as Bruno Mars' one or could it be it simply melts the same influences : soul, electro, R&B altogether ? I don't really care in fact. Cooler than me is a beautiful piece of music you'd want to listen to sunbathing on the rooftops of Paris.

20 Robyn "Hang with me"

Robyn's other good song of the year Dancing on my own deserved for sure a good place here but it didn't do enough to place itself in my Top25. Hang with me did though. It may be because of the beautiful lyrics, the melancholic Robyn voice and nice melody, but it is almost because of the constant discoïd synthetic loop that overshadows everything else all through the song : I think I'd easily see it being used in every song released and would still like it :)

21 Katy Perry "Firework"

Katy Perry succeeded placing another song in my Top 25 but it was never to be Teenage dream. Instead, it is her third single, Firework, that does the trick, and it is solely because of its incredibly good catchy chorus. I'm not really fond of the verses, although the lyrics are good, but when it comes to the chorus, its melody is so uplifting, anthemic and Katy's voice is so powerfully belted out, with the electro music background taking it even higher that this song got my votes over others maybe better in their whole but not with a chorus that strong.

22 Sergey Lazarev "Alarm"

It is a shame this russian boy stays yet unknown in west Europe and this song from his third solo album (he preivously was in the boysband Smash!!) was to my ears like a male version of Lady gaga's best hits. Electronic, repetitive and catchy, with nice video, it was meant to become a worldwide hit. It may have, on the music bloggosphere. It has, at least on mine.

23 Lemar "The way love goes" (original version / Cahill radio remix)

First single and newly recorded song from his 2010 Greatest Hits album, this Richard 'Biff' Stannard song took the soul/R&B singer into dance/pop territory to my surprise and great pleasure. The Cahill remix even took it further deeper into Clubland, adding an killer beat and more energy to the original. I would like his next album to feature this new sound from start to end but I doubt it'd be... Last word : when I listen to it, I can't get the "Gotta keep strong, keep movin' on" repeated part outta my head. It must be a sign it was meant to be featured here :)

24 Enrique Iglesias feat. Nicole Scherzinger "Heartbeat"

When I bought Enrique's Euphoria album, I was glad to read in the booklet notes he got back with some of the METRO guys but only Heartbeat was as good as they could be in the Believe years. So it was with pleasure I saw this perfect piece of pop become his second single after the irritating I like it. Enrique and Nicole voices melt perfectly into each other and the ever present 3 notes piano gimmick makes the song's appeal for me : no remix did it better than the original Mark Taylor album version. These 3 notes haunt the whole song and give it a staying power on my brain long after it has finished.

25 Ysa Ferrer "French kiss"

Last but not least comes my prefered french dance diva's comeback single and first off her new album Ultra Ferrer. Produced by Chew Fu, this frenglish electro/dance popsong was good when I first heard it but I still find its syncopated techno break sounds too irritating and I'm already bored of them... Shall I say I've been a little deceived by her latest offerings without burning in kosmic hell forever ?

Big losers of my 2010 Best Of are the ones that fell just under the first 25s and to name a few, the biggest contenders were A1 with I'm in love & I hate it, Antoine Clamaran feat. Soraya Live your dreams, Bruno Mars Just the way you are, Kelly Rowland with Commander and Forever and a day, Mika Kick Ass, Roll Deep Good times, Selena Gomez Round & round, Taio Cruz Dynamite and Stromae with Alors on danse and House'lleluja.

On the album side, it was not a year as good as on the singles side I think. There were lots of albums I waited for and wanted to like but that deceived me : Christina Aguilera Bionic, Alizée Une enfant du siècle, Alain Chamfort Une vie Saint Laurent, Thierry Amiel Où s'en vont les histoires?, Craig David Signed sealed delivered, Jason Donovan Soundtrack of the 80's, Alesha Dixon The entertainer, Hurts Happiness, Shayne Ward Obsession, Magnus Carlsson Pop galaxy, Sharleen Spiteri The movie songbook, Zazie Za7ie and even Enrique Iglesias Euphoria that got too much spanish songs and ballads on it.

Thankfully, there were good CDs too and first I'd like to talk about 80's albums re-releases (most by Cherry Pop) that are so good packaged that they made me re-buy all albums I already owned like Rick Astley's, Big Fun, Sinitta, Sonia, Boy Krazy, Mel & Kim, Eighth Wonder...

For the brand new music albums, I would name as highlights of the year :

Glee Cast The power of Madonna EP, Jason DeRülo's selftitled one, Goldfrapp Head first, Brian MCfadden Wall of soundz, The Saturdays Headlines! EP, the Almighty We love The Pet Shop Boys and Stock Aitken & Waterman compilations, AnnaGrace Ready to dare, Soraya Arnelas Dreamer, Andy Bell Non-Stop, Benjamin Braxton Hold-Up Party, Mylène Farmer Bleu noir, Patrick Fiori L'instinct masculin, Selena Gomez A year without rain, Sagi-Rei Sings Michael Jackson, Joe McElderry Wide awake, Scissor Sisters Nightwork, Susana Closer.

But the best albums of the year are on the french side, Quentin Mosimann Exhibition just ahead Ysa Ferrer Ultra Ferrer, with both Clara Morgane Nuits blanches and Jenifer Appelle-moi Jen having just been released in December so too young to win the 2010 crown.

In english, it is naturally Kylie Minogue Aphrodite, ahead of boysbands A1 Waiting for daylight and The Wanted's selftitled first album.