Eurovision Time : 20, 22 & 24 May 2008 in Belgrade

Once a year, there is a special time for me for love of songs in foreign languages, kitsch costumes, universal schlager pop a la ABBA and disappointment on final results.

It's been some time now that that special time was doubled because of a pre-selection show before the final Eurovision show and this year for the first time, there is gonna be two pre-selection shows, first on tuesday 20 May (not broadcasted in France), a second on TNT France4 thursday 22 May and the final consisting of selected countries from two pre-selection shows with the Big 4 (those who give the more money to organize the annual show, France, UK, Germany & Spain) and last year's winning country who organizes it this year (on France3 saturday 24 May).

In fact, my first eurovision time per year is way before this special event, when Sweden is electing their entry. MelodiFestivalen is always my favourite pre-selecting songs/acts each year and the Eurovision show could nearly be better in my heart if it was the MelodiFestivalen show... Swedish pop is so good, still in love with real pop music with great key changes and full on melodic dancepop songs, all swedish pop stars try to compete to this selection with their greatest new songs and the show is taken real seriously in this country (not like France no more).
Just to prove this, here is a list of recent Melodifestivalen entries : BWO, Carola, Caracola, Charlotte, E-Type, Ola Svensson, Sanna Nielsen, Velvet, Therese, the Attic, Andreas Johnson, Magnus Carlsson, The Ark, Evan, Alcazar, Bosson, Baccara, Friends, Fame... all big stars in their country and even sometimes internationally !

This year, Swedish entry is a former eurovision winner coming back, just like Carola did in 2006 with Invincible to finish N°5 after her 1991 N°1 with Captured by a lovestorm. Except, Charlotte is now known as Perrelli with her song Hero while she was known as Nilsson in 1999 with her winning Take me to your heaven.

I can't wait to see who's gonna win the Eurovision musical crown this year in Belgrade next saturday and sure my evening is booked for the show in my agenda for at least 3 months :) but after hearing all of this year's entries, I feel there have been some better year and like for wine, 2008 ain't my favourite one.
I do, though, have personal contenders for N°1, as well as songs I love and I'm gonna list them now so that you can wait for them to show up and be attentive to them next saturday (if they succeed in being selected from the pre-selection nights) :

1/ First, there is my winner for this year, the entry I love the most, a song that is a perfect pop dance song, a duet with good voices and are said to be eurovision fans for years. The country is Iceland, the band is named Euroband (or Eurobandið) and consists of Friðrik Ómar & Regína Ósk, a perfect male/female duo for a perfect energetic song This is my life whose english lyrics have been written by icelandic gay icon & previous eurovision contender Paul Oscar.

2/ Second, and my favourite before I heard Euroband, swiss contender Paolo Meneguzzi with his epic ballad anthem sung in italian Era Stupendo could make a storm in eurovision voting persons' hearts. The song starts slowly and keeps on building till a final vocal explosion where the cute boy shows his skills. Maybe a better universal entry to appeal to everybody's tastes than my personal N°1.

3/ Then comes songs I love but that I don't see good enough to win, Sweden's Hero by Charlotte Perrelli and UK's Even if by ex X-Factor show (aka Nouvelle Star) soulman Andy Abraham.

4/ And then there are several songs that appeal to my pop tastes in music but that seem rather bland to win the contest :
- Gisela Casanova (Andorra)
- Ani Lorak Shady Lady (Ukraine)
- Isis Gee For Life (Poland)
- No Angels Disappear (Germany)
- Tereza Kerndlova Have Some Fun (Czech Republic)
- Deep Zone & Balthazar DJ, Take Me Away (Bulgaria)

All in all, my selection shows that I'm keener on english songs than those sung in the original language of the country so my 2nd contender for N°1, sung in Italian, which I don't speak nor understand a single word with the exception of Ciao and bello maybe, proves to be universal enough, even for me, to have great chances to win I think.

Most of other entries are mid-tempo ballads or middle-of-the-road pop/rock numbers that show no sign of winning chance for me with the exception of the following that are truly out of place, unhearable at all, even in the eurovision kitsch-show !

First, France's selection (by France TV bigheads and sure there was some ethilic voting this year) for hairy Sebastian Tellier's frenchtouched badabada 70's rendition called Divine (even sung in english and it has caused a storm here in France) is ridiculous and I feel France is gonna be laughed at A LOT next saturday night !

Equally ridiculous but with self derision this time is the irish entry, a country that have always chosen a ballad song to represent them, with great success in the 90's (Ireland won 3 times in between 1993 & 1996) and with boring appeal in the 00's. So this year, they've chosen someone with an irritating voice as if he doesn't know how to sing in tune, Dustin The Turkey with a song called Irelande Douze Pointe calling every single nation to vote for him. If not for the awful vocal performance, the song in itself, the dance beats and the smile-bringing lyrics could have put this one on the list for number one but they should at least have chosen someone who could sing (or just have chosen the backing vocalists alone) ! [in fact, Dustin is a puppet so I guess a voice like Roland Rat was all it could be]

Finally, there is one song that will get everybody rushing to his TV telecommande and push on the silence mode button in no time and it's Belgium's entry, O Julissi by Ishtar (not the Alabina blonde star). I can't even think of a name to put on the style of the song because it's painfully AWFUL to listen to. If you try, your ears will start bleeding way before the end of the 3'00'' legal time... Your only salvation could be that the song competes in the first pre-selection so it shouldn't get enough votes to go to the final !

To close this post (for now), here is the complete list of 2008 participants, the number of whom explains there happens to be two pre-selections now :

1 Montenegro Stefan Filipovic Zauvijek volim te

2 Israel Bo'az Ma'uda Ke'ilo kan

3 Estonia Kreisiraadio Leto svet

4 Moldova Geta Burlacu A century of love

5 San Marino Miodio Complice

6 Belgium Ishtar O julissi na jalini

7 Azerbaijan Elnur Hüseynov and Samir Javadzadeh Day after day

8 Slovenia Rebeka Dremelj Vrag naj vzame

9 Norway Maria Haukaas Storeng Hold on, be strong

10 Poland Isis Gee For life

11 Ireland Dustin the Turkey Irlande, douze pointe

12 Andorra Gisela Casanova

13 Bosnia & Herzegovina Elvir Lakovic Laka Pokusaj

14 Armenia Sirusho Qele Qele

15 The Netherlands Hind Your heart belongs to me

16 Finland Teräsbetoni Missä miehet ratsastaa

17 Romania Nico & Vlad Mirita Pe-o margine de lume

18 Russia Dima Bilan Believe

19 Greece Kalomoira Secret combination

1 Iceland Eurobandið This is my life

2 Sweden Charlotte Perrelli Hero

3 Turkey Mor ve Otesi Deli

4 Ukraine Ani Lorak Shady lady

5 Lithuania Jeronimas Milius Nomads in the night

6 Albania Olta Boka Zemren e lame peng

7 Switzerland Paolo Meneguzzi Era stupendo

8 Czech Republic Tereza Kerndlová Have some fun

9 Belarus Ruslan Alekhno Hasta la vista

10 Latvia Pirates of the Sea Wolves of the sea

11 Croatia Kraljevi Ulice and 75 cents Romanca

12 Bulgaria Deep Zone and Balthazar DJ, take me away

13 Denmark Simon Mathew All night long

14 Georgia Diana Gurtskaya Peace will come

15 Hungary Csezy Candlelight

16 Malta Morena Vodka

17 Cyprus Evdokia Kadi Femme fatale

18 FYR Macedonia Tamara, Vrcak and Adrian Gadz Vo ime na ljubovta

19 Portugal Vânia Fernandes Senhora do mar

1 United Kingdom Andy Abraham Even if

2 Germany No Angels Disappear

3 France Sebastien Tellier Divine

4 Spain Rodolfo Chikilicuatre Baila el chiki chiki

5 Serbia Jelena Tomasevic Oro

Madonna’s new album : Hard Candy

When I first heard of Madonna's new collaborations for her eleventh studio album, I went depressed... Working with Timbaland, Neptunes & Justin Timberlake was for sure a complete turnback on the light disco pop dance sounds of her previous wonderful Confessions on the dancefloor.

So when I first heard 4 Minutes, the single produced by (& featuring) Timberland & Justin Timberlake, I was releaved a little to think it wasn't tooo bad and, after a couple more listens, even poppy enough to become enjoyable to my ears. So I decided I was going to give her forthcoming album a chance before writing it off my list and today is the day of its release ; here is my review :

1/ Candy Shop 5/10
First a song composed with Pharrell Williams & produced with The Neptunes that si starting with some acoustic urban rhythms and grows up to some repetitive electroR&B that makes me fear it's gonna be a journey into disappointment with a capital D.

2/ 4 Minutes 9/10
I said it previously, I'm now hooked by this single and even Timbaland irritating trademarks melt well in there with Madonna & Justin's voices, verses & chorus, the alchemy is good and the Chorus is enlightened by Justin's vocals up Madonna's lower ones.

3/ Give it 2 me 8/10
Once more (and like 2/3 of the album) some Neptunes collaboration but the intro takes me out of R&B territories and into what could be called modern disco funk. The verses' music is seducing and the chorus works very well. A sure-to-be-a-single song that even already has some Paul Oakenfold remix to help me believe in its potential charts fate. Only the "get stupid" WAY TOO long bridge is to be edited from the radio version because it sounds awful! And that is sure to happen as the album version clocks in at 4'48 so it is too long a standard length to hit radios.

4/ Heartbeat 7/10
Madonna (and the Neptunes?) must have listened to Annie and all electro disco songstresses a little 'cos by bits I can hear this being inspired by Annie's Heartbeat hit (that sampled Madonna...) but sometimes it goes back into electro R&B and I would have bet on a Timbaland production to be wrong as it is not.

5/ Miles Away 9/10
Acoustic rhythm guitar to start this enw song, then beats & Timbaland gimmicks to build up some more acoustic than electric walls for this Madonna pure jewel. When the chorus comes in, you think back of Madonna's inspirational Ray of Light songs without the technoïd sounds ; a BEAUTIFUL song that I hope is gonna be released as a single too!

6/ She's Not Me 7/10
Discofunky bass & claps introduce us to this new Neptunes song. A cute one really, addictive but too long (6'05) to hit me really in my heart. The chorus though gets stuck in your brain with only one listen so maybe edited? This one screams to be remixed. Madonna must be in the know as she says in the middle of the song "I know I can do it better"...

7/ Incredible 4/10
Madonna goes all garage on this one !? The start of the songs makes me feel like it could be but it becomes less present after the vocal melody starts but when it is all over, I only have one word : BORING!

8/ Beat Goes On 8/10
This song leaked way before the album but it has been remixed to get included here, with some harmonic featuring by Pharrell Williams & a rap by Kanye West. The songs has gained some depth and lights, with some phat beat & cristal sounds all over it. This one has got single potential too.

9/ Dance 2night 8/10
A raw & funky intro with some spoken words by la Madonne before some She's not me sound-a-like (but this time by Timbaland & Timberlake), with nice bridge & chorus, for another modern discofunk flavoured R&B number.

10/ Spanish Lesson 0/10
Spanish flamenco guitars mixed with chaotic R&B beats, spanish & english melting into some awful crap. SKIP!

11/ Devil Wouldn't Recognize You 9/10
Dear Jessie, Part 2! The intro of the song, all acoustic on piano makes you think you're gonna get your dose of childish ballad but then comes a reverbering synthé beat and Madonna's verses then chorus, taking you away with her into some psychedelic dream. Another Timbaland & Timberlake good moment... It's hard for me to admit it!

12/ Voices 8/10
"Who is the master? Who is the slave" Justin sings in introduction to this last song, with some repetitive beats but some arabic/indian flavour. That question sums it up really. Who was I to think Madonna wanted to sound like every other Timbaland produced act? Her touch is present on every single song here. Some (a few) are wasted but most of them are a success. Her collaboration with both R&B teams have made her go once more into a new direction, but still in Madonna's world. At less than 4', this last song sounds too short for this album and that's unbelievable for me to say this, for I am the one who likes my pop music to be 3' to 4' maxi long!

13/ Ring My Bell (iTunes/Japanese Bonus) 8/10
It's a shame record companies play with us fans with those bonus tracks. Why waste a good track for bonus when there still was some place for it on the CD? That sure doesn't help to sell physical CDs anymore. Gettin' it all on downloads is cheaper and more complete... This track, not an Anita Ward cover, is another disco clappin' inspired R&B anthem, less appealing than previous two but nice enough to become addictive with two listens as its chorus is really appealing.

With an overall note of 6.9/10, this new album cannot be a one I pass on like I thought it could be : as I already own all Madonna's albums... my collection is still complete!
You know what you should do too for sure...

BWO’s Single Collection "Pandemonium"

I guess I didn’t feel the need to post a new article on my music blog since last month because there wasn’t a single release that made me feel excited enough to do it.

Once more swedish popsters Bodies Without Organs have made my will come alive again : after three studio albums ["Prototype" (2005), "Halcyon Days" (2006), "Fabricator" (2007)] and a remix CD ["Hacyon Nights" (2006)], they’re about to release a Greatest Hits CD on 09/04/08 called "Pandemonium, The Singles Collection".
The tracklisting, although incomplete, looks promising :
01 The Bells Of Freedom 3:25 *
02 Lay Your Love On Me 2:59 *
03 Barcelona 3:45 *
04 Sunshine In The Rain 3:30
05 Give Me The Night 3:09
06 Chariots Of Fire 4:09
07 Open Door 3:29
08 Gomenasai 3:27
09 Sixteen Tons Of Hardware 3:30
10 Will My Arms Be Strong Enough 4:16
11 We Should Be Dancing 3:34
12 Temple Of Love 3:25
13 Living In A Fantasy 3:39
14 We Could Be Heroes 4:24
15 Voodoo Magic 3:41
16 Let It Rain 3:30
17 Conquering America 3:20
18 The Destiny Of Love 3:50
(* new unreleased material)
It naturally includes their brand new single Lay your love on me, their 2008 entry in the swedish MelodiFestivalen, the annual music competition for Eurovision, as well as two other new songs Barcelona (reported not to be a Freddy Mercury cover song) & The bells of Freedom.
I feel the whole tracklisting strange though as it includes two album tracks from their latest album "Fabricator", Gomenasai & We should be dancing, that haven’t been released as singles (yet) and it does NOT include 3 of their best singles : Gone, Save my Pride & Rhythm drives me crazy.
You can bet this CD will get additional bonus tracks to its digital version on my own MP3 player .

The only bad news is that it makes me fear of a group split after this release. It is often the case after a "Best of" release, but not always, see recent Sugababes or Girls Aloud compilation CDs followed by a new studio album... I really hope BWO are still here to stay for long as the association of pop guru Alexander Bard, electro goddess Martina Schiptjenko and former realTV popstar Martin Rolinski is breathtaking with each new release, musically as well as visually : They’re POP at its best!

As always for my swedish pop, www.cdon.com is gonna be my perfect CD supplier.

Quentin : Winner of Star Academy 7

I spent yesterday's evening waiting (and fearing) the Star Academy 7's final results 'cos Mathieu had previously been saved 6 times by people voting and I didn't know if Quentin's professionalism on screen could not be a bad thing after all for the people spending away their phone credits for TF1...
The results were tight but Quentin (Mosimann) won and has become the 7th winner of french leading real TV programm. Now the future is in his hands ...and in Pascal Nègre's (PDG of Universal).
After the bad sales results of the latest winners, Magalie Vaé & Cyril Cinelu, Quentin must face the challenge to reboost CD sales and his charisma may not be enough... His victory means a 1 million euros contract with universal for future CD sales and the fact is only Jenifer has gained her million for now on ; Star Academy means more success on TV than in CD stores ...but hasn't the CD market regressed too?

Some figures first :
Jenifer : 3 albums + 1 live for 2 millions copies sold,
Nolwenn Leroy : 2 albums + 1 live for nearly 1 million copies,
Elodie Frégé : 2 albums for nearly 300 000 copies
(but she gave half her millions to finalist Michal, 2 albums with less copies and his contract recently just given back),
Gregory Lemarchal : 2 albums + 1 live for over 1 million copies
(but his death from mucioviscidose boosted sales last year),
Magalie Vaé : 1 album for 33 000 copies (and we wonder uf Universal is gonna spend more on her (Michell McManus twin girl!),
Cyril Cinélu : 1 album (released a couple of weeks ago) for just 7000 copies sold.
Add to these that Star Academy 7 has only released one single compilation album of students when best years gave us 4 CDs that sold well, a mega Star Ac' tour that has become more than a karaoke party doin' little cities' tour and you've understand that the golden years are all over... The future may not be so bright for the new Star Ac' winner but he has a million to think about it at last...

What shall we hope for then?
Quentin, as for his MySpace profiles, is dual :
- Quentin Mosimann likes his piano, acoustic jazzy balladery and his recognizable voice fits in well like on his beautiful self composed "Il y a Je t'aime et Je t'aime" he sang on TV and that is featured on his MySpace page.
- clubby Quentin (aka John Louly) likes his DJ's turntable and likes his music electro clubby like when he covered "Tainted love" or Prince. He's already got a single available on download legal sites under this pseudo : John Revox & Christian Sims feat. John Louly "Hot vocation (Sex is my vocation)".

And Quentin perfectly matched the two sides of his musical personality yesterday night covered along US crooner Peter Cincotti David Guetta's "Love is gone". Starting stripped to the bone acapella with only piano, the song muted after a long slow intro into the electro piece of dance anthem we all know with Chris Willis on vocals before ending up back in an accoustic jazzy mood.
That's what I want on his first CD album !
That's what can be the next french summer hit !
And that would be ideal to launch his album & career... (do you hear me Pascal?)
Take some wellknown song and strip it to piano only to make it start like a jazzy number (Listeners will recall Nouvelle Star winners Christophe Willem or Julien Doré for their re-invention abilities) then make it start with first chorus with some David Guetta/Joachim Garraud electro noizy production and you've got what it takes to be the perfect club/radio anthem of Summer 2008 in France.
Leave space on CD single on track 2 for just an accoustic version and add as bonus a full on technoïd remix on track 3 and you've got a big seller !
Record a full album of new material with the previously talked about producers,
Add to the whole package some more bonus tracks in piano accoustic lounge versions like Quentin slow compositions to test them too and sure you'll give the people who appreciates Quentin on TV what they would want to give their money for !
And to help it sell more, re-release the whole package 3 months later (like Universal know how it can be done) with an extra CD with all songs recorded unplugged and you'll sell it even more...
Now all they have to do is rush some recording sessions before Quentin goes on tour, just to be sure to have his first single ready for release while they're self-promoting on tour and before the potential summer hits' rush, film a festive video for it that will occupy big TV times on TF1 from May to September and could become the next opening theme of Star Academy 8, and cut the timing right to be ready for a September/October album release at the very last, before everyone had forgotten how good a show man Quentin was/is/will be !

Please someone somewhere, make these lines a reality soon...

TOP 25 Hits of 2007

I've seen it more than often on personal blogs, when final day of the year comes, there's a countdown for the hits of the year in the blogger's heart. So here is my Top 25 of 2007 :

01 Mika "Relax (Take it easy)"
It looks like it will finally see a single release in the UK now it's been number one in the charts all over the planet!
02 Daniel Zueras "No quiero enamorarme"
Incredible! - A song in spanish that hasn't left my mp3 player for the whole year!
03 Hugh Grant (feat. Martin Fry) "Pop! goes my heart"
Yes! that 80's pastiche song from the film "music and lyrics" (Le comeback in french)
04 MC Solaar "Da Vinci Claude"
Incredible!² a rap artist in my Top five! But MC Solaar is just no "rap" artist, just a wonderful lyricist and this song is pure pop & fun perfection!
05 Scott Simons "Umbrella"
Yes! better than the original, Scott Simons' wet & haunting version of Rihanna's number one single
06 Maroon 5 "Makes Me Wonder"
07 Christophe Willem "Double Je"
08 The Attic feat. Therese "The Arrival"
09 Rihanna "Don't stop the music" ...even better for me than "Umbrella"
10 Lorie "Je Vais Vite"
a shame it's only been released lately! It could've been Top5 if released way before!
11 Scooch "Flying the flag for you"
12 Mika "Grace Kelly"
a second song for him in my Top25 but he's not the only one!
13 De Souza feat. Shena "Guilty"
14 Rihanna "Umbrella"
Another second single charting this year for me
15 Ysa Ferrer "To Bi Or Not To Bi" only that low in this charts because it's just been released digitally middle December... Check for its placing in 2008 Top25!
16 KleerUp feat. Robyn "With Every Heartbeat"
17 Magnus Carlsson "Live Forever"
18 Melissa Mars "Love machine"
19 Stefy "Chelsea"
20 Michal "All Alone With Your Gueule"
21 Nemesis "Number one in heaven"
22 DQ "Drama queen"
23 Sergey "Shattered Dreams"
24 Kylie Minogue "2 Hearts"
25 Infernal "I won't be crying"

What about the albums?
No chart placing for them... Let's just say albums of 2007 that have lived to the expectations and have still not left my mp3 player are in alphabetic order the following :
BWO "Fabricator" Booty Luv "Boogie 2Nite" Magnus Carlsson "Live Forever" Danny "Heatbeats" DQ "Drama Queen" Sophie Ellis-Bextor "Trip the light fantastic" Freemasons "Unmixed" José Galisteo "Remember" Girls Aloud "Tangled Up" David Guetta "Pop Life" Darren Hayes "This delicate thing we've made" Ian Levine "Northern Soul 2007" Lorie "2Lor en moi" Melissa Mars "A la recherche de l'amour perdu" Michal "All alone with my gueule" Dannii Minogue "Club Disco" Kylie Minogue "X" Nouveau Riche "Pink Trash" Rachel Panay "Back to love" Rihanna "Good girl gone bad" Lisa Scott-Lee "Never or now" September "Dancing Shoes" Slinkee Minx "Electric dreams" Stonebridge "Music takes me" Ultra Naté "Grime / Silk / Thunder" Jason Walker "Flexible" Shayne Ward "Breathless" Christophe Willem "Inventaire" (album of the year for me!) Peter Wilson "Follow me" Young Divas "New Attitude"

and there even was albums released at the end of 2006 that can still belong to this list of 2007 :
BWO "Halcyon days" FRANK "Devil's Got Your Gold" Louis "La nuit m'attend" Dannii Minogue "Hits & Beyond" Bob Sinclar "Western Dream" Jason Walker "This is my life" West End Girls "Goes PetShopping" Young Divas "Young Divas".

Jewels & Stone’s latest release : DARUSO’s first single

You may not know of Jewels & Stone but Julian Gingell and Barry Stone are the ones of Stock Aitken & Waterman's PWL studios' ex-engineers/mixers that keep their head up above the crowd and since 1993, the two young men have worked together, first as club remixers for Pete Waterman (on Boy Krazy, Lonnie Gordon, Erik or Sybil releases), then as writers/producers/remixers on their own rights, with more or less success..., before working along Almighty Associates or 19 Entertainement on loads of their releases.

I personnally cherish the following ones :
Belvedere Kane "Never felt as good"
Northern Line "Run for your life" (remix only)
Adam Rickitt "I breathe again" & "The best thing"
Stephen Gately (of Boyzone) "I believe" (remix only)
Sophie Ellis-Bextor "Down with love", "Murder on the dance-floor" (remix only), "Yes sir, I can boogie" & "Duel"
5ive "Let's dance" (remix only)
Hear'Say "The way to your love" (remix only)
S Club (7) "Don't stop movin'" (remix only) & "Discotek"
Gareth Gates "I've got no self control"
S Club Juniors "One step closer", "Automatic high", "New direction", "Feel the beat" & "Fool no more"
Rachel Stevens "Every little thing"
Stephanie McIntosh "Mistake" (remix only)
Dannii Minogue "Sunrise" & "I can't sleep at night"

Now they've decided to take it to a new level and recruited a female vocalist named Jess Russo to form a eurodance-poptrance act named DARUSO and follow the steps of Cascada and (fingers crossed) chart all around the globe.

Their first single is "Closest thing to heaven" and is already available for download with 7digital here :
http://indiestore.7digital.com/daruso/tracks
Three tracks are available at the worthy price of £0.79 each :
Closest thing to heaven (radio edit) 3:29
Closest thing to heaven (original club mix) 5:13
Closest thing to heaven (ballad version) 3:29
downloadable either in WMA, AAC or MP3 format.

Needless to say I've already bought all three and they're set to be on heavy rotation on my mp3 players .
Another song is able to be listened to on their myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/daruso), "Just another dream", and they both makes me want to have a full album CD between my hands very soon...

So I hope you'll all take a minute to listen to their songs ...then,
All you could do is buy them on line ...so that
due to their incredible number of downloads and online club charts, DARUSO can do nothing else but record a full album for a big record company smellin' potential SUCCE$$ and see it released worldwide with same figures as Cascada's first album.

Isn't this a bright perspective ?
Sure it can become soon a reality.
...For Julian & Barry have a real writing talent. Plus, they know how to use studios facilities to record/mix instant-appealing pop-dance records. Jess has a nice, pleasant & strong voice (either working on dance & ballad versions of the song) and as she's very good looking, she can front their group with enough charisma to win them a place on TV channels.

Once I saw a promo CDR of Julian & Barry demo productions for Digger Music on eBay but I didn't win the auction. Oh how I miss it ! I would've loved to hear all these secret jewels that are still sleeping in their studio. They're rumoured to have written & recorded more songs with Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Emma Bunton, Gareth Gates, Zoe Birkett or with Cathy Dennis. Their talent cannot stay wasted like this longer now! They need a BIG breakout with DARUSO to get a high value profile on the songwriting/production market and then we'll finally see all this good tunes released for our greatest pleasure... If only!

Kylie’s X is for Xtatic, seXy or eXcellent...you choose!

Now comes the time for me to post my review of Kylie's latest CD "X"

1/ 2 Hearts 8.5/10
Everyone knows now this one, first single, electro piece of glam rock she got from band Kish Mauve... not the way we wanted her to come back, but a grower and a killer chorus!
2/ Like a drug 8/10
Another grower, I'm afraid. When i bought my CD, there was a sticker saying "including the singles 2 Hearts, Like a drug, In my arms..." so when I first listened to it, I thought SH****T! this one can't be a single! It sounded too messy without a real key phrase in the chorus except for the repeated "like a drug, like a drug" in the end... After several listens, I admit I now like the song. I still hope though it ain't ever be a single 'cos there's more single potential packed in there to waste a place for this one!
3/ In my arms 9/10
Leaked a couple of months ago, this track looks like it is worth its place here and should become second single off X. It's a nice electro pop number with a good chorus. Still ar away from her pure pop roots but poppy enough to appeal to everyone.
4/ Speakerphone 4/10
Another piece of electro noizy track with annoying lyrics "singing" and a vocoder effect that captures Kylie's voice all over the chorus... There have been leaked tracks that should have took this place for sure. Both Mylo tracks were FAR FAR superior. This one ain't worth a B-Side!!!
5/ Sensitized 10/10
Using this over-used (for french ears only thanx to MC Solaar's previous hit Gangster moderne) sample from Gainsbourg's Melody Nelson was a good idea as this breathy & rythmic light pop song captures your brain and makes itself a place in there for the rest of the day. Another studio leak that stands its place here, close to "Tightrope" in Kylie's mid-tempo perfection department and single potential ! Thank you pop genius Cathy Dennis & pop guru Guy Chambers .
6/ Heart beat rock 8/10
Back to rhythm, bleeps, noizes & extra phatt beat for an electro repetitive but extremely addictive track : the more you want to dislike it, the more you whistle it...
7/ The one 10/10
A disco synthetic rhythm displaid all over the song for a pure anthemic dance pop number I had high expectations for (due to favourite remixers Freemasons co-production credits) and ... it didn't deceive me ! When the chorus comes and Kylie sings "I'm the one, love me, love me, love me", I can't help but jumping on my too feet to sing along and even answer her that YES, she's the only one, queen of pop in our hearts and we LOVE HER, LOVE HER, LOVE HER !!! That should be a highlight in the Live X Tour next year with the crowd singing along her... I dream... I anticipate ! Another single potential too.
8/ No more rain 10/10
The intro puts the marks right there. We're back in the pop territories, electro clashy sounds are over and we can savor the melody, the voices & lyrics, all melting together like a torrent of white chocolate, warm and sweet, while the song is flowing into our ears. A moment of pure bliss, though I don't see it becoming a single.
9/ All I see 9.5/10
Another nice album track, more rhythmic than before, even quite funky with a good chorus where lead idea "All I see is you" stays in our minds long after it has ended.
10/ Stars 9.5/10
It could be "light years" part II. A disco beat, synthé effects behind, a killer chorus but with a rockier sound. Definitely another single potential !
11/ Wow 100/10 (YES! I meant this eXtra note...)
This is the stand-out track for me here ! A must-be second or third single if Parlophone or Kylie aren't dumb at all. A pure pop number like she needs it to ride high in the charts again with a deserved number one position worldwide... The intro is pure perfection, like only Stock Aitken & Waterman used to do, the sounds here get her back in the Fever era with filtered disco house and the chorus makes me go ..Wow wow wow woW ! I know it was easy but it's the truth. I think I will never get enough of this song EVER ! Put at this position on the CD, it is as if they have wanted to hide a secret jewel when everybody would have thought only fillers were still to come...
12/ Nu-di-ty 2.5/10
Did we talked about fillers ? Here comes one, back to electro sounds with a R&B rhythm that Beyoncé could have sung. That means for me that it's a piece of music non-sense that could only bettered by a Freemasons remix.
13/ Cosmic 7.5/10
Time to cool down now it's the last song from the CD. A nice ballad with nice vocals, like for some Disney soundtrack or from some Broadway musical. A timeless classic to end somehow a better album than Body Language was, although Light years and Fever perfections are still far away...

Open-disc bonus : Rippin' up the disco 8/10
It has been hard to manage to get my bonus track on my computer as I hadn't the right Java applet to get it but after numerous tries & updates, I got it. It is a good electro disco track that wouldn't sound out of place in Scissor Sisters' catalogue. As It's from the net, I don't know who wrote/produced this one but it's a nice try though I think Kylie's voice sounds too cold while singing "rippin' up the disco". Worth grabbin' anyway !

i-Tunes bonus : Magnetic electric 9.5/10
I think I'll never understand how the music industry tries to make us all still buy physical CDs when bonus tracks are only available from online stores... !? Anyway, at least, this one wasn't available in a bundle only cash-in offer and is pleasant enough it makes me regret it wasn't included on the CD in the 4 or 12 positions...

Bonus DVD Edition bonus : White diamond (ballad version) 8/10
Every Kylie fan knows this song for this Scissor Sisters exclusive appeared first on her Showgirl Homecoming Tour. The problem is that it's a nearly symphonic ballad version of the wonderful song we all wanted to hear in studio quality that has landed on the special edition along photos gallery & interview... A beautiful song that will be cherished by those (like me!) who liked her live cabaret versions of Better the devil you know or I should be so lucky but still not the real thing .

2 Hearts' Bonus tracks Don't know what it is (6.5/10) and king and queen (8.5/10) are nice tracks too but when the first lets itself playing without further notice, the second, when it comes to end, makes me push the PLAY button : Syncopated & still electro, it is spicy like a ginger candy could be ...and only lasts 2:38.

Overall an album that will for sure stay a year or more in my mp3 player but that makes me wonder which further singles are gonna be released ! It has some variety enough in there to let EMI choose the best as well as the crapiest to try and hit the charts so I'm scared...

Lorie goes Kylie

LORIE GOES KYLIE!
and sure it sounds better than before...

Some may have left Lorie like me while she released some music for teenies on her previous records.
But now things have changed.
She is a woman, not a girl.
No more french Britney, call in french Kylie!
No sex, just sexy
No trash, just classy
No R&Bish, just ElectroPop
and she comes back with such a GREAT single "Je vais vite", written & produced like most of her album by Mr. Frédéric Chateau (remember 80's hits "le malheur des uns et le bonheur des autres", "stop Lucie", "Les liaisons dangereuses", "Ferme les yeux", etc.), aka Asdorve (of Pascal Obispo's music team), aka half of Mademoiselle (remember electro "do you love me?"), aka the leader of 90's Foxalone poprock band, aka writer of summer hit "Hey arriba!" by Raydel... the list is endless! Frédéric Chateau is a major not-so-well face in France's music landslide.

Her single has been remixed by frenchie Benoît Courti, germans Spencer & Hill and english lads of Thriller Jill (Mr. Trouser Enthusiasts aka Ian Masterson & Terry Ronald with Paul Harris, who have worked with both Minogue sisters) and all mixes are great. The video looks like Kylie's "can't get you out of my head", very futuristic and technoïd, with lots of tektonic hip dance.



The album is mainly produced (and written/composed) by Fred Chateau, but not only and there's more international talent in there :
Thriller Jill boys are there on two tracks, "Le bonheur à tout prix!" (written with Richard X & Hannah Robinson) and "Pas un ange" with french lyrics by Thierry Sforza. Their collaboration must have been pleasant as Lorie is featured on their new project "2A.M." with a nice electro dance single "Lonely" where she laid the vocals and danced in the vid) to appear soon for the international market I hope... A snippet of it is to be seen on Ian masterson's myspace page here : http://www.myspace.com/ianmasterson.
Swedish team is on board too with Hugo Lira on "L'accalmie". Star Academy vocal coach Jasmine Roy was there for Lorie's voice and Lorie even co-wrote some stuff.
Most interesting lyrics goes to "1 Garçon" where she tells her boyfriend she has noticed he has fallen in love with a boy and that it won't be the end of the world for her if he tells her the truth, some kind of "menage à trois" like Alcazar could have been singing in french...

10 songs out of 12 are upbeat and electro except for the first track, "2LOR en moi" (which could mean there's gold in her as well as two Lorie in herself) that is R&B like a shade of her past before turning the page to the new music on there.
It gets better with "Je vais vite" and "Play" but then the tempo slows down with a candy sweet ballad "On ne grandit vraiment jamais" that is out of place there right in the middle"... The other slower song "Loin des yeux" is greater and closes the tracklisting, which is perfect after 45' of tektonic dancing .
Other great tracks & potential singles are "1 Garçon" and "Avance encore" for me.

The booklet is classy with all lyrics and credits, thank you's and nice photos on a glossy paper and I can't help but ordering everyone to go to her page, take a listen and then buy it for a taste of good popdance made in France!

Spencer’s album : a dedication to SAW

Maybe Spencer and the Charlene & Scott muppets mean something for someone out there in UK or maybe Oz?

For me, it meant nothing except I remembered having seen Spencer's name associated to a cover of Jason Donovan so when I saw his album on eBay, I couldn't help but click on "buy it" as the tracklisting made me dream :
Jason Donovan's She's in love with you & When I get you alone along Adam Rickitt's Make me believe in love, Barry Stone's Never felt as good & Erasure's Oh l'amour... !


I received my CD today and as I'm listening to it, I can't help but think it's a very good SAW fans' selfmade dance pop collection (except for the slowed down part at the end) with good original songs too.

Production helps come from some well-known names from my Stock Aitken & Waterman's Hit Factory forum or MySpace friends (Steen Ulrich, SAW Surfers & Yisraelee) along main actors (Chris Daniels, Miles Young, Surebackings.com & SoOutThere) so I thank them all for their dedication by writing some lines and promote their poptastic work...

As it's available for a nice price at www.thespencershow.co.uk I think you should all rush there and buy it like I did :)

My copy came with a promo page a la "Smash Hits" that made me have a good laugh too. Check the front page at www.myspace.com/SpencerOfficial

Young Divas : episode 2... new member, new attitude

26/11/2007 will see the release in Australia of the Young Divas' 2nd album, New Attitude.

Just a couple of weeks after Ricki-Lee's solo album after her departure from the vocally talented quatuor, the girls, who have recruited a new member as Jessica Mauboy, another Pop Idol reject, are releasing a new collection of good old disco anthems and the albums looks BRILLIANT! Judge by yourself :

1. Got To Be Real, the Cheryl Lynn anthem
2. If I Can't Have You, the Bee gees disco gemm for Yvonne Elliman
3. Turn Me Loose, a song by Loverboy (who?)
4. I Can't Wait, a Stevie Nicks original
5. Jump (For My Love), a hit from the Pointer Sisters
6. Love Will Lead You Back, a stunning Diane Warren penned ballad that belonged to Taylor Dayne
7. Chain Reaction, the Diana Ross cult anthem
8. New Attitude, the disco hit from the 80's from Patti Labelle
9. I'm So Excited, another one from the Pointer Sisters that everybody know by heart
10. Tell It To My Heart, the first hit and global disco anthem of Taylor Dayne (again)
11. (Bonus Track) Dear Santa (Bring Me A Man This Christmas), ... a seasonal track, for the Christmas market / radio airplay, a Weather girls original, that looks like it could be Camp too and means the girls wish us all a happy christmas gay, sorry day

Sure this one will seem too short (only 11 tracks!) but the tracklisting makes me want to be very soon at the start of December when Mr. Postman will have brought me my imported CD from Oz'... It will be Christmas day!

BONUS : There is an iTunes bonus track 12 that is, like tell it to my heart, another song Kelly Llorenna previously covered, as it is Whitney Houston's I wanna dance with somebody. And it's ...fabulous!