Archive for the ‘Single Reviews’ Category

New Kids On The Block ft Ne-Yo – Single – Single Review

nkotb-single

I’ve just heard the New Kids On The Block collaboration with Ne-Yo. Wow. Not bad at all.

You know, compared to our own revival of Take That, I always thought the New Kids reunion would be a bit of a damp affair. And until this single, which is called – annoyingly – Single, I had no reason to believe NKOTB stood a chance in the pop charts.

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Lily Allen – The Fear – Single Review

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Good to have you back Lily – missed ya!

If anybody else out there was keeping score between Lily and Amy Winehouse, Lily is the winner in finally getting some new music out. The Fear is Lily’s first single from the new album, It’s Not Me, It’s You.

They say the second album is always a difficult prospect. You’ve got to keep the fans you gained with the first record, but you’ve got to offer something new at the same time.

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Keane – Perfect Symmetry – Single Review

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My dislike of Keane is well documented on this blog. I don’t know why I don’t like ‘em, but like Paul McCartney I have an irrational disliking of them.

But alright, they’ve changed their musical direction lately, so I figure – why not draw a line and try to listen to them with fresh ears?

In all honesty, I like what they’ve done with the styling around this latest album (Perfect Symmetry is the title track, by the way).

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Pink – Sober – Single Review

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Here’s a date for your diaries folks – 22 December. That’s when Pink’s latest single Sober will be hitting the shops.

I’ve heard good things about Pink’s Funhouse album, and this single takes Pink into some darker territory, with a brooding tune and video to match.

Yes, if I was a sensationalist, I’d mention the twin versions of Pink getting it hot and heavy on a bed, but that’s really not as important as the music in this instance.

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Leona Lewis – Run – Single Review

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Someone on Leona’s promo team sent me a copy of Leona’s new single, Run. Hell, they sent me a copy of the Spirit deluxe edition, which I really must get round to reviewing and which also contains a copy of Run

And stalwart fans of the music blog will already know that I’m a massive fan of Leona. I’ll try to avoid GRS (gushing review syndrome) as much as possible though.

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Filly – Instantly Out Of Control – Single Review

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I got a shout about the forthcoming single from a girl called Filly, Instantly Out Of Control.

Wow. Listen to this one loud, folks. It’s brilliant.

And as a reviewer, I’m well warned – at the start of the song, Filly advises us not to try and compare her to anyone else:

You’ll think you’ve seen and heard this before, but 
I’ll turn around and have you wantin’ more, so
Forget the definitions in your head coz it’s not like this
It’s not like that

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Oasis – I’m Outta Time – Single Review

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Oasis are releasing the second single from their Dig Out Your Soul album – I’m Outta Time – on 1 December.

Throughout their career, Oasis have been criticised for sounding like a lot of other bands. If I’m Outta Time sounds like anyone else, it’s Urban Hymns-era The Verve.

This isn’t a criticism, merely an observation. It’s fully possible that this is one of the most beautiful songs Oasis have committed to tape.

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Snow Patrol – Crack The Shutters – Single Review

Snow Patrol are swiftly following up on the success of Take Back The City with a new single, Crack The Shutters.

This will be the second single from their amazing new album, A Hundred Million Suns. I’ve been gradually becoming more fond of Snow Patrol recently, and Crack The Shutters kind of cements my admiration for the band. The song, as usual for this band, is a rich blanket of sound, unmistakeably Snow Patrol.

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The Killers – Human – Single Review

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Human is the first single from The Killers’ third album, Day & Age.

Critic types are claiming this is a return to form for the band. The band’s lead singer Brandon Flowers describes it as a “cross between Johnny Cash and the Pet Shop Boys”.

With a description like that, said single could conceivably be a train wreck. However, on first listen the synth sounds like it’s the intro to a dance track, but morphs into this sublime experience. I get the PSB comparisons, but while I can’t listen to the Pet Shop Boys without wanting to shoot Neil Tennant, this I think is genius.

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Pussycat Dolls – I Hate This Part – Single Review

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Nicole and her sexy chums are back with a new single – I Hate This Part – and here’s a shocker: the barely-clad raunchy look is replaced with a pretty, feminine styling that I love.

In a rare ballad opportunity for the ‘Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger really gets to show off her voice. Coupled with sensitive lyrics “I hate this part right here/I just can’t take your tears”, this is a side of the Pussycat Dolls that we rarely see amid the gyrations.

Is it weird that, as a guy, I prefer this non-gyrating version of the ‘Dolls?

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