Gossip
A Joyful Noise
5/5

I'm guessing the days of Gossip sounding like a straight up grimy punk band are over. Their last album was disco infused rock, and i wondered whether it was a one off change of direction. Now with the release of A Joyful Noise, i think Gossip has finally found it's signature niche with another collection of danceable rock infused songs that you can either bang out on a guitar to or dance your ass off under a mirror ball.

Beth Ditto's solo dance EP that was released in 2011 has had a strong influence on the bands new album, with even more disco inspired beats sharing the stage with thrashing rock band production thanks to UK album producer, Xenomania.
You'll find specks of their previous album, Music For Men, throughout the new record. The track, Get A Job, could have easily been been part of their previous albums track listing. A Joyful Noise feels very much like a continuation of their last album, while still taking the production a little bit further.
Some of the melodies feel very old skool, they feature the types of hooks you'd hear in tracks from the late 70's/ early 80s, songs like Perfect World and Casualties of War showcase how much listening to ABBA over the last couple years has rubbed off on Beth, and the band has never gone more 70's disco than they have on stompers like Get Lost and Love In A Foreign Place.

On first listen, the album may take a few plays to sink in, but once it does, it quickly starts to come together. A Joyful Noise isn't as instant or obviously hit filled as their last album, but it's probably overall slightly more cohesive, for me anyway. Personally, there were a couple of songs on Music For Men that i never warmed up to, A Joyful Noise however doesn't have one track that i haven't grown to enjoy, so for that, i'm labeling this as their easiest album to fall in love with. Not sure if it's necessarily their best, but it could grow to become that over time.

Nicki Minaj
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded [Deluxe Edition]
4/5

Nicki blurred the lines between rap star and pop star with her first album, Pink Friday. Still not wanting to let the world force her into a genre box, Nicki delves even further into being as versatile as possible with her new album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.
With this new album, Nicki offers a huge amount of songs in an attempt to satisfy both new and old fans of her work. Essentially what we are given are 2 albums in one. Fans of her old hip hop mix-tapes are given a much bigger selection of songs to choose from, and newer fans who prefer her more pop orientated music, get just as much. For me, i'm a fan of both styles, so PF: RR offers a whole bag of new material to play with.

The first half of the album features the main bulk of the hip hop themed songs. The album opens with the bizarre and musical-esque, Roman Holiday, one of the most original moments on the album and a perfect way to open the record. As we roll through the first 9 songs we hear Nicki at her most schizophrenic and hilarious on Come On A Cone, where she barks her way through the chaotic chorus and softly sings the lyrics "put my dick in your face" during the bridge, crazy.
Beez In The Trap is Nicki's pounding ode to strippers, set to a sexy mid-tempo bass-line thats almost ear bleeding when played loud enough.
Roman Reloaded [which features Lil Wayne] and HOV Lane are the most old skool inspired Nicki tracks on the album, they could have easily come off any one of her old mix tapes.
Right By My Side is a cute and catchy ballad, even if it does feature Chris Brown, and the mid-tempo, Champion, is beautifully produced. Sadly, the same can't be said for the very dated and cheesy sounding, Sex In The Lounge, which sounds like a Boyz II Men left over from 1994. The song also barely features Nicki, placing the featured guests center stage instead of the star herself.

Once we hit the half way point, the dance/pop portion of the album starts. RedOne provides all of the production on the Euro inspired tracks, which are fairly generic, but still very catchy. The throw away but fun, Starships is first, followed by the similar yet slightly more appealing, Pound the Alarm. The much better, Automatic and Whip It follow, but the best of the club tracks is, Beautiful Sinner, slightly darker than the songs before it, it's a brilliant dance track with a great vocal delivery by Nicki.

The remaining last section of the album is a collection of r&b ballads which are all excellent. Marilyn Monroe features the strongest hook on the album and is very catchy, Forever Young screams single and is possibly my favourite song from the record. Fire Burns is pretty and is the 'Save Me' on the album and Beenie Man joins Nicki in the generic but still enjoyable, Gun Shot.
The album ends with 'Stupid Hoe', which is either odd and hypnotically re-playable or the most annoying song you have ever heard in your life. Most people consider it the latter, i personally don't mind it.

The deluxe album provides 3 more songs for anyone who wants more than the 19 the standard offers. Turn Me On, a great collaboration with David Guetta is one of them, still a solid track after all these months on the charts, VaVa Voom is a very catchy pop track, which deserves to be placed on the standard edition and Masquerade is the final and weakest of the bonus material, still catchy enough though.

What makes PP:RR so impressive, is that for an album that features so many songs, Nicki has done extremely well in keeping the record consistent. Artists like Christina Aguilera always bog down their albums with way too many songs, most of which turn out to be filler. Nicki succeeds in actually delivering an over populated track list and actually making it work. That's not an easy thing to do, so kudos to her for getting it right.
Also, with the album running at 80 minutes long, it's actually a very easy listen. A lot of songs are on the shorter side, and with the album being so carefree, it doesn't take much effort to get through it all.

Whether you find her untraditional approach to rap music appealing or not, you can't deny that Nicki moves to the beat of her own drum and is finding huge cross-over success doing it. Her versatility has always been her strong point, and as long as she can cater to her very wide fan base, she'll have no problems sustaining an already very promising pop career. I like that she doesn't shy away from doing what she wants and being the type of artist she wants to be. If people choose to judge her on that and think it makes her "rapping" less authentic to the hip hop community, that's their problem, Nicki clearly doesn't seem to give a shit, and that's what's most important.

As a fan, PF:RR is a very satisfying listen. It's fun, colourful and varied, which is pretty much Nicki's personalities in a nutshell. Some of the production can certainly be on the generic side at times, but with so much personality on each track, and with hooks by the bucket load, it's a minor issue when it comes to enjoying the entire album for what it is, a whole lot of fun.

Lana Del Rey
Born To Die: Deluxe Edition 

5/5

When Lana starting creating her album, Born To Die, she had a very specific idea as to what kind of sound she wanted sonically throughout the record. Musically, she's been described as the "Gangster Nancy Sinatra", and when you hear the album, it's obvious she took that name literally, with the majority of the record sounding like the soundtrack to a romantic urban mobster movie set in the 1950's.
The production on the songs moves beautifully between lush, vast melodies and string heavy hip hop beats. There's a dream like quality to the music that helps listeners become absorbed into Lana's world, and that's exactly what Lana and her producers have created with Born To Die, a complete audio and visual universe, a place to escape to.

The booming strings of the title track, Born To Die, open the album. Lana sings about a doomed relationship amidst a thunderous hip hop beat. It's the perfect way to start the record, the song feels like the opening credits to an old Hollywood film.
There's no time to take a breath however once Off To The Races immediatly kicks into gear literally a second after the title track ends. Lana's vocals sweep in and out of even louder hip hop beats this time, as the song builds and builds to a beautiful and cinematic string heavy finale.
The sexy, Blue Jeans is next, taking obvious notes from Chris Isaac's, 'Wicked Game'. The very haunting and timeless sounding torch ballad, Video Games, follows, which shares the same themes lyrically as the song before it.
The album takes a welcome change of direction at this point with, Diet Mountain Dew. The more lighter and upbeat vibe of the song is a nice way to pick the mood up after the more darker opening tracks. This song has had a few incarnations over the last few months with it's various demos. For the album version, the beat has been given an obvious "kick" and a lovely piano melody has been added to the already catchy chorus. This isn't my favourite version of the song, but the hook is so strong, it doesn't really matter to me either way. This wouldn't sound too far removed on an Amy Whinehouse album.
The small glimmer of light Diet Mountain Dew gives us doesn't last too long once the next track, National Anthem, begins. Similar to the previous track, this is known a much different sounding song by fans due to a demo leaking online last year. Gone is the summery chanting sound of the previous version, now the song sounds more like a war march at a funeral, with dark heavy synths and a creepy haunting chorus. It's a beautiful and eerie track, i like the song in both forms, but this version fits the feel of the album better.
Dark Paradise follows, and is the biggest surprise on the album for me. I'd heard a live snippet of the song months ago, and it didn't grab me as much as other new live songs did at the time. On the album however, the song is incredible. I especially love the opening few chords and the surprising change of direction during the bridge. Production wise, it's the best song on the album.
The sweet sound of Radio changes the tone of the album once again, with Lana singing about being in love over a very charming and catchy melancholic beat. Like earlier in the album however, it's yet another short lived lighter side to the record once the sinister, noir-esque and dark, Carmen, begins. This song seems to divide fans, it has a musical feel to it which might be off putting to some. Personally it's an album highlight for me.
The last few tracks that round off the standard edition of the album are the mid tempo, jazz-lite, Million Dollar Man. It's a sexy moody ballad and Lana's vocals sound their best on this. Summertime Sadness, a fan favourite, is next. It has the same beachy feel of Blue Jeans, with an even catchier chorus.
Last but not least, This Is What Makes Us Girls, closes the standard edition of the album. Like a few of the other songs, this has a different sounding demo that's been around for a while. On the album the song has been changed with newly added vocals and a Kanye West inspired hip hop beat.

The deluxe edition features 3 extra songs, but they don't feel tagged on to the end like an after thought, they blend nicely with the rest of the album.
Like Carmen and Dark Paradise, the first of the bonus tracks, Without You, features some of the most unique production on the album. The song is only a few tempos away from being a dance song, yet the beat is kept restrained throughout the track, making the song a mid-tempo ballad with a subtle bassline that feels like a tease.
Lolita, is next. Gone is the 1950's pop sound of the demo, Lolita now sounds like the next Bond theme with it's cinematic, dark and dramatic production. This should have made the standard edition, it's fantastic.
The final song on the deluxe album, Lucky Ones, ends it all on a surprisingly lighter note. This is Lana's ode to falling in love, and after the mostly depressing tone of the previous 14 tracks, Lucky Ones is a nice way to say goodbye to listeners by ending on a positive and hopeful note. Production wise, it's my least favourite song on the album though.

There are a few minor issues with the album that i have. Even though the production is beautifully lavish and rich, that also means the album as a whole can be a bit of a heavy listen.
More of an attempt to make each song not blend together so much would have benefited the overall experience of hearing the album by adding some variety. The differences in the production are actually there, but they're subtle,and you may need to give the album time to showcase that a little.
Also, i did prefer the previous finished version of Diet Mountain Dew [titled 'Diet Mtn Dew'] over the album version. The new version is nice, but it's missing the pre-chorus lyrics which were my favourite part of the previous version.

The only other album that has captivated my "imagination" as much as Born To Die was Fever Rey's debut album from a few years ago. Lana's music features the same other wordly feel as that album, she has a very unique and distinct voice, and when combined with her lush and atmospheric music, she sets herself apart from what any other artist is doing at the moment.
Whether you like Lana's overall product as an artist or not, there's no denying the amount of ambition and passion that has gone into this album. From Lana's incredible lyrics and signature voice to the rich and vast sound of the music, every inch of this album is absolutley dripping with passion. I doubt i'll find a better album this year, she's set the bar very high.
 

Born To Die 5/5
Off To The Races 5/5
Blue Jeans 5/5
Video Games 5/5
Diet Mountain Dew 3.5/5
National Anthem 4/5

Dark Paradise 5/5
Radio 3.5/5
Carmen 5/5
Million Dollar Man 4/5
Summertime Sadness 5/5
This Is What Makes Us Girls 5/5
Without You 4/5
Lolita 5/5
Lucky Ones 3/5

Florence + The Machine
Ceremonials: Deluxe Edition [2011]
4/5

The new Florence album doesn't tread any dramatic new ground, in fact, if you've heard her previous album, 'Lungs', you'll know exactly what you're in for as far as tone and sound goes. What Ceremonials does is build on an already signature sound for the singer, while taking it to a much bigger, yet still familiar place.

Lungs was a very whimsical and light sounding album, pretty harps and organic production were littered throughout the songs, and there was a child-like innocence to the overall sound of the music. 'Ceremonials' puts a much louder spin on that by amplifying the drums, and giving the songs a much more booming and epic scope.
There's an anger and sense of urgency in Ceremonials that was missing from Lungs, and even the more lighter songs on the new album maintain a very vast sound.

The beautiful, 'Shake It Out', is the perfect throw-back to Lungs and works well as the lead single off the album. The anthem sounding, 'What The Water Gave Me', hints at a song that would sound incredible with a live audience singing along, and the build up towards the final minutes in the track are perfectly produced. Other songs like 'Never Let Me Go' and the romantic sounding, 'All This And Heaven Too', have a similar build up.
The witchy and dark, 'Seven Devils', is slow and powerful with a beautiful choir on backing vocals, that choir is used again just as well in chorus for, 'Leave My Body' [my favourite song off the album]. The tribal-esque drums on 'Heartlines' are deep enough to shatter your speakers, and the drum and chant heavy, 'No Light No Light', is just as lively.

There are moments where the album feels a little "samey". There is so much use of the same sorts of instruments and chants that certain songs can get lost within the similar production. 'Spectrum' is a decent track, but i feel by the time i get to it, i've kinda heard it all before, so it loses a bit of impact for me. Personally, i think the bonus track, 'Strangeness and Charm' should have replaced it on the standard track listing. It packs a bit more of a catchy punch.
A couple songs are so over produced to the point of being a little overbearing as well, 'Breaking Down' and 'Lover To Lover' suffer because of that, and the melodies within the songs border on the cheesy side a little.

What the standard tracklisting lacks is made up for with a few of the bonus tracks from the deluxe edition. 'Remain Nameless' is a nice change of pace for Florence, less organic than the rest of the album, it would have broken up the standard track listing nicely, it's a great song. 'Bedroom Hyms', is a nice one also.

Much like 'Lungs', 'Ceremonials' is nearly perfect, but stumbles in a few areas that stop it from being flawless from start to finish. However, the good certainly out-weights the bad, and 'Ceremonials' is a strong sophomore effort from Florence. In many ways, it's actually stronger than her debut, and if you liked her previous work, you'll love this.

Kelly Rowland
Here I Am: Deluxe Edition [2011]
3.5/5

After years of one off singles, Kelly has finally taken the time to put together another solo album. Kelly found a lot of success outside of America when she jumped from r&b to dance music after being featured on songs with David Guetta and The Freemasons, but Kelly's newest album takes a surprising leap backwards to her old skool r&b days.
I've enjoyed a few of Kelly's dance songs over the last few years, but i'm glad 'Here I Am' is an r&b record. As much as i like the current sweep of dance music all over the world, it's refreshing to hear a straight up urban album that doesn't sound like everything else that's on radio atm. Not that the album offers any sort of grand production that we haven't heard before, it's all very generic, but as an r&b music fan, it's nice to hear this early 2000 sound back on the radio.

The album isn't completely dance free, it does feature the Guetta produced single , 'Commander' and another euro track, 'Down For Whatever'. The rest of the album is pretty much straight up r&b though. The best songs on the album are the faster ones. 'I'm Dat Chick' is an amazing way to open the record, and other tracks like 'Work It Man' and 'Turn It Up' are fun club bangers.
The album is also fantastically over-sexed, which may be eye rolling for some as being a cheap way to sell the record, but i always enjoy that sort of stuff, so it doesn't bother me.

Where the albums suffers a little is with the ballads. They aren't terrible, but most of them are boring and a bit too generic. The only two that stand out for me are, 'Feeling Me Right Now' and of course the sexy, 'Motivation', which reminds me a lot of an old skool 90's slow jam.

Another issue with the standard edition of the album is how short it is. After so many years since her last album, and after releasing so many one off singles, you'd think they'd have enough material to bulk up the record with more than just 10 songs??? The last 2 tracks on the record do stick out like a sore thumb since they aren't r&b, why not just add 2 or 4 more dance tracks to give the ending of the record a bigger euro dance finish?
The deluxe comes with a few decent bonus tracks that help fatten up the track listing, 'Each Other' is a hot mid-tempo club track, and the urban mix of 'Commander' is a nice bonus, however, with so many singles out there with her name attached to them, they could have easily given us a bit of what has been on offer from her over the years. She has a new single called, 'What A Feeling', which isn't on the record, even though it's all over radio outside of the U.S. It's a bit odd how all over the place she is atm with her music.

Minor gripes aside though, 'Here I Am' is a decent enough effort from Kelly, and certainly a big step up from her last record, 'Ms. Kelly' which was a really uninteresting and boring album. 'Here I Am' may not get any points for being unique, but it at least does generic well, and Kelly has a great voice.
Play Beyonce's '4' for some good slow r&b this year, play Kelly's new one for some good r&b club tracks.

Beyonce
4 [Deluxe Edition]
3.5/5

Beyonce has always seemed like a bit of a dark horse to me when it came to being a serious contender in the pop music scene. A lot of her music is generic r&b/pop [i mean that in a nice way], but there's also been a slow growing need to go against the grain a little throughout her career.
On her first album, 'Dangerously In Love', it was a fairly standard affair as far as music production goes. R&b ballads and urban dance floor fillers were pretty much what the album was full of. Her second album, 'B'Day', showed a bit more musical experimentation, with a more old skool urban influence on the record, and a more organic use of instrumentation on the production of the music. Her 3rd album, 'I Am...Sasha Fierce', was an even bigger leap forward as far as bringing in different musical styles was concerned. Between more electronic urban beats and more simple guitar driven ballads, it was obvious Beyonce's palette of influences were broader than we were led to believe based on her earlier work.

Her 4th album, '4', is certainly her most interesting album to date. Not so much because i think it's her best, it's not [i give that title to her last album, 'Sasha']. But '4' marks an important time in her career, and that is reflected in the music on the album. This is the first record Beyonce has done without the guidance of her father, who has been her manager since her Destiny's Child days. With Beyonce asserting herself in her own career, comes a new found confidence and freedom to branch herself out even further as an artist.
After the huge success of 'Sasha', you'd think '4' would have been an obvious attempt to cash in on the success of that album and offer more of them same. To my surprise however, Beyonce has chosen to put together a much more sombre body of work this time around. Instead of jumping on the dance bandwagon that's filling mainstream radio right now, Beyonce has decided to go completely in the opposite direction and has created more of an old skool 90's r&b record with very little club bangers to go nuts over. In many ways it pays off, and in other ways it kinda fails.

The majority of the album is well produced. The ballads are nicely done for the most part. 'I Miss You' sounds like something Phil Collins could have sung back in the day, '1+1' takes obvious notes from Prince and features a gorgeous electric guitar solo and 'Dance For You' could easily fit on any sexy early 90's r&b slow jams album.
The more dance heavy tracks offer some nice moments too. 'End of Time' uses infectious drum beats, 'Countdown' has a catchy big band sound, and my favourite off the album, 'Run The World', features a hot tribal beat and aggressive vocals. I know a lot of people dislike that song, but i think it's fantastic, i love the 'Diplo' inspired production on the track. If 'M.I.A' did more commercial music, it would sound something like that.

Credit has to be given to Beyonce for not churning out an album that fits into the mold of what is popular right now. Don't get me wrong, most of the songs on '4' don't necessarily tread new ground. We've heard Beyonce do r&b music before, this isn't surprising to anyone. However, it's not a genre that's really selling right now though, especially with an album like '4' which consists of mostly slower tracks.
As a lead single, 'Run The World', wasn't an ideal choice either. The genre it borrows from is way too particular, and not something mainstream listeners are into. As much as i love it, i can see why so many people hated it.
Beyonce has my respect for doing an album she truly wanted to make, regardless of how unexpected it may be. She seems to be more focused on growing as an artist, rather than JUST selling records. It's refreshing to see after her last massive album.

Technically, there isn't anything really wrong with '4', however, it does have a few bumps along the way.
As nice as most of the songs are, the album can feel a bit dull as an overall listen. A couple more upbeat or heavier tracks wouldn't have hurt, especially ones along the lines of 'Run The World'. There's a bit of "meat" missing from the album. It all plods along a bit TOO comfortably at times, and i find that i really need to be in the right mood to listen to the album in full.
Also, the track listing order is a fucking mess. '1+1' is an awful way to start the record, it's just way too slow and feels more like a closing track than an opening one. Following that sort of slow opener with another 2 ballads really doesn't set up the album well. It's just too "sleepy". I shuffled around my track listing on my iTunes and found the album flows a lot better with the mid-tempo tracks and ballads mixed around more. The official track listing feels like i've started the album half way through the play list when i play track 1. It's just odd and it really kills the flow.

'4' is a decent album. It has a couple strong moments, and even though the rest of the album is nice enough, i don't feel like it reaches any truly great heights for me. There could have been a bit more of an energy in the music to liven it up a more, and some of the songs are a bit bland production wise. If i'm not in the mood for the album, it can be boring. I find that it works more when i listen to tracks individually than as a complete record. There's SOMETHING missing, it feels like it needs a bit of a "fun" injection. As a ballad heavy record though, it's enjoyable enough if you like that sort of thing.

Lady Gaga

Born This Way [2011]

4.5/5

Born This Way was always going to be a big transition album for Gaga. We already had 2 albums worth of the types of songs that have made her famous over the last 3 years, and as entertaining as those albums were, she needed to showcase herself more as an artist than a pop star with her latest record. Luckily, she seems to have fully understood this, and has pushed herself as hard as she could on her new album. There are only tiny glimmers of old skool Gaga on BTW, mostly on the tracks, 'Judas', and on the ballad, 'You and I'.
New genres are explored, new ways of using the full ability of her voice are showcased, and more depth has been added to her writing. It doesn't come off as trying too hard or contrived either, she really pulls off every new direction or idea on the album perfectly. She's obviously been waiting to spread her wings for a while.

1 // Marry The Night 4/5

Big and bold, the perfect way to open the album. The song opens as a piano ballad, but quickly turns into a heavy disco track. It sounds a lot like old skool Whitney Huston.

2 // Born This Way 3.5/5

I've learned to enjoy this over time, and even though it's one of the weaker songs on the album, i still think it made sense as the first single and it works within the context of the whole album. It's catchy.

3 // Government Hooker 5/5

The amount of time Gaga has been spending in Eastern Europe is very obvious on this track. It sounds like something out of grimy Euro sex club. Production wise, it's the coolest song on the album. If Marilyn Manson was doing pop music, it might sound a lot like this.

4 // Judas 3.5/5

It took me a while, but i've finally warmed to it. It's rating would be much higher had the melody and structure of the song not sounded like Bad Romance part 2, for that, it loses a bit of wow factor due to RedOne's lazy production. I do love the heavy tribal beat though, and since the album offers so much stronger material, i don't mind this as a filler track. I still think it shouldn't have been a single though.

5 // Americano 4/5

The most oddball moment on the album. It sounds like a pop song written for a Broadway production. It's very boisterous and silly, but also very catchy. I would have really fallen in love with it if the mariachi aspect of the music was even stronger.

6 // Hair 4/5

I need to be in the mood for it, but when i am, i think it's a lot of fun and the message behind it is sweet. The carefree vibe of the music reminds me of Cyndi Lauper.

7 // Scheisse 4/5

I don't seem to be as amazed by it as most other fans of the album are, but i still think it's a cool song. I love the faux German, i wish we heard more of it in the lyrics.

8 // Bloody Mary 5/5

I can't get enough of this song, i love the sweeping melody of the chorus and the creepy music during the verses. I'm not sure why, but it reminds me of ABBA.

9 // Black Jesus + Amen Fashion 5/5

The early 90's production on this track is perfect. It sounds like something that would be played all over runway shows in New York. It reminds me a lot of something Madonna would have done on her Erotica album.

10 // Bad Kids 4/5

I've noticed people tend to get turned off by the overly upbeat vibe of the chorus after they hear the much more aggressive verses. I think it works though, and the song has really grown on me over time. I kinda love it.

11 // Fashion For His Love 3/5

Cute song, but obvious filler. Another Whitney Huston 80's inspired track. I like it, it has a great upbeat vibe, but it's also forgettable.

12 // Highway Unicorn [Road To Love] 5/5

I can see why a lot of people don't like it, i admit, first time i heard it, i thought it was really messy, but i've grown to adore it and it's now one of my favourites on the album. It sounds exactly like the type of song you'd listen to driving on a highway, the beats have such a great thumping rock momentum to them, and the chorus is big and loud. Production wise, it's the most experimental track on the album. There's all sorts of crazy shit going on in this.

13 // Heavy Metal Lover 5/5
It's one of those songs you hear that you know everyone will love. The beat is dark and sexy, and i love the Daft Punk inspired bridge with the distorted vocals. Hot song.


14 // Electric Chapel 5/5

The 80's metal guitar intro to this is bad ass. If Alice Cooper did dance music, it would sound something like this. Can't wait to see this live.

15 // The Queen 2/5

I struggle with this song. The first half is a bit too cheesy sounding for my taste, like something Avril Lavigne rejected from her first album. The music transition halfway through however is really great. I love the slowed down tempo, and when the guitar comes strumming it, it sounds beautiful. I only wish the whole first half sounded like the second half.

16 // You and I 3.5/5

This reminds me a lot of a Motley Crue rock ballad meets Elton John. It's a great song, but one that is mostly enjoyed when i'm in the right mood for it.

17 // The Edge of Glory 5/5

It's so uplifting and beautifully produced. The chorus is massive and Gaga's vocals soar of the music so perfectly, it almost gives me goosebumps. There's such strong emotion behind the track, it's euphoric. One of the best songs she's ever done, and an amazing way to end the album.

There's some really great production scattered throughout BTW. The fusion of rock and dance music is mixed perfectly into some of the songs on the record. Gaga said the album was created around the idea of the album working in a live setting, and that's exactly what the album sounds like, a body of work waiting to explode properly on stage. That's probably why the production works so well, Gaga's strong side has always been her ability to take her music from album to stage and improve on it because of her ability as a live musician and performer. The stage gives her an opportunity to interpret her work in different ways.

With a "live setting" frame of mind being used to create the music, it's allowed the songs to have a much bigger sound, as well as letting her voice truly shine on many of the tracks.

With so much image marketing behind Gaga's product, it's easy to forget that she is first and foremost a singer and songwriter. Vocally her voice is fantastic on BTW, and writing wise, she has expanded the types of issues she covers in her songs when compared to her more superficial first 2 albums.

The albums themes aren't only heavily related to Gaga's personal life [Marry The Night, Edge of Glory], but they also address many world issues as well, ranging from the political [Government Hooker] to the social [Born This Way, Americano]. She doesn't do it in a boring preachy way either, even though the topics themselves are serious, they're all presented to us a with a trademark Gaga wink. Gaga wants us to have fun, not feel depressed.

The album isn't perfect, there are a few bumpy turns along the road. RedOne continues to showcase how tired his sound is becoming, especially on 'Judas', which is a decent enough song, but a step back as far as doing something new is concerned. He does much better on 'Hair', but still seems unable to let go of that stupid trademark sound effect he always has appearing in all his work. He only appears on the album a tiny bit though, so it's not a major issue.

A couple of the bonus tracks on the special edition also add little to the overall experience of the standard album. I do love one of them in particular [Black Jesus], but they aren't essential when it comes to looking at the album as a whole product. Aside from that though, there really isn't much else to fault on BTW.

Gaga hailed her new album as "the best album of the next decade", a ridiculous and over the top statement for sure, but after hearing the album countless times, there's no doubt BTW is a very strong record. A decade from now, who knows where the album will stand, but as of RIGHT now, Gaga is hitting pretty much every right note she can with the release of this record. By the time the BTW era is at an end, she will have no doubt proved she's here to stay for the long haul.

Britney Spears
Femme Fatale: Deluxe Edition [2011]
4/5

I'll admit, this is the first Britney album i've heard that has taken me a good while to absorb. Her work is usually a lot more instant for me, and even though a lot of the album was great on first play, there was a good portion of it that i had to take my time with. Of course there's nothing wrong with that, getting to know a record over a period of time and slowly having songs unravel is a great way to discover an album, it was just an odd change of pace for me as a Britney fan.

1 > Till The World Ends 5/5

This is the best opener she's ever had. The song builds and builds into a beautifully vast dance song with a blistering euphoric chorus that blasts it's way right into your ear drums. I only wish it was longer, the chorus is so big, it should have been repeated at the end.

2 > Hold It Against Me 4/5
This took a while to really grow on me, and even though it feels slightly less than what it could have been for a lead single to a new album, i've come to really enjoy it.

3 > Inside Out 5/5
It's been years since Brit has released a slow track as a single, this song is the perfect opportunity to do so. This track isn't only the best song on the album, but one of the best songs of her entire career. The slow pumping bass line is really sexy, and the lyrics are cleverly written, they reference a couple lines from her old songs.

4 > I Wanna Go 4/5
I really liked the build up of bass line from the first chorus to the second chorus. I can't say it's one of my favourites, but it's nicely produced and i can see why people really love it.

5 > How I Roll 3/5
I really hated this when i first heard it, i was shocked that Bloodshy would produce such a tuneless mess. Over time it has grown on me though. When in the right mood, i can live with hearing it, but i do think it's the weakest song on the album. Don't take my word for it though, everyone seems to adore it.

6 > [Drop Dead] Beautiful 3.5/5
Britney's vocals on this sound great, i love the conviction behind her voice. An unknown rapper named, Sabi is featured on this, no idea why, her 20 second rap is pointless. Great outro though.

7 > Seal It With A Kiss 3.5/5
This could have easily come off Kylie's 'Aphrodite' album. It's a cute upbeat track with a hot dubstep dance break during the middle 8. Filler, but decent filler.

8 > Big Fat Bass 5/5
Will.i.Am's involvement in this seems to have really turned some people off this song. I can understand why, he has produced some awful dance music over the last couple years, but to his credit, he has given us a few decent ones as well. Personally, i think this is one of the strongest songs on the album. I love the mix of the piano melody with the dance beat.

9 > Trouble For Me 4.5/5
Best pre-chorus on the album? i think so!. The beat in this is amazing.

10 > Trip To Your Heart 5/5
It's like Heaven On Earth 2.0, except about 1o times better. The dreamy Ibiza production on the song is gorgeous, and the repetitive beat is really catchy. The way the beat stops and then kicks in again during the middle 8 is perfection, that's the best part of the entire album.

11 > Gasoline 4/5
It took a while to grow on me, but i really enjoy it now. It's got a hot beat and i love the music breakdown during the bridge.

12 > Criminal 4/5
One of the most unique tracks she's sung. The guitar with Britney's melodic vocals sounds great, her voice also seems a bit less processed on this song. It's nice to hear her actually sing.

13 > Up 'n' Down' 3.5/5
Another Kylie-esque dance track, the chorus can be a little annoying, but it's nicely produced overall.

14 > He About To Lose Me 4/5
Criminal is certainly the best choice as the main albums mid tempo ballad, but this track is just as good quality wise. Great mellow summer beach song.

15 > Selfish 5/5

One of the best bonus tracks she's ever had, and my second favourite song from the album. The hook in this is insanely catchy and the beat is really sexy. It should have been on the album.

16 > Don't Keep Me Wating 3/5

As a stand alone song, i like it. As a song on this album though, it doesn't make any sense. The entire album is electronic/dance, and then this track randomly pops up as a pop rock Kelly Clarkson reject. Surely she could have added something that suited the rest of the tracklisting a little better?. Oh well, i guess i can't deny she's pretty versatile genre wise.

How does Femme Fatale fair against her other albums? well essentially Femme Fatale is Circus 2.0, except a lot more slicker and less dated sounding. There have been some reviewers comparing Femme to Blackout, but i really don't understand why. They aren't similar at all in style or tone outside of some very minor similarities. Fatale shares more of the bubblier pop qualities of Circus than it does with the much darker and sexier Blackout.
I think Fatale completes Britney's essential album trilogy along with Blackout and In The Zone. Which one comes in at #1 changes depending on my mood, so for now i'll just say they're all her best albums for different reasons, with Femme Fatale having the slightly more appealing complete package between the 3 of them.

Fatale is great because it mixes Britney's usual sound with some really fresh production. Every song [even the weaker ones] all focus in on strong hooks and a familiar vibe that binds the tracklisting together making it her most cohesive album since Blackout. Every song makes sense, and it's less muddled with too many styles [like Circus]. It doesn't feel like a compilation, but a proper body of work with a beginning and an end.

Jessie J

Who You Are [2011]

3.5/5

Jessie has been building her profile for a good year now with YouTube videos and writing credits [she wrote Party In The U.S.A for Miley]. It was a smart move because she got to really showcase her vocal ability and create a good reputation for herself before launching herself into the music scene. Her debut album offers a mixed bag, some of it great, some of it not so great, but there's a lot of potential and versatility that shows she can pull out something incredible if she does it right.

The main problem with Who We Are is that it suffers from way too much dull filler. There's no denying that the vocal ability from Jessie is impressive, in fact, she's got the best voice i've heard in years, but it can get lost in hook-less ballad production. There are a couple of nice slower tracks on the album, like Big White Room, which may be a little over long, but it's got a nice quiet flow to it, and the addition of the live audience give it a bit of extra life. The albums only true high point when it comes to ballads however is the title track. It's a gorgeous song that builds and builds into a beautiful melody and really showcases Jessie's vocals. These are the only two ballads that do anything for me, the rest just aren't catchy enough, and are bogged down with messages about being yourself and staying strong [Stand Up] , which is great and all, but it only adds more to the already pedestrian production. There's no LIFE in them.

When the album does get good though, it gets VERY good. Her debut single 'Do It Like A Dude' is the best track on the album, Jessie can bring a lot of attitude to her music and it fits in perfectly with this song. Her second single, 'Price Tag', is a lot more upbeat, but has a great hook and is a nice intro to the rest of the album. 'Nobody's Perfect' reminds me a lot of American r&b, something that Mary J. Blige or Keiysha Cole would sing. So do other upbeat tracks like, 'Rainbow', 'Who's Laughing Now' and 'Abracadabra'. Those are the types of songs she shines the most on.

She even goes a little old skool Motown on 'Momma Knows Best', which has a very similar vibe to her track that was featured on the Easy A soundtrack, 'Sexy Silk'. A bit more of this sort of type of style would have elevated the album a lot more in my opinion.

As a debut effort, there's a lot to like on Who We Are. There are some boring ballads, a bit of outdated production and a lack of attitude that brings it down a few points, but the good out weights the bad, and there's more than enough on the album to enjoy. I don't think it's a blistering debut, but it's a nice introduction.

Nicki Minaj
Pink Friday [2010]
Standard edition: 3.5/5

Deluxe edition: 4/5

Pink Friday offers something for everybody. Its accessible to hip hop fans and people who may not typically follow rap music . Nicki promised to showcase many sides of her personality on her debut album, and she's certainly delivered on that promise.

The standard 13 track edition of Pink Friday isn't full of club bangers. Instead of just throwing together a "hood rat" album, Nicki has taken a more mid temp approach to the style of music she's used on the record. This may be a negative for people who were wanting a more heavier sound throughout the debut, but there are still some great hooks and nicely produced tracks throughout most of the track listing regardless. The album is surprisingly more melodic than i expected, and lyrically it's a very personal record. Musically, it also crosses the lines between hip hop and pop, giving her songs their own distinct flair. Nicki doesn't seem like she wants to be pigeon holed as an artist, and her varied taste in music which she's spoken openly about is evident in her output.

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I'm The Best 3.5/5

This track is quintessential Nicki from start to finish. It's bubbly and upbeat without being cheesy, a perfect reflection of her personality. It's a good opener for the album because the lyrics address her climb to the top from her old skool days to now. It's also a nice indicator for listeners as to what type of album they're in for [which isn't your traditional rap album].

Roman's Revenge 5/5

The production on this song is insane, the music is heavy and chaotic, and the raps are angry and loud. The energy in the track is enough to make the walls of your house shake. The song features Eminem who appears as his alter ego, 'Slim Shady'. He battles it out along with Nicki's gay alter ego, 'Roman Zolonski'. They throw rhymes at each other perfectly, and the song only gets weirder and more entertaining during the last minute of the track when Nicki channels Roman's Mother, 'Martha', who warns Roman of the trouble he's causing in her heavy British accent. It's an incredible song that showcases Nicki's snappy lyrics nicely, as well as having the most unique production out of all the songs on the album.

Did It On'em 4/5

Dis be street, dis be hood, the most ghetto song on the album. It features a very slow, grinding, heavy bass line with Nicki's vulgar rapping on top of it. The lyrics are also fucking hilarious. This reminds me a lot of old skool mix tape Nicki.

Right Thru Me 4/5

It's got a great hook, and it's very romantic sounding.

Fly 4/5

This features one of the best choruses on the album. The song has potential hit single written all over it, it'd sound perfect on radio. I really like it, it's very pretty. The chorus is sung by Rihanna.

Save Me 5/5

Nicki sings on this instead of rapping, and her voice sounds quiet nice on record when trying to hit a few higher notes. What makes the song though is the music, it's a nice really pretty drum and base, down tempo instrumentation that flows nicely.

Moment 4 Life 4/5

This song has really grown on me over time. It's got a great mid-tempo beat and Drake's rap fits nicely in with Nicki's parts. It's an obvious single and perfect for radio.

Check It Out 3/5

I hated it when i first heard it, but it's since warmed up to me, but only a little. I'll always have a love/hate relationship with this song. Parts of it i like, other parts i can't stand. I need to be in the mood for it, but it can be catchy at the right time. It's the sample that drives me nuts on this, it's just so shit sounding. I do like the second half of the song though when the beat breaks down a lot more and it gets funkier. Could i do without it? yes, but i don't mind that it's there. will.i.am is featured on this.

Blazin' 4/5

will.i.am should take some notes from this song, this is how you use a sample perfectly. I really love the synths in this, the production is really strong. The song has a strong anthem vibe to it, love how vast it sounds, and the build up to the chorus is perfect. Kanye West raps on this.

Here I Am 5/5

I really love this song. The heavy synths throughout the verses, and the loud motorbike revving sound effect after each chorus sounds really fucking cool. It's dark and grimey, i only wish it was longer. It's my second favourite song from the album.

Dear Old Nicki 3/5

It's one of the weaker tracks on the album, mostly because the production is a bit generic and dull. I don't mind it being on the record, but i find it slows down the last section of the album a bit too much. Lyrically it's fantastic, i love how it's written in letter format and she makes some great personal references in it. It's cute, but very forgettable.

Your Love 4/5

The first #1 rap single by a female MC in years!.....great song, well written, very catchy, very simple.

Last Chance 2.5/5

Probably the weakest track on the album for me. It's certainly catchy, and i can see how others may like it, but it's a bit too sickely sweet for my taste. It's listenable, but i would have gone with one of the bonus tracks as the closer for the album, preferably 'Catch Me'. Natasha Beningifled is featured on this.

Super Bass [Deluxe bonus] 4/5

This could have fit nicely onto the standard edition of Pink Friday. The music during the verses and Nicki''s quicker than usual raps are a nice build up to a very upbeat and catchy chorus. A good summer track.

Blow Ya Mind [Deluxe bonus] 4/5

Similar to Did It Oném, this reminds me a lot of old skool Nicki. I love the mix of the guitar in the chorus and heavy bass of the verses. It's a heavy sounding track, it would sound great live and loud.

Muny [Deluxe bonus] 4/5

Another bonus track that should have made the standard tracklisting. It has the same sort of hook that gets stuck in your head like Beyonce's "Single Ladies"did.

Wave Ya Hands [Best Buy Deluxe only bonus] 4/5

I like the simplistic approach to the music in this. It has a nice anthem sort of vibe to it, like something she'd sing to a massive crowd of fans.

Catch Me [Best Buy Deluxe only bonus] 5/5

It's amazing that a song as good as this was left off the standard release of the album, especially considering the few questionable songs Nicki opted to use instead of it. This is my favourite song from the record, the blasts of electronic effects after each chorus and the endless hypnotic drumming beat throughout the instrumentation is perfect. I fucking love this song.

Girls Falls Like Dominoes [iTunes only bonus] 3.5/5

The sample in this is a bit too heavy, the chorus should have been taken back a notch and worked Nicki's vocals into it more. Either way though, this is very catchy and the lyrics are funny.

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The first half of Pink Friday is stronger than the second half. It opens up nicely with some heavy club songs and good ballads. The middle section of the record consists of mostly mid-tempo type tracks, so a couple of more dancier tunes would have helped the album flow a little easier towards the end of the track listing. Still, it's real flaws are far and few between, with peoples reactions to the album being based more on what type of rap they prefer listening to, rather than the actual production of the songs, which in my opinion for the most part is very nicely done.

It's the deluxe edition of the album that livens up the record nicely though, with a big chunk of club tracks extending out the track listing into a more varied play list. Any slight short comings from the standard edition are ironed out nicely once you get a better mix of slower and faster songs. A few of the bonus tracks could have replaced a few of the standard album songs, but i can listen to both versions of the album and be content with both.

Pink Friday is a good way to welcome Nicki to the music industry as a viable artist with versatility. She isn't just a blow up doll with big tits, she can be quiet introspective and is capable of writing some great lyrics. As an entire project [combining all the songs from each edition], it's an enjoyable listen with her stamp firmly punched into the music. The album will definitely draw in an eclectic mix of fans, which is what will help her career in the long run.

Rihanna

Loud [2010]

5/5

For her first few albums, Rihanna was very much a throw away pop princess. There's nothing wrong with that, i am a Britney fan after all, but Rihanna never seemed to really click with me and i never thought all that much about her outside of a few decent songs here and there. Once Rated R arrived in 2009, she finally delivered something worth my while and i fell in love with the album.
Loud follows a very similar pattern to Rated R. It's more cohesive when compared to her first few albums, it's fairly mid-tempo heavy with only a couple "club bangha" tracks, and it also offers a big serving of synths and electric guitar. In a way, Loud is the perfect sister album to Rated R. Rated R is the darker more urban sounding first half, Loud is the slightly lighter more dance/rock lite second part.

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S&M 4/5

It sounds like the album could use a little intro to start things off, but it doesn't have one, it just goes straight into track #1. Not that i mind, the opening song is really hot. It's made for the clubs, and reminds me of a darker, sexier 'Only Girl'. It sounds like a good single, but i'm not sure how well the lyrics will go down on the radio.

What's My Name? 5/5

I absolutely love this song to death. The track is one complete hook from start to finish, the melody, the arrangement, it's perfect. This song features Drake.

Cheers [Drink To That] 3.5/5

This track samples Avril Lavigne's "I'm With You", i'm not sure if the song needed it really, the rest of the track without it sounds perfectly fine. It's a grower.

Fading 4/5

It's filler, but good filler. The electronic lite music and the chorus are very pretty.

Only Girl [In The World] 5/5

I know it's an odd word to describe a euro dance song, but this is really gorgeous. The chorus is so massive and epic, the video featuring Rihanna shouting off the mountain tops and jumping through the air is a perfect visual to go along with the vibe of this track. It's so vast and grand sounding, i love it.

California King Bed 3.5/5

I didn't like this when i first heard it, the verses are weak and it's my least favourite track on the album. It's grown on me over time though and i enjoy it now, the chorus is nicely sung. This is a big favourite among others listeners.

Man Down 5/5

The most interesting song vocally and production wise on the album. The chorus gets stuck in your head something crazy, and the Caribbean vibe of the music fits Rihanna's voice perfectly.

Raining Men 4/5

It comes across as filler, but it's good filler. I love the heavy low synths that come in during the chorus. It's the most ghetto track on the album. Queen of Rap, Nicki Minaj is featured on this.

Complicated 4/5

Some people think California King Bed is "THE" ballad off the album, but this is the one i prefer personally. I love how she sings the chorus.

Skin 5/5

Heavy synths, sexy vocals, slow pumping beat, it's the "G4L" off the album, but better. The song is really great from the start, but turns amazing once the electric guitar comes blasting in during the last section of the song. Gives me chills. My favourite track from the album and my favourite Rihanna song ever.

Love The Way You Like [Part II] 4/5

This is much better than the version Eminem released, and it's been given a soft rock make over that really suits Rihanna's voice. The chorus on this is one of the best ones i've ever heard on a pop song. This features a quick Eminem rap, not needed, but i still like him on it.

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As great as Loud is, the album title is very misleading. There is nothing Loud about the record, it's a fairly low key sounding collection of songs, and the lead single [Only Girl] really shouldn't be used as a way to showcase what the entire album is like. If you're expecting Good Girl Gone Bad part 2, you'll be very disappointed. As i said before, Loud follows the same pattern as Rated R, so if her last album wasn't really your thing, then this will most likely bore you to tears. If you're like me though, and prefer Rihanna doing more melodic slower music with a few faster tracks thrown in, then you'll love Loud.

Rihanna continues to grow as an artist, and after a second offering from her that i've fallen in love with, i'm officially keeping her on my radar. Rated R is still a big favourite of mine, and i honestly didn't think she'd be able to top it, but she has with Loud. I think this album is perfect, and it's the best pop album of the year for me.

Katy Perry

Teenage Dream [2010]

4/5

I haven't been the worlds biggest Katy fan over the last couple of years. There's been a real "star quality" missing from her that made me not take as much notice as i probably should have during her first album. Then again, her first album was never really something that grabbed me all that much anyway back when it was released. As a debut, it did the job, it had strong enough singles, but as a complete album, it fell a little short. 'I Kissed A Girl' and 'Hot and Cold' are NOT indications of how the rest of her debut album sounded. In fact, it moves pretty strongly away from her pop singles into more of a Avril Lavigne-esque rock album. That's not a bad thing per se, the album certainly has some decent songs on it, but it's all a bit boring, and didn't bring anything new to the table.

With competition from other popstars like Rihanna, Britney, Ke$ha, and of course Lady Gaga, i always felt Katy really needed to step up her game once she released a second album. There isn't any room for being under the radar when these girls are competing year after year with new music and controversy and whatever else is selling their careers on a daily basis to their rabid fans. Katy needed to get the big guns out if she wanted to stick around. Thankfully on her new album, 'Teenage Dream', she does!.

I'll admit, i haven't liked the lead single, 'California Girls' at all over the last few months, so my interest in giving the new album a try was very small. Once her second single, 'Teenage Dream', was released though, i started to really like what i was hearing, so i gave the album a chance, and i'm glad that i did.

Katy's really stepped up her game on this album, Max Martin and Dr Luke have created potential hit singles with pretty much every song on the record, and the upbeat 'California Girls' isn't the only type of direction the rest of the album goes in. There are other summer themed songs like, 'The One That Got Away' and the very cute, 'Last Friday Night' [which i didn't like at first]. These songs remind me a lot of her first album, but sound a lot more polished and catered to pop radio.

The album highlights for me though are the less Summery songs. Tracks like 'Circle The Drain' and 'E.T.' REALLY have her going for the pop queen crown and pushing over all her popstar competition. The production on those two tracks is perfect, and they're both my favourites off the album. Other highlights are, 'Fireworks', 'Who Am I Living For' and 'Pearl'.

The great thing about this album is that it isn't all just superficial pop, Katy actually writes a lot of personal songs on the album. This record is half a love album [thanks to Russel Brand] and half a bitter break up album [thanks to her ex, Travis??]. It's an interesting mix, you can tell the album was created in two very different periods of her life.

There were a couple songs that didn't do much for me when i first heard this album, but on repeat listens, i can happily say there isn't ONE song that i don't like from the record. Even 'California Girls' works better as part of an entire track listing, rather than on it's own.

Katy Perry has FINALLY made a bleep on my radar, hopefully she keeps up with making strong pop albums in the future and drops the 2002 sounding Avril songs from her first album. The pop sound does more for her.

Christina Aguilera

Bionic: Deluxe Edition [2010]

3/5

With people like M.I.A, Santigold, Goldfrapp, Ladytron and Sia on board for this project, it's hard to imagine how the final product for this album became so uninteresting. Christina chose the best people for this album, and she seems to have merely sprinkled their work over a handful of tracks, and chosen more generic pop songs produced by 'Tricky Stewart' to make up most of the tracklist.

What's even more baffling is that this album was meant to be her big first step into electronic music, so how the 'electronic' artists helping her out got pushed to the back of the line just makes no sense. Either she had NO idea what she got herself into, or she wanted to play it as safe as possible. Either way, she's missed the boat.

There are a few songs that do stay in line with what direction this album should have gone in. The title track, 'Bionic' [produced by the epic Santigold] is a nice opener to the album, 'Elastic Love' [produced by M.I.A] has a cool new wave sound sound to it, and 'Glam', although lyrically cringe worthy and forced, does have some decent electro production on it. Other than those three songs though, we don't get much else from the world of electronic music. The Ladytron produced track 'Birds of Prey' was even pasted onto the bonus disc of the deluxe edition, while awfully bland songs like 'Desdunodet' and 'Vanity' made the "official" standard tracklist. Huh?............a bit of a mess, yes.

Speaking of 'Vanity', talk about atrocious!!!!! it's the worst song she has ever done in her career and one of the most inflated ego driven pieces of crap i've ever heard. The lyrics MUST be heard to be believed! it's just unbearably tragic to hear. How anyone can stand listening to anymore than 30 seconds of it is beyond it. Just awful. Not to mention how it made it on the album when Goldfrapp's entry didn't event make ANY of the discs!.

It's not ALL bad though, as generic as most of it is, and as awful as a few of the songs are, there is some enjoyable stuff on the album as well. 'WooHoo' is an IMMENSE club track, and some of the ballads are really nicely produced, mainly 'Lift Me Up' and my favourite off the album, 'I Am', such a beautiful track.

If you think of the album and see the producers it had on board, it comes across as a bit of a failure. If you ignore that though, it's a DECENT ENOUGH pop album for the most part. After 4 years, you think she'd be a little MORE adventurous with it though. I'm certainly playing the album a lot, but it's nowhere near what it should have been, and it barely touches the records her peers put out like Britney or Gaga, who know pop like the back of their hand. I struggled with giving the alum a 2.5 or a 3, but i decided with a 3 after i heard the bonus disc.

I appreciate Christina's attempt, but maybe she should stick to what she does best.............which ain't electronic pop music.

Kelis

Fleshtone [2010]

2.5/5

Kelis ditches her urban sound for some euro dance on this album, and i can't say the result is all that amazing.

My first issue with the album is that it follows the same sound throughout all 9 songs, so by the time i get to track 5, i have no idea where the hell i am and which song is what. The only song on the whole album that really deviates from the rest of the tracks is the first song, 'Intro'.

The blending of each song into the next is a nice touch, but sometimes the small outro each song has attached to the end of it is actually better than the full length track that follows it.

My main gripe with this album though is how uninspired the whole project is. We've heard all this since Ministry of Sound decided to release house mix albums in the 90's. There's just nothing here that makes me want to care, since it's all like one long generic dance remix. Madonna released her own euro dance inspired album back in 2005 with Confessions on a Dancefloor, and that was FULL of life. Good lyrics, great atmosphere, and samey songs that at least were unique enough in their own way for me to separate them from each other. On Kelis's album, it all drowns in itself.

This review is coming from someone who finds house music a bit tedious at times. I like it, but when i get too much of it, it starts to bore me, and this is why Fleshtone to me isn't all that spectacular.

On a positive note, if you LOVE this sort of thing, chances are you'll think the album is amazing. I'm certainly in the minority with my opinion on this record, people seem to think it's really fantastic, so maybe i've missed the boat on this one, i'm not sure, but it just isn't clicking for me. I think she had displayed much more creativity when she was doing urban music.

If you want an all out house dance album to party to, you've found it with this. For me, 'Fleshtone' isn't a BAD album, it's just kinda dull. If you'd rather something with catchier hooks and richer production, stick to your Confessions album, i sure will be!.

Hole

Nobody's Daughter [2010]

2/5

It's been a good 4 years since Courtney Love released her first solo album, 'America's Sweetheart'. It's been even LONGER since her band, 'Hole', released an album too, over a decade in fact. When i heard a new Hole album was being released this year, i was surprised, but excited. 'Celebrity Skin' and 'Live Through This' are two of my favourite albums ever, so i definitely had high expectations for the new album. Sadly, now that 'ive heard the new release a whole bunch of times, i can't say that it's left any sort of major impression on me.

It suffers the same fate as 'America's Sweetheart', which is that it lacks a lot of hooks. There's some nice melodies and lyrics on the new album, but there's nothing that really GRABS you in a lot of the songs. They simply start and finish with no pay off. In 'America's Sweetheart' it worked a bit better, and the album itself never went through any final polishing, so the rough sound and slightly hookless songs worked. On the new album though, it comes across as a bit too much of a dull mess.

The album isn't a complete loss, there are some good songs on it, mainly found in the first half of the tracklist. It starts off on a good note with the title song, 'Nobody's Daughter', then kicks into 'Skinny Little Bitch' and 'Honey'. All enjoyable enough. 'Pacific Coast Highway' is next, average yet listenable, but a good indicator of where the bulk of the album is going to be heading next, which isn't anywhere interesting. My favourite song from the album, 'Samantha', is next, and that's pretty much where my interest in this album comes to a stop. What you'll find after that song is one droney, messy sounding, out dated ballad after another.

My main issue with this album is how much it showcased to me how truly DONE this band is. They have some GREAT work in their back catalogue, but that era of music, and their sound, has really run it's course. It's tired, it's not fun anymore, and it's gone a far as it can. Courtney sings the SAME melodies, hits the SAME strings on her guitar, and just recycles the same thing she's been doing for her entire career. There's no growth and there's no passion anymore. It's just Courtney on auto pilot.

If you're new to this band, i wouldn't have this record anywhere near you. Start off with one of the older albums first. If you're a fan of them like me, i'm not sure what you'll make of it. Some fans love EVERYTHING Courtney does, so many of you may enjoy it, i on the other hand found it really lazy and uninspiring. Maybe if Courtney had more focus on music rather than drugs and plastic surgery, the album would have a bit more soul in it. As it stands though, it's simply a shadow of a once great band, which has replaced angsty emotional driven grungy rock, with re-hashed production and noisy vapid screaming from it's lead singer.

Time to hang it up Courtney.

Keep an eye out for...
Nicki Minaj: I've become completely obsessed with this chic over the last week since i discovered her. I've heard her name thrown around a few times online, and finally decided to check out her work. Most of it's good, but fairly standard hip hop [available in various mixtape form], but it's her debut album that you should really be anticipating, and if her debut single is anything to go by, we may finally have a new female rapper on the charts!. Here's her video for 'Massive Attack', fucking immense!:



Natalia Kills: She describes her music as "dark pop", she also directs her own music videos and is even doing a short film as a side project for her album [out this year]. Here's her first music video, i love it:

I'm on a rocket!Goldfrapp

Head First [2010]

3.5/5

What Head First does for me, more than any other Goldfrapp album, is that it's given me the first INSTANT Goldfrapp experience i've had. Pretty much from start to finish, i really liked what i heard on first listen. That could be due to the fact that the album is only 9 tracks long, so it leaves little room for filler, but also because they've finally been able to mesh all their styles together into one project that reflects their style perfectly.

They've always had a heavy 80's influence on their music, this time though, they've REALLY developed a throw back vibe, and instead of sounding like a modern band doing old skool electronica, they actually sound like they are FROM the 80's/late 70's.

'Alive' and 'Hunt' sound the most like they've stepped out of the 70's disco era, with the rest of the album sounding like an early 80's synthy wet dream [Rocket, I Wanna Life] . They even deliver one of the best tracks of their entire career with, 'Dreaming'. Great song.

The only time the album gets a bit crap, is with the last track, 'Voicething'. It's an ugly mix of Alison's vocals repeated over and over, while an irritating beat loops in the background. Thankfully, it's the last track on the album, so it's easily skipped. Most definitely one of their worst songs.

Overall, it's a very small album that passes by quickly with one listen. It does feel a little short, but that also adds to it's charm a little i think. I guess it just gives you more reason to repeat each song 5 times. There's some nice production on a few of the songs, and it's consistent and put together in a neat little package. Maybe not their BEST album, but certainly their most accessible.

The Best Albums of The 00's
I did my top 10 of the 90's last year, now i'm going to give you my top 10 of the last decade [2000-2009]!!!!!!!

Honourable Mentions:
A few of these could be swapped around on my final top 10 list. As it stands though, they just missed out. I did enjoy these albums a lot though. There are a few other albums i enjoyed, but don't LOVE TO DEATH that i'd still recommend like...

Auf Der Maur Auf Der Maur
iiO Poetica
Yeah Yeah Yeahs It's Blitz
Bjork Vespertine
Kanye West 808's & Heartbreak
Jessica Mauboy Been Waiting
Brandy Afrodisiac
MGMT Oracular Spectacular

Daft Punk Discovery

Now, THE TOP 10!!!!!...........

10. Madonna American Life [2003]
This album got a bit of a mixed reception. Lyrically it can be a bit silly in places [the title song], and some would say she goes a little overboard with the electronica. Personally, any "silly" lyrics were made up for in other songs featuring very personal and well written lyrics [Xstatic Process], and i LOVE electronic music, so when used heavily in certain parts of the album, i think it sounds pretty cool.
All her albums throughout the last decade have been great, and although something like 'Confessions On A Dancefloor' is a more obvious choice for this list, i'm going to go for something a little more low key. I love it.

09. Aaliyah Aaliyah [2001]

One of the best mellow r&b albums i've heard. It's a shame she died soon after releasing this, it would have been cool to see what else her and Timbaland could have come up with. There's some nice darker production on a few of the tracks [We Need A Resolution] and other songs that showcase her warm and smooth voice [I Care 4 U]. The album also features one of my all time favourite songs ever, 'Try Again'.

08. M.I.A. Kala [2007]

This type of music is either murder to your ears, or something you LOVE playing full blast. Either way, you can't deny how original M.I.A. is, and if you can understand her through her accent, she's very political too. Would love to see her live one day.

07. Boomkat A Million Trillion Stars [2008]

The album that never was!.....released only via iTunes, this underrated sophomore album by Boomkat completely went under the radar, and is only known amongst the small handful of fans the group has online. These guys have always been my special little secret. I pray they release more music in the future.

06. Silverchair Diorama [2002]

I got into this album only recently, though i was aware of the singles for sometime. Great rock album, it's rare i come across a rock album that i like from start to finish. Their most consistent record. 'After All These Years' is amazing.

05. Peaches I Feel Cream [2009]

I could have put one of a couple of her albums here, but with 'I Feel Cream' she really hit her creative peak. It's the first time she collaborated so heavily with other acts, and it really worked in her favour. Not one song on this i don't like.

04. Lady GaGa The Fame Monster [2009]

An album that has been my life for a year and a half. It all started with 'The Fame', and then branched out even further with 'The Fame Monster'. This double album has got me SO excited for what GaGa will give us in the future, she's incredible.

03. Gossip Music For Men [2009]

I went on and on about this album throughout 2009. I almost feel as if there's not much else i can say. Gossip finally reached their deserving level of success with this record. An amazing mix of indie rock that you can dance to. Beth Ditto is fucking bad ass.

02. Nelly Furtado Folklore [2003]

A truly talented artist who doesn't get enough credit imo. It's a beautiful album filled with hooks and catchy melodies. Every song is unique and perfect in it's own way. If you like folk music, you'll LOVE this. The last track on the album, 'Childhood Dreams', is gorgeous.

01. Fever Ray Fever Ray [2009]

It's amazing how long it took for this album to finally click with me. It's also amazing how fast it completely consumed my brain when it finally hit me in the right spot!!!! It's a haunting and moody electronic album with some amazing production sprinkled throughout some of the songs. I can't get enough of it, i absolutely love it to death.

fin.