I had the pleasure of seeing ‘Hudson Taylor’ live a few weeks ago and they were a captivating live act with a good collection of songs. Following ‘Monsters’ and the incredible ‘Care’, ‘Battles’ may be the weaker of the trio but that doesn’t make it a bad track; anything but. The fast pace, the well […]
Author: Philip Lickley
Single review: Vengaboys – ‘2 Brazil’
Let’s face it, it’s going to be the video that everyone talks about. But concentrating on the music for the moment, this re-make and re-release of a song from their first album (and their second single) hitting the charts for the world cup, is actually one of the best “new” songs of the year: upbeat, […]
Album review: Clean Bandit – New Eyes
Clean Bandit – New Eyes Atlantic Out now 3.5/5 Way back in April 2013 I reviewed a song by an unknown band called ‘Clean Bandit’, giving the experimental ‘Mozart’s House’ 7 out of 10 and enjoying the fresh sound and something different offered by the mixing of electronic, rap and classical. Over twelve months on […]
Single Reviews (9th June 2013)
My roundup of the week’s top new single releases Alison Moyet – Love Reign Supreme Following the refreshing comeback ‘When I Was Your Girl’ comes this second single from her latest album ‘The Minutes’. A faster paced, much more uptempo single with a nod towards the club, ‘Love Reign Supreme’ is a less satisfying affair […]
Single review: Tiesto feat. Matthew Koma – ‘Wasted’
You can’t accuse this song of being highbrow. In a nutshell the lyrics talk about a relationship being best when both parties are drunk. Quite. Outside of this delightfully frank assessment of life, it’s a fun electro-pop number held together by Koma’s listenable vocals. Less clubby than your usual Tiesto offering, this will keep the […]
Single review: Jennifer Lopez – ‘First Love’
Elsewhere Lopez is promoting footie with Pitbull but here she is with her second musical offering from her latest – eighth – album. More restrained than her recent material, ‘First Love’ is a song that will take a few listens to settle in, and though it’s not a particularly memorable single for her compared to […]
Single review: Ella Henderson – ‘Ghost’
A finalist in the ninth series of the X-Factor, Henderson channels a Bastille and Duffy sound for this mid-tempo pop-number. It takes a few spins to settle in but her powerful and involving voice carries the track comfortably, and there’s enough production trickery and style-changes to hold your interest, though it’s the bridge and chorus […]
Single review: Gabz feat. Joe Public United – ‘Holiday in Brazil’
You may have noticed that there is some football competition just around the corner. Here is one of the unofficial entries featuring Britain’s Got Talent finalist Gabz, firmly nailing her colours to the mast here. Though the verses don’t quite suit her voice, the catchy chorus with its simple, but memorable, hook and the subsequent […]
Single review: Milky Chance – ‘Stolen Dance’
A European number one that has taken a year to reach these shores, ‘Stolen Dance’ channels Franz Ferdinand on their recent album closer ‘Goodbye Lovers and Friends’ but with added melancholy. It’s not a song that will fill you with joy, with the verses being particularly downbeat, but the faster, comparatively jaunty chorus is very […]
Single review: David Gray – ‘Back In The World’
With a song title that could well be a metaphor for Gray’s career, he is back with this familiar-sounding record that isn’t going to rock the boat for his fans. ‘Back in the World’ is a gentle pop-song with a ‘Passenger’ vibe, though you could argue that Gray nailed that sound first. It’s not a […]