A far cry from his debut album, British breakthrough artist Jake Bugg left behind his home town of Nottingham to work on his second album with the legendary producer Rick Rubin in the exotic Malibu. With his first album being a collection of songs he wrote growing up,it's successor Shangri La was written in a mere few months of this summer during the whirlwind of festivals and sold-out shows throughout Europe and in the US.
The enthusiasm that oozes from those twelve tracks is undeniable, the listener is certainly left toe-tapping, wanting more. The American influences are evident, with tributaries of Country, Soul Jazz and crisp acoustics melting into one another to create a delicious mix that cements Bugg amongst the greats.
Bugg belts "Johnny deals a bit of blow, on the side" during Messed Up Kids, a song depicting the less fortunate who live through deprivation, homelessness and substance abuse. During the introduction of his official music video for What Doesn't Kill You, the singer discussed the fact that no matter where you are in the world, you can't avoid the bad elements of life. Writing about life's hardships only adds to his authentic appeal, and although some may have thought he couldn't have replicated the straining heartbreak of "Broken", "Me and You" is a suitably tear-jerking, arm-swaying replacement.
(above: Rick Rubin with Jake Bugg)
Charmingly subtle, the Clifton singer evolves by adopting slow jazzy tones in "Kitchen Table" that are juxtaposed to his dark lyrics "haunting my future,down on all fours you bark bright/ at the descending moonlight". If he is looking for new fans, "Pine Trees" is a sure-fire winner as natural imagery and folky tones quench the listener's appetite for his mystifying acoustics.
To me, Shangri La sums up what Bugg is feeling inside- his thoughts on his deprived background, the hypocrisy of the world, a sudden fear of the unknown and perhaps even a yearning for the silence of nature. Either way, it's just a compilation of honesty, something that will charm you from the first listen.
For Britney fans, the two year wait is over as Britney Jean has been released on iTunes! Despite the release date being in early December, eager listeners are able to preview the tracks and for those of us cheeky enough, leaked tracks are available from dark corners of the internet.
As a major Britney fan, I was fully expecting Britney Jean to be similar to Blackout and Femme Fatale- full of club bangers, but lacking soul and the old Brit we loved in Baby One More Time. I couldn't have been more mistaken as it seemed that (just like she promised) these tracks contain a surprising amount of heart, for a star that seems to keep a lot close to her chest.
Tracklist
1. "Alien"
2. "Work Bitch"
3. "Perfume"
4. "It Should Be Easy" (featuring will.i.am
5. "Tik Tik Boom" (featuring T.I.)
6. "Body Ache"
7. "Til It's Gone"
8. "Passenger"
9. "Chillin' with You" (featuring Jamie Lynn)
10. "Don't Cry"
For those who love 'Old Britney'
Alien
What a track to open on. Electro pop definitely works to Britney's advantage and I love this mid-tempo track that depicts a person feeling lonely in the world they live in. It's not the first time she has based something on outer space- remember that amazing Oops! video?
Perfume
The second single to be released, I LOVE perfume. Again this one is mid-tempo but still packs a punch and it's all about Britney's vocal skills, something Ive been waiting yearsss for.
Passenger
I love the mystical lead-in to this track, and again, so much of old Britney here which made me very happy. The song is all about letting go of self control and it's definitely a feel-good bubblegum pop track, listen out for the fabulous high notes.
Don't Cry
This one was my favourite, by far. I loved the '80s style keyboard action and I loved hearing a less auto-tuned Britney and it just reminded me of her first album. Total nostalgia with this track, it's been on repeat ever since.
The Club Bangers
Work Bitch
First single to be released, Work Bitch has already proven itself to be a hit- addictive and motivating in many ways. See the proof below !
It Should Be Easy ft. Will.i.am
This one has to be my least favourite track on the album, simply because I think Will.i.am autotuned Spears to his level, to keep them on equal ground. There is nothing wrong with a bit of tuning but this is slightly robotic. A massive tune though and the chorus is definitely a dance hit.
Til It's Gone
With a cheeky addition of dub, this track is crazy and definitely rivals the likes of Avicii and David Guetta. The song is all about loss, about belonging and having it taken away- deep for a dance track, kudos to Britney.
Last night played host to the AMAs, previously created as an alternative to the Grammy Awards back in 1973, and the stars were out in full force. For those of you who missed one of the biggest nights in US music, fear not! I have selected the best bits of the awards, including performances, interviews and general eventful moments.
Best Bits:
Lady Gaga's entrance on a (sort of) horse
BRAVO GAGA! She never fails to impress as last night the star entered the red carpet on a human horse, looking every inch Lady Godiva, minus the nakedness. Flawless
Kendall Jenner kind of denies being with Harry Styles
So amongst the whirlwind of rumours that Kendall Jenner and Harry Styles were dating, Jenner was asked on the red carpet if she was going out with the 1D star, to which she stated "We're friends. He's cool, yeah, he's cool". Cool story Kendall...
Not content with arriving on a (fake) white horse, the kooky popstar performed her latest single with R Kelly as the President and herself in Marilyn Monroe-esque attire. Lyrically flawless and always entertaining, this was definitely the best performance of the night.
Miley Cyrus and her giant kitten
What next? Miss Cyrus is forever shocking us and this time she positioned herself in front of a giant cat that seemed to be singing along to Wrecking Ball. I admire her guts, although her outfit was questionable. Enjoy.
Pitbull and Ke$ha
Although I abhor Pitbull and think behind Robin Thicke, he is the biggest creep in pop, I loved his ridiculously fun performance he did with crazy pop princess Ke$ha. Seedy club meets barn dance with this one, and I had to admit it left me toe-tapping. Feel-good fun.
Worst Bits:
Taylor Swift looking stupidly thin
Oh gosh, what has happened to Taylor Swift? she may have bagged multiple awards last night, but she has definitely lost a little weight. A little too thin.
Despite her hype and the international success of her new album Prism, Perry constantly disappoints me when it comes to her live performances, its simple- she just can't sing. Although the Geisha theme was attractive to look at, her voice is weak.
One Direction- Story of My Life
As much as I think 1D are pretty harmless, I do think they need to perhaps take a break. One Direction overload is evident and I think everyone is slightly sick of them at the moment. After a world tour, it's obvious their voices are a little tired and this performance made me yawn.
It's every singer's worst nightmare, but it's not surprising that the world's biggest boyband's upcoming album has been leaked. One Direction's Midnight Memories was due for release next week, but the internet has been whipped into a frenzy as Directioners across the world are sharing the leaked songs with each other.
With two mainstream studio albums already released, the band promised more of a rock feel to this album, but I cant help feeling that they seemed almost scared to stray from their pop roots.
Tracklist:
Best Song Ever
The first single to be released back in July, Best Song Ever originally broke the 24 hour record on VEVO, gaining 12.3 million views.
Story of My Life
The second single to be released from the upcoming album, the video received a large amount of critical acclaim due to the personal nature of the music video
Diana
Although they have kept fairly quiet about who Diana actually is, Liam once joked that it was about a random girl on Twitter- "She’s tweeted us so many times, we just felt like we really owed it to her. She has like 70,000 followers, too, so we thought it made some business sense. " The song has deep pop tones and a stupidly catchy chorus.
Midnight Memories
This song is definitely about being on tour, partying and not caring. It is reminiscent of Rock Me, an unreleased track from Take Me Home. Any McFly fans will appreciate this song for sure.
You and I
This track was my favourite on the album, I knew the group had to have an equivalent to Little Things, and this one is it. This may be a cheesy love ballad, but it shows off the vocal range the group has, and stripping back the music to the bare minimum is a welcome break from the rock/pop that consumes many of the tracks.
Don't Forget Where You Belong
Very much a song about exploring the world, yet still looking forward to being back home, this track is pretty cute, and definitely gives Directioners a slice of fangirling in three minute form.
Strong
With a heavier beat, but still maintaining the mainstream pop, this one is a sure fire contender for the next single to be released.
Happily
As albums go, this one reaches it's optimum feel-good scale with Happily, as the five members belt out " I just want it to be you and I forever"... Directioners everywhere swoon.
This one really reminded me of a One Republic track, and for any 1D skeptic, the high notes hit in this song are almost faith-restoring. Bravo lads.
Little Black Dress
When the group talked about the rock tones, this is as far as it went with LBD. This one was less about the solo snippets, but all about harmonising with each other.
Through The Dark
It was a breath of fresh air for the album to turn to more acoustic influences and I definitely think the band fair better when the music is stripped back.
This track disappointed me the most, as although I enjoy the harmonies the group creates, this one lacked a strong, addictive chorus I was looking for.
Little White Lies
Another song about girls that play games.. yawn! The super catchy chorus is what saves this one.. I'm still humming it.
Better Than Words
Hello electronic influences.. I loved this song and how it was confused about whether it wanted to be upbeat or not. Cheekiest lyric of the album: "You make me wanna.... one more night"
Why We Don't Go There
This song is (close your ears young Directioners) about spending the night together... These boys are definitely growing up *winks*
In this track let's all boyfriends know that any of the five members of 1D have the potential to steal your girlfriend. Consider yourself threatened. " Does he know you can move it like that?" I assume they are talking about dancing here..
Alive
This one must have been written by Mr Styles himself. The proof: "I don't know why I want to be with every girl I meet". If they ever release this, I want the video to include an American diner, some serious quiffs and soft top cars.
Half a Heart
Another Little Things substitute about how much they miss their loved ones.. aww. Definitely one for the soppiest oafs.
Trying to leave their pop routes, they have ended up circling right back to what they know. A great third album, but not a spot on Take Me Home's charm.
Never one to hold back, the fabulously flamboyant and foul mouthed Lily Allen is back, and it's clear she is here to send a message. Her comeback single, which she is hailing as a taster for what is to come next year, was released this week and it certainly sparked a lot of debate. For me I think it represents how perfectly ridiculous the music industry is nowadays- sexist to the point of stupidity, women are portrayed as submissive objects who flash their flesh at the click of slimy fingers such as Robin Thicke's. With his gratuitously iconic video Blurred Lines in mind, I have compiled 7 elements of 'Hard Out Here' which are not only feminist, but capable of inspiring females everywhere.
As Allen lays on a table while a group of men poke and prod at her, an older man tells the singer"Letterman says no". She pokes fun at the industry by highlighting the fact that she as a woman is being rejected by talk show hosts such as the latter and Kimmel, both of which are older men. For me it also emphasised the fact that the interviewing world is very much male dominated, and in general in presenting there are no older women at the forefront. The suited man standing up then describes her body as "terrifying".
2. She points out the unequal perceptions of sexual promiscuity
Nowadays, most insulting words are female orientated, as Allen rightly says in the lines: " If I told you 'bout my sex life, you'd call me a slut. When boys be talking about their bitches, no one's making a fuss. "
3. "There's a glass ceiling to break"
Allen sings about the glass ceiling, and the fact that progress in equality is moving too slowly, and that she can't cope with the pace. Totally behind you on that one Lily!
4. Owning the word "bitch"
At first listen, you might question why Allen decided to use a derogatory term multiple times in her song, but I think it is powerful AND feminist for two reasons:
1. It's a controversial thing to do, and definitely grabs the listener's attention.
2. The emphasis on the word is a two fingers to the men who think they have the right to use the word against women.
5. She sends up the female stereotypes
With the wonderful comparison of Blurred Lines, you will see in visual how Allen sends up thepathetic Robin Thicke single. She emphasises that it's not about domestication, good looks or sex, it's about intelligence.
6. She represents a strong female archetype
My favourite part of the song is the bridge when she says "Sometimes it's hard to find the words to say, I'll go ahead and say them anyway". She urges women to speak up and speak out, it's truly inspiring.
7. "Inequality promises that it's here to stay"
Allen highlights a completely true statement, but points out that even though injustice is here to stay, we shouldn't put up with it.
Lily I've missed you! Welcome back!
And just in case you really didn't get the video and it's intentions...
For those of you who love to hate Justin Bieber, you may want to read something else. It seems as though his immature antics have been put on hold as he is producing some pretty impressive music. The Biebs has introduced a Music Monday in which his fans are able to listen to his freshest music through his Youtube channel.
Now I know what you are thinking, we are talking about Justin Bieber here, but really.. this stuff is GOOD. Reminiscent of old school Usher meets Justin Timberlake, the five songs he has released so far ooze smooth R'n'b/pop and would (almost) convert any Bieber hater.
Heartbreaker
Back at the beginning of October, Heartbreaker pleasantly surprised me. With an addictive chorus and a pure R'n'B flow, you will be pressing repeat before you know it.
All That Matters
This one is simple: a sultry love song that contains simple chords and simple lyrics, but it works as a chilled, slow jam. High five Biebs.
Hold Tight
For fans of Drake and Conor Maynard, this one is for you. With sprinkles of that Future Sex/Love Sounds electro pop, this song strips down Bieber's voice and shows his vocal capabilities.
Recovery
By now, you would have guessed that this teeny bopper obviously has a broken heart. Picking up the pace with Recovery, there are definitely some elements of Craig David here. I love this one.
Bad Day
When Bad Day was released at the beginning of this week, I was pleased to hear more of an acoustic influence. Listen out for the impressively high voice about a minute in.
Dare I say that I can't wait for next week's music? BRAVO BIEBS.
Back in July, I attended a festival in Spain called Benicassim, which gathered together a variety of acts in several genres. Despite big names like The Killers and The Arctic Monkeys, it was small time duo Alunageorge who were one of my firm favourites during the week of music.
After bagging myself some tickets for their Shepherd's Bush set at the end of October, I was really excited to see more from the subtle, understated and altogether ethereal group made up of Aluna Francis and George Reid. Before the gig even began, I grabbed some drinks with friends and saw Reid standing behind us, casually chatting to a girl before he went on stage.
It certainly is hard to describe the sheer skill in which they make their electropop addictive and wild, yet utterly unnervingly calm. Francis' smooth and high notes resonated in the small venue and as she sang multiple tracks from the Body Music album, the audience was no doubt haunted by her voice.
(Above: my own picture from the gig)
The perfect encore of White Noise confirmed to me that they are definitely an act I want to see again, and I can't wait for more music.
I can't deny the fact that I have been itching to hear ARTPOP ever since Lady Gaga opened the iTunes Festival in London back in September and after the leak of her latest album, I jumped at a chance to give her new music a listen. Despite Applause being slaughtered by the media, Gaga herself having a few Twitter meltdowns and her X Factor performance receiving more than a hundred complaints, ARTPOP sticks up a middle finger to those who ever doubted Miss Germanotta. The collection of songs has everything Little Monsters want from Gaga- addictive pop beats, soulfully slow tunes and sexually charged lyrics.
The second track to be released, the star performed this on X Factor UK on 27th October. Filled with galactic metaphors and an addictive synth beat, Gaga repeats the words "take me to your planet".
Sexxx Dreams
After hearing this one at the iTunes Festival I was incredibly excited to hear the album version. Despite the x rated lyrics which are by now expected from the star, the dance beat is ensnaring and one of the strongest songs on the album.
MANiCURE
This track is FULL of attitude, fun and solidly confirms that pitched against the likes of Britney and Perry, this lady has the strongest voice with the most range.
Swine
Without a doubt, this song is my all-time favourite, and is definitely reminiscent of her earlier tracks like Teeth and Dancing In The Dark. Sick yet humourous, it is the perfect recipe for a club banger.
Two words that sum up this song: fun and dumb. Bubblegum pop meets dance meets synth with this track, my favourite verse being "Walk down the runway but don’t puke (it’s okay) You just had a salad today, Boulangerie,Just ask your gay friend's their advice, before you Get a spray tan on holiday, in Taipe"
The Misses
As with most albums, there are always a couple of songs you are disappointed with, and for me, I was extremely underwhelmed by 'Dope'. It's weaknesses did not lie vocally, but lyrically- I could not get past the fact that the chorus consisted of 'I need you more than dope'. I wanted a deeper emotion from Gaga!
One thing Gaga- you will never be gangster, so stick to pop and make sure Twista stays far away from your future tracks. This song shouldn't have made it to the album, but I applaud her experimentation.
To me her music packs a punch and as an all-round performer, she can engage with an audience, she clearly has a passion for her music and for her fans and her pure kookiness only adds to her charm and blows others such as Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry out of the water.
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