Now, I had to mark Motown’s 50th birthday somehow. I could blether on for way too long about the effect the music has had on me, and the way its greatest moments still manage to create excitement in even the most jaded music fan.
However, their birthday also allows me to go back to their 25th anniversary. It was at the Motown 25 show in 1983 that Michael Jackson gave his iconic performance of “Billie Jean”. I don’t think it’s overstating it to call this piece of video one of the greatest pop music performances in history, even though - oh yes - HE’S MIMING.
Try and pretend you’ve never heard “Billie Jean” before. Try and pretend you’ve never seen the moonwalk before. This was how the viewing public came to this performance, which explains the screams…
Annie, one of the defining “big on the internet” pop stars of the noughties, was dropped from her label, Island Records, earlier this year. For a legion of fans eagerly awaiting her second album Don’t Stop this was pretty frustrating, but now she’s popped up and assured us that the album will see the light of day. She’s not sure when. Or how.
As The Guardian reports, Annie has asserted that she owns the masters to her recordings, so can pretty much do what she likes with them. She hints that she may release them on her own label which, along with the news that she’s building her own studio in Berlin, suggests she’s had quite enough of being dicked around by “The Man”, thank you very much.
2008 was rather a displeasingly Akon-heavy year, wasn’t it? Seemed like you couldn’t turn on the radio or Hit40MusicBoxFactory without encountering his voice, which to me continues to resemble one of those little noise makers wot makes the sound of a sheep when you turn it upside down.
Still, that was last year and this is this, so let’s move along and forget all about the bewilderingly-successful Akon, whose music I would wager has soundtracked more unwelcome nightclub gropes than any other act.
Only, we can’t move on just yet. Because convicted child-flinger Akon is now not only the type of berkingstock who ruins American people’s music. To a remarkably stellar list which includes Gwen Stefani and Snoop Dogg we can now proudly add previously enjoyable UK urban chap Sway.
Empire Of The Sun are one bloke from ace electrotypes PNAU and one bloke from probable MGMT-inspirers The Sleepy Jackson. Since both of these people are Australian, you may now also label Empire Of The Sun Australian.
Now we’ve got the important nationality issue out of the way, I’d like to say that although I’m a couple of months late to hop onto this particular bandwagon, I luu-huuu-huuuurve their oriental-flavoured video for “Walking On A Dream”.
Most of the opinions I’ve read of Sugababes’ new material have been distinctly underwhelming, and to rub salt in the wounds here’s ex-member Mutya Buena popping up on a terrific tune with Asher D, who I thought had packed in this music lark for acting.
I think this song might do better in summer, but since we don’t really have that season in the UK anymore I suppose midwinter will have to do.
If you’re off aaahht tonight this number might just get you in “the mood”. Unless you’re going to the indie disco. LISTEN:
Posted by
Stuart Waterman on
Friday December 5th, 2008 at
12:54 pm
La Roux is this hour’s hottest pop prospect (prompting The Lipster to draw up a pie chart, for goodness’ sake), and it’s not especially difficult to see why when you listen to the likes of “Quicksand”. It’s upbeat synth-pop, but not as indebted to 80s stuff as that description might imply.
I really like the video, too - which does owe a certain debt to 80s things. Things like Duran Duran’s “Rio” video and, um, Athena posters, for instance.
Also - kudos to Polydor for making the video embeddable. Take note, other record companies - this means I can write about your artist and let people watch the vid after the jump! Cool, huh?
The Sunny D Carpenters are back! Hurrah! Hmm.
It’s weird, isn’t it, the unease Same Difference inspire in people. I mean, all they are is a brother and sister singing High School Musical-esque songs and doing High School Musical-esque dances. What’s so wrong with that?
I suppose, for some, it’s like they’re the white picket fence and pretty garden in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet. What twisted, depraved secrets lie behind the siblings’ gleaming smiles? What sadness churns in their guts as they bounce around that car lot? What filth is oozing through those endorphin-enriched brains?
I’m NOT saying they’re bumming each other.
Not a million - or even a dozen - miles from Ne-Yo’s “Closer”, is this latest dispatch from the world of Craggles. But once you get past such trifles, and if you are even slightly inclined towards chartbound R&B, you will probably end up with “Insomnia” in your head.
Imagine being kept awake because you’ve got a song called “Insomnia” ricocheting around your brainium. Is that ironic? Or just really, really annoying?
Craggles releases his Greatest Hits on 24th November and you can buy it at We7, among other emporia.
Once upon a time, The Man stole Beyonce’s face and put it on a much more interesting character, and he called that character Solange.
Then some other stuff happened, and then Solange came out with a piece of sun-snogged pop cuddliness called “Sandcastle Disco”. It had “organic”, soul-infused percussion and an irresistably breezy melody. Even the title was amazing, FFS.
November 2008 will go down in history not just as the month in which loads of Americans voted for their new Presidentman, but also the month in which four she-titans of popular music faced off against each other in the bloodiest arena of all - DA CHARTS.
Britney, Beyonce, Christina and new poppet on the block Leona Lewis are the artists involved in this four-way wail-off. Who am the best? Let’s opine.
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The Priscillas@ Left 4 Dead 2 launch, Old Blue Last, London 19.11.09