Wiseman #Three

Album Review: “SOME KIND OF TROUBLE” – JAMES BLUNT
Atlantic/Custard
Released: 8th November 2011
www.jamesblunt.com
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When an artist as globally renowned as James Hillier Blount (that’s Blunt to you and I) releases a new album, you expect him to return to the limelight with an almighty bang: a flurry of high profile appearances, hyperbolic performances, grandiose costumes and a swirl of magazine covers and interviews; literally anything to get the word out that JAMES BLUNT IS BACK.

Yet, after three years away from the public eye, the “Wiseman” hit-maker has released his new LP in a rather muted and old-school fashion: he’s clearly letting the songs speak for themselves, which is a brave move when competing with the Rihanna’s, Lady GaGa’s and Cheryl Cole’s of the extrovert 2010 pop landscape.

And so it is that Some Kind of Trouble “only” reached #4 in the UK charts this week, after his two previous records both hit the top spot. This is not to say that this is a weaker collection of tracks – to go top 5 is by no means a failure – but three years is a long time away in this flippant and inattentive superficial age. You may require more than a guest slot on Never Mind the Buzzcocks next time, James. I’d book myself in for The X Factor results show in 2013 now, if I was you!!

Blunt has always been know for “nice” songs; inoffensive and harmonious ditties which let his soft voice soar on the choruses and can easily be played on acoustic guitar. They lack the almighty bang which I previously mentioned, relying instead upon capturing the public imagination to make an impact, much like “You’re Beautiful” did half a decade ago. It’s a shame that lead single “Stay the Night” didn’t quite manage this (peaking as it did at #37) as it is a joyful and happy track which evokes summer nights and camp-fire sing-alongs.

Alongside the warm and uniting glow of “Stay the Night”, “Superstar” (track 6) and “I’ll Be Your Man” (track 10) are my personal favourites from the album – upbeat and jaunty numbers which get your mouth humming and foot tapping. Track 2, “Dangerous”, starts off with a much heavier beat than you usually expect from a Blunt number, but that soon gets lost amid the tuneful layering – not that that’s a negative admission.

If you’re familiar with either 2004’s debut Back to Bedlam or sophomore effort All the Lost Souls (2007) then you know what to expect from Some Kind of Trouble. This album is by no means a reinvention; indeed a trio of tracks – “Best Laid Plans”, “No Tears” and “Calling Out Your Name” – retain the sombre melody of the musician’s more heartfelt ballads from previous releases. Perhaps they were written in the same sessions and held back, who knows?

From suspiciously similar songs to something spectacularly specialised: album closer “Turn Me On” is something of a unique peculiarity. More discordant in tone and with a rawer and jazzier feel than any of the album’s other tunes, this raunchy slap bass number sticks out like a sore thumb. It’s not necessarily bad, but it doesn’t feel like it belongs, either, which is perhaps why it was tagged on the end as an experimental bonus track, after the five seconds of silence which compose track 12.


In a CR@B Shell: A solid if unspectacular return for the former army officer. Playing to his strengths, Some Kind of Trouble repeats Blunt’s folksy formula, though he may have to change things up a little for future releases if he is to avoid being labelled bland.
aaaaa

Man In The Mirror

Album Review: PRINCE – “20Ten”
NPG Records
Released: 10th July 2010
www.mirror.co.uk/topics/prince/
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In the run-up to the Daily Mirror's recent 20Ten giveaway, the artist formerly known as The Artist Formerly known as Prince (now just Prince) - once a pioneer for internet-only music downloads via his now defunct NPG Music Group - came out with the (slightly hyperbolic) claim that “the internet is dead.” Soulless, perhaps. But dead?! Sorry to contradict you, Mr Nelson, but I think the stats speak for themselves (not that I’ve done the research – I’m here for the choons, not the chores); there’s clearly life in the world wide interweb yet. Some may say it’s still in its infancy, but I digress...

Is it just a case of sour (purple) grapes for an '80s giant no longer at the top of his game, sales-wise? Would Prince feel any differently if he had granted iTunes the use of his considerable canon of classics and reaped the financial reward? Has the independent icon and rival-of-conventional-record-companies become excessively paranoid about the misuse of his image and circulation of his works? Or is exclusive newspaper distribution of audio material really the revolutionary future of a dying industry?

Whatever the answer, I don’t think any consumer can complain when they can purchase 10 tracks and 47minutes of brand new ear candy with the day’s headlines (and a free TV guide!!) for less than the price of a single iTunes download. With a week of free promotion (interviews, competitions, hype, et al) and his new album landing in 2.5million UK homes, you can certainly see the business sense behind Prince’s innovative move. After all, it worked wonders for him in 2007 when Planet Earth was given away with the Mail on Sunday prior to his 21 Nights in London concert series.

But the question remains: is 20Ten actually any good? Does it stand up to Prince's impressive - and extensive - back catalogue, or has the Purple One struck coal when mining for gold, second time around…?

“20Ten” Track-by-Track Review:

1. COMPASSION (3:57)
A bright, toe-tapping album opener and my personal favourite; “Compassion” is fun, catchy and happy pop, and would have made a perfect single, had this record required such promotion. If you can resist clapping along at the closing breakdown you’re a greater man than I.

2. BEGINNING ENDLESSLY (5:27)
Another funky number this, although track 2 has a much darker tone than its predecessor. “Beginning Endlessly” sounds like it would fit well on 2006's 3121; maybe it was penned back then? It’s less gleeful than “Compassion”, but still enjoyable snyth-pop, particularly when Prince and his rhythm guitar go improv crazy two-thirds of the way through.

3. FUTURE SOUL SONG (5:08)
As the song title suggests, track 3 is a total change of speed and mood, but no less delightful. “Future Soul Song” is a soothing and soulful (duh!) ballad with a serene and mystical quality enhanced by some beautifully lush backing vocals. In a word: Elegant.

4. STICKY LIKE GLUE (4:46)
A squirm-inducing rap (sample lyrics: “I’m just a gracious host / everybody under me make a toast”) is saved by some funky-ass rhythm guitar work in this mischievous ode to inseparable lovers which really comes alive towards the end. Any chance of a rap-free radio edit, P?

5. ACT OF GOD (3:14)
A rousing and funk-tastic cut packed with political topicality (bankers, tax fraud, imprisonment) and a killer riff. Pity it never really ends, though, instead segueing into the following track waaaaaay before it feels ready to. “Call it what you want it’s just an Act of God”

6. LAVAUX (3:04)
Another firm favourite of mine, “Lavaux” (it’s a region of Switzerland, globetrotters) begins like a punchy homage to “1999” and continues with one foot firmly in the '80s. This retro treat would get me on the dance floor in a heartbeat.

7. WALK IN SAND (3:30)
The sentiment is nice – if somewhat clichéd – alas, that is pretty much all I can say about “Walk in Sand”. A nice, comfortable, but ultimately forgettable three minutes of background music for 'adult time'. And no, I’m not just bitter ‘cos I’m single… *chokes back tears and resentment*

8. SEA OF EVERYTHING (3:49)
A sweet but sickly slow jam which is further hindered by following on from another sweet but sickly slow jam. “Sea of Everything” reminds me somewhat of Planet Earth’s “Future Baby Mama”; neither song has ever really grabbed me (dare I say they’re kinda… boring) and I find myself reaching for the skip button.

9. EVERYBODY LOVES ME (4:09)
Well, this is just excruciating: A definite low point in this collection. A juvenile party puff-piece with vainglorious sentiment and a horrendously cheesy post-production effect on Prince’s vocals. “Whoop-de-whoop”

77. LAYDOWN (3:07)
That’s not a typo – you seriously have to fast-forward to track 77* for 20Ten’s bonus track, which sees Shelby J. joining Prince on vox. “Laydown” is stylistically disparate to the rest of the album, self-referencing a “new sound” which is more akin to the hip-hop style cluttering the charts today. That isn’t a criticism, mind, I thoroughly enjoyed the dark electro-beats fused with some funky guitar work. Plus how can I hate a song which name checks Yoda?


CR@B Verdict: A blisteringly confident start & strong middle are let down slightly by a slushy and embarrassing close. While not perfect, 20Ten is a merry, radio-friendly jamboree of Prince’s multitude of styles which will please fans & engage Daily Mirror readers looking for a slice of pop-tastic funk.
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*Surely track 20 for song ten would have been a more inventive in-joke? But whatevs.

I Know You Got A Voice, Why You Don't Use It?

Album Review: “BIONIC” {DELUXE EDITION}
CHRISTINA AGUILERA
Sony Music Entertainment/RCA Records
Released: 7th June, 2010
www.christinaaguilera.com
www.rcarecords.com
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BI-ON-IC… having ordinary human powers increased by or as if by the aid of
such [artificial… electromechanical] devices

In her powerful, soaring singing voice, Christina Maria Aguilera already has a power beyond ordinary, so quite why, when creating her fourth studio album, her army of newly-appointed “trendy” producers/co-writers felt the need to diminish the impact of her tremendously talented timbre with layers of blips, bleeps, bangs and beats is beyond me. Don’t misunderstand me; I adore an electro vibe to my music – just not at the cost of what makes an artist unique. Darren Hayes found the perfect balance between tune and tone with the extraordinary epic This Delicate Thing We’ve Made (2007), alas, in the case of Bionic; these artificial electromechanical devices have certainly not increased Xtina’s human powers, rather reduced her to a personality-void robotic karaoke machine.

Throughout her chameleonic 11 year career, Xtina has never rested long on one particular musical (or fashion) style. Unsurprisingly, her latest incarnation is unlike anything she has done before, though not for the better. The antithesis of focused, personal and relatable zenith Stripped (2002), Bionic is a busy, opulent, distended mess of sex talk, swearwords, fashion tips, brags and taunts. In other words: it’s hollow guff which makes a lot of noise saying fuck all. Yep, I swore. If you want to listen to Bionic, you had better get used to it, because being foulmouthed is clearly the epitome of maturity... I’m not simply referring to fanbase-splitting first single “Not Myself Tonight” (which, surprisingly, I truly liked, S&M video aside), as this is the case on a number of the album’s uptempo beasts.

The biggest stars should be setting the trends as they expand their legacies, not following them; therefore it is disappointing that Bionic feels like a regression both musically and lyrically, as well as a succession to a style of ‘cool’ music so divergent from everything Xtina has done before. For a woman who is now a wife and mother to be acting like a vapid, hormonal chav with tourettes is frankly embarrassing. Don’t even get me started on the deplorable “Woohoo” (featuring Nicki Mina), which sees the diva boast about how much we want to taste her lady parts (!!) in the same taboo-teasing way as the Pussycat Doll’s “Beep”, but without a modicum of the charm.

Bionic's 18-track first disc also suffers from inexcusable imbalance: a wild and offensive slew of eight club bangers leave you gasping for a respite from the audible onslaught, before a run of four ballads (and two unnecessarily individually-tracked skits) grind the pace to a halt. The tempo is ramped up for a blistering and purportedly empowering trio of tosh to round out the pack, with album closer and competitor for worst song (it’s a close call), “Vanity”, leaving us with such cringe-worthy boasts as:

I’m not cocky
I just love myself… bitch
Mirror mirror on the wall
Who’s the flyest bitch of them all?
Never mind I am (that bitch is so fucking sexy)

While the slower and more passionate numbers recapture a hint of the spark which made the public fall in love with the former teen star (the Linda Perry penned “Lift Me Up” is stunning, if not quite as memorable as number one single “Beautiful”), they would have been better placed interspersing the repetitive and distasteful trash that proceeded them rather than grouped together like a separate entity of secondary importance. Of the faster tracks, “Prima Donna” is a standout, if only because it doesn’t allude to sex every couple of lines. Oh, and it includes an (uncredited) interpolation of The Jackson’s “Can You Feel It” which is a truly commanding classic.

Ironically, four of the five tracks on disc two of Bionic’s {DELUXE EDITION} are stronger than 90% of the tripe on the main album. “Monday Morning” grabbed me instantly with its “Billie Jean”-like bass line and funky charm, while “Birds of Prey” is haunting in the fashion of Madonna's "Frozen", and “Stronger Than Ever” is an inspiring, melodious tunes. Only madcap 2nd track “Bobblehead” failed to impress me, with Xtina channelling her inner-Stefani and integrating an irksome airhead impression to intentionally and ‘ironically’ have a dig at vacuous gold-diggers with such witticisms as:

Talky talky talky but you don’t say shit
Got a way with words you give me nothing bitch

High brow stuff, this. Alas, this is the overriding problem with Bionic; far too often Aguilera opts for cheap, juvenile thrills over genuine, relatable substance, giving the whole album an artificial and overproduced glaze as if the wife and mother is endeavouring to appear sexy, edgy, fashionable and down wit da kids. Regrettably, the 29 year-old diva comes off as inauthentic and desperate with an uneven hodge-podge of an album mired by an excess of second-rate pap. Whatever happened to the Genie in a Bottle?


CR@B Verdict: There are a smattering of gems in this bloated opus, unfortunately you have to wade through heaps of vulgar, tacky rot before you reach the riches, and I wouldn’t blame you for tiring of the charade long before that. Artificial and inauthentic; Bionic’s robotics left me cold.
**

Prelude To The Cherrytree

Single Review: “ONCE” – Diana Vickers
Sony Music Entertainment UK/RCA
Released: 19th April 2010
www.dianavickersmusic.com
www.myspace.com/dianavickers
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16 months after her smoky vocals made a splash on 2008’s The X Factor, and following a critically acclaimed 3 month stint playing the lead in the revived West End production of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Diana Vickers is back to launch an assault on the UK charts with her debut single “Once”, followed by the enigmatically-titled album Songs From The Tainted Cherrytree, due for release May 3rd – and she’s still only 18!!

Taking the time to work alongside some top writers and producers , find her sound and craft a more personal and authentic album (yes, Diana had a hand in the writing process), rather than rush out a second-rate collection overflowing with predictably familiar cover versions, was a brave but ultimately more rewarding route for the young songstress, and based on the four tracks present on “Once”, I can’t believe Cherrytree will be tainted at all.

TRACKLIST BREAKDOWN:

1. Once (3:09)
Written by Cathy Dennis and Eg White
A confident statement and perfect choice for first single, "Once" is bright, percussive, electro-tinged fun in a short, sharp radio-friendly shot. I was hooked to this pop gem after only hearing it, well, once…

2. Sunlight (3:58)
Written by Mark Owen
Smooth, reflective verses make way for a rousing chorus on this Mark Owen-penned B-side, which compliments the opening track well. The (modern) Take That influence is clear; "Sunlight" evokes a lush, affable tone akin to "Rule The World".

3. Jumping Into Rivers (Frou Frou Central Mix) (3:30)
Written by Diana Vickers, Ellie Goulding and Guy Sigsworth
I haven’t yet heard the original album version, but if it’s even half as fun as this quirky remix from Frou Frou’s Guy Sigsworth, then I’ll be smiling for hours. "Jumping Into Rivers" screams ‘summer’ with a bohemian vibe in keeping with Diana’s indie image.

4. Four Leaf Clover (Acoustic Version) (3:36)
Written by Diana Vickers and Chris Braide
A more subtle track, this, though that may be because it’s a stripped down take of an album track. Personally, "Four Leaf Clover" is the weakest song on this set, but still a tender ballad and suitably mellow encore utilizing Diana’s wounded vocals.


CR@B Verdict: A solid and well-rounded reintroduction to the distinguishably-larynxed Ms. Vickers ahead of her debut album in May. You’ll certainly want to listen to this catchy pop hit more than "Once".
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