Here's the playlist from our Super Sunday Show :
British Sea Power - Heavy Water (Valhalla Dancehall)
You Me At Six ft. Chiddy Bang - Rescue Me
Procol Harum - Whiskey Train (Home)
Noah & the Whale - L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
Clare Maguire - The Last Dance
Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers
Fairport Convention - Angel Delight (Angel Delight)
New Christy Minstrels - Go Lassie Go
The Fab Four Freakout :
Beatles - Crying Waiting Hoping
Beatles - Maxwell's Silver Hammer (Abbey Road)
Beatles - Bad Boy
Beatles - All I've Got To Do (With the Beatles)
Modestep - Feel Good
Villagers - Becoming a Jackal (Becoming a Jackal)
Temperance Seven - You're Driving Me Crazy
Frankie Vaughan & Alma Cogan - Do Do Do Do Do Do Do It Again
Clinic - Bubblegum (Bubblegum)
David Bowie - Stay (Station To Station)
...and this week's Top 5 songs in the UK :
5). Enrique Iglesias - Tonight (I'm Loving You) (new)
4). Adele - Rolling In the Deep (-1)
3). Ke$ha - We R Who We R (-2)
2). Bruno Mars - Grenade (non-mover)
1). Jessie J - Price Tag (new)
TOP 5 ANALYSIS and REVIEW
More new blood near the top (and at the top) of the charts this week, as the "older" songs drop (except for Bruno Mars, of course) and new songs come in at numbers five and one.
Enrique Iglesias has had more success in the UK than in America. There have been five songs by Enrique in the American top ten, whereas in the UK there have been eight. That includes the new "Tonight (I'm Loving You)", which comes in at number 5 this week.
It's all part of the Enrique renaissance, where he's remade himself as a club banger perennial. Much like "I Like It" from last year, this song is heavy on the squelching synths and auto-tune. He's even managed to bring in a rap verse done by Ludacris.
In the meantime, his song "Cuando Me Enamoro" topped the American Latin charts for an incredible seventeen weeks last year. His bread is buttered on both sides, and buttered well.
All that said, "Tonight" seems oddly soulless. It's like he's trying it all on for size, and will undoubtedly reject it all with the next album. He's been very good at jumping on top of the trend, but his instincts haven't always been like that. As a matter of fact, the "uncensored" version of the song is "Tonight (I'm F**king You)", which says to me that the man has no true discernment, and just leans when the wind blows. I'm not sure his Latino audience will put up with that.
I give Enrique a squashy 6 on the England Swings scale of 1-10.
Adele continues to dominate the UK, with her new album "21" staying at number one on the album charts, and "Rolling In the Deep" losing only a place this week and sliding to number 4. The song sits on the American charts as well, but only at number 68. To top it all off, I just heard the song used in a trailer for a new movie.
The song continues to roll along, though, sung with immediacy and impeccability. The background vocals make it even better. I give the song an 8, even after several weeks.
Ke$ha drops two spaces to number 3 this week with "We R What We R", a song so downright dumb (and so well produced) that it hurts. The tune has had lasting power in America, sitting at number 10 on the chart there after a beginning-of-November release. The song is one that I should hate, but except for that stupid "DJ turn it upupupup" part, I can tolerate it. I give it a 6.
Bruno Mars has not lost any ground this week, as Grenade remains at number 2 in the UK, and at number 1 in America. I was not enamored of the tune at first, and . . . well, I'm still not. I've begun to see why it's a hit, though, and I can listen without gritting my teeth. If you haven't heard it, it's a fairly standard R&B number with rather grisly lyrics : "I'd catch a grenade for ya/Throw my hand on a blade for ya/I'd jump in front of a train for you..." and so on.
I'll go with a 6.5.
Superstar-in-waiting Jessie J captures the UK number one spot with "Price Tag" this week, and it's as far removed from her recent "Do It Like a Dude" as can be. This song is unadulterated pop, given some personality by Jessie's notable voice. We've got a less-than-obnoxious verse by B.o.B, a monster chorus that's instantly recognizable : "Everybody look to the left/Everybody look to the right".
What will happen to this song in America? It's still a bit quirky for your average Yank, but who knows . . . ? This one might surprise us. Another point against America success is perhaps the ultra-Pop nature of the tune; I can't help it, but it reminds me uncomfortably of the Spice Girls.
In any event, I like it, and I give it a 7.5 on the scale.
Album review coming later . . . !
British Sea Power - Heavy Water (Valhalla Dancehall)
You Me At Six ft. Chiddy Bang - Rescue Me
Procol Harum - Whiskey Train (Home)
Noah & the Whale - L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.
Clare Maguire - The Last Dance
Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers
Fairport Convention - Angel Delight (Angel Delight)
New Christy Minstrels - Go Lassie Go
The Fab Four Freakout :
Beatles - Crying Waiting Hoping
Beatles - Maxwell's Silver Hammer (Abbey Road)
Beatles - Bad Boy
Beatles - All I've Got To Do (With the Beatles)
Modestep - Feel Good
Villagers - Becoming a Jackal (Becoming a Jackal)
Temperance Seven - You're Driving Me Crazy
Frankie Vaughan & Alma Cogan - Do Do Do Do Do Do Do It Again
Clinic - Bubblegum (Bubblegum)
David Bowie - Stay (Station To Station)
...and this week's Top 5 songs in the UK :
5). Enrique Iglesias - Tonight (I'm Loving You) (new)
4). Adele - Rolling In the Deep (-1)
3). Ke$ha - We R Who We R (-2)
2). Bruno Mars - Grenade (non-mover)
1). Jessie J - Price Tag (new)
TOP 5 ANALYSIS and REVIEW
More new blood near the top (and at the top) of the charts this week, as the "older" songs drop (except for Bruno Mars, of course) and new songs come in at numbers five and one.
Enrique Iglesias has had more success in the UK than in America. There have been five songs by Enrique in the American top ten, whereas in the UK there have been eight. That includes the new "Tonight (I'm Loving You)", which comes in at number 5 this week.
It's all part of the Enrique renaissance, where he's remade himself as a club banger perennial. Much like "I Like It" from last year, this song is heavy on the squelching synths and auto-tune. He's even managed to bring in a rap verse done by Ludacris.
In the meantime, his song "Cuando Me Enamoro" topped the American Latin charts for an incredible seventeen weeks last year. His bread is buttered on both sides, and buttered well.
All that said, "Tonight" seems oddly soulless. It's like he's trying it all on for size, and will undoubtedly reject it all with the next album. He's been very good at jumping on top of the trend, but his instincts haven't always been like that. As a matter of fact, the "uncensored" version of the song is "Tonight (I'm F**king You)", which says to me that the man has no true discernment, and just leans when the wind blows. I'm not sure his Latino audience will put up with that.
I give Enrique a squashy 6 on the England Swings scale of 1-10.
Adele continues to dominate the UK, with her new album "21" staying at number one on the album charts, and "Rolling In the Deep" losing only a place this week and sliding to number 4. The song sits on the American charts as well, but only at number 68. To top it all off, I just heard the song used in a trailer for a new movie.
The song continues to roll along, though, sung with immediacy and impeccability. The background vocals make it even better. I give the song an 8, even after several weeks.
Ke$ha drops two spaces to number 3 this week with "We R What We R", a song so downright dumb (and so well produced) that it hurts. The tune has had lasting power in America, sitting at number 10 on the chart there after a beginning-of-November release. The song is one that I should hate, but except for that stupid "DJ turn it upupupup" part, I can tolerate it. I give it a 6.
Bruno Mars has not lost any ground this week, as Grenade remains at number 2 in the UK, and at number 1 in America. I was not enamored of the tune at first, and . . . well, I'm still not. I've begun to see why it's a hit, though, and I can listen without gritting my teeth. If you haven't heard it, it's a fairly standard R&B number with rather grisly lyrics : "I'd catch a grenade for ya/Throw my hand on a blade for ya/I'd jump in front of a train for you..." and so on.
I'll go with a 6.5.
Superstar-in-waiting Jessie J captures the UK number one spot with "Price Tag" this week, and it's as far removed from her recent "Do It Like a Dude" as can be. This song is unadulterated pop, given some personality by Jessie's notable voice. We've got a less-than-obnoxious verse by B.o.B, a monster chorus that's instantly recognizable : "Everybody look to the left/Everybody look to the right".
What will happen to this song in America? It's still a bit quirky for your average Yank, but who knows . . . ? This one might surprise us. Another point against America success is perhaps the ultra-Pop nature of the tune; I can't help it, but it reminds me uncomfortably of the Spice Girls.
In any event, I like it, and I give it a 7.5 on the scale.
Album review coming later . . . !
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