Another Year In Pop: 22

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Rihanna's still at number one, and the Ting Tings have had three new entries in as many weeks, blimey!

[Poll #1197899]

Comments

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

All the advance word on the new Paul Wellar album seems to be "OMG he has rediscovered his crazy experimental side my mind is blown".

Can this be true or is "experimental" here code for "there's a sitar and some backwards taping on it"?

(I am not really expecting anyone on Poptimists to know this)

Note for our non-British chums

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The Mint Royale is in the charts because a loveable tyke (actually, can you be an l.t. at 14?) won BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT by doing a dance routine to it on Saturday night.

Oh come ON

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Stop a) talking about irrelevant-to-life Paul Weller (I mean who cares, seriously) and b) ticking those boring indie yelpers Vampire Weekend (they're TERRIBLE ffs) and FOCUS, people. FOCUS on the real star of the show this week ie CHRIS BROWN.

Here (http://youtube.com/watch?v=X2IExa2A198) is the video for 'Forever'. It is a brilliant 'The Way I Are' knock-off, it trumps all those weak-ass Europop hits you lot seem to like several times over, and Chris's dancing skillz are as great as ever.

I really couldn't face any of the others though I'll just reiterate my utter hatred of the Ting Tings. Worst band ever.

[koganbot]

Ack! My second consecutive DON'T LIKE ANY, though with several on the border line, both the Ting Tings and Weller ripe for reevaluation if I ever decide that the any-goodness-at-all that resides somewhere other than the lead vocals merits a tick.

Chris Brown "Forever": This is beautiful at the start and I'm captivated by the way the melody circles around the beat. (The phrase "The melody circles around the beat" is probably meaningless. In any event, I don't know what I'm trying to say.) But his voice is not reaching me much beyond being a part of the "texture," and song and texture are unexpectedly lacking in fizz and character. TICK NEVER, NOT FOREVER.

Paul Weller "Have You Made Up Your Mind": This is pub-rock reggae, its clumsy force reminding me of Graham Parker & The Rumour in its clumsy force. And this isn't a bad song, but the voice isn't finding itself, either. MADE UP MY MIND NOT TO TICK.

Mint Royale "Singin' In The Rain": Regular backbeat, moods in the foreground, but two different moods at once, as if we're tuned to two different moody radio stations. Anyway, this can't decide if it's to be forceful or dreamy, but even if you took away one you wouldn't get the other. RAINING, NOT TICKING.

The Ting Tings "Shut Up And Let Me Go": My ambivalence continues: Great great dance rhythm from early '80s NYC. So the question here is whether I can stomach the vocals. Yes, I've admitted she's got something, but her silliness is too placid and coy to commit to its own pleasure. This is a prime indie pop sin, so I may be underrating this owing to my distaste for its social commitments. Maybe in a month I'll reevaluate all Ting Tings and decide then whether to tick 'em. SHUT UP AND LET ME AVOID TICKING.

Go Audio "Made Up Stories": Emo goes guitar wave. This is laughable and pitiful but not terrible. But not tickable either. TICKLESS STORIES.

Vampire Weekend "Oxford Comma": Cutesy and blippy; speeds up in the middle and that's irritating too. Clever. Distant. Irritating. I don't get it. TICKLESS COMA.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

DON'T LIKE ANY. Actually I do quite like the Mint Royale, it had the video with the breakdancing robot that was quite good but it's a re-entry and I'm hungover so NO.

I might tick the Chris Brown or the Go: Audio were I not in my Hungover Monday Hours O' Misanthropy.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Hold on, not that I like them, but why is this Ting Tings track doing so badly compared to hits #1 and #2?

Didn't have time to youtube these earlier!

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Vampire Week-hen: dude looks like Kevin's big brother in the Wonder Years. My god this is twee and dull.

Ting Tings: I listened to this ten times on repeat at work last week. I still like it even though she's ridiculous. Tick.

Mint Royale: saw the vid to this on Hits just now, I must have missed it the first time round? About 60% lame, salvageable but I'm too knackered.

Weller: I watched this one with the sound down as my Mum was on the phone, my god his hair is even more ridiculous than the Ting Tings girl's. Sight of Noel Gallagher in video is enough to stop me Youtubing for a listen. I am a bad poptimist.

Go Audio: this isn't going to be good, is it? I've seen 'interview' adverts for this lot and they are so desperate to be cooler than McFly. THE FOOLS. YOU NEED A CHORUS. That isn't off a Foo Fighters B-side.

Chris B: I like this young chap and his auto-tuner. Lex is OTM, it's totally 'The Way I Are' with extra Enya. I'm glad he's speeded things up. Tick.