Tuesday, September 22, 2009

No change AGAIN!

For another week it's Guy Sebastian, David Guetta and Kate Miller-Heidke in the top 3. Maybe the entire music buying public has shrunk to musicians who just buy the top 3 to see what's selling. Geez.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Top 3 Aria Singles 15/9/09

Well, the charts were updated yesterday...allegedly. No change since last week. Boooorrrring.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

No new songs to review this week

Well, no change in the top 3 this week....well, no new songs anyway. Guy Sebastian made number 1, Kate Miller-Heidke is back in the top 3, and the Black Eyed Peas dropped to number 4. Sexy Bitch is number 2. I don't quite get how the sentiments of Guy Sebastian and Sexy Bitch fit together in the same mind...I wonder how many people have bought both songs.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Kate Miller-Heidke's album "Curioser"

"The Last Day on Earth" has been growing on me this week. I met Kate in 2002 when she was still at university singing opera, we hit it off at a Golden Keys networking evening. I remember talking about what made a hit song a hit. Looks like she figured it out before me. Anyway, the fact that our meeting stuck in my head all these years with no further contact tells you something about the impression she left on me. She was beautiful, charming, confident, and geniune. The songs on this album on the whole reflect that person, and it's always the writing that comes from ourselves that's the most compelling, not the writing that's just an exercise. "Caught in the crowd" and "The Last Day on Earth" are the most personal. songs on the record, and the hits so far. "Our Song" is also very personal, and the only acoustic track. "I Like You Better When You're Not Around" is a low point on the record, where she stoops to petty condemnation and character assassination. "God's Gift to Women" isn't much better, but has a bit of humour in it to offset the negativity. "No truck" almost falls into the same trap, but doesn't, and the best bit is the end of the song where the band all rock out. "Motorscooter" and "The End of School" are good, clean fun. Nice. "Can't Shake It" is about being rubbish at dancing and is also heaps of fun. "The One Thing I Know" is a love song with oomph. Not a bad choice for the first track, but I think I'd have preferred one of the fun tracks. The biggest problem with this collection of songs is that they're all so different stylisticly. Also, the record as a whole, like most, never develops any bigger themes, or refers to itself. I've told you what I think's good and what's not. Listen to the previews and read the lyrics on the internet....then cherry pick the songs you like.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Aria top 3 31/08/2009 - "Like it like that"

"I gotta feeling" and "Sexy Bitch" are still in the top 3, so this week, I only have to comment on Guy Sebastian's "Like It Like That".

It's good enough. It's bouncy, has a confident air about it, nice sentiments, nothing out of place really - bog standard ABABCB. But, it's totally unremarkable and leaves me unaffected. Obviously Australia's teenage girls are buying this record, so that's a sign that we are a community looking for loving relationships. Guy is basically a nice guy. However, I just don't need to listen to this more than once. I need a bit more drama.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Will anyone ever read my blog

Self-doubt time! If you do find your way here, pity me and post a comment. Please!

Review of "The Duckworth Lewis Method'

Great record. Neil Hannon is a fantastic musician - I just love his harmony (I liked him in Divine Comedy too). I'm also a sucker for people who display a bit of imagination and wit, both present on this record. This album peaked at #40 on the UK chart, and really, I can see why. There's alot of people out there buying chart hits that communicate nothing or take themselves too seriously. I think they are teenagers. I feel sorry for them, and I'm so glad that these guys have the courage to think differently.