This weeks music REVIEWS

This weeks music reviews

5 Seconds of Summer - Don't Stop

5 Seconds of Summer are back with their follow-up to number 1 single She Looks So Perfect. Don't Stop is set to give the band their second number 1 single, even with stiff competition from the 2nd week sales of Ella Henderson's Ghost. It is taken from their upcoming eponymous debut album.

For me, Don't Stop has already grown a lot quicker than their debut did for me, but I put this down to not having some borderline-cringeworthy lyrics that I did eventually learn to love! The track opens with bold guitars, reminding everyone that 5SOS aren't just any boyband like their current chart rivals, but a band who do in fact play their own instruments, and to a high standard as well. Lead singer Luke Hemmings provides some strong vocals as well. The track builds up extremely well to an explosion of the chorus. The lyrical content of the chorus itself is quite simplistic but they do pack enough of a punch to get you on board. It is quite the grower, a track that is rather charming as it's so feel good and action-packed, a sentiment expressed by the super-hero themed video. The band have gone up in my estimations extremely upon that first listen of their debut, they've become very likable, and not even in a guilty pleasure way anymore.

4/5

George Ezra - Budapest

Budapest by 21 year old Ezra is currently at #3 in the midweek charts after being re-released and consequently recently becoming a radio 1 staple. The track is taken from upcoming debut album Wanted on Voyage and has been streamed more than a colossal 10 million times on Spotify.

While they may be hard to decipher on first listen, the lyrical content of Budapest is stunning, as he talks about giving it all up for the one he loves. Ezra's soulful and heartfelt vocals really bring these lyrics to life and give them so much meaning. It's such a feel-good, pleasant track that is undeniably catchy - it's very hard not to at least sway along when listening to it!

4/5

Gorgon City ft. Laura Welsh - Here For You

North London duo Gorgon City who previously supported Rudimental are back, but this time teaming up with Laura Welsh. Here For You is currently at #05 at the midweek stage, and if they keep this position then they could be looking at a second top 5 single, after their previous track Ready For Your Love featuring MNEK peaked at #04.

I was VERY apprehensive about reviewing this track, as Gorgon City's previous effort is already my favourite song of the year, so there was always the underlying feeling that any follow-up would be in the shadow of it's predecessor. Although Here For You is not quite as bold and euphoric as the stellar Ready For Your Love, it is still very much enjoyable but in a totally different way. It is SO relaxing, pleasant and mellow - making it a perfect chill out track for summer. Laura's vocals deliver the lyrics just right as they bring the relaxing feeling, and production values from Gorgon City compliment these vocals so well, and suddenly add a bit more life and make a statement on the chorus. Very well done to them on producing a high-quality follow-up.

4/5

Demi Lovato - Neon Lights

Neon Lights is taken from Demi's eponymous latest album, which went to #10 in the U.K. last June. The track is co-written and produced by one of the men of the moment, Ryan Tedder. It currently sits at #11 at the mid-week stage.

The track opens in a very gripping fashion with Demi providing vocals in a lower register, and the synths and claps make for an interesting build up. The chorus is instantly memorable and very much catchy, and of course she delivers vocally like always. However, I feel like the production in the chorus and the vocals clash with each other a bit rather than compliment, making it harder to focus on one of them. Nothing spectacular really, just bubblegum throwaway pop, but at least enjoyable bubblegum pop at that!

3/5

The Kooks - Around Town 

Around Town is the second single to be released from upcoming 4th album Listen. It's predecessor Down just managed to dent the top 40 at #40, but Around Town is currently sitting at a slightly higher position of #32. 

The track draws you in with the fantastic instrumentation, and with the vocals being as strong and unique as ever. There is a feeling of intensity as the track builds up, and this works really well with the finger snaps. Although the chorus is rather repetitive, the backing vocals work so well to enhance it, and the production remains stellar. The repetitive lyrics themselves are quite special anyway, with the phrase "When the chips are down" being an interesting choice to mean that someone will love him even when everything is wrong, a very bold statement indeed. Overall, it's chart position so far reflects the fact that it is definitely a step-up from the rather uninspired Down!

4/5

Peace - Money

Birmingham band Peace release the first single Money from their forthcoming 2nd album, which is also set to be their first top 40 single after a midweek #40 position. This follows their last album which went to #16 officially.

The band describe themselves as "Dark melodic indie techno" and to be honest, this description is pretty much bang on. The introducing instrumental draws you in very well, and the vocals that shortly follow it are fantastic. The melodic instrumental hook is definitely the highlight of the song each time it comes around, as although I like the concept of the chorus, the actual lyrics themselves seem a bit too simplistic, and the verses end up being stronger. However, maybe it'll turn out to be a grower on the whole.

3/5

This weeks music REVIEWS

This weeks music reviews

Sigma - Nobody to Love

Sigma are a drum and bass duo, and are on course for their first U.K. number one this week with Nobody to Love, which is a re-working of Kanye West's Bound 2.

I am a huge fan of Bound 2, so my initial thoughts when hearing this version is that it wouldn't quite live up to it. It is a really interesting re-working of the song, as I'd never picture it as a dance track. However, for me the original is that little bit superior, and the Charlie Wilson vocals on it also I find are stronger. It still works though, and will sound fantastic in the summer.

3.5/5

The Vamps - Last Night

The Vamps are back with brand new single Last Night, which is set to be their third consecutive top 3 single after debut Can We Dance went to #2 and follow up Wild Heart claimed the #3 spot. 

The Vamps have already found their sound - guitar driven songs with incredibly catchy choruses, and it seems to be a winning formula for them so far. The vocals are also very strong courtesy of lead singer Brad Simpson.With it's very youthful lyrics, Last Night very much caters for it's target audience.

3/5

Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX - Fancy

Australian Iggy Azalea looks set to achieve her very first top 5 single, after her previous effort Change Your Life went to #10. It also features vocals from Charli XCX who found success on Icona Pop's U.K. #1 single I Love It.

For me, Fancy is definitely Azalea's best by far. The entire track is making a bold statement - from the infectious production to the attitude-ridden lyrics. The chorus is extremely memorable and the video is excellent to match. Confident Azalea is on to a winner.

4.5/5

The Saturdays - Not Giving Up

The Saturdays are back with the fourth single from their latest album Living for the Weekend. The girl-group achieved their first U.K. #1 single last year with What About Us.

The girls are back with a bang as this new single from them boasts a strong dance-pop production with quickfire lyrics that work well. The track builds up well to the euphoric explosion that is the chorus. The one thing I do notice though is that it is not all that dissimilar to one of their previous hits All Fired Up. 

3.5/5

David Guetta ft. Showtek & Vassy - Bad

David Guetta follows up #4 single Shot Me Down with new track Bad, and this time he has collaborated with Dutch production duo Showtek (who found success with #5 single Booyah!) and Australian Vassy.

This track unfortunately pretty much lives up to it's title. The song opens with a very grating start, as what is a pretty catchy hook is destroyed with high-pitched autotuned vocals, and all attention for me focuses on how annoying they were. The only ounce of a saving grace is the Showtek production, but even that gets a little tedious by the third time it comes around in the song. Overall, I'm disappointed at a pretty lazy effort - ditch the autotune next time also!

1.5/5

The Kaiser Chiefs - Coming Home

The Kaiser Chiefs are having a very great time right now, after lead singer Ricky Wilson first appeared on The Voice UK as a guest judge, and then their latest album Education, Education, Education & War went straight to #1 on Sunday, knocking off X Factor 2013 winner Sam Bailey.

Coming Home is a fantastic return to form for the group. Not only are Ricky's vocals sounding great, but the track itself is very mellow and beautiful, especially with the guitar driven understated production. The chorus is very memorable indeed.

4/5

This weeks music REVIEWS

This weeks music REVIEWS

Aloe Blacc - The Man

Aloe Blacc is back with his second solo single, after I Need a Dollar which reached the #2 spot in 2010. Blacc also provided uncredited vocals for Avicii's summer smash Wake Me Up last year. 

The Man boldly opens with the sample of an excerpt from Your Song by Elton John. I'm not quite sure myself if this sample works for me - as a huge fan of the original. To be honest, I find the repetition of 'The Man' and 'Yes I Am' in the chorus to be fairly grating and overall it comes off as quite bland for me personally, but the hip hop beat in the song is a redeeming feature, and Blacc's vocals remain as soulful as ever. The Man should provide Aloe Blacc with his first solo number 1 in the U.K, after selling 40,000+ copies of the single at the midweek stage.

2/5

John Martin - Anywhere For You

John Martin is back with his first solo offering to the charts, after previously featuring on Swedish House Mafia's #1 smash Don't You Worry Child, Sebastian Ingrosso's #3 hit Reload, and most recently - Tinie Tempah's Children of the Sun. The track has already gone top 40 in both Belgium and Sweden.

My initial thoughts to the track is that the opening sounds not all too dissimilar to Titanium by David Guetta featuring Sia - which is no bad thing at all. To be honest, I wasn't expecting all that much after being fairly disappointed by Children of The Sun, so I was pleasantly surprised by Anywhere For You - as it is quite the step up with it's rousing chorus that I can already imagine festival-goers chanting.

3/5

Paolo Nutini - Scream (Funk My Life Up)

Paolo Nutini is back with his latest single since 2010. Scream (Funk My Life Up) is on course to be his second highest charting song ever, after Last Request.

Paolo Nutini has always been a bit hit-and-miss with me, with vocals I'm not all that keen on and a handful of gems. Whilst Scream (Funk My Life Up) isn't really my thing, it definitely puts the funk in Funk My Life Up and I can definitely appreciate the vocals that are on point, and the backing of horns which is a great touch.

2/5

Shakira - Empire

Fresh off a performance on The Voice over the weekend, Shakira is back with the 2nd single off her brand new eponymous album - Empire.

It was quite a surprise to the ears to hear this new one from Shakira, as it's very different to lead single Can't Remember to Forget You. Whilst I found some of the lyrics a bit iffy ("Stars make love to the Universe" for example), I am definitely appreciating the song on the whole as it builds up really well to an explosive finale, and her soaring vocals have never sounded better.

3/5

Klaxons - There Is No Other Time

Klaxons are back with their first single since 2010 and is taken from their upcoming 3rd album Love Frequency, out in June. The track is produced by Gorgon City, who recently found success in the form of their #4 track Ready For Your Love, featuring MNEK.

Klaxons' single Golden Skans was one of my anthems of 2007, so I was quite eager to hear this, and I was definitely not disappointed. It is a brilliant return to form for them, but with a more dance feel to it thanks to the help of producers Gorgon City.

4/5

Lady Gaga - G.U.Y. (Music Video Review)

Lady Gaga - G.U.Y. Music Video Review

11 minutes is the running total of the video - typical crazy Gaga length I think to myself. Although this time she's even outdone herself - as 4 minutes out of those 11 are dedicated to credits alone! 

G.U.Y. was expected but not unwelcome for me. Gaga of course goes all out once again, with not one but FOUR tracks off ARTPOP being showcased in this one video. We are introduced to the rousing introduction to ARTPOP complete with the concept of betrayal from money-grabbers whilst we see Gaga struggle as we see her in a winged creature outfit with an arrow through her. Yes, this is only the first minute-or-so. An extremely touching opening.

Soon, we see Gaga collapse prior to the zany Venus playing in the background. Right now it all seems like a crazy promotional stint for her album, rather than a music video for G.U.Y. 

Still, when G.U.Y. does begin, we see Gaga perform with exuberance. The choreography in the video is slick and is very well executed by Gaga herself. These dance sequences are shown whilst we see a fresh-faced Gaga in many different outfits, so to be expected from Gaga - there is a LOT to look at. Top this off with comical appearances from Andy Cohen and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills stars and it really is unorthodox to say the least.

Here is the part I wasn't too sure about - we see Mahatma Gandhi, Michael Jackson, Jesus and John Lennon being resurrected. It was an extremely interesting concept - extracting blood from them and injecting it into her new team, but it all felt a bit too much for me, it just seemed that there were too MANY zany ideas that were chucked about which took attention away from the song itself. 

The location, sets, fashion and choreography was so right. The song itself sounds like a hit with it's infectious chorus. A little too crazy? Perhaps. Memorable? Certainly. 

Good on you if you managed to sit through the credits.

WATCH Lady Gaga's G.U.Y. video: 

What did YOU think of it?

G.U.Y. is the third single from Lady Gaga's latest album ARTPOP, available now.