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

Jade's Top 40 | 07.04.14

 1. Faul & Wad Ad vs. Pnau - Changes [2-1]
 2. Coldplay - Magic [12-5-4-2-1-2]
 3. Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX - Fancy [20-9-3]
 4. 5 Seconds Of Summer - She Looks So Perfect [20-4]
 5. Tove Lo ft. Hippie Sabotage - Stay High (Habits Remix) [10-3-5]
 6. Calvin Harris - Summer [20-6-5-6]
 7. Duke Dumont ft. Jax Jones - I Got U [12-8-3-1-1-4-7]
 8. Martin Garrix & Jay Hardway - Wizard [23-27-25-10-6-3-6-8]
 9. Klaxons - There Is No Other Time 
 10. Gorgon City ft. MNEK - Ready For Your Love [1-1-1-1-1-2-4-7-10]

 11. Katy B - Crying For No Reason [12-3-2-2-3-5-8-11]
 12. Rita Ora - I Will Never Let You Down 
 13. The Pretty Reckless - Heaven Knows [12-10-13]
 14. Avicii - Addicted to You [9-7-7-11-14]
 15. Lady Gaga - G.U.Y. [14-12-15]
 16. NONONO - Pumpin Blood [16-16]
 17. Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne - Rather Be [2-1-2-3-4-3-4-5-9-15-17]
 18. Shakira - Empire 
 19. Chris Malinchak - If U Got It [2-2-4-7-11-11-17-19]
 20. Karmin - Drifter [16-18-20]

 21. HAIM - If I Could Change Your Mind [14-21]
 22. Glee Cast - Toxic (Season 5) [18-19-22]
 23. James Arthur - Get Down [16-13-21-23]
 24. Ellie Goulding - Goodness Gracious [10-11-13-17-22-24]
 25. Little Mix - Word Up! [12-9-8-13-25]
 26. Vance Joy - Riptide [19-9-6-6-8-15-23-26]
 27. Foxes - Let Go For Tonight [7-13-14-19-24-27]
 28. John Legend - All Of Me [16-15-23-25-28]
 29. The Pierces - Believe In Me [26-29]
 30. Sigma - Nobody to Love 

 31. DVBBS & Borgeous ft. Tinie Tempah - Tsunami (Jump) [20-22-26-25-33-32-31]
 32. The Chainsmokers - #SELFIE [10-21-27-32]
 33. Beyonce ft. Jay-Z - Drunk In Love [18-9-4-5-4-5-5-8-12-22-28-33]
 34. Arches - There's a Place [35-37-40-34]
 35. Disclosure ft. Sasha Keable - Voices [2-4-8-11-13-15-17-24-29-35]
 36. Arctic Monkeys - Arabella [30-36]
 37. Kylie Minogue - Into The Blue [27-25-31-37]
 38. David Guetta ft. Skylar Grey - Shot Me Down [32-27-23-24-26-33-38]
 39. Shakira ft. Rihanna - Can't Remember to Forget You [17-15-10-11-14-18-27-34-39]
 40. Matrix & Futurebound ft. Max Marshall - Control [18-12-6-6-7-16-17-19-28-35-40]

Commentary

This week's chart sees a switch at the top - with last weeks number 1 Magic falling to #2, whilst last weeks number 2, is this weeks #1. The haunting sax-driven Changes by Faul & Wad Ad vs. Pnau spends it's first week atop my personal chart. Meanwhile, Fancy and She Looks So Perfect have jumped into the top 5 - with the latter turning out to be a huge guilty pleasure and growing on me enormously!

The highest new entry comes courtesy of Klaxons with There Is No Other Time debuting straight in the top ten at #9. This is much higher than what it charted officially - sadly missing out on the top 40 at #42 last week. This is already my second favourite Klaxons song, after the brilliant Golden Skans in 2007. They went for a much more dance feel for this song and it totally paid off! 

The next new entry is courtesy of Rita Ora with I Will  Never Let You Down at #12. Ora previewed the single recently, and is her latest one since last years Radioactive. It is produced by boyfriend Calvin Harris, and this wonderful production courtesy of him helps to carry the song along really well. It is a simplistic slice of pop that is sure to do well for Ora when it's impact date comes around. 

Next up is Empire by Shakira at #18. The track is totally something I wouldn't expect from Shakira but ultimately works so well. Her vocals are soaring and have never sounded better, and the whole event leads to an explosive finale. The only reason it isn't higher is because I do find some of the lyrics a bit iffy. 

Lastly, in at #30 is Sigma with Nobody to Love. Hotly tipped to be the official #1 this week (so expect a review come Wednesday!) I thought I'd better check it out, and found that I liked what I was hearing on first listen. The track features a studio vocalist singing the parts that Charlie Wilson sings in Kanye West's Bound 2, and being a huge fan of Bound 2, this version pales a little in comparison, but still puts it's own spin on it and is ultimately pretty impressive never the less.