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Music Singles Reviews |
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The tsunami on the other hand has been at the
forefront of people's minds ever since it happened.
Spontaneously and without prompting, the public dug deep to raise millions in aid.
Making a charity record - especially one as bad as this - actually adds little and serves more as an
ego trip for those involved rather than the altruistic gesture that was intended.
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Time to move on to better things and new in at Number 6 is Shine by Lovefreekz, the new alias for
dance veteran Mark Hadfield.
His career stretches back to the early 1990s when he contributed mixing skills to live tours
by the likes of SL2 and The Prodigy.
His first chart records came as a member of Loveland who notched up four Top 40 hits in the
mid-90s, the biggest of which was Let The Music Lift You Up which hit Number 16 in April 1994.
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In the late 90s he reinvented himself as a trancemeister and was behind the three Lucid hits
(including I can't Help Myself) which charted in 1998 and 1999.
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His last chart incarnation was in 2003 when as Lovebug he hit Number 35 with the track
Who's The Daddy and in keeping with the theme has now become Lovefreekz.
The single itself appeared in clubs as a breath of fresh air over Christmas, despite
being something of a throwback to the mutant disco sound that dominated the start of the decade.
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Shine is based heavily on ELO's 1979 hit Shine A Little Love, its chorus having been
ripped out and turned into the heart of this club stormer.
Yes, it breaks no new ground and yes, it is based heavily on a tried and tested disco tune but
a club track that makes you break into a huge grin even when it just appears on the radio
(also Lola's Theme) is a joy to experience and frankly this knocks the rest of this weeks
new offerings out of the park.
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At Number 8 are Freefaller whose debut single emerges just in time to potentially fill the gap
left behind by the demise of Busted.
Yes, they are another rock act aimed firmly at the teen market, Ollie, Dean, Gary and Rich having
been pushed as much as sex symbols as they are musicians.
Lead singer Ollie is no stranger to the screaming girl market having once been a member of
Point Break who had a run of hit singles back in 2000.
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Yes, they are as manufactured as the chair you are sitting on right now but that doesn't stop
Do This Do That having the same kind of charm that makes you sit up and take notice.
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If Busted left behind one legacy it was the reinvention of the concept of a pop act who played
real music rather than miming to backing tapes.
If Freefaller are the result of that then it wasn't all in vain.
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Making his first chart appearance in almost three years this week is rapper Xzibit who storms a
busy Top 10 at Number 9 with Hey Now (Mean Muggin).
It is his third ever chart single and far and away the biggest, soaring past the Number 14
peak of his debut track X which charted in March 2001 and which incidentally holds
the record for the shortest ever title, being as it is just a single letter.
My reaction to this track takes just two letters. Eh.
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Yet again this week the record is equalled as no less than seven new singles enter the Top 10.
The last one arrives at Number 10 in the shape of a comeback for some none more 90s child stars.
The three brothers of Hanson made their name as long-haired teenagers in 1997 with the release of
the instant classic Mmmbop which charged to the top of the charts all around the world and
became an airplay staple for years afterwards, even if nobody could ever work out what they were singing about.
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Two more Top 10 hits followed in the shape of Where's The Love and seasonal ballad
I Will Come To You and whilst they weren't bad singles overall they never managed to recapture
the magical sparkle of their debut.
Two comebacks followed in 1998 and 2000, their last
chart single coming almost five years ago when If Only limped to Number 15.
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Now eight years on from their debut and with the albatross of Mmmbop little more than a distant
memory the boys (or rather deep voiced adults as they are now) return with a brand new single
and their first Top 10 hit since those heady days of 1997.
Penny And Me is chirpy and catchy enough and strays just on the right side of the line marked
country to work as a pop-rock single.
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Album Reviews -
Confuzion - Extinguished (album sampler/ Criteria Records) By Steve Rudd
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Energetically benefiting from the refreshing and super-smooth vocal talents of Ashley Stone, this Reading-based band produces seriously poppy music of a hugely anthemic nature.
These three songs provide the first evidence of
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Single Reviews - Bastion 4 - The Tale of Gideon Strange (Single Marshco) By Steve Rudd
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Delivering bold and beautiful tunes in true style, this Portsmouth-based quartet sound set to take the country by storm with their supremely tuneful brand of indie-rock music.
Here, presenting a tune from their second album (Modus Operandi)
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Album Reviews -
Rob McCulloch - Thoughts Alone (Clockhouse) By Steve Rudd
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Rob hails from Bolton and sings and plays very much in the style of ex-Verve mainman - and
solo singer-songwriter in his own right - Richard Ashcroft.
Wistful tunes such as Taking Off With You, Take Me Whole and Doing You Wrong are beautifully
conceived
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CD Reviews -
Halflight - Subside (EP/My First Records) By Steve Rudd
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Packed with the endearing purity of The Corrs' music, Half-Light's musings are poetic,
mature and utterly captivating throughout these four tracks.
Front woman Sarah Howells has long been renowned for her quality, truthfully extraordinary
singing voice (having been the
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Single Reviews The Next Nine Years - You Live, I Learn (single/ Probation) By Steve Rudd
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Debut singles don't get much better than this double-A side belter from this kick-ass quartet.
Lead track You Live, I Learn is ball-busting melodic rock, that sets a breakneck pace.
Thankfully, all the guitars and lung-busting vocals are perfectly
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Album Reviews - Sidewinder CD By Nick Quantrill
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With their high quality and energetic live shows, Sidewinder are regarded as one of the finer Hull bands.
Looking as comfortable playing to a packed house at the Kingston Communications Stadium as they do
playing in the local pub, Sidewinder have demonstrated their ability to capture the
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Single Reviews The Concretes - Seems Fine (single/ EMI) By Steve Rudd
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If you want to feel refreshed and plain good about life, then it's imperative that
Stockholm outfit The Concretes are checked out ASAP.
Laying claim to almost as many band members as The Polyphonic Spree, there are eight of them,
coolly fronted by sultry vocalist Victoria Bergsman.
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Album Reviews - Silver Sun - Disappear Here (Invisible Hands Records) By Nick Quantrill
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Back in the days of Brit Pop, when guitar bands desperately aped Oasis, one band was bucking
this trend by trying to assert some individuality and kick back against the corporate sea of mediocrity.
Despite several chart-hits and an ever growing live following, Silver Sun were
amongst the
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Album Reviews - Turismo - Too Tall For Fashion By Jason Karlson
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There are some amazing bands that simply cannot be contained on a shiny silver disk.
Fonda 500's CD releases are always breathtakingly energetic and creative but they
still can't capture the sheer vigour and unchecked energy of their live appearances.
Turismo are another band who
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