As my church going, god fearing mother would say, "it's colder than a witches tit outside". Charming. I blame this new blustery wind weather we seem to be having at the moment…My hair is constantly all over the "shop", and I don't want to use that strong hold gel stuff as it makes your hair feel like complete rock! I constantly fear that I will wake up and it will be like the Day After Tomorrow movie. If that happens, I am sticking to Jakey Gyllenhall like glue. GLUE! Unless he's being chased by hungry wolves. Sometimes, I wonder myself what I am wittering on about. No wonder DazPatience gets this glazed look in his eyes and just smiles and nods at everything I say! Bless him. Not content with upstaging me with the new phone yesterday, he has gone for a sexy new hair cut today that makes me look like a pile of puke. There! That does wonders for my self esteem issues. Still, I plan on buying some sexy new suits for my new job which starts on Feb 5th. I may have to take Ella with me as my personal stylist, though I'm not sure my credit card could cope with her label worship ;) On with the post…
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THE BOYBAND RETROSPECTICUS EPISODE ONE – D-SIDE (PART THREE):
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And so we get to that all important crucial third album. As a pop group, if you've made it this far, then you have completed the pop cycle successfully – 3 studio albums followed by a greatest hits. D-Side may not have got to this point through huge success in England, but that they got there at all is highly commendable in this fickle age of supposedly disposable pop. And much like sophomore effort Gravity, the boys third album Unbroken sees them continue with their mature sound and lush harmonies. Title track and lead off single is an epic ballad that sees the boys vocals soar to new heights, wrapped in lush opulent production values that almost make you go weak at the knees. And while it's early days for the album (it was released in Japan in October of last year), there are singles a plenty here from the elegance of Fly and No One to the pop adorability of Million Ways and their ode to the city that kept their dream alive – Tokyo. It really is a shame that the boys weren't given the opportunity to continue their career in England and one can only hope that they continue with their determination to succeed worldwide in the future. Below is what should be their greatest hits around October 2007…
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Invisible
Pushing Me Out
Real World
Fix Me
Stronger Together
Sacrifice
Gravity
Timeless
One More Day
Unbroken
Million Ways
No One
Fly
When You Wish Upon A Star (bonus track)
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LINK: Purchase tickets to see Shane and Derek in mother goose
LINK: Purchase D-Side's Unbroken
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THE BEAUTY IN UGLY:
. Let's face it, the tv show Ugly Betty is pretty much marvellous is it not? The fantastically named America Ferrera who plays the title role manages to make Betty dorky, funny, warm, compassionate and the most attractive human being on the show. Such is her inner beauty that it starts to rub off on the people at Mode Magazine who work closely with her. Her boss Daniel Mead (great popstar hair) seems to have mellowed in her presence, which just makes him hotter than ever. The show mixes comedy storylines with social satire, ott drama and Desperate Housewives style mystery to great effect. I didn't really expect to love this show as much as I do, but it has wormed its way into my heart and am eager to see how the second half of the season progresses…
. And as if my love for UB couldn't get any larger, the lovely Jason Mraz has recorded a version of The Beauty in Ugly for the show. I can't express how much I love the Mraz, even though it was ruthiepoos least favourite concert of 2006. I think he has the most amazing voice and a great ability to write not only witty wordy songs but also tender love songs that gently caress the heart. I'd put him neck and neck with Darren Hayes for a place in my upcoming feature on my top five male singers of all time… Anyway, his contribution to the soundtrack is a lovely acoustic, somewhat flamenco inspired affair, awash in Spanish guitars and a powerful vocal delivery. Just as fabulous as the show is itself…
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LINK: Ugly Betty show site
LINK: Jason Mraz official site
MP3: Jason Mraz – The Beauty in Ugly
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THE RETURN OF THE RIOTS:
. I think I mentioned somewhere before that – along with The Ordinary Boys – the Kaiser Chiefs are actually better off describing themselves as a pop act than anything else. Sure, they would be an edgy, slightly grungy pop act, but hey! They already have the merchandise in place (see pic above!) and the Chiefs could actually be the male girls aloud. So pop are their songs in fact that they have already been covered by the Girls, Lily Allen, the wonderful McFly (definitely them this time – no duping like yesterday with New Found Glory!) and the glorious Take That – all people who would be headlining the smash hits roadshow were it still to exist… So I was a little worried that the Chiefs would abandon their ear for a melody and do a Keane on their sophomore set (their dire work with Parva doesn't count!) Thankfully, lead off single Ruby is a sterling piece of pop work. Brilliant lyrics about cancelling tomorrow and stopping time mixed with a chorus equally as big as anything Oh My God or I Predict A Riot provided. Yes people this bodes very well for a brilliantly pop-rock second album. Now if only they'd cover McFly on Live Lounge we could all sleep happy at night :)
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LINK: Kaiser Chiefs' myspace site
MP3: Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby (thnx to MP3 Star)
MP3: Kaiser Chiefs – What Time Is Love (Live Lounge cover)
MP3: Take That - Every Day I Love You Less and Less
MP3: Girls Aloud – I Predict A Riot
MP3: McFly – I Predict A Riot
MP3: Lily Allen – Oh My God
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QUICK BITZ/BLOG WATCH:
. ~ I am so feeling my luck right now – usually when my favourite acts do nightclub spots, I'm miles away or unable to go! But hurrah, The Feeling are playing at G-A-Y the same Saturday Darren and I are staying over in London for his birthday! We are so there (and the lovely Dan and the boys have announced the b-sides of Rose will be a studio version of Video Killed The Radio Star, a demo of Sewn and Fill My Little Fanfare acapella. Brillo!)
~ Which Take That member would you "copitulate" with - mom, head on over to D'Luv to cast your vote you saucy minx...
~ Check out the response to Electroqueer's naming of Darren Hayes as electroqueer of the year. Can i be in the voting for next year please... I've always wanted to be an electroqueer!
. ~ Can you believe that David Beckham is popping off to LA for some piddling amount of money that I wouldn't even get out of bed for (though I would probably get in bed for it!) If we're really lucky Victoria will use this as an excuse to relaunch her pop "career". But seriously, I will miss David being on the same continent as me ;)
~ Veronica Mars reminded me that sometimes (and only sometimes) Mandy Moore could be quite good as a singer actually when she wasn't being brilliant on Entourage
~ We adore PinkieDust quite a bit and love little posts like this one with naughty pics of Kylie's dancers and this one where he quite rightly takes the evil Perez Hilton to town. How I loathe that bloated old hasbeen...
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Coming this weekend! more boyband retrospecticus! the new lily allens! some joss whedon stuff! an 11 in 07 update! sugababes acoustic styl-ee; maybe some more stuff i haven't invented yet!