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cos friday i'm in love

Good friday to you all. Well not Good Friday in the Jesus easter sense of the term, just hope you all having a good friday. I am, although it is my last weekday off work as I start my new job on Monday - the same day Darren starts his! Still, i'm eager to start work and get stuck in and have two sexy new suits bought in NYC to dazzle people with. There's something sexy about a bloke in a suit, n'est pas? I will probably fancy myself come Monday :) Or something less self absorbed... Anyway, DazPokeypokey (you know what I mean Bernice!) and I went shopping today (again!) and rather frivolously bought a rather brilliant kettle/toaster/panini maker set that looks uber modern and fab. Will post pics tomorrow as I know you all can't wait to see them! Also expect some exciting zapping news coming next week... Anyway, have a fair bit to blog about today. Thanks for all the comments and messages welcoming me back. Lord knows what you will all do when I am in Florida for two weeks!! On with the post...
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THE REMNANTS OF 2006 RETURN (HOPEFULLY)
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There were a plethora of acts I hoped would make it in 2006. And some did - The Feeling, Mohair, Lily Allen and some had a good bash - the upper room, lorraine, modern room who still all may continue in one form or another. But some acts I championed last year didn't make it or really didn't get the success I felt they deserved in the UK. Let's take a look at 5 acts (some of whom had varying success elsewhere around the globe) that i'm hoping will hit the UK charts this year, with my ideas for their first four singles if starting again and where you can find their music...
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Panic! At The Disco ~ they're a bit of a freak of nature really aren't they? All goth make up, mormon upbringings, circus like showmanship and videos that seem inspired by Moulin Rouge meets Nightmare Before Christmas. Their debut album is jam packed with gloriously OTT singalong anthems that have a healthy dollop of cabaret mixed in with their love of synth. Why Fall Out Boy got all the attention is an unfair mystery waiting to be solved.
First Four Singles: I Write Sins; Lying Is The Most Fun; The Only Difference; But It's Better
Where to hear them: Their official site...
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Stefy ~ remember when Gwen Stefani used to crank out power pop anthems with No Doubt that were totally fun and poppy? You know - Just A Girl, Spiderwebs, etc? Well she still does only not as Gwen Stefani - as Stefy who couldn't have cloned No Doubt more if they tried. And they probably did, yet their style and songs are utterly addictive and fun and popjustice love them so they will probably do bugger all over here tragically, but one can hope.
First Four Singles: Chelsea; Hey Schoolboy; Orange County (so Vitamin C!); You And Me...
Where to hear them: Their myspace site...
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The Click Five ~ What can i really say about these boys that hasn't already been said before? They so could rival McFly here yet don't thanks to bad promotion... knock out some of their power pop tracks as singles here, get them on the music stations and make them pal up with Sam and Mark on BBC1 on a saturday morning and they've got it made! Plus, loving the fact that Time Machine is being used by Disney to advertise Orlando!
First Four Singles: Pop Princess; Just The Girl; Catch Your Wave; Time Machine
Where to hear them: their official homepage...
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Alexis Strum ~ will the Lex ever make it big in England or has her time passed? Maybe she should get her ass down to the next X Factor auditions, that way she could have at least one single before fading into unfair obscurity. She's the next Nerina Pallot waiting to happen - may never be huge, but certainly deserves some success for her darling tunes. I do judge her a bit for liking Perez Hilton though...
First Four Singles: Bad Haircut; The Long Way Home; Nothing Good About This Goodbye; I'll See You This Christmas
Where to hear them: her myspace site...
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The Bishops ~ the college boys McFly (though why college boys wouldn't adore those rogues is quite simply unthinkable!) with their beatles for the new millenium schtick, these boys are making waves around the world but more importantly making insanely catchy guitar pop tunes that deserve a much wider platform. Launch them properly with a single and a video that didn't cost £10 to make and they may be onto a winner... First Four Singles: Menace About Town; Only Place To Look; Higher Now; Breakaway
Where to hear them: their myspace site...
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THE TRACKS I LIKE AND WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
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D:Vided ~ a take that/westlife/boyband tribute act who for some reason I find rather brillo - if I had the cash I would so book them for my birthday party in may. Are you listening to this, dazpresent? Plus at least two of them are quite good looking. And at least they are not pretending to emulate a boyband - they just go right ahead and copy. Check out their myspace...
Mika ~ Ring Ring is a bonus track on his debut album Life in Cartoon Motion and is a bit rockier than most of his other songs. Download it here thanks to My Dirty Lies oh and check out Hips Don't Lie from BBC Live Lounge... i love that he cracks up halfway thru!
Hayden Pantierre ~ I Still Believe is taken from Cinderella 3 and is your usual Disney type swaying ballad. Which i love so its all good - plus she is from Heroes so she gets bonus points. Download it via Jessica's poptastic site :)
Hilary Duff ~ With Love is a rather funky pop track proving that she and Ashley Tisdale are bring forth some great pop from the US. Check out this download at Jessica again!
Lily Allen - mark ronson has done an amazing remix of smile, all muted 60s horns which up the already high charm factor of the song by about a million. Just lovely. Check it out on Mark Ronson's myspace page.
The Ark ~ I belatedly got into these swedish boys last year, and have been excited to hear their new single - and it doesn't disappoint! Hurrah, etc. You can check it out here thanks to the fine folks at HomoEclectic
Girls Aloud vs Sugababes ~ hmmm, its for charity so it's all good but this may have to grow on me much like the initially disappointing Easy and Something Kinda Ooh did. You can sample it in all it's not yet very impressive glory here thanks to Denmarkknight at the music wave forums.
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Remember folks to support the artists by buying their music too :)
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THE MUSICALS REVUE PART THREE - HAIRSPRAY
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While the 2002 cast recording features Deborah Gibson's pal Janet Marissa Winokur, it's slightly more exciting that the current broadway cast of this totally fun show features my American Idol fave Diana DeGarmo (in a role she was born to play!) and desperado Ashley Parker Angel from O-Town fame! Hurrah! Who says reality tv kills your career (oh. Jade!). It's certainly a peppy, upbeat show with totally catchy soundtrack about a young girl who longs to dance on American Bandstand but doesn't fit that "typical teenager mould" - and is further stunned that white people can't dance with african americans :O An issues based musical can sometimes be a drag but never here. From the very peppy opening number Good Morning Baltimore to the stunning finale You Can't Stop The Beat, this is a winner all the way through and utterly delicious. Can't wait for the movie remake later this year :)
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LINK: Purchase Hairspray the soundtrack
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THE TIME OF THE MONTH (PART TWO):
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Ahhh, more magazines coming my way :) Marv. Above is some random italian fashion magazine I picked up and was rather pleased to find some piccies of Wentworth Miller snuggled away inside. Bellissimo. Talking of italy - when is Pinkie back? PS note to stylist - the faux tuck is so over!
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AXM tends to skew a little young for me, but you can always rely on the gay mag to be stuffed with pop fashion and hunky men, and really what else do you need from a magazine. Oh don't give me that "i buy it for the articles" nonsense... ;)
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And having been my favourite magazine for many years now, my $99 a year subscription to Entertainment Weekly continues to be utterly marv, especially when it has JT on the cover (though their Grey's Anatomy entertainers of the year cover was much more RAR). Sigh, that is it til next month then :(
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Coming this weekend ~ a MAMMOTH 11 to watch in 2007 update; more musical revues; some alternative bands to watch; and some nonsense about rubbish awards... plus some other stuff too :) Be there dudes!

3 Comments:

  1. xolondon said...
    Entertainment Weekly is almost as expensive here!

    A few other comments:

    I think Alexis has truly left the business in terms of being an artist. I bet she'll still write though.

    Panis is on the cover of the new Rolling Stone, so you may be onto something there.

    I SO want to know what magazine you are to appear in! I knew you when... err sort of!
    Anonymous said...
    Hey! I'm more of a lurker of your blog, but it's the first time I've posted a comment. :)

    P!@tD is huge on the college circuit here in the US...but Fall Out Boy is still bigger. I totally agree with you -- with is that? Anyway, I love their song "Time to Dance"...their lyrics are just so original and random. Love it. :)

    Unfortunately, I haven't heard of the rest of your picks... ::scurries off to check them out::
    Paul said...
    i love that term lurker!! haha - glad you like the blog :) I knew P!ATD were huge stateside college wise, i just wish some of that glamour and pomp would make it over here. they actually are a great pop band!

    XO! I could pay $200 and have it airmail but as darren says i'm too tight ;) And i so owe you a lengthy email! And J'Ason! And Dan! Sheesh!

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