Tuesday, July 25, 2006
The Middle Of Nowhere
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 It's that time of year again (sort of)! It's time for the IAR Half-Time Score for 2006! Indeed, we may very well be in the later stages of the 7th month, but it's certainly better late than never, yes?
Let's take a look at what's been floating my musical boat for the last 7 months by starting with my top 20 singles so far...
01. Alesha - Lipstick
Former Mis-Teeq starlet Alesha Dickson's (pictured, left) first solo attempt is an absolute corker. Mind you, it took me a good 2 weeks before I would even listen to it a third time. In fact, the first two listens had me convinced that everyone raving on about it had gone completely insane and/or tone deaf. Obviously I was a tiny bit wrong, because this is absolutely the most poptasticly brilliant song to see the light of day this year. The chorus is ridiculously ace, fiery and full of spark. Bravo Miss Dickson!
02. Scissor Sisters - Don't Feel Like Dancing
I was a bit wary whether I should include this or not, what with it only leaking in full about 2 days ago. But then I decided that it was just too damn good and, therefore, had a rightfull place on my mid-year chart. It's a little bit Disco-Elton, it's a little bit Alf-Theme, it's a little bit camp, and it's a whole lotta brilliant. The Scissor Sisters are back in absolute fine form. Thank heavens for that.
03. Nelly Furtado - Maneater
This is just such a solid track, a far cry from her last album (which was absolutely stunning) "Folklore", which managed to attract little to none of the publics attention. In comes Nelly Furtado for 2006, all set with urban beats, a bit of Timbaland and a whole new attitude. "Maneater" should probably be up the top of the chart to be honest, and I'm guessing, when I do the final round up in December, she will be, but until then she'll have to settle for Number #4 because I'm getting a little bit bored of it now, and anyway, Alesha's been exciting me to no end.
04. Justin Timberlake - Sexy/Back
How convenient it is that Justin is now single, and in perfect timing for the relaunch of his solo career! Poor Cameron. She must be completely devastated to have lost one of the most sexually arousing men in the history of pop music... and for what? All in order to sell a few more units. Not that I feel sorry for the bitch, she had him for quite long enough thanks. Here, JT decides to recreate Prince's "Black Sweat" but, you know, does a better job of it. Timbaland also joins in on the fun for this seductive little number, which makes me want to do nothing more than gyrate on a dancefloor with the man of my dreams. Indeed.
05. Madonna - Get Together
Madge has copped a LOT of flack for this single. People just haven't taken a shining to it as the first two singles from "Confessions...", which is a shame, because this is one of her finest moments to date. Heavily borrowing it's construction from the massive French House sound which was so massive in the mid to late 90's, this is Madonna in one of her most dancetastic moments since "Into The Groove". It's nice, it's lush, it screams Summer... Perfect.
06. Robbie Williams - Rudebox
Robbie Williams in electro-rap-shocker. This is brilliant, even if Rob's rapping isn't exactly up to scratch. It manages to take off where Justin's "Sexy/Back" finishes, with a lot of filtered bleeps, bops and basslines. Reminiscent to the 80's sounds of the brilliant Debbie Deb, this is just... weird. It's bold, it's different and it's a bloody nose-bleedingly-good dance number. Hurrah for that.
07. Midnight Juggernauts - Tombstone/Shadows
I saw this Aussie act a few months back, they were supporting Annie during her live shows in Melbourne. Their stunning E.P. "Secrets Of The Universe" contains 6 fine musical ventures, including the two ace singles "Tombstone" and "Shadows". Taking electro and techno sounds, fusing them with guitars and a vocoder or two, it's nice to see someone from home making downright killer electro-rock.
08. Van She - Kelly
More homegrown talent now, again another Annie support act, this time from her DJ set tour in the earlier months of this year. The minute I became exposed to Van She, I fell instantly in love. Their first single "Kelly" is an 80's-in-the-Naughties-pop-blow-out that, quite frankly, is probably one of the finest moments in pop this country has ever seen. Outstanding.
09. Paris Hilton - Stars Are Blind
When I'm asked to describe this Hilton moment to people who have not yet had the joy of hearing it, I simply tell them it is like Gwen Stefani with a bad case of laryngitis, covering UB40's "Kingston Town". Which therefore makes it brilliant.
10. Dannii Minogue - So Under Pressure
I've made it no secret at all that I slightly prefer my Minogue sisters to be named Dannii, and this is a prime example why. Dannii did the Synth-loving-80's (Neon Nights) before it was cool to do so, and now she's sending out quite the nod to early 90's house music. Always ahead of her time she is. Either that or she's REALLY behind. I'm not quite sure how to look at it actually.
...and the rest:
11. Lily Allen - LDN
12. Nelly Furtado - Promiscuous
13. McFLY - Don't Stop Me Now/Please Please
14. Girls Aloud - Whole Lotta History
15. The Pipettes - Pull Shapes
16. Paul Oakenfold feat. Brittany Murphy - Faster Kill Pussycat
17. Madonna - Sorry
18. Lillix - Sweet Temptation
19. Muse - Supermassive Black Hole
20. Annie - The Crush
And in case you were wondering which albums are the faves so far for 2006, they include (in no particular order): Lily Allen - Alright Still, Pet Shop Boys - Fundamentalism, Nelly Furtado - Loose, Madonna - I'm Going To Tell You A Secret (just listen to the arrangement of "Mother & Father" and you'll understand why), West End Girls - Goes Petshopping, The Pipettes - We Are The Pipettes, Dannii Minogue - The Hits & Beyond, P!NK's I'm Not Dead, Muse - Black Holes & Revelations, and Keane - Under The Iron Sea, just to name a few (or ten, to be precise).
So there you have it.
3 Comments:
- 11:34 AM | Woodsman said...
Whilst i am loving your new look mr imalwaysright I cannot condone your love for Robbie's piece of rubbish of a new single - worst.song.evs. Everytime i walk past my secretary's desk it is playing (on Fox - game over) and it makes me want to have a complete spaz attack.
I hearted Robbie so when we were living our life through a lens but since dropping his songwriter he has sucked bollocks.
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- 11:40 AM | im-always-right.com said...
You know what, I can understand why you and many others don't like it. But, for some reason, It seems to do it for me. That said, I'm with you on missing Mr Chambers.
Now, Mr Woodsman, are you filled with hatred whenever you hear "Hips Don't Lie"??
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