This Year's Christmas Playlist

I've been as lazy has hell compared to my other blogger friends when it comes to Christmas-themed posts so I guess I'll just sum everything up into one convenient post with 10 songs. Sound good? Let's start.


Let's set the record straight on what Christmas songs are though before I start.

There are the carols - the songs everyone knows and everyone covers but few get right. Then there are the pop songs written for Christmas - the melodies are built around carols and sometimes even the arrangements are but most of the time they're given pop arrangements. Pop Christmas songs are not pop songs with Christmas-themed lyrics. I repeat, POP CHRISTMAS SONGS ARE NOT POP SONGS WITH CHRISTMAS-THEMED LYRICS. I hate it when that happens, the songs have to SOUND like Christmas whether it be the melody or the arrangement.

When it comes to my Christmas songs I'm very, VERY picky - I like my carols with classic arrangements and I like my festive pop festive, none of that experimental crap. However if the experimenting is done well, I don't have a problem - I just really hate it when people start murdering Christmas songs. And which is why I draw a line between pop and not pop if Christmas songs are the matter because I hate it when the two get improperly mixed together.

So here are 10 (commercial) Christmas songs that one, really sound like Christmas to me and two, are just brilliant songs/versions/arrangements.

1. Carrie Underwood - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
I like the song itself as a carol but I like this arrangement in particular - it's got to be one of my personal favorite arrangements of Hark!. The gorgeous piano part and the REAL drums really make a difference. And one of the main reasons why I chose this arrangement is because Carrie doesn't murder the song (unlike a certain Mariah Carey who murdered Oh Holy Night) and her vocals are just gorgeous. Heck, it sounds like Christmas through and through! Hands-down one of the best arrangements of the classic.

2. Britt Nicole - Last Christmas
I know you guys will kill me for saying this but I have to - Last Christmas is one of the cheesiest, corniest festive songs EVER, I can't stand it. So why include it at all? Because Britt Nicole has managed to find/make an arrangement that actually makes it sound somewhere near good. I like her vocals (always have), I like how they changed up the arrangement and made it a little more tasteful and it's got all the elements of a standard pop Christmas song so it passes.

3. DBSK - The First Noel
You must be saying "WHAT? DBSK has a CHRISTMAS album?" because I was too when I first found out. But before we get to their version, let's talk about the song first. The First Noel is personally one of my favorite carols EVER, beside a few other staples, so I won't just settle for a run-of-the-mill version with a super pop-y arrangement (I'm talking to you, *NSYNC.) - I want a damn good one. Then there's the fact that I like boybands doing Christmas songs. I do, a lot. I like the a capella lines and I like everything about them doing Christmas songs.

This arrangement of The First Noel has a gorgeous instrumental - the violins, the bells, everything is just beautiful. Although the Carrie Underwood arrangement is a close second, I'd have to go with the DBSK one. Then the vocals are spot-on, there's little screaming and the harmonies sound great if you listen to them as a whole but even better individually (although, I like the *NSYNC harmonies better, it's just that the arrangement is bleh). Gorgeous.

4. Varsity Fanclub - It's Christmas Again
I'd rather all these bands do what Varsity Fanclub has done than bastardize all these beautiful carols with crap-ly-executed pop arrangements and excessive vocals. There's a certain kind of song you can do that to but NOT and I repeat NOT to carols. Not only have they done that, they've managed to make it sound like Christmas - the bells and the melody are the main reasons. But I actually like the bells on this song in particular - they're especially Christmas-y. And the way they made it like a pop song without losing that festive thing is just brilliant. You can't listen to this any other time.

5. BoA - 12월 27일
Although on songs like this BoA's vocals tend to be annoying and she's not particularly my favorite singer, this song has sort of become my anthem this year. It's a gorgeous, gorgeous waltz (3/4 time signature - waltz.) with a string section and all but I love how it sounds like a Christmas song but doesn't sound like a Christmas song. There are times when the string section sounds like every other pop Christmas song but then suddenly out of nowhere it turns into something straight off The Corrs' repertoire - that's when I go like WHOA. The melody is a giveaway that it's Christmas and the lyrics (at least the ones I can understand) are even more obvious but I like how it's not in-your-face Christmas.

6. *NSYNC - O Holy Night
You can't have a Christmas post and leave out this song, you simply can't. This a capella arrangement has been used by a ton of other boybands after *NSYNC (including my beloved DBSK when they debuted) and so I think this version deserves a mention. A lot of their other Christmas arrangements are too pop-ized for my taste - this is probably the one that sounds the most festive of them all. The harmonies are beautiful and I mean STUNNING, if there's one thing these guys know how to do it's make the best harmonies. Throughout the song the harmonies are not only gorgeous but really well-executed - they're very tight and it sounds brilliant.

7. SM Town 2006 - Snow Dream
There was a time earlier this month when I couldn't get enough of this song - it's catchy, it's pop and heck, it sounds like Christmas. It may be in Korean and it may sound like an American pop Christmas song but isn't that the point? The bells, the arrangement and the vocals - they threw all the best SM vocalists into one gigantic pot, mixed it together and gave the crap singers like 5 seconds singing time. My ears are in heaven.

And this kinda also reflects what kpop is - you can't not have a rap part, it's criminal. LOL. But really, this is what the genre is and has been for quite a while now so to put it in a Christmas song is pretty ingenious.

8. Libera - O Come All Ye Faithful
Choral music is MY turf, my grandmother formed one of the most influential children's choirs in the country, so when it comes to choirs I know my stuff - sometimes even better than I know pop. But that also means that my standards are much, MUCH higher. O Come All Ye Faithful also happens to be probably by favorite carol - I love how epic the song can get but only if you want it to be.

Libera are to a certain extent commercial but they're to a certain extent not commercial - they're pretty good either way. I've heard better choirs than them but they're a little more well-known so why not.

In choral music less instruments is more - vocals have to take center stage. To a certain extent that's good because then you don't have to worry about the instrumentals not sounding like Christmas, just use a simple piano arrangement and it'll sound great. That is if the choirs is good. I like their harmonies at the end and I like how the vocals are very light - usually if a choir's to sing this song they'll just explode and keep pushing at the end. Solid effort.

9. Aly & AJ - Greatest Time of the Year
There are your usual pop festive songs and then there are Disney festive songs - about 60% of the Disney festive songs scream CHRISTMAS and this is one of them. How this can sound like both a festive song and an advertisement is beyond me. But then again a lot of festive ad campaigns have unmistakably Christmas-y songs so they work.

The instrumental complements the melody and the bells very well, surprisingly. And it's not like other supposedly pop/rock Christmas songs that sound more pop/rock - it is what it is and it's a Christmas song. It ends great though - the middle 8, the break-down and the explosion at the last chorus is brilliant.

10. Girls Aloud - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday
Girls Aloud do Christmas. Yay. The now classic Christmas EP boasts of some really great pop masterpieces and some of them really do sound apt for the season but this one on particular gets me every time. It's truly Girls Aloud do Christmas - it sounds like Girls Aloud and it sounds like Christmas. I think the vocals are a little iff-y and lack emotion (don't clobber me!), could be better, but the instrumental is brilliant - it's exactly how I imagined a GA song mixed with a carol to be like.

Best of 2009: January #4 - #1

And who came out victorious in January? Find out for yourself after the jump.

#4: Varsity Fanclub - When You Were Mine

When You Were Mine was one of the songs leaked just before the supposed January release date of Varsity Fanclub album. After the album was delayed, the band experience the exit of a member and still no album release. Ho hum. The song is very 'American' if I were to describe it and the only downside of this number is the way too long intro. Other than that, brilliant song, brilliant band - GET THE DAMN ALBUM OUT ALREADY! All these American boybands are so lazy. Hahah.

#3: V Factory - Love Struck

And the American boybands keep it coming. Love Struck was a favorite among the blogs this year and I personally adore the damn song. Actually, it sounds like something that would work in kpop if they sped it up and added a complicated dance routine. Great melody albeit the slightly boring instrumental but I do think that V Factory have good, solid vocals. Not like NLT who I think have the best vocals of the pack but good enough.

#2: Spectacular Cast - Everything Can Change

(See my review of the Spectacular! Soundtrack)

I know Paul is gonna love me for putting this in but it is also thanks to his constant gushing over Spectacular earlier this year that I just HAD to give it a try. LOVED it. Hahah. Everything Can Change was the song that I honestly really listened to for days after I reviewed the album and just couldn't get enough of no matter how hard I tried. I forgot about it over the course of my earlier kpop addiction but gosh, this is a brilliant, BRILLIANT song. Hahah. Nickelodeon knows how to make a good soundtrack! Hahah.

And my favorite song from January is?!?!

#1: Lucie Silvas - Fall For Something Real

(See my initial review of the song)

Lucie Silvas has one of those voices that I just can't stop listening to no matter how crap the song is. Thankfully for my ears though, the girl puts out some of the most brilliant songs - this is no exception. Very soulful and the melody carries the entire thing but the guitar part is very cool and the emphasis on the drums adds another dimension to the song. What the crap has happened to her since this? Can't seem to find anything.

Looking Ahead Part 2...

So it's May - four months of 2009 are done and over with. We got a few album releases and things have been quite slow these past few weeks but hopefully everything will go back into full swing soon enough. Who knows, we might get some albums in the coming weeks!

• From what I'm getting, Mitchel Musso is set to release a debut album 'sometime in the future'. I love Speed Dial, think it sounds like a Teddy Geiger song so I'll be looking forward to this.
• The BSB albummmmmmmm! From the demos we've been getting these past few days it seems really, really, good. Not only do they have Max Martin behind the whole thing(I assume he's working on at least most of the stuff...), the songs coming out just blow off all the competition. NLT, V Factory and Varsity - you're in for a lot of competition.
• Speaking of the new boybands, when will that Varsity Fanclub album ever come out? If they keep on pushing back the release date, we're gonna get bored of them and when we finally hear it we'll be unimpressed 'coz we've heard all their 'unreleased tracks'.
• Esmee Denters has really impressed me so far and she's only got one song out. She's out there somewhere recording so if we don't get an album from her by the first quarter of next year(that's my ultimatum), it's safe to say she's gone the Gia Farrell way. Amazing voice, great song - what more can I ask for? hahah.
• Nick Lachey seems to be planning a 'comeback'. Patience was disgusting but All In My Head redeemed the whole thing for me - at least now I'll try listening to the album when it comes out. I still have mixed feelings about this whole thing, mainly because I just can't stand his crappy Patience cover. Does he really think he can fool everyone by coming out with a cover of a gigantic hit from a British boyband? NO! hahah.
• I kinda got sick of the Ashley Tisdale song - that's bad. It's kinda like Just Dance, you listen to it more than a few times and it'll spill out of your ears like there's no tomorrow. There is already a tracklisting for Guilty Pleasure however.
• The biggest surprise of this year was the new Click Five song - I love it. Now if they don't push through with this style I'm going to track Eric Dill down, threaten him to go back to the Click Five and force the band to make another album like Greetings From Imrie House. Their lame 'we want to be FOB/Panic! At the Disco' thing is not working and it never will, no matter how hard they try.
• Leighton Meester signed a record deal a few weeks back. I so wanna know what she's gonna do - I'm curios. hahah. I do love that song she did the band though(Birthday?) - brilliance.
• Savannah Outen's album is definitely on my 'greatest expectations for 2009' list - the girl is fantastic. Take that Miley Cyrus and everyone else who Disney 'discovered' to replace you!(*ahem* Demi Lovato *ahem* Selena Gomez *ahem*)
• Mandy Moore's new album is shaping up to be somewhat brilliant - I Could Break Your Heart Any Day Of The Week(phew! that was a loooooong title.) was great. Wasn't a big fan of the other full songs that leaked though. Still, the album will get a listen from me, that's for sure.
• Pixie Lott! We're getting major progress with her - Mama Do has a music video and I assume the single will be out in due time plus she's supporting The Saturdays so that has to count for something. I do hope the rest of her album is just as brilliant as everything we've heard so far - I don't want to hear a disappointing album in a few months.

So there you have it. As much as I say nothing's happening, this might be an indication that the best is indeed yet to come. If I missed anything note-worthy, tell me! hahah.

New stuff from Varsity Fanclub.. + BRILLIANCE.

Excuse the rather slow pace of posting - I'm hooked on Rain and everything about him at the moment that it's practically all I do the whole day.

So anyway, they've got two new songs which actually have quite similar elements because - wait for it, one of them's a RedOne song(at least I'm sure it is..) and they've both got that RedOne sound.

I was wondering where these guys were...

Piece of Me starts out with an a capella section I quite enjoyed before launching into a techno/RedOne loop and the melody of the verse seriously blows me away. I have my favorite Varsity songs and this is not one of them but it's a pretty solid track - possible single if I was to call the shots(although now that I'm listening to it more, it sounds a lot more like Jada's American Cowboy.. hmm.).

2.6/5

We Will has a similar a capella thing at the start, although slower and it's rock-er and not as strong as the other tracks I think.

But something else kinda overshadowed the so-so Varsity songs.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Seriously - I've been waiting for this since like forever and it certainly hasn't disappointed. This girl really does have everything she needs to succeed - a record label, a fan base and a heck of a lot of talent. Plus the fact that this song is outright brilliant.

I've talked about her before and I've always had good things to say about her so this is no different. I stand by the fact that I'm anticipating her album the most this year. More than JoJo, Rain, Aly&AJ and even friggin' Westlife - mainly because I want to hear what the crap she's gonna do with all these amazing songs and her mind-blowing voice.

5/5!!!!!

Some random reviews...

These are the songs I like and want to talk about now but don't have enough to say about yet to be able to make full-length reviews..

Varsity Fanclub - You'll Be Okay

Listening over to the Varsity Fanclub songs I have, I noticed that after maybe one listen, their songs go right through me. I listen to them once and I think they're brilliant but I listen again and there's nothing special about the songs anymore.

That applies to all but this song. It's got all the elements of a typical R&B song while having all the elements a Varsity Fanclub song possesses - the elements are similar to another VF song and the melody is gorgeous.

Rating: 4/5

Pixie Lott - What You Do

This girl just keeps those brilliant songs coming, doesn't she? This song comes as a free download if you sign up on her official website and may I just say that it's possibly the most brilliant pop song I've heard all year.

It feels like all her other songs, it's got the Pixie Lott signature but the melody somehow reminds me of a Motown song. It's gorgeous and spunky, it's soft but it has kick and she reminds me of a certain British singer who was one of a select few who were able to break the US - Natasha Bedingfield. If Pixie can at least match Natasha's success, I'd be one happy blogger.

Rating: 5/5!

The Pussycat Dolls, A.R. Rahman and Nicole Scherzinger - Jai Ho!(You Are My Destiny)

According to Last.fm, my most played song last week was this American attempt at a perfectly good Indian song on the soundtrack of a perfectly OK movie. I'll admit it, I kind of like the melody of the first two lines of the chorus but what irritates me is the way they say Jai Ho - they make it sound like Jay Ho.

I think it's definitely one of the better songs they've recorded(I have a few guilty pleasures from these girls.. but that's for me to know and you to find out..).

Rating: 4/5

Rain - Fresh Woman

I've developed a liking for this guy - he may seem like an Usher copycat but what sets him apart from the rest is that one, he sings in Korean not English and he actually does the R&B thing pretty well.

Apart from the strange title, the song's actually very good. It's got groove, it makes you want to bop your head or tap your toes and it's got a gorgeous melody. I've noticed that what most artists forget to put in when they TRY make songs like this is an actual melody, the element that makes the song an actual song. This not only has a melody, it's got a structure.

Rating: 4.5/5

Natasha Bedingfield - Again

Again is one of those signature epic Natasha Bedingfield ballad - ala I Bruise Easily and Soulmate. If you've never heard a ballad from Natasha, you'll be surprised at how well she sings those fun, funky tracks and these sad/empowering ballads.

That's why I love her so much.

She can do fun and spunky but she can also do epic, serious and be a show-off with her voice. In other words, she's versatile. Plus the fact that her songs are brilliant.

Rating: 5/5

Promo?

Think my one-off 'Spur of the moment, short reviews' post, only with stuff people have sent in. These are the new artists and stuff that people have sent to me and surprisingly, I've loved all of them! haha. Poppy goodness.

Believe me when I say that I know almost absolutely nothing about British bands because it's true. Heck, I haven't even heard a single album from Keane or bands like that, let alone an Oasis album or something. One day I got sent a link for this band called The Days(who're so unknown they don't even have a wiki entry yet! I checked!) and I loved it, it sounds so Brit(at least the Brit I've heard.) and it's fun but not like the Ting Tings(The Ting Tings are in a league of their own, they're annoyingly awesome!), they're not annoying but they're pretty awesome! You can check their myspace out here, and don't forget to buy the single, I recommend it! haha.

We go from Britain to Canada, with this new song by Andi. I've seen her song all over the place but I never really bothered to listen to it until I got sent the song and believe me, the first time I heard it I was amazed. Good Morning Sun is an even poppier She&Him song and she sounds like a lighter Feist. It's catchy though, really catchy. If this is where pop is going, then I sure as hell hope the industry doesn't die before artists and songs like this finally get the attention they deserve. You can head over to her myspace here and watch the video below(it's err... cute.).. Me want more!

In other music news, I've been told that the new Radio Disney Jams is out(they're at volume 11!) and yes, a boyband has made it into the compilation! haha. Varsity Fanclub's Future Love is on the album, which is apparently out now!

And something that I just discovered a while ago, The Cheetah Girls have apparently split up. WHY am I always the last person to know these things? Shame, TCG was an amazing album full of pop/R&B confections..

4 boybands today.

Boybands come and go, members leave and teenage girls grow up. Longevity in the boyband world is reserved only for an elite group, and even those bands aren't as popular as they were when they started out. New boybands are sprouting out from everywhere and now the US is getting back into the boyband market.

We all know that the world of boybands is a never ending cycle of line-up changes, hit singles and formulas left and right for every genre possible so which new boybands are currently nestled atop the throne of boyband royalty? Here's a lowdown on who to watch out for in the coming months and even years.

1. If you don't know about NLT yet then you must be hiding under a pretty huge rock. They were really hyped up early last year for working with Timbaland and all the superstar producers of today. They've got a bunch of amazing melodies out, but I think it's nothing we haven't heard before, there's nothing that really separates them from the other boybands right now or even R&B solo artists.

They're like the NSYNC of this generation, very R&B, very complicated dance routines and sort of vocally they're kinda like them. As far as I know, they have two singles out and their album is due this year. It better come or else they'll have to face a very angry blogger!

2. If you're looking for something a little less NLT-ish, then check V Factory out. Their debut single was written by none other than the amazing Darin so you've got some Swedish stuff mixed in as well and we all know how amazing Swedish pop songs are.

They released an EP earlier last year and it was amazing. You had three songs that were all really single-worthy, in my opinion.

3. Like Lady GaGa? Check Varsity Fanclub out. The first song was produced by the same team that did Lady GaGa's Just Dance and Darin's current album, the amazing RedOne. *worships*

Brilliance. So two days ago, it was announced that their album is to be pushed back a FEW MONTHS. Here I was thinking that they're probably the most productive of all the current boybands but noooooo. It might not be the chart domination that we're all hoping for(most boyband debuts aren't but you never know, they might just channel some Westlife success!), but we can at least expect some amazing songs!

4. Now the only new UK boyband(If you know of any that I don't know of, tell me!!! Wait. I forgot Avenue! NOOOOOO!) at the moment is JLS. Straight off the X Factor, they already have a contract from Simon and Louis Walsh(yes, THE Louis Walsh of Westlife and Boyzone managing fame..) wants to manage them. Let's just put it this way, when the two guys responsible for the most successful boyband in the world want to back your band, then you're pretty special.

So with Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell behind them, these guys are assured a chart domination. If they don't get a number one with their first single, it'll most probably hit the top ten or five, it's a given. I've said this many times before, but the British public doesn't even have to like them, they'll still sell millions.

The A Capella showdown

I somehow gauge how good a boyband is by looking at their a capella performances because it's very common in boybands that they're able to sing a capella in three to five parts.

So which country produces better boybands in terms of a capella work? This is UK boybands VS. US boybands!

Note: These are boybands that if inactive have produced more than two singles and at least one album. If they're active, then there's no requirement. haha.

The US Boybands..

So BSB are kind of the ultimate US boyband, along with NSYNC. As far as I know, they never recorded anything a capella apart from the tracks that they stripped the instrumental of so I got digging for some live stuff and I came across this:

They're good, but the vocals are a bit weak for me, when someone takes lead that someone has these strong vocals but the people backing him are either not blended well or have really weak voices.

Now since I got a live BSB track, that automatically bans me from judging NSYNC by their recording of O Holy Night in A Capella. Luckily, I found a live performance of it! YAY!

I think NSYNC are definitely better than BSB judging by this, there's more power to their vocals and it's more convincing for me. It sounds amazing as well, they're voices work better together than BSB, if I may say so.

Let's move over to the new boybands of the US, shall we? Mainly because I can't find any live KNOTB or 98 Degrees a capella stuff. If you guys find any though, let me know!

Now Day26 are a fairly new boyband but when I heard this performance, let's just say I'll be listening to their album a heck of a lot more than I already do.

They're gooooooood. Out of all the new boybands right now, I have to say, they're the best a capella-wise.

NLT may have the amazing, mind-blowing melodies but they're not up to par with Day26. I don't know if it's just because they're missing a fifth harmony or if their voices aren't really that strong together. Think BSB of now, that's the best description.

Now V Factory are in between Day26 and NLT in terms of vocals, they're better than NLT but they're just a wee bit not as good as Day26, I think. Amazing song though, I've never heard it before!

Varsity Fanclub however, are just that bit better than V Factory, I think. Better, more distinct and powerful voices and they most definitely blend much better than V Factory. I still love them all though!

So let's go over to my specialty, the UK boybands!

We HAVE to kick it off with Westlife, we just HAVE TO! I've said time and time again that Westlife cannot be beaten in terms of a capella o below is a very popular fan vid of a capella clips of the lads.

Now do you see why Westlife rock so much? The power and the way their voices blend is sheer brilliance people! BRILLIANCE.

A1 were around when Westlife started, and they were nominated for the same award once(The Smash Hits Best New Tour Act.., Westlife won, duh.) and I think A1 are pretty close to Westlife in terms of vocals.

It's a little too fast if you know the original recorded version but vocally they're goooooood.

Lemme just say it, Blue suck when it comes to a capella.

No soul, no power, nothing. They may have some amazing songs recorded but this was just horrible.

So at the moment, JLS are being tipped as the new Westlife, being mentored by Louis Walsh on the X Factor, plus the fact that they sang like two songs that Westlife covered. JLS are lightyears better than Blue though, if I may say so.

Amazing stuff. Still not as good as Westlife, but good enough! They're sort of between Blue and A1.

You guys DO NOT know how much I want to hear D-Side doing some serious five(or three..) part a capella! But I can't find any, so if you guys have seen ANYTHING whatsoever that resembles an a capella performance of them, TELL ME!!! haha.

So, based on the stuff I've collected(which took me about four hours..) and now shown you guys, which country produces the better boybands, the US or the UK? I know my answer..... haha.

New Music!

School's getting slightly less stressful now so lemme fill you guys in on what I've been listening to these past few days(and plus the fact that my last new music post was a disaster..).

• I just discovered a while ago that Stacie Orrico's (There's Gotta Be) More To Life was written by a girl called Lucy Woodward who apparently won an award for it. She also apparently recorded a version of it for the Japanese release of her album(which means it might have been on the album released in some other parts of Asia, including where I live! yay!) and I'm listening to it as I'm writing this. Vocally she's not as good a Stacie, I think the song sounds better sung by a smoother and more powerful voice like Stacie's and this version's a bit too lazy and rock-ish versus the very, very, VERY pop nature of Stacie's version, which I love to bits. Amazing song though, whoever sings it.(I'm listening to the Stacie version now, and I really love it heaps better than this one! haha.)
• I've heard Utada's new American song as well, Come Back To Me and I was surprised at what I heard! When I heard the pianos, I thought it would be more of a Flavor Of Live-ish ballad but it's nowhere near that. First and foremost, it's R&B which makes sense since it's for the US and right now the way into the market is R&B but somehow I still heard Utada in this song. Maybe it's because of her distinct voice or something like that but even if she is really a JPop artist and her Japanese songs are nowhere near this, it somehow still makes sense for her. The end though, sounds a lot like an Utada song(haha..). I love the verses and the chorus but I am a bit bothered by the talking(I always am, in any song, duh.). Still, amazing song and I'm curious about what the rest of her US album is going to sound like!
• So yesterday I had another chat with BeE(I always do.. haha.) and she told me about this song by Keke Palmer called Bottoms Up. She thought it was a remix of the track of the same name on her debut album but I listened to the album track then this track in question and they were nowhere near each other. I later found out that it was the theme song for some kind of movie or TV show. I love the song, the melody's amazing! Wanna hear the song? Head on over to Pop Nation!
• I don't know if I said this already but I have once again predicted a post-album single, this time for Jesse McCartney! Yup, How Do You Sleep is the confirmed third single from Departure and with that comes a remix! There's a version with Ludacris in it and apart from the fact that the intro was cut short and there are these strange noises during the bridges, I kinda like this version. The rapping is for once not that annoying, it's tasteful, I love how it wasn't just put into the song without thought, the beat was measured and all, I love it! haha.
• Well, Popjustice has heard Kelly Clarkson's new single and they're saying it sounds a lot like Since You've Been Gone! In that case, I'm even more excited to hear the song itself! I hear it's premiering Wednesday next week in the US. Fingers crossed it's got an amazing melody!
• Speaking of Kelly Clarkson, I've been listening back to the singles off Breakaway and they were absolutely, undeniably GENIUS. The album could've just been made up of those five songs and it would still sell millions. That's what they are, amazing pop songs that'll forever be remembered by my generation. I definitely think Breakaway is one of the best mainstream pop albums the US has produced in the past nine years, Idol certainly didn't get this winner wrong.
• There's a new Varsity Fanclub song out. I so can't wait for the album, the two songs I've heard so far are absolutely AMAZING!!!! Melodically and everything, thank heaven's they're getting somewhere with the album release, it's coming out this month! Now all I want are the NLT, V Factory and WESTLIFE(AAAH!) albums and my year is half-complete! haha. Me freaking out, sorry.