Music

“The musical refrain climaxes in a prostitutes-on-poppers finale”

3 STARS

Digital Release: May 13, 2012

Physical Release: N/A

Keane - 'Strangeland': 5.2

Keane are one of many British outfits to befall the wrath of the media. Though unlike many, they didn’t even get passed their first album before the praise that lauded ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ turned them into a synonym of soaring sissy-rock; a wetter version of Coldplay.

Here's a brief round up of many (not all) things Matt Cardle over the past few months.

So the Letters album went Platinum a while ago and Matt has been touring Britain promoting it. The warm up tour took in the Highlands and Islands, culminating at the legendary Koko. I was there and his voice was as good as I'd ever heard it. He kicked off with a new version of the title track Letters that was half acoustic, half rocking out and it set the mood for the whole show where soaring falsetto interspersed some belting performances. He was thrilled when the audience sang along to what were still new songs, not yet released, and left the stage exclaiming "Thank you Koko. Best night of my life!"

“Tulisa sings with all the likeness of witnessing the un-anaesthetised vasectomy of a large fruit bat”

1 STAR

Digital Release: April 29, 2012

Physical Release: April 30, 2012

“Does everything possible to fortify The Ting Tings image. Unfortunately for them, it’s just not a very good one”

1 STAR

Digital Release: April 23, 2012

Physical Release: N/A

James Walsh has been a busy bee in recent times. It would take a long time to list everything the former Starsailor front man has been up to, but let's look at a few of the more interesting ones before he gets on and does another half dozen.

First he has an EP out and I can recommend giving it a listen. There is also the free track Man on the Hill to download from his website www.jameswalshmusic.com

Marina & The Diamonds - 'Electra Heart': 4.8

The last time avid chart trawlers saw Marina & The Diamonds, she was struggling to cling onto a Top 40 spot with the ill-fated and strangely aptly-titled ‘Oh No!’.

Due to overwhelming popular demand, the outstanding, award winning arena spectacular Walking with Dinosaurs is BACK! And for the first time, this astounding production will visit Belfast and Dublin in September.

Note: This is a personal rant. It is aimed squarely at the profiteers, not at artists or venues where artists perform.

Booking tickets for concerts has become a cross between a lottery and a game of 'fastest finger first' with events apparently selling out within minutes or hours of going on sale; and yet within minutes tickets appear on reselling sites or on Ebay. On the night, entire blocks of empty seats can be seen at some events. It's so annoying.

“Comes off as a Justin Timberlake B-side from ten years ago that was probably expensive to make but sounds disparagingly cheap”

1 STAR

Digital Release: March 9, 2012

Physical Release: March 26, 2012

“Because I’m an artist myself, I can be pretty selective on who I produce for and who I make beats for ... and really what I’m looking for is an amazing vocalist, somebody that can sing better than I can. And the other thing is somebody that’s willing to not try to make something that succeeds within the matrix of what pop music is now, but makes something that moves that matrix to where it is, and Justin was willing to take that leap with me.”