Fire and Rain

Going back 30 years now. From her 1971 album Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves here's Cher and her version of James Taylor's Fire and Rain.

You Might Think

Songs from film soundtracks make little impression on the charts nowadays. Take That's Love Love which featured on X Men: First Class being an example. Weezer have covered The Cars 1984 American hit You Might Think  for Cars 2 which is currently getting bad reviews in the USA. It's a pure carbon copy of the original and doesn't seem to be a single. The Cars have a new album, Move Like This, out at the moment so why not just put their original song on the soundtrack? Because the kids have never heard of The Cars of course. 

Here's The Cars and their  number 8 Billboard Hot 100 hit song from 1984. It got to number 88 in the UK.

Foster The People

Here's a song that's been on various charts around the world for a few months now and will chart in the UK this week. It's Foster The People and Pumped Up Kicks. At least one of the guys in the picture above is easy on the eye too! 

I Wanna Go

Britney's looking well once again in her new video for I Wanna Go the latest single from her Femme Fatale album . The swinging microphone is one of the best video images of 2011 since Kanye climbed up on that police car in his All Of The Lights video. It's a song that will sound great on her tour, mimed or not!

Soundgirl

New girl band Soundgirl samples Carl Simon's Why  on their second single.

The Ian Carey remix is pretty good too.

Kaboom

I went to see the v mental movie Kaboom this evening. It should win an award for best use of colour in a film. The cast are all gorgeous and Juno Temple, pictured above is the best thing in it. The lead character loves the band Explosions in the Sky and I smiled to myself thinking I know I am older when I heard of the band (my brother likes them) but I do not know one song from them.

Here's some music from the movie. This is Airiel and In Your Room 

Oh Land!

Oh Land seems to be releasing Sun Of A Gun as a single properly. I featured it on this blog a few months ago so here it is again because I think it is v super indeed.

yellow

Here's one more as heard on Popjustice posts. It's Yellow the newest song, ie this week's, from CocknBullKid. Her name is a word I think I'm using as much as favourite on this blog. She's not having hit singles but she's not giving up. Trooper!

Florrie

Back to pop! Here's Florrie and the v nice I Took A Little Something. Popjustice likes her too.

Update: I've now listened to this song three times and, yes that's right dear readers, I love it!

Vicci Martinez

Vicci Martinez is one of the contestants on the TV show The Voice. Here's her version of Jolene which is a new entry on the Billboard hot 100 at number 76 this week.

VaShawn

There were several songs that stood out for me last week but the one I kept listening to the most was VaShawn Mitchell's Nobody Greater. I think it is just a beautiful song. It reminds me of the crossover gospel R'nB' songs from the 1990's such as Mary Mary and Sounds Of Blackness. 

Strike Curious Poses Chart 20-6-2011

1(-): Nobody Greater - VaShawn Mitchell

2(-): Valentine - Jessie Ware & Sampha

3(-): Never Will Be Mine - Rye Rye Featuring Robyn 

4(-): Pieces Of Me - Ledisi

5(1): He Said - CocknBullKid & Clare Maguire

6(2): Hope There's Someone - Clare Maguire

7(4): Bounce - Calvin Harris Featuring Kelis

8(3): Another Language - Lamb 

9(5): Burning Up - Britney Spears

10(16): Take Me As I Am - Rumer

11(-): Rock Me - Melanie C

12(14): Best Thing I Never Had - Beyonce 

13(7): Carny - Pleasurekraft

14(11): Aphrodite - Kylie Minogue

15(8): Changed The Way You Kiss Me - Example

16(26): Homeboy - Eric Church

17(18): Super Bass - Nicki Minaj

18(17): Put Your Hands Up (If You feel Love) - Kylie Minogue

19(7): Touch Me - CocknBullKid & Gonzales

20(29):  Let Me Go - Maverick Sabre

21(9): Pearls- Sade

22(28): Can't Stay Young (Forever) - Bressie

23(15): Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) (Almighty Club Mix) - Katy Perry

24(-): Together You and I - Dolly Parton

25(20): Hush Hush - Alexis Jordan

26(10):  Bills, Bills, Bills - CocknBullKid & Eliza Doolittle

27(13): Beat of My drum - Nicola Roberts

28(21): Loud (Static Revenger Remix) - Stan Walker

29(12): I Don't Know - Lisa Hannigan

30(-): Pharaohs - SBTRKT Featuring Roses Gabor

Here's VaSahawn Mitchell and Nobody Greater

Cause I Know About My Love

On the fab website Hard Candy CocknBullKid recently choose 5 new London based music artists who she thinks are ones to watch out for. the link to her selection is here

One of the artists that she choose was Jessie Ware. The video for her v lovely song Valentine; a collaboration with Sampha, is below.

Rock Me

Two from Melanie C. The first is her new song  Rock Me.




and the second is the perfect pop that is Northern Star.

Homeboy

Eric Church's Homeboy is my favourite country song of 2011. It is currently at number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. There's a new video for the song.

Here it is.

Pop!

Super Bass has become one of Nicki Minaj's biggest hit singles. It is not her best but what is amazing is that the video (to date) has been viewed over 36,000,000 times on YouTube. Superstar! I'm sure the swimming pool scene helped that figure. She's more fun than Katy and Gaga combined. 

Nicki Minaj along with mostly new songs from CocknBullKid & Co, Clare Maguire, Britney, Lisa Hannigan, Maverick Sabre and Bressie were ones I've liked recently and all of their videos can be seen are on previous posts on this blog.

Strike Curious Poses Chart 13-6-2011

1(-): He Said - CocknBullKid & Clare Maguire
2(-): Hope There's Someone - Clare Maguire
3(1): Another Language - Lamb
4(4): Bounce - Calvin Harris featuring Kelis
5(-): Burning Up - Britney Spears
6(-): Touch Me - CocknBullKid & Gonzales
7(2): Carny  - Pleasurekraft
8(5): Changed The Way you Kiss Me - Example
9(7): Pearls - Sade
10(-): Bills, Bills, Bills - CocknBullKid & Eliza Doolittle

11(10): Aphrodite - Kylie Minogue
12(-): I Don't Know - Lisa Hannigan
13(3): Beat Of My Drum - Nicola Roberts
14(17): Best Thing I Never Had - Beyonce
15(15): Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) (Almighty Club Mix) - Katy Perry
16(28): Take Me As I Am - Rumer
17(14): Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) - Kylie Minogue
18(-): Super Bass - Nicki Minaj
19(9): Is It A Crime - Sade
20(20): Hush Hush - Alexis Jordan

21(8): Loud (Static Revenger Remix) - Stan Walker
22(6): Love Love Love - Avalanche City
23(11): Soldier Of Love - Sade
24(12): Finish Line (Freemasons Pegasus Club Mix) - Yasmin
25(19): Move Your Body - Beyonce
26(18): Homeboy - Eric Church
27(13): What A Feeling - Alex Gaudino featuring Kelly Rowland
28(-):Can't Stay Young (Forever) - Bressie
29(-): Let Me Go - Maverick Sabre
30(23): Motivation  -  Kelly Rowland featuring Lil Wayne

Here's Nicki Minaj and Super Bass

Covered Off

CocknBullKid has a very good Youtube page. One of the features on that page is called Covered Off  which is a series of cover versions that she does with other new music artists. There are three excellent cover versions on it to date.

The first is her cover of Destiny's child Bills, Bills, Bills where she collaborates with Eliza Doolittle



the second is a cover of Rui Da Silva's Touch Me where she collaborates with pianist Gonzales



and the third is He Said, a cover of plan B's She Said. I was v delighted to see her singing with Clare Maguire on this one.

Never Will Be Mine

Be Mine was one of the best songs on Robyn's self titled album back in 2006. She has collaborated with rapper Rye Rye and the song is sampled for the chorus on Never Will Be Mine.

Ledisi

Here's Ledisi and the first song I've heard from her. This is Pieces Of Me.

All The Stars Are Coming Out Tonight

My sister Emma and her friend Mary are going to see Take That in Dublin's Croke Park this coming weekend. Here's my two favourite songs from them for you two.

A Million Love Songs



and one of the last decade's best singles Rule The World

She's On Fie - ahhhh!

Most Madonna cover versions are usually pretty awful mainly because few artists can better the original. Britney Spears has covered Burning Up and it's a faithful pop version.



 .

Hush Hush

Alexis Jordan's third single is Hush Hush. In her new video she's dating a no good Snoop Dogg Playa and borrowed Rebecca Black's car. Both bad moves!

Maverick Sabre

Let Me Go by Maverick Sabre was released as a download on June 5th in the UK. It hasn't charted yet but I think it deserves too. His voice is interesting and I love the production on this song and a Portishead sample is always a good thing. 

Hope There's Someone

Thanks to my  friend Alan for telling me about this one. Here is Clare Maguire and her version of Anthony and the Johnsons  Hope There's Someone.

Another Language

I had never heard of the duo Lamb before last week but of all the songs I heard the week before last their new song Another Language was the one that made the most impression on me. Carny by Pleasurecraft was also just as good. Both Example's Changed The Way you Kiss Me and Calvin Harris featuring Kelis' Bounce have been two of the biggest songs on the UK chart over the past 10 days as well, Nicola Roberts (so far!) sadly was not. 

Strike Curious Poses Chart 6-6-2011

1(-): Another Language - Lamb

2(-): Carny - Pleasurekraft

3(-): Beat Of My Drum - Nicola Roberts

4(8): Bounce - Calvin Harris Featuring Kelis

5(7): Changed The Way You Kiss Me - Example

6(-): Love Love Love - Avalanche City

7(1): Pearls - Sade

8(5): Loud (Static Revenger Remix) - Stan Walker

9(2): Is It A Crime - Sade

10(4): Aphrodite - Kylie Minogue

11(3): Soldier Of Love - Sade

12(9): Finish Line (Freemasons Pegasus Club Mix) - Yasmin

13(6): What A Feeling - Alex Gaudino Featuring Kelly Rowland

14(11): Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) - Kylie Minogue

15(15): Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) (Almighty Club Mix) - Katy Perry

16(16): Don't Hold Your Breathe - Nicole Scherzinger

17(-): Best Thing I Never Had - Beyonce

18(17): Homeboy - Eric Church

19(14): Move Your Body - Beyonce

20(23): Hush Hush - Alexis Jordan

21(13): Turning Tables - Adele

22(10): Notorious - The Saturdays

23(12): Motivation - Kelly Rowland Featuring Lil Wayne

24(20): Moment 4 Life - Nicki Minaj Featuring Drake

25(21): Rolling In A Deep Wicked Game - Adele Vs Chris Isaak

26(18): Call Your Girlfriend - Robyn

27(25): Jar Of Hearts - Christina Perri

28(-): Take Me As I Am - Rumer

29(24): Turning Tables - Gwyneth Paltrow

30(26): In Love For A While - Anna Rossinelli

here's Lamb and Another Language

Best Thing I Never Had

Beyonce's latest single Best Thing I Never Had climbs just nine places to number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week. It seems that even the biggest stars are not guaranteed continuous chart sussess nowadays. It is doing better  in Australia where it is number 29 on the national singles chart at present. 

Many of the new publicity photos of her, which can be seen on last.fm are pretty awful. I think she's getting some bad advice from those around her which happens to megastars at some point of their careers. Best Thing I Never Had is a nice ballad but it's a safe song, the type we have heard so often before. I hope the rest of the album is good. 

There's no official video yet.

Rumer

I'm going to see Rumer in concert here in Dublin next week. According to Digital Spy  Take Me as I Am will be her newest single.

Bressie

Can't Stay Young (Forever) is the debut solo single (They're all at it these days!) by Bressie, the lead singer of the Irish band The Blizzards. It is one of just two songs by Irish music artists in the entire top 50 Irish singles chart last week, the other is Jedward's Lipstick. I'm not allowed to comment further on that state of affairs.

Bressie, as you can see from the video below was not beaten with the ugly stick. The video was made for €5.96. The Blizzards are one of several Irish indie pop groups who do great here; they had seven top thirty Irish hits but none at all  in the UK so it will be interesting to see how Bressie's solo career goes.  Thanks to Alan G's friend Sharon for recommending this song. 

Carny

Here's a song that may  be on one of Enda Guinan's music mixes and if it isn't I recommend it!

Here's Pleasurekraft and two mixes of Carny.

Avalanche City

Love Love Love by Avalanche City was a number one in New Zealand. I discovered it yesterday and think it's v sweet indeed.

Diamond

On the 25th May I went to see Sade in concert here in Dublin. Both Sade and her band were excellent, her voice was perfect, she looked amazing and the musicians were flawless. It was one of the most elegant and professional performances I have ever seen. I am going to write about it separate post  later this week. All of the songs that I liked that week could have been Sade songs but for now I'll just pick three; Pearls, Is It A Crime and Soldier Of Love. I know my favourite Welsh blogger David adores her too so all three of the songs below are for you Mr. McDonagh. 

Strike Curious Poses Chart 30-5-2011

1(-): Pearls - Sade
2(-): Is It A Crime - Sade
3(-): Soldier Of Love - Sade
4(1): Aphrodite - Kylie Minogue
5(-): Loud (Static Revenger Remix): Stan Walker
6(-): What A Feeling - Alex Gaudino featuring Kelly Rowland
7(7): Changed The Way You Kiss Me - Example
8(4): Bounce - Calvin Harris Featuring Kelis
9(2): Finish Line (Freemasons Pegasus Club Mix) - Yasmin
10(3): Notorious - The Saturdays

11(11): Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) - Kylie Minogue
12(13): Motivation - Kelly Rowland featuring Lil Wayne
13(5): Turning Tables - Adele
14(8): Move Your Body - Beyonce
15(15): Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) (Almighty Club Mix) - Katy Perry
16(27): Don't Lose Your Breathe - Nicole Scherzinger
17(17): Homeboy - Eric Church
18(18): Call Your Girlfriend - Robyn
19(10): California King Bed - Rihanna
20(19): Moment 4 Life - Nicki Minaj Featuring Drake

21(12): Rolling In A Deep Wicked Game - Adele Vs Chris Isaak
22(6): Just A Kiss - Lady Antebellum
23(21): Hush Hush - Alexis Jordan
24(9): Turning Tables - Gwyneth Paltrow
25(22): Jar Of Hearts - Christina Perri
26(16): In Love For A While - Anna Rossinelli
27(29): Right There - Nicole Scherzinger Featuring 50 Cent
28(28): All Of The Lights - Kayne West
29(14): Rockefeller Street - Getter Jaani
30(20): Popular - Eric Saade

Here are those three Sade songs. The first is Pearls.



Is It A Crime



and Soldier Of Love

Graduated. Take a Bow.

Nicola Robert's debut solo single Beat Of My Drum charted at number 27 in the UK yesterday. It has to climb more! I love the chorus and the production but to be honest I wish her vocals were better on it as she is a good singer. The video should have released much sooner before the song went on sale. It is a v fun song though. She also went shopping with Kelly Rowland as she has gone for the 'knickers as clothes' look. 

She's still my favourite person in Girls Aloud. 

On The Stereo

Many months after it's release I've finally bought Kylie's Aphrodite album. Put your Hands Up (If you Feel Love) will be her new single but the title track, Aphrodite could easily be a single as well. It was co written by Nerina Pallot and is exactly the kind of pop I like the most. I so wish that I had seen her in concert here in Dublin earlier this year, my friend Orla said it was one of the best she had ever seen.
Very few new songs have impressed me much a few weeks ago so I will have to look on other pop sites and pick some new songs. I do like The Saturdays new single Notorious. I think they unfairly get the most criticism in British pop. Well, after Sugababes of course.

Strike Curious Poses Chart 23-5-2011

1(-): Aphrodite - Kylie Minogue
2(6): Finish Line (Freemasons Pegasus Club Mix) - Yasmin
3(-): Notorious - The Saturdays
4(10): Bounce - Calvin Harris featuring Kelis
5(1): Turning Tables - Adele
6(12): Just A Kiss - Lady Antebellum
7(9): Changed The Way You Kiss Me - Example
8(8): Move Your Body - Beyonce
9(2): Turning Tables - Gwyneth Paltrow
10(13): California King Bed - Rihanna

11(11): Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) - Kylie Minogue
12(7): Rolling In A Deep Wicked Game - Adele Vs Chris Isaak
13(22): Motivation - Kelly Rowland Featuring Lil Wayne
14(3): Rockefeller Street - Getter Jaani
15(14): Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) (Almighty Club Mix) - Katy Perry
16(4): In Love For A While - Anna Rossinellli
17(16): Homeboy - Eric Church
18(18): Call Your Girlfriend - Robyn
19(17): Moment 4 Life - Nicki Minaj featuring Drake
20(5): Popular - Eric Saade

21(21): Hush Hush - Alexis Jordan
22(26): Jar Of Hearts - Christina Perri
23(20): Unorthodox - Wretch 32 featuring Example
24(19): Asthma Attack - CockNBullKid
25(15): The Edge Of glory - Lady Gaga
26(23): You and I - George Michael
27(RE): Don't Lose Your Breathe - Nicole Scherzinger
28(25): All Of The Lights - Kayne West
29(30): Right There - Nicole Scherzinger featuring 50 Cent
30(24): This Is Not The End - Clare Maguire


Here's Miss Minogue and the glorious pop that is Aphrodite





and here's The Saturdays and Notorious