In honor of the Royal Wedding (which I really don't care about), today's Pop Blitz only features music from the UK (which I really care about!)
The Feeling - Set My World On Fire
The formerly popular soft-rockers return with an uplifting, breezy single that has an undeniable chorus. This could easily be irritating, but I'm really loving it. It's got such a buoyant sound. A-
Nero - Guilt
A dark, sleazy beat supports airy vocals. It's an interesting contrast and sets this club track apart from all of the other hundreds out there. Not a classic, but very enjoyable. B+
Wretch 32 - Unorthodox
This features Example, which can only be a good thing, but still fails to make much of an impact (even with a hooky Stone Roses sample). At least it's not offensive to the ears like many similar tracks are. B-
Clare Maguire - The Shield And The Sword
Maguire's singles just keep getting better (and there are plenty more ready on her album). This is slightly more uptempo than her releases thus far, with a powerful, grandiose melody. A
Olly Murs - Busy
Well, if you've heard his other singles (or any of Jason Mraz's), you've heard this. I really have a bit of a thing against this "back porch" throwaway rock. It's supposed to be "chill" and everything, but it just fizzles into nothing. C
Jessie J - Nobody's Perfect
I've yet to understand any of the hype surrounding this artist. Her first single was alright, the second was horrible, and this one goes nowhere. I still don't get why people like this. C-
Birdy - Skinny Love
Now this seems a little more special, especially taking in the artist's age (she's only 14). The song's a cover, but the voice is the true standout here. With only a piano for support, it's really pretty stunning. A-
I've had my say, now it's time for yours! What's your favorite song of this week's blitz?
Showing posts with label Clare Maguire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clare Maguire. Show all posts
Clare Maguire - Light After Dark
"We'll rise, then we'll fall"
All of a sudden, it seems like there's too much good music to keep up with. Not only do we have new singles from The Ark, Melody Club and The Sounds (it feels like 2004 all over again!), but there are about a gazillion new artists making this year very exciting. One of these is Clare Maguire, whose debut album is released today. It's a fantastic selection of songs, perched somewhere between Marina and Florence's albums (with a fair share of Annie Lennox thrown in). The quality's remarkably consistent, but I selected this song for today because the chorus is just so powerful. Whatever people say about her live voice, she sounds amazing in studio. I also love the moody, serpentine verses. Lots of attitude in a song/album that could have been very boring. I highly recommend giving Miss Maguire a try. This is some impressive stuff for fans of pop (especially lush, 80's pop).
Clare Maguire - Light After Dark by alienhits
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.
Clare Maguire - The Last Dance
"I promise you I will kiss your crown"
I'm far from the only one blogging about this artist, but I think she needs more exposure than she's getting. To my ears, this is the Florence + the Machine success story of the year waiting to happen. Clare Maguire, above all, has an astonishing voice. But more than that, she's got a fistful of epic, stately pop songs ready to conquer the world. She's already appeared on countless best-new-artists-of-2011 list, but the buzz seems to be decidedly muted only a few weeks before her album is released. This is the current single (with a beautiful video) and one of my favorite songs that I've heard from her. The vocals are especially lush on this track and the whole thing's got an icy, 80's vibe that (not surprisingly) I love. If you've yet to listen to Maguire, it's definitely time to jump on this bandwagon.
Clare Maguire "The Last Dance" by arjanwrites
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.
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