Magic Hour-Scissor Sisters

7/10
-Rated:A Kind of Magic:


The disco band has a new album and sound loyal to the Pop trend of doing dance-electronic repetitive tunes.Fortunately this is the best of the modern wave and it has its charm.

The band delivers once again an nice album with nothing new or very remarkable. All goes very well the voices, the music everything is so calculated all in place. The album has a joy from start to finish. Songs like 'Inevitable' and 'Year of Living Dangerously' have the fun fact even they are the slow ones and keep the style of the band.

There are also pretentious and confusing songs which can't be identifiable with the band like 'Keep Your Shoes On' that has a sound more like Nicky Minaj, also' Let's Have a Kiki' wich is annoying but not as bad as can be and gets a bit better as it goes, and the awful first single released in January, 'Shady Love', with that song I lost my faith in the band but gladly the whole album didn't take that way.

Scissor Sisters fans can feel good about the record it has a sort of connection with previous works and a bit of evolution like the very Calvin Harris co-produced 'Only The Horses' and the Latin / flamenco inspired 'San Luis Obispo' and the one with very updated beat but familiar 'Self Control'. The Summer vibe is all over the album and magnificently explodes in 'Best in Me'.

A fine work for modern times that we will definitely see pieces in the charts because of they took the easy ride but give it their very own elements and created something with more quality than others out there.

To Listen: Inevitable,Year of Living Dangerously,Only The Horses,Best in Me,San Luis Obispo

Avoid:Shady Love,Keep Your Shoes On

Listen Here: http://grooveshark.com/#!/album/Magic+Hour/7783607

[Single ]Lost My Way- Plan B

SINGLE
 8/10 


The second single of the upcoming film and soundtrack 'iLL Manors'. This track follows the acclaimed 'ill manors' single, which personally, I didn't too much. This new song is fast and full of energy, is a great mix of Ben rapping with a cameo of Alvin and The Chipmunks or something but without sounding annoying. The 'London Gang Culture' theme seems to be working for good here.As long as the forthcoming soundtrack  stays like this and get rid of clichés, it will be nice. Think Is the first track of Plan B I wish it were longer. Definitely a Tune! a switch for what hip hop/ rap / pop music is now . The Single is out on July 2 but Wikipedia says its on June 30 ....






If that's not working here it is!!!  
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[single] TimeBomb- Kylie Minogue

 SINGLE  
7/10 

To be honest there's no much I can say about it. The track is average good for pop, I was expecting something more due to is the single that celebrates 25 years of her career in music.The track keeps her style a bit modernized to the Pop/Dance music industry. Kind of enjoyable, fun, any different from what's on vogue not providing something new but not loosing anything so is fine.The Video reminds me of 'Ray of Light' and 'Celebration' both by Madonna, but not complaining at all.

The Temper Trap(album)- The Temper Trap

 6/10 
Rated: Mr.Personality 


To start I will try to be as objective as I can. That sounds bad isn't?. But here is the thing, this album is a complete mess has no direction at all. 12 songs (at least) that were randomly put together there's no too much connection between them.


This album is so eclectic, like a compilation album for various bands, genres and decades. A bit of pop in songs like the repetitive 'Need Your Love' , a bit of 1980's dance in 'Where Do We Go from Here' that without the 1930's circus beat could be better. I don't know if the attempt of the band was to make an album that sounds like a collection of songs that sound like the 70's to 80's with all of the genres Pop, Electronic, Synth, Glam, Rock etc. And the drastic changes are not just in one to another it, songs change surprisingly second by second which make a not boring album but just create more clutter. Songs like 'This Isn't Happiness' has too much for one song and also 'Rabbit Hole' both sound like the 90's but mixing to much stuff. 

In the sound and the mixing of instruments the turmoil persist.The drums out of sync with the guitars that go to slow for the beat on 'The Sea Is Calling'. 'Never Again' goes Keane but is an awful mix of many sounds that abruptly change. There is also a song which lyrics and voice remain the 70/80's rock but with a noughties Coldplay+30 Seconds To Mars twist so it doesn't sound good, it's called 'Trembling Hands'. The track 'Dreams' is so different from anything but too slow and so voice too 'monotonous'  so is dull. The sounds could have been confectioned in another way to make the album work but didn't happened.  


With all the madness the band still have some very in their own style songs like 'I'm Gonna Wait' that is a bit annoying but you can get used to it and enjoy it .'London's Burning' is true to their style as well but probably more to be listen live.The best minute of the album unfortunately is the very last in the last song 'Leaving Heartbreak Hotel' that is enjoyable, good guitars, happy and without the percussion or that annoying beat, as it happens from minute 3:05, the tracks gets better and give a good end to a messy album.


If we could separate the album in 4 mini records, would be fantastic, but as we can't the album at least need a listen and if you are going to purchase it i recommend the Bonus Track Version where turns out that bonus songs are far too much better and really lovely they have the charm of the band and are very very good.


Recommended Songs: London's Burning, Miracle, And all the bonus tracks if you get the deluxe edition.  


Not Recommended: The Sea Is Calling, Never Again

[EP] Sunburn-Baio

 8.5/10 
Rated: Lucy in the Sky


It's summer time and this EP couldn't be released in better times. A magnificent piece of what is (or used  to be) accurate electronic music: smooth,clever and so enjoyable. Far from the clichés, this 3 dancy tracks come to made us fall in love again with electro-music. The sound in every track is perfect, tropical beats and very early noughties. Might slightly remember to Safri Duo but this is better and soft, so goes quickly and don't tire you. The vibe that it gives is not produced by Chris Baio it is the result of what you feel or the memories that the songs bring to you and gratefully is not made for mass consumerism (or it doesn't seem to be), which is what many Dj's are doing now, this is different from what's on charts right now.Gladly a great debut solo for the Vampire Weekend's bassist which still remains of the band, because of the groove sounds, but at the same time registering his own style and showing his great musician/mixing skills.A Brilliant musician with a sunburn for inspiration
Listen: 

'Streets In The Sky' - The Enemy

 8.5 /10  
RATED: Music is my Radar  + Never mind the Bollocks 


Potent, Strong, Classic would be 3 words to describe this new The Enemy's Album. From the very first song to the last one the sound of the album is amazingly powerful. Since the release of the first single 'Gimme The Sign' I knew they were not going to disappoint.Trumpets and violins decorating some songs in perfect harmony to create a perfect composition of good music. 


Perhaps the band is not into Britpop, because they're well know for their good fast rock , the album has an essence of Britpop, power guitars, the punk-rock style and encouraging/fun lyrics. The hard work of the band is in every piece of the record but feels so effortless.'This is Real' is one of the tracks representing all this and the album, has the power,the positvism, the right sounds at the right moment. The album, as I said for The Cribs, has the 90's inspiring fact that only good bands give, the desire to do something.


The sound of the album oddly remind me to 1980 bands like The Cure,Duran Duran,R.E.M., Metallica and hits 'Maniac' and 'Word Up' but obviously more rocky, edgy, synth-less and super powerful mixed with the joy of Blur and the force of 1970's punk the result of this is pretty like 'Make A Man', That is a TUNE. With all this the soul of The Enemy could have been lost but no, it still there and better than ever, take a listen to 'Bigger Cages (Longer Chains)' . Also '1-2-3-4' has reminded me the 80s with a modern twist. But don't get confused the album is not just 80/90s, it is very fresh & would be fantastic if it can reach the first 10 at the charts 'Get Up and Dance' is in that mood the shake up the "music business" and has a great sing-alone momment.


The record is clever done to be rejoice-able,happy, fast, direct,etc. if not 'Turn It On', explains for itself. The mix of instruments is brilliant in every song.'Like A Dancer' shows how good is the sound of the album and how meticulous was done, the song is probably more independent-popular-rock in the mid 00's. Even the sort of cheesy song 'Come Into My World' sound absurdly awesome and very The Enemy. One song to highlight is '2 Kids' that is probably the softer one and some kind of melancholic(in a optimistic way?) but mighty and the sound is very delightful.  


To sum up, the album is fast and fantastic,has everything what great classics are made of, and is very rock'n'roll if the the whole turn for bit their heads from the stupid massive consumption bad music and give proper music a change this The Enemy's album is a good reference to start. My only complain is that to much guitar and they missed a bit the percussion, especially in 'It's A Race',that's why the 8.5 and not 9 ,but aside that everything is ridiculously strongly 
excellent and solid.


Recommended Songs: Listen to the whole album, there could be ones you feel like missing something but there a few more you will love and as a whole is brilliant.     

Not Your Kind Of People- Garbage

7/10
A Kind of Magic

This album is Garbage's come back and surprisingly it sounds very hip/updated but at the same time is very Garbage.The band mixed their past with the modern electronic fad but also still in their post 90's rock-pop which you can hear it in 'Control'. ''What Girls Are Made Of' is a remembrance of what Garbage still is and has all what the album is as well.

Although the album has not a great start or rather say the first song ,'Automatic Habit', has a bad intro,the whole record is fantastic. A great band doing a great comeback not losing their style and also updating it to what is happening now. Revamping style is very obvious in songs like 'The One' that  is remains me to 'Why Do You Love Me' but new and Also 'Big Bright World' has the electronic beat mixed with old rock and roll or something and creates a Pop-y brilliant song.

The sound of the beyond what i was expecting because everything is so good mixed, compared with previous works this is less 'raw' but still aggressive, powerful without having someone yelling at your ears. 'Show Me' feels like anterior songs from the band, everything sound magnificent and goes tranquil but not powerless and then it explodes better. In 'What Girls Are Made Of' you can also hear how they keep their essence and the power. The Only songs that have a lack of power are 'Bright Tonight' and 'Battle In Me' that are a bit slow could have gone better with a explosion of rock but they didn't. The explosions where saved for songs like 'Man on Wire' which is really a nice song.

'Not Your Kind Of People' , album, is more 'commercial' because of the well done work with music. 'I Hate Love' is so radio friendly, an odd dance song but good.'Blood for Poppies' goes almost the same way.There are also songs that goes very early 00's, sort of post-grunge era, something very Garbage; 'Sugar' for example is very relaxing but overwhelming in a good way. But the most quiet song is 'Beloved Freak' which is encouraging and could be a hit because is what sells now or what artists have been doing talking about in the last 3 years being a rejected person and that everything will be alright.

At the end the album is not disappointing, is so well done, they still the same but now the band are working more by themselves. The album gets better in the last 6 songs where we can hear the most Garbage style but more modern with some kind of remixed-electro-moments, that could be a bit weird.Anyhow it's a very enjoyable album and not boring at.