Strip Me by Natasha Bedingfield

Natasha Bedingfield’s first album since her smash hit Pocketful of Sunshine in 2008 is set to be a huge hit if this last hour and a half is anything to go by. Listening to a highly contagious mixture of pop tracks and the sultry Unexpected Hero, I sat mesmerised by her vocal range and styling. Strip Me video below …

Strip Me is released today (Dec 7th, 2010) and available to buy as a cd or download now.

Ever since I heard Bedingfield sing Unwritten and These Words back in 2005 I have been a slave to her music! – Well not quite but you get the idea! There’s something about Natasha that oozes self-belief and a confidence that I find hard to beat.

Apart from appearing to be a wonderful lady (she lists Audrey Hepburn as a style icon), she can also sing live! I’ve had enough of the apparent miming that goes on and on every week when the chosen few join forces to sing the opening number on the results show. If you can sing live – sing live! I’d much rather see a few mistakes than a flawless mime any day!

On to the album! Four tracks stood out for me – The title track “Strip Me”, the infectious “Neon Lights”, “A Little Too Much” and “No Mozart”. Although I have no idea on what Natasha will release for her second single I’d like to think I’m fairly close to the mark with these three!

A little Too Much has a catchy chorus and various pace changes throughout the song – a complex song that will have you tapping your feet or hitting the steering wheel as you drive to work!

Neon Lights is another toe tapper and charming song – co-written with Ryan Tedder and Wayne Wilkins – it reminded me of Natasha of old with a slight modern twist.

With the majority of tracks producing a vibrant and repetitive beat, this will without doubt be a popular album choice on personal iPod’s in the gym and running tracks.

Working alongside Andreas Kleerup, John Hill, Wyclef Jean, Salaam Remi, Ryan Tedder, Eg White and Sia Furler for the album, it’s clear to me that Natasha has found a new level of maturity and excitement in recording this, her third studio album.

4/5 Stars

Video for Strip Me Below. Strip Me is released today (Dec 7th, 2010) and available to buy as a cd or download now.

Olly Murs - Thinking Of Me

Olly Murs is set to release his second single on the 21^st November, another happy go lucky track titled “Thinking of Me” (also includes  bonus track called “Sophie”) – video below.

The video features the cheeky chappy selling ice cream in the rain – not a great idea eh Olly?! He decides to close up the shutters and take a walk beside the river. Strutting his stuff on a variety of bollards (nice balance act mate) Olly is joined by a bevy of beauties as he waxes lyrical about Great old London town.

His self-titled debut album “Olly Murs” follows on the 29th November.

Another track to feature a reggae background/tint – whatever you want to call it. I personally think it’s another infectious song that will have people smiling, after all that’s what Olly does best so why change now?

So do I think this is a ground breaking song ? No I don’t – Will it win an MTV award? I highly doubt it but will you tap your feet, sing along in the car and enjoy it for what it is – most definitely. That is of course assuming you like Olly’s style to begin with. You either liked him on X Factor and his little jigs or you didn’t.

There’s nothing I’ve seen in his first two releases to suggest he’s doing anything wrong. Epic are guiding him down the cheerful reggaesque and I for one can’t see anything wrong with it. He makes bright videos, belts out a tune or two and makes you smile – what more could you ask for in this economic hellhole of a society?!

One thing I did notice, and I think his management have been clever here – both “Please Don’t Let Me  Go” and “Thinking of Me” single releases also feature two tracks you won’t find on the self-titled album due for release on the 29^th November.

Thinking of Me gets the thumbs up for a cheerful track even if he’s talking about his ex finding someone new (and he ain’t happy!), catching a number 86 bus and running away from her dad after stealing a kiss!

4/5 – Murrtastic!

Please Don't Let Me Go - Olly Murs

It’s been a long time coming but in just one week, Olly Murs releases his brand new debut single “Please Don’t Let Me Go“. Shot on location in Reading I’ve included the official video below and I’m sure you’ll agree it’s a foot tapping number sure to set the charts alight!

The timing couldn’t have been better what with the X Factor launching last night, no doubt we’ll see Olly strut his funky stuff on one of the live shows given he’s been signed with Simon Cowell’s label Syco and Epic Records. With two great companies behind him and clever musical choices I’m sure the lad will do well.

His first offering is, as I’ve mentioned, “Please Don’t Let Me Go” and has a summer/Carribbean feel to it. Fairly similar to his style on the X Factor last year, his performance both musical and visual have been refined and I like what I see – very keen to see what he does with an album.


Very catchy and instantly memorable, the song will stick in your head – good or bad! The single is released on Amazon on the 27th August 2010 and features another summer/reggae style “This One’s For The Girls“.

Way back in 2003 when I was in Melbourne having fun and playing tennis I, like milions of Australians, watched Guy Sebastian win the very first Australian Idol. I didn’t want to get caught up in the hype, I should have been watching neighbours, but I did. Despite his woolly afro hair (I wasn’t a fan!) at the time, I remember buying his first album “Just As I am” and was immediately hooked.

“She’s beautiful, flawlessly divine”

Guy has released five studio albums, the last in 2009 called “Like it like that” which happens to be the first single to be released from the album. The track hit number one in Australia going 3 times platinum in the process. His second single which featured American Idol star Jordin Sparks only reached number seven. Despite his appearance on Hey Hey It’s Saturday his third single unfortunately reached 51 in the Australian charts failing to go Platinum.

When he showed up for the Adelaide auditions in 2003 he sang Stevie Wonder’s Ribbon in the Sky. The formalities over and despite joking about his hair, the judges were mesmerised from the moment he started singing the song. Little did we know then that he would turn into the great singer he is today. He has always had talent, that much is obvious, but to make it in the business it helps to have an adoring public willing to buy your music. Without that you have nothing. Fortunately for Guy he had a following keen to soak up almost everything he offered.

There are two stand out tracks on the album for me, “Magic” and “Perfection” (lyrics below) and it’s the latter that really struck a chord with me. Despite its cheesy lyrics the song is heartfelt and until its conclusion it took me on a wonderful ride of hope. Written for and about his wife, Guy really has capsulated his deepest feelings in a way many people fail.

We’d all like the ability to put down in words what someone means to us but most of us have to settle for putting together a cd mix and saying “here you go love” – I really mean “track 3″ and come to think of it “track 7″ says everything about you! So with that in mind when he sings Perfection it’s just that. Hope you enjoy it too! Here are the lyrics and video of Guy singing live in Penrith, NSW.

Perfection Lyrics

Peter can you gather the angels all around
i’ll need everyone to get this down
this will not be easy
cos what i’m asking for
is something we have never tried before
lets make a girl
but not just any girl
she needs to be perfect, perfect
and so beautiful
flawlessly divine
she needs to define perfection
and don’t forget the sugar
make it so she’s sweet from her head to her feet
perfection

go and get picasso he can paint her eyes
michelangelo can paint her smile
and when they’re finally finished
i want nothing less
than for all of us to stand here breathless
lets make a girl
but not just any girl
she needs to be perfect, perfect
and so beautiful
flawlessly divine
she needs to define perfection
and don’t forget the sugar
make it so she’s sweet from her head to her feet
perfection

all the angels said can we keep her
she’s so beautiful
but God said someone down there needs her
and he can’t live without her, without her
she’s beautiful
flawlessly divine
and yes she defines perfection
please don’t change a thing
it’s obvious to me that what i see is perfection
when she’s 21 she’ll change somebody’s life
when she’s 28 she’ll be his wife

On the way to work today and had the iphone plugged into the car and the third song to hit the airwaves was Elvis Presley’s “I’m falling in love tonight”. The song, taken from It happened at the world’s fair (1963), is a beautiful romantic song and one I have always enjoyed listening to.

It’s a great film and a wonderful soundtrack – I believe the film introduced Kurt Russell to the acting world as a precocious kid who kicks Elvis in the shin for money!

Hope you enjoy the video!

Lisa Marie Presley

While revitalising my blog I spent a little time trying to find out which widgets and plugins were available for a wordpress.com hosted blog and although there aren’t that many – certainly that I could see anyway I did come across one I have fallen in love with!! Vodpod !!!

I am certain there are other sites that cater for the individual to collate all their favourite videos found while surfing the net but this is the first one I have found that can also use in conjunction with your blog.

I digress! While I was adding videos to my account (free) I cam across an old song by Elvis Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie called “Lights Out”. It’s a wonderful homage to her dad and a very catchy tune, even if I do say so myself. I don’t think it made it big either in the UK or America but it did deserve to succeed. So I thought while adding the video to my online collection, why not drop it in a small blog posting so anyone who happens to stumble across this blog might care to take a look and judge for themselves!

Hope you enjoy it!

Warnie.

I’ve never sat down and spent time putting stills to music but thought it was high time I practiced. Given that I was in the middle of reading Schapelle’s book and so enthusiastic about her innocence I thought why not Schapelle!

So with that in mind, I spent a few hours and came up with the following video. The stills set to Adele’s “Make you feel my love”, I thought the words rang true. Hope you enjoy it, it was great fun to collate and I hope to do another one in the future.