Kelis – Acapella

The first single from her new album, out next year, is about how love can change the way you look at life for the better. How lovely. Despite being produced by David Guetta this isn’t obviously commercial because its structure means it could go on forever and it wouldn’t really matter. There’s plenty of repetition and the song washes over you until your arms are literally aloft and your, wait for it, whole life is Acapella. Except according to the song your life being acapella is not good, the symphony with the one you’re in love with is the goo(Zzzzshurrrup – Everyone who can read)

Hear it here.

JLS – JLS

The pressure is not exactly on for JLS to deliver a good album. After a brilliant debut single in Beat Again their fate was sealed as it went straight to No.1 and the amount of hysterical fangirls that worshiped at their feet multiplied in their droves so the album will do well anyway.

The upbeat songs sound like Taio Cruz sung by four people especially the one that’s co-written by Taio Cruz, Keep You. These are alright. The problem here is that there isn’t much ‘personality’ in this record, not much of the spark hinted at in X Factor performances. They seem like “lovely lads” as Louis Walsh would probably say and they are good looking and they are a good boy band. They seem passionate about being in a band and travelling but their songs, as often happens with pop stuff generally but especially the type targeting teenage girls, are lower down on the list of important parts of the ‘package’.

On the other hand at least it’s not a covers album.

Hot Chip – Take It In

Take It In is the first single from Hot Chip’s forthcoming album One Life Stand. The intro stomps like Hot Chip as usual until a spooky siren-like riff kicks in and haunts the wonky verses. These are a nice diversion so the surprise of the chorus, big and lush with a proper piano, is bigger and brilliant. It’s sweet and soft with lines like “My heart has flown to you just like a dove” and it’s very easy to sing along. This song takes aspects from other Hot Chip songs, pushes them further while also softening edges. So instead of a massive electro stompfest we have a big lovely ballad. A nice surprise.

Hear it here.