I believe this is a new flavour of Old Mout – it’s certainly not one I’ve had before.
This is a lovely fruit cider with that typical perfect Old Mout level of sweetness. It’s also divinely brambly (brambles = blackberries if you’re not Scottish), which gives it one of the best tastes of any new cider I’ve tried this year. It’s not quite up there with Kiwi and Lime, but it’s definitely a strong contender for my second favourite Old Mout flavour, which is impressive after just one bottle.
Day 83 equals Now! #83, which brings us to 19th November 2012 – just four days before mine and Geth’s wedding.
I am proud to report that we played absolutely none of the following songs at our wedding disco. Not even Gangnam Style.
Track 1: Psy – Gangnam Style
It’s still hilarious nearly six years later, and very danceable, even if you’re not inclined to do the comedy dance that goes with the song.
Track 2: Robbie Williams – Candy
Nice feelgood tune that gave Robbie Williams an unexpected number one later in his career. Good song.
Track 3: Swedish House Mafia and John Martin – Don’t You Worry Child
The theme is pretty cheesy, and the tune is a bit bland.
Track 4: Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
Great folk-pop track with an awesome singalong chorus – really like this one.
Track 5: The Wanted – I Found You
Good danceable track, but the tune’s a bit bland.
Track 6: Calvin Harris and Florence Welch – Sweet Nothing
Another boring tune – not keen on this one.
Track 7: Maroon 5 – One More Night
Great reggae-tinged beat – this one’s a great head-nodder.
Track 8: Wiley, Skepta, JME and Dayo Olatunji – Can You Hear Me? (Ayayaya)
Love those steel drums at the start – good tune, great rhythm.
Track 9: Flo Rida – I Cry
I quite like the tune on this one – despite the title, it’s quite feelgood.
Track 10: Ne-Yo – Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)
Irritating tune, even more irritating theme.
Track 11: Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen – Good Time
Another annoying tune, and the theme is really cheesy.
Track 12: Katy Perry – Wide Awake
Again, a very bland tune.
Track 13: Pink – Blow Me (One Last Kiss)
Great beat, and I love the instrumentals.
Track 14: Little Mix – Wings
Good solid pop track – very danceable.
Track 15: Stooshe – Waterfalls
Uninspired cover of the TLC classic. What’s kind of irritating is that the surviving members of TLC show up in the video.
Track 16: JLS – Hottest Girl In The World
Good beat, but in general I find this track a bit messy and jarring.
Track 17: Nicki Minaj – Pound The Alarm
Another very danceable track, another fairly forgettable tune.
Track 18: Redlight – Lost In Your Love
Dull, repetitive tune, and the messy beat gives me a headache.
Track 19: Rita Ora – How We Do (Party)
Boring, bland track – not enough melody for me.
Track 20: Cheryl – Under The Sun
It’s got quite a nice retro tinge, but the tune’s fairly forgettable.
Track 21: Wiley and Dayo Olatunji – Heatwave
Double repeated artist alert! We’ve already had both Wiley and Dayo Olatunji on track 8.
Great rhythm, but the vocals are repetitive and irritating (and it’s never clear whether the lyric is ‘body‘ or ‘party‘).
Track 22: Sam & The Womp – Bom Bom
Daft track that’s a lot of fun. Happily chair-dancing right now.
Track 23: Labrinth and Emeli Sandé – Beneath Your Beautiful
I know the grammar of that title looks horrible – it’s actually because they’re using ‘beautiful’ as a noun rather than misspelling ‘you’re’. Still wrong, but not a your/you’re fail. ‘Beneath Your Beauty’ is what they actually mean.
Anyway, the song’s a slow, saccharine ballad, and I’m not keen on those.
Track 24: The Script and will.i.am – Hall Of Fame
Collaboration cooked up between will.i.am and Script singer Danny O’Donoghue, who were both coaches on The Voice at the time. It’s a bit awkward and poor.
Track 25: Florence & The Machine – Spectrum (Say My Name) [Calvin Harris Remix]
Not technically a repeated artist alert, but this is the second collaboration between Florence Welch and Calvin Harris on this Now! compilation.
This tune is epic and gorgeous. Lovely stuff.
Track 26: David Guetta and Sia – She Wolf (Falling To Pieces)
Boring, forgettable tune, and I don’t find any of the hooks very interesting.
Track 27: Calvin Harris and Example – We’ll Be Coming Back
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Calvin Harris on track 6, and sort of on track 25.
Nice atmosphere though, and the tune’s quite pretty.
Track 28: Ellie Goulding – Anything Could Happen
I find this one pretty dull.
Track 29: Naughty Boy and Emeli Sandé – Wonder
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Emeli Sandé on track 23.
Not keen on this tune – I find it a bit twee.
Track 30: Conor Maynard and Ne-Yo – Turn Around
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Ne-Yo on track 10.
This one’s another boring, uninspired tune.
Track 31: One Direction – Live While We’re Young
Extremely bland tune – very forgettable.
Track 32: Chris Brown – Don’t Wake Me Up
Irritating spoken word bit at the start, dull saccharine vocals. Not a fan.
Track 33: Amelia Lily – You Bring Me Joy
Another dull, forgettable song.
Track 34: Fun – Some Nights
Good tune – there’s something a bit folk-rock about this one.
Track 35: Example – Say Nothing
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Example on track 27.
This is another bland, uninspired tune.
Track 36: Lawson – Taking Over Me
Too cheesy for me.
Track 37: Karmin – Brokenhearted
Yet another forgettable song.
Track 38: Trey Songz – Simply Amazing
Again, this one’s far too saccharine for my liking.
Track 39: Simple Plan and Sean Paul – Summer Paradise
Nice jaunty track, though it’s a bit cheesy.
Track 40: Angel – Wonderful
This tune’s okay, and there are some interesting instrumentals going on too.
Track 41: Devlin and Ed Sheeran – Watchtower
The chorus samples/covers Bob Dylan’s All Along The Watchtower, and there’s also a bit of the guitar riff from the Jimi Hendrix version. Other than that, it’s mainly a rap, which I’m not keen on.
Track 42: Mumford & Sons – I Will Wait
I find this tune really dull, and a bit depressing.
Track 43: Elbow – One Day Like This
2008 hit that was back in the charts for 2012 – I can’t remember why. Classic tune though, and that repeated anthemic hook at the end is epic.
Geth is a major Star Wars fan – it’s one of his main obsessions. As such, for the release of all of the new Disney Star Wars films, we’ve gone out to see the film on release day so that he can watch the reviews on all his favourite Star Wars YouTube channels without getting spoilered. The fact that we didn’t manage to do that with Solo – indeed, that it took us about six weeks to get around to seeing it – should tell you everything you need to know about how ridiculously busy life has been for us both recently.
Still, this last weekend, Geth has finally managed to celebrate his birthday properly – it was actually three weeks ago, but there just wasn’t space to do anything at the time – and as part of that, we managed to squeeze in a trip to the cinema on Friday afternoon.
I was slightly apprehensive about Solo, because I find recasting difficult – it really breaks my suspension of disbelief. I’d been very happy with the effects in Rogue One where they’d digitally recreated the likenesses of Peter Cushing and Carrie Fisher, but I do appreciate that you can’t really do that for the main character of a film. Still, Alden Ehrenreich is a great actor, and while I didn’t feel that he echoed Harrison Ford’s performance in the same way that Ewan McGregor managed for Alec Guinness in the prequel trilogy, I did believe that it was the same character, and I didn’t really think about the change of actors while I was watching the film, which I think is all you can ask for, really.
The story was very enjoyable – it was a good rollicking action adventure, and the tension never let up. There was a great moment with a surprise appearance from an old character you wouldn’t expect, though I would have thought it would be really confusing for people who only watch the films and not the animated TV series. I expect I’ll hear more about that when Geth catches up with his YouTube watching.
My only real issue with the story was that, like Rogue One before it, there were a lot of character deaths. I expected it from the start, and made sure not to get too attached to anyone, but I’m never a fan of killing off characters. I find it to be cheap and lazy writing – there’s always a more interesting way that you can write characters out of a story – and I get frustrated when certain writers become known and lauded for regularly offing their creations, as if it’s clever or brave to do so. It’s not. I find it especially irritating when characters are basically introduced simply in order to die, and I felt that there were a couple of instances of that in Solo.
On the whole, though, I liked the film, and I’d give it a solid three out of five stars. If we can arrange it before it stops being shown in cinemas, Geth and I will go see it once more with my dad (I have a tradition of going to see Star Wars films with Dad that dates back to The Phantom Menace! I wasn’t born when the original trilogy came out, sadly) and then it will fade into the kind of film that I’ll be happy to semi-watch while doing something else once Geth has bought the Blu-Ray.
Day 82 brings us to Now! #82, which came out on 23rd July 2012.
Let’s have a listen to some summer hits I would have been far too busy to go partying to. Except when I felt like it.
Track 1: Fun and Janelle Monáe – We Are Young
Gorgeous atmosphere, awesome tune. A favourite.
Track 2: Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
I’ve always had a soft spot for this feelgood track. Love the instrumental hook.
Track 3: Maroon 5 and Wiz Khalifa – Payphone
Very pretty tune, quite like this one.
Track 4: Flo Rida – Whistle
I find the theme and chorus of this track a bit irritating.
Track 5: Coldplay and Rihanna – Princess Of China
Another beautiful tune. Really like the way this works as a duet.
Track 6: Rudimental and John Newman – Feel The Love
I like the vocals, but I find the rest of the track a bit dull.
Track 7: Nicki Minaj – Starships
It’s an okay tune, but it’s a bit generic.
Track 8: Rihanna – Where Have You Been
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Rihanna on track 5.
This one’s pretty uninspired and forgettable.
Track 9: Rita Ora and Tinie Tempah – RIP
Another annoying theme, and I’m not keen on the tune.
Track 10: Conor Maynard – Can’t Say No
Daft theme, but it’s a good head-nodder.
Track 11: Justin Bieber – Boyfriend
Justin Bieber sounding like Justin Timberlake. It’s not a bad tune though.
Track 12: Ed Sheeran – Small Bump
I find this one really depressing!
Track 13: D’Banj – Oliver Twist
Good danceable track, great atmosphere.
Track 14: Stooshe – Black Heart
Another nice retro-tinged track from Stooshe – good stuff.
Track 15: Katy Perry – Part Of Me
The verse sounds too similar to David Guetta and Rihanna’s Who’s That Chick?, and the chorus is pretty generic.
Track 16: Marina & The Diamonds – Primadonna
Pretty tune – quite like this one.
Track 17: Paloma Faith – Picking Up The Pieces
Depressing, annoying tune.
Track 18: Train – Drive By
Good beat, but the theme and tune are irritating.
Track 19: Cover Drive – Sparks
Pretty tune, quite like this one.
Track 20: Jason Mraz – I Won’t Give Up
So slow and depressing that I actively dislike it.
Track 21: Alex Clare – Too Close
Great atmosphere, builds beautifully.
Track 22: Emeli Sandé – My Kind Of Love
Lovely tune, but it’s too slow for me.
Track 23: will.i.am and Eva Simons – This Is Love
I really like this one – beautiful atmosphere, epic chorus.
Track 24: Cheryl – Call My Name
It’s got a good beat, but the tune’s a bit generic.
Track 25: DJ Fresh and Rita Ora – Hot Right Now
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Rita Ora on track 9.
This is a great track though – really upbeat and danceable.
Track 26: Tulisa – Young
Annoying tune, but it’s got an okay beat.
Track 27: David Guetta and Nicki Minaj – Turn Me On
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Nicki Minaj on track 7.
Interesting hook, but the vocals are pretty bland.
Track 28: Calvin Harris and Ne-Yo – Let’s Go
Quite like this tune, and it’s very danceable.
Track 29: Usher – Scream
Good beat – happily nodding along to this one.
Track 30: Jessie J and David Guetta – LaserLight
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had David Guetta on track 27.
Annoying tune, uninspired bland electro lines. Just boring.
Track 31: Chris Brown – Turn Up The Music
Another forgettable dance track.
Track 32: The Wanted – Chasing The Sun
Quite like this one – it’s very danceable, and the atmosphere’s great.
Track 33: The Saturdays – 30 Days
Another one with a good rhythm, but the tune’s a little repetitive.
Track 34: Loreen – Euphoria
The Eurovision winner for 2012. Great tune, awesome atmosphere.
Track 35: Swedish House Mafia – Greyhound
Great beat, and it’s got a nice epic feel, but again it’s very repetitive.
Track 36: Azealia Banks and Lazy Jay – 212
Love this one – the rhythm is awesome.
Track 37: Plan B – Ill Manors
Great atmosphere, but it’s another one that’s too repetitive for me.
Track 38: B.o.B – So Good
Love that piano at the start. Good stuff.
Track 39: Sway – Level Up
There’s some interesting lines here – I like the hint of harmonica – but on the whole it’s too messy for me.
Track 40: Taio Cruz and Pitbull – There She Goes
Daft lyrics, generic tune. Not hugely keen on this one.
Track 41: Labrinth – Express Yourself
Interesting rhythm, but I find the tune pretty irritating.
Track 42: Scissor Sisters – Only The Horses
The tune’s okay, but it’s a bit forgettable.
Track 43: Lawson – When She Was Mine
Boring tune, cheesy lyrics. Not my thing.
Track 44: Gary Barlow, The Commonwealth Band and Military Wives – Sing
Song released to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. It’s cheesy and fairly awful.
I’ve mentioned before how much I love BBC Four. Between the old episodes of Top of the Pops and the music documentaries, there’s always something worth watching, which is the main reason my digibox is always getting too full. They’re always doing new shows about old music, basically, so it’s one of my favourite channels.
As such, I was really excited when I heard they were going to be doing a special evening of shows about Duran Duran, who are my current biggest musical obsession. It’s the band’s fortieth anniversary this year, and so the BBC Four programmes are part of the celebration.
Geth was due to be at a work do on Friday evening (although in the event, he ended up coming home early and watching the Duran stuff with me, as he’d already had a heavy night on the Thursday!) so I made sure I had a few cans of cider in the fridge and settled in for the evening.
The first programme was Duran Duran: There’s Something You Should Know, which was a new documentary with a lot of interesting features – particular highlights for me included Nick Rhodes talking to designer Antony Price about the suits used for the Rio video, Simon Le Bon meeting up with his old choirmaster, and all of the band members cramming themselves into a tiny Citroen just like they used to do in their early days. There were also some really good interview segments with more recent collaborators like Mark Ronson. The documentary was organised into sections based around seven of Duran’s albums – but as they’ve released fourteen, this did mean that there were large parts of their history that just didn’t get mentioned. It’s a shame, but in an hour-long documentary you can’t do justice to everything.
The second programme, Duran Duran: A Night In, was the highlight of the night for me – it was basically just an hour of the band members reminiscing about TV programming from their childhoods in the ’60s and ’70s. About five minutes into the programme:
Geth: You’re never deleting this, are you? It’s clips of all your favourite TV shows and films, narrated by Duran Duran. It’s basically your ideal programme.
Given that at this point we’d had the 1960s Batman series and Hammer Horror’s Dracula…yeah, pretty much. Other TV shows and films covered included Barbarella (the film that gave Duran Duran their name) and ’70s Top of the Pops performances from Marc Bolan and Roxy Music. I love all of these things anyway, but Geth was right – the commentary from the Durans made it a highly enjoyable watch, and unlike most things that I insist on keeping on the digibox, I’m sure I will be rewatching this one many times.
The third programme, Duran Duran: Unstaged, was a recording of a concert played in Los Angeles a couple of years ago, with visuals by David Lynch over the top. Geth found the flashing imagery a bit much after a couple of days’ heavy drinking, and headed up to bed, leaving me alone to watch what was quite a good show – it was a good mix of old and new tracks, and the band had a lot of guests playing with them like Mark Ronson (again) and Beth Ditto. I sort of didn’t notice the Lynch visuals after a while because I was too absorbed in the music, so this is definitely one I need to watch again.
There was also a repeat of a Duran Duran TOTP2 special, but as it wasn’t on till three in the morning (the other shows were being repeated first), I went to bed and caught up with it the next morning. I’d already seen a lot of the performances, but it’s the amusing commentary from Mark Radcliffe and the fact-filled captions that make TOTP2 worth watching.
All in all, great programming as ever from BBC Four, and a real treat for Duran Duran fans. Hopefully a new album and tour won’t be too many years away!
Day 81 means Now! #81, which came out on 2nd April 2012.
On with the 2012 hits!
Track 1: Gotye and Kimbra – Somebody That I Used To Know
Gorgeous song that was deservedly number one for weeks and weeks. Love this track.
Track 2: Coldplay – Paradise
I normally find Coldplay songs pretty depressing, but this is a beautiful tune.
Track 3: Ed Sheeran – Lego House
I find this one fairly dull, but the video with Rupert Grint is funny.
Track 4: Emeli Sandé – Next To Me
There’s something that irritates me about the tune.
Track 5: Kelly Clarkson – Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)
Nice solid pop song, quite like this track.
Track 6: Jessie J – Domino
Another feelgood pop track, but the tune’s not particularly exciting.
Track 7: David Guetta and Sia – Titanium
Great vocals, good tune.
Track 8: Flo Rida – Good Feeling
Flo Rida sampling Avicii sampling Etta James. It’s a great hook, so I can see why.
Track 9: Katy Perry – The One That Got Away
I find this one a bit depressing.
Track 10: Labrinth – Last Time
Nice atmosphere, but the tune’s a bit pedestrian.
Track 11: Rizzle Kicks – Mama Do The Hump
Great, danceable track! The video with Jordan Stephens’ mum and James Corden is also hilarious.
Track 12: Olly Murs – Dance With Me Tonight
In my Zumba class in Southampton, we always did a really fun jive number to this one. Great, upbeat track.
Track 13: Pixie Lott – Kiss The Stars
Good upbeat dance tune – happily nodding along here.
Track 14: One Direction – One Thing
It’s always really annoyed me that this song rips off the chord sequence of Backstreet Boys’ I Want It That Way. As such, I can’t hear it without getting a weird mash-up of the two songs stuck in my head.
Track 15: Marcus Collins – Seven Nation Army
Interesting, eerie, soul-tinged cover of the White Stripes classic. Good stuff.
Track 16: Florence & The Machine – Shake It Out
Nice tune – quite like the build on this one.
Track 17: Drake and Rihanna – Take Care
Pretty tune, but it’s too slow for me. I like the It’s My Party callback though!
Track 18: Lana Del Rey – Born To Die
Gorgeous atmosphere – really like this track.
Track 19: Little Mix – Cannonball
Pointless cover of the Damien Rice song (see Now! #80 review from yesterday) by the 2011 X Factor winners. Thankfully Little Mix would go on to release much more interesting songs.
Track 20: JLS – Proud
Boring ballad, not keen.
Track 21: Military Wives and Gareth Malone – Wherever You Are
The Christmas number one for 2011 – a pretty tune from one of Gareth Malone’s TV choir projects.
Track 22: LMFAO – Sexy And I Know It
Hilarious song – this one’s a shameless pleasure!
Track 23: Flo Rida and Sia – Wild Ones
Double repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Flo Rida on track 8 and Sia on track 7.
The tune’s really irritating, bu the rap’s okay.
Track 24: Lady Gaga – Marry The Night
Good solid pop – great tune.
Track 25: Avicii – Levels
This is the Avicii song that Flo Rida was sampling on track 8; in turn, this track samples Etta James’ 1962 song Something’s Got A Hold On Me. There’s some great hooks going on throughout.
Track 26: Pitbull and Chris Brown – International Love
Awful theme, awful song.
Track 27: Lloyd, André 3000 and Lil’ Wayne – Dedication To My Ex (Miss That)
Another bad theme, but I actually really like this song! Just make sure to avoid the squicky explicit version.
Track 28: Sean Paul – She Doesn’t Mind
Good beat, good tune. Really like this one.
Track 29: Taio Cruz – Troublemaker
The lyrics are sort of hilarious and terrible at the same time. Could do with a bit more melody as well!
Track 30: Alexandra Burke and Erick Morillo – Elephant
Great theme, and it’s got a good beat. The tune’s a little generic, though.
Track 31: Swedish House Mafia and Knife Party – Antidote
It’s very danceable, but there’s not enough of a memorable hook for me.
Track 32: Rizzle Kicks – When I Was A Youngster
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Rizzle Kicks on track 11.
The theme annoys me on this one, but the tune’s nice and feelgood.
Track 33: Stooshe and Travie McCoy – Love Me
Mid-century retro jazz-tinged song with Spice Girls-esque cackling interspersed throughout. It’s not a bad tune.
Track 34: Gym Class Heroes and Neon Hitch – Get Yourself Back Home
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
I quite like the tune on the chorus, but the rest of the track is pretty dull.
Also, though I don’t class band/individual repetitions as a repeated artist, that’s two songs in a row with Travie McCoy’s vocals on.
Track 35: Rihanna – You Da One
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Rihanna on track 17.
This tune is a bit irritating to my ears – not a fan.
Track 36: Tinchy Stryder and Pixie Lott – Bright Lights
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Pixie Lott on track 13.
Bland, forgettable tune, and the rap’s nothing special.
Track 37: Cover Drive – Twilight
The tune’s pretty dull. I’m sure I did like at least one of Cover Drive’s songs, but this wasn’t it.
Track 38: Alyssa Reid and Jump Smokers – Alone Again
Utterly appalling cover of Heart’s Alone, with a rap partway through it and new, terrible verses. The original is special to me (partly because it was on the sacred tome that is Now! #10) and so I find this mess pretty offensive.
Track 39: Jessie J – Who You Are
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Jessie J on track 6.
Boring ballad with overblown vocals. Not my thing.
Track 40: Chiddy Bang – Ray Charles
Good retro-sounding track – very noddable.
Track 41: will.i.am, Jennifer Lopez and Mick Jagger – THE (The Hardest Ever)
Fantastic track! I love the atmosphere, the build, the melding of the three very different vocal styles. Wonderful stuff.
Track 42: Dappy and Brian May – Rockstar
I’m a bit irritated that a legend like Brian May got roped into contributing to this very uninspired song. The rap’s okay, but the tune’s really generic, and the theme is my least favourite: the whole ‘look, I’m rich and famous now, let me brag about it in a song!’ thing. The brief guitar solo is, of course, epic.
Another week of the fair on the Town Moor meant another week of no Newcastle parkrun, so Geth and I took ourselves off to the coast for Whitley Bay parkrun this morning.
I’d done Whitley Bay once before, last summer, on a morning where it was pouring with rain (and of course we arrived forty minutes early and had to shelter against the wall of a tiny hut near the start). Geth had just come along for support on that occasion, as he was recovering from a broken toe, so today was his first parkrun at Whitley Bay. For me, meanwhile, while it was my second run there, the course this summer is so different that it was like running it for the first time again.
This is largely because last summer, the front at Whitley Bay was mostly taken up with works, and so large parts of it were closed off. As such, the finish funnel is now in a completely different place, and you get a straight sprint finish along the front – unfortunately, if you’re not familiar with the course, it’s difficult to time when you should start sprinting! I’ll know better next time. Hopefully they won’t move the finish again.
Day 80 brings us to Now! #80, which came out on 21st November 2011.
Let’s see what was soundtracking my first few months living in Southampton.
Track 1: Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera – Moves Like Jagger
This one reminds me of unpacking all the stuff in our new flat when we first moved to Southampton. I’ve always really liked this one – great tune, and the theme is awesome.
Track 2: Rihanna and Calvin Harris – We Found Love
Nice tune, but it’s a bit repetitive.
Track 3: One Direction – What Makes You Beautiful
Revoltingly saccharine! Everything about this track is just irritating.
Track 4: Bruno Mars – Marry You
It’s a bit cheesy, but I quite like the tune.
Track 5: JLS – Take A Chance On Me
I like the piano at the start, but again, the song in general is too saccharine for me.
Track 6: Christina Perri – Jar Of Hearts
It would be a good song if she could actually sing. Seriously, it’s so off-key! Why was this even allowed to be released?
Track 7: Kelly Clarkson – Mr Know It All
Highly irritating tune, and I’m not keen on the theme.
Track 8: Olly Murs and Rizzle Kicks – Heart Skips A Beat
Great track – I love this one! Upbeat, feelgood, awesome tune.
Track 9: The Wanted – Lightning
I like the instrumentals, but the vocals are kind of annoying.
Track 10: Pixie Lott – All About Tonight
Good solid danceable pop, and lyrical references to shoes are always a winner with me.
Track 11: The Saturdays – All Fired Up
Fairly generic dance track, but the tune’s okay, and it’s quite danceable.
Track 12: Lady Gaga – The Edge Of Glory
Great pop tune! Love the sax solo too, obviously.
Track 13: Will Young – Jealousy
Irritatingly whiny and insipid.
Track 14: James Morrison – I Won’t Let You Go
Painfully boring and depressing ballad.
Track 15: Ed Sheeran – You Need Me, I Don’t Need You
Great upbeat track, and I’m sorry, but I still find the elevator lyric hilarious.
Track 16: Damien Rice – Cannonball
Too slow and earnest for me.
Track 17: Lana Del Rey – Video Games
Gorgeous tune! An all-time favourite.
Track 18: Charlene Soraia – Wherever You Will Go
Slow, dull ‘TV advert’ cover of the Calling song. It’s a good tune, but the original beats this hands down.
Track 19: Goo Goo Dolls – Iris
Absolutely beautiful tune – a classic rock track from the ’90s, back in the charts due to somebody performing it on Britain’s Got Talent.
Track 20: Matt Cardle – Run For Your Life
Achingly boring.
Track 21: Westlife – Lighthouse
Jarring lines, saccharine vocals. Not a fan of this one.
Track 22: Adele – Set Fire To The Rain
Gorgeous tune – love the atmosphere on this.
Track 23: Professor Green and Emeli Sandé – Read All About It
I find this one a bit depressing.
Track 24: Gym Class Heroes and Adam Levine – Stereo Hearts
The tune’s okay, but the rap’s really uninspired.
Track 25: Labrinth and Tinie Tempah – Earthquake
Great, danceable track – really like this one! That monastic bit is wild.
Track 26: Jason Derulo – It Girl
Cheesy and forgettable. Not a great song.
Track 27: Dappy – No Regrets
Again, there’s something very depressing about the tune on this one.
Track 28: David Guetta and Usher – Without You
Boring tune, uninspired lines.
Track 29: Calvin Harris – Feel So Close
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Calvin Harris on track 2.
I find this tune pretty dull.
Track 30: Leona Lewis and Avicii – Collide
I remember there was a bit of upset at the time, according to the Radio 1 DJs, because Avicii hadn’t originally been credited despite the fact that it was his track and Leona Lewis was just singing over the top. Anyway, the tune’s a bit repetitive and bland.
Track 31: Example – Stay Awake
Slightly awkward theme, but the vocals are good.
Track 32: Sean Kingston – Party All Night (Sleep All Day)
Daft theme, but it’s a pleasant enough tune, if a bit bland.
Track 33: Tinchy Stryder, Calvin Harris and Matthew Burns – Off The Record
Repeated artist mega alert! We’ve already had Calvin Harris on both track 2 and track 29.
Boring electro hook, generic rap. Not a fan.
Track 34: Sak Noel – Loca People
Another daft theme, and the track itself is pretty repetitive and dull.
Track 35: Rizzle Kicks – Down With The Trumpets
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Rizzle Kicks on track 8.
This song is great though – wonderful atmosphere. I absolutely love the vocal style, and the lyrics are brilliant.
Track 36: Cher Lloyd and Mike Posner – With Ur Love
Extremely generic and forgettable.
Track 37: Jessie J – Who’s Laughing Now
Very irritating hooks and vocals, and I’m not keen on the theme.
Track 38: Rihanna – Cheers (Drink To That)
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Rihanna on track 2.
Nice feelgood tune, quite like this one.
Track 39: Sean Paul and Alexis Jordan – Got 2 Luv U
Good beat, and I quite like the vocal hook.
Track 40: Emeli Sandé – Heaven
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Emeli Sandé on track 23.
This track’s awesome, though – very Massive Attack-esque.
Track 41: Maverick Sabre – I Need
Boring, forgettable tune.
Track 42: Wretch 32 and Josh Kumra – Don’t Go
Gorgeous tune, even if it is a little depressing.
Track 43: The Collective – Teardrop
Too many artists to mention collaborating on the Children In Need single for 2011 – a cover of Massive Attack’s Teardrop. There’s a lot of misplaced rap; it’s not horrible but it’s pretty uninspired.
As I’ve been in a bookshelf place this week, what with getting my own ones back up and running, I thought I’d share my favourite of Mum and Dad’s many bookshelves: the one in the dining room that used to be an escape of mine when I was a kid.
This is where Mum keeps all her old childhood books from the ’50s. I was a voracious reader when I was little, and I would scour the whole house for new books to read (there are a lot), but this was one of my favourite spots to spend a Sunday afternoon. I’d pick out something that sounded interesting, and nine times out of ten it would be a jolly-hockey-sticks romp about maverick English boarding school girls in the ’50s. It was a world that was completely far removed from my own, but I found it fascinating, and those books later inspired one of my own characters in one of my ongoing novel series. I would settle down in the chair next to the bookshelf, so that once I was done with one book, I could immediately grab another.
Other books on the shelf included the entire Little Women series (published as four books in the UK – Little Women, Good Wives, Little Men and Jo’s Boys – I must have read them twenty or thirty times), Alice In Wonderland/Through The Looking Glass, and the entire What Katy Did series. Some real classics there, and I still borrow them from time to time.
Day 79 equals Now! #79, which came out on 25th July 2011.
The thunderstorms weren’t really conducive to summer songs, but from what I remember there were an awful lot of them that year. Let’s have a listen.
Track 1: Adele – Someone Like You
Beautiful tune, but I’m not really into slow ballads.
Track 2: Aloe Blacc – I Need A Dollar
Great track! Love the atmosphere on this one.
Track 3: Bruno Mars – The Lazy Song
A welcome break from Bruno Mars’ saccharine ballads. This one’s very funny, and the video is great.
Track 4: Jason Derulo – Don’t Wanna Go Home
It’s the one with the sample of Show Me Love that I mentioned in my Now! #24 review. Good beat, happily nodding along here.
Track 5: Lady Gaga – Born This Way
Great beat, very danceable.
Track 6: Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull – On The Floor
Another great dance track – really like this one. The Lambada sample is immense!
Track 7: Alexandra Stan – Mr Saxobeat
An all-time favourite! I love this track, especially the jaunty saxophone hooks throughout.
Track 8: Katy Perry – Last Friday Night (TGIF)
The song’s a solid pop track, but it’s the hilarious video that really makes this one (Hanson! Rebecca Black! Just Dance!). Also, I REALLY appreciate the sax solo, ’cause you hardly ever hear them in 2010s pop.
Track 9: The Wanted – Glad You Came
Great summer dance track – this was another favourite of mine that year.
Track 10: Nicole Scherzinger – Don’t Hold Your Breath
Gorgeous tune – yet another favourite!
Track 11: The Black Eyed Peas – Just Can’t Get Enough
Thankfully/sadly (?) not a cover of the Depeche Mode song. I’m not really a fan of songs copying classic song titles unless they’ve got some link to the original – it causes confusion apart from anything else.
It’s a nice tune though – quite like this one.
Track 12: Take That – Love Love
Nice feelgood tune – quite like this track. Love that bassline!
Track 13: Jessie J – Nobody’s Perfect
Irritating tune, and I’m not keen on the theme.
Track 14: The Saturdays – Notorious
Another track that borrows a classic title (see track 11 above). Not a cover of the Duran Duran song.
I actually really like this track, though – I just wish they’d used a more original title!
Track 15: Rihanna – California King Bed
It’s the kind of ballad that would normally be too slow for me, but the tune’s so gorgeous that I really like it. Also, that rock guitar solo is retro and epic!
Track 16: Scouting For Girls – Love How It Hurts
Too saccharine for me.
Track 17: Coldplay – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall
I find this tune a bit irritating.
Track 18: Cee Lo Green – I Want You (Hold Onto Love)
Nice retro disco feel, but the tune’s a bit forgettable.
Track 19: Yasmin – Finish Line
Dull and uninspired, and that As sample is just ill-fitting.
Track 20: Ed Sheeran – The A Team
Lovely tune, but I find the theme a bit on-the-nose.
Track 21: Birdy – Skinny Love
Highly irritating whiny ballad. Not a fan.
Track 22: Templecloud – One Big Family
I like the vocals, and it’s a good atmosphere, but it’s too slow for my liking.
Track 23: Pitbull, Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer – Give Me Everything
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Pitbull on track 6.
This is a great track though – I love the tune on the chorus.
Track 24: LMFAO, Lauren Bennett and GoonRock – Party Rock Anthem
I’ve always really liked this daft dance track – it was played at every wedding I went to in 2011 (and there were a lot of them!)
Track 25: DJ Fresh and Sian Evans – Louder
’90s-tinged dubstep, which was a big thing at the time and which I had kind of forgotten about until now. Good beat, but the tune’s a bit generic.
Track 26: Example – Changed The Way You Kiss Me
An absolute classic! Wonderful track – love the tune, the way it builds, everything.
Track 27: David Guetta, Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj – Where Them Girls At
I like that chant-along chorus, and I’ve always had a soft spot for the video.
Track 28: Chris Brown and Benny Benassi – Beautiful People
Annoying chorus, and the rest of the tune’s just uninspired.
Track 29: Calvin Harris and Kelis – Bounce
Great feelgood dance tune! Gorgeous stuff.
Track 30: Loick Essien and Tanya Lacey – How We Roll
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
Great atmosphere, good beat. Quite like this one.
Track 31: Nicki Minaj – Super Bass
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Nicki Minaj on track 27.
This tune’s okay, but it’s a bit generic.
Track 32: Tinchy Stryder and Dappy – Spaceship
Daft track that always makes me laugh with its ridiculous lyrics. I’m not sure if that was intentional or not.
Track 33: Wretch 32 and Example – Unorthodox
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Example on track 26.
This is another great track though – love that chorus. The Fools’ Gold sample is awesome too.
Track 34: Vato Gonzalez and Foreign Beggars – Badman Riddim (Jump)
Some good lines on this dance track, but it’s a little messy.
Track 35: Snoop Dogg and David Guetta – Sweat
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had David Guetta on track 27.
Good beat, good atmosphere – very danceable.
Track 36: Swedish House Mafia and John Martin – Save The World
Repetitive, irritating tune, and in general I just find this one a bit bland.
Track 37: Dev, The Cataracs and Tinie Tempah – Bass Down Low
Daft theme, but I really like this one!
Track 38: Mann and 50 Cent – Buzzin’
Another pleasingly daft song, but I find the tune a bit annoying.
Track 39: Chase & Status and Tinie Tempah – Hitz
Repeated artist alert! We’ve already had Tinie Tempah on track 37.
This one’s too messy for my liking, although Tinie Tempah’s whimsical rapping is always appreciated.
Track 40: Katy B – Broken Record
I find the tune very irritating, but the beat’s okay.
Track 41: Nero – Guilt
This one’s pretty boring, but I quite like the dubstep bass once it gets going.
Track 42: Alex Gaudino and Kelly Rowland – What A Feeling
The tune’s too cheesy for me, but it’s got a good beat.
Track 43: Wynter Gordon – Dirty Talk
Another solid pop track – really like this one.
Track 44: Inna – Sun Is Up
The tune’s a bit dull, but it’s fairly danceable.
