Day 58, and Now! #58, which was released on 26th July 2004.
Let’s see what would have been blaring out on the promenade.
Track 1: Rachel Stevens – Some Girls
Good atmosphere, good head-nodder. Quite like this one.
Track 2: The Shapeshifters – Lola’s Theme
Quite like the ’70s retro tinge and the way the instrumentals work together, but it’s a bit repetitive.
Track 3: Anastacia – Left Outside Alone
Good track – really like the power vocals and the lyrics in this one.
Track 4: Kelis – Trick Me
Oh, it’s this one! Great beat, very danceable.
Track 5: Jamelia – See It In A Boy’s Eyes
Some interesting instrumentals, but the tune’s very generic.
Track 6: Eamon – F**k It (I Don’t Want You Back)
Repetitive, bitter breakup song that was everywhere in the early part of the year…
Track 7: Frankee – FURB (F U Right Back)
…and then this answer song was released with exactly the same tune. It was later revealed that she wasn’t actually his ex-girlfriend and the whole thing had been made up to sell more records. Anyway, both tracks are awful.
Track 8: Christina Milian – Dip It Low
Irritating vocals, boring tune.
Track 9: Outkast – Hey Ya!
Great, classic singalong track! Still love this one.
Track 10: The Black Eyed Peas – Hey Mama
Great atmosphere, good beat. Quite like this track.
Track 11: Scissor Sisters – Laura
Great tune, probably the best song Scissor Sisters ever did. That recurring instrumental is stunning.
Track 12: George Michael and The Ones – Flawless (Go To The City)
Semi-cover of the 2001 track Flawless (see Now! #50 for review of the original) with George Michael singing over the top. This version is better, to be honest.
Track 13: Narcotic Thrust – I Like It
Quite like the tune on this dance track.
Track 14: Beverley Knight – Come As You Are
Nice classic retro tinge on the bassline, but the vocal line’s not really doing anything for me.
Track 15: Joss Stone – Super Duper Love
Cover of a ’70s song by Sugar Billy, though this version is a lot more well-known. It’s a nice feelgood song and a nice tune.
Track 16: Keane – Everybody’s Changing
Cheesy soft rock, a bit cringeworthy. The tune’s okay, I suppose.
Track 17: Franz Ferdinand – The Dark Of The Matinée
I always quite liked this one – good stompy ’00s festival rock. Super bonus points for the bit in the lyrics about Terry Wogan (RIP).
Track 18: Razorlight – Golden Touch
Another great festival track – love the tune and the atmosphere on this.
Track 19: The Rasmus – In The Shadows
A song long detested by alternative music fans because it’s kind of fake and cheesy, but I have to admit I have a bit of a nostalgic fondness for it.
Track 20: Gladiator and Izzy – Now We Are Free
Like the operatic vocals, but the trance is very uninspired.
Track 21: Britney Spears – Everytime
‘Every time’, Britney. ‘Every time’. There’s no such word as ‘everytime’!
The track is a boring slow ballad, and it’s probably pretty clear by now that I’m not keen on those.
Track 22: Kylie Minogue – Chocolate
This one’s a bit slow for me, and there’s not really anything interesting going on.
Track 23: Girls Aloud – The Show
Great electro backing track, very danceable – really solid piece of pop.
Track 24: McFly – 5 Colours In Her Hair
A really cringeworthy bit of trying-to-be-alternative pop-pop-punk. You just know that the ‘five colours in her hair’ were from hair mascara (anyone else remember that awful late ’90s/early ’00s trend? I only just chucked out all of mine earlier this year!).
Track 25: Sugababes – In The Middle
The vocals are a little irritating on this one, and the tune’s a bit repetitive.
Track 26: Busted – Air Hostess
Bad clangy guitars, cheesy vocals, uninspired tune. Not a fan of this one.
Track 27: O-Zone – Dragostea Din Tea
This daft Eurodance track was everywhere in summer 2004 and later became the subject of a meme. I’ve always really liked the tune!
Track 28: Blue – Bubblin’
Good beat, but the tune is really dull.
Track 29: V – Blood Sweat And Tears
Highly generic, bland song. Utterly forgettable.
Track 30: 2 Play, Raghav and Naila Boss – It Can’t Be Right
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
Quite like the tune, and it’s nice and upbeat.
Track 31: Nina Sky and Jabba – Move Ya Body
Good head-nodder, happily chair-dancing here.
Track 32: Fatman Scoop and The Crooklyn Clan – It Takes Scoop
Cover of the 1988 song It Takes Two, which is possibly one of the most covered/sampled tracks of all time (and was already a mishmash of samples itself). I’m not familiar enough with the 1988 song to ascertain the differences, but this version’s a bit messy for me, though it’s got a good beat.
Track 33: Kanye West – Through The Wire
I like the retro tinge on the sung vocals in the background, but the main rap is not really my thing.
Track 34: NERD – Maybe
There are some interesting lines going on here, but the beat’s a bit jarring and the tune’s not doing it for me.
Track 35: Estelle – 1980
‘Not on Spotify’ Type 2: YouTube Pause (TM).
This song would be a lot better if it actually sounded like it was made in 1980. Still, it’s an okay track.
Track 36: Jay Sean and Rishi Rich Project – Eyes On You
Really like the piano instrumentals, and the tune’s quite nice too.
Track 37: VS – Call U Sexy
Love the sample of Imagination’s Body Talk, but the rest of the track is pretty boring.
Track 38: Joe – Ride Wit U
Not enough melody for my liking, and the backing track’s really one-note and dull.
Track 39: Gabrielle – Stay The Same
Too slow and too bland for me.
Track 40: Ronan Keating and LeAnn Rimes – Last Thing On My Mind
Boring ballad, which, to be honest, I kind of expected from these two.
Track 41: Kristian Leontiou – Story Of My Life
Nice atmosphere, nice tune, but again it’s too slow for me.
Track 42: Atomic Kitten – Someone Like Me
Really like the piano on this. The tune’s quite nice too.