Track-by-Track: Alexandra Burke - Overcome

Reality show albums are always a crap shoot. You never know whether the powers-that-be will treat them like actual, viable records or just throw a bunch of covers and rejects at the artist. On X-Factor, Alexandra Burke had talent and personality to spare, but did they give her a good album?

1. Bad Boys - By far the best track on the album, and the unquestionable single, this has a classic, mature melody. I feel like this could have been released in the heyday of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston and been successful. Also, the beat is great, especially in that huge chorus. 10/10

2. Good Night Good Morning - An unnecessary duet with Ne-Yo (especially this early in the album), it's an instant comedown from the last song, with a repetitive chorus and repeated declarations that "this beat is amazing." It's really not. 5/10

3. The Silence - The first big ballad (of very few, thankfully), this is just a little too overwrought to be effective. Sure, Alexandra sounds great. That husky voice is in full display. But the song is too dramatic without really earning it. 7/10

4. All Night Long - My second favorite track, this is unquestionably a RedOne production, but has its own sound that really compliments Alexandra. Again, it's a flashback to the 80's and artists like Lionel Ritchie. The chorus is fantastic. 10/10

5. Bury Me (6 Feet Under) - This one has an odd sound. It's an uptempo, old-school soul track that doesn't really mesh well with what's come before. But, on its own this is quite good. Not sure if it really fits Alexandra, though. 8/10

6. Broken Heels - Another strong RedOne production, this is an excellent dance track with fun lyrics and a great beat. Definite single choice, here. This is the sound she should really stick to. 9/10

7. Dumb - The last really strong track on the album, this closes out the RedOne phase. It's got an interesting stop/start rhythm that explodes into a euphoric chorus. Why didn't RedOne just produce the entire album? 9/10

8. Overcome - Another big ballad, and it's nothing special. It sounds like a Whitney Houston or Jordin Sparks song, and I'm not necessarily meaning that as a compliment. It's meant to be inspirational, but I walk away from it feeling very little. 5/10

9. Gotta Go - I honestly never remember that this is even on the album. It's incredibly bland--too fast to be a ballad but much too slow to dance to. It's utterly forgettable. 3/10

10. You Broke My Heart - Taking the Duffy/Winehouse/Pixie route, this comes off sounding more try-hard than anything else. This retro sound has been done to death, and Alexandra brings nothing new to the table. It's a nice sounding track, but feels very copycat. 6/10

11. Nothing But The Girl - Back to dance music, which suits Alexandra much better than the past tracks have. This is the clubbiest track on the album, produced by the Freemasons, and I wish it had a stronger melody. Still, it sticks out easily as the highlight of the second half of the album. 8/10

12. They Don't Know - Another ballad that I scarcely remember after hearing it. It's better than Overcome, and there are some pretty harmonies, but I'd expect more from an album closer. 6/10

13. Hallelujah - I won't even review this one. It's not fair to Alexandra. The X-Factor winning song is tacked on as a bonus track. It's not much of a bonus for anyone.

Album Grade: 7.2/10

Dannii Minogue - No Romeo

"I imagine us together"

Consider this a call to arms to get Dannii Minogue to release a new album. Cheryl Cole's stint as a judge on X-Factor is doing wonders for her solo career, so why doesn't Dannii release a new single and perform it on the show too? Granted, people seem to like Cheryl better on the show (not my personal opinion), but she should still take advantage of the exposure. Her musical output is already far more interesting than any of the girls she's mentoring will ever be. No Romeo is a recently leaked demo and, if it's any indication of the quality of music she's working on now, then we have even more evidence that she's due for a comeback. The song's verses are stronger than the chorus--total bubblegum pop reminiscent of one of her best singles, I Begin To Wonder. For an unreleased track, this is very strong. Stronger than a lot of Kylie's recent stuff, actually.

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy older albums here. Follow me on twitter at nickajames)

Track-by-Track: Robbie Williams - Reality Killed The Video Star

I liked Robbie Williams' last "experimental" electro album, Rudebox, though I've found that it hasn't aged particularly well. The thing is, it doesn't feel like he's really been away long enough for a "comeback," though if any album could be considered as such, it's Reality Killed the Video Star.

1. Morning Sun - A gentle--but quite beautiful--opening to the record, this was supposedly written in the aftermath of Michael Jackson's death. It's reprised at the end of the album as well. Not sure if it's one of the strongest tracks, or one that sticks out amongst his back catalogue, but it's still gorgeous. 8/10

2. Bodies - The big "comeback" single, this was a total grower for me. It meshes the more experimental aspects of his newer work with the more anthematic, melodic songwriting of his past. The strings in this are particularly stirring. It compares pretty favorably to his earlier singles. 10/10

3. You Know Me - This, I hear, is the next single. Good choice. It's unlike anything he's done before, yet sounds so much like him. I love the throwback doo-wop feel and the chorus is ridiculously catchy. 10/10

4. Blasphemy - Out of all of the tracks on the record, this sounds the most like old-school Robbie Williams. It should, too, since it was co-written by longtime collaborator Guy Chambers. The Chambers/Williams combo is the stuff of legends, and soars on this gentle, quiet ballad. 10/10

5. Do You Mind - Continuing the hot streak that makes up the first half of the album, this uptempo rocker features a glam beat and a throwaway chorus that is catchier than it should be. It's Williams-by-the-numbers, for sure, but fans have missed it. 9/10

6. Last Days Of Disco - Back to the Rudebox sound here, and it's probably the most successful of the more experimental "dance" tracks on the album. The melody is gorgeous and the vocals are so smooth and subtle. This could be a big hit for him. 10/10

7. Somewhere - I can't really give this a score, since it's basically an interlude, but I adore it. It cuts the album in half perfectly with its stabbing strings and dark, glammed-up sound.

8. Decepticon - The big ballad of the album, this has a strange, almost underwater quality to its sound. It unfolds slowly into an interesting experiment, but it's not a real standout for me. 8/10

9. Starstruck - A midtempo r&b/disco hybrid, this has been a favorite of many listeners, but isn't quite connecting with me. It sounds a lot like George Michael, but I prefer Robbie's vocals on rockier tracks. This is smoothed out too much that it sounds a little dull around the edges. 7/10

10. Difficult For Weirdos - The sonic brother to Last Days Of Disco, it's the weaker of the two, but still a strong offering that'll satisfy the fans of Williams' dancier side. It sounds a lot like the Pet Shop Boys. 8/10

11. Superblind - Another big ballad, with a sound that mixes Bowie-glam and Brit-rock. It never amounts to much, but it's a pretty way to close the album. In fact, it should have been the close of the album. 7/10

12. Won't Do That - This feels like it's tacked onto the album and doesn't belong there. It's fine (and even kinda funky), but defines the word "filler." Should have been a b-side. 6/10

13. Morning Sun (Reprise) - sounds like what it is.

Album Grade: 8.5/10

Space Cowboy - Talking In Your Sleep

"What do you dream of when you sleep with me?"

Although it seems to have gone unnoticed by many, Space Cowboy's duet with German glam group Cinema Bizarre, I Came 2 Party, has been one of my favorite singles of the year. I've even come to enjoy Space Cowboy's erm... unique vocals. Because of this, I decided to check out his new album. It is RedOne produced, after all. Most of it veers between middling to alright, but I found that this track really stuck out to me. No guest vocalists on this one, but his voice isn't as irritating as it can be and the melody and production is top notch. It's exactly what dance rock should sound like. The verses, in particular, are excellent. It's got that punchy 80's sound that I'm absolutely in love with. Another victory for Cherrytree Records.

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter at nickajames)

Happy Halloween!

(And this certainly makes me happy!)

Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment

"Can you handle what I'm about to do?"

Well the day that I've been waiting for since May has finally come... the debut of Adam Lambert's first proper single. I'm only just listening to it now, so you're getting total first impressions here. While it's not as audacious or radical as I might have liked, For Your Entertainment is a VERY catchy, successful pop song. It's quite the modern post-Gaga exercise in synthesized dance-pop. Some might be upset that Adam's trademark wails are (mostly) absent, but the delivery and phrasing are still excellent without the overkill. I have a feeling that there will be some more interesting tracks on the album (including his cover of Gaga's Fever, one of my favorite Gaga demos), and I am thoroughly excited for it. This track will be played many times until the album makes its way into my hands. One gripe, though: the lyrics are pretty lame and overdone.

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter at nickajames)

The Ark: "We want to make a really grand stadium rock album. That is what we do best."

Could I be more excited? Nope. The new album's out in early April. You can follow their progress here.

Pop Blitz

Ke$ha - Tik Tok
Previously known as the vocalist on Flo-Rida's obnoxious Right Round, Ke$ha is being compared (unjustly) to Lady Gaga. I'd take Bad Romance over this any day. Everything's pretty derivative here. It's not horrible, but it wouldn't be a hit if Gaga wasn't big. Oh, and the lyrics are annoying. C

David Guetta ft. Akon - Sexy Bitch
The lyrics here are so ridiculous that you'd gotta just laugh at them. Luckily, the melody and beat are some of Guetta's strongest, and Akon, who I'm usually not a fan of, fits this type of pop sleaze perfectly. B+

Black Eyed Peas - Meet Me Halfway
After their previous two singles got overplayed to death on the radio, no one should be excited about another BEP single. Thankfully, it's one of the better cuts from the album, with a catchy pop chorus that undoubtedly will become, you guessed it, overplayed to death. B-

Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
Gaga's gutsiest single yet, this sounds like Poker Face on speed. There are about a thousand hooks buried inside of this, each one complimenting the others. More importantly, I get the feeling of Lady Gaga as an artist in this song, which is hard to accomplish in radio pop music. A

Michael Jackson - This Is It
Far more underwhelming than I'd anticipated, this gentle ballad took a few spins to really hook me. Compared to most of his back catalog, it's pretty slight, but compared to most of the stuff out there now, it's an A-

Rihanna - Russian Roulette
A bizarre single choice, for sure, this dark ballad opens with a processed guitar and ends with a gunshot. Not what anyone was expecting, right? One listen doesn't do it justice, because I didn't like it the first time. Though not her best single, it's a statement of intent that I can appreciate and I'm enjoying it more each listen. B+

Westlife - What About Now
I can't imagine anything worse. I hated this song the first time. I didn't think I could dislike it more, but then Westlife trotted on up and did the impossible. F

Darin - Viva La Vida

"I hear Jerusalem bells ringing"

So I thought that I was well and truly forever sick of this invincible Coldplay song (invincible in the way that radio cannot force it away from its playlists). And Darin, who I've enjoyed sporadically in the past, is certainly not the most likely of pop singers to bring out anything new or interesting in the track. Yet, his cover of Viva La Vida does the impossible. It makes me like the song again. Sure, Coldplay fans are probably gonna hate the europop song it's been turned into, but the vocal phrasing and slight changes to melody and pacing really do breathe life into this overplayed hit. I'm surprised how much I like it. On a related note, Darin's Swedish hit Breathing Your Love is finally set to be released in the UK on the 29th of November. I see no reason why it wouldn't be a hit over there. It's a hundred times better than the likes of JLS and Jay Sean, right?

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy Darin's latest album here. Follow me on twitter at nickajames)

Track-by-Track: Alphabeat - The Spell

Alphabeat's second album is an interesting beast. In one regard, it sounds like a natural follow-up for them. On the other hand, much of the debut's "let's grab a tambourine and put on a show" charm is absent. It's probably a smart move, since that kind of energy is more fitting to a brand new band than an established one. So, how does the new album stack up?

1. The Spell - When this was initially released a few months ago, I was underwhelmed. I liked the beat, but that was about it. Now it's grown on me quite a bit, though it's still not their best single. Very catchy, though. 9/10

2. DJ - My favorite track on the album, this finds the male/female vocals on full display, steering us through a melody that screams "#1 single" far more obviously than the previous track. 10/10

3. Hole In My Heart - Another uptempo dance track continuing the obvious 90's influence, this one has a catchy, if somewhat repetitive, chorus. Suffers from being placed after DJ, but it's still a great track. 9/10

4. The Beat Is - This has a strong, hard chorus with some dramatic synths. Though still uptempo, it's got a funkier beat that sets it apart from some of the other dance tracks. Easily continues the album's winning streak. 9/10

5. Heat Wave - A totally Stine-centric track, this is a loud, frantic dance track and will certainly rub some listeners the wrong way, but I love it. The instrumentation is sped up to the point of bursting, and Stine's vocals are suitably frantic. 10/10

6. Chess - A midtempo, synth-driven track, this gives the album some well-deserved breathing room and features some interesting vocal production. Anders' bridges are especially nice. One of the band's strongest midtempos, I'd say. 9/10

7. Heart Failure - I like everything about this track except the chorus. It's alright, but too repetitive. Anders is used very effectively in the bridges again. I'm a sucker for tracks where the two vocalists actually sing to each other, rather than detached. 8/10

8. Always Up With You - Back to the hyper-dance 90's sound, this is an Anders track primarily, and one of the best on the album. Great beat, great melody and some catchy background bits from Stine. Love this one. 10/10

9. Q&A - The other midtempo on the album, this isn't as strong as Chess. Again, the chorus is just a bit too repetitive. Certainly not bad by any standard, but not overly amazing. I wish they were singing "T&A" instead. It'd be more interesting. 8/10

10. The Right Thing - The perfect closing track, this one sees Stine and Anders tag-teaming it for another hugely uptempo dance track with a very catchy, dramatic melody. It may not sound so much like their last record, but this is a very nice progression. 10/10

Album Grade: 9.2/10

Alphabeat - DJ

"Just let the music play"

I will have my thoughts on Alphabeat's new album The Spell next week, since I haven't really had time to digest it yet, and their debut was one of my favorites of the decade. Their sound has certainly changed this time around, swapping much of the duet format and kitschy 80's pop sound in favor of a more polished 90's dance style. But is it as good? That remains to be seen. One song, however, that is certainly up to snuff is the second track, DJ. Not only does it have Anders and Stine trading off vocals (as they should), but it features one of the most instant, catchy choruses on the album. And the verses... by far the best that the The Spell has to offer. It may not quite be the aural sequel to Touch Me, Touching You that I was hoping for, but it's still damn good.

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter at nickajames)

Kite - I Give You The Morning

"Through the waving curtain wall the sun is streaming"

Swedish duo Kite have now officially released their long-delayed second EP, titled (what else?) II. It is even stranger than their debut, with five tracks--including their poppiest yet (Cannonballs) and their strangest (Hills = celt-ronica?). They've also included their cover of the Weeping Willow's I Give You The Morning, which is quite nice. There's something very unique about these guys, something that would catch my ear even if one of my favorite singers in the world wasn't the vocalist. With this track, they've turned a subtle folksy ballad into an electronic masterpiece. I'm not sure if they'll ever release a full-length album, but if they keep releasing EPs of this quality, I will be very happy indeed.

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the EP here. Follow me on twitter at nickajames)

November 23rd, 2009: A Day of Pop History?

I think we need to declare an unofficial holiday.
Several days before Thanksgiving (in the States), three of the most anticipated albums of the year are released: Adam Lambert's For Your Entertainment, Lady Gaga's Fame Monster and Rihanna's Rated R. I can't think of a single date since I first started buying albums with this many huge releases. And now that we've heard tasters (well, sorta) from each of them, my excitement is only growing.

Adam Lambert - Time For Miracles: Though this isn't on the album--and apparently doesn't represent the sound, either--this 2012 -featured track highlights the vocals and bombast I am most looking forward to. We haven't had a cinematic "movie" song like this in ages, and it's just fantastic. I'm counting down the seconds until the proper first single premieres.

Lady Gaga - Bad Romance: The finished version of this single just premiered, and it's totally epic. I feel like this is the first track where all of her weirdness truly came together, and leads me to believe that the new album will be artier and more dramatic. Brilliant leaked track Alejandro supports this theory.

Rihanna - Russian Roulette: Not what anyone was expecting, this dark, haunting ballad may mark a real turning point. At the very least, it promises a more interesting, edgy album to come (rumored to be two discs?). It's not as immediate as the other artists' releases, but I love it already.

Donkeyboy - Stereolife

"How could I lose control?"

Norwegian sensation Donkeyboy finally release their first album today after months of having a gazillion tracks floating around the upper reaches of the charts. Stereolife opens the album, and it's one of only a handful of uptempo tracks. The band have such a sparkly, classic sound and a real gift for subtle melody that works its way slowly into your head. Stereolife is pretty instant, and utilizes that soaring falsetto to full effect. I've only had the chance to listen to the album once so far, but it's absolutely gorgeous. Maybe not the most instant, catchy thing of 2009, but definitely beautiful. And the singles, Ambitions and Sometimes, remain two of the year's best.

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter at nickajames)

Dylan - In The Moonlight (Do You)

"Do you wanna do me?"

I mostly wanted to post this so that I'd have a chance to write about the brilliant new series Modern Family. For those of you who haven't seen it, it is (in addition to Glee) the best new comedy on the air. Shot in the documentary style of the Office, but utilizing it better--like Summer Heights, High did--it's the rare 30-minute series that manages to juggle an enormous amount of characters and find time to develop them all. This song comes from Wednesday's episode, and if you saw the show you'll surely remember why it was so funny in the situation. Subtle, it's not. Then ABC decided to take the snippet heard in the episode and produce a full song for download (and a music video!). The best part is, as stupid as it's meant to be, the track's pretty damn catchy. Sort of reminds me of Interpol? Maybe not quite, but it's freaking stuck in my head, for sure.

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the song here. Follow me on twitter at nickajames)

Kitty & The K - So Much For Fashion

"Being an icon is tough"

I wrote about Kitty & The K ages ago. They're one of those obscure Swedish electro groups that seem to disappear forever and then come back out of nowhere with a new single. It seems that their long-awaited debut album will finally be released next year. If I'm being honest, this track isn't nearly as good as their last single, but it's still nice to have them back. It's a very simple song, with a straightforward electro beat and melody. I think with the right producer these guys could be huge, and I'm excited to see what they do next. They also released a video for this track, which goes a long way in demonstrating their visual charm.

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to more here. Follow me on twitter at nickajames)