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The quest for this year's Christmas chart-topper is underway, with The
Darkness and Avid Merrion leading the charge. These less-than-subtle yuletide
offerings face an unlikely challenge, however, that could make it a very interesting
battle for the coveted #1 spot. Mad World, Tears For Fears' breakthrough hit
from the tail-end of 1982 has been covered in a minimalistic, downtempo style
by little-known US singer-songwriter Gary Jules.
Originally recorded in 2001
for use that year in the superb cult film Donnie Darko, the track has recently
become a fixture on the Radio 2 playlist and built up significant
word-of-mouth interest through Donnie Darko's continuing success on DVD. While it might
ultimately just fall short of fending off the tongue-in-cheek Glam of Christmas
Time and Proper Crimbo's Bo Selecta! pedigree, Mad World should prove an
enduring winter smash long after the decorations have been taken down.
COUNTING YOUR CROWS
It was a cover version that finally gave Counting Crows' a sizeable UK hit
earlier this year, when their easygoing collaboration with Vanessa Carlton on
Big Yellow Taxi hit the top 20. Having burst onto the scene in 1994 with the
excellent August & Everything After album, the Crows spent the following few
years releasing a succession of albums that never quite emulated that debut.
2002's Hard Candy was arguably their strongest set since August & Everything After,
so what better time to go the Greatest Hits route than now? Films About
Ghosts gathers all the best Counting Crows tracks together, adding an obligatory
new song for good measure.
TASTY, VERY TASTY
Kelis should be a major star by now; her introductory album Kaleidoscope
ranks as one of the most stunning pop/r'n'b records of recent years. The top 5
single Caught Out There made you sit up and notice, not least for its "I hate you
so much right now...aaaargh!" hookline and her rainbow-coloured afro. That
was almost four years ago.
For some reason, the super-sexy New Yorker never
established herself as a bona-fide chart force; subsequent singles such as the
gorgeous Get Along Without You and steamroller 21st Century funk of Young Fresh'N
New missed the Top 40 altogether and 2001's second album Wanderland misfired
completely. Production mentors The Neptunes have gone from strength to
strength commercially since then, ostensibly through their work for the likes of
Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, but it took Richard X to put Kelis back in
the Top 10 with the SOS Band/Human League mutation Finest Dreams.
Now, in
advance of the suggestive single Milkshake comes album number three. Quite why
Virgin America have opted to launch Tasty in the graveyard period just before
Christmas is a mystery, though.
FUTURE SOUNDS
The best music on the horizon:
VICTORIA BECKHAM - THIS GROOVE/LET YOUR HEAD GO:
Well, here it is. The much-ridiculed former Spice returns with this double A-sided
single in the cosy December 29th slot, always the weakest chart of the calendar
year, with the aim of scoring that so far elusive solo #1. It's actually not
bad, and certainly the strength of this pair of tracks has got up a fair few
peoples' noses.
This Groove is a very contemporary slice of wordy, jittery pop that, if
by any other eminent female artist would surely have been granted a less
spiteful welcome. The pounding Let Your Head Go is far from the disaster
widely predicted, and the combination of these two songs could quite possibly
do the business for Posh.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
