Their debut album, We Started Nothing, is astoundingly good, full of catchy tunes perfect for playing on a hot summer’s day. It includes the five singles released which charted, including That’s Not My Name which reached number one in the British singles chart. And now, they’re preparing to record their as-yet-untitled second album.

The Manchester duo recently told BBC Newsbeat of their plans, which see the group going to Germany to try out new material and set the tone for the new record.

Drummer/vocalist Jules De Martino said:

“We fell in love with Berlin the times we’ve played there… we go there in October when we finish the Pink tour.”

Guitarist/vocalist Katie White said:

“We did the first album by throwing house parties. We’d try them out on our drunk friends and if they danced we’d go ‘Great, let’s carry on!’ We’re gonna do the same in Berlin - that’s why we’ve got the jazz club - so we can just stick a big plastic bag over the studio so it doesn’t get beer on and experiment on some crazy Berliners.”

“[We've got] all these hooks and licks we’ve been rehearsing in sound checks and emailing and texting each other lyrics… we just kind of save them up and mash them all together and rock out.”

The duo did say they had no full songs actually finished but will concoct new songs from all the various ideas they’ve had over the past year. It seems German music fans are going to be in for a treat as The Ting Tings essentially turn a jazz club in the city into the location for jamming sessions for new material.

I’ve got high hopes for The Ting Tings second album because the duo should have learned a lot from their experiences last year and be able to bring them through into the music. With recording beginning at the end of this year, a 2010 release date seems assured.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

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La Roux have already released two singles, Quicksand and In For The Kill, the latter of which managed to reach number two in the UK singles chart. Then came their third release, Bulletproof (video embedded below), which hit number one at the weekend. Michael Jackson may have dominated the latest charts but it’s La Roux who made it to the top.

The question for me is whether this success signals yet another 1980s revival? It wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened, and with La Roux looking and sounding like the love children of The Human League and Heaven 17, it seems likely to happen.

This song wouldn’t be the sort of music I’d ordinarily listen to. Any regular readers of Brit Music Scene would realize my first love is guitar-based music, such as indie or rock. But I must confess to liking Bulletproof. A lot. It’s ultra-catchy, fun enough to grab you by the ear hole but serious enough not to come across as a parody of everything eighties.

Jackson’s quiff would make Elvis jealous, and the styling of the video is at once both modern and retro, which is a hard balancing act to pull off. It all adds up to a heady mix which will draw in both older music lovers and the scenesters looking for the next big thing. Which right now is La Roux.

I was just too young to really be influenced by the 1980s, the nineties was my decade, so I wouldn’t mind if it came round again. Let’s just hope that if it does then the hair doesn’t get any bigger than Elly Jackson’s because I’m starting to lose mine and I couldn’t compete.

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

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Michael Jackson had, prior to his death last week, been kind of out of the news for a while. There were, of course, the 50 shows he’d promised to perform at the London O2 Arena, of which we still don’t know the fate. But apart from that, no one was really that interested in him, his life, or his music. His death changed that completely overnight.

Not only has the death of Michael Jackson provoked an outpouring of grief and been the biggest media event for years, it’s also had a huge effect on sales of his records. Retailers around the U.K. are now reporting they’ve sold out of all his albums. Jackson’s albums occupied the top 15 slots on Amazon’s Bestsellers list, while HMV “experienced an 80-fold increase in demand for his music,” according to Digital Spy.

No surprise then to hear the Official Charts were dominated by Michael Jackson at the weekend. His album, Number Ones, appropriately took the number one slot on the albums chart, while there were six singles in the Top 40, 20 in the Top 75.

Number Ones knocked Kasabian’s new album off the top spot, while Thriller also made it to number seven. The singles were lead by Man In The Mirror, which managed to hit number 11. When it was originally released in 1988 it only hit number 21, although record sales were generally a lot higher in those days. The other singles in the Top 40 were Thriller at 23, Billie Jean at 25, Smooth Criminal at 28, Beat It at 30, and Earth Song at 38.

Michael Jackson is clearly set to continue entertaining and inspiring millions of people, in death as he did so in life. Whether it’s right or wrong for us all to have forgotten about the stranger and more shadier parts of his life on hearing he’d died is a question worth exploring later on. But for now it seems to be all about the music once again.

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

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Paul McCartney worked with Michael Jackson on a number of different occasions, including duets Say Say Say (embedded below) and The Man. The pair eventually fell out with each other after Jackson outbid both McCartney and John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono for the publishing rights to The Beatles back catalog. There’s now a rumor that Jackson left these rights to McCartney in his will.

Paul McCartney was clearly as shocked and upset about Michael Jackson’s premature death from cardiac arrest, and posted a heartfelt tribute to the man on his official Web site.

He said:

“It’s so sad and shocking. I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones.”

“I send my deepest sympathy to his mother and the whole family and to his countless fans all around the world.”

McCartney and Jackson were an unlikely pairing but both knew of the turmoil that enters your life when you become a globally recognized superstar. Maybe McCartney helped Jackson deal with his fame and fortune, although any advice given was clearly not entirely successful.

The songs the pair produced together are classic slices of 1980s pop music, with Say Say Say probably the most fondly remembered. The video is a gem, not because it’s particularly good but because it’s well-made and very cheesy. This was at the time when Michael Jackson had only had a little bit of plastic surgery and didn’t look like he was falling apart.

Paul McCartney is undoubtedly just the first of many British artists who will come out and pay tribute to Michael Jackson. Jacko was, for all his faults, an undisputed legend who had huge success for many years, some of the biggest hits on the face of the planet, and inspired generations of musicians and singers. Even in death, his music will live on.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

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Last month, while N-Dubz were riding high in the charts with their collaboration with Tinchy Stryder, Number 1, Tulisa was rushed to hospital with suspected swine flu. It turned out to be nothing of the sort, and she actually just had the regular sniffles which most of us get a few times a year. But it gave the group some nice publicity, which is never a bad thing.

In an interview with BBC Newsbeat, where she also spoke about being back in the studio writing songs for the group’s second album, and having to spend every day with Dappy and Fazer, Tulisa spoke about the prospect of playing the Wireless Festival in Hyde Park. She, and hopefully her band mates as well, seem to truly understand what’s required to do well at a festival.

She said:

“I like festivals because I find them a challenge. You’ve got thousands of people there and they’re not all there to see you.”

“It’s about winning the people over who are there to see a different act and making them walk away saying, ‘I went there to see so and so, but you know what, I really loved the N-Dubz performance.’”

“It’s just a wicked vibe to have that many people in one place - performing for them.”

Tulisa clearly has her head screwed on right because that is exactly how every band should approach an upcoming festival. There’s no point turning up and expecting everyone in the crowd to be there to see you, because a large proportion of them won’t be. So it’s a case of going out on stage and giving it your all, knowing you may be adding some new fans in the process.

Maybe I should force myself to listen to some more N-Dubz material. No, not as punishment for my sins but because it may do this 32-year-old some good to listen to what the kids love these days with an open mind. Am I too old to accept new music into my life? Probably not, but the chav genre may be pushing it a little.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

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Moby has recently come out and dismissed the British music scene in no uncertain terms. Moby is releasing his new album, Wait for Me, but I’m sure that has nothing to do with these headline-chasing comments. In an interview with The Sun newspaper, Moby claims to have been heavily influenced by The Beatles, The Sex Pistols, and Rod Stewart in his younger days but now isn’t a fan of the UK’s output.

He moaned:

“UK music has become very provincial and pub orientated. It’s hard to get too excited about pub rock.”

“The band look like they’re hanging out at the pub and they sound like they are playing in a pub and the subject matter is very provincial and pub orientated - laddish.”

“It’s not sexy or exciting and it’s not very personal either. It’s pleasant music, but pleasant music doesn’t make me want to run out and change the world with my records.”

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I do wonder how a man with as little integrity as Moby can make these kinds of sweeping statements. Moby is famous for selling each and every song on Play for use on commercials, which has made the album impossible to listen to with an open mind now. If you try, it isn’t long before a brand or product works its way into your unconscious.

Has Moby got a point? There is certainly an element of the British music scene which can be described as being provincial and laddish, but it’s a small element rather than one that overpowers every other genre. And the band who do inhabit this space - Oasis, The Enemy, Arctic Monkeys, and Kasabian - aren’t exactly a bad line-up now are they.

Maybe Moby should stick to writing dance tunes which owe most of their success to the use of old and forgotten samples. And then selling them to anyone who’s willing to pay the asking price.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

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But it seems I was wrong. In actual fact, Perez Hilton is now a celebrity in his own right and spends his day partying, presenting awards at shows, or arguing with other celebrities. You’ll no doubt be aware that Perez is claiming he was assaulted by one of Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas’ entourage outside a club at the weekend. But that’s not all.

Perez has also been feuding with uber-producer Mark Ronson on Twitter. This comes just a few months after Hilton also did the same with Lily Allen, with the pair showing their bitchy sides before Allen asked Hilton to leave her alone and stop following her on Twitter.

The new feud with Ronson came after Hilton took it upon himself to advise Ronson to remove rapper Wale from one of the tracks on Daniel Merriweather’s debut album before it was released in the States. Ronson very eloquently ignored the advice by replying, “Um, could you get rid of my Twitter address instead please? Cheers.”

Then a to-and-fro conversation happened on Twitter which shows that Ronson is an intelligent and witty man, while Hilton is rude, obnoxious, and very big-headed.

Hilton: “That wasn’t meant as a bitchy remark. I truly think the song would b better without Wale. Just looking out 4 Merriweather.”

Ronson: “Pardon me but you have made a career out of picking on teenagers, lesbians, etc. Congrats, you can now add rappers to that list.”

Hilton: “Correct. And that’s also given me a platform to talk about a lot of amazing musicians and expose them to millions of people. It’s cool, boo. I unfollowed you. And I’ll make sure to never mention Daniel Merriweather again on my site. Because not only am I fat, ugly, unfunny, stupid and a c**t, but I’m also petty. I will try and keep abreast out of who your other artists are too, so I never mention them as well! P.S. You’re an overrated hack! (We have a lot in common!).”

Maybe Perez has a point there - he has made his name on the back of others, and so has Mark Ronson - but the level of arrogance and attitude coming from Hilton these days is extreme. Has he just started to believe his own hype? Or is he determined to self-destruct, taking as many celebrities he doesn’t like down with him as he goes?

I used to like Perez Hilton and his site but the man who made us all laugh for a while has now become something of a monster. I’m glad a few of these celebs are starting to stand up to the man rather than accept his criticisms purely to get good press on the site. OK, so maybe he didn’t deserve a punch in the face for his trouble but these things happen.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

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Pixie Lott scored a huge debut number one last Sunday when she topped the British singles chart with Mama Do. In doing so, she became the first British female solo artist who hasn’t emerged from a reality TV show to do so. It’s an annual occurrence for someone from The X Factor to do so - Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke - but here is a gem of a singer not to have taken that route.

Lott has a very similar Pop/R’n'B sound to her as Duffy and Adele. She’s like a combination of the two, with a little Winehouse thrown in for good measure. Which is quite a heady mix. Mama Do shows off her style really well, allowing her to sing around a catchy bassline which accentuates rather than overbears her voice.

Her voice is immediately powerful and intense, with a hint of softness underlying it. After a few listens, this song seeps into your unconscious and refuses to let go of the hold its taken on your brain. The words aren’t especially memorable but there’s just something about the song and Lott’s vocal styling that stays with you long after the song has finished.

The video does a good job of introducing Lott to us all, dressing her up in skimpy clothing and allowing her to show off her range of model-type poses and slightly labored dance moves. It reminds me of a Natasha Bedingfield video to some degree, which I’m not sure is such a good thing.

I expect there’s much more to come from Pixie Lott, with an album titled Turn It Up due to be released in September. She’s definitely an artist to watch, and having a number one already under her belt will surely spur her onto bigger and better things.

Song: 8/10
Video: 7/10

Wiki
MySpace

[Photo Source: Amazon.co.uk]

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Oasis played three gigs at Heaton Park in Manchester at the beginning of June. The second and third went off without a hitch but the first was blighted by trouble. First of all, The Enemy pulled out as support, to be replaced by Reverend and The Makers. Then, during Oasis’ set, the sound system blew twice, causing the band to be off stage for a total of 40 minutes.

When Oasis returned to the stage, both Liam and Noel both apologized before offering everyone present a refund. Details of how to claim were then posted on the official Oasis Web site, and 20,000 people have registered their name and address to claim the full face value of the ticket. Which should please Oasis because there were 70,000 people in attendance, meaning less than a third of all attendants have asked for a refund.

But no, Noel isn’t happy with the situation. He’s now posted on his blog about the 20,000 fans, calling them “cheeky ****s” and asking whether the requests for a refund were really justified.

“It seems that around 20,000 of you have asked for a refund from that night at Heaton Park, 20,000, so you were genuinely disappointed?”

“I don’t recall seeing a 20,000 gap in the crowd. Tsk… some people.”

OK, so it’s hardly a foul-mouthed rant which would have left all the fans spitting blood, but it’s still a bit of a kick in the teeth when these fans have only done what Noel and his brother asked them to do. Don’t say it’s a free gig and then moan when 30 percent of the fans who had you say that ask for their money back!

I’m guessing that next time an Oasis gig is halted by “technical difficulties,” the Gallaghers will return to the stage and resume playing without uttering a word. And if they do speak, I doubt words such as “free” and “refund” will trip off their tongues.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

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It’s entirely possible that you’ve never even heard of Ellis-Bextor (I’m already sick of writing the double-barreled name), but she’s been in and around the music scene for well over a decade. She’s just never been able to sustain a top level Madonna or Kylie-style career.

She started out in an indie band called theaudience in 1997, before disappearing for a year until a triumphant return in 2000 singing on Groovejet by DJ Spiller. Then came a debut album containing the still-brilliant Murder on the Dancefloor, and there have since been two more albums since, with a fourth on the way.

But she’s set to take the charts by storm again with another dance collaboration reminiscent of Groovejet. This time, she has teamed up with the Freemasons on their new single, Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer). So, does this constitute a comeback for Ellis-Bextor. Popjustice seemed to thing so but were put straight by a slightly testy-sounding Sophie in a recent interview.

“Firstly I don’t ever see myself as a comeback kind of person – it’s just that I have a life where sometimes I’m doing one thing, and sometimes I’m doing another. Even when I did my third album it wasn’t like ‘the comeback’ kind of thing.”

“Fashions have changed loads – there was a time when there were lots of bands and boys with guitars and I’m just proud that I’ve weathered that really. It hasn’t always been easy putting out the records that I like to put out but I just stuck to my guns and now hopefully I can enjoy coming back into vogue again.”

OK Ms. Pasty-faced High-cheeks Double-barreled Fancypants, there’s no need to get on your high horse. Surely disappearing to have children with the bassist from The Feeling for a few years before returning to the limelight can be considered a comeback? Or maybe I’m just talking out of my behind.

The problem for Sophie Ellis-Bextor is that having these gaps between releases means she’ll always be labeled as the ‘Comeback Queen’, especially when the commercial success of her work seems to go up and down like a yo yo. Here’s a tip: reinvent yourself all you like but at least stay in the public eye while you’re doing so, otherwise there’s a risk we’ll all forget about you and your poppy dance tunes. Which would clearly be a disaster.

[Photo Source: Newscom]

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