UpdateTheBeat

New Video: Cheryl Cole ~ Parachute.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:18:00 +0000

Best Song Of The Moment ~ Number One Enemy.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 10:36:00 +0000

Number One Enemy ~ Daisy Dares You featuring Chipmunk = Bleemin' Amazingness!

This is how much I want Sweet 7 NOW!

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:06:00 +0000

I. Literally. Can't. Contain. My. Excitement.

The Best Sugababes album yet? It looks like it...

Sweet 7 is full of amazing, fresh-sounding songs that will surely (hopefully!) bring the brand of Sugababes back to life!

Get Sexy was admittedly a shaky start, but About a Girl was surely fantastic and the video wasn't half bad. Wear My Kiss is on it's way to being the third top-ten hit from Sweet 7. It might even rocket it's way to the top-spot with the right promotion- the video is actually quite neat. I would like to see Thank You For The Heartbreak, Wait For You, and Miss Everything all released as singles as they have massive amounts of pottential. I haven't heard one filler from Sweet 7 yet!

The only thing I am looking for now is a well-rounded ballad to accompany the club-bangers. The harmonious pottential that I saw in Santa Baby, must be echoed throughout the whole of Sweet 7. Seriously, I can't wait...

Current Single: Wear My Kiss.

Heidi Montag ~ Superficial. Review.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:02:00 +0000

When I first heard Heidi Montag- new Queen of Plastic Surgery- was intending on releasing an album I though it was a joke. Now that I see it's true, I still think it's a joke. She can't sing, dance, or perform and her first video was filmed by her boyfriend with a handheld camera! You can see why I was a little apprehensive at first... Here's my review of her first single- Superficial.
The track opens with a shaky synthesiser and quick whispers which rapidly lead on the the heaviest amount of vocal-stabilisers on a voice I have ever heard. I doubt she even sang one note on the whole album! The chorus is boring, forgettable and the verses aren't much better. She has the smallest range humanly possible and about three notes are used throughout.

The Internet has exploded with opinions on Heidi, and many people claim that the song would be a million times better if somebody else sang it- I completely disagree. There is no sparkle or inspiration in the song writing and it's one of the most unimaginative, bland songs I have heard in a long time. There is no dimension or diversity to this song, and the backing track is far too repetitive.

Terrible. She sounds like a cyberman. F My lowest rating ever.

Statement: Sorry for the lack of posts lately- my PC has decided to stop working.

Best Song of the Moment ~ Wear My Kiss.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:06:00 +0000

Pop perfection. I love it. See The Beat Review for the full video.

Good Luck America. Cheryl's Coming.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:10:00 +0000

Several rumors have been flying around that Cheryl Cole is planning on re-releasing 3 Words in America- maybe even recording another album! So, I've decided to assemble a list of so and don't s for Cheryl to have success in the USA. Here it comes...

Use "Fight For This Love" as first single- has more hope than the others!
Pose for more magazines than sing live.
Dance more than sing live.
Anything other than sing live.
Scrounge a way into working on The X Factor USA
Record better songs.
Hire better lyricists, or write better ones yourself.
Change your album cover to something more sluttish- it will sell more and distract the buyer from the music.
Try to decrease how annoying your accent is.

Don't

Speak.
Sing.
Record anymore songs that abbreviate words.
Work or record anymore tracks with Will.I.Am.
Ever let anyone give you a microphone ever again!

There you go, Cheryl. I hope you have found these tips both educational and helpful. If you follow these rules, I can guarantee that you will be the next Beyonce (but without the talent). Thanks for reading!

New Video. Shontelle ~ Licky.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 20:17:00 +0000

Whoever the stylist was in this pile of rubbish should be sacked. Song's okay. Video's awful. My full review of Shontelle's first single from her sophomore album is here.

New Video: JLS ~ One Shot.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:46:00 +0000

It's a Pop cheesefest.

Sugababes ~ Wear My Kiss. Review.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:24:00 +0000

The third single that is set to roll off the Sweet 7 conveyor belt is "Wear My Kiss". This track first came to my attention when it was leaked with original vocals from former member- Keisha Buchanan. I was intrigued to see if Jade could compete with Keisha's impressive vocals. Did she? Read on..

I love the synthy- almost trumpety- beginning. The ever-so-popular synthesised drums are of course present and play a vital in keeping the song fast-paced and exciting. The song has an immediate hook with its "Da,da,da,da", and Amelle's low vocals shine through like in the chorus. Amelle's verse if filled with gimmicky and cheeky vocals which, I guess, put the 'Sweet' in 'Sweet 7'. Amelle manages to finally keep up with the other girls although she has easily been given the most simple and less challenging part to sing. To answer my earlier question: yes. Jade does manage to fight Keisha off with powerful vocals and well-placed low and high notes- she is possibly one of the most controlled of all the past and present 'babes.

I'm impressed with all the girls, and their vocals sound brilliant in the ever-so-catchy chorus that is guaranteed to stick in your head for day. I think "Wear My Kiss" will add to the 'babes collection of top ten hits, hopefully even top five.

The production is very clean and perfected, and everything feels like it slots together nicely. It's catchy. It's flirtatious. It's pop. It's the Sugababes.

B++

Ke$ha feat 3OH!3 ~ Blah Blah Blah. Review.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:43:00 +0000

Ke$ha is the hottest thing of the moment. She's so hot, she makes Lady Gaga look like a snowman! Her debut single "Tik Tok" became the most downloaded single from a female artist- the first overall was "Right Round" which she featured on. However, I don't think this girl is ready to stop there.

She is ready to take the world by storm again with another band expected to do well in 2010: 30H!3, with a song entitled "Blah Blah Blah". Now this title scares me- even without hearing the track- I could just about handle the extremely over-exaggerated American accent and non-singing in "Tik Tok", and "Blah Blah Blah" sounded like a perfect opportunity to carry on with it. I was not wrong.

Ke$ha carries on with her 'I'm-gonna-get-pissed-and-write-songs-about-it' act and talks for the whole duration of the track. That's nearly 3 minutes of this shit! I mean, can this girl even sing? At least in "Tik Tok" we had one of the best chorus's of the year to distract us from the abysmal verses.

She says she "wants to have fun", but the only fun I'm having is trying to find anything that would fit in my ear so I don't have to listen to anymore of this garbage! I actually have a headache from listening to it 4 times! I need a lie down..

D-

Best of 2009 ~ Best Band.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:05:00 +0000

My final award in the 2009 series is to Best Band, and love them or loather it has to go to the Black Eyed Peas. They have become one of the biggest bands of the moment, and have just achieved a whopping combined 26 weeks at number one in the States. The group have also had three number ones from their new album in the UK.

I have been a fan of most of their albums, and I admire the fact they change their sound to keep everything ultra-modern- especially with The E.N.D. Will.I.Am is one of the greatest trend-setters right now, and is a great collaborater (excluding Cheryl).
Although I find them grotesquely big-headed at times, I have no doubt this group will continue to haunt us with their modern anthems year after year- and I look forward to it!

(The Fergie Years)

Elephunk
Best: Where Is The Love?, Let's Get Retarded, Shut Up.
Worst: Smells Like Funk, The Apl Song, Anxiety.

Monkey Business
Best: Pump It, Don't Phunk With My Heart, My Humps.
Worst: Feel It, Dum Diddly.

The E.N.D
Best: Boom Boom Pow, I Gotta Feeling, Imma Be, Alive, Missing You.
Worst: Ring-a-Ling, Now Generation, Electric City.

Best of 2009 ~ Best Female

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:18:00 +0000

The third award in my Best of 2009 series goes to the brilliant, force-of-nature that is Beyonce Knowles. I mean, who else did you expect it to be?

She has become a music and fashion icon, as well as successful actress. She is looked up to by just about every 10 year-old girl around the globe, and still finds time to churn out hit after hit. There are talks of another album to dominate the charts again next year, and she also has more movies planned- what can this woman not do!?

When combined with the sales of Destiny's Child, Beyonce has surpassed 100 million records! She's won countless awards, and I don't think she is going to leave anytime soon. Knowles is one-half of the biggest couple in music, and is constantly scrutinised under the public eye. She said herself that she is influenced hugely by the 'greats' of music, but now she doesn't need to be as she has firmly convinced me she is one of those 'greats'.

Dangerously In Love

Best: Crazy In Love, Naughty Girl, Baby Boy, Me Myself and I, Dangerously In Love, Work It Out.

Worst: Hip Hop Star, Interlude (Ergh).

B'Day

Best: Deja Vu, Beautiful Liar, Irreplaceable, Green Light, Upgrade U, Flaws And All, Get Me Bodied, Ring The Alarm, Resentment, Freakum Dress.

Worst: If, World Wide Woman.

I Am..... Sasha Fierce

Best: If I Were A Boy, Halo, Broken-Hearted Girl, Single Ladies, Radio, Sweet Dreams, Ego, Smash Into You.

Worst: Diva.

Best of 2009 ~ Best Male

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:16:00 +0000

Continuing my 'awards' for 2009, is the Best Male of 2009. Now, this male could be a singer, part of a band, a producer, or anybody involved in the music industry. This was perhaps the closest contest in all of my awards, as their has been so much great talent popping up lately, but there can only be one winner- RedOne.

He is quickly becoming the biggest producer of the moment, and he was arguably the biggest producer of last year. Known for his amazing talent in finding incredible hooks, he has produced for the likes of Lady Gaga, Little Boots, Sean Kingston, Akon, Brandy, and Pixie Lott- the list just goes on and on...

RedOne is a phenomenal talent, and unlike other producers- not mentioning any names *Cough, Ryan Tedder, Cough*- he doesn't recycle his ideas. Nadir Khayat a.k.a RedOne has worked his magic on numerous hits throughout the years, and I don't think we've seen the best of him yet as he's schedueled to have another star-studded year collaborating with the hottest artists today.

Best of 2009 ~ Best New Artist.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:54:00 +0000

As it's coming up to the new year, and decade (!!) I knew everyone would be doing their yearly countdowns or lists, but I have decided to do something slightly different, and write my Best of 2009 in an awards sort of format, so here is my first award- Best New Artist.

There is-in my mind- absolutely no doubt who this award should rightfully go to: Lady Gaga. She has come from being an 4 year-old living in New York with a dream, to global stardom with a number-one album and songs to match. The Pop music industry has literally blow-up around her, and everyone- including my Grandma- knows who she is! The saying 'Any press is good press' comes to mind when I think of the whole 'Hermaphrodite Scandal' earlier on in the year, and I wonder if this was just to keep the public interested.

Her music is widely, critically-acclaimed, and has changed the way we think of pop-electro music forever. Lady Gaga also made a maturer step with her darker, and more genuine album: The Fame Monster (review here). She is certainly not scared to take risks and speak her mind- a problem that holds many aspiring artists back. A lot of people say Lady Gaga was just in the right place at the right time, but do you really think that we would of been without her talent for too long?

The Fame

Best: Just Dance, Love Game, Paparazzi, I Like It Rough, Starstruck, The Fame, Money Honey.

Worst: Summerboy, Disco Heaven, Brown Eyes.

The Fame Monster

Best: Bad Romance, Alejandro, Speechless, Dance In The Dark, Telephone.

Worst: So Happy I Could Die.

Love her or Loathe her Lady Gaga is undeniably the thing to look out for most next year, and I don't think she will be leaving us anytime soon.

Classic Christmas Countdown. #1 WHITE CHRISTMAS/ DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:52:00 +0000

Hope you all had a good holiday!- mines been great! As you may know from Twitter, I was unfortunately ill on the run-up to Christmas, so I was unable to post the final of my Classic Christmas Countdown posts, but I decided to post them now- so here they are!

I was completely undecided between these two festive favourites, so I placed them as joint winners. Both songs are possibly two of the most influential songs ever. White Christmas, because it's the biggest selling song EVER, and Band Aid, because it must have been the first time that that amount of superstars grouped together to collaborate for charity.

These two are, without a doubt, my favourite Christmas tunes- The Crosby Classic is amazingly soothing, and calming Whereas, Do They Know It's Christmas Time is fun, vibrant, new, exciting, the list goes on and on...

The original Band Aid is clearly the best, as the newer version- although featuring so many talented artists- sounded so tacky. I love the great chimes, and originality of the original and it's a timeless classic. Talking of classics, we have White Christmas which is undoubtedly the most well-known song in the world. It's staggering how many copies of White Christmas have been sold.

So there we have it, my favourite festive song(s)- hope you have enjoyed the list, and have a Happy New Year!

Classic Christmas Coundown. #3 ~ ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:05:00 +0000

This song is undoubtedly one of the best things MiMi ever produced, if not the best. All I Want For Christmas Is You has become a modern classic, and is widely regarded as one of the better songs during the festive period. Despite common misconception, this track is actually an original written by Carey herself- of course she had help!
I love the whole jazzy feel to it, and her vocals are chilling- she can really hit those high notes! I found myself swaying along to it very quickly, because of the festive bells and excellent backing track. Mariah makes this song her own, and it isn't hard to think why this song is as popular as it is.

Again this song has been covered many times... Shania adds her own twang, but doesn't pull it off and it sounds truly awful. John Mayer's version is definitely original, but his voice is too husky for my liking. Samantha Mumba sounds heavily intoxicated in her version, and it sounds to harsh. My Chemical Romance's is dire. 'Nuff said. The ever-so-annoying Miley Cyrus's version should be on one of the adverts for a bad cold- she could be the 'before' and Mariah would be the 'after'. My favourite version (apart from Mariah's) would be Olivia Olsen's from the film Love Actually. It's far from original, but it's sweet which is just what the song needs. I couldn't find a good video from the film so here is Olivia Olsen singing Halo by Beyonce.

Classic Christmas Countdown. #4 ~ WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:03:00 +0000

This Christmas tune is a fabulous showcase of what Paul is capable of- pure festive perfection. Granted, his vocals aren't amazing, but the lyrics and quality of the song more than make up for this. I suppose I like this song so much, because it featured in my favourite festive film- Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. Although, I suspect that the magical, mystical chimes would have attracted me even if I hadn't seen the film. Apart from the techno chimes, my favourite part is the choir bit- inspired! If this song doesn't get you in the Christmas mood, I don't know what will.

Even though Paul's vocals aren't perfect, I really wasn't sure if anyone else could pull this song off. Christmas songs seem to be a target for all Disney Princesses much to my dismay. Demi Lovato's version is painfully diabolical, and Hilary Duff's isn't much better- the backing vocals are actually laughable. The only half-decent cover I found is one from Family Force 5- it's fresh, and sounds live and acoustic. Although I don't like the Metro Station style talking over the track.

Classic Christmas Countdown. #5 ~ LAST CHRISTMAS.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:14:00 +0000

How could it possibly be Christmas if you don't attempt to sing along to Wham!'s insanely catchy chorus every festive season. The chimes are magical and very festive, and I love the falsetto (?) note that begins this festive classic. George's vocals are impeccable and are just what the song needs without making it too cheesy- although there is still a lot of cheese there!

The lyrics are actually quite deep in a 'kind-of' way, and the harmonies are spot-on. The drums just add a great new dimension to the song, and the chimes and bells help to increase the cheesiness and festiveness. "Last Christmas" is a great little gem on the top of the festive treats pile, but I can't help feeling that the repetitiveness will soon bore me.

This song is a target for a lot of cheesy pop artists, and has been covered the likes of disney-princess Ashley Tisdale, Alcazar, Cascada, and Taylor Swift. Ashley managed to produce one of the worst covers EVER. Her voice is so nasally- divine! Taylor has added her own, little country vibe and has produced an average cover- I'm not a fan. Cascada has totally surprised us all and made a dance number.. ZZzzz. The Alcazar version is camper than Christmas and the video is absolutely hilarious (here) The only cover I actually like is- surprisingly- Metro Station's. I actually enjoy the indie feel to it. I realise it's not totally original, but it's the best cover I found.

Sugababes ~ Santa Baby. Review.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:04:00 +0000

Finally, I got the chance to review Santa Baby (below) by the Sugababes- my favourite girl-band. And I have to say it is the best cover of Santa Baby I have ever heard. The girls have managed to bump this song into the top-five of my festive favourites.
The whole song has an electrifying live feel to it, with the stripped-down vocals and harmonies, and the simple drum-stick banging in the beginning is just the icing on the cake.

Amelle's voice is excellent, and her low register complements the harmonies to a tee. The production is incredibly smart, and this must be the best the girls have sounded in ages- Heidi sounds so sweet, and Jade's adlibs and powerful background vocals are just what this song needs. This cover is very original, and the girls sound great on it. I'm not expecting this to chart amazingly well, as it's being on the 21st (who's idea was that?), but it's a must-have for all die-hard fans. Even if you aren't a massive fan, this should be on every one's Christmas playlist this year.

If there's one thing this song has achieved, it has cemented Jade's place in the new and fresh Sugababes and told everyone that she is here to stay. Pure Christmas perfection, and one of the best covers I've heard in ages.

A-

Classic Christmas Countdown. #6 ~ SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:39:00 +0000

Just being kicked out of the top-five, Santa Claus is Coming to Town is a sure Christmas classic, and has arguably been covered the most amount of times out of any Christmas song.
As I don't know (and I'm not sure any does) who originally sang this track, I have decided to use my two personal favourite versions- Jackson 5, and Mariah Carey.

The Jackson 5 version is so incredibly fun, and energetic it's hard to resist dancing- or at least tapping your foot- to it. Michael's voice is note-perfect, and so full of potential. From this track it isn't a surprise how big he became. The brothers provide excellent harmonizing and backing vocals, and I love the powerful chorus that is backed by Michael's vocals. Just listening to the instrumental is interesting as the track is so simple, yet so very effective. Marvelous.

Mariah's version is (as expected) again note-perfect, and she doesn't strain to hot those high-notes. If possible, Mariah's version is even more jazzy that Jackson 5's which I love. It's original, and ever-so fun like every Christmas song should be. Mariah used the soul choir to her advantage as she warbles for America. Although, I do sometimes find the talking over the track annoying, I suppose it adds originality. Overall, it's great fun and a must-have festive track.

Classic Christmas Countdown. #7 ~ RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:53:00 +0000

This classic Christmas song holds a special place in my heart, because it was probably the first festive song I ever learnt to sing for one of those god-damn awful (but fun) Christmas plays at school.
Sometimes it's best just to keep it simple, and that is exactly what Gene Autry (above) does in his Number-One hit. I love how stripped down the original feels, and how warm it makes you feel inside when you hear it. This is such a down-to-earth song, that captures the essence of Christmas well. The writers have achieved all that they intended and more- every child in the UK can probably recite the song word-perfect. If that isn't an achievement that what is?

As usual there have been numerous covers of this classic, and I tend to lean more towards the ones that make the song their own, and use an original idea. Dolly Parton's crazy effort makes me laugh, like many others, but my overall favourite has to be Destiny's Child's cover as it is completely different. The vocals are obviously note perfect, as are the harmonies. The beginning is just divine.

ITunes Roundup. 13.12.09.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:48:00 +0000

This week is not surprisingly X-Factor fuelled, but this will be over soon...

10: Chipmunk ~ Look For Me (9) C
I have already expressed my feelings for this tacky, although radio-friendly single (read last weeks article here), and the lyrics still irritate me along with the unimaginative 'warbles', and rapping skills. Not his best effort.
9: Jason Derulo ~ Whatcha Say (7) B+
Continuing to decline rapidly, Jason's debut hit still rings in my head, and I doubt it will ever become old in my mind, with its slick and confident vocals. I love the Imogen Heap sample, although I feel she perhaps should of been credited. Fresh, and cool- just what we needed.
8: Alicia Keys ~ Doesn't Mean Anything (6) B
I actually really enjoy this track even though it's admittedly a cheap, "No One" knock-off- but to be honest, who cares? The British public certainly don't, and her debut single has firmly cemented it self into the top-ten thanks to her X-Factor performance a couple of weeks ago. It's emotional, but similar.
7: Robbie Williams ~ You Know Me (NE) C+
Normally I'm not a fan of Robbie, but I did enjoy his 'comeback' "Bodies". "You Know Me" is more stripped down, and lyrically-lead (does that make sense?). His vocals are questionable-as always- I can't help feeling this single wouldn't have made the top-ten without his X-Factor 'blessing'. One for the Robbie fans.
6: Cheryl Cole feat Will.I.Am ~ 3 Words (NE) E-
Surely one of the worst singles (and videos) of the year, maybe even the decade. Why did you buy this?
5: Chuckie & LMFAO ~Let The Bass Kick in Miami Bitch (NE) C
You either love or hate this tune, apparently. However I'm undecided. The riff sounds too similar to "Sexy Bitch" for my liking, and the talking is quite annoying really. Although it's nothing new, this song is a must for all clubs, and is extremely danceable. Nothing new- a total club-banger.
4: Ke$ha ~ Tik Tok (4) B
Gifted with one of the best chorus's of the year, "Tik Tok" actually managed to climb up a spot. There is no doubt that this girl has talent, and I'm looking forward to "Animal" (The 303!H single sounds intriguing), but this song is rapidly boring me, and I feel it's over-welcomed its stay a bit.
3: Black Eyed Peas ~ Meet Me Halfway (NM) C
Hasn't this been here for like a billion weeks?
2: Rihanna ~ Russian Roulette (1) A-
The most emotional song of the year- without a doubt. I can't believe that "Rated R" (my review here) hasn't has the colossal amount of success it deserved, but at least the lead single has. "Russian Roulette" is a wonderful piece of art. A timeless classic.

1: Lady Gaga ~ Bad Romance (2) A-

Surely one of the best songs (and videos) of 2009. The exact opposite of Cheryl Cole. This is a pop-tastic classic, with a mischievous and dark meaning.

Classic Christmas Countdown. #8 ~ MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:41:00 +0000

IT'S CHRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISTMAS!

The famous line from the slightly mad, one-and-only Noddy Holder. A line that will be probably be remembered forever amongst the greats. Merry Xmas Everybody just had to make my top-ten.

The build up with the scaling chords is magical, and really gets you in the festive mood. The guitar riffs are without fault, and the vocals are rough and husky- a perfect compliment to the backing track. The track is a must for drunken office parties, but is also a favourite for Grandparents to nod their head along to on Christmas day. People may say that this song is very similar to Wizzard's classic, Slade have made this their own, and made it totally original. I would choose this every time over Wizzard, because of it wackiness, bounciness, and Christmasy-ness (is that even a word- it should be!). A must have for all festive fans.

There have been plenty of covers of this Slade classic, and- not surprisingly- I have yet to find one that matches the greatness of the original. Anyway here are the ones that tried. Girls Aloud: I don't know why I bother with this girl-group- I don't like any of the songs included on their Christmas special. The cheesy-pop group Steps covered the classic, and actually pulled it off in their own weird, camp way. The electro chimes added work well, and the vocals aren't actually that terrible. The best cover I have come across has to be Noel Gallagher's (from Oasis). His crisp vocals add a new dimension to the song, and the acoustic works well. However- as I have said numerous times before- nothing can match the original.

Alexandra Burke ~ Broken Heels. Music Video.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:06:00 +0000

This is a great choice for a single, but I wouldn't have made it one straight after "Bad Boys" as they are both similar in many ways. However, the song is contagious and is gifted with a great hook. The electro chimes are a work of art. Read my full review of "Broken Heels" and Overcome here.

First Impressions. Sugababes ~ Santa Baby.

noreply@blogger.com (jamesyoungmusic) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:45:00 +0000

Well, after placing the original in my top ten Classic Christmas Countdown, I was extremely hopeful that this version would be good, as the Sugababes are one of my favourite bands. And let me tell you this... they don't disappoint!

After reviewing Eartha Kitt's original I realised how much this song would suit the new Sugababes- although I would have loved the hear Keisha on the track. Amelle's husky voice is perfect, Jade's power-house vocals are an excellent back-up, and Heidi's sweet vocals are just sensual. I especially love Amelle's low register, and Jade's warbles that echo around the back in perfect harmony. If there's one thing I can always expect from any Sugababes incarnation- it's perfect harmony's.

I desperately hope the rest of the song lives up to expectations, and you can expect my full review shortly after the release of the single- here's to a Christmas Number One!