Armiger has since released two further albums, both of which earned impressive chart positions and further growing the appeal of the young artist across the USA.

She is set to release her latest album Confessions of a Nice Girl on 6th June in the UK, hoping it has the same impression on the Brits as it has on her fellow American countrymen.

On its American release Confessions of a Nice Girl debuted at number11 in the iTunes Album Chart, CosmoGirl featured Katie as their ‘Next Big Thing’ and the media buzz earned her a guest spot on CBS’ Morning Show.

Confessions of a Nice Girl sees Armiger on top form opening with the irrepressibly positive Best Song Ever a song easily capable of standing toe-to-toe with genre big-hitters Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne’s finest efforts. Then Armiger steps things up with the coming-of-age, made-for-radio stomper that is Kiss Me Now.

A song that not only features huge riffs, an irresistible chorus (featuring a brazen Armiger really getting down to business) but also highlights just how much Armiger has grown up since she broke onto the scene five years ago: ‘Put on my high heels / My little red dress…and I don’t care if / You know I’m trying… Let me show you tonight that it’s time we stop messing around / Kiss me now.’

In producer Chad Carlson (Taylor Swift) Armiger’s found the perfect foil for her country-inspired pop rock and it’s his production that catapults this record into position as her best yet. Carlson moves from lush instrumentation through classic arrangements recalling classic Shania Twain and even finds space to combine the traditional and the contemporary (see the dueling mandolin/synthesizer in “Best Song Ever”) to make something truly original.

On Ain’t Gonna Happen Armiger takes the opportunity to show something of her fiercely independent soul with a wry assertion of being “so over” a previous partner. Here is a young woman unafraid to say what she feels, means and wants. With Best Song Ever Katie displays a lyrical talent that belies her youth. Offering up an intelligent and ever-so-slightly ironic commentary on the almost magical nature of hit pop songs in the very format she’s working in. Armiger transcends the throwaway, gears into folk, pop and country and hints at the classic.

Katie Armiger – Best Song Ever

Confessions Of A Nice Girl is the new album from Katie Armiger released on June 6th through Cold River Records.

Lupe Fiasco - LASERS

Back on October 15th 2010 a wonderful demonstration of the strength of people power occured when hoards of Lupe Fiasco fans stormed the Atlantic Records HQ in New York demanding that they release the rappers third album.

A few months on and the wait is finally over, first came the release of the excellent single The Show Must Go On released to critical acclaim on February 21st and picked up by Zane Lowe on Radio 1 as his ‘Hottest Record’ while the accompanying video has reached in excess of 7million views since being posted.

The sensational new album is called LASERS, an acronym for ‘Love Always Shines Everytime: Remember to Smile’ and finds Lupe Fiasco aiming his wares at a bigger mainstream audience with this radio friendly crossover album, while hopefully retaining his credibility with his hard core fans.

LASERS is a collection of hit singles in the waiting from the opener Letting Go feat. Sarah Green to the final track Never Forget, a collaboration with John Legend, the album provides endless sing out loud moments as you practise your moves around the house.

This is a collection of  the most substantial melodic and thought provoking songs that Fiasco has ever conceived, throwing his pop sensibilities into the mix with collaborations on record and production alongside the likes of Trey Songz, John Legend, Skylar Grey, Jerry Wonder and The Neptunes.

As you would imagination from a rap artist of Lupe Fiasco’s standing the album brims with political comment, never more evident than on the tracks Words I Never Said, State Run Radio and All Black Everything.

Fiasco takes a swipe at Barack Obama on Words I Never Said as well as unloading his frustration with the media and politics in general, Fiasco makes it clear that he did not vote for the US President.

Fiasco takes a different angle on All Black Everything saying, ” I just started thinking, what if things had gotten off on a totally different foot? What if they just came over to Africa and said ‘We want you guys to work for us?’”

It will be interesting to hear State Run Radio played on our own state run BBC radio, it is an infectious track that has to be released sometime in the future as a single. Whether they notice that it is about stations that constantly play the same handful of records, over and over again, remains to be seen!

Lupe Fiasco – The Show Goes On

Lupe Fiasco releases the sensationl new album LASERS today (March 7th) on Atlantic Records

Asa - Beautiful Imperfection

On her second album Beautiful Imperfection, Asa once again manages to fuse her Nigerian roots with contemporary soulful pop with a wonderful collection of uplifting, intelligent and well crafted songs.

While her self titled debut album became the vehicle for Asa to sing about her ’state of mind’, writing songs about  social and political issues, Beautiful Imperfection is intended to ‘help people come out of sad moods and feel uplifted’ says the singer.

The album contains the soon to be released single Be My Man, an irresistible retro snapping soul groove pop song, which perfectly fits Asa’s intentions.

As a songwriter Asa stands tall amongst her peers on Beautiful Imperfection, creating wonderful pop melodies with soaring, infectious, sing out loud choruses that others might possibly die for.

The album is an outstanding collection of radio friendly style intelligent pop songs, featuring a singer who is without doubt on top of her game. Whatever style of music she adopts for each of these tracks, she puts her own individual mark on it, from jazz to soul to pop, Asa is a tremendous performer.

Beautiful Imperfection is one of the stand out pop album so far this year, it is like having several of your favourite female singers rolled into one, that’s Asa!

There isn’t a track that is possible to fault and equally as difficult to pick any stand out tracks, but if pushed I would have to say the Sheryl Crow-esque Ok, Ok is stuck in my head, the reggae beats and Hammond organ on Maybe and the foreign language track Bimpè.

Beautiful Imperfection by Asa is released on Dramatico Records on April 4th 2011.

Asa will be co-headlining with Tiken Jah Fokoly at the Barbican on April 4th as two of West Africa’s finest contemporary artists come together on one bill.

Asa – Be My Man

The single Be My Man by Asa will be released on March 13th.

rumer seasons of my soul

One of this years most eagerly awaited albums, Seasons Of My Soul by Rumer, is released on Monday November 1st on Atlantic Records.

Rekindling a bygone era of simple but well structured pop songs Seasons Of My Soul presents eleven tracks of glossy but understated production, almost stripped bare at times, that elevate Rumer’s graceful and effortless vocal to the forefront of this recording.

Tender, at times fragile, but always beautiful, Rumer possesses a voice that X Factor would (or should) die for and in an age where pop music appears to rely more on dressing in outrageous fashions or demonstrating an irritating three octave vocal range it is reassuring that this singer has caused such a stir since the release of her first single Slow.

If any more evidence of Rumer’s obvious talent was needed it was provided in the second single, the bitter sweet and soulful Aretha.

Both singles demonstrate the glossy but classy old school pop of her debut album, rekindling the magic of an era long past, with its sweeping melodies and blissful harmonies.

An irresistible collection of  songs that borrow heavily from the classic years of days gone by while remaining very much in touch with the sounds of today.

The magic of Seasons Of My Soul is in its ability to feel like a long lost friend returning home, the songs are immediately familiar as though you have known them all of your life and the enjoyment of hearing them (again) is immense.

Rumer appears to have filled a void in pop music that the music industry guru’s failed to recognise was actually there, the clamour for her music has been unbelievable and is demonstrated by Seasons Of My Soul topping the iTunes pre-order chart long before its release date.

Seasons Of My Soul possesses a timeless beauty, a collection of classic yet contemporary pop music that will more than satisfy the hordes of  music fans who have been eagerly awaiting its release.

Seasons Of My Soul is the debut album from Rumer and is released on Atlantic Records on November 1st.

Rumer will be performing at the following UK venues this year:

October 28th / BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms (with Elton John, Leon Russell & Plan B) / Roundhouse, London
November 1st / Rough Trade In-Store / London
November 2nd / Tabernacle / London (SOLD OUT)
November 16th / Mencap Little Noise Sessions (with Paolo Nutini) / Union Chapel, London
December 13th / Glee Club / Birmingham
December 14th / Band On The Wall / Manchester
December 15th / Classic Grand / Glasgow
December 17th / Shepherd’s Bush Empire / London

So what has Gwyneth Herbert been up to lately….

Her cover version of Neil Young’s ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’ was used in a Hollywood film, she appeared at Wilton’s Music Hall alongside Sian Phillips and Marc Almond, written a song-cycle about the sea to debut in Aldeburgh this autumn, sung a series of 18th Century murder ballads on Radio 4, and composed and performed a specially commissioned soundtrack to silent film The Patsy at the BFI. But while this breathtaking range of activities reveals Gwyneth Herbert to be very much a 21st century artist able to draw on a formidable range of talents, she remains at the very heart of it all a storyteller with a fine ear for a catchy hook, as her latest single, the charming Perfect Fit amply demonstrates.

Perfect Fit is taken from Gwyneth Herbert’s forthcoming album, Clangers & Mash, a mini-album that draws on the many sides of her musical world from stripped back ukulele strums through recent classics to dark-hearted remixes that present her work in a brand new light. As Herbert herself puts it:

“I wanted to do something a bit different to mark the release of our new single, Perfect Fit, so I scrabbled around for a few backstage scrapings and asked a handful of my lovely and varied musician friends to present some Herbert tracks as they’d never been heard before.  The result is Clangers and Mash:  bleepy, tappy, pleasureful ear food to tickle your bellies.  Tuck in”

Gwyneth Herbert Live Dates

15th October – Lowdown Hall, Nottinghamshire
22nd October – The Bear Hotel, Devizes
24th October – 606 Club, London
13th November – Lichfield Guildhall, Lichfield
14th November – Hideaway, Streatham, London

Gwyneth Herbert – Clangers & Mash Tracklisting

1.    Perfect Fit (Radio Edit)
2.    My Mini & Me (Polar Bear Remix)
3.    So Worn Out (In The Bedroom)
4.    My Narrow Man (Girl After Shower Remix)
5.    Perfect Fit (Mr Solo & The Voluntary Butler Scheme Remix)
6.    Petite Cacahuete
7.    So Worn Out (Temper D Remix)
8.    Perfect Fit (Original Version)
9.    Midnight Oil (A cappella)

Clangers & Mash – About The Songs

The Clangers

Perfect Fit (Radio Edit & Original Version)
I wrote this in two hours, sitting in Victoria Park in the sunshine.  It’s only got four chords on it ‘cos I’d just learnt the ukulele and that’s all I could play at the time.

So Worn Out (In The Bedroom)
This track showcases my equally virtuosic talents on the radiator, metal bin and, of course, the notoriously complex stylophone.

Petite Cacahuete
We recorded this song, written for my sister Kit (my Little Peanut), during the original ‘All the Ghosts’ sessions at Real World.  Sound wizard Robert Harder breathed new life into the mix and we decided to give its first material outing.
The Mash

Perfect Fit (Mr Solo & The Voluntary Butler Scheme Remix)
I’ve been a proper fan of both Mr Solo and Voluntary Butler Scheme for some time, but nothing could’ve prepared me for the joy of this cover; it’s as if David Bowie has taken all of my favourite childhood toys for a sunny picnic in a swimming pool and they’re happily jamming through our single.  Yum.

My Mini and Me (Polar Bear Remix)
I’ve had the honour if working with Seb as producer of previous album ‘Between Me and the Wardrobe.’  He has wise ears and magic hands.  Here, he’s transformed what was a kind of roadtrip bluesromp into a stark, mind-blowing escape plea.

My Narrow Man (Girl After Shower Remix)
I always write too many words. In this near-instrumental, Girl After Shower have just used three of them, and it’s lovely.

So Worn Out (Temper D Remix)
My soft spot for banging drum and bass goes back to my Uni days, jumping up and down in the sweaty cellar dives of Newcastle’s backstreets, hands waving through fug, feet sticking to floor.  Many of these occasions were in the company of banging supertalent and longtime friend Temper D, and it’s a proper treat to have him reinvent my 2am Hackney homeward song with his tummy shuddering beats.

Gwyneth Herbert releases mini-album Clangers & Mash on 1st November.

Nick Heyward - North Of A Miracle

His first solo album was released in 1983, North Of A Miracle contained three Top 20 UK singles – Whistle Down The Wind, Take That Situation and Blue Hat For A Blue Sunday.  The following year Warning Sign gave Heyward his only other UK Top 30 hit to date.  Though his commercial success had peaked Nick Heyward continued to release albums throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s including The Apple Bed released on Alan McGee’s Creation Records label.

This month Cherry Red Records re-issue two of Nick Heyward’s solo albums, North Of A Miracle & From Monday To Sunday.

Originally released 23 years ago, North Of A Miracle was a sultry album that offered a more serious songwriting side to Nick Heyward’s talent.  He wasn’t about to lose his teenage fan club but in some quarters he was taken more seriously for writing, what was deemed at the time to be deeper more sophisticated pop songs like Blue Hat For A Blue Day and Whistle Down The Wind.  But with Take That Situation he showed he wasn’t afraid to return to the happy pop content of early Haircut 100 days.

The Cherry Red re-issue comes complete with the original ten album tracks plus an extra CD including nine tracks including both solo and Haircut 100 songs from a previously unreleased concert recorded for Capital Radio on 7th November 1983 at London’s Dominion Theatre. CD2 also includes b-sides and different mixes from the original singles.

From Monday To Sunday was Nick Heyward’s fourth solo studio album, originally released in 1993, by which time he had matured both personally and musically.  By now he was more or less being completely ignored by the music press as they busied themselves with Brit Pop nonsense while waiting for lad culture and the arrival of Oasis. With little or no record label pressure, this allowed Nick Heyward to record his music without prejudice.

Nick Heyward - From Monday To Sunday

From Monday To Sunday includes 12 songs showcasing a full roster of his influences.  He Doesn’t Love You Like I Do and Into Your Life display a 1960’s pop sensibility which was  popular with other British artists in the early 1990’s, while songs like Caravan, January Man and How Do You Live Without Sunshine, I believe are among his best solo songs.

Maybe Nick Heyward was free to record the songs of his fancy with less pressure from chasing commercial success.  Either way, From Monday To Sunday is a great pop album.

The Cherry Red re-issue of From Monday To Sunday includes the original album plus 10 additional tracks including previously unreleased demo tracks from 1991 and 1992.

Nick Heyward continues to play live solo shows and in 2006 released The Mermaid & The Lighthouse Keeper with India Dupre.

Status Quo BBC CD Box cover

The assocaition between the BBC and Status Quo stretches back almost 45 years beginning with some recordings of The Spectres in 1966 before the band changed their name to Status Quo.

It was two years later when Status Quo peformed their psychedelic inspired Pictures Of Matchstick Men at the beeb in 1968 for The Dave Symonds Show, that the band tasted their first taste of success.

Status Quo Live At The BBC is a collection of live recordings made by the band between the years of 1966 and 2005, collated from all of the BBC owned recordings that still exist.

The BBC were famous for saving money by wiping and re-using tapes during the sixties and some of the recordings have been lost forever, but thanks to ‘home recordings’ by fans a couple of gems have been unearthed for this set.

Sessions for shows by DJs David Symonds, Dave Lee Travis, Steve Wright and Ken Bruce are all included and there is even some recordings from the John Peel sessions of the early seventies.

Status Quo Live At The BBC comes in a choice of packages, the 2CD ‘Best Of ‘Collection a DVD/4CD boxed set and the complete works as a limited edition 8 disc complete boxed set.

The double CD collection contains the basic highlights from the full boxed sets and kicks off with two recordings as The Spectres, performing covers of the hit songs Gloria and perversely I (Who Have Nothing) from 1966.

In the guise of Traffic Jam the band return in 1967 to play the song Almost But Not Quite There on the Saturday Club. Perhaps a prophecy as the next time the band arrive at the BBC in 1968 they have changed their name to Status Quo and they perform first Judy In Disguise for Saturday Club followed by Pictures of Matchstick Men for the David Symonds show.

Their follow up single Black Veils of Melancholy, an almost exact replica of Matchstick Men with different lyrics was also performed at this time, with Ice In The Sun being performed in 1969 on the same show.

Down the Dustpipe (1970) and Paper Plane (1972)  are the standout tracks on the first CD, while there are recordings from 2005 on the Ken Bruce Show of Caroline, Whatever You Want and Rockin’ All Over The World.

While catching the band in jocular mood jamming, the snippets taken from the Steve Wright Show in 1989, From A Jack To A King and Railroad hardly seem relevant and are a surprising addition on this set.

Disc Two is given over to Status Quo doing what they are best at, playing live in concert, with recordings from four such shows making up the entire content of the second disc.

The celebrated often boot legged BBC in Concert from Paris Theatre in 1973 catches the band at their best with five tracks that include fans favourite Juniors Wailing, In My Chair, Don’t Waste My Time, Paper Plane and Bye Bye Johnny.

There are further concert excerpts from Wembley Arena in 1988, Party In The Park 1992 and Brighton Centre 1996.

While older music fans like me will remember Status Quo looking uncomfortably dressed as mods on TOTP playing Pictures Of Matchstick Men in 1968 it was when they relaunched themselves in the early seventies as an out and out rock band that they were at their best.

Status Quo managed to create their own genre at this time uniting pop and rock fans with those of heavy metal tastes, creating a riotous following who would ensure their rise to fame throughout the decade.

I was  fortunate enough to see Status Quo in a small Victorian theatre in Southampton around 1976 when the band were at their peak of their power and the memory of the the huge noise from both band and fans causing the whole building to shake around me will last forever.

Their best work was produced during this time and although they would go on to sell out stadiums around the world, they would never manage to capture the magic of that decade again.

It is fair to say that most of the ‘hits’ are included on the double CD in one way or another, but I doubt that this is the package of choice for die-hard Quo fans and collectors. The double CD serves more as a taster of whats included on the other packages and isn’t fulfilling enough in my opinion, it will suffice but you will probably be wishing you had paid out a bit more and bought the full collection.

After all if you are that big a Quo fan you will want the whole package, seven audio CDs and video’s of the Quo performing on Top of the Pops and the like  in a limited edition boxed set.

Make a wish for Christmas.

Status Quo Live At The BBC is released today, October 25th in the following formats:

2CD ‘best of’ collection (Reviewed)

DVD/4CD box set

Limited Edition collectors 8 Disc Complete set

A Band Called Quinn - The Beggars Opera

There is a good chance you may already  have heard A Band Called Quinn’s music, having been used in films by award winning directors David McKenzie and Penny Woolcock, they also have three tracks featured in the current steamy BBC3 series Lip Service.

There is also the chance that you might have seen the band in their tour project last year with the award winning theatre company Vanishing Point in a futuristic version of John Gay’s 18th century classic The Beggars Opera.

A Band Called Quinn have recorded the songs that were specially written for the show and will release them on the album The Beggars Opera on October 25th.

The show was a spectacle, pitched somewhere between a play and a gig. It created much controversy in the theatre world, completely dividing critics and reviewers opinions.

Crime writer Ian Rankin was among the fans of the prioject and he writes the sleevenotes on the album, Madonna, DJ Loco, Alex Kapranos and Gordy Goudie of The Pastels and Bunnymen are also fans of the band.

Far from sounding like a sondtrack from a musical, The Beggars Opera is anything but. Instead the listener is treated to a glorious album of accomplished indie pop infused with electro.

As well as proving herself as a credible song writer, Louise Quinn also displays her enormous vocal capabilities on a series of songs of such variety that they are a perfect showcase for her and the band.

Favourite tracks on The Beggars Opera are the Portishead influences on History, the anthemic chorus of We Are The Scum and the indie popiness of the ballad Closed My Eyes.

The more upbeat and hook ridden pop, resplendent with big choruses on Here’s To Us and Virgin, Mother, Psycho, Whore along with the electro pop of The Fuse and brass infused He’s A Dog are also among my favourites on this album that frankly does not contain a bad track.

Here is a video trailer that was made for the show A Beggars Opera featuring A Band Called Quinn

Perhaps best known for his work as a hip hop artist, on the debut album Everything in Moderation, BYOB displays a refreshing style in a mad mix of energy, cheeky lyrics and musical chaos.

Despite some explicit lyrics on a few of the tracks the album is packed chock full of potential hit tunes  that kicks off with the popular Lady GaGa favourite Best Shoes, a cracking dance track that has already earned national radio support.

There is a general feeling of fun throughout the album, tongue in cheek lyrics are demonstrated early on in the fabulous tracks Chillin’ and followed with Peaches, a nice re-working of the Stranglers hit nicely marrying grime with pop music and bringing the track bang up to date.

BYOB – Peaches

The stand out track on a brilliant debut album is the iconic dance track Save My Life, the track is probably the best known on the album having again been supported by Radio 1 and is included in two versions, the album version which closes the collection along with the superb J Majik & Wickaman collaboration.

Other stand outs are the mellow Sunshine Highway and the two tone-esque Out To Play, a track that might easily have been written and performed by Madness with its cheeky lyrics and vocals and catchy refrain;

” ‘Cos me and the boys yeah we’re out to play, just grab a couple of drinks and we’re on the way, I don’t really care about the time of day, ‘Cos I ain’t gotta work in the morning:”

The humour is continued on the track Prescription, a song about prescription drug addiction to the tune of Walk Like An Egyptian, with those lyrics changed to “Taking drugs that are on prescription.”

Overall this is an assured debut album, a well produced work that manages to amalgamate a mix of various styles of music stamped with the BYOB trade mark, while appealing to the masses.

Everything in Moderation by BYOB is released on Loaded Records on October 25th.

rosie nimmo - home

Edinburgh based Rosie Nimmo has been singing jazz & blues for several years including performances at the Edinburgh International Jazz & Blues Festival and the International Book Festival for the last two years.

Her second album Home was released this month, featuring the renowned fiddle player Mairi Campbell amongst an ensemble of top musicians who compliment Rosie’s voice and songwriting skills on a collection of songs exploring the trials and tribulations of life.

Home is the second self composed album from Rosie Nimmo who hitherto had chosen to cover other peoples music, the success of her debut Lazy & Mellow led her to continue writing her own songs which she shares on this second album.

Given Rosie’s fondness of jazz and blues the songs on Home are surprisingly contemporary leaning more towards pop music which will no doubt broaden the appeal of the album although it is more late night listening than daytime radio pop.

Favourites for me on the album are the beautifully sensitive The End, the title track Home, the opener Never Go Back and the final track Little Bird, all of which represent the softer most sensitive side of Rosie’s various singing styles.

Being A Child Again (In The Snow) is a wonderful jazz driven romp, a lovely track on which the singer perhaps sounds most at home, but overall it is the variety of songs and singing styles that make this album stand out from the crowd.

A voice to be celebrated on a haunting and intimate collection of songs, this is Home by Rosie Nimmo.