THEGAYUK

Tag: Four Star Album Review

The latest Four Star Album Review from THEGAYUK.

  • MUSIC REVIEW | DISCO – Unashamed, Pure Unadulterated Joy from start to finish!

    MUSIC REVIEW | DISCO – Unashamed, Pure Unadulterated Joy from start to finish!

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    Kylie Minogue has always been an enigma. From her PWL days to the Deconstruction Indie-Kylie era, right through to 2018’s country-themed “Golden”. The pop-stalwart has always endeared the public with her creative talents and in a world when we are unable to go to the local discothèque and dance until dawn; it seems odd for the undisputed Queen of Pop to release a collection of dancefloor bangers, but in these times it has been more than welcome.

    Kylie is no stranger to the dancefloor, it’s been a recurring theme over the last 20 years of her career, but DISCO is the first time that she’s really gone balls to the wall hi-NRG. DISCO is relentless. From the slinky smooth staccato keys of “Magic” and the unifying message of DISCO’s lead single; “Say Something”; where Minogue asks; “Can we all be as one again”. DISCO proves that the only place we need to be when we’re allowed is the dancefloor and DISCO drips with future dancefloor bangers.

    Looking back on the various stages of disco, and reinventing in them for today, DISCO is the perfect tonic to these troubled times.  Songs like “Dance Floor Darling” fuses the eighties inspired power chords and an incredibly modern, fresh production, and a “Your Disco Needs You”-inspired spoken word section. The vocoder gets some use on “Supernova”; a relentless nod back to her Light Years album, coupled with some Moroder inspired beats. The albums closer “Celebrate You” is life-affirming, arms up in the air concert closer in the making, and when the time comes for Minogue to tour the album we are going to be in for a real treat. Other highlights of the record include the Donna Summer inspired “Where Does the DJ Go?” and the ABBA influenced “Last Chance” with a chorus that resembles “Voulez-Vous”.

    Whilst nothing on the album reaches the high camp, dizzying heights of “Your Disco Needs You”, DISCO has some brilliant songs. Lyrically it sometimes veers off into parody, however, it’s forgiven because everything comes across as so joyous and warm. You cannot help but smile when listening to this record, and this is the perfect tonic for what looks like it might be a long and dark winter. You can say what you want about Kylie, but DISCO cements her as the queen of the Disco and she has returned to wrap her arms around every one of us.

    Available to buy or steam now

  • ALBUM REVIEW | Christmas, With Love – Leona Lewis

    ★★★★ | Christmas, With Love,
    Christmas, With Love, Album Review: The Voice Returns For Christmas.

    I’ll admit, I love a bit of Leona; I remember watching X Factor in 2006 as she took the X Factor crown and embarked on a journey to becoming the most successful artist to survive Simon Cowell’s talent competition.

    Sadly, that being said, I’ve found her albums to have gotten progressively unsuited to her vocal style and ultimately unlistenable, if truth be told I didn’t even buy Glassheart, and judging on the sales figures neither did her legions of fans. Where are the power ballads? Where are the soaring riffs and runs? Where is Britain’s Mariah – the reason why she ultimately wowed that X Factor audience.

    But Lewis, the voice, returns for the holidays and gives fans something they will truly treasure, her festive offering Christmas, With Love.

    A very traditional-sounding record, which does take a few tracks to get used to, but pays perfect homage to Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound.

    Usually the big reverbs and muddy sounding recordings are reserved for rockier vocals, but these arrangements allow Lewis’s vocal prowess to shine through with her crystal intonations; with a few tracks delivering exceptional and surprising performances – check out Ava Maria, Mr. Right and Your Hallelujah.

    The outcome is an entirely magnificent range of Christmas belters where we are reminded why Lewis became the voice of her generation.

    Bravo Leona! Britain’s Mariah might just reign supreme this Christmas.

  • ALBUM REVIEW | The X Factor Album

    ★★★★ | The X Factor Album

    Did you know X Factor is ten years old and that the programme, whether you’re a fan or a hater has generated millions of sales and brought about a new era in music.

    If you think that every X Factor winner or entrant sounds the same, then all you have to do is pop this 34 track album on to hear the full breadth of talent the juggernaut reality talent show has delivered to the UK music scene.

    The album has it all, from the omnipresent One Direction to the seraphic tones of Diana Vickers, the power belt of Leona to the genuine intonations of Matt Cardle and Rebecca Ferguson. This album delivers 18 Number Ones and the veritable soundtrack to Christmases since 2004.

    Despite the controversies that often surrounds X Factor contestants and winners, this album brings together the good and the better.

    An interesting and potentially political mix of tracks and some very obvious omissions including Steve Brookstein and Leon Jackson, but tracks from artists that didn’t do well or even complete the series such as Lucy Spraggan and Aiden Grimshaw also feature.

    The album is out on the 25th November and is bound to notch another Number 1 for the team at Syco.

     

     

  • MUSIC REVIEW: This Christmas

    Set aside the cringey music video for the album’s lead single ‘I Think You Might Like It’ and you’ll find one of the best holiday albums released in a while, filled with classic, classy and expertly produced Christmas favourites including ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ (with Cliff Richard), ‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’ (with Barbra Streisand) and a beautiful rendition of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ to boot. (more…)

  • ALBUM REVIEW | Frankie Said

    As a babe of the 80s my knowledge of Frankie Goes To Hollywood isn’t just limited to that Virgin Atlantic ad. Although admittedly my childhood music taste was mainly limited to one perfectly formed Aussie Pop Temptress.

    (more…)