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Archive for May, 2012

The Voice Australia: Live Show Final, Part 3!

Posted in The Voice Australia, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 29, 2012 | 3 Comments »


For those who missed last week’s performances, here’s a recap:

http://thepopportunity.com/2012/05/22/the-voice-australia-live-performences-2/

And here are the results!

Top 16: Team Keith.

The Public chose Darren Percival and Brittany Cairns, which kind of baffled me. Diana Rouvas’ performance was the best of the entire competition. Luckily, she was always going to be saved. Darren and Brittany both show signs of talent, but even Rock Eisteddfod does occasionally.

Keith stepped in to make the two decisions that the public should have. Diana Rouvas and Adam Martin were best on ground last week – thank god for the judge’s vote.

Top 16: Team Joel.

The public redeem themselves with Sarah De Bono before cocking everything up with Lakyn Hepari. Attention teenage girls, the only song that Lakyn should be singing public is “99 bottles of beer” when he heads back to camp on the special bus.

Joel makes the obvious decision in Ben Hazlewood and Prinnie Stevens. The reality now is that there are eight great singers left and eight shit ones.

Tonight, Delta and Seal‘s Top 4 perform.

Chris Sebastian – I Can’t Stand The Rain

Great of Chris to finally turn up to the competition. Admittedly, his performance was pretty special but after surviving multiple rounds that he shouldn’t have, he’s going to have to do a lot more to get Australia on side.

Verdict: Go

Danni Di Ros – When Love Takes Over

If anyone was going to take this song on, it was Danni. What a set of pipes she has! The performance was so blistering,  I barely noticed that she was about as sexy as an howler monkey.

Verdict: Stay

Emma-Louise Birdsall – The Look of Love

WHAT was Seal thinking? Emma has proven her vocal dexterity and he gives her a song that’s so boring, it made Tina Arena sound like Metallica. Seal described it as a “Song of vulnerability,” which is perfect, given that she’s vulnerable of being voted off next week. Does anyone else think she looks like the mother in Charlie & The Chocolate Factory?!

Verdict: Go

Viktoria Bololnina – Smells Like Teen Spirit

Poor Viktoria. Smells like teen burning flesh really, because Delta publicly trialled Viktoria like it was The Crucible. Watching a credible performer reduced to sounding like Eurovision-trash was humiliating for all involved. Here’s a pic of Delta after choosing Nirvana.

Verdict: Go

Team Seal gather to sing Kiss From A Rose on The Grave of Seal’s career. It’s exactly what you’d expect – a giant waste of time that keeps the show at two hours. Because none of us have social lives…or jobs…or sleep needs.

Glenn Cunningham – Closer

A huge improvement on last week, it went to show that Delta chooses a lot better when she’s not trying to be cool with the kids. But please, do us a favour – don’t try to turn him into a sex symbol. Then again, Seal is considered a sex symbol and his face looks like the Germans tested chemical weapons on it.

Verdit: Go

Fatai V – Ave Maria

Holy shit. For 16 years old, Fatai has some banging vocals. Obviously the highlight of the night and one of the whole season. I must say, I’m sick of fucking Seal freakily manhandling his contestants like the Boogieman. I haven’t seen a gatekeeper this aggressive since Joseph Fritzl.

Verdict: Stay (Best on ground!)
Fatai V – Ave Maria

Rachael Leahcar – Someone To Watch Over Me

A cynical friend of mine last week told me he’s convinced that she’s not actually blind. After about five minutes of arguing like it was some fucked up episode of Law & Disorder or Boston Legal-ly Blind, he ended up admitting that it was irrelevant. We agreed she is terrific – another gorgeous vocal.

Verdict: Stay

Karise Eden – Landslide

It wasn’t her best performance to date, but it was still in the top four of the evening. I think the general public need more big notes to vote, but I will hopefully be proven wrong.

A perfect end to the show: If you ever needed a song that summarised Delta‘s choice of Nirvana – it’s Born To Try. Same time next week kids – peace out!

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The Voice Australia: Live Show Final, Part 2!

Posted in The Voice Australia, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 22, 2012 | 1 Comment »

So now Carmengate has come and gone, the show must go on. Just ask one of her friendly competitors who explains, “She’s here with us tonight,” like she’s dead. Usually when people say that, they don’t look so ecstatically happy!  For those who missed last week’s performances, here’s a recap:

http://thepopportunity.com/2012/05/15/the-voice-australia-live-show-final-part-1/

And here are the results!

Top 16: Team Seal.

The Public votes went to Emma Louise Birdsall & Karise Eden.  Well done Australia, the two best on ground were chosen. Perhaps making people actually BUY the music means that pretty boys won’t go through anymore?!

Seal’s votes went to Fatai V & Chris Sebastian. Fatai was a commendable choice but Chris?! So, when is the show going to be renamed “The Person Who Best Deals with the Press”?!

Top 16: Team Delta.

The public rightly chose Viktoria Bolonina, given her astonishing rendition of Bang Bang last week. Rachael Leahcar was another solid choice. The public absolutely nailed it.

Delta then immediately fucks everything up by choosing Glenn Cunningham. Maybe Keith wasn’t crying happy tears during last week’s performance, Delta. Maybe those were ear-rape tears? Delta then redeemed herself with Danni Da Ros. The consequences of choosing the geriatric or One Directionite would have ended in bloodshed.

Now, to the next eleven performers.

Darren Percival – Paul Young

“Fantastic song choice”? If you haven’t turned on the radio since 1982, maybe. Darren Percival has an amazing voice, but if Keith Urban keeps picking songs like this, Darren will be back to being Quentin Tarantino’s body double in no time!

Verdict: Stay (only for the voice.)

Prinnie Stevens – Turn Me On

Prinnie was relatively unchallenged in the R&B department (hello Diana Rouvas) and while the track had faulty moments, she did enough to secure either a public or judge’s vote to get through. They say Prinnie Stevens is the Aussie Beyonce, so here’s Prinnie below after seeing Diana Rouvas’ take on Beyonce’s Love On Top later in the evening (I’m guessing that phone call is voting for herself?)

Verdict: Stay (but only because 8 stay)

Adam Martin – Lonely Boy

Kudos for tackling The Black Keys, an almost untouchable band, given their reputation as live performers. I have no recollection of Adam Martin before this performance, but he has propelled himself into one of the best in the whole competition.

Verdict: Stay

Sarah De Bono -  Listen

Holy shit!!! Best performance of the entire season and precisely why the show is on. I’m already dying my hair fire-engine red. Best on ground. The video hasn’t surfaced yet on YouTube but PLEASE watch below!

Check out this great MSN video – The Voice : Sarah De Bono Sings Listen.

Verdict: Please win the whole series.

Jimmy Cupples – Sweet Child Of Mine

I don’t know what it is, but there’s something very unlikeable about Jimmy. Sure, he’s a talented singer and he did Guns N Roses justice, but the dude doesn’t make me feel anything. I think a sweet child of his would look something like this…


Verdict: Go

Ben Hazlewood – Lego House

Between his good looks and gifted vocal abilities, Ben Hazlewood is more like Ben Ladywood, which every girl in Australia is experiencing right now. There are things that I would do to Ben Hazlewood, that would involve The Voice of a Jury incarcerating me for a very long time. Below is my perfectly normal reaction to seeing him on stage. 3rd best on ground.

Verdict: Take your top off…I mean stay!

Taga Paa – Fight For You

What. Was. That? If Jason DeRulo’s re-working of Toto’s Africa wasn’t painful enough, watching Jonah’s friends from Summer Heights High completely upstage Taga was demoralising on every level.

Verdict: Go

Laura Bunting – Somebody That I Used To Know

Considering she shouldn’t even be here today, taking on the world’s biggest song of the last year is extremely gutsy/stupid. While Laura attempted a Kimbra-esque solo version, it just didn’t work. Some songs should be left to the originals and now she’s just somebody that we used to have to listen to.

Verdict: Go

Diana Rouvas – Love On Top

Diana is another performer I don’t really remember, but she absolutely NAILED Love on Top. It was fearless, effortless and thankfully, not a Beyonce knock off – it was genuinely unique. A VERY CLOSE 2nd best on ground.  Unfortunately, the video isn’t up on youtube – the link is below.

Check out this great MSN video – The Voice : Diana Rouvas Sings Love On Top.

Verdict: Stay!

Lakyn Heperi – Forever Young

Lakyn does absolutely nothing for me. NOTHING. I find him boring, without stage presence and has a vocal slur that sounds like Sean Penn’s closing speech in I Am Sam. His pretty looks cannot distract his blatant lack of talent.

Verdict: Piss off.

Brittany Cairns – Different Worlds

Oh, is the show still going?

Verdict: Go

After the public votes of last week selected the best four, if Adam, Diana, Sarah and Ben get chosen tonight, then the other eight put through by the judges are just buffers. You can tell from the progression from Top 24 – 16 that the producers didn’t trust the public to make the best decisions (hence the judge’s saves), which might just now go to waste. We’ll find out next week.

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Coldplay-by-play : The Top 5 Coldplay Moments!

Posted in Top 5, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 16, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

When Coldplay emerged with their debut single Yellow in 2000, they were merely a drop of water in the wave that was Post-Britpop bands making their mark. Bands like Travis, Stereophonics, Feeder, Starsailor and Snow Patrol desperately fought for the British rock throne occupation, held by Oasis and Blur.

Cut to just over a decade later and Coldplay have released five acclaimed albums and a plethora of singles, as well as shattered their mantelpieces from the sheer weight of accolades, including seven Grammys and six BRITs.

With tickets to their latest Australian tour on pre-sale tomorrow, we discuss the Top 5 Coldplay Moments that have taken Chris Martin and co. from wannabe Britpoppers to global stadium fillers.

But first, the worst. Speed of Sound is one of the dullest, most generic pieces of drivel released by this, or any other, band.

 

5. Don’t Panic (Parachutes)

As strange as it sounds, Australians, Brits and Europeans were first introduced to Don’t Panic as a pop/dance track, performed by Logo feat. Dawn Joseph. First appearing before the success of Yellow, the version couldn’t have been further from Coldplay’s acoustic stunner, but remarkably still held its own.

In 2004, Zach Braff’s Garden State became a cult phenomenon, largely due to film’s attached soundtrack, which led to a huge resurgence in Don’t Panic’s popularity. Second only to baristas as the must-have café accessory, the folky pop track is the single that never was, but should have been.

 

4. Viva La Vida (Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends)

The concept of Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends made a lot of Coldplay fans nervous. Despite making three solid preceding albums, Coldplay had never really tampered much with their sound. In fact, Chris Martin had declared the first three albums as a trilogy of sorts, meaning that fans were to expect something d-d-different (pure terror for boring people that never leave the comfort of their one music genre.)

With its infectious orchestral opening, Viva La Vida established itself as one of Coldplay’s best tracks in about 13 seconds. Despite the opening sentence, “I used to rule the world”, Coldplay showed no signs of losing their dominance over the world of pop music.

The song builds upon itself steadily until the triumphant climax, by then you’re most likely screaming ‘whooooaaaa’ along with them. From start to finish, Viva La Vida is a genuine classic.

 

3. Paradise (Mylo Xyloto)

Every Teardrop is a Waterfall was an underwhelming choice of lead single from Mylo Xyloto and the fans feared the new electronica direction could spell the demise of Coldplay. They needed more than a hit, they needed an epic hands-in-the-air anthem that reaffirmed why Coldplay rose to the top. Paradise was that…and then some.

Blazing, synthy percussion and a chorus that makes Rihanna’s Umbrella sound like a Christmas jingle, Paradise is deservedly one of Coldplay’s biggest singles to date and almost single-handedly resurrected their credibility in the eyes of critics and the public. It’s lucky the communists didn’t get hold of those chorus “whoa-oh-ohs” back in the 1950s, or we’d all be proudly wearing red today.


2. Fix You (X & Y)

Unless you’ve avoided the final episode of almost any TV drama of the last five years (most notably The O.C.), you’ve probably heard Fix You.

Fix You isn’t a great song, it’s two. Starting off as a gorgeous organ-led ballad with Martin’s trademark falsetto, the song transforms at the halfway mark into an emotional explosion of rock instrumentals and some of Coldplay’s most haunting lyrics, “Lights will guide you home  and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you.”

A tribute to everything from the 2005 London bombings, Sydney’s Sound Relief and Live 8, Fix You has snowballed into one of this generation’s biggest tribute songs.

 

1. The Scientist (A Rush of Blood to the Head)

There are two experiences with The Scientist. The first one is listening to the track, a heartfelt and piano-driven tale of a man’s helplessness. The second – watching the video clip – is an experience.

I remember watching the video clip for The Scientist as vividly as I remember witnessing September 11. The reverse narrative story had been done before, but never as compelling as working backwards from Martin’s girlfriends car related death.

While Chris Martin may have spent a month learning to sing the lyrics backwards for the video, hearing him sing it live will haunt you for a lot longer than a month. A permanent benchmark for Coldplay, or any other band for that matter.

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The Voice Australia: Live Show Final, Part 1!

Posted in The Voice Australia, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 15, 2012 | 1 Comment »


The first and most immediate point to discuss is the appearance of Fuzzy as the social media commentator, or whatever the fuck name they gave her job, which is completely unnecessary. I was really hoping Australia wouldn’t follow the Americans. Not only have they but even worse, they’ve chosen Fuzzy. For years on Video Hits I witnessed awkward interviews with musicians, with generally rough and jagged hosting. I’m sure the girl is very smart and focused, but even Mickey Rourke would do a better job.

Another equally disappointing discovery was that Lakyn‘s cover of Big Jet Plane has officially charted higher than original by Angus & Julia Stone. A dark day for credibility. Well done, everyone.

Fatai V – Empire State of Mind

Dear Fatai, thanks for dropping your surname. Signed, spellchecker.

The chick clearly has talent, particularly for 16 years old. While the performance had faults, it was almost definitely enough to keep her in the competition. She already has a fan base, as her cover of Love The Way You Lie is the second highest charting Voice performance so far.

Verdict: Stay.

Matt Hetherington – White Noise

Matt – as much as I love the lad – is no doubt talented. However the man is way too theatrical. I swear I saw jazz hands appear a few times! Not sure that White Noise was the best song, given that you are trying to appeal to teenage girls who vote and buy. When you’re 41, you already have a handicap in that department.

Verdict: Go.

Karise Eden – Nothing’s Real But Love

I lost my shit when I heard that my favourite contestant was singing my favourite new singer, Rebecca Ferguson. As much as I wanted it to be amazing, I was also ready to draw blood if it wasn’t. Karise NAILED it and actually sounded like Rebecca herself. Best on ground.

Verdict: Stay.

Ben Bennett – One Thing

Wow, a tween singing a tween song. Well done Delta. There’s only One Direction I want Ben Bennett to go, and it’s home. Unfortunately I think teenage girls will keep him around because he’s like a One Direction Inception…A tween within a tween within a tween!

Verdict: Go (please!)

Michael Duschene – Got To Get You Into My Life

Michael gave another quality performance and the guy is extremely likeable. He does, as Joel said, have an old quality. While American Idol is inundated with these, we don’t really have it here, ,making him a bit more exciting than most.

Verdict: Stay.

Danni Da Ros – Alone

I really wanted Danni to be shit, as I was devastated she apparently outwitted, outlasted and outplayed™ Sarah. On top of that, Danni was tackling one of my favourite song’s ever, Heart’s Alone. A tough track, but she nailed it. The last note particularly, was incredible. Second best on ground.

Verdict: Stay

Sam Ludeman – Summer Paradise

I actually have no idea what this song is but figure Jason Mraz has to have something to do with it.Sam started off shaky as shit, but eventually pulled it somewhat ogether. I cannot believe I’m saying this, but I actually agree with Seal. I find Sam untrustworthy and smarmy. I also reckon he should have sung something more famous like Ed Shearan’s The A-Team. I also still think Sam Ludeman’s idea of paradise is a sausage fest.

Verdict: Go.

Viktoria Boronina -Bang Bang
Viktoria has won me over every single time. To me, she is actually the happy medium between what is now and something a bit different – kind of like Lana Del Rey meets Kate Bush. Third best on ground.

Verdict: Stay.

Chris Sebastian – Without You

When Chris Sebastian is on form, he sounds exactly like Usher. When Chris Sebastian is off form, as he was in those awful choruses, he sounds constipated. I don’t know WHAT Keith was banging on about, the guy may have talent but has a shocking lower register. Here’s Chris below after reading what I had to say.

Verdict: Stay.

Glenn Cunningham – Heaven Knows

Heaven Knows how this song was ever a hit. I feel like I’m in the Invasion of the Body Snatchers, except instead of everyone else being aliens, everyone thinks shit performances are really good and I’m the only person left.

Verdict: Go (Now.)

Emma Louise-Birdsall – Never Loved A Man

Emma Louise-Birdsall is a gorgeous girl, with a soulful voice to boot. Mimicking Aretha was pointless, so in this respect Emma should be applauded. While the performance itself wasn’t brilliant, ti was probably enough to make an impression (and a connection.)

Verdict: Stay.

Rachael Leahcar – Hands

Poor Rachael Leahcar. Being born with such a disability would be difficult (and by that I mean having a palindrome name, the same forwards as backwards.) Rachael’s song provided stunning choruses, but it certainly wasn’t La Vie En Rose. If you ask me, she could have sung the Terms & Conditions on my Scoopon voucher and she’d be safe.

Verdict: Stay.

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Singles: Cheryl Cole’s “Call My Name”, Dia Frampton’s “Don’t Kick the Chair”, Mark Foster & Kimbra & A-trak’s “Warrior”

Posted in Singles, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 10, 2012 | 2 Comments »

Cheryl Cole – Hear My Name

Any way you look at it, Cheryl Cole’s last album was a disaster. In fact, it should have been called Hot Messy Little Raindrops.

While debut album 3 Words triumphed with current dance/pop anthems not too far removed from her Girls Aloud origins, Messy Little Raindrops was rushed, awkward and desperate.

For Cheryl’s third album in only as many years, A Million Lights, she’s come full circle and with the help of pop juggernaut Calvin Harris, has produced her catchiest track since Stand Up was never released.

While essentially a remodelling of Harris’ previous global pandemic We Found Love (Tulisa should also be named and shamed for doing the same),  Call My Name succeeds in Cheryl finally trying to sound MORE like Girls Aloud, rather than denying her roots. She’s also not trying to be Cheryl And The Machine, this is just unashamed and frivolous pop.

Call My Name isn’t immediate. You don’t realise its pop greatness the first, second, even third listen, but when it does it smashes you. Throw in a scorching hot video clip and you have the poppy club anthem of the British summer. A serious return to form. 3.5 stars.

Dia Frampton – Don’t Kick The Chair (feat. Kid Cudi)

Javier Colon may have had “The Voice” but Dia Frampton’s slightly off-centre, Feist-esque pop feel made the first season of The Voice US incredibly watchable. Renditions of Kanye West’s Heartless and R.E.M’s Losing My Religion showed potential for an artist, not just a performer.

Don’t Kick The Chair is light, breezy and full of chimey goodness – exactly what you’d want in an anti-suicide anthem! It’s also precisely what you’d expect from Frampton, being an easy transgression from the artiste she was on the show to the one she wants to become. Kid Cudi’s presence is as welcome as it is curious, with his genre-crossing talent being the highlight of the song.

While the chorus is catchy, the repetition means the life cycle on an ipod is a few weeks – tops. Nevertheless, it’s a worthy introduction to post-Voice Dia. 3 stars.

Mark Foster, A-Trak and Kimbra – Warrior

Part of Converse’s consistently amazing Three Artists, One Song campaign, Warrior brings together Mark Foster (Foster The People), A-Trak (Duck Sauce) and Kimbra for an 80s synthed ménage-a-trois. Sounding like some sort of sequel to Mark Ronson’s Bang Bang Bang, Warrior might just be the finest addition to the Converse campaign yet.

Between Kimbra’s sensational debut Vows, her scene stealing spot on Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know and her career peak of Miami Horror’s I Look To You, she can barely put a foot wrong. Ditto Mark Foster, for while this pushes the envelope on Foster The People’s sound, still h as his fingerprints all over it.

Belligerently appealing, the track has that kind of indie-electro feel that is heroin to hipsters. 4 stars.

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The Voice Australia – Battle Rounds #3!

Posted in The Voice Australia, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 8, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Now that we’ve been given a week to recover from the hot mess that was the Chris Sebastian‘s “Firework”, last night’s final battle rounds promised a lot…but again, under delivered.

The  talent was more consistent off stage than on last night, Ricki-Lee and Washington should have Seal and Keith‘s jobs next year. Seal is a pretentious wanker who thinks the show is called Seal Of Approval. Keith Urban’s relevance was questioned more than ever when he chose a country song for his contestants that was so out of place, even Chinese Opera would have sufficed in place.

He’s still doing better than Darren Hayes, who has made an art out of getting paid for standing around and flicking his hair dramatically.

So here we go….

Carmen Smith VS Michelle Serret-Cursio

Song: Rihanna – “We Found Love”

Quality: 9/10

Who Won: Carmen Smith

Who Should Have: Carmen Smith

Notes: Their performances were almost identical, but Michelle had pitch issues with the high notes. It was definitely Carmen’s by the end. As a combo they were one of the best so far, but the girls are fortunate that Rihanna’s live vocals sound like the doomsday siren. The victory was so exciting; Disney Pixar decided to make a movie about it!

Sam Ludeman VS Kieran Fraser

Song: Coldplay – Viva La Vida

Quality: 6/10

Who Won: Sam Ludeman

Who Should Have: Kieran Fraser

Notes: None of this interested me in the slightest. Kieran Fraser’s dancing was like watching Big Bird undergoing electroshock therapy but his vocals were stronger than Sam’s, who for the record is the campest man alive. No wonder Kieran Fraser ditched the tracksuit, that Straight Guy was Queer Eyed by Sam!

Kelsie Rimmer VS Brittany Cairns

Song: Adele – Turning Tables

Quality: 8.5/10

Who Won: Brittany Cairns

Who Should Have: 50/50

Notes: If you’re going to force them to sing Adele, could you at least pick an interesting song? Brittany had the high notes here while Kelsie had the artistry. It was one of the toughest decisions thus far. At least now I don’t have to type Rimmer anymore, consequently giggling like a 14 year old school girl.

Matt Hetherington VS Jerson Trinidad

Song: Stevie Wonder – Highest Ground

Quality: 7/10

Who Won: Matt Hetherington.

Who Should Have: Matt Hetherington

Notes: Terrible song choice, would have to be Stevie Wonder’s most boring song. While Jerson has had better moments with his audition, Matt had more stage presence. Neither were amazing, but this was largely to Delta’s appalling song choice.

Sarah De Bono VS Yianna Stavrou

Song: The Gossip – Heavy Cross

Quality: 7/10

Who Won: Sarah De Bono

Who Should Have: Sarah De Bono

Notes: Yianna’s dress wasn’t exactly a nun’s habit; I could see her uterus for half the performance. Sarah had way more control and better voice from the word go. There was no question here. At least Yianna was able to get a lift home (below.)

Darren Percival VS Brett Clarke

Song:  James Taylor – Shower The People

Quality: 7.5/10

Who Won: Darren Percival.

Who Should Have: Darren Percival.

Notes: I’m sorry Keith, this isn’t Nashville. No cheesy, badly written country song with lyrics my 11 year old niece could have bettered. As soon as Darren started, it was his. Seal’s claim that Brett should win was abhorrent.

Ben Bennett VS Jesse & Ashleigh

Song: Owl City – Fireflies

Quality: 6.5/10

Who Won: Ben Bennett

Who Should Have: Ben Bennett

Notes: It left me feeling very meh. Maybe it was the song, maybe it was the performances, maybe it’s because I don’t give a shit about squeaky clean tweens from Teen Scene Magazine? It was all just a bit….

Casey Withoos VS Emma Louise Birdsall

Song: Etta James – At Last

Quality: 8.5/10

Who Won: Emma Louise Birdsall

Who Should Have: Emma Louise Birdsall, just…

Notes: A very interesting result. While Emma Louise was TERRIBLE in the audition, Casey rocked my world with Regina Spektor’s “Samson” and she had extraordinary likeability. Casey struggled first half and while she wowed in the second half, Emma Louise already had this in the bag. But this is how you do it…

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Santigold – Master of My Make-Believe

Posted in Albums, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 4, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

When we were introduced to the infectious and innovative fusion of New Wave, dub and electronica four years ago on Santogold (as she was then known), Santi White struck a nerve with critics and crowds around the globe.

The concern with creating a genre is that your next step is crucial, which is probably a worthy explanation of why Santigold took an Olympics lapse between her debut and its successor.  How does one tread the tightrope without falling into either hipster wank or selling out? The answer on Master of My Make-Believe…is effortlessly.

MOMM-B is every bit as creative as its predecessor, but this time provides more consistency.  Producers Diplo and John Hill have been retained, but this time aided by Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Foster The People, Sia, Ladyhawke.) This time, the record sounds more like one unified genre, as opposed to songs from different genre songs shoved together.

We’ve already been treated to the Karen-O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) featured GO! and album highlight “Disparate Youth” as singles, but the gems are a dime a dozen here. Kurstin works his production magic on the catchy God from the Machine, while This Isn’t Our Parade could be Santigold’s best song to date. Swinging madly between solemnly gothic and proudly pop via calypso, it is percussion heavy and seductive. In the wrong hands, it would have been a hot mess.

The only problem MOMM-B faces is the absence of a sure-fire hits like Lights Out and L.E.S. Artistes, the latter which won my Song Of The Year in 2008. “Santigold catapults herself into credible pop stardom with this instant classic about dealing with, well, instant stardom. “I can say I hope it will be worth what I give up.” It certainly has been for us Santi. The beat is intense, the chorus is the aural equivalent of cocaine and the only thing I hate about it is the effort of re-selecting it on my iPod immediately after it finishes.”

Despite this, MOMM-B is fresh, polished and further indicative that Santi White is more than the Master of her Make-Believe, she’s the Master of Modern Pop. 4 stars.

Key Tracks: This Isn’t Our Parade, The Riot’s Gone, Disparate Youth, God from The Machine

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The Voice Australia – Battle Rounds #2!

Posted in The Voice Australia, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 2, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

It was a night of solid performances and shocking decisions. The battles were superior on night two, but there were two or three decisions that left me scratching my head…What did you think?

On the whole, you have to take into consideration that the people performing are the Top 48. It’s not like Australian Idol, where you have to wait until the Top 12 just for a few solid performances. There’s at least 10-15 great contenders already in the competition.

Taga Paa VS Cam Tapp

Song: Eric Clapton – Change The World

Quality: 8/10

Who Won:  Taga Paa

Who Should Have: Taga Paa

Notes: Kicked off with a great performance. Taga Paa showed huge range but huge nerves. Cam Tapp displayed a seasoned voice but lacked the heart of Taga.

Viktoria Bolonina VS Peta Jeffress

Song: Prince – Purple Rain

Quality: 7/10

Who Won: Viktoria Bolonina

Who Should Have: Very close, but Viktoria Bolonina.

Notes: Say what you want about Delta, she knows what she’s talking about. Viktoria’s strength and weakness both lay in her manic singing – she was passionate but flawed. Peta had the consistency but wasn’t as convincing.

Anthony Dellamarta VS Michael Duchesne

Song: Stevie Wonder – Living For The City

Quality: 8/10

Who Won: Michael Duchesne

Who Should Have: 50/50

Notes: Easily the closest match thus far. As Keith pointed out, it was splitting hairs. Neither have showed potential to win the contest but Duchesne showed improvement.

Nick Len VS Lakyn Heperi

Song: Angus & Julia Stone – Big Jet Plane

Quality: 7/10

Who Won: Lakyn Heperi

Who Should Have: Nick Len

Notes: “Teen heart throbs”, despite Nick being 21? Nick had the bigger battle; the song was geared more towards Lakyn’s voice than Nick’s. Lakyn’s performance was HIDEOUS. I’m not saying this because Nick is my friend, but Lakyn has a moan when he sings that sounds like he may belong on the special bus. You can see Lakyn below after his triumph.

Sarah Lloyde VS Danni Da Ros

Song: Mariah Carey – Hero

Quality: 9/10

Who Won: Danni Da Ros

Who Should Have: Sarah Lloyde

Notes: Gutsy bloody choice of song. Sarah Lloyde has already improved on low notes since audition. To be fair, they were both amazing. Danni had a soft quality but Sarah nailed those big notes. Fact: Sarah Lloyde was better. Fact: Danni Da Ros has been around since the invention of music and has never made it. Fact: I’m pissed off.

Glenn Whitehall VS Jimmy Cupples

Song: Birds Of Tokyo – Plans

Quality: 8/10

Who Won: Jimmy Cupples

Who Should Have: Jimmy Cupples

Notes: There was no faulting Jimmy Cupples tonight, he was almost perfect. Glenn did connect more with the audience but it’s still called The Voice, not The Connection.

Mali-Koa Hood VS Laura Bunting

Song: 4 Non Blondes – What’s Going On

Quality: 8/10

Who Won: Laura Bunting

Who Should Have: Mali-Koa Hood

Notes: While Laura had a much better audition (and did put up a fight), Mali-Koa nailed this from go to whoa. It is an absolute farce that Laura was picked.

Chris Sebastian VS Yshrael Pascaul

Song: Katy Perry – Firework

Quality: 4/10

Who Won: Chris Sebastian

Who Should Have:  Chris Sebastian

Notes: Delta was SPOT ON, the song choice was appalling, as were their performances. The fact that it was the last battle of the night, left me feeling like I’d just walked out of Requiem For A Dream – The Musical.

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The Voice Australia – Battle Rounds #1!

Posted in The Voice Australia, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 1, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

The Battle Rounds kicked off last night and proved that The Voice contains one of the most innovative reality TV show formats in years, with certain contestants shining. In case you missed it, here’s what happened…

 

Chris Ninni VS Ben Hazlewood. 

Song: Paramore – The Only Exeception.

Quality: 8/10.

Who won: Ben Hazlewood.

Who Should Have: Ben Hazlewood

Notes: There were a few dodgy high notes but an exhilarating start to the battle rounds. Ben and Chris both showed solid improvements since their auditions. The final note by Ben Hazlewood was better than three seasons of Idol combined.

 

Diana Rouvas VS. Jaz Flowers 

Song: Kelly Clarkson – Mr. Know It All

Quality: 7/10

Who Won: Diana Rouvas

Who Should Have: Diana Rouvas

Notes: Diana Rouvas was the considerable underdog, but Jaz Flowers’ determination to hit high notes ruined her consistency.

 

Fatai Veamatahau VS Mitchell Thompson

Song: Eminem & Rihanna – Love The Way You Lie

Quality: 6/10

Who Won: Fatai Veamatahau.

Who Should Have: Either – it was 50/50.

Notes: As desperately as Seal paraded it as something special, it wasn’t. Mitchell had the voice control, yet Fatai sparked more emotion. The correct decision was made.

 

Abbie Cardwell VS Adam Martin 

Song: The Fray – Heartbeat

Quality: 5/10

Who Won: Adam Martin

Who Should Have: Abbie Cardwell

Notes: The Battle Round was never going to suit Abbie Cardwell. She comes across more acoustic, along the lines of Angus & Julia Stone, but fared well considering. Seal was spot on when he said that the connection wasn’t there, but Abbie showed way more potential in her audition.

 

Glenn Cunningham VS Matty Chaps

Song: Maroon 5 – Moves Like Jagger

Quality: 7/10

Who Won: Glenn Cunningham

Who Should Have: Glenn Cunningham

Notes: Even though it started off shaky, Glenn had more energy and an urgency to win. Love the drama of going to the judge’s assistant, who offered absolutely NOTHING in the opinion department.

 

Karise Eden VS Paula Parore

Song: Amy Winehouse – Back To Black

Quality: 9/10

Who Won: Karise Eden

Who Should Have: Karise Eden

Notes: Given Karise’s audition and the song choice, this was the most one sided battle since Ricki Lee took on not eating and won. Karise was absolutely amazing, massive contender for this whole thing.

 

Rachael Leahcar VS Adam Hoek

Song: Judy Garland – Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Quality: 8/10

Who Won: Rachael Leahcar

Who Should Have: Rachael Leahcar

Notes: The song was essentially chosen for Rachael Leahcar. It couldn’t have been closer to La Vie En Rose. Poor Adam Hoek, it could have been called “Somewhere Over Your Dead Body Will We Ever Hear About You Again…”

 

Prinnie Stevens VS Mahalia Barnes 

Song: Soft Cell – Tainted Love

Quality: 8/10

Who Won: Prinnie Stevens

Who Should Have: Prinnie Stevens

Notes: Terrible song choice, yet still the show of the night. Prinnie Stevens nailed it and came across as Australia’s answer to Beyonce. I thought Mahalia Barnes’ audition was nothing like the media suggested.

The strongest three so far are Rachael Leahcar, Prinnie Stevens and Ben Hazlewood. The next Battle Round is at 8pm tonight.

 

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