Diana Vickers comes up trumps

Diana Vickers remains to this day the only X Factor contestant we have ever voted for (we think - there may have been an alcohol fuelled phone call to Miss Frank last year, but it's hard to be 100% certain). Here's why...

Unlike American Idol, which deliberately includes a few quirky contestants every season - this year it's the improbably-named Crystal Bowersox - X Factor rarely takes a punt on anyone who doesn't fit the well-groomed top 20 template. Vickers was the exception: Dressed like a hippy in a hurricane, and singing like Delores O'Riordan with hiccups.

I met her this week and she said her X Factor experience was like being Bambi just after they shot his mother - possibly my favourite pop star quote ever. As you may know, she survived the ordeal, went on to win awards for her West End debut in Little Voice, and has recorded an IMPORTANT DEBUT ALBUM on Sony.

Despite a terrible name (Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree?!?) the record has an impressive cast-list of writers - Cathy Dennis, Ellie Goulding, Nerina Pallot. If Kylie had bothered to make an album last year it would have sounded pretty much like this.

The first single is Once. Rather than underplaying Vickers' squeaky vocal tics, it builds the chorus around them. A bold decision, but the correct one.

Here's the video. We like the way she sleeps standing up.

Diana Vickers - Once


All good. The end.

Look at Alison Goldfrapp's shiny rocket

We've been living with Goldfrapp's Head First album for a couple of weeks now and can "exclusively reveal" that it is rather good. The songs are simpler and more direct than before, but retain all of the band's sensual pop sensibilities. Phew for that.

The first single, for those of you who haven't been paying attention, is Rocket. It's all about Alison Goldfrapp's lover cheating on her with another woman. And in her own home, the scoundrel.

In the lyrics, Alison straps this [insert topical footballer reference here] character onto a metaphorical rocket and sends him into metaphorical outer space, allowing her to put her troubles to one side and get on with life.

The video chooses to interpret this scenario literally, with the addition of a massive truck (it would of course be necessary for Alison to drive her missile into the desert to avoid damaging any property lying within the blast radius of the launch site). Watch it below....

Goldfrapp - Rocket

It's funny because it's true

Via loldwell courtesy of @glinner

Self-conciously quirky video corner

I was going to write something really insightful'n'meaningful about the pitfalls of making "wacky" videos and looking like a twat. But I've run out of time.

So here are two videos, both of which feature deliberately silly nonsense and shenanigans. One makes the band seem likeable and genuine, the other makes the band seem like ridculous, preening twerps.

See if you can tell which is which is which is which. Is which?

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass


The Drums - Best Friend


Is which.

Acceptable indiebloke noise

Here are The Foals with a song that you might like, and a video you will not.

The Foals - Spanish Sahara


EXCITING NEWS: If you go to Foals' official website and register for a mailing list (urgh), you get a free copy of the single in remixed format (double urgh).

Embedding disabled by request: Gorillaz

There's a sense in which The Gorillaz has always been about Damon Albarn living out his unrealistic childhood fantasies - I'm in a cartoon! De La Soul made me part of their band!! I am a hologram!!! And, let's be honest, who here wouldn't want to do any of those things? It's an infinitely more rewarding set of achievments than, for example, recording a concept album about London with the bass guitarist from The Clash.

You'd think that, by now, Albarn would have used up all the wishes the genie granted him - but no. The video for Gorillaz' next single Stylo allows the wiry young Essex Boy to "star" in a five-minute-long car chase with Bruce Willis. ZOMG, etc.



No embedding allowed - so watch it in glorious HD on Youtube (Youtube).

Whodafunk?

That's right, Prince, punch your tiny purple fist in the sky, because you have done the unthinkable and recorded something distinctly "not rubbish" for the general consumption of the public.

Now, as with anything post Diamonds and Pearls, this is not an entirely successful endeavour. So, to help you decide whether or not to click on the play button, here is a list of the good bits and bad bits.

Pros	Cons
Opening line: "If I had the chance to do it all again, I wouldn't change a thing except my next of kin	Fake crowd sound effects do not convey authenticity
Glorious gospel harmonies in the middle eight	It's all a bit Lenny Kravitz
Fret-busting guitar solo	'Heavy' rock breakdown has featured on every Prince record since The Rainbow Children
Second fret-busting guitar solo	The line: "I am what I am because & effect" (a) means nothing and (b) sounds like Popeye
This line: "If I could leave myself just one little note, I'd say you need to be a superstar or grow up, but not both"	It's not Little Red Corvette

The song premiered on Minnesota Public Radio over the weekend. Their embedded player thingy is below - but if that doesn't work, visit their blog instead.

Thanks to Suzy for the tip-off!

Calling all gypsies!

Shakira is disrespecting you and your heritage. Are you going to stand for it?

Shakira - Gypsy


PS: If you think I couldn't work out what to say about this song, you are right.

PPS: OMG Rafael Nadal iz buff n they does kissin at the end LOL (etc)