Time as always to trawl and mine the deepest depths of my old iTunes library and CD racks as we uncover another great lost pop gem with my weekly series, Pop Essays. This week: the re-illumination of a forgotten hit by a sisterly Essex duo... Artist: Alisha's AtticSong: The IncidentalsRelease Date: 07/09/1998Writers: Karen Poole / … Continue reading Pop Essays #23: Alisha’s Attic, ‘The Incidentals’
Bringing you more uncovered gems from my old iTunes library of pop yore every Thursday at midday, this is Pop Essays. This week: the tale of how one cover version derailed carefully laid plans for a promising pop rock outfit... Artist: SpeedwaySong: In and OutRelease Date: 07/06/2004Writers: Jill Jackson / Jim Duguid / Guy ChambersProducers: … Continue reading Pop Essays #22: Speedway, ‘In and Out’
When pop bands get to a certain level of success - hit singles and albums, stacks of awards and sellout tours, it's safe to say they've reached national ubiquity and adoration. It is therefore not out the question, then, to mark this transition into absolute phenomenon via their first big screen outing. But it's a … Continue reading JLS: Eyes Wide Open – the 10th anniversary of an intimate 21st century pop film
This album wasn't actually supposed to happen at all. In the press and interviews for Hi, the tenth studio album from Texas, Sharleen Spiteri has said that they were actually working on an entirely different project; namely, the 30th anniversary of their debut album Southside from 1989. In the process, herself and songwriting partner Johnny … Continue reading Album Review: Texas – ‘Hi’
There are many ways to make it, and I took the long way round. For a while, I was very broken, but for the last thirty years I have mostly been trying to help people make or repair things. It might be furniture, it might be a relationship: it might even be themselves ... This … Continue reading Book Review: Jay Blades – ‘Making It: How Love, Kindness and Community Helped Me Repair My Life’
Good afternoon and welcome to this week's Pop Essays, where we bring you our thesis on another entirely brilliant lost gem of pop goodness from our old music library. This week: a deep cut from one of our all time favourite pop songwriters back when she was a popstar herself... Artist: Cathy DennisSong: FickleRelease Date: … Continue reading Pop Essays #21: Cathy Dennis, ‘Fickle’
Time once again to dig deep in my own vaults and dust off the cobwebs from another gem of forgotten pop with this week's Pop Essays. And it's to the telly box - and one of Britain's most famous streets - we turn our attention to this week... Artist: Matthew MarsdenSong: Walk My WayRelease Date: … Continue reading Pop Essays #20: Matthew Marsden, ‘Walk My Way’
Hello, hope you're having a good Thursday and week generally so far - which is about to be that little bit better as I give you another great hidden gem from my own personal archives with this week's Pop Essays. So without any ado let's get to this week's entry... Artist: V feat. Tom and … Continue reading Pop Essays #19: V feat. Tom and Danny from McFly, ‘Chills In The Evening’
Pop Essays. It's the series where every Thursday I shine new light on a forgotten pop gem from my vast library for you all. Eurovision fans - and Swedish ones in particular - may be rather familiar with our featured song this week... Artist: BWOSong: Sunshine In The RainRelease Date: 25/02/2008Writers: Alexander Bard / Anders … Continue reading Pop Essays #18: BWO, ‘Sunshine In The Rain’
Welcome to this week's Pop Essays, our series bringing a fresh polishing up of a lost pop music diamond for your eyes and ears. This week: the first single from the second album of an X Factor legend... Artist: Diana VickersSong: CindrellaRelease Date: 19/07/2013Writers: Diana Vickers / Miranda Cooper / Simen Eriksrud / Simone LarsonProducers: … Continue reading Pop Essays #17: Diana Vickers, ‘Cinderella’
Alex's Blog (still Crazy, still Stupid)... 