Daniel Bedingfield ... bastard! (or 'All Hail Da Pop Album')

"Blown It Again" is awesome: the sort of "next-level pop" that self-consciously next-level pop (e.g. "Pop") is always too self-conscious or just not-very-good to be. It really shows off Daniel as a pop-showman; his vocals just are endlessly captivating. Love the line "Have to admit my heart is not what it could be/Open up the box and tell me what it should be!" - at least the way he delivers it. I'm way behind on my blog updates obv. or I would have talked about this by now.

Likewise "If You're Not The One" is such a brilliantly, disturbingly prostrate ballad: a gorgeous chorus, vocals that nearly reduce me to a nervous wreck. Also slightly bizarre but endearing is James's use (here and elsewhere) of so much domestic imagery - marriage, homebuilding etc. This though is the best trembly MOR-ballad of the year outside Brandy's "Wow" and Blue's "If You Come Back".

Outside of these two tracks and the singles, I'm sort of ambivalent but cautiously positive. After how brilliant "Blown It Again" and "James Dean" are, it disappoints me that he never really goes back to that style of over-produced maximal pop with snarky, charismatic vocals ("James Dean" is so not the weakest thing here! It's a brill pop song, is what it is!).

On the other hand, everything sounds much better than it should be (by rights I should dislike "He Don't Love You Like I Love You" but it's just too nutrasweetish to begrudge) and even the mildly uncomfortable rock-out moments are appealing - "I Can't Read You" sounds like he's biting Hole's "Awful"; "Inflate My Ego" makes this the second '02 pop album to exploit the "Peter Gunn Theme". And who else thought up "Friday" - miami bass d&b punk pop?!? I need to spend more time with it, clearly.

Ironically, my favourite of the acoustic ballads is definitely the acoustic version of "Gotta Get Thru This" - its delicacy and thoughtfulness really leaps into stark relief in contrast to the garage version.

(i am v knackered, having spent the whole weekend reassessing/reabsorbing the solo work of david thomas for t'wire, plus i have a meet-up w. mark + doomie tomorrow, plus i STILL need to finish my "escalator" piece for stylus, so "this week" is best viewed as flexible terminology :-( ).

:-)

I'm already planning a mixtape bookended by Basement Jaxx vs ELP and "Inflate My Ego"

You're so OTM about "If You're Not The One"

The "James Dean" comment was a relative one - I do like it, I just think there are 10 more memorable tunes on the record. "James Dean" may well have the best lyrics - although those to "Friday" and "Inflate My Ego" are extraordinary also.

Denise - I sympathise. I have been trying to get my head around the Suicide LP this last weekend. You had a head start on me!

http://cookham.blogspot.com/

ultimately, I only like it because it's by Daniel Bedingfield

???
you'll have to explain that one a bit more, Tom
(I'm posting this here rather than on NYLPM for what I hope are obvious reasons)

i have the unenviable task of reviewing it for amg too!!

I mean, it could easily have been done by Westlife in typical bland fashion.

I thought it was just Courtney on her own.

It's not as nosebleed as I first thought. BPM considerably in excess of what I'd expected, but this is no Firestarter. Maybe the video exaggerated this.

I can however easily see how a remix of this could level entire clubs.

3:30 on the nose!

He sounds like Sting, though he sounds most like him when he says "Jamaica"