#ThrowbackThursday: Jessie J – ‘Price Tag’ featuring B.o.B

facebook_logos_PNG19751.png    ios_homescreen_icon.png   app-icon2.png


Jessie J is British-born singer-songwriter who has seen a whole string of successes but this particular song saw her score her first UK Number 1.

‘Price Tag’ features American rapper B.o.B and was released on 25th January 2011, landing at the Number 1 spot, the following week. It was the second single to be taken from Jessie’s debut studio album, Who You Are.

The song features a funky guitar loop like that of a reggae track, with a vintage backing beat, all topped off with a sing-along chorus and powerful vocals from Jessie herself.

The music video for the track is pretty cool too, seeing Jessie J performing in front of a large money tree, an oversized teddy bear and even dressed as both a ballerina in a large jewellery box and a marionette on strings. It’s well worth a watch if you haven’t already seen it…and if you have, why not watch it again and reminisce.

What are your thoughts of this decade-old hit? Do you have a #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
www.facebook.com/muzikspeaks
www.twitter.com/muzik_speaks


‘Price Tag’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://music.apple.com/gb/album/price-tag-feat-b-o-b/1445851157?i=1445851166


Advertisement

#ThrowbackThursday: Britney Spears – ‘Till The World Ends’

facebook_logos_PNG19751.png    ios_homescreen_icon.png   app-icon2.png


Britney Spears needs no introduction! She’s a pop princess that just keeps on giving hit after hit.

‘Till the World Ends’ is an upbeat, dance-pop track with an electro beat, containing elements of trance too. The song features an epic, chant-like chorus and lyrics in which Britney sings about dancing until the end of the world.

It’s hard to believe but ‘Till The World Ends’ is already a decade old – originally being released in 2011, and taken from the album Femme Fatale. The song was in fact written by a few hit-makers including Kesha and Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald and there’s even a version of the track which features Kesha herself and Nicki Minaj (video below).

The music video for the track is pretty spectacular too – it features Britney performing in an underground setting whilst the world above the surface comes to a total collapse but all the while she keeps on “dancing till the world ends,” eventually poking her head above the surface to see the sunlight. It’s well worth a watch (also below).

What are your thoughts of this pop princess’ decade-old hit? Do you still love it as much today? Or do you have a #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
www.facebook.com/muzikspeaks
www.twitter.com/muzik_speaks


‘Till The World Ends’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://music.apple.com/gb/album/till-the-world-ends/581774791?i=581774806


#ThrowbackThursday: Lily Allen – ‘The Fear’

facebook_logos_PNG19751.png    ios_homescreen_icon.png   app-icon2.png


‘The Fear’ was the lead single taken from Lily Allen‘s second studio album, ‘It’s Not Me, It’s You’. It’s incredible to believe but this track was actually UK Number 1 back in 2009…10 years ago! In fact, it stayed at the top of the UK Singles Chart for four consecutive weeks resulting in it being the longest running Number 1 song, in the UK, for 2009.

Despite the glistening, electropop elements to the song that see a barrage of synths weave their way throughout the track, its lyrics are deep, highlighting and poking fun at the problems with consumerism, celebrity lifestyles (and certain well-known tabloids’ obsessions with them) and the postmodern condition of the world.

The song was co-written and produced by monster-hit creator, Greg Kurstin, and saw the starlet adopting a new, ethereal and more mature sound.

The music video is pretty great too, with Lily Allen emerging from a caravan, before returning to reveal the interior of a massive mansion where she is joined by a large group of dancers, eventually performing amongst some giant, brightly-coloured, dancing presents. It’s very dream-like and actually perfectly reflects the tone and topic of the track itself.

It’s an all-round incredible track and easy to see why it reached the Number 1 spot…I just can’t believe it’s already a decade old!

What are your thoughts of this throwback jam by the incredible Lily Allen? Do you have a #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
www.facebook.com/muzikspeaks
www.twitter.com/muzik_speaks


‘The Fear’ can be downloaded on iTunes now – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-fear/731919848?i=731919950


#ThrowbackThursday: Goldfinger – ‘Get Up’


   

facebook-like   Instagram


I can’t believe it’s already been a decade since Goldfinger released their sixth album, Hello Destiny… (SideOneDummy Records, 2008) but it has.

The first single to be taken from the album was in fact ‘One More Time’, which although a great track, I couldn’t resist sharing ‘Get Up’ in all of its pop punk/ska punk glory! In fact, on iTunes, it is actually the most popular track on the record!

It actually wasn’t released as a single, so no music video exists but it’s chock full of political messages that really pack a punch! It’s the sort of song you can really visualise a politically-driven video for though; the kind that would feature news clips, etc.!

Great song, great message, incredible band!

What are your thoughts of this 2008 pop punk/ska punk belter? Are you still a fan of the track, 10 years on? Do you have a #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
www.facebook.com/muzikspeaks
www.twitter.com/muzik_speaks


‘Get Up’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/get-up/993329380?i=993329394


#ThrowbackThursday: Estelle – ‘American Boy’ featuring Kanye West


   

facebook-like   Instagram


This year sees the 10th anniversary of Estelle‘s 2008, Number 1 hit, ‘American Boy’ featuring Kanye West.

The song was actually written by Estelle, Kanye West, will.i.am, John Legend, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, Armand and Keith Harris. The track was produced by will.i.am himself and the beat is in fact from his own song, ‘Impatient’ taken from his own third studio album Songs About Girls; it’s no wonder this was such a big hit!

The song is largely disco-funk and quite chilled in its feel, lyrically describing a romance after meeting an American man.

The video is black and white and whilst fairly simplistic in its concept is effective and shows a good performing relationship between the two stars.

What are your thoughts of this 2008 hit? Do you have your own #ThrowbackThursday track from 2008 to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or hit us up via our socials.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
www.facebook.com/muzikspeaks
www.twitter.com/muzik_speaks


‘American Boy’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/american-boy-feat-kanye-west/1349741979?i=1349742253


#ThrowbackThursday: Darren Hayes – ‘On The Verge Of Something Wonderful’


   

facebook-like

Instagram


It’s been a decade since Darren Hayes released the first single from his third album (This Delicate Thing We’ve Made), ‘On The Verge Of Something Wonderful’.

It is a truly captivating song with some fantastic trademark highs in Hayes’ voice – it’s a powerful and emotive track that really stood apart from the rest of mainstream music at that time, by reigniting the 80s sound. The track (and in fact the rest of the album) was recorded with the help of a 1983 Fairlight CMI synthesizer.

It reached Number 20 in the UK charts and not only did the song have a very 80s feel to it but so did the video. The music video contains a cameo appearance by Janice Dickinson and features Darren singing in front of a series of animated backdrops – it is reminiscent of the Max Headroom TV series, certain scenes from the film Electric Dreams and the graphics of some Atari brochures from the early 80s.

Do you have some great memories of this track? Have you got a #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
www.facebook.com/muzikspeaks
www.twitter.com/muzik_speaks


‘On The Verge Of Something Wonderful’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/on-the-verge-of-something-wonderful/id717145078?i=717145484


#EventSpeaks: Kate Nash @ Concorde 2, Brighton – 08/08/17


   

facebook-like

Instagram


This year, Kate Nash celebrates the 10th anniversary of her debut album, Made Of Bricks, and as such, she’s taken the album on tour, to mark the occasion. On Tuesday 8th August 2017, the tour came to Brighton, where she put on an incredible show at Concorde 2, with support from American-based rock band, Skating Polly.


Skating Polly

Skating Polly are a captivating band to watch – they are uniquely talented and have clearly worked hard on crafting their sound and perfecting their performance. I love the way Kelli and Peyton swap between taking lead vocals – it is brilliant and adds a certain diversity to their stage presence. Also, for the last song, Peyton and Kurtis swapped guitar and drums, further wowing the audience. A great display of talent from this band! As for their songs, they clearly don’t conform to current trends but rather make music that suits them and aren’t afraid to be themselves, which is great. This band may be fairly small in stature but they certainly pack a punch with their sound – be sure to check them out.

Highlight: One of the biggest highlights was when Kate Nash joined the band on stage for their performance of ‘A Little Late’.


Kate Nash

Kate Nash‘s all-girl band took to the stage with rapturous applause and a performance of ‘Play’ just before Kate herself arrived (complete with a huge dress), teasing the audience with just a small part of ‘Foundations’, after which, she moved into ‘Mouthwash’ causing everyone to continue singing along at the top of their voices.

Kate proceeded to play her debut album, Made Of Bricks, in its entirety. It was wonderful to see the audience singing every word of every song, making this 10th anniversary tour all the more special; her fans have clearly held this album dear for the past decade and the fact that the concert sold out, shows how they are still loving it, all these years later.

Her style of performance is enthralling – she works the stage, and her fans with vivacity and vigour, jumping around, tossing her hair and at the end of her set, even playing her piano with her bum! Her confidence exudes in masses and she has crafted her performance to perfection. Her interaction with the crowd is perfect; she’s playful, funny and humble – as an independent artist, her gratitude towards her fans was a beautiful thing to witness and in return she made sure to put every ounce of her energy into putting on an incredible show for them.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to see Kate Nash live yet, make sure you do – you’re in for a treat!

Highlights:

  • Kate’s ability to work the stage and captivate her audience is second-to-none.
  • Teasing the audience with part of ‘Foundations’ early on, got the crowd going mad. I also loved that she played the Made Of Bricks album in order, really celebrating the 10th anniversary of its release.
  • Playing a couple of her more recent tracks as well as B-Sides from the era of the Made Of Bricks album, brought another element of intrigue to the end of her set.
  • The stage design was really unique and great for the size of the stage – it made for a great performing environment. Also, the use of video visuals projected at the back of the stage further enhanced the show.
  • Her style was fantastic and a quick costume change or two made the set all the more interesting.


All of these photos of Kate Nash are credited to Damon Peirce.
Why not give him a follow on Instagram and Twitter or check out his website.


Setlist

Play
Foundations (Tease)
Mouthwash
Dickhead
Birds
We Get On
Mariella*
Shit Song
Pumpkin Soup
Skeleton Song
Nicest Thing
Foundations (In Full)
Little Red

Encore
Agenda / Model Behaviour
Musical Theatre
Merry Happy

This song can be viewed in the YouTube video, below.


Finally, I want to say an absolutely HUGE thanks to Sinead Mills at Practise Music for setting up this review and to Kate herself for putting on an incredible show!


Enjoyed this? Check out some of our other reviews here:

Muzik Speaks Reviews


Matt – Muzik Speaks
www.facebook.com/muzikspeaks
www.twitter.com/muzik_speaks

#ThrowbackThursday: Paramore – ‘Misery Business’


   

facebook-like

Instagram


As if Paramore‘s ‘Misery Business’ is a decade old already?! You might not believe it, but it is. This week, the track turned 10 years old.

The song was the lead single from the band’s second studio album, Riot!, and it peaked at Number 17 in the UK charts (the highest position the band received until that point). It’s an incredible, punchy, sing-along track that just makes you want to bounce around to it, wherever you are. Hayley Williams’ voice is just remarkable in it too.

The music video was fantastic too – it merged scenes of the band performing with high school clips involving a “bitch” pushing people around, hurting people and cutting off a girl’s hair, until the band give her a taste of her own medicine. It’s definitely worth a watch, so check it out below.

Do you still love this track, 10 years on? Are you still a fan of Paramore today? Have you got a different #ThrowbackThursday track to recommend us? Please leave your thoughts or song suggestions in a comment or hit us up via social media.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
www.facebook.com/muzikspeaks
www.twitter.com/muzik_speaks


‘Misery Business’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/misery-business/id604804755?i=604804763


#ThrowbackThursday: We The Kings – ‘Check Yes Juliet’


   

facebook-like

Instagram


2017 marks the 10th anniversary of We The Kings‘ self-titled, debut album, from which ‘Check Yes Juliet’ is one of the most successful singles.

The song is everything you could want from a power pop/pop rock/pop punk track – punchy guitars, swirling synths, beltable vocals and an epically catchy chorus. The song undoubtedly exploded the band onto the pop rock scene and it’s great that we are now celebrating their 10th anniversary with them. You can also catch them on their 10th Anniversary US tour now (BUY TICKETS HERE).

The music video is a take on William Shakespeare’s classic tale, in which lead singer Travis plays Romeo, ‘tossing rocks’ at Juliet’s window. Juliet’s parents do not approve of her relationship with her “Romeo” and demand that she stay away from him. The video ends with Juliet sneaking out to see Travis perform at a house party.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
www.facebook.com/muzikspeaks
www.twitter.com/muzik_speaks


‘Check Yes Juliet’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/check-yes-juliet/id749398340?i=749398405


HAPPY 10th ANNIVERSARY AVA!!! #ThrowbackThursday: Angels & Airwaves – ‘The Adventure’


Like our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/muzikspeaks)

Follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/muzik_speaks)

Instagram


Happy 10th Anniversary to Angels & Airwaves!

This is the perfect #ThrowbackThursday post! It was exactly 10 years ago, this week (well, yesterday to be exact) that Angels & Airwaves released their debut single, ‘The Adventure’.

The single marked the official start of Tom DeLonge‘s latest project (alongside David Kennedy, Atom Willard and Ryan Sinn), which has captured the hearts of many. I can’t believe 10 years have passed!

The song has been featured on several games and been used in several television programmes, including a trailer for Smallville.

The band’s imagery was a blend of space and World War II, which married with their unique and epic sound, made for an incredibly cinematic experience. The music video is perfect for the sound of the song, and if you haven’t seen it, you most definitely need to watch it, below.

Are you already an AVA fan? Have you been a fan since the release of this song? Which has been your favourite album/song of theirs? Got any similar #ThrowbackThursday songs for us? Please leave a comment below or chat to us about the awesomeness that is AVA via our social media accounts.

Matt – Muzik Speaks
www.facebook.com/muzikspeaks
www.twitter.com/muzik_speaks


‘The Adventure’ can be downloaded off iTunes now – https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-adventure/id153125136?i=153125151