The Autumn/Winter Of Pop

[P-Bal]

It's like a flashflood of pop to end the year. I suspect there will be a fair few losers amongst the winners.

Spice Girls obviously top the bill with their long overdue Greatest Hits, but Dame Kylie Ann is back with X, which will (hopefully) be a stormer. Stars is good at any rate.

Mad Mimi makes a return, a little over two years after her emancipation with the slightly less iconic, but craptastic, title, Sweet Soul Odyssey. It's out a fortnight before Christmas, so expect a US #1 and a UK #41.

Dame Celine Dion is taking chances with big hair and a light-rock direction, Girls Aloud rehash their old tunes with new titles, McFly do a greatest hits (really?!), Westlife knock out more ballads covers, Britney Jean gets raunchy and closer to breakdown, plus Leona and Shayne release albums. And Dame Sophie Ellis Bextor unleashes her greatest hits!

It's all pop. Some of it's pap.

I fear, having written all that crap, a similar thread has already been done.

[Jim]

Dont forget Dannii fresh from X factor. Who's Dannii?

I look forward to SEB GH after seeing her live this year I was drawn in she is really good.

Spice should easily get the number ones - I hope we get a new video.

It looks as if Kylie hasnt gone the Fever commercial route, so not sure about sales but I hope it will do the business.

I cant get excited by any X factor stuff. The shows are ok for sat night bit of fun but the music has been pretty bland as a result. Leona - good voice but may not cut it as a star.

What about the blonde twins from BB doing Barbie Girl. They were on GMTV today. Its an assault on good pop!

[Simon R]

Don't forget the Sugababes, who've set the ball rolling with their 5th album out this week and headed for number one in the mid-weeks. Go Mel go!

Coincidentally we were just flicking through Play's forthcoming release section. Here's what I remember off the top of my head. I'd like to make it clear (and I quote a peroxide wisewoman when I say this) I do not endorse a way of life but describe one and the audience is left to make its own decisions and judgments...

Craig David - "Trust Me" ( a nod to Pete Tyler surely?)
Wet Wet Wet - first new album in aeons and Barbaras.
Another Whitney Best Of
Cliff Richard - Love - The Album, featuring If You're Not The One.
Groove Armada Greatest Hits
About a million Dannii reissues and a rarities album. Yes really!
Backpassage Boys
Journey South (could be self penned this time looking at the track listing...or just obscure covers)
David Gray Greatest Hits.

There's literally loads of notable albums on the way. So many are destined to flop like grandma's beef curtains.

Play are listing Mariah's release as "Illusion: The Butterfly Within" for December 3rd. Or is that something else?

[P-Bal]

I don't think she's officially confirmed a title yet. They might be guesses!

Jennifer Lopez is right back at us too, maybe worth a finger.

I think Fannii is being fingered for another dodgy hits selection and rarities set apparently. Joy!

[Simon R]

Jenny's album cover is hideous...



There's a 3 disc Bananarama Best Of in the works too apparantly and I don't mean the cheap book shop.

[Matthew T]

Lots of exciting stuff! Most exciting of all of course is the new Kylie album. I love both the Shayyyyyne Ward songs so have high hopes for his new stuff too.

Can't bring myself to be too excited by the Spices as I was never their greatest fan, and I shan't be buying the greatest hits as I already have all the singles (despite my previous comment). I am looking forward to hearing the new tracks though.

David Gray best of will be worth getting, being an aged pop fan like myself and loving the Coldplay / Keane type bands, plus I only own on of his singles and none of his albums.

[Dave Tudor]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't Leona Whatsit left it a bit long to follow up her first (and only?) single with an actual album? Surely people will have forgotten/don't care about her by now, and are ready to buy the latest, predictable crappy ballad from the new X Idol Academy winner?

[Simon R]

Surprisingly Leona's dreary new ballad "Bleeding Love" is getting good reviews from many people. It does nothing for me and the title sounds lewd. In a way it's canny to wait until now when the new X-Factor is in the public's mind and I dare say she'll be on the show one week to perform her single and tour her ways and give her advice to the new conetestants.

I forgot to point this out yesterday...



All Out Of Love
You're So Vain
Always A Woman
Time After Time
Weekend In New England
Every Little Thing
If You Leave Me Now
Your Song
Please Remember Me
Heaven
Being Alive
Feeling Good
All By Myself

I assume it's new and not a re-release with new cover of something from the days of yore. He can stick it up his chooch.

[Dave Tudor]

I'm sure I read in a recent DWM that his 1997 (?) album was being re-released. Perhaps that be it?

*cough* Cash-in *cough*

[Pip Madeley]

I think it's a definite for the turntable at the next PS party.

[P-Bal]

Leona's newie is a good'un, though my friend and I hath decided it's not ladylike to sing about your period in such an explicit way.

[Simon R]

We've forgotten to do something (now we mean business!), we've forgotten "Wannabe".

And P-Bal's debut album which drops like Jordan's drawers this winter.

[P-Bal]

I suspect it'll be more Easter 2008.

[Simon R]

P-Bal is the new Kate Bush.

[P-Bal]

But older and slightly madder.

[Simon R]

Here's another release set to flop like Grandpa's flacid old knob...

http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/3477...n/Product.html

I don't think he's had a hit since the H & Clare Period.