2013 The Year In Review

2013 was a year full of catchy pop dance oriented music and controversies. Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus brought us both, they danced and  twerked with two of the biggest songs of the of the year. Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” spent 12 weeks at #1 and ended up at #2 on the year end HOT 100 chart, in the UK he had the best-selling singles of the year. The Billboard Hot 100 chart started factoring in YouTube streaming data ,on-demand audio streaming, and online radio streaming, this along with radio plays and digital sales turned songs like Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” and Baauer’s the “Harlem Shake” into huge hits. You could not go anywhere without hearing New Zealand’s young alternative artist Lorde and her hit “Royals” which spent 9 weeks at #1. The rap duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis kept going strong with their first LP “The Heist”, “Thrift Shop” not only topped the weekly charts but it topped the year end Billboard chart while their other  #1 hit “Can’t Hold Us” ended up in the top 5. Their most important song “Same Love” might have stalled outside the top 10 at #11 but it’s message on equality and pro-gay marriage stance rang throughout the world. On the year end Billboard album chart, no surprise is Justin Timberlake’s “20/20 Experience” at #1 followed by Taylor Swift “Red” and One Direction’s “Take Me Home”. The UK boyband topped the charts again at the end of the year with their 3rd LP “Midnight Memories”, but enough about Billboard, what about my thoughts, there were so many releases at the end of the year, a few of them battled out for the last spot.


  1) Random Access Memories--Daft Punk

I have to admit I’m not usually a fan of records that are vocal-lite, but there’s no doubt what album deserves the top spot this year. French EDM duo Daft Punk takes the best of their 90 dance oriented sound and infuses an old school production to create an absolutely timeless record. The album was recorded with real instruments, a full orchestra and choir which gives their sometimes robotic sound a warm feeling. They also hired some of the music industry’s biggest producers to work with them. Nile Rodgers (Chic, Diana Ross, Madonna) gives them the chart smash and best song of 2013 “Get Lucky” and “Lose Yourself To Dance”. Rodger’s signature guitar licks and melodies are unmistakable infectious and pulls you right in, both songs co-written and sung by Pharrell Williams just can’t get any better. The album’s other opus “Giorgio By Moroder” tells the story of the king of Eurodance and music maker of Donna Summer”, with no vocals aside from his little prologue story the song goes on into dancefloor bliss, mixing the sounds of the 70’s with, as  Moroder expresses, the “sound of the future”. Many of the songs like “Within”, the relaxing “Motherboard” and “Beyond” take you on an atmospheric trip, the latter begins with a beautifully orchestrated segment and settles into a Daft Punk –esque groove. I could easily see their music as a score to a major film or story. “Instant Crush” featuring Julian Casablancas of the Strokes, and “Fragments of Time" featuring Todd Edwards both sound like lost forgotten 80’s synth records.  Then there is the odd “Touch” sung by American composer singer/songwriter and actor Paul Williams known for writing for the Carpenters, Barbra Streisand, and the theme to the Love Boat TV show. The song is a slow groove, a 70’s acid trip mixed with “vocoder” style vocals, sandwiched between emotive vocal verses that sound like the Phantom Of the Opera rising. This isn’t a hard beat high BPM house album; all the sounds are filtered and sophisticated, robotic yet somehow organic at the same time.  

2) Electric—Pet Shop Boys

After the sophisticated slow jam album “Elysium” released just a year ago the boys come back with their 12^th studio album. Produced by Stuart Price, "Electric" is a high octane dance floor banger that piers half their ages could only wish for. From the opening “Axis” the albums 9 songs takes you on a fabulous journey. From the Soviet-esque catchy “Bolshy” to “Love Is A Bourgeois Construct”. The latter based on Michael Nyman’s classical piece “Chasing Sheep is Best Left to Shepherds” is magnificent, and fits right up there with some of their best songs, like “Go West” it a gay dance floor anthem and a broken heart song with tongue and cheek-y lyrics that only Neil can deliver “love is a bourgeois construct so I've given up the bourgeoisie”. It's a blatant fallacy You won't see me with a bunch of roses promising fidelity Love doesn't mean a thing to me”. The albums centerpiece for me is “Thursday” featuring UK Rap artist Example whose vocals blend very smoothly with Neil. The song has a beautiful melody and all the 80’s bells and whistle of a signature Pet Shop Boys song, but one that could easily play on the radio today. Then there’s the odd cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “The Last To Die” but like their other covers (“Always On My Mind” or U2’s “Where The Street Have No Name”) they turn it into a new song with a four on the floor dancebeat, a fantastic backing chant and in my opinion a more effective vocal take by Tennant then by Springsteen. After listening to it, one wonders if they are talking about its original intent, the Iraq War or perhaps the Aids epidemic? “Fluorescent”, “Inside A Dream” and the final track “Vocal” could fill the clubs and keep the kids dancing all night long, but unlike most EDM music their songs soothe and groove with you, they have an organic natural feel. The only track I don’t like is “Shouting In The Evening” a bit too dudstep for me but maybe the kids will like it.

3) Right Place Right Time—Olly Murs

A UK X-Factor runner up, Olly has proven that a TV product can put out a credible album. Writing alongside some hefty pop songwriters, Wayne Hector, Claude Kelly and Steve Kipner, Olly hold his own. His 3^rd studio release opens up with the fantastic orchestral gem “Army Of Two". The Canadian release includes the hits “Heat Skips A Beat” and “Dance with Me Tonight” from his sophomore album, but even the original UK edition without them has lots of nuggets. The first single “Troublemaker” sound like a Maroon 5 copycat but who cares, the songs thumping drums and groove is infectious, I don’t usually like guest rap artists but Flo Rida only adds to the charm of the song without feeling like it was on add on. “Dear Darlin” “Hand on My Heart” and “Loud and Clear”, a beautiful uptempo ballad cements Murrs into a modern crooner à la Robbie Williams, and way better then Robin Thicke. Yeah a few of the latter tracks are filler but even “Hey You Beautiful” is fun. “What A Buzz” missing from the Canadian edition is worth seeking out, Only Olly can make a song about binge drinking with the lyrics “What A beautiful buzz about the girl I might love” cute. The fabulous title track could have been his X-Factor winning song but sometimes coming in second is better.

4) Swings Both Ways—Robbie Williams

I’m not a fan of swing music that’s why this album took me by surprise. A big part of it has to do with Robbie reuniting with his long time music partner Guy Chambers, in my opinion his music hasn’t been the same since. Another saving grace is that the album is half covers and half originals like “Shine My Shoes” and the first Single “Go Gentle”, an ode to his daughter to beware of men, which is both cute and touching, the song is more big band/pop then swing, musically it reminds me of his old hits like “Feel. I’m not usually a fan of artists reinterpreting their old hits but “Swing Supreme” is just genius, I think I like this version better than the original “Love Supreme”. 

Robbie is joined by some of his friends including X-Factor and “Williams wannabe” Olly Murs on the appropriate I Wan'na Be Like You, Lilly Allen joins him on a acoustic cool rendition of “Dream A Little Dream”, Michael Bublé sizzles on “Soda Pop” but Kelly Clarkson eclipses them all on “Little Green Apples”, her voice is absolutely gorgeous and surprisingly restraint, I actually had to check the credits twice to make sure it was actually her. The album’s opus is the title track featuring Rufus Wainwright, which sounds like a long lost movie duet, à la Fred Astaire and Gina Rogers but gayer if that is possible. Robbie has never shied away from making fun of himself or the rumours of his sexuality with Rufus proclaiming: “Now Robbie, everybody swings both ways, from the butchest, the bandits, the fairest, the faggots and singers…Face it Robbie you’re a little bit gay”. “Snowblind” and “Minnie The Moocher” are the low points but even “Puttin' On The Ritz which I’ve heard many times before makes you want to get up and dance. The Wizard Of Oz’s “If I Only Had A Brain” is cute and quaint.  There’s something about Robbie’s personality that rubs off into his music and makes you wanting more.

5) A--Agnetha Fältskog 

Not counting her 2004 cover album “My Colouring Book” this is the X-ABBA’s first album of original material since 1987’s “I Stand Alone”. Produced and co-written by Jörgen Elofsson (Britney Spears, Leona Lewis, Kelly Clarkson) who crafted what could be the closest to a new ABBA album we probably will ever get. His best material did not go to Britney or Clarkson, so it’s no wonder that Agnetha fell in love with the demos and agreed to do a full album. There something special about Agnetha’s voice, sweet, clear and beautiful, she sounds the same even after all these years. She doesn’t scream a song to death like the modern divas but polishes and caresses her voice over the melody. “The One Who Loves You Now” and “When You Really Loved Someone” are pure Swedish pop magic, if sung by a 20 something singer they would be huge hits. “Perfume In The Breeze” is breathtaking while the ballad “Flower” is beautifully heartbreaking. Oddly the weakest song on the album is the Gary Barlow duet “I Should've Followed You Home”, it just seem more generic then the rest. “Past Forever” and many of the songs seem written for her or about her ABBA years and failed relationships. If you are looking for disco or dance look no further than the marching, thumping Voulez Vous-ish “Dance Your Pain Away”. “Back On The Radio” is a cute ode to her fans, while she may not be setting the charts on fire we can be happy that she is still singing. Jörgen did one thing that Benny and Bjorn couldn’t, he convinced her to write a song, the final track “I Keep Them On The Floor Beside My Bed” shows that she was more than just a pretty voice and face. 

 6) Since I Saw You Last—Gary Barlow

Only his 3^rd full solo album, Take That’s lead singer/songwriter works his magic skills. The album leads off with the fabulous piano driven “Requiem”, a Robbie Williams co-written Beatles-esque tune”. Lead single "Let Me Go", and final track “More Than Life” are inspired by the popularity of folk/pop groups like Mumford & Sons but I'm happy that the rest of the album stays away from this sound. Keane’s keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley joins Gary on the rock stadium ballad “Jump”. The album’s centerpiece is the Elton John duet “Face To Face”, one of 3 songs co-written by John Shanks, Elton sounds fabulous on this piano driven uptempo number. “G_D” is a beautiful heartfelt look at modern society, religion and morals, “If you found God and he gave you hope / Would you tell the world or save your soul. If you found God, would you take him home / Would you open the curtains or keep them closed”. The cute melodic boyband track “Small Town Girls” will make heats flutter, his voice on this track proves why he was chosen as the lead singer of Take That. The excellent “6th Avenue” sounds like he is channeling the best of Billy Joel, too bad popular music is too EDM to accept this type of song. “We Like To Love” for me is the weakest track, a bit boring although it does sound a lot like an old Take That songs, I could hear Mark Owen singing this, the ending with just the piano and his falsetto is really pretty. The album gets back on track with “This House” and the title track, Gary sings “I’ve made my peace with what may happen / Accepted I won’t be in fashion”,  in response to the criticism of being “settled in” or too middle of the road, but why should these songs be any less valuable then the latest hip hop, dubstep or rock metal invasion. If you want wretched emotions check out the touching “Dying Inside”. The Deluxe edition includes 3 extra songs, the first 2 are filler but the last one “The Song I'll Never Write” is worth checking out.

 7)  Word Of Mouth—The Wanted

A cross between a boyband and the sound of Colplay The Wanted seem to always play second fiddle to the mega group One Direction.  Word Of Mouth is their 3^rd, 2nd or 1^st album depending which country you are from. There are so many different versions from a 12 track regular edition to a 16 to 18 song deluxe editions that it’s hard to know which one to review. In North America the album includes the 2 years old smash “Glad You Come” while it omits the dance club hit “Chasing The Sun” which is on the UK CD.

Let’s go with the newer songs. The album opens with the sing-a-long bar drinking anthem “We Own The Night” followed by “In The Middle” and “Out Of Reason” both are solid pop songs but they don’t compare to the next 3 tracks.  “I Found You” released earlier this year is a thumping EDM dance track with one of the best falsetto of the year. The Dr Luke penned “Walks Like Rihanna” had mega-hit written all over it, why it didn’t happen is beyond me.  “Show Me Love (America)” is absolutely lush with a beautiful string arrangement and orchestra. The next few tracks go into deeper dance club territory with the generic “Summer Alive” and even harder dubstep “Glow In The Dark”. Check out the last song on the regular edition “Everybody Knows”, it's one of the most honest songs on the album. The boys have a spattering of co-writing credits throughout the album but I was surprised this wasn’t one of them. The song written by pop hit makers Steve Mac and Claude Kelly feels tailor made. The extra 6 tracks unfortunately don’t match up to the rest of the album. The album needs a bit more cohesiveness, but with so many pre-single releases and a two year plus recording time, it’s no wonder it feels thrown together.

8)  20/20 Experience Part One—Justin Timberlake

Another slickly produced album by Timberlake and Timbaland. Unlike their previous effort this isn’t hard dance but a slow romping jam excursion with songs like the beautifully orchestrated “Pusher Love Girl”, and “Spaceship Coupe”, it then moves into Barry White territory on “Strawberry Bubble Gum. I love the jazz infused sophisticated pop songs like “Suit & Tie”, the horn sections are fabulous, but I could really do without Jay-Z, I don’t see what his rap adds to any song. The album is chalk full of hits from “Tunnel Love” to the Grammy nominated “Mirrors”. “Let The Groove Get In” is a nice change of pace, a Cuban inspired Gloria Estefan type of song. I realize his absence from the music scene prompted JT to release a “Part 2” album a few months later, but I wish he would have pruned it down to one album of best tracks including the amazing song on Part 2  "Take Back The Night” inspired by the 70’s groove of The BeeGees, it would have made one hell of an album. 

9)  Loved Me Back To Life—Celine Dion

After a few low key albums, Celine comes back with a vengeance. A change in her singing and approach is evident with the incredible “Water and A Flame”, her voice isn’t over powering like usual but subtle, warm and rich, it has texture that she hasn’t had before. “Somebody Loves Somebody” is the type of pop I’ve been waiting for her to make, modern current but not too far away from her roots. The Title track ventures slightly into dubstep but I find it a bit overproduced, not digging the stuttering “I-I-I-I-I’s”, I think it was a misfire to release it as the first single. The Ne-Yo written duet is absolutely fabulous, and he really holds up to Celine’s vocals, a feat which is not easy, the song is a huge hit in the making. “Beakaway” and “Didn’t Know Love” are beautiful and emotional ballad either could be singles. “Save Your Soul” keeps the album going strong with cool slice of R&B groove just as good as her contemporaries. “Thank you” is not single material but another good track, unfortunately this is where the album starts losing steam. I love Stevie Wonder's song “Overjoyed” but I hate this production by “Tricky” Stewart and his team on this duet, they slow it down to a syrupy, drippy version that just clogs my ears. The album’s other cover Janis Ian’s “At Seventeen” is poignant when Celine explains why she covered it but it just doesn’t sound right. The Walter Afanasieff produced “Always Be Your Girl” and Diane Warren’s “Unfinished Songs” are good but they venture back into her safe repertoire.

 10)  Closer To The Truth—Cher

I wasn’t enamored at first with this album but it has to do with the first 2 tracks and lead singles  “Woman’s World”, and “Take It Like A Man”, both tracks are a bit dance generic, I love the sentiment on both but outside of the 2AM rave party they don’t offer much musically. The album doesn’t start cooking till the 3^rd song “My Love” a beautiful melodic song that while is in dance mode I could easily see making a great ballad. “Dressed To Kill” “Red” and “Lovers Forever” continue the club oriented side of the album and a nod to her gay fans. What I like to call side 2, tracks 7-11 turn into a rock/pop oriented sound. The Pink penned “I Walk Alone” is one of the standout songs. It starts off with a country riff, turns into rock/pop on the verses and then goes slightly dance on the refrain, it sounds eclectic but it all works together beautifully. “Sirens” is the centerpiece on the album, a beautiful wind sweeping ballad. “Favorite Scars” sounds like it was tailor written for her, while “I Hope You Find It” originally sung by Miley Cyrus seems to have found a new home, way better in Cher’s repertoire. The album ends off with another great track “Lie To Me” written by Pink. There’s no doubt that Cher and her team had 2 ideas for this album, one for the dance clubs, the other more in style with her 80’s music. I’m fine with that, I just wish they would have opted for different singles.

My Top Singles of 2013

1.            Get Lucky--Daft Punk        

2.            All-American Boy--Steve Grand

3.            Same Love --Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Mary Lambert

4.            Troublemaker--Olly Murs

5.            Walks Like Rihanna --The Wanted           

6.            Take Back The Night --Justin Timberlake          

7.            Love is a Bourgeois Construct--Pet Shop Boys

8.            Wrecking Ball --Miley Cyrus

9.            Story Of My Life--One Direction

10.         Show Me Love (America)--The Wanted  

11.         Face To Face--Gary Barlow and Elton John

12.         King Of Everything—Boy George

13.         Popular Song--Mika and Ariana Grande

14.         Burn--Ellie Goulding

15.         Thursday --Pet Shop Boys

16.         Loud & Clear--Olly Murs

17.         Gypsy--Lady Gaga

18.         Army Of Two --Olly Murs

19.         I Hope You Find It--Cher

20.         Incredible (Duet With Ne-Yo)-- Céline Dion

21.         Dance Your Pain Away--Agnetha Fältskog

22.         Mirrors Justin Timberlake

23.         Go Gentle--Robbie Williams

24.         In A World Like This--Backstreet Boys

25.         Half of Me--Geri Halliwell

Pet Shop Boys Queen Elizabeth Theatre October 3rd 2013

Two albums in less than a year, a world tour and the “boys” are still going strong. At 8:10 the show opened up with a shear curtain covering the theater stage, you could see Neil and Chris’ outline over flashing graphic images like out a video game with rushing tunnels transporting us to another dimension, all to the the sound of their new album opener and dance club banger “Axis”. The curtain stayed up for a mash up of  "One More Chance” from their first LP with “A Face Like That” from the underrated “Elysium” project, their last for Parlophone records. The projection screen was well done but the crowd was happy when the curtain fell to the sounds of “Let’s Make Lots of Money…” from then on everybody stood up and never sat down.

The Boys have a large repertoire to choose from, this show could have easily been a greatest hits tour, while many hits were played it’s obvious the Boys are doing it for the die hard fans, many cuts from the two new albums were played along with some lesser known hits like “Miracles”, “Rent”, the B-side “I Get Excited”, and their glorious dance version of  Bernstein and Sondheim's “Somewhere”. I have to admit a few of these songs seemed to go over the heads of the audience which to my surprise was a mixed bag of young/old straight and gay. While some might have been lost to the unknown tunes, the incredible laser show kept most of the audience mesmerized, one thing you are never bored at a Pet Shop Boys concert. They had two dancers which were OK but didn’t seem to always dance in unison. Tennant who almost had as many exotic wardrobe changes as Cher (a rubber jacket made out entirely of straws and a metal bulls head hat covering his face) seemed in great form although he sounded a bit hoarse at the beginning of the show, his voice sounded better on the newer tracks as oppose to songs like “West End Girls”. “I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing” preceded by the “Rite of Spring” was my favorite highlight but the winner of the night artistically was “Love Etc.” with both Neil and Chris strapped to vertical beds while images of moving bodies where projected below their heads.

Neil who usually seems stiff in concert finally seemed to loosen up at the end with “It’s A Sin”, and then let the audience sing almost the entire version of “Domino Dancing” but he came right back with“ I think you might know this one” before going into the fan favorite cover of “Always on my Mind”, and the encore “Go West”. The show ended with the appropriate “Electric” LP album closer “Vocal” Neil sings: “I like the people, I like the song, this is my kind of music, they play it all night long, I like the singer, he’s lonely and strange, every track has a vocal…”

…how true.

 Setlist 

1.    Axis

2.    One More Chance / A Face Like That

3.    Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)

4.    Memory Of The Future

5.    Fugitive

6.    Integral

7.    I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing

8.    Suburbia

9.    I'm Not Scared

10. Fluorescent

11. West End Girls

12. Somewhere

13. Leaving

14. Thursday

15. Love Etc.

16. I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)

17. Rent

18. Miracles

19. It's a Sin

20. Domino Dancing

21. Always on My Mind

Encore:

22. Go West

23. Vocal

Pat Benatar Rocks Victoria

She’s been doing it the hard way for almost 35 years and she is still going strong. Pat Benatar now headlining with her “guitarist guru” husband Neil Giraldo is taking concert goers by storm. Neil has been by her side since the beginning; he wrote quite a few of their hits and produced her signature sound. The two are absolutely adorable together. After watching their stage banter and the wonderful “behind the scenes” music segments which is part of the show, it only makes sense that he shares the marquee. Her voice has a bit more rasp to it but is still incredible as ever, she’s like a good wine that just gets better with age, she puts to shame just about any artist from the past 2 decades.

The show called for 7:30 and ten minutes in (which seemed needed to get people to their seats) she hit the stage playing for about an hour and a half. From the first licks of “All Fired Up” the show never stopped rocking. I have to admit I was a bit confused since they advertised the Victoria show as an acoustic one, but for once am I glad that was a false advertisement, acoustic can be cool but Benatar fans like to see her rock. In 1986 at the height of her career, my best bud and I got tickets for her “Seven The Hard Way” tour at the Montreal Forum. That’s why when she said this next song is from “Seven The Hard Way, I reverted to that 19 years old kid seeing Benatar for that first time, as “Sex As A Weapon” started I could not help but mimic the video with my hands in “The Supremes” stopping motion. I wanted to dance but nobody was getting up, Victoria audiences really suck, how can you be that subdued at a Benatar concert? By the time “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” came on a few of us got up and never sat down. My only complaint is that I found the setlist at 13 songs a bit short. Most concerts at this price usually have close to 20 songs. She sang her 4 top ten singles from “We Belong” to Love is a Battlefield but a few other hits like the fabulous “We Live For Love”, Fire and Ice, and “Shadows Of The Night” a favorite, was missing. Promises In The Dark was a definite highlight, I never really loved the song that much till that night. “Hell Is For Children” was poignant and incredible, she mentioned they sing that song at every show and will continue to do so until this horrible crime stops. Some of the deeper cuts like “Everybody Lay Down” was fab, but “So Sincere” and “Let’s Stay Together” could have been replaced with so many better options, anything from Tropico or Seven The Hard Way. What I wouldn’t give to hear “Run Between The Raindrops”. The finale which incorporated Jonny Cash’s “Ring Of Fire” with “Heartbreaker” was genius; maybe she should cover the song on a future album?

1.     All Fired Up

2.     Invincible

3.     So Sincere

4.     Sex As A Weapon

5.     Promises in the Dark

6.     We Belong

7.     Hell Is for Children

8.     You Better Run

9.     Hit Me with Your Best Shot

10.  Love Is a Battlefield

Encore

11.  Everybody Lay Down

12.  Let's Stay Together
13. Heartbreaker / Ring of Fire / Heartbreaker

Sting Back To Bass Tour Victoria Save On Food Memorial Center

Don’t be late to Sting’s Back To Bass Tour, the show called for 8:00 and at exactly 8:10 without any opening act or build up, he is on stage playing the first bars of “If I Ever Lose My Faith In You”. Not sure if it’s the Save On Food Memorial venue, the incredible band or both but sound and acoustics were the best I’ve ever heard in a long time. “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”, sounded better the original recording. I could hear every sound and instrument clearly. His voice hasn’t aged; it was pristine, he held some long notes that only a few Idol divas can do that took me by surprised. He was definitely in top form rocking the stage like it was the 80’s, the band was superb check out the incredible violinist that does a few solos. “Englishman In New York” had an brief instrumental remix break that I just loved. Most songs sounded faithful, but I was a bit disappointed with “Wrapped Around Your Finger”, I’m, not a fan of slowing down songs, it sounded like a drugged down reggae version, however the light show during the song was really cool. “Roxanne” was slightly different but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, then in the middle of the song it took a strange jazzy turn only to go back into the original by the end, I can’t forget the blinded red light that shined throughout the song. My big complaint always goes to setlist. He did a big cross section of his career but there was too many album tracks that I didn’t find that interesting, I could have done without “I Hung My Head”, “Driven To Tears”, “Next To You”, “Heavy Cloud No Rain”, and “The Hounds Of Winter", from his least successful album Mercury Falling, I know there is a fine line between just doing Greatest Hits and fan favorites but I felt he lost the crowd, are any of these liked that much? Why would he completely ignore his Grammy nominated hit making solo record “The Dream Of The Blue Turtles” he did not play one song from it, Does he hate “If You Love Somebody” that much? “All This Time” is cute but he could have done so many other singles instead. He did 2 encores, “Desert Rose” followed by “King Of Pain” and “Every Breath You Take” was just magical. The show ended with the mellow moment of “Fragile”, just a few minutes shy of 2 hours.

A review by the Times Colonist said he played “Walking On The Moon” but unless I was sleeping I do not remember him playing it.

Setlist:

1. If I Ever Lose My Faith In You

2. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

3. Englishman In New York

4. All This Time

5. Demolition Man

6. I Hung My Head

7. Fields Of Gold

8. Driven To Tears

9. Heavy Cloud No Rain

10. Message In A Bottle

11. Shape Of My Heart

12. The Hounds Of Winter

13. Wrapped Around Your Finger

14. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da

15. Roxanne

1^st Encore

16. Desert Rose

17. King Of Pain

19. Every Breath You Take

2^nd ENCORE

20. Next To You

21. Fragile

2012 The Year In Review

For a year with a lot of “pop music” I actually found it difficult to choose the ten best. There were many good albums but nothing really blew me away.

I flip flopped back and forth with the #1 position any of my top 5 could have filled the bill but I believe that the Scissor Sisters and Mika produced superior products and interesting outputs. A few albums surprised me like Lionel Richie’s country “Tuskegee”, which become one of the top ten selling albums of the year in the USA, and Kylie Minogue’s “Abbey Road”, I did not think I would like either of them.

A few albums missed my top ten like Taylor Swift’s “Red” which had some great tracks but I found needed more pruning, The Wanted’s North American EP, and One Direction who had two albums chart at #1, “Take Me Home” could have made my list but I thought their first effort had better tracks. The most surprising is two of my favorite divas not making my list. The first is Madonna, I originally liked “MDNA” but it quickly wore off, she really needs to rethink her music for her next album. Then there’s Celine Dion who French album “Sans Attendre” just didn’t cut it for me despite the great single “Parler A Mon Père”.

The single charts were much more interesting than the albums charts, they were ruled by Riahnna, Marron 5, Fun, Gotye (who topped the Billboard Hot 100 songs of the year), Taylor Swift and Canadian Idol Carly Rae Jepsen (who didn’t cover “Call Me Maybe”), unfortunately I found her full length album really disappointing. There were great singles by the Scissor Sisters, Mika, One Direction and Ke$ha.

Top Ten Albums of 2012

1) Magic Hour—Scissor Sisters

Their best effort since their debut album the “Sisters” keep delivering solid, exciting and fabulous music, from Jake’s plead to his lover on the sultry “Baby come home” to their Calvin Harris collaboration “Only The Horses” one of the best dancefloor tracks of the year, so much better than “We Found Love” which Harris gave to Rihanna.  “Inevitable” produced by Pharrell Williams for the Neptunes is lush and gorgeous, Jake’s falsetto evokes memories of the BeeGees at their best, while “The Year Of Living Dangerously” feels like a James Bond theme, maybe they could replace Adele next time.

The album is a bit of a mixed bag “San Luis Obispo” is a typical Spanish/Island flavoured ditty but hey if Madonna could do it why can’t they? While never boring some of the tracks like “Keep Your Shoes On”, and “Shady Love” which I find mildly annoying especially Jake’s attempt at Hip Hop, are kind of hit and miss, but a “Sister” miss is still better than a chart hit by any other. 

“Self Control” turns to the house beats of the 90’s, while the average “Best In Me” is kind of forgotten by the end of your listen. Luckily the last 2 songs get back on track with the beautifully haunting “The Secret Life of Letters” and “Somewhere” the Pet Shop Boys-esque dance jam that is pure bliss, this song should have been a single.

Then there’s “KIKI”, who would have thought that this would be the song everybody including Hollywood’s stars would be clamoring about. The little Ms Matronic jam, with nothing but pulsating drums over her complaints about having her “par-tee” closed down even took the TV show Glee by storm, yet despite all that the Sisters have yet to produce a hit single in the USA.

2) The Origin Of Love—Mika

When you open a Mika album you never know what you are going to get, but melody and lots of fun are a given. This album his 3^rd, feels a little more grown up and less sugary pop, but he hasn’t lost his sense of wonder, poetry or joy. Many collaborate with him including some of the industry’s best. Nick Littlemore from the Australia dance duo Pnau lends a hand for a many of the songs including the fabulous title track whose melody and lyrics “Love is a drug and you are my cigarette, love is addiction and you are my Nicorette”, “sticks in your head like glue, but once the breakdown/guitar verses kicks in, its bliss, this song has everything from pulsating drums, a double chorus “to the one I love…”, too bad it’s too unique for radio. “Lola” is a fun synth 70’s bass line romp but following it is my favorite track “Stardust” produced by Benni Benassi, a fantastical dance floor pulsating jam over Mika’s fab falsetto. “Make You Happy” whose video was filmed in Montreal, has a beautiful synth and string arrangements melded over an auto tuned muffled chorus which produces a really nice effect. “Underwater” is a stunning and haunting piano electro ballad, a song begging to be a big film score. “Kids” sound like an old familiar 70’s classic tune but updated to our time, while “I Love You When I’m Drunk” is a fun take on his love life. “Step with Me’ is a bit too formulaic for me but I give two thumbs up to the track “Popular Song” with Priscilla Renea, both authors give a big “middle finger” to their haters in high school with a cheeky silly synth song.

“Heroes” is a heartfelt and bittersweet song especially in this time of civil war around the world, “fighting someone else’s’ war” Mika’s sing “Your blood on me, my blood on you”, “Heroes aren’t meant to survive”. The moment doesn’t last long as Mika breaks up the sombre tone with Pharrell Williams for “Celebrate” a Madonna-esque dance floor anthem perfect to dust off the sadness.

Included is Emily the English version of his fabulous French song “Elle Me Dit”, whose friends tells him to stop wasting his life, get off his ass and do something with his life, write a song, make a million dollars, while he might not be making millions or having many hits, he and I are having lots of fun, eh Emily?

3) Elysium—Pet Shop Boys

Nobody does smooth electronic dance music like the boys, from the opening track “Leaving”, you feel like you are covered in a warm and fuzzy blanket of beats. We aren’t talking about hit you over head like Guetta or Calvin Harris but soothing melodies. A departure and less “pop” then their previous effort “Yes” this album takes a few listens to get into. Unfortunately it starts off in my opinion with a few week tracks. “Invisible’ is a little too low key for me. The single “Winner” picks it up a bit and it only gets better from there.

I love how the boys they both don’t take their status too seriously, they get cheeky and make fun of themselves with the inspired story “Early Stuff” about a cabbie who chats them up on a ride “You've been around but you don't look too rough, And I still quite like some of your early stuff” Neil sings “Those old videos look pretty funny What's in it for you now, need the money?"They say that management never used to pay, honestly you were ripped off back in the day”. Then there’s “Ego Music” at first listen I found the song annoying, but I think that was the point, this song most likely about Kanye West and his rapper buddies “Ego music, it’s all about me” , sense of entitlement…” How ironic that the boys hired Andrew Dawson (Kanye’s album engineer) to produce the album.

“A Face Like That” and “Hold On” bring us back to the old PSB’s, I love the latter whose choir like atmosphere are matched along with the cheeky lyrics “Hold on hold on or the world will end today”. "Breathing Space" and "Give It A Go" are just middle ground but the album really shines with 2 songs buried at the end. “Memory Of the Future” is a Pet Shop Boys opus, Neil sing “It’s taking me all of my life to find you” his voice surrounded with swirling magical, melodic synthesizers, covering him in a warm blanket of pure bliss. “Requiem in Denim and Leopard skin” is like finding an old Pet Shop Boys gem that was lost in a vault, unfortunately the song sounds like a happy “goodbye” from the boys, let hope this is not the case.

4) Up All Night—One Direction

Only Simon Cowell can turn five unknown twinks, into the world’s biggest superstars. It might not last long but he knows how to get what he wants from the best in the business. From the brilliant debut single “What Makes You Beautiful” the album is filled with great slick and fun produced pop songs, almost any song could be single material. “One Thing” is just as good as it’s predecessor and the title track was screaming to be released “Katy Perry’s on a plane, she’s on a plane” they sing over a thumping beat as good as any of Perry’s hits. “More Than This” and “Taken” fill the slots for pretty ballad which don’t sound kiddy but grown up band.  “Tell Me A lie” penned by Kelly Clarkson” is a rocking rolling dance gem along with the Beatles/Take That sounding “I Want”. Even the songs they co- write like “Everything About You” holds up to the other tracks. The album ends off with 2 of the best tracks “Save You Tonight” and "Stole My Heart" which is  one the best dance songs of the year, I don’t understand why they released a 2^nd album so quickly instead of releasing this as a single, a wasted opportunity.

5) Overexposed—Maroon 5

Inspired by their mega hit “Moves Like Jagger” the new album produced by hit maker Max Martin (Backstreet Boys, Kelly Clarkson,  and many others), venture the boys into a pop infused dubstep album, from the opening reggae influenced song “One More Night” which spent 9 weeks at #1 to their previous single “Payphone”, the album is jammed packed with winners. “Daylight”, “Lucky Strike” (with Ryan Tedder) and “Love Somebody” with its clever synth 80’s hook are future hits in the waiting. “The Man Who Never Lied” is a sly rocking thumping dance romp with Adam trying to convince himself it’s OK to not tell the truth.  “Ladykiller” is olf Maroon 5 with a funky baseline,  less production and more vocals, but “Fortune Teller” and “Tickets” goes right back into dubstep. Favorite track is the Shellback produced “Doing’ Dirt” which feels like a long lost 70’s disco gem crossed with the Sugababes “Red Dress”. Could Maroon 5 be the crowned kings of the dancefloor? Maybe so. 

If you get the deluxe edition be sure to check out their fabulous jazzed up version of Prince's "Kiss".

6) Tuskegee—Lionel Richie

The idea of Lionel Richie doing a country album might confused the average music listener, but if you were more attentive you would see that his songs like “Stuck On You” and “Deep River Woman” are pure Country, not to mention the mega hit “Lady” which he penned for Kenny Rogers. For this project Lionel got some of country’s best singers and musicians to duet with him. When I first heard snippets of the album I was a bit disappointed but after hearing the full LP I love it.  R&B staples like my favourite “You Are” with Blake Sheldon are just as good if not better, this guitar flavoured version only adds to the song without taking away any of the original magic. “My Love” with Kenny Chesney, “Sail On” with Tim Mcgraw and “Stuck On You” with Daruis Rucker are perfect. “Deep River Woman” with Little Big Town, in my opinion rivals the original sung with Alabama back in 1986 on his “Dancing On The Ceiling album”, the harmonies here are gorgeous, this song needed this production. A song that should have been a bigger hit “Just For You” is another stand out with Billy Currington. “Hello” with Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland, is an interesting mix but I’m not sure their vocals work well together while “Easy” with Willie Nelson sounds like it could have been written for him.

I only wish it was less of a Greatest Hits list, “Dancing On The Ceiling” and “All Night Long” do not translate into country, Lionel what were you thinking? Even Rascal Flatts couldn’t country-fi “Ceiling”. “All Night Long” gets saved by going more island flavoured then country with the help of Jimmy Buffet and some cool Hawaiian like steel drums. “Say You Say Me” with Jason Aldean is another oddity that doesn’t translate well.  I read all about the lengths Lionel went through to get Shania Twain to record “Endless Love”, but I don’t think their vocals match well plus did we really need another version? I never liked the Mariah Carey Luther Vandross one, nothing compares to the original with Diana Ross. Speaking of vocals, despite the guest list nobody sounds as good as Lionel singing his own songs, his voice still sounds great, unlike Kenny Rogers who’s losing it, I would have preferred a solo version of “Lady” instead.

7) Good Morning To The Night—Elton John VS Pnau

What happens when you take a modern electronic Australian duo and give them Elton John’s early classic masters to play with? You get this little ingenuous piece of heaven. I’ve never like sampled music, but this album is a whole new ballgame. Elton actually hired the duo Pnau when he heard their previous recordings and fell in love with their music. These are not remixes but total reconstructions of his songs. I find that remixers have gotten quite lazy, Pnau have definitely set the bar high. Every song has a familiar feel but sounds shiny and new, Pnau have created a certain atmospheric charm, unlike modern remixes which seem to only hit you with bass and sound and no melody. Trying to figure out which parts of what song they used is also part of the fun, they didn’t used his most famous material, the title track, a UK dance hit, borrows from 'Mona Lisa' and 'Mad Hatters' and 7 other tracks. “Sad” feels like a long lost disco classic, it doesn’t sound like a remix but rather a sophisticated new song. “Black Ice Stare” feels like a lost reggae classic, while “Foreign Fields” is a fantastic take on Elton “High Flying Bird”, “Telegraph to the Afterlife” slows down to a Beatlesque acid trip and “Phoenix” take on Elton’s “Grey Seal” to new heights. Only 8 tracks long the album leaves you wanting more.

8) The Abbey Road Sessions—Kylie Minogue

I thought I was going to be disappointed, after all who needs a jazzy acoustic album of Kylie’s dancefloor classics? Kylie is not known for her vocal prowess, but this album definitely delivers. While some songs are misses, “On A Night Like This” just doesn’t have enough melody to work, and who needs “Slow” slower, really? Opening track like “All The Lovers” proves how good a song really is. “Better The Devil You Know’ is fab but we’ve heard this version in concert before same goes for “I Believe In You and “I Should Be So Lucky”. “Never Too Late” is absolutely fabulous, a forgotten gem that translates well, same goes for “Finer Feelings”, interesting how most Stock Aiken and Waterman tracks work well into many mediums and genres proving that a good melody counts. While I think that “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” should be banished to never be heard or recorded again, I actually love this version, the strings/violins are beautiful. Love At First Sight is cute. I was worried that we would get the snooze jazzy version of “Locomotion” but luckily we get a somewhat upbeat version. Having Nick Cage record his vocal for “Where The Wild Roses Grow” was a definite delight, but the true gem is the only new song “Flower” a fan favorite which up until now was only sung in concert, the sad song (as most fans speculate), about her longing to have a child, is emotional and poignant.

Too bad songs like “Spinning Around” which sounded fabulous when she sang it at the Proms concert was not included and “Wow” and “In My Arms” were only bonus tracks on certain editions. I would have preferred less of a hit package and more lost classics that suited the genre.


9) Take The Crown—Robbie Williams

After a return to Take That greatness Robbie delivers another solo album, he claims this is the album he wanted to do instead of “Reality Killed the Video Star” which I actually liked. While “Take The Crown” it’s no “Sing When You’re Winning”, or “Escapology”, it’s a valiant effort. “They said the magic was leaving…” he sings on the opening track, “Be A Boy”, he still has some magic with the #1 saccharine sweet cutesy UK hit “Candy”, and the synth 80’s inspired “Shit on the Radio” which reminds me of Queen’s “Radio Gaga”. “Gospel” sounds a bit like early Robbie rebel but it doesn’t come close to anything on his first 2 albums. “Different” the required power ballad is likable enough like “Feel” or Come Undone”.  The next 2 tracks are probably my favorites, “All That I Want” is an 80’s funky electro sounding piece that could make a good single and “Hunting For You sound more authentic than anything else on the album, Robbie’s vocals and falsetto really shines. “Into The Silence” could be another power rock ballad but it tries too hard and sounds overproduced. “Hey Wow Yeah Yeah” is just filler in my opinion, I don’t get it. “Not Like The Others” is a bit of return to form, the music reminds me of good old Robbie but after 3 to 4 songs I’m getting tired of lyrics about his sex life.

The bonus track “Eight Letters” originally written and sung by Take That proves that Robbie should just stay with the group who are producing better pop songs and albums.

10) Ke$ha—Warrior

My guilty pleasure of the year. A Dr. Luke/Max Martin production I was actually expecting more, but it’s Ke$ha, trashy, brassy and fun. “Die Young” is the catchiest pop song of the year, “I hear your heartbeat, to the beat of your drums…”, Ke$ha definitely goes to the beat of her own drum and she sings, raps and vomits glitter all over the dancefloor. I almost wish she would give up the silly raps and autotune, the fabulous country pop track “Wonderland” proves that she can sing and write a great song, but unfortunately the other stuff has become her signature.

Highlights are the catchy guitar driven “Crazy Kids” (wishing she would of deleted the awful rap parts) , and the unusual garage/rock duet with Iggy Pop “Dirty Love”, who can’t like a song that name checks Rick Santorum and cockroaches and how they “do it”, no auto tune here. Her voice sounds great on “Thinking Of You”, a big “f*ck you” to her ex, is as good as any mad Taylor Swift song but much more fun. “Whenever You Are” could be another single with it brassy baseline and catchy chorus. So many tracks could be singles including “I Only Wanna Dance With You” a collaboration with The Strokes, “Supernatural” with it’s beautiful haunting verses and a brassy pounding chorus, and “All That Matters (The Beautiful Life)” a thumping 90’s Ace Of Base like track. The regular edition album ends of with a haunting Phil Collins like ballad “Love Into The Light”, another testament that she is more than just a silly pop singer.

Best Singles of 2012

1.    Only The Horses—Scissor Sister

2.    What Makes You Beautiful—One Direction

3.    Glad You Came—The Wanted

4.    Sad—Elton John VS Pnau

5.    We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together—Taylor Swift

6.    Flower—Kylie Minogue

7.    Parler A Mon Pere—Celine Dion

8.    Call Me Maybe—Carly Rae Jepsen

9.    Memory Of The Future--Pet Shop Boys

10. Origin Of Love—Mika

11. Little Things—One Direction

12. Troublemaker—Olly Murs

13. Celebrate-Mika

14. One Thing­­--One Direction

15. Die Young—Ke$ha

16. Let’s Have A Kiki--Scissor Sisters

17.  Live While We’re Young-One Direction

18. Chasing The Sun—The Wanted

19. Baby Come Home-Scissor Sisters

20. Diamonds--riahnna