Pet Shop Boys – Integral
You've had your chance, now we've got the mandate. If you've changed your mind, I'm afraid it's too late.
Liza Minnelli – So Sorry, I Said
It's 1989 and Liza Minnelli issues an apology.
Dame Shirley Bassey – After the Rain
Very few people would make you wait fifty years for their best record. But that's exactly what Dame Shirley Bassey did.
Electronic – The Patience of a Saint
Completely brilliant grump-pop from the best ever supergroup.
Fancy – Slice Me Nice
Filthy German cake-based Hi-NRG from the man they called Fancy. Fancy that!
Erasure – Yahoo!
A spot of religious ecstasy from a band whose fondness for exclamation marks is rivalled only by Shania Twain.
Colourbox – The Official Colourbox World Cup Theme
Some records are like tiny fizzing petri dishes crawling with cultures which will eventually find their way, well, everywhere – Donna Summer‘s I Feel Love is the most obvious example – but not […]
Inga Humpe – Do I Have To?
It’s time to talk about cover versions, and specifically why they happen so often considering they pay for someone else’s swimming pool and not your own. Pop stars sing the […]
Swimming with Sharks – Careless Love
If you’re of a certain vintage, you’ll almost certainly remember half-page adverts in Smash Hits promoting an exciting sounding new band called Swimming with Sharks, and thinking to yourself “gosh, […]
Liza Minnelli – Don’t Drop Bombs
"I'd rather not have to hear about your other girls on your expense account."
Eighth Wonder – When the Phone Stops Ringing
It’s often said (by me) that there’s nothing new in pop, and this is especially true when it’s something old. In the case of Eighth Wonder‘s When the Phone Stops […]
Stéphanie – Irresistible
You might think that to be successful in pop you need to be able to carry a tune. But as any backing singer will tell you – probably through gritted teeth – […]
Company B – Fascinated
If you thought Sia donning a platinum blonde fright wig to wrestle back a degree of anonymity was an exciting new pop concept, please think again – Latin freestyle trio Company B […]
Frances Ruffelle – God Watch Over You
At this time of year it’s always good to count our blessings and spare a thought for those less fortunate. In the wake of tabloid headlines announcing that yet another […]
Dusty Springfield – Occupy Your Mind
Come 1990, Dusty Springfield was in the curious position of being popular again. She had basically ruled much of the 1960s, leading a female invasion of the charts that sometimes gets overlooked by the one […]
Exposé – Let Me Be the One
In rock music there seems to be an unspoken rule which states success automatically attracts success. Generally, as an artist grows in stature and the money starts to flow, the […]
Goldfrapp – Rocket
Choosing the right first single is a very exact science, and there are many factors to consider. Are you coming back from a hugely successful debut? Then you’ll be wanting […]
Ben Folds – Smoke (Live with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra)
Going to see your favourite artist perform live is great isn’t it? My first ever pop concert was Pet Shop Boys‘ MCMLXXXIX tour (tickets £14.50!) at the SECC in Glasgow – my […]
The Chimes – 1-2-3
A mere 9 months after Songs of Innocence-gate, the moment it became abundantly clear that Bono, The Edge and co. couldn’t even give their music away, it’s hard to imagine […]
Modern Talking – You Can Win If You Want
Guest contributor: Pete Paphides On Saturday afternoons, when we couldn’t be bothered to go all the way into Birmingham city centre, my best friend Richard and I would take […]
