Overheard Articulation...

"Alexander McQueen is dead... but maybe all his bags will go on sale?"

A Music Moment: Ones for 2010

It’s a new year so it is time for some brand new artists. First up is twenty-three year old Ellie Goulding from Herefordshire. After I initially ignored her first single, Under the Sheets, her second single, Starry Eyed grabbed my attention. Her voice sounds like she should be making folk music; however, when mixed with dance/electro beats the result is quite stunning. Starry Eyed is released in the UK on February 22nd, and her debut album, Lights is out on March 1st.

Next is twenty-four year old Marina Lambrini (LOL) Diamandis aka Marina and the Diamonds. The half Welsh half Greek songstress was second in the BBC’s Sound of 2010, only beaten by the above Ellie Goulding. Her first promotional single from her debut album, The Family Jewels, Hollywood, is full of clever lyrics about the American Dream. She has often been compared to Florence + the Machine, but the only thing they really have in common is the ‘and the’ in their respective titles. Hollywood is out now in the UK, and The Family Jewels is out on February 22nd (again, in the UK).

Lastly is twenty-one year old Swede Erik Hassle. After establishing a successful career in native Sweden, he’s now trying to conquer Britian. He’s already toured with Mika (erugh), Little Boots (meh), and Florence + the Machine (yay!). Even though I find him a bit creepy looking, and he looks like La Roux’s twin brother (don’t tell me you can’t see it), his debut single, Hurtful is a solid pop single. His debut EP, Pieces is also out now.

These girls debuted ten years ago. Click.

Overheard Articulation...

"Who says I can't take a dump in the urinal? I’m a temp and it’s my last day. I can do whatever I want!"

The year that was: 2009

2009 saw many strange and interesting occurrences. A mixed race person took control of the most powerful country in the world, and everyone chanted 'Yes We Can' for months on end. UK politicians were exposed to be abusing their expenses and taxpayers money… like we didn’t already know. The recession (aka the ‘credit crunch’) took hold and being poor became fashionable for about four seconds. It snowed heavily twice, bringing the UK to a standstill twice. Swine Flu was the new Bird Flu. Madonna went shopping and brought back a black baby, actually speaking of babies, in the UK everyone was outraged at the prospect that a thirteen year old could be a dad (it wasn’t his kid in the end, the fifteen year old girl had slept with two other boys around the same time… I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not going to say it…). There were racial controversies all over the place, and it highlighted how some people’s thinking was still stuck in the fifties and sixties. Usain Bolt ran. Fast. Everyone tweeted their business. Beyonce was everywhere, copied other artists and made more money from it then they did, and did that dance about four million times. Lady Gaga was also everywhere, doing her best to prove that she should be sectioned. A spinster became a star. Chris Brown flopped his own career by hitting Rihanna, however her career went from strength to strength. She celebrated this by wearing less clothes and pretending to be dark and mysterious. Kanye West did a Kanye West and stole Taylor Swift’s moment at the MTV awards. Lauren Conrad left The Hills, only to be replaced by someone inferior. Grime was watered down and became mainstream. R&B died, and has been since repackaged as ‘Urban’ music. BNP leader Nick Griffin was allowed on Question Time. Everyone watched. Somebody won Big Brother 10. Somebody won the Mercury music prize. Tiger Woods was revealed to be a part time slut. Rock beat pop to the UK Christmas number one. This made Simon Cowell mad, but his face showed no emotion. And a lot of celebrities dropped dead like flies, proving no-one, no matter how rich, talented or beautiful is immune from Death’s jaws.

I think I’ve spent most of this year being confused. A-levels completely flummoxed me. People completely bewildered me. Funny that, because last year I wrote about how I’d learnt so much. That’s the problem with seventeen year olds, they think they know everything.

So that was 2009.

What are you calling next year? Twenty-ten or two thousand and ten?

Overheard Articulation...

About the snow:

"Oh well there goes a lot of no claims bonuses...sad times"

Still Up and Still Running...

Urban [ur-buh n]
-adjective

Characteristic of or accustomed to cities; citified: He is an urban type.


Articulation [ahr-tik-yuh-ley-shuh n]
-noun

Expressing in coherent verbal form; "the articulation of my feelings"; "I gave voice to my feelings"


Hello and Welcome.

I am a seventeen year-old male living in London, and this is my blog about growing up in this vibrant, messy, noisy city that I call home. I write about what I see, read and hear; things that inspire me.

I am not the stereotypical "rudeboy" knife-carrying, territorial, feral creature. It has become all too easy hating on teenagers, and I find it funny that this has been allowed to happen. It's bizzare, a lot of people say teenagers don't have any respect for anyone, but how can you cultivate respect for people when they are disrespectful to you?

Anyway, so this is my blog. Read it, comment, suggest things, criticise (nicely)...Whatever.

Peace.

That was me… then. This little old blog of mine is a year old today. I’d never expected things to take off so quickly, I’d barely expected anything to result from this. But things have, and for that I’d like to say thank you.

I’m still Urban Articulations.

A Music Moment...

Normally, when a classic song gets covered or reworked it is butchered by the artists (e.g. Tinchy ‘no talent’ Stryder defecating all over Olive’s nineties classic ‘You’re Not Alone’, choosing to chat nonsense all over the track, and replacing the original vocals with much weaker ones). However, Leona Lewis bucked the trend when she covered Snow Patrol’s ‘Run’, and Florence + the Machine also have done a brilliant cover of Candi Station’s ‘You’ve Got the Love’.

And then South London’s finest underground band, The XX, took Florence’s cover and injected some oldschool Garage vibes into it, creating this masterpiece that makes me crave for nineties music.

If you don’t know who The XX are, they are a three piece (two boys, one girl) South London band who, according to their Myspace (remember that?), make ‘New Wave/ Pop/ Soul’ music. However, I’d describe it as R&B (remember that?) mashed together with Indie music, which makes for an odd, yet amazing debut album. Although none of the songs on their album are particularly up-tempo, they have carefully crafted it so it doesn’t bore after a while. Check out two of their own songs below.

‘You’ve Got the Love’ remix is available to download from the 15th of November, Florence + the Machine’s version is out now, and The XX’s debut album ‘XX’ is out now in the UK. Phew.

One of The XX’s influences. Clickkkkkkk…