MUSIC BITS ‘N’ BEATS
By your host Takis Haggiandreou

Week of 29/06/ -06/07/2008

This week’s Top 5 UK/US

UK

(1) Viva la vida (Coldplay)
(2) Closer (Ne Yo)
(3) Take a bow (Rihanna)
(4) Love song (Sara Bareilles)
(5) Forever (Chris Brown)

US

(1) Lollipop (Lil Wayne/Static Major)
(2) Viva la vida (Coldplay)
(3) Bleeding love (Leona Lewis)
(4) I kissed a girl (Katy Perry)
(5) Take a bow (Rihanna)

(B) One Year ago….. Top 5 UK/US.

UK

(1) Umbrella (Rihanna/Jay Z)
(2) Foundations (Kate Nash)
(3) Do you know (Enrique Iglesias)
(4) Hard enough (Enemy)
(5) Any dream will do (Lee Mead)

US

(1) Umbrella (Rihanna/Jay Z)
(2) Party like a rockstar (Shop Boyz)
(3) Big girls don’t cry (Fergie)
(4) Hey there Delilah (Plain White T’s)
(5) Buy you a drunk (T Pain/Yung Joc

5 Years ago……..Top 5 UK/US

UK

(1) Bring me to life (Evanescence)
(2) Fast food song (Fast Food Rockers)
(3) We just be dreamin’ (Blazin’ Squad)
(4) Ignition (R.Kelly)
(5) No letting go (Wayne Wonder)

US

(1) 21 questions (50 Cent/Nate Dogg)
(2) Get busy (Sean Paul)
(3) Magic stick (Lil Kim/50 Cent)
(4) I know what you want (Busta Rhymes/Mariah Carey)
(5) Can’t let you go (Fabolous/M. Shorey/Lil Mo)

(C) This and that…………

………. Celine Dion tops 'worst cover' poll
Celine Dion is responsible for the world's worst cover song, according to music experts.
The Canadian singer received the ignominious title for her rendition of the AC/DC track You Shook Me All Night Long. Dion, 40, has never released the song as a single but performed the "musical offence" at a Las Vegas concert six years ago.
A Sugababes and Girls Aloud version of Walk This Way, which had been a huge hit for Aerosmith and rappers Run DMC, came second.
Westlife's 1999 cover of the ballad More Than Words by rock band Extreme was third in the list compiled by Total Guitar magazine.
Will Young's cover of The Doors' Light My Fire, which reached Number One in 2002, and an easy listening arrangement by The Mike Flowers Pops of Oasis ballad Wonderwall completes the top five.
…….Experts also delivered a verdict on the most successful cover versions.
Jimi Hendrix's cover of the Bob Dylan song All Along the Watchtower topped the list, followed by The Beatles' rendition of Twist and Shout, first recorded by the Top Notes.
The Guns N' Roses version of the Wings' song Live and Let Die, Nirvana's cover of The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie, and Muse's Feeling Good, made famous by Nina Simone, are also in the top five.
Total Guitar magazine editor Stephen Lawson said: "Cover versions have never been bigger. Producer Mark Ronson became a household name on the back of his quirky covers album, with Amy Winehouse's version of Valerie outselling The Zutons' original.
"It's good to see that Hendrix still is Number One. The first time you hear All Along The Watchtower, with that heavy vibe, it sounds like it's from another planet. The number one worst cover song - Celine Dion covering AC/DC - is sacrilege."

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Sam Sparro” by Sam Sparro.

Around for more than a year, Sam Sparro's "Black & Gold" has created the kind of viral buzz you can't buy. It's a Gershwin-meets-Goldfrapp song of tragic love, delivered by Sparro with a plaintive soulfulness that breaks hearts. On his debut self-titled full-length, the Australian-born, Los Angeles-residing singer/songwriter doesn't try to repeat "Black," because he doesn't have to: He can do it all. "Too Many Questions" beats Jamiroquai at its own game, getting closer to the essence of Stevie Wonder. "Sick" brings back the synth-washed narcissism of '80s Depeche Mode better than the band itself can. Even Prince gets punked: "Sally"—an ode to a stripper—is so funky it's downright purple. But the best part of Sparro is that he's not just multiplying old styles by new sounds. Dressed like a raver B-boy, switching between Rufus Wainwright and D'Angelo, the boy's not faking it.

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends” by Coldplay.

They've got the commercial clout, but now they want the cred. On their fourth album, the members of Coldplay refract their gazillion-selling pop/rock through a more nuanced lens, drafting producers Brian Eno and Markus Dravs to help them craft more diverse, experimental music. Radiohead they ain't; "42" sounds like three different songs awkwardly stitched together in ProTools, and often the layers of production seem to come at the expense of memorable melodies. Two of the best songs are instrumentals: opener "Life in Technicolor" is a propulsive heart-melter that deftly straddles the acoustic/electro divide, and the effects-drenched "Chinese Sleep Chant" finds Coldplay discovering its inner My Bloody Valentine. The rest is closer to the Coldplay we know: a competent blend of heavily orchestrated redemption songs ("Viva La Vida," already the biggest hit of the band's career), swirly arena rock ("Lovers in Japan") and life-stinks-without-you ballads ("Strawberry Swing") likely to resonate despite the new bells and whistles.

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Indestructible” by Disturbed.

A motorcycle accident, a garage fire at his home and lots of romantic turmoil fuel Disturbed frontman David Draiman's frustrations on this fierce, angry diatribe of a record. It dabbles in politics ("Enough," the title track), rails against conformity ("Divide") and, on the downright frightening single "Inside the Fire," finds the singer grappling with a suicide solution that's encouraged by Satan himself. The group backs it up with a forceful sonic fusillade that recalls Disturbed's 2000 debut, "The Sickness," while doing away with some of the melodic niceties that crept into "Ten Thousand Fists" and 2002's "Believe," right down to Draiman's jungle animal vocals. It does, however, retain a taut, grooving sensibility that gives guitarist Dan Donegan plenty of room for heretofore unexplored heroics, from the spiraling lick of "Inside the Fire" to the razor attack of "The Night." Already at no.1 at US charts.

(D) CD Spotlight.

“We started nothing” by the Ting Tings.

With lead vocalist Katie White, U.K. duo the Ting Tings have themselves a cheerleader more than a singer. But no matter, as "We Started Nothing" appropriately opens with a dashing display of dancefloor energy, and White is commandingly charming as she leads a chorus in "Great DJ" that's little more than vowel sounds. But things get better from there, as the band's U.K. No. 1 "That's Not My Name" is a sassy singalong anthem. There's some Toni Basil in the band's retro, slinky grooves, but the Tings walk away triumphant, thanks to a last-minute jolt of guitar. The act gets punky on iPod hit "Shut Up and Let Me Go," and "Keep Your Head" and "Fruit Machine" are filled with brazenly sharp new wave sounds. For an album of sugar highs, there's certain to be a buzz kill or two ("We Walk"), but there's plenty of fun to be had here.

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Hymn for my soul” by Joe Cocker.

Considering he's got one of those voices that would make the tax code sound like music, you'd think that making a good Joe Cocker record wouldn't be that hard. That hasn't always been the case, of course, but here, Ethan Johns, the well-credentialed son of one-time Cocker producer Glyn Johns, nails it with a potent formula of top-shelf material and ace players. Sympathetic song choices abound, from a restrained but forceful version of Stevie Wonder's "You Haven't Done Nothin' " and a rich take on the Meters' "Love Is for Me" to sublime renderings of lesser-known songs by Bob Dylan ("Ring Them Bells"), George Harrison ("Beware of Darkness") and John Fogerty ("Long As I Can See the Light"). His cover of the Beatles' "Come Together" from the "Across the Universe" soundtrack only strengthens a set that already shows Cocker in the best possible light.

(D) CD Spotlight.

‘Imagine” by Armin Van Buuren.

Trance is dance music's hair metal; all drama, riffs and power chords. Armin Van Buuren's brand of it is more Bon Jovi than Poison. First single "Going Wrong," with throaty vocalist Chris Jones, could pass as a BJ remix, with loose guitar strums and self-righteous lyrics under a shower of synth. Beyond that cut, the Dutchman's third studio album opts for lushness over firepower, featuring soft-voiced females on the eight remaining vocal tracks. The melodies are simple, but Van Buuren packs some surprises, like the '80s freestyle feel of the impossibly pretty "In and out of Love" and the restrained anger of belter "Unforgivable." It's not quite nuance, but he's got an ear for what works

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Three Doors Down” by Three Doors Down.

Great rock bands know how to not only shake listeners with thundering guitars, but also feed their souls with thoughtful lyrics that echo the complexities of the human experience. 3 Doors Down succeeds powerfully on both levels with this brilliant album. The band's fourth studio set is already off to a great start at radio with the hit "It's Not My Time," just one of 12 memorable tracks: "Train" is a hard-edged anthem about escaping to a better life, and "Citizen Soldier," written at the request of the US National Guard to be used in promotional spots, is a musically aggressive and lyrically poignant tribute to those serving in the military. Taut musicianship, well-crafted songs and potent vocals make this a landmark album in an already multiplatinum career

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Songs From the Sparkle Lounge” by Def Leppard.

How you feel about "Songs From the Sparkle Lounge" will depend almost entirely on how you react when the hand claps turn up on the final chorus of "Nine Lives," a highly carbonated country-rocker (co-starring Tim McGraw) that's designed to trigger all the synapses in your head that still have parts of "Hysteria" rattling around them. The band's first new set since 2002 is full of these well-intentioned attempts to recapture some of that '80s pyromania (or in the case of the absurdly large power ballad "Love," herculean '70s prog-rock balladry), but without producer Robert "Mutt" Lange, who left for the much more profitable world of country years ago, the results are solid if unspectacular.

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Hard Candy' by Madonna.

Madonna makes producers, producers don't make Madonna. The diva plucked William Orbit, Mirwais and Stuart Price from electronic music obscurity, meshing her own pop sensibility with their sonic specialty. But for "Hard Candy," Madge hooked up with name-brand guys like the Neptunes and Timbaland, and even brought on Justin Timberlake as a writing partner. What results is, expectedly, of-the-moment and radio-ready. "4 Minutes," with Timberlake, is already a top three Billboard Hot 100 hit, and harmonious ballad "Miles Away" might be some of her best work yet. But it feels familiar. "Miles" is a close cousin to Timbaland's "Apologize," "Spanish Lesson" is a dead ringer for N*E*R*D's "She Likes to Move," and "Devil Wouldn't Recognize You" instantly recalls Timberlake's "Cry Me a River."

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Return of the Lion” by White Lion.

In the late '80s, the calmly cracking campfire tone of singer Mike Tramp—born in Denmark and brandishing a blond mane worthy of his band's name—set White Lion apart from the hair-metal pack. Back now with a new, keyboard-augmented lineup, Tramp's best when he's most ambitious—"Battle of Little Big Horn" and the eight-minute "Sangre De Cristo" are complex compositions, exuding a spooky history-book buzz. "Live Your Life" and "Finally See the Light" are pristine hard pop, made anthemic with Thin Lizzy changes and choruses hooked like the Who or Bay City Rollers. Jamie Law's power chords thrash loud enough to compensate for intermittent moments of mush. And while live reprises of a pair of 20-year-old hits feel extraneous, the Bad Company riff opening "When the Children Cry" is a neat touch.

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Phoenix” by Asia.

It's been 25 years since the original lineup of Asia released an album, and "Phoenix" picks up right where it left off in 1983. Everything, from the Roger Dean album artwork to the overslick '80s production sheen, remains intact. Opener "Never Again" could fit in right alongside earlier hits "Don't Cry" or "Heat of the Moment." Several songs, like closer "An Extraordinary Life," are informed by vocalist/bassist John Wetton's recent heart surgery and subsequent recovery, giving them some gravitas and a sense of hope. But with the exception of the aforementioned new songs and the proggy "Parallel Worlds/Vortex/ Deya," there aren't many standouts. While it's hard to imagine Asia's brand of non-ironic commercial rock winning it a new audience, fans of its '80s output won't be disappointed

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Wellcome to the dollhouse” by Danity Kane.

On a recent episode of MTV reality show "Making the Band 4," the women of Danity Kane expressed the desire to have more dance tunes and less slow jams on their sophomore set. Apparently, label head Sean "Diddy" Combs granted their wish. Unlike the quintet's self-titled debut, which took a slightly more hip-hop soul approach, "Welcome to the Dollhouse" features more mid- and uptempo pop tracks produced by the likes of Danjahandz, Bryan-Michael Cox and Mario Winans. On the Missy Elliott-assisted "Bad Girl," the group croons about its seductive ways over heavy drums, while the bass-laden "Sucka for Love" finds it confessing to being "addicted to kissing and hugging/touching and rubbing." Elsewhere, the piano-based "Key to My Heart," about the fear of losing a loved one, and "Is Anybody Listening" continue to demonstrate the ladies' R&B roots

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Last Night” by Moby.

Madonna, Seal: Big pop stars who started as dance artists have circled back to the floor on their latest albums. But "Last Night," Moby's homage to/reconstruction of New York dance music during the course of his 42-year lifetime, is the only one that causes the desired effect: making you feel about the artist the way you did when you first heard him. The guy who sold millions of records by stretching gospel samples into lush sonic pastiches is still here—just listen to "Live Tomorrow." But so is the one who created '92 rave anthem "Go"—the frantic piano riff and snare rolls of "Stars" give him away. Then there's the best '80s-style radio-friendly house track since the '80s ("Disco Lies"), and Kudu vocalist Sylvia Gordon closing it down with an apocalyptic torch song. Forget "Play." This is the definitive Moby album.

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Mail on Sunday” by Flo Rida

In 50 years, it'll be a curious thing that the best-selling digital single of all time once belonged to Flo Rida and that the song, "Low," powered the phones of hip-hop heads and sorority girls for months and months. "Low" is a well-deserved monster, and Flo Rida's relatively long-in-coming debut sports precisely all the ingredients required of a rapper these days: production that sounds like money, exuberant materialism, several verses by Lil' Wayne and a singular desire to keep people's attention for very brief periods of time. Flo Rida's flow is an engaging/ringy-dingy/he-sounds-like-Nelly thing. But his hooks can be rock-solid ("Ack Like You Know") and his interest in gleaming synthesizerism (opener "American Superstar" comes into "Tubular Bells" territory, really) helps set him off from the legions of rappers clawing over each other to break out of the South….

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Here is what is” by Daniel Lanois.

As a producer more interested in atmospheric sensibilities than technical perfection, Daniel Lanois has masterminded career-defining albums for U2, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel, often reinventing their sound by adding layers of mystery and depth. Recorded with jazz drummer Brian Blade and pianist Garth Hudson, Lanois' sixth studio album is an eclectic mix of richly textured rock songs, mellow vibes and hypnotic instrumentals, interspersed with snippets from philosophical conversations with mentor Brian Eno. Ghostly fuzz guitars hover over the title track, and the haunting "Where Will I Be," previously recorded by Emmylou Harris, reveals a soulful songwriter. Though limited in range, Lanois' hushed vocals are pure and soothing on the Dylan-inspired "Not Fighting Anymore," but he seems even more at home in the sublime, wordless waves of his pedal steel guitar ("Bladesteel," "Sacred and Secular").

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Ego Trippin’” by Snoop Dogg.

Snoop Dogg's ninth album is perhaps his most progressive one to date. It not only features a vintage '80s sound complete with old-school synths and vocoders, but also finds D-O-double G pulling triple duty as rapper, singer (!) and one-third of production team QDT. The Shawty Redd-produced "Sensual Seduction" is already a big hit that finds the 36-year-old harmonizing about being "a freak" and "playing in the sheets," while "Cool" reflects on his fame and posh lifestyle, both via a talkbox. But there's a refreshing sincerity to cuts like the nostalgic "Can't Say Goodbye" ("You can't take the hood out the homeboy," he instructs) and an ode to his wife, "All Around the World." Throughout, the focus is on Snoop and not on mic-hogging guests, although Terrance Martin is a welcome presence on "Neva Have 2 Worry."

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Go away white” by Bauhaus

Recorded in 18 days, some tracks in one take, Bauhaus' fifth studio album proves that even a quarter-century's hiatus can't kill a great band, especially if it was undead to begin with. There's no trickery here —apart from the sinister seduction of Peter Murphy's ever-deepening Transylvanian croon—and the bare, live style makes the band's heirs even more apparent. There's PJ Harvey in David J's swamp-blues bass; Nirvana in the shrieking, submerged guitar of Daniel Ash. But the quartet doesn't compose or perform like elder statesmen: "International Bullet Proof Talent" and "Endless Summer of the Damned" are as spry and visceral as its first material. If the band had released a bunch of meandering albums during the past 25 years, you might call "Go Away White" a return to form. Instead, it picks up right where Bauhaus left off: a wet dream for original fans and a blast of recognition for the newly eye-lined.

(D) CD Spotlight

“Lust, lust, lust” by the Raveonettes.

If the Raveonettes surprised us with the sunny pop sheen of 2005's "Pretty in Black," they deliver an even more jarring turn on "Lust Lust Lust." Any artifice of mainstream confection is stripped away, replaced by a fuzzy, lo-fi minimalism that uses reverb and sustain to create a deceptively lush sonic tapestry. "Aly, Walk With Me" mixes Velvet Underground dryness with a deep, urban groove to spooky effect; in this sonic context, an invitation to "walk with me in my dreams/ All through the night" sounds as nightmarish as it does romantic. "Lust" portrays decidedly ambivalent emotions, while "Expelled From Love" is filled with regrets and recriminations accented by the song's moody texture. Even "You Want the Candy," one of the album's rocking confections, is portrayed as nothing more than a "dirty treat." It's a little scary, but it keeps us listening, too. The album may consign the Raveonettes further to cult-level status, but like a challenging mate, it seduces us into coming back for more.

Brits: The Winners –20/2/2008

BEST BRITISH MALE:
WINNER:

MARK RONSON

Other nominees:

Jamie T
Mika
Newton Faulkner
Richard Hawley.

BEST BRITISH FEMALE:
WINNER:

KATE NASH

Other nominees:

Bat For Lashes
KT Tunstall
Leona Lewis
PJ Harvey

BEST BRITISH GROUP:
WINNER:

ARCTIC MONKEYS

Other nominees:

Editors
Girls Aloud
Kaiser Chiefs
Take That

BEST BRITISH ALBUM:
WINNER:

ARCTIC MONKEYS - FAVOURITE WORST NIGHTMARE

Other nominees:

Leona Lewis - Spirit
Mark Ronson - Version
Mika - Life In Cartoon Motion
Take That - Beautiful World

BEST BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH:
WINNER:

MIKA

Other Nominees:

Bat For Lashes
Kate Nash
Klaxons
Leona Lewis

BEST LIVE ACT:
WINNER:

TAKE THAT

Other nominees:

Arctic Monkeys
Kaiser Chiefs
Klaxons
Muse

BEST BRITISH SINGLE:
WINNER:

TAKE THAT - SHINE

Other nominees:

Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love
Mika - Grace Kelly
Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby
Sugababes - About You Now
Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse - Valerie
Kate Nash - Foundations
The Hoosiers - Worried About Ray
James Blunt - 1973
Mutya Buena - Real Girl

BEST INTERNATIONAL MALE:
WINNER:

KANYE WEST

Other nominees:

Bruce Springsteen
Michael Buble
Rufus Wainwright
Timbaland

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEMALE:
WINNER:

KYLIE MINOGUE

Other nominees:

Alicia Keys
Bjork
Feist
Rihanna

BEST INTERNATIONAL GROUP:
WINNER:

FOO FIGHTERS

Other nominees:

Arcade Fire
Eagles
Kings Of Leon
White Stripes

BEST INTERNATIONAL ALBUM:
WINNER:

FOO FIGHTERS - ECHOES SILENCE PATIENCE & GRACE

Other nominees:

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Eagles - Long Road Out Of Eden
Kings Of Leon - Because Of The Times
Kylie Minogue - X.

CRITICS' CHOICE AWARD:

Adele

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC:

Sir Paul McCartney

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Dive Deep” by Morcheeba.

Three years after the bright, acoustic-based "The Antidote," downtempo darling Morcheeba returns with "Dive Deep," a gorgeous collection of folk- and blues-inflected electro-pop ballads. No longer looking for a permanent replacement for original singer Skye Edwards, DJ Paul Godfrey and his brother Ross enlist a variety of guest vocalists, including Norwegian singer/ songwriter Thomas Dybdahl, French chanteuse Manda and British songstress Judie Tzuke, who collaborates on the folksy lead single "Enjoy the Ride." The liquid, slo-mo grooves are classic Morcheeba: moody dub beats, aquatic samples and catchy scratches, but the secret weapon remains Ross' fretwork, which can turn any lounge-y ambient track into a full-bodied pop song. How refreshing to hear Dybdahl's graveled tenor shiver on three melodic tracks, including the Pink Floyd-ish "Washed Away," while Manda delivers a finger-picked lament, sung in French with blissful melancholy ("Au De La").

Grammy Awards 2008

………. Troubled British singing sensation Amy Winehouse has won five Grammy awards, including record and song of the year for her autobiographical hit Rehab, on Feb 10, 2008.
The jazz star, whose personal life is in turmoil, also picked up best new artist, best pop vocal album for Back To Black and best female pop vocal.
Visa problems prevented the 24-year-old from attending the ceremony in Los Angeles in person, but she performed You Know I'm No Good and Rehab in front of a small audience in a London studio which were beamed to the US via satellite.
The beehived-singer has seen her career soar to new heights with critical acclaim and chart success for her second album Back to Black and has also won both Brit and Mobo awards.
After a standing ovation at the Grammys, she said: "Thank you very much, it's an honour to be here. Thank you very, very much."
Winehouse looked stunned as she won record of the year and stared straight ahead for several seconds as the television feed cut to her.
Her performance was a rarity given the star's recent health problems. She ended up cancelling her UK tour after several shambolic performances, citing husband Blake Fielder-Civil - who is being held in custody - as the reason she could not go on.
But after winning the five awards, she hugged several people, including her mother Janis, as the crowd chanted: "Amy, Amy, Amy." The singer put her arm around her mother and added: "To my mum and dad. To my Blake, my Blake incarcerated."
Referring to this weekend's blaze which ravaged Camden Market and celebrity hangout The Hawley Arms pub - a favourite of the troubled singer - she went on: "And for London, this is for London, because Camden Town is burning down."
But Winehouse missed out on album of the year at the 50th annual US awards, which recognise the cream of the music industry, to Herbie Hancock who won for River: The Joni Letters.
Do check all the Grammy fever at www.grammy.com
Below is part list of the winners:

Record Of The Year
Rehab
Amy Winehouse

Album Of The Year
River: The Joni Letters
Herbie Hancock

Song Of The Year
Rehab
Amy Winehouse, songwriter (Amy Winehouse)
Track from: Back To Black

Best New Artist
Amy Winehouse

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
Rehab
Amy Winehouse
Track from: Back To Black

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
What Goes Around...Comes Around
Justin Timberlake

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Makes Me Wonder
Maroon 5
Track from: It Won't Be Soon Before Long

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Best Pop Instrumental Performance
One Week Last Summer
Joni Mitchell
Track from: Shine

Best Pop Instrumental Album
The Mix-Up
Beastie Boys

Best Pop Vocal Album
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse

Best Dance Recording
LoveStoned/I Think She Knows
Justin Timberlake

Best Electronic/Dance Album
We Are The Night
The Chemical Brothers

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Call Me Irresponsible
Michael Buble

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance
Radio Nowhere
Bruce Springsteen
Track from: Magic

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Icky Thump
The White Stripes
Track from: Icky Thump

Best Hard Rock Performance
The Pretender
Foo Fighters

Best Metal Performance
Final Six
Slayer
Track from: Christ Illusion

Best Rock Instrumental Performance
Once Upon A Time In The West
Bruce Springsteen
Track from: We All Love Ennio Morricone

Best Rock Song
Radio Nowhere
Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)
Track from: Magic

Best Rock Album
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
Foo Fighters

Best Alternative Music Album
Icky Thump
The White Stripes

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Symphony” by Sarah Brightman

Sarah Brightman is the best-selling soprano of all time because she's not really a soprano, in the operatic sense. She's a transcontinental pop star who can hit high notes (kind of). Like 2003's "Harem," "Symphony" will lend nicely to an ornate touring spectacle, but not of the Arabian hip-swiveling kind: This collection plays Brightman's inherent Goth card. "Fleurs du Mal" rocks out like symphonic Led Zeppelin, with power strings and a full choir backing Brightman's breathy bleating. Andrea Bocelli's commanding tenor saves "Canto Della Terra," and Kiss' Paul Stanley does admirably on the out-of-place "I Will Be With You," which also gets the epic orchestral treatment, despite its folky structure.

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Scream, aim, fire” by Bullet For My Valentine.

Determined treatise "Scream Aim Fire" is a joy ride of sleek, "Guitar Hero"-ready metal that's indoctrinating both genders into the fold. The namesake track launches the record with fierce intent to prove Bullet for My Valentine's music shouldn't be painted "pretty boy" because of the group's good looks; songs titled "Waking the Demon," "Eye of the Storm" and "Deliver Us From Evil" provide further evidence. The foursome doesn't completely abandon the sensitive interludes that gave it the emo tag (like sending off fireworks for long-distance love in "Hearts Burst Into Fire") it's trying to shake. Finale "Forever and for Always" is the band's Queen-inspired valentine to fans on the communal experience of playing live, and with successive measures it climactically builds and then strips away one hook-laden riff at a time to end on a revelatory note that will crack the coldest doubter's heart.

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Satisfied” by Taylor Dayne.

The historical missing link between Laura Branigan and Celine Dion, Taylor Dayne has been applying her trademark vocal stomp to dancefloor shakers and power ballads since the '80s. Her first studio album in nearly a decade exploits her versatility and vocal power to the hilt. From the opener, "Beautiful," it's clear that her high and low registers retain their richness and that her boombastic pyrotechnics are still a natural wonder. But "Satisfied" satisfies most when Dayne stretches a bit. Two songs, including the deeply soulful "Dedicated," even venture into pop-reggae. The biggest surprises, though, are cover versions: Dayne's rendition of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under the Bridge" makes Anthony Kiedis sound soggy in comparison even before it finally explodes in Mariah Carey-style melisma fireworks. And her interpretation of the Rolling Stones' country-rocking "Fool to Cry" tells it to your heart for sure.

(D) CD Spotlight.

“Pocketful of Sunshine” by Natasha Bedingfield.

Yes, some of Natasha Bedingfield's oft-delayed sophomore effort sounds like more fresh-feeling pitch music for women's hygiene products ("A face without freckles/Is like a sky without the stars"). But all the tinkering—the album shares a mere five songs with the U.K. version released last April—gave "Sunshine" what her 2005 debut "Unwritten" lacked: individuality, albeit of the programmed kind. The album has an undeniable flip-flop feel throughout; like the unplugged soul-chick hoedown Beyonce tried to conjure at the end of the "Irreplaceable" video. It helps that Bedingfield has one of those point-and-shoot pop voices that can do anything a producer might ask of it, from Aaliyah staccatos ("Angel") to Kelly Clarkson power belting ("Soulmate") to quirky Lily Allen speak-singing ("Who Knows"). But the standout here is "Piece of Your Heart," some stop-start funk that almost makes Bedingfield sound like Chaka Khan.

Takis Haggiandreou
P.O.BOX 22111, NICOSIA, CYPRUS
TEL. 7000-1962, FAX. 22750417,
E-mail: progressive@cytanet.com.cy