*Current Playlist - Adele, Lupe Fiasco, Chris Walla, Wintersleep (Album)

Adele '19'

We've covered Adele pretty frequently, now the album is finally out. 19 is an accomplished debut, songs like 'Daydreamer' 'Best For Last' 'Crazy For You 'My Same' and a blog favourite 'Hometown Glory', have been floating around the internet for a while so it's especially nice to hear the surprises on the record. 'Cold Shoulder' is another Mark Ronson production and clearly so, but still keeps its originality thanks to Adele's shimmering vocals. 'Melt My Heart To Stone' is a favourite on the record, with an epic string section and catchy chorus. 'Right As Rain' and 'Tired' are upbeat, more dancey numbers and round off the album's ballads nicely. The beautiful cover of Bob Dylan's 'Make You Feel My Love' rounds off the end of the album and rounds off an impressive debut. We'll be watching closely this year to see what develops...




Lupe Fiasco 'The Cool'

Since Lupe Fiasco debuted he's been one of the more exciting voices in Hip-Hop. Along with a selection of others, his records have managed to be relevant and intelligent, even ridiculing the rims/gold/drugs/hoes content of other rappers music. His second album has been highly anticipated and judging by the success of the first single, 'Superstar' it looked like the album was going to follow in its footsteps. The album definitely has its gems, repetitive, fast, 'Go Go Gadget Flow' the soulful and old school 'Paris, Tokyo' and 'Hip-Hop Save My Life' or the quirkier, 'Fighter' but it's not the same consistency that's come to be expected from a great Hip-Hop record, he's definitely one of the most relevant rappers today but the album doesn't quite live up to all the hype that came before it.



Chris Walla 'Field Manual'

Death Cab For Cutie's producer and member/magician Chris Walla has finally branched out on his own after producing records for others like Tegan and Sara's 'The Con'. His voice on 'Field Manual' sounds eerily like Death Cab's front man. But this is only a good thing, the voice sounds similar and while the music could be put in the same genre it's more accessible than Death Cab, with hookier hooks and catchier choruses while still retaining the ambient quality so crucial to Death Cab. From the echoing quality of two-fifty and the prophetic lyrics, 'All hail an imminent collapse' to the louder, guitar driven 'The Score' or 'Geometry &c' and back around the the softer, catchy 'Sing Again' and 'Everyone Needs A Home' Chris Walla has made an album full of songs to make you happy.