Little Boots - 'Earthquake'
I know it sounds a bit snobbish to suggest that there's such a thing as a 'proper' popstar, but if such a thing exists, I'm sure Little Boots is one. She has a collection of different types of keyboards! She makes homemade cover versions and sticks them up on YouTube for her own amusement! I might even go as far as to say that she gives off the impression that even if there were no cameras pointing at her and no people listening to her, she'd probably still be twiddling away on a keyboard somewhere because she just likes it that much.
That, to me, is what a proper popstar is - someone who's physically incapable of not being one.
All well and good, and I can sit here and claim she was born destined for the Top 10 as long as I like, but even proper popstars need to prove they've earned their place in the charts by delivering some decent records. 'New In Town' and 'Remedy' got her off to a good start (the latter actually being my own personal summer holiday soundtrack), but how does 'Earthquake' match up?
(Here's the video. The bit where the Doctor arrives and they blow up a slitheen happens in the next episode.)
Not too shabbily, actually. It's not as instant or as infectious as 'Remedy', and is instead a bit more inward-looking and even a bit glum in places, but Boots actually pulls off my favourite pop trick of contrasting some quite depressing lyrics with some quite jolly sounds.
It's all very Human League, for those of you not ashamed to admit you remember the 1980s (or indeed their brief 1990s revival) - some fairly dark lyrics mixed into a deceptively sweet female vocal and some distractingly strident synthing.
The downside of all this is that it feels more like one of those songs that comes on the radio and makes you smile with recognition rather than grinning and singing along, but that's not necessarily an entirely bad thing. Just as some songs are obvious first singles, others are obvious third- or fourth-singles - not strong enough to hook the potential success of an entire album onto, but good enough to entice a few people who might've been on the cusp of buying the LP after hearing the first few singles over the edge.
And with any luck, if this shifts a few more units, Boots will have enough spare change to treat herself to another new keyboard, and then everyone's a winner.
Download: Out now
CD Released: November 16th
www.littlebootsmusic.co.uk
BBC Music page
(Steve Perkins)
PS: As if by magic, here's Little Boots performing a quite brilliant solo piano version of the Human League's 'Don't You Want Me'.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~52~RS~)
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Good track off a better album. One of my musical highlights of the year. Not only is the album fantastic, but shes a brilliant performer. Youtube her doing 'Meddle' on Jools Holland if you need proof of this!
I think Stuck on Repeat should have been released, its probably the best song on the album. Remedy released first perhaps, asits more infectious. Followed by Stuck on Repeat. New in Town is decent but theres much better on the album. Meddle being another track.
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This is my favourite song of hers - one of the first I ever heard (back when it was Every Little Earthquake on her MySpace). Not so sure if it works as a single, tho.
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Good song, but it's not really a single there's about 4 better songs on the album, Blogging Liam's right 'Stuck On Repeat' is the best song on the album.
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'Click' is another fav of mine.
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