
Rihanna's new album is Rated R
She’s finally put down that umbERella folks! With brilliant vocals and tracks that herald in a darker edge, Rihanna’s fourth studio has a more creative feel than previous offerings and will be launched on November 20th 2009.
Showcasing the single written by Ne-Yo and Rihanna, Russian Roulette, the album is the Barbadian R&B singer’s first to receive a Parental Advisory label. There’s also much speculation as to whether it will include any tracks written about Chris Brown – Rihanna’s ex-boyfriend with whom she was involved in an altercation before the 2009 Grammy Awards. With angrier songs carrying titles on the subject of love like Stupid in Love and Cold Case Love and Rude Boy, this could well be the case.
The CD sees Rihanna working with many prestigious song-writers and producers including Chuck Harmony, Tricky Stewart, the Norwegian record producing team Stargate and Justin Timberlake. Ne-Yo has co-written many of the songs and has described Russian Roulette as a “different direction for both of us.” Rihanna specified that she wanted dark songs that had some kind of meaning “a little more morbid,” Ne-Yo says, commenting that she also says some things on this album that you’ve never heard her say before – could he be referring to the inclusion of swear words on some of the tracks? Several recordings feature iconic performers like Velvet Revolver’s Slash who plays guitar on the suitably named track, Rockstar 101 and Hard features the American rapper Young Jeezy.
Rated R reflects Rihanna’s growth as an artist and also as a songwriter but although some of the songs are dark they’re combined with more uptempo club beats and heartfelt ballads. Fans who pre-order Rates R will receive an instant download of Russian Roulette but there’s another reason you need to add this album to your collection – it’s seriously stellar… ella…ella.
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Chris Moyles - The Parody Album
Love him or loathe him – and not many people feel indifferent towards him - Chris Moyles is widely recognised as having single-handedly dragged Radio 1 from the depths of the listener ratings. The Parody Album is an eclectic mix of uproarious parodies originally aired on the DJ’s Breakfast Show with a few new ones thrown in too and is being released on 23rd November.
With twenty tracks including spoofs of songs by well-known artistes including Meat Again (inspired by JLS’s Beat Again), Lorry Driver (from Womanizer by Britanny Spears), Big Bum (from Tom Jones’s Sex Bomb) and a parody of fellow Loiners, the Kaiser Chiefs’ I Predict a Riot - the aptly named, given the extent of Moylsey’s girth - I Predict a Diet, the album also features exclusive tracks written by the man himself.
Undoubtedly the highlight is the Barack Obama song – we challenge you to sing it all the way through without hesitation, deviation or repetition (the latter could be tricky!).
Radio 1’s longest serving Breakfast Show presenter has always courted controversy with various complaints having been upheld against him by the Broadcasting Standard’s Council. These have included accusations of sexism, homophobia and inappropriate behaviour (for fondling Mel’s B’s breasts on air with accompanying graphic description!) for which the DJ has apologised profusely.
Nevertheless, Chris and his team, comprising Comedy Dave (Dave Vitty), Dominic Byrne, Rachel Mallender, Carrie Davis and Aled Hayden Jones have now successfully shocked and amused listeners for five years - and played a few records in-between.
The Parody Album will provide unlimited, eccentric entertainment over the Christmas period, complete with lyrics that will provide the catchphrases of a generation (for the next six months at least). Order yours now to hear Chris Moyles at his funniest – after all - seven million listeners can’t be wrong.
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Susan Boyle has released her inspirational album
After a nail-biting wait, we now have the inspirational album from Susan Boyle, the 48-year-old runner-up to Britain’s Got Talent, whose awe-inspiring rendition of I Dreamed A Dream from Les Misèrables left hard-nosed judge Simon Cowell almost speechless.
From the moment Susan Boyle walked on to the stage the audience and cynical judging panel had her down as a dowdy, delusionary no-hoper. When she walked off that stage five minutes later with a standing ovation no-one was in any doubt that a star, albeit an unlikely one, had been born.
This album not only includes those songs that brought Susan Boyle worldwide acclaim like Cry Me A River and I Dreamed a Dream, it also showcases her tremendous versatility as an artist with songs like The Monkee’s Daydream Believer and a rendition of Wild Horses by the Rolling Stones, which brought the studio audience to their feet at the finale of America’s Got Talent.
Also including a song written especially for Susan called Who I Was Born to Be, the album is tipped to be the Christmas Number one on both sides of the Atlantic and is to be released on 23rd November. I Dreamed a Dream not only shows that people shouldn’t be judged by appearances, it also testifies to the fact that anyone can achieve their dream whoever they are… (As long as they’ve got talent!!).
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