Album Review: “Evolution” by JLS

 

By Mandy Rogers

I can’t proclaim to say I’ve taken much in of JLS apart from their charting singles but upon hearing that a shift in key sound has been championed on their forthcoming 4^th studio album “Evolution” strike me down as curious to find out what’s being cooked up in there.

The transition from pop ready boy band to contemporary maturing man band is a interestingly decisive move by JLS to stretch their longevity in not staying on the tried and tested road as the majority of boy bands do. For those that do, the steam usually runs out eventually and they fade away leaving a trail of broken hearts and the eternal hope within the fandom that they will reform one day.  None of that for JLS, in turning tables on their sound, they may loose a few but in opening a whole new arena of sound for themselves, they are set to broaden their appeal to people like myself that for the most part shake their head at the boy band tag.

The “Evolution” of JLS punches in from the start with a confident opener in “All The Way” setting the tone with a tightly futuristic twist of urban dance, it strikes a pose in Craig David circles, but is rich in modern connectivity, boasting a new found effervescent synergy that warms its way through this track.  Upon first listen it certainly pepped up the curiosity levels as to what was going to follow through on the album.   

Pop Culture Bite - Taylor Swift's RED

By Javi Lopez

Our (or at least the one and only in my case) favorite country girl Taylor Swift is almost back with the new material she has been cultivating since the store-blower master piece Speak Now (2010) - It's called: RED. My tears of joy can tell you how excited I am.

The 16 tracks record (and possible bonus material) is expected to be released this October 22nd featuring the singles that have been floating around the web, such as: We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Red and Begin Again. and this is what I think by far:

Starting with the cheessy mess that We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together is, we could tell that Taylor is not being the little crying girl we have all know (by previous albums). SHE IS NEVER EVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER WITH HIM, Y'ALL. Finally. The single is *that* song you are waiting for to be played on the radio while your are in the car with your girlfriends and... ¡BAM! There it is and you scream, and can't deal with the situation, and you pee. In other words: I love the song.

Album Review - "Express Non-Stop" by Alphabeat

by Raj Rudolph

OK, OK, so for their last few single releases, I might have been taking the piss out the band for being so happy and perky and all that. But you know what, considering the 'let's slash our wrists' pop world that we live in via Lana Del Rey and Frank Ocean of late, I'll happily take a few rays of sunshine via Alphabeat's "Express Non-Stop" any day over such melodramatic mood-killers.

On "Express Non-Stop", Alphabeat goes full throttle on the confetti cannon on ten tracks that are full of happy synths, doo-wop grooves and the spirit of The Go Go's that will leave you dancing on the ceiling like Lionel Richie for days. Aside from stellar singles in way of "Vacation" and "Love Sea" we feel the same love and energy on the "The Beat Don't Stop", "Love On The Line" and the sparkly title track that is an audio prescription for happy pills if I've ever heard one. In fact, every track on this album is pretty darn good and if you're a fan of the first Alphabeat album, you'll be happy to know that they've pretty much went back to their winning formula that made them famous in the first place.

I love this album. I love Alphabeat. I love being happy. If you're tired of Alphabeat, well then you're tired of life.

"Express Non-Stop" by Alphabeat is out right now digitally on the band's own store. It might be some time before it's on iTunes, so make sure you get your copy right here, right now.