New Music

Coldplay's new album is so bloody amazing omg it completely eclipses their previous effort X&Y. Viva la Vida makes X&Y sound slushy and overly synthy. I love love love it so badly now. There's a dramatic increase of noticeable instruments and innovation in the arrangements. 9/10. Best: Cemeteries of London.

I randomly downloaded Adem's Takes and it was quite good too but I only listened to Unravel and some other track repeatedly for a while. Initially I thought it was amazing then my friend said it was whiny and now I think it is a bit whiny kinda. Also became quite samey after a while and not very exciting. Not my type probably. 6.5/10. Best: Unravel.

Also Alanis Morissette is suddenly amazing with the new album Flavors of Entanglement which is utterly brilliant in places and overall a very solid and strong record. The rocky songs are great and she does amazingly in the sparse and heartfelt tune "Not As We". 9/10. Best: Underneath.

And Perfectly Clear by Jewel which is set to be her lowest selling album in her career is also very good indeed and should not be so ignored. Jewel's attempt at country still sounds pop to me but she has many strong songs here though the fact that the most immediately likeable song here "2 Become 1" was initially from her 0304 album does say something. 8/10. Best: 2 Become 1.

Also The Ting Tings which are suddenly very famous due to an iPod commercial does not drown in the hype thanks to a rather brilliant debut album. We Started Nothing got to #1 in the UK and it contains many amazing tracks that are a lot better than the first single which gets terribly annoying after the first 5 listens. 8.5/10. Best: Fruit Machine.

And Mika Nakashima further digs deeper into the grave she established for her career by creating a ghastly project with three obese people.