Filed under: album, review, video | Tags: 2008, anja mccloskey, music, pepi ginsberg
Pepi Ginsberg
Red ••••
Park The Van
Listen to four songs from Red recorded live for Daytrotter
In the two years since Wears The Trousers first came across Pepi Ginsberg by way of her extraordinary debut album Orange Juice: Stephanie/Stephanie, a terrific exposition of her delicate, inspiring lyrical talent and dark, bluesy voice far beyond her years, it seems that she’s been busy developing her sound. Her new release, Red, sets a very different tone from its predecessor. A lovingly made, enthusiastic collaboration with fellow Philadelphian, producer Scott McMicken (Dr Dog), Red is a more extravagant record. Ginsberg’s free-spirited vocals are presented in a much more embedded context, with barely altered, natural-sounding instruments and reverb-free atmospherics helping to give the songs a quirky and uplifting feel.
Filed under: live, review | Tags: 2008, kylie minogue, music, ronnie carnwath
Kylie Minogue
Live at Odyssey Arena, Belfast ••••
June 30th, 2008
“WowWowWowWow” sang Ms Minogue in one of her recent singles and, really, Wears The Trousers can’t help but concur. Breathtaking in its camp flamboyance, the final night of her four sold-out dates at Ireland’s biggest indoor arena was a spectacular event with a dazzling array of costume changes and sets to rival her massively successful Showgirl tour. While the material is mostly culled from her post-pop resurrection albums, she finds the time to revisit some of her most revered Stock, Aitken & Waterman moments ‘Shocked’, ‘Step Back In Time’ and a show-stopping, irony-free rendition of ‘I Should Be So Lucky’.
Filed under: live, review | Tags: 2008, music, rachel unthank, ronnie carnwath, ruby colley, the winterset
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset / Ruby Colley
Live at The Black Box, Belfast ••••
May 6th, 2008
For years – centuries in fact – folk music was solely the domain of middle-aged men in Aran sweaters with a finger in one ear. Recently, however, a meeting must have occurred (I missed it naturally!). In this meeting it was decided that folk would become sexy. Kate Rusby was present, as was Devon Sproule, and also, it seems, were Rachel Unthank & The Winterset.
Filed under: news, trouser shorts | Tags: alan pedder, madonna, sheryl crow, britney spears, rosie and the goldbug, music news, mylene farmer, katy perry
Sheryl Crow has recorded a Christmas album to be distributed in Hallmark card shops in the US this winter. The as-yet-untitled album features one new song, ‘Hello Friend’, as well as standard like ‘O Holy Night’ and ‘Winter Wonderland’.
Speaking to Billboard.com, Sheryl said “I had been wanting to do this for a while, so when the opportunity came up I just kind of jumped at it. It’s kind of a humble record; it’s very sweet and innocent and a little bit of a throwback to maybe the ’60s or ’70s in production. It’s definitely a departure from any Christmas record I’ve ever heard.”
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The Sun claims Madonna has invited old pal Britney Spears to sing onstage with her on her upcoming Sticky & Sweet tour. “It’s hoped that Madonna can help Britney get back to her old self,” a source told the newspaper.
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Ever the provocateur, Mylène Farmer, hailed by some as the French Madonna, unveils the raunchy new video for her latest single ‘Dégénération’ on Thursday. Three teaser clips from the typically epic promo have been posted here. The song is taken from her seventh studio album, Point de Suture, released on August 20th in Europe.
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Katy Perry has defended her song, ‘I Kissed A Girl’, which recently became the 1000th US #1 single, after coming under fire from religious and feminist groups. The “pseudo-lesbian” former star of Christian gospel responded to accusations of “good, old-fashioned woman-using”, telling The Observer that “it doesn’t matter if you’re female or male, if the right woman walks through the door, everybody’s jaw is going to be on the floor.”
Hmm. She’s still no Jill Sobule.
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Rosie & The Goldbug will play a Thursday night residency at the 12 Bar this month, beginning this week. The single, ‘War Of The Roses (Because You Said So)’, is released on July 14th as a download.
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Alan Pedder
