Quality of the music fails to impress on X Factor 2010

Quite aside from the various hyped-scandals and tear-jerker insider stories, X Factor 2010 will probably be remembered as the least msuical of the talent shows. Meanwhile Danni Minogue and Cheryl Cole, one or both dressed as exotic flowers most weeks, prove again and again they know little about music.

First, the mentors. There are often comments along the lines of "the wrong song" and this year has been horrid on many occasions. And most of the time the song choice is made by the mentor or else approved by the mentor. Mary and Rebecca have been very poorly served, while One Direction can't really sing so it doesn't matter.

Both Matt and Cher can sing and both can handle a few styles. But Matt has been the best vocalist and musician on just about every minute of X Factor 2010 while the other contestants fade in to the background for various reasons.

So to the finalists and their semi-final performances. Here, surely, the mentors and other advisors should have made sure the song choices and capabilities were well matched. Well, in a word, no. Here's our rating for the top 5 of X Factor 2010:

Matt Cardle
Distinctive quality to his voice, and the best at holding a tune of all the finalists. Also the best by far at making a song his own. The only one we can imagine whose recordings we would ever buy.
5 stars

 

Cher Lloyd
Terrible copycat of the whole Lily Allen and N-Dubz style. Can’t really sing in the sense of holding a delicate melody but covers up with attitude. A marginal appeal but could be successful in the genre.
4 stars


Rebecca Ferguson
Good vocal control most of the time but frequently slips into screeching rather than singing. Often slides around notes rather than hitting them clean.
3 stars

 


Mary Byrne
An excellent karaoke style voice, very smooth, good range, yet lacks any special character or power.
2 stars


One Direction
Reasonable ensemble singing but no individual has a good voice. Pretty boys and not much else. For example Bonnie Tyler, on her own, outsang these five in their struggle to sing Total Eclipse of the Heart.
1 star

Music and Creativity are NOT sexualizing children

The latest diversion by the Daily Fail in England is of no interest. The way lazy and shallow journalist and commentators have pounced on the story is, however, very revealing.

In short, the would-be dictators at the Daily Fail have decided to attack and besmirch musicians and creatives like Lady GaGa, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Madonna, Rihanna and anyone else they can think of for their modern witch hunt.

In an unforgivable way the newspaper and its columnists write in sweeping terms, like: "female singers seem to think that the only way to sell their albums is to flash their gussets". The Victorian terminology is no mistake as the Fail likes to pretend it honors "traditional values" while it exaggerates whatever its current hang-up may be.

Creating and playing music is a creative process, but the important part is it is undertaken by creative people. Creative people, all through history, provide glimpses into beauty, endeavor, passion, joy, despair, love and all manner of follies.

One very important function of art is the holding of a mirror to society, whenever and wherever that society may be. The Daily Fail, as usual, wants to shoot the messenger.

As you can see from the photo right, the Victorians never thought of clothing and deportment as anything other than "proper". LOL

Tokio Hotel cover all brands – sorry, bases

Long-hair metaller, hip-hop street kid, damn-that’s-glam leather and spec-the-geek all have a place as fans of Tokio Hotel.

Whether it’s really fashion or just marketing, there’s no doubt the winners of the Best Group Award at the 2009 MTV Music Awards have captured the ears of many.

With their spread of fashion styles we guess they’re out to catch the eyes of potential fans too.

Oh, and can you pick the identical twins?

Power Pop Return for Gabriella Cilmi - Woman On A Mission

Unexpected fact number one - Gabriella Cilmi was the most popular singer in the UK in 2009. Hold on, you say, what about Leona Lewis and Lady GaGa or even Girls Aloud? Sorry, but the Aussie songstress took top spot with Sweet About Me, the most played song on radio, tv, online and in concert in Britain in 2009.

The licence body PRS compile their list as part of collecting royalties for songwiters, and PRS is well known for it draconian actions, even wanting to fine a charity shop for playing a radio. So we can be sure that if PRS say Sweet About Me was top of their list it would have arrived there after rigorous checks.

There’s even more good news for fans of Gabriella as her new single On A Mission is a wonderful uplifting power pop track with the lyrics inspiring warm vibes: "I am a woman on a mission, whatever it takes I will do what I gotta do”.

The video for the single is a lot of fun too, perhaps somewhat inspired by the film Barbarella as the publicity shot of Gabriella Cilmi (photo, right) has certain echoes of Jane Fonda at her glamorous best.

Unexpected fact number two - Gabriella won the Grand Prix accolade at Sopot International Song Festival in Poland on August 22 2009 and she sang, you guessed it, Sweet About Me, which Gabriella also co-wrote.

On A Mission is due for commercial release in March with Gabriella’s second studio album expected to follow soon after.