Annie (From Norway)

my notes from the playback i went to say, next to 'loco', "AAAARGGHHHH".

I love Marie Cherie, it sounds like a Virna Lindt song.

I lowered expectations because of this Xenomania backlash (which I'm only one foot in on) but 'Don't Stop' is roughly as good as 'Tangled Up' which I liked. I like 'What Do You Want' too. It's a bit ridiculous how much at least half of these songs sound like they came straight from a GA stockpile tho (and if they had been on the next GA album that wouldn't be bad going really) .

that breakfast song is the worst thing i've heard all year. skimmed the rest of the album and was left very unimpressed,nothing comes close to greatest hit or chewing gum.

annie's career is a masterclass on how not to be a popstar. a constant stream of missed opportunities, bad decisions and all-round cluelessness.

the first 20 seconds of WDYW i was sort of alarmed but halfway thru there's this really cool 'whistley' noise in the background that i love. as simple as that sounds it's the main reason i still like Xenomania as can still rely on them to drop these neat sounds/ideas/hooks into things that are unexpected even if they are increasingly formulaic much of the rest of the time (not necessarily more than some other production teams across the pop pool).

the idea of 'make this sound like a Girls Aloud album but by just one girl' isn't a recipe for disaster by any means, but her voice probably doesn't suit that in the end. so the concept is more flawed than the execution. i'd have preferred a Royksoppier sound for this overall with XM just doing 3-4 tracks tops.

what's the breakdown of producers for each track? rich x did a few didn't he?

i do like 'when the night', sounds like a throwback to all the over-emotive cheapy synthy latin freestyle ballads from the mid 80s. is that a cover?

ha that one's probably my least favourite

over the breakfast one?! stevem, you've gone menkle.

what's the breakdown of producers for each track? rich x did a few didn't he?

(From http://xenomanianews.blogspot.com/)

01. My Love Is Better
(produced by Xenomania)
02. I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me
(produced by Richard X)
03. Sweet
(produced by Xenomania)
04. Loco
(produced by Xenomania)
05. Bad Times
(produced by Xenomania)
06. I Can't Let Go
(produced by Timo Kaukolampi)
07. Marie Cherie
(produced by Timo Kaukolampi)
08. When The Night
(produced by Xenomania)
09. Heaven and Hell
(produced by Xenomania)
10. What Do You Want (The Breakfast Song)
(produced by Timo Kaukolampi)
11. Take You Home
(produced by Timo Kaukolampi)
12. Songs Remind Me Of You
(produced by Richard X)

Note that "The Breakfast Song" is NOT Xenomania.

It's time to say it. Brian Higgins, if you're reading this, the time has come to just do it.

Fire Miranda Cooper. She's gone from being one of pop's best lyricists to being a complete embarrassment, and fucking lazy to boot.

It's sad really, three years ago in the midst of "Biology", Xenomania seemed like they could go anywhere and do anything, now it really seems like they're ploughing one template to breaking point, and instead of Uber Songs of Death, they're still doing what they did to shit effect on "Tangled Up" - i.e. write half a song and repeat every bit until you're bored sick.

Even "Bad Times", which is outstanding, could have done with another verse.

^LOL at the thought Brian Higgins actually reading this. Maybe he doesn't have to fire her, just get more lyricists. Even though you are absolutely right, it doesn't really bother me because I always pay more attention to the music, and music-wise they're IMO as good as ever (though I admit, not doing anything groundbreaking).

get more lyricists.

Neil Tennant recently claimed he could happily move into an upstairs room at Xenomania and write songs with them for the rest of his life...

Note that "The Breakfast Song" is NOT Xenomania

figured this would happen. that's disappointing really but makes more sense.

POP MAGAZINE : You never know what Xenomania are going to do next. Which is unique for a production house. They don't have a formula.

NEIL TENNANT : No they don't.

!

how many decades has it been since neil tennant was relevant?

One and a half.

He rates "Golden Skans" as well.

how many decades has it been since neil tennant was relevant?

about as many as Janet Jackson, Madonna, Mariah etc.

mariah and madonna are still pretty much relevant now. janet, less so, but she has more great songs on discipline alone than tennant has managed in the past decade and a half.

Last Saturday, Four Minutes cleared a dancefloor of actual teenagers who had been enthusiastically dancing to Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Wearing My Rolex etc etc. Madge loses.

Not that the last PSB single, whatever it was, would have done much better.

wait wtf Jonas Brothers?

yesterday madonna sold out wembley arena

Last Saturday, Four Minutes cleared a dancefloor of actual teenagers who had been enthusiastically dancing to Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Wearing My Rolex etc etc. Madge loses.

I'm assuming this wasn't Club Poptimism.

yesterday madonna sold out wembley arena

so would Oasis

i would have typed "a month ago 'i know your girlfriend hates me' cleared the dancefloor when i played it" but nobody was dancing anyway :/

also actual teenager chipmunk has done a (pretty cool) freestyle over '4 minutes' on his new mixtape which you can download free off his myspazz and which is loads better than any and all new annie product

i would have typed "a month ago 'i know your girlfriend hates me' cleared the dancefloor when i played it" but nobody was dancing anyway :/

wanted to but have rare medical disorder which prevents me from occupying an empty dancefloor sob

My Love Is Better = pretty wonderful

yesterday madonna sold out wembley arena

so would Oasis

I would consider Oasis AND Madonna relevant.

Led Zeppelin would probably sell out Wembley too though.

Gather round, kids. It's time for another exciting edition of SPOT THE RIPOFF

1. "My Love Is Better" --> "Do You Want To?" by Franz Ferdinand
2. "I Know Your Girlfriend Hates Me" --> OK, this one I guess is pretty original
3. "Sweet" --> "Gloria" by Them
4. "Loco" --> "Blue Monday" by New Order
5. "Bad Times" --> "Bleed Clean" by Disco Inferno*

I'll let you know more when I'm done downloading.

* - though I seriously doubt that anybody in Xenomania has actually heard Disco Inferno, so this might be a stretch

Well I guess you could say that about ALL Xenomania songs; although calling them "ripoffs" is going a bit too far IMO. I mean, I see the "Blue Monday"/"Loco" connection but it's hardly a ripoff.

Damn "Marie Cherie" is good.

Annie 'to release new album in 2009'

Wednesday, January 7 2009, 17:26 GMT

By David Balls
Annie 'to release new album in 2009'

Annie has revealed that she will release her much-anticipated second album early in 2009.

The Norwegian singer lost her deal with Island Records last year but owns the rights to her second LP Don't Stop.

"I own the masters, so I can do whatever I want to do. I might do it myself, on my own label," she told Billboard.

"We're talking to people too. There's so much happening in the business right now. In a way, I feel to do things on your own, you're in control. I've always been this sort of artist that people don't know how to categorise me and what to do with me."

Annie received widespread critical acclaim for her debut release Anniemal, despite receiving limited commercial success.

She revealed that she has completed close to 60 songs for the new record, which was originally scheduled for release last year. "I actually have enough for two albums, so I don't know if I'm going to put out the one as it is, and one right after, or just some songs as Don't Stop with a couple that no-one's heard," she said. "But I want to release a lot this year."

The first two singles expected to be released from the album are 'Anthonio' and 'My Love Is Better'.

paper planes changed everything

konichiwa records should sign her.

I actually went back and really listened to Don't Stop a couple weeks ago and it (the leaked version) doesn't quite sound finished. Most of the songs don't sound completely fleshed out, unless the having one or two verses and choruses that just repeat ad nauseam is intended. Don't Stop, in its present form, definitely needs to be retooled.

Along with lots of other promising Norwegian and Scandinavian acts, she is booked as an act on By:Larm, the Norwegian music biz meeting in February. I'll be there, and looking very much forward to it :)

Even though the album is a bunch of ripoffs, it's still really damn good. I'm just sad the more rockin' stylistic change hinted at on her non-album single "Crush" (which is head, shoulders, knees, and feet above anything else she's ever done) turned out to be a red herring. :(

"Crush" (which is head, shoulders, knees, and feet above anything else she's ever done)

You're kidding, right? It's awful.

Nope! Not kidding. It's an absolute classic! With GUITARS and shit!

A revision is def. needed, but bitch betta not touch "My Love Is Better".

Annie.. will release the song "Ánthonio" on Richard X's record label Black Melody during the first week of 2009

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Lilia_Berge_Strand

-

Hm.

I will catch her ive at By:Larm in Oslo this week. Guess I'll hear a lot of the new stuff then.

Full version of "Anthonio" is now up on youtube

What's the story with this album? Does she have a new label?

http://idolator.com/5200860/annie-demands-an-answer

In sum -- self-release, apparently.

The single was released on Richard X's label

only an apatow trailer can save her now

"Anthonio" HATE IT

Not very impressed either :(