Review of the Week: Q Magazine

Men's magazine. It's either boobs or more boobs.

Ok, so maybe that's a bit harsh. There are genuinely some decent titles out there. Forget Zoo and Nuts, FHM is a favourite of mine. The magazine has gone through a rapid makeover in recent months, with better interviews, photos and a fantastic Men's fashion section. Then you have Esquire and GQ, all very nice but all for the rich and upper class man. I just end up drooling over the Austin Read suits and pictures of Kiera Knightley, knowing that there's little chance of me getting either (I live in hope!)

So facing a dilemma over what glossy magazine to choose from, I decided to try my luck at Q Magazine. All I knew about Q was that it was a music magazine. I presumed it targeted men, and I gathered it would probably cover more indie artists, judging from the cover.

But alas, I was pleasantly surprised. You see, Q is more of a music bible. It covers every genre possible, from Nicki Minaj in R&B to Icelandic classic/ rock legends Sigur RA.

From just one magazine, I've opened up my mind, and ears, to a whole new wrath of music from people I had never even heard of, yet listened too. Suddenly, my iPod has hits from Santigold, Alabama Shakes, Saint Etienne and many many more.

The best thing about Q is their fantastic music reviews. Not only are they up-to-date, they offer a comprehensive library of artists, again across all genres. Each review gives you information about the artists, as well as selected songs that you should listen too. For me, this was vital, because it meant I could listen to the artists immediately just by searching for their music.

But Q is not all about reviews either. It also features articles on topical news items, such as illegal ticket sites and several interviews with artists and many other personalities. The magazine is also packed with all the latest pictures and gossip from within the music industry.

Altogether, it makes for a really interesting read, and has definitely changed how I view the music industry. So for any man out there struggling to find a decent glossy magazine to read whilst your girlfriend catches up with OK!, try Q. It will rock your world!

Picture courtesy of Wikipedia

Review of the Week: The Voice

Singing contests, reality tv shows and music programmes. I look back at the shows that have passed. Fame Academy, Pop Idol, Popstars and the ailing X Factor. Shows which, at the top of their game, were popular with the public and generally well received. But they got boring. The singers fell flat, the sob stories passed the ten minute mark and the judges went from A List to Z List. What is needed, is a new, fresh format to rival all other reality tv shows, and put raw talent back in the spotlight.

Which is why The Voice seemed appealing. When the US version hit screens last year, from the original Dutch format, I was excited. Watching clips on YouTube, it seemed like a breath of fresh air to an already crowded entertainment world. And when the BBC, after a bidding war with ITV, claimed the prize of the UK broadcasting rights, my excitement started to grow.

In the last few months, the BBC have been plotting something so huge, that even the big, botox-faced man himself, Simon Cowell, rushed back home to see what all the fuss was about. A format unlike any other show, four 'superstar' coaches, a contest that is rocking its way all over the world and an aim that goes back to basics. The Voice aims to please the nation.

And overall, it did please me. Last nights opening was beyond my wildest dreams. But before I delve in, let me give you a bit of a heads up.

Presented by Holly Willoughby (urgh, so dull) and Reggie Yates (oo, a bit better), The Voice on BBC One aims to find a singing superstar by judging solely on the voice of an artist, with the winner signing a record contract with Universal. In the 'Blind Auditions', four of the world's biggest singers - Will.I.Am (Black Eyed Peas frontman), Sir Tom Jones, Jessie J and Danny O'Donoghue (from The Script) - have their backs turned to the singer, facing the audience. By listening to the voice and judging on voice alone, the 'coaches' as they're referred to, choose who they want by pressing a red button and spinning their chair to reveal who is singing. If none of them press the button, then the signer goes home. If all of them press the buzzer, the singer decides who to coach them.

It sounds a bit complicated, but the fantastic first episode made it clear. It's a case of judging solely on the voice. It's not about how you look, where you come from, what your story is. It's about the talent. And the number one thing for me that was great about this show was that there was real talent. In fact, if you had all these artists on something like the X Factor, all of them would be chosen. But only the very best were picked.

In an episode which saw all four coaches singing to 'I've gotta feeling' (felt a bit cheesy, but showed off the singing skills of each coach), the show featured acts up and down the country, from working mothers, singers with confidence issues and even a boyfriend and girlfriend (was awkward, to say the least, when the boyfriend got chosen and the girlfriend didn't!) singing their hearts out.

All the singers brought something different to the stage, as did the four coaches. Jessie J has the current knowledge and popular appeal, Tom is the legend with plenty of experience, Will.I.Am plays the comedian - cool but with a game plan - and Danny shows a soft, caring side with his boyband looks. The part where the artist chooses the right judge is both fun and painful to watch, with each judge bartering for the act. In some cases, however, it did get a bit cringe worthy.

Yes, you can draw a few similarities to the other shows. It does feature a few sob stories, although moderately with a human touch, not just to exploit the artist. The auditions felt a bit X Factor-esque, especially when backstage. And the audience were still screaming and calling the shots.

But all in all, it is a fantastic concept for a show which the whole nation is tipping to be a success. The artists love it, the industry seems pleased and the critics are applauding it (unless you are Simon Cowell, whose dead horse - Britain's Got Talent - is lagging behind). It seems the BBC might have just found its own answer, indeed its own 'Voice' if you will, in the competitive singing contest market!

4/5 Stars

Pictures Courtesy of Wikipedia

Follow me on Twitter: @kieranwatkins

Review of the Week: Alicia Keys 'The Element of Freedom'

I realise this album has been out for ages, but it deserves to have more recognition!

The Grammy Award Winning artists new album has been around for a few years now and with Number One hits like ‘New York’ featuring Jay-z, you might ask why an 18 year old boy would be interested in this album. Well, to tell you the truth, I fancied a change. With the ever changing beats of today’s Top 40 - your Cheryl ‘I can’t sing’ Cole to N - ‘We’re cool, yeh’ Dubz’ it’s hard to find something ‘easy listening.’

However “The Element of Freedom” is just that. Keys inevitably delivers to us a strong, recognisable voice whose lyrics are just as important as the glitzy videos or a-list collaborations (husband and wife team Beyonce and Jay-z both feature). ‘New York’ was for me one of the best songs of 2010, with both versions (with and without Jay Z) being performed brilliantly. So much so that I called up the local radio to find out who was singing to ‘concrete jungle where dreams are made of.’

Other hits including ‘Doesn’t Mean Anything’ and ‘This Bed’ see Keys mixing into pop, the popular genre of many a music listener. Moreover, she does it beautifully. With her amazing credentials, that being her talent not only to sing and look good, but to play the piano masterfully, the songs only add to the excitement as the notes smoothly glide through your ears.
Personally, my favourite songs are where Keys takes a step back from the “pop” stereotype and creates a unique hybrid of genres. In ‘Try sleeping with a broken heart’, the piano is replaced with a strong, powerful drumbeat that echoes the narrative of the lyrics. Her live performances regularly prove a talking point. Another hybrid, the clash of ‘diva’ to put it in a male perspective, of seeing the R&B sensations Beyonce and Alicia dueting was the finale of a truly great album.

As ever, Alicia Keys truly dominates the piano and crescendo that cultivates into another outstanding album. Her musicality is amazing and inspiring to music lovers everywhere who long to find that place ‘where dreams are made of.’ For me, Keys has found that place.

Best Song: Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Article Written by Kieran Watkins

Picture Courtesy of Wikipedia