2005: The End? - April

I must have had enough of listening to Galaxy FM on my phone by April 2005. The only new entry in the Top 40 that month that reminds me of that time is "Let Me Love You" by Mario which is also the only R&B record that month which I like.

It was a time when a friend who was also into rap and R&B was telling me there wasn't much in the way of new music taking his fancy. He reluctantly said the best R&B record of the moment was "It's Like That" by Mariah Carey. I will concede it's probably the most convincing R&B record she's done, but not for me. Sounds like it could be a Beyonce record which is never a good thing.

Rap wise there are 2 records which get full marks, but I regard both as 2004 records because they were taken from 2004 albums that I own. There's "Caught Up" which turned out to be the final  Top 40 hit to date for Ja Rule. There's also "Hope" by Twista, though I do prefer the album version which has a Cee-Lo singing the chorus rather than Faith Evans.

I was getting back into dance music more but not really the records getting in the charts. It was a bit thin on the ground dance record wise, but the only one I truly like is "Robot Rock" by Daft Punk. There's also half marks for "Give Me Your Love" by XTM & DJ Chucky presents Annia, the less known but just as cheesy follow up to "Fly on the Wings of Love" but good fun nonetheless.

Other dance records are "I Like The Way" by Bodyrockers which has always irritated me, "So Much Love To Give" which is an AATW records cheesfest by Freeloaders who were N-Trance under another name, "I See Girls" by Studio B which is just commercial crap, "Adagio For Strings" by Tiesto which is an example of why trance has a bad name and "Avalon" by Juliet which is too vocal heavy for my liking.

Once again indie/garage rock is the genre with the most records and includes "Neighbourhood #2 (Laika)" by Arcade Fire which gets full marks. There's also a few indie records which get half marks.

Picking the best record is a tough choice because none of the records with full marks are what I'd call stand out. That was what was going wrong with music really, some solid records but nothing that made me think wow. I'm going to pick "Robot Rock" by Daft Punk.

Picking worst record is also difficult because of the sheer quantity of crap. I'm going to pick "Shiver" by Natalie Imbruglia mainly because she was being portrayed as a serious musician, but she wasn't.

Here's a list of the records with the best on top, worst at the bottom and the good ones in green, OK ones in amber and rubbish ones in red (and in no particular order):

Score: 18%

Now we're 4 months in I think now is the time to feature a graph to show how the years progressing:

We started consistent but now the fall begins.

High Contrast - Notes From The Underground (2020)

There was the general perception from those who were listening to High Contrast in the early 21st century that the quality of his music had gone downhill and he was making it for the kids.

I get the feeling this album was a reaction to that. Overall it feels like more of an old skool rave album than a drum & bass one. The cover suggests it, as does the first actual tune with the name "Windows 95".

It get's off to a good start and I enjoy the old skool feel to it. Not so keen on "Time Is Hardcore" though, more the irritating vocals on it than anything. That's just a blip though and the album quickly redeems itself with "Met Her At A Dance In Leicester".

On his previous album when he started experimenting he was getting to far away from drum & bass really and it didn't work. It sounds like he's trying to experiment here but keeping closer to drum & bass and having the right sort of tempo to his music.

I must admit though I did start losing interest towards the end of the album. Not that the tunes were particularly bad, I'm probably just getting a shorter attention span like a lot of people are these days.

There's a lot of awful commercial drum & bass these days and given High Contrast is big enough to do gigs in his own right it's easy to lump him in with that. In reality he's nowhere near that bad and still has some genuinely decent tunes left in him.

 

Top 30 in 1998 Reviewed: Week 4

Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 26 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Wednesday.

Here is the Top 40 in full.

Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.

Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.

So this is the top 30 from this week in 1998 with my verdict on each record:

30. S-J - I Feel Divine (New)

S-J is the name of the singer on this record but the one making the music is Baby Doc and the main mix was done by Tall Paul. One of those records that treads that line between good and cheesy, but stays the right side.

Verdict - Good

29. Bernard Butler - Stay

Bernard Butler had previously been in the charts as part of Suede and McAlmont & Butler. This was his first Top 40 hit as a solo artist. This also means he's taking lead vocals for the first time. It's a very mellow record and as a result a bit boring.

Verdict - Rubbish

28. Queen - No-One But You / Tie Your Mother Down

When Brian May released "Too Much Love Will Kill You" it was a common misconception that it was a tribute to Freddie Mercury. "No-One But You" however is genuinely a tribute to Freddie Mercury, with Brian May and Roger Taylor sharing lead vocals. It was also the final Queen release with John Deacon who retired after this. "Tie Your Mother Down" was originally one of their minor Top 40 hits in the 70s.

Verdict - Good / Good

27. Steven Houghton - Wind Beneath My Wings

In 1996 we saw the beginning and end of the Top 40 career of singing actor John Alford. Then at the end of 1997 we had this, the Top 40 debut for another London's Burning actor Steven Houghton. A poor cover of a poor record.

Verdict - Rubbish

26. Kaleef - Sands Of Time (New)

This was the same act who did the god awful "Walk Like A Champion" with Prince Naseem under the name Kaliphz and the cover of "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers, both in 1996. Then came this, which is a huge improvement. It samples Clannad's "Theme From Harry's Game" and works really well. They decided to call it a day after this though because they didn't like the music directions they were taking.

Verdict - Good

25. Allure - All Cried Out

The 2nd and final Top 40 hit to date for Allure, the R&B group signed to Mariah Careys label. It's a cover of the Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam record and features fellow R&B group 112. I do like the original of this, but the cover has all the goodness taken out of it and just sounds like a karaoke version.

Verdict - Rubbish

24. Aqua - Barbie Girl

I remember someone telling me there was a song about Barbie that had just come out which had some sexual references between Barbie and Ken. I thought he was taking the piss, but then I heard this. When I heard they were from Denmark, the same country as Whigfield, it made more sense. Remember the lyrics "I need you inside me tonight"?

Verdict - Rubbish

23. Teletubbies - Teletubbies Say Eh-Oh!

1997 brought us what was the latest hugely popular kids TV show, Teletubbies. I've never watched an episode myself, I was far too old for it. Obviously with Christmas just around the corner this record made a ideal Christmas present for parents to buy their young children and hence it topped the charts.

Verdict - Rubbish

22. Lutricia McNeal - Ain't That Just The Way

Lutricia McNeal is from America but she relocated to Sweden and launched her music career. Then the Swedish songwriters started taking over the pop world and this, her debut Top 40 hit became a worldwide success. It's always irritated me for some reason. 

Verdict - Rubbish

21. Somore ft Damon Trueitt - I Refuse (What You Want) (New)

An example of an American record that's given a garage makeover, in this case it's by Industry Standard. It's amazing how many speed garage anthems made the Top 40 in such a short space of time. Seems every speed garage record to make the Top 40 was an anthem.

Verdict - Good

20. Boyzone - Baby Can I Hold You / Shooting Star

When I went to Helter Skelter for the millennium, I was looking forward to the Vibes and Live Lee set which was the last of the night. It was a bit of an anti climax though when the first record he played was a happy hardcore version of "Baby Can I Hold You". "Shooting Star" is one I never knew until I started listening to Popmaster where they like asking questions about it.

Verdict - Rubbish

19. Spice Girls - Too Much

The 6th Top 40 hit for the Spice Girls and their 6th number one. Even at the start of 1997 you would have put money on the Spice Girls getting the Christmas number one that year no matter what the record was.

Verdict - Rubbish

18. Warren G ft Sissel - Prince Igor

The whole rap/rock crossover concept had perhaps been done to death by this point so here was a new concept, rap and classical crossover. It's an odd concept I have to say because they're chalk and cheese really, but it does work pretty well once you get used to it. The penultimate Top 40 hit of the 90s for Warren G with his final one just around the corner.

Verdict - Good

17. Clock - That's The Way (I Like It)

The previous record by Clock was a cover of "You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate and the original version returned to the charts shortly afterwards. No such return for KC and the Sunshine Band after this record though. As usual it's cheesy commercial rubbish.

Verdict - Rubbish

16. Peter Andre ft Warren G - All Night All Right (New)

Yes that's right, Peter Andre and Warren G collaborated with each other. An even odder collaboration than the one Warren G did with Sissel. It was also the final Top 40 hit to date for Warren G, maybe the record buying public couldn't take him seriously after this. That said I actually quite like this record, I do remember at the time thinking how wrong it seemed for me to be enjoying a Peter Andre record.

Verdict - Good

15. Steps - 5, 6, 7, 8

I remember this record being played for what I think was the first time on Children in Need. It's a novelty line dancing mixed with eurodance record. Of course this turned out to be many hits for Steps. It goes without saying this song is shit. As a side note I have no problem with the cheesy holiday rep type image they're portraying here, it serves a purpose I suppose. The issue is them now being stuck up celebrities complaining about it but are happy to still milk it with their nostalgia tours.

Verdict - Rubbish

14. Space - Avenging Angels

Space were back with a second album and this was the lead single from it which gave them their highest charting hit to this point. It's got that same quirkiness we'd become used to with Space records which makes for a decent tune.

Verdict - Good

13. Goldie - Temper Temper (New)

We were into the final days of Dream Magazine and fingers were pointing to Goldie for making drum & bass too commercial from the letters. The fact that Noel Gallagher features on this record would have added fuel to that. Given that Noel Gallagher had previous collaborated with The Chemical Brothers this collaboration would have come as no surprise.

Verdict - Good

12. Natalie Imbruglia - Torn

I was watching Live & Kicking in 1994 and Natalie Imbruglia was a guest on the show having just left Neighbours. She was asked if she was planning to launch a music career to which she said no which shocked Andi Peters. 3 years later here she is launching a music career and I was shocked. I wasn't shocked to find it was shit though.

Verdict - Rubbish

11. OTT - The Story Of Love (New)

This was the final Top 40 hit to date for poundland Boyzone. I seem to recall there being a boy band from Bedford around this time whose name escapes me and they never got anywhere, but I always thought they were the ones that did it. Boy Meets Girl aka George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam wrote it.

Verdict - Rubbish

10. Various Artists - Perfect Day

If you were watching the BBC in late 1997 then you would have heard this record many times. It seemed to be on between every TV show. It's a long list of singers who would sing a line each and I got absolutely sick of it.

Verdict - Rubbish

9. Robbie Williams - Angels

This was the turn around point of Robbie Williams solo career which went from strength to strength after this. I was dismissive of him as a solo artist least of all because I didn't like Oasis who he was trying to imitate. This record though is completely different and I had to concede it's actually quite good.

Verdict - Good

8. Janet Jackson - Together Again

When this record came out I was shocked. It was a Janet Jackson song that I actually liked. Remember I was listening to nothing but rave at the time so I really didn't want to like this record even though it is a dance record. Then a friend of mine who was into rap and drum & bass bought this single which made me feel a bit better about liking it.

Verdict - Good

7. Lighthouse Family - High

When it comes to Lighthouse Family singles they don't get any better than this. I always found it a really soothing record. I once worked somewhere that had music playing that didn't have the original singers on the tracks. This was one of those tracks on there and the different singer made it not as good. Then I bought a compilation that had this on it and was such a relief to hear it with the proper singer again.

Verdict - Good

6. Wildchild - Renegade Master '98

This was originally a Top 40 hit in 1995 twice, first under it's original title "Legends Of The Dark Black Part 2" and then as "Renegade Master". Wildchild sadly passed away the same year. In 1998 Fatboy Slim did a remix and made it bigger than ever. It's a great remix, possibly even better than the original.

Verdict - Good

5. Ian Brown - My Star (New)

After the Stone Roses split we had the brief Top 40 career of John Squires band The Seahorses in 1997. Now in 1998 we have the beginning of the solo career of Ian Brown whose Top 40 career would last over a decade. I think its the name making it chart this high rather than the music.

Verdict - Rubbish

4. Radiohead - No Surprises (New)

This was the final Top 40 hit of the 90s for Radiohead and final hit from their "OK Computer" album. I remember at the time someone asking me how I could not like "No Surprises". Quite easily really, I will concede the glockenspiel does make it more interesting, but it's still boring.

Verdict - Rubbish

3. Bamboo - Bamboogie

Clock weren't the only ones doing covers of KC and the Sunshine Band records. Andrew Livingstone aka Bamboo was also charting with this take on "Get Down Tonight" by KC and the Sunshine Band. This time though it was a decent record.

Verdict - Good

2. All Saints - Never Ever

When the All Saints first came about I was amazed to find that I liked their debut Top 40 hit. I was even more amazed to find I also liked this, their follow up. It's one of those records I'd felt I'd heard before but hadn't. As a result of me liking these first 2 singles I went on to do something I'd not done in a long time, bought an album that wasn't rave which was their debut album.

Verdict - Good

1. Oasis - All Around The World (New)

The final Top 40 hit of the 90s for Oasis which was actually written before Oasis had their first Top 40 hit. As such it doesn't fit the throwaway rubbish category that their other two comeback hits fit, but at the same time the so called classic Oasis isn't to my liking either.

Verdict - Rubbish

If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 14/30, or 47%. Almost at 50% at week 4 having started the year with 5, that's encouraging.

UK Number 40s: Engelbert Humperdinck - Quando Quando Quando (1999)

 

It's been a while since we've had one of these, Engelbert Humperdinck has had both a number 1 and a number 40. As he had the bulk of his hits in the 60s it's fair to say he was way past his commercial peak by this point.

He topped the charts with his debut hit "Release Me" in 1967. That record stayed in the charts for 56 weeks and held the record for longest consecutive run in the charts for quite some time. He was hugely successful in the charts in the early days and reached the Top 5 with his first 7 Top 40 hits. The wheels started to fall off in the 70s and it looked like his Top 40 career was over in 1972.

This record was originally recorded in 1968 but then in the late 90s he released "The Dance Album" which had dance remakes of some of his records as well as some new material. This have him his first Top 40 hit in 27 years. It would also be his final Top 40 hit to date.

Top 30 in 1994 Reviewed: Week 4

Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 30 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Sunday.

Here is the Top 40 in full.

Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.

Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.

So this is the top 30 from this week in 1994 with my verdict on each record:

30. Daryl Hall - Stop Loving Me, Stop Loving You (New)

This was the 2nd solo Top 40 hit for Daryl Hall which came 8 years after his first. He was of course better known for being the Hall in Hall & Oates. On paper it looks like his solo career was a bit of a non-entity, but then he sang the official World Cup song later that year. This one sounds too namby pamby for my liking.

Verdict - Rubbish

29. Soul Asylum - Black Gold (New)

This was 3rd Top 40 hit for Soul Asylum and penultimate one to date. At the time I didn't even realise it was by Soul Asylum, not sure who I thought it was by. It caught my attention and was a record I liked, but was more difficult to identify tunes in those days.

Verdict - Good

28. Loni Clark - U (New)

This started life as an R&B record, but a K-Klass mix turned it into a garage house record and took it into the Top 40. It was the 2nd and final Top 40 hit for Loni Clark, K-Klass had one Top 40 hit left as an artist. With just 3k views on YouTube in 12 years I would call this a forgotten gem.

Verdict - Good

27. Shabba Ranks ft Patra - Family Affair

This was the penultimate Top 40 hit to date for Shabba Ranks which is a cover of the Sly & the Family Stone record. As mentioned several times I do like the reggae pop music of 1993 generally speaking, but I'm getting the feeling they were running out of ideas by the end of the year.

Verdict - Rubbish

26. DJ Duke - Blow Your Whistle

If you've ever listened to a tape from a rave you will have almost inevitable heard the MC telling the ravers to blow their whistles and horns. I always thought it sounded great on the tape but annoying at a rave because you could barely hear the music sometimes. This was no doubt the influence for this Top 40 debut for DJ Duke. Fortunately the whistles are discrete enough to make this a decent record. 

Verdict - Good

25. Joe - I'm In Luv (New)

The Top 40 debut for Joe. He's by no means the first artists to simply use his first name as his stage name, but I always thought Joe seemed too much of a common name to use as your artist name. This is probably my favourite Joe single, though I never bought the album it appears on for the simple fact I could get other Joe albums cheaper. I also have it on a "Pure Swing" compilation which gave me less of a need to buy the album.

Verdict - Good

24. The The - Dis-Infected EP

The lead track on this EP was "That Was The Day". It was the highest charting hit for The The and their penultimate Top 40 hit to date and the last time they'll feature as their last didn't make the Top 30. When I hear the intro to this I just think Casio. I do find myself losing interest as we get further into it though, but it's not bad.

Verdict - OK

23. Mr Blobby - Mr Blobby

Mr Blobby started out as a pretend kids TV show on the Gotcha segment of Noels House Party. I remember hearing the theme music for that segment was being released as a single. That didn't sound like the worst thing in the world, but when I heard this record and the kids started singing it did sound like the worst thing it the world. I also recall a school disco at the time where they had a dancing competition and the winner won this single. Needless to say I didn't miss out on much by not taking part.

Verdict - Rubbish

22. Garth Brooks - The Red Strokes / Ain't Going Down (New)

It's been said that Robbie Williams never really cracked America because his name was too similar to actor Robin Williams. You could also say that Garth Brooks never really cracked the UK because his name is too similar to footballer turned pundit Garth Crooks. This was the first of 3 Top 40 hits for him and his highest charting. I would say the reason his popularity in America was never replicated over here was because his music's too American.

Verdict - Rubbish / Rubbish

21. Take That - Babe

I guess we have Mr. Blobby to thank for the fact we don't hear this at Christmas every year after being denied the Christmas number one spot. It was the first Take That hit where Mark Owen takes the lead vocals, though really anyone could have sung it and it would have still been crap.

Verdict - Rubbish

20. Inspiral Carpets - Saturn 5 (New)

Is it 1992 again? No, the Inspiral Carpets were still going in 1994 and they hadn't changed their sound at all. Just because that sound was no longer in fashion though doesn't mean everyone should stop doing it, there's no doubt there would have been people not liking new music and longing for music like this. 

Verdict - Good

19. Peabo Bryson And Regina Belle - A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)

Disney films are cartoons made for kids generally speaking. Cartoons are supposed to be fun for the children to watch. Therefore why does music from Disney films have to always be so depressing? The only positive thing I have to say about this record is at least it's not Peter Andre and Katie Price singing it.

Verdict - Rubbish

18. Depeche Mode - In Your Room (New)

This was the final Depeche Mode hit to feature Alan Wilder, the man who replaced Vince Clarke in the group. The single mix of this was done by Butch Vig of Garbage with additional guitars from Duke Erikson of Garbage. This was before Garbage had a Top 40 hit of their own. It's a dark record that gets darker and that's what makes it.

Verdict - Good

17. Ce Ce Peniston - I'm In The Mood

Ce Ce Peniston is known by many for her debut hit "Finally" when she reached single number 3 she'd left the dance music behind and made an R&B record. Then after a bit of time away she was back with this R&B record. Once again it's shit.

Verdict - Rubbish

16. Bobby Brown And Whitney Houston - Something In Common (New)

They were just about the most famous music couple at the time so it made perfect sense for them to do this collaboration. It was the only Whitney Houston hit in the mid-90s that wasn't taken from a film. It's songwriters include Teddy Riley and Mark Middleton of Blackstreet. Despite all this, the song itself really isn't that good.

Verdict - Rubbish

15. Phil Collins - Everyday

I feel like I've known this record all my life but I clearly haven't because it never came out until 1994. It's a ballad that sounds quite representative of Phil Collins as a solo artist. Generally speaking I like Phil Collins as a solo artists, so that's a good thing.

Verdict - Good

14. Def Leppard - Action

Nirvana were now finished from a Top 40 perspective, but Def Leppard were still clocking up the hits after being one of the bands grunge was supposed to kill off. It's a cover of a record by The Sweet, the only Def Leppard hit which is a cover. Can't say I think much of it.

Verdict - Rubbish

13. Toni Braxton - Breathe Again

The Top 40 debut for Toni Braxton and her joint highest charting single to date. It was written by Babyface who wrote the majority of her hits. It's not a bad record, just a bit slow and too much of a ballad for my liking. It has the proper 90s music factor to it though.

Verdict - OK

12. The Bee Gees - For Whom The Bell Tolls

The Bee Gees are best known for their disco era, which I think is a shame because they made some really good music outside of this such as this record. In fact I would say this is the best record The Bee Gees have ever made. The moment where Robin starts singing the chorus is second to none.

Verdict - Good

11. Dina Carroll - The Perfect Year

I guess 1993 was the perfect year from the perspective of Dina Carroll. This was when she had her biggest hit with "Don't Be A Stranger" which felt like it was around for the whole of 1993 and was still in the charts when this record entered. Not my cup of tea and this follow up isn't any better.

Verdict - Rubbish

10. Bitty McLean - Here I Stand

Throughout 1993 I found myself enjoying the reggae pop music in the charts and this is now continuing into 1994 with this record. One of those records you can just love straight away, very catchy and I could listen to it all day.

Verdict - Good

9. Haddaway - I Miss You

I'm not a fan of the first two Haddaway hits but will concede they were fun records so could understand the appeal to others. I therefore found it baffling that his next hit would be this depressing number. It still managed to reach the Top 10 though. 

Verdict - Rubbish

8. Eternal - Save Our Love

When the Essential Mix first began in late 1993, the first mix was done by Pete Tong and the first tune he played was a dance version of this. It was the 2nd Top 40 hit for Eternal. Amongst it's songwriters is Eddie from Charles & Eddie. Despite being written by Americans though it still sounds inferior to American R&B.

Verdict - Rubbish

7. Tori Amos - Cornflake Girl (New)

Sometimes songs can remind us of the most unlikely things, and in the case of this record it reminds me of Timmy Mallett. I should elaborate, back in the 90s I would go on Britannia flights where you could plug your headphones into the armrest and listen to the radio. The presenter was Timmy Mallett. I can't remember how long the show lasted, but it would keep on being repeated. One of the records played on there was this. I can't actually remember any other records played on the show though. I've not heard this for a while but I have to say it hasn't aged well. I did used to like it, but am finding it pretty average now.

Verdict - OK

6. East 17 - It's Alright

This was the 6th and final single from East 17's debut album "Walthamstow". It could be argued that being the final single from an album that was nearly a year old was what stopped it from getting the Christmas number one, but we all know they achieved that the following year. Like with most East 17 record, this one gets the thumbs up from me.

Verdict - Good

5. Culture Beat - Anything

The 3rd Top 40 hit for Culture Beat and their final Top 10 to date. The success of this record is clearly off the back of the success of "Mr Vain" and is long forgotten now. It just sounds like hundreds of other throwaway eurodance records.

Verdict - Rubbish

4. Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart And Sting - All For Love

I found it quite odd to see these 3 artists collaborate on this record but at the same time it seemed a logical collaboration in part because all 3 artists have had their fair share of bland records. It should therefore be no surprise to find this is a bland record.

Verdict - Rubbish

3. K7 - Come Baby Come

I remember this being on my list of non-rock records I liked at the time. Its one of those records that has a great sing along chorus which pretty much makes the record. It's very much of its time too which is also a good thing given it was the 90s.

Verdict - Good

2. Chaka Demus And Pliers ft Jack Radics And Taxi Gang - Twist And Shout

I liked a lot of the reggae pop music of 1993 and particularly liked the first two Chaka Demus and Pliers hits. I draw the line at this record though. I hated it at the time, I remember someone asking a question about this record to a group of people and my response was I don't care about shitty pop music with my answer being seconded by someone else. My opinion on this record hasn't really changed.

Verdict - Rubbish

1. D:Ream - Things Can Only Get Better

If I was to pick the most bland and generic dance record of the 90s then this would be a strong candidate. It was the Top 40 debut for D:Ream and their biggest hit and possibly the only hit many people remembered. They had a few more equally bland hits though.

Verdict - Rubbish

If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 12.5/30, or 42%. A much improved score.

Top 30 in 1997 Reviewed: Week 3

Here's my weekly look at the Top 30 from 27 years ago. The plan is for these posts to go out at 17:30 on a Friday.

Here is the Top 40 in full.

Obviously some of the records will be the same as last week so therefore the review will be the same for these. I've indicated which ones are new so you can skip the others if you read last weeks post.

Once again my opinions are inevitably going to differ from other people, but I'm not trying to convince anyone something is good or rubbish, I'm simply giving my opinion.

So this is the top 30 from this week in 1997 with my verdict on each record:

30. Kenickie - In Your Car

Lauren Laverne is a famous TV presenter/Radio DJ these days, but this is what she was doing before that. Being a British band with guitars they came under the Britpop banner. I'm not sure your average Britpop fan would have like this though, it's cheesy crap.

Verdict - Rubbish

29. Jamiroquai - Cosmic Girl

At the time this sounded so futuristic when he sang the opening line about a Saturday in 1999. Obviously that's well in the past now, but if someone sang about a Saturday in 2026 now I'd almost question whether I blinked and we were in 2026 already. If only music remaining as good as this into the future.

Verdict - Good

28. Boyzone - A Different Beat

Boyzone waited for nearly 2 years to get their first number one, then two come along at once. They've gone for an African style pop song this time and it's every bit as awful as that sounds. It's up there amongst the obscure number ones of the 90s.

Verdict - Rubbish

27. Terrorvision - Easy

I've previously mentioned that I initially thought that Terrorvision were American because their sound was to hard for me to think they were a British band. I don't think I'd have that same thought if I'd heard this record first, they're following the trend by getting softer. This in turn makes this record boring.

Verdict - Rubbish

26. Damage - Forever

This was the 2nd Top 40 hit for Damage who opted not to wait for their 3rd hit to release a ballad. More significantly though this was the first Top 40 hit penned by the partnership of Steve Mac and Wayne Hector, the songwriting duo behind many of Westlife's hits. It sounds like it could have been a Westlife hit as well.

Verdict - Rubbish

24. The Beautiful South - Don't Marry Her

Swearing in music was nothing unusual in the 90s but this record became most famous for its swearing. I guess it's because it wasn't the style of music you'd expect swearing in. The whole appeal of The Beautiful South is the lyrics but the lyrics were generally easy to ignore so they probably put the swearing in to grab peoples attention. It probably worked, but I can't say I think much to this record.

Verdict - Rubbish

24. Chakra - I Am (New)

This was the only Top 40 hit for Chakra. It's a trance record and like with several other dance acts this was just one of a number of aliases for them. The 2 people behind Chakra were Rick Simmonds and Stephen Jones who had hits under other names, most notable the Space Brothers. It's not a bad record but not overly keen on it either.

Verdict - OK

23. Mary Kiani - 100% (New)

This was the final Top 40 hit to date for former TTF singer Mary Kiani. The songwriters of this record included Tim Lever and Mike Percy from Dead Or Alive. They also wrote for the likes of S Club 7, S Club Juniors, Billie and Girl Thing. I thing that gives a good indication of what sort of music this is i.e. cheesy crap.

Verdict - Rubbish

22. 3 Colours Red - Nuclear Holiday (New)

This was the Top 40 debut for 3 Colours Red who were one of the post-Britpop indie bands. My view on Britpop is that it was such a generic term there was some great stuff and lots of crap too. The indie music that followed though was generally awful and some of the most boring music I've ever heard. This particular record isn't that bad, but it's not exactly good either.

Verdict - Rubbish

21. QFX - Freedom 2 (New)

The 3rd of 5 Top 40 hits to date for QFX and the last time they'll feature as their last 2 hits failed to make the Top 30. This is a remix of "Freedom" which is the record they're probably best known for. I do like a bit of QFX.

Verdict - Good

20. Puff Johnson - Over And Over (New)

The Top 40 debut for Puff Johnson and the record she is best known for. Amongst the songwriters on this is Narada Michael Walden who had been writing for Michelle Gayle prior to this which wasn't great. This is an improvement though, but still pretty average.

Verdict - OK

19. The Prodigy - Breathe

When The Prodigy did "Firestarter" earlier on in the year after much excitement of a new Prodigy tune it was a big disappointment. However, despite follow up "Breathe" taking a similar direction I actually like this one and bought the single. It's the beats that really do it for me.

Verdict - Good

18. Whitney Houston - Step By Step

Here's Whitney Houston with yet another song taken from a movie. This time it's "The Preachers Wife" which Whitney Houston was also in herself. It's a cover of an Annie Lennox record. There was also a happy hardcore version of this which I thought was dreadful, much like what I think of this.

Verdict - Rubbish

17. Mark Morrison - Horny

This was one of those records that I didn't really want to like but I couldn't help but like it. Mark Morrison may only be remembered for one song now, but this was pretty big at the time. Another thing I remember around this time was Mark Morrison being the Wanker of the Week on The Girlie Show, the only feature worth watching on that show truth be told.

Verdict - Good

16. Robert Miles ft Maria Nayler - One And One

After having 2 big hits that were both instrumentals, Robert Miles did the unthinkable and released a record with a vocalist. I remember at the time thinking what are you doing having a vocalist on your record. The vocals have always annoyed me so on that basis this gets half a mark.

Verdict - OK

15. MC Lyte - Cold Rock A Party (New)

I was listening to pretty much nothing but rave at the time and remember someone asking me whether I liked MC Lyte. My response was you mean that female rapper with that Diana Ross "Upside Down" sampled tune in the charts at the moment, it's shit. Not really changed my mind.

Verdict - Rubbish

14. Kavana - I Can Make You Feel Good

The 3rd Top 40 hit for Kavana and the first one that anyone really noticed. It's a cover of the Shalamar record which is his joint highest charting single and the one he's most famous for. He probably didn't like that fact given he writes songs as well. I always thought this was a bit naff and haven't changed my mind.

Verdict - Rubbish

13. Erasure - In My Arms (New)

It would be another 10 years until Erasure had their final Top 40 hit to date. However it's fair to say we're now into the era of Erasure that few people remember. This record was also their final one to get into the Billboard 100. Not a bad record, but not exactly classic Erasure.

Verdict - OK

12. The Lightning Seeds - Sugar Coated Iceberg (New)

At the time I recall Ian Broudie being asked what sugar coated iceberg actually means and his response was whatever you wanted it to be. I would say this record was The Lightning Seeds getting back to their best after the not so good "3 Lions" and "What If...". Never really thought about what it means though.

Verdict - Good

11. Orbital - Satan (Live)

This was first released in 1991 and made number 31. This live version was then released and gave Orbital their biggest hit to that point and joint highest charting record to date. I've seen Orbital live and would definitely recommend it.

Verdict - Good

10. No Mercy - Where Do You Go (New)

I seem to recall the blurb about this record on The Chart Show saying that No Mercy were waiters at a Gloria Estefan owned restaurant prior to becoming singers. Can't find any mention of that on the internet so The Chart Show were probably just taking the piss. It does make a convincing story though.

Verdict - Rubbish

9. En Vogue - Don't Let Go (Love)

It had been 3 years since En Vogue had last been in the Top 40 and they came back here with what I consider to be their best record. It was also the beginning of the end for En Vogue as we knew them with lead singer Dawn Robinson leaving the group shortly after. They still carry on today but nothing they've done since has been as good as this.

Verdict - Good

8. Toni Braxton - Un-Break My Heart

After having all 5 of her previous Top 40 hits written by Babyface, Toni Braxton turned to prolific songwriter Diane Warren for her 6th. It worked as this became her joint highest charting Top 40 hit, but often in order to achieve popularity you have to compromise on quality and this is what's happened here in my opinion. 

Verdict - Rubbish

7. Texas - Say What You Want (New)

This was the big comeback single for Texas after being in the wilderness since 1989. They had a few hits in-between, but none that anyone remembers. Chris Evans was a big fan of this as I recall and helped put Texas back in the limelight. Judging by a lot of the music that appeared on TFI Friday though taught me that Chris Evans didn't have the best taste in music.

Verdict - Rubbish

6. Spice Girls - 2 Become 1

What had become apparent by this point was that not only were the Spice Girls here to stay, but they were almost inevitably going to top the charts with everything they release. I knew someone who bought this single because you could see Geri's legs on the cover, that's how effective their marketing seemed to be. It even made its was onto the Christmas episode of "Only Fools And Horses". Musically though it's really poor. 

Verdict - Rubbish

5. Madonna - Don't Cry For Me Argentina

Another hit from the musical film "Evita" which is the most painfully boring film I've ever seen. Part of the painfully boring watching of the film was sitting through this painfully boring song. 

Verdict - Rubbish

4. Lisa Stansfield/Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - People Hold On (Bootleg Mixes) (New)

"People Hold On" was the Top 40 debut for Lisa Stansfield back in 1989 and this remix took Lisa Stansfield back into the Top 40 for the first time in 3 years. The remix is done in the same style as the "Professional Widow" remix that was topping the charts. I have to say I consider this to be an improvement on the original.

Verdict - Good

3. East 17 - Hey Child (New)

It was shortly after East 17 performed this on Top of the Pops that the Brian Harvey interview with his ecstasy comments and that was the end of East 17 as we knew them. This record however gave an insight as to what East 17 without Brian Harvey could be like as Tony Mortimer takes the lead and he's singing rather than rapping. If this was the future sound of East 17 though maybe it's just as well they finished as this is pretty poor if I'm honest.

Verdict - Rubbish

2. Backstreet Boys - Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) (New)

The 4th Top 40 hit for the Backstreet Boys and 2nd penned by Max Martin and Herbie Crichlow, but no Denniz Pop with them this time. It became their highest charting hit to that point, a sign that American pop singers backed by Swedish songwriters were here to stay. Unfortunately it's mostly crap.

Verdict - Rubbish

1. Tori Amos - Professional Widow (It's Got To Be Big)

My initial thought when first hearing this was wow Tori Amos has made a pretty decent record. In reality the original of this was abysmal and Armand Van Helden has done a remix which is basically a completely new record that samples vocals from the Tori Amos record. It gave Tori Amos her only number one and would be her penultimate Top 40 record to date.

Verdict - Good

If we give the records which were good 1 point each and those which were OK half a point, the final score is 11/30, or 37%. We're slipping again.