In 2009 sisters, did it for themselves....well almost

The charts in 2009 are saturated by female acts or female fronted acts. The top four best selling singles of the year so far looks something like this - Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga, La Roux, Lily Allen. Female, female, female fronted duo, female. One year ago none of these acts were in any sales based end of year chart. One year ago the top 3 biggest selling songs of 2009 so far were by people the public had never even heard of. One year ago, was one year ago - we are now in the eye of an eighties storm. Everything electronic, technicoloured, brash, angular, androgynous and garish is back. Wandering round London town you can see 80s influence everywhere. The music, the advertising, the magazines, and most of all the fashion. Fashion is notorious for going round in circles, but the 80s throwback has slipped into pastiche.

Gone are the sixties girls groups that Winehouse lumbered us with back at the tail end of 2006. No more beehives, smokey eyes or mini dresses. It's all about leather, quiffs and excess. Lady Gaga has painted herself as the Madonna of our day, whilst La Roux fit into the box label with ginger, androgynous, electronic and duo created especially for the likes of Yazoo and Eurythmics. Florence and the Machine can be seen channeling her inner Kate Bush, Pixie her Kylie, Jordin her Pat Benetar and Beyonce has to be the closest thing this generation has to Michael Jackson.

The parallels between Knowles and Jackson are staggering. Pushy father, lead singer of a world class band goes solo, eclipses bands success, creates iconic image, creates iconic dance routine, dances, sings, becomes a brand. The one difference, which i think will be B's saving grace, is that she was only thrust into the lime light at about 16, more than a 10 years later than Jackson was. She had her childhood, she had her fun, it was time for her to conquer the world, and that is what she is doing. Look into her eyes, all you'll see is ambition, drive and determination.

Whilst this eighties look is working wonders for the girls, pushing it as far as it can go, the boys have to be a little more clever with it. If we take a look at the new video from ex-Ordinary Boy Preston, his eighties image stinks of pure trend following. Frankmusik, however, has worked the eighties electronic game by updating it rather than living it.

But how long can this last? Are the eighties on the way out before it's really got started, are we bored already? Are bum bags about to come back....don't bet against it!!

Glastonbury 2009

Now i have not written on here for a VERY long time. I've been here and there, moving to London, getting to grips with London, trying for the love of god to sort out Internet with Sky. But that's all over. I'm back, here, and one of the places that once was there is Glastonbury Festival 2009. Bringing my blog a full circle since my first ever post on the 2008 fest, i felt compelled to report, in short, my personal highlights of my five days of music at Worthy Farm down in Pilton, Somerset.

In order to maintain some briefness to the proceedings i will focus on the top five pop moments from Le Festival.

#5 - Frankmusik, dance east
A sheer beauty to look at in real life, pictures simply do not do Vincent Frank justice. Mesmerised by his good looks and electro hooks, Frankmusik was the perfect folly after a heavy viewing of solo female acts (see below). The jittery joy of '3 Little Words' was the definite highlight of the set, though he would have been a few places higher had his rumoured girlfriend and collaborator, Holly Valance, come on stage for a ditty or two - you know, just to mix things up a little.

#4 - La Roux, dance east
Proof that sometimes it is hard to prepare acts so far in advance, meaning that 2009 British breakthrough of the year - La Roux's presence in one of the smaller tents caused an over-flow that spilled out on the 'streets' of the Dance Village. I was lucky enough to find space in the outer-edges of the tent to experience a rather over whelmed and slightly bemused Elly Jackson perform the number one, the number two, the underground smash and a few choice cuts from the eponymous album. The highlight was of course that insatiable quiff, of which i am highly jealous!

#3 - Florence and the Machine, john peel stage
An energetic, eerie and bombastic set that raised the bar by literally climbing up it, Florence was on excellent form. Appearing in a simple short black bat-like outfit, Florence proceed to show the spirit of Kate Bush lives on with her earthy, rocky, and electronic sound filling the JP stage. She brought the house down with 'Dog Days Are Over' and created a Glastonbury moment with her magical version of 'You've Got The Love' (mentioned a few months ago on this very blog).

#2 - Lady Gaga, the other stage
Gaga at Glastonbury? Seeing was believing, topping the slew of pop acts that were present at this years' festival, Gaga proved why she is a unique force within 2009. With the creativity of Prince, the swagger of Madonna and a wardrobe from Star Trek, the Lady herself pulled out all the hits, all the costumes, all the props and all the butt cheeks in her nine song long set. Finishing with the second best single of the year (sorry 'Untouchable' is still slightly better) 'Poker Face', meshing an epic acoustic version with the upbeat original leading to a song touching the fifteen minute mark. All in all it was a performance that Glastonbury will probably never forget, or ever repeat.

#1 - Lily Allen, the pyramid stage
And finally we have the delicious Lily Allen at number one. Part of the Glastonbury family, she's as much of the frame work as Emily Eavis, Rolf Harris and the Cabaret tent. If she's not there, then it's probably not on. Decked out in a pink wig and blue jump suit, her set was humble, eclectic, bouncy and utterly laid back. Topped off by her dedication of 'Fuck You' to the BNP, i don't think this could have gone any better for Allen.

And so a little bit about the rest of the acts i managed to see. Will Young was charming, Black Eyed Peas: Big Budget, Bruce Sprinsteen = long, N.E.R.D. were anything but humble, Marina and the Diamonds: quirky, VV Brown was soulful, The Script only lived up to 'The Man Who Can't Be Moved', same with Jason Mraz and 'I'm Yours' (we either missed or he didn't do my personal favourite 'You and I Both'), Dan Black seemed to be on something, Mr Hudson and the Library had the rain to contend with and We Have Band had the expectations. All in all though it was a highly successful year for me catching some acts that i have been wanting to see for a while now.