I am sorry to make it about myself again - but you signed up for this

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts

03/09/21 : The Other (Better) New Entries In The Top 10

Kanye was such an interminable listening experience that I felt I needed to reward both myself and the other new entries on the chart that week.

First up, we have You Signed Up For This by Maisie Peters who announces in the opening track "I still haven't got my driver's licence" (which has to be a not so sly nod to Olivia, surely) and it's definitely true the lass isn't the oldest person ever to make an album, but despite that it's a surprisingly mature and varied offering.  Yes, the songs do tend to revolve around boys and love, but she tends to take a wry view on the matter and she certainly copes with a break-up better than Ms Rodrigo (although she seems to get into quite a few relationships where her other half doesn't seem to keen to go public).  But it all bounces along nicely and none of the songs runs over 4 minutes, so they certainly don't outstay their welcome (unlike many of Mr West's offerings).

Wikipedia has a nice line on "John Hughes Movie", saying it intends to "encapsulate that foolish romantic energy of high school and everything that I, a small town English wannabe Molly Ringwald wanted to be, but was not".  The album cover also tells us she can carry off a pair of checked trousers in exactly the way that I'm pretty sure I can't (fortunately, it's unlikely any of us will ever have to find out though).  This was at #2 this week and only managed one more week in the chart before disappearing from view, which feels like a shame to me.

"Customers also listened to" Griff, Anne-Marie and Bebe Rexha (two of whom I've heard of, at least!).  Going back to Maisie, I'm certainly not the target audience for this but I still quite enjoyed it.

Next up, Screen Violence from Chvrches - who I have met before and like.  I was pretty much expecting the same from their new one, although not necessarily expecting it to hit the heights of their debut.  And, I'd have to say on first listen it hits the spot nicely - "How Not To Drown" stood out for me because Lauren's voice works really well with Robert Smith's and "Final Girl" for being nicely jaunty.  I like the album cover as well - even if I've no idea what it's on about.

This was at #4 in the chart this week and also only managed 2 weeks in the chart before disappearing from view - and there definitely feels like there should be more of an appreciative audience for this to me.  "Customers also listened to" The Naked And Famous, Lets Eat Grandma and Now, Now - fine names even if I don't know an awful lot about any of them.  But if you like Chvrches and missed this being released (like me) then check it out because there's absolutely no reason why you won't like it.

Next up, If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power by Halsey - and boy is that album cover designed to annoy middle America.  I liked Manic, her album from January last year) but hadn't heard anything from this so had no idea what to expect.  And yeah, I liked it but it's different from Manic being much more "rawk" - it reminded me of Paramore in places.  No particular track jumped out at me but I'm tempted to revisit it.  Nice album title and cover as well.

This was at #5 in the charts and also managed just the two weeks on the charts.  I haven't dived into the Wikipedia entries for the previous two album because there was nothing to them, but this one more than makes up for it.  For instance, I now know the album cover is inspired by "Virgin and Child Surrounded By Angels from Jean Fouquet's two-panel Renaissance oil painting called Melun Diptych" - I apologise if this was obvious to you.  And yes, there was a censored version available for Walmart and Target stores.  I also learned that Nine Inch Nails did the production on the album - and from her entry (which features multiple pictures of her in which she looks totally different in most of them) I learned her real name is Ashley Frangipane.  Which is a fine name, but I suspect she's asked to spell it quite a lot.

"Customers also listened to" Bebe Rexha (again!), Demi Lovato and Ellie Goulding - but their fans probably didn't like this album as much as Manic.  They're really not very similar, but both pretty enjoyable and I will definitely try to go through this one again.

And finally, we have Only Honest On The Weekend by Becky Hill - some more straightforward pop (imho, despite her winning the Best Dance Act Brit award the other week).  I wasn't expecting to be challenged by this and that was absolutely fine - sometimes you just need some tunes.  

And yeah, there's nothing wrong with any of it.  The singles jump out for me, probably due to familiarity but "Better Off Without You", "Remember" and (particularly) "My Heart Goes" are all fine tracks.  It won't be for everyone, but it's vastly superior to a lot of other nonsense in the charts.

And this was at #7 in the charts - and must have lasted longer than two weeks, surely?!?  Yup - 12 weeks and she might even get a post-Brits bounce (she's been doing a LOT of publicity since).  Wikipedia doesn't have a lot on the album but does quote a fantastically snobby one star review from The Guardian - "seemingly designed for fast-fashion adverts during Love Island, with over-stuffed production that's about as robust and long-lasting as the minidresses sold therein".  Her entry also gives us a nice bit of pop trivia - she's the only The Voice UK contestant to have had a UK #1 single.

"Customers also listened to" - a very odd mix.  Anne-Marie, Tom Grennan, Lil Nas X and Ed Sheeran - errr, OK!  Yes, as Mr Sniffy Guardian says, it is pretty disposable but it's pretty fine disposable stuff nonetheless and sometimes that just hits the spot.

And, to finish up, let me make it clear that all of these albums are far more listenable than Kanye's marathon endurance test - if I had to pick just one, I'd go for Chrvches but they all fulfil their brief pretty well.

27/08/21 - An album for a lovely sunny day
03/09/21 - Avoid