Shazamers' Blog

Candi Staton’s ‘You’ve Got The Love’ has remained a club favourite since it’s 1986 releases largely thanks to a slew of 90’s remakes; the most prominent of which mixes Candi’s legendary gospel vocals with the sleazy proto-hose stylings of Frankie Knuckle’s ‘Your Love’.
Recently interest in the record has seemed to increase with the use of the record in the finale of ‘Sex And The City’ (one for the girls) and Kasabian’s cheeky cover version which has been climaxing their live sets throughout the year (one for the fellas).
Although there’s more than enough versions of ‘You’ve Got The Love’ floating around, Florence & The Machine’s rendition of the song still comes as a welcome edition.
Florence’s vocals really shine when coupled with the familiartity of the lyrics, while the drama of the bands backing has made ‘You’ve Got The Love’ a great curtain closer at Florence’s live gigs.
The new video for ‘You’ve Got The Love’ is a Studio 54 themed affair complete with white suits, dodgy ‘taches and an amazingly on form Florence – who plays the roll of a flame haired sex vixen singing from crazy suspended half moon glitter ball.
Check out the video here.

Stephen Titmus Tag Of The Day Candi Staton, Florence And The Machine, Kasabian

Not content with discovering the likes of Bloc Party, Late of The Pier, Florence and the Machine and Friendly Fires (we could go on), Moshi Moshi Records continue to bring us vital new music in the form of The Drums. Recalling the sun drenched melodies of Brian Wilson accompanied with jangly post punk guitars, the four young men’s debut single ‘Let’s Go Surfing’ is the perfect introduction to their sound.

Taking from the sublime ‘Summertime’ EP, the track will make you clutch at the final remaining hours of summer we have left and has the catchiest whistling riff heard since Peter Bjorn & John’s  ‘Young Folks’.

The band head to the UK in October for the following dates:

Tuesday 20^th October – In The City Festival @ Night & Day, Manchester

Wednesday 21^st October – Deaf Institute, Manchester

Friday 23^rd October – Club NME @ Koko, London

Saturday 24^th October – SWN Festival @ Dempseys, Cardiff

Tuesday 27^th October – Barfly, London

Jon Davies News Florence And The Machine, Friendly Fires, Late Of The Pier, The Drums. Bloc Party

Although she may not have won the Mercury Music Prize last night as many industry insiders predicted, there are still no signs that Florence Welch’s rapid upward ascendancy will slow down anytime soon. Her debut album ‘Lungs’ has spent over two months in the national top 10 and her soon to be released single, ‘Drumming Song’, has been supported by all of the key industry tastemakers. Now, after enrapturing audiences on the festival circuit over the course of the summer, Florence And The Machine announce their biggest tour to date – the highlight of which sees Florence headline the Brixton Academy a year after she first played the venue as part of her debut NME Tour.

Florence And The Machine Tour Dates
December: Sun 06 Belfast Ulster Hall
Mon 07 Dublin Olympia Theatre
Wed 09 Glasgow 02 Academy
Thu 10 Manchester Apollo
Fri 11 Lincoln Engine Shed
Sun 13 London Brixton Academy

Presale tickets are now on sale. For more info check out www.florenceandthemanchine.net

Stephen Titmus News Florence And The Machine, Mercury Music Prize

Last night rank outsider Speech Debelle scooped this year’s Mercury Music Prize which awards the best British album from the last 12 months. Opinion was largely divided in to three camps in the Shazam office on whether the winner would be Florence & The Machine, Friendly Fires or The Horrors. However one fairly vocal lone voice in the office continually insisted Speech Debelle would win, and who’d have thought it, her opinions were rightly vindicated.

Anyway, congratulations to Speech Debelle, as you can see from the below video, it’s not just her fans that were assured of her success…

Stephen Titmus News Florence And The Machine, Friendly Fires, Mercury Music Prize, Speech Debelle, The Horrors

As always around this time of the year, talk turns to who will be the likeliest contender for the 2009 Mercury Music Prize. After Elbow’s win last year capped off an amazing rise in the bands profile, talk of the fabled “Mercury Curse” has somewhat died down – Dizzee Rascal, Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand have all continued to release rapturously received albums after winning the prize in recent years.

This year sees the inclusion of several female artists who have all been subject to varying levels of hype in the past twelve months, from NME darlings La Roux and Florence and the Machine to blogosphere favourite Bat For Lashes. The list also sees the, somewhat surprising, inclusion of popular acts such as Glasvegas and Kasabian. The award is often criticised for ignoring populist tastes; a critique that simply cannot be aimed at this years shortlist.

As always there are cases for each candidate. Friendly Fires have shaken free their early Nu-Rave copyists tag and released a great collection of songs. The Horrors have made one of the most surprising albums of the year; surely the Shoegaze revival sounds of ‘Primary Colours’ deserves the accolade? Then again, the outsider can sometimes steal it. Will Sweet Billy Pilgrim surprise us all? The list is already causing debate around the Shazam music team. Who is your money on?

Bat For Lashes – ‘Two Suns’
Florence And The Machine – ‘Lungs’
Friendly Fires – ‘Friendly Fires’
Glasvegas – ‘Glasvegas’
The Horrors – ‘Primary Colours’
La Roux – ‘La Roux’
Led Bib – ‘Sensible Shoes’
The Invisible – ‘The Invisible’
Lisa Hannigan – ‘Sea Sew’
Kasabian – ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’
Speech Debelle – ‘Speech Therapy’
Sweet Billy Pilgrim – ‘Twice Born Men’

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Jon Davies News Bat For Lashes, Florence And The Machine, Friendly Fires, Glasvegas, Kasabian, La Roux, Led Bib, Lisa Hannigan, Mercury Music Prize, Speech Debelle, Sweet Billy Pilgrim, The Horrors, The Invisible