The new single from Chess, who made an impact on the local pop scene with collaborations with Muxu, Jo Micali and U-Bahn earlier this year, is called ‘Can’t Get Enough’ and is a collaboration with music producer Luke Southwell.
Chess, real name Fran Galea, is 18 years old and a student of vocals at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) in Guildford, UK. She co-wrote ‘Can’t Get Enough’ with Luke, a 20 year old, British business student at the ACM, who is also a produce. The tune, which is a pleasant, medium beat love song featuring heavy early 80s-influenced analogue synth sounds with Chess’ developing, soulful voice layered on top in various layers, was produced and recorded in the UK.
Chess’ first single ‘Stilettos’ (written by Muxu) went to number 3 in 89.7 Bay’s Malta top ten and number one on XFM’S homegrown chart. ‘Making You Mine’, a collaboration with Jo Micali and U-Bahn went to number 2 on Bay’s Malta Top ten and was nominated in the Best Dance Production category at the Malta Music Awards.
The new single will be on sale on iTunes on 24 January 2011.
Radiohead dominate
Q magazine music poll
Radiohead‘s ‘OK Computer’ has been named the greatest album of the past 25 years by readers of the popular British music magazine ‘Q’.
The 1997 release, containing singles such as ‘Paranoid Android’ and ‘Karma Police’, beat off albums by Nirvana and Oasis to top the list of greats. Readers were asked to name the best album released in the past 25 years.
The band also took three other places in the top 30, compiled to mark 25 years of the magazine, with ‘The Bends’ at eight, ‘Kid A’ at 18 and ‘In Rainbows’ at 23.
‘OK Computer’ saw the group, which originally formed in Oxford in 1985, toying with progressive rock-style suites, in contrast to more straightforward guitar rock they had recorded until then.
The band also used unusual time signatures, including one on the track ‘Let Down’ in which guitarist Jonny Greenwood is playing in a different time to the rest of his band.
The poll shows the album has had considerable staying power in ‘Q’ readers’ affections. They voted it the finest release of all time 12 years ago.
The list, to be published in the February edition, sees Nirvana’s worldwide hit ‘Nevermind’ in second place, with Oasis taking the next two positions. Their debut ‘Definitely Maybe’ was third, while ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?’ was fourth.
Locals will be happy to note that U2 also managed a pair of albums in the top 10, with ‘The Joshua Tree’ at six and ‘Achtung Baby’ at nine.
In the entire top 250 albums listed by the magazine, U2 have the largest total of releases, while Radiohead have six. Muse and Oasis have five each.
Take That were at 240 with ‘Beautiful World’ and the recently rejoined Robbie Williams has one entry with ‘I’ve Been Expecting You’ at 223.
The Q Top 20 albums of the last 25 years list
1 OK Computer – Radiohead
2 Nevermind – Nirvana
3 (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? – Oasis
4 Definitely Maybe – Oasis
5 Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not
– Arctic Monkeys
6 The Joshua Tree – U2
7 The Stone Roses
– The Stone Roses
8 The Bends – Radiohead
9 Achtung Baby – U2
10 Black Holes And Revelations
– Muse
11 Is This It – The Strokes
12 A Rush Of Blood To The Head
– Coldplay
13 Parklife - Blur
14 Screamadelica – Primal Scream
15 White Blood Cells
– The White Stripes
16 In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
– Neutral Milk Hotel
17 Hot Fuss – The Killers.
18 Kid A – Radiohead
19 Funeral – Arcade Fire
20 American Idiot – Green Day