Annie - Anniemal

track by track....

1 Intro 5/5
The synths slowly build up to some kind of monkey orgy and then abruptly cut out before the climax.... "Shhhhh, let's start the record"
2 Chewing Gum 5/5
Sweet sweet sweet. Great intro to the Annie persona (it's pretty much a duet with herself). She sounds sexy, coy and cute as hell here. Great breakdown near the end "I don't want to settle down, I just want to chew gum!"
3 Always To Late 2/5
One of the weaker tracks appears early on the record. Despite adding a dark side to Annie's sound, "Always To Late" never really gets off the ground. It's enjoyable nevertheless
4 Me Plus One 5/5
This one sounds like an update of Orange Juice's lone charting single "Rip It Up" (scoring big points with me). Catchy as hell, with nods to countless 80s touchstones (check out the spoken 2nd verse, and the "Difficult" spell out.) "Feeling good on Top of the Pops"? One can only hope....
5 Heartbeat 5/5
The highest of the highs here. This track just might be my favourite single this year (Me Plus One is close behind.) At the same time uplifting and mournful, Annie's subtle vocal nuances tug at your heart. The whole track is one long glorious climax. Fantastic.
6 Helpless For Love 3/5
A decent, if unremarkable filler track. The chrous "oooooohhhh"s lift this one from a 2 to a 3.
7 Anniemal 3/5
In theory I should love this track. The hooks are there, it has a great bass line, and a really cool extended synth outro. Somehow it falls flat for me. Again, it's still enjoyable. I may come around on it with time.
8 No Easy Love 4/5
Hello early ninties. I like this track more than I probably should. This one sounds like Soul II Soul type urban dance. Plus that sample takes me back to my childhood somehow (though I can't quite place it) Annie's vocals again here are perfect. Reflective and sad. Lovely.
9 Happy Without You 2/5
Probably the low point of the album. All attitude and swagger but nothing that grabs me.
10 Greatest Hit 5/5
The quality shoots right back up with this stomper. This track would sound great during a night out. Big bass line, and a groovy synth squiggle. Intoxicating.
11 Come Together 4/5
A pastiche of early ninties indie-dance (a la Saint Etienne) and the disco (not disco) stylings of Aurthur Russel. A little too sparse sounding for a 5 but it is a definite highlight.
12 My Best Friend 4/5
So sad. Annie lost her soulmate shortly before heading to the studio to record Anniemal and "My Best Friend" is her farewell. Ending the record with the line "There's always someone out there" leaves a bittersweet taste of hope.

Anniemal is half dizzying highs, half enjoyable filler, but that's enough to make it one of this years best records. Certainly my favourite pop record since Kylie's "Fever" Hopefully the charts embace Annie with the same open arms.

Why am I doing this?

A place on the web for me to write words like "awesome" and "incredible" under pictures of the records I love (at that particular moment.) What's the point? There isn't one except to satisfy my music geek urge to tell anyone who will listen (there's an off chance someone will "stumble" on to the site right?) what songs I like and why they should like them too. Or at least check 'em out. Tell me what you think of it? What's your favourite track? Oh, you don't know the titles? You haven't listened to the whole thing yet.......