A recent issue of Time Magazine had Josh Tyrangiel listing down the favorite songs of summer for 2008. These are the hit tunes by which kids and those somewhat older would remember the summer of this year in future times. Last year’s top choice was Umbrella by Rihanna, which I think we got into late and thus became the song of summer for us, Pinoys. I cannot think of any other song performed adapted, rearranged or whatever else these past few months, which is just right given the amount of rainfall we got this summer.
But for those of you from the US and elsewhere here are Time’s 10 best songs of summer, 2008. All Summer Long by Kid Rock; Disturbia by Rihanna, Love in This Club by Usher; American Boy by Estelle; No Matter What by T.I.; Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis; A Milli by Lil Wayne; When I Grow Up by the Pussycat Dolls; Viva La Vida by Coldplay; and the controversial I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry.
Take your pick for which one will hold the most memories for you. But as for me, I really think Natasha Bedingfield’s Pocketful of Sunshine should have been among those included. I cannot think of any song released so far this year that fully captures the fun and brightness of summer. But unfortunately, it peaked too early in the charts, I think around February or March, this year, for it to make the grade.
But be it summer, winter or fall, rainy or dry, there is really no reason why one cannot enjoy a good album. And Bedingfield, a singer, songwriter and producer who is British and a sister to pop idol Daniel of If You’re Not the One and Gotta Get Thru This fame, really hit the jackpot with her latest CD. This one is also titled Pocketful of Sunshine. It is a remarkable third album for one of the most talented discoveries of this decade. Released some years back were her much-lauded debut, Unwritten and N. B. Those letters stand for Nota Bene but can also mean Natasha Bedingfield. Some of her early hits were Single, Unwritten and Say It Again.
Catchy, fresh and filled with commercial hooks, Pocketful of Sunshine has an easy, lazy vibe that grows on the listener. Bedingfield is a skillful songwriter and producer who knows when to be funny or emotional or when to dish out the beat or rein it in. The electro-infused title track is the best of the lot. It makes you want to strut while wearing a bikini on a sun-kissed beach. The reggae piece Love Like This featuring young hip-hop star, Sean Kingston is a fun dance number. Pirate Bones is a slick pop tune with some humor. And if you want a good ballad, she offers up Soulmate and Piece of My Heart.
But this album is no singles collection. It is a CD you can play over and over and enjoy more and more with every spin. You can also take your pick from among Put Your Arms Around Me, Happy, Angel, Backyard, Freckles, Who Knows and Not Givin’ Up. But in the long run, choice cuts are immaterial in this case, because the songs, nice, pleasant and easy, just come flowing one after the other.
From summer to autumn
From the sounds of summer, we now have the titles that herald the arrival of autumn. From Billboard Magazine’s Hot 100 List, here are the Top 10 singles: Whatever You Like by T.I.; So What by Pink; Disturbia by Rihanna; Forever by Chris Brown; Paper Planes by M.I.A.; I’m Yours by Jason Mraz; Viva La Vida by Coldplay; Closer by Ne-Yo; In the Ayer by Flo Rida featuring will.i.am; and Dangerous by Kardinal Offishall featuring Akon.
The Top 10 in the Top 200 albums are: The Recession by Young Jeezy; The Block by the New Kids on the Block; LAX by The Game; Rock N Roll Jesus by Kid Rock; All Hope is Gone by Slipknot; A Little Bit Longer by Jonas Brothers; Mamma Mia! the motion picture soundtrack featuring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and others; Lost in the Sound of Separation by Underoath; Hello Love by Chris Tomlin; and Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne.