Pixie Lott - 'Mama Do'
Pixie Lott, eh? With a name like that, I don't see how she was ever likely to not be a pop star. Not only would it be a shame to waste such a brilliantly showbiz name, but - and perhaps this speaks a bit of my own personal prejudices - I'm not sure I'd be able to take a dentist or a zoologist (for example) seriously with a name like Pixie Lott, because I would be wondering why they weren't off being a pop star instead.
(. I think I've seen this advert...is it for fabric softener?)
Anyway, theories of name-related determinism aside, what's all this about then? 'Mama Do' is mined from the same gently retro school of blues that guided Duffy to all those Brit awards earlier in the year. A school which, while unlikely to win any prizes for originality, does seem to have an uncanny knack for turning out earworms.
Speaking of originality, almost everything about this song sounds familiar in some way. The melody smacks of a less bleak retelling of Amy Winehouse's 'Back To Black', as performed by the Sugababes. Not that that's a bad thing, because pop music has always been about repackaging the familiar in a way that sounds new and exciting, but if you're expecting to get something truly earth-shatteringly different out of this, you may be disappointed.
However, what's here is put together extremely well, which helps rather a lot.
Pixie's voice shows bags of potential for the future - rich, deep and breathy, like a less-affected Joss Stone (a LOT less, so we're safe), and while the song essentially seems to be one long excuse for a chorus with little happening in the verses, it sure is catchy.
Also, Pixie is from Kent, and we need more pop stars who are from Kent (the fact that I am also from Kent may have something to do with my feeling this way), so that's another bonus. A promising start, then.
Download: Out now
CD Released: June 8th
´óÏó´«Ã½ Music page
(Steve Perkins)
"She has an enigmatic voice that ranks her to the other British female superstars likes of Natasha Bedingfield."
"The full title of the song is 'Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)' but is shortened most of the time to just 'Mama Do'."
"I stumbled upon Miss Lott a couple of weeks ago while browsing my Joss Stone RSS feed."
Comment number 1.
At 4th Jun 2009, pinkparadox wrote:I've heard some other songs by her (including a track produced by Red One) and now I'm v.excited about the album :)
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Comment number 2.
At 4th Jun 2009, Oliviaaa987 wrote:I think a better question would be "What would my mama do, if she knew her 17 year old daughter was sexualising herself in such an obvious and slightly cheap way."
Were I her mother, I'd be more worried about that, than her having a boyfriend.
However, while I am disappointed at the route they've taken for the video (I think a cooler, more Duffy style affair would have been better) the song itself is fairly good, and Pixie does indeed have one heck of a voice. Everybody should youtube her live, acoustic cover version of Use Somebody. This song really doesn't do her vocal prowess justice.
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Comment number 3.
At 4th Jun 2009, catman231 wrote:Hi Fraser, are you going to be reviewing any of Jack Penate's new material? Just I think it's ace!!!
R.V.S.P
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Comment number 4.
At 5th Jun 2009, thranjax wrote:I watched this with the sound off, so I can't comment on the music but the video seems to show what beautiful people do on their days off, which seems to be some kind of tart based martial art kata.
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Comment number 5.
At 5th Jun 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:Hi Catman,
Course we will!
Fraser
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Comment number 6.
At 5th Jun 2009, rockstar737 wrote:While I am disappointed at the route they've taken for the video (I think a cooler, more Duffy style affair would have been better) the song itself is fairly good, and Pixie does indeed have one heck of a voice.
Mic | [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]Rockstar
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Comment number 7.
At 11th Jun 2009, spirit wrote:Hello again everyone..
Pixie Lott - Mama Do
This is an absolutely huge summer tune, with absolutely huge commercial potential..
This will be a huge ,huge, hit !!!!
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Comment number 8.
At 19th Jun 2009, thranjax wrote:I've just realised that the martial art should be called kaTarta
Sorry.
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