Now That's What I Call Music Vol.70 - Various Artists

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Average
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	Great selection of songs
Disadvantages:	Not as many tracks on the discs as the old CDs

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

With a great range of artists, the team at Now That's What I Call Music have redeemed themselves with this latest offering. There are appearances from the likes of Kanye West, Calvin Harris, Duffy, The Tings Tings, Rihanna The Hoosiers and Timbaland, there is something to suit everyone.

The Series

The "Now" series was a project formed by record label giants EMI and Universal Music. Launched in 1983, the series continues to sell and to date, has obtained appoximately 75 million album sales worldwide.

The first compilation featured thirty UK hit singles from 1983 on a double vinyl LP or cassette. Currently Now albums are released on CD and via digital download.

The rate of release varied greatly when the series began, but more recently a Now cd appears to be released 3 times a year - one at Easter, another during summer, and the last in November in time for Christmas.

This Year's Compilation

The compilation, released on July 21, 2008, comprises of two cds, containing 21 and 22 tracks respectively. It is the 70th edition of the original series, and sold 383,002 copies in the first week - the highest weekly sale for any Now album. It is also the first in the series to include a digital booklet from iTunes.

Track List

Disc 1

- The more varied disk of the two, it is a collection of songs from a number of different genres.

1. American Boy [UK radio edit] - Estelle & Kanye West
Written by renowned rap artist Will.i.am, this song was at number one for four consequtive weeks in the UK singles chart. It was the song that introduced Estelle to America, and improved her status in the UK. A nice RnB melody with a catchy chorus line.

2. Dance Wiv Me - Dizzee Rascal & Calvin Harris/Chrome
One of the best collaborations of the year, between a UK hiphop artist and the self proclaimed creator of disco. This song went straight to to number one and remained there for four weeks. A great club tune that gets everyone dancing.

3. Singin' In The Rain - Mint Royale
This song was made famous by Britain's Got Talent winner, George Sampson, who performed a street dance to the track. This is one of the weaker songs on the album - it is very repetitive, and seems to go on for a long time.

4. Black And Gold [radio edit] - Sam Sparro
This song is all about God and evolution - something which may put off some listeners, but it is really clever in the way that it rhymes. This song reached number 2 in the charts and stayed in the top twenty for 17 weeks.

5. Warwick Avenue - Duffy
One of Duffy's slower, more ballad-y type songs. This one took a while to grow on me, but is definitely worth a listen. As the follow up to Mercy, it peaked at number 3 in the UK charts.

6. Love Song - Sara Bareilles
This song was allegedy written by Sara herself when her record company asked her to write a love song, and she didn't want to. It was initially released as an iTunes Song Of The Week, and is one of the more pop-y songs on the compiliation.

7. Sweet About Me - Gabriella Cilmi
Some may recognise this song from the Sure and Dove adverts. It peaked at 38 in the UK charts. I really don't like this song - I appreciate it is good but it's not really a genre I like.

8. Closer - Ne-Yo
Another of the best songs on the compilation, this song sees a more pop-y side to Ne-Yo. It reached number one in the charts based on downloads, and is a great song to dance to.

9. Can't Speak French - Girls Aloud
It seems that Girls Aloud can do no wrong at the moment. This song hit the top ten earlier this year, and was used as the theme song for the "Passions Of Girls Aloud" TV series. Probably not one of their best songs, but catchy all the same.

10. In My Arms - Kylie Minogue
This song is another credit to Calvin Harris on the compilation, as he produced the single. The princess of pop delivers another chart-topping song that you'll have stuck in your head for weeks to come!

11. Denial [radio edit] - Sugababes
One of Sugababes more edgy tracks, Denial is about a girl denying she was in love with someone, and then finally admitting it. Not my favourite Sugababes song, but a good one all the same.

12. SOS - Jonas Brothers
This was the second single from the band. I personally don't like Jonas Brothers because they are a ridiculously commercial by-product of Disney and their High School Musical enterprise. This probably does affect my feelings about the song as well, but again not one of my favourites on the album.

13. 10000 Nights - Alphabeat
Known as "10000 Nights Of Thunder" in the Netherlands, this was the second single released by the band. It is a catchy pop ditty that takes you back to the days of Steps and even as far back as Abba. It is one of the cheesiest releases of 2008.

14. That's Not My Name - Ting Tings (The)
This single was used for a BBC Radio 1 cinema advert. One of my favourites from the compilation because it is an alternative dance-pop track which shows the direction that music is moving into in the next few years.

15. Always Where I Need To Be - Kooks
This song isn't one that sticks in my head, but I do like it. The song is set to appear on the soundtrack for FIFA 09.

16. Propane Nightmares [radio edit] - Pendulum
This is a fantastic song in my opinion. It reached number 9 in the UK charts, and is a fairly epic track, beginning quite continentally before transforming into the drum and bass rhythm we all know and love. Definitely worth a listen.

17. I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You - Black Kids (The)
Taken from debut album Partie Traumatic, this song entered the UK singles chart at number 11. Not one of my favourites on the CD, but nevertheless a good song from this American indie group.

18. Heartbeat - Scouting For Girls
This song reached number 10 in the charts in 2008, and it is a really good song to dance to. It's very upbeat and in keeping with the rest of the songs from their album, as well as this one.

19. Turn It Up - Feeling (The)
This was The Feeling's lowest charting single, and although it is an ok track, you can see why. It's very samey, and not as original as their other songs. It is still a nice song to listen to though.

20. Cops And Robbers - Hoosiers (The)
The fourth single from their album The Trick To Life, Cops and Robbers is another quality hit single from The Hoosiers. Not really a track to dance to, but it's a great track, worth a listen.

21. Have You Made Up Your Mind - Paul Weller
I'll be honest here - I skip this everytime! I should really give it a chance but as yet I can't give you a review of it because I haven't heard it all the way through.

22. Violet Hill [new edit] - Coldplay
From the album Viva La Vida,this song was initially available as a free download. Violet Hill has a marching tempo and is quite a good listen - a compliment from me as I'm not a big fan of Coldplay.

Disc 2
- Of the two CDs, disk 2 is definitely more for fans of R&B, nearly every song is from that genre!

1. Take A Bow - Rihanna
A slower-tempo song from Rihanna, playing on the idea of her ex pretending that he loved her, like he was acting in a show. It is the fifth single from the Good Girl Gone Bad album, though the first from the Reloaded version.

2. No Air - Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown
A beautiful R&B song about going on without your partner. The single was grammy nominated and peaked at number 3 in the UK charts.

3. Heartbreaker [clean UK version/remix] - Will.I.Am & Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole appeared in the British version of this song and video as part of her task on the TV show "The Passions of Girls Aloud". A great song that reached number 4 in the UK charts.

4. Love In This Club - Usher & Young Jeezy
Perhaps not one of Usher's best songs, but still a great R&B hit. It was nominated for the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.

5. Touch My Body [single version] - Mariah Carey
A track taken from Carey's eleventh studio album. She's tried to update her image here, even giving You Tube a mention!

6. Better In Time - Leona Lewis
One of the few success stories from X-Factor, Leona Lewis wows us with another belter of a song. It got to number 2 in the UK singles chart, with B-side Footprints In The Sand.

7. With You - Chris Brown
I really liked this song, but got a bit fed up of Chris Brown turning the words "With You" into a dribbly "Wiiiiiiiiiuwiiiiiiiiiiiiioooooooooowiiiiiiiuuuuuu". Another 2008 MTV Video Awards nominee.

8. Stay With Me (Everybody's Free) [radio edit] - Ironik
I'm not keen on the chipmunk singing on this track - it's typical of the dire stuff you have to endure when you're sitting on a bus full of chavs. Not nice! It samples Westlife and Quindon tracks.

9. I Can Be [radio edit] - Taio Cruz
This song has come under a lot of criticism, because Irish radio station compared it live on air to All Saints song Pure Shores, and when you listen to the two, they do sound incredibly similar. The song got to 18 in the UK charts.

10. We Cry - Script (The)
I love The Script, and this is the debut offering from them. It is about overcoming the problems that life throws at you, and is particularly poignant because two of the band members lost parents around the time the song came out.

11. Break The Ice - Britney Spears
This is one of the songs Britiney has tried to use to relaunch herself after all the bad publicity she got during her breakdown. It is typically Brtiney in style, relying heavily on electronics, but still good to dance to.

12. Scream [radio edit] - Timbaland & Keri Hilson/Nicole Scherzinger
This track only got to 12 in the UK, which is surprising because Timbaland's productions usually climb much higher. A nice bit of R&B. Do you see a pattern emerging on this CD?

13. Low [album version] - Flo Rida & T-Pain
A 2008 club track, Low made it to number 2 in the UK singles chart. It's very catchy, and its easy to pick up the lyrics to the chorus and pretend you're gangsta!

14. Wearing My Rolex [radio edit] - Wiley
The video for Wiley's song featured girls dressed up as Vixens, rooting through rubbish bins. Wiley shows his talent as a solo artist - he was an original member of the Roll Deep crew.

15. You Wot - DJ Q & MC Bonez
This song stayed in the chart for two weeks, peaking at number 50. It's not a particularly ground-breaking song, it's not very deep at all, but it is good for dancing to in a club.

16. All I Ever Wanted [radio edit] - Basshunter
This trance song is from the album Now You're Gone. It was a British remix of a Basshunter song in his native language (he is Swedish). Possibly not as good as his first single, but still worth a listen.

17. Jumping All Over The World [radio edit] - Scooter
This is another song that I skip regularly, as I can't stand Scooter. I can't really give you a description of it or a verdict until I've heard it, but it is likely to be biased anyway!

18. Discolights [radio edit] - Ultrabeat & Darren Styles
This song is a nice blend of the styles of both Ultrabeat and Darren Styles. The song came out in June and peaked at 23.

19. Watch Out [radio edit] - Alex Gaudino & Shena
This is quite a funky little track, but sadly it only made it to 16 in the UK singles chart. I would definitely recommend it for a listen.

20. Cry For You [UK radio edit] - September
This is another catchy song, and though I'm not a massive dance fan, it's pretty good in my opinion. It got to number 5 in the chart, and is a big hit in clubs at the moment.

21. Toca's Miracle [UK radio edit] - Fragma
I wasn't very impressed by this track - it's just a re-release of a song that had already been released twice before. I can't really tell much difference from the other two versions, they are all very similar.

Pricing

Now 70 is available for £11.99 on HMV.com. In stores the album is usually sold at the list price of £18.99, so it is well worth going for it online if you can wait that long, especially if you have student discount too.

Conclusion

The best Now CD in a significant period of time! Worth the money this time, unlike some of the latest editions, and is a great addition to any CD collection.