@ About @

This CD compiles some of the best of 2004 tracks - I love a bit of early naughties pop but unfortunately I think Now 58 really has compiled "some" of the best 2004 tracks...

@ CD1 @

Most of the songs on CD 1 are considered RnB genre, and to be honest I think the compilation gets off to a bad start. Out of all the songs they could have picked they chose "some girls" to be their opening track for this disc. Which for fans of the Forza 2 sound track this is good news but I'm sorry this just isn't pop. The vocals are terrible and the beat is flat.

They do pick things up though with Lola's theme and anastacias chart topping track left outside alone. These are more dance like tracks and tend to be more upbeat. Left outside alone has excellent on key high pitched vocals too.

We all remember the milkshake song by Melissa in the early naughties but one of her less well known songs "Trick me" is the fourth track and my word she's good at making RnB. Exactly how it should be here - slow beat, great lyrics, and a voice that's on key. The song has a constant "woaaah woaaah" noise in the background which goes on for the whole track which is the annoying thing though.

Eamons "I don't want you back" is a very slow paced soulful rnb song. The sort of thing you'd hear on any good adult contemporary station - its the best in its genre. It expresses real anger at an ex girlfriend even with swearing (bleeped on this particular album but not on others) Ironically another song with swearing in it is straight after : FURB have always been a bit of gimmick group, they only made this one song in response to Eamons track and to be honest it's a terrible female cover of it. Less soulful beat and lyrics!

Dip it low is another RnB track on this CD and again talks about relationships. Not the very best of lyrics and the vocals never get high pitched or what I'd call "good singing". Outlast and the black eyed peas are right next to each other on this CD despite competing with each other back in early 2004 for the number 1 spot. Both have good lyrics but neither of them can sing, and outcast need to stick to indie rock music.

Flawless was a floorfiller back then but here's the thing: it had a dance beat combined with power ballad style vocals. It also has a weird robot voice for the chorus... Well at least it's variety? Mixing it up a bit and all that... Come as you are does not really belong on this CD, it was never really popular and that's because the singer is barely on key and it's rock music with a pop feel to it, the chorus just lacks oomph and vocal power.

@ CD 2 @

This CD starts better than the first. They kick things off with Every times hitch has a piano tune and a calm xylophone which is very misleading towards the power ballad like chorus. It has no beat as such but does have a standard 16 bars build up to the big thing.

Back to the dance theme again, 2004 was an excellent year for girls aloud and their song "the show" combines excellent instrumentals and electronic effects. When it first came out I loved this tune to death but if you released this today, it sounds about the age it is, it didn't stay in the charts long because it does become repetitive and annoying.

Finally we get some variety from the beats, and McFly with five colours in her hair which has a breakdown and build up every four bars for some reason, and then the chorus kicks in. It's the sort of song I'd expect from American Pie - one for college jocks, the lyrics are very fitting too, talking about girlfriends and women they like... Not the sort of lyrics that interest me but it's a lively song and it's good variety. Sugarbabes back in 2003 and 2004 did very well and in the middle is just another brilliant fast dance song from them. The break down is disappointing though, it lacks the usual powerful voice we get in their other songs.

Dragostea din tie is quite possibly THE most annoying song I have ever heard and became an Internet sensation on YouTube with a viral video. It is entirely in a foreign language but maintains a chorus for a long time, and repeats it several times in the song. Bubblin and it can't be right are two slow reggae rnb like songs but lack the good female vocals. They sound like the sort of tracks that have half the lyrical effort from the song writers. They don't make any sense either. I would expect more from blue but clearly not...

Move ya body has the best intro I are ever heard it has some fast talking MC with a Caribbean accent and maintains the exact same beat non stop from start to finish of the song. I love the fact that they have an equal share in female and male vocals since the MC just randomly shouts odd comments over the top of her.

1980 is a very diverse song which really speaks to me about poverty and the lyrics have an excellent effect. The singer talks about how she grew up in 1980's and had no money, very poor and a mainly in and out of jail. The beat is not so great but the lyrics do make up for it.

Eyes on you has such a good rnb beat and even has claps in between every second beat. The lyrics are too quiet though and even during the chorus the voice does not change and there are no effects. Pretty bland once it gets going. Ronan keeting has such an excellent voice in his more soulful works and I love his usual stuff but last thing on my mind is just not up to scratch. The female voice he joins on this track is good but she makes the lyrics barely understandable. This is a power ballad, but lacks the power.

To finish off with "someone like me" ends beautifully with one of the best piano instrumentals in pop music. The artist combines classical input with a pop beat and over the top vocals. Very high pitched and loud which almost drowns out the piano in the chorus. There is also a slight echo which makes it somewhat annoying but the effects other than echo such as flanger have a positive effect making this sound live, or like in a large echoing room. Shame the song only lasts for 2 minutes.

@ Overall @

This Compilation album really lacks variety, I mean one song then it's cover right on the next track? No rock? No power ballads? What about the other great chart toppers back in 2004 they are all missing. Not something I like and not the best in the Now series.

I think CD1 is just terrible but CD2 makes up for it,so it's really a 50/50 album. CD2 has more variety of genres like rock, pop, dance, rnb so a good mix of the tracks from 2004.