So, last week we predicted big things for Jay-Z (hardly putting our necks on the line - it entered at no. 4), Jazmine Sullivan (more of a risk seeing as the album was probably brought by anyone with an interest about a year ago - it was nowhere) and Florence & The Machine. The latter has had some pretty extensive coverage thanks to the Mercury nomination, but the single failed to dent to the top 40. Luckily, the album re-entered the top 10 and another track, 'You've Got The Love, also started to climb the top 75. Imagine if that were to become the next single? IMAGINE.
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Tongue N' Cheek by Dizzee Rascal
Tongue N' Cheek!? Tongue 'N Cheek!? Oh dearest Dizzee man, this really won't do. If you're using N' then what you're actually trying to say is Tongue AND Cheek, which just sounds like some grizzly meat order at some posh restaurant. Grammar issues aside, this is essentially Dizzee's coming out album...not like that, but in terms of him embracing pop and deciding that he's going to stop going on about knives and 'beefs' and concentrate more on going on holiday and dancing. It's not just about the three (three!) number 1 singles though, with the ridiculous 'Road Rage' taking in grime, drum n bass, techno and probably some jazz.
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Celebration by Madonna 
'Hung Up', 'Music', 'Vogue', '4 Minutes', 'Holiday', 'Like A Virgin', 'Into The Groove', 'Like A Prayer', 'Ray Of Light', 'Open Your Heart', 'Borderline', 'Secret', 'Justify My Love', 'La Isla Bonita', 'Papa Don't Preach', 'Lucky Star', 'Crazy For You', 'Who's That Girl', 'Frozen', 'Live To Tell', 'Beautiful Stranger', 'Don't Tell Me', 'Cherish'. Just a few hits to choose from.
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'FeelingPulledApartByHorses' / 'The Hollow Earth' by Thom Yorke 
Oh, we're not going into all of this again. Just scroll down a bit for more info. Cheers.
As someone kindly commented last week, The Big Pink single seems to have been pushed back a week so is actually out today. Think of our premature recommendation as merely a form of preparation, a way of doubling the fun when you see what we've recommended this week. Elsewhere, the Taken By Trees album sold about ten copies, which is fine, and the Jamie T album entered at number 2, one place behind 92-year old singing sensation, Dame Vera Lynn. Her Timbaland-produced effort is something to behold. Expect a feature on her very soon.
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The Blueprint 3 by Jay-Z
OK, so he may not be able to scale the heights of his previous works - especially given the fact he's the head of a massive corporation, sleeping with Beyoncé and friends with Obama - but The Blueprint 3 contains enough flashes of brilliance to keep the man at the top of the game. Featuring some stellar production from the American Dream-robbing Kanye West, Swizz Beats and Timbaland (as well as some perfunctory work from The Neptunes) and a guest list that includes Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Kid Cudi and Luke Steele, this is an album programmed to succeed. For the most part it does exactly that.
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Fearless by Jazmine Sullivan
The more eagle-eyed amongst you will realise that we mentioned this album about eight months ago, but it's so good that we decided to mention it again. As if to aid us in this reckless decision, Columbia records have decided to re-release the album via iTunes with an extra track thus allowing it to appear here. Thanks for that. Fearless isn't like most recent R&B albums for two reasons. 1). It isn't just two killer singles and a load of filler and 2). It isn't needlessly worthy or preachy (yes we mean you Alicia). It helps that Sullivan has an incredibly soulful voice, one that frays and cracks at all the right moments, like Lauryn Hill before she went nuts and shaved her head and moved to a Kibbutz.
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'Drumming Song' by Florence & The Machine
On our album, this is just called 'Drumming'. Why add the word 'song'? Are we to think that Florence's label needed to make sure we were aware that it is indeed a song and that without it we were all stumped. "What is this thing? 'Drumming'? It makes no sense. Ah, 'Drumming Song', I see". Anyway, our is not to question why, and sure everyone's probably bored of people prattling on about Florence and her machine, but you know what, the album's amazing, this song's amazing and in the video she dances like a gothic Beyoncé. Plus, this remix is very good too.
