Lana del Rey - Believe the Hype !

 

"Its all marketing". "Its pure media hype". "She´s been bank-rolled by her wealthy father" .... all accusations that have been thrown at Lana del Rey who releases her long awaited début "Born to Die" this week.

Much of the fuss about her however has simply been a result of timing. At the end of the year when music magazines and media outlets have complied their top 100 / 50 best of the year polls they then desperately need to focus on new talent for the forthcoming year, cue one Lana del Rey.

 

Lana del Rey is really the persona created by New Yorker, Lizzy Grant, a husky diva and femme fatal  with a trip hop backbeat, or as The Independent on Sundays´  Simon Price put it, "a delicious  hybrid of Nancy Sinatra meets Portishead".

So after the covers of NME, Q Magazine, overload on message boards, features in the Sunday supplements....the million dollar question is ... after all the fuss, what about the music?

The albums proceeding singles "Video Games" and title track "Born to Die" set the tone for a truly compelling début release. The album is a dark affair and sometimes bleak principally due to the trip hop beats omnipresent on the bulk of the album however, this is compensated with beautiful production and lush orchestration and great songs. 

Melodrama, love gone wrong and doomed affairs mark the theme of many of the albums tracks.

The overall result is ample proof that despite all the hype Lana del Rey has made a unique and distinctive album and a record to silence the cynics.

video for the single "Born to Die"

10 Reasons Why we Love the African Cup of Nations (CAN)

Reason 10 - Its still a tournament relatively uncontaminated by megabucks.

As with all major sporting events the hand of multi-international marketing is inevitably close at hand. The CAN is no different, sure Orange sponsor the tournament and major brands such as Guinness, MTN etc are present but at a more lower key level.
Tickets don't need to be reserved a year in advance and apart from the games involving host nations Gabon & Equatorial Guinea (which are sell outs) group stage tickets can still be bought for €7.65 (compare this to €30 for the lowest match ticket at Euro 2012).

So 10 reasons to follow a fantastic tournament that kicks off today with the inaugural match being co-hosts Eq. Guinea v the "new" Libya. Eurosport is your TV destination for live coverage and highlights.

Obvious favourites are Ivory Coast but Senegal at 13/2 may not be a bad bet.

Enjoy!

10 Reasons Why we Love the African Cup of Nations (CAN)

Reason 9 - Great goals

The African Nations is no exception when it comes to spectacular goals. Long range drives, amazing free kicks or mazy skill induced individual goals have been in abundance at former tournaments. 

Here´s our pick from the 2010 tournament held in Angola. A beautifully placed unstoppable top corner "screamer" from Ivory Coast´s Abdel Kader Keita v Algeria.  

10 Reasons Why we Love the African Cup of Nations (CAN)

Reason 8 - The Fans

The late, great Jock Stein one said "Football without fans is nothing". 

For logistical and economic reasons (apart from when the host nation play) the average attendance at a typical CAN game can be minimal. Those supporters who do attend though are some of the nosiest, colourful and passionate one can find on the planet. 

These are the fans that make the African Nations a truly spectacular event with their nations flag dress codes, outrages wigs, body painting and constant noise and singing.
Dig out any old You Tube clip from past African Nations and there is a constant soundtrack of drumming, whistling that hold no let up during the 90 minutes.

Expect the same in this years tournament, especially when both host nations play.

Guinea, Togo and Angola supporters at Can 2008 & 2010

 

10 Reasons Why we Love the African Cup of Nations (CAN)

Reason 7 - Inevitable Penalty shoot-outs

Since the introduction of penalty kicks to decide tied matches in the 1980 tournament, dramatic shoot outs have been an integral part of the excitement of the tournament for the past 30 years.

Over that period of time on six occasions the final has been decided on penalty kicks. The most dramatic of these shoot outs being in 1992 when Ivory Coast won their only CAN to date beating Ghana 11- 10 on penaltys.

One of the most controversial shoot outs was in 2000 in Nigeria when, as co-hosts Nigeria faced Cameroon in a packed National Stadium in Lagos. After a 2-2 draw in normal and extra time, the game went to penalty's with Cameroon eventually winning. The Nigerian 4th penalty, taken by Victor Ikpeba clearly crossed the line after rebounding from the crossbar, but the goal want given by the referee or linesman (standing on the 6 yard area).

Highlights of this game and subsequent shoot out in attached youtube clip.

10 Reasons Why we Love the African Cup of Nations (CAN)

Reason 6 - Discovering New Talent

All international football tournaments are a fantastic showcase for young or relatively unknown players to showcase their skills in front of a global audience.
The CAN is no exception and here we propose 5 names that we feel will shine at this years tournament.

               

1 - Jordan Ayew - Marseille (Fra.) & Ghana - Age 20 - Caps 4 
2 - Pierre Emerick Aubameyang - St Etienne (Fra.) & Gabon - Age 22 - Caps 20
3 - Mohamed Diame - Wigan Athletic (Eng.) & Senegal - Age 24 - Caps 5
4 - "Lass" Bangoura - Rayo Vallecano (Esp.) & Guinea - Age 19 - Caps 2
5 - Randy - Las Palmas (Esp.) & Equatorial Guinea - Age 24 - Caps 6

* Jordan Ayew in action in La Ligue

10 Reasons Why we Love the African Cup of Nations (CAN)

Reason 5 - Creative Nicknames -

All the great African nations football teams have to have great nicknames. The formula in creating these nicknames is relatively simple. Take an impressive, grand sounding adjective and add it to a geographical feature or even better a type of animal typical from the country in question....ie: Cameroon (absent from this years tournament) are, The Indomitable Lions.

Here's a selection of 5 of our favourite nicknames from this years participating nations.

Morocco

Lions of the Atlas

Burkina Faso

Les Etalons

-The Stallions

Tunisia

Les Aigles de Carthage -

Eagles of Carthage

 

Angola

Palancas Negras -

Black Antelopes

 

Zambia

Chipolopolo

- The Copper Bullets

10 Reasons Why we Love the African Cup of Nations (CAN)

Reason 4 - Great Goal Celebrations.

The African Nations Cup has had some memorable goal celebrations over the years. The famous multiple back flips by Nigeria's Julius Agahowa in the 2002 tournament, but we like Ghana's, Asamoah Gyans dance v Nigeria from 2010.

This move started a dance craze in West Africa and Gyan featured it in the video for his single "African Girls"  which he recorded with Castro.

For some reason doing the "Asamoah" is not a popular move in the nightclubs in Sunderland.

10 Reasons Why we Love the African Cup of Nations (CAN)

Reason 3 - Great Team Kit

As in previous African Cup of Nations tournaments, German sports giant Puma is the kit supplier to the bulk of many of the top African nations and many of the top teams (Ivory Coast, Senegal, Ghana) will sport the kit featuring the "big cat" at the tournament.

What makes the African teams kits great is the replication of the nations flag (which in many cases is red, yellow & green). A colour combination that simply shouldn't work together in a shirt, shorts, socks combo but actually does. Our pick of the crop for this years CAN is the Mali away shirt made by the French company Airness.

A particular mention goes to Libya, who play in a major event after the downfall of the Gaddafi dictatorship. Their new Adidas made kit rejects the old national team and old regime colour of green and now features the countries new national flag in the federation logo.

10 Reasons Why we Love the African Cup of Nations (CAN)

Reason 2 - Political Intrigue & Débutantes

Egypt, current holders and seven time winners are the surprise omissions of this years tournament. After last years "Arab Spring Revolutions" which saw regime changes in Tunisia, Libya and in Egypt, the former two nations, despite the domestic upheaval just managed to qualify for the CAN as runners up. 

Domestic leagues in both Tunisia & Libya were suspended duing the upheaval and it will be interesting to see how both nations fare in their first major tournament since both countries experienced political change.

This years CAN also feature 3 nations making their first appearance at an African Nations; Botswana, Niger and Equatorial Guinea (who qualify as joint hosts) although its improbable that any of the three teams will make it out of the group stages, with the possible exception of Eq. Guinea being in the weaker of their respective groups. 

 

 

10 Reasons Why we Love the African Cup of Nations (CAN)

Reason 1 - Talented Players

You just have to look at some of the quality players who will be on show during the tournament. All major European club sides have representation at the event....Manchester City, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Chelsea, Paris St Germain, Arsenal, Marseille, Newcastle United, Lyon, Celtic ....  

Heres a fantasy 11 made up of some of the talent that will be present at CAN 2012.

1- Germain Sanou (St Etienne & Burkina Faso)

2 - Kolo Toure (Man City & Ivory Coast)
3 - Souleymane Diawara (Marseille & Senegal)
4-  Karim Haggui (Hanover 96 & Tunisia)
5- Siaka Tiene (PSG & Ivory Coast)
 
6- Adel Taarabt (QPR & Morocco)
7- Mohamed Diame (Wigan & Senegal)
8- Sulley Muntari (Internazionale & Ghana)
9-  Seydou Keita (Barcelona & Mali)

10- Didier Drogba (Chelsea & Ivory Coast)
11- Fredric Kanoute (Sevillla & Mali)

10 Reasons Why we Love the African Cup of Nations (CAN)

On January 21st, Equatorial Guinea will take on Libya in Bata in the inaugural match of the 28th edition of the African Cup of Nations.

This years championship (to be jointly held in Eq. Guinea & Gabon) will be the last year the tournament is held in an "even" year as following pressure from European clubs and football governing bodies, the tournament will move to "odd" years as to avoid World Cups & European championships.

Next years 2013 CAN will be held in South Africa after recent political turmoil in Libya.

In the next ten days prior to the tournament starting, we offer ten reasons why the African Nations is a fantastic football tournament and on a par (or even better) than the Euro & World Cups.

    

Three Music Tips for 2012 (3/3)

No. 1 - Ronika  

When an artist cites, Shannon, Gwen Guthrie, Tom Tom Club as major influences you know an early 80s inspired sound is not far off. 

Hailing from Nottingham, the Ronika vibe does indeed tip its cap to that early NY 1980s sound of Jellybean Benitez productions but in a clever and studied manner that make a very contemporary 2012 club sound.

Earlier offerings "Do or Die" and Forget Yourself" showed what Ronika was cooking, but her tour de force was 2011´s single of the year with the release in October of the ultra, ultra infectious "Only Only". 

Currently working on her début album and with a mass of critical acclaim constantly growing, Ronika looks like a sound bet for some of the best uplifting, infectious, hook laden pop we can expect in 2012.

 

Video for "Only Only"

For more info http://ronikamusic.com/

Three Music Tips for 2012 (2/3)

No. 2 - Frank Ocean

Having already written tracks for the likes of Brandy, John Legend and Beyonce, 2011 was the year that Frank Ocean emerged as an artist in his own right. 

His début release essentially a mix tape as opposed to a bona-fide album "Nostalgia, Ultra" was scheduled to be released via the Def Jam label, but after alleged internal problems the release surfaced as a free download on Oceans Tumblr blog. 

Time will tell when and with whom the début album will be officially released but rest assured major guest collabs and left of centre samples ( Ocean sampled MGMTS "Electric Feel" and The Eagles "Hotel California" on tracks on "Nostalgia, Ultra").

Kanye West, watch your back !

for more info - http://frankocean.com/

Three Music Tips for 2012 (1/3)

No. 3 - Strangers

London trio, Strangers have released three EPS during the course of 2011, each one building on the previous and demonstrate a band growing in confidence, stature and ideas.

The new EP3 and its lead single "Promises" (described by The Guardians Paul Lester as a futurist version of Elton John & Kiki Dees "Don´t Go Breaking My Heart) feature the vocal talents of Lara Smiles and obvious reference points are best bits of a blend of the sounds of White Lies and Hurts.

Check out the covers of Japan's "Ghosts" and Lana del Rey´s "Video Games" on the groups You Tube page, both these covers give an insight to the influences of a group we'll certainly be hearing more from in 2012.

For more info on Strangers - http://bornstrangers.com/