The less said of her first album I agree. But Sol-angel has it's moments and True is perfection at 7 tracks, Dev Hynes did great work with her. A Seat At The Table for me was worth the almost 4 year drought. Musically, lyricall and emotionally it just resonates and is political without being overbearing. Also you can clearly hear her work influence Beyonce on both Beyonce and furthermore Lemonade.

Is final year going well? I finished my Masters and I'm hoping to do a PhD but I can't get a supervisor. Everyone I ask seems to be either not taking people on or going on sabbatical leave Even L.A. is not taking anyone. I'm meeting the head of the law school on Friday to get it sorted.

It is ish thank you 😂 Got my first two deadlines next week and my dissertation is under way 😊 That's gutting getting by your supervisor together is a nightmare 🙈 What are you going to do your PhD in?

Hi Mimi. Nice to catch up with you here.

I have just been to Stockport Christmas Lights switch-on. I shall mention Union J to complete the picture, but the highlight was seeing Stooshe perform. Their quintet of songs, in this order, were Slip, Waterfalls, Uptown Funk, Let It Go & Black Heart.

Stooshe will be in Wigan tomorrow, together with Olivia Garcia.

I remember you being happy for me enjoying seeing Lola Saunders at a similar event just outside Warrington in 2014. I am therefore glad to be able to share this evening's event with you literally on the night.

Cool. What are you studying again? Good luck with the dissertation. I had to do one for my Masters. I've tried several lecturers. I tried L.A., the fairy one, R.K. and several others, but none of them are taking students on. I'm open to any area of law and my most recent plan was intellectual property law, possibly something copyright related, but the fairy one isn't taking students on for the time being. I'm meeting the head of the law school on Friday to sort things out. And L.A. isn't talking to me at the moment Are you going to see the Miracle on the Hudson movie next month? They finally made one It's called Sully and Tom Hanks is in it, playing the hero pilot.

I'm studyong History CNBC, I forgot to ask did you enjoy Britney's new album?

How is it? I do indeed I love it. It's a GLORYous album. Did you buy it?

It's great I love it savefor one of my modules but there is always one I absolutely loved it CNBC, it's a brilliant album from start to finish, herbest since Blackout and overall probably her second best album. Shame that for the fifth time!!!! she missed outon a uk #1 album .

Yesterday's Graham Norton show on Radio 2 was memorable. They had LeAnn Rimes & Little Mix as special guests. It was a very appropriate day for LeAnn to guest as it was 16 years to the day since Can't Fight the Moonlight reached number 1!

When Little Mix guested the subject of Jade's birthday on Boxing Day was mentioned. They played album tracks Oops & No More Sad Songs. The latter song was so good that I recognised the tune and liked it after just 1 listen!

Of course. I disliked a few modules I did in my courses too. I'm still looking for a PhD supervisor. Last person I asked was the fairy one and she's not taking anyone on at the moment. The meeting with the head of the law school was a disaster. I rank it as her third best after Blackout and ITZ but it is a great album bar about three songs. I didn't like Clumsy, Private Show or What You Need. Have you heard Mood Ring from the Japanese version? My internet is playing up so I have to use my phone. Argh!

I'm not all that keen on Little Mix except for a few songs it isn't all that interesting.

And awe I'm sorry to heart that CNBC I'm sure something will turn up. And I never really got ITZ it's okay but better songs were left off in place of other ones. And Private Show is awful And no any good?

Any Tori Amos fans I recently got into her and am loving her stuff.

Haven't been on this thread in a while.

I saw someone mention "most surprising album of the year". For me that title belongs to Kiefer Sutherland's country album Down in a Hole. When this was announced my first reaction was "oh God another carpet bagger jumping on the country bandwagon" but on listening to it you realise that it's actually really good. He knows what a country song should be, he's put together a solid backing band and it feels quite authentic. Vocally he is limited (he is an actor after all) but I think it works in a Leonard Cohen/Tom Waits kind of way

Not Enough Whiskey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7lUCghDJ7w

Can't Stay Away https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFdvRIKijzA

I'm not a huge country fan I have gotten more into it in intervening years so might give it a listen . Any other albums surprise you this year?

I've been re-listening to Lana's Ultraviolence for some reason she seems to have distanced herself from this record, but it's for me her strongest and most interesting body of work.

I think my fav album of this year has to be Sophie Ellis Bextor - Familiar.

I think my favourite album this year is Solas by The Answer. It's a huge break from what their past work, much more dynamic and interesting than anything else they've done. The song writing and musical arrangements are much more mature and the vocals more restrained.

Here's the title track https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgdIjwh9iq8

Interesting, I didn't like the lead single but really enjoyed Wanderlust. Is it worth a listen LM?

Well I'm looking at other universities now for a supervisor. The fairy one won't be taking anyone for several years. I like ITZ but hey each to their own I like Private Show the perfume but not the song. It is. DJ Mustard produced it so it's worth a listen. It should have been on the main album instead of Private Show or What You Need.

Good luck CNBC .

And I've listened it's okay, I enjoyed it but better songs on the album. For me Clumsy Private Show and What You Need shouls have been removed and better, What You Need, Mood Ring being added to the standard though i do have a soft spot for Copure Electrique.

Thanks I now have another problem. My favourite lecturer no longer speaks to me and I've been banned from going to her office or anything like that. She told the head of the law school and I had to sign a document saying I wouldn't go there. I'm now looking at doing my PhD in a different university. The fairy one is not taking anyone for several years. She's still away with the fairies I think I bet she still talks about Rentokil and animal hybrids. R.K. is not speaking to me any more either.
Those three songs should have remained unreleased or maybe Private Show should have been released as a standalone single to promote the perfume. I love Coupure Electrique, it's very Blackout-esque and dark. Her French accent isn't perfect but then it's hard to speak or sing French with a US accent. Change Your Mind (No Seas Cortes) should be a single but I bet people would compare it to JLo.

Yes. Give it a go when you have a chance.

Off to Wembley tonight to see The Cure.

Favourite album of the year goes to "The Weight Of These Wings" by Miranda Lambert, for me. It only came out a couple of weeks ago but I absolutely adore it. It's a double album and the second disc is just as good as the first. She can do no wrong, in my eyes.

I can't wait to see her when she plays in London next year.

Britney's "Private Show" perfume is lovely. I'd like to add it to my collection soon. The song isn't great but it's an earworm!

What are you all up to? I've just taken a look at my Christmas hours for work and they're not too bad. Sadly I am working on Christmas eve but I'm not in on New Year's eve thankfully. I have no car at the moment so I'm spending my day off watching re-runs of shows on Netflix. I'm switching between Gossip chGirl and Pretty Little Liars. I'm trying to watch the latter again because I got a little lost by season six.

Anyone else not feeling at all festive this year? I think that I'd happily sleep through it.



Hope you enjoy it. I like some of the Cure's stuff.

I bought a bottle of Private Show in the summer and I don't wear it all the time but I do like it. Don't like the song though.

Not feeling the Christmas spirit at all this year for some reason. I'd rather sleep through it all and just let it pass me by. I don't know why. Maybe I'm just becoming bored with the whole thing.

I've got a lot going on at the moment. I have my German exam tomorrow night (doing an evening course in my college), I'm writing my second academic journal article on an area of law I'm very interested in and one which is a bit controversial and I think I have finally found a PhD supervisor (research students need a lecturer to oversee the project and make sure the student is committing themselves to it). I contacted someone in a different college who is an expert on my chosen field (not the university I'm in) and he's willing to take me on but I need to write a research proposal outlining what I'm going to do and how I'm going to do it. My chosen topic is related to online copyright. I'll probably start writing it after Christmas and hopefully I'll be starting in February or March (aiming for March by the time the proposal is approved and everything) Can't wait! Once I have a PhD I can become a law lecturer. I'll be travelling a lot to conferences and publishing my research in academic books. It's going to be tough but I'm looking forward to starting. On a more negative note, I've been banned from talking to my favourite lecturer

Oh no! How come?

She accused me of following her around college and she felt I became overdependent on her. I did go to her office a lot and maybe she felt uncomfortable with it. I had to sign a document sayin I wouldnt do it again or go to any event she's speaking at