Digital Spy Interview + Album Chart Show + confirmed tracklist

This is a no nonsense post. Enjoy.

DIGITAL SPY INTERVIEW
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/interviews/a214312/sophie-ellis-bextor.html
Following last year's summer smash with the Freemasons, 'Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)', Sophie Ellis-Bextor has proved that lightning can indeed strike twice by teaming up with the dance duo again from her cracking newbie 'Bittersweet'. In the middle of a promo tour for the single - and mere minutes before she was due on live telly - we managed to grab a quick chat with Mademoiselle E-B herself.

What's the response to the new single been like?
"Good, it all seems positive so far. I probably shouldn't say this but I think it sounds really good on the radio! I'm happy with how it's all shaping up."

What sort of chart position are you hoping for?
"God, I honestly haven't given it that much thought. I think whatever position means that the next single gets support and the album does OK. I think the more important thing is that it hangs around - a bit of longevity would be good, please!"

Have you decided what the next single's going to be?
"It's going to be 'Off And On', the track penned by Calvin Harris and Cathy Dennis."

You posted 'Off And On' on your MySpace page a while ago - are you worried that will affect sales?
"Nah, I don't think that's how things work anyway. I put 'Heartbreak' up a while before I released that too. Lily Allen put 'The Fear' up on her MySpace about a year before it came out and it still did really well. It's a new mix of the song too."

Any ideas on what the video will be like?
"Well, ages ago there was talk about 'Off And On' being the first single and I was approached by [director] Sophie Muller and she had some really good ideas for the video. I think it was something to do with having a fairground on my face! Hopefully we can revisit that idea because it sounds intriguing! I'd be foolish not to see what that's all about, wouldn't I?"

Is the album ready to go now?
"Yes, there's one song that needs a final tweek, and then we'll master it and sort out a running order, and then we're done. I think the next single will be out the last week of July and the album will be out the following week. Knowing me, that could all change, but that's what I've been told!"

There's an especially dancey song on your album called 'Revolution' - what's the story behind it?
"Well, I wrote it with Greg Kurstin and Cathy Dennis and it was actually the quickest song to write on my whole album. We started work at midday and Cathy had to leave by 4pm, and we even had time for some lunch outside in the garden, so it was probably about three hours' work. I think it sounds great - really fresh and quite heavy. The best bit is that it refers to 'Murder On The Dancefloor'."

Was the reference to 'Murder On The Dancefloor' intentional?
"Yes, very much so! It wasn't my idea - I think I'm too British to think of something like that - but Cathy suggested it and I really liked the idea. I think it's great if you've been around a while to reference yourself."

Do you think it will be a single in the future?
"I think so, maybe after 'Off And On'? The third single will either be 'Revolution' or a track called 'Starlight', which was produced by Richard X. I think that's quite a pretty song. I like all the songs on the album though, so I don't really mind what's a single."

What's your favourite track on the album?
"I like all the ones we've been talking about, but there's another song I did with Richard X called 'Magic' which I really like. I always know a song is a favourite when I start imagining myself on galloping horses - that often means I'm onto a winner! There's also a song called 'Dial My Number' which has a great electro vibe."

Would describe it as a dance album?
"Very much so - more so than any of my other albums. What I'm planning next though is an album that's really different. I think I need to do something different now and move on from the dance stuff. I might come back to it, but I think this album is a good way to bow out of the dance sound for now. I think it's finishing on a high."

Any ideas of what sound you might take on next?
"Yes, but I won't say just in case I change my mind! It's still couple of years away, but I still like thinking about these things now."

BITTERSWEET REMIX VIDEO (Watch @ DigitalSpy)
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/thesound/a214370/freemasons-remix-sophie-e-b.html

WATCH THE ALBUM CHART SHOW HERE
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9R08ZJ55 (Part One)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3RJSWF4Q (Part Two)
(many thanks to Paul)

CONFIRMED TRACKLIST
Gay Times Magazine, May 2010 - Sophie discusses each track. (someone please buy the mag and send in a transcript)
Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)
Bittersweet
Off & On
Revolution
Starlight
Magic
Synchronised
Cut Straight To The Heart
Dial My Number
Homewrecker
Under Your Touch
Scene
(hidesebastian from the PJ forums just posted that Not Giving Up On Love is a part of the album, no need to panic)

RANDOM:
She's done a duet with The Feeling on their upcoming album. It's called "Leave Me Out Of It". Oh and there's a bit of French on Under Your Touch. And the vocoder on Under Your Touch makes it sound like a Pet Shop Boys track - very good!

Here's what i hear, if anyone wants the lyrics:

UNDER YOUR TOUCH

Come, the night is waiting
I want to waste it on you
Voulez Vous?

Come, this invitation
Is only open to you
What you got to lose?

If i could be under your touch
Nothing would take me away
Cos i've been dreaming you up
Again and again

Baby i'm so ready for love
I'm so ready for love
Want to be under your touch
(Want to be under your touch)

You, you got me thinking
I'll break tradition for you
And make a move

Yeah you, my neon vision
My sole ambition to love
Let's make it true

If i could be under your touch
Nothing would take me away
Cos i've been dreaming you up
Again and again

Baby i'm so ready for love
I'm so ready for love
Want to be under your touch
(Want to be under your touch)

The way you've made me fall
It isn't logical
I had a craze and now all i want is you

So don't look and see
Come put your hands on me
On and on, nobody else will do

If i could be under your touch
Nothing would take me away
Cos i've been dreaming you up
Again and again

Baby i'm so ready for love
I'm so ready for love
Want to be under your touch
(Want to be under your touch)

Sophie on the Album Chart Show (dates)

Thursday 15 April, Daytime. Channel 4 - 10:55am - 11:30am
The programme is repeated on Channel 4 - Friday 23 April, 12.40am
Don't miss it.

Also, i hope you guys are still voting for Bittersweet.
http://www.mtv.co.uk/channels/mtv-dance/chart
http://www.20minutos.es/musica/top
Please keep voting. Radio 1 still hasn't playlisted the song.

Album Chart Show - Setlist + Reviews

Hold onto your seats.......

Sophie performed 5 tracks there, which included two songs that we hadn't heard in the past.
1. Heartbreak Make Me A Dancer
2. Revolution
3. Under Your Touch
4. Bittersweet
5. Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)

Here are some reviews

Karl Siniak
WOW! This album is going to be stunning! Under... Reminded me a bit if abba's gimme in the intro, and Revolution (which HAS to be the next single) features the line 'Murder on the dancefloor' in the first verse!! Also, if Bittersweet is the bigger louder brother to Heartbreak, then Revolution is the Daddy!

Churno
Just been to see Sophie at Koko and she totally knocked everyone's socks off! She was super, super nice. Totally upbeat after Kate Nash's full performance. She performed two tracks we haven't heard before - Revolution and Under Your Touch.
Revolution was BRILLIANT. Total club song. Really really strong and kind of different to anything she's done before.
Under Your Touch was a little more forgettable, but still in a similar club vein. I can hear the sound of the album from it. There is a real strong club sound to the whole thing.
She also did Heartbreak (opener), Bittersweet and Groovejet. The crowd really enjoyed her, she was interactive and really chatty. Janet and Richard were at the balcony cheering her on.

km-guy
Under Your Touch was quite good, i was so impressed how it is all shaping up to a solid sound for the album. but Revolution the pure standout at this point. Stunning!!! and you could tell that she absolutely loved it and loved performing it.
i was so impressed how she sang so well live. not in the sense that i doubt her ability but they are dance/club bangers and often they do not translate well live. but her band and her were so into it, especially the bassist. it was brilliant. very excited to see her tour this album, let alone hear the whole thing!
my video clip of Under Your Touch is just not good at all, but i got a very low quality clip of Revolution.
youtube is not working for me as i've never uploaded a video before, so i put it on some other site i found. http://tinypic.com/r/vghf2h/5

ethereal
She was amazing tonight. The new songs sound incredible and the crowd seemed really into it. I had the pleasure of talking to her for a while afterwards (ie, me telling her how amazing she is) and she was really lovely and chatty. I don't know if this is already known, but she told me she's going to tour the album in the autumn so that's good.
It (Under Your Touch) wasn't quite as dancey as 'Revolution' and 'Bittersweet'. My memory isn't that great, but it had a good chorus and was slightly more guitar-based. 'Revolution' was my favourite of the two; it definetly sounds like a potential single.

I have to say, i'm a bit worried that she performed Under Your Touch. This could only mean that either one of Magic or Sophia Loren will be cut out from the album. I hope it isn't Sophia Loren. It would be criminal to waste such a good song. And that "Sophia Sophia" intro serves as a great album opener....

Sophie on Album Chart Show + upcoming performances

Sophie is done with her radio tour. So far, we know that she was on two radio stations:
1. Real Radio Northeast (pictures from the session)
2. West FM 96.7 (the entire interview was up for download here)
(Thanks to LittleFish for the information)
Surely she'd have been on more Radio Stations, if anyone caught her on the radio, please post about it in the comments.

You might want to mark your calenders. We have two lives dates:
The Album Chart Show - March 29th, 2010
G-A-Y, London, England - May 1st, 2010

If any of you are attending the Album Chart Show, do leave a review in the comments section, and please make a note of the whole setlist. Thank you! :)