Flashback Friday: Nik Kershaw - Drum Talk (Extended 12" Remix)

"I let the drums do the talking"

I've been sort of rediscovering 80's pop star Nik Kershaw now that his breakthrough debut album, Human Racing, has been reissued as one of those fancy two-disc remastered sets. While the first disc is the album we're all familiar with, the second one is full of remixes and bonus tracks. It's a remix that I want to highlight today. Drum Talk is one of my favorites from the album as is, but this extended version just makes it that much sweeter. It's not heavy on melody (the way I usually like my pop songs), but that's not what this particular track is about. The vocal part of the song doesn't even really kick off until three minutes in. However, the percussion in this is just so wild that it doesn't really matter. It's like they threw all the production into a blender and turned it on high. If you're unfamiliar with Kershaw's work (and most of it is much more song-oriented than this!), pick up this reissue. It's a great place to start.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy (and sample) the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Elton Versus Pnau - Good Morning To The Night

"Turn around to say good morning to the night"

We've got a really cool project on our hands here. Australia's Pnau, who had my favorite single of last year, have been granted access to Elton John's masters from his back catalog. Given this incredible wealth of material, they've been charged with reinterpreting/remixing his hits. An album is forthcoming, but for now we've got the first taster. Good Morning To The Night is a reswizzling of the classic Elton track Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters, though to be honest you're not going to hear much from the original melody. It's really just a line from the chorus, and not the one you'd probably expect. I hope that further tracks utilize more pieces of John's indelible melodies, but this is still very cool. I need to hear the rest of the album NOW.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Follow their soundcloud page here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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The Face - Suicidal

"Don't ask me if I'll ever see you again"

Thanks for Paul over at FizzyPop for reintroducing me to this band. I say "reintroduce" because I wrote about these guys ages ago when they went under the band name Pandering & The Golddiggers. They had a couple of great tracks posted on various websites, but never found the mainstream success they deserved. Now they're back as The Face, and they've brought a handful of new tracks with them. You can listen to them all on their soundcloud page. My favorite is Suicidal, which is a great straightforward dance song. Simple chorus... not reinventing the wheel... but it's definitely effective. I love the electro beat and the trade-off of vocals. The spoken, BWO-esque middle eight just seals the deal. I can't wait to see what they come up with next.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to more here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Movie Review: The Hunger Games

I first read The Hunger Games two years ago and adored it -- thought it would make a good movie, in fact. Flash forward and here we are, with a monster hit adaptation. I won’t go into the story or the characters, since if you’re reading this you’re probably already familiar. I had my doubts about some of the casting (mainly Peeta and Gale), but I’m happy to say that, though it doesn’t touch the Harry Potter series, this is one young adult lit adaptation that doesn’t suck.

Filmed primarily with a naturalistic eye, and led by the incredibly effective Jennifer Lawrence, the movie deposits us immediately into the impoverished, rural setting of District 12. This is a science fiction future that, barring a few of the more outlandish flourishes, feels startlingly real. I’d put that down to the genuine emotion in every frame, and the decision to forego massive CGI overkill in favor of grit and texture.

Of course, it’s not all trees and dirt. The decadent Capital is well-rendered, despite being populated by a cast that looks like transplants from a Lady Gaga tribute act (which I guess was probably somewhat intentional). The film, like the book, pauses here for awhile before getting to the nonstop action of the Arena. This was one of my favorite sequences in the book--a barbed skewering of reality television and the entertainment industry. It doesn’t register quite as powerfully on screen, but the film still hits all the right notes.

Then we’re whisked off to the Arena, where the action really kicks in. Those tense minutes as the Tributes are being released into the game are some of the most harrowing moments on film in the last few years. The stakes are high--about as high and personal as they get. The violence is never gratuitous but always unsettling. It’s one thing reading about kids killing kids, and quite another seeing it on screen. It’s brutal, but effectively so. From this point until the end of the movie, it’s nearly constant suspense. The “cave scene” with Katniss and Peeta, my least favorite in the book, has thankfully been shortened for the film.

At nearly two and a half hours, The Hunger Games is the rare epic-length film that flies by. It’s relentlessly paced, taut in both story and character, and just as shocking as it needs to be. Now, it’ll be interesting to see what they do with the next two books--especially since this first one is widely considered to be the best. A-

QUICK VERDICT: Must Go

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Track-by-Track: Madonna - MDNA

As far as Madonna listeners go, I'm in the "fan" category, but far from the "obsessive fan" that seems to make up the bulk of her base nowadays. Her 80's stuff is legendary pop, but to be honest none of her work has really struck me since the turn of the millennium (Hung Up excluded). So it's with curiosity and a little hope that I approach this album. After all, it's her "divorce record," so she should have some interesting things to say, right?

1. Girl Gone Wild - A straightforward club/dance track. Honestly, after the kitsch of first single Give Me All Your Luvin, this is kind of a relief. It's dialed back a bit, but still has enough of a hook to stay with you. Not her most memorable, but a good opener. 9/10

2. Gang Bang - Probably the most demented song she's ever recorded. This is Madonna fully embracing camp (which, let's be honest, is kind of appropriate at this point in her career). It's bound to split opinion with its Kill Bill inspired lyrics and theatrical, ridiculous vocal performance, but I find it incredibly entertaining... if only because she's finally not taking herself so seriously. 10/10

3. I'm Addicted - Hearkens back to her late 90's/early 00's days, even though this isn't one of the William Orbit produced tracks. Lots of electro squiggles and production flourishes. Still, it feels a bit like (good) filler. 8/10

4. Turn Up The Radio - The first Martin Solveig collaboration on the album, and the production sounds quite similar to his hit, Hello. But I like the pure-pop melody and the summery, sugary melody. I just wish the lyrics weren't so obvious. 9/10

5. Give Me All Your Luvin' - The first single, and it makes much more sense in context of the album. I still hate the "L-U-V-Madonna!" bits. They're cringeworthy. And the guest raps are unnecessary. But beneath all that, there's a good song in there. It's growing on me. 8/10

6. Some Girls - Now we're back on track. This song was bound to be good, given the collaborators involved. I put much of its success down to Klas Åhlund, who writes/produces much of Robyn's best work and had his hand in this song as well. It shows. Interesting production and a hook that sneaks up on you. 10/10

7. Superstar - The lyrics are horribly lame, but like Turn Up The Radio, this has enough of a shiny pop hook to almost overcome them. I just love the sound of it. 9/10

8. I Don't Give A - Similar to the last song, the lyrics are a little suspect (everything just seems to literal on this album), but the production is insane. It's got the best beat on the album--a relentless hip-hop/rock combo. The operatic outro just seals the deal. 10/10

9. I'm A Sinner - This is the track that's grown on me most since I first heard the album. It fits right between Ray Of Light and Music in her discography, sort of an older cousin to Beautiful Stranger. In that way, it's classic Madonna (rather than "chasing-trends Madonna"). 9/10

10. Love Spent - One of the many tracks with a focus on her recent divorce. I don't know... I just find it a little tedious. Maybe it's because it comes after I'm A Sinner. I like the folk influence, but it's not enough to make this a standout. 8/10

11. Masterpiece - Previously released on the W.E. soundtrack, this is the only classic Madonna ballad on the album. It's not one of her strongest. Pleasant, yes, but it doesn't leave enough of an impression to stick. 8/10

12. Falling Free - Another ballad, though this is far more interesting than the last one. The melody has a strong folk influence and the production is pretty subdued compared to all the tracks that have come before. 9/10

BONUS TRACKS:

13. Beautiful Killer - Should have been on the album. Again, it's got that Madonna circa 2000 sound to it. I love the straightforwardness of it, and the fact that it references her divorce without being completely consumed by it. A breezy, thumping pop song. 10/10

14. I F****d Up - This starts as a swirling midtempo but quickly becomes something much more interesting. As the music builds and quickens, the song improves. If the first half wasn't quite so long, this would've been perfect. 9/10

15. B-Day Song - I just find this kind of stupid. Maybe it would have worked back in the 80's... or sung by someone else. I like the 60's girl-group influence, but the Beat Goes On sample annoys. 7/10

16. Best Friend - Yet another track chronicling her divorce, and easily the worst. It's like a page out of her diary, recorded over clinky production and a plodding melody. 6/10

Album Grade: 8.7/10

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Flashback Friday: Frank Stallone - Far From Over

"You made your choice and now my chance is over"

Whenever I feel like I need a burst of energy, or even a release of nervous energy, I put this song on and let it just take me away. It is an incredible piece of over-the-top cheese. And when I say over-the-top, I mean so far out that you'd need a pair of wings to catch it. It's pump-you-up music, and it also marks the sweet spot during the early 80's where disco was fading and colliding with rock and new wave. I'm a particular fan of this era, as I think disco-rock is one of the most entertaining and underutilized genres in pop music. Far From Over is taken from the soundtrack to Staying Alive, the "sequel" to Saturday Night Fever. It was Frank Stallone's biggest hit (and yes, that's the same Stallone as his brother Sylvester), but I prefer to think it was due to Vince DiCola's influence as co-songwriter that this song is as amazing as it is. You see, DiCola also wrote my childhood anthem, uber-perfect power ballad The Touch from the 80's Transformers soundtrack. So, his work has been ingrained in me from a very early age. Everything's so serious nowadays. Where are big, cheesy songs like this one?



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Fun. - We Are Young (Alvin Risk Remix)

"We can burn brighter than the sun"

More and more, I'm coming to absolutely covet a good remix. I especially like it when slow to mid-tempo tracks are converted into full-on club stompers. I also really like the fact that Fun. have hit number one in the US with their slow-burning single (seriously, it was released like half a year ago) We Are Young. Though I'm not 100% sold on their album, I can't even describe how awesome it is that a pop/rock single hit the top spot. It shouldn't be such a rarity, yet it is. This remix is just... I have no words, honestly. It's exactly what a good remix should be. It turns the track into a surging, euphoric dance anthem, yet retains the structure and melody of the original. The instrumental bits after the chorus are EPIC. Play this loud.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to Alvin's other stuff here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Eva Simons - I Don't Like You

"I've gone cold in the heart"

It's the return of Eva Simons! A few years ago, at the height of Gaga popularity, Simons seemed to be a rising star capable of matching the crazy-fun pop of her contemporaries. Then, after a couple of failed singles, she kind of fell into obscurity. She did sing on an Afrojack hit, but it's great to hear her come back on her own. She's returned with a sound that's more straight-up dance/club than her earlier stuff. At first, I Don't Like You sounds pretty tame... even generic. Then it hits the chorus, and all bets are off. The vocals stretch up to the stratosphere and everything explodes. Club music has well and truly hit the mainstream, which makes this a wise career shift for Simons. Here's hoping it goes better this time.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy previous songs here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Carly Rae Jepsen - Both Sides Now

"I've looked at life from both sides now"

There's a reason I love watching singing competitions. Sure, there's a ton of crap to wade through, but every once and awhile you unearth a gem. Sometimes it takes these gems awhile to find success (Swedish Idol's Loreen, who will now represent her country in Eurovision with a massive European hit), and sometimes it's pretty instant (UK X-Factor's One Direction, who will debut at number one this week in the US). Carly Rae Jepsen is in the former camp. Sure, she's had some nice success in her home country after participating in Canadian Idol a few years back. But now she's got a worldwide hit on her hands. Being allied with fellow Canadian Justin Bieber certainly helps, but I prefer to think the quality of the song has something to do with it too. Jepsen's new EP is out now and among the original tracks is a wonderfully poppy cover of Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now. I'm sure some purists will scoff at the radio-friendliness of it all, but a good song is a good song. I love the original, but I like the driving pop production of this too.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Summer Camp - Better Off Without You

"I'd be so happy"

Even though tomorrow's the first day of Spring, Summer's in the air around much of the country. Sadly, that doesn't include my little corner of the world, but that doesn't mean that I can't get into the Summer mood. Today's song takes me straight to the beach (where I wish I was now). The aptly named Summer Camp takes influences from the 60's and the 80's and melds them together to create an irresistible cocktail. For longtime readers of this blog, the song's perched somewhere between the Pipettes and Delays. From that opening boogie beat to the catchy-from-the-get-go chorus, it's really a timeless piece of pop. This could have been recorded anytime in the past thirty years and been successful. At this particular moment in time, it's a very refreshing piece. More of this, please!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Flashback Friday: Moving Pictures - Back To The Streets

"They always return to the rock and roll beat"

There is so much amazing older music that I don't get a chance to feature on here that often. So, I'd like to start a new feature. Every Friday (or maybe most Fridays, depending on the week), I'm going to highlight a track from the past that could easily stand next to the current stuff I usually write about. Today, I've got a song by Moving Pictures. They were an Australian band who released two albums in the early to mid-80's. They're best know for their (excellent) power ballad What About Me and their (even better) track from the Footloose soundtrack, Never. Back To The Streets is the lead track on their hard-to-find second album, Matinee. It's a classic, rollicking power-rock song with soaring vocals. I wish this kind of music was still in vogue today. It's got such drive and ferocity to it, while still maintaining an ultra poppy core. And Alex Smith's lead vocals are flawless.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Taio Cruz - World In Our Hands

"We've waited all of our life"

Time for some totally mainstream pop. Taio Cruz has well and truly broken through internationally, which makes it kind of strange that he's having such difficulty positioning this new album. Track for track, it's probably stronger than his last one, yet its release keeps getting pushed back in the States. It's only been released in some European countries. Perhaps it's down to the lead single. Hangover is excellent melodically and production-wise and I'm really loving it, but the lyrics are dire and pretty damn irresponsible to be putting out to the youth that are bound to listen to his music. World In Our Hands is far more uplifting. It's Cruz in his comfort zone, melding anthemic melodies with massive, wall-of-synths production. It's dynamite (haha) stuff. Yeah, it's not at all original, but he knows his way around a glossy hook. Now, when is that album coming to our shores?



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the import here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Charlotte Perelli - Little Braveheart (ft. Kate Ryan)

"We're Dancing On The Street"

Another day, another dynamite Swedish pop song. This time it's from the legendary Charlotte Perrelli, who had my second favorite track this year in Melodifestivalen (even if it didn't make it to the final). Her new album's out now and, though it could have done with a few more uptempos, the ones that are there are pretty fantastic. Little Braveheart, a duet with fellow Scandinavian diva Kate Ryan, should definitely be the next single. It's got some massive production, similar in some ways to Eric Saade's Popular last year. They're both Fredrik Kempe songs, so that makes sense. His melodies are so distinctive (ie: sometimes identical). Charlotte knocks this one out of the park with all the gusto she can muster, which is pretty par for the course with her. I don't have much time for her ballads and midtempos, but the dance tracks are always something special. I wonder how this one would have done, had it been entered in MF 2012?



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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A Vote Is In Order!

Hey readers!
As you know, in addition to running this blog, I'm a young adult author (see book pic to the right of this post).

Well, my book, SKYSHIP ACADEMY: THE PEARL WARS is in a March Madness competition with other sci-fi reads for best sci-fi book of the year. It's gone through preliminaries and is now in the bracket round.

It's the third vote down. Mind casting one for the book? Thanks in advance (I'm a competitive guy)!

Link to vote

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Mimi Oh - Kom Hit Och Dansa

This year's Melodifestivalen may be over, but the fun of MF-related albums is just beginning. There are the big ones (when is Loreen's finally coming out?), but we can't forget the artists that didn't make the final. In the context of the show, Mimi Oh came and went with a pleasant, 80's inspired pop song. Before entering the contest (nearly a year ago, actually), she released an excellent Swedish EP titled 1986, which gives you a hint as to how it sounds. Lead single Kom Hit Och Dansa (Come And Dance) is so jubilant and catchy that it transcends any language barriers. Had it been entered in MF, it would have been one of the best tracks this year. It has such a real 80's sound and a chorus that doesn't let up. The video (below) is pretty awesome too.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Alphabeat - Vacation

"Take me anywhere"

I (and every other pop blogger, it seems) am so excited to be able to write about Alphabeat again. I know I toot my own horn about this all the time, but alienhits was one of the very first blogs anywhere to write about these guys way back in 2006, just as they were about to find mainstream success in their native Denmark. So, I've convinced myself that I have some sort of stake in their career (or something like that!). Anyway, they're back with the first single from their upcoming third album. After some time flirting with 90's dance music, they're back to their ultra-jolly, ultra-poppy brand of euphoric bubblegum. Vacation is like Fascination Pt. II, which is kind of cool because it brings them full circle. It absolutely screams Summer, which is excellent if you're stuck in the gloomy Northwest like I am. Some bands just get how to do pop music. Alphabeat never really puts a foot in the wrong direction. They are pop.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Melodifestivalen 2012: The Final

Here it is folks... the grand finale! Fingers crossed that Sweden chooses wisely!

** Although the hosts this year have been far from my favorites, I'm going to miss Sarah Dawn Finer. She's got one hell of a voice, too. If only she'd make a decent album. Something produced/written by Jim Steinman would be EPIC.

** Loreen, Danny, David and Molly seemed to get the most applause at the start, with Loreen noticeably louder.

** Whoa! Holy silver pants, Eric!

** This is weird. Has the previous winner ever come back to perform like this before? And now he's flying??

** Haha! I love the unintentional audience shot of the woman checking her phone at the end of Eric's performance!

** Time for performances

DAVID: The audience still loves him, but where will he place? I'm guessing anywhere between 4 and 6. I've had my issues with this song, but it's a great energetic opener.

THORSTEN: He's riding high on the andra chansen victory, clearly. I've tried to get into this song several times but it just doesn't quite do it for me. Still, I think the "older vote" will up his chances. I predict a finish between 5 and 7.

DEAD BY APRIL: Though they went direct to the final in Heat One, I just don't see this standing up well against the other acts. Maybe I'm completely underestimating them, though. Still, I think we're looking at a placing between 7 and 9. Frankly, it's more than they deserve.

LISA: Her song was super popular directly after she got through during Heat 4, but I think it's lost some luster since. It's a fine song, but too subdued to challenge for a win. But I think she'll still do well, finishing between 4 and 6 (mostly because people like her).

TOP CATS: This just screams last place, but you never know. However, I do know that it's my least favorite of this year's final. Anything more than a placing between 8 and 10 would shock me. Of course, I'm shocked they even made the final.

LOREEN: Well, she certainly has a warm reception. I just hope it all doesn't backfire! She needs to win this. Anything less than a place between 1 and 3 would be a travesty (though it's honestly not going anywhere lower than 2nd place at worst)

ULRIK: Poor Ulrik has to follow Loreen. It might chip away at his votes, though I'm not underestimating his fans. This should be a 3 to 5 placing, but I suppose it could go lower if the juries don't like it.

BJORN: I've really warmed to the stupid fun of this song, but I don't think it's going to finish in the top half. It's just too much of a parody (without actually being a parody). I predict it falls somewhere between 7 and 9.

MOLLY: Now this I can see doing very well. Probably not winning, but it'll be the top placing ballad this year (though it's kind of the only real ballad in the final, I guess). It's no Empty Room, but I think this will place between 2 and 4.

** What is up with the live feed? It was doing great all show and now the dreaded buffer seems to be back in full force. Argghh...

DANNY: The presumed frontrunner for so long, but his song just isn't as good as it should be. Still, he's the only one besides Loreen who could conceivably win. I wouldn't absolutely hate it, but Loreen's song is MUCH stronger. He'll place between 1 and 3 today. The pimp spot at the end of the show certainly doesn't hurt.

**PREDICTIONS**
So, to reiterate, here are my predictions (I'm aware there's some overlap!):

(1-3) Loreen, Danny
(2-4) Molly
(3-5) Ulrik
(4-6) David, Lisa
(5-7) Thorsten
(7-9) Dead By April, Bjorn
(8-10) Top Cats

And my stab in the dark as to how the Top 10 will look when all is said and done:

1. Loreen
2. Danny
3. Molly
4. David
5. Ulrik
6. Thorsten
7. Lisa
8. Dead By April
9. Bjorn
10. Top Cats

** Okay, results are starting. International Juries up first.

A bad start for Loreen, but a quick recovery. Danny, Loreen, David and Molly in the lead so far.
* Jury votes are all over the place. Loreen in the lead now.
* Tied now between Danny and Loreen. The UK only gave Loreen 6?
* Loreen in the lead again. David in second? Crazy!
* Danny back in second. Loreen still leading by ten.
* Danny gets more votes from the Ukraine, which has to be expected. Loreen still ahead by eight.
* David back up to three. Loreen increases her lead.
* Another first place from Germany to Loreen!
* From Jedward's homeland (haha! can't believe they said that), another first place for Loreen. Ulrik is doing quite nicely too.
* Loreen finishes the jury votes with a pretty big lead. Let's hope it sticks!

* Also doing better than expected with the juries: Ulrik (yay!), Top Cats (boo!) Doing worse: Bjorn, Thorsten, Molly

** Interesting reinterpretation of last year's winner "Popular" as a burlesque number. Not sure it entirely works, but it's entertaining nonetheless. The problem is, without all the flashy production, Popular just isn't that great of a song.

FINAL RESULTS:
(I think I got all these right. They didn't show the line-up for long)
1. Loreen! (by a landslide)
2. Danny (looks pissed)
3. Ulrik/David (tie)
5. Molly (surprisingly low public vote)
6. Top Cats (WAY higher than they deserved
7. Thorsten (public vote helped)
8. Dead By April (meh)
9. Lisa (shockingly low public/jury vote)
10. Bjorn (not too surprising)

YES! Now win Eurovisiion, Loreen!!
(Lisa and Molly got the lowest public vote? That's hard to believe!)

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Preview: Melodifestivalen 2012 Final

I've had no qualms in saying that this year's MF has been pretty weak, especially when compared with the greats. As usual, the quality of the songs was spread out in a very frustrating way (Week 4 being almost universally strong while Weeks 1 & 3 being incredibly weak overall.

It's all come down to the Final, which I will be live blogging tomorrow. According to the pundits (and pretty much every viewer), it's a race between Loreen and Danny. I am completely behind Loreen, who not only has the better song, but has the best song of the entire competition. So even if it's been weak overall, voters could still make this year worth it by giving her the trip to Baku that she deserves.

As a preview before tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to rank every single song from best to worst. The ones that ended up actually making the Final are bold. But honestly, wouldn't my top ten have been more fun?

1 Euphoria - Loreen
2 The Girl - Charlotte Perrelli
3 Stormande Hav - Timoteij
4 Kyss Mig - Axel Algmark
5 Don't Let Me Down - Lotta Engberg & Christer Sjögren
6 Goosebumps - Hanna Lindblad
7 Soldiers - Ulrik Munther
8 Mirakel - Björn Ranelid Feat. Sara Li
9 Amazing - Danny Saucedo
10 Just a Little Bit - Love Generation
11 Ge Aldrig Upp - Thomas Di Leva
12 Why Start a Fire - Lisa Miskovsky
13 Shout It Out - David Lindgren
14 Det Går För Långsamt - Mimi Oh
15 Aldrig Aldrig - Andreas Lunstedt
16 Land of Broken Dreams - Dynazty
17 Förlåt Mig - Mattias Andréasson
18 Why Am I Crying - Molly Sandén
19 Salt and Pepper - Marie Serneholt
20 Lovelight - Andreas Johnson
21 The Boy Can Dance - Afro-Dite
22 Sanningen - Carolina Wallin Pérez
23 Mystery - Dead By April
24 Jag Reser Mig Igen - Thorsten Flinck
25 Youngblood - Youngblood
26 I Want To Be Chris Isaac - the Moniker
27 Allting Blir Bra Igen - Opa!
28 Baby Doll - Top Cats
29 Sean Den Förste Banan - Sean Banan
30 På Väg - Abalone Dots
31 I Din Himmel - Sonja Aldén
32 I Mina Drömmar - Maria Benhaji

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Pop Blitz 3/8/12

Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe
I remember Carly from all the way back during Canadian Idol. It's great to see her rack up a worldwide hit. The song's good, too. It's the kind of straight-up pop track that doesn't come along very often anymore. I'd argue that that's why it's been so successful. People want this kind of music back. A-

Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
Speaking of massive worldwide hits, this is pretty much conquering the planet. And like with the last track, I think much of its success is down to the fact that it's a complete 180 from what's popular right now. That hook doesn't hurt either. B+

Madonna - Girl Gone Wild
Though her last single was a little embarrassing, it had its moments. This is straight up dance, which is really where she should be at this stage in her career. The verses are pretty forgettable, but the hook sticks. B+

Nicki Minaj - Starships
This is really a pastiche of popular 2011-12 tracks. There are the guitars borrowed from Pink's Raise Your Glass and the dance elements borrowed from almost every song of the last year. Yeah, it's catchy, but it's almost ridiculously unoriginal. B-

Katy Perry - Part Of Me
This track's been floating around for ages, but I'm happy that it's now a single. It's up their with Perry's best--uncomplicated, glossy power pop. Her strong singles reign continues. A-

Carrie Underwood - Good Girl
It's Carrie in uptempo, rocking "he done me wrong" mode. I really like the sound of this, but I feel like it's missing something extra that would have pushed it over the edge. B

Train - Drive By
I dread a new Train single. But, with expectations as low as they can be, this isn't too bad. However, it's not horribly, drill-into-your-head contagious like their worst hits, so it probably won't do that well. C

Your Choice: What's your favorite Pop Blitz song this week?

Pop Blitz 3/8/12 Your Choice!

Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me MaybeGotye - Somebody That I Used To KnowMadonna - Girl Gone WildNicki Minaj - StarshipsKaty Perry - Part Of MeCarrie Underwood - Good GirlTrain - Drive By

Free polls from Pollhost.com

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The Storm - The Chosen Ones

"We have no fear"

Three years ago, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs released their most recent album. I was obsessed (still am) with lead single Zero and, after hearing the follow-up, I was pumped that they were headed in a new direction musically. Then the album arrived and it became a case of two songs in a new style and everything else the same ol' same ol'. I notice this with a lot of bands. It's really thrilling when an artist chooses to completely reinvent themselves (like Donkeyboy did last week). Well, Denmark's The Storm has done just that with their new album, Rebel Against Yourself. In fact, in a lot of ways it's the album I wish the Yeah Yeah Yeahs would have released. Zero would have fit in perfectly. The Storm has always had a more aggressive sound, but this time it's fused to dance and 80's alt pop. They've already had a couple of huge singles off this release, but most of the album tracks are just as good. The Chosen Ones is a great example. It's pretty much propulsive, gigantic pop music from start to finish. That hook is just massive. (But unfortunately you're going to have to trust me, since no site online will embed the damn thing. For now, enjoy another of the album's tracks below...)



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Dragonette - The Right Woman

"Take a chance"

I was very excited to find a new Dragonette song in my inbox today. Their official new single, Let It Go, will be released later this month, but for now we've got this extra treat. The Right Woman, a collaboration with producer Plastic Plates, is part of a compilation, but it's also a nice holdover while we wait for the third album. It's a little heavier on the electro vibe than most of their stuff, but retains a poppy chorus. The band have been sharing previews of new material (including the single) on their soundcloud page and I definitely recommend heading over there to check it out. I have a feeling (especially after their success with Martin Solveig) that this third album is going to be the one to really break them big-time around the world.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy their previous album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Track-by-Track: Donkeyboy - Silver Moon

It's rare when a band is willing to experiment so much on a second album. With the success of Ambitions, Donkeyboy could have easily crafted a record full of clones, hoping to replicate success. Instead, they've taken influence from the excellent Bassflow mix of that same single and upped the tempo and electronic influence. It's exactly what I'd hoped they'd come back with.

1. Silver Moon - Opens the album in a swinging fashion, with a simple refrain and uptempo electronic beat. It's a great, straightforward pop song that would do well as a single. 9/10

2. City Boy - The first single, and one of the tracks that's just instantly catchy. The warped vocals of the chorus show up quite a lot throughout the rest of the album, but they're used so well. This has already been a big hit, and sounds like Summer (though it was released in Fall). 10/10

3. Drive - This borrows a bit of that squiggly instrumental breakdown from LMFAO's Party Rock Anthem (I know that sounds unlikely, but it's the best comparison I can make). Another really strong dance track. 9/10

4. Get Up - The first midtempo, and this is where the band's gift for melody really comes into play. That lush, beautiful chorus uses the female vocals (provided by frequent collaborator/practically 6th member Linnea Dale, I'm assuming) to brilliant effect. Definitely a future single. 10/10

5. Out Of Control - This is a huge surprise. It's far funkier and dance-pop influenced than anything they've done. In fact, it reminds me a little of fantastic Danish band Private, especially in its blatant 80's influences. I love this. 9/10

6. No More Movies - This feels a little like Ambitions with a higher tempo. It's one of the best tracks on the album because it melds the band's gift for soaring melody with their new-found dancefloor aesthetic. Pure pop bliss. 10/10

7. Pull Of The Eye - The second single, and an excellent choice. This might actually be my favorite song on the album. The vocoder-ized chorus is reminiscent of Eiffel 65, but in the best way possible. That hook is SO catchy. 10/10

8. On Fire - Back to the 80's influence. This is a good counterpart to Out Of Control, but it's not as strong melodically. I still love it, but it feels the closest to filler that this album gets, even though the production is stunning. 8/10

9. All Up To You - In a sharp right turn, this acoustic ballad hearkens back to their debut. Because it's so different from the rest of the album, it really stands out. Luckily, the melody's strong and it's a great break from all the intense production going on before and after it. 9/10

10. Darkest Night - A late album highlight. This is very Pet Shop Boys, but better than anything they've done in years. Immaculately produced, this has a driving beat that starts strong and never lets up. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. 10/10

11. We Can Be Friends - From Pet Shop Boys to something that sounds a little like Roxette, these guys have taken influence from some of the pop greats. This could easily be another hit single for them. 10/10

12. Stay - An anthemic pop song to close the album. They certainly don't go out with a whimper. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but this is yet another potential hit. This album is remarkably consistent. 10/10

Album Grade: 9.5/10

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Broken Door - Time For Changes

"Leave our troubled minds behind"

This single has been out for a little while now, but I feel that it really deserves to be getting more attention than it has up to this point. Broken Door's older stuff is more radio-rock, but this marks a welcome change in direction to a propulsive, dance-influenced anthem. The verses may not hit you right off the bat, but once that chorus comes in, it's golden. I'm assuming the guys produced this themselves, but it sounds a lot like a Bassflow production, which is an awesome thing. It also sounds like a song that would've done well in Melodifestivalen this year, had it been featured. Speaking of MF, I'll be away again tomorrow so won't be able to live-blog. But I'll be bloggin' for the final, where I am 100% Team Loreen!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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Donkeyboy - Pull Of The Eye

"You could be someone"

I really need this new Donkeyboy album in my life. Though I loved their first one, it appears that they've done exactly what I'd hoped they would for the follow-up. The tempo's ratcheted up, the synths are more prominent, and the band sound like they're having fun. After the brilliant City Boy, this is their newest single. It retains the excellent melodic skill found in their biggest hits, but adds a bouncy, summery beat and an earworm hook (does it remind anyone else of Eiffel 65?). If the rest of the record's half this good, we're in for a very big treat. Luckily, we don't have to wait long to find out. It's released at midnight (Scandinavian time)!



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

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