Elton John Versus Pnau - Sad

"I used to know this old scarecrow"

I don't generally post radio rips (which this is), but I'm so taken with this project that I can't help but get excited any time something new is released. I'm a big Elton John fan, and a big Pnau fan... so seeing the two combine in a dance/electronic/mash-up project is just really cool. Sad is what I assume will be the next single from the yet-to-be-released album, and it's more laid back and lyrical than their first. While it includes samples from Nice & Slow, Crazy Water, Curtains, Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word and Friends, it's likely the lyrical chunks of Curtains (some included above) that you'll recognize first. Luckily, Curtains just happens to be one of my favorite Elton album tracks. It's wonderful to hear it reinterpreted as a slightly jazzy, new age electronic piece. It has a very soothing feel to it, which honestly I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I am.



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

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Milla Jovovich - Electric Sky

"You know I'll always wait for you"

Actors turned singers is always a dicey proposition, though it seems to be happening more often nowadays. But when I heard that Milla Jovovich was coming out with an EP of her own, I was definitely interested. Ever since I saw The Fifth Element when I was younger, I've been a big admirer of her work. To use a word that I absolutely hate, she's "fierce." In all the best ways. Luckily, her music's pretty good, too. She's adopted a Goldfrapp sound, circa 2005 when the band was at their sleekest and most popular. An electronic pulse sets off the track and from then on out it's a cool, smooth electro pop number. Not the kind of thing that's going to set the radio on fire, but something that's definitely credible and fits Jovovich's personality. I can't wait for the video! I hope this is the general direction she'll be going with the EP and eventual album.



(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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The Adventurous Adventures of One Direction

Just had to give this a quick extra post, as I expect it will blow up and be everywhere before too long. In short, this is surprisingly hilarious and extremely well done. It's a long way since UK X-Factor 2010, huh?

Don't let the long running time stop you from watching. The creator(s) of this need their own series on TV.

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Scissor Sisters - Self Control

"It's hard to take it easy when you're unsatisfied"

Oh, man. I hate to even type this, but I'm just not feeling the new Scissor Sisters album. It's perfectly fine, sure, but even though I've listened to it at least five times now, I can easily say it's my least favorite--the least exciting--release they've recorded. I say this as a massive fan, an admirer of lead single Only The Horses, and an absolute lover of Let's Have A Kiki (which is by far the most memorable thing on the record). The rest, much like Adam Lambert's new one, is stuff that I'm desperately trying to connect to. I think one of the problems is that Night Work, their last album, was so so SO strong. Seriously, a masterpiece of the genre. With Magic Hour, it feels like they've taken a step back into a much more anonymous sound. I hear others talk about how the album is the weirdest the band's sounded since their demo debut, but I don't see it at all. Other than Kiki, there's nothing that comes even close to the wonderful weirdness of Electrobix, Bicycling with the Devil or even Making Ladies (b-side on their second album). What we get instead is something perfectly nice, but on the same hand... perfectly boring. One late album highlight is Self Control, which injects a welcome old-school dance vibe. Still, it's not as good as anything on the last album.



(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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Loreen - Euphoria

"We're going up, up, up, up, up"

Just as short post today, as it's a holiday today in the US. Now, I've written about Loreen since February when Euphoria was first unleashed, but I think she deserves a celebration post since winning Eurovision last weekend. It was absolutely, 100% SO the right choice, and I think the song's excellent itunes chart placements around Europe prove it. This is a song that has the potential to crossover worldwide, and Eurovision was just the agent to do that. It's exciting, because it's been awhile since the competition has introduced an artist to the world stage that actually has the ability to stand up with what's on the radio. Could Loreen eventually see Abba or Celine Dion success? Probably not. It's a different world we live in, now. But I wish her the best because she's totally capable of it. Now get that long-delayed album out! September is WAY too long to wait. There won't be a better time to release it than now, and we all know it's complete and ready to go. These decisions by her management continue to baffle me. Oh, and for what it's worth... my top five entries in this year's competition (it was slim pickin's): 1. Sweden 2. Ireland 3. France 4. Turkey 5. Albania



(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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Flashback Friday: Baby's Gang - My Little Japanese Boy

"You are my friend, my friendly Japanese boy"

Ah, italo disco. It really is unlike any other genre out there. It has such a distinctive sound of its own, totally recognizable as soon as you hear it. As a bridge between disco and more modern dance music, it took the ideas of the former and added the drum machines and electro riffs of the latter. It remains one of those strange genres that really only existed for a short period of time. Sure, there are those who imitate it now (and more to come, I'm sure), but it's not something that's really made a mainstream comeback. Although, I guess it wasn't necessarily "mainstream" in its own time, either. My overall point: italo disco is super cool, even in its inherent cheesiness. Baby's Gang specialized in the stuff, but they made it a thousand times weirder. Essentially, the group is "Baby" (you'll know her when you hear her... trust me) and her "gang," a chorus of heavily-accented women semi-singing. I know... strange stuff. But also strangely addictive. Their single Challenger remains a classic, but this one's nearly as good. Its political correctness is highly debatable, and it's beyond trying to understand, but just listen to the synths! Amazing. Plus, entering into this weekend of Eurovision (Loreen for the win, please), this seems somewhat appropriate in its randomness.



(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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Music Video: The Sound Of Arrows - Conquest

"I'm obsessed with this conquest"

It's rare that I'll dedicate an entire post to a music video, but there are some artists (very few, actually...) that produce videos of such a consistent quality that I look forward to them just as much as new music. The Sound Of Arrows released my favorite album of 2011 and are now on their fifth music video from it. Conquest was released earlier today and follows its predecessors with three minutes of gorgeous, 80's inspired fantasy imagery. Each video these guys produce is like a mini-movie. Strung together one after another makes for an incredibly strong marriage of sound and image. They have such an indelible, unique vision for themselves, which is increasingly rare in music these days. If you haven't picked up the album yet, you're doing yourself a disservice. At the very least, go watch all their videos on youtube--preferably in a row.



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

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Catcall - The World Is Ours

"You know that we are true"

This is such a great song to compliment the Zowie track that I wrote about at the beginning of this week. For one, Catcall is also from down under (she's from Australia, Zowie's New Zealand), but the music is similar too. It's a wonderfully edgy mix of pop, dance, punk and rock. The World Is Ours is the new single from the just-released album, and it's one of those anthemic, pump your fists indie tracks that grabs you by the scruff and takes you places. From the get-go, the song's punctuated by shouts, which soon segue into effortlessly, catchy verses. I haven't heard the album yet myself, but I'm looking forward to it!



(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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Databoy - Just Once (Audien Summer Radio Mix)

"You can be my one time Summer lover"

I've gotta thank Paul over at myfizzypop for this one. I'd never heard of these guys, but I am definitely a big fan of Summer, and especially Summer music. There's nothing better than driving around in the heat listening to pop music (well, okay, there are probably some better things...). Now, just in time for sunny nights (hopefully), we've got the suitably themed Summer Now EP, which is free to download on the guys' site! Though I definitely love the opening track, Lotion, it's the "Summer radio remix" of the track Just Once that comes at the end of the EP that I really find myself listening to. It definitely has a Scandinavian pop/dance sound to it... sort of like Danny or Eric Saade being produced by the Attic. In other words, I could imagine this blowing up on radio if promoted well, especially in Europe. So get it while the getting's free!



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

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Zowie - You Treat Me (Like I'm Software)

"You treat me like you don't even care"

I am obsessed with the beat of this song. It gets to you from the very first moment. It's just so... perfect (in that synthesized 80's way). Better yet, the song that accompanies it is every bit as catchy. The verses, especially, hit with a pop ferocity that we don't see enough of nowadays. The title's pretty clever, too. Zowie is from New Zealand and, though I've been aware of her music for some time now, it wasn't until I heard her full-length album (streaming on soundcloud) that I really fell in love with her. She's got the crazy Gaga-esque style but her sound is more electronic. Think Girls Aloud meets Yeah Yeah Yeahs meets Ladyhawke. In other words, you should be listening to this right now.



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

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Flashback Friday: Mark Spiro - She Doesn't Mean A Thing To Me

"Baby save the third degree"

Those who follow this blog closely will realize exactly why I picked this song to highlight based on just the few seconds alone. It's got those cheesy, chugging synths! They may be what some people hate about 80's music, but I am in love with this sound. Mark Spiro's song may not be one that a lot of people remember from the decade, but it's a solid piece of very 80's radio rock. It was featured briefly in cheesy cult movie Voyage of the Rock Aliens (which I wrote about earlier this year), but beyond that Mark Spiro did some songwriting for others in the 80's and released a string of albums starting in 1986 and continuing on to the present. I can't say any of his other stuff's interested me all that much, but there's something about this song that catches my attention.



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

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Ola - I'm In Love

"I'm a sucker when she pulls her game"

Ola Svensson never lets down pop fans. I could say that about many of Sweden's pop music exports, but I'm always paying extra attention to Ola. It used to be the fact that he was known to collaborate with the songwriting/production duo extraordinaire Tony Nilsson and Bassflow, but even now that he's moved on to new sounds, I still find myself waiting impatiently for new material from him. He's got such a cool, laid back persona and (in my opinion at least) the perfect male pop voice. It's instantly recognizable. I'm In Love is his new single and, even though it sounds a lot like his last album (which saw him moving toward a trendier, less interesting direction), it's still got the kind of incredible hook that marks his best work. The chorus is so stupidly simple, yet buoyant and much more fun than it seems on first listen. It's another great single in a discography full of them.



(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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Surferosa - Birthday Party

"It's your birthday, we're gonna celebrate you"

It's my birthday today! I'm not sure if I've ever done a "birthday post" before, but this one's gonna be short and sweet. Let me start by saying that I hate the traditional, American "Happy Birthday to you" song. Seriously, why celebrate with such a maudlin, depressing sounding melody? Nobody ever wants to sing it. I propose something new, something more like Surferosa's Birthday Party. True, the fact that they're an awesome Scandinavian band helps, but still...



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

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Icona Pop - I Love It

"I crashed my car into the bridge"

Some songs just blow in like a hurricane, stealing attention away from everything else on the radio. Icona Pop's new single, I Love It, has widely (and preemptively) been looked at as the best song of 2012. And really, when December rolls around, I wouldn't be surprised to see it towards the top of my own list. It's that good. Icona Pop are a Swedish duo making quirky, slightly aggressive pop music. They released an EP last year that was pretty good, but nothing could have compared me for this track. Being a creative person myself, I'd imagine it was one of those kinds of songs that just came from the ether... "inspiration," if you will. Of course, I know nothing about the songwriting process involved, but it just has such an urgent--yet ridiculously simple--structure and vibe about it. Hear it once... hell, hear half of it once... and you'll be singing it back. It's like Robyn's Dancing On My Own if that track was really, really pissed off. This makes sense, since the two share a songwriter in Patrik Berger. If that's not enough to get you listening, I don't know what is. (This embedded version has a few seconds of talking at the beginning. Ignore it. It's not on the single version)



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

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Flashback Friday: David London - The Sound Of The City

"New York speaks in your native tongue"

The early 80's Village People movie-musical, Can't Stop the Music, is widely considered one of the campiest b-movies ever made. Sadly, as a connoisseur of this genre, I can't agree. It's boring and overlong. Check out the Apple or Voyage of the Rock Aliens if you want real 80's camp. But even if I don't find the movie that (unintentionally) funny, the opening track is pretty damn joyful. David London's The Sound of the City is an excellent, deliriously upbeat disco-pop number. It's like a parade passing through your speaker, loud and bombastic and instantly singalong-able. David London is actually Dennis Frederiksen, who did a lot of session work and played with bands like Toto and Survivor in the 80's. He recorded another great song for the movie (Samantha) and an album under the David London stage name. This, though, is the highlight of his career. It's just so damned giddy!



(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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Adam Lambert - Trespassing

"Who are you and where are you from?"

Sadly, I've gotta say that I'm not really feeling the new Adam Lambert album (at least not yet). I hate to say it, because I've always thought his potential is just awesome. He remains the single most exciting thing to grace American Idol in its history, though I felt some of that excitement was lost on his all-over-the-place debut album. This new one's much more cohesive, but there are only a couple of tracks that have really stood out for me. The album's opening (and title) track is heads and tails above everything else that follows, which is a problem because it sets the standard too high. Still, on its own, it's everything I would like an Adam Lambert track to be. Trespassing is basically a sequel (almost remake) of Queen's Another One Bites The Dust. This may sound like a complaint, but it's not. It works wonders because no major song that's been released since Dust has sounded anything like it. Lambert's track might be a pastiche, but it's a truly refreshing one. It doesn't conform to any other sound that's on the radio right now, which is something that can't be said about most of the album. Honestly, he could be the next Freddie Mercury if he was given better material. More funky, epic rock and less electro trend-chasing, please.



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

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Scissor Sisters - Let's Have A Kiki

"Lock the doors!"

Could this song be any crazier? Let's Have A Kiki is taken from Scissor Sisters' upcoming album (which I haven't heard yet, but am dying to). It's reminiscent of their old demo stuff in the way that it's completely, utterly "out there." This, by the way, is a complete compliment. I love how this band can go from ultra-melodic, straightforward pop songs to something this weird. It's less a song than an extended spoken-word dance freakout. Ana Matronic hasn't sounded this inspiringly gonzo for several albums now (in fact, I'd go so far as saying she hasn't sounded this fresh since the band's debut). And this is all her track. Jake's really nowhere to be found. One question, though: did the band make up this word "Kiki" or is it some obscure slang I should know about? If not, it should be.



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

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Gossip - I Won't Play

"I gave you so many chances but you screwed them all up"

Music-wise, my weekend was primarily concerned with listening to the new Gossip album. I've never really liked any of their albums before (though I kneel to the amazingness that is "Heavy Cross"), but I'm liking the poppier direction they've gone with this one. No matter how you feel about the band, Beth Ditto has one of the best voices in music today. She can turn even an average song into something special. I Won't Play comes late in the album, but definitely leaves its mark. In some ways, it's got a similar sound to Heavy Cross, which might explain why I love it so much. The song really builds--from a catchy bassline to the chorus, which offers great rock and roll catharsis. Best of all, the melody is on point. It's got so many hooks, both vocal and instrumental, that make it both instant and impossible not to replay over and over.



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

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Keane - Sovereign Light Cafe

"We'd go down to the rides on east parade"

The new Keane album is out tomorrow and, though it's not my favorite of theirs, I'd definitely recommend it. For me, the band have really had two peaks. The first was their undeniably awesome (and mega-successful) debut album, Hopes and Fears. The second--and this might be more controversial--was their 80's-inspired Perfect Symmetry album. I seem to have a lot more love for that one than others. When Keane is at the top of they're game, they're pretty much unstoppable. Tom Chaplin has some of the best vocals of our time, and their songwriting is instantly identifiable as a hyper-melodic brew of genres. At one time, they were compared to Coldplay, but I'd take them over Coldplay any day. The new album is slightly more downtempo than I'd like, but there are definitely some amazing tracks that hearken back to the sound of their first album. Sovereign Light Cafe is the standout for me. It's a surging, anthemic piano rocker with nostalgic, Springsteen-esque lyrics. It would definitely go on a Keane greatest hits package as far as I'm concerned! As far as I'm concerned, the world can't have enough of songs like this.



(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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Pop Blitz 5/3/12

Cheryl Cole - Call My Name
One of many Calvin Harris-produced tracks out right now, this would probably benefit more if it didn't sound so much like everything else. Still, it's far from her worst single. B

Alexandra Burke - Let It Go
Another new dance track from another X-Factor related (in this case "winner of") singer. I don't like this as much as her last single, and there are parts that are stronger than others (the bridge, in particular), but (like Cheryl's) it's a solid B

Maroon 5 - Payphone
I had to give it to them with that Moves Like Jagger song (though it was ridiculously overplayed), but this is back to the downward spiral I feel the band have been in since their first album. It's so generic and... boring. C

Tulisa - Young
Back to the X-Factor related girls, and the fairly forgettable dance tracks. Despite a little more oomph in the vocals, I just don't think this holds together as well as Cole or Burkes' tracks. It's a little all over the place. B-

Justin Bieber - Boyfriend
I'm not sure it's the track he needed to officially break through as an adult artist, but it does become mildly addictive after a few listens. The production, in particular, is refreshingly weird. B+

Pitbull - Back In Time
I'm baffled by why we need a Men In Black III, but apparently we do and this is on the soundtrack. It's actually pretty good until Pitbull starts rapping. The production and samples are really interesting, but I would have preferred it as an instrumental. C+

Karmin - Brokenhearted
This is like Jessie J meets Ke$ha meets every other Katy Perry wannabe. I really can't get into it, mostly because it just sounds so trend-chasing. And the "cheerio" parts are very irritating. C

Your question

Cheryl Cole - Call My NameAlexandra Burke - Let It GoMaroon 5 - PayphoneTulisa - YoungJustin Bieber - BoyfriendPitbull - Back In TimeKarmin - Brokenhearted

pollcode.com free polls

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Marina & The Diamonds - The State Of Dreaming

"My life is a play"

I loved Marina & The Diamonds' first album, so I'm psyched to have new material from her. If you count the bonus tracks on the new album, there's quite a lot to wade through. As a whole, I'm not sure that it reaches the heights of the first one, but I need to spend some more time with it. After all, the first album took awhile to grow on me. But even if I need some time to let it sit, there are a few tracks that instantly struck me. I love it when Marina goes full-on 80's--surging melody, singalong hook. The State of Dreaming starts off slow, but soon catapults into one of the album's most driving beats, complete with orchestral flourishes and some of the sharpest production of the year. Marina's songs are always meticulously produced. That's one of the things I love about them. So what do you guys think? Have you heard the new album?

The song is (stupidly) blocked from embedding, so you'll have to click this link to hear it.

(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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Ulrik Munther - Soldiers (Stormby Remix)

"Before it's all over, you'll never be unforgivable"

I love this remix. To me, the best dance mixes take a track that's as far from dance as possible and totally switch it up. Ulrik Munther is not known for his club hits. I enjoy his music for what it is, though it's not necessarily my favorite genre in the world. But this mix takes his Melodifestivalen entry, Soldiers, and makes it something really anthemic. What I especially like is the way the remixer took the drum section in the middle eight and expanded it, adding it to the beginning of the track as well. Even more of this would have been cool. Beyond that, it's just surprising how well this works in a dance setting. The melody really shines, which is a rare thing in the remix world. If you like this, be sure to check out the guy's soundcloud page. His mix of Loreen's Euphoria is also really good.



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

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