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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Studio Killers - Eros & Apollo

"Every night they fall like dominoes"

I am so thrilled to write this post today. I've been waiting for Studio Killers to release their second single for an entire year. As soon as I heard their first one, Ode to the Bouncer, I needed an album from them. Now, I hope that album is right around the corner. If not, at least we've got this amazing track to tide us over. Eros & Apollo isn't all that different than Bouncer (the two share a similar hook, in fact), but that's totally okay because I am obsessed with these guys' sound. But the cool thing is, even though they have the most infectious sound in the world, they don't rest on that. Their lyrics are consistently brilliant. This track tells the cautionary tale of the ultimate alpha male--the guy all the girls go for even though he's no good for them (hence the Greek-referencing title). It's amazingly clever stuff. The video (below) is also addicting. In fact, it's even better than their stellar first effort. Now pull a "Sound of Arrows" give us that album, already!



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

Flashback Friday: Ya Ya - We've Only Tonight

"Don't fuss, don't fight"

This track, as far as I know, is pretty rare--as is the entirety of Ya Ya's 1984 album, Scarred. The pop/rock band is most known by their soundtrack work on various 80's films, but they deserve a wider audience. If you're a fan of big, bright power pop (and if you're reading this blog, the chance is pretty high), you're gonna love this. It was hard to pick just one track from their album to showcase, but I think this is a pretty good indicator of what you're getting with Ya Ya. Lots of energy, excellent use of synth riffs, and an overall catchy Cars-esque pop song firmly rooted in the 80's. Unfortunately, there's just not a lot of info about this group around on the internet. In fact, I couldn't even find a picture! I had to do with the cover of their album (above). Classify them under "hidden treasure," I suppose.

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

Daniel Bedingfield - O.V.E.R. U

"I don't miss you anymore"

Guess who's back? I used to be obsessed with Daniel Bedingfield's first album. I remember, my friend and I went to this radio concert and he was one of the acts. We made a sign to hold up (the first and last time that happened), but we were so far back in the stadium that there would have been no way he could have seen it. Plus, at that time nobody in the audience knew who he was so they just stared at us like we were insane. Regardless, I played that album to death and was upset when he didn't really go on to do much more music. Flash forward nearly a decade and he's released a new, comeback EP. It's not the perfect piece of work, but it definitely has its standout moments. If he were to pick a single from it, I'd totally go with O.V.E.R. U, which blends his classic, beat-heavy dance with a great, radio-friendly melody. Best of all, you can download the entire EP for free by clicking here! Pretty sweet, huh?



(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.

One Night Only - Hurricane

"I'm young, I'm on the rise"

So, last year the UK band One Night Only apparently released a third album. It's mysterious, though, because its availability seems to be scarce and tied (weirdly) up with Coca Cola advertising. In fact, more than anything it appears to be a tie-in to their little-known Coke single Can You Feel It Tonight. It's all very strange. That said, it's also got some great songs on it. Now, full disclosure: while I've loved the band's singles, I've never really enjoyed one of their albums start-to-finish. This one's no different, but there are definitely a few standouts worth mentioning. Hurricane opens the album in a stunning fashion, with epic instrumentation and an overall sound that reminds me of Keane in their Perfect Symmetry days. One day I'm going to compile the perfect One Night Only album. This would definitely be on 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.

Track-by-Track: The Wanted - EP

If One Direction are the new 'Nsync in the modern battle of the boybands, The Wanted are the new Backstreet Boys--more mature melodically, less punchy musically. They've already released two great albums filled with modern pop music, but I've never reviewed either of them on here, so I thought it might be fun to look at their first American EP, which is basically a Greatest Hits up to this point (with a couple of non-hits tacked on). Because of this, it's already got a leg up on most albums. After all, the Wanted are a strong singles group.

1. Glad You Came - The lead single from their second UK album, and the one that broke them in America. It's an addictive slice of tropical euro-pop and definitely Summer appropriate. Not their best, but close. 10/10

2. Chasing The Sun - Pretty much, "Glad You Came" part two, but I actually think I like this one better. One of the two "new" tracks on the album, this definitely deserves its single status. It's just ridiculously catchy. 10/10

3. All Time Low - Their breakthrough single, and still their best. Basically, what Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" was for alternative music, this is for pop (though I'm aware that describing Coldplay as "alternative" is pretty ridiculous, but you get the point). If there's any justice, this should be a US single. It's too good to go unknown. 10/10

4. Satellite - One of the "new" tracks on the album, this Ryan Tedder written track feels a little generic. I don't know... the melody just doesn't do anything all that interesting. Though it's nice to have a new track, I'd rather they would have included the excellent "I'll Be Your Strength" from the second UK album. 8/10

5. Lightning - Not my favorite single, but certainly not bad. I loved the melody the first few times I heard it, but it wore thin pretty quickly. I think they could've done something more interesting with the production. Still, overall the pros definitely outweigh the cons. 9/10

6. Heart Vacancy - I never understood why this was their second single after the brilliant "All Time Low." It's just such a basic boyband ballad. I've grown to like it much more than I used to, but it doesn't exactly stand out. 8/10

7. Gold Forever - The first time they really experimented with a dancier sound (paving way for "Glad You Came") and it's an utter triumph. The lyrics are a bit naff, but the band has always had pretty horrible lyrics. The song itself is magic. 10/10

8. Lose My Mind - The third single from their debut, and definitely one of their most underrated singles. It sounds a bit like what Kings Of Leon would sound like if they went pure pop. Excellent. 10/10

9. Warzone - A slower, dubstep influenced track from the second UK album. I don't remember this doing much on the charts. They definitely have better ballads, not that this is horrible or anything. 8/10

10. Rocket - I find it weird that, of all the non-singles they could've added to this last slot on the album, they chose this one. Maybe it's because some of the vocals sound mysteriously Backstreet Boys-esque? I love the production on this, but I would hardly consider it an album-standout. They've got a few 10/10 tracks they could have picked. Still, this gets a 9/10

Album Grade: 9.2/10

Reece Mastin - Shut Up & Kiss Me

"No need to tease me"

It seems like every other post on this blog nowadays is about some X-Factor contestant. But the fact is (despite the crappy US version), this series actually produces stars. Since winning last year, Australia's Reece Mastin has been catapulted into stardom in his native country. His post-show single, Good Night, was a massive hit, but we've all been wondering what his first official album single will sound like. As it turns out, the song sounds exactly like what I thought it would. But that's no bad thing. Mastin's blend of rock, pop and punk is bound to go down a storm on the charts. This track in particular is tailor-made for radio. It's catchy from the get go. Both hooks in the chorus stick. Mastin, like One Direction and Leona Lewis before him, is the type of performer that could potentially go global. It'll be harder, since the Australian version of the show is lesser known around the world, but with a song and image like his, I can definitely see it happening. What do you think? It's already on top of itunes in Australia.



(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.

Flashback Friday: Pia Zadora & Jermaine Jackson - When The Rain Begins To Fall

"You know that we can have it all"

In addition to being a music nut, I'm a massive fan of cheesy, obscure 80's musicals. The granddaddy of all of them is definitely The Apple, and if you haven't experienced that movie yet, make it your homework to watch it this weekend. I can't think of a more entertaining mess. Along the same lines is the mid-80's "comedy" Voyage of the Rock Aliens. The movie is pure insanity, barely holding together from one deliriously weird musical number to the next. It was a vehicle for actress/singer Pia Zadora and the artist line-up of Curb Records. It failed commercially, of course, and was never even given a release in the US. But it is pure, campy gold. When the Rain Begins to Fall, a duet (for some reason) with Jermaine Jackson, was actually a hit in Europe. I can see why. It's deceptively simple, but the melody sticks with you even if you don't want it to. The song opens the movie in a vignette/music video between Zadora and Jackson that has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the plot -- only one of the many reasons I love this weird movie. Check out the clip here. It's more than a little Lady Gaga-esque, right?



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

Aiden Grimshaw - Is This Love

"It's just not enough for me"

UK X-factor 2010 is the gift that just keeps on giving. I already knew it was the best/most entertaining season, but it's also turning into the season with the most interesting music releases after it's over. Aiden Grimshaw was a shock early-ish elimination, despite being a perceived frontrunner. He didn't really fit the reality show mold. There was something off-kilter and indie about him, so it's no surprise that his debut single is... off kilter and indie. That said, it's still a lot different than what I expected. Grimshaw goes for a dark drum and bass sound, while still retaining a strong sense of surging melody. It really doesn't sound a lot like him, and makes me wonder if the rest of the album (out this Summer) will follow suit. For now, this has definitely caught my attention. Will it do the same with mainstream audiences? I'm not sure, but maybe. And perhaps that's not even what he's going for.



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