Mikey Jukebox - Hello Dreamer

"You should take a look at who you are"

Sometimes artists and albums fall undeservedly through the cracks. It's a shame. And I'm actually almost embarrassed that I didn't know about Mikey Jukebox until this week. After all, the first version of his album was released way back in 2010. And he is AWESOME. I'm talking "top 10 album of the year" awesome. As a one-man band, he specializes in a mix of glam rock, retro rock and roll, and a touch of disco. his vocals are eerily reminiscent of Kristofer's from Melody Club. This is, of course, an incredibly amazing thing. In fact, it's so amazing that I had to post more than one track today. Hello Dreamer opens the album with a kaleidoscopic, stomping beat recalling ELO at their most euphoric. It's simply massive when played loud. Come On Along, on the other hand, is a straightforward 80's power-pop rocker with some deliriously singalong verses. It might just be my favorite track on the album. Seriously, you've gotta have a listen. I feel like this is buried gold just waiting for bloggers to strike.




(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 1/26/12

Santigold - Big Mouth
This definitely has some bonkers M.I.A. influence to it. I like the production (especially that frenetic hook), but I wish there was a little more focus on melody. Still, a promising return. B

Alexandra Burke - Elephant
I would have never expected such a lush, electronic sound from Burke. It's a pleasant diversion from the more straightforward pop of her debut. In fact, it doesn't sound anything like her. She's following trends, but this totally works. A-

Lana Del Rey - Born To Die
Lana's not the easiest artist to love, and the verdict's out on her album, but I really enjoy her singles. This has an epic atmosphere, though it's really pretty subdued. I love the hip-hop elements of the production and the melody's quite haunting and memorable in its simplicity. A

Chris Brown - Turn Up The Music
It's no surprise that he's continued to explore the clubby side of his music after his success in that genre, but unfortunately this isn't quite as strong melodically as past singles. Not bad, but not particularly memorable either. B-

Emeli Sande - Next To Me
Emeli's certainly going for the more serious side of pop music. This isn't particularly fun or innovative, but the melody's nice enough. Still, I can't say that this track would warrant my undivided attention if it came on the radio. It's pleasant. B-

Kelly Clarkson - What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)
To me, this is Clarkson-by-numbers. I like Kelly's music, but I have trouble picking this one out of the crowd. It's anthemic, yeah, but the melody feels recycled. It sounds like the commercial to some reality show. C+

Jason Derulo - Breathing
Shania Twain recorded a song a few years back with almost the same lyrics in the chorus. That's the thing about Derulo. Nothing ever feels new. He samples in nearly every single and the sample here (is it a sample?) is by far the best part. In other words, the parts where he's not singing are awesome. The rest... not so much. C+

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

Pop Blitz 1/26/12 Your Choice!

Santigold - Big MouthAlexandra Burke - ElephantLana Del Rey - Born To DieChris Brown - Turn Up The MusicEmeli Sande - Next To MeKelly Clarkson - What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)Jason Derulo - Breathing

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Niki & The Dove - The Drummer

"It is what makes me human"

I haven't gotten a chance to throw my two cents in about Sweden's Niki & The Dove yet. They're one of the BBC's Sounds of 2012 selections, which usually means very little to me (their choices tend to be on the more boring and overpraised side). But Niki & The Dove are very interesting. Like fellow Swedes The Knife, their music fuses electronic elements with alien-like, challenging pop soundscapes. They're a little more mainstream than the Knife or Fever Ray, but still delightfully weird. While I think their excellent single DJ, Ease My Mind will be the one to break them through to a more mainstream audience, I prefer The Drummer by just a hair. I love its chaotic, frantic energy. My favorite part? The creepy guy's voice chanting "human" after the chorus. I really can't get enough of it!

The Drummer by Niki & The Dove

(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.

Track-by-Track: Foxy Shazam - The Church Of Rock & Roll

Hallelujah! Seriously, there isn't a better band in America than Foxy Shazam, and this album proves it. Their self-titled 2010 release was my favorite of that year. I can see this making it to the top for 2012, and it's only January. The band have often stated that they want to be the biggest group in the world. They certainly sound like it. While not as thundering and boisterous as their older stuff, the guys have tightened their ear for melody and infused this album with a different kind of bombast. Layered, Queen-like vocals battle with tight arrangements that keep Church speeding along, even in its slower moments. If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you know that my favorite band in the world is The Ark. Now that they've called it quits, I might just have some new rock and roll heroes...
I apologize in advance for my rambling in this review. I'm so excited about this album, and it's difficult for me to put that in words. If there's any bad thing I could say about it, it would be that it's too short. One thing's for sure... BUY. THIS. ALBUM. The guys need it. They need to be a huge as their music deserves.

1. Welcome To The Church Of Rock & Roll - A deliriously over-the-top, epic album opener. At just over two minutes, it doesn't stick around for long, but it fills every second with more hooks and craziness than most entire albums. 10/10

2. I Like It - Before hearing the album, I probably would have given this buzz single a nine. Now, I'm just obsessed with it. The gargantuan riffs and hilariously in your face lyrics fit perfectly alongside the rest of the tracks. It's definitely one of the rawer songs, especially when it comes to the production. 10/10

3. Holy Touch - This is the moment when I realized that the album was going to be very special. It's the perfect meld of pop and rock, like The Darkness and The Ark and Queen all thrown together in a blender. Yet it's still undeniably Foxy Shazam. The high note is unearthly, and the spoken bit at the end is actually very charming (unlike Cher Lloyd's irritating "ad-lib" at the end of her track Want You Back last year). 10/10

4. Last Chance At Love - Brilliant. This is power pop the way it used to be written before melody took a back seat to beat and production. It's remeniscent of The Darkness's I Believe In A Thing Called Love, but it takes itself more seriously and is much better for it. Should be a single. 10/10

5. Forever Together - The first ballad on the album, and it's an utter charmer. Eric's vocals and lyrics are simple but incredibly effective. It's more stripped down than I've ever heard the band, but becomes a nice singalong as the song moves forward. 10/10

6. (It's) Too Late Baby - And the amazing songs keep coming! This is a definite standout, alternating between quietly churning verses and a huge, massive, almighty chorus. Seriously, you won't believe it. It sounds like all the best 80's rock groups thrown together. Just a wall-of-sound... an army of vocals that make this one of their finest anthems. 10/10

7. I Wanna Be Yours - It's hard to live up to the last track, which is probably why this suffers in comparison. It's great (every song on this album is great), but of everything, it feels the most like filler. It's got a rootsy, stomping glam sound to it. 9/10

8. Wasted Feelings - The verses are sung completely in falsetto, which is a first for the band (I think). But it's the chorus that makes this truly amazing. It's a rousing, rollicking sing-along. The bits at the end are hilariously cool. You'll have to listen to see what I mean. 10/10

9. The Temple - Easily the heaviest track on the album. It's also probably my least favorite, but that's down more to my personal taste than the actual quality of the song. I love the melody and the guitars, but there's just something about it that doesn't quite live up to the (very high) standard of the rest of the album (for me). 8/10

10. The Streets - Awesome, anthemic chorus. The verses are a little crazy, but once it hits that chorus -- especially the ad-libbed end bit -- it's pure bliss. 10/10

11. Freedom - This is the best ballad I've ever heard from the band. It's incredibly simple and very powerful because of that. To me, this sounds like a long lost classic hit single from the 70's. Much of the album could be described this way, but this is one of the biggest highlights. 10/10

Album Grade: 9.7/10

Neo - Let Go

"I'm trying to break free"

It's been a weekend full of Scandinavian pop (don't even get me started on Jesper's song not winning on Denmarks's MGP Saturday), which has put me in the mood for instantly catchy, explosive bubblegum tunes. And when I'm looking for that sort of thing, I instantly go to artists like Neo. Let Go is taken from his just-released second album, Reborn. The sound is just a little more mature than his first release (aka: more ballads, but better ballads), but doesn't sacrifice any of the big choruses. If you're looking for a jolt of pop energy this is the album you need to grab. So many people put down simple, get-to-the-chorus music like this, but they underestimate just how difficult it is to craft an effective pop track. From the production to the hook, this just works. And it's only the tip of a schalger-fied pop iceberg.

Neo - Let Go by nohfap

(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.

Foxy Shazam - Holy Touch

"Kick down the door and hold me"

Foxy Shazam is back! I'll give a full review of their very good album next week when it's officially released. After all, I'm still digesting it. In some ways, it's very different than their last one. Yet it's also a natural progression. They've gone further into classic rock territory, while still managing to up the bombast (I mean, check out (It's) Too Late Baby. That's like bombast personified). The band have been nice enough to share one of the album's best tracks a few days early. Holy Touch is the kind of ultra-hooky, melodic punch of rock that this country's been missing for years. Now that the Ark's retired, I'm ready to hand over the title of best rock band to Foxy Shazam. They've really got it all. And Eric Nally is pretty much a superstar.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Download the album here if you want it a few days early (I did). Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Doug Naugler - Smells Like Teen Spirit

"With the lights out, it's less dangerous"

Time for something a little different. Vancouver-based musician/producer Doug Naugler has created something very special with his free online album of covers. He's taken classic rock songs, stripped them of instrumentation, and rebuilt them using electronic music. The result is really, really cool. I'm a big fan of mixing rock and dance in the first place, but these reproductions have amazed me by just how seamless they are. I had a hard time picking which one to post (you can listen to them all on his soundcloud), but I decided to go with Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit. It's obviously a super well-known song, but it's augmented in just the right way to make it (if possible) even more powerful. Nirvana as a dance anthem? Yes, please! If you like this, be sure to download the album and spread the word.

Doug Naugler - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Re-Production) by dougnaugler

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

Tommy Fredvang - Make It Better

"I can turn it around"

From Denmark to Norway today, and another Eurovision hopeful. Like Jesper yesterday, Tommy Fredvang was also a participant in his home country's X-Factor. I'm seeing a pattern here! More importantly, Tommy's music sounds like Ola Svensson with more guitars. This is, of course, a very good thing. Make It Better is catchy from the get-go, with big poppy guitar riffs and a driving chorus that propels the song along at breakneck pace. I'm not sure what Tommy's chances are in the competition, but I'm glad he'll at least receive the exposure from participating. After all, I probably wouldn't have ever known about him otherwise. Also recommended is his last single, Come On. Hopefully this is an indication of the direction he's going for album number two.

Tommy Fredvang - Make It Better by nohfap

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

Jesper Nohrstedt - Take Our Hearts

"We can take our hearts, make them whole again"

It's the beginning of the year, so that means a host of new Eurovision contenders are making their way onto the European scene. As usual, I've got my eyes on a number of races. Both Norway and Denmark's tracks were released to itunes recently (is that normally how it's done?). Out of all of them, I was most excited to hear Jesper Nohrstedt's first official studio recording. I loved Jesper when he was a contestant on Denmark's X-Factor 2010 (he came third... should have won), and I've been waiting for what seems like forever for him to release some music. Take Our Hearts is a hybrid ballad/dance track. The verses are piano driven and sparse and the chorus has a huge, anthemic electro feel to it. I do wish the song would surrender completely to the dance sound about halfway through, but I still love this. I think it's an incredibly strong contender to represent Denmark this year, especially given Jesper's performance skill. It's the kind of track I can imagine finding success outside the contest as well. I hope he wins! But more than that, I hope he releases an entire album in this style.

Jesper Nohrstedt - Take Our Hearts by nohfap

(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.

The Supanova Project - Dance Off

"Now we're dancing for our life"

Pop fans, you are going to LOVE this. The Supanova Project, from Australia, lists their influences as these: Kylie Minogue, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Armin Van Burren, Michael Jackson, David Guetta, Prince, Pat Benatar, Def Leppard, Zoe Badwi. Really, is there anything better? This band should be on every pop blog out there. And for you X-Factor fans, the group features duel male/female vocals and the male side of that is none other than Johnny Ruffo from this past season of X-Factor AU! Johnny was not my favorite contestant, but he totally grew on me throughout the competition and he's perfect for this type of music. The Supanova Project makes incredibly catchy dance-pop... all sugary melodies and high energy beats. Every song on their soundcloud is pretty much amazing, and you should head right over and listen to them now. Dance Off seems to be the track they're pushing, so it's the track I'll post here. (But check out Running Away next. It's brilliant, too.)

Dance Off by The Supanova Project

(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.

Joywride - Bad Tattoo

"I'm stickin' with you like a bad tattoo"

Remember Ollie Wride? I've written about him quite often and am a huge fan of his 80's glam pop. Now, he's gone from solo artist to full on band with the formation of Joywride. The music's pretty much the same, but I love the new name. The band has a facebook page and a soundcloud account where, in addition to Ollie's awesome Head Rush, they've posted a demo of a new song, Bad Tattoo. To me, the recording sounds a bit rough, but the potential is definitely there for something awesome. With any luck, they'll be given the chance to record an album and really show what they can do. Ollie's voice alone needs to be heard by pop fans everywhere.

BadTattoo by Joywride

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

Le Kid - Human Behaviour

"Let's get down, let's get physical"

Le Kid are totally on the right track with this new single. I've always loved them, but sometimes when they go too retro or novelty, they can grate a bit. What they excel at, as evidenced in this track, is creating the perfect, surging pop song. There aren't any gimmicks or trendy production tricks. It's just a great, solid dance song. It shadows the lush, hyper-melodic feel of their best single, America, but it amps those elements up and turns the song into something quite different. I can't help but feel that they would have went to the final of Melodifestivalen last year with this one. I wonder if they ever considered submitting it for the 2012 contest? Either way, I'm psyched for a new album if this is the direction they're going.



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

Caotico - Sunrise Confessions

"Driven by our obsessions"

Caotico impressed the hell out of me with their first single last year (featuring the ever-cool Tove Styrke). Now they're back with their second single. It's quite different... more of a haunting electronic track than the sleazy funk of Brains Out. It definitely shows a new (more thoughtful, downtempo) side to the band. And I find it absolutely riveting. This is a band that I'm really excited about. They definitely seem very Swedish. The Scandinavian melancholy is in full effect here. I don't think there's been a track like this in awhile. It's got a certain kind of aura around it that you really only find in Swedish music, and it's a sound that was sorely missed in 2011. The video's below, and I think you'll agree that this is one of the most stylish bands around right now.



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

Foxy Shazam - Welcome To The Church Of Rock And Roll

"There's nothing new to listen to"

The new Foxy Shazam album is out in two weeks and I couldn't be more excited. Their last release was such an incredible highlight for me. From the sound of it, the new one's going to be a continuation of that--a little heavier on the ballads, but moving even more strongly into theatrical Queen style. This is the opening track and, at just over two minutes, it's a blistering salvo that promises over-the-top things to come. It sounds a little like The Darkness, which makes sense because Justin Hawkins has had a hand in the album. The difference is that Eric (lead singer of Foxy Shazam) easily eclipses Justin vocally. Plus, Foxy have a more diverse sound, drawing on piano and brass. The only complaint I have about this is that I wish it was longer. I really, really hope this album does well. They've moved to a new label and I desperately want them to be as big as they should.

Welcome to the Church of Rock and Roll by foxyshazam

(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 - Shady Love (ft. Krystal Pepsy)

"You see me running but you can't keep up"

Ok, let's talk about the new Scissor Sisters song. Hmmm. Honestly, I'm not loving it. It kind of reminds me of when Robbie Williams did Rudebox. Luckily, that song was part of an otherwise excellent album. I'm hoping for the same thing from the Sisters. I get that this is supposed to be funny and trendy, but I just think the band is capable of so much more. Their last album was a masterpiece, and included all the humor that they're known for without seeming novelty or, even worse, annoying. Shady Love has very little melody, even though that has always been one of their biggest strengths. I do love the guitar (when it finally comes in) and the hook is alright, but that rapping just rubs me the wrong way. And I don't understand why Ana isn't singing the chorus. I don't know... maybe it'll grow on me. Otherwise, this is probably their first single that I'm not crazy about.

Scissor Sisters - Shady Love by The Pop! Music Blog

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

Hurricane Love - Serial Liar

"will you believe if I say I miss you so much?"

It's about time we got some good new Swedish pop/rock! I feel like it's been a painfully long gap since the last new band like this came on the scene. It would be unfair to pin all my hopes on them, but I'm loving the sound so far. They actually remind me a lot of little-known Swedish group Lamont. The way they mix synths with straight ahead rock gives them the kind of edge that's been sorely missing in Scandinavian pop for the past year or two. It's a great start and will hopefully end up making some impact in the country and carve the way for a successful album. I have my doubts, just because this kind of sound has seemed to take a dip in popularity since its heyday about five or six years ago. But I desperately want a resurgence, so go buy it! I think you'll be hooked from the get-go.



(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.

Electric Youth - Right Back To You

"If there's a way, I'm coming right back to you"

When I was watching the movie Drive this year, I was really taken with the main, repeated "theme" song, which was totally ambient 80's flashback. It was a collaboration between French DJ College and wonderful Canadian pop duo Electric Youth. Smitten, I decided to look into Electric Youth's discography, which has really just begun. Their first EP was released late last year and features this, the opening track. Right Back To You is pure electro bliss. And just when you think it can't get any better, they add a cheesetastic guitar solo after the middle eight. I'm not sure if the band's name was inspired by Debbie Gibson's 80's album title, but I wouldn't be surprised. In some ways, this sounds like a cooler, more modern update to that kind of girl pop.

Electric Youth - Right Back To You (Now Available on iTunes) by Electric Youth (Official)

(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.

Top 20 Movies of 2011

This past year, I watched over 45 of 2011's movies, which I think is some sort of a personal record. I guess that's why my list is longer than last year's! There are still a couple of limited release films I've yet to see (The Iron Lady, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Take Shelter and My Week With Marilyn) that could conceivably make their way onto my list, but for now... this is how it looks!

1. Super 8 / Hugo
I can’t separate these two movies--two of the best, most entertaining and emotionally satisfying stories told in the past few years. They have a lot in common, actually. Both feature coming-of-age story elements at their core, even if they’re not necessarily billed as such. Both are tributes to earlier days of cinema (Super 8 to the 80’s Spielberg classics, Hugo to the early 20th Century work of French filmmaker George Melies). Both featured incredible work by teen and child actors, who anchored the films. And both stand as undeniable, heartfelt highlights of their respective directors’ bodies of work. It’s impossible to watch either film without feeling the passion in every frame. These are works of personal, at times autobiographical, love for movies and moviemaking. Both accomplish this with a knowing wink at the past, while still keeping an eye on the future. Super 8, with its infinitely quotable script, instant chemistry between its cast of mostly-unknowns, and explosive genre set pieces, is a movie I’ll be watching over and over again. Hugo, with its gorgeous, dreamlike storybook cinematography and affirmation of the power of human goodness--that we’re all capable of “fixing” each other--is a modern classic.

3. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Pt. II
The end to one of the, if not the, best movie franchises of all time. It’s impossible to separate this film from the seven prior, or from the intense outpouring of worldwide euphoria and, ultimately, bittersweet sadness attached to it. All in all, I’m not sure that this is my favorite Potter film, but that doesn’t really matter. It is without a doubt the most emotional, cathartic entry in the series, trading the light magic of prior films for a dark, operatic tale of sacrifice, enduring friendship, and that ultimate theme: good versus evil. This, plus the greatest ever assembled cast of British character actors.

4. War Horse
A movie about the enduring humanity of those involved with the horrors of war, as evidenced best by a beautiful scene towards the end of the film (without giving anything away, let’s just say it involves barbed wire). Sure, it’s hardly a new theme, but it’s an enduring one. The trick War Horse employs so well is using an animal to give us insight, via vignettes stretching over several years, into the minds and hearts of those on all sides of World War I. Joey the horse is wondrous to behold, but more than anything, he’s a blank slate, allowing the audience to impart their own emotions into the story.

5. X-Men: First Class
Maybe not the best, but definitely the coolest, X-Men movie yet. Setting this in the 60’s, with all its James Bond influences and borderline camp appeal, was a stroke of genius and instantly set this apart from all the other superhero movies clogging the market. A killer cast, a near operatic fall-from-grace storyline and some great action sequences made this a definite summer highlight.

6. We Need To Talk About Kevin
Emotionally devastating, and featuring the female performance of the year in Tilda Swinton, who opens a side to her that I had never seen before. Working off a script that’s largely dialogue sparse, heavy on dramatic symbolism and non-linear storytelling, the movie becomes a fever dream of real-life, domestic horror. The dramatic arc is inevitable from the beginning, but still manages to pack a surprising punch. Not recommended for would-be or soon-to-be parents, though! Or maybe it should be?

7. The Help
In a summer of big action movies and sequel after sequel, we got this exquisite drama. Many have argued that as an adaptation it’s not as strong as it could have been, but I found myself mesmerized the whole way through. Strong acting complimented a story that, while socially important and undeniably moving, managed to be funnier than most comedies as well.

8. Trollhunter
A jolt of crazy Norwegian filmmaking. This packed more creativity into its limited budget than most huge Hollywood tent poles. It’s a simple, yet off-the-wall, story that shifts between talky, near-documentary style background info and deliriously entertaining troll sequences, for lack of a better description. And those troll sequences… well, I won’t spoil anything for you, but they’re something very, very special.

9. Fast Five
Flat out, the best action and stunt sequences of the year. Anyone who's unconvinced that this type of movie making isn't its own art form needs to watch closer. I’ve never been a fan of the Fast & Furious franchise, but this movie won me over and then some. Sure, the dialogue’s a bit hokey and the acting not exactly Oscar worthy, but that’s not the point here. Those stunt sequences, especially the crazy chase that ends the film, are absolutely breathtaking.

10. Midnight In Paris
Both a love letter to and dissection of nostalgia, this little movie managed to be funny, smart and romantic at the same time. This wasn’t the type of manufactured romance we see normally in most rom coms. Instead, it was a love for setting--namely, the Paris most of us romanticize (which doesn‘t necessarily match up with reality!). More importantly, the film made an astute, and very true, observation about how we long for an imagined past in order to cope with the present.

11. Real Steel
Sometimes you want formula. There’s nothing in this movie that isn’t predictable to anyone familiar with underdog movies, but when the story is carried through with such panache and crowd-pleasing fervor, it’s really difficult to resist. I’ll admit, I got choked up at the end and I didn’t feel the slightest bit ashamed of myself. It’s a mainstream family friendly film, yes, but one with a lot of heart.

12. Win Win
One of the more naturalistic movies in my year-end line-up. This is, in a large part, due to the fantastic performances all around. It’s not an overwhelmingly complicated story… more a slice of life. If you’re not a sports fan, don’t let the fact that it centers on a wrestler and wrestling coach turn you away. It’s about wrestling as much as last year’s “The Fighter” was about boxing. It’s only a means to tell the story.

13. Attack The Block
A gritty, oftentimes hilarious UK sci-fi action comedy. It has all the youthful, punky energy of its main characters--a misfit band of wannabe gangsters who take it upon themselves to stop an alien invasion. Wonderful in its inventiveness and narrowed scope, it’s the kind of cinematic jolt that you don’t often see in the action genre.

14. The Artist
An admirable, impossible-not-to-love trifle. And “trifle” is exactly why I couldn’t justify bumping this into my top ten. As much as I admire the craft that went into this modern-day silent film, and as impossibly magnetic as I found actress Berenice Bejo, the story felt too slight and overdrawn (yes, at the same time) to compete with the very best films of the year. Still, a wildly entertaining romp and proof that good storytelling is good storytelling, sound or no sound.

15. Submarine
Little can top the first twenty minutes or so. Disarmingly clever, joltingly quick and riotously funny, the movie struggles (understandably) to keep this momentum up. The story’s standard coming-of-age fair, though the setting (Wales) is new and the direction often inspired. It’s affected, but in the best way, with a 15-year-old narrator that does dry and deadpan better than anyone else this year.

16. Hanna
Saoirse Ronan kicks ass. Simple as that. The crazy thing is, I went into this movie expecting something different than I got. Sure, the action sequences were expertly choreographed and the story moved along at a perfect pace, but I didn’t realize there would be such a strong theme of friendship. That may sound kind of cheesy, but I assure you, the way that Ronan plays it, it’s anything but. The awesome score by the Chemical Brothers also helped.

17. Captain America: The First Avenger
Marvel had a very good year. While X-Men was definitely the coolest of their films in 2011, Captain America had the most heart. I wasn’t sure how they were going to craft a film around this character. As a longtime comic book fan, he’s never really been one of my favorites. Like Superman, he’s often depicted with an air of “boy scout goodness.” This movie changed that. Sure, he’s still good, but he’s also layered and interesting. I credit that to the excellent cast, more than anything.

18. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Another action movie. 2011 has been very good in those regards. Tom Cruise makes a blistering comeback with some incredible stunts and a story that’s not too complicated and never slows down for a minute. The direction, by Pixar legend Brad Bird, deserves incredibly kudos.

19. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Dark and graphic in both plot and character, this Hollywood remake of the Swedish whodunit surprised me with just how straightforward it was. I’ve not read the books, and I think I was expecting something more unique in terms of storytelling. Instead, this was all about the characters--namely, Rooney Mara’s Lisbeth. She is the reason why this is in my top twenty.

20. Drive
I have my fair share of issues with this movie, but there's a lot that's undeniable as well. For me personally, it felt like an exercise of style over substance. Luckily, that style is executed so well that it makes up for the movie's shortcomings. The soundtrack, cinematography and jacket (yes, I want the Driver's jacket) are the definition of 80's revival cool.

Other Movies I Liked: Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, Limitless, Kaboom, Arthur Christmas, Red State
Movie I'm Struggling To Like As Much As I Think I Should: Tree Of Life

Top 20 Albums of 2011: 2-1

2. Nightwish - Imaginaerium



Sure, it's not 100% perfect, but no other album displayed this much ambition in 2011. The highs on this are amongst the best things recorded this year. Mixing symphonic rock, film soundtracks, goth-rock-pop vocals and more bombast than you can fathom, Nightwish made their strongest album more than a decade into their career.

1. The Sound Of Arrows - Voyage



Like the title states, this is more of an odyssey than an album. In 2011, it was rare to find a collection of songs that played well one after another without any skipping, re-ordering or replacing. In a year of singles and EPs over albums, The Sound of Arrows made a real, classic album--cohesive in sound and message and vision. From the anthemic opener to the triumphant, epic dream of a closer, this is a singular work that sounds like nothing else out there. Bravo, guys.

Top 50 Singles of 2011: 5-1

5. Rihanna - We Found Love



Sometimes the most amazing songs are also the simplest. Rihanna's got a lot to thank Calvin Harris for. His production on this is just stunning, but it's the gutsy, battle-cry vocals that put this over the top. Her best single yet? Maybe.

4. Example - Changed The Way You Kissed Me



An example (haha) of how to mash genres successfully and create something that's better than the sum of its parts. Electro, rap, pop... everything gets its fair share in this track, all tied together by some of the best production of the year.

3. Lady Gaga - The Edge Of Glory



Gaga goes full-out rock goddess. So good that listeners demanded it as a single. This is what happens when a mainstream pop star refuses to settle, going for something bigger and more majestic than anybody else.

2. Nightwish - Storytime



A symphonic goth-rocker from a Finnish band. I didn't see this coming, but I love surprises. This track meshes so many of my favorite things into just over five minutes. Catchy, Abba-esque vocals, symphonic bombast and a choir of rock angels.

1. Pnau - The Truth



Released at the very beginning of the year, this track takes the top spot because no other song represented everything I loved about 2011 music better than this. It wraps it all together. Drama, dance, rock, bombast, melody. It's all here, and it sounds new each time I listen to it.