Track of the Week (a day late...)

With a bit of internet forum help (though they probably didn't even need it), Lucky Soul's Lips Are Unhappy won by a large margin. Hey, I'm just happy that people are voting... doesn't matter where they come from!

Track Of The Week: (Nov. 26th - Dec. 2nd)

THE ZAX - FOOL US BY CLAPPINGDE NOVO DAHL - SHOUTIRIS - APPETITEPAPERPLANE - GROW YOUNG (VOGEL REMIX)SONIQUE - SLEEZYSMALL FERAL TOKEN - A GIRL'S BEST FRIENDMARVEL - GODDESS ON THE LOOSE

Free polls from Pollhost.com

THE RINSE - NAUGHTY

“Me, messing around with you”

Another great dance-rock group for you today. I'm continually amazed. Just as this genre should be getting old, I find another band that brings something new to the music. Naughty will draw comparisons to Maroon 5 and The Feeling with an added electro edge. In other words, it is unstoppably good. Frontman Will Bates has lived in both the UK and America, and the dual influence is felt in the band's music. If you like this song, which you will, I encourage you to stop by their website and download the rest of them they have up for free. They're all just as good. In fact, if I had known a bit more about this band before I compiled my top ten bands to watch out for in 2007, they'd have easily made the list.

Listen: The Rinse - Naughty
Download: The Rinse - Naughty

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! No album yet, but download more for free here.)

4. Lamont (Sweden)
Kudos to Lamont for releasing all of their music for free download this year. It’s a great way to spread the word, and I think that the gamble could pay off. With heavy influences from fellow Swedes (and my favorite band) The Ark, there’s really no way these guys can fail. Their awesome new video for Rather Do It only proves how fantastic they are.

Best Song: Rather Do It
Myspace

3. Lucky Soul (UK)
Upon hearing Lips Are Unhappy for the first time, I knew that this band was one to watch for 2007. It’s the kind of song that’s impossible to dislike, and with a voice like Ali Howard’s, there’s no way this band can fail. Their sound is completely different and refreshing and should win them fan after fan next year. I foresee them becoming absolutely massive.

Best Song: Lips Are Unhappy
Myspace

BLACK BOX RECORDER - THESE ARE THE THINGS

“These are the things that keep us together”

Imagine Sophie Ellis-Bextor being produced by Per from Roxette and you've got a taste of what These Are The Things from Black Box Recorder sounds like. Black Box Recorder are a (very) British group that's been releasing sophisticated pop records for the better part of a decade. This track is from their 2003 release Passionoia. And, coming to my attention only a short time ago, it's one of the best pop tracks I've heard all year. Seriously... it puts a lot of so-called "pop" to shame. And, with echoes of Kylie, Pet Shop Boys and the Lightning Seeds, it'd have to.

Listen: Black Box Recorder - These Are The Things

Download: Black Box Recorder - These Are The Things

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)

6. Hello Operator (Canada)
Poised to be the new Cars, this band has crafted some of the catchiest, shiniest new wave inspired rock of 2006. Their debut EP was absolutely flawless and their most recent song, 55 Regrets, continues in the same manner. A full-length album of this kind of stuff is just the shot that rock radio needs right now. I have extremely high hopes for these guys in 2007.

Best Track: Crash & The Radio Star
Myspace

5. Dangerous Muse (United States)
Despite releasing two amazing EPs this year, this duo have yet to put their talents to a full length album. Still, every song that they’ve released so far has been equally great, and they’re poised to fill a dance floor niche that is just waiting for them. With the right song, they could become superstars in 2007. They’re already got a lot of fans and I have yet to play their songs for somebody who wasn’t instantly converted as well.

Best Track: Give Me Danger
Myspace

HOT LITTLE HANDS - DYNAMITE IN BLACK & WHITE

“We're howlin' like a bitch in the storm”

New Australian band Hot Little Hands has a fantastic sound that's a conglomeration of eighties electro, glam rock swagger and, as they call it, garage-disco. Whatever it is, it's fantastic stuff, sexy rock that eases along on a subdued, yet addictive groove. In some places their music actually bears a strong resemblance to fellow Aussies INXS (before JD, that is). Their debut album comes out early next year and should be fantastic if it's up to the standard set by this song, a piano laced, ragtime-rock confection.

Listen: Hot Little Hands - Dynamite In Black & White

Download: Hot Little Hands - Dynamite In Black & White

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! No album yet, but listen to more here.)

8. Midnight Monkeys (Sweden)
Although there doesn’t seem to be any full-length in view (though they’ve been promising to update their site forever), the songs that Midnight Monkeys have given us so far are nothing short of astounding. A catchy blend of rock, punk and disco, they’ve got a unique sound and a wonderfully cool looking lead singer. Definitely a wild-card for next year, but if they do actually release anything else they could be huge.

Best Track: Without
Myspace



7. Pompadil (Sweden)
Pompadil miraculously have not been signed to a record label yet, but I am expecting that to change based on what I’ve heard from them so far. A glistening blend of dance beats with gorgeous vocals, this Swedish duo should be huge once they are recognized for the talent that they are. Wait and see… they will be The Attic of 2007.

Best Track: You Need A Man
Myspace

Yusuf - An Other Cup
Release Date: November 14, 2006
Label: Atlantic/Wea



Yusuf Islam is legendary folk-popper Cat Steven's Islamic name, and the fact that he chose to release his first modern pop release in nearly thirty years under this title reveals what's in store throughout the record. An Other Cup is a spiritual affair, a collection of soft, string-laden hymns for today's weary soul.

Most of the time, the theme works brilliantly. Songs like Maybe There's A World and Heaven/Where True Love Goes work for the same reason John Lennon's Imagine was such a smash. They offer simple, universal melodies and messages, and work extraordinarily well as soft anthems. Even a gentle cover of the Yardbirds' classic Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood is reclassified as a spiritual ballad within the confines of the album. As with any religious and/or spiritual effort, the only time the record sags is when the message gets a little too preachy. In The End and The Beloved are prime examples. Both sound more like the work of an artist trying to teach rather than write an enjoyable song.

Yusuf's voice, however, remains in fine form throughout the record. His performance resonates with warmth, comfort and soul, just as it did some thirty years ago. Even when he turns his attention to religious poetry and allusions, the listener feels welcomed into the album's journey. And, while An Other Cup doesn't boast any groundbreaking, chart-topping hits along the lines of The First Cut Is The Deepest, it does succeed in being a thoroughly joyful, breezy and accomplished listen. B

Key Tracks: Maybe There's A World, Heaven/Where True Love Goes, I Think I See The Light

BC CAMPLIGHT - BLOOD AND PEANUT BUTTER

“Answer the phone and tell me you're all alone”

You are going to love BC Camplight. Sure, he might not exactly look like your typical popstar, but he's talented as hell. Blood And Peanut Butter is one of the best piano-based pop songs I've heard all year (despite being released last year). It's got a fabulously catchy riff and is composed of hook after hook. By the time the female response comes in about halfway through the track, I'm completely sold. Camplight, who is actually Brian Christinzio, has the good sense to orchestrate his songs flawlessly until they glisten like long lost classics. I've had this track on repeat for days now. Enjoy!

Listen: BC Camplight - Blood And Peanut Butter

Download: BC Camplight - Blood And Peanut Butter

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)

10. Lorraine (Norway)
They could be the new A-Ha if they’d ever get it together and release an album. Their debut track I Feel It was a fantastic taster and their cover of the Psychedelic Fur’s Heaven was even better. Their brand of catchy synth-pop isn’t anything particularly new, but it is completely addicting.

Best Track: Heaven
Myspace



9. Paper Faces (Sweden)
I’ve been following this band since early this year and was delighted when Disco Boy became a hit in Sweden. Since then, they’ve released two EPs and have a new single out, Breakin’ Up. It’s quite different from Disco Boy and shows the band’s versatility. Their sound is a very nice melding of 80’s and 60’s influences and should continue to prove successful.

Best Track: Mistaken
Myspace

REISSUE
Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Release Date: October 4, 2006
Label: Mercury/Universal



Original Album:
Scores of critics have already hailed Lucinda Williams’ 1998 Grammy winning effort Car Wheels On A Gravel Road as one of the greatest albums of all time. Needless to say, it’s a masterwork of the alt-country (screw it, let’s just call it rock) genre. Listening to the recently released remaster, it’s easy to see why. What Car Wheels does better than the vast majority of similar albums is capture authentically a sense of place. Whether it’s in the details of the rural poetry that comprises much of the album’s story-songs, or the unmistakable catch in Williams’ voice that heralds her as a narrator who has clearly lived through what she sings, the entire album is like a journey to the Deep South - with all the heartbreak, wonder and comfort that comes with it.
A riveting one-woman show, Williams effortlessly becomes her character, be it the defeated slur of Drunken Angel or the intense retaliation of Joy. Of course, it helps that the thirteen roots-based songs that comprise Car Wheels are written so well that they could have been successful in any genre. Jack White could learn a thing from the riveting blues of Can’t Let It Go, while the title track quickly becomes a rural hymn worthy of sing-along status. Eight years later, Car Wheels On A Gravel Road still stands out from the pack.

Reissue:
The album is repackaged as a double-disc set, one disc including the original album remastered with three bonus tracks, the second disc capturing a stripped down 1998 live performance. Although the album was nearly perfect before, these added features act as a great supplement. The bonus tracks are up to the same level as the original thirteen and the live recording offers a glimpse at a rawer, more explosive Williams.

Entire Package: A

Oh. My. Freaking. God.

Allow me to be a fanboy for a moment here, but I about turned into a rocket and flew around the neighborhood when I discovered this bit of news from the official Ark website:

"A new single from The Ark entitled "Absolutely No Decorum" will arrive in January. A new album will be released around April. Written by Ola Salo and Marco Manieri, who produced "We Are The Ark". The new album will be released by Leif Käcks company Roxy Recordings and distributed by Nordisk Film."

Not sure if the smile will ever wipe off my face.... LOVE the song title, too.

Bring on the Countdowns!

It's almost the new year, and that means the blogosphere will be bursting with year-end countdowns of the best albums, singles, etc. I'm a bit countdown happy, so #1 Hits will be no different. In fact, starting tomorrow I'll have the first of the bunch as I count down the top ten artists to watch in 2007. Two artists a day...all fantastic!

Veto - There's A Beat In All Machines
Release Date: February 27th, 2006
Label: Tabu Records



Danish band Veto have been praised by critics for their fearless sound and selected as the opening act for portions of the Killers' European tour. The band is definitely hard to classify, as their full-length debut There's A Beat In All Machines confirms. Most tracks are synth driven, but not in the same way as many of their peers. This isn't simple eighties revivalist music, but instead an icier, brooding mixture of electronica and rock.

The album opens with the pounding, passionately sung Can You See Anything? Frontman Troels Abrahamsen immediately imbues the record with a tense, almost hysterical performance. It's absolutely riveting. You Are A Knife is the obvious single, and the most immediately catchy moment on the record. UK band Muse seem to be an influence almost throughout the entire album, especially in the slow-building melodies of Cannibal and We Are Not Your Friends, both of which manage to challenge the rock norm while remaining compact and hummable. The band's experimentalism doesn't always add up to such heights. Short Fused's scathing lyrics are let down by a song that seems to end just as it's beginning, while From A To B is perhaps too subdued for its own good. But, when everything comes together, the results are amazing. Self-Made is a hectic, brash pop song and the driving chorus is easily the album's most energetic moment.

There's A Beat In All Machines is a promising debut for a band with a different sound. It's by no means a dance album, unlike most of the synth-driven music being produced these days. Instead, Veto have created a glacial song suite: lyrically probing and slow to sneak up on the listener. Once it does, though, it's hard to forget. B

Key Tracks: Can You See Anything?, Self-Made, You Are A Knife

Listen: Baby's Gang - Challenger
Download: Baby's Gang - Challenger

I posted this track a long, long time ago... but I couldn't resist including it in this eighties week as well. It just baffles me. Mostly, I want everyone to see the video because it is completely beyond surreal. The dancing alone... Despite being strange and mostly unintelligible, the song is so incredibly catchy with one of my all-time favorite synth lines. And, did I mention the video?

November Promo CD Sleeve #2

With the end of the month comes the next #1 Hits promo cd. From the pure pop of Lucky Soul all the way to the Narcotourist dancefloor, I hope you enjoyed the second half of November. Click on the sleeve to download.

MARVEL - GODDESS ON THE LOOSE

“When you look as good as me in black skin and white leather”

Marvel are an interesting Swedish group that have fashioned themselves as comic book superheroes, and most of their songs are also comic-book themed. Some are really pretty funny, but Goddess On The Loose, a single last year, is my favorite. It starts off as blistering rock & roll, then moves into some very glammy vocals with just a hint of Tim Curry. There's even some manic guitar solos and a rather epic drum section towards the end. It's clearly the sound of a young band having a lot of fun. Oh yeah, and it is very, very catchy.

Listen: Marvel - Goddess On The Loose

Download: Marvel - Goddess On The Loose

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)

Listen: Fancy - Slice Me Nice
Download: Fancy - Slice Me Nice

This song is about as perfect as you can get. First off, the guy's name is Fancy. How cool is that? Secondly, the song's called Slice Me Nice. What the hell is that supposed to mean? And, in case you didn't get it, he even spells S-L-I-C-E. He's very adamant. Thirdly, it contains lyrics like "I'm like a cake that wants to be baked," only the "wants" sounds more like "vants." Beautiful. In fact, there's really nothing bad to say about this track. Fancy's had a long career and has gone on to record hi-nrg records, Christmas collections, and even a euro-dance concept album. The guy's pretty much a genius, I'd say.

SMALL FERAL TOKEN - A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND

“A girl's best friend is not a rock”

Small Feral Token, in addition to having one of the stranger group names I've come across, are also eerily reminiscent at times of an electronically-backed Tori Amos split with (at times) Canada's Tegan & Sara. The band consists of Lotta and Natalie, two young girls living in Stockholm. Their music is mostly downbeat in sound but very much alive lyrically. Best of all, like a few other bands from Sweden, their entire musical output is available for free on their website. Of the songs I've heard, A Girl's Best Friend was the instant standout. I'll let you draw your own conclusions from the lyrics as to what exactly a girl's best friend is. Hint: it's not a rock.

Listen: Small Feral Token - A Girl's Best Friend
Download: Small Feral Token - A Girl's Best Friend

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Download more for free here.)

Listen: Roxette - Teaser Japanese
Download: Roxette - Teaser Japanese

Before Roxette hit it big in the mid eighties, the band put out the Heartland e.p., though the line-up looked a little different. Marie was there... as a back-up singer, and Per took lead vocals on all the tracks. For all intents and purposes, the album is basically the work of Per's former band Gyllene Tider released under a new band name in the U.S. (because, you know... we're far too hopeless here to be able to pronounce foreign words). Teaser Japanese is the opening track of the e.p. and is catchy as hell. Sure, it's kinda dorky... but the ingredients for the Roxette we now know and love are totally there.