January 2007 #1 Hits Promo Sleeve

A few days late, I've got the most recent promo sleeve for you today (just click on the picture and then save). I know I always say this, but January has been by far my favorite month for music on the blog. I had to shave off the last two tracks from January so the whole thing would fit on one cd, but they'll join the February tracks next month!

Meja - Seven Sisters (1999)

I remember falling in love with this album before I even knew how amazing Swedish music was. Seven Sisters, in addition to being Meja's masterstroke, is one of those glossy pop albums that actually lingers for longer than a few listens. Thanks to (mostly) timeless production, Meja's sophisticated voice, and a wealth of genre-hopping (be it the loungy Pop & Television or the straight up dance of Luxury), this album still sounds great today.

Of course, there's the big hit, All 'Bout The Money, a song so effective and catchy that it still gets radio play today in Sweden. It is no doubt the highlight of the record, but the entire thing is remarkable consistant. Like last week's album by Sky, Seven Sisters flopped majorly in America, though I don't really think any substantial money was spent trying to make it a success.

Singles: Pop & Television, All 'Bout The Money, Lay Me Down, Intimacy

Seven Sisters Road: Probably my favorite track on the album, besides All 'Bout The Money, this is kind of a cross between a ballad and an uptempo, wit ha fantastic, stomping chorus.

Luxury: The most straight-up dance number on the cd, and an extremely catchy slice of vocoder enhanced pop. In the context of the album, definitely the single-that-was-never-a-single.

Buy it! (for a penny!)

Watch the video for All 'Bout The Money

King Midas - Acid Guitars



“March through the streets on fire"

Jetting to Norway, we find King Midas, a glam rock band that is fairly successful in their homeland yet quite unknown everywhere else. I wanted to post their new single, West End Boys, which is absolutely brilliant (stream it at their myspace, and die of happiness), but I couldn't find an mp3 anywhere. So, I'm posting their other brilliant song, off of their most current album Jaguars. Acid Guitars is pure glam boogie, like Ziggy Stardust with a major (tom?) pop edge. Once the guitars enter and invade the chorus, it's pure bliss.

mp3: King Midas - Acid Guitars
zshare: King Midas - Acid Guitars

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

Gram Rabbit - Bloody Bunnies



“Take it in stride"

Bizarreness for you today. Gram Rabbit entered the music scene with a record called Music To Start A Cult To, and they are most definitely of that ilk. Bloody Bunnies (and how is that for a title?) starts out all Alice In Videoland-ish before launching into harder and rockier choruses. Sort of a mix between electro and rock but in a different way than we're used to hearing. It is a strange (yet insanely catchy) track to say the least. Ditto for the press pictures. I don't think I've ever seen a band use bunny ears as part of their promo. One question though: why would a band who obviously has a huge affinity for rabbits write a song called bloody bunnies? The mysteries of life, folks.

*Oh yeah, and the lead singer's called Jesika von Rabbit, as if you're surprised.

mp3: Gram Rabbit - Bloody Bunnies
zshare: Gram Rabbit - Bloody Bunnies

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

Soft Complex - Barcelona EP
Release Date: October 17, 2006
Label: Silverthree Sound



Barcelona, the debut EP by Washington DC based super group Soft Complex begins with a solo funk guitar, which is soon awash with wispy vocals and lovelorn melodies. The title track, which opens the EP, is an example of how great the 80’s synth rock revival can be. Catchy without being obnoxious, polished without losing personality, and downbeat without being boring, it’s a great pop song. The following two original tracks are also successful, though they don’t quite add up to the strength of Barcelona. Beat The Chill’s catchy verses are a highlight, while Sad Note takes a bit longer to establish itself. Still, all three tracks display the songwriting and production strength of this young band. They will be one to watch in the future.

The remainder of the EP is filled out with remixes, all of which are extensions of the original three tracks, the final one (a great version of Barcelona) being the most noteworthy. B

Key track: Barcelona

Mute Math - Chaos



“I know you stay true when my world is false"

Taking a break from the long stream of Swedish bands today, I’ve got a good ol’ fashioned American rock and roll band to end January with. Mute Math create an epic sounding rock sound with many classic influences as well as some prog leanings. Chaos may lack the immediate pop edge that most of the songs on this blog have, but it’s a great song nonetheless. A swirling, chaotic (well, duh) sounding track, it is complex yet catchy at the same time. More than anything, though, the chorus is amazing.

mp3: Mute Math - Chaos
zshare: Mute Math - Chaos

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

Bobby - She's History



“Everyone says she's wonderful, but to me she's a mystery"

I think I may have broken my own record for consecutive Swedish posts. I have yet another Swedish band today, the fabulous Bobby. Bobby has been producing new-romantic influenced glam pop for the better part of the decade and have some brilliant singles under their belt (check out Wide Eyes Open, Sooner Or Later, and Come Crashing In), but their most instant is also their most recent. She's History almost sounds like a long-lost Roxette track. The lyrics are a bit suspect, but there is absolutely no denying the pure pop catchiness of the guitar assisted chorus. This should have been massive. The band is releasing a new album later this spring, and I'm hoping it gives them the success they deserve.

mp3: Bobby - She's History
zshare: Bobby - She's History

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album and singles here, or download more (low quality) songs here!)

PENNEBAKER - RUNAWAY HEART



“Give me the open road on a sunny day"

I know that a lot of my readers are fans of the soft-rock resurgence (think The Feeling, or any other Supertramp influenced band out there), and I'm sure that those people will absolutely adore this track. Pennebaker is a Swedish trio who sings "soft rock/pop woth western influences." Think driving down the west coast with the top down. Or... if you haven't actually done that, try to imagine what it'd be like. Runaway Heart, a minor hit in Sweden, is a near perfect pop nugget, all wispy vocals and pounding piano. If this track doesn't make you wish for summer, I don't know what will. Based on its quality, I'll probably be playing it well into the spring.

mp3: Pennebaker - Runaway Heart
zshare: Pennebaker - Runaway Heart

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the single here and the album "?". 10 points to anyone who can tell me where to get this!)

Repeat Offenders

Today's post is going to shine the spotlight back on acts that have already been featured on this site. Since I only post one song (usually my personal pick to showcase the band/artist), most of the acts I write about have other tracks that are equally as brilliant as the one that I chose to post. So, here's your second chance to discover some of these wonderful artists.

1. Switches - Every Second Counts In Love (prev. posted No Hero on Jan. 18th, 2007)
2. This Episode - The Movies (prev. posted Paris London New York on Sep. 12th, 2006)
3. Dolly Daggers - A Face To Put On (prev. posted Never Ending on Oct. 13th, 2006)
4. The KBC - Not Anymore (prev. posted Steven Get Even on Dec. 11th, 2006)
5. Tiger Baby - At Least I'm Honest (prev. posted Girlfriend on Sep. 14th, 2006)
6. The Sunshine - Love (prev. posted Sabotage on Nov. 24th, 2006)
7. The Rinse - Shy (prev. posted Naughty on Dec. 7th, 2006)