The Tough Alliance - First Class Riot

"Something bright and pure, something that you've never felt before"

Looking back at the history of alienhits, I can't believe that I've never posted a track by Sweden's The Tough Alliance. Now is the perfect time to get around to it because the duo have released what is probably their finest single yet. First Class Riot opens with a punch of Adam & The Ants style percussion before sliding into some glorious harmonized verses. It's the most immediate and poppy single that the guy's have ever released, yet it still possesses the undeniably cool, laid-back feeling that made the duo so unique and special in the first place. This track is taken from The Tough Alliance's new album, A New Chance, which just came out this week in Sweden. If you like this track and no nothing else about TTA already, I highly recommend their older stuff as well, especially the massive single Koka Kola Veins (which just happens to be part of my playlist on emusic).

The Tough Alliance - First Class Riot (mp3) (zshare)

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

Starlight Mints - Inside Of Me



"I just want you to see what's inside of me"

They all look very serious in that picture, don't they? It'll surprise you, then, that the song I'm posting today is so jaunty. My friend recently introduced me to Starlight Mints, which have a very Of Montreal-esque sound. The album that this track is from is a bit more experimental than the poppy Inside Of Me suggests, but as you all know, I love a bit of pop... so you're getting the catchiest track here. Starlight Mints' music has been described as psychedelic bubblegum, which seems to be a genre that has gained traction within indie circles in the States recently. Not all of it is good, and the actual albums can be pretty patchy, but some of the stuff, such as this single, really stands out. Special kudos go to the opening of this track, which crashes in immediately with a great guitar riff.

Starlight Mints - Inside Of Me (mp3) (zshare)

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

Could The Ark be Successful in the UK After All?



Here's the deal, folks. After the official Eurovision album went onsale at UK itunes, several of the songs have been on the top 100 downloaded singles. Drag act Verka Serduchka appears to be quite successful and will feature in the official singles chart next week, but I am more concerned (as always) with The Ark.

As of now, the band's single The Worrying Kind sits at number 84 on itunes, and is the only song out of the eight Eurovision entries on the chart to actually increase in the past day (up 3 spaces from 87). Now, if momentum for this actually grows, TWK could potentially become a grass-roots hit. So you know what this means..... all you official UK residents, go out and buy the track (make sure it's the version off of the Eurovision cd, which is the same thing as the album version anyway).

And, if for some reason you still don't know who The Ark are (shame on you!), here's a bit of proof as to why they deserve to rule the world.

New Young Pony Club - The Bomb



"Don't speak 'cause your mind is amazing"

New Young Pony Club is one of the more interesting groups coming out of the UK right now. Tahita Bulmer, the lead singer, has become a sort of new rave pin-up and their single Ice Cream has become somewhat of an electropop anthem. I particularly like them because of their emphasis on otherworldly fashion and their willingness to do something that's a bit different in the pop world. Their debut album, Fantastic Playroom, is due out next month and should be in perfect time for the summer. The Bomb, a newer track, is just as catchy as Ice Cream, though it hasn't seen as much success. Let's change that, folks.

New Young Pony Club - The Bomb (mp3) (zshare)

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

Sneaky Sound System - UFO



"I saw a UFO but nobody believes me"

Australia seems to have a knack for churning out great sunny summertime pop music. The trio of Sneaky Sound System definitely continue this trend. SSS hails from Sydney and records very pop-influenced dance music. UFO, their newest (and best) single, is a throbbing piece of electropop a la Dragonette or September. It is uncanny in its pure catchiness and will grab you from the very first listen. It seems like a song like this could be really successful internationally (especially in the UK), but as we saw with Rogue Traders and September, dance music doesn't always fare so well outside its homeland. This track is a complete 180 from Luke Toms yesterday, but I am confident that you'll all love it. How can you not?

Sneaky Sound System - UFO (mp3) (zshare)

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

Luke Toms - Crazy

"Everybody tells me that I'm too young to know the foxtrot, how to waltz, or even tango"

About halfway between Mika and Rufus Wainwright, with a definite Steve Harley influence, Luke Toms joins the glam rock revival with a more subdued, quirky presentation. He's already released an EP and single, the amazing Bowie-esque ballad Peace By Myself. Crazy is that single's b-side, and falls somewhere between Cockney Rebel and Queen in sound. It's an irreverent little jaunt for sure, but one that transports you back to a different side of the 70's than most of the revivalists these days. Plus, remember that this is a b-side, even though it sounds like a potential hit. I think that alone shows the talent that we're dealing with here. Toms' record isn't out until early July, but I'll tip him right now as one to watch. If he gets it right he could become absolutely massive. And, judging from the hilariously theatrical chorus here, I think he'll do quite alright.

Luke Toms - Crazy (mp3) (zshare)

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