Magistrates - Heartbreak

"So easy to get, you're so easy to lose"

On Magistrates' myspace the first two influences listed are Prince's Purple Rain and David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust. That alone is enough to make them wonderful, but also a lot to live up to--two of the biggest classics of the last century. I'd put the band's music more on the Prince side, combined with their third listed influence: Talking Heads. I'd heard of these guys before but finally checked them out after seeing a rather dramatic photoshoot in this month's Q magazine. If I remember correctly, there were fist pumps going on. Fist pumps are always epic. So far Magistrates have one song that I absolutely adore, which is their upcoming single Heartbreak. It's got a laidback, synth-soaked 80's sound and a luxurious, super-catchy hook. If the band can come up with a dozen tracks this good, they'll be well on their way to releasing one of the year's best debuts.

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Nothing available yet... go to their myspace here.)

Little Boots - Tune Into My Heart

"My transmission starts when you're alone"

Apart from the singles and the obvious singles-to-be, the shimmery, synth-soaked Tune Into My Heart is my favorite from Little Boots' soon-to-be-released debut album. It's hardly reinventing the wheel, but that's not really the point. In an era where electropop is suddenly all the rage, it's a nice pop song for the summer. I doubt Little Boots will be remembered in five or ten years (hell, I might not even remember the album at the end of this year). There's really nothing different about her, but she does produce quality, radio-friendly electropop so I can't complain. In fact, if you were to take half of the album and graft it onto the best parts of Kylie's X, you'd have the album that Minogue should have released in 2007. Could Little Boots become the new Kylie? Doubtful, but it's all about the songwriting. We'll see where she goes from here...

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

Superfamily - Let's Go Dancing

"Scattered on the floor"

I posted about Superfamily's new single a while back, but I've read hardly anything about it in blog-land so I thought I'd highlight it again. Let's Go Dancing is a natural extension of the band's already-classic 2007 album, Warszawa. The hyperactive verses give way to a dramatic, flashy chorus with the band's trademark wall-of-synth sound. All of their songs are so massive, and this is no exception. It really builds throughout its four minutes, hitting full throttle about halfway through. The album's not out until August, and doesn't yet have a title or tracklist. I hope that this single drums up some more interest before then, because I really want them to continue the massive success they found with their last record. They've professed a desire to come to America, and although I find it slightly unlikely, it'd be beyond awesome.

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

Super Awesome Music Video: Melody Club - The Only Ones

I am in love with the video for Melody Club's newest single. They took the popart/comic book inspiration from their cd booklet and transferred it to one of the best videos of their career. It's the type of video you can watch over and over and see new things each time. Plus, Kristofer looks totally weird in such a delightful way. There certainly isn't anyone else like him in the pop world. I felt like they kind of wasted the opportunity of their launch single, but this time they're back with a better song, better video, and better radio prospects.



Oh, and speaking of videos, have you seen the new Lady Gaga vid or Paparazzi? Thank god for this woman. Bring back the epic MJ-type music videos!

The Sounds - Underground

"Pumping through my veins"

I wrote about the new Sounds album (out tomorrow) a couple of weeks ago and stand by the review. There are some terrific tracks on the record but a little filler as well. My Lover should be the next single for sure--a pop/dance track with awesome verses and a super catchy chorus. However, the song that's had the most lasting appeal to me is Underground. It marries their old sound with their new one perfectly, with a stompy new wave beat and hook after hook. I love the experimental vocal quirks and the nostalgic lyrics. In a lot of ways it reminds me of Laakso's epic-masterpiece Norrköping. It's not quite up to that level (what is?) but it's a welcome summer pop song from an album that could do with a few more of them.

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