Penguin Prison - The Worse It Gets

"The more I look, the worse it gets"

I'm certainly not the first one to write about this track (though I did feature another Penguin Prison song months ago), but I'm going to share it today anyway because it needs to be spread around the blogosphere like crazy. It's that good. Penguin Prison has seemingly come out of nowhere with a bundle of pop songs that border on perfection. This may be his best yet, featuring a dynamite melody over a track that sounds like Hall & Oates circa 1982. If the rest of the album's as good as the four tracks we've heard, this will be quite something. The song's freely downloadable via the soundcloud link below.
On another note, I'm taking off for the UK/Sweden tomorrow morning so posts will be more sporadic for the next two weeks. I'll try to update at least a couple times a week depending on where I am and what I'm doing, so keep checking in!

The Worse It Gets by Penguin Prison

(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.

Dune - Final Party Of The 21st Century

"Scream with us, dance with us"

I've been aware of Danish rock band Dúné for awhile, but never paid any attention until they dueted with my favorite X-Factor DK contestant last weekend (watch the fantastic, energetic performance). Now I'm really delving into their music, especially their most recent album Enter Metropolis. Despite being perhaps the most attractive band out right now, they've got a great, intense rock/electro sound with impassioned vocals and definite stage presence. Final Party of the 21st Century is the big dance track of the album, and a great entry point into the Dúné world. The record itself is a concept album of sorts about moving from a small town to a big city. I'd urge you to check out the single Heat and, of course, their mega hit from a few years ago, Dry Lips. It's all slightly rockier than what I normally post, but I think you'll like it anyway. Oh, and on a related note, I am waiting patiently for Jesper from X-Factor DK's debut album.

Dune - Final Party Of The 21st Century by alienhits

(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.

The Dirty Disco - Vulture

"I'm burning up and now I want you more and more"

I've made it my business to keep up with The Dirty Disco, one of a handful of new bands that are going to make 2010 very special. Their first single, the stomping Sista, did well on the dance charts, and now the band are inviting you to hear (and download) a new track called Vulture. It's in remix form, and I'm not one for remixes, but I'll make an exception for this track. I'm dying to hear the original, as this offers a nice teaser for what's to come. Buoyed by swirling synths and a propulsive energy throughout, Vulture takes a simple melody and blasts it into space. They've teased another new song on their site, describing it as a "Fleetwood Mac stadium number." That gets me way excited. I love bands with a bit of variety to their sound. At this rate, the debut album could be up their with Scissor Sisters' first one. Download this track for free by clicking the arrow in the soundcloud link.

The Dirty Disco "Vulture" (The Dirty Disco Remix) by Tomorrow Never Knows

(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.

Linda Sundblad - Pick Up The Pieces

"Everyone in love take a piece of my heart"

Here's an example of a song with pleasant (if not entirely memorable) verses saved by a dynamite chorus. In fact, the chorus here is so punchy that Sundblad skips the middle eight altogether and goes right back for more. I really love Linda Sundblad and was looking forward to her second solo release (her first being one of the best pop albums of the last five years). As a whole it's not quite up to the last one, but it's still full of excellent pop that puts anything released Stateside to shame. But back to that chorus. Of all the new songs, Pick Up The Pieces sounds most at home beside the album's best track (and first single) To All My Girls. It's got a bright, energetic synth sound that's very "80's disco anthem," while the lyrics manage to have a melancholic quality to them that are somewhat at odds with the song's energy. Sundblad does pop in the late-80's Madonna mold. Because of this, her songs have a classic sound to them that outlasts attempts by similar pop divas. Check out the album. Full review coming soon.

Linda Sundblad - Pick Up The Pieces by alienhits

(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.

Simon Curtis - 8Bit Heart

"Is it so, so wrong to love and be loved in return?"

Paul is gonna love this post. He's been on the Simon Curtis train for ages now, while I've been standing on the platform waiting for the right cabin to pull up. Ha! That was a ridiculous metaphor. What I'm trying to say is that I've been somewhat ho-hum about this whole Simon Curtis guy until two days ago when I downloaded his new album (for FREE). As far as glossy pop music goes, it's pretty epic. Reminds me a lot of a Darren Hayes album if Darren was still a teenager (this is not a dig at you Mr. Hayes... can't wait for your new album). What Simon Curtis has done with this album, on no doubt a shoestring budget, is pretty remarkable. The music isn't so new or different, but the thought put into is totally refreshing. It's a real pop concept album, for god sakes! Then there's the voice, most apparent on this soaring track. There's falsetto and there's falsetto, and this gets into Adam Lambert territory. Stirring. Add to that a magnificently simple melody and production that sounds like a modern electro update of an old Motown song and you get the sense of this guy's ambition. Download the album and let me know what you think. He's certainly converted me. (And listen also to Beat Drop, because I nearly posted that one instead)

Simon Curtis - 8Bit Heart by alienhits

(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.

The Ark - In Full Regalia

This blog has turned into a bit of an Ark blog the past few days, hasn't it? Well, this morning I have the "album" cover and tracklist for you. You'll notice "album" is in quotations because the band have decided to release the record in conjunction with their own magazine (unfortunately in Swedish), complete with 100 pages of photos, lyrics, and behind the scenes articles. Pretty exciting! It'll allow them to have massive distribution, not only in record stores but at newsstands, too. Plus the album art is fantastic.



The Ark - In Full Regalia

1. Take a shine to me
2. Superstar
3. Stay with me
4. Singing ’bout the city
5. Have you ever heard a song
6. Publicity seeking rockers
7. I’ll have my way with you, Frankie
8. All those days
9. Hygiene squad
10. The red cap