Brandon Flowers - Crossfire

"Dark clouds roll their way over town"

Exciting! The new solo effort from the Killers' frontman Brandon Flowers has premiered and I've got the high quality radio rip below. It's a case of solo output sounding pretty much exactly like his previous band, which kind of makes the whole project a little pointless. But... I'm a big Killers fan so it's great to have new material regardless. That being said, Crossfire is certainly a grower. It's got the world-weary tone that made up much of the band's second album. Gone is anything as fun or sparkly as the songs on Hot Fuss, replaced by a subtle soundscape and some lovely falsetto (the best part, really). It improves drastically with each listen... always a good sign. I'm not sure what it's going to do commercially, or if it's even a accurate depiction of what his upcoming album is going to sound like, but I'm definitely ready to hear more.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Juvelen - All Time High

"You should never settle for less than all your life's desires"

I'm so happy that Juvelen's back! I was a huge fan of his first album and even had the good fortune to see one of his concerts in Sweden before he became the big pop star his is now. Also, the first half minute of his Watch Your Step is my catch-all cell phone ringtone, so I hear it basically everyday. All Time High is a new track from his second album. I'm not sure when the actual album's out, but this makes for an interesting teaser. It's more experimental than his poppier tracks--not really single material but a great album track. It's bouncy in the way that Watch Your Step was, with a truly odd, percolating synth. Very alien. The verses are better than the chorus and (as with his older stuff) there's a strong Prince influence throughout.

Juvelen - All Time High by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the first album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Ola Svensson - All Over The World

"Life will never treat you the same again"

While browsing through the blogs this morning, I realized that the recently relaunched PPG beat me to this track, but I'm going to post it anyway. Ola Svensson is probably my favorite male popstar of Sweden, responsible for the epic quadruple punch of Natalie, SOS, Love in Stereo and Unstoppable. Those aren't his only good tracks, but together they represent the pinnacle of commercial Swepop. He's got the perfect voice for these glossy, larger-than-life productions. And, although his new single is a more subdued, acoustic affair, this album track goes again for the huge, bombastic sound. It kicks off with massive, synthesized strings that carry on throughout the track, and build into a soaring, anthemic hook that fits nicely alongside his best work. It's a bit reminiscent of your Taio Cruzs and Jay Seans, but Ola's vocals differentiate it from current U.S. fare. The album's out in September. It feels like we've been waiting on this one forever.

Ola Svensson - All Over The World by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the new EP here (if you're in Sweden, that is). Follow me on twitter and facebook.

I Am Arrows - Green Grass

"Everybody loves you"

Borne from Razorlight (who I think is still going, right?), comes the brilliant new pop group I Am Arrows. Andy Burrows, former Razorlight drummer (like that tells you much), put this group together and this is their single, an electro-tinged, acoustic-oriented pop song. I know that description probably sounds a bit convoluted, but the song's a difficult thing to classify. What it does have, though, is a great hook and strummy, sun-drenched feel to it. It's a little like Scissor Sisters if they were forced to reign themselves in a bit. There's a definite classic 60's sound to it--a little bit folksy, a little experimental. It's exactly what indie pop should sound like right now, and about as far away from Razorlight as you could get.

I Am Arrows - Green Grass by alienhits

(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.

Tiesto (ft. Tegan and Sara) - Feel It In My Bones

"You're knocking at my windows"

When I first heard of this song, I was instantly intrigued. I'm a big Tegan & Sara fan (especially their brilliant single Walking With A Ghost) and always thought their unique vocals would fit perfectly with a full-on electronic background. Turns out I was right, as this pulsing dance track is a total success. It's got a stately, surging melody that reminds me a little of a Ladyhawke track, and some pretty brutal lyrics. Plus, the middle eight is pretty crazy. The single's shaping up to be a hit in Canada, and that's kind of exciting because it sounds like something that would only do well in Europe, chart-wise. The track's taken from Tiesto's album Kaleidoscope, released in October of last year. I haven't heard the album myself, but the list of collaborators is so good I think I'll have to give it a try. Calvin Harris, Nelly Furtado, Sneaky Sound System, Kele Okereke, Emily Haines... sounds promising!

Tiesto (ft. Tegan and Sara) - Feel It In My Bones 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.