The Limousines - Internet Killed The Video Star

"That drum machine ain't got no soul"

Yes, the title's a little obvious, but this giddy piece of synth-pop from San Francisco band The Limousines is pretty addictive. It sounds a bit like an uber-indie band (think Arcade Fire) throwing up their hands and deciding to go completely pop. The quirkiness is still there, especially in the vocals, but it's complemented by an ever-repeating hook and a cacophony of synths. It all gets a little bit messy towards the end, but I could definitely do with more of this sound in the indie world. Plus, the band's got the image thing down. I'm in love with the whole sci-fi movie motif above. More bands should aspire to this sort of visual excellence!

Internet Killed The Video Star by TheLimousines

(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.

Pop Blitz 10/7/10

Joe McElderry - Ambitions While I can't say I'm happy that this perfect Scandinavian hit is being repackaged by another artist, this could be a lot worse. Sure, it's been stripped of the delicate melancholy of the original, but the new Jai-ho peppiness of it all makes this a different kind of treat. A good song is a good song. A-

Nelly - Just A Dream
I can't say I expected this comeback. As far as hip-hoppers go, I've always found Nelly pretty charming. This is more gooey ballad than rap thumper, and it's all the better for that. A nice surprise. B+

Kings Of Leon - Radioactive
Unlikely to chart as high as past hits, but this percussive, rootsy rocker has its own charms. Pleasant, even if it isn't the most memorable thing in the world. B

Robbie Williams & Gary Barlow - Shame
They deserve a stronger song. It sounds like a b-side. That being said, I'm a fan of any song Robbie touches, and the laid-back orchestral flourishes bump this up a little for me. B-

Pink - Raise Your Glass
She's never really released a bad single, so the quality here is no surprise. I'm more fond of the verses than the chorus, though. B+

Kanye West - Runaway
I'm not aboard the Kanye train. When this was performed on the VMAs, I thought it was ridiculously stupid. Presented here without the added spectacle, it's just pretty stupid. C-

The Saturdays - Higher
As far as girl groups go, the Saturdays have done little to impress me. This is utter crap. It's so derivative that I can't believe there were actual songwriters involved. So devoid of any personality. And any semblance of a hook. D

Carpark North - Burn It

"I'm gonna break this"

Denmark's Carpark North have always been a hit or miss band for me. They've released one of my favorite songs (and videos) of the decade with Human, and their string of singles has generally been very strong. But, I've never been able to connect with an entire album (and lord, how I've tried!). So I'm kind of psyched that they're releasing their first greatest hits. It's bound to be an incredibly strong overview, and it's bolstered further by this, their new single. Burn It is my favorite song they've released since Human, and that's a big complement. It's got a similarly herky-jerky beat in the verses, but it absolutely explodes in the chorus. This is like some space-age laser fight. Hyper. Kinetic. There are so many adjectives I could use, but it's better just to listen to the song. You will be impressed. It's like Melody Club on steroids. (I'm a bit bowled over by the intensity, if you can't tell!)

Carpark North - Burn It by alienhits

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

Ou Est Le Swimming Pool - Curtain Falls

"Had it been another time, you'd be standing here with me, our hearts entwined"

As many of you probably already know, Ou Est Le Swimming Pool's long-delayed debut album arrives with a certain amount of tragedy. On August 20th of this year, after a string of successful singles, lead singer Charles Haddon committed suicide in Belgium. As it often is with these type of situations, listening to the soon-to-be-released album is a much different experience than it would have been several months ago. This song, in particular, is absolutely achingly difficult to listen to lyrically, but it's grafted to an uplifting synthpop melody that makes the whole thing go down real easy until you poke beneath the surface and let the words hit you. It's just one of those oddly prophetic songs. Luckily, though, Curtain Falls is just one highlight in an album that, for me, is getting better and richer with each listen. I highly recommend it. It's a shame that we won't get another from these guys (at least with the original members).

Ou Est Le Swimming Pool - Curtain Falls by alienhits

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

Short Stack - Electric Romantics

"I'm killing romance in the name of love"

While Mcfly have been working on their new sci-fi oriented sound, another youthful pop/punk band may have beaten them to it. This band is Australia's Short Stack, and they are now officially amazing. They weren't amazing on their debut album (well, maybe a couple of songs were...), but they've shifted from trendy radio rock to something more symphonic. Grander, bigger. their new single Planets (first from the upcoming album) is a fantastic jump in quality, and well worth checking out. But it's this track, one of the b-sides on the EP, that has me buzzing about the album. I love everything about it. The rollicking guitar, the anthemic chorus, and the where-will-they-go-next verses. In a way, it sounds like something Green Day would've come up with for American Idiot, though it's definitely on the "pop" side of rock. I am officially obsessed, now. Sometimes it only takes one song.

Short Stack - Electric Romantics by alienhits

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