Wolf Gang - Something Unusual

"We'll be something out of this world"

Wolf Gang's debut album was originally planned for March, but unfortunately it's been pushed back to June (making for quite a busy May/June season for album releases). It's irritating because I want to hear the thing now. While initially a little skeptical, his music has grown on me immensely and I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that the full length emphasizes the "pop" portion of "indie pop." Something Unusual, a recently revealed album track, is from the MGMT school of pop. It's a slow-building, synth-dripped, slightly psychedelic sounding kaleidoscope. And I like it! Phew. I imagine driving around in the Summer listening to something like this. It's subtle enough to have real staying power, but it's not boring. That's a tricky line to walk in indie music.

Wolf Gang - Something Unusual by wolfgang

(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.

Frankmusik - Do It In The AM (ft. Far East Movement)

"We only do it in the AM"

This is an odd pairing. I've always considered Frankmusik to be a "cool, indie" artist, while Far East Movement is definitely a "crappy, commercial" group. It all screams: "we want a hit so we're gonna tack an annoying bit of rap on top of this song." Surprisingly, it actually works (well, not the "hit" part... I doubt radio will embrace this). But the song itself is excellent. It's a little toned down for Frankmusik. His crazy kitchen sink production only rears its head in the final portion of the song, where everything's thrown into a blender and the song kind of explodes. Other than that, it's a simple pop/club track with excellent vocals and a very catchy, repetitive hook. I'm actually really excited for the album now, despite being slightly underwhelmed by his first. The artwork for the campaign so far has also been stunning.

Frankmusik ft. Far East Movement - Do It In The AM by putyourheadphonesup

(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.

Patrick Wolf - House

"I've been too long a lonely man"

I'm so excited for this new Patrick Wolf album. His voice, and his songwriting, coupled with the surging uptempo phase he seems to be in now, is just what I need for Spring. I absolutely adored The City, and couldn't wait to hear the next single. House is an enormous anthem, complete with rousing drums, synths and what sounds like an orchestra backing Wolf's emotional vocals. It's another sign that this upcoming album could be my favorite from his discography. I just wish it would stop getting pushed back. I also wish that radio would give him more support. If anyone deserves to (finally) break through, it's him.

Patrick Wolf - House 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.

Pop Blitz 4/19/11

Lady Gaga - Judas
Yes, it's basically Bad Romance Part Two, but you can't deny that the thing's catchy. A little more innovation would have bumped this up a notch, but Gaga by the numbers is still something to get excited about. A-

Alexandra Stan - Mr. Saxobeat
The latest European dance hit, sampling a saxophone loop. It's hardly original, and it's not as catchy as either We No Speak Americano or Stereo Love, two similar hits in this genre. It's just a little dull. C+

Jennifer Lopez - Papi
After On The Floor, which I loved, Jennifer Lopez suddenly got interesting again. This isn't quite up to that level, even though it strives for the same international appeal. Still, it's better than the stuff she's been releasing the past few years. B

Tinie Tempah - Written In The Stars
After hitting it big in the UK, this seems to be Tempah's American breakthrough. It's got a nice hook that reminds me of that Airplanes song from last summer. It's better than that, though nothing that's really knocking my socks off. The surging production is the best part. B-

Owl City - Galaxies
A couple years ago, I hated nothing more than Owl City and his whiny Fireflies song. The vocals in this are so much more tolerable and the melody and production is shockingly good. What ruins it are the cheesy religious lyrics. I wish they were in another language so that I could ignore them. B

LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem
A hit around the world, this has (weirdly) yet to strike in America. Give it time. This will be everywhere. It's irritating, yet somehow it's almost impossible not to like. It's what BEP could sound like if they didn't take themselves so seriously. The video's better than the song, though. B-

Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song
After a pair of strong singles, this Jason Mraz castoff is a misstep. I can't believe this was chosen as a single. It's a weak album track, at best, with annoying lyrics. I hope to god I don't have to hear this over and over on the radio. D+

Vanbot - By The Side Of This Road

"I wake up when the sun's still down"

Yes, I know this blog has been a little Vanbot crazy lately, but if you needed one more reason to give her just-released album a listen, here it is. By The Side Of This Road is more uptempo than the past tracks I've posted, and has one hell of a chorus. As usual, their are vocal elements of Robyn, Lene from Aqua and even 80's Madonna in this. It's an incredibly propulsive dance-pop track that, if chosen as a single, could do wonders for her. The entire album is uploaded on Vanbot's soundcloud page, and I encourage everyone to listen to it. Sure, there are a couple of tracks that are a bit too meandering for my taste, but the highlights are very, very impressive. It's rare to find a debut this strong.

By The Side Of This Road by Vanbot

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