Flashback Friday: Moving Pictures - Back To The Streets

"They always return to the rock and roll beat"

There is so much amazing older music that I don't get a chance to feature on here that often. So, I'd like to start a new feature. Every Friday (or maybe most Fridays, depending on the week), I'm going to highlight a track from the past that could easily stand next to the current stuff I usually write about. Today, I've got a song by Moving Pictures. They were an Australian band who released two albums in the early to mid-80's. They're best know for their (excellent) power ballad What About Me and their (even better) track from the Footloose soundtrack, Never. Back To The Streets is the lead track on their hard-to-find second album, Matinee. It's a classic, rollicking power-rock song with soaring vocals. I wish this kind of music was still in vogue today. It's got such drive and ferocity to it, while still maintaining an ultra poppy core. And Alex Smith's lead vocals are flawless.



(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.

Taio Cruz - World In Our Hands

"We've waited all of our life"

Time for some totally mainstream pop. Taio Cruz has well and truly broken through internationally, which makes it kind of strange that he's having such difficulty positioning this new album. Track for track, it's probably stronger than his last one, yet its release keeps getting pushed back in the States. It's only been released in some European countries. Perhaps it's down to the lead single. Hangover is excellent melodically and production-wise and I'm really loving it, but the lyrics are dire and pretty damn irresponsible to be putting out to the youth that are bound to listen to his music. World In Our Hands is far more uplifting. It's Cruz in his comfort zone, melding anthemic melodies with massive, wall-of-synths production. It's dynamite (haha) stuff. Yeah, it's not at all original, but he knows his way around a glossy hook. Now, when is that album coming to our shores?



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

Charlotte Perelli - Little Braveheart (ft. Kate Ryan)

"We're Dancing On The Street"

Another day, another dynamite Swedish pop song. This time it's from the legendary Charlotte Perrelli, who had my second favorite track this year in Melodifestivalen (even if it didn't make it to the final). Her new album's out now and, though it could have done with a few more uptempos, the ones that are there are pretty fantastic. Little Braveheart, a duet with fellow Scandinavian diva Kate Ryan, should definitely be the next single. It's got some massive production, similar in some ways to Eric Saade's Popular last year. They're both Fredrik Kempe songs, so that makes sense. His melodies are so distinctive (ie: sometimes identical). Charlotte knocks this one out of the park with all the gusto she can muster, which is pretty par for the course with her. I don't have much time for her ballads and midtempos, but the dance tracks are always something special. I wonder how this one would have done, had it been entered in MF 2012?



(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.

A Vote Is In Order!

Hey readers!
As you know, in addition to running this blog, I'm a young adult author (see book pic to the right of this post).

Well, my book, SKYSHIP ACADEMY: THE PEARL WARS is in a March Madness competition with other sci-fi reads for best sci-fi book of the year. It's gone through preliminaries and is now in the bracket round.

It's the third vote down. Mind casting one for the book? Thanks in advance (I'm a competitive guy)!

Link to vote

Mimi Oh - Kom Hit Och Dansa

This year's Melodifestivalen may be over, but the fun of MF-related albums is just beginning. There are the big ones (when is Loreen's finally coming out?), but we can't forget the artists that didn't make the final. In the context of the show, Mimi Oh came and went with a pleasant, 80's inspired pop song. Before entering the contest (nearly a year ago, actually), she released an excellent Swedish EP titled 1986, which gives you a hint as to how it sounds. Lead single Kom Hit Och Dansa (Come And Dance) is so jubilant and catchy that it transcends any language barriers. Had it been entered in MF, it would have been one of the best tracks this year. It has such a real 80's sound and a chorus that doesn't let up. The video (below) is pretty awesome too.



(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.

Alphabeat - Vacation

"Take me anywhere"

I (and every other pop blogger, it seems) am so excited to be able to write about Alphabeat again. I know I toot my own horn about this all the time, but alienhits was one of the very first blogs anywhere to write about these guys way back in 2006, just as they were about to find mainstream success in their native Denmark. So, I've convinced myself that I have some sort of stake in their career (or something like that!). Anyway, they're back with the first single from their upcoming third album. After some time flirting with 90's dance music, they're back to their ultra-jolly, ultra-poppy brand of euphoric bubblegum. Vacation is like Fascination Pt. II, which is kind of cool because it brings them full circle. It absolutely screams Summer, which is excellent if you're stuck in the gloomy Northwest like I am. Some bands just get how to do pop music. Alphabeat never really puts a foot in the wrong direction. They are pop.



(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.