Flashback Friday: Frank Stallone - Far From Over

"You made your choice and now my chance is over"

Whenever I feel like I need a burst of energy, or even a release of nervous energy, I put this song on and let it just take me away. It is an incredible piece of over-the-top cheese. And when I say over-the-top, I mean so far out that you'd need a pair of wings to catch it. It's pump-you-up music, and it also marks the sweet spot during the early 80's where disco was fading and colliding with rock and new wave. I'm a particular fan of this era, as I think disco-rock is one of the most entertaining and underutilized genres in pop music. Far From Over is taken from the soundtrack to Staying Alive, the "sequel" to Saturday Night Fever. It was Frank Stallone's biggest hit (and yes, that's the same Stallone as his brother Sylvester), but I prefer to think it was due to Vince DiCola's influence as co-songwriter that this song is as amazing as it is. You see, DiCola also wrote my childhood anthem, uber-perfect power ballad The Touch from the 80's Transformers soundtrack. So, his work has been ingrained in me from a very early age. Everything's so serious nowadays. Where are big, cheesy songs like this one?



(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.

Fun. - We Are Young (Alvin Risk Remix)

"We can burn brighter than the sun"

More and more, I'm coming to absolutely covet a good remix. I especially like it when slow to mid-tempo tracks are converted into full-on club stompers. I also really like the fact that Fun. have hit number one in the US with their slow-burning single (seriously, it was released like half a year ago) We Are Young. Though I'm not 100% sold on their album, I can't even describe how awesome it is that a pop/rock single hit the top spot. It shouldn't be such a rarity, yet it is. This remix is just... I have no words, honestly. It's exactly what a good remix should be. It turns the track into a surging, euphoric dance anthem, yet retains the structure and melody of the original. The instrumental bits after the chorus are EPIC. Play this loud.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to Alvin's other stuff here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Eva Simons - I Don't Like You

"I've gone cold in the heart"

It's the return of Eva Simons! A few years ago, at the height of Gaga popularity, Simons seemed to be a rising star capable of matching the crazy-fun pop of her contemporaries. Then, after a couple of failed singles, she kind of fell into obscurity. She did sing on an Afrojack hit, but it's great to hear her come back on her own. She's returned with a sound that's more straight-up dance/club than her earlier stuff. At first, I Don't Like You sounds pretty tame... even generic. Then it hits the chorus, and all bets are off. The vocals stretch up to the stratosphere and everything explodes. Club music has well and truly hit the mainstream, which makes this a wise career shift for Simons. Here's hoping it goes better this time.



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

Carly Rae Jepsen - Both Sides Now

"I've looked at life from both sides now"

There's a reason I love watching singing competitions. Sure, there's a ton of crap to wade through, but every once and awhile you unearth a gem. Sometimes it takes these gems awhile to find success (Swedish Idol's Loreen, who will now represent her country in Eurovision with a massive European hit), and sometimes it's pretty instant (UK X-Factor's One Direction, who will debut at number one this week in the US). Carly Rae Jepsen is in the former camp. Sure, she's had some nice success in her home country after participating in Canadian Idol a few years back. But now she's got a worldwide hit on her hands. Being allied with fellow Canadian Justin Bieber certainly helps, but I prefer to think the quality of the song has something to do with it too. Jepsen's new EP is out now and among the original tracks is a wonderfully poppy cover of Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now. I'm sure some purists will scoff at the radio-friendliness of it all, but a good song is a good song. I love the original, but I like the driving pop production of this 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.

Summer Camp - Better Off Without You

"I'd be so happy"

Even though tomorrow's the first day of Spring, Summer's in the air around much of the country. Sadly, that doesn't include my little corner of the world, but that doesn't mean that I can't get into the Summer mood. Today's song takes me straight to the beach (where I wish I was now). The aptly named Summer Camp takes influences from the 60's and the 80's and melds them together to create an irresistible cocktail. For longtime readers of this blog, the song's perched somewhere between the Pipettes and Delays. From that opening boogie beat to the catchy-from-the-get-go chorus, it's really a timeless piece of pop. This could have been recorded anytime in the past thirty years and been successful. At this particular moment in time, it's a very refreshing piece. More of this, please!



(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.