Private - Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be

"You've got everything to lose and no one to blame"

I feel like Thomas Troelsen and I have had a long relationship. Of course, I've never met the guy, but I think back to his work with Junior Senior and Superheroes years ago, then his amazing output with the first incarnation of Private, and now his current collaborations with some of my favorite K-Pop stars and groups, and there has really been a constant through-line for the length of this blog and beyond. He's a producer and artist I always seek out, no matter where he might be working. His last single as Private felt a little underwhelming, but this is a return to form of sorts. There's still too much rapping, but we really get to hear his fantastic MJ-esque vocals. Seriously, for the sheer sound he's capable of producing, he's one of my absolute favorite vocalists out there. The song's moodier and bigger than anything he's done on his own since the first Private album and makes me want more from him ASAP. And next time, maybe no guest rappers?



(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.

PSY - Gentleman

PSY's first post-Gangnam Style single was bound to be a rehash of his most famous hit. I think everyone saw that coming. I held out hope that he'd release something a little more akin to a few of his amazing album tracks like Stay Up Tonight and Blue Frog, but I'm okay with a rehash for now, provided there are more interesting things on the album. Gentleman doesn't reach Gangnam Style highs, but honestly, what would? It is a nice companion song--a sequel of sorts--and I think an excellent video will put it over the top. However, the chances of this reaching the popularity he enjoyed last year are pretty slim, at least outside of Korea. And that's fine. The less international (particularly American) influence on his music, the better.



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

Parachute - Hearts Go Crazy

"I'm gasoline, and you're the spark"

Years ago, I remember picking up Parachute's first album in the store and listening to the previews. I never actually went beyond that, but their name stuck in my head. All these years later, it's really cool to hear a new song and realize how far they've grown as a band. Hearts Go Crazy is much more pop/electronic than their previous material, and all the better for it. Honestly, with its clean vocals and lush production, it sounds like a really good single by The Wanted. In fact, when I first heard it on the radio, I was convinced I was listening to the UK boyband. Some would probably see this as a complaint, but the world can never have too many All Time Lows. This is a very promising new direction for Parachute. I can't wait to hear the rest of the album.



(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.

Jewel - Foolish Games (Cutmore 2013 Remix)

"These foolish games are tearing me apart"

Ooh, boy, do I ever love an unexpected remix. I would've never thought Jewel's fantastic 1997 hit Foolish Games could have been turned into a club track, but lo and behold, it absolutely works wonders. Despite not really being my genre of music, I've always been a fan of Jewel. I also feel like 90's nostalgia is on the cusp of taking over pop culture. For a teenager of the 90's like myself, this is a great thing. The way Jewel's vocals wrap unexpectedly around the hard dance beat is a real treat, and who knew that the song's chorus could become so anthemic and huge? I think it's going to prod me into rediscovering the original. The song's taken from a full-length remix album, though most of the tracks on it don't really interest me. Give me a remix of Hands, already!



(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.

Shinee - Punch Drunk Love

I've been meaning to post a track from these guys for awhile now. I am deep in my somewhat newfound love for K-Pop, and one of the things I noticed very quickly was that (even more than the western market), albums by K-Pop stars are very uneven. Most of the time, I only really like the single and maybe one or two other tracks. Shinee's new album, Dream Girl: The Misconceptions Of You, completely bucks that trend. From start to finish, it's incredibly strong. Punch Drunk Love is the perfect K-Pop song for those who don't like (or are unaware of) the genre. This is mostly because, despite the language, it doesn't sound Korean at all. It's a summery, Michael Jackson-esque slice of retro funk pop with an impossibly strong melody and harmonies. I credit that to co-writer Thomas Troelsen who, as founder of Danish pop act Private, has written more than his share of MJ-inspired tracks. This is one of his best, and a good indication of what the rest of the fantastic album sounds like. It's Exhibit A in why Danish + Korean = Awesome.



(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.