Conchita Wurst - Rise Like A Phoenix

"Neighbors say we're trouble"

I haven't been following Eurovision as closely this year as I usually do. Maybe it's just me, but it seems to be a bit of a weak year in general. I'm in love with the big ballads of Spain and Sweden, and France and Italy sound interesting from what I've heard, but most of the songs in the two semifinals were very forgettable. To me, the big moment of the two performance shows was when Austria's entry, the bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst, took the stage to deliver her mega Bond-style torch song. I've gotta say, I was mesmerized. I have a feeling this entry's going to do very well on Saturday, and might even win. It's got that WTF factor that many people watch Eurovision for, plus a great melody and surprisingly powerful vocals. I'm ready for a big dance remix right now. Plus, wouldn't it be cool for a place like Austria to win? Have they ever won before?



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

EXO-K - Overdose

"Someone call the doctor"

It's been a little while since I've shared some k-pop here. After the South Korean ferry accident a few weeks ago, there's been a complete halt in new music releases from the country, out of respect to those suffering from the tragedy. Now, things are slowly getting back to normal and this song, which was originally scheduled for mid-April, has seen its release. EXO, and specifically EXO-K, was one of the first k-pop groups I got into. Their style is completely in line with their agency, SM Entertainment. Robotic, futuristic, aggressive dance pop that really sounds unlike anything in Western music. Overdose is another fine example. It might not hit you strongly the first time, but it slowly works its way into your brain. The flashy, expensive-looking music video just seals the deal. Lots of English lyrics in this one, too.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the mini-album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Sia - Chandelier

"I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist"

Even though it's been out for quite awhile, I haven't yet taken the opportunity to write about how much I love Sia's newest single. And now that the official music video's been released, it's a perfect time to do so. In fact, now that I've seen the video, I like the song even more. This is seriously one of the coolest music videos released this year so far, and Sia's not even in it! Instead, we get a creepy-ugly-beautiful dance routine from a very charismatic girl. I love dance in music videos, especially if it's off-kilter and memorable. This certainly is! Add to that some gorgeous cinematography and a spare, evocative set and you've got something really special. And can we just stop for a minute and give this song its due? I don't know why it's not knocking around the top of the itunes charts yet. That chorus is HUGE. Hopefully this sublime visual gives it the extra attention it deserves.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Nause - Head Over Heels (ft. Kurt Nilsen)

"Put your arms around me, whisper in my ear"

I love it when dance acts enlist unexpected vocalists for their tracks. For Swedish duo Nause's newest single, they've got the winner of the first season of Norwegian Idol, Kurt Nilsen, on vocals. Kurt's a huge star in Norway, but he certainly isn't known for EDM. However, it turns out that is evocative vocals are a perfect match for this moody track. This is dance music with an emphasis on pop song structure. It really sticks out as something a bit more stately and interesting than most music of its genre, but that doesn't mean that it's a boring slog. No, this is catchy as hell from the get-go. And that beat! It's hypnotic.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the EP here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

My First Band - Don't Break My Corazon

"I don't know if we'll make it past the door"

This is going to be half a post about a song I love and half a post of me railing against region restrictions in pop music (for the umpteenth time). My First Band's latest single, Don't Break My Corazon, has been out in Finland for a few months now, and it's been pretty successful. It's a gorgeously produced, propulsive pop song with a great hook. Their new album was released last week and I'm dying to hear it. The previews sound very, very promising. But, it's only available on Finnish itunes. Some online radio station was allowing listeners to stream the entire album for a few days, but that seemed to be region-restricted as well. The music video is... you guessed it... region restricted. Seriously, people? In this day in age, in a global world with all the luxuries new technology gives us, it just seems insane to intentionally limit your audience. The days of people being willing to shell out thirty plus dollars to import the physical cd (without even hearing it) are over. No wonder everyone turns to piracy. Sometimes there's no other viable way to connect with the music you love! Anyways, let me whet your appetite with this song and then you can be as frustrated as I am.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the album here (but only if you're in Finland, of course!). Follow me on twitter and facebook.