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.

Private - Everywhere (ft. Genasis)

"Girl, I'll take you everywhere"

I've been waiting for this for years now. I'm a huge fan of Thomas Troelsen's work. I love his stuff with Superheroes, Junior Senior, and a host of varying European artists. But most of all, I'm obsessed with his very best project: Private. Private used to be a trio and released a flawless pop album five years ago. It appears that the band name is now just a moniker for Troelsen himself, but that's no biggie. I'm just glad that he's finally back with new music! Everywhere is his first single in over four years and, as such, the sound is a little different. It's much more warm and anthemic than most of the Private album and, most notably, features a prominent rap section. This was a bit jarring for me at first, but I've grown to understand how it fits into the puzzle. Most of all, the song sounds like a lost Prince track from the 80's. Obviously, that's no bad thing. Now I hope there's not another long wait before an album's released, because I don't think I could handle it.



(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.

Top 50 Singles of 2009: 30-26

30. Måns Zelmerlöw - Hope & Glory



The polar opposite of track number 31, this huge, bombastic pop song easily became my Zelmerlow anthem of choice. Very campy.

29. Hot Leg - Cocktails



Who knew that after the Darkness Justin Hawkins could do it again? In fact, the glorious glam rock here trumps a lot of what the Darkness released.

28. Noisettes - Never Forget You



One 60’s throwback I can get behind, this single breathed some life into the genre with great lyrics and an even better hook.

27. Private - Killer On The Dancefloor



How many years in a row have these guys been featured on this list for the same album? Here’s yet another single, and yet another stunner. Now it’s time for a new campaign.

26. Dragonette - Pick Up The Phone




A mature, beautiful pop song from these guys, and a deserved hit in their native Canada. I’m not sure they’ve ever recorded a better track.