Top 50 Singles Of 2012: 10-6

10. Foxy Shazam - Holy Touch



Carrying on the best of glam rock, this is the kind of over-the-top, stirringly produced single that doesn't come around much these days.

9. Icona Pop - I Love It



They came out of what seemed like nowhere to deliver one of the strongest musical statements of the year. A blistering assault.

8. Jedward - Waterline



Pure cheese, in the absolute best way possible. This is Jedward as good as they will ever be, with a song that you may want to dislike, but won't be able to.

7. Scissor Sisters - Let's Have A Kiki



In an off-year for the Sisters, it's amazing that they were still able to deliver a career highlight. Silly fun, yes, but sometimes that's just what you need.

6. Matt Cardle - It's Only Love (7th Heaven Radio Edit) 



I would've laughed hysterically if anyone told me a Matt Cardle song would have been on my list, especially in the top ten. But, this is a Matt Cardle remix, and it's perfect. The Delays song they never recorded.

Top 20 Albums Of 2012: 18-17

18. Scissor Sisters - Magic Hour



Their weakest album, and definitely their most inconsistent, but even a slightly subpar Scissor Sisters album is better than most bands. This finds its way onto my countdown for some blazing highlights, like the ridiculous fun of Let's Have A Kiki and F*ck Yeah and the melodic grandeur of Only The Horses.

17. Olly Murs - Right Place, Right Time



Another strong album from Olly Murs. While he might not go down in history with any pop classics, you can always rely on him to churn out a fun, feelgood album. This one feels slightly more soulful than his past two, and is worth its place on my list if only for Dear Darling and The One, which really rank amongst his very best.

Scissor Sisters - Self Control

"It's hard to take it easy when you're unsatisfied"

Oh, man. I hate to even type this, but I'm just not feeling the new Scissor Sisters album. It's perfectly fine, sure, but even though I've listened to it at least five times now, I can easily say it's my least favorite--the least exciting--release they've recorded. I say this as a massive fan, an admirer of lead single Only The Horses, and an absolute lover of Let's Have A Kiki (which is by far the most memorable thing on the record). The rest, much like Adam Lambert's new one, is stuff that I'm desperately trying to connect to. I think one of the problems is that Night Work, their last album, was so so SO strong. Seriously, a masterpiece of the genre. With Magic Hour, it feels like they've taken a step back into a much more anonymous sound. I hear others talk about how the album is the weirdest the band's sounded since their demo debut, but I don't see it at all. Other than Kiki, there's nothing that comes even close to the wonderful weirdness of Electrobix, Bicycling with the Devil or even Making Ladies (b-side on their second album). What we get instead is something perfectly nice, but on the same hand... perfectly boring. One late album highlight is Self Control, which injects a welcome old-school dance vibe. Still, it's not as good as anything on the last album.



(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.

Scissor Sisters - Let's Have A Kiki

"Lock the doors!"

Could this song be any crazier? Let's Have A Kiki is taken from Scissor Sisters' upcoming album (which I haven't heard yet, but am dying to). It's reminiscent of their old demo stuff in the way that it's completely, utterly "out there." This, by the way, is a complete compliment. I love how this band can go from ultra-melodic, straightforward pop songs to something this weird. It's less a song than an extended spoken-word dance freakout. Ana Matronic hasn't sounded this inspiringly gonzo for several albums now (in fact, I'd go so far as saying she hasn't sounded this fresh since the band's debut). And this is all her track. Jake's really nowhere to be found. One question, though: did the band make up this word "Kiki" or is it some obscure slang I should know about? If not, it should be.



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

Scissor Sisters - Only The Horses

"Only the horses can bring us back home"

I hate it when a big track comes out on a Friday because then I have to wait all the way until Monday to write about it. This time it was Scissor Sisters' new one, Only The Horses. It's an interesting case, for sure. Here's my dilemma. I love the song. Really, really love it. I especially love when the Sisters go for full-on, soaring melodic pop music. Sure, they can do the offbeat tracks just as well, but I've always been more of a melody guy. They've also roped in it-boy of the moment Calvin Harris to provide production. All signs point to radio eating this up, but if I'm being honest, I'm not so sure. I WANT them to eat it up, but if the similar-sounding Fire With Fire didn't do it, I'm not sure this is going to either. Bottom line is: I think fans really need to get behind this. It's one of those songs that takes a few spins to really grow on you, but then it sticks. I found myself humming the chorus all weekend. I can't wait for their new album next month. If this and Shady Love are anything to go by, it's going to be quite diverse in sound.



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

Scissor Sisters - Shady Love (ft. Krystal Pepsy)

"You see me running but you can't keep up"

Ok, let's talk about the new Scissor Sisters song. Hmmm. Honestly, I'm not loving it. It kind of reminds me of when Robbie Williams did Rudebox. Luckily, that song was part of an otherwise excellent album. I'm hoping for the same thing from the Sisters. I get that this is supposed to be funny and trendy, but I just think the band is capable of so much more. Their last album was a masterpiece, and included all the humor that they're known for without seeming novelty or, even worse, annoying. Shady Love has very little melody, even though that has always been one of their biggest strengths. I do love the guitar (when it finally comes in) and the hook is alright, but that rapping just rubs me the wrong way. And I don't understand why Ana isn't singing the chorus. I don't know... maybe it'll grow on me. Otherwise, this is probably their first single that I'm not crazy about.

Scissor Sisters - Shady Love by The Pop! Music Blog

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

Top 50 Singles of 2010: 5-1

5. Scissor Sisters - Invisible Light



The group’s longest, most experimental song to date. The final minute or so, with that drug-induced, otherworldly build, is the best moment in pop this year.

4. Tinashé - Zambezi



A somewhat unknown afro-beat pop anthem that utterly captured me this year. From the coming-of-age lyrics to the bright, soaring chorus, this is a staggering achievement.

3. Florence + The Machine - Dog Days Are Over



Quite simply, it conquered the world this year. I can’t think of a more galvanizing song. Rattling drums battle it out with divine, gutsy vocals to create what can only be described as a masterpiece.

2. Robyn - Dancing On My Own



I don’t know how she did it, but she managed to return with something even better than With Every Heartbeat. This is everything I love about Robyn distilled into one song. Soaring, heartbreaking, cool, unforgettable.

1. Foxy Shazam - Oh Lord



From the moment I heard this, it was hard to imagine any song besting it this year. This was the arrival of something breathtakingly, awesomely new. They threw everything I love about music into a blender and Oh Lord was born.

Top 20 Albums of 2010: 4-3

Before I get into these final albums, I’ve got to note that the top four this year were the closest they’ve ever been. I switched the order around several times before settling on this. Each, in their own right, is pretty perfect.

4. Short Stack - This Is Bat Country



In a year where many of my favorites disappointed, this upstart Aussie band, previously known for less-than-spectacular punk-pop, released the best album of the Fall. It was that rare thing that appealed to me almost immediately, melding elements of rock, pop, punk and dance into a truly addictive cocktail. My top album of the year features the best vocals of 2010, but Short Stack may very well have the best performance. There’s charisma and sleaze oozing out of every second of these songs. The production’s top notch, go-for-broke stuff. And the songs… I can’t say enough about them.

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3. Scissor Sisters - Night Work



Though the pop world didn’t seem as enthused as I was, Scissor Sisters returned this year with what could be their best album to date. They’re the one obsession of mine that didn’t disappoint in 2010. In fact, as I grew to understand the album, I realized that it was better than anything I could have hoped for. Remarkably consistent, produced to perfection (again, but Stuart Price) and the ballsiest record of the year. While it may not have the singles of their debut, it’s that rare thing in 2010: an honest-to-god, don’t-skip-a-track album. They don’t come along very often anymore, but when they do it’s quite stirring.

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Top 50 Singles of 2010: 10-6

10. Darin - Lovekiller



The top ten kicks off with the biggest, cheesiest pop moment of 2010. There is no resisting the overblown goodness of this track. Darin hit it out of the park with this one. The video’s wonderfully over-the-top, too.

9. Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers



The comeback single she’s been searching for for years. It was so magical that it overshadowed everything else on the album. Her biggest late-career highlight.

8. Scissor Sisters - Fire With Fire



A soaring festival anthem that deserved more success than it found. Jake sounds his best on tracks like this. No band does melodic, radio pop better than Scissor Sisters.

7. Mcfly & Taio Cruz - Shine A Light



I never expected that, this late in their career, Mcfly could pull off a pop track like this. It hits you from the first listen and cements itself in your memory. The I Gotta Feeling of 2010.

6. Short Stack - Planets



On first listen, I didn’t think this was anything special. Then I came back to it… and back… and back. And I’m still listening to it constantly months later. Everything came together here.

Bryan Ferry - Heartache By Numbers

"I live for the moment"

I've been waiting for this one for awhile now, and it doesn't disappoint. This is the song that Bryan Ferry (of Roxy Music fame, of course) did with Scissor Sisters for his new album. If I were comparing it to SS's most recent material, I guess it's more Fire With Fire than anything else, though it really doesn't sound much like anything the band's written before. It's got a gentle, yet subtly soaring (if that makes any sense) sound to it, with an elegant choral hook and a general sense of grandeur that fits Ferry's vocals perfectly. That being said, I would love to hear a version with Jake's vocals as well.

Bryan Ferry - Heartache By Numbers by alienhits

(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.

Scissor Sisters & Kylie Minogue - Any Which Way (Live at Glastonbury)

I'm not the only blogger posting this, but I thought it merited a mention anyway, as it's really a slice of pop heaven. I can't imagine any other two artists complementing each other as well as these guys do. They truly put on a show, elevating the song in the process. It always amazes me -- even after all of these years -- what a dynamic live performer Kylie is.

Scissor Sisters - Something Like This

"I just need to hear that song again"

In April of last year, I mentioned that Scissor Sisters' eventual comeback single should sound something like Filthy Dukes'/Tommy Sparks' Messages -- an 80's inspired electro jam. Turns out that their comeback sounded nothing like that (though it ended up brilliant anyways), but there is a track on their new album that's begging to fill the second single slot and eerily matches the exact wishes I wrote about in that 2009 post. It's as if I was in the studio telling them what to do! Ha ha... well, probably not quite that extreme. Surprisingly, Something Like This didn't stand out for me at first, but as I've lived with it for awhile now, it's become one of my favorite tracks on the album. The robo-hook is as simple as it gets, and the rest of the song follows suit. But dance tracks this taut and elastic are a lot harder to produce than they'd seem (see Christina A's craptacular new "electro" album). The trick is making them sound simple and effortless, and this song does that brilliantly. The result is a galvanizing burst of modern dance-pop that's completely irresistible and a bit different for the band.

Scissor Sisters - Something Like This by alienhits

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

Track-by-Track: Scissor Sisters - Night Work

Scissor Sisters have been away for four years. That's like a lifetime for pop groups. Turns out, it took them that long to create what could be their masterpiece. In a career of strong albums, Night Work easily eclipses their last effort and gives their debut a run for its money. Blazingly energetic and, most importantly, consistent, it's the rare pop album that works all the way through. Pop is well and truly back!

1. Night Work - Kicks off the album with a blast. Full-on 80's dance guitars and a propulsive beat combine with wistful vocals about a life lived after the sun goes down. One of the strongest, most instant tracks. It reminds me, in parts, of Prince's 80's output. 10/10

2. Whole New Way - Jake uses his distinctive Laura vocals on this funky midtempo. And speaking of Prince, this vocal style reminds me of his Sign o' the Times era alter-ego Camille. The middle-eight here is wonderfully dramatic. 9/10

3. Fire With Fire - The album's big anthem, and the closest to approaching the Elton-esque pop of their last album. It's also the closest the album gets to a ballad, though the chugging euro-beat keeps things moving. A brilliant, soaring single. 10/10

4. Any Which Way - A huge disco track with stabbing strings, a dramatic siren opening and a welcome, campy spoken interlude from Ana. It's got everything a Scissor Sisters track should have. The Filthy/Gorgeous of this album, though not quite as classic. 9/10

5. Harder You Get - A hard-rock, 80's pastiche with smutty, spoken verses and a stick-in-your-head (or somewhere else...) hook. The blazing guitar solo towards the end is a new (and thrilling) diversion for the band. 9/10

6. Running Out - Probably the most 80's inspired track, it reminds me of album-producer Trevor Horn's work with his band the Buggles. It works wonderful as a duet, and the herky-jerky chorus is completely addicting. Jake sounds like John Cameron Mitchell at points. One of my favorites. 10/10

7. Something Like This - Another highlight, though it's completely different from the last track. The band do robo-electro-funk surprisingly well. The lyrics are throwaway, yet somehow quite stirring in their simplicity. It demands to be a single. 10/10

8. Skin This Cat - This took me the longest to come around to. Now I look at it more as an interlude, segueing between the earlier tracks and the epic string of songs that end the album. It's got an icy electro thump to it, though Ana's vocals aren't quite enough to support the entire song. Still, a grower. 8/10

9. Skin Tight - An anthem, like Fire With Fire, with the melody up front. The bridge is exhilarating, leading into a powerful, singalong chorus. Jake sounds world-conquering, and it segues perfectly into the next track. 10/10

10. Sex And Violence - A dark, electronic opus with a flawless melody and even better production. Jake's vocal performance, subtler and more mysterious here, deserves more praise than it'll probably get. And those seesaw synths throughout are PERFECTION. 10/10

11. Night Life - Ridiculously catchy, like the energy of a rave smashed into a pop song. The percolating verses are Ana at her best and the Jake-fronted chorus compliments them perfectly. You will be singing this one. 10/10

12. Invisible Light - What can I say about this that hasn't been said before? The last two minutes, with the Ian McKellen vocals and the instrumental climax, are among the best work the band has ever done. This is an instant classic. A massive achievement. 10/10

Album Grade: 9.6/10

Scissor Sisters - Isn't It Strange

"Isn't it strange that your face is deranged?"

Before recording the upcoming Night Work, Scissor Sisters scrapped an entire album's worth of material. Rumor is, it was much more Ta Dah (their last album) than their new stuff. Isn't It Strange is a cut from the soundtrack of the new Shrek movie (which looks abominable, by the way), and will not be on Night Work. I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of those scrapped album songs. And it's not because it's bad. Quite the contrary, actually. It's because it sounds very Scissor Sisters circa 2006. It's about as honky tonk as the band gets, with a bit of an ELO and Abba influence in the chorus. Very Waterloo-esque, old-school country-glam. Clocking in at just over two minutes, it's short and sweet and perfect for a soundtrack. I don't think it's memorable enough for an album (and certainly not a single), but I personally love it. I'm going through a huge SS resurgence right now. Can't really get enough.

Scissor Sisters - Isn't It Strange by alienhits

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

Scissor Sisters - Fire With Fire

"It used to seem we were number one"

Summer 2010 has its anthem. The Scissor Sisters are back, and boy how I've missed them! They've been gone so long that I didn't realize how much I needed them back. Ever since I heard Invisible Light (their epic album-ending teaser released a few weeks ago), I was on the edge of my seat for the first official single. And it doesn't disappoint. One thing I love about the Sisters is their ability to shift from sexy,club-infused cult-pop (Invisible Light) to soaring, classical pop songwriting (Fire With Fire). Some folks only seem to like one or the other, but it's in this combination of sounds that the band truly show what they can do. The Stuart Price produced Fire With Fire is essentially The Killers' Human Part Two, but with Jake Shears' Elton-esque vocals and that simple, catchy hook, I think they've got a hit on their hands. It's a return to form after the last album kind of fizzled out after the success of I Don't Feel Like Dancin. The new album, Night Work, is released at the end of next month. I'll be first in line to buy my copy, for sure. Can't wait.

Scissor Sisters - Fire With Fire by alienhits

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