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Friday, June 12, 2015

Cheerleader - The Sunshine Of Your Youth


Here in the Pacific Northwest, we've been gifted with what seems like an unseasonably early summer. This has got me on high alert for beach songs (even if I'm not going to beach). There's a certain summer-rock sound that always seems right for this time of year, and the band Cheerleader supplies that in spades. I'm addicted to their single Sunshine of Your Youth. I mean, any song that has the word 'sunshine' in it has to be good, right? From that opening burst of synths, we're instantly transported to a convertible heading down the beachfront highway. I swear, this track is just a few good radio spins away from having a major breakthrough. We need more music like this to offset the more trendy elements on radio right now.



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

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Thursday, June 11, 2015

Exo - Love Me Right


Unexpectedly, Exo's new single has become my most played track of the past couple of weeks. I say this because, as much as I enjoyed Call Me Baby, it was still a little underwhelming as a comeback after a full year. I had little expectations for Love Me Right, and maybe that's what's made it have such staying power on my playlist. I also think that, as immaculately produced as the song is, it just has an easier, more organic vibe to it than any of Exo's singles since Growl. It's definitely on the funkier (ie: Michael Jackson pastiche) side of SM's output, and fits perfectly with the summer. Although Growl was their big breakthrough, I still don't think Exo have ever bettered Mama, their dynamite debut mini album from 2012. Love Me Right feels like a successor to that album's second single, History, which was one of the songs that initially got me interested in k-pop. I love this sound for them. It's just fun, without the weight of a more serious, corporately-driven "event" single.



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

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Tuesday, June 09, 2015

Boys Republic - Hello


I'm just in love with this song. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of that brief time in the late 90's when pop bands like the Backstreet Boys were releasing ultra-melodic, polished radio hits. Boys Republic has been flawless so far when it comes to single releases, and this is their first mid-tempo ballad. I was a bit worried about this tempo chance at first, but Hello has become a very pleasant surprise. Much like B1A4's modern classic Lonely from last year, Hello has that simple, peaceful melodic quality to it. In fact, it serves as an excellent counterpart to Lonely. In a release schedule filled with loud dance tracks, it's that perfect chill-out moment on your summer playlist. My only disappointment is that it's just a single without an accompanying album, though I expect that to change in the coming months.



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

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Monday, June 08, 2015

The Fooo Conspiracy - Run With Us


It seems like it's been awhile since The Fooo Conspiracy has graced us with another pop anthem. The funny thing is, it hasn't really been awhile at all... it's just that they had such a relentless 2014 that I've come to expect new material almost monthly. Well, Run With Us was worth the wait. The boys have outdone themselves again, with an instantly singalong summer pop song with an incredibly addictive groove. Basically, they took the awesome baseline from Iggy Azalea's Fancy and attached it to an actual song. It's exactly what you'd expect from a modern boyband on the top of their game. Now if only that international recognition could start heightening even further (though a part of me wants them to remain Sweden's awesome pop secret).



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

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