-The Strokes are working it out on their new album, their 4th, which they want to have released in September. I'm so excited. I used to really love these guys so now I'm going to dig out First Impressions of Earth and Room on Fire and take another listen. (Source: NME, Pitchfork, Digital Spy)
-Brit boy band, JLS, will make their landing in the US with the single Everybody in Love. Now this is my least favorite of all the singles they've released so far in the UK, but oh well, at least they're coming here! (Digital Spy)
-Apparently Kylie Minogue, arguably one of the greatest Australians on par with Hugh Jackman, will release her new album in the summer (according to one of her Twitter posts). Get ready for awesomeness with producers/writers RedOne (woot woot), Greg Kurstin (The Bird and the Bee and Lily Allen's very good It's Not Me, It's You), Xenomania (Girls Aloud...enough said), Calvin Harris (makes me want to dance), and 2 of the Scissor Sisters (their new album should be coming out soon). I can't wait. Wow, wow, wow, wow! (Wikipedia and Twitter)
-MGMT's sophomore album, Congratulations, will be released on April 13. I'm curious to hear what these guys do next after the greatness of Kids and Time to Pretend. (Digital Spy, Pitchfork, NME)
Tracklist according to Wiki what:
1."It's Working" 2."Song for Dan Treacy" 3."Someone's Missing" 4."Flash Delirium" 5."I Found a Whistle" 6."Siberian Breaks" 7."Brian Eno" 8."Lady Dada's Nightmare" 9."Congratulations"
Sorry I haven't posted in forever. Here's some music.
JLS-One Shot UK boy band wonder, JLS, will unleash their third single, One Shot, across the pond next month. It's a very good, satisfying piece of modern pop sleekness. Like most of their videos, this one features the boys dancing except this time they have wicked sick microphones that appear and disappear. I'm totally into this song after a couple of listens. It's nothing new, but it hits all the right buttons: semi-emotive singing, repetition of words in the chorus (watch this moment go by eeey eeeye), an intro where you think the whole thing is going to be a standard piano ballad then some crazy synths surprise you and the groove begins, and also the reference to Boys Like Girls obnoxiously catchy, Love Drunk as well as the lyric: "She's the kinda girl boys read about in magazines, glossy magazines". I'm really impressed about the use of glossy in a song. Great single from the boys.
Alexandra Burke-Broken Heels This single is the definition of campy and I love every second of it. Alexandra Burke has thankfully proven herself to be the opposite of fellow X Factor winner, Leona Lewis. Burke's songs are upbeat rushes of pop amazingness (see last year's Bad Boys). Broken Heels is produced by RedOne (Lady GaGa's frequent collaborator) and for once, a song he produces isn't instantly recognizable as a RedOne song. There are plinky plonky piano keys and an overall sound that don't just make it sound like Just Dance, Part 2. The song is a thundering beast though especially when we get into that chorus. Alexandra knocks another one out of the park. This is a good collaboration that appears to be continuing as it was reported last week that Alexandra is working on some new songs with Mr. RedOne. Also, the video: hilarious and genius at the same time. Girl can dance!
Fenech-Soler-Lies A UK band I seriously have my eye on for 2010 are Fenech-Soler. They make sublimely funky electro-pop. Here's their most straightforwardly catchy song yet, Lies. How awesome is that high note Ben Duffy hits in the chorus when he sings LIES! They have two EP's out on iTunes that are both very good. Check out their song Airbrushed. Also, they have two other songs up on their myspace called Stop and Stare and Golden Sun. Golden Sun has a sexy horn undercurrent. All their songs are immensely likable and ever so different so as not to seem like every other band out there who likes to mix some electro in with their guitars and drums. Can't wait for a full album. http://www.myspace.com/fenechsoler Awesome glittery, silver cardigan in the video!
The Drums-I Felt Stupid This is one of the bands I'm most excited about for 2010. These fellas from New York (they moved there recently from Florida) have a melange of sounds going on: down-on-the-beach-on-a-summer's-day guitar giddiness as well as 80's drama and melancholy drenched vocals from blonde-haired lead singer, Jonathan Pierce. You've heard these sounds before on Oldies 103.3 with the Beach Boys and any 80's song of your choice, but these guys use their influences to great effect especially on this gem, I Felt Stupid, which has a sweet chorus complete with yes, word repetition, (Ha Ha Ha Heart!) and a splendid bit where Pierce sings "And have I lived my life too selfishly baby". See the track and field-themed video below. Check out all their other songs on their myspace. Instruct Me is quite lovely and Submarine demonstrates the Happy Days/ 80's smoothie the boys like to make. http://www.myspace.com/thedrumsforever
Plan B-Stay Too Long British rapper makes old school R&B/soul and rap hybrid to strange and quite great effect.
-Kings of Leon have shot to the number 2 position on the US iTunes chart with the anthemic Use Somebody. Took long enough. Congrats, boys!
-Good Girls Go Bad, the collaboration between Cobra Starship and Gossip Gal Leighton Meester is rising in the chart, standing at number 5 on iTunes. Very exciting!
-Across the pond, JLS are still topping the UK iTunes with their debut Beat Again and Kanye West's new protege (even though he's been around in England for awhile) Mr Hudson's newest single, Supernova, featuring Mr. West is at the number 2 position. Very impressive debut for that song!
Kesha-Tick Tock The young gal who sang on Flo Rida's unavoidable Right Round is forging her own career and with a song like Tick Tock I see lots of potential. Now first of all, this song has about 80 different titles: P Diddy, Dolla, Tick Tock, but I'm going with Tick Tock. I love it. I hope she releases it and it becomes huge because it is very "now" but not in a repetitive way. She seems to have quite the vibrant personality too. This is a gleaming example of a pop single filled with sass and a super fun chorus. Great start.
JLS-Beat Again This song is the current number 1 in the UK. JLS are a boy band who came in second place in the most recent season of X-Factor in the UK. This is a wonderful debut single for the guys. It is hugely catchy and the beat is delectable. Also, the guys are super good at dancing. I love their very literal choreography. This is a good sign for boy bands in the UK. Congrats, guys!
Crystal Fighters-Xtatic Truth I found this band through the website for music magazine NME. They are based in London, but the members of the group are quite international. One of the singers in the band had a grandfather who wrote an opera named Crystal Fighters which this singer found in Basque land. They use this found material for their songs. All very odd and interesting. This is their new song, Xtatic Truth that mixes modern electronic elements with a string instrument plucking along while singers coo in the background. It's quite the melange and it's delightful and exciting. I'm really looking forward to what these guys do next.
Mika-We Are Golden He has returned!! The man with the curly hair and falsetto is back with his bright, colorful pop songs. I loved a lot of his songs from his 2007 debut Life in Cartoon Motion. He premiered his new single, We Are Golden, due for release in September in the UK last Friday on a UK radio show. It's super sunny and fun with a shouty, chanting, irresistible chorus. It's quite fantastic and theatrical. "Running around again, running for money" and "Teenage dreams in a teenage circus" are some choice lyrics from the song. This is a joyous return for Mika and I can't wait to hear the album also titled We are Golden.
