2006-12-28 01:53:00
6. The Killers - Sam's Town
A highly touted and much criticized follow up to the Killers' beloved debut, Sam's Town is probably the best on-the-road album of the year. Huge choruses and overblown lyrics highlight this delightfully schmaltzy (but ultimately affirming) release. A pretty big departure from the Killers' earlier sound, it is successful because of its earnest nature and its big ambitions.
Album Track: Why Do I Keep Counting - The All These Things That I've Done of the album, this gorgeous, building ballad nearly caps off Sam's Town in perfect form. It's practically built for the stage of a rock opera.
5. Under The Influence Of Giants
Fusing disco, funk and rock in a near-perfect combination, UTIOG were one of the most promising new bands to come out this year. Listening to the album is in many ways like reverting back to the best of seventies soft-rock, disco and pop. In addition to the requisite dance floor stompers, the band excels at the mus
2006-12-28 01:37:00
15. The Feeling - Sewn
Epic lighters-in-the-air ballad... shake that ass Danny boy!
14. Razorlight - In The Morning
Crazy-catchy AM radio throwback... pop swagger never sounded better.
13. Bodies Without Organs - Temple Of Love
Catchiest offering yet from Swedish trio... a temple a sizable amount of us wouldn't mind visiting.
12. Lucky Soul - Lips Are Unhappy
Throwback pop/soul from group to watch in 2007... demands shaking.
11. Linda Sundblad - Oh Father
Subversive Madonna-esque pop with glossy melody... Sundblad's perfect solo introduction.
2006-12-29 01:10:00
4. The Alpine - On Feel Trips
My favorite debut of the year, The Alpine have the gift of creating perfect power-pop. Any band that can make this type of music sound so life-affirming deserves all of the success they get. On Feel Trips is a whopper of an album. There's barely room to breathe between one huge epic chorus and the next. They've really found the perfect blend between girl/boy vocals, guitar and keys.
Album Track: Iceland - Not one of the band's most uptempo cuts, but definitely one of their most catchy, this atmospheric ballad is so gigantic that you could probably hear it all the way from Iceland.
3. Melody Club - Scream
A ridiculously fun pop release from one of my favorite pop bands, this is the kind of music that should be setting radio waves on fire, yet seems only to gain any sort of success in Scandinavia. Comprised of eleven tracks that recall the best of the eighties, Scream is the band's funkiest, most propulsive effort to date, and o
2006-12-29 00:50:00
10. The Alpine - Mondays Look The Same
Peppy power pop anthem... kinda angry, but sounds absolutely joyous.
9. Melody Club - Destiny Calling
Swedish band's most direct single yet... mature and shimmering pop.
8. Alphabeat - Fascination
Quirky candy pop from multigender Danish group... inescapable from the very first listen.
7. Mika - Relax, Take It Easy
Scissor Sisters-esque dance rock... timeless in its simplicity and verve.
6. The Zutons - Valerie
My summer song of the year... perfect for backyard barbeques or days at the beach.
2006-12-30 00:45:00
02. Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah
They did it before in 2004 with their debut, and if it wasn't for tougher-than-nails competition this year, they would have had the number one album again. Ta-Dah, more than anything, proved that the band had staying power. A carnival of pop styles that manages to be at once dark and dancible, the album really has something for everyone. Combined with their debut, unreleased demo and mountain of b-sides, Scissor Sisters are the band to beat in 2007.
Album Track: Might Tell You Tonight - The sweetest and most subdued track on the album, it sounds like a long-lost AM radio classic, and it will be a shame if it's not released as a single. Of all the tracks on Ta-Dah, I think it has the most staying power.
01. Delays - You See Colours
I still remember the first time I listened to this album. It was one of those knock-you-over-the-head, practically religious experiences that you can only get with transcendent pop music. Classic aft
2006-12-30 00:23:00
5. The Killers - When You Were Young
Biggest single yet from Las Vegas' favorite rockers... epic riffs meld with Meat Loaf-esque vocals to create something timeless.
4. My Chemical Romance - Welcome To The Black Parade
Former screamo quintet go all Queen on us... craft the single of their career in the process.
3. Mika - Love Today
Delightful pop truffle mixes the best of Prince, Scissor Sisters and Freddie Mercury... an anthem in waiting.
2. Scissor Sisters - Don't Feel Like Dancing
The catchiest single this year, and an amazing success for a band that I didn't think could get any better... unavoidable.
1. Delays - Valentine
Ultra-clever pop rocker about life-or-death love amidst Hurricane Katrina... epic, epic, epic. Undoubtedly the single of the year.
2006-12-31 00:52:00
Christmas Bargain-Bin Music HangoverRegular #1 Hits posts will be back on Monday, just in time for the new year… but for now I have some things to finish up in 2006.In addition to being one of the best days of the year, Christmas is also my annual time to catch up on music releases that I, for whatever reason, haven't heard/bought yet. This year my attention was focused on three bargain-bin priced releases from artists that I've posted about this last year. All are undeservedly forgotten albums, and I was happy to discover that they're all three pretty good. It's not entirely unexpected to get burned by albums that are on sale for under five dollars on amazon, but these three were a good buy: Tally HallI posted Good Day by Tally Hall a few months ago to great success, and I was eager to hear the whole album. I'm happy to report that it's the best of the three releases. A very schizophrenic album, the band has the eccentric stylings of groups like Sparks and Of Montreal
2006-12-31 21:28:00
The last day of 2006 is upon us and, although this year has been a great one for music, 2007 is shaping up to be even better. Here are my top ten most anticipated releases of the new year.
1. The Ark
(spring)Their new single Absolutely No Decorum sounds like it's going to be marvelous, the band is gunning for a victory at Eurovision this year, and they've promised a new album that hearkens back to the sound of their debut. All is very well in the Ark world, which means the same for my world. Look for the whole of the single to be debuted next month, with the album released not long after.
2. Niklas Stenemo
(summer)It's no secret to anyone who reads this blog regularly that The Mo is one of my favorite bands of all time. Now that the band is no more, lead singer (and Melody Club bassist) Niklas Stenemo is going solo. Said to be more pop/electronic than his work with The Mo, the album may be released late Summer, but I have yet to hear anything definitive. I am ridicu
2007-01-02 01:46:00
Lil' Chris - Gettin' Enough
"Are you gettin' enough, enough to satisfy you?"
Lil' Chris, the youngest artist featured on this site so far at age 16, was the "star" of series two of Gene Simmons' Rock School. I was a huge fan of the first series (one of the reasons I went over to England to teach at a boarding school last spring - but that's another story), but I never expected any good music to actually come out of it. Even though Chris's stuff should be terrible, Gettin' Enough has literally been on repeat on my mp3 player for the last week or so. The combo of the bratty vocals, new wave production, and overall catchiness add up to nothing short of pop perfection. If you want to call this a guilty pleasure, so be it, but I've definitely been converted into a fan. It'll be interesting to see if he sticks around long enough to outgrow the tired "lil'" moniker.
Listen & Download: Lil' Chris - Gettin' Enough
Download: Lil' Chris - Gettin' Enough
(Music post
2007-01-03 00:17:00
Brad Walsh - Two Of Hearts
"Two hearts that beat as one"
Remember that 80's classic Two Of Hearts by Stacey Q? Well, New Yorker Brad Walsh (think a solo Scissor Sister) has covered it, and just may have improved upon perfection. It's not actually much of a departure from the original, just updated and polished with more of an electro edge. It's the seamless vocal performance that really sells it. Walsh has got a few originals as well which are also fantastic. You can hear them at his website. And, he's obviously got a lively, somewhat androgynous style that really screams New York City.
Listen & Download: Brad Walsh - Two Of Hearts
Download: Brad Walsh - Two Of Hearts
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2007-01-04 02:36:00
Dance With Voices - Send My Regards To The Lonely Nightlife
"Fall like the future"
This is one of my favorite new bands from Australia. They've got an amazingly clean, laid-back electro-guitar sound that encapsulates the absolute best of 80's synth pop and more current dance technology. Plus, their logo reminds me of the Transformers, which only adds to the nostalgic kick. More than anything, though, it's the band's songs that stand apart. They're not the knock-you-over-the-head-insanely-catchy-the-first-time type of tracks. Instead, they get better and better with each listen. The guitar lines and the constant, washing synth really create an otherworldy backdrop, especially in this song.
Listen & Download: Dance With Voices - Send My Regards To The Lonely Nightlife
Download: Dance With Voices - Send My Regards To The Lonely Nightlife
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the EP here.)
2007-01-05 01:57:00
Soft Complex - Barcelona"You invite the pain to come in and we begin again"Washington DC based band Soft Complex, like so many others, thrive on a new wave inflected synth pop that recalls bands like Echo & The Bunnymen and New Order. And, also like many others, they do a mighty fine job of creating pulsing pop songs that manage to be at once laid back and irresistably catchy. Barcelona (also the title of their recent EP) begins with a surprisingly funky guitar before the melody slows down a bit, morphing into gorgeous verses. Plus, the band has played with #1 Hits favorite The Sounds, so you know they've gotta be good.Listen & Download: Soft Complex - BarcelonaDownload: Soft Complex - Barcelona(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the EP here.)
2007-01-06 02:00:00
LEO - Ya Had Me Goin'"Ya had me goin', goin' crazy"A 2006 supergroup that records in the style of legendary symphonic poppers ELO? How could I not have heard about this until now? No matter, because I've got another new obsession to add to my already bursting-at-the-seams list. A collection of power-poppers under the direction of Boston's Bleu, this group creates the most convincing 70's homage I've heard in a long time. The epic songs on Alpacas Orgling (their debut release) feel exactly like those old Jeff Lynne classics, including the funky Ya Had Me Goin', which I am predicting you will love as soon as you hear the first few, swelling seconds. Listen & Download: LEO - Ya Had Me Goin'Download: LEO - Ya Had Me Goin'(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2007-01-06 01:30:00
*Edit: I'm about ready to send in my own (perhaps too carefully selected) top ten. I wanted to bump this up to the top of the page to remind everyone to get their votes in before the 26th!
Pop Lovers, It's Time To Represent!
The brilliant Adem over at
I'm Always Right
has stumbled upon the equally brilliant idea to compile a list of top 20 pop albums of all time. I'm not going to try to explain it better than him, so here's the information straight from his blog...
"What is YOUR favourite POP album of all time? Do you have 10 of them? If you answered yes to that final question, then you're going to come in very handy for what IAR, and the writers/editors of QUITE A FEW OTHER BRILLIANT/ACE/FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC POP BLOGS have got heating up in the oven in time for the New Year.
What's going to happen is this: I want to know what your top 10 favourite albums are of all time. List your albums from 1 to 10, or, if you cannot decide your order of preference but DO have a
2007-01-07 03:45:00
Mika - Life In Cartoon Motion
Release Date: February 5th, 2007Label: Casablanca
The current pop climate is open for a jack-of-all-trades, and listening to Mika's debut album, Life In Cartoon Motion, that seems to be exactly the title he's going for. From theatrical rock (lead single Grace Kelly) to smooth disco (Relax, Take It Easy) to quirky piano pop (Billy Brown), Mika covers it all… and it's a clean sweep across the board.
Life In Cartoon Motion is 2007's first perfect pop album. Its choruses are bigger than everyone else's, and its ringleader, led by his remarkable falsetto, undeniably brandishes that ever-so-coveted x-factor. Like it or not: Mika is destined to be a star. And, really, how could you not like it? With songs as addictive as the stomping playground romp Lollipop and the this-is-how-Orson-should-have-sounded Big Girl (You Are Beautiful), resistance really is futile. Life In Cartoon Motion even has its anthem, the gorgeous guitar/dance hybrid Love
2007-01-07 00:47:00
A new feature to the blog, every Saturday will spotlight a classic album that fits the #1 Hits criteria: catchy, epic and pleasingly alien. First up is....Sparks - Kimono My House (1974)A landmark album in more ways than one, Sparks were doing Queen harmonies before anybody had ever heard Bohemian Rhapsody. Although not the band's debut, Kimono was their breakthrough, boasting their instant classic This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us, a sizable British hit that never found the success it deserved in the States. Ditto for the group. Sparks is Russel and Ron Mael, cult heroes for those who like their music witty, theatrical and different.Kimono was the beginning of a trilogy of like-minded glam based albums that should have dominated the mid-seventies. Operatic vocals combine with bubblegum rock more perfectly than ever before on each of the album's ten tracks (12 on the remastered version). Discounting the group's later albums, the whole of Kimono is unlike anything that h
2007-01-08 01:18:00
Random Sundays...
On Sundays I've decided that I'm really just going to post whatever... one week it might be themed, one week it might be something completely off topic. Today, though, I've compiled an EP's worth of songs that all fit under the category 70's AOR Revisited. With bands like The Feeling topping the British charts and artists like Mika and Scissor Sisters pretty much a staple on this blog, melodic, piano based rock is making a resurgence. It's like we've stepped back further from all the 80's new wave influence and began reevaluating 70's bands like Supertramp and Styx.
I think the following list offers a fantastic representation of the genre. Each track is the kind of song that you fall in love with before you're even finished with the first listen. Enjoy, and let me know if you particularly like any of the bands!
1. LEO - Don't Let It Go
2. Ella Rouge - Jekyll N Hyde
3. Razorlight - Who Needs Love
4. Mohair - L.A. Song
5. Persephone's Bees - Even Though I
2007-01-10 02:20:00
SUGARBEET - CLUBBING ALL NIGHT
"Will I see the light by the end of night?"
Sugarbeet call themselves "club rock." There's definitely a strong hip-hop influence in their music as well. If you like bands like Tahiti 80, or even Maroon 5, this is definitely one to add to the list. Sugarbeet is Ulrik and Frederik Suneseen, two brothers from Denmark. Clubbing All Night, off their most recent album Club Rock (I'm sensing a theme here), has an undeniable swagger with a great vocal and some soulful live instrumentation added to the thumping track. Whew... that's a lot of plusses. Basically, if you're in the mood for a simple, summer-sounding single (dig the alliteration on that!), you couldn't do much better than this track.
mp3: Sugarbeet - Clubbing All Night
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2007-01-09 05:09:00
Lil' Chris - Lil' Chris
Release Date: December 4th, 2006
Label: RCA
If I were to tell you that the best new wave power rock record of the year belonged to a sixteen year old kid named Lil' Chris, you probably wouldn't believe me. But, it could very well be true. Lil' Chris (born Chris Hardman, a veteran of Gene Simmons' reality show Rock School) has created the only teenage pop/rock record worth listening to in a good long while.
If this was a different situation (if Chris didn't look like he was 12 and sing like he was 10) we'd be in Franz Ferdinand territory… only better. Any new wave revivalist would be lucky to have tracks as brilliantly catchy as Gettin' Enough and Is She Ready? in their catalog. In fact, the whole of the album is one giant hook propelled with enough youthful energy to nearly set it alight. Blistering cuts like first single Checkin' It Out and Rock School-featured Is There Anybody Out There? retain their fuck-you attitude while still
2007-01-09 02:36:00
#1 Hits News: Title & Tracklisting of Kaiser Chiefs' New Record AnnouncedLove the title!Yours Truly, Angry Mob1. Ruby2. The Angry Mob3. Heat Dies Down4. Highroyds5. Love's Not A Competition (But I'm Winning)6. Thank You Very Much7. I Can Do It Without You8. My Kind Of Guy9. Everything Is Average Nowadays10. Boxing Champ11. Learnt My Lesson Well12. Try Your Best13. RetirementOut February 26th (Europe) and March 27th (North America)
2007-01-09 02:04:00
Loveninjas - I Wanna Be Like Johnny C"I wanna be like you!"I Wanna Be Like Johnny C, the new single from Swedish group Loveninjas, possesses the kind of shimmering pop melody that groups like Pulp and, more recently, The Upper Room excell at. I actually know shockingly little about the band, but I think that this song speaks for itself. It just keeps building and building until it bursts into an anthematic rave. In fact, I would put it right alongside Pulp's Common People. In a lot of ways, it's very similar and a nice compliment to that classic. Plus, the whole thing's pretty funny... in a serious way of course.Listen & Download: Loveninjas - I Wanna Be Like Johnny CDownload: Loveninjas - I Wanna Be Like Johnny C(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2007-01-11 02:17:00
LUCAS PRATA - ...AND SHE SAID
"And she said Yeah-eah-eah!!"
Today's post is a good old fashioned club song. It's simple, pretty stupid, and insanely catchy. ...And She Said was a hit this summer in parts of Europe but, as far as I know, didn't really make it over to the States (or at least not with the same success as it achieved elsewhere). It's a shame, because as far as one-off pop/club tracks go, it's a pretty good one. In between the singalong chorus and the thumping verses, there's really not much room for sitting still. If you like your pop music big and shiny, give this a listen. Even if you hate it, you can't tell me that it's not a catchy little thing.
zshare: Lucas Prata - ...And She Said
yousendit: Lucas Prata - ...And She Said
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2007-01-12 02:29:00
Video Premiere: Melody Club - Fever FeverA strangely shot low-budget video accompanies the second single from Scream. It's far more interesting than the band's last video, even with the apparently limited budget. Face it, though, there's nobody else out there right now that looks like (or dances like - especially at the 1:40 mark...whoa) Kristofer. More than anything, the video is a showcase for him and his alien charms.
2007-01-12 02:09:00
THE MARY ONETTES - LOST
"And you say you have to be there, 'cause you feel so ordinary"
Another Labrador Records signing today, as I spotlight the Mary Onettes' synth flavored indie-pop. Lost is currently in rotation on Swedish radio and it's quite a nice little song. Best part: the pulsing chorus. Like the song by Loveninjas that I posted earlier this week, it doesn't hit you over the head the very first time. Instead, it slowly creeps into your memory. Plus, it's the perfect song for a sunny, cold, snowy winter like we're having right now in the Pacific Northwest. Part of me feels like I'm back in Stockholm with all the snow on the ground and freezing temperatures.
zshare: The Mary Onettes - Lost
yousendit: The Mary Onettes - Lost
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
2007-01-13 02:22:00
#1 Hits News
Denmarks' Alphabeat, one of my most anticipated acts of 2007 (#4, to be exact), has posted another amazing new track (Fantastic 6) on their myspace from their forthcoming debut. If they can keep creating these perfect pop nuggets, we're really in for a treat come February. My only word of advice to this fab band: please get a real website soon!
The Delays, whose most recent release You See Colours was my #1 album of 2006, have finally signed to a new record label. And, more excitingly, they plan to have another new album out by the end of the year! Thanks to Jessica for this uber-exciting news!
2007-01-13 01:58:00
DATA PANIK - RULERS AND THE STATES
"I have become angry riff man"
Scottish band data Panik play the jerky 80's-revivalist new wave that we know so well, but their specialty seems to be creating songs containing not even a second of boredom. Immediately from the start, Rulers And The States will entice you with its driving riff, followed quickly with a "la la la la" section worthy of Kaiser Chiefs praise. As I've said before, every time I get bored with this particular genre of music, I discover a song like this that makes me fall in love with it all over again.
mp3: data Panik - Rulers And The States
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! No album, but buy other tracks here.)
2007-01-14 01:39:00
Adam Ant - Friend Or Foe (1982)Friend Or Foe was Adam's first album after splitting with the Ants. And, while it didn't differ too much from his previous sound (i.e. lots of interesting percussion and glammy, punk attitude), it was his first more pop-oriented work. Working again with main collaborator Marco Pirroni and boasting the huge hits Goody Two Shoes and Desperate But Not Serious, it was also the most successful release of his career in America. And, listening to the record, it's clear why.Friend Or Foe is adventurous pop, the work of an artist unlike any other and with his own distinct vision. Incorporating elements of punk, soul, new wave, guitar pop, funk and any other genre you could think of, the tracks are both varied and gloriously catchy. Some critics dismissed the album's pop leanings, but Adam Ant has never been so addictive as he was here.Singles: Goody Two Shoes, Friend Or Foe, Desperate But Not SeriousMade Of Money: A surprisingly gorgeous guitar strummer, even
2007-01-15 02:21:00
Catchy Girl Pop EPToday #1 Hits will feature an EP of unabashedly catchy girl pop. It's the kind of stuff that is absolutely thrilling in moderation, if a bit monotonous after you've had too much. But, there's nothing monotonous about the following selections. This is the cream of the crop. Although I've omitted the big artists (no Kylie, Sophie or Madonna here), these lesser known singers are really giving the biggies a run for their money.Please right click, save as to download files - songs are up for a week... or until my bandwidth holds out :)1. September - Sacrifice2. The Lovemakers - Set Me Free3. Annie - Me Plus One4. Seiko - Let's Fall In Love Again5. Meja - All 'Bout The Money6. Nathalie Nordnes - Cars & Boys7. Paulina Rubio - Fire (Sexy Dance)
2007-01-16 00:14:00
EMMON - WAKE UP TIME
"Wake up time is calling out for you"
I have a delicious electro pop hit for you all today. Emmon was the lead singer of Swedish pop/rock band Paris and has now gone solo. In addition to doing remixes for bands like the fabulous Melody Club (and supporting them on tour), she's released this brilliant debut single. Although it seems to be a bit underhyped on the radio, it is completely deserving of massive hit status. File this next to the new Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Kylie tracks and don't forget to buy her debut album The Art And The Evil when it comes out February 2nd.
mp3: Emmon - Wake Up Time
zshare: Emmon - Wake Up Time
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Preorder the album here.)
2007-01-16 22:46:00
ALL THAT AND A BAG OF CHIPS - TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER
"I don't want to slow down, I just want to have fun"
I've got a new glam rock group (or kitschrock, as they call it) for you today. All That And A Bag Of Chips incorporates elements of Bowie, the Ark and even a bit of Tim Curry. It's a mixture made in heaven as far as I'm concerned, and their first single Take Me To Your Leader utilizes this sound to great effect. Glammy verses gradually build up to an explosive chorus that sets the track into spastic motion from that point on. ATAABOC hail from Norway, though they sound like they could have come out of America in the early-mid eighties. Plus, you've gotta love Francis' hat (above)!
mp3: All That And A Bag Of Chips - Take Me To Your Leader
zshare: All That And A Bag Of Chips - Take Me To Your Leader
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the EP here.)
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