Poptimists Swag Bag

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Here are a bunch of MP3s, hope they all work.

Pet Shop Boys - A Red Letter Day (Motiv8 12" Mix) - Motiv8, who have some connection with Xenomania, re-edit the clunking 1996 single into a magnificent dancefloor love song and allow Neil Tennant's wise words to shine. The climax - "Like Christmas morning when you're a kid / Admit you love me and you always did" - is one of the happiest moments in pop.

Blur - Girls And Boys (PSB Radio Mix) - more Pet Shop work, this is their remix of Blur's Girls and Boys, as mentioned on my own LJ last week. Their own cover uses this backing music with Tennant's vocals, so it may sound familiar. It's great, though.

Adam Ant - Friend Or Foe - the new Rachel Stevens single reminds me of this. Adam gets brassy.

Act - Snobbery And Decay (12") - extended mix of post-Propaganda project's finest moment (apparently, I never heard any of their other ones). As the title suggests, reeks of faded grandeur. Most of you probably have it already but I uploaded it on a whim. I think it's a Trevor Horn job.

Maxx - Get A Way - and also on a whim, this frantic Eurodance stomper, with some amazing non-rapping and very odd lyrics.

I also downloaded the Tatu album, which sounds brilliant (and also has a song called "Friend Or Foe"! Not a cover, sadly).

THRILLING MUSIC PRIZE THRILLS

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

No, not the Mercury, which I have a dreadful feeling is going to be won by the Ka-Zar Chiefs.

Not even the Popjustice prize, because it's a bit rub this year.

No the real action tonight is THE LEX 20p INDIE PRIZE, where international boss of Indie, The Lex, judges the year's indiest record.

The shortlist includes:

( drum roll please.... )

As you can see we have a couple of shortlist places left so fill it up in the comments box and tomorrow we'll bring you a full report on the 'judging process', assuming the Lex comes out to play tonight anyway.