Another Year In Pop: 15

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Swedish dance-popper September and much-hyped indieists the Black Kids lead off this week's slim crop.

[Poll #1170840]

MOREGAFUN: If you rush to Freaky Trigger you might just be able to vote in Russia vs Spain - trans-pacific electropop from Oskar and the "Mexican Busted" doing battle. Also Czech Yeh-Yeh vs Portugese Sunshine Indie, and posted later today we'll have Turkey vs Switzerland.

Comments

[koganbot]

September "Cry For You": Classic synth soda pop, house warmth, singer with a tune. She holds notes while the synth tosses its own notes into the air. HAPPY TICK.

Black Kids "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How": Hectically symphonic, which is kind of interesting actually, except that hectic is something that indie generally does at the expense of motion and emotion. The only parts that hit me are a power chord in the chorus and a nice bit of stutter chording in one of the verses. NO TICK

Elliot Minor "Parallel Worlds": Band plays too fast but his usual problem of dressing his basic emo voice in cutesiness and geekiness is absent, and the harmony brings a rush of beauty. Not amazing, but my first TICK ever for the Minor one.

The Last Shadow Puppets "The Age Of Understatement": Given the band name and the song title, why am I even listening to this? I won't say that stupid people can't make good music (see my American Idol commentary), but stupid people who think that their strengh is their verbal smarts tend to be wretchedly bad. But one never knows until one listens, so here goes. Um, the video is funny - it's all overstatement! Maybe they're not altogether witless. They play too fast and don't have the gift of melody, at least not on this track, but it's not quite as awful as I'd feared. But it's NOT A TICK, either. (Oh, apparently this contains a pug I've heard of and I might consider him not altogether stupid in other contexts, though jury still out there, too.)

Will.I.Am f. Cheryl Cole "Heartbreaker": Very nice tune, but his singing gives it nothing. I wouldn't turn this off if it came on the radio, but I WON'T TICK.

Cahill f. Nikki Belle "Trippin On You": Another mediocre dance track w/ diva on top. Why has this style been so bad recently? Lot of sound on this one but it's all too dimensional: voice doesn't soar and the accompaniment doesn't go deep. NOT TICKIN ON YOU.

Lex not being here, I will take up the slack. WHY ARE PEOPLE TICKING TERRIBLE INDIE MUSIC?

[koganbot]

Agh, more poor typing from me: It's all TWO dimensional, not TOO dimensional. It's not dimensional enough!