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

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

did you get the croatia track ok?

last shadow puppets is ok for a side-project i reckon, andthe black kids not entirely dispicable ;)

have never heard of september until messing about on that bbc sound index thing sbp linked toon friday...

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

September - good sample use + terrifying woman rehashing the Tron video (tho there's another no-budget version where its just her in a cloak) = I am bound to like this. And I do!

Black Kids - this could be a lot worse but his voice is k annoying. I just can't deal with that Flaming Lips-lite American-psych-rock wail these days. And I don't like the way the video is all blurry at the sides. The tune is alright though? Hmmm borderline non-tick.

Elliot Minor - this has a BRILLIANT intro, proper Bill'n'Ted WILD STALLYNS twiddle-iddle-oo, but the subsequent song disappoints on all counts. It's the best thing I've heard by them, but McFly do this sort of thing much better.

LotSP - crikey an indie supergroup. Him out of the Arctic Monkeys and some other dude have done a Shadows-esque mariachi Bond theme and I quite like it! There's a good video too (http://youtube.com/watch?v=XGV8xCkpXjE). Definite tick.

will.i.am - this is the first thing of will's that I haven't liked in AAAAAGES. Turgid reworking of 'I Will Survive', Cheryl adds little or nothing. Utterly pointless.

Cahill - uber-ghey disco-me-up. This sounds just like that last Kylie single which was kind of bobbins. Not bad, just boring.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

September- This doesn't overwhelm me but it's alright, I thought it was quite good when i saw it on telly whilst at my parents' for easter. Tick.

Black Kids- Meh, again, this is alright. Not sure why people are ticking this when they didn't tick The Kooks but then again, I *did* tick The Kooks so this can have a tick, too.

Elliot Minor- Functional at best. No tick.

Him from Arctic Monkeys and t'other one- V. expensive video, song quite good. Bit like if Knights of Cydonia didn't have Matt Bellamy being a dick all over it.

Will.I.Am- idk I'm feeling generous this morning, I like the video on YouTube of the rest of GA giggling at Cheryl in it.

Cahill- I quite like the shamelessness. Appeals to the housewife in me. Tick.

[bengraham.livejournal.com]

Vote for Pedro Spain.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

You secured a draw - just!

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

September: Kind of a "why this why now?" reaction, but this is perfectly pleasant synthpop - reminds me of "Small Town Boy" - and deserves a mild TICK.

Black Kids: SHITE. All the worst bits of the Go Team with a really annoying singer, can't stand the way he lets every line trail off. GET ME AWAY FROM YOUR FORCED FUN. No tick.

Elliot Minor: Wyld Stallyns intro spot correct! After that, well, I dunno, it's harmless enough. In a more generous mood I'd give this a tick, but borderline non-.

Last Shadow Puppies: Considerably less awful than I thought given who's in it. Looks like they had lots of fun in the video on their tanks. Don't like the voices much, too many words, but they've remembered to include a chorus, bless 'em. Tick, to my surprise!

Will.I.Am - I assumed/hoped this would have a big steal from "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO BE A... HEART-BREAK-ER!" but no, it's kind of boring. Borderline non-tick as I like the pad-pad beats but moar effort pls Will. I found the video quite soothing.

Cahill: What is this record nicking bits from? This is alright, I mean I enjoy it more than the Last Shadows so it should get a tick, but I also recognise that it's pretty lazy. So not - most borderline nontick in a week of them.

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

reminds you of small town boy because it's a complete rip of it, you mean? DERE LORD, ACOUSTICAL VERSION AHOY!!!! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Rr5BIfh2bM&feature=related)

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

can't quite put my finger on the cahill rips either, it's a bit "aint no love, aint no use"...

[skyecaptain.livejournal.com]

koganbot was shocked to learn that September was not some kind of emo group! I really like "Cry for You," actually -- agreed with "why this why now," but I guess I usually give in to "why not" after that initial feeling.

[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?

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

I think the Shadow Puppets thing is excellent. Arctic Morricones!

Haven't heard more than 2 seconds of September, but I trust you lot.

Black Kids almost as bad as MGMT. Almost.

[koganbot]

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

[nofact.livejournal.com]

the Portugal track is playing too fast in the inline player

NO FAIR PLAY

[mindtaker-cro.livejournal.com]

Cahill: What is this record nicking bits from?

thinking of this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRtdqxynTIY&feature=related), maybe? the Cahill version doesn't add much to it other than some some sugary synth squelches, but there are some fantastic remixes of it: two by the Wideboys (here's the 2step one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOX0RwP8KAQ)) and the towering coke-bosh monolith that is the Wawa radio edit (which might just be the tune of '08 for me so far!).

[mindtaker-cro.livejournal.com]

Wawa radio edit (http://www.speedyshare.com/507314186.html)