secret wishes

"anything can happen" from sweden's teleskop (aka olof svenblad) truly makes you believe in its title. the dream pop tune is every color of a summer sunset, every penny thrown into a well.

Teleskop - Anything Can Happen - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

rolling in the deep (bosley remix)

the adele bandwagon is rolling through town but i have yet to jump on it. she's incredibly talented, undoubtedly, but the type of heartbreak-tearjerker music she belts is only suited to certain occasions. that is, of course, unless one of her songs is put in the hands of someone to remix it and the end result is a dance-pop gem. such is the case with this particular remix of "rolling in the deep" by bosley. the song has been played ad nauseum, but this is the first i've actually heard it.

Adele - Rolling In the Deep (Bosley Remix) - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

macaroni & pop

there's nothing better than a hearty dose of cheesy pop. and who better to supply that than tranny extraordinaire rupaul? on her latest album, glamazon, rupaul becomes a neologist and gives us the word "responsitrannity." the exact definition is unclear, and there's no listing in the merriam-webster dictionary, but what is able to be ascertained from the lyrics is that 'responsitrannity' is the duty or responsibility of trannies, drag queens, and people everywhere to be true to who they are on the inside and to make sure their wig is on straight. despite the laughable title, the song is the best on the album and sticks in your head like a pair of six-inch eyelashes splattered with glitter.    

RuPaul - Responsitrannity - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

sinking in

"i have nothing to post," i lamented to my gay dad, dave, over dinner last week. "there's no new music that has really wowed me." as i angrily over-buttered a slice of bread, and pouted into my salad, the god of music -- we'll call her judy -- heard my prayers. an unexpectedly gray and lonely day in san francisco took a turn for the better when "sinking in" by waylayers blasted through my iPod headphones. it's electropop at its captivating and dreamy best. they've already had one of their tracks, "fires," featured on the latest kitsuné maison compilation, which stands as a testament to the quality of their sound. you can download their 5-track EP weightless for the simple exchange of an email address here. keep an eye on these lads. they're gonna blow up.

Waylayers - Sinking In - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

dirty birds

did you know that it's illegal to feed pigeons in san francisco? it's because the population is already over-saturated with these filthy winged rats. i find pigeons absolutely repulsive and ever since the invention of the telegram, i've had no use for the carrier pigeons who live outside my window. (although they are a great way to send a quick text message.) many businesses and residences in san francisco put long, thin spikes on building window ledges so pigeons won't roost there. but the idiotic birds land there anyway. it's not uncommon to see a plethora of pigeons with mangled feet and legs bobbing along foraging for food. my hatred, however, does not extend to all birds. just pigeons. furthermore, this is just another reason i preferred ernie over bert. 

The Pigeon Detectives - Lost - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

easter parade

i'm not religious. i was brought up catholic and i still don't know anything about easter (or passover for that matter) except that it has to do with some dude named jesus. the most important thing about easter, of course, is easter parade, the 1948 MGM musical with judy garland and fred astaire. it was a big hit in its day and it remains one of the few non-religious films that are still shown annually around easter time. (it's also one of the few films where judy gets to display her expert comic timing.) all of the music featured in the film was written by irving berlin, including the beautiful title song, which judy delivers in her usual inimitable style. charlton heston can keep his stone tablets and terrible special effects. they don't make 'em like this anymore, kids!

Judy Garland - Easter Parade (feat. Fred Astaire) - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

heat lightning

whoa, whoa, whoa! hold the phone. how come when i did a google search for icky blossoms there isn't a heckuva lot that comes up? and why when i look for them on the hype machine do i get message saying "sorry, no results"? this needs to be rectified immediately. "heat lightning," a track by the rather mysterious omaha band, came on my iPod yesterday. i had never heard it before but was instantly taken with its dance-electropop sound. then i thought, where did this come from? a quick search of my mail led me to discover that the band sent it to me back in december (gurrrl, i've been busy!) with a one line note that read: "weirdos from omaha, ne. thanks for the listen!" i'm sorry i didn't hear it sooner, but the important thing is i've heard it now. what i've gleaned from the little information i could find online is that the band is a side project of tilly and the wall's guitarist derek pressnall, and was birthed from another of his side projects flowers forever. save for pressnall and filmmaker/musician nik fackler, the band's roster is constantly shifting. that could be why there aren't any members listed on their facebook page. whoever they are, you should get to know them -- and how!

Icky Blossoms - Heat Lightning - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

there's something about samba

brazil's luisa maita has concocted an intoxicating blend of sensuality, sexuality, allure and passion on her tune "lero-lero," which is part of april's music alliance pact (MAP), a global initiative by a group of 36 music bloggers to expose listeners to new music from their respective countries. the slang term "lero-lero" is used as a conversation starter in the same way that "hey, what's up" is used in english. according to her web site, the song is a "deconstructed samba about two friends from a ghetto on the outskirts of são paulo who have each others' backs whenever trouble arises." you can grab the original and a slightly slower, busier remix below.

Luisa Maita - Lero-Lero - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

Luisa Maita - Lero-Lero (DJ Tudo Remix) - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

somnambulation

"lost dream" is an apt title for digits' (aka alt altman) new EP. the title track is mesmerizing, sedating, yet almost prurient in the way its aural magnificence works its way into your brain, your heart, your soul. it's like a dream in and of itself. the kind from which you'd rather not wake. you can grab the track below and the whole EP, for free, by clicking here.

Digits - Lost Dream by the Pop Sucker

got that feeling

ready for some pure, unadulterated pop? hell, who isn't? i stumbled upon the eponymous debut album of l.a.'s ultraviolet sound and was instantly taken with their straight-ahead, easily accessible dance-pop. these are just two of the tracks from the LP, but the entire album is enjoyable. never a dull moment. these two are all about having fun, and it shows.

Ultraviolet Sound - Got That Feeling - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

Ultraviolet Sound - Dead On the Dance Floor - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

full arsenal

depeche mode + gnarls barkley + royksopp = arsenal. "melvin," the lead single from the belgian duo's fourth album lokemo, slinks and sleeks its way through nearly five minutes. it's a sensual track that's so pop oriented it's like a balloon full of glitter ready to burst. guest vocalist shawn smith, who delivers a funky, come-hither performance, is a dead ringer for cee-lo.

Arsenal - Melvin - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

little cosmic girl

buzzworthy.

Brett Dennen - Little Cosmic Girl - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

toussled

mýa had one shining pop moment in 2000 with "case of the ex," but aside from a few other minor hits, she never really reached superstar status.  it certainly wasn't for lack of trying. but take for example her turn on the #1 grammy-winning collaboration "lady marmalade" from the film moulin rouge. she was teamed with pink, christina aguilera, lil kim, and missy elliott as producer. although the song was more of a showcase for aguilera, mýa, with her willowy wisp of a voice, was overshadowed by everyone. furthermore, all of those ladies have sustained A-list careers. (and in the case of lil kim, actually changed skin tones and races.) that's not to say mýa is untalented. she's just one of those singers that has gotten lost in the shuffle over the last decade.

i'm not really sure what compelled me to download her new album, K.I.S.S., but i'm glad i did. apparently the album, her sixth, is only being released in japan. it's a shame, too, because there are a few exceptional tracks on here. the lead single, "fabulous life," is great fun and a surefire summer hit. "mess up my hair" is a sleek and sexy electro-r&b track that mýa sells perfectly. it's the type of song that has the power to lodge itself in your brain for decades. clearly messing up one's hair is much more satisfying than whipping it back and forth.

Mya - Mess Up My Hair - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

what's up, momofoko?

MOMOFOKO ... wait. what did you just call me? actually, momofoko is the rather unusual name of these six lads from sweden. (at least i think they're swedish. they list their hometown as malmö on their facebook page.) i just encountered their new album momoism, and i have to say i'm thoroughly impressed. it's chock full of energetic dance rock replete with utterly addictive melodies and hooks. the album reaches a fever pitch near the end with "hush," which sounds like a more frenetic, mature two door cinema club. worth seeking out.

MOMOFOKO - Hush - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

get up the nerve

you know when you discover a song so good that everything seems right in the world for its duration? from the forthcoming EP no man's land comes "the nerve (nervous dancing)" by kansas city's the republic tigers. this is easily one of the best songs i've heard in a while and an early front runner for #1 song of the year on our annual survey. it's actually a reworking of a song, "the nerve," that appeared on the group's debut album keep color. the original version is a lullaby compared to its new incarnation. but the new version is not merely a remix. it's a new arrangement, has new vocals and a driving beat so infectious and intoxicating that it actually gave me chills. this is everything i love about music. long live the ephemeral joys of a song.

[EXCLSV VID] adele - rolling in the deep (the soundmen remix)

the soundmen sent us an exclusive look at the video of their latest killer remix, adele's "rolling in the deep." ironically, it plays like a magnificent silent movie with its tinted color frames and spots of grainy footage. but it's nothing without the sound and the song is nothing without the soundmen's golden touch.

Adele - Rolling In the Deep (The Soundmen Remix) by the Pop Sucker

to ardent

truth be told i had no clue who black devil disco club was before i heard that bernard fevre's music project was releasing a new album called circus this month. and, more importantly, that a track on the album was to feature nancy sinatra! so i figured if BDDC was OK by nancy sinatra, they're OK by me. "to ardent" is a trippy, somewhat creepy, nu disco vibe punctuated by nancy's mature almost speak-sing vocals. sadly her rich alto is not utilized to its best effect on this track. it might have less to do with her delivery than the song itself which is only mediocre. still there are moments when the song and nancy mesh perfectly, beginning at the 2:50 mark with some simple yet clever electronic effects, followed by a smooth harmony and an utterly charming and flirty final lyric that nancy nails perfectly. (by the way, shouldn't it be too ardent?)

Black Devil Disco Club - To Ardent (Featuring Nancy Sinatra) - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

giant

anxious for summer? aren't we all, sister. luckily san francisco has lived up to its reputation as the golden gate. the sun is shining, and hot days inspire warm nights filled with a multitude of sins. if the weather has been less than desirable in your area, never fear. kick start your summer early with the new single from my buddies computers want me dead. you may remember their song "in your blood" from last year, which came in at #9 on the Pop Sucker's top songs of 2010. (they also did a q&a.) from their new, self-titled EP comes "letters and numbers," a perfect top-down, sun-drenched, wind-blown sonic blast. an LP will hopefully be released later this year. love their sound.

Computers Want Me Dead - Letters And Numbers - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

lose it

Austra - Lose It - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

true grit

meet the music industry's next buzzworthy babe. london beauty kyla la grange has a grit and an honesty to her folk-pop stylings that's lacking in a lot of music out there. her song "vampire smiles" sort of reminds me of an early janis ian if she were suffering from roid rage. whereas lissie, another folk-pop buzzworthy artist, has a softer, gentler side, la grange has an edgier, darker, and dare i say angrier side to her. however her voice, while strong, is a bit wispy, which actually lends itself to the music and adds a complexity to her personality that might not otherwise be there. she'll explode within the next year.

Kyla La Grange - Vampire Smile - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

gay, gay, gay

while cruising my local bear bar, the lone star saloon, on saturday night, i ran into my friend jared (great name by the way), who i hadn't seen in some time. he very kindly told me how much he enjoys reading the Pop Sucker. then he said: "you changed the tag line. and it seems more...professional now. not as....gay." it is true that i change the tag line from time to time, just to keep things fresh, but the notion that tPS has become more "professional" came as a bit of a surprise. "well, i'm going to fix that," i said. bring on the gay! so in honor, i'm posting a recent tune by out r&b/pop singer (and ridiculously sexy) ari gold. track down his 2003 album space under sun if you like his stuff. you won't be disappointed. did i mention that he's sexy? no? strange. well, he's very sexy.  

Ari Gold - Make My Body Rock - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

analyze this

there's a lot of sexual imagery in rimer london's "love dagger." something tells me sigmund freud would have a field day with that particular sexual metaphor. you can have a field day listening to it. get horny.

Rimer London - Love Dagger - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker

anymore

the first time i heard the submarines was when their shockingly beautiful breakup ballad "brighter discontent" was used to great effect on an episode of nip/tuck. since then the duo has produced consistently evocative melodies and winsome, eloquent pop. (the peppy "you, me, & the bourgeoisie" became a staple in films and TV ads a few years ago.) but it's the track "anymore" on their forthcoming album, love notes / letter bombs, that stands up as one of their best tunes and becomes an instant rival to "brighter discontent" in terms of beauty and melody

The Submarines - Anymore - thepopsucker.blogspot.com by the Pop Sucker