you need dance music for your new year's eve party, don't you? of course you do. well how about choosing one of these versions of "last words" by clubfeet? hell, i can't decide which version is better. the original is menacingly seductive and the three remixed versions are all done top-notch style by acclaimed producers/DJs. best bet: all four. you want to ring in the new year with style, don't you? of course you do.
there's something incredibly satisfying in listening to a chick-fronted rock band spew venom at their former or even current lover. there are as many of those types of songs just as there are sappy love ballads. however i'll take sass over schmaltz any day. take "jerk!" by stephie coplan & the pedestrians for example. the song title alone speaks volumes and indicates this chick is not one to fuck with. add a head boppin' rock beat, catchy-as-hell chorus and a '60s-valium-housewife inspired video and you've got a jerk worth listening to...again and again.
eric saade seems to be my go-to guy for a healthy dose of pure, unadulterated pop. one of the things that's so appealing about saade is that he doesn't pretend to be anything else than what he is: a pop star. there are no gimmicks, no shock value, no outrageous or wacky outfits. he's a singer of pop tunes and he does it well. "love is callin'" comes from his recent release saade, vol. 2, and while it sounds as though there's autotune on most of his tracks, his voice does not sound like it's been reverberated or altered to the point of being unrecognizable. isn't that a novelty in pop music? saade, the most popular google search in sweden in 2011, also made headlines earlier this year when he and "rival" swedish pop star danny saucedo shared a kiss in front of the press to show there's no animosity between them. mmm-hmmm....
before embarking on their first major european tour supporting the sounds, the limousines gave their fans two new tracks, both cover songs of '80s classics. "temptation," a version of the new order song, is one the duo has been performing in their live shows for some time. while the studio version is excellent, the real standout is "call me al," a cover of paul simon's 1986 hit "you can call me al." while the original had traces of synth keyboards, one might not think the song would work as a full-blown synthpop dance track. but it does, and the limousines pull it off in spades. you can listen to the two songs below and download both from the limos web site. by the way, if you're in the bay area the boys will be ringing in the new year along with the RAC DJs at popscene. tix are almost sold out.
los angeles band harriet delivers a song as provocative and interesting as its title suggests. the single, "i slept with all your mothers," is a powerful piano rock number. frontman alex casnoff, formerly of dawes, slowly builds the song to a screeching slam-bang climax that ends abruptly and satisfyingly. casnoff told spinner: "it's a song about feeling misunderstood. i wrote it to try to gain back a little control over a messy situation. sometimes it's necessary to lay everything out on the table, and it always feels good to shout." the song will be released along with four others on the band's debut EP, tell the right story, in january.
by gosh, by golly this new single sure does sound a lot like cut copy. in essence it is. ben browning is the bassist for the australian indietronic juggernauts. on his first solo outing he doesn't stray too far from the bouncy guitar synthpop and club-driven sound that made cut copy famous. "i can't stay" is the first single from his forthcoming EP, which will be released on cut copy's own label cutters records. dan whitford, cut copy's lead singer, co-produced this track along with architecture in helsinki's gus franklin and haima marriott. the song is good, and should certainly please cut copy fans, but it's a bit too predictable.
gaga gave her little monsters a special christmas present: an unreleased song! here's what mother monster had to say about the song, eloquently titled "stuck on fuckin' you":
So to give you a little background to the creation of this song. I wrote it in Minnesota after the Monster Ball on the tour bus. We recorded it in one shot. Fernando on guitar, Paul on Drum Machine. I wrote, sang it, and freestyled the last minute + a half of the song.
if you like the web site awkward family photos you will absolutely adore zak waters's new video for his latest single "flirt." the track, from the EP new normal, serves as the basis for a cavalcade of awkward family awesomeness: singing, posing and a lot of what looks like it could be mistaken for dancing. except the boy in the green shirt: wuurrrk!
some songs were born to be remixed. "true romance" by citizens! is one of them. the original version by these five london lads is a pleasant enough electropop number with a soft, rippling piano hook. but the gigamesh remix -- ah! now there's a remix treatment. the piano hook, which bookends the song, is turned up a few notches, and an '80s synth beat built squarely for the dance floor drives it home.
what was so great about the architecture in helsinki remix of cut copy's "need you now" is that the pulsing, pounding dance beat of the original was swapped out for a majestic, sleepy summer sound. the kind that evokes memories of '50s sock hops and soda shops, and riding around in a thunderbird on a warm night. azure blue's music sounds just like that, too. (and no need for a remix). heck, azure blue, the nom de musique for tobias isaksson, is named for the crystal blue waters of the mediterranean and is a tribute to dennis wilson's pacific ocean blue. isakkson, who previously made a name for himself in the swedish music scene as part of the bands irene and laurel music, strikes out on his own with azure blue and the debut album rule of thirds, which is out now. click on the link below to take a listen to "chesil beach" to find out exactly what i'm talking about. (chesil beach, by the way, is located in southern england and is one of three major shingle beaches in britain.)
every year there seems to be a pair or trio of buzzworthy artists of similar genres whom the blogosphere latch on to as the next big thing. then it's becomes like a boxing match. it's a fight to the death. each blogger or journalist takes sides and only one artist can emerge victorious. the big record companies come a-callin' and if the artist is smart they ignore them. otherwise it's just a sleigh ride into mainstream uselessness.
take marina and the diamonds and ellie goulding for example. a few years ago both were tapped as indie "It" girls. both are incredibly talented. after marina's formal debut album was released, she sort of faded into the background and the buzz waned. ellie, on the other hand, has been building her repertoire, and it's safe to say that she's ahead of the game. that's not to say that one artist is necessarily more talented than the other or that there isn't room for both. it also doesn't mean that the media or mass public chooses the more talented or deserving candidate. (a classic example in the pop music world is the battle between cyndi lauper/madonna.) but every business is about competition and we live in a culture of picking sides, politics and heroes and villains. lest we forget that 2012 is an election year in the u.s.
charli xcx, of whom i am big fan, has been gaining extensive buzz over the last year. now there's newcomer YADi on the horizon. both are london girls in the goth electropop vein with only a few songs to their credit. could this be the big blog battle of 2012? and, more importantly, which one do you like?
etta james has been in the news lately. the ailing jazz legend, 73, is terminally ill, her doctor said. james is one of the most celebrated r&b singers of all time. u.k. blue-eyed soul singer alex clare recently covered one of james's songs, "damn your eyes." it's hard to determine which one is the most powerful.
now that you've had time to digest the top 100 songs of the year, here are the 20 most read stories that got people talking, downloading and listening.
after playing a half dozen songs to a packed crowd at the fillmore in san francisco last week, guitarist vicki peterson of the bangles said into the microphone: "we have a new album out. some of you don't give a shit, but don't worry. we'll play the hits." the hits, of course, are iconic. "manic monday," "eternal flame," "hazy shade of winter," "walk like an egyptian," to name a few. the bangles ripped through those, and others, with such intensity, such ferocity, that many standing around me were left staring with their mouths agape at the end of each song. the hits may have commanded the most applause, but the songs from their new album left the biggest impression.
pop singers are a dime a dozen. some have talent; others have staying power; while some have personality. to find one with all three qualities you'd be better off getting into a time machine and traveling back at least 40 years. but that's not always the case. five months ago we introduced you to one of the rarer breed: zak waters. talented and soulful, waters also has personality to spare. and with his new EP new normal recently released it's clear this boy will be around for quite a while. we caught up with him recently via email.
it's hard enough for pop stars to carve out their own niche amongst the thousands of other pop stars in the market. now try being an openly gay pop singer starting out at the beginning of a career. despite any odds ari gold has done the impossible: over the last decade he has established himself as a talented singer/songwriter, with four studio albums to his credit and several billboard charting singles, who has earned the respect of his peers -- both gay and straight. he's not only easy on the eyes, but easy on the ears as well. his special blend of pop, r&b and dance music reaches new heights on his latest between the spirit & the flesh. sir ari, the stage name by which he is now officially called, caught up with the Pop Sucker last week.
trading magazine copy for massive sounding electropop/disco-funk, fiorious is ready to burst onto the scene as ferociously as his name implies. sounding something like a hybrid of rick james, hercules and love affair, and sam sparro, the italy-by-way-of-the-bronx-based singer/songwriter recently unleashed his debut track, "elevator," a scorching dance floor burner. we caught up with him to talk about music and his burgeoning career.
absolutely crushing on islands' heartbreaking new single, "this is not a song," from their forthcoming album a sleep & a forgetting, set for release on february 14. exquisite.
almost 100 new songs into the day yesterday there was nothing to strike my fancy. or rather, streik meine phantasie. ok, so i don't know german. this is a google translated version of that phrase. the reason it's german is because i happened to hear german band wilhelm tell me's album excuse my french, which pretty much cured all boredom i had experienced up until that point. one of the highlights of the foursome's debut album is "trouble," an acoustic MOR pop number replete with light hand claps and an intoxicating chorus. there's something somewhat boy band about the number, but don't let that detract. they pull it off well. one of the things i like about the song is that lyrically it's about rather sad, upsetting ideas but it's wrapped in a bouncy pop shell. those are some of the best pop songs. but the band likes to have a good time. the last line of their german language bio on facebook reads: dass am Ende keiner allein tanzt. which, roughly translated, means "in the end, no one dances alone." amen.
have you ever wondered why some international artists aren't as popular or recognized in other countries, namely america, as they are in their home countries? a good example is bic runga. while still in her teens the singer-songwriter became a superstar in her native new zealand and her first three studio albums reached the pole position on the charts. in 1999 one of her songs, "sway," received some airplay in the united states as it was featured on the soundtrack for american pie. however stateside success eluded her, as it does many. no matter though. she still keeps producing solid pop albums. her newest, belle, is her first studio album in six years. but, oh, the wait was worth it! ten tracks and each is a mini masterpiece.
the lead single, "hello hello," is a bouncy, singalong type pop number. truthfully it's a bit misleading since none of the other tracks on the album is as jovial or exhilarating. the rest of the album, while equally as poppy, is much darker and somber as evidenced on "good love" and the beatles-eque "devil on tambourine." none of this detracts from the sheer pleasure of the album. just don't expect to put on your dancing shoes. this is much more of a curl-up-under-the-covers affair.
from melbourne, australia comes verona a duo whose track "hero" is an exercise in ambient fabulousness. it's sparking, shiny and full of life. you can download it for free, along with a second track and a mini-mix, at their facebook page.
perhaps it's because i was much more selective about which songs were posted on the Pop Sucker in its second year that the annual roundup of the year's top songs proved to be much more difficult to pull together than last year. while there's no surprise that you'll find a generous helping of pop, electropop and synth-drenched tunes -- this is the Pop Sucker after all -- there's also quite a bit of alternative, folk, indie and rock featured throughout the list. and artists, singers, songwriters, bands, DJs, and producers from every corner of the globe.
thank you to all of our regular readers for making the Pop Sucker your go-to place for new music. for all of our new friends, we hope you'll come back again and often. special thanks to my bestie daniel for making all of the graphics, logos and mix-tape cover art throughout the year. the site will be getting a serious makeover in 2012 -- one any real housewife of beverly hills would be proud of -- so stay tuned! and of course to the literally thousands of musicians and artists who submitted tracks, and to those who simply created beautiful music for people to hear: thank you. keep doing what you're doing. music makes the world go 'round.
without further ado, i give you the top 100 songs of 2011.
- jared stearns
01.COMINGHOMETHEBIANCASTORY
barring any other pop masterpieces that presented themselves throughout the year, it was evident from the first listen that "coming home" by the bianca story was going to be the number one song of 2011. it's an exquisite pop perfection from start to finish. what makes it so special is lead singer elia rediger's richly emotive baritone. so soaring and uplifting, yet so heartbreaking. a song about lost loves and new beginnings, it contains some rather cryptic visuals. i still have no idea what "i could paint a circle on a blanket/and walk through a hole" means, but it doesn't matter. it doesn't get any better than this. "coming home" was released late last december and a follow-up album will finally see the light of day, at least in germany and the band's homeland of switzerland, in late january 2012.
oh, dubstep, your charm escapes me. 2011 was undoubtedly the year of dubstep. you couldn't run. you couldn't hide. it was everywhere. it was the sarah palin of the musical trends. still, when used correctly (and sparingly), the results can be explosive. "up all night" by u.k. blue-eyed soul singer alex clare is chock-full of dubstep, pop, dance and r&b elements. mixed together perfectly it ends up being a frenetic, intense adrenaline jolt.
03.ELEVATORFIORIOUS
speaking of explosive, let's talk about fiorious for a moment. this boy is about to blow up in a big way. (trust me. i didn't call him "the new king of electro-funk" for nothing.) if you were looking for a song to burn up the dance floor, you didn't need to look any further than his track "elevator." as soulful as it is dizzying, it's hard not to get caught up in its energy. his debut album comes out early next year.
electropop may have taken a backseat to dubstep this year, but that doesn't mean artists stopped creating. the best of those new creations was undoubtedly expo's "i don't mind." it's an electropop rush: swirly synths, '80s inspiration, a big hook and a lot of heart. the belgian band will be releasing their debut EP early next year.
the best thing about neighbors' "watergun" is the way lead singer noah stitelman so casually tells his lover: "you said, 'love me'/i said baby, 'like hell.'" the delivery is almost devoid of any emotion, which is exactly why it works. at the same time the song is surging with pain and heartbreak. and those two things have never sounded so wonderful.
06.AMORFATIWASHEDOUT
holy hipster love letter! this song is really obscure, you probably haven't heard of it. unless it was in an ironic way ... washed out got a ton of press this year and say what you want about him, but this song is gut-wrenching in its beauty. his debut album, within and without, wasn't nearly as intriguing as his earlier singles such as "belong," but "amor fati" is nothing short of magnificent; a sumptuous, glossy chillwave tune.
another band about to burst is the good natured, and rightfully so. recently they've teamed up with swedish DJ/producer adrian lux for the tune "alive," which is garnering much-deserved buzz. (it's #23 on our list.) "wolves," from their EP skeleton, is a dark, melodic pop tune accentuated by sarah mcintosh's slightly distorted but always inviting vocals. speaking of accents, hers is one example where it's actually beneficial to the song and sound.
yes, yes, adele is talented. that we know. truthfully though i haven't taken to any of her music. not for lack of trying. call me old-fashioned but i want my suicide-inducing ballads to be wrapped in bouncy pop melodies and filtered through computers and synthesizers. is that too much to ask? enter bosley. he turned one of the biggest pop hits of the year into something special. no easy feat, but bosley makes it look easy. (he's also got the #54 song of the year for one of his solo tracks.)
"my heart's beating/is it serious?" oh, it's serious, gurl. it's serious. seriously pop. u.k. sensation florrie is bursting with charm on her single "begging me," from her official debut EP experiments. it's tasty, pop candy. no nutritional value, but who the hell cares?!
cut/copy didn't just avoid the sophomore slump of their 2008 album in ghost colours, they produced one of the best albums of the decade. so there were high hopes for their third album, zonoscope, released this year. while it didn't reach the high-water mark of their previous effort, one of the songs, "need you now," was classic cut/copy through and through, and one of the best dance songs of the year. this is also the only song that appears twice on our survey. the second time is the slowed-down version remixed by architecture in helsinki which appears at #45.
there's something utterly majestic about school is cool's "(entropology)." the title track to their debut album evokes such exciting and vibrant visuals in its structure and lyrics that it's almost like a short film. the belgian band is relatively new, and thanks to the wonders of google translate i am able to read their official website, which is in dutch.
the quartet has been playing their homeland consistently since forming in 2009, even winning one of the country's biggest rock contests, humo's rock rally, in 2010. there's a lot of classical composition and baroque pop in their songs, clearly evident on "(entropology)" as well as lead single "the world is gonna end tonight," and it offers a stark but enjoyable contrast to their rock and roll sound.
entropology, by the way, is the study or discussion of entropy, which is a thermodynamic property. however it is also used in terms of sociology typically as a metaphor for chaos, disorder or dissipation of energy. thanks to the wonder of wikipedia i was able to bring you this information. you are now armed for trivia night. godspeed.
golly! it's just been so long since i posted an eletropop song. ha! kidding. swiss lips, from manchester, england, is like many indie bands of late. they keep a low profile and concentrate on the music. this, of course, is great, as the music should speak for itself. but it would be cool to know a little bit more about them. i want to know more about anyone who uses clips from the films breakin' and beat street for their music video. um, hello? totes amazeballs.
after playing a half dozen songs to a packed crowd at the fillmore in san francisco last week, guitarist vicki peterson of the bangles said into the microphone: "we have a new album out. some of you don't give a shit, but don't worry. we'll play the hits." the hits, of course, are iconic. "manic monday," "eternal flame," "hazy shade of winter," "walk like an egyptian," to name a few. the bangles ripped through those, and others, with such intensity, such ferocity, that many standing around me were left staring with their mouths agape at the end of each song. the hits may have commanded the most applause, but the songs from their new album left the biggest impression.
pop singers are a dime a dozen. some have talent; others have staying power; while some have personality. to find one with all three qualities you'd be better off getting into a time machine and traveling back at least 40 years. but that's not always the case. five months ago we introduced you to one of the rarer breed: zak waters. talented and soulful, waters also has personality to spare. and with his new EP new normal recently released it's clear this boy will be around for quite a while. we caught up with him recently via email.
it's hard enough for pop stars to carve out their own niche amongst the thousands of other pop stars in the market. now try being an openly gay pop singer starting out at the beginning of a career. despite any odds ari gold has done the impossible: over the last decade he has established himself as a talented singer/songwriter, with four studio albums to his credit and several billboard charting singles, who has earned the respect of his peers -- both gay and straight. he's not only easy on the eyes, but easy on the ears as well. his special blend of pop, r&b and dance music reaches new heights on his latest between the spirit & the flesh. sir ari, the stage name by which he is now officially called, caught up with the Pop Sucker last week.
trading magazine copy for massive sounding electropop/disco-funk, fiorious is ready to burst onto the scene as ferociously as his name implies. sounding something like a hybrid of rick james, hercules and love affair, and sam sparro, the italy-by-way-of-the-bronx-based singer/songwriter recently unleashed his debut track, "elevator," a scorching dance floor burner. we caught up with him to talk about music and his burgeoning career.
