Eels - Mistakes Of My Youth and Agatha Chang

Mark Everett a.k.a. Eels is releasing his new album Eels Perform The Cautionary Tales Of Mark Oliver Everett on April 22, and it's definitely something to look forward to, on the grounds of how good the two first singles "Agatha Chang" and especially "Mistakes Of My Youth" are. Both are quiet, basically acoustic and highly ingratiating songs that really bode well for the album. The latter is kind of a country song too, reminding me a little of The Lemonheads' "The Outdoor Type" and quite beautiful. Enjoy!

"Agatha Chang"

"Mistakes Of My Youth"

 

Sval vs. Kråkesølv - Tidsfrist

Det 15 år gamle stjerneskuddet Sval (Rosenløw Eeg) vant Melodi Grand Prix junior i 2011 med "Trenger deg", og ga for få uker siden ut en ny single, den uimotståelige "Tidsfrist", en herlig sang om ung og vanskelig kjærlighet. Det er liten tvil om at Sval har en strålende fremtid foran seg og at hun er et stort talent. Som hun sier selv, "Tidsfrist handler om å fortelle noen hva man føler før det er for sent", og det har hun til de grader klart å formulere. Sval er flink med ord. Jeg er imidlertid ikke alene om å være imponert. Bodøbandet Kråkesølv gjorde en nedpå og fin og følsom cover av "Tidsfrist" da de gjestet Christine Dancke i P3 sist fredag der de også gjorde en akustisk versjon av sin egen flotte "Ikke rart vi bli sprø". Under er lenke til P3-siden der du finner begge låtene (scroll ned for å finne "Tidsfrist") og dessuten en lenke til Svals originalversjon. Jeg digger begge.

Sval

Kråkesølv

 

Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want

Sometimes we all just need to listen to Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and the boys have that kind of attraction. Today the title of the fabulous Let It Bleed (1969) track "You Can't Always Get What You Want" just popped into my head, and I had to hear it. It was that simple, so hear you go, the full seven and a half minute long album version, complete with the intro featuring the wonderful London Bach Choir. A timeless classic if there ever was one.

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Den svenska björnstammen - Hatar allt

I 2012 slapp det fantastiske bandet Den svenska björnstammen debutalbumet Ett fel närmare rätt som inneholdt hitsinglen "Vart jag mig i världen vänder" og en rekke andre superfengende poplåter. Om få uker kommer oppfølgeren I förrhåldande till anført av singlen "Hatar allt". Det er en overraskende nedpå låt i forhold til de mange jubellåtene fra debuten, men den er likefullt nydelig. Den er for øvrig gitt ut sammen med låta "Långsamt" som jeg antar også er med på albumet, også den veldig fin. Vi gleder oss!

Se og hør

 

Kirsty MacColl - He Never Mentioned Love

The fact that "He Never Mentioned Love" is not present on a forthcoming 43 track compilation with the late great Kirsty MacColl says heaps about her songwriting skills. Co-written with The Pogues' Jem Finer, it's as good a song as she ever recorded, yet it fails to make the cut. MacColl was killed in a boating accident in 2000 and left a vast amount of mindbogglingly great pop songs and a total of only five studio albums. Together with singles and sundry B-sides and other recordings not released until after her death, her catalogue is almost as impressive as that of Lennon/McCartney (I'm very close to meaning that, actually) and the like. Her lyrics were chock full of wit and wisdom, and her way around a melody was immeasurable. "He Never Mentioned Love" is no exception, and it appeared on her brilliant and brilliantly titled 1991 album Electric Landlady.

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Jake Bugg - Me And You

"Me And You" is the fourth (and current) single from young British singer/songwriter Jake Bugg's second album, the at times immensely catchy Shangri La. Recorded and produced by none other than the esteemed Rick Rubin in his Malibu studio which gave name to the record, it's a giant leap forward from Bugg's debut album. "Me And You" is basically a pop song wrapped in a country arrangement, very sweet at that, and one of the most immediate songs on the album. Great!

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Spilleliste - Per Lillo-Stenbergs deLillos-bidrag

Skuespilleren og tekstforfatteren Per Lillo-Stenberg døde for to dager siden, 85 år gammel. Ved siden av sine mange bidrag til norsk teater og film, skrev han tekstene til noen av sønnen Lars' band deLillos' aller mest kjente sanger. Så om ikke Per (som jeg en gang intervjuet sammen med Lars) i høyeste grad sørget for sitt eget ettermæle, hjalp han litt til med sønnens også. Kombinasjonen far og sønn Lillo-Stenberg har gitt oss moderne klassikere som "Glemte minner", "Smak av honning" og den nydelige "Lykkelig fyr" fra deLillos' siste plate Vi er på vei, vi kanke snu fra 2012.

Fred over Pers minne, min dypeste medfølelse til familien, og takk for innsatsen. Her har jeg samlet alle de 14 sangene han bidro med for deLillos, inkludert deres versjon av den fornøyelige "S'il Vous Plait" som Per Asplin opprinnelig gjorde kjent og som ble et høydepunkt på deLillos' andre LP, Før var det morsomt med sne.

Hvil i fred!

Spill i WiMP

Spill i Spotify



Per Lillo-Stenberg og hans kone Mette Lange-Nielsen fotografert i 1958.

 

Kim Cesarion - I Love This Life

If you think his first two singles "Undressed" and "Brains Out" were a bit sexually charged, let me assure you that Swedish dance pop maverick and falsetto-voiced singer Kim Cesarion continues in the same way on new single "I Love This Life", even throwing a female vampire into the mix. However, this song feels a bit more lightweight than his former two releases, but it's still as catchy as they come. Cesarion's forthcoming debut album could actually be massive as he's got a real knack for intoxicating pop songs. As such, "I Love This Life" is definitely no exception. (Also, if you haven't heard it, check out Astrid Smeplass and Julie Bergan's amazing cover of "Undressed".)

Watch and listen

 

Paul Buchanan - Mid Air

The Blue Nile frontman Paul Buchanan released his solo album Mid Air in 2012, a record I've not listened to entirely enough. That just struck me when I watched the not great Richard Curtis film About Time and the title track appeared during the end credits. It's such a beautiful little song, only two and a half minutes in length, featuring only Buchanan's lovely voice, a silent piano and some very subtle strings. Minimalist and in every way a perfect recording, this is pure genius at work.

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Sam Smith - Stay With Me

We're still counting down to May 26 and the release of wondrously gifted UK singer Sam Smith's debut album In The Lonely Hour. After his success with the amazing dance pop of "Money On My Mind" and the stark naked beauty of the haunted ballad "Not In That Way", I wasn't immediately impressed by the gospel-flavoured "Stay With Me", but after several spins it's about to grow on me. If nothing else, his voice is unbelievable as always.

Watch and listen

 

Introducing... Vancouver Sleep Clinic

Vancouver Sleep Clinic is the moniker of Tim Bettinson, a 17 year old singer/songwriter from Brisbane, Australia who gives James Blake a serious run for his money. With a similarly haunting falsetto voice, Bettinson has just released his debut EP, Winter, an astonishing collection of six songs that are so beautiful it's almost painful. As is the case with Blake, James Vincent McMorrow and others, the music of Vancouver Sleep Clinic is soulful, electronic, a bit minimalist and decidedly atmospheric. The songs "Collapse" and "Vapour" were both released as stand-alone digital singles and are of course present on the Winter EP.

Below are links to the Soundcloud page of Vancouver Sleep Clinic/Tim Bettinson where you should check out his collaboration with producer GXNXVS on a cover of Drake's "Hold On We're Going Home", and also links to the EP to be streamed in Spotify or WiMP. Enjoy!

Soundcloud

Spotify

WiMP

 

Thea & The Wild - Ropes

Thea & The Wild, i.e. Thea Glenton Raknes and a talented bunch of musicians, is currently preparing her still untitled August debut album. This week she releases her new single, the instantly catchy "Ropes". It differs quite a lot from the garage rock antics of previous single "Hots For You", going for a more pronounced post-punk feel that combines the mystery of Siouxsie & The Banshees with the sexiness and pop sensibility of Blondie around the time of Eat To The Beat. All the songs on the album is written by Thea, and she has co-produced it with Kenneth Ishak of Beeswax, who's also produced the recently released debut album by another wonderful young singer, Kaja Gunnufsen. Tomorrow Thea & The Wild (including Ishak and an additional three musicians) embark on a short Norwegian tour, supporting Sivert Høyem, formerly of Madrugada and one of Norway's biggest rock stars. To sum things up for now, I predict a good year for Thea.

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Ed Sheeran - I See Fire (Kygo Remix)

British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran's got a massive hit single with "I See Fire", the Peter Jackson-commisioned song he wrote for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. No wonder as good as it is. I wrote about it some months ago when it first appeared, but would like to share this remix by Kygo, a 22 year old studio wizard from Bergen, Norway who's lucked out with remixes for other people as well, such as Rihanna, James Blake and Ellie Goulding. Also, he's currently enjoying a fair amount of success and recognition for his amazing remix of Kyla La Grange's "Cut Your Teeth". You're also able to download several of his remixes by visiting his Soundcloud or Facebook page.

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MGMT - Time To Pretend

MGMT's "Time To Pretend" is a very good example about how far out there you can go and still come up with an amazing pop song. It's taken from the American rock duo's first album, 2007's Oracular Spectacular, and is a kind of neo-psychedelic dance-pop song that totally defies categorization. "This is our decision to live fast and die young/We've got the vision, now let's have some fun", sings Andrew Vanwyngarden, and you just kind of believe him. The song is a blast, a hedonistic treat for all senses, and the video is far out too. I love it!

Watch and listen

 

Chrissie Hynde - Dark Sunglasses

There have been quite a few years since I considered Pretenders to be anything other than a solo vehicle for Chrissie Hynde. Nevertheless, now she's decided to make her solo debut after 35 years with different line-ups of her old band. The album, to be released in June, is called Stockholm and its first single is the catchy "Dark Sunglasses". Not much seem to set this apart from any new Pretenders song that might have surfaced, but it's very cool anyway, mostly of course due to Hynde's amazingly sultry and sexy voice. Her main collaborator on Stockholm has been Björn Yttling of Peter, Bjorn & John fame, and Neil Young guests on the album. The last Pretenders album, for anyone who might be curious, was 2008's Break Up The Concrete.

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Hør hele det nye Kråkesølv-albumet her

Bodøbandet Kråkesølv gir ut sin fjerde, selvtitulerte plate på fredag, og la meg si det slik: Den er ikke snau! Anført av den fantastiske singlen "Ikke rart vi bli sprø", er det ti låter med utspekulert velskrevet, melodiøs og innsmigrende moderne progrock på norsk, der bandet siden sist har hatt en utskiftning. Trommeslager Thomas Litangen har sluttet og blitt erstattet av Jørgen Smådal Larsen, kjent fra Lukestar. Allerede i noen dager nå har vi kunnet høre albumet streames i sin helhet på Soundcloud, og du bør definitivt ta en lytt eller to, det er en strålende plate. Sjekk også gjerne ut deres nylige opptreden på estisk fjernsyn der gutta fremførte en akustisk versjon av det flotte åpningssporet "E du med mæ".

Hør albumet her

 

Housse De Racket - Roman

If you like Phoenix, you're gonna like Housse De Racket too. Both bands are French, and although I've only heard one song by the latter, it's very "phoenixy" with shiny synths and edgy guitars, and Pierre Leroux employs the same lilting kind of voicing as that of Phoenix singer Thomas Mars. It all sounds very 70's meets 00's, and "Roman" off their second album, 2011's Alesia, is a killer pop song. The makers of HBO series Girls think the same obvisously as it was used in season 1 of that show which is how I picked up on it.

Watch and listen

 

The Black Keys - Fever

Last Friday, American garage rock duo The Black Keys announced their new album through, of all places, Mike Tyson's Twitter account. Turn Blue will be released on May 12, and about an hour ago at the time of writing they put out the first single "Fever" on YouTube. It's in every way surprising, a bouncy, synthesizer-heavy song with great sing-a-long qualities that if you think about it actually sounds like a sensible step forward for Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney. Coming from The Black Keys this song is weird, but it's weird in a good way. I love it.

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Arthur Beatrice - Midland

Arthur Beatrice is not a person, but a band, a British four-piece group fronted by two singers, Ella Girardot and Orlando Leopard, who switch betweeen songs. It's hard to pin down exactly what kind of music they're playing and in lack of a better label we'll just call it "indie pop". Theirs is not the music to top charts around the world, but on the other hand it is pretty catchy, full of great melodies. "Midland", beautifully sung by Girardot, is a fabulous single, one of several great songs on their debut album Working Out.

Watch and listen

 

Allison Williams - A Beautiful Mine/Nature Boy

When producer Judd Apatow saw Allison Williams' mash-up of RJD2's "A Beautiful Mine" (the theme song from Mad Men) and the Nat King Cole classic "Nature Boy" (written by eden ahbez), he was convinced that she would be perfect for a role in Lena Dunham's HBO series Girls. Soon after she was cast as Marnie, one of the show's main characters. And what can I say? The beautiful Williams is multi-talented, a great singer and a wonderful actress. This is amazingly good!

Watch and listen

 

Duke Dumont feat. Jax Jones - I Got U

"I Got U" is the current UK number one single, performed by DJ/producer Duke Dumont with the singer Jax Jones. It's a light and breezy dance-pop song with a decidedly Carribean vibe and some Balearic beats, with the video, ironically, shot on location in Thailand. No matter, this is summery pop music wherever its geographical origins should be, and it's sampling Whitney Houston's "My Love Is Your Love". Good song.

Watch and listen

 

Todd Terje feat. Bryan Ferry - Johnny & Mary

After something like ten years' worth of DJing, remixing and recording, Todd Terje will finally release his debut album in a couple of weeks' time, cleverly titled It's Album Time. Songs like the already familiar "Inspector Norse" and "Strandbar" are on it, but most surprisingly the Norwegian musician is doing a cover of Robert Palmer's lovely 1980 hit "Johnny & Mary". As if that isn't cause for celebration in its own right, he's got none other than Bryan Ferry to do the vocals, and it sounds absolutely beautiful. Todd Terje has disregarded the original's up-tempo beat and taken things down a few notches, recreating it and made it his own. It's really, really lovely!

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Dwight Yoakam - The Heart That You Own

"The Heart That You Own" is lifted from Dwight Yoakam's fourth album, 1990's If There Was A Way. Taking its cue from other classic country songs, Yoakam is singing about love, not real estate when he's singing "I pay rent on a run-down place, there ain't no view but there's lots of space... in my heart, the heart that you own". It's a perfect, sentimental country tune, full of heartbreak and emotional pain, a haunting steel guitar and Yoakam's awesome voice. Most of the things that are good about country music is here, distilled and refined into a three minute song. If his career should fail, Yoakam could start a country academy armed with this song alone, because this is exactly how it's done!

Watch and listen

 

The Handsome Family - Far From Any Road

I have just watched the entire season 1 of the HBO series True Detective, one of the best TV shows I have ever seen, up there with The Wire, Breaking Bad and a few others. What's so astonishing about True Detective is its enormous depth, with layers upon layers that work in perfect tandem with each other, the script, the photography, the acting, the direction, the music... everything fits. The opening vignette is wonderful, as is usual for possibly all HBO series, with The Handsome Family's "Far From Any Road" building an eerie atmosphere before the show has even started. The song is set to a series of troubling images, and the song itself is also built of quite unpleasant imagery. Husband and wife Brett and Rennie Sparks have released ten albums under the moniker The Handsome Family, and this song is from the seventh, 2003's Singing Bones, a disturbing title if there ever was one. But what a song "Far From Any Road" is, sounding not unlike something Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood could have done, only darker.

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Linnea Dale - High Hopes

Linnea Dale's "High Hopes" did not make it to the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen as it came at number two in last weekend's Norwegian qualification. Although I really liked the winner, "Silent Storm" by Carl Espen, I think Linnea's song was the better one. It's an atmospheric and dark synth-pop number, not sounding too far off what Chvrches are doing. A good pop song in its own right.

Watch and listen

 

The War On Drugs - Red Eyes

American rock band The War On Drugs is effectively singer/songwriter Adam Granduciel and sundry band members. Early on Kurt Vile was in the band but he soon left to pursue his solo career, and this week Granduciel released his third The War On Drugs album, Lost In The Dream. It's one of the best records I've heard so far this year, an astonishing collection of great - and at times lengthy - songs that beg to be heard time and time again. Its preceding single "Red Eyes" may be the most immediate of the bunch, with its hypnotic, pulsing beat, sounding like a cross between Neu!, Arcade Fire, Bruce Springsteen and of course Bob Dylan who has influenced Granduciel massively. This is the stuff that classics are made of, and I'll be very surprised if Lost In The Dream does not appear on my list of 2014's best albums by the end of the year.

Watch and listen

 

Zedd feat. Foxes - Clarity

It could only be me, but has modern dance music become a lot better over the last few years? Acts like Swedish House Mafia, David Guetta and DJ Tiësto seen to have brought melody and pop sensibilities into the genre formerly despised as "techno", and it results in songs like "Clarity". Even though it's two years old now this one is still relevant because of British singer Foxes' current hit single "Let Go For Tonight". German/Russian producer/DJ Zedd's "Clarity" (2012) is just amazing music to dance to, and a great showcase for Foxes - or Louisa Rose Allen as she is actually named - as a singer. A fabulous song that just makes me want to go clubbing - hardish...

Watch and listen

 

Gorgon City feat. Yasmin - Real

In the wake of British electronica duo Disclosure's massive success, space has opened up for loads and loads of musically related acts. Many of these are interrelated as well, with everyone helping each other out, and you can safely call it a movement of sorts. A few days ago I wrote about the current Gorgon City hit "Ready For Your Love" which is fantastic, but upon discovering that one I looked back and found another Gorgon City single that is equally good, last year's "Real" featuring a singer who just goes by the name Yasmin and has a wonderful voice. This song is just as good as "Ready..." , another crossover hit that combines deep house with irresistable pop hooks and comes out on top. I'm looking forward to an album with these guys, that's for sure.

Watch and listen

 

Ben Watt - Nathaniel

Yet another track from Hendra, Ben Watt's first solo album in 31 years. This one's called "Nathaniel" and is where Watt and his new musical partner Bernard Butler (ex-Suede) speed things up. Quite a bit too. "Nathaniel" is wildly different from both his former solo work and his doings as one half of Everything But The Girl, a rock song really, inspired by a road sign that Watt saw in Oregon. But if there is one thing you can safely say about Ben Watt it's that he has constantly throughout his career changed gears and musical directions. The really great news though is that this is another fabulous track from an album that I just get more and more excited about. The release date is still April 14, and that's just a few short weeks away.

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The Captain & Me - Linda Thompson

Norwegian "world music"-inspired outfit The Captain & Me started out as a duo consisting of Morten Krane and Even Vaa, and today, upon the release of their fourth album have expanded to nine members. That can clearly be heard on the new album, curiously titled Peter Gabriel (as a homage to Gabriel's unbiased apporoach to music), an album extremely rich in sound and instrumentation, that is also as versatile as they come, embracing African rhythms, joik (the music of the native Sami people in the north of Scandinavia), and including songs with geographical titles like "Vienna" and "Sunday In Baku". "Linda Thompson" is of course another strange title, the first single that preceded the album last autumn and a tribute to the fabulous folk singer, and her and ex-husband Richard Thompson's album "I Want To See The Bright Lights". To conclude the music history lesson, let me also add that "The Captain And Me" is a song by The Doobie Brothers. OK, let's hear "Linda Thompson" one more time then, as it's simply a wonderful song, jubilant, life-affirming and big-sounding, with a richness in flavours that is rare in pop music. Tomorrow they play a show in Oslo to mark the release of their new album, and I will be there.

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I Was A King - One Of Us

When Norwegian "indie" outfit I Was A King release their fourth album tomorrow it should be to rave reviews. Quite possibly their best collection of songs to date, Isle Of Yours features grand melodies as well as buckets of energy, curiosity and enthusiasm, not to mention more than a fair amount of charm. "One Of Us" is the second single from the album, an ingratiating and sweet song with a melody to die for. I sense a real breakthrough here.

Watch and listen

 

Kyla La Grange - Cut Your Teeth (Kygo Remix)

British singer/songwriter Kyla La Grange was unknown to me until this morning when I heard the Kygo remix of her latest single "Cut Your Teeth" on the radio. A laidback and utterly cool electronic pop song with a reggae vibe that makes it a perfect summer song, it should make anyone who hears it happy. La Grange has released one album to date, 2012's Ashes. "Cut Your Teeth" is the title track off her second album, scheduled for a June 2 release. Looking forward to it!

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Skee-Lo - Top Of The Stairs

This is a very typical 90's California rap single. Skee-Lo's "Top Of The Stairs" is quite similar to pop/rap hits by acts such as Coolio, Warren G and Will Smith, i.e. laidback, melodic and in most respects pretty cool. Skee-Lo will basically be remembered for his hit "I Wish" from 1995, but although that's a great song, my money is on this. "Top Of The Stairs" was featured in the movie Money Train featuring Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes, also from 1995. Both songs are from the same album, also called I Wish. Skee-Lo also released an album in 2000 called "I Can't Stop", and in 2012 he released the album Fresh Ideas. Unfortunately, I don't think that many were interested in those. Having said that, I'll love "Top Of The Stairs" til I die, it's an awesome song!
Watch and listen

 

Max Elto - Backyard Animals

Max Elto is a Swedish vocal duo consisting of Tom Liljegren and Alexander Ryberg, from what I just learned on Wikipedia, that featured on the David Guetta single "Just One Last Time". Now they have struck out on their own, having released two singles so far, "Shadow Of The Sun" and "Backyard Animals", both bundled with an additional two songs on the EP Taped Rai. "Backyard Animals" is the better of the two, a slightly melancholic and sweet pop song that I instantly took a shine to.

Watch and listen

 

Dixie Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice

Last night American country-rock trio Dixie Chicks played a great show in Oslo which, naturally, ended with "Not Ready To Make Nice" before they did a rousing version of Bob Dylan's "Mississippi" for the final encore. "Not Ready To Make Nice" is singer Natalie Maines' reaction to the controversy following her comment about the American president from a stage in London in 2003 prior to the Iraqi invasion, stating they were ashamed that he was a fellow Texan. Receiving death threats a-plenty, being banned from radio stations, and having their records and merchandise burned and bulldozed by angry Republicans, Maines and her fellow Dixie Chicks, Emily Robison and Martie Maguire, found themselves totally ostracized from a large part of their audience. Three years later, they reemerged with a new album, Taking The Long Way (their last to date), that was spearheaded by "Not Ready To Make Nice" which has more or less become their signature song. "Forgive? Sounds good. Forget? I'm not sure I could. They say time heals everything, but I'm still waiting", sings Maines, still "mad as hell". It's a marvelous and totally inspirational song about standing up for the things you believe in, not caring what others think. It's about finding an inner strength when you need it the most. A modern masterpiece and one of the highlights of yesterday's concert.

Watch and listen

 

Broods - Never Gonna Change

New Zealand brother/sister duo Broods put out the song "Bridges" online last autumn and got an immediate response as it had been played around 200 000 times after just one week. Caleb and Georgia Nott hails from Auckland and in the end of January released their eponymous debut EP featuring "Bridges" and five additional tracks of which "Never Gonna Change" is the new single, an amazing electronic pop song. It's produced and co-written by Joel Little who produced Lorde's debut album so they're in the most capable of hands. Good stuff indeed!

Watch and listen

 

Prince feat. Zooey Deschanel - FALLINLOVE2NITE

There is a major Prince comeback in the works, as his recent activity clearly shows. Being one of the most important acts of the 1980's, he's got a lot to prove as he "owned" neither the 90's or the 00's in the same respect. However, there's no denying he is a musical genuis, and his latest singles such as "Rock And Roll Love Affair" and "Breakfast Can Wait", and his shows with the band 3rdeyegirl in the UK recently were reportedly the real deal, one intimate show was even performed at the home of wonderful R&B singer/songwriter Lianne La Havas in London. His latest single is called "FALLINLOVE2NITE" and sees him back on a major label, Epic Records, where he has joined forces with chairman and CEO of the company, L.A. Reid, for the release. The song is incredibly catchy, a dance number that sounds like an organic version of something by David Guetta with a fabulous horn section and additional vocals by the lovely Zooey Deschanel, famed actress and singer/songwriter and one half of the duo She & Him. Apart from the fact that he delivers a fabulous vocal performance, "FALLINLOVE2NITE" doesn't really sound like anything I've heard by Prince previously, and may be the reason why I like it so much. It probably won't feature on the reported, forthcoming album PLECTRUMELECTRUM with 3rdeyegirl, but is released as a stand-alone digital single. Awesome!

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Gorgon City feat. MNEK - Ready For Your Love

There is a massive amount of talent making fantastic club music with serious pop overtones in the UK these days. Many names are interrelated and work with each other in different constellations and to try and map it all would be an almost impossible task. But think about it. Names like Disclosure, Rudimental, Naughty Boy, Sam Smith, Ella Eyre, Sasha Keable, Clean Bandit, Jess Glynne, Tourist, Will Heard, John Newman, Emily Sandé, Foxes and many more all link up somehow. Many of these names are "collectives" if you will - once they would have been called "bands". You can also add Gorgon City to the list, a production duo/collective who has so far released some great singles, and will soon release a single produced for indie rock band Klaxons called "There Is No Other Time" that will surprise a few people. Gorgon City's current single however, is the UK number 4 hit "Ready For Your Love", a wonderful dance/R&B tune sung by another name you can add to the above list, MNEK a.k.a. Uzoechi Osisioma Emenike, a British singer/songwriter/producer with a gorgeous voice. These are indeed very good times for pop music. Great video too, by the way, it just makes you want to go out clubbing.

Watch and listen

 

Bernhoft & Nekfeu - Wind You Up

Soulful Norwegian singer/songwriter Jarle Bernhoft will release his third solo album Islander on April 24, from which the wonderful "Come Around" was released as a single about a month ago. "Wind You Up" is another song off it, here performed for French radio (or is it television?) with a guest spot from the French rapper Nekfeu. It's an amazing performance, where Bernhoft is doing his trademark one man band thing. Presumably the album version of the song is quite different, but I really hope Nekfeu and his frenetic rap bridge is there. It sounds great!

Watch and listen

 

The Jepettos - Even Though

"Even Though" is an incredibly sweet song by Northern Irish folk band The Jepettos, lifted from 2013's Troubles, the second of the two EP's they have released so far. Hopefully an album is in the works as well. Check out their music on Spotify, like them on Facebook to get regular updates, and by all means, watch the video below.

Watch and listen

 

Nujabes feat. Shing02 - Luv (Sic) Part 3

Today I stumbled upon this amazing hip-hop track by Japanese DJ/producer Nujabes on Soundcloud. It just accidentally followed a track I wanted to hear that I can no longer remember what was. When the song called "Luv (Sic) Part 3" came along I was mesmerized by its lovely old school beat, the obvious melancholy of the track, its acid jazz flourishes and the seemingly effortless vocals by Japanese rapper Shing02. Sadly Nujabes himself died in a traffic accident in 2010, only 36 years old. This track is culled from an album called Modal Soul from 2005 that also includes Terry Callier's evergreen "Ordinary Joe" and other tracks that I'm sure are good. Simply put, this song was a revelation for me, a true musical infatuation of the kind that comes along only very seldom. I love it when it does!

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Foxes - Let Go For Tonight

British pop singer and songwriter Foxes (real name Louisa Rose Allen) will release her debut album Glorious on May 9th, featuring the two singles "Youth" and the best one, "Let Go For Tonight". This is modern dance pop for anyone who likes a good tune, closely related to acts like Ellie Goulding and Marina & The Diamonds, to mention a few. Foxes also has great pop star looks and is of course already a star. "Let Go For Tonight" is currently being played on radio stations and in clubs across Europe and possibly in the US as well, where she enjoyed a big club hit singing on Zedd's track "Clarity", another great dance pop song for those interested.

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Two Door Cinema Club - Handshake

Northern Irish band Two Door Cinema Club's 2012 album Beacon is a fabulous synth-pop album that's both current-sounding and retrospective. The new breed of synth-pop outfits like Chvrches, Young Galaxy and many more are really good at combining elements from classic 80's synth acts and bringing it up to date, fusing melody, energy and a certain colour and ambience. "Handshake" was the fourth single to be released from Beacon, and one of its strongest pop songs. I love it!

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How To Dress Well - Words I Don't Remember

James Blake and James Vincent McMorrow are two acts who do incredible things with understated electronic means, combining classic soul with a dreamy sound that evokes lazy, sunny days and somehow at the same time comes across as a bit dark. The American act How To Dress Well, pseudonym of one Tom Krell, is new to me, another purveyor of beautiful dream-pop. He has released two albums so far, and is out with a fantastic new song called "Words I Don't Remember" that hopefully spearheads a new album. I want to hear more from this guy.

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Future Islands - Seasons (Waiting On You)

Having released three albums, American synthpop trio Future Islands, is out with number four in one week. It's called Singles and is their first for quality label 4AD. If first single "Seasons (Waiting On You)" is anything to judge by, the entire album could indeed be full of potential singles. This is such a good song, combining classic melancholic synthpop, loud guitars and a seriously catchy melody. It's full of atmosphere, and the video showing modern day cowboys and their everyday lives, makes for a fabulous contrast to the actual song.

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Emilie Nicolas - Grown Up

Yesterday I posted a small article on the up and coming Norwegian singer/songwriter Emilie Nicolas, and as fate would have it the video for her fantastic new single "Grown Up" was just put up on YouTube. Watch it here.

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American Authors - Best Day Of My Life

New York City-based four-piece American Authors are behind "Best Day Of My Life", a total feelgood track with serious leanings toward the folk rock of Mumford & Sons. No wonder then that it's become a hit single, as it's just incredibly catchy with a sing-a-long chorus you wouldn't believe. It first appeared on the band's eponymous 2013 EP, and is naturally included on their proper debut album Oh, What A Life, that has just been released. Everybody now: "This is gonna be the best day of my li-i-i-ife, my li-ah-li-ah-li-ah-li-i-i-fe"!

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Introducing... Emilie Nicolas

26 year old Norwegian singer/songwriter Emilie Nicolas' debut release was actually a cover version of Norwegian rock band Dumdum Boys' "Pstereo", reworked in English. She turned it into something completely different and all her own, a downbeat and sinister-sounding synth-pop anthem that hooked the listener immediately. It was released last October, and this week she followed it up with another brilliant single, her own "Grown Up" that is just as good if not better. A debut album will hopefully see the light of day in 2014 as she's now signed to Sony Music. Below are links to her music both in WiMP and Spotify, as well as her Soundcloud page which you should check out as well. Nicolas is a major talent!

Spotify

WiMP

Soundcloud

 

Noah And The Whale - 5 Years Time

I have never really checked out the music of English folk rock outfit Noah And The Whale (a shame, I'm sure), but just stumbled across their first single "5 Years Time" now and fell completely in love with it. Released in 2007 it's a dead catchy pop song similar to The Eels' "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" and a few more that eludes me for the moment. It appears on the band's debut album, 2008's Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down, which I now will check out. The video is great too, looking like it's shot by maverick director Wes Anderson, which in fact it is not. The director's name is James Copeman.

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