Turn It Around – Crowded House – I have never much like Crowded House and since i love heavily arranged pop music, I am not sure why. This shit is heavy duty, a circular keybs stolen from ELP and harmony choir like chorus and then a horns solo. But it is distinctly unenjoyable.
Little Girl (feat. Julian Casablancas) – Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse – Love Julian’s voice. This man is a singer the way a Jim Morrison was: give him the right song and he’ll melt it with you. Here, he rises above Dangermouse’s insulated hi-jinx and gets down down down with some pretty intense soloing. Great song.
Space – MIA – The backlash stops here. Like my friend Steve Diamond said (who agrees with me that Robyn and Scissor Sisters are the albums of the year…I’m just saying), people loved “Paper Planes” so much they misunderstood her. She was always out there and this is a highly melodic pop move (here that, you fatheads at Pitchfork) tweaked against a synth until it irritates.
DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love (feat Pitbull) – Usher – I’ve gotta love for both these guys but Pittbull’s rap on this song is something special, his Spanishness -the cult diff, is mooted and right in front at the same time.
Why Should I Cry For You – Sting – Unspeakable: the horror, the horror. Aquilante loves it, need I say more?
Change – The Young Veins – Helen loves em, Alyson loves em, Mary loves: please allow me to demure. They sound like Panic with bad melodies.
I Heart California – Admirable Radley – Actually, this sounds more like Panic than the Beatles circa “Penny Lane” do. It seems to be waiting patiently for lift off and not finding it anywhere.
Come Back Song – Darius Rucker – Wow, is this killer. It is just wonderful. Pure country but there is a soulfulness to Rucker’s voice just off the center of twang. The tune is catchy as help and it works off a here and then gone slide guitar lick. Plus the lyric is the gentlest of twists: “I know you’ve got my radio on, so this is my my bad, come back song”. SONG OF THE WEEK
Captains Of The Sky – Sky Sailing – It is that Owl city bloke under another name and damn if it ain’t much much better than his other crap. Sounds less one man bandy and –OMG– is that a tempo change? Nope, sorry, my bad.