What’s Up? ~ For starters, I strangely love it when bands names are actually a question. Everytime I hear them, I will feel like answering “oh not much dudes, what’s up with you?” and feel I have bonded on some weird stalker level. Ho Ho. Anyway, Swedish boyband (woohoo! Boyband! Sweden!) What’s Up are four fine looking young chaps, whose debut single Go Girl hit number five in Sweden earlier this year. It’s a funky slice of pop-dance with some nice synths sounds running through the chorus and a catchy hook to boot. Latest single “Such A Fool” slows things down a little, but not too much and a shuffling finger clicking beat underscores this pretty ballad with a rather nice harmonised chorus. Their debut album “In Pose” is currently winging it’s way to me from cdon, and features more funky goodness such as If I Told You Once (with some kicking electric guitar and hopefully a spot on dance routine ~ there aren’t enough dance routines in pop anymore, and Shayne Ward’s effort doesn’t count!) and Out Of The Blue (tragically not a Debbie Gibson cover) but a real thumper of a tune that recalls early Britney/Max Martin/BSB. It has of course all been done before, but not so well for a while now, so it’s certainly exciting to have an aces new act on the block…
Vigo ~ yay for another British boyband. Digital self imploded and Billiam are busy woo-ing gay punters in clubs, so it’s nice to have something new and home grown to concentrate on. Let’s check the boyband credentials – good looking lads with sleeveless tops? Check! Love of pop music and not ashamed of it? Check! One quirky one with unusual name? Check (Pob)! One who you want to take behind the bike sheds and do slightly dirty things with? Check (AdamS above looking mighty fine in a suit)! Appropriately catchy songs with a healthy nod to the past while adding their own flair and looking to the future? Check! The absolutely huggable little 50s innocence of Kiss and Make Up just makes me want to grab the one I love and shimmy. There is a certain knowing naivety to it that is rather charming. Man of Action is almost like a male version of Your Disco Needs You crossed with Holding Out For A Hero and is a pumping grinding dance track with an element of nu-rave in there that gives it a nice anthemic quality. And of course, there is an 80s cover of Electric Dreams that is just as danced up and ravetastic as Man of Action, only with a hint of Erasure about it. Whoever sings the verse has a lovely deep voice and the rest of the boys do that nice “oooo” ing behind that always works for me. It’s almost enough to get me to even consider wanting to go to Popshow, only my hatred of Soho Revue Bar is far too strong. Still, I will be investigating the lads much further in the near future…
Dizzy ~ ooo my head is spinning! Like a whirlpool it never ends. I have to give “major props” (were I not 12 years too old to even attempt at getting away with that phrase) to Samuel Hotstuffguy for introducing me to the crazy magnificence of this rather bodacious band. It took me ages to find anything out about them, but then realised I didn’t really need to as the music speaks for itself. They truly are a little bit crazy and a little bit rock n roll and there is an effervescent energy to their music, with a visual tinge of manga to their image. Debut single One Good Reason is as hard rocking as I go but has this beautiful elegant melodic magnificence to it, that Kelly Clarkson could use to spice up her latest a bit. I’ll B There is a perky pop number that has the sweetest vocal juxtapositioned with more jangling guitars. It’s all very quirky and ace indeed.
