Lopez Blogs

Simon Curtis ~ Alter Boy 2007 (album of the year) featuring Pop Messiah and Put Your Make Up On (tracks of the year)

While absolutely no one who regularly reads this website will be exhibiting any surprise, the fact that Simon has continued to delight me with his music 19 months after I first heard it is one of the primary reasons driving my desire to do this site. He has had quite the chart career on thezapping charts, if not elsewhere with the following tracks making my countdown ~ Answer (number 5, July 2006), Broken (number 1, 3 weeks, November 2006), Put Your Make Up On (number 1, 4 weeks, January 2007), Resist (number 2, May 2007), Pop Messiah (number 1, 5 weeks, August 2007) and Another Heartache (number 2, November 2007) and that is why Alter Boy was the in the top 3 albums of 2006, and returns with added tracks for 2007 to claim the top position. Simon very deservedly has thezapping top album of the year 2007 with his mix of satirical, politically aware and increasingly fun pop electronica. And here are my thoughts on the joint top tracks of the year…

POP MESSIAH ~ I know Simon disagrees with me, but I still maintain that this would be the perfect lead off single for a second album. It’s bold, it’s feisty, it’s a thumping dance classic that much like the other track on this list, celebrates the glory of pop amidst a swirling thumping bass dance track that is as catchy as it is innovative and addictive. Just marvelously marvelous.

PUT YOUR MAKE UP ON ~ Kicking off the new year in 2007 was a real treat when this ode to growing up liking pop music slipped onto the airwaves. Built around the theme to popjustice with Xenomania, it’s crammed with poptasticle references to the Sugababes (red dress), etc with an incredibly catchy hook that leads into the brilliant “as a kid i got a lot of shit for/liking my music but what is it for?/you should listen to this because it gives more/yeah but it sounds lousy on the dancefloor” Anyone who loves pop kicked back, kvelled and utterly related to the glittering anthem.

Check out my chat with Simon by visiting his official fan club page or by downloading the word document here. Talking of why the album hasn’t been released, the “classic” nintendo ads, the fantastic duet with Thomas Dekker and whoring himself out for me!! I’m a pimp!!