Lopez Blogs

I had a right lovely time on La Larry of the Flick's radio show this morning. Not only did we have a good old gab about the bonza news of Prop 8 being overturned in California, but got to play lots of music - some was new, some well known to UK folk but it's always fun to have a natter about popstars and their current output. Most I chatted about in yesterday's post. None of the below were featured but they are all songs that rank in the very good indeed category of life :)

• Kelly Rowland - Shake Them Haters Off: I heard this song briefly several weeks ago, popped on a mix compilation and promptly forgot about it. Then it randomly came up the other day and I've been blooming obsessed with it ever since. It's just so simple in it's execution that everything about it is entirely engaging. It's a million miles from Commander (which was proper bonza too) but that just adds to the charm. Currently in a neck and neck battle with Darin's Lovekiller to dethrone Maroon 5 from the top of my chart this week :)
• Alphabeat ~ Chess: While it's widely known that the fourth single from their still pleasing The Spell album is going to be Heatwave, it would be remiss of me not to mention how many plays I've been giving Chess this week. It's one of those album tracks that always seems good but suddenly feels a lot better because you've played the obvious singles to death. It's just so quirky and lovely that it kind of makes me yearn for when A*Teens were doing slightly perkier boy-girl pop duets with songs like Perfect Match. It's always a big treat to listen to and if they get the chance could be a brillo fifth single!
• Champagne Riot ~ Heart Stab (above): This is from one of the many promo emails I get and never really pay attention to. I'm glad I did with this one. It's all sorts of magnifico. It's a marriage of gentle synths, a perky pop beat and a retro feel with lush vocals and a sweeping production value that makes it instantly wonderful the first time you listen to it. It's Abba melodies mirrored with the sensibilities of the Pet Shop Boys and it's all just so blooming gorgeous I could cry. Plus one of the looks all sorts of geek chic hot in a bow tie :)
• Birgit Bidder ~ Parking Lot Paradise: Birgit is an accomplished session musician who has most recently spent time with the very talented Erik Hassle (see below) and decided, hmmm I could probably give this pop malarky a go myself. So she has and very good at it she is too. With a distinctive and strong vocal styling, she has turned out a tune that is rich in melodic hooks, sumptuous instrumentation and resonantes as a quality piece of work from start to finish. It's the type of swoony smoky jazz pop I would have expected from Oh Laura had they chosen to continue. Hypnotically amazing.
• Erik Hassle ~ Taken (Still In My Blood): Sigh - Eric is one of those artists who I constantly wonder why they aren't entirely more massive than they are. Hurtful is a tremendous pop tune of epic proportions, yet failed to connect with a sniffy British public. Luckily he is having better luck bedding in in his native Sweden as Standing Where You Left Me is hanging around the top 40 for a few weeks now. This new tune is a sparse percussive song with electro tinges and a deeply emotive vocal performance that project the maudlin lyrics perfectly. It's not the most commercial piece of pop music in the world but as with all Eric songs, it's rewarding and more than worthy of a few minutes of your time.