Lopez Blogs

Throughout 2010, I did a monthly visit to Sirius OutQ's Morning Jolt radio show hosted by the incomprable Larry Flick. I bring a selection of sparkling euro-pop tunes (and occasionally further afield - i've also included Amy Meredith, Simon Curtis, Adam Tyler, Kyle Brylin and Andrea Lewis) and usually talk about which fella is the most attractive out of the acts on offer :P I've been fortunate to be asked back yet again (I always feel like surely there's someone better for the job!!) for the first one of 2011, so here's the playlist that's going on air today...

Also played ~

• Xylos ~ Not Enough (read my thoughts on the song here)
• The Scarletz ~ Messed Up (read my thoughts on the song here)
• Neo ~ Underground (read my thoughts on the song here)

What a week it has been. I'm absolutely shattered this early Friday evening to be honest with you. And this is going to be one of those mega giant ridiculously long posts that i'm so good at because there is so much going on this week that I'm behind with! Highlight of the week was definitely my latest slot on the Larry Flick show. I think the exhaustion of the week had caught up to me, so I took an hour's lunch and got a bit saucy on air. Check the comments if you want to hear it :P Right - most of the pop I've been interested in this week has been bought to us by the letter J! Let's see how this works out...

The week that was...

• J is for Jessie J (Price Tag): Oh didn't the world and his wife just fall for the extremely talented ways of young Jessie this week? The Doctor Luke (he always comes up with the perfect pop prescription) produced Price Tag just screams massive world wide hit. Jessie delivers a pop song that is essentially a social commentary with such gusto and brilliance that she puts to shame some of her longer established pop peers. It's a laid back groove, extolling the virtues of getting back to basics but without ever sounding preachy - rather it invites you in to it's simple but outstanding chorus and you just want to stay for days...Altogether now "we just wanna make the world dance/forget about the price tags"! Inredibly talented new act to watch (PS her song on the Step Up 3D soundtrack is TO DIE FOR)
• J is for new Jason Mraz duet (with Hope - Love Love Love): Hurrah! My beloved Jason Mraz has added his vocals to a single by delightful new artist Hope on her effervescent song Love Love Love. I've heard a solo version and this duet, and their vocals blend so well that at times I forget I'm not listening to a self duet (a la Janet's Love Will Never Do). It's musical alchemy of the highest order with a sweet as honey chorus that stays the right side of cheesy and just remains romantic. Quite heavenly. Perfect for the I'm Yours brigade. Keep an eye on Hope too - I really like her sound :)
• J is for Jordin Sparks (Beauty and The Beast): I actually mistyped that and put Beauty and the Beats, which - if it hasn't been already - would be a great girl group album title. But I digress. Anyway, Disney are putting one of my favourite movies of all time onto blu-ray and Jordin is joining Celine & Play in being the latest artist to cover the title track. It's got a lovely acoustic lilt to it for the first few bars which are so charming. Of course, it all then gets a bit A/C and Disneyfied, but that's to be expected and it's a fine version. Million miles from Battlefield of course but I'm so excited about the blu-ray that I can't help but not really care and sing along anyway.

• J is for Japanese comeback (Deborah Gibson - Ms Vocalist): Well bless my barnacles! 7 long years after her broadway album, Deborah is back to being Debbie and is releasing an album of Japanese pop songs! Apparently it was done fella style by Eric Martin (from Mr Big, 90s ballad fans) and now Debs is doing 10 Japanese hits and a new version of Lost In Your Eyes (it's been 4 years since she rerecorded this last as an acoustic song with The O'Neill Bros). I was mightily surprised by Larry Flick lason Thurs when a sexily purring Deborah spoke to me on the phone for a little while. I was so flabbergasted I came across as right blustering tit (see the comment section!) but it was quite lovely. I got the scope from Deb that she is working on adding her new song Rise to the cd (from her fella's new documentary and potentially one of the best things she's done in a long time) and looking for a US iTunes release. Brillo.
• J is for Japanese bonus track (Maroon 5 - Crazy Little Thing Called Love): I did quite a positive write up of the new M5 album in the week. Since then, i've got their acoustic version of the Queen classic. It's a pretty straightforward cover version, but Adam's vocals stand out and are quite lovely against the rockabilly vibe of the tune. Definitely worth a moment or two of your time...
• J is for Elton John (duet with Leon Russell - If It Wasn't For the Bad): Apparently Leon is one of those grizzled old American singer songwriters. He's teamed up with Reginald for his new album The Union, and this dark little ditty is apparently the first fruits from that collaboration. It comes across as a sort of nicer version of the True Blood theme tune, with lots of enjoyable piano and a sort of wisdom to the simple message of the chorus that younger singers wouldn't be able to convey. I really like it as it happens...
• J is for James Blunt (Stay The Night): La Blunt is back! I've never been in the "lets revile him" camp and found lots of songs I enjoy by him. His comeback tune is a very pleasant indeed, upbeat little swinger - powered forth by an energetic guitar riff and fun chorus, with chanty vocals during the middle 8 (which I always adore in pop songs). A couple of listens and you're entirely hooked. Aces.

Top 21 songs of the week:

21 ~ Brandon Flowers, Only The Young (NE)
20 ~ Alesha Dixon, Drummer Boy
19 ~ McFly, Party Girl
18 ~ Bjorn Johan Muri, Once Upon A Time
17 ~ Bright Light x 2, Love Part II
16 ~ Jesse McCartney, Shake
15 ~ Nadine Coyle, Insatiable (NE)
14 ~ James Blunt, Stay The Night (NE)
13 ~ Ace of Base, All For You
12 ~ DeeDee, Balls
11 ~ Kelly Rowland, Shake Them Haters Off
10 ~ Scissor Sisters, Any Which Way
09 ~ Jessie J, Price Tag (NE)
08 ~ Kylie Minogue, Get Outta My Way
07 ~ Sophie Ellis Bextor, Not Giving Up On Love
06 ~ Eric Saade, Masquerade
05 ~ Darin, Lovekiller
04 ~ Elouise, The Winner Takes It All
03 ~ Maroon 5, Give A Little More
02 ~ Gravitonas, Religious
01 ~ Robbie Williams, Shame (2 weeks/vid)

Next: X Factor double bill. Oh Lord...

Summer is here and I automatically turn into a sun hating version of Ebeneezer Scrooge. I'm not a summer fan - the hayfever, the sweaty blokes on the train, the stifling heat. Bah humbug I cry, bah blooming humbug! The one positive thing about the summer though is it seems to put everyone else in a proper bonza mood and there is lots of delightful skybound anthems to get your feet tapping along. Here are some of the latest that I've discovered via Larry Flick's Morning Jolt/Feel The Spin - always a great source for up and coming artists :)

WEEKEND ESSENTIALS:

• Bright Light Bright Light ~ Love Part II: Apparently this will be the engaging Rod's first single proper later in the year (around September 2010 I believe)... It's a deliciously synth driven, very smart, melody drenched pop anthem in waiting, and one that makes me think he'd do an outstanding job of writing for Kylie Minogue. It's all about finding love after a probably rubbish experience with some cad. It's so giddily optimistic and uplifting that it is incredibly difficult not to feel entirely joyful each time you listen to it. Based on this and his free download single A New Word To Say, his forthcoming album is shaping up to be quite the enticing prospect. Absolutely essential...
• Bailey Tzuke ~ Strong: Big things are happening for the lovely Bailey - Larry Flick has been promoting the heck out of this song; it's the number one track on gaydar radio; and rather thrillingly, Kylie Minogue is a fan! Bloody nora! Equally as wonderful is the physical cd package which looks like a vinyl single with grooves and everything. But the song - oh the song! What a particularly gorgeous slice of powerful, emotive music with insightful lyrics, a glorious vocal performance and a chorus so instantly endearing and raw that it delivers a hefty wallop of gut wrenching honesty. I feel like the song is screaming "good grief have some faith in us" and is full of lyrical genius like "I know your heart like the back of my hand". Hauntingly brilliant (or amazingly danceable in the dealer version). You must check this out (live acoustic version here).
• Todd Alsup ~ How I'm Made: I've been grossly negligent in reviewing Todd's rather top notch album. I'm getting round to it, i promise - i just want to give it the words it absolutely deserves. This track is just one of those instantly timeless, classic soulful pop songs - driven by some deeply luxurious piano, some muted choir background and the most soaring vocal from Todd that just gives me goosebumps each time I listen to it. Candidly honest, emotionally devastating - it's not just a song you are listening to: it's a full experience of love, heartbreak and disappointment. Be prepared!
• Sam Taylor ~ It's A Mistake: Young Sam has certainly built up a lot of good will and support over the past couple of years based on his plainative ballads on the Beautiful People soundtrack and his flawless reading of I Don't Know How To Love Him. This latest track is written by Charlie Mason, who has also penned tracks for Kyle Brylin, Eric Saade and many others. It's a downbeat ballad that shows off Sam's vocals to fine form and would perfeectly soundtrack a melancholy evening, glass of wine in hand watching the sunset.

Top 21 songs of the week:

Thanks to the rather good video above, my interest for Sergey Lazarev's fun but generic track Alarm has been totally reignited. For many reasons - Sergey looks quite good in a high class dirty rent boy sort of way; it has some quite good dance moves including the slow running on spot style of Eric Saade's Manboy (52 seconds in vid above; 2m02s here); i'm not a huge fan of the studded jacket and boots, but I do like a guy in a suit; the touching of the vagina area ruffles; the way the jumping in the chorus is essentially exactly the same as Same Difference We R One; the visuals somehow make the song pop a lot more for me, particularly when the boy kneels in front of him at the end. Hurrah, etc.

21 ~ Mariah Carey, 100%
20 ~ Simon Curtis, Super Psycho Love
19 ~ Mika, Kick Ass
18 ~ Kimberley Locke, Strobelight
17 ~ Sophie Ellis Bextor, Bittersweet
16 ~ Gabriella Cilmi, On A Mission
15 ~ Gabriella Cilmi, Hearts Don't Lie (NE)
14 ~ Eric Saade, It's Gonna Rain (NE)
13 ~ DeeDee, Endure
12 ~ Donkeyboy, Sometimes
11 ~ JLS, The Club Is Alive
10 ~ Gravitonas, Kites
09 ~ Sergey Lazarev, Alarm (RE/VID)
08 ~ Adam Tyler, Friction
07 ~ Maria Mena, All This Time
06 ~ Chanee & N'Evergreen, In A Moment Like This (NE)
05 ~ Josh DuBovie, That Sounds Good To Me
04 ~ Lovestoned, Thursdays
03 ~ Eric Saade, Manboy
02 ~ Scissor Sisters, Fire With Fire
01 ~ Kylie, All The Lovers (2 weeks)

Coming this week (best laid plans, etc) - the Eric Saade album review because it's bloody perfect pop; the return of one of two of my fave acts... and maybe some other stuff. Who knows?!

Lots of important things happened yesterday. There was some volcanic ash hovvering around the atmosphere. I neared the end of Dynasty Season Six (Alexis: "Oh Krystle, are you here as Blake's former stenographer to pick up a few little tidbits?" No one does put downs as witheringly as that woman). There was a debate on tv between the three potential future prime ministers. Tatiana got voted off RuPaul's Drag Race (Sashay. Away). Gary Barlow did something, though I'm not sure what yet. And more important than any of those cataclysmic events was my latest radio slot with lovely Larry Flick on The Morning Jolt (Sirius OutQ Radio). It was my fourth visit, I had a lovely time and a brilliant response from people who wanted to know more about the artists I talked about, so here is a round up of super acts just waiting your attention to make them mass-eeeeve...

The Bang Bang Club: I have written about the lovely boys in the Bang Bang Club twice before - once here (where I described their glorious single Chemistry as "drenched in synths, exciting beats and a blinding chorus that channels the best of 80s synth-pop influences into something modern and brilliant) and once here (where I said it had "great production, enticing vocals and yummy boys"). Since that time they have been honing their live performances, building up an impressive webpage (including their very own magazine) and galvanising the troops for the release of their debut single on May 24th 2010. There is a video coming shortly that will apparently include lots and lots of paint. Can't wait (EDIT: No need to wait, it has LITERALLY just dropped online! It's all I dreamed it would be and they look so dishy :P EDIT2: However, the version I got to see wasn't apparently for public viewing and has now gone! I feel all special and a bit naughty :P It's coming next week!!! ). EDIT3: The video is back. And it's above. And super in black and white. With splashes of amazingness in colour. How brilliant. I love them even more. Check out Nick's views here...
Hear: Their debut single Chemistry here...
Web: Their official magazine and blog site can be accessed here...
Twitter: Click here...

Dean Lennon: I first wrote about Dean as part of boyband Digital back in 2006, then as a solo artist in 2008. He's been working hard on perfecting that electro-pop boy sound with not only some solid, addictive tunes, but some great matching visuals too. His signature tunes such as Hey You and See Through are heavy on synths, club-friendly beats and instantly memorable choruses - however, he has a range of influences and unreleased tracks like She's On Magazines show a funkier side of his nature coming through. Most pleasing it is too.
Hear: Four songs on his myspace here...
Twitter: He hasn't used it for a while, but maybe he can be persuaded to return...

BrightLight, Bright Light: I was introduced to the music of BLx2 by the delicious Steve XOLondon when he arranged a "bloggers night out" in London, attended by a whole host of people, one of whom was Rod Thomas aka BLBL. I've become increasingly reliant on his music since that time as a soothing influence in my life - his ability to create delightfully constructed pop music that is both thoughtful and smart, yet make it sound so very effortless is something to be applauded. Plus he is behind only the Scissors of Sister on the Popjustice Almighty so I must be onto something (check out his ace duet with Nerina Pallot above)...
Hear: A free download of A New Word To Say by registering for his website here...
Web: His website link is above; his myspace page is here...
Twitter: Click here...

Eric Saade: Blimey, Eric Saade used to be one fourth (or what is commonly known as a quarter) of my beloved Swedish boyband What's Up (whom I wrote about here, rather alarmingly in the same breath as Vigo! What was I thinking?!). He's now solo and doing such brilliant euro disco numbers as the amazingly titled ManBoy (can you imagine using that in conversation?!) and the equally as bonkers o clock Sleepless. He isn't going to change the world with his pop but I just find him utterly charming and magnificent. I shall be all over his debut album like a rash when it's released next month...
Hear: Sleepless on his myspace site; the video to an acoustic ManBoy here...
Web: His official website is here...
Twitter: Yes indeedy...

Dirty Disco: God bless the Tomorrow Never Knows blog for virtually transcribing how I described Dirty Disco on the radio yesterday - "they are just brilliant, I just love everything about them, great to look at, the music is just sensational, they have great eye make up, they're a little bit glamour, a little bit electro, a little bit punk, a little bit disco - I can't really say enough great things about them, they are really just excellent". Blimey, I was gushing wasn't I and quite rightly so. Just so very excellent in all they do. Plus when I was growing up, discos weren't dirty at all, they were Mormon and finished at 9pm with an Osmonds track, so this has been a right eye opener ;)
Hear: Sista!, Vulture (Dirty Disco remix) and a cover of Rabbit Heart on their myspace...
Download: Vulture (Dirty Disco remix) at arjanwrites...
Twitter: Who isn't?!

DeeDee: Oh god, Endure has totally changed my life this past few weeks since I first wrote about one of the most promising female vocalists (along with Elouise) for 2010. Everytime I have any minor sort of incident at work or home, I dramatically bust out the tune and start robot dancing along to it's epic chorus, wailing "I endure so much pain" as if my life depended on it! I've written muchly about the future smash hits Endure and Love Down here. I've also heard an equally pleasing song called Bum Around which not only repeats the word "bum" multiple times in a row (this is known as a very good thing to do) to a persistent and enticing funkalicious beat, but also has whip smart lyrics to the most laxidaisical subject in life of all. Bound to become a deserved anthem to those lazy Saturdays when you don't want to do a blooming thing (plus a brilliantly theatrical ending which is essentially "bum bum, bu bu bum, yeah". Astonishing). Watch Endure zip up my chart next week!
Hear: Love Down and the epic Endure on myspace...
Twitter: Finally, yes. Aces!

Adam Tyler: Delightful, exuberant, energetic, fun loving pop addicted Adam has certainly made my musical landscape so much more entertaining in 2010. He really just pours a cheerful energy into everything he undertakes. I've written about him and his music several times, and was lucky to be able to play an exclusive, never heard before track Committed on Larry's show. It's not even going to be on the album - is more of a pre-album taster to whet the appetite of the discerning pop picker masses. Committed is an instantly addictive, swirling, pulsating gem of a track that utterly deserves wider attention and it's place on top my most played tracks of the week. It's definitely representative of the modern pop sound he's going for on his Lullabies and Rattlesnakes album that is inching closer to a release date, and such a delightful chap that huge things MUST be just around the corner for him...
Hear: Future pop classics (plus remixes of) Friction and Schizophrenic at myspace...
Twitter: What self respecting future pop sensation isn't?!

Are you one of the 80,000+ people who has downloaded Simon's brillo free album from his website? I mean, that's an awful lot of people who have sampled the excellent 8 Bit Heart and this quite obviously pleases me greatly (read my review here; I'm currently on a mission - like a woman on a mission - to get Attitude magazine hooked :P) You may want to check out rather excellent reviews from Popreviews now, melismatic and Alien Hits (fabtasticmusic, i'm drumming my fingers impatiently at you!!). For now though, before you dive back into the album, here are some highlights from the delightful Larry Flick interview Simon did on the always brilliant Morning Jolt yesterday (31st March)...

• They played Delusional. It does sound rather marvelous on the radio to be fair. Radio One should B-list the bejeezus out of it
• "terrific pal and world class blogger"... oh stop (don't stop, etc)!
• Simon hasn't actually heard Delusional on the radio before so waiting on the phone for the interview was his first time! Which is ace, but also a little bit heartbreaking that he wasn't blasting it out in his car...
• Simon is 24. Larry thinks he looks about 12. In his early shots he does look incredibly young. His more recent shots place him late teens (see pics above for "exhibit A and B") :P
• Simon talks about Max Martin, A*Teens, N*Sync, Britney Spears and being verbally knocked back by Matthew Knowles, who advised him to drop the musical theatre vocals if he wanted to be a popstar. Where was Matthew when Joe McElderberryJuice won the X Factor?!?!
• No offence to Delusional, but Diablo sounds OUTSTANDING on the radio. There is a reason that the song is my number one song so far of 2010...
• 8 Bit Heart is not only a homage to his history with sci fi movies, but also those artists who have inspired him throughout the years including Mozart, Britney and Lady Gaga...
• Dustin in Canada says "why" in a very deep voice and makes it sound really sultry when he phones in to ask Simon a question. I'm so taken with the way he purrs "why" that I can't even remember what the question is!
• Simon gives a little "ooo" when Larry announces he is playing the title track, which is one of the most beautiful songs you will hear all the live long year. Perfect in every respect of the word...
• Simon went to West Virginia where Jeff "Jadion" Wells (his producer) lives and recorded the entire album in 13 days. Not surprisingly it was a bit of a mindnumbing experience. I can barely write 13 pages in 13 days of the long awaited novel...
• Larry talks about the process of releasing a "free" album and not making it sound like a free album! Simon is aiming for the album to have such an effect on his career that he will be able to sign to a label thanks to a galvanised fan base. The Robo-Army lives!!
• Simon earns some additional "pocket money" through being an actor as well and having some income from that, which helps him get to where he needs to be. It's been tough, and I'm hoping that he will be able to translate his fanbase in to getting him some money. No one likes to be poor :(
• I really wanted Simon to say fuck on air after Fell In Love W/an Android but tragically he doesn't.Darn
• Simon talks a little about his leukemia battle. I'm rather repulsed by some of the comments on the popjustice forum about this, but people are always cynical and repugnant sometimes :/
• The final 3 songs on the album shift to darker symbolism and The Dark is the culmination of that, with the artist questioning how to break into an unbreakable circle. The Jay-Z sample comes from his song Encore btw...
• The interview was utterly charming. Simon sounds absolutely delightful. What a lovely young fella

Back soon. I've been slack lately. Must do better...

Today has been quite a bonza day really by all accounts. I had a nice dream that M&S Double Choc Biscuits were considered one of the fruit and veg five a day. Then I woke up and lovely little Darren was sleeping like a baby. I mean not like a baby with his big ol' bum right up in the air, more just very peacefully and looking lovely. So I stared/gazed at him for a moment before remembering he thinks that is creepy. I was also told today (a few times) that I look like Russell Tovey from Being Human. I had a galaxy caramel at work which was million times of deliciousness. My Dr Who - The Writers Tale: Final Chapter book appeared after being lost in the post. And all sorts of good feelings came from being on Larry Flick's Morning Jolt today. I had such a good time and it was so completely delightful to hear some of these songs on the radio (and hear Larry so enthused about them!). Here's what was played, followed by what else was making me happy today!!

• Marit Larsen ~ If A Song Could Get Me You (read more of my thoughts here)
• Donkeyboy ~ Ambitions (read more of my thoughts here)
• Ola Svensson ~ Sky's The Limit (read more of my thoughts here)
• Industry ~ My Baby's Waiting (read more of my thoughts here)
• Benny Andersson Band ~ Story of a Heart (read more of my obsession here!)

My happy times...

Music: I wrote about Dandy Andy a little while ago, and have since become quite the smitten pair of mittens with this soaring pop epic disguised as a dance number little shaker. I tweeted (quite truthfully) to PopLifeUk that I felt marvelous dancing around in my pants (undies) to it early one morning, and it's a feeling so euphoric and glorious that it gets you through the entire day of work ahead. It's almost like a prescription drug - take two spins each morning and walk on air all day. It's not just the intoxicating beat, or the accomplished vocal - it's that combined with the great lyrics and wonderfully catchy chorus. Luckily there are a whole raft of addictive remixes all ready for the tasting. Could 3 and a bit minutes of pop be any more aces? Now hurry up with the new Same Difference stuff please :) (Also amazing is the Northern Allstars remix of Don't Stop Glee-lieving. Just what you'd expect really with some added glitter and disco beat!)

MagHag: I've just renewed my subscription to Entertainment Weekly for the 14th consecutive year. This makes me very warm and fuzzy inside indeed. Nearly as much as my now eternal love for Attitude magazine. And their very wonderful tweets. And lovely editor. And ace articles. I would SO get naked for them, although probably not :) Still, excellent monthly read!

TVTimes: Remember the days when the CW had original shows on, not just ones based on books (aces Gossip Girl, boring Vampire Diairies) or worse old tv shows (90210, Melrose Place)? Harking back to the glory days of Gilmore Girls and Everwood is new drama, Life Unexpected. I'm only three episodes in but they have all been very entertaining indeed and it feels like the good old days of the WB when Lorelei and Rory were on the air and Buffy was shagging Spike for some reason. The lass from Swingtown who plays the daughter is just warm and engaging and it's nice to see the "teen" actors from Dawson's Creek and Roswell graduate to more adult roles. Heavenly. (Also aces is the return of Lost. "Nothing is irreverseable"; "I'm sorry you had to see me like that" Amaze).

Back tomorrow. With something. No idea what yet. Bye!

You know what? November and December is so jam packed full of new music by some of my favourite artists, plus lots of stuff gets pushed aside for Christmas music, that I don't always have enough time to listen to some of the exciting new artists my friends recommend! So I always make a note of the ones that sound intruiging so I can catch up on them in January! And as it is now January, here is a list of some of the artists that i've been aware of for some time and find intruiging/good looking. I am enjoying checking out (plus links to people who write much more eloquently about them!) Oh, the video above? Nothing to do with pop in 2010, I just really like it for some reason. It's performed very...enthusiastically :)

OH! And if you were tuned in to the Larry Flick show on Thursday morning's Morning Jolt, you would have heard me! I sound very loud! But it was lots of fun :P Here are some links to the artists I talked about (that most of you already know, but just in case you didn't...) - i'm next on Feb 1st. Lordy, better sort out some more euro-pop music!

• Mans Zelmerlow - album review of MZW
• Neo - album review of NEO
• Evan - album review of Under Your Spell
• Sergey Lazarev - interview

NEW ACTS FOR '10 ~ RETWEET EDITION!

• From dontstopthepop... I'm intruiged by Miss Polly Rae who is putting on a burlesque show in London in February. It sounds absolutely magnificent. Burlesque meets pop via the amazing Steve Anderson & Terry Ronald sounds utterly butterly to me. I am SO there :) Bobby also drew my attention to the fine features of Jonas Myrin who not only looks yummers but sounds pretty decent too. Hurrah. (Still anxious for music from LeKid, Isabel Guzman and of course Elouise too)...
• From fabtasticmusic... Ah that adorable Aaron. He (and auspop) steered me directly towards the rather delightful Hugh Sheridan who has gone that traditional Australian route of tv star to pop star with admirable results. I've "spun" his debut album a couple of times and it has me hankering to go back for more already. Plus! Another stunner! Bonus!
• From Project76blog... DanUK and I don't often share the same taste in music, but occasionally the planets align and we go gaga over the same act. Dan injected some taste into my pop sensibilities when he steered me in the direction of Music Go Music who are a rather dreamy pop band who make very excellent music with a hint of Abba influence. Quite wonderful. Plus they are in the UK in february. Very excellent news.
• From thismustbepop... Jessica always does a rather comprehensive list of the more off-piste artists to keep an eye on. One of my favourites from this year has to be Donkeyboy who have the same pop sensibilities as Alphabeat, an album full of rather amazing tunes and a seal of approval from Popjustice. I sense I will be rather obsessed with them and rather soon.
• From worrapolava... Out of the ashes of Daggers rises good looking twosome Hurts. These two have been floating around the internet ether for a while now and are producing some solid good pop tunes, heavy on great vocals, addictive melodies and entirely alluring sax solos. Plus some great remixes are in the bag - this is one of those acts that several bloggers picked up on ages ago and just now all the "official big in 10" lists are all over. (See also XO and AlienHits)...
• From xolondon... talking of xo, he's always got some elegant pop choices up his sleeve; ones that focus on depth of lyric, meaningful choruses and sweeping majesty in the instrumental. He's written lots about, and totally converted me to, Ellie Goulding - she's got pop sensibilities mixed with a certain aura of cool around her music, which like a still pool on a hot day is just heaven to dip into and gently immerse yourself. Big things coming from her, especially as the winner of that BBC Sound of 2010 thingy!
• From billcs... I discovered Bill through a mutual love of acts like Simon Curtis, Dan Black, Mans Zelmerlow and Sammy Taylor. All those acts make Bill's 2010 list as does the guitarist from Avril Lavigne's early days - Evan Taubenfeld, who has been busy creating his own special brand of pop hook for you all to latch onto. He has a new album coming out pretty soon, but has preceded that with a few singles, including the catchy Cheater Of The Year (not a title I imagine many people would want to win!) I do love a bit of malicious revenge pop (check out Simon's Diablo if you haven't already) and this hits all the right buttons. Aces.

Come back Sunday for some tracks that I'm surprisingly loving (as the final part of my 2010 new music thingamabob), then Mon-Fri next week is the vegas diaries. Good lord!

Greetings all and a very merry Christmas to one and all. As my most favourite time of year draws to a close, I'd like - as is tradition now - to present you with my rewrite of The Night Before Christmas, and some festive contributions (that are hugely appreciated by myself) from friends of the blog. Please enjoy, have a wonderful holiday break and many positive happy wishes for a great new year :) Oh and if you have any time for cooking left, please try some of Donal "Industry" Skehan's Christmas recipes - I've been delving into them all December with brilliant results (PS, imagine if him and Simon Curtis made a record together!! Talk about dream Christmas wishes!!)

It's me again, yes how did you guess cos the last time you were really impressed! Hope you enjoy :) Sorry my head's cut off slightly! Sorry it's so dark! Sorry it's not as funny as last year! Sorry the sound's crap! Sorry I'm such a colossal failure :P Oh pooey to all that, i think it's quite good! Merry Christmas!

Ah, the lovely Sean and Sarah from Same Difference share their unique and adorable brand of festive cheer. I'm still playing the wonderful Pop (2008) album with alarming regularity and can't wait for the 2010 version. Plus their interview in Gay Times is hilarious. "I prefer a battered cod!!" It makes me all fuzzypop inside...

Love this video from gorgeous diva in waiting, Elouise. It's so picturesque Christmas card, with the fire and the tree and the oversized brooch. Oh, and that she recognises that fizzypop makes the yuletide gay :) Amazing. SuBo!! Oh and obviously I'm fully behind Elouise as the pick for Bond song in 2011, as long as 2010 gives us full studio releases of Fireman, Another Day, Pretender and One Night Only... :)

I think Adam Tyler has rapidly become one of my favourite stars to watch in 2010. He just seems so gleeful and exciteable, almost like an overstimulated puppy! And I mean that in the nicest way possible! I love that out of all the things I've written about him, his press release quotes me saying he is "a thoroughly lovely chappy". Not only has he played bongos on a makeshift drum, but he has given me a copy of his christmas song Ghost Of Christmas Past (reviewed here) to pass onto you all for a mere 24 hours! So get it while it's hot. May I just say the full version is entirely more amazing than the clip ever gave me hope it would be. Totally haunting, ethereal chimes, a melancholy vocal and morose yet engaging chorus. Full credits if you're interested of the song in the comments...


THE PICTURES:

Ah how I've become besotted with The Morning Jolt this year, hosted ably by Larry Flick and his hilarious sidekick Keith. They have really brightened up a lot of my afternoons at work (time difference) and played some great music too. Here's to a wonderful amount of amazing DJing in 2010...

Oooo and now it's time to get all bloggy for Christmas, so in order it's seasons greetings from lovely Aaron at fabtasticmusic, then festive cheer from the super Mel at Melismatic, topped off with a double ender of two photos from the fine fella Phil at Worrapolava. Hurrah!

Then there is Will W, who (along with Mel) is probably the one person I know who shares such an obsession for Starbucks and their festive flavouring. Plus he has done a rather spiffy version of Blue Christmas, which you may or may not be able to get on his blog! If you can't get it then there is the aces Christmas gift of a remix of Hollywood Ending that Will is giving away - and being played soon on the aforementioned Larry Flick's show! Looking jolly chilly in the winter wilds of Colorado is my globe trotting amigo John of PopMusicNotes whilst below them and bunkering down from the snow in Iowa is the gorgeous Dan and his ever so wonderful family. Of course, rounding off this quadrilogy is the effortlessly cool DanUk :) And under him is the fine figure of a couple Olga and Yuri who look radiant and like little Christmas angels :)


And finally, it's the witty spunkbag (i mean that lovingly) known as Dluv who gets a pic all to himself because cos quite frankly he deserves it. And it also means anyone else who wants a pic edited in before the end of Christmas eve can do so and as an extra incentive you'll be snuggled up next to Chartrigger. Amaze!

To be updated ~ new non exclusive videos from The Feeling and hopefully more pics from readers and friends! But until then...Merry Christmas y'all!!

UPDATE#1

XO will like this and hopefully help him feel a bit better :) Paloma Faith, who expertly sang about New York earlier in the year, has done a cover version of the seminal and raucous Pogues/Kirsty McColl song Fairytale of New York. It's a song that is easy to get wrong - just look at how Ronan Keating tried to tame the song a few years back! However, even with Scouting For Girls this works really well - i love the introduction of the female vocal in the intro and the choir as effective as "BING CROSBY" in the Pet Shop Boys Fizzypop Christmas number one :) Paloma is just mesmerising to watch - slight point deducted for looking like she was reading the words, but otherwise a sterling effort :)

UPDATE#2

Two very different but great Christmas songs for you now. First up is the still wonderful purveyor of piano pop tunes, Gavin Mikhail. He's put up a delightful version of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. His voice is always quite pure and wonderful, and the piano arrangement is heavenly and makes it sound like the most beautiful contemporary pop song you've heard this festive season. I love songs that are just driven by piano and Gavin excels at this. If you haven't heard his anthemic should-have-been-an-x-factor-winners-song Brave, then you are doing yourself a big disservice. Check that out now, and be prepared to hear more about Gavin in the new year... Next up is a rather different Christmas entry from two merging for a common cause groups Crocodiles and Dum Dum Girls. Merry Christmas Baby (Please Don't Die) is a decidedly fuzzy sounding, garage punk effort with jangling bells that is instantly quite brilliant and possibly sounds like The Ronettes would if they had been recording after one too many jack daniels. Surprisingly amazing (and dedicated to DanP76 & Phil - I think they'll like this!)

TOP 21 SONGS OF THE WEEK - CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE!

21 ~ Little Boots, Earthquake
20 ~ Mika, Blame It On The Girls
19 ~ Industry, My Mistake (NE)
18 ~ William Young, Hopes and Fears
17 ~ Backstreet Boys, Bigger
16 ~ Whitney Houston, I Look To You
15 ~ Mini Viva, I Wish
14 ~ BWO, Kings of Tomorrow
13 ~ Darin, Viva La Vida
12 ~ Blake Lewis, I Left My Baby For You
11 ~ Mans Zelmerlow, A Stranger Saved My Life
10 ~ The Saturdays, Ego
09 ~ Agnes, Love Love Love
08 ~ Simon Curtis, Delusional
07 ~ RyanDan, Can't Help Falling In Love
06 ~ Alcazar, Thank You
05 ~ JLS, Close To You
04 ~ Leona Lewis, Stop Crying Your Heart Out
03 ~ Robbie Williams, You Know Me
02 ~ Simon Curtis, Diablo
Christmas Number One: Pet Shop Boys ~ It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas (6 weeks)

Coming up:

• December 26th - Top 50 songs of 2009
• December 28th - Top 30 albums of 2009
• December 29th - Top 10 TV Shows of 2009 (and best shows born this decade)
• December 31st - Top 5 albums of the millenium so far...