¡viva la graham!

popjustice called them “the best band in the world ever,” nme likened them to the love child of the b52’s and wham, and i say they are my new favorite group.

here is alphabeat’s brand new video for “fascination,” one of the most cheerful, upbeat tracks i’ve heard in ages. it makes me want to dance! if you’re a fan of european indie-pop, you’ve got to check out this danish sextet.

that’s not all! frankmusik cooked up a fab remix of the track which you can download here (via i heart comix!).

in case you didn’t know, janet jackson’s actually-quite-good new single “feedback” is now available on itunes. i don’t think anyone was impressed with her lackluster last effort — and even if it sounds like something britney or kylie would churn out, janet still leaves her mark…

at one point she actually says, “my swagger’s serious / heavy like a first day period.” haha, i would say i’m surprised, but remember this is the same woman who once mimicked an orgasm in a song (”throb”).

regardless, i’m happy janet is back on track. after a lengthy absence, this electronic stomper is sure to put her back on the charts where she belongs.

if you haven’t heard the track and you’d like to test drive before you buy, you can hear it in the media player in the sidebar or over at ms. jackson’s myspace.

check out ashlee simpson’s video for new single “outta my head (ay ya ya).” the dance-floor friendly song, produced by timbaland, sounds like a mix of michael jackson’s “beat it” and nelly furtado’s “maneater,” which should tell you that “outta my head” is indeed a pleasant surprise, especially after the dreadful “invisible.” as for the visually vibrant clip, it is totally ’80s with a trippy, frantic feel. i especially like robotic ashlee, the creepy blonde twin girls and the floating rubix cube.

i wasn’t so sure what i thought about this track at first, so give it a few listens before making an opinion. even though ashlee is despised by many, i really enjoy some of her tunes — and this new direction could win over a few naysayers. i wonder if mr. wentz had anything to do with this (or am i giving him too much credit?).

i do love damon albarn, the very talented man behind gorillaz and blur, but i think he might be getting a bit crotchety as he nears his 40th birthday.

during an appearance on radio 4 yesterday he went on a rant against popular culture and the press, claiming that 99 percent of the media should be eliminated and shows like x-factor should be scrapped. those are harsh words from a guy who played up to the media in his britpop heyday, a man who wrote shameless (yet clever) pop singles like “girls and boys” and “country house.”

albarn did come up with his own material, of course, and his original band did muddle for a bit before finding mainstream success. he must be bitter that the new crop of bright young things can make it with considerably less effort. i suppose i would be as well if i were him… though i can’t imagine a world without “since u been gone.”

with all the insanity surrounding jamie lynn’s shocking pregancy announcement last week, britney spears’ new video for “piece of me” has sort of been swept to the side. and it’s a shame because the clip is surprisingly good — much better than the grainy, slipshod promo for “gimme more.”

this time around britney isn’t looking so drowsy (read: medicated). she even manages to muster up a few dance moves without that stripper pole, so we’re definitely headed in the right direction. hey, the song’s not too shabby either…

recognize this jail bait? probably not. he currently stars in the u.k. teen drama skins, but global audiences may remember him from a film he co-starred in six years ago with toni colette, rachel weisz and hugh grant.

give up? it was called about a boy, and nicholas hoult (pictured above), played a socially awkward young man named marcus (below). is it coming back to you now?

he’s growing up nicely, don’t you think? he’s barely legal at 18, but nicholas is definitely on the road to hotness. check this out:

yowza. i feel dirty. two more after the jump. Continue Reading »

i’m not a fan of high school musical, but this is pretty damn close to being as cheesy. here’s a clip of x-factor finalists same difference singing mimi’s “all i want for christmas is you” (a song i totally love, shut the fuck up). it’s pretty much the gayest thing ever, but i kinda love it. and yes i’m a dirty old man, but how hot is shaun??

it’s that time again! here’s my list, in no particular order, of the best forty tracks of the past year. i’m sure i’ve overlooked a few, so let me know what you think should be on this list:

1. robyn ft. kleerup “with every heartbeat”
2. hellogoodbye “here (in your arms)”
3. amy winehouse “rehab”
4. klaxons “golden skans”
5. the gossip “standing in the way of control”
6. rooney “when did your heart go missing”
7. kaiser chiefs “ruby”
8. shiny toy guns “you are the one”
9. young love “find a new way”
10. siobhan donaghey “so you say”
11. manic street preachers “autumn song”
12. kylie minogue “2 hearts”
13. mute math “typical”
14. take that “rule the world”
15. carrie underwood “so small”
16. rihanna “umbrella”
17. sophie ellis bextor “me & my imagination”
18. dragonette “i get around”
19. kate nash “foundations”
20. travis “selfish jean”

twenty more after the jump!

Continue Reading »

so sorry the posts have been few and far between, but with the thanksgiving holiday and then my birthday i haven’t had much spare time for extracurricular activities! the entries may not be daily in december, as it can be a very crazy month, but i’ll try to entertain my few readers more often than i have been…

that said, here’s a new video from one of my favorites, the pipettes:

they could have chosen almost any of the fantastic songs from the indie girl group’s outstanding debut disc, but i’m especially pleased with the decision to release “because it’s not love (but it’s still a feeling).” the colorful video compliments the lush track, and i’m also enjoying lead vocalist gwenno’s bright red ‘do.

if you dig this track and you haven’t yet picked up/downloaded a copy of we are the pipettes, you need to! it is sublime.