Elouise
It’s now a few weeks away for the release dates of what could be a few of the year’s great records. One of those belongs to Killers singer Brandon Flowers – his solo debut Flamingo is due September 6, and “Crossfire” has wasted no time in attaining the pole position on my chart. It steals it away after one appearance from Bright Light Bright Light’s “A New Word To Say”, which slips to #2, but Rod Thomas and friends of course have the utterly brilliant “Love Part II” coming for official release on September 13. Expect that song to chart here in two weeks.
Two Door Cinema Club’s Tourist History is quietly becoming one of the albums that should be heard right now. The Irish band is coming to my city (Toronto) in October, complete with Penguin Prison as opener!! “Something Good Can Work” finds a weak part of the Top 10 and takes advantage of it, moving 9-4. Evan Taubenfeld’s “Pumpkin Pie” and David Guetta’s “Gettin’ Over You” both move up a notch. Three new songs join the Top 10 – the sublime 70’s disco influence of Goldfrapp’s “Dreaming”, the modern electro-punk energy of “Your Body Is A Machine” by The Good Natured, and the tears behind the pop smile of Bim’s “Head Over Heels”.
The middle of this chart continues to be log-jammed with great songs. The ones more likely to cut through are this edition’s fastest riser, the gorgeous Steve Anderson-produced torch song “Pretender” by UK’s Elouise, climbing 27-18. Londoners be sure to check out her show for me on September 11 at the Tabernacle! Then we have boy power pop courtesy of Adam Tyler’s “Friction” and its free propulsive Ricardo Autobahn edit. Still awaiting the Lullabies for Rattlesnakes album! The Top 10 will also have to make way for Roz Bell’s should-be-summer-anthem “Endless Summer Night”, while other songs by Reni Lane, Lifehouse, Chris Mann, Hanson, and Kylie Minogue are all just plain solid. Maroon 5’s “Misery” pulls up the rear and advances 28-24.
I’m going to continue to plug “The Beautiful Game” by UK singer Billy Franks, which moves up to #19. It has a lot of hidden quiet power in its melody and emotion, and proceeds go to a charity set up by Prince Harry to help African children, and you can purchase it on iTunes. Billy – the former leader of one of the 80’s treasures called The Faith Brothers – has also made available for free download a full album of music called Euphoria, which I expect to blog about in the coming weeks. Download it right here.
On to the debuts. Surely it’s no surprise after his August 3 concert that another track from Ryan Star’s 11:59 appears (while “Breathe” tumbles to #8)! And yes it’s “Start A Fire”, which is about to blaze a path of glory in these parts, arriving at #22. Then we have the fun and slightly eccentric dance sounds of Saint Motel. The LA quartet lands at #27 with the Sam Sparro remix of “Dear Dictator”. Finally, The Script haven’t been away from this chart for long, as the long legs of the band’s self-titled debut album have proven a lasting commercial success. From their upcoming sophomore record Science and Faith comes “For The First Time” at #28. It’s very samey-sounding to songs off the debut record but it certainly grows on you, and their audience sure enjoys the earnest and emotional style of this Irish trio.
It’s been a quiet, dull live concert scene in Toronto for me this summer. Most of the artists I’ve wanted to see did not come to my town. A whole bunch – Two Door Cinema Club, Penguin Prison, Florence & The Machine, Matt and Kim, Miike Snow – are coming within weeks of each other in October – and Brandon Flowers is performing a show for Virgin Mobile members only (you must be a member – which I am 🙂 – to enter the contest, so I’m crossing my fingers!!). And I’m hopeful that others like Lifehouse, The Script, and Ryan Star, will find there way here to make the winter months more pleasant.
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