Is there room for yet another UK all guy vocal quintet? Connor, Jay, Josh, Matt, and Thompson seem to think so as the London, England lads have released their first EP Dirty Dancer on iTunes as well as a dance mix EP of the title song. This follows a Top 10 placement in the UK’s “X Factor” last year. These guys have solid, less polished vocals than some of the other guy groups – put them halfway between Union J and The Wanted – and a raw, rock-tinged, anthemic sound. “Dirty Dancer” isn’t really naughty, in fact it’s more good time-y than anything, with a rollicking chorus that will find a place in your head. You can also check out their nod to Ellie Goulding with a fun and entertaining cover of “Burn” (below), particularly if firefighters are who you dig. Kingsland Road also have a Pledge Music campaign happening to finance their debut album, so pledge away if you so feel inspired!
I can’t believeI first wrote about Betty Who’s “Somebody Loves You” last frickin’ July!! The warm and inspiring dance record wasted no time in attracting listeners to the free download EP The Movement, becoming the emotional source for a viral Home Depot wedding proposal, succeeding as a #1 Billboard Dance Club Play single, and getting the Aussie-born NYC-based singer signed to RCA Records. So Betty’s upcoming debut album Take Me When You Go along with another club tour (which will bring her back to Toronto in October – and this time a power failure won’t cancel her show!) and new single “Runaways” will continue to let the singer blaze her contagious path. With Sia breaking through as a singer with “Chandelier”, “Runaways” could easily follow suit as an energetic dance/pop smash that’s full of bite and edge, so the gals at the top of the singles chart had better make room for the Who train to storm through!!
What better way to promote the immense talents of New York-based singer SVE than to dance up a “Riot”? I brought this second release to your attentionabout a month ago, and now we have a slick and well-choreographed video which beautifully gets across the energy and attitude of the song. If SVE’s voice hasn’t turned enough heads by now then the eye-catching visuals of the video will show she is a force waiting to happen. Don’t forget to pick up “Riot” on iTunes.
Italian star Osvaldo Supino’s latest single “Livin’ Again” follows last year’s “I Have A Name” and “Ma Radio”, both of which graced my personal chart. “Livin’ Again” is a hot mess of a dance record that quite deliberately and gleefully throws back to a variety of past hits. You can tap 2 Unlimited, Fedde LeGrand, Taio Cruz, and maybe even Fatman Scoop, mix it all with current club pop/dance styles, and you have a song that is so European but yet concocted by American writers and producers. It’s an uplifting blast, and enhanced by an Osvaldo-in-NYC video where he’s out and about to have a great time with pals in the city, with one other wanna-be-friend in hot pursuit. “Livin’ Again” also may be a bit stylistically all over the place but fun is had by all and it’s simply one-of-a-kind Osvaldo.
New York City rockers The Ugly Club are in a state of evolution with their latest single “Passengers”. Still on the alternative tip but a ways away from the progressive rock and Radiohead influenced sounds on their last album You Belong To The Minutes, “Passengers” is what could happen if Cage The Elephant suddenly decided to listen to a lot of 70’s Parliament/Funkadelic tunes, definitely borrowing a slick groove and horns to marry with contemporary grunge-tinged rock. This is a surprising and noteworthy indie release for The Ugly Club that’s full of promise. Get it on iTunes.
While I have three sharp debuts on this new edition of my personal chart, most of the big activity takes place in the upper half of the chart. The top of the chart stays the same and all those newcomers from the last few weeks are jammed in line waiting for their turn to advance 🙂
WordPress also kindly reminded me that it was five years ago that I started this blog! 🙂
THE TOP 10
1, 2, 3 BLAM! All held tight by Bright Light Bright Light’s “I Believe”, Anton Ewald & Medina’s “This Could Be Something” (video is right here), and “Time Has Come” by Finland’s Hannis. Let’s see who’s going to give up their place in two weeks as other songs below will advance! Bright Light Bright Light also returns to North American for another leg of his tour with Elton John! Check online for dates!
Sam Smith has already had three songs which have reached #1 here this year – “Money On My Mind”, “Latch” (with Disclosure), and “Stay With Me”. Can he do the same with “I’m Not The Only One”? It soars 13-4. What kind of bet would you make? 🙂
The Presets are coming back to North America (in Toronto at Danforth Music Hall on October 29), and I’m hoping a new album or EP will follow that tour. “No Fun” is close to matching the #4 peak of “If I Know You” from 2009 as it climbs 8-5.
The fastest riser on the chart, not surprisingly, is last week’s highest debut, the pensive and thoughtful “Afterglow” by new UK sensation Harriet. It vaults 16-6 and Top 5 is an immediate destination!
I was a bit late on this song but it does resonate long-term! “Ten Feet Tall” by Afrojack featuring Stephen Wrabel moves up 11-8.
Just as former #1 “Electrify The Night” leaves the Top 10, the team of Davis Redfield & Carl Man and their songwriting crew continue on as “Music Gods” leaps 15-9!
The fourth song new to the Top 10 is the bouncy and fun “Big City Girls (Don’t Fall In Love With Small Town Boys)” by the mysterious Zorro Blakk at #10.
ON THE RISE
Some nice five point jumps happening for three songs. The fine collab between Corey Niles & Ish on “Get To Know You” soars 17-12 (already matching the peak of “Rollercoaster”!), while Brandyn Burnette’s entertaining kiss-off “Thanks For Nothing” and Eli Lieb’s retro-pop “Zeppelin” move up 20-15 and 21-16 respectively!
Other recent entries seem to be off to slower starts but could pick up in the coming weeks. So there are three point moves for the re-entry of Adam Tyler’s “I Can’t Let You Go” in an Aron Friedman remix (22-19), Nashville-based singer Lyonn with “Just Say Hello” (23-20) (below), and Aussie sensations 5SOS with “Amnesia” (24-21).
The remaining two of last week’s debuts are also off to deceiving starts – “Criminal” by Adam Tyler climbs 27-23 and Jamie Scott’s “Unbreakable” (below) rises 28-24, but they should also get into full gear on subsequent charts!
PREMIERING
Mikky Ekko’s “Smile” is one of the most stunning new songs of the year and arrives at #17. Its sights are set for #1 so watch out! Mikky’s also featured on Chris Malinchak’s funky and fresh “Stranger” at #11.
“Play For Me” by Chromatone debuts at #26 for the talented singer/songwriter/dancer. Be sure to click on the picture on the chart to watch the video, which is filled with all kind of great dance moves and choreography.
The last debut is “Killer Whales” by Smallpools at #28, which I first heard in concert when they opened for Neon Trees this summer. The quartet initially made the song available for free download, and I’m looking forward to their sophomore album which should arrive this Fall.
The Full Chart
Listen to the songs or watch the videos using the links on the pictures on the pretty and detailedweb edition of my chart.
01 01 I BELIEVE Bright Light Bright Light 02 02 THIS COULD BE SOMETHING Anton Ewald featuring Medina 03 03 TIME HAS COME Hannis 13 04 I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE Sam Smith 08 05 NO FUN The Presets 16 06 AFTERGLOW Harriet 07 07 WHEN YOU LEFT ME Sam Dickinson 11 08 TEN FEET TALL Afrojack featuring Wrabel 15 09 MUSIC GODS Davis Redfield featuring Carl Man 12 10 BIG CITY GIRLS (DON’T FALL IN LOVE WITH SMALL TOWN BOYS) Zorro Blakk 14 11 STRANGER Chris Malinchak featuring Mikky Ekko 17 12 GET TO KNOW YOU Corey Niles featuring Ish 04 13 ELECTRIFY THE NIGHT House Rockerz featuring Davis Redfield & Carl Man 05 14 TIDAL WAVE Tristan Thompson 20 15 THANKS FOR NOTHING Brandyn Burnette 21 16 ZEPPELIN Eli Lieb New 17 SMILE Mikky Ekko 06 18 BOOM CLAP Charli XCX 22 19 I WON’T LET YOU GO (Aron Friedman remix) Adam Tyler 23 20 JUST SAY HELLO Lyonn 24 21 AMNESIA 5 Seconds Of Summer 09 22 KNEW YOU BETTER Adam Tyler 27 23 CRIMINAL Adam Tyler 28 24 UNBREAKABLE Jamie Scott 10 25 LITTLE ME (STEVE SMART & WILDFUNK RADIO EDIT) Little Mix New 26 PLAY FOR ME Chromatone 18 27 LOVE IN THE 21ST CENTURY Neon Trees New 28 KILLER WHALES Smallpools 19 29 TELL IT TO MY HEART Jason Walker featuring Bimbo Jones 25 30 GOOD NEWS (FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE BAD NEWS) Zorro Blakk featuring Deniz Olivieri
Listen for My New Music Pick Of The Week onD-Moos.com!
As many of you are already aware, after many years away from the microphone, I am now pleased to be back as a voice onD-Moos.com Canada’s National Internet Radio Station, which mainly plays a selection of oldies, mostly from the 50’s to the 90’s, with soon to be more intrusions from the 2000’s and other new music.
Do listen in for my New Music Pick of the Week feature onD-Moos.com8 times per day starting at 2:05 AM EST on Mondays, and while the station is only live in the evenings from 9:00 pm to midnight (with my long-time musical partner in crime “The Musicman” James Rogers), you can hear my voice at other odd times, particularly if you’re an oldies loving night owl on the weekend overnights 🙂
Only recently with his Michael Jackson throwback vocal on Chris Malinchak’s funky and fabulous “Stranger” (currently #14 on my chart) has Mikky Ekko been positioned better for more success, after breaking through on Rihanna’s “Stay” (which he co-wrote) almost two years ago. His album Time is on deck this Fall, and “Smile” is the new, vibrant single that should be his solo breakthrough. Not too far off the mark musically or vocally than previous single “Kids”, “Smile” is all about making first impressions no matter what the scenario – it always goes a long way. It can not only lift you up but also the people around you. And while the message of the song is also to live each moment until the end, living in the moment also goes a long way for self-esteem, pride, and ultimately love and affection. Time should be on your must-listen list, and it looks like Mikky will be on a short tour (including Toronto, my city 🙂 ) in November and December. Mikky Ekko has a diverse voice which makes him the chameleon go-to guy when you want something a little different but full of meaning and promise. You can buy “Smile” on iTunes.
THE KNOCKS featuring POWERS, “Classic” (RAC remix)
It’s the end-of-summer song that could still be an uncharacteristic hit. And it’s esteemed DJ/producer RAC who has taken “Classic” by fellow dance music makers The Knocks (featuring duo Powers) to another level. He strips away the song’s original funky edge in favour of a 70’s vibe whose piano riff screams Andrea True Connection. The song’s easy going and jaunty melody make it a natural for the dance floor. I loved The Knocks’ take on “Midnight City” (featuring vocalist Mandy Lee) so this collaboration with Powers goes down sooo smoothly.
Unbuttoned is a Toronto area music project brought to you by Casey Manierka-Quaile, aka Casey MQ erstwhile member of the latest edition of long-time faves Spoons. “Shy Cry” is a soft, unassuming and affecting song that will stay in your head, not unlike mid-80’s quieter songs by China Crisis or The Blue Nile, aided by a beautifully choreographed video. The dancers all wear masks (not easy to dance with, either!) but long to be held and touched, or to hold and touch, to draw out whatever emotion might be residing inside your being. Casey’s singing blends nicely with additional vocals by Kami Apong. There’s more to hear than just “Shy Cry” though. Unbuttoned has released their full album Planes, and you can hear (and purchase) it ontheir Bandcamp page. “Shy Cry” is a promising start.
L.A.-based quartet Saint Motel (who have recently scored a record deal with Parlophone-Warner) have attracted some unanticipated attention with the title song from their new EP “My Type”, which recently appeared in the UK Top 40 Singles chart. Not bad at all for a band who often write complicated songs set to whimsical and wistful melodies. “Cold Cold Man” prominently features the latter, reminiscent of the band’s “Puzzle Pieces” from their Voyeur album of two years ago (and I got to see their Toronto show). But the lyrics this time are more direct and straight-forward, which could lead to more radio play for “Cold Cold Man” too. Saint Motel usually creates intriguing videos (mainly directed by singer A/J Jackson) to promote their songs, going right back to their droll bizarreness in “Dear Dictator” (below) which became one of my favorites of 2010 and caught the attention of Sam Sparro for a remix, so I’m hoping we’ll be seeing more from Saint Motel. Listen to the entire EP of My Type above; “Cold Cold Man” is three songs in.
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