And Visions Of 2011 Danced In His Head…

2011 is a special year in many ways for me. Utterly fantastic music was to be heard at every turn, whether it be a Facebook or Twitter link, a video, a concert… we were just a few clicks away from something amazing. I’ve met and made contact with some of the genuinely nicest people who are either performers, writers, songwriters, producers … and are always music fans. For someone like me who has sometimes odd music tastes and often wants to stand up on my seat and root for the underdog, it’s reassuring to know that there are so many of us out there in the world.

In anticipation of my year end Best Songs list – which will be a Top 75 Songs for the first time since around 1992 – I’m going to rave on about 20 performers (and one compilation project) who made 2011 a watershed year, particularly for pop music online (he says after listening to the radio and finding so little of interest on it). So this post is a little longer than usual… they are in no particular order, except for the last five 🙂

The Script

The Irish trio toured around the world and then seemed to do it again, sideways, finally landing a show in my city. Their Science And Faith album proved to be a consistent soft rock entry, spawning long-lasting hits like “For The First Time” and “Nothing”. It’s a record that you can put on at any time and know that you will get something different back in each play every time. The band in concert has an earnest, contagious energy which will serve them well in their rock career.

Jamie Woon

If I hadn’t heard the magical and eerie “Night Air”, well represented by a beautifully-shot video, Jamie Woon’s Mirrorwriting would not have been one of my most played albums of the first quarter of the year. Englander Jamie has one of those deep musical souls, highly evident in gripping R&B/Blues-influenced songs like “Tmrw”, “Street”, “Waterfront” and “Shoulda”. I can’t wait to see where his next album will take him, and us.

The Midway State

The Toronto-based quartet had me a bit puzzled with their sophomore release Paris Or India, but it’s really an album that grows on you with time. First you must get over the hurdle that it’s quite different, and much more produced, than their 2008 debut Holes. But the songs do resonate, particularly “Fire!”, “All Anew”, “Hartley Salter’s Kite”, and “St. Paul And The Wolf”. The band proved how much they’ve grown touring back and forth across Canada and are now a formidably tight unit in concert. Keep them on your radar!

Jon McLaughlin

What’s one to do after leaving your major record label of 6 years? Why, you tour the hell out of North America in support of the album that you couldn’t agree upon, that’s what! So Indiana’s Jon McLaughlin released Forever If Ever on his own, as if to reacquaint us with an increasingly lost image – the singer/songwriter/piano man. I mean, a full blown piano solo in the album’s best song, “Promising Promises”, really? The record is mainly soft rock, but also rocks out on “What I Want” and “These Crazy Times”. And Jon proved himself to be a compelling presence in concert, prepared to bang out that keyboard until it falls apart.

Adam Cohen

I was fortunate enough to win last minute tickets to see Adam Cohen’s show in Toronto in October. And I was treated to a low key, enthusiastic small event to showcase his first English solo album, Like A Man, since 1998, after recording one in French in 2004 and of course having some success with his rock band Low Millions. So Adam has now embraced some of father Leonard’s style and grace on the album. But these are Adam’s songs which tell interesting tales of love, lust, and beauty, as well as a coming of age of sorts. At 39, Adam has decided to continue with a pop music career after nearly talking himself out of it. And so out of that we have Like A Man, one of the best albums of 2011.

Jessica 6

This New York City trio is among a select few who seem to be reinventing the late night dance music of their city. There’s no better example than their See The Light album, full of dark and sensual rhythms carried by the sultry-plus voice of Nomi Ruiz. “Fun Girl”, “White Horse” and especially the knockout duet with Antony Hegarty on “Prisoner Of Love” will serve as benchmarks in this sub-genre which will continue to grow.

Ballroom Remixed

It almost seems like a no-brainer. But with the success of contemporary dance in our pop culture spectrum now, thanks in large part to TV’s So You Think You Can Dance, no one had thought about putting a contemporary spin on traditional ballroom dances until now. Dance choreographer extraordinaire Melanie La Patin executive-produced this fun and diverse compilation, with all songs written and produced by one group of incredible individuals, so it comes off as a dedicated and attractive affair to suit your every dance mood. And the performers who participated? A who’s who of Internet pop from across the globe – Simon Curtis, Kyle Brylin, Gravitonas, Elouise, Lee Latchford Evans, Romy Low, Neo, plus stunning newcomers like Jerry Reid, Joshua Desjardins, and Jeronimo. Putting together such a compilation in these times must have taken massive effort but the results are exceptional, so check it out if you haven’t.

Bright Light Bright Light

Rod Thomas creates sad and romantic electropop with a big heart. And while we haven’t yet seen a full album release, this London-based Welsh singer/producer/DJ continued to dazzle us in 2011 with the heartbreak of “Disco Moment”, “How To Make A Heart”, and a unique interpretation of the “Twin Peaks” theme (originally sung by Julee Cruise) “Falling”. And then there are his numerous dance mixes, often courtesy of his nightclubbing event “Another Night”. Bright Light Bright Light is on my must-listen list.

Adam Tyler, Kyle Brylin, and Nick Hagelin

All of these fine young men didn’t strike me with their first few songs. But 2011 has shown that all are coming into their own, with endless possibilities ahead. All are very prolific, whether engaging us with their own originals/collaborations, or with well-chosen cover versions.

Adam released his debut album Shattered Ice, toured most of the U.S., and also visited England, Sweden and Japan. The well-received electronic album included pre-released single “I Won’t Let You Go”, plus club bangers such as “Like A Drug”, “Pull The Trigger”, and the anthemic “Music Freak”, but also showed Adam’s softer side as well, which truly highlights his voice, very apparent in his non-album free download covers of Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn” or Adele’s “Turning Tables”.

It seemed that every month saw a new Kyle Brylin release. And I’d be the first to back off a bunch of songs that sound like they were being thrown against a wall to see what stuck. But there is enormous quality to multi-instrumentalist Kyle’s versatile performances, most of which were available as free downloads. The year started with the interesting “Committed”, and quickly got turned upside its head with a visceral version of Rihanna’s “S&M”. “Everything I’m Missing” was hypnotic, his best song yet. He gave us a tongue-in-cheek side with “I’m A Man (Not A Piece of Meat)” from the Ballroom Remixed compilation. More aggressive electronica followed in the form of songs like “Make It So” and “Never Love A DJ”, countered by sweet pop like “Bay” and the joyful “My Fizzy Pop”. The year wrapped up with precursors to an album with the many remixes of “Revenge” along with the The System EP. OK I’m officially out of breath.

For the first while, all I could associate singer/songwriter/guitarist Nick Hagelin with were dancing pandas (from his video of “ICU”). So when the acoustic cover versions of “The Story Of Us”, “Sometimes I Cry”, and “Marry You” all surfaced, along with a beaut of an R&B/Pop EP called Take Off, then I knew Nick would be here to stay, with much to look forward to next year. Take Off is available for free download and features the sultry “Metaphor” and wistful title track.

Erasure

September brought me back to an always pleasant experience – my fifth Erasure concert (I saw them first back in 1986!) – but this year’s event focused on both their greatest hits and music from their album Tomorrow’s World, produced by their opening act, Frankmusik. The album itself stands as unique among all of the Erasure albums because it updated the duo’s sound, which attracted many new listeners, more than evident in the audience at the concert. And the concert showed that Andy Bell and Vince Clarke are still very fine performers indeed – and just count all of those hits they played.

Ro Danishei

The L.A. based singer/songwriter released the first album of 2011 online for free, and in a year of such high profile women singers, Ro Danishei held her own with End Of The Rainbow. It’s a collection of songs that would best resemble what a de-layered Kesha might sound like, but with much more focus on deeper lyrical content and solid production (courtesy of Jeff “Jadion” Wells) than image or novelty. Her duets with Simon Curtis on the blistering “Michelle” and the child of Ace Of Base that is “Wicked Baby”, as well as solo efforts like “Baby Doll”, “Drunk Txt”, and “Blackout” put Ro Danishei on her own platform, waiting to be heard more in 2012.

Lady GaGa

Despite naysayers, Born This Way as an album (but more particularly as a song) is a triumph. Every generation has its excesses, whether they be by Elton John, David Bowie, or Madonna. Lady GaGa has her own invention of excess, but with all of her talent, and her ability to get right down to a fan’s level, she still comes across as a multi-layered and unique person. And there’s no denying the variety in Born This Way, from the humorous “Government Hooker” and “Scheiɮe”, through to the more dramatic “Marry The Night” and “Judas”, and the anthemic “Hair” and “The Edge Of Glory”.

Adele

21 is the most stunningly beautiful best-selling album of many recent years. Who would have thought a year ago that the New Artist Grammy winner from 2009 had created a record with songs that will serve as bellwether performances for years to come. The honest emotion in “Rolling In The Deep”, “Someone Like You”, and “Set Fire To The Rain” transcended the year, and will continue into 2012. 21 is certainly a dream come true, a vocal tour-de-force with stunning arrangements.

Darren Hayes

Secret Codes and Battleships is Darren’s first album since the magnificence that is 2007’s This Delicate Thing We’ve Made. It’s a softer and very personal affair, full of emotion and positive energy. “Talk Talk Talk” was the danceable introduction to the album, followed by the intense “Bloodstained Heart” and feverish “Black Out The Sun”. There’s no shortage of fine songs, with “Don’t Give Up” and “Roses” continuing to show the quality and beauty that Darren and his team put into their music. What’s best though about this record – Darren’s finest vocals throughout. Can’t wait for the North American concert dates.

Here now are the five quintessential performers in 2011 who require your attention in 2012 and beyond!

Elouise

England’s “Little Belter” certainly captured my attention last year with her knockout Stardust EP, which showcased her powerful voice on “Pretender”. This year we saw Elouise take up a residency at Madame JoJo’s in London for several sequined-dress laden Little Belter shows, including “Santa’s Little Belter” at year’s end, which promoted her same-name EP of a trio of Christmas songs, including the lost disco gem “Dear Santa (Bring Me A Man This Christmas)”. She also released another three song EP Stardust Melodies (as with the others, lovingly produced by Steve Anderson), featuring a warm and spot-on cover of ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All”. Plus she dared to cover “Born This Way” while Lady GaGa’s Grammy performance was still fresh in our minds (releasing it as a free download), as well as a sexy and sultry version of Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love”. Then we found her contemporized on the Ballroom Remixed compilation with “The Lover’s Rumba”. It was a great year for Elouise, and it will only get better from here. A tour of England first; the rest of the world awaits!

Penguin Prison

Chris Glover and his band were everywhere in 2011. The year started off with the single “Golden Train”, which Penguin Prison then mashed up with Michael Jackson’s “Workin’ Day and Night”. Then came the Prince-worthy “Multi-Millionaire” and an older single “Fair Warning”, in numerous different remixes. Chris also entertained us with various remixes and mixtapes throughout the year, until the self-titled Penguin Prison album dropped, first in England, and then in North America in October. The album was more than worth the wait, with the crunchy and ribald “Don’t Fuck With My Money” scoring the lead-off track role. But there’s more to Penguin Prison than making an outstanding fusion of dance past and present, as “Desert Cold” and “In The Way” will inform you upon listening. Despite their relentless touring throughout 2011, I hope to see a Penguin Prison show again in 2012.

Simon Curtis

Our Boy Robot from last year’s 8bit Heart free download release threw his hat into the official release game with R∆ pretty much taking over my Twitter timeline for the month of June. He also performed a few shows throughout the year, including the Superfraiche showcase in New York City which I saw in April. R∆ is a hard-hitting and emotionally heart-felt triumph which is not always an easy listen. In fact it’s better to be broken up into several parts.

The song that stands apart from the rest in R∆ is second single “Flesh”, Simon’s most unique offering to date that wraps you up and doesn’t let you go, with its impressive vocals, all of its sexy and sensual imagery, and whirlwind production from Jeff “Jadion” Wells. Then we have the anthems – first single “Superhero”, concert fave “Laser Guns Up”, love letter to the fans “Get In Line”. Then smouldering dance/pop courtesy of “Soul 4 Sale”, “Don’t Dance”, and “Enemy”. Lastly, the intensely raw songs like “How To Start A War”, “I Hate U”, “Pit of Vipers”, and “Joshua” – I for one would not want to be the subject of any of these songs for fear of having to crawl under a rock somewhere.

Despite its flaws, R∆ proves that Simon Curtis can take his music to the next level and beyond… I’m gonna have to be extremely patient waiting to see what’s in store next.

Frankmusik

Frankmusik left me breathless in 2011 after what seemed to be a simple start with the release of the infectious “The Fear Inside” at the top of the year. But then the rollercoaster effect started, with the online free release of fine songs that didn’t end up on his September album release Do It In The A.M. One of those songs is “Hurt You Again”, one of my favourite ballads of the year with a tender vocal which we hadn’t yet heard from talented Vince Turner.

In the midst of it all, Frankmusik produced Erasure’s album Tomorrow’s World, from which he also gave us a raw cover of the band’s single “When I Start (To Break It All Down)”, and then opened up for them on their North America and England tours. And in the midst of all that, songs from Do It In The A.M. were leaked months in advance of the album’s release, prompting Frankmusik to release several more songs for free download, including a song about London’s summer riots “Living In The Mayhem”.

But back to the album – flat out and edgy dance pop, featuring collaborations with Far East Movement, Natalia Kills, and Colette Carr, all Cherrytree labelmates. The music from the record shaped my playlists for late Summer and Fall, with the swinging title track, the jaunty “No I.D.” (with a fantastic “Grease” inspired video), and dance floor fillers like “Wrecking Ball”, “Ludicrous”, “We Collide”, and “Struck By Lightning”.

Frankmusik now occasionally broadcasts on uStream from his studio and says he’ll be releasing his next album for free online. But I’m sure this busy fellow will have more up his sleeve and should not be underestimated in this strange world of pop music.

Eric Saade

I’m so glad I keep an open mind about music or else I may not have returned to listen to Eric Saade’s records this year. His previous releases, huge hits in the Scandinavian countries, didn’t connect with me.

And then this year’s Melodifestivalen contest happened in Sweden, with Eric’s “Popular” one of the contenders. Like with Mans Zelmerlow in 2009, the show extracted a stunning live performance by Eric. I was converted and “Popular” is the defining song for me of 2011, followed in the summer by a full album, Saade Volume One. This isn’t just Swedish electropop, it sets the standard for the way contemporary electropop should be. Eric and his fine team of songwriters and producers covered the entire pop spectrum, from the caring and personal “Me and My Radio”, “Stupid with You” and “Timeless”, through to his own anthem for his fans “Made of Pop”, and the brilliantly bizarre “Killed By A Cop”.

In November, Volume One was followed fearlessly by Volume Two, an even harder hitting, forceful collection of grittier arpeggio-laden electropop, led by a stunning first single featuring Dev, “Hotter Than Fire”. But there are comparable songs within such as “Fingerprints”, “Love Is Calling”, “Explosive Love”, and “Crashed On The Dancefloor”. Put Eric on a double bill tour with Swedish legend Robyn in 2012 along with a few other noteable performers and we will have Electropop Heaven.

Not only does Eric Saade create electropop done so right that makes you feel so good, but he leads the way in which a male performer can rightly find his place in such a female performer-driven business these days. If there’s any guy who should break into the worldwide pop marketplace in the next few years, it’s Eric Saade. With Volumes One and Two, he’s created the template. So other male pop performers, your challenge is here: The Glove Is Now On.

Fall Popervescence Too: Nick Hagelin, Adam Tyler, and Introducing: Stone Walters, The Slakadeliqs, and SoSo

Yes, please, we will be delighted to have more Nick Hagelin in 2012. And judging from what’s seen and heard in the above preview, 2012 could be a breakout year for the Georgia resident who has charmed us with acoustic covers of “Marry You”, “The Story Of Us”, and especially “Sometimes I Cry”, plus the soul-pop in his debut EP Take Off.

Stone Walters “Home”

Sometimes there are songs that are so special they move you to tears. And that’s what “Home” by UK singer Stone Walters did to me. It strikes an important chord for not only me but many others, especially at this time of year. Of course it helps that Stone has a to-die-for voice heavily influenced by the likes of Al Green and Stevie Wonder, but he really has the quiet power of someone like Marvin Gaye or Seal to me. What seals the deal for me with this song is the simple melody, with soulful high notes preceding some classic piano chord changes. It’s a little bit of magnificence in 2:41! Stone had a song called “Trouble” played on the BBC2 in 2009, and is now-financing his album project from believers through the Indiegogo site. In the meantime, you can get “Home” for free through an email subscription from his website. Stone Walters is a name to watch for and a voice to hear.

The Slakadeliqs featuring Justin Nozuka “Love Controls The Sun”

“Love Controls The Sun” is a soulful and jazzy preview of The Slakadeliqs’ upcoming free album due January 17 called The Other Side of Tomorrow. The Slakadeliqs is the latest project from Toronto’s Byram Joseph, aka Slakah The Beatchild, who was previously a member of Art of Fresh and won a Juno Award for producing Divine Brown’s Love Chronicles album in 2009. Add the multi-talented Justin Nozuka into the mix and you have a breezy and carefree song to help get you through the day. You can download “Love Controls The Sun” for free right here.

SoSo “Who’s Gonna Love Me”

There’s more to Sweden than dance pop! SoSo is Sophia Somajo, who has put together “Who’s Gonna Love Me” entirely on her own, incorporating a rich instrumentation into a more alternative pop setting. She’s got a splendid voice that makes “Who’s Gonna Love Me” stay in your head and want more. You can download “Who’s Gonna Love Me” at the link above.

And the Christmas songs keep coming:

Adam Tyler’s favourite Christmas song is “O Holy Night”, which also happens to be one of mine too. And he absolutely nails it. Be sure to download it for free on Adam’s Soundcloud page below.

Tuned-On! Top 30 #366 – November 21/11, plus new Elouise and Boy Banned

Only two more personal charts to go in 2011, and my year end list is in the works. Years ago this list was of 100 songs, then it got whittled to 75, then to 40, and then back up to 50. There has been so much great music this year – and so many songs that didn’t end up on my chart – that I may increase the list again. We’ll see, gotta save some surprises for you!

You can view the full chart using the link under ***BILL’S PERSONAL CHART*** to the right, or you can click right here. You can hear all of the songs on the chart or watch their videos by clicking on the pics on the chart page.

So the top of the chart remains static, but that’s not a bad thing by any stretch. Frankmusik and Colette Carr get another chart at the top with one of the glorious songs of 2011, “No I.D.”. I’m still waiting for that release of “Memorize Me” by Rune RK & Databoy to happen… all good things in time… meanwhile the song holds at #3. Trust me it will be MASSIVE, and you can listen to it right here. “Bloodstained Heart” by Darren Hayes anchors Secret Codes And Battleships at #4, while “Pull The Trigger” by Adam Tyler becomes the singer’s third Top 5 entry on my chart.

While this song is in full electronica mode, Adam occasionally dips into more minimalist settings from time to time, and – hot off the presses – posted an extremely well done acoustic version of “Turning Tables” by Adele today that truly shows off his voice. You remember his cover of Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn” from a while back? “Turning Tables” matches it. Listen right here and watch for a video of it soon.

The rest of the Top 10 continues to be busy as “Can’t Help Myself (Keep Dancing)” by The Netherlands’ Matt Blue should find its way into the Top 5 in two weeks. It’s followed directly by Audio Playground’s Canada-wide hit “Famous” at #7, the party-itis of “Block After Block” by Matt & Kim at #8 (note that these Brooklyn faves are playing New York City for New Year’s Eve), and the powerful Eurodance of “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Agnes at #9.

There’s plenty of competition for Top 10 entries next time with indie guys Kyle Brylin and Nick Hagelin sitting at #11 and 12, while rising starlet (and somewhat of a Stevie Nicks soundalike in spots, doncha think?) Lana Del Rey climbs to #13 with “Blue Jeans”. Kyle’s new and humorous video for “That Bad” is video #1 at the bottom of this paragraph. Adam Cohen’s “What Other Guy” moves to #14 as he winds down a tour of Europe, Israel, and the UK, and his new video for “Like A Man” (a simple but powerful idea full of great faces too) is video #2 below this paragraph. Penguin Prison is the Fastest Riser with “Don’t Fuck With My Money” soaring 22-15. Make of it what you will, but the official video for “Money” is set smack in the middle of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations – watch it as video #3 below this paragraph. Also continuing their rise are the highly danceable “White Horse” by Jessica 6 at #16, and “Then I Go Twisting” by Erasure at #17.

Ahead of the debuts, we find the remainder of last week’s newbies off to a good start. Fastlife by Joe Jonas is a great album to crank up in your car on a sunny day with its brushes with electropop. But “Just In Love”, a soulful ballad, is a dazzling alternative that rises to #20. Jon McLaughlin’s “Promising Promises” is the song to hear on his Forever If Ever release, and it’s up to #21. Then Darren Hayes’ sad but compelling “Black Out The Sun” moves up to #22, and Jeronimo’s winning “Somebody Who Loves Me”, a Top 40 hit in the Netherlands, jumps to #25.

The three debuts are no surprise, as I’ve written about all of them. The album I’m currently waiting for, at least for another 9 days or so, is Saade Volume Two by Eric Saade. His duet with Dev on “Hotter Than Fire” simply sizzles as it lands at #23 for a starting point. Mika is currently wrapping up recording for his upcoming album The Origin Of Love, and he threw a free concert in L.A. to conclude his time there. I blogged about his French song “Elle me dit” back in June, but better late than never, this French singalong with a fantastic video (below – only the French could make this one, with a great set of character actors) is at #24. Then at #26 is Toronto quartet The Midway State, who are touring the heck out of their second album Paris Or India and the second single from it “Fire!”. I’m hoping to catch them in Toronto in December for a show (I saw them last in 2009) as I have not been able to catch the band while they’ve been in town. The video for “Fire!” (also below) is a terrific showcase for a concert performance by the band.

I’ll finish up with two more new songs. UK chanteuse Elouise has transformed her “Little Belter” shows in London into something festive for the season called “Santa’s Little Belter”. She’s released a new EP of the same name, available on iTunes, and I hope to show off the other songs to you over the next while. For now, here’s a taste of her warmly gorgeous redux of Judy Garland’s “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” to get you in the Christmas spirit.

And don’t say you weren’t warned, if you are suddenly charmed, boy-band style, or rather Boy Banned-style. The quartet has been acquiring quite a following in the UK, and if there’s a song to seal the deal on drawing in more fans it’s “The Stars Are Saying Yes”. This is when you kind of wish that North American radio wasn’t so limited and would just get back to playing good ol’ songs like this. Even better: The iTunes single features an acapella version! Enjoy 🙂

Autumn Video Popervescence (plus)

Every now and then, some creative, innovative thinking gives me hope that the art of the music video will continue on for a little while longer before it becomes less relevant as a marketing tool. After all, it’s just a commercial for the song. But it’s when the video introduces you to a song in some completely out-of-the-box way that it suddenly becomes about the video rather than the song.

There was no better example of this in the 80’s than with pop superstars Duran Duran. The quintet made some of the finest and most indulgent pop videos ever, and even if you didn’t like the songs the videos made you watch.

So 25 years after their peak period, and after the well received launch of their album All You Need Is Now earlier this year (and the catchy title song) comes “Girl Panic”. The video is a short ‘mockumentary’ that just embraces and gives tribute to the band’s heyday. For in reality, the video and its story are really about absolutely nothing… no more than the many visuals of female models which basically leave off where we left Duran Duran after say Big Thing in 1988.

So I’m not going to give away the story, if you haven’t already heard about it. Let’s just say that the video focuses on this band that consists of Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Helena Christensen, and Eva Herzigova, with a dash of Yasmin Le Bon… directed by the celebrated Jonas Akerlund to boot. It’s one of the most humorous and very best videos of recent years. Oh, and it made me listen to the song again too after not hearing it for a few months.

And continuing in an 80’s state of mind, we arrive at the video for California-born singer/guitarist Kina Grannis who is getting all kinds of deserved attention with “In Your Arms”. The song may seem kind of slight but its carefree feel and emotion is brought out beautifully by this glorious video in which someone came up with fantastic things to do with 288,000 jelly beans! It’s almost way too cool for 2011, channeling the claymation triumphs of videos like Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” with a lot of incredible effort – I’m thinking just the patience alone – that will allow the video to continue to reap awards. Kina is currently touring in the UK and Europe. Methinks she will come back to North America with a lot of great things waiting for her 🙂

Another video with a great sense of humour is Foster The People’s “Call It What You Want”. A lot of people love this California trio so I’m not sure why others are thinking that they’re done as a one hit wonder after incredible success internationally with “Pumped Up Kicks”. Not so, if this video (and their sold out shows) is any indication. So this is what happens in the private mansion of a young band. There’s some cute stop animation and some quirky imagery that seems like it is parodying numerous videos in the mid-80’s heyday. “Call It What You Want” has an anthemic, clubby sound that will keep you grooving too.

Another talented trio is New York dance group Jessica 6, led by the stunning Nomi Ruiz. While the video for “Prisoner Of Love” (a huge recent favourite of mine) is a fine showcase for the band and in particular Nomi, duet partner Antony Hegarty almost steals it away with his powerful voice and laid back style, with an outtake at the end that will make you smile even if it has nothing to do with the song. The late, late night disco sound of NYC will get its day and Jessica 6 will be leading the way.

Mr. Soulful himself, Nick Hagelin, is back, with another mainly acoustic video to put you in a better mood. This time he’s taking on “Stereo Hearts”, a current hit by Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine. Nick handles both Adam’s mellow tones and Gym Class Heroes’ rapping just fine, all the while trying hard not to let the extras steal the spotlight away… oh wait, maybe that was the idea. Keep ’em coming, Nick.

One of my very favourite songs ever is Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”, and considering I recently wrote about Chris’ new album Beyond The Sun, I decided to take a look at Il Divo’s interpretation of “Game”. While it’s not in a style I always appreciate, you can’t help but be moved by the voices in the quartet’s new version subtitled “Melanconia”.

Here’s a song that doesn’t have a video yet, but I suspect it will be his ticket to international success. Of course I’m talking about Eric Saade, whose Saade Volume Two will drop on November 30. His latest domestic success in Sweden is “Hotter Than Fire”, featuring Dev, and their voices play off of each other quite nicely. The song is irresistible and I picture it blasting at many New Year’s Eve parties. Listen below – can’t wait for the album, and maybe the video too!

Lastly, take a look at this snap from Adam Tyler’s upcoming video for “Like A Drug”. Looks like huge choreography happenin’ so watch for it!

Tuned-On! Top 30 #364 – October 24/11

It took a month and a half of waiting – thanks to the instantly overpowering effect of his duet on “Wicked Baby” with Ro Danishei, which held court for 6 weeks – but “Laser Guns Up” by Simon Curtis takes the top spot this week on my personal chart. It’s one of the key reasons for you to buy his sophomore album R∆ on iTunes, and is one of a number of rousing and anthemic songs that will make you want more! But right behind “Guns” are buddies Frankmusik and Colette Carr, whose duet on “No ID” is one of those reasons why music can make you smile, take you away for three minutes, and be happy in 2011.

I’m going to talk about the highest debut on the chart now because this song has all the makings of being MASSIVE. I previewed “Memorize Me” by Rune RK & Databoy this past summer, after the song found favour in the Ibiza club circuit, being touted by no less than the legendary Tiësto himself. There are several reasons why this song launches at an impressive #5 on my chart. The pairing of the two DJ teams is impressive. You combine European DJ/producer Rune RK’s flair for creating Ibiza beach party anthems with Austin duo Databoy’s creativity and vocals, along with a seductive lyrical subtext, and voilà – “Memorize Me” is a true original. Revel in each listen or dance your ass off, your choice 🙂 Way to go – I can’t get enough of this song right now. It will be available imminently as a free download but for now you can listen to it right here.

The stunning debut of “Memorize Me” has created a bit of a backup on the chart for songs 6 through 11. The infectious “Bad Dog” by Neon Hitch scoots up a notch to #6, while “Pull The Trigger” from Adam Tyler’s debut album Shattered Ice rises 9-7. Adam is touring actively to promote the album, and “Trigger” looks to join past chart hits “Friction” and “I Won’t Let You Go” in my Top 5.

Penguin Prison’s self-titled album was finally released in North America this past week and I’ll have my comments on it in the week. In the meantime the Dirty Vegas remix of “Fair Warning” moves 11-8.

Kyle Brylin’s “My Fizzy Pop” and Eric Saade’s “Stupid with You” round out the Top 10. The prolific Kyle has more new music coming for you in his upcoming “Revenge” project, while Eric’s upcoming album Saade Volume Two drops on November 30, with a new single featuring Dev arriving next week.

Most of the rest of the Top 20 looks Top 10 bound. Arriving this week in the rest of the world – Australia got the album last week – is Secret Codes And Battleships, the fourth solo album by Darren Hayes. His compelling and heart-felt Australian single “Bloodstained Heart” rises to #11. The song is available in a free download as a remix through Darren’s website by the talented Monsieur Adi right here.

“Famous” by Audio Playground is a certified hit in Canada and jumps to #12, while the smooth and sexy mid-tempo R&B ballad by Nick Hagelin called “Metaphor” moves up to #15. Agnes’ powerful “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” jumps to #18, while “The Way I See” by Will Young rises to #19, and Kyle Brylin’s second chart entry, the late night club rave-up “Never Love A DJ”, climbs to #20.

The fastest riser on the chart is the contagious fun that is “Block After Block” by Matt & Kim, which soars 25-16. The Brooklyn duo is playing a New Year’s show in NYC which is guaranteed to be a blast. I’ve been getting into their album Sidewalks more and more these past few weeks. Their music has an exhilarating and distracting effect – most needed right now!

Four more debuts round out the chart. The Netherlands’ Matt Blue is a talent to watch for internationally in 2012. His debut single “Can’t Help Myself (Keep Dancing)” has been released by Universal in most of the European countries and has started to breakout. Despite its familiar formula, the song has such a terrific sincere performance showcasing Matt’s supurb vocals. It debuts at #13. Watch the video below.

Down further is one half of the debut single by American singer Lana Del Rey, who is based out of London and is finding some success initially in the Benelux countries. “Blue Jeans” comes to us in the form of a sexy Penguin Prison remix. I like it a lot better than its other half, “Video Games”. Listen to “Blue Jeans” below.

At #25 is “White Horse” by New York trio Jessica 6, who I’m hoping to see in a club show in the coming weeks. It’s part of the group’s disco-music-with-a-conscience, you can move along to this song effortlessly while singing the chorus that gets stuck in your head. Take a look at the video below. Not to be confused with the 80’s hit by Laid Back.

Rounding out the chart at #26 is “Then I Go Twisting”, one of the stellar songs from the Frankmusik-produced album Tomorrow’s World by UK dance pop veterans Erasure. I’ll have my comments about Tomorrow’s World in the week. In the meantime, you can listen to the entire album for yourself right here.

Lastly, I’m going to leave you with an incredibly guilty pleasure. “I Like” is a new European dance single by DJ/producer Klaas and DJ/production duo Bodybangers. It gets right into your face and into your head, courtesy of lead vocals by the stunning singer/model Victoria Kern. Think Kesha meets Pussycat Dolls with a dash of “Jump Around” by House of Pain, and you’re right there. Watch the fun video below and don’t say I didn’t warn you. Like last year’s “We No Speak Americano”, it may be coming to a wedding or party near you sometime soon.

Tuned-On! Top 30 #363 – October 10/11

October is proving to be a watershed month in 2011 for album releases – yes that’s right album releases! As many of you know, I’m a singles-going-steady kinda guy, one song will do it for me over an entire album. So we have no shortage of album releases this month – priorities for me by Darren Hayes, Erasure, Penguin Prison, Chris Isaak, Florence & The Machine (Nov 1), and the already released Adam Cohen – plus Evanescence, Kelly Clarkson, Drake, Coldplay all on deck too… well the iTunes gift cards will be bountiful this year. So my new personal chart is a transitional one until the floodgates open. And I’m still waiting for some highly anticipated singles to drop – “Memorize Me” by Rune RK & Databoy and “Can’t Help Myself (Keep Dancing)” by Matt Blue to name two.

So something will likely give at the top of the chart in two weeks, and you can view the full chart using the link under ***BILL’S PERSONAL CHART*** to the right, or you can click right here. You can hear all of the songs on the chart or watch their videos by clicking on the pics on the chart page. But for now it continues to be “Wicked Baby” by Ro Danishei and Simon Curtis at the top but virtually neck and neck with Simon’s own “Laser Guns Up” in second place. Rumour has it that Ro is now signed to Sony BMG – fantastic! – but I’m not sure of details, and I’m sure they will be forthcoming at some point.

“Disco Moment” by Bright Light Bright Light should by all rights join “A New Word To Say” and “Love Part II” as number ones on this chart, but may get shortchanged in the coming weeks, so it jumps to #3 for now. New York’s Jessica 6 will be starting a small North American club date tour soon, which will then take them to Europe. “Prisoner Of Love”, their unique splash of disco nightlife pairing with Antony Hegarty of Antony & The Johnsons, climbs to #4. I’m anxiously awaiting the video for this song!

The Top 5 is rounded out by the Fastest Riser on the chart. “No I.D.” by Frankmusik and Colette Carr are in the running for the top as the song surges 20-5, thanks to relentless touring – now that the Erasure/Frankmusik tour is wrapping up overseas, there will be another tour for both performers along with fellow Cherrytree Records signees LMFAO and Far East Movement, starting very soon!

Songs 6 through 12 are trapped in the middle and some should break loose in two weeks. “Fix Me”, the stunning ballad by L.A.’s Matthew Kurz and his free download mixtape, holds at #6, while “Bad Dog” by UK singer Neon Hitch (and that’s her real name too!) jumps to #7. And what would a chart be without Adele? “Set Fire To The Rain” is her third Top Tenner for me from the 21 album, currently one of my favourite albums of the year along with others such as R∆ by Simon Curtis, Eric Saade’s Saade Volume One, and Do It In The A.M. by Frankmusik.

Contemporary electro pop is all a flutter right now as represented by a delightful next bunch: Adam Tyler’s “Pull The Trigger” becomes his third Top 10 entry at #9; “My Fizzy Pop” by Kyle Brylin follows “Everything I’m Missing” as his second Top Tenner; Penguin Prison does not look to miss the Top 10, making it five in a row in two weeks with “Fair Warning”; and “Stupid With You” by Eric Saade is simply charming pop at its best.

“Bloodstained Heart” by Darren Hayes can only be purchased in Australia right now, but will be on release worldwide in two weeks when his album Secret Codes And Battleships arrives. The song continues to rise up to #14. Florence & The Machine’s “What The Water Gave Me” is holding at #18 while their new album Ceremonials is on deck. And four more of last week’s debuts make headway. Will Young’s free download of “The Way I See” climbs to #22, while Swedish pop queen Agnes moves 29-23 with “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”. Nick Hagelin’s tender R&B ballad “Metaphor” also climbs to #20 and is a free download from his website. With every week that passes, “Famous” by Audio Playground manages to find more radio stations playing it in Canada – Top 50 on the Billboard Canadian Top 100. This past week saw the debut of the video of the French version of the song, featuring Randy Raymond. Watch it below.

I’ve spent the past week blogging and tweeting about Like A Man, the fresh start of a sophomore release by Adam Cohen (son of Leonard), as well as his lovely and intimate show I saw in Toronto this past week. His beautiful and thoughtful single “What Other Guy” (available as a free download) arrives at #24. One of Kyle Brylin’s latest releases, the propulsive and somewhat gleefully cynical “Never Love A DJ” joins “My Fizzy Pop” on the chart at #27. Lastly, on the more raucous side, Brooklyn duo Matt & Kim have been promoting the hell out of last year’s release Sidewalks. I saw them perform last Fall, and they won me over with their energy and crowd interaction. “Block After Block”, from Sidewalks, keeps grabbing my attention, and with a spot-on performance on the Jimmy Fallon show this summer, the song arrives on the chart at #25. If you don’t know about this fun pair, watch the Fallon performance by clicking on the link below, as well as the official video at the top of the blog, and you will be converted.

http://busk.com/news/matt-and-kim-late-night-with-jimmy-fallon-video

Tuned-On! Top 30 #362 – September 26/11

As Autumn is upon us, like the leaves that begin to fall, some recent favourites of mine drop off my personal chart to make room for some noteable new blood. You can view the full chart using the link under ***BILL’S PERSONAL CHART*** to the right, or you can click right here. You can hear all of the songs on the chart or watch their videos by clicking on the pics on the chart page.

There is no moving the Top 4 songs, no sirree they just aren’t a budging. “Wicked Baby”, the insanely catchy song that updates the Ace of Base vibe courtesy of Ro Danishei & Simon Curtis hangs on to #1 vying with Simon’s own victory cry “Laser Guns Up” in second place. “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster The People keeps its summery lustre long enough for another chart at #3, while “Disco Moment” by Bright Light Bright Light is solid and still on the rise at #4. The only change-up in the Top 5 sees Jessica 6’s duet with Antony Hegarty on “Prisoner Of Love” belatedly making a big gain in the face of so many great songs on the chart. A video for the song is forthcoming!

The rest of the Top 10 sees a major shakeup. The intense emotions of Matthew Kurz’s “Fix Me” often give me pause for many thoughts, and the song soars 11-6. Do check out this talented singer/songwriter’s FREE mixtape using the link on my chart page. October 18 is the North American street date for Penguin Prison’s self-titled album. As Chris Glover and band continue to play dates throughout North America, they are present on the chart with both “Multi-Millionaire” at #7 and “Fair Warning” rising to #14. To entice you more, Penguin Prison has a FREE download of “Don’t Fuck With My Money” available with an email subscription right here. You can hear that song above this paragraph. Then, our favourite “Bad Dog” is on the loose! Neon Hitch played a well received gig last week in New York City, and her song is propelled to #8. Adele’s enduring and powerful “Set Fire To The Rain” takes 9th place, while the heartfelt “Never Will Be Mine” by Rye Rye featuring Robyn lands at #10.

The middle of the chart is nothing less than busy. “Pull The Trigger” is the hottest song on Adam Tyler’s very good Shattered Ice release, with it’s sad-but-gotta-do-it lyrics married with an anthemic house rhythm. It’s also the hottest song on the chart as the Fastest Riser, moving 22-12 and you can listen to the song above. Then, we have the ultra-prolific Kyle Brylin with a real pick-me-up if there ever was one, “My Fizzy Pop” at #13. Not only did Kyle cover Rihanna’s “S&M” earlier this year, but perhaps he’s drinking the same water, since she’s coming out with new stuff as frequently. He teases you below with a preview of the hard hitting trance track “Never Love A DJ” and “Poison Venus” below this paragraph. Full comments about these songs later! And by no means should you think that “Stupid With You” by Eric Saade is done, after moving one place to #15. It’s a fantastic pop song, one of many on Saade Volume One as we await Saade Volume Two sometime in November!

At the top of this blog, you watched the new video for Darren Hayes’ Australian single “Bloodstained Heart”, which climbs to #17. I’m hoping it will be released to the rest of the world after “Black Out The Sun”. In particular, I enjoy Darren’s soothing high register and the dramatic crescendo halfway that serves as anticipation for the final scene of the video. Darren’s album Secret Codes And Battleships is released October 17 in the UK and October 21 in the rest of the world. Right below “Bloodstained Heart” we see the debut song from Florence & The Machine’s sophomore album Ceremonials. “What The Water Gave Me” moves up 26-18 in this chart edition.

The rest of the chart sees six debuts! It’s a huge week ahead for Frankmusik as his second album Do It In The A.M. sees release on September 27. The latest single, “No I.D.” featuring the delightful Colette Carr, arrives on the chart at #20 and is gradually becoming one of the must-hear songs of the year along with its “Grease”-y video above. 2011 has been one heck of a ride for Frankmusik and it hasn’t stopped yet! Next up is the beautiful song from Nick Hagelin that I cannot get enough of right now. “Metaphor” (which I blogged about last week) premieres at #23. Further down at #26 is a song that has hung on throughout the summer despite no North American release for the singer’s album. “The Way I See” doesn’t appear on Will Young’s latest album Echoes, but you can get it in a FREE download from a link in my chart (the song was previously available for free through Amazon UK). It’s Will’s first appearance in these pages, and I look forward to paying closer attention to the songs in Echoes.

An impressive video for “Famous” by Audio Playground featuring Kardinal Offishall quickly arrived on our doorstep (above) and debuts at #27 on the chart. The song’s a certified hit, conquering Canadian radio by being added to practically every pop station in the country, while the French language version featuring Randy Raymond is everywhere in Quebec. Then at #28 we have Ms Grace Jones, sounding like she never left the music scene with her first release in 22 years called Hurricane. From that album we have the sinewy and compelling “Williams Blood”, which is available in the FREE Aeroplane remix radio edit (link in on my chart page).

This edition closes at #29 with a song hot off the presses this week by a singer whose voice I adore. Agnes Carlsson had a massive year in 2008/09 with her European album release Dance! Love! Pop! which contained the UK Top 5 and Billboard Dance Club Play #1 hit “Release Me”, one of my Top 10 favourites of that year. With voice to rival no less than a Leona Lewis, Agnes is back with a tougher and equally powerful pop/dance song that will turn more heads around the world this time. Watch “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” (not the Elton John song) above and keep your ears peeled for much, much more from Agnes throughout the year and into 2012.

Thanks for reading! Watch for changes to this blog coming soon too. One thing I hope to change after this week is to give you shorter and more timely blogs, as well as the longer bi-weekly recap of my chart.

Long On Charm: Quick Bits About New Records by Nick Hagelin, Pierre Lewis, John Nathaniel, Bright Light Bright Light

Nick Hagelin “Take Off” (EP)

My comment about Nick Hagelin’s cover of Eric Benet’s “Sometimes I Cry” from back in April holds very true: YOU.WILL.MELT. That’s one of the shortest reviews I’ve ever written. But the New York bred, Georgia resident has laid a solid foundation of cover songs on You Tube ranging from Benet’s song to Taylor Swift. So with this amazing talent comes a debut EP, Take Off, currently available for free on Nick’s website. From positive, summery-sounding, danceable pop of “I.C.U.” and “Ocean”, through to the ever so Jason Mraz take on “Your Love”, to the grooving, embedded R&B/Hip Hop of the Naughty By Nature revisited vibe of “People Go Wild”, Take Off is a showcase designed to tickle whatever fancy you might be feeling. Lastly, and best of all, there’s the equally embedded R&B/Soul of the title song and especially my favourite, the careful and precise, romantic ear-tugger “Metaphor” (which you can hear below). Melt all over again – score!

Pierre Lewis “Transition” (EP)

I’ve already tipped you off to two of the four songs on Pierre’s new EP Transition. Now here’s someone from England who can easily tap into Robin Thicke’s North American market given all the right steps. Transition has a mid-90’s R&B/Hip Hop vibe happening. The best song is the current video, “Out Of My Mind”, which captures Pierre’s diverse appeal and charm oh so well. “One Girl Show” is more R&B/Pop ear candy, while “Stay” focuses on Pierre’s ability to tap into his best Michael Jackson. “Testify” features rapper Strike, striving for a street feel that to me is becoming a little dated. Pierre Lewis has so much more to offer with that stunning soulful voice. Catch the video for “Out Of My Mind” again below. Transition is available worldwide on iTunes.

John Nathaniel “Intoxicated”

Montreal rocker and award-winning producer (Marie-Mai, Pat Groulx, Long Story Short) John Nathaniel returns with a song more on a softer Colbie Caillat-styled pop tip than some of his past releases. “Intoxicated” is a breezy ride that takes you on a rock-tinged picnic through the countryside on a sunny day. Hear the song below and pick it up on iTunes.

Bright Light Bright Light “Disco Moment” (EP)

And this last review is just a friendly reminder to indulge in the many charms of Rod Thomas as Bright Light Bright Light with his EP of “Disco Moment”. Not only do you get the radio edit, 12″ extended version (in which I keep hearing “The Neverending Story” rhythm more and more!), and a quirky but spot-on Fear of Tigers remix of the gloriously moving title song, but there’s another Rod original “Being Sentimental”. Rod finds these easy ways to get in your head by capturing emotional slices of life, giving you lots of food for thought along the way as you head to leave it all on the dance floor. Can’t wait for the proper album release! In the meantime, get it on iTunes – you do need to view the stunning video for “Disco Moment” again below.

Summer Popervescence #1 featuring the Tuned-On! Top 30 #357 – July 18/11

It’s been two weeks since we’ve written, so this time you get a longer two-fer blog: A new personal chart with commentary, and hot new music courtesy of Summer Popervescence #1. A lot of the latter music is creating some strife on the chart, causing an absolute glut of wonderful music. I’m loving it!

Tuned-On! Top 30 #357 – July 18/11

The Top 4 songs remain unchanged and seemingly unmovable. “Flesh” by Simon Curtis and “Do It In The A.M.” by Frankmusik featuring Far East Movement rank #1 and #2 for third appearances each (6 weeks). “I’m in Love” by Christian TV ranks 3rd as his latest single, the R&B-oriented “Girl I Used To Know” is released. “Out Without Your Boyfriend” by Jerry Reid stays at #4 as interest in the Ballroom Remixed project from which it comes continues to grow. “Talk Talk Talk” by Darren Hayes climbs 7-5 as the singer continues to promote the record in Australia. I’m waiting for my purple vinyl copy of the single in the mail 😀 View his performance on Australia’s “Dancing with the Stars” below (gosh, I adore Australian accents).

New to the Top 10 are “Just Once” by Databoy, a true summer song if there was one, which really makes its presence felt, zooming 14-6 to challenge those equally excellent songs in the Top 5! It’s so obvious that Lady GaGa has set a standard over the last three years for female vocalists with powerful voices. They are prevalent on the chart this week, so it’s fitting the Lady herself has another Top Tenner with “The Edge Of Glory” at #9. And Chris Brown lands in the Top 10 for the first time since 2008 with his feelgood Benny Benassi collabo “Beautiful People” at #10.

Recent additions to the chart from the past few weeks continue to move up nicely. “Venom” by Long Story Short is Top 10 bound in two weeks as it climbs to #11. “The Lover’s Rumba”, Elouise’s contribution to the Ballroom Remixed album, jumps 19-15. The fastest riser on the chart is the other, more laid back, summer confection, “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster The People, which is getting its slow burn groove on with more people each week. It soars 27-16 on the chart. Three other powerful female vocalists are right below… “We Don’t Miss A Beat” by Van Go Lion, featuring Amy Paige, is at #17; “Prey To The Beat”, the secret loaded weapon in Ro Danishei’s End Of The Rainbow album, charges up 28-18; Nicola Roberts’ “Porcelain Heart” is up to #19 and will continue to rise in two weeks; similarly “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera climbs to #20 and continues to build.

Five more debuts on the chart means five more songs to adore.

How does one follow such a magnetic song as Eric Saade’s “Popular”? Well, with an incredibly solid Saade Volume One album, which is full of truly happy-go-lucky pop from the Swedish singer who has some great people behind-the-scenes in his court. The album is a dazzler, an aural equivalent to Baked Alaska (ice cream baked in meringue) with peach and raspberry sauce!! At its best, Volume One is all cute and endearing… but with loads of power and know-how to support it all. Hence we have Eric the geek in “Stupid With You”, Eric the lonely retro romantic in “Me and My Radio”, and best of all, Eric Pop Personified with “Made Of Pop” (you can hear the song at the top of the page). “Made Of Pop” is a much more logical follow up to “Popular” than the weak-ish “Hearts In The Air”, so I hope it will be the third single. It has one of my favourite verses of the year: “My kings and queens are speaking through me / Got my degree in the big POP”. Single-handedly with these words has Eric given a huge shout-out to his fans – not unlike Simon Curtis with “Get In Line”, and Eric and Simon NEED to record and sing in concert together!! – and declared himself triumphant. Brilliant. And speaking of brilliant, you can read a much more in-depth review of Saade Volume One by MyFizzyPop. I’m not about to repeat so much of what he says so well 🙂

Next up at #24 is the Shook remix of Penguin Prison’s “Multi-Millionaire” about which I wrote previously. Penguin Prison has happily joined the Scissor Sisters and a number of other artists on Downtown Records for the release of the PP self-titled record and new single “Fair Warning”. But in the meantime, the Prince-ly influenced “Multi-Millionaire” will kick off the anticipation in advance. Then at #25 we have “Runway”, the highly emotional single from singer/music exec Blue Hamilton. I’m posting the video clip once again below so that you can all have a good cry. We first heard New Yorker Wynter Gordon on Flo Rida’s Top 5 hit “Sugar” back in 2009. In the meantime she co-wrote several songs for the Love? album by Jennifer Lopez and has seen her first album With The Music I Die become a massive hit in Australia – which makes two U.S. artists on this chart to have success Down Under (the other is Foster The People). So while North America only gets an EP version of With The Music I Die, the song “‘Til Death” (which contains the title’s lyrics) arrives on my chart at #26 (video below). Fellow New Yorker and star of the Broadway play “Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark” Reeve Carney climbs onto the chart at #27 with “Rise Above 1”, his inspiring collaboration with “Spider-Man” songwriters Bono and The Edge. Reeve is previously known for his work with his band Carney, which has released both a live album and a studio album to date and continues to perform throughout Reeve’s success with “Spider-Man”.

You can view the full chart using the link under ***BILL’S PERSONAL CHART*** to the right, or you can click right here. Be sure to leave any comments you might have, and thanks for reading

Note that when you click on the pictures in the first column of the chart pages that they will now allow you to either listen to the song or view the official video to the song. Enjoy this new feature!

“Runway” by Blue Hamilton

“‘Til Death” by Wynter Gordon

Summer Popervescence #1

“I Won’t Let You Go” by Adam Tyler

It would not be Summer ’11 without the long-awaited arrival of the video for L.A. singer Adam Tyler’s “I Won’t Let You Go”. It’s a visually stunning positive pastiche of images of handsome Adam in various appearances and hairstyles (and paint) which make it incredibly memorable. That the song is also a stunner makes it a winning combination, it’s one of my favourites of the year, having already peaked at #5 this past Spring. Watch the video below and purchase the song on iTunes.

“Bad Girl” by Matt Webb

I love how Matt Webb is carving out his own mark from Marianas Trench with his enjoyable EP Coda and Jacket. His track “Cinnamon” is already #7 on my chart. I don’t like the current single “Bad Girl” as much, but the video is enjoyable in the same way as… well, “Misery” by Maroon 5. Check it out below.

“My Name Is Kay” by Kay

It may be a little samey to The Ting Tings’ “That’s Not My Name” but Canadian singer Kay’s “My Name Is Kay” has a whole other smashing funky bassline side that speaks for it alongside her Britney-ish delivery when she’s not rap/singing. Watch the video below.

“Atlantis” by The Midway State

I previously wrote about this first single from the Toronto quartet’s upcoming album Paris Or India. The video for this jubilant and ethereal song below has also surfaced in advance of the album. The band will be performing at the Toronto Festival of Beer on August 5. “Atlantis” has done well enough as a lead up but I think the best new songs from The Midway State will be heard on the album.

“The Story of Us” by Nick Hagelin

I continue to be so impressed by Atlanta-based singer Nick Hagelin and the careful choice of cover songs for which he has been posting videos. The latest is a simply delightful rendition of Taylor Swift’s latest hit “The Story Of Us” (video below). This just goes to say that Nick Hagelin needs a record released soon along with a DVD that might include some of these enjoyable videos. Nick is a star just waiting to happen.

Rune RK & Databoy “Memorize Me” (teaser)

What would the summer be without an Ibiza-styled dance anthem? And what a great pairing – Rune RK (you’ll remember his “Calabria”, famously redone twice in 2007/08, once by Alex Gaudino featuring Crystal Waters as “Destination Calabria”, and then as “Calabria 2008” by Enur featuring Natasja) – and US duo Databoy, who’ve been gracing my chart with “Stupid” and “Just Once”. Get teased below.

And finally, we have four more videos by artists who appear on the Ballroom Remixed album, along with charting songs by Jerry Reid, Simon Curtis, and Elouise.

Dutch talent Jeromino sings about “How They Dance In Outer Space” on Ballroom Remixed. To completely get away from the novelty of that song, he’s released “Renaissance Man” which not only shows his diversity but how much the camera just loves him as well.

New York self-professed theatre nerd Joshua Desjardins gave us executive producer Melanie La Patin’s namesake theme song on Ballroom Remixed. So how does he follow it up? With “I’m A Nerd” of course! This is what could happen if a Weird Al Yankovic song got dunked in Europop (think Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” or Dan Balan’s “Crazy Loop”). Joshua’s spot-on delivery makes geekdom seem way more than okay! Hear the song below and get your inner nerd on.

German singer Linda Teodosiu offered up the steamy “Body Heat” on Ballroom Remixed. Her latest single, which has a good chance to follow the worldwide success of her 2009 hit “Reprogram My Heart”, is “Alive”. It’s a slinky mid-evening dance number partnered nicely with Linda’s soaring voice.

Lastly, for a very recent glimpse at Simon Curtis singing at his acoustic best, watch the clip below of Simon singing “I Don’t Wanna Be Alone” (from 8bit Heart) and support his sick kids charity 100 Million Miracles ( a reminder that Simon is a cancer survivor).

Okay – are your ears full enough now? 🙂

Quick Listen, Instant Blog: Nick Hagelin “Sometimes I Cry”

I’m a total sucker for the male blue-eyed soul singer voice: Boz Scaggs, Robin Thicke, Alex Chilton, Steve Winwood, George Michael (to a point), and the list goes on. Via Fly Guy Music Blog comes a cover of Eric Benet’s “Sometimes I Cry” by Atlanta singer Nick Hagelin. I’ve heard a few of his songs but nothing like this.

YOU. WILL. MELT.