Tag Archives: Simon Curtis

Tuned-On! Top 30 #343 – Jan 3/11

And so, we move on to the music of 2011. Leading the new chart are two performers that I expect will breakout of their loyal online followings to become much more popular this year.

Penguin Prison’s “Golden Train” is worthy of a disco ball trophy in the 70’s in its Royal Palms remix and continues its stay at the top of my chart. As a teaser, in case you wonder what Chris Glover can’t do, he posted an excellent online mashup of “Golden Train” with Michael Jackson’s “Workin’ Day and Night” which you can download for free right here.

Then we have the case of Mr. Vincent Frank who, as Frankmusik, has brought us intriguing electro pop such as 2009’s “Confusion Girl”. Do not miss “The Fear Inside”, which bounds to the runner-up spot on my chart. This is one powerful song that will not leave your head. Mr. Frank also has a softer side, and a great set of pipes, which he shows off in “Hurt You Again” and “Warrior”, which were available online recently for free download, at this website. Another reminder of the talent that just smokes from Frankmusik.

Elsewhere in the chart, Brandon Flowers’ “Jacksonville” lines up at #3, while the gorgeous duet by Andrea Lewis and Simon Curtis takes it up a few notches to #5, “Talk To Me” (available on Ms Lewis’ 54321 album for free download right here).

Rihanna’s “S&M” and Kanye West’s “Monster” are two potent records that follow each other into the Top 10. Having now bought Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, you will see more from that record in these chart reaches soon!

The droll “Alors on danse” by Belgium’s Stromae, and Elouise’s rework of ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All” round out the newbies to the Top 10, making it two-for-two for Elouise, following the #2 “Pretender”.

The fastest risers on the chart are two of last week’s debuts. It’s an unconventional but apparently much desired cover version, as Bright Light Bright Light’s take on the “Twin Peaks” TV show theme “Falling” soars 23-12. Javi Silva’s latest project Native Underground also scores with the radio mix of “Till It Hurts”, climbing 24-14. Javi’s “Situation” got to #3 last year.

The first of this week’s debuts belongs to “Rolling In The Deep” by Grammy winner Adele, and I’ve heard this song everywhere, including supermarkets!! 2008’s “Chasing Pavements”, a #1 for me that ranked #7 at year’s end, is a tough act to follow but “Rolling” is a good introduction to Adele’s upcoming sophomore release 21.

The action on Matt & Kim’s latest album Sidewalks seems to have subsided a bit but it’s a fun, high energy release that definitely recalls their concert. The last song on the album is the big sounding, anthemic “Ice Melts” and it’s one of the most memorable tracks that certainly belongs on this chart (you can listen to the song at the bottom of this blog). The duo’s “Daylight” got to #4 in 2009.

Lastly there’s a veteran act that has never appeared on my chart since its debut in 1998. But of course they have many 80’s classics that would have easily charted for me back then. Duran Duran’s “All You Need Is Now”, the title track of their latest release (currently online only), is their best effort since the 90’s – I kinda liked their cover of Grandmaster & Melle Mel’s “White Lines”. If the rest of the album is this good then we’re all in for a treat. Lead singer Simon LeBon however did appear as the uncredited vocalist on Ferry Corsten’s 2006 dance hit “Fire”, which reached #7 on this chart.

You can view the full chart right here or using the link to the right under ***BILL’S PERSONAL CHART***.

17 of My Favourite Musical and Lyrical Moments of 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a precursor to my annual Best of 2010 list, I’ve borrowed an idea from xolondon’s blog to focus on some of my favourite musical and lyrical ‘moments’ of 2010.  These 17 ‘moments’ are just pieces of songs and performances that struck me for one reason or another, and are listed in no particular order.

  • The glorious and inspired – 90’s not 80’s, since I for one thought I heard Erasure – in the instrumental intro to “Love Part II” by Bright Light Bright Light.
  • The big, big dramatic introduction to Michael Bublé’s rendition of “Cry Me A River”.
  • When Simon Curtis first suggests ‘Tell the DJ drop the beat / Don’t play some mother fuckin’ band’ at the :25 mark, and then proceeds to brilliantly shout out and sample the then-very fresh  “Bad Romance” by Lady GaGa at 1:01, in “Beat Drop”.
  • The final crushing realizations of the sadness of ‘Head over heels for you no more’ at 3:29  in Bim’s “Head Over Heels”.
  • The celebration of ‘Before you, my whole life was acapella’ at 1:04 and then repeated several times in “Acapella” by Kelis.
  • The jaunty Doobie Brothers inspired melody starting with the the chorus in “The Worse It Gets” by Penguin Prison at :54 – ‘I’ve got a car that I call Jenny’…
  • Finally realizing the entire point that The Temper Trap was making while repeating “Imma dig that grave’ at 4:22 in the Penguin Prison remix of “Resurrection”, which changed my entire viewpoint of that song.
  • The updated disco backdrop, which takes off at :35 and seems to be borrowed almost verbatim from 1980’s “Love Sensation” by Loleatta Holloway, in the Penguin Prison remix of Jamiroquai’s underrated “White Knuckle Ride”.
  • The glorious chorus of Mika’s “Rain” beginning first at :47 – a song which is not to me so much about rain as it is other things.
  • Elouise belting out ‘Pretend you’re mine’ in “Pretender” at 3:04.
  • ‘When you let the darkness go, everything glows’ at :52 of “Glow” by Richard Barone, the new unofficial theme song of New York City for me.
  • The chorus first kicks in with ‘Here we go…’ at :33 and then the immediate Q&A ‘Is this love or just sexual desire? We’re gonna start a fire’ at :41, in “Start A Fire” by Ryan Star.
  • Adam Tyler’s raw and excited vocal when he sings ‘With a look we bait the trap and wait’ at 1:01 in the Ricardo Autobahn edit of “Friction”.
  • Christian Burns’ acapella vocal break ‘And I love it when you fall to me, suddenly’, followed by the same verse accompanied by instantly thunderous keyboards, at 2:51 in the radio edit of BT’s “Suddenly”.
  • The first dramatic keyboard riff which transforms Reni Lane’s “Place For Us” in repetition into a sexy late-night dancefloor stomper in its Will Eastman remix.
  • The final few bars of lonely toy piano at 2:33 in Simon Curtis’ “8-bit Heart”, which made my eyes well up on the first few listens.
  • As with “8-bit Heart”, when Blake Lewis first sings ‘I wish we could just go back there tonight’ at :22, referring to the closed record store in “Heartbreak On Vinyl”.

Please do reply with yours 🙂

Tuned-On! Top 30 #342 – December 20/10

Don’t let anyone tell that moving house isn’t time-consuming.  While music plays in the background while you’re packing away, unfortunately you’re prevented from doing your research and blog duties.  So I can only gush over a few selective items with this edition of my personal chart.  And you’ll find the full chart posted down below until I get my proper software installed on my new laptop to make the prettier web version.

It’s so suitable for this last personal chart of 2010 for:

  • A new number one!  Yes Penguin Prison is back on top with his own release this time.  “Golden Train” sets the tone nicely going into 2011 and Mr. Chris Glover will be a force!
  • Another bellwether song for 2011 may be “The Fear Inside” by Frankmusik, which vaults 18-4 and looks destined for the top.  Look for this one to find its way to clubs first… then watch out.
  • I’m still waiting for someone to remix “Jacksonville” by Brandon Flowers, which reaches #5 this week.  It would be amazing to see what someone can do with the darker sounding parts of this song.
  • “Talk To Me” has now officially become my favourite song from Andrea Lewis’ free album 54321.  And it just happens to feature Simon Curtis… an added bonus to an already terrific song vocally and lyrically, with a sound right out of the mid-60’s.
  • “S&M” by Rihanna has needlessly been getting a bad rap.  It’s her best song since 2007’s “Don’t Stop The Music”, and I love her raw vocal during the chorus.
  • I love it when artists transform known songs and make them their own.  Elouise has done just that with the luscious “The Winner Takes It All”, now a dramatic stage ballad instead of a perky dance number.  And those ABBA songs aren’t a walk in the park to sing either!
  • The most unexpected record of this year – well it’s really a 2011 release to me – is Bright Light Bright Light’s take on the theme to the TV show “Twin Peaks”.  “Falling” was one of the more haunting songs to kick off the 1990’s in the original version by Julee Cruise from her Floating Into The Night album.  BLBL aka Rod Thomas has taken away the haunting, otherworldly feel and revisited the song as a more simple but emotional ballad.  And it fits in so nicely with the more upbeat BLBL songs you’ve seen in this chart for most of 2010.  And it’s brought to you free courtesy of blogger to the Grammys and now CNN, Mr. Arjan Writes right here.  “Falling” bows this week at #23.
  • One of the most amazing free downloads of 2010 for me was the ‘leaked’ Monsieur Adi remix of “Situation” by New York singer Javi.  Like that song, a new tune by one of Javi’s side projects called Native Underground has surfaced with a similar 80’s-style reflection – and I mean circa 1983 and 1984 when Culture Club and Wham! had their day.  You can also catch “Till It Hurts (radio mix)” for free for now right here.  Javi and Native Underground are going places in 2011!  It debuts at #24.
  • Last, it looked like Pharrell Williams’ band project N*E*R*D was going to stay in the one-hit-wonder department in my 12 year chart history.  For after being assaulted with iTunes commercials in late 2003 – you know those ones with the silhouetted performers, see video below – their song “Rock Star” in its aggressive and fun Jason Nevins remix soared to #1 on my chart, ending up in the Top 10 for that year.  So the group has come full circle and made a soulful and very sexy ballad called “Hypnotize U”, produced by Daft Punk of all people, which debuts at #26.  N*E*R*D is opening for Gorillaz on tour.

I’ll update the link to my chart’s webpage once I have the software up and running.  Enjoy!  In the meantime, here’s the full chart:

02 01 GOLDEN TRAIN Penguin Prison
05 02 GLOW Richard Barone
01 03 RESURRECTION (Penguin Prison remix) Temper Trap, The
18 04 THE FEAR INSIDE Frankmusik
09 05 JACKSONVILLE Brandon Flowers
04 06 NEVER LOOK BACK Russ Chimes
08 07 BREAKUP ANTHEM (WE DIDN’T CARE) 100 Akres F/ Roz Bell
06 08 LOVE PART II Bright Light Bright Light
13 09 TALK TO ME Andrea Lewis F/ Simon Curtis
10 10 VOODOO Andrea Lewis
11 11 ALORS ON DANSE Stromae
12 12 OPERATION Adam Tyler
17 13 S&M Rihanna
15 14 MONSTER Kanye West F/ Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Bon Iver & Nicki Minaj
03 15 WHITE KNUCKLE RIDE (Penguin Prison remix) Jamiroquai
24 16 THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL Elouise
21 17 BULLETPROOF MONSTER (LaRoux x Nicki Minaj Revox) Colin Munroe
19 18 READY TO LOVE Bim
20 19 HEART AND I Robbie Williams
22 20 RAISE YOUR GLASS Pink
07 21 WHEN SHE TURNS 18 Christian TV
23 22 BARBRA STREISAND Duck Sauce
New 23 FALLING Bright Light Bright Light
New 24 TILL IT HURTS (Radio mix) Native Underground
14 25 LOVEKILLER Darin
New 26 HYPNOTIZE U N*E*R*D
25 27 AUDIO PRECISION Jackanory & The Ball
26 28 START A FIRE Ryan Star
27 29 DEAR DICTATOR (Sam Sparro remix) Saint Motel
28 30 CHANGE OF SEASONS Sweet Thing

Tuned-On! Top 30 #338 – October 25/10

Two weeks fly by and suddenly it’s time for another personal chart!   The beauty of “Love Part II” by Bright Light Bright Light captures #1 for a 4th chart (8th week), and it looks like the fast rising Penguin Prison remix of “Resurrection” by Australia’s The Temper Trap will challenge in two weeks.  It’s amazing sometimes what a remix will do for a song.  Some people will prefer the original with its rock edges but this particular remix takes the song’s theme and turns it into a retro 70’s disco celebration.  Listen to it here before you grab the free download from my chart page.  I am also checking out Penguin Prison in concert on Monday evening, so I hope to have an update for you in the week about the show!

Elouise’s “Pretender” stays at #2, just as this effortlessly talented singer is about to drop her second EP, Stardust Memories, which features covers of ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All”, and the standards “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Stardust”.  The three track E.P will be released digitally through iTunes (USA and European stores) and Amazon MP3 on the 15th of November with the physical luxury digi-pak’s release following in the week of the 24th of November.  You can see and hear her live rendition of Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile” below.

Jamiroquai’s official single of “White Knuckle Ride” is available on iTunes Canada but the “Love Sensation”-inspired remix by Penguin Prison is what sends the song to #6 on my chart this week.  Right behind it is the best dance instrumental I’ve heard it years, “Never Look Back” by Russ Chimes.  The Midnight Club EP from which it comes will be available on November 1 at selected digital stores.  The official artwork is below.

Christian TV is another new artist who has captured my interest.  It’s taken a while but the extremely fun “When She Turns 18” breaks into my Top 10 at last.  His mixtape “Who The Fuck Is Christian TV” arrives on Hallowe’en, and he has a new video that is stirring some controversy called “Let’s Just Fuck”. Watch it here and you be the judge… Does the song push the envelope too far, or is it not worth worrying about?  For me, it’s just not as strong a song as “Turns 18” but I’ll look forward to the mixtape.

My new theme song of positivity, “Glow” by Richard Barone, climbs to #13 as Richard announces more tour dates in New Jersey as well as England and Wales.  The rest of last week’s debuts, by Sweet Thing with “Change of Seasons”, Far East Movement – “Like A G6” has hooked me with all of its singalong lyrics and attitude, and is the first Billboard #1 to hit my chart in a while – and Andrea Lewis with the energetic “Voodoo” all make decent inroads, and Miss Lewis has one of our five debuts this week as well!

First up, as “Friction” leaves my Top 10, we have the latest from Adam Tyler called “Operation” at #24.  This song is pretty different from Adam’s more high energy efforts relying on a swaying rhythm that reminds me of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus”.  And song of the lyrics here are really creative and delivered very well.  Download it for free with you provide your email address right here .

Next, at #25, is the third entry from the Flamingo CD by Brandon Flowers, but it’s one that I referenced two weeks ago as being only available on the Deluxe version.  The pensive and haunting “Jacksonville” alone makes it worthwhile for you to buy the Deluxe edition.  Hear it right here . As I listen to the CD more, I keep hearing more and more Neil Young influence too.


Then the third debut is indeed from Andrea Lewis’ 54321 album, which I’ve been enjoying since its release two weeks ago.  It’s a well-rounded release which showcases Andrea’s diverse voice, which conquers on tracks like “Voodoo”, the hard-edged “She”, the highly emotional “Linda”, and the mellow duet that lands at #26.  “Talk To Me” has a 1960’s vibe to it that is enhanced by the guest vocal by Simon Curtis.  It seems like the boy can’t stay away from my chart – last week was his first time off the chart since last November!  Bravo to all involved – Andrea Lewis’ 54321 should be on your 2010 playlist, and why not?  You can download it for free right here .

Next up, after a five year absence, it’s a return to my chart for Robbie Williams.  One of his best songs in years appears on his new compilation In And Out Of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990-2010.  It’s a ballad called “Heart and I” and Robbie’s excellent, classic delivery makes it remind me of an old Neil Diamond song, not a bad thing!  It debuts at #27.  The last time Robbie appeared in these parts was with 2005’s “Tripping”, which I still play a lot and find to be terribly underrated.

The final debut belongs to one of the acts to watch that has debuted online this year.  Bim’s Scatterheart album is well worth checking out, and after “Head Over Heels” has peaked at #3, I’ve delved deeper into the album, with the beautiful “Ready To Love” bowing at #29 this week.

View the full chart using the link to the right under ***BILL’S PERSONAL CHART*** or simply click right here …  Enjoy!


10-bit Q&A with Simon Curtis

Simon Curtis
In the coming months, we will witness the further evolution of our favourite boy robot, LA-based singer/songwriter Simon Curtis.   Simon’s been busy working on new songs for an upcoming mixtape/album, which, like the wonderful 8-bit Heart (which is the best ‘unsigned’ record of 2010 thus far), should be available for free online later this year.  To further add to the evolution, Simon is performing his first all-acoustic show on Thursday July 29 at The Mint in L.A.

In among all of these crazy preparations, Simon took some time to answer some questions for us in this ’10-bit’ Q&A:

1.  For an independent artist, your fan base exceeds amazing.  I know you recognize and respond to this support, including the videos and artwork that your fans have done, and the message boards that they’ve created.  Can you tell us something that you would love to say to your fans outside of the U.S.A. who only know you through your music, You Tube videos , Facebook , and Twitter ?

I am so incredibly grateful for the fanbase I’ve been fortunate enough to start creating, I love them all dearly.  I feel truly honored to have people gravitating toward it so much!

2.   Suddenly there are a number of solo young indie male pop singers on the rise like you – Mike Posner (now signed to J/Sony), Adam Tyler, Sam Taylor, to name three – and you all have your own diverse takes on pop music.  I think it’s more than a case of being the guys’ turn, and it may have actually started with a record like Jesse McCartney’s Departure album in 2008. Though women still dominate the charts, do you think the focus might be shifting, and if so, why?

Well I think that for a long time women have dominated pop music because it’s so easily acceptable for a woman to make pop music.  It tends to seem that a lot of people don’t quite take men seriously when it comes to music of the pop persuasion, but I think the recent influx of boys pursuing it like I am myself is indication that it’s not just a game for girls.  I definitely think the world is ready for a strong male pop perspective.
The Old Style Boy Robot
The New Style Boy Robot!

3.  Your ‘boy robot’ persona and the nerd glasses have definitely struck a chord with fans, along with the hopeful stories in 8-bit Heart that talk about loneliness and wanting to find love.  Can you give us a little more perspective about this character and what you hoped to accomplish with him through your songs?

Well the character created in making the album was essentially me in my most raw, musical form.  I needed an image to associate with the music, and the neo-futuristic Buddy Holly look just fit right in with it, totally complimented the simple yearnings for love that I was expressing in the album with a look associated with an era of innocence.  It all just seemed to come together rather well.

4.   I’m sure you have to be budget conscious, knowing where to draw the line to spend more money on something, such as an elaborate video, that might not really help you out in the long run.  So many people were impressed with the acapella black and white video for “8-bit Heart” – how well do you think that video served its purpose?

The 8Bit Heart Acapella Tyler Shields video portrait was just supposed to be a teaser.  I was in early talks with a record label at the time of my first show, and afterward they wanted to hear “more of my voice”… so I went the next day and made that to prove to them that I could really, truly sing.  I’m incredibly proud of that video.

Download 8-bit Heart at http://www.simon-curtis.net if you already haven't!!


5.  Looking at 8-bit Heart as a whole, what are a couple of things that totally exceeded your expectations, and what are a couple of things you would do differently on your next record?

I honestly am still blown away by the reaction it elicited from the collective internet.  I mean, it’s opened so many doors for me I can’t even comprehend it.  I am really looking forward to working with a proper budget on my albums.  I want to make videos, etc. and it’s just so hard when you’re completely independent and starting all of this on your own.  I am a hard worker though, and quite up for the challenge 😉

Beware of feline conspiracy theories...

6. You have a few references in 8-bit Heart to conspiracy theories and other matters of intrigue.  Fans know that you’re an avid reader, but how did you become interested in them and decide to incorporate them into your music?

Well, I’ve always been a little cerebral when it comes to writing music.  I don’t think I could ever write a song about dancing at the club, etc. without having some sort of deeper layer beneath it, some sort of commentary, something.  I am obsessed with fantasy and science fiction, and I think it’s just a natural reflex for me to insert it into my music.  I am in love with pop music, it’s one of my biggest passions, and that love translates right into the music that I make myself.  The idea of creating commercial pop with a broad appeal that is laced with hidden-meanings and subtle references just elates me to the core.

7. A lot of fans would love a sequel to 8-bit Heart and are hungry for more story-songs and conceptual themes.  But I think you’ve probably got a few other things in mind!  Can you speak a bit about your next record?

Well, as it is right now I can only say that the overarching theme of the next album is a very militant one.  The first album was an introduction, this one is me taking my flag and thrusting it into the ground and staking my claim.  The songs on this album are dealing with my struggle to achieve, the deep-rooted yearning within me.  Despite the fact that I tend to write in themes and use a lot of references, I still write very much from the heart. Everything I’ve written is something I have most certainly felt.  With that said, there’s a lot dealing with betrayal on this record as well.  It’s turning out to be a bit heavier than 8Bit was.

8. Could you name one other current singer and one other current songwriter that you would like to collaborate with, and say why?

There are so many it’s ridiculous.  I’ve been able to strike up a bit of a friendship with Rod Thomas (BrightLightBrightLight) and I absolutely love him and what he does.  Darren Hayes is an idol of mine, so working with him in any capacity would truly be a dream come true.  I’ve always been obsessed with Bloodshy and Avant, and of course Max Martin has essentially been my Jesus since I was 13.

Lady GaGa
plus
Simon

equals
??????
(hint: Cherrytree/Interscope should
put them together and find out!)

9. Could you identify a pop song and a pop album that, for you, recently made a significant change or impact, and how?  Basically, records that say ‘OK music as we know it now is different’.

Gaga’s Fame Monster was a huge turning point in music.  It showed everyone that pop, pure pop, was back.  I applauded that record so much for what it did for pop music.  I mean, Gaga has single-handedly brought the world back to pop, and that made me incredibly happy.

10. Some talented fans tell you that they would like to do the same thing that you’re doing – what kind of advice would you give them on how to handle the demands that the entertainment biz can offer?

The entertainment business is a hard, hard world to navigate, you have to know precisely who you are and what you want and pursue it relentlessly for years and years.  Be smart, know your talents, and know that it is first and foremost a job.  A job that you must work incredibly hard at!

Thank you Simon!  We’re all happy to stay along for the ride and look forward to the follow-up to 8-bit Heart.

Tuned-On! Top 30 #330 – July 5/10

As we now sit two weeks into summer and into the second half of 2010, Simon Curtis returns to #1 after a month’s absence, this time with the title track to his mixtape 8-bit Heart – view the charming acapella video here.  While the song initially struck me during my first few listens earlier this year, I set it aside in favour of  the excellent “Beat Drop”, “Delusional” and “Joystick”.  It wasn’t until I realized that the song was the emotional core of the mixtape that my initial perspective returned, hence it arrives at the top of my personal chart.  That makes it 3 #1’s for Simon since last December 🙂

Mike Posner’s “Cooler Than Me” and Christina Aguilera’s “Not Myself Tonight” look to be peaking in the Top 5, while Bright Light Bright Light’s “A New Word To Say” looks to charge up the middle and end up in the Top 5 in two weeks.  Justin Nozuka’s beauty that is “Unwoken Dream (King with Everything)” – though I’m becoming awfully partial to “Heartless” from his You I Wind Land And Sea CD – and Ryan Star’s “Breathe” arrive in the Top 10.  I’m looking forward to the release of Ryan’s full length major label debut 11:59 on August 3, the same date as his concert at Irving Plaza in NYC which I will be attending.

The Top 10 looks to be an interesting place in two weeks as two Evan Taubenfeld tracks, “Pumpkin Pie” and “It’s Like That” are held at bay, followed below by summer party jam “Gettin’ Over You” by David Guetta, Chris Willis, Fergie and LMFAO.  Two Door Cinema Club’s “Something Good Can Work” sends positive thoughts through to summer listeners in the Top 20, while solid second chart moves come from Goldfrapp’s “Dreaming” (the fastest riser), Reni Lane’s “Place for Us”, and The Good Natured’s “Your Body Is A Machine”, which is now available on iTunes.

I’ve already discussed at length recently this week’s debuts by Roz Bell “Endless Summer Night”, Billy Franks “The Beautiful Game”, and Hanson “Thinkin’ ‘Bout Somethin'”, so I’ll move to the other debuts.  Lifehouse’s Smoke & Mirrors CD has been keeping me plenty company since its arrival last Spring, and the second official single arrives on the chart, “All In”.  It’s a tougher single than “Halfway Gone” but pop radio needs a good rocking charge right now anyway.  And last but by no means least is the debut single from Killers lead singer Brandon Flowers.  “Crossfire” simply said strikes the listener so immediately with piano hook, straight forward melody, and highly identifiable vocal that it becomes an instant classic.  If by chance you haven’t heard it yet, please listen below and watch for the video on July 8 (starring Oscar winner Charlize Theron).

Tuned-On! Top 30 #329 – June 21/10

Summer is upon us, and the music in this edition of my personal chart is generally very sunny and Popervescent!  And that’s always something I can turn to, especially during the past few weeks where life has been full throttle and I’ve just been unable to find the words to write… hence this is my first blog since June 7!  Well that’s an exception… Tomorrow, I hope to write about a few more tunes and artists that have interested me over the past while.

Penguin Prison’s “The Worse It Gets” puts me in a good mood whenever I play it, so it hangs onto the #1 spot for a 3rd chart (6 weeks).  Just below it, Simon Curtis’ “Beat Drop” stays put at #2 and I’ve now resigned myself to the fact that it is indeed my favourite track from Simon’s 8-bit Heart mixtape – I had previously wrote that “Delusional” (which like “Beat Drop” held court at the top for 4 charts) was my fave… but they’re awfully close!  Simon’s got some new music up his sleeve for sometime during the summer too.  The title track from his mixtape also lands at #4 and is surely a contender for #1.  Right behind him at #5 is Mike Posner, whose “Cooler Than Me” is now a North American hit.

The more negativity I read about Christina Aguilera’s “Not Myself Tonight”, the more it seems I appreciate it.  The song jumps 10-7… flashy and edgy video aside, you folks are missing a good song with a terrific vocal if you shunt it aside.  The Gossip lands in the Top 10 with “Pop Goes The World”, and Welsh singer Rod Thomas, aka Bright Light Bright Light, has the fastest riser on the chart with the taste he’s providing of his upcoming album, “A New Word To Say”.

Below the Top 10, there’s a great deal of activity with songs pushing their way to the Top 10, including those by Justin Nozuka, Ryan Star (whose album release show in NYC I will be attending on August 3!), Evan Taubenfeld x 2, Armin Van Buuren, David Guetta, Drake, Travis Garland, and Two Door Cinema Club.  You will certainly get an infectious case of good cheer by listening to many of these songs successively!

The debuts this week all belong to women with unique vocal stylings.  First up is actually a UK trio called The Good Natured, fronted by lead singer Sarah, who could be the happy result of Adele-meets-Tracey Thorn with her own brand of intrigue.  Their track “Your Body Is A Machine” as remixed by Baby Monster debuts at #26 – a delightful acoustic video clip of the song is at the top of this page.  Next up, Goldfrapp arrives on this chart for the first time with “Dreaming”, a track from the duo’s latest album Head First.  I’ve never truly got to appreciate Goldfrapp’s past efforts beyond passing listens, and the songs from Head First have yet to really gel with me – almost an about-face for the duo to create a record that might be over-the-top commercial.  But within it is “Dreaming”, which captured me with it’s heavy late-70’s disco influence while also giving a tip of the hat to Kate Bush along the way.  Last up, Reni Lane is an American singer whose album Ready dropped last Fall.  “Place for Us” has been gracing my iTouch for a while now, and the haunting quality of her voice in the Will Eastman remix has sunk in.  You can check out the video of the original mix at the bottom of this page.

You can view the chart in its entirety by clicking on the link under ***BILL’S PERSONAL CHART*** to the right, or by clicking right here.

Thanks for reading and any comments that you have are greatly appreciated!

My next chart will be posted early in two weeks as I will be on a family vacation during the first week of July.

Pop Goes The Summer?: Tuned-On! Top 30 #328 – June 7/10

There’s way too much going on in my life right now… including a ‘magic’ birthday of mine later this week… but Music is  among a select few things that I can count on 🙂

Penguin Prison’s “The Worse It Gets” hangs on to the #1 spot for a second chart, and despite its melancholy sounding title, it’s a rather chipper song for a long drive… I like to think of driving along the ocean in L.A.  And there’s a great late-70’s-sounding remix by Starsmith that’s perfect for the sunniest of days.  Kelis’ knowing “Acapella” moves up to #3, so we’ll see if she can challenge Mr. Chris Glover for the top.  Clayton Senne’s energetic “Wonderland” has been patient but gets up to #4 – worth the wait!

Simon Curtis had his second live set in Kansas City this time, and while the glorious “8-bit Heart” continues its rise to #6, he also got to perform “Joystick” for the first time (definitely nice to hear more of Simon in the live mix this time too)… video is at the bottom of this blog.  A guy he’s praised, who is also his competition in some ways, is Mike Posner, whose playful “Cooler Than Me” glides  up to #7.  Even though the movie fell short at the box office – and I still want to see it – Mika’s “Kick Ass” climbs to #8.  And a needlessly maligned “Not Myself Tonight” by Christina Aguilera lands in the Top 10 – it’s only her fifth chart appearance in Tuned-On! land, but they’ve all gone Top 10, too.

This week’s fastest riser is a song that’s grown on me immensely during the last few weeks.  Australian trio The Gossip spice up the upcoming summer with “Pop Goes The World”.  I know a lot of people prefer other tracks from Music For Men, but I really like Beth Ditto’s vocals on this one.  The glory of “Unwoken Dream (King With Everything)” by Justin Nozuka looks Top Ten bound, as does journeyman rocker Ryan Star’s “Breathe”, which is becoming a force to be reckoned with almost a year after first appearing in iTunes.  Rod Thomas aka Bright Light Bright Light is performing showcase shows in England in anticipation of his first official release.   In the meantime, enjoy “A New Word To Say”, which is the highest rising of the last chart’s debuts at #18.

This chart’s newbies are a varied lot.  We start with the party-hardy of “It’s Like That”, another track from Evan Taubenfeld’s winning Welcome To The Blacklist Club digital release.  Then we have what could be this summer’s jam.  Yes it’s VERRRRY familiar – almost a knock off of 2006’s “Love Is Gone” mixed with a few other catchy and borrowed hooks – but David Guetta has it together with fave vocalist Chris Willis, as well as Fergie and LMFAO (who also graced one of last year’s big jams, “Shooting Star” by David Rush), and it’s just impossible to resist – witness the video at the bottom of this blog.  Next up, newcomer Travis Garland’s first single is “Believe”.  I heard it before his American Idol appearance and didn’t even see it – just heard about it.  This one has mass appeal and shouldn’t be ignored.  Lastly, Irish band Two Door Cinema Club grow on you with tracks from their CD Tourist History, most notably with “Something Good Can Work”.

Enjoy the full chart using the link to the right under ***BILL’S PERSONAL CHART*** or simply click right here.

David Guetta & Chris Willis featuring Fergie & LMFAO “Gettin’ Over You”

Simon Curtis “Joystick” live in Kansas City (June 5)

Tuned-On! Top 30 #327 – May 24/10

As we get closer to the summer months (and at least with some summer weather where I’m from), all kinds of bright and shiny new music continues to surface.  But first things first:  A new #1!

Penguin Prison’s “The Worse It Gets”, a great song for a spring/summer drive (the last such escapist song about cars recently that comes to mind is Darren Hayes’ “Casey”) in a car called Jenny, steals #1 away from the very busy Simon Curtis who spent 4 charts (8 weeks) atop with “Beat Drop”.  Javi’s gorgeous “Situation” slides up 4-3, while “Acapella” by Kelis (who looks like she will be touring with Robyn) looks like a future #1 as it moves up 12-5.

Our favourite new and Florida-based piano man, Clayton Senne, soars 10-6 with the rollicking “Wonderland”, while long-lasting songs by BT (“Suddenly”) and Vampire Weekend (“Cousins”) continue to rise within the Top 10.  And there he is again – the emotional centrepiece to our Boy Robot’s same titled mixtape, “8-bit Heart”, is the fastest riser on the chart, moving 21-10 for Simon Curtis.

In a competitive mid-chart, songs by Mika, Christina Aguilera, Mike Posner, Fabio Lendrum, and Matt Morris either get stuck or hold for two more weeks until other songs above begin to tumble.  This leaves last week’s remaining debuts by Justin Nozuka, The Gossip, and Ryan Star to all rise 6 positions on the chart and stake their claims!

Back to those debuts.  They comprise a bright and shiny mix of electronica, dance, pop/rap, and power pop.  Bright Light Bright Light is really Welsh singer/songwriter/producer/remixer Rod Thomas, who is getting a lot of attention in the BlogVerse (brought to my attention by Paul at MyFizzyPop) with the 80’s post-new wave vibe of “A New Word To Say”, which debuts at #24 (you can hear the song at the top of the page and can download it from the BrightLightx2 official site when you subscribe to Rod’s newsletter).  Next up, Holland’s Armin Van Buuren never fails to disappoint every few years with an intense brand of emotional electronica that is rarely found elsewhere.  Teaming with vocalist VanVelzen, who has a beautifully imperfect voice with great range, his latest is “Broken Tonight” at #25 (see the video at the bottom of the page).  Just on sheer personality alone, my fellow Canadian Drake’s “Over” has immense appeal and it debuts at #26.  And this past week saw the digital release of Evan Taubenfeld’s Welcome To The Blacklist Club, which opens with his latest single “Pumpkin Pie”, which I blogged about previously and now debuts at #27.