The Side Eyes - "I Don't Want To Go To School"

Some of us have the misfortune of painfully waiting out the clock during the day in one form or another. We've been doing it for most our lives dating back around the time when school became less fun and no longer about finger painting. There's no legitimate reason in this song that would pass muster as to why not going to school is a smart choice. It's all about that unbridled burst of exasperation, however brief, of not wanting to be somewhere you're told you have to be. It's a pretty glorious burst on record here actually, with verses that frantically build up at a SoCal pop punk pace to the borderline tantrum of the chorus, slowed down to a near-sludge so that the bemoaning "I don't wanna go to school/I don't wanna use my brain" becomes a call-to-arms to for the disenfranchised to stay in bed all morning and roam the streets during the night.





You can pre-order The Side Eyes' debut cassette EP here.

The Internet feat. KAYTRANADA - "Girl"

Syd Tha Kyd's voice is one of the most underrated instruments on the music scene today. Its fragility is so relatable because it sounds like it's coming from a timid person that will likely retreat back into their cocoon after they've said what they've had to say. For a lot of people, the general appeal in vocalists can sometimes be that the confidence they display also provide a window of escape from the monotony of life. They share feelings that we only fantasize about sharing and for that, they take up space in our hearts and our playlists. Syd's voice isn't overpowering, but her vulnerability has an incredible amount of sex appeal. It's especially true on "Girl," a slab of cosmic soul coated in molasses with a bubbling bass practically fit for slow, gyrating limbs. The tenderness on display here serves as a reality check that as deeply as some of us might desire something, the most that we can usually muster up is a whisper. Thankfully, few can whisper like The Internet.

Charlie Belle - "Shake You Off"

With all the members of Charlie Belle still being in their teens, it's only fitting that their music reminds me of a time when I was a younger listener more in tune with the purity of a message and more open-minded in my embrace. I can still do it as an adult, but it was certainly much easier as a kid that wasn't as preoccupied with the cynicism of trends. Indie pop is a term that has been slowly disappearing from the landscape for sometime now as the focus of online music criticism has practically shifted its attention towards R&B influenced sounds and the DIY alternative phase of the mid-90s when it comes to rock. What's so endearing about "Shake You Off" is that it exists in its own bubble outside of the trends of the world and these three kids from Austin are simply making the music that sounds best to them, which existed during the late 90s and early 2000s. It covers some of the same ground that a lot of great twee rock from that era did, which often placed itself sonically and thematically in the mindset of adolescence and childhood with a heavy dose of wonderment. That makes a lot of sense as to why this song is so charming since Charlie Belle didn't have to journey back in time too far to go that place.





To purchase Charlie Belle's Get To Know EP, visit their Bandcamp page.

Gunakadeit - "After School Special"

This guy in the video gets it. Sometimes you hear a marimba and you just have to lip-synch yourself into a frenzy on the beach. "After School Special" lends itself pretty easily to such hysterics. That slight tropical feel during the chorus ups the giddy factor considerably even as the song details a teacher-student infatuation that flirts with the inappropriate. Much like "South" before it, Natasha Kozily's harmonies brightly burst through with a sweetness that belies its dark material. It's pure pop music with some muscle and a freewheeling nature.



For more info on Gunakadeit, you can go to the official website here.

Pharrell Williams - "It Girl" music video

I gave a spin recently to Pharrell Williams' G I R L album after not playing it for a few months. When it got to the final track, "It Girl," the imagery for the recently released video couldn't escape my mind, which is pretty rare for me. I love the language of music videos and all of the life-altering moments that they have brought me, but I think that it is more truer and organic when you can connect with a song and create your own imagery, thus strengthening that thing we are sometimes forced to make weaker as we get older called imagination. I'm not quite sure how I feel about the video for "It Girl," but I can't stop looking at it. It's a digital rainbow amalgamation of anime and 16-bit video games that flirts with overkill, all set to the unlikely sounds of relaxing funk and R&B, but is eye-catching nonetheless (and I'm all for Genki Rockets' "Heavenly Star" being referenced to American viewers). There have been dalliances between mainstream artists and video games before (some examples are Redman's "Da Goodness" and Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Californication"), yet I feel like "It Girl" is one of the first from someone with a high profile to embrace gamer and anime culture in a way that feels authentic and respectful to its core audience (for what it's worth, I consider Junior Senior's "Move Your Feet" the apex of music and video games). After this video and Kanye West's "Good Morning," I would love to see Takashi Murakami (who produced "It Girl," Mr. and Fantasia Utamaro directed) add his distinct style to more videos for hip hop and R&B artists and not just those that are afraid to embrace their inner nerd. The nods to Tecmo cutscenes, blinking credits and extended shots of "gameplay" may only excite a select few, which makes it pretty notable that someone with a hit album on a major label went as hardcore as this video did.

One Direction - "Steal My Girl"

With school gymnasiums and slumber parties already proven as certified venues for songs of adolescent longing and buoyant dance beats, One Direction has turned a slightly unexpected eye toward the arena with this latest song. It seems like a logical step after their flirtations with power pop on Midnight Memories, but considering where they started, it might be a bit hard to swallow for casual followers. Complete with reverberating drums and classic "na na na na's", "Steal My Girl" is the heavy, anthemic sound of smalltown teenage dreams that existed in a time where getting a car with a cassette player was a rite of passage.

Go Home Productions - "Prototype (USSR) (The Beatles vs. Outkast)"

Mark Vidler, AKA Go Home Productions, has been in the mash-up game for so long that he's pretty much outgrown the genre that had its boon in the early 2000s. What I've always loved about his work is how he forgoes the novelty factor that can be so tempting in mash-ups in exchange for something with more depth and emotion. Not to say that his stuff can't reach joy-inducing heights, but the appeal lies in more than just the comfort that comes with the familiarity of certain songs, but in the execution of it all. It's all so fluid that once you've gotten over the initial curiosity of songs from two separate genres being mixed together, it holds as something that could organically come about in a world where time machines existed. "Prototype (USSR)", which combines Outkast and The Beatles is another great example of how Go Home Productions operates, turning Paul McCartney's vocals--vocals which are forever associated with a rollicking background--into something refreshing and surprisingly tender with the help of "Prototype"'s syrupy funk. McCartney's cadence fits into a sort of double-time delivery that has been the norm in R&B for the past 15 years, providing us with something that's unquestionably modern with the most traditional of parts.



Go Home Productions: Prototype (USSR) (The... by gohomeproductions

You can download Go Home Productions' latest album, Spliced Krispies Vol. 2 from his website and also check out the videos for each song on his YouTube account.

Lulu James - "Sweetest Thing"

British singer Lulu James has been releasing slinky, sensuous singles for about a year now, with work such as "Be Safe" and "Closer" that is as visually distinct as anyone in the pop world is doing right now. Her latest track, "Sweetest Thing," is certainly memorable on the eyes as well, with a dark backdrop and bright lights to provide contrast, but the record itself is my favorite of hers so far. There's a fluidity to James' songs that gives off a very soulful effect and that side of her is further embraced here and also happens to share a kinship with the electronically hushed atmospheres of mid-1980s R&B along the lines of The Commodores' "Nightshift" and Gregory Abbott's "Shake You Down." There are obviously more modern influences at play here, but whenever I hear James hit those "ohh ahhs" during the chorus, I'm put in the same mind frame of an old Patti LaBelle or Tina Turner ad-lib, circa 1985. By drawing on the past and current trends, "Sweetest Thing" has arrived just in time to provide the perfect soundtrack for that bit of warmth and human company we all long for during the winter months.

Bunji Garlin feat. Nigel Rojas - "Differentology"

If there is any justice in the pop world, this song would become a summer anthem in the United States. By enlisting familiar seasonal sounds such as Chicago house, soca, Spanish guitar and a shout-along chorus, "Differentology" embodies summer with a combination of genres that were meant to unify the masses in the most festive of ways. It's fitting that the song itself is so communal in its goal of achieving a good time, which would make it ideal for an array of advertisements. Like the best backyard barbecues, "Differentology" offers a little something for everyone.

Alpine - "Gasoline" & KING - "In The Meantime"

It's only been four months into 2013, but I think I may have already found two of my favorite songs of the year.

Alpine - "Gasoline"

Since I came across this about a month ago, I haven't been able to let go of how much this song reminds me of Little Dragon. I kept picturing a world where they didn't sound as sinister and the keyboards had a bit more bounce to it. The result would likely be "Gasoline." It's deceptively chipper and doesn't sound anything like you would expect longing to, especially the way the lead singer delivers the word "night time" during the chorus, which feels naive and flirtatious at the same time.




KING - "In The Meantime"

Another song that's been in constant rotation is the latest single from KING, who I've been very high on in the past. It's a subtly potent display of quiet storm seductiveness filled with the typical warmth that these ladies bring. I'm not sure how often I've used "warm" to describe their sound, but I can't think of a better way to put it. From the vocals to the production, KING makes some of the coziest, lulling music right now, and I mean that in every positive way.

Sofia Talvik - "Everyone's Favourite Concubine"

It's not that I'm a fan of most Swedish artists because they take on American genres I find favor with, but more so how they approach them. I feel that sometimes for such a decidedly American creation as folk and its long association as being music for the thinking man, there is more pressure as an American to create something that lives up to the sound of its predecessors and that sentiment can be all too obvious to the listener at times. That feeling doesn't come across when listening to Sofia Talvik's latest album, The Owls Are Not What They Seem. There is an effortless emphasis on melody that is influenced by the past, but never indebted to it. On "Everybody's Favorite Concubine," Talvik delicately glides along in a sparse setting that throws a few nods to the 60s and is relaxed in the way in it conveys emotion. Once the background vocals softly come in, everything's extra creamy.


"Everyone's Favorite Concubine"


Sofia will be on my show, Noteworthy, on UIC Radio this evening at 5:30 CST to talk about her latest album and the upcoming shows she has in the Chicago area:

Jul. 23: Elbo Room
Jul. 26: Swedish American Museum
Jul. 27: Cornucopia Coffee Company (Valparaiso, IN)
Jul. 28: Uncommon Ground on Devon

Click here to buy The Owls Are Not What They Seem.

Doctor L - "The Mistery Travels"

The first thing that came to my mind when I heard this track was how much it sounded like Antibalas, who coincidentally enough appear on Doctor L's latest album, The Great Depression. The basic rhythm and foundation are present enough to easily identify it as afrobeat, but with a higher fidelity there's no mistaking it's a current release. Regardless of what time it came from, "Mistery Travels" still evokes a dusty presence reminiscent of the past. The major difference comes from the ghostly textures sprinkled throughout that emphasize some of the jazzier leanings in the genre. It's like walking through a jungle, but instead of mist, there are clouds of smoke casually wafting around.



To download the track, click here, and you can also buy The Great Depression at Amazon.

Rebecca Ferguson - "Nothing's Real But Love"

Although it hasn't even been a full year since the release of Adele's 21, the success of that album may have already paved the way for Rebecca Ferguson's debut effort, Heaven, who also happens to be British. A few years ago, a track like "Nothing's Real But Love" might have been seen as something strictly for the Starbucks crowd due to its traditional sound and the lack of frills, but the demographic for this type of music has certainly expanded since then. The comparisons to Adele end there as I think Ferguson's voice has more grit to it and could easily lend itself naturally to some Stax/rock fusion. It's that extra bit of smokiness that makes everything here feel so pained, which is why I've been playing it a lot recently. Her voice is as distinct as they come and I'm betting she'll probably be huge if the album makes it here to the States.



Click here to visit her official website.

Little Jackie - "Time of Your Life" & "Cryin' For The Queen"

After only being available digitally since the summer, Little Jackie's second album, Made4TV, was finally released on CD a few weeks ago. It's encouraging because I think that a physical release causes a bit more hype and I firmly believe that the duo of Imani Coppola and Adam Pallin should already have a few songs on the Hot 100 under their belt by now. Made4TV picks up where The Stoop left off—which by the way, was one of my favorite albums from last decade—and continues to perfect their approach of marrying sunny hip hop beats with Motown-esque melodies. One of the highlights, "Time of Your Life," is a colorful track about taking a chance on love that feels youthful, but not wide-eyed. Coppola has always played the role of streetwise girl pretty well, so whenever she applies that same wit to a song that allows her heart to open up, she creates something that feels like its overjoyed with love without coming off as sappy.

Time Of Your Life (click here to download)



During the summer of 2008, The Stoop was my daily soundtrack. It was bright pop music filled with an attitude and its short running time made it easy to squeeze into my listening schedule. I still go back to it very often, especially now with the release of Little Jackie's latest album. One of the easiest ways to tell if I love an album is how often my favorite song changes. Sometimes it's "Black Barbie." For a while it was "The World Should Revolve Around Me." On many days, and as of right now, it has been "Cryin' For The Queen." Right out the gate, the song is gleefully profane and confident as Coppola chops down an entitled diva (I interpreted it as Amy Winehouse). It's a stretch to call this song hardcore, but from a pop perspective everything is blistering from the horns to Coppola's delivery.

Cryin' For The Queen (click here to download)



To download Made4TV from Little Jackie's Bandcamp website, click here and to buy The Stoop from Amazon, click here.

Betty Black - "Spring Blossoms"/Kudu - "Let's Finish" & "Physical World"

Kudu's 2006 Death Of The Party is an album that remains in constant rotation for me and is often played on those weekend nights when I'm getting ready to go out to a party or dancing. With some booze and company, it could almost be a fitting substitute for a night out if you decided to stay in, as it's already a practical journey through NYC's underground with electronic nods to ESG and Blondie thrown in. Even though the album has nicely filled a niche in my life, like most artists that I enjoy I'm usually left clamoring for new material. It now appears that 2011 will see my wishes come true as they are slated to release a follow-up album under their new moniker Art World Killer, but not before vocalist Sylvia Gordon churns out a trilogy of EPs as her alter ego, Betty Black.

Part of what makes Kudu/Art World Killer so unique is the diversity of Gordon, who seems to be one of the few contemporary female vocalists that uses Siouxsie Sioux as a reference point. On "Spring Blossoms," which will be on the upcoming Slow Dance, Gordon continues to retain the Goth stylings that influenced her youth to an enchanting and subdued use. The sound of Betty Black is centered around 50's girl groups and meant to evoke David Lynch films, according to Gordon, and that description is pretty spot-on. The relative sparseness of songs such as The Shirelles' "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" and The Ronettes' "You, Baby," along with countless others from that era, have their blueprint all over this track, but with an added tinge of darkness.

"Spring Blossoms"


To listen to more songs from Betty Black, head on over to her Bandcamp website. Slow Dance will be released through iTunes on June 28.

White Shoes & The Couples Company - "Sans Titre" & "Matahari"

White Shoes and The Couples Company are one of my favorite current groups going right now. They hail from Indonesia and thrive on a sunny, jazzy sound with shades of American pop from the 1960s. Their second album, Album Vakansi, which was released late last year in their native country but as of now doesn't have U.S. distribution, takes more chances than its predecessor by playing heavily on the jazzier aspects of their sound. I'll always hold their debut album in very high regard due to its ability to instantly brighten my mood, but here are a few tracks from their latest one which I've been constantly repeating.

"Sans Titre" marks a departure for the band as it's their first record to be sung in neither Indonesian or English, but in French. It's also the most eerie that the band has sounded, with theremin-like sounds floating in the background and a few other experimental touches that wouldn't be out of place in the world of trip-hop. It also happens to be one of their most delicate-sounding songs as well.

"Sans Titre"


Click here to download.


"Matahari" falls more in line of what one would expect of White Shoes and The Couples Company. The song gives off a bright feeling that's reminiscent of spring and is another showcase for the musical ability of the group, which I sometimes tend to gloss over when basking in the melodies. I'd be interested to know who some of their influences were as far as the world of jazz and if they're fans of any other kind of world music since I definitely hear some West African guitar picking going on here.

"Matahari"


Click here to download.

KING - "The Story"

The debut EP from KING has been one of the more pleasant discoveries so far in 2011. All three songs from The Story showcase a fresh, new R&B trio not confined to just relying on aesthetic and groove, but heavily focusing on the intricacies of songwriting and arrangement. I get a sense of enchantment when listening to their songs that I can't quite put a finger on. Part of me thinks it has something do with two of the members being twins and that somehow enhances their musical communication. My favorite track from them is "The Story," which has traces of an Oriental melody and a lite synth sound that is reminiscent of some of Prince's sensual moments. Although this is their first release, I'm hoping to hear more of those electronic textures from them in the future because it seems to be their strong suit and part of what makes them so unique.



You can buy the EP from Amazon for just $2.97 by clicking here. Also, the video, which they crafted by hand by themselves, is as cute as buttons and has been making me smile for about a month now.

Kinky Notti - "100 Pieces"

There are a few of Kinky Notti's songs that I'm absolutely over the moon about, but "100 Pieces" gets the most play from me, hands down. It falls right in line with the sexy atmosphere of their debut album, Succumb, but this track steps further away from the R&B/hip hop hybrid that dominates their sound and is decidedly more eerie and subtle. There's a Prince vibe in the way that the guitars are used to bring sensuality to a pop song, but the bass and drums keep things sinister and serve as a reminder that if this song is playing, you should be making your way around 3rd base by now. It sounds like nothing else that's coming out of Chicago right now.



Download the song here and buy Succumb on Bandcamp here They also recently released a video for the title track to Succumb a few weeks ago. Warning: not safe for work.

Sonnymoon - "Soular"

Sonnymoon is an electronic duo based out of Boston who recently signed to Plug Research, the Los Angeles label responsible for the latest releases by Bilal and Quadron. They self-released their debut album, Golden Age on Christmas last year, way after I made my year-end list, which pretty much ensures that they'll make it this year. The album is excellent all around but "Soular" for me is one of the standouts. It's a subdued but rubbery track that showcases the group's more playful side amidst an album that's heavy on atmospheric, experimental hip hop sounds mixed with hazy melodies. "Soular" is more immediate but no less enjoyable. It also serves as a proper introduction to how Sonnymoon perceive themselves, which is as artists who specialize in making music meant for another solar system. Listening to this track, it certainly feels like it could have come from outer space, or at least something Esthero would have created after landing on Mars.



Download the album here, which the group offered up for free or if that link doesn't work any more, you can also listen to the rest of the album streaming here and also pay $5 for it.

Tilly and the Wall - "Chandelier Lake"

It's songs like this that remind me why Tilly and the Wall remain one of my favorite current bands going. You can call them cutesy or whatever, but their pop intuitions are nothing but serious business. While their latest album, o, doesn't have as many magical moments as their 2006 effort, Bottoms of Barrels, there is still plenty of that Tilly and the Wall charm to go around and the evolution of their sound will still make it worth your time. The first album, Wild Like Children, established their trademark sound, relying heavily on Jamie Presnall's tap dancing as the percussion and a minimal splattering of acoustic guitars, pianos and harmonies. Bottoms of Barrels, a top 10 album for me in '06, added a fuller sound, bringing more bottom and live drums to the mix. o sees Tilly and the Wall sounding more like a traditional rock band than it ever has, with its heavy use of distorted guitars and live drums on nearly every track. The tap dancing is still there, but it's no longer the backbone of the group. "Chandelier Lake" shows that they can still excite and remain unique with their expanded sound. It has all the elements that've made the group so beloved in the first place. Of course, the tap dancing is there, but what I've always loved about its use in the group is that it never comes off as gimmicky. The arrangements add to the music without taking too much attention away from the song, which is all you can ask for of any musician of any sort. And what would a great Tilly song be without twee harmonies and a sunny chorus? On paper, it may not seem any different than your average Tilly song, but the heavy guitars provide an exuberance and energy that hasn't been seen in their catalogue yet. It makes you smile, but instead of simply tapping your feet, it makes you want to bounce from side to side.


Tilly and the Wall - "Chandelier Lake"

To buy the CD, vinyl or MP3 of o from Insound, click here