Hurts - Moscow

"Romance and perfect sex"

Technically this isn't a Hurts song. It's one of Daggers' old demos. But since a large chunk of Daggers are now Hurts, I'm relabeling it for clarification's sake. Hurts' impending success in Europe is a little bittersweet for me. I love them and am counting the days until their album's out, but I also loved Daggers. In fact, even though the band never released a proper album (besides the album-and-a-half worth of polished demo tracks and a single), I can genuinely say they're in my top ten bands of the decade. Hurts is more atmospheric and somber in nature than Daggers ever was, and it'll be interesting to see how that plays out. As far as Daggers' material, Moscow is the closing "bonus" track on my album playlist. It shares a lot of similarities with Hurts' sound when it comes to atmospherics, though its weird spacey beat places it in a category unto itself... sort of a transitional phase between Daggers and Hurts (which makes me wonder what year it was produced). It's also nearly six minutes long, though it hardly feels like it. Each phase of the song, from the extended, blippy intro to the dark verses, soaring chorus and catchy synth refrain, compliments what comes before and after perfectly. It's not the most instant or anthemic song in their catalog (there are too many others to choose from, really), but it's one that'll stick with you. I doubt whether there'll be something like this on the album, but I'm glad it exists at all!

Hurts - Moscow by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Mark Ronson - Bang Bang Bang (ft. Q-Tip & MNDR)

"Je te plumerai la, tete"

Okay, it's not as though this song isn't well-known already (in fact, it's been flirting with the UK top five for a couple of weeks now). But, when a single is this good, I feel a certain responsibility to spread it around to any who may not have heard it. And the truth is, I was somewhat of a late-comer to Bang Bang Bang. I was not a huge fan of Mark Ronson's first album so I was expecting more of the same from his new work. I was totally wrong, as he's ditched the retro sounds in favor of something brighter, weirder and far more current. Once I heard BBB, I was completely hooked. I'd actually go as far as saying that this is the most addictive (best?) pop/hip-hop hybrid since Outkast's Hey Ya! back in 2003. Like that track, this one's built on a simple (yet mind-bendingly catchy) hook and decorated with a bunch of funky, quirky gobbledygook (it's really the best descriptor I can use!). And also like that track, I predict that this will become a global hit and Mark Ronson's American breakthrough, if they choose to release it here. Be sure to search out the music video, too. It's one of the year's best.

Mark Ronson - Bang Bang Bang (ft. Q-Tip & MNDR) by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

The You Know Who - Dance Tonight

"Only feel alive when I hit the floor"

Some of the greatest pop songs have been written about dancing. The two go hand-in-hand naturally. A reader sent me this track (highly encouraged, by the way!) and I absolutely love it. The instrumentation is pure synth bliss with a driving rock beat behind it (think The Sounds mixed with The Pipettes) and the vocals remind me of that female singer from the 90's group Len (remember them? I hope they finally found their sunshine). The hook-laden, "that's a mouthful" verses barrel towards a chorus that seems simple and a bit boring at first but reveals itself as something quite mighty after a few repetitions. It's got a hint of that "tears on the dancefloor" shtick that artists like Robyn have mastered, though the music is far more sunny and bright and organic. This is definitely a top choice for long summer drives while the weather's still nice. Oh, and by the way, the rest of their music is brilliant as well.

The You Know Who - Dance Tonight by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to more here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Michael Paynter - Love The Fall

"I risked it all"

Wouldn't this have made the perfect Adam Lambert single? His soaring vocals on the chorus (especially that end bit) would have "hit" written all over it. As it stands, Australia's Michael Paynter does a great job with this, with some help from fellow Aussies The Veronicas on backing vocals. In fact, he even looks a little like Lambert in some pictures (ie: the one above). This kind of radio pop/rock can be very dull and forgettable, and to be honest this song flirts with that. But then there's the chorus. A song like this lives or dies on a gutsy, memorable chorus. And bolstered by its anthemic hook, this is shaping up to be nice-sized hit Down Under. It's also the kind of song I can picture doing pretty well stateside. There's an almost orchestral urgency to the track (especially in the middle eight) and Paynter's vocals are really something. Given the right song, I can imagine his voice being absolutely stunning.

Michael Paynter - Love The Fall by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Kiss In Cities - U R My Girl

"We're living in a warrior's world"

I don't know how I missed this when it was released last year. It's exactly my thing--energetic synth-pop with an emphasis on catchy hooks. Plus, I dig the subject matter of this song. It's not something that I can instantly relate to, but the lyrics are the kind that don't show up often in the pop world--an ode to sisterhood. More importantly than that, though, is the ridiculously addictive melody. It apes the sound of the mid-80's to absolute perfection. You could travel back in time, turn on the radio, and hear this without it sounding out of place at all. More than that, it's got "#1 hit" written all over it. Unfortunately, pop radio's gotten a lot less innocent since that time. Be sure to check out their other songs as well (especially Colours), because they're of uniformly high quality.

Kiss In Cities - U R My Girl by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Listen to more here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.