When Borders went out of business a couple years ago I had myself a bit of a feeding frenzy when the entire stock of CDs went on sale for 75% off. Among the dozens of records that I bought was the self-titled U.S. debut by Oh Land. It looked interesting. And before you say it, yes, I still judge CDs (and books) by their covers. The album itself was filled with smart and catchy electro-pop tunes sung with a dreamy wonder (almost reminiscent of Regina Spektor, but without the quirky vocal phrasings). Well she (yes, Oh Land is the stage name for Danish singer/songwriter Nanna Øland Fabricius) recently released her latest album Wish Bone which I'm looking forward to checking out, especially after hearing the too cool first single Pyromaniac. Here's the video.
08 October 2013
07 October 2013
7 October 2013 - Cobra Starship - Good Girls Go Bad (feat. Leighton Meester)
Their first hit single, featuring a Gossip Girl star (who really did play a good girl gone bad) (and has been here before), Cobra Starship are fun and interesting and exciting.
And clearly have a club complete with a craps table in their industrial freezer. Why are they giving club goers actual packs of meat? And how are the cops getting in and still people are able to flee? That's a pretty narrow staircase....
And clearly have a club complete with a craps table in their industrial freezer. Why are they giving club goers actual packs of meat? And how are the cops getting in and still people are able to flee? That's a pretty narrow staircase....
03 October 2013
3 October 2013 - HAIM - The Wire
The hype machine has certainly been working overtime for California indie poppers HAIM. I've been hearing about them for months, which was beyond me since their debut album Days Are Gone came out this Monday (I do see now that they released a couple EPs last year, but how often do bands get so much press for an EP?). Well, I finally caved in earlier this week and checked out a few of their songs. I like them. They sound like a cross between Bananarama and Wilson Phillips . . . or I should say, a hip version of those 80s and 90s hit makers.
02 October 2013
2 October 2013 - Sky Ferreira - You're Not The One
You know what we don't have enough of on this blog?
Young women doing pop/electronic music.
Sky Ferriera is another new artist playing in that genre. But her music, while clearly electronic. has elements of pure rock. She's released two EPs of solid material so far, and finally has a full length album coming 29 October. The first single from this new album is our post today - it's a darkly poppy song with a hard undertone.
By the way, watch the whole video for the really dark and slightly gross ending.
Young women doing pop/electronic music.
Sky Ferriera is another new artist playing in that genre. But her music, while clearly electronic. has elements of pure rock. She's released two EPs of solid material so far, and finally has a full length album coming 29 October. The first single from this new album is our post today - it's a darkly poppy song with a hard undertone.
By the way, watch the whole video for the really dark and slightly gross ending.
01 October 2013
1 October 2013 - Grouplove - Ways To Go
How is it possible that we haven't done a Grouplove post here at Wicked Guilty Pleasures? I figured one of us would have hit upon their ubiquitous hit Tongue Tied at some point. Nope. I guess it's up to me to once again save the day. I'm used to it.
Grouplove's latest album Spreading Rumours came out a couple weeks ago. I haven't had a chance to listen to yet but I imagine it will be just as effervescent as their debut Never Trust A Happy Song. The first single Ways To Go certainly brings the indie pop joy. The video's kind of kooky too.
Grouplove's latest album Spreading Rumours came out a couple weeks ago. I haven't had a chance to listen to yet but I imagine it will be just as effervescent as their debut Never Trust A Happy Song. The first single Ways To Go certainly brings the indie pop joy. The video's kind of kooky too.
30 September 2013
30 September 2013 - Belle and Sebastian - Step Into My Office, Baby
Ah, the ultimate ode to office harassment....
Seriously, this Welsh folky group came up with a creative way to communicate the complexity of inter-office romance, using as many double entendres as possible. And it's a riot, complete with appropriate horns.
Seriously, this Welsh folky group came up with a creative way to communicate the complexity of inter-office romance, using as many double entendres as possible. And it's a riot, complete with appropriate horns.
27 September 2013
27 September 2013 - Charli XCX - Superlove
Yesterday - 26 September 2013 - Charli XCX released her new video to YouTube. And since then, it's been on heavy rotation in my office. Which mean that, even though I was quite cognizant of the fact that I've posted an awful lot of Charli XCX over the last few months (and Scott posted one, too, but that song was popularly misbilled.....), I knew what I had to do.
It's a public service.
To be fair, it was not expected - the single, the first off her second album, isn't out until 1 December on iTunes (unless it gets moved up like I think it will), and she just released her excellent debut album in April. But it's just SO GOOD!!!! Not nearly as dark as anything off the first album - or even as much as "I Love It (I Don't Care)" - yeah, I said it! - she still shows off her electronic pop chops and a love of minor chords.
If I'm being totally honest, Charli XCX is clearly heavily influenced by (onetime collaborator and close friend) Marina and the Diamonds. Gee, we like that electronic grunge-pop music on here, don't we?
I was serious when I said they collaborated...... Now tell me where Charli stops and Marina starts. It's hard to tell in parts.
UPDATE: (30 September 2013): This post has been so hugely popular - about twice as much as any prior - that I added some bonus footage. Here is Charli performing this song, live. I was a little surprised to see this already. The biggest surprise: the performance is from September 20th, a full week before the video was released.
UPDATE: (28 June 2014). Yes, I am updating this post. Because I am, for the time being, denying the existence of "Boom Clap". And this performance from "The Fault In Our Stars" premiere is brilliant without losing the energy of the song.
It's a public service.
To be fair, it was not expected - the single, the first off her second album, isn't out until 1 December on iTunes (unless it gets moved up like I think it will), and she just released her excellent debut album in April. But it's just SO GOOD!!!! Not nearly as dark as anything off the first album - or even as much as "I Love It (I Don't Care)" - yeah, I said it! - she still shows off her electronic pop chops and a love of minor chords.
If I'm being totally honest, Charli XCX is clearly heavily influenced by (onetime collaborator and close friend) Marina and the Diamonds. Gee, we like that electronic grunge-pop music on here, don't we?
I was serious when I said they collaborated...... Now tell me where Charli stops and Marina starts. It's hard to tell in parts.
UPDATE: (30 September 2013): This post has been so hugely popular - about twice as much as any prior - that I added some bonus footage. Here is Charli performing this song, live. I was a little surprised to see this already. The biggest surprise: the performance is from September 20th, a full week before the video was released.
UPDATE: (28 June 2014). Yes, I am updating this post. Because I am, for the time being, denying the existence of "Boom Clap". And this performance from "The Fault In Our Stars" premiere is brilliant without losing the energy of the song.
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