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Friday, March 23, 2007

Some Big Alienhits News for the Weekend!

Yes, folks... it is rather large, for me at least. In two weeks I will be relocating to the U.K. for three months and possibly longer if things pan out the way I want them to. I'll reassure you now that this won't affect the blog, except perhaps a little during the transition time. Unlike last time I went overseas, though, I plan to keep everything up and running and (hopefully) still be able to offer daily posts. In fact, if it's anything like my last trip, my music discoveries will absolutely explode. There's just so much over in Europe that trumps the American drivel we're fed from day-to-day.

One wonderful thing about the timing of this move is that I get to go back to Sweden for a few days and will be in Stockholm when The Ark's new cd is released! That's pretty much as close to heaven as I can imagine!
The Attic - Remember Tomorrow




“She makes me remember tomorrow"

Fresh off the heels of their Melodifestivalen entry, Swedish dance duo The Attic has rereleased their debut album with a different tracklisting (about half the album is new) and a different title. They've greatly improved upon the original (look for a review eventually), and part of the reason is a greater variety of tracks. There is at least one more massive hit in waiting (which, along with their current hit The Arrival, features Therese on vocals), but that's not what I'm posting today. Instead, I'm posting the title track. It is, despite the band's club background, a rock/pop song. There are several tracks on the new album that for all intents and purposes are rock/pop rather than dance, and it really improves the record as a whole. Remember Tomorrow is catchy as hell, even in its silliness, and is fittingly dramatic. More importantly, it marks a new direction I'm happy that the band is exploring a bit more of.

mp3: The Attic - Remember Tomorrow
zshare: The Attic - Remember Tomorrow

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

Thursday, March 22, 2007

I am absolutely OBSSESSED with this right now. Come on, how incredibly ballsy is this guy?

Hail Social - Heaven

“I bet every night I'm on your mind"

Dayve Hawk, the lead singer behind Philadelpia's Hail Social, has been gifted with a flawless pop voice. The band's smooth BeeGees meets Hall & Oates sound perfectly compliments it and is a welcome departure from most current bands. I think if you like Under The Influence Of Giants (another alienhits fav), you'll love this band. They are perhaps a little more downtempo, but all of the elements are there for a fantastic band in the making. Heaven is especially catchy, a perfect trifle for late nights under the stars or a disco shuffle on the dancefloor. Its building melody will sneak up on you.

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

La Concorde - Here Comes The Knight



“We've been here before, chasing down dreams"

File La Concorde under the growing list of bands that I need to hear more from. They teased us with the Surferosa-esque electro punk of Here Comes The Knight a year or so ago along with their pleasingly glamorous image, but have not done anything since. Their website has been under construction for what seems like forever, yet they do still log into myspace so they are alive and working on new material. That's a good thing, because their sound is excellent. Knight is propelled by a wicked synth riff (sounding quite like it was yanked right off of a Don Juan Dracula album) and choppy, energy fueled verses. More please.

mp3: La Concorde - Here Comes The Knight
zshare: La Concorde - Here Comes The Knight

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Visit the band's myspace here)

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

The Alpine - Adrian (Rocky Remix by jACK)



“So let me just hang with you"

Hopefully many of you took my advice and purchased my #3 album of 2006, On Feel Trips by Danish band The Alpine. It is amazing, and what's even more amazing is that the band, to mark the album's one year anniversary, has asked others to remix some of their tracks and post them on mymusic.dk to download for free! Personally, I'm all about bands that are willing to do things like this (i.e. ones who care about their fans). There are some great remixes up, but one of my favorite is this rocky remix of Adrian. Incorporating a VERY well known guitar riff right off the bat, if you've heard the original version of Adrian, you'll notice the many interesting changes and choices the remixer has made. If not, you've got to go listen to the original, as well as all of the other songs by this fantastic new band!!

mp3: The Alpine - Adrian (Rocky Remix by jACK)
zshare: The Alpine - Adrian (Rocky Remix by jACK)

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

Monday, March 19, 2007

Jann Wilde & Rose Avenue - Lover Lover Lover



“Lover, lover, lover, lover, lover... I want you!"

There are some bands where I can listen to maybe ten to twenty seconds of their stuff and I'm already an instant fan. I don't know how I didn't discover Jann Wilde & Rose Avenue sooner. Perhaps it's because they're from Finland, and I (quite unjustly) often forget about Finland because of all the snooze inducing "death" rock that they churn out. Mr. Wilde couldn't be further from that genre. Instead, he's inspired directly by the glam rock of my favorite band, The Ark. Strutting around the stage completely made up like a peacock, he's got charisma to spare and it shows in his songwriting. He's like Ola Salo's little brother or something (and check out this meeting [click on Jann Wilde tapasi suosikkinsa, The Ark-yhtyeen Ola Salon] of the two for a very father-son sort of vibe). The band competed in Finland's version of Melodifestivalen with the wonderful Rock'n'Roll Dreams, but ultimately didn't make it to the end. It's a shame. Lover Lover Lover is even better. Sure, it's only got a few lyrics, but it is so instant and catchy that you'll hardly notice. Expect an album review soon.

mp3: Jann Wilde & Rose Avenue - Lover Lover Lover
zshare: Jann Wilde & Rose Avenue - Lover Lover Lover

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here)

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Sweden's Eurovision EP

Given my continued excitement about The Ark making it to Eurovision (and no, I won't be posting their winning song, but you can hear it here), I wanted to compile a short list of Sweden's Eurovision entries from the past six years. It's mostly cheesy euro-pop, my favorites being the Afro-Dite and Friends tracks, though you definitely have to be in the right mood! Carola, however, was a very dull choice last year in my opinion.

2001: Friends - Listen To Your Heartbeat
2002: Afro-Dite - Never Let It Go
2003: Fame - Give Me Your Love
2004: Lena Philipsson - It Hurts
2005: Martin Stenmarck - Las Vegas
2006: Carola - Invincible