Random Pop Musings

Random Musing #1 - Kylie's Craptastic US Campaign

After months of fucking about, Kylie's US label will finally release "X" on the 1st of April. I was hoping for a completely revised edition of "X" with exclusive bonus tracks and new artwork. Obviously that involved too much effort because the only change to the tracklist is the addition of "All I See" featuring Mims. Speaking of Kylie's urban opus, "All I See" will now be serviced to US radio on the 15th of April - two weeks after the album is released. That means "X" will be released without a lead single and basically no promotion. Kylie has apparently put aside two whole days (48 long hours) to promote the album in the US! Help Kylie score a number 137 Billboard smash hit by pre-ordering your copy here!

Random Musing #2 - It's Deni Time!

My homegirl Deni Hines made the papers this week for all the wrong reasons. It seems Dohnyale abused cheerleaders at a Sydney Kings basketball game, screaming "Get your fucking shit out of my face"! Read about Deni's debacle here. In the wake of that stunning development, another newspaper reported that Deni almost ruined Ricki-Lee's wedding by kicking her band off stage, declaring that it was "Deni time"! I don't believe this rubbish for a second. Deni is an absolute sweetheart and I can't imagine her attacking cheerleaders in front of thousands of people! Even if it were true, it would just make me love her even more. The moral of the story is - don't fuck with the Deni!

Random Musing #3 - Cheer Up, Ricki-Lee!

I was shocked to read about Ricki-Lee's battle with depression in "Woman's Day". She's probably still pissed off about being upstaged by Deni at her own wedding! All jokes aside, I think it was really brave to talk about her mental health problems and I'm glad she's feeling better. Ricki-Lee confirmed her status as one of Australia's most fabulous divas with an amazing live performance of "Can't Sing A Different Song" on Sunrise last week. Check out their website to watch Ricki-Lee strut her stuff. Her voice is fucking amazing! "Can't Sing A Different Song" is on sale now, so order your copy here.



Random Musing #4 - The Australian Amy Winehouse

I know it's a lazy comparison but Gabriella Cilmi really does sound an awful lot like that beehive wearing crackwhore. Which is a bit of a surprise given that Gabriella is a wholesome 16 year old from Melbourne. I'm not a fan of the original Wino, let alone the ever expanding army of Amy clones (Hello, Duffy!) but Gabriella's debut single is actually quite cute. "Sweet About Me" has a subtle pop edge and a surprisingly catchy chorus. It was apparently produced by Xenomania, which would make it their first decent effort since Cher's "Believe". The song is top 20 on Australian iTunes and already charting in the UK. "Sweet About Me" is released in Australia on the 31st of March and can be ordered here.



Random Musing # 5 - A Club Cover

Another local song making waves internationally is Marco Demark's dance cover of "Tiny Dancer". Marco hails from the Gold Coast and the featured guest vocalist, Casey Barnes, is a fellow Queenslander. I'm a sucker for a good club cover, so "Tiny Dancer" is right up my alley. Elton John's 80s classic provides perfect fodder for a club update and Casey's vocal delivery is spot on. Not bad for a rocker best known until now for supporting Bryan Adams on his Australian tour! Order your copy of "Tiny Dancer" here.

Random Musing #6 - Fuck Off, Haters!

Every bitch in Australia had something nasty to say about Kate Alexa's stunning cover of "Teardrops". I absolutely love the song and it was satisfying to see it become Kate's 5th top 30 hit. When are people going to get over the fact that her father runs Mushroom Records and judge her music on its merits? "Teardrops" is fabulous and I'm glad the buying public agree. The haters can fuck right off!



Random Musing #7 - Axle Surprises

Axle Whitehead's "I Don't Do Surprises" debuted at #8 this week on the ARIA chart - no small feat for a failed Australian Idol contestant best known for exposing his cock at an awards show! The title of the song is ironic because the quality of Axle's debut single has taken everyone by surprise. People keep describing "I Don't Do Surprises" as a Coldplay knock off but I'm not convinced. I would prefer to chew off my own limbs than listen to Chris Martin's pretentious wailings but I like Axle's anthem. It's soft and pretty and Axle looks HOT in the video. I wish he'd flash that meat in my direction! Check out Adem's brilliant interview with Axle and order your copy of "I Don't Do Surprises" here.

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Kate Alexa - Pop Diva

The beginning of the year is always something of a drought for quality pop and 2008 has been more barren than most. With the exception of Kylie's various international singles and Korea's fabulous Wonder Girls nothing has really grabbed my attention - until now. Kate Alexa's poptastic cover of Womack & Womack's "Teardrops" is the three minute serve of catchy pop fun that I've been hungering for.

The most exciting thing about "Teardrops" is the exciting new direction of Kate's music. I enjoyed the guitar pop sound (think pre-"Dignity" Hilary Duff) of "Broken & Beautiful" but it did come across as a slightly desperate attempt to crack the teen market. "Teardrops" is a complete rebirth for Kate - her voice is better suited to the material, the sound has a much needed contemporary edge and she looks comfortable with her glamorous new image. Womack & Womack's 80s classic is one of my favourite songs, so I was somewhat concerned about the song selection. Germany's No Angels butchered "Teardrops" last year, stripping every ounce of soul from the track with their flat vocals and cheap dance beats. Kate's version is softer and sweeter, replacing the melancholy of the original with sheer youthful exuberance. I particularly love the cameo by American rent-a-rapper Baby Bash. Instead of spoiling the song, the quirky rap interlude breathes new life into "Teardrops", giving this very poptastic track the slightest sheen of urban credibility.

The video (below) is also surprisingly excellent. I recently read that Kate hired William Baker to revamp her image. I'm not sure if that's true but I wouldn't be surprised. There is more than a touch of Kylie in Kate's new look and the video clip is very reminiscent of "Spinning Around" - only with a trashtastic ghetto interlude and some fabulously cheap special effects! I really hope Kate gets a fair go this time around. Her first album was unfairly dismissed as an act of nepotism by her father (Michael Gudinksi - the founder of Mushroom Records and the man who first signed Kylie way back in 1987), which is just ridiculous. If my dad ran a record company, I'd expect him to help me out too. "Teardrops" is a spectacular single regardless of Kate's connections and deserves to be judged on its merits.

"Teardrops" hits stores on the 3rd of March. Pre-order your copy here and check out Kate's Myspace for more information.


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The Aussie Diva Round Up - Jan 2008

After writing about Ricki-Lee's recent UK signing, I was inspired to find out what my other favourite Aussie divas have been up to in January. I could probably write a ten thousand word essay about Kylie's hectic schedule (when does that woman sleep?) but everything seems to change on a daily basis, so I'll be brief.

1. "Wow" is a great choice for the second single in Australia, Japan and the UK. The countries that have embraced Kylie from the beginning get a glorious dose of nostalgia, while the rest of Europe gets something more contemporary in the guise of "In My Arms". Also, as a Kylie collecting nerd, the prospect of so many different covers and formats makes me giddy!

2. I'm completely ambivalent to "2 Hearts" being selected as the lead US single. No offence to Kylie's small band of loyal American fans but I think a stateside campaign is a complete waste of time. Surely it makes more sense to concentrate on markets where she will actually be played on the radio and taken somewhat seriously.

3. The various "Wow" formats in the UK are fucking AMAZING:

CD1

Wow
Cherry Bomb

CD2

Wow
Do It Again
Carried Away
Wow (Death Metal Disco Scene Mix)

12" Picture Disc

Wow
Wow (CSS Remix)
Wow (Fuck Me I'm Famous Remix By David Guetta + Joachim Garraud)
Wow (MSTRKRFT Remix)

In addition to those three formats there will be two digital bundles with all the remixes from the 12" picture disc as well as Mark Brown's Pacha Ibiza Upper Terrace Mix of "2 Hearts" as an iTunes exclusive! The "Wow" remixes have already leaked and I'm particularly taken with the Death Metal Disco Scene Mix, which transforms "Wow" into the twisted sister of "2 Hearts" with an even darker edge. It shouldn't work but it does - unlike David Guetta's disappointing effort. I can take or leave the CSS and MSTRKRFT remixes but I'm gagging to hear the 3 B-sides! "Carried Away" and "Do It Again" are credited to Greg Kurstin, Kylie and Karen Poole (the same team behind "Wow"), while "Cherry Bomb" is apparently the handiwork of Bloodshy & Avant ("Speakerphone" and "Nu-Di-Ty").

Speaking of Minogues, the more talented and beautiful sister is releasing a new single in Australia this week - not that anyone appears to have noticed. "Touch Me Like That" looks set to suffer the same floptastic fate as it did in the UK. Dannii's brilliant anthem is receiving no airplay and is yet to dent iTunes' top 100. The physical single includes 12 (yes, 12!) remixes, so hopefully fans are stocking up on that instead. Order your copy from Chaos today. Your Dannii needs you!

Yet another diva with a Minogue connection is Kate Alexa. Australian pop fans may remember her top 10 hit "All I Hear" but Kate is probably better remembered for the flack she copped as the daughter of Mushroom Records founder Michael Gudinski - the man who first gave Kylie a recording contract back in 1987. I couldn't care less about the claims of nepotism. Kate's album was a lot of fun and she managed to score 4 top 30 hits, no easy feat regardless of her father's connections. It is something of an understatement to say that Kate's sound and image has had a complete overhaul. Pimped and preened by Kylie's right hand man, William Baker, Kate returns to the pop scene with a scorching cover of Womack & Womack's "Teardrops" featuring US rapper Baby Bash! I can't wait for the video clip!

Another Australian diva spending January hard at work is the legendary Olivia Newton-John, who released a live album in the US this week. If you overlook the hideously cheap cover (above), the album is rather lovely. Recorded at the Opera House with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, "Olivia's Live Hits" boasts stunning renditions of classics like "Xanadu", "Physical" and "Magic". There's still no word on an Australian release but you can order the American version and the accompanying DVD from Amazon. In addition to "Live Hits", Olivia also features on Anne Murray's latest album and is in the middle of filming a television series based on her 1999 film "Sordid Lives". Olivia reprises her role as beer swilling bar singer Bitsy Mae and contributes 5 new songs to the TV soundtrack.

In news that will no doubt rock the gay community to its very core, local legend Melissa Tkautz has been signed to Central Station Records and is threatening to release a new single in early 2008. Mel is performing at Australia Day celebrations in Parramatta this weekend (alongside the equally lovely Brielle Davis) before returning to her gay stomping ground with a show at this year's Fair Day on the 17th of February. Queensland poofs can bask in the glory of Melissa when she catches the bus up to Brisbane for the Big Gay Day on the 9th of March. I'm still trying to get details about the album but it appears to be a mix of tracks from her amazing scrapped opus "The Glamorous Life" together with new material. I'm beside myself!

While Melissa returns to music, the divine Deni Hines (above left) has announced a break from touring to film an Eco-tv series in the Northern Territory! Deni isn't the only diva turning to TV in 2008. Jade Macrae has been announced in the line up for the latest series of channel 7's It Takes Two, which should provide a nice boost for the upcoming release of her second album, "Get Me Home". Jade will be joined on the show by ex-Australian Idol fag Anthony Callea (who is appearing in the Australian production of "Wicked" - as a munchkin!) and the omnipresent Ricki-Lee. Paulini must be spitting chips over losing her spot to a former Young Diva!

Yet another Idol alumni gracing tv screens in 2008 is the fabulous Courtney Act, who will no doubt raise eyebrows as the first tranny to compete on Dancing With The Stars. I really hope she wins! In another exciting development, Robyn Loau is providing the soundtrack to this year's season of The Biggest Loser with her lovely ballad "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime", which is available to download from iTunes now. Robyn's classy cameo appearance on Neighbours will grace UK tv screens in January, while her collaboration with Josh Abrahams, "Hard", is about to hit Australian clubs. Expect "Hard" to garner a certain amount controversy - it's a dance tune about the Columbine shootings! The song is streaming on Robyn's Myspace, so have a listen. I think it's brilliant. Robyn has come a LONG way since the days of Girlfriend!

Last and least is British nobody turned "Australian" pop princess Amy Pearson. I still can't decide if I moderately like her or hate her but I'm leaning toward the latter if her new "inspirational" anthem for the Beijing Olympics is any indication. "Ready To Fly" is dreary rubbish of the worst kind but I'll reserve my opinion on Amy until I have time to process her debut album, "Who I Am", scheduled for release on the 24th of March.

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