Monster by Meg Myers

Genre: Alternative rock
Sounds like: Fiona Apple, Alanis Morrissette, Marina + The Diamonds

Meet Meg Myers, a rising musician based out of Los Angeles.

While details about the singer are still somewhat minimal, we’ve got one excellent tune to work with: “Monster.”

The song was co-scribed and produced by Doctor Rosen Dosen, the up-and-coming producer responsible for a couple of MuuMuse’s favorite remixes over the past years for acts like Britney and Lady Gaga, as well as his exciting collaborative project with a slew of rising female pop stars, including Kay and Jessie And The Toy Boys, called GIRLS.

Yet Myers’ sound is a complete departure for Rosen: There’s no pop beats to be found here–only jagged riffs and raw, vulnerable lyrics: “My love, too much/Your love, not enough,” Myers sadly croons above a slow-strumming guitar before launching into the song’s haunting chorus: “Oh, what it takes out of me to lay by your side!”

As Rosen explained to me, the song’s stripped production is a nod to ’90′s alt-rock–from Nirvana to Portishead. “What have I done? I’m a fucking monster!” Myers bitterly yelps at one point, her voice quivering with all the anguish of a classic Morrissette angst track.

Although Myers’ 6-track debut EP isn’t due for release until later in January, you can already hear two more cuts from the EP on her official website, including the piano-tinged, hook heavy “Adelaide” and “Poison,” which surges with a slightly more modern electro-rock flare (and was also featured on Rosen Rosen’s Girls Vol. 1.)

What I like most about Myers, as with fellow alt-rock chanteuses Skylar Grey and, to a somewhat more pop-oriented extent Marina And The Diamonds, Lana Del Rey and Sky Ferreira (when she’s in a more punk mood), is that she provides a breath of fresh air in a rapidly smothering climate of club-pop. Don’t get me wrong–I live for the stuff, but there’s more than enough room for some snarling, kick-ass rock chicks to come clawing their way to the top of the charts and adding some much-needed variety to radio.

Coupled with comeback LPs from industry veterans like Garbage and No Doubt a little later in 2012–along with the rumored, much-delayed return of Fiona Apple (dear God, let it be!)–this might just be the year that (good) rock finally makes a comeback.

“Monster” is available as a free download at Myers’ official website.

This week marked the release of Kelly Clarkson’s fifth album, Stronger. But then again, you already know all about that thanks to my good friend Bradley’s stellar review.

Fans who pre-ordered the album from Kelly’s official website were also given the option to treat themselves to her debut EP, The Smoakstack Sessions. Recorded at the Smoakstack Studios in Nashville, the 6-track EP is made up of alternate versions of select tracks from Stronger, a reworking of “If I Can’t Have You” and a cover of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”

Interestingly, the EP does not include Stronger’s lead single, “Mr. Know It All” or confirmed second single, the anthemic “What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger).” And while I was disappointed to not see “Honestly” or “Dark Side” (which I reviewed upon its initial leak in July) make the tracklisting, I’m also appreciative that the EP is shedding a spotlight on some of Kelly’s lesser buzzed about tracks.

I have to admit that as a whole, I actually prefer the EP recordings of these songs to the versions included on Kelly’s albums. Allow me to guide you through each track to explain why.

Read more…

Cady Groves – “This Little Girl”

Cady Groves is one tough chick.

At age 22, the spunky chanteuse is just beginning to make waves with her venomous debut single, “This Little Girl,” co-penned by Cady herself and produced by Swedish superproducer Kristian Lundin. Crunchy and catchy with a storming chorus, “This Little Girl” certainly packed a potent enough pop punch to pique my curiosity — and I’ve had it on heavy rotation ever since it premiered a few weeks ago.

But the best is still yet to come: Yesterday night, I joined Cady and her label, RCA, for a listening party at Cowgirl in the West Village — a fitting venue for the Oklahoma native (they have cowboys and cowgirls in Oklahoma, right?) — where she talked about recording her album, previewed several songs, and generally charmed everybody’s socks off.

Among the tracks played were “Wrong,” a twangy midtempo about self-doubt with an aggressive backbeat, liberal handclaps (possibly the most important element in any pop song), and a country-inflected chorus; “We’re the Shit,” an infectious slice of “It Gets Better”-pop; and “Live and Learn,” an ‘80s-throwback jam with a tough bassline that wouldn’t sound out of place on Ashlee Simpson’s criminally underrated Bittersweet World. Best of all, though, was “In Your Window,” the likely second single, which has a propulsive beat, more handclaps and fingersnaps (!!!), and an explosive pop-punk chorus.

Whereas “This Little Girl” is slick pop to its core, the tracks Cady played tonight revealed more diversity — one part country cowgirl, one part mall-punk.

But most interesting was Cady’s overwhelming transparency in discussing her musical inspirations. The album, she said, emerged from the wreckage of her May-September romance with a two-timin’ older gent she dated while recording the record in Los Angeles. Of “This Little Girl,” she said, “I was really angry when I wrote this song.” At one point, she summed the album up thusly: “I just wrote the entire album about cutting off this guy’s D.” It was hard not to think of Alanis Morissette’s seminal Jagged Little Pill — which, like Cady’s songs, are loaded with snarling pop-rock hooks and sharp-edged vitriol.

Bitterly spurned like Kelly Clarkson, charmingly bratty like Avril Lavigne, and relatably real like Taylor Swift — suffice it to say that Cady Groves is one to watch.

Sam Lansky is a contributor to MuuMuse.

First of all, let go of your expectations: “Mr. Know It All” is not the grand return of Yell-y Clarkson.

Considering both the song’s sassy title and lyrics–which Ms. Clarkson neatly wrote out on lined paper for us earlier today–the lead single from her upcoming fifth studio album Stronger might give off the impression that “Mr. Know It All” is another dance-y pop-rock kiss-off anthem a la “Since U Been Gone” or “I Do Not Hook Up.” It’s not.

Instead, Clarkson keeps the throaty howls in check on “Mr. Know It All,” a gorgeous return to form back to the soulful sound of Idol‘s greatest export.

The singer confidently croons above gently strumming guitars and a tripping, mid-tempo drum beat taken directly from the songbooks of classic ’90′s singer-songwriter chicks (for reference, consult Alanis Morrissette‘s Jagged Little Pill or Donna Lewis‘smash hit, “I Love You Always Forever”–sans the saccharine sweet quality of Lewis’ voice). Actually, it’s quite similar to the beat of Clarkson’s own “Just Missed The Train” off of Thankful–my personal favorite!

Apart from the beat, the song still sounds quite contemporary: In fact, it’s very similar in structure and melody to Bruno Mars “Just The Way You Are.”

The song’s chorus is an especially gorgeous lift-off from the verses, as the tripping beat breaks away (Clarkson pun!) and gives way to a beautiful, soaring moment of bright piano chords and an insanely catchy melody: The phrase “‘Cause baby, you don’t know a thing about me” has been swirling ’round my brain for the entire day, and there’s no sign of it stopping anytime soon.

It’s no surprise that the song’s a total ear-worm either, given that “Mr. Know It All” was produced and penned by some of the industry’s greatest songwriting titans, including Brian Kennedy (Kid Sister‘s “Daydreaming” and Rihanna‘s “Fire Bomb”–two incredibly MuuMuse Approved songs!), Ester Dean (Rihanna, Katy Perry) and Brett James (Carrie Underwood, Leona Lewis).

So, to conclude: Melodies for days a la Thankful, a lyrical angst that falls somewhere between Breakaway and My December, and the radio friendly restraint of All I Ever Wanted (you know, without that forced Clive Davis-approved pop-rock gloss.)

While I certainly wouldn’t call the song as immediate as her biggest radio hits to date (if nothing else because of what we’ve come to expect from Miss Clarkson for the past few years!), “Mr. Know It All” is an amazing start-of-Autumn treat from an artist who more than deserves to begin slaying the charts. A sure-fire smash for the Clarkson? Hell yes!

“Mr. Know It All” will premiere next week on Tuesday, August 30 during a live stream. Be sure to RSVP to the event now on Kelly’s Facebook page!

For fans of Garbage, Hole, Fiona Apple, Alanis Morrissette and all other torchbearers of mid-’90′s rock, take note: Your redemption has arrived.

Skylar Grey is the much buzzed-about singer-songwriter responsible for some of the most devastating hooks in pop of the past year (Diddy Dirty Money‘s “Coming Home,” Eminem & Rihanna‘s “Love The Way You Lie”).

(For more on her somewhat fragmented history as a solo artist and songwriter, check out MuuMuse contributor Sam Lansky’s in-depth article on Skylar Grey’s roots.)

Now, Grey comes out from behind the shadows once again to blaze her own–err, well, shadowy trails: “Dance Without You” is the first taste of solo Skylar reborn; a deliciously disjointed, grinding moment of industrial noise and bluesy rock-tinged despair released for free on the singer’s website earlier today.

“So serious all the time / I feel the strain, I feel confined,” Grey slowly moans above the song’s plodding beat and searing guitar licks, produced by longtime collaborator and UK-born hip-hop producer, Alex Da Kid.

While “Dance Without You” is hardly the stuff of Top 40 dreams (at least, not from anytime this decade), it’s still a welcome contrast to today’s over-saturation of hype-speed electro pop ditties from the likes of Dr. Luke and RedOne.

It’ll be interesting to see if the tides will turn to allow more rock-minded singer-songwriters like Grey a chance to rule the charts once again alongside our favorite pop acts. After all, a little angst is never a bad thing.

DL: Skylar Grey – Dance Without You

Skylar Grey’s debut album is due out later this year.

Over the past week, Diana Vickers has been counting down the days ’til Christmas by offering up a variety of special goodies and knick-knacks, including interviews, video blogs, contests–and now, free downloads.

Today, Team Vickers released a previously unheard take on “N.U.M.B.,” the gorgeous album track from Songs from the Tainted Cherry Tree that was produced by Chris Braide (who I interviewed earlier this year–we even dished a bit about the track!)

While not as emotionally raw as the album version, this new version smooths on a whole new layer of production, including a warm guitar strum and a lush, pulsating beat–not unlike the orchestration that gave Katy Perry‘s transcendent “Teenage Dream” that gorgeous, fading-embers-of-summer kind of sound.

I’m absolutely in love with this version, and to be quite honest, I actually prefer it to the original. It feels even more mature (I’m picking up a little bit of a Alanis Morrissette, Flavors of Entanglement vibe!) In fact, the added upbeat production proves that “N.U.M.B.” could actually make for a really incredible single.

Perhaps Vickers and crew can dip back into The Tainted Cherry Tree for a final release? I’d like that very much!

Songs From The Tainted Cherry Tree was released on April 23. (iTunes UK)

Katy Perry is probably the only pop star I could ever feel compelled to deem a “guilty pleasure.”

In my opinion, there are two types of catchy in the world: The one with pop hooks so well-crafted you’ll want them replaying in your head until the end of time (“Umbrella,” “Just Dance”), and then there’s the obvious, derivative kind of catchy that cause you to itch and burn like an STD.

Perry’s productions are often in the latter category. In fact, they sort of like the music equivalent of herpes: Wildly contagious, annoying, and ultimately likely to lead to an intense awkwardness when revealing your condition to lovers and friends.

Take for instance one of the summer’s biggest singles, “California Gurls.” The track is little more than a direct rip of BFF Ke$ha‘s superior drunk-pop anthem, “Tik Tok,” yet it’s managed to thrive nonetheless.

It isn’t always the songs–usually the product of a suite of Swedish pop masterminds–that cause such pangs of guilt and anguish, but rather Perry herself, whose doe-eyed, potty-mouthed persona leaves much to be desired.

Perry’s shtick is obnoxious and, at times, hypocritical. Bolstered by a devoutly religious upbringing (and short-lived run as a Christian rock artist), she has the gall to criticize her fellow pop stars for being blasphemous sluts while simultaneously shooting whipped cream out of her tits and posing topless for Rolling Stone and Esquire.

For me, she’s a hard one to like–let alone to outwardly enjoy in public.

But good pop is good pop, and every now and then, Katy Perry delivers good pop.

This week sees the release of Teenage Dream, Katy Perry’s follow-up to her massively successful 2008 debut, One of The Boys. The album, like the one before, is a veritable “who’s who” of the top pop producers in the game, including Max Martin, Tricky Stewart, Greg Wells, Benny Blanco, Dr. Luke, and Stargate.

The album begins with its title track, which also happens best song of the bunch in terms of songcraft. “Teenage Dream” is not only a masterfully crafted pop tune with a smart hook, but a rare moment of tenderness for the otherwise bratty bombshell: “You think I’m pretty without any makeup on / You think I’m funny when I tell the punchline wrong,” Perry whispers on top of the song’s setting sun guitar strums.

Sure, the lyrics offer a cornucopia of only the most stereotypical lovesick vagueries, but “Teenage Dream” is still an amazing and evocative pop song. At the risk of massacring my reputation (what reputation?), it simply must be said: Listening to this song just makes you want to feel that way about someone.

“Last Friday (T.G.I.F.),” in contrast, feels entirely inauthentic. Much as with Perry’s summer smash, the song is almost a direct lift of everything you’ve already heard off of Ke$ha’s debut released earlier this year, Animal. Say what you will about Ke$ha’s aesthetic (or what she probably smells like), but any and all talk of drunken hook-ups and glitter on the floor are strictly within her domain at the moment. Any other attempt to emulate her drunk-pop revelry? Well, it just comes off sounding cheap.

The slap-happy silliness is pervasive throughout Perry’s record, including the stomping ode to the penis, “Peacock.” Scribed by one of the naughtiest names in popular songwriting at the moment, Ester Dean (“Rude Boy”; “Drop It Low”), “Peacock” is a most infectious, cheer-tastic celebration of the male member hidden behind the thinnest of veils: “Are you brave enough to let me see your peacock? / Don’t be a chicken boy, stop acting like a beeotch.” It’s the most fun offered on the record, even if the schtick wears stale after a few days.

It’s not all cotton candy and cocks, though. In interviews leading up to the release of Teenage Dream, Perry expressed her desire to fill the void of an Alanis Morrissette-like figure in today’s pop market on her next release.

“Circle the Drain” is the result of such desire, one of the album’s most impressive numbers. The song contains the best, most biting lines of the entire record: “Wanna be your lover, not your fucking mother,” Perry explodes with a vitriolic, shaking-with-anger kind of enunciation while exorcising her ex-flame’s demons.

“E.T.” and “Who Am I Living For?” follow along a similarly angst-ridden path. Still, Perry’s self-searching offerings are a bit too modern/major production (excessive instrumentation; squeaky-clean studio sounds) to be dubbed worthy of a Morrissette comparison–even if they dare to bare their teeth more than your standard Kelly Clarkson vengeance-seeking smash.

At best, Teenage Dream is a top heavy collection of party pop anthems and occasionally good, often schmaltzy slow numbers. Perhaps if she left the glitter act to Ke$ha and nixed the soggy ballads clogging up the second half of this record, Perry might have stood to offer something as tasty as her album’s cotton-candy scent. (No, really…the album smells.)

Aside from the occasional moment of sugary sweet brilliance however (“Teenage Dream”; “Firework”), the party balloons deflate rather quickly, resulting in a record that feels about as fluffy as the pink cotton candy swirled around Perry’s naughty bits on the cover.

As the seasons begin to transition and the nights grow cooler, Natalie Walker’s second solo album might be just the cure for those of us longing for one more touch of the sun’s fading light. Originally the lead vocals of the brilliant trip-hop group Daughter Darling, Walker eventually launched a solo career in 2006 with the release of her debut, Urban Angel. The album’s contents, a gorgeous mixture of airy strings and whispering vocals, soon wove their way onto Gray’s Anatomy episodes and the playlists of KCRW, resulting in an influx of indie-pop fans.

Now, Walker continues on in her traditional style on her new album With You, a soothing, electronica-tinged collection that serves as a fitting companion piece to Walker’s original. Seductive, soothing, and nearly ethereal, the album sways in and out with multi-layered breathing and warm rushes of synthesizers and strings similar to that of Goldfrapp’s latest effort, Seventh Tree. While again utilizing Stuhr, the same production team used for her debut album, Walker’s work has formed a more mature build of sound: More layering, more instruments, and more production techniques all characterize the tracks of With You.

Leading off the album is “Lost My Shadow,” a pensive, drifting track that echoes beautifully as Walker croons: “My shadow sleeps on the outside / She’s far away, strength is fading fast / She says it’s cold and I’m so tired/ She’s all I ever had, now she might not come back.” It’s one of the album’s darkest moments, and a stark contrast to the follow-up track “Pink Neon,” a glittering, beating burst of energy comprised mainly of light, airy notes and falsetto vocals. Unlike her first album, Walker makes use of more than just her whispery vocals on this album. The kiss-off track, “Too Late” is an enjoyable coupling of dismissing lyricism and steady synth-rock beats, all surrounded by a spooky ether of synthesizers that make the track sound like it’s been recorded underwater.

Walker does take more chances within her sophomore effort, including “Ordinary,” an attack track against an ego heavy boyfriend, delivered in a restrained, folk manner reminiscent of indie darling Feist covering an Alanis Morrissette track: “I think you lost your mind / Tight jeans, haircut? Oh, please,” she laments as the song continues to build and build to crashing proportions. However, it’s the fifth track, “Over & Under,” where Walker truly breaks into her own. The track is a moody, multi-layered affair with New Wave influences that rises and falls as Walker goes through all the motions of love. “What’s this again?” Walker wearily speak-sings, “I heard this so many times. You’re scared, I’m tired, I can’t reach in and find a way to say this is the last time,” she pleads, before the brooding chorus launches in its bouncing, electro manner that secures the song as one of the album’s finest tracks.

With a bit more vocal freedom and production experimentation, Walker’s second effort With You marks a distinct growth in her progress as a solo artist. It is a more cohesive, memorable effort, proving her music to be far more than a few layers of vocals. It’s sleepy, sultry, and offers just enough summery warmth to carry into the fall season.

Please check out Natalie’s music at her website here!

Photo credit: Jason Frank Rothenberg