Sputter..gah–sputter, gasp! I’m alive, my sweet blogger and blogettes, I’m ALIVE! A week’s time is almost a lifetime in blog world, and as we all full well know…a blogger’s work is never done. Seriously, I hate being away from the Internet for any longer than a day. The world moves on at a rapid pace; music debuts at the blink of an eye, internet memes are born and forgotten, and celebrities consummate and birth at any given time. Who has time to look away in this day and age?

Luckily, I’m back for a bit. Where am I, you ask? Florida. What am I doing there? None of your damn business. Why do you ask? Oh, you say you don’t give a toss? What’s a toss? Oh. Right. English speak, I get confused sometimes. Well good, I don’t want to bore you, either. Onto the music, then.

It’s been two, maybe three years, since PopJustice declared simply that Annie’s Richard X-produced “Songs Remind Me Of You” was to be one of the finest pop gems in recent history. After reading the post so long ago, I decided that the track must, at least, be semi-perfect, as far as the title is concerned. The album then began to go through the usual bag of release date setbacks, track reworking, and general hootenanny causing great delays in final production. But alas, the track is almost upon us—-to the point where PopJustice was finally able to upload a thirty second sample of the work! I screamed, I cried, I learned, and I hope you do the same. It’s a little sad disco, a lot of pumping synth, and a whole lot of reverberating “on the radio,” which is a well established pop phrase of perfection. The full track will be available when the album is released later this year.

Actually, I just visited her MySpace…it seems she’s uploaded “My Love Is Better,” the track that was meant to be a collaboration with Girls Aloud. The group’s vocals were later axed, but the track remains solid. Actually–Wait a minute! Yes! There’s a full minute clip of “Songs Remind Me Of You”! It’s the beginning of the track. Hackers, get to work quickly and splice the two samples together….we’ve got nearly a third of the track!

I went to Virgin today and bought a fine assortment of CD’s: Bitter:Sweet‘s Drama, Hercules & Love Affair‘s self titled album, and Manumission’s 3 CD-Set of Ibiza Classic Collection chock full of the fruitiest house hits from the past years. It was $10. Consider it my silent ode to Pride. I’m in the process of reviewing these.

That being said, I’m currently listening to Sonny J‘s debut, Disastro.

Britney‘s been busy drumming up the best of the lot for her upcoming sixth album, supposedly due out around Christmas. Newly added to the list? Darkchild, mastermind of the superior “Overprotected” remix and dominator of early ’00 pop. The producer joins a long list including Bloodshy & Avant, Guy Sigsworth, and Dallas Austin, a musical orgy of possibility. Mmm…

On and on, on the beat goes…

It’s Annie‘s new album cover for Don’t Stop!

Almost perfect, honestly. The only thing that could have made this just a smidge bit better would be an application of haute couture make-up, replacing the microphone stand with a massive harpoon, replacing the trendy tee with a furry winter coat, adding ice to the ground, adding polar bears in the distance, and a massive whale.

Only then could this be deemed perfect.

Thanks to PopJustice!, we now have a smattering of information regarding my favorite indie-electro, bubble-gum pop blonde star from Norway’s second release. You can read the full write-up directly from the site, or savor these deliciously summarized bullet points:

+ The new album will be called Don’t Stop.

+ She has collaborated with Xenomania, Timo, and Richard X over the past year for production.

+ Xenomania-produced “My Love Is Better” is a sure-fire hit single featuring the ladies of Girls Aloud. The song sounds like the Aloud’s “Long Hot Summer” and “You Freak Me Out.”

+ “Sweet,” another Xenomania creation, is another big one.

+ The one I’ve been dying to hear, merely for its name (“Songs Remind Me Of You”) will be finally unveiled.

+ There’s a song called “Loco” which channels some Blondie and features some silly lyrics.

+ “Heaven & Hell” sounds like Saint Etienne and features some sassy lyrics.

+ The album also features a fair share of slower, experimental tracks.

+ “When The Night” is Annie’s first power ballad.

+ “Marie Cherie” proves that Annie’s got some troubled thoughts.

+ “Take U Home” is a “gothic n’ ghostly electro-ballad.” Sounds like the theme song to my life, am I right?

+ “Misery” is another track off the album that is amazing.

+ And finally, a tracklisting (tentative):

+ Annie doesn’t know how to count, as evidenced in her 10-12 track skip on the PJ page. Stop fucking with my mind, woman.

In retrospect, I really could have linked that article and saved myself the fairly redundant posting of information. I forgive myself.

She’s back!!! After keeping us watering at the mouth for about four years, Annie‘s back with her new single, “Girlfriend” produced by Brian Higgins and Xenomania. The best thing is, there’s no “HEY HEY, YOU YOU” at the beginning of the track like other “Girlfriend” songs you may know. Just retro-friendly dance beats! It’s generally nice and flows well. The full name of the song is “I Know Your Girlfriend Hates Me,” but that would give away the whole plot of the song. Basically, Annie’s being a bit of a home wrecker here. What an Anniemal, that woman.

Not only does the song pass Pop Rule Number One (“All pop from Norway and Sweden is perfection”), but passes Pop Rule Number Two with flying colors (“Songs involving phones, or merely their ring-a-dinging or ring-ringing are 99% pop perfection”).

DL: Annie – Girlfriend

The anticipation is simply getting ugly at this point. PopJustice has revealed that Annie’s new album, due in a few months, will include COLLABORATIONS with Franz Ferdinand, Datarock, and…are you ready? Girls Aloud. GIRLS ALOUD. And the lead off single shall be the Richard X produced “I Know Your Girlfriend Hates Me.” This sounds like several scoops of perfection showered in chocolate sprinkles!

I really need to get out more often.

Source: PJ!

Hmm! Sounds like Annie is getting revved up for the sophomore album I’ve been so eagerly speaking about! And, if nothing else, she’s been placed as #1 on the Pop Almighty over at PopJustice, which is about 93% accurate for the prediction of pop perfection. According to a poster on the site, Annie’s follow up album will be released in April, with songs such as “2 of Hearts,” “Anthonie,” and “Songs Remind Me Of You.” For any Anniethusiasts, you’ll know that the last two mentioned are Richard X-produced. “2 of Hearts” is actually a cover of an ’80′s track, which I’ll display below:

I want more.
Don’t forget to buy Anniemal at Amazon.
And you, what do you think?

You guessed it, further proof that all music released from Norway and Sweden is perfect.

Pegged as the new Britney, Madonna, and reincarnation of Jesus Christ, Annie released her brilliant Anniemal back in 2004 after collaborating with creator of all things pop, Richard X. The album was quite exciting and full of crunchy electro-pop hits, especially the hypnotizing, “Heartbeat” and taunting “Chewing Gum.” Even Pitchfork liked it, and you know they hate everything. Sadly, she’s been diddling around and doing a whole lot of not releasing follow-up albums, which is pissing me off. However, listening to Anniemal again after nearly a year is almost as exciting. That, and she re-designed the homepage with a drippy new logo after signing with Island Records a few months ago. The Wikipedia says she’s releasing her follow-up in spring of 2008, with a new single debut on her Myspace in late January. I seem to have a habit of posting about the stars that never release anything right before they decide to release something.

Anyway, here are some samples to tide yourselves over through this ongoing drought:

DL: Annie – Chewing Gum
DL: Annie – Me Plus One
DL: Annie – Heartbeat (Incorrectly labeled “My Heartbeat” in iTunes.)

Buy the essential Anniemal at Amazon.

And you, what do you think?