Category — Single Review

The Killers‘ frontman, Brandon Flowers, is about to unleash the first single from his upcoming solo effort, Flamingo. It is called “Crossfire,” and will be released to radio today, June 21 (with the album to follow in September).

While a little too U2 and a little less Pet Shop Boys than I’d like to hear from Mr. Flowers, “Crossfire” is just moody and brooding enough to whet my appetite.

“We’re caught in the crossfire of Heaven and Hell, and we’re searching for shelter,” Flowers cries out during the anthemic, arena-ready chorus, only to be immediately followed by the best parts of the song, the repeated angelic coos of “Lay your body down, lay your body down.” Mmm…

There is also talk of devils and fire, and who doesn’t like religious imagery in their songs these days?

All in all, an intriguing start to a solo campaign. I’m ready for more, please!

To hear “Crossfire,” click here to visit Brandon Flowers’ official website.

First we had “17″–now there’s simply “One.”

“One” is Sky Ferreira‘s debut single on Parlophone Records.

The song sounds a bit like if Marina & The Diamonds‘ “I Am Not A Robot” went out for a few drinks with Little Boots‘ “Stuck On Repeat,” except the date took place in an underwater bar and Bloodshy & Avant (the producers of this piece) were busy conducting a small symphony in their scuba gear nearby while Diana Vickers‘ “Once” was busy making sexy eyes at them from the corner of the bar.

Structurally “One” is quite different than your average pop track, complete with plenty of repeat-heavy, dreamy vocals and squeaky disco sounds that neither form entire verses or choruses (though it still vaguely follows the familiar verse-chorus construction). This is a good thing because it keeps pop music interesting and less predictable than usual.

Speaking of good things, I like the fact that Ferreira is kind of like a more mature, more musically interesting response to Ke$ha (even though she’s only seventeen), but without all of the distracting faux-drunk revelry.

I still can’t quite come up with a proper description of her persona or her sound…but I suppose that can only be a good thing. I think.

For more on Sky Ferreira, click here.

“Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready)” is the latest single off of Alicia Keys‘ 2009 album The Element of Freedom, and it is very, very good.

Although she’s previously established herself as a belter on tracks like “Fallin’” and “If I Ain’t Got You,” Keys takes a few steps back from the mic with her new single, allowing a slow, sultry electronic groove to fill in the blanks and carry Keys’ soft coos. “You give me a feeling that I never felt before,” Keys half sings, half moans on her way to the chorus, “and I deserve it, I think I deserve it.”

Not that doesn’t sing here–of course, she does–but it’s the slow, slinky Janet-style crooning here that’s absolutely intoxicating.

The video for the song is equally well done, as the singer tackles the (still often controversial) topic of interracial dating from an alternating past/present perspective.

Perhaps what I like most about the video is that it does not include Drake, who happens to be featured on the background vocals of the song. The move would have drawn attention away from both the message and the singer herself.

Good choice!

To no one’s surprise in particular, Kylie Minogue‘s kick-off single from her upcoming studio release, Aphrodite, is a work of art.

Less of a departure from Kylie’s previous style and more of an embracing of her true disco diva “essence,” the Stuart Price-produced, Kish Mauve-penned track (the same group responsible for the lead single of X, “2 Hearts”) takes us back to the days of 2005′s euphoric “I Believe In You,” complete with lush electronic instrumentation and soaring vocals.

It’s perhaps one of Kylie’s most whisper-y numbers since “Slow” or “Fragile,” as she all-but-breathes her loving coos to us: “Breathe,” she commands in a near whisper, “I know you find it hard, but baby, breathe.” Chills all around.

“All The Lovers” is a bit too beautiful to dance along with, yet far too lush to be sitting there crying on the dance floor.

It’s a sing-along track, it’s sad disco, it’s everything you’ve been waiting for.

Perfection.

In case you’ve already forgotten, the Scissor Sisters recently unveiled one of the most brilliant tunes of 2010, “Invisible Light.” Here is a reminder:

Yep. Still amazing.

But now, we’ve got our hands on the first official single from Night Work, “Fire With Fire.”

Straying from the dirty disco sounds of “Invisible Light” in favor of glam arena rock (from Frankie Goes to Hollywood to Freddie Mercury, if you will), the Sisters’ debut single is an abridged dance-rock anthem for the new decade. It’s a different sound than “Invisible Light,” but not all that separate either. Know what I mean?

All in all, the single proves equally indicative of the potential brilliance of Night Work. I approve.

The name Boogaloo Stu hasn’t made its way onto MuuMuse since the very early days of its inception (Oh hey, May 2008!), but it’s about to reemerge from the depths.

As kind of a pre-Gaga creation, Stu’s music and image– at least to me–was all about celebratory ’80′s kitsch and quirky pop melodies a la “Magnetic Heart.” Well, I believe I’ve been mistaken.

With “Forever More,” Stu has toned down the camp considerably (well, lyrically anyway) and given into some vastly moodier electro-pop. This is some seriously good stuff–a darker, more complex synth production in the same vein as Alex Gardner‘s “I’m Not Mad” or a scaled down version of Röyksopp and Robyn‘s “Girl and the Robot.”

“I tell you now that this is real. I can’t erase the way I feel,” Stu monotones, “I’m gonna love you.” I was absolutely obsessed when I first heard it, and I remain very much so now.

The “Forever More” EP will be released on June 21.

M.I.A.‘s “XXXO” is a delicious, concise cut of modern electro-pop. Clocking in at just under three minutes and in keeping with her second album’s sound (“Jimmy”) and her dancier beginnings (Arular), the song is easily one of the artist’s most glittery pop productions yet.

In fact, “XXXO” is so accessibly electro-pop that it seems the release of her controversial rebel rant from a few weeks ago, “Born Free,” was probably meant as a kind of warning shot before this song’s release.

As if to curtail the dreaded “sell out!!!” comments she may have gotten for releasing this song first, “Born Free” kept the political punch of M.I.A.’s career coming back with power power, allowing this new song to sneak by with something far more…well, user friendly. (There are lyrics about tweeting!) It’s just a shame the song doesn’t last longer.

I still don’t know if “XXXO” could actually impact mainstream radio, but it’s probably M.I.A.’s most likely candidate (aside from the entirely over-hyped “Paper Planes.”) Then again, I’m not sure M.I.A. wants to be played on the radio.

On a side note, the beginning note is near identical to Ke$ha‘s “Blah Blah Blah,” which produces a strange fear in me every time I hit play.

The heartbreak isn’t over.

Robyn‘s first single from her upcoming EP, Body Talk Part 1, finds the singer as solemn as ever, dancing alone and mourning the love she’s lost.

“Dancing on My Own” is essentially the sequel to her first collaboration with Kleerup, “With Every Heartbeat,” featuring a moody, plodding synthesized beat and a ceaseless burst of rapid-fire, machine gun electronica.

It’s quintessentially Kleerupian (EDIT: or not, as this track was produced by Patrik Berger) and undeniably Robyn at her most vulnerable, all tied together and topped with a big bow of Swede pop perfection.

This is sad disco at its finest, ladies and gentlemen.

After 19 years, Sade has returned with a comeback single called “Soldier of Love,” the band’s first release in nearly ten years.

Generally, it’s damn near perfection.

But as the lead single from an album with a cover like this, could the group ever go wrong in the first place? Didn’t think so.

Today has just been full of disappointments: The videos for “Bad Romance” and “Video Phone” seem to be delayed indefinitely, the Leona Lewis album is, for the most part, a massive snooze-fest, and worst of all, the strawberries that I worked so hard to plant have withered on FarmVille.

But enough mourning for this morning, it’s time to talk about the good stuff: “Dance in the Dark,” Mademoiselle Gaga‘s new single (maybe?) off of The Fame Monster, her re-release of The Fame (maybe?).

An In-Depth Analysis of “Dance in the Dark.”

1. The opening.
Stuttering male vocals! Gaga shrieking in the distance! Haunted synthesizers! Doom, destruction, and everything in between! Brilliant.

2. “Silicone, saline, poison, inject me…baby, I’m a free bitch.”
The greatest opening line of 2009.

3. She sends a shout-out to Sylvia Plath.
So the breakdown layout is lifted straight from Madonna‘s “Vogue.” Who cares? Everyone knows that if someone’s reciting the names of famous people in a monotone voice, it’s time to dance.

In the case off “Dance in the Dark,” Gaga limits her subjects according to theme, choosing only those who’ve suffered a tragic end by way of (or indirectly because of), you guessed it: The fame. “Marilyn, Judy, Sylvia…tell ‘em how you feel, girls.” Shivers!

4. It is dark disco.
“Dance in the Dark” is a hands-in-the-air dance song about a woman being harassed by her boyfriend. “She looks good, but her boyfriend says she’s a tramp, she’s a vamp, but she still does her dance,” mourns the Gaga. And let’s not forget about the chorus: “Baby does her dance in the dark, ’cause when he’s looking, she falls apart.” Who knew emotional abuse could inspire such happy feet?

5. It is not quite as good as “Bad Romance,” but it’s in the same league.
Which, according to my calculations, means that The Fame Monster is almost destined to be one of the greatest pop releases of the year.