New Pop on the Block

Tina Cousins – Sex On Fire (Listen)
I’ve heard that this cover has had such a positive reaction (even been played by Scott Mills on Radio 1) that it is going to be released as a single and a video is going to be made, but I honestly can’t see why. Then again, I don’t understand why anyone likes the original either, so I suppose that’s why the cover has no interest for me. I did, however, love the last cover she released (of Wonderful Life by Black) and one of my all-time favourite dance versions is Belle Lawrence’s Arctic Monkeys cover, and my opinion of the Arctic Monkeys is even lower than my opinion of Kings of Leon. Of course, any rubbish song is improved when someone as legendarily ace as Tina Cousins covers it, but she could do so much better!
76% Poptastic!

Ola – Sky’s The Limit (Live performance)
I’m excited that Ola’s got a new single out as he’s released some of the absolute best Swedish pop songs of recent years, despite a shakey start to his career where he was going for the one-man-Westlife niche. The new single, the first from his 3rd album (unless you count Feelgood, which may be on it), is very much in the same vein as his recent hits, but more at the Feelgood level of poptasticness (i.e. very good) than the Natalie or S.O.S level (i.e. amazingly good). I love that these songs sound so 90s. They could be really dated, but thanks to Bassflow’s superb production skills, they sound fresh and new, and make Ola one of the best (certainly one of the most consistent) popstars around today. Also, just to note, I used to live down the road from Liseberg! I even saw BWO on that stage once. We used to hear kids on rollercoasters screaming whenever we opened a window!
88% Poptastic!