New Pop on the Block

Chromeo – Momma’s Boy (Watch)
This group have done pretty well with songs like Fancy Footwork and Bonafide Lovin’, but neither song became a huge hit in the UK, as I thought they had potential to, what with the success of Hot Chip especially. This is the first single from their new album, and it’s a cheeky electro-pop reminiscent of the style of 80s acts such as Buggles and even their recent advocates The Feeling, although the vocals are very different. I can’t imagine it crossing over to mainstream music fans, but they’re popular enough to (hopefully) not mind about that. It’s a very short song, only 2.50 minutes, which is often a good thing cos I like albums with lots of short songs so you never get bored, but in this case I think a bit more time would allow it to get going and become properly ace.
77% Poptastic!

Sugababes – Girls (Listen)
I hate the Here Come All The Girls advert song that this is based around, so it’s quite a testament to the Sugababes’ poptasticness that they have managed to turn it into a great pop song. I like the female empowerment ‘who needs men anyway?’ vibe, and there are some great egotistical lines in the lyrics, especially the fabulous middle 8. Destiny’s Child would be proud. The style of the song is obviously tagging onto the style of Mark Ronson’s recent work, and is one of the better examples of this particular bandwagon jump. I was thinking the other day that Moma Do or Boys and Girls by Pixie would make a great new single for Sugababes (it already sounds like them actually), so it’s interesting to see them releasing something quite similar to it.
84% Poptastic!

Infernal – Whenever You Need Me (Watch)
The second single from Infernal’s new album, just released in Denmark, takes them back to their usual dance-pop style, after they slowed things down (only a bit, mind) on Downtown Boys. It does sound suspiciously like Cry For You meets Clocks by Coldplay, but I personally couldn’t care less about unoriginality, as long as the song is good. And it is good, but I can’t say it’s up to the level of my favourites from their first album. It just seems to lack the energy of songs like From Paris To Berlin, Fairytales, Keen On Disco and Cheap Trick Kinda Girl, and I’ve thought the same of all of their songs made since the original version of the Paris to Berlin album. There were some amazing songs (as mentioned just now) on that CD, and apart from FPTB none of them are well-known. It’s a travesty! If you, too, are disappointed in Infernal, I suggest a purchase of Da Buzz’s incredible Greatest Hits album.
80% Poptastic!

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