A rooftop in Neutral Bay is probably the last place I ever expected to hear Cosmo Jarvis belt out "Gay Pirates" but that's what happened on Monday night when he performed a six-song showcase for assorted industry types. Like many people, that quirky anthem was my introduction to the scarily talented 22-year-old but since then I've become a huge fan and was excited about his Sydney debut. It got off to a somewhat unconventional start when the Brit played around with his guitar and spent a couple of minutes sorting out the sound settings before launching into the awesome "Sure As Hell Not Jesus" but those tics, which became more prevalent through the show, are part of Cosmo's raw charm. After a note-perfect rendition of that underrated gem, he moved onto "She Doesn't Mind" - one of my favourites from his excellent sophomore album "Is The World Strange Or Am I Strange?" That song never fails to put a smile on my face with its amusing lyrics and unexpected sweetness.
Next up was a new track called "Train Downtown", which Cosmo explained was set in the future - "not 1000 years but maybe 800". It turned out to be a typically idiosyncratic take on human relationships that rang true for me. I can't wait to hear a studio version. Before moving on to his current single "My Day" (below), the singer/director explained that he usually performs the song with a five-piece band but it still sounded great with the trio present. This guy not only has a deceptively strong voice, he's also an extremely accomplished musician. As he proved by picking up a mandolin to sing "Gay Pirates". I interviewed Cosmo earlier in the day - stay tuned for that - and he confided that he's sick to death of singing his tale of gay love on the high seas but it still gets me every time. He closed with "Blame It On Me", which is perhaps the album's weakest moment but I'm not complaining. Cosmo is the real deal and destined for huge things. Get on board now.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor is one of the last of the great originals. While every other diva with a gay following has hopped from trend to trend, the high-cheekboned goddess has stayed true to the refined and distinctly English dance-pop sound that brought her to fame in 2000 as the voice of Spiller's "Groovejet". That, unfortunately, comes with its own set of disadvantages - like having no hits - but it also explains her fiercely loyal fanbase. And gives the beautiful Brit's music a timeless quality that sets her apart. I've been a big fan of Sophie's since the early days and turned into something of a super-stan during the criminally underrated "Shoot From The Hip" era ("Nowhere Without You" is one of my all-time favourite songs). That enthusiasm has wavered somewhat since then but news of her Australian tour of gay nightclubs inspired me to revisit her recent material and after last night's half-hour set, I'm well and truly back on the SEB bandwagon. The 32-year-old glamour puss pranced onto the tiny Home nightclub stage shortly after one a.m. in a sequined dress and instantly charmed the adoring crowd by saying how happy she was to be back in Australia after a 9 year break. It seemed appropriate then that she kick off with the lead single from her debut album - a Cher cover, no less! - and belted out a slinky rendition of "Take Me Home" (below). Her voice was surprisingly strong and her complete and utter inability to dance allows her to interact with the crowd while singing. So there were a lot of waves and high fives to go around. Next up was "Music Gets The Best Of Me" (has it really been 9 years since that gem conquered radio?), which was followed by last year's #165 UK smash "Not Giving Up On Love". It speaks volumes for Sophie's popularity in the gay community that everyone knew the words and sang along as if it were an "Only Girl (In The World)"-sized hit. Hearing 2009's epic "Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)" live was something of a spiritual experience for me, as was her ridiculously camp version of Baccara's "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie". The chic songbird even swung her hips around in an endearing attempt at choreography! It was fun but unnecessary. I was completely mesmerised by her glamorous presence - there really is something otherworldly about her exquisite angles and luminous skin. A sing-a-long version of "Get Over You" reminded me how much I love her debut and she then brought it right back to the beginning with a glorious take on "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)". After promising to come back to our shores soon and shaking hands with most of the front row, SEB belted out her signature tune "Murder On The Dancefloor". Time hasn't wearied the brilliance of that song or its composer. Sophie is a veritable pop treasure and deserves better than just being big in Russia. She makes the music world an infinitely classier place and for that I thank her and promise to keep importing her singles and albums from random locations in Eastern Europe.
Daniel Bedingfield's incredibly annoying horse-faced sister is gearing up to relaunch her mega-flop 4th album in Europe. "Strip Me" must rank as one of the biggest chart disasters in recent history. It peaked at a not-so-lofty 103 in America - exactly 100 places below its predecessor! The album might have been chart poison but it's the first NB opus I can listen to from beginning to end without wanting to retch, so I'm kind of glad she's giving it another push. Now called "Strip Me Away" - it's basically the same album with her 2008 top 5 US hit "Pocketful Of Sunshine" tacked on for good measure. Somewhat surprisingly, they're also going with that as the lead single. I don't know what it says about the state of your career when your record company promotes a three year old track ahead of new material but fuck it - "Pocketful Of Sunshine" is actually a decent song and it seems to be working. At least in Germany, where it's a top 50 hit. Here's the tracklist in case you're one of the 10 still interested in this increasingly sympathetic nobody.
Disc 1
1. Pocketful Of Sunshine 2. Little Too Much 3. All I Need 4. Strip Me 5. Neon Lights 6. Weightless 7. Can't Fall Down 8. Try 9. Touch 10. Run Run Run 11. Break Thru 12. No Mozart 13. Recover 14. Weightless (Less is More Version) 15. Put Your Arms Around Me 16. Unexpected Hero
Disc 2
1. Strip Me (live video) 2. Weightless (live video) 3. Can t Fall Down (live video) 4. Run Run Run (live video) 5. Pocketful of Sunshine (music video) 6. Strip Me (music video)
Let's it risk it all tonight, So what if we crash and burn?
About a month ago I saw the cover of "Crash and Burn" on a blog and downloaded it on a whim. I reasoned that any bitch hanging from a bridge wearing fringed jeans and fluffy shoulder pads had to be worth a listen and I was right! Scarlette Fever's debut single is an absolute gem. It reminds me a little of Celine's legendary "Taking Chances" with its seize the day theme and sing-a-long chorus. The now or never lyrics resonate with me and I love her voice. But as much as I like the song in its original form, the Jason Nevins remix takes "Crash and Burn" to the next level of fabulous. Dannii's one time collaborator has turned Scarlette's track into a proper anthem with a suitably bittersweet build-up that explodes during the chorus. Hell, it even has crackling fire sound-effects at the end! Unfortunately, even that classy touch wasn't enough to make the song a hit. Which is completely depressing. On the bright side, Ms Fever has bounced back with a new tune called Black & White, which also sounds like a bit of a belter. While we wait for that to be released, check out "Crash and Burn". It's already one of my favourite songs of 2011!
When I open a digital promo and read the words "internet sensation", more often than not I just click delete. I have seen way too many deluded 10-year-olds belting out Lady Gaga covers on YouTube to bother with that shit. But there was something different about Cosmo Jarvis. First of all, he's fucking hot. Secondly, his latest single is called "Gay Pirates" and has been given Stephen Fry's seal of approval. So it must be good. And it is. "Gay Pirates" is a romantic sea shanty about gay love on a Pirate ship. Cosmo sings about his affection for Sebastian and the trials they must overcome to stay together. Depressingly, society hasn't changed all that much since the days of piracy and buried treasure - which is why I think the song strikes such a chord with listeners. You could change the setting to love between office workers in any small town in Australia and the story would play out much the same. Only without the gang rape and plank walking. I would hope. Given the song's lyrical content, I was surprised to learn that Cosmo is straight. I guess sometimes you need an outside observer to bring a fresh perspective to a very old story. Brace yourself for the quirkiest gay anthem of 2011.
2011 is turning out to be an amazing year for music. First Kim Kardashian serenaded our senses with "Jam (Turn It Up)", before Xelle and Rebecca Black took popular music to previously unimagined heights with their genre defining anthems. They say good things come in threes but they are clearly mistaken because the lovely ladies from StooShe have delivered yet another dose of musical magic with "Fuck Me". Funnily enough, that's exactly what I said after hearing this for the first time. I'm just not used to 1) England producing decent girlbands after suffering through years of Girls Aloud and 2) complete strangers getting me on such a deep, emotional level. Courtney, Alexander and Karis have chosen a subject matter close to my heart for their probing debut single - the quickie. And the girls tackle the topic with uncanny insight, telling their men to "put it in and don't be speakin' unless it's filthy filthy". Although my favourite bit is the X rated homage to En Vogue when they sing "get it up, get it in and I'll free your mind". Quality stuff! I'm not sure what to make of their fashion sense and the hot mess of a man polluting the video clip (below) but any group that mutters "don't be leavin' me no pearl necklace" in their first offering is more than alright by me. When does the album drop? I need it. Bad.
How often do two of your friends release fabulous electro-pop singles on the same day? This is surreal! Hot on the heels of Peter Wilson's Italo-tastic "Intoxicated" comes James Leon's triumphant second single "Caught Up In Your Vanity". The Englishman's stunning debut caused quite the stir online last year and, from memory, appeared on my very first Pop Panel. As much as I love "Purple Heart", his latest electronic adventure is in a completely different league. "Caught Up In Your Vanity" has a raw honesty and vulnerability that you're simply not used to hearing in catchy pop records. The personal lyrics strike a chord with me - "I pushed the button for self destruct, I guess we make our own luck" - and I love the restrained production. Fans of the Pet Shop Boys (or their tribute act Hurts) should lap this up like Neil Tennant's semen. James is a real talent and I think it's only a matter of time before a major label realises his huge potential. If you're still not convinced, check out "Bad Guy" - one of the best unreleased pop songs ever! "Caught Up In Your Vanity" is available to download from iTunes, Amazon and 7Digital now. Get downloading!
Sorry, gays. Zoë Badwi hasn't re-formed the greatest Australian girlband of the 00s. Rather, I was lucky enough to chat with England's Sirens - perhaps the most underrated pop act to emerge from the UK since Nicki French! The group has been at it since 2003 but their resume is decidedly lacking in hits. Sadly, the closest they have come to chart domination is a #49 smash in 2004 with the iconic "Baby (Off The Wall)". They spent the rest of the decade being big in Japan and working on their stunning sophomore album, which died a miserable death at home but eventually found an audience in America. Most bands would have thrown in the towel long ago but these are three persistent bitches. You see, Sirens is back yet again - this time with an electro album called "3" and a recently released anthem called "Stilettos" (see bottom of post). I asked them about their lack of hits, hot new sound and ongoing feud with Shayne Ward. Here's what they had to say:
Hey girls, I’m loving "Stilettos"! Do you realise how many drag queens have a new favourite song? Get in!! Pleased to hear that. We see ourselves as Drag Queen-esque with our new look – can we be in the gang?
I'm sure that can be arranged! The song is a real change of pace for Sirens. What made you choose electro-pop after experimenting with hip hop beats for so many years? We didn’t choose it, it chose us. We had a hit in the states with our electromix of "Club La La" and decided that was an exciting and fresh direction to go in and it was!
Is "Stilettos" reflective of your upcoming album? Who have you worked on it with? "Stilettos" is reflective of "3" but there is still a happy helping of urban influence on there. We worked with Red One’s protégé Eric Sanicola in NYC, DeeKay in Copenhagen and Rage (of P Diddy's "Dirty Money").
You girls look so fancy in the video! What inspired your glamorous new look?Gotham City Sirens with a mixer of Drag Queen. We were starting to feel a little drab and chav in those wife beaters and baggy jeans!
Please don’t take this the wrong way but the band hasn’t experienced the success it so richly deserves. Why do you think this is? No offence taken!! Because no UK radio stations will play our bloody record (and we can’t afford back handers and bribes). Luckily for us, things work differently in the States or Sirens would be R.I.P.
What keeps you going when your stunning anthems crash and burn on the charts?American success, great fans, love and appreciation for the band and espresso martinis!!
One of my songs from your back catalogue is "Love Hurts". Such an amazing tune!!Why was it never on the album? "Love Hurts" was a limited edition track for our Japanese album. We love it too, it's dope!!
I still play "Club LA LA" all the time. Looking back, is there anything you would change about the tracklist or the way it was promoted? Thank you!!!! We love the track and love the album, we’re very proud of it all but radio stations in the UK just didn’t get it and wouldn’t play it (apart from Radio 1’s Jo Whiley) which meant we couldn’t promote it. However, the americans loved it and "Club LA LA" was our first billboard bit! Happy Days.
Ok, time to get hard hitting. Shayne Ward ruthlessly stole your brilliant anthem "Own Thing", turning it into the horrible "Tell Him". What Happened? He’s a twat and oh no, he’s back again!! Keep your hands off "Stilettos" Wardy!! Or else!!!
Is "Smoke My Cigar" about oral sex? Well der!!! It’s whatever you would like it to be about my dear!
I'm so annoyed. Pixie Lott was the bitch I loved to hate. "Mama Do" is so bad it belongs on "3 Words" and her whole Duffy for readers of FHM schtick makes me want to vomit. But then she released "Gravity" - sublime in its remixed form - and the genuinely lovely "Turn It Up". The jury, however, was still out until I heard "Broken Arrow". The lead single from Pixie's recently re-released debut album is a hot mess but I love it. Toby Gad knows his way around a soppy power ballad (Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry" for example) and I connect with the overwrought lyrics despite some of the worst metaphors in recent memory. It also finally dawned on me that Pixie has a great voice when she's not trying to imitate whoever is currently ripping off Dusty Springfield. The glamorous diva suits a more contemporary sound and should do better internationally with something like this. I even rate the video (below) - despite the fact it blatantly copies Beyoncé's "Halo". There's soft lighting, a dance studio and natural make-up. The only thing missing is an underwater shot and a flowing white dress! Oh wait. I guess if you're going to be a thief, you might as well steal from the best...
My whole world has been turned upside down. One day you're happily bitching about Girls Aloud to anyone who will listen, the next you're forced to admit that you actually quite like Nadine Coyle's new solo single. I feel like a vegetarian that's been force fed KFC only to realise the error of their ways and go back for a second bucket! That might be a slight exaggeration. I still think Girls Aloud is the worst girlband in the history of music but if I have to warm to any of the five talent free zones - I'm glad it's Nadine. Sure, she's the useless one that just stands there and looks pretty but in comparison to the rest, she's the second coming of Kylie. Or at least Gina G. "Insatiable" didn't really grab me the first time I heard it but the Guy Chambers penned anthem is a grower. I love the brass and sexy chorus. It kind of reminds me of Alannah Myles circa 1989 - which is a compliment! However, as much as I like the original, the WAWA remix lifts the track from good to downright fucking amazing. The always reliable Polish duo transform "Insatiable" into dancefloor gold. If Nadine isn't as dumb as she looks, she will promote the fuck out of this. The WAWA mix (below) makes her sound like the real deal. Unlike local star Cheryl Cole, the mortal Coyle could actually have an international hit on her hands. It works in her favour that Girls Aloud can't give their music away outside the UK. She can start afresh without being pre-judged by their horrible legacy. And even if this bombs, Nadine can take heart from the face that "Insatiable" is a million times better than the aural abortion known as "Promise This"!
This blog is a raised middle finger to musical snobbery. I couldn't give a fuck about credibility and wasn't particularly fussed when I heard Shayne Ward's new single was a cover of Nickelback's "Gotta Be Somebody". As far as I'm concerned, it's better to butcher a piece of shit than fuck up something truly magnificent. I'm looking at you, Joe McElderry. My only problem with Shayne's comeback is the fact he's wearing clothing. That and the blatant laziness. Unlike most of his contemporaries, 2005's X Factor winner has the money behind him to come up with something fresh and original. Instead he takes three years to cover a generic rock song from 2008 that nobody liked in the first place. Good job! For his sake, I hope the vomit inducing lyrics about being sad and lonely get middle aged housewives into a CD buying frenzy but I'm moving on. His previous two albums didn't really do it for me and this insipid effort is the final straw. I don't even like the cover. Shayne looks gaunt. Lay off the exercise and eat some Tim Tams before you end up resembling Aaron Carter! The only saving grace is the trashtastic remix package. I can't believe they roped in Almighty. I guess Bimbo Jones drew the line at this shit! In all fairness, Andy does a good job. It's not quite as fabulous as his take on Usher's "OMG" but you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. The always reliable Moto Blanco also deliver a fun interpretation but for pure low brow trash value you can't really beat an Almighty mix of a Nickelback cover. Brace yourself and give it a listen (below).
Now this caught me by surprise. I was randomly downloading a bunch of dance remixes and thought I'd check out Carrie Mac because I liked the love heart above the 'i' in her name. Yes, I'm really that shallow! It must have been fate because "Hello" is one of the cutest pop songs I've heard in a long time. The original is lovely in a Kelly Clarkson on Valium kind of way but the Moto Blanco boys transform it into a fabulous floorfiller with pretty synths and a subtle disco twist. I particularly love how they've stayed true to the bittersweet lyrics while still churning out a killer club anthem. Respect! As for Carrie - I don't know a lot about the 23 year old Scottish stunner. Apart from the fact that she released the song at the end of August and appears to have won a competition on Radio One. Why isn't Pop Justice all over this? "Hello" is brilliant and deserves to be huge. Carrie is the best thing to come out of Scotland since Ewan McGregor's dick!
Before I get carried away with Marina, a quick bit of housekeeping. I finally gave in and joined Twitter. You can follow my musings or just say hello to me here. Toy soldiers, Bey stans and Kaci fans unite! Ok, so back to business. It's been a while since my last post on Marina & The Diamonds but my devotion to the Welsh beauty hasn't waned. "The Family Jewels" is easily one of the best albums of 2010 and I'm gagging for the diva to finally grace Australia with her fabulous presence in early 2011. Until then we have her 5th single to tide us over. And "Shampain" is smart choice. It's probably the most commercial track on the album after "Hollywood" and shows off Marina's lighter side. Not that "Shampain" is throwaway fluff. I love the lyrics ("drinking champagne - a bottle to myself, savour the taste of fabricated wealth") and think the video's fashionista zombie theme is a stroke of genius. But as much as I love the original, I'm a complete whore for a trashy dance mix and Fred Falke gays "Shampain" up admirably. To be honest, I prefer the extended club instrumental but Fred's radio mix is perfect Friday fodder. "Shampain" is released in the UK on the 11 of October. Pre-order your copy now!
Back in February I wrote a post about an amazing demo I received called "Supawoman". Tania Foster's stunning anthem blew me away and still ranks as one of my favourite songs of 2010. That smash-in-waiting is currently being tweaked by a very well known dance outfit for future release but the British diva has already struck chart gold with another track. Her recent collaboration with hip hop outfit Roll Deep just dethroned Flo Rida and David Guetta to claim the #1 spot in the UK. Despite not being credited, Tania owns "Green Light". Her catchy chorus and brilliant vocal gives the song its crossover appeal and she even upstages the tacky rent-a-bimbo in the video with her general fierceness. Hopefully, this is the push Tania needs to launch her solo career. She is the complete package - with the looks, vocal talent and songwriting ability to be absolutely massive. In the meantime check out "Green Light". I love it!
It's festival season in Australia and a flood of acts are doing side shows around the country. The Scissor Sisters didn't exactly blow my mind on Tuesday night and Goldfrapp weren't much better on Thursday. Thank fuck for Florence & The Machine, who are playing four sold out gigs in Sydney next week. That poor bitch might look 45 in the shade but at least she knows how to put on a show - which is more than Alison can say. Unlike the Scissor Sisters concert, I was actually expecting to enjoy this one. "Head First" didn't exactly blow me away when I first heard it but the album has grown on me a lot. Sure, there are no real singles but it's the perfect soundtrack for doing the ironing or washing up. It just kind of politely washes over you without ever really grabbing your attention. Which perfectly sums up the Goldfrapp live experience.
After emerging from what appeared to be a giant metallic arsehole in a feathery outfit that made her look like a gothic Plucka Duck, Alison kicked off the show with "Voicething". Possibly the worst Goldfrapp song ever recorded. She then mimed (or more specifically sang over a backing track) to several cuts from the new album including "Dreaming", "Hunt" and "I Wanna Life". I know second rate talents like Madonna and Britney use this trick all the time but at least they have the decency to do some choreography and spend some cash on pyrotechnics. Alison just stands in front of a wind machine looking bored. Of the new tracks, "Rocket" and "Believer" were definite standouts. However, the band definitely saved the best for last. "Ooh La La", "Black Cherry" and "Train" were a potent reminder of how far ahead of the game Goldfrapp was in the early noughties. They further redeemed themselves by performing "Strict Machine" as the encore - which I still think is one of the greatest pop songs ever written. All in all, not an unpleasant way to spend 90 minutes but I think I'd prefer to play their albums at home. It's not like you could tell the difference.
It's been at least a week since Cascada released their last genre defining masterpiece, so - like me - you're probably gagging for a Hi-NRG dance fix. Happily a new act from England has stepped in to fill the breach left by Natalie's child bearing hips. Daruso were recently signed to 3 Beat Blue (the thinking man's AATW) and are comprised of vocalist Jess Russo as well as producers Julian Gingell & Barry Stone. The latter are better known as Jewels & Stone and have worked with everyone from lovely Kylie right through to Ratshit Stevens. That should be enough to grab your interest but if you're still not convinced check out their hot new single "Since You Been Gone" (below). All you need to know is that it's not a Kelly Clarkson cover and would sound pretty fucking amazing in a club! Daruso's glamorous frontwoman kindly took the time to answer some of my probing questions, so check out what she has to say about working with Jewels & Stone and those Cascada comparisons.
Hey Jess, what did you get up to before joining Daruso? Musically I've been performing since I was really young and experimented with a variety of styles - I was mainly performing jazz and blues though locally and around London and trying to get into the songwriting side of things. Quite a bit different from Daruso!
How did you hook up with Jewels & Stone? Those guys have worked with some amazing people including Kylie, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and… um, Stephanie McIntosh. Meeting Jewels and Stone was a happy coincidence as I actually met them through my manager who had worked alongside them for Stock, Aitken & Waterman. They were looking for a vocalist so I sang for them in the most casual audition I've ever been to ha ha. And the rest is history :) They have worked with some incredible artists and they are amazing songwriters - I think I'll always be in awe of them.
“Since You Been Gone” is already burning up nightclubs across Europe. Have you always been into dance music? I've always loved any music I can dance to but obviously now I'm working within this genre I find myself not listening to much else!
Is the song reflective of the rest of your album or do you guys mix it up? I think the tracks we've recorded so far are all really unique in their own way but on the whole we tend to record songs that make you wanna dance and uplift you in some way. I would say "Since You Been Gone" is probably a very good indication as to what's to come though!
Who were your influences? You kind of remind me of a Hi-NRG version of Everything But The Girl. Well I take that as a HUGE compliment.....as a dance act they don't come cooler than that. I know Barry & Julian are influenced by so many different artists and genres half of which I've never heard of ha ha but as a vocalist my influences originate from the Jazz world....singers such as Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James are a real inspiration for me. In today's music I would say someone like Paloma Faith - she has such a unique voice.
When is the song released and will you be doing PAs? The single is being released in July and we already have lots of P.A's locally and also in Europe in the pipeline. The next one is in Glasgow on the 25th June which I'm really excited about as I've never been to Scotland before!
And finally, the question on everyone’s lips – are you the new Cascada? Ha ha everyone asks me that question! I am a huge fan of Natalie's and the truth is there will only ever be one Cascada. But I definitely think there's room out there for another female dance artist and if Daruso were to have even half the success Cascada has had, I'd be very happy!
A lot of weird and wonderful things find their way into my inbox. Most of them never find their way on to the blog but it was love at first listen with Marla. I really don't know a lot about this hot bitch - apart from the fact that she appeared on the Hollyoaks Music Show (kind of like X Factor for unsigned acts) and has one hell of a catchy debut single. "Lipstick For The Vampires" is yet another song about fame whores and starfuckers. This has almost become a genre unto itself over the past couple of years but Marla's wit and deceptively filthy lyrics help her stand out from the crowd. I love it when the diva cheerfully sings "she hopped on a bus and became a slut" and you don't need a lot of imagination to figure out why the poor girl has sore knees. Hint - it's probably not arthritis. However, this isn't an exercise in being cool or clever. The relentlessly upbeat production is genuinely sweet, while Marla comes across as pleasantly quirky as opposed to ten kinds of crazy. She kind of reminds me of a less depressed Marina & The Diamonds on a considerably lower budget. Her video (below) is very simple but she looks stunning in a Dita Von Teese wearing clothes made after 1980 kind of way and I love her less is more approach to choreography. "Lipstick For The Vampires" is available to download from iTunes now. Can't wait to see what she does next!
I still haven't posted my review of Ellie Goulding's "Lights". For the simple fact that I can't reconcile the bravura production and brilliant songwriting with the diva's lacklustre voice and complete lack of charisma. It's a challenging combination that I just can't seem to get my head around. So what does all this have to do with Sunday Girl? It seems the 21 year old London based pop star is being hailed by critics (and to a lesser extent marketed) as the next Ellie Goulding. There are similarities - they share the same soft electronic palette and both write poetic pop songs - but judging from her debut single, Sunday Girl has a distinctively warm and pretty sound that I actually find more appealing than Ellie's sterile iciness. "Four Floors" is as simple as it is beautiful. I love the rich vein of romanticism than runs through her lyrics, while the crisp production perfectly frames her words. And more importantly, Jade's (her real name) voice has character. She brings a sense of whimsy to "Four Floors" that Ellie could only dream of. There's a touch of Sarah Cracknell about this girl that should endear her to Saint Etienne fans. The video (below) is cheap even by today's standards but effortlessly captures the spirit of the song. Finally a next big thing I can get behind! Check out her Myspace for more details and hunt down the brilliant Russ Chimes remix.
A rooftop in Neutral Bay is probably the last place I ever expected to hear Cosmo Jarvis belt out "Gay Pirates" but that's what happened on Monday night when he performed a six-song showcase for assorted industry types. Like many people, that quirky anthem was my introduction to the scarily talented 22-year-old but since then I've become a huge fan and was excited about his Sydney debut. It got off to a somewhat unconventional start when the Brit played around with his guitar and spent a couple of minutes sorting out the sound settings before launching into the awesome "Sure As Hell Not Jesus" but those tics, which became more prevalent through the show, are part of Cosmo's raw charm. After a note-perfect rendition of that underrated gem, he moved onto "She Doesn't Mind" - one of my favourites from his excellent sophomore album "Is The World Strange Or Am I Strange?" That song never fails to put a smile on my face with its amusing lyrics and unexpected sweetness.
Next up was a new track called "Train Downtown", which Cosmo explained was set in the future - "not 1000 years but maybe 800". It turned out to be a typically idiosyncratic take on human relationships that rang true for me. I can't wait to hear a studio version. Before moving on to his current single "My Day" (below), the singer/director explained that he usually performs the song with a five-piece band but it still sounded great with the trio present. This guy not only has a deceptively strong voice, he's also an extremely accomplished musician. As he proved by picking up a mandolin to sing "Gay Pirates". I interviewed Cosmo earlier in the day - stay tuned for that - and he confided that he's sick to death of singing his tale of gay love on the high seas but it still gets me every time. He closed with "Blame It On Me", which is perhaps the album's weakest moment but I'm not complaining. Cosmo is the real deal and destined for huge things. Get on board now.
