Rolling Teenpop 2007 Thread

Skye's officially been dropped from Capitol. Tim Armstrong confirmed it on a radio show talking about the "Into Action" single. Apparently she "gave it to him" because it had nowhere else to go. So, one more time...

http://a856.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/6/l_0d40b3d7bceccb91624916624164b3d7.jpg

She's still looking for a new band (via email submission/MySpace promotion!), so maybe she'll tour the songs independently or find a new label. Still, it sucks.

This from a reliable source: Skye has not been dropped!
I think when Skye hears what Tim has said on KROQ, she's going to make him drop and give her fifty. lol

http://tommy2.net/2007/kcmydecember.jpg

1. Chivas
2. Never Again
3. One Minute
4. Hole
5. Sober
6. Don’t Waste Your Time
7. Judas
8. Haunted
9. Be Still
10. Maybe
11. How I Feel
12. Yeah
13. Can I Have A Kiss
14. Irvine

Please note similarities to Ashlee Simpson's most recent tour set design and photos in the I Am Me liners.

handy dress style for kelly there! (this is old news but i've only just seen recent pictures of her and she's obv awesome always & forever but we're heading towards beth ditto territory at the same time.) (sorry, mean. kelly i love your single.)

not as much as i love THE POTENTIAL BREAKUP SONG though! kind of obsessed with it right now. the lyrics! the situation laid out just like that, no bullshit, three minutes, and then the slight note of hope at the end...

Indeed, it is a potential make-up song as well.

Vocoders = Brilliant!

Underwhelmed by the Jordan Pruitt album, which I finally listened to. I feel like with a little more humor she'd be like a Hoku with better chops, with a little more chops she'd be like Jojo, as is it's this sort of halfway point between spiked acoustic guitar R&B pop and c. 2000 bubblegum teenpop. Not bad, just not really sticking with me (probably needs more bubblegum). Need to give it a few more listens, though.

Listened to the Sophie Ellis Bextor album and feel like someone just jackhammered my head with hooks. Dunno if that's a good thing or not.

Ha, Lex, knew you'd like it!

Also, Rhianna's 'Shut Up and Drive' now around - a) I love it, b) it seems to have a very 'British' pop sound to it, like I wouldn't be surprised if Xenomania were involved. I could well imagine Girls Aloud releasing something along similar lines. Also, friends and I were discussing how aparently Beyonce turned down SOS, and I said how she would have brought too much 'heat' too it, whereas Rhianna's voice is more metallic, maybe the American version of Rachel Stevens?

"Shut Up and Drive" to appear in new Ford commercial starting in 3, 2...

Oh, and new Cassie track on her MySpace...I'm a pretty big fan of this one...really nice and subtle.

(sorry if someone already posted this...ctrl f didn't help)

Hey, this new Corbin Bleu song is really good! Deal with It, now at something like #5 on Radio Disney. (scott seward called him new new jack swing on the other thread, seconded.)

He and Natasha should have a crazy slippery dance-off.

(Nah, Natasha'd kick his ass)

"Potential Break Up Song" reminds me a lot of Xenomania in their (relatively) more earnest pose e.g. "No Good Advice" or "The Show". I think it's great.

Also loving Ashley Tisdale's "Be Good To Me" heaps and heaps. I get the impression the album is pretty good too? I think I just love the single because it reminds me of stuff like Mis-Teeq's "Scandalous"... heavy-slashing string riffs are almost never a bad idea.

'the potential breakup song' really reminds me of something...not xenomania exactly. can't quite put my finger on it yet. dream's 'he loves me not'...i dunno.

abby have you been subjected to my rants on the subject of "british" pop? i feel lately it's been something of a pox on the world...i like 'sos' in a 7/10, would dance to it way, but actually morally disapprove of it in some ways. it's rihanna's worst single by some way! faintly depressing that 'shut up and drive' heads down the same path after the triumph of ELLA ELLA ELLA AY AY AY.

i do agree beyonce might not have been so good on it - there's a simplicity, a naivete to it which i don't think beyonce's ever pulled off. all she has is a brolly!

Tisdale's album is still my favorite of the year. I absolutely love it. Be Good is my favorite track on it, but it was a tough decision.

Hilarious review of "Be Good To Me" by M.H. Lo over in Jukebox.

And I just posted my review of Tisdale's "Not Like That" on my MySpace blog (basically repeats what I said upthread).

New Cassie track a b/w silkscreen of early '90s Eurohouse with langorous Cassie r&b on top. May take me a while to find out whether I'll feel it.

I've not yet succeeded in hating Corbin Bleu, though I'm not necessarily ready to abandon my efforts.

(Yeah, reasonably good track, even if I'd have preferred a much better singer. But I could say the same about the Tisdales, which I'm generally loving.)

I tried not to like him after his last one, but there was one dance move in this video (that may have been sped up or otherwise faked) that they spotlight so blatantly that I couldn't ignore it...like he's standing there and then...hey look, DANCE MOVE. And I had to admit that it was a pretty cool dance move. I don't know what a "better singer" for this kind of music would mean...although I do sort of wish there were like five of him, since alone he's like the fourth member of a decent knock-off boyband.

Y'know, like that guy in Boyz II who always gets the shittiest individual subplot in the video.

Er, Boyz II Men

Not really hearing Xenomania (British production group, most notable for their work with Girls Aloud) in "Potential Breakup Song," but then I don't know Xenomania's music very well. I think of Girls Aloud as descending from the Stock-Aitken-Waterman river of unison sound, which is a cousin to Hi-NRG disco. (Is that right? Lex, Abby, Hazel, Jeff, and Jessica would know far better than I.) Whereas "Potential Breakup Song" feels like new-wavey power pop that's having fun playing with electro machines - but ALSO, with complete aplomb, has worked in neo-1940s glitz and pizzazz. (Are Andrews Sisters the right reference here? That's what I claimed upthread.) And the melody and delivery of the line "This is a potential breakup song" has a knowing edge to it, which I said reminded me of Melissa Lefton (which is a reference that only Dave or Xhuxk are likely to get). Or Liz Phair? I'm just flailing, looking for comparisons. The song's not strange, but it doesn't quite match up with anything else, either.

Better singer for that Corbin Bleu song would be Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Drew Seeley, lots of others. I thought the previous Corbin Bleu was just as good (or just as pleasantly OK).

Heard the Reba version of "Because Of You": she and Kelly trade verses. Reba's singing is one-dimensionally weepy; somewhat more bearable than the live version. The song is still incredibly good, but this ain't no "Fancy" (and ain't no "Because Of You").

But I am vindicated for starting the discussion of "Because of You" over on last year's rolling country thread. (Of course in late '05 I was discussing Lohan and Madonna and t.A.T.u. on rolling country, for reasons that had nothing to do with any supposed countryness. But "Because Of You" did seem country ready, and I think it was Anthony who brought it up there first.)

Speaking of Girls Aloud, the punchy rock-riff start of their "No Good Advice" reminds me a lot of the punchy rock-riff start of "My Sharona," which was the official American New Wave Rock-Pop Song, so I've probably just more or less refuted (or confused) what I said a couple of posts ago about "Potential Breakup Song."

<i>Michael Jackson</i>

Pretty clearly going for this one (and would be a big exception)...Drew Seeley hasn't done anything except the overdubs on HSM to convince me he's really much of a pop star (granted that's...uh, one song?) and Justin would probably view something like this as a regression at this point.

I give up on all html formatting, btw. </thpth>

"Whereas "Potential Breakup Song" feels like new-wavey power pop that's having fun playing with electro machines - but ALSO, with complete aplomb, has worked in neo-1940s glitz and pizzazz."

Yeah Frank as per your subsequent post this is precisely why it reminds me of Xenomania! See also Girls Aloud's "Some Kinda Miracle", "Wake Me Up", "Love Machine", "Waiting", as well as Sugababes' "Hole in the Head".

Really good blindfold test writeup on My Chemical Romance's "Teenagers" over on Poptimists, but Michael Daddino:

A readymade teenpop snarl anthem as catchy as "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" with a singer as cute as Aaron Carter (and cuter than Rob Thomas) and an us vs. them scenario that a good half-century of culture have prepared us to thoroughly understand after exposure to only a handful of cues. And thoroughly misunderstand, maybe. The chorus goes "They say 'All teenagers scare the living shit of me.'" Who's "they"? Well, the non-teenage, right? Meaning adults, specifically adults in positions of authority (parents, teachers, cops, doctors, etc.) as established in the first verse: "they" are gonna watch your every move, force you into the role of "citizen" and "cog in the murder machine," ply you with pyschopharmaceuticals, etc. BUT. In the second verse, the "they" are "the boys and the girls in the clique" who'll ensure "you're never gonna fit in much, kid" -- that is to say, the "they" sound like other teenagers. The next round of the chorus is the same as before, though, which implies that the clique-teens also hate and fear all teenagers, too, including themselves. So the whole first verse could be read as being about the clique-monsters, who enforce cultural mores with fear, who are so afraid of other teens they sleep with guns, who ply recreational drugs on other kids to screw them up. OK, another weird ambiguity: the second half of the chorus can equally mean (where x = a darkening of your clothes and y = a violent pose): "Do x or y, and maybe they'll leave *you* alone, but they won't leave *me* alone" or "Do x or y, and maybe they'll leave you alone, but I *won't* do x or y" or "Do x or y, and maybe *they* will leave you alone, but *I* won't." The first reading says the singer is a victim, too; the second, a rebel; the third, a bully, just like the adults and the clique-monsters. Another hole: what's the thing under your shirt that'll make them pay? A gun? Or your heart? And there are other things I could point to. Are these ambiguities deliberate or sloppy? Hard to say. But every way you cut into this song, there are many thin and flaky layers of extraordinary paranoia and cynicism about what it means to be a teen, both in the eyes of adults and the eyes of teens, and it's quite possible the song lets no one off the hook, not even the singer. Gross, compelling.

but Michael Daddino = by Michael Daddino

And despite Reba's limitations, this "Because Of You" is hitting me with the same emotions as the original. Not nearly as good as the original, but I keep playing it over and over.

with a singer as cute as Aaron Carter

I'm trying to figure out why I really am not getting into FOB but still really like MCR, and weirdly this might hit the nail on the head in a way...FOB dude isn't a big enough dork! If we're going with Mike Patton, he's like MP when he goes crooner (which is OK in small doses), but that's his natural voice. Whereas MCR dude (I know no names) is all over the map -- and can also carry a tune. You get the sense that he doesn't have a clue if he believes what he's saying, he doesn't trust himself (the edge of goof), but he believes just enough for his voice (1) not to grate and (2) to sell the song on its own terms, e.g. "Teenagers" as mentioned above, which isn't definitively sarcastic or "serious," it just sort of is. (Is pretty good, too.) Or to put it more eloquently, thin and flaky layers of extraordinary paranoia and cynicism about what it means to be a teen, both in the eyes of adults and the eyes of teens, and it's quite possible the song lets no one off the hook, not even the singer. Gross, compelling. (Only "Teenagers" is particularly "gross" on Black Parade though, and probably the most problematic -- and maybe challenging and worth digging into lyrically -- song on the album. Sounds goofier, but it's grosser and scarier, too; MCR's "I Am One of Them" but not half as scary.)

(The rest of Black Parade is more like "OMG WE MIGHT DIE AND THEN IT'D BE LIKE BEETLEJUICE AND THERE WOULD BE GUITAR SOLOS RAWK HEY HAVE YOU HEARD THE WALL.")

Posting from Rolling R&B, relevant here, but can you spot the connection?

But if early tracks are an indication, Metropolis will outstrip any expectations of Monae's budding career. It is an avant-rock concept album based on Fritz Lang's classic 1927 German expressionist film. Musically, she explores the future as Cindy Mayweather, an Earth girl who finds a dystopian universe full of androids, evil capitalists and oppressed workers... Interestingly, according to Monae, the Atlanta Ballet has agreed to perform her Metropolis in April 2008.

-- r|t|c, Monday, 21 May 2007 01:51 (18 hours ago) Link

Unlike Tim F, I don't think there will be anything "secretly" good about this whatsoever. Cindy Mayweather cannot fail, any more than an adorable android child could go crazy and try to cut mommy's hair while she's sleepi--uh oh. (MyTropolis)

WOW. The Rihanna album is just spectacular. I'd be surprised if it wasn't my album of the year.

Yeah same here. I'm really shocked that Rihanna, Ms. "Pon De Replay", put out an album this good.

OOOH. I want to hear it. Is "Umbrella" the best track?

BTW, Lil Mama is really awesome...She just posted a MySpace bulletin with a poll question about high school dress codes. I'm in luv! To take to prom:
1. Lil Mama
2. Jordin Sparks
3. Tiffany Evans

BTW, Lil Mama is EVEN AWESOMER, having done a remix to "Girlfriend," taking out all those annoying parts where Avril is saying stuff. Except the "wrapped around my finger" bit! Sorry to break the ILM rules but here it is. She's a pro, been doin' it since Hop on Pop. (h/t Jimmy Draper (again), I don't have many more firstborn children to promise him for all these things.)

New Jordin Sparks single "This Is My Now." A good straightup emotional version of it, but it's just not my type of it.

Speaking of which, I missed the finale last night, except for overhearing Ruben Studdard singing "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and I thought they musta gotten Gnarls Barkley to do a guest spot for like a half a second.

Anyway, Jimmy Draper sez re: Kelly Clarkson:

1. her rendition of "never again" on idol last nite was AMAZING. she switched up a few lines (not lyrically, but the notes/delivery) and it was brilliant

2. her snake-charming vitamin water commercial is hilarious. "don't do
that!"!!!! LOL

Who saw this? Heard I missed Green Day singing their "Working Class Hero" cover, oh shucks. ("This Is My Now" seemed pretty bland when I heard her Tues night.)

I saw it. Lots of random performances. Blake beatboxing/performing with Doug E. Fresh was really fun. Former Idols did a tribute to "Sgt. Pepper": Kelly performed "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and was amazing, Taylor Hicks did "A Day in the Life" and meh (Brie is better), Carrie did "She's Leaving Home" and I liked it, Ruben b/w the top 12 did "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and as dabug intimates it was a weird arrangement. Then the entire top 12 did "With a Little Help From My Friends". Kelly's "Never Again" was great.

This is just going off my head: Gwen did her new single and *yawn*, Carrie did "I'll Stand By You" and she was great as ever, Sanjaya reprised "You Really Got Me"...other stuff too but I don't remember! Top 6 guys did a medley of Smokey Robinson that was great, top 6 girls did Gladys Knight.

Jordin won as expected; I'd be surprised if the final vote was even remotely competitive. I remember in season 1 Kelly destroyed Justin 58%-42%, and I bet this season's results looked a lot like that.

Anybody looking forward to any of the Idols' CD's? Have v. low hopes for most of them, but am rather interested to hear what they are gonna do with Blake. Jordin COULD release a great album, but I somehow doubt it. "This Is Me Now" is bad, worse than "A Moment Like This" and "Inside Yr Heaven" but better than the seasons 2, 3, and 5 winners songs (in my opinion).

Not really feeling the new Rihanna album...when the song doesn't require her to do anything, it's pretty good (the songwriting/production is great). Occasionally, she'll even do something interesting (like in "Breakin' Dishes," which is probably the most forceful personality she's had since "Unfaithful" and maybe her best song ever) and most of the time she doesn't have to (like weirdo Eurodancey "Don't Stop the Music" that quotes "Wanna Be Startin' Something"!) but for the most part I'd rather hear, like, Ciara or somebody either more androidish (or at least less wallpapery) sing almost all of these. But I'll give it some more time.

Hannah Montana - "Make Some Noise": Wow, really boring. Goes on way too long and the melody doesn't have nearly enough kick to it. Extremely disappointing. [4]

New Jordin Sparks single "This Is My Now." A good straightup emotional version of it, but it's just not my type of it.

Frank, to clarify, do you mean it's not your type of SONG or it's not your type of PERFORMANCE. Because I think it's a great performance of a really mediocre song.

Actually she gets through some personality in "Question Existing" (also weird... ethereal 6/8 ballad...album's certainly all over the place in a good way, I'll give it that) listening again on Josh Love's rec.