19 March 2014 - Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX - Fancy

(Goddamn it, Tony, enough Charli XCX!!!!)

OK, but hear me out. Two young white non-American women have written and performed a song that has become a high-charting song on an American hip-hop chart! Co-written by Charlotte Aitchison and Amethyst Kelly - Charli and Iggy, respectively (why Amethyst Kelly needed to change her name to a different one for a stage name is beyond me.  Amethyst Kelly would be a great stage name!) - the song is an ode to glam, the video a tribute to "Clueless". 



But even this great, catchy, fun song wouldn't have been enough for me to ONCE AGAIN put Charli XCX on this blog - this is her 7th appearance - if not for Seth Meyers.  He had both of them on Late Night this week.  We'd love to have it here for you, but NBC isn't letting me post, so go here and see this really solid performance.

And, if you are too lazy to do that, watch their performance from SXSW.  It's clearly Iggy's song - she's the one in the murda bizness - but she's also clearly gracious for Charli's appearance, who knows what she's doing.




(Update: 10 June 2014) - This song has been #1 for the last two weeks. And you knew so long ago. Congratulations for being in on the ground floor.

14 March 2014 - Soul Coughing - Circles

I think anyone with a decent Internet connection and a passing knowledge of mathematics knows that today - 3.14 - is Pi Day.

But, have you ever stopped to think what pi - the number, not the letter in the Greek alphabet - really is?  Well, this math major can tell you! Put simply, it's a constant number, equal to the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.  A circle is a funny shape - every point on it is equidistant from the center, so a constant like this is possible.

And since we're talking about circles, I think it is appropriate to use the greatest song ever written about this cool shape!

12 March 2014 - Kristin Hersh - A Loon

I was a long time Throwing Muses fan (still am) but I still love Kristin Hersh's solo work, which tends more to the acoustic side of things.  It's hard to pick just one song as a favorite.  But this one - a song that really is, in my view, two songs - floats to the top.

The first half of the song is an angry, string-filled piece that seems to be a tribute to Kristin's bipolar disorder.  The second half, when the video switches to color, seems to be more reflective on the same subject matter.  At any rate, it is a masterfully crafted song.  Check it out!

11 March 2014 - 311 - Down

This one seemed kind of obvious. So much so, that I wonder why I didn't think about it before. Anyway, let's celebrate 3/11 with one of my favorite 311 songs. Truth time: I actually liked their first and third albums and saw them in a small club before Down blew up. I can't say I've really liked anything they've done since, but that may have more to do with a change in my musical tastes. Seriously 311, it's not you, it's me.

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10 March 2014 - Charli XCX feat. Brooke Candy - Cloud Aura

I know what a lot of you are thinking.

"Enough with the goddamn Charli XCX."

The reason I am posting this anyway?  I mean, besides my undying respect for anything that Charlotte Aitchison touches?  It's the bravery in partnering with the intensely charismatic and immensely polarizing Brooke Candy, and not getting overshadowed.   Brooke Candy, to her credit, is far less in-your-face than usual.

Also, it's a lesbian love song.  Well, a lesbian break-up song, anyway.


So what happens when Brooke Candy isn't available?  It still works - Charli has some hip hop chops, if not the metal bra and absolutely insane hair.

7 March 2014 - Bloc Party - Ratchet

Apparently, "ratchet" is a derogatory term nowadays.  Hell, in my day, it was a kind of wrench.

But Kele as a lead vocalist (we've heard his voice before) really makes this very energetic song work. It's different - are those minor chords they're using there? - but still dance music.  How can we go wrong with such a song?

We can't.  We can't go wrong.

6 March 2014 - Janelle Monae - Dance Apocalyptic

While I'm not normally exposed, and thus not really that into R&B and Soul, the first time I heard Janelle Monae's Tightrope I was blown away. She's an undeniable force who definitely captured my attention with her fantastic debut The ArchAndroid and retained it with her latest album The Electric Lady. As I was listening to the "new" album last night I was immediately drawn to the frenetic Dance Apocalyptic and hoped beyond hope that there would be a video for it. Voila!

5 March 2014 - Snow - Informer

By far, the most widely requested for this blog is "Informer", by Snow.  Apparently, there is still demand for Canadian reggee/hip-hop fusion.  Just not beyond this song.

Seriously, as much as people like to make fun of this song nowadays, but it spent 7 weeks at #1 in the United States in 1993.  Seven weeks, people.  It was a gigantic hit.  Probably because it was completely different than everything else that was on the radio at the time.  It would be his biggest US hit - its follow-up was a top 20 hit - and it endures today.

4 March 2014 - Avicii - Hey Brother

OK, I know Tony wrote about Avicii in January, but hey, that doesn't mean I shouldn't have a say as well. Besides, I have a hook, which is usually not the case with me. We must embrace the hook. Embrace it!

Last week I received a cryptic message from my mom while on vacation: "Do you have A v i c i L cd?" Confused, I jokingly replied: "Do you mean Avril or Avicii because I have both. Now if it's some odd collaboration between the two, then no." Her response: "Avicii. Send it to me when you get home?" She's direct like that. I certainly did not expect that answer. Is the senior citizen-set now into EDM collaborations?

That also got me thinking about a couple things: First, does a 60-something mom wanting this CD make it a Wicked Guilty Pleasure? It probably should, but not in this case as I'm fairly certain that the on-the-pulse teens I coach probably dig it too (they seem to like anything EDM-related . . . kids these days). This record really is universal.

Second, I'm really curious as to what song she heard that piqued her interest? She does like pop music and country music as long as it's not "too country" (if you know what I mean). I suspect it was Hey Brother featuring bluegrass great Dan Tyminski as I know she has the O' Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack. That's why I picked it up, well, that and it was $3.99 at AmazonMP3. I suppose I'll have to ask her on our weekly phone call and maybe give her a pat on the back for liking good music.

3 March 2014 - Marina and the Diamonds - How To Be A Heartbreaker

OK, folks, I'm back.  Scott has done a fantastic job supporting and embracing all that is Wicked Guilty Pleasures while I was off being obsessed with curling pants.  Seriously.  But I did do some posts, and I hope you go back and check them out.

Today, however, we are talking Marina Diamandis and the Diamonds.  Sure, she sees days of the week and musical notes in different colors - seriously, she does, thanks to a condition known as synethesia - so maybe that's why she makes such fun, interesting, different pop music. Sure, Scott has shown his love as well.  (Actually, so have I).

But, really, I want to talk about the absolute versatility of this amazing singer/songwriter.  First of all, listen to this version of the song, from the official video.   Although guitar-driven, there's a strong electronic aspect to this song.  And it's entertaining, to be sure, but it would be really easy to dismiss this as heavily AutoTuned. 



But now listen to this, a live version from The Today Show. It starts off as an acoustic ballad, and although it eventually reaches the tempo of the original, it stays acoustic. And sans AutoTune. Also, as much as I like Florence and the Machine and Katy Perry, I don't at all get the comparison.

20 February 2014 - House of Pain - Jump Around

Some days are much harder for me than others to find "guilty pleasure" videos to post (Tony seemingly does not suffer from this affliction, for which I am extremely jealous). After alternating between staring at a blank screen and my Twitter feed for the last two hours I thought all hope was lost. Pack it in buddy. Admit failure. Blow it off yet again. Come back refreshed in 10 days. And then it hit me with all of the subtlety of a Jock Jams Compilation - JUMP AROUND BY HOUSE OF PAIN!!!

. . . And with that, my meteoric rise to mediocrity continues . . .

18 February 2014 - Lily Allen - Air Balloon

Tony is probably going to kill me for posting Lily Allen's new video for Air Balloon. Chances are he won't realize it until after Olympic curling ends and by that time I should be on a plane to the Dominican Republic to hide out. Or vacation. Anyway, we love Lily Allen here at Wicked Guilty Pleasures. Actually, we should seriously think about inducting her into Wicked Guilty Pleasure's Hall of Fame which currently has two members: Pink and Katy Perry. So kick back and enjoy the fun video for Air Balloon while I consider changing my ringtone back to the chorus of Lily's epic song F*ck You from her It's Not Me, It's You album.

17 February 2014 - Phantogram - Black Out Days

The new Phantogram album Voices is out tomorrow.  This is the first single, as well as the lead track off their EP from last year.  It's a little less dark than their prior stuff, and more hip-hop influenced (probably thanks to Big Boi) but it's still clearly Phantogram.

6 February 2014 - Broken Bells - Holding On For Life

James Mercer (The Shins) and Danger Mouse, collectively known as Broken Bells, returned this week with their second full-length album After The Disco. While they just released a lyric video for the atmospheric second single Leave It Alone, I think the album's first single Holding On For Life is just so freaking cool . . . so let's watch that one instead.

4 February 2014 - Jamie Lynn Spears - How Could I Want More

To be honest, I know very little about Jamie Lynn Spears other than the fact that she's Britney's little sister. Recently though, there's been a lot of buzz about her new country single How Could I Want More. I kind of shrugged it off in one of my fits of arrogant snobbery that sometimes still rears its ugly head when it comes to music (trust me, I've gotten A LOT better about this and I think this blog has certainly proved that point). I finally caught the video on CMT Pure a couple days ago and I was pretty much blown away by the time the first chorus hit. It's a finely written song (co-written by Jamie) that is sung with a strong, yet vulnerable voice. After hearing the song a few more times I have to say that I certainly wouldn't mind if Jamie Lynn Spears becomes the next big pop country star.

31 January 2014 - The Wreckers - Leave The Pieces

Did you know that Michelle Branch had a country career?  Indeed, The Wreckers were Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp.  This song was nominated for a 2007 Grammy, so clearly this venture was seen as respectable.  And I respect it, too - it's hard to go from a solo career, be it in pop or country, and move into a collaborative situation like this.

And, sure, this group didn't last very long, but I hope they come back. 

30 January 2014 - Lucy Hale - You Sound Good To Me

Pretty Little Liars actress Lucy Hale released her first single You Sound Good To Me a few weeks ago and it's tearing up the country charts with its breezy verses and big sing-a-long chorus. I suspect we'll be hearing a lot more from her in 2014, especially if the song hits the Top 10, which I think is very likely.

28 January 2014 - Colbie Caillat - Hold On

Colbie Caillat's new song Hold On is certainly a departure from her previous California sunshine, playing an acoustic on the beach days. If Hold On, and what I've read about her new material is true, she's heading into bold new pop territory with OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder. Tedder and Caillat previously worked together on Brighter Than The Sun off her All of You album, and of course he has written a ton of huge pop songs for artists like Adele, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and many, many more, so I'm fairly certain this new direction will be good for her. Will I may miss the coziness of Colbie's previous work? Probably, but I'm more than willing to give the new material a shot . . . and as a fan of hers, I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

24 January 2014 - The Captain and Tennille - Muskrat Love

Oh, sadness!

The Captain and Tennille are divorcing!!!!!

Except they are still living together.

And The Captain doesn't know why. Although the rumors are that his failing health is the issue - she's filing to get him better access to health care as a single man.

Well, let's hope they work it out.  In the meantime, we're going to enjoy one of their biggest hits, technically a cover of a song by America, but we'll play it here anyway.

22 January 2014 - Avicii - Wake Me Up

Rarely has a song been so able to mix acoustic guitar and electronica. And yet this song sounds like both a folk song and dance music.  When it was first introduced, live, the crowd of electronic music fans were reportedly confused and angered.  It's a different type of song.  But it works.

The stage name of Swedish DJ Tim Bergling, Avicii has been a prolific remixer for years.  The vocals on this song were done by Aloe Blacc, with Mike Eizinger from Incubus providing the acoustic guitar. 

20 January 2014 - Bowser and Blue - The Curling Song

A simple song about curling?  That makes it clear that curlers "always get the girl"?  Yes.  Please.

Based in Montreal, George Bowser and Rick Blue have been performing together for more than 35 years, throughout Canada.  Most of their stuff is comedic.  This isn't.  This is a serious folk song about curling. 

16 January 2014 - Tennis - Origins

This is the time of year when I start to really obsess over Tennis. The sport. Not the band. But they're pretty darn good too, so here's a video from their 2012 album Young & Old.



. . . and now I return to watching replays of last night's Australian Open...

15 January 2014 - Chumbawumba - Tubthumping

We'll be singing when we're winning.

I get knocked down. But I get up again. You're not ever gonna keep me down.

Pissing the night away.  Pissing the night away.

He drinks a whiskey drink.  He drinks a vodka drink. He drinks a lager drink.  He drinks a cider drink. He sings the songs that remind him of the good times.  He sings the songs that remind him of the better times.

Oh Danny Boy  Danny Boy

Don't cry for me next door neighbor.

I didn't really think I could write anything better about the song than the lyrics.  I mean, I could have told you that Chumbawumba is probably the least likely bunch of anarchists to ever have a big hit song. I could have written about their political slants, and how this song wasn't really the lighthearted drinking song that it seems to be on the surface.

I could have shared the Pete Postlethwaite quote from Brassed Off that actually opened the song.(start at the :23 mark of this speech).


But why do that?  The lyrics are just so much better.

14 January 2013 - St. Vincent - Actor Out Of Work

I just heard Birth In Reverse, the first single off St. Vincent's next album and it's all sorts of cool. She definitely has a unique, chaotic sound that continues to grow with each album. There's no video for Birth, so instead, we'll go with one of my favorite songs by her, Actor Out Of Work off of 2009's Actor album.

13 January 2014 - Grimes - Genesis

When the main star of your video is known more for doing your video than her own music, you've truly accomplished something.

And yet, with this epic video, which prominently features Brooke Candy, Grimes has accomplished just that.  Can you blame Grimes for the casting, though? I mean, there are several other actors in this video.... and your eye keeps going back to those long, pink braids and that complete metallic costume. It's said that Ms. Candy is one of the most charismatic characters in the L.A. party scene (which is what drew Claire Boucher (Grimes) to her) so her casting was perfect.

The song itself is a dreamy electronic marvel that, despite not completely understanding the lyrics - Grimes has a unique, pixie-like voice that makes me smile.  Which is strange, because the lyrics are kind of sad, but beautiful.  Musically, it's a lot of sample loops and keyboard work, which means that Grimes is doing it all herself, which is impressive.

Also, she is carrying a flaming sword at about the 4:48 mark of the video.  Also impressive.

10 January 2014 - Imagine Dragons - Radioactive

There are a lot of songs out there that I don't want to like.  This is one of them.  I mean, it's over the top, preachy, and somewhat annoying.

And yet, these very aspects that make the song one that I don't want to like are exactly what make it likeable.  The over-the-top nature of the song gives it an epic feel, different than a lot of other stuff on pop radio.  For sure, it's percussion-heavy, and Dan Reynolds needs to have a big enough voice to overcome that, which he does successfully. It's preachy, sure, but it does so in such a way that is catchy.

OK, I can't explain away annoying.  I guess it just grew on me.  Either that, or I'm a sucker for a music video with Lou Diamond Phillips and stuffed animals.



Still not convinced?  I urge you to check out this live version of the song.  First of all, it's in a slightly different key and it still works.  Second of all, the big arena environment really lends itself well for such a huge, epic song.  Finally, the band added both dubstep-y elements and a strings solo to the song, which, in my opinion, really enhance it. 

8 January 2014 - CHVRCHES - The Mother We Share

I'm late, and I'm lazy.  Perfect combination for a post by one of the buzziest bands of 2013.  Even if they can't spell "churches".   Anyway, the buzz is deserved - this song is a pop gem, and their album The Bones Of What You Believe, one of the best of 2013 (I didn't like it at first, but it's growing on me), is one you should check out.  Here's the first single from that album.  Enjoy.

7 January 2014 - Kelly Clarkson - My Life Would Suck Without You

I was pretty shocked to read yesterday that Wicked Guilty Pleasures just turned two years old. It sure seems like we've been doing this for A LOT longer. Since Tony took us back yesterday with his first WGP artist Ashlee Simpson, I figured I'd enter the terrible twos with mine. Here's Kelly Clarkson and the wicked fun video for My Life Would Suck Without You.



It goes without saying, but I just want to thank y'all for reading, tweeting, retweeting etc. My life truly would suck without you! (like you really didn't see that one coming?)

6 January 2014 - Ashlee Simpson - Shadow

On the 5th of January, 2012, a blog celebrating all that is bad for us musically but we don't care about because we love it anyway was born, with this Ashlee Simpson song.  Together, Scott and I have been bringing you Wicked Guilty Pleasures for two years.  We're happy to do it, and we will continue to do so, at least for the foreseeable future.

We continue that Ashlee Simpson love with her 2004 single about being the lesser sister to Jessica. Which, of course, we all know isn't true. They've each had an equal number of hits, and Jessica has been the musical guest on Saturday Night Live at least one less time than Ashlee.  On second thought, maybe we shouldn't talk about that.

 

Now, we are running out of Ashlee Simpson music to post, so if she could publish something new, that would be just great.....

3 January 2014 - Amy Grant - Thy Word

I was very surprised, when I first heard this song, how much I loved it.  I was surprised not because it was Amy Grant - the woman can sing, and I already knew that - and not because it was so openly religious - this wasn't the first Amy Grant song I ever heard - but because it was lifted almost straight out of Psalm 119:105.  I didn't expect a song with lyrics so ancient could sound so lovely, and yet she and Michael W. Smith took those words and made them into a beautiful song.

Of course, they added lyrics - it's said that the added lyrics came to Amy when she was lost in the Colorado mountain darkness - but the base of this song was still biblical.

"Thy Word" is from Amy's 1984 album Straight Ahead, her last as a pure Myrrh Records artist.  Christian record labels have such distinctive names.  It would be the first ever Myrrh Records album - first Christian pop/rock album, in fact - to ever hit the Billboard Top 200 album chart.   I did not discover this song then, but several years later, on The Collection, which was her first "greatest hits" album and a monstrous commercial success.  This was my favorite song on the entire compilation, and remains to this day my favorite Amy Grant song.

The version below is from a live performance in 2004, with the two songwriters collaborating. Amy tells a nice story before they start playing.

1 January 2014 - The Lumineers - Ho Hey

We kick off a new year on Wicked Guilty Pleasures with a surprise hit from 2013.  It's a song that starts very sparse, but picks up in excitement as it rolls on, while still keeping the folky feel.  Lyrically, it's perhaps the sweetest song about unrequited love we've seen in years.  While we know that songs like this are not always going to be hits, but we will enjoy it while they are.