The ARIAs - Shit As Usual

My future husband Andy Bull - Robbed of ARIA glory!

So this year's ARIA nominations (Australia's equivalent to the Grammies) have just been announced and all the usual suspects are heavily represented. Seriously, if you're the overhyped product of a major record label, specialise in indie rock or are simply a pretentious singer-songwriter with an alternative haircut then chances are you're going home with a swag of awards. Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to argue with The Temper Trap, Empire Of The Sun or even Kate Miller-Heidke snagging a bunch of nominations but Sarah Blasko, Eskimo Joe and AC/DC? Bitch, please. Why not just nominate Missy Higgins for whatever vomit inducing "masterpiece" she's currently working on/squeezing out of her arsehole? I guess pop music will never be recognised in this country so I've decided to come up with my own nominees. I know some of my choices are not eligible (due to release dates) but here goes:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

AC/DC - Black Ice
Sarah Blasko - As Day Follows Night
Empire Of The Sun - Walking On A Dream
Eskimo Joe - Inshalla
The Temper Trap - Conditions

How depressing is this category? I have a sinking feeling that Sarah Blasko's cure for insomnia will win but I have my fingers crossed that Empire Of The Sun or The Temper Trap snatch it from her.

MY PICKS

Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
Shelley Harland - Red Leaf
Sneaky Sound System - 2
Andy Bull - We're Too Young
Lisa Mitchell - Wonder
Jessica Mauboy - Been Waiting
Empire Of The Sun - Empire Of The Sun
Bertie Blackman - Secrets And Lies
Dash & Will - Up In Something

NZ acts are clearly eligible, so where is Ladyhawke? People actually bought her album. Speaking of commercial success, why isn't Jessica Mauboy being rewarded for being the closest thing this country currently has to an authentic pop star? The lack of respect shown to Sneaky Sound System's stunning sophomore album is just rude, while Bertie Blackman has taken things to the next level with "Secrets And Lies". At least she snagged a best "Independent Album" nomination - poor Andy Bull's brilliant debut was completely ignored as was Shelley Harland's gorgeous "Red Leaf". That's not even touching on the injustice of Dash & Will's "Up In Something" being overlooked despite being the best teenage guitar-pop album released in recent memory.

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

Empire Of The Sun - Walking On A Dream
Hilltop Hoods - Chase That Feeling
Ladyhawke - My Delirium
Kate Miller-Heidke - The Last Day On Earth
The Tempter Trap - Sweet Disposition

This is one of the few categories I can't really criticise. "Walking On A Dream", "Sweet Disposition", "My Delirium" and "The Last Day On Earth" are all exquisite. "Chase That Feeling" isn't exactly my cup of tea but it's catchy as hell and perhaps the only example of local hip hop that broke through to the mainstream.


OTHER WORTHY CANDIDATES

Andy Bull - Small Town Girl
Vanessa Amorosi - This Is Who I Am
Zoë Badwi - Release Me
Amy Pearson - Butterfingers
Bertie Blackman - Byrds Of Prey
Liena - Go Crazy
Jessica Mauboy - Been Waiting
Mandy Kane - 25 Seconds
Ricki Lee - Don't Miss You
Samantha Jade - Secret
Lisa Mitchell - Coin Laundry
@m8er - Kill That Bitch
TV ROCK ft Rudy - In The Air
Kylie - Chiggy Wiggy
Evermore - Hey Boys And Girls (Truth Of The World)
Lenka - The Show
Natalie Imbruglia - Want
Bluejuice - Broken Leg
Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars
Sneaky Sound System - I Will Be Here
The Vanish - Heartbeat
Nikki Webster - Devilicious

This is such a tough category. I think the ARIA voters actually did a pretty good job - with the obvious exception of forgetting "Small Town Girl", which is one of my favourite Australian singles of all time. I also think Jessica Mauboy was hard done by seeing as she is the only local artist regularly scoring top ten hits and has delivered a couple of top notch singles in the form of "Burn" and "Been Waiting". Zoë Badwi's massive club hit "Release Me" deserved some recognition, while Bag Raiders' breakthrough single is a true thing of a beauty. Another glaring omission is Lisa Mitchell's "Coin Laundry", which remains one of 2009's quirkiest pop songs. With any luck Vanessa's amazing pop anthem (currently #1 on iTunes!) will get a nod next year.

BEST FEMALE ARTIST

Sarah Blasko - As Day Follows Night
Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
Jessica Mauboy - Been Waiting
Kate Miller-Heidke - Curiouser
Lisa Mitchell - Wonder

With the exception of Sarah Blasko, this is pretty spot on. I used to hate Kate Miller-Heidke but "The Last Day On Earth" has made me a late convert and Lisa Mitchell's album is as beautiful as it is odd. Both Ladyhawke and Jessica Mauboy both featured heavily in my best of 2008 countdown, so it's nice to see them getting some props.


OTHER WORTHY CANDIDATES

Shelley Harland
Bertie Blackman
Lenka
Samantha Jade
Kylie

There should be legislation in place to ensure Kylie is nominated every year even when she doesn't release anything. On a more serious note, I think Shelley Harland and Bertie Blackman were robbed and Lenka should get some sort of recognition for her international success. As should Samantha Jade, who continues to proudly fly the flag in LA (despite never having had a hit!) and even appears as a featured vocalist (on an iTunes bonus track) on David Guetta's smash hit album. $ucce$$!!!

BEST MALE ARTIST

Paul Dempsey - Everything Is True
Bob Evans - Goodnight, Bull Creek
Daniel Merriweather - Love And War
Josh Pyke - Chimney's Afire
CW Stoneking - Jungle Blue

Now this is completely fucking dire. I guess Daniel deserves some recognition for selling records in the UK but apart from being a hot piece he doesn't do much for me. No comment about the other nobodies.


OTHER SUGGESTIONS

Andy Bull
Brecik
Jason Singh

Poor Andy Bull. Are you cunts telling me he doesn't have more to offer than Josh Pyke, Bob Evans and Paul Dempsey? I don't even know who C.W. Stoneking is and I really don't want to! The pickings for this category are pretty slim but I would have thrown a nomination Brecik's way for shits and giggles, while Jason Singh sounded pretty good on Todd Watson's "World As You Know It". Where's John Farnham when you need him?

BEST GROUP

AC/DC
The Drones
Empire Of The Sun
Eskimo Joe
Hilltop Hoods

This line up represents everything wrong about the Australian music scene. Fingers crossed that sanity prevails and Empire Of The Sun win.


MY PICKS

Empire Of The Sun
Bag Raiders
The Temper Trap
RAEN
Dash & Will
The Vanish

With Australian electro currently making waves around the globe, it seems appropriate that some of our best proponents of that genre (such as Bag Raiders and The Vanish) get some recognition. The Temper Trap should get a nod for the brilliance of "Sweet Disposition" alone. As for the other nominees, I think Dash & Will are the unsung heroes of 2009. They have released an amazing album and a string of great singles and noone seems to give a shit. I just hope they hurry up and release "Too Young Too Dumb" and finally achieve the commerical success they so richly deserve. Oh and RAEN should get something for carrying on in the face of constant failure.

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST - SINGLE

Art Vs Science - Art Vs Science
Bluejuice - Broken Leg
Ladyhawke - My Delirium
Jessica Mauboy - Running Back Feat. Flo Rida
Lisa Mitchell - Coin Laundry

I love all these songs. Congratulations to the ARIA committee for getting it right.


OTHER WORTHY CONTENDERS

Zoë Badwi - Release Me
Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars
Liena - Go Crazy
@m8er - Kill That Bitch

Dance music is always underappreciated but Australia's new Queen of dance should be applauded for spending 7 weeks at #1 on the club chart. Liena's "Go Crazy" is the closest an Australian will ever get to sounding like Rihanna and probably would have been a massive hit if it got any kind of promotion. The same goes for "Shooting Stars", which I'm pretty confident will get a much better reception in Europe than at home. As for @m8er, well I think she'll have the last laugh. Her album promises to be amazing.

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST - ALBUM

Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
Jessica Mauboy - Been Waiting
Lisa Mitchell - Wonder
C.W. Stoneking - Jungle Blues
The Temper Trap - Conditions

Who the hell is C.W. Stoneking and how can it be a breakthrough album if NOONE has ever heard of him? The rest of the choices are pretty spot on.


THESE POOR BITCHES WERE ROBBED

Andy Bull - We're Too Young
Shelley Harland - Red Leaf
Dash & Will - Up In Something

I know I sound like a broken record but these are three of my favourite albums of 2009. Andy captures the spirit of 70s soul in a way that Daniel Merriweather could only dream of and has pretty much come up with the soundtrack to (what remains of) my youth! Shelley's opus has provided me with so much comfort and joy this year. Her music is raw, honest and beautiful. "Panic To Control" is my new personal mantra, while I sent "Clouds Disappear" to a special someone because it said everything I was feeling but couldn't express in words. I've ranted enough about Dash & Will but it really is a great album. "Fighting Over Nothing", "Save Me" and "Some Like It Hot" are homegrown guitar pop at its finest.

AWARD FOR SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN POP TRASH

Amy Pearson - Butterfingers
Nikki Webster - Devilicious
@m8er - Kill That Bitch
The Wiggles & Kylie - Monkey Man
Samantha Jade - Secret

I thought I'd finish up with a category of my own. I find it hard to define "pop trash" but all these amazing anthems convey the essence of this website. Amy because of her utter desperation and sleazy lyrics. Nikki because she's a child star turned FHM glamour model. @m8er because she doesn't give a shit. Kylie for having a sense of humour. And finally Samantha Jade for dressing like a porn star and spending her video clip (below) trying to turn an arrested homosexual. Respect ladies!

Andy Bull Does Pop Trash

Andy Bull is the odd man out on the Australian music scene. His music sounds like it has been transported from the 1970s in a time machine and he sings in a pitch that often gets him mistaken for a female vocalist. However, what really makes Andy stand out is the quality of his beautiful piano driven songs. They positively ooze melancholy melodies and almost always boast a catchy, sing-a-long chorus. And let's not forget his lyrics, which have an honesty and warmth that recall a bygone era when songs were crafted by songwriters instead of pasted together by A&R teams. I've been a fan of Mr Bull since first hearing "Small Town Girl" on the radio. That song is one of those rare anthems that stops you in your tracks with its brilliance and makes you want to run home and jump on Myspace to find out more about the singer (yes, I really am that sad). Since then Andy has released another fine single and is currently promoting his debut album "We're Too Young". That opus has been 7 years in the making and finally hits shelves on the 7th of August. I couldn't wait to probe Andy about the recording process and tackle the really big issues like his amazing hairstyle. Check it out.

Andy, your debut album is set to drop in August. Has it really been 7 years in the making? (Andy was kind enough to also address this question in a video blog)
Well, it's hard to say. I started writing songs when I was 14. That’s when I first decided I wanted to be somebody who made albums. But yes, seven years ago is when I met my producer, Tony Buchen, who throughout this process has been my creative “other half”. He has played a key role in bringing all this to fruition and he has been in the picture for 7 years. Anyway, there are songs on this album that are up to 7 years old, like “Young Man”, which I wrote when I was 18, and then much newer songs like “Girls!” and “She’s a Ghost” which I wrote late last year. The actual recording process (separate from the writing process) for this album took place over the last 3 years. We had four sessions in the fully decked out studio over that time. The first session was that incredible session in 2006 where Kanye West happened to come by while on tour with U2 and offered up some advice. In the end the only song to make it from that initial session is “Young Man”.

While 7 years of writing and 3 years of recording was a very long time, I hope that it was of good use. You cover a lot of ground in that time, try a lot of things. There were so many things about music I wanted to discover. The other interesting thing about making an album over that time is that so many styles come and go through the public consciousness in that period. The pop world travels as the speed of light. I mean, bands can go from obscurity to world domination and then back to obscurity in a single year. Seven years is a lot of time to spend under the radar. So all the while you are watching the world pass you by and spin in circles and explode and disappear; as you just slowly chip away unnoticed, trying to figure out what it is you want to say should you ever have your moment.

Do you have a favourite song on the album?
Depending on the day. I think all of the songs on the album have been my favourite at one time or another. Usually when you’ve just written a song you are so excited by all the possibility you hear in it that it's at least a favourite for a short while. Then you record them, and you get such a vibe from listening to them that you play them to death! So then you need to write a new song… Some songs on the album, especially the more reflective ones like “Grown Folk” or “One Thing You Should Know” I must have played in my car 1000 times. It’s a very warm feeling when you can listen to a song you have recorded and think “I achieved exactly what I wanted to achieve, and I wouldn’t change this”.

I read your dad taught you how to play the keyboard when you were just 7. When did you realise that you wanted to be a musician?
I think I was about 14 years old. I was a bit of a geek in school, you know, I liked writing and drama and was crazy about drawing and all of those drastically uncool things you should never admit too. I had always really liked music, but as a boy never considered that I could actually write it myself. I had no idea how to write a song. Where do you even begin? When I was 14, everything on the radio was alternative rock, all guitar stuff. Hip Hop was also stepping into the mainstream in a huge way. And there was all that nu-metal stuff too, which wasn’t really ringing my bell. So I was looking around thinking “what the hell am I meant to do? All I have is a piano and a weird voice” And, like a god send, Ben Folds Five, who shall be herein known as the Patron Saints of Andy Bull, appeared amongst the fray. I became smitten with the band’s music. Basically it opened my mind up to the possibility of piano being used in contemporary pop music, which I found incredibly encouraging. Piano wasn’t just something people used in the 70’s, it could be used now. So I started listening to Ben Folds Five and trying to understand what their songs were made of. That’s when I first started trying to write songs and that’s when I decided I wanted to be a “proper” musician I think.

There has been a big revival of so called "blue eyed soul" lately. Does that help or hinder you? How do you stand out from the crowd?
That’s an interesting question. Actually it's made no difference here at home. I still feel as if I somehow need to apologise for the way my voice sounds, or for playing piano and not guitar, etc. I really did not set out to be the odd one out, but sometimes I feel the crushing weight of the awareness that I am, as if I need to intellectually justify it to others. This might all just be a function of my own insecurity, however! My objective mind tells me it’s a good thing! I think that despite the inherent terror in putting yourself out in front of the world, the internet, the newspaper, the blogs, the twittering etc, you have to just be yourself, succeed and fail on your own terms and try not to take it personally if you are ‘teased’ by the jocks for being a nerd (the press is like one giant high school, I am telling you). Just do your thing. That’s what all the greats did. That’s one of the things Kanye West stressed to me in our conversation."

Talk about your sound. The piano plays such a big role, there are strong retro influences but it still sounds so fresh. Did it all just come together naturally or was it a long process to reach this point?
That’s kind of you to say, thank you. I guess there are a few reasons for that “retro but new” sound. Firstly the piano; you don’t hear a lot of it nowadays. There is a sensitivity in the sound of the piano that predates the punk, metal and grunge aesthetics, and a lot of the major pop developments of the last 30 odd years, so it automatically carries and old fashioned reference. Also there are rules with a piano. You cant bend notes, you cant distort the sound, no whammy, you can’t mess with the tuning. Physically, if it falls on you, it will kill you. There is an order, a heirachy when you play piano, and it goes ‘piano first, you second’. This is a very un-modern attitude. The modern attitude is “Me-first, and everybody else can stick it”. You really have to respect the piano. Its hard to pick it up an smash it into your Marshall stack. As well as that, Tony Buchen and I spent time really trying to record the music with a warmth and sensitivity that reminded us of “the feeling music gave you as a kid”. We took care in the more technical aspects of recording, like trying to leave space in the tracks so you can hear the room sound, making sure we didn’t over-compress stuff. That’s sort of thing.

Who are your influences? I have a feeling you must have a pretty amazing record collection.
Yes, there has been many. I have already mentioned Ben Folds. I won’t go on dropping names, but lots of stuff, from a lot of different periods of time and styles. Recently iTunes asked me to put together a list of my top 20 songs of influence. Only 20? Impossible. Top 500 would have been easier! Sorry I haven’t gone into more detail here, but it would just become tedious and boring to read! On the whole however, I am really attracted to unique voices.

I think "Small Town Girl" is one of the best Australian pop songs of the decade. What was the inspiration behind it? Will you be releasing it overseas?
That’s *incredibly* flattering, thank you. It’s a coming of age song, I suppose. Over the last seven years I busted my guts trying to go back and forth between here and the US, mainly New York. As everybody tells you, it’s a really busy city, and it can really kick you in the guts. I suppose it just became symbolic of somebody trying to outgrow themselves, and how that’s generally the kind of experience that brings you face to face with your own shortcomings. "Small Town Girl" is a story about trying to outgrow your environment and how you make a lot of errors along the way while doing that. That old chestnut! When you’re young, you’re full of youthful bravado, which is just naivety really. You’re ready to kick down the doors and conquer the world; as if the world is going to just give it all to you without a fight. “Wait ‘til they see me coming!” you think! “Nobody’s ever seen anything like me before!” Then, the years go by and you reflect on all you’ve done and you just can’t help but think “hmmm, I wish I had known a little more about the ways the world actually works.” Of course, I still have hopes of releasing that song overseas. Working on it now!

Tell us about "Small Town Arsehole". Do you often get abused by "fans"?!
Ha! Well actually, it's not the fans who abuse. It’s the small town assholes! That guy was just a permanent drunk bastard who is a fixture at the venue in question, so he wasn’t a punter. I’ve seen him again since then though, and I think he’s a bit brain-damaged. Too much alcohol. At first I was like “damn, how many more times can I get called a faggot?” and then I discovered, by talking to friends in other bands, that being called a faggot is pretty commonplace stuff. Can you imagine abusing a total stranger? I would never do that. You should only abuse friends and loved ones! Ha. But I’ve gotten pretty good at heckling back, and occasionally it makes good material for a song. The funny thing is, people often really aggressively point out to me that my voice is high, as if I somehow hadn’t noticed yet. You gotta just let that stuff go, or it’ll make you nuts. Its not very nice. That’s why I take real pleasure in seeing bands like The Presets, who may have once been abused as jazz-trained fags, become the utter toast of the town. Now all those roid-raging, Ed-Hardy wearing party boys who used to heckle them are out there popping E’s to “My People”, haha. Generally though, the people who come to my shows are so super lovely and beautiful and wonderful to talk to. I only want nice fans with good hearts, and I think that’s how it’s shaping up.

Your latest single "Young Man" explores a recurring theme ("My First Love", "We're Too Young" etc) in your music - the pressures of youth, for want of a better explanation. Is that accurate or just a coincidence?
A lot of my music has to do with coming to terms with your own youth, about dealing with the first cuts (which, as they say, are the deepest). When you are young, as I mentioned, you are full of notions, ideals, romances and so forth. The friction comes when you smash up against the force of the real world, and you suddenly have to begin consolidating all of that with the hard facts of life. That’s what it means to grow up. You have to begin taking responsibility for you own life, owning your decisions, engaging with the real world in a real way. You have to become morally responsible for your choices. You have to stop waiting for that million-dollar cheque to come in the mail. You have to ask yourself “ok, I know what I appear to be doing with my life, but what am I really doing?”

I love your cover of MGMT's "Electric Feel". Do you have any more up your sleeve?
I’ve played a handful of covers over the years. Another one I frequently like to whip out is "New Slang" by The Shins but I’ve done that one quite a lot, so I think I need to find a new one. I was thinking about a Jackson 5 cover, in respect to Michael. In a couple days time I’m heading into the studio to record a song for Island Records 50th Anniversary CD. I’m recording "Common People" by Pulp.

Speaking of Michael, you wrote an amazing blog post about his death. What did you make of the macabre aftermath?
Oh man, you know what I read in the tabloids the other day? Some creep spinning more rubbish about Michael Jackson “secret obsessions”… Are you for real? He’s dead now, so you can leave him alone. Listen, I’ve been thinking about this whole thing a lot. It really makes me sad. It's like Michael Jackson had to deal with way too many small town arseholes saying awful things about him, and in the end, it made him rot from the insides out. It is very macabre. I don’t know what to make of it all. All I can say is that I am continually disappointed and saddened.

Oh, and I have to ask - who does your artwork? Your single/album covers are amazing!
Ah yes, it's amazing isn’t it! Basically, we took photos of me, and sent them to a woman named Sara Hingle, who illustrates for FRANKIE magazine, which is how I initially became aware of her work. Then she draws the photo. The “Piano Machine” was originally compiled like a collage, with different images we’d put together and arranged. Then, Sara drew the collage in the same way. I have been very, very fortunate to have had such wonderful artists involved; the artwork has really made an impression on people.

Last but not least tell us about your amazing haircut!
The truth is, I used to have long hair, no fringe, just long and over my face. I didn’t really like it but I didn’t know what to do with it. Now, a few years ago I was in a long distance relationship with a girl in Europe. Anyway I went over to see her after being separated for about 10 months and met her in Rome. She told me I needed a haircut. I think I had been hiding behind all that hair because I was basically miserable and depressed and had been for about, let's see, 10 months. Anyway, I went to the hairdresser and he gave me this haircut. I felt like my life had begun again. I left Rome and I left the girl. I sometimes joke that all that suffering, all the misery of that long distance relationship and that final, horrible break up in Rome all happened for a purpose; to lead me to this haircut, haha. Since then, its become my signature. Ridiculous story, I know, but fate has very dark sense of humour.

"We're Too Young" is released on the 7th of August. You can order an amazing deluxe edition that comes with exclusive tracks and a t-shirt from his website.

Pop Panel 6 - Australian Week

The Pop Panel has undergone a bit of makeover this week. Instead of the usual selection of hyped hits and future flops, I thought it would be fun to focus exclusively on the local music scene for a change. Australian pop music is on fire at the moment with the likes of Jessica Mauboy, The Veronicas, Sneaky Sound System, Cut Copy, The Presets and Empire Of The Sun taking off internationally. Then there's the next wave of talent (Dash & Will, Chris Sorbello, Liena and Zoe Badwi) just waiting in the wings for their turn to shine. This week's song selection represents both the established names and future stars. Given the Australian theme, I gave the usual whores the week off and asked a bunch of local bloggers to take over the reigns. The new line-up is comprised of:

Aaron writer of Fabtastic! Music
Adem writer of Adem With An E
Damian writer of AuspOp
Guy writer of Pop Frippery
Mike author of this classy joint!

In addition to those hos, I've also asked my friend Peter Wilson to serve as a guest judge. As you may remember, Peter is (to my knowledge at least) Australia's only Hi-NRG male pop star with a career extending back to the early 90s. More recently, he moved into production and struck the jackpot by collaborating with Amanda Lear on her big comeback album. Before getting stuck into voting, I asked him about that experience and an exciting project he's working on with a certain alumni of the Stock Aitken Waterman hit factory!

Hey Peter! The last time we spoke you talked about working with disco legend Amanda Lear on her hugely anticipated comeback album. Can we have an update please?
It's called "Brief Encounters" and comes out in October. The album has received so much attention from her fans and I've had great feedback. I ended up doing three tracks - "Brand New Love Affair", "C'est La Vie" and a cover of "Always On My Mind", which I love so much. Amanda even talked about me on Italian TV saying she's worked with Australian disco singer Peter Wilson! LOL. Amanda fans are gonna love the album!

Is it true that you have a new solo track coming out?
Hmmm... I HAVE recorded one but it's not a priority for me. So, I imagine it will turn up on the next "Mad About The Boy" compilation on Klone. I didn't write or produce it. So yeah, I'm much more excited about my producing with (business partner) Chris.

You also wrote and produced a duet for Hi-NRG divas Evelyn Thomas and Carol Jiani. How was that experience?
We did 7 songs with Carol Jiani and "Are You Man Enough" was one of them. I suggested the duet idea to Carol and she liked it. Evelyn Thomas was open to it and before you know it, it was recorded and the single came out in Germany in March. The song was originally written for Sinitta and was to be on her upcoming Greatest Hits. But timing was difficult as Sinitta was very busy and only ended up recording 2 new songs, which were done in the UK with my old producers PMG. But Carol and Evelyn made it their own. I think Carol is even doing a solo version soon too.

I believe you're currently working with Haywoode - one of my favourite SAW divas. Tell us what you guys are working on!
Haywoode's great! We've just done "Getting Closer 2009", which is very Lady Gaga meets Daft Punk I guess you could say. We've co-written a track called "Kiss Me Good", which is awesome and I wrote a song for her called "If You Give Love". I would imagine a release some time this year. Everyone please support Sid Haywoode cos she's so lovely!!

This SAW classic was covered by Kylie in 1987

Ok, here are the results from least to most popular. Let me know what you think of the outcome!

Sarah Blasko - All I Want (Video)

The lead single from Sarah’s third studio album.

Aaron: Sounds a little like a Halloween remix of Duffy's "Mercy". I'm not quite taken by it but it's pretty enough. Sarah's got a fantastic voice but the track just isn't doing it for me. Fairly middle-of-the-road stuff. Great background music. 3/5
Adem: A Bad Seeds-esque release from Blasko, and easily one of her best. Stunning video too. 4.5/5
Damian: Gosh there's some variety here this week!? What starts off as some strange Conway Twitty-esque country affair suddenly turns into a hauntingly beautiful ballad, layered with Sarah's divine smoky vocals. 3.5/5
Guy: The clip sums up my impression of Sarah Blasko. It’s trying to be ethereal and profound, but you just know it was filmed at Sovereign Hill. I don’t actually mind the song – it’s got a nice Emiliana Torini feel to it. But Blasko manages to make it pretentious and annoying. 2/5
Mike: Congratulations, Missy Higgins. You are no longer the most tiresome bitch on the Australian music scene. 0/5
Peter: The 60s pop/soul sound is spreading isn’t it? Though it’s spreading like anal warts on this. This track is just depressing and boring. I just want to force feed Sarah some Prozac and slap some happiness into her. Even a good production can’t save a turkey like this. Vomit. 1.5/5
Total: 14.5/30

The Presets - Kicking and Screaming (Video)

The 117th single from "Apocalypso".

Aaron: Whilst I much prefer "Yippio-Ay" and I think that should have got the complete live video treatment - this is decent. Hooky, pretty impressive but not a patch on "This Boy's In Love". Killer wolf call. 3.5/5
Adem: Odd single choice. But really, by now there's not all that much LEFT to release from "Apocalypso", is there? 4/5
Damian: The Presets almost go 'Prodigy' on what must surely be the final single from their 'Apocalypso' set. Chaotic, industrial electro that makes me want to go have a Bex and a nice lie down. 2/5
Guy: Just makes me think of a bad night out in a club where someone would spill a breezer on me and I’d want to go home. 2/5
Mike: The "Apocalypso" well is now officially drier than a nun's cunt. 2/5
Peter: I don't like this track so much. I have the album and it’s nothing close to "This Boy’s In Love", which is brilliant. This is just really beats, a groove and some random shouting. The sounds they use are great but this one doesn't do it for me. 2.5/5
Total: 16/30

Sally Singleton - Tomorrow (Video)

John Singleton's daughter makes her pop debut.

Aaron: Well, a straight ahead, sunny, pop track that'll definitely do well on radio - Nice enough! 2.5/5
Adem: Terrible. Voice as thin as rice paper and not in the fun way Victoria Beckham's is. To add insult to injury, this song is used in those sickening Sunrise promos. Sally Singleton + Breakfast Television = Instant Heartburn. 1/5
Damian: Not entirely original, but the track's what good pOp should be - fun, uptempo and bright as a button! So bright Channel 7's Sunrise team felt compelled to use it in promotion for their unseatable morning show! 3/5
Guy: Trying to be Kate Nash, and isn’t quite successful. But on the Kate Alexa scale of wanna-be popstar daughters of advertising/entertainment heavies, I think she doesn’t do too badly at all. 2.5/5
Mike: Poor Sally comes across as a mental hospital escapee in the video but the song is exceedingly cute in a Lenka-lite kind of way. 3.5/5
Peter: I like the Motown soul vibe a lot of new pop is tapping into. This track's just like that, really catchy and well written too. Her voice is quite good, not sure about the Missy Higgins style accent on some words, but overall a great song, good to see good pop coming from Australia, from anywhere really! 4/5
Total: 16.5/30

Brecik - Joan Jett (Video below)

Brecik pays tribute to lesbian icon Joan in his poptastic debut.

Aaron: Killer high-tempo electro/pop/rock that actually works quite well. I like the jumpy, fist-in-the-air bits. This song reminds me a lot of James Leon, in a really good way of course! 4/5
Adem: Oh dear. 1/5
Damian: Brecik's strongest offering to date, delightfully electro and most worthy of some chart love. For something to really float your pOp boat, check out their awesome cover version of Shakespear's Sister's 'Run Silent' on their official Myspace. 3/5
Guy: Who is this? I appreciate the jaunty chorus and trashy stage dancers but the production’s just a little Aus Idol. I am however (genuinely) impressed that they included footage of him rocking out in a Mazda (not a rent-o BMW, a la Natalie Bassingthwaighte). 2/5
Mike: I wonder if Brecik would settle for a guy that looks like a butch lesbian from a distance? But I digress. "Joan Jett" is big, dumb fun and I wholeheartedly approve. 3.5/5
Peter: I really wanted to like this so much. I mean I don't hate it but it's just not amazing. It reminds me of a lot of 90s pop and can almost hear a 90s style Motiv8 mix of it. But yeah, not grabbing me. 3/5
Total: 16.5/30

Daniel Merriweather - Red (Video)

Already a top 5 hit for Daniel in the UK.

Aaron: Adorable, string soaked ballad with great lyrics and a fantastic voice. The after-second-verse-beat took a little while to work for me, but I do like it! But what does he have against Red? 4/5
Adem: It's not terrible, but when he's got such a goldmine as "Impossible" on his album and he releases this; then I have to take issue. 2/5
Damian: Cannot speak highly enough about this single. Quite possibly the best and most startlingly beautiful, soulful, impeccable, heart-felt and stirring single of 2009. Now, would Australia please give the boy the support he so rightly deserves. 5/5
Guy: Not quite as dire as Ronan Keating but I still think this is Mothers’ Day stocking filler. The Mark Ronson connection means he’s sure to be played endlessly by Borders once they get sick of Duffy. 2.5/5
Mike: Daniel Merriweather can sit on my face any day of the week but this crap bores me to tears. I miss his bogan rap phase. 2.5/5
Peter: This sounds very English, especially when the chorus kicks in. I’d imagine straight women over 30 will cream over this, bringing on romantic delusions of grandeur. It’s not me, but not a bad track at all. Just not that different to a lot of tracks on radio. 3/5
Total: 19/30

Bertie Blackman - Heart (Video)

The first single from the alternative pop Queen's latest album.

Aaron: Killer beat, really quirky track - but it actually works. I don't mind this one - Surprisingly! Chorus is surprisingly joyful. Bertie sounds great too! The bit towards the end is a bit off though. 4/5
Adem: LOVE Bertie, even if she does look a bit like Kelly Osbourne. Spikey verses, killer chorus; one of the best singles of the year. 5/5
Damian: She scared the crap out of me when I first saw the clip but the track's progressive, daring and a definite departure from her previous material. Sadly, commercial radio's on the whole probably not going to be daring enough to try their luck. 3/5
Guy: A cross between Kelly Osbourne and Diana Ah Naid with some Missy Elliot bass and an unexpected chorus. And dancers courtesy of Gina Riley’s Corallee Hollow dance company. Not my cup of tea, but I don’t mind it. 3/5
Mike: Bertie's new album is a triumph but this is probably the least accessible track on it. "Heart" is disjointed, confronting and slightly scary. It's also the most original thing you'll hear on radio this year. 4/5
Peter: Very different, that’s what I like about it. I really can’t compare it to anything, which is what I’d imagine Bertie would take as a compliment. Not sure it will be a worldwide smash but it’s good she’s doing something different. 3/5
Total: 22/30

Andy Bull - Young Man (Video)

The Sydney singer-songwriter’s follow-up to "Small Town Girl".

Aaron: I quite like this, an entirely pleasant enough track - I like the vocal, and I like the stripped back production - It's nice enough! 3.5/5
Adem: Face of Russell Brand, voice like Vanessa Carlton. Interesting for the first 40 seconds, suicidal therein after. I want nothing more than to take Bull deep into the woods with some hair-clippers and a shotgun. 2.5/5
Damian: Perhaps not quite as instant as his debut single but I'm a big fan of Andy's work. He's another who commercial radio criminally ignores. Kaleidoscopic pOp with an almost timeless flavour. 4/5
Guy: I really like this. Gets me tapping my feet, interesting production, although at one point gets a bit too close to Robin Thicke for my liking. But still good! 4/5
Mike: Andy sounds like a less trannytastic version of Anthony & The Johnsons. And I mean that as a huge compliment! 4/5
Peter: I really like this track, his voice is so unique and the song is awesome. He’s really doing his own thing and not following a formula dictated by radio. Though I can picture it getting a lot of airplay. Hope he does well. 4/5
Total: 22/30

SINGLE OF THE WEEK

Empire Of The Sun - Standing On The Shore

Nick & Luke continue on their ambient electro journey.

Aaron: Never really loved these guys. This almost works, I'm not so keen on the vocal but otherwise OK. Almost. I think. 2/5
Adem: Weird guys playing dress-up make yet another killer pop tune. What's with the Power Rangers inspired video clip though? 5/5
Damian: While perhaps not as instant as their previous singles, Luke and Nick prove once again that they're some of the cleverest pOp purveyors on the planet right now. The whole 'Empire Of The Sun' project is world class and something we can be very, very proud of. 4/5
Guy: I didn’t know Empire of the Sun were Australian until I noticed all that kelp on the beach. I quite liked "We Are the People", but this seems to adhere to the pointless third single rule (Madonna's "Get Together" excepted). 3/5
Mike: Utterly sublime. This is a four and half minute trip through the looking glass of electropop. The video makes me want to jump on the next flight to Perth! Exquisite. 5/5
Peter: This is weird, but not bad weird. It’s like U2 meets 80s new wave pop with a modern electro twist. I can see radio eating this up and it deserves to do well. I hope it doesn't get stuck in my head! 3.5/5
Total: 22.5/30