Pop Panel - Week 18

Welcome to possibly the weirdest Pop Panel yet. I'm not really talking about the song selection (although it is very random) but the judging. There's always a broad spectrum of opinion but we usually agree on a couple of tracks. Not this week. There were a lot of 5/5 ratings - albeit all for different artists! It's probably my fault. This is the first time I've just submitted 8 songs that I really like without any consideration for big new releases and hyped tracks. My taste is notoriously... eclectic, so I should have expected something like this! Anyway, I really love the winner and think she's a true Pop Trash Addicts diva. The following bloggers helped determine our deserving champion:

D'Luv (US) writer of Chart Rigger
Mike (Aus) author of this classy blog.
Paul (UK) writer of Fizzy Pop
Poster Girl (US) writer of Poster Girl
Rob (UK) writer of Don't Stop The Pop
Tommie (Sweden) writer of Donna Martin Graduates

Even more exciting is the participation of one of my favourite Australian divas - the fierce and fabulous Robyn Loau. Robyn has featured on my blog many, many times over the years and I'm proud to welcome her as a celebrity guest judge. In case you've been living under a rock or are 12 years old, Robyn first came to fame in Australia as part of the legendary girlband Girlfriend. Take a walk down memory lane and check out their stunning #1 hit "Take It From Me". When those ladies parted ways (random fact - Siobhan is now a pole dancing instructor!), Robyn embarked upon her solo career and delivered one of the seminal pop tracks of the late 90s, the still amazing "Sick With Love". The diva's latest offering is a very unexpected change of pace. Robyn has teamed up with Josh Abrahams (of "Addicted To Bass" fame) for a dance track about the Columbine high school shootings! The song comes from Robyn's forthcoming second solo album. Check out the brilliant clip below and download it from iTunes now.

I guess, it's time to get on with the judging. As usual the songs are listed from least to most popular.

Djumbo – Summertime In Dubai (Video)

This popular Dutch girlband filmed their video on location in... Morocco!

D'Luv: This makes that worthless hooker who sang "My Ass" sound like Maria Callas. 0/5
Mike: It's so refreshing to see a group of happy-go-lucky sluts dance around to a tacky party anthem without being styled to within an inch of their lives. I love them! 3.5/5
Paul: I'm not really sure what to make of this. It sounds a bit dated and a lot like something else but I can't really put my finger on what. It's still a million times more interesting than the Saturdays comeback song so it gets a 3/5.
Poster Girl: Most of the Panel is going to hate this, aren't they? 3/5
Rob: I love Djumbo but Caracola got there first. This is sweet though. I'm not sure this is gonna travel well though with stories in the press regarding the relative strict religious regulations on parties. Nice attempt though. I would have picked Majorca though. They don't tend lock up gays there. 2/5
Robyn Loau: This track & video clip really gives me an insight to what it would be like to be blonde, skinny (with a sugar daddy)..."PARTY PARTY HO"!! 1/5
Tommie: Oh, they're singing about their hooking experiences in Dubai? I hear tranny cock is quite expensive there, so good for them! 4/5
Total: 16.5/35

Massive Ego – Master & Servant (Video)

UK cult icon Marc Massive is back with a cover of the Depeche Mode classic "Master & Servant".

D'Luv: Who tossed Pete Burns' slumped-over carcass into a shopping cart and wheeled him up to a microphone again? 1/5
Mike: Fuck off, haters! This is brilliant. I can almost smell the lube and leather in the air. Enjoy this anthem from the comfort of a sling in your favourite S&M dungeon. 5/5
Paul: Oooh Depeche Mode are the band to cover this year aren't they? Red Blooded Women, The Saturdays and now Massive Ego who sound more like Depeche Mode than Depeche Mode currently do! I'm always up for a good old S&M session (the tune, pervs!) and I suppose this is what the song would sound like if Marilyn Manson covered it. Not awful per se. 2.5/5
Poster Girl: Depeche Mode are one of those groups whose songs I tend to love in any modern incarnation--cover, sample--but of whom I've never listened to an album, which says a lot about both the quality of their songwriting and how, to my ears, the songs benefit from modern production. I kind of like this, but maybe we could just cut to the chase and have DepecheMode*Teens instead? 2.5/5
Rob: Okay, I really like this. For sure it's a cover, but this is how pop should be these days even when the texture of the sound isn't necessarily original. I love a bit of electroclash. It's also nice to hear the band tease out some early 90's-esque house wonderful trinkets of baselines in this pop polemic. Well done! 3/5
Robyn Loau: I think I'd need to take enormous amounts of drugs to really get the full effect of this track, but I'm currently breastfeeding so...no can do, boys! 3/5
Tommie: Fuck off and die. This Marilyn Manson wannabe does not even deserve to exist in the same universe as the awesome Depeche Mode! I feel aurally raped. 0/5
Total: 17/35

Empire Of The Sun – Without You (Video)

The Australian electro keeps on coming with the 4th single from EOTS’s debut album.

D'Luv: Daft Punk did this song ten times better. It's called "Digital Love." And, sorry, kids, but doing white-haired Adam Lambert drag in the video doesn't make the music any better. 1/5
Mike: Empire Of The Sun are one of my favourite bands but this is a curious single choice. It's a bit too soft and atmospheric for radio and too slow for the clubs but I do love it. 4/5
Paul: God the first forty seconds are some of the most boring pretentious music I've ever heard but then mercifully it gets marginally more interesting. Not much though. 2/5
Poster Girl: I put this on play while I was doing something else and was surprised when what felt like twenty seconds later I heard it fading out. If I force myself to focus, there are things I like, but if it's so easy for a song to blend into the background when there is no other background noise, I don't think I can justify giving it as high a score as I'd like. 2.5/5
Rob: Finally some class. This is one of my favourite songs from "Walking On A Dream". It's more subdued than their previous epic singles but this subtlety is its warmest element. Sometimes you don't have to scream it - you just have to whisper. 5/5
Robyn Loau: Nice art direction in this clip. I've always had a thing for blond haired/blue eyed guys... I wonder if he'd go out on a date with me? 3/5
Tommie: Did he just sing "no, no sheeps at all"? Are they from New Zealand? I do not approve of fucking animals, thank you very much! 0/5
Total: 17.5/35

@m8er – Kill The Bitch (Below)

Sydney’s @m8er is generating controversy with her debut single – which lists the celebrities she would like to kill.

D'Luv: This chav broad should go to England and visit Lady Sovereign, because that pussy ain't gonna eat itself. 1/5
Mike: I can't help feel that @m8er is jackin' CC Martini's swagga but I'll forgive her for producing the year's first LOL-worthy anthem. I sense a future Pop Trash icon in the making. 5/5
Paul: Oh. My God. Not only has she stolen the riff from MJ's "They Don't Care About Us", but the feisty little minx isn't pulling her punches lyrically either. I don't know whether to be horrified or highly amused so I will go for the latter. As someone on youtube commented, personally i'd like to fuck this song up the ass! What a compliment! The song is actually shit, but just for the audacity of it... 4.5/5
Poster Girl: 3 points awarded for a good beat, 1 deducted for awful, lazy lyrics, and 1 more for @m8er's noncomittal singing style - if you're going to be engaging in a controversy-courting list of all the ways you'd like to kill people, shouldn't there be some more vitriol in it? Sorry, but the girls you're listing off here have released better singles than this. That beat is worth rescuing, though. 1/5
Rob: Ah, I am absolutely sick of this sort of crap. Give this silly excuse for a human being a Simone de Beauvoir book. I mean it's sorta funny to hear celebrities being ripped to shreds but this attempt has been heard and seen all before. It would nice to see another woman celebrating her sisters rather than appropriate male heterosexist norms in a feeble bid to annihilate the successes of her very own gender. 0/5
Robyn Loau: Yes @m8er, these girls are annoying. Respect goes to anyone that can rebel against being politically correct. 3/5
Tommie: NOW we're talking! It's catchy, controversial and lyrically funny! This is what Pop Trash Addicts is all about. 5/5
Total: 19.5/35

La Roux – I’m Not Your Toy (Video)

Elly just punched another hole in the ozone layer getting her hair ready for La Roux's latest video.

D'Luv: I love this broad for the fact that, like Lady GaGa, she's reviving flamboyancy in pop. (That's right, haters — GaGa's gonna fuck you into the ground!) The song's a 4/5, but it gets an extra point for Elly's hair. 5/5
Mike: I like this song because it reminds me of La Toya. 3/5
Paul: Sigh. I just don't like her or her cheap casio sounding pop at all. Which makes it quite difficult for me to review this song. I don't hear anything innovative or particularly enjoyable for me here, Ugh, no I can't even get to the end of it, but thousands disagree with me, so I'm sure La Poux won't lose any sleep over it! 1/5
Poster Girl: Elly and Ben's steel drums and super-kitschy electro bleeps are entertaining for three minutes, but the song doesn't have any real sticking power for me. Listening to the rest of this week's singles got me to give this song an extra half point, though. 3/5
Rob: Everything about this grates on me. 1/5
Robyn Loau: This track has that "computer geek working in home/bedroom studio sound" to it & that's why I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! 5/5
Tommie: Yes, I get it, she's so androgynous, alternative and cool and I should like her. But I'm indifferent. And despite her trying to win me over with a La Toya reference, I'm not buying it. 2/5
Total: 20/35

Dash & Will – Painful (Video)

Melbourne based pop duo switch things up with a ballad for their 4th single.

D'Luv: The only thing that keeps this from being completely dull is the fact that it sorta rips off Hole's "Malibu." Otherwise, it gets a little painful. 2/5
Mike: I love Dash & Will. Their album is amazing and this is a great little single. I just wish they'd hurry up and release "Too Young Too Dumb" and get the commercial breakthrough they so richly deserve. 4/5
Paul: How unassumingly charming. I mean it doesn't come out and hit you over the head as a brilliant song, but it's not entirely awful either. Sounds like the type of song the CW network execs would be clamouring over themselves to put in the new Melrose Place. All a bit pleasant really with no real va va voom. 2.5/5
Poster Girl: Pleasantly - but not more - sung, pleasantly - but no more - written female-vocalled singer-songwriter song that, without any sort of entry point for me, has gone in one ear and out the other. 2/5
Rob: Somewhat like watching paint dry. 2/5
Robyn Loau: I had seen their "Out Of Control" video on TV and thought that it was much more PAINFUL than this 4th single which I actually like very much. Great line... "sometimes it gets a little painful, cause it's real!" Well done, girls. I'm a sucker for pop! 4/5
Tommie: This actually reminds me of something No Doubt would record in 1996 - and that's no insult. Surprisingly good pop/rock tune. 4/5
Total: 20.5/35

Crazy Loop – Crazy Loop (Video)

Ozone's Dan "Crazy Loop" Balan returns with a typically quirky pop tune. The Romanian sensation gets a UK release in October.

D'Luv: Who needs the Beatles when we have this rock legend creating another smashing pop anthem? I'd bang this guy, but only if he's wearing the Domino's Pizza outfit. 5/5
Mike: An instant seratonin boost. It's great to have Dan back with his own unique brand of fabulous non-sensical lyrics and outrageous fashion. More please! 4/5
Paul: I was actually expecting some dreadful novelty hit sounding tune, not this quite accomplished electro pop tune that just charms from start to finish. I know I'm a bit schizophrenic when it comes to liking eurotrash pop dance tunes - I either get them (this one) or I don't (Kim Sozzi). So overall, I'm quite chuffed with this. Wonder whether he busts any of those moves in the sack?! 4/5
Poster Girl: Dan Balan's ditching of the guitars and returning to the Europop fold means more joyous synths and ridiculous yodeling-style vocal melodies, which is really what he's meant to be doing. It's do "Dragostea din tei," but really, what is? 4/5
Rob: Wow this is trashy. As in it's shit. 1/5
Robyn Loau: Well, I couldn't stop smiling throughout this clip so I guess it's got something going for it. I love the fact that this guy can dance. 2/5
Tommie: When I first saw "Mm-Ma-Ma" in the title I for some reason just assumed it would sample "Surfin' Bird" and automatically be amazing, but no one has thought of that idea yet it seems (JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE). As it is now, it's a bit of a novelty song and nothing special. 2/5
Total: 22/35

SINGLE OF THE WEEK

Kim Sozzi – Feel Your Love (Video)

American dance queen's latest floorfiller is starting to get mainstream top 40 airplay.

D'Luv: Proof that boring dance music doesn't just come from Germany. Despite an okay beat, this is really a snooze. Of course, looking over the rest of this week's offerings, I see the worst is yet to come. 2/5
Mike: I used to think Kim was the poor man's Kristine W, which is probably as low as it's humanly possible to go. Thankfully, "Feel Your Love" has finally slapped some sense into me. This is one of the year's best dance tracks - pretty, floaty and instantly catchy. An extra half point for looking so fucking sexy in the video. 5/5
Paul: Sozzi Kim but I am not being won over by your cheap and cheerful brand of Cascada dance pop. If this was a supermarket, she would be in the own name budget brand aisle of the store. I do like her triangular earrings though so a solid 1.5/5.
Poster Girl: This is pretty, but it doesn't press hard enough towards either tear-filled dance or the uplifting kind, which means, probably unfairly, it left little mark on me. 2.5/5
Rob: Okay, the styling is amazing but people are just gonna refer to Lady GaGa. The song is pleasant though. Tina Cousins was doing this years ago. 3/5
Robyn Loau: Classic dance floor anthem, beautiful voice. Stunning clip, so brilliantly simple but looks big budget. Love her mirror ball wedge platforms. I would mug her for those, then wear them at Stonewall! 4/5
Tommie: Anyone registered at FlopPop.com has been brainwashed to like Kim Sozzi and I'm no exception! "Feel Your Love" is a dance triumph and makes Dannii stab her vagina with a dildo in frustration that she didn't record it first! 5/5
Total: 23/35

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