My 200th Post - Joanne Vol. 3

Welcome to my 200th post. I really can't believe I've churned out that much crap! I started Pop Trash Addicts as a way of honouring my favourite aging divas, trashy has-beens and fabulous nobodies - and to a certain extent, I feel like I've succeeded in doing that. Over time I've changed my focus to the weird and wonderful Australian pop scene, which continues to churn out amazing new acts despite almost having become an underground movement. One of my favourite subjects has been the legendary Joanne, so I thought I would devote my 200th post to continuing my exploration of Joanne's amazing pop legacy.

I've already covered Joanne's astonishingly successful debut, "Jackie", and her less successful follow up singles. After the disappointing chart placings of "Pack Your Bags" and "Are You Ready?", Joanne took a two year break to work on her album and refine her sound. During that hiatus, Joanne released one further single - a duet with a local boyband, Ilanda, for "The Wog Boy" movie soundtrack. I really should write a post about Ilanda one of these days. They scored several hits as Past To Present before changing their name and hooking up with Joanne for "Breakin' There's No Stoppin' Us". Collaborating with an urban boyband might seem like an unholy alliance but Joanne had already worked with the boys in the past with fabulous results (they wrote her "Pack Your Bags" single). "Breakin' There's No Stoppin' Us" might have one of the worst titles in Australian pop history but the song is a lot of fun. Joanne's powerful voice combines well with Ilanda's sweet harmonies and the trashy backing track is a treat! The song reached #38 and became Joanne's second biggest hit until her official relaunch a year later.

The song is not available on iTunes but "The Wog Boy" soundtrack turns up regularly on Australian Ebay. Joanne fans will want to hunt down the CD single for the fabulous B-side "Move".

Carol Jiani - Hit 'N' Run Lover

This week sucks harder than Anthony Callea in a dark room. I desperately need some cheering up and have found some solace in the music of my favourite (and quite possibly, the only) Nigerian disco diva. Uchenna Ikejiani moved to Canada in the late 1970s, changed her name to Carol Jiani and released one of the best loved tunes of the entire disco era in the form of "Hit 'N' Run Lover". In fact, the song is so well regarded that Carol has re-released it no less than a dozen times! "Hit 'N' Run Lover" has been one of my favourite songs for years but until very recently, I was completely ignorant about the extent of Carol's musical legacy. There is so much more to Carol than her monster disco anthem but even if she had spent the past 26 years living off "Hit 'N' Run Lover", that would still be more than enough to secure her place in the pop trash hall of fame.

"Hit 'N' Run Lover" is a slice of disco magic that still shines brightly after all these years. The song also has the uncanny ability to survive even the most tragic remix with its fabulous essence relatively intact. Speaking of questionable remixes, a friend recently sent me a craptastic trance remix (thanks Jamie!) and I have been pumping it ever since. Listening to this "gem" has perked me up no end and I'm sure some of you trashy bitches will find it just as appealing. This version of "Hit 'N' Run Lover" sounds like the bastard child of Stock/Aitken/Waterman and Cascada. Yes, it's that classy! I apologise for not knowing the exact title of the mix but I assume it's either the 2006 or 2007 re-release.

For a comprehensive and fascinating overview of Carol's career, read her fabulous "Disco Museum" profile. You can find more information on Carol, including details of her upcoming UK club tour on this glamorous fansite and Carol's Myspace.

Slinkee Minx - Electric Dreams

One of the most eagerly awaited pop trash album of 2007 has finally arrived! Slinkee Minx's "Electric Dreams" was four years in the making and the wait has well and truly been worth it. Before I get around to reviewing the album, I would like to thank Annemarie, Michelle and Belinda for sticking with the project through difficult circumstances and respecting their fans enough to deliver one hell of a package. "Electric Dreams" contains 25 songs over two discs - all for the bargain price of $17! The tracklist is also incredibly comprehensive, including all their singles, B-sides (with the exception of "Tell Me") and most of their remixes. A lot of time, effort and talent has been poured into "Electric Dreams". I just hope the album gets the recognition and respect it so richly deserves.

"Electric Dreams" kicks off with the band's signature tune, their smash hit cover of Belinda Carlisle's "Summer Rain". That song peaked at #5 in 2004 and still sounds as fresh and irresistible now as it did on release. Slinkee Minx switch gears for the floaty, trance sensation that is "Falling Free". I can't believe this beautiful anthem wasn't selected as a single over "Someday" or "Way Of Life", particularly when acts like Cascada are riding similar but far less impressive songs to the top of the charts. By the way, someone please tell me what they are sampling! It's driving me crazy. I think it might be Ian Van Dahl but I can't place it. Speaking of "Way Of Life", their recent single follows "Falling Free" but sounds a little uninspired in comparison. The next tune is one of two songs the girls released to clubs during their two year hiatus. "Every Little Thing" offers a throbbing bassline and an array of wonderful bleeps courtesy of mrTimothy, who spoils the listener with two awesome remixes on the second disc.

The girls have a knack for reinterpreting old hits and they work their magic on Real Life's 1980s classic, "Send Me An Angel". The Slinkee Minx version is instantly catchy and strikes me as another potential hit. "Send Me An Angel" is followed by their second single "Closer", which reached the top 40 in 2004. I wasn't particularly taken with "Closer" when it was released and time hasn't made the heart grow fonder. The album continues with "Hold Me", another fun dance number and the gorgeous "Nu Love". "Nu Love" has an unexpected sweetness about it, the piano breakdown is lovely and the girls' harmonies are really quite superb. It's nice to see that mrTimothy is just as comfortable producing straightforward pop as he is creating club anthems.

Another club maestro takes over the producing duties for "Think You're All That". Josh Abrahams has created a funky anthem, which positively drips with attitude. It's not quite as brilliant as his other contribution, "Falling Free", but it's still quality. The next song, "You Turn Me On", stands out from the other tracks due to its latin vibe, complete with Spanish guitar. I don't think it quite works but "You Turn Me On" is anything but unpleasant. I'd be interested to know if the song's author, listed as B. Caruana, is none other than the fabulous and sorely missed B.J. Caruana. The first disc of "Electric Dreams" concludes with the band's third single, "Someday", and their other club release, "Dance Everybody". I've loved "Dance Everybody" since it hit the clubs in 2006 and I'm ecstatic to finally have the song in my collection.

Disc two of "Electric Dreams" is mostly comprised of remixes. "Summer Rain" is represented with two mixes, as is "Every Little Thing". Fans should also be familiar with the Studio B Mix of "Way Of Life" and the majestic Moustache D-Day Mix of "Someday". The band's fabulous cover of "Careless Whisper" is a welcome addition, as is the Mike Felks Club Mix of "Closer". It's nice to have all of the band's best mixes collected in the one place but the real highlight of disc two is the new material. The first new track, "U Could Be", is a bright and shiny pop tune, which would sound perfect on a warm summer night. The brass instruments are a nice touch. "Feel The Vibe (Mike Felks Mix)" is a winning club anthem, while "Someday Part 2" completely transforms the band's third single into a superb dance anthem. If only this version had been released instead of the lacklustre original!

The lovely ladies from Slinkee Minx have crafted an irresistible dance-pop marathon, which has been burning up my stereo for the past week. There is nothing deep and meaningful about "Electric Dreams". Instead, it is happy to deliver a collection of fun songs that will drag your arse to the dancefloor and that is fine by me. "Electric Dreams" is undoubtedly one of the pop trash highlights of 2007.

"Electric Dreams" is a fantastic package and belongs in everyone's record collection! You can purchase the album from Chaos, Sanity and iTunes. Check out Slinkee Minx's website and Myspace for more details.

On The Verge Of Something Wonderful

I really want to like Darren Hayes. I enjoy the occasional song ("Crush" and "Popular" come to mind) but more often than not his music leaves me cold. I think it has something to do with the high-pitched wailing (otherwise known as Mariah Carey-itis) that pollutes every second song. However, Darren seems to have got his shit together the third time around and I'm genuinely looking forward to his latest album, "This Delicate Thing We've Made". The first single, "On The Verge Of Something Wonderful", is nice enough but hardly warrants the deafening buzz surrounding it. The video looks like something Daft Punk rejected in 2001 and even Fergie would draw the line at some of these lyrics ("you can walk in the devil's shoes, if you like walking in heels").

While I have my reservations about "On The Verge", the single is definitely worth purchasing for the awesome remixes of "Step Into The Light". That song was leaked on Darren's website and Myspace way back in April. "Step Into The Light" is a haunting slice of electro-pop, which has been transformed into a superb dance anthem by the remixes without losing the essence of the original song. "Step Into The Light" is climbing the US dance charts (#18 this week) and strikes me as a far better choice to launch the album than "On The Verge". Happily for Darren, I seem to be in the minority. "On The Verge" debuted at #29 this week and has a good chance to continue climbing.

"On The Verge Of Something Wonderful" is currently available from iTunes, Chaos and Sanity. Darren's album, "This Delicate Thing We've Made", is released on the 20th of August. I have my eyes set on the special edition which comes with a bonus "origami cranefly". How very gay!

20 Years Of Kylie!

Has it really been 20 years since Kylie topped the charts with "Locomotion"? I was honestly startled to hear about Kylie's 20th anniversary party this week. I know she has been around since the dawn of time - but 20 years? I feel like a complete dinosaur. I still remember the first time I saw the "Locomotion" film clip and clearly recall wondering what the hell Charlene was doing singing on television. Despite the initial shock, I was instantly smitten and purchased the 7" single with my pocket money the very next day. It's only a slight exaggeration when I say that Kylie has been the soundtrack to my entire life!

My 20 year old copy of "Locomotion"!

I don't think Nostradamus could have predicted what lay ahead for Kylie. There was a genuine sense of shock when "Locomotion" reached #1 in Australia on 3 August 1987 and stayed there for 7 weeks, eventually becoming the highest selling single of the entire 1980s. "Locomotion" triggered Kylie-mania at home and resulted in her being sent to England to work with Stock/Aitken/Waterman. Kylie's output with the hit factory is rightly appreciated by pop fans around the globe but the Australian version of "Locomotion" and its fabulous B-side have been all but ignored. It's a shame because "Locomotion" is vastly superior to "The Loco-Motion" and "Glad To Be Alive" remains one of my favourite Kylie songs to this very day.

"Glad To Be Alive" was written and produced by two members of another act signed to Mushroom Records - the 80s new wave band, Kids In The Kitchen. I think the boys were probably taking the piss when they wrote a song about a buying "a brand new hat" for Kylie but there is something utterly joyful about "Glad To Be Alive". I often wonder what Kylie's debut album would have sounded like if she had recorded it in Australia. If "Glad To Be Alive" is any indication, it would have been pretty amazing.

If you haven't watched it in a while, take some time to re-discover the magic of the "Locomotion" video clip. Until researching this post, I had completely forgotten that it was originally sponsored by Impulse deodorant! Classy. The clip is also notable for the appearance of Countdown's Tania Lacey (does anyone else remember her?) and a cameo by her brother, Brendan, at the very end. 80s kitsch doesn't come any better!

Kylie looking glamorous at her 20th anniversary party

"Glad To Be Alive" appears on Kylie's Greatest Remix Hits 3. All 4 volumes of "Remix Hits" are essential for fans and turn up regularly on Australian Ebay.

Dannii arrives at Kylie's party

Congratulations to Kylie on surviving her first 20 years in the fickle music world! The anniversary party looked like a lot of fun and it was nice to see that Dannii dressed down to avoid stealing Kylie's spotlight as usual. Here's to the next 20!

Candice Alley - I Belong

Candice Alley scored an unexpected hit with her previous single, "Before You Go". That song slowly gathered momentum and eventually peaked inside the top 20 - quite an accomplishment for a pop act on a small label. I can take or leave the album version of "Before You Go" but the dance remix was one of 2007's best pop moments. The second single from Candice's forthcoming album was released a couple of weeks ago and follows the same formula as "Before You Go". "I Belong" is another radio friendly, mid-tempo number which markets Candice squarely to the pop-rock market. The song is pleasant enough in its original format but the dance remix is far superior. The remix of "I Belong" is not as immediate and trashy as its "Before You Go" counterpart but it is just as appealing. The mix manages to retain the essence of the song, while injecting it with an irresistible dance/pop sensibility. It takes a couple of listens to get into but the remix of "I Belong" is another winner.

Candice releases her second album on Monday, so make sure to pick up a copy from your local music retailer or purchase it online from iTunes, Chaos and Sanity. The "I Belong" single can be found at the same places. Check out Candice's Myspace and watch the "I Belong" video clip.

Brielle's War Journal & Canadian Hit!

Brielle Davis is, without a doubt, one of Australia's most fabulous pop divas. When she's not burning up dancefloors with her heavenly anthems, she's doing something completely random like modelling for Supre or entertaining our troops in war-torn Honiara. Speaking of which, I recently devoted a post to Brielle's humanitarian mission in the Solomon Islands and cheekily implied that Brielle's selection might have had more to do with her striking good looks than fierce musical talent. I had visions of Brielle performing "Take It Off" in a bikini for a room of sweaty soldiers but I couldn't have been more mistaken!

The details of Brielle's trip can be found in a lengthy and fascinating diary entry on her website. Reading the article has left me even more smitten with Brielle. Her writing is articulate, funny and insightful. Most endearingly, Brielle comes across as an ordinary girl in her 20s. There is no bullshit or grandstanding. She writes excitedly about travelling in a private jet, admits perving on the "sexy army boys", warns haters that she's learned to shoot a gun (!) and amusingly comments that her first thought on arriving in Honiara was "fuck it's hot"! I would loved to have witnessed Brielle's acoustic performances and I'm completely intrigued by the amazing photos. Brielle's new hair colour is fierce and she achieves the impossible by looking smoking hot in army greens!

Read the full account of Brielle's amazing adventure here.

In other Brielle news, her stunning anthem "Take It Off" is, well, taking off in Canada! The rocking Andy Caldwell Mix has climbed into the top 10 of the BPM:TV chart and my Canadian friends report that Brielle is picking up quite a bit of airplay. I'm ecstatic that Brielle's music is finally generating some international attention. Make sure you check out the fabulous clip if you haven't already and give Brielle a cheap thrill by becoming one of her Myspace friends. Brielle's highly anticipated album, "The Other Side", is scheduled for release later in the year.