Addicted to Alexis

I was very pleased to see that James from Green Pea-ness had recently discovered the joys of Alexis Strum. Bad Haircut was definitely one of my most played tunes of last year, and she really isn’t getting the recognition she deserves (is this the curse of Popjustice?). So, rather than give you what you can easily get off Itunes, I thought I’d share some rare Alexis tracks off the sadly never released debut album.

Before she was a modern balladeer, Alexis was an electropop chick with a contract with Warner. Her first single was due to be Addicted, which although got sent out on promo, never made it into a single release. An album sampler was released to radio stations featuring: Addicted, Coming On Strong, Rock This Disco, Still Standing, and Nothing Good About This Goodbye. Songs Still, Keep Up, and Rodeo leaked soon after. Unfortunately, nothing came of the initial promos, and Alexis soon parted ways with Warner.

In the same year, Kylie Minogue covered Still Standing, and in 2005, Rachel Stevens covered Nothing Good About This Goodbye. Alongside these two tracks, Rodeo and Addicted were the best tracks on the sampler and are here for your listening pleasure.

If you like what you hear, don’t forget to check out Alexis’ Popjustice blog, as well as her myspace page, where you can hear her latest single The Long Way Home.

MP3: Alexis Strum – Addicted (Expired)
MP3: Alexis Strum – Nothing Good About This Goodbye (Expired)
MP3: Alexis Strum – Rodeo (Expired)
MP3: Alexis Strum – Still Standing (Expired)

Let the hype begin - Lily Allen has landed

Reminding me in equal part of The Specials, Imani Coppola, and Miss Dynamite the folks in the blogsphere are currently making the right noises to suggest that Lily Allen is going to be generating some serious hype this summer. I’ve had a listen to a few of the demo tracks circulating, and I’m very impressed with what I’ve heard so far. With a wit not dissimilar to Mike Skinner, her tracks are full of wry observations (her PR calls is social commentary) and the ska—pop sounds are making a very welcome return to the Homoeclectic playlist.

The first single to be released is LDN (which if timed correctly, could be absolutely huge, as it has the that perfect London summer’s day feel) – for those who were somewhat disappointed with all the hype around Corrine Bailey Rae (isn’t she just a Norah Jones for 2006?), check Lily out instead.

Check out her myspace for more info/pics/bloc etc etc.

(Pop fact: Lily is infact the daughter of film producer Allison Owen and Keith 'Fat Les' Allen.)

MP3: LDN (demo) (Expired)
MP3: Nan, You're A Window Shopper (demo) (Expired)
MP3: Shame for you (demo) (Expired)
MP3: Everything's Just Wonderful (demo) (Expired)
MP3: Little Things (demo) (Expired)
Watch: LDN Promo Video

It wasn't like that before

One of my favourite tracks of 2004 was Everything is Everything by Phoenix, so I was really excited to get hold of a promo copy of their forthcoming album It’s Never BeenO Like That.

Sonically, in a similar vein to Alphabet, INBLT has the sun-drenched MOR feel that made Alphabet so successful. That said, like Alphabet, INBLT suffers from the same problems–it is unfortunately a mixed bag.

There are a couple of tracks that me going back and hitting the repeat button (Consolation Prizes , Long Distance Call and Rally – the latter being the stand out track for me) but a greater number got me bored about half way through. Part of the boredom stems from the lack of an immediate tune and the insistent drumming that’s used on a number of tracks that leaves me cold.

MP3: Phoenix – Rally (Expired)
MP3: Phoenix – Consolation Prizes (Expired)
Buy: Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That (Expired)

I want it right now!

On the theme of British electropop bands fronted by men (ok, just the PSB so far) that we seem to have started here at Homoeclectic, I recently came across the myspace page of Lee from the now sadly defunct band 2wo Third3.

I remember one of my favourite tracks of 1994 being I want the world – 1994 was the year that I came out to my parents and really became aware of the gay media. 2wo Third3 were heavily promoted within the gay press (the name 2wo Third3 was meant to imply that two out of the three band members were gay) and just listening to the track takes me back to one of my first visits to a gay club. (The other being One night in Heaven by M People.)

Speeding forward to 2006, Lee from 2wo Third3 has a myspace page and unlike a lot of the crap out there, the track are actually good. Reminding me a bit of Depeche Mode, he’s definitely worth checking out (and not just because he still looks cute).

For those interested in the history behind 2wo Third3, visit the Popjustice 2wo Third3 microsite.

As a thank you to killarie for being the site’s first ever commenter, Integral is available for download for one day only.

MP3: 2wo Third3 - I want the world (Expired)
MP3: Pet Shop Boys – Integral (Expired)
MP3: M People – One Night in Heaven (Expired)

Buy: Various Artists - Now 29 (contains I want the world)
Buy: Pet Shop Boys - Fundamental
Buy: M People - Ultimate Collection

Two swedish babes

This video has been blogged more times than I can count - but I love the song so much, I've decided to give it a little more exposure for the 2 people who have been living under a rock in the past 6 months.



I love the slightly awkward nature of it all, the dependence on just the keyboard and the hand claps (we love handclaps) and the fact that it's far superior to the Saul Williams original.

If anyone connected with either Jenny Wilson or Robyn are reading this- please, please, please can they release it?! Please!

Leaky boys (Homoeclectic exclusive)

And the PSB leaks keep coming. Integral and I’m with stupid have made it round the net. For PSB fans stumbling across this blog – here’s a Homoeclectic exclusive – we’ve got hold of a copy of PSB’s The Sodom and Gommorah Show.

TSAGS link will only be here for a short while - so get it while it's hot!

As mentioned yesterday, the bits of the album I've heard so far really feel like a return to form for the boys. Whilst I liked Miracles - it was not really the PSB do guitars that I had hoped for. Instead, it seemed to be PSB tone down the synths and are left with not a lot.

TSAGS has the sense of drama and grandiosity that made Very such a great album. That and a crackin tune.

Bonus tracks:

• Paris City Boy, which replaced New York City Boy on the french release of Pop Art. I love the fact that this is sung with random bits of french thrown in for good measure - adds a certain je ne sais quoi.
  
• Icon of Coil - New York City Boy taken from the 2001 compilation Very Introspective, Actually - A Pet Shop Boys Tribute.
  
  To be honest, I don't really like this track. It's interpreted in a Gary Numanesque style and loses the euphoria that the original has. The song is meant to be about a young , gay man in the big city who feels like he's the the centre of the world. The male chorus is reminiscent of the Village People, the screaming females in the background reminscent of the wailing of divas in house music.
  
  The IOC version loses this and turns it into a gothic/electro dirge. One for completionists.

MP3: Pet Shop Boys - The Sodom and Gommorah Show (Expired)
bonus: MP3: Pet Shop Boys - Paris City Boy (Expired)
bonus: MP3 - Icon of Coil - New York City Boy (Expired)

Buy: Pet Shop Boys - Fundamental
Buy: Pet Shop Boys - Pop Art
Buy: Very Introspective, Actually - A Pet Shop Boys Tribute

Paris Hilton? That's like SO 2004!

A couple of day’s ago, Popjustice posted its’ PJ Tips April 2006 and to my surprise one of the contributors suggested Paris Hilton’s Screwed. Erm – hello!? It’s only like 2 years old! For those of you who missed it, you can download it below.

It really is a wonderful bit of Euro-pop that wouldn’t be out of place at G-A-Y (not that I’ve been since I was 12) complete with processed voice, echo – all that’s missing are handclaps and a spoken bit to make it the camp classic that it so wants to be.

The other tips were PSB – I’m with Stupid. Hardly the tip of the month, as it’s probably one of the weakest tracks off the album. We’ve gotten hold of a couple more tracks off the album from a special man – but am under strict instructions not to share – so all I will say is that the album is turning out to be ace and a real return to the boys we know and love so well.

MP3: Paris Hilton – Screwed (Alex G Remix) (Expired)
Buy: 1 Night in Paris (The song isn’t available from what I can see – and I’ll be damned if I’m recommending A Simple Life – even I’m not that gay.)

And in the beginning there was Disco...

Just what the world needs, one more MP3 blog. But, really, can you have too much of good music? And as a self confessed music addict, whilst I may be late to the party, you can be sure I’ll bring some goodies along the way.

If I trace my love of music back, the soundtrack of childhood had to be disco. My parents were didn’t agree on much, but parties were the one thing they could throw. Whilst I wasn’t terribly interested in the usual things little boys are interested (e.g. little girls) – I was fascinated by the disco songs that used to play into the early hours of the morning. Whilst there are 100s of tracks to choose from – from the cheesy to the noodley – my all time favourite track has to be Cerrone – Supernature.

Even now, I just have to hear the opening synths, and I’m taken back to a childhood of disco balls and dry ice.

MP3: Cerrone – Supernature (1977) (Expired)
Video: Supernature Video (1977)
Buy Now: Cerrone: Culture - The Best of Cerrone