Dancing With Ghosts

To copy a post I made months back in which I hoped things would perk up in March, the world of music is going through a dark patch, and annoyingly it's still not shifting. The shroud of Blunt, as I'm going to name it, has taken over the album charts for Mother's Day. A quick glance at the album charts is just plain offensive to people who give a flying fuck about music. How have albums been handed to Journey South (a duo so unoriginal they name themselves after directions) and Andy Abraham (a man so rubbish that he used to collect it) when the mighty (classic) 'Misbehaving' by Rosie Ribbons remains unreleased I ask you!?!!? Russel Watson? Jack Johnson? Beverley Knight's 'greatest' 'hits'? Seriously, why the fuck should people keep making good music if people insist on buying rubbish like this. It almost makes me wish we were all still raving about Arctic Monkeys...

The Modern seemed our one slavation. They make it into the top 20 and 'they' (the Blunt buyers) have to go and sabotage it. Speaking of which, does anyone want a Modern single? I've got loads...

The world of indie, usually the last resort for guilty pleasures, isn't pulling out any gems. Only We Are Scientists, The Kooks and Lorraine are giving us anything remotely squee-able. Meanwhile The Raconteurs and Dirty Pretty Things trade off past glories.

Depressing really, as I started the year talking about Frank Popp Ensemble, and it all started to look up...

But! All is not lost! Two records in just as many months have taken me well and truly by storm, shaking by ass to frequencies off the scale. These records are Orson 'No Tomorrow', which is the perfect blend of pop-cool, indie-scream-along-ability and both indie and pop-danceability, and Rihanna's 'SOS (Rescue Me)' which is trying so hard and so destined to fail it's no wonder we're in such a sorry state. I mean using a 'Tainted Love' sample on a hip-pop songtress is a masterstroke. And it sounds SOOO good. It makes me wanted to burst with excitement.

Plus, rubbishness of the current gives you an excuse to hit the sales and buy some stuff from a few years back. I'm currently spinning N*E*R*D - In Search Of, Amerie - Touch and the brilliant Lene - Play With Me (which features 'Scream', officially one of the greatest pop songs ever written). You can play what you like, but that's my poison.

Also: if your life is lacking indie-pop fantasticness/proof that people are trying, check out Men, Women & Children (I recommend 'Dance In My Blood') and Paper Faces (I recommend 'Disco Boy').

Go to it!

We're Not Dead But Music Seems To Be...

Well, what's going on in the music world? Nowt! Meaning that I have almost nothing to write about.

No upcoming albums I want, no festivals I want to go to... and I don't have one gig coming up either.What is wrong with the music climate?!?

This time two years ago I was buying the Scissor Sisters album for the first time and finally stepping into the mad world of music obsession. Speaking of Scissor Sisters, where are they hiding exactly? My favourite band are nowhere to be seen. Does anyone else miss having them around as much as I do?

Have you seen these five?


They stay in New York most of the time and to some up in a few words, FA-BU-LOUS. And Indie Girl and Pop Boy are willing to offer one... er... Creme Egg



to anyone with anyone with any release information or anyone who can tell us where the hell they are and when they're coming back! I'm dying here! It's been over two years since the debut was released!

*clears throat* Er, anyway... Thank you for reading. Please direct any information you do have to our email address ( indiegirlandpopboy@googlemail.com ) or the comments box. Merci.

We're Not Dead

Though you could easily be mistaken for thinking so. And what a coincidence that it ties in brilliantly with the title of Pink's new album...

From the very first listen to lead single 'Stupid Girls' it was obvious Pink had returned to form. After a rather slated album 'Try This' (that I actually really liked), Pink's sound is much more reminiscent of her 'Mizzundastood' era work. 'Stupid Girls' is less the blonde-haired hellraiser of 'Try This' but the pink-haired 'loser' dyke-girl from school who hated everyone that we met in 'Mizzundastood' and even 'Can't Take Me Home'.

The rest of the album follows suit with Pink making not only a top pop album but also a cracking social commentary on 'Dear Mr President', in which we sings for the injustices and inequalities in the world ("what kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?/what kind of father would hate his own daughter if she were gay?"), and 'I Got Money Now', which seems the resolution to 'Don't Let Me Get Me', where Pink decides that success is rewarded with money and punished by complacency and loneliness ("you don't have to like me anymore, I got money now"). And judging by Britney's downward spiral, she may have a point.

Although these songs, as well as the achingly painful 'Nobody Knows' are rather downbeat, subdued and sombre, don't be mistaken for thinking Pink has turned over a new leaf. On stormers 'Cuz I Can', 'U & Ur Hand' and 'Leave Me Alone (I'm Lonely)' Pink roars with joie de vivre and girl power that would make Scary Spice proud. Equally, title track 'I'm Not Dead' and 'Runaway' begin gentle and soft and fragile but end growling, spitting and biting loudly.

Essentially Pink is still just poor little Alicia Moore, a teenage girl trapped in her own securities. 'The One That Got Away', 'Who Knew' and 'Conversations...' are yet more ballads intent on grabbing at young girls like herself, heartbroken, confused, misfits, and teaching them and crying with them ("I know you/I've been you... Everything will work out fine") . With these tracks Pink is essentially saying that there's nothing wrong with being Janis Ian.

Which leaves me with one of my favourite songs offa the album (behind 'Stupid Girls' and 'Cuz I Can') rock-ballad 'Long Way To Happy', which would've made a much better album title if you ask me. Simply it's a quintessential girls-with-guitars song, racking up as one of best of the last few years of Ashlee Simpson, Avril, Skye Sweetham, Marion Raven, Kelly Clarkson et al, need I go on? This track pushes each of those comparitive wallflowers down several rungs of the ladder, leaving Pink at the top, where she belongs.

Best Tracks: 'Stupid Girls', 'Cuz I Can', 'Long Way To Happy', 'U & Ur Hand'

[EDIT:- Also, bonus tracks 'Centrefold' and 'Fingers' are brilliant and probably should've been main tracks. But what can you do?]

A Message For Indie Girl

Happy Birthday!

You can play the lottery now. Can't you? Good luck with that!

I haven't got you a present. What could possibly top the Franz arse-raping Gwen?



P.S. - Hang on viewers, we'll make some really interesting posts soon. I promise.

The Invasion Of Chico

Well, I guess the British public must be taking life "too serious" because they sure as hell must be delerious to be wasting hard-earned money on "It's Chico Time." It would be bad enough if he was a normal artist but why do so many people fall for all that X Factor bollocks? It's not as if out of two whole series they've produced one decent artist.

Steve Brookstein, Shayne (Spell it normally, Twat!) and now this... thing. At least with Pop Idol people had the sense to see that will was good and Michelle was just a big pile of cack.

And of course, he's heading for number one for a second week whereas the Sugababes "Red Dress" (complete with as! ace! as! "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor" cover) is only going for five. Madonna lurks at six while Pussycat Dolls sleep their way up the charts to number 2. The only good thing I can really see is that The Modern are getting a top 20 hit as they look to chart at no. 13.

The album chart looks similarly bleak with only Arctic Monkeys and KT Tunstall being the albums making any impression on me at all. And Blunt's still in the top 10. Grr!

Contact Me and Pop Boy

The genius development is technology, readers. You can now contact me and Pop Boy. Wow.

Have you get any queries or questions? Or general musings about anything at all to do with this blog?

Well, you can now send any enquiries or direct your abuse to me and Pop Boy's "official" email (well, google mail... it's far classier than Hotmail and Yahoo y'know! You have to get invites and everything!)

And thanks to the wonderous invention of youtube, every so often we will be bringing you an "Indie Girl and Pop Boy's spiffing video showcase!" Just in case there's any amazing videos you haven't seen because MTV doesn't play music anymore and EMAP is rubbish.

Send what you like here: indiegirlandpopboy@googlemail.com

Just click if you have a built in email system (eg: outlook express) or if you're a simpleton like myself and only have internet provided mail... well, er... just remember the address or something.

Comments are also very welcome and appreciated and I do read them so keep them coming.

Dancing Ok Go!

Saw his a while ago and, Ach! I bow to their choreographer. The dancing is blowing my mind. Watch them go!

Oh, and the song ain't bad either. Though it probably wouldn't sound as good without the visual accompanyments. (the two in jackets are even a bit fit if you like that type... )

(oh yeah, this song is called "A Million Ways" and is available on their latest album.)

Blasting On Pop Boy's (New) Stereo This Week...

Panic! At The Disco - Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off
Oh! yes. Pop Boy has drifted to the dark side and has delved into the damp, dingy world of emo. But really, when it sounds this good, can you blame me? I literally can not stop listening to their album, 'A Fever You Can't Sweat Out', which is faultless, blurring the difference between Goldfrapp, Girls Aloud and Greenday (no really). It's electro-pop with falsetto vocals, uber-clever lyrics and smashing guitars and whatsmore, you can dance like a fucking loon to it. This particular song, with it's brilliant title is somewhat of a call to arms, a mission statement if you will ("Let's get these teen hearts beating, faster and faster") that is unforgiving. With screams of "Dance to this beat", you have to be made of strong stuff not to.

Sarka Vankova - Lasku Davej
The first mention of Czech Pop. In Prague, there were no music shops, well there were but it was all native folk music. Then, we stumbled into Bontonland on Wenceslas Square and were transported to an alternative universe. A bounty of euro-pop. I picked up this girl, Alcazar (!!!), tATu's first album in Russian, a compilation of local pop and Martina Balogova. Listening to the radio in taxis etc it seemed the Czechs like glam rock, but then, so do some British taxi drivers. Worringly, Hilary Duff seemed popular in Bontonland. Martina and Sarka were both on Czech Pop Idol and I'd researched it prior to going (geek). I might give Martina (who looks and sounds like a Czech Anastacia) a mention at some point, as she's got some good tunes.
All the Czech stuff is OK, what you'd expect from a backward former-communist Eastern European country. Then this gem, Sarka's first single, jumped out at me. I tried to translate it but all I got was that "Lasku" means "Hug" or "Carress", as for what Davej means, I'm clueless.
The song itself has a throbbing skit pop melody underneath it all, a beat that makes it very easy to dance to, a electro style synth build up and the traditional euro-pop accapella bit for the middle eight, not to mention vocals that sound like they've been pulled long ways through vocoders. I have no idea what it means, but boy is it easy to dance to.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POP BOY!

18 today! Who've of thought it? He doesn't look a day over 17 years 11 months. Hope you've had a good one.

(and ok, yes it says the post is on Thursday but the time on my computer it's half 11 on Wednesday and it's still his birthday.. so meh, Blogger!)

And as a present (unless you hate it) Here is Franz's cover of Gwen's "What You Waiting For?" (bizarrely with Alex throwing in a bit of Billy Idol's "White Wedding" at the end. But whatever.) It's from Jo Whiley's show back in December. I can't actually believe I made it until March without hearing of it.

It's mainly for Pop Boy... but you lovely readers can have it an'all!

Blasting On Indie Girl's Stereo This Week...

Yes, we're here! Pop Boy is just very busy turning 18 at the moment, please leave a message after the beep.

No, no... of course not. I'm just here to spread the wisdom of Indie Girl and share with you what I happen the think is the aces this week. (And truth be told, I wouldn't know about three of these songs if it wasn't for The Mighty Boosh website. So thank you guys...)

Warning: Message may contain emo.

The Modern - Discotheque Francais/Industry
Yes, I know Pop Boy has already been raving about them already but it has taken me this long to discover the disco-dancing electro wonder that is The Modern. Both songs so 80s it really does hurt. He sounds like Simon Le Bon, she sounds like Kylie. All you have to do is close your eyes, imagine it's 1988 and you're listening to this is your funkay bedroom on MTV back when it played music. It's magical stuff and it's so incredably dancable. Visit The Modern On MySpace

Robots In Disguise - Turn It Up
Looking for punky music for a bit of edge but still oozing with all theat electro goodness? Then look no further than The Robots. I found these two via TMB... (Dee of RiD even goes out with Noel Fielding, which pisses me off but I can't really hold a grudge against a small punky yet arty lass who can scream "I am Siouxsie Sioux's granddaughter!!!" in the middle of a street.) and this track is just aceness really. I can't describe further. Quirky aceness. Visit Robots In Disguise On MySpace

Trash Money - Monkey/Lucky
Another find from TMB site. Summery yet sinister guitarband on these two tracks. Especially Lucky... yet because i'm silly my favourite is 'Monkey' simply for the "Monkey see, monkey do... monkey see,monkey dooo!" But definately relaxing in a weird sort of way.
Visit Trash Money On MySpace

Fall Out Boy - Dance, Dance
Yes, I know! It's emo and it's the second Fall Out Boy single i've liked in a row! It's scaring me too... but Dance, Dance just makes you want to... dance! Or throw yourself about a bit... that sort of counts as dancing but it has energy and I like to think it's just a bit of fun listening to them. I'm not turning emo... god forbid. I mean, emo girl doesn't have the same ring to it anyway. And Pop Boy would probably disown me.
Visit Fall Out Boy on MySpace