The Headphone Jack

Sunday, August 04, 2013

This is Free. Betty Who? Betty Who, that's who.

This young lady right here is pop newcomer Betty Who, who focuses on dreamy, synth-heavy, luscious pop numbers that are among the best so far this year IMO. She was born in Australia but moved to America in '07 and has worked with some pretty stellar names for this release. Her "The Movement" EP is full of terrific tracks, with the pick of the bunch being 'Somebody Loves You'. I just filled out my half-yearly Top 50 over on Aus-Charts and Betty featured twice in my Top 20 so far for both 'Somebody Loves You' and 'High Society'. Brilliantly she is giving away the EP for free. You really have nothing to lose and everything to gain here. She is great. And she has nice eyes too.

Plug-it in and listen and download below:

This is Free. The Colourist 'Little Games'

'Little Games' has a super-sized chorus. OK, now that's out of the way, let's talk about them and this gem. For me, it gets better with every listen. The Colourist are a four piece from Cali in the US of A and they are unashamedly pop enthusiasts with a dash of crashing guitars. 'Little Games' is their latest effort and perhaps their best so far. It's in your face and that's what I like. Brilliantly, they are giving away the track free on their website, just click here.

Plug-in and listen below:

Ginny Blackmore 'Bones'

Here is yet another Kiwi success story waiting to happen (hello Lorde!). Ginny Blackmore is a native New Zealander and she has released this big ballad as her first single. Oh, and it's great. It has in-your-face lyrics that don't try and hide what she is trying to say with clever metaphors, it's just all out there to hear. It's just hit #1 on the New Zealand equivalent of ARIA over there and has been impacting US radio for a little while now. I really like it and think it's one of the premier ballads of 2013 so far. It is already available on our Aussie iTunes store so do yourself a favour and go and pick it up. It just feels like it will be big in Australia very soon. Just sayin'.

Plug-it on and listen below:

The Golden Turd of 2013 Nomination: Flo Rida/Pitbull 'Can't Believe It'

Firstly I will get you up to speed with some housekeeping. I am beginning an award for the most terrible thing to hit music in 2013. And what a first half of the year full of nominees we have already. Well since I've got the blog up and running now, I will add a highlighted nomination (hopefully weekly). I'm naming the award 'The Golden Turd of 213'. Charming I know. It will be awarded with the other End-Of-Year shenanigans that go on in late December.

It oddly both pleases and disgusts me to congratulate Flo Rida and Pitbull on their dual nomination for the giant 'Golden Turd' that is their new single 'Can't Believe It'. And what an apt name for a song right? I watched the oh-so-bad film clip the other day pondering the very name of the song and how perfect a name it is, but not for the reason these two serial sinners were hoping for. I really just don't need to say anymore about this (song?), so ladies and gentleman, this week's nominee for 'The Golden Turd of 2013' is Flo Rida featuring Pitbull 'Can't Believe It'.

DON'T Plug-it in and listen below:

Saturday, August 03, 2013

Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chainz 'Talk Dirty'. Hmmmmm.....

Now I have stuck with Jason Derulo. I have stuck with him since his (still fantastic) second single “In My Head”. But he has increasingly delivered lower quality with each passing single since that glorious sophomore effort. This, his latest from the recently announced third album Tattoos (Out September 20 in Aus), is his most difficult to like yet. Yeah he tries to change up the mix a little from the admittedly grating club-focused bangers of recent times, but my patience is wearing thin. Adding that weird guy who calls himself 2 Chainz (who seems to be the new Lil’ Wayne in that he is popping up on everyone's music) really adds nothing to this bland, middle-of-the-road tune. Pick up your game Derulo. Remember “In My Head”? Good times. Sigh.

BTW: It’s ridiculously out in a month and half in the UK, but it’s out August 9 on Aussie iTunes.

Plug-in and listen for yourself, and be the judge, below:

This is Free. Olympic Ayres.

Normally I feature a free track, but on the odd occasion an artist will throw in a free EP! And that artist is Olympic Ayres. Their "Episode III" EP is a quick, satisfying foray into inoffensive indie-pop. I say that sounding like a bad thing, it isn't, because they are quite good and the songs are quite good too. Sitting on top of the collection is 'Magic', a track you feel like you've heard somewhere before. It's their finest moment yet for a band that is only getting better with each EP release.

The "Episode III" EP is available in exchange for a like on Facebook here.
But before you do, Plug it in and listen below:

NONONO 'Pumpin Blood'

Now here is something that is altogether awesome. NoNoNo are a trio from Stockholm Sweden and they have brought us this infectious new single, which was released today (August 2) to iTunes. Their website describes their sound as urban-indie and who am I to argue? This is a real gem that rollicks along at a cracking pace. Go Sweden!

Plug-in and listen below:

Friday, August 02, 2013

Soon to be plugged in. Albums.

This is what is coming up and what I am most excited about in the music world! All dates are Australian with the exception of a couple. Get pluggin' ready!

Cloud Cotrol	Dream Cave	August 9th
Swim Deep	Where The Heaven Are We	August 9th
White Lies	Big TV	August 9th
Parachute	Overnight	August 13th
Boy & Bear	Harlequinn Dream	August 16th
Jacob Butler	Reason	August 16th
Tired Pony	The Ghost Of The Mountain	August 16th
Travis	Where You Stand	August 16th
Franz Ferdinand	Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions	August 23rd
John Mayer	Paradise Valley	August 23rd
Icona Pop	This Is…	August 27th
Caged Animals	In The Land Of Giants	August 30th
Naughty Boy	Hotel Cabana	August 30th
The Paper Kites	States	August 30th
Natalia Kills	Trouble	September 3rd
The 1975	The 1975	September 6th
Arctic Monkeys	AM	September 6th
Goldfrapp	Tales Of Us	September 6th
London Grammar	If You Wait	September 6th
Neko Case	The Worse Things Get…	September 6th
Diana Vickers	Music To Make The Boys Cry	September 9th
Elton John	The Diving Board	September 13th
The Naked And Famous	In Rolling Waves	September 13th
Placebo	Loud Like Love	September 13th
Keep Shelley In Athens	At Home	September 17th
MGMT	MGMT	September 17th
Chvrches	The Bones Of What You Believe	September 20th
Grouplove	Spreading Rumours	September 20th
Icona Pop	This Is…	September 20th
Jason Derulo	Tattoos	September 20th
Kings Of Leon	Mechanical Bull	September 20th
Avril Lavigne	Avril Lavigne	September 24th
Justin Timberlake	The 20/20 Experience: Part 2	September 27th
St. Lucia	When The Night	October 4th
Panic! At The Disco	Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die	October 8th
James Blunt	Moon Landing	October 18th
Katy Perry	Prism	October 18th
Gabriella Cilmi	The Sting	October 28th
Lady GaGa	ARTPOP	November 11th

Aussie iTunes free Track: Aug 2 - Aug 8

The free tack this week is Marika Hackman 'Bath Is Black'.

This is one of those odd tracks that the Aussie iTunes peeps pick sometimes.
It's a nothing track lifted from an altogether boring album. Apparently, so I've read, she has association with Alt-J so I really have no surprise there. I'm not a fan of Alt-J either.

So a quick sentence to wrap the Aussie iTunes Free Track this week?

What the Fuck?