Song of the Week - This Too Will Pass

Yes, children. It's time for Mason Black to arrive on the scene again. Mason has been around just about as long as TOTU has (Ok, maybe a little longer), and he's been a constant supporter of mine, and vice versa, since. His new single is out, and you bet your ass I'm choosing it as Song of the Week -- even if it is country!

Now, don't go and think that I'm only picking this song because Mason is a friend of mine. Sure, I probably wouldn't have found the song had I not known him, but that doesn't discredit the track in any way. The song is still very "Mason", in that it is raw and real, two things that have drawn me to everything he's written so far. The style a song is sang or written in should hold no barrings on the emotional impact it truly has.

The song is a smooth mix of country and blue grass styles of music, leaving Black a chance to let his real country accent shine through. The lyrics chronicle the very personal challenges he has faced in his life. The song has a positive message to it, however, because as the title states, bad times don't last forever, and "this too will pass."

You can grab the track on iTunes.

Song of the Week - I Need A Doctor

Adam Barta is back again with a new track. No more is he going to release just one song a year. This guy is ready to start churning and turning it out, and he's got some great up-and-coming talent at his side this time around. It's time for "I Need A Doctor" by Adam Barta and L.A. Kid.

This song is written by Adam himself with beats made custom by KC Styles, and the entire reason it was crafted was for Adam to pay tribute to his close and dear friend Nadya "Octomom" Suleman. This queen of controversy has recently entered rehab for her anxiety problems, and the song is a reflection on the more personal side that Barta has seen of Suleman... But don't let that make you think the song is some slow boring ballad. This is Adam Barta we are talking about, after all. It's gotta be dance.

Joining Adam on this track is Chris Snail, assuming the name LA Kid, for a rap bit towards the end of the song. He already started making a name for himself by starring on the Sony reality tv series "Mommy XXX", but this song showcases his full talent as he rolls off a rap quick enough to give Nicki Minaj a run for her money.

Adam released a statement to go along with the track, which truly sums up my feelings towards the track:

"The words will speak for themselves and people will have to listen VERY carefully to really interpret what it is saying. I wanted Nadya to know that I love her so much by writing this just for her, because to me, music can cure the soul. This chronicles the struggles and triumphs she has endured recently. The world will be her oyster when she is done and we may be back in the studio to work on new music together, or we may focus on performing "Sexy Party" like everyone has been waiting to see."

The track is already climbing both the dance and all inclusive iTunes charts. Buy it up and make sure this song hits the top.

Song of the Week - Supercharged

I have been waiting oh, so patiently for this single to come out. The song has been up online for weeks now as she's been pushing it to be played on radio stations across the country, but the official release had been just out of our grasp until now. Behold in wonder and amazement - "Supercharged" by the beautiful Kwanza Jones.

"I'm a gladiator in a thong. Applaud when I come on." This may very well be the best lyrics of all time. No, seriously. Just walk up to someone and shout this at them. Watch the reaction. Regardless, the song is still very catchy, and I have been obsessed with this track for countless weeks. You guys know I love me a good girl-power pop track, and this song takes it to the next level. "Supercharged" goes far beyond "Time To Go", which itself was a benchmark.

What I really love about this song is that it balances talent with having fun. She is able to show that she can really sing, and even break down a rap segment, but it's not overly serious. There are a few vocal effects thrown in to get the listener more into it's electro-pop vibe, adding to the more fun side of the song. Even it's lyrics bounce back and forth between serious and funny, keeping it from swaying too far in one direction.

This song may be coming into the game a bit late, but it is definitely one of the best songs of 2012. It justifies all the setbacks that have happened along the way, as well as the lengthy gap in between "Time To Go" and this track (although we did get to hear much of Vicious, another track from the album).

You can buy the song for a dollar on her official BandCamp page, or if you are feeling generous you can give her more. The track is not yet on iTunes. Be sure and check back later in the week for another "Supercharged" surprise.

Song of the Week - The Mother We Share

I'mma be honest with you guys. I know next to nothing about this group outside of their Facebook page, but damn this song is addicting! It's like crack. Not that I'd know or anything.

First off, let me say that I am well aware that this song has been out for nearly a year, Let me follow that up by saying "shut up, the rules say it has to be available in the US." The length of time a song has been out elsewhere is pretty irrelevant. Regardless, I think the world is already convinced that this is the best song of all time ever. No, really. Go ahead and look up a review on the track real quick. I'll just wait here.

See? I told you. Everyone loves it.

But why is the song so good? I honestly can't pinpoint it myself. The song is so light and easy feeling, but still manages to have the synths and melodies that we crave in music today. Even the vocals sound similar to something you would hear on the radio these days, but it still manages to be a sound of it's own. I could go on and on about how mysteriously awesome this song is, but you probably just want the iTunes link already.

Here it is. The remix is pretty rad, too.

Song of the Week - Nice Car! (Shame About Your Penis)

I think this is the first time I've used the word "penis" in a headline before. Oh well. At least I'm not flaunting it or anything, right? It's Pandora Boxx and she's allowed to say what ever the hell she wants. Pandora has been an idol of mine for years now, and she's not slowing down any time soon. Her newest track is sure to have everybody rolling. Check out "Nice Car!"

The song is in that same vein as her first single "Cooter," but features a bit of a different brand of comedy. Instead of longing for lady parts, she's judging your man parts. Yup. Pandora is complaining about how all the guys with nice cars have little wangs. I don't have enough experience to say whether this is true or not, so I'm going to take her word for it. The song features my friend-of-a-friend Shango, who I am very proud of, and glad is getting attention for her hard work now.

What I really like about the song is that Pandora sounds a lot more comfortable with her voice now. This is her third (or fourth if you count the Madonna parody) track she's put out, and she really seems to have the hang of the whole recording thing now. I certainly like her more playful side with "Nice Car", and it offers us a new side to Pandora. Well new-ish.

The song is up on iTunes for grabs. Also check out the video below. I'm sure it's banned from TV, too.

Song of the Week - Catch My Breath

It's rare that I pick bigger more mainstream artists as the Song of the Week, but my heart has a soft spot for Kelly Clarkson. The first season of American Idol was the only one I watched, and she's the only winner who's really gone on to do something (although a lot of #2s have gone on to be huge). "Catch My Breath" is another solid hit from a solid artist.

Can I start off by saying how gorgeous she looks on the cover of this single? She's been in the spotlight for years upon years now and she always looks amazing. "Catch My Breath" is the lead single off of her upcoming Best Of album, entitled "Greatest Hits - Chapter One". For a "best of" single, this song is very well put together. Most of the time, the new or bonus tracks put on single collections sound like reject tracks from previous albums or terrible demos they had long forgotten. I'm glad to see that Kelly isn't taking a shortcut with this release.

The song is a bit of new ground for Kelly, at least single wise. The song is bumped up to the current state of pop music, incorporating a lot of electro-pop sounds you'd find on the radio. She does retain a lot of her original sound, keeping her same rock-pop image; the style change is a bit more of an update to the new radio-played sound. The lyrics are all girl power but don't go too over the top (ala P!nk), making it a great all-ages track. Basically what I'm saying is this song was bred for radio play -- and I freaking love it.

Buy the song on iTunes!

Song of the Week - Dance Til I Die

Yup. It's Brandon Hilton time again. This Myspace star doesn't ever slow down! He's had an extensive tour landing some pretty big gigs at Six Flags and in Las Vegas, and now he's released another smash single. "Dance Til I Die", starting out a TOTU exclusive and premiering live for the first time last month, has officially become one of my favorite tracks.

The song may start out slow, but by the mid point, he is spitting out lyrics faster than some may be able to understand (don't worry, there's a lyric video for that). The quick pace of this song is a huge juxtaposition to Frozen, which was slower and more articulated. Much like the title suggests, the vocals are more hurried because all he really wants to do is dance. The track also has a much fuller and strong sound than Frozen (not picking on the track! I really love it!), making it take the top spot for my favorite Brandon track.

This song is a big step forward for Hilton. His production quality has improved ten fold over the past year, and this song is the shining example of exactly what he can do. He sings much more confidently than before, allowing everybody to finally hear what he has to offer. The song may not be an outstanding example of clever or deep lyrics, but it accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: Get everyone up and dancing.

Preview and buy the song on iTunes today! Let's make this his top track!

Song of the Week - You & I

Oh, Anjulie. I have missed you in my life. This isn't exactly the first single she's had since "Brand New Bitch", but it is the first solid single she's released since (with the exception of some viral tracks). I am so glad she is back on the market. Let's take a look at "You & I".

This song has the best beginning to a track I've heard in quite a while. It is simply Anjulie's amazing voice set to nothing but an acoustic guitar. A few moments later the electro beats kick in, and the song becomes a bit less amazing, but not enough to really make the song unlikable. This track is much more electronic sounding than I'm used to hearing from this artist, but seeing as it was produced by Benny Benassi, it shouldn't be too big of a surprise. I am glad to see that she is working with big name people now, and making a name for herself.

Lyrically, the song isn't as impressive as I was hoping for it to be, but the actual notes and vocals is where this one truly shines. Her fluctuation on the chorus's repeated "you and I" is enough to make my ears go straight to heaven. This song is begging for radio play, and being a bit more friendly than BNB, it may just get some attention. I can think of a couple of people in particular that would be overjoyed if she made it big time.

You can preview and buy the track on iTunes.

Song of the Week - Die Young

Does this really surprise anybody? I mean really?

Do any of you know how long I've been waiting for this day? I have been wanting to blog about Ke$ha so bad since I started this site, but she has been mostly dormant for the past two years or so. Sure, she has released some demos, but I wanted something solid. I managed to hold out long enough, it seems, because her lead in single off her new album "Warrior" (Due in December!) has arrived. And it is amazing. No hate.

Ke$ha has an amazing ability to make party tracks over and over, but every time from a different perspective  Instead of always being about getting drunk and dancing, she puts other spins on it, such as this song where she is talking about being at a party with a taken guy, and wanting that one night of perfection before they return to the real world. The song features her signature speak-singing, which is so nice to return to after all this time. It also features her singing, which sounds much more natural than on her first album, meaning she either has better production on this album, or has become far more comfortable with her voice.

Either way, the real queen of pop music is back. We can finally stop talking about Gaga. Thank you, Jesus.

Preview and buy the track on iTunes. She needs another number one track, right?

Song of the Week - Sexy Party

What can I say? I'm an Adam Barta fan. Don't judge me.

When asked for my honest opinion of the song from Adam himself, I said simply that the song was "not as bad as I expected." Sounds mean, I know, but I didn't really have high hopes for the song, especially after hearing that mess that a certain "teen mom" calls a song. Luckily, Octomom was in good hands with both Barta, Mig, and Rizzo. She may not be a talented singer, but in today's world who is?

The song is a hot mess, but in the best way possible. It is chock full of autotune and pulsing beats that force you to sing and dance along with it whether you want to or not. Lyrically, it is what you can expect from a song titled "Sexy Party". It pretty much just demands you join them in their super sexy party, complete with rhymes that center around counting, to make it easier for you.

All kidding aside, I do enjoy the song for what it is, or else I wouldn't have picked it this week. Check it out. You'll either love it, or want to burn it with fire.

Song of the Week - Love Sea

Yet another case of "that song has been out forever but just now coming out on US iTunes", this tune by my current favorite band Alphabeat, has been sought after by basically everyone myself in the states since it came out a few months ago. It's here now, thankfully. Let's hope there's not a two month delay on their album hitting iTunes here.

"Love Sea" is the second single off of Alphabeat's third (or fifth if you count the randomly re-titled UK versions) album "Express Non-Stop". The song is a bit of a double edged sword. On it's own, it is catchy, fun, and bubbly - everything that Alphabeat is about. On the other hand, if your first taste of the group was literally any track from their album "The Spell", you may be a bit disappointed. It still feels like Alphabeat, but with such a perfect album, it seems like they are struggling to pull off that achievement again.

The lyrics to this one are very fun and poppy, allowing me to forgive much of my initial dismay. The song features both vocalists heavily, making a great duet song that practically anybody can sing along to. The song is very fast paced, and the back track is just as jaunty as the rest of the pieces, bringing together a track that really works on it's own.

Please allow me to reiterate: The song is great, but when a group has been pumping out perfection for years, something that is even slightly sub-par can be devastating.

I'll get over it.

The song is finally up on US iTunes. Check it out.

Song of the Week - Gangnam Style

Woah! Sexy lady! Yeah. The time has come for that song to be chosen. It's finally out on US iTunes which makes it eligible for Song of the Week. Given what else I had to choose from, it turned out to be a diamond in a mix of... something much less valuable than diamonds. Anyway here's Gangnam Style. Whatever.

This song is not only notable for being the first Song of the Week to be a Korean artist, but also the first one to not be sang in English at all. To my (slight) surprise, the release of the song was exactly the same as the Korean version and not translated and sang in English. That being said, I must reiterate that this is NOT Psy's debut single. He has been around for ages. This song blew up virally due to it's equally freaky music video which I initially refused to post about.

Because it's flippin' weird.

I really don't think the song would have become so popular without the help of it's outrageous video and it's hilarious dance, but then again, dwelling on "what if"s is annoying. There's just something about this song. I don't know what it's about or anything he's saying, but I just love it. And with over 130 million views, it's probably alright to just assume that everyone everywhere loves it, too.

Get your copy on iTunes and pretend like you know Korean, too!

Song of the Week - Lolita

So this song came out quite a bit ago in Australia, but it just now came out in the States, so that means it is free game. It's about time The Veronicas came back. For the billionth time allow me to blog about their new single, "Lolita". I promise this is the last time.

I can't say enough about this song. It is the re-introduction to the group the world almost forgot, twin sisters who make up the electro-rock-pop duo The Veronicas. This go around they are sounding much more electronic and you can bet I am a fan of the change. Oddly enough, they have said in interviews that the rest of their upcoming album, "Life On Mars", is more toned down than this single. Still yet, I have hope for this one.

The song is heavily inspired by the classic book and film of the same name. It's all about a girl who has a borderline psychotic obsession with a guy. This is probably how my love life is going to end up, which makes the song totally relatable to everyone, because I am the common man. Anyway, it is a totally different kind of love song, which quickly sets it apart from the rest.

Not to mention the video is hella awesome. Scroll down a couple stories and check it out.
Yes. I talk about these two pretty often.

The song is available on US iTunes now. The link is a bit janky for the time being, but can be found on your iTunes program.

Song of the Week - Best XXXcessory

I had no choice. It's just too fabulous. One of half of me wants to think that if I keep choosing drag queen tracks for this that they will overrun my entire website (especially with All Stars and Season Five of Drag Race being almost back to back), but the other half of my head just says "F*ck that. It's Manila, bitch!" Guess which side of my brain I listen to more.

I don't know if Manila is capable of making a bad song. She is a very talented song writer and very good at working with what she's got. Is Manila Luzon the best singer ever? No, and she knows it. She is, however, good at balancing fabulousness and camp in a way that just works. This go around she is going for a more electro-rock sound, adding in some pretty rad guitar riffs and a more driving beat. Manila's voice is much more heavily autotuned than "Hot Couture" for the most part -- until the bridge where her voice sounds very raw. This part was probably obviously left that way due to the sincerity in the lyrics.

The lyrics are my favorite part of the song, actually. The entire song is a metaphor for having the best boyfriend in the world. The song is like a personal love letter to Sahara that Manila made into a song. Lines like "You dress me up" and "I could even wear a brown paper bag/cause with you on my arm the kids will gag" show both comedy and caring. This song feels better in almost every aspect to her debut, and that song was practically perfect anyway.

I guess what I'm trying to say is how the hell could I not pick this as Song of the Week?
Everything about it is so sparkly!

Buy the track on iTunes. It's worth it 99cents, I promise!

Song of the Week - Sharpshooter

I know, I know. This week's song goes back a bit. This song was released the first week of August, but I just found out about it and I wanted to be sure it was talked about before it was too late! Like a gift from the heavens (or a newsletter I signed up for, whatever), this song came to me. Behold: Ugly Kids Club "Sharpshooter".

My first exposure to this group and their amazing single was via the video for this song. It was very artsy, and despite obviously being on a budget, it looks phenomenal. The song is very heavily synth, but it doesn't fall prey to many of the indie electronic cliches set up by their forefathers. Instead, they trudge ahead with edgy vocals that shift from light and airy in the verses to heavy and rock inspired in the chorus.  The song has a great mix of the two group members, Aliegh and Steve, as they each sing parts of the song and bounce off of each other very well.

The two hail from Nashville, a place quickly becoming famous for much more than country music, and they are proud of that fact. This release is apparently the first in a string of singles that will each have their own music video dropping each month for the next six months. That is half a year of new Ugly Kids Club. Now that they've made me a fan with this track, I am incredibly pumped!

You can get the track for yourself on iTunes! Support your favorite artists!

Song of the Week - Live In This City

You know what? Don't judge me. I'll stop picking Dragonette songs as Song of the Week when they stop making good music. Which will be NEVER. "Live In This City" is this week's point.

I can't get enough of this band. These Canadians have had two amazing albums so far, and all the single from the new one so far have been phenomenal. Their style is a mix of rock, pop, and electronic, not sticking to one genre for very long but always managing to stay true to themselves. I know that doesn't seem to make sense, but if you've listened to Dragonette before, you know what I mean.

This song in particular is a bit more poppy than what fans may be used to, but that doesn't mean it's not awesome. The song describes a city that the group has come to love, and can't live without. According to them, the city can't live without them, either. I know one thing is for sure, I'm not sure I could live in the pop world without Dragonette. The new album "Bodyparts" drops September 24, right with No Doubt's new album. It will be a pretty interesting battle to see who wins my heart -- I mean the charts, of course.

Buy the song on iTunes or be forever labeled a hipster!

Song of the Week - Hands Up

I almost chose this as Song of the Week a while back, and I'm glad I didn't. The original version is great, but this version, with it's special guest singer, is even better. Everyone else may be getting tired of party songs, but this blogger says keep on bringing them to me -- I'll eat 'em up!

Electrovamp is a pop duo consisting of two sisters, Tammy-Jay and Kally, straight from the UK. They have popped up from time to time over the past few years, but now they are making a comeback, and teaming up with YouTube star Keenan Cahill is only showing that they are done messing around and ready to get their musical career back on track.

The song is a "screw the rules, let's party" style of song, and it keeps the listener singing along. Having a lot of reference to school and lacking alcohol name dropping, the song seems to be targeting a younger audience with it's lyrics, but that doesn't mean that it's a kid song by any means. The beats drive the song home, and the vocals, even from newcomer to the singing game Keenan, are spot on, creating a party song that you don't have to be wasted to connect to.

The new version of the song is available for preview and purchase on iTunes.

Song of the Week - Settle Down

I know, I know. I posted an article not long ago saying how disappointed I was in this song, but that was me being a giant stan. This week I have stepped back and looked at the song from a different perspective, and you know what? It's not too bad.

No Doubt is finally back. This ain't no cover-for-TV crap (that I actually loved, no joke), this is a legit new single as a lead in to a brand-spankin'-new album. This alone should get me excited, but I was so blinded by the lack of change that they had promised beforehand. I was expecting classic No Doubt, but instead I got Hella Good No Doubt. Oh well. It's still the worlds greatest rock band. Ever. Don't hate.

The song sounds like they picked up exactly where they left off with their last album, a fresh mix of Reggae and Rock with just a slight tinge of Ska tossed in. To be honest, I always have been in love with Gwen Stefani's voice, so she could do any style of music, and I would fall in love with it. The song took some time to grow on me, but it's chorus is catchy, and it is already taking over the airwaves on the radio.

How can I not be part of the No Doubt revival? The world is right again.

Buy the track on iTunes. Do your part to ensure No Doubt NEVER stops making music. Ever. Again.

Song of the Week - Sleep Alone

Believe it or not I've known about these guys for a while. I'm not gonna say I keep up with them and go to their shows, but I have jammed out to their music before, and I can recognize it when it is played -- both shocked and excited when this new song popped up on my radar. Check out Two Door Cinema Club's newest single "Sleep Alone".

This group isn't exactly rock, and they aren't exactly pop either. This group lives somewhere in limbo between the two extremes, making for a nice unique break from all the techno bumping beats and the dubstep wahwahwahs. This is the reason I choose to listen to them on occasion, and I believe that this song does their sound justice. Combine this different sound with a distinctive vocalist and you have a band that you cannot easily forget.

This song in particular doesn't seem to be an obvious single, but it really does grow on the listener after a few listens. The lyrics are telling a story, but are a bit confusing due to using different metaphors, such as using dreams and ghosts to describe emotions. I won't even pretend to know the true meaning behind the lyrics, but they are catchy, and they are set up in a way that can be taken different ways in order to keep things interesting for the listener.

You can grab a copy of the track for yourself on iTunes. Their new album "Beacon" comes out September 4th in both regular and limited editions.

Song of the Week - Heart Attack

Who says I don't listen when people try and tell me that they are making quality music. Recently, I was contacted by yet another Australian independent artist who wanted me to take a look at their music. This time around his name is Mykal Hoare, and he definitely has a great debut single. Check it!

Most of the time, I will put my favors in the corner of the indie artist trying to make a name for themselves. This go around, Mykal is spreading his music from his native Australia to the United States, giving us a great pop song that feels a bit off kilter -- in a good way. The song is a chorus of moans, vocal effects, and crazy pulsing beats, so obviously it's right up my alley.

Heart Attack has a bit of an unconventional message, begging for that special someone the song is all about to prevent him from having a heart attack. The lyrics are a bit hard to make out sometimes, both due to the insanely addicting beat, as well as the computerized vocals. This is not necisarily a bad thing, as it works very well for the song, but it took a couple of listens to "get to" the lyrics, so to speak. Regardless, I love the song, and it's so odd to think that had he not come to me on Twitter, I would have never heard this track.

Support the artist by buying the song on iTunes! Damn I'm starting to love me song Australian pop.