So the first order of business is to say something, anything about how amazing Lady GaGa was last night at Center Stage. After seeing her in an intimate setting at Bazaar, I was excited to see a full set, and ladies and gentlemen, she did not disappoint. She was amazing. I took a lot of pictures, and hopefully, some of them came out okay; I have NEVER seen Center Stage that crowded before. Since it was so great, I want to post more on the concert later, so stay tuned. Now, let’s get to the five glorious songs for this fine Friday, shall we?
Marmaduke Duke – Rubber Lover
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_410_marmadukeduke-rubberlover.mp3]
This is probably going to be the shortest song in the history (or future) of the Five Song Friday. This energetic track clocks in at just under 2 minutes, but the entire two minutes are a fun filled, dancey romp that is too great to ignore. You probably hear the sampling of Billy Joel’s Sleeping With The Television On, that makes the song somewhat familiar, and perhaps, even more lovable. They have been playing this song like CRAZY on BBC Radio One, and I have to admit that I crank the radio up and dance every time I hear it. This song is MASSIVE, which is funny because it is less than two minutes long! I can’t wait to see what else Marmaduke Duke has in store on their upcoming release, Duke Pandemonium.
V Factory – Love Struck
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_410_vfactory-lovestruck.mp3]
When I first heard this song, one question filled my brain, “could this possibly signal a triumphant return of the boy band?”. Well, of course, only time can tell, but V Factory have an undeniable resemblance to another boy band, 5ive, who were pretty massive in the UK in their hay day. Also interesting to me, is that V Factory shares not only a sound similarity to 5ive, but also that the V most likely stands for 5, and as such, the two are even further, and more inexplicably linked. I am curious to see what V Factory will follow this fantastic pop track up with, because if it anything like this, then we may have an answer to the aforementioned proposed question: hells yes!
Tina Parol – Who’s Got Your Money
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_410_tinaparol-whosgotyourmoney.mp3]
Remember the amazing Blu Cantrell and her ‘it’s over’ anthem, Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)? Well, I do, and this song instantly reminded me of that fabulous hip hop track; but not because they sound similar in any way. Tina Parol uses the same subject matter of Blu’s break-up track, but instead of a tell off fit for a hip-hop diva, Tina steers more towards the pop-rock/Avril Lavigne-angsty rock in her delivery. In doing so, she has made another ‘you screw me over, I’ll take your money’ kiss off track that is radio-ready music to my ears. There’s something about an angry girl, exacting revenge on a bad boyfriend by hitting him in the wallet, that makes a great subject for an empowering ‘it’s over’ song; whether it be a hip hop anthem with a blasting beat, or in this case, an angsty, and energetic rock-pop track.
Paula DeAnda – Roll The Credits
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_410_pauladeanda-rollthecredits.mp3]
Initially, this song really didn’t hit me as hard as it probably should have, because the beginning is a little weak. However, at about one minute in when the violins take you to the first crescendo, it really soars. Paula’s sweet vocals remind me a lot of fellow female artists like JoJo and Christina Milian, and with this song, Paula really shows that she belongs on the charts right there along with her pop peers. This is one of those songs that gets better with each listen, and I am really glad that I gave Paula another chance; she’s got a great little pop ballad on her hands with this one.
Bat For Lashes – Moon and Moon
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_410_batforlashes-moonandmoon.mp3]
Finally today, I wanted to bring you something a little bit more subdued than the other tracks featured today. I have been enjoying Bat For Lashes’ most recent release Two Suns (which was released on Tuesday) all week, and this is my favorite track from the CD. The ethereal nature of her voice and the beauty of the arrangement of this track really brings up memories of my favorite Feist songs, and as such, really makes me glad that I gave Bat For Lashes a listen. The rest of the album is quite diverse, at times going from what sounds to me like old Fleetwood Mac, and other times, going all of the way to the other side of the spectrum, invoking a bit of Bjork for some unexpected electronica (or folktronica, as I believe it is called). Overall, the entire album is a great listening experience. This is one of those “hey, you’ve heard of her right? Isn’t she amazing!?!” artists, and I am extremely glad to spread the word about how much I have been enjoying Bat For Lashes. NOTE: Yes, I have seen lots of reference to Kate Bush with regards to similarities; however, believe it or not, I have never listened to Kate Bush. I will try to remedy that, but I make no guarantees; I just wanted to acknowledge that I have heard their are similarities between the two.
So there’s your Friday five, folks! I hope you enjoyed these songs as much I have been enjoying them all week. As always, let me know what you are listening to, and as always, let me know what you think of my picks as well. Have a great weekend, and remember to check back for word about the Lady GaGa show I went to last night.