And there'd be new MP3s after an extremely long break. Sorry, etc. work's been a bitch this week. Because Diego wanted it, Belgian ace-person in training Leki is up. Because I love them and nobody else does, I put up You Got Me. And because you love Europop even though you may not have admitted it, there is Kate Ryan. And for those who accidentally got linked here from an Mp3 blog that normally posts indie or rock, there's also the Morrissey single. It sounds like a different version than the widely-circulated K-ROQ version - it sounds less overdriven and slower. Maybe it's a demo. Still a great song, though. 
# 10:33 PM []

ESKOBAR - You Got Me

Their album is not quite, but almost exactly what I'd hoped for based on the rather brilliant teaser single Love Strikes, and this is the other standout on Thousand Last Chances. It's nearly four minutes of chiming chords, carefully considered hooks and utterly delirious "wooo-oooh-hoooo" backing vocals laid out end-to-end. The interplay between the calm, sedate vocals in the foreground and the excitableness underneath gives this an interesting, split sound that's very appealing.

"You got me right where you want me/You knock me out but you still haunt me", resignedness punctuated by wild streaks of euphoria. Stuck in place, but glad to be there, if you will. Every indie pop band ever would kill for something this good. Except they'd probably drone over the whole thing and would probably not coat it in wonderful woos. 
# 10:30 PM []

THE CROSS-EUROPE CHART CHALLENGE... of Death! RUSSIA

No. I can't do this. This is the worst chart ever - Where Is The Love is #1 for fuck's sake, and Three Doors Down are #3 and Enrique is #5. Oh, and as if that wasn't old news enough, Toxic, In The Shadows, If You Come To Me, Red Blooded Woman, all good songs, but so over. UD Project's Winter Jam must be fairly old too, as is September's La La La. Even if the last two've not been done before they are so old I can't think of anything to say. In order, all those get: 0, 0, 0, 10, 8, 9, 8, 3, 7

Leaving us with the grand total of one new thing:

2. HI-FI - Ńĺäüěîé Ëĺďĺńňîę.

And it's boring! 3! And the title won't display properly. It should look like Ce (THING THAT LOOKS LIKE A CROOKED A) (LITTLE b THING) M O (REVERSE N with DOTS) space (THING THAT LOOKS LIKE PI) e (LITTLE THING THAT LOOKS LIKE PI) ecok.

Which makes 48. I need caramel mud cake now. Total = 113. Average = 56.5.

 
# 8:52 PM []

THE CROSS-EUROPE CHART CHALLENGE... of Death! DENMARK

Mini edition - only two songs not already mentioned. Those numbers in full: Usher (2), Anastacia (10), Kevin Lyttle (9), Eamon (3), Enrique (0), Kelis (10), Britney (10), George Michael (9).

That just leaves:

9. KASHMIR - The Aftermath. Someone sharing this had it in a folder called "indie and emo" which was not a good sign. Actually, the atmospherics remind me quite a bit of early Radiohead, with the added bonus that the singer is not trying to sound like Thom Yorke (and doesn't), and there's a certain deftness of touch in the composition, how all the bits sound different. Downmixed organ is nice, should have been used more. It is quite indie, though. 5

10. LMC vs U2 - Take Me To The Clouds Above. You know this one by now. Way back in November I posted an instrumental version of this because I thought it was really good. If I'd known everything was going to be ruined by sticking a sodding Whitney Houston song sung by someone who is not Whitney Houston on top of it, I wouldn't have bothered. 3

So that's 61, making 157, average is 52.33. 
# 11:17 PM []

KATE RYAN - Je Lance Un Appel

She's Belgian. Her new album is mostly in English, but in keeper with her earlier Eurohits like Mylene Farmer covers Libertine and Desenchantee, the highlight of her album (called Stronger, unimaginatively) is the lone French number. It practically shimmers, especially the synth lines that remind me of JX's There's Nothing I Won't Do done at half speed, but with an extra layer of trance underneath. It's got a lovely breakdown quiet section too.

And the way she sings, like she's whispering sweet nothings. Even when she's not whispering, as she does over the aforementioned quiet section. I don't want to know what the whole thing means because that often breaks the spell. But when she sings higher notes with those French vowels, it sounds so right. Unfortunately, there are ballads on her album, so don't buy it. Download this and search out the smashing single Only If I while you're at it. 
# 11:01 PM []

THE CROSS-EUROPE CHART CHALLENGE... of Death! NORWAY

I have been a bad blogger. I'm busy and I can't think of any new pop singles to love. Please help me or I'll be stuck in a loop doing this. Which would be boring as there are lots of repeats: Usher (2), Eamon (3), Evanescence (8), Britney (10), NERD (5) and Limp Bizkit (0). Actually, the latter may have last been mentioned in Round 2. I can't remember. EIther way, I'm out of ways to insult them for now.

2. ANASTACIA - Left Outside Alone. Very, very possibly the best single of 2004, depending on whether I cheat and count Caparezza or not. Glen Ballard, take a bow, for taking the queen of rubbish empowerment anthems with no guts to sit with the pipes and turning her into a fiendish, possessed bitch needing an exorcism RIGHT NOW. A magnificent song, a terrific vocal performance - what else can be said? 10

6. ENRIQUE IGLESIAS - Not In Love. It has Kelis on it, but it does NOT get an automatic 10, because songs with Enrique Iglesias get automatic 0. This isn't even as good as Escape, his only half-decent single. 0

7. RAVI & DJ LǾV - Dřdsřt. East meets North, vaguely eastern melody, but with crossed Os in the title. If they don't show up properly, I won't be pleasant to be around. I like the creeping bass, and the first half of the chorus - particularly the higher version right at the end - and whatever instrument that is whining in the background, but it doesn't exactly stay with me. 5

8. RACHEL STEVENS - Sweet Dreams (My L.A. Ex). Ah, there is justice in the world, because Ms Stevens is charting outside the UK. Hopefully she sells enough units so she won't get dropped before having the chance to unleash the unbelievably brilliant Fools as a single. As you probably well know, this sharply rhythmed bit of kiss-off pop is immaculately written and produced, and sung quite well considering Rachel is supposed to have minimal talent. Who cares, she nails the words in the right places. 9

52. Or something. 177 is the total, meaning that a happy average of 59 has been achieved. Things are tightening up at the top.

The other reason I'm a bad blogger is that I'm too busy to post new Mp3s. Maybe tomorrow. It's not as if everyone's rushing here to get No Sikiriki, even though you should, fools! 
# 11:59 PM []

THE CROSS-EUROPE CHART CHALLENGE... of Death! GERMANY

Oh god, not now. I'm tired and this is just going to be awful. Repeats: Michael Andrews/Gary Jules (6), Kevin Lyttle (9), Britney Spears (10), Jamelia (10). But I'm not listening to them again, because I know what they're worth. Instead I have to listen to these, ugh.

1. MAX - Can't Wait Until Tonight. Max embodies the very title of this page, he is very enthusiastic, belting out the end of the song, but oh so very mediocre. The song is rubbish, mired as it is in an uncomfortable tussle between big soaring ballad and small, limping MOR pop. Both parts are rubbish. 2

2. SARAH CONNOR featuring NATURALLY 7 - Just One Last Dance. Oh, for fuck's sake people. I chided that Musicstars song for sounding like Toni Braxton, but this one is a fucking facsimile. The chorus is basically the same! You can sing one over the other, but who would want to? 0

3. OOMPH - Augen Auf. German disco-rock alert. Steady beat that you can dance to, menacing sounding lyrics that I understand about a quarter off, a menacing bit with piano and counting leading into a thudding big chorus. Lack of hooks is forgivable for once. 7

8. NELLY FURTADO - Powerless (Say What You Want). Last time this one was in a chart I mentioned how nice it was that this song's delayed charms were working in Europe because her sales everywhere else have been dismal. And that still holds true. The idea that she could get dropped or forced to shit out another I'm Like A Bird due to poor sales would be sad (though another Turn Out The Light would be welcome) when she's capable of great singles like this. 8

9. JEANETTE - No Eternity. Another ballad. It's slow. I've had absolutely enough of this. 2

10. ALEXANDER - Behind The Sun. No, no, no, no, no. "Love is the greatest gift of all". Apparently. This coming from the guy who did Maniac on World Idol, especially put under such a dreary country-ish pop backing is just rich. 1

55 points, 43 of which came from songs that are pretty much old news now. Ballads are stupid, throw rocks at the people who write them. 125 is the total, the average is therefore... 41.33. 
# 10:51 PM []