Stephanie Mills - The Medicine Song

You gotta take it, if ya wanna shake it!Now this is a bit random - even by my standards - but it's been a while since my last flashback post and, let's face it, you really need this song in your life! As most of you are probably aware, I'm completely obsessed with '80s R&B and dance music. It was just... better. The popular divas (excluding Janet) could actually sing and they were more interested in flaunting their sequined leotards, bad special-effects...

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Rebecca Ferguson's Sydney Showcase

I really didn't know what to make of Rebecca Ferguson's debut album when it was released late last year. There was no denying the magnificence of her husky voice but I thought the 2010 X Factor runner-up didn't quite have the material to do her vocal prowess justice. But Heaven has grown on me a lot since then and, after seeing the 25-year-old belt out half the album at the Beresford last night, the penny finally dropped. Rebecca is a superstar....

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Sneaky Sound System Really Want To See You Again!

I've been meaning to post this for ages but I guess it's better late than never. Sneaky Sound System is back with a suitably arty video for third cut from their latest album. It took a while but the band's "Really Want To See You Again" visual was worth the wait. The use of shape and colour is brilliant and those dancers are everything. I think Miss Connie built a time machine and flew back to 1992 to rescue them from an MC Hammer video. So epic!...

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Are Toni & Trina Braxton The New Janet & La Toya?

I have a thing for musical dynasties. There's just something fascinating about seeing family relationships under the microscope of the fame spotlight. Who will ever forget Jermaine's digs at brother Michael in "Word To The Badd" or when Dannii went under the knife to look more like Kylie? As far as celebrity siblings go, the Braxtons have done a fairly good job of keeping it together. That is if you ignore the constant cat-fights and wig-snatching...

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Pop Panel 2012 - Volume 1

Due to popular demand Pop Panel is back for another season of hot songs, future hits and bottom of the barrel trash! There will be some changes this time around - fortnightly or monthly updates instead of weekly editions and perhaps fewer judges - but I'm still working all that out. I just thought I'd jump in the deep end and see how it goes. Fingers crossed. This week's winner was a bit predictable but well-deserved. I'm pressed about some of the...

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Luciana Gives Me A Bone In Bow Wow Wow Video

A couple of weeks ago I posted a preview of Luciana's latest UK single "Bow Wow Wow". The catchy collab with Bodyrox and Chipmunk has now been serviced to clubs and a link to the classy video just arrived in my inbox. It's a glossy affair with the international dance deity heating up the screen in a room full of cheap slappers, while Chipmunk plays with his remote control toys. I love Luci's hoodie - David, I need one! - and I'm feeling the new Louise...

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Radio INK - Pop Trash Q&A

Radio INK is one of the most exciting independent pop acts in Australia. The three-piece band has already churned out some killer singles ("Physical" and "Rocket" are stand-outs) but they have taken things to the next level by supporting Danish pop legends Aqua on the extremely successful Australian leg of their tour and by releasing one of the year's catchiest singles with "Who We Are Tonight". I recently spoke with lead singer Miss S about that...

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Kylie Conquers Luna Park - Anti Tour Review

Kylie's Anti-Tour sounds great in theory. Nobody fucks up single releases and album tracklists with more style and grace than the slightly more successful Minogue. Take 2007's criminally underrated X. Brilliant pop anthems like "Rippin' Up The Disco", "Carried Away", "Fall For You", "Cherry Bomb", "Extraordinary Day" and "Flower" were relegated to bonus track status or discarded completely. That's half of the best album never released right there!...

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Robyn Loau Takes On Kate Bush

It's been a while since we've heard from Robyn Loau but the former Girlfriend star is back with a killer cover of "Wuthering Heights". The seminal Kate Bush classic isn't the easiest song to interpret but the sultry singer does an amazing job. I'm glad Robyn is showing off her incredible pipes and I love the splashes of dub-step that drag the dramatic anthem kicking and screaming out of the '70s. A new remix of the song hits iTunes tomorrow - the...

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La Toya - The Making Of A Superstar

YouTube is a beautiful thing. Last week a generous member called CoEvi uploaded one of the best videos I've seen in a very long time. La Toya Jackson - The Making Of A Superstar was a two-part special that aired on Entertainment Tonight in 1984. Filmed to promote the impending release of Heart Don't Lie, the footage offers an intriguing glimpse into the world of my favourite Jackson before severe mismanagement and the husband-from-hell derailed her...

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Will Anggun Lead France To Eurovision Glory?

To be honest, I haven't really been paying that much attention to this year's Eurovision contenders. Because, how do I put this, it's shaping up to be a bit of a shit event. The UK is sending a joke entry and Soraya is too busy burning up the Russian club charts to represent Spain - so why even bother? Well, here's one reason why Baku won't be a complete waste of time. The French entry is fucking amazing. Some of you might be familiar with Anggun....

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Bic Runga's Belle Showcase

On Tuesday night I dropped by The Vanguard to interview Bic Runga - our chat will appear on another website shortly - and catch her album showcase. It was a big deal for me because I've loved New Zealand's finest export since high school. I've probably played her 2002 triumph Beautiful Collision from beginning to end more often than any other record. With the possible exception of 4. Anyway, Bic is even lovelier than I imagined and the six-year holiday...

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The End Of Time Debate

King B wasn't kidding when she sang about being strong enough to bear the children and then get back to bidness on "Run The World (Girls)". Less than three months have passed since Blue Ivy took her first breath and her mother is already returning to her day-job of being better than your faves. "End Of Time" was serviced to UK radio this week and reports are circulating that a video is in the works. If this were any other single I'd be celebrating...

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La Toya Is The New Meryl Streep

Those boring actresses from flop shows like Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire must be so pressed right now because 90210 already has the Best Actress in a Drama Series trophy in the bag at next year's Emmy Awards. Last night La Toya rocked the acting profession to its very foundations with her breathtaking return to television. We all know that Toy can act. Her turn as a youth-obsessed voodoo priestess in Counterstrike - watch her scenes here - is probably...

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RuPaul Rocks Brisbane And My World

Gay men across Queensland are currently walking around in neck braces. That's how hard RuPaul rocked Brisbane on the weekend. Spectators were left with whiplash, wig-envy and the overwhelming urge to download La Toya albums. But more about the drag legend's epic performance at the sunshine state's Big Gay Day festival. As you might remember from this post, I got the chance to interview Mr Charles in February. During that conversation we discussed...

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Carrie Underwood Goes Pop

I stan hard for Carrie Underwood. She's one of my favourite country diva - along with Dolly and Shania - and I've been gagging for new material from her. So I was more than a little excited when "Good Girl" dropped a couple of weeks ago. At first I was startled by her shift in direction. It's not like the former American Idol was ever a traditional blue-grass singer strumming a banjo but this is a definite move towards a more radio-friendly pop sound....

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Lana Del Rey Unleashes Blue Jeans Cover Art

And it's everything and more. I love the "Where The Wild Roses Grow" dynamic happening between Lana and her thug lover. It's so grim yet darkly beautiful. Which is actually a perfection description for the song, and I guess, Adele 2.0's music in general. I'm still not entirely sure "Blue Jeans" is the best choice for her next single - it was the original B-side to "Video Games" and has been all over the net for what feels like an eternity - but the...

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Gossling's Wild Love Video

A couple of weeks ago I posted the audio of Gossling's new single and declared it my new obsession. well, nothing's changed. If anything "Wild Love" has grown on me even more. This is easily one of the best songs of 2012 and deserves to be massive. The leap from indie darling to mainstream pop sensation is never easy but an arresting video definitely helps. See Kimbra's "Settle Down" for a recent example. Unfortunately, Gossling's visual isn't quite...

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Am I Just Getting Old Or Is The New Norah Jones Single Kind Of Amazing?

I really can't believe my favourite jam at the moment is a Norah Jones song. It's like the world has been turned upside down. Somewhere in the suburbs my mum is probably driving to Coles blasting Skrillex right now! But back to "Happy Pills". How good is it? Produced by Danger Mouse (AKA the non-Cee Lo member of Gnarls Barkley), the breezy break-up anthem is everything and more. The subtle but completely addictive avalanche of hooks makes Norah's...

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Bow Wow Wow - It's Luciana's Next Smash!

Here's a sneaky preview of Luciana's next UK single "Bow Wow Wow". The killer club anthem features long-time collaborators Bodyrox as well as rap sensation Chipmunk and includes no less than two Christina Aguilera references! So it kind of goes without saying that it's amazing and needs to go straight to #1. But enough about the song. How brilliant is the Burgoyne Brothers-produced teaser? I'm not sure about the dog in PVC at the beginning but Boo - the canine star - is absolutely adorable and I love the way it's been put together. "Bow Wow Wow"...

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Jessie J - Live In Sydney

Last September I asked the million dollar question: How do you solve a problem like Jessie J? Well, six months have passed and I'm still no closer to finding the answer. Last night's gig only served to underline everything that's wrong - and right - about one of pop music's most frustrating artists. The 23-year-old Brit has talent to burn and a pocketful of killer tunes. Unfortunately, she's also prone to over-singing even the most basic lyric and...

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Estelle Finally Has An Amazing Song

And it flopped like everything else she has ever released. Seriously, what is it with this poor bitch? With the exception of the Kanye West-assisted "American Boy", Estelle can't give her shit away. Usually that's because the diva's music is dire middle-of-the-road R&B but "Back To Love" is an absolute anthem. I fucking adore this song. The Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis-produced (he did Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie and Keri Hilson's amazing "All The...

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Is Ria The One?

One of the more obscure entries in my Best Singles of 2011 countdown belonged to a Kiwi diva called Ria. While there's no denying that "Over You" sounds like a track from Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad, the #27 New Zealand chart smash has a raw and uplifting quality that raises it above simple clone status. I've been dying to hear what the former girlband member - she was part of an outfit called Vivah - does next and her follow-up single is just as...

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La Toya's Award Winning Live Triumph

Accolade after dazzling accolade has been bestowed upon La Toya in her glittering career. From having her footprints immortalised in Rotterdam's star-studded Walk Of Fame to winning a Grammy for her integral contribution to "We Are The World", the exquisite 55-year-old beauty has done it and won it all. But one award shines a little brighter than the others. Of course I'm talking about Toy Toy's triumphant appearance at Japan's World Popular Song...

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Kylie - Live At Mardi Gras

When I woke up on Saturday morning and looked out the window, I pretty much decided to skip Mardi Gras. Rain was pouring from the sky faster than Madonna's latest single fell from the charts and the prospect of spending another party crammed in the RHI with an army of drenched gays and smudged trannies didn't fill me with as much excitement as you might expect. But missing Kylie? Not an option. I've seen that woman perform in three different countries...

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First Look At Stan Walker's New Single Cover

After a couple of questionable single choices, Stan Walker has selected a real winner for the third cut from Let The Music Play. I mentioned "Music Won't Break Your Heart" in my list of a href="http://poptrashaddicts.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/dnas-12-best-tracks.html">DNA's 12 best songs and wondered why hasn't been unleashed on radio. I slightly prefer his other DNA collaboration "Who We Are" but this is a very hot record and should re-establish the...

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