The Best Pop Music You've Never Heard (if you live on this side of the Atlantic, at least)
Thanks to the wife's heavy rotation of Lady Gaga in and around the home, I've secretly become a big fan. I mostly enjoy the outrageous costumes and shrewd (sometimes not so) social and political satire (her Kermit dress a statement against fur? Brilliant!). In fact, once I realized that most of her songs - while on the surface are about vapid pop tropes such as nightclubbing, boys, money, and fame - are actually backhanded jabs at the those things, I found I had a deeper appreciation for the sort of shrewdness that is lacking in most social satire these days. Even better is when you can dance to it!
Also, judging from the style of the drum tracks and electronic instrumentation in majority of her songs, I think she's secretly a fan of industrial music... and possibly Kraftwerk and Gary Numan.
So, having become recently enamored with Lady Gaga's electropop tunes, I started seeking out artists with a similar aesthetic and sound, and I'm gonna give you a list of a few of the better ones I've found. While none of the following are quite as brilliantly outrageous as The Ga, the songs are quite catchy, fun and full of self-aggrandizing, self-aware, and egomaniacal Warholian pop power. Most of whom are from abroad.
So get ready to cue up some videos, hit the strobe, get under the mirror ball and DANCE my little monsters, DANCE!
Annie: Usually people who refer to themselves in the third person really get under my skin, unless they're Doctor Doom, but that's sort of Annie's thing. She mentions her own name in just about every song. Oddly enough, I just can't find any official videos for her. So, we get to start our dance party with tinny sound and a screen grab of her album cover.
Favorite song: I Don't Like Your Band
Calvin Harris: He looks kinda like Seth Green and sounds a bit to much like LCD Soundsystem at times, but Calvin can freaking rawk the disco! Like The Ga, Calvin knows that the music he makes is pretty silly and just goes with it. It's an excuse for you to act like a dork on the dancefloor, which I completely, 100% condone.
My favorite songs: Acceptable in the 80s and You Used to Hold Me
Dangerous Muse: From New York, this duo lies somewhere between Fisherspooner and Lady Gaga. They are MIGHTY gay though (and I mean that as a compliment) and that might make some viewers of their videos uncomfortable.
My favorite song: I Want It All
Frankmusik: I don't have much to say about Frankmusik, as I just found him today. I mean, aside from the woefully self-evident name. "My name is Frank. I make music." But what I've heard so far is interesting... not quite Calvin Harris cheesy, but cute and catchy, with the occasional Adam Lambert-esque high notes. Plus, you gotta love the really dorky haircut. It's nice to know that nerds can be pop stars... even if it's only in the UK.
My favorite song: Confusion Girl
Ladyhawke: This Kiwi firecracker has a truly devoted obsession with synth-pop music, especially if it's from the 80s. Plus, she named herself after a Matthew Broderick/Rutger Hauer movie AND the cover of her album features her playing an N64 with the Nintendo Zapper holstered in the wasteband of her underwear, so bonus 1-Up!
My favorite songs: Magic and From Dusk Til Dawn
La Roux: Perhaps the most well-known of the lot, La Roux features all the androgynous looks and brightly-colored neon patches of 80's new wave without all the gloom and pretension.
My favorite song: Bulletproof
Little Boots: This tiny little gal sounds the most like Lady Gaga. In fact, when I first heard "Remedy" that's what I thought I was listening to.
My favorite songs: Remedy and Meddle
Dragonette: Is their name some kind of D&D first edition Monster Manual reference (Or was it Fiend Folio?)? Regardless, Dragonette sounds a lot like Radio-Friendly Peaches and I totally dig that.
My favorite song: I Get Around
V V Brown: Where 60's Motown meets electropop. Peppier and with far more hooks than some of the other ladies in her sub-genre (British neo-soul?).
My favorite song: LEAVE!
And this is just because I can't help myself.
Also, judging from the style of the drum tracks and electronic instrumentation in majority of her songs, I think she's secretly a fan of industrial music... and possibly Kraftwerk and Gary Numan.
So, having become recently enamored with Lady Gaga's electropop tunes, I started seeking out artists with a similar aesthetic and sound, and I'm gonna give you a list of a few of the better ones I've found. While none of the following are quite as brilliantly outrageous as The Ga, the songs are quite catchy, fun and full of self-aggrandizing, self-aware, and egomaniacal Warholian pop power. Most of whom are from abroad.
So get ready to cue up some videos, hit the strobe, get under the mirror ball and DANCE my little monsters, DANCE!
Annie: Usually people who refer to themselves in the third person really get under my skin, unless they're Doctor Doom, but that's sort of Annie's thing. She mentions her own name in just about every song. Oddly enough, I just can't find any official videos for her. So, we get to start our dance party with tinny sound and a screen grab of her album cover.
Favorite song: I Don't Like Your Band
Calvin Harris: He looks kinda like Seth Green and sounds a bit to much like LCD Soundsystem at times, but Calvin can freaking rawk the disco! Like The Ga, Calvin knows that the music he makes is pretty silly and just goes with it. It's an excuse for you to act like a dork on the dancefloor, which I completely, 100% condone.
My favorite songs: Acceptable in the 80s and You Used to Hold Me
Dangerous Muse: From New York, this duo lies somewhere between Fisherspooner and Lady Gaga. They are MIGHTY gay though (and I mean that as a compliment) and that might make some viewers of their videos uncomfortable.
My favorite song: I Want It All
Frankmusik: I don't have much to say about Frankmusik, as I just found him today. I mean, aside from the woefully self-evident name. "My name is Frank. I make music." But what I've heard so far is interesting... not quite Calvin Harris cheesy, but cute and catchy, with the occasional Adam Lambert-esque high notes. Plus, you gotta love the really dorky haircut. It's nice to know that nerds can be pop stars... even if it's only in the UK.
My favorite song: Confusion Girl
Ladyhawke: This Kiwi firecracker has a truly devoted obsession with synth-pop music, especially if it's from the 80s. Plus, she named herself after a Matthew Broderick/Rutger Hauer movie AND the cover of her album features her playing an N64 with the Nintendo Zapper holstered in the wasteband of her underwear, so bonus 1-Up!
My favorite songs: Magic and From Dusk Til Dawn
La Roux: Perhaps the most well-known of the lot, La Roux features all the androgynous looks and brightly-colored neon patches of 80's new wave without all the gloom and pretension.
My favorite song: Bulletproof
Little Boots: This tiny little gal sounds the most like Lady Gaga. In fact, when I first heard "Remedy" that's what I thought I was listening to.
My favorite songs: Remedy and Meddle
Dragonette: Is their name some kind of D&D first edition Monster Manual reference (Or was it Fiend Folio?)? Regardless, Dragonette sounds a lot like Radio-Friendly Peaches and I totally dig that.
My favorite song: I Get Around
V V Brown: Where 60's Motown meets electropop. Peppier and with far more hooks than some of the other ladies in her sub-genre (British neo-soul?).
My favorite song: LEAVE!
And this is just because I can't help myself.