My Album is Better Than Your Album
It's a pretty common belief that pop music died after the 90s. This decade has had its popular music not defined by bubblegum teen princesses and hunky "funky but not threatening" boy bands, but instead by black guys, materialism, sex, and "getting tipsy." With the mainstream largely done with this brand of irresistible sugar coated tunes, good pop albums are few and far between. Annie, however, seems to be out to change that.
Hailing from Norway, Annie emerged on the international scene after the release of her first album Anniemal gained an appropriate amount of blogger buzz. Songs like "Chewing Gum" and "Heartbeat," the latter produced by fellow Norwegians Röyksopp, proved that pop music was definitely not dead. Catchy, danceable, and sugar-sweet, it was a total revival, easily overshadowing recent efforts from the former gods such as Britney or Jessica.
Annie's second album, Don't Stop, slated for release on October 6th (but available now if you know where to look), takes the style of the first album and cranks it up to 11. Annie has called it "pop with strange edges," but upon listening it is immediately noticeable that this album is more than pop. It's pop, it's dance, and it's electro all at once. It's catchy, it's funny, and it's also deep enough that it demands more than one listen to catch all the crazy eccentricities. The tracks are varied in style, some sounding straight out of the 90's such as the first single "I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me," some faster 4 to the floor anthems such as "Song Reminds Me of You" and, of course, the obligatory slow tracks like "When The Night," which Annie was pleased to call her "first power ballad." Hip-hop is even represented, with the subdued drones on top of fat beats in "Take You Home." Annie and producers Timo and Richard X have succeeded in doing what Madonna and Britney's producers have been trying to do over and over again: make an album which takes the pop style we all love so much and modernizes it. Don't Stop does just that, utilizing dirty synths, trance-like melodies, and some of the best, most danceable beats I've heard in a good while, all while mixing it up enough so that it never gets boring. Clubs, be prepared for some serious bangers.
It's clear that her voice has had some training since Anniemal as well, coming across more dynamic and powerful throughout - it's especially clear in songs like "Sweet," and "Bad Times," which really show her range and vocal ability extremely well. While in Anniemal the vocals are largely more of a rap-sing hybrid, on most of the tracks here she belts it out, showcasing her sugar sweet voice in all of its glory. Combine this with clever lyrics largely written by Annie herself, and you end up with a complete winner, a pop album that's also not a pop album, since it probably won't be heard on too many radio stations.
Save a couple so-so tracks like "What Do You Want (The Breakfast Song)," Don't Stop is a masterpiece, an album that should bring Annie droves of fans beyond her already established indie blogger base. There's little to dislike about Annie or this album regardless of your music taste, and anyone who has a soft spot for pop music should definitely check this one out.
Some tracks for sampling:
My Love Is Better
I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me
Song Reminds Me Of You