Myspace. Myspace, Myspace, Myspace. Myspace, Myspace, Myspace.

Check it out.


Alexa Melo

The youngest contestant on America's Most Talented Kids' Diva show, sorta P!nk in chrysalis on "Girlfriend" -- or maybe a young Stacy Ferguson on "Kids Inc." (actually Alex has a better voice than proto-Fergie, whom I'd never heard -- well, since I last saw Kids, Inc. -- until just now)? She's got star potential ("I may be small but I gotta big voice...so when I'm talkin' you need to listen" on "Time Is on My Side," which could also be called "Just You Wait 'Cuz I'm a Really Big Deal"). Highlight is "Shake Your Pants": "Girls grab a boy and take him by the hand/ drag him to the dancefloor and MAKE HIM SHAKE HIS PANTS!" And I know you won't believe me when I tell ya Drew Seeley wrote it, but it's true:

On the "Shake Your Pants" song it says, "And dance to the Gooniez Beat" Gooniez is the name of my writer and producer team. The writer's name is Drew Seeley. He is the voice of Zac Efron from High School Musical. When you hear Zac sing, it's really Drew.

-The rapper in the song "It's Not Easy" .. His name is Jessie. They made his voice and Drew's higher with a pitch thing to make them sound younger. Cool, huh?

Cool.



The DBz

Xhuxk calls "Stewie" single of the year so far over on the teenpop thread. I guess I don't disagree with that, but the only thing that comes close is that Sophie Ellis Baxter song (haven't really heard much else, except what was on the British charts last week, no competition there). Everything else I've heard from '07 makes me wanna take a nap. Not necessarily bad, but I don't want to take a nap ALL THE TIME, OK? Presages Kidz Bop doing hyphy. (I'm still not sure what "hyphy" even is, but I know that I like most of it that I've heard.) Which reminds me to link to this, also from Rolling Teenpop 07.



Art Circus
According to them, Art Circus's song "Be Your Own Pet" is the inspiration for the band's name. Fun cheapo pop with verifiable synth-calliope (so you know the circus is legit). "Be your own pet and you're never alone" -- well that's silly. An indier take on post-teenpop? Sounds like: "our first try, our best effort, our worst day, our happiest moment, anxiety amplified, and coconut kisses."



Tiffany Giardina
Xtian popper and former RD incubatee, whom I described back in October as "lighter (liter) Hilary new wave." Which is about right, I guess, not as new wavey as I remember it being. The important difference being that now she's my friend!



Chely Wright

Hm, I feel like I should know who this is ("Single White Female" and "Shut Up and Drive" might ring a few bells but maybe not...). Came across one song called "Bumper of My SUV," sort of a variation on "Not Ready to Make Nice." Soccer mom sees Chely's US Marines sticker, flips Chely off, ballad ensues. "That doesn't mean that I want war/ I'm not Republican or Democrat/ But I've gone all around this crazy world to better understand." Later, "I've been to Hiroshima, I've been to the DMZ, I've walked on the sand in Baghdad, still don't have all the answers I need." Message to all private-school-voucher-cravin' church-group-havin' soccer moms: I've been everywhere, ma'am.



Mandy Barry

Country club bangers! Nah, she just watched her parents perform at country clubs, I guess...but it's heiress-pop in spirit. An indie heiress, I like it!



E.A.K. Music

Well, Greg Fanoe just received a comment from a writer of one of the Jump In songs on a recent post, so until Skye or Brie graces us with her presence, I'm jealous. Also worked with "Filipino sensation Nina the Soul Siren," whom I haven't listened to yet. That's Robyn Johnson, not to be confused with...



Robyn Janelle

Pretty good no-label R&B, good singer. Significant (aside from being in my friend request list) because I'm thinking that one thing the Cassie sound might help accelerate is the point where diva wannabes could basically sing along to a click track and a loud 'fridge. The beat in "Shook Up" is nowhere near that spare, but it's pretty weird -- plinking synth xylophone and a little bit of drum machine to keep you grounded (it kinda piles up as the song goes along, but I think the song would be better with even LESS going on). Thom Yorke whines about buzzing like a fridge like it's some bad apocalyptic society-is-doomed-and-I-still-can't-get-a-date thing, but in fact he was unknowingly describing Beyonce (Hitler hairdo) and Cassie (buzzes etc.), which just makes him a big ol' racist sexist what have you.



Buck Brothers

Allegedly "the world's first Anglo-Irish-Swedish band" (I'm skeptical), and a nice song that might have appeared on Dr. Demento (once) called "Girls Skirts Boots Bikes." Woulda been stuck in the hodge-podge transitions-be-damned part before the guest comes on. Their song "Mannish Girl" should be much funnier. But hey, nice to be able to smile at a song coming out of England for like a half a second this week. "Gorgeously Stupid" is stupid as advertised, but not gorgeous. So it's a draw.



Everyday Sunday

End as usual with a couple of guys who look like total doofuses. But were bright enough at least to try to hide their doofishness with that anthemic sped-up Gary Glitter beat that pop-punk bands do sometimes...except they forgot to kill the vocal(i)s(t)! Just shout something every couple of bars. Like your song is "Wake Up Wake Up," so just yell "WAKE UP!" Wait, try just shouting "HEY!" since that will wake somebody up, too.