Niki N. Phaser

                   A new Coco is born… Coco Sumner (Sting’s daughter) is taking her first steps in the industry with her band I Blame Coco. Maybe it’s not really important news, but in her defence, she did get some help from one ‘insider’ and no, I don’t mean her daddy. Caesar, the debut single in question, is a collaboration with Swedish pop-honey, Robyn. 

                  It sure is an interesting way to begin a career with the lyrics “I want to annoy, And i’m going to enjoy it”. It might also be a promise of what to expect of I Blame Coco: stylized retro-pretty punk. And for what it’s worth, the video for Caesar does have Berlin late 70′s feel to it and I’m pretty sure that this is not an accident. If you want to see this new band in action you should know they are touring the UK with La Roux this spring. See if this charmingly underproduced track does it for you:

BLAME COCO Here

            Your favorite virtual, animated band of anti-heroes is making an official return. Gorillaz are to release their third album, Plastic Beach, this March. This will be the follow-up to the groudbreaking Demon Days, that had the world shakin’ it to the hit Feel Good, Inc. and pretty much everything else that was on that album. The new 16-tracker will feature an eclectic congregation of guest singers, like Mos Def, Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, of course De La Soul and plenty of other guests (more than ever). Lead single, Stylo, will be available for download in a few days. It’s quite a retro-jem, filled with catchy rollerskate-disconess and a synth bassline which will have 80′s veteran breakdancers, “the Fred Astaires of the street”, dust their tank tops. Listen at Gorillaz’s:

OFFICIAL SITE

               Yes, I gave in and embraced the cliché of making ‘best of the year’ tops. Still, ‘top’ is a strong word, it sounds so… hierarchical, so definite, things that can be calculated with numbers. Artistic value has a lot to do with the moment. While I’m listening to a great song and I’m really feeling it, I’m not thinking “This song is slightly less wonderful than another great song”. Music is not a sport. When it comes to art, each individual is the judge. Music is the place where the mind and the heart meet, it has nothing to do with other people’s opinions. You should also know that some of the songs from this list might be released as singles in the future, so read the date when this was posted before sharing with your friends… Ok, enough with this mumbo-jumbo, let’s see who made to number 1, people!!!!!

11. Morrissey – It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore

His recent albums are pretty far from the fresh outta The Smiths stuff. I’m talking about the music, because the lyrics have always been briliant – the guy just can’t be topped when it comes to editing ideas into the most simple and yet poetic words. It’s Not Your Birthday Anymore it’s one of the most powerful songs he wrote in years, talking about how politeness and hypocrisy have nothing to do with one’s expression of love: “All the gifts that they gave can’t compare in any way to the love I am now giving to you right here right now on the floor”. LISTEN

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