Something New #13 - Polarsets

Something New #13 - Polarsets

I'd like to thank the fabulous Sentric Music for introducing me to today's artist - if you don't already follow Sentric you should, it's a great account full of new bands and industry chatter (and useful advice for musicians)!

Today's band Polarsets are Rob, Mickey and James, a huge slice of twiddly-electro pop-funk, so summery I almost wish their latest track 'Just Don't Open Your Eyes Yet' (on iTunes now) had been released a couple of months ago, ready for the beach. 

It's seriously fresh and bubbly, like standing under a shower of pink lemonade, while angels with rainbows for halos flutter round your head playing tiny multi-coloured synthesizers.

All their tracks are full of energy and rhythm, a blend of holiday beats and clever synths that are as evocative of the eighties as they are of the future. It's also nice to hear an original vocal style at the moment. Very much looking forward to an album's worth of happiness.

You may already have heard them on XFM, or BBC Introducing, or many adverts, but if you haven't, here's their new single for your ear-based pleasure.

You'll find them on The Facebook and you can follow them on The Twitter and maybe if you look hard enough you'll find them wandering the streets of Newcastle with a trail of fairy dust and joy following them everywhere they go.

For more of this kind of thing follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Something New #12 - M.O

Something New #12 - M.O

Today we're going girlband - M.O are a three-piece soul-tinged group with high-energy tracks, great vocals and groovy summer beats. 

There's also some sweet remixes and proper well crafted videos and they are gigging ALL OVER the place this summer - these girls are a well-tuned and styled article, and I don't think it will be long before you see a lot more of them.

Check out their official video for 'HOT' below or on YouTube... a proper laid-back piece of R&B casualness.

They are on Facebook and Twitter so follow them and check out the rest of their YouTube videos, there's some proper funky tunes!

For more of this kind of thing follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Something New #11 - Sid Batham

Something New #11 - Sid Batham

Nothing Wrong With Pop is on holiday, but even that isn't enough to stop us sharing today's artist with you all - Sid Batham is an incredible slice of funk-tinged mellow, moody, slinky-pop whose sound is so well-crafted and cleverly produced it's a shock to find out this isn't his third album.

He's easy on the eye too. Which helps.

Sid's vocals are adventurous without losing their way, smooth with a hint of gravel, like a Frappuccino with crunchy bits of caramel hidden amongst the creaminess (calm down) - and he's going to be all over the place really soon, working with some super hot producers and giving off enough heat to make everyone stand up and take a sniff.

Check out his EP on soundcloud. Honestly, it's unnaturally good. 

If this is the beginning of Sid's career, the ending is going to be in some sort of mansion built on a foundation of dollar bills. Get on the boat before it sails to hype-land so you can say, as always, "I was totally into that before he was famous".

Check him out on Facebook and Twitter, and more importantly listen to everything on his Soundcloud, preferably while lying in a hot bath and drinking champagne with strawberries.

For more of this kind of thing follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Something New #10 - Luke Towler

Something New #10 - Luke Towler

Are you a teenage girl? If so, I doubt today's artist Luke Towler will be new to you. With a massive following, a Cody Simpson support credit under his belt and a full page poster in this week's Teen Now magazine, Luke Towler's beautiful voice and strong pair of eyebrows are winning everyone over.

He's constantly chatting to his fanbase online and each cover he uploads is dedicated to a new set of fans. Here he is covering the Bieber and playing the piano beautifully. And he's only 16!

Follow him on Twitter and Facebook and wait until you start seeing and hearing about him from all the youngsters you know...

For more of this kind of thing follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Something New #9 - 5 Seconds of Summer

Something New #9 - 5 Seconds of Summer

Or not so new...

Most of the artists I want to feature here are grassroots, unsigned, organic poppy acts who don't always get the coverage they deserve or a platform to perform... but occasionally you get a much bigger act who are causing so much hype, you can't possibly ignore them!

5 Seconds of Summer are 4 teenage Australian boys with nice faces, great hair, and a rock-pop vibe that's like Busted if they'd had too much sugar.

These four have SO many accolades under their belt - One Direction's tour support, a sold out  nationwide Australian headline tour of their own, close to a million Twitter followers and the sort of fanbase that spends hours making animated GIFs of their faces and posting them all over the internet... and they've been spending this summer breaking America.

You're not going to be able to ignore them for long, so check out the video for their track Try Hard below (over a million other people have) and start telling all the teenagers you know about them now, so they think you are totally ahead of the game.

Normal service will resume next week, but if you want to join the mass 5SOS movement, follow them on Twitter and Facebook, and check out their official website at www.5sos.com!

For more of this kind of thing follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Something New #8 - The Future Kicks

Something New #8 - The Future Kicks

Today's post is extra exciting, as we are announcing the first artist for our Nothing Wrong With Pop Summer Special on the 14th August at The Bedford Live!

Fresh from touring schools and gaining thousands of YouTube views and followers, full, live, high-octane energy man band The Future Kicks are going to be gracing our stage with their blasting electronic dance-pop tunes and unique style.

They're constantly releasing new content with a mixture of original material, covers, Q&A sessions and tour diaries, as well as gracing red carpets and film premieres around town. Radio 1 described them as the "next kings of pop", but these guys seem a little naughtier than that - perhaps the next badly behaved young princes!

Check out this live performance of their track 'Lose Control' - that's right, that's a KEYTAR!

They are here at Nothing Wrong With Pop at The Bedford Live on August 14th, but you can follow them now on Twitter and Facebook and listen to their songs ready to sing along live!

For more of this kind of thing follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Something New #7 - Sam Callahan

Something New #7 - Sam Callahan

It's not that often our normal nights at The Bedford introduce me to an amazing new pop singer, but last week the handsome young thing Sam Callahan opened our evening with his summer pop sound.

18-year-old Sam has been writing songs for years, and has already had his taste of the music industry, spending some of his teen years in a signed pop-band working with (whisper it) Geri Halliwell and Simon Fuller. But he's gone it alone to focus on his own work, and I think he's made a very good decision.

He's got legions of 'Callafans' constantly promoting him on Twitter and Facebook, and he's one of the most interactive and fan-loving acts out there. He also filmed himself completing 15 crazy stunts for his song 'Crazy', which you can see on his website here, proving himself to be willing to do ANYTHING to promote his music!

The single 'Crazy' is out now - check out the video.

He's got a few gigs coming up, but you're better off trying to catch him on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube where there is plenty of Sam to keep you occupied.

For more of this kind of thing follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Something New #6 - Concept

Something New #6 - Concept

It's June! And you know what that means - a brand new Nothing Wrong With Pop night on the 12th June at The Bedford Live!

But enough about that - this post is focusing on the five extremely handsome young gents that make up hot new boyband Concept.  These guys come from Basingstoke (AKA Amazingstoke) but have love from all over the world, and are gigging relentlessly to build their fan base.

These guys have supported the likes of Example and Lawson, have a super-ton of Twitter and Facebook followers, and have had their faces all over OK magazine and a heap of other glossies. They've got a great look, tight harmonies, and are a real live acoustic act with a well-crafted natural sound.

Watch them cover Two Door Cinema Club's 'What You Know'

They're playing at The Bedford Live for Nothing Wrong With Pop on 12th June or if you're less London-inclined, they have gigs in Southampton, Basingstoke and loads more coming up. Check them out on Twitter, on Facebook and at their official website, http://conceptofficial.co.uk/.

For more of this kind of thing follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Something New #5 - PartyClub

Something New #5 - PartyClub

Are you ready for a massive dancing session? Today's artist PartyClub are a perfect blend of jazzy salsa music, some Alphabeat-esque synth choruses, and the whole of the eighties pop scene, held together in a juicy beach-time pina-colada flavoured package.

Tom and Alex have been together since 2012 and in that time have been picked up heaps of press and exposure, and are gigging relentlessly across the country. PartyClub are a little bit new-wave, a little bit euro-pop, a whole lot of happiness, and are cheery but not cheesy, sweet but not twee. Work out your own definitions after listening to their track Footsteps below.

They're gigging in York with Theme Park on May 4th, fighting for a chance to play Beach Break Live over on Emerging Icons, and they're on Facebook, SoundCloud and you can follow them at @wearepartyclub. Now stop reading and START DANCING!

For more of this kind of thing follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Something New #4 - Kingsland

Something New #4 - Kingsland

Today's blog goes to Kingsland, who will be performing at the next Nothing Wrong With Pop night at The Bedford, Balham on June 12th 2013!

Kingsland are only a few months old, but with over 75,000 Youtube views and 11,000 Twitter followers it won't be long until you start hearing about them from any teen girls you might know (and a few of their mothers too)!

These five handsome lads (Thompson, Connor, Matt, Jay and Josh, if you were wondering) have a fresh look, properly tight harmonies and a rabid online fanbase. Check out their cracking acoustic cover of Taylor Swift's 'I Knew You Were Trouble' below.

They've supported FutureProof on their UK tour, their performing around the country at schools, clubs, even outdoor football events... but you can catch them on June 12th at the next Nothing Wrong With Pop event! Follow them on Facebook and they are @kingslandmusic on Twitter for more tunes and info!

For more of this kind of thing follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Something New #3 - Mollyhaus

Something New #3 - Mollyhaus

Mollyhaus is the love child of Brighton lass Little Neve White and Berlin beat-maker K Bastian. With brooding, sexy female vocals and sometimes dark, sometimes dissonant, always pumping backing tracks, Mollyhaus is the kind of sound you'd be expecting to hear on a night out in Soho - without giving you a headache.

Their songwriting is witty and clever - lyrically and melodically - but there's enough familiar grooves in there to keep your feet moving if you're not in a deep and thoughtful mood. They've been picked up by BBC Introducing and German radio, and played around Germany and the UK - you can check out their latest release 'Shapeshifter' on Soundcloud below (and they've got LOADS of other music on there worth checking out).

They're picking up festivals round Europe for the summer, so you're bound to see more of theur (very attractive) faces, but for now, they're chatty and lovely as @mollyhausmusic on Twitter, they're on Facebook too, and you can keep up to date at their website, www.mollyhausmusic.com.

For more of this kind of thing follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Something New #2 - LectroLips

Something New #2 - LectroLips

After checking out electro-pop songwriter-producer duo LectroLips I had their Soundcloud page on a loop for hours, not knowing whether to lie down and contemplate the world, or get up and dance down the street. These guys know how to make you do both.

Having been picked up by 6 Music's Tom Robinson and their music used on TV, adverts and even Hollyoaks, their eclectic and occasionally outrageous sound is unlike anything else you'll hear at the moment. It's hard to pick out influences and comparisons - there's a bit of Daft Punk in there, a touch of Pet Shop Boys, some R'n'B beats... all coming together as one.

LectroLips latest SoundCloud addition SuperHuman (which you can play above) is a laid back, groovy foot-tapping chill-fest that'll have you tripping the light fantastic, strutting like a sexy peacock, and making you wonder if it's cool to wear shades indoors yet.

They are on that Facebook, doing the new-fangled Twitter (@LectroLips) and posting all manner of funky stuff on their SoundCloud. Follow them everywhere, including down the street.

For more of this kind of thing on this soon to be regular blog, follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Nothing Wrong With Pop - Something New #1 - Victoria

Something New #1 - Victoria

It's about time I started using this blog to tell people about the best new pop music out in the world right now, and where better to start than than Victoria, a new four-piece not-boyband from London making "their own kind of pop music".

Anyone who attended the very first Nothing Wrong With Pop night back in December might recognise these chaps, but with a slight line-up variation and a name change behind them, they are back better than ever.

Picking up summer festival slots, gigs around London and fans along the way, their 'Surrey Sessions' on YouTube are steadily picking up more and more views as people share these soaring melodies and beautiful choir-perfect harmonies.  Check out their latest offering Change Tonight below.

Victoria are going to be all over the place this summer, so give them a 'Like' over on their Facebook page, a 'Follow' over on Twitter, and a big cuddle over at their next live show at The Comedy on the 31st May.

For more of this kind of thing on this soon to be regular blog, follow us here at Blogger or @natwalks over on that there Twitter.

Nat x

Nothing Wrong With Pop - Spring Edition

HERE IT IS POP FANS! 

The second bi-monthly or something super fantastic evening of top quality up and coming FREE, LIVE, POP MUSIC presented to you by Nothing Wrong With Pop!

FACEBOOK!

TWITTER!

Wednesday 10th April 2013

at The Bedford, Balham

If it's possible, this one is even more exciting than the last. There's loads of SUPER-RAD stuff going on in the music world, like The Saturdays FINALLY getting to Number 1, like PJ and Duncan topping the iTunes downloads chart and some VERY IMPORTANT Britpop superstars burying the hatchet after years of pretend animosity (with everyone's favourite sexy-mod-grandad Paul Weller proving he's never had a drum lesson in his life.

This would have been an *EASTER SPECIAL* but EASTER is really early this year. Blame the solar cycle. Or the moon. Or something.

SO IT'S A SPRING EDITION INSTEAD!

So what have we got for you...

Headlining our night are the gorgeous VANQUISH - Britain's brightest new girl-band fresh of support tours with Westlife and Steps, performing their own brand of dancefloor filling power-pop!

Check out their latest single Machine on Youtube, and learn all the words so you can sing along on April 10th...

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Supporting them are electro-pop newcomers Seattle Yacht Club - these guys describe their music as "melody driven electronically engaged alternative art pop" and that's pretty bang on - I've been following them for ages, and am proper excited to have them here before their upcoming single release - check out their tracks on Soundcloud.

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Next up are Concrete Rose - an edgy dance pop foursome with properly polished vocals and catchy choruses.  Check them out their latest tracks over on their soundcloud page.

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Kicking the evening off are Projekt Weekend - the hot new boyband currently touring schools and colleges and picking up thousands of fans along the way.

Meet the boys over on their Youtube page.

I am sure you're as excited as I am. Put the 10th April in your diary and remember - it's FREE ENTRY - there's SWEETS AND FUN THINGS - there's BOOZE AND FOOD - and most importantly - THERE'S A SHED LOAD OF POP MUSIC!

See you there!

Nat x

10 Music Videos With Excellent Dancing

Now Gangnam Style is officially the most viewed video on Youtube EVER, I thought it was about time we looked back on some of the best, worst, and weirdest dance-based music videos we've seen over the years.

10. MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This

MC Hammer's 1990 super hit was once voted #26 on VH1's Greatest Songs of Hip-Hop.  It was also voted #6 on AOL Radio's 100 Worst Songs Ever, so make of that what you will.

MC Hammer trousers available £15.99 at Party Delights

The much parodied pop-culture phenomenon lovingly ripped off sampled 80's funk tune Super Freak, leading to MC Hammer being sued by original songwriter Rick James. The video has been watched nearly 50 million times on YouTube.

Here it is in all it's rainbow coloured glory:

9. Steps - 5,6,7,8

The saccharine video to Steps' first ever release graced our televisions in 1997, arguably (very arguably) creating an interest in line dancing outside of country and western clubs for the first time ever.

There is NOT enough mixed pop bands anymore.

At the very least, everyone born in the eighties can probably still remember the moves to the chorus.

Watch Lee and H dance around in their baggy shorts here:

8. Jamiroquai - Canned Heat

Released in 1999, Jamiroquai's disco tune Canned Heat reached #4 on the UK chart, and further earned it's place in our hearts in the 2004 movie Napoleon Dynamite.

Our first example of the tricky 'dancing on table' technique.

Purveyor of funk Jay Kay also danced spectacularly in the video for Virtual Insanity, a futuristic, magical groove around a padded insane asylum.  But Canned Heat won it for me for the "flying through the television, definitely hadn't taken any drugs before storyboarding this" bit.

Here he is getting his groove on:

7. Beyoncé - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)

Beyoncé's super-hit was released in 2008, just after Jay-Z actually did put a ring on it.  Having now sold over 6 million digital copies, been registered quadruple-platinum (doesn't even sound like a real thing), and winning countless awards including a 2010 Grammy for 'Song Of The Year', Single Ladies will still mainly be remembered for inspiring a generation of overweight straight men to don leotards and wiggle their booty.

Don't try this at home: you will NOT look like Beyoncé. NB Requires wind machine.

In the video, Beyoncé appears as her sexy, sassy alter-ego Sasha Fierce, and tells girls everywhere to dump their fellas if they appear unwilling to propose. Possibly easier to say when you're one of the sexiest women in the world. 

FACT: In this video, Beyoncé's legs are approximately seventeen miles long:

6. Prince - Kiss

An interesting entry, as the video to Kiss isn't entirely dance focused. Earns it's place, however, as Prince has more rhythm effectively walking round a room than than the rest of these videos put together.

Picture not to scale - the actual Prince is around six times the size of this picture.

Prince originally wrote Kiss for another band, but stole it back when he realised how good it was.  NME voted this 1986 hit #4 in their 150 Greatest Singles Of All Time.

I can't embed the video, so go and watch it over on YouTube here to see him shake his little bottom around a big orange room.

5. Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights was written by Kate Bush when she was just 18, and stayed at UK #1 for four weeks, despite the fact record label EMI didn't want her to release it in the first place.  Two music videos were made - the trippy, white-dressed UK version, and the gentler, red-dressed USA release.

Heathcliffe, it's meeeeee, your Cathyyyy, I've come hoooome.

This was the first time a female had written and performed a song that got to #1, and was released up against Blondie's first single Denis, which was held at #2.  Also, Alan Partridge is almost as good at being Kate Bush as Kate Bush is.

Watch Kate being gorgeous, and a little bit mental:

4. Radiohead - Lotus Flower

Radiohead released the video to Lotus Flower on their YouTube channel in February 2011 and the internet went mad, prompting a Twitter hashtag (#Thomdance) and hundreds of people dubbing alternative tunes over Thom's frightening moves.

Described on Youtube as 'a hipster being tasered'.

An official law was passed across all Indie Disco's that no strobe lighting was to be used while this song was played, as it was impossible to tell whether people were emulating Yorke or having an epileptic fit.

If you already thought Thom Yorke was a little freaky, this might give you bad dreams:

3. Scissor Sisters - Let's Have A Kiki

Scissor Sister's sleeper 'gay anthem' Let's Have A Kiki is their final single so far, after announcing at the end of 2012 they are thinking of taking a break.  According to Ana Matronic, "Kiki is drag queen slang. It can mean gossip or a good time". In the same interview she also said "Women are amazing kissers.".  So there's some information for you.

I hope you're up girl, 'cause we are aaaaaall coming over!

The clip, labelled 'Instructional Video', portrays the gang performing their routine in a dance studio, while musicians Babydaddy and Del Marquis groove along at the sides. It also features one of the campest monologues since Jack from Will and Grace performed his solo show, Just Jack.

Learn the moves here:

2. Michael Jackson - pretty much every video he was ever in, ever.

Whatever you think of Michael Jackson, he was really quite good at dancing.

What do you mean I'm not at #1?

I don't even need to add anything to this.

1. Fatboy Slim - Weapon Of Choice

The multi-award winning video to 2001's Weapon of Choice features secretly-musical-theatre-trained Christopher 'Crazy Legs' Walken groove his way around an empty hotel lobby, being the coolest man that ever danced on this planet.

This video is the best thing that has ever happened.

Walken's moves are second only to his facial expressions. It was voted VH1's 2002 Best Video Of All Time - it's combined Youtube views clock in at around 1.2 million - if it was released today, I reckon it would be 100 times that.

Particularly as you can watch it 45 million times before it even starts feeling like overkill:

What have I missed?  Tweet me at @natwalks and let me know.