The Birthday Massacre Happy Birthday

1. The Birthday Massacre “Happy Birthday” – Okay, so this is hands down my favorite band at the moment! They recently played here in Manhattan, and contrary to most bands, this one sounds even better live! (I also got to go on stage at this show…not that that makes me particularly biased! ;) Plus their latest album, Walking with Strangers, is so brilliant you can listen to it straight through from start to finish. I like this band because they have a very raw sound; lots of industrial and electronic influences blended with haunting female vocals and a synth/goth rock sound.  Plus the band mates have the craziest names ever… Chibi, Falcore, Aslan and Rainbow… (Now if that isn’t a throwback to anyone who existed during the 80’s I don’t know what is!)

2. Jane Jensen “King” – So, I have to admit, I kind of have a girl crush here. Jane Jensen is one of those kick-ass female singers who came and went unnoticed in the 90’s. Her inventive CD,Comic book Whore, put her in the same vein as girl groups like Veruca Salt but with twice the talent. Sadly, she came at a time when the world just wasn’t ready for her. Still, you can tell with each guttural growl that this chick means business.

3. Ladytron “Ghosts” – Ladytron is a collaborative group that I have recently come across that falls slightly in line with groups like Air, and the more I listen to them, the more I fall for their trance-like blend of techno beats and intricate rhythms layered with the memorizing vocals of lead singer, Helen Marnie. It’s the perfect backdrop music and when I played it at a party my friend described it as “the soundtrack music you wish would play in your head”.

4. The Cardigans “Godspell” – This is quite a different Cardigans than the one that won us over with the frothy, up-beat love anthem, “Lovefool”, in the mid 90’s. My response is, thank God, because not only does this song/album show the band’s growth and give the listener a much more polished, structured sound, but Nina Persson’s sultry voice matures with every passionate belt of the chorus. It runs the gamut from powerful to soft and it’s just plain catchy. The tongue-and-cheek jab at religion is also thought-provoking…

5. Lily Allen “Not Fair” – Okay, so I will be the first to admit I was skeptical of Lily Allen’s new album because I was never particularly a fan, yet, I was pleasantly surprised! Like an earworm that just won’t go away, this song stays in your head and has you humming the slightly inappropriate and emasculating chorus for days! This Brit’s got some serious sass and can make the most biting and witty lyrics sound angelic with just a hint of the whine that sets her apart from the Amy Whinehouse’s and the Lady Sovereign’s. I like to put this song on replay, sing along and pretend I’m a British pop singer…

6. Shiny Toy Guns “Don’t Cry Out” – This band reminds me of a modern day New Order, they’ve got this innovative, new wave sound and I dig the fact that they have both a male andfemale singer fronting the group, which completely changes up the dynamics. This is one of those energetic songs that makes me want to get up and dance around like a teenager again. Most people know this band from their song “Le Disko” featured on the Razor phone commercials but this song trumps that 10 times to next Tuesday.

7. Dandy Warhols “The Last High” – There are just those songs that soothe you and have a really chilled-out effect to them, and this is one of those songs. I don’t know much about the Dandy Warhols but I like the subtle harmonies and the flow they’ve got going on, and they’re easy to listen to no matter what your musical tastes or preferences are.

8. Yelle  “Je Veux Te Voir” – Alright, so I took French for 4 semesters in college and I still cannot tell you what Yelle is saying in this catchy song… but I know that I like it! This is a true testament to the fact that good music translates no matter what language it’s in. It’s a little bit kitschy, a little up-beat and a whole lot of fun.

9. Muse “Hysteria” – Like a good addiction, I always end up coming back to Muse. I tend to get obsessive over a song and then forget about them for a little bit, but it’s great because their music is always brimming with such creativity that I eventually wind up falling in love with them all over again. This week, I’m all about “Hysteria”, next week I’m feeling a little “Super Massive Black Hole”.

10. MIA “$10 (poj’s cut price remix)” – I’m a huge fan of MIA and I love this song, so you can imagine my delight when I came across this rare remix on Sharkgroove.com! Oh MIA, how I heart you…please make a brand new album!!!