R. Missing & Johan Agebjörn - Fakesnow

Awesome new collab single from R. Missing & Johan Agebjörn!

Perfume Genius - It's a Mirror

New from Perfume Genius! New album "Glory" will be out March 28th!

Veil of Light - Water Guns

Another single from Veil of Light off upcoming "Hymns of Faith and Trust" out February 14th!

Rialto - No One Leaves This Discotheque Alive

OH MY GOODNESS!! I am SO excited for the return of RIALTO!! It's been 24ish years since their last album, the excellent "Last Night on Earth" (2001)! Not to mention their brilliant self-titled debut in 1998! This year, on May 25th, we see the release of their 3rd album "Neon and Ghost Signs"!! Oh this promises to be delicious! Welcome back Rialto!

Rainbow Chan - Pomelo Water

Wonderful new single from Rainbow Chan!

About the track: "Historically, on the night before her arranged marriage, the bride-to-be would bathe in pomelo water to wash away her bad luck. She’s expected to shed her past and become a new person - a subservient wife. “Pomelo Water” is my subversion of that narrative, thinking through what it means to face erasure in both historical and contemporary contexts. How can song keep resistance alive? In solidarity, 50% of the single’s bandcamp sales will go towards Palestine Children’s Relief Fund."
Here's a link to the Bandcamp page to support!

Heartworms - Extraordinary Wings

New track shared from Heartworms' upcoming debut album "Glutton for Punishment", out February 7th!

Pale Blue Eyes - Rituals

Really nice new track from Pale Blue Eyes off upcoming new album "New Place" out March 7th!

SPELLLING - Portrait of My Heart

Here's the title/opening track from SPELLLING's upcoming new album "Portrait of My Heart", out March 28th!

Evripidis and his Tragedies - Just a Little Wiser

It's always a happy day when I am able to start my "Best Songs of the Year" playlist. That day is today with the new Evripdis and his Tragedies single!! Synthy, dancey POP! magic with a perfect chorus for my middle-aged self! I love it!

About the track from the man himself:
Just a Little Wiser is a vivid electro pop gem to help dance away any mental crisis you might be having. Amidst an Italo beat, glimmering synths, arpeggiator cascades, vocoder responses and with a bittersweet campy flare, Evripidis sings about embracing the passage of time and that persistent voice in our head, with a sense of humor and a smile on our face. The lyrics encourage us to hold space for the changes that will actually finally release us from our gilded birdcages.
The song was produced by Ian Catt, who has produced artists like Saint Etienne or Trembling Blue Stars, who are amongst Evripidis’ all time favorites.
Evripidis and his tragedies will perform in London this Friday 10/01 at 19.45, at The Winter Sprinter at The Lexington.

Alpaca Sports - Always on My Mind

Next single off Alpaca Sports much anticipated new album "Another Day", out next Friday!

The Burning Hell - Bottle of Chianti, Cheese and Charcuterie Board

Love this from The Burning Hell! They release their new album "Ghost Palace" on March 7th!

Tatyana - What Have You Done for Me Lately

First new track of 2025 that I'm sharing! Dancey goodness from TATYANA! And it's NOT a Janet cover! The track will feature on Tatyana's new deluxe version of 2024 album "It's Over"! The new version is titled, "It's So Over" and will release Jan 24th!

Ronny Tibbs - Love Is (Just) a Cruel Game

Nice track from Ronny Tibbs off last year's "Shorthand" EP!

The Aluminum Group - Star Wish

When The Aluminum Group popped into my head earlier today, it was no surprise that I had to post my favorite song of theirs (and one of my all-time favorite songs period!) The song is featured on their fantastic 1998 album "Plano" with plenty of other indie POP! gems!

Burning Hearts - Iris

Here's a classic from Burning Hearts' wonderful 2009 debut album "Aboa Sleeping"! I had the great pleasure of seeing them at NYC Popfest back in 2012! They were wonderful and I want them back! Come back Burning Hearts!

Takako Minekawa - Fantastic Cat

Just because, here is Takako Minekawa's 1997 super hit "Fantastic Cat" off that year's "Roomic Cube: ...A Tiny Room Exhibition"!

Song of the Year - 2001: Echobelly - Ondine

Last New Year's Day, I shared my 2000 Song of the Year, so it seems only fitting that we move on to 2001 this year!

Echobelly's 2001 album "People Are Expensive" is one of those rare perfect albums in my listening history. Towards the end of the album is "Ondine", a beautiful, heart-wrenching ballad. I've spoken about it before on Ooberus back when I did the ABC's of me and you can read that here and it tops my list favorite Echobelly songs. Simply put, I believe this is one of the most beautiful and sad songs ever. Sometimes those two things blend to make perfection.

2024 - Album of the Year: Daphne Guinness - Sleep

Daphne Guinness' "Sleep" is an album that I deeply loved upon first listen. Helped in part by my eventual Song of the Year, "Burn", it was easily my most played release of 2024! And it wasn't just "Burn" that pulled me back. The entire album is solid and full of POP! perfection! Opening track "Hip Neck Spine" pulls you in immediately with its dramatic strings and sets the vibe for the rest of the album. Album closer "Time", whose Hercules & Love Affair remix was the first thing I heard from the album, is another one of my top tracks of the year. Perfect closer! In the middle, you have so many other POP! masterpieces: the pulsing-synth of "Volcano", the cheerful chorus of "Bedazzled", the hard-hitting truths of "No Joke"! "Love & Destruction" and "Dark Night of the Soul" are also wonderful! I love it all!!
Thank you Daphne Guinness for this album! Here's to more POP! soon! Much love from Ooberus Oblivious!
PS. If you love it too, buy it here!

2024 - Song of the Year: Daphne Guinness - Burn

I've been addicted to this song since I first heard Daphne Guinness' latest album "Sleep". The chorus is perfection and makes this song a complete earworm. Plus we got a fantastic reimagining with Hercules & Love Affair! What more could I ask for? Nothing! This song is perfect and I am proud to announce it as my 2024 Song of the Year!

Best of 2024 - Albums

24 of my Top Albums of 2024!!  Album of the Year coming Tuesday!

Buy these albums if you can (links provided)!! Support these artists!  Support MOST artists!!  

2. AURORA - What Happened to the Heart?

3. The Cure - Songs of a Lost World

4. Telenova - Time Is a Flower

5. Allie X - Girl With No Face

6. Neon Space Men - Neon on My Naked Skin

7. Magdalena Bay - Imaginal Disk

8. The Last Dinner Party - Prelude to Ecstasy

9. Red Sleeping Beauty - Diary

10. Moto Boy - Drown Out the Noise

11. Pet Shop Boys - Nonetheless

12. Meyverlin - Therefore

13. Camera Obscura - Look to the East, Look to the West

14. Bubble Tea and Cigarettes - We Should've Killed Each Other

15. ionnalee - Close Your Eyes

16. LEATHERS - Ultraviolet

17. The Marías - Submarine

18. Petracovich - This Is Easy, This Is Love

19. Michelle Gurevich - It Was the Moment

20. Ginger Root - Shinbangumi

21. The Death of Pop - FLOG

22. Tei Shi - Valerie

23. Cigarettes After Sex - X's

24. Sassyhiya - Take You Somewhere

25. St. Vincent - All Born Screaming

 

Best of 2024 - Songs - Part 5

The last bits of POP! goodness before my Song of the Year is revealed!!

Best of 2024 - Songs - Part 4

Just a few more amazing POP! nuggets for your listening pleasure!

Best of 2024 - Songs - Part VANESSA

The most significant moment in ALL of music this year was the resurfacing of POP! Goddess VANESSA!! She gave us THREE new 2024 versions of three of her biggest hits! She played live a couple times (AND I GOT TO SEE ONE OF THOSE!!!!) She made thie year even more magical! All three of her 2024 versions are in my top songs of the year, obviously!! VANESSA, I LOVE YOU!!

So Good - Give Me My Presents Vol. 3

Well I can't think of anything better to share today! I don't like this...I LOVE IT!

Best of 2024 - Songs - Part 3

Here's another handful of 2024 POP! goodness for you!