Gaga Gets the Boot

With the number one single on both sides of the Atlantic this week and a massive hype that stretches back months and months, I figured Lady Gaga had the BBC 'Sound of 2009' number one spot in the bag.

Wrong.

The poll of music industry experts placed Gaga as the sixth most likely artist to succeed in 2009.

Earlier in the week, the fifth, fourth and third spots were conferred upon La Roux, Empire of the Sun and Florence and the Machine respectively and yesterday White Lies were declared runner-up in the list.

[Image: bandweblogs]

The lone 'rock' act in an especially poppy Top 5, the London based trio make moody rock music that combines heavy guitar riffs with earthy vocals from vocalist Harry McVeigh. Of the artists in the Top 5, this act is the one I'd be least likely to listen to but I reckon they are one of the most likely to enjoy major success.

Here's the video to their morbidly titled new single 'To Lose My Life'




Today, Little Boots (known as Victoria Hesketh to her mammy and daddy) was unveiled as the number one artist likely to succeed this year. Yet another synth-pop princess, the Little Boots project was born after Hesketh's involvement in a band called Dead Disco (who I always felt had the ingredients to be quite brilliant but somehow weren't) came to an end in 2007.

Over the past twelve months, she has amassed a substantial online following as a result of regularly posting cover versions of songs by other artists on her Youtube channel. Theses songs ranged from Hot Chip and Girls Aloud to The Human League and Estelle.

[Image: The Fader]

Later, Little Boots' own material began to surface and generated considerable blog hype. In November, she appeared on Later with Jools Holland playing a Japanese gadget called a Tenori-on in a performance that no doubt widened her fanbase. Check out the video below as well as her single, Stuck on Repeat, whose title aptly sums up how much I've been playing the Fake Blood remix of the song the past few days.





Frankmusik didn't even make the Top 10 on the list. Better luck next year, eh?

Feel The Machine

The wonderfully wacky Florence and the Machine has clinched third place in the BBC's Sound of 2009 chart. Her inclusion in the upper reaches of the list isn't particularly surprising because she's featured in practically every 'Predictions for 2009' list I've come across.

Chanelling Kates Bush and Nash in equal measure, 22-year-old Florence Welch has established a reputation as a formidable live performer over the past twelve months. The striking freshness of her singles 'Kiss With a Fist' and 'Dog Days are Over' has endeared her to many but her quirky renditions of other people's tracks, such as Beirut's 'Postcards from Italy' and Candi Staton's 'You've Got The Love', have garnered just as much attention.

The Critics' Choice Award (aka The Adele Prize) is to be presented to Florence in February at the Brit Awards. Personally, I think these types of awards can be a mixed blessing as there will undoubtedly be people that take issue with accolades being bestowed upon artists they feel have yet to earn such honours.

In any case, enjoy 'Dog Days are Over':

Close, But No Cigar

One of those clichéd expressions I often use but haven't a notion what they actually mean.

A few weeks back, I mentioned that the BBC 'Sound of 2009' shortlist had been unveiled following a poll of music industry gurus to assess which new musical acts are likely to make a splash in 2009. Previous 'Sound of...' predictions have been spookily accurate so I was eager to see the final list.

This week, the Top 10 are being announced (in a somewhat convoluted fashion) and, so far, they've named the fourth and fifth acts most likely to make a name for themselves this year.

At number 5 is La Roux, who I've previously blogged about.

Seemingly, La Roux are a duo and the name is not just a pseudonym for singer, Ellie Jackson. Their sound fuses Jackson's Annie Lennox-esque vocals with luscious synths and quirky beats from her production partner, Ben Langmaid. A mission statement to "bring back the 1980's" is hardly a novel ambition right now, but we'll forgive this silliness if their album delivers on the promise of single, 'Quicksand'.




Fourth position has been bestowed upon Aussie pair, Empire of the Sun. (Is it just me or have duos suddenly become very trendy? Probably something to do with Same Difference, I suspect...)

Empire of the Sun are yet another act drawing on the 1980's for inspiration, both in terms of music and image. The brainchild of Nick Littlemore of electro outfit, Pnau, and Luke Steele of indie band, The Sleepy Jackson, the band are aptly described as "extras from a psychedelic Star Wars" by BBC. With the pair assuming the identities of superheroes Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore, it seems they're having some fun with the project but, even if the longevity of their appeal is questionable, the blog-hype surrounding this pair suggests we'll be hearing plenty from them over the next few months.

Here's their single "Walking On A Dream":



The Top 3 will most likely contain Lady Gaga and Florence and the Machine. Not sure who else will be there. I'd love it to be Franmusik or Little Boots but I reckon they'll want somebody less poppy so perhaps Passion Pit, Kid Cudi or White Lies will make the cut. We'll soon see.