Questionables:
Santigold - Master of My Own Make-Believe
Santigold burst on the music scene with awesome songs like Shove It, the ultimate danceable diss ("we think you're a joke / shove your hope where it don't shine"). But 4 years later, her newest track, Big Mouth, sounds way to much like M.I.A.'s Kala album for us to really get revved up for Master of My Own Make-Believe.
Ke$ha - Untitled
Can Ke$ha keep it fresh & save rock 'n roll? We'll have to wait & see... (Minna really hopes so, but Gregory isn't so certain).
Of Montreal - Paralytic Stalks
These guys have been making experimental POP for so long now, they're practically its godfathers. Front-man Kevin Barnes apparently wrote some pretty dark songs for the band's eleventh studio album (damn- eleventh!) & dark POP is certainly thriving these days. Could Paralyric Stalks be as epic as the Hissing Fauna album from back in 2006? Minna's always down for some psychedelic POP rock, so we shall see...
Sean Paul - Tomahawk Technique
Can Sean Paul come back full-throttle? We're conflicted. Got 2 Luv U had us hopeful, but She Don't Mind made us come crashing down. But Seany-boy is working with super-stars like Stargate! Benny Blanco! Kelly Rowland! And the Top 40 charts need some dancehall! Oh well; if the album flops, we still have Mohombi.
Christina with an X (say what?) is back! Rumor has it that her first single will be produced by Max Martin! We're hoping for POP perfection. Some allege that Dr. Luke may be lending a sonic hand to some of the other tracks. After enveloping our ear buds with gems like "Hot'N Cold" and "Party in the USA," Luke better give Christina something better than You da One. That was a downer. Like, way waY wAY WAY down...you get it.
The Far East Movement - Dirty Bass
"Dirty Bass." Hmmm. Well, if this album is anywhere near as infectious as Jello (yes yes yes), it could stand a good chance on the charts. We really would like to see the LA-based Asian-American POP achieve great mainstream success in 2012, so a tune-up & some big, bad, dirty bass miiiiiiight be just what they need.
MGMT - MGMT
Minna is praaaying that indie POP princes MGMT can get it together this year & produce something as epic as Oracular Spectacular. If so, perhaps the world can forgive their last album, Congratulations. C'mon guys, you can do it!
Unapologetically,
Gregory & Minna