this week's post ...

Athlete
Superhuman Touch new single 8 August
Athlete return after two years with new album 'Black Swan' released on 17th August, a week earlier their new single 'Superhuman Touch' will be available. Their 2005 single 'Wires' won the Ivor Novello Award and they are million selling album artists so you'll expect something special. The 118bpm mid paced 'Superhuman Touch' begins with the line "I'm on fireand nothing's gonna hold me back.... " Has there been some paranormal evesdropping between Kasabian and Athlete? Anyways, fine single but times are tough with Michael Jackson having seven of this week's eleven newe entries .. Top 30 maybe.

Blue October
Approaching Normal new album 27 July
Blue October bossman Justin Furstenfeld has led his band to something special with this new album. The first thing that strikes you upon hearing the opening chimes of 'Approaching Normal' is the production ... hey this is producer Steve Lillywhite getting the best again, just as he's done so many times with U2. Opening tracks 'Weight Of The World' and 'Say It' charge the emotions with a firey desperation, Furstenfeld's vocals dominating a subdued deceiving start to both tunes as the emotion builds to a rousing climax. Shame about the use of language, the f word might restrict airplay for this masterpiece. A fine album, well worthy.

Dinosaur Pile-Up
Summer Hit Single new EP 17 August
Leeds based trio Dinosaur Pile-Up release the ambitiously titled 'Most powerful EP In The Universe' EP with the A track being another ambitious title 'Summer Hit Single' ... I like it, fine and cheeky, not sure which kind of single they're getting at but they do stoke up a grungy Dinosaur Jr type sound which could cause some confusion and this is top track.

La Roux
La Roux new album 29 June
La Roux have a corklng set of songs here, this really is top notch electro pop on a par with it's 80's originators Yazoo and Depeche Mode. The set begins with the 156bpm storming single 'In For The Kill', the more medium pace of the 122bpm number one 'Bulletproof' sits along side instantly accessible tunes like 'Tigerlily', 'Quicksand' and the superb 'As If By Magic' to name a few. Excellent.

MSTRKRFT & John Legend
Heartbreaker new single 27 July
On Geffen Records comes Jesse & Al-P MSTRKRFT's new album 'Fist Of God' and from it their new tune with John Legend at the front. 'Heartbreaker' pulls in at 128bpm in it's 2'40" radio edit with 128bpm remixes by Laidback Luke, Wolfgang Gartner, WAWA, Joachim Garraud, Jake Bullit and the slower chunky, eery strangeness of 12th Planet. Good

Raygun
Just Because new single 3 August
The razzle of new wave ... Scissor Sisters disco, Primal Scream ... 'Jusdt Because' is a catchy pop song with a little luck could pcik up important airplay from rRadio 2 and it's commercial radio sisterhood. Their front man Ray Gun looks like Mick Jagger - presumably not in years but hey that's age-ist.. isn't it? Who knows, good tune anyway. It's a maybe.

30H!3 & Kid Cudi
Don't Trust Me Benny Blanco Remix single 29 June
Hooo ... this re-mix is as good as the original if not better. Cudi adds some depthy rap words before the song kicks in and this is a good song improved. 129-130bpm, great chorus, edgy lyrics ... US top ten ... UK top ten surely. Top track

Transformers - Revenge Of The Fallen
Original Soundtrack new album 15 June
Packed with some superb tracks that accompany the new Transformers movie this soundtrack album kicks off with Linkin Park top twenty smash 'New Divide'. Then there's Green Days '21 Guns', Cavo, taking Back Sunday, The Fray, The Used, All-American Rejects, Hoobastank, Staind, Avenged Sevenfold and the legends that are Cheap Trick. Also available on download only is the musical score album of the movie featuring Hans Zimmer (Spiderpig, Gladiator, Lion King) and Steve Jablonsky (The Island, friday The 13th). One movie - two albums, that an idea that may catch on!