Floating Inhibition

Sophie Ellis-Bextor “Love Is Here” – I’m not the type to dismiss lyrics for their banality, but “Love Is Here” pushes my limits just a little bit. The lovey-dovey “I was made for you” gushing comes on VERY strong, but I suppose it is rather well suited to the song’s bright Lite FM melody and brisk disco beat. I’ve got a major soft spot for this sort of groovy, upbeat balladry, and though I imagine that a great many of you will hate this song for its unapologetic corniness, I just can’t help myself. Interestingly, though song floats from hook to hook like a super-polished pop machine, it ends with a fairly counterintuitive move: The chorus runs through a few more times before the conclusion, and then everything drops out but the bass and drums, which shifts into an urgent dance-punk groove for a few seconds into the fade-out. (Click here to buy it from Amazon UK.)

New Young Pony Club “Hiding On The Staircase” – “Hiding On The Staircase” fronts like a manifesto, but it feels more like a glossy fashion pictorial. The words never quite gel into a position, though the singer keeps telling us that “it’s the sound” of something or other like they are just learning how to push the buttons of their critics. It’s one of my favorite tricks: Make it sound smart and feel totally fantastic, and throw in just enough clever lines to make the audience piece together an idea much better than whatever the writer probably had in mind. (Click here for the New Young Pony Club MySpace page.)