Elen Levon - Naughty video shoot

Sorry about the lack of updates but things have been all kinds of crazy lately. One of the bright spots of the past week was dropping by Elen Levon's "Naughty" video shoot. I've been championing this girl - she is only 16 years old - since hearing her demo a couple of months ago and it's exciting to see everything coming together. The more I see of her, the more I'm convinced she's going to be completely unstoppable. Elen has the looks, voice and dance moves to slay your faves. And she still comes across as a normal teenager as opposed to the media trained automatons I'm used to dealing with. It was actually kind of scary watching her on set today. She didn't miss a beat. I'm usually hugely critical of locally produced video clips but I'm optimistic that this will buck the trend. I love the emphasis on complex choreography, the sexy but not slutty styling and teen-tastic homage to Kylie's "Slow" video! A preview of "Naughty" will debut online in the next few days. Stay tuned!

Behind the scenes with Zoë Badwi

I love Zoë Badwi more than cold beer and fried chicken. She puts up with my drunk tweets and continues to carve out her own little niche as Australia's first lady of dance. While her last single failed to match the success of past hits like "Release Me" and "Freefallin'", the former Sirens singer should have more luck with "Carry Me Home". It picks up where the aforementioned Amy Pearson penned masterpiece left off - killer chorus, crisp synths and dreamy vocal - but shows off Zoë's softer side. There is a mellowness to this collaboration with TV Rock DJ Grant Smillie that will no doubt help the track crossover from nightclubs to commercial radio. You can dance to this or hum along to it while doing the ironing! "Carry Me Home" is quite possibly Ms Badwi's finest moment and the video is shaping up to be equally triumphant. As far as I can tell she just walks around a house looking glamorous but at least there is no bondage-dancing in train stations or weird special effects that don't really make sense. Zoë is keeping things classy this time around and I love the old Hollywood aesthetic. Check out a behind the scenes preview below and download the song from iTunes now.

Happy Birthday, Kylie!

Kylie turns 43 today. Damn. In my mind she's still the 18 year old ingenue from Neighbours but I guess most of her fans weren't even born when Scott and Charlene packed up the car and drove off to the arsehole of Australia to live happily ever after. It scares me that I remember that episode and every step of the pop icon's subsequent career. I have literally been a life-long fan. And while the "Aphrodite" era leaves me cold, Kylie will always be my favourite. She's like family. We fall out, make up and carry on as if nothing ever happened. The Les Folies juggernaut rolls into Australia in a couple of weeks and I'll be there waiting with a smile on my face and an arm full of tacky tour merchandise. Bring it on! So how to celebrate Kylie's special day? I was going to post one of the new "Put Your Hands Up" remixes but I just can't muster any enthusiasm. They are fine but I'd rather watch this fabulous clip of the diva belting out "Look My Way" in 1988. That jam has always been one of my favourites - I still give it the occasional spin when intoxicated! - and I love that she randomly performed it on national TV instead of promoting an actual single. Dannii's older sister looks so cute and sounds fantastic. The video is pretty low quality but it's well worth putting up with the fuzzy visuals. Happy birthday, Kylie!

STOP PRESS: Deni Hines Is Still Alive

What the fuck? I can't believe The Deni has a new single out and nobody bothered to tell me. There should have been an announcement on the evening news or at least a one hour special with Kerri-Anne. I'm so pressed! So what has Australia's queen of R'n'B cooked up this time? A funky cover of a Donna Summer hit from 1982 called "Finger On The Trigger". Deni's soulful version harks back to the sweet soul of her 2006 #37 on the iTunes album chart (for one day) smash "Water For Chocolate". That gem easily ranks as one my favourite Australian albums of the noughties - so I'm happy. Sometimes I wish The Deni would just dust off her sea-shells and record "It's Alright 2011" to score another hit but she seems happy doing her thing. More power to her. You can download "Finger On The Trigger" from Australian iTunes now.

Elen Levon's first photoshoot

About a month ago I wrote a post about rising Australian pop diva Elen Levon. She had just made her debut performance at Supafest and I pegged her as a future star. The talented 16-year-old is the complete package (great voice, good looks, hot dance moves etc) and is sitting on the best unreleased song of the year. I can't wait until I can post a clip of "Naughty" but here's an exclusive preview of Elen's first photoshoot. Doesn't she look gorgeous? I'm told they are filming her video clip in a couple of weeks, so it won't be long until you see and heard a lot more from this girl. Stay tuned!

Bag Raiders - Big In Germany!

Some of you might remember Bag Raiders' amazing "Shooting Stars", which was a surprise Pop Panel winner back in 2009 and went on to become something of a sleeper hit in Australia. It never broke into the top 50 but the song hung around the iTunes top 200 for the best part of a year and turned up in the strangest places - most recently as a warm up song at Katy Perry's Sydney concert. The band went on to score a top 10 album and tear up the summer festival circuit but I had no idea they had broken into the European market until a friend in Berlin asked me about them. Their recent single "Way Back Home" is being used in a commercial over there and is currently rocketing up German iTunes. I'm excited about this! I love the song and was pissed when it stiffed at #77 in Australia. Not only that but it's getting a physical release over there, so I'll have something to add to my rather pathetic Bag Raiders collection. Now that I think about it, Empire of the Sun were also huge in Germany. I think Gypsy and the Cat, Miami Horror and Muscles need to jump on the next plane to Hamburg because Deutschland is clearly the way forward! Fingers crossed, "Way Back Home" gets a re-release at home.

Read my lips - Melissa Tkautz is back!

I'm so overwhelmed with excitement I can hardly breath - let alone type - so I'll keep this short and sweet. Pop trash icon Melissa Tkautz is about to embark on yet another comeback! Feel free to fall to your knees and start praising Jesus! The former E Street actress turned era-defining pop icon is one of my all time faves. My very first post, way back in 2006, was devoted to her unparalleled fabulousness and she's been a regular on the blog ever since. So what is legendary sex symbol up to now? It appears she's lent her heavenly vocals to a new club anthem by Ministry of Sound DJ Nick Jay. The future #1 smash is called "Something About You" and has a subtle Latin flavour that will make it perfect for the summer months. Which makes the decision to drop a preview in the middle of Winter slightly perplexing but Melissa works in mysterious ways! Check out the amazing promo clip below. Bondi beach looks amazing and Melissa gets a stunning plug. Please let there be a saucy video clip featuring Ms Tkautz rolling around half naked in the sand and another amazing live performance on Sunrise.

I stan for Stan

I really warmed up to Stan Walker last year. His sophomore album was surprisingly great, he rocked Summerbeatz, charmed everyone at the after-party and even made a Cassie Davis song sound good. The former Australian Idol has been working on album number three for the past few months and it's shaping up to be a monster if the lead single is any indication. "Loud" is another great addition to the Taio Cruz/Jason DeRulo canon of urban dance music. A couple have bloggers have likened the track to Chris Brown's "Beautiful People" and I tend to agree. The track definitely has a harder club edge than any of Stan's previous singles but he turns it out. His vocal is fire (as usual) and the production is crisp and current. I don't think "Loud" is quite as catchy as Marvin Priest's not entirely dissimilar "Own This Club" but it's definitely a grower, worming its way deeper into your head with each spin. Fingers crossed the sooon-to-be-released video is hot. I love that Australia is becoming a hot bed for urban dance music and know Stan will deliver the goods with his album! Listen to the track below.

Havana Brown - Australia's Cascada!

Havana Brown is Australia's most famous DJ. She has her own mega-successful compilation series called "Crave" and has warmed up crowds for the likes of Rihanna, Britney and Lady Gaga. But most of all she's known for being really, really hot. So it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that Universal took a punt and dragged her into the studio to record her own song. The result is "We Run The Night" - a frenetic dance anthem that is already a top 5 iTunes smash. Havana has never been a musical snob (she memorably put Color Me Badd on one of her comps!) and stays true to her commercial club roots on her debut. "We Run The Night" is a total 90s throwback with a huge chorus and a trance-tastic twist that will have you hunting for glowsticks. It's amazing and makes Cascada completely redundant. Poor Natalie is probably crying hysterically somewhere in Bavaria while trying to finish her third Double Down! I'm really excited that music like this is being made in Australia and hope the soon-to-be-released video pushes the song even higher up the charts. Until then, check out Havana's stunning pop triumph below.

Parralox pay tribute to Elisabeth Sladen

I was never a huge fan of Dr Who but it was impossible to avoid when I was growing up. Repeats of the show were a staple of ABC programming in the late 80s and I found myself watching it almost by default. From memory it came on after Inspector Gadget and I was just too lazy to change the channel! Anyway, like most (gay) boys - I had a bit of a crush on Elisabeth Sladen, who played the glamorous Sarah Jane. Her recent death from cancer was a blow for fans and has even inspired one Australian band to record a tribute song. Parralox is one of my favourite homegrown pop acts. They have featured on the blog previously and churn out icy electro-pop anthems at an alarming rate. I know that frontman John von Ahlen is a huge sci-fi fan, so I'm not surprised he's pulled out an absolute gem for Elisabeth. "Companion", with its bleak synths and haunting chorus, is a fitting tribute to the TV icon. This is their best song since "I Am Human" and I really think they should release it as a single. Check out "Companion" below.

Peter Wilson - Stereo

I thought I'd end today's Aus pop special with something suitably fabulous from my friend Peter Wilson. You might remember that he came out of retirement late last year to release a new single called "Intoxicated", which I hailed as being almost as amazing as his Hi-NRG classic "Into The Night". Well, Peter is back with another fantastic retro-dance anthem and it's even better. Produced by PWL associates Dave Ford and Ian Curnow, "Stereo" sounds like a cross between Rick Astley and Mel and Kim. Yes, it's that good! Peter's obsession with all things Stock Aitken Waterman has finally lead to a collaboration with their trusty engineers and their mutual respect for 80s music really shows in the finished product. The song is absolutely adorable and I worship Matt Pop's remix. This is camper than a Kylie concert and deserves some major blog love. If nothing else for the stunning cover. Peter tells me a video is in the works, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, dust off your leg warmers and slip on your cut-off gloves. It's time to party like it's 1988!

Gurrumul & Blue King Brown

My Australian pop marathon wouldn't be complete without a little indigenous flavour. 41-year-old Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is the nation's unlikeliest superstar. Blind since birth, he sings in the Yolngu language and speaks little English. But that didn't stop his first album reaching the top 5 and selling double platinum. It also charted around Europe and was championed by the likes of Björk and Elton John. Not bad for a self-funded independent release. For his sophomore set, Gurrumul has roped in the services of JJJ favourite Blue King Brown to overhaul "Gathu Mawula" and the result is astounding. I can't listen to it without getting chills. This man's voice is an extraordinary instrument. I have no idea what he's singing about but "Gathu Mawula" is such a beautiful experience. So peaceful and comforting. Like being wrapped in a warm blanket. Blue King Brown's verse also works a treat and the band's involvement should bring Gurrumul's music to a whole new market. Fingers crossed they call up J Malley for an urban remix! This is pure quality and deserves to be massive.

Gypsy & The Cat - Jona Vark

My friends have been raving about Gypsy & The Cat for ages but I wasn't really blown away by their first single ("Time To Wander") and kind of forgot about them until I saw their album on special in JB Hi-Fi a couple of weeks ago thought I'd give them another try. It turned out to be the best $10 I've spent all year. "Gilgamesh" is one of those rare debuts that actually lives up to the hype. Hailing from Melbourne, the boys sound like a cross between mid-70s Fleetwood Mac circa and fellow antipodean electro-pop duo Empire Of The Sun. Their dreamy brand of retro-electronica is perfect for a sleepy Sunday afternoon but also has immense crossover appeal.

Take "Jona Vark". I can't believe this hasn't been a "Walking On A Dream" sized smash. The production is gorgeous and that chorus is unforgettable. It is starting to climb iTunes, so with a bit of luck it could turn out to be a slow burn hit. If not, I'm sure the boys will have more luck overseas. I can see this taking off in markets like the UK and Germany. You know, places that actually embrace Australian produced electro-pop. They might need to brush up the video a bit though because this looks like it was filmed for less than Empire Of The Sun's make-up budget. Not that it really matters when the music is this good. Very highly recommended.

Marvin Priest - Own This Club

Next up on my mini Aus-Pop marathon is Marvin Priest. Ok, he's not really Australian but the guy lives here and the song was written and produced locally - so I'm claiming him! The son of reggae icon Maxi Priest (of "Wild World" and "Close To You" fame), Marvin apparently fell in love with the country while touring with his dad and decided to stick around. He signed a deal with Island Records and hooked up with DNA, the amazing producers behind Chris Sorbello's "So Lonely" and "Dangerzone". Apart from those modern classics, David and Anthony have worked with Jessica Mauboy, Amy Pearson and Zoë Badwi - so you know they have exquisite taste! And the song they cooked up for Marvin is another winner. "Own This Club" wouldn't sound out of place on a Taio Cruz or Jason DeRulo album. It's the best piece of locally produced urban dance music I've heard in 2011 and has performed surprising well on the charts, hanging around the top 50 for the past couple of months. The film clip is slightly less impressive - what is it about Australian music videos and train stations? - but it does the trick. I really like this genre of music and can't wait to hear what Marvin serves up next. Is a duet with Amy too much to hope for?

Potbelleez - From The Music

Looking over the blog this morning, I realised I've been neglecting the local music scene. Which is sad because Pop Trash began life specialising in Australian content. So today I thought I'd focus on the Aus-pop gems currently burning up my iPod. The first track you really need to own is "From The Music" by The Potbelleez. I love this band and have a bit of a history with them. A couple of years ago I went out drinking with the legendary CC Martini - time for a comeback! - and she dragged along Blu. I didn't even realise she was in The Potbelleez and made a bit of a spectacle of myself asking why she never gets to sing any of their hits. Shame. Then last year I rocked up to the band's showcase and had a bit of a run in with Cassie Davis.

If I somehow manage an invite to their album launch I'm taping my mouth shut and sitting in the corner. I promise! Speaking of "Destination Now", it's finally set for release in May after being pushed back a couple of times. I can't wait for the album. The first two singles have been great and I love their latest effort. "From The Music" is a typically crisp and catchy dance anthem with a brilliant vocal from the sexy Ilan Kidron. It's already top 30 on iTunes and looks set to be another hit for the band. The video (below) is also pretty cool with its puppets gone wild theme. I'm yet to hear any of the remixes but, on past form, they should definitely be worth hunting down. Expect to hear this on the dancefloor very soon!

Remember this name: Elen Levon

By the end of May the name Elen Levon will be on everyone's lips. The 16-year-old Sydneysider has her sights set on Jessica Mauboy's urban-pop crown and if her debut single is any indication, J Malley had better watch her back. "Naughty" is the best demo I've heard in a very long time. Produced by local hip-hop king Israel Cruz and his US based production team, Elen's future smash rips Rihanna's wig clean off with its smokin' hot beats and fun lyrics about embracing your inner bad girl. The song has been picked up by a new Ministry of Sound sub-label and they are rushing to film a video over the next couple of weeks. No wonder they're keen to get her out there. Elen is the real deal - as anyone in the audience at Supafest on Saturday can testify. With dance moves that make Ciara look like Sophie Ellis-Bextor and a fearsome set of pipes to rival anyone in the game, this girl could be Australia's next big thing. Stay tuned.

Take your halo, put it away tonight. Cos tonight we gon' be naughty!

Comeback Of The Millenium

It's the comeback that 10 desperate pop fans have been waiting for - 90s super group Bachelor Girl is reuniting to promote what I expect to be a multi-platinum selling greatest hits compilation. I can hardly breathe! In case you're a foetus or have trouble remembering the late 90s for other (more valid) reasons, Tania Doko and James Roche are Australian pop legends. At a time when grunge was still in full swing, Bachelor Girl sang bright, happy songs about love and public transport.

Of course, I'm referring to the iconic "Buses and Trains" - a track that easily ranks as one of the best homegrown pop songs of the past 20 years. Their enduring masterpiece was a top 5 hit in 1998 and went on to become something of an international smash, peaking at #84 in the UK and #29 in Sweden. According to the always 100% reliable Wikipedia. 13 years have passed since then but I still give "Buses and Trains" a spin when I need a bit of cheering up. There's just something irresistible about Tania's bemused tone and the homespun wisdom of the lyrics. They never did top that anthem but their debut album was jam packed with gems - particularly the Alanis-lite magic of "Lucky Me". Bachelor Girl's sophomore album was less memorable but I loved "I'm Just A Girl", the video for which found Tania strutting through Melbourne airport in knee-high fuck me boots. They don't make 'em like that anymore!

Back to the reunion. The duo's new opus is called "Loved & Lost: The Best Of Bachelor Girl" and is released on April 15. It includes four previously unreleased tracks, which I assume are from their scrapped third album. Excitingly, the group will embark on a brief tour to promote the comeback of the millenium. See you all at the Sydney gig on June 3! Oh and here's "Buses and Trains" just for the hell of it.

Introducing Jenna Dwyer - Wrestler/Pop Diva

Using a film or TV role as a stepping stone to chart glory isn't exactly a new phenomenon - just look at Jennifer Lopez, Hilary Duff and Miley Cyrus. But I don't think anyone in the history of music has launched their pop career on the back of a starring role in a zombie wrestling movie. That is until now! Australia's Jenna Dwyer is clearly a woman of many talents. She not only kicks undead butt as the fearsome heroine in the forthcoming film Parts Unknown: Fight Like A Girl, the aspiring pop diva also recorded the theme song. And - somewhat surprisingly - "Fight Like A Girl" it is fucking awesome. I love Jenna's voice, the quirky production sits somewhere between Evanescence and Christina Aguilera circa "Stripped" and it even has a deceptively catchy chorus. This shit really creeps up on you! It should be noted that the song was co-written by the brilliant Mandy Kane (read my interview with him here), which helps explain its dark pop sensibility. I don't know what Jenna has planned for us next but I'm on board. Make sure you watch the eye-popping video clip (below). Our glamorous heroine prowls the wrestling ring in a black leotard, while some of Australia's hottest female wrestlers battle it out around her. Bring on the movie - it looks right up my alley!

For The Things We Try To Keep Inside, Find Their Way Out In The Dark Of The Night

One of my favourite tracks from last year was an eerily pretty synth-pop tune called "Talking Like I'm Falling Down Stairs" by local band Sparkadia. That song struck me as a bizarre cross between The Cure's "Lullaby" and Nelly Furtado's "Say It Right" - which sounds rotten on paper but actually worked rather brilliantly. The same goes for the band's new single "China", the second from their soon to be released sophomore album "The Great Impression". If I had to describe it, I'd go with T'Pau meets Hurts with a bit of 80s power ballad thrown in for good measure. But before you say fuck no! give it a listen. I love the juxtaposition of the booming chorus against almost clinically depressed verses and the lyrics are genuinely beautiful. It's as pretty as it is morose and gets more amazing with each listen. "Talking Like I'm Falling Down Stairs" peaked at #59 (not bad at all given that it was only played by one radio station), so I'm hoping for bigger and better things this time around. Unfortunately, the video - below - is a bit of a mess. I'm sure they didn't have a lot of cash to splash around, so all I'll say is that Alex looks hot in the clip and I can't wait to see them rock the Metro in April! Download "China" from iTunes now.

Zoë Badwi Rocks Hey Hey, Closes In On Top 10!

Zoë Badwi's "Freefallin'" juggernaut shows no signs of slowing down. The song has already been a club smash for Australia's leading dance diva and recently nudged its way into the national top 20 after a steady chart climb. I thought the Amy Pearson penned anthem might have peaked at number 16 last week but a stunning performance on Hey Hey It's Saturday has pushed "Freefallin'" into the iTunes top 10 (currently sitting pretty at #6) and landed Zoë her first Gold accreditation for sales exceeding 35,000 copies. Amazing and well deserved! Unfortunately, I was too busy getting drunk on Saturday night to catch the entire performance but a kind soul has finally uploaded it to YouTube. The former face of Sirens kicks of the show with the old dancers under the dress trick. It's not exactly new but I can't think of anyone who has pulled it off with this much verve and glamour since Kylie's Fever tour. Things then get a bit sexy with Zoë's dirty dancers and a delicious strut towards the camera. I love her outfit and she sounds great. The only thing that could have possibly made this any better is a surprise cameo from Amy doing her amazing "Butterfingers" dance routine! Australia has been put on notice.