Two singles receiving mucho rotation on my iPod are Mika's "Grace Kelly" and Paolo Nutini's "Last Request."
Continuing my seemingly neverending anglomania, these two artists are accomplished successes across the pond in the UK, but now are just hitting ashore here in the USA. Mika's style harks back to strong stroytelling-within-a-song, much like a 70s Elton John. It may sound like a hokey musical approach, but for some reason, its bubblegummy tongue-in-cheekiness all works.
On the other hand, Paolo Nutini is a more traditional alterna-pop singer/songwriter. Thankfully, he won't have an annoying hit a la James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" and that's a good thing. Let's keep him a secret. At least until Grey's Anatomy uses "Last Request" for some overly dramatic musical montage featuring soft focus shots of medical residents.
[Mika, Life in Cartoon Motion, www.mikasounds.com]
[Paolo Nutini, These Streets, www.paolonutini.com].
