The Pop Corporation
WORDS ABOUT MUSIC + POP CULTURE
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When you’re singing along to a song at the top of your lungs, sometimes you don’t know what you’re singing. Sometimes you can be singing the saddest lyrics imaginable, but you’ve not realised because you’re half-cut on a bottle of rum and some floor-drugs, and it’s Friday night. Ever danced to ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme’ by
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We’re not arsed if you already knew about this, because some of us didn’t. Below is a video of Nico (Velvet Underground/Warhol) playing in Preston, and that’s exciting. Nico’s time with the Velvets is well documented, but ever the Bohemian, she moved from romantic partner to country and was generally a nomad going where the
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It really is hard to imagine the shape of pop and soul music without Barrett Strong. While he may not have been the household name that many of his peers were, where would popular music be without his hugely influential and soulful powerhouse that is ‘Money (That’s What I Want)’? There’s more too – he
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Imagine for a second, you’re driving past Abbey Road, and you nearly hit a pedestrian on that famous crossing. Imagine some more, that the pedestrian in question is Paul McCartney. The car in question is a Prius, so it’s kinda funny that he nearly got offed by a green motor. Also, let’s go with the
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We all need cool stuff to read. Finding it in the soup of the algorithm can be tricky, with a bunch of former broadsheet sorts going solo, and trying to flog subscription content on their mailers and whatnot. No harm, no foul – but these things tend to skew toward the po-faced and overly earnest.
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Caroline Polacheck’s is an adventurous pop star, and that’s always a good thing. She’s recently hit out at lazy comparisons to Bjork and Kate Bush, preferring to make music under her own steam, which is fair enough. She’s got a big voice and likes to be mildly awkward, which we say as a compliment of
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Hey! Do you like new music and, not just new music, but slightly difficult music that’s fun? Well, you should check outy Rob Mazurek’s Exploding Star Orchestra newbie, ‘Future Shaman’. Apply here if you like wonky jazz and post-rock. It’s discordant, good stuff. Mazurek is a composer/trumpeter and the Exploding Star Orchestra features Damon Locks
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We like a popstar making bold choices, and Sam Smith has been doing exactly that lately. It doesn’t matter whether you like the tunes or not, we should absolutely support a commercial artist when they lean into the experimental and off-kilter. Did you see them on SNL, with Sharon Stone draping themselves all over the
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It feels kinda shitty referring to a new artist as ‘Bjork’s daughter’, but needs must. Isadora Bjarkardottir Barney is her name, and she’s released her debut solo work as part of a comp showcasing Icelandic music. The comp is called ‘DRULLUMALL 4’ and Isadora’s track – ‘bergmál’ – is really good, you’ll be glad to
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The mighty Pet Shop Boys are all set to share some previously unreleased songs in April. It’s all part of a new thing they’re doing and that new thing is a book called ‘Annually’. The 2023 edition of the yearly release (hence the name) will be a 64-page hardback affair, containing journals, photos from their
STOP HOARDING TUNES
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SHARP PINS POWER POP GARAGE ROCK
Kai Slater operates under the name Sharp Pins, and if you’re looking for some super lo-fi garage rock, Mouldy Peaches DIY aesthetic, or ruff ‘n’ ready power pop, you should lean in and check it out. Last year, there was a record that slipped through our net (you can’t hear everything as soon as it…
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NEW WEST COAST JANGLE FROM ROSE CITY BAND
Rose City Band were new to us in 2024 – maybe they’re new to everyone? Whatever the story is, we were immediately charmed by the ’70s West Coast sunshine, jangle pop that they were putting down. The band are led by Ripley Johnson (you maybe saw the name attached to Moon Duo or Wooden Shjips?)…
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MORE PSYCH FROM MATT BERRY
There’s no many like Matt Berry. Not to say that he doesn’t work hard for his money, but he certainly leads a charmed life being one of our most beloved actors, but also, singer of fine psychedelic music. He’s tackled acid folk, West Coast loveliness, and he also did a cover LP of TV themes,…
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BYE BYE ANITA BRYANT
Anita Bryant may have been nominated for Grammys, landed the gong of being Miss Oklahoma and had a number of hit singles, but that’s not why she’s remembered, now that she’s dead. Bryant was an outspoken campaigner AGAINST gay rights in the USA, under the thin premise of ‘protecting’ children and the usual hackneyed talking…
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