by Paul V.

Singled Out

Pink “So What?” (Arista)

We gotta give it to our girl, Alecia. While she’s seen some of the younger chick rockers like Avril, Katy Perry or even friggin’ Miley Cyrus trying to steal her femme thunder, she bounces back with a viciously infectious blast of guitars, thunderous drums, and post-divorce, fist-pumping lyrics that virtually scalps her competition—and ex Carey Hart.

Fujiya & Miyagi - Lightbulbs - Deaf, Dumb, & Blind

If you love the bass, Fujiya & Miyagi bring it hard, bouncing it off your walls like a rubber bullet. While the U.K. trio easily falls under the umbrella of dance music, they tend to focus on the beats that float around the room at 4 a.m. They definitely come influenced from the school of Brian Eno, Beck or Radiohead, shunning the neon limelight of their electro-pop brethren, very content to keep their understated Krautpop in the shadows. Singer David Best's half-whispered vocals are, as always, the pièce de résistance. He uses his seductive and elusive voice as an instrument that intersects with the music, hovering just above the harmonies, particularly on the evocatively titled “Goosebumps,” a sprawling, orchestral and near-psychedelic throwback. The Eno influence (or perhaps Talking Heads?) is most apparent—and heir apparent—on the funkified “Sore Thumb,” with both its groove and melody inspired by “Life During Wartime.” This stellar sophomore effort continues with a series of hypnotic churners—“Knickerbocker,” “Dishwasher” or “Pickpocket”—all illuminated by sublime instrumental nuances, overlaid with Best’s manipulation of polysyllabic tongue twisters. While they at times invoke ’60s lounge, ’70s funk or ’80s synth, the album manages to come across as incredibly cohesive work firmly grounded in the now. These clever lyrics plus contagious grooves equals a collection begging for repeated spins. And no one mesmerizes the head and hips quite like Fujiya & Miyagi. So no more pussyfootin’ around—go get this CD!

Morel - The Death of the Paperboy - Outsider Music

Another super talented—and openly gay—artist who understands the beauty of the understated groove is Morel. On the other hand, when the dude wants to up the voltage and rock out, he’s ready for the task. On his third autobiographical album, he explains that its title and many of the lyrics explore a boy’s rite of passage into manhood, life’s sad ironies and questioning the “what-ifs” we all go through taking that journey. Whereas Morel’s two previous albums explored the limits of just what electro-pop could be—bolting rock songs or thumping club tracks—this one marks a divergence, where he keeps the genres separate: Disc one has the more muscular rock tracks, and the more club-minded remixes are on disc two. On the rock side, his buzzing, reverberated sound rests somewhere between the Jesus & Mary Chain (“No One Makes Me Lonely”), the Killers (on the blistering lead single, “Flawed”) and even the Happy Mondays (on the very hypnotically sexy “I’m So Low I Keep Falling”). Morel has really stepped up to the plate in terms of both melody, playing and heartfelt lyrics. On the Pink Noise remix disc, he turns all these tracks into neon-lit, shoegazer-disco-meets-bathhouse workouts, without stripping away their grit. If you could envision David Bowie going deep house, Morel does just that by including an exclusive cover of his “Sweet Thing.” Both the reworking of “Flawed” and the title track are definite standouts. Excellent work, Daddy-O.

Val Emmich - Little Daggers - No Code

Every once in a while, a CD lands in your “listen to” pile that really surprises you. That’s what happened when I heard this sparkling effort from Val Emmich. When I read the press release saying he’ll be playing Betty Suarez’s new love interest on Ugly Betty, I assumed he was just another pretty-boy actor who thinks he’s a musician. Well, it’s just the opposite, and this is actually his sixth release. Emmich has some serious songwriting chops and an extremely alluring voice. Opening track “The Lucky Ones” pops like an adrenaline-packed emo diatribe with a celebratory sing-along chorus, while “Hurt More Later” is a good example of his ability to mask cynical lyrics beneath some charming pop instrumentation. His jangly and orchestral “Down” aims for some Americana roots, sounding like a cross between Butch Walker and a youthful Bruce Springsteen, and his voice really sparkles and soars on this one. Similarly, “Get On With It” sports a killer, rolling piano riff and my favorite lyric: “You’re a perfect myth on a movie set / I’m walking a wire with no safety net / If I’m a gambling man then you’re a safe bet.” And if you’ve ever dated someone who can’t commit, blast this for them. All told, Emmich’s collection of lovelorn tunes come off as reflective, yet infectious and flirtatious. You could file Val next to peers like Gavin DeGraw, Nada Surf or the Counting Crows and he’d fit right in.

Check out DJ Paul V. spinning at Bootie L.A. the first Saturday monthly at The Echoplex, Dragstrip 66 at Safari Sam’s and on Indie 103.1 FM—with his Smash Mix every Friday at 5:30 p.m. and his weekly radio show, “Neon Noise,” Saturdays from midnight-3 a.m. Get more info at myspace.com/neonnoise