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<\/a><\/p>\nThis week in New Music: Steps<\/strong> do perfect 90s pop on Tears on the Dancefloor<\/em>,\u00a0The Cranberries<\/strong><\/a> demonstrate just why they were \u2013 and remain \u2013 a class act on\u00a0Something Else<\/em>,\u00a0Blondie<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>enlist\u00a0Sia<\/strong> and more on album number 11\u00a0Pollinator<\/em>,\u00a0\u00c1sgeir<\/b>\u00a0<\/strong>goes electronic for album number two and\u00a0Feist<\/strong> goes confessional indie rock on\u00a0Pleasure<\/em>.<\/p>\n Steps \u2013 <\/b>Tears on the Dancefloor<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n On <\/span>Tears on the Dancefloor<\/span><\/i>, Steps know their audience and mine its collective kid-consciousness for all its worth on a collection of mostly perfect, sugary, Eurovision-friendly anthems.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cStory of a Heart,\u201d \u201cNeon Blue\u201d and \u201cFirefly\u201d are perfect 90s pop. \u201cHappy\u201d is a majestic anthem. \u201cGlitter and Gold\u201d is so cheesy it could have come off <\/span>Kylie Minogue<\/b>\u2019s 1990 album <\/span>Rhythm of Love<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n Nostalgia rarely sounds this good.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Cranberries \u2013 <\/b>Something Else<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Most of the rerecorded songs on the album add another level to Dolores O\u2019Riordan\u2019s still stunning voice and the quartet at their sweet pop best. The reimagined version of \u201cFree to Decide\u201d musically at least actually reflects the unpleasant themes of the song all the better.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cZombie\u201d just doesn\u2019t really work because it should always be edgy and angry.<\/span><\/p>\n Of the three new songs, \u201cWhy?\u201d is the standout.<\/span><\/p>\n Something Else<\/span><\/i> will be essential to fans. A good dose of marketing could well introduce The Cranberries to an entirely new audience.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Blondie \u2013 <\/b>Pollinator<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n The titles gives it away \u2013 Debbie Harry and co. have enlisted the help of a vast array of songwriters for <\/span>Pollinator<\/span><\/i>, presumably as an attempt to extend their own sound.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s mostly successful.<\/span><\/p>\n Working with the likes of Dev Hynes (<\/span>Blood Orange<\/b>) and <\/span>Sia<\/b> has bore results. Although at times perhaps trying too hard to keep up with the kids, fans will lap it up.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u00c1sgeir \u2013 \u201cAfterglow\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n Given \u00c1sgeir\u2019s falsetto vocal tricks, comparisons with <\/span>Sigur Ros<\/b>\u2019s <\/span>Jonsi<\/b> are obvious but you would be best to follow the likes of <\/span>Bon Iver<\/b> and Sweden\u2019s <\/span>The Tallest Man on Earth \u2013 <\/b>aka Kristian Matsson \u2013 for pointers.<\/span><\/p>\n Like <\/span>Bon Iver<\/b>, for album number two it appears that \u00c1sgeir may also be shedding the singer songwriter box for a glitchy, electronic sound akin to <\/span>James Blake<\/b> and <\/span>Halls<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n Have a listen to lead single \u201cAfterglow\u201d below.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Feist \u2013 <\/b>Pleasure<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n The Bonar comparison is less relevant as the South Dakota singer tends towards the more playful while Feist goes for confessional rock that often reminds the listener of Harvey at her early caustic best (for example the storming \u201cAny Party\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n Feist also has her quiet moments on the likes of \u201cI Wish I Didn\u2019t Miss You\u201d but the noisy bits are the standouts.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The post New Music: Steps, The Cranberries, Blondie, \u00c1sgeir, Feist<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n<\/a>The <\/span>Steps<\/b> fanbase is heading for its 30s (perhaps <\/span>late <\/span><\/i>30s at a push) so a new album makes sense and quite honestly it\u2019s glorious pop nonsense with some major missteps (sorry).<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>Recorded in the University of Limerick in their hometown, <\/span>The Cranberries<\/b> \u2013 commercially one of the most successful Irish bands of all time \u2013 have issued <\/span>Something Else<\/span><\/i>, a collection of orchestrated old tracks with three new ones.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>As a band with a history of working together for more than 40 years on and off, <\/span>Blondie<\/b> possibly felt the need to do something different on album number 11 <\/span>Pollinator<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>Singer songwriter \u00c1sgeir Trausti Einarsson\u2019s debut album In the Silence<\/em> (originally D\u00fdr\u00f0 \u00ed dau\u00f0a\u00fe\u00f6gn<\/em>) is apparently the best selling Icelandic album of all time.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>For her latest album <\/span>Pleasure<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Feist<\/b> goes for a solid, pared-back indie rock style that will draw comparisons with the likes of <\/span>PJ Harvey<\/b> and <\/span>Haley Bonar<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n
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