Boy, nobody's keepin' score

Two excellent new songs were recently made available as free downloads from their artists' websites. That "free" tag comes with the caveat of handing over your e-mail address, but neither is to be missed.

American actress and Boomkat singer Taryn Manning's voice is processed and distorted more than I've ever heard from her before on the new solo song she posted on her site, "Turn It Up" (stream above), as if she's singing over two aluminum cans and a string. Despite that--and maybe partially because of it--"Turn It Up" has been popping up in my head all day, equally inescapable at the gym, in front of the washing machine, down office hallways, or in the car with another song playing on the radio. The strength of its electro-pulsing production is a welcome surprise, while something about its chorus works in that ineffably addictive pop way, enough so to perhaps make "Turn It Up" my favorite song Taryn has been involved with. "Turn It Up" seems unlikely to wear out its welcome any time soon.



Heir to the playful Xenomania sound of Mini Viva's "Left My Heart In Tokyo" and V's "Hip To Hip," SoundGirl's "I'm The Fool" is a bouncy, youthful brush-off co-written by former member of the aforementioned British songwriting team Miranda Cooper. "I'm The Fool" harks back to that time when Xenomania so effortlessly made fun, innovative, girl-powered pop songs with off-the-wall lyrics that one didn't need to be seeking innovation to appreciate, traits characteristic of much of Girls Aloud's best output. SoundGirl, a new British girl group, seemed to be setting up "I'm The Fool" as their breakthrough attempt before announcing recently that it would be made available as a free download. Let's hope that was a considered strategic change rather than a last-minute panic based on a cool reception for "I'm The Fool"--we need someone delivering music like this.