I don’t know why, but initially, I didn’t get into this album. I listened to it once, even liked it, but I moved on; which I think may have been partly because of all the hype that I saw about it. For a while, you couldn’t go in a Starbucks without seeing something about Sia’s album, Some People Have Real Problems
There’s something about Sia that I just can’t get enough of… maybe it is her haunting voice, or her ability to twist a heartbreaking melody around such bittersweet lyrics; but whatever it is, Sia is an amazing artist, and this album is epic and beautiful. If you are a fan of down tempo, sullen, achingly beautiful music, then you will love Sia; she exercises all of these qualities in her music. Sia actually reminds me a bit of Rachael Yamagata’s more stripped down stuff, but with a more pop edge to it. This lady from down under is just another example of how there are some GREAT musicians hailing from the land of oz, and I’m just glad that she’s one of the ones that seems to have made a splash on this side of the world (as evidenced by her Starbucks presence earlier this year; even though that worked against me for some weird reason).
The entire album is filled with songs about heartbreak, and the contemplation of what could be in the realm of love. Some of her lyrics are just amazing; like on the track Academia, she sings, “And if I am a number I’m infinity plus one/ And if you are five words you are afraid to be the one/ And if you are a number you’re infinity plus one/ And if I am four words then I am needing of your love”. It’s little touches like this that really make me love her even more, because what can I say… I’m a fan of clever song writing. With her fair share of cleverness, Sia also knows how to tug at your heartstrings with her way of expressing love and longing; both lyrically and in the mood she creates with the music. It’s pretty apparent that she has experienced what she is singing about; and if she hasn’t, she is a damn good actor, because when she is singing, her voice and the way she moans really makes you believe in her words.
Overall, the experience of the album is somewhat heartbreaking, with moments of “pick myself up, and brush myself off” moments peppered amongst the ballads, in order to keep you from completely breaking down. My only complaint, is that it seems to teeter off at the end, almost like it is out of gas, and as such, it only suffers from those last few songs seeming to drag the moment on. With that being said, those last few tracks aren’t necessarily bad, but it just feels like the album maybe should have ended a little sooner than it did (I would have ended it at Soon We’ll Be Found, which is an amazing track).
Sparkle Factor: 
Stand Outs: The Girl [audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_208_sia-thegirl.mp3]
Little Black Sandals, Academia, You Have Been Loved, I Go To Sleep.
I have to say, that I was completely surprised by this one; I really expected to see at least one fellow girl group, either the Sugababes or Girls Aloud, on my year end chart again this year. Yet, it was the Saturdays, with their stellar debut album, that took the cake this year. From their first single, If This Is Love, they caught my attention with that catchy, oh-so-pop, girl-band sound that I love so much, that again, I usually expect to come from the aforementioned Sugababes and Girls Aloud. However, for whatever reason, neither really delivered with their albums released late this year; and in my opinion, neither one comes close to the bar that was set very high by the Saturday’s surprisingly brilliant debut, 
While I have kind of liked P!nk since she burst onto the scene with her hip hop tracks and trademark pink hair, it wasn’t until her last album until I really considered myself a true fan. One of my favorite things about her, is how she entered the music business as one thing (what they wanted her to be), and she forcefully transformed herself into what she is (which is what she wanted to be in the first place). The shift from hip hop to rock and roll has been an interesting journey, musically, and has given her the chance to try out lots of different things. I will say, that as she has progressed as an artist, I really think P!nk has only grown, and refined her music in the process. Perhaps it is fitting that So What ended up being her first solo number one hit, given that she has really come into her own with her previous album, and even more so with her current release, 
Well, last year, it was fellow UK band the Kaiser Chiefs that made this list with their blend of punk-pop-indie rock; but this year, the Infadels are the ones that turned out a more fantastic album in the genre. I mention the Kaiser Chiefs here, because there are many songs on the Infadels’ album, 
that really remind me of what I love about the Kaiser Chiefs; with an additional electronic component, that seems to be oh so hip and cool right now. Initially, it was their single, Free Things for Poor People, that brought me to the Infadels, and it was so catchy that I wanted to see if they had anything else worth listening to. Well, I saw the colorful cover of 
This is one of those albums that I had such high hopes for, that no matter what was on it, chances are, it would have let me down; except, it didn’t. The news that they had released a new single a few months back made me extremely excited, because there hasn’t been so much as a peep from the Shiny Toy Guns camp since way back in 2006, when they released the THIRD iteration of their amazing debut, 
I LOVED We Are Pilots, and it ended up near the top of my records of the year for 2006, so needless to say, I was pretty excited about a follow up being released this year.
I was sort of confused. Having seen them live, I knew that they were much “harder” than their debut record let on, but the song seemed way too “metal” after my initial listen. However, after I gave it a few listens, it really started to sink in, THIS was the essence of Shiny Toy Guns; just more layered, and much more energetic (much like their live show). After listening a couple of times, I was HOOKED to this amazing track, and I saw what I loved in Shiny Toy Guns in the first place; the electronic rock is clear and present on Season of Poison, only they have turned the amplifier up to 11 this time around. 
Oh. My. Gay!!11!!1 Seriously, if Same Difference were an inanimate object, they would either be sprinkles or glitter… I can’t decide which. They are gayer than butt sex; and that is why I LOVE them so much.
In case you have never heard of them, this brother and sister duo made a splash on last year’s X-Factor, proving that they were everything that was great about cheesy, bubble gum pop. Show after show, they harnessed their effervescence and bubbly personalities, and sang cheesy hit after hit, making them favorites on the show. Well, they didn’t end up winning, but that doesn’t mean that people like me stopped following them; I had to see what would come up next from this talented pair.
The Script are a pop-rock trio from Ireland who made a splash with me when I heard their AMAZING song, The Man Who Can’t Be Moved. When I heard that track, I knew that I had to get their album, because it reminded me of acts that I love, namely Daniel Bedingfield and David Gray. Well, after getting their debut album, also called 
and giving it a few listens, I was definitely pleased with what I heard. On the record, there may be some songs about some hard subjects, but the playfulness of the music and the word play of some of the songs make for a lighter, heartfelt listening session, that is propelled by some great pop rock music.
What a breakup record this is!! On 
Rachael is musically letting blood from an aching, burning heart, and on this double album, she has made an amazing piece of painful, but beautiful music. Whispers of broken promises, mournful tales of love lost, and embittered warnings to stay weary of love permeate this album, and are all perfectly paired with Rachael’s beautifully acoustic and raw musical style. On some songs, you can practically feel the ache in the way she twists the guitar’s strings to force out the chords, and the accompanying vocals only strengthen the perception that this woman has endured some emotional pain. It isn’t often that emotion is so perfectly expressed in song, so to hear Rachael master it so beautifully is chill inducing at times. 
Here’s the most basic thing I can say about the Weepies: basically, if Paul Simon would have teamed with a woman instead of Garfunkel, you would have the Weepies. However, with that being said, they bring a freshness to the sound pioneered by Simon and Garfunkel, and with 
they have made a fantastic and warming record that is a treat for the listener. The first song on the album, Can’t Go Back Now, instantly captured my unwaivering attention because of the simplicity, and immense beauty of the song; sometimes, the simple things really are the finer things in life. 
Cheesy dance pop has always been amongst my favorite styles of music, and Agnes Carlsson’s third album, Dance! Love! Pop!, is everything that a cheesy pop music lover like myself could ever hope for. It is filled with dance tracks, upbeat ballads, and uplifting “I can do this!” tracks that are sure to please any pop lover. Everything about this record is true, unfiltered pop, so it may be to strong for your average lover of pop music; but not for me. From the first moment I heard the blaring disco violins of the MASSIVE first track and dance anthem, Release Me, I knew that Agnes was the real deal.