Duffy – “Delayed Devotion”
I picked up Duffy’s “Rockferry” CD because I really like the 60s-style sound of her current single, “Mercy”. Little did I know that “Mercy” is only a teaser, and that the real gems on this CD haven’t hit radio yet. “Delayed Devotion” is my absolute favorite song on this CD – it’s got a sound that’s reminiscent of the Funk Brothers’ work for Motown and it grabs your attention right at the opening notes. If you haven’t heard Duffy yet, go pick up “Rockferry” and skip right to cut #8.

New Kids On The Block – “Summertime”
About a month ago, a friend of mine asked me if I’d heard this track (I hadn’t). Although the New Kids were HUGE in 1988, I had seen their recent appearance on the Today show and really wasn’t crazy about the thought of a NKOTB comeback. However, they’re actually selling out some of their upcoming tour dates and, dare I say it, this song is actually pretty decent. Not that I’ll be playing it at this summer’s wedding receptions (I won’t), but it’s a fun track that deserves at least one listen. The whole reunion thing might have been sudden, but the timing of this new single couldn’t be more perfect.

LMFAO – “Girl Can’t Help It”
I have no idea where these guys came from; this song was on a remix compilation that showed up in my mailbox about a month ago and at first I thought the song was some sort of joke. It’s an energetic dance track with a riff borrowed from Fergie’s recent single “Clumsy”, with a rap that isn’t quite suitable for all audiences. For me, it’s the 2008 equivalent of “Dangerous On The Dancefloor” by Musto And Bones, which used to be one of my favorite songs to play when I was doing nightclub DJ work in the early 1990s. You can sample “Girl Can’t Help It” on my MySpace page. Enjoy!

Rihanna – Take A Bow
For some reason, Rihanna never seems to go away, and nobody seems to mind. Case in point: this is the fifth single from her “Good Girl Gone Bad” album, and it rocketed to #1 on the Billboard charts last month. For me, this one’s less about Rihanna and more about Ne-Yo; he’s one of my favorite songwriters and hasn’t forgotten that a great melody is what sells the song.

Katy Perry – I Kissed A Girl
When I first saw this track on one of my weekly new music CDs, I didn’t even give it a listen because I thought it was a remake of a Jill Sobule song from the mid-1990s. I never liked Jill Sobule, or her song. Fortunately, Katy Perry’s song is totally different (and much better, thanks to production from hitmaker Dr. Luke). This is another song that I expect to hang around for much of the summer – it’s got pop radio written all over it.