Nate Ruess, lead singer of the NYC indie-pop trio fun., might be the Platonic ideal of a 21st-century rock star. He has a huge voice, all snarl and Broadway panache; at his full-fathom best, he could send Adam Lambert scrambling for cover. His music blends classic bubble-pop tunefulness with rococo rock & roll – close harmony chorales, showy key changes, a dash of Queen here, a dollop of Les Miz there. In "We Are Young" (featuring Janelle Monáe), and 10 other rollickingly catchy songs, Ruess' knack for the anthemic is matched by Gen-Y humor – emo self-deprecation that leavens the bombast. "Some nights I rule the world/With bar lights and pretty girls," he sings. "But most nights I stay straight and think about my mom."
Listen to "Some Nights":
Related• Photos: Random Notes
