Music Update!

Sorry I haven't updated in so long. Here's some music stuff.

I'm Not Mad-Alex Gardner
Sophisticated, subtly undulating pop from genius Brit music makers Xenomania. It's in the same vein as Girls Aloud's Call the Shots and The Loving Kind except with a Scottish lad singing. It all borders on jazz lounge style singing, but I still enjoy it. 2:40 to 2:56 is quite lovely and splendid especially when he sings "Real". It's out in the UK later this month.



Once-Diana Vickers
Diana Vickers was a contestant on Britain's The X Factor (like American Idol) in 2008 with Alexandra Burke and JLS who have been mentioned here before. Well, she's finally releasing her debut album in early May in the UK and here is the first single, Once. Once is wonderfully effective. There's a twinkling piano bit in the beginning that leads to the first verse which Vickers almost whispers. The drums hit hard, and we soar into the strange chorus: I'm only going to let you kill me once, once, once. I don't really get what it means, but I love it. The chorus is one of those pop headbangers a la pretty much any Kelly Clarkson song. It's such a quick and sweet pop song, but there are all these great elements in it that make an off kilter rock- pop-dare I say- electro gem. One of my songs for spring. Hopefully Diana does well with this gem. Apparently the album is very good. I'm hoping for some pop curveballs.



Giving Up The Gun-Vampire Weekend
Here's Vamp Weekend's new single from their very, very good second album Contra. And here is the funny video clip to go along with it featuring Joe Jonas and Jake Gyllenhaal and Lil' Jon as well as a super intense tennis match versus this girl who is mad good. This is one of the best songs of the Vamps new album with its shimmy shimmy shake vibe.



Hurts--Better Than Love
Lots of buzz in you guessed it England for this duo, Hurts, which features two guys from another band I really liked, Daggers, who had a beast of a song called Money that I posted on the blog awhile ago. Well anyway here is Hurts first official single, Better Than Love. I'm very, very impressed. It is a massive song with some 80's references of course (New Order guitars). Just when you think it can't get any more tremendous after that chorus comes this bit with "Turn away, turn away". Good to see some of the euphoric energy from Daggers transferred over. It's anthemic and seems to incorporate a choir of male voices at some points. Released in the UK on May 17. So fantastic!


Taio Cruz ft. Ludacris-Break Your Heart
Mr. Cruz went Number 1 in the UK with this song last September and now it has arrived on US shores and already gone to Number 1 here! Very impressive. It's a modern, funky pop song that oozes technology and fancy production. It's light as air and glides around much like the yacht in its video. Ludacris shows up at one point which was not included in the UK version. It also makes me very happy that Taio manages to get the word "evade" into his song and I don't know why. The perfect spring #1. Also apparently this jam was for Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole's album at first.



Stop and Stare-Fenech-Soler
Here's another video from a band I mentioned a little while ago, Fenech-Soler. I really love these guys. Stop and Stare is a newer song of theirs and I don't love it as much as the effervescent Lies, it's still quite good. The video was filmed in Paris and the lead singer wears a sequined gold t-shirt that I want. I really love the second verse for some reason. It's all in his delivery.



Popjustice has a great peek at the next Mini Viva single (the British gal duo I posted about awhile ago with the song I Wish) called One Touch. The sassy vocals and all the fun, different pop bits featured in the one minute clip get me psyched about the whole thang which will be out May 3 in the UK.
http://www.popjustice.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4482&Itemid=243

UK chanteuse Sophie Ellis-Bextor is returning this spring with her new song, Bittersweet. The clips via Popjustice and her website promise drama and the sense of dancing all night in a discotheque. I can't wait for the whole thing. It's produced by Freemasons and their version has premiered on the radio.
Here's the clip:
http://www.sophieellisbextor.net/news?id=211

Fashion Week

Jason Wu

Fashion Week has been going on for a few days. Here are some nice outfits. I love Suno's print with the purple, blue, and green. Not loving the hat in Diane von Furstenberg's ensemble though. Zac Posen is showing today.

Suno

News

-The Strokes are working it out on their new album, their 4th, which they want to have released in September. I'm so excited. I used to really love these guys so now I'm going to dig out First Impressions of Earth and Room on Fire and take another listen. (Source: NME, Pitchfork, Digital Spy)

-Brit boy band, JLS, will make their landing in the US with the single Everybody in Love. Now this is my least favorite of all the singles they've released so far in the UK, but oh well, at least they're coming here! (Digital Spy)

-Apparently Kylie Minogue, arguably one of the greatest Australians on par with Hugh Jackman, will release her new album in the summer (according to one of her Twitter posts). Get ready for awesomeness with producers/writers RedOne (woot woot), Greg Kurstin (The Bird and the Bee and Lily Allen's very good It's Not Me, It's You), Xenomania (Girls Aloud...enough said), Calvin Harris (makes me want to dance), and 2 of the Scissor Sisters (their new album should be coming out soon). I can't wait. Wow, wow, wow, wow! (Wikipedia and Twitter)

-MGMT's sophomore album, Congratulations, will be released on April 13. I'm curious to hear what these guys do next after the greatness of Kids and Time to Pretend. (Digital Spy, Pitchfork, NME)

Tracklist according to Wiki what:

1."It's Working"
2."Song for Dan Treacy"
3."Someone's Missing"
4."Flash Delirium"
5."I Found a Whistle"
6."Siberian Breaks"
7."Brian Eno"
8."Lady Dada's Nightmare"
9."Congratulations"

Gals and a Farewell

Again, I haven't posted in quite awhile. Sorry about that. Here's what is up at the moment:

It's taken me some time, but I'm finally on board with zany Welsh-Greek singer, Marina and the Diamonds. Her big, official single Hollywood was released in the UK two weeks ago and it charted fairly well (#12). Her vocal styling favors high drama (not Mika style though), going low then high, and she almost howls sometimes. You can't say this girl doesn't have personality. She's not Lily, she's not Amy, she's not Adele, and not Florence (slightly similar). Her vocals initially turned me off. They were a little much, but after a few listens to Hollywood you are won over. Her debut album, The Family Jewels, will be released in the UK on Feb. 22. Let's hope there's a US release soon. She's rather magnificent. Here's the Hollywood video.



-Sad news from across the pond this week. Amazing, stunning, and exciting designer Alexander McQueen killed himself in England the other day. A true talent that made the fashion world a very thrilling place to be (for proof, see Bad Romance video-the shoes!). I was so looking forward to what he would do next. Rest in peace.

-Rihanna's new single Rude Boy is blunt and sexy. I've really warmed to her latest album, Rated R. Hard, Wait Your Turn, and Rude Boy are the songs of a new strong woman who is walking tall. The Rude Boy video, released the other day, is vivid and shows Rih Rih in full on sex kitten mode. My favorite parts are when she rides on the lion and when she's wearing the black and white bodysuit while perched on a zebra with balloons on its head! And I adore her cheeky gold outfit with the wig. The M.I.A influence is present, but the video is fun nonetheless. 2:28 to 2:57 is genius.


Ok, this next one is fantastic and pretty funny. Sabrina Washington used to be in this UK girl group called Mis-Teeq who made a slight impression here back in 2004 with their jam "Scandalous". I saw them at a free outdoor concert on the Esplanade and bought their album. Short and sweet: they were awesome. They broke up and Sabrina's fellow band member, Alesha Dixon, went solo releasing a delectable, rush to the dance floor hit, The Boy Does Nothing, at the end of 2008. So here is Sabrina with this catchy, catchy, catchy debut single, OMG (Oh My Gosh). The verses are slick and feature some fun producer knob-twiddling. There's a music box melody present that leads into the body-rolling, vocodered (at points) verses. I could see this song being annoying, but if you're in the right mood you will be in heaven. Sabrina, the album best be a beast.

PS. Lady GaGa and Beyonce, Telephone, video is going to be divine.