Wicked Good

Jon McLaughlin came to notice a few years ago with his song Beautiful Disaster and album Indiana. He returns this fall with a new album and here is the first single, Beating My Heart. It's very poppy with some dancey piano touches so of course I love it. There's this ridiculous part near the end when he sings the word "alive" really high and you don't think he can go any higher without exploding and he does. I like the little piano parts that begin and end the song. Take a listen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foA0CFgu08M

New Jonas Brothers!!

This is extreme guilty pleasure territory, but those Jonas Brothers just get me with their catchy, oversung, yelpy pop tunes. Here is their latest song Tonight from their new album A Little Bit Longer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpL7Nl5xy_8&feature=related

The boys also grace the cover of Rolling Stone this week which is a little surprising. Aren't they a little below Rolling Stone? They usually do this once a year or so. This time last year they put Zac Efron on the cover. Puff piece!

Summer Song

One of my favorite British groups, Girls Aloud, released this perfect, funny summer song called Long Hot Summer a few years ago. With lyrics like: "I know you like to wear my dressing-gown, when I'm not there. I guess you like it in my shoes,", "Coz boy I seen you disco dancing With your pants on fire", and "It's only Sunday morning, and I need that Friday feeling again" this song is pure fun. I love when they sing ba ba ba baaa. Also, the guitar part is awesome, and the jangly bells make it rock. The video is kind of cheeky and coy like oh-I'm-wearing-a-greasy-jumpsuit-with-a-short-dress-under-it. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLZwZyfHxCA&NR=1

Throwback

Here's a blast from the past. When the English boy girl pop supergroup S Club 7 (will always love them) disbanded, Rachel Stevens, the brunette of the band went solo and came out with some great songs. Her career died out though after her second underrated album was a flop a few years ago. This is a wonderful, in-your-face, roaring pop song called I Said Never Again (But Here We Are). Love it again after having rediscovered it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-tts0dzvp4&feature=related

Disco!

In a summer rife with pop divas, a new one from London has arrived, Antigone, and her first single with the divatastic title More Man Than Man is unabashed disco joy that will make you smile. I love the "hey ay ay ay part" and the lyrics are wonderful. Here's the crazy video for it. I love her already!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V69Jg0v-ghI&feature=related

All Things British

A new Brit boy band has emerged, Avenue, and their debut single Last Goodbye is not bad. In fact, it's rather catchy featuring a pulsing beat that builds up. I like when they say "How about that? You like it like that?". The chorus is bouncy and buoyant, dare I say a very pop New Waveian sound. The video is somewhat cringe inducing though with the lads mugging and prancing around. No choregraphed routines though. Thank gosh. I enjoy this song a lot maybe too much. I like the guy on the left with the almost shaved head. Good stylist for the band. Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oxm-MsD9xo

More Joy!

Sophie Ellis-Bextor-a delightful British (big shock) pop singer had a big hit in England a few years ago with Murder on the Dancefloor, a divine disco song with a really funny video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_Nsi05HkXw&feature=related

She returned last year with an album called "Trip the Light Fantastic" (great title) which features some great pop songs such as Me and My Imagination, a futuristic disco groove. A great moment in the song comes at 2:24 when the song builds up again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXBeb-9pUrc&feature=related

If I Can't Dance is another terrific song from that album with an amazing beat and chorus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9y1vwTPwIA

Her new song Off and On has swirling chords in the background and that sound of futuristic, synth piano in the chorus. Love it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMuv0ZEw-TQ

Another new song of hers is called Heartbreak Make Me a Dancer (this woman knows how to title things). It's a great pumping, pulsing dance floor anthem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6D8juHCPrI&feature=related

British Invasion

The pop music over in England is making me extremely happy as of late.

Sugababes had a saucy hit with the hypnotic "Push the Button" a few years ago, and they returned in the UK with a new member and a new look (which I love). The songs are a little different this time around. "About You Now" is a nice, catchy pop rock ditty that went to Number One in England. The "About You Now" line is currently stuck in my head (usually a good sign). The yellow dresses in the video are glam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlLPTylIfoE

Here's another song from the album called "My Love is Pink" a great dancefloor groove.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fno9kSjfxRc

Denial-the third single off their latest album. It's a very different sound, not flat out pop, dancing amazingness. I really like it though. I like the way they sing the verses, and the bridge is good The video is very cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4vJ8ZdmIvA

Red Dress-A song from their last album. It's funky and builds then goes right into another part--seamlessly--then dies down again. Very clever pop song. The cheeky, skanky video is amusing too. Love it all!! Very Fierce!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr8F1Uborls

Mamma Mia! Review

Mamma Mia! finally hit the screens, and I couldn't be happier. It is pure joy. A daughter's wedding provokes within her the desire to meet her dad, but there's one catch: she has three possible fathers (Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård-all good options for a father). So Sophie played by Amanda Seyfried (Karen, my boobs know when it's raining, in Mean Girls) decides to invite all three of them to her wedding on the beautiful Greek island where she lives with her mother, Donna, played by acting goddess Meryl Streep. All three of them come and hi jinx ensue. Donna's friends played by Christine Baranski and Julie Walters arrive for the wedding as well. The movie is chock full of ABBA songs, and the cast mostly pulls them off. Streep's rendition of "Mamma Mia", performed after she realizes the three men she had had conquests with long ago have all arrived in her goat barn, is a wonderful number. She rolls around on a roof and flutters with youthful, giddy, teenage girl excitement, and she gives the song a nervous and excited energy. Another soaring number follows with "Dancing Queen". Filled with dread over the arrival of these men from her past, Baranski and Walters try to remind Streep of all the fun she used to have. They try on her old disco outfits and prance around. Then Streep bursts with excitement and starts jumping on the bed, and the number ends up outside as the women dance and strut across the square. They all dance down to the ocean, local Greek women dropping their work as they pass by to join the train. That's when I felt that rare movie feeling. When a movie just takes you away to another world. This number was so joyous and full of life. It made me smile and for some reason tears started rolling down my face just watching these people have the time of their lives. Well, I'm going to praise one more number and guess who's in it? Yes, shockingly Miss Meryl. As Brosnan tries to proclaim his love to her moments before Sophie's wedding, she emotes with a soulful rendition of "The Winner Takes It All". Donna is just putting everything out there and that moment and Streep does it perfectly without going over the top, but approaching it. The whole cast is great. Seyfried finally gets a starring role as Sophie and she is a wonderful screen presence. When she and Meryl sing "Slipping Through My Fingers" as they get dressed for the wedding, you feel the mother daughter connection, and the song is beautiful. Baranski gets her big number with the funny "Does Your Mother Know?" which she performs to a young guy who has been making advances at her. It's the ultimate cougar anthem and moment in the film. Sophie and her fiance Sky played by Dominic Cooper (purrr-Dakin in The History Boys) have a seductive turned amusing beach number "Lay All Your Love on Me", and Walters gets to show off for one of the possible fathers with a funny "Take A Chance on Me". The movie's humor is funny in very straightforward, obvious ways. Everyone just looks like they are having so much fun and the Greek location is gorgeous. The ending is a typical musical everything tied up nicely and a little too quickly but that is alright because everyone ends up happy. Baranski and Walters are very funny as Donna's two best friends, and the three of them have a great banter and believable relationship (also their "Money, Money, Money" number is very funny). Streep is just wonderful. She really puts herself out there. She is like a little kid. It is a pleasure to watch her laugh, cry, sing, dance, and yell because she gives herself completely to the part. An amazing, stupendous performance. Mamma Mia! is sunny summer musical fun that will make you smile.

Music Update ALPHABEAT!

This is one of my favorite new bands, Alphabeat. They are Danish (love them already) and sing amazingly catchy pop songs. The lead singers (the blonde girl and boy in red sweater) are cute as a button. All their videos are full of color, and they all have very cool, bright style. The songs just make me happy.

Boyfriend-Their latest video. This song is really fun and the video is amusing. The lead boy singer is so funny. The lead girl is FIERCE. Also, I enjoy the backup dancers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqM6oLM63YE

Fascination-This was their first single in Denmark last summer and in the UK this year. It is a burst of joy and makes me want to jump around. Equally good backup dancers. The colors and clothes in this video are ridiculously awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8UxX5STKL4

10,000 Nights-Their second single. I really enjoy the lyrics to this song and when they say, whoa oh oh. I would.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySHHdO-YTK4

I love all their CLOTHES!

News Galore!

Rihanna performs in Morocco in a fierce outfit last week!















Mamma Mia! stars Meryl Streep and Dominic Cooper at a photo call for the movie in Sydney a few weeks ago. Two of my favorite people in one picture, one movie!





Chace Crawford of Gossip Girl at a Vitamin Water party in NYC last night
Blake Lively of Gossip Girl looking pretty at the premiere of The Dark Knight in NYC last night.








-Kate Hudson (queen of romantic comedy) has joined the cast of the film version of the musical Nine. The amazing cast already includes Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz (she is insanely awesome), Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard (Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose), Judi Dench (LOVE THAT WOMAN), and Sophia Loren. This is very exciting. It starts filming in the UK in Oct.

-The first trailer for High School Musical 3 was released the other day, and I know it's embarrassing that I'm posting it, but those dancing and singing kids always manage to get me. Except this trailer causes me to have mixed feelings. The dialogue in High School Musical is not good, and usually movie trailers feature dialogue so here we get some great lines such as "I'm better at saying goodbyes than you." and some stupid attempt at a joke about diplomas. I really enjoy the part when Vanessa "Sneakernight" Hudgens stands up in the crowd and she and Zac have that moment. Now that's awesomely bad amazingness. Also this movie looks really intense and epic. Also the deeve Ashley Tiz's amazing line at the end. Love her!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTjbX0o7xeg

-Maggie Gyllenhaal, one of my favorite actresses, looks gorgeous on the cover of the new issue of Marie Claire














Leighton Meester, the conniving and devilish Blair on Gossip Girl, in Greenwich Village last week wearing a pretty, flowy, summer dress.

Soothing Beauty

Here is a song by Annie, the soft voiced Norwegian dance pop singer I mentioned a few posts ago. It's called "Heartbeat", and it's so beautiful and you can groove to it. A win win situation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9Wf46tLonM

Music Update!!!

Solange-I Decided-Beyonce's younger sister returns with her second album which has the awesome title of "Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams". The first single is "I Decided" which is retro with its handclap beat and 60's girl group harmonies. This song is more daring than anything Beyonce has ever put out, and that's a good thing. The video is equally cool especially the first part set in the 60's and the makeup she wears in the futuristic part at the end is fierce!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD8wzrBLrLI

Dance Time

Norwegian dance-pop singer, Annie, is releasing a new album called Don't Stop in September. This is the first single, the groovy and fun "I Know Your Girlfriend Hates Me". I thought I posted this a few months ago, but I guess not. Enjoy this pop heaven!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=566k5h8M9f8&feature=user

Sam Sparro!

Sam Sparro has a new video for the latest UK single off his debut album: 21st Century Life. The video is very cool and clever. Also the song is funktastic!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVMwlP3J76U&feature=user

Music Update!!!

Here are some new R & B songs I'm loving:

Jennifer Hudson-Spotlight-First single from her debut album. This song has a great beat, clever lyrics, and is a little old fashioned sounding with the horns yet modern because of the groovy Ne-Yo/ Stargate-esque beat. She also sings it perfectly. It's written and co-produced by Ne-Yo along with co-production by duo Stargate (Take a Bow, So Sick, Beautiful Liar, Don't Stop the Music, Tattoo). Take a listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw50xPhFtd4&feature=related

Ne-Yo-Closer-This song is very current with the beat and darting lasers sound in the chorus. It's very catchy and gets faster and faster. His new album, Year of the Gentleman, is out in August. Here's the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUTh3OJjWjM&feature=related

Ferocious!

Here is the fiercest song of the summer by the deeve Lady GaGa. It's called Just Dance and boy, does it make me want to dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VyxJJDmxvQ&feature=related

Trailer!

Here's the trailer for the new adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited. The trailer is so good and juicy. The cast is quite wonderful. Hayley Atwell who played a femme fatale in Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream is the seductive sister, Matthew Goode who was in Woody Allen's Match Point is the friend who comes to visit this rich family's home, and the divine Emma Thompson is the matriarch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiX9CAuMF4

Hello Lover

French actor Gaspard Ulliel graces some new fashion ads (below with Kate Moss). Here are some other photos of him. He played Audrey Tautou's love in A Very Long Engagement among other roles.

Music Update!!!

Right now I'm currently loving the musical stylings of British soul singer ADELE.

This is the video for her song Cold Shoulder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGwH-x4VoH8

This was her big song in the UK awhile ago. It's called Chasing Pavements, and the video has a very cool concept.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz7vGW2_5c0

This is my favorite song by her. It's called Hometown Glory, and it's a beautiful piano ballad that a couple did an amazing dance to on So You Think You Can Dance this past week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCziT0ZWBDQ&feature=related

Also Phantom Planet has a song called "Do the Panic" off their new album Raise the Dead, and it's so catchy and fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p8DVxc16CA

SYTYCD

Here's an amazing dance from So You Think You Can Dance last week. Chelsie & Mark were ridiculously good.
http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=d71172d4-cd48-45d9-a680-68694fed3fd8

This week, they did a cool jazz style dance:
http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=d71172d4-cd48-45d9-a680-68694fed3fd8

Love Cat Deeley (the host), her hair looks so classy and I love the dress even though it's a bit tacky and cheeky. FIERCE!

Here is Katee and Joshua's beautiful and bizarre dance to Adele's gorgeous song Hometown Glory.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jCuAf5zq0o&eurl=http://bloggingsytycd.blogspot.com/

The Secret Life of the American Teenager

ABC Family's new drama, "The Secret Life of the American Teenager", premiered Tuesday night. I wasn't expecting anything good so I turned to the channel not really caring what I saw. Well, good thing I did because this show is so bad it's good. The main storyline centers around a 15 year old girl who gets pregnant at band camp. In this first episode she told her friends she was pregnant and went to the doctor. Other American teenagers at her school have their own stories. There's the nerd who's not really a nerd who loves the pregnant girl. The Christian girl who won't have sex with her Christian boyfriend until marriage. Of course, he wants to have sex so he calls up the school's resident ho, Adrien, who is kind of going out with Ricky (Daren Kagasoff), the band camp guy who impregnated the nice girl. Also, Molly Ringwald plays nice pregnant girl's mom. Almost every scene ended up talking about sex, and the dinner time scene with nice girl, her sister, mom, and dad was so forced and moralistic...loved it. The dad was lecturing nice girl's younger sister about her clothing and he ended up lecturing about sex and Molly Ringwald just said "Listen to your father" (great contribution to the group Molly!). Then nice girl's sister stands up and is wearing a belly shirt, and it was one of those come on moments. Also, nice girl's sister's line delivery is so flat and monotone...genius. Then Molly Ringwald asks, "Honey are you alright' and nice girl says what everyone says whenever asked that question on a TV show: "I'm just tired." WHAT!!! WHAT!! You are way more than tired sweetheart. Another superb scene was the one with nice pregnant girl and her friends in the bathroom with the pregnancy tests. Nice girl says "Life stinks." then her friend says "That's funny cause we're in a bathroom". I have no words. So then nerd is asking the new guidance counselor if he can join band so he can sex nice girl basically, and then he's like "Can I have a condom?" WHAT!!! Then, Ricky, band camp impregnater and resident man ho, is flirting with Christian girl, Adrien, and nice girl and I was like WHAT...i love you. He's my fave character also because he sees a psychiatrist for his sexual craziness. This guy is 15! How is he with all these women? Then it turns out he was sexually abused as a child. I think my favorite character is Adrien, the ho of the school. She is just so unbelievably outright suggestive. She bites an apple really seductively as she talks to Christian boy (subtle). Then, she's all sucking his face, outside the church dance, and Grace's (Christian girl) mentally retarded brother sees them, yells Grace, and everyone comes running out except for nice pregnant girl and the nerd who are still dancing because they are in love. Also, the girl who plays pregnant girl has the same expression on her face the whole time. One more ting: one of pregnant girls super smart friends is all like: "Why don't you go out with the nerd and have sex with him then, tell him you're pregnant and you could get married?" Brilliant! Way to go! I officially love this show and how ridiculously bad it is. Morals much?

Daren Kagasoff (Ricky) below

Sam Sparro!

One of my favorite new artists as mentioned in an earlier post did a jazzy cover of Estelle's already amazing American Boy. His cardigan and glasses are adorable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra6t2n1H7KU

Mamma Mia!

Meryl Streep looks divine at the world premiere of Mamma Mia! in London yesterday.

Dominic Cooper was there too.

Disturbia Video Shoot

Judging from these pictures from the set of Rihanna's new video for Disturbia, it is going to be one weird video with some fierce outfits. The song is very dark so the video should suit that. I'm loving her outfit here.