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