A Plethora of Music

This post has been in development for ages. Sorry I haven't updated in forever.

Alexandra Burke ft. Pitbull-All Night Long
Definition of a feel good song. Alexandra Burke has released three splendid singles in a row. This is out in May in the UK. I adore her. Way more fun than Leona Lewis who is still in the corner bleeding love.


Sia-Clap Your Hands
I've never really been a huge fan of Sia, but when I heard this piece of giddy, good time joy I couldn't help but succumb. This song which is produced by Greg Kurstin ( who did great work on Lily Allen's second album, Little Boots debut album, Marina and the Diamonds splendiferous song Oh No!, and is a member of The Bird and the Bee) and it has a funky bassline. Kurstin is the primary producer for Sia's album which comes out June 22. It's supposed to be a fun album. Can't wait. Boogie down to this for the moment.


Kate Nash-Do-Wah-Doo

Kate Nash is back. Her new album, My Best Friend is You was released in April. This is the first single, Do-Wah-Doo. It's short and features some plinky plonky piano and is extremely catchy. As many of noted, it's a bit of a new sound for her with its Motown girl group edge and old school guitar line. Welcome back, Kate.


Mini Viva-One Touch
This song is completely frantic, busy, coy, winking, and all gussied up and it crashed and burned on the UK charts last month. It's well-constructed/built and giddy, shimmy-inducing. The chorus is Peeps exploding with happiness in the microwave. A pop collage or a puzzle that fits together swimmingly. Enjoy.



The Pipettes-Stop the Music
British gal group The Pipettes revived the 50's and 60's gal group sound back in 2006 albeit with a sexy, cheeky, kinky edge with their fun debut album. Now they are back as a duo and this is the first single off their new album called Earth vs. The Pipettes which is out in June. Stop the Music kind of gallops along through the verses, sounding like its on the verge of bowling over. It's got trumpets, bongo-like, effervescent drums and a funky groove going. It's a new direction for them. Can't wait for the album. Check out Who Made You the Doctor? as well.



-M.I.A. will release her third album, Maya, on July 13! I can't wait. (Thanks to Pretty Much Amazing). A recent article about her in the New York Times magazine did not please Miss M.I.A. so she put the author's phone number on her Twitter. I thought the article was very interesting, well-written, and an honest, intriguing representation of M.I.A., but words were twisted and M.I.A. did not like Lynn Hirschberg's interpretation/rendering of her I guess. Judge for yourself here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/magazine/30mia-t.html?ref=magazine

-Kylie Minogue is back! The new album has the superbly camp title, Aphrodite, and the first single is All the Lovers. All the Lovers is moving, metallic, like a Herve Leger dress, one of the skyscrapers in its video, and resplendent pop. It's one of those songs where the beauty of dance-pop shines through similar to Robyn's new song Dancing on My Own and you are unexpectedly emotionally awakened. The chorus is glorious, smooth, soft, gentle, reassuring, comforting, personal, hopeful and incredibly sweet. The beat that weaves in and out, up and down in the verses is very effective. It makes you want to fall in love, fall in love and dance to this song with your boyfriend or girlfriend. This song makes me want to giggle with dizzying, Ellie Goulding-ish "starry-eyed" energy. And the video, released last night, is a kooky, peculiar and very sensual love shack. It includes a pile of lovers and couples in their undergarments and Kylie is on top being Kylie. Behind all the sexy stuff, the "forget your troubles and obligations and go love" subtext is pleasant. It's quite scintillating. This album is going to change the orbit of my core being.




Alphabeat-DJ

The next single in the UK off their second album, The Beat Is... This has really grown on me. It's giddy and super, super fun. I hope this is a hit for them because their other two singles from this album haven't done that well in the charts. This is a great spring/summer party, feel good song. Danish joy.



Kele-Tenderoni
Bloc Party goes solo with this amazing, delectable dance track. Immediately awesome. Infectious.

Thanks to We are Pop Slags, MuuMuse, Pitchfork, XO Middle Eight, Chart Rigger, It's Getting Boring by the Sea, Pretty Much Amazing, and Perez for all the info.

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.

Music Update!

Sorry I haven't posted in forever. Here's some music.

JLS-One Shot
UK boy band wonder, JLS, will unleash their third single, One Shot, across the pond next month. It's a very good, satisfying piece of modern pop sleekness. Like most of their videos, this one features the boys dancing except this time they have wicked sick microphones that appear and disappear. I'm totally into this song after a couple of listens. It's nothing new, but it hits all the right buttons: semi-emotive singing, repetition of words in the chorus (watch this moment go by eeey eeeye), an intro where you think the whole thing is going to be a standard piano ballad then some crazy synths surprise you and the groove begins, and also the reference to Boys Like Girls obnoxiously catchy, Love Drunk as well as the lyric: "She's the kinda girl boys read about in magazines, glossy magazines". I'm really impressed about the use of glossy in a song. Great single from the boys.


Alexandra Burke-Broken Heels
This single is the definition of campy and I love every second of it. Alexandra Burke has thankfully proven herself to be the opposite of fellow X Factor winner, Leona Lewis. Burke's songs are upbeat rushes of pop amazingness (see last year's Bad Boys). Broken Heels is produced by RedOne (Lady GaGa's frequent collaborator) and for once, a song he produces isn't instantly recognizable as a RedOne song. There are plinky plonky piano keys and an overall sound that don't just make it sound like Just Dance, Part 2. The song is a thundering beast though especially when we get into that chorus. Alexandra knocks another one out of the park. This is a good collaboration that appears to be continuing as it was reported last week that Alexandra is working on some new songs with Mr. RedOne. Also, the video: hilarious and genius at the same time. Girl can dance!


Fenech-Soler-Lies
A UK band I seriously have my eye on for 2010 are Fenech-Soler. They make sublimely funky electro-pop. Here's their most straightforwardly catchy song yet, Lies. How awesome is that high note Ben Duffy hits in the chorus when he sings LIES! They have two EP's out on iTunes that are both very good. Check out their song Airbrushed. Also, they have two other songs up on their myspace called Stop and Stare and Golden Sun. Golden Sun has a sexy horn undercurrent. All their songs are immensely likable and ever so different so as not to seem like every other band out there who likes to mix some electro in with their guitars and drums. Can't wait for a full album.
http://www.myspace.com/fenechsoler
Awesome glittery, silver cardigan in the video!


The Drums-I Felt Stupid
This is one of the bands I'm most excited about for 2010. These fellas from New York (they moved there recently from Florida) have a melange of sounds going on: down-on-the-beach-on-a-summer's-day guitar giddiness as well as 80's drama and melancholy drenched vocals from blonde-haired lead singer, Jonathan Pierce. You've heard these sounds before on Oldies 103.3 with the Beach Boys and any 80's song of your choice, but these guys use their influences to great effect especially on this gem, I Felt Stupid, which has a sweet chorus complete with yes, word repetition, (Ha Ha Ha Heart!) and a splendid bit where Pierce sings "And have I lived my life too selfishly baby". See the track and field-themed video below. Check out all their other songs on their myspace. Instruct Me is quite lovely and Submarine demonstrates the Happy Days/ 80's smoothie the boys like to make.
http://www.myspace.com/thedrumsforever


Plan B-Stay Too Long
British rapper makes old school R&B/soul and rap hybrid to strange and quite great effect.

The Monster Ball In Boston, Dec. 1

Okay, yes I admit, this blog is turning into a GaGa fan land. I'll try to cut back a little. But first allow me to gush about the amazing Monster Ball show I saw in Boston on Tuesday night. Walking into the stunning Wang Theater on Tremont Street, you just knew this was going to be a good night. People were dressed up in snazzy outfits and the GaGa t-shirts were clever and visually glorious. Upon reaching our seats on the lower right side of the theater we watched Kid Cudi do his last song. Then, as they set up the Monster Ball stage, we watched as a dance party commenced to classic Michael Jackson being played over the speakers. People were dancing in the aisles. The man in front of me was MJ-ing it up and lip-syncing along to "Bad" with conviction and another young guy in suspenders and a t-shirt was doing some sort of dance that may have been the worm (probably not, I couldn't really see all his moves). When the intro GaGa video started playing the crowd started freaking out, me included, then the countdown clock started and I just couldn't wait. She appeared doing "Dance in the Dark" off her new album, and I was beyond excited. The Lady performed for two splendid hours. The costumes were daring and bizarre while the dancing had elements of Broadway and vaudeville. Highlights included: "Monster", off the new album as well, which involved a backdrop with demented, twisted trees and a black feathered costume for GaGa, a wonderfully choreographed version of the raw "Teeth", a sexual tormented love affair dance to campy "Alejandro" complete with a sassy cigarette (which I just noticed was there in a close-up video), "Boys Boys Boys" with GaGa wearing a black leotard-type outfit with a gun strapped across her chest and some male dancers grabbing their crotches and grinding while wearing black suspenders and pants, fun versions of The Fame (complete with shielding face from fame hand movements) and Beautiful, Dirty, Rich (remixed with great choreography including a funny don't mess with me crotch gesture). There was a slight lull when she did some of her lesser known songs such as Paper Gangsta (which did have a cool dentist chair, dead female dancer thing going on) and Fashion (good nonetheless-male dancer in high-heeled black boots). Perhaps one of the greatest moments of the night was one GaGa sat at her piano and played a fantastic, moving version of Speechless, her new ballad about her Dad. She had us sing along and was very touched when we knew all the words to the chorus. Poker Face on piano was also terrific featuring GaGa doing her usual crazy piano antics: crouching on her piano bench, standing on her piano bench, striking what seemed to be a yoga pose while we all cheered, and playing the keys with her sassy high heels (she did that at the House of Blues in March as well). When she played Speechless was when all the emotions I'd been feeling since the show started came out. I started crying. I think it was one of those moments of pop euphoria where you pretty much surrender to the music and performer. I was holding back emotion from the moment she appeared on stage. I felt uninhibited. I screamed, I sang along, I danced. Paparazzi was a dramatic staging with GaGa coming out in a black coat with super long, blonde braids and sitting in a hanging scaffold filled with theater equipment. She was lifted up while in the hanging scaffolding as she sang and her Rapunzel-like braids were cut with giant scissors by some male dancers. The high of the show had to be the Bad Romance conclusion though. When the song started, the whole theater went crazy. GaGa did the weird and amazing choreography from the video in white pants, a black bustier of sorts, and a white jacket with comically high shoulder pads. It was ferocious. We put our monster claws up in the air and danced with abandon. Throughout the whole show, GaGa had brief video interludes while she changed costumes. The best one involved GaGa in a white dress seemingly made of paper posing then another version of GaGa with dark hair (who I originally thought was an Asian model) spits up greenish liquid onto the white dress. The spit up occurs again and again. It is out there, but brilliant. Another clip involved GaGa wearing various masks (gas mask, torture masks, African masks?). One involved her smoking a cigarette through the whole in a gas mask or a diving mask. The last video we saw followed Bad Romance and was of her getting a tattoo that apparently said the word "Fans" within her heart. And boy, did GaGa profess to loving her fans throughout the show. She also had some great, zany quotes per usual (not all which I can post...scandalous!). Here are some: "I hate the truth. Give me a load of bulls**** any day.", "When I went around the world, people asked me 'GaGa, what did you see?' and I said (dramatic turn around) ' I saw monsters'", "Is this Menthol?", "Do you think I'm sexy? I think you're sexy.", "My mom's here tonight...she's like me but normal,", "I went to get a large coffee yesterday and the man at the counter didn't say anything. He gave me my coffee and said 'See you tonight' (the Lady then snaps and turns around imitating the sassy fan). That is a Lady GaGa fan." She also had a quote about Boston and certain male appendages. She has a whirlwind of an onstage persona. She screams and yells for us to scream which we do because what else would you do when GaGa asks you something like that. She lies on the stage with her legs in the air pretending to be Tinker Bell and we have to scream and cheer to bring her back to life. She commands us to show her our teeth. Also, her dancers were all superb especially two male dancers (one who was Mark from So You Think You Can Dance season 4). Mark was always the kooky, weird modern dancer on SYTYCD and GaGa is the perfect person for him to dance for. He fits her vision and gets completely into character. Many of the male dancers had a masculine and feminine side that came out in different numbers. Sometimes they flitted about the stage and sometimes they were grounded and firm. It was a fantastic change from song to song or set of songs to set of songs. The Monster Ball was an experience filled with camp, sex, fierce costumes (the revealing sexy golden Egyptian style outfit), the solar system set piece, and real artistic vision. I was moved or laughed at GaGa's vision at various points. She's very serious about her art, but also you have to take everything with a grain of salt. She's self-aware. What a night! What a crowd of lovable GaGa loons.

Bravo GaGa! Ooh, la, la!

(Thanks to CEG and GaGa Daily for the photos)

Here's the dual GaGa video interlude

Brilliant.