I WANT YOUR PSYCHO

Lady GaGa's new single, Bad Romance, from the re-release of The Fame (entitled The Fame: Monster) was premiered on UK radio station BBC Radio 1 this morning and it is a beast! It's another RedOne collaboration (he produced most of The Fame notably Just Dance and Poker Face), and they evolve their signature sound with this fortress of a pop tune. Bad Romance comes at you fast and it hits hard. GaGa sings as if she's singing a hard rock tune, but it works with the song's intensity. The chorus is fantastic and soaring and as XO Middle Eight blogger wrote last week: "The chorus is beautiful. When she actually sings in a full, throaty voice she transforms into a sort of Eurodisco Joan Baez,". GaGa digs into her grimy lyrics making them sound raw and primal (and she sings in French at one point). The "oh oh oh" part of the chorus is stunning and extremely catchy. The album version has a lovely intro that I wish was part of the radio edit. In short, Bad Romance practically compels the listener to react whether that be through dancing or singing along or turning the volume up as high as it will go. This is a song to blast. This song bodes well for her future and shows how her sound has expanded over the course of a year. Simply magnificent. Also check out that single cover. It's so weird yet awesome at the same time. I love how we can't see her face, and that red fabric just pops! Great font!

The Fame: Monster will include 8 new songs (yay!) and will be released on Nov. 24, 2009! She starts a new tour, The Monster Ball Tour, in November.

Full Version

Lady GaGa + SNL

Saturday night Lady GaGa preceded to steal Saturday Night Live from its host, Ryan Reynolds the other night. She appeared with Madonna in the Deep House Dish skit, and they got into a mock catfight. The most exciting moment was when Keenan Thompson announced them and they had their backs to the audience and we weren't sure whether it was really them or not. Then it was! Awesome moment. Then, GaGa did a good version of Paparazzi complete with a dangerously red "outfit" leotard thing. Her male backup dancer was really into it. She did a fantastic medley of LoveGame, a little bit of her new song Bad Romance, and a sweet and moving piano version of Poker Face devoted to her hometown of New York all while wearing a bizarre solar system around her waist. Her voice was in fine form. Overall, it was glorious. The last thing she did was a skit with Andy Samberg that was a send-up of the bubble dress she wore on her Fame Ball Tour. They were both wearing the bubble dresses and attempting to kiss each other. It was pretty funny. GaGa was very likable and even though she's not the greatest actress, I ended up loving her more than I already do by the end of the episode. Also, she looked pretty with her long, flowing blond hair.







P.S. Her debut album The Fame will be released as The Fame Monster on Nov. 24 with new songs! The first single from it will be Bad Romance which I can't wait to hear the studio version of.

Crazy Sexy Cool

Carrie Underwood has released a delectable new single called Cowboy Casanova. I kind of knew I would love it from the title. It's a warning tune to all the gals out there who might fall for this "devil in disguise". The guitar riffs are down and dirty, and Carrie's vocals are gritty, low, and spot on. The whoa oh chorus just makes it better. Great lyrics as well. It's country, but not too twangy that I was turned off. Carrie looks good in the video in her saloon-esque outfits. She reminds me a little of Reese Witherspoon in it.



Britney Spears is releasing another Greatest Hits in November, and she's come out with a new single to hype it up. It's called 3 and I'll let you guess what it's about. I originally thought it was pretty weak, but after another listen its pop genius was revealed to me. The chorus is dumb, cheeky, campy, and catchy as hell. The lyrics are super sexual and pretty awesomely hilarious especially the whole Peter, Paul, and Mary reference. The best parts are the bridge before the chorus where Brit sings: "Are you in in? Living in sin is the new thing." and the middle eight where everything slows down. The producer is Brit's partner in crime, Max Martin who gave us If U Seek Amy, Stronger, Oops...I Did It Again, and Baby One More Time and he ups the camp and gleeful sexual hints to a new high. A super fun electro-pop romp.

Gleeks Unite

Glee proved itself this week with its episode entitled "Preggers". I've enjoyed Fox's new musical dramedy since it's sneak preview back in May, but this past week's episode really showed me how great the show was. It was the best episode so far. It was funny, sad, moving, and full of wonderful dancing and singing. Beyonce's Single Ladies dance played an essential role in the episode which revolved around gay glee club member Kurt trying out for the football team to make his Dad proud. The episode opens with Kurt performing a splendid black and white homage to Beyonce's original video complete with gal pal backup dancers. His Dad comes down to see him rehearsing this number and the girls with Kurt end up lying him into being on the football team. Kurt enlists the help of fellow glee club member Finn who is already on the football team (which is a terrible team by the way). Kurt tries out for kicker and warms up to Single Ladies before he makes an amazing kick and is put on the team. There are a few subplots going on here too. The best revolves around mean girl cheerleader Quinn's pregnancy. What i like about Glee is how it takes characters like Quinn who you think are one-note caricatures and turns them into people you really feel for. And the way Quinn's reveal to Finn was shot with a close-up of her face from Finn's perspective with him getting overwhelmed and not really being able to fully understand what she's saying because he's so shocked, was very effective. Also, scene stealer Jane Lynch continues to be hilarious as the cheerleading coach who now has her own segment on the local news. Jayma Mays of Ugly Betty is cute and likable as Glee club teacher Will's (Matthew Morrison) germaphobe crush. The whole cast is immensely talented. The football team's dance to Single Ladies was a high point of the episode. I'm completely on board now. And Kurt's coming out scene to his Dad was sweet and moving. Kurt has really been developed as a character since the first episode. He's not a caricature of a gay teen anymore. Sure he's campy and loves singing and dancing, but he is also a great football player. In Glee's world, you can do anything you want as long as you make it your own like Kurt did.

Tidbits

-La Roux's #1 UK single, Bulletproof, is the US iTunes free download of the week and their album became available digitally in the US yesterday. I bought it already knowing it's amazing from listening to rips of the songs on YouTube. Check it out. It's very 80's electro but the lyrics are good and the songs, catchy. The album is currently #21 on the US iTunes chart. Congrats, La Roux! They're performing their first Boston show on October 27th.

-The Saturdays' new album, out Oct. 12 in the UK, will be called Wordshaker, not the hilarious Colonial Masses as Wikipedia erroneously reported. The album cover could have been the gals rocking some serious colonial garb with bonnets and aprons and a complete lack of sexiness. The actual album cover is cool and slightly kooky involving dramatic pieces of fabric and bizarre hair pieces. This and the Forever is Over cover are beautiful images, but the slightly odd choice of the album's photo theme is a little forced. It declares: "Hey, we can do crazy stuff with our hair because we are making a second album that is pretty crazy and different. What you think about that?" It's similar to the look the Sugababes sported in their Denial video last year. Anyway, I'm excited for the album. It's the sophomore album test.

Sugababes Update

Keisha Buchanan (far right in picture), the only original member of Sugababes remaining after two line up changes over the past decade, has left the group according to many media outlets. She is being replaced by Jade Ewen, a young singer who represented the UK in the campy European song contest, Eurovision this year. Jade's debut single My Man was released today in the UK. Apparently, Keisha will become a solo artist now. This really saddens me. Rumors were circulating last week that Amelle (far left) who joined the group in Dec. 2005 would be leaving the group, but I'm very surprised to see Keisha leaving. She seemed to be the spokeswoman for the group. She was honest, opinionated, and talkative. Reading her twitter page is quite fun. Music news website Digital Spy reports that the Babes new album, Sweet 7, will still be released in the UK on Nov. 23. Here's what Keisha had to say on her twitter regarding her departure: "Although it was not my choice to leave, it's time to enter a new chapter in my life. I have nothing but positive things to say about the girls and I wish them the best of luck. I would like to state that there were no arguments, bullying or anything of the sort that led to this.

"Sometimes a break down in communication and lack of trust can result in many different things. I would also like to point out that I have always supported the girls and they have also supported me."

She added: "I want to thank the Sugababes fans and my fans for all your support and all who have never judged me, but accepted me for who I am... The feisty, funny, professional, fearless motor mouth. This is not the end... but the beginning!"

(quote and other article info courtesy of Twitter and DigitalSpy.co.uk)

With Keisha, the one constant mainstay in the group since its origins, gone, I don't know who will be the charismatic cheerleader of the group. Heidi Range (blondie in middle) is rather reserved so maybe Amelle can step up. She's got a cool, edgy haircut after all. Jade Ewen can't do it. She needs to prove herself first. She has HUGE HUGE stilettos to fill.

Another thing to note is that the Babes' upcoming single, About A Girl, the second release from the new album is much better than the "meh" Get Sexy. About a Girl is produced by Lady GaGa's partner in crime, RedOne (Fire Burning as well). His style doesn't totally overwhelm the track which can happen when he works with other artists. The song stomps along in the verses then has a chanting, sing-a-long chorus. The best, most sublime pop moment of the whole track is the splendid middle eight from about 2:10 to 2:37. Here are the lyrics for this glorious pop moment:

Girls bring the fun of life,
sugar like apple pie,
take a trip to paradise,
let’s have a party-oh!

Beauty like you never saw,
take your number never call,
bite the apple take your heart,
let’s have a party-oh!

Have a listen. Can you say irresistible kiss-off?



It's a fun, likeable tune that really grows on you. It will be re-recorded with Jade Ewen's vocals. Again sad news about Keisha. Wish you luck, Babes and Keisha.

Don't Stop Shakira!

Shakira gave two great performances on network TV this past week. She performed her second single of her upcoming album She Wolf on Jimmy Kimmel Live. It's called Did it Again. It's quite wonderful and danceable. It's poppy but doesn't really sound like the other electro-dance-pop songs out there now. As with everything she does, Shakira puts her own stamp on it. The middle eight after the second chorus has what sounds to me for some reason like an Asian influence with the pulsing synth. I love the way the verses and the presence of the drums throughout. The chorus soars with Shakira singing "Can't believe it" followed by her chanting of "eh, eh, eh," then getting quieter with "aha, aha, aha". It is as good as She Wolf. I'm very excited for the album.

Did It Again-Jimmy Kimmel



She Wolf-America's Got Talent

This performance is original, sexy, and quintessential Shakira. This song is fantastic.