The Ting Tings Smell Up a New Song and Collaboration, New Album Due in January

You have NO idea how excited I am to hear new material from Jules De Martino and Katie White...AKA The Ting Tings! Their 2008 debut album, We Started Nothing was one of my most listened to albums when it first came out here in the U.S. in June. Nearly EVERY single track on the album was singleworthy (in my book) and 6/10 were actually singles. Fancy that. New single, "Hands," which came out in the UK on October 11th was written by the Tings themselves and mixed by the uber-talented Calvin Harris, debuting at #29 on the UK charts. If you haven't yet caught the Warren Fu-directed video (which premiered on September 5th) check that out HERE. Additionally, look out for an impressive remix package from Wideboys, Ralphi Rosario, Michael Woods and Mixin Marc.

"Hands" is the first single released off of the bands' sophomore effort, which is due out sometime in January 2011. While we're waiting for the new album to drop, check out a new track called "We're Not The Same" and scope out the cool behind-the-scenes footage of The Ting Tings.



Turns out that the video and song are being used in a new promotional campaign for a new Tommy Hilfiger scent called LOUD. To celebrate the new fragrance, you can go and download the full version of "We're Not The Same" HERE. The track was written and produced with the scent in mind.  The perfumers Aurelian Guichard and Yann Vasnier describe LOUD for her as "fragile, explosive and tormented." LOUD is available for both him and her.
This whole campaign seems like BRILLIANT marketing to me, especially for a band that's getting ready to release a new record. Considering the band broke after "Shut Up and Let Me Go" appeared in an Apple commercial, this relationship with Tommy Hilfiger makes sense. According to the press release:

"The music platform for LOUD is what connects youth. It transcends culture, geography and background. Music is the common language they speak. The scents themselves, the bold rock and roll rose and the deep, sensuous patchouli, were created to build over time, like a song that has a great hook. Everything about the project connects to the music elements and the relationship with The Ting Tings truly represents the spirit and energy of LOUD."

In addition to having the band perform at the scent's official launch in Berlin a couple of weeks ago, Tommy.com also unveiled LOUD Radio..."the first digital radio with HD sound dedicated to a fragrance and the spirit of creative collaboration." Um. Amazing! The station plays artsits selected "because their DNA is simiar to Tommy's brand." Sounds like Tommy knows what he's doing here and I like what I smell. Now...bring on the new Ting Tings album please!

Check out The Ting Tings on the web:

Official Site//MySpace//Facebook//Twitter//VEVO

Check out LOUD by Tommy Hilfiger on the web:

Official Site//Facebook//Twitter

Hot Video Alert: Darin - Lovekiller

Remember a couple of months ago when I posted about Swedish pop star Darin? No? Well here's a refresher. The 23 year old singer/songwriter first rose to fame in his native country back in 2004 when he appeared on the first season of Idol - Sweden's version of American Idol.

Back in August, Darin released Lovekiller, his 5th studio album, his 4th #1 record and his first album with Universal Music. The album's title track and 4th single peaked at #6 on the Swedish Chart and up until now has gone without a music video. Well folks...the wait was worth it. The video for "Lovekiller" has finally premiered and it's epic. The video starts out with a crime scene. Darin is lying dead in a park, surrounded by police cars, police and crime scene investigators. Darin opens his eyes and starts singing. Amazing! And it just gets better.  The video really plays like a movie.
Unlike Diana Vickers' "The Boy Who Murdered Love," Darin's "Lovekiller" takes this analogy to a much darker, bloodier place. No cartoon arrows through hearts in this video, just plenty of blood and gore. According to Pop In Stereo, the video for "Lovekiller" is Darin's priciest video to date. Perhaps THAT'S why it's the first single off of the album to get a music video? Also worth a look, here are some some cool photos taken during the video's shoot this past August. Also worth a listen...this dance remix by Steffwell. "Lovekiller" was written and produced by Darin and Tony Nilsson. Check out the video below. Just in time for Halloween!

Check out Darin on the web:

Official Site//MySpace//Facebook//VEVO//YouTube

Hot Video Alert: Katharine McPhee - Say Goodbye

Katharine McPhee's most recent album Unbroken is most definitely one of my favorite albums recorded by a past American Idol contestant.  In fact, I think it's pretty safe to say that McPhee is one of my favorite singers to graduate from the Fox reality series. While her first album was a big, fat flop - both commercially and critically, she more than made up for those Top 40 missteps when recording her Adult Contemporary sophomore follow up.  Turns out that Verve was the right place for her all along.  When she left the Sony Family and joined up with Verve I KNEW good things were on the horizon...and after watching her newest music video for "Say Goodbye," it looks like I was right!

An emotionally charged ballad, "Say Goodbye" has a lot of sentimental meaning for me, especially around this time of year.  The one year anniversary of my mother's passing is fast approaching and "Say Goodbye" was a song that helped get me through everything.  I listened to it on repeat last winter and while it's clear from watching the video (beautifully directed by Judson Pearce Morgan and starring House actor Jesse Spencer) that it's about suicide, I think the lyrics can be applied to any sort of loss.  The very poignant video features a newly Brunette McPhee looking all sad and lonely as she remembers her lost love played by Jesse Spencer.

Also worth mentioning, Katharine McPhee recently put out her first holiday album, titled Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You.  The album bowed in #11 on the Billboard Top Holiday Albums Chart, selling over 1,000 copies in its first week.  Pick it up today if you're feeling festive.  In the meantime, check out the sweet, sad video for "Say Goodbye" below:

Check out Katharine McPhee on the web:

Official Site//MySpace//Facebook//Twitter//VEVO

Girlicious Attempt to Pick Up The Pieces with New Album

From classy to trashy. I cover it all here on Music Is My King Size Bed. Being the reality TV junkie that I am, I've been following super slutty girl group Girlicious (made up of Nichole Cordova, Natalie Mejia and Chrystina Sayers) since their sordid days on that low-rated, critically panned music competition on the WB/CW... The Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious. Since 2008 they've had a moderately successful career in Canada but have yet to release anything more than a digital EP and a song taken off of the Jersey Shore soundtrack ("Drank").

The girls' saucy, not-so-sophisticated debut self-titled album peaked at #2 on the Canadian album charts and produced two Top 20 tracks ("Like Me," "Stupid Shit"). The first official single, "Like Me" peaked at #4 in Canada while low-grade B-Side "Stupid Shit" managed to scrape in a #20. Third single "Baby Doll" only managed to make it to #55. After the departure of original member Tiffanie Anderson, a label switch (from Geffen to Universal Music Canada) the girls began work on their sophomore effort, releasing "Over You," "Maniac" and "2 In The Morning." The latter, released at the end of August, made it all the way up to #38 and stalled. I honestly don't understand where these girls are going wrong. Granted, there's nothing GROUNDBREAKINGLY original about their sound (they were formed by Pussycat Dolls/Paradiso Girls founder Robin Antin) but their singles have all been moderately catchy. I am liking their more electro-pop sound (versus the urban pop sound of their debut) but I guess it's not making much of an impact North of the border.

Rebuilt, the girls' sophomore effort, is due for release on November 22nd in Canada and is currently available for Pre-Order on the official Girlicious website. The CD also features the album's tracklisting:

Face The Light
Maniac
Grinding
2 in the Morning
Unlearn Me
Wake Up
Sorry Mama
What My Mama Don’t Know
Over You
Hate Love

Noticeably absent from the album? "Drank" - their addition to the Jersey Shore soundtrack. How disappointing! The light at the end of the tunnel for me is that there are remixes coming out soon for second single, "Maniac." Check out the CCW Radio edit here, originally Tweeted by Sayers. If this album doesn't do it for the girls, nothing probably will. The girls Facebooked/Tweeted recently:

"Girlicious is stronger than ever and here to stay! R new record, tour announcement & much more coming! We luv R fans! Werk!" 

I hope this all means good things for the girls. I'd love nothing more than to see them succeed. I'm just keepin' it real.

Check out Girlicious on the web:

Official Site//MySpace//Facebook//Twitter//VEVO