Britney Spears Releases Lyric Video for Fourth Single, 'Criminal'

Hey hey! Britney Spears has released a lyric video for her fourth single, "Criminal," and while I'd rather watch the music video (obviously) I'll take what I can get. The only REAL ballad on Femme Fatale, "Criminal" was written by Tiffany Amber (Allison Iraheta, Britney Spears) and written/produced by Max Martin (Robyn, Kelly Clarkson) and Shellback (P!nk, Adam Lambert).  "Criminal" follows three top ten singles ("Hold It Against Me" - #1, "Till The World Ends" - #3, "I Wanna Go" - #7), all taken from her Billboard 200 #1 album Femme Fatale, released this past March.  To date the song has peaked at #28 on Billboard's US Pop Songs chart, after having been officially released to mainstream pop radio on October 11th.

The forthcoming music video for "Criminal" was filmed in London and directed by Chris Marrs Piliero (Ke$ha's "Blow"; Britney Spears' "I Wanna Go"; Ashley Tisdale's "Be Good To Me").  Spears filmed the video in "merry old England" while there for her European tour.  "Criminal" was apparently the first music video Spears has ever shot outside of the States.  Despite it not even being released yet, the video already has a bit of controversy brewing around it.  The concept of the video has Spears' and real life boyfriend, Jason Trawick, going on a Bonnie and Clyde-style crime spree all across London, which garnered criticism from the Hackney London Borough Council, who criticised Spears for "promoting gun violence."  Under normal circumstances I highly doubt anyone would have batted an eye lash, but given the severity of the recent 2011 riots that plagued London (this area in particular) filming a video of this nature was just bad timing on Spears' part.  Britney's camp dismissed the controversy, claiming that the song was written long before the riots ever took place.  "Criminal" will premiere on VEVO October 20th.

The single was chosen after it won a poll on Spears' official Facebook page where she asked fans to vote. Like most Britney Spears "ballads," "Criminal" took a little time to sink in before I really started loving it. Then, with the release of the radio edit I was completely sold. The guitar-driven mid tempo track is definitely different than anything Spears has released as a single before. I particularly love that distinctive flute-sound heard throughout the song. That sound is very reminiscent of the Native American flute popularized by new age groups like Enigma, Enya and others. Check out the lyric video for Spears' new single below and download it on iTunes HERE. You can also snag the single version of the song on Britney's new remix compilation, B In The Mix: The Remixes Volume 2, available HERE on iTunes.

Check out Britney Spears on the web:

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

Paloma Faith In Search of a Producer; Writing for Sophomore Album 'Pretty Much There'

PHOTO CREDIT: MariSarai.com

English singer/songwriter Paloma Faith's last release seems like FOREVER ago!  It has in fact almost been a year since she released the sixth and final single, "Smoke & Mirrors," off her top ten debut album Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful?  Since then, I've been eagerly anticipating word on Faith's sophomore album...word that finally came last Wednesday.  In an October 12th update on her official blog, Faith checks in with her fans and addresses the delay.  The reason, it appears, was a little reshuffling within her label (Epic/Sony).  Check what Paloma has to say here:

Dear lovely ones, It’s been a while since I wrote because I haven’t really felt like I have had a huge amount to report on but I didn’t want you all to think I’d disappeared off the face of this earth so I am here now writing to you! So here’s some solid info after all this time…. Basically most of the people who ran my record label left which meant that I was on my own beavering away with very little assistance for a while, while they put all the new people in place. Now they have done that I have a brand spanking new team and everyone is very helpful and excited. This inevitably set me back a little bit but now all is back on track and I am pretty much there with the writing. I am doing little bits and bobs still but my main aim now is to find the right producer and actually start recording it! I am kind of nervous and excited at the same time and gagging to get back on tour and promoting some new material but obviously I was a bit way laid by all the change at the label. Good news is, I am very excited about it and am aiming for it to be a goodun (just need to find the producer).... I simply cannot wait anymore to start playing it to you so will [banana] well get on with it! Love and miss you all! Paloma x

So it sounds like Paloma is in search of a producer for her new album. No problem, right? I mean who wouldn't want to work with Faith!  She has a big voice and a big personality to match.  Faith's debut album was produced by the ever-fabulous Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Sia, Kylie Minogue). The album debuted at #9 on the UK Album Charts back in September of 2009 and spawned two top 20 singles, including her debut single "Stone Cold Sober" (#17) and follow up single "New York" (#15).  While subsequent singles, "Upside Down" (#55), "New York" featuring Ghostface Killah (#44), "Smoke & Mirrors" (#140) and the album's title track (#64) failed to make sparks on singles chart, the fact that she got 6 singles is pretty impressive in and of itself.

With the right producer and promotion, Paloma Faith's sophomore effort could be a hit.  I just hope and pray her label doesn't screw her over.  It sounds like she's got a good team in place at her label, one that believes in her and her brand so fingers crossed!  This lady deserves all of the success in the world and I can't wait to hear what she has to offer our ears in 2012.

Check out Paloma Faith on the web:

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