[Review] Adele - Skyfall

James Bond theme songs have always held a special place in my heart, which shouldn't come as a big surprise to anyone, given my passion for both music and film.  With the recent release of Adele's own Bond stunner, "Skyfall," the 24-year old English chanteuse finds herself sitting pretty among some of my favorite Bond singers, including Shirley Bassey ("Goldfinger," "Diamonds Are Forever," & "Moonraker"), Paul McCartney & Wings ("Live & Let Die"), Carly Simon ("Nobody Does It Better"), Sheena Easton ("For Your Eyes Only"), Tina Turner ("Goldeneye") and Garbage ("The World Is Not Enough").  Written by Adele and Paul Epworth (Florence + The Machine, Lana Del Rey, Adele), "Skyfall" is easily the best James Bond theme song since 1999's EPIC rock-tinged "The World Is Not Enough," and a worthy addition to the lineage. 

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[Concert Review] Paloma Faith Live at Joe's Pub

PHOTO CREDIT: Music Is My King Size Bed

My 3 plus year dream of seeing UK pop-soul chanteuse Paloma Faith finally came true earlier this month on September 11th, 2012 at Joe's Pub in New York City...and what a dream it was. I still can't believe it!  Paloma's performance, stage presence and costume far exceeded my expectations. Not only that, but she's a charmer.  Then again, if you've ever seen an interview with her, you would expect nothing less.

Already a respected and established musical talent in her native England, Paloma now has her heart set on making it here in America and while the American market is notoriously difficult to crack for foreign artists, the recent success stories of the late Amy Winehouse and Adele have certainly cracked open a window for up & coming talent like the 27 year old Hackney-born Faith.

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The X Factor's Misha B to Release MASSIVE Debut Single, 'Home Run, July 15th

20 year old singer/songwriter Misha B releases her official debut single, "Home Run" July 15th via Relentless Records/Sony. Produced by rising UK producer MNEK (The Saturdays, Diana Vickers, Parade) "Home Run" features a righteous blend of genres including, R&B, reggae and drum and bass, proving that Misha B hasn't lost that special something that carried her through last season of The X Factor.

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[Album Review] Paloma Faith - Fall To Grace

"Excited" doesn't even BEGIN to describe my feelings surrounding Paloma Faith's new album, Fall To Grace, out May 28th via RCA Records.  Ever since hearing her retro-steeped debut single, "Stone Cold Sober," I've been obsessing over this mega-talented 26 year old from London, wondering why the rest of the world wasn't equally as obsessed.  By the time her second single came out, I was hell bent on spreading the Paloma Faith gospel as far as my little music blog could take it.  Now, with a brilliant new album out in a couple of weeks, it's time for me to work my "magic" once again.

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[Review] Paije Richardson - Bang Bang

Unless you're a resident of the UK, you probably haven't heard of Paije Richardson (even if you are, I'm not sure how well known he is), so here's a bit of a refresher.  Paije competed on the The X-Factor, Series 7, known for his big range, big notes and big talent.  While he was ultimately eliminated from the competition (that went on to crown Matt Cardle as winner), Richardson stuck with it and is ready to release his debut single and album, later this year.  First single, "Bang Bang," is due out July 16th, followed by the release of his album sometime this Fall.

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Ones to Watch in 2012: Alex Clare

Photo Credit: Jon Baker

If you've been anywhere near a television over the past couple of months, you've probably already heard the music of British singer/songwriter Alex Clare.  While Clare's song "Too Close" was originally released a year ago as a single, a recent ad for Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 helped push the song to new heights and  international success.  Since the ads started running this past March, "Too Close" entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart the week of April 7th, peaking at #68 and at #37 on the UK Singles Chart.  Like Apple before it, this Internet Explorer advert further proves the potency of music in advertising today.  It's unfortunate that Clare didn't really take off on his own, but I'm sure he's not complaining one bit.

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Hot Video Alert: Mayer Hawthorne featuring Rizzle Kicks - The Walk

33 year old American singer/songwriter Mayer Hawthorne proves that when it comes to music, you shouldn't judge a CD by it's album cover.  On the outside, Hawthorne looks like a geek/hipster hybrid of some kind but OOOH CHILD...that voice is sweet as candy.  Picture a more soulful, R&B, less jazzy version of Harry Connick Jr. or something like that.  Perhaps a more laid back Eli "Paperboy" Reed? This guy's good, whoever you think he sounds like.  This is admittedly my first time listening to Hawthorne, and I'm kicking myself once again for being late for the train.  Check out the Toby Lockerbie-directed video for "The Walk," featuring British hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks, due out in the UK May 21st on iTunes.

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Hot Video Alert: Monica & Brandy - It All Belongs To Me

R&B sensations Monica & Brandy have paired up for a new duet, "It All Belongs To Me," making it their first collaboration since "The Boy Is Mine" 14 years ago. The girls released the single, penned and produced by Rico Love, Earl Hood and Eric Goudy II, on February 10th 2012.  The Chris Robinson-directed video premiered on VH1 March 5th, borrowing elements from female-centric girl power films like Thelma & Louise and Waiting To Exhale.  In other words, Monica and Brandy are two women scorned, driven to exact revenge on the man that did them wrong.  

While the video for "It All Belongs To Me" (BELOW) features some pretty powerful imagery (including the two stars looking absolutely fierce), the song is lacking something for me.  I don't know about you, but there's just something not kosher about incorporating pop culture references like Facebook and MacBooks into a song.  When you include imagery into a video that's one thing - that's product placement, but when you infuse those references into the lyrical framework of the song, that dilutes it all down to dribble for me.  You just fixate on those references and the songwriter's intent is clouded. That was my experience anyway.

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Rufus Wainwright Pushes Boundaries to Release the 'Most Pop Album" of his Career

Man oh man. 2012 is shaping up to be a fine year in pop music, isn't it?  On April 23rd (May 1st in America), prolific American/Canadian singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright will release his seventh album, Out of the Game on Decca/Polydor Records.  Produced by the one and only Mark Ronson, Out of the Game is set to be "the most pop album" Wainwright has ever attempted and first single, the album's title track echoes those sentiments.  The song starts out light and breezy with a distinct 70s feel to it, before moving into a big, rich, loud and beautiful chorus.  While not as orchestrally-driven as Wainwright's past efforts, the instrumental is massively groove-worthy.  An unlikely duo in many respects, the prospect of Ronson and Wainwright working together excites me to no end.  Mark Ronson has an uncanny ability to bring out a completely different side of an artist and for my tastes, Wainwright is the perfect candidate for a reinvention of sorts.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely believe that Wainwright is a master at what he does, however his last couple of albums have been anything but commercial, which is a problem from a marketing standpoint.  While I think the commercialism of an album is the farthest thing on Wainwright's mind while he's in the studio and writing songs, it certainly doesn't hurt his chances at increasing record sales and the likelihood of real chart success, something that has always been elusive to Wainwright.  Here in America, Wainwright's last album peaked at #75 on the Billboard 200 and spawned a whopping zero charting singles.  To date, his highest charting album remains 2007's Release The Stars, which managed to peak at #23 on the all important Billboard 200.  Release The Stars also became Wainwright's best charting album in the UK, where it debuted at #2 on the UK Album Chart.  Stateside, Wainwright rose to prominence with a couple of cover songs that appeared on popular soundtrack albums back in 2001, namely a cover of Leonard Cohen's often-covered "Hallelujah," which appeared on the Shrek soundtrack, and "Across The Universe" originally by The Beatles, which appeared on the soundtrack to I Am Sam (and later on his album Poses as a bonus track).  I really believe that Wainwright owes a lot of his popularity and success here in the States to these two covers.

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Amy Winehouse (1983 – 2011)

Photo Credit: Mishca Richter

Ever since I learned about this past weekend's tragic passing of one of my favorite artists, Amy Winehouse, I've been wracking my brain trying to remember the first time I ever heard her music. It must have been towards the end of my college experience, as I distinctly remember lending her first album, Frank, to one of my co-workers at my first out of college job.  I was instantly smitten by her voice, her look and her attitude.  I was instantly captivated by her very presence, hoping and praying that a day would come that I would get to see her perform live on stage. Luckily, that day did come.

I had the extreme pleasure of seeing Amy perform at club Avalon (now the House of Blues) in Boston on Monday, May 7th 2007.  The show was originally supposed to be at the Paradise however due to demand and her large band, it was moved to a bigger, more accommodating space.   Winehouse was promoting her sophomore album, the award winning Back To Black, with a number of intimate U.S. tour dates. By this time I was already well under Amy's spell and had virtually played out her first album and was well on my way to playing out album #2. I would talk her up to anyone remotely interested in music (including my friend Sarah, who accompanied me to the show). She was just THAT good and I was beyond thrilled that she was coming to Boston and that I was going to see her. I couldn't believe it. I was absolutely beside myself with excitement.

I remember Sarah and I stopping at a little sausage stand outside Avalon on Lansdowne Street with Fenway Park to our right. As we stood there and scarfed down our sausages, we caught a glimpse of Amy walking out from behind her tour bus, heading down the street with a friend, or a manager looking for some grub or perhaps a pre-show cocktail to help loosen up her nerves. I remember her trademark beehive and how she looked so incredibly skinny. She kept her head down but it was her in all her glory. Had I not been the shy thing that I was, I might have chased her down and uttered some completely embarrassing compliment but no. We just watched her make her way down Landsdowne Street, disappearing into a restaurant on the corner. If you thought I was excited before, you should have seen me at that moment!

We made our way into Avalon and got as close to the stage as we possibly could. We were there a good bit early so I was able to get a pretty good spot. I don't recall if I had a camera, but I couldn't find any pictures from that night so I'd have to assume not. There was a young girl in front of me who had done her eyes to look like Winehouse...that Egyptian cat eye look that came to be one of her other trademarks. The girl was also rocking the beehive hairdo, albeit infinitely more coifed and put together than her inspiration. We chatted about Winehouse's earlier material and how we each came to fall in love with her voice. It was fantastic to see America smitten with an artist I had known a good couple of years before everyone else. I always feel a sense of pride when I know I'm in the know before everyone else. I wouldn't call it gloating, but I do like to brag. I can't help it!

After a rousing & flamboyant opening set by Amy's U.S. tour opener (and fellow Brit) Patrick Wolf the Amy show officially began. She came out on stage and did her thing. Wearing a simple wife beater, jeans and her hair piled up high, Amy exuded confidence when she clutched that mic. When she sang, I got chills. Backed by the incomparable Dap-Kings, every song sounded just as it did on the album. Spot on performance! According to the Boston Globe's review (I couldn't remember the setlist off the top of my head) Amy opened with "Addicted," sang all but one of the Back To Black tracks, her cover of The Zuton's "Valerie," a couple of Frank tracks, closing with "You Know I'm No Good."  The crowd was enamored with Amy Winehouse, myself included.

While she sang flawlessly, speaking was an altogether different story. When she spoke between songs, Winehouse slurred her words while sipping a beverage out of a plastic cup. Casually chatting with the crowd, who likely had no idea what she was saying, Amy appeared to be having the time of her life. At times, perhaps a little shy, the booze warmed her up and eased her worries away and by the end of the set she was clearly loving the spotlight. While Amy had been in the press before for her various antics, it was no where near as bad as it had been in recent years. While it would have been nice to understand what she was saying, no one was there to listen to her talk. What really mattered was that Amy sang like a dream.

As I sit here and cling on to my memories of that whole fantastic evening, I can't help but wonder about what could have been. What could have happened if Amy stayed clean. What could have happened had she never met her ex-husband and enabler. What could have happened...it absolutely breaks my heart to think of a future in the music industry without Amy Winehouse. To die at the age of 27 with so much more to give is absolutely devastating to me. I feel so fortunate to have had the pleasure to see her live. One can only hope that she's found peace from all of the demons that have been plaguing her over the years. R.I.P. Amy. Thanks for the music.

In lieu of posting videos from Back To Black, I want to share some of the videos from Frank. While Amy herself candid about her overall disappointment with her debut, it's great to see her looking so vibrant and healthy here. Listening and watching her sing these tracks makes the sad realization that she's really gone all the more painful.

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Check out Amy Winehouse on the web:

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

Amy Winehouse Confirms Rumors, New Album Expected Out In 'Six Months at the Most'

Well, Amy Winehouse has confirmed what the Mirror reported yesterday, that a new album WILL in fact be coming out in the new year. Hallelujah! Winehouse told reporters the news outside the London premiere of Psychosis, a film written and directed by her boyfriend Reg Traviss.

"It's going to be very much the same as my second album, where there's a lot of jukebox stuff."  The singer went on to talk about her live show, which in recent years has been less than stellar. "I tend to write everything first. The live show is pretty much whatever it is for me."  It seems clear that Amy Winehouse is ready to move onward and upward.  She's looking forward to building back up her image, something that took quite a beating with all the bad press these past four years. "I just can't wait to have some new songs on stage, really."  And we can't wait to hear them Amy! Just please get your U.S. Visa issues all sorted so you can come back across the pond, yeah?  As of right now, we know that Winehouse's new album will feature production by Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi, both of whom Winehouse has worked with before.  Looking forward to hearing more about the new album in the coming months. I'm BEYOND elated that Amy Winehouse is back.

Check out Amy Winehouse on the web:

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

Cross Your Fingers: Amy Winehouse To Release New Album As Early As January

Dear GOD let this be true. Amy Winehouse could be back with a new album as early as January! Up until now, there have been conflicting reports about Winehouse's progress on the album, with Mark Ronson recently stating that the two have yet to lay down any tracks. WELL...the UK's Mirror is reporting that Winehouse has enough material for "three separate albums." EEEEEE! She has a lot to live up to, especially after how successful 2006's Grammy-winning Back To Black was. Winehouse also has a lot to prove, given how tumultuous the past 4 years have been for her - both personally AND with relation to her health. The Mirror's source goes on to say that the, as yet unnamed album, will hit stores as early as January.

"It has been a long time coming - and she's been writing songs for what seems an eternity - but finally Amy is satisfied and believes she has an album worthy of a four-year wait. She's held meetings with the record label, Universal, and they are putting everything into promotion. A lot of the material covers her romance with Blake Fielder Civil and their acrimonious split, plus, of course, her battle with the booze and drugs. It is very raw and very personal - it promises to be another classic. She is now narrowing down the material and hopes it'll be on shelves by the new year."

YIKES. Not happy subject matter, but the DARKNESS is part of what made Back To Black so raw and riveting. The darker the better! She's an talented songwriter so I'm sure her experiences over the past four years, both bad AND good, will translate into some pretty powerful and impactful music. It sounds like Amy's new beau, Reg Traviss is playing a pretty big part in her changed life which is great. As if news of a new album isn't enough, we have a potentially-hot-sounding Mark Ronson/Amy Winehouse collaboration coming out, hopefully BEFORE the end of the year. As part of a Quincy Jones-curated compilation album, Ronson & Winehouse recorded a cover of Lesley Gore's 60s classic "It's My Party." I'm salivating. So happy about all of this news. Here's to a new Amy Winehouse in 2011!

Check out Amy Winehouse on the web:

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

Musical Snippets: Britney Spears, Joss Stone, Ryan Ferrada, Alexandra Burke, Rob Thomas & More

Lots going on in the pop music world of late. Here's a little rundown of what caught my eye.

Britney Spears - 3 - This week saw the release of the new Britney Spears single, "3" which will be the lead single off of Britney's upcoming The Singles Collection due out November 24th. The track was debuted on September 29th on New York's Z100 and will be available to download October 6th in North America. Major Industry publications and blogs are a buzzin' over the new single, which was produced by hitmaker Max Martin. I too am lovin' the track. It's nothing new and sounds like it could have come off of her last record - but it's fun. I am a little bummed that "Unusual You" wasn't really promoted here in North America as that has always been one of my favorite tracks off of Circus, but with the tour over and a new album in the works - I guess it makes sense to cease promotion. Listen to the single HERE.

Joss Stone on Jimmy Kimmel - If you're going to be in the LA area Thursday, October 1st (tomorrow) you can grab your tickets to see Brit songstress Joss Stone. I totally would if I were in the area! I've been dying to see her live for years. Girl needs to do a small club tour or something to promote her new album, Colour Me Free out October 20th in the States (November 2nd in the UK). First single "Free Me" is oozing with sexy soul appeal and with collaborations from Nas, Sheila E, and Raphael Saadiq - it's looking to be a hot one. Get your tickets HERE.

Photo by Kenton Thatcher

Ryan Ferrada - Room 501 - The half American, half Spanish ALL SEXY Ryan Ferrada is gearing up to release his latest album, Room 501. If sexy first single "Dirty In The Club" was any indication, his album is going to be HOT, harmless poppy fun. According to Ferrada's latest blog post, "90% of the album is up-tempo, and 90% of the lyrics are about sex!" For the ballad lovers, don't worry. There's at least one ballad on the album as well as a song dedicated to Ferrada's grandmother. Room 501 looks to have it all - dance, R&B, pop ballads and even the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Producer Greg Fitzgerald (Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Jessica Simpson) worked with Ferrada on the album, which is due out before the end of the year. "I am not a fabricated puppet," Ferrada says. "I'm fully involved in every aspect of the album. From writing the lyrics, to directing the producer so he understands the kind of music I love doing." Sounds like he's a boy that knows what he wants.

Alexandra Burke - Pre-Order Overcome Today - The debut album from X-Factor winner, Alexandra Burke, doesn't come out in the UK until October 19th, but you can pre-order it now on various websites. Lead single, "Bad Boys" featuring Flo-Rida comes out in the UK on October 12th. A U.S. release is also expected sometime in the new year, following a five-album record deal with Epic Records. Overcome features production from Stargate, Red One, Ryan Tedder, Freemasons, Element and The Phantom Boyz who produced the first single. Pop singer Pixie Lott also gets writing credit for a track on the album. This looks to be one of the pop albums of the year. Pre-order the album on Amazon, HMV, Play and Tesco.

Rob Thomas - Someday (Video Premiere) - Matchbox 20 frontman and solo artist Rob Thomas premiered his new video on VH1 this week. Check it out HERE. "Someday" is the second single off of Thomas' second solo album, Cradlesong, which came out in June. His first single, "Her Diamonds" managed to hit #23 on Billboard's Hot 100 and #1 on Billboard's Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks. The video for "Someday" was filmed on the streets of New York City. Thomas is currently on tour right now with special guests OneRepublic and Carolina Liar. Check out upcoming tour dates HERE and watch the music video for "Someday" HERE.

New Band - James Mercer (The Shins) & Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley/Gorillaz) - This is exciting news. The Shins frontman James Mercer is joining forces with Danger Mouse to create a brand new band - (temporarily) called Broken Bells. The group's debut album is due out next year on Columbia records and has been in the works for a while now. In an interview with Pitchfork, Mercer teased at a new project. According to a new story on Pitchfork, this collaboration isn't just a one night stand. Mercer and Danger Mouse are in it to win it and have already started conceptualizing past the first album. I'm very intrigued by this collaboration, but sincerely hope that we haven't heard the last of either Gorillaz or Gnarls Barkley. Sign up for Broken Bells updates on the OFFICIAL SITE.

Jewel Records Up-tempo Album - Don't mistake me - by up-tempo, we're not talking about another 0304 (which I don't think would be the end of the world to be honest) - we're talking about a sound similar to that of 2001's This Way. OK. I can live with this. I loved This Way, which featured the single "Standing Still," which managed to hit 25 on Billboard's Hot 100. The album also featured "Serve The Ego," which turned into the first club hit for Jewel, hitting #1 on Billboard's Club and Dance Charts. According to Jewel via her blog, the upcoming new album will be produced by Dann Huff (whom she worked with on This Way) and will be serviced to country radio. According to Jewel, "I'm very excited about how the music business is changing...there are no rules, and everything seems possible." The singer goes on to say "I'm looking at making more records more frequently and releasing them, but maybe start to cut back on the two year-promo it has typically taken to get them out there." Sounds good to me. As long as she releases the occasional club track, I'll be happy.

Alesha Dixon - To Love Again - To help celebrate the re-release of her second album, The Alesha Show - The Encore (due out November 22nd), Alesha Dixon is releasing a new single called "To Love Again." The "sumptuous," new single is a piano-led ballad written by Gary Barlow due for release in the UK on November 15th. The three-track digital single can be pre-ordered now on the UK Itunes store for £1.99. No remixes included but a boy can dream. Listen to the new single HERE.

Photo credit to Alex Lake

Amy Winehouse Launches Lioness Records - If we are to believe what we're reading, Amy Winehouse is on the mend. It's about time! And while I'd love to hear more information about Amy's forthcoming 3rd album, I'll take all the news I can get! Amy has launched her own label, Lioness Records, the name for which was inspired by a Lioness pendant given to Winehouse by her grandmother. The labels first release will be Introducing Dionne Bromfield, the debut album from 13-year old Brit Dionne Bromfield - due out October 12th. Wow. Pretty talented! No wonder Amy set her sights on making her a star. According to Bromfield's official MySpace Blog, she was taking to the London Streets to film the video for first single, "Mama Said" on Tuesday September 29th. Pre-order Dionne's debut album HERE. This is all fine and good...but bring on some new Amy material!

Sarah McLachlan Releases New Single - One Dream - Hard at work on her new album, due for release in April 2010, the new single is already available for download on iTunes. Get it HERE! I'm definitely excited for some new pop balladry from this uber-talented Canadian. In addition to prepping for a new album, Sarah McLachlan will also be readying Lilith Fair for a Summer 2010 comeback. Busy lady! She was lovely singing "I Will Remember You" during this years Emmy Awards. Very touching. I'll always have a soft spot for Sarah.

My Weekly Last FM Chart

Here it goes...my most listened to artists and songs of the past week according to my Last FM chart.

Most Listened To Artists:

1. Regina Spektor

2. Dan Black

3. VV Brown

4. Jordin Sparks

5. Amy Winehouse

I listened to Regina Spektor a lot this past week. As I mentioned in my little review, her album is pretty damn amazing. From the songwriting, to the melodies and instrumentation - Far is just a solid record through and through. Dan Black's album is also solid, although completely different. It's up-tempo electro-pop and I'm hooked on two tracks in particular: "Symphonies" and "Alone." VV Brown - love her. Enough said. Jordin Sparks - hmm...well the new album leaked. It's coming out on Tuesday and I plan to pick it up for sure. It's a solid pop album with lots of good hooks. Amy Winehouse...I saw some pictures of her online, showing her looking better than she has recently...and there was a glimmer of hope. Her first two albums are so nearly perfect...I really shouldn't need an excuse to listen to them.

Most Listened To Songs:

1. Regina Spektor - Laughing With

2. Dan Black - Symphonies

3. Shakira - She Wolf

4. Regina Spektor - Blue Lips

5. Dan Black - Alone

Spektor's single "Laughing With" is so good. It pulls at my heart, which isn't necessarily something I want to show while at work. There was just something so mesmerizing about her voice...perhaps it's her soft-spoken tone or perhaps it's her slight accent...whatever it is I can't get enough. "Symphonies" isn't as good as "Hypntz" would have been but it's pretty darn close. "She Wolf" has been growing on me since day one. I love the "Aaaoooo" in the chorus and the fierce electro-beat is insane. Can't wait to hear some remixes for this track, although I don't know if we even need any. "Blue Lips" is another Regina song that hit a chord. Then again, if you'll look at my top 20 you'll see that virtually every track from that album is on there.

Album Review: VV Brown - Travelling Like The Light

Surprise, surprise. I adore the entire VV Brown album, Travelling Like The Light. I knew that I would. There are a couple of strong contenders for follow up singles to "Shark In The Water," but before I get into that I wanted to discuss one of my pleasant surprises...and that is the STRONG retro-influence on the album!

When I first saw photos of VV Brown, I loved the whole vintage/retro vibe she had going on. Why was this vintage throw-back sound missing in her music? Don't get me wrong...I loved "Crying Blood," "Leave!" and of course, "Shark In The Water," but there wasn't much old soul coming out musically. While I wasn't expecting a "new Amy Winehouse" (come on now...how many artists can we peg as the "new Amy Winehouse"?) I was kind of expecting more of an obvious influence from jazz greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Well, upon listening to the album...rest assured...that old school vibe I was expecting is very much present. Perhaps I was judging a book by it's cover...VV looks the part of a 50s gum-chomping, soda-fountain-frequenting girl, but with an edgy soul-tinged rock voice to boot. Who knew! There's a lot of soul in there and it definitely makes more than one appearance throughout the album.

Tracks like "Crazy Amazing," "Travelling Like The Light," "Game Over," "I Love You," "L.O.V.E." and "Quick Fix" all are saturated with old school soul, mixed with some rock & roll. That's almost the entire album, with the exception of the 3 released singles. Even in re-listening to the singles (especially "Crying Blood"), there's an oldie-but-a-goodie vibe going on. It's almost like I expected one thing and was listening so hard for it that I missed it completely. I'm wondering in fact, if the singles were chosen by the label because they were the LEAST retro-sounding? Who knows. I'm just ready for this lady to do a U.S. club tour! Come on Island/Universal! Send her across the pond!

All in all, this a very strong debut album from the 26 year old Brown. My choice for a new single...either "Everybody," "L.O.V.E." or to slow things down a bit..."I Love You." VV...I'm hooked on you.

Check out VV Brown on the web: Official Site////Myspace//Facebook//Bebo//YouTube//Twitter

Noisettes - A Little Bit of Everything

So one of the CDs I bought while in London a couple weeks ago was the new album from the Noisettes, a UK indie rock band. Why did I buy this CD? Honestly, I bought it because it was one of the new releases that was going to be out there while I was there. Also, I bought their previous album, What's The Time Mr Wolf? so I knew that I liked their sound.

The thing is, I never really listened to the album the full way through, choosing instead to listen to a few of the singles ("Scratch Your Name," "Don't Give Up"). This was at the time that I was walking into Newbury Comics after work and buying CDs from bands that I wanted to check out (the CD also happened to be on sale).

While listening to my iPod at work last week, one of their songs came up on my random pop playlist. I was instantly hooked! Lead singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa has an interesting voice that calls to mind, Amy Winehouse. Their last UK single, "Don't Upset The Rhythm" is an infectious, up-tempo jam and the rest of their new album, Wild Young Hearts, (also the name of their first single off the new album) is solid through and through. If they're ever back in the States, I'd love to see them live!

According to Radio 1, their 3rd single will be "Never Forget You," (June 15th).

Check out Noisettes on the web: MySpace/LastFM/YouTube

Amy Winehouse Update!

Photo Via Amy's Official MySpace

When I saw that Amy Winehouse had a new blog post up on MySpace, I was skeptical. "What sort of rehashed, remixed, redone album was she RE-RELEASING now? The past 10 blog posts have all been about Amy's label re-releasing a past album, combining 2 albums together and repackaging it, or about some award that Amy won this past year.

Fine. Amy Winehouse is very talented, but I've been eagerly waiting something that actually qualifies as "news!" I understand that Amy is on the mend after a tumultous past couple years, and that the label is just trying to keep Amy relevant and fresh in our minds.

Photo Via Amy's Official Site

Now...finally! News. Sort of. According to her blog:

"Amy is back in the UK after arriving at Gatwick airport earlier this week. Amy is expected to take up resisidence in her new North London home and plans to continue work on her highly anticipated third studio album. Meanwhile Amy is one of a host of artists who are understood to have signed up for MTV’s new World Stage series."

Hopefully she won't rush it and put out some quality material soon. Can't wait to hear it Amy!

Amy Winehouse Headlining @ Coachella

Photo Via Amy's Official MySpace Page

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Amy Winehouse is a headlining act at this years Coachella music festival in April (April 17th - April 19th). This is good news! Apparently the lineup announcement was delayed while concert officials were negotiating with Amy's people some sort of a guarantee that she would appear. She's been vacationing in the Caribbean so I'm counting on a relatively well-rested Amy Winehouse this Spring. Maybe she'll have had a chance to work on some new material by then? This looks like it's going to be an awesome concert. Wish I could make it up there.

Poster Via Official Coachella Website

New Amy Winehouse - False Hope

I got so excited when I saw an email in my inbox from Amy Winehouse's official mailing list. It said simply: "New Album for Christmas." While I was admittedly shocked (completely unaware that she had been lucid enough to record an album over the past year and a half) I was also excited. So I went to open the email...only to discover...

New album my ass. They are repacking her previous two albums into one MASSIVE 4-disc set with b-sides and "unreleased remixes." Now this is frustrating. Here's what the email said:

2 SEMINAL ALBUMS RE-RELEASED

• Together 'Frank' and 'Back To Black' have established Amy Winehouse as one of the most important artists of our time. Between them these two albums have sold more than 13 million copies worldwide, winning countless awards along the way andgaining Amy unparalleled recognition as both a prodigious vocal talent and superior songwriter.


• Nov 24 sees the release of both these albums together for the first time as a very special digi-pack 4 disc set.The package includes the deluxe versions of both albums, which as well as containing the original albums in their entirety, also feature rare performances, b-sides and unreleased remixes. Amy's story so far has been a phenomenal one, this releaserepresents an ongoing musical legacy of depth and talent which is destined to go from strength to strength.
  

Now I don't know about you, but I was under the impression that the LAST special edition album that was released featured b-sides and unreleased remixes? Also, wasn't her first album recently RE-RELEASED in the UK...as well as a vinyl with a bunch of "unreleased remixes" from her first album era? ALSO Also - what do they consider unreleased to mean? As in NEVER BEFORE heard? What about all the b-sides and remixes released during her first album on singles? I find it hard to believe that there are still unreleased songs/remixes from her first album, Frank but maybe I'm just being too skeptical. At any rate, her label needs to stop milking her last two albums for all they are worth and just release new material. We all know Amy is sick and getting her shit together but COME ON. We aren't going to forget about her. You don't have to keep releasing her old shit and then releasing it again. Label politics confuse the shit out of me sometimes. Alright. VENT session over. Love you Amy!

Bring Them Back!

This is my humble plea to bring back some of my favorite pop divas...ladies who had their moment of pure pop brilliance and then disappeared as soon as they were either: A.) dropped by their record label, B.) Beckoned by Hollywood, C.) Succumbed to drugs & alcohol or D.) Some Combination of the above. Here it goes. Prepare to be dazzled!

1. Rachel Stevens: Formerly of S Club 7, Stevens has always been a favorite. Not known for her extensive vocal range, Stevens IS known for having one of 2005's best reviewed, least listened to pop records. What a shame! The album spawned 2 top 10 hits ("So Good," "Negotiate With Love") yet that was not enough to keep the singer signed with Polydor Records. If only her label had considered her entire body of work including a total of 5 top 10 UK hits! Her videos and live performances were mini works of art...OK...overstatement...but they were loads of fun! What is Ms. Stevens up to now? Acting it seems. After bit parts in Suzie Gold, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo and most recently, voicing a character in the animated BBC series, Glendogie Bogey--it seems like Rachel is giving singing a rest at the moment and focusing on acting. Pity. Fav Tracks: "Sweet Dreams My LA Ex," "Some Girls,""Nothing Good About This Goodbye."

2. Holly Valance: Australian pop singer, Holly Valance had a #1 single in both the UK & her native land--a cover of Tarkan's "Kiss Kiss" (also covered by Stella Soliel) and while I liked Soliel's version quite a bit more, Holly Valance was quite the performer. Nominated for 4 ARIA awards (Australian Grammys) for her song "Kiss Kiss", Valance also had success with her follow up single, "Down Boy." Third single "Naughty Girl" did well in Australia and made top 20 in the UK. Follow up album was a big flop and only had one single--title track "State Of Mind." While offering nothing groundbreaking, Valance paired up with current producers could potentially turn out another hit. What's keeping her busy now? Acting. Yep. Acting isn't new for Valance--after all she appeared in the Australian soap that launched a thousand pop stars (Kylie, Natalie Imbruglia, Delta Goodrem, Stephanie McIntosh)--Neighbours. More recently, she's had her eyes on American audiences, with guest spots on Shark, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Moonlight, Entourage & Prison Break. Valance has also been busy in movies--National Lampoon's Pledge This, DOA: Dead or Alive and Taken. Hopefully she hasn't COMPLETELY forgotten her music past. Fav Tracks: "Kiss Kiss,""Down Boy,""State Of Mind,""Hypnotic."

3. Kym Marsh: Now I can't honestly say that Kym Marsh was ever a FAVORITE pop star of mine. Her debut solo album Standing Tall, was one of my first import album's purchased at record store in the states. That was very exciting to me at the time. It was before I discovered the websites I use now, so when I saw this $25.00 CD in the bin...I snagged it right up! I had heard her second single "Come On Over" on Now That's What I Call Music Vol. 55 and LOVED it. Little did I know, that was the beginning of the end for Marsh. First single, "Cry" made it to #2 on the UK Charts--"Come On Over" - #10...third and final single "Sentimental" only made it to #35 and Kym was dropped. Kym got her start on the UK show Popstars, forming the group Hear'Say. Kym left the group after the first album. Marsh currently stars on popular UK soap Coronation Street, where she is known as Kym Ryder. Now a Mommy of 2, Kym is still riding the success of Coronation Street (for which she has won numerous British television awards). In 2004 & 2005 she's had a successful West End run in Saturday Night Fever, where she received rave reviews. In 2006 she entered Making Your Mind Up--the UK contest that picks a singer and a song to represent the UK in Eurovision. She came in 4th. Come on Kym...reinvent your sound and come back for another round! Fav Tracks: "Come On Over,""Cry (Almighty Remix)","Cry."

4. Emma Bunton: The first bit of former Spice Girl, Emma Bunton's solo material I ever heard was her Tin Tin Out Collaboration--the cover of Edie Brickell's "What I Am." Back then I was in college (1999-2000) and I furiously sought out additional Emma tracks on Napster (before it went legit). "What Took You So Long," & "Take My Breath Away" quickly became new favorites of mine. I actually found her debut album (A Girl Like Me) on Amazon Marketplace and ordered it used. I loved it, even without the jewel case! In 2004, when I learned that Emma's long awaited follow up album was due to be released, I got excited. I of course heard "Free Me" and the subsequent remixes and fell in love. I bought the import instantly (and bought the US version that came out nearly a year later--unable to keep it from bombing on the US charts--). Emma's second album was a far cry from her days in the Spice Girls...or even her first pop album. Going for a more 60s Soul/Motown sound, the album was surprisingly catchy. "Free Me" was a jam! While she never achieved another #1 (not since "What Took You So Long" in 2001), "Free Me" hit the top 5 in the UK. Second single, "Maybe" (with an amazing video) hit #6, "I'll Be There"--#7. All signs pointed to a downward spiral. Sure enough...final single "Crickets Sing For Annamaria," a cover of an Astrud Gilberto classic, only made it to #15.

By the time word of her third album started to materialize, my worst fears were confirmed--she was doing another 60s/Motown-inspired album. Life In Mono was a certifiable bomb (Of course I bought it). First single was a cover of Petula Clark's "Downtown"-- done for BBC's Children In Need charity--capitalizing on Emma's Strictly Come Dancing (British version of Dancing With The Stars) role. The music video even featured some cast-mates from the reality show. "Downtown" made it's debut at #3 on the British Charts. Follow up single did not fare so well...treacly ballad, "All I Need To Know" stalled at #60. There was no third single due to Emma's pregnancy and the inability to properly promote the record. As a result, the album stalled at #65. A bummer. I was hoping her cover of Mono's "Life In Mono" would make it as a single, but it was never to be. Bunton, now a new Mommy of a baby boy, just finished touring with the Spice Girls for their much hyped reunion tour. For now, according to Emma on her blog, she's "reading scripts." It looks like, for the time being, she's put music on hold. *sigh. And so it goes...another pop star gone by the wayside. The good news as far as Ms. Bunton is concerned...is, as of right now anyway, she's still signed to her record label. So fingers crossed she makes good on that and records another album soon! Fav Tracks: "What Took You So Long,""A Girl Like Me,""We're Not Going To Sleep Tonight (3AM Mix)","What I Am,""Free Me,""Maybe,""No Sign Of Life,""Something So Beautiful."

5. Amy Winehouse: I don't need to say anything at all about this one. Get better soon girl. That Bond song would have rocked with you on vocals. Fav Tracks: "You Sent Me Flying (Edit),""Stronger Than Me,""Fuck Me Pumps,""Help Yourself,""In My Bed,""Take The Box,""You Know I'm No Good,""Back To Black,""Tears Dry On Their Own,""Love Is A Losing Game,""Me & Mr. Jones,""Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" (cover from Bridget Jones: Edge Of Reason Soundtrack).