Single Review: Lady Gaga "Edge Of Glory" - Gaga releases yet another poor single.

What is going on with Lady Gaga and the Born this way project? The first single, also entitled Born this Way, was terrible. Judas was a little better. But new single Edge of Glory has her depressingly sliding back towards Born this way territory.

Single review: Beyonce "(Who run the world) Girls"...what a mess!

You have to give it to Beyonce. Far from staying safe and returning with something that screams "HIT" or that treads familiar territory, Queen B takes a risk and serves up something that sounds akin to a lot of noise on first listen, in the form of new single Girls (Who Run the World).

Single review: Lady Gaga "Judas"

From the Earth Shattering disappointment that was Lady Gaga's last single Born this way, the singer has thankfully began her assent back up in my esteem with the release of new single Judas. But lets just be clear, my opinion of Gaga, which hit rock bottom in reaction to the manipulative Born this way, is still nowhere near the highs of The Fame Monster EP era.

Single review and Video: Katy Perry Ft Kanye west "E.T" #winning

I must admit I'm out of the loop when it comes to most things Katy Perry. I hadn't even heard of her new song E.T until it was in the entertainment news for not only ending Lady Gaga's 6 week Born this way reign, but also achieving the more impressive feat of being her fourth number one from her latest album Teenage Dreams. Still, it wasn't until the video was released, today, that I actually heard the song, which features Kanye West, and am pleasantly surprised that I quite like it.

Review Britney Spears : Till The World Ends

Although there's a generic feel about the new Britney Spear's single Till The World Ends, thankfully it's the kind of generic I can't get enough of; thumping beats, lo-fi fade in and outs, stuttering vocals and, as if that wasn't enough, lyrics provided by Ke$ha. Britney is sticking to what she does best, making the world dance!!

Review: Jennifer Hudson "Where you at"

Whoever choose Where you at as the lead single for Jenfier Hudson's new album needs a good slap and a telling off. A lead single should be something that shouts "Hey people, I'm back" and hits the floor running to create buzz and interest. Instead, Where you at ambles along like an album cut that is forgotten as soon as it finishes.

Review: Lady Gaga "Born this way" So bad it's terrible!

The hype for Lady Gaga's new single Born this way has been building steadily for months. A hype I readily admit being caught up in, and finally today, after it's release date was pushed a week forward, we got a chance to hear a song that, according to Elton John, would "obliterate 'I Will Survive'".

Review: Nicole Scherzinger "Don't Hold Your Breath "

Nicole Scherzinger in the video for Dont hold your breath.

Nicole Scherzinger is back with new single Don't Hold Your Breath and ironically its quite an apt title for anyone expecting amazing things from it.

The song is essentially an underwhelming, mid-tempo, electro-pop fluff of a track that lyrically deals with Nicole telling an ex-partner not to hold their breath about her reconciling the relationship.

Review Ellie Goulding: Lights

Ellie Goulding in the video for Lights

Ellie Goulding's new single Lights, taken from the album Bright Lights, is a glouriosly dreamy track that ushers in the listener with twinkling, hypnotic, electronic sounds that can't help but make you picture  a night sky scattered with stars.

Review: Britney "Hold it against me" (LISTEN TO )

Britney Spears' new song, Hold it against me, has just premièred online and I'm sad to say she has returned with a run-of-the-mill, David Guetta-ish, dime-a-dozen, club track.

Hold it against me is effectively a schizophrenic dance song that can't make its mind up what segment of the dance market it wants to appeal to, so decides to target them all.

Its verses are driven by a thumping baseline, that's clearly aimed at the gay scene. Then the sound is softened in the chorus, by a textbook removal of the bass-line, which makes the song appeal to the pop market. The middle 8, which is the best part of the song and ironically features pretty much no Britney vocals, gives the song an edge by exposing the world, excitingly, to the grimy Dubstep sound of South London. But not being content with the stop off in London the song carries on in to an Ibiza rave, thus hopefully appealing to the big European clubs, with some euphoric atmosphere generating synths. Before it finally ends up back at the gay scene where it all started.

New Alicia Keys- Speechless (FREE Download)

Eve and Alicia Keys "Speechless"

Alica Keys is back with a late Christmas present in the form of a new song entitled Speechless. The song also features rapper Eve and is lifted from the upcoming Swizz Beatz release, Monster Mondays.

The song has an old school vibe and a simple, laid back feel  that Alicia mirrors with a breezy vocal delivery. It's also good to hear Eve back on the scene, reminding the world how rap can sound poetic and beautiful when its telling a story.

Download Link

Visit the Monster Monday album site here, where you can get other free tracks from the album.

Disaster! Kylie Minogue releases "Better than Today". (Review and Video)

Kylie Minogue Better that today
cover.

From an album full of potential hits someone really dropped the ball in selecting Better than today as Kylie Minogue's next single.

It suffers from a flat, cheap sounding production and an annoying motif in the backing track that is so obviously a desperate attempt to make the song catchy it's painful.

But what do I know? According to wiki, critics love it, with the Kings of impartiality the BBC apparently calling the song a "tech-country strut" that "throws up imagery of line-dancing cyborgs". Whatever that means.

But what frustrates me most about the choice of Better Than Today as a single is that it's delaying the release of the brilliant, stand out title track, Aphrodite. Please PLEASE release it next Kylie, the world need Aphrodite more now than ever!

Video stills from Better Than Today

Nicole Scherzinger - Poison Official video

Nicole Scherzinger - Poison

I initially really disliked Nicole Scherzinger's new song Posion due to it  sounding like a weak, mess of noise to me. But today, for no reason, I succumbed to a craving for the song and since then, like some kind of fungus, its taken root in my mind and now I actually quite like it.

Maybe I've finally succumbed to Nicole's poision (shock!)! oh and props to her for keeping fully clothed  in the superhero inspired video.

WIki desciption:
"Poison" is an up-tempo synthpop and dance-pop song produced by RedOne. The "guitar-driven" number uses a "pulsating" and "toxic" beat throughout, which is similar to that used in the Britney Spears's song "Toxic". The lyrics were also compared to "Toxic" and said to have similar themes, according to BBC Music blogger, Fraser McAlpine.

Nicole Scherzingers' first attempt at solo success

Nicole Scherzinger:  whatever u like
video still

Nicole Scherzinger, is currently having a stab at solo success with the release of her new single "Poison" (see her performance of the song here on the X-Factor). However, What many people don't know is that this isn't her first attempt at launching a solo career post the Pussy Cat Dolls. 


That came in 2007 when Nicole released the grimy, sexually suggestive, single Whatever U like featuring T.I. Despite it being very of of the moment at the time song- think of it as a mash up of Beyonce's Ring the Alarm and Kelis' Bossy-  it didn't connect with the listeners and quickly tanked.  Surmising the public didn't like "sexy" Nicole, record execs scrambled to save the project by toning down Nicole sauciness and releasing the non-threatening, and terrible,follow up, Baby love. Unfortunately for Nicole this single also flopped and as a result of the combined failure the album "Her name is Nicole" was shelved and never released.


Here's hopping its second time luck for Nicole Scherzinger and her solo career.

Alexandra Burke- The Silence X-Factor performance 2010 review

Alexandra Burke performing The
Silence on the X-factor 2010

Alexandra Burke walked out again onto that hallowed X-factor stage where just two years ago her life was transformed by winning the show. Now a successful solo star in her own right she proved she still had the X-factor by  giving a rousing performance of her single The Silence.

Listen to T.I. Ft. Christina Aguilera - Castle Walls

T.I and Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera has teamed up with T.I on the song  Castle Walls from the rappers upcoming album No Mercy. The song was produced by Alex da Kid ,who also produced Eminem and Rihanna's smash hit duet  Love the way you lie. 

Castle Walls features Christina giving an unusually sombre, muted and controlled vocal that's delivered mostly in her mid-range. Its a smart delivery as it successfully conveys  the sad sentiments of isolation and loneliness in the lyrics .

 Castle Walls  would  be  a clever release for Christina as it washes away the loud, brash image Bionic created -and bombed with - and replaces it with a sensitive,vulnerable and more relatable Earth diva.

Did you like Crystal Castles? Comment by clicking here or scrolling to the bottom of the post. 

Christina and T.I: Castle Wall Lyrics

[Christina Aguilera]

Everyone thinks that I have it all

But it's so empty living behind these castle walls

These castle walls

If I should tumble if I should fall

Would any one hear me screaming behind these castle walls

There's no-one here at all, behind these castle walls

[T.I.]

Observing the estate through the gate from the outside looking in

Bet you would think I got it made, better look again

I got buttler, got a maid, and a mansion

The belief is that I'm living out a millionaires fantasy

With pantoms and ferrari's in the driveway

But you see the pain and the change of the same man's

Your vision jaded by the grammy's on the mantelpiece

Just switch your camera lenses you would see the agony

Apparantly it's damaging the man you see before you

On the canvas he may seem alright but all the diasadvantages his family

Encounters overpowers his extravagance

Walk in my? I dare you

While it really seem like the kings life aint glamourous

As seen through the eyes of untrained amateurs

Because the camera's don't see beyond the walls of the smiles

Only counts until it falls in the pile

[Christina Aguilera]

Everyone thinks that I have it all

But it's so empty living behind these castle walls

These castle walls

If I should tumble if I should fall

Would any one hear me screaming behind these castle walls

There's no-one here at all, behind these castle walls

[T.I.]

Honestly to me, I think I'd lose every benefit of all that I've accomplished

If my key is never with it, sh-t

Me knowing this, why should the verses I have laid

Be more important to me than the persons I have raised

I guess I'm saying that to say that ooportunity

But they just don't equate to all the time they take away

From the kids all the sh-t I did right is a mistake

If deyjah end up a stripper and major slinging yay

How could I ever consider myself a great

If messiah ain't paid and nique nique ain't straight

Would your favourite song about the whips, money and sh-t

Be relevant if you found out, the money wasn't real, nope

So me being the goat shouldn't mean more to me

Than see it to a king though

From a bad ass kid to man with some dough

Otherwise I may well have stayed poor

So while they stay focused on me beefin with flip,

Shawty low, gucci or ludacris

Or if I'm f-cking with a hoe

Did I snitch when I got arrested or will I die over nonesense

Internally I'm dealing with this conflict

So excuse me if I don't get the chance to kiss the hand

Or slap me in the face, ay I, m just the man

If they saying I ain't the best at making hit records

It's cause this my life these ain't just rapping

Sh-t, you think of that deep, did ya dawg

See you can't see the castle through the walls till it falls

Bitch ain't thinking with the deep, did ya dog

Cause see you can't see the castle through the walls till it falls

[Christina Aguilera]

Everyone thinks that I have it all

But it's so empty living behind these castle walls

These castle walls

If I should tumble if I should fall

Would any one hear me screaming behind these castle walls

There's no-one here at all, behind these castle walls

[Christina Aguilera]

Nobody knows I'm all alone

Living in this castle made of stone

They say that money is freedom but I feel trapped inside it all

And while I sit so high up on a throne

I wonder how I can feel this low

On top of the world it's beautiful

But there's no place to fall

[T.I.]

For the record ay, I give a damn if I never said sh-t again

My career was meant for me to come and tell it

Honest interpretation of how affected I'm faced with

Matters most rappers used to keep locked away in the basement

The day that I walk I ain't saying that I'm amazing

Down playing the way I keep fellas from catching cases

Won't take into consideration how much it mean what I'm saying

And when I say what I mean even when I'm sorrounded by the fakers

From one of the greatest centers, blessed with most of god's graces

Who made his way amongst the greatest from the grimiest places

So next time you rating royalty, I'm always being given to recordings than the level

Of your loyalty, obvious you've been ignoring me

Who else ya seen make it through the storm, unharmed disjointed

While all the critics was looking for prince charming

Disregarded the king of the south raised doubt

Even though he made a castle out of used to be a house

He did sh-t that all your favourites rappers only rap about

But most of y'all don't see the castle through the walls

And the smiles till it falls in piles so while...

[C.a.]

Everyone thinks that I have it all

But it's so empty living behind these castle walls

These castle walls

If I should tumble if I should fall

Would any one hear me screaming behind these castle walls

There's no-one here at all, behind these castle walls

[Christina Aguilera]

Everyone thinks that I have it all

But it's so empty living behind these castle walls

These castle walls

If I should tumble if I should fall

Would any one hear me screaming behind these castle walls

There's no-one here at all, behind these castle walls

[T.I.]

Observing the estate through the gate from the outside looking in

Bet you would think I got it made, better look again

I got buttler, got a maid, and a mansion

The belief is that I'm living out a millionaires fantasy

With pantoms and ferrari's in the driveway

But you see the pain and the change of the same man's

Your vision jaded by the grammy's on the mantelpiece

Just switch your camera lenses you would see the agony

Apparantly it's damaging the man you see before you

On the canvas he may seem alright but all the diasadvantages his family

Encounters overpowers his extravagance

Walk in my? I dare you

While it really seem like the kings life aint glamourous

As seen through the eyes of untrained amateurs

Because the camera's don't see beyond the walls of the smiles

Only counts until it falls in the pile

[Christina Aguilera]

Everyone thinks that I have it all

But it's so empty living behind these castle walls

These castle walls

If I should tumble if I should fall

Would any one hear me screaming behind these castle walls

There's no-one here at all, behind these castle walls

[T.I.]

Honestly to me, I think I'd lose every benefit of all that I've accomplished

If my key is never with it, sh-t

Me knowing this, why should the verses I have laid

Be more important to me than the persons I have raised

I guess I'm saying that to say that ooportunity

But they just don't equate to all the time they take away

From the kids all the sh-t I did right is a mistake

If deyjah end up a stripper and major slinging yay

How could I ever consider myself a great

If messiah ain't paid and nique nique ain't straight

Would your favourite song about the whips, money and sh-t

Be relevant if you found out, the money wasn't real, nope

So me being the goat shouldn't mean more to me

Than see it to a king though

From a bad ass kid to man with some dough

Otherwise I may well have stayed poor

So while they stay focused on me beefin with flip,

Shawty low, gucci or ludacris

Or if I'm f-cking with a hoe

Did I snitch when I got arrested or will I die over nonesense

Internally I'm dealing with this conflict

So excuse me if I don't get the chance to kiss the hand

Or slap me in the face, ay I, m just the man

If they saying I ain't the best at making hit records

It's cause this my life these ain't just rapping

Sh-t, you think of that deep, did ya dawg

See you can't see the castle through the walls till it falls

Bitch ain't thinking with the deep, did ya dog

Cause see you can't see the castle through the walls till it falls

[Christina Aguilera]

Everyone thinks that I have it all

But it's so empty living behind these castle walls

These castle walls

If I should tumble if I should fall

Would any one hear me screaming behind these castle walls

There's no-one here at all, behind these castle walls

[Christina Aguilera]

Nobody knows I'm all alone

Living in this castle made of stone

They say that money is freedom but I feel trapped inside it all

And while I sit so high up on a throne

I wonder how I can feel this low

On top of the world it's beautiful

But there's no place to fall

[T.I.]

For the record ay, I give a damn if I never said sh-t again

My career was meant for me to come and tell it

Honest interpretation of how affected I'm faced with

Matters most rappers used to keep locked away in the basement

The day that I walk I ain't saying that I'm amazing

Down playing the way I keep fellas from catching cases

Won't take into consideration how much it mean what I'm saying

And when I say what I mean even when I'm sorrounded by the fakers

From one of the greatest centers, blessed with most of god's graces

Who made his way amongst the greatest from the grimiest places

So next time you rating royalty, I'm always being given to recordings than the level

Of your loyalty, obvious you've been ignoring me

Who else ya seen make it through the storm, unharmed disjointed

While all the critics was looking for prince charming

Disregarded the king of the south raised doubt

Even though he made a castle out of used to be a house

He did sh-t that all your favourites rappers only rap about

But most of y'all don't see the castle through the walls

And the smiles till it falls in piles so while...

[Christina Aguilera]

Everyone thinks that I have it all

But it's so empty living behind these castle walls

These castle walls

If I should tumble if I should fall

Would any one hear me screaming behind these castle walls

There's no-one here at all, behind these castle walls

Brandys : Warm It Up (with love) 2009

Brandy 2010

An album track from Brandy called Warm it up (with love) is an unashamedly uplifting song with a commendable message about resisting the current climate of fear and strife with the use of Love and hope.

Warm it up features Brandy's unique alto over a simple backing track that consists essentially of a piano and drum loop, with soft synths used during chorus and middle eight to create contrast to the verses. The overall simplicity of the backing track allows, quite rightly, the lyrics to take centre stage.

The message  Brandy brought on this song  highlights by comparison how overtly self-indulgent and decadent contemporary music has become of late.  Here's hoping her seed of positivity  will bloom and blossom in 2011, spawning a new batch of socially aware music to grow and flourish. India Arie I'm looking at you to come back and show the world how its done!

Ke$ha " We R Who We R" : Review and Video.

Kesha's new video, for her #1 US hit, "We R who we R" has just premièred on the internet. It's a fun, if nothing special, video with people dancing, pyrotechnics, and Kesha jumping off a building.

Most notable in the video visuals is how Kesha has incorporated the current trend for outlandish clothes (favoured by the likes of Gaga and Rihanna) into her own, uniquely skanky ,style. With studded eyebrows, bullet chains, a fragmented mirrored dress and her trademark scuffed up boy boots, Kesha is in a league of her own.

The song is basically about going out to a club and and just going wild; and it carries her usual auto-tuned rap/singing, tough girl postulating.  It won't convert any one who didn't like her earlier stuff but it will give all the little Ke$hites something to dance to at the  fast approaching new years festivities and I love it and her.


              

Ke$ha and her crazy studded eyebrows in the video for
"We are who we are"

Watch the video for Mariah Carey & Patricia Carey - Oh Come All Ye Faithful / Hallelujah Chorus

Mariah Carey and her mother Patricia
Carey perform "Oh Come all ye Faithful"

The video for one of my favourite cuts from Mariah Careys' Merry Christmas ii You album, "Oh come All ye Faithful" has just been released. The video features both Carey and her mother, Patricia, singing the medley in a Christmassy studio environment.

Watch and read the review of Keri Hilson ‘The Way You Love Me (ft. Rick Ross)

>

Kerri Hilson gets practically
nude in the video of "The way
you love me". 

So what do you do when your last album didn't live up to industry expectations. You do what Keri Hilson has done with her new single "The way You love me" off her upcoming second album  and switch to sex to sell your music.

The song:
Don't let the title of the song fool you; this is not a love song or  a ballad. Its an up-tempo track about sex that is neither subtle or poetic about it. In fact I'm surprised they went with such a tame title considering the lyrical content being so crude and the obvious desire to shock with this release.

Warning to anyone listening with kids about: DON'T! This song has repeated swears in the chorus!The whole thing is all just TMI (too much information).

The video:
The video looks like its had a lot of money thrown at it and features a lot of suggestive dancing and semi clothed ladies.To "cleverly" try and disguise it from being being a desperate attempt to sell music using ones body, they've thrown in a thin plot about Kerri and a group of femme fatales-including Faith Evans(?!) - successfully carrying out a heist for a group of  male gangsters who doubted their ability. In fact if you concentrate REAL hard you can see that its not actually a load of smut, but an advert for feminism and female empowerment...(!)

Unfortunately for all there is more to come because the video ends with the joyous line"to be continued.". Yikes

Summary: "The way you Love me" and it's video were undoubtedly chosen to wake the world up to Kerri Hilson again, and it succeeds for the duration of its playtime. However, once you get over the lyrics and the seedy video , the song, at its core, is ultimately bad and forgettable.

Comment as to what you think of the video/song/review/Kerri Hilson/ at the bottom of the post or by clicking here.

Keri Hilson and Rick Ross together in her new video "The Way you Love me"