[Review] Tamar Braxton "Love And War"

Most people will be more familiar with her famous sister Toni, but younger sibling Tamar Braxton is readying herself for solo stardom with the release of new song, Love and War.

Tamar is no stranger to the music world: having enjoyed moderate success as part of The Braxtons, and then less so as a solo star with first album Tamar. But that was over a decade ago and Father time's ceaseless march seems to have finally put some fire under the 35-year-old and got her back into the recording studio. Well that and her colossal ego that is convinced she should be as big a star as Lady Gaga!

Christina Aguilera And CeeLo Green: "Baby, It's Cold Outside"

Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green team up again, but this time it's for his Christmas album, Cee Lo's Magic Moment! Having already recorded an original cut, in the form of Lotus' Make The World Move, the pair opt to tackle the pop standard Baby, It's Cold Outside this time round.

Despite Christina Aguilera only "featuring" on the song, it's perhaps unsurprising she remains the more striking voice on the classic: dancing all over CeeLo Green's grounding bass like a butterfly fluttering spasmodically around a slug.

The overall quality of her voice- tone/ timbre/ belts- is definitely much improved on the majority of tracks on her own album Lotus; an odd fact considering it was released after Cee Lo's album. Also, the balanced out dynamics on the top belt make her voice much more palatable. I just wish she'd chosen to attack the notes like this on Lotus: it would have made it a much more enjoyable affair.

[New Music Video] Girls Aloud "Beautiful ‘Cause You Love Me"

Girls Aloud came back cocky, full of swag and under a feminist banner with there first single in 3 years Something New. Admittedly, I didn't like the song, but I couldn't knock the empowering message behind it.

The group's new song, Beautiful ‘Cause You Love Me, is also about empowerment. However, they seem to have forgotten about what they were saying five minutes ago, and have run back to their men- trampling over their feminist banners in the process- for their sense self-worth and security. What happened to "Go girls, go go go, We girls gonna take control, You boys better know know know"? (wow those Something New lyrics look even more hideous written down!)

2013 Grammy Nominations List

The list of next year's Grammy nominees has been released...Yawn....

I don't really have much to say about it, but I'm happy to see P!nk, Kelly Clarkson, Björk, Tamia (!) and Florence And The Machine on the list. Also, I love Rihanna but a nod for "Best Pop Solo Performance" is a joke.

Check em out, and see if your favourite made it on to the list.

[Must See] Mariah Carey Performs "All I Want For Christmas Is You" With The Roots And Jimmy Fallon

Mariah Carey has slayed me twice in one week, yet I still live! The wonders of Christmas manifest! If her performance at the Rockefeller Center wasn't a vocal revelation enough for y'all [see here], her cute as a button, ramshackle performance of All I Want For Christmas Is You for Jimmy Fallon has to be heard to be believed.

Everything about this was on point! From the ensemble of musicians, to the kiddy choir, to the voice itself! The little alterations Mariah did to the song's melody were interesting and fresh, and the use of her head voice to reach one or two of the trickier notes was a smart move that worked really well. But she didn't dodge all the big notes, successfully hitting plenty of clear sounding E5s! (I think there may have even been an F5 somewhere in there!)

Alicia Keys Performs "Brand New Me" At Royal Variety Gala

Having been subjected to a gazillion performances of Girl On Fire during Alicia Keys' relentless promotional trail, it was great to hear something different from her new album when she took to the stage at the Royal Variety Gala.

Being in Britain, and performing for its royalty, it was a smart move picking the song Brand New Me, as it was co-written with British singer-songwriter Emeli Sande. Whether it was an intentional move or not, only Alicia knows, but it was a fitting song choice.  It gave her a chance to showcase some softer vocals, as well as show fans who are worried about the musical direction of Girl On Fire that the new album still has some "classic" Alicia Keys moments on it.

[New Video] Britney Spears And WIll.I.Am "Scream And Shout"

You guys know  I love trash, but even I'm having a hard time getting into Britney Spear's collaboration with Black Eyed Peas front man, Will.I.Am.

The track, which is doing shockingly well on Itunes, is entitled Scream and Shout - both things I did when I first heard this wasted opportunity of  a team-up (Big Fat Bass, anyone?)- and unsurprisingly it features that 80's blended, electro-club sound that Will has been pushing since 2009's The E.N.D album.