[Review] Listen To Mariah Carey And Miguel Make "#Beautiful" Music Together...Sorry, I Couldn't Resist...I'm Lame.

Thank God for #Beautiful! I was starting to lose faith in Mariah Carey after Triumphant (Get Em) and Almost Home failed to illicit much, if any, of the love I usually feel for an MC release. For some of you who are not so hot on her, not liking two songs might not be a big deal. But for someone like me, who can listen to her back catalogue pretty much straight through, it was more than a little disconcerting to have two strikeouts (in a row, no less) after more than a decade of consistent home runs! It was pushing me to thinking I'd fallen off the Mariah bandwagon completely, but #Beautiful has given me faith a new in Mariah! Phew!

As good as #Beautiful is, it's not perfect. But let's start with the positives. It's great to hear Mariah tackle a new sound, and though still Rnb, like most of her hits, it definitely has a more indie infusion than the Pop or Hip-hop she usually dilutes the genre with. Excitingly, it gives the singer a freshness that she hasn't enjoyed in a long while, making her sound relevant and current. Hopefully it'll help the Diva generate  the buzz needed for a hit by appealing to- and surprising- critics and non-fans alike.

Of course Mariah's voice, though more nasal, sounds stunning. Adopting an earthier/rawer timbre, the singer refrains from excess ornamentation for much of the song, adhering to a concise melody that is sensitive to the retro feel and Miguel's vocal style. Sure, she does let loose towards the end of the song, but it's totally called for, and she still manages to sound restrained (by Mariah standards) and sympathetic to the laid back air of the track- this is despite some gloriously quick melisma. Ultimately, it's a slight change in style for Mariah, but it should appeal to the current music listener who - if the success of Adele, Taylor Swift and P!nk is anything to go by- seems to have grown tired of showy vocals.

[Review] Florence + The Machine make Sweet Music On Great Gatsby Soundtrack

Wow, Florence Welch really lets her inner banshee loose on her Great Gatsby contribution, Over The Love. Okay, well strictly speaking the song is by Florence + The Machine, but still, it's that piercing voice that really steals the first half of this show. From the quiet and broody midrange that opens the song, to the effortless highs that punctuates the chorus, this is Ms.Welch doing what she does best: giving us drama and theatre, all with that stunning instrument of hers.

The "Machine" does get more vocal as the song progresses; building to a chaotic and breathtaking crescendo at the climax, as it joins its front woman up in the musical stratosphere. But it's a fleeting union, because as quickly as the two take up their embrace they drift apart, leaving us with only a choir of Florences to ease the comedown.

[New Music] Lauryn Hill Begrudgingly Releases New Song "Neurotic Society (Compulsory Mix)" And I Rejoice...Sorry, Lauryn!

It looks like a tax bill and the threat of imprisonment has put the fire under Ms. Lauryn Hill's tush and finally got her  releasing music. This isn't just speculation on my part; she's pretty much said so on her Tumblr page;

Hello All:

Here is a link to a piece that I was ‘required’ to release immediately, by virtue of the impending legal deadline. I love being able to reach people directly, but in an ideal scenario, I would not have to rush the release of new music… but the message is still there. In light of Wednesday’s tragic loss (of former label mate Chris Kelly), I am even more pressed to YELL this to a multitude that may not understand the cost of allowing today’s unhealthy paradigms to remain unchecked!

- MLH

Oh well, at least she's also managed to get her own label, Observe Creation Music, out of the new deal with Sony. One that will ultimately see the record label help to pay her tax bill on the promise she delivers a new album- notably, her first since 2002's troubled but brilliant MTV Unplugged set. With her track record of releasing music, I'm not holding my breath that this will end well.

[Free Music] Marina and the Diamonds and Charli XCX - "Just Deserts"

Do you like Marina and The Diamonds? Do you like Charli XCX ? Well, if you answered yes to both those questions, then today really is a great day for you (maybe even the greatest day of your life), as the pair have combined their powers to create new song, Just Deserts!

It's also a good day for those of you who answered yes to either one of those questions, because this is a dark and sassy little team-up from the alt-pop Divas. It'll be especially resonate for those of you who've just gone through a not so acrimonious breakup. Oh, and if that does apply to you, then let me be the first to say: Screw him/her/it! You're awesome and can do better! Let's hug.

And finally, if you don't particularly like either, get over it, because it's being offered as a free download! WHOOPIE! So force yourself to get into it, and download it for FREE, here!

#FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[Listen] Emeli Sande Gives Beyonce's "Crazy In Love" A 1920's Makeover For Gatsby Soundtrack

Beyonce didn't even try to capture the 1920's spirit of The Great Gatsby with her cover of Amy Winehouse's Back To Black. But thankfully Emeli Sande and the Bryan Ferry Orchestra were a little more sensitive when reworking Bey's own Crazy In Love. (Check out executive producer of the soundtrack, Jay-Z, making sure his wife (and himself) get another paycheck from writing credits off of the album! Nepotism at its finest!) 

Now I know a lot of you guys aren't exactly enamoured with Emeli- well, if the comments on her vocal profile are to be believed- but I have to give her, and The Bryan Ferry Orchestra, props for at least trying to deliver an authentic 20's sound. With it's muted trumpets and jaunty rhythm, the song practically paints a picture of bob-haired flappers getting down in trendy, smoke-filled jazz bars.

Take a listen to the song, lifted, of course, from The Great Gatsby soundtrack, below.

[Review] Sia Makes Musical Magic with "Great Gatsby" Contribution, "Kill And Run"

We've already heard what Lana Del Rey and Beyonce have served up for The Great Gatsby soundtrack, but now it's time to hear what Australian singer-songwriter Sia's has offered up to the altar of Baz Luhrmann!

Kill and Run is a stunner, right off the bat. From its simple piano-led opening/ haunting vocal combo, to its eventual Earth shaking crescendo, this is a song that once again demonstrates Sia's uncanny knack for creating music that is as beautiful as it is emotionally raw.

Being part of a soundtrack crammed full of attention-grabbing A-listers, I do worry Kill and Run won't get the recognition or attention it deserves. However there's not much I can do about that, save placing my faith in the ears of humanity. So until we get the general public's reaction to the soundtrack I'll just console myself with thoughts of Sia picking up the Oscar for Best Song come whatever year this film will be eligible for the prestigious award. Surely, at the very least, it's deserving of a nomination! I mean, if Skyfall could win it....-_-!

Speaking of Skyfall, boy do I wish Kill and Run had been the theme for the next Bond film...sigh.

[Full Version] Watch Beyonce Perform "Grown Woman" Live

A snippet of Grown Woman had been used for Beyonce's Pepsi commercial, but up until now the full song had alluded us. But with fans crying out for new music during her world tour, the "King" has decreed her Parisian fans worthy of the whole song! Performed during the Paris date of her Mrs Carter Show, Bey worked it like only she could: with Sasha Fierce realness!

Take a look (and listen) to the new cut, below!