Rather than break this up into many mini posts (which would inevitably take me forever and some of the good stuff below would get put on the predictable back burner), let's just streamline and put them all here, shall we?
- Shakira's "She Wolf/Loba" sounds better every time I effing hear it (which has been a darn lot this week). The video is kinda random and her physical contortions scare me a little bit, but I can't get the melody (and the wolf noises and the heavy breathing) out of my head. I think it's the song of August so far.
- That new Miley Cyrus song "Party In the USA" is darn addictive. I thought when I first
heard the title she was on the backslide from "See You Again" and "The Climb", but I should have known better considering it was produced by Dr. Luke and Claude Kelly. Even though it's such throwaway pop, I still put it on repeat over and over again. That "yeah-yeah-yea-eee-ahh" bit gets me everytime. Do I agree with the whole pole-dancing stunt on the Teen Choice Awards? Not really. But I mean, while everyone wants to compare it to Britney's career-changing performance of "Satisfaction/Oops! I Did It Again" on the VMA's so many years ago, I don't think it warrants too much of a connection. And on a sidenote: I get the Britney reference in the song, but Jay-Z? Interesting. - Speaking of the HOVA, while I enjoyed Jay-Z's statement on the "death of AutoTune", I really really enjoy his new track with Rihanna and Kanye West. Yes, it's the "Live Your Life" of 2009, but it also stands up on its own accord with the verses. It's catchy and poignant, the way hip hop should be.
- My girl Jessica Castellanos (a former member of Soluna) has updated her MySpace
that she will be releasing her debut solo CD independently in early 2010. Although she (and the rest of the former Soluna members) are American, she currently resides in the UK with her husband and gorgeous baby girl (trust me, she's one of the most adorable babies anywhere), and apparently has been influenced by the UK electro scene (SQUEEEE!). She mentions that she has already worked with producer Fraser Smith, who according to Wikipedia was/is a close personal friend of Craig David and has co-written Pixie Lott's new single "Boys and Girls" and the beautiful James Morrison/Nelly Furtado duet "Broken Strings." She has also worked with Tinchy Stryder. (Cut to Mel passing out of extreme excitement and happiness -- so psyched for you, Jess!!! Trust me on this -- if anyone deserves recognition, she does.) - While we're on the subject of former Soluna girls, America Olivo (who had a brief but memorable role in "Friday the 13th" and recently covered Playboy) has officially gotten her solo music career of the ground in addition to her budding acting career. Her first single, the dance infused "Deja Vu" will be released to clubs shortly and you can download a bunch of the different remixs for free at her website. Now, if only Cash Money would stop loving on Drake and release T Lopez's music, we'd be pretty much set on the Soluna scene...
- Apparently Mariah Carey is no longer "obsessed" with "Obsessed." Wow, she sure got her memo late, huh? The label is trying to pass this "flop" (it's not a real flop -- it's still spinning okay in comparison to others, but I think if the song was done by literally anyone else, it wouldn't have any kind of impact) off as a "hype single", and word is starting to come in that the real "first" single off the Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (which has been pushed back, again) will be a cover of Foreigner's "I Wanna Know What Love Is." While a cover of an 80's rock ballad may seem like a terrible idea to some, it remains to be the one track that I was really psyched to hear when I heard breakdowns of the new album. Maybe that was because I was such a fan of her 2002 cover of Def Leppard's 1981 hit "Bringing On the Heartbreak" from her Charmbracelet era. Fingers cross, MC.
- The lovely Mandy Ventrice has just posted up a brand new song to her MySpace called "Lie For You" which is much more acoustical like her older stuff and different from her more current electro-ish sound. It really highlights how great and distinct her voice is, and I adorrrre it.
- Lights has released a new single called "Saviour" and it is predictably divine. The reason I write this though is because she has suddenly become an en vogue thing to like for musicians on Twitter. Interesting.
- V Factory's new follow up single to "Love Struck" (which still remains to be my most played song of 2009 so far) will be called "Get Up". Click here to check out the boys performing the song this past weekend at a venue now far from me (cut to Mel hitting her head against the wall for missing it -- grrrr).
- Speaking of boy bands, or some other attempt at a proper segway, the ridiculously talented Travis Garland (and former member of NLT) posted this cute little video-lette of him singing Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" while sitting in the backseat of a car for fun. His randomness amuses me.
- Staying with this strain, former Dream Street member (for those of you aren't familiar,
Jesse McCartney's old boy band) Chris Trousdale has come back out of hiding for what feels like forever in my eyes. This excites me as he was my favorite of the group. There's no new music really (all the clips on his MySpace were recorded wayyyy back in 2002-2003, no joke), but he does have a SayNow Fan Line number now. The big news is he now has a YouTube channel (uh, finally) and one of the two videos posted is a clip of a new-ish song called "If Only", which is a duet with Swedish singer Anna Sundstrand, a former member of early 00's pop group Play (who duetted with Trousdale shortly after Dream Street ended -- a cover of "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"). He's sounding good, which is exciting to me after a series of less than stellar live performances a few years ago, although his speaking voice sounds different to me...like his voice dropped. Which is weird? Late bloomer? I'm confused... - I'm a big fan of a clever music mashup, and no one does it better than DJ Earworm (who I have not talked near enough about on this blog). He's just released a new mashup video of Annie Lennox songs and it is epic. Watcchhhhhhh.
3 comments:
I think Mariah's cover of "Heartbreak" deserves more attention, it was truly a great cover. With this whole "Obsessed" mess, I don't understand why she(or her label's) doing that. I mean, "It's like that" peaked at #16 and the followed it up with "We Belong Together" well, you know what happened there.
I really don't wanna like the new Miley Cyrus single, but I agree it is addictive. It kinda scares me people are citing her as the new Britney--I don't want it to be true. :(
I also liked Mariah's cover of Heartbreak. I'm a bit embarrassed for her claiming the whole Obsessed thing was just a taster. So it didn't make number one? Who cares? I'm quite eager to hear her album still - she was one of my fave artists in the 90s and while not so much anymore, i still hope she will reignite my passion for her music.
Miley - it's kind of addictive that song. I do really like it!! And V Factory - I wanted Lights Camera Action, but this is good too. Can't wait to see Fame!
Glad to hear I wasn't the only one who loved her cover of "Heartbreak." That was the only track off that album I adored...
J- Your thoughts on the Miley single is how I feel about all of her singles. I don't want to like them yet they somehow burrow themselves into my ear.
Paul - I only recently heard "Lights Camera Action" (so late, I know) but I really dig it now that "Love Struck" is starting to get a bit older. I agree it could have made a great follow up, especially since the lights lend themselves so well to "Fame."
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