Leighton Meester - Body Control

So Leighton Meester, the hot one from that TV show, is putting out a pop record this year. And for some reason, I'm really excited about it. I don't think I've ever seen her act or do anything other than be pretty, but I'm really looking forward to this record. Here we have would could just be an album track, possibly first single, Body Control.

Leighton Meester - Body Control
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The song is wicked! 80's inspired to the highest level; all I can picture is workout videos and leotards. Upbeat, electro-pop, high NRG, etc. And even though there are some filters over bits and pieces of it, I'm liking Leighton's voice. Not that it's that great, it just sounds good! The producer for this is currently unknown, but Meester is reportedly working with RedOne (sigh) and a myriad of other top notch people. Holly Valance 2.0, anyone?

Never new that you could dance like that...

The official single cover for Shakira's new single, She Wolf. The song and video are on track to be released later this month, and the album is confirmed to drop in October.

All I have to say is DAMN. Shakira has always been sexy, but this is hot like WOW. The spanish version of the song, Loba, leaked a couple of days ago. Listen HERE. It sounds fucking fantastic! It was produced by Santigold's main producer, and co produed by Shakira herself. Good eats right there; will post again when the english version leaks!

Ke$ha - P.Diddy

Ke$ha, best known as the female vocalist from Flo-Rida's Right Round, has recently been signed to RCA Records. This is good, not only because she already have some crazy good tracks on her myspace, but now she also gets the chance to work with some major talent: Dr. Luke and Max Martin are said to be producing the majority of her album.

Ke$ha - P.Diddy
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P.Diddy is rumored to be her first single, allegedly produced by Dr. Luke. If it was, I'm genuinely surprised, as it's a far cry from any of the weak, pop-rock he's known for. This is definitely more "urban-electro" - kind of like Uffie's material, but ready for the radio. It's catchy and all, and with a goofy title like, that, I'm sure it would catch on with the right promotion. Good stuff, Kesha.

Girls Generation - Tell Me Your Wish

When it comes to musical groups, bands, etc, I generally find that three, four, and five are the most acceptable limits for members. There's not to many people, not too few, and everyone can get a little bit of attention. Apparently Korea didn't get that memo: if you haven't heard, Girls Generation has nine members, all fighting to not get lost in the shuffle. They aren't the worst though, as boyband Super Junior has a whopping thirteen members. Simply unacceptable.

Girls Generation - Tell Me Your Wish (Genie)
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Back on topic though, the good ole' SNSD girls are "back" with a new single, and although it's essentially bubblegum, throw away, cheaply produced, euro-trash sounding pop, I like it.The chorus is lush, it's catchy and thumpy, and besides, I doubt being taken seriously is the first thing on their minds. The song is also pretty sexy; a giant, Korean orgy is but one of the thoughts that pops into my mind. Err... I mean, enjoy!

They are really pretty though. If they would cut them down to the four best looking ones/most talented, then we'd have us something to pay attention to. Kind of terrible music video HERE. Oh K/J-pop industry, why must you be so damn corny?

Nicole Scherzinger - Physical

I've had a snippet of this track in my itunes for about two years now; we FINALLY have the full song, off of Nicole's shelved solo effort, Her Name Is Nicole.

Nicole Scherzinger ft. Timbaland - Physical
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Timbaland and Danja's production is relatively simple throughout: heavy drums, pulsing pads, and maybe even a little bare in my opinion. The last minute or so is cool, though. Danja obviously handled everything after the beatswitch. His trademark synths and even a little bit of guitar, for effect. It's not the greatest thing in the world, but still a great song, that I think was worth the wait.

I want Nicole to have a sucessful solo career so badly. She's one of the most talented, most gorgeous performers out there, and it's a shame that she hasn't been able to find her own niche. PCD should've opened up every door imaginable for her, but no matter who she worked with, how beautiful she looked, or how good the song was, she just couldn't score a hit. Whatever U Like is still amazing; hopefully,when and if, she takes another stab at her own career, she'll win big.

See this?

These are rawking my sawks off. Pokemon Silver and Gold were obviously the best games in the series and errbody's been clamoring for a remake.

The games are out September 12 in Japan, which, according to my crystal ball, means a Winter/Spring release here in the West. Silver all the way!

PS. Dear Lord, I'm a nerd...

Oh Martina...

French musician Martin Solveig has apparently tapped Dragonette for his new free single, Boys & Girls. I post this partly because "Holy Shit! It's Dragonette!" and partly because it's another excuse to look at Martina. Mmm...

The song is nothing special, but the video is clever and stylish, styled by Jean-Paul Gaultier. Blah, blah, blah: Fixin' to Thrill (the album) is still said to be on track for a fall release.

Rest in Peace

This week, the world lost several entertainment icons: Ed McMahon, a man who saw the beginnings of innumerable careers; the beautiful and loved Farrah Fawcett; and the incomparable Micheal Jackson.

Although Micheal Jackson wasn't a huge part of my childhood or life, I fully understand and appreciate his sheer gravity. He served as the basis for pop music today, and is a worldwide icon, known by literally everyone. His electric energy was present in everything he did, from live performances to music videos, and I'm grateful to have been alive to experience at least a fraction of his greatness. I wasn't around during his prime, but even I understand how important of a person he was, and how amazing his talents were.

His death obviously is sending shock waves throughout the music industry, and the world, but I'm actually happy for him; not necessarily for his death, but for the fact that he can finally rest in peace. He lead a hard and strange life, and while any death at age 50 is tragic, his was only more so because of his situation. He's in a better place now though, and can be at peace, and not have to worry about any of his stresses, anymore.

I thought this quote was particularly neat:

“MJ never seemed like the kind of person that could, you know, die. To be honest, he never really registered in my consciousness as being a person; Michael Jackson was the androgynous sexual panic of “Billie Jean,” the breathless seduction of “P.Y.T.,” the thrilling kitsch of “Thriller,” the chattering afro-popisms of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” The idea that he had a human body, one that needed food and air and sleep, never really clicked in my mind. But then again, I guess that’s to be expected. I mean, how can a mere human being really be thought to be capable of creating something as monstrous, as mechanical, as all-encompassing, and as awesome as Thriller? ” - Lazlo Matyas

Rest in peace, to not only the beloved celebrities that have died this week, but to all of those who have passed away recently. God bless.

Lupe Fiasco - Shining Down

What can I say: Lupe Fiasco is great. This song is great. Yes?

Lupe Fiasco ft. Matthew Santos - Shining Down
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That hook! The chorus is fantastic, as is every part of the song that Matthew Santos infects. Shining Down is allegedly the first single from the upcoming We Are Lasers. Everyone is raving about Lupe's lyricism in this, but... eh. It is actually very good and clever in parts, but the second verse is almost cringe worthy, and honestly, they could be saying anything during the chorus and it'd still sound good. BUT, that doesn't mean the song isn't still ace. Mr. Fiasco's alleged "last" album is to be released this winter. If this sound is any indication of the album's direction, we're sure to have a winner. Right?

La Loba is coming...

Shakira has a new single coming out, and reports from those who have heard it have been unequivocally positive: She Wolf (or La Loba in Spanish) is said to sound like typical Shakira, blended with heavy disco and pop. Sounds very interesting; it's new Shakira, so I'm excited either way.

Another major reason I'm so pumped about the song is the impressive viral/promo campaign behind the single: The above image is from a teaser site, and there are already a couple o' videos of actual she wolf attacks. Asides from these little bits of news, the only other information we have is that Shakira will be rocking a platinum blonde look for this album... exciting.

I can remember being about 10 years old when Laundry Service first came out; Whatever, Whenever was still all the rage, and Beautiful Liar was only a twinkle in Beyonce's (Sasha's) eye. I can still remember the summer that my mom had that album on repeat: hot, hot sun, lots of Golden Sun (amazing), and Shakira, over and over again. Underneath Your Clothes is still one of my favorite ballads of all time. Anyways... I'm uhh, I'm very much anticipating this song. Watch out for it when it leaks (which should be soon, I'm sure).

Ciara - Work

At last, we have the highly anticipated video for Ciara's next international single (and possibly US single), Work.

I'll cut the jive: this was four and a half minutes of FIERCE. It pains me to say that, but Ciara has become the definition of the word. The Melina directed clip is a ridiculous, camp, quickly edited mess - which means it fits the song perfectly. Not only is the song one of Danja's best productions, it truly is an opportunity for Ciara to make the transition from "another" rnb chick to a force to be reckoned with. She's a beautiful girl, and one of the best dancers in the industry, and while the video could've benefited from more organized choreo, Ciara has CRAZY swagger throughout: Beyonce best be SKURRED! I even dug Missy's parts!

Also, I say potential US single, because despite Like a Surgeon being announced, Work has been getting a surprising amount of plays here. But if her record label were smart, they'd issue this and get a definite summer hit. And make sure you listen to the instrumental of this - it is SICK.

Ciara ft. Missy Elliot - Work
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PS. Did you see that ponytail swinging? Crazy!

Lady Gaga at the Much Music Awards...

Was phenomenal. She may not be my cup of tea all of the time, and her recent performances have been a little dusty, but this... wow. Sure, part of the epic-ness comes from the overproduction of it all, but she still did a fantastic job.

Love Game is one of the best singles of '09, and it may have taken a while but Pokerface has finally grown on me. Great tunes, good show.

Da-Da-Da-Dolly Rockers

The Dolly Rockers are beginning the promo tour: Here we have the girls' first photoshoot, for Fabulous Magazine, and they've also recently announced some 20 dates for a major club tour. Check out a cute lil' video they did for their photoshoot HERE. And don't forget, the really great single, Gold Digger,is out next month.

Anyways, I just thought this was a good excuse to post pictures of cute girls, and share their best song; Champagne Shirley is the BOMB DIGGITY. Enjoy!

Dolly Rockers - Champagne Shirley
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Bloc Party - One More Chance

Bloc Party always seem to have all their bases covered. If you want to get crazy to some loud party music, they've got your back; If your feeling introspective or romantic, you've got their tender, gently-handled ballads to groove to. Their new single, One More Chance, is definitely a party track.

I'll skip the dramatics: the track is good, and Kele sounds better than ever. The song is also begging for remixes. I can see it now, there WILL e an immense amount of remixes to deal with. Either way, another great track from teh Bloc Parteh.

Bloc Party - One More Chance
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ITSA ME

Artist Anthony Jones has created some FANTASTIC renditions of the Super Mario Clan - Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser. He even created original backstories for each of them! Just thought these in particular were gorgeous; check out some more of Mr. Jones' great artwork (as well as his impressive network of links) HERE.

Album Review: Hands

Victoria Hesketh (better known as Little Boots) has been working nearly non-stop for over two years now, forging her own little niche in the music world: a pop star with indie credibility, but mainstream sensibilities. After innumerable delays, push backs, single shifts, and YouTube videos, we finally have the album we've all been waiting for. For her debut, Victoria has offered us the only thing she can at this point: her Hands.

The album can really be divided into three distinct sections; a clear beginning, middle, and end. Lead by the stop-start stomper of a lead single, New in Town, the beginning of the record is light in tone, and the melodies are kept playful. Earthquake, I actually find annoying, but does feature some killer synths and a cute hook; Click is dense with spooky noises and brooding lyrics: "And now my conscience fades away/a hundred years becomes a day/I love you anyway". Stuck on Repeat is still as glorious as it was a year and a half ago, and the new remastered version, while a lot shorter, is so tightly produced that you can't help but get lost in the pulsating goodness.

The middle of the album isn't as gooey and delicious as I would like though: Remedy, the second single produced by RedOne, definitely gets the blood pumping, but despite its catchy verses and loud chorus, it suffers from the emptiness that always accompanies RedOne productions; it's just generic sounding, faux-club music, that would've sounded a lot better on a more "urban" artist. Ghosts and Mathematics suffer from similar problems. Neither are necessarily bad, but both nearly blend together into one big, forgettable blob. Meddle though, another old favorite, begins like a long lost Timbaland track, and goes surprisingly hard with the beat.

The most obvious grouping of songs is the quartet of more down-tempo tracks, plugged in at the end of the album. Symmetry (featuring Phil Oakley) is a fantastic, dark sounding, electronic duet, that is a proper duet, with both singers trading off clever, love related quips. Boots gets sultry with Hearts Collide, a surprisingly sexy number; a highlight of the album for me, relying on wavy synths and a spares "oohs" and "do-do-doops" in the background.And finally, Tune Into My Heart and No Brakes are both charming songs, that maybe even border on beautiful territory.

Hesketh is obviously a talented woman, able to craft catchy and clever lyrics, and she has the amazing ability to not lose herself amid the producer's production. Boot's lyricism functions as a double edged sword in this case, though. The songs are obviously well written, but the subject matter remains static throughout: love, and the many metaphors you can use to describe it. This however, is a minor quip, and I'll more than bet that for round two, we can expect some more interesting topics.

Little Boots should be proud of herself, though. She's managed to retain a certain amount of critical respect and fan appreciation, all the while delivering a cohesive and consistent debut album. Several things that are hard to do, and very commendable.

8.5 out of 10

Standout Tracks

New In Town

Stuck on Repeat

Symmetry

♪Hearts Collide

If you're in the US, you can pick up the Illuminations EP on Itunes now. I did, and I definitely recommend you do! Purchase here.

(Also, Pitchfork gave it a 5.9. That's why you don't ever trust "professional" music reviews. Naw mean?)

Mariah Carey - Obsessed

Mariah Carey's new single has been unleashed upon the world; right now I'm gearing up and preparing myself, because I have a feeling that we'll be hearing it NONSTOP this summer. Obsessed, produced by The Dream and Tricky Stewert, reeks of summer, from the horns, the hand claps, to Mariah's "sassy" delivery. There are also several things to mention about the song:

+ It begins with a Mean Girls quote.

+ Mariah adopts auto-tune. It is unnecessary, but I actually don't mind. Also, she has several Blame It moments. Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah...

+ Will hit #1, and remain there for at least a month.

+ Allegedly disses Eminem. For what reason, I don't know.

+ Music video is being directed by Brett Ratnor.

+ Is actually really great. Fun song.

I dare not post the song; blogs are getting deleted left and right (typical Carey), but you can surely listen HERE. I'm actually really hyped about this project. She's looking fine, and we have at least one song. The hilariously titled Memoirs of an Impefect Angel is set to be released later this year, towards the beginning of Fall. Again, listen HERE.

Music Video: Patron, Tequila

We finally have the full, complete video of everyone's official summer jam, Patron, Tequila. This may be one of the stupidest songs of the year, but it's also one of the best, and the video does it justice: Glossy, professional, expensive looking. And I have to say, the Paradiso Girls are one of the best looking girl-groups out there. They're all sexy as hell! Gorgeous girls.

The only thing that's really bothering me is that french one; the short haired blonde. That bitch is annoying, and they seem to be pushing her to the forefront. Hopefully they don't deem her the (gasp) lead singer... Ruh-ro! Live performance HERE.

DL: Paradiso Girls ft. Lil' Jon - Patron Tequila

Music Video: El Sexo Violente...

NASA's album may have gotten mixed reviews, but I thought it was very good. Not great, but good. And besides, it was littered with members of Spank Rock, and I'll fucking dig anything graced with Spank Rock. AND - Lykke Li. Need I say more? Here we have another new mini-film, CG video disaster, this time for track A Volta, one of the album's most unrelenting club bangers. I actually really like this one. Just be sure to actually listen to the song afterwards, as it was pretty much tacked on to this.

Anywayz - enjoy!

NASA ft. Sizzla, Amanda Blank, & Lykke Li - A Volta (Database Remix)
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Lady Gaga ft. Marilyn Manson - LoveGame (Chew Fu Remix)

Chew Fu does good ass remixes. I love Marilyn Manson. This should be a fantastic remix, right? Well... Meh.

Lady Gaga ft. Marilyn Manson - Love Game (Chew Fu Remix)
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Not that it's bad, because it isn't at all; in fact, it's pretty darn good. I just expected a lot more, especially considering the original song, the remix-er, and guest artiste. It just don't blow me away like it should, you know? Either way, I'm excited to dive into the wealth of Love Game remixes, as it's the best song on the album. And in all honesty, I think that Marilyn Manson is a musical genius (most of the time), and him doing a cover of anything Gaga would be pretty epic. No? Whatever; getting tired of this broad anyways.