Wow…how quickly was Adam absorbed into the corporate pop machine? “Time for Miracles”, from the upcoming movie 2012, is as slick a power soundtrack ballad as they come, and the video is as cheesy as you would expect. But it’s really about the song itself, and that song is pretty decent compared to the usual movie-closing filler. If Adam can carry a tune like “Miracles”, his solo debut coming out next month should be monumental.
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Our savior from the Black Eyed Peas juggernaut, Jay Sean, may have given up his hold on the top of the Hot 100, but “Down” is still just about everywhere I turn these past few weeks. I have watched the video a couple of times, but while watching it this morning on the VH1 Top 20 Countdown (#1, btw), Rebbie Jackson’s epic video “Centipede” came to mind. Watch ’em both and let me know what you think…
Did some major turf war break out in the UK? Well, no. This is what happens when I am stuck in traffic with Radio 1. While I was grooving to “Break Your Heart”, my mind started thinking about Taio’s chances here in the US, and that lead to fellow UK R&B crooners JLS. So what are the chances of either of these acts even getting a chance to crack the American market, let along actually get a hit? Check out the breakdown below…
Taio Cruz – “Break Your Heart”
“Break Your Heart”, at least to my ear, sounds like a male version of “Just Dance” that doesn’t need Akon as a guest because, well, Taio handles that part of the equation just fine. This record would fit perfectly into the current pop landscape, and GaGa’s stratospheric rise proves that the marketplace is open to a complete unknown making it big. Is there a drawback to this record? Honestly, it would be Taio’s name. Could be a blessing or a curse. But that’s a minor drawback. If his A&R folks back in the UK aren’t already grooming him for the US, they should have their heads examined.
JLS – “Beat Again”
Even though these X Factor veterans are already on single #2 (“Everybody In Love”), the only chance they have of breaking in America right now is their upbeat jam “Beat Again”. Sadly, I don’t know that this is the environment to try and reinvigorate the boy band concept in the US, although the makeup of the band is perfect from a demographic standpoint. You’ve got the buff guy, the skinny one, the more realistically good looking dude, and the average joe. Someone for everyone!
Winner? Not even close. Taio should have a happy career ahead of him here in the US, as long as his handlers get it right.
You would think that with the collective damage that the Black Eyed Peas have done via their chart domination over the past six months, I would take a step back and avoid any BEP-related posts. Apparently, I am a glutton for punishment. Here is their new video for “Meet Me Halfway”, which finds our foursome on some kind of quest to find…eternity? Each other? L.A.? The solution to Rubik’s Cube? No clue, but the song is still one of my favorites for the year so far.
Two country-pop videos for you today. Video number one is a bonafide hit with a bizarre video to accompany it, courtesy of Carrie Underwood. She’s heading for the top of the country chart in no time at all, but honestly, what does this video have to do with a “Cowboy Casanova”?
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On a much more classy note, here is the newest video from Sugarland’s Life on the Inside entitled “Keep You”. The song follows in the footsteps of their massive hit “Stay” with a slow burn, but the video has a strong impact for a such a simple premise. One more example of how the right song combined with the right video can be magic.
Sometimes the musical blogosphere seems a bit detached from the rest of the world, because we seem to operate with our own agenda and timetable, and that doesn’t always match up with reality. A few months ago, you would have sworn that the new Pet Shop Boys was released worldwide, but the reality of that was America saw a release several weeks after most other countries. So it seems a bit odd to me that we are looking at record companies pushing artists with buzz here in the U.S. that have been out elsewhere for a while now. Here are a few of the more interesting arrivals on American soil over the past few weeks. Make sure that you read through to the end for a cool little giveaway…
– Gary Go – So I RAVED about “Wonderful” when it came out. Amazing song, cool video, quirky artist, but where do you go from that? Well, in the case of Gary Go, you only get to #25 with the single and #22 with the full-length before you turn your attention to…America? Yeah, that’s not the typical model, but I have a feeling that it might work with Gary. This could actually help him out at home as well, because if the powers that be back at Decca see that he is become successful in the U.S., there will inevitably be a second push for Gary back in the U.K.
My initial reaction to tracks from the CD was not that great, but after having heard the full domestic release, I am hooked. Americans won’t necessarily recognize the Gary Barlow-like songwriting, but they will recognize the Coldplay-like song structure with a bit more of a personal touch. Besides, who couldn’t use a little uplifting these days, courtesy of “Wonderful”? Personally, I see the similarly-upbeat “Open Arms” making some bigger waves, but I really like the more mellow “Heart and Soul” and the elegant “Brooklyn”.
– La Roux – Oh, Elly Jackson. I am sure you mean well, with your punkish attitude and your mile-high hair. The public loves a polarizing figure sometimes if there is some redeeming quality. Unfortunately, at this moment, there really isn’t one for La Roux in the U.S. (released digitally this month), because while she may have an interesting persona, the music just isn’t where the American public is currently. It’s a really good CD…former #1 dance track “Bulletproof” will lodge itself into your head for hours at a time, and “In For the Kill”, despite certain frequencies of Elly’s voice, is a pretty classy electronic pop romp. The rough part for Elly and Co is that in order to crack the pop charts here in the States, you either need a sound that draws off of something that’s already been a hit, or something that is completely new, different, and impactful. I just don’t see this happening with anything on the current release, but hopefully they develop enough of an underground following that will sustain them through to their sophomore effort.
– Noisettes – I admit it…”Don’t Upset the Rhythm” was not an immediate hit with me. Despite all of the raving that was going on for the track, it just did not fully click with me. Fortunately, there was more to this trio from London than just an all-out funky jam (which is currently in the Top 5 of the Billboard Dance/Club Play chart). “Never Forget You” seeped into my brain, and has made regular appearances for the past month, making it a strong candidate for “Earworm of the Year”. If there is a track that can crack America, it is “Forget”, which has a bit of an Amy Winehouse vibe to it, but with a lot more 60s-era class. This is custom-made for the VH1 set, and it would only take one breakthrough performance on a show like Saturday Night Live (think Adele last year) to bring this album to the masses. Here’s hoping…
So speaking of bringing this record to the people, I have three copies of the Noisettes’ Wild Young Hearts to give away. All you have to do is leave a note in the comments section with a good reason I should send you a copy. Creativity and knowledge of the band don’t hurt the cause, and living in the US or Canada would be good as well, because that’s as far as we can ship at the moment. Good luck!
No, this isn’t a Hilary Duff flashback. This is a flashback to the mid-90s, when Toni Braxton ruled the Pop, Dance and R&B charts with hit after hit. She’s back after a few years away from the charts with “Yesterday”, her first single on Atlantic Records. At first listen, this song sounds like a lot of other songs that have been released over the past two years, and those comparisons are completely legit. But the song is a Toni Braxton song, and the vocals are 100% Toni. She’s not trying to sound like anyone else, because there isn’t anyone in the music game right now that can sound like Toni. The track is already Top 40 at Adult UC, and is rapidly climbing the R&B chart, so a pop crossover may not be that far-fetched. If ever there was a time where I would put money on a comeback, this is the one. What do you think?
You can pick up the single at her website. Rumor has it that the full-length is coming out sometime in early 2010.
The perkiest song of the year finally gets a video treatment, as Alphabeat’s website now has “The Spell” on infinite repeat. This isn’t high concept, and it doesn’t need to be, as the song does the work, and the band just fills in the fun. And while you’re at it, check out the rest of their revamped website.
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The single is out on October 19th, and the full-length arrives November 2nd. No word on when (or if) they will take a shot at making it big in the States, but here’s to giving it the old college try.
Does it seem possible that we are going on three months since Michael Jackson died? It kind of boggles my mind, as it seems like only a couple of weeks ago we were inundated with non-stop coverage of the circus surrounding his death, with all the fixins. It’s easy to forget that the buzz around MJ prior to his early demise was whether his London-based concert would even see the light of day, let alone be turned into a highly-anticipated theatrical release. But through all of the craziness and sadness, there are some key lessons that I’ve been able to identify.
– The circus rolls on, even after you die – This one takes on two meanings in the wake of June 25th, as not only did the media become all-MJ, all the time, but they even reported mysterious MJ sightings, trying to link Michael to Elvis and Tupac. Not only did they report on every crumb of detail they could find out about Jackson’s life, they even tried to find an heir to the throne, as it was briefly reported that Kanye West had already identified himself as the new King of Pop (quickly disproven, but still).
– What you won’t do, do for fame – Dad is pimping side businesses, associates are rushing to publish tell-alls, and other family members are rush-releasing five-year-old recordings (see LeToya) and “tributes” (see Jermaine). I suppose it’s not a knock on anyone, but some of it just comes off a bit desperate. Even alleged son Omer Bhatti, who rumors have apparently floated for years about him being Michael’s love child, surfaced for the memorial service and even sat in the front row with the rest of the family. Tribute tour with all of his offspring is sure to follow.
– Good music evolves with you – I have a lot of Michael Jackson music in my library, but I hadn’t gone out of my way to listen to it specifically for quite a while. The surfacing of “Rock With You” remixed by Freemasons did cause me to revisit a bit of “Off the Wall” about two years ago, including the epic Frankie Knuckles remix of “Rock”, but that was a short-lived theme. Michael’s been pretty prominently in the mix for the past few months, though. There are songs that I have rediscovered (“P.Y.T” was somehow missing from my collection), songs that I have new appreciation for (“Stranger In Moscow”, for one), and songs that I feel vindicated for loving the first time around, regardless of what everyone else thought (“Blood on the Dancefloor”). No matter how deep into the catalog I go, though (“Farewell My Summer Love”, anyone?), nothing can top the pure joy of Knuckles’s interpretation of “Rock With You”.
If it’s close to fall, then the heavyweights of the industry must be jockeying for position on the shelves of CDs for Christmas purchases. From a country standpoint, two of the more high profile releases in the next few months are Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood. Carrie’s release Play On (due November 3rd) just got a nice PR bump due to a leak on the Internet, originally from a radio recording, but followed shortly after by a clean version. “Cowboy Casanova” has some similarities to “Before He Cheats”, but this recipe is 1/3 “Cheats”, spiced up with 1/3 “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” remixed, and blended in a 1/3 Shania Twain sassiness. At first listen, I was taken aback, but damn, if that’s not a catchy tune, I don’t know what is. Watch for this one on the Pop charts in the near future, as there’s got to be a non-country mix of this. (h/t Bill’s Top 40/Pop Blog)
Tim, on the other hand, is doing what he does best, with a clever set of lyrics talking about how much “pain” his relationship inflicts on him. The full-length disc out on October 20th is called Southern Voice, and it’s already up to preview on iTunes. You might recall the drama a year ago surrounding the release of this CD getting pushed back by Curb to make way for a miserably-selling Greatest Hits 3. We’ll have to wait and see what Tim’s next move is, now that his contract is fulfilled with Curb, but I can’t imagine he’s going to hang around. Originally I thought there might be a Live Nation deal in Tim’s future. Wouldn’t it be interesting if they set up a deal with Tim AND his wife, Faith Hill? Just food for thought.
Here’s the first single from Southern Voice entitled “It’s a Business Doing Pleasure With You”.
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