This is not a drill people. Pandora Boxx is releasing a new song -- Like legit this time. Well at least I hope so. Last time some stuff got in the way, and when a girl is busy with two TV shows, you can't expect her to keep everything on schedule. I'll give her a break this time, but just this one time.
Not much else other than this promo poster has been revealed about the track. It is featuring indie singer TimPermanent. Hopefully the song will carry over her sense of humor that we got a glimpse of in "Cooter". I do know that she is not one to disappoint, and given the lapse in time from her previous single, it will probably be polished.
Now, it should probably said that his is a cover of an 80's song of the same name by Samantha Fox. Just because it is a cover doesn't mean Pandora couldn't put her own mark on it, and I do believe she will. I am excited to see how this song turns out. The original is pretty campy, but I know that she can turn it up. In case you didn't catch on to the obvious with the big ol' picture up there, the single drops August 7th.
I know what you are all thinking (and by "you all" I mean me), what happened to her other new song "Nice Car". Back in April, Pandora announced another song that has yet to see the light of day. Being that I am a Twitter expert -- more or less -- I sent her a message and crossed my fingers. "What about Nice Car", I asked.
I know, I know. I posted an article not long ago saying how disappointed I was in this song, but that was me being a giant stan. This week I have stepped back and looked at the song from a different perspective, and you know what? It's not too bad.
No Doubt is finally back. This ain't no cover-for-TV crap (that I actually loved, no joke), this is a legit new single as a lead in to a brand-spankin'-new album. This alone should get me excited, but I was so blinded by the lack of change that they had promised beforehand. I was expecting classic No Doubt, but instead I got Hella Good No Doubt. Oh well. It's still the worlds greatest rock band. Ever. Don't hate.
The song sounds like they picked up exactly where they left off with their last album, a fresh mix of Reggae and Rock with just a slight tinge of Ska tossed in. To be honest, I always have been in love with Gwen Stefani's voice, so she could do any style of music, and I would fall in love with it. The song took some time to grow on me, but it's chorus is catchy, and it is already taking over the airwaves on the radio.
How can I not be part of the No Doubt revival? The world is right again.
Buy the track on iTunes. Do your part to ensure No Doubt NEVER stops making music. Ever. Again.
Anybody else love Electrovamp? They went dormant for what feels like forever, but thankfully these girls are back and going to be releasing a brand new track in a few days, and this blogger is friggen excited.
The song is exactly what I had been craving from this group. They are a great electronic group, and this song sounds to be what their fans will eat up without any problem. The beat is dancey, the vocals are spot on, and the lyrics are tongue and cheek. The song hits July 31st, but it wasn't stated whether this would be worldwide or only in the UK. I guess we will have to wait on that one.
What is interesting is the song itself is not new per say. What is new about this track is the version being released in a few days has a guest spot by YouTube personality Keenan Cahill. He is well known for his lip syncing videos where he is paired with every celebrity from Katy Perry live on her Teenage Dreams tour to LMFAO via skype, party rockin' it out.
The promo above doesn't seem to have any actual bits of Keenan singing, but given who he is working with, he surely is in good hands. This will be his first time singing on a track, so this is going to be an interesting song. I will definitely keep my eye out for the finished product.
Normally I wouldn't blog about something that is not only gossip, but not even about the US, but it's about the freaking Veronicas, people. How the hell can I resist talking about one of my favorite girl groups of all time?
The Veronicas may just be the best thing to come out of Australia. Like ever. They have been out of the spotlight for quite some time now, but I am glad to say that they are finally back, and apparently they are making a splash with all the tweenies over in Australia.
The Veronicas reportedly have been trash talking online (although I've yet to find the original source), calling out fellow Australian celebrities Janoskians -- a comedy group comprising of five teens, including a fellow set of twins, posting viral videos via YouTube. The group have allegedly stated "how does being a jackass involve talent and they're releasing a single? Omg were not listening to that!" This is in reference to the recent announcement that the comedy group is going to be producing a single.
I spent about two hours digging around for info on this, and honestly, it took me ages to find anybody who knew what was even said. Twitter fans are in an uproar over the statement, but most just seem to be going on and on about how much they now hate the Veronicas. I found it very amusing that people were so quick to hate even without so much as a sliver of proof.
I am not sure if the above quote is 100% legit, but even so I can see where they are coming from. The basis of their statement was just because someone is famous does not entitle them to be able to make music. Sure you can go from being a media star to being a singer, but that often times makes people who have clawed their way from the bottom up a bit off-put.
I am obviously on the side of my girls, but then again, I am a pop music blogger, and "Untouched" was a big part of my life when I was in high school (giving away my age?). Plus, they just released a new song, which I am sure is being helped out by their recent feud. Unfortunately it is not out in the United States just yet, but you bet your ass as soon as it is, it will pop back up on this blog as Song of the Week!
Black Cards, the pop band headed by former Fall Out Boy member Pete Wentz, has finally released more material. While this is pretty exciting, for those who haven't been keeping up with the band's happenings, it might come as a bit of a shock.
Black Cards was one of the bands I have been waiting for patiently to release more material. They initially released a great track called "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Fame", but then fell off the face of the earth. Occasionally new tracks would pop up on Youtube, but this is the first solid release from them in over a year.
Strangely, their debut single, along with the Youtube content is absent from the EP entirely. As a matter of fact, their music is missing the most alluring part of their previous work -- the vocalist. As it turns out, Bebe Rehxa, the previous vocalist, left the group to pursue a solo career.
The group went ahead and made new music, Malice Mizer style, without a lead vocalist. Three of the five tracks on the EP are instrumental tracks only, and the other two have guest vocals. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed in the EP, mostly because their starting music was so strong beforehand, and the new material sounds much cheaper. Hopefully this is just a teaser for what is to come during the search for a new lead singer.
It's here. Finally, it is here. As always, Ru has to be secretive when it comes to his shows. Just like when the "untucked" versions of the queens for season four were released as a teaser, the first season of All Stars will show you every queen -- if you can see in the dark. Check it.
You have to give them credit for creativity. This has to be one of the most interesting teasers I've ever seen -- and that includes last season's robot teaser which was mind blowing. It's nice to see Logo constantly raising the bar and gives me a little faith that All Stars will be a legitimate show instead of a throwaway attempt at making more money (can we say Drag U? Love you Ru!).
The promo comes paired with a contest, of course. Logo is challenging you to guess who the queens are in the promo. We already know that Pandora Boxx will be on the show, but I didn't recognize her in the ad. I did see quite a few queens, and if you frame by frame the video, it is hilariously obvious who these queens are. Could Alexis Mateo be any more obvious?
The other gem of good news was actually a bit understated in the promo. There are going to be twelve contestants instead of the originally proposed 8, meaning we may get a full season out of this. My only concern is that it may be a bit "too soon" for an All Stars season, seeing as there are only fifty-something queens so far (even less if you count out those in gender transition or have quit drag). If they continue to make All Star seasons, they are going to have to dive into the back catalog, that is unless they purposely left out some of the key queens (was I the only one who didn't see a Jujubee silhouette?).
The date is set for "October" -- which will probably be the end the month to torture us, just like making last season premier on January 30 after saying "January" for months. I mean that is practically February. The full cast for All Stars will be announced on August 6th.
My guesses are: Mimi Imfurst, Latrice Royale, and Manila Luzon. Also Alexis Mateo. Come on. SHE IS SO ANNOYINGLY OBVIOUS IN THAT PROMO!
Believe it or not I've known about these guys for a while. I'm not gonna say I keep up with them and go to their shows, but I have jammed out to their music before, and I can recognize it when it is played -- both shocked and excited when this new song popped up on my radar. Check out Two Door Cinema Club's newest single "Sleep Alone".
This group isn't exactly rock, and they aren't exactly pop either. This group lives somewhere in limbo between the two extremes, making for a nice unique break from all the techno bumping beats and the dubstep wahwahwahs. This is the reason I choose to listen to them on occasion, and I believe that this song does their sound justice. Combine this different sound with a distinctive vocalist and you have a band that you cannot easily forget.
This song in particular doesn't seem to be an obvious single, but it really does grow on the listener after a few listens. The lyrics are telling a story, but are a bit confusing due to using different metaphors, such as using dreams and ghosts to describe emotions. I won't even pretend to know the true meaning behind the lyrics, but they are catchy, and they are set up in a way that can be taken different ways in order to keep things interesting for the listener.
You can grab a copy of the track for yourself on iTunes. Their new album "Beacon" comes out September 4th in both regular and limited editions.
Surely you know The Cataracs. They have been around forever, and I can guarantee that even if you think you've never heard of them, you probably have. They have worked with Hyper Crush, Colette Carr, and most obviously Dev. Very rarely do they release music on their own, and for the first time in what feels like forever, they have released an EP of their own.
Words cannot describe my love for these two. They always make the sickest beats, and even when they are on their own they sound polished and professional. They are best friends with Dev (and have produced literally everything she's ever done), and this EP sounds like a male version of a Dev album.
The EP has been put into the pop category given the history of the group, but it probably would fit better in the Rap/R&B section due to the style of this specific release. The group changes it's style quite often. If you compare the more radio friendly "Sunrise" to the out there and unconventional "Undercover", it is hard to even tell they are by the same group. The same can be said about this collection of songs, as they are straight up rapping throughout, and it may not be for everybody.
"Gordo Taqueria" is still growing on me. I've never been big on rap music, but I am a huge fan of The Catracs. I have given the entire work a few listens and it has certainly improved my opinion on it. Whether or not this is me stanning for them or not, only time will tell.
You can preview and buy the EP on iTunes and see for yourself if it is genius or just awful.
Finally! Getting info from Japan can cause a headache, but luckily, her official fanpage on Facebook will often update in English (as well as Japanese and Korean for that matter). A recent update has announced a special message to her friends, family, and fans.
The announcement came in a couple of days ago, and thanks to my boredom attentiveness, I caught this special message from her fanpage.
"My dear husband and I had a healthy baby boy the other day. He is tiny but means the world to us. Again I've found one more thing in life I love with all my heart. When I look at him, feelings I've never known before come to me and my love can't be described in words.
I plan to grow and learn as I continue on in life with my husband and son.
Now, I believe I can perform songs with more love to you at the concert in November. I am looking forward to seeing all of you.
Kumi Koda"
It looks like she really is preparing to follow through on her promise of touring just a few short months after giving birth. I hope she doesn't exhaust herself. The message is cute and shows how kind she can really be. I wish that she was touring in the US so I could see her finally, but that may just be a pipe dream for now.
Keep checking back for more Koda Kumi info. I blog about other stuff sometimes.
So I took a break for this season's Ru Paul's Drag U, but I'm not done with the reality TV portions of this site. As a matter of fact, I plan on expanding this track. In the coming months, I will be covering many more shows episode by episode, as well as posting news on select shows. Check it.
So by the picture, I'm sure most of you realized that I will be covering The Real Housewives franchise, most notably the Beverly Hills series. I may be a bit late on the casting news, but I am keeping my eye out for more news from the third season of Beverly Hills as well as covering it episode by episode, making it my longest review series to date (the Real Housewives seasons last on average of 20 episodes these days). I have yet to decide if I will cover any other seasons of the RH series, but I have been brainstorming on some possibilities.
I have also decided to cover both the All-Star season and fifth regular season of Ru Paul's Drag Race. All-Star will premier this fall, and season five will premier next January. I will post any news as soon as I can regarding the cast, but so far all the persists is rumors (albeit reliable rumors), and I don't report on anything unless there are press releases.
Lastly, I will pop in from time to time with news on my favorite reality TV stars with their latest projects such as Tone-Tone (Cake Boss), RoBear (NY Ink), Pandora Boxx (Ru Paul's Drag Race), and many others.
No Doubt was the band of the 90's. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing their music -- hell they were even animated into one of the most popular cartoon sitcoms of the time, King of the Hill. Luckily, when they decided to take a hiatus, it wasn't for good. They are back, and they have both a new music video and single to get their fans back in the mood.
This single is like a double edged sword. On the one hand, I am filled with nostalgia and excitement for seeing the four of them together again, performing new and original music, and on the other hand, I really, really don't like the song. Maybe that isn't fair to say. Initially, their press release for the song was that they would be going back to their original ska sound, which they obviously did not do here.
My disappointments with the song itself aside, I am very glad that one of my favorite groups of all time making new music together again. Their hiatus was only four years long; they had gotten back together in 2008, but all that had come to be since then was a cover of 80's pop track "Stand and Deliver". This single marks the official return of the group, and it also comes paired with the title of the new album, "Push and Shove", as well as the release date of September 25. Hopefully their original sound will shine through more so on some of the non-single tracks when the album drops.
Who says I don't listen when people try and tell me that they are making quality music. Recently, I was contacted by yet another Australian independent artist who wanted me to take a look at their music. This time around his name is Mykal Hoare, and he definitely has a great debut single. Check it!
Most of the time, I will put my favors in the corner of the indie artist trying to make a name for themselves. This go around, Mykal is spreading his music from his native Australia to the United States, giving us a great pop song that feels a bit off kilter -- in a good way. The song is a chorus of moans, vocal effects, and crazy pulsing beats, so obviously it's right up my alley.
Heart Attack has a bit of an unconventional message, begging for that special someone the song is all about to prevent him from having a heart attack. The lyrics are a bit hard to make out sometimes, both due to the insanely addicting beat, as well as the computerized vocals. This is not necisarily a bad thing, as it works very well for the song, but it took a couple of listens to "get to" the lyrics, so to speak. Regardless, I love the song, and it's so odd to think that had he not come to me on Twitter, I would have never heard this track.
Support the artist by buying the song on iTunes! Damn I'm starting to love me song Australian pop.
Maybe you know Brandon Hilton from his music career; maybe you know him from being the twelfth most popular Myspace user of all time, or maybe you are just now hearing about him. The point is he knows how to get his name out. Brandon has come a long way from his early days of being a recording artist. Recently, he sat down with me to discuss where he has been and exactly where he is going. I was able to get the inside scoop on exactly what he has in store for his fans as well as some behind the scenes info on his most recent video and single Frozen.
I have been waiting for this for a long time now. Giulietta has been an international musical sensation for years now, but she has definitely has risen to a whole new level. Each single she released for this album got better and better, and now the full album is an explosion of everything amazing you could think of. Giulietta's latest masterpiece is "911: Code Pink".
Yup. You heard it. Willam, the funniest bitch on TV ever, and everyone's favorite hooker has been offed. Trust me -- It's legit.
According to this random nobody new site, Willam Belli has fallen to her death atop some mountain in Australia. Yup. "R.I.P. Willam" might as well be trending on Twitter because it is impossible to lie on the internet or even post something without any evidence or backing. The internet is always 100% truth.
Jesus, this article was hilarious. Not only does it look and sound completely fake, they also call Willam an actress, which is all good and well, but "she" does have a penis, which makes "him" an actor whether he plays a male or woman on screen. It's like they just pulled a random name off IMDB and killed her. Oh well.
Willam has posted from the grave on both Facebook and Twitter multiple times since her demise, leading this investigative reporter to conclude that even in death, his ghost is a fame-whore. A freaking hilarious fame whore. It's gonna be hard to watch Drag U and All Stars (cmon, we all know she was cast on it!) having to see such a beloved queen in the lime light after death.
Drag Race news has been pretty slow lately. I guess that Logo doesn't want to outshine Drag U with any news on the upcoming season(s) of Ru Paul's Drag Race. As a matter of fact, all they will even say is that Ms. Penny Tration won the online contest to get on the new season. As for this fall's upcoming "All-Stars" season, the are being a little more liberal with the info. Only a little.
Yup. The most obvious selection they could make to get great ratings for the very first All-Stars season is to cast Pandora Boxx, the biggest start to be spun from the franchise (although Latrice is giving her a run for her money as of late). I have been a major Pandora Boxx fan since she first appeared on my TV what seems like forever ago, and I have been stalking loving her ever since.
Casting Pandora on the show was a no-brainer. The rest of the cast is a pretty heated debate in the fandom. Most really want to see Raven and Jujubee, while I'm in Manila Luzon's corner on this one. Other front runners are Latrice Royale, Shannel, and surprisingly enough (due to her low ranking on her season) Mimi Imfurst.
What we do know, though, is that Sharon Needles isn't going to be on the show. I mean did they really feel the need to announce this? Sure, she was a fan favorite, but she won! And it hasn't even been a full year since she was crowned. Having the ruling queen on an All-Star season would be kind of pointless. I'm glad that she released a video stating that she wants to share her spotlight with others. I'm liking her more and more ever day -- and just in time to see her live show this coming weekend!
That is literally all there is to say as far as Drag Race news goes for now. I know there are tons of rumors floating around about the cast, and most of them are probably true, but as far as the record goes, I can't say who is who. I can say that if the rumors I've been hearing are true, it is going to be a controversial year for the show.
For now, you can catch all your favorite queens in the faux all-stars version of the show Ru Paul's Drag U every Monday. Check your local listing hunties. Once again I'm sorry I haven't been reviewing this season of Drag U, but with both All-Stars and Season Five coming up, I need this as a sort of 'holiday', if you know what I mean.
You know what? I shouldn't have to say anything other than "It's George Michael". He has been one of my heroes since I was a kid (and even before I knew what gay was). He has an amazing voice, great talent in both performance and songwriting, and he looks hella hot no matter how old he gets. This man can simply do no wrong.
This being his first new song in literally forever, I was a bit concerned with how new material would sound in today's world. It really does mesh up well with what has been out lately, but it remains unique sounding. This song sound like pure 80's -- I mean like Depeche Mode 80's. It's beat is soft, the lyrics are airy, and the vocal effects are layered among a symphony of all sorts of synth sounds.
Go ahead. Buy this song. Take it from a Michael fanboy. Jeeze how is he still so pretty?
Day after day, Giulietta has been tormenting me by posting a countdown to when her new album debuts (three days, people!) and with each day she has been posting a new unreleased and fabulous picture. Yesterday brought on a bonus picture -- the track listing for 911: Code Pink!
Click to enlarge.
Fifteen tracks, people! Fifteen! I try not to get excited over track names, but with titles like "Planet X" and "Zombie", the nerd inside me surfaces and I can't restrain my excitement any longer. There were quite a few more duets on the album than I had expected, but I don't recognize any of the names right off hand other than Nappy Boy.
She left us with a line of question marks when it came to the bonus track, covering up the blurred out actual title. From the looks of it, it has another feature tagged to the end of it. It must be good if she's teasing us like this, and given what she has come out with so far, I have plenty of faith in her.
Until then we will have to wait. Her album is going to be released digitally for free, but if you buy some of her merch, she will give you a free physical copy of the album! Check out these awesome sweatshirts here and get yourself one before they run out!
Today is a double dish of updates, because when news comes, it comes in waves -- giant waves. Let's get right down to business and present the super exciting news first. Yes, it has to do with Aqua. No, I don't care if you care.
Ohh Aqua, how I love thee. I posted a few days ago that Aqua announced to some fans backstage that they were going to be releasing a new single this Fall, but conveniently left out whether it was new or lifted from their recent studio album, Megalomania. For those who payed attention, a Facebook and Twitter update came into view, straight from the source. The post has since been deleted (or I'm bad at Facebook, don't judge me), but thankfully Aqua Fan Page saw the same post I did and screen capped it!
Two new Aqua songs! Looks like we might get another dual single like the release of "Playmate To Jesus/Like A Robot". Hopefully both of the songs are amazing (of course they will be!) and both get videos made. I am still clinging to the hopes that there was a video for "Like A Robot" that will surface one day.
Moving on to Koda Kumi. Yes. More Koda Kumi.
I can't help myself. I just have to talk about her, and given how amazing her last studio album and remix album were, I just cannot wait for this remix compilation to come out. "Beach Mix" may be a bunch previously released stuff set to new (fabulous) back beats, but I must remind you that there is a new song attached to it -- "Whachu Waitin' On." It may be over a month from the release, but that isn't stopping Koda Avex from promoting the hell out of it. As a matter of fact, they released a snippet of the video. Check it out.
It is like if Lady Gaga did bubblegum pop. Yes. Those are spikes attached to her face. No, I don't know why.
The video is shot mostly from the chest up, probably because Koda is currently extremely pregnant. This girl doesn't waste any time, at least. Not only is she shooting a video while very knocked up, she is also planning a tour for as early as December for Japan, meaning that she's gotta lose that baby weight hella fast.
And Lastly, I need to clear up an error I made earlier. "Whatchu Waitin' On" is not the new Koda Kumi single. Koda Kumi's fifty-third single (Jesus!) is currently untitled and slated for Fall of this year. I guess she needs a couple of days to recover and be a mommy before she hits the recording booth to churn out more ear candy for the fans.
I know, I know. I have been posting news on a lot of music videos lately, but it is Summer, and that means that music is coming out almost constantly. I have a soft spot for independent artists, especially those who deserve their time in the spotlight, but just haven't got a whole lot of attention (yet!). And this brings us to Brandon Hilton's newest music video release "Frozen".
The video is very artistic and comes off as polished all together. The majority of the video takes place in a parking lot, where Brandon has apparently either been abandoned, or voluntarily left the side of someone special as they drive away in a car. The video's dark tones and strategically placed lighting during this portion of the video are what make the entire project for me. Brandon looks great, the vibe is great, and it all matches up with the lyrics and meanings behind the song as a whole.
The rest of the video is filled with bits of Brandon in other scenarios, most notably the outfit from the cover of the single, wherein he is wearing a very epic studded vest with shoulderpads that would make even Manila Luzon jealous.
Actually, let me take a moment to tell you just how pretty this guy is. He is like the male version of Robyn. He has that Scandinavian look to him, no? He also has some of the best taste in shoes that I've seen on a non-queen in a long, long time. And don't even get me started on -- Oh my... it seems my gay is showing. I apologize, my faithful readers.
I think this video is great. Give it a view. If you like it, share it with your friends. Music is a gift that is easy to give.
I know this one has been out for a bit, but I have been caught up in other matters. I am a huge stan of Colette, and I did not want to miss the chance to talk about her yet again. She made good on her promise of a quick video release for her newest single "Like I Got A Gun", and it is unlike anything you have seen from Ms. Carr before.
Her videos before have been a bit more... tame compared to this release. Here, we have a pool party where everyone is letting everything loose. Girls with big boobies and big booties are abound, and they are shaking everything. Everything.
Colette herself looks really cute, with freshly dyed blue hair. She actually looks a bit out of place in some of the more explicit scenes, being more cute than anything else, but she is keeping up her more credible image at least.
Now we simply must wait to see what else she has in store for her fans. She said that there were two videos in the works, with a strong possible for a third. No word yet on what these videos are for, but it looks like she is going to make good with her promises. Hopefully we get to see both a video for her other single "Sex" as well as a new track, but she is keeping everything under wraps for now.
I don't usually buy into the mainstream radio scene, but I just can't resist the charm that is Carly Rae Jepsen. She's just so... adorable and cute. I can honestly say this was one of the easiest song of the week choices I've ever had to make. It's "Good Time" by Carly and Owl City!
I don't have much reasoning behind choosing this song other than I freaking love Carly. She may not be the most talented singer, but she has the charm (and the right friends, so I hear). I wasn't too keen on Owl City's debut single, but this song really has him growing on me. The two light pop singers mesh very well in the song itself despite looking a bit odd seeing the two names next to each other.
The two are featured rather equally, giving the song a great balance, as well as a bit of variety from the norm of what is heard on the radio recently. The beat is a bit more "normal" in that it has the typical teen-pop sound to it with a bit of electronic bits mixed in. The lyrics are a bit simple, repeating "We don't even have to try/It's always a good time" over and over for the chorus, but it does it's job in being an earworm, although not as badly as "Call Me Maybe."
Support the artists and buy the song! It's rather... addicting.
It's been a while since I've done a Top Five post, and I think it is about time this got a revival. This go around I decided to go through my favorite remixes. I had to ponder for a long time on whether it should be "of 2012", but instead I went with "recent" because a few of them that I still listen to today pre-date this year.
Let me also take a moment to explain exactly what I find a "good remix" to be. First off it has to be exciting. Nobody likes a boring song. Secondly, it needs to have the lyrics in tact. I don't want a remix of an artists song with the lyrics only spliced in every couple of minutes, or reduced to an annoying constant stutter where nothing is audible. Lastly, I generally fall in love with remixes of songs that I liked to begin with, and the remix gives it either new life or a new point of view. Now that I have that settled, we can move on to our first song.
5. Nadia Oh - No Bueno (Cory Martin Remix)
It wouldn't be a top five list without Nadia. I placed her so low on the list because the original song isn't even close to being one of my favorite tracks by her (She has an amazing musical library), but this remix really saved the song for me. The remix is sped up from the original, but keeps that same Nadia vibe. I guess I had just had too much Moombahton for one sitting when she had released the original. Thankfully this remix came out and saved the day.
