So Lady Gaga Has Released The Music Video For 'Applause'...

 

So incase you live under a rock - or merely don’t live your entire existence on Twitter, Lady Gaga has released the music video for her new single ‘Applause’. The video, directed by fashion photography duo, Inez & Vinoodh, showcases Gaga in various guises, from a David Bowie -esque androgyny look, to embodying a Beatnik performance artist (which was my favourite portrayal in the video personally).

The concept of art is heavily influenced in the visual, and although the video is in typical Gaga wacky fashion, for me it lacks something. The video almost comes across as quite random for me. While ‘Applause’ is your catchy, run-of-the-mill EDM track, the video for me needed to be spectacular in order to boost the track to another stratosphere.

This may be a new ‘era’ for Gaga, but the music is still exactly the same. This isn't exactly surprising, revolutionary news, but I still feel a tad of disappointment. I guess Gaga has already met her peak musically and even visually.

Hopefully when Gaga performs ‘Applause’ live at the MTV VMA’s she’ll give us something else to work it, because, honey, this isn’t it.

 

See the video below. Thoughts?

New Music: Miley Cyrus - We Can't Stop

She’s baaccccck. After what seems like forever since her iconic single ‘Party In The USA’ was released (yes, ICONIC), Miley is back with the new single ‘We Can’t Stop’.

 

The track definitely sounds like a grower, and it’ll probably be a huge hit this summer. However, I feel the song is definitely lacking in ‘oomph’. Especially after these kick-ass editorials she’s been doing with V Magazine, Elle and, of course, that epic ‘Twerking’ video. I guess I expected something ‘edgier’ for lack of a better word. Oh well.

'We Can't Stop' is now available to download on iTunes in the US and will be released in the UK on August 18.

What do you think of Miley’s new track?

Destiny's Child Are Back! Well, Sort Of.

After Kelly Rowland released the revealing track 'Dirty Laundry', which drummed up a considerable amount of publicity for Ms.Rowland, the former DC member has recruited her band mates Michelle Williams and Beyonce for her new track 'You've Changed'. Listen below:
 

 

The song was co-written by Kelly and consists of Kelly & co exposing their cheating boyfriends in the song, while showing off their impeccable harmonies and vocal ability. With the buzz surrounding Kelly at the moment, including another X Factor position, will any of this amount to respectable album sales? Kelly's upcoming album 'Talk A Good Game' will be released on June 18th - the same day as Kanye West's 'Yeezus'. Good luck, Kels.

The Time Is Nigh: #YeezySeason

Kanye Omari West. Ye. Yeezy. Kanye Kardashian. Whatever you want to call him, he's back.
 

After an extremely lousy week for Mr. West, he's back to doing what he does best and reminding us of the iconic emcee that he is. West performed two new tracks on SNL this weekend, including the much talked about 'New Slaves' and new track 'Black Skinhead'. Check out the videos below:

As well as blessing us with new performances, the artwork for his sixth solo studio album 'Yeezus' is out, and it’s EPIC.

Yeezus is now available for pre-order and will be released on JUNE EIGHTEEN according to Kanye. Not June eighteenth. Eighteen. Who needs to be grammatically correct when you call yourself Yeezus.

 

Will you be jumping on the Ye train and buy his latest album?

Maj New Music: She & Him 'Volume 3'

I’ve never seen an episode of ‘New Girl’ or watched ‘(500) Days of Summer’ (no kidding), nor have I ever been interested in Zooey Deschanel and her indie project, She & Him. I didn’t even know she could sing, for goodness sake! Turns out, however, she can, and her latest collaboration with M. Ward has resulted in a pretty damn good summer record.

Volume 3, She & Him’s fourth studio album, is all about love and breakups and, weirdly enough, London, and even though it has the potential to be incredibly banal, it actually isn’t. Ok, maybe it is, but in a good way (if that makes any sense).  The melodies are fun and very Beach Boys-ish; lyrically, though, Deschanel manages to bring an element of complexity to an otherwise straight-forward record. (“I sacrifice myself at the altar of someone else's love for me. No, that doesn't comfort me.”)

Volume 3 opens strongly with ‘I’ve Got Your Number, Son’ but starts feeling repetitive towards the end whilst ‘Together’ sounds like it could belong to a different album. Zooey and M. Ward have also included three covers (Blondie's 'Sunday Girl' is totally unnecessary), and with 14 tracks, Volume 3 seems a bit too long. Overall, though, She & Him have created the perfect rom-com soundtrack which is actually not a bad thing. And I will definitely be listening to it all summer long.  

Beyoncé Who? Solange Covers Complex And Releases An Awesome New Single.

 

Life for Solange Knowles is pretty sweet right now. Between announcing her new record label, 'Saint Records', her debut Cannes appearance and critically acclaimed EP 'True', Solo is really coming into her own - and looks fucking amazing while doing so. The 26-year-old singer covers Complex's June/July 2013 issue and looks pretty foxy in an array of swimsuits, sky-high stilettos, crop tops and leather hot pants. And, of course, that kick ass signature 'fro of hers. Check out the rest of the editorial below.

 

 

 

 

 

Solange also released a remix of her song 'Looks Good With Trouble' featuring acclaimed rapper-of-the moment Kendrick Lamar. Definitely worth a listen.

Maj Music Of The Week

Three particular songs have peaked my curiosity this week. Two of them have made me swoon with excitement and an urge to hit repeat, while one has left me in a state of confusion from the moment I pressed play... 

Best new song release of the week: 

Lana Del Rey 'Young & Beautiful'

 

 

 

My interest in the new 3D spectacular that is ‘The Great Gatsby’ has waned considerably, thanks to the constant teasers and overbearing hype which has been shoved in our faces over the past few days. However, with the release of the official theme song for the remake of the Fitzgerald novel, sung by Lana Del Rey, my interested has peaked. Del Rey's mysterious and haunting vocals are accompanied by a triumphant orchestra as she sings melancholically "Will you still love me / When I'm no longer / Young and beautiful?". The song speaks on the love and insecurities explored in the book and is the perfect accompaniment to the Baz Luhrmann remake. I predict LDR will be picking up a particular gold statue next February...


 

Most random song of the week: 

Drake x James Fauntleroy 'Girls Love Beyoncé'
 

 

 

Clearly Drake has been reading content marketing 101 when he came up with the song title 'Girls Love Beyoncé'. I'm sure dozens of Beyoncé fans flocked to Youtube to hear the Canadian rapper drop 'Queen Bey' into his swagged out rap, only to be surprised to hear a smooth R'n'B track with Drake singing flawlessly. Drake, you smart devil, you. Drake sings on the record alongside James Fauntleroy as they sample Destiny's Child's 'Say My Name' and talk about the relationship troubles that all twenty-something millionaire rappers go through when dating 'big booty strippers' with a penchant for being liars and deceitful. I can totally relate, Drake. 

Fav line from the track: "Get money / And fuck these hoes". A firm motto to live by.

Most anticipated song of the week: 

Daft Punk x Pharrell "Get Lucky"
 

If you haven’t heard snippets of this song or seen their new Saint Laurent ads, you’ve clearly been living under a rock. Or don't have internet. The new infectious funk/electronic song from French house duo Daft Punk has finally premiered in full after numerous snippets and the 00:30 second trailer which premiered at Coachella last week. Combining elements of 70s funk and their well-known electronic sound, the addition of Pharrell Williams' light vocals completes the song as he sings, "We're up all night 'til the sub/ We're up all night to get some/ We're up all night for good fun/ We're up all night to get lucky". Daft Punk have definitely evolved since their Discovery days and are living up to the hype surrounding the track. Looks like they have another hit on their hands, and the release of their album on May 21st couldn’t come any faster.

 

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