Category: Pop

Diamond Hard

8/22/2016

“Diamond Hard” is the third single released from Estonian singer Kerli's upcoming second studio album. Her first since 2008's Love Is Dead. The eight year drought was punctuated by appearances on the Almost Alice soundtrack and a euphoric EP Utopia that was meant to be her second studio album.

Kerli returns to the music world after discovering herself in the isolation of the woods in Estonian. Her first single releases from her upcoming album were measured ballads. Breathtaking and beautiful. Both “Feral Hearts” and “Blossom” displayed the sensitivity she can deliver.

It's with “Diamond Hard” that we find her at her most visceral. It's the most other worldly of the tracks she's displayed so far. The song's is meant to be an uplifting piece of pop and lyrically it delivers. The music video finds her reveling in pagan themes. We have spikes on her back, a diamond encrusted Kerli, and a woman in red placed on a pedestal as mysterious black figures hound her.

Buy "Diamond Hard"

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March Music 2016

2/29/2016

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After an eventful January and February, March seems unlikely to match the set of high profile oddball releases. I'm not even sure The Life of Pablo is even finished and the noncommercial Anti already produced a number one, repetitive Caribbean flared banger with “Work”. February saw the massive uprising in the #FreeKesha movement. You can sign that petition here.

As of the time this article was written there is no date for Fergie's as of yet untitled and long delayed second studio album. It's rumored to be called Double Dutchess and is due to be released at the end of March. Celine Dion was supposed to have a French album released this month, but after the familial tragedy that struck it remains unseen whether the star will pass on that baton.

This Is What The Truth Feels Like
Gwen Stefani
March 18th
No Doubt front woman, Gwen Stefani is about to drop the most intense break up albums on the world has ever seen when she releases third studio set This Is What The Truth Feels Like this March. Scrapping previous singles “Baby Don't Lie” and “Spark The Fire” for new heartfelt material, the album is reported to be deeply personal. Gwen is currently going through a divorce with Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale who cheated on her with the nanny.

Lead single “Used To Love You” is a bombastic return to the form and the fluttery second single “Make Me Like You” assures us that the album isn't entirely built on tears. Gwen is also be touching on her budding romance with country superstar Blake Shelton, who according to Gwen is only her second boyfriend. “Make Me Like You” also marked the first live music video to ever be aired on the Grammy's with all it's colors and car crashes.

Buy"Make Me Like You"

Mind of Mine
Zayn
March 25th
One Direction star, Zayn Malik's first studio set as a solo artist is set for a release near the end of this month under RCA. A flagship of rape supporting Sony music. It's lead single “Pillowtalk” already launched onto the top of the charts in multiple countries.

Your favorite blogger will not be buying this album, but I will certainly be listening. “Pillowtalk” is sexy and slinky, but this faux R&B pop star hasn't released an inescapable banger yet. I also sincerely hope that this music video he released was his idea of “artistic vision”. He looked much like a lost boy amongst the naked embrace of his female costars.

The album cover is hardly original. Zayn's claims that it has no ties to Lil Wayne seems arbitrary and unbelievable considering that the similarly covered Tha Carter III launched with over 1,000,000 copies sold in it's first week in the United States. Zayn is building his career on originality and I'm not sure I believe he's anything more then a contrived pop star with a goal to impress us with his individuality.

We shall see.

Buy"Pillowtalk"

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The Paris Hilton Update

2/15/2016

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Where is the album?

Much like Rihanna, Paris Hilton has been teasing us out about her still unreleased second studio album. She's been signed to Young Money Cash Money, since 2013 and yet the album has not surfaced.

We've run through the lead single “Good Time”. It had Lil Wayne as a guest feature, although by this time his star power wouldn't have helped it gained radio play. He's been losing his grip at pop radio for some time now.

“Good Time” is a rave by the numbers pop jewel with Paris cooing over a seductive electronic beat. Paris is clearly hoping to recreate the success of “Stars Are Blind”. Sometimes she forgets how polarizing she is.

Buy "Good Time"

She followed it up with the breathy “Come Alive”, a beautiful, if not hit worthy song that she released in 2014. This song was the subject of the first post on this blog. You can read about it here.

Buy "Come Alive"

That fall we were supposed to have it's follow up “High Off My Love”. It's release got continually pushed off until 2015, and even then kept getting pushed forward. The video for the song had been filmed way back in 2014. We finally get it and it drips and drenches of BDSM. It's glorious, if the Birdman feature is unnecessary. You can read more about this song here.

And, let's not forget about the snippet of a music video she released for a song titled “Never Be Alone” that glistens with autotune and the sound of a club banger.

Buy "High Off My Love"

Part of these problems could be directly related to the problems YMCM is having at the moment. The formerly paternal bond of Lil Wayne of Birdman has ended in lawsuits. And, let's not forget that shooter who tried to take out Lil Wayne in the style of Notorious B.I.G.

The music label Paris has aligned herself with is having it's own conflicts and the heiress herself seems insistent on having a hit.

I don't see why this is necessary. It would be nice, yes, but her last album was not the Juggernaut she needs to follow up with an equal smash. As long as this album charts within the top 100 it won't be a commercial disappointment.

This is what she needs to do. Run a print campaign, go on TV. Be a tabloid star again. Get people talking about her and all the while be dragging her new music out along with it. Paris has matured though and I don't think that appeals to her.

She's been releasing new perfumes instead and conducting a photo shoot for the album booklet. But, this was last year.

There's a new song out entitled “Crazy” that has Paris Hilton on the vocals. DJ poet and Joshua Gomez are behind the scenes. It's an intense, boundary pushing, dance number worthy of her DJ status in Ibiza.

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Christmas At The Movies

12/14/2015

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Last year I spent Christmas day at the movies. It was a joyous moment to spend time with my family without spending time with them. On the first day of the 12 Days of Bubbles I reveal the three movies you should aspire to see. And, no I'm not catholic enough to suggest going to see The Letters or in touch enough with my inner child to subject you to Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.

Sisters
December 18

The week before Christmas day. The joyous event of the year occurs. Amy Poehler and Tina Fey team up to give us the R rated comedy we've all been looking for. It looks slightly more tasteful then the one Will Farrell is bringing with Daddy's Home.

Essentially, it is a reunion of all the essential cast members of SNL to give us a solid laugh. Maya Rudolph makes an appearance. It's a girls comedy that hopefully is just as good as The Bridesmaids. They even brought in the convict from The Mindy Project as the sexual female fantasy.

The general plot revolves around two sisters who return to find that their parents have sold their childhood home. They resolve to host one final blowout party. If your already poking holes in the plot hole, this is not the movie for you. I will be seeing this movie. How quickly, I will be seeing it is a whole other story.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
December 18th

I'm personally shocked this movie isn't coming out Christmas day. It deserves that blockbuster status. However, it will be competing and beating Sisters out for the top of the box office.

This is the seventh installment in the franchise. Features most of the returning cast. Although, neither Harrison Ford or Carrie Fisher have held up that well since the eighties and we're not even going to discuss Mark Hammill. The film also has Billie Lourd in her first major screen debut. She's the daughter of Carrie Fisher and portrays Chanel #3 on the Fox horror show Scream Queens.

This is going to be the cultural event of December. Pop culture will explode. The plot of this movie is hardly as important as the special effects. With a $200 million dollar budget, it's sure not to disappoint.

The Danish Girl
December 25th

Just in time to capitalize on the fixation with transgender topics. Eddie Redmayne is sure to receive an Oscar nod for his portrayal as Einar Wegener, one of the first people to receive gender reassignment surgery. It's received rave reviews and even features the always beautiful Amber Heard in a role. If I'm in the mood for a serious movie. This is the one I'll be seeing.

The film is based off a bestseller by David Ebershoff of the same. There is no doubt that Eddie Redmayne is talented. He took home an academy award for best actor in The Theory of Everything last year and I have no doubt he will do more then an excellent job in this role. However, some criticism has been raised that a cisgender actor is portraying a transgender pioneer.

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Sony Music Supports Rape

12/7/2015

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A few months ago I did an article on Kesha where I briefly touched on her court case against music producer Dr. Luke. You can read that here and at the time the trial wasn't completely in full swing.

Kesha has filed legal action to be released from her contract with recording producer Dr. Luke. According to her statements he has raped her, drugged her, emotionally abused her. You can do your own research on that. Some of it's very graphic and she feels unsafe to work with him.

My suggestion to Kesha was to release a greatest hits. Tack on one new song. Drop that greatest hits and get out of that contract. Jennifer Lopez satisfied her recording contract with Island by doing that. Madonna did the same with Warner Bros.

I didn't realize she had three more albums to record with Dr. Luke. If you don't know who he is. He's the force behind some of the biggest hits in pop music. He's worked with Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Nicki Minaj. All the greats. He's part of the reason for Kesha's mainstream success. As of right now Kesha has never had a single miss the top 40. That's amazing.

This complicates matters. She is working directly on Dr. Luke. He is supposed to produce her records and what safety can she have working with a man like that. Her stint in rehab over her eating disorders were caused by Dr. Luke.

Kesha asked Sony music to just release her from working with Dr. Luke. That she was willing to have her music released from Sony, she just didn't want to work with her abuser. Which, seems perfectly reasonable.

They refused. Sony is choosing to protect Dr. Luke instead of their artists, because he's a hit maker. With Kesha and Dr. Luke in a lawsuit, if Kesha loses her career is essentially over. Dr. Luke can shelve any album she makes. Release it and give it any promotion. He has all the power. There is no way Sony music will be able to make any money from Kesha if she's restricted to this contract.

This case should have been solved a long time ago. Her testimony is graphic and even if it wasn't it seems unlikely that Kesha would lie about this. For what gain? Dr. Luke made her a superstar. She isn't trying to get away from someone who's unable to produce her hits. She's getting away from her abuser.

Kesha gave Sony Music such a reasonable alternative to this continued lawsuit and they decided to support Dr. Luke. They have aligned themselves with a rapist in the terms of profits. Supporting Kesha would have lost them nothing other then some irritation on the part of Dr. Luke.

I support Kesha completely in her decision not to release any more music with Dr. Luke. I love Kesha and I would love more Kesha music in my life, but it's so much more important that she isn't put in hostile situations where she has to deal with this man.

It's absolutely disgusting that Sony is siding with a rapist who took advantage of one of their artists instead of choosing to support her, they have set the precedence that rape and molestation is acceptable as long as you produce hits.

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I Still Love You

11/23/2015

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Nineties and mid 2000s icon Gwen Stefani has returned. Her much talked about new single “Used To Love You” has impacted radio. She's performed it on The Voice. The song harkens back to the ballad form of past solo releases “Cool” and “Early Winter” and “Don't Speak” if you include the iconic No Doubt hit.

This is the third single from her as yet untitled third studio album. It's a welcome return to form. And, hopefully one that will make strides on radio and turn into a mega hit. Last year she released “Baby Don't Lie” and the amusing if uneventful “Spark The Fire”.

Now Gwen has said of her new single that she's “not making music to make hits”. Bullshit. We all know that is not the truth. If she was making music to just release it we would already have the album. Just like she said we would back in December 2014.

Sales matter and Gwen hasn't had a serviceable hit, since “The Sweet Escape” in 2006. She's an aging pop star. A pop star we adore, but one that is aging none the less. People aren't buying albums the way they used to. We need some convincing.

I think “Used To Love You” does that. The song is clearly about her failed relationship with Gavin Rossdale. That right there gives it peak interest value. People want to know about that. The fact that it's catchy as fuck doesn't hurt anything either.

Now Gavin was the frontman of a nineties band Bush. They had some commercial success. He made his money, but they are hardly iconic.

Their divorce is messy. It's not messy yet, but it could be. It has the potential. The reason for the split hasn't been revealed. Yet. Which, is why this song is such an interesting piece of art for us to look at. We know it's about Gavin. Now we just got to put it together between the music notes.

Interesting enough it's been thrown around that her and fellow Voice host Blake Shelton have been very close lately. He is also going through a divorce to Miranda Lambert. I don't think this is the best decision on Gwen's part. They should both be grieving over their marriages. Not having hot middle aged sex. In my humble homosexual opinion.

I understand. It's a fling, but maybe they could wait until the papers are signed. Just out of respect for their partners. Blake has some rugged country boy charm. But, when he says “sweet iced tea” it sounds like “sweet assed tea” and that's not sexy.

Now the music video for this song is moving and low budget. Three minutes of close ups of Gwen's well put together face, crying. Being emotional. It won't win best video at the VMA's, but it's serviceable.

Buy "Used To Love You"

Her new album has not been given a name yet, but I will keep you updated. From what Gwen's saying we're going to be getting it sooner rather then later.

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Disappointment In October

9/28/2015

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The fall is usually the month of stellar or at the very least high profile music releases. This year October has chosen not to pull it's weight. As your favorite blogger, I feel like it's my duty to keep you updated on the music scene. Unless, Rih Rih or Kanye decided to drop their albums this month there's not much to talk about. Who knows, maybe Shania Twain will finally released her long awaited fifth studio album.

Janet Jackson
Unbreakable
October 2nd

Musical juggernaut Janet Jackson is back after an extended hiatus. It seemed doubtful we would ever get another studio outing, but Janet must have missed the spotlight.

The icon that she is, this is bound to be one of the most cohesive R&B released of the year. I've never been an invested fan of Janet Jackson, so I won't be buying it. However, I hope it sells well. It's always hard to see our legends fall. Lead single “No Sleeeep” got the remix treatment from J. Cole and it's just as slinky as you would expect. Certainly an album to look into.

The only other R&B album of note worth mentioning in October is Tamar Braxton's Calling All Lovers that's bound to be more of a commercial disaster then her three other albums.

Buy "No Sleeep"

Demi Lovato
Confident
October 16th

Be surprised that this teen pop star has made any mention on this list. I have for a long time not been a proponent of Demi's. Although, I bopped to “I Really Don't Care” as much as the next person.

It was with the released of “Cool For The Summer” that I decided to reevaluate her career. I still don't like Demi, but I'm giving her a second chance. Including Iggy Azalea on the track list is not helping matters. Second single “Confident” hasn't completely thrown me off, but still here we are. This would be the first Demi album I've purchased.

Her interview in Cosmopolitan this year did little to endear her to me, but damn did she look good. And if we're being honest I'm disappointed she didn't make out with a girl in the “Cool For The Summer” video. It's great that she's expressing her bisexuality in thinly veiled euphemisms, but visual confirmation would be great. As it is, it seems that she's some what hesitant on the subject and is almost embarrassed of it.

Another Disney pop star is also releasing her album. Selana Gomez's Revival will be out October 9th heralded with it's top ten hit “Good For You” and her slinky new image.

Buy "Cool For The Summer"

OMI
Me 4 U
October 16th

Out the same day as Demi's new album, new comer OMI releases his debut album Me 4 U. It will feature the inescapble number one hit “Cheerleader”. I'm one of the few people who genuinely enjoyed this song. The line “Do you need me? Do you think I'm pretty?” actually describes my life.

OMI is heralding in this concept of “reggae fusion” into the music market. His follow up single “Hula Hoop” does little to differentiate itself from it's predecessor. It works. It's perfectly catchy, but it makes me reticent to purchase this album. I don't need a full length of “Cheerleader” rearrangements.

Buy "Cheerleader"

I'm hoping that OMI will surprise me. I might get the album if I find it in a CD bin for five dollars. Other notable albums out this month include acapella group Pentatonix's first full length of original material. Lead single “Can't Sleep Love” did little to impress. Boy band 5 Seconds of Summer is also charting new material. It's bound to be one of the big sellers and lead single “She's Kinda Hot” bears more then one repeat.

Let's also not forget Carrie Underwood's new Storyteller due out October 23rd that started with disappointing lead single “Smoke Break” will herald the peak moment in Country music.

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The Havana Brown Update

8/31/2015

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I'm a little late on the charge, but I had to do my civic duty and update you on the wonderings of the wonderful and talented Havana Brown.

The last update I gave you was really prior rehashing of what she has been up to. As most of her mainstream commercial success has happened in Australia this is not general public knowledge. One of the blogs I read recently said she was one of the highest selling Australian artists.

He wasn't wrong, but he was stanning hard. Who are universally famous Australian recording artists? Olivia Newton-John, Kylie Minogue, and ACDC. Sia if you want to go current. Their platinum certification is 70,000 copies compared to the United States a million copies. The thresholds are wildly different. Havana Brown's “We Run The Night” sold over a million copies in this country. She might be one of the highest selling Australian recording artists, but that doesn't mean well renowned.

Olivia Newton-John has sold an estimated 100 million records.

Kylie Minogue has sold an estimated 70 million records.

ACDC has sold over 200 million records

Sia has sold over 25 million records.

Havana Brown has for over the past year being gearing up for a follow up to her sensational debut album Flashing Lights. I was hoping it would be slated for a 2014 release, and now I'm just hoping we get it in 2015.

So far five singles have been released to promote this album. None of which have attained commercial success the way “We Run The Night” or “Warrior” have. "We Run The Night" being the single that brought her to international attention.

“Whatever We Want” was a catchy banger. Original might not be how I would describe it, but obsessed with it none the less I was. It reached the top forty in Australia for one week and it seems unlikely that it will appear on her new album. Much like it's follow up “Better Not Said”.

But "Whatever We Want"

Now “Better Not Said” actually got a music video made for it. I liked “Better Not Said”, but it took a couple spins for Havana Brown's breathy vocals to take over me and for me to fall head over heels for this song. That is not the way a hit pop record is done. It not all that surprisingly also did not fare well.

Then her and DJ Walden worked up a remix of Sade's “No Ordinary Love” with Havana on lead vocal. This wasn't a hit for Sade back when they were popular. Not that they were the tantamount of smash hit after smash hits. Needless to say it did not slay the charts the way she wanted.

Buy "Better Not Said"

Buy "No Ordinary Love"

This was the song I stood for. “Bullet Blowz” was good. It was a club banger. Too much of a club banger for radio. That's a damn shame, because that song is amazing. Havana slayed it. Our bald headed boy DJ Kronic served up some sick beats. You couldn't figure out the name of the song to save your life. It was tragically not destined for success.

Buy "Bullet Blowz"

The song that is ready to go top ten is prepped and ready for war. “Battle Cry” has Bebe Rexha as a feature along with Savi. Savi is not important. Bebe Rexha you may know as one of the cowriters on Eminem's hit “Monster” and her own turn on Cash Cash's “Take Me Home”. Bebe Rexha is a multitalented powerhouse with a voice to kill for.

This song is a more pop direction. Potentially signaling the drop of the previous four singles as a change of direction for Havana. This song is pop with a big battle cry. It doesn't take more then one listen to realize Havana has returned and is ready to let us have it. This is the song that could relaunch her in the United States.

The music video? To die for. Literally. There are sexy shirtless men surrounded in a stilted western themed extravaganza where Havana Brown gets her revenge. The concept is already more original then the shoot she and Pitbull did for “We Run The Night”.

Buy "Battle Cry"

She croons. She slays. Havana Brown's “Battle Cry” deserves to top your end of summer playlist.

With any luck we should have a second studio album release by the end of this year. I will keep you updated. With even more luck it might even be released in the United States. Wouldn't that be nice. Shipping from Australia takes too much time.

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A Fashionable Obsession

8/24/2015

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It's finally happened. The queen of moody alt-pop has returned with a new album due for release in September.

Lana Del Rey spent the summer touring with Courtney Love on the Endless Summer Tour and putting the final details on her new album Honeymoon. The album has been in the works, since recording sessions for Ultraviolence finished last year.

Last year's full length featured production credits from Dan Auerbach. A man most widely known for his work with blues rock band The Black Keys. It has been thrown around that much of this year's LP has been helmed by Mark Ronson. You may know him as the leading man behind the fourteen week chart topping “Uptown Funk”.

This album is bound to only expand on Lana Del Rey's sound and cement her growing fanbase. The first teasings of the album we have was when Lana released the audio to the titular track “Honeymoon”. It was moody and seductive. Her voice being the centerfold to it's lush surroundings and stylistically leaned closer to Ultraviolence then Born to Die.

The first proper single was “High By The Beach”. It's the kind of song that makes you want to smoke a joint and shoot a helicopter out of the sky. Languorous and epic it has me hooked. Only Lana could say “all I want to do is get high by the beach” and “truth is I never bought into your bullshit” and still come out of it as a classy sophisticated woman. But, she did.

The single also garnered a music video. It had a style of one continuous shot, similar to Birdman, or my YouTube videos. You think everything is fine. The beautiful Lana Del Rey is lounging in her Californian beach home. The wind is billowing her dress. She goes down to the beach to get her guitar case and then all of a sudden she pulls out a rocket launcher and kills the paparazzi. The girl really does need the Mary Jane.

Buy "High By The Beach"

Honeymoon should have a similar promotional campaign to that of Ultraviolence. That means more songs (!!!) will be released. One or two more music videos will be produced. The album will sell a few hundred thousand copies worldwide in it's first week on sale, then maintain a steady stay on the chart until the next follow up.

Right now the only three songs we have available are the aforementioned “Honeymoon” and “High By The Beach”. With preorder of the album you can receive the second official single “Terrence Loves You”. It's jazzy and not my favorite Lana Del Rey masterpiece. That's what I said about the second single on last year's Ultraviolence, “Shades of Cool” and now I croon to it.

In exciting news the album cover has been released. I like the rest of the Lana Del Rey fan base are not overwhelmed with love for it. I am hoping a deluxe edition cover will be revealed, although it's yet to be acknowledged if there will be more then one version of the album. The vinyl artwork for Honeymoon is much more in style of Lana Del Rey. You too can go to Urban Outfitters and spend $35 on a vinyl record.

The track list for the album has been unlocked. It features fourteen songs of love and heartbreak. Or something like that.

Some notes on the tracklist. Song number two was originally thrown around as the concept for the album. How about that for a fun fact. Track 9 has it correct. Lana is our religion. And, in true form of predecessors Paradise and Ultraviolence there is a cover song. “Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood” is an old jazz standard. Hopefully it will stand up just as well as “Blue Velvet” and “The Other Woman” did.

In other Lana Del Rey news will be featured on The Weeknd's new album Beauty Behind The Madness. Lana Del Rey doesn't do collaborations. This is bound to be fascinating. Ed Sheeran is also set to appear on the album. The duet with Lana Del Rey is entitled “Prisoner” and is sadly not part of the tracklist for Honeymoon as of right now.

The duet will be officially unveiled on Friday August 28th when the Weeknd's album drops. It's bound to be a massive seller. With two songs in the top ten (“Can't Feel My Face” and “The Hills”) and the 50 Shades of Grey single “Earned It” to back it up, who won't be buying Beauty Behind The Madness.

I won't be. But, if this Lana Del Rey collaboration pans out, I will be tempted. I'm a slut for Lana. This Friday Halsey also releases her debut album Badlands. That's certainly something to check out. The new Lana Del Rey album is set for release on Friday September 18th. And, in case anyone is counting that's 25 days away.

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Indie Debuts of August

8/3/2015

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July was a surprisingly dead month for music. For me at least. I also haven't had the money to invest in my ever expanding record collection. In August four albums are going to be released. One of them is the delayed Carly Rae Jepsen album Emotion that I talked about in the music of June. It's her third album release and also the exact opposite of indie. The album has been released in it's entirety in Japan if you want to listen to it.

I don't know what about August attracts the indie crowd, but this year it did. A string of artists are dropping music, the biggest name being the Weeknd when he releases Beauty Behind The Madness on August 28th.

Ivy Levan
No Good
August 7th

Ivy Levan continues a trend that is bound to pick up support this coming year. Her debut album is being released on a Friday instead of the now traditional Tuesday. I have spoken of Ivy Levan on two occasions on this blog. I have to say that I'm obsessed with her and eagerly anticipating this new release.

The singer describes her music as “swamp hop” and it's the most striking music I've heard in the entirety of 2015. I'm surprised she's yet to receive substantial radio play from her lead and sexually suggestive single “Biscuit”. It's all about a lover kissing the “biscuit”. As the pure innocent homosexual that I am, I have no idea what she could mean by that.

Some of the production has been handled by Diplo, the man who is half the team behind “Where Are You Now?”, the frenetic “Bitch I'm Madonna”, and two of M.I.A.'s studio releases. He is also featured on No Good on the track “27 Club”. Sting also makes a guest appearance on the highly infectious second single “Killing You”. No Good has the potential to be the anti-pop album of 2015.

See Swamp Biscuits and Lick My Biscuit for further reading on Ivy Levan.

Buy "Biscuit"

Melanie Martinez
Pity Party
August 14th

I've been meaning to talk to you about Melanie Martinez. She's the dark, bang wearing contestant from The Voice. Her debut album is also set for a Friday release. It features a string of singles none of which have made much of an impact on pop radio. Yet, surprisingly enough it was pop radio where I encountered her single “Dollhouse”.

Her music is looming and atmospheric. It has a radio friendliness that Lana Del Rey lacks. Melanie Martinez is the pop Lana (who's album Honeymoon is set for a September release). She plays with all the tropes of a troubled childhood. These themes have become common in the pop landscape with Natalia Kills and Lana Del Rey treading similar territory. However, Melanie plays it with her own vivacity and voice. The character she is portraying is a “cry baby”

The tracklist has yet to be confirmed. However, it is expected that the five preceding singles “Dollhouse” (my personal favorite), “Carousel”, “Soap”, “Sippy Cup” and “Pity Party” are to be included. “Pity Party” also samples the Leslie Gore hit “It's My Party (I Can Cry If I Want To)”. It's going to be a fascinating release.

Buy "Dollhouse"

Halsey
Badlands
August 28th

Of the three singers, Halsey is the newest to me. She was brought to my attention by Miss Sara Bellum and The Mayor of Townsville. She opened for Imagine Dragons this summer where they saw her live. She is the most explicitly indie artist on this list. All of your hipster friends will be impressed with your worldliness if you bring her up.

I can't imagine her becoming a major pop star. At least not at this point in her career, but I certainly do enjoy her music. Two singles have been released from this album so far. “Hurricane” and “Ghost”. My personal favorite is “Ghost”. I think it's the most accessible pop tune here. However, with Ella Henderson's similarly titled hit earlier this year it's hard to imagine it grabbing a foothold.

Her music videos are otherworldly. The one for “Hurricane” has a story that is about young reckless lovers and finished with a “to be continued”. Hopefully, not in the way “Telephone” was “to be continued”. The one for “Ghost” is colorful, effervescent, and what I've always wanted Tokyo to be like. If you like these two songs. She's also released the audio for “Hold Me Down” and “New Americana” if you need more before the album drops at the end of August.