Category: Sia

Living Out Loud

2/20/2017

Key Lyric: Twenty Drinks Later In The Back Of A Ride / Nineteen Momma Kicked Me Outta The House

Rapper/Singer Brooke Candy with tousled 80s era Madonna style hair

Rapper/Singer Brooke Candy trades verses with hitmaker Sia on latest track “Living Out Loud”. The underground star has been building her fame up for years. Her sound has involved. The latest tracks eschew her rapping prowess in exchange for a sweet singing voice.

“Living Out Loud” is uplifting, following in the musical footsteps of previous tracks “Happy Days” and “Paper or Plastic”. Fans of the rappers early tracks “Opulence” or “Wanna Fuck Right Now” will be disappointed. Brooke Candy has been dialing back her extreme in order to find a mainstream audience. She's never come closer then with “Living Out Loud”.

The rapper has Sia on her side to executive produce her first album The Daddy Issues. She's also working with up and coming producer Sophie (Charli XCX) to create bombastic hits. “Living Out Loud” is a clear LGBT+ anthem, the song is a rallying cry for all the disenfranchised in the current political climate. Now is not the time to be afraid, but to stand in solidarity with one another for our differences. We're not going away. We exist. We will live out loud.

Buy "Living Out Loud"

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Fun!

2/6/2017

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Key Lyric: You're My Fun When I'm Down / You Pick Me Up Again

Blondie is back to save 2017 with an update on their new wave sound. Sounding like a distant cousin to 70s icon Giorgio Moroder's new song “Good For Me” (read more about that here), “Fun” is just the song we need for the current political climate. The song offers an escape that is light hearted, floor filler, to get your hands in the air.

Lead singer Debbie Harry sounds in good form and the band sounds exactly as one would expect from a group behind massive hits “Call Me” and “The Tide Is High”. Known for dying and cutting her own hair, Debbie Harry is an icon of days past and if this sneak peak has anything to say, Blondie is on the way for a return.

Debbie Harry

They will more than likely not scale Top 40 with their disco strut, but it promises great things for their new album Pollinator, which is tentatively due for release this March. The song doesn't quite push hard enough to sound current, but with a band as legendary as Blondie that's hardly a critique. However, with collabs with current stars Sia and Charli XCX in the work, the album might push harder then “Fun” might suggest.

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R8

11/9/2015

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The release of R8 seems eminent. There seems to be a countdown on Rihanna's eighth studio album. We have some recorded tracks. We have an album cover. We have a few singles. And, when it's released it's bound to be one of the biggest sellers of that sales year

The album now known as Anti was originally referred to as R8 by fans and Rihanna alike. This album was initially reported to be released last year sometime in November. Although, no singles or other qualifying matters reinforced that statement and November went by without it's release.

This marks the longest time between studio albums for Rihanna. For the better part of her career she's dropped a new album every year and on occasion taken a two year break. We've been in a Rihanna drought.

She remained a presence on the radio featuring on the Wale track “Bad” and the force behind the Eminem collaboration “Monster” as well as giving necessary star power to Shakira's “Can't Remember To Forget You”. She's hardly been an absent presence, we just haven't had solo Rihanna.

In January of 2015 word arrived. “Four Five Seconds” marked Rihanna's return to radio as lead artist with the help of Paul McCartney and an auto tuned Kanye. The song was a surprising turn for the singer and dominated radio. That's how much we missed Rihanna.

She followed it up with “Bitch Better Have My Money”. A song more in line with the Rihanna we know. The belated music video showed murder and carnage and sex appeal and it more then proved what an adequate role model Rihanna is. More then a few people have compared it to the Unapologetic hit “Pour It Up”. That comparison is not unfounded. It was a return to form.

Buy "Bitch Better Have My Money"

Buy "Four Five Seconds"

The follow up song “American Oxygen” failed to light up radio the way it should have. I personally love this song. It had a social message. Rihanna was trying to say something. This song deserved to conquer, but it fell surprisingly limp. Since, then we haven't heard any new music from Rihanna.

Buy "American Oxygen"

When will a new single drop? Will we have a new single before Anti is released? Is Anti even planned for a 2015 release?

Everyone working on the album is praising it. Sia has given her a few songs. A more then welcome exchange considering their collaboration that produced “Diamonds”. Belated underground pop star Natalia Kills has been in the recording studio with Rihanna. Kanye is there. Ne-Yo has stopped by and said that Rihanna is creating a classic Everyone's favorite gymnastic vocalist Kiesza is writing for Rihanna.

Sia

Kiesza

Kanye

Natalia Kills

The singles have done little to tell us what the album will sound like or how cohesive it will be. A tracklist with “Four Five Seconds” and “Bitch Better Have My Money” on it seem contradictory and yet they'll fit on there somewhere.

The promotional campaign for this albums seems unusual at best or maybe that's just what happens when you live in a Beyonce world. There is no doubt this will be one of Rihanna's best. The last time she took more then a year to release an album she gave us Rated R. That album is a musical accomplishment and one of the best. Rihanna is about to murder us all.

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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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The Music of June

5/25/2015

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June is the biggest month in music that has happened so far in 2015. Multiple (hopefully) solid albums are going to be released. I know what your saying. But, Madonna's album, Rebel Heart, came out in March. That is true, but one queen cannot hold down an entire month. The only month that really rivaled this was January when Fall Out Boy, Ella Henderson, and Marilyn Manson all released new music.

Granted I didn't buy any of those albums. I am working on it. I was trying to save money by not buying music. And, then I bought 20 albums this month, so I think it worked out really well for me.

Florence + The Machine
How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful
June 2nd

This is going to be the third album by British indie rock band Florence + The Machine. You should know them for their hit single “Dog Days Are Over” and for lead singer Florence Welch's wailing on Calvin Harris's hit “Sweet Nothings”. Vocal stylings are Florence's prowess. She has a very unique voice and all of her albums have been critically acclaimed. I know multiple people who love and adore this band.

This is going to be my first Florence + The Machine album. I've decided this is going to be my first experience. I've always liked them, but I am obsessed with their song “What Kind of Man”. The music video is great. Florence Welch has very nice breasts by the way. And, if it is representative of the album at all. This is a stellar release.

Buy "What Kind of Man"

Hilary Duff
Breathe In. Breathe Out.
June 16th

My love for Hilary Duff is undying. This is going to be 1 of 3 albums I'm buying on the sixteenth. My body is shaking. This album has been proceeded by three singles “Chasing The Sun”, “All About You”, and “Sparks”. “Sparks” is cowritten by Tove Lo who has been having her own string of hits with “Stay High”, "Heroes (We Could Be)" and “Talking Body”. “Sparks” is Hilary's shot at hitting the top forty. The video is adorable and very Hilary Duff. Ed Sheeran is also a collaborator on this album that was originally titled This Heart. I'm so glad she changed it. Breathe In. Breathe Out. has such a better impact. It should be a collective mix of quality recordings.

Buy "Sparks"

Ryn Weaver
The Fool
June 16th

Ryn Weaver is the dark horse on my list. She has not had a hit song, but I find her music to be fascinating. The song that's been somewhat successfully vying for radio play is “Octahate” if you heard it on the radio you would not know this was the name of the song. Ryn Weaver would probably fall under “indie pop” because that's where any artist goes if your not sure what their music is. Listen to the song. Make your own opinion. The twins like it and god knows that's hard for us to find common ground on music. She's definitely pretty enough to be a pop star and honestly that's step number one.

Buy "Octahate"

Giorgio Moroder
Deja Vu
June 16th

I blogged about this when legendary producer Giorgio Moroder first announced plans for a solo album and as I said I am keeping you updated. Giorgio Moroder is the man behind Donna Summer and Daft Punk's phenomenal return to the top of the charts with Random Access Memories. This is going to be a 74 year old's take on pop music with vocal stylings of Sia, Charli XCX, Britney Spears, Kelis, among others over the production. New music from mama Kelis is necessary. Her last hit was with Calvin Harris with “Bounce” and that was only in Europe. This could be what she needs to return back on top.

Britney Spears is covering “Tom's Diner” and that song has already been released. It's an invigorated cover and it's Britney. It's a necessary addition to any album collection. Kylie Minogue was on the lead single “Right Here, Right Now” that although catchy, failed epically. Mikky Ekko is also on the album if you have any interest in him after his duet with Rihanna on “Stay”. This might not be an album for you to buy blind, but definitely look into. Giorgio Moroder has been in the industry for a long time and it's sure to be memorable whether or not it's something you want to turn up to at the gym.

Buy "Tom's Diner"

Tori Kelly
Unbreakable Smile
June 23rd

The name of her album is Unbreakable Smile and yet she isn't smiling. I honestly don't understand that. But, that's fine. Maybe the Target deluxe edition will have her in full smile. She's the girl behind “Nobody Love”. You may or may not have heard it on the radio. It's catchy. Her vocals are not the best. I can actually say I knew of her before she achieved a certain level of semi-fame. She was on YouTube and more specifically she was on the Superfruit channel with Scott and Mitch. That's when I heard of her and I was like I like you.

This album should be interesting. This is the only one I'm a little hesitant on buying, but I hope it will be good. I have my fingers crossed. I most certainly will be tweeting and tumblring about if it does not live up to expectations.

Buy "Nobody Love"

Carly Rae Jepsen
Emotion
June 23rd

Hear me out on this one. I know no one likes Carly Rae Jepsen. We're over “Call Me Maybe” and “I Really Like You” is juvenile. Your criticisms of those two songs is accurate. However, her last album Kiss was phenomenal. I bought that album for “Good Time” and I loved it. “Call Me Maybe” was one of the lower moments. Carly Rae Jepsen knows how to make a consistent album. I have high hopes for Emotion and I will shamelessly be buying it.

Buy "I Really Like You"

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Disco Is A Zombie

12/8/2014

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Disco is back from the dead. After three dormant decades, it is back with Giorgio Moroder leading the way. You could make the argument that disco never died and that it simply evolved. In Europe this was very true. Disco didn't fade, dance music changed. The United States, however really did have a come to terms with bringing disco down, and it wasn't until Madonna that dance music really came back in vogue.

Giorgio Moroder is probably not a household name to most people. Not even those who lived through the highlights of disco. I know who he is, because of his work with Donna Summer. I don't think I've really talked about her on the blog, but I love Donna Summer. Needless to say you will see Giorgio Moroder's name stamped across a lot of Donna Summer hits “Love to Love You Baby”, “Hot Stuff”, “I Feel Love” to name a few.

He's an iconic record producer. Quite recently his sound had a surge of popularity when Daft Punk enlisted him for their album, Random Access Memories. It won a Grammy for album of the year, spawned the massive hit that was “Get Lucky”. I was never interested enough to really look into it, but it received phenomenal reviews.

Fun fact that he also did the Scarface soundtrack. Jenny knew this for some odd reason. I don't know why, she is surprisingly skilled in knowledge in film scores and soundtracks. Something, I am not.

The moral of the story. The reason he is the subject of conversation is that Mr. Moroder is releasing a new album at the age of 74. There will be a slew of guest hit makers, much the way David Guetta and Calvin Harris tailor their albums.

At the moment there is no release date, but I will keep you updated. I'm definitely curious about this project. What does this 74 year old man think he can contribute to pop music? I have no idea and that's what is so intriguing, as his last studio album came out over 30 years ago. The same time disco died. He is now back, and about to let us have it?

Collaborators include: Britney Spears, Charli XCX, Kylie Minogue, Sia, Mikky Ekko, and Foxes.

Kylie Minogue

Sia

Foxes

Mikky Ekko

Britney Spears

Charli XCX

Obviously, I am excited for new Britney music as the rest of the world is. I'm kind of bored with Charli to be honest. I am considering buying Sucker next week, though. I still haven't decided. Kylie Minogue is irrelvant to Americans.

There's no reason Giorgio shouldn't enlist hit maker Sia, especially with her recent chart successes. As far as Mikky Ekko and Foxes go. I don't really have anything against it. I thought Mikky Ekko's career had flat lined after his duet with Rihanna, so if he can get his name back out there he might finally drop that solo album.

Who even knows what's happening with Foxes. She sang “Clarity” for Zedd and now she's on a veteran producers album. I suppose that's exciting for her. I have no interest in her career. If it blows up, I will take note, until then. I have better things to do.

One song has been released from the album so far. It is mainly instrumental, but it has me interested in this new project. It's called “74 is the New 24”.

I don't know if I would go that far.

Buy "74 is the New 24"

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Living Out Loud

Fun!

R8

The Havana Brown Update

The Music of June

Disco Is A Zombie

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