Lily Allen - "Sheezus" (Album Review)

"Sheezus", out May 5, 2014

Lily Allen is back! She once claimed that she had retired from the music business to focus on her family life, but when music is your passion there isn't much you can do, you will always go back to it. Two years ago she announced she was back in the studio and that she was just having some fun, and if anything good came out of those recording sessions then she would have released a new album.

Lily's debut, "Alright, Still", was released in 2006 and it was a good way to introduce us to this new, fresh, quirky, funny singer/songwriter.

She cemented her success in 2009 with her second album, "It's Not Me, It's You", which spawned hits such as "The Fear" and "Not Fair". That second album was absolutely brilliant, and it contained little pop masterpieces like "Him", "I Could Say" and "Everyone's At It". Lily's voice had never sounded better and her songwriting was absolutely on point. The melodies were sweet, catchy and the production was top-notch.

Now that she's back with "Sheezus", her third studio album, I am a little scared because what I've heard from the album so far just isn't half as good as what Lily is capable of.

She has released five singles in five months. Either the record company isn't very confident or this is just a way to make people hear as much from the album as possible before it is officially released.


"Hard Out Here", the album's lead single, which is also the last track on the standard edition of the record, was released last November and it was met with critical acclaim, particularly for its feminist themes. Pop beats, autotune and a catchy chorus made for a fun if slightly weak comeback single. According to Lily, the video was "a lighthearted satirical look at objectification of women in modern pop music".


The second single, "Air Balloon", was a departure from the lead single's sound, and it was definitely more reminiscent of Lily's earlier hits such as "Fuck You" and "LDN", although the song sounds like it could've been released by M.I.A. a few years ago. It is in fact very similar to "Paper Planes". Lily actually even looks like M.I.A. in the music video for the song. Lily sings: "When I'm bored I kinda drift away" as she relaxes in a safari field in Cape Town with zebras and monkeys.


"Sheezus" is the single that got people talking the most. In the song, Lily references Katy Perry, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Lorde and Rihanna. While everyone thought she was dissing all these pop ladies, Lily cleared things up with Rolling Stone. Read all about it HERE. She also wanted this song to be a single but the record company was against the idea because it isn't up-tempo enough and "radio won't play the better stuff", so they made her release "Air Balloon", which Lily described as "docile pop". The song also contains the word "period", which, for some reason, some people find offensive.

"Insincerely Yours" and "Take My Place" both remind me of her UK #1 hit "The Fear", but for different reasons. "Insincerely Yours" is lyrically close to Lily's 2009 hit, as it talks about tabloid nonsense and people who are famous for being famous. "Take My Place" is a big number that is musically similar to "The Fear" and just sounds really, really good. Best song on the album so far.

Sadly, the best moment on the album is followed by what must be the most hideous-sounding Lily Allen song ever. "As Long As I Got You" is a fast-paced country number that just doesn't seem to fit on the record. Sure, it's fun, but Lily knows how to make fun sound good, and she kinda failed on this one.

"I don't like girls much, they're kinda silly, unless of course they wanna play with my willy" is one of the best lines on the album. Lily sings it on "URL Badman", a geeky electronic song during which she takes on the Internet, gets all worked up and name-checks Wordpress and Blogger. This one follows an extremely relaxing, chilled out number, "Close Your Eyes", which, much like "Our Time", is naughty and cool in equal measure.

Lily Allen goes back to rapping on "Silver Spoon", and this time it sounds better than it does on "Sheezus". The hip-hop beat wouldn't sound out of place on a Rihanna album. Lily sings about coming from money and having grown up in a Georgian house. But she still considers herself as humble and insists we have no idea where she comes from nor what she is really like. A very honest track and one of the highlights of the album.

While this may be Lily's most mature album yet, it definitely isn't her best. "It's Not Me, It's You" will be hard to top, but at least "Sheezus" can fight it out with "Alright, Still".

My score: 7/10

Buy the album here:

Sheezus [Explicit]

Miley Cyrus Films Concert Catfight (Video)

Miley Cyrus's "Wrecking Ball" music video

There's something really awful about filming people who are fighting.

It happens in schools all over the World: kids are bullied and no one helps them, people are more preoccupied with filming the scene and laughing their stupid little heads off. Youtube is filled with videos of girls hitting each other while people around them laugh and tell them to hit harder.

Sadly, Miley Cyrus, despite the fame and the money, seems to be just one of those teenagers.

During a concert in Detroit, two girls started grabbing at each other for God knows what reason and Miley couldn't have looked any more delighted. She pulled out her mobile phone and started filming everything, then turned the camera on herself and happily shouted "CATFIGHT!" with a huge grin on her face. Watch the videos below:



I don't think I need to explain why I think this is completely wrong. I will just leave this here.

Katy Perry's Career Based On Comic Book Character

Katy Perry and Katy Keene: separated at birth

You know when people say "Everything's been done before"? Well, it couldn't be more true. Even when you think a certain artist is doing something incredibly 'original' chances are somebody else did it first. So you might as well stop banging on about 'copycats' and pointless, sterile comparisons that lead nowhere.

Having said that, the recent discovery of Katy Keene, a comic book character that made its debut in 1945, left us all a little baffled. Why? Because it is, quite literally, the fictional version of Katy Perry. Just take a look at these:

Click to enlarge

There's so much of Katy's career in those pictures, from the "California Gurls" look to the more recent "Dark Horse" music video. It is actually quite interesting and gives Katy Perry's public persona more appeal, as far as I'm concerned.

This is basically the "Roar" music video:

Katy Perry's "Roar" music video?

Curiously, the last ever printed official comic with Katy Keene came out in 2008, the year Katy Perry exploded onto the music scene.

I don't think it's just coincidences, and I'm confident Katy Perry's team are very aware of this. It is smart to get inspiration from relatively unknown books, movies and music acts. Pop music should take what's trendy in the underground World and bring it into the mainstream, that's what has always made fine pop music really interesting.

What I do find unfair is that if this was a certain other popstar these pictures would be absolutely everywhere by now, and the insults would be flooding in. But the media love to pick and choose who to crucify and being fair isn't most people's favourite hobby.

Katy Perry Premieres "Birthday" Music Video

Right, I will be honest. I like many Katy Perry songs, and it would be weird if I didn't because her team must work really hard on them for people around the World to enjoy them, since it seems that making hit songs is the sole purpose of Katy's existence.

"Part Of Me" is probably my favourite, but I do like "Unconditionally" and "Walking On Air" as well. "Not Like The Movies" is a great ballad.

I own sixteen Katy Perry tracks.

See? Not a hater.

But ever since I saw her face in 2008 and her "I'll try to be controversial by singing about kissing women but I won't kiss one woman" music video something about her put me off.

At the time I thought "Oh look, these Americans, they want their own version of Lily Allen". Lily's song-writing skills were (and still are, to an extent) fantastic, she was genuinely quirky and she was funny without trying. Basically, she was everything Katy Perry wasn't. Not to mention that Katy Perry really can't sing, although that is somewhat secondary in her case because she isn't really about the singing, she's more about the cream-shooting tits, the pink clouds, the naughty gummy bears and that terrible "Last Friday Night" music video.

My main problem with Katy Perry is that she's almost 30 and all she feels the need to do is try and be funny, and she fails a lot of the time. I tried to watch her on Jimmy Kimmel the other night and she just irritated me. She feels like a kids performer who's constantly trying to audtion for Saturday Night Live.

Her latest video is, in fact, an 8 minute sketch. "Birthday" is the fourth single from "Prism". That is four singles in eight months. God, I miss the 90s.

Katy introduces us to Goldie the dancer, Yosef Shulem the MC, Kriss the clown, Ace the animal trainer and Princess Mandee.

Who's your favourite? I can't choose between Goldie and Princess Mandee

All these characters are played by Katy Perry herself and they crash five birthday parties and supposedly, nobody knew it was Katy Perry until she revealed herself.

There is ONE thing I can't criticise Katy Perry for: she's having an absolute blast. She's having the time of her life and that is to be admired.

PS: This is my favourite moment of the video

Creepy and bizarre, the best "Birthday" music video moment

PPS: I do have sense of humour, but Katy Perry doesn't make me laugh.

Mariah To Drop New Album Out Of The Blue

Mariah covers Billboard magazine: "After waiting five years between albums, Mariah Carey finally explains the personal struggle behind her all-at-once digital release"

Oooh so the album's release wasn't being pushed back again and again, Mariah Carey and her team were just trying to create hype around the record so that it'd be big news when it ends up being released on iTunes all of a sudden!

But now that she's announced it, what's the point?

When Beyoncé did it last year (story), nobody was expecting it, and that is exactly why it was as big as it was. The fact that the album was very good helped, obviously, but when all those people bought it (the album sold 617,000 copies in three days) they didn't know what the music would sound like. They bought it purely out of hype.

Beyoncé [Explicit] [+video]

Now, with Mariah, it's a matter of when, not if. It isn't quite the same.

We'll see if the all-at-once iTunes release helps Mariah achieve good sales despite the terrible chart performance of all the 'lead' singles from the new album. At the very least, it should get people talking again, since for a couple of days iTunes will turn into MariahTunes and it will be impossible to avoid the album.

Earlier this month I told you that the album would be released on May the 6th (story), but now it's all up in the air... unless that is the date for the sudden release?

LISTEN: Robyn And Röyksopp Make Sweet Music Together

Robyn & Röyksopp - "Do It Again" out May the 26th

The fact that you might not hear about certain artists a lot doesn't mean they're not good. I know I'm stating the obvious, but to many if you don't sell huge amounts of records then you are a complete nobody.

While both Robyn and Röyksopp have had their commercial hits, they have never completely sold themselves to the masses, and that is probably because they never cared. They could have capitalised on momentum and a specific formula that seemed to work for them, but they kept evolving and experimenting.

And the latest experiment sees the two acts teaming up for the release of a mini album titled "Do It Again", which will be available to purchase on May the 26th.

Three of the tracks premiered today (including "Say It", which you can listen to HERE), and here's what Röyksopp had to say about the collaboration:

"This doesn’t sound like Röyksopp featuring Robyn or Robyn produced by Röyksopp, it’s just something else entirely, the word ‘collaboration’ has never before been more justified in the world of music!"

Robyn added:

"I’ve been going back and forth to Bergen to record and write with the Röyksopp boys up until recently. It started to feel more like a band thing than songs for a Röyksopp or Robyn album so we´re releasing this music together as a band you could say."

But let's get to the music. You can listen to some of the tracks below.

Listen To Courtney Love's New Song "You Know My Name"

Earlier this month Courtney Love announced that the original Hole line-up would be back soon and that a reunion was indeed in the pipeline, but she also teased a new solo single, to be released ahead of a UK tour.

The new double A-side single, available May 4

The single appears to be a double A-side titled "You Know My Name/Wedding Day" and it will be available for purchase on May the 4th. You can buy it here.

"You Know My Name" just premiered on BBC Radio 6 and Courtney herself uploaded the song to her official Youtube channel.

So what does it sound like? It sounds like Courtney Love. But it also sounds like "I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor" by the Arctic Monkeys, which is a good thing really and I'm not one to point and accuse artists of copying each other because, you know, I am not 13.

It's old-school punk-rock, it's shouty and it's powerful. Fans of the genre/singer/Hole will be satisfied.

Listen to the song here and see what you think of it!

Are You Ready For Adele's Comeback?

Adele and her Grammy awards

Adele's new album is due out in October. And this entry could end just like that, to be honest, because that's all that people need to know.

But no.

Adele's 2011 album "21" sold a billion and a half copies and Michael Jackson came back to life through Lady Gaga's G.U.Y. music video only so that he could be able to buy himself a copy.

21 

Although it feels like she last released a single five minutes ago because radio just can't seem to stop overplaying her songs, she has actually been away for a while. She last performed a full-lenght concert three years ago, then suffered from a hemorrhaged vocal cord and had to undergo throat surgery.

And that is why, according to the Sunday Express, everything will be on her terms this time, so that she feels comfortable with her voice and doesn't have to travel the World with her baby.

"Everything will be on her terms. The key to all these plans is that Adele feels comfortable with her voice. She has vowed that she never wants to break down during a tour or put her voice through so much stress that she suffers problems. Her doctors warned her that stress could also mean more surgery, and she is adamant that she never wants to go through that again.

She is very settled with her family life and being a mum. A lengthy trip around the world with a baby on board could change that."

"Another Time Another Place" Tour Cancelled

No place and no time for this nostalgic tour

On the 7th of April I told you about the "Another Time Another Place" tour, which would have seen acts like All Saints, East 17, Atomic Kitten and more tour together at the end of the year.

Well, forget all about it, because the tour has been cancelled. Ticket sales turned out to be a disaster and the project was completely scrapped, with the official website being shut down and ticket websites listing all the dates as cancelled.

The tour was set to begin in Cardiff on November 14, hitting six other UK cities before ending in Birmingham on November 23.

Sorry 90s pop fans, better luck next time!

Listen To Lily Allen's "Sheezus" (Song Preview)

Lily Allen - "Sheezus"

Lily Allen is finally about to release her third studio album, "Sheezus", which will hit the shops on the 5th of May (pre-order here), and a lot of it seems to have already appeared online. Lily herself released a bunch of singles, including "Hard Out Here", "Air Balloon" and a cover of Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know", but one song that has been getting a fair amount of attention is title track "Sheezus".

Listen to the new track here:

It isn't exactly a diss track, and Lily recently told Rolling Stone:

"It's completely the opposite of that, though. I'm saying that I want all of them to be Sheezus, and I want to be Sheezus too."

She maintains that she gets compared to other female artists such as Katy Perry purely because they're both women and they happen to have the same genitals.

"It feels like the reason we play women against each other is because it's the last bit of power that men have. They're like, "Let's make them feel shit about each other."

She also name-checks Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Beyoncé in the song. When asked what she thought of potential headlines such as "Lily Allen attacks Lady Gaga", she answered:

"It's just not true. And if she's not succeeding commercially because she's standing by what she does as art, then that's a fucking great thing. That's to be commended. That's what makes a martyr. There's nothing wrong with that."

If you're curious about Lily Allen's new song's lyrics, check them out below:

Been here before
So I'm prepared
Not gonna lie though
I'm kinda scared
Lace up my gloves
I'm going in
Don't let my kinds watch me
While I get in the ring

I'll take the hits
Roll with the punches
I'll get back up
As not as if I've never done this
But then again
The game is changing
Can't just come back
Jump on the mic
And do the same thing

There goes the bell
I know that sound
I guess it's time for me
To go another round
Oh, wish me luck
I'm gonna need it
I'll see you on the other side
If I'm still breathing

Riri isn't scared of
Katy Perry's roaring
Queen B's gone back to the drawing
Lorde smells blood yeah
She's about to slay you
Kid ain't one to fuck with when
She's only on her debut
We're all watching Gaga
LOL and AHAHA
Dying for the art
So really she's a martyr

I'm second best
We'll never cut it for the divas
Give me that crown bitch
I wanna be Sheezus

I'm ready for all the comparisons
I think it's dumb
And it's embarrassing
I'm switching off
No longer listening
I've had enough of persecution and conditioning

Maybe it's instinct
We're only animal
Maybe it's healthy
Maybe it's rational
It makes me angry, I'm serious
But then again I'm just about to get my period

Periods, we all get periods
Everyone feel, that's what the theory is
It's human nature, another cycle
Be nice to me
I’ll make you one of my disciples

Riri isn't scared of...

I’m second best...

I am born again
Now run along and tell all your friends
To come and join us
Give yourselves to me
I am your leader
Let me be Sheezus

Victoria Beckham Turns 40, Her Ten Best Songs!

Posh, at her best

When a celebrity turns 40, it is seen as a milestone by many. Now I can't explain why, because I don't really understand it myself, but Victoria Beckham's birthday this year is receiving a strangely intense amount of attention. Magazines have dedicated their cover to the birthday girl and newspapers are giving away souvenir pullouts. One magazine created a 76 page birthday issue. Isn't that just plain bizarre?

Victoria Beckham's birthday seems to be big news

Yes, she has gone from an insecure little girl to a global superstar with the most successful girlband ever, the Spice Girls, and then managed to make a transition to the fashion World conquering the hearts and pockets of some very rich people. But does that really warrant such a reaction? It's almost amusing.

As for me ("Ha ha you'll see!"), I could never bring myself to care about Victoria's fashion career, I got to know her as a Spice Girl and became a huge fan of hers for the music she made with the rest of the Girls, the message she spread with them and her dry sense of humour, which is now buried under the façade she puts on to please the cold, heartless fashion industry.

Many of you don't know that Victoria released a solo album and a few solo singles away from the Spice Girls, before she decided that she had a passion for fashion and realised that was all she ever wanted to do.

So what way will this post celebrate her 40th birthday? By counting down the ten BEST Victoria Beckham songs (wonder if she ever listens to herself these days?). Ready? Let's go! (Click on the titles to listen)

1) "Bittersweet"

Victoria Beckham's best song is an unknown gem that was supposed to end up on her second solo album. The project was scrapped when record company Telstar failed and Victoria lost her contract. It's an electronic mid-tempo about a man who is now out of Victoria's life. She is a powerful woman who sings half-spoken verses, can perfectly live without a man in her life and has no regrets at all.

2) "Out Of Your Mind"

Victoria's biggest solo hit as a solo artist was released in the summer of 2000, when garage music reached its commercial peak. The Truesteppers and Dane Bowers had previously had a hit with "Buggin'" and, lyrically, "Out Of Your Mind" is an answer to that song. Girl Power aplenty, vocoder effects like there's no tomorrow and a dance routine that would give anyone a heart attack. A chart battle with a certain Sophie Ellis-Bextor made sure the song was on everybody's lips during its release week but a #2 peak in the charts was not enough to satisfy Victoria's haters, who deemed her a failure despite the fantastic sales and the general positive reaction to the track.

3) "Watcha Talkin' Bout"

Victoria's first solo album was influenced by a genre that she had always loved: R&B. This track couldn't sound any more slick and well-produced. It is a very honest, straight-to-the-point song and Victoria sings about a (former?) friend who now acts like a bit of a bitch, talks about limos and never seems to make time to see her friends. "It started when the fame and fans kept coming in, and then you changed on us, then you told us you were cool and we were wrong" is one of the lines that made people think this song was about Geri Halliwell, and when Victoria was asked by a reporter, she simply said something along the lines of: "Someone finally got there".

4) "I Wish"

That first solo album had a few gems, and this is one of them. It's musically engaging, with a fresh-sounding summery guitar, a big old chorus and a very confident singer. Victoria sings about trying to hide the attraction she feels for this incredibly sexy, wealthy man. "I wish I could right now, wish that I could show you how I'm feeling you. Boy I try, I can't hide, how badly I want you tonight". After "Not Such An Innocent Girl" and "A Mind Of Its Own", this was meant to be the third single from Victoria's album, but after her second pregnancy was announced, the release was cancelled and Victoria was dropped by Virgin Records shortly after.

5) "25 Minutes"

A dancey pop number that wouldn't sound out of place on a Kylie Minogue album, "25 Minutes" is breezy and catchy and has a somewhat cyclical sound that doesn't bore nor annoy the ears. Victoria is frustrated because "time is never on her side" and she is missing her man. She gets in her car and goes to find him, and as she counts down the minutes she sings about being lost in the way and keeping the radio down low while trying to contact him on the phone. The song finishes with Victoria singing "One more minute to goooouh" and one would hope she finally got there and managed to get some D.

6) "Me Without You"

This song kind of reminds me of Britney Spears's "Breathe On Me", Victoria sounds spaced out as she sings about being under somebody's influence, and it definitely sounds like this person is her drug. She is completely addicted and can't imagine herself without them. Sexy vocals, sexy production, sexy atmosphere.

7) "Flow"

The trumpet (or is it a saxophone?) intro is just great. This is one of Victoria's grooviest songs, it's fun, catchy, ridiculously flirty, and lyrically hideous. Victoria was married and had two children by the time she recorded this song, yet she sang about wanting "a little dirty with a family man". Although, to be fair, she could have been referring to her husband, David Beckham.

8) "Hustler"

"Are you single? Happy with your wash?", the line that gave Victoria Beckham's fans something to talk about for years. What sort of question is that?! This hustler surely has a random way of approaching a woman. Great, great track. Good production, fun lyrics, sexy vocals. Victoria describes a man's ways to impress a woman, admits he's pretty good but he'll never get her love.

9) "Like That"

This R&B-influenced number sees Victoria trying to help a friend who still lusts after a man despite his questionable ways. He lies, he cheats, he goes out with his mates and generally gives no f**ks about the girl. It's Victoria injecting her friend with some much-needed Girl Power.

10) "I'd Give It All Away"

This is a rough demo, and you can tell, but it's fine just the way it is. It's raw, it's genuine, and it's believable. It's Victoria's declaration of love to David: "I'd give it all away, I'd sacrifice everything". She is still completely in love with her man and is totally convinced she should be nowhere but with him.

Happy birthday, Victoria!

Give the woman some jewellery for her birthday!

Victoria Beckham

More Backstreet Spice Rumours. And Nick Gets Married!

The Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys back in their heyday

Rumours of a joint Spice Girls/Backstreet Boys tour have been doing the rounds for months now.

They were started by the boys themselves during an interview for Spanish TV (story) only to be denied by Baby Spice Emma Bunton during her morning radio show. Sporty Spice Melanie C was more vague, tweeting:

"Wouldn't it be amazing? Love BSB"

But then AJ and Brian Littrell denied that the tour was going to happen (story), with Brian going as far as saying:

"So I think the GIRLS are afraid of the BOYS. That's why they won't take to the stage. #SPICEGIRLS #BSB #BOYSvsGIRLS Just sayin"

Well, now the Backstreet Boys are talking about it again.

The Backstreet Boys are hopeful about a tour with the Spice Girls

AJ and Brian attended the MTV Movie Awards and spoke about the possibility of a joint tour with the Spice Girls.

According to US Weekly they are in the dark about the tour's likelihood. When asked if it will happen, they both said:

"I don't know", with Littrell adding:

"I think it would be fun! Battle of the sexes! If you want to be my - Hey, Backstreet's back!"

AJ McLean added:

"Hopefully! We'll have our fingers crossed. We'll see"

Is this all a way to generate interest and get the press to talk about it before the big announcement or are the Backstreet Boys using the rumours to make more people aware of their own tour, which has recently touched the UK, where they were supported by All Saints (story)?

Meanwhile, Nick Carter tied the knot with fiancé Lauren Kitt on Saturday. The pair had been engaged for a little over one year.

Kissing beneath a purple and white floral arrangement

The ceremony took place in Santa Barbara, California, but Nick's brother, Aaron, didn't attend. Apparently he had contractual obligations to appear in the Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, D.C..

The couple looked happy on their wedding day

LISTEN: Lana Del Rey - "West Coast"

"Down on the West Coast, they got a sayin', if you're not drinkin', then you're not playin'"

The new single, "West Coast"

Lana Del Rey gave BBC's Radio 1 the permission to play her new single, "West Coast" for the first time. DJ Fearne Cottono described it as "quite beautiful" and who am I to say that she's wrong?

This is definitely a little different for Lana, a small (perhaps uncertain) step ahead. It doesn't really represent an artistic evolution but this could be interpreted as Lana staying true to herself. Her biggest hit, after all, was a remix of one of her songs, so it's good to see she didn't go down that route for her comeback. That would have been bizarre.

The music changes almost dramatically right before the chorus, it slows down and turns the song into a classic Lana Del Rey track, taking us back to "Summertime Sadness" and "Gods And Monsters".

Listen to the track below and see what you make of it!


Buy "West Coast" here.

Beyoncé Attends Coachella, Doesn't Look A Day Over 20

Music festivals seem to be an occasion for A-listers to dress hippy and be pictured with a beer in their hands.

Well, Beyoncé kind of did just that, but much more fabulously: she arrived by private jet. As you do.

Beyoncé, Jay Z and their private jet

The megastar shared the private snaps on her very own Tumblr profile and couldn't stop herself from posing in front of the private jet and just, you know, rub it in.

Big hair, big shoes, big plane

While the singer wasn't listed among the performers hitting the stage at Coachella, Beyoncé appeared on stage with her sister, Solange, and performed "Losing You" with her, surprising not only Solange but all the fans as well, who took to Twitter to express their excitement.

These are just two of the tweets:

"Solange and Beyoncé dancing together at Coachella is what happy looks like."

"Beyoncé joined Solange onstage at Coachella and the whole World freaked out."

Beyoncé and Solange perform together

And while everyone from Gwen Stefani to Katy Perry was spotted at the music festival, Beyoncé is the one everyone paid attention to. Cheers, Bey!

Bastille - "Bad Blood" (Album Review)

"An introspective and dark experience"

No one tells me when to review an album. It took me a little over one year to give Bastille's "Bad Blood" a listen, and that is only because I am very lazy and there's only so much new music you can listen to.

Having said that, I've liked "Pompeii", which opens the album, since the first time I heard it.
The alternative pop sound has always appealed to me, and the big "Pompeii" chorus is impossible to ignore.



I live in a country where it's hard to keep up with all the latest releases. Here in Spain new songs take months to start getting airplay and new acts are lucky if they don't get overlooked. A lot of the time, new songs only start receiving attention if they have become hits in other countries first.

The album is, unsurprisingly, what you would expect "indie" artists to come up with nowadays. Now the term "indie" is used loosely here, as it actually is short for "independent", and there is nothing "independent" about an artist that is signed to a major record company. But, to be fair, Bastille actually started as an independent act and released an EP called "Laura Palmer" in 2011 all by themselves.

"Things We Lost In The Fire" almost sounds like a faster version of Gotye's smash hit "Somebody That I Used To Know", but Bastille's lead singer Dan Smith's peculiar vocals give the entire album a fairly strong personality.

There is an element of folk to the album, mixed with electronica and rocky pop. Lyrically, there's no shortage of dark moments, especially in "Weight Of Living Pt. I" and "Weight Of Living Pt. II". The first part of the song uses the metaphor of the albatross, which, according to our best friend Wikipedia, "is sometimes used to mean a psychological burden that feels like a curse". And "Icarus" contributes to the general dark mood of the record, with lyrics such as:

"Look who's digging their own grave, that is what they all say, you'll drink yourself to death."



The song references old Greek mythology, but the band isn't exactly singing the story of Icarus, which is a classic example of failed ambitions. This is what they had to say about the song:

"Icarus comes from things I feel about myself and other people that I know, I generally try not to write songs that seem too personal and sometimes use characters or stories to try and move the focus away from myself and from more obvious topics."

"All This Bad Blood", the re-release

"Laura Palmer" is a catchy ode to "Twin Peaks", and it shares its haunting echoes with another song: "Of The Night". Yes, "Of The Night" is a mash-up of two classic dance hits from the 90s: Corona's "Rhythm Of The Night" and Snap!'s "Rhythm Is A Dancer". It is an original take on the tracks, and it served as the lead single off the re-release of the band's debut album, which took place in November 2013. The accompanying video is as dark as the song, and it features American actor James Russo as a detective who visits several crime scenes. You won't want to miss the singing corpses.



This is a record that requires a certain mood, a particular state of mind, as it could feel like an introspective and dark experience. You wouldn't want to play this while you're getting ready for a night out, let's put it that way. Musically, it risks sounding samey and repetitive, but it is lyrically interesting.

Something that just crossed my mind: the cover of the standard edition of the album is very reminiscent of Radiohead's "Karma Police" music video.

My score: 6/10

You can purchase the record here:

  Bad Blood 

All This Bad Blood

Who Is Brooke Candy?

Brooke Candy has been compared to Lady Gaga, Gwen Stefani and Nicki Minaj

I knew I had read her name on one or two music forums, but I had never heard any of her music until tonight.

Also known as Freaky Princess, Brooke Candy started off as a model, a stripper and a dancer, until she decided she wanted to make music and released her first single, "Das Me", in 2012.

She became popular on online platforms such as Tumblr and snatched a contract with major record label RCA earlier this year.

She recently kissed the ever-private Miley Cyrus, who shared the picture with her God knows how many followers:

"Yum"

Her new single, "Opulence", is premiering soon, and the music video, which the foul-mouthed hip hop girl described as "demonic" is premiering on April the 20th.

According to the Daily Star, speaking after an exclusive airing of her new single, she said:

"My influences are pretty broad but Michael Jackson and Marilyn Manson are big ones for me."

And what about the video?

"It was all very demonic. I just hope people like it."

Nirvana Enlisted To The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic on stage

Nirvana are now part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, alongside the likes of Kiss and Beatles manager Brian Epstein.

The group was introduced by REM frontman Michael Stipe, who said:

"Nirvana tapped into a voice that was yearning to be heard. They were kicking against the mainstream. They spoke the truth and a lot of people listened."

Michael Stipe delivering his speech

The group's existance was cut short due to Kurt Cobain's death 20 years ago, and his widow, Courtney Love, attended the ceremony. Her presence wasn't well-received, with fans booing her the moment she took to the stage to say a few words:

"You know, I have a big speech, but I'm not going to say it. I just wish Kurt was here to do this."

Courtney Love and Michael Stipe

Courtney Love and the members of Nirvana have only recently made peace after more than 20 years of friction.

The group was joined on stage by four female singers to perform some of the band's most popular songs. Lorde sang "All Apologies", Joan Jett did "Smells Like Teen Spirit", Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon did "Aneurysm" and St Vincent performed "Lithium".

Lorde was among the female singers who paid tribute to Nirvana

Watch the video of Nirvana's acceptance speech: