M.I.A. + No Doubt = Rude Boy

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Just sayin'

Songs Remind Me of You

Annie is a pop wonder I checked out at the Mod Club years ago when her debut, Anniemal, was just making waves. Legal troubles with her record company have delayed her sophomore effort for almost two years now. Her stuff is finally being promoted and songs that leaked years ago are now retooled and reworked. Some still remain the same. I love the simple editing and direction in this official unofficial (yes) video for the song Songs Remind Me of You.

La Roux

This is not Tilda Swinton or Archie or Conan O'Brian. It's La Roux and although she's said some bitchy stuff about Gaga, I still quite like her. Her album is electro-pop with tonnes of blips and blops and melodies..and only $9.99. I'm Not Your Toy is a nice end-of-summer song, wouldn't you agree?

Summer Anthem

While everyone else is proclaiming Drake's Best I Ever Had as the summer anthem, I've been unable to stop listening to Celebration by Lady M. The Benny Benassi remix or the original...both are perfect summer ditties to play loudly in your car on a warm summer night. The single is out digitally on iTunes and physically in mid September. The video premieres on September 1st.

Jealous?

...I would be. This show was EVERYTHING. June 19th 2009.

Rocksteady

What did you do last night?

Can you belive Tragic Kingdom came out 14 years ago? I'm old.

Welcome to Heartbreak

Kanye's video for Welcome to Heartbreak off of 808s and Heartbreak, is visually inspiring. When I first watched it, I thought the compression was off- but it's not. The pixelation is a great effect and somehow...post-modern.

KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Pet Shop Boys!

I was a weird kid who loved Pet Shop Boys, Roxette and Madonna. I was also raised on Queen and Abba and WHAM! Seeing this medley of their greatest hits brings back pangs of nostalgia. Do they have a Greatest Hits collection? I had a few of their tapes and remember watching them on Top of the Pops.

Anyway, here they are, decades later and sounding remarkably great. Brandon Flowers of The Killers and Lady Gaga help out for a bit- blink and you'll miss them.

I just spent the past hour YouTubing their videos- memories of my childhood flood back and I wish they were as big in North America as they are...everywhere else.
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Adrianna Lima as Amy Winehouse

Although I'm not a fan of Adriana Lima, this shot of Lima as Amy Winehouse circa Back to Black is pretty damn good. The tattoos are wrong, but she totally captures Amy's stance and swagger. Now, if only the real Amy could kick the drugs and booze and make a great comeback. One can hope.

Side note: This Cavalli dress has been popping up everywhere from Miley Cyrus to other shoots- I cannot decide if I like it or hate it. Thoughts? Does it look like an apron?

Got my ass squeezed by sexy cupid!

The new Lady Gaga video is out and there is just something so 'pop' about her that I love. Love Game shows a raunchier side to Gaga. Also, all the leather, chain and denim- Bad by Michael Jackson anyone? Total pleasure, no guilt. I think she's fab.


Also, can we discuss these heels for just one second? In awe.

Comme des Garçons

"Dressed smart like a London bloke
Before you speak his suit bespoke
And you thought he was cute before
Look at his pea coat; tell me he's broke!"
-Estelle ft/ Kanye West- American Boy

Watch Kanye. Watch Kanye's friends. Watch their luggage. It's Louis. Do I spot Hermès?

I'm not one to have sneaker envy, but Kanye's line for LV is making me yearn. Hard.

Here he is with his entourage (BFFs?) outside the Comme des Garçons show in gay ol' Paree.



And this is them after a run-in with Aretha.

What I'm watching now...

This ad gives me the creeps. The dad is giving me bedroom eyes and looks of love I do not want. The kid is cute though. I feel as though I should call the authorities and install NetNanny on the kid's computer. Weird.


I think this song is just disgustingly sweet and catchy. Korean pop music is actually pretty good. I guess the ladies of Girls' Generation are the equivalent to The Pussycat Dolls (they do, after all, have 9 (NINE!) members).

Music makes the people come together

I've compiled a list of my favourite albums of 2008. Unabashedly pop, some of the albums are guilty pleasures (Danity Kane), while others haven't left my CD player (yes, I BUY the physical copies!) and look like they're not going anywhere anytime soon. Some are new favourites (Kanye West & Lady Gaga) and others have been kicking around since spring (Adele). Absent from this list is Britney Spears, because although her album is a lot of fun, I doubt she knows it's even out. Shattered Glass from Circus is pure pop music genius however.

Come 2009, I'll be anticipating new Lily Allen, No Doubt, Ciara, Metric and Mark Ronson...

Lady Gaga- The Fame
Duffy- Rockferry
Santogold- Santogold
Adele- 19
Leona Lewis- Spirit
Madonna- Hard Candy
Pink- Funhouse
Solange- Sol-Angel & The Headly Street Dreams
Kanye West- 808s & Heartaches
The Ting Tings- We Started Nothing
Danity Kane- Welsome to the Dollhouse

Rightfully so

So as the year comes to a close, I realize that my favourite video this year isn't by the newest or sceneiest. It's by Beyonce a.k.a. Sasha Fierce.

Single Ladies (put a ring on it) has not only inspired many great spoof videos, but it's actually a really great dance and video. Hell, I even do the karate chop dance in my car.

Beyonce is crazy and so am I. It's a good combo.

ND

Besides The Killers and The Spice Girls (don't judge me!), No Doubt is my favourite band of all time (since 1995 anyway). This new picture has me really excited.

Video GaGa

Poker face is the second official single from Lady Gaga's debut album, The Fame. I highly recommend anyone who wants unadulterated pop music to pick it up- you will not be disappointed. If nothing else will make you a believer, then check out the first 23 seconds of this video (the rest of it is pretty amazing too though!)

Live Your Life

Here are a few stills from Live your Life, the latest single picked off of T.I.'s album Paper Trail. The song features Rihanna, the woman who doesn't seem to sleep. It should premiere right before Halloween

RiRi also just wrapped up filming the video for Rehab from the record that also never sleeps, 2007's Good Girl Gone Bad. The video for Rehab features a certain Mr. Timberblake as well as the Christian Louboutin for Rodarte shoes I posted about earlier.



"Ain't got no time for no haters. Just live your life ay, ay ay ay!"

Awesome Ronson

Did'ja know that Mark Ronson is the first artist to win "Artist of the year" at The Brit Awards without even appearing on the record itself? Not only is he a fashion-plate, but also a music producer extraordinaire responsible for the likes of Amy Winehouse, Adele, Santogold, Lily Allen and most recently, The Kaiser Chiefs.

I highly recommend 2007's Version (a collection of covers produced by Ronson; the record that won him said award). Standout tracks: Pretty Green featuring Santogold, Valerie featuring Amy Winehouse and Stop Me featuring Daniel Merriweather.

Mark also is the brother of Lindsay Lohan's flavour of the week, Samantha Ronson. He, however, is not a lesbian.

Dapper

Kanye West is arrogant, loud and borderline obnoxious- he gets away with it because of his talent and his genius. He knows he's good and wants you to know too. Dressing incredibly well also helps. No wonder I look up to him.

Here are the promo shots for his upcoming album, the first to break away from his academia theme-The College Dropout, Late Registration and Graduation-808s & Heartbreak will be released on November 25th 2008. In the meantime, load up your iPod with Love Lockdown and Heartless, the first two tracks of off his latest venture.

Haus of GaGa

Now that summer has come to an end, we can celebrate the coming autumn with grande pumpkin spice lattes, cashmere sweaters and layered looks. Sadly though, this means that the days of driving with the windows down while playing your favourite summer tracks, past and present, must come to an end.

I always like to think of my summers as having a complimentary soundtrack. By far though, this summer's song was 'Just Dance' by the vampy, campy, trampy Lady GaGa. 80s retro-glam, electro-pop and unapologetically gimmicky...she embodies everything that is good about a summer jam.



1. Lady Gaga- Just dance
2. The Ting Tings- Shut up and let me go
3. MIA- Paper Planes
4. Rihanna- Disturbia
5. Dragonette- Competition
6. Jennifer Hudson- Spotlight
7. Santogold- Lights Out/Shove it
8. The Pussycat Dolls- When I grow up
9. Common- Universal Mind Control
10. Lykke Li- A little bit