MUSIC: This Week We’re Loving…

Daft Punk day finally arrives… But does it live up to its astronomical hype? Plus, the latest from Maya Jane Coles, London Grammar, Laura Marling, Eddie Berman and a special Virgin Records announcement...

Daft Punk

Track: Various

From: Random Access Memories, Columbia, Out 20 May 2013

… Where to start. This was probably one of the most hyped, talked about, tweeted about, written about, speculated over, agonised over albums of the year. It is likely to be 2013's biggest seller, features some of the most prolific names in the business (Nile Rodgers. He of funk forefathering fame). It's lead single, Get Lucky, found itself solidly on loop for some weeks after it was released, and it's still at the top of the charts as I type. But, judging on the couple of listens I got earlier this week, it's not quite up to the game. It's not that it's a bad record. You might (probably will, actually) disagree with me entirely, so get a listen for yourselves when it comes out on Monday. It's just that love is a strong word, and while I quite like Get Lucky (and now can't listen to it ever again because I've played it into the ground), and think a handful of tracks on there could even meander into my 'good' books, I do not LOVE Random Access Memories. It's just all a little lacking in substance, in punch, in excitement, in edge. There are few risks taken here; we all know Daft Punk peddle the funk stuff anyway, so that's nothing new. It's safe. Dare I say it, it's even a little bland in places. It's like the ruddy England football team: on paper, should be one of the best in the worId. In reality, just doesn't live up to expectations and, as a fan, all becomes a little too uncomfortable to be part of. I'm expecting it to grow on me. I'm not, however hard I wish for it, expecting it to turn into Homework, or the Tron: Legacy soundtrack or Discovery. But until then, here are a bunch of releases I like WAAAAAY more than this record…

Maya Jane Coles

Track: Everything Ft. Karin Park

From: Comfort, I/AM/ME, Out July 2013

… Including Maya Jane Coles' brilliant new single, Everything, for which she has enlisted the vocal talents of one of my favourite Swedes, Karin Park (the brains behind this year's Norwegian Eurovision entry). You can see her in the video below going a little bit nuts over a photograph of herself with a bob haircut and therefore dissecting a crow. Which contains a human heart. Obviously. Anyway, we're incredibly excited the London-based, self-made house DJ/producer  - who we first introduced to you here (alongside an hilarious clip of Skrillex setting fire to his own hair) - will be releasing her debut album, Comfort, this July, especially if this almost ghoulishly dark track is any indication of what we can expect. I'm not allowed to tell you what it sounds like yet, but I can tell you it's awesome, and you should definitely check it out when it hits iTunes. 

London Grammar

Track: Wasting My Young Years

From: Metal & Dust, Out Now

Another week, another music blog during which I bang on and on about the ridiculously talented duo, London Grammar, and their unique ability to lift you up until the hairs on the backs of your neck defy gravity, then smash you down to earth with the sudden realisation that, yes, you probably have wasted a lot of your young years doing the wrong things, with the wrong people, at the wrong time. Especially when the echoing piano melodies, soaring electronics and haunting, deep vocal lines belt out those poignant lyrics over the top of this moody, cut-out music sketch. God damn it, London Grammar, I hate it when you're right. And better than the new Daft Punk record.  

Laura Marling & Eddie Berman

Track: Dancing In The Dark

From: One-Off Performance for The Lab TV

This beautifully soulful, stripped back cover of Bruce Springsteen's Dancing In The Dark, as made over by Laura Marling and Eddie Berman for The Lab magazine, is so much better than the new Daft Punk album. Like, infinitely better. The subtle, slowly building strings, the accordion, the flawless vocal harmonies all make for a pretty stunning folk tribute to The Boss' 1984 classic. The only thing that would make it better? If Berman cut his ruddy nails! Seriously. Man-lons. Not cool. PS - Marling's new album is out on 28 May! It's called Once I Was An Eagle. Sure you were, Laura. Sure.

WHAT THE HELL, I'LL ADMIT IT. I even love Sushi Cats more than the new Daft Punk record. SUSHI CATS, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD *breaks down, actually crys out loud, recomposes self, presses play. Ahhh. Sushi Cats. It truly is a magical combination.*

I'M ALSO LOVING THAT…

Virgin Records have announced a big, fat, multi-dimensional string of festivities to celebrate their 40th Anniversary this year. The label have always been ahead of the curve with their releases, starting out with the great success of Mike Oldfield's experimental, largely instrumental album Tubular Bells (which sold a phenomenal 15million copies), and going on to upset all sorts of be-spectacled music industry types by changing the face of pop music with the Spice Girls, transforming commercial house by championing acts like Daft Punk (just close your eyes and think of Discovery) and giving the 80s bands like Culture Club and The Human League.

So, taking place this autumn, there'll be a series of events called40 Years Of Disruptionsincluding artists from Virgin's past and present roster to take part, the proceeds of which will go towards supporting the charity War Child.

According to Virgin, they will run as follows:

"1) Exhibition
The creative direction for the exhibition will be overseen by Adrian Shaughnessy, George Lee and the team at This Is Real Art. It will include photos (seen and unseen), seminal videos (including props) and memorabilia that capture the symbiotic collaborations between the cultural icons of the day. The location will be an exclusive venue in Mornington Crescent.
2) Book
A beautiful art book will be edited by leading music journalist Adrian Thrills. Adrian began his career editing the punk fanzine 48 Thrills before becoming one of the main feature writers for NME in the Eighties. He contributed fifty cover stories for the paper championing the 2-Tone movement and many of the post-punk, reggae and dance acts of the era; as well as writing the first ever cover story for iconic style magazine The Face featuring The Specials. The book will be designed by Adrian Shaughnessy.

3) Documentary  
A film produced by Leopard Films, one of the UK's leading production companies, and directed by Paul Tilzey, the director of many award winning documentaries for BBC and Channel 4 including 'The 70s'. Executive producer Todd Austin and Fiona Morris' projects include 'Do it Yourself; The Story of Rough Trade' (BBC Four) and 'Imagine: Damon and Jamie's Excellent Adventure' (BBC One) respectively.
4) Events     
A series of live events. Virgin Records will be taking over legendary Camden venue KOKO in October. The shows will celebrate four decades of disruptions involving icons and luminaries from Virgin's roster past and present.    
5) Compilations    

A compilation CD with 2 x Cd set; one disc with current Virgin artists covering Virgin classics, another disc with original Virgin classics. There will also be a series of Virgin 40 compilation CDs spanning the four decades."

I'll have more to tell you in terms of which artists will be headlining the special KOKO events in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes on the news section for updates. Bet they'll be better than the new Daft Punk record, too! Ha. Later on.

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MUSIC: This Week I’m Loving…

In defence of this year's most controversial music video. Plus, the latest from Ghostpoet, Wolf People, Her Royal Harness and how Savages blew my mind. Again. 

David Bowie

Track: The Next Day

From: The Next Day, ISO Records, Out Now

It's just not a proper week in 2013 without a guerrilla David Bowie attack, is it? The latest heat-seeking missile he unleashed into his unsuspecting fan base was this controversial new music video for album title track The Next Day, which stars Marion Cotillard as a stigmata-suffering nun of ill repute and Gary Oldman as a religious nut with a booze problem. Bowie? The priest overseeing the debauched action as it unfolds in the sinful watering hole he resides over. Not really all that shocking considering the year we are currently in, but shocking enough for YouTube to ban it, only to reinstate it hours later after realising what utter numpties they'd been. Oh, and for the Catholic church to get hot under the collar, claiming that Bowie's promo is not only blasphemous to the extreme, but immoral. Aren't we past all this by now? Aren't we, as UK-dwelling citizens, free to express ourselves artistically? Didn't Madonna do something similar like, I don't know, 30 years ago? It's ruddy Bowie. He thinks he's from outer space, for crying out loud. Get over it and realise it's another wonderful surprise from a slighly mad musical god. Yes, I said God.

Ghostpoet

Track: Various

From: Some Say I So I Say Light, Play It Again Sam, Out Now

It's been a while since we heard the bleak urban soundscape of a one Obaro Ejimiwe (Ghostpoet to his mates), whose intelligent wordsplay and unsettlingly atmospheric British hip hop won him a Mercury Prize nomination in 2011 for his  debut album, Peanut Butter Jelly & Melancholy Jam. Some Say I So I Say Light further affirms that GP is not only standing in an incomparable genre all of his own (perhaps the closest I can get to the attitude and feel of his music is Burial), but he's pretty unbeatable, too. Essentially, what we have here is a forlorn love story: an ode to the emotional noir of failed romances and broken relationships, brought to dim life with skitish digital rhymths and down-trodden metaphors. The perfect example? Check out Meltdown below, which features the Aluna-esque vocals of Brighton-based avant-folk artist Woodpecker Wooliams. 

Her Royal Harness

Track: Blood + Fire

From: The Hunting Room, Out 24 June 2013

No, I've no idea what Her Royal Harness was thinking when she picked her name either. Some sort of queenly/muzzle/saddle-based association it's hard to put a finger on without a bit of context. And, seeing as, apart from this webpage, there is a distinct lack of information about this artist, I'd say that was a bit of a challenge. What I do know about HRH, however, is that she isn't a she, but two people: Norwegian singer/songwriter Helene Jaegar and producer Dylan Long. I know that they met on an internet forum (standard 10s behaviour). And a Google search concluded that their debut album, The Hunting Room, is about 'Someone not quite at home' (read: bluddy mental). I also know that the lone track on her SoundCloud page, Blood + Fire, is awesome: a scaling, dark, folk-influenced vocal line layered over heavily synthesised electronic pop in that quirky, off-beat style Nordic music is so famous for. I'm desperate to know more. Will report back with any findings.

Wolf People

Track: Empty Vessel

From: Fain, Jagjaguwar, Out Now

This. Makes. Me. Unbelievably. Happy. Because, aside from all this malarky, my musical background is steeped in the eclectic mix of music my dad played me as a child. A large dose of that was 60s psych rock and 70s prog. I am unashamed to admit that Jethro Tull and King Crimson are two of my favourite bands EVER (The list is long, but still. They're up there). And I love that this London four-piece has reinterpreted the jazz-infused, fret-noodling, technical wizardry of the aforementioned, and reshaped it within a modern indie framework. Yes, second album in, I'm massively late to the Wolf People party. But indulge me. I love this. 

I'M ALSO LOVING…

… That I got the opportunity to see my new favourite band, Savages, live at the Ministry of Sound in London last night. I genuinely didn't think it was possible for me to become more of a gushing fan than I already am but, in the misty, spotlight-lit round situated right in the middle of the audience, their musical velocity, powerful delivery and dark, emotional performance blew me away. They felt every word, they meant every beat and melodic chord, and we, the audience (nice to see the odd old school punks among the sea of spectacle-wearing musos - an omnipresent menace of today's gig-going society) totally believed it. I didn't notice until after the show the MASSIVE sign outside the toilet door asking politely, as it was a filmed show, for there to be no photography. So I, er, took a few awesome shots, which you can see via my Instagram page here. Without flash, I might add! But still. Bit embarrassing.

Just go and buy their album, OK? It's ace.

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MUSIC: This Week We’re Loving…

Savages don't need words - their music speaks for itself. Plus, check out Grimes' previously unreleased video for Venus In Fleurs, and the latest from Deap Vally, Valentina, Charli XCX & Marina Diamondis... 

By Jenn Selby

https://twitter.com/JennSelby 

Savages

Track: Various 

Album: Silence Yourself, Matador, Out Now

The last time I wrote to you about Savages, it was to explain why you should look not to manufactured acts who place aestheticism and 'business' before their music, but to bands like this one to be your female role models. Bands that transcend the obvious. Bands that don't care about being pretty. That sing about more than just chasing men. More than partying, or having money, or being overtly sexual to gain attention. Bands that have something to say for themselves. That give us the courage of conviction, the courage to have opinions, to pick up and instrument and play our own music. I was shocked, therefore, by a number of reviews I've read on their frankly outstanding debut album Silence Yourself that, although mostly flattering (it really is hard to pick fault), seem to suggest that underneath it all, Savages aren't actually saying a lot. Whether these particular writers are unfamiliar with the simple, metaphorical, often repetitive rhetoric that characterizes much of the post-punk/hardcore genre, I'm not sure, but they've missed the point completely. If there was not a single lyric on this album, a single word spoken or sung, their powerful music, symbolism, image and everything they stand for as a band would speak for itself. I'm not going to tell you anything more about the album, because I want you to buy it, hear it and judge for yourselves. This could be the band that changes your life, just like this one changed mine. Get it on iTunes here.

Deap Vally

Track: Baby I Call Hell

From: Sistrionix, Island Records, 24 June 2013

Speaking of women to look up to, Deap Vally released their laser-tastic, 70s-inspired music video for the thunderous Baby I Call Hell this weekend. The Californian duo, who, rather un-rock 'n'roll-ly, met in crochet class, sound like an empowered female incarnation of Led Zeppelin, had they replaced Jimmy Page with Cherrie Currie. Definitely a live act to look out for on the festival circuit this summer. Check back on GLAMOUR.com later this week to read our exclusive Introducing… interview with the band.

Grimes

Track: Venus In Fleurs

From: Geidi Primes, Arbus, Out Now

Ah, Grimes! What a hero. We'll let her introduce this one for herself:

" actuallygrimes:

Hey - this is a video my friend Video Marsh made for this really old Grimes song from my first record. We were supposed to release it ages ago and somehow it didn't happen probably because it didn't comply with the press cycle at the time and since I've stopped caring about complying with press cycles im sharing this now.

This is the only post-genesis official Grimes video that i didn't work on myself that will ever be released : ). it's a different vibe entirely as you can see. i think it's very very beautiful and haunting and peaceful and scary

all footage is from the reifel bird sanctuary in British columbia

enjoy : ) "

Valentina 

Tracks: Various

From: Wolves EP, Greco-Roman, Pre-Order On iTunes Here

Do you remember this track Joe Goddard released last year? Annie Mac couldn't put it down, I couldn't either? Well, the vocals from Gabriel belong to this lady - Italian-British singer/songwriter Valentina, who launched this four-track EP, Wolves, last week.  A floating, ethereal world away from the alt-dance world inhabited by the Hot Chip musician, it's a delicate and beautiful collection of songs that range from hazy, electronica to piano-driven, pop minimalism. A real talent. Check out her video for the title track below. 

www.valentinamusic.co.uk

Valentina - Wolves from Richard Forbes-Hamilton on Vimeo.

Charli XCX & Marina Diamondis

Track: Just Desserts

From: One-Off, Free Release

And let's not forget the women we should champion in pop music, either: the ones making their own beats, crafting their own songs, taking control of their own image, like grunge-goth-meets-90s-bubblebum-RnB-child Charli XCX. She's teamed up with her tour buddy Marina Diamondis (of 'And The Diamonds' fame) to gift this echo-y, reggae-infused track to the world.  For free. Which is nice of her. More of this kind of attitude please, pop world. 

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Music Doesn't Hurt Driving Performance: Study

Tunes on CD, radio might even boost focus in some situations, researcher says

By Alan Mozes

HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, June 20 (HealthDay News) -- Listening to music while driving doesn't seem to curb response time and might even boost your focus in certain conditions, new Dutch research suggests.

For younger but experienced drivers, loud music from a CD or radio is not a safety concern on par with talking on a cellphone behind the wheel, a simulated-driving study of about 50 college-aged students found.

"Speaking on a cellphone or listening to passengers talking is quite different than listening to music, as the former types are examples of a more engaging listening situation," said study author Ayca Berfu Unal, an environmental and traffic psychologist who was a doctoral student at the University of Groningen when she embarked on the research.

"Listening to music, however, is not necessarily engaging all the time, and it seems like music or the radio might stay in the background, especially when the driving task needs full attention of the driver," Unal said.

She acknowledged, however, that her observations are in many ways preliminary and still await publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Distracted driving is a serious public health issue. Each day in the United States, more than nine people are killed and more than 1,000 are injured in crashes that involve a distracted driver, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To study music's influence on driving performance, Unal enlisted 47 university students between 19 and 25 years old to engage in a series of simulated road tests. Participants had more than two and a half years' driving experience on average.

First, they were asked to create their own playlist, to make sure the music they listened to was familiar and well-liked.

Computerized driving simulations then surrounded the motorists with four large screens to create a 240-degree view of traffic. Conditions included driving with loud music, driving with moderate-volume music and driving with no music. No sound adjustments were allowed while the tests were under way.

Participants took the virtual wheel for about a half-hour twice in two weeks along a monotonous, non-threatening and predictable drive in two-way traffic.

Unal monitored heart rate changes at five-minute intervals and assessed the drivers' car-following behavior as they adjusted to the changing speed of vehicles ahead of them. Drivers also were asked to report levels of arousal (feeling energized, bored, fatigued or sleepy) while on the road.

The result: Neither the presence of music nor its volume had any ill effect on the drivers' ability to properly follow the car ahead of them.

What's more, those who drove with music responded faster to changes in the speed of the car ahead than those driving without music. And the louder the music, the faster the response, Unal said.

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MUSIC: This Week We’re Loving…

Why The XX's new track is the bell of Gatsby's ball. Plus, Sigur Rós sells free singles with their scented candles, Charli XCX's anti-pop wins me over, Daniel Johnston writes a comic soundtrack about space ducks (really) and introducing Waxahatchee...

The XX

Track: Together

From: The Great Gatsby Soundtrack, Out 16 May 2013

Wholly unsurprisingly, I'm completely in love with the new XX track: a beautiful, orchestrally-enhanced reimagining of the sort of down-turned, darker works from their Co-Exist album. No, they haven't reinvented their own wheel especially for Baz Luhrmann's long-awaited adaption.  Instead, they've played it to a shrill, echoing click and stuck some dramatic, sweeping string sections in among their usual breathy minimalism to create a powerfully emotive piece that we cannot stop listening to. The other great triumphs of the fabulous Gatsby soundtrack? Lana Del Rey's haunting Young & Beautiful and Jack White's gut-wrenching, Django-appropriate cover of Love Is Blindness. Sure, there are a few clangers on there, too. And they have, once again, wheeled out Emeli Sandé for a number (got to be a running joke now, surely). And what's up with that will.i.am track? And we agree with this man about that Beyoncé cover, too. But over-all, this Jay-Z-produced musical spectacular looks set to give the movie itself a serious run for its money. If it ever comes out.

Sigur Rós

Track: Ísjaki

From: Kveikur, XL Recordings, 17 June 2013

Any band that releases a scented candle that evokes the smell of a campfire lit by a rosy-cheeked lad deep in the heart of an Icelandic forest as a genuine piece of buyable merchandise is alright by me. Sigur Rós transport us to the otherworldly, out-of-body, post-rock hinterland once more with their undeniably beautiful follow-up to last month's single release, Brennisteinn. Ísjaki will be the lead single from their forthcoming album, Kveikur, which is out on 17 June. And, to show they're not all about extracting money out of fans for atmospheric homeware, it will be available as a free download for all those who pre-order the 'collection'. 

Charli XCX

Track: Various

Album: True Romance, Warner, Out Now

Look, it's grown on me, OK? Like a bubblegum-pink vine covered in decapitated Barbie dolls, metal spikes and old Backstreet Boys memorabilia. Charli XCX's (albeit second) debut album has come about at exactly the right time. She embodies the on-trend aesthetic of the 90s, the attitude of the revival genre of the moment, grunge, and the sound of now: quirky street-pop layered with spaced-out electro and littered with attitude-packed, teetering-on-the-edge-of-socially-acceptable expletive lyricism. Oh, and she's well into Tumblr, too. She'll be fine! Essentially, I applaud those in popular music who 1) Write their own songs, 2) Make them interesting and 3) Manage to carve a niche for themselves in the X-Factor-saturated commercial market. And Charli ticks all of those points. Download the album here and make up your own minds. And watch her You (Ha Ha Ha) video below, too.

Waxahatchee

Track: Brother Bryan

From: Cerulean Salt, Wichita, TBC Summer 2013 

Brooklyn-born, gravel-voiced Waxahatchee emerged as one of the most talked-about stars of SXSW festival when it hit Austin, Texas like a tornado of sound and secret performances back in March. And, with her down-beat, minimalist sounds and soulful, lyrical whimsy, it's not hard to work out why every  blog from her to Beirut was banging on about her. Luckily for us, she's not exclusive the US: having just signed with indie label Wichita, she's set to release her album Cerulean Salt in the UK sometime this summer. 

Daniel Johnston

Track: Space Ducks

Album: Space Ducks, Out 29 May 2013

WHAT. THE ACTUAL...  Just press play. You'll know what I mean. New album's out Monday. It's Daniel Johnston's first record in a good four years (he was the guy behind the Hi, How Are You? record, the band T-shirt of which Kurt Cobain wore in this famous photograph). It is the soundtrack a 24-page, self-drawn comic called Space Ducks: An Infinite Comic Book of Musical Greatness. You'll either think it's the greatest thing you've ever seen/heard or the most irritating piece of music in the universe. Utterly polarising stuff. Personally, I freakin' love ducks. And space. So the combination of the two plus a concept album is a winner in my unashamedly geeky (comic) book.

THIS WEEK, WE'RE ALSO LOVING...

SENNA DIRECTOR TO MAKE TELL-ALL AMY WINEHOUSE DOCUMENTARY

CHARLI XCX - ON HER DREAM HEADLINERS, ROCK STAR RIDER & ULTIMATE INSPIRATIONS

ROCK OF AGED WELL: THESE STARS JUST GET BETTER WITH AGE

SHE'S SO COOL! OUR ODE TO THE ULTIMATE FRONTWOMAN, KAREN O

OZZY OSBOURNE & MISS PIGGY? THE STRANGEST MUSICAL COLLABORATIONS. EVER.

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Taylor Swift leads Billboard Music Awards nominations

Taylor Swift, Maroon 5 and fun. lead the nominees at the Billboard Music Awards 2013.

The three acts received 11 nominations each for the annual awards ceremony, which is scheduled to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on 19 May 2013.

Swift and Maroon 5 will go head-to-head in the Top Artist category. They will compete against Rihanna, who has nine nominations, Justin Bieber and One Direction for the prize.

Meanwhile, fun. are up for Top Hot 100 Song for We Are Young. They are also in the running for awards in the Top Duo/Group an Top Digital Songs Artist categories.

Carly Rae Jepsen received nine nominations, while One Direction secured eight for their albums Up All Night and Take Me Home.

Prince will also be honoured at the ceremony, and will receive the Billboard Icon Award.

The ceremony will include performances from Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber. It will be presented by Tracy Morgan.

SEE THE 2013 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS NOMINATIONS BELOW:

Top Artist
Justin Bieber
Maroon 5
One Direction
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Top New Artist 
Gotye
Carly Rae Jepsen
The Lumineers
One Direction
PSY

Top Male Artist
Jason Aldean
Justin Bieber
Drake
Flo Rida
Bruno Mars

Top Female Artist
Adele
Carly Rae Jepsen
Nicki Minaj
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Top Duo/Group 
Coldplay
Fun.
Maroon 5
Mumford & Sons
One Direction

Top Hot 100 Artist 
Flo Rida
Fun.
Maroon 5
Rihanna
Taylor Swift

Top Billboard 200 Artist 
Adele
Justin Bieber
Mumford & Sons
One Direction
Taylor Swift

Top Pop Artist 
Adele
Justin Bieber
Maroon 5
Bruno Mars
One Direction

Top R&B Artist 
Chris Brown
Alicia Keys
Ne-Yo
Rihanna
Usher

Top Rap Artist
Drake
Flo Rida
Nicki Minaj
Pitbull
PSY

Top Country Artist 
Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Hunter Hayes
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Top Rock Artist 
Coldplay
Fun.
Gotye
Mumford & Sons
Bruce Springsteen

Top Pop Album 
21, Adele
Overexposed, Maroon 5
Take Me Home, One Direction
Up All Night, One Direction
Believe, Justin Bieber

Top R&B Album
Fortune, Chris Brown
Girl on Fire, Alicia Keys
Channel Orange, Frank Ocean
Unapologetic, Rihanna
Looking 4 Myself, Usher

Top Rap Album
Based on a T.R.U. Story, 2 Chainz
Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City, Kendrick Lamar
The Heist, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, Nicki Minaj
God Forgives, I Don't, Rick Ross

Top Country Album 
Night Train, Jason Aldean
Tailgates & Tanlines, Luke Bryan
Tuskegee,  Lionel Richie
Red, Taylor Swift
Blown Away, Carrie Underwood

Top Rock Album
Some Nights, fun.
The Lumineers, The Lumineers
Babel, Mumford & Sons
My Head is an Animal, Of Monsters and Men
The World From The Side of the Moon, Phillip Phillips

Top Pop Song
Lights, Ellie Goulding
Call Me Maybe, Carly Rae Jepsen
One More Night, Maroon 5
Payphone, Maroon 5
Locked Out of Heaven, Bruno Mars

Top R&B Song 
Girl On Fire, Alicia Keys feat. Nicki Minaj
Adorn, Miguel
Thinkin Bout You, Frank Ocean
Diamonds, Rihanna
Heart Attack, Trey Songz

Top Rap Song 
Wild Ones, Flo Rida feat. Sia
Whistle, Flo Rida
Mercy, Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T, 2 Chainz
Thrift Shop, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz
Gangnam Style, PSY

Top Country Song 
Drunk On You, Luke Bryan
Springsteen, Eric Church
Cruise, Florida Georgia Line
Wanted, Hunter Hayes
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Taylor Swift

Top Dance Song 
Titanium, David Guetta feat. Sia
Harlem Shake, Baauer
Starships, Nicki Minaj
Gangnam Style, PSY
Where Have You Been, Rihanna

ROCK OF AGED WELL - THE ROCK STARS WHO JUST KEEP GET HOTTER 

SHE'S SO COOL! OUR ODE TO THE ULTIMATE FRONTWOMAN, KAREN O

THE COOLEST CELEBRITY PICS SNAPS AT COACHELLA FESTIVAL

OZZY OSBOURNE & MISS PIGGY? THE STRANGEST MUSICAL COLLABORATIONS. EVER.

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Katy Perry speaks at the I Create Music Expo in Los Angeles

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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The Morning Scoop: The 100 Most Influential People of 2013, Twitter #music Launches and More!

TIME has released it's annual list of the 100 most influential people. This year's roundup includes music mogul Jay-Z, Jennifer Lawrence, and activist Malala Yousafzai. [TIME]

Twitter #music launches today! The app, available both on your desktop and your phone, "uses Twitter activity, including Tweets and engagement, to detect and surface the most popular tracks and emerging artists," according to the social media site. [Mashable]

Need a vacay? If you can't jet to the Carribean, try one of their beauty secrets to feel like you're on the islands. [You Beauty]

Navigate your Facebook News Feed with ease thanks to these four tricks. A caveat: They won't work on your iPad or iPhone. [Lifehacker]

At last night's Boston Bruins game, the entire crowd joined in the singing of the National Anthem. Watch it below! [YouTube]

Image Credit: WWD/George Chinsee

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MUSIC: This Week We’re Loving…

Why this month's most uncomfortable listen is also the best. Plus, James Blake cheers up, Frank Ocean drops a new track, QOTSA carry on being awesome and Joel Compass floors Ents Ed Jenn Selby with his 19-year-old brilliance.

The Knife

Track: Various

From: Shaking The Habitual, Brille, Out Now

If you ever wondered where that quirky, uniquely Scandinavian brand of electro-pop - touted by the likes of Robyn and Niki & The Dove, among others - came from, look no further than its concentrated source: side-leaning brother/sister duo, The Knife. The siblings have long been known for their outlandish experimentalism, off-beat hooks and ever-changing character personas (Venetian plague doctors were the order of the day for their last proper album release, Silent Shout, in 2010. Sure.), but no matter how far their imaginations took their music in the past, they were still definably 'a pop act'. Not anymore. Shaking The Habitual sees the pair embark on a journey  into stark, androgynous, industrial new territories. It's an unsettling, sometimes uncomfortable listen, but a stroke of electronic genius none-the-less. Which is why I haven't been able to break the loop cycle since it came out earlier this week. Check out their video for A Tooth For An Eye below (seriously, what is it with Scandinavian bands and 80s gyms?) and download it on iTunes here.

James Blake

Track: Various

From: Overgrown, Polydor, Out Now

How it is it that every James Blake album review EVER starts with referring to 'Blub-step', 'Sadcore' (Soz Lana, totally stole that from you) or 'Electro-choly' (Annnnd I totally made that up)? Including this one, apparently. Walked right into that trap. I loved him when he fitted into this well-worn category - all side-swept hair and morose, bass-y minimalism. But now we've got Overgrown. And I'm obsessed with it.  Not just because it features the granddaddy of electronic experimentalism, Brian Eno (BRIAN ENO!), and even a hip-hop track with Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, but because he's honed his songwriting to nigh-on perfection, flipped the lid on RnB and made gospel influences cool again. There are few to compare his sound to, really, such is JB'suniqueness. But the last album of this ilk to have such a profound effect on me as this was Frank Ocean's Channel Orange. And there's nothing down about that. Spend your pennies wisely, and download it here.

Angel

Track: Rocket Love

Album: About Time, Island Records, 15 April 2013

Speaking of my undying love for Frank Ocean, here's a song he wrote for someone else about getting it 'awn with a space woman (niche). It appears on singer/songwriter Angel's forthcoming debut album: the London-based multi-instrumentalist, who boasts Outkast's Big Boi, Trey Songz and even the One Direction (…) among his fans. Oh, and, not sure if you've heard of her, but some artist called Rihanna has requested his songwriting skills for her forthcoming material? No, I've no idea who she is either. Anyway, you can pre-order the album here (worth buying purely for the bonus track titled #Justsayin!). And take a listen to Rocket Love, too. It sounds just like Frank minus his vocals. Did I mention I love that guy? I love that guy. 

Joel Compass

Track: Back To Me

From: Astronaut EP, Black Butter Records, TBC

While we're on that whole ALL ABOUT FRANK OCEAN thing, let me introduce you to some awesome, Ocean-inspired new music: 19-year-old Brixton singer/songwriter Joel Compass. If he doesn't flaw you with his stripped back, minimalist beats, lilting, The Weeknd-style vocals and stunning sophistication (19?!), you have no soul. You are but an empty husk of a human being, entirely void of feeling. Be warned - the heavily-stylised video below is a little disturbing in places (Snakes. Bullet holes. Small child with a gun. You catch my drift.). BUT if you're not offended by your own shadow, it's pretty a cool watch. 

QOTSA

Track: My God Is The Sun

From: Like Clockwork, Matador Records, 3 June 2013

There was never a moment of doubt in my mind that Josh Homme - inarguably the hottest flame-haired man in rock history - would deliver the goods on the new Queens Of The Stone Age material (though my nerves did falter a little when I heard that they would be collaborating with Elton John (a repeat bizarre duet offender), the Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears, Arctic Money's Alex Turner and Trent Reznor, among others, on the album). He did not disappoint on single number one. Behold - My God Is The Sun. And mine is Josh Homme. And Frank Ocean.

UNTIL NEXT TIME…

THE MOST BIZARRE MUSICAL COLLABORATIONS. EVER.

OUR ODE TO KAREN O

INTRODUCING… BEATRICE ELI. LIKE THE SWEDISH JESSIE J. BUT WAY COOLER.

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Listen Up! Your April Music Musts

Ladies, it's time to stop hibernating and start dancing: April is here. The air smells fresh, flowers are starting to bloom, and it's finally OK for you to bust out those open-toed pumps that have been languishing in the back of your closet. The month signals new beginnings, and with it comes a wave of awesome new albums.

The country rocker siblings will fire you up to wage war on dust bunnies and sort through your over-stuffed dresser. Frontwoman Kimberly Perry is sassy and fierce as she belts out a damning goodbye to a no-good lover. Channel her energy to get rid of your own junk, then play the album again as you dance around your squeaky-clean digs.

When you're taking a bike ride around the park: Andrew Wyatt's "And Septimus..." from Descender, out April 16

The debut solo album from the Miike Snow vocalist might just inspire you to stop and smell the tulips as you cruise through the park. This dreamy, cheerful song is guaranteed to make you smile even if your ride is cut short by those inevitable April showers--hey, at least it isn't snowing anymore!

When you're plotting your April Fools prank: Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Sacrilege" from Mosquito, out April 16

We're faced with a bit of a moral quandary this year: The wholesome, marshmallow-filled Easter holiday and the most mischievous day of the year are back-to-back. Let the catchy guitar riff and Karen O's frenetic vocals inspire you to do dastardly deeds, but remember: You can have a fun prank without risking time in a jail or hospital.

When you're scrambling to finish your taxes: Phoenix's "Entertainment" from Bankrupt! out April 23

You need something peppy enough to help you power through the labyrinth of tax documents, and the French group's upbeat vibe is the perfect accompaniment to stave off your money woes. Just cross your fingersthat the band's album title won't describe your financial situation when you realize how much you owe the federal government.

When you're lounging at the bar's al fresco patio: Kid Cudi's "King Wizard" from Indicud, out April 23

After months of hiding your cute going-out minis underparkas and scarves on blustery Saturday nights, you can finally flaunt yourfashion and show some skin. Fortunately, Kid Cudi, aka the king of cool, party-worthy hip-hop, is back with a solid third album just in time for thewarm weather bar-hopping. He's simultaneously laid-back and intense, chill and badass. It's the perfect soundtrack as you raise a glass to springtime.

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Carla Bruni & Lana Del Rey at the 2013 Echo Music Awards in Germany

Browse through Glamour's extensive daily celebrity photo gallery online today. Check out what your favourite celebrity has been up to!

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MUSIC: This Week We’re Loving…

Lana Del Rey unveils her new movie soundtrack! Plus, the new Foals album and the latest from Haim, Rihanna & Tom Odell…

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MUSIC: This Week We’re Loving…

The Knife’s first track in seven years! Plus, the latest from AlunaGeorge, Kristina Train and introducing PYYRAMIDS…

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MUSIC: This Week We're Loving…

Entertainment Editor Jenn Selby introduces the awesome Arlissa! Plus, the latest from Palma Violets, Prince, Christopher Owens and Dark Horses...

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Nicole Scherzinger in new music video Boomerang

As well as premiering the clip to accompany her new single, Scherzinger also revealed that she has started performing duets with her Formula 1 racing driver boyfriend Lewis Hamilton

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MUSIC: This Week We’re Loving…

How Haim saved the girl group. Plus, the latest from Tegan & Sara, John Legend, Four Tete and introducing Maya Jane Coles…

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The Saturdays unveil What About Us music video

The Saturdays have unveiled their new music video for What About Us.

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Music Bonus: Apocalypse Someday

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Happy Solstice! Since you are reading this, it would appear that the world did not in fact end today.

 

Have some bonus links about Christmas.

In Closing: TSA; diet and diabetes; I bet we could create some jobs building and repairing infrastructure (nah, that costs money!); political suicide; don’t confuse us with facts; and how nuts do you have to be to get fired from Al Qaeda?

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Music Monday: Inspiration, Part 1

When I was first losing weight and trying to get fit, there were two music videos that I found inspiring. This is the positive one:

 

Madonna was 40 years old when this was shot, and a new mom. Ok, I couldn’t afford personal trainers and dietitians, but I could watch what I ate and work out.

In Closing: scandal; what about S-Mart?; depressing graphic; some people need to grow up; this could be a problem; history we don’t talk about; and Nipplegate .

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Music Monday: Inspiration, Part 2

Last week I said I had two inspiring videos. This is the other one.

 

It took guts to make this video. But no, don’t go off the antibiotics until the whole run is done, ever, ok?

In Closing: gee I wonder why; some negatives??; this could be bad; “How dare researchers publish research that isn’t about what we think it should be about!”; War on Drugs is still a fail; and unemployment.

 

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