Kelly Clarkson sings my life. I have lost count of how many times I have said that, but it remains true and not the slightest bit glib.
From leaving a small town behind for bigger adventures in "Breakaway" to the tired, broken girl on "Irvine" to the mother-issues-addled child of a broken home on "Because Of You" to vitriol-spitting ex-girlfriend on pretty much every other single, Kelly has been telling the stories that I have lived and the emotions I have felt throughout her post-Idol career.
On her 5th album, Stronger, Kelly tackles her most famous role again - hurt and angry ex-girlfriend with sass and attitude to spare. Like My December with better hooks, Stronger focuses on rock-guitar laced breakup anthems while the occasional foray into ballads and even light R&B. Lead single "Mr. Know It All" would make the album seem like a Bruno Mars inspired R&B/pop affair, but Kelly quickly delves into dancable pop rock on the exemplary title track before veering into what she does best - angry kiss offs like "Honestly" and "You Love Me." A spooky music box intro leads into introspective lyrics where she holds out hope for love that accepts her on her own level on "Dark Side." Other songs showing a more nuanced look at the end of relationships than her breakthrough "Since U Been Gone" are "The War Is Over" and the gorgous ballad "Breaking Your Own Heart"
The album is not without flaws - "Einstein" is well below Kelly's intelligence level with the nonsensical chorus lyric "dumb plus dumb equals you" and the disc should have either jettisoned "Mr. Know It All" or found some more R&B sounds to make it seem less of an oddball track. Even her "flop" dark rock-orientated My December found room for funkier fare like "How I Feel" and "Yeah."
The deluxe edition includes her hit duet with Jason Aldean "Don't You Wanna Stay" and two more rocking breakup jams. But another duet, with former Idol judge and hitmaking songwriter Kara DioGuardi, is a very pretty and hopeful sounding end to a sometimes dark night of the soul.
(PS: can you tell My December is my favorite Kelly Clarkson album?)
I was out this past weekend for a birthday, and we went to local gay club Stallions (so discreet!) Now this isn't the type of gay club where they play Cazwell and obscure European dance pop, it's kinda lame with it's top 40 remixes on the dancefloor. But they played a really hot remix of Adele's latest single "Someone Like You" that reminded me of the heyday of club divas - big vocals over a slamming four-on-the-floor beat. I miss that CeCe Peniston/Martha Walsh sound!
Seems Kelly has been, too. She just put up the second official release of music off her upcoming 5th LP Stronger - the pseudo title track "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)" It starts out kinda indie-guitarish then hits the chorus and (to quote PopJustice) "explodes into gay." I need this in the club, not another Rihanna remix. Kelly is the last of the female megastars of the 00s to explore dance music, so I think she's due.
KELLY CLARKSON!!!!! ZOMG I LOVE YOU LONG TIME!!!!1!!
Sorry. Had a fangirl moment there. Ahem. Kelly's lead single from her upcoming, currently untitled, album is here and I am loving it. The OG Idol returns to the scorned-woman-rocking-out sound that served her well on singles like "All I Ever Wanted," "Walk Away," "Never Again," and "Since U Been Gone" and it's easy to see her charting high again.
Kelly told MTV that the new album was influenced by Prince, Tina Turner and Radiohead and it's easy to assume her collaborations with Jason Aldean and Reba McIntire may give it a little Nashville swing. But "Let Me Down" is classic Clarkson - a rocking pop jam with a kick ass chorus and that voice giving ultimate kiss-off lines like "the funny thing about forever is it comes with a side of never-never" and "when it counts, you countdown."
In the pantheon of emotional trickery in music videos, nothing beats a camera closeup that captures the tear streaked face of a (usually young, pretty) woman. Let's take a look...
Of course, the granddaddy of all close up cry shots is SinéadO'Connor's MTV Video of the Year winning clip for "Nothing Compares 2 U" The shot is so powerful, you forget the rest of the video exists.
Kelly Clarkson's video for "Because Of You" has more plot than the others, but the shots of a blondClarkson singing into the mirror are more interesting than the "TV movie of the week" action scenes with the little girl. She acts quite well in some of them, but just before the bridge we see the emotion welling up and she cries real tears with that ugly scrunched up cry face that Amber Tamblyn does so well.
Meanwhile, Duffy uses the crying game to distract for the sleepiness of her single "Warwick Avenue." It's a very pretty cry, her mascara running like a drag queen doing a dramatic lipsync. I don't mean to make fun, but it's a little obvious that it's meant to tug at heartstrings. Watch here.
Janelle Monáe does an almost direct homage to Sinead's weepies on "Cold War" - down to the way the shot is framed for much of the video making her seem bald. But when she has her first well of emotion, she goes nuts with a head tremble that turns into the shakes. It's another minute before the real, glistening tear rolls out and streaks her youthful cheeks. Girl knows how to do it!
Yesterday I introduced two artists that have to potential to be Girls Like Us. Here is the rest of the story:
After Kelly's massive success with Max Martin/Dr Luke penned singles "Since U Been Gone" and "Behind These Hazel Eyes" Pink was the next female star to hook up with the hit making duo. Her next disc, 2006's I'm Not Dead opened with the single "Stupid Girls" - a scathing indictment of fame-chasing celebutants. While the song was controversial, with a video clearly lampooning Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and the Olsen twins, it didn't translate into the massive hit. Releasing the song was the start of her very public political side. Lyrics like "What happened to the dream of a girl president/she's dancing in the video next to 50 Cent" are hard hitting and bold.
She followed that single with a slow rising track "Who Knew" - a powerful ballad co-written with Martin and Luke. Exploring the themes of a lover who leaves after promising to never go was more universal than the bratty woman-child of her previous albums. The song never fully explains the reason for leaving, the video suggests drug use caused a rift but it could be interpreted as a lover dying. "If someone said three years from now/you'd be long gone/I'd stand up and punch that mouth/'cuz they're all wrong/I know better/'cuz you said forever/who knew" is a powerful lyric that resonates with so many.
She also showcased her political side with a protest song "Dear Mr. President" - an open letter to an already vastly unpopular president. She takes him to task on his views on gay rights and a lack of compassion for the poor.
While Pink was racking up hit singles with Max Martin's catchy pop formula's, Kelly Clarkson was riding high on her ASCAP win for Songwriter Of The Year. Ignore her label head, legend Clive Davis, she wanted to co-write all the songs for her next album. The result was 2007's commercial flop My December.
The difference between between her hits with Martin and Luke songwriting team and her own compositions was minimal at first glance. Her songs were angry pop/rock in some places, while others were slow burning ballads. The whole album was a unified artistic statement, a story of a young woman burned yet again by love. From the sweeping sadness of "Sober" - "three months and I'm still breathing/been a long road since those hands I left my tears in" to the bitter ex of "Never Again" - "I hope the ring you gave her turns her finger green/I would never wish bad things but I don't wish you well" to the most heartbreaking moment of her career.
"Irvine" was written while burnt out and exhausted, after trying to remove people from her life that were bringing her down. It's a prayer born out of pain, it's almost suicidal. Yes, American Idol's original sweetheart asks God "Can you feel how cold I am? Do you cry like I do? Are you lonely up there by yourself? Like I have felt all my life?" and "Are you there watching me/As I lie here on this floor? Do you cry with me/cry with me tonight?" It's heart breaking and beautiful.
While the album failed to create the singles and sales that Breakaway did, it's vastly more personal. Both Kelly and Pink have continued to work with Max Martin and Dr Luke (as have other hit making chicas like Avril Lavigne, The Veronicas and Katy Perry) and they have created some major hits. But the difference between those hits and the hits of Carole King or Joni Mitchell is that they aren't always their own words, their own stories. In the pop world it is hard to sell your own voice, but it's how you make that connection.
Post Script: Kelly Clarkson worked with a new songwriting giant Ryan Tedder on a track for her All I Ever Wanted called "Already Gone" It is great example of how a singer/songwriter can be paired with a songwriting producer and create a masterpiece. If only Tedder hadn't used a similar track for a Beyonce single a few months later. Lyrically, Kelly explores the pain of breaking up with someone who loves you but you know you are not able to love back in the right way. It's something that I know about, and something people I know have really related to.
Pink released her Greatest Hits... So Far!! with new singles written with Max Martin and his newest collaborator Shellback. Both "Raise Your Glass" and "Fuckin' Perfect" shows the political Pink, finding her siding once again with the underdogs and bullied of the world. Collaboration can create fine music.
These are the songs that make Kelly and Pink Girls Like Us:
"Irvine" (from Kelly's My December)
"Who Knew" (from Pink's I'm Not Dead)
"Already Gone" (from Kelly's All I Ever Wanted)
"Fuckin' Perfect" [uncensored version] (from Pink's Greatest Hits... So Far!!)
In many ways, I've felt like Kelly Clarkson sings my life. Just like Taylor Swift yesterday, Kelly Clarkson has sung so many songs that tell my story and tell the story of so many young women and men. That could make her one of the Girls Like Us. I also would posit that Pink could make the same claim.
Kelly made a splashy entrance into the pop world with her win on the inaugural season of rating juggernaut American Idol in 2002. Her debut album was the usual pop fare, with 16 producer credits and 26 writers (including Clarkson herself on 4 tracks.) It produced a couple of decent singles, including the smash "Miss Independent" which was originally written with Christina Aguilera in mind. While the result was pleasant pop/rock music with r&b undertones the only saving grace was Kelly amazing voice.
In a similar vein Pink released her debut album Can't Take Me Home in 2000. Like Kelly's debut, the album had a strong theme but didn't seem connected to the artist in any way. With 8 producers and one song alone boasting 9 writers, it was a standard pop release with very little artistic aim. One way Pink did put her stamp on it was with her brash attitude, which would remain a recurring theme on her later releases.
In 2001 Pink released her sophomore disc M!ssundaztood. This time the young pop star took more control, contacting Linda Perry of 4 Non-Blondes out of the blue to ask her to produce some songs. The album had a blend of pop, rock and r&b influences but seemed to be the work of one artist. Pink's attitude bloomed fully, with angry tracks like "Don't Let Me Get Me" and "Just Like A Pill" showing a self-destructive side that would resonate with an increasingly angry young America. Pink also showed the vulnerable side that would underscore the basis for such anger, with the tender ballad "Family Portrait" about the aftermath of her parent's divorce.
Pink would go all the way around the bend to rock on the lead single for her third commercially disastrous album Try This. "Trouble" has the singer in full bad-ass mode, but it's somewhat noticeable that her heart wasn't in it. Follow up single "God Is A DJ" is more fun, but the personal side of Pink wasn't carried over from the prior release.
Meanwhile, Kelly Clarkson headed to Sweden to record a song written for her by pop masterminds Max Martin and Dr. Luke. Kelly had hoped to expand her songwriting skills on her sophomore album, but "Since U Been Gone" was non-negotiable. Despite the fact she didn't write the song, it will forever be her defining hit. She sings the angry rock song like she means it, which puts her in a league of master song-interpreters.
She did get to put her songwriting skills to the test for Breakaway, though. She co-wrote the single "Behind These Hazel Eyes" with Martin and Luke, resulting in a blistering attack song that shows the fury of a woman scorned. She slowed it down for the most personal song of her career, "Because Of You" The ballad relays the pain that resulted from her parents divorce and her strained relationship with her mother when she was 16. It's one of the songs that resonates most with me, and I would imagine with anyone who has felt leaned on too much by a parent.
"Because Of You" would net Clarkson an ASCAP award for songwriter of the year and would be remade by Clarkson and country legend Reba as a duet.
Pink's star rises again, Kelly's falters: tomorrow in Part 2.
These are the songs that make Pink and Kelly Girls Like Us: "Family Portrait" (from Pink's M!ssundaztood)
"Don't Let Me Get Me" (from Pink's M!ssundaztood)
"Because Of You" (from Kelly's Breakaway)
"Behind These Hazel Eyes" (from Kelly's Breakaway)
Lady Gaga released The Fame Monster late last year. Ke$ha released her debut, Animal, in January. And Kelly Clarkson is still working off a year-old disc, All I Ever Wanted. But all three have resulted in multiple hit singles, and now all three of my favorite girls are releasing new singles from these albums.
What is so exciting? If you own these three albums, it's nothing new to you. I know the music isn't that thrilling. The new single covers are always fun to check out, but these aren't anything too exciting:After Kelly's fabulous cover for "My Life Would Suck Without You" it's especially disappointing to see a generic single placard on iTunes. And Lady Gaga and Ke$ha look like they just used outtakes from the album photo shoots.
But this is the exciting part about these tracks from old album getting to be radio singles. I love all three of these songs! "All I Ever Wanted" was a Summer Jam '09 contender and with it's funky grooves it may be a Summer Jam Twenty-Ten. Ke$ha's "Your Love Is My Drug" is the album opener that really introduces us to the party queen. And every song from The Fame Monster is awesome, but "Alejandro" sounds like Madonna and the dudes from Ace Of Base had a baby and let Shakira babysit it. In a word: CrazyGood.
And Lawd knows we need need good music on the radio right now! Let's hope these three chicas get heavy airplay.
Nashville-based Kings Of Leon have been toiling away for ten years, with little success in the US. The UK started embracing them last year and at last they have a few US hits, including the rock ballad "Use Somebody" which has been growing on me for the last few months of it's chartlife.
"Use Somebody" will probably be the band's signature song, but that hasn't stop three artists from place their own stamp on the hit. Below: The always brilliant Kelly Clarkson has been performing a mash-up of the single with Alanis Morrissette's "That I Would Be Good" on tour. Emo/punk-poppers Paramore stopped by BBC Radio One's Live Lounge in September and did a fairly faithful acoustic version. Bat For Lashes also dropped by the Lounge in the beginning of the year and added a spooky organ and tamborine to the haunting melody. American Idol's Brooke White covered the track for her recent release, High Hopes & Heartbreaks, and did it a sunny, 1970s FM Radio way. One Tree Hill star and singer Tyler Hilton uses a piano to give the song a little gravitas. Kings On Leon perform live.
It's been brewing for a while now, and I guess as the most Kelly obsessed music blog I know it's time for me to discuss it. "Halo" vs "Already Gone"
It's the epic pop debate of 2009, is Kelly Clarkson's "Already Gone" a rip off of Beyonce's "Halo"? Kelly thinks so, and she is pissed. She told Canadian radio "No one’s gonna be sittin’ at home, thinking, ‘Man, Ryan Tedder gave Beyoncé and Kelly the same track to write to.’ No, they’re just gonna be saying I ripped someone off."
Here's the thing, both songs were written and produced by producer of the moment Ryan Tedder. So some similarities can be excused. I can usually smell a Max Martin/Dr Luke collaborative prod/writ credit a mile away, the tend to have a rah-rah pop-rock sound. In fact, Kelly's own "Since U Been Gone" and "My Life Would Suck Without You" have a very similar flow and instrumentation, both produced by that team. Max by himself is a little harder to pin down. Lady Gaga producer Red One has a distinctive electronic sound, and his work with Enrique Iglesias sounds very much like Gaga's, while the song he produced for Sean Kingston bears only a slight resemblance.
But while a producer may pull the same trick out out of his bag twice, is that all the similarities between "Halo" and "Already Gone" are? I've been listening to both a lot, and I find more than just a passing resemblance. The verses have very similar melodies, the beat is identical. The same strings show up at different volume levels. There are some differences, "Halo" doesn't have a bridge like "Already Gone" but it's a lot closer than Tedder's previous productions like Jordin Sparks' "Battlefield" or his own band One Republic's "Stop And Stare." In fact, until I heard "Halo" and "Already Gone" I didn't think Ryan Tedder had a specific production style. Which is why the similarities strike me as lazy production, a chance to do about half the work for the same pay.
However, Kelly's emotional connection to her own lyrics (she co-wrote the lyrics with Tedder) makes "Already Gone" vastly superior to "Halo" so she should have had the upper hand in this battle. But since "Halo" has played for a long time before Kelly's single was released, it will sound like a copycat. And with Kelly distancing herself from the song, it will be hard to promote. I think Tedder really screwed up here, but in the end savvy listeners will love whichever song they connect with. Radio may be less accepting.
Sorry Girls 'n' Gays! I've been out of commission all weekend, between work, Pridefest, (EPIC!) taking a trip to the kinfolk up north and trying to squeeze in a little time with the boyfriend, I barely had a chance to breath since Wednesday.
I finally get a little moment to hit the interwebs and ZOMG! New Kelly Clarkson video! Junior had to draw it to my attention, this is the second time he's had to keep my head on straight gay.
I've known forever that "Already Gone" was the next single from my once and future beard, the lovely and diva-licious Kelly Clarkson. I even wrote a video treatment concept a few months ago. But I beginning to think it was getting the "Sober" treatment and no video would ever surface. So when I saw the gorgeous stills from it a couple weeks ago, I started getting excited. It looked glamorous, it looked sexy.
The video is all those things, but it's also not very Kelly. She lounges on a couch wearing pearls, she wanders the halls of a swanky penthouse apartment, she's surrounded by a CGI orchestra. Don't get me wrong, Kelly looks stunning. But since when did she wear chandelier earrings and black floor length cocktail dresses? I'm all for changing up one's look, but this doesn't feel natural. When she runs her hand down the champagne colored dress, they look small and childlike. She doesn't look comfortable in any of the shots, she looks like a little girl forced to pose for a pageant. She did the old-school Hollywood glamour thing so much better in the Reba duet version of "Because Of You" - she needed something fresh.
WHAT THE HELL DID THEY DO WITH THE KELLY I LURVE (and the missing minute or so of song run time?) Seriously, I am not happy with this video. Kelly is such a dynamo on stage and in the appropriate videos, I wish someone would give her a concept worthy of her talent. Watch:
For Diva Week at Pictures & Conversations we will look at 4 modern gay icons as well a special look at the diva I've idealized and followed (and not really fully realized until I read My Diva) since childhood. And no, you won't find out who that is until Friday. Yes, I'm a tease...Another day, another diva. This time it's the ultimate Idol, Kelly Clarkson.
Those who know my via my blog or in real life know I love Kelly Clarkson. In fact, at first she was going to be My Diva. When I started my blog on MySpace, the second post was a leaked clip of "Never Again", the first single from her fantastic third album My December. I must admit, though, I never watched the first season of American Idol. I thought "A Moment Like This" was a clever song, both a normal love ballad and a celebration of winning a talent contest, but kinda boring. I liked "Miss Independent" but didn't even buy her album.
When her sophomore set came out, I wasn't crazy about the lead single and title track Breakaway. It was kinda syrupy, but the all hell broke loose. "Since U Been Gone" was song that turned Kelly into a superstar, and I was hooked. "Behind These Hazel Eyes" came next, with a fucking brilliant video and an angry sing-along chorus. But it was "Because Of You" that cemented Kelly as my favourite pop star.
The slow building ballad, so fueled by the pain of a strained relationship with her mother, was the thing that sent me over the edge. It was a perfect parallel to my own relationship with my mother. Especially the bridge:
I watched you die I heard you cry Every night in your sleep I was so young You should have known better than to lean on me You never thought of anyone else You just saw your pain And now I cry In the middle of the night For the same damn thing
After the death of my father when I was 16, I did what any good son would do. I held up my mother when she couldn't hold herself together, I delayed any college plans because I could not imagine leaving my three little sisters and my mother to fend for themselves. And she let me. She let me throw that away, because she needed me. And I needed to be needed, I'm co-dependant like that. Which leads to the final lyrics of the song:
Because of you I don't know how to let anyone else in Because of you I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty Because of you I am afraid
For the record, my relationship with mother has improved, and through therapy I'm learning to stop blaming her for my own actions. Still love the song, though.
So I was hooked, and My December was the line that pulled me in. From the opening line of "Never Again" with it's brutal "I hope the ring to gave to her turns her finger green" to the closing one-two punch of the suicidal ballad "Irvine" and bonus track "Chivas" - a goof about picking Chivas over a leering ex - I played the shit out of that CD. It's a cohesive artist statement about love and loss, something I didn't really know anything about yet but felt I had learned from this Texas girl. I wanted to be the strong person who could sing these words, from the acoustic rock ballad "Maybe":
I don't want to be tough And I don't want to be proud I don't need to be fixed and I certainly don't need to be found I'm not lost I need to be loved I just need to be loved
But I was a simpering fool who fell for the first guy who gave me the time of day. I wanted to be that girl who stood up to Clive Davis and said "This is what's in my heart, this is what I want to say." But that girl also had signed contracts and had to make another album. But not until she toured with her friend and duet partner Reba McIntire, who put on an awesome show in Reading last fall. I was there, it was epic.
Then came All I Ever Wanted. I didn't want to like it, it wasn't My December. But it truly is a collection of pop masterpieces, from the best songwriters in the business - Dr. Luke, Ryan Tedder, Max Martin, Kara DioGuardi and Kelly herself. It isn't the cohesive statement My December was, but perhaps that's OK. Kelly has some great songs, like the funk-pop title track and the ballad "Already Gone" for which a video is still coming. The stills from that clip (seen below) prove Kelly is still a stunning creature, and the album proved she has both the actual voice and the artistic voice to be a major diva for years. And, fuck it, if she put out a polka album today I would be all over that shit. I seriously love her.
Apparently Pictures & Conversation's Diva Week is starting a trend, because VH1 has annouced the return of the best program ever on the channel, Divas Live! The current divas are my girl Kelly Clarkson (you may hear more about her later this week... wink), Leona Lewis (because "Bleeding Love" is every diva song ever rolled into one and covered in extra runs and histrionics), British soul-pop singer Adele (I'm not sure about "diva" but I kinda love her), and my sworn frienemy Miley Cyrus. NOOOOOOOOOOOO! x infinity.
I have a serious love/hate relationship with Billy Ray's spawn. I wanted to hate "See You Again" but the crazy club beat and surf guitars sucked me in. Then came "Seven Things" and I was back in hate. "The Climb" almost had me, it's simple melody and lyrics lulled me into thinking Miley was more than a moppet who liked to show her bra strap in MySpace pics. The I realized a 16-year-old (who was dating a 20-year-old underwear model) was just repeating the ancient maxim of "It's not the destination, it's the journey." I already know this, I based my David & Bathsheba sermon on that very idea. Then the facts she's already writing her memoirs makes me roll my eyes, seriously. Only Drew Barrymore can write a life story worth reading while still in her teens. (Seriously, read Little Girl Lost. It's epic.)
Anyway, I'm excited for the other three. I'm hoping for a "Moment Like This" sing-off between Leona and Kelly. Who's with me?
Related video:
Above: Kelly Clarkson - "Moment Like This" Leona Lewis - "Moment Like This" Miley Cyrus - "See You Again" Adele - "Hometown Glory [High Contrast Mix]"
It's time. Summer is upon us, with it's warm breezes and cookouts and things of that nature. I hate the heat, so summer always pisses me off. This is why I need my Summer Jams to get me through.
The perfect summer jam is hard to explain, but there are some criteria that it must meet.
First: When played in a car with the windows down and every seat filled, every one in the vehicle has to be able to sing along. Loudly.
Second: When played at a cookout/bonfire/outdoor cocktail party at least one slightly drunk girl or gay must be induced to scream "Oh My God! This is my jam!" when it starts playing on the radio and said inebriated person must start dancing erratically.
Third: I cannot mention Global Warming. It's summer, we already know it's happening.
Fourth (and most importantly): It must have a killer chorus (and preferably bridge) that, no matter where you are - club, beach, car, yard sale, back yard cookout, book club meeting - will make you sing along.
Other than that, it could be a hip-hop jam, a dirty rock anthem, a poppy power ballad or square-dance friendly country single. It just has to be hot. Here are the nominees for "Paul's Official Summer Jam '09":
"Boys, Boys, Boys" - Lady Gaga (from The Fame) Gaga can do no wrong, and while her current single "Love Game" is certainly summer-jam-y enough for the list, there is no competing to the power of a chorus which is all about the boys. After all, this song is my life. I like boys in cars, my guy tastes like glitter mixed with rock'n'roll and I want to get lost in your Ferrari. Can you resist the allure of chorus that just shouts "Boys! Boys! Boys!"? Doubt it. Pros: mentions cars, hot beat. Cons: not a single, rips off "Girls, Girls, Girls".
"When Love Takes Over" - David Guetta feat Kelly Rowland (from One Love) As if that piano line that opened the song wasn't enough to get my blood pumping, Kelly belts a tale of giving into emotion that just hits me where I am right now. (Summer lovin', y'all. It's hot.) Then, that club thump starts and it's all over. I am hooked like a big mouth bass, and I just want to throw on linen pants, leather thongs and loosely buttoned white shirt and join a dance party on the beach. Watch video here. Pros: beat is sick, feels like summer in musical form. Cons: chorus is a bit short.
"I Get Off" - Halestorm (from Halestorm) What's summer without a hard rock song about voyeurism? Lzzy Hale roars like a modern day Joan Jett, and the rest of the band back her up with grinding guitars and a sexy bassline. The lyrical imagery is scintillating, a woman being aroused by the fact she's being watched through her window is sexy/scary. Pros: voyeurism is easy in summer. Cons: voyeurism is easier in summer. Halestorm - I Get Off
"Don't Stop Believin'" - Glee Cast As if Journey's everlasting smash about a small town girl living in a lonely world wasn't appealing, bring in the joy of Glee clubbers singing it. The pre-choruses were made for car sing-a-longs and Broadway star Lea Michele (Spring Awakening) brings an epic feel to the verses. As if I could ever stop believin'... Pros: you know every word already. Cons: it's a cover, summer jams should be originals
"Battlefield" - Jordin Sparks (from Battlefield) Speaking of epicness, nothing - I SAID NOTHING! - is as epic as the bridge on this first single from the Idol winner's sophomore project. After asking why love always feels like a battlefield, sister-friend belts the rallying cry - "I guess you better go get your armor" In that instant, I'm in full camo with a helmet on my head and gun strapped to my back, getting ready to defend the fort from the invading forces of... something bad. I dunno, analogy is breaking down. It's fucking awesome, though. Watch video here. Pros: the bridge = life theme. Cons: it's a midtempo ballad.
"Good Girls Go Bad" - Cobra Starship feat. Leighton Meester (from Hot Mess) If naughtiness was a requirement for Summer Jam supremacy, these emo-poppers would have the race sewn up. Known best for singing about snakes on a plane, the New York band is joined by Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester for a tale of the bad boys who walk in the club and get all the good girls to start doing shots and throwing their digits around. Add in a heaping dose of hooky chorus and I'm so there. Pros: sexy TV star + sexy emo stars = sexy summer jam. Cons: Gossip Girl is on hiatus, do it's stars exist anymore?
"All I Ever Wanted" - Kelly Clarkson (from All I Ever Wanted) Yeah, Kells has a single out for summer, and "I Do Not Hook Up" is hot. But the title track from Clarkson's fourth disc is raw, bluesy funk-pop with a nasty chorus and sick, sick bass line. I love it more, and need it to be the next single. Make it happen, minions! Pros: chorus is sing-a-long perfection. Cons: not a single, people (read: losers) have jumped off the Kelly train.
So, who wins? Which song will be Paul's Official Summer Jam '09?
"When Love Takes Over"! Congrats, David and Kelly, there were some hot competitors. The electro mix is the shit, bee-tee-dubs. Now, commence playing of Official Summer Jam '09 on loop in your car in three, two, one...
British retro-soul/pop songbird Adele marks the return of MTV'sUnplugged series today on MTV.com. Clips will air during MTV's morning block of videos, but the show itself is only available at the website and On Demand.
Adele is perfect choice to reopen the seminal 1990s program that revived Eric Clapton's career and cemented Nirvana's status as rock icons. Her smoky vocals hold so much power, songs like "Hometown Glory" and her Grammy-nominated single "Chasing Pavements" sound even better than the originals. I fear Katy Perry might not fare as well in her upcoming episode, her live vocals often feel strained. But she may surprise us, that's the beauty of Unplugged.
I am loving Adele, and while my knowledge of Silversun Pickups is limited I think they may be awesome. But it's time for me and my readers to play casting directors and pick the artists that need to show up on the new Unplugged stage.
Kelly Clarkson - As soon as I heard MTV Unplugged was returning I thought: "Kelly needs to do this." Can you imagine an acoustic play list of "Since U Been Gone", "Because Of You", "Irvine", "The Trouble With Love Is", "I Do Not Hook Up" and a cover, maybe "Piece Of My Heart"? I can, and I am creaming my panties at the thought.
Destiny's Child - The girls would so bring the house down with an all acoustic reunion. I would die to hear "Survivor" or "Lose My Breath" given new spins as acoustic soul, and I think the trio still has desire to work together again.
Fall Out Boy - The group is in desperate need of revival after the marketing disaster surrounding the latest release, Folie A Duex. And while Patrick's vocals may not be the prettiest thing, slowed down and revised versions of singles "Dance, Dance" and "This Ain't A Scene" and album tracks like "The (After) Life Of Party" would shed light on the clever and emotional lyrics.
What about y'all? Who should show up on MTV Unplugged to rock out, acoustically? Fantasy casts are always allowed, if we could bring Mama Cass back for one more performance of "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" I think we all would...
After the ticker-tape falls and a schlocky ballad is sung by a tearful winner, Idol contestants and winners alike must now do the hard work of making an album, promoting that album and trying not to get dropped from their label. Some do it better than others. For example, these lovely songs:
15: "Crush [Sonic Ether Club Mix]" - David Archuleta The original version of this song is pretty sappy, I get a little creeped out when kids sing about crushes like they are the real deal. But the club mix is pretty sweet, and the chorus is catchy as fuck.
14: "Bar-Ba-sol" - David Cook While the majority of David's major label debut is mid tempo lite-alternative rock of the Lifehouse variety, this shredder is a growly bit of southern-fried grit. The hardest rocker from Idol, at least until Adam makes his album.
13: "Invisible" - Clay Aiken This is trashy pre-fab pop at it's creepiest. From Measure Of A Man comes a tale of stalking, sung with the bubbly voice of the geekiest kid to grace the Idol stage. I dare you not to sing along. (It's impossible.)
12: "Through The Fire" - Melinda Doolittle It's just a Walmart exclusive track from season six's second runner up's old-school R&B disc Coming Back To You, but this Chaka Khan cover is exactly what Mindy Doo does best. A more gospel inflection takes the pop hit to church.
11: "What About Now" - Daughtry Chris Daughtry may have only made fourth place in season five, but he has a bigger career with his own band's self-titled debut than any other contestant that season. This slow-burning inspirational rock number is exactly why.
10: "Love Story" - Katherine McPhee In this brassy beat-heavy homage to 1960s-era pop, the season five runner-up tries to make the JoJo-aping "Over It" not her only hit from her self-titled album. It didn't work, and I'm still stumped as to why. It's a tale as old as time - boy and girl are friends, become more.
9: "Before He Cheats" - Carrie Underwood What happens when a petite blonde from Oklahoma is cheated on? C'mon, you know the words: she "dug her key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive, carved my name into her leather seats... maybe next time he'll think before he cheats" and made a nation of girls n gays run out to by Some Hearts.
8: "I Ran [Radio Edit]" - Darude feat Blake Lewis About the same time he was being dropped from his label after the painfully underrated Audio Day Dream tanked, season six's resident beat-boxer hooked up with techno/house mastermind Darude for a couple of tracks. Among those were an AIDS charity single and this brilliant reworking of the Flock Of Seagulls.
7: "No Air" - Jordin Sparks Duet With Chris Brown This song, from season 6 winner Jordin's self-titled disc and featuring a pre-Rihanna-beatdown Brown, is epic. The number of Runs Per Minute is Whitney-level and the lyrics are ridiculously over dramatic. Just the way I like it.
6: "Because Of You" - Kelly Clarkson When I first heard this song, from Kelly's breakthrough sophomore work Breakaway, I could understand every word, every emotion. I knew exactly what kind of relationship Kelly had with her mother, because I had the same one. This used to be the soundtrack to my own (therapy-filled) journey to my own wholeness.
5: "And I Am Telling You" - Jennifer Hudson J.Hud deservedly won an Oscar for her brilliant work in Dreamgirls, and her performance of this song and "I Am Changing" on the soundtrack reveals why. The emotional connection and completely organic performance are astonishing, she is Effie.
4: "Permanent" - David Cook The seventh season winner brings tears to my eyes with a painfully intimate tunes written for his terminally ill brother and included on his self-titled CD. I danced with my little sister to this song at her wedding, it's a beautiful statement of familial love.
3: "Irvine" - Kelly Clarkson In this intimate acoustic ballad that closed her artistic statement My December, the original Idol winner cries out to the Divine as she contemplates fading completely. Bonus points for the hidden track that follows, a sassy bar tune about Chivas.
2: "Praying For Time" - Carrie Underwood For the charity special Idol Gives Back 2, season four winner Carrie performed this George Micheal cover, which was even more emotionally wrenching than her cover of "I'll Stand By You" for the original Idol Gives Back. I still pull it up on the ol' iPod when I need to get inspired to give.
1: "Since U Been Gone" - Kelly Clarkson The massive second single from Breakaway may be a predictable choice, I know. But when you combine a chick who can sing her face off with any song and the power chords of Swedish pop masterminds Dr Luke and Max Martin, what else can you expect but perfection? Even after being remixed, covered, inserted into Girl Talk jams and otherwise played to death, "Since U Been Gone" is what every Idol contestant dream of when they stand before the judges and belt.
A couple of bloggershave posted a song that is rumored to appear on the Twilight: New Moon soundtrack, and it's by my favorite Idol, lil' miss Kelly Clarkson. You didn't know it was Kelly week at the Pictures And Convos site, did you? Me neither...
Anyway, it's called "Did You" and it's not very good. Idolator implies that it may be a My December demo, and I think that sounds about right. The only problem being that it sounds like the worst songs from that album (which were kinda hookless and mopey) instead of the good stuff like "Irvine." It's not spooky and faux-goth enough to be cool like Paramore's contribution to the last soundtrack or even "Never Again" and not bouncy enough to be "Since U Been Gone" and the vocals seem squelched. I do know Kelly is a huge Twihard, so it makes sense she would get on board with a soundtrack cut. I just wish it sounded better.
Hello, Kelly-philes! Our girl is riding high on two upbeat singles from her number one album, All I Ever Wanted, and another single is rumored for release. "Already Gone" was co-written by Kelly and One Republic front man Ryan Tedder and is the best song on the album. It's a slow burning, lovely ballad that shares a drum loop and some melodic similarities to Beyonce's current hit "Halo" also written by Tedder.
Kelly really sells the vocals on the track, but it's the video I'm worried about. In case you haven't had All I Ever Wanted on a loop like I have, here is the song:
See? Good stuff from the Texas lass. Anyway, the Clarkson-verse has taken note of the lackluster videos from the new disc, and I think "Already Gone" deserves a kick-ass video. Kelly has done some great videos, even the rather pedestrian "Because Of You" video shines when she cries real tears at the end. Beside, Ms. Idol pals around with Reba McIntire all the time (even touring with her twice) and she should take a lesson from the country superstar. Reba's videos are events, with massive plots and guest stars. In fact, the ladies should pair up for the video shoot. Here's the storyline:
Shooting in black and white, the clips opens sans music, with Kelly pulling up to a stop sign on a gravel road. She's in a convertible, top down and wind whistling as it blows her hair. Camera focuses on her face and pulls back. Behind her shoulder we see a sign: MARBLE CITY: 50 MILES. She turns around briefly and shifts gear. Music starts. Flash to white.
FLASHBACK: Kelly is slow dancing with SILVER FOX. Shot is close on faces, pulls back to reveal REBA and a young gruff (DAVID COOK) at bar watching with studied nonchalance. Kelly pulls away, and walks in tight jeans and western shirt to bathroom. She gives a small smile to David as she passes, man's wallet slipping into purse. David gets up, heads out of bar. Reba walks over to Silver Fox.
OUTSIDE, DUSK: David pulls up to brick wall in alley as Kelly jumps out of window into the passenger seat of same convertible as first scene. They drive away as Kelly counts cash in wallet. Silver Fox runs out of bar in slow motion, Reba chasing. Reba screams, David is frozen. Still in slow motion, Kelly pushes him out of the way. Kelly guns car, hitting Silver Fox with car. Reba jumps in back seat, Kelly hightails it down street.
HOTEL ROOM, NIGHT: Kelly shouts at David, pulling money out of suitcase. He shouts back, she pushes him out of the way. She grabs duffel, opens door, walks out and slams door.
HALLWAY: Kelly sits on floor outside of door, which opens. Reba drops to ground next to her, cradles Kelly's head in her arms. Music hits end of "We were always meant to say goodbye" around 3:40 in song, stops. Dialogue:
REBA: He's going to turn himself in.
KELLY: He can't do that. It wasn't his fault.
REBA: He loves you. It kills him every time you dance and flirt with those guys. He knows it's not real, but it still kills him.
KELLY: I never asked him to love me, he was just supposed to drive the getaway car.
REBA: Love doesn't ask permission, baby girl.
KELLY: Neither do I, Mom.
Music starts again, Kelly jumps up and runs down hallway, duffel in hand.
PARKING LOT, NIGHTTIME: Kelly jumps in convertible and pulls out of parking lot, dust cloud behind her. She passes a sign: MARBLE CITY. Shots of David, tears in eyes and Reba holding on edge of bed.
ROADSIDE: Kelly pulls up to stop sign. She opens duffel, which has clothes, bundle of bills and a picture of Reba and Kelly with David wrapping arms around the two of them. She holds it to her chest, then rips it up and throws into the wind. She drives onto paved road.
END SCENE
How 'bout the rest of you? Think you can direct Kelly's return to "Behind These Hazel Eyes" level video making? Or do you still have old storyboards for a "Sober" video? Share 'em in the comments.
Squee!!!! New Kelly Clarkson video!!! Thank Jesus (and his taking of the wheel) for Google Alerts. The new video for the second, Katy Perry-penned, single from All I Ever Wanted leaked this weekend and it is hot. "I Do Not Hook Up" finds Kelly sporting some fabulous side swept bangs at a society luncheon. She's seated next to Seth Rogen look-alike but she only has eyes for the hot waiter. So she pulls him until the table, and has a chocolate covered strawberry. Oh, and a make-out session, which is captured on a cellphone by Seth Faux-gen. Later, her and the girls hit the pool hall and a Coyote Ugly situation ensues. Will she make out with the pool player in the vest? Or just fall off the bar while dancing? Watch and find out:
I've had the new Kelly Clarkson album for several days. I haven't had time to blog about it since I've been really sick all week. Which is just as well, as my feelings have changed drastically since the first listen.
I listened to All I Ever Wanted the whole way through on Wednesday in my car, where my CDs spend the early days of their lives, and I was not impressed. To be honest, I hated it. It sounded disjointed, my mind raced to compare it to the superior My December,and All I EverWanted comes up quite short in that comparison. The ballads "If No One Will Listen" and "Cry" are quite boring, nothing like Kelly's masterpieces "Because Of You" and "Irvine." There doesn't seem to be the instantly catchy singles like Breakaway, but there was a song or two that I wanted to hear again, so I kept the album in rotation. I still don't think it's a perfect album, but it has flashes of brilliance. Like the opening verse of "Long Shot" - a mashup of classical movements and electric guitars. Or the ballsy punk track "Whyyouwannabringmedown" which is completely out of place on this album but is still an incredibly fun song sung with buckets of sass. And the Duffy-esque "I Want You" also appears to have crawled off another, more interesting album. But of the songs that were hand-picked to be singles, opener "My Life Would Suck Without You" is the obvious best, the title track is also slinky funk-pop jam with radio written all over it. The two bonus tracks on the Deluxe edition are probably better rock/pop hybrid songs than the singles front loaded on the album, swap out "Tip Of My Tongue" for "I Do Not Hook Up" and you've got a better shaped disc.
But the centerpiece of the album are the songs Kelly co-wrote with One Republic front man Ryan Tedder, the beautifully drum-heavy "Already Gone" (which reminds me of Ryan's single for Beyonce "Halo") and the rapid-fire new wave jams "If I Can't Have You" and "Impossible" - proof that if Kelly had the right producer/co-writer team she could have written a whole album herself and made it both commercial viable and artistically cohesive.
In the end, Kelly can sing anything and make it awesome. Luckily some of the material provided for her on All I Ever Wanted is worthy of her.
Melinda Doolittle - Coming Back To You (Febuary 3rd on Hi Fi Recordings) She may have come in third on season 6 of American Idol, behind unexpected pop sensation Jordin Sparks and beatboxing hottie Blake Lewis, but no one can deny the soulful vocals and completely polished and professional presentation of Melinda Doolittle. She releases a throwback pop record, which promises all the retro Motown smoothness of Duffy and the gospel grit of Gladys Knight. Download the title track for free at her website. Lead Single: "It's Your Love" (auto-play link) Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You (Febuary 10th on Parlaphone/Capitol) She may have ditched the ska-lite sound for a more polished electro sound, but the lyrical bite will never go away. Even after doing a bit of growing up after a miscarriage and a spat with Elton John, Lils still swears like an adorable sailor, snaps at hypocrites (including Bush 43 on the delicately titled "Fuck You") and doesn't know what's right or what's real anymore... What I know is I will be buying whatever she's selling. Lead single: "The Fear" (slightly NSFW language)
Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted(March 17th on Sony BMG) The original American Idol returns with her fourth album, more in the power pop tradition of Breakaway than the somber rock of her last disc. You already know I'm obsessed with Kelly and lead single "My Life Would Suck Without You" and I'll be bringing you news as I hear it. Oh, BTW rumor has it the next single will be the Katy Perry-penned "(I Do Not) Hook Up" (link is for the Katy Perry demo version, no Kelly leaks... yet.) ZOMG I LOVE KELLY! Sorry, I couldn't contain it any more. Lead Single: "My Life Would Suck Without You" Marianne Faithfull - Easy Come, Easy Go (March 17th on Decca) Have we found a female counterpart to Johnny Cash? She had the drug problems and the sometimes actor/singer career, and now she has the whiskey-soaked vocals covering an astonishing array of songs, from Smokey Robinson to Morrisey to Billie Holiday. From the recently Stereogum premeired Decemberist cover of "The Crane Wife 3" and the glorious version of Neko Case's "Hold On, Hold On" to the disturbing latter-day Dolly Parton song "Down From Dover" Marianne goes there and I am so excited to hear this new sound emerge. Four songs available to preview at the album's official website.
Patrick Wolf - Battle (TBA, on Bloody Chamber Music) Patrick had Marianne Faithfull duet with him on the haunting "Magpie" from his last disc, the noise-pop inspired The Magic Position. He takes it a step further on Battle, scoring a major get with his doppelganger, the fabulous Tilda Swinton, dropping spoken word bits as "the voice of hope" with an even more deranged backdrop of strings, marching band drums, choirs and electrosynths. It might be too esoteric for me, but I'm defiantly intrigued. Listen to a mega mix of new tracks at Battlestocks.
Also looking forward to the rumored new album by Whitney Houston and not at all looking forward to the new U2 disc.
