EVERYBODY SCREAM

It's been about four years since we last heard from Florence Welch with her album, "Dance Fever" but she has returned with new music. "Everybody Scream" is the title track from Florence + The Machine's sixth studio album which is due out on Halloween. 

The British indie rocker has revealed that the upcoming collection will focus on themes involving mysticism, poetry and witchcraft. What exactly that will entail for the album is unclear but this haunting single (co-written with Mark Bowen of the post-punk band, IDLES and Mitski) expresses Welch's feeling of power when she's on stage, giving her all to inspire her audience to let loose.

KING

After about five years, Florence + The Machine have finally returned with their latest ethereal anthem. Florence Welch, the voice and face of the band (which includes core members, keyboardist Isabella Summers and Rob Ackroyd on guitar) has teamed-up with the in-demand Jack Antonoff to co-write and produce "King", the first release from their upcoming fifth studio album. The song, starting serene and minimal before building to an orchestral roar, is about a woman's conflict between being an artist and starting a family, demanding to not have to make that choice like a man or "king". The music video is directed by Autumn de Wilde, a photographer and filmmaker who made an impression with her 2020 feature debut with an adaptation of "Emma", with Welch appearing as a floating, celestial being surrounded by "lace monsters" who dance around her in jubilation.

2018 RECORD STORE DAY

April 21st will be Record Store Day, a day when a wide range of musical artists release new and vintage music on vinyl. For 2018, which is the eleventh year of this event, there will be up to 500 albums and singles that will be available in this classic format. Some of the artists participating range from AC/DC, Chuck Berry, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Marvin Gaye, Led Zeppelin, Iggy Pop, Elvis Presley, U2 and Wu-Tang Clan to name just a very small number.

For the complete list of the recordings to be released in the U.S., click  below:

2018 Record Store Day Releases

And I'm sure it might be difficult for some to track down an actual record store but here is a list of all the participating outlets worldwide. Click below for this and additional information:

2018 Record Store Day Locations

Finally, one highlight will be a new song available on vinyl from the long-missed Florence + the Machine. "Sky Full of Song" is a lush ballad this British alt-rock band is well known for and Ms Welch's soaring vocals lift this song to another level. It's a very welcome return and hopefully more is soon to come.

BIG, BLUE AND BEAUTIFUL

The ethereal Florence Welch and her band, The Machine have returned after a brief hiatus. Their third album entitled "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful" isn't due out until June but the first single has officially dropped. "What Kind of Man" is a slight depature as it's a more guitar-driven track which nicely compliments the immense and dramatic sound that you expect from this British art-rock band. With production by Markus Dravs (Arcade Fire, Björk, Mumford & Sons), this is an impressive first taste of what could be one of the most exciting new releases of the year.

"What Kind of Man" - Florence + The Machine (2015)

Here is a music video for the title song and features Florence giving us a little interpretive dancing for this mostly instrumental track:

SWEET NOTHING

One of the hottest producers working today is Calvin Harris. After putting out four highly successful singles world wide,  the Scottish DJ has finally announced the release of his third studio album, "18 Months" which is due in the U.S. on October 30th.

There is an interesting collection of guest vocalists featured on the album including Rihanna, Kelis, Ellie Goulding, Tinie Tempah, Ne-Yo and Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine who performs on the newly released fifth single, "Sweet Nothing". This is another superb track that perfectly utilizes the dramatic sweep of Ms Welch's voice combined with the pulsing electro beats provided by Mr. Harris.

Have a listen:

"Sweet Nothing" - Calvin Harris featuring Florence Welch (2012)

Here is the music video for the last hit song by Calvin Hariis, "Let's Go" which became his highest charting in the U.S. to date and features r&b singer, Ne-Yo:



For more info on the artist, check out his website:

CALVIN HARRIS

HOT AND FRESH OUT THE KITCHEN

"CONFESS" - TWIN SHADOW

New York based musician, George Lewis, Jr. , who is better known as Twin Shadow, has written and produced his new album, "Confess", the follow-up to his 2010 release,  "Forget".  His sound combines elements of 1980's new-wave with breezy dance pop but his music stands out because of his elegantly poetic lyrics.

"Five Seconds" - Twin Shadow

"ELECTRA HEART" - MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS

Marina and the Diamonds is not actually a band but merely consists of twenty-six year old, Welsh singer-songwriter, Marina Diamandis. She came up with the stage moniker with the help of her last name as Diamandis means "Diamonds" in Greek.

Marina's 2010 debut album, "The Family Jewels" was a critical success in the U.K.and with the release of the second, "Electra Heart", it features more of her offbeat but very catchy pop songs. This time she has production assistance from some of pop music's usual suspects; Dr. Luke, Diplo, Stargate and Guy Sigsworth, so perhaps this solid album will hopefully broaden her U.S. audience.

"How To Be a Heartbreaker" - Marina and the Diamonds

"LOOKING 4 MYSELF" - USHER

Usher has returned with his seventh studio album, "Looking 4 Myself" which features what he describes as "revolutionary pop" that combines r&b, hip-hop, electronic and europop. With the assistance of some of today's top producers such as will i am, Danja, Salaam Remi, Diplo and Swedish House Mafia, Usher creates some risky and innovative songs. While not all of them work but the album is an admirable attempt to broaden his sound and the genre.

"Numb" - Usher

"CHANNEL ORANGE" - FRANK OCEAN

Although r&b/hip-hop artist, Frank Ocean has been in the news recently due to his personal revelations but he has been creating music for a while now. He has worked with the hip-hop group, Odd Future, written material for such diverse talent as Beyonce, Justin Bieber, Kanye West and John Legend and he recorded a solo mixtape last year.

After two songs, "Novacane" and "Swim Good" created some buzz for the artist but his label, Def-Jam delayed the release of the complete work, so a frustrated Ocean decided to offer, "Nostalgia, Ultra" as a free download to great acclaim. Now, the twenty-four year old, New Orleans native has his first official release, "Channel Orange" out now and it's a raw and honest collection  that at once feel fresh yet familiar. He evokes the sounds of Prince and Marvin Gaye but manages to create music in his own clear, distinctive voice.

"Lost" - Frank Ocean

"THE IDLER WHEEL . . . " -  FIONA APPLE

Fiona Apple has never followed any musical trends and has only created music whenever she was truly inspired which makes her an unusual presence in today's pop music scene. It's been seven years since her last release but Apple is finally back with her fourth CD which features the lengthy title "The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do".

The thirty-four year old artist has crafted another collection of her signature eccentric songs that are spare, thoughtful and introspective, as she shares with us her emotional journey during the time she's been away.

"Valentine" - Fiona Apple

The latest female MC receiving plenty of media attention these days is twenty-one year old, Azealia Banks from New York. She just dropped an EP, "1991" with her debut album due out later this fall. I love this video for the song, "Liquorice" which brings her urban fabulousity to the wild west:



This is the wild new music video by Florence and the Machine for "Spectrum", one of my favorite song off their latest album :



Finally, here is the video for Mika's latest single, "Celebrate" from his forthcoming album, "The Origin of Love". I think this is a really great pop song that should become a big hit for him:

HOT AND FRESH OUT THE KITCHEN

"TALK THAT TALK" - RIHANNA

I would have lost money if I had bet against the idea that the sweet, young girl from the islands who sang the cute but fluffy, "Pon De Replay" back in 2005 would become one of the biggest pop stars in the world. But that is exactly what Rihanna is now.

"Talk That Talk" is the pop superstar's sixth album over the past seven years. After the darker period of the last two albums, Rihanna is now decidedly in a light, sexy mood, confident and looking for fun. The singer hasn't changed the winning formula too much as there is still a very large stable of hot writers and producers to help mold her sound.

"Do Ya Thang" - Rihanna (2011)

"HOW DO YOU DO" - MAYER HAWTHORNE

Meyer Hawthorne has returned with a fun and funky new album, "How Do You Do" on his new major label, Universal Republic Records. He has continued the old school r&b vibe that was featured on his terrific debut, "A Strange Arrangement" and with this new release, Mr. Hawthorne has delivered an even stronger album of classic silky soul perfectly blended with hip-hop beats. He's even has rapper, Snoop Dogg singing on a track!

"Can't Stop" - Mayer Hawthorne Featuring Snoop Dogg (2011)

"CEREMONIALS" - FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE

Flame-haired, English songstress, Florence Welch has reassembled her Machine (Isabella Summers on keyboards, guitarist, Robert Ackroyd, Chris Hayden on drums, bassist, Mark Saunders and Tom Monger on the harp) to release the follow-up to the band's highly successful 2009 debut album, "Lungs".

On "Ceremonials", Florence delivers a dark, moody and  ballad-heavy collection using that unique voice to create more of her wonderfully, quirky orchestral art-rock songs.

"Lover To Lover" - Florence & The Machine (2011)

"STRONGER" - KELLY CLARKSON

The very first "American Idol" winner, Kelly Clarkson is still the best vocalist to come off of that show and with her fifth album, "Stronger" she delivers more of her trademark countryified pop-rock songs with hints of r&b scattered throughout.

Unfortunately, there are no surprises and Ms Clarkson would greatly benefit from stretching herself much further but it's still a solid, entertaining pop album.

"Mr. Know-It-All" - Kelly Clarkson (2011)

"DUETS II" - TONY BENNETT

Veteran pop singer, Tony Bennett has recorded over seventy albums during his long career and has recently made history, at the age of eighty-five, as being the oldest artist to ever have a album debut at the top of the Billboard Hot 200 Album chart.

"Duets II" is the a follow-up to his 2006 hit album, "Duets" which, once again, pairs him up with a wide spectrum of musical artists who perform many classic songs from the Great American Songbook. It includes an impressive list of vocalists such as Faith Hill, Andrea Bocelli, Queen Latifah, Alejandro Sanz, Lady Gaga and the late Amy Winehouse.

Here is Mr. Bennett's amusing duet with a game, Lady Gaga:

"The Lady Is A Tramp" - Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga (2011)

This is the video of  Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse perfroming their rendition of "Body and Soul":




"MY LIFE II" - MARY J. BLIGE

Mary J. Blige's tenth studio album, "My Life II" is a sequel (of sorts) to her 1994 album. During the time of the "My Life" album, Mary was dealing with drug addiction, depression and an abusive relationship but she is now a happily married woman with a positive outlook which is reflected in the songs on the latest album.

Although Mary lined up some of the top producers (Darkchild, Danja, Tricky Stewart) and performers (Beyonce, Nas, Drake) on this project but the final results fails to live up to the original album. There are are some fine moments to be found but overall it lacks the true passion and power of some of the classic songs, "You Bring Me Joy", "I Love You" and the title track off of "My Life"

"25/8" - Mary J. Blige (2011)

"NOTHING BUT THE BEAT" - DAVID GUETTA

French DJ, David Guetta is currently one of the most popular record spinners in the world and has very successfully moved in to music production.

On his fifth album, "Nothing But The Beat", Mr. Guetta has once again rounded up a group of all-star talent from the world of r&b, hip-hop and pop to perform on this disc. Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Lil' Wayne, Jennifer Hudson and Sia are just a few of the names that make an appearance and the collaboration with Usher on the song, "Without You" has reached number four on the pop chart. The relentless, throbbing beats can grow slightly tiresome after a while but for the lovers of dance music, David Guetta can do no wrong.

"Turn Me On" - David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj (2011)

MY FAVORITE MOMENTS IN MUSIC OF 2010

I was planning on rambling on about what a great year 2010 was in music but I have decided to simply just let the songs speak for themselves (although I can't resist making a comment or two here and there).

So, let's go back and hear (and see) just a few of my favorite songs from the past twelve months:

Mavis Staples - "Wrote A Song For Everyone" from "You Are Not Alone"

Miami Horror - "Holidays" from "Illumination"

Katy Perry - "California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg)" from "Teenage Dream [Explicit]"

Kanye West - "Lost In The World [Explicit]" from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy [Explicit]"

Hot Chip - "One Life Stand" from "One Life Stand"

Cee-Lo Green - "Fuck You" from "The Lady Killer [Explicit]"

Erykah Badu - "Get MuNNY" from " New Amerykah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh"

Here is the controversial music video for the first single off of the album, "Window Seat" that worked up a lot of people. It is a great art piece which was shot in Dallas in the location where President Kennedy was assassinated but is caused Ms Badu to be charged with disorderly conduct and fined $500 dollars. It just shows how people are more freaked out about the human body than by violence:



Lady Antebellum - "Need You Now" from "Need You Now [+digital booklet]"


Sade - "Soldier of Love" from "Soldier of Love"

Broken Bells - "The Ghost Inside" from "Broken Bells"

Goldfrapp - "Believer" from "Head First [+Digital Booklet]"

Nikki Minaj - "Your Love" from "Pink Friday [Explicit]"

Gorillaz - "Rhinestone Eyes" from "Plastic Beach"

Bruno Mars - "Just The Way You Are" from "Doo-Wops & Hooligans"

Janelle Monae - "Wondaland" from "The ArchAndroid"

Florence + The Machine - "Dog Days Are Over" from "Lungs"

Mark Ronson & The Business Intl - "You Gave Me Nothing" from "Record Collection [Explicit]"

Corinne Bailey Rae - "Closer" from "The Sea"

The Knocks - "Dancing With The DJ"

Karen Elson - "The Ghost Who Walks" from "The Ghost Who Walks"

Cut Copy - "Take Me Over" from "Zonoscope"

Robyn - "Body Talk" trilogy

This project was, for the most part, criminally ignore on the pop charts in the U.S and these songs should have been played on the radio. Shame on U.S radio programmers!

Robyn - "Dancing On My Own" from "Body Talk Pt 1"

Robyn - "Hang With Me" from "Body Talk Pt. 2 [Explicit]"

Robyn - "Stars 4-Ever" from "Body Talk Pt. 3"

Rihanna had a very good year with four singles hitting the top ten, with three of those going all the way to number one. I really like all of the songs but I love the music video for the song, "Rude Boy". It's got a great wild and colorful look plus it pays a brief homage to the outrageous Miss Grace Jones and artist Keith Haring: