RANDOM SIGHTS + SOUNDS

After being named the season six winner of "American Idol", Jordin Sparks began a whirlwind of a pop music career at only the age of seventeen. It started with a self-titled debut album in 2007, which sold over a million copies and featured two top-ten singles; "Tattoo" and "No Air", a duet with Chris Brown, to appearing on stage (co-starring in the Broadway musical, "In the Heights") and screen (making her film debut in "Sparkle", the 2012 musical remake that features Whitney Houston in her final film role).

Now at the age of thirty-three, Sparks is married and a mother of a five-year-old son. Her career might have cooled down a bit but she's certainly not out of the game. A new single has been released, "Call My Name" which is a mature, intimate r&b ballad, far removed from the sweet pop-soul from her early days. And the music video features a more sensual side of Sparks (who appears with her husband, Dana Isaiah in the steamy clip) than we have previously seen from the singer. This is the first preview of music from her upcoming fifth album which is due out early next year.



Here is some new music to put a spotlight on from social media personality, Jessie Woo; queer electro-pop artist, Bronze Avery; the legendary soul-hip-hip queen, Mary J. Blige; dance-pop star, Dua Lipa and a charity single from Björk featuring Rosalía with proceeds going to combat open-pen fish farming in Iceland.

It's been about eight years since Gossip, the indie rock band made up of Nathan Hondeshell, Hannah Blue and Beth Ditto, called it quits. But time can change perspectives and the trio reunited to do a tour to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their 2009 breakthrough album, "Music for Men". From that gathering on the road, Gossip began to explore the idea of working together again as a band. Enlisting their "Music for Men" producer, Rick Rubin, who encouraged the reunion, they went to on record from thirty to forty songs together. This has led to their sixth album, "Real Power" due out in March. The first single, "Crazy Again" picks up where Gossip left off, with a quirky, electro-pop ballad enhanced by Ditto's unusually muted yet controlled vocals.

And I'm sad to announce that Jean Knight, best known for the sassy, 1971 hit, "Mr. Big Stuff", passed away from natural causes on November 26th at the age of eighty. The New Orleans native began her career finding some local success with several recordings before attracting the attention of producer Wardell Quezergue in 1970. Knight recorded several songs (which included "Big Stuff") with him, but no major labels were initially interested in releasing these demos. But when King Floyd's song, "Groove Me" (also recorded during those sessions with Quezergue) became a number one soul hit in early 1971, a producer at Stax Records remembered another song that Knight had recorded from that time. "Mr. Big Stuff" also went to number one on the r&b chart and reached number two on the pop chart. The song sold over two million copies and Knight went on to receive a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Feamle Vocal Performance. Knight would record several well received albums following this success, but "Big Stuff" would remain the biggest hit of her career.

HOT AND FRESH OUT THE KITCHEN

"TRESPASSING" - ADAM LAMBERT

On his follow-up to his 2009 debut, "For Your Entertainment", "American Idol" runner-up, Adam Lambert has released the album he really should have made first. "Trespassing" still has a few rock elements but the out and proud singer is now ready to put on his dancing shoes.

With the help of producers, Dr. Luke, Pharrell Williams and disco music legend, Nile Rodgers, Lambert lets loose on some glittering, throbbing tunes that are fun and made with some serious ass-shaking in mind.

Enjoy this single from the album:

"Never Close Our Eyes" - Adam Lambert

"LITTLE BROKEN HEARTS" - NORAH JONES

"Come Away With Me", the 2002 recording that first brought Norah Jones to the world's attention in a very big way. That album sold well over twenty million copies and won the jazz-pop vocalist five Grammy Awards including Album Of The Year.

The singer's soothing sounds evolved to include country, folk and alternative rock on her following albums, so now with her fifth release, "Little Broken Hearts", Norah Jones has decided to go even further with her music. She collaborated with producer, Brian Burton (or as he is better known, Danger Mouse) for the first time on his project with Daniele Luppi with their album, "Rome". That helped opened her up to push her music in a more dramatic and experimental way. Much like Adele's hit album, "21", the songs on "Little Broken Hearts" were inspired by the sad end of a relationship.

Sample the eerie title track:

"Little Broken Hearts" - Norah Jones

"MASTER OF MY MAKE-BELIEVE" - SANTIGOLD

I honestly didn't know much about the background of singer, Santigold but I always thought that she was some musical artist from another country but I just discovered that she's actually Santi White, an American from Philadelphia. I made that assumption based on her 2008 self-titled debut which didn't sound at all like your standard American pop as she included an interesting collage of rock, punk, dub and Europop to sound.more like some otherworldly music.

Santigold is now finally back with her second release,  "Master of My Make-Believe" that was partially recorded in Jamaica which lead her to add dancehall to the mix. Inspiring and innovative, Santigold is a fascinating artist you should definitely check out.

This is a great song:

"Big Mouth" - Santigold

"A JOYFUL NOISE" - GOSSIP

Gossip, a three piece dance-punk band that consists of guitar/bassist, Nathan "Brace Paine" Howdeshell, Hannah Billie on drums and lead vocalist Beth Ditto, have come back together for their fifth album, "A Joyful Noise".

 Following Ms Ditto's fiery solo EP last year, the band now has seemed to have moved even further in to a dance/pop sound with this album being produced by Brian Higgins who is part of the production team of Xenomania. They are responsible for the hits of the British all-female pop acts such as Girls Aloud, The Saturdays and The Sugarbabes. Despite this slight change in direction, Gossip retains their edge with some sparkling new songs.

Here is the first single from the album:

"Perfect World" - Gossip

This is the music video for the second single, "Move In The Right Direction":



"OUT OF THE GAME" - RUFUS WAINWRIGHT

After recording alternative-rock albums, a tribute to Judy Garland and a classical opera, Rufus Wainwright has released his most radio-friendly album in his career. "Out Of The Game" was produced by Mark Ronson who worked with Duran Duran, Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse with the songs coming from the Canadian singer's recent experiences such as the birth of his daughter, the death of his mother, folk singer, Kate McGarrigle and his new home in Montauk, NY.

I can usually only take Mr.Wainwright's voice in small doses but Mr. Ronson's production has slightly smoothed out his more eccentric impulses and surrounds his sound in a pleasing way while making sure that this remains clearly a Rufus Wainwright album.

"Perfect Man" - Rufus Wainwright

This video for the title track features actress, Helena Bonham-Carter looking unusually sexy:




"OUR VERSION OF EVENTS" - EMELI SANDE

Emeli Sande, a songwriter and soul vocalist from Scotland who is already a sensation throughout Europe with her debut album, "Our Version of Events" which hit the top of the U.K. charts on it's release in February. The album has just come out here stateside and while she's been compared to another British singer currently having huge success here, (Adele is actually Sande's first name), Emeli Sande is able to mark her own territory with thoughtful, emotionally uplifting songs and passionate vocals.

Sande opened for Coldplay on their tour in Europe earlier this year and she will return when the band hits North America later this summer.

"Next To You" - Emeli Sande

Take a look at the video for the stunning ballad, "My Kind of Love":

 

Scissor Sisters has a new album out, "Magic Hour" which includes this terrific track, "Baby Come Home". I love this very inventive music video for the song:



JLo and Pitbull have teamed up again for the song, "Dance Again" and they made a very steamy video for it.: