Beyonce - Blow Download + Review

Hey everyone,  some of you might be a bit suprised, considering the fact that a new Beyonce album came out and I didn't review it,  that's because I physically COULD NOT DO IT. The only reason I survived the 19 heart attacks I had the hour it was released was because of my will to listen to it. With that being said,  I pulled myself together enough to review the first pop single off the album,  Blow.

Blow, as does every song off of Beyonce, oozes sex from the beginning:

Keep me coming, keep me going, keep me coming, keep me going

Keep me humming, keep me moaning, keep me humming, keep me moaning

Don't stop loving 'til the morning, don't stop loving 'til the morning

Don't stop screaming, freaking, blowing

And that's only the pre-chorus! Every line is sung incredibly sensually, backed by pianos, bass, and any instrument you can think of, which together, strongly channel the 80's. The vocals and instruments all work together great, always channeling the same emotion from the listener.

However, about a little after midway through the track, everything switches up, with Beyonce letting her power come out a bit more (still not too much, however) along with the beat switching up, adding more elctro beats, along with more bass. The song then goes into Beyonce just kinda moaning all over the place, which somehow still works (since it's Beyonce) before we get the pre-chorus and chorus once more, before the song ends.

Overall, this is one of my favorites off the album, and probably my favorite pop song, take a listen above, and tell me what you think! See you all soon!

                                                           

Karmin- I Want it All: Review + Download

Amy! You forgot your pants :o

Hey everyone! On Tuesday, Karmin released their long awaited second single from their debut studio album, Pulses, I Want it All. Will this manage to garner the success that their top 20 hit "Brokenhearted" achieved? Find out after the jump!

There are two very noticeable differences from this song from their previous singles, the first being that we actually get some (emphasis on the some) singing from the other half of Karmin, Nick. While it isn't much, it adds some diversity to the uptempo song.

The other difference is that this track features no rapping from front runner Amy. All other original songs from the duo have featured at least one verse of rapping, a component missing from I Want it All, and, I'm not sure how this will affect the song's airplay standings, as Amy's rapping skills are panned by some, and acclaimed by others, the omitting of rapping in this single could increase, or decrease its airplay.

The uptempo pop record has a large 80s feel to it,that shines mostly in the instrumental track, that works wonders on the flawless vocal track. All aspects of the song work very well together, and this song works well in showcasing Heidemann's vocals in a light we haven't heard them in previous singles. Take a listen above, and tell me what you think of the new single! Download links lead to Karmin's page on iTunes and Amazon, as the single hasn't been released to digital retailers yet, the links will be updated when it is!

                                           

Lady Gaga- Artpop Download + Review

Oh Gaga, who's my little disaster?

Hey everyone, if you didn't know, I hate Lady Gaga! However, even though it was the most generic pop song ever, Applause, for some reason, caught my attention. So, I figured I'd go all the way, and review Artpop in its entirety. Check out my review down below.

The album starts out with Aura. which needs to calm the f**k down. The song is a blissful disaster. The uptempo mess of a song starts out the album in the way we'd expect from Gaga, leaving everyone having know idea what's going on, except knowing that we like it.

We then move on to the electropop Venus, a fun, different song, featuring all over the place vocals and instruments, which somehow work well together. Venus is followed by G.U.Y, which is overall just more toned down Venus, however, it is unique enough that I wouldn't call it filler.

Next, we have Sexxx Dreams. I don't know. Go listen to it, figure it out yourself. After that little disaster, we have Jewels N' Drugs which features a powerful, bass heavy beat, and some great verses from the likes of T.I.,Too $hort & Twista. The mid-tempo vocals by Gaga are flawless, and every part about this song works together perfectly, all the while screaming single.

Manicure takes the album in a different direction, almost drifting into rock, considering Gaga's powerful vocals on this track. This song is basically, pretty good. Nothing super great about it, but it's good. Manicure is followed by Do What U Want, not sure if I want to dance with and/or punch Gaga in the face when I hear this song. All I know is that it provokes some feelings.

After Do What U Want, we have Swine. Coming in at 6 and a half minutes, uh, it's good. The electro-esque instruments don't exactly mesh with Gaga's vocals, but overall the song pulls itself together enough to not sound... terrible. Donatella, the incredibly bass heavy, laid back song shines, showcasing Gaga's effortless vocals. After Donatella, we are greeted by Fashion! features generic vocals, generic beats, generic everything, leaving me with the first song that I really couldn't find anything to enjoy on. 

The next track, Mary Jane Holland is ok, (not as stale as Fashion!) but once again, nothing to applaud (Get it, hahahahaha, no? ok.).  We are then greeted by Dope, the lone ballad on Artpop. The heartfelt song, features stunning production, and is definitely one of the stand-outs. Finally we have Gypsy, the incredibly fun electro-pop song features incredible beats, and an even better vocal track. The album then ends off with the lead single, Applause.

Overall, I LOVED this album. I came into this not liking Gaga at all, but this album definitely turned that around, and I look forward to hearing many of these tracks on the radio.

                                           

Britney Spears - Perfume Download + Review

Even before it's release, Perfume was being labeled as career changing, and was stated to have flawless vocals by critics around the world. How true are these statements? Find out after the jump.

Perfume has a stunning, piano/bass led mid-tempo instrumental track that could work wonders on any song. Most of the songs we've heard from Britney lately, even back from the Femme Fatale era, are all massively overproduced, with Britney's actual singing being hard to find in the layers of overproduced beats. However, this song, is the total opposite. The mid-tempo ballad features stunning, audible vocals from Spears, something we haven't heard from her in a long time.

However, there was a tremendous amount of build up to this song, as it was stated to be career changing for Britney. In my opinion, while it is a great, original, and meaningful song, it is in no way career changing, and considering the fact that the song has only been able to reach the #13 position on iTunes*, most of the world seems to agree with me.

Well, that's it for my review! What do you guys think of the new single? Tell me below in the comments, and I'll see you guys in the next review!

                                           

*at the time of this article's posting 

Katy Perry- Prism: Download + Track By Track Review

Hey everyone, on Friday, Katy Perry's 4th studio album, Prism was released. With already established hits such as Roar, this album has a lot to live up to. Will it be able to meet expectations? Find out below in this track by track review.

Roar- Check out my full Roar review here.

Legendary Lovers- Legendary Lovers is a mid-tempo ballad, but she also raps. Cuz she's Katy Perry. She can do what she wants. Honestly, the vocals are great, the instrumentals are great, and overall this is just a hard track to describe. Check it out for yourself here.

Birthday- Birthday starts out with a bouncy instrumental track, with Katy's vocals being not quite laid back, but definitely not powerhouse either. However, overall the song is fun, and will do well on the pop charts. However, this is nothing new or different from Perry, just another pop track.

Walking on Air- Check out my full Walking on Air review here.

Unconditionally- Unconditionally starts out heavy with an instrumental track oozing bass, followed by Katy joining in quickly. Unconditionally is similar to Teenage Dream, with a more mature feel to it. However, while it is similar to Teenage Dream, this power ballad is still very unique, and Katy's powerhouse vocals are near flawless on this track.

Dark Horse- Check out my full Dark Horse review here.

This is How We Do- This is how we do features a smooth, hip hop-esque beat and a laid back vocal track. While the lyrics are incredibly stupid, I love the song! The song is fun, unique, urban, and just well... good! This hip-hop/pop track is definitely one of my favorites off the album.

International Smile- International smile is a fun, upbeat song. The instrumental track is nice, heavily led by guitars, it's something different from the generic pop landscape. The vocal track isn't bad either, while the breezy lyrics sung by Katy are good, they're not great, and overall it is a good song, but isn't really different from anything we've heard before.

Ghost- Ghost is honestly ok. There's nothing too great about it, nothing too bad. The mid tempo ballad couples Katy's voice with a bass led instrumental track, that's honestly just pretty bland. Overall, this song is just filler to me.

Love Me- On this down tempo track Katy takes her time, and really shows off her vocal prowess. The song has a lot of different sides, sometimes featuring a instrumental track with only a piano with Katy just singing softly, other times it picks up, adding more instruments, with Katy picking up the power. This song definitely showcases her vocal versatility, and is a stand out of the album.

This Moment- Once again, a ballad. And while it's good as a stand alone song, it sounds like the rest of the album. There's nothing new or different about it, it's just another track.

Double Rainbow- Please refer to This Moment Review.

By the Grace of God- By the Grace of God is once again, a ballad. However, this song is much deeper, has better, bass led instrumentals, has great vocals, and is actually able to distinguish itself from all the other ballads.

Bonus Tracks:

Spiritual- Spiritual is a mid-tempo song, featuring a smooth, heavy bass instrumental track. Katy's vocals are quick. smooth, and don't miss a beat. The song isn't the best, but we finally found another good song off the album.

It Takes Two- It Takes Two is another boring, mid tempo track. Wow. So different.

Choose Your Battles- Yup. Same thing. Another Ballad.

--

Wow! I'm going to be flat out honest, that album sucked. Out of sixteen tracks, there were about seven that I actually liked, the rest, were barely worth being filler. I expected a lot out of this album, as Katy is one of my favorite artists, but now it's clear I expected much too much. Honestly, Prism isn't even in the same league as Teenage Dream.

Well, that's it for my review, what do you guys think, do you have a different opinion? Make sure to share it in the comments below, and I'll see you guys in the next review!

                                           

Katy Perry- Walking on Air: Download the new Single Here + Review

Hey everyone! Today I'm here to review Katy Perry's new single, Walking on Air. I was gonna review Miley Cyrus's new album. But then I remembered I have a soul. So without further adieu, check out a review of the new single down below!

Walking on Air is drastically different from Dark Horse, as it features more of a club/house vibe, with the synth led instrumental track taking the lead on this song. The vocals themselves are fun, fluttery, and overall well delivered. The vocals and instrumentals go very well together, and overall this track definitely gives me a throwback mid 90's feel. While this song clocks in at about four minutes, overall there isn't much variety to the song, with the first two minutes being the only part you really need to hear before the track gets overall redundant.

Overall, I like this song, but that's about it. I like it. I don't love it. And in my opinion, it doesn't hold a candle to its predecessor, Dark Horse. As always, if you liked it make sure to check out the download links below, and I'll see you in my next review!

                                           

Katy Perry- Dark Horse: Listen and Download the new Single Here+Review

On Tuesday Katy Perry released a new single, Dark Horse, chosen by the fans. How does this new single stack up to her chart topper Roar? Find out below.

Dark Horse is totally different from Roar, and just anything we've heard from Katy in general. The song features a darker tone, with an incredibly infectious melody. The instrumental and vocal tracks are both near flawless, and work incredibly well together. The is mid to up-tempo track is incredibly smooth, and doesn't skip a beat anywhere.

The track also features a verse from Rapper Juicy J. While overall his verse is good, it doesn't fit with the song at all, and it would have been much more suited in a different track. However, it doesn't exactly take away from the song.

Overall, I absolutely love this song, and can't stop listening to it. While I doubt it'll be able to achieve what Roar was able to, it's a solid track that Katy fans and just the public in general will enjoy.

                                    

Britney Spears- Work Bitch: Listen to the New Single Here+Review

I am going to be straight up with you. This song is... pretty terrible. Don't get me wrong, most of the time, I absolutely love Britney, and most of her songs are great, and while some of her songs sometimes sound a bit overproduced, this song definitely took the cake. The instrumental track is flawless, but that's where things go downhill. The lyrics themselves make absolutely no sense, and 80% of the song is just Britney talking and instruments, and singing is really on the back-burner for this song.

Overall, the song isn't... totally a bad song. However, the fact that it's coming from someone as legendary as Britney, and the fact that this is her big comeback single are what really did this song in for me. This is one of the most generic pop songs I've ever heard, and I really expected more from Britney.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis- White Walls Review

Hey everyone, in early October Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' new single off The Heist, White Walls, will be released, which is sure to dominate the radio upon its release. Check out my review of the new single down below!

White Walls starts out as a mid tempo track with a smooth, yet nothing to brag about instrumental track. The song starts out very relaxed, to the point that I forget that I'm listening to it... while I'm listening to it.  However, after the chorus (sung by singer Hollis... yeah idk who she is either) Mackelmore picks up the speed of his laid back verses, and gives the song some life, also adding some hard bass and some uniqueness to the instrumental track, giving the song a totally different tone. After hearing the chorus again, Schoolboy Q (yeah still idk) arrives with a guest verse, and while it's an overall good verse, it wasn't necessary at all, and the song would have been fine without it. After that, we hear the chorus two more times (accompanied with a few extra instruments) before the song concludes.

Overall, this song is well... not bad! I liked it, and while it wasn't exactly one of the stand outs of The Heist (I would have preferred Gold as the new single) I'm sure it will (just like all the other singles) dominate the radio, and I'll definitely keep it on that channel when I hear it.

Ariana Grande- Yours Truly Download + Track By Track Review

On Friday, Ariana Grande's debut album, preceded by two top 40 singles, Yours Truly was released. How does the Nickelodeon star's album stack up in today's pop landscape? Find out after the jump in this track by track review.

Honeymoon Avenue- Honeymoon Avenue opens the album up with an orchestraic instrumental track quickly followed by an awkward robotic chorus that Ariana riffs over. The instrumental track then moves into a more modern, smooth, bass led beat. The uptempo song gives Ariana a chance to show off her versatility, as through out the song she switches off from pop vocals to R&B riffs on a dime. While not her best, the song is overall a fun pop R&B song, however, multiple times through out the five minute track the lyrics seem out of place, as if Ariana's trying to fit lyrics into a line that they shouldn't be in, overall giving the song an awkward feel.

Baby I- View my full Baby I review here.

Right There- Right There was the third single off the album, featuring rapper Big Sean. While as always Ariana's vocals are very powerful, this song is just a redux of The Way. While Big Sean does add some variety, overall the vocals, instruments, and even the riffs at the end of the song are very similar to The Way, and while it's ok as a standalone song, when included in the rest of the album it doesn't stand out as its own song.

Tattooed Heart- Tattooed Heart skips the uptempo, urban led instrumentals present in most of Ariana's songs, in favor for a much more down tempoed, symphonic feel. The 50's inspired instrumental track is complimented by Ariana's powerful vocals. In this song Grande focuses on the vocals, letting her powerful voice shine through. However, the song is over as quickly as it began, lasting only a few short minutes before we move onto the next track, Lovin' It.

Lovin' It- Wow. I'm Definitely Lovin' Lovin' It! Hahahaha get it... no? Ok. Lovin' It is a very uptempo urban song, featuring a bass heavy, smooth instrumental track coupled with a quick paced verse from Ariana, before the song picks up even more at the chorus. Overall this urban pop track is definitely one of the stand outs of the album, and I could see this on the radio any day.

Piano-  Piano is the purest pop song off the entire album. The entire song is incredibly catchy, and the piano led instrumental track adds another level to this fun, light summer jam. Grande's vocals are incredibly fun and breezy, and every part of this song is definitely a sing a long, to the point where every verse could be the chorus. This song has everything we've heard from Ariana before, powerful Maria Carey-esque vocals, a great beat, and more. The jazz-pop beat compliments the great vocals and just vsdjklvmajfklsdmanfkmvlasf I can't even this song is epic. The only way this album could have gotten better was if it was just Piano 10 times.

Daydreamin- Immediately when I heard this song, it just captured me. I don't really know how to explain it in other words, but I just loved the soft yet powerful instrumentals, and Ariana's vocals in this song are just enchanting. Maybe it's just me, because I can't explain what it is about this song I love. But everything about this song just flows together in perfect harmony, making for a near flawless track.

The Way- View my full The Way review here.

You'll Never Know- You'll never know is another uptempoed song, featuring the most modern, urban instrumental track off the entire album. The song is an urban pop song, featuring plenty of hooks to sing along to. The song doesn't sound like anything off the album, and is definitely one of the more radio songs off the album.

Almost Is Never Enough- View my full Almost Is Never Enough review here.

Popular Song- The Popular Song is an already critically acclaimed song off of British singer Mika's 3rd studio album, The Origin of Love. As the song was originally his, I expected Ariana to change the song around a bit, as the song features much more of Mika than Ariana, however, the song doesn't change at all on Yours Truly, making it sound as if Ariana is featuring in her own song. However, the song is overall a fun, uptempo pop song that has been on repeat on my phone for the last few months. Just try to not get this song stuck in your head.

Better Left Unsaid- I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this track. It starts out as a down tempoed power ballad, but then quickly changes form, with the instrumental track becoming some sort of a dubstep track and the vocals become a more uptempo urban song. However, as quickly as that happens, it goes back into power ballad mode. wat. Like idk. The song is good but makes absolutely no sense at all. Basically Better Left Unsaid is a song that just punched itself in the face 10 times.

I had very high expectations for this album, and honestly, my expectations were blown out of the water. The album is near flawless, with almost every song being incredible. Another great plus of this album is the diversity of it. The album features pure pop songs, uptempo and downtempo R&B songs, and even ballads, there's a song for every mood, and besides one or two songs like Right There, no song sounds exactly like another. With a less than stellar opening and a clusterf*ck of an ending, the album exceeds almost everywhere, making it one of my favorite albums over 2013.

What do you guys think of Yours Truly? Post your review down below in the comments, and I'll see you guys next time!!

                                    

Ariana Grande and Nathan Sykes Almost Is Never Enough Review

In Ariana Grande's new duet with Nathan Sykes for The Mortal Instruments soundtrack, she tones down the speed of her Mariah Careyesque R&B vocals for a much more down tempo track. The song is very down to earth, featuring only a piano and a slow clap beat to accompany her beautiful vocals.

Switching it up from her normal R&B pop songs, Ariana goes for a much slower, down tempo-ed track, showing us a side of her we've never seen. In this song Ariana is able to show us just how much vocal ability and range she has.

As I had never heard of Nathan Sykes before, this was my 1st impression of him. While his parts of the song were good, they didn't really match up with Ariana's, and while they harmonize beautifully together, Ariana totally overpowers him (but honestly who doesn't she overpower), causing you to hear a lot more of her than him.

Overall, the song is good, but that's just about it. There's nothing memorable about it, and while it was enjoyable while you were listening to it, there's nothing keeping you from forgetting it right after it's over.

Jessie J- Excuse My Rude Review

            

Over the past week British singer Jessie J unveiled the fourth song from her upcoming second album. Check out a review and download links down below.

Over the past few weeks Jessie J has unveiled three other songs from the upcoming album including Wild, which while it was ok, didn't really wow me, It's My Party, the bubblegum pop song that just didn't feel like Jessie J at all and really underwhelmed me, Magnetic, the power ballad which restored my faith in Jessie J after the mess that was It's My Party, and now the new upbeat urban pop track Excuse My Rude. Excuse my rude is reminiscent of Do it like a Dude and Wild  as the beat is fierce and flows well with Jessie's on point, fierce, hard vocals. Another great up to this song is that it features Jessie's quick, almost rap like vocals, along with her softer, more soulful vocals. giving the song a lot of variety.

Jessie is absolutely flawless on this track, however, there is one annoying little detail to this song, Becky G. She has absolutely no reason to be in the song, and adds nothing to it.  Her bland rap honestly comes close to killing the song for me. Honestly, Jessie J could have done her verse for her (not to mention make it 10x better) and actually made it worth being in the song.

Overall, this song is a total improvement over (most) of the other songs being released off her sophomore album, and I hope her label will scrap It's My Party and instead go for Excuse my rude.

Katy Perry- Roar Download+Review

Throughout the past month Katy Perry has been unveiling many new teasers for her single Roar, in which she burns her trademarked Blue Wig, signaling the end of the Teenage Dream era. Was all this for nothing, or did Perry move on to a more mature style of music from her old bubblegum pop persona? Find out after the jump.

Turns out Perry wasn't lying. While Roar's style isn't drastically different from past hits like Teenage Dream, it was different enough to signal that we can expect something different from her upcoming album Prism. Roar is an upper mid-tempo track, featuring more traditional instruments as apposed to the synth drums and electronic beats we've become accustomed to in modern pop.

Lyrically, Katy Perry is also holding true to her promise, claiming she is going to roar, showcasing a more mature side of Perry, while also serving as an uplifting song, claiming she's going to Roar, and she's not going to take it anymore.

Overall Roar is definetly different for Perry, and displays a more mature, grown up sound, that I expect we're going to hear a lot more of on her upcoming album Prism. Tell me what you think of the song in the comments below, and I'll see you next time! 

                                    

Chris Brown Ft. Nicki Minaj Love More Download+Review

Oh hey, remember that one time when I didn't post for like 6 years? Stop judging me. Anyways, I'm back now with a review of Love More by Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj.

Love more features a fast paced beat full of marching drums and heavy bass, coupled with Brown's fast paced, smooth R&B vocals. The innuendo filled song offers little variety, only having two verses besides the chorus. However, soon after the track starts to get redundant, Nicki Minaj starts in with a quick paced, swaggerish (which is just as innuendo filled as the rest of the song) verse that's over as quickly as it began.

Overall the song is just... pretty ok. While it's incredibly short (barely clocking in at 3 minutes) the track manages to pack 3 hardcore verses, coupled with a swaggerish, bass heavy beat, perfect for an R&B track. So while the song is good, it is in no way Brown or Minaj's best work, and I expect only moderate radio rotation before Brown moves to his next single.

                                    

Ariana Grande- Baby I Review+Download

On July 22nd Ariana Grande released the follow up to her highly successful single The Way. Does this single have the potential to garner the success The Way did? Find out here.

Baby I has a similar feel to The Way as it is a throwback R&B Pop song featuring her powerful vocals over a soulful R&B instrumental track. However, while Baby I has its fair share of similarities to The Way, at the same time it has enough differences to differentiates itself as its own song, as well as differentiating itself from the majority of the pop landscape heard on the radio today.

In this song Ariana again shows off her incredible range, from calmly singing a verse to belting out runs that would make dogs bark, again confirming the opinion that Ariana could be the new Mariah Carey.

Overall, this is a wonderfully composed song that's similar to The Way, but's different enough to offer a whole new experience from The Way, and is a great followup to the first single, and will garner even more hype for her debut album, Yours Truly.

                                    

Ciara- Ciara Review+Download

On Tuesday, the 9th, Ciara released her self titled 5th album Ciara. Followed up from her less than successful 2010 effort Basic Instinct, Ciara has a lot to prove in her new 11 track album. Does she have what it takes to regain the airplay that her hit singles like Goodies and 1,2 Step had? Find out in the review below.

Ciara starts out strong with club banger I'm Out, which features a verse from Nicki Minaj. Nicki starts the album out strong with a fast paced, hard hitting verse. Ciara doesn't let the energy die there though, delivering swaggerish verses over the bass heavy beat of the summer pop girl anthem.

          

While Ciara starts out strong with I'm Out, from there the album fluctuates all over the place. Featuring beautiful ballads that showcase Ciara's incredible voice like Body Party, and then other songs such as Sophomore, that really don't differentiate themselves except for being just another song on the album. Like most albums Ciara has its ups (Body Party, I'm Out, Overdose) and its downs (Sophomore, Super Turnt Up, Keep on Lookin') unfortunately the downs really outweigh the ups, and throughout most of the album I was just waiting to get to the next song, hoping for something that didn't feel like filler until we get to one of the highs of the album.

However, while most of the album falls into the category of mediocrity, the album does have its high spots. And these high spots really are diverse, and the album has pop, R&B, and and even electric feels throughout its 11 tracks, all of which exceed in their own right.

Overall, this album is a definite hit and miss, with unfortunately, most of it being a miss. However on this album, just like on all of her previous efforts, she is moving closer to finding out what her true sound is, and I would recommend Ciara to any R&B fan.

Are you a fan? Tell me below in the comments, and if you like it, make sure to check it out on iTunes or Amazon MP3 below!

                                    

                                                                                                                                    -Colby

Listen to Beyonce's new track Standing on the Sun here! Review+Download links

UPDATE: A new updated version of the track has been leaked, featuring a reggae/rap interlude and extra instruments, making for a much more unique, fun, and overall better song.

On Thursday another long teased track by Beyonce- Standing on the Sun, was leaked. It's unknown whether or not this is the official version or just a demo, but I'm reviewing it! Download links will become available once the song is officially released.

The summer track Standing on the Sun features a very island/beach instrumental melody, coupled with Beyonce's seductive lyrics: My body is magnified/In the sun set me alive/My body, is yours tonight/Burn me up, set me alive. While the song starts out fun, flirty, and with a laid back summery vibe, it quickly gets increasingly dull, with only 2 verses (which barely deviate from each other, and if you didn't listen closely could be mistaken for the same verse) and the chorus. However, the song doesn't drag anything out, and after following up the second verse with the chorus, quickly ends.

So far we've gotten 3 tracks from Mrs. Carter, The inexplicable Bow Down, the anthem Grown Woman, and our newest addition- Standing on the Sun, and this is probably one of the weakest of the three. While it doesn't really offer anything new or exciting it is a fun summer track that I'm sure is being added to everyone's 4th of July playlist as we speak.

So that's it! Tell me what you think of the new leaked track in the comments, and I'll see you guys later!

                                                                                                                                       -Colby

Victoria Justice- Gold and Shake Review+Download Links

Hey everyone! Today, Victorious star Victoria Justice released her debut single, titled Gold. Check out a review, take a listen, and feel free to download it below! Tell me what you think of the song down below in the comments.

Gold is a very light and breezy summer song, perfect for all ages.  In the new track Justice shows off her vocal ability while at the same time creates a fun, danceable track. The song features light, danceable, bass assisted verses, followed by a fast paced pop rap bridge, followed by the same chorus. Throughout the song Justice is able to convey confidence, flirtiness, and fun through her very versatile voice.

Also released along side Gold was the B-side of the single, Shake. Shake features an even more powerful, base heavy instrumental track, but it also features a more grown up sound, and is much less of a pop ditty than Gold. Justice also shows off more of her vocal ability in this song, and shelves the fast paced pop vocals (even though those are still present in the song) for taking more time to showcase her ability.

Overall I really enjoyed both of these songs, and while neither of them surprised me they're both fun summer songs that I excpect to hear on the radio very soon. Make sure to download the songs below!

                                     
                             
                                                                                                                           -Colby

Karmin- Acapella Review + Download links!

Early Monday morning the pop duo Karmin released their first work since their debut EP Hello. The new track, titled Acapella, follows the usual Karmin formula, with a totally different sound to it. Check out a review after the jump. Download links will be available on 6/25, when the single will be released at all digital retailers.



The new track Acapella follows the usual Karmin formula, with Amy doing the bridges, choruses, rap verses... ok everything, with Nick offering a few adlibs throughout the course of the song. However, as opposed to their debut EP Hello, which featured heavy drum beats, guitar synths, and bass, this track is rightly titled, as it tones down the instrumental side of the track and focuses on the vocals. The song features a wide range of sounds including the usual fierce, high paced rap verses, along with the fun pop vocals, all from Heidemann, that we've come to expect from Karmin, which make for a fun song filled with variety. However, as I said before, this song has a totally different feel to it than their usual pop songs, and it takes a few plays to really get used to it. With that said, I believe it will assimilate nicely into mainstream culture and recieve some light airplay.

Overall I really enjoyed this song. However from the previews of other songs we've heard from the new album I think there were other songs that would have been much safer bets for the lead single that could have got the attention of the mainstream media more easily. However, while this may have not been the best pick for the lead single,  I expect this to a big summer hit among the mainstream teen audience.
       
                                                                                                                                       -Colby

Jessie J- Wild Download+Review

Hey everyone! Jessie J recently unveiled her new single Wild, featuring Dizzee Rascal and Big Sean.  This is her first single to be released after Silver Lining (Crazy ‘Bout You) (2012) from the movie Silver Linings Playbook.  Check out a review of the new single down below. You can download the song on Itunes or Amazon MP3 down below.

Wild sounds like nothing Jessie J has ever done, and it holds true to it's name. It starts out with a very hard beat with a huge emphasis on the bass. The lyrics are the same way, with Jessie J spitting the lyrics like she has a vengeance. However, the mood of the song changes as quickly as it began, with Jessie J softening a bit into a more mid tempo chorus, yet the heavy instruments don't let up. However, the second verse quickly sets in, with Jessie J bringing back the same fierceness from the first verse. However, it cuts off rather quickly as we launch into Big Sean's verse, and even though it isn't very long (about 45 seconds) it manages to be a hit and miss throughout, with some of it not going with the beat whatsoever. However, overall it's a quick, enjoyable rap verse. After that, we go into the chorus one more time, followed by Dizzee's rap. Let's just say British rap is something you have to hear and review for yourself... :) Anyways, after his verse, the chorus plays again, and there, the song ends.

Overall, this is definitely not at all what I expected from Jessie J. However, it has a great new style that fits her perfectly, and I expect to be hearing it on the radio very soon.


           

                                     
                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                           -Colby

Beyonce- Grown Woman Review

Beyonce's newest single, Grown Woman, leaked on Tuesday, and of course I immediately stole someone's phone to hear it as soon as I heard about it. Now that I've listened to it over 2,000 times, I figured, why not do a review about it. Let's jump right in.

Grown Woman starts out with the familiar beat from the Pepsi ad, and becomes danceable from the get go. When the lyrics start in Beyonce manages to create a sound that's electric, laid back, and has almost an African feel at the same time. This is partly due to the electric feeling beat being joined with marching drums, that work perfectly with the swaggerish lyrics Beyonce fiercely sings out. Sometimes overlaid on her swaggerish, yet also (somehow) laid back lyrics are upbeat pop vocals, which pair perfectly with the rest of the song.

This song takes on many different identities, and a quarter way through the song pairs African backing vocals  with Beyonce's lyrics (lyrics that take on a more pop variant), which make for a more danceable, upbeat track. 

The song slowly adds on throughout, and midway through the song, it starts to lose its electric beat and starts moving towards more traditional instrumentals, with a large emphasis on percussion, which still maintain a strong African feel.

From there the song just goes into Beyonce saying I'm a Grown Woman / I can do whatever I want, which gets rather annoying, but the instrument still progress throughout, even adding flutes, which makes the otherwise boring verse much more interesting. And then, after another line of I'm a Grown Woman / I can do whatever I want, the song cuts off, extremely abruptly.

Overall, I really enjoyed this song. It's much more Beyonce like than the previous track Bow Down/I Been On. However, this was a leaked track, and at some points it feels very empty, as if they could add a lot to some parts, which leads me to believe that the track isn't 100% finished. But with that being said, this is a great track that I could see on any urban radio station.

                                                                                                                   -Colby

*NEW SINGLE ALERT* Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull- Live it Up Review

Hey everyone! Today Jennifer Lopez revealed her (annual) Pitbull assisted track, Live it Up. I'm going to be reviewing the song right here, so let's jump right in!

The song starts out with a beat that is unrecognizably the same as most pop songs today, and starts off with Pitbull's first verse. And while this beat does sound the same as most of today's beats, it works well with the Pitbull's first verse, however, once again, it sounds exactly the same as most of Pitbull's song, but honestly, when does he sound any different? The song has about the same tempo as "On the Floor" and is faster than "Dance Again" and luckily, this song does differ from the above two. Lopez offers variety than rather just singing, she also chants I Hit the Spotlight/ All Night/ Ready to Go/ Give You a Hot Night/ So Tight/ Ready to Go/ (don't quote me on that one, I'm awful with lyrics) very rhythmically as the beat builds up behind her and drops (very un-climatically though) to her singing, followed by Pitbull getting uncomfortably close to the mic and saying "Make love! Don't fight! Let's hook tonight!" and the beat then drops into a banging dubstep interlude, coupled with chopped up Pitbull vocals. Then the song carries on with Lopez's pop vocals, but very quickly goes back to the I Hit the spotlight chant, and the song pretty much just repeats from there with little variety.

Overall, I did enjoy this song much more than their previous two singles, as it actually offers a lot of variety, from pop, to rap, to dubstep, it covers all the bases.

Well, I hope you all liked the review! Tell me what you think of the song in the comments below, and I'll see you all soon!

                                                                                                               -Colby

Jessica Sanchez- Me You and the Music track by track review

Hey everyone! On Tuesday Jessica Sanchez's (American Idol 11 runner up) debut album was released, and I'm about to do a track by track review, so let's just jump right in! *Note* Most of my track by track reviews are very short, and if one of these songs is released as a single, I'll review it more in depth.




Right To Fall- Right to Fall is the perfect mix of urban and soul. It beautifully shows off her great vocals, while at the same time is also a very danceable track, with an electric esque beat, another urban element. I
could easily see this on any R&B radio station.

Tonight- Read Full Tonight Review Here

Don't Come Around- Don't Come Around is a much more pop track. This song was more geared toward radio rotation. The quick moving song doesn't show off her impressive vocals as much, but it shows how much versatility she has as an artist, as she can belt out "I Will Always Love You" or sing a pop ditty like "Don't Come Around".

Crazy Glue- Crazy Glue is the 1st ballad featured on the album. This song (so far) is the song that most shows off how much power she has in her voice. The song features a very powerful rhythmic beat, that pairs great with her incredible voice.

No One Compares (Feat. Prince Royce)- No One Compares is also a ballad song, at first, featuring Prince Royce. As the song starts out very slow, it soon transitions into an electric, fist pumping beat. The song stays
at a quicker pace for the rest of the song. So the song is much more urban heavy with only the intro and outro being balladesque. I could definitely see this on the radio soon, and I imagine it will be the next single.

In Your Hands- In your hands is a mid-tempo urban pop song. However, the song quickly picks up, becoming up-tempo, once again paired with an electric type beat. The song is constructed very well, as each verse starts out slow, and then slowly gets quicker and quicker until it reaches the chorus, and I can see all of her fans being pleased by this song.

Plastic Roses- Plastic Roses is a ballad about realizing that the guy you thought was perfect was actually all lies. This is another song that shows off just how much talent Jessica has. This is actually a very meaningful song, and is probably the best ballad on the album (so far).

Drive By- Drive By is a very R&B heavy song, vocal and instrument wise. This quick paced song is very radio friendly, yet still shows off her vocal abilities. The song features a variety of instruments that makes for a great instrumental track that pairs wonderfully with Jessica's voice. This is my favorite track off the album.

You've Got the Love- You've Got the Love features synth instrumentals with Jessica's
vocals. The song features Jessica singing so fast at some parts she's almost rapping. These two elements work together perfectly for a club banger track. But the best part about this song is that even with all that said, it's still able to distinguish itself from all the songs we hear on the radio today that all sound the same. Overall, this song is able to be a catchy radio song that actually has, variety.

Gentlemen- Gentlemen is another heavy urban R&B song. The song features Jessica singing swaggerishly coupled with a quick, equally swaggerish beat. This isn't how I expected the album to be closed, but it actually works
perfectly.

Overall, this album is actually about what I expected  urban R&B led with a few ballads throughout. I think this album was able to capture how much she can do as an artists, and I think everyone can find a track they'll love on this album.

Hope you liked the review, tell me what you think of the album in the comments, and I'll talk to you guys soon!
                                                                                                              -Colby

Beyonce and Andre 3000- Back To Black Listen+Review

On Saturday morning Beyonce and Andre 3000 unveiled their cover of Amy Winehouse's Back To Black, for the Great Gatsby soundtrack. Take a listen here:

The song has more modern feel, as the instruments are chopped and screwed, and have more of an electronic feel to them. The song starts out with, surprisingly Andre 3000 not rapping, but singing. He actually sings for about half the song, and it really doesn't add anything to the song, in fact, it takes away. In my opinion, I really have no idea why he's in this cover, as Beyonce could have handled the song herself. However, after a painful 1 and a half minutes, Beyonce comes in, bringing the song back, and actually not disgracing the song. Beyonce sings beautifully, redeeming the song. She really shows a whole different side and mood to this song, as rather than singing with Amy's more powerful voice, she sings very softly and backed with the different instruments, shows how many ways this song can be crafted, and still work great. However, Beyonce's part quickly ends (in a very abrupt manner) and surprisingly (unlike most Beyonce songs) I'm not left wanting more. I feel like this song could have been remade in a much better way, but overall, after hearing this cover, I think this song just shouldn't have been messed with at all, and they should have just made a new song, with Andre 3000 sticking to rapping, and Beyonce singing. Anyways. thats my review, tell me what you think in the comments below, and I'll talk to you guys soon. Bye!

                                                                                                              -Colby