Save the Music

To all of the Americans, I hope you had a lovely Turkey Day with family and friends. To all of my other friends, I hope you had a lovely Thursday.Please know I'm definitely thankful for all of you.

As you may or may not know, I'm writing this to you as I sit in my childhood home, and it made me a bit nostalgic of my younger years that spurred this love for music deep with in my bones. So now is definitely a great time to go a bit of the usual beaten Melismatic track to talk about something that needs noting.

I grew up in a small-ish town in Upstate NewYork. My school system was and still sort of is relatively known within the state as a gifted music school. It was thanks to school that my journey truly took off -- I began playing the clarinet in the fourth grade, and took part in countless bands, orchestras, pep bands, pit orchestras, ensembles, you name it, I did it.

Our bands and orchestras would often compete in NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) grading and music conferences on a biyearly basis. It was something I would regularly look forward to and anticipate during my middle school and high school years.

Imagine my chagrin a few months ago when I first heard my local school board was considering completely cutting the music program from my school to save money due to budget restraints. That nightmare has started to become a semi-reality, as lessons get scaled back, "honors" bands are completely docked, the chorus program saw major cuts, and Jazz Ensemble has become volunteer-oriented and practices are held after school.

It's hard to believe that so much can change in the nearly four and a half years since I've set foot in my old high school. The Principal has been replaced by my old Social Studies/Economics teacher. They are now offering graphic design classes in normal curriculum. Apparently, a mural has been made for my graduating class, as we were the first class to attend that school for four years and graduate post 9/11.

In the same vein, so much remains the same. The football team still idolizes our patron sport to an unhealthy level (I recall at one point during my sophomore year, our teachers ran out of white paper to copy assignments on, because the budget money went to getting "the team" new uniforms), the annual Pie Drive for the less fortunate continues to get bigger and bigger every year, and our school mascot (a Native American-based "warrior"complete with tomahawk) contiues to remain prominent and vaguely offensive.

Everyone feels at least a little bit of pull and pride toward their old school. So much of my life was shaped there, and so much of it was thanks to my time spent in music-based classes.It was more than learning how to read music, play notes, and perform as a unit. It was where I found my voice, my confidence, my personality, and my friends.

The mere fact that music departments are even considered "nonessential" to a child's learning development makes me want to cry. I honestly don't believe it's an different than an athletic sports team, or a foriegn language club. It fosters solidarity, teaches you responsibility, and hardwires your brain. And unlike the football team, it doesn't matter how tall or small you are, how physically strong you are -- all that matters is your commitment to the music.

Basically, what I'm saying is: if you have music in your life, cherish it. You don't know how precious and meaningful it is, until its taken away from you.

Click here to see how you can help via the Save the Music program.

OneRepublic 'Wakes Up'

It's been almost two months since I first reviewed "All The Right Moves", and my feelings on the driving pop track have not changed. After hearing the rest of the album, it's clear this is the most pop radio ready song on the disc. If you wanted a song that was basically a template of reasons for why Ryan Tedder is a bit of a musical prodigy, that song is it.

Sadly, Waking Up hasn't done for me what their debut masterpiece has. Perhaps it's because Tedder has accomplished so much since "Apologize" took over the pop universe, but what comes to us on Waking Up is a mixture of very good, very bland, and overall generally in cohesive. So many songs are gorgeous, with certainty, but they lack the appeal and desire to hit "replay" that so much of Dreaming Out Loud did. However, it was Tedder himself who said "we're a sum of a bunch of parts" and it certainly shows on Waking Up.

It's clear OneRepublic themselves is struggling in terms of defining who they are genre-wise. Some songs sound familiar, like carry-overs of how you'd expect to them to sound based on their debut ("Secrets, "Lullaby", etc.). I love that they are continuing to expand on their more symphonic roots, rather than cater too much to Tedder's super-pop sensibility or the growing pop/rock trend. Several songs are very sweepy, relying on their inclusion of a cello player, Brent Kutzle, as well as Tedder's piano playing. This definitely gives them a sound that sets them apart more from the relative glut of pop/rock acts occupying the Hot 100 and iTunes libraries of many. My favorite example of this: "Fear".

"Waking Up", although one of my favorite songs from the record, has a strong base in organs and showcases Tedder's raw vocals at their almost best before searing into blazing guitars and driving drums. Unfortunately, it never truly revisits that gorgeous organ sound, and instead kind of sounds like a Kings of Leon song with a more melodic singer. Not that that is particularly a bad thing, it's just that, as I feared two months ago, OneRepublic is beginning to cave to other sounds that are working rather than focusing on building on what made them different in the first place.

Another high point is the beat-heavy "Good Life", which definitely feels like a single in its own right, or at the very least, a lovely inclusion to some uplifting Hollywood film of choice. "Made For You" is another potential single choice. "Secrets" opens with a gorgeous cello solo by Krutzle, and is vaguely reminiscent of a Bach piece for cello before exploding into grandiose fashion. It is the second single following "Moves", has already been released in certain countries in Europe and slated for a US release in 2010, and the reasons are obvious upon first listen. It's fair to say that it may just be the best song on the entire record.

While I quite enjoy the handclappy-ness of "Everybody Loves Me", the slated third single, it's country-twang reminds me quite a lot of Cage the Elephant's "Ain't No Rest for the Wicked." However, all raised eyebrows disappear when the chorus kicks in and that falcetto "Every-body loves. Me" floats and I'm done. Press repeat, please, as it tends to pass you by quickly (and that's a good thing).

Sonically, the most interesting is "Missing Persons 1 & 2", which opens breathing simulation, melding with cello, to piano, to Tedder, to xylaphone, before harder beats break and reverberate from out of nowhere into a rainforest-like crescendo of sound, fluid with its parts all working in tandem counterpoint. Incredible? Sure. Amazing to see live? Absolutely. Ready for radio? Not a chance.

Overall, Waking Up is definitely a fun musical adventure, and certainly proves OneRepublic's musical merit. Whether it will fare well for them chartwise is to be seen, as it lacks the gloss shine of an "Apologize" or "Stop and Stare". But from what I can glean from Tedder and the boys, this the route they wanna go -- and they are going full speed ahead.

Gaga Ate My Heart (And My Brain)

Sigh. What is there to say that hasn't already been said ever so eloquently regarding Ms. Germanotta's new EP, The Fame Monster? Before I begin, may I first direct your attention to some excellent reviews of said subject by some of my favorite bloggers: Ken, Will-W, J.Mensah, Brad and Adem. They all say how I feel in various and descriptive ways: the album is a very, very good piece of pop, and it's (very) arguable it is among the best of the albums released in 2009.

It doesn't matter to me your opinion of Gaga as an artist. I definitely stand in the camp that what she's doing isn't exactly unique, however, she is the sole musician who is doing what she's doing in a commercial and mainstream way, and for that, she should be openly praised. She takes what is so awe-infusing about the likes of Kylie Minogue, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Madonna, and just about every strong female artist from the 80's, and mashes it up into something very Top 40 pop -- yet still manages to bust down barriers with her fashion sense, performance style and material. In short -- she is the type of artist we as music fans should encourage, rather than demean.

With that said, I don't really agree that every song could stand on its own legs as a single, but I do feel that four of them very well could, and that seems to be Lady Gaga's plan. Four out of eight ain't shabby, and the sheer fact that the Lady herself has championed Interscope Records to even release an 8-track EP as bonafide sophomore release is proof positive just how big a year she has had. Consider last year this time. While several people are quick to shout that she kind of rose to 'fame' overnight, "Just Dance" was released to radio back in April of 2008, digitally on my birthday in 2008, and the album itself that August. Despite charting high on various dance-related Billboard charts that summer, it did not rise to the summit of the Hot 100 till January 2009. It was only then that her pop relevance was truly cemented, and the majority of media platforms that were not Internet related got on board, realizing she was a force to be reckoned with.

While "Bad Romance" is still in the early stages of taking over radio and the charts, it's the type of song that as soon as you hear it once, it gets its hooks stuck in you. I suppose every listener is prone to a different element that grabs you, but for me, it's that "rah rah ah-ah-ahh, rah-ma rah-ma-ma, Gaga-ooh-la-la, wants your bad romance", especially when its repeated with that bass-like growl, who is I'm assuming Mr. RedOne (while that pinnacle moment of "Want your bad ro-mance!" is also pretty epic). I tend to listen to the song over and over just to hear that part. It's the type of pop song that you can listen to over and over and it's hard to get sick of. Mostly because, as much of The Fame Monster proves, it's pop as it used to be back in the late 90's. It's glittery, it's unapologetic, it pushes radio limits, it's genre fusion, and it's guilt-less. And as good as it is, of the four potential singles on this disc, it stays at the bottom of the heap in terms of my ears -- showing you just how strong The Fame Monster is.

I have briefly mentioned my love for "Alejandro" just after it leaked a few weeks back, and that love has not changed. The melody backdrop is very reminiscent of one of the best harbingers of good pop in the early 90's -- Ace of Base. In fact, it was after listening to this song for the first time that I launched into a mini AoB revival. It definitely serves as an appropriate homage to 90's dance pop, fused with the takeover of electropop that is very 2009, and soon to be 2010.

"Telephone" features a rather limited appearance by Beyonce, in somewhat interesting marketing ploy, as Gaga herself is also featured in a phone-inspired song of Beyonce's upcoming single "Video Phone". It's still undetermined whether or not "Telephone" will follow "Romance" as the second single to perform hand in hand with "Video Phone" -- whose video has already been shot and is making the rounds as Beyonce's next release off of I Am...Sasha Fierce. In my opinion, that wouldn't be the best of plans, as it is very clear "Telephone" is the sonic winner in terms of the two tracks, and the release of two 'telephone' songs to radio seems a bit gimmicky to me. It was the one song on the record that I really didn't want to like from go, for it's inherant marketing abilities, but it has ended up being one of my favorites.

It begins with a tinkling musicbox kind of quality before exploding into gritty synth and vocoder. It's a lone Darkchild production on the record, and helps restore my faith in him as a pop producer. It's hook is drawing comparisons to Timbaland/Keri Hilson's "The Way I Are", and the infusion of 'telephonic' dialing sounds blend seamlessly into the song's makeup. Like so many of Gaga's songs, it flies by, so when Beyonce's feature shows up just past the 1:30 mark, you're almost surprised the song is already half through. It was originally written with intent for Britney, which I can very much imagine, and I'm a bit surprised she didn't want this one. The lyrics however are much more reflective of Gaga and her kooky club-culture affiliation rather than Britney's rather wayward experience with nightclubbing. In a way, it works as a bit of a part-two of "Just Dance."

I've got to give it to Beyonce for that one, however. She knows it's Gaga's show, and doesn't try to show her up with her usual vocal hysteronics, and actually supplies my favorite line in the whole song: "Sometimes I feel like I live in Grand Central Station/Tonight I'm not taking no calls, 'cuz I'll be dancing". It's a new genre territory for B, one she's only started to stumble upon thanks to "Sweet Dreams." And it needs to be said -- when women become successful and powerful in their career, too often they are pitted against each other for a grudgematch of egos, and it makes me happy that, while this is just for publicity or not, they two understand each other creatively. Not unlike with the multi-lady collabo "Lady Marmlade" cover a few years back, this type of performance should definitely continue in the future.

Which brings me to the fourth most obvious pick for a single of the record, "Monster." This is, without a doubt, my absolute favorite off the entire record. While some bemoan "Bad Romance" to be a recurrent of "Poker Face", I feel that "Monster" is true successor to the magic that Lady Gaga and RedOne can create together -- their collaboration is made in pop heaven and simply cannot be duplicated with any other artist, no matter how hard they try. The growly RedOne vocals are back ("Muh Muh Muh Monster" and "Wanna talk to her, she's hot as hell"), and also sees a joint collabo with Space Cowboy, who helped bring us "Starstruck" off The Fame (my other fave). To me, this is Gaga at her best and purest -- with unrelenting beats (complete with that reverse drum breakdown that I loved so much in "I Hate This Part"), hooky choruses, imaginative ("He ate my heart and then he ate my brain", anyone?) and that familiar but still new pop sound. The pre-chorus is downright 80's pop and reminds me of a type of melody that Bananarama would tackle and tackle well.

While I do think the rest of the album is not exactly single-worthy, they are hardly filler by any means. Really, Gaga has done what so many label executives are afraid to do these days: created a strong album in which you can literally listen to it all the way through without pressing 'next.' So often, albums are crafted around 'the big single', and the rest is relative shlock to fill out the $17.99 package. No wonder no one is buying records anymore.

"Speechless" is the big ballad of the record and has arguably the deepest lyrics Gaga has ever written, and allows her voice to truly shine through the electric synth that occupies so much of her catalogue. It's a collab with one of the executives in the American music community that you just have to have respect for: Ron Fair, who is responsible for the careers of Christina Aguilera, Black Eyed Peas/Fergie, Pussycat Dolls, Keyshia Cole, etc. Whether you enjoy these artists or not is irrelevant, the man knows how to create a quality image to match the music.

"So Happy I Could Die" drives you along with that fast gait of an unrelenting walking backbeat, and while the repetition of "I touch myself" gets old rather quickly, I do love the reference of "I love that lavender blonde". It sums up so much of what is assumed about Gaga by naysayers, and I enjoy her humor in throwing it back at them. "Dance In the Dark" takes dark to the next level, and is the sole track that can most obviously be traced back in lineage to Madonna. Her (although short) litany of references to (troubled) celebrities Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Sylvia Plath in particular in a spoken fashion draws an immediate comparison to "Vogue".

The set ends on a upbeat note with the risque and tribal-sounding "Teeth", produced by Teddy Riley, whose chorus includes the killer lyric "Take a bite of my bad-girl meat." Does it get more Gaga than that? The answer is no.

Overall -- I do kind of feel that The Fame Monster is a bit of an extension of what made The Fame so suprising and welcomed in my iTunes library. Gaga brings it back to what made me love pop music in the first place. She is here to wave the flag that she isn't changing her singalong pop colors just yet, in an age when so many people are so deathly afraid of being associated with such a genre. Kudos to Ms. Gaga -- and please don't stop anytime soon.

[WGO] Let's Hear It For New York

...Settle in, folks. This is gonna be a long one. Let's take a rather rambly view of 'What's Going On' in the American music market.

In terms of the Hot 100, in this now post-Black Eyed Peas singles chart (well, I suppose it's not really post, considering "Meet Me Halfway" is #1 this week in the UK), a number of former-#1s all continue to prove their relevance.


Yes, that's Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, pointing to the stars on the steps of the lit up TKTS fixture in the middle of Times Square, where you can get discounted same-day tickets to all of your favorite Broadway shows. It's a quintessential landmark of New York -- the beautiful place that I get to call home.

The duo have captured the #1 with his ridiculously catchy homage to my city, "Empire State of Mind". The song is the first time a Hova-centric song has taken the pole position, but he has appeared there three times before as a featured artist (Mariah's "Heartbreaker, Beyonce's "Crazy In Love" and Rihanna's "Umbrella"). I also find it interesting to mention that, per Billboard Magazine, the song is the first time a song has hit #1 that has a New York City-themed title. It's certainly seen a dramatic rise since being "premiered" this past September at the MTV Video Music Awards, including been an unofficial theme song to the New York Yankees baseball team (and a chanted mantra now that they have officially won this year's World Series). The song knocked back Owl City's suprise breakthough "Fireflies", which is officially runner up this week and has now held the #1 position for two non-consecutive weeks.

The other main attraction is country group Lady Antebellum and their soaring jump with "Need You Now" from #22 to #5, just behind the aforementioned Jay-Z and Owl City, as well another former #1 Jason DeRulo's "Whatcha Say" at #3 and digital phenomenon Iyaz's "Replay". The song is the Digital Gainer of the week (only Taylor Swift has sold more for a country artist in one week), and also per Billboard, it is the first time a country artist has bounced into the Top 10 since the Dixie Chicks in 2007.

It's also important to note the entrance into the Top 10 by Ke$ha, who is best known for supplying the female vocals to Flo Rida's "Right Round" earlier this year, which of course went on to be a ridiculously huge hit. The song has been floating around for quite awhile, so its encouraging to see her finally start to break in a big way.

The complete Top 10 is as follows:
1. Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind
2. Owl City - Fireflies
3. Jason DeRulo - Whatcha Say
4. Iyaz - Replay
5. Lady Antebellum - Need You Now
6. Britney Spears - 3
7. Jay Sean feat. Lil Wayne - Down
8. Miley Cyrus - Party in the USA
9. Lady Gaga - Paparazzi
10. Ke$ha - Tik Tok

In terms of the album chart, Bon Jovi debuted at the #1 position with their latest, The Circle, selling around 166K. Surprisingly, Andrea Bocelli's Christmas album, My Christmas, came in second (don't underestimate the power of a classical music fanatic!). He, Carrie Underwood and her latest Play On, and the Michael Jackson soundtrack This Is It (arriving in the chart in that order), all managed to sell over 100K this week. Taylor Swift lands at #6, followed by Now That's What I Call Music 32, Michael Buble and the first volume of the Glee Soundtrack.

I want to extend a hugeeeee congrats to the talented people in Flyleaf (whom call the same label home that I interned at this past year), as their sophomore album Momento Mori debuted at #9! I highly suggest the album if you enjoy pop/rock, and definitely feel that "Beautiful Bride" could be a killer single for them on rock radio. "Again" is already gaining a foothold of momentum, but more on that later...The top 10 is rounded out by -- who else? -- the Twilight: New Moon soundtrack, selling just shy of 51K.

I realize I haven't talked about radio spins in a long while and this is something I hope to remedy. Jumping right in:

Ke$ha proves she is hot property to watch, as "Tik Tok" jumps six spots to #14, and is gaining at a rate of almost 40%. She is often compared to contemporary Lady Gaga, who also made big strides this week with "Bad Romance", the lead single off her new EP The Fame Monster, hits #15 and gaining at a rate of around 23%. Hot 100 chartopper "Empire State of Mind" sees Jay-Z land at #16, also gaining spins rapidly. But the overwhelming winner in terms of spin strides this week at Top 40 goes to (suprise, suprise) Taylor Swift and her ode to first love "Fifteen". It's only up three spots to #28, but has gained at a rate of 52.4%.

Jason DeRulo officially rules the #1 spot at CHR/Top 40 radio, beating out Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi", which is starting its downtrend in spins given the excitement starting to build for "Bad Romance". The rest of the ENTIRE top 10 has stayed completely unchanged, however spin counts have gone up and down. Jay Sean's "Down" (#3), Miley Cyrus' "Party In the USA" (#4) and Beyonce's "Sweet Dreams" (#5) all are suffering from rather considerable losses in spins, while Britney's "3" (#6), Owl City's "Fireflies" (#7), Kelly Clarkson's "Halo"...err, "Already Gone" (#8) and Black Eyed Peas' "Halfway" are all garning positive leaps in airplay. The real winner seems to be Iyaz and his runaway hit "Replay", which lands at #9 this week, gaining around 600 spins.

David Guetta's "Sexy Chick" with Akon sees a defiant step toward top 10 territory at #12, up two spots and gaining around 500 spins. The success of the song seems a bit belated in my eyes, but it also sits at the same spot on the Hot 100 this week. It seems to be getting the majority of its respect at Rhythmic formats, sitting at #6 this week and poised to break the 3K spins a week barrier very soon.

Justin Bieber's breakthrough single "One Time" is finally starting to wane at pop radio, falling back five spots to #18. It is still hot property at Rhythmic, at #17 and still gaining, but I'm figuring it will probably be giving way for other singles on the Pop chart ("One Less Lonely Girl" waits in the wings at #46, up nearly 10 spots this week), as the fervor around this kid is kind of undeniable. Just today, an autograph signing featuring the teen hearthrob had to be cancelled due to mobbing and fans were even threatened to be arrested by local police! Insane! I have to give credit to Island/Def Jam where it's due, though -- it definitely has it's finger on the pulse of how to market effectively to the right demographic. Bieber is forgoing the usual debut album release in favor of releasing two shorter EPs spaced a few months apart. Interesting to see how this method fares for him, and if it will become more of a common practice as time goes on to continue momentum for a project.

Despite the fact that her new album hits stores this upcoming Tuesday, Rihanna's fresh single "Russian Roulette" flounders at Top 40 radio, staying static at #22 and barely gaining any fresh spins this week. The song debuted in the Hot 100 at #9 last week, and this week, sunk to #16 this week. Hate to say I told you so, Ri -- but who knows. Anything can happen in the wake of Rated R's release. If anything, Ri's fresh material seems to be appealing mostly to the Rhythmic crowd, as "Hard" jumps from #39 to #26 and almost doubles its spin count. This makes most sense to me. After hearing Rated R in its entirity, it's definitely not the pop record we have seen in the past from the Barbadian beauty, so Rhythmic and Urban will definitely be her commercial saving graces.

As "Love Drunk" starts to wane in spins, Boys Like Girls have a fresh single, "Two Is Better Than One", sitting at #25 (just two spots below the aforementioned), gaining at a solid rate of almost 20%. Orianthi, who was poised to be Michael Jackson's guitarist for his final tour and appears in the 'This Is It' film, sees her debut single "According to You" rise into the Top 40 at #36 and gaining at a reputable range. She may be looking at 1K spins a week by the early December. Keep a weather eye out for some very exciting news regarding her to appear on this blog shortly. :)

While I'm pleased OneRepublic's new single "All the Right Moves" continues a steady ascent up seven spots to #41, I'm more than a little bummed that Priscilla Renea, a new R&B flavored artist who just brims with potential, falls from #35 to #40 with "Dollhouse" and drops nearly 200 spins.

Top 40 is reflecting my waning excitement for the new Timbaland project, as "Morning After Dark" flounders at #44 and struggles to grab a foothold. Shame, too, because this is the one leaked track I really enjoy.

In terms of Rhythmic, Jay-Z's New York anthem claims the #1 spot in addition to the Hot 100 #1, and edges out his wife Beyonce's "Sweet Dreams" at #2. Chris Brown's "comeback" track with Lil Wayne, "I Can Transform Ya", lands him at #9. The song is fun for the ears and the dancing feet, but the more I listen to it, the more I'm irritated by Weezy's lack of imagination and repeated namechecking of Optimus Prime. ::shakes head::

It surprised me, so it may surprise you. Mariah Carey's "Obsessed" sits at #21 at Rhythmic (and losing spins) and #30 (and losing MORE spins) at Top 40. I'm surprised this song is even still relevant at radio. It's safe to say it's not the flop we all kind of joked it to be, but there is no question that Island definitely dropped the ball with it.

What to Expect

The job life has been a bit hectic at the mo', and I will be returning via train to my hometown next week to spend time with with the fam for Thanksgiving (for international friends, read: a day when your whole family gets together to stuff your face with turkey, etc.), so forgive me if updates are sparser than I want. Here's a general idea of what I hope to push out in the next two weeks:

-The Fame Monster thoughts (not a real review, because I don't have much bad to say about it, hint hint, clue clue).

-Formal review of OneRepublic's Waking Up.

-Formal review of Kid Sister's Ultraviolet.

-Yet another 'Clash of the BoyBands' post.

-A "secret" three or four post special about a subject that I believe only Nikki knows about.

-A few fresh interviews with people I don't want to give away just yet -- one of which will correlate to three fresh articles with related artists (does that give away too much? I hope not!).

-A return to my old radio-formated WGO's.

-Linkage to my shared interview with the aforementioned Nikki with Agnes Carlsson thanks to Pop+Nation.

Rihanna: Uncut and Raw?

After the pop masterpiece that was Good Girl Gone Bad, it became clear to me that Rihanna and her creative team knew they had a monster on their hands. Her vocals were unique, her style obvious, and her appeal undeniable. She was a great role model in that regard -- strong, sexy and real.

Then the Chris Brown scandal happened, and it was clear that her career path was now at a serious cross-roads. She had not only follow up the Goliath that was her previous release, she had to prove to the world she could be the same strong young woman she projected to be.

Enter Rated R, a dark and haunting piece of pop that has mostly left me scratching my head. Perhaps this is the real Rihanna and the dancey of the Rihanna of the past has been pushed to the side following her "growth period" after the events with Brown last February. There is no question she is a changed person because of it. The part I don't understand is all of this bad-ass posing she insists upon. The disc itself will carry an 'explicit' sticker here in the States, and it's not just because of a few songs.

[Sidenote: Anyone else less than enthused by this cover? Her arm looks like a skeleton. Weirddddd.]

In songs like "Hard" and "Wait Your Turn", she is attempting to create this soldier stance. It feels a bit...fake, to me. The songs will be fun club fare, for sure, and get you bobbing your head. I obviously do not know the real Rihanna, but still, following the problems with Brown, I was expecting more uplifting and emotionally raw material than what we are receiving.

"Cold Case Love" gives me hope, a track written by Justin Timberlake that doesn't rely on fuzzy guitars and pulsating back beats to prove itself, leading to an INCREDIBLE (and I mean INCREDIBLE) finale. "Te Amo", which leaked a few months back, sounds even better in its latest incarnation, swizzling with island swing and cadence. However, so much of the record gets lost in this new dark marketing theme, and Rihanna continually chanting how strong and eff-ing incredible she is. I'd much rather hear her speak her pain than hear about how she's masking the issue. It takes a long time to recover from such emotional and physical abuse as what she sustained from Brown. Not only does this all feel too soon, but it feels somewhat phony to my ears.

"Russian Roulette" ridiculously tries to be artsy and epic, and while I've warmed up to it considerably since it's initial premiere, A) it still doesn't sound like a first single, B) the lyrical content still offends me for someone who to ardently is attempting to parlay herself as a positive role model.

Rihanna has stated she now understands how much of an effect she has on young women. I'm personally in the camp that if you were looking to Rihanna for a soundtrack to lean on through tough times, you'd want her telling her you can survive, you can thrive, you can move on -- not spouting how she's "such a f*cking lady".

So much of the album is just so heavy, indulgent on midtempos and urban sound staples, that it tires me out, and I'm all the more inclined to press stop and spin "Umbrella" instead.

I'm sure I'll be criticized for constantly comparing Rated R to Good Girl Gone Bad, but -- with the latter, you could listen to the whole record and say with a relaxed heart that virtually the entire set could serve as a single somewhere. Not so with Rated R. However, considering how radio friendly her previous effort was, I'm sure Ri is more interested in being experimental...because she can afford to be at this point in her career. My gut tells me the set will sell because of her name, but overall, it's much too sweepy and self-indulgent in places for my taste.

Suffice to say, I'm disappointed.

Best Cuts: Wait Your Turn, Cold Case Love, Te Amo

They'll Grow On You: Russian Roulette, Hard

Melismatic's 1 Year Anniversary

Today is the big day -- it's not just my 325th entry, it's Melismatic's Official 1 Year Anniversary. It's hard to believe it's been a year already -- here's to many more! I intend to do more of a 'I'm thankful for...' type post closer toward Thanksgiving, but I just want to say thank you so much to all of the amazing blogger friends I've made over the course of this year (you know who you are, and you should know I love ya'll!). To everyone who's visited the site in the past year, and to all of the fantastic artists I had the chance to write about, interview or feature in anyway shape or form: thank you for the inspiration!

Last Night Was NOT A Good Night

My Top 2(00)9 of 2009 are pretty much done and chosen, and after tonight's episode of Saturday Night Live, which featured 'Mad Men's January Jones and Black Eyed Peas, I am firm in my resolve that the worldwide phenomenon that was "I Gotta Feeling" will not be making an entrance. Sure, it's a fun party track -- yes, it was a staple of 2009 radio playlists -- it held the #1 position on the Hot 100 for months. But...

Tell me that performance didn't remind you of a bunch of drunk college kids playing kareoke and I will pay you $29. Holy cow.

In Preparation Mode

Currently, I'm attempting to gather my thoughts and ideas as we begin into end of year in memoriam mode. Just about every blog likes to do some kind of year in retrospect, and I am no different. However, this year makes it even more special to me, as it is my second 'Best of the Year'. This Monday marks Melismatic's official first birthday, something I'm quite proud of. So memoriam, here is a list of the songs I listed last year as my 'Top 2(00)8 of 2008.' Stay tuned for the Top 29 of 2009. ;)

28. Jonas Brothers - Lovebug
27. T.I - Live Your Life (feat. Rihanna)
26. Alesha Dixon - The Boy Does Nothing
25. Lady Gaga - Starstruck (feat. Space Cowboy & Flo Rida)
24. The Veronicas - Untouched
23. Girlicious - Still in Love (feat. Sean Kingston)
22. Duffy - Mercy
21. NLT - Karma
20. Candy Coated Chaos - Treat
19. P!NK - So What
18. Gavin DeGraw - In Love With A Girl
17. JoJo - Can't Believe It
16. Girlicious - Like Me
15. The Saturdays - Set Me Off
14. Brandy - Right Here (Departed)
13. PCD - I Hate This Part (Right Here)
12. Jesse McCartney - Leavin'
11. Metro Station - Shake It
10. Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love
9. Sugababes - Girls
8. Danity Kane - Damaged
7. Red Blooded Women - Keep Up the Attraction
6. Christina Aguilera - Keeps Gettin' Better
5. The Saturdays - Not Good Enough
4. The Saturdays - If This Is Love
3. Red Blooded Women - Colour Me Dirty
2. Rihanna - Disturbia
1. The Saturdays - Up

For more indepth information and thoughts on all of these songs, click here.

Darin 'Breathes' Deep In New Waters

This blog has been quite remiss of the incredibly talented Darin, a Swedish vocalist who came to prominence in 2004 when he was named runner-up on the Swedish counter part of 'American Idol'/'Pop Idol' (a show who's alumni also includes Agnes Carlsson). I believe the last time I brought him up was at the beginning of the year, not long after his most recent album was released, stating how his album track "Girl Next Door" sounded like a male version of Lady Gaga's "Just Dance." (The two are relative carbon copies with different lyrics -- I have a penchant for playing them back to back with my iTunes song fade in...I feel like such a trend-setting DJ when I do...heh.)

I was first introduced to him late last year thanks to the ever-lovely PosterGirl, and his fourth and most recent album, Flashback, is chock full of pop anthems and hasn't left my playlist rotation since it was released (esp. "Dance", "Road Trip", "Kamra", "Strobelight", "See U At the Club", heck, the whole thing is really very good). I still maintain that Flashback is one of the strongest pop albums released in 2008. Although the album was not released stateside, he has gotten a bit of press for co-writing the pop epicness that is V Factory's "Love Struck" (and providing some backup vocals -- the song sounds very Darin, one of the many reasons why it's so good!).

I bring him up now because a lot of new (and exciting) things are starting to turn for Darin's favor. His most recent single effort, a relatively straight but still airy and lovely cover of Coldplay's 2008 super-smash "Viva La Vida", has already gone to #1 in his homeland. While I found the choice of such a recent song a bit strange, his version stands on its own as Darin clearly interprets the song his own way, and the two versions are starkly dissimilar (as a true cover version should be). And not unlike his counterpart in Agnes, he is attempting to branch out and release material internationally.

The lead single from Flashback, the RedOne produced "Breathing Your Love", which features Kat DeLuna at her arguable best vocally, will see an official UK release at the end of November. This is no doubt thanks in part to Agnes' success there earlier this year with "Release Me". Should this single do what it should, it has very big potential to see US release, and given the influx of RedOne singles spinning on radio playlists and the expected release of Kat's much delayed sophomore album Inside Out in early 2010. Check out the video below of Darin performing the song live, and check out the official music video with Kat here.

If anyone deserves crossover success into more mainstream pop markets, it's Darin. It's painstakingly obvious that the current radio scene is missing an unabashed male pop/dance vocalist, and my money is on Darin and my other favorite up-and-coming male pop-er Simon Curtis (more on "Delusional" and 8 Bit Heart to come!) finally getting their due sooner rather than later. And it should be noted that the Flashback album, the majority of which recorded in 2007-2008, saw Darin leaping into collaboration mode with RedOne just as he was working with Lady Gaga and her The Fame album -- which translates into: he was crafting hits with today's most sought after producer of the moment long before the US/UK industry overwhelmingly embraced him.

Please, do your part and get the word out about this promising "new" artist!

[WGO] Attempting to Stay Up 2Date

+ The USA officially has another fresh #1. It seems since the Black Eyed Peas fell off the Hot 100 Glory Pedestal we've had a slew of artists taking the pride & glory to make up for the months we had of just one group claiming victory (aside from Jay Sean, I suppose). But the new #1 is....Jason DeRulo. Finally, I called it before it happened! Huzzah!

+ A lot of my bloggin' buddies have started end of decade musical rehashings and countdowns, something I didn't even begin to think of myself. Considering I'm the procrastinator that I am, I'm going to leave it to the pros. Check out XO's Middle Eight for some truly great music, ChartRigger's list of the Best Songs of the Decade, and my girl Audio Diva's breakdown of each year in music (love her list -- I can totally relate!). As you can guess, I'm trying to steel myself up to generate my Top 29 Songs of 2009. I'm officially finalizing my plays on December 6th, and will begin unveiling my picks not long afterward.

+ Lots have been coming from the upcoming Timbaland project, and aside from "Morning After Dark", I have started to lose my enthusiasm. End of an era, I think. Fingers crossed for the full length disc.

+ Haters on Alicia Keys new single, "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart", need to sit the eff down. Praise needs to go to Alicia for willing to try something new with her sound. If she kept releasing "No One", everyone would get bored of her, and that would be the biggest mistake of all for someone as talented as Ms. Keys. And I agree with my dear friend Audio Diva in that it sounds distinctively 80's epic ballad. Can you say yesssss?

+ I'm a bit behind (read: really really behind) in album reviews as I haven't had the time to sit down and really listen to fresh music in awhile. Instead, when I do have the chance to listen, I usually listen to songs I already know I enjoy. But of the somewhat recent albums I haven't had the chance to mention:

• Shakira - She Wolf --> I was pleasantly surprised by this record (but really, to call it a full album seems a bit unfair, as its relatively short, no?). I suppose I'm not that behind with this one as it's still pending a US release date. Still, you can always count on Shakira to bring the unexpected, and I love that she is relatively fearless in terms of experimentation with new and not necessarily radio-friendly sounds (she is a she wolf after all...hardyharhar, not). Much of the album is produced by Pharell Williams (holy blast from the past...and what a strange combo!), including my favorite non-single (yet), the semi-Far East sounding "Why Wait".
  
  It's obvious why "She Wolf" was chosen as the lead single, as it screams radio kitsch, but sadly the majority of the rest kind of flows together. I dig that it's clear radio success is not her priority -- as the album is very good for a car drive or a long trip. Her instrumentation is different in unique, and for that reason, it's incredibly refreshing in this post-Gaga music industry. It's for this reason that I'm not quite keen on her new Timbo/Lil Wayne second single "Give It Up To Me" -- it doesn't break any sonic barriers like the rest of the disc does. "She Wolf" still kicks ass, but the rest of the album is seeing a lot of play action on my part as well.
  Key Tracks (In This Order): She Wolf/Loba, Why Wait, Long Time (Esp. that clarinet(?) solo in the second half! Amazing!)
  
  
• Alexandra Burke - Overcome --> Overall, a worthy effort. She is no Leona Lewis, and that fact is kind of shoved down our throats, now isn't it? She is, however, just as strong a singer, but can prove she can boogie with the best of them. "Bad Boys" still sounds good and circusy, but it has officially been eclipsed by the RedOne-produced (but not RedOne sounding) "Broken Heels". If that doesn't become a single, I don't know what will (not the 2nd single, but it would certainly make a good spring/summer single, yes?). I'm very fond of "Bury Me (6 Feet Under)" and "Nothing But the Girl" for their throwback Motown-ish type sound. I'm starting to dig on "All Night Long" as well. The rest just kind of flows together to me. But I like it. They just aren't songs I'd immediately hit repeat on, is all.
• Key Tracks (In This Order): Broken Heels, All Night Long, Bury Me (6 Feet Under), Bad Boys
  
  
• Cheryl Cole - 3 Words --> I've tried with this one. I really have. It's just not the type of record I expected/wanted/needed from a Girl Aloud. I don't understand her connection to BEP's Will.I.Am. At all. With the exception of "3 Words" (which I really like, but still feel would be even better without Will), I feel all of their collabos on this disc (and there are a lot of them) just don't work. I've already voiced my disdain for "Fight For This Love" (too generic), but "3 Words" flows well in its simplicity. If that had been the first single, I might have been actually excited for this project. I won't rip the project to shreds as others have done -- it's just not my cup of tea. I love Girls Aloud for their manic energy and creativity, and so much of this is the complete opposite. Perhaps that was the idea? ::sigh:: I do like "Rain On Me" (mostly because if it had a bigger synth bottom, it could work as a GA b-side), "Happy Hour" (mostly because it's a Soulsock/Karlin production and was co-written by an upstart I have a lot of high hopes for, Priscila Renea, and I maintain it would be a million times better if it was Pris's song), and "Boy Like You" (mostly because of the Fleetwood Mac sample...touche, Will). So much feels so repeative, and...monotone. Suffice to say, I'm looking forward to the next Girls Aloud release. Stat.
  Key Tracks (In This Order): 3 Words, Boy Like You, Rain On Me, Happy Hour

INTERVIEW: MONET MONICO

Thanks to my lovely connection with beE and Pop+Nation, I had the chance to interview an incredible young talent, Monet Monico, a singer/songwriter with so much potential, she bursts at the seams! She already cemented a sense of notoriety through online platforms like MySpace before taking over the big leagues on the MTV-sponsored performance competition show Starmaker, with the winner landing a record deal with Diddy's Bad Boy Records Imprint.

Monet ended up placing fifth in the competition in a double elimination with Omotayo Riley in early October (just after we submitted the questions for the interview), but remained a fan favorite throughout the competition. Not long after her televised elimination, she announced she had signed a management contract with the infamous and incredible Johnny Wright, who had a hand in managing the likes of Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake/*NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Jonas Brothers, Jessie James, One Call, and many others. Read on to get to know Monet as an artist, learn more about her experience on Starmaker, and her plans for taking over pop as we know it. :)

Many people are just beginning to discover you through MTV's "STARMAKER" competition series. However, it's clear you have been not just singing, but performing for a long time. When did you first begin performing?
I first began performing in church musicals when I was 3 years old! Then I moved up to city & state fairs. After that when I was 13 years old was my first BIG concert, opening for Jesse McCartney. I have been blessed to have been on 2 tours around the U.S. and finally P. Diddy's Starmaker ! :)

You are the youngest contestant on the show. Do you feel this gives you an advantage or a disadvantage?
I am the youngest, but definitely have a lot of experience as an artist! I feel I was treated equally by the judges on the show.

What's Diddy like in real life?
He's actually really nice! He can be intimidating at first, but I love Diddy! :)

Can you describe the preparation you go through for a performance each week on the show?
We would go to song selection, and right after we got our MP3 recorders back with the song and the lyrics I went right into the gym to rehearse. Rehearse, Rehearse, eat(lol), Rehearse, then Rehearse some more. There was NEVER enough rehearsing for me! We'd get our song the first day, then the next day we would go into rehearsal with the band and work it out with them. The day after that, we would most likely have a challenge so that took up pretty much our whole day. Next day: Rehearse with LaurieAnn Gibson, the choreographer and go over our moves. The day before the show, we would work with our vocal coach Romeo Johnson. The night before the show, me and a few of the other contestants had a ritual where we would go into the gym and perform in front of each other and critique each other, rehearsed until we basically passed out!!!! That was the preparation each week :)

What made you decide to pursue this new avenue via "Starmaker"? What was the audition process like?
One of my webmasters for my myspace, Traci, was contacted by a casting director on the show after seeing me do a live chat (justin.tv/monetofficial). They set up a time for me to come audition, and I got 2 callbacks in LA. They decided to fly me out to New York to audition for Diddy & Mark Burnett themselves... and the rest is history :)

Your online presence is quite striking, and we're particularly struck by your already ardent fan base and street teams. What's your opinion on online marketing as an independent artist (with a large potential to turn major artist!)?
Thank you so much!!! :) I feel online marketing is VERY VERY VERY important!!! As an artist, you have to be very smart if you want to have a large fanbase. Online is where everybody goes... facebook, myspace, twitter... it's ALL about that now. If you want to be popular and succeed immensely as an artist, you have to follow the latest trends and interact with your fans and do what they like to do!!! :) It's all about the fans for me!!! :)

You state you're strongly influenced by both vintage and modern pop/rock. If you could pick ONE classic rock song to revamp for 2009 with your style, what would it be?
WOW... you emphasize the word ONE ;) That's such a tough decision!!! But if I HAD to choose ONLY one.. it would have to be Janis Joplin "Piece of My Heart" I LOVE THAT SONG!

In the past, you opened for Jesse McCartney. Any fun tour stories?
Yes!! One time, in Buffalo, New York we got snowed in our hotel!!! It was an amazing experience!!! So much fun, unforgettable :)

Back in January, you got the chance to sing backup for the incredible Lady Gaga. What are your thoughts on her, and what was that experience like?
I absolutely love GaGa she is an amazing artist, so unique and it was an honor to work with her! That experience was amazing! I've always wanted to be on the Tonight Show! Hopefully next time it will be me out in front promoting my single :)

What is your writing process like for your songs? Do you come up with lyrics first and then melody, or melody first, etc.?
Ahh. I don't have a specific writing plan that I stick to every time, it's actually very random. Sometimes I'll write the lyrics first, or sometimes I'll be sitting at the piano playing a beautiful melody and then come up with the lyrics. Songwriting is a natural talent sent from the Big Man above, and it just comes to you like a burst of air. Literally, you know in cartoons when you see the lightbulb pop up on the top of their head? That is what songwriting is to me! LOL

Of you're original material, which song has the most meaning for you?
Not many people have heard this song, it's not out, I haven't publicized it on my myspace or anything but when I was 14 I wrote this song called "Nobody". It's about someone feeling lonely and like they are nobody and are hidden in the crowd. The song is telling everybody that thinks they're nobody that they ARE somebody. :)

As a young woman of just 18 years, how necessary do you feel it is to be a role model to young women? Is it something you consciously work at?
Absolutely. Me being a role model is something that I want to do. I want people to look up to me & want to be like me. I want young women to have that person that they can look up to so that they know that being nice and good is a cool thing to be.

If you could duet with any female singer, who would it be?
Gwen Stefani & No Doubt. I think our styles would compliment each other :) That would be a fun tour!

You clearly have a very interesting look and style. How much of your style is chosen by you -- and in the future would you be interested in working more in fashion?
My style is who I am!!! It represents ME! It's all me baby! Yesyesyes one of my biggest dreams is to have my own fashion line. Clothes, Jewelry, Shoes... the whole Shebang!

One of your first television appearances was in an episode of Disney's "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody". What was that experience like?
That experience was SO MUCH FUN! I got to sing one of my original songs on the show, it was so surreal and cool!

What's one random tidbit about your personality that most of your fans wouldn't already know?
That I LOVE to watch cartoons when I have nothing else to do! The Simpsons, Rocket Power, Family Guy, Spongebob you name it and it's on my TiVo !!!!

Looking ahead after "Starmaker", what are your plans?
My plans are to shoot for the stars and keep doing what I'm doing. Trust me, A LOT of good things are happening right now!! I can't really talk about them... shhhh... but trust me, you'll be one of the first to know! Keep in contact with me on myspace: www.myspace.com/monetofficial & twitter: twitter.com/monetmonico

Dragonette is Fixin To Thrill, and Makes Good

Me, oh, my. I spent last night partying it up to the wee hours of the morning with my oldest friend who recently made the big move from suburbia New York to Brooklyn, and her (and my new) friend from her college, with none other than electro-rockers Dragonette at the classically hipster Santos Party House in SoHo. (I got home around 3:30AM, and still woke up at 6:30AM for work this morning. I'm a trooper, no? Heh.)

Given I haven't made the time to sit down and write about just how much I have fallen in love with Dragonette over the course of this past year, let me explain. I had been a fan for several months long before I made the move to physically purchase their debut album, Galore (which I should note is the final purchase I made from the now deceased Virgin Megastore in Times Square). The followup, Fixin To Thrill, has done what all good sophomore albums should, and has bested their debut in terms of enjoyment to my ears. Aside from the incredible self-titled debut single (its Villains Remix counterpart is also supremely ace and almost eclipses the original...almost), the entire disc has seen tremendous amounts of spins over the past few weeks, most notably "Gone Too Far", "Liar", "Okay Dolore", "Stupid Grin", "Pick Up the Phone" and especially "Big Sunglasses." You can probably glean from my obvious adoration that Fixin To Thrill, despite only being released this past month, will most definitely make my list of 'The Best Albums of 2009'. If you haven't heard/gotten the record, do yourself a supreme favor and give it a few spins. I guarantee at least one song will grow on you.

But back to Dragonette live. I must say, there is nothing quite like seeing an relatively underground electro-rock band in an intimate venue like Santos in the dead of night in trendy downtown New York. And when I say "intimate" I really really mean it. There couldn't have been more than 150-2000 people there, and that's including Dragonette, its opening bands, the DJ, the bouncers and the bartenders. I believe the venue for my Junior Prom (and really, I come from the middle of nowhere) was about four times the size of this venue. Anywhere you were, you had a prime seat. The crowd was somewhat mixed: lots of young guns like myself who were into kitschy electro and were clearly familiar with Dragonette and had no problem expressing it by dancing and rocking out and singing every word (surprisingly a lot of straight guys in their 30's -- not sure why this surprised me, it just did), a fair amount of hipsters who clearly just wanted to be "scene", and a few like my two friends who were brought along for the fun and left as newbie fans.

Their opener act, The Invisible, served as an alright warmup, and my comrades insistence that their lead singer looked an awful lot like Randy Jackson entertained all three of us to no end. Doors opened at 11PM, and Dragonette wouldn't be making a stage appearance until close to 1:30AM, then add to that the fact that the most basic of alcoholic beverages would cost you around $11 -- so we had to entertain ourselves somehow. The club struck me as potential former haute of Ms. Lady Gaga, with its heart shaped disco balls, near-epileptic strobe lighting and slightly sweet-scented fog.

Once Dragonette finally took the stage, I was further cemented in the mindset that should I ever start my own electro-rock band, I'd want it to be just like Dragonette in every way. The bass guitarist had a sweet looking instrument to work with that randomly reminded me of Finding Nemo with its orange and white swirled face plate. The guitarist rocked bright flannel. And lead singer, the all-around incredible and talented in every way Martina Sorbara, presented her pixie-like self in a black tanktop and gray pants-with-overalls jumpsuit combo, giving her a very Freddie Mercury kind of look that few women could rock as effectively. Her hair was classic electro asymmetrical -- think Elly Jackson of La Roux meets Peaches, but in brunette. Her voice (even when speaking normally) is reminiscent of Cyndi Lauper on helium, and I mean that it the best (and most adorable but still rockin') way.

They opened up their set with their debut (and best known) single, "I Get Around," and from there the buzz just built. Although the majority of the material played was from Thrill, a good selection of favorites from Galore were also played ("Take It Like A Man", "Competition"). I was particularly excited when "Big Sunglasses" was cued up, as I sort of fear it will get lost as B-Side shuffle off of Thrill and not the big dancey single I so desperately want it to be (I never pick the singles, it seems). However, if the crowd reaction in NYC is any indicator, "Sunglasses" is a pretty solid hit. And had you been there with me, you would have witnessed a rather humiliating display of yours truly in a blue sparkly dress, rocking out screaming "I thought by now I'd be 5'11/I'd be hanging out with the top banana/Executive access to upper classes/Run and get me some of them big sunglasses!"

All of my favorite tunes were played, and played well. Dragonette is definitely a fun live band. I wasn't sure how they would translate from record to live venue, but for the most part, they sound just as they do on record, just louder, fuller and richer. The fuzzy guitar sounds fuzzier. The synth beats through you harder. And Martina's unique set of pipes are that much more striking. Long story short, they kick ridiculous ass.

Despite the fact that "Fixin To Thrill" (the song) has yet to crack the US, Canada or the UK, it clearly had a huge fanbase in NYC. The song served as their big closing number, and the reaction was downright electric. Even if you didn't know the words or the song, you were jumping up and down and humming along. They are the perfect example that chart success is downright insignificant when you are a band that doesn't take itself too seriously and is clearly in it for the right reasons: playing music for yourself and the fans. That's what it's all about, right? Every artist has to start somewhere. I like to think I got the chance to see Dragonette when, just before they truly are recognized for the quality that they are. Fingers crossed that the music world will "Pick Up The Phone" already.

Take a gander at these truly phenomenal professional photos taken from the show last night. Shots from the set I saw are toward the bottom. Below is the official music video for "Fixin To Thrill". Listen and learn, friends.

This Ain't One Of Them 'Break Up Song's

Oh my Jada. The ladies (to the right, left to right: April, Elle, Lauren and Jacyn) have so much promise and potential, and with every song I hear off their upcoming Universal Motown release, the more I wait on pins and needles. It's been such a long time since we've had a gaggle of relatable and modest young women with genuine talent and humility to match to look up to.

While their first single, the RedOne produced scorcher "American Cowboy" that attempted to parlay the four women of Jada into a four-person version of Lady Gaga, may not have done what it should have for the group chart-wise, it did bring a whole new level of notoriety to the Boston-based girl group who I love so much.

So often do I compare the ladies of Jada to another four-women girl group I instantly fell in love with upon first listen -- Soluna. And now with Jada's freshly released second single, the mid-tempo "Break Up Song", the comparisons once again rear it's head.

Soluna attempted to break through the music scene back in early 2001 with the fun and dancey "Bring It To Me", produced by a hot name of the moment, Mr. Steve Morales. He's written some of Enrique Iglesias best material, and is a frequent collaborator of 'American Idol'-infamous Kara DioGuardi. The song was a fiery, latin-twinged floor stomper about being young, sexy, independant and unfraid to be bold. "I already know that you want me/So what will it take for you to tell me/I'm down for you/To be with you/All you've got to say is bring it to me."

This sentiment isn't alltogether too different from Jada's entrance into the musical realm with "American Cowboy". "I know you know I'm sexy/What would you do/Would you sacrifice it all for me?"

"Bring It To Me" gave Soluna some success, hitting the Top 5 in the Billboard Club Charts. It helped gain the momentum they needed for a Top 40 chart hit with their second single, the beautiful ballad, "For All Time", a song about staying together with the one you love.

Perhaps now you can understand my nostalgia. The girls of Soluna helped solidify and nurture my love for the music industry and promoting up and coming musicians that I believed in. Their pre-mature breakup in 2004 was quite literally shattering to me because I was too young to truly understand the sacrifices needed and roadblocks (both figurative and literal) that consistently attempt to trip a new artist, no matter how talented or deserving they may be. Soluna had so much potential. Now I'm hoping that that potential is being re-channeled into Jada.

"Break Up Song" is quite reminiscent of late '90s love ballads (something Motown Records obviously knows quite well), and its lyrics harken to the Pussycat Dolls major hit "Stickwitu." It doesn't beat you over head with cliched sweeping strings. It's still trendy but still feels much older than it is. With first glance at the title, you may think it's yet another angry girl group telling their collective gentleman callers to hit the highway or else, the soulful voices tell a different story entirely, stating:

"This ain't one of them heartbreak tunes,
Where the boy and the girl never make it through
'Cause you're still with me, and I'm still with you
This ain't one of them break up songs,
break up songs, break up songs"

It's a clear attempt to prove to all of the naysayers out there that this is a legitamite group of young women who deserve your attention. All four members of the group can not just sing, but belt with supreme intensity -- yet, their control and timbre on this song is the real star of the show. In the hands of another, this song could be stretched and pulled with vocal hysteronics until it is completely unintelligible. With Jada, it's just perfect. It's not too much, it's not enough, it's just right.

Let's just hope the public sees that this group 'ain't one of them' cookie-cutter dime-a-dozen girl groups. That would be the biggest tragedy of all.

You can hear "Break Up Song", along with "American Cowboy" at Jada's MySpace. Both are available for download at iTunes. Do your part, Melismatic readers!