// Adam Lambert - Trespassing//

In one of our no-sense college talk, a friend of mine introduced us to the word ‘cuckoo’. We were all laughing at that time probably because we never did understand what the word really means. Well, in Adam Lambert’s second album, there’s actually a track named ‘Cuckoo’. But this time, I know what it means: in layman’s term, ‘crazy’. 

Trespassing finds Glambert channeling Michael Jackson and George Michael or both. He also does Beatles. The title track is straight Michael Jackson where Glambert warns trespassers over big hand claps and guitar riffs. The result is an unapologetic anthem for Glambert-likes. ‘Cuckoo’ is letting-the-monster-in-you-out  anthem with a dubstep bridge breakdown  (I wanna lose my mind/Like a maniac). In ‘Shady’, Beatles’ Come Together gets an electro-make over. There’s ‘Kickin’ In’: a perfecf melodic disco anthem that will leave you kickin’ in from start to end. While ‘Naked Love’ is boyband-meets-California Gurls, ‘Pop That Lock’ is club banger in the King of Pop veins while giving reference to ‘Scream’. In ‘Broken English’, Glambert gets George Michael. This R&B ballad is strange in an epic way. ‘Chokehold’ is a R&B ballad in a Nine Inch Nail production. While Dr. Luke is at its best in other pop albums, his works (Better Than I Know Myself and Never Close Our Eyes) here are the worst. But at the end, Glambert is just a passionate lover in ‘Outlaws Of Love’.  

Adam is a diva. While his character can be overwhelming at times, one can’t accuse him of not giving it all here. He sings every track like it’s an Idol finale. Be it a  dance anthem or ballad. That’s how exciting and exhilarating it is! In JLo’s words in Idol, ‘it’s just crazy’. It is.

Suggestion: Trespassing, Cuckoo, Shady, Kickin’ In, Naked Love, Pop That Lock, Broken English, Underneath and Outlaws of Love

9 out of 10

// Gossip - A Joyful Noise//

Before Adele popped out in the music scene, Beth Ditto came first in the body-doesn’t-matter-voice-does league. While Adele hit her peak in 21, Beth Ditto is nowhere heading there.

With much heavier sound and synths, melodramatic lyrics and big danceable beats, A Joyful Noise is Gossip-goes-pop. First two tracks: ‘Melody Emergency’ and ‘Perfect World’ are soul-meets-gothic rock sound. Ditto goes straight disco in ‘Moving In The Right Direction’, a Born-This-Way twin and ‘Get Lost’, a passionate soulful number. While beats are all familiar, you can replace Guetta’s Turn Me On chorus in ‘Love in A Foreign Place’ chorus. 

In ‘Get A Job’, Ditto chooses to got to a work than to party. Well, the sentiment is mutual. A Joyful Noise seems uninspiring and flat. It has no moments. And it’s not even ‘joyful’. 

Suggestion: Melody Emergency, Perfect World, Moving In The Right Direction, Get A Job, and Get Lost

4 out of 10

// Top 20 Best Pop Singles in 2012 so far//

20. The Vision of Love - Kris Allen 

A captivating pop rock arena ballad that either recalls U2 or The Script. Inspiring and powerful

19. Birthday Cake (remix) - Rihanna featuring Chris Brown

RiRi knows how to shock! When the controversial ex-lovers re-unite, there’s still fire and it’s not even their birthday! Spell H-O-T! 

18. Starships - Nicki Minaj

The closest thing to Super Bass with RedOne supplying the epic post-chorus breakdown.

17. Girl Gone Wild - Madonna

A rework of the Queen’s last hits ‘Hung Up’ and ‘Sorry’ with her usual Vatican provoking stunt. It’s so hypnotic!

16. Boyfriend - Justin Bieber

The Bieber channels Justin Timberlake in his sexy new single. His best single so far.

15. Young, Wild and Free - Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa featuring Bruno Mars

The most effortless Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa hit with Bruno Mars’ signature catchy chorus.

14. What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger) - Kelly Clarkson

Cliche’ lyrics with powerful vocals, nobody does post-break up anthem better than Kelly Clarkson.

13. Feel So Close - Calvin Harris

Calvin Harris is the best club music producer now. This house-track proves it more .So chill!

12. Blue Jeans - Lana Del Rey

It may not be as breathtaking as the chilly ‘Video Games’ but it’s more upbeat and true to her claim: ‘the gangsta Nancy’.

11. Take Care - Drake featuring Rihanna

As honest as Drake gets, It is a downtempo R&B ballad filled with emotional performance from both artist. Sweet, at the same time, strong.

10. Where Have You Been - Rihanna

We Found Love part 2 with dance-till-you-die synths and breakdown. It is pop, as rave as it gets.

9. Put It Down - Brandy featuring Chris Brown

Brandy’s back with this sassy number where she sings and raps over Bangladesh tribal beats. Plus, with the help of Chris Brown. 90’s old school R&B! Mariah? Beyonce?

8. Safe and Sound - Taylor Swift featuring the Civil Wars

This is arguably the best Taylor Swift vocal performance to date. It is a confident and polished folk song.

7. Broken Hearted - Karmin

It is the most fun and bright pop jam for the ‘Brokenhearted’ with Dr. Luke/Benny Blanco irresistible beats, and some raps. The next big hit!

6. Good Girl - Carrie Underwood

A feisty country pop rock anthem and a fiercer Carrie Underwood. It is the country-fied version of Adele’s Rumour Has It and Rolling In The Deep.

5. Free - Haley Reinhart

She’s a big star in-the-making. Free lives up to it! A jazzy pop record featuring her to-die-for bluesy voice. Expect a great album in the way.

4. Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepsen

It is the perfect tween pop song. You’ll have a 90’s teen pop nostalgia:Christina? Britney? Mandy? 

3. We Are Young - fun.

It is more of a rock ballad. Everything in here is big and grand from vocals, instrumentation, arrangement to production. No wonder, it’s a massive hit!

2. What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction

Catchy, breezy, fun and cute. This is a precious pop gem from One Direction. Instant boyband classic!

1. Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye featuring Kimbra

With a cool minimalist instrumentation, an equal powerful female counterpart and a big pop chorus, this is the ‘breakout’ and break-up anthem of the year.

// Carrie Underwood - Blown Away//

“Shatter every window till it’s all blown away,Every brick, every board, every slamming door blown away,Till there’s nothing left standing”, Carrie Underwood belts out in the title track. This will probably explain exactly why is the cover art of her fourth album ‘Blown Away’ looks like that: not really artsy but there’s a well-dressed Carrie in a dark clouded place.

Clocking in for a near-hour, ‘Blown Away’ is moving and exciting with topics of lost love, revenge, regret and faith in God. The lead single ‘Good Girl’ is a country pop track where she warns a girl about his no-good lover (Why, why you gotta be so blind ?/Won’t you open your eyes/It’s just a matter of time til you find/He’s no good, girl). With a powerful chorus and confident vocal performance, ‘Good Girl’ is one of her best singles.If you thought that ‘Good Girl’ was feisty enough, ‘Two Black Cadillacs’ is darker. Prepare to be ‘Blown Away’ by the title track literally and sonic-ally with its melodramatic production and arrangement. If the first three tracks mislead you of Carrie channeling the vengeful Adele in 21 throughout the album, there are surely softer country tracks here that will surely please any Country fans out there. ‘See You Again’ and ‘Do You Think About Me’ may be the slower tracks in the album but have a sweet melody with the best addictive hooks. In ‘One Way Ticket’, Carrie unleashes her inner Bob Marley. The result is an enjoying feel-good reggae tinged anthem ( Raise your hands in the air tonight/Put a little love back in your life/Get your feet up, just kick it/We got a one way ticket). ‘Leave Love Alone’ is the best country arena jam in the album that will leave you clapping your hands. There’s no better way to describe ‘Cupid’s Got A Shot Gun’ than a fun, adventurous track. With Robert Mutt Lange in it, you can’t go wrong with the last track ‘Who Are You’, a religious inspired anthem. 

It’s probably wrong to say that ‘Blown Away’ is darker. Bolder and bigger, are the right adjectives to describe it. With a beautiful instrumentation and production and breathtaking vocal performance, Blown Away is a continuing testament why Carrie is still the best selling American Idol alum.If you weren’t blown away by the lost loved and Godly lyrics, I’m sure her voice is enough to leave you ‘Blown Away’

Suggestion: Good Girl, Blown Away, See You Again, Do You Think About Me, One Way Ticket and Leave Love Alone

8.5 out of 10

// Karmin - Hello//

It’s rightful to say that Karmin did million light years better than Lana Del Rey in SNL. With a big voice, assured rap style and a sassy personality, why would not this Lolita-dressed girl nailed it? Karmin is a musical pop duo by real-life couple Amy and Nick that broke out in the web-sphere for their covers of Minaj’s Super Bass and Brown’s Look At Me Now that went viral.

As promised, Karmin’s debut album ‘Hello’ is a collection of big and bright hiphop influenced sure pop hits . Thanks to its hit-maker producers: Dr. Luke, Benny Blanco, Claude Kelly, Tricky Stewart, and Stargate. ‘Brokenhearted’, the lead single of the album is a fun dance pop track where Amy begs to her lover not to leave her( Can we finish what we started/ don’t leave me brokenhearted tonight)  with Dr. Luke signature infectious beat and killer chorus and not to mention its rap-bridge breakdown in a Minaj fashion.Indeed, it’s a hit in the making. In the Tricky Stewart produced track ‘Too Many Fish’, Amy channels Beyonce. It is Karmin’s version of Honey B’s Single Ladies and the hook is killer ( Too many fish in the sea/ To miss one). Listen to ‘Coming Up Strong’, the duo’s duet where they profess how strong is their relationship. And there’s the title track ‘Hello’, the usual Stargate club banger.

Amy sings like Jessie J (Brokenhearted) and raps closely like Nicki Minaj (Walking In The Moon) throughout the album without losing her big personality. If you don’t dig her, his fiance Nick is an eye candy. 

In the electropop track ‘I’m Just Sayin’, one of the best track, Amy sings, “Oh, if I want it, I’m gonna get it, I’m just sayin’”. Karmin’s perseverance (Hello, I Told You So, and I’m Just Sayin’) to make it big is admiring. But with 7-killer and radio ready tracks at hand, maybe its time to welcome this duo. Pop-sphere, say ‘Hello’ to Karmin.

Suggestion: Walking in the Moon, Brokenhearted, Too Many Fish, I’m Just Sayin

7 out of 10

// Katy Perry - Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection//

Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection is just another unnecessary re-release. Practically, Katy Perry just added 7 tracks to her ‘Teenage Dream’ album. The first three added tracks are clearly her divorce anthems (The One That Got Away (Acoustic), Part Of Me, and Wide Awake).You probably have heard of the three tracks: the single version of “ET”, where Kanye West raps about alien sex, ‘Last Friday Night’ with Missy Elliot that helped the song reached the top of the charts, and ‘The One That Got Away (Acoustic)’ that unfortunately didn’t work on the chart.

You have three new tracks. ‘Part Of Me’,  the ‘i-know-i-can-make-it-without-you-boy’ anthem (Now look at me/ I’m sparkling/ A firework or dancing flames) may have reached the number one spot but its feminist and military themed video is still uninspiring. ‘Wide Awake’ is a refreshing R&B ballad that recalls ‘No Air’. The most adventurous track here is ‘Dressin’ Up’ with a glossy production and a sexy lyrics (Oh boy tell me your fantasy/ Tonight’s the night I’m dressin’ up for you). Definitely, it is Katy’s S&M version but still very radio-friendly. Just forget the fact that it sounds like Lady Gaga’s Electric Chapel. If the Kanye West featured track ‘ET’ did not make you dance much, Check out the Missy Elliot aided ‘Last Friday Night’.It could have been better if they didn’t alter the sax solo but it’s still fun as hell. Prepare yourself for the last track! Tommie Sunshine’s Megasix Smash Up is a 7min enjoyable club mash up of Katy Perry’s hits (California Gurls, Teenage Dream, Firework, The One That Got Away, ET, and Last Friday Night) that will exhaust you in the dance floor.

Katy’s weakest weapon is her voice. ‘The One That Got Away (Acoustic) version’ is way better than the album version not because of her vocal performance but because of its understated production. ‘Part Of Me’ could have been a better anthem if she had a voice like Kelly Clarkson. Probably the best thing about this re-release is it’s fun and charming.

If you love her, go buy it! But if you don’t, never mind! It doesn’t change a thing why you hate her! 

Suggestion: Wide Awake, Dressin’ Up, Last Friday Night (featuring Missy Elliot), and Tommie Sunshine’s Megasix Smash Up

5 out of 10

// The Wanted - The Wanted (EP)//

This British boyband is definitely the ‘sexy-fied’ version of One Direction. The problem with them is that their EP is soulless. All of the six tracks are David Guetta rip-offs. If they’re not channeling Usher, they do Taio Cruz or Chris Brown. Djs in clubs or even in radio may spin their songs over and over again but certainly The Wanted wouldn’t leave a mark. Out of the six tracks, ‘Chasing Sun’, the male counterpart of Britney’s Till The World Ends, and ‘Glad You Came’, the best club banger since ‘We Found Love’, are the only good tracks in the album. ‘Heart Vacancy’ is a boring and dull ballad. Other tracks are re-work of Taio Cruz’ Dynamite. The Wanted EP doesn’t offer something fresh. It’s practically just the same club music except there are 5 of them singing. 

It’s not hard to love The Wanted. ‘Glad You Came’ is an enjoying serviceable club track with a Calvin Harris-like synths and has the right touch of sexual innuendo (Stay with me, I can make/ Make you glad you came).’Chasing Sun’ is a dark slower yet sexier club track with a catchy hook ‘oh woah’ and a refresing 90’s chorus (When the daylight’s fading/ We’re gonna play in the dark…)

This EP is as fleeting as the boyband .  One thing is for sure: One Direction’s throne isn’t at stake. And my advice to these boys: “Strike while ‘Glad You Came’ is hot”. 

Suggestion: Glad You Came, Chasing Sun

4 out of 10

// Madonna - MDNA Album Review//

The most underlining statement of Madonna’s new album is ‘retiring is still not an option’. That’s either because she is the most devoted artist of all time in terms of working her ass off in the studio or her obvious lack of talent is still an hindrance to her vision of lifetime success and legacy to pop music. It’s either both or neither of the two. Only the Queen knows. MDNA is Madonna’s twelfth album where she works again with her former producer William Orbit who was responsible for her magnum opus ‘Ray Of Light’ and also works with new producer like Benassi, Demolition Crew, and Solveig who produced her lead single ‘Give Me All Your Luvin’. For over decades, Madonna’s brand of music is still satisfying and rewarding in MDNA, a collection of reworks of Madonna songs from her debut album to Confessions on the Dance Floor. 

The Act of Contrition in ‘Girl Gone Wild’ sets up the album’s tone and what are you in for in MDNA. The carnal opener ‘Girl Gone Wild’ sounds like a raunchier remix version of Sorry and Hung Up and its video is her ‘gayest’ in years. The dark tone of the album is the best shown in the Orbit produced ‘Gang Bang’, the best track of the album. It’s a 5 minutes plus track of a thrilling hell ride where she lets her lover drive a car and shoots him and leaves us with the memorable line “If you’re gonna act like a bitch, you’re gonna die like a bitch”. If Madonna wants Tarantino to direct it, then bring it on! Expect for a Western-Spaghetti style of a music video or Gosling’s Drive. In ‘I’m Addicted’, Madonna commands herself to dance over an electroclash beat while rhyming MDMA to MDNA. The result is an excellent pleasurable club track that will carry and exhaust you in the dance floor and could have been a good lead single since it captures the core of MDNA. Hooks are more fun in songs that could have been better if her daughter or Selena Gomez did sing it like Turn Up The Radio, a reheated leftover from her 80’s album,  ’Give Me All Your Luvin’,its ‘L-U-V’ hook and Superstar’s ‘Oh-la-la hook’, a cute ode to her daughter where she compares her to Marlon Brando.Unfortunately Madonna’s rants in American Life weren’t over, she extends it in her ghetto track ‘I Don’t Give A’, where Nicki Minaj raps the way she rap in Aguilera’s Woohoo. The only good thing of the track is the Gregorian chant hook but didn’t Gaga do it better in her epic ‘Bloody Mary’? Sorry, Madge! But if you think Gaga’s Judas or Bloody Mary was sacrilegious and offensive, wait until you hear Madge’s ‘I’m A Sinner’ where she calls Mary and other saints over a Ray of Light beat. ‘Some Girls’ and the first part of ‘Love Spent’ is as forgettable as her songs in ‘Hard Candy’. MDNA wouldn’t end without ballads. The Golden-Globe award winning ‘Masterpiece’ and ‘Falling Free’ are satisfying ballads where Madonna evokes her persona in ‘Ray of Light and she excels again.

Madonna knows and plays the game in MDNA. Production-wise, it’s Madonna at its best again. Lyrically, MDNA is obviously deep. It’s a personal record hide in a disco beat. Unfortunately, no songs in MDNA is single worthy like her last hits Hung Up and Sorry and obviously, MDNA is not par with ‘Ray of Light’ or ‘Confessions on the Dance Floor’, but it is a better pop album than any pop album out there now.

MDNA comes off as a redemption to her previous disappointing effort ‘Hard Candy’ than a fully formed comeback album. But MDNA is a drug-worth taking, trust me! It’s hypnotic like MDMA.

Suggestion: Gang Bang, I’m Addicted, Masterpiece, Falling Free and Girl Gone Wild.

7.5 out of 10

// One Direction - Up All Night Album Review//

Can these boys really sing? That may be the first question that came up to your mind when you first heard of One Direction. Before they became an international sensation, these boys auditioned solo for X Factor UK. Yes, you heard it, they auditioned in front of Simon Cowell. Then eventually, they were formed into a group named One Direction. They placed third at the end of the season. To make the story short, these boys can really sing. If you still don’t believe it, you can search their solo audition clips in Youtube or just watch their One Thing acoustic version. 

On their debut album ‘Up All Night’, Liam, Harry, Zayn, Louis and Niall explores themes of young love and heartbreak. The album’s structure is simple:a dance pop song then a ballad.

The album starts with the international smash hit ‘What Makes You Beautiful’, the best track of the album that definitely will be a classic boy band song. The next track is ‘Gotta Be You’ which is clearly the second single in order to drive away questions of the boys’ talents. Then, the I Want It That Way rip-off ‘One Thing’, one of the best tracks of the album, comes next that calls for lots of jumping in concerts. Its pre-bridge ‘oh woah’ hook is very similar to ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ pre-bridge ‘na na na’ hook. Another single-worthy track here is the title track that name checks Katy Perry as the undefeated queen of radio and even sounds like a remix of Perry’s Hummingbird Heartbeat and Last Friday Night. ‘It’s like we’re livin in like fast forward’ is ‘You make me feel like I’m losing my virginity’. But its post-chorus hook ‘up all night like this all night’ is the catchiest hook of the album. ‘Everything About You’ that sounds The Wanted ‘Glad You Came’ in verses and M2M’s Everything You Do in chorus is also single-worthy track. ‘Tell Me A Lie’ is Kelly Clarkson. ‘More Than This’ and ‘Some Mistakes’ ballads sound The Script but more than enough to showcase their vocal talent.The most different track in the album is the piano driven ballad ‘I Want’. While, the best ballad of the album goes to ‘Taken’, the guitar driven song which recalls Fergie’s Big Girl Don’t Cry or Skyscraper. The Red-One aided ‘Save You Tonight’ has the most soaring chorus of the album. But Up All Night ends with the disappointing uncredited ‘Dynamite’ sampled ‘Stole My Heart, the most dull and boring track. Its good bridge can’t even rescue this track.

Up All Night is familiar and formulaic but definitely succeeds as a teenager must-have instant classic. It has the right ingredients to be: good looking boys with wholesome image, cute styling, right amount of talent, young love pop anthems and charisma that soars higher than the Empire State. This is an album better than any Bieber album. Sorry Bieber but these boys will give you a run for the money. They look more clean, fun, carefree and obviously, not-trying hard. As of their singing, Liam Payne and Zayn Malik are the best vocalists of the group. 

Up All Night establishes One Direction as an international sensation and reworks the concept of boy band in an era full of divas singing about clubbing. One Direction need not to worry on critics saying their album is ‘commercial, familiar and manufactured’. Even if most of this are partly true but what did Up All Night achieve is an empire of tween fans who will surely be singing their hearts out in every One Direction concerts. And that is more important than what critics say.

If Adele conquered the world with her heartbreak album ‘21’, prepare for another British invasion! Expect for more One Direction in the future.

Suggestion: What Makes You Beautiful, One Thing, Up All Night, Taken and I Want 

7 out of 10