New Video : Mila J

Mila J may be more known as Jhene's sister or Trey Songz's new girl but she is also a talented artist as she aims to prove in her new video My Main. 
In the video, Mila pays homage to the classic movie Coyote Ugly as she dances on a bar with her friends. Although there could have been a bit more effort in capturing the essence of the movie like Iggy did with Clueless, Mila looks amazing and dances really well so that can be forgiven.

New Video : Tinashe

As the release of her debut album quickly approaches (and a review will be up by Sunday), Tinashe  is creating a buzz with her new single featuring A$AP Rocky, Pretend. 
The video just dropped today and it's a good 'un. Tinashe and A$AP play the role of friends who look at each other longingly (they are secretly in love) while T pretends she is in love with her boo. It may sound like a silly plot but it is played out well with some artistic shots and some entertaining scenes, it really fits with the song which is always a bonus.
I won't ruin the ending but it does take a dark and surprising turn, showcasing Tinashe's talent not just as a singer but as an well-rounded artist.

New Music : Fergie

It has been years since Fergie blessed us with new music since she has been busy having a baby and all that good stuff. But she is back with a new song titled L.A Love produced by hit-maker DJ Mustard.
When I first heard the snippets last week I was not excited at all because the chorus is extremely cliche and uninspiring. However, the beat and production on the verses and hook is quite strong and makes the chorus far less weak when in context of the whole song.
I know that Fergie can do better but as a comeback single it is promising and I have a feeling it will grow on me with time.

New Music : Jessie J

Jessie J burst back onto the music scene this year with her huge hit Bang Bang alongside two other female superstars, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj.
Now Jessie has dropped another single, Burnin' Up, featuring rapper 2 Chainz and to say that it is a different sound for Jessie is an understatement.
The energetic dance number has all the classic Jessie vocal elements but it takes a slightly sexier and more urban turn than usual.
I was unsure of this new style for Jessie and the song itself lacks strong production or lyrics which makes it a bit of a disappointment as a follow up to Bang Bang.

September Music | The Veronicas, Tinashe, Pia Mia and Esmee Denters

Esmee Denters - If I Could I Would

A young vocalist discovered on Youtube by a successful male singer and signed to a major record label. Esmee's story may have started much like Justin Beiber's but it didn't lead to as big a career in the music industry and after one album and a couple of singles Esmee disappeared from the limelight. 

I was never quite sure why things didn't work out for her because she certainly had the voice, the star power of Justin Timberlake behind her and some great music. Hopefully, this time round Esmee will get it right and her new single If I Could I Would is a strong start.

The Veronicas - You Ruin Me

Another musical comeback this month courtesy of Australian twins, The Veronicas and their stunning new ballad You Ruin Me.

I was a huge fan of these girls a few years ago and they have had massive success in their home country and a little overseas in America too. But this may be the song to bring them worldwide acknowledgement as this gritty and vocally strong track is a true emotional power ballad with lyrical genius.

Tinashe feat, A$AP Rocky - Pretend

Tinashe is following up her successful club hit 2 On with this pretty R'n'B ballad and it's a great choice. The vocals are really strong and the lyrics and sentiment behind the song is something most of us can relate and it's quite a heartfelt song. 

I even enjoyed the brief verse from disappearing rapper A$AP Rocky.

Pia Mia feat. Austin Mahone - Fill Me In

A song that sounds all too familiar but never gets old. Fill Me In, originally sung by Craig David, has always been a great song but this new version sung by Pia Mia and Austin Mahone is just as good as the original. Pia sounds great as always and I love the fact that she has chosen to update this song which is lesser known overseas.

September Videos : J-Lo, Chris Brown and much more

Since I have been awol all month and unable to comment on new releases, I have decided to play catch up and post some of this months biggest new music videos just in case you had also been living under a rock.

J-Lo featuring Iggy Azalea - Booty

Not surprising that two of the most bootylicious female artists of our time have joined forces for a song titled Booty and created one of the most sexually driven music videos in a while.

I usually love Hype Williams directed videos but this one is just blah. It is literally Jennifer and Iggy oiled up in dimly lit settings, wearing swimsuits, writhing around and touching one another and shaking their butts - nothing creative or innovative to see here.

They do look gorgeous though and the song is fun, if not a little tired halfway through.

Chris Brown featuring Ariana Grande - Don't Be Gone Too Long

The long-awaited collab of the R'n'B vocalists Chris Brown and Ariana Grande finally dropped and brought with it a video also directed by Chris Brown. The concept is a medieval setting where Chris and Ariana are lovers but Ariana is kidnapped and Chris imprisoned (a bit too true to life) until he eventually breaks free and rescues his girl. 

The fairytale-esque video does, in some strange way, fit well with the song and it's always nice to see a video with a plot and some acting involved.

Elle Varner feat. A$AP Ferg - Don't Wanna Dance

I adore Elle Varner and this is a current favourite song of mine so I was very excited to hear that a video had dropped. It is quite a simple, laid-back video with an appearance from featured rapper A$AP Ferg and a very hot love interest for Elle. I love the look and feel of the video in its simplicity but there could have been a stronger storyline with more consistency as I really didn't follow it all the way through.

Jhene Aiko - The Pressure

I already expressed my views on this song in my Jhene Aiko album review a couple of weeks ago but just to reiterate, I am a fan. I love this laid-back, chilled vibe that this song exudes and is matched in this stripped back video. There is no fancy lighting or camera effects and it works well with the image that Jhene has created for herself in her music.

I do admit though, that I am not feeling her blonde braids and is really hardens her look.

New Video: August and Nicki

It's been a while but I'm back...kind of.
There have been a lot of great video and music releases since my hiatus three weeks ago and one of the more recent ones is the video for August Alsina's new single No Love featuring Nicki Minaj.
I love an R'n'B music video with a bit of acting, and the chemistry between August and Nicki is so cute, if not a little enviable.
The song itself is great and it helps that the video is a cute love story with a bit of drama, nothing too flashy or over the top.

Album Review | Chris Brown : X

After what feels like years of waiting and date push backs, Chris Brown has finally released his hotly anticipated sixth studio album, X. The album already has a string of hugely successful singles and a lot of buzz surrounding it and, with a track list of 21 and a ton of features, it looks set be a massive hit. Here is a little break-down of each track based on my opinion after a couple of listens.

X
The title track and possible future single which I already wrote a little review of a few weeks ago when it leaked. At first, I was skeptical of this strong dance sound that Chris was going for after a string of heavily r'n'b influenced tracks prior to this song. However, it has definitely grown on me and, although it may have been better suited for another artist, I like the message that Chris shares on this song as it stands very true to his life.

Add Me In
There is something instantly captivating about the production of this song which had me hooked from the start. It reminds me of old school Michael Jackson but still very modern, a sound that only Chris Brown could work. I can picture a music video and dance performances which makes me want this to be a single though I doubt it will.
This is a favourite of mine and had me really excited for the rest of the album.

Loyal feat. Lil Wayne and Tyga
A song that everyone already knows as it is probably Chris' biggest hit to date, and rightfully so, with it's catchy hook and beat. Unfortunately, I think this is the strongest, and my favourite, song on the album which doesn't bode too well when it has been released as the debut single months ago. This was the sound I was looking forward to hearing from Chris and the expectations were set high with this as the lead single.

New Flame feat. Usher
Another single and track that I have reviewed a little already but it has since grown on me too, not that I wasn't a fan after the first listen. A Chris and Usher collaboration was well overdue what with them being the biggest-selling and most popular R'n'B artists of this generation, and two of the best male performers in music.
This track is a really nice change for Chris with a lot more softness and vulnerability, lyrically and vocally, that reminds me of the With You era.

Song on 12 Play feat. Trey Songz
This song is exactly what you would expect from a Chris and Trey collaboration which was a bit disappointing. There's no surprises and it just sounds like any song you would find on a Trey Songz album

101 (Interlude)
This track annoyed me because it had the potential to be great if only it was a full song and not a 1 minute interlude.

Drown In It feat. R. Kelly
This was the biggest let down on the album and my least favourite song for two simple reasons. The first is that I am not an R.Kelly fan anymore - he is irrelevant, creepy, and quite frankly, needs to stick behind the scenes from now on. So his appearance on this song was not for my personal taste.
Secondly, the content in this song, lyrically, is just way too forthright and downright nasty. There is an art to making a good slow jam which Trey Songz has mastered, and that includes subtlety.
I am no prude but there is simply no interest or attraction to a song that explicitly discusses sex in a less than artistic or playful way.

Came To Do feat. Akon
Akon ?! Chris just seems to be throwing in features for the fun of it at this point. Akon is as irrelevant and unnecessary on this song as he is in the 2014 music industry.
As for the song itself, it is presented as a part two for Loyal with the exact same intro and a very similar song format but it certainly isn't as good. It feels like Chris got a bit lazy with this song and it is just another unnecessary and skippable album track.

Stereotype
The production on this song is probably at its best here; however, the song lacks in creativity lyrically and the hook can either be catchy annoying - for me it's the latter.
Stereotype hasn't definitely grown on me the most since my first listen though and this is the turning point of the album where the quality goes up quite dramatically for the most part.

Time for Love
A really nice, upbeat song that has a throwback feel like Add Me In and Fine China but with less of an MJ copy. It is certainly catchy and changes the pace of the album as the first track that ticks all the boxes in terms of lyrics, production and vocals.

Lady in a Glass Dress (Interlude)
Do not see the point in this interlude in all honesty. Unlike the other, it doesn't really grab my attention as a potential full length song, it just sits in the middle of the album unnecessarily.

Autumn Leaves feat. Kendrick Lamar
By far a firm album favourite of mine is this stunning song. It is one of the most meaningful and poignant songs Chris has produced in a while and it is greatly welcome at this point on the album. Kendrick, as usual, adds a haunting and show stealing verse making his feature on the album one of the few that actually brings something to the song.
It's also worth mentioning that this is the first song on the album where I noticed that Chris is still one of the strongest male vocalists in the game; a fact that often gets overlooked.

Do Better feat. Brandy
It took me a while to like this song because it didn't catch my attention on the first listen and then continued to feel bland upon a second and third play. However, I can always appreciate a bit of Brandy and always embrace the softer side of Chris Brown so it has started to grow on me.

See You Around
A different sound for Chris and I can't say I am a fan as this song falls completely flat and left me uninspired. It doesn't belong on the album, the lyrics are basic and it really brings down the latter half of the album which had been quite consistent up until this point.

Don't Be Gone Too Long feat. Ariana Grande
Sounds very similiar to something that Will.I.Am would record which made me look into whether he may have produced it. The hotly anticipated Ariana and Chris collaboration but where is Ariana?
Well if you compare this track to the one used in the recently dropped music video it becomes obvious that this is a different version.
Not sure why Chris chose to leave Ariana off the album as she brings great vocals to her version and, in my opinion, strengthens the track.
Aside from that, it is a decent song and undeniably catchy but plays very much into the commercial sound which can sometimes be a bit of miss for some fans.

Body Shots
My least favourite track on the album for a collection of reasons and the primary one is that this doesn't belong on the album at all. It feels so out of place and unlike Chris Brown, that I almost immediately had to the skip the track.
The production is cheap and dated and like almost every other dance track when it comes to the drop which, by the way, is what really destroys the song because up until 1:20 it had potential.

Drunk Texting feat. Jhene Aiko
A perfect collaboration for two of music brightest current stars and strongest vocalists. This song may not have the depth and beauty that Jhene brings on her debut album but it is still quite atmospheric and reminds me of those old school R'n'B male/female collaborations.
I almost don't mind that the entire song is about texting an ex when you're drunk because the vocals and melody and are on point.

Lost In Ya Love
Another album highlight and the song I feel should have closed out the album instead of Fine China because it rounds off the album perfectly. Chris showcases his vocals on the chorus, the content is sweet, the production is strong and, once again, this song has a throwback feel that is perfect to just jam to. You will definitely have this song stuck in your head once you have finished playing the album.

Love More feat. Nicki Minaj
One we have all heard before as a successful single and huge club hit for obvious reasons. For some reason, I get glimpses of Run It and other early Chris hits when I hear this song which is always a positive.
Nicki, of course, brings it on her short verse and makes this the perfect mainstream R'n'B/pop song.

Don't Think They Know feat. Aaliyah
I am pleasantly surprised that this song made it onto the album after all the backlash it received and the fact it didn't achieve as big a mainstream success as Chris probably hoped for. But, I was always a fan of this song and so I am happy to see it made the cut.
Aaliyah sounds hauntingly beautiful on the song and I love the meaning behind the song, once again showcasing a vulnerable side to Chris which often gets forgotten.

Fine China
Personally, I don't think this song should have closed out the album because it was released months ago and it is such a strong track that it should have followed Loyal.
I prefer for album closers to be a little more understated and conclusive whereas, Fine China is so full of energy that it leaves me wanting more. Having said that, this song brought be back to 2008 Chris with his youth, innocence and obvious MJ-inspired sounds.

All in all, I applaud the hard-work that goes into a 21 track album that was able to produce at least four smash hit singles, but I can't deny that I was a little disappointed with the final product. I probably set my expectations way too high after being a massive fan of Love More, Fine China and Loyal so I had a preconceived idea of what I was going to hear.
Unfortunately, when you have a 21 song long track list, it is unlikely that every song is going to be great or consistent and that was the case with X. There are a lot of brilliant moments on this album such as Autumn Leaves, Lost in Ya Love and Time For Love but they get lost amongst some of the irrelevant fluff like Body Shots and See You Around. 
I believe this could have been an almost perfect album if Chris had opted for quality over quantity and cut out five or six of the songs that fell flat for me.
This album is still worth a listen and even buying as long as you are willing to traipse through some below average songs to find the excellent ones.
Rating : 3/5

Album Review | Jhene Aiko : Souled Out

Jhene Aiko has been buzzing for well over a year now thanks to her many collaborations with Drake and amazing EP's. Now she finally has a full studio album and as a debut piece of work, it is really impressive.

If you are familiar with Jhene's work then you know what to expect from this album - minimalism, honesty and angelic vocals. But there is so much more to her album than you could have anticipated. There is a real journey and real emotions presented in each song which, you can tell, has been hand-picked and carefully executed by Jhene to create a solid and fluid debut album.

The album opens with Limbo, Limbo, Limbo confirming that this album will fulfil all expectations and deliver everything that makes Jhene so special in an era of often shallow and repetitive music.
There are many songs that remind me of Jhene's EP's and earlier music such as the soulful Spotless Mind and Lyin' King but there are also moments of growth like the laid-back Wading. Not to mention the lyrical content that Jhene drops on songs such as To Love and Die which has already made the rounds on blogs for the past couple of weeks. It is definitely one of my favourites on the album with its heavy bass and poetic lyrics, it really captures the essence of Jhene at her best.

As for the second half of the album, it only seems to get better and continue to deliver a feeling of relaxation, calm and heartfelt emotion. The Pressure, which now has a music video to accompany it, is a really soothing and soulful moment leading perfectly into Brave - another highlight for me.
Jhene opts to close out the record with a freestyle called Pretty Bird which has some interesting musical elements that make it noticeably different from the rest of the album and also includes a notable appearance from Common.

But the undoubted stand-out track for me is Promises which is a truly moving song that features Jhene's five year old daughter. Jhene spoke on the song recently and explained that it is a song for both her daughter and her brother who passed away two years ago. The song is so honest and filled with depth and emotion that it is hard to listen to without feeling some kind of way but the melody and production make it more uplifting and inspirational rather than depressing.

Jhene has courageously opted for only two collaborations and very little promotion in preparation for this album but the music speaks for itself. I am so happy for Jhene after being a fan for so long and waiting almost two years for this album, and luckily she hasn't let me down.
Rating - 4.5/5