Mariah Carey- "Touch My Body" (Music Video)

The highly anticipated music video for Pop/R&B diva Mariah Carey's newest single, "Touch My Body" has been released. Accomplished video/film/TV director Brett Ratner reigns as director and concocts a surprisingly playful approach to the sensual song. Carey looks stunning as ever, and does a remarkable job of delivering on the video's good-humor premise. The video features a co-starring appearance from Jack McBrayer of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby fame. McBrayer emphatically delivers in his nerdy role, and interacts with Carey exceptionally.

With its refreshing concept and undeniable humor, the clip for "Touch My Body" brings an instant spark plug shock to the catchy, yet ultimately monotonous song. (Click to read review of "Touch My Body") Carey and Ratner continue their illustrious winning combination making "Touch My Body" Carey's most creative video since 1999's "Heartbreaker."

Mariah Carey- "Touch My Body"
© 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey





--Quinton

* Q's Picks* America's Next Top Model Cycle 10

America's Next Top Model reached a new milestone as its tenth season (aka cycles) premiered last Wednesday night on The CW. While the show has yet to have produced a winner equivalent to the show's namesake, ANTM's insight into the various facets of the world of modeling makes it one of the more intriguing "reality" shows on television. Cycle ten's model hopefuls rank among the show's most eclectic selection ever, and there are a handful of girls who may successfully break into the world of modeling.


Q's Picks for ANTM Cycle 10

Anya

This stunning 19 year old from Honolulu, Hawaii undoubtedly posses a high fashion look. With a striking beauty similar to Ann, (Cycle 3) Anya has the looks to book work; whether she wins the competition or not.



Fatima



Born in the country of Somalia, the 22 year old Fatima has lived in the U.S. for seven years. She has a heart-wrenching background, (female circumcision) but her stunning, undeniable features make her an instant forerunner.



Katarzyna



The 22 year old Katarzyna was born in Poland. This ethnicity has bestowed her with a ravishing sexy/high fashion look. Combined with her apparent intelligence, (finance background) Katarzyna has the potential to perform extremely well in the competition.



Claire (Wild card)



Undeniably intriguing, Claire, the 24 year old New Yorker, seems to possess a subtle confidence. Her unique look is reminiscent of cycle four winner, Naima. Full of potential edginess, Claire could be a dark horse in the competition.





--Quinton

Nicole Scherzinger- "Happily Never After"

"Happily Never After" is set to be the fourth official single release from pop singer Nicole Scherzinger's debut album, Her Name Is Nicole. Originally an unreleased song slated for The Backstreet Boys' album, Unbreakable, "Happily Never After" was written and produced by R&B extraordinaire, Ne-Yo, with Shea Taylor sharing songwriting credits. The empowering ballad paints a vivid portrait of rising from a scorned love. Vocally, Scherzinger sounds beautiful, but ultimately falls short of possessing the amount of amplitude needed for the splendidly written and produced song; turning the overall product disappointingly ordinary.

With her previous singles ("Whatever U Like," "Baby Love," and "Puakenikeni") failing to make an impact on the Billboard music charts and U.S. radio, the impending release of "Happily Never After" may seem puzzling. Scherzinger has been confirmed to be working full-time with the group she fronts, The Pussycat Dolls, on a follow-up to their multi-platinum international smash debut, PCD, and the status of Scherzinger's Her Name Is Nicole has been placed in limbo with no current release date available.



Listen: Nicole Scherzinger- "Happily Never After"
(Due to limited bandwidth, please only play the song no more than 2 times max. Thank you.)


© Interscope/A&M Records





--Quinton

Danity Kane Sings Solo for Diddy

On this week's episode of Making the Band 4, (MTV Monday's at 10 pm ET/PT) along with relationship tribulations, (i.e. Aubrey and Donnie) Day26 and Donnie J. were put through extensive vocal training after Diddy decided to halt recording on their debut albums. Later in the episode, the girls of Danity Kane (Aubrey, Aundrea, Shannon, Dawn, and D.Woods) are featured giving Diddy a solo vocal assessment. Each member sounds amazing in this video clip and sings with abundant emotion. Partially surprising are Shannon's and Aubrey's performances; giving the fact that both members' vocals have been questioned in the past. In the end, each girl proves that they absolutely can hold their own vocally.









--Quinton

*NEW* Erykah Badu- "Telephone"

Grammy award winning artist, Erykah Badu has a new album, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) that is set to be released February 26th. The album has recently leaked, and "Telephone" is one of the tracks that are featured on the set. While the majority of New Amerykah Part One can be quite discombobulating, "Telephone" is the most subdued song on the album. With its calming, stripped down production, symbolic lyrics, and superb soulfulness, "Telephone" is classic Badu. Even at its seven minute plus length, "Telephone" is absolutely captivating.


Listen: Erykah Badu- "Telephone"
(Due to limited bandwidth, please only play the song no more than 2 times max. Thank you.)


© 2008 Motown





--Quinton

Jordin Sparks ft. Chris Brown- "No Air" (Music Video)

"No Air" marks the second single release from American Idol Season 6 winner, Jordin Sparks' 2007 self-titled debut. The Underdogs produced track teams Sparks with R&B phenom, Chris Brown. Sparks and Brown shine brightly on the beautiful rhythmic ballad. Brown displays some of his best vocals to date, while Sparks shows listeners unfamiliar with the Idol winner, that she has the chops to stand along the current batch of female pop contemporaries. With its passionate duet performance, thought-inspiring lyrics, and remarkable instrumental backdrop, "No Air" is a refreshing blast of originality to music airways.


The music video for "No Air" is ordinary, yet involving. The video does a solid job of directing out the premise of the actual song. Sparks and Brown look vibrant, and do a great job of relating; particularly in the video's final scenes.

Jordin Sparks ft. Chris Brown- "No Air"

© 2008 Zomba Label Group





--Quinton

*Q's Picks* American Idol Season 7- Top 12 Males Perform

Tuesday night, American Idol kicked off the semifinal rounds (that feature the Top 24 contestants) with the Top 12 males singing songs from the 60's. Overall, this year's males are absolutely stronger than last season's selections. While some guys managed to separate themselves from the pack, all the guys showed (or have proven in earlier auditions) that they are talented.



Best overall performance: David Archuleta

















David Archuleta gave a rousing performance of The Miracles classic "Shop Around." While he is only 17 year olds, his voice is amazingly seasoned. Looking natural on stage while displaying his wonderful vocal tone, Archuleta's performance was a highlight of the night. While his vocals may have been off in a few places, there's no denying his vocal talent and overall "X" factor. Look for Archuleta to go quite far in this competition.





Honorable Mention(s): Michael Johns, Jason Castro, Robbie Carrico

















Michael Johns closed out the show cruising through The Doors' rock anthem, "Light My Fire." The Australian born rocker certainly has a great voice, and an undeniable "it" factor. Johns' performance was dazzling, and managed to come off as the most contemporary singer of the night.





















Robbie Carrico performed the hit Three Dog Night version of "One." The former member of Boyz-N-Girlz United, (the band toured with Britney Spears in 2000) sounded superb, providing some of the finest vocals of the night. While his rocker authenticity may be in question, there's no doubting his talent.





















Jason Castro was the only male singer who took advantage of Idol's newly implanted "instruments allowed" during his performance. Castro took on the 1966 number two Billboard hit, "Daydream," originally performed by The Lovin' Spoonful. The Texas native sounded quite appealing on this nearly acoustic take of the song. Competitively, Castro's vocals aren't in the upper echelons, but they are optimistically sufficient. Castro also posses an unique aura that may potentially end up making Castro embrace the persona of a "wild card" in the competition.







--Quinton

*NEW* Day26- "Over Now"

Day26 (Robert Curry, Willie Taylor, Brian Andrews, Qwanell "Q" Mosley, Mike McCluney) is the R&B quintet that was formed during the fourth season of MTV's popular Making The Band series. Currently, the guys can be seen on the newest season of Making the Band 4 (MTV Monday's @ 10 p.m. ET/PT, with various repeats during the week) along with platinum Pop/R&B group Danity Kane and solo artist, Donnie J.

"Over Now" is a track from Day26's upcoming self-titled debut due to be released on March 25th. The amazing ballad features the guys singing passionately over a compelling production. Band member Willie vocally breezes through the first verse and can be heard on the song's bridge that smoothly flows into the heartfelt chorus. Other Day26 members that are heard predominately are Mike, who utterly shines in the second verse and Robert, who emphatically delivers in the song's final verse.

With its firm lyrics, beautiful composition, and emotionally charged vocal delivery; "Over Now" shines intensely, and gives listeners a true glimpse into what Day26 can truly bring to the table.

Listen: Day26- "Over Now"
(Due to limited bandwidth, please only play the song no more than 2 times max. Thank you.)


© Bad Boy/Atlantic Records




--Quinton

The-Dream- "Falsetto"

"Falsetto" marks the second release from R&B triple threat (singer, songwriter, producer) The-Dream's debut album, Love Hate. Following on the heels of his debut hit, the Billboard Hot 100 Top 20 hit "Shawty is a 10," "Falsetto" is a quintessential mid-tempo entry into the world of R&B. The track features playfully creative lyrics, first-rate production, and a refreshingly unique ending structure. Vocally, the Dream sounds superb, coasting through the production while giving odes to the falsetto vocal technique in the song's inventive chorus, and ingenious breakdowns.

The music video for "Falsetto," while nicely edited, doesn't bring forth anything creative nor noteworthy to the medium; turning out to be the typical R&B video skewed towards the image of Hip-Hop. While it lacks visual gratification overall, the ordinary style does allow viewers to focus more on the exceptional song itself.

The Dream- "Falsetto"
© The Island Def Jam Music Group





--Quinton

Ferras Tells American Idol "Hollywood's Not America"

Listen: Ferras- "Hollywood's Not America"

(Due to limited bandwidth, please only play the song no more than 2 times max. Thank you.)

© EMI & Capitol Music Group

This week, the immensely popular television show American Idol is down to its final twenty-four contestants vying for the instant ticket (s) to stardom. The reality is that there will only be one "official" winner, and the other twenty-three contestants will face seeing their dreaded memoir of 'Idol' memories set to an infamous farewell song. For the past two seasons, the featured send-off songs have not only brought Idol teardrops, but have also taken over various Billboard charts. Season five's swan song featured David Powter's unforgettably poignant "Bad Day" and last season's eliminated contestants were treated to Daughtry's heartening ballad, "Home."

"Hollywood's Not America" is the song that has been chosen for this season's exits. Performed by singer/songwriter Ferras, (Ferras Alquasi) "Hollywood's Not America" follows in the pop/rock footsteps of the previous Idol farewell staples, but adds a refreshing folk twist. The song is beautifully composed, and the lyrical content is upstanding. Ferras does just enough in his assured vocals to separate himself from the Ryan Cabrera's and Gavin DeGraw's of the Pop/Rock spectrum.

Undeniably captivating, "Hollywood's Not America" is poised to become another Idol exit song ace. While it may not posses the instant hit potential of “Bad Day” or "Home," the song should be able to carve out its own satisfactory niche in today's popular music. Ferra will be an artist to keep an eye on as his debut album, Aliens & Rainbows, is scheduled for an April 1^st release.

--Quinton

*NEW* Janet Jackson ft. Missy Elliott- "The 1" (Review)

Listen: Janet Jackson ft. Missy Elliott- "The 1"
(Due to limited bandwidth, please only play the song no more than 2 times max. Thank you.)


© 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group



Janet Jackson's upcoming album, Discipline seems to be rapidly leaking over the Internet tonight. "The 1" is the sole collaboration on the Jackson album. It reunites Jackson with the ever imaginative rapper, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott. Elliott joined Jackson on one of the main remixes to her 2001 Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hit, "Son of a Gun."(I Betcha Think This Song Is About You)

"The 1" kicks off with a conspicuous rap from Elliott, and transitions effortlessly into Jackson's swift, yet comprehensible vocal delivery. The hook is truly melodic, and leads into the hypnotic chorus. Elliott's and Jackson's chemistry is unmistakable as they mingle flawlessly throughout the song.

With Jackson's boyfriend, producer extrodinaire Jermaine Dupri helming the track, the songs' production features a fantastic blend of assertive percussion; lead by dazzling drums. Instantaneously catchy, "The 1" is sure to delight fans of Jackson, and may end up grabbing the attention of some listeners who may questioned Jackson's existing relevancy in today's music industry.


Rating: 8 out of 10



--Quinton

*NEW* Janet Jackson- "Greatest X"

Here's a newly leaked song from Janet Jackson's upcoming album, Discipline (due for a February 26th U.S.A. release) entitled "Greatest X." This is a simple, but mesmerizing ballad that harkcons back to some of Jackson's greatest ballad work; making it a must listen. Discipline seems to be shaping up to feature some of Janet's best work in years.

Listen: Janet Jackson- "Greatest X"
(Due to limited bandwidth, please only play the song no more than 2 times max. Thank you.)


© 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group




--Quinton

*Review* Mariah Carey- "Touch My Body"

Listen:
(Due to limited bandwidth, please only play the song no more than 2 times max. Thank you.)

© 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey

"Touch My Body" is the lead single from Mariah Carey's upcoming eleventh studio album, E=MC² which is slated for an April 15th (U.S.A.) release. Along with Carey's songwriting and production contributions, "Touch My Body" reunites Terius Nash (aka The-Dream) and Christopher Stewart; (aka Tricky Stewart) the main team behind R&B/Pop star Rihanna's 2007 smash, "Umbrella."

"Touch My Body" continues Carey's furthering offerings in the R&B/Hip Hop genre. With its mellow production and Carey implementing a staccato vocal styling, "Touch My Body" initially comes off seemingly lethargic. In hindsight, the verses lead up to a robust melodic chorus, and a satisfying ending. Notably, there aren't any traces of Carey's signature whistle register to be found through the song; which may come off surprising to listeners and fans alike.

Ultimately, "Touch My Body" falls in between the lines of idleness, and mediocrity. While the piano driven production is pleasing, it keeps Mariah in a narrow, mundane lane. Carey has been known for outstanding first singles in the past, and while "Touch My Body" isn't atrocious, it doesn't live up to the aforementioned reputation; making it Carey's weakest album lead-off to date.

Rating: 6 out of 10

--Quinton

Update on Kevin and His Kevipod Site

I emailed Kevin directly yesterday after I found out that his new Kevipod blog and his Myspace page was deleted. I received a response back from Kevin, and this is what the email stated:

Hey Quinton,

Yeah, i was the one who deleted my new URL and Myspace site. I don't want to give really any details i just will say that something "serious" happened to me yesterday. For that reason, i deleted all the sites related to "Kevipod". I'm afraid i won't be able to comeback to the blog business for REAL REAL long time.

I'm currently working on sending emails to all my visitors to tell them the exact thing i'm telling you now.

kev.


Here is the response back that I sent:

Hey Kev. Thanks for the reply. I'm so sorry to hear that. :-( I can understand why you would delete the sites since something serious happened. I'm guessing it's because of the record labels. I wish they would just leave you alone. They can't seem to grasp the fact that you were promoting artist, not trying to do anything illegal. I know for myself (and countless others) that your blog, from time to time, exposed me to new artists that I would have never known about.

I secured your kevgossip blogspot after all the craziness went down because I didn't want anyone taking it away from you. I made a post about what happened to keep your long time visitors informed since we know that the purpose of the kevgossip site was a place to keep informed in the event your music blog was ever deleted.

I will update that blogspot to let visitors know what's going on. I hope that you will be back to blogging someday. You have thousands of people who respected and loved what you did. I hope this situation you are in passes, and that everything will be alright. Keep in touch.



--Quinton

*Must See* America's Next Top Model Is...

It's Tyra Banks fools! Don't believe it? Watch the video below from You Tube User: Gloostikk. This video was ingeniously edited, which results in one of the funniest videos I've ever come across. It's must see!




Tyra Wins ANTM



--Quinton

*Leaked* Ashanti- "The Way I Love You" Music Video

Here's the apparent leak of Ashanti's video for "The Way I Love You," the lead single off her upcoming album, The Declaration. "The Way I Love You" is an assertive, and melodic tune, and the video manages to portray the lyrical content of the song to the highest degree. With it's impressive cinematography and subtle shock value, the video for "The Way I Love You" sets a new standard for Ashanti; managing to become her best video yet.


--Quinton

Ashanti - "The Way I Love You"

A Sad Day. Kevipod's Music Blog Shut Down. New Kevipod Site Now Up.

This came as a big shock to me as I'm sure it did to thousands of music lovers who frequented Kevipod's site. "RUMOR" has it that Kevin's site was apparently shut down sometime last night after Kevin posted a leak of Mariah Cary's upcoming single, "Touch My Body." Mariah's label received information on the leak. The rest, is what you call history. :-( Blogspot deleted Kevipodmusic. This wasn't Kevin's first warning, as he had amassed multiple warnings as his music blog continued to reach new heights in popularity.

Shorty after Kevin's music blog was deleted by Blogspot, some user registered the newly available URL into their account. So (as of this instance) if you visit http://kevipodmusic.blogspot.com, it is NOT Kevin who is in control of it. Kevin has created a new blog, but it's status at this moment is in limbo. Kevin is sadden by the loss of kevipodmusic, and upset at the user who has claimed the URL.

Personally, I hope that Kevin doesn't give up on blogging, as I have enjoyed his blog postings for over a couple of years now. Keep your head up Kev!


--Quinton