The Week In Deals

DING DING DING, NEXT STOP BARGAIN CENTRAL! Here is the first installment of your weekly musical bargains, all of the above sourced from Amazon.co.uk!

The latest offerings from Gorillaz and the sadly flopping Robyn both come in at under a fiver and whilst I can't speak for 'Plastic Beach', 'Body TalK Pt. 1' is most DEFINATELY an album to pick up, especially at this cut-down price! Check out 'Dancing On My Own' and 'Hang With Me' for a taster of what the Swedish popstrel has to offer.

Next up, Meloy Gardot's 'Worrisome Heart', which also comes in at a super reasonable £3.99 You might have to take my word for it, but her voice is like having honey poured in your ears (or what I imagine that would feel like, perhaps I'll give it a go later on and report back) and she should by no means be labelled a Winehouse clone like how so many of the 60's renaissance acts we've seen in recent years have been (Apolz Duffy, I still love 'Mercy').

Lastly, two albums which have been gradually going down and down and down in price but which are finally at a 'CAN'T MISS' stage for pop lovers. P!nk's 2008 'Funhouse' disc has been knocking around for a while now, but if you haven't already picked it up, you really have to. The well-known singles are nestled nicely inbetween some stunning album tracks and P!nk's rockstar attitude throughout makes me for a totally enjoyable experience.

'Ocean Eyes' by Owl City may be more of a 'love it or hate it' affair. I've seen the album labelled as very 'samey' and linear, however I'd argue that sole vocalist Adam Young's wistful lyrics combined with the upbeat electro-pop lite production combine to create an album that can perhaps only be described as very 'cute'. It's warm, it's fluffy, but it's by no means ashamed of it. Perhaps give it one a listen before you pick it up if you're not sure, especially check out 'The Saltwater Room', 'Umbrella Beach' and of course 'Fireflies'.

That's all for now, but check back for some more bargains verrrrry soon! : )

A x

Popislife Recommended Remix: Lady GaGa - 'ALEJANDRO' (Sound Of Arrows Remix)

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GaGa fanatics will most likely be already well-aquainted with the fantastic 'Sound Of Arrows' reswizzle of the Lady's most recent smash, but for those who missed out on it's inclusion on Lady GaGa's remix compilation (the inventively titled 'The Remix') which was released earlier this year, I recommend you check out the Swedish electro group's take on the song. The usually sombre 'Alejandro' is instantly transformed into an uplifting slice of electro-pop, perfect for whacking a smile on your face.

A x

Popislife: Recommended Remixes

The concept of the 'remix is a funny thing. Essentially it defines stripiing away already established bits of a song and replacing them with others to transform the song into something totally different. I can admit to being pretty fickle when it come to remixes, sometimes I think when I hear them 'JUST PLAY THE NORMAL SONG YOU TWAT' and others I get totally obsessed with, but let's be honest here, how many remixes can we all actually think of that best the original incarnation?

Nevertheless, I'm currently experiencing something of a remix renaissance, perhaps due to the current drout of new music from popislife faves BritBrit and Lady G and am investigating the clutch of officially comissioned singles remixes and the fanmade remixes wanged onto the interweb, both of which have brought some amazing results which I will start to post about as soon as possible! There is hope for me yet remix aficionados so prepare for my all new section of updates, 'Popislife Recommended Remixes' to appear soon :)

Crackin'

A x

APOLZ

Once again I've been absent for far too long! Months! I had a lot of work to do recently and have just moved into my Uni halls SO I thought what better a time to make a few a posts and keep the blog alive? More posts shortly on what to expect ;)

A x

BRITNEY'S TELEPHONE LEAKS! HORDES OF BRITNEY FANS IMPLODE

Late last night, what many Britney Spears fans considered to the Holy Grail of Spears-related music was leaked online, the Lady GaGa penned 'Telephone' demo originally offered to her for use on her 'Circus' album but which was passed on and ended up on Lady GaGa's 'The Fame Monster'.

Whilst the original leak is more than a little scrappy -with parts not actually resembling Britney and with such a level of random vocoder that you'd think Darkchild kept nodding off at the mixing decks, causing him to land face first on the autotune button- the ever-faithful Britney fans have remastered the leak (which, by the way, was being offered for a STAGGERING 750 DOLLARS on a site which should know better) into something a little bit wonderful.

Below is the original leak and below THAT one is an example of a hardworking Britney fan's remastering. A further example of a cool little edit involves using the answerphone message from the 'Oops' album and putting it into the intro!

Original/NOT SO GOOD ACTUALLY

Remaster/ACTUALLY VERY GOOD!

It's a little unfair given the demo state of Britney's, but which do we think is better? GaGa's or Britney's?

A x

More GaGa snippet leakage! GaGa - 'Super Star'

It's seems it's a good weekend for GaGa fans, and an even better one for snippet fans! Whilst a clip of 'Then You Love Me' was released yesterday, the full track has yet to emerge, but what HAS is another clip of a different song entitled 'Super Star' and alledgedly produced by Darkchild. Now whilst the superproducer was responisble for the 3 minutes and 41 seconds of bliss that is 'Telephone', this clip is certainly lacking it's magic and I wouldn't expect this to make any new official release any time soon! Either way, new GaGa is new GaGa so check out the clip 'Super Star' below!

ALSO The full track is currently being held back by a website for the princely sum of 250 dollars which no doubt some desperate GaGa fan will shell out for! Disgraceful!

CLIP 1

A x

Beyonce Asks World 'Why Don't You Love Me?' - World Replies 'Because This Is The 50th Single From This Album'

Despite various rumours of taking a break from the music biz and settling down to have a Jayonce style family, Beyonce is proving to be pop's equivalent of a boomerang, a boomerang which is constantly worried about whether it's switched the gas off at home and has to keep coming back to 'Check On It' (See what I did there?eh?eh? DO YOU?!)

Nevertheless, Beyonce's legions of fans will no doubt be delighted at the fact that the 'Yonce has decided to release the 70's infused 'Why Don't You Love?' as the NINTH single from her 'I Am Sasha Fierce' CD, even releasing a teaser clip of the upcoming video for it. CHECK IT OUT BELOW!

In the clip, a 50's style Beyonce -accompanied by some cartoony 50's music the like of which you probably last saw in a Warner Bros. cartoon- is shown attempting to fix her broken down car, before walking across the screen carrying a board reading 'Why Dont You Love Me?' Whilst the thirty second teaser features none of the actual song, we're pretty sure that board kinda' gives it away.

What do we think? Is Beyoyo milking this era for all it's worth? Had enough of Honey B? Or is she just being very generous to her fans?

A x

This Week In Bargains!

I've been quite surprised this week at several very bargainous CD offers in and around the UK, both on and offline. So if you don't fancy shopping around, I've done it for you. LOVELY.

FIRSTLY if you are unaccustomed to the brilliant 'Two for £10' deal in UK entertainment
retailer HMV on selected CD's then here are a newly added selection of CD's added to the deal this week, including some brilliant (presumably slightly underperforming) releases from only a few months ago! ANY TWO OF THESE FOR £10 PEOPLE!

Now, at least two of these are essential purchases (OH HERRO 'RATED R' AND 'THE E.N.D') and Ellie Goulding's 'Lights' and Timbaland's 'Shock Value II' both have a good ratio of good songs which overweigh the shit so this is an amazing offer for pop fans! Pleas note that GaGa's 'The Fame' is also in the offer, but DOES NOT include the 'The Fame Monster' disc. GaGa's 'The Fame Monster' is worth a purchase on it's own so if you don't have it, go for that one.

LOOK OUT FOR MORE BARGAINS TO COME! (WHEN I REMEMBER WHAT THE OTHER ONES WERE)

A x

New GaGa song snippet released- 'Then You Love Me'

Lady GaGa is already hard at work making some 'crazy' (according to Akon) tracks for album number three for a rumored late 2010 release whilst she takes her 'Monster Ball' tour around the world, but for those who simply can't wait there maaaaaaaaaay be a new GaGa leak coming your way!

A recently leaked snippet of a track titled 'Then You Love Me' has been doing the rounds on the internet this morning, accompanied of course with everyones favourite radio tags...CHILL WHAT IT DO?

The snippet may be currently overloaded with so many stupid ass shout outs that notorious leaker Burim may as well have a 'featuring' credit but if he's following his usual routine of 'snippet' then 'full yet tagged version' and then eventually 'full untagged song' we may have a new GaGa song within our reaches before the weekend's out! NICE.

A x

A Very Good Avril Song From Avril. Yep.

What with Tim Burton's incarnation of the much-loved book currently showing in cinemas worldwide, Wonderland is something of a big theme right now. And what better way to get in the mood for teacup-throwing rabbits and a Johnny Depp Mad Hatter with hair more orange than the entire Weasley family combined than an Avril Lavigne track!?

NO WAIT! COME BACK! THIS IS ACTUALLY GOOD!

'Alice', the leading track from the films soundtrack, showcases a much more mature Lavigne than we have been exposed to of late, opening with the perfect creepy distorted synths and then moving on to combine a raw (at first almost a little TOO raw) vocal and a dramatic piano lead chorus which perfectly capture just what the story is about. Well done Avril.

Check out the video below!

(Sorry Weasley family)

A x

Miss Keys Readies Single Number Four!

According to many sites this week, soul songstress Alicia Keys is reportedly readying the fourth single from her UK number 1 -and genuinely very good- album 'The Element Of Freedom', having only shot the video for third single 'Put It In A Love Song' with Beyonce two weeks ago.

The appearance online of both apparently official cover art and instrumental for sultry, hypen-friendly, Drake penned mid-tempo 'Un-thinkable (I'm Ready)' this week has signified that this will be the album's next single, following on from Beyonce assisted 'Put It In A Love Song'.

PERSONALLY, I adore this track, almost harking back to the 'Diary Of' album which made me fall in love with her in the first place! The lush (and I hate the word lush so you know it's gotta' be good!) production and the genuinely emotional vocal add up to what has to be a smash!

Check out the track below, and the cover art above!

A x

How Did You Spend Your Weekend Ke$ha? Ke$ha?

'Oh you know, met some friends, went out, defaced the Hollywood sign. The usual'

According to reports, this is indeed the result of Ke$ha and friends night out, which involved hanging bedsheets over the Hollywood sign to transform it into 'Ke$hawood' with the help of some paint! I find this hard to believe, but you can check it out for yourself in this accompanying video showing her in the act!

Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBxPHUFL7_k

What do we think of 'Ke$hawood'? Real or Fake!? Either way, well done Ke$ha. This was entertaining.

A x

GaGa With Child. And GaGa looking normal!

It's a rare sight that few get to see, but last week Lady GaGa took to the streets of South Gate, CA looking positively demure! You might think Lady GaGa's idea of positively demure is possibly a little different from yours or ours, but wearing a sleeveless studded leather jacket, oversized beanie hat and simple white shirt Miss G is said to have 'molded in' with the crowds around her as she shopped with an unknown male friend and his young son, not to mention the compulsary huge bodyguard. Miss G was said to have stopped by 'Giant Dollar' for snacks and drinks before hitting a vintage clothing store.

'Giant Dollar'? 'Snacks and drinks'? Well it's nice to know that she is occasionally as human as you and me!

A x

Alicia Keys and Beyonce Rumored To Be Filming SOON

Reports stemming from a Brazilian newspaper are circulating today, claiming that Queen 'Yonce and Miss Keys will be shooting the video for their incredibly good colloboration 'Put It In A Love Song' next week, and will be hitting up Rio de Janeiro to do so!

According the newspaper 'O Dia' -which is admittedly not the most reassuring of titles in terms of reliability for English ears- Alicia will reportedly fly out to land on Monday the 8th, to meet 'Yonce and film on the 9th. Rumored outfits for the shoot include 'carnival inspired' costumes including 'Swarovski headwar'. Sounds flashy! Rumored locations for the video are said to range from a 'slum, a school and the Sambadrome, the location of the carnival parades!

This is by far my favourite track from Alicia's 'Element Of Freedom' album so I am personally overjoyed by this choice and the video -if these reports are true- will surely impress! The colloboration with The 'Yonce is only a plus!

A x

This Was A Bit Good...

The Grammy's last week were undeniably owned by Beyoyo Knowles and Taylor 'T Swizzle' Swift, but even thought Lady GaGa didn't clean up the competition in all of her five nominated categories (although claiming two in a series of awards in the pre-show) she definately made sure that she made a lasting impression on the Grammy going audience.

Yes, monacles undoubtedly dropped into numerous glasses of champagne as Lady G took to the stage to open the show in a turqouise one-piece which left little (and eventually almost nothing) to the audiences imagination, performing a combination of 'Poker Face' and 'Speechless' which slotted nicely into a piano-led version of 'Your Song' which featured none other than Elton John, who performed the duet on a double sided piano. All of this was done in classic GaGa style of course, an impressive industrial backdrop in the form of 'The Fame Factory' allowed Miss GaGa to slip in one of her usual fame led narratives, this time being sucked in by the fame machine and to be spit out covered in soot and ash for the slower piano section.

All in all, very good. Aside from THAT narrator, we could've all done without that couldn't we?

A x

Britney Cracks A Smile In New Candie's Ad - World Relieved

When the above photo from Britney's 2010 Candie's campaign surfaced in the middle of last month, the world simulteanously went 'cheer up love'. It's hard to tell whether The Britster was going for the moody pout or the constipated Aztec look in what looks to be (let's be honest here) a pretty awful printed dress. HOWEVER, we are proud/happy/relieved-that-we-wont-be-recommending-her-to-the-Samaritans-hotline to announce that at least part of the shoot features a happy and (more importantly) hairflick-y Britney Spears. And here's the proof.

Hurrah!

A x

The Sugababes new video then...

It's no secret that the lineup of the Sugababes has undergone more changes than the worlds climate and LaToya Jacksons face combined, but no such change to the group has brought with it as much controversy as the recent booting of longtime member Keisha Buchanan in favour of leggy brunette Jade Ewen.

But with the success of their first single as the re-re-re-designed threepiece 'About A Girl' in Autumn last year, is it safe to say that the group have (once again) survived the turbulence caused by initially disgruntled fans? With a pushed back album and only one single in the proverbial can, the only possible answer anyone can give is a maybe. And so, here is the bands next promo clip for the rather awfully titled track 'Wear My Kiss'.

All in all, this is a very solid effort, even if it is one of the few songs which I can safely say has better verses than choruses, which lacks a little something when it hits. The group appear to have stepped up their game in this clip, Amelle's re-designed the Ostrich do and Heidi's...moving (which is nice to see) however it is Jade Ewen who really shines in this clip, I've found myself replaying her little bouncing motion during her verse more times than is healthy. Well done you etc. etc.

Although this is reportedly only a 'rough edit' leaked online last night, however the T4 logo hovering in the corner suggests to me that this wont be far off what fans of the 'Babes can expect to see when the video premieres later in the month.

A x

We Do Indeed Love That Kandy Life - New (old) Gaga Leakage!

Lady Gaga is something of an unstoppable pop machine at the moment. Having dominated 2009 with arguably some of the decades best pop songs (Alright 'Poker Face'? How ya' doin 'Bad Romance'? the Lady shows absolutely no sign of slowing down the momentum as we enter the...Teenies (seriously SOMEONE, ANYONE come up with a better name for the upcoming decade before I have to end it all now)

Whilst still riding exceptionally high on the success of her 'Fame Monster' album re-release, fans of The Ga were treated to newly leaked (and fully polished) demo tracks in the form of the 'Kandy Life' EP which surfaced in the run-up to Christmas via fansite Gagafrontrow.net Featuring on the 2007 demo disc is the titular 'Kandy Life', a 'My Boy Lollipop' sampling ode to the familar topics of fame, money and the reaping of the rewards which come with it. Whilst this is by no means new territory for The Ga, it's a pleasant enough ditty, with an ear pleasing instrumental and catchy hook.

Kandy Life

Also making a welcome inclusion is the track 'Wonderful', an aptly titled soulful love song only previously available in extremely low quality MP3 form. In my humble (coff) opinion, this track forms Gaga's strongest ballad and quite frankly throws later efforts (Im looking at you 'Speechless') far far into the shade.



Wonderful

Another nice little touch for the Gaga Fanatics are alternate demo versions of 'The Fame' tracks 'Brown Eyes' 'Beautiful Dirty Rich' and 'Disco Heaven' which contain slightly tweaked differences to their eventually comercially released counterparts.

Check them out and be sure to let me know what you think! (Links courtesy of the similarly quite exceptional fansite GagaFrontRow.net)

A x

Well Hello.

AS YOU CAN SEE, this little blog has seen a slight (0kay total) lack of new posts in the past month which I am terribly sorry about. December saw every possible computer problem come my way, but a new year brings with it a new computer as well as a hopeful resurgence in new posts! And on that note...

A x