“Tunnel Vision” is a fine choice as the third single off Justin Timberlake’s new album The 20/20 Experience. Like “Suit & Tie” and “Mirrors” before it, it contains that infectious flow with executive producer Timbaland’s signature touch that emits freaky sound effects you can’t help but groove along to. Above, eye the dual nature of the track’s single artwork; it’s JT, no, wait, it’s a naked woman! The song’s music video grows naturally from here, featuring a cool, quick-on-his-feet Timberlake whose dance moves embody Timbaland’s beats with perfection and many, many naked women whose breasts are supple with desire. “I got that tunnel vision for you / I got that tunnel vision, I only see you,” croons JT. Look out for Timba, too; he’s in there! The racy, intoxicating clip awaits after the break. Continue reading Justin Timberlake’s “Tunnel Vision” music video strips & strides (NSFW: nudity)→
Kanye West opted out of a traditional marketing campaign when he launched his sixth studio album Yeezus last month. There was no lead single, there was no radio play. He performed two tracks when he visited Saturday Night Live, he previewed a number of songs at New York’s Governors Ball music festival, and he projected himself on buildings around the world leading up to the album’s release. Unorthodox, yes; but we’re talking about Kanye West here, remember.
The rapper is still tied to a record label (read: Universal Music Group) and so he’s likely been guided to select a track to become Yeezus‘s lead single. The winner is the harsh yet addicting romp “Black Skinhead;” it’s making its way onto the radio in edited form and a new music video for it has leaked onto the ‘Net. There’s no telling whether or not this is the real deal–it originally landed on a Universal Music staging site that is now password protected–but nevertheless it’s provocative and worth a watch. In it a CGI West with major muscles raps shirtless (and at times pants-less) inside a black void that’s pixelated and made to look homemade. It borrows the dark imagery from his SNL performance and still manages to reel you in and not let go until the very end. It’s bizarre, it’s different, it’s Kanye.
Update (7/9): A day after the leak Kanye addressed it on Twitter claiming it is not the final version of the music video. Across six tweets he said, “The BLKKK SKKKN HD video that leaked yesterday was not the official version. Me and Nick Knight have been working on this video for 5 months and for creatives it’s heartbreaking when something like this happens. The final version will be ready within the next week. So any website that may have the unapproved / unfinished ruff. I ask you to please take it down. Allow me and Nick to give the world what we’ve been losing sleep over. And to who ever leaked the video… FUK YOU!”
In consideration, I’ve taken down the leaked cut and will post the final version when it launches soon. Even Rapdose, the source of the leak, removed it from their website. It’s still hanging around though (like at Billboard.com) if you’re curious.
Update (7/22): The final version of the “Black Skinhead” music video is up and it’s only accessible via kanyewest.com. That’s because there’s an interactive element to it; in addition to some aesthetic changes, the main difference between the leak and the final cut is that this one’s playing speed can be manipulated by the viewer. Using your curser which happens to be giving the finger you can speed up and slow down the clip as it’s rolling (the slight lag time is disappointing, though). There’s also a social element as well; viewers can snap photos at any time and post their pics to Twitter and the like. Give the Nick Knight-directed interactive experience a go at Kanye’s site.
Remember that oh-so-awesome snippet from Daft Punk’s upcoming new record Random Access Memories. Since then, the good have been delivered: the first single from the French duo’s followup album to 2005’s Human After All is titled “Get Lucky” and it features the classic electronic sound fused with lyrics from Pharrell Williams and wicked guitar plucks provided by Nile Rodgers. It’s predictably catchy and will have you foaming at the mouth for more where this came from. Download the single today at iTunes, and prepare to upgrade your RAM May 17.
Here’s the second single from Drake’s upcoming third studio album Nothing Was The Same. In “5AM In Toronto”–a likely followup to his Thank Me Later track “9AM In Dallas“–Drake returns to his home country Canada and walks around the streets with his crew to eventually stumble in and out of a beach volleyball court. Catch October’s Very Own latest rhymes in the music video hanging above.
Justin Timberlake’s ten track The 20/20 Experience is out now. It’s available for digital download at iTunes for $10.99, but if you consider yourself a true JT fan you will make the trip to Target to purchase the deluxe physical version that includes two bonus tracks ($13.99). Oh and by the way, the standard version, the deluxe version, and the vinyl all feature different artwork. (And there’s more where this came from; Timberlake has confirmed that a 10-track sequel album is in the works to complete the “20/20” listening experience.)
Accompanying the grand total of 13 new tracks and the previously release music video for the Jay-Z assisted “Suit & Tie” is a new music video for the album’s second single “Mirrors.” The song is arguably the best cut off the release, and its music video does it the ultimate justice by telling a touching and engaging about an elderly couple exploring their long and journeyed relationship. The clip opens with a dedication to JT’s grandparents William and Sadie; his grandfather passed away last year after making it 63 years with his now-widowed wife. The Floria Sigismondi-directed music video does a fine job at interpreting the song’s lyrics:
Cause I don’t wanna lose you now/I’m lookin’ right at the other half of me/The vacancy that sat in my heart/Is a space that now you hold…And now it’s clear as this promise/That we’re making two reflections into one/Cause it’s like you’re my mirror/My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me.
That’s the hook and the actors who are portraying JT’s grandparents put on a believable performance as we watch their relationship blossom by a jukebox and a pool table. The video takes some twists and turns but by the end you should come to a realization of what it was all about: finding your soulmate and having the power to let go when the time comes (at least that is my interpretation). Intriguingly JT lets the story play out and is absent for the majority of the clip; he doesn’t turn up until the 5:45 mark when he catches the ring released by “his grandmother” (she’s letting go of her departed husband of so many years) to continue to legacy of love. He’s trapped in a fun house of mirrors and dances his way out of it in a fashion only JT can maneuver. A great song matched with a compelling music video; can’t really ask for more than that these days.
So how’s the album overall? For that I will guide you to SpeakSonic’s album review that covers the bases; spoiler alert: it garners a rave review.
Update (3/29): In its first week of sales, The 20/20 Experience quickly shot to #1 on the Billboard 200 selling 968,000 copies. This makes JT’s latest effort the best-selling album of the year so far outpacing Mumford & Sons’ Babel which has sold 658,000 to date. 20/20 also performed well in digital sales in week one with 452,000 downloads making it the third-largest debut indigital ever only behind Lady Gaga’s Born This Way (662,000 in 2011) and Taylor Swift’s Red (465,000 in 2012). JT’s third solo album is also his most successful debut, sales wise. His previous releases FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006) and Justified (2002) sold 684,000 and 439,000 copies, respectively, in their first week on the market.
Justin Timberlake shows off the moves we’ve missed in a music video that’s all dressed up in black and white and directed by The Social Network helmer David Fincher for the Sexy Back singer’s latest single “Suit & Tie.” Rapper Jay-Z breaks out a smoking cigar for the occasion and makes a cameo, too.
JT’s third solo studio album The 20/20 Experience is due out March 19; preorder at iTunes today.
For the first time since 2008’s admittedly awesome change-of-pace effort Folie à Deux, Fall Out Boy is reuniting for another record dubbed Save Rock and Roll. The lead single off their fifth studio album is the very wordy “My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark (Light Em Up)” and I’m happy to report that it’s way different from their previous material. Not that their first few albums were bad, but they were able to successfully revitalize their brand by going in a new direction with Folie àDeux so it stands to chance that Save Rock and Roll will do the same in 2013. “Light Em Up” is indeed an eclectic track that borrows inspiration from hip hop, hair-metal, and the group’s roots in alternative punk/pop rock. It all layers on top of each other nicely; longtime FOB fans should accept it with arms wide open and newcomers to the once overly emo punk band will be surprised to hear something unexpected.
Listen to the track in a fiery music video featuring rapper 2 Chainz in appearance only after the break.
Download “Light Em Up” at iTunes today. Save Rock and Roll releases in a few months on May 6, the same day in 2003 when Fall Out Boy dropped their debut album Take This To Your Grave. They are also going on tour from May 14 to June 30; check out the dates on their site.
October’s Very Own is back with a new single off his upcoming third studio album. “Started From The Bottom” stars Drake the Rapper since the majority of the track features the former Degrassi star laying down hard rhymes as opposed to his usual crooning abilities. It’s not as bouncy as his previous singles “Take Care” and “The Motto” but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Drizzy gets real in this track as he takes listeners on a journey through his rise to fame.
He took to his blog to formally introduce his latest cut to fans. “I am proud of every part of my past and I’m excited for this song to find a place in your life as well. I didn’t feel I needed any interviews or radio or press to launch this song. It felt right to come back to the site that I started on and release it to the people that started here with me. Judging by this post, the tour that we’ve been planning, the conversations about new songs and album artwork…I think it’s safe to say we’re back together again. Looking forward to seeing you all soon.”
Listen to “Started From The Bottom” here. Download it at iTunes. An accompanying music video hangs after the break.
Andy Samberg made a surprise return to Saturday Night Live last weekend, and he brought with him his Lonely Island pals. Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer teamed up with host Adam Levine of Maroon 5 and NBC’s The Voice and musical guest and up-and-coming rapper Kendrick Lamar to cook up a new music video called “YOLO.” It’s some of their best work yet. Watch it here. And like most of TLI’s clips you’ll have it on repeat in no time.
There’s new music to hear from artists you might have thought you’d never hear from again. First up is the musical trio Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams, better known together as Destiny’s Child. Before Beyoncé became her own star, she led a group that pumped out hit after hit in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Remember “Independent Woman,” “Survivor,” and “Bootylicious?” Well, apparently there’s more where that came from. Last Friday, Destiny’s Child released their first single since 2004 called “Nuclear.” It’s produced by Pharrell and rather than bouncing back with a thumping beat they’ve invigorated their new image with a soft R&B tune that makes you remember just how well these ladies can harmonize together. “Nuclear” is a track off a brand new compilation album from Destiny’s Child Love Songs. The 14-track album contains romantic-themed songs they recorded between 1997-2004. As you can see in the tracklisting posted after the break, “Nuclear” remains the only new material to be included. Listen to it, it’s embedded above. Beyoncé will reunite Destiny’s Child on-stage when she hosts this year’s Super Bowl half-time show.
Skrillex has cooked up three new tracks and the producer/DJ is bundling them together in his latest Extended Play titled Leaving. Whether or not he meant this by the EP’s title, Skrillex (whose real name is Sonny Moore) leaves behind his typical affection for loud, grinding dubstep and replaces it with a calmer, more fluid take on the underground-turned-mainstream musical genre. Listeners will especially notice the difference on the track “Leaving” which features heavy drums and will put you in a trance. “The Reason” is more up-tempo to call itself a dance track. Where you might find some of the old Sonny is in “Scary Bolly Dub,” a mix with a reggae vibe that he’s played countless times live. Overall, however, if you’ve been waiting for Skrillex to release tunes that are easier on the ears now is your time.
As of today, the EP is not available for digital download via iTunes and the like. You’ll have to stream it from YouTube, but don’t complain, that makes it free! Jump after the break to listen to all three tracks. There you’ll also find Skrillex’s latest music video for “Summit” off his last EP Bangarang, a collaborative effort with his now ex-girlfriend Ellie Goulding.
What’s next for multiple Grammy winner Sonny Moore? In a recent interview with Billboard, he promises more music is on the way. “I have so much music. I have too many songs to even know what to do with. I just always make music anyway… But I want to make a record. I just haven’t had enough time to really sit down and idle myself and clear my mind and go, ‘OK, what’s the next thing I want to say? How’s it different from what I said before?’ and think of all these things. I have so much inside me, so many ideas, I’m more excited than ever to make music again, ’cause I haven’t done that for, like, two years.” Continue reading Skrillex releases new 3-track EP called ‘Leaving’ and it may surprise you→
Like every year before it, 2012 was filled with hit songs that you couldn’t get out of your head. DJ Earworm is here to bring every single one of them back to memory with his latest “United State of Pop” mega-mashup this year titled “Shine Brighter.” The four minute track includes 25 of the most popular songs that came out this year, according to Billboard’s Hot 100 charts. Bruno Mars and Ke$ha dominate, but Earworm makes sure to sprinkle in a myriad of artists including Gotye, Carly Rae Jepsen, Maroon 5, Nicki Minaj, and Taylor Swift. Click after the break to see a list of all the songs used in mix.
