"This Boy's in Love," by Sydney's the Presets is one of the summer's dirtiest videos for sure. But not dirty in the vintage X-tina-in-assless-chaps way. Just dirty in the "Good God you guys need the Axe effect something serious" way. Like they just dug through the mud from Brisbane to Boston. Like they picked up where the cover of the new Sigur Ros album left off. Or like Devendra Banhart.
But sonically, "This Boy's in Love" is all alarming synths and crisp, clean dance beats, backed by Paul Banks-style you're-yelling-at-me-but-I-like-it vocals. Like electo-indie outfits Cut Copy, the Faint, and M83, Presets play like the soundtrack to a lost John Hughes movie; call it "future retro" if you will. So grab your Ray Bans and tap your Santogold-sanctioned Chuck Taylors along to it since everything old is new again... the past is the future, and the future is now.
We're pretty sure this is the only hip-hop video set in a mid-century locomotive. It's also probably the only one to feature a rapper wearing clothes that, y'know, fit. Such is the unconventional world of Chi-town MC Lupe Fiasco.
For his globe-trotting new video, "Paris, Tokyo," (the ying to the yang of Estelle's "American Boy"), Lupe -- the only other person allowed to appear on stage with Kanye West during his set on the "Glow In the Dark" tour -- takes us on a world tour so thorough that we suspect National Geographic had a hand in the production. And though the settings are exotic, it's the track's home-grown jazz sound that really cements its refined appeal. That, and the fact that Lupe's lookin' more fly than Farnsworth.
The gruesome twosome's long-awaited new album, Last 2 Walk, isn't officially out until June 24th, but we're doing a little try-it-before-you-buy-it situation. Wanna hear Juicy and Paul (with helping hands Akon, UGK, and Lyfe Jennings) shout out their favorite pastimes and pursuits, like "Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body)," "Playstation," and "Weed, Blow, Pills"?
Mouse click your ballin' little self over to MTV.com's "The Leak," where you can hear the whole album in its box-fresh entirety.
Strong Island, NY R&B phenom Chrisette Michele is probably the most well-known unknown in the game right now; her sexy voice has dripped like warm honey on records by Jay-Z, the Roots, and Nas, yet you probably wouldn't even recognize her if she were holding up her ID.
But home girl is no one-trick pony: not only can she pick up a mic and blow, but she's pretty sweet on the keys too. Think John Legend with a lipgloss endorsement and recent appointment with a hot-comb if you will.
In her new video, "Love Is You," the Grammy-nominated soloist steps out of the land of background vocals and hooks-for-hire and throws out her own anthem, off her Def Jam debut, I Am. Although it's a little on the lighter side compared to her appearances on some recent hip-hop hits, it's a hit nonetheless. It's that rare track you'll recommend to your mom and use as the closer on your next make-out mix. Catch her on tour now with Solange Knowles.
Can we talk about the word "change" for a minute? Good. With all the politicians throwing it around like a pigskin on Thanksgiving, it might be a good for all of us to see a visual representation of what, exactly, that word means. Por example: the latest video from Lil Mama, a.k.a. The Voice of the Young People.
When you think Lil Mama, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Crazy bright clothes, poppin' lipgloss, maybe a grown-up baby outfit, and dancing? So much dancing. Usually she's all about all things youthful and carefree. A human jelly bracelet, if you will.
But now (brought on by the untimely death of her mother and her tumultuous upbringing), all that's changed in her new video, "L.I.F.E." Now it's all strife, teen pregnancy, crackheads and Heroes-style black eyeballs. Not exactly the soundtrack to a Sketchers commercial, but she's on point with the serious Mary J. Blige-sounding message. To be sure: Lil Mama's an all-growed-up mature woman. But hopefully her next video won't bring the dourness to Evanescence/ Flyleaf levels of bleakness.
"All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom."
Mark our words. This summer you will hear that hook from Pharrell & Co.'s anthem of debauchery more often that you'll hear "it's effin' hot," "crank the A.C." and "refill."
Already on every blogger and their mom's Muxtape, this joint, off N.E.R.D's forthcoming Seeing Sounds album, is like the hipster-hop national anthem, unless the Cool Kids finally catch up and blow up like a hip-hop Hindenburg.
But back to the storied video. Diane Martel, who lensed N.E.R.D's "Lapdance" video, directed this one too, with help from the same-sex-make-out institution known as Last Night's Party, and the clip pretty much cements Merlin Bronques' role as the Annie Leibovitz of the scruffy-beard-Pabst-ironic-dork-glasses set. Also adding to the video's notoriety: a cameo by Lindsay Lohan and maybe-wife Samantha Ronson.
And as for those "removed by request" slates: you can see the missing bits here, but warning -- they're definitely NSFW.
Sometimes in music -- as in life (seen Ice T's lady?) -- opposites come together in ways that are completely unexpected and totally fantastic. For example: rapper Plies' new video, "Bust It, Baby Pt.2."
In it, he teams up with R&B phenom Ne-Yo for a master class in mashing up disparate musical styles: Plies keeps it rough around the edges, while Ne-Yo keeps it smooth enough to pour some sexy-can-I all over the top of the joint. (While Janet Jackson sweetens the pot with a vintage sample.)
And it's not just their musical styles that are in direct contrast, but the guys definitely aren't shopping at the same store in the mall. If you're not familiar with Plies, the first thing you may notice is that even the pharaohs of ancient Egypt would find his gold stocks excessive. And Ne-Yo? Dude's like something created in GQ's subterranean laboratory out of DNA samples from Tyson Beckford, Reagan-era Michael Jackson and Dior's Spring '08 collection.
Not since Ol' Dirty Bastard and Mya ruled the airwaves with "Ghetto Superstar" have ashy and classy come together with such radio-friendly results. Plies and Ne-Yo are the audio equivalent of chunky-style peanut butter and jelly; you don't know why it tastes so good, but you can't help yourself.
+ Relevant videos:
When did Phantom Planet turn into Razorlight? Since celebrity drummer Jason "Hollywood" Schwartzman jumped ship to start his own Coconut Records, Phantom Planet V2 extracted the "California" sound out of their past life, and now they're hitting their stride with a bit of Brit rock strut. Which isn't a bad thing, but it's unexpected from a band most associated with the long national pop culture addiction that was The O.C., which has since been replaced by Gossip Girl. (Appropriately enough, by the way, "Do the Panic" was featured on an episode of Gossip Girl. Josh Schwartz, you done did it again!)
For their new video, "Do the Panic," off their brand-new album, Raise the Dead,
they've traded in the fuzzy freewheeling and gone for a the darker environs of a house that could easily double as the Addams Family's upstate retreat. And just like the Addams Family, it's all about spooky dichotomy: disembodied limbs, gloom and doom, sturm und drang, but the song is actually pretty damned upbeat. Meet contradiction, reanimated appendages, and darker, not-quite-so-sunny pop.
+ Relevant video involving disembodied limbs and loss of control: Albert Hammond, Jr., '101'
