Lily Allen - Sheezus

I really haven't been too keen on Lily Allen's recent string of singles.  Don't get me wrong, I think her first two albums are fantastic, but the new material just missed the mark.  It's hard to be enthusiastic about an artist's new song when the artist herself admits that the track is rubbish.  With that said, Lily's new single, "Sheezus", is very interesting.

The chorus is a bizarre name dropping moment that actually had me saying, "Whaaaaaat, no way!" the first time I heard it.  Rihanna, Katy Perry, Beyoncé, Lorde, and Gaga are all mentioned, but it's not a diss track.  The entire thing is pretty ridiculous, yet it actually has me anticipating the full album.  Check out the equally intriguing music video, featuring what looks like some M.I.A. inspired art direction, below.

Sheezus is out in the US on May 6.  You can pre-order a copy here.

Imogen Heap - Me The Machine

It's beyond amazing to finally hear a new song from Imogen Heap's upcoming record, Sparks.  The album's release date is currently pending due to some kind of contract issues, so we can only hope for the best, but Imogen's long awaited "glove song" has arrived.  Heavily featuring the work of her Mi.Mu Gloves, "Me The Machine" has been teased endlessly.  With such a large build-up, it could've easily disappointed, and I may be a bit biased when it comes to the Heap, but this was so worth the wait.

Sparks will be out later this year.  For more information about the album, you can visit Immi's website.

Sky Ferreira - I Blame Myself

"I Blame Myself" has taken on a life of its own since the release of Night Time, My Time and it seems like we've been waiting an eternity for this music video.  Well, wait no more.  It's finally here and I kid you not, there's a choreographed dance scene, something I never expected to see in a Sky Ferreira video.  Even more surprising, Sky can actually pull off a pretty fantastic dance sequence without looking forced.  She's still styling that jet black grungy look, too.  It's almost scary how appropriate this song can be sometimes.  Watch "I Blame Myself" below...

Night Time, My Time is out now, via Capitol.  You can buy a copy here.

Charli XCX - Boom Clap

The soundtrack market is almost as lucrative as the film itself these days.  From Twilight to Hunger Games, the soundtracks to big name teen book adaptions have collided love triangles with your favorite P4K approved artists.  Charli XCX is the latest to join the group with "Boom Clap", which is featured in the upcoming film based on John Green's novel, The Fault In Our Stars.

It's pretty much what you would hope for with a Charli XCX release.  "Boom Clap" leans more on the pop side of her spectrum, but some True Romance elements are definitely recognizable.  She's right on the edge of becoming a Top 40 superstar.  I can feel it.

The Fault In Our Stars in in theatres on June 6.  You can go here to download "Boom Clap".

Lana Del Rey - West Coast

Lana Del Rey has revealed the lead single off of her upcoming Ultraviolence album and it's actually pretty surprising.  It's a decent change from her usual semi-throwback sound.  Her signature beats and strings formula has shifted to a less flashy production style and we have Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys to thank (or blame?) for that.  The vocals have less polish and there's a startling change of pace as the chorus begins.  I'm on the fence about the production, mostly due to the really loud theremin sound during the final chorus.  Aside from those small complaints, I kind of adore "West Coast".  We get to see a new side of Lana and I'm anticipating the full record more than ever before.

Ultraviolence is due this year on Interscope, possibly even next month according to reports.  You can download "West Coast" here.

Neon Trees - Voices In the Halls

While Neon Trees' recent single "Sleeping With A Friend" is starting to look like the next "Animal"/"Everybody Talks" sensation, the band has released yet another song from their upcoming album, Pop Psychology.  "Voices In The Halls" is our third taste of the new record and it's a minimal synth-focused ballad.  They've done songs in a musically similar vein before, see "Take Me For A Ride" and "Close To You", but this track is perhaps a bit more lyrically vulnerable.  You can watch the music video for "Voices In The Halls", featuring a dramatically colored Tyler Glenn, below.

Pop Psychology is out April 22, via Mercury.  You can pre-order the album here.

Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual: A 30th Anniversary Celebration

 

I think we can all agree that Cyndi Lauper's debut album is a masterpiece, right?  Last year marked the 30th anniversary of She's So Unusual's release on October 14, 1983, and what a day that was.  Cyndi already celebrated the occasion with a tour, where she performed the entire album from beginning to end each night.  Coming a few months fashionably late is a reissue of the album, titled more specifically "She's So Unusual: A 30th Anniversary Celebration".

First of all, can we just talk about how there are three amazing versions of the reworked cover art?  That makes one for each physical format; deluxe CD, standard CD, and vinyl.

The deluxe CD comes with a slew of memorabilia-type extras, including a reusable sticker set of Cyndi and all of her iconic outfits, which you can then place on a backdrop of the "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" music video bedroom set.  Once again, this is amazing.

Aside from the classic tracklist, the double disc set includes early demos and live rehearsals of her big hits, such as "All Through The Night" and "Money Changes Everything".  There are a few b-sides, including the previously unheard low-fi track of "Rules And Regulations".  All versions of the reissue have three new remixes as well.  Hardcore Cyndi fans, rejoice!

All three versions of the reissue are out now, so you can go here for the deluxe CD, here for the standard CD, and here for the vinyl.  While you're trying to decide which one to get, you can watch the "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" video...