Turn It Up!: SWV - Co-Sign (Music Video)

Wow! Y'know that saying "Everything comes back eventually"? Well it could not be more true. In the past couple of years I have seen the resurgence of so many music acts that I was a huge fan of as a kid. Just this year, Martika, Wilson Phillips and Roxette have all been releasing new music and heading out on tours, and now I'm so happy to see that SWV are leading the way on the R&B front.

SWV (a moniker standing for Sisters With Voices) were a huge R&B vocal group in the early 90's when groups like En Vogue, Salt N Pepa, Love & Sass and TLC were making their mark on the billboard charts. They had great success with songs like "Weak", "I'm So Into You", "Right Here" and "You're The One" until they disbanded in 1998 and Cheryl "Coko" Gamble went solo with her album "Hot Coko" (which I very much enjoyed).

Now they're back with a new album titled "I Missed Us" and their first single "Co-Sign". I must say, though there is nothing new or 2012 about this album, it is nice to hear some classic 90's R&B sound for a change instead of outrageous dancebeats and professionally modified vocals.

The tracklisting for "I Missed Us" goes like so...

1) Co-Sign
2) All About You
3) Show Off
4) Everything I Love
5) Do Ya
6) The Best Years
7) I Missed Us
8) Better Than I
9) Keep You Home
10) Time To Go
11) Use Me
12) Love Unconditionally
13) If Only You Knew

Now, if only En Vogue would get back together and STAY together long enough to make an album, I would be all set! Fingers Crossed!

Turn It Up!: Kylie Minogue - Timebomb

I'm wasting absolutely no time adding this to my blog!!!! Kylie Minogue has done it again, releasing a Pop-tastic summer anthem that will shake the dance clubs and overall public to it's core. It's really astounding to me how her music can still make me feel so happy after 25 years. I think my love for her rivals my love for Madonna because there is an accessibility factor with Kylie's music that I've never fully felt with Madonna's. Madonna spent a long time trying to shock people into facing taboo subjects (which is amazing and well worth all the money I payed for her material), whereas Kylie focused more on the fun aspect of pop music and occassionally threw in a little message.

Timebomb is the new single commemorating "K25" which is a year long celebration dedicated to Kylie's 25 years in the music industry. Thus far, she has released a few new alternate versions of classic Kylie songs, done a small "Anti-Tour" in the UK performing songs that were released as B-sides or just fan favorites that were never official singles, and announced the upcoming release of a new Greatest Hits CD/DVD package.

This song is going straight on my i-pod and I can guarantee this will most likely end up being my top song of the summer. Check out the video above directed by Christian Larson. Unbelievably HOT!!!!!!

Turn It Up: Alanis Morissette - Guardian (Lyric Video)

One of the announcements I have been waiting for all year has finally been made. It's been 4 years since Alanis Morissette released her last album (2008's Flavors Of Entanglement) and now she is coming back with the release of her 8th studio album on August 28th, entitled "Havoc & Bright Lights".

The first single "Guardian" was released on May 15th and I have completely fallen in love with this track. It is so fresh and summery that it has me in crazy anticipation for the rest of the record.

Speaking about this track, Alanis stated,

"The greatest offering and aspiration within any relationship, for me, is the willingness to combine protection, commitment, vulnerability, tenacity, tenderness, constancy, empathy, mutuality, intentionality, innocence, presence, courage, freedom-offering and beautiful humanity at the same time. this song speaks to that commitment to both my sweet son, as well as my own inner child.”

The official lyric video (above) features artwork taken from the new album.

The tracklisting for Havoc & Bright Lights will be as follows...

1) Guardian
2) Woman Down
3) Til You
4) Celebrity
5) Empathy
6) Lens
7) Spiral
8) Numb
9) Havoc
10) Win & Win
11) Receive
12) Edge Of Evolution

As an added bonus, take a look at this video posted by her about the inspiration behind the song.

Listen Up: Jordis Unga News

This is so exciting!!!! Even though Jordis Unga was foolishly eliminated from The Voice during the quarter finals, she has dusted herself off and taken it upon herself to head out and make the debut album she has always wanted.

Rather than take a chance with a major record label, Jordis has started up a Kickstarter page instead to get her fans involved with her artistic future. Kickstarter is a great tool for fans to connect and help independent artists in the creation of their music by pledging money that the artists then use to pay for the recording, artwork, promotion and various other costs that go into an albums release. The artists usually provide incentives in the form of bonus packages that will become available to the fans sometime after the fund raising goal is met. The higher the pledge, the more extravagant the bundle.

Jordis gave herself 33 days to raise at least $33,300 and much to her shock and awe, her fans helped her raise that much in the very first day. With 18 days left as of this post, she has raised over $58,000 for making her debut album and every dollar that she raises beyond that will go to making the album all the more amazing (which won't be hard if you've heard her music).

If you would like to help Jordis by making a pledge, please go to http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jordis/jordis-unga-is-making-her-debut-record

I've made my contribution, and I leave you with Jordis' final performance from The Voice.

Turn It Up: Adam Lambert - Better Than I Know Myself

I wasn't really a huge fan of Adam's first album, 2009's "For Your Entertainment" despite the fact that I appreciated his vocal prowess on certain tracks, but I would say I was only enamoured with less than half of that album. However, his second album, the recently released "Trespassing" and it's first single "Better Than I Know Myself" has pretty much won me over. I would say there are only about 2 songs on this album that leave me underwhelmed. Sophomore Slump this is not.

I'm loving the "Beyond The Looking Glass" duality theme behind this video, it grabbed my attention from the first time I watched it, plus it's nice to see him without such heavy eye make-up on occasion. This song is catchy as hell and a great representation of the overall sound of the rest of the album.