Sunday, August 2, 2009

Cocktail: Apple paves the way for albums to include video, liner notes, lyrics etc.




Apple has developed something called 'Cocktail,' which will attempt to recreate the LP sleeves of days gone by. The idea is to bundle videos, lyrics, liner notes, and other media along with music. As the article says, details are sketchy, but it sounds pretty interesting.

Click here to read all about it

Chart Chat UK: Aug 2, 2009


For the first time in a while there's a changing of the guard as the Black Eyed Peas hop from 3 to the number 1 slot with "I Gotta Feeling' and push boyband JLS down to number two. BLP's 'Boom Boom Pow' is still hanging around at number 13 and doesn't show signs of bunking off anytime soon either, so this is shaping up to be quite a good summer for the band. JLS won't be crying into their hoodies anytime soon either, as a few week run at the top is more than the X Factor runners-up could legitimately have hoped for a couple months ago. Meanwhile, Pitbull continues his ascent, finding a new peak of 4, up from 7 last week. Elsewhere, the chart is pretty quiet. Noisettes finally scrape into the Top 20 with their followup to the smash 'Don't Upset The Rhythm,' 'Never Forget You.' It's a pleasant enough track and while nowhere near as balls-out phenomenal as 'Rhythm' I'll be surprised if this one doesn't peak a bit higher when all is said and done. Frankmusik's latest attempt at a hit slides down to 32 after a rather lowly debut of 29 last week. He puts out the kind of androgynous electro-rock that the kids go crazy for these days, so it's beyond me why he hasn't caught on. The once 'next big thing' is now starting to look a bit like an also-ran destined for the bargain bin. Just below and very much on the upswing, Little Boots clocks in at 33 with 'Remedy,' two weeks ahead of the single release. After the disappointment of 'New In Town' (peak: 13) the boys in marketing will be chucking everything at the wall for this baby. Finally, a moment of quiet reflection for Britney's 'Radar' which despite being released with remixes and the whole shebang this week can't even scrape into the top 40. This one just wasn't on record buyers'...radar.

The UK Top Ten:
1 - Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling
2 - JLS: Beat Again
3 - Mr Hudson Ft. Kanye West: Supernova
4 - Pitbull: I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)
5 - Cascada: Evacuate the Dancefloor
6 - Beyonce: Sweet Dreams
7 - La Roux: Bulletproof
8 - Lady Gaga: Paparazzi
9 - David Guetta Ft. Kelly Rowland: When Love Takes Over
10 - Chicane: Poppiholla

Mad Men's Good Girl January Jones Goes Bad


ScopiSat is absolutely obsessed with Mad Men and January Jones' brilliant portrayal of a 60's housewife is one of the primary reasons. For Versace's latest campaign they decided to take Ms. Jones in a....different direction. I think the word is 'dayummm.'


Dolly Rockers Dig For Gold

Here it is...what you've all been waiting for, the QUITE GOOD video for Dolly Rockers' new single, 'Gold Digger' which is out August 30 on Parlophone and is clearly the BEST THING that will be released for some time, until something better comes along. Until then, champagne for everyone etc etc and now we all sit back and watch this Dolly Rocker thing either become massive and culture-changing or crash and burn and be forgotten forever except when it's brought up in popular music courses when the instructor wants to illustrate what 'not to do'. Let's hope for the former.

Can we just talk about this for a minute?

The Sugababes Got Sexy

It's no secret the new Sugababes single has its ups and downs. The whole thing is equal parts amazing and absolute trash, so the girls have gone and done a video for it that follows the same formula. Here's the video for 'Get Sexy', out August 30th on Island Records. In it you will see Amelle in a bird cage (AMAZING), Heidi in a metallic room full of light beams (AMAZING) and Keisha posing on a couch (...).

Little Boots gets a choreographer

She has always made up for her lack of stage presence with absolutely banging tunes, but could this be the start of a new 'fun to watch AS WELL AS listen to' Little Boots? Stay tuned. Here's her performance of 'Remedy' live on GMTV; the single is out August 16 on SixSevenNine records.