Booty Luv want to Say It

The always fun and funky Booty Luv are back with their new single 'Say It,' out today. The video is all 'girlband go on holiday' while the song itself is a club-pop stomper complete with an 'emotional hand-flourish' middle eight followed by a banging, hands-in-the-air chorus. Par for the course then, eh girls? At least they've managed to get a video budget this time.



Out today on Hed Kandi Records, with some lovely mixes to boot

Menya get Loose

After last week's brilliant covers, Menya gives us an original jam. It's a sexed-up party track in the vein of Imani Coppola (happy) but as of now there's no 'real' video (sad).



Menya's new (and free) mixtape is out October 2nd

Chart Chat UK, August 30, 2009

Another week, another new number 1. David Guetta and Akon couldn't fend off the challenge from garage master Dizzee Rascal's new jam 'Holiday,' and find themselves relegated to the number 2 spot this week. Nothing else really is going on in the top ten, to be honest, save the appearance of Biffy Clyro's 'That Golden Rule' noisefest clocking in at number 10. 14 and 15 find a pair of tracks that certainly were hoping for better this week. First up is Lily Allen whose latest single '22' limps to 14 after a full release. After the top 5 successes of her last two tunes, Lily was probably hoping to extend her run, but either everyone who cares already bought the album (likely) or the song just isn't one of her best (also likely). Next we find Just Jack at 15 with 'The Day I Died.' In contrast to Lily's track, this one is quite a gem and it seems almost unfair that it looks unlikely to beat last week's peak of 11. Not quite the comeback the rapper/singer was hoping for, no doubt, but my guess is the album will fare much better. A side note at 31, Temper Trap clock in with their 2008 number 20 hit 'Sweet Disposition.' The song has been a staple in football adverts for a while now, and the song's use in ads for last week's V Festival seems to have pushed it back into the limelight. All bets are on this one falling off the face of the Earth next week, but another reminder of the importance of licensing in today's music industry.

The UK Top Ten:

1 - Dizzee Rascal: Holiday
2 - David Guetta ft Akon: Sexy Chick
3 - Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling
4 - Calvin Harris: Ready For The Weekend
5 - Tinchy Stryder ft Amelle: Never Leave You
6 - Little Boots: Remedy
7 - Beyonce: Sweet Dreams
8 - Esmee Denters: Outta Here
9 - Mr Hudson ft Kanye West: Supernova
10-Biffy Clyro: That Golden Rule

Dolly Rockers are Gold Digger(s)

...but they're one band that TOTALLY DESERVES your 79p. After months of hype and shopping their tutus around everything from Big Brother's Little Brother to the bingo hall down the road, the girls actually have a song out that the masses can actually buy. 'Gold Digger' is still brilliant and amazing and is going to save pop and perhaps humanity but we all already know that so let's just buy the damn thing and have some wine.



The single is OUT NOW on Parlophone

Alphabeat cast The Spell on us

Alphabeat always rubbed ScopiSat just a little the wrong way (delightful single 'Boyfriend' notwithstanding) but this new track just may change our minds. While everyone else is stuck doing 80's schtick (I'm looking at you, Ladyhawke), Alphabeat one-upped them all and decided to go 90's schtick. All it's missing is a Real McCoy-style rap in the middle eight and some repeat plays on 'Open House Party.'




The single is out soon, with album 'The Spell' to be released October 19 in the UK, both on the band's new label Polydor

It's Scopitone Saturday!!!

This week's Scopitone is Shani Wallis' passionate ode to 'men' and all the good things about 'men' in which she sings about the 'long ones' and the 'short ones' and then gets drunk and rides away in a bus. In short, it is amazing.


As a side note, far be it from ScopiSat to label anyone, but our guess is Shani's out of luck with most of the boys in this video :(

Team Waterpolo are Letting Go

A nice little indie-pop jam came out this week, called 'Letting Go' by Team Waterpolo. They do not play waterpolo, but they are a 'team' in the sense that band members depend on each other to succeed and they're 'all in it together' etc etc. Long story short, the song is quite listenable and the keyboard player is quite fit. When we say 'quite fit' we mean that our first thought when we saw the video was 'shame about the lead singer, but at least they got a model to mouth along with the words' but it is not a model, it is an ACTUAL MEMBER OF THE BAND.


Out now on Sony Records in the UK

Update: the drummer is hot too

Backstreet Boys go Straight Through My Heart

Really? Vampires? Really?




Still a quite good song though.

Madonna Celebration video - now this is more like it

Leave it to Mantis-arms to turn two outright disasters into something literally amazing with 16 seconds of moving around a bit in a box.




Well done, how could we have ever doubted you, etc etc

New Kylie Video! Miss M gets Chiggy with it

Ages ago the interwebs were all abuzz with Kylie's Bollywood debut, and finally we have the first taste of what is in store. There's a part where a man runs up on stage and Kylie is all smiles and happiness and ends up dancing and singing with the man. Lets just say things happened a bit differently when ScopiSat tried the same at her X2008 tour last year... Anyhow, as far as the song: It's all very, well, Bollywood, but as far as we're concerned Miss M can do no wrong. Thoughts?

Menya covers 3OH!3

The final of three promo covers this week from Menya leading up to their new single is a response to 3OH!3's 'Don't Trust Me.' It's a bit like the original except good.



Only 3 days until the new Menya single!

Party in the USgAy

Since Miley has yet to grace us with an official video for her inexcusable 'Party In The USA,' some gays with too much time on their hands have made one for us. Is it us or are the production values shockingly good? The thing that strikes us the most, though, is that this clip, by a gaggle of hot young gays on a bender in Fire Island Pines, will inevitably turn out to be more wholesome than the official video starring a high school girl that will be plastered all over the Disney Channel.



Amazing.

Music Go Music are Warm in the Shadows

It's disco. It's indie. It's pop. It's what ABBA would sound like if they got back together, moved to LA and did some drugs.



Out on 12" now. There's an edit planned, but you never know what will pan out with a band that met at a party hosted by something called 'The Condor'

Madonna's Celebration video preview. Mess.

Really? This is what being 'down with the kids today' means? ScopiSat is hoping that all these previews floating around are actually just little stand-alone ads created to throw us all off the track of what the finished product will be and have no relevance or relation to the ACTUAL video which will be PHENOMENAL and remind us all why Madonna still matters. :(

More Menya! And this time they hook up!

We all already know that Menya is amazing and that they have a new single 'dropping' on the 31st. Now we have the second entry in their '3 Covers' week, in the lead up to its release. Today brings 'I Hook Up,' originally and inferior-ly by Kelly Clarkson. Witness the greatness.

Madonna's 'Celebration' video preview

Some thoughts:

1. It's a bit like a promo for 'So You Think You Can Be America's Next Dance Idol With The Stars' or something
2. Madonna-mantis must have broken her hip prior to filming or something because we've watched the thing several times and are pretty sure she's not in it
3. Didn't she do the 'people dancing in boxes to music' thing for 'Human Nature'?
4. 'Human Nature' was amazing wasn't it?
5. Yes. It was.

Imogen Heap is on the First Train Home

So she may have Fraggle hair and a tendency to over-mime in her videos, but good god this single is amazing isn't it? Imogen (that's Ms. Heap to you) has just put out the video for 'First Train Home' from her new album 'Ellipse.' Some highlights:
1. the 'first train home I've got to get on it' bit
2. everything else



Apparently the artist wasn't happy with the video, so she directed her own. Imogen's version will pop up in a few days no doubt and then we'll have to talk about which is better and if she really just wasted her time and pissed off a director and her label etc etc but until then we can just enjoy a damn good tune. The album and single are out now on Megaphonic Records

Florence + the Machine do a Drumming Song

Here is the new and very good video for 'Drumming Song,' by an act that has been all over 'the blogs' for some time now, and more recently has been all over the top of the album charts in the UK. In the video there is dancing, a church, and dancing in a church. It's all a bit "'Eyes Wide Shut' with gold hotpants", but it works out quite well. Good job to everyone, champagne all around.




Out on Island Records on September 13. The album, 'Lungs' is out in the US and UK digitally now, with a physical release in the US on October 20.

The new Alexandra Burke is here and it's balls-out phenomenal

There's really not much else to say. We could do without the rappy bits at the beginning but we're willing to overlook it...it's sunny out today after all, and that puts us in a good mood.

Alexandra Burke - Bad Boy
by qualitycandi

Last year's X-Factor winner looks to have another number 1 when the single is released October 12. She debuted the track on Chris Moyles' BBC1 radio show, and told the host lots of enthralling things like:

1. She is on Twitter like everyone else
2. She follows famous people on Twitter like everyone else

Well, at least the song is interesting.

Beverly Knight's brand-spankin-new track

Beverly Knight has been pretty quiet since her last real single 'After You' failed to even chart. But, undeterred, Miss K is clawing back to the top with a new R&B-poppy jam 'Beautiful Night,' from her forthcoming album '100%.' The track is the kind of thing Whitney wishes was on her new album instead of 11 crack-ballads and a couple drag-queen stomp tracks, but Beverly's always been a classy cut above the rest. The proof is in the pudding, people - check out the vid:




The single is out Sept 7th on her own label, Hurricane Records, with the album currently slated to hit the same day.

Menya madness for a whole week!

Earlier today ScopiSat posted a cover of a Vanessa Carlton song, but what we didn't tell you is that it is just the tip of the iceberg. In a lead-up to Menya's NEW SINGLE on August 31, the band are putting out 3 covers of their most loved or hated songs with some nice little viral videos to boot. The first was the aforementioned 'White Houses' by Ms. Carlton, and if it is any indicator of what is to come, this whole week is going to be very very good, with another to come on Wed. and the last on Friday. To celebrate, let's all watch "White Houses" again. We'll wait.

There we are. It really is quite good, isn't it? Essentially it is the polar opposite of the Heidi Montag debacle. She is the dark, Menya is the light, etc etc.


Check back on Wednesday for the next video! In the meantime, hit up the band's Myspace

Sign of the apocalypse #5: Heidi Montag on Miss Universe

Some thoughts:

1. In retrospect, looking to Britney's shambolic 'Gimme More' performance at the VMA's for inspiration might have been a mistake
2. If you're meant to look like you're singing a song you should probably learn the words before you go on global television
3. The introduction of her as a 'celebrity' is priceless. Not a pop star, not a singer, not an up-and-comer, no. A 'celebrity.'
4. Quite a good song though. She clearly has talent...for picking good producers :(



Pray for humanity.

Menya covers Vanessa Carlton and makes it AMAZING

Here's another great video and song from ScopiSat's favorite indie, Menya. This time around they've covered 'White House' by Vanessa Carlton, and put a...different spin on it. Check out Good Goose front and center! We've always wanted to get inside his bedroom...here's the chance!



And check out the FAME-y original:

Vanessa Carlton - White Houses
by yafs1925

Next time ScopiSat wants to see the band doing killer ballet moves like Ms. Carlton, but because we love you we will let it slide.

Nicole Holness is Epic

Nicole Holness is an MTV Canada host that also sings and makes jerky movements that pass for dancing these days. During her career she has interviewed such luminaries as Akon and Lily Allen, worked alongside something called Paul The Intern, and released a quite good pop song. This is that song. It's all a bit Lady Gaga until it becomes totally un-Gaga and gets electro-amazing in a way that songs don't do anymore.




Thanks to Don't Stop the Pop for digging this one up. Out now in the US and UK.

The Saturdays are back with a new video!

But better than ever? Not so sure. The girls decided to go all waily-grownup for their lead single off 2d album, Colonial Masses. The song sure isn't bad, but while their first disc was full of great pop tunes with a delightful twist, this single just seems a little...generic. It's less Girls Aloud and more Pussycat Dolls, and that can't be a good thing. Still, it's nice to have them back.



The single is out October 5 on Fascination

Chart Chat UK, August 23, 2009

Lots of action on the chart this week, as there is a new number 1 and some up-and comers down below. David Guetta, fresh off of his (UK) success with Kelly Rowland, tosses another collaboration up 20 places this week as 'Sexy Chick' ft. Akon is the UK's number 1 song. This means Black Eyed Peas are down to number 2, just ahead of Tinchy Stryder. Little Boots moves up to 6 upon the full release of 'Remedy,' prompting her to Tweet her plans to down 6 shots in celebration. With all the hype that's lead up to this, those shots are well-deserved. These days an artist that fulfills the expectations of their buzz seems the exception rather than the rule. One place below is Esmee Denters. ScopiSat doesn't get the appeal of this Dutch songstress, as it seems like she's tossing out the kind of American-sounding songs that a number of acts are doing bigger and better. Still, look for more from this one, as Justin Timberlake is the man behind the curtain of the Esmee machine. Just Jack appears at number 11 with his comeback track 'The Day I Died,' and it would be unwise to bet against a top 10 appearance come this time next week. Lily Allen languishes down at 23 with '22,' (yes, we were all hoping it would be number 22 this week as well) but will get a boost from the physical release of her single. Still, with this placing she'll be lucky to trouble the upper regions of the chart. Top 20 is about the best she can hope for this one.

The UK Top Ten:
1 - David Guetta ft Akon: Sexy Chick
2 - Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling
3 - Tinchy Stryder ft Amelle: Never Leave You
4 - Calvin Harris: Ready For The Weekend
5 - Beyonce: Sweet Dreams
6 - Little Boots: Remedy
7 - Esmee Denters: Outta Here
8 - Mr Hudson ft Kanye West: Supernova
9 - Peter Andre: Behind Closed Doors
10- Ian Carey Project: Get Shaky

Mutya chucks out another single for us to not buy

The video for 'Falling,' by Agent X and Mutya, leaves ScopiSat with two thoughts:

1. Being in the year 2001 again isn't nearly as fun as you'd think

2. The man holding the gun to Mutya's head and screaming 'look like you want to be here!' probably got fired because he didn't do a very good job :(




Out 'soon' on 3Beat

Das Pop is what it says

And their new video is very very good. Here is 'Never Get Enough' from the Belgian 'wonky pop' group's new album, and it's a nice little tune that could be described as 'a grower not a shower' but in the musical not in the anatomical sense. For all we know any of the boys could also be growers, but that is a bit beyond the scope of this website so you'll have to look elsewhere for that kind of information.



Out October 19 on NEWS/Sony

It's Scopitone Saturday!

This week's Scopitone is 'The Bike.' It is self explanatory, in that it is a video about bikes and people riding bikes and other things having to do with bikes. It also is a video about people doing things at varying speeds in fields and in front of French landmarks, all while still talking and doing things about bikes. For the aforementioned reasons, it is brilliant.

A reminder that Madonna has made some rather alright music

Here's the promo for Madonna's new greatest hits. There are some very good songs on it. 36 of them, in fact.


Out Sept 28 on Warner

Songs remind Annie of you

Apparently the Annie album thing is ACTUALLY going to happen. 'Songs Remind Me Of You' which is a single in that it is an individual song available for purchase, but not really a single in that it has no promotion or radio play and nobody realized it existed, showed up on UK iTunes this week and is properly wicked. Hopefully this whole 'Don't Stop' album thing will go better for her than....well the rest of her career, essentially...a quick perusal of her wikipedia indicates that her last charting single made a spectacular number 82. In Spain.




'Songs Remind Me Of You' is out now through iTunes, and the album is out October 19, both on Smalltown Records.

Zarif says it's OVER with a dance beat and a very very good song

We've been hearing about Zarif for a while now, and she apparently released a single 'Over' on August 10th although you'll be hard pressed to find it (it's not on iTunes). Her biography on her website uses fun words like 'coalesce' and 'rubric' so we know she is an intellectual, and says things like 'Zarif was listening not just to the pop hits of Michael and Madonna, but working her way through Stevie Wonder and Prince albums, sneaking in to indie and rock clubs in Camden Town and Soho,' so we know she has diversity. Zarif is an up-and-coming 'soul star,' although this frankly epic remix would have you believe she is the next dancefloor diva, and that's diversity we can certainly get on board with. Here's her new single 'Over.' Apparently there's an official video of it knocking around somewhere but we can't find it on the interwebs and we like this version better anyway.



The single is out either now or soon (good job, promo department) on Sony or RCA or something.

Raveonettes commit Suicide

The Danish group Raveonettes are another one of those 'hotly tipped' bands for the upcoming year that may or may not make good on their promise of chart-domination and general amazingness. If this new track, 'Suicide' is anything to go by, they probably will. We'd love to give you a better recording, but the whole 'muffled feedback' thing just reinforces the excitement of listening to a brand new track that despite the crap recording is clearly absolutely brilliant.

Kylie follows her Instinct

Two months ahead of her first U.S. tour, Kylie has given an interview (a 'gay press exclusive,' whatever that means) to Instinct Magazine, and uses the opportunity to make herself over as a day-glo diva. She looks fantastic and sounds like she's genuinely excited to be playing the States: "I’m so excited, it’s ridiculous. There is still a certain amount of disbelief because it’s really happening." Well that makes both of us then, doesn't it. ScopiSat has been lucky enough to catch the pop princess on her last few tours over in England. Even though the U.S. venues are tiny in comparison to the stadiums she usually plays and the downsizing is Kylie's "one stumbling block" with this go-round, the gigs are sure to be spectacular. A (very) few tickets are still available for most of the shows, so ScopiSat hopes to see you all there! Read more of the article here.

iTunes controls 25% of U.S. music sales

Apple now controls a full quarter of all music sales in the U.S., a report has revealed. The iTunes store is the driving force behind a dramatic increase in digital music sales - this year 35% of music sold in the U.S. was digital, up from 20% just 2 years ago. The full article mentions that in the U.K. only 8% of albums are sold in digital form. This is a bit misleading. While CD's might be the preferred format for full albums, single-song digital sales are quite strong. The article also notes a rumored Apple announcement to accompany the digital release of the Beatles' catalog, an event that many analysts predict will be one of the biggest boons yet for digital music sales. Stay tuned!

Warcraft-pop! The Guild want you to date their avatar

The Guild is a comedy web-show about online gaming whose characters have made a song. The video they have made for it is without a doubt the funniest and most accomplished thing you will see about gaming addiction all week. The song is fantastic in that way that it is nothing special musically but contains lyrical gems like 'grab your mouse and stroke the keys; in cyberspace there's no disease.' Amazing.




The video and mp3 are out on iTunes and Amazon US right now.

Kelly Clarkson duets with Robert Pattinson

Yes, you read that right - Kelly Clarkson sang with Robert Pattinson....'s cutout at the Illinois State Fair the other night. Some fan slapped a Kelly slogan on an Edward Cullen (from Twilight) cardboard standee, and Ms. Clarkson brought it up on stage to serenade it with her jam 'I Want You.' Check out the video - it's all very screamy and has lots of feedback, but if you turn the sound down and fast forward to 1:30 you'll catch the moment when Kelly met Edward. What do you think, readers? Is it true love?

Sound of Arrows make the gayest (and most fun) video we've seen in a while

This is Sound of Arrows, a electro-pop duo from Sweden. We could go on and on about how their name could be a reference to the noise that willies make or something but instead we're going to show you this delightful video that accompanies a rather excellent pop track. It kinda coasts for a minute but when the beat kicks in it's totally worth the wait.



This is their UK debut, and it's out Sept. 12 to download and on that flexible wax thing they used to call a 12" record. No word on a U.S. release date, which is SHOCKING to all of us I'm sure....

The new Weezer is quite good isn't it?

Yes.


Out August 25, album on Oct 27 in the US

Hadouken! go M.A.D.

Leeds electronica outfit Hadouken! have a new EP coming out on Sept 14 in the UK, and to celebrate they've given us a mouse on a bender. This video is good for people who:

1. Enjoy participating in drunken benders and/or watching people on drunken benders

2. Hate mice

3. Like mice

4. Like a nice elect-rap-ica (yes, we just made that up) tune

5. Are the family of a Hadouken! member and need to have something to talk about with said relative at Sunday dinner, ie 'oh I saw that lovely video you did with the shop-owner-killing rat' etc.

Hadouken! - M.A.D

Peter Andre challenges Robbie

Peter Andre has set his sights on a career like that of Elton, Rod Stewart and yes even Robbie Williams. After his very public split with Jordan/Katie Price, he has thrown himself into recording a new album and is set to release it around the same time as Robbie as well. Could we see a chart battle? And what do you think, dear readers - who would win out?

The world needs more Menya

ScopiSat loves a good unsigned band, and quirky New York City Bowery/Lower East Side/Hipster-eschewing-but-still-kind-of-hipster trio Menya certainly fit the bill.



Their Myspace is quite fun and you can check out pics of the very good-looking kids in the band - especially the 'beat man' Good Goose. Go there.

Chart Chat UK, Aug. 16, 2009

A flip-flop at the top this week, and a couple of top tens that are interesting, albeit for wildly different reasons.
Black Eyed Peas return to number 1 with 'I Gotta Feeling,' pushing Tinchy Stryder down to 2. Calvin Harris' new jam debuts at number 3, and while it can't extend to three his string of number 1's, this happy dance track serves as a nice promo for his new album due out next week. One place below and we find a man whose music career has been overshadowed by his tabloid appearances. Peter Andre had a surprisingly healthy run of hits in the 90's as a pin-up, ever-shirtless hottie, before he faded into obscurity, only to be thrust back into the limelight by an appearance on 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here' and subsequent marriage to fellow contestant and glamour girl Jordan. Since he re-entered the public eye, Andre's chart fortunes have been mixed, with two top 10's and two also-rans. There always seemed to be a question of whether people were buying his songs because of the music or they hype - especially this time around. This number 4 placing for new single 'Behind Closed Doors' comes on the heels of his very public marriage breakdown and does very little to answer that question. The Ian Carey Project manages to improve on last week's number 10 showing, moving up a place to 9. At number 10 we find the first top 10 for ScopiSat fave Little Boots. 'Remedy' finally gives the hotly-tipped singer a solid hit, with the single's full release still a day away. There's not a lot of action in the rest of the chart, but there are a few tracks to watch. David Guetta's track with Akon bows at 21, right above Noisettes who can't seem to break through the number 20 barrier with 'Never Forget You.' Frankmusik sticks around as well, treading water with his latest, 'Confusion Girl.'

The UK Top Ten:

1 - Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling
2 - Tinchy Stryder ft Amelle: Never Leave You
3 - Calvin Harris: Ready For the Weekend
4 - Peter Andre: Behind Closed Doors
5 - Beyonce: Sweet Dreams
6 - Mr. Hudson ft Kanye West: Supernova
7 - JLS: Beat Again
8 - Pitbull: I Know You Want Me
9 - Ian Carey Project: Get Shaky
10- Little Boots: Remedy

The Horrors are what they say

Trent Reznor is hot. He also makes pretty good music most of the time. But he has terrible, terrible taste in other peoples' music.



This....THIS...showed up on the NIN website, as a push for one of Trent's favorite 'bands.' If you'll excuse me, I need to wipe the blood from about my neck and face, as my ears have bled out and I just spent the last three minutes and twenty eight seconds clawing at my eyes.

Madonna is FIFTY ONE: a somber tribute

As the title says, Mantis-Arms turns quite old today. It's a bit shocking when one realizes an icon that defined youth and culture for generations (no really, like three of them) is so...advanced. Madonna's been pulled, peeled, tucked and worked out, and keeps focusing on her new tunes like they will somehow save her from age or irrelevance, but there's something inherently misguided in that. It's those classic tunes and iconic moments that are themselves eternal in a way that an individual can never be. I suppose there's something to be said for avoiding nostalgia, but no one wants to see an old lady try to be hip. They want to see a wise woman recognize that she is the sum of all that she has done before. It seems like her new greatest hits, 'Celebration' may be a step in that direction. If 'Hard Candy' was mutton dressed as lamb, this new Madonna has the chance to be the iconic equivalent of an aged wine - wisdom, knowledge and experience are the stewing sugars and acids of a pop career. A cheap, young wine is alright to chug and forget, but rare vintage is something to truly be savored.
Yes, today is the day that Madonna-mantis entered the world, and ScopiSat is all about respecting our elders so here is a rundown of some reasons we still love her:



1. Because she sang 'True Blue'

2. Because she's made some quite good videos

3. Because she has said she will quit acting

4. Because she sang 'You'll See,' which remains a CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED 90's ballad

5. Because her rock-out performance of 'Burning Up' at the Re-invention Tour made it almost worth the £120 we paid to see a speck hopping around on a stage for 2 hours

6. Because she paved the way for modern female sexuality
6.5 Because the Sex book was actually quite well done and included VANILLA ICE

7. Because she gave the gays someone to love who didn't sing showtunes (Evita doesn't count because ScopiSat refuses to acknowledge the existence of Andrew Lloyd Weber)

8. Because she did the whole 'Like A Prayer' album

9. Because in five years' time, Lourdes is going to knock the Pop Queen tiara off Lady Gaga and put out some PHENOMENAL future-disco

10. Because she pioneered the new music business model and made a gajillion dollars

11. Because her old band Emmy and the Emmys could kick the pants off most of today's indies

12. Because she did the whole 'Ray of Light' album

13. Because if we didn't we fear she might have us killed :(

Lest we forget, the lady can sell a song:

Mini Viva go SAW

We heard the Pete Hammond remix of one of our favorite new tracks, 'Left My Heart in Tokyo' by Mini Viva the other day, and now the Pete Hammond Retro remix has surfaced and is somehow even better because it is a REMIX and it is also RETRO. We'll probably be posting the 'Tokyo' video again to celebrate the single's release on Sept. 8, but until then here's a picture of two attractive women floating around while a very good remix plays.


PS we mean SAW (Stock Aitken Waterman) not SAW like the girls chained someone to a pole and told the person they had poisoned them and that the only way to get to the antidote in time was to hack off their leg or something

Alan Carr, David Walliams and Natalie Imbruglia make our favorite video EVER

There's really nothing to be said about this video, shot on the set of the video for Natalie's buzz-track (no, for the last time it's not the new single) 'Mad About It.' It is all at once mindblowingly brilliant and deeply endearing and perhaps most importantly it is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

Update: Go to www.natalieimbruglia.com and click on videos. There are many more and they are very, very worth it.

VV Brown marches in a different direction

Here's the new video from one of ScopiSat's favorite acts of the moment, the hotly-tipped VV Brown. One of the charms of VV (Is that a proper first name? Or does it have to be VV Brown? Or just V? Ms. Brown?) is that her image and music tip their hat to the 50's/60's and unfortunately, besides her signature fringe, that seems to have been pushed to the side on this one. Her last single 'Shark in the Water' didn't fly to the top but didn't overtly bomb either, so apparently the next step is trotting out a by-the-numbers (but still pretty damn good) R&B kicker to get everyone's attention. It's all well and good for now, but lets hope she soon returns to what she does best


The album 'Traveling Like the Light' is out now on Island Records in the UK, and will eventually be out on Capitol in the US.

The Backstreet Boys' new single is disturbingly alright

Ok so ScopiSat is totally torn on this one. One hand would love to see the BSB thing crash and burn in an epic crapstorm of MOR balladry and performances on shows like 'Loose Women' and on the Oxygen network. The other hand is totally rooting for the boys to come back and be AMAZING and somehow the latter hand seems to inexplicably have won out. This song is flat out great, in that it sounds just like twenty other songs that are topping the charts right now but is sung by the BACKSTREET BOYS, and since the U.S. never got on board with the Take That comeback there is certainly room for a nice boyband jam out there.

Decide for yourself but, shame and self-loathing aside, ScopiSat is downloading the track on Aug. 18th when it comes out in the US. The UK gets it the 28th of September.

It's Scopitone Saturday!!

It is Saturday and time for the Scopitone of the week. This week's selection is perhaps the best specimen ever produced - it features GIRLS, GIRLS IN BIKINIS, GIRLS IN BIKINIS IN WEBS and A WITCH DOCTOR.

Literally a moment that defined pop culture for about three minutes in the sixties.

Kylie makes Calvin crap himself

Calvin Harris has revealed that his nerves got the best of him when he worked with Kylie on her last album, 'X', saying that he barely spoke and just 'tried not to offend her.' During the co-writing stage, Calvin was so overwhelmed that he just clammed up, and has terrible memories of Kylie's eyes 'glazing over.' However, Calvin has already said he is planning to work with the pop princess again next year - on a her new album perhaps? And to be fair, Calvin poses a good question: 'What do you do when you're in a room with Kylie?'

Read more here

Just Jack is not dead

But he's already making videos about the day he died. Okay so it's not terribly new - it came out a couple of weeks ago. But the new single, 'The Day I Died' is still very very good. The lead single from his new album 'All Night Cinema' failed to set the charts on fire (#17) so here's hoping this one does a little (lot) better because it is heartwarming and bittersweet and all the things a chav anthem is meant to be.


The single is out August 17 and the album on August 31, both on Mercury Records in the UK.

Simian Mobile Disco drink some bad blood :(

But that's ok because it results in a quite good song. It might even be better than the actual lead single from the album but this one doesn't have a video so despite winning the 'better' battle it loses the war.



Their new album is out August 17 on Wichita Records in the UK and sometime soon on Interscope in the US. Buy it. Thanks.

Update: Also catch Simian Mobile Disco on the Guardian's Music Weekly Podcast!

Sign of the Apocalypse #4

Mariah challenges Madonna by delaying album AGAIN

According to Def Jam, Mariah's new album, which was already delayed once because of the lukewarm reception of lead single 'Obsessed,' has been pushed back again. Mariah's also pulled out of a number of promotional appearances. This whole 'Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel' mess is getting worse by the day. Officially the delay is to allow Mariah to record entirely new tracks for the set, but it sounds more like Def Jam is just treading water until they figure out how to put the promo plane back on course. The conspiracy theorists among us will note that this is the SAME DAY AS MADONNA'S greatest hits package and clearly there is some sort of DIVA SMACKDOWN afoot. If you ask ScopiSat, both ladies could sure use the press...The new release date is Sept 29 and I'm sure we'll all be holding our breath to see who comes out on top.

Let's all take a moment to remember Lolly

Here is 'Viva La Radio' by Lolly for some reason.


We heard a while back she has something new coming out. Let's hope that it's soon because it will be AMAZING.

Update: Lolly is 32 now. This video came out in 1999. It is now 2009. That means Lolly was 22 in this video. TWENTY TWO.

Jack Penate has a new video out

Shot on a Super 8 camera (oo arty!) and in Jordan (oo global!), the video for Jack Penate's new single 'Pull My Heart Away' has made its way to the interwebs. The song is quite good in that way that you always know what you're getting from someone like Jack Penate and it's never going to be exactly BAD, is it, but it's worth a listen and as a bonus you get to see Jack wearing the head of an animal.


'Pull My Heart Away' is out on XL Recordings on Aug. 24

Annie's new album will finally come out

As everyone else mentioned yesterday, Annie's album that was originally slated to come out in 2008 will come out on October 19 2009 in the UK and November 17 in the US on Smalltown Supersound Records. Only a year late then. There is a general uproar about the album not including tracks like Anthonio and I Know Your Girlfriend Hates Me, but ScopiSat is pretty pleased we will be getting a fresh batch and hopefully a fresh start. The whole 'Annie World Domination' thing hasn't exactly gone to plan up til now has it...
Here is a song called 'Loco' that did make the cut, so it's probably a good guide to what we'll be getting:

Well done.

How is Basshunter still allowed to make music?

ScopiSat will give a large sum of money to anyone who can answer that question. In this video Basshunter and his model girlfriend run around and do couply things until at the end there is a HUGE TWIST and then the video ends.



The song is out on Hard2Beat on Sept 21 so you know when to avoid clicking on any sort of download link JUST IN CASE some interweb tubes get crossed somewhere and instead of that nice new Little Boots remix you've been waiting for you receive THIS and then you cry.

News Roundup: Lady Gaga, Robbie, Ladyhawke and more

- Robbie and Madonna are to be on this year's X-Factor in the UK according to a source.

- Jay-Z and Lady Gaga are confirmed for the MTV awards along with Green Day, Muse, Taylor Swift and more. Still no word on whether those Britney rumors will pan out.

- Ladyhawke announces tour with Ida Maria in the U.S.

Free Ke$ha track ALERT

A few days ago we went on and on about Ke$ha's new track 'Tik Tok' and how it was life changing and blah blah. Now YOU TOO may own this track! All you have to do is go to Ke$ha's website at www.keshasparty.com and enter your details and BAM you can download the song for FREE. Free is a frightening concept for some because generally cost is indicative of worth. However in this instance ScopiSat can assure you that 'free' does not mean 'absolute crap' and in fact this instance of free is a very good thing. Need we remind you that we are in a recession?


In case you forgot what the song sounded like, listen to this while Ke$ha stares through you with her eye.


Update: So Ke$ha...maybe you get a manicure while we're all downloading your song...?

Dangerous Muse is coming

ScopiSat just learned that Dangerous Muse has a new single coming out, and a cursory trolling of the interwebs turned up this innovative (read: bleepy and stuff) preview clip. In it there is sweat and flesh and a very very good song.





For their new album the electro duo have teamed with Bloodshy & Avant (producers for Mantis-arms, Kylie, etc.) and therefore it will be amazing. Perez Hilton has sung their praises (boo) but so has New York Daily News (yay) so they clearly have something up their sleeves, and let's hope the payoff is as good as the anticipation is.

The single and album are out soon on Sire Records

Remember Ruben Studdard?

Me either :(

Peaches doesn't want to lose you

But she does want to invite random strangers to her apartment and perform for them. Apparently she invited fans over in groups of two, and told them nothing except that they would be witnessing a performance art piece by Peaches herself. The first minute is a bit unnerving but then it becomes a brilliant phenomenon unto itself and a window into our modern society.



Out now on XL Recordings.

Calvin Harris touches people up

So we already told you about Calvin Harris' new single and now he has taken to the interwebs to promote it. This is Mr. Harris playing a human synthesizer (no we don't know either, and ScopiSat has sat through the video about five times) and the whole thing serves as solid confirmation of both Calvin's brilliance and complete insanity. Regardless, the whole painty mess is AMAZING.

STOP EVERYTHING

The Dolly Rockers have put a clip of a BRAND NEW SONG on their Myspace and it is BALLS-OUT PHENOMENAL.


That is all.

David Guetta and Will.i.am would like to go crazy

Somehow ScopiSat completely missed that David Guetta and Will.i.am have collaborated on a track that is OUT NOW and is very listenable. So without further ado here is a high-quality song in low-quality format.

Miley pole dances in the USA

For two days the world (ie teenage boys and Focus on the Family) has been clamoring about Miley Cyrus' pole dance at the Teen Choice Awards. Well it finally aired and it wasn't so much a 'pole dance' as 'dancing with a pole nearby' but that's quite enough for us here at ScopiSat. The whole thing is in aid of her new single 'Party in the USA' which is both painful and amazing all at the same time thanks to lyrics like 'the Britney song was on, and the Britney song was on' etc etc.



I think ScopiSat reader Ryan speaks for all of you when he says: "That is the meanest thing you've ever posted."

Party In The USA is out soon on Hollywood Records

Here is a song that sounds like Amy Winehouse but isn't

Paloma Faith has been on the radar ever since she blew away everyone at Radio 2 Introduces... her first single didn't do so well (#17) but this one is quite nice and though it will probably do about the same (#17) the whole point really is to sell albums these days, right?



The single is out Sept 13th on Epic Records in the UK

Calvin Harris has a new single out sometime

ScopiSat is still a little confused about when it's out though... and the video certainly isn't any help is it...



Out now on Sony BMG

Update: at first it sounded a bit crap but it gets better if you stick with it

Sign of the Apocalypse #3

Another 'one to watch' that is actually worth watching

This is Ellie Goulding. She is an 'artist' that has been touted on 'the blogs' for quite some time and is ramping up to actually release some music that the masses can purchase. I think we are all in agreement that she is very very good.


Yes? Yes.

A preview of Natalie's 'Want' makes us Want it much, much more

Apparently ScopiSat wildly misjudged the Natalie Imbruglia comeback bus because if this new radio rip is anything to go by, the bus is going to crush anything and everything in the way and will wind up parked in the AMAZING space at the depot.



'Want' is out September 28 on Malabar Records.

Some math.

That is all.

Chart Chat UK, Aug. 9, 2009

Another week, another new number 1 on the UK chart. Tinchy Stryder and Amelle (of Sugababes fame) scream into the pole position, relegating Black Eyed Peas to number 2. Tinchy is becoming quite a force to be reckoned with, as this is his third top 5 hit this year. The only other new entry into the top 10 this week is the Ian Carey Project with dance tune 'Get Shaky.' There's not much else to be said about this run-of-the-mill club track, and while a number 10 hit is nothing to sniff at, the song is hardly a breakout success. The chart gets more interesting down at number 14, where up-and-comer Little Boots screams up 19 places with her new single 'Remedy.' It seems like the tastemakers will finally be vindicated after next week's full release when I'd put all bets on this being in the top 10. Not so lucky are Girls Can't Catch, whose debut single clocks in at 26. The midweeks indicated the latest girl-band might trouble the upper half of the top 40 right out of the gate, but alas it was not to be. The jury is still out on the group's success, and we'll see where the track goes from here.

The UK Top Ten:
1 - Tinchy Stryder ft Amelle: Never Leave You
2 - Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling
3 - Mr. Hudson ft Kanye West: Supernova
4 - JLS: Beat Again
5 - Beyonce: Sweet Dreams
6 - Pitbull: I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)
7 - Cascada: Evacuate the Dancefloor
8 - La Roux: Bulletproof
9 - Lady Gaga: Paparazzi
10 - Ian Carey Project: Get Shaky

Beth Ditto does her best Kate Gosselin

The Gossip have a new video out for 'Love Long Distance.' It's a typical Gossip-y affair of guitars and throbbing bass but the most notable thing about this video is the animated Beth Ditto reverse-mullet. Kate Gosselin claims another victim :(

Madonna made a song and then someone made it better

The mantis-armed matriarch of pop has released a new song and while it may be a derivative Frankenstein of every dancefloor-of-a-seedy-gay-bar anthem she has ever done, it certainly isn't bad. In a SHOCKING TWIST she has allowed the song to be remixed by some famous and trendy DJ and the result pretty much speaks for itself. It's the Material Girl's world and we're just living in it.

Sign of the Apocalypse #2

Scopitone Saturday!!

This week's selection is a strange hybrid of Paris tourism and a general dislike of the English. It features a woman singing in French about the English and then a very bored woman in a bikini dancing, presumably also about the English, in that way that you can 'dance about' something in an interpretive sense. It is both AMAZING and mildly offensive, which makes it somehow DOUBLY AMAZING.

a ROBOT that makes MUSIC

As the headline indicates this post is about a ROBOT that makes MUSIC. Its name (as robots tend to eschew gendered identities) is the VX-323 and it is AMAZING, not only because it is a robot that makes music but because the music is also very good. It is often best to let artists describe themselves, so here's the 'About Me' from VX's Myspace: "I am the VX-323: singer, songwriter, musician. My main function is as a speech synthesizer. I speak many languages in many voices, and can keep a beat. My interests and passions are many and varied - including electronic device/robot rights issues, technology, and the FUTURE. Although a serious artist, I am not too serious to appreciate the bling, DC devices, and high energy charges I will get when I become famous. "

AMAZING.

Kylie update from Denmark

It's only a few weeks now until Kylie hits the U.S. for the first time (AMAZING), and here are some pics via her official website of her performing in Denmark. They are very small. But so is Kylie so it all works out.

Whitney struggles through a pretty fun song

The whole Whitney comeback train suffered a setback with that messy ballad she put out first, but this new, Alicia Keys-penned disco-y track is a lot more fun. What's up with the voice though? Crack kills, kids.



Hits radio in the US Aug 17

Gaga insanity update #4

7digital One-Ups iTunes

Online MP3 retailer 7digital and Warner Records today announced a new deal that will give 7digital the broadest European coverage of any outlet. Warner, which converted to an all-digital catalog recently, is allowing the retailer to offer high quality downloads of its tracks not only online, but in a number of shops around the EU. Unlike iTunes, 7digital was never bogged down with DRM issues, and seems to have largely side-stepped international licensing concerns. Now that 7digital is available in more European countries than iTunes, the startup certainly seems the retailer to beat. All the details are here.

Your Thursday mid-table R&B Fix

Jade Ewen did not win Eurovision. But she did make a video for an okay song that sounds a lot like a song that would have come out about five years ago. Beware, though, listeners...it's a guilty pleasure grower.



Out on Polydor later this fall.

Things that are BRILLIANT-ER

This new Dragonette song is quite amazing, isn't it?




Yes it is. Then again, that's just par for the course for the band...

Also, kudos to the Saturday Night Fever edit. A media degree put to good use.

Things that are BRILLIANT

That is all.


From their new (AMAZING) album 'Declaration of Independence' on EMI/Astralworks/Kindercore, out Oct 2.

Robbie Killed the Video Star

Stop everything. Put down your work/hobby/child and pay attention because Robbie Williams has announced a 'big comeback' after shuffling off to LA to study breast implants. 'Reality Killed the Video Star' is out November 9, while the lead single 'Bodies' hits October 12, both on EMI.

But wait, you exclaim, Robbie was supposed to be rejoining Take That for some kind of glorious world tour where I could bust out my TT sleeping bag and weep like I was 13 again.

Yes, we thought so too. :(

The new Mariah album will be even tackier than expected

Mariah's label is hoping that her tunes sell more than just sex and earplugs. Apparently her new album 'Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel' (don't get me started again) will include a 34-page booklet with advertisements for things like champagne (because Mariah fans love to drink) and the Bahamas (because they like to drink in beautiful tropical places). The plan is part of the effort to bring the Majors back into the black, but there's something a little disturbing about the whole thing. This month's Billboard magazine has more, or check out digitalspy's article here

A very important message:

Metric continues to put out mind-blowingly good songs even though no one is listening.





Please start listening. Thanks.

Pretty colors, random imagery and an AMAZING song

Simian Mobile Disco have a new single out and it's called 'Audacity of Huge.' It's one of those 'dance music for people who don't like dance music' songs that really is dance music but is also indie and pop and several other things. For our purposes we just care that it is very very good.

Ms. Imbruglia is Wild About It

The video for Natalie's buzz track 'Wild About It' just surfaced and it's a cute tongue-in-cheek affair accompanying a so-so tune. ScopiSat was expecting a bit more, what with all the anticipation and lead-up to the impending 'Imbruglia Re-Launch,' but maybe the first proper single will blow us away. Until then here's a slightly above average song with an admittedly quite fun video. If anything she's showing us a bit more personality. Lets hope that's a good thing...

It only costs £1 to take a ride on Kylie

London has been blessed with a more appealing form of transit, as the Kylie bus rolled into service. The whole thing is just a giant ad for the pricey Tous jewelry she's peddling but I think we can all agree there are worse reasons to end up on the side of a bus.