Clean Bandit show off something "Extraordinary"

Clean Bandit, the U.K. classical-dance crossover act unveiled the video for their latest single, "Extraordinary," features vocals from British singer Sharna Bass and is the fourth single to be taken from the London-based quartet's upcoming debut album, "New Eyes," due out Jun 17th in the U.S. Meet Clean Bandit, your newest crush, and get ready to fall head over dancin' heels in love with Clean Bandit, whose "Extraordinary" video, shot in Cuba and featuring choreography, some reckless behavior with a stringed instrument and a cameo by a piglet.
Just as Disclosure were to 2013, the Cambridge-based, classical-meets-dance foursome are quickly shaping up to be one of most game-changing arrivals to the dance floor this year. Having only dropped a handful of singles, the U.K. group hit the ground running this past January in a major way with their unbelievably successful No.1 smash, "Rather Be" featuring Jess Glynne. When jungle met classical... Clean Bandit are an odd, almost indescribable beast and the group set about matching breakbeats to classical flourishes. It was all rather unexpected. So unexpected, in fact!
Packed with alluring soft synths and an engrossing bassline, "Extraordinary" is another innovative cut and a flawless piece of dance-pop. Bass's vocal work fits like a glove, forging an epitomic example of commercial dance music done to the highest caliber. Drifting along a gentle piano and strings-supported melody at first, Bass smoothly pleads her case with a lover who might not be for very much longer. Then, in comes the chorus with an almighty rush of next-level electronic beats, combining snappy bits of '90s Brit Garage à la Katy B with R&B and even some steel drums. "Something extraordinary, something real/ To fill my days and nights with something that I can feel," she urges.
Clean Bandit's surreal self-produced videos are always something of a spectacle: they mastered the power of persuasion for UK Shanty by convincing Lily Cole to plunge into a freezing swimming pool, drummer Luke Patterson conquered ice-skateboarding in Dust Clears and multi-instrumentalist Jack Patterson taught himself CGI animation so he could create a golden snake for their A&E video. "We shot the official video in Cuba. It's an incredible country, unlike anywhere else we have ever been to," says cellist Grace Chatto. "We wanted to capture the euphoric feeling of the music in sunshine and dancing. We made the video ourselves, as always, with help from two Russian friends and some wonderful people we met out in Havana."

St. Vincent searches for hope in 'Digital Witness'

St. Vincent (also known as Annie Clark) strikes out against conformity in her dystopian new video for "Digital Witness," the second single from her forthcoming self-titled fourth album, arrives on February 25th and the same day she kicks off an extensive U.S. tour at New York's Terminal 5. "The video shows St. Vincent commanding a surreal and futuristic world in which action is synchronized, replicated and repeated," according to a press release. It's a stylish, bizarre, cool video befitting the stylish, bizarre, cool song.
Annie Clark has always been a quirky character, so imagine what life would be like if St. Vincent were running it, and her new video offered a vaguely dystopian glimpse at just such a world. But the singer-songwriter-guitarist is another rare artist with the savvy and poise to pull such a move off. Apparently, St. Vincent likes everything nice and matchy-matchy, with flat tones and simple lines consuming the landscape and interiors. If the color scheme isn't unnerving enough, Clark's unflinching stillness and her Dr. Seuss-styled hairdo make you wonder when exactly she's going to snap.
"Digital Witness" questions the concept of identity in the selfie era. "I wanted to make a party record you could play at a funeral," Clark said last year. You'll fall in love, and you'll be staring at a screen. The brassy, dance-y track very much reflected the ample time Clark has recently spent collaborating with David Byrne. Lockstep drudgery meets bright colors in Brooklyn musician's latest video, which looks just like a window into Clark's anxious vision, all conformist synchronization and dystopian austerity. The result is a layer of optimism, in tune with the song's funky horn riffs, amid Clark's surreal future world.
Clark teamed up with director Chino Moya to update Fritz Lang's classic silent film "Metropolis." The new video builds off of that jittery anxiety with a fleshed-out narrative that positions St. Vincent as the unblinking, truth-telling, shock-haired madwoman in a land of conformity while singing over the deceptively joyous horn blasts, glossing over the song's creeping paranoia. But where Lang's world is all moody black-and-white, Clark and Moya paint a surreal, pastel-hued future soundtracked by St. Vincent's funky, horn-infused dancey track. Watch St. Vincent's gloriously coiffed "Digital Witness" dystopia below.

Michael Bublé Knows How "To Love Somebody"

Michael Bublé triggers hearts with a new music video for his cover of the Bee Gees classic 1967 hit song, "To Love Somebody," which is the third single to be released from his upcoming eighth studio effort, "To Be Loved," will hit shelves April 22 in Canada and April 23 in the U.S. It's a solid cover of the song and the 37-year-old Canadian singer perfectly showcases just how mad he is for his new wifey Luisana Lopilato and her growing baby bump.
Written by brothers Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb of the legendary trio of the Bee Gees for their manager, Australian-born impresario and entertainment entrepreneur Robert Stigwood, who was an influential part of London's gay showbiz establishment. The moving soulful ballad "To Love Somebody" became one of the most popular Disco acts in the '60s, and has been covered numerous times by many other artists, most notable among them being the version by '80s adult contemporary singer Michael Bolton.

Part of being a pop culture blogger is respecting all different genres of music. Now most people are fascinated with the charm, crooner voice, and sophistication. It's so difficult to hold true to your style in today's industry, as more and more artists are crossing over to mainstream pop. With "To Love Somebody," Bublé shows you can have a fun video set, but remail classy and confident in the music released! The lyrics are heartfelt and passionate, so it only makes sense that Bublé kept the video simple and romantic. Bublé ditched the sequined duds of Motown for ‘60s mod in his new clip, the black-and-white theme is displayed, but not in the same monochrome way that other artists have done in their music videos.
The multi-Grammy winning crooner channels Robert Palmer with his own 7-piece all-female backup band, all of which are applies the contrasting shades to his smashing suit and tie ensemble, and outfitted in matching black and white geometric patterned mini-skirts and white patent go-go leather boots that are definitely meant for more than walking, performing a faithful rendition of the Barry and Robin Gibb ballad. For his soulful reinterpretation, Bublé, in a white suit jacket, plays the part of a James Brown-like frontman, grabbing the mic and pleading, "You don't know what it's like to love somebody the way I love you."

Birdy tackles Bon Iver's 2008 hit "Skinny Love"

With the way her rich voice flutters, British YouTube teenage sensation Jasmine van den Bogaerde couldn't have chosen a better stage name than Birdy, who has blowing up in the UK, and has unveiled the music video about two years ago for her breakout debut single, "Skinny Love," a rendition of American folk band Bon Iver's 2008 hit from their 2008 album "For Emma, Forever Ago." The young songstress was 14 when she recorded this song after she won the under 18s category of the UK talent contest UK Idol at the age of 12.
Birdy chose to cover "Skinny Love" for her debut album after her aunt, who is a fan of the song, first played it for her. This 16-year-old chanteuse bearing her soul (via Bon Iver's Justin Vernon) all the way from the UK. With only a piano to accompany her, Birdy unleashes her tender and frankly jaw-dropping vocals and bowls the listener over by her breathtaking voice. A sparse, yet utterly emotional version of a spectacular track that has seen her playlisted by the top UK DJs. If Van den Bogaerde keeps this up it won't be long before Birdy becomes a household name on both sides of the Atlantic.
We speculate widely about the meaning of "Skinny Love," is it about a relationship petering out? Is it about a real-life skinny lover? We asked Birdy how she interprets the lyrics and it's something of a mystery to her too. "When I'm singing it, I'm not really sure of the actual meaning of the song," she admits. "But... to me it feels it's like a break-up, people who really love each other but having to move on then. For me, it's more about the melody and the music," she adds. If you're into delicate prodigy-grade piano pop, and haven't heard this beautifully innocent song, you can watch the video clip below you'll find some other treasures from this young star.
I do prefer her breath-taking version to the original. Birdy's version of "Skinny Love" is just phenomenal and her vocal strength is amazing! This is a beautiful summer song and Birdy has a stunning voice. The piano is poignant and powerful alongside the lyrics. The promo for song was directed by Sophie Muller, in which we sees the Birdy walking around an abandoned house and also playing the piano. The video also marks the first time the public have seen the Birdy. The video is beautiful, haunting and so mature!

Lana Del Rey driving Jaguar in "Burning Desire"

The Queen of sultry pop Lana Del Rey has a new rival. It is a sleek red Jaguar F-Type which competes for attention with the singer in her new music video for her latest sexy ballad, "Burning Desire," the only iTunes track off of 26-year-old indie pop star's third EP, "Born to Die: Paradise Edition," is also being used as the title track to a special promotional film for the new 2014 British automotive Jaguar sports car model F-Type, called "Desire."
The song was written and composed by Del Rey, who literally wrote "Burning Desire" for what will probably be an extended Jaguar commercial dressed up as cinema, and the song is about driving to a booty call, breaking the speed limit in order to get to the object of your desire, even touching yourself in the car. It's got a sensual trip-hop beat, Del Rey's signature impossibly-low growl, an addictive six-note piano hook, and a sultry chorus. It's almost like it was written to be a sex song.
The melody is quite catchy in conjunction with lyrics about riding, cruising, and driving fast with the wind in your hair. "Making art means making tough decisions. I do believe you create your own life path and that you will be rewarded for following your passions and sticking to it. It's just good to know now, with people like Jaguar and working with them, that I'm not the only one out there with such strident, creative beliefs," Del Rey explained.
Del Rey is her usual sultry self in the video, which is basically tastefully done, with the singer taking center stage and performing the song in a historic theater Rivoli Ballroom, looking sultry as she sings behind a microphone stand in her slinky elegant white silk dress in front of red velvet curtains. Shots of the new luxury sports car cruising along flash by as she metaphorically sings about her desire for her man that used a lot of car and driving references. The distinctive venue's eclectic mix of neon-classical, deco style perfectly complements Del Rey's original style which make the overall clip all the more chic and stylish.

Bat For Lashes Gets Mildly Creepy In "A Wall"

Natasha Khan, known by her stage name as Bat for Lashes, is ending 2012 on a high note. After releasing her third album, "The Haunted Man," in October to critical acclaim, the 33-year-old British singer returns post-apocalypse and gets mildly creepy to deliver a new coinciding aesthetic video for the shivery song, "A Wall." This one tells a labyrinth-like modern fairy-tale love story in a house party setting.
The haunting goes in all directions on Bat for Lashes' magnificent 2012 album, "The Haunted Man." The specter of war haunts the male characters, but "your ghosts have got me, too," Khan sings at one point, and on the cover she literally carries a man's weight on her shoulders. It should go without saying the record is haunting for the listener, too. "A Wall," a vocoder-inhabited electro-pop song with synth work by TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek, puts even more of the burden on Khan's lyrical protagonist, a situation that comes surreally to life in yet another spellbinding video from the album.
“A Wall” comes lensed once again by director Noel Paul, whose muse is clearly Bat for Lashes. This time around, however, Paul's got her in an intriguing blond-wigged, getting a little too saucy and extravagantly drunk at a strangely sedate party with actor Harry Treadaway, whose slight figure looks quite a bit like that of the man on album's cover. He's wearing something furry, and he's clearly somehow unwell. Haunted, even. Watch Khan roll around with a male furry in this cute, but semi-twisted love story that could have been easily shot at the Overlook Hotel from 'The Shining.' Surreal party, labyrinth and all.
A labyrinth-like hedge, through which the two fail to escape, subtly evokes the song's hook: "Where you see a wall, I see a door." Meanwhile, Khan nuzzles her uncanny man, whose odd attire also distantly recalls the fallen angel in R.E.M.'s classic, Gabriel García Márquez-inspired "Losing My Religion" video. It's not giving away too much to point out Khan looks happier, and more like herself, by the video's end - the wig comes off! - but all in all it's a vibrantly creative, beguiling look at the things we carry into our relationships. And how we keep each other from falling down.

Florence+The Machine updated "Lover To Lover"

Indie rock band Florence + The Machine have already unveiled one video for their powerful tune, "Lover to Lover," the darkly stripped-back live clip that surfaced in January, but the English powerhouse went in a much more cinematic direction when releasing an updated set of visuals, which premiered last Wednesday on Nowness. The gospel-tinged blastoff appears on the band's 2011 hit sophomore set, "Ceremonials," and is scheduled to be released on December 4th as their fifth single.
This song finds lead singer Florence Welch singing of hopping from "room to room, bed to bed." It was inspired by '60s Soul numbers such as "I Heard It Through The Grapevine." She explained to Mojo magazine: "It's me saying, 'I want to make a song just like this.' I was listening to lots of Marvin Gaye and lots of Otis Redding, and 'Lover To Lover' was me wanting to make a song I could imagine a male Soul singer doing. I was listening to a lot of Sam and Dave, as well." The arena-scale Motown of "Lover to Lover," is reminiscent of the Eurythmics at their most soulful.
Helmed by director Vincent Haycock, the dramatic new clip features shots of Welch in the throes of a tumultuous and disintegrating relationship with up-and-coming Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn as their lovers' quarrel escalates into something a little more darkly dramatic. "It was completely improvised," she said. "I had to think about things that I was actually angry and upset about. It is cathartic, but you have to literally let yourself go. Ben is so sweet and accommodating - afterwards he gave me this massive hug and made me feel so comfortable."
Beginning in a drab Los Angeles house and building to a cathartic gospel frenzy, the romance ends as the lovesick heroine disappears amid mist into the Pacific Ocean. The baroque pop chanteuse Welch playing a put-upon housewife who echoes the track's heart-aching refrain, and performs a Tale of American Heartbreak who sets a fire burning possessions and seeking her salvation and gets swallowed up by the ocean in a washed-out California beach town and according to Welch, the shoot was an emotional one: "It was the most intense experience because we shot the whole day before; I went back to the hotel, slept for three hours, woke up and dove into the sea."

Regina Spektor belts out the emotional in 'How'

Regina Spektor has posted her brand new video for the beautiful ballad "How," the third single from her latest sixth solo record, "What We Saw from the Cheap Seats," is out now via Sire/Warner Bros Records. It's not as if, at 32, the Soviet-born New Yorker is an unknown, and she makes quirky, literate and stylistically varied pop. It was hard to escape her 2006 single "Fidelity," with its memorable chorus: "It breaks my heart," in which she repeats the first sound of that final word a dozen delirious times.
One track from new album that blatantly stands out with its divergent style, unique composure, and pure emotional core. And that somber, shiver-inducing tune is "How." We say "How" is divergent in style because while it remains true to Spektor's signature, alt-pop-piano tinkering, staccato sound, the song takes on a whole different rhythm and melody structure than what we're used to from Spektor, it slightly reminds us of an old blues song! And that emotion! You can hear it pouring out from somewhere deep within Spektor.
This sparse piano ballad is a straightforward breakup song, a rarity for Spektor, who is better known for her stream of conscious lyrical content. It finds the pop singer pondering how she can never forget the warm embrace of her lover. One speculation is that the song is about her old piano she left behind in Russia, and another is the more obvious, break-up song theory. But whatever "How" is about, it's a ballad for the ages, and is a staple for anyone needing a sad, yet sonically gorgeous song to shed a few tears to when they need a good cry! This timeless ballad sees Spektor backed by piano and drums, allowing her powerful pipes to shine and soar through the mix.
The video itself kicks off with a plain black and white background and close-ups on Spektor's face, but things get more colorful as the clip progresses. In fact, Spektor changes into a butterfly as she belts out the emotional lyrics about a broken heart backed by piano and drums, "How can I forget your love? How can I never see you again? How can I begin again? How can I try to love someone new?" as the song draws to her expressive eyes fully open allowing the viewer to almost glimpse into her soul. Backed by the gentle sway of strings and a piano part that's sparse and somber, the anti-folk songstress wants to have her cake and eat it too in the game of romantic nostalgia.

Lana Del Rey Frolics With Bikers In "Ride"

Lana Del Rey continues to evade definition with a new sprawling and cinematic video for her new single, "Ride," the lead single from the upcoming re-release of her debut album, "Born To Die: The Paradise Edition," due out on November 13. The epic 10-minute vision of what she says "Country America used to be," will either silence her critics forever, or just add flames to the fire. But, anyone with an open mind can't deny it's one of the most important works in popular music to come around in a long time.
"Ride" is a long, dreamy ballad that swells into full view during the chorus, composed in the indie pop, soul pop, and baroque pop genres. In the song, Del Rey sings over a string-drenched, piano-driven melody. The 26-year-old singer sings what she knows best: loneliness, some daddy issues and day-drinking. All of this is probably a metaphor for something, but honestly, we're still trying to figure out what those "Born To Die" tigers mean. "Ride" is more accomplished than Del Rey's previous endeavors, with the strengths of the track outshining the flaws.
The Antony Mandler-directed video told from the perspective of a character who stumbled across a disconcerting alternate meaning of true freedom. It opens with the now familiar image of Del Rey arching over a suspended tire swing against a desert cliffside, looking bored, or maybe meditative, or maybe sad, or maybe all of the above, as depicted on the single cover, and it's unclear how the tire swing is suspended, with no visible trees nearby. Del Rey amped up on the smokey vocals and narrates: "I was in the winter of my life and the men I met along the road were my only summer." Del Rey expresses how she found sanctuary through traveling, while on tour, because the singer had not had a proper home for a long time.
Following the confession, we see a shifting series of striking images of the singer, joyful on the back of a motorcycle, wandering around sketchy motel parking lots and fulfilling her dreams of a singer at a nightclub as her gang rolls down the highway; alone on the sidewalk outside a city convenience store; composed in a pretty white dress before a performance; back in the desert, wearing a novelty t-shirt, and wrapping herself in an American flag. The video certainly succeeds in crafting a wistful, ultimately lonely backdrop for song's melodrama. Indeed, it can also be seen as simply a continuation of the '60s nostalgia trip that Del Rey began with "National Anthem."

Fiona Apple Is Flight "Every Single Night"

Fiona Apple is making her triumphant return to the world of music videos after more than 6 years away with "Every Single Night," the lead single off her forthcoming album, "The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do," The brilliantly bizarre clip, seems to be obsessed with wildlife, especially creatures with no spines, makes its official debut on the Sundance Channel Sunday night, and the album hits stores on June 19th, the kickoff day for Apple's North American tour.
"Every Single Night," her first single in y years, is a tortured tale but the lyrics aren't the only aspect of the sparse song that feels bipolar: There's a prominent toy piano riff that makes Apple sound like a ballerina spinning out of control. Apple describes what she's trying to capture as "the flight of little-wings of white-flamed butterflies in my brain" - a striking image that turns disturbing when you think about what it's like to be enveloped by trapped, flapping tiny insects. Apple uses her piano as a percussive instrument that also makes melodies. She bangs at it, slapping out chords that sometimes feel like marching orders and sometimes act as interruptions, enhancing the stop-start nature of her internal monologues.
Emotions are so darn beautiful - that's the message of music, much of the time. Apple's music does something different. A classically lovely woman whose gorgeous, sultry alto once led her toward alt-divadom, she has always dared herself to be and do something else: to say no to simple beauty and instead express the urges and insecurities that more accommodating artists tend to avoid. Combined with some her unique vocals and some truly unique imagery, "Every Single Night" is a triumphant comeback by being exactly what Apple's cult of devotees has been yearning for.
The 34-year-old songstress and pianist gave director Joseph Cahill pretty simple instructions: "do things to me and put me in situations and surprise me." The end result certainly is surprising. The very strange, sci-fi-tinged clip features unsettling water imagery, an octopus worn as a hat, and a minotaur in Apple's bed and dances down the street while surrounded by people with lightbulb-sticks. As we see Apple lying in a field, while an electric-blue sky floats above her, upside-down swimming above water and walking through the streets of Paris while a giant squid attacks the Eiffel Tower. It's strange, it's oddly beautiful. And it's far more haunting and for more beautiful than what we could have ever anticipated!

Florence + The Machine Released "Spectrum"

Florence + The Machine have released an ultra-theatrical video for "Spectrum," the fifth and final single off of the English indie rock band's most recent sophomore studio album, "Ceremonials." The frontwoman Florence Welch said despite her own natural conflicted and irreverent mindset, she attempted to put some positive messages on album: "Like putting something in there that wasn't just for me, like 'Spectrum,' they're really earnest, saying don't be afraid of who you are and follow your heart."
Musically, "Spectrum" is a downtempo baroque pop and indie pop and drums while backing vocals repeatedly sing "Say my name" throughout the song. The song is a huge, churchy tune, even in the context of the band's typically bombastic blend of arena rock and gospel. Music video legend David LaChappelle rose to the challenge of making a clip for the song, matching its drama and energy with a vivid color palette and incredibly theatrical staging.
LaChapelle explained: "It's a beautiful song that really touched me and inspired me to create imagery that matches its power. 'Spectrum' is free of scepticism, irony, and the coldness one finds in a lot of contemporary popular music. It's the opposite – full of light, positivity and authentic joy. I hope that I can do justice to this moving modern classic." The clip depicts ballet dancers pirouetting, jumping, and dancing around the singing songstress. Upon the release of the video, critics praised Welch's look and the video's dark atmosphere.
The new colorful clip looks like every fashion blogger's "Favesies" board on Pinterest, and the often imitated, never duplicated Welch brought out the big guns for this new video which is as bombastic and over the top as the song itself, and a what a ballerina-mermaid dance party looks like inside Balmain's house and/or a Baz Luhrmann film. It's a sparkly musical venture featuring Welch as a futuristic Venus emerging from a spiky, metallic shell among other things! By the end, you won't just be "saying her name," you'll be screaming it.

Lana Del Rey Strikes A Pose In "Carmen"

Lana Del Rey is back with another visually arresting music video for her new single "Carmen," is taken from Del Rey's first major-label album "Born to Die," which debuted at No.2 on Billboard Hot 200. "The album is a tribute to living life on the wild side. I'm sort of kidding because I'm not that wild any more... I used to drink a lot. Too much," she once said. "I haven't had a drink for seven years now," the 25-year-old singer said.
"Carmen" is a dark tale of pretty-girl psychosis and it narrates the lifestyle of a 17-year-old Hollywood party girls like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, and the 'Blue Jeans' singer tries to give hints at how she grew up in the Big Apple and returns to the found-footage motif with a mix of strippers, instructional drug videos and digitally aged clips with vintage, early-1960s appeal that "explains everything" in the newly-released clip. Among the images in the video are blooming roses, athletically gifted pole dancers, as well as clips from a scientific video that explores the chemical effects of crystal methamphetamine.
This cautionary tale of a doomed woman who sells her body on the streets is littered with Coney Island references. Del Rey told The Sun: "Carmen is a song I can't say too much about because it's so close to my heart. It's the song on the record I relate to most closely. It's set partly in Coney Island, a place that's been important to me throughout my New York City career." Coney Island is a peninsula in southernmost Brooklyn, and was America's original Sin City, decades before Las Vegas, and was rife with prostitution.
Spliced into the footage of the video are schematics of methamphetamine and audio blurbs that ask how meth can change your brain. With a siren-like voice, Del Rey is no stranger to the mash-up video style herself and she continues in this vein for "Carmen," and she designates the video as a "BIO PIC" in the video's YouTube description, but it's up to the viewer to decide how much or how little is an authentic glimpse into the life of the singer, who has been widely criticized for relying too heavily on artifice.

Florence + the Machine debut "Never Let Me Go"

Florence And The Machine have posted their new video for "Never Let Me Go," the fourth single from English indie rock band's latest second studio album "Ceremonials," an album absolutely packed with big, grand ballads. In its new video, a newly gothified frontwoman Florence Welch indulges in a bit of ice-rink romance, and things don't turn out too well. Upon the release of the video, critics praised Welch's gothic look and the video's dark atmosphere.
Musically, "Never Let Me Go" is a downtempo power and piano ballad with elements of R&B and pop music. It has a piano-led instrumentation accompanied by thumping drums while backing vocals repeatedly sing "never let me go" throughout the song. Many critics noted similarities between the song and materials by other artists including Enya, Evanescence and Ryan Tedder-produced songs. The song received mostly positive reviews by critics who praised Welch's vocals and its balladry nature.
Lyrically, the theme of the song revolves around the sea and the ocean, and the song also talks about sin and redemption. Speaking about the song, Welch told Digital Spy, "The gospel thing comes from my obsession with hymns. I'm drawn to anything that has a hymnal quality, be it Spiritualized or dusty old albums by Georgian choirs." Welch takes us to the dark side in her latest video, and this isn't the video for you if you like closure and certainty.
The promo was directed by Tabitha Denholm and stars 'The Twilight Saga' actor Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays Welch's love interest. The clip match the almost supernatural tone of the song and sees Welch in a black hoodie as she enjoys a good time with a boy she met in a dark place. The pair together skating and shots of a dirty water trickling down Welch's face and hands are shown. The joy ends as soon as it starts, leading her to be covered in black gooey substance, and pouring from her mouth before she appears to melt away to nothing.

Florence+The Machine Debut 'No Light, No Light'

Florence + the Machine have unveiled a dark music video this past Friday, for "No Light No Light," the second single from English indie rock band's new sophomore effort "Ceremonials." The frontwoman Florence Welch and her band have landed themselves in hot water after allegations their latest video promotes racial stereotypes and demonizes a religion, The music criticism from around the blogosphere debate over suggestions that it has a racist subtext.
"No Light, No Light" was the first song penned by Welch and Isabella Summers for the album during the tour in Amsterdam. The song begins with lyrics talking about fighting with snakes, and it was one of the songs where Welch sets aside her usual flighty, dreamy, gothy lyrical go-to's ghosts, graveyards, devils, angels, myths, drowning for something a bit more personal. Musically, the song exudes utter strength; lyrically, Welch is on her knees.
Backed by a live choir, Welch showed off her vocal prowess as she rocked out to "No Light, No Light" and she told NME: "Most of my influences have been male singers and the people I grew up watching perform were all these garage punk bands who went to Camberwell Art College with male singers who were almost trying to exorcise the audience. So when I write songs like 'No Light, No Light', I'm thinking about the rhythm and the chant and the aggression rather than the melodic mellifluousness of it."
The video, directed by Iceland-based duo Arni & Kinski, seems suggested a flirtation with dark magic, but any fascination Welch has with the occult is no longer the stuff of Manor Party games. There's some seriously life-threatening juju going on and as we watch Welch belt out the song from a skyscraper's rooftop, while elsewhere - perhaps far out of the range of her cannon-blast voice - a man painted black is convulsing through the steps of a voodoo ritual. The clip touches on the fine line between spiritual ecstasy and reckless abandon, is exploring a territory between Christianity and voodoo spirituality. It does not shy away from matching the music's melodramatic intensity.

Florence and the Machine Debut "Shake It Out"

Following that recent weekend remix, Florence and the Machine is once again dolling out a masquerade-set clip for their the newly released gloriously uplifting track "Shake It Out," the lead single proper from Florence Welch and her mysterious mechanical band's upcoming sophomore effort "Ceremonials." Welch became a bigger-than-indie darling when their debut album "Lungs" burst into unlikely mainstream success. In the nearly five minute technicolor blast, Welch splits her time mourning and dancing her way through a stately psychedelic costume party at a masquerade ball.
This gospelly pop tune is about having a hangover and wanting to shake it out, and it features a churchy organ and concludes with Welch roaring, "It's hard to dance with the devil on your back. So shake him off!" Welch explained: "I wanted to just shake something out, shake out these regrets, shake out these things that haunt you. It was one of those songs that came in about half an hour and when you've got a hangover, it is almost like a hangover cure. You're like, thank you!"
Given the track's bursting vocal moments, "Shake It Out" could have lent itself to something far more grandiose visually. But Florence and the Machine have kept it relatively low-key. Kind of. I'm using relatively very loosely here. The track's music video is still an over-the-top affair filled with Old World imagery and glitter-covered dresses and suits. But it's not quite as outrageous as it could have been, even if things do get really dramatic at times. I guess I was picturing something more arena-sized, though maybe that's because the track is so goddamn huge.
The video is as gorgeous and ethereal as the song itself, features Welch at a Shakespearian masked ball, dressed in a long red gown. She traded only a few of her Stevie Nicksian chiffon gowns for something a little wilder, tighter, for this Annie Lennox-directed clip. In it, the singer is equal parts naughty and nice as she cavorts between dancing, drinking, shaking it out and shrinking away during this fairy tale party. She flows between beautiful people in masquerade masks and drops in on a seance. This is easily one of Welch's best vocal performances to date, and the imagery will leave a mark on fans and aspiring fans to boot.

B.o.B Debuts "Nothin' On You" Feat. Bruno Mars

The new rap sensation B.o.B aka Bobby Ray finally released the official video last Tuesday night for his lead single "Nothin' On You" featuring artist Bruno Mars from his soon-to-be-released debut LP "The Adventures Of Bobby Ray," which will due in stores April 27. The Ethan Lader-directed music video was filmed from Los Angeles, along with Bruno Mars, the Atlanta rapper is making his way to London, to Tokyo, to Georgia, to New Orleans wooing beautiful ladies in those big cities.
It has been an interesting journey for Atlanta native B.o.B as he has grown from being a relative unknown to quickly becoming a legitimate rising star. Signed to T.I.'s label Grand Hustle movement, the 21-year-old is about to crack the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 with this new track "Nothin' On You," one of my favorite songs of the past few months. The song samples Common's 2005 track "Go!" and it's amazing to see the single come full circle with a dope video and gets crazy amounts of spins on the radio all over the country. Hailed as 'the next big star' by both VIBE and XXL, it appears this young Atlanta-native is destined for big things.
B.o.B, also known as Bobby Ray, has been known for having a very unique view on music and has used different methods in his music videos. As you should expect with a creative artist such as B.o.B., the latest video provides a fresh take on the song through its unique production. The video, perhaps inspired by the May 25 mixtape cover, plays off of magazine cutouts that are sometimes pieced together as you can see several women in picture form, along with the artists, as they walking through the Photoshop collage street. The result is a neat, rarely seen visual that adds to the video's concept, rather than detracts from it. As you might be able to envision, the video does bring to life the lyrics with B.o.B. walking into the sunset at the end of the video with his chosen one. It's very interesting to look at and seems to flow well with the song and maintaining relevance to it while proving to be unique in its presentation.

Christina Aguilera | "Hurt" (Video)

Christina Aguilera was born December 18, 1980 in New York. She has become one of the most successful recording artists of the decade, selling more than 42 million albums worldwide. "Hurt" is a pop ballad song, and the 2nd single from her 3rd studio album, "Back to Basics" in 2006. The song's lyrical content describes how one deals with the loss of a loved one, and it has received praise from pop music critics.

The circus-themed video for "Hurt" was shot over five days in September and the video premiered yesterday on TRL. It is the first video Aguilera has directed. The video begins with the ending instrumental to "Enter the circus"/"Welcome", over which a carnival barker introduces a spectacular circus, and begins in black and white, and ends with a shot of Aguilera sitting on a circus box, singing and crying, before fading out to Aguilera's grief-stricken form on the ground outside the circus tent.
My favorite singles from Aguilera: "Beautiful", "Genie In A Bottle" and "I Turn To You".