Kodaline shows love-related anguish in "Honest"

Round up a stellar 2014, Kodaline return with the music video for new single "Honest," the lead single from the Irish alternative rock quartet's upcoming sophomore album, "Coming Up For Air," will be released on February 9. Kodaline exploded in Europe last year when their debut LP "In A Perfect World" produced a string of emotional soft-rock in the best possible way anthems documenting mournful tales of love and loss.
For all intents and purposes, "Honest," is a song about communication. This makes a whole lot of sense, since misunderstood communication usually stems from insufficient frankness and dishonesty. The Jacknife Lee-produced track, due for release on February 1st, finds the Dublin-based rockers in something of a bad mood. While "Honest" certainly has more of an edge than their previous hits with its sharp lyrics and angry guitars, Kodaline still throws in a soaring chorus and stays true to their whimsical stadium-rock sound.
Influenced by a pure and more clean sound, with more depth in their lyrics, "Say what you want to say/ but if you lie to me again/ I'll be the one who walks away/ is it in you to be honest?" bolstered by a huge-sounding, buzzy synth line, are resolute, yet somehow oddly uplifting, as the chords change from minor to major. This shift feels especially nice, as the verses are purposely minor, indicating conflict. It's a towering rock anthem that oozes earnest drama with its sensitive crooning and giant-sized crescendos. Is it in you to be honest? Check out the booming new video, which sees performance footage of the band mixed with moments of love-related anguish.

Imagine Dragons had a wild ride in "I Bet My Life"

Imagine Dragons returned and give us a wild ride with a new video for "I Bet My Life," the first taste of alternative rock band's as-yet untitled sophomore LP, and the sing-a-long anthem finds the Las Vegas-based rockers in a much mellower mood. The striking clip is a visual feast and a surreal odyssey with a harrowing near-death experience. Directed by Jodeb and stars Spider-Man 2 actor Dane DeHaan, who getting into a fist fight on the shores above the Theodore Roosevelt Dam. Things get stranger from there.
The epic track is full of the bombastic, pounding percussion with a slightly folkier vibe than typified the four-piece's past hits like "Radioactive," and transitions from somewhat apprehensive verses to loud and celebratory choruses. "This song is about the relationship I've had with my parents throughout the years," frontman Dan Reynolds explained. "At times it's been strained and difficult, but in the end, 'I Bet My Life' celebrates the bond that we still hold on to."
The clip captures the emotion of the song, as two young rascals fight, forcing one into the Roosevelt Dam and sending him on a glorious, bizarre adventure. The two dastardly fellows, who are dressed in old-timey clothes despite the video being set in relatively modern times, get into a scuffle near the dam, sending one into the raging, flowing river. he young gent is then sent into an expansive underground tunnel, to an otherworldly journey.
The first stop is an underwater house that was seemingly abandoned years ago. Though the chairs are up on the table and everything is covered in protective white sheets, there is a cozy bed for which the boy can slumber on, before he wakes up... only to find himself in a boat. From there, he sails away to freedom against the river until he tumbles over a waterfall. Though that only lands him in the hands of an adoring crowd. But, the otherworldly adventure was just that, a dream. And the boy awakes at the base of the waterfall, in the arms of his enemy. Was it heaven? Was a life actually bet?

Mighty Oaks Celebrate Love In "Just One Day"

Mighty Oaks just put out a great music video to one of the songs from their new EP, "Just One Day." The Berlin-based multinational indie folk trio, comprised of Ian Hooper (US), Claudio Donzelli (Italy), and Craig Saunders (UK), everything that determines this band is already laid out in their name: the timelessness and vastness, the greatness and strength and melancholy. Three young men, from three countries, combining three part harmonies, resulting in one unique sound.
Mighty Oaks write honest, authentic and emotionally driven songs with acoustic guitars and mandolins at the center of their sound, layers of electric guitars creating space and depth, which is rounded off through solid bass lines and the heartbeat of a simple drum. Over that comes the melancholy but hopeful lyrics, which often draw their inspiration from the Pacific Northwest, the birthplace of Hooper that celebrate tales of love, loss and the beauty of all that surrounds. The group's tight, three-part harmonies and effusive, largely acoustic-driven folk anthems have drawn comparisons to bands like the Lumineers, Fleet Foxes, and American Authors.
Their debut studio EP "Just One Day," provides a good taster of what's to come. The resulting "Just One Day" drew rave regional reviews, and was followed by the group's debut long-player, the Universal-issued "Howl." I can’t imagine a more perfect hold-onto-summer song than "Just One Day." Then again, the entire "Just One Day" EP is fitting for this time of year. It has a very nostalgic feel to it. Intricately layered folk, stacked up until it reaches epic heights.
Director by Paul Gerwien, the music video for "Just One Day," find the indie folk trio traveling while singing: "And it's a big old world we live in now/ And how mighty it can be.../ And all this time I pictured you standing next to me/ So we could go find things we've never seen..." Listen to this happy tune and read on as you wish. The truth is, I haven't heard in anything in quite some time that has moved me to want to share, to need to share. That bums me out. I assume it's my frame of mind. Music and introspection go hand-in-hand for me and my life has been on fast forward.

Sabrina Carpenter: "The Middle of Starting Over"

A Lower Milford Township native is ready to be the next big Disney star. Her name is Sabrina Carpenter, and she plays the rebellious middle schooler Maya Hart on Disney Channel's hot new tween show "Girl Meets World." The 15-year-old starlet shows off her fabulous vocals in the brand new adorable music video for her infectious song "The Middle of Starting Over," the second single from Carpenter's debut EP "Can't Blame A Girl For Trying," was released back in April.
Carpenter has already carved out a niche as the teen queen of sugary sweet country-pop. She perfected the sound on Meghan Trainor-penned single "Can't Blame A Girl For Trying" and continues to mark her territory with adorable follow-up "The Middle Of Starting Over," which was written by Jim McGorman, Robb Vallier and Michelle Moyer, and her sound reminds us a perfect mix between Taylor Swift and Colbie Caillat before her heart was broken by every dude in town.
"Back to the beginning gonna hit rewind, chance to do it over, get it right this time," chirps Carpenter in the perky chorus. "Life gives you pennies, turn 'em into dimes. I'm in the middle of starting over." The serotonin-raising tune deserved an equally fluffy visual and Hollywood Records comes through with a candy-colored romp that finds Carpenter strumming her guitar and throwing pillows at friends, and it'll definitely get your feet tapping along to the beat.
The candy-colored video is adorable and completely irresistible. The fun-filled clip simply features this blonde beauty performing her song in various places against gorgeous backdrops including an all-pink room, and another place where she stands against a sea background while an inflatable clown fish swims around her, as Carpenter has a blast with her friends, while moving on to future fun - pillow fights, fake fish, balloon parties, and of course polaroids galore - the "Girl Meets World" star gives us a pure pop sing-along. We love the selfie wall they have in one scene, and the flower petal pulling scenes are stunning!

Jack White debuts 'Would You Fight for My Love'

In the middle of his current tour supporting his critically-lauded sophomore solo record, "Lazaretto," the unequaled Jack White has unleashed a brand new stunningly blue-tinged music video for the LP's third single, "Would You Fight For My Love?" The brooding "Lazaretto" track finds a sensitive White cautious about committing to a relationship having been previously burnt. White used two live bands for the recording of "Lazaretto," the all-male Buzzards and the all-female Peacocks. This song features both playing simultaneously in separate rooms at Third Man Studios.

The alt-rocker made what he called the world's fastest record - he performed and pressed to vinyl the album's title track in less than four hours. Now Continuing White's tradition of innovation and penchant for quick turnarounds, he's applied a similar tactic to the moody video for "Would You Fight For My Love?" Set in downtown Denver's the historic Cruise Room, a beautiful art deco-era, spooky and original post-prohibition bar in LoDo's Oxford Hotel, the blue-hued visual was conceptualized, produced and shot within a 24 hour period. The six-hour shoot came together on less than 12 hours notice by British director Robert Hales.
The conceit has its pros and cons. It's an admittedly simple video drenched in a moody blue color scheme and has an old-school glamor that luring viewers into its scene of brokenhearted blue tones. The stylish video opens with a woman selecting a track on a bar jukebox, with a brooding, unusually dapper White plays a lonely-looking and sharply dressed bar hound fidgeting with a drink and sitting alone at a bar, which is bathed in blue light before he performing his lovelorn lyrics "It's not enough that I love you/ There's all these things I have to prove to you," while gazing directly into the camera.
The clip interacting with the female vocalist, played by musician and photographer Scout Pare-Phillips, on the unfulfillment anthem, but its stripped-down feel and ghostly aesthetic are of a piece with the song's mid-tempo rock and eerie, cooed vocal hook. It's an intriguing and fitting complement to one of the album's best cuts. The very well-groomed White and Pare-Phillips lurk around bar and never seem to make a true connection, occasionally vanishing into thin air, and the clip ends with White raging on an old-school microphone.

Skylar Grey shares intimate 'Coming Home, Pt. II'

Bruno Mars isn't the only artist getting a post-Super Bowl sales boost. A Budweiser commercial has revived Skylar Grey's "Coming Home, Part. II" - a solo version and the remake of Diddy-Dirty Money's 2010 hit, which appears on her sadly overlooked "Don't Look Down" LP as a bonus track. The heartfelt touching commercial tells the story of an American soldier - Lieutenant Chuck Nadd - returning home to Winter Park, Florida after his tour of duty for serving in Afghanistan. Nadd was told that he would be part of a documentary, but was surprised to find that a parade was being held in his honor.
The 27-year-old five-time GRAMMY-nominated singer is such an underrated force in pop, and her dark yet infectious melodies stem from such an honest and gloomy place that is rarely seen in mainstream pop and display the true capacity of Grey's brillance. The songstress co-wrote the incredibly catchy hook with Jay-Z and also sung the intro for Diddy-Dirty Money's original "Coming Home." The tune finds Diddy doing some soul-searching as the chorus echoes his need for salvation. Her contribution was significant enough to make it listenable.
People have been crying out for her to create an extended version of "Coming Home," the same way that she did with "Love The Way You Lie"(Eminem and Rihanna), and thankfully she has seen sense by finally coming up with the goods. The chorus by Grey was the most memorable part of the song, so much so that she has just debuted her own solo acoustic version as the second part under the same name, "Coming Home Part. II," along with an accompanying new visual. Emotions run high in Grey's new music video for the piano ballad, which was directed by Peter Harding.
The heartwarming clip was featured in a Budweiser commercial during Super Bowl XLVIII that was a heartbreaking show of support for our troops, and a tribute to recent announcement from President Obama revealing nearly 34,000 U.S. troops and service members will be returning home. It's a simple affair as Grey shares intimate and performs the ballad at her piano with a couple of candles to set the mood while soldiers reunite with their families, but the no-fuss visual suits the song's stripped back sound and introspective lyrics. Watch the emotional homecoming below.

James Blunt sings his feelings in "Heart to Heart"

James Blunt is back in the game full swing this year and keeps it all moving fast in his new music video for his insanely catchy new tune "Heart to Heart," the second cut and the fourth promotional single taken from English singer-songwriter's latest fourth studio album "Moon Landing," which entering the charts at number two, securing his biggest sales figures for seven years. The 39-year-old singer says himself he'll never repeat the success of the song that made his name, 2005's inescapable "You're Beautiful."
Nevertheless, it seems the former soldier turned songwriter can still turn out a tune. "I have written it very much without an audience in mind," Blunt says of his new set. "In many ways this is, perhaps, the album that I would have recorded if my fast album 'Back to Bedlam' hadn't sold in the way that it did." After the success of first single "Bonfire Heart," the often-derided singer has produced a follow-up single to kick off his world tour. "Heart to Heart," is a radio-friendly pop affair that promises to be just as insanely catchy on the ears, was co-written with Daniel Parker and undoubtedly influenced by producer Robopop, making this another traditionally inoffensive Blunt song.
It's clear from its title that Blunt has an affinity for hearts. The track is basically, a private 'heart-to- heart' conversation between two people about their feelings, but in this song it becomes an important personal declaration of loyalty in friendship as well as in love. Of course, Blunt stays true to form by singing again about the uncertainty of being with someone. The lyrics border on being infantile, but are forgiven by the infectious melody. Hooks are plentiful, and smooth the transition from the verses to the choruses. The choruses continue the fun folk-pop, as Blunt re-affirms that despite everything, he sees 'eye to eye, heart to heart' and all is well.
The ear-worm "you and I/won't part until we die" is rhythmically brilliant and simply can't be ignored. "Heart to Heart" may be cornier than the lead single off "Moon Landing," but still has heart as it is quite possibly the most feel-good Blunt track ever. The accompanying video sees Blunt standing in different city sections, performing the track as everything zips by at the speed of a blur and various couples freeze among the crowd. The upbeat, hand clapping, positive track is sure to win more top spots on charts around the world and maybe even pull in a few fans that jumped ship a few years back.

Jake Bugg unveiled "What Doesn't Kill You"

Breakout British folk/punk/rockabilly purveyor Jake Bugg is back on the scene, and the much-hyped indie guitar-rock bloke has returned with a brand new video for his punked-out song, "What Doesn't Kill You," the lead single to be taken from British singer-songwriter's upcoming sophomore album, "Shangri La," follow-up to last year's self-titled debut, will be released on November 18. Bugg spoke about the LA based Shangri La and the decision to name the new album after it: "It feels like its cut away from civilization." He added that it "felt right" to name the album after the studio.”
Speaking about the new album, the 19-year-old Mercury-nominated star explained that it was tracked live. "I think you capture a bit of magic doing that, something you can't explain," said Bugg. He also spoke about the swiftness with which the second album has followed his first. "It came quick but, for me, music's what I do to get away from stuff... Even though its been crazy, when I have time to myself, it's me picking up my guitar… I traveled lots and had some crazy experiences, so I had a lot to write about!"
Written by Bugg along with Iain Archer and produced by legendary producer Rick Rubin. "What Doesn't Kill You," is a guitar heavy energetic explosion recorded live in the studio that gives young performer's prior acoustic sound an electric jolt and gives us a snippet of just what is around the corner. The track is a speedy power-pop punch clocking in at just more than two minutes and is much rockier affair, in comparison to what we've heard from Bugg on his debut as the Nottingham star tries his hand at a more punk, straight forward thinking style of rock, which is a great refresher for today's music scene, filled with over-pop back tracks.
Bugg explains the streetwise inspiration behind the tune, referring to "stabbings in car parks" before delivering a first verse detailing a tale of everyday mugging. Tough new single provides taste of muscular second album. The video is a simple black and white clip that features Bugg rocking out in a sparse, white room, the video is direct and matches the febrile intensity of the song which, musically speaking, sits somewhere between the Arctic Monkeys at their most poignant and The Only Ones at their most romantic. Bugg himself is clad in a black biker leather jacket, his collar raised – seemingly against the world.

Mumford & Sons poke fun in 'Hopeless Wanderer'

Mumford & Sons has unveiled the music video for their track "Hopeless Wanderer," the most recent single off of Mumford & Son' Grammy winning sophomore album "Babel," but fans won't get to see any of the band members in it. Instead, they will be treated to the funny antics of four comedians from former "Saturday Night Live" cast members Jason Sudeikis, Jason Bateman, Will Forte and Ed Helms as stand-ins for the band members, and in the process proves the British folk rockers have a great sense of humor. The result is by far the best Mumford & Son video yet, and it quickly went viral.
"Hopeless Wanderer" finds frontman Marcus Mumford longing for loved ones left behind whilst on the road. The track originated with a piano part created by the band's Ben Lovett when the group was staying in a small house in Nashville, Tennessee in early 2011. "My bedroom was right next to the living room, where we had a little setup," recalled Mumford to American Songwriter of overhearing Lovett tinkering the ivories. "I was in bed, hungover, and I thought, 'F**k, I need to get in that room, because that sounds amazing.' We wrote the song that day."
The clip all opens calmly enough, with the sun's glare and a muted color palette obscuring who might actually be performing. It's totally plausible that Mumford & Son would be the stars of this show. Until the one-minute mark, when it's revealed that lip-syncing along to the words from the song, is the aforementioned comedic quartet, satirizes the band members, from their outfits to even the necessary facial hair and old-timey clothes to pull off the routine. From their respective stringed instruments down to the way the band performs their heart out, the funny men give on the dot impressions.
The four do a convincing enough job of pretending to play things such as the piano, guitar, banjo, stand-up bass, and accordion. Not that there isn't a decent amount of foolery; Sudeikis, as Marcus, struggles to play guitar while carrying a bass drum on his back; the four also squeeze into a tiny boat while playing in the middle of a pond. The emotion of it all starts to peak as tears are shed and kisses are exchanged. But there are still beers to to cheer and instruments to bust up in a barn-burning finale highlighted by Bateman's banjo picking and Forte's bass. They do give a new meaning to the hook, "Hold me fast/ Hold me fast/ Cause I'm a hopeless wanderer."

Yuna moseys through a nice day in "I Wanna Go"

Fresh off the release of her "Sixth Street" EP this past May, the Malaysian-bred indie soul singer Yuna returns as she enjoys the sunny California weather and adds a scenic, playful, summery visual interpretation to the Pharrell-backed artist's album opener "I Wanna Go." The spirit of untainted romance is beautifully captured in "I Wanna Go" video from skating the streets, to prancing in gardens, and walking on the beach, Yuna follows her photographer boyfriend wherever the day takes them, she reinterprets her upbeat summer ballad atop a bed of vibrant images, vintage photography and blissful Californian landscapes.
The 26-year-old highly regarded songbird is an artist we have been keenly following for several years now, and, along with us, she has captivated many in the music biz including the likes of Billboard, MTV, SPIN and Russell Simmons with her thoughtful, life-affirming songwriting and enchanting voice. Her sweet, unique and gently beautiful voice and effortless style offering up the confession that regardless of any trepidation in the face of that which is unfamiliar, she is willing to go wherever with that special someone.
The upbeat breezy summer ballad is accompanied by an equally playful aesthetic, which highlights Yuna being followed around by a certain male companion. This song encapsulates when precious moments are met with sweet melodies. It doesn't get much more summery than Yuna's new video for "I Wanna Go." Yuna croons sweet melodies as she moseys through a perfectly relaxed day, alternately skateboarding, painting, and running through flowery fields without dropping a note. Yes, the video may feel a bit too sweet like a commercial for the ultimate spring day, but the music is just as solid as the Yuna we know and love from earlier projects.
Interspersed with vintage-inspired shots of the singer, the video featuring an innocent love story between she and her leading man, is a perfect match for the summer months, and also featuring a laid-back sunny locale, full of lush greenery and flora and a sun-soaked dedication to Yuna's long-distance lover and is sure to brighten any dreary day you encounter. Watch as she runs among the flower beds then lives out a beach-side romance below. If this doesn't put you in summer mood, I don't know what will.

Jake Bugg sings "Broken" at an open mic night

British rising star Jake Bugg has unveiled a new video for the new version of his heartfelt ballad "Broken," the originally tune was served as seventh single to be taken from his self-titled eponymous debut album, which topped the UK Albums Chart. Twelve months ago, Bugg was just another teenage songwriter. Now, he's the self-appointed savior of real music, inciting riots wherever he goes. The young and bubbly singer Bugg has already finished half of his second album and is currently touring his album on the festival circuit, which will include performances at Glastonbury, T In The Park and Reading & Leeds.
Bugg is an English folk-rocker from a Nottingham housing project somewhat astonishingly, with songs that seem steeped in The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, The "Chirping" Crickets and A Date With the Everly Brothers. Essentially, Bugg does what countrywomen Adele and Amy Winehouse did with soul: He yokes the spirit and styles of dated genres to the now. No Auto-Tuned gloss here; Bugg's voice sounds more like it was run through a rusty 1950s stage mic than a digital workstation. At the same time, the roof-raising chorus pegs him squarely as a child of Nineties Brit pop. Vivid storytelling helps keep Bugg out of the nostalgia swamp. But for a teenager's debut, Bugg shows an artist who is crazy fully formed, stepping into a journey that should be worth following.
The young singer says his influences are the Beatles, Johnny Cash, Donovan, the Everly Brothers. He teamed up with legendary cross-genre producer Rick Rubin, who has been behind the helm of some hugely iconic albums, the new version of "Broken," is slower, fuller, and full of emotion. It's an incredible step forward for what was already an album highlight. The hymn-like quality of the original is now backed with crisp drums and soulful choirs, whilst Bugg's vocal is his best yet. The kind of shrill ballad that sounds great in the mud and rain for a moment of solace. What starts off as a wistful guitar piece grows into a choir filled cry that is just brilliant! His talent is impressive, but not towering.
The accompanying brand new music video, is a bleak little clip and very fitting for the vibes of the song, sees Bugg just hanging around in an American bar, before he takes to the center stage at an open mic night to perform the guitar-led track. We assume this bar doesn't check IDs at the door, considering the singer is only 19. Watch the 19-year-old rock star sing his heart out in a grungy pool hall, with only a harried waitress to pay him any attention, and prepare to be transfixed by the youthful gent with the old soul.

Daughter offer up a somber ballad "Youth"

North London-based trio Daughter has recently released a new stark video for the poignant and beautiful track, "Youth," a track off of their 2012 EP "The Wild Youth," one of the strongest self-releases I have heard, as well as recent debut album, "If You Leave," which is out now via Glassnote. Calling to mind a stripped down Bat For Lashes with a forlorn Florence Welch-esq vocal, the four mid to slow tempo tracks on "The Wild Youth" are brooding and beautiful, yet never boring. Subtle, yet confident in U.K. indie folk rock band's delivery while displaying a knack for smart and incredibly effective arrangements, color me impressed.
To say it's been a busy year for Daughter would be a massive understatement. For those who have been following the development of the solo artist (real name Elena Tonra), who creates gorgeous music that is stuck in limbo between personal singer-songwriter confessions and bombastic swells of slick indie rock, with the focus very much settled on the delicate intricacies of Tonra's vocals and the sweet simplicity of the accompanying acoustic guitar. Her latest collection of songs build upon the ambient ideas first explored in short bursts on the mostly acoustic tracks on previous release "His Young Heart," which dedicated an entire track to lengthy synth chords and layered vocal sounds.
As a track itself, "Youth" is a somber and simple ballad about lost love. For the bombastic drums in the final moments of "Youth," Tonra has decided to express aggressive ideas in swathes of production techniques, the acoustic ideas swapped for clean electric guitars and synths that reverberate so heavily one could be forgiven for getting lost in them in the dark. Tonra's voice softly and surreptitiously shoots bullets like "And if you're in love, then you are the lucky one... 'cause most of us are bitter over someone," and the verses are colored in nuances of nostalgia, regret, accusation, anger and love! In my view, a perfect blend to illustrate the title.
The black-and-white video is extremely simple and effective and it adopts a minimalist approach, allowing the song to speak for itself. Tonra and her bandmates: Igor Haefeli and Remi Aguilella stand fixated to their designated spots, on an entirely darkened stage-save for three spotlights-and allowing themselves only enough movement to successfully play their instruments. It's moody and straightforward, just like the song. "Youth" is a wistful, heavy-hearted track, but there's still an underlying melancholy, and the combination synchs up for a simple yet effective end result. Tonra's voice is so mesmerizing that a simple video is all the band really needs, and it is rather fantastic.

Skylar Grey takes a camp trip in "Wear Me Out"

In advance of her album's release next month, Skylar Grey gets frisky with his on-screen boyfriend and shows her dark side once again while out camping in the music video for her latest single, "Wear Me Out,"  the third single and fourth overall taken from the Wisconsin singer-songwriter's upcoming debut studio album, "Don't Look Down", due in stores July 9 via Interscope, the project features Eminem, Angel Haze, Big Sean, and Travis Barker.
The J.R. Rotem-produced "Wear Me Out," is yet another piano, moody song. The kind Grey so loves and keeping it honest. The the 27-year-old sweet voiced soulful singer-songwriter, the protégée of Detroit native rapper Eminem, singing about being worn out by a certain love interest and showcases a more soulful side as she sings over the piano-driven record and I like the melody, subtle production, and of course, Grey's clever lyrics.
Grey has garnered much success as a featured artist and looks to break further into the solo spotlight with her July release. "I am going back to my roots as a piano-driven singer-songwriter with this song," said Grey. "The song and the video were both inspired by events in my childhood, like sneaking out of the house to camp with my friends and flirt with boys." The video thankfully, is not as creepy as her "Final Warning" video. In typical Grey fashion, "Wear Me Out" is still a dark visual, but no one appears to be possessed or in need of an exorcism.

As for the Isaac Rentz-directed "Wear Me Out" visual, it succeeds in capturing the essence, and vibe of the song. The clip hews closer to the chanteuse's roots than the more stylized aesthetic of videos like "C'Mon Let Me Ride," follows Grey, her boyfriend, and a few friends going camping at night. It also featuring shots of the singer-songwriter ready to cause mischief with love her interest Noah Segan and looking au natural by the campfire and playing piano in the woods under the moonlight, and makes love to her man in camping tent, but mystery and mischief lies in her eyes.

Skylar Grey seeks revenge in "Final Warning"

After showing a more playful side with her Eminem-assisted single "C'mon Let Me Ride," Skylar Grey is one tough girl in her just-released dark and dramatic video for her appropriately titled catchy song, "Final Warning," the second single from the 27-year-old Wisconsin native's upcoming Eminem-executive produced major label debut album, "Don't Look Down," due in stores July 9 via Interscope Records. The haunting video puts a twist on the song's deadly-romance storyline as Grey plays a mistress in her lover's cross-hairs.
"This is the first time in my entire life of making music, when I made this song, where I feel like I finally figured out the way that I wanted to sound and the combination of things," Grey tells Rolling Stone about the song. "I wrote the song three years ago, and it's still my favorite. I've written so many songs since then, yet I always go back to this one. It got me going on the whole Skylar Grey project." Grey adds that the song was inspired by heartbreak. "I wrote it the same week I wrote 'Love the Way You Lie.' I was in a cabin in the woods in Oregon. It's inspired by the same tumultuous relationship behind 'Love the Way You Lie.'"
For "Final Warning," Grey gets back to her 'dark' sound. This is more like the Grey we first met. I honestly like this spooky ballad. And the video is amazing. It translates the message of the song really well. Love and family don't always mix. When relationships become inappropriate and lines get crossed, there's no telling what the outcome may be. The dark cinematic visual tells a complex storyline and shows a battered and bruised Grey returning from near death and appears at her family's home wanting to confess a dark secret about having an affair with her sister's boyfriend, but it only to be put through a near life ending ordeal as he tried to kill her. But it's Grey who will have the last laugh.
"The video for 'Final Warning' is totally different from the song," says Grey. "In the song you'd think I'm talking about my boyfriend cheating on me. But in the video I'm the mistress to this dude, who's married to another woman, and I'm mad that he married [her] instead of me." And to hide his infidelity, the "dude" then tries to murder Grey's character. "He wants to get rid of me so his whole life doesn't fall apart," she explains. "He botches the murder. Then I come back and confront him in front of his whole family at his birthday party. I come into the house, all muddy, because I came out of a ditch he threw me in after trying to murder me and not succeeding. I crash the party and everyone freaks out. Then he tries to finish me off for good."

Passenger sings missing a lost love in 'Let Her Go'

British folk act Passenger (Mike Rosenberg) has released a music video for his heart-breaking single, "Let Her Go," the second single from Passenger's debut album, "All The Little Lights," which was recorded in Sydney. If there's a theme to be drawn from the album, it's not just the usual stock-in-trade of the traveling troubadour - LOVE - but the love of life itself.
For Brighton, UK born and bred yet very much the adopted Australian son singer songwriter Rosenberg, being independent has proven to be the best road he could have taken since he started a band in 2003 at the age of 16. He trust in his music, his distinctive voice and his guitar to take him where it would. He took to the streets and discovered not only that the experience enormous fun, but it also proved empowering for the likeable musical troubadour. It's not quite a falsetto, but he's definitely not Leonard Cohen either; he sings in hushed tones around the upper range of his tenor. He is making a kind of folky Britpop that the general public needs little explanation for.
We've all heard that when you love someone, it's best to set them free, and Passenger makes the process a lot smoother with "Let Her Go." The track broaches the familiar feeling of ending a relationship, only to then wonder about what could have been. "It's about taking things for granted until they're gone, yet there's a little glimmer of hope," says Rosenberg. Lyrically, much of "Let Her Go" is basically a riff on the line featuring the title of the song "you only know you love her when you let her go," and is really a roundabout way of getting to the point; the song is fairly clearly about missing a lost love, one that he still dreams about.
The music video was directed and produced by the Australian video artist Dave Jensen that shows the stage being prepared for a Passenger concert, with footage of Passenger performance with his backing band and shots of the audience present reacting. Under the dim glow of twinkly string bulbs, Passenger entertains a totally lucky live audience with his accented, raspy alto emphasized with liberal acoustic guitar and a tear-evoking string section. Rosenberg has a beard and you can see his sad eyes when he looks at the camera in the video clip. Serious business!

Lana Del Rey Re-Visits "Chelsea Hotel No. 2"

Lana Del Rey - she of bouffant hair, pouty lips and that crooning voice - surprised fans last night by debuting a new eerie video on her Twitter in the most Del Rey way possible with an all-lowercase simply tweet that read "new video." The 26-year-old sultry and melodramatic singer provides vintage visuals for her gentle acoustic rendition of an already gentle Leonard Cohen's classic ballad, "Chelsea Hotel No. 2," that tells an old story of Cohen's brief relationship with the late Janis Joplin.
The Chelsea Hotel, in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, is a famous New York musician breeding ground and cultural landmark with a storied history, and is where Cohen lived when he wasn't at his home in Montreal or his cottage on the Greek Island of Hydra. He chose the Chelsea because he heard he would meet people with a similar artistic bent, which he did. For some years, Cohen would often tell a story about meeting a famous singer Janis Joplin in an elevator of the Chelsea, which led to the sexual encounter he describes in this song, a reveal that he later came to deeply regret.
Redone in a typical Del Rey fashion, a feather-light slow jam, Del Rey is well-suited for Cohen's lyrics, given her often husky and surprisingly agile voice and how much she trucks in nostalgia. She's done '50s Hollywood glamor, been a prim '60s First Lady, and now she is taking on the role of '70s folk period troubadour. All she needs is a guitar and her voice for the soft-spoken cover and sends chills down our collective spines. The forlorn lyrics about the illusory tryst are perfect fodder for romantic fatalist Del Rey, whose feather-light purr captures the uncomplicated tenderness of Cohen's original. The beautifully drifting cover fits rather nicely into Del Rey's continual effort to spin an image of tragic glamor.
Del Rey keeps it simple and tame in her vintage-styled minimal clip, just relatively stripped-down Del Rey herself, singing a faithful version of Cohen's reflective ode. The clip is filled with grainy, sepia-colored footage to give forlorn vibes as Del Rey sitting on a couch in a gloomy dimly-lit room and fumbling occasionally with a Marlboro cigarette and matchbook, Del Rey strikes the same spare, wistful tone as Cohen, and croons lyrics describing a sexual encounter between two lovers in the Chelsea Hotel, many dubbed as New York City's most famous Bohemian hostelry.

Mumford & Sons unveils "Whispers in the Dark"

As if "Marcus Mumford joins a motorcycle gang" wasn't already a strong-enough concept for a music video, Mumford & Sons offer three extra plot lines in their newly-premiered music video for their latest single, "Whispers In The Dark," the third single off English folk rock band's latest critically-acclaimed sophomore album, "Babel," which won the Grammy for 'Album of the Year' last month and has sold two million copies to date.
This anthem call finds the frontman Marcus Mumford singing: "I'm a cad but I'm not a I'm not a fraud. I set out to serve the Lord." Speaking to the Big Issue, Mumford responded to the interviewer's question about the seeming religious undertones to the lyrics. "I don't even call myself a Christian," he added. "Spirituality is the word we engage with more. We're fans of faith, no religion. We're just writing songs that ask questions. Sometimes the best way to go about exploring a question, things we wouldn't necessarily talk about in conversation, is by writing a song."
When people think of Mumford & Sons as a throwback act, they mean that they use instrumentation and an aesthetic that dates back to the roots of American folk, country, and bluegrass. But when it comes to music videos, they are similarly old-school, in the sense that they really seem to be trying to make the sort of clips one of the biggest-selling rock bands in the country is supposed to make. It's the sort of classy, adventurous, vaguely artsy video that you used to expect from the likes of Coldplay, R.E.M., or whoever else was at the top of the rock heap at the moment, and Mumford & Sons are wearing that hat quite nicely.
Taking the de rigueur concept of the "live video," Mumford & Sons' members are preparing for a big gig in Jim Canty-directed clip, which is split into four small frames offers different stories of how four quadrants reache their destination and make their way to their sold-out arena shows, with Mumford riding a chopper to the show and going all "Rebel Without a Cause," Ben Lovett waking up in a parked car, Ted Dwane gazing wistfully at the sea before heading over to his show, and the eternally-rumpled Winston Marshall stepping out of a freshly-pressed suit and into a tattered costume. The four meet up at the end of the clip as the corners come together.

Of Monsters and Men debut "King And Lionheart"

Of Monsters and Men, an Icelandic alternative folk sensation, burst on the music scene this year with their first hit single "Little Talks," and the five-piece indie folk/indie pop band is back and have managed to release another epic, cinematic treat new video for their new single, "King and Lionheart," the title track for their upcoming album. Like all their songs, "King And Lionheart" has a folksy pop/rock feel, and the clip is a medieval, 'Middle Earth' fantasy.
Formed in 2010, Of Monsters and Men are the biggest thing to come of Iceland since Sigur Rós, and of course, their beautiful landscapes. Like many Icelanders, guitarist Ragnar Þórhallsson and vocalist-lyricist Nanna Hilmarsdottir are fascinated with the idea of storytelling, and many of their songs are fantastic fables of lions and other animals. "I like animals, and I think they're more fun than human beings," Þórhallsson told Spinner. "They're just very fun to write about. There's something simple about it. When we write the lyrics, we're often thinking about the human being as an animal. The raw animal instinct of a human being. It's like, how bad can people be?"
Directed by WeWereMonkeys (Mihai Wilson and Marcella Moser), whose last promo for "Little Talks," was named iTunes Alternative Single Of The Year last year, received over 50 million views on YouTube, so anticipation for a follow-up is erm, rather high, and it's no surprise that this long in gestation follow-up is just as epic. It has the feel of a Tolkien/Martin 'Middle Earth' fantasy, complete with a supernatural sprite that comes to the rescue, but there's enough clues to make you realize that it's a post-apocalyptic near future.
No fear, with all the charm and and wonder of their former promo, WeWereMonkeys deliver on all fronts. Of Monsters and Men showcase their splendid feel-good single "King And Lionheart" behind a dark animated visual. Focused on the endeavor of two intrigued little children, a brother and sister are desperate to reunite in the wake of a world taken over by an evil force, the video follows a sea of animated creatures and angry men as they chase down the all but innocent kids through a seemingly permanent coat of darkness. Guided by a light though, the children are able to find refuge in a large 'spoiler alert' castles that doubles as a spaceship.

Train duet with Ashley Monroe for "Bruises"

Just in time for the holidays, Train just premiered the music video as part of CMT's Big New Music Weekend for "Bruises," the third single taken off the Grammy Award-winning pop rock band's excellent and versatile fifth studio album, "California 37." Following the success of "Drive By" and released "50 Ways to Say Goodbye," the new promotional track features country singer Ashley Monroe, who is a member of Pistol Annies along with Miranda Lambert and Angaleena Presley, and puts enough twang in "Bruises" to make it perfect for country radio.
"Bruises" is a country oriented duet with a sweet melody that anyone who has been hurt before can relate to, so basically, that means everyone will feel its power. The song is about two friends catching up about 10 years after graduating from high school. Both of them are divorced, and they've been battered and bruised a few times over the years. But despite the pain, they recognize that their scars make them more interesting people.
The pop rock trio isn't typically considered a cross-over country act, though the frontman Patrick Monahan has worked with Martina McBride in the past. Now that they've teamed up with Pistol Annies' Monroe with call-and-response collaboration, they are making some concrete roads through the country genre. It's the little bumps along the road that make life interesting, or at least that's what Train tries to tell us on their song, "Bruises." Monahan once said: "It could be a really big career song for Train."
The storytelling for the Alan Ferguson-directed video is enrapturing and framed as a long-distance friendship. Though they're thousands of miles apart, the lead characters manage to make it work through their music, and heightening the song's sense of faded love, with Monroe plays a mother of two and enjoying a simpler life at home, while Monahan's strolling around Red Rocks Amphitheater and playing to huge crowds. He wears his heart on his sleeve as he attempts to reconnect with a lost love. The two even end up performing the same song, but on different stages

Mumford & Sons dropped "Lover of the Light"

Mumford & Sons have dropped a stunning and cinematic clip supporting their latest U.K. single, "Lover of the Light," the second single from the British indie folk band' latest extremely successful sophomore studio album, "Babel." Mumford & Sons don't do anything halfway, and their new video for "Lover Of The Light," is proof that the four-piece English folk collective puts just as much work into the concept of their videos as they do their epic brand of folk music.
All the classic Mumfy essentials of the song are there: marvelous, sweeping crescendos; lead singer Marcus Mumford's grainy, powerful vocals; great, swelling, uplifting emotional buildup. No exception for "Lover of the Light." This boisterous bluegrass banger has been a regular in Mumford & Sons' live sets since early 2010. Keyboard player Ben Lovett told NME: "With 'Lover of the Light,' people would say to us, 'Oh, I can't wait to hear that chorus on record.' But what they really meant by that is they can't wait to hear what they've already heard." It's a gorgeous piece with lovely cinematography set to one of Babel's best tracks.
One can be blind and still be a "Lover of the Light," that seems to be the moral to the story in the Mumford & Sons' new video, which features actor Idris Elba, who stars and makes his directorial debut as a blind man who suffering at his unhealthy disconnection from nature and finds true happiness in the light. This is a visually impressive video that carefully mirrors the timbre of the swelling and dynamic thoughtful uptempo tune.
Filmed in Pembrokeshire, Wales, the video follows a blind Elba seeking personal fulfillment in the great outdoors as he goes through his morning routine and explores the near by wilderness, his confidence surges until he arrives at a cliff side and yells his heart out to the ocean. He is all boundless joy and energy, rapturous. In a world of darkness, he loves the light. A somber and reflective Mumford strains, "Watch me stumble over and over." It has faithful Mumford fans wiping their eyes and scratching their heads.