RealMusic Editor's Blog

Robbie Williams - Reality Killed The Video Star

Clare Lydon — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:36:05 +0000

The knowing irony of Robbie’s new album title has been somewhat deadened by his recent comeback performance on the X Factor - even if he might claim he was being postmodern, wink to camera. Whatever, three years on from the generally panned Rudebox, the question isn’t is Robbie’s new album any good but rather, is Robbie the pop star worth the effort anymore?

Music Video Lounge

Clare Lydon — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:54:06 +0000

This week’s Music Video Lounge features artists who in their 20s, 30s and 40s - Frankie’s Holly Johnson turns 50 next February, so we just missed out on featuring another decade. Next time. Time to gargle this bunch of new videos and see if they make you belch with pleasure or pain…

Leona Lewis Live Review

Clare Lydon — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:16:45 +0000

Leona Lewis, Hackney Empire, London - November 2nd

Leona Lewis first appeared on the stage of the Hackney Empire when she was 13 years old. Eleven years later, the now sleek and shiny woman-sized Lewis returned to her hometown to play her first ever headline show before an audience of adoring fans last night. Security was heavy after Leona was recently punched in the face at a book launch. However, when she appeared on stage shimmering and trailing a long cloak, the Hackney resident cut a cool and confident figure as she launched into her first song…

Chase & Status Interview

Clare Lydon — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:08:57 +0000

Chase and Status are London dance/electronic producers Saul Milton and Will Kennard. They’ve had numerous dance hits with their brand of progressive drum ‘n’ bass and this month sees them releasing their new single End Credits featuring Plan B - the theme song for the forthcoming movie Harry Brown starring Michael Caine. We caught up with Will on another hectic day for the boys en route to another sell-out show…

Watch Britney's new single "3"!

Clare Lydon — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:16:38 +0000

She sings, she jiggles in a white leotard, she touches other ladies’ bottoms and she crimps her hair. Is there no end to Britney’s talents? She’s back (although to be fair, she never really went away did she?) with her new single 3 and a Greatest Hits collection just in time for Christmas. Rejoice in the healing powers of Britney…

Listen to Britney Spears Radio on RealMusic…

(Clare Lydon)

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Halloween Fright-Fest!

Clare Lydon — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:35:19 +0000

Happy Halloween! If you’re American, you’re probably reading this while simultaneously dunking for apples and trick-or-treating with ET while dressed as a pumpkin. If you’re in Europe however, you may have bought a rubbish mask for less money than an egg sandwich but then left it on the bus on the way home. Nevermind. Whichever, there’s no better way to celebrate Halloween than by watching Michael Jackson’s Thriller video which is unsurpassed in execution, dance routines, budget and length to this day. RealMusic Blog takes a look at the 13-minute fright-fest, marvels at its Lego counterpart and points you towards our very own hand-crafted Halloween Radio…

Jackson's This Is It: Watch Premieres & New Clips!

Clare Lydon — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:43:51 +0000

Watch the UK Premiere with JLS, Chipmunk, Mel B and Michael Buble

Imogen Heap Interview

Clare Lydon — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:31:39 +0000

Imogen Heap’s new album Ellipse debuted in the US album charts at No.5 last month. We caught up with the woman who some call the Queen of the Digital Age to chat about why America loves her more than her native UK, how she’s now mates with Mika, how she’s managed to get over a million followers on Twitter and why she invites these friends to comment on her music as she makes it and buys them drinks into the bargain at Heap Tweet-Ups…

Miike Snow - Miike Snow

Clare Lydon — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:54:14 +0000

There’s been a flurry of hype around Miike Snow and their eponymously titled debut album - as the band themselves admit it’s something they never expected when they got together to “mess around”. But they’ve got form - of the trio behind the sounds, singer Andrew Wyatt has just finished Daniel Merriweather’s new album and Swedish pair Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg are also known as Bloodshy & Avant, the writing and production team behind Britney’s Toxic as well as a stack of other pop successes including Madonna, Sugababes and Kylie Minogue. So is their hybrid debut the sound of a hundred stars spun in a blender? Er, no…

Cheryl Cole - 3 Words

Clare Lydon — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:22:27 +0000

3 Words - it’s an invitation of an album title isn’t it? Could do better. You’re so ca-yute. Dubious trouser choice. But that’s to get away from the point isn’t it - and the point, after all, is the music. It being time to face it etc. Oh no, hang on, Cheryl is not an X Factor contestant, something it’s difficult to discern these days. Let’s get back to the music. Not the shredded MC Hammer trousers, the military garb, the Janet Jackson dance moves. The music. Following hot on the heels of Alexandra Burke’s debut last week which was more Leona than Leon, Cheryl Cole’s debut had better be a belter right? After an exhaustive week of listening in RealMusic Blog HQ, we can say that it’s no Girls Aloud. Instead, Cheryl’s plumped for military drumbeats, sleek R&B and production so shiny you could wear it round to your mum’s for tea and get a complement…

Frankie: Behind The Scenes Of The New "Relax"

Clare Lydon — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:55:27 +0000

Frankie Goes To Hollywood are back. Don’t look so surprised - it’s the 80s again, remember? Watch our exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the new remixed Relax video, starring oodles of nubile guys and gals with not much kit on. There’s also Holly Johnson behind the decks smirking, as well as introducing the whole shebang. Watch it, then go and eat some Angel Delight just to prove how 80s you really are.

Listen to Frankie Goes To Hollywood Radio on RealMusic

(Clare Lydon)

News Bleed

Clare Lydon — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:05:07 +0000

The Return Of Rihanna

The Wait Is Ova. Yes, not content with taking over the pop world with her squeaky vocals and rich tunes, Rihanna’s people are now rewriting the English language with the word ‘over’ simply not good enough for them. We could of course go off on one about grammar innit, be we won’t. Let’s instead concentrate your mind on the fact that Rihanna is back and covered in barbed wire in an explosion of fashion-meets-art. We assume the wire is rubber and not barbed otherwise we fear for her nipples; plus the eye patch is a bit Gabrielle circa 1996 but still. Rihanna’s fourth studio album, Rated R, is due to be released on November 23rd. Before all of that though, her first Ne-Yo-penned single Russian Roulette was launched on Tuesday - to hear what all the fuss is about, click here. Will the album live up to the hype? On the strength of the new image, yes; on the strength of her first single, the jury is still out…

Spandau Ballet Live Review

Clare Lydon — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:02:30 +0000

Spandau Ballet, O2 Arena, London - October 20th

“What you been doing for the last 20 years?” a beaming Tony Hadley asked the eager crowd three songs into Spandau Ballet’s two-hour set. Getting older would be the truthful reply, also an answer that applies to the five members of Spandau, quabbles now put aside, patched up and standing before us. Of all the 80s comebacks, Spandau Ballet’s always seemed the most unlikely. Last night however they put on a show that turned back time, the band tight and Tony Hadley producing emphatically clear and true vocals that enabled the audience to settle comfortably back into the early 80s…

Music Video Lounge

Clare Lydon — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:27:03 +0000

This week’s Music Video Lounge is not covering Cheryl Cole’s new video as we already did it here. So long as we’re clear. What we are featuring though is the likes of Alphabeat, Addictive, Imogen Heap, Foo Fighters, Miike Snow and Los Campesinos! who are all aces…

Dance News

Clare Lydon — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:54:38 +0000

Chase & Status innit tho!

Who doesn’t love a good movie? Well, we wouldn’t say that we’re big fans of the silver screen but there’s one film in particular that has caught our attention called Harry Brown. Michael Caine is the lead actor but it also features Ben Drew better known as Plan B. And no, it’s not the plot that’s gripping us but the theme music End Credits by Chase & Status featuring Plan B. Chase & Status first came to prominence with their remix of Capleton’s Who Dem entitled Duppy Man in 2005 and since then they’ve scored three No.1s on the UK dance charts with the double A-side Hurt You/Sell Me Your Soul, Take Me Away/Judgement and Pieces featuring Plan B in 2008. That same year they released their debut album More Than Alot, which has sold 60,00 copies and has led to remixing work for the likes of Jay-Z, The Prodigy and Snoop Dogg during the last 12 months. They’ve also been working on tracks for Rihanna’s forthcoming album out later this year…

Michael Jackson - This Is It Clips

Clare Lydon — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:21:47 +0000

Listen to Michael Jackson Radio on RealMusic

(Clare Lydon)

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Mr Hudson - Straight No Chaser

Clare Lydon — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:39:31 +0000

When your mentor (who happens to be one of the most powerful and influential men in the music biz) declares that you have “the potential to be one of the most important artists of your generation” live to millions at the MTV Europe Music Awards there’s going to be a fair bit of pressure for your album to deliver. But when your mentor and executive producer is the hip-hop/R&B megastar Kanye West, you must know your in good hands, right…?

Erasure Interview

Clare Lydon — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:48:38 +0000

With the 21st anniversary of The Innocents nigh, Erasure are re-releasing their classic album along with a DVD of The Innocents tour from 1988. Besides making RealMusic Blog feel old, it was also the ideal opportunity to have a chat with lead singer Andy Bell about how old it makes him feel (”it seems like a different lifetime!”) and also to discuss Erasure’s future plans, his forthcoming solo album and what he thinks of the current 80s revival…

Kings Of Convenience Live Review

Clare Lydon — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:59:56 +0000

Kings Of Convenience, Barbican, London - October 14th

“Who are you going to see tonight?” asked my friend. “Kings Of Convenience,” I replied. “Are they like Kings Of Leon?” she countered. “Erm… similar but different,” I smiled. In fact, the Kings Of Convenience are as far away as can be from their Californian semi-namesakes. Where the Followill brothers favour axe-grinding and gritty vocals, the Kings Of Convenience feast on lush, hushed harmonies and delicately seasonsed guitar melodies. All wispy hair and pastel-coloured cords, their brand of atmospheric folk-pop draws you into a jazz-influenced, sunshine-fuelled world where the smell of tanning lotion and fresh pineapple linger. This is what Simon & Garfunkel would have sounded like had they been drugged and born in 70s Oslo…

Music Video Lounge

Clare Lydon — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:38:57 +0000

This week’s Music Video Lounge is not reviewing Robbie’s new single as we already covered it here, OK? Good. But we are reviewing the likes of Sean Paul, Kings Of Convenience, MPHO, Phantom Limb, Mr Hudson and Alexandra Burke. In other words, loads…