Music Video Monday: "Turn Up the Radio" by Madonna

Nearly a month ago, Madonna Youtube released her latest music video for her single "Turn Up the Radio," which debuted a week ago. Surprisingly, the vid hasn't received a whole lot of attention, only garnering 4.5 million views as of today. Or is it not surprising?

For one, it premiered on her VEVO channel, which only has one-sixth the amount of subscribers as her official channel that houses ALL her other music videos, even her other two from album MDNA. Perhaps, she is trying to move to VEVO, since her own channel is flooded with uploads from highlights from her tour. Madonna isn't the only artist to do this in their return to music during the VEVO-era. Fellow pop-mogul Kylie Minogue has a library as large as Madonna, but only her two most recent videos are housed on her VEVO, while she uses her own channel for tour and other promotional highlights.

Further, it was released three weeks before its availability as a single. A bit hasty? Perhaps. Also, the vid seems to have had little promotion is other spheres. This may be that her company is busy with her world tour. Who knows?

Maybe it's the video itself. It doesn't flow into the extraordinary or the exceptionally exciting. It's a simple video, which isn't a bad thing if it's charming enough to keep people's attention, though even Madonna seems bored in it. Thanks to the filters of soft-focus lenses used throughout, Madonna looks half her 54-year age. The vintage look seems more like a fallback on the popularity of Instagram, though. Madonna has had an eye for trends, so this use is not surprising, even if it follows a similar move by Minogue (again) in her use of sepia tone for parts of her "Timebomb" video released a month prior to the filming of "Turn Up the Radio."

Basically, the video consists of Madonna fleeing Italian press and fans with her chaffeur, while picking up a few characters along the way, including her twenty-five-year-old boyfriend French dancer Brahim Zaibat (he's about my age...puts their relationship into perspective for me...weird...). Yep, that's about it. The vid's nothing more or less than that. In all, it is a fun video for a positive song that seems to have been a better choice for a lead single and Super Bowl headliner than "Give Me All Your Luvin'," but apparently, Madonna had hoped to capitalize on the stardom of collaborators Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. at the time.

No idea why "(Explicit)" is included in the title when there is nothing "explicit" in the video and there is no "clean" version to compare it to. Anyway, check it out. It's a fine vid.

Spotlight Tuesday: Passion Pit

If you haven't heard of Passion Pit (no one I've talked to about them has), then you might be surprised to know that their second full-length studio release Gossamer debuted at No. 4 in the U.S. this past week--yeah, pretty high for a low-profile name. Why are they not well-known? Passion Pit is an Indie group but seems to be picking up steam.

The group started in Massachusetts when frontman and keyboardist Michael Angelakos wrote a series of songs as a Valentine's Day gift for his then-girlfriend. Keyboardist and guitarist Ian Hultquist saw Angelakos first live show (which he performed backed by only his laptop in a school basement for an audience of about 15 friends) and approached him with an interest to collaborate. So birthed Passion Pit, whose name is derived from a term used for "drive-in theatres because of its privacy and romantic allure to teenagers."

Michael Angelakos

The group released their first EP Chunk of Change, which eventually landed them a record deal with Frenchkiss, resulting in the release of their full-length Manners (which reached No. 51 in the U.S.). The album received lots of promotion with tracks being featured on television shows (as Ugly Betty, Big Love, Gossip Girl, and So You Think You Can Dance), the film Life As We Know It, and commercials. Their latest album is the previously mentioned Gossamer, whose lead single, "Take A Walk," reached No. 104 on the U.S. Hot 100.

Their music pulls influences from places as electro pop and alternative dance, but I would sum up their sound as indietronica rock. They are heavily electronic with definite inputs from indie and rock. Their songs are very upbeat (sometimes breezy) and easy to listen to, with generally optimistic, happy-love lyrics.

Would I recommend them? If you're into indie music, especially that delves into electro-genres, you should check them out. They will probably be a great find for you. Passion Pit also has a large hipster following. While they don't have hook-driven product (hence their indie-ness and obscurity), they are a calm ambient with a tempo of momentum.

Monday Review: Overexposure by Maroon 5

Maroon 5's latest studio venture Overexposure continues the band's token pop rock sound, but about half the album tries to lead off the massive success of last year's "Moves Like Jagger" by plunging into electropop. This is a fine move, though it almost seems like a desperate step for a band that perceives (whether that perception is on track or not) it needs a revival. Still, the songs are easy for the casual listener due to its continuous slick production.

Lyrically, Maroon 5 doesn't go anywhere it hasn't already: infatuation and weakness for the femme fatale or regret from wronging her. It's still as catchy as their other albums but contains a dance vibe on some of the tracks. The electropop isn't bad. It's just a new direction for the band's sound, as if Maroon 5 finally got the memo that electronic-heavy, club-playing dance pop is currently in. I'm not sure it's always necessary for this album, since it sometimes sounds used for the sake of being used (consider the synth bass of "Fortune Teller").

Standout tracks include funky opening track and second single "One More Night;" racing "Lucky Strike;" single- and dancefloor-ready, love-confessional "Love Somebody;" the jazz-rhythmed cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" [on some Deluxe Editions]; and successful lead single and Wiz Khalifa collaboration "Payphone." Interestingly, the album version of "Payphone" is not explicit as the single release. The swears are replaced or wiped. Perhaps, this is to avoid the album being given the Parental Advisory sticker the single receieved.

Overexposure may be a surprise for some audiences while still a good throwback to what Maroon 5 is good at: defining pop rock.

Would I recommend it? If you've loved the Maroon 5 of the past, Overexposed should be a welcome addition to your library. Diehard fans of their unique sound may have trouble accepting some of the more electronic-throbbing tracks but will be happy with a majority of the album.

I give it 3 ½ out of 5 stars.

Katy Perry Continues to Tie Records; Kylie Minogue Takes Over Dance

Katy Perry has tied Rihanna's record nine #1 singles on the Pop Songs chart with "Wide Awake" reaching the top spot this week. In August of last year, Perry tied Michael Jackson with the most singles from one album to top the Hot 100 when "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" from Teenage Dream became the chart's leader. Jackson had five turns at the top with singles from 1987's Bad.

This week "Wide Awake" also switches its third position on the Hot 100 with Maroon 5's "Payphone" to its new peak of #2. Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" keeps its ride at #1, matching Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" for the longest running chart leader for 2012, but if Perry keeps her momentum, she could very well run over Jepsen's heels to achieve her eighth turn atop the chart, since "Wide Awake" is still fresh in only its tenth week, as opposed to "Call Me Maybe"'s twenty-third week.

Also this week, "Wide Awake" gives up its top position on the Dance/Club Play Songs to Kylie Minogue's "Timebomb," giving the Goddess of Love her ninth #1 (sixth consecutive) on the chart, a welcoming tally for K25, the singer's year-long celebration of her twenty-five years in pop music. Minogue has been releasing celebratory surprises on the 25th of every month this year. "Timebomb" was May's gift and has already given Minogue her first rule atop the Australian Dance Chart. Her most recent surprise release, on July 25, was a montage video of her first single "The Loco-motion." Expect Jennifer Lopez's collaboration with Flo Rida, "Goin' In," as the chart's next topper.