'Tales of Us' by Goldfrapp review

Goldfrapp is known for their eclectic mix of genres, and though their most recent release Tales of Us takes on a more ambient feel similar to previous albums Felt Mountain and Seventh Tree, the record continues the never-ending mutation of the duo. In fact, it is their most gorgeous outing yet!

Tales of Us proves its name as every track illustrates a tale between the singer and the one-word name given as the song's title. Each song is lyrically poetic in their descriptions of the setting and emotions in the moment of each tale. While the lyrics steer from pop conformity, they are still grabbing with each verse being so vivid with detail you are nearly taken there, immersed in the moments of the scene.  The only piece without a common name is the track "Stranger," which expresses encountering a captivating stranger you may never see again.

The album relies heavily on soft guitar and piano and full orchestral sets with no need for apology. It is the perfect backing for Alison's breathy, near-haunting vocals and melodies that can only be described as beautiful. My only complaint in Alison's performance is that her fluid enunciation makes it sometimes difficult to understand what she is singing.

As a whole, Tales of Us is an undeniably gorgeous album with beautiful, calming melodies and immersing stories that will remain timeless in the Goldfrapp library.

Standout Tracks include lead single, sensory descriptive "Drew" with its breathtakingly beautiful guitar riff, pulsating "Thea," enlivening heartbreak "Clay," and "Annabel," in its expression of the fluid gender identity of a child.

Would I recommend it? I honestly have a hard time comparing it to anything. I don't know that I've heard much like it. It has folk leanings but is too rich and full to be compared to other folk outings. I would say that it throws together elements of orchestra, new age, electronica, alternative, indie, traditional, and lyrical. If you have had any inklings toward those feels, I would say that it is worth a listen.

I give Tales of Us 4 ½ out of 5 stars.

         

WARNING: This video contains male and female nudity (no frontal). However, I must say, the first time

I saw it I could not understand what she was saying, but I completely understood the point of the story

BECAUSE of the nudity. If you don't want to see the vid, at least listen to the song. It is all Gorgeous!

Pharrell's 24 Hours of "Happy" Video

Pharrell William's "Happy" is spending its second week at #1, but have you seen its 24 hour music video? The online project claims to be the first long-form music video of its kind and consists of 4-minute uncut video segments of people dancing and jamming to the song. What time of day you log on determines what segment you'll get, though it allows you to select the time of day you wish to see or to jump to the next or previous portions. The website was added with the release of the single on November 21, 2013.

Several of those featured are obviously dancers, but a wide selection of people were chosen, including children and the minions from Despicable Me 2, which soundtrack featured the song. We follow these individuals through different parts of Los Angeles, such as sidewalks, a school bus, a church, a grocery store, Union Station, etc. Segments are divided by hidden cuts and are candid, with honest reactions from bystanders who sometimes decide to join in the fun.

A few celebrities are sighted in the video, including Whit Hertford (1:04 a.m.), Kelly Osbourne (1:28 a.m.), Magic Johnson (5:36 a.m.), Urijah Faber (8:36 a.m.), Sérgio Mendes (10:32 a.m.), Jimmy Kimmel (11:48 a.m.), Odd Future (1:48 p.m.), Steve Carell (5:08 p.m.), Jamie Foxx (5:28 p.m.), Ana Ortiz (5:32 p.m.), Miranda Cosgrove (5:40 p.m.), and Tyler, The Creator, and JoJo (6:16 p.m.). Pharrell appears every hour, on the hour.

The decision to make a 24 hour video for this song, in particular, is genius! It is my opinion that a good music video (or remix) adds to or reinterprets the meaning of the song, and this vid does just that. I thought the idea of a 24 hour video was cool, but it wasn't until I saw the segments of grocery shopping -- people doing what people need to do -- that I understood the intention behind it that no matter what time of day it is, no matter what you have to do in life, you can be happy -- you can choose to be happy and make life happy. Don't let things bring you down. Isn't happiness the point of life and everything we do? If not, then why are we striving for anything? Living mundane, or below par, will not save us. "Happiness is the truth," and we shouldn't let barriers get in our way of obtaining that. In all, the joyful video succeeds to bring out the "Happy."

The lengthy vid was edited down to create the official video, of course. The Oscar-nominated "Happy" acts as lead single to Pharrell's new album G I R L, released Monday, March 3.

See what's going on at your time of day and get some "Happy" at 24hoursofhappy.com.

3/6 Chart Highlights: Pharrell remains "Happy" on Hot 100; ScHoolboy Q debuts album on top

Pharrell Williams' "Happy" remains atop the Hot 100 this week and moves into the #1 slot on Radio Songs. "Happy" took over the Hot 100 top spot last week from Katy Perry's "Dark Horse," which had ascended to #1 for four weeks following the release of its music video. Jason Derulo's "Talk Dirty" and John Legend's "All of Me" also hold their places in the top 4, respectively. The piano ballad "All of Me" marks Legend's first notch in the top 10. The other top 10 songs shuffle their positions, allowing no new entries.

HOT 100 top 10
1. Pharrell Williams                                           "Happy"
2. Katy Perry featuring Juicy J                     "Dark Horse"
3. Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz              "Talk Dirty"
4. John Legend                                                     "All of Me"
5. Bastille                                                                 "Pompeii"
6. Lorde                                                                   "Team"
7. Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z                              "Drunk on Love"
8. OneRepublic                                                      "Counting Stars"
9. A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera  "Say Something"
10. Pitbull featuring Ke$ha                               "Timber"

ScHoolboy Q debuts his first major-label release Oxymoron at #1 on the Billboard 200, knocking the Frozen soundtrack out of the top spot. Frozen is now a double-Oscar winner, taking home the awards for Best Animated Feature and Original Song for "Let It Go" on Sunday. This is the soundtrack's ninth straight week in the top 2 positions. Slots 3 through 6 and 8 are held by debuts, including Kid Cudi's Satellite Flight, which was only available as a full-album release until March 3. Long-runners to fall out of the top 10 include Lorde's Pure Heroine, Katy Perry's PRISM, and Bruno Mars' Unorthodox Jukebox.

BILLBOARD 200 top 10
1. ScHoolboy Q             Oxymoron
2. Soundtrack               Frozen
3. Beck                             Morning Phase
4. Kid Cudi                     Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother                                                 Moon
5. Romeo Santos         Formula Vol. 2
6. Dierks Bentley        Riser
7. Eric Church             The Outsiders
8. The Fray                   Helios
9. Various Artists      Now 49
10. Beyoncé                 Beyoncé

Kylie Minogue releases "Kiss Me Once" samples

The Kylie wait is nearing its end, as a week and a half ago Ms. Minogue uploaded a single Youtube video containing track samples from her upcoming album Kiss Me Once. The samples release comes a month before her album hits shelves. Kiss Me Once is Kylie's first studio release since Aphrodite in July 2010, though she still maintained a busy schedule touring and promoting K25 in 2012 to mark her twenty-five years in the music industry, which saw the release of compilation albums The Best of Kylie Minogue and The Abbey Road Sessions and single "Timebomb."

The sample has even caught the attention of other pop musicians, such as former Savage Garden frontman and fellow Aussie Darren Hayes, who tweeted his two cents:

On first listen - pop perfection. RT @kylieminogue: Today you can hear clips of every song from #KissMeOnce! http://t.co/B564rsDFgD
— Darren Hayes (@darrenhayes), February 17, 2014

And you can't say Darren is far off! The album opens with upbeat, inspirational lead single "Into the Blue" and takes off from there into what Kylie is famous for -- pop euphoria. The Pharrell-penned and -produced third track "I was Gonna Cancel" is striking with its very Pharrell signature sound, recalling Madonna's Hard Candy-era. Another famous songwriter who leaves her mark is another Aussie Sia, made famous in the U.S. with her David Guetta track "Titanium." Sia co-wrote the album's title song and "Sexercise."

King of Dance Enrique Iglesias also adds to the mix with co-writing his Kylie duet "Beautiful," the most down-tempo song on the album. "Beautiful" is slated to appear on deluxe and international versions of Enrique's album Sex + Love, which is set to release worldwide March 18, same day as Kiss Me Once in the U.S. Kylie lends her writing to the co-written final track "Fine." Personally, Kylie-penned tracks tend to be my favorite lyrics from her albums -- I connect with them the most -- and from what can be heard from "Fine," it may be no different for this album.

The album samples sound catchy, as well as sexy with titles as "Les Sex," "Sexercise," and "Sexy Love." It feels like almost torture for hardcore fans to have to wait a whole month to experience it in whole, but with album credits this promising, it will definitely be worth the wait.