Robbie Williams showed off his newborn baby girl Theodora Rose on Friday, and is already becoming an expert diaper changer:
Wrote Williams on Twitter: "DADDIES SECOND NAPPY CHANGE ….TEDDY'S SECOND DAY ON THE PLANET..."
Norman Brannon is a pop critic, musician, and author based in New York City. He presents a weekly music update here on Towleroad and writes regularly at Nervous Acid.
Follow Norman on Twitter at @nervousacid.
EXTENDED PLAY:
This week is a bit of double feature, in which two high profile releases vie for your attention and everyone's publicity department is on overdrive trying to steer the conversation. Here's an attempt to separate the signal from the noise:
Coldplay — Mylo Xyloto (EMI)
THEIR PUBLICIST SAYS: "Just as the album art was inspired by the work of New York graffiti artists of the 1970s, Mylo Xyloto takes its cue from the sense of freedom those artists embodied."
THE OBJECTIVE TAKE: That's a stretch considering that '70s graffiti artists in New York were largely poor and disenfranchised people expressing themselves using an untraditional canvas and Coldplay are, like, the biggest (and one of the richest) rock bands in the world using guitars and keyboards. So, OK! Hyperbole aside, the band does take some risks here — a duet with Rihanna actually sounds conventional next to the new-wave-Bruce-Springsteen vibe of "Hurts Like Heaven" — and Mylo Xyloto is unlikely to kick them off their rock star perch this time around: It's a textured, satisfying, and melodically able album, and despite the attempts of adult contemporary songwriters everywhere, no one does Coldplay quite like Coldplay.
START WITH: "Hurts Like Heaven" / "Charlie Brown"
Kelly Clarkson — Stronger (19/RCA)
HER PUBLICIST SAYS: "The album is filled with candid, emotionally raw tunes like … 'You Love Me' (in which Clarkson witheringly tells an ex 'you’re not good enough'), 'Einstein' (the cad in question is dismissed with 'Here’s your keys, your bags, your clothes, and now get out of my place'), and the title track, which finds Clarkson putting a fresh spin on Nietzsche’s adage that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger."
THE OBJECTIVE TAKE: Saying that "Stronger" is a "fresh spin" on Nietzsche is kind of hilarious — as if she were the first to appropriate that quote! — but otherwise, it's true: Stronger is an album of kiss-off songs to antagonist boys in the vein of some of her greatest hits. The problem with that? It depends on whether or not you believe that Kelly Clarkson's lyrics are becoming too predictable or, perhaps worse than that, too simplistic in her notions of empowerment. The songs themselves are instantly pleasurable, and some of her best yet. But there's a point in every breakup conversation where one friend must tell the other that he or she needs to move on already.
START WITH: "Dark Side" / "I Forgive You"
Also out today: Matt Cardle — Letters (Sony UK), Justice — Audio Video Disco (Elektra/WEA), Björk & The Dirty Projectors — Mount Wittenberg Orca (Domino), Dntel — Life is Full Of Possibilities: Deluxe Reissue (Sub Pop)
THE DISPATCH:
Maroon 5's Adam Levine to Fox News: "Don't play our music on your evil f*cking channel ever again." Fox News responds: "Dear Adam Levine, don't make crappy f*cking music ever again." It's just a battle where everyone loses, apparently.
From a Mess to the Masses, the new documentary film about Phoenix that aired on European television last week, is currently streaming online.
While Bright Light Bright Light is still prepping for the release of his debut album, he's still supporting his impeccable new single, "Disco Moment," and taking the time out to play an acoustic set for Gaydar Radio that reveals the depth of his synthpop songwriting. Check out these stripped down versions of "Love Pt. 2" or the aforementioned "Disco Moment" and discover why Rod Thomas might be a one-man Pet Shop Boys.
This week's essential streams and downloads? There are a lot of them: Tracy Thorn reunited with Everything But The Girl partner Ben Watt for this cover of "Night Time" — originally recorded by the xx and set to appear on an upcoming EP of the same name. The iconic R.E.M. revealed their final single ever, "We All Go Back to Where We Belong," which is set to appear on their upcoming retrospective Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982-2011. Toronto's Diamond Rings offer up an excellent cover of Teenage Fanclub's "Mellow Doubt" for a new European single. And finally, Charli XCX — a 19-year-old London upstart whose debut single, "Stay Away," is quite likely my favorite song of 2011 so far — releases a long-awaited follow-up: "Nuclear Seasons" suggests that this girl is gunning for album of the year while she's at it.
Ever the cagey one, Robbie Williams has quit Take That (again) and has announced a new record deal with Universal and a new album for 2012. The departure, which went down earlier this year, was perfectly amiable as evidenced by Williams' new songwriting partner in the venture: Take That's Gary Barlow.
Lady Gaga isn't finished with Born This Way yet. This week, it was announced that the album will be issued in two new versions next month: Born This Way: The Remix will host studio work from Goldfrapp, Wild Beasts, Foster the People, Michael Woods, Two Door Cinema Club, Hurts, and more, while Born This Way: The Collection features the original and remix albums as well her Monster Ball at Madison Square Garden DVD.
According to a post on his blog, Moby will be showing up on the Craig Ferguson show with a "halloween supergroup" comprised of Magnetic Fields mainman Stephin Merritt, former Dresden Dolls singer Amanda Palmer, author Neil Gaiman, and Moby himself. I'm as confused as you are.
David LaChappelle's plagiarism lawsuit over Rihanna's "S&M" video has been settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. The lawsuit, LaChappelle says, was "not personal, it's strictly business. Musicians commonly pay to sample music or use someone's beats and there should be no difference when sampling an artist's visuals."
SOUND & VISION:
FreeSol — "Role Model" (feat. Justin Timberlake)
He's still taking a break from being a pop star, but on the new album by hip-hop/rock group FreeSol, Justin Timberlake steps into the producer's chair — and takes a stab at rapping while he's at it. The result? It's somewhere between good and Saturday Night Live rap-skit — and hashtag rap is so Drake's first album! — but the band behind him is solid.
Active Child — "Playing House" (feat. How To Dress Well)
"Playing House" actually premiered last month, but it got swept up in all the fall new release business around here. So I'm righting that wrong now: Active Child's debut album, You Are All I See, is one of this year's more gorgeous records, and "Playing House" is one of its more plaintive moments — a sullen synthpop song dressed up like a heartbroken R&B opera. It's like they invented something new here, and really, I don't get to say that too often.
Stars — "Dead Hearts"
The Five Ghosts is as haunting as its title suggests, so the idea of shooting a clip for "Dead Hearts" at a funeral is an appropriate one. The trick, then, is transmitting loss without veering into literal maudlin tropes or devolving into total darkness. So it's no small feat that Stars made the most optimistic video about death you can imagine.
Olly Murs — "Dance With Me Tonight"
He lost the 2009 UK X Factor competition to Joe McElderry, but these days, Olly Murs is making #1 singles and trafficking in the kind of feel-good vintage pop-soul that Will Young used to make before he went electro. (After releasing a debut album to disappointing numbers, McElderry is, inexplicably, singing opera now.) "Dance With Me Tonight" is the ebullient second single to come from Murs' upcoming second album, In Case You Didn't Know.
Take That's Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams shot a "making of" their Brokeback-inspired video for "Shame", which was released in August and is here if you missed it.
Watch the "making of" video, AFTER THE JUMP...
Modern Tonic — a free daily email delivering gay-approved pop culture gems before they get co-opted by everyone else — presents a weekly music update here on Towleroad.
TODAY’S FEATURED NEW RELEASES:
Spanning 20 years — including his time in the massive U.K. boy band Take That — Robbie Williams' multi-disc set In and Out of Consciousness — The Greatest Hits 1990 – 2010 (out today) is two discs of his best-known songs and an extra CD of rarities, B-sides and covers. He declared his emancipation from boy band slavery with a cover of George Michael’s "Freedom" in 1996. "Angels," the heart-rending ballad that’s raised everything from lighters to cell phones since 1997, cemented his solo rep. Supernovas collided when he and Kylie Minogue collaborated on the funk-rock hit "Kids." And on his latest single "Shame" — with Take That mate Gary Barlow — he revisits his past with one eye on the future. (Oh, and that Brokeback Mountain-inspired video? Perfection). So here’s another chance to get to know the cherry-picked best of our boy Robbie before he embarks on a new album with Take That, Progress, slated for November, and a world tour to follow.
Though it’s full of the emotional warbling we’ve come to love from him, Swanlights, Antony Hegarty’s fourth album with his band the Johnsons, is a simpler affair than last year’s ornate, lushly orchestrated The Crying Light. The title single from an EP released in August, "Thank You for Your Love," announced the change — a piano-based, R&B-tinged mid-tempo ballad that’s a direct expression of gratitude. To its very end, the rest of Swanlights follows suit. "The Great White Ocean" is delicate chamber pop. Darkness undercuts the swelling "I’m in Love." And then just to remind us what a strange, wondrous and freaky artist he is, Hegarty invites fellow free-spirit Björk to shadow his vocal pyrotechnics on the Icelandic-language "Flétta," followed by the gender-switching religious parable "Salt Silver Oxygen." "She’s a selective Christ," sings this proud transgender artist while flutes and violins and bassoons ebb and flow across the shimmering surface of its melody. Whether touching us with his straightforward love songs or engaging us with more challenging fare (including a special edition with a 144-page booklet of artwork and writings), Swanlights proves again that there’s no artist — gay or straight, earthly or otherworldly, male or female or somewhere in between — as original as this one. (See the new video for "The Spirit Is Gone" here.)
We're a little wary (and weary) of the [insert trendy charitable cause here] ribbon-wearing celebrities who are, well, celebrities first. But it's tough to be cynical about the Green Children. The European electro-pop duo put their name where their music is when their 2006 CD/DVD debut Hear Me Now in Norway raised money to build an eye hospital in rural Bangladesh. While most would-be pop stars are busy working on their gimmick, the English-born Marlow Bevan and Norwegian beauty Milla Sunde established the Green Children Foundation to help kids who can't afford education.
All this would mean little if their U.S. debut Encounter wasn't such a breezy, pop-loving delight. The title track is like dance-pop Björk before she turned into an avant-garde swan. "Black Magic" is what Kylie would be if she slipped on some Lilith Fair Birkenstocks to channel Sarah MacLachlan. And the single "Dragons" is such a feel-good upper; we keep waiting for its cheerful melody to break into a chorus of "He's the Greatest Dancer." Between their selfless works and this unforgettable Encounter, we thank the Green Children. Now they can go ahead and have a diva breakdown and trash a 4-star hotel room — they've earned it.
Towleroad October 12, 2010 by moderntonic.com MUSIC NEWS:
Robyn's next single is "Indestructible." Like "Hang With Me" before it, the single will be a souped-up electronic version of what first appeared in a more sedate form. The third album in Robyn's 2010 trilogy, Body Talk, Pt. 3, being billed as "the complete Body Talk album," is scheduled for a November 29 U.K. release (U.S. date not announced yet). The album will feature five tracks each from Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 plus five new tracks.
Teaser for the new Pet Shop Boys single "Together."
Rihanna covers Billboard.
Cee-Lo Green discusses "Fuck You."
Bryan Ferry talks Olympia.
Welsh singer Duffy, whose "Mercy" (from debut album Rockferry) made major waves a couple of years ago, follows up with her second album, Endlessly, out December 7. First single is "Well, Well, Well."
P!nk's new video for "Raise Your Glass" to take place at a gay wedding.
Daft Punk's Tron soundtrack release date has been pushed back two weeks to December 7. Hear a snippet here.
Stream Elton John and Leon Russell's album The Union, out next week, in its entirety here.
Today marks the 25th anniversary of B-52's guitarist Ricky Wilson's death from AIDS. We miss and remember him.
MORE NEW RELEASES:
A Grammy-winning saxophonist with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, out California boy Dave Koz gets help from Sheila E., Keb’ Mo’ and more on his 12th studio collection of smooth jazz, Hello Tomorrow.
Oh, the sexy undead of Vampire’s Creek, uh, we mean The Vampire Diaries, may not have a pulse, but they know their dark alt-rock. The Vampire Diaries: Original Television Soundtrack eclipses the Twilight series with tunes from Bat for Lashes, Goldfrapp, Silversun Pickups, Sky Ferreira and more. (And check out a dance mix of Sky’s track "Obsession" in our player above).
No longer ‘tweenagers, Glasgow septet Belle & Sebastian still explore heartache with youthful passion on Write About Love. The tempos are (mostly) quick, the hooks aplenty, and the title track — featuring vocals by actress Carey Mulligan — is the best '60s pop rip they’ve done yet.
On Disco Synthesizers & Daily Tranquilizers, Arne Van Petegem’s Belgian one-man band Styrofoam gets its groove on for 10 insinuatingly happy tunes, like the clubby "What’s Hot (And What’s Not)" and the single "Get Smarter."
The first in a series that celebrates New York’s dance night Fixed, U.K. electro duo Simian Mobile Disco hand-picked and mixed 16 hardcore club tracks for Simian Mobile Disco is Fixed.
Also out today: Sufjan Stevens — The Age of Adz; The Postelles — The Postelles; The Orb featuring David Gilmour — Metallic Spheres; Wilson Phillips — Christmas in Harmony; Katherine McPhee — Christmas Is a Time…(To Say I Love You); Duran Duran — Notorious / Big Thing (remastered); Olivia Newton John — Christmas Collection; Shelby Lynne — Merry Christmas; Various Artists — The New Dance Mix USA; Old 97’s — The Grand Theatre Vol. 1; Indigo Girls — Holly Happy Day
Music Videos and More New Releases after the JUMP
Williams then continued, "I genuinely don't care [about the gender]. I always thought I want a boy ever since I was little but now I'm like, 'Oh yeah girls, they're daddy's girls aren't they?'"
Well, we'll see how much of a daddy's little girl she is if Williams makes good on his next vow: "If it's a guy I'm going teach it to play footy and all of that stuff and if it's a girl I'm going to protect her to my death."
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