Secrets Introduce New Singer On New Single

Post-hardcore band Secrets released their debut album ,The Ascent, a little over a year ago and they're already releasing their sophomore record, Fragile Figures, in July.
The band released their first single off the record, "Ready for Repair" this week. The single is the first song to feature new unclean vocalist Aaron Melzer, who replaced Xander Bourgeois after his departure in April.
The single is classic Secrets. Unclean verses, now courtesy of Melzer, and their signature clean vocals on the hook by Richard Rogers.
"Ready for Repair" is about what every post-hardcore band writes lyrics about, a failed relationship with a girl. The song's breakdown is also kind of cliché."
"We were always meant to fall apart," Melzer screams over a double bass filled breakdown.
Despite being sort of cliché, the single is good. It's a good peek into what the band's new album will be, much of the same as they always have done.

Tonight Alive Stay Constant On New Single

Tonight Alive have never had a bad release. From their 2010 EPs All Shapes And Disguises and Consider This to their 2011 debut What Are You So Scared Of? the pop-punk five piece from Australia have released some great material.
This week the band, led by front woman Jenna McDougall, released their first single "The Ocean" off of their second full-length The Other Side.
The single, is much like the band's earlier songs, full of passion. The song is a passionate, positive song about perseverance. McDougall is part of what makes the band so great. Her vocals are always full of emotion and she really makes the listener feel what she's singing.
"Sometimes I feel like the ocean is inside me," McDougall sings.
"The Ocean" is great, but it isn't as fun as some of the band's earlier material. This song shows a growth for the band, but here's hoping that the rest of their album has the same punky bite as their previous records.
The Other Side is due out September 10 on Fearless Records.

Karmin Get Awesome On New Single

Karmin released their first EP last year and it was a hot mess with moments of greatness. This week the duo released "Acapella," the quirky single is a breakup anthem that has crazy instrumentation and a great vocal performance by Amy Heidemann. Her bandmate and fiancé Nick Noonan provides the sick beats of the song.
While Heidemann's wack raps took over their debut EP Hello, her raps are great on this track. The tracks sees Heidemann get sassy on her raps. In the lyrics she's talking about how her relationship with her lover is done and that she can do better on her own.
"Thought hew as gluten free/ But all that I got was bread," Heidemann raps during the first verse.
The chorus is the clever part. The metaphor of singing acapella as opposed to with the harmony goes throughout the chorus.
"Used to be a baby, used to be a lady/ Thought you were the perfect lover/ All the harmony went falling out of key, so/ Now you gotta find another/ Now you’re talking crazy saying that you made me/ Like I was your Cinderella/ You and me are through, though, watch me hit it solo/ I’mma do it acapella, yeah," Heidemann sings.
This song is great and hopefully their debut album stays like this.

Butcher Babies Release Great Single From Debut

Metal band Butcher Babies are more known for their sexy female vocalists who often wear nothing but shoes and duct tape on stage released their first single off of their debut album Goliath. "I Smell A Massacre" is the first great song that the band have come out with.
The single has Otep style spoken word mixed with screamed verses and Kittie style sang/screamed chorus. The band had few memorable moments on their self-titled EP.
"Save yourself this is straight war," Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey sing during the chorus.
The music is just your average heavy metal sounding music but the girl's charisma is what makes the song such a turn on. It's catchy and aggressive and in your face.
"I Smell A Massacre" is a great preview of what the band will sound like on their debut. With In This Moment making lame albums and Otep retiring, the metal world needs new queens. Goliath is due for release July 9 on Century Media Records.

Chrisette Michele Gets 'Better' On New Album

R&B singer Chrisette Michele released her fourth record Better this week and it's a great album. On her first two albums Michele had moments of greatness surrounded by filler tracks that all sounded similar. Then on her third record, 2010's Let Freedom Reign, her energy picked up and it was by far her best album.
Better picks up where she left off three years ago. From faster songs like "Be in Love" and "Let Me Win" to ballads like "You Mean That Much To Me," Michele is at her best here.
Stand out tracks include the second single "A Couple of Forevers" which is a gorgeous and downright adorable love song. Another song that stands out among the crowd is "Rich Hipster" which features rapper Wale. The song is all about hipster culture. This topic is explored more on "Can the Cool Be Loved?" which features Bilal and Dunson.
The title track is a great song about love making a person 'better.' Other highlights include the hopeful "Love Won't Leave Me Out" and the Priscilla Renea-penned "Snow." The latter having a hip hop sound to it.
While there are no bad songs on the record the interludes could just be gotten rid of. Also 2 Chainz all but ruins the first single "Charades."
Other than that the album is a great release and shows Michele's growth. Better solidifies Chrisette Michele as one of R&B 's best artists out now.

Icona Pop Stay Catchy On New Single

Swedish dance duo Icona Pop have really had a whirlwind year. Their single "I Love It" which features Charli XCX is blowing up the radio and their first EP was released in the US.
Last week the band released a new single. "Girlfriend" samples "Me and My Girlfriend" by rapper Tupac.
The single is a dance-pop anthem that is all about their friendship and rise to the top as a group.
"Down to ride til the happy end/ It's me and my girlfriend," the duo sing during the chorus.
Hopefully this single will be as big as their megahit "I Love It."

Cassadee Pope Releases First Country Singles

Rocker gone The Voice winner, Cassadee Pope released her debut single "Wasting All These Tears" last week. The single marks her fist foray into country music.
Previously known as the vocalist for Hey Monday, Pope has abandoned all of her pop-punk swag for a country sound reminiscent of a Carrie Underwood song.
Upon first listen the song is very boring but after a few more spins it grows on you. A bitter breakup song that lyrically recalls both Underwood and Taylor Swift, the song is pure country.
The song is a mixture of weakness and strength that is felt upon leaving a relationship.
"Finally I'm through wasting all these tears on you," Pope sings.
While the song is good, it's nothing compared to her earlier work with Hey Monday. Hopefully on her debut solo album, she will branch off from just country.

The Maine Release Their Best Album Ever

The Maine got their start as one of pop-punk's hottest up and coming bands with their first two EPs in 2007 and their debut album Can't Stop, Won't Stop the following year. By the time they released 2010's Black & White the band had adopted a new style of music. The pop-punk influences were almost entirely gone and an alternative rock and pop rock approach was taken. While the album had a few great songs, it wasn't as great as their debut. Then in 2011 the band released Pioneer, and album that grew upon the style of their previous record. It wasn't perfect, but it was still a good step in the right direction.
Last week the band released their fourth record Forever Halloween. The album is another step in the right direction and this record is where the band finally achieve greatness. From the first song to the last, the band don't disappoint. Whether it's faster songs like "Run" or the first single "Happy" or slow jams like "Birthday in Los Angeles" the band don't let us down.
"Love & Drugs" is a fast ode to partying and youth. "Blood Red" is a slow burner that takes a few moments to get into.
The album's best songs are "Run" and "These Four Words." The latter being a slow song about coming to terms with the end of a love. "Run" is a fun and sexy anthem that is both fast and dirty. "I wonder what you taste like," singer John O'Callaghan sings during the first verse.
Unlike the band's previous albums there is no filler. This album shows that The Maine are headed for greatness.

Selena Gomez Releases Grown Up Single

Selena Gomez has had a crazy music career. After releasing her first three albums with her band Selena Gomez and the Scene, Gomez ditched her band and released a solo single aimed at her relationship with pop star Justin Bieber. "Come & Get It" was a middle-eastern inspired electropop anthem about being open to reigniting old flames.
This week Gomez released the second single off of her debut solo album Stars Dance. "Slow Down" is a song about seduction and dancing at a club. The song is a grown up, carefree anthem and outshines "Come & Get It."
"If you want me I'm accepting applications/ So long as we keep this record on rotation/ You know I'm good with mouth to mouth recitation," Gomez sings during the second verse.
The subject matter has more in common with a Britney Spears song than a song by a Disney princess. This single is going to cement Gomez as a dance diva. The music is a far cry form her early pop-rock sound of her Disney hits and her band's first album.
The song is a great single and is sure to get Gomez even more popularity. Stars Dance will be out on July 23 on Hollywood Records.

The Sounds Shake It Up On New Single

Swedish New Wave band The Sounds have always made great music. Their first two albums were classics and their third and fourth aren't as great, but still have moments of pure perfection. Last month the band released their first single off of their as-yet-untitled fifth album.
"Shake Shake Shake" is a dance anthem that is all about letting go of inhibitions. Singer Maja Ivarsson performs well as usual. The song is packed full of emotion and pep and is sure to get dance floors popping. 
"You gotta shake shake shake/With somebody like me yeah," Ivarsson sings during the chorus.
The song would fit very nicely on their last album Something to Die For which for the most part abandoned the punk elements of The Sounds' previous work and had a more dance inspired sound. The album was by far the worst thing the band have ever done. That isn't to say it was a bad record, it just doesn't hold up next to their debut and it's follow-up.
"Shake Shake Shake" is a bright ray of hope for the band. While it sounds similar to the band's last album, it has the same kind of punch that their earlier songs had. While the sass and attitude of "Ego" and "Hope You're Happy Now" aren't prevalent in this song, it has the emotion of past hits.
While the single is catchy and an all around good time, it isn't the best thing the band have created. However it is a great single and a great preview of hopefully what the new album will be like.
The album, which is untitled and has no official release date, is expected sometime this year.

Jessie J Get's 'Wild' On New Single

British singer Jessie J released her first single off of her long-awaited sophomore album, "Wild." The single features Big Sean and Dizzee Rascal and is the lead single off of her upcoming follow-up to her amazing debut album Who You Are.
The single is a fun pop song with touches of dance and hip hop. The song is one part Jessie J and one part Ke$ha, with verses that a reminiscent of her song "Sleazy." Jessie shows that she is back on her new single. "In my fantasy we're running wild," Jessie sings during the chorus.
The song isn't as great as her previous singles "Domino" or her best song ever "Who You Are" but it's an entertaining listen that is only enhanced by raps from Big Sean and Dizzee Rascal.
The instrumentation is one of the track's standout characteristics. The song has hip hop in the verses and then a poppy, guitar and synth-filled chorus.
The lyrics are about Jessie going wild with a lover. On the song she loses all inhibitions and goes, well, wild.
This song is sure to be a summer anthem and get fans excited for Jessie's new album. The record is due sometime this year.