Skylar Grey Finally Finds Identity On New Album

Skylar Grey, formerly known as Holly Brook has had a rough time getting her career on track. When Brook released her first album, 2006's Like Blood Like Honey on the heels of being featured on Fort Minor's only hit "Where'd You Go." Her album went nowhere and Brook was largely forgotten.
Then in 2010 she was featured on "Coming Home" a single by Diddy's then group Diddy – Dirty Money and "I Need A Doctor," the underrated Dr. Dre comeback single. After being featured on songs by Lupe Fiasco and Kascade and writing Eminem's best song "Love The Way You Lie" which features Rihanna and Part II of the song which was on Rihanna's album Loud, Grey released her first singles "Dance Without You" and "Invisible." Both were dark and moody and gained her no attention and are not featured on her debut as Skylar Grey, Don't Look Down.
The album shows many sides of Grey. There's the Alanis Morissette side ("Religion" and "Pulse"), the P!nk side (first single "C'mon Let Me Ride") and then the Skylar Grey side.
Some of the album's best songs are second single "Final Warning" which is a violent breakup song and the first single, the Queen-sampling, Eminem-Featuring "C'mon Let Me Ride." The pop-rap song is one of the disc's few fun moments. Another highlight is the "You Oughta Know-lite" "Pulse." The song is about Grey's lover moving on to another girl.
One of the album's best moments is the Big Sean and Travis Barker assisted "Back From the Dead." The song is a hip hop and rock inspired ditty about an ex being dead to Grey. She also shines on her slow jams. "Tower (Don't Look Down)" starts out with pianos and leads into a rock inspired beat and the closer "White Suburban" is a sparse piano ballad.
While there are mostly good songs on the album, several of the cuts are neither here nor there. There is "Sunshine" which never goes anywhere and the awkward "Shit, Man!" which features Angel Haze and is about unplanned pregnancy.
Don't Look Down is a great album and it shows that Grey is a force to be reckoned with. While it probably won't be a success, it is a great record and shows Grey is really going places.

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.

Fall Out Boy Back With A Vengence

Fall Out Boy came back from their hiatus with their fifth album Save Rock and Roll. The album followed their 2008 opus Folie à Deux. The album featured guest appearances by Blondie singer Debbie Harry, William Beckett and Lil' Wayne and went between genres. Then in 2009 the band went on hiatus.
This album may not be perfect, but it shows that Fall Out Boy need to be here. Fall Out Boy just can't say away from making music and this record is a testament of that. From the introductory track "The Phoenix" to the album closer and title track which features Elton John, the album has no bad songs. While some songs like "Alone Together" and "The Mighty Fall" which features rapper Big Sean may be a little boring, songs like "Where Did The Party Go" more than make up for them.
The album's highlights would have to be "Just One Yesterday" which features singer Foxes, "Rat a Tat" which features Courtney Love and the Robynesque "Miss Missing You." These songs all show what the band do best, make good music.
The lyrics are another thing that make the album so great. "I'm gonna change you/ Like a remix/ The I'll raise you/ Like a phoenix," front man Patrick Stump sings during the chorus of "The Phoenix." While most of the songs are about breakups and aging, they never get overdone.
This album is a great return for Fall Out Boy, here's hoping that they don't do any silly things like going on hiatus ever again.