Ailee ft. Gi Kwang – Heaven

Eurogliders, Bryan Adams, Warrant, Emeli Sande, Psychedelic Furs.. this doesn’t sound like any of them. [Video][Website] [5.57] Anthony Easton: The vocals are on the wrong edge of insipid, and the diva theatrics never rise full enough to be completely fascinating, and the lyrics, oi, the lyrics — just a mess of dull thoughts sung better […]

Lil Wayne ft. Bruno Mars – Mirror

If you look into the mirror and see Bruno Mars, break it, I say. [Video][Website] [4.00] Jonathan Bogart: I just like listening to Lil Wayne so much that I’m more willing to tolerate gloopy introspection from him than from almost any other top-level rapper; but dragging Bruno Mars into it isn’t playing fair. There’s gloopy […]

Laura Marling – All My Rage

In which we wonder (and ponder) if this truly is all her rage… [Video][Website] [6.86] Jer Fairall: The secret weapon of last year’s A Creature I Don’t Know, “All My Rage” bounds forth at the end of the album (and directly following the mighty “Sophia”) feeling like a throwaway, brisk, spry and unfinished. The latter […]

Mary J. Blige ft. Drake – Mr. Wrong

Given a choice between fierceness and Drakeness, which one would you pick?

Nightwish – The Crow, The Owl and the Dove

Norwegian folk-metal! (?)

SPICA – Russian Roulette

You’ll never guess what the final sound in the video is…

Block B – Nanrina (Go Crazy)

“Real-time popular searched keyword, bro.” [Video][Website] [5.50] Michaela Drapes: So I used to get my hair cut in Chinatown, and now I go to a Japanese joint in the New School/NYU student ghetto, so believe me when I tell you that I have had almost all of these dudes’ haircuts at some point in the […]

Saint Etienne – Tonight

Imagine an alternate universe in which that Outasight turd was polished perfect, then send us hate mail for even DARING make that analogy… [Video][Website] [6.55] Jer Fairall: The pulsing euphoria of a whole history of anthems for transcendence found on the dance floor, from “I Love The Nightlife” to “Dancing On My Own,” recast as […]

Nina Sky – Day Dreaming

Not an Aretha cover, nor Akon… [Video][Website] [5.70] Katherine St Asaph: “Hello. We are Nina Sky. You vaguely remember us, correct? Either way, we’ve since listened to chillwave and ‘I’m On One.’ Please blog about us again.”[7] Brad Shoup: More like Awesome Percussion ft. Nina Sky.[4] Andrew Casillas: It’s a tad disappointing that they follow […]

Usher – Climax

Usher and Diplo: a collaboration we actually like… [Video][Website] [8.40] Michaela Drapes: Did you know that Usher uses the name Donny Hathaway when he checks into hotels? Well, he did in 1998, anyway. I laughed at him when I found this out, so I’m saying this now: Usher, dude, your life is kind of a […]