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Pop Rock Nation

Tag: First Look

  • First Listen: Jordin Sparks “Battlefield”

    26 years after Pat Benatar warned us that “Love is a Battlefield”, here comes “American Idol” Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks to basically tell us the same thing.

    “Battlefield” is the first single from Jordin’s sophomore album, which is scheduled to arrive in stores sometime in July. This is the latest in a glut of “Idol”-related releases. Elliott Yamin’s album came out last week, Ruben Studdard and LaKisha Jones arrive next week, Daughtry debuted his (their?) new single last week and have an album coming in June, and now Jordin. Even Paula Abdul has a new single out. It’s like everyone’s trying to put something out (or at least create awareness) before the current season is over. Or maybe that’s the point.

    Anyways, “Battlefield” is a bit more aggressive tha you’d normally expect from the (sorry to say) personality-deficient Jordin Sparks. The rumor is that the song was written by OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder (it sounds like him), and if so, the guy’s definitely becoming a songwriting force to be reckoned with (Beyonce’s “Halo”, Kelly Clarkson’s album, etc.). This definitely smells like a hit. Check it out and let us know what you think.

  • First Look: Kelly Clarkson’s “I Do Not Hook Up”

    Crisis averted. With a #1 single and album, Kelly Clarkson has been rescued from the “Might her career be over?” pile she was thrown on following the record company dispute that served as the backdrop to the campaign behind her third album, “My December”. And good for her. Although I don’t think she’s much beyond a very good singles artist, she seems like a perfectly normal, grounded girl.

    So anyway, her new video. It’s for the song “I Do Not Hook Up”, which was co-written by “American Idol” judge Kara Dioguardi and Katy “I Kissed a Girl” Perry. It’s a cute little record, and the video has a fun vibe which adds to the song’s flavor. Needless to say, I like it a lot more with a visual attached to it than I did initially. Check it out for yourself and let us know what you think.

  • First Look: Maxwell’s “Pretty Wings”

    maxwekkWanna make any female R&B fan over the age of 30 wet herself?

    Maxwell’s back, y’all.

    After an eight (!) year absence, the R&B lothario has finally returned. His long-awaited “Black Summers’ Night” project finally has not only a July release date, but actual music attached to it. “Pretty Wings” took a couple of listens for me to appreciate, but I totally get it now. The whole woman-levitating-off-the-bed thing? That I don’t get so much. But it makes for good video. And having seen Maxwell in concert, I can attest to the fact that he has that kind of effect on the lay-deez.

    You can view the video here.

    If Max is back, can D’Angelo and Lauryn Hill be too far behind??