Track of the Week

"Rain On Me" by Cheryl Cole from the album 3 Words

Cheryl Cole returns to our blog this week with Rain On Me, the rumored 4th single from her debut album. Cheryl's voice isn't the best but she really belts it out on this song. I thought I'd offer up a more upbeat ballad than Change from last week. Rain On Me has a buoyant beat and an uplifting melody with lyrics that are reminiscent of Madonna's Rain, though without the overt sexual connotation. No video yet, so here's the song.

Other songs I'm enjoying at the moment are the epic "Outta My Head" and "I Got You" by the indomitable Leona Lewis, the fun-time song "Let's Get Crazy" by Miley Cyrus, and the rocking "Wrong Baby Wrong" by Martina McBride. I'm thoroughly sick of "Telephone" by Lady GaGa and Beyonce, and it's disgusting protect placement advertisement, er, music video. I'm over Ke$ha: "Tik Tok," "Blah Blah Blah," "Your Love is My Drug" and "Kiss and Tell," while fun electro-pop, are really the anthems of a culture I'm not too keen on. Christina Aguilera released "Not Myself Tonight," earning 'you copied GaGa' cries, but the song is just so bad to earn any comparison to anything other than a rubbish heap. Her froggish vocals are no match for the beats. Speaking of GaGa, she promises her 2010 release will be her best yet. While I am excited for new music, I'm over her whole 'grateful to the fans' persona and weirdness, she's someone I don't admire as a person, but I like her tunes. Kylie announced the June release of her new single, "All the Lovers" produced by the maverick behind Madonna's comeback album Confession on a Dance Floor, and the album is to follow in July. I'm over the moon. I've heard Coldplay has tackboards up in a studio whittling down which tracks to put on their new album, and Britney is 70% done with recording her seventh, according to some record label person on twitter. Meanwhile, the Queen is not recording any material, at all, despite rumors to the contrary. Give it to her to wait years to release something new, let's hope it's a right proper album and not pandering to a market that already changed like the last one. Let her enjoy her Kaballah-water AC in the meantime.

Track of the Week: "3 Words"

Can't believe it's already the fourth week! With Track of the Week, we've been trying to highlight some current or forthcoming music. This week we're taking a trip across the pond.

"3 Words" by Cheryl Cole, from the album "3 Words"

A tabloid fixture in her native Britain, and a member of the supergroup "Girls Aloud," Cheryl Cole recently launched her solo career to great acclaim and commercial success. She's astonishingly beautiful, and that can sometimes distract from her work.

"Fight For this Love," was the typical dance pop of Girls Aloud, but for her second single, Cheryl Cole released "3 Words," a laid back, slightly electronic/acoustic song. Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas features on the track, but he doesn't detract from the song's appeal. The song slowly builds momentum until it hits the chorus, a quiet confession about someone being "the love of my life."

The video is really more interesting than the song itself, with long tracking shots, kaleidoscope effects, and somewhat of a Dali/Elizabeth Taylor vibe.

Hopefully Cheryl gets back with Girls Aloud, but until then the cool electronica of her solo album is a real treat.