HardCandyMusic.com - pop, electronic + indie music.

ROISIN MURPHY: Video Blog (OUT Magazine)

2009-11-04T11:19:00.006-05:00

I'm so excited by this viral approach ROISIN MURPHY is taking the release of her new material, there is nothing I like better than seeing an artist talk unscripted directly to us fans! In this cute little video shot in Roisin's house, with her dog Charlie seated on her lap, she talks about her how pregnancy has affected her, DJing and of course the new music! We learn that Orally Fixated is a production with SEIJI and how the new stuff is darker than OVERPOWERED material - leaning more towards the modernistic side of pop (love that!) She ends with a message to the fans asking us to be patient while she has her baby. We'll certainly do that Ro!

Check out some stunning new pictures of Roisin taken by Mark Squires here

Watch Here

ERIC CARTMAN: Poker Face (Lady Gaga Cover) from South Park

2009-11-03T23:34:00.001-05:00

LADY GAGA takes the backseat while Eric Cartman drives the best cover of POKER FACE to surface yet - from last weeks' episode of South Park. Check out the video below - I was laughing my ass off when I saw it and I had to make the wonderful collage you see above. - Matt

MP3 DOWNLOAD
Poker Face (South Park Version)

MUSE: Undisclosed Desires (Thin White Duke Mix) + Video Premiere

2009-11-03T20:24:00.001-05:00

I'm kicking myself for not picking up MUSE's new album The Resistance sooner. Not only did they return with a slick 80's tinged first single Uprising (featuring a White Wedding sample thrown so perfectly in just to make sure you are paying attention) now we have the sexy rock ballad UNDISCLOSED DESIRES with a video premiere and Stuart Price remix to knock it up a notch. It's a radio rip so it won't sound all crispy in your speakers - but worth a listen and a shake or two on the dance floor. - Matt

MP3 DOWNLOAD

Undisclosed Desires (Thin White Duke Mix)
Thanks to Stuart Price Lounge for the rip!

ALICIA KEYS: Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart (Pepsi Music Performance)

2009-11-03T16:46:00.005-05:00

I just checked out AlwayzFunkyFresh and saw that ALICIA KEYS just gave an incredible performance of her beautiful next single TRY SLEEPING WITH A BROKEN HEART for Pepsi Music. Alicia really knows how to deliver a ballad so that you really feel it! I really hope the track gets an amazing video to go with it, the one for the equally fabulous first single DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING was pretty but lacking something.

Also, we're gonna have to wait just a little bit longer for the new album THE ELEMENT OF FREEDOM, which has been pushed back to December 15th, I'm sure it will be worth the wait!

FRANKMUSIK: 3 Little Words (King Cannibal Remix)

2009-11-03T13:57:00.000-05:00

Hard hitting industrial masher King Cannibal has been pretty busy. He's just been signed to the magnificent Ninja Tune imprint, remixed the Prodigy (listen here) and now we have his yet to be released (until today) take on FRANKMUSIK's bubbly ode to not being able to say 'i love you' - 3 LITTLE WORDS. Listen closely - it strays just far enough from the original and there are many hidden FX woven in that you must repeat it over and over to fully appreciate the groove. - Matt

DOWNLOAD MP3
3 Little Words (King Cannibal Remix)

If you wanna check out more on King Cannibal, his full length debut Let The Night Roar is available now.

CHERYL COLE: Fight For This Love

2009-11-03T10:42:00.007-05:00

I think it's time I showed Cheryl some love on Hard Candy! I've long been obsessed with GIRLS ALOUD who always put out a kick ass pop album, so I was excited to hear CHERYL COLE's solo effort. On first listen I was not that taken with the single FIGHT FOR THIS LOVE, thought I can't get enough of it now! To be honest I was expecting the high impact of GIRLS ALOUD material, which this didn't have. The album as a whole is more low key than the high powered pop created with the band but is fabulous nonetheless. Her first video is also a great one - love the look! Go Cheryl! - Camille

DOWNLOAD MP3
Fight For This Love

VIA TANIA: CMJ Norwood Showcase

2009-11-02T21:54:00.001-05:00

It was an eclectic night at the High Rise PR CMJ showcase last Friday night! At 8.30 VIA TANIA started the night with a great little largely acoustic set, which had everyone intrigued. I really love Tania's voice it's so mellow and emotive, which at times slips into Bjork territory. I'd have love to have been seated sipping some wine listening to them perform instead of standing crammed into a tiny room but you can't win 'em all! (the newly released album Moon Sweet Moon is a fabulous chill out music!)

This is definitely a band that I'm excited to hear more from in the future. Keep your eyes on Hard Candy for our chat with Tania and Charles coming soon!

RIHANNA: Russian Roulette, Hard, Wait Your Turn, Bubble Pop + Rated R Tracklist

2009-11-02T19:51:00.009-05:00

Time for a bumper RIHANNA post! So many leaks in this last week I can't keep up! My favorite of the recently leaked tracks is BUBBLE POP, which samples GOOD LIFE by the INNER CITY (please don't tell me you are too young to remember that tune!) Of course this one is not on the album, but rumored to be from the GOOD GIRL GONE BAD sessions, go figure!. I'm also loving RUSSIAN ROULETTE but none of the rest of these are really grabbing me, they may be demo versions I suppose, but I'm waiting for an UMBRELLA.... yes I said it!

In other Rihanna news, she recently did an interview with Diane Sawyer for Good Morning America which will air on Thursday. The video for WAIT YOUR TURN will premiere on her official site tomorrow - Camille

Official Track List:

1. Mad House
2. Wait Your Turn
3. Hard Ft. Jeezy
4. Stupid In Love
5. Rockstar 101 Ft. Slash
6. Russian Roulette
7. Fire Bomb
8. Rude Boy
9. Photographs
10. G4L
11. Te Amo
12. Cold Case Love
13. The Last Song

DOWNLOAD MP3's
Wait Your Turn
Bubble Pop
Hard
Russian Roulette

CASXIO: CMJ Showcase Norwood

2009-11-02T16:38:00.004-05:00

After only hearing two tracks from CASXIO which I instantly loved (SEVENTEEN and BOILING POINT as featured on the Seventeen EP) I was eager to hear more from them at the High Rise PR CMJ showcase.

Casxio frontman Lucas Guerin had spoken to us earlier in the day about the material that would be on their first full length release, he was looking forward to seeing the reaction to it, and lets just say I think he'd have been pretty pleased... the crowd was so into it!

The bands live performance is just amazing, really high energy! The sound has been compared to Prince and I think its a justified comparison as Lucas hit some notes there that would totally give him a run for his money!

Look for our interview this Lucas coming to Hard Candy this week... It's a good one!

Setlist:

1. All My Love

2. Seventeen

3. Boiling Point

4. Where Were You

5. My Book

6. Lose Control

ROISIN MURPHY: Orally Fixated (Listen/Stream New Single + Artwork)

2009-11-02T12:25:00.006-05:00

Ahh we've been teased for so long, first with her amazingly pregnant performance at the Viktor + Rolf fashion show, then a too cute teaser video. Now the day has finally come, the stream of ROISIN MURPHY's new single ORALLY FIXATED is premiering via Facebook. The sexier than hell artwork premiered moments ago via Pitchfork. Can you handle the artwork? Fantastic! Listen to the song below, it's electro-thumpin' madness - can't wait to hear it out in the clubs! I can't wait to hear the rest of the material especially Demon Lover which was initially rumored as the first single. - Matt

STREAM MP3

Orally Fixated

Become a fan on Facebook and Myspace while you are listening to the new tune! You can also preview the electronically charged masterpiece Overpowered in full here. Roisin is currently 9 months pregnant and we can expect more singles to be released soon!

BRITNEY SPEARS: 3 (Video Premiere) + Wolfgang Remix + Acapella

2009-11-01T21:04:00.006-05:00

When I was 19, I was browsing through Virgin Records (who to you recently inducted New Yorkers is nothing but a myth) I saw on the large screen BRITNEY dance to Toxic. As much as I am not a staple pop fan that video brought my attention to the prettiest girl in Mississippi. It's not so much her 'ingenuity' that gets me at all - I think its more her not giving up and doing her thing. The press love preying on some of our artists especially ones that react to them (look what they are doing to Kanye) of course, all artists have their bag of shit but we all have that hidden somewere beneathe a pile of dirty laundry. The end of the deal is like this, the new video for 3 is Britney basics; hot dancing and lots of smiling for the camera. I will always love this bitch she never gives up and produces entertainment for us! So for all you naysayers shove it! - JAKE

DOWNLOAD MP3
3 (Wolfgang Radio Edit)
3 (Acapella)

Calling all DJ's! I'm sharing the 320k acapella of the track so work your magic and be sure to send us your mix when it's done!

FOOL'S GOLD: IAMSOUND Showcase at CMJ

2009-11-01T19:39:00.002-05:00

One of the best bands I saw at CMJ last week was FOOL'S GOLD, it's a crime I have not posted about these guys before, as I enjoyed the odd track here and there, but seeing them live at the IAMSOUND showcase at the Bowery Poetry Club got me REALLY excited about them.

They are not the typical indie band you find at CMJ, these guys have some serious Latin flavor! My favorite tracks were Surprise Hotel, Nadine and The World Is All There Is. It was 1 am on a work night but the minute these guys took the stage the energy level picked back up and everybody began shaking their stuff.

One of my favorite parts of the performance is the way they ended it. One by one they came off stage still playing their instruments and danced around in a circle in the middle of the audience, then before I knew it they were walking out of the bar and onto the street, still playing... best stage exit ever.. the only thing that would have made it better is if I'd succeed in getting a conga line going out the door behind them! If you ever get the chance to see the live don't miss it! - Camille

Surprise Hotel at IAMSOUND CMJ Showcase...

MADONNA & LADY GAGA: Saturday Night Live Skit Rehearsal

2009-11-01T18:19:00.003-05:00

The rehearsal video of MADONNA & LADY GAGA's SNL skit has emerged at its great! The timing is on here so the first part makes sense, M is actually singing! I had to giggle at the couch part where Gaga actually gets a grab of Madonna's hair, I don't think she got her paws on it a second time! - Camille

SHE: Moonlight + Traveling By Night

2009-10-31T15:44:00.008-04:00

My friend Mel is always playing me the fantastically talented J-Pop artist SHE and i've decided it's time for a feature both her's and my favorite track, the laid back yet danceable MOONLIGHT (love the first breakdown at 1:15) on Hard Candy. If you can imagine the happy go lucky electronic bounce of Kylie Minogue with a darker more ethereal twist you will be excited to hear these fresh new tunes...even funkier and with an undeniably catchy J-Pop touch. A must listen for pop, electronic and dance music fanatics. A creative edge backs the tunes as each album unfolds as a story. I'm loving the complete package, artists take note - more music should be released this way.

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Moonlight
Traveling By Night *
* Mel's Pick!

Make sure to pick up Orion. I'm really getting into the story behind the release,

"The album orion introduces us to the girl Sarah and follows her adventures in the "outside world". Taking place at the same time as 'coloris', the album gives us another view into the world where that story took place and builds upon it with familiar sounds, this time as experienced through Sarah's eyes and ears."

Read it in full here.

Video for Traveling By Night below. Stay tuned for our next post with a bunch of remixes done by She for other artists...get ready! Her official website is loaded with goodies, head on over and you'll see! - Matt

ASTRA MOVEO: Dollface + Criminals and Killers 'Human' Remix

2009-10-31T11:43:00.002-04:00

Wow guys this is a must listen! I can see ASTRA MOVEO tearing through 2010 with a vengance - they've got strong pop hooks with a electronic rock. If you love Muse or The Killers you'll love these guys no doubt.

The teaser videos for the new material (first one, second one) project a world of astral fantasy mixed with old movies and world strife. Mother Teresa even makes an appearance! We've got two fresh 320k tracks, DOLLFACE and CRIMINALS to introduce us to the next wave of electro rock.

MP3 DOWNLOADS
Dollface
Criminals

I can't get over how I missed this months ago - a masterpiece remixed video version of Human by the Killers. It's hot - love the old Japanese movies. Can't wait to hear the full length and see what these guys really have to offer. Full release on December 1. - Matt

MADONNA: Raising Malawi Personal Video Message

2009-10-30T22:37:00.008-04:00

This week I posted about MADONNA's visit to Malawi to plant a tree in honor of the start of building the Raising Malawi Academy for Girls but i felt this video was worth its own post! Madonna sits down and tells us why Malawi is important to her and asks us to get involved. I really love this video she is so genuine and unrehearsed and you can tell she is speaking from the heart...

Check out the charity here

ROISIN MURPHY: New Single Message!

2009-10-30T19:52:00.005-04:00

One of our most obsessed about favorites ROISIN MURPHY has announced that a new single will be streamed next Monday at 12pm EST on Facebook and Myspace - and you can hear bits of the new material (which all sounds like a funkier progression from Overpowered) behind her. What a tease! Happy Halloween indeed! Love the 'em' at the beginning...Go Ro! FYI - the single is not Demon Lover! - Matt

JAY Z FT. ALICIA KEYS: Empire State of Mind Official + Yankee Stadium Videos

2009-10-30T17:28:00.008-04:00

I think JAY Z and ALICIA KEYS gave the Yankees good luck last night when they performed EMPIRE STATE OF MIND at Yankee Stadium. I wish I could have been there last night to see them do it this song - it was just made for the event!

The official video for the track also just premiered and it's really slick! I just moved here this summer so this is like my theme song at the moment, plus it gave me a good laugh because Jay Z is sitting at my subway stop at one point! - Camille

DAN BLACK: HardCandyMusic.com Interview

2009-10-30T12:46:00.004-04:00

We were thrilled last week when we were invited to chat with DAN BLACK. He was in town for the '09 CMJ Festival to play a couple of shows around NYC (see our review of his debut performance in NY at the High Rise PR showcase, which also featured Casxio + Via Tania). We had a lovely chat with Dan about his music, live show, New York, France and plenty more! Check out the interview below! More from CMJ week coming as the weekend unfolds!

MICHAEL JACKSON: My Thoughts on This Is It

2009-10-29T23:39:00.007-04:00

On Wednesday night I went to see THIS IS IT. I have to admit that I half expected to see a guy who wasn't really into it just going through the motions, despite what has been said since MICHAEL JACKSON's death about tour rehearsals. That was actually not the case at all, he was on top of every detail the consummate professional and you could see had poured his heart and soul into the show. He was on top of every detail, those weren't the actions of someone just looking to pick up a check.

He busted all the trademark moves and greatly impressed me with his voice, especially on HUMAN NATURE. I loved seeing how the show was put together, a lot of the footage showed the sets as they would have been at the concerts as it was shot late into June. Michael and the team really took it to another level with all the visual effects they had planned for the show, especially with the new videos for THRILLER and THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT US.

We also got to see full choreography, from different days spliced together, for some of his many hits like MAN IN THE MIRROR & BILLIE JEAN. At times I felt like I was really there seeing him live and the urge to clap at the end of a number took over, by the end of the movie that urge had overtaken everybody!

Not only was the dancing and singing fantastic but I really enjoyed seeing the exchanges between him and the people on the tour. It was fun to see him laughing and joking around with them. Another thing I loved about the film was seeing the dancers reactions when watching him do his thing on stage, they went crazy, as you would if you we in a crowd of about 30 watching him rehearse!

I believe that the film is a great tribute to Michael and I am pleased that we were able to get a glimpse at the remarkable show he was putting together and see that his talent never left.. - Camille

FLORENCE & THE MACHINE: Live at The Bowery Ballroom

2009-10-29T23:20:00.004-04:00

I really loved Florence's acoustic performance at the FADER fort on Saturday (post coming soon!) but Tuesday night at the Bowery Ballroom with the full band FLORENCE & THE MACHINE took it to another level. She entered the stage in a long Grecian dress, not looking much like a rock star and started a slow acoustic version of Lungs, which was gorgeous but left me waiting for the inevitable crescendo! I knew she was gonna step it up a notch, and she certainly did bursting into a high energy version of the song.

Not only is Florence one of the most amazing live singers but she has real stage presence and her performance is electrifying. She performed with such passion and intensity that I felt like she was up there bearing her tortured soul. She flailed around the stage shaking her hair amid flashing strobe lights that created an intense atmosphere. I particularly enjoyed her drum beating, there's nothing quite like the juxtaposition of a guy playing a harp in the corner and a chick wildly beating a drum center stage.

I think that one of the most interesting things about Florence, is that she is a rock singer who also happens to have an amazing voice, and is just as comfortable with an acoustic ballad as she is thrashing around the stage and belting out her songs with fervor. - Camille

FAN DEATH: Reunited (Video + MP3)

2009-10-29T21:29:00.001-04:00

FAN DEATH is back...well REUNITED is more like it. I've found myself constantly humming this new track since I first heard it. The video is an all out celebrity fest with some 'just in time for Halloween' cameos from Marilyn Manson, Axel Rose, Prince - to name a few. New EP A Coin For The Well is out soon. Full length please! - Matt

MP3 DOWNLOAD

Reunited*

*free when you subscribe to their mailing list. What's to lose!

DRAGONETTE: Santos Party House NYC November 5th

2009-10-28T17:24:00.006-04:00

After 2 years I'm ready to see DRAGONETTE live again! They have come a long way since the Summer of 2007 when I went to see them in London opening for Mr Hudson and their debut album had not even been released. I'm so excited to see the new material from the phenomenal FIXIN TO THRILL played live! (Must sing Liar!) The guys are hitting Santos Party House in NYC on November 5th, and you simply must check 'em out if you're in the city! Buy your tickets here

*Best this is someones video from the show I saw in 2007 ♥

DAN BLACK: Debut NYC Performance (CMJ at Norwood)

2009-10-27T15:35:00.004-04:00

Friday night fresh (well not quite so fresh it was the end of CMJ week after all!) from interviewing DAN BLACK I headed back down to Norwood, a fancy townhouse on 14th Street (which I'm sure had never seen a party quite like this one!) to the High Rise PR event to see Dan perform his debut gig in NYC. Matt (from The Music Slut) and I braved the sweat pit that was the tiny room on the fourth floor where the performances took place and muscled our way to the front as Dan took the stage.

For much of the performance Dan danced on what he joked was "A stage the size of a soapbox" (accept he wasn't really kidding, they literally put a small box in the front of the stage for him to stand on so people in the back could see him LOL) Unfazed by the cramped stage and scorching temperature he more than made it work - he owned that box! - he tore though songs that I already consider classics including SYMPHONIES, WONDER, YOURS, ALONE and true to his word a killer mash-up of MISSY ELLIOTT's monster hit PASS THAT DUTCH for a delighted crowd.

His stunning performance left me wondering what this guy could do with a stage the size of Wembley or MSG, and with music and performances like this you'd better believe he'll get there!

Stay tuned to Hard Candy for the interview coming soon and check YouTube for all the videos!

GRACE JONES: Oi Fashion Rocks

2009-10-27T14:31:00.003-04:00

Imagine my excitement when I was Estelle's tweet that GRACE JONES had just performed HURRICANE, SLAVE TO THE RHYHTM and PULL UP TO THE BUMPER at Oi Fashion Rocks in Brazil. Grace was paired up with Marc Jacobs at the event (nooo not like that! wouldn't that be something to talk about!) I wonder if she ever wears normal clothes? In my mind these outfits are just regular day wear for her!

This video of Pull To To The Bumper kills me the ass shaking never gets old does it? Well maybe just for her son who is on the drums!