Miley Cyrus Poses Half Naked in New Video 'Adore You'

As 2013 comes to a close, it seems shock value celebrity Miley Cyrus wanted to squeeze in one more attention-seeking act to end arguably her most successful year. After much anticipation and  surprisingly serene cover art for new single Adore You, the star released her half-naked video to accompany the song today on VEVO.

Licking the sheets is all in a days work

Sheet-biting in nude underwear, Cyrus juxtaposes her beautifully melodic and emotional single by licking her fingers, tousling with herself on a bed and attempting seductive looks.

God knows what she is thinking here. 

Her extremely greasy hair is appeased with a cloudy looking bath she gets into wearing a thin, netted black top as yet again, she enjoys touching her body parts. In a Justin Timberlake-esque moment, it begins to rain while the Wrecking Ball sits half-meditating in the bath, scraping back her bleached bob.

Is she naked? Isnt she naked? DO WE CARE???

Perhaps they had a small budget (unlikely) or they wanted a focus on the song (very unlikely) but this one is a contender for the most boring music video of 2013 (very likely).

For Cyrus, her music as stand -alone is incredibly good, just as Wrecking Ball proved itself to be lyrically impressive. Her half-tacky, excessive behaviour in her official music videos has definitely detracted from her singing ability however.

Her album art is a stark contrast to the video, visually inviting it shows Cyrus holding up flowers similar to the ones she received on her birthday. Adore You seems to be a massive contradiction- the only one Cyrus seems to adore is herself.



Watch the Video here: 

My Top Ten Albums of 2013

1. Yeezus -- Kanye West
Kanye West is one man that proves if you have confidence (or arrogance in his case) you can get anywhere. Yeezy released Yeezus smack bang in the middle of the year and it didn't disappoint. Controversial, unsympathetic but stupidly intelligent, his tracks cover political issues with razor-sharp callousness that make you gasp from beginning to end.

Trampling all over Jay Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail, he asserts his power in I Am a God, yet mocks himself with the lyric "hurry up with my damn croissants". West spits his rap in New Slaves as he condemns consumerism, beautifully contradicting himself. An album full of angry rap that isn't acceptable to be repeated aloud, there is something charming about the collection of songs that keeps me going back for more.




2. AM-- Arctic Monkeys
It took me weeks to decide whether I wanted AM or Yeezus to be my number one album of 2013. After four incredibly successful albums that all owned a variety of sounds, AM's indie rock sounds burst into the charts in mid September where it shot to number one. It's addictive psychedelic rock elements combined with Turner's charming and seductive vocals all incorporate to the success of AM.

In October the band hinted that they are planning an AM part two, much to the excitement of fans. If it's anything like this one, I think we can all get incredibly excited.

Listen to AM here:




3. Home-- Rudimental
I've always had a soft spot for drum and bass, but newcomers Rudimental are so much more. Releasing their debut album Home in February and with giant singles like Waiting All Night and Feel The Love, the sound to this collection of songs packs a punch.

Pulsing energy oozes from every track,from Right Here's infectious steel drums to Hide's chilled garage influences,Home was the soundtrack to my summer.


4. Fall Out Boy-- Save Rock and Roll
Back in 2001, Patrick Stump and band mates Pete Wenz, Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley formed band Fall Out Boy and since the release of their breakout album From Under the Cork Tree, they haven't looked back. With fourth album Folie a Deux showing musical strain and with the band taking a break between 2009-2012, I was extremely apprehensive about their latest album.

Save Rock and Roll sees Fall Out Boy at their best once again. Deep and rich sounds combined with Stump's melodious vocals make for a delicious listen, and my long-term love for the band is the reason why I have placed it at number four. Poignantly commencing the album with The Phoenix, the album seldom loses it's energy and peaks with Young Volcanoes.

Listen to the full album here:




5. True-- Avicii

To me Swedish DJ Avicii is far superior to the likes of David Guetta and I was extremely disappointed that his debut album True didn't get the attention it deserved. With the massive singles Wake Me Up and I Could Be The One, I wasn't sure he could produce any more addictive EDM tunes, but I couldn't have been more wrong. What helps this album to stand out is it's strong folk influences and the way each song ties perfectly into it's successor.

With the release of Hey Brother this month, I'm hoping the album will gather more acclaim as Avicii definitely deserves more credit.



6. Shangri La-- Jake Bugg
It's not often that you get the chance to work with legendary producer Rick Rubin, so when 19-year old Jake Bugg headed over to Malibu to work on his second album with him, he took full advantage. Having his first self-titled album under his belt, he took a fresh, more folky approach with Shangri La. At times seeming slightly rushed, the tracks still maintain the quirkiness he graces his creations with, from the toe-tapping Slumville Sunrise, to the vintage Kingpin to the humble Simple Pleasures, this is Bugg at his best.

Head over to his youtube channel to listen to his tracks.


7. Artpop-- Lady Gaga
Gaga's album is yet another one that I was apprehensive about. Born This Way in my eyes at least, was a disaster in comparison to The Fame Monster as Germanotta seemed to completely lose her identity. Artpop was indeed everything the artist promised and she was definitely my Queen of pop this year. The strongest track being Venus, she incorporates strong dance numbers with emotional ballads like Dope to make an album of pure, unadulterated pop.



Such a pity that Artpop is currently being slashed in price as concert sales have flopped. Maybe I was listening to something different?




8. Beyoncé-- Beyoncé
Allow the genius of Beyoncé Knowles who proves that she doesn't need any promotion in order to make her album the biggest and fastest selling of the year. With 14 songs and a unique 18 videos to accompany them, the songstresses blew a lot of artists out of the water. From the sultry Haunted to the gorgeous song Blue featuring her daughter, the collection of videos are a visual delight- I think I have a girl crush.

Unfortunately there are no links for those of you who might like to try before you buy. Knowles was smart enough to release the album exclusively on iTunes.


9. Body Music--Alunageorge
To me, I thought that duo Alunageorge were largely overlooked this year. Their more modest disposition might have been something to do with it as I fell in love with Body Music from the first play. It's extremely easy to class their music as electronic, yet it's composition really is so much more complex.

The ethereal vocals of Aluna combined with the genius production of George makes a killer couple and with strong and vibrant tracks such as You Know You Like It and Your Drums,Your Love, it earns itself my award for feel-good album of the year.

10. Brand New Machine-- Chase and Status
Now on their third studio album, Chase and Status have never failed to impress me with their mixture of '90s garage, deep drum and bass and fist-pumping dance. With the release of Brand New Machine in October, I totally disagreed with the measly 6/10 NME gave the album.

Highlights of the album include the massive Count on Me featuring Moko, and the dark bass in Pressure ft. Major Lazor.

What was your favourite album of 2013?

The Electronic Ladies that Will Take Over 2014

This year's dance and electronic scene has been dominated by the beats of Avicii's I Could Be The One, Disclosure's White Noise and Duke Dumont's Need You (100%) all of which peaked in the top five of the UK charts. It seems the men need to move aside however as four talented electro-pop songstresses have emerged from their humble beginnings,rising to the cusp of stardom. Here are the ladies you should be listening to right now. 

MØ

Danish singer Karen Marie Ørsted emerged earlier this year when she released her single Pilgrim on limited edition vinyl. Having completed 104 shows in 20 countries, she has supported the likes of Alunageorge and Major Lazer as well as completing a live session for radio 1. 

With her hauntingly charming vocals and her addictive electro beats, her album No Mythologies To Follow  is set for release in February next year and will not doubt gain her international acclaim. Her live presence holds intense and powerful enthusiasm and with her own tour planned for March, getting tickets is highly recommended! 

 

Foxes 

The beautiful Louise Rose Allen is second on my list of ladies to watch. Better known as Foxes, the 24 year-old released the massive single Youth and to date is most famous for her vocal contribution in Zedd's Clarity. After five tracks, she is set to release Glorious, her first album on March 4th and I can't wait!

  

Charli XCX

If you know Marina and the Diamonds, Paramore and Ellie Goulding then you should have heard of Charli XCX, who has been touring with the three acts this year. Active since 2008 when she began releasing tracks from her first album on her MySpace page, the 21 year-old specialises in synthpop and witch pop. 

Her biggest hit to date is Superlove which she released back in September and with an album of the same name set for June 2014, this girl is going nowhere. 

Banks

It's no surprise that Banks has been added to the BBC sound of 2014 longlist, as well as MTV's Brand New for 2014. This year she released her London EP that features the haunting Waiting Game and the sexy This is What It Feels Like. 

March 2014 marks the beginning of her UK tour with dates in London, Brighton, Glasgow and Manchester to name a few, get those tickets while you can, this girl will be massive. 

Justin Bieber Announces His Retirement on National Radio

I'm just not sure anyone cared anyway Biebs.. 

Teeny bopper Justin Bieber took to Power 106 radio station in LA yesterday to reveal on air that "after the new album, I'm actually retiring man. I'm retiring".

Can you hear that? that is the sound of teenage hearts breaking. The Heartbreaker singer insisted that his music will be taking a back seat after the release of his new album 'Journals' next week. 

The singer certainly got the reaction he wanted when gasps could be heard in the studio, as host Kurt Alexander exclaimed "what?". 

Trying to justify himself he said "I want to grow as an artist and I'm taking a step out, I want my music to mature". 

Yawn. Anyone would be forgiven for thinking that Bieber was making these statements in an act to receive yet more attention- this year was one of under-age drinking, drug taking and spitting for the 19 year-old, but in this most recent interview he was prepared to defend himself, saying 

"People think I'm arrogant, I'm not, I've always been a caring and giving person.. I'm 19 I'm gonna make mistakes it's inevitable"

Judging from the way he started this year, maybe taking a step back is what you need Biebs. 

Review: Jake Bugg's Shangri La

A far cry from his debut album, British breakthrough artist Jake Bugg left behind his home town of Nottingham to work on his second album with the legendary producer Rick Rubin in the exotic Malibu. With his first album being a collection of songs he wrote growing up,it's successor Shangri La was written in a mere few months of this summer during the whirlwind of festivals and sold-out shows throughout Europe and in the US. 

The enthusiasm that oozes from those twelve tracks is undeniable, the listener is certainly left toe-tapping, wanting more. The American influences are evident, with tributaries of Country, Soul Jazz and crisp acoustics melting into one another to create a delicious mix that cements Bugg amongst the greats. 

Bugg belts "Johnny deals a bit of blow, on the side" during Messed Up Kids, a song depicting the less fortunate who live through deprivation, homelessness and substance abuse. During the introduction of his official music video for What Doesn't Kill You, the singer discussed the fact that no matter where you are in the world, you can't avoid the bad elements of life. Writing about life's hardships only adds to his authentic appeal, and although some may have thought he couldn't have replicated the straining heartbreak of "Broken", "Me and You" is a suitably tear-jerking, arm-swaying replacement. 

(above: Rick Rubin with Jake Bugg)

Charmingly subtle, the Clifton singer evolves by adopting slow jazzy tones in "Kitchen Table" that are juxtaposed to his dark lyrics "haunting my future,down on all fours you bark bright/ at the descending moonlight". If he is looking for new fans, "Pine Trees" is a sure-fire winner as natural imagery and folky tones quench the listener's appetite  for his mystifying acoustics. 

To me, Shangri La sums up what Bugg is feeling inside- his thoughts on his deprived background, the hypocrisy of the world, a sudden fear of the unknown and perhaps even a yearning for the silence of nature. Either way, it's just a compilation of honesty, something that will charm you from the first listen. 

I give it:  ★★★★★

Watch the making of Shangri La: 

Review of Britney Spears' "Britney Jean"

For Britney fans, the two year wait is over as Britney Jean has been released on iTunes! Despite the release date being in early December, eager listeners are able to preview the tracks and for those of us cheeky enough, leaked tracks are available from dark corners of the internet. 

As a major Britney fan, I was fully expecting Britney Jean to be similar to Blackout and Femme Fatale- full of club bangers, but lacking soul and the old Brit we loved in Baby One More Time. I couldn't have been more mistaken as it seemed that (just like she promised) these tracks contain a surprising amount of heart, for a star that seems to keep a lot close to her chest. 

Tracklist 

1. "Alien"  

2. "Work Bitch"  

3. "Perfume"  

4. "It Should Be Easy" (featuring will.i.am

5. "Tik Tik Boom" (featuring T.I.)

6. "Body Ache"  

7. "Til It's Gone"  

8. "Passenger"  

9. "Chillin' with You" (featuring Jamie Lynn)

10. "Don't Cry"  

For those who love 'Old Britney'

Alien

What a track to open on. Electro pop definitely works to Britney's advantage and I love this mid-tempo track that depicts a person feeling lonely in the world they live in. It's not the first time she has based something on outer space- remember that amazing Oops! video? 

Perfume

The second single to be released, I LOVE perfume. Again this one is mid-tempo but still packs a punch and it's all about Britney's vocal skills, something Ive been waiting yearsss for. 

Passenger

I love the mystical lead-in to this track, and again, so much of old Britney here which made me very happy. The song is all about letting go of self control and it's definitely a feel-good bubblegum pop track, listen out for the fabulous high notes. 

Don't Cry 

This one was my favourite, by far. I loved the '80s style keyboard action and I loved hearing a less auto-tuned Britney and it just reminded me of her first album. Total nostalgia with this track, it's been on repeat ever since. 

The Club Bangers

Work Bitch

First single to be released, Work Bitch has already proven itself to be a hit- addictive and motivating in many ways. See the proof below !

It Should Be Easy ft. Will.i.am 

This one has to be my least favourite track on the album, simply because I think Will.i.am autotuned Spears to his level, to keep them on equal ground. There is nothing wrong with a bit of tuning but this is slightly robotic. A massive tune though and the chorus is definitely a dance hit. 

Til It's Gone

With a cheeky addition of dub, this track is crazy and definitely rivals the likes of Avicii and David Guetta. The song is all about loss, about belonging and having it taken away- deep for a dance track, kudos to Britney. 

Listen to the whole album on itunes! 

Feel-good album of the year, I give Britney Jean   

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

American Music Awards 2013: The Best and Worst Bits

Last night played host to the AMAs, previously created as an alternative to the Grammy Awards back in 1973, and the stars were out in full force. For those of you who missed one of the biggest nights in US music, fear not! I have selected the best bits of the awards, including performances, interviews and general eventful moments. 

Best Bits: 

Lady Gaga's entrance on a (sort of) horse

BRAVO GAGA! She never fails to impress as last night the star entered the red carpet on a human horse, looking every inch Lady Godiva, minus the nakedness. Flawless 

From pmchollywoodlife.files.wordpress.com

Rihanna receives an award from her mum 

Pop titan Rihanna received the coveted AMA Icon award, and was presented the prize by her own mother, the pride was unbelievably cute! 

From www.billboard.com

Kendall Jenner kind of denies being with Harry Styles 

So amongst the whirlwind of rumours that Kendall Jenner and Harry Styles were dating, Jenner was asked on the red carpet if she was going out with the 1D star, to which she stated "We're friends. He's cool, yeah, he's cool". Cool story Kendall... 

From www.eonline.com

Best Performances: 

Lady Gaga and R Kelly with 'Do What You Want' 

Not content with arriving on a (fake) white horse, the kooky popstar performed her latest single with R Kelly as the President and herself in Marilyn Monroe-esque attire. Lyrically flawless and always entertaining, this was definitely the best performance of the night. 

Miley Cyrus and her giant kitten

What next? Miss Cyrus is forever shocking us and this time she positioned herself in front of a giant cat that seemed to be singing along to Wrecking Ball. I admire her guts, although her outfit was questionable. Enjoy. 

Pitbull and Ke$ha

Although I abhor Pitbull and think behind Robin Thicke, he is the biggest creep in pop, I loved his ridiculously fun performance he did with crazy pop princess Ke$ha. Seedy club meets barn dance with this one, and I had to admit it left me toe-tapping. Feel-good fun. 

Worst Bits: 

Taylor Swift looking stupidly thin 

Oh gosh, what has happened to Taylor Swift? she may have bagged multiple awards last night, but she has definitely lost a little weight. A little too thin. 

From pmchollywoodlife.files.wordpress.com

Christina Aguilera's meager appearance 

Xtina is looking mighty fine these days and she dazzled on the red carpet, but I would have preferred to have seen a solo performance from her. 

From www.billboard.com

General lack of fashion sense on the red carpet

The gowns last night were SHOCKINGLY BAD. I shall use Zendaya Coleman as an example (sorry love, but Halloween has been and gone)

From pmchollywoodlife.files.wordpress.com

Worst Performances: 

Katy Perry- Unconditionally (crap)

Despite her hype and the international success of her new album Prism, Perry constantly disappoints me when it comes to her live performances, its simple- she just can't sing. Although the Geisha theme was attractive to look at, her voice is weak. 

One Direction- Story of My Life 

As much as I think 1D are pretty harmless, I do think they need to perhaps take a break. One Direction overload is evident and I think everyone is slightly sick of them at the moment. After a world tour, it's obvious their voices are a little tired and this performance made me yawn. 

Review: One Direction's Midnight Memories Leaked !

It's every singer's worst nightmare, but it's not surprising that the world's biggest boyband's upcoming album has been leaked. One Direction's Midnight Memories was due for release next week, but the internet has been whipped into a frenzy as Directioners across the world are sharing the leaked songs with each other. 

          From www.aceshowbiz.com

With two mainstream studio albums already released, the band promised more of a rock feel to this album, but I cant help feeling that they seemed almost scared to stray from their pop roots. 

Tracklist: 

Best Song Ever

The first single to be released back in July, Best Song Ever originally broke the 24 hour record on VEVO, gaining 12.3 million views. 

Story of My Life

The second single to be released from the upcoming album, the video received a large amount of critical acclaim due to the personal nature of the music video 

Diana 

Although they have kept fairly quiet about who Diana actually is, Liam once joked that it was about a random girl on Twitter- "She’s tweeted us so many times, we just felt like we really owed it to her. She has like 70,000 followers, too, so we thought it made some business sense. " The song has deep pop tones and a stupidly catchy chorus. 

Midnight Memories

This song is definitely about being on tour, partying and not caring. It is reminiscent of Rock Me, an unreleased track from Take Me Home. Any McFly fans will appreciate this song for sure. 

You and I 

This track was my favourite on the album, I knew the group had to have an equivalent to Little Things, and this one is it. This may be a cheesy love ballad, but it shows off the vocal range the group has, and stripping back the music to the bare minimum is a welcome break from the rock/pop that consumes many of the tracks.  

Don't Forget Where You Belong

Very much a song about exploring the world, yet still looking forward to being back home, this track is pretty cute, and definitely gives Directioners a slice of fangirling in three minute form.  

Strong

With a heavier beat, but still maintaining the mainstream pop, this one is a sure fire contender for the next single to be released. 

Happily

As albums go, this one reaches it's optimum feel-good scale with Happily, as the five members belt out " I just want it to be you and I forever"... Directioners everywhere swoon. 

From hollywoodtimessquare.com

Right Now

This one really reminded me of a One Republic track, and for any 1D skeptic, the high notes hit in this song are almost faith-restoring. Bravo lads. 

Little Black Dress

When the group talked about the rock tones, this is as far as it went with LBD. This one was less about the solo snippets, but all about harmonising with each other. 

Through The Dark 

It was a breath of fresh air for the album to turn to more acoustic influences and I definitely think the band fair better when the music is stripped back. 

From www.blogcdn.com

Something Great

This track disappointed me the most, as although I enjoy the harmonies the group creates, this one lacked a strong, addictive chorus I was looking for. 

Little White Lies

Another song about girls that play games.. yawn! The super catchy chorus is what saves this one.. I'm still humming it. 

Better Than Words

Hello electronic influences.. I loved this song and how it was confused about whether it wanted to be upbeat or not. Cheekiest lyric of the album: "You make me wanna.... one more night"

Why We Don't Go There

This song is (close your ears young Directioners) about spending the night together... These boys are definitely growing up *winks*

From i.imgur.com

Does He Know 

In this track let's all boyfriends know that any of the five members of 1D have the potential to steal your girlfriend. Consider yourself threatened. " Does he know you can move it like that?" I assume they are talking about dancing here.. 

Alive

This one must have been written by Mr Styles himself. The proof: "I don't know why I want to be with every girl I meet". If they ever release this, I want the video to include an American diner, some serious quiffs and soft top cars. 

Half a Heart

Another Little Things substitute about how much they miss their loved ones.. aww. Definitely one for the soppiest oafs. 

Trying to leave their pop routes, they have ended up circling right back to what they know. A great third album, but not a spot on Take Me Home's charm. 

I give it:   ★★★