Today's Pick

Beyoncé has finally dropped her colorful mod-tastic video on MTV for "Countdown," the third cut lifted from her recent multi-million-selling album "4." The pregnant R&B diva loads this '60s-inspired masterpiece with various energetic routines, taking on a variety of iconic looks, rocking out mod style, showing off her growing belly and channeling the spirit of Audrey Hebpurn by wearing short bangs and cropped black pants.
This playful upbeat, horn-heavy track was co-written and co-produced by the 30-year-old herself and samples Boyz II Men's 1991 R&B hit "Uhh Ahh." The song's development was motivated by the fact that Beyoncé wanted to create something refreshing and different by mixing several musical styles of the 1990s with the 1970s. It was considered to be everywhere on the genre map, and contains elements of funk music amongst dancehall influences. It's a perfect mix of classic and modern, which seems to be what Beyoncé is aiming for in this era of her career.
Lyrically, it's about twinned boasts of self-worth and proclamations of fidelity into a tight knot of romantic ideals. "Countdown" finds Beyoncé as the female protagonist delivering her message of ten years of loyalty seeming just as thrilling as the first time to her love interest and boasting of all the ways he should feel lucky to have her by his side. Throughout the song, Beyoncé sings with a sassy attitude, setting a futuristic tone.
The video was directed by Adria Petty, who previously worked with Beyoncé on the clip for "Sweet Dreams." In it, Beyoncé turns into a human clock behind a classic '60s psychedelic, black-and-white-striped background, then a human art gallery as she morphs into a series of Lichtenstein girls come to life in primary-colored bathing suits. The video ends with the superstar in a chair, grooving to her uptempo track. Throughout the clip, which bubbles with excitement, she is all smiles, perhaps reflecting her joy at beginning a new phase in her life.

British musician James Blunt, best known for his track "You're Beautiful" has released a new video for his newest track "Dangerous," the fifth British single from Blunt's the third studio album "Some Kind of Trouble." We're sure the 37-year-old musician has had his fair share of promiscuous women and he has expressed his feelings about it in his new visual. "The brief was simple: a gorgeous/dangerous girl and just a cameo for James," director Luc Janin explains.
The promo is filmed in a mysterious POV depiction and in the point of view of a lovely lady in red stiletto heels. The mysterious woman takes us through the crowded rooms of a dance hall where beautiful show girls are in costume getting ready for the night, and through the sketchiest of hallways in a seedy burlesque club. Her venture ends when she strolls into a room with a long awaiting guest, and of course, it's Blunt himself. The ending showcases a smidgen of eroticism in a purely artful form that leaves the viewer wanting more.
"Dangerous" is quite good with an uptempo beat backed up by a distinct indie type melody whilst. It starts out as an uplifting key board build up, dropping into a hard hitting track with incredible electro synths and pounding drums that progressively get more and more powerful. This distortion heavy progressive track comprises of women walking around in scanty attire which can be deemed dangerous when viewing this video in a office or school environment. Not his best work but when they mix from mellow to heavy that are definitely worth a listen!
Blunt told The Metro that this song is about the English supermodel Kate Moss. "Yes, she is a dangerous woman," he said. Failing to elaborate the singer cryptically teased; "It's one of those naïve songs full of that teenage energy. That excitement of having someone, that fear and the excitement of the unknown. On the song 'Dangerous,' it feels like a teenager picking up a new instrument and writing something with all of that naive excitement." "Dangerous" is not the first word that springs to mind when you think Blunt, which is probably the reason why he opted to not actually appear in the video until the very end, and then only in silhouette!

Dutch symphonic/Gothic metallers Within Temptation has just released their new video for the standout track "Shot in the Dark," the third single from the female-fronted metal outfit's latest fifth LP "The Unforgiving." Truly an inspiring album. The latest video, alongside the short film "Triplets," is the last part of the combined "The Unforgiving" short movies, following "Faster" and "Sinéad."
This concept album is based on a comic book series. The band's lead vocalist Sharon den Adel stated about the new album's concept: "It's a very realistic story, although you don't see that in the first phase when you see a lot of the supernatural and people being brought back to life to have a second chance. It's not about bad people but good people making bad choices. There are many layers and characters but it's about making peace with yourself. The main characters embody the comic characters in the songs. The concept we were challenged our boundaries and it inspired to the sound from a different angle to approach. This resulted in an album with our best songs yet!"
This Dutch phenomenon gives us a modern version of the classic Within Temptation sound. Some sound effects are added, no sounds that distract or disturb. Adel and her gang made with "The Unforgiving" a solid symphonic rock/metal album. Adel is an amazingly powerful vocalist, she really summons up a bounty of believable emotion on "Shot In The Dark." Within Temptation took Melodic and Symphonic Metal to incredible heights with "The Unforgiving." I admire and respect the direction that this band has taken on this album and it has become quite the contagious listen for me over the past month.
The music video for their instant thrills of the anthemic "Shot In The Dark," is shot in the same place as the "Faster" Video. It is in black and white and features the band only. All band members are there with the drummer having a black sock over his face as when the video was shot his identity was not revealed. Nevertheless with "The Unforgiving," Within Temptation proved once again that they are the best in their genre.

Following that recent weekend remix, Florence and the Machine is once again dolling out a masquerade-set clip for their the newly released gloriously uplifting track "Shake It Out," the lead single proper from Florence Welch and her mysterious mechanical band's upcoming sophomore effort "Ceremonials." Welch became a bigger-than-indie darling when their debut album "Lungs" burst into unlikely mainstream success. In the nearly five minute technicolor blast, Welch splits her time mourning and dancing her way through a stately psychedelic costume party at a masquerade ball.
This gospelly pop tune is about having a hangover and wanting to shake it out, and it features a churchy organ and concludes with Welch roaring, "It's hard to dance with the devil on your back. So shake him off!" Welch explained: "I wanted to just shake something out, shake out these regrets, shake out these things that haunt you. It was one of those songs that came in about half an hour and when you've got a hangover, it is almost like a hangover cure. You're like, thank you!"
Given the track's bursting vocal moments, "Shake It Out" could have lent itself to something far more grandiose visually. But Florence and the Machine have kept it relatively low-key. Kind of. I'm using relatively very loosely here. The track's music video is still an over-the-top affair filled with Old World imagery and glitter-covered dresses and suits. But it's not quite as outrageous as it could have been, even if things do get really dramatic at times. I guess I was picturing something more arena-sized, though maybe that's because the track is so goddamn huge.
The video is as gorgeous and ethereal as the song itself, features Welch at a Shakespearian masked ball, dressed in a long red gown. She traded only a few of her Stevie Nicksian chiffon gowns for something a little wilder, tighter, for this Annie Lennox-directed clip. In it, the singer is equal parts naughty and nice as she cavorts between dancing, drinking, shaking it out and shrinking away during this fairy tale party. She flows between beautiful people in masquerade masks and drops in on a seance. This is easily one of Welch's best vocal performances to date, and the imagery will leave a mark on fans and aspiring fans to boot.

Taking matters in his own hands, and showing off his fun-loving spirit, Enrique Iglesias has dished out another brand new video for his whistle-happy track "I Like How It Feels" and it gives viewers a little insight into the 36-year-old's life during work and play, from the sold-out performances and screaming fans to boat rides and parties. Apparently, his life even involves jet skiing with his dog. It features Cuban American rapper Pitbull, and finds the two Latin recording artists celebrating being upbeat and enjoying life.
"I Like How It Feels" is the first single to lead the re-release edition of his latest album "Euphoria," aptly re-named for the occasion as "Euphoria Reloaded," is due in stores worldwide on November 15th. It's a simple set of lyrical declarations that celebrate being upbeat and enjoying life. We've heard of whistling while you work, but Iglesias and Pitbull are taking it to the next level with this larger-than-life number.
When they team up, Iglesias and Pitbull produce anthemic, stadium-size pop records. Latest case in point: their new jam "I Like How It Feels" is backed by a simple yet strong track masterfully crafted for club success. In his sexy accent-tinged voice, Iglesias goes on to repeat many times the song's overarching message: "You know I like how it feels." And then, there is whistling! Iglesias shows off the sides of his work, loves to party and have a good time.
Iglesias turns to different direction for a newly-debuted music video he directed. Instead of releasing glossy visuals like his previous clips, the Latino lover compiles guerilla-style footage which is packed with celebrity cameos from Serena Williams, Juanes, Eva Longoria, Ken Jeong, George Lopez and Nicole Scherzinger. Staying true to the happy theme of the whistle tune, the clip is filled with high-energy live shows, backstage banter, outdoorsy fun, and night-out partying. It's fun, it's shameless and, above all, it's a gift for fans who, this way, get a delicious glimpse into what Iglesias's life must be like.

Delivering a raw rendition of her latest single, Jessie J takes us back with an authentic and wholesome video for "Who You Are," the title track from the English R&B and soul recording artist's debut LP. Jessie explained why she chose this as her title track: "This song saved my life musically. The day before I wrote this song I was ready to give up music. It's amazing how three-and-a-half minutes of melody and lyrics can change your life and I'm so happy that not only has it saved my life but it's saving other people's. That's why my debut album is called Who You Are."
Jessie belts her heart out on her stunning new single about the struggles of a young woman trying to figure out who she is. "I kind of lost myself. It's very personal. It's about being true to yourself. Don't lose yourself in any situation you're put in, and do the dew." She said: "The other day I had a girl message me saying 'I was ready to take my life and then I heard "Who You Are".' That pressure is beautiful but scary at the same time. I want to be a positive role model for young people. I always say that I'm half-artist, half-therapist. I'm very much someone that lives to be happy. It's not just about the parties and I know so-and-so – I'm not that girl. So I looked in the mirror and started to cry and said 'who am I?' Music is my therapy."
The 23-year-old songstress was co-wrote this self-help and self-empowerment dirge ballad with Toby Gad and Shelly Peiken at the end of a lonely three-month trip to Los Angeles when she was 20. Having been shunted from studio to studio with various producers she was ready to pack it all in. The song returns Jessie to an acoustic accompaniment, and makes for a fine closer – it's her Hometown Glory, without the raw emotion but touching nonetheless."
The somber and simple yet effective visual features the British R&B songstress sets in a bedroom without any visual distractions, Jessie faces the camera head on and shares her story about being true to who you are no matter what others tell you. The new clip perfectly emphasizes the intensity of Jessie's vocal performance, as she offers a vulnerable yet compelling performance of the emotional track, and also perfectly captures that raw emotion that ends with a rainstorm that washes away the tears and sorrow to make way for a fresh new start.

Self-proclaimed auto-tune king T-Pain returns with a mid-tempo groove and wanders the streets alone in the music video for "5 O'clock," the first official single off his upcoming fourth studio installment, the heavily-delayed "rEVOLVEr," which has no release date but is expected to come out later this year. Like Adele's new video for "Someone Like You," the "5 O'Clock" video shows the 26-year-old artist meandering through the streets of a beautiful Amsterdam, including the famed Red Light District.
It's a pensive contemporary R&B ballad, with rumbling beats, pealing organs, and featuring Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa and a vocal sample from British singer Lily Allen's 2009 track "Who'd Have Known," T-Pain's laidback auto-tuned mid-tempo tune, is built around the dreamy, adult lullaby, finds the autotuned rapper king telling the story of a party animal promising his neglected girl he'll return home soon. T-Pain is apparently over the loony nuttiness that defined him five years ago, and is all on his "this song is serious!" tip with a heavy dose of Auto-Tune, and of those stripper windows in Amsterdam.
"The song is basically about me being where I am at a club. I'm just taking too long and Lily wants me to come home right now," T-Pain explained. "And it happens a lot with me in real life, so why not make a song about it? She doesn't care where I am or what I'm doing, she just wants me to come home. But she needs me, she needs her hubby." Directed by Erik White, the video's story is a literal interpretation of the track, T-Pain getting a text strolling on home as his girlfriend awaits.
It's a long, languid clip that matches Allen's musical bed, and features an emotional T-Pain strolling the late night streets solo, looking like he's about to cry, and struggling to get in contact with his music video girlfriend Allen, who isn't in the video and is represented by a close-up of a woman's mouth singing her oft-repeated part, and she looks distraught and worried about her R&B boo, texting T-Pain and glumly singing her sampled vocals as she waits on her love. Khalifa makes a guest appearance, with a confident, sexual verse that shows no qualms about showing up at your girlfriend's place at 5 AM.