Album Review: Kylie Minogue - The Abbey Road Sessions

Kylie Minogue breathes new life to her hits for the past 25 years.  With Flower being the single carrier of the album speaks for the whole feel of the album. Working with long time collaborator, Steve Anderson of Brothers-in-Rhythm, they both re-worked the 16 (+2 in both AU & JP editions) of Kylie's hits into an orchestral remix. It was the turning of I Should Be So Lucky into a torch song for an Australian gig 12 years ago that initially inspired Kylie to reinterpret her glittering back catalogue of pop with the help of an orchestra. Of course she's had plenty of hits since then - most notably here with On A Night Light This, Love At First Sight, and Can't Get You Out Of My Head as well as In My Arms, and Wow; all of which have been stripped off their pop shimmer and allowed the lyrics to come to the fore. Just imagine the synths being replaced by cello and violins. What a treat!

That said, the most frivolous of her PWL years still make for the most interesting listening. Deep sadness has been unearthed on I Should Be So Lucky, Hand On Your Heart, Better The Devil You Know, and Never Too Late. All these songs convey a sad message but with Kylie's charms and PWL's luscious, sugary coating of melody and rhythm, all these songs back then seemed a perky, happy one.

On the other hand, there are songs like Come In To My World, I Believe In You, and Slow, that have been remixed and re-engineered in various genres but nevertheless still a stand out track; Confide In Me and Finer Feelings don't fall far from its original feel but personally it sounds more vulnerable on this record; Where The Wild Roses Grow, the duet with Nick Cave became more morbidly haunting. Locomotion is a playful throw-back to 60's vibe to give tribute to its original - Little Eva

With the re-birth of the old hits and Kylie stepping out of her comfort zone, this work is exploding with so much artistry. It would also be interesting to hear how she would have done Wouldn't Change A Thing, Shocked, Spinning Around, and Get Outta My Way had they been also included on the collection.

This is a treat for all Kylie lovers out there. 

Track Listing

What do you think?

Official Video: Kylie Minogue - Better Than Today

Exciting news greeted me two weeks before the release of this video when it said that it will be released earlier. When it was confirmed that Better Than Today is the upcoming third single off Aphrodite, I was uncertain whether I was excited or disappointed. It is a good song but I'm still not confident about it being a single.

However, the music video that was both directed by William Baker (Kylie's long-time stylist, creative director and friend) and Kylie herself, gave the song a more impact and meaning. Watching the video makes you listen to the song and appreciate it more. I thought it is a simply chic video! Kylie donned her high fashion couture with her signature smoky blue Aphrodite eye make-up. The best thing about the video is its backdrop! The psychedelic visuals of mixed abstracts and pacman!

The male synth players donned a pacman head mask. When I say pacman - not referring to the boxer, alright? The video showcased a recreation of one of Kylie's live performances, except that it's lip-synch on the vid. Kylie does sing live in almost all of her live performances.

Some of the peeps I know had some comments that it reminded them of the 2 Hearts video but a way better version - which I agree on to a certain degree.

Enjoy the vid!

Your thoughts please?

Official Video: Taio Cruz featuring Kylie Minogue - Higher

I saw this news via Twitter that Kylie and Taio Cruz are doing a collab on one song. I am not keen on Taio Cruz and his songs but given that Kylie is in it, it got me really excited!

The song is called Higher - a fitting title for Kylie and her music genre. I don't really dig the song much, except the part that Kylie sings. The line it's taking me higher, higher suits her voice a lot!

In the video, Kylie and Taio barely touched each other - probably the image that Kylie has that a newbie cannot just touch a goddess. K's look in the video reminded me a lot of her Red Blooded Woman video

Here's the vid:

What do you think?

Album Review: The Scissor Sisters - Night Work

Finally, a third offering from The Scissor Sisters -- Night Work is the third studio album. Nearly four years after they last release the album Ta-Dah!. The band had teamed-up with acclaimed producer/mixer Stuart Price. Story has it that none of the then supposed tracks for Night Work had made the final cut. It's been told as well that the whole 18-month material was scrapped as the group was not confident enough to get behind this song - had that happened, it would deem that it's over for the band.  That is when they started re-scouting for resources and Jake Shears, the band's lead vocalist went to Berlin in Germany to find inspiration for new material for the first single and other tracks.Kylie Minogue had met Stuart Price at the time the band was in the middle of their Night Work sessions. It is known that Jake Shears is very good friends with Kylie and he mentioned that this was the path the group has taken in terms of production. Kylie was very much interested in the idea and had adopted this approach where all the finished cuts will go through Stuart for final processing. 

Between Ta-dah! and Night Work, I'm still torn which one is the better album. But one thing's for sure though - that Night Work is a real treat! 

The band had been performing live with Kylie on stage. The one that marked in the history of music entertainment is Kylie's debut at the Glastonbury Festival performing with the band the song Any Which Way which would be now the second single off the album.

Noteworthy tracks: Night Work, Fire With Fire, Any Which Way, Skin Tight, Sex and Violence, Nightlife, Invisible Light.

Track list:

01. Night Work

02. Whole New Way

03. Fire With Fire

04. Any Which Way

05. Harder You Get

06. Running Out

07. Something Like This

08. Skin This Cat

09. Skin Tight

10. Sex and Violence

11. Nightlife

12. Invisible Light

What do you think?

Official Video: Kylie Minogue - Get Outta My Way

Just stop. Stop and watch this brilliant, beautiful video.

This is the video for Kylie Minogue‘s upcoming single, Get Outta My Way, due to be released on September 27.

This is the kind of video that I need with me at all times. The kind that I want to pull out of my pocket and view on my BlackBerry during an uncomfortable waiting time while stuck in a traffic jam or after an awful day of work to remind me that there is still some good in the world. 

Visually speaking, GOMW isn’t something we haven’t already seen from Kylie, albeit a sampling of her best moments: From the masterful floor choreography of “Slow,” to the lights and glam of “Wow,” to the damn near identical writhing and posing found with “In Your Eyes,” the formula isn’t exactly new.

Yet this video is as arresting as any of her others, if not much more so. Words fail to describe the beauty and elegance of it all–the fact that Kylie manages to flaunt her beauty in the most effortless of ways. There’s drama, but no pretense. The result is sophisticated camp, like a high fashion photographer’s first foray into pop.

I mean, the clothing! That magnificent chained corset? The shoes? THAT GOLDEN CLAW THING ON HER HAND?! I die, Rachel Zoe style.

What beats this? Honestly? Does anything, really? I don’t think so, for now. This is one of the finest videos Kylie Minogue has ever created, and certainly one of the best of the year.

Simply put, this is divinity captured in video. Enjoy your gay coma.

What do you think?

Live Performance: Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers/Get Outta My Way (Hey Hey It's Saturday)

Kylie's performances on Hey Hey It's Saturday is one of the most anticipated moments on the Aussie television. It marks her first performance on Aussie national telly after a very long time. We know how excited Kylie gets every time she goes home to her native Australia and the fact that she's there to promote her latest treat, she's also doing some family time and visit her nephew, Ethan -- Dannii and Kris' newborn baby.

Back on the show, Kylie performed her global smash hit All The Lovers with the usual wedding-cake layered platform donning a similar ensemble that she wore during the M6 Music Awards in France but with a shortened front revealing her left thighs and her forthcoming single Get Outta My Way due out in September. 

Since this wasn't done in UK or anywhere in EU, it was a business decision to bring in new local dancers. Not trying to discriminate or anything but I believe her Brit dancers were better in terms of choreography. Perhaps, they have done it more than the newbie Aussies? I don't know. Just my 2 cents worth. I also don't get what she was wearing for this number -- probably trying to capture that modern sexy Aphrodite look. But it's Kylie, she's still fabulous and Get Outta My Way's choreo just made me like the song even more. 

All The Lovers

Get Outta My Way





Your thoughts please --

Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers (Sat.1 German Television Station ID - Colour Your Life campaign)

Sat.1, a German TV station launched the Colour Your Life campaign as their station ID where it features the divine Kylie Minogue in a pyschedelic make-over of her first single off the Aphrodite album. The lights, the visuals, the thigh-high Swarovski-studded boots and Kylie herself were just so inviting and convincing as she utter the words -- colour your life.

Enjoy!



Your thoughts please --

Live Performance: Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers/Get Outta My Way (Alan Carr Chatty Man)

One of the most anticipated guestings and live perfomances of Kylie on British television -- Alan Carr Chatty Man.

She had an interview with Alan which turned out to be one of the most hilarious Kylie interviews I have seen and she performed her current global smash hit All The Lovers which is the first single of her 11th studio album and later on performed Get Outta My Way which is the forthcoming second single from the same album due out in September.

All The Lovers 

Donning a sexy and very revealing outfit -- Kylie nails another live performance of All The Lovers on Chatty Man. Underneath of what a seemingly deconstructed crimson red ensemble is a glittery short dress/lingerie revealing Kylie's flawless legs and her toned flat tummy. She had the usual wedding-cake platform to recreate the flash mob scene in the video. 

Get Outta My Way

Although this is like the 3rd time Kylie performed this live, I feel that this is the best performance yet. With all the dancing she did -- I got so perked up seeing Kylie grooving on her own song. I have never seen her dance like this in quite a long time. To cap the night show, she performs this forthcoming single wearing a basic black cocktail dress with some really very interesting accessories on her neck.




Here's the interview portion

Part 1:




Part 2:




Please do share your thoughts --

Live Performance: Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers/Can't Get You Out Of My Head (M6 Music Live Concert, France)

Kylie performs All The Lovers and Can't Get You Out Of My Head at the M6 Music Live Concert in France on 19 June 2010. She dons another Blue Aphrodite-inspired dress with a double slit all the way through the waist revealing her luscious legs and bum-bum. We all know that Kylie sings live. Her voice on this performance may seem to be off-key but I realised that was due to the effect of the open area. I've seen her live and trust me, she puts more life to the songs when she sings it live. 

Enjoy the vid. 

PS: I like how she sounded when she sang a bit of the Can't Get You Out Of My Head chorus.

Your thoughts --

Live Performance: Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers/Love At First Sight (Friday Night with Jonathan Ross)

Another simply-staged yet sophisticated performance of All The Lovers and  her global smash hit Love At First Sight this time over on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. Do check out her back up singer's outfit -- tagodosh! of course Kylie's wearing something suitable for her age, figure and image -- it's just divine. A tube-style dress with a long train and some glittery silver skirt. Love how she and her back-up singers serenaded Jonathan.

This clip only shows All The Lovers in HD:

And here's the interview portion:

Part One

Part Two

Jonathan Ross was hilarious and you can really see that both Kylie and Jonathan have developed such rapport in over decades of interviewing Kylie.

Your thoughts people --

Album Review: Kylie Minogue - Aphrodite

Kylie Minogue's 11th studio album Aphrodite was leaked today, 25 June 2010, a few days before its physical and digital release. I tried so hard to resist downloading it -- tried really hard. Anyway, it's the same thing. I get to hear the tracks earlier and still will get my hands on the physical copies starting with the JP edition, then the bonus DVD edition (UK/AU) and later on the re-releases, if any.

Aphrodite surpasses my expectation and I say this not because I adore Kylie and her music but it really is one of her best works yet, if not the best. The songs may seem to sound the same but I think the idea is that all songs unite and constellate to form one meaning and feeling -- euphoria. The album is filled with synths, a bit of electro, a sense of trance, feels like I'm playing an 80s video game or something. They were right, this could be a great soundtrack to an Atari or Family Computer game.  The synths just make me go crazy and the sequencing of the songs were so harmoniously done it is in one cohesive melody describing Kylie as Aphrodite, her dance floor roots and why her career has such longevity. It can't be anymore perfect. Stuart Price indeed did a great job. Like what I always say about the album just after hearing the Aphrodite mini-megamix, the album is so synthful - I just can't get enough and it makes me want to have more, more, more.

This is my personal story and experience of Aphrodite: All The Lovers is this great welcoming committee giving a good feel of what the experience will be like and as the ride progress you'd make your way to the dance floor screaming Get Outta My Way smiling and you'd You Put Your Hands Up while you groove and peak. Once you've reached euphoria you'd hold everyone around you Closer and you'd see that Everything Is Beautiful. After which you'd be feeling fierce & mighty like Aphrodite; wish this Illusion were a reality and see that the future is going to be Better Than Today. Now you're having Too Much to take -- you meet Cupid Boy and realise that there is  no need to be Looking For An Angel as you've already found one. Just right before the cosmic journey ends you simply just Can't Beat The Feeling of such rush that makes you end up wanting more.

Noteworthy tracks are: All The Lovers, Get Outta My Way, Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love), Closer, Everything Is Beautiful, Cupid Boy, Looking For An Angel, Can't Beat The Feeling, Heartstrings

Track list:

01. All The Lovers

02. Get Outta My Way

03. Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)

04. Closer

05. Everything Is Beautiful

06. Aphrodite

07. Illusion

08. Better Than Today

09. Too Much

10. Cupid Boy

11. Looking For An Angel

12. Can't Beat The Feeling

13. Heartstrings [JP Edition Bonus track]

13. Mighty Rivers [iTunes Bonus track]

13. Go Hard Or Go Home [Amazon Bonus track]

Ryan Brockington's insights of the album which was published online via Pop Wrap - NY Post

 

Kylie invokes polar opposite feelings that compliment each other in that weird salty and sweet way.

 

Amy Schriefer's take on Aphrodite and Kylie's career in the US published online via NPR-music

















With the World Cup dominating the sport airwaves, a Kylie analogy comes into mind: Kylie Minogue is like football -- worshiped everywhere in the world except the U.S.


Let me know your thoughts -- 

Kylie Minogue - Go Hard Or Go Home - b-side

With the release of the All The Lovers single (both physical and digital), it produced a b-side Go Hard Or Go Home

This b-side reminds me of Paper Dolls (b-side to Spinning Around - UK single) and Never Spoken (b-side to In Your Eyes - AU single) It must be the guitar strums in the intro. This track is a catchy song that is perfect to complement the feel of All The Lovers.

This is another thing I love about Kylie -- she always have a little something extra i.e. b-sides so it makes it really worth buying and collecting the singles. Unlike other artists who just squeeze in some album tracks in the cd or some worthless remix.

Anyway, do check the b-side out.



What do you think?

Live Performance: Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers (Germany's Next Top Model)

Kylie once again mesmerizes a huge group of live audience, this time at the Germany's Next Top Model. Seems like a grand ramp night or something (and I've verified that it was). Kylie looks so ever gorgeous with her (designer to be cited later) see-through cape-esque wear revealing a sexy body underneath covered with some sort of similar to what she's wearing on the ATL video. I am lost with words so I give you the video of the performance. Enjoy.

PS: Love the eye shadow!

Your thoughts???

Kylie Minogue - Aphrodite Mini-Mix (Aphromix)

Aphrodite minimix is up! Kylie said we'll hear it soon! And she was riiiiiight. Can't wait to get my hands on the Aphrodite record. But this mix will make do for now.

Kylie’s new album Aphrodite is just one month from its release, however Japanese fans will be the 1st ones to have it. To promote her new album Minogue made her appearance at Splash nightclub in New York (Splash premiere of Aphrodite mini-megamix) where she premiered a mix of several tracks from her new production. Tracklist: Get Outta My Way, Cupid Boy, Can’t Beet the Feeling, Too Much, Put Your Hands Up and Aphrodite.

In other news from Kylie, she recorded a Spanish version for All the Lovers entitled Los Amores and is supposed to release soon.

The Aphrodite Megamix features 6 new tracks from her new album, approx 1:30 of each one. Some people were talking that it would be a Confessions by Kylie, but they’re totally wrong, it gets a different orientation, more euphoric but with same quality in productions. Well guys here goes a taste from Aphrodite, hope you all like the songs as much as I did.

Kylie Minogue - Aphromix (mixed by Paul Harris) 

Get Outta My Way | Cupid Boy | Can't Beat the Feeling | Too Much | Put Your Hands Up | Aphrodite

 

By the sound of it: Cupid Boy & Can't Beat The Feeling are a future favourite. However, these sampling that I heard -- I LOVE every bit of it. Stuart Price may have really done a good job in the sequencing and mixing of the Aphrodite tracks.

What do you think? Your thoughts please --

Official Video: Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers

We kick off June filled with love and lovers as the video of Kylie's All The Lovers fill the airwaves today. The most anticipated video of the season -- All The Lovers is the first single off Kylie's 11th studio offering Aphrodite. On 20 Apr 2010, she announced about the new material she had been working on since early 2009, revealed the album artwork and title plus a 30-sec snippet of what would be the the first single All The Lovers.

On 14 May, Kylie premiered All The Lovers on the radio over at UK BBC Radio 1 and the full HQ song on Parlophone's Youtube page. The single will be released physically on 13 June whilst Aphrodite will be on 05 July 2010.

Watch Aphrodite and her band of mortals in a massive, tasteful orgy of the decade. Noteworthy: 2m51s two guys kissing. Hotness! Kylie barely made movements yet the impact is so huge. I LOVES EEEET!!!

The video was directed by Joseph Kahn and was shot in Los Angeles.

Why do I love the video:
1) Kylie has been around since 1987 and the woman seem to have defied age and ageing -- she's 42 BTW
2) The concept captures the feel of the song and gives a perfect introduction of who Aphrodite is -- the Goddess of Beauty and Love.
3) In this digital age where most pop and mainstream artists would have a futuristic, robotic, mechanical theme, Kylie went back to the ancient times and channeled the era where gods/goddess and humans co-existed but this time in a modern set up, ergo, downtown L.A.
4) The video pacing was a little slow but as the it progressed, it tells a story which who that Kylie depicts. Simple and finite.
5) Stuart Price did a great job with this track while Joseph Kahn cemented the song's stature in the pop world, and Kylie -- she's the epitome of a goddess. She is Aphrodite of the modern times -- beautiful, well-loved, fragile and influential.
6) Fashion: Shoes are to-die for; the cone-shaped bra homage to the Material Girl( Kylie pays homage to Madonna where she has admitted several times about how much she looks up to her, that she's quite happy being the princess while Madonna is the queen); Skin: Kylie's skin is absolutely flawless and that signature Aussie Bum, my-my! Thanks to all the make-up, lighting, editing and whatever scientific aid she may have sought but hey, it does look flawless. She makes 42 look real good.
7) And come on, which better artist that has the same, if not more beauty and flair, can create a mountain or pyramid of mortals making out in a bustling downtown area.

PS: Are those BBM bar codes imprinted on the coffee cups and milk bottles? Hmmm...

Live Performance: Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers (Arena di Verona, Italia)

Kylie's first live performance of All The Lovers in Arena di Verona, Italia

Choreography by Tony Testa

Kylie donned a BodyAMR creation that made her look like a Goddess -- Aphrodite in the flesh.  This is the HQ video on YouTube (The previous video was a bit shaky and like I said I'm sure an official one will be released soon). Note that the dancers started with full-on clothes and ended the performance in their underwears. Hotness!!! =)

Check out the video:

And here's what Kylie tweeted about the first live performance of All The Lovers

Sneak Peek: Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers

This is Slow 2.0

It's supposed to be premiered today but I haven't gotten any updates from my sources. So stay tuned. Meanwhile, just indulge yourselves first with this sneak peek exclusive from Parlophone.

Fire, fire, fire, fire!

Kylie X2008 Live in Singapore and Hong Kong!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008
LIVE NATION
KylieX2008 Live in Singapore
25th November, 2008
Singapore Indoor Stadium

For Immediate Release

Singapore (September 24, 2008) – After wowing audiences and critics across the UK and Europe with the KylieX2008 Tour which kicked off in Paris in May 2008, Live Nation Asia is excited to announce Kylie Minogue one night only performance in Singapore on 25th November 2008.

“A show not to be missed”, the KylieX2008 Tour is an enormous US$16million production that has already traveled to more than 21 countries across the UK and Europe. More than half a million people have seen the show and been wowed by Kylie’s performance, her first class production and her dazzling Jean Paul Gaultier wardrobe.

Quoted by Kylie, “The eclectic mix of sounds on X has afforded me the opportunity to explore and develop a new live show that is fresh, exhilarating and innovative. After two years of celebratory tours, KylieX2008 is a look to the future but definitely includes favorites alongside the new”

“As a production, this show certainly takes some beating. From the moment that Kylie first appeared. Floating high above the stage … to the final flourish of I Should Be So Lucky, delivered to an audience engulfed in golden confetti and gaily colored balloons, the cast of acrobat/dancers, musicians and behind the scenes technicians never missed a trick.” The Times, London

The heroic star who has firmly set her cancer battle behind her, proved she is the undisputed queen of the pop landscape with her KylieX2008 tour. She is back and better than ever!


KYLIEX2008 Live in Singapore
8PM - November 25, 2008
Singapore Indoor Stadium

Tickets: S$100, S$150, S$250, S$375, S$550
Tickets on sale at 9am – Friday 3rd October, 2008 from SISTIC
Booking Hotline: (65) 6348-5555
Online Booking: www.sistic.com.sg

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19.09.2008 Pop's ultimate Showgirl, Kylie Minogue, will be bringing her KYLIEX2008 World Tour to Hong Kong on November 27th

Tickets for the show at AsiaWorld-Arena, Chek Lap Kok go on sale at 10am (local time) on Thursday 25th September at all HK Ticketing and Tom Lee Outlets.

Ticket are also available from the booking hotline on (852) 31-288-288 or online via www.livenation.asia and www.hkticketing.com.

General Enquiries: (852) 2989 9239

http://www.kylie.com/news/1746708