Meeting Kylie Minogue, Being A Fanboy

I've had the good fortune to interview Kylie Minogue twice over the telephone — once for Instinct and once for Idolator — over the past three years. I even drafted up questions for a co-worker last summer, who chatted with Kylie on camera (and the result was this mind-blowing, personal video I received). But unfortunately, I had never met her in person...until yesterday.

The Aussie pop doll was signing copies of her photo book Kylie Fashion at Sak's Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, and, despite two sprained feet I sustained last week (seriously, don't ask), I waited in line for an hour-and-a-half (with MuuMuse) to get some face time with her.

It was great to simply feel like a fanboy. And ever nicer when Kylie said, "It's nice to put a face to the name, for the next time I see you." (!!!)

Pet Shop Boys' Ravey "Vocal" Video

Pet Shop Boys' "Vocal" video may be very on-a-budget, but it's still a fascinating watch. Well, fascinating for me, at least, since it's comprised of footage of late-'80s rave parties in the UK, and last year I spent about 6 hours over a three-day period watching such footage on YouTube into the wee hours.

If you watch closely, it almost looks like flashes of Chris Lowe, a confessed rave party-goer back in the day, appear in there.



In fact, there's a pretty spectacular British documentary on rave culture called Summer Of Rave, which you can watch right here:



As for "Vocal," press release notes that the single (presumably in all formats) will officially be released on July 22, a week after the new Pet Shop Boys album Electric is made available.

Final note: As mentioned before, I spent an hour interviewing Neil and Chris, and it's for two features — one for Idolator and one for Instinct. Expect one, if not both, pieces to be online in the next week or so.

US Chart Roundup: Robin Thicke Does The Impossible, Scores A #1 Single

Each time Robin Thicke puts out a new album, I can't help but think, oh, man — nice guy, hot piece of ass, but it's never gonna happen. Case in point: His only Top 40 hit was 2007's "Lost Without U" (which peaked at #14), and his last album didn't even dent the Top 20. I've really just felt Robin's songs were just never really up to scratch.

But in 2013, as Baauer, Macklemore and Daft Punk have shown, anything goes...including Robin Thicke having a worldwide #1 smash hit with "Blurred Lines"! Is it the sample of the Michael Jackson shriek that did it? (Is that MJ or someone recreating the "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" wooooo?) The newly-rediscovered Midas touch of Pharrell Williams? The funky bassline? The sexy and silly video? My guess would be all of the above.



Everyone wants to have a good time in 2013, and this video delivers on all fronts. (Remember, YouTube streams now factor into chart positions, and this clip has over 45 million views.) Et voila — Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" has hopped up from #6 to #1.

Ironically, this comes at a cost for Justin Timberlake, who many had noted jacked Thicke's style for his 20/20 Experience era; "Mirrors" drops from its peak position of #2 to #4.

Elsewhere, the Hot 100 gets turnt up as Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop" debuts at #11, Mariah Carey and Miguel's "#Beautiful" jumps to #15 and Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding's "I Need Your Love" finally cracks the Top 40, by climbing to #38.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell *1 week*
2. "Can't Hold Us" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton
3. "Get Lucky" - Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams
4. "Mirrors" - Justin Timberlake
5. "Cruise" - Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly
6. "Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons
7. "Just Give Me A Reason" - Pink feat. Nate Ruess
8. "Come & Get It" - Selena Gomez
9. "The Way" - Ariana Grande feat. Mac Miller
10. "I Love It" - Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX

Goldfrapp Announce 'Tales Of Us' Album

Goldfrapp blew me away with their Head First album in 2010 (eff you all who disagree that it was a rad record!), and today the duo have finally announced the follow-up, Tales Of Us. The new LP will be released on September 9, and the tracklist is as follows (the first thing that becomes apparent is that it's all names...aka the "us" in question):

1. Jo
2. Annabel
3. Drew
4. Ulla
5. Alvar
6. Thea
7. Simone
8. Stranger
9. Laurel
10. Clay



The short trailer above previews some of the tracks, and it definitely sounds like a much more pensive, less electro-pop affair than Head First. A series of European tour dates have also been listed on the site for the fall.

Good, good stuff.

It's Justin Timberlake's "Tunnel Vision" Single Art

With "Mirrors" now at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 (soon to unseat Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Can't Hold Us" at #1?), Justin Timberlake has let slip that his third single off The 20/20 Experience will be "Tunnel Vision."

Personally, this wouldn't have been my choice for the the next single. I'd have gone with something a bit more upbeat like "Let The Groove Get In" or "Don't Hold The Wall."

"Tunnel Vision" just seems a bit too...murky?

It's Cher's "Woman's World" Single Art

Damn. This song first premiered on Thanksgiving Day last year — over six months ago. Anyway, the "Woman's World" single is finally about to be released, and Cher is set to perform it live (?) on The Voice on June 18.

UK Chart Roundup: Blurred Thongs

SNATCH.

The UK Top 10:

1. "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell *2 weeks*
2. "La La La" - Naughty Boy feat. Sam Smith
3. "Get Lucky" - Daft Punk
4. "Let Her Go" - Passenger
5. "Dear Darlin'" - Olly Murs
6. "Cary You'" - Union J *new*
7. "Antenna" - Fuse ODG *new*
8. "Wild" - Jessie J feat. Big Sean & Dizzee Rascal
9. "Can't Hold Us" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
10. "Waiting All Night" - Rudimental feat. Ella Eyre

US Chart Roundup: Miguel Might Need That "#Beautiful" Money For Legal Fees

Jesus, ascending the Billboard Hot 100 can be a slow-moving process, no? Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors," which was released in February (and stuck at #3 for the past month) finally ekes its way to #2, now that Pink's "Just Give Me A Reason" is taking a tumble. Just behind, at #3, is Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," a song that seems inevitably destined to reach the top, if not become one of those annoying "Song Of The Summer" things.

Anyway, Mariah Carey announced yesterday that her new album (no title yet, the teasing minx) will be out on July 23. Lead single "#Beautiful" is up to #17, and that's a good thing — because her duet partner Miguel is gonna need some cash if that broad he decapitated at the Billboard Music Awards last month does indeed sue him.

Elsewhere, keeping with the "slow crawl up the chart" theme, Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding's "I Need Your Love" moves up to #42. Quite the opposite, however, is Lana Del Rey's"Young And Beautiful," as it rapidly plunges from #33 to #50.

On a finale note, Capital Cities' "Safe And Sound" is up to #74. I'm going out on a limb and saying this might just be the sleeper hit no one expected this summer. You can catch my interview with the electro-pop duo here.

The U.S. Top 10:

1. "Can't Hold Us" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray *5 weeks*
2. "Mirrors" - Justin Timberlake
3. "Get Lucky" - Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams
4. "Just Give Me A Reason" - Pink feat. Nate Ruess
5. "Cruise" - Florida Georgia Line feat. Nelly
6. "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell Williams
7. "Come & Get It" - Selena Gomez
8. "Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons
9. "I Love It" - Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX
10. "Stay" - Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko 

Pet Shop Boys' "Vocal": Hear The New 'Electric' Single

Following "Axis" and "Fluorescent," Pet Shop Boys have now let another preview of their trust-me-it's-excellent upcoming album Electric out into the ether: the radio edit of new single "Vocal"!

UPDATE: The full album version (all six+ minutes of it) is now available on iTunes, with a CD single, digital bundle and 12" to follow soon.



A vocal-less version of "Vocal" was previously played by Armin Van Buuren (hear it below), while the radio edit premiered last night on BBC Radio 2's Dance Years program, hosted by DJ Dave Pearce.



Side note: Since letting on that I've heard Electric in full and interviewed Neil and Chris, I've been hit with a lot of tweets and messages asking when there'll be a review or feature online. Look for the first of a several features coming sometime the week after this coming one. I'm doing a bit of coast-to-coast traveling at the moment, but trust me, I'm itching to get something online myself!

UK Chart Roundup: Jessie J's Wild Boobs

This ho is in her skivvies, 'cause she don't give a fuck.



The UK Top 10:

1. "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell *new* *1 week*
2. "La La La" - Naughty Boy feat. Sam Smith
3. "Get Lucky" - Daft Punk
4. "Let Her Go" - Passenger
5. "Wild" - Jessie J feat. Big Sean & Dizzee Rascal *new*
6. "Dear Darlin'" - Olly Murs
7. "Can't Hold Us" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
8. "Waiting All Night" - Rudimental feat. Ella Eyre
9. "We Own It (Fast & Furious)" - 2 Chainz feat. Wiz Khalifa
10. "Heart Attack" - Demi Lovato