Music News Bytes: New Music from Beyonce, Dido, John Travolta and Olivia Newton John; 2013 Preview

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Get Ready for Beyonce in 2013

Beyonce will be performing at the big show, the Super Bowl, on February 3rd, and word is she's working on her newest album and will have a couple of songs out beforehand. I've got a sneaky feeling that she's going to go back to some of the more up tempo stuff like many of the songs she'd hit big with.  Her last record, 4, was mostly filled with ballads, none of which ever really hit it big, though I loved most of them!  Any day now...   

Gigwise

Dido is back and as good as ever!

Brit singer/songwriter Dido has just released a brand new song, the debut single from her forthcoming album, Girl Who Got Away.  For those of you who don't know Dido, she fits well into the genre of chill or lounge music, which I really, really love.  Chill is a very laid back, relaxing type of music that's great for when you're unwinding from a long day, and it's equally fabulous for background music while entertaining guests.  The new song is called Let Us Move On, and it is vintage Dido, beautiful, with a sultry beat, soothing vocals, and a nice rap interlude by Kendrick Lamar.  If you've ever liked Dido, you'll definitely love Let Us Move On.  And you can pick it up here:

Marquee

Danny and Sandy Reunite for a Brand New Christmas Tune

Did you know that John Travolta and Olivia Newton John recorded a new song together for Christmas?  It's a little corny, as you might expect, but its also kinda cute.  Check out I Think You Might Like It.

New Music for 2013

Finally, word is beginning to spread about artists working on new material for the coming year.  In addition to Beyonce and Dido, expect new stuff from Fleetwood Mac, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Cher and more. Stay tuned for details as they become available.

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Song of the Day - Always - Erasure

I probably should be sharing a Christmas song this morning considering it is Christmas Eve, but since this is a different kind of Christmas for me I'm just not in the mood. Besides, I heard enough Christmas music yesterday while I was out shopping to last me a lifetime! 

Erasure is one of my favorite new wave groups. They're songs are always beautifully written, both musically and lyrically, and I'm sure many of them have been a part of the soundtrack of many a relationship, this one included.  Merry Christmas!

  

Always

Open your eyes I see

Your eyes are open

Wear no disguise for me

Come into the open

When it's cold outside

Am I here in vain?

Hold on to the night

There will be no shame

Always

I wanna be with you

And make believe with you

And live in harmony harmony oh love

Melting the ice for me

Jump into the ocean

Hold back the tide I see

Your love in motion

When it's cold outside

Am I here in vain?

Hold on to the night

There will be no shame

AZ Lyrics

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Rihanna's 'Unapologetic' Track Reviews: 'Get It Over With'

sohh

The next track is so slow it's a real snoozer...always a skip for me when I reach it on the iPod.  Way too slow and just plain boring...makes me yawn! After such a good song, I just can't wait to get over this one!  Check out Get It Over With if you need some rest, and look below for other Unapologetic track reviews:

Phresh Out the Runway

Diamonds

Numb

Pour It Up

Loveeeeee Song

Jump

Right Now

What Now

Stay

Nobody's Business

Love Without Tragedy/Mother Mary





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New Directions at Christmas

Tis the season...blah, blah, blah!

It's no secret that Christmas is not one of my favorite holidays.  The quote above is how I began one of my earliest pieces for the old Associated Content way back in December 2007.  Why I Hate Christmas was my first diatribe against the most commercialized of all holidays and my mind hasn't changed much over the last five years.  In fact, just last year I posted a redux of that original article right here on John's World and here we go again one more time, only this year is a little different.

Yes, I still detest the whole mess that Christmas has become in our consumer oriented, market-driven world.  I mean c'mon, "It's Jesus' birthday, lets go shopping!"  Really?  What does Jesus have to do with the newest video game or the most recent high tech HDTV?  Yeah, the ridiculousness of the whole thing pretty much disgusts me, but this year the diminishment of Christmas as a celebratory holiday in my mind comes from a whole different place.  This time the disdain is more personal.

Two years ago I had the absolute worst Christmas of my life.  I had been broken up with via email on Christmas Eve and that sent me into a tailspin like I'd never experienced before.  I spent that holiday at home, alone and depressed.  It was horrible!  This year I find myself in a similar situation, but I plan on facing it head on, rather than wallowing in misery.

Familial issues are at the top of my list of things to dread this Christmas, and for the second time in three years, and only the second time in my life, I will be spending the holiday without my family.  I don't want to get too personal here...perhaps another time...but my mantra this school year has been, "Is it me?  (Or is it  everyone else?)"  Well that question fits with my family, as well, and I've come to the conclusion that it is not me, but everyone else who's gone off the deep end.  (Check out True Blood Don't Mean a Thing)

Wildlife Village

My only sanity comes from the fact that there are many others who've stepped in and made offers of including me in their holiday plans.  I've had my choice of several holiday gatherings to include myself in, and just this morning I have decided on two of the most enticing, where I'll be with people who want to share their holiday with me.  I want to thank everyone else, though, for asking me!

I'm beginning to see a little into my future, where every year will be something new and different.  I don't have children of my own, and I've always known that not having any signifies lonesome holidays for me as I grow older.  Mom has always been the glue that held us together as a family, and when the day comes that she is gone, I'm afraid that family gatherings will forever become a thing of the past.   

I don't mean to be sappy, really I don't.  I think the holidays bring out the unhappiness in a lot of people.  At a time that is supposed to be shared with loved ones and thankfulness, I think that it is the lonely who seem to dislike it the most, and I guess I'm a little lonely.  At least there's a New Year coming...

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