Release Info: Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded

Release Dates: Jun 16, 08 - UK Jun 16, 08 - UK + DVD Jun 17, 08 - US + DVD

Rihanna is so strong that nothing can stop her. After "Take A Bow" hit #1 few weeks ago, another new track "Disturbia", a R&B/dance hybrid which follows the vein of "Don't Stop The Music", was anounced to be the next single. Both of the above singles will be included in the re-issue of her single-filled album "Good Girl Gone Bad". CD 01. Umbrella (feat. Jay-Z) 02. Push Up On Me 03. Don't Stop The Music 04. Breakin' Dishes 05. Shut Up and Drive 06. Hate That I Love You (feat. Ne-Yo) 07. Say It 08. Sell Me Candy 09. Lemme Get That 10. Rehab 11. Question Existing 12. Good Girl Gone Bad 13. Cry (UK Bonus Track) 13. Disturbia 14. Take A Bow 15. If I Never See Your Face Again (Maroon 5 featuring Rihanna) DVD - Good Girl Gone Bad - Live at Manchester 01. Breakin' Dishes 02. Push Up On Me 03. Unfaithful 04. Hate That I Love You 05. 5/10 Minutes Interview Footage

Release Info: Yazoo - In Your Room (4 Disc Box Set)

Release Date: May 26, 08 - UK

The once phenomenal and influential Yazoo will release their highly anticipated boxset "In Your Room" in the UK on 26th May 2008. It features remastered and 5.1 mixes of their two and only albums "Upstairs At Eric's" and "You And Me Both", b-sides and remixes. I just post the tracklisting of Disc 3 here because it's the main attraction. Disc 1 (CD): Upstairs at Eric's (Remastered) Disc 2 (CD): You And Me Both (Remastered) Disc 3 (CD): B-Sides and Remixes 01. Situation 02. Situation (Extended Version) 03. Don't Go (Re-mix) 04. Don't Go (Re-re-mix) 05. Situation (US 12" Mix) 06. Situation (US 12" Dub) 07. The Other Side Of Love 08. The Other Side Of Love (12" Remix) 09. State Farm 10. Nobody's Diary (Extended) 11. State Farm (Extended) 12. Situation (Re-recorded) Disc 4 (DVD) Featuring 5.1 mixes of the albums, classic Yazoo television performances from the BBC, promotional videos and a new short film containing exclusive new interviews with Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet.

Release Info: Rihanna - Take A Bow

Rihanna - Take A Bow UK Single (19 May 2008) 1. Take A Bow 2. Don't Stop The Music (Solitaire's More Drama Remix) After taking a big jump from #53 to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Take A Bow" is set to release in UK next monday. This is definitely her monster hit ballad after "Unfaithful". This UK single features a so so remix of "Don't Stop The Music" that has never been available on any commercial CDs. What fans are waiting for should be the Tony Moran mix of "Take A Bow". Kids, go for the promo!

The Tasteless Hard Candy

三年前一張不嚴肅、不涉及政治並讓你跳到死的《Confessions On A Dance Floor》除了讓麥當娜在多國收復失地外，更吸納了不少新歌迷。近年Urban在美國橫行，這張充滿歐洲電子風情的大碟在當地不叫座是理所當然。娜姐是聰明的，搞掂全球市場再推出一張討好美國歡心的大碟是她的策略。

《Hard Candy》的誕生是意料中事，但估不到這個敢作敢言和帶動潮流的流行音樂女皇會推出一隻隨波逐流的"4 Minutes"作為新碟主打，更可悲的是Timbaland和Justin Timberlake那妹仔大過主人婆的聲音令娜姐輪為一個大配角。機關盡算的"4 Minutes"在美國能夠登上Top 5並不意外，挾《Confessions》的成功來登上其他國家流行榜榜首更不意外，始終麥當娜推出新作品永遠是一個哄動的話題。但作為一個對娜姐有期望的樂迷，"4 Minutes"教人失望之餘，更令人擔心新碟其他歌曲會否像這支單曲般失去娜樂色彩。

幸好，大部份新作都仍然“麥當娜”。Madonna巧妙地將她的跳舞音樂溶入Timbaland、Justin和Pharrell三人的Hip-Hop節奏當中。頭十首作品都讓你跳餐飽，"Give It 2 Me"、"Heartbeat"和"She's Not Me"非常搶耳，三首作品中的變奏更是得意至極。最後兩首作品相對下較認真和灰暗，"Voices"的opera式結尾為大碟造了一個完美終結。整體來說，Bubble Gum式的旋律和編曲在重重的Hip-Hop節奏襯托下，一切都是名副其實的“Hard Candy”。可是Bubble Gum的耐聽度有限，這粒糖果放入口內便很快失去味道。不斷重複同一句歌詞的"Miles Away"和"Beat Goes On"很快令人生厭，"Incredible"和"She's Not Me"後段的音樂更可讓人一覺睡去。"Spanish Lesson"除了讓樂迷想起Madonna多年來對西班牙音樂的情意結外，更讓人聯想到Justin Timberlake的"Like I Love You"。再想下去的話，便會發覺"Devil Wouldn't Recognize You"的氣氛似足"Cry Me A River"，而"Dance 2night"和"Rock Your Body"就如同兩生花，看來這位樂壇女皇真的很欣賞Justin的音樂。

玩Hip-Hop其實不是Madonna什麼新把戲，心水清的樂迷都知道娜姐十多年前已推出過質素上乘的《Erotica》和《Bedtime Stories》，《Hard Candy》相對下只是一張挽救美巿的平庸之作。加上《Hard Candy》的形象是她近年最差的era；糖果背景的設計馬虎了事；一身SM打扮令人摸不著頭腦；髮型差得無可再差；毫無生氣的“鋪屎”讓她疲態盡現。難道這一齊都表明她和華納的賓主關係即將結束，把最好的留給Live Nations，為其首張大碟打響頭炮？

香港推出日期：28 April 2008

Watch: Chris Brown - Forever

After the success of "With You", Chris Brown's latest single "Forever" arrives at #9 on Billboard Hot 100 this week. What a great hot shot debut. Congratulations Brown! Besides, it's great to see dance music is really back. R&B/Dance Hybrid is everywhere!!!