"Good Night" - Reece Mastin

Now raise your glass if you...oh wait...is this song not P!nk's "Raise Your Glass"?

Reece Mastin is a 17-year-old pop/rock newcomer who recently won the third season of Australia's X Factor and just debuted atop the ARIA singles chart with #1 single "Good Night". The pulsating track is an unabashed pop smash!



In just 24 hours, a copy of "Good Night" sold every 2.7 seconds, certifying the track as Gold down in Oz. With its definite summer vibe (it's summer down under) and chart-savvy production, its success should come not come as a surprise as the song has "hit" written all over it!

In an unprecedented move, Reece will be releasing his self-titled debut album on December 9th. As in, less than two weeks. I believe that stands as the quickest amount of time a singing competition winner has gone from the finale to releasing a full-length album. Granted, there will be eleven tracks on album, ten of which are covers, but it's still a little much. Couldn't Sony Music Australia have been a little more discreet about where their priorities lie?



Even though I absolutely love the song, I have to admit that this isn't where Reece's true musical identity lies. He's a rock soul at heart and I really hope he is able to show more of his unique sensibilities, some which were seen in his first audition, when he releases his own original material. That's the only way this teen sensation is going to have any sort of longevity in the industry.

"Nothing's Real But Love" - Rebecca Ferguson

The debut single from British songstress Rebecca Ferguson has finally arrived, along with a beautiful music video taking place in a nostalgia-injected city. The soulful ballad "Nothing's Real But Love", which was written by Rebecca herself, marks the first cut from her debut album Heaven, which is available in UK stores beginning December 5th.

While "Nothing's Real But Love" will definitely not be igniting worldwide charts any time soon, or ever really, I am truly excited to hear the full album. Do not get me wrong — I really enjoy Rebecca's amazing vocals on the track, but her sound lends itself for better album sales as opposed to single sales...just like one of my faves James Morrison.

When asked if she was feeling pressure to follow her fellow X Factor finalists One Direction and Cher Lloyd's footsteps in nabbing a No. 1 hit, Rebecca responded, "There's time for that. My album isn't the norm and the single isn't the normal pop song. Sometimes it takes longer for people to get used to it. I'm patient for number ones."

No matter what success Heaven finds, there's no denying Rebecca is one enormous talent!

"Brother" - Matt Corby

The blogosphere is abuzz with K-Pop recently getting some major acknowledgement but let's not forget Aussie Pop! With artists like Elen Levon, Washington, Wynter Gordon, Gotye, and Erika Heynatz igniting the scene with their unique sounds, it's time people start paying attention to Aussie talent and Matt Corby is no exception!

With an ageless, indie-Rock sound that is part Boy & Bear and part Young The Giant, this singer/songwriter delivers a raw and powerful performance that is nothing less than amazing. It's no surprise that this 20-year-old has a love for Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley.

The thrilling "Brother" is currently at No. 86 on Australia's iTunes!

 
Fun Fact: Matt is signed to indie label Communion — the birth-child of Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons!

"Ray Charles" - Chiddy Bang

Chiddy Bang is back with crisp, new single "Ray Charles"! The high-energy duo offer up a genre-bending hybrid of electro, alt-pop, and hip-hop that is sure to leave listeners wanting more.

"Ray Charles" marks the first official single from the Philadelphia-based duo's debut album Breakfast. After working the festival circuit, building a solid fanbase, and releasing a number of mixtapes, Chiddy Bang's Breakfast will finally hit stores on February 28, 2012!

Snippets of All Tracks from Rihanna's 'Talk That Talk' Have Leaked!

I can't even handle how excited I am by this! As if the recent leak of Drake and RiRi's absolutely stellar track "Take Care" wasn't enough, 30-second snippets of every single song from RiRi's unreleased sixth album Talk That Talk have now surfaced! From the sound of it, RiRi is going to be slaying the charts for the next couple of months (as if this is anything new).

"You Da One", which has been confirmed as the second single from the LP, is set to premiere tomorrow and will be released on iTunes this Sunday!

Hopefully this means a full leak is eminent!



01. You Da One
02. Where Have You Been
03. We Found Love
04. Talk That Talk
05. Cockiness (Love It)
06. Birthday Cake
07. We All Want Love
08. Drunk On Love
09. Roc Me Out
10. Watch n' Lear
11. Farewell

UPDATE: "You Da One" has been released! The track is a radio-ready slice of sunny, urban-pop — leftover Britney dubstep included.

While you probably won't love the track on first listen, you'll be singing along in a month. In other words: It’s Rihanna’s "Mr. Know It All"!



Here's my favorite track from Talk That Talk!

"Show Me" - Jessica Sutta

While Nicole Scherzinger does a horrible job as X Factor judge, her former bandmate, Jessica Sutta, is igniting dancefloors with her electrifying single "Show Me"! The ex-Pussycat Doll has just nabbed her first solo #1 with "Show Me", which tops the US Dance/Club Chart this week.

As one poster on YouTube says, "Promote this Hollywood Record! God this label is a SHIT. They don't like earning money? This music is a perfect HIT, it just needs the right promotion." Although this person doesn't care too much for grammar, his opinion on the song is right on the money. The execs at Hollywood Records must be too concentrated on Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez & The Scene to notice the huge hit sitting under their noses. This slice of pop perfection screams hit and I hope radio realizes it soon!

Mumford & Sons Premiere New Track

British folk quartet Mumford & Sons have unveiled a new song tentatively titled "Ghosts That We Know" at a live session for Philadelphia radio station Radio 104.5 FM. The stunning acoustic track, filled with lush instruments and a climatic sound, is believed to be a preview of what's to come on the group's forthcoming sophomore effort (early 2012). 

Like many of the songs from their Grammy-nominated debut Sigh No More, “Ghosts That We Knew” does a slow build around a beautifully ethereal melody until it gradually climaxes with a soaring chorus, centered around the couplet, “I will hold as long as you like / Just promise me we’ll be alright.”

If the emotionally-honest tune is any indication of what will be appearing on the group's second album, a "sophomore slump" will not be a possiblility. All these Brits need is one huge single and lightning will surely strike twice!

"Call It What You Want" - Foster The People

Foster The People's recently released music video for their newest single "Call It What You Want" shows exactly what the trio are all about. It's artistic, funny, and just absolutely mind-boggling!

The indie-pop rockers find themselves in the weirdest situations doing the weirdest things and that's what makes this music video awkwardly awesome! Not to mention when frontman Mark Foster, with his hand in the shape of a gun, shoots at six screaming female fans wearing shirts that spell out "FOSTER" and they fall to the ground as they bleed blue paint. How could you not enjoy that?

I did not think it was possible, but the Ace Norton-directed featurette, with its inability to make any sense, has made me fall in love with "Call It What You Want" even more!

"Holy Moses" - Washington

Washington is currently tearing up Australia's pop music scene with her distinct, vixen-coated flavor of electro-pop! The Aussie starlet first made an impact with her debut album I Believe You Liar, which reached No. 3 on the Australian charts. Now she's back with a stunning music video featuring a 21st century re-imagination of Bob Fosse.

Both sonically and visually, Washington is right on par with some of pop's newest "it girls"; Oh Land and Lana del Rey are just two rising stars that have created not only a unique sound to call their own but an impeccable image as well! While I do not think this beautiful marriage of sound and image will lead to mainstream commercial success, I do think that Washington is a fantastic addition to the current roster of indie-pop females! And I'm not the only one who thinks so because Washington is about to do massive UK promo as her album is set to arrive there on November 7th.