Marina and the Diamonds #4 - Fear and Loathing

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This is something I never expected to be doing. I'd pretty much written Marina and the Diamonds off as pop music that was no longer for me, from my initial enthusiasm at the end of 2009 after the fantastic singles "Obsessions" and "I am not a Robot",  Marina, in my opinion, veered down the mainstream path of commercial success and shockingly bad songs with her debut album. To my ears at least, "Shampain" and "Oh, No!" are pretty comparable with the sort of thing that's currently lying number one with that Cher girl off that talent(?) show.

So here I am eating my words because Marina has returned with a new track and I like it (I wouldn't be posting it otherwise - I don't really get much satisfaction slagging things off too much) "Fear and Loathing" shows some real progression, a darker body, a moody, mysterious, brooding beat. There is no doubting Marina has a wonderful voice, maintaining wonderful atmosphere as she floats somewhere between Enya and (sorry) Kate Bush. The video is pretty simple but worth a watch - bye, bye hair.

This is the first of two parts from a new 'Electra Heart' concept of which Marina says; "Electra Heart embodies the lies, illusions and death of an American Dream". I'll leave that with you but you can decide on the music below:


Marina & The Diamonds - Fear And Loathing

Marina & The Diamonds #3 - I Am Not A Robot

I've not posted about Marina in a while, probably because in all honesty I've gone off her a wee bit - her first singles were great, pop but pop in a good way, Obsessions / Mogwli's Road and I Am Not A Robot a highlight, but, to be honest I've listened to the album a few times and minus those singles it's pretty dishwater to me - Shampain / Girls / Oh No! spring instantly to mind. Perhaps over-produced, perhaps the anti-fame yet on covers of magazines spiel gets to me a bit...

I saw her at an MTV show in Jan, I thought it was pretty good, she could sing pretty well but I left not blown away,  I'll probably check her out again down the line, just once the hype dies down a bit.

Here is the video for an undeniably great track, "I am not a Robot":

Marina & The Diamonds #2 - Hollywood

Today in celebration of Marina and the Diamonds finishing runners-up (Odds on Ellie Goulding to win) in the BBC Sound of 2010 (see here) she released a video of her new Single Hollywood acousitc (well semi acoustic if you ask me!)...

If you are VERY quick, you can order a super dooper limited, 300 copies to be exact (therefore soon to be worth lots) signed vinyl of Hollywood from the best music shop in London, Puregroove.

Here is the video:

Marina and the Diamonds - New Music "Introducing"

Myspace: Go
Pre-Order her debut album (out Feb 2010) here:

A Greek / Welsh singer whom sounds pretty similar to Kate Bush, not normally my cup of tea but I've been very impressed with "Obsessions" and "I am not a Robot", enough to jump on the band wagon, I am sure this lovely little lady will be in the Florence and the Machine / Lady Ga Ga famous stakes by Glastonbury sort of time.

She's welcome around my place if it doesn't quite work out though...