Selena Gomez - STARS DANCE REVIEW

RATING: 3.5/5

It's been entertaining to see SelGo grow up and mature, 2013 marks the year that has probably been the most interesting for the former Disney starlet: Kicking off the year with a tribute to her Disney roots in a Wizard's of Waverly Place TV special to the raunchy, party themed "Spring Breakers" indie movie. And now Stars Dance. Packed with uptempo club bangers, it's an album that doesn't quite go as arty and deep as, say, Lady GaGa, but it's not as fluffy as Carly Rae Jepsen or even close friend Demi Lovato. Here's our track by track take.

1. "Birthday" sees Gomez channeling that Spring Breakers party girl vibe. Think "Hollaback Girl" with a more industrial, sensual vibe. It's a definite stand out, as the rest of the album is much more electo pop and EDM influenced.

2. "Slow Down" also is influenced by her role in Spring Breakers, but this time by the the dubstep master, Skrillex (who contributed to the soundtrack). This song also flirts with edgier lyrics; as she states "I'm good with mouth to mouth resuscitation". It's a glorious dance track that we hope will be picked up by radio and clubs alike.

3. "Stars Dance" is the slowest song on the album, but in being so, it's her most unusual. Packed with a bit of wub, and ethereal synths, it wouldn't sound out of place on Ellie Goulding's "Halcyon". Its a seductive, dreamy track.

4. "Walk Like a Champion" is a bit of a weird wake up after the drowsy "Stars Dance", as you're greeted by a Jamaican reggae sample. Despite that, it blends well, and turns into a playful romp that recalls an early Rihanna.

5. "Come & Get it" also pulls from more worldly influence, this time from the ornamental tinged streets of Bollywood. Catchy and upbeat, it became her first single to break the Billboard top ten.

6. "Forget Forever" (or otherwise known as the leaked "Rule the World") is another standout; with the EDM influence clear. It's a beautiful, glossy, melancholy dance track.

7. "Save the Day" clearly draws from Latin dance pop, and wouldn't sound out of place in a Jennifer Lopez album. It's a well written dance track, with a solid hook, but it gets lost in between "Forget Forever" and the steamy "BEAT", both of which stand out more than this track.

8. "B.E.A.T" shows off her spunky, sassy side. Like in "Birthday", the song alternates between catchy verses and chanting choruses. But here we see Gomez almost imitate Dev's sultry sing/talking, before taking a trap influence. It's a song that will keep the party going, but a not a song that will immediately grab your attention.

9. "Write Your Name" another EDM influenced song, but lacks the same feeling that "Forget" and "Slow Down" have; it's a dark, edgy dance track, however it's a bit too low key to stand out, and becomes rather forgetable.

10. "Undercover" also feels like it has been done before, maybe it sounds like a B-Side to "Save the Day" with a smart beat, and a Latin dance hook.

11. "Love Will Remember" is written for her ex, Justin Bieber. It's a slowed down dance tune, and ends the standard edition of the album on a low note, but feels genuine enough to stand out.

12. "Nobody Does it Like You" feels like it could have been on her older albums, except for the sensual lyrics and dubstep swings. It's not enough to stand out, but it's solid and consistent with the beat and synths.

13. "Music Feels Better" is the party pop song that likens to Taylor Swift's "22". Another stand out, simply because it doesn't feel like it has been done before.

Fave tracks: "Birthday", "Come & Get It", "Forget Forever", "Music Feels Better".

Brave (Song Review)

Sara Bareilles is back, and primed for her 3rd album, Blessed Unrest. This time, she's interested in just how "Brave" you can be.

"Brave" kicks off with a snappy, kicking beat, before her signature vocals cut in warmly with "You can be amazing", backed by bouncing piano keys. It's a ready-for-summer inspirational anthem, with a bit of an old school twist. Think fun.'s "We Are Young"; it has that retro flavored pop that makes it very versatile. While we were a bit shocked at a more pop approach, Sara is at her best when she sings those jazzy numbers like "Many the Miles", or her tongue-in-cheek "King of Anything". But she proves that as a songwriter, you don't have to be a one-trick pony.

Stacked next to her previous debut singles (the key pounding "Love Song", or the witty, catchy lyrics of "King of Anything") the song seems a little too robotic, the programmed sounding drums and the melody rely on hook versus a strong chorus. However, Sara has continued strong lyrics, delivering one smart line after another. Our personal fave? "You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug". Too late.

We're glad to see Bareilles back in the music game, we're looking forward to see what she comes up with next.

Our Rating: 3.5 out of 5

JUNO Awards: How it All Went Down

For those who don't know, many of our favorite singers, songwriters, and bands are from... Canada! Well, last night, Canada had their "Grammys" in the form of the Juno Awards. Here's who were nominated/won.

*winners in bold letters

FAN CHOICE AWARD:

Carly Rae Jepsen

Celine Dion

Hedley

Drake

Justin Bieber

Leonard Cohen

Marianas Trench

Metric

Michael Buble

Nickelback

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

"Viking Death March" by Billy Talent

"Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen

"Kiss You Inside Out" by Hedley

"Stompa" by Serena Ryder

"The Way it Is" by The Sheep Dogs

INTERNATIONAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Overexposed by Maroon 5

Babel by Mumford and Sons

Up All Night by One Direction

Merry Christmas, Baby by Rod Stewart

Red by Taylor Swift

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Kiss by Carly Rae Jepsen

Sans Attende by Celine Dion

Storms by Hedley

Believe by Justin Bieber

Ever After by Marianas Trench

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Carly Rae Jepsen

Deadmau5

Johnny Reid

Justin Bieber

Leonard Cohen

GROUP OF THE YEAR

Billy Talent

Marianas Trench

Metric

Rush

The Sheep Dogs

Carly Rae also took home the Juno for Pop Album of the Year, as well as performing her smash hit, "Call Me Maybe" and our current favorite, "Tonight I'm Getting Over You".

Fall Down (Song Review)

Thankfully, Will.i.am has not added a hashtag to the front of the song title. But will "Fall Down" be the hit that brings Miley Cyrus back to the top?

Our guess is, no. Probably not. It's not that it's a bad song, it's just not a great song. Will.i.am's rapping is getting a little tired, the constant strange comparisons ("... You can be my soda pop, Coca Cola, sip it up..."?), while Miley sounds a little flat and bored. It's catchy, but forgettable. It's no "Scream & Shout" or "#thatPower", in terms of pop/dance appeal.

The style trades in the banging club beats for more a more hip hop feel. Acoustic guitars will pique your interest, and the orchestral bridge is a nice touch. But after such club heavy previous singles, this comes over as a let down, album filler with Miley's name on it just to sell the record.

Our Rating: 2 out of 5

Get Lucky (Song Review)

Time to get your funk on. Daft Punk is back with this summery pop groove that will get you movin' til the sun goes down... and up again!

After, what, 8 years? since an official Daft Punk record (not including the TRON soundtrack), the robots are making moves for a comeback with their single, "Get Lucky". We have to say, it lives up to the hype, trading in icy synths and cold dance style for a sunnier, funky sound. Plus, it helps to have long time major producer Nile Rogers contributing to the record. As he helped put disco, funk, and soul in the scene, he knows a thing or two about making great, dancable music.

Pharrell Williams lends his vocals to the track. He has contributed to and produced songs for many artists, including Britney Spears, Swedish House Mafia, Shakira, Gorillaz, and countless others, as well as having been the vocalist of the group N.E.R.D. But he, Daft Punk, and Nile are a deadly combo, and they prove so, slaying it in this classy electro-groove.

The production is top-notch, the robots skillfully incorporate disco-era funk with modern flair. Plus, the intermittent robot voice constantly reminds you that it's a Daft Punk record, as well as giving love to the long time fans. We can't help but wish that more of the album was leaked!

So swing your hips, clap your hands; Daft Punk is back, and they're going to be a force to be reckoned with... everywhere!

Our Rating 4 out of 5

Daft Punk's album, Random Access Memories, comes out May 21.

Psy acts like the opposite of a "Gentleman" in new video

Well, Psy returns with a new video!

The man with the most viewed video on youtube has comeback with a music video for "Gentleman", his new single. Like "Gangnam", it has a dance (But with more hip action!), features random places, and is re-watchable. However, it shows the prankster that Psy is, pulling out chairs, pressing all of the elevator buttons... We'll let you watch.

So, will it become the new dance craze? We can't call that yet, but Psy has given it the best shot he probably could.

Bridgit Mendler heads for a night out to avoid a "Hurricane" in new video

"Hurricane" is the latest single off of Bridgit's album "Hello My Name is..." and it's just as catchy as "Ready or Not" with reggae/pop twinges and a gospel bridge, it's only fitting that it's the new single. We did a review here.

The video is well shot, with alternating scenes of Bridgit singing, as well as her escaping the confines of her apartment with a friend by taking a night out to an art museum and a club. She looks better than ever, and we can't help but think that big things will happen in her future.