Britney is no Grace Jones in this Dress-Down

I think Britney's new song "Hold It Against Me" is too dull and anonymous to hate. The Jonas Akerland directed video premiered tonight to much fanfare and while the clip injects the singer with a little personality, and I like the dub-steppy paint splattered Britney vs. Britney breakdown, I'm just underwhelmed. And holy product placement! I guess Gaga paved the way for this new business model-  "Bad Romance" incorporated vodka and headphones and "Telephone" plopped products into the video with less a wink, and more an elbow to the ribs (Miracle Whip!) but this Sony TV, dating website stuff in "HIAM"? It's just lazy. Well, make your money, girl.

Britney Spears - "Hold It Against Me"

If you want to REALLY see how a woman rises from a ridiculously ballooning dress, let me direct your attention to the dynamite Grace Jones video for "I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect For You). In this 1986 clip, we see Grace getting violently plucked and primped into market-ready perfection....and then soaring like a demented, vengeful god above her frightened public. This song should have been a bigger hit. And, oh yeah, the painter doodling on the dress is none other than Keith Haring.

Grace Jones - "I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect For You)

Also, it's interesting that songs can rocket to the top spot on the Hot 100 so easily in this digital world. I guess it makes sense in this insta-access culture we're living in. Two weeks ago it was Britney who already has fizzled down to #10. And this week it's another high profile first week debut: Gaga.

Hula Grace

Her Hurricane tour was probably my concert highlight of last year, and here you can see that the incomporable (and Gaga forebearer) Ms. Jones shows no signs of stopping.

  She closed her performance at London's Lovebox festival with this hula-ing version of "Slave to the Rhythm."

  Major stamina points!

 

More Grace

Here's a great picture of Grace doing the tango with a plastic mannequin version of...herself. Bizarre.
As well as another winning outfit.

  Forgot to mention that after she finished her red wine during the show, she threw the (almost) empty glass out into the audience. Ouch. Now that's my kinda girl!

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GRACE JONES-Hammerstein Ballroom

Grace's Hammerstein show was out of this world.

  She performed the entire first song enshrouded in a silver sheet and probably had more costume changes throughout the concert than I've ever seen.

  The setlist was dominated by her most recent album, Hurricane. I love the record and was happy to hear it, but considering it's yet to get a US release I'm sure a few folks were mystified.

  My pictures are HORRIBLE (damn you blackberry!) but the outfits were truly outrageous: equestrian mad max in white, Louis XIV meets red napkin oragami. She performed one song dancing with the top half of a mannequin.

  Her deep voice made demands throughout (turn the spotlight down, turn the background up); and her drink of choice was a disgusting-sounding combination of Red wine and honey (it helps my voice).

  The band sounded tight, with a Princely guitar funking up "Pull up to the Bumper" to great effect. And the Slave to the Rhythm finale felt just right: As the red confetti rained down on the audience, the conquering diva must've felt like she owned NYC once again.

  The youtube clip shows just how dramatic and amazing this all was (that's her performing Hurricane), and my crappier videos and pics are below for a little more flava.

   

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Slave to the Rhythm


In honor of tonite's Grace Jones show at the Hammerstein in NYC (which I'm completely excited for), here's Shirley Bassey doing Grace's "Slave to the Rhythm," along with a special bonus cover of Madonna's "You'll See."
 
camp-tastic!

Well, that links dead...try this one....no Madge though:

German Grace Jones

Admit it, you've always wanted to see Grace Jones lip sync on German television.
 
This is my favorite song from her new record. It's everything all rolled into one... a little pop-py, a little spooky, plus an over the top choir driven chorus. AND Wendy & Lisa of The Revolution fame co-wrote it. Try it, you'll love it!
 
"William's Blood"

WELL - The performance for German TV was pulled down...but here's one from France! Her voice is a little rough. But she's still a force to be reckoned with.