This has been quite the banner year for Marina and the Diamonds with album number two, Electra Heart finding her critical and commerical success. It's a triumphant and intelligent pop album that does big choruses and big ideas with aplomb. There was little need to add a new song after it's release but How To Be A Heartbreaker (Added to the US releases of the album and a proposed reissue over here) is such a strong slice of contemporary pop that it's easy to make excuses.
The bubbly Dr. Luke/Benny Blanco/Cirkut cut (co-written with Marina of course) plays like the twin sister to Primadonna, a clever take on that polished American pop sound that will make a perfect radio hit while still allowing some personality to shine through.
After a delay over releasing the video because she looked "ugly" (According to her tweets anyway) the video is finally here and it's a slideshow of painfully hot male models in swimsuits and barely there outfits who look on as Marina flirts knowingly. It's a slick and engaging visual mashing up 50s/60s teen culture references with some late 90s bubblegum pop references too (there's also quite the feel of Bruce Weber and Herb Ritts to the way the models are photographed, that glossy fashion mag goes pop feel is laced throughout). Indulge in plenty of male flesh and nudge-nudge-wink-wink Marina moves below:
It's funny how this contrasts with Christina Aguilera's Your Body video which arrived today also. Both songs and videos paint the female popstar as in control and seducing men with their knowing feminine wiles. Marina, in contrast to the colorful splatter movie take of Xtina's effort, is a tad more subtle however neatly turning the notion of a female character left wanting by a no-good male of a million teen movies on it's head while appreciating male beauty and sending up the objectification of both male and female bodies in pop videos. Both videos are laced with a camp wit, although Marina also scores points on the "just look how many boys in speedos I have" front.
How To Be A Heartbreaker is available on the US edition of Electra Heart and will be released here in mid October.
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