Leighton Meester is still trying to be a singer - get a FREE DOWNLOAD of her new club track!

There is always "the ugly sister"

Ok we just want to say right off the bat that we know the Gaga single is coming on Friday, and yes we are all excited and are readying the shrines at which we will worship its presumed musical genius.  BUT until Friday we all just have to KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON and accept that somewhere, somehow, other things are happening.  This is one of those things.  

Leighton Meester's EPIC TAKEOVER OF POPULAR MUSIC didn't really go to plan - that is, unless the plan was to sell no copies whatsoever of her own material, do a very good song with a very bad band, and then do a terrible movie about terrible country music with the world's most terribly annoying actress.  And we're guessing it was not.  But, undeterred, Miss Meester has decided to forge ahead with her musical exploits...because what else is she going to do with her "Gossip Girl" money?

Leighton has - perhaps wisely - decided to go a little dancy with her new material, and we have to say we're all about it for several reasons.  First, it's a smart move, as her only real hit, 'Good Girls Go Bad' with 3OH!Wretched Cobra Starship was pretty much a club track at the end of the day, so it's what she's known for (if she's known for music at all, which, let's face it, she is NOT).  Second, niche genres are easy and cheap to promote, as they have a built-in audience and very specific promo networks.  Accordingly, if the last few years have taught failed pop divas anything, it's "when you flop, you go either country or dance."

Yes.  We're looking at you, Jewel, Kelly Rowland, and Jessica Simpson. 

The problem with Leighton is that she never really had any success to begin with, so she doesn't have a career to resuscitate.  So while Kelly got to work with David Guetta and Jewel and Jessica worked with some top-notch country songwriters, LM is stuck with something called a Clinton Sparks who is apparently a cheaper version of Pitbull but even less bangable.  (sad face emoticon)

That's not to say her new material is going to be bad - in fact, we're kind of digging her new track with DJ Sparks.  But Leighton's going to need something pretty spectacular to break out, and we're just not convinced 'Front Cut' is it:

Leighton Meester - Front Cut by tawdry

Spectacular? No.  A worthy addition to an iPod?  Yes. So head over to Clinton's website and download the track now for FREE.