In this week’s edition of the Report, there are several beautifully sung new tracks, and a couple with 90’s nostalgia in mind. As always it’s a diverse bunch of songs that you should check out!
In the Report, you can also check out my pick of the week, along with one from the host of online radio’s “Top 40 Timeline”, “Big Daddy” Russ Horton, plus “Modern Hype” online radio host DJ Hunter’s “Bop of the Week”. “The Musicman” James Rogers from online radio’s “3D Variety Show” has his Classic Five all from 1973-74. You’ll also revisit the BILLCS Top 30 from this week in 2010, when there were a wealth of free downloads available.
The BILLCS New Music Report is always a work-in-progress and I welcome your suggestions so feel free to contact me at through my social media links right here.
Reminder: Click on the photo to watch the video or listen to the song.
FELIX CARTAL, LIGHTS, “feel less (String Version Recorded Live at The Warehouse)”
If you loved the studio version of “feel less” by Juno Award winners Felix Cartal and Lights, then I can see jaws dropping with this live performance. Honestly, has Lights sounded better on another song? I certainly can’t think of one, and her work with Manila Killa on “Dusk” a few years back comes close. The production here is taut, sending the synths to the background to allow the strings to flourish. This all brings out emotion in “feel less” which I didn’t sense in the original. And my next thought is – maybe this live version of “feel less” is the radio hit that didn’t happen with the studio version? Play it next to Olivia Rodrigo and Benson Boone and tell me that it’s NOT. Big thumbs up to Felix and Lights for going with your guts and making even more of “leel less”.
DANIEL RICHTER, THE TWINZ, “Carry On”
Last year, Daniel Richter started recording under his own name after his time as lead singer of successful Canadian band Eleven Past One and a brief post-band solo jaunt under another name. His first single, “Forget You”, a song about breaking away from a cigarette habit, smashed it out of the gate and reached #11 on the BILLCS Top 30, and Daniel won Songwriter of the Year at the Oshawa Music Awards. Daniel’s vocal in “Carry On” is precise and effortless, set against an uplifting arrangement and a brief synth hook in a reflective, post breakup song. It’s collaboration with Germany’s The Twinz – aka brothers Tim and Lukas Wehrle, working outside of their usual house music genre – with Lukas co-producing and co-writing “Carry On”. AC and AC Top 40 stations in Canada should make room for “Carry On” in their playlists and anticipate the positive audience reaction.
KAREN HARDING, “Say Something” (chill out version)
To celebrate its tenth anniversary as well as the upcoming vinyl and CD release of Karen Harding’s debut album Take Me Somewhere, we have been bestowed with a treat, a chill out version of “Say Something”. The original is included on the album and reached #7 in the UK in early 2015. Dialing back the arrangement unveils a glorious vocal, one of the big reasons why Karen’s voice has domnated dance music, particularly in the UK. It’s always been a fine song but hearing it expressed to a minimal backdrop makes it all the more powerful. If a revival is warranted for “Say Something” in the UK, then this is the way to go, as well as creating a fitting introduction for folks around the world not familiar with the song.
KIESZA, “I Go Dance”
It’s great to see Kiesza back full force in the dance groove with “I Go Dance”. It’s one of a trio of recent releases from the Calgary-born three-time Juno Award winner best known for her 2013 international smash “Hideaway”, though my long-time favourite is her wacked-out fun treat “Phantom of the Dance Floor”, a previous BILLCS Top 30 #1. “I Go Dance”, with its slinky 90’s-inspired house rhythms, will immediately draw you into bopping along with the talented singer, an infectious piece of business that deserves club DJ support and would benefit from remixes. Kiesza’s back in clubland and dance music fans are guaranteed to show up.
LYRA, “Falling”
The audience that might have already been familiar with Lyra is in her native Ireland. The County Cork-raised singer/songwriter turned heads back in 2019 with a major label release, “Falling” – and then it went on to win the North Vision Song Contest in Switzerland. As time moved on, things obviously did not work out with the label, which caused Lyra to do a rethink and take a pause in releasing music. Her debut self-titled album has now been unveiled as an independent release. “Falling” is easily the best place to start with its infectious chorus, and immediate comparisons you’ll hear with Lyra’s brilliant vocal to stars like Florence Welch and Pink. There is no reason why the timeless sound of “Falling” can’t be relaunched, it just needs the right platform, and perhaps a sync placement in a video game or short film could do the trick.
MELØ, “Glitter”
“Glitter” is the latest single release from Windsor, Ontario talent MELØ, as culled from his album Songs From The Spirit Box. It’s another consistent rocker which fits like a glove on the album next to previous singles that I’ve written about such as “King of Nothing”, “Gone Forever” and his recent take on R.E.M.’s “The One I Love”. While the theme of the song – the Hollywood life, after the glitter fades – is not a new one, MELØ and his band provide a tight performance which is on display in the accompanying video for “Glitter”. MELØ has a well-rounded sound thanks to the collective experience of those with whom he makes his music, and “Glitter” should easily find its way on to college and alternative radio playlists.
EMM, “Julia Fox.”
Following up her potent, edgy strutter “Superfreak”, L.A.-based multi-talent EMM offers up “Julia Fox.”. It’s not a diss song about the actress and social media star, but more of a brief rumination about why women are portrayed the way they are in the media, and why audiences have a fascination with these stars. EMM refers to her as “The Creature” in the song, and perhaps that’s not far off the mark, since who we see in the media is often a different character from who we would expect to meet in person. Like “Superfreak”, “Julia Fox.” has a punchy rhythm and an assured vocal by EMM. I appreciate the boldness of the song hand-in-hand with instilling some pause for thought in the listener when fandom goes those few steps too far.
wes mills, “They Can’t Hang”
Orange County-based electronic dance producer wes mills has a catchy winner with his latest single, “They Can’t Hang”. I enjoy songs where, as he says “nostalgia and house music meet”. wes injects a familiar UK garage sound into the proceedings along with a bare-bones piano house rhythm, which makes “They Can’t Hang” sound busy with its Beastie Boys-like vocal but still allows us to catch our breath. wes recently opened for San Holo on his recent US tour, which opened the door for fans of creative dance music to get to know his music more. “They Can’t Hang” is a quick but imaginative ride that leaves you wanting to hear more from wes.
BILL’S NEW MUSIC PICK OF THE WEEK
My New Music Pick of the Week is a 5-7 minute radio segment that airs on several online radio stations around the world.
A recent solo effort from Massachusetts’ Jared Lee is “Love No More”
“BIG DADDY” RUSS HORTON’S PICK OF THE WEEK
“Big Daddy” Russ Horton is the host of the “Top 40 Timeline” radio program and owner of online station Halton Hills Radio Online. You can hear my Retro Pick of the Week every week on the “Top 40 Timeline”.
Russ’ pick of the week will return.
DJ HUNTER’S BOP OF THE WEEK
DJ Hunter is the host of the online radio shows “Modern Hype”, which can be heard on several online stations, and “Pyjama Party”, with both shows anchored at Energy 885.
It’s by 19 year old New Jersey native Kiley Baxter called “While Everyone Sleeps”
“THE MUSICMAN” JAMES ROGERS’ CLASSIC FIVE
“The Musicman” James Rogers is the owner and host of The 3D Variety Show heard Tuesdays on Planet Radio Canada. The Classic Five is “pop music 101” usually of the post-Beatles era – classics you need to know! Each title is linked to a Spotify stream of the song.
Chicago – Just You N’ Me (1973)
Carpenters – Top Of The World (1973)
Carly Simon – Haven’t Got Time For The Pain (1974)
Edgar Winter Group – Frankenstein (1973)
Billy Preston – Will It Go Round In Circles (1973)
BILLCS Top 30 FLASHBACK CHART – 2010
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 14 years when there were several great songs available as free downloads. Such is the case with #1 and #3, from one of my all-time favourite releases, 8bit Heart, as well as, #8, the remixes of #5 and #6, and #11 (a mashup). And since those many years have passed, sadly you won’t find any of those aforementioned releases plus song #20 on streaming services either.
NOTE: Songs from Simon Curtis’ 8bit Heart is now available on streaming services!
01 01 BEAT DROP Simon Curtis
02 02 SOMETHING I’M NOT Penguin Prison
04 03 JOYSTICK Simon Curtis
06 04 HEARTBREAK ON VINYL (L.A. Riots radio edit) Blake Lewis
03 05 TEETH (KING5CAT remix) Lady Gaga
16 06 SITUATION (Monsieur Adi remix) Javi
08 07 IN MY HEAD Jason Derulo
10 08 STARBUCKS GIRL Evan Taubenfeld
09 09 HALLELUJAH Justin Timberlake, Matt Morris, Charlie Sexton
12 10 MY HEART IS YOURS Justin Nozuka
11 11 PASS THAT HEAD NOIZE Dan Black
14 12 WON’T GO QUIETLY Example
15 13 SUDDENLY BT
05 14 90 DAYS Nelson Clemente
07 15 RAIN Mika
20 16 COUSINS Vampire Weekend
New 17 THE WORSE IT GETS Penguin Prison
19 18 STARRY EYED Ellie Goulding
21 19 GIRL I LOVE YOU Massive Attack, Horace Andy
22 20 WONDERLAND Clayton Senne
27 21 HAD ENOUGH Lifehouse, Chris Daughtry
24 22 DON’T LET GO The Envy
13 23 DON’T STOP Annie
18 24 SPEECHLESS Lady Gaga
28 25 DON’T YOU DARE Matt Morris
30 26 DOG DAYS ARE OVER Florence & The Machine
17 27 GLITTER IN THE AIR (Live) Pink
New 28 KICK ASS Mika, Red One
23 29 COME BACK CLEAN (Kaskade mix) Crystal Method, Emily Haines
25 30 PICK UP THE PHONE Dragonette
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