November 2011 – BILLCSMUSIC BLOG

Autumn Popervescence

We’re a month away from Winter, but Autumn Popervescence is still upon us! And leading the highlights in advance of the new album due on November 30 is Eric Saade. The 21 year old Swede has Saade Volume Two on deck and the wonderful folks at Scandipop are previewing songs from the album as they did with Volume One. My initial favourites from the first album shifted once I heard the whole record, which is one of the very best of 2011. So Volume Two has a high benchmark in front of it, but the songs are written mainly by the same team (Jason Gill/J-Son/Robin Fredriksson and Eric himself) which makes them seem like natural progressions from Volume One, particularly something like “Explosive Love”. I’m hoping the domestic success of the killer “Hotter Than Fire” (featuring Dev) will morph into an international release for Eric. Pop this good should not be divided by borders and record contracts!! Listen to the previews on Scandipop right here.

Next up, British singer Gary Go dazzled us in 2009 with “Wonderful”, a song that anyone should listen to if they’re feeling down about themselves. Then we heard from him again this past Spring as vocalist on Benny Benassi’s “Cinema”, a bit of a change of pace for Gary with the song being an out-and-out dance hit. Now he’s about to release his new ‘soundtrack’ NWOTF, and to preview that record we have a re-invented version of “Cinema” featuring Carina Round that’s worth hearing because it’s so different from the Benassi version. Download it for free with an email subscription right here.

I love me some house music that’s progressive and makes you think about what its creators might do next. So if you like folks like Azari & III and Hot Chip, you should get to know Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, who have already remixed for the likes of Lady GaGa (“Marry The Night”). The British duo are finding quite a lot of favour in their home country and have released the infectious “Dream On”, which you can get for a free download with subscription right here.

DJ Tatana (or Tatana Sterba) has been making vibrant dance music for a number of years now, and I know her best from her collaboration with Jael on “Always On My Mind” from 2004. The Switzerland-based Tatana is back with an absolutely slamming and trance-y new song featuring Cherrytree Records’ own Natalia Kills called “You Can’t Get In My Head (If You Can’t Get In My Bed)”. Watch out for the dubstep-oriented breakdown – best one I’ve heard since “Wicked Baby” by Ro Danishei & Simon Curtis! Listen below.

New York hip hop trio The Corp Cartel has been making its presence known in its home town with the group’s Latin hip hop stylistics and performances. One of the trio, Tana, has released a promising solo effort called “Live In The Past”. The song benefits from a beautifully sweet featured vocal by fellow New York singer Baiyu, about whom I blogged about this past summer. Listen to the song below and download it for free.

And now we arrive at the holiday season, with three new Christmas songs to whet your palate.

The Little Belter herself, Elouise, has upped the ante with one of the songs from her new EP on iTunes called Santa’s Little Belter. I previewed her rendition of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” last week. Getting away from traditional songs, Elouise and her team looked back to the disco era for a song written by the late Paul Jabara (he won an Oscar for “Last Dance” by Donna Summer) called “Dear Santa (Bring Me A Man For Christmas)”. So get on your dancing shoes and mix it in with “I Will Survive” and “It’s Raining Men” and your party guests will have a blast guaranteed. Listen to the radio edit below – an extended version is available on the EP too.

UK R&B/Pop singer Pierre Lewis is working hard to bring you some more new music for full album release in 2012. In the interim, he’s released a heart-warming holiday balled called “Main Street” that makes you feel good in all the right places. Get it on iTunes and listen below.

Toronto’s Roz Bell has released some of the most interesting and ear-catching songs in recent years. It all started with “Yesterday Man” and “Papercut” from his 2008 album The First Sunbeams, which was followed in 2009 by “Heart Attack” from his album October. His collaboration with 100 Akres on the intensely soulful “Pink Cadillac” to me is his best work to date and was the first free download song to reach #1 on my personal chart in 2009. Roz is writing, writing, writing, and I’m sure we’ll see the fruits from his efforts in 2012. This past week, he dropped a cheerful Christmas song that is spot on with its simplicity. Download “Happy Holidays To You” for free right here and listen below.

Tuned-On! Top 30 #366 – November 21/11, plus new Elouise and Boy Banned

Only two more personal charts to go in 2011, and my year end list is in the works. Years ago this list was of 100 songs, then it got whittled to 75, then to 40, and then back up to 50. There has been so much great music this year – and so many songs that didn’t end up on my chart – that I may increase the list again. We’ll see, gotta save some surprises for you!

You can view the full chart using the link under ***BILL’S PERSONAL CHART*** to the right, or you can click right here. You can hear all of the songs on the chart or watch their videos by clicking on the pics on the chart page.

So the top of the chart remains static, but that’s not a bad thing by any stretch. Frankmusik and Colette Carr get another chart at the top with one of the glorious songs of 2011, “No I.D.”. I’m still waiting for that release of “Memorize Me” by Rune RK & Databoy to happen… all good things in time… meanwhile the song holds at #3. Trust me it will be MASSIVE, and you can listen to it right here. “Bloodstained Heart” by Darren Hayes anchors Secret Codes And Battleships at #4, while “Pull The Trigger” by Adam Tyler becomes the singer’s third Top 5 entry on my chart.

While this song is in full electronica mode, Adam occasionally dips into more minimalist settings from time to time, and – hot off the presses – posted an extremely well done acoustic version of “Turning Tables” by Adele today that truly shows off his voice. You remember his cover of Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn” from a while back? “Turning Tables” matches it. Listen right here and watch for a video of it soon.

The rest of the Top 10 continues to be busy as “Can’t Help Myself (Keep Dancing)” by The Netherlands’ Matt Blue should find its way into the Top 5 in two weeks. It’s followed directly by Audio Playground’s Canada-wide hit “Famous” at #7, the party-itis of “Block After Block” by Matt & Kim at #8 (note that these Brooklyn faves are playing New York City for New Year’s Eve), and the powerful Eurodance of “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Agnes at #9.

There’s plenty of competition for Top 10 entries next time with indie guys Kyle Brylin and Nick Hagelin sitting at #11 and 12, while rising starlet (and somewhat of a Stevie Nicks soundalike in spots, doncha think?) Lana Del Rey climbs to #13 with “Blue Jeans”. Kyle’s new and humorous video for “That Bad” is video #1 at the bottom of this paragraph. Adam Cohen’s “What Other Guy” moves to #14 as he winds down a tour of Europe, Israel, and the UK, and his new video for “Like A Man” (a simple but powerful idea full of great faces too) is video #2 below this paragraph. Penguin Prison is the Fastest Riser with “Don’t Fuck With My Money” soaring 22-15. Make of it what you will, but the official video for “Money” is set smack in the middle of the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations – watch it as video #3 below this paragraph. Also continuing their rise are the highly danceable “White Horse” by Jessica 6 at #16, and “Then I Go Twisting” by Erasure at #17.

Ahead of the debuts, we find the remainder of last week’s newbies off to a good start. Fastlife by Joe Jonas is a great album to crank up in your car on a sunny day with its brushes with electropop. But “Just In Love”, a soulful ballad, is a dazzling alternative that rises to #20. Jon McLaughlin’s “Promising Promises” is the song to hear on his Forever If Ever release, and it’s up to #21. Then Darren Hayes’ sad but compelling “Black Out The Sun” moves up to #22, and Jeronimo’s winning “Somebody Who Loves Me”, a Top 40 hit in the Netherlands, jumps to #25.

The three debuts are no surprise, as I’ve written about all of them. The album I’m currently waiting for, at least for another 9 days or so, is Saade Volume Two by Eric Saade. His duet with Dev on “Hotter Than Fire” simply sizzles as it lands at #23 for a starting point. Mika is currently wrapping up recording for his upcoming album The Origin Of Love, and he threw a free concert in L.A. to conclude his time there. I blogged about his French song “Elle me dit” back in June, but better late than never, this French singalong with a fantastic video (below – only the French could make this one, with a great set of character actors) is at #24. Then at #26 is Toronto quartet The Midway State, who are touring the heck out of their second album Paris Or India and the second single from it “Fire!”. I’m hoping to catch them in Toronto in December for a show (I saw them last in 2009) as I have not been able to catch the band while they’ve been in town. The video for “Fire!” (also below) is a terrific showcase for a concert performance by the band.

I’ll finish up with two more new songs. UK chanteuse Elouise has transformed her “Little Belter” shows in London into something festive for the season called “Santa’s Little Belter”. She’s released a new EP of the same name, available on iTunes, and I hope to show off the other songs to you over the next while. For now, here’s a taste of her warmly gorgeous redux of Judy Garland’s “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” to get you in the Christmas spirit.

And don’t say you weren’t warned, if you are suddenly charmed, boy-band style, or rather Boy Banned-style. The quartet has been acquiring quite a following in the UK, and if there’s a song to seal the deal on drawing in more fans it’s “The Stars Are Saying Yes”. This is when you kind of wish that North American radio wasn’t so limited and would just get back to playing good ol’ songs like this. Even better: The iTunes single features an acapella version! Enjoy 🙂

Autumn Video Popervescence (plus)

Every now and then, some creative, innovative thinking gives me hope that the art of the music video will continue on for a little while longer before it becomes less relevant as a marketing tool. After all, it’s just a commercial for the song. But it’s when the video introduces you to a song in some completely out-of-the-box way that it suddenly becomes about the video rather than the song.

There was no better example of this in the 80’s than with pop superstars Duran Duran. The quintet made some of the finest and most indulgent pop videos ever, and even if you didn’t like the songs the videos made you watch.

So 25 years after their peak period, and after the well received launch of their album All You Need Is Now earlier this year (and the catchy title song) comes “Girl Panic”. The video is a short ‘mockumentary’ that just embraces and gives tribute to the band’s heyday. For in reality, the video and its story are really about absolutely nothing… no more than the many visuals of female models which basically leave off where we left Duran Duran after say Big Thing in 1988.

So I’m not going to give away the story, if you haven’t already heard about it. Let’s just say that the video focuses on this band that consists of Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Helena Christensen, and Eva Herzigova, with a dash of Yasmin Le Bon… directed by the celebrated Jonas Akerlund to boot. It’s one of the most humorous and very best videos of recent years. Oh, and it made me listen to the song again too after not hearing it for a few months.

And continuing in an 80’s state of mind, we arrive at the video for California-born singer/guitarist Kina Grannis who is getting all kinds of deserved attention with “In Your Arms”. The song may seem kind of slight but its carefree feel and emotion is brought out beautifully by this glorious video in which someone came up with fantastic things to do with 288,000 jelly beans! It’s almost way too cool for 2011, channeling the claymation triumphs of videos like Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” with a lot of incredible effort – I’m thinking just the patience alone – that will allow the video to continue to reap awards. Kina is currently touring in the UK and Europe. Methinks she will come back to North America with a lot of great things waiting for her 🙂

Another video with a great sense of humour is Foster The People’s “Call It What You Want”. A lot of people love this California trio so I’m not sure why others are thinking that they’re done as a one hit wonder after incredible success internationally with “Pumped Up Kicks”. Not so, if this video (and their sold out shows) is any indication. So this is what happens in the private mansion of a young band. There’s some cute stop animation and some quirky imagery that seems like it is parodying numerous videos in the mid-80’s heyday. “Call It What You Want” has an anthemic, clubby sound that will keep you grooving too.

Another talented trio is New York dance group Jessica 6, led by the stunning Nomi Ruiz. While the video for “Prisoner Of Love” (a huge recent favourite of mine) is a fine showcase for the band and in particular Nomi, duet partner Antony Hegarty almost steals it away with his powerful voice and laid back style, with an outtake at the end that will make you smile even if it has nothing to do with the song. The late, late night disco sound of NYC will get its day and Jessica 6 will be leading the way.

Mr. Soulful himself, Nick Hagelin, is back, with another mainly acoustic video to put you in a better mood. This time he’s taking on “Stereo Hearts”, a current hit by Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine. Nick handles both Adam’s mellow tones and Gym Class Heroes’ rapping just fine, all the while trying hard not to let the extras steal the spotlight away… oh wait, maybe that was the idea. Keep ’em coming, Nick.

One of my very favourite songs ever is Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”, and considering I recently wrote about Chris’ new album Beyond The Sun, I decided to take a look at Il Divo’s interpretation of “Game”. While it’s not in a style I always appreciate, you can’t help but be moved by the voices in the quartet’s new version subtitled “Melanconia”.

Here’s a song that doesn’t have a video yet, but I suspect it will be his ticket to international success. Of course I’m talking about Eric Saade, whose Saade Volume Two will drop on November 30. His latest domestic success in Sweden is “Hotter Than Fire”, featuring Dev, and their voices play off of each other quite nicely. The song is irresistible and I picture it blasting at many New Year’s Eve parties. Listen below – can’t wait for the album, and maybe the video too!

Lastly, take a look at this snap from Adam Tyler’s upcoming video for “Like A Drug”. Looks like huge choreography happenin’ so watch for it!

Tuned-On! Top 30 #365 – November 7/11… and a few new songs too

My new personal chart in this edition is fairly peripatetic, with songs moving here, moving there… nothing is static this time around. Plus, there are five debuts on the chart, and I’ll have some even newer songs to discuss afterwords.

Don’t let the lone chart topping appearance by Simon Curtis’ “Laser Guns Up” deceive you – it is one of my very favourite songs of 2011. But on this chart it concedes to the hot and charming duet by Frankmusik and Colette Carr on “No I.D.” It’s Mr. Frank’s second number one song of the year – the first was the underrated “The Fear Inside”. And Frankmusik’s own “Do It In The A.M.” pairing with Far East Movement only got to #2 because it was bested by Simon’s immovable “Flesh” at the time. Ah, such a great year for music 🙂

Simmering right below, and awaiting a delayed release later this month, is Rune RK & Databoy’s “Memorize Me”, which is definitely weaving an aural spell over me as it notches up to #3. And the more I listen to Secret Codes And Battleships by Darren Hayes, the more I appreciate the sentiment and grandiose arrangement that accompanies “Bloodstained Heart”, which is the fastest riser on the chart, soaring 11-4.

Waiting at bay not far behind are a few songs that may find their way to the Top 5, “Pull The Trigger” by Adam Tyler, Penguin Prison’s “Fair Warning”, and Top 10 newbies (and really positive upbeat dance tunes) “Famous” by Audio Playground & Kardinal Offishall (or Randy Raymond en français – watch for other versions coming soon in more languages!) and young Dutch singer Matt Blue’s “Can’t Help Myself (Keep Dancing)”.

The exhilarating “Block After Block” by Matt And Kim, the dance-fantastic “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” by Agnes, and the silky-smoky “Metaphor” by Atlanta-based Nick Hagelin all reside just outside of the Top 10. Further down, the activity continues from rising stars by Kyle Brylin, Adam Cohen, and Lana Del Rey, whose UK A-side to “Blue Jeans”, “Video Games”, is just shy of the Top 10 in that country. Other debuts from last time, “White Horse” by Jessica 6 and Erasure’s “Then I Go Twisting”, look to gain pace in the coming weeks.

The five chart debuts should be no surprise because I’ve already spoken about them in previous weeks. As I’ve also mentioned previously, I’m enjoying the wealth of a sudden spurt of great songs from very good if not excellent full album releases.

The opening song to the self-titled album by Penguin Prison is the blunt, fun, highly danceable and almost anthemic “Don’t Fuck With My Money”, which bows at #22 in advance of a forthcoming video (a live clip is at the top of this blog). Fastlife by Joe Jonas keeps sounding better each time I play it – even if you never cared for Jonas Brothers songs, Joe’s recordings within should change your opinion. A good start is the original version of “Just In Love”, which arrives at #24. A clip from the “Ellen” show is right below.

I caught Jon McLaughlin’s show when he was in my city last week, and boy can he ever hammer that piano in true rock style. And my favourite song from his new album Forever If Ever (which you can buy at his shows) sounded just terrific – that’s “Promising Promises”, with a stunning piano solo midway, which debuts at #25. Check out a clip from that show of Jon playing “Industry” below this paragraph. I knew it would happen eventually, but Darren Hayes’ other single (just not in Australia) from Secret Codes, “Black Out The Sun”, breaks through and lands at #27. Lastly, Brazil-born Dutch singer Jeronimo has the makings of an international hit with the thoughtful ballad “Somebody Who Loves Me”. The song (currently only available in Europe, alas) has crashed into the Dutch Top 40 and premieres on my chart at #28.

“Hotel” and “Alone” by JMSN

You’ve gotta give pop singer Christian Berishaj credit for tenacity. The Detroit-bred songwriter and producer released three shockingly infectious dance pop songs in the last year – you know “When She Turns 18”, “I’m In Love”, and (my favourite) “Love 2 Baby” from these pages – but has now broke away from his Christian TV identity to focus on his music independently as JMSN. In enigmatic style, he’s posted two languid and beautifully sung singles, “Hotel” and “Alone”, both for free. But each song has been accompanied by mysterious, sometimes disturbing videos, so Christian is obviously is trying to tap into our other sensibilities. Fortunately each video is compelling enough to make you want to know what’s going to happen next, so… keep watching for more videos (and clues). Think David Lynch movies meet “Memento” and you might get a bit of the drift, but I could be wrong. Watch the videos for “Hotel” and “Alone” below and download the songs for free right here.

“Hotel” by JMSN

“Alone” by JMSN

“Someone Like You” by Gavin Mikhail and “Someone Like You” by Austin Leadley

Adele’s “Someone Like You” has long been one of the reasons why I love her 21 album, and despite its current overplay status, it’s fantastic that I’ve come across two really strong takes on the song. I’ve been touting Gavin Mikhail, another piano guy, for some time now, and he’s slowed down the pace for “Someone”, stretching it out over 6 minutes to offer his beautiful interpretation. And my fellow Canadian, Austen Leadley, whose rendition of Katy Perry’s “Firework” I brought to your attention this past summer, has his admirable but more pop-oriented version of the song to hear as well. I think you’ll be equally pleased with either version – enjoy!

“Someone Like You” by Gavin Mikhail

“Someone Like You” by Austen Leadley

“Fire!” by The Midway State

Following the more laid back, peaceful style of first single “Atlantic”, The Midway State have launched their second single from Paris Or India called “Fire!” amid regular touring. This rocking video and song perfectly captures the in-concert essence of the talented quartet. Watch below.

“When I Think About Sex” by Osvaldo Supino

Rising 26 year old Italian singer Osvaldo Supino, has graced us with a few saucy and amusing songs over the past few years. But he’s reached for something entirely obvious this time – after all, just when do you think about sex? And thus we have the makings of a song that could find favour in dance clubs internationally, but without the sometimes dreaded curse of being too campy for its own good. So listen along and shake those hips, there’s a really good song here with a lot of truth within its words, so do have fun with it. Click on the pic to hear it below.

Chris Isaak goes “Beyond The Sun”

It’s absolutely no secret. Chris Isaak could record an album of Swedish electropop (in Swedish, even) or death metal (in discernible English), and I’d be sure to listen. And while the talented singer, songwriter and guitarist from Stockton, California doesn’t often dip into cover tunes – recorded versions of Neil Diamond’s “Solitary Man”, Roy Orbison’s “Only The Lonely”, and Cheap Trick’s “I Want You To Want Me” only come to mind – he has stepped back into rock and roll archives for his latest album Beyond The Sun.

There’s a little bit of irony here too. For someone on whom the 50’s and 60’s days of rock and roll embeds its style and attitude, all of Chris Isaak’s own records were released in the compact disc era of music, just as vinyl sales were fading. But now that vinyl is finding favour again, Beyond The Sun would sound just fine on a 12″ platter.

Beyond The Sun is Chris’ tribute to the Sun Records label, which gave so many early rock and rollers their start, including of course Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. The record was also recorded at the Sun studios in Memphis. Songs from those singers are offered here in Chris’ own style, which sometimes resembles those recordings, and more often does not. While the record is exceptionally made, it will mainly appeal to Chris Isaak completists as well as fans of the era it represents, which is probably why prominent folk/pop label Vanguard Records signed Chris after he left Reprise/Warner.

While standards like Elvis’ “I Forgot To Remember To Forget” and “It’s Now Or Never”, as well as one of his lesser known and earliest songs, “My Happiness” (once again featuring vocals by Michelle Branch, like on Chris’ last studio album, 2009’s Mr. Lucky), are evocative of Elvis’ style with Chris Isaak flair, and while we get to hear Chris flex his tenor-maybe-baritone range on Cash’s “I Walk The Line”, it’s the more obscure songs that really represent Beyond The Sun well.

I’m talking particularly about “Miss Pearl” (a live clip is at the bottom of this blog), a rave up from the early 50’s by Jimmy Wages, and the fun “Dixie Fried”, which was recorded by Carl Perkins. These songs fit snugly into Chris’ repertoire and would sound great in concert. Aside from these, I blogged about “Live It Up” back in August, when it was issued as a free download. It’s Chris’ lone original composition in the package and it sizzles next to all of these songs.

There are no negatives here, but let’s just say that his convincing renditions of Cash’s “Ring Of Fire” or Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire” won’t be the songs you remember most about Beyond The Sun.

For the ultra faithful, the deluxe version of Beyond The Sun contains 11 more songs, including Chris’ versions of Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” (which I’m sure I’ve heard at one of his concerts), Lewis’ “That Lucky Old Sun”, Elvis’ “My Baby Left Me”, and Howlin’ Wolf’s “Everybody’s In The Mood”, along with another Chris Isaak original ‘Lovely Loretta” (again I think I’ve heard this one at one of his shows).

While I can never get enough of Chris Isaak’s own rocking tunes and pretty, sad, love songs, Beyond The Sun certainly achieves what he wanted and more. Sam Phillips would be proud.