Zedd featuring Foxes, “Clarity”
With “Spectrum” as the Billboard #1 Dance Club Play Song of 2012, Zedd wisely follows it with an equally strong song, the title track of his album Clarity. Featuring Foxes on vocals the song ruminates over what people long for if they don’t have it: Someone who will bring perspective to them and their relationship. It’s accompanied by a soaring melody that undoubtedly is filling dance floors across North America (and even the world) as the song rapidly moves up the Dance Club Play chart. Booom!
Lawson, “Learn To Love Again”
Digging four songs deep now into the (soon to be released in North America) Chapman Square album, the talented lads in Lawson perhaps have their strongest single to date. It’s more large-and-in-charge than their other songs, supported by an expensive-looking video featuring some fancy dancing that may detract from the band’s performance. Nonetheless after all of their touring, I expect their February 2 show in Toronto to go over big with any pop music lovers who like guys who can play so well and write great songs.
Martha Wash, “It’s My Time”
It’s fan-tastic to know for a disco/dance music buff like me that Martha Wash has released her first album in 20 years called Something Good, though she’s really never been away from the dance music scene at all. Best known for her classic work with Two Tons O’ Fun (you probably first heard her on Sylvester’s magical “Dance (Disco Heat)”), The Weather Girls, Black Box, and C+C Music Factory with her instantly recognizably powerful voice, Martha has always had an identity with dance music lovers even if she wasn’t seen in the videos. “It’s My Time” is an uplifting, magnetic song to which so many listeners can relate whether it’s remixed and on the dance floor or not. Let’s hope she’s gonna be touring – and maybe she’ll be able to perform some of those megahits along with her new songs, having had 6 solo Billboard Dance Club Play #1’s (most recently in 2007) and 7 others on which she was a featured vocalist. 13 #1’s!! Take that!!
George Nozuka, “Don’t Go”
Let’s say welcome back to New York-born Canadian singer George Nozuka, who under his first name had some significant success in Canada with “Talk To Me”, “Last Time” and “Lie To Me” from his debut album Believe back in 2006/07. He has a smooth-as-silk vocal that pulls emotion from each word. “Don’t Go” continues in that style from his sophomore album Beautiful, and the video features some excellent dance moves from George as well. He comes from an amazingly talented family of brothers (including fave of mine Justin) but has a style all to himself. Hopefully I’ll get to dig deeper into his new album over the next while.
BAKER, “If U Love Me”
L.A. singer BAKER definitely has a strong set of followers, who keep visiting the post where I introduced you to him and his song “Convince Me” back last May. It looks like his first album will drop soon, and it’s being preceded by a winning, summery slice of pop called “If U Love Me”. If you pine for California beaches, you’ll see most of the video for the song is set there. Not sure about why he’s wearing the big boots at the beach in some scenes, nor why the big blue boom box accompanies him most of the time, but the video does prove to be a memorable showcase for BAKER because of his soaring voice. But if you see a guy on an L.A. beach with a blue boom box, well…
TYLER SHAW, “Kiss Goodnight”
The second Much Music Coke Covers contest winner is Vancouver’s Tyler Shaw, whose down-to-earth personality and crisp vocals made him an obvious contender in the contest. As I witnessed this past summer (in a local concert that also featured previous winner Danyka Nadeau), Tyler has the easy-going stage presence, voice, and choice of songs (such as an acoustic version of “Rolling In The Deep”) to command attention. This continues with his first release “Kiss Goodnight”, not by any means an earth shaking in-your-face original, but it’s the perfect song to showcase everything that I’ve described. Tyler Shaw definitely has the potential to gravitate beyond his domestic success.
BRIAN FUENTE, “Sidelined”
It’s not just the finalists that I hear and watch for when I check out TV’s “The Voice”, because winning the whole shebang is only one part of the show. More so in seasons two and three have there been terrific performers who haven’t made it to even the semi-finals for varying reasons. Mississippi-born Nashville-based 29 year old Brian Fuente is one of those performers. To me, the songs that were chosen did not showcase the extent of his vocal prowess nor of course did they showcase what a great guitar player he is. You can hear lots of that U2-Coldplay-inspired playing on his song “Sidelined”. The simple-themed video below helps put Brian’s talent front and centre while telling an interesting story. Brian has recently released independently a five song EP called 1983, on which he played almost every instrument. I think it’s time for his coach Blake Shelton to pick up the phone… Look for more releases soon from Brian and his new band The Shadows.
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