Monthly Archives: August 2013

@Maighreadsings Returns with Powerful Electropop “Sooner”

Maighread

MAIGHREAD, “Sooner”

A year after “In The Beginning”, her collaboration with Disco Damage, became one of the highlights of Volume 1 of the dance/EDM compilation This Beat Is…Poptronik!, London-based, Ireland-born electropop singer Maighréad is back with “Sooner”.  No matter the remix or radio edit version, “Sooner” works because of Maighréad’s striking voice.  The song takes some of the best qualities of Annie Lennox, as well as fellow Irish singers Sinéad O’Connor and Róisín Murphy – power, resonance, grace – and Maighréad owns them all the way through “Sooner”, creating dancefloor bliss in the process.  Hear the Extended and Fik & Hurr remix below, and pick up “Sooner” on iTunes.

Fun Loving Nashville Troupe @TheAquaducks “This Far”

THE AQUADUCKS, “This Far”

Last September, I introduced you to the relatively newly formed rock/jazz/R&B outfit The Aquaducks, who hail from Nashville.  The band has tightened its sound and with a more professional video to support “This Far”, they continue to get across their fun-loving, live-off-the-floor sound which is pretty well guaranteed to blow the roof off of any small club.   Creigh Reipe’s crisp vocal and Paul Violante’s inviting sax lead the way in the performance part of the video amid the funky jazzy business.  And in the rest of the loosely structured but amusing plot, the band seems to be trying to play in the legendary Ryman Auditorium but ends up running around Nashville under watch.  Quack to that 🙂  I’m hoping that “This Far” is the start of the quality work that you will get to know from The Aquaducks.

Bold, Smooth R&B from @Traedonya: “Family Affair” and “Another Lie”

TRAEDONYA  “Family Affair”, “Another Lie”

New York singer Traedonya is no stranger to the music scene, having recorded since age 13 with some major label success in the 90’s with her band Sample This.  She’s been recording solo since 2003, and her bold, smooth and sophisticated R&B provides a welcome alternative to what songs in that genre move on to pop radio these days.  There’s heavy jazz influence here which certainly recalls how Mavis Staples, Chaka Khan, and other 70’s R&B masters incorporated it into their songs.  Traedonya transforms Sly & The Family Stone’s 1971 #1 “Family Affair” from a fun and funky song with a message, into a classy, warm and welcoming update that gives off that same strong message of unity.  “Another Lie” is an even better showcase for the singer’s attractive and scorching voice that lends itself to biting lyrics amid an old-style smoky jazz-club kind of setting.  Watch for Traedonya’s EP High Fructose Corn Syrup and listen to the songs above and below.

@MatthewKoma’s Emotionally Packed “Suitcase”

MATTHEW KOMA, “Suitcase”

Singer Matthew Koma has created some of the best music to arrive in the last year or so, from his EP Parachute, and then with the recent release of “One Night” from his upcoming album Arcadia.  Matthew announced this week that an EP will precede the album and that “Suitcase” might be included.  The video above is an excellent performance live from the Cherrytree House in June.  Matthew has the uncanny ability to draw you into the song, either through the melody or lyrics (or maybe both) on one listen.  “Suitcase” has a lot of emotion crammed into one song and identifies some hard truths that we don’t always like to hear.  It’s beautifully done – reminiscent of Australian singer Stan Walker’s “Black Box” in some ways.  Can’t wait to see more Matthew Koma songs on official release this year, hopefully more sooner than later.

Getting To See @JarellPerry in the Video for “Getaway”

JARELL PERRY, “Getaway”

Through the successful independent and free download release of his album Simple Things, one of the year’s best records, I will reiterate that Jarell Perry has proven that great songs carried by a magnificent voice can lead the way without the aid of visuals.  So somewhat belatedly we now have the video for one of that album’s songs “Getaway” to make the package complete.  For those of you unfamiliar with Jarell, “Getaway” is a most worthy introduction, though to me there are other better songs on the album (“9 2 5”, “Awkward”, “Perfect”).  Nonetheless by the end of 2013 Jarell Perry will be considered among the many fine vocalists who have surfaced with new music over the past year or so, whether they be relative newcomers like Frank Ocean or Miguel, or powerhouses like Justin Timberlake and Usher.