Monthly Archives: June 2014

Reeeboot! Shattered Ice (Deluxe Edition) by @AdamTylerx

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ADAM TYLER, Shattered Ice (Deluxe Edition)

With this reboot of the almost 3 year old debut album by L.A.-based singer/songwriter Adam Tyler, Adam has shown impressive growth in the new songs, which makes your purchase (particularly if you don’t have the original) all the more worthwhile. He first came to my attention with the riveting single “Friction” in 2010, still one of my favourites from him. I posted about Shattered Ice way back when, and Adam is a frequent visitor to my personal chart. His voice has grown more versatile, and works best on infectious light electropop or darker EDM.

The new single “Knew You Better” (below) is a grower, along the lines of the singer’s “Music Freak” or last year’s “Fade Into The Light” (also included!). Even better is “Criminal”, with a catchy synth line and melody that sends me back to the 80’s, and I can’t wait to see what a video of this might look like. Extremely impressive is the Aron Friedman remix of Shattered Ice’s debut single “I Won’t Let You Go”, which strips away a lot of Adam’s high notes and matches his lower register against a slow house beat. This is a well thought out treat that can stand alone as if it was a brand new song! Single potential all over again!

The other new songs are the Paul Hetherington-produced “Only One” (which I’ve already written about), plus “Magic”, “Paradise”, and “Concrete”. “Music Freak” and “Emergency” see alternate 2.0 versions that are highly complimentary to the originals.

There are 31 songs, mostly produced by pop whiz Sky Felix, including all of the original 11 Shattered Ice tunes, 6 new ones (including “Electric Valentine”, plus the previously released Hetherington-produced “Waiting In Line”) and lots more fun remixes. This deluxe edition is a great strategy to rebrand the timeless songs from the original album, plus provide us with more than an EP’s worth of new ones and more than another EP’s worth of remixes. You will not be disappointed if you pick up Adam Tyler’s Shattered Ice – Deluxe Edition on iTunes, I will guarantee it!

 

Summerristible: “Instinctual” by @Electrovamp

ELECTROVAMP, “Instinctual”

It’s hard to believe that it took to watching the video for “Instinctual” for my initial opinion to change on the latest song by Welsh sisters Kally and Tammy aka Electrovamp.  What could have I been thinking?  “Instinctual” is a bubbly and incredibly summery romp, trendy animal makeup notwithstanding!  In no time it should rival if not surpass the sisters’ success on the Billboard Dance Club Play chart two years ago with internet sensation Keenan Cahill on “Hands Up”.  While it’s quite the larger than life slice of EDM, I’d love to hear what some fantastic remixers could do with “Instinctual”.  Just remember these are the gals who already brought you songs with titles such as “I Don’t Like The Vibe In The VIP” and “Drinks Taste Better When Their Free”, as well as supporting the EQ Music Blog with their theme song “Electoqueer”.  Watch the video for “Instinctual” above and be prepared to have a lasting smile on your face and some bounce in your ounce!

Electro-Rock-Feel: “To The Extreme” and “Runner Up” by Cars & Calories @carscalories

CARS AND CALORIES, “To The Extreme” and “Runner Up”

Never underestimate the power of Norwegians, especially when a song so riveting like a-ha’s “Take On Me” became the classic it deserved in 1985 and evermore.  Other Norwegian acts that come to mind include M2M (featuring Marion Raven, who duetted with Meat Loaf on “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” in 2006), The Caesars (remember the iPod commercial set to “Jerk It Out”?), and Annie.  Cars And Calories is a duo which has nothing in common with any of the above other than their native country.  In fact upon hearing their songs you’re more apt to compare them to North American groups like Hot Chelle Rae, All Time Low, or Neon Trees, with emphasis on power(ful) synths.  Michael Markussen and Jim André Bergsted comprise the duo, who perform “To The Extreme” equivalent to making power pop on the side of a cliff, whereas “Runner Up” (which I somehow didn’t write about last Fall) puts its heart right out on its sleeve still frantically beating.  With a marvelous international cadre of help to put the pieces together behind the scenes, Cars And Calories creates music that stands out with full intent on leaving its mark behind.  a-ha are in very good company indeed 🙂

 

 

 

Get to Know New Canadian Duo @BigEastCanada with Album “Under Currents”

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BIG EAST, Under Currents

From just north of where I live, in the Muskokas (Huntsville to be exact) comes duo Big East consisting of guitarist/vocalist James Jones and pianist/guitarist/vocalist Kip Daynard, supported by other expert musicians.  They create passionate, earnest folk/pop on their new album Under Currents.  But don’t let that basic description sway you, their influences from R&B, blues and jazz are much more far reaching, resulting in diverse and well-crafted songs.  They are beautifully sung and tend to be on the softer side, but the results shine through and will make an impression.  Opener “I Can’t Let Go” is easily my favourite and has hit potential for Adult Top 40 radio with its soulful edge.  “Every Heart” and “I Die For You” (I’m waiting for the mashup with Jann Arden’s “I Would Die For You” 😉 ) also resonate, as does “Change Your Life” which poses lots of food for thought in its brief lyrics.  I would pitch this album to fans who like Train, Five For Fighting, John Legend, Frank Ocean, Ms Arden, Anne Murray, and Neil Young.  You can stream the entire album below.  Check out all of the detail James and Kip have put into their Bandcamp page, including lyrics and chords!  You can purchase the album there or on iTunes.  Big East wants to engage and involve you and Under Currents is a great record on which you can get to know them.

https://soundcloud.com/big_east/sets/under-currents

 

 

Acoustic Sensations from @RyanStar: “Bullet” and “Here Comes Your Man”

RYAN STAR, “Bullet” and “Here Comes Your Man” (acoustic)

Ryan Star continues to promote his album independently released earlier this year called A N G E L S + A N I M A L S, which contains the singles “Stay Awhile” and “Impossible”.  Like with his previously released EP America, one of Ryan’s great strengths is to take away the band and bring a song into acoustic form.  I’ve seen his concert in full blown electric R&R and acoustic.  So you’ll see in the video for “Bullet” (above) that the song trades intensities from the album version to a bare bones honest acoustic guitar version recorded in a park.  Not one to hide his many influences, Ryan also strips away the post-new wave trappings of The Pixies’ “Here Comes Your Man” (below) to a more lyrical piano rendition that is capped by a classic Ryan Star powerful vocal moment around the 1:45 mark.  Ryan continues to sell out shows in New York City, such as on June 20th at Rockwood Music Hall, but announced a second one at the same venue on July 10.  Then he’s hosting and playing acoustic at the “Rockin’ To Save Babies’ Lives” benefit concert on July 23 at the Hammerstein Ballroom alongside A Great Big World, Mary Lambert, and DJ Cassidy (tickets start at $100).  Do yourself a huge favour in the meantime and buy A N G E L S + A N I M A L S on iTunes.

A Familiar Voice Returns: “Your Love Fades Away” by @SimoneDenny

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SIMONE DENNY, “Your Love Fades Away”

A great Canadian voice has decided to step away from her Dance music roots and into smoky R&B ballad territory. The diverse and talented Toronto singer Simone Denny is back.  You know her as the lead vocalist on Juno Award-winning #1 Dance records such as Love Inc’s “Broken Bones” (also a Canadian and UK Top 10 hit) and “Astroplane” by BKS, as well as Widelife’s “All Things (Just Keep Getting Better)”  – the theme from TV’s Queer Eye For The Straight Guy. With the restrained power in Simone’s voice, you know that the roof is about to be blown off in whatever style she chooses.  “Your Love Fades Away” combines heartache with self-realization and there is no question about Simone’s versatility.  Because the Dance Club community never lets a great performer go too long without providing a new club hit, I know Simone will have us dancing up a storm again soon.  But for now this preview of her upcoming album The Stereo Dynamite Sessions Volume 1 holds a lot of promise.  Pick up “Your Love Fades Away” on iTunes!

BILLCS Top 30 #432 – June 2, 2014

Back on December 10, 2013, I wrote that Sam Smith’s “Money On My Mind” was the first great song of 2014.  It went to #1 in the UK (and on my chart) upon release, and it’s hanging in at #27.  Sam’s sung on every major TV talk show plus Saturday Night Live, toured all over the place, sometimes more than once (I caught him in concert in April 🙂 – his subsequent show at a bigger venue here for September sold out in a snap).  2014 is indeed a year of Sam Smith.  And his album isn’t even on release yet in North America.

Number One!

  • It should not be any surprise to find Sam Smith at #1 on my chart for the third time this year, this time with “Stay With Me”, which is another UK #1 and a Top 20 hit thus far in North America.  The world cannot get enough Sam Smith right now.  “Not In That Way” pulls up to #10 this week, and “Stay With Me” has also been recorded as a duet with none other than Miss Mary J. Blige – and I kind of think that the Disclosure guys had something to do with that!

The Rest of the Top 10

  • This leaves fun songs like former #1 “Proxy” by Martin Garrix and “Electric Valentine” by Adam Tyler surrendering to our Sam.  Just a reminder though that Adam’s deluxe version of Shattered Ice sees release on Tuesday, June 10!  31 songs!!

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  • Rixton have just launched their tour of North America at what appear to be small-ish sized venues, so tickets will go fast!  “Me and My Broken Heart” climbs to #4.
  • The fastest riser on the chart is Canadian 16 year old Tristan Thompson with “Tidal Wave”, a real throwback in styles in so many ways.  Now I keep hearing late 70’s early 80’s L.A. pop/soul.  It soars 15-5!  Stream Tristan’s album Here For You right here.

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  • The official video for “Love Space” by Convulsic (below) has arrived as the song holds at #6.  It’s an interesting trip for sure 🙂  And the dubstep performer’s other entry “The Day You Left” moves up to #11 too.

  • “Dear Nicole” by FrankMusik continues to stay in my head constantly after several months due to the singer’s fine vocal, which grows from storyteller mode to full throttle.  From his latest album By Nicole, the song rises 9-7.
  • The third new entry to the Top 10 is from a group whose performance was a highlight of the Billboard Music Awards.  5 Seconds Of Summer are more than meets the underwear, and “She Looks So Perfect” climbs 14-9.

Moving Up… and One Debut

  • Last week’s two dance floor scorching debuts burn up the chart again as well.  Jason Walker’s ultra-splendid Hi-NRG-styled Billboard Dance Club Play Top 10 remake of Taylor Dayne’s “Tell It To My Heart” jumps 20-13, while the triad of House Rockerz, Davis Redfield and singer Carl Man bound 22-16 with “Electrify The Night”.
  • Toronto-based vocalist Kendal Thompson has an ear-catching pop tune with “Be Mine”, which continues to move up the chart at #18.
  • “Good News (For People Who Love Bad News)” by Zorro Blakk & Deniz Olivieri is up to #19 and is also my Pick of the Week heard every three hours during the coming week on http://www.d-moos.com Canada’s National Internet Radio Station.
  •  SIRPAUL’s steamy “Black Leather” is in control at #22, followed by “Teenager In Love” and poignant alt.pop from Neon Trees at #23, and bass-laden rock from those Kongos boys lands at #25 with “Hey I Don’t Know.
  • After last chart’s massive seven debuts, we’re back to a solitary one this time with “Miracle” by E-Mute at #24.  It’s one of the more haunting alt.rock songs you will hear lately on which singer Theo Mak is both pianist and drummer.

The Full Chart

Listen to the songs or watch the videos using the links on the pictures on the pretty and detailed web edition of my chart.

04 01 STAY WITH ME Sam Smith
01 02 PROXY Martin Garrix
03 03 ELECTRIC VALENTINE Adam Tyler
05 04 ME AND MY BROKEN HEART Rixton
15 05 TIDAL WAVE Tristan Thompson
06 06 LOVE SPACE Convulsic
09 07 DEAR NICOLE FrankMusik
08 08 FALL INTO LOVE Wrathschild
14 09 SHE LOOKS SO PERFECT 5 Seconds Of Summer
11 10 NOT IN THAT WAY Sam Smith
12 11 THE DAY YOU LEFT Convulsic
02 12 LATCH Disclosure featuring Sam Smith
20 13 TELL IT TO MY HEART Jason Walker featuring Bimbo Jones
16 14 THIS IS DIRTY DVBBS & MOTi
17 15 BACK HOME Andy Grammer
22 16 ELECTRIFY THE NIGHT House Rockerz featuring Davis Redfield & Carl Man
10 17 I WISH WE WERE LEAVING Bright Light Bright Light & Elton John
21 18 BE MINE Kendal Thompson
25 19 GOOD NEWS (FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE BAD NEWS) Zorro Blakk featuring Deniz Olivieri
07 20 CANNONBALL (EARTHQUAKE) Showtek & Justin Prime featuring Matthew Koma
13 21 FINEST CLOTHES IN TOWN Nick Hagelin
28 22 BLACK LEATHER   SIRPAUL
29 23 TEENAGER IN LOVE Neon Trees
New 24 MIRACLE E-Mute
30 25 HEY I DON’T KNOW Kongos
19 26 BACK TO CALIFORNIA Steve Grand
23 27 MONEY ON MY MIND Sam Smith
24 28 HORNY Lonnie Gordon
18 29 FIND YOU Zedd featuring Matthew Koma & Miriam Bryant
27 30 ADDICTED TO YOU Avicii featuring Audra Mae