Let’s hear it for the gents this week. It came to my surprise that some familiar voices who are frequent visitors to this blog, as well as some new ones comprise, my eight song choices in this edition of the BILLCS New Music Report.
Among the features in the Report, you can check out my pick of the week, along with one from the host of “Top 40 Timeline”, “Big Daddy” Russ Horton, plus Hunter Wilbur’s “Bop of the Week”, which happens to be a new K-Pop delight. “The Musicman” James Rogers has his Classic Five pop hits feature, which zooms in on the 1978-79 pop/new wave era. In case you missed them, I also have the BILLCS Top 30 #1 and the chart’s Fastest Riser.
The BILLCS New Music Report is a work-in-progress and I welcome your suggestions so feel free to contact me @billcs on Twitter @thebillcs on Instagram or @BILLCSMusicProjects on Facebook.
REMINDER: Click the photo above the artist’s name and song title to hear the song or watch the video.
SPOTLIGHTING
FRANCESCO YATES, “Little Rockstar”
Toronto’s Francesco Yates recently released a new EP called Little Rockstar, which has been preceded by three rollicking singles, “Jimi”, “Thunderbomb” and “Chanel”. Francesco’s mix of pop/rock with his dynamic guitar playing continues to be alluring enough for me to dive deeper into the title track from the EP. “Little Rockstar” has a great melody that’s aided by an infectious ad-libbing style that made big hits like America’s “Horse With No Name” highly memorable. While I’m dating myself with that example, “Little Rockstar” is fresh and fun and well worth investing in the EP beyond its fab singles.
MATT DUSK, “Y2K”
Toronto-based crooner Matt Dusk has switched gears into pop/dance mode for his new release “Y2K”. Though immensely popular for his live shows and interpretations of songs by Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker and many others, pop/dance is not exactly where I would expect to find a new Matt Dusk song, but it works splendidly. I’m also not used to hearing his voice altered by technology, and because “Y2K” is such a warm and inviting song with an emotional side, the effects suit the setting. “Y2K” is about living life to the fullest with someone special, and the allusion of course is to the “end of the world” notion that was attached to the year 1999. Instead, Matt takes a cue from Prince, and with house rhythms in tact, we can all keep dancing happily into the night. If Matt and his team want to take the song further into a clubbier direction, I think it could benefit from some DJ remixes.
VICTOR PERRY, BRAATEN, SHAUN P, “Breathe”
NYC-based singer/songwriter Victor Perry is back with a new pop/dance original, “Breathe”, in collaboration with American producer Shaun P and Norwegian producer Braaten, who has worked with Victor on some of his most successful releases to date including “Losing Myself” and his cover of “Big Jet Plane”. “Breathe” is about being trapped in a relationship that started out promising, but instead led to loneliness. The melody is hopeful and the rhythm is mainly up-tempo, with some nice subtle production touches when the beats stop temporarily and at the end. And as you might anticipate, Victor’s delightful vocal is soulful, vibrant and touching.
RITHO, “Fantasising”
New 23 year old British multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Ritho has a lot happening in a unique way on his new single “Fantasising”. Ritho’s vocal style is the star of the show, sometimes drawing on a playful hip hop style, and at other times in an affecting head voice that gets under your skin, making the song, as its press release states “as infectious as it is vulnerable”. It’s a relatable track that muses about having a relationship and ultimately a life with someone you just got to know, when we get lost in our deepest thoughts. Ritho sees his music as part of the ‘dream pop’ sub-genre and “Fantasising” will certainly draw you in and lift you up.
FEATURING
BIJOU, MAHALO, “The Way We Touch”
Phoenix dance producer Bijou and L.A. dance producer Mahalo join forces for “The Way We Touch”. It’s a tantilyzing, mysterious track that recalls a late ’10’s deep house style that I recall particularly in some Mahalo tracks like “Perfect” and “Go Ahead”. When you don’t hear songs in this style much, it becomes appealing in a throwback kind of way. “The Way We Touch” is dark and bassy, and deep house fans and club DJ’s will enjoy it.
MICHAEL MEDRANO, FUNK LEBLANC, “LSD, Pt 2”
“LSD, Pt 2” follows up L.A.-based singer/songwriter Michael Medrano’s album release LoveSexDrugs, which includes previous single releases “Fluids”, “Naked”, and “Do Your Thing, Babe!”, another collaboration with producer Funk LeBlanc. “LSD, Pt 2” takes a late 70’s, early 80’s lite funky yacht-rock vibe popularized by artists at the time like The Doobie Brothers and Michael adds his own kind of sleaze into the lyrics, music and rhythm, becoming a playful party anthem of sorts. There are a few too many vocal effects – because Michael’s vocals are always worth savoring as is – but “LSD, Pt 2” easily succeeds on its own terms.
MICO, “Bad Note”
He’s already had a Top 40 radio hit in Canada with “Cut My Hair”, and the success for Mico (aka Toronto’s Miguel Veloso) should continue with “Bad Note”. It’s about learning how to deal with the near-end of relationships, despite fighting and other factors that have led there, and taking the high road out instead of dwelling over what went wrong. Mico has a solid, memorable voice and this well-produced release goes down easy like a good pop song should.
JACK & JACK, “Stuttering”
It’s been a while since I had heard something new from social media stars Mssrs Johnson and Gilinsky, but “Stuttering” is infectious and engaging enough to keep Jack & Jack on the pop map. It’s only their third recent release, so I’ll bet they’ve had to serve out the terms of a record contract deal after their 2019 album A Good Friend Is Nice, which contains their smash “Rise” with Jonas Blue. “Stuttering” captures relatable lyrics about those important times when words unfortunately just get in the way. The rhythm is peppy and urgent, and there’s a staccato rap part of “Stuttering” that works well.
BILL’S NEW MUSIC PICK OF THE WEEK
My New Music Pick of the Week is a 5-7 minute radio segment that airs more than 20 times/week on online radio stations around the world.
“Never Ending Song” is brand new from Conan Gray
“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 stations Radio GTA, Halton Hills Radio Online, & FM108.ca.
Pet Shop Boys with “I Will Fall” from their EP Lost
HUNTER J. WILBUR’S BOP OF THE WEEK
Hunter J. Wilbur is the host of the online radio shows “Modern Hype” and “Addictive Energy” which can be heard on several online stations including Classic Hits Canada.
It’s a K-Pop bop from B.I. featuring Big Naughty, “Dare To Love”
“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” of the post-Beatles era – classics you need to know! Each title is linked to a Spotify stream of the song.
Chris Rea – Fool (If You Think It’s Over)
Chuck Mangione – Feels So Good
Billy Joel – Just The Way You Are
Devo – Whip It
The B-52’s – Rock Lobster
BILLCS Top 30 #1 SONG
JIMIN’s “Like Crazy” (English version) gets a second appearance at #1
BILLCS Top30 FASTEST RISER
Matoma and James Droll with “Won’t Follow You Home” (25-18)
BILLCSMUSIC BLOG 
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