This edition of the Report has three performers in comeback mode, plus loads of variety in the selections this week.
NOTE: I’ll be on a boat for eight days in New England starting on Saturday, so there will be no blog posts until the week of May 13/24. In addition, I’ll be away from my announcing duties on The Big 20 show next week and my picks of the week the following week.
In the Report, you can also check out my pick of the week, along with one from the host of online radio’s “Top 40 Timeline”, “Big Daddy” Russ Horton, plus “Modern Hype” online radio host DJ Hunter’s “Bop of the Week”. “The Musicman” James Rogers from online radio’s “3D Variety Show” has his Classic Five take us back to songs from 1973-74. You’ll also find out what songs were in the Top 5 of the BILLCS Top 30 5-10-15-20-25 years ago!!
The BILLCS New Music Report is always a work-in-progress and I welcome your suggestions so feel free to contact me at through my social media links right here.
Reminder: Click on the photo to watch the video or listen to the song.
VANESSA WILLIAMS, “Legs (Keep Dancing)”
Vanessa Williams is back with her first new music in 15 years, the percolating dance track “Legs (Keep Dancing)”. And why might you ask am I writing about someone who has an enduring #1 from the 90’s (“Save The Best For Last”) and an Oscar-winning Top 5 song from a Disney film (“Colors of the Wind”, from “Pocahontas”)? Well, “Legs” is an independent release, and like artists of a certain age who are unlikely to get radio play or attention for new music, particularly from a younger audience, that’s part of the reason why my blog is here 🙂 I usually preferred Vanessa’s past dance releases like “Running Back to You” or “Work To Do” over her ballads anyway. “Legs” does not disappoint, with a precise but flirty vocal from Vanessa, a line quoting the title of the late Diahann Carroll’s memoir “The Legs Are The Last To Go”, and a solid house groove which is hard to resist. Clearly Vanessa did not save her best for last 15 years ago – “Legs” is a punchy and fun return and I look forward to more from her. Dance music has no restrictions and I think some remixes could add to the fun for “Legs”. Vanessa’s moving and looking fab in the video (click the photo above).
FLORRIE, “Kissing In The Cold”
British artist Florrie is likely someone whose music you’ve heard in the past and perhaps let slip by, though she’s been making records for more than 15 years. She was a session drummer for producers Xenomania for years, drumming or programming drums on releases by Girls Aloud, Kylie Minogue and Pet Shop Boys among many others. She herself made electronic music with producers like Fred Falke, and released a number of singles through Sony which were praised by many of my blog counterparts back in the day. The deal with Sony didn’t work out so Florrie has been independent for the last five years and about to release her first album called The Lost Ones. From that album is the top-notch “Kissing In The Cold”. She’s involved with both songwriting and production, and “Kissing” is a softer post-breakup song which reflects upon if the relationship had actually worked out. Florrie’s voice doesn’t really remind me of anyone in particular and the song stands out for its uniqueness. Best of all it has her working with Brian Higgins of Xenomania again, and it looks to be the next phase of something special.
BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT, MYKAL KILGORE, “Heartslap”
Bright Light Bright Light gives us another preview of his album Enjoy Youth with the delightful and vigorous house track “Heartslap”. The song sees him working with Broadway performer and Grammy-nominated talent Mykal Kilgore again, and you need to dig back into BLx2’s Make Me Believe In Hope album to hear them together in “Feel It” (which reached #5 on the BILLCS Top 30 back in the day) for a listen. Mykal has an immensely soulful and powerful voice which can also show beautiful restraint, and “Heartslap”, also co-written and co-produced by Jon Shave, is a duet this time. “Heartslap” is about that first moment of attraction when your heart goes WOW, and the rest just follows naturally until that person is “inside your veins”. BLx2 (Rod Thomas) himself offers another dynamic vocal, and “Heartslap” is also available in a fun piano house remix by the esteemed Grammy winner Dave Audé.
TRAVIS GARLAND, “Playing With Fire”
It’s been almost 9 years since I last wrote about songs by L.A. based artist Travis Garland. He was the toast of the BILLCS Top 30 in 2013 which included a #1, the soulful electronic ballad “Blue Electric Roses” from his self-titled album. It all started as a solo performer when he performed his single “Believe” on “American Idol” in 2010, which prompted immediate release of the song, and garnered a lot of immediate attention, but not enough for Geffen Records to sign him for other releases. Since then he’s been independent, is a regular singer on “Dancing With The Stars”, and most notably, had his song “Where To Land” sampled by Beyoncé on her song “Heated” on 2022’s Renaissance album. His new song “Playing With Fire” finds him stylistically somewhere between Miguel and Imagine Dragons with a few dashes of hip hop flavour. His likeable vocal is allowed to really soar and flow while showing the tautness that pervaded his self-titled album. “Playing With Fire” is quite different from anything else Travis has released and I’m all for anything fresh that will showcase and kickstart his talents once again.
WAITING FOR SMITH, “Raised Up”
Netherlands-based UK-raised singer/songwriter Waiting For Smith (aka Harry Lloyd) continues to spread some of the most positive music around with his earnest and likeable folk/pop sound, which is currently taking him on a tour through most of Europe. “Raised Up” is about embracing all that is good and understanding how it lifts you and when. As Harry sings, sometimes it’s “like I have no choice”, when you just naturally must let the love and light in. It’s straight-forward messages like this that make the songs of Waiting For Smith clever, cool and comforting for all.
LYRA, “Chess”
After writing about what I felt would be the introductory song to Irish singer Lyra’s self-titled album a few weeks back, “Falling”, which was originally released in 2019, I’m back to share another taste of it with “Chess”. It’s a pungent commentary about gender, roles and politics, but also about who’s outsmarting whom, co-written and co-produced by Dan Priddy, noted for his work with Bastille, Louis Tomlinson, James Arthur and others. Lyra sees these topics like a game of chess, but where the female protagonist is actually a better player than the man, and always a step ahead. The lyrics do not mince any words and the stalwart production leaves it to Lyra’s cutting vocal to drive the song home. “Chess” is convincing and compelling with another bravura performance by the singer.
CAS, “Got The Feeling”
It’s that slinky bass synth sound that acts as an undercurrent in “Got The Feeling” which will draw you in and keep you grooving for its five plus minutes. It’s brought to you by Washington DC area dance producer CAS (aka Camille Sevigny), who transports us back to the 1988-1991 era when new jack swing was fresh, with the song being highly reminiscent of songs like “Dirty Cash” by The Adventures of Stevie V and “Just Got Paid” by Johnny Kemp. Those songs were floor-fillers back in the day and “Got The Feeling” delivers similar vibes. Club DJ’s looking for something rhythmic and fun but a few steps away from some of today’s blander dance-pop should be spinning “Got The Feeling”.
TOWER DEFENSE, “Friendly Factions” b/w “U Got The Look”
Tower Defense is a promising quartet from Nashville that includes two basses and specializes in a fun post-punk rock sound that has never gone away since its emergence in the late 1970’s. “Friendly Factions” is the most direct song of the two, a tightly played original rocker that touches on local politics. My preference leans towards “U Got The Look”, not the Prince song but a rollicking cover of JEFF The Brotherhood’s 2010’s “face ripper” that ideally captures the frenzied post-punk sound of local bands in just about any big city that was prominent into the early 80’s. Tower Defense is clearly quite good at what they do, and both of these songs would sound even better in concert.
BILL’S NEW MUSIC PICK OF THE WEEK
My New Music Pick of the Week is a 5-7 minute radio segment that airs on several online radio stations around the world.
Felix Cartal and Lights with their live string version of “feel less”
“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 station Halton Hills Radio Online. You can hear my Retro Pick of the Week every week on the “Top 40 Timeline”.
England’s The Struts return with the title song from their album “Pretty Vicious”
DJ HUNTER’S BOP OF THE WEEK
DJ Hunter is the host of the online radio shows “Modern Hype”, which can be heard on several online stations, and “Pyjama Party”, with both shows anchored at Energy 885.
NYC’s Vinny Marchi uses Irish folk music as the basis for “The Sad Sad Alpha Man”
“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” usually of the post-Beatles era – classics you need to know! Each title is linked to a Spotify stream of the song.
Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show – Cover Of “Rolling Stone” (1973)
Jim Croce – Lover’s Cross (1973)
Ringo Starr – You’re Sixteen (1974)
Rubettes – Sugar Baby Love (1974)
Bearfoot – Molly (1974) (You Tube link)
THE BILLCS TOP 30 – 5-10-15-20-25…
The Top 5 songs from the BILLCS Top 30 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years ago…
2019
1 i’m so tired… Lauv, Troye Sivan
2 WHITE LIES M-22
3 LONDON Mokita
4 GOOD THINGS Cedric Gervais, Just Kiddin, Kyan
5 GO AHEAD Mahalo, MOZ
2014
1 LATCH Disclosure, Sam Smith
2 PROXY Martin Garrix
3 CANNONBALL (EARTHQUAKE) Showtek, Justin Prime, Matthew Koma
4 ELECTRIC VALENTINE Adam Tyler
5 FINEST CLOTHES IN TOWN Nick Hagelin
2009
1 CHEATER OF THE YEAR Evan Taubenfeld
2 RUN AWAY Sam Taylor, The BBC Orchestra
3 BEFORE THE WORST The Script
4 LAST TRAIN HOME Ryan Star
5 WE LET HER DOWN Chris Isaak
2004
1 THIS LOVE Maroon 5
2 AMAZING George Michael
3 NAUGHTY GIRL Beyoncé
4 LOVE ME RIGHT Angel City, Lara McAllen
5 TU ES FOUTU (YOU PROMISED ME) In-Grid
1999
1 MILLENNIUM Robbie Williams
2 LIVIN’ LA VIDA LOCA Ricky Martin
3 EVERY MORNING Sugar Ray
4 GOD IS A DJ Faithless
5 416/905 (T.O. PARTY ANTHEM) Maestro Fresh-Wes
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