BILLCS New Music Report – October 23/24 with new songs by @Berrivocalist, @DanTalevski, Lily Lane, MELØ, @PaulHofficial, @MaxSarre, Peter Howard and Jordan Duffy

With having been unable to publish a report last week due to other plans, I’ll let the music speak for itself this week, without further adieu.

In the Report, you can also check out my pick of the week, along with a record of the week 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’ Classic Five selections come from that great year of music 1978. If you missed them on Monday, you’ll find out what songs are #1 and the Fastest Riser on the BILLCS Top 30.

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.

BERRI, “Overthinking”

If you heard Bright Light Bright Light’s latest album, his fifth release Enjoy Youth, then you already know “Snap”, recently released as a single featuring a comeback for British singer Berri. She’s responsible for the British #4 1995 smash “Sunshine After The Rain” (actually an Ellie Greenwich cover), one of the most memorable and beautifully sung mid-90’s pop/dance releases – I must admit I actually fell in love with the original mix with producers New Atlantic/U4EA, my #3 song of 1995! Rod Thomas (aka Bright Light Bright Light) wrote and produced “Overthinking” for Berri, and it’s a match made in heaven, featuring a delightful vocal and all of the elements you need for the basis of a classic 90’s dance record, married with mid 2020’s flavours. “Overthinking” is a grand pop-dance release and I’m so glad Berri and Rod extended their collaboration because it means one other thing: I want to hear more!!

DAN TALEVSKI, “mine”

Toronto area singer/songwriter Dan Talevski scored a number of Canadian pop radio hits in the late 2010’s, most of which are documented in this blog, such as “Guilty As Sin”, “My Religion”, and “Birthday Suit”, which all reached the Top 5 on the BILLCS Top 30. Although he’s released music sporadically since the last decade, he pretty much stepped away from the biz to start a family. His new single “mine” signals the opportunity for a completely unexpected, contemporary sound. So what you won’t find in “mine” is the soft, soulful head voice that was similar to singers like Justin Timberlake. Dan uses a deeper chest voice for “mine”, so it’s not really recognizable as a Dan Talevski record, but that’s hardly a bad thing. “mine” is a gorgeous and passionate song. There’s a muddied quality to Dan’s voice that suits the song, and I’m not sure if that was achieved with the help of some production effects. Regardless, “mine” is challenging and different, but boy does it work well. Spotify link is above rather than You Tube.

LILY LANE, “All Of Your Love”

“All Of Your Love” is another track from Boston-born Lily Lane’s recent EP called Love, Lily Lane. It’s hard not to like the five songs all about love and being in love, but “All Of Your Love” may just be the best of the bunch, with a sensational vocal performance that showcases what an in-concert Lily Lane performance would sound like. There’s one special extra-long note in the song that completely seals the deal. So if you’re especially madly in love or just want to listen to a number of top notch performances by a singer whose songs need to be heard by more people, then check out Love, Lily Lane.

MELØ, “Want You To See”

Windsor, Ontario’s MELØ returns with a slice of 80’s flavoured alt.rock from his album Songs From The Spirit Box called “Want You To See”. It’s one of the best tracks from the album too, which features songs I’ve written about like “Only The Lonely”, “King Of Nothing”, and his splendid cover of R.E.M.’s “The One I Love”. “Want You To See” has an unforgettable rhythmic hook, and you can hear similar ones in early 80’s songs by The B-52’s, Devo and more. MELØ’s influences are wide-spread though and not confined to the 80’s. Great musicianship and singing make “Want You To See” well-rounded and more than just about the catchy hook.

MELØ performs in Toronto at The Horseshoe on Thursday, October 24. Tickets are $15 at the door.

PAUL HETHERINGTON, “The Thrill Of The Chase” (7th Heaven remix)

I wrote about the original version of “The Thrill Of The Chase” a while back, but Australian talent Paul Hetherington’s latest single deserves additional attention thanks to a package of remixes which includes a driving, vibrant one by British producers 7th Heaven. Current technology aside, 7th Heaven aim right for a captivating mid-to-late 80’s classic synth pop sound, and surpass expectations – to me this remix also beats the original mix. 7th Heaven have seemingly remixed just about everyone under the sun during the past 20 years or so, including songs by Cher, Kylie, Anastacia, Pet Shop Boys, Diana Ross… it’s a wild list. Dance club DJ’s whose audience has a passion for synthpop should invest in the extended 7th Heaven mix.

MAX SARRE, “operate”

London-based indie pop singer/songwriter Max Sarre returns with his latest single “operate”. I wrote a while back about his touching single “Brother”, and this time Max tackles a “surreal” love affair that isn’t going as planned. He equates it to the need for his partner to operate on him to heal him – but we all know in these kinds of cases that by now it’s too late, hence there’s a crossroads of emotions. I enjoy the urgency of the song which plays into inner confusion that many of us face. Max provides a good, every-guy kind of vocal, and “operate” is well-produced with effects that are well-placed and don’t overpower the song.

PETER HOWARD, “Country”

Peter Howard is an L.A.-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and sound engineer who has recently released a handful of singles. One of those is “Country”, which has a jaunty piano-led Beatles-eque rhythm alongside lyrics containing a few stories about real life scenarios, direct and not sugar-coated, which lead to an important message about “home”, which in this case is in the “Country”, where you can escape from reality for a while. People often make changes in their life which can take them far away from home for their own benefit, but there’s always a fear that something can happen and they’ll be gone forever. I think what Peter is trying to say is that “home” is wherever you make it, because it will always be the comfort zone to which you return. Peter has an appealing voice and “Country” sometimes sounds like a song from a theatrical play.

JORDAN DUFFY, “Nights Like These”

Hailing from Worcester, Massachusetts just outside of Boston, Jordan Duffy follows up her EP No Big Deal with “Nights Like These”. Produced by fellow singer and songwriter Party Nails, “Nights Like These” is about finding oneself lost in a sea of emotions on a night that just seems to go on forever, even though you know it will soon be over. It’s set to an electronic backdrop but led by some luscious sax breaks by Trey Magnifique. What’s most noteworthy about the song though is Jordan’s fluid, powerful voice. She’s got a four octave range, which she discovered while studying opera. She’s also a trained audio engineer, so the sound of “Nights Like These” overall is quite pristine. What you hear is what you get, and Jordan Duffy’s got it! Check out the horror-themed video for “Nights Like These” just in time for Hallowe’en, by clicking the photo above.

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, and now debuts each Wednesday at 10pm EST on The Big 20 on Halton Hills Radio Online.

Swedish producers NOTD team up with Why Don’t We’s Corbyn Besson for “Panic”

“BIG DADDY” RUSS HORTON’S RECORD 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 which debuts every week on the “Top 40 Timeline”. Russ’ record of the week can also be heard each week on “The Big 20”.

He’s from Pleasantville, NY but this song broke out of England, where it reached the Top 10 – Mark Ambor with “Belong Together”

DJ HUNTER’S BOP OF THE WEEK

DJ Hunter is the host of the online radio show “Modern Hype”, which can be heard on several online stations, and is anchored at Energy 885, where you can also hear my New Music Pick of the Week.

It’s “HOT TO GO!”, by one of the year’s hottest new stars, Chappell Roan

“THE MUSICMAN” JAMES ROGERS’ CLASSIC FIVE

“The Musicman” James Rogers is the owner and host of The 3D Variety Show, which is heard Tuesdays at 6pm EST, where you can also now hear my Retro Pick of the Week. 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.

Meat Loaf – Paradise By The Dashboard Light
Barry Manilow – Ready To Take A Chance Again
Trooper – Round Round We Go
Bob Seger – Hollywood Nights
Steely Dan – Josie

BILL’S RETRO PICK OF THE WEEK

My Retro Pick of the Week is a 5-7 minute radio segment that airs on several online radio stations around the world, including those mentioned above. It debuts Saturdays on Russ Horton’s Top 40 Timeline on UK National Radio at 1pm EST.