I have some holidays coming up, which will affect certain weeks for all of my various music projects, so here’s an advance heads up as follows:
- The BILLCS New Music Report will be on hiatus for two different weeks and will not publish on Wednesday August 26 and Wednesday September 9
- The BILLCS Top 30 which will publish on Monday August 24 will only include the chart, no additional blog commentary
- New episodes of The MAPL Tapes and my new music and retro picks of the week will not be broadcast during the week of Monday August 31
In this edition of the Report, you can also check out my new music pick of the week, along with a record of the week from “Big Daddy” Russ Horton, plus “Modern Hype” online radio host DJ Hunter’s “Bop of the Week”. “The Musicman” James Rogers’ Classic Five captures an interesting mix of hits from 1974, including four by Canadians. Please do check out the playlist for The MAPL Tapes Show #23 with songs by featured artist Felix Cartal. And if you missed them on Monday, you’ll find out what songs are #1 and the Fastest Riser in the latest edition of the BILLCS Top 30.
Reminder: Click on the photos to listen to the songs on Spotify.
TWO FRIENDS, iann dior, “fire escape”
About the artists: Two Friends are L.A.-based producers/DJ’s Eli Sones and Matt Halpern, and I discovered I’ve been writing about their releases as far back the free download of their remix of Blink 182’s “I Miss You” in November 2015! They have since gone on to top the national dance radio charts, play Madison Square Garden, and appear at festivals like Lollapalooza. Their live shows are just so much fun! iann dior is the singer/rapper (real name Michael Ian Olno) who was featured on 24K Golden’s massive #1 “Mood” in 2020. He has since gone on to record with artists as diverse as MGK, Mike Shinoda, Clean Bandit, Illenium and Lil Uzi Vert, as well as solo.
About the record: “fire escape” is about a discreet encounter on the sixth floor of a thrift store on a fire escape which leads to much more. There doesn’t need to be a lot of substance to this slice of summery bliss in which iann dior provides a fantastic, friendly boy-next-door vocal. Two Friends amp up the fun in what is destined to be a favourite in their now-legendary Big Bootie mixes.
Other comments: Two Friends continue to self-release their own music to the delight of their fans, and dance radio be playing “fire escape”. I think another collaboration with iann dior should be in order for future.
CRYSTAL SHAWANDA, “Come Unto Me”
About the artist: Crystal Shawanda is the much-lauded, Juno Award winning Ojibwe Potawatomi singer/songwriter born and raised in Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island. Her ground-breaking career has straddled country and blues/rock genres, while many of her songs have been inspired by her heritage and connection to Wiikwemkoong.
About the record: “Come Unto Me” isn’t a Crystal Shawanda original, but a cover a song by The Mavericks whose recording began before the passing of leader Raul Malo of cancer last year at only age 60, and serves as an awesome tribute to him. Crystal givess a ferocious performance with Tex-Mex flavour, stemming from what Crystal says about the song: “My husband [and producer DeWayne Strobel] and I have lived these words”. The record features electric and acoustic guitar work as well as backing vocals by Eddie Perez of The Mavericks. As with the best blues/rock songs, “Come Unto Me” positively aches with emotion. Crystal’s voice here at times reminds me of Darby Mills, lead singer of The Headpins’ classic lineups – now that would be a duet made in heaven! Blues/rock fans shouldn’t miss this one.
Other comments: Raul Malo, who had seen Crystal perform locally before after she had relocated to Nashville, was in attendance when Crystal played her showcase for RCA Records, which led to her breakout in the US in the late 2000’s. She took that as a sign of encouragement and inspiration, since like her, Raul’s style didn’t fit into one genre.
NYNE, K.C. & THE SUNSHINE BAND, “Love Goes Up and Down” (StoneBridge remix)
About the artists: NYNE is the musical director for K.C. & The Sunshine Band who also has a damn good voice, which was showcased on last year’s playful “In the Back of My Cadillac”, which reached #6 on the BILLCS Top 30. Like that release, K.C. (Harry Wayne Casey) does not sing on this one but he did write and co-produce it. It’s another addition to the legacy of K.C. & The Sunshine Band, who had five #1 hits with “Get Down Tonight”, “I’m Your Boogie Man”, “Shake Your Booty”, “Please Don’t Go”, and “That’s The Way (I Like It)”.
About the record: Although not as whimsical as “In the Back of My Cadillac”, “Love Goes Up and Down” is a soulful slice of contemporary disco about the trials and tribulations of love. NYNE has such a terrific voice I’m surprised there aren’t releases more often, or collaborations with others. Although there are also remixes by Eric Kupper and Dave Audé, StoneBridge’s is fluid and bright and sustains its almost five minute length. Club DJ’s who flourish with disco house mixes should show “Love Goes Up and Down” some love.
Other comments: There is a bit of a “cool” factor for me, being able to still write about the music of K.C. & The Sunshine Band. Their self-titled 1975 album was one of the first I purchased on my own – I still have it and it plays just fine!!
JOHNNY ORLANDO, “Linger”
About the artist: 23 year old Johnny Orlando is the Toronto singer/songwriter who amassed a huge social media following starting at age 15, which also led to a major record label deal. Johnny recently released his latest album, Songs for Young Lovers, through Position Music (with distribution by Virgin), and its songs mark a significant stylistic change from past releases.
About the record: “Linger” is an infectious kind of song because of its story, all about head over heels love at first sight. As Johnny’s album indicates, it’s young lovers getting a showcase through some romantic lyrics which will even trigger fond memories for many of us who are older. This one isn’t as edgy as one of my current favourites by him, “Charlotte” (rising in the Top 5 of the BILLCS Top 30), but it is another pop treat from Johnny.
Other comments: Johnny has stated publicly that he almost quit music three years ago. But once he left his major label, he regrouped through writing songs with friends, less assembly line kind of work with a focus on his artistry.
THE CYRKLE, “He Can Fly”
About the artist: Yes, you read that right – The Cyrkle, of 1966 smash hits fame “Red Rubber Ball” (written by Paul Simon) and “Turn Down Day”. They’re the same group who opened for The Beatles on their final tour in 1966, including the celebrated final show at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The six piece group of 2026 includes original vocalist/rhythm guitarist Dan Dannemann, and keyboardist Michael Losekamp, who appeared on the group’s last two albums of that era. “He Can Fly” comes from a new version of their 2024 album Revival in conjunction with the group’s 60th anniversary. The Cyrkle’s other lead vocalist, Tom Dawes, passed away in 2007, but the album features some of his vocals.
About the record: “He Can Fly” starts out with the opening keyboard work that sounds like it’s fresh out of 1966. But once the song is well underway, you can hear that the band members are not living in the past as a brief (under two minutes) story of simple wonderment about a man taking flight unfolds. While only a short taste, “He Can Fly” is representative of the awe to be performing a 60th anniversary concert, in tribute to the past but also in a salute to the present.
Other comments: Brian Epstein, manager of The Beatles, discovered and managed The Cyrkle, and John Lennon christened the band with its atypical spelling. The original group split up in 1968, and rarely reunited over the years. Michael Losekamp was the catalyst, still performing in the 2010’s, who got the idea of creating a new version of The Cyrkle. They have been performing in concert since 2018.
MUSTARD SERVICE, “Aerolineas Mostaza”
About the artist: Mustard Service is a Miami-based rock group which entered its fifth album era with the recent single “Who Knew Your Body”.
About the record: Is it just coincidence that when I wrote about “Who Knew Your Body” in June, I mentioned that I didn’t hear anything particularly Latin-sounding about their music? So now we have a full-blown Spanish track, “Aerolineas Mostaza” (which translates as “Mustard Airlines”), which tells the story of two lovers who meet again at an airport but later face impending disaster on the plane where they are forced to make reconcilations about their past. The uptempo, jazz-flavoured, 80’s-styled yacht rock rhythm and tight instrumentation, particularly keyboards and bass, belie the mortality that the protagonists face in the song. If you enjoyed their past releases, you’ll enjoy Mustard Service performing in Spanish equally if not perhaps even more, and I’m glad they recorded this song to sport their Spanish language heritage on their sleeves.
Other comments: Singer Marco Rivera Ochoa says about the broader themes of the music on their upcoming album, which speak to “Aeroslineas Mostaza”: “I had to deal with a lot of loss over the last year, and many songs process those emotions—things left unsaid, things that should have been. I’ve also been having apocalyptic dreams, so mortality sneaks in.”
AASH MEHTA, “Soirée”
About the artist: Aash Mehta is a Chicago-based electronic dance producer about whose releases I’ve written several times, including his recent house release “Backseat Driver”.
About the record: “Soirée” is largely a festive house instrumental, which you could visualize being the theme song for a fun night out on the town during the summer months. The song uses a couple of well-placed lines from Kygo’s 2024 release “Can’t Do It On My Own” (and subsequently, Vicetone’s “Celebrate”) to form its brief vocal hook, very reminiscent of how Odesza stylishly incorporates vocal effects into their songs. Overall, “Soirée” gels beautifully, and could provide club DJ’s with some impetus to keep patrons dancing the night away.
Other comments: It’s great to have Aash back making his most danceable releases in recent years. His track with fellow American producer ephem, “Back to You”, reached #5 on the BILLCS Top 30 five summers ago.
ALYSSA GALLARNEAU, “Soho”
About the artist: Alyssa Gallarneau is a 23 year old singer/songwriter from Chicago, who has released her debut album, For the Record. It follows up her more stripped-back EP, Hard To Say.
About the record: Taking a dive into the songs on the album, “Soho” surfaced to me as the best introduction I could offer to Alyssa’s songs. She clearly has potential to be a great storyteller, but what connected me more to “Soho” over some of the other tracks were the effortless vocal, soaring melody, and slick production by Ian Barter (Amy Winehouse, Paloma Faith). And those are huge pluses on a debut release. Melody and rhythm almost always outweigh the lyrical content in terms of what people will remember most about a song, and memorable songs like “Soho” will help grow her fanbase.
Other comments: Alyssa has already performed live at the Milwaukee Summerfest, House of Blues Chicago, and New York Fashion Week. I was surprised to find that “Soho” is co-written with British artist Mark Morrison, noted for his massive late 90’s smash “Return of the Mack”. Alyssa is signed to his MackLife label, with distribution by Concord.
Show #23 with songs by featured artist Felix Cartal
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.
It’s Sonny Fodera and Hayla with the album track “Only Thing That Matters” from Sonny’s new album Can We Do It All Again?
BILL’S RETRO PICK OF THE WEEK
My Retro Pick of the Week is a 5-7 minute radio segment that currently airs on The Musicman James Rogers’ “The 3D Variety Show” (Tuesdays between 7 and 8pm ET) and KPHR Kat Power Radio (Tuesdays at 12:25 pm ET).
My retro pick is a repeat this week and I’ll have a new one next week
“BIG DADDY” RUSS HORTON’S RECORD OF THE WEEK
“Big Daddy” Russ Horton is the owner and program director of online station Halton Hills Radio Online.
It’s “New America//” by Cleveland rock performer KennyHoopla
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, including Chicago-based Lake Radio Online where you can also hear my New Music Pick of the Week. Hunter is also on air Fridays on “Hot Hits with Hunter” on UK station Dodge Radio, and it too broadcasts the New Music Pick. Check the schedule for my New Music Pick of the Week on the blog home page near the bottom.
Hunter has another EDM/country mix for you with Marshmello teaming up this time with Kelsea Ballerini for “Another Drink”
“THE MUSICMAN” JAMES ROGERS’ CLASSIC FIVE
“The Musicman” James Rogers is the owner and host of The 3D Variety Show (6 – 9pm EST Tuesdays). 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.
Bobby Vinton – Melody Of Love
Chilliwack – Crazy Talk
The Stampeders – Ramona
Bearfoot – Passing Time
Downchild Blues Band – Tell Your Mother
BILLCS Top 30 #1 SONG
Conan Gray has a second appearance at #1 with the album track “Door”
BILLCS Top 30 FASTEST RISER
Will Swinton’s “Hate My Guts” moves up 26-19
BILLCSMUSIC BLOG 
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