Music – Page 12 – BILLCSMUSIC BLOG

Simplicity in Emotion: @CarlosdNobrega Covers Sia’s “Breathe Me”

CARLOS NOBREGA, “Breathe Me”

Portugal’s favourite multi-talented son is back, after dancing his way through 2012 with “Pitiful” (from This Beat Is…Poptronik Volume One), “Turn It Up”, and particularly “Music Makes You Lose Control” (which had control of the top of my chart about a year ago – jogging your memory below). Carlos Nóbrega has toned it down to a tender state with his brilliant cover of Sia’s “Breathe Me” (available for free through Carlos’ website via email subscription). That song was recorded back in 2004, so it’s a timely rendition. And it’s funny being a parent sometimes. I played “Breathe Me” for my daughter, who promptly told me that she’s known the song for years, having also been featured in the film “Cyberbully”. Trumped!

Anyway, the video is simple and eloquent, focusing on Carlos performing the song while other people around him are at the edge of various emotions. It’s very well directed (by Fran Martinez) and edited, I’m sure when it all came together in a final edit it felt amazing. “Breathe Me” is from Carlos’ upcoming EP, due in December, called The Cover Love Sessions, because with our dear friend Mr. Nóbrega, love definitely comes first 🙂 PS he’s also made two films during the year – busy guy!

Return of the Pop Instrumental: “Animals” by @MartinGarrix Blazes Through

MARTIN GARRIX, “Animals”

Throughout the rest of the year, you will not be able to escape the melody of “Animals” by 17 year old DJ/producer Martin Garrix, and it will make you want to jump up and pump your fist at some points. It will be everywhere, in the background, waiting to grab you! The strange thing is that this Billboard Dance Club Play hit is an instrumental. It’s been years since an instrumental actually broke through to pop radio, but I think “Animals” is a catchy enough piece of business to cut through (and Major Record Label, please do not insert any Rap singer into the mix, thank you). Neither the single edit nor the video do the song justice; just listen to it in its full 5 minute original mix. It’s one of 2013’s biggest surprises – look for it to be #1 on the UK Singles Chart next Sunday.

From The Bottle Of Blues: “Drink of You” by Jamar Rogers (@jsquidward)

JAMAR ROGERS, “Drink Of You”

To me, Jamar Rogers got the short end of the stick on season two of “The Voice”, finishing just outside of the Top 4 – for season three, the rules were changed which probably would have seen Jamar in the Top 4. Nonetheless, it was great exposure, and I still to this day really enjoy his rollicking and heartfelt performance of Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life”. With “Drink Of You”, Jamar’s first release for Tommy Boy Records, he takes us deep down to the bottom of the bottle of blues. This is a crunchy and almost hardcore rock ‘n blues performance that shows the diversity that he displayed on “The Voice”. While I’m not sure if we could withstand the power of a full album all of songs like “Drink Of You”, I’m confident this is just a taste of what will come. Jamar will mix it up and we will reap the benefits. This is an uncharacteristic but powerful release.

Reflections on a Relationship: @JarellPerry’s “Braindead”

JARELL PERRY, “Braindead”

Some really contemporary and complimentary production enhances Jarell Perry’s “Braindead”, another thoughtful reflection on a past relationship and miscommunication, which comes from Jarell’s upcoming EP White. The man has an affecting and classic R&B voice that gets across exactly the intent of his songs. Of course you may have already downloaded his glorious free album Simple Things from earlier this year, as well as other songs he’s released such as the oh-so-poignant “4th of July” (currently on my chart). You can also download “Braindead” for free from Jarell’s Soundcloud below, along with a couple of other songs previewing the EP White. Big things are in store for Jarell Perry in 2014, I can just feel it!

Discover New UK Singer @Eurielle_Music and New EP The Incarnation

EURIELLE, The Incarnation (EP)

It’s nothing quite like you might expect in 2013. Eurielle is a new singer originally from Yorkshire, England, who is a classically trained soprano. Her contemporary comparisons might be to Enya, Bat For Lashes, and Ellie Goulding. But a veteran music listener like me can’t help but harken back to the 80’s of Kate Bush, Maggie Reilly, Kirsty McColl, and Annie Haslam. Her songs are magnetic cinematic pop statements. The 3-song EP was preceded by one of its songs as a single, “Gold”, whose beautiful, unique, and certainly provocative video you can watch above. Eurielle’s music instantly draws you in and once there you are submersed. The other songs in the EP, “Waterfalls” and “I’ll Be Waiting” are well-chosen and high quality; less being more in this particular case, making you want much, much more. Listen to the EP sampler below and you will be convinced. The Incarnation is available for purchase – in Canada it’s $2.97 – on iTunes. It’s a stunning debut.

Quacking Their Way Through Genuine Rock and Funk: @TheAquaducks EP

THE AQUADUCKS (EP)

There’s a party that’s started in Nashville, and I’ve given you a few heads’ up over the last year so that you can get your VIP ticket when it starts to spread. Rock, funk, and jazz fans (as well as other styles) will be extremely happy with The Aquaducks’ debut 7 song EP. While their videos for “Fuel The Funk” and “This Far” portray them as a wacky party band – oh, and they sure are – the rest of the EP sees the band in more serious mode vocally and lyrically, so a song like “Lift Me Up” is beautifully sung and played, and just inserts an intermission into the fun. Even “Why Can’t You See” appears to have a serious message, but has a Caribbean rhythm that will still have you on your feet.

Best of all of course are all of the real instruments you hear, no synthesizers to sweeten or wash everything into one kind of sound, and there’s a great lead singer here in Creigh Reipe. “All In” is about as straight ahead rock song as you can get within, and “New Growth” tips to R&B and features rapper Voltaire. What you hear in the EP is the same music you will hear in concert – like the jam session going on in “Po’ Man Shuffle”. If you’re going to make a splash, with some requisite quacking along the way, it’s gotta be great, and The Aquaducks’ EP is extremely enjoyable, full of explosive talent waiting to be heard. You can get it on iTunes (USA / Canada) or stream it on Spotify (USA).

In Transformation Mode: @Aiden (Grimshaw) with “The Cleaner” and “The Way We Are”

AIDEN, “The Cleaner” and “The Way We Are”

I can’t say Aiden Grimshaw’s releases after his Top 10 placing in the UK’s X-Factor show a few years back caught my attention. However both his album and debut single “Is This Love” charted, in the Top 20 and Top 40 respectively. While it took a while to grow on me after surfacing this past late summer as a free download, “The Way We Are” has a gorgeous and mysterious danceable pop rhythm that stands out from a lot of music out there. And of course just as I’m digging this song, along comes a new song called “The Cleaner”, on which we’ve found Aiden is just Aiden (albeit with an image of him with a snake around his neck). “The Cleaner” has a mix of angst-filled 80s new wave and electronically processed vocal, followed next by a big stadium-sounding vocal version of Aiden that reminds me of people like Noel Gallagher. But it has this slinky and again danceable melody that gets under your skin. So I’m not sure if this ‘transformation’s is meant to point to “The Way We Are” as an end to Aiden Grimshaw – I hope to hell not, I want it on his upcoming EP. But “The Cleaner” is equally interesting if more stylistically removed from “The Way We Are”. So here’s to Aiden and transformation and let’s hope it all doesn’t get too mucky in style versus content.

New Video: “An Open Heart” by @BrightLightx2

BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT, “An Open Heart” (video)

I’m always pleased to write about new Bright Light Bright Light, and I’ve already written about this song, which will be on “In Your Care”, the upcoming EP by BLx2 (Rod Thomas). But Rod has taken to release a video ahead of the EP as well. It’s a simple affair, with Rod alone in a bright but barren room, which is in complete contrast to the upbeat melody but on point in terms of the sad lyrics that form part of the song. Like with many of BLx2 songs, Rod wants you to think about your emotions and then do something about them. As I mentioned a month ago, this could be one of my very favourites of 2013 (and it sounded oh so great in concert in NYC a few weeks back too).

Redux for 2013: “All Our Love” by @GentlemenHall

GENTLEMEN HALL, “All Our Love”

Regular readers of this blog are already familiar with Boston sextet Gentlemen Hall, who have released an EP When We All Disappear and the single “Sail Into The Sun”, heard in Target and on Samsung smart camera commercials earlier this year. Island Records picked up on “Sail” and released it officially this summer. Well great things are happening, the band’s been touring with Third Eye Blind, and Island decided to release a fuller, brighter-sounding “All Our Love”, which was initially on the Disappear EP. Like “Sail”, “All Our Love” is one of my favourite songs by the band, reaching #7 on my chart last year. Gentlemen Hall have also released other songs online to You Tube or Soundcloud and I’m hoping some of them will appear on another EP or perhaps an album when it surfaces. In any case, you will be hearing (and likely seeing) much, much more of Gentlemen Hall. Watch the new lyric video above.

@SIRPAUL’s Seductive Spin on Danceable Pop with New Album Seventh Star

SIRPAUL, Seventh Star

After hearing SIRPAUL’s music over these past few years and following his enthusiastic tweets, I like to consider him as a disco ambassador of love… and lust. His new album Seventh Star certainly contains enough positive, timeless energy to spill over into three albums of music, and is a fine follow up to songs that appear on the two This Beat Is…Poptronik! compilations, his recent collaborations with Armand Deluxe, and of course his last album The Horse. It’s a slick blend of pop and club-oriented dance tracks whose topics frequently lead to bed… never a bad thing of course! Collaborating producers include Armand Deluxe, Kevin Maroda, Baron, AKB, and Human Body.

Lead single “Every Single Moment” is hands down the best song, (already performing well on my chart at #24, video to come soon!), simply fresh and wondrous danceable pop. Similarly suited to bridge pop and dance is “He’s So Unusual”, which I honestly didn’t like at first, but it has an early 90’s dance vibe with lyrical reflections from past eras, and I think a lot of guys will relate. The album doesn’t waste time to have SIRPAUL get his major sexy on with a menage-a-trois of club bangers right in the middle: “Turning Me On”, “Black Leather”, and a standout, “Your Bedroom”, featuring producer/rapper Baron. The latter is late night, get-your-groove-on, pulsating and thrusting… whatever you desire! “Side By Side” is also a high point, propulsive eurodance that will keep you moving. Only the closing song “The Centenary Diamond” really to me doesn’t fit on this highly engaging album.

SIRPAUL continues to have a unique pop/dance approach and Seventh Star is now available on iTunes worldwide. Next up…. remixes!!