Star Power: Alberta’s Jason Purcell (@jvpurcell) with “Modern Man” and covers of @lanadelrey and Gordon Lightfoot songs

https://soundcloud.com/nineninetymusic/modern-man

JASON PURCELL, “Modern Man”, with “West Coast” and “If You Could Read My Mind”

Alberta singer/songwriter Jason Purcell has got that unassailable ‘IT’, and I hope that the rest of the world will soon catch on!  

From his recent EP I Want To Know comes “Modern Man”, which showcases a voice that falls somewhere between Nick Drake, Joshua Radin, and Jakob Dylan, with classic overtones from 60’s pop/folk and 80’s alternative pop, if ever a Peter Murphy song met up with one by Simon & Garfunkel.  Jason’s taut “do not be alarmed” will stick around in your head long after the song is over.  

And like a good pop introduction should do (and I found out about Jason through the Fluence site on which I help curate some submissions), I had to hear more songs by Jason, so I listened to a few of many acoustic cover versions to choose from on You Tube.  When I saw that he covered my very favourite Gordon Lightfoot song, “If You Could Read My Mind”, I had to watch, even a tad reluctantly.  Slowing down Lightfoot’s jauntier melody, Jason draws you into every second of his rendition with his deliberate phrasing and how he plays to the camera.  Like one of my other recent favourite singers, UK’s James Poole, the camera absolutely adores Jason.  

This was made even more apparent in the more formally produced cover of Lana Del Rey’s “West Coast”.  I’m not in love with the song, but Jason’s interpretation gave me goosebumps.  Like with Lana, he has a vulnerable, fragile quality to his voice that totally suits the song.  Plus, he can raise an eyebrow, crack a smile, or stare you down, and you are totally sold.  

All in all, Jason Purcell is one you need to watch, and I look forward to new music from him soon!  Listen to “Modern Man” above, and watch the videos for “West Coast” and “If You Could Read My Mind” below.

Zorro Blakk (@zblakk) is back with “Imagine The Future” and a remarkable video

ZORRO BLAKK, “Imagine The Future”

Following up last year’s album full of electropop delights, The Fairy Tale Of Zorro Blakk, the talented singer/songwriter brings us yet another confection, “Imagine The Future”, from the forthcoming album The Golden Years.  The song serves as a fine introduction to what’s to come – gentle and melodic europop that sketches out an interesting story.  Even better, an evocative tale is brought to life by tying in a remarkable, fascinating, and absorbing video by Brent Bonacorso.  For many years I’ve always considered videos to be mere marketing tools, but every now and again one like this one comes along that it is so enthralling, and “Imagine The Future” is one of the best I’ve seen in recent years.  I’m not going to give anything away – and have a few tissues handy – it will not take you to the point that a clip from “The Wizard Of Oz” is revealed to realize where the video may lead you.  It transforms “Imagine The Future” into a story of adventure, love, loss, solitude, fear, and ultimately contentment.  I can’t wait to hear more new Zorro Blakk songs from The Golden Years, and will keep you all posted 🙂

Dance music bliss pairs @DJMirkoB with @AntonEwald for “Higher”

DJ MIRKO B featuring ANTON EWALD, “Higher”

Well this fortunate pairing came somewhat out of the blue, but works like a dream.  Italian producer DJ Mirko B features Sweden’s current golden boy Anton Ewald on “Higher”.  The song has already made significant dents in the European dance market, and by all rights North America shouldn’t be far behind (though the song doesn’t appear to be available in Canada yet).  It’s high arpeggio-laden progressive Italo-disco that will easily have dance club patrons jumping.  But the song is more accessible than that – it will have you immediately recalling recent releases by the likes of Nervo, Nicky Romero, or even Calvin Harris.  “Higher” deserves to be a smash – well done to both fine talents for putting it together.  Watch the lyric video above.

BILLCS Top 30 #454 – April 6, 2015

There’s no shortage of influx of new songs on the chart – in this edition there are five debuts.  Some songs are sliding down the chart a little faster than usual to make room for strong songs out to cut their chart teeth 🙂

The Top 10

  • After 4 appearances and 8 weeks, Brandyn Burnette’s “Sleeve” gives way (slipping to #3) to Years & Years’ “King”, which advances 6 to 1.  The UK trio is probably the first quarter’s ‘one to watch’… looking for North American radio play to kick in soon for “King”!

  • I’m looking forward to seeing Canadian band Smashing Satellites return to home turf on Tuesday April 7.  In the meantime, their latest “Waterfall” climbs 7-4!

  • Right behind, as “Pieces” slips out of the Top 10, there is always room for more Jessie Ware, who herself performed another Toronto show last night.  “Champagne Kisses” rises 9-5.

  • The fastest riser on the chart is one of the most affecting new pop songs around with an infectious hip hop vibe.  I’m talking about “Chasing Stars” by Canadians Corey Niles and Alex Lacasse, which soars up the chart 15-6.

  • UK singer/producer Shift K3Y moves up 8-7 with “I Know”.  Watch the video for his new single “Name & Number” (also above) as well!

  • Honorary Torontonian Daniel Robinson lands in the Top 10 with his pleasing slice of electropop “Moonmolt”, up 11-9.

  • The last new entry into the Top 10 belongs to “Hurricane”, the latest single by Lifehouse, rising 12-10.

Movin’ On Up

  • Eric Saade’s latest single has some great lyrics that get in your face all the right ways.  The fun “Sting” moves 17-12.

  • I’m glad Sam Smith’s In The Lonely Hour has had such long legs because in its numerous single releases they saved one of its best songs for the latest release.  “Lay Me Down” climbs 20-15.  And you can get it in #1 UK duet flavour with John Legend too!

  • More Years & Years?  Why not 🙂 From their self-titled EP and forthcoming album Communion, the house-inflected “Desire” rises 24-16.

  • I wrote about some fine recent cover versions of “Earned It” by fellow Torontonian The Weeknd recently.  The actual hit from “50 Shades Of Grey” jumps 21-18.

  • “No Talk” is one of the most interesting, different records round as performed by Toronto’s River Tiber, having been sampled in Drake’s “No Tellin”‘.  It has a hypnotic effect, is a real grower, and is going to be a contender in the coming weeks.  “No Talk” moves up 27-19.

Those 5 Debuts

This is a chart for looking back at a couple of performers who I wrote about late last year.

  • I wrote about “Hold Back The River” by UK singer/songwriter James Bay back in October.  I wasn’t sure if James’ catchy blend of folk and rock would catch on, but then came Hozier’s success and all of a sudden critical kudos started coming forward for James.  Then recently, the song landed at #2 in the UK.  “Hold Back The River” debuts at #23 from James’ debut album Chaos & The Calm.

  • Just as “Jealous” was breaking loose at Top 40 radio, and on the eve of the release of his self-titled album in November, I wrote about Nick Jonas’ songs “Teacher” and “Avalanche”.  I didn’t end up writing about “Chains” at the time of its video release, since the record company shelved it and went with “Jealous”.  I’m so glad they returned to “Chains”, and it arrives on my chart at #24.  Nick joins brother Joe and his old band the Jonas Brothers with his first chart entry!

  • It’s been a while since Canadian R&B queen Jully Black graced this chart, though she’s never been out of the public eye with her many TV and in-person appearances.  Her latest single “Fever” is a unique slice of R&B pop that should by all rights be a huge radio hit in Canada.  It bows on the chart at #25.  Jully has announced a Toronto concert, on May 5 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre!

  • Steve Grand’s All-American Boy album arrived at the end of March after a Kickstarter project that raised over $327,000, and my favourite new song from the album has arrived on my chart.  “We Are The Night” debuts at #26.

  • The last new entry is the best song from the EP Birds by Bad W0lfy and Simon Curtis, aka Wrathschild!  “Cosmonaut” joins the pair’s many other songs to grace my chart, and it premieres at #27.

The Full Chart

Listen to the songs or watch the videos using the links on the pictures on the pretty and detailed web edition of my chart.  Go on, have a look and listen/watch 🙂

Listen for My New Music Pick Of The Week on D-Moos.com!

Every week I feature a New Music Pick of the Week on D-Moos, which is usually either on my chart or may soon be!  Listen in amid the great variety of older music as I bring cutting edge new music to the rotation of over 20,000+ songs!!

Instant cover version from @iamChrisJamison: “Want To Want Me”

CHRIS JAMISON, “Want To Want Me”

I’m quickly coming to the conclusion that Pittsburgh’s Chris Jamison, who finished third in Season 7 of “The Voice”, has one of the best new voices around, and just needs the right original song to click that will send him into the charts.  Of course his first original, “Velvet”, is currently #2 on my personal chart and reached #53 on the Billboard Hot 100.  “Want To Want Me” is a great immediate cover choice.  Whereas Jason Derulo’s out-of-the-box-smash original (below) highlight’s that singer’s vocal range that was recently lost on fun stuff like “Talk Dirty” and “Wiggle” but what impressed us all six years ago with his debut songs like “Whatcha Say” and “In My Head”.  Chris smooths the song out to the aural equivalent of buttery silk.  He also easily matches Jason’s vocal range.   My only critique is about the video for “Want To Want Me”, which I feel  is poorly shot and, sorry, it’s not befitting of the singer’s talents.  “Want To Want Me” is a great song to showcase Chris and should be a lead up to whatever fine original songs he decides to record – I for one am looking forward to them 🙂

“Earned It” cover choices: @Simmsofficial and @CodyKarey

SIMMS, “Earned It”

CODY KAREY with MAJESTY, “Earned It”

There are so many viral versions out there and The Weeknd’s “Earned It” (currently #21 on my personal chart) is attracting countless interpreters.  Two solid ones have come my way recently and they’re both well done and different enough to warrant your attention.  You have to keep in mind that this is one tough song!!

British singer Simms (about whom I’ve written previously as Jake Sims) tackles his rendition from a pop/UK soul standpoint and his vocal is strong throughout.  He also goes for a more emotional rendition.  Occasionally I think the vocal is somewhat over-the-top, but overall it hits the marks and should garner him some new fans.

Canadian singer (and current Master Chef competitor!) Cody Karey goes more for a sultry crooner rendition in his video for the song, in collaboration with pop producers Majesty.  It downplays the emotion which detracts somewhat from the sexual desperation of the song.  His rendition is still quite a low key and sexy one nonetheless and highlights the versatility in his voice.

Be sure when listening/watching to keep an open mind – I know The Weeknd has rabid fans who may not care for these covers, but both singers have made fine and challenging choices in presenting “Earned It”. 🙂

The 1980’s become one with the 2010’s in “Aeronaut” by Australia’s @Parralox

https://soundcloud.com/parralox/aeronaut/s-GREN8

PARRALOX, “Aeronaut”

The 1980’s are in great hands with creative burgeoning talents like Parralox’s John von Ahlen.  Parralox’s 2013 album Recovery was a massive musical love-fest with the 1980’s, embracing popular performers like Madonna and more obscure acts such as fellow Aussies Q-Lazzarus, and other music heavily influenced by the era.  

With John’s voice it would be easy to say “Aeronaut” sounds mainly like music of the Depeche Mode/Erasure mold – and, no surprise, Parralox did in fact open up for Erasure in England on their last tour! – but then he mixes it up with a flawless selection of keyboard and percussive sounds that draw from countless other sources as diverse as Rick Astley, New Order, and, what came first to my mind, another fellow Aussie band Real Life (“Send Me An Angel”).

Most of all “Aeronaut” is both fun and riveting.  While John’s voice is front and centre, he is the first to feature other voices, like in the past with former member Amii Jackson, Ryan Adamés (who with Amii gave extra dimension to a cover of Noel’s “Silent Morning”), and Francine (last year’s European dance club hit “Crying On The Dancefloor”), and here it’s Johanna Gervin.  Moving towards the 6th album release for Parralox, “Aeronaut” instantly dazzles and should win over club DJ’s whose audiences are full of 80’s and 90’s dance music fans who enjoy mixing it up a bit.  

For now, until its official release, you can hear “Aeronaut” on Parralox’s Soundcloud page above.

Disco Blast: The Return of @CHICorg featuring @NileRodgers with “I’ll Be There”

CHIC featuring Nile Rodgers, “I’ll Be There”

First, Giorgio Moroder gets signed back to a major record label (RCA) to release his upcoming album 74 Is The New 24.  Now, following hot on the heels of his success with Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” comes eminent guitarist/producer Nile Rodgers and CHIC with “I’ll Be There” (courtesy of Warner Bros).  

Nile of course has never been away from the music scene, and with the loss of Bernard Edwards many years ago, it was hard to fathom a return of the CHIC brand to pop music.  But timing is everything and Nile and CHIC are out to influence a new generation of dance music fans with the timeless, trademark sound that brought us not only “Le Freak” but classic R&B/dance songs such as “Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah)”, “Everybody Dance”, the much-sampled “CHIC Cheer”, and “I Want Your Love”.  The video seamlessly intersperses clips of old TV dance shows (my generation’s version of reality TV, now pretty much a thing of the past) with Nile and his troupe of talented performers who flawlessly recreate CHIC.  All we’d need would be some vocals by Luther Vandross…  

“I’ll Be There” is sheer old school fun but meant for anyone who wants to discover great music and the happy spirit that disco music brought to the world.  More CHIC, please!!

Just Reminiscing: The video for “Time” by @SteveGrandmusic

STEVE GRAND, “Time” (video)

Because I’m so supportive of the Steve Grand crowd-funded project which just brought us his fine, fine album All-American Boy, I have to include words about the video for his recent single “Time” (which peaked at #9 on my personal chart), which I believe was also funded by that project.  

It’s a poignant and thought-provoking story that only Steve and his team could envision, continuing from the viral success of “All-American Boy” and “Stay” in 2013.  It clearly depicts how a relationship begins and develops, taking the same route of many of us when we become part of a couple whether straight or gay.  You do what feels right and goes with the flow.  Only when commitment wanes does it come into question, and fortunately for us, the videomakers allow us to come to a conclusion without it being decided for us.  While it lasts, Steve’s on-screen interracial relationship makes us all reminisce fondly of our own enjoyable times, which come hand-in-hand with the challenges and temptations.

Watch the video above and don’t forget to purchase Steve Grand’s All-American Boy on iTunes.

BILLCS Top 30 #453 – March 23, 2015

There’s a groundswell of movement happening on the chart, but the Top 5 stays exactly the same as two weeks ago…  It will give way two weeks from now, but what songs will advance?

The Top 10

https://soundcloud.com/brandynburnette/01-sleeve

  • I cannot complain with such an ace Top 5 of songs by Brandyn Burnette (4th appearance, 8 weeks at the top – not bad for a song still not on official release!!), Chris Jamison, Jessie Ware, Giorgio/Kylie, and newcomer Graham Alexander!  Brandyn has more new music for us next month.  Chris has been performing somewhere each week and returns to his native Pittsburgh, plus he’s also back on “The Voice” this week with Matt McAndrew.  Jessie is coming back to North America.  Giorgio/Kylie are killing it in Australia.  Graham has gigs in NYC and Albany on deck.  A busy Top 5 is a great Top 5!

  • After wowing ’em in Austin this past week at SXSW, Years & Years should be making huge inroads to the North American audience in the next few weeks.  Leading the way from their fantastic EP (and now forthcoming album Communion) is “King”, which advances 10-6.

  • The fastest riser on the chart belongs to Canadian quartet Smashing Satellites with “Waterfall”.  The band has received much attention in the US, where they are currently touring, but will be back on home turf in April for some shows.  “Waterfall” soars 13-7.

  • What could be better in the Top 10 than TWO Jessie Ware songs?  “Champagne Kisses” moves up 14-9.

  • Mikky Ekko receives his third Top 10 hit on this chart in less than a year with “Riot” from his debut album Time.  It climbs 15-10.

Movin’ On Up

  • Buffalo NY electropop singer Daniel Robinson is inching closer to the Top 10, as his melodic and mysterious “Moonmolt” moves up a notch 12-11.

  • Lifehouse’s latest song “Hurricane” is a real grower and a promising lead in to their upcoming album Out Of The Wasteland.  This rocker storms up the chart 17-12.

  • All of the last chart’s high flying debuts get caught in a bit of a log jam behind all of the great movement happening above.  Erasure’s third single from The Violet Flame, “Sacred”, moves 18-13; “Chasing Stars” by Canadians Corey Niles and Alex Lacasse should by all rights be a domestic radio hit soon, and rises 19-15; “When It Rains, It Pours” is the first new music from Austin duo DATABOY in a while, and it advances 20-16.

  • “Alive” is a great team-up of new producer/DJ Mi Disguise with BILLCS Chart favourite Adam Tyler!  The song climbs 22-19.

Debuts

  • “Heroes” by Måns Zelmerlöw ultimately won Sweden’s Melodifestivalen festival this year, but nonetheless competitor “Sting” by Eric Saade is likely his best song since his Saade Volume Two album was released in late 2011.  “Sting” bows at #17, and only makes me want to hear more new Saade songs!

  • There seems to be a neverending parade of hits from the Grammy winning Sam Smith’s In The Lonely Hour, which is back at #1 in the UK.  The gorgeous “Lay Me Down” is the latest, and Sam also holds at #1 on the UK Singles chart in a revamped version featuring John Legend.  “Lay Me Down” arrives at #20 on my chart.

  • I can’t get enough of Years & Years, and so their previous single, the retro-house flavoured “Desire” (which I wrote about in December), premieres at #24 to complement the Top 10 (and former UK #1) “King”.

  • The fourth debut is by Toronto’s River Tiber with “No Talk”.  This unique, multi-layered, hip hop flavoured song is sampled in Drake’s “No Tellin'”, but to me is the better song of the two.  “No Talk” debuts at #27.  River Tiber has already been to my Top 10 several times, including to #1 in 2013 with “Someday”.

The Full Chart

Listen to the songs or watch the videos using the links on the pictures on the pretty and detailed web edition of my chart.  Go on, have a look and listen/watch 🙂

Listen for My New Music Pick Of The Week on D-Moos.com!

Every week I feature a New Music Pick of the Week on D-Moos, which is usually either on my chart or may soon be!  Listen in amid the great variety of older music as I bring cutting edge new music to the rotation of over 20,000+ songs!!