Get Inspired with “Colors” by @Hardwell & @Tiesto featuring @AndreasMoemusic

HARDWELL & TIESTO featuring ANDREAS MOE, “Colors”

There’s so much very busy EDM out there, and some of it, especially by major artists who are phoning it in, is becoming easy to dislike and dismiss.  Not so with the songs I’ve heard from  Dutch DJ/producer Hardwell (aka 26 year old Robbert van de Corput) on his latest album United We Are.  There are several collaborations, including one with Jason Derulo that will make you turn your head all the way around, but the most striking is “Colors”, a partnership with the reknown Tiësto and Sweden’s Andreas Moe, who has the uncanny ability to sing just about anything.  You already know Andreas from my blog posts about his own recordings and vocals on both Avicii’s “Fade Into Darkness” and John De Sohn’s “Long Time”.  The positive message, the lush production, those gorgeous arpeggios, plus Andreas’ truly engaged vocal make “Colors” one of the best EDM records around going into Spring.  The massive attack on club dance floors will ensue.  United We Are also includes last year’s UK Top 20 hit “Dare You” featuring Matthew Koma.  Get it on iTunes.

Less Is Waaay More in @BadW0lfy’s Cover of @EllieGoulding’s “Love Me Like You Do”

BAD W0LFY, “Love Me Like You Do”

I’ve definitely missed Bad W0lfy’s solo songs, although she (aka Ro Danishei) has been part of the wonderful and promising duo Wrathschild with Simon Curtis, releasing two singles last year.  The pair sounds just great together or separate, and W0lfy’s followed that up with her cover of Ellie Goulding’s #1 UK hit “Love Me Like You Do” from the forthcoming film “50 Shades Of Grey”.  While Ellie’s is trademarked with her distinct vocal and a massive arrangement that will undoubtedly make it a centerpiece for the film, W0lfy’s rendition is a bit of a rebirth that pulls it back to showcase her voice with a simple arrangement.  The results sounds so beautiful and effortless that we fans of her 2011 album End Of The Rainbow are going to want much more soon!  While I loved the intense electronica of Rainbow, the showcase on “Love Me Like You Do” would only make me embrace a more stripped back setting, not unlike my favourite singers of the moment such as Sam Smith and Jessie Ware.  Watch the video above and download “Love Me Like You Do” for free at the Soundcloud link  below.

https://soundcloud.com/badw0lfy/love-me-like-you-do-ellie-goulding-bad-w0lfy-cover

The Real “Roxanne” in a Redux by @PeterFoldy

PETER FOLDY, “Roxanne (Redux)”

Back in the Fall, I wrote about Canadian (but L.A.-based) singer Peter Foldy’s return to the scene after a 40 year gap between albums, focusing on the song “Carly” from his album Nine Lives.  There was such positive reaction to his re-recording of his 1976 hit “Roxanne” that we now have an accompanying video.  The video puts the song out there again so that we can see Peter on camera in-between scenes of a carefree gal enjoying her time on a sunny day.  Do listen to the original below to compare – the redux has a wistful but still happy quality about it to justify the passage of time.  And like I mentioned my recent post about 70’s contemporary Andy Kim’s voice in his more drastic redux of his own “Shoot ‘Em Up Baby”, Peter’s voice has hardly changed – “Roxanne” is unmistakeably Peter.

@Lifehouse Rocks Out on “Hurricane”

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LIFEHOUSE, “Hurricane”

Now this is the kind of Lifehouse song I’ve been waiting for since their 2009 Smoke & Mirrors album!  The now-trio kills it with “Hurricane”, which has been released independently in advance of their 7th album apparently titled Out Of The Wasteland.  It’s hard to believe Lifehouse goes back almost 15 years with one of my favourite songs ever “Hanging By A Moment”.  They’ve gone through some stylistic changes but have always remained the raw rockers of that song at heart.  From their ballads like “Everything” and “You And Me” through to the bluesy country blast of a song like “Right Back Home”, the band’s versatility and Jason Wade’s gritty voice are key to drawing you in.  “Hurricane” is rousing rock in the same way that you likely found “Spin” and “Halfway Gone”.  I’m hoping Lifehouse will take a tour up to my city (Toronto, and I don’t think they’ve played here for years, the closest being Windsor) so that I can finally see their live show.  In the meantime check out the video for “Hurricane” below.

Find Your “Juliet” with L.A.-Based Pop Vocal Group @AfterRomeo

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AFTER ROMEO, “Juliet”

Well it only makes sense being a group called After Romeo, with a potential hit called “Juliet” right?  Well maybe it wasn’t planned years ahead, but nonetheless these five guys currently based in L.A. have been around for a few years and definitely have what it takes to turn your head and keep your attention!  They are Blake, Devin, Drew, Jayk, and TC, soon to be melting hearts across North America with “Juliet”, which is currently a single in Japan.  The video is solid, good clean fun, colourful, and even a bit hokey, and the guys are in sync with their choreography, so yeah “Juliet” is going to make you smile, punctuated by some hip hop flourishes, and wonder why you really like it, but that’s just a good pop single now isn’t it?  That darned chorus will be stuck in your head for days.  All of this show good signs that “Juliet” could catch on in North America too, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you find After Romeo coming to your town sometime in 2015.

Brighten Your Day with “Alive” by @JamesPoole_

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JAMES POOLE, “Alive”

Brilliant UK singer James Poole brings his quartet of piano-based songs to completion for his online EP For Your Ears Only with “Alive” (below).  It’s a lovely, positive song about always looking ahead to tomorrow with someone special.  Staying positive in the world with or without companionship can be a difficult thing for many of us sometimes.  The song really allows James’ voice to soar and be convincing as well.  Do not forget to check out his other songs at the You Tube link below.  “Alive” sounds melodically similar to his own “Silver Moonlight”.  “The Clocks Of Our Lives” is based on an classical Italian melody, while “Runaway” is probably the most obvious ‘pop’ song of the four.  It appears that James will have a release sometime soon for us to purchase, so like the other Poole Party fans who read my blog I am awaiting it quite anxiously 🙂  I’ve also put the link below to James’ outside-of-the-box take on the classic “I Put A Spell On You”, which I personally think contains his best vocal that I’ve heard, in case you missed it!

Powerful and Haunting: “Waterfall” by @SmashSatellites

SMASHING SATELLITES, “Waterfall”

I’ve come to really enjoy Smashing Satellites’ debut EP A-Side (SonicAluzion) these past few months and after seeing the Canadian quartet in concert in November.  “Waterfall” wasn’t my favourite song from the EP upon first few listens, but it’s now a song I look forward to when shuffling through new songs on my iPod.  The powerful and haunting new video helps bring more meaning to what might sound initially like a pretty abstract kind of song.  To me it’s about inner rage when trapped in circumstances from which one can’t seem to escape.  You’re the “Waterfall”, you can barely breath (because you’re water, after all), see or move, but you can see things and people around you, but are seemingly helpless.  I’m sure that individuals who suffer from depression, anxiety or other conditions must feel that way sometimes and the video may as such strike a chord with some viewers.  But don’t get me wrong, “Waterfall” is not at all a hard video to watch, featuring expressive lead singer Salvatore Costa.  It’s quite stylish and full of intriguing effects.  Most of all, it’s memorable and helps the power of the song come out.   “Waterfall” may  very well be a breakthrough for Salvatore and Smashing Satellites in the coming months.

Smashing Satellites plays The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto on April 7. 

Two For The Show: “My Body My Mind” from UK Duo @Bimmusic

BIM, “My Body My Mind”

It’s always a welcome treat to have UK duo Bim (Becky and Tim) back with new music.  “My Body My Mind” is from their forthcoming album Two, and fortunately Bim has not done a complete about face from their first album Scatterheart (gosh, it’s been five years!) and follow up EP Lifelines.  “My Body My Mind” continues the path with gorgeous melody, thoughtful and thought-provoking lyrics, beautiful vocals, and an interesting video.  We are all human underneath and somewhat trapped in our own skin, but would we want it any other way, and how can we achieve that at least temporarily?  I think “My Body My Mind” will be a grower and a fine introduction to album Two.  Can’t wait to hear more!

Alternative Soul for Your Head, “JMSN” (aka The Blue Album) by @iamJMSN

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JMSN, “JMSN”

Following up his debut album †Priscilla†(has it been three years?) and the subsequent EP †Pllajë†, L.A. based soul singer/songwriter JMSN returns with less scary and conflicted-sounding songs on this self-titled effort that zero in on how relationships drive us crazy.  I’m wondering if it’s nicknamed “The Blue Album” for that reason?  His records are always interesting challenges for collecting written thoughts about his songs.  The singer has such a fantastic and easy going voice to listen to and I think sometimes in the past, particularly with the last EP, the complexities in his stories have overwhelmed what’s on record.  “JMSN” plays like a 70’s R&B ‘concept’ album that somehow found its way in and out of R. Kelly’s bedroom 😉 Like in the past, there is dialogue, some in French, which acts as segues between songs.  As in his past pop life as Christian TV, the singer knows how to write a straight-forward pop song that that comes in the form of “Street Sweeper”, which was the first song he previewed.  “Ends (Money)” flies more on the club tip, while “My Way” (intriguing lyric video below) and “Addicted” act as signposts for the rest of the songs.  Also of note are “Waves”, “Score”, “Ocean”, and “Delay”.  Wisely going the indie route to sing, write and produce this record, JMSN has the unique ability to give you plenty of alternative soul music that is intended to get inside your head.  Often haunting and memorable melodies give JMSN’s songs the edge beyond what you will hear on the radio and make for a thought-inducing but enjoyable listening experience all the same.  Catch JMSN while he’s on a club tour across North America.

JMSN plays The Drake Hotel in Toronto on February 18.

Diverse Pop Scores on “Time” by @MikkyEkko

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MIKKY EKKO, Time

It’s been a long time coming for the 30 year-old singer/songwriter who came to our attention after co-writing and playing on Rihanna’s “Stay”, but Time is here to stay!  It’s a formidable debut for the Louisiana-born singer and sets the bar pretty high early on in the year for other solo male singers.  I got thoroughly wrapped up in the lead-off single “Smile”, which placed at #7 on my year end list for 2014.  There are several possible follow-ups here, and there are a couple of ‘audio timelapse’ videos for both “U” and the ferocious “Riot” (both below), one of my favourites.  Why do I visualize a huge choreographed video for this one? 🙂 No one song sounds like another, and you’ll even hear an R&B-styled vocal on “U” that is quite different from the one he provided on last year’s “Stranger” by Chris Malinchak.  It’s all beautiful lyrical pop, with “Riot” about the most atypical of the songs.  Others to check out include the commanding, prophetic opener “Watch Me Rise”, “Loner” (the vocal here reminds me of Ryan Tedder), “Pull Me Down”, and “Burning Doves”, another melodic song with a great story attached.  I’m hoping Mikky will do his own club tour this year after opening for Alt-J for several dates last year.  His “Time” has come and it will serve him (and us) very well indeed.