Listen Attentively to @Waterboys with “November Tale”

WATERBOYS, “November Tale”

More than 30 years after the first Waterboys record, Mike Scott continues to shape great stories into songs.  And with The Waterboys now actively recording and performing music again instead of waiting years between albums, their fans are rabid for more and more.  So this week, some parts of the world get their new album Modern Blues (we in Canada will have it on April 7), but it’s been preceded by “November Tale”.  Modern Blues was recorded largely in Nashville, and perhaps that music city’s spark helped return The Waterboys to their more familiar Irish folk sound which we heard in concert on their recent tours, though of course some of us will long for the day when they might perform “Red Army Blues” at a show again 😉 .  “November Tale” is simply classic Mike Scott storytelling that harkens back to the Fisherman’s Blues days particularly.  Their last album, An Appointment With Mr. Yeats, was just fine but very specific, and “November Tale” sounds looser and more vibrant.  You can pick up “November Tale” on iTunes.

Redux: @AndyKimmusic Modernizes “Shoot ‘Em Up Baby” via @ArtsandCrafts

ANDY KIM, “Shoot ‘Em Up Baby”

Around 47 years ago at this time, award winning Canadian singer/songwriter Andy Kim had his first charted international hit with “How’d We Ever Get This Way”.  Next up was “Shoot ‘Em Up Baby”, which wasn’t quite as big a hit, but one that helped trademark the earnest and likeable sound which got added into the ‘bubblegum’ pop mix of the day, culminating in the #1 song of 1969, the irrepressible “Sugar Sugar” by The Archies, which Andy co-wrote.  Andy’s songs were radio staples between 1968 and 1975, including his own #1, “Rock Me Gently”, in 1974.  With his first record in almost 5 years called “It’s Decided”, Andy has given “Shoot ‘Em Up Baby” a significant redux as produced by Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene (as a comparison, think Johnny Cash meets Trent Reznor).  His new take on the song brings a bolder, sensual, and affecting interpretation with that still-identifiable voice which only sounds somewhat different in his lower register (think Neil Diamond-ish).  Its slower melody makes you hang on all of those lyrics that you know in the back of your head but are linked to the original snappy pop tune.  The rest of the titles on “It’s Decided”, due on February 24, look like they may be all originals, so “Shoot ‘Em Up Baby” looks like a good place to start to spark your interest in this ambitious project, released through Canada’s noted Arts & Crafts label (Feist, BSS, etc.).   

BILLCS Top 30 #448 – January 12, 2015

I love a busy and active new chart! I just can’t write about it all, so this edition’s focus is on the upper part of the chart full of movement. And what will be #1 in two weeks amid the activity up top?

 

The Top 10

  • Color Theory’s “Headphones” stays at the top for a second appearance (but also has one of our four debuts!), leaving dance anthems “Goin’ Down” by Deniz Koyu vs Twoloud and “Gold Skies” by Sander van Doorn, Martin Garrix & DVBBS to advance to #2 and #3 respectively.

https://soundcloud.com/erasureinfo/erasure-reason-parralox-remix/s-TxMIM

  • Now berthed in the Top 20 of the Billboard Dance Club Play chart, their second song to head that route from The Violet Flame following “Elevation”, Erasure moves into the Top 5 on my chart with “Reason” (7-4).  Listen to the crunchy Parralox remix above.

  • Equally dance worthy but in a slow and passionate way is pop/EDM singer Reigen’s “Come Back To Me”, which climbs 8-5.
  • Where would dance music today be without Kristine W.? Her latest “Love Come Home”, a rework of one of her first vocal appearances from a minor UK hit in 1994, and her latest in consecutive Billboard Dance Club Play Top 5 hits (20 – that’s gotta be a record!), moves up 9-6.

  • Eli Lieb’s splendid pop song “Lightning In A Bottle” surpasses the #10 peak of “Zeppelin” last year, making it two-for-two, to bound into the Top 10, up 12-7.
  • Right behind is a song that should be a dance anthem in its own right. DJ/producer Antonio Giacca’s “Ignited” (which also has a strong pop vibe) is the second Top 10 entry, up 13-8.  Listen to the radio edit right here.

  • Steve Grand is carefully preparing his debut album and will be playing in NYC on Valentine’s Day at Subculture, so if you’re in NYC you know where you should be! “Time” advances 11-9, surpassing the #10 peak last year of “Back To California”, also making it a two-fer!

Also On The Rise

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

  • The Fastest Riser on the chart is Brandyn Burnette’s affecting ode to home and family, “Sleeve”. A while ago, the singer gave me the exclusive back story on the song which you can read right here. I’m hoping “Sleeve” will get an official release on Brandyn’s upcoming album. The song soars 21-12.
  • Jessie Ware’s gorgeous and emotional “Pieces”, from Tough Love, is off to a grand start, rising 20-14.

  • Belgian quartet Boycode have a classy hit-in-the-making with “It’s A Mistake” advancing 26-18.
  • Equally worthy, and produced by Goo Goo Dolls’ John Rzeznik, is “There’s Nothing Wrong” by Canadian quintet Eleven Past One, with the striking vocal by singer Daniel Richter. The song rises 25-19.

Four Debuts

  • It’s been waaay too long since I heard a good, solid rock album, and Graham Alexander’s Repeat Deceiver is just that, so read about it right here. The New Jersey singer’s single “She’s A Chameleon” (video up top) bows at #22.

  • I’m going deeper into Anton Ewald’s EP On My Way even though “Save The Last Dance”, which debuts at #24, is not a single. It’s a sultry R&B-inspired affair of the Justin Timberlake school that should be heard – and I think when a singer like Anton is also a choreographer and dancer, that you better save that dance for him 🙂

  • As mentioned above, Color Theory has one of our debuts, and it’s Brian Hazard’s cover of Barry Manilow’s “Could It Be Magic” (Lyder Janøy remix). The song really meets the Manilow and Donna Summer versions about halfway and works beautifully. It arrives at #25, and two years or so after UK singer Elouise got to #10 with her interpretation. Chart geek moment: “Could It Be Magic” is the only cover version of an older song to chart twice in my chart’s 16 year history! Other more recent covers have charted – “Marry The Night”, “Viva La Vida”, “Midnight City”, and if you want to stretch it, Colin Munroe’s mashup of “Bulletproof” and “Monster”, or the two reduxes of “Calabria” in 2007 (“Calabria 2008” and “Destination Calabria” respectively)!!!

  • Lastly, Marianas Trench has its first appearance in three years with “Here’s To The Zeros” at #26, but the band’s premiere occurred in late 2006 with “Say Anything”. Great to see support for the quartet stateside from their label Cherrytree/Interscope! A new album called Astoria will arrive sometime this year!

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.

01 01 HEADPHONES (Matt Mancid Retro Crossover Mix) Color Theory
03 02 GOIN’ DOWN Deniz Koyu vs Twoloud
04 03 GOLD SKIES Sander Van Doorn, Martin Garrix & DVBBS featuring Aleesia
07 04 REASON Erasure
08 05 COME BACK TO ME Reigen
09 06 LOVE COME HOME Kristine W.
12 07 LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE Eli Lieb
13 08 IGNITED Antonio Giacca
11 09 TIME Steve Grand
10 10 BURN AGAIN Tristan Thompson
02 11 SAY YOU LOVE ME Jessie Ware
21 12 SLEEVE Brandyn 
14 13 CALLING OUT Penguin Prison
20 14 PIECES Jessie Ware
06 15 ARMS OF ANOTHER Bright Light Bright Light
16 16 HOUNDS Smashing Satellites
05 17 SMILE Mikky Ekko
26 18 IT’S A MISTAKE Boycode
25 19 THERE’S NOTHING WRONG Eleven Past One
22 20 SOMEDAY Neverest
24 21 LIKE I CAN Sam Smith
New 22 SHE’S A CHAMELEON Graham Alexander
15 23 YELLOW FLICKER BEAT Lorde
New 24 SAVE THE LAST DANCE Anton Ewald
New 25 COULD IT BE MAGIC Color Theory
New 26 HERE’S TO THE ZEROS Marianas Trench
17 27 BRANDO Semi-Precious Weapons
18 28 STAGE FRIGHT Jake Barker
19 29 SUPERHEROES The Script
23 30 LOSING YOU Jane Badler

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!!

What’s “Moonmolt”? Daniel Robinson (@leinadrobinson) Explains It All!

danielrobinson

DANIEL ROBINSON, “Moonmolt”

Buffalo NY singer Daniel Robinson always seizes the unexpected and unique in his songs, and his latest, “Moonmolt”, is likely one of his best yet, holding promise for his upcoming album Truant.  “Moonmolt” breezes along with a very 80s bright electro-Britpop kind of melody (which reminds me of UK group China Crisis ca. 1984) with optimistic lyrics that resonate and hold a bit of the unknown over your head (“let it change me, until I’m not myself”).  While the song is sometimes awash with synths, Daniel’s vocal has a raw, edgy appeal that comes out in the song’s simplest moments.  And that simplicity combined with the complexity of the lyrics is what will attract you to the music of Daniel Robinson.  Listen below and pick it up on iTunes (for $.69 while it lasts!).

https://soundcloud.com/leinadrobinson/moonmolt

Brandyn (@brandynburnette) Gets You On The Lookout for “War Paint”

https://soundcloud.com/brandynburnette/war-paint

BRANDYN, “War Paint”

Brandyn Burnette has been offering up new music online in the forms of brand new songs, either acoustic or studio-produced.  “War Paint” was originally posted in its raw acoustic version (below), but is punched up considerably in its fully produced version (above) from The Couch Surfing Chronicles set, which you can stream in its entirety right here.  The one thing that’s always consistent in a Brandyn song is for the listener to be progressively engaged.  You wonder initially why Brandyn’s singing about a gal wearing “War Paint” – but then it turns out his character in the song has a real thing for a girl who’s just been through a breakup.  The giddiness of that kind of crush just kind of takes over and the winning story ensues.  Can’t wait for his new album – rumoured to be called The Healing – sometime very soon!

https://soundcloud.com/brandynburnette/war-paint-acoustic

Two Reasons Why They Should Be Superstars: @iamChrisJamison’s “Velvet” and @MattMcAndrew’s “Wasted Love”

chrisjamison

mattmcandrew

I have deliberately waited to write about my two favourite finalists on the most recent season of “The Voice”.  I think both Chris Jamison and Matt McAndrew can be superstars if all of the pieces fall into place now that the show is over.  Most releases by TV show performers come and go quickly.  But Chris and Matt have such resilient talent that they will both be back and continue to be recognized by both fans and the music community.  Their original songs recorded for “The Voice” are just terrific.

CHRIS JAMISON, “Velvet”

2nd runner up and Pittsburgh native Chris has an amazingly relaxed and assured personality on stage which came across particularly in his covers of  Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man”, Nick Jonas’ “Jealous”, and  Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River”.  “Velvet” is a mid-tempo R&B pop groover that you should not miss out on.  Chris could easily be a new Timberlake or Robin Thicke and “Velvet” is just that slick and soulful.  Including “Velvet”, Chris had 3 songs reach the Billboard Hot 100.  More songs like “Velvet” will attract new fans and make the demand for more Chris Jamison recordings happen!

MATT McANDREW, “Wasted Love”

I must admit that runner-up and New Jersey-born Matt was not on my radar until his captivating performance of Hozier’s “Take Me To Church”.  And it didn’t stop there with Ed Sheeran’s “Make It Rain” just scorching and Damien Rice’s “The Blower’s Daughter” bringing a rather obscure song to a very attentive huge audience.  Matt invests considerable power and emotion into his performances and it’s no wonder that “Wasted Love” popped into the Billboard Hot 100 at #14, the highest ever for a contestant on the show – and it’s one of 5 of his songs from the show to appear on the Hot 100.  “Wasted Love” is top notch alternative pop/rock with a soulful backdrop reminiscent of U2 and Coldplay that shouldn’t vanish after the show.  Although he’s already put out his own independent album almost a year ago called View Of The Pines, you can bet that more songs from Matt will be front and centre for your enjoyment very soon in 2015.

@TheHobbitMovie and @JRRTolkien Fans Are Gonna Love “Song Of Durin” by @Eurielle_music

EURIELLE, “Song Of Durin”

Fans of “The Hobbit” and J.R.R. Tolkien, unite!  Head over to the You Tube link above to Eurielle’s “Song Of Durin”.  As she prepares for her full album release this year, classically-trained UK singer Eurielle chooses wisely to continue to link her talents to dark, medieval-styled settings, making it a perfect fit against a film series like “The Hobbit” or “Lord of the Rings”.  Using words from Tolkien himself to create “Song Of Durin”, and the trailer for “The Hobbit” as a backdrop for the lyric video, Eurielle’s voice will cast a spell on you much as it did me last year when she released her debut EP The Incarnation (containing my #25 song of 2014 “Gold”, which has a new video coming soon).  Let’s hope “Song Of Durin” ends up on Eurielle’s record when it’s released and that movie producers will consider Eurielle’s talents worthy of an entire film score.

Work That Middle: @SamSparro’s Inspired Rework of “Rock The Boat”

https://soundcloud.com/sam-sparro/rock-the-boat

SAM SPARRO, “Rock The Boat”

We will never know what might have been, but Aaliyah was certainly working on some fine sexy music before she passed away in 2001 at only 22 years old.  Aussie-born pop/R&B singer Sam Sparro picks a choice cover to rework in Aaliyah’s posthumous hit “Rock The Boat”.  The song literally thrusts along to a faster beat, which takes nothing away from the vibe of the original at all, instead creating a much more uniquely sensual interpretation.  It follows up Sam’s Quantum Physical Volume One EP from 2013, and I’m not sure if “Rock The Boat” is scheduled for official release, but perhaps it could be a part of Volume Two?  Sam’s powerful voice as always is a blast to hear, especially in the R&B setting, and “Rock The Boat” is a great start for 2015 for the singer and what’s to come next!

Don’t It Now: “Feels So Good” the New Album by XavierToscano (@XToscano)

XavierToscano2

XAVIER TOSCANO, Feels So Good

Feels So Good is a fine start for California pop/EDM singer Xavier Toscano.  It’s a diverse album that slides easily between the pop, EDM, classic dance, and R&B/hip hop genres.  There is no doubt that Xavier lives by the title of the album.  It’s full of honest and inspiring music that will put a bounce into your day!  The single “Never Wanna Leave” (video below) is a good introduction to showcase Xavier’s crisp voice and the slick production that is sunk into each song.  I think what should be next though is to get dance clubs on board with the engaging update of Sylvester’s 1978 disco classic “You Make Me Feel Mighty Real”.  Club DJ’s should devour it silly as Xavier puts his own vocal spin on it (way too hard to outdo Sylvester!) while the producers keep the disco essence and channel Giorgio Moroder and Cerrone retro sounds a the contemporary rendition.  “Runaway” borrows a repeated keyboard riff idea from M83’s “Midnight City” and it makes “Runaway” memorable.  “Watch Out It’s On” is loaded with energy, while the sensitive ballad “Castles In The Sky” slows it down.  And then “Naz-T-Nice”, “Unstoppable Fever” and “Make It Look Easy” dip heavily into R&B and hip hop.  While not all of the songs work, there is plenty to enjoy on Feels So Good.  Xavier’s hard-working, fun and earnest personality shines through, and the attentive production guides the songs through a promising and fulfilling album.   You can listen to the album on Xavier’s website or through Reverb Nation, and then get it on iTunes.

New Year’s Treat from @SimonCurtis – Unreleased Demos and Remixes with “Love, S.” (free download)

SIMON CURTIS, Love, S. (EP – free download)

After the inspired partnership with Bad Wolfy/Ro Danishei for their Wrathschild project last year which yielded singles “Fall Into Love” and “Angeles”, long-time favourite L.A.-based singer/songwriter Simon Curtis gifted us with a New Year’s Eve present of some dance/EDM demos and remixes which deserve an audience. While I might tend to agree that Simon has already released many songs that are better – and it’s hard to believe in some ways that it’s been almost 5 years since the glorious 8bit Heart already! – they are more-than-suitable introductions to the singer for those who don’t know him, or great additions for fans and completists. The two highlights are “Demon” and “Alone”, which offer some really fine vocals from the singer that makes us miss more current material from him. “Stupid” and “Tough Love” are okay, but I personally think the time for the sound of these two songs has already passed. Two fun and different remixes of “Flesh” round out the collection, by the great new talents that are MNEK and Bright Light Bright Light. Simon is hinting that he will have something for us for our Kindles in 2015 as a published author, which may mean that new music from the singer may have to wait, including perhaps a full Wrathschild release. In the meantime, download Love, S. for free at the link below.

http://www20.zippyshare.com/v/1228096/file.html