I first wrote about The Autumn Portrait(aka Freddie Mojallal) and his sophomore album Tired Love a little over a year ago. This talented Toronto-based folk/pop singer/guitarist delivered particularly with that album’s final song, “Ghost”. The song is about a love long gone, and the new video for the song is a scrapbook of happy memories, definitely pause for thought for whatever happened. The song’s deliberate and sad tone is in stark contrast and makes the video work on an emotional level. Watch it above.
The Aikiu is a four piece contemporary new wave band from Paris led by singer/songwriter Alex Aikiu. And Alex scored a huge coup to get MEN vocalist JD Samson to sing on “Win”. The song is a pretty impressive slice of sophisticated, softer Eurodance pop, with emotive and empowering vocals from JD (who also puts her stamp on the song’s sequel “Win Part II” on The Aikiu’s EP). The Aikiu has enormous potential, blending styles from as diverse as Roxy Music and The Cure with current sounds which put them in the same queue of fans who like The Gossip, Passion Pit, and The Good Natured. Watch the video for “Win” below and get the Win EP on iTunes.
In somewhat of a nice coincidence with this post, I learned this evening that JD Samson & MEN are playing The Garrison in my city (Toronto) on Sunday January 26.
After fulfilling his record deal with Atlantic Records, which gave us the terrific 11:59 album in 2010, and after having another go with Island Records, who released the single “Stay Awhile”, Ryan Star took back his new music, created a Pledge campaign, and last week A N G E L S + A N I M A L S arrived, after being preceded by the EP Animals late last Summer (which I previously wrote about). The new album gives Ryan’s fans everything they have wanted – a truly personal, introspective, emotional rock record. While 11:59 has a set of fabulous pop and rock songs (and lord knows what it took to get them there, being in the works for years), A N G E L S + A N I M A L S I believe offers the side of Ryan Star that the corporate world would say wouldn’t fit on one of their releases.
You can hear the full story of the new album below from Ryan himself, along with a live version of “My Life With You”. It contains six new songs, including a slower and more deliberate version of the single “Impossible” (the Animals version is also included), plus the four other songs from Animals. A N G E L S + A N I M A L S isn’t a lush affair, but the instrumentation and production sound very precise, leaving Ryan to sing his songs, with intimate and sometimes intense results. “Sailing On”, “I Will Survive”, and “Where The Island Ends” are the best of the new ones, alternately sweeping you up in the emotion or empowering you to carry on.
It’s been a long journey for Ryan Star from Elephant and “Rock Star:Supernova”, and he’s now recorded two very different albums. Hopefully A N G E L S + A N I M A L S, will be a successful reminder to the industry about what fans want, and can now get through Pledge/Kickstarter projects, from their favourite performers who know how to deliver the goods.
Ungrounded is a well-rounded rock album from relatively new New York-area singer Carly Jamison. Carly has the versatility to sing with the best of them, drawing from classic rock and traditional country influences, and coming off a lot of the times as Chrissie Hynde-meets-Amy Winehouse via The Smithereens. I love records that showcase real instruments, and Ungrounded is one of them, including piano and horns, as well as guitar work from Dan Baird of Georgia Satellites fame (I saw the Satellites back in 1988!). The most memorable songs on the album are “Superman Fantasy” (animated video above), “No Easy Way Out” and the Memphis country sound of “I Don’t Think We Have Ever Met”. Other songs like “Runaway Train” and “Small Talk” have retro flavour that wouldn’t be out of place on a Chris Isaak album. There’s even the acoustic “I Said I Loved You But I Lied” (NOT the Michael Bolton song), which evokes a smoky French jazz club feel. All in all, Ungrounded is a diverse rock album that showcases Carly Jamison’s many talents, and the songs should play out just fine in concert.
L.A. based singer JMSN once again gives us plenty of food for thought in his second video from the EP †Pllajë† called “The One”. Seemingly cryptic and obscure, I think a message behind “The One” might boil down to something relatively simple: Don’t forget to look deep underneath the outside to find out what’s on the inside. In this case, we certainly have sensuality and beauty, but in other cases it may not be what you think. Vocals-wise, although he doesn’t appear much, we do get to hear a gorgeous JMSN falsetto after the 2 minute mark, which anchors the song. Ever thoughtful and challenging, that’s why I’ve been enjoying JMSN’s music since 2012’s †Priscilla†.
There’s a limited amount of big movement on my new personal chart, as one might expect for the first chart of January. The next few weeks will bring plenty of new songs for 2014 as last year’s faves exit the chart.
It looks like our Top 2 songs might give way to new ones, but “An Open Heart” by Bright Light Bright Light has had 4 appearances at the top and “What’s Going On” by Monsieur Adi featuring A*M*E has held runner up for 5 appearances, which are stories unto themselves 🙂
The big news in the Top 10 belongs (surprise, surprise) to Travis Garland! Two of the sexiest songs on his self-titled debut are moving up, first at #3 with the album track “Easy” (above), which could slide up to #1 – or could “Motel Pool” (below) do that instead, soaring 22-9 in its second appearance? You can’t lose with either song!
One of the songs I’ve enjoyed most over the winter break and beyond is “Every Single Moment” by SIRPAUL, which advances 5-4. Gets cranked in the car every time 🙂
“Animals” by Martin Garrix is a huge surprise, and should by all rights be a top pop hit around the world and not just in Europe. It moves up 6-5.
UK singer Eurielle has big things coming for 2014, the start of which is her 3 song EP The Incarnation, featuring the stunning “Gold”, rising 7-6.
“Breathe Me” is Carlos Nóbrega’s poignant take on the Sia song, and it jumps 10-7 and looks to be Top 5 bound 🙂
Rounding out the risers within the Top 10 is another sad and beautifully sung tune, Jarell Perry’s “4th of July” (below), still available as a free download.
The rest of the chart finds several recent additions caught in the middle, waiting for other songs to fall. The fastest risers of the bunch belong to Bright Light Bright Light’s “In My Care” (16-13), “Come A Little Closer” by Cage The Elephant (23-20) (below), and Své’s alt.pop beauty “Talking To The Walls” (28-25). And the “Glee”/Adam Lambert version of “Marry The Night” climbs to #11, one spot higher than Lady GaGa’s original – but does that make it better? Maybe!
Our first of three newcomers arrived almost exactly two weeks ago as a free download, which made it to the chart blog post as an ‘extra’. Well Neverest’s anthemic and danceable “Take Cover” bows at #21 – can it get to #1 like last year’s “Rewind”? Watch the performance video above to give you a taste of the impact of a Neverest show 🙂
Next up at #22 is what could be the “It Guy” of early 2014 😉 Jake Miller has a certain kind of charm with his mix of pop and rap that is definitely turning heads with his debut album Us Against Them. “Collide” is the lead single and it’s simply a winner to which North American radio is warming up.
The song really didn’t need minions to become a hit, but certainly having two non-consecutive weeks at the top in the UK has helped it immensely. “Happy” (from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack) also happens to be by Pharrell Williams who is more than everywhere than he’s ever been (if you follow that 😛 ). It arrives on my chart at #27.
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 AN OPEN HEART Bright Light Bright Light 02 02 WHAT’S GOING ON Monsieur Adi featuring A*M*E 04 03 EASY Travis Garland 05 04 EVERY SINGLE MOMENT SIRPAUL 06 05 ANIMALS Martin Garrix 07 06 GOLD Eurielle 10 07 BREATHE ME Carlos Nóbrega 03 08 CAN’T HOLD BACK Anton Ewald 22 09 MOTEL POOL Travis Garland 12 10 4TH OF JULY Jarell Perry 13 11 MARRY THE NIGHT Glee Cast featuring Adam Lambert 09 12 DO I HAVE TO DANCE Simon Curtis 16 13 IN YOUR CARE Bright Light Bright Light 15 14 DO WHAT U WANT Lady Gaga featuring R. Kelly 17 15 ROLLERCOASTER Corey Niles featuring Dru 18 16 KEEP ME RUNNING Andy Suzuki & The Method 19 17 I CAN’T HELP IT Dangerous Muse 21 18 MANiCURE Lady Gaga 08 19 I HAVE A NAME Osvaldo Supino 23 20 COME A LITTLE CLOSER Cage The Elephant New 21 TAKE COVER Neverest New 22 COLLIDE Jake Miller 11 23 WE CAN’T STOP SUMMERTIME SADNESS DATABOY 14 24 JULIET Lawson 28 25 TALKING TO THE WALLS Své 20 26 BERLIN WALL Simon Curtis New 27 HAPPY Pharrell Williams 25 28 ADORN Miguel featuring Jessie Ware 27 29 IMPOSSIBLE Ryan Star 29 30 HEADHUNTER Parralox
You can’t help but be moved by the feel-good determination of the lyrics and the sweeping and uplifting melody of Casey Stratton’s “Grace”. The song, originally featured on Casey’s Sea Into Sky album from last year, now has its own generous 7 song EP on release. A simple, well-defined video (below), set in a Grand Rapids, Michigan church, is a fine showcase for Casey to accompany the song. “Grace” is long at 6:18 but do stick with it to enjoy all of the lyrics sung by Casey’s far-reaching voice as the melody soars to display all of its power. You can buy the Grace EP at Casey’s storeright here.
SHOWTEK & JUSTIN PRIME featuring MATTHEW KOMA, “Cannonball (Earthquake)”
Dutch DJ/Producer brothers Showtek (Wouter and Sjoerd Janssen) and Justin Prime shook up dancefloors in Europe with their instrumental “Cannonball” back in 2012. What better way to remarket the song than with stunning vocals by Matthew Koma as “Cannonball (Earthquake)”, particularly as “Dare You”, Matthew’s collaboration with Hardwell (which I wrote about earlier), has landed in the UK Top 20 Singles this week! The rework packs a magic three-tiered punch – amazing slamming house rhythms, lyrics, and Matthew’s voice – which should send clubs around the world into a tizzy. Watch the lyric video above. Here’s hoping it sees North American release soon.
The raves are pouring in, and you can count me among the believers of new singer Harriet based on this one gorgeous song “Afterglow”. For she is another protégé of the magnificent Steve Anderson (Kylie Minogue, Leona Lewis, Elouise), and they have co-written this song, which is a star-maker for sure. What will strike you initially is a Karen Carpenter-like resonance to her voice, whether intended or not, which sounds fresh in 2014. But the song itself builds and takes you away from that likeness, and before you know it you can visualize Harriet singing “Afterglow” as if it was a solo number in a Broadway play. Elegant and electrifying, “Afterglow” is definitely one of the best new songs out of the gate in 2014 and Harriet looks to have a bright year ahead.
There’s often so many boy bands to choose from, but the ones that always rise to the top are those with fine, fine voices and the songs to go with them. So UK quartet Union J scores with “Loving You Is Easy”, and it’s the range of vocal talent between Jaymi, JJ, Josh, and George that set them apart from One Direction, The Wanted, and others. “Loving You Is Easy” is instantly memorable and could score internationally – but right now their self-titled album isn’t even released in North America; only their first two singles and this video are available for purchase on iTunes. Union J have already attracted quite a following, having signed a major label deal with RCA after placing fourth in season 9 of X Factor, and their website is a teen fan mag fan’s dream. The video is a little clichéd – all that bloody water 😉 – but give it a watch below.
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