Last September,I introduced you to the relatively newly formed rock/jazz/R&B outfit The Aquaducks, who hail from Nashville. The band has tightened its sound and with a more professional video to support “This Far”, they continue to get across their fun-loving, live-off-the-floor sound which is pretty well guaranteed to blow the roof off of any small club. Creigh Reipe’s crisp vocal and Paul Violante’s inviting sax lead the way in the performance part of the video amid the funky jazzy business. And in the rest of the loosely structured but amusing plot, the band seems to be trying to play in the legendary Ryman Auditorium but ends up running around Nashville under watch. Quack to that 🙂 I’m hoping that “This Far” is the start of the quality work that you will get to know from The Aquaducks.
New York singer Traedonya is no stranger to the music scene, having recorded since age 13 with some major label success in the 90’s with her band Sample This. She’s been recording solo since 2003, and her bold, smooth and sophisticated R&B provides a welcome alternative to what songs in that genre move on to pop radio these days. There’s heavy jazz influence here which certainly recalls how Mavis Staples, Chaka Khan, and other 70’s R&B masters incorporated it into their songs. Traedonya transforms Sly & The Family Stone’s 1971 #1 “Family Affair” from a fun and funky song with a message, into a classy, warm and welcoming update that gives off that same strong message of unity. “Another Lie” is an even better showcase for the singer’s attractive and scorching voice that lends itself to biting lyrics amid an old-style smoky jazz-club kind of setting. Watch for Traedonya’s EP High Fructose Corn Syrup and listen to the songs above and below.
Singer Matthew Koma has created some of the best music to arrive in the last year or so, from his EP Parachute, and then with the recent release of “One Night” from his upcoming album Arcadia. Matthew announced this week that an EP will precede the album and that “Suitcase” might be included. The video above is an excellent performance live from the Cherrytree House in June. Matthew has the uncanny ability to draw you into the song, either through the melody or lyrics (or maybe both) on one listen. “Suitcase” has a lot of emotion crammed into one song and identifies some hard truths that we don’t always like to hear. It’s beautifully done – reminiscent of Australian singer Stan Walker’s “Black Box” in some ways. Can’t wait to see more Matthew Koma songs on official release this year, hopefully more sooner than later.
Through the successful independent and free download release of his album Simple Things, one of the year’s best records, I will reiterate that Jarell Perry has proven that great songs carried by a magnificent voice can lead the way without the aid of visuals. So somewhat belatedly we now have the video for one of that album’s songs “Getaway” to make the package complete. For those of you unfamiliar with Jarell, “Getaway” is a most worthy introduction, though to me there are other better songs on the album (“9 2 5”, “Awkward”, “Perfect”). Nonetheless by the end of 2013 Jarell Perry will be considered among the many fine vocalists who have surfaced with new music over the past year or so, whether they be relative newcomers like Frank Ocean or Miguel, or powerhouses like Justin Timberlake and Usher.
If you’re a new reader, the BILLCS Top 30 is my personal chart of faves, and this marks the 410th edition since January 1998. And since September 2009, I’ve been writing these bi-weekly wanderings though my new’n’notables 🙂
First off, and first 🙂 Pet Shop Boys currently rule my iPod Touch! Electric is very likely my favourite long-player of the year so far, and current single “Vocal” captures the top of my chart for a third bi-weekly appearance, showing no immediate signs of relenting…
This is leaving “Begging” by Swedish teen star Anton Ewald, in second place. And that’s not unfortunate when it’s next to Pet Shop Boys. “Begging” is from Anton’s EP called A.
#3 and #4 follow each other into the Top 5. I’m looking forward to remixes of Dan Black & Kelis’ “Hearts”, as well as full albums from each (watch the intriguing video below). And Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” seems to have stirred up a whole lotta fun around the world as sex rules the pop charts more predominately since possibly 1973 (which will be another separate blog post).
There’s not a whole lot happening in the first minute and a half of “I Think I Love You”, a rework of a song by Dwele courtesy of Montreal’s Victor Bongiovanni at #6. But for what it lacks in lyrical substance it totally makes up for with club atmosphere and a most propulsive, seductive bassline.
I’m still grooving to “Let The Groove Get In” by Justin Timberlake (below) at #7 from the first part of The 20/20 Experience. “Take Back The Night” should arrive in this space in two weeks.
It’s beenone of my most read blog poststhese past few months, but it’s quite apparent that Ryan Adamés’ deeply warm and fuzzy cover of Justin Bieber’s “As Long As You Love Me” (video at the top of this page – the song is a free download if you ‘like’ Ryan’s Facebook page) is turning heads and getting in some ears. It’s a stunner and a chart topper contender that bows at #8, while Ryan’s collaboration with Parralox on “Silent Morning” holds steady at #5. Two concurrent times in my Top 10 for a new performer is a rarity!
Two songs from FrankMusik’s Between album continue to rise up the chart while the singer has been on a deserved vacation, after which he now plans to release Between and the acoustic Between Us as a double album in the Fall, preceded by new material due imminently. “Chasing Shadows” inches up to #10, while “Life (Is My Revenge)” moves to #15.
You can view the full Top 30 using the link under ***BILL’S PERSONAL CHART*** to the right, or you can click right here. You can hear all of the songs on the chart or watch their videos by clicking on the pics on the chart page. Any free downloads that are identified are sanctioned by the performer. There’s always a tiny place at the bottom of the blog post with tags and the statement “Leave A Comment” – please feel free to do so
Two great indie acts are closing in on the Top 10. It’s taken a while but “Fade Into The Light” by Adam Tyler is at #11, and he is no stranger to the Top 10 with past songs like “Friction”, “I Won’t Let You Go”, and “Music Freak”. But NYC’s Andy Suzuki & The Method are still fairly fresh new blood, and “Dirty Floors” from Born Out Of Mischief jumps to #12.
Lawson’s “Brokenhearted” (featuring B.o.B.) became their most recent UK Top 10 hit, which I’m hoping will lead to its North American release while the band tours here. It climbs to #14.
More indie newcomers to the chart are Killian Wells (featuring Kristinia DeBarge) on the bright and very shiny “Remix My Love” at #16 (above), and Kim Smith, whose “Shooting Star” from debut electropop album Nova soars to #17.
Travis Garland’s “Homewrecker” looks to break hearts as the song climbs 24-18 from the free downloadable EP Fashionably Late II, while Kylie Minogue has the fastest riser on the chart with “Skirt” (below) tantalizing dance floors world wide. It jumps 26-19.
Playing it cool in the summer months is studio project Amelia’s Fault featuring Dave Gahan-influenced singer Color Theory with “Colder” at #20.
Two more debuts by newcomers grace the chart.Sam Dickinson’s album The Stories That Occurredis one of the finest sung albums you will hear this year, which will take you to another place within the pop/R&B/soul realm. His latest single “Learn To Wait” storms the chart at #22
New Zealand singer Lorde sneaks under your skin before you know it with “Royals” looking to be a rather conveniently titled pop song that regardless of the birth of Prince George looks to be a hit anyway. It arrives at #25.
Back in March, I wrote that L.A. based singer/songwriter and favourite boy robot Simon Curtis announced that he would be launching a ‘kickstarter’ project sometime soon. Always true to his word, I’m pleased to say that today (Saturday July 27), Simon revealed that the $5,000 goal to make a video for a brand new song had been met – in TWO DAYS.
This only proves more and more that investing personally in your favourite performers’ works and careers is becoming the way to go in these days where record companies are much more selective about who they sign and invest in. The rich do get richer, but that doesn’t stop the rest of us from helping to make things happen.
Also,you can read my commentsabout a recent and unreleased song of Simon’s called “Meteor”, which gives you a flavour of where the singer might be headed with new songs.
Fans of Toronto quartet Neverest, known for the 2010/11 domestic ballads “About Us” and “Everything”, will be pleased to see the band going into a slightly different direction with their latest single “Rewind”, released earlier this week. I was fortunate to hear it when I saw them perform at Toronto’s Corso Italia festival a few weeks ago.
This is a tough, punchy, rocking Neverest which should easily perk up new ears as “Rewind” makes its way across radio stations in Canada in the coming weeks. Anyone who has seen their shows knows that they can rock out, and with the addition of dazzling guitarist Greg Keyes, along with Spee, Paul,and Mykey, you can expect a lot more of that to come. If you haven’t seen it yet, watch the trailer for the video of “Rewind” below, where the band had to take some martial arts or fighting lessons to embody the action in the video. Looks very exciting and full of spy world kind of intrigue!
As with their show this past February, Neverest will be once again opening up for UK band Lawson at their Toronto show on August 30. Can’t wait! 🙂 Listen to “Rewind” below and get it on iTunes.
After his major label debut in 2010 with the long-awaited 11:59 album (which got to the Top 40 of the Billboard 200) and long-lasting songs like “Right Now”, “Breathe”, and “Last Train Home”, as well as last year’s “Stay Awhile” on a different label, Ryan Star is back with his new independent release, the EP Animals, due August 5. From that, as reported by Billboard today, “Impossible” will be the first single.
By far, this is one of the best songs from Ryan to date, another empowering set of lyrics reminiscent especially of “Breathe” carried by a live off the floor performance that resonates with honesty and fervour. This is not entirely unexpected from Ryan, who leaves himself on the stage whenever he performs. I’ve seen him twice in concert, in 2010 and last year in my city (when I got to chat with him), and “Impossible” looks to be great start to the 2013 Animals phase for Ryan. You can pre-order Animals on iTunes. Listen and add your comments at Billboard’s Soundcloud link below.
I say that Ryan’s version of “As Long As You Love Me” is the most unexpected cover song of the year for a number of reasons. I mean, how many versions of this Justin Bieber song have you already heard? Most of them just want to copy his style and don’t attempt to make the song their own. Puerto Rican native Ryan Adamés is known mainly in dance circles and is a rising star thanks to his unique collaboration with Parralox on their cover of “Silent Morning” (which resides within my current Top 5 on my chart). So to hear him tackle this song is out of the ordinary, more so because it doesn’t have a peppy dance beat to it. Next, it is stripped down to next to nothing. It shows what a great, pure voice Ryan has in an acoustic setting. The guitar work has a sexy Spanish flavour to it too. Lastly, Ryan transforms the song. It is recognizable as a Bieber cover for sure, after the first few bars, but would you really expect it to turn out so well? I was floored the first time I heard “As Long As You Love Me” and my daughter wanted to know who he was immediately. It draws you in and cozies right up next to you, so yes you can expect to feel warm and fuzzy afterwards.
And Ryan’s video – he directed it – has a loose but simple plot to it that lets us into the studio and choreo warmups in-between until you almost forget about it. Then, that ending… so much was first said about the ending of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”, and then even more was said about Steve Grand’s “All American Boy” video these past few weeks that I think those that connected with the latter will adore this one. Huge props to Ryan and his team – this is one of the songs of summer ’13 for me 🙂
I like to think of today’s music world as a treasure trove of delights waiting to be discovered. I’m fortunate enough to receive previews of songs and albums, and occasionally get my socks knocked off by some terrific performers. Sam Dickinson is a relatively new UK singer whose album The Stories That Occurred is released on Monday.I already wrote about his initial single/video “How It Used To Be”, one of the standouts of the very personal songs on the album. Sam is one of those quintessential UK soul voices that comes along rarely, though guys like Charlie Brown and Daley are good company for him. But The Stories That Occurred is awash in more old school soul – definitely back to the 60’s with Sam & Dave and Aretha, but more noticeably 80’s such as Paul Young and The Style Council, but particularly Simply Red. And just as when you look at Mick Hucknall, you do not expect such a big, resonant, soul-ridden voice to come out of Sam Dickinson.
But it does, and indeed it is the showpiece of the album, as it should be. The Stories That Occurred contains upbeat songs and ballads, and is richly produced to compete with any similar sounding big label guns. His new single “Learn To Wait” is a foot-stomper that leaps out of your stereo speakers with its powerful vocal and big horn arrangement – watch the video below. The other standouts on the record are “Lift Your Head”, which is an inspirational and heartfelt song about cancer awareness, and the ballad “A Million Miles”, which uses Sam’s power and the horn arrangement to different effects.
Sam Dickinson is definitely not a talent you want to miss! Watch for the opportunity to catch his shows if you are in England. The fine work on this album speaks for itself. It should attract pop and R&B/soul fans in droves, and “Learn To Wait” is the single that will help get Sam the attention that this album deserves. Get it on iTunes!
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