Tag Archives: acoustic

You Could Hear A Pin Drop: “Hate Me” (live acoustic version) by @Eurielle_music

EURIELLE, “Hate Me” (live acoustic version)

Yorkshire-born trained soprano Eurielle has been a constant pop music force to watch in 2014, since the debut of her EP The Incarnation last winter.  The last quarter of the year will bring us a full album.  So following the short film experience of the winning “Carry Me” comes a live acoustic performance of a new song, “Hate Me”, that should be sealing the deal for any disbelievers.  British singers like Eurielle are bringing the most rudimentary form of classically-based pop back to be reckoned with the busy electronic pop of today.  There is always room for beautiful music and voices that make you listen.  There’s often so much quiet in Eurielle’s performance of “Hate Me” that you really have to pay close attention.  But it’s worth it.  Amy Lee of Evanescence had better watch out – she’s in great company with the likes of Eurielle!  PS the outfit Eurielle is wearing is most befitting of the wicked queen in “Once Upon A Time” 🙂

Get To Know The @AutumnPortrait with “My Brother”

THE AUTUMN PORTRAIT, “My Brother”

There’s always a hopeful side to situations involving loss, and The Autumn Project’s latest single “My Brother” is about just that.  The accompanying video, beautifully shot by Ryan Nolan, shows carefree distractions through the eyes of children, and to me the underlying message is why adults can’t deal with loss in a similar way.  Unfortunately we’re too bound with responsibility and concern for others, and children deal with it differently, making you want to go back to that time when we didn’t understand so much.  The kids in the video do a fabulous job, and it thoroughly compliments the gentle acoustic song and its message from The Autumn Project (aka Toronto-based Freddie Mojallal).  “My Brother” is available as a single or as a part of Freddie’s album Tired Love on iTunes.

A Tale of Two Different Oceans: “Ocean” by @AndreasMoemusic and “Ocean” by @VanessaElisha

ANDREAS MOE, “Ocean”

VANESSA ELISHA, “Ocean”

It’s strange sometimes when two songs arrive closely together with the same title, yet have nothing in common, except of course that they are both completely noteworthy 🙂

Readers of this blog know Swedish singer Andreas Moe all too well for his vocal appearances on dance hits by Tiesto and John de Sohn, as well as for an original EP from two years ago called Collecting Sunlight.  “Ocean” continues in the acoustic, folk-influenced vein, but this time there seem to be more traditional folk elements about the song as its story unfolds into something on the mystical side, captured nicely by the free-spirited look of the video, below.  Big things continue to happen for Andreas – such as opening recently for John Mayer!  His four song EP Ocean is due July 14, but in the meantime you can buy the title song on iTunes.

It’s hard to imagine such a deep R&B flavoured sound coming from an Australian singer, but Vanessa Elisha is back with “Ocean”, which continues a similar style started by “Home To Me”, from her previous EP Don’t Go.  Vanessa’s voice has all of the best qualities of the biggest name female R&B singers, but her style fits in more comfortably with those on the more alternative/hip hop side.  When she sings “surround me like an ocean”, you will immediately want to do the same (especially if it means warm Aussie waters).  She has a cool way of expressing longing and desire when missing her guy.  It’s no surprise that Vanessa’s main audience is in North America, it’s just a matter of getting over here for the exposure, which I’m sure will happen one day.  I’ve also heard that Vanessa wants to work with JMSN… would be a great pairing!  Listen to “Ocean” below.

 

 

Acoustic Sensations from @RyanStar: “Bullet” and “Here Comes Your Man”

RYAN STAR, “Bullet” and “Here Comes Your Man” (acoustic)

Ryan Star continues to promote his album independently released earlier this year called A N G E L S + A N I M A L S, which contains the singles “Stay Awhile” and “Impossible”.  Like with his previously released EP America, one of Ryan’s great strengths is to take away the band and bring a song into acoustic form.  I’ve seen his concert in full blown electric R&R and acoustic.  So you’ll see in the video for “Bullet” (above) that the song trades intensities from the album version to a bare bones honest acoustic guitar version recorded in a park.  Not one to hide his many influences, Ryan also strips away the post-new wave trappings of The Pixies’ “Here Comes Your Man” (below) to a more lyrical piano rendition that is capped by a classic Ryan Star powerful vocal moment around the 1:45 mark.  Ryan continues to sell out shows in New York City, such as on June 20th at Rockwood Music Hall, but announced a second one at the same venue on July 10.  Then he’s hosting and playing acoustic at the “Rockin’ To Save Babies’ Lives” benefit concert on July 23 at the Hammerstein Ballroom alongside A Great Big World, Mary Lambert, and DJ Cassidy (tickets start at $100).  Do yourself a huge favour in the meantime and buy A N G E L S + A N I M A L S on iTunes.

2 Of A Perfect Pair: @TheFrankMusik’s Between Us and Between

frankmusik15

FRANKMUSIK  Between Us

No sooner than his album Between was released this past Spring, FrankMusik was already planning to issue an acoustic version called Between Us.  It saw release last week, and the prolific singer/songwriter/everything guy has created the perfect vocal-and-piano flipside to the EDM emotional rollercoaster of the original album.  That’s not to say that there’s any less emotion in these stripped down versions, in fact the emotional basis of the songs is in many cases quite heightened.  But we also hear what songs perhaps fit better as dance revelations, while others do fare better with just voice and piano.  And some are clearly fine in both versions.

In fact, I like “Map” and “Captain” as much as I do the originals.  With “Map”, it aches with sadness in this rendition, while “Captain” is still a storm of a slightly different bent.  “Cake” seems to be a much more obviously angry song stripped of its frenetic production, and I definitely connect better with “Pins and Needles” in its Between Us version.  “Did Love” becomes less of a big production number and more of a solo climactic point.  “Thank You” is arguably the most heartfelt song on the record.  And there’s a new song that could easily generate some tears.  “Hymn” is a “hymn” as much about “him” (the Other Guy) as it is about his ex.  Even if you’ve never been in that kind of messy situation, the song is a piece of storytelling bar none and should be heard (below).

Kudos to Vincent Frank for laying most of his emotional cards on the table for us to hear in 2013, along with some Between States USA shows this past summer (with what I hope will be more to come) and undoubtedly more projects up his creative sleeves.  As a bonus treat, take a listen to FrankMusik’s lovely electronic cover of The Beatles’ “From Me To You” below.

The Most Unexpected Cover Song of the Year is by Singer Ryan Adamés

ryanadames2

RYAN ADAMES, “As Long As You Love Me”

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 🙂

A Hat-trick of Great Cover Versions

This isn’t just your usual blog for me.  People who know me know how particular I am about cover versions, particularly those that have been substantial hits.  Nonetheless, I can be persuaded with the right version 🙂 Take for example, most recently, Pet Shop Boys’ rendition of  “Viva La Vida” – but then it’s PSB style mixed with some verses from their own “Domino Dancing”.  Prior to that, you have to go back to 2006 for covers that I really liked – Cheap Trick’s “I Want You To Want Me” as recorded by Chris Isaak, and Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” as recorded by Meat Loaf & Marion Raven (though Celine’s was actually a cover too, just the best known version).

So here are three recent covers.  Click on the headings – the first two of which are free downloads courtesy of the artists themselves.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miike Snow – “Animal” (Christian TV 2010 Beast Mode Remix)

I’d like to bill this as Christian TV vs Miike Snow.  This is a terrific pairing 🙂 Christian has slowed down and minimalized the upbeat playfulness of “Animal” without taking the fun away.  He just keeps the fun in anticipation instead of being overt.  I’ve always found the song kind of self-celebratory in some ways – about remaining true to yourself while disguising yourself for certain situations.  A great bonus from the singer whose “When She Turns 18” still rides in the Top 10 of my chart.  Get it before it disappears!


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adam Tyler “Torn” (acoustic)

From one of my increasingly favourite new singers comes this beautifully stripped down version of Natalie Imbruglia’s 1998 massive hit.  It’s not totally stripped, there are some subtle string arrangements to give it depth.  But kudos to Mr. Tyler’s vocal on this one, considering we have only recently known him for his dance-oriented efforts like “Friction” (which took time but won me over big time this year).  “Torn” sounds different sung by a guy and he’s given it the right emotional quality which has only been hinted at in some of the vocals in “Friction”.  Again, grab this triumph while you can!



 

 

 

 

 

 

Gavin Mikhail “Raise Your Glass”

Another song about self-celebration, US singer Gavin Mikhail has given Pink’s recent hit a bluesy piano man edge that keeps everything that you like about Pink’s version in tact (other than Pink herself).  Like fellow piano guy Clayton Senne, Gavin’s been putting out records for a few years now and has got some notoriety through working with Peter Gabriel a couple of years back.  He’s a fine vocalist and understated talent, and when you hear “Raise Your Glass” you may just do exactly that.  Cheers – and order your copy on iTunes to keep Pink’s original company.