My summer concert swing is in full effect and I’m enjoying it. Though it technically began when I saw Illenium’s stadium show at Barclay Centre in New York City at the beginning of July – wow so long ago, already? – it has continued this month with shows by long-time favourites SAGA and James Bay, local CNE fair shows from Dionne Warwick and Amanda Marshall, and continues this week with concerts by my good friend Rob Preuss (ex-Spoons and Honeymoon Suite), JVKE, and Images in Vogue with Toronto’s Kinga opening. No need to pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars for great shows when there is so much talent playing clubs and mid-size venues for reasonable prices.
Among the features in the Report, you can check out my pick of the week, along with one from the host of online radio’s “Top 40 Timeline”, “Big Daddy” Russ Horton, plus “Modern Hype” online radio host Hunter Wilbur’s “Bop of the Week”. “The Musicman” James Rogers from online radio’s “3D Variety Show” has his Classic Five pop hits focusing on songs from 1976. And you’ll find out what the hottest songs on the BILLCS Top 30 were 5-10-15-20 years ago!
The BILLCS New Music Report is a work-in-progress and I welcome your suggestions so feel free to contact me at through my social media links right here.
REMINDER: Click the photo above the artist’s name and song title to hear the song or watch the video.
SPOTLIGHTING
BRANDYN BURNETTE, “sunset eyes”
I’ve showcased the music of L.A.-based singer/songwriter Brandyn Burnette in this blog for 9 years now, when I was first captivated by his enduring “Thanks for Nothing” (whose T-shirt has always prompted interesting glances or responses when I’ve worn it). Brandyn hasn’t released a lot of music since his Canadian Top 40 radio smash last year with DVBBS, “Summer Nights” (which reached #7 on the BILLCS Top 30), and “sunset eyes” is a welcome return to the indie pop style that fostered his long-term fan base. “sunset eyes” is an appropriately dreamy song about how much he adores his better half and how she looks back at him. There’s nothing complex about it, and the light rhythmic arrangement captures the SoCal beach vibe well. No muss, no fuss, I’ll take a song like this by Brandyn anytime!
FRED AGAIN.., OBONGJAYAR, “adore u”
One of the most unique releases you’ll hear all year is “adore u” by UK electronic producer and fan favourite Fred Again.., in collaboration with London-based Nigerian vocalist/songwriter Obongjayar (aka Steven Umoh). It’s already off to a great start in the UK, where it has debuted inside the Top 20. What’s most interesting is the vocal by Obongjayar, which Fred Again.. has given a fluttery kind of sound atop sometimes minimal production, though Fred has invested in creating some African-like rhythms too. To give the song another surprise layer, Fred has built “adore u” around a 1984 release by The Fat Boys called “Stick ‘Em”. You can’t deny all of the effort that has gone into making “adore u” a delightful experience for the attentive music listener. Check out the live performance video of the song above.
ALEXANDER STEWART, “I Wish You Cheated”
Toronto’s Alexander Stewart broke out with his Canadian radio hit “Backwards” from the album of the same name in 2020, but his releases went quiet until this year, when he resurfaced on a retake of Dylan Conrique’s “Birthday Cake” as a duet. Following the success of similar vocalists like Olivia Rodrigo, Conan Gray and Benson Boone, Alexander’s “I Wish You Cheated” is a perfect fit into that landscape of potential Top 40 pop. It’s a self-reflective ballad, when you realize you’re the one to blame for the end of a relationship, which puts the other half on a pedestal and to whom other future relationships will be hard to compare. It’s an interesting angle for sure in a song which has already racked up 5 million+ streams on Spotify alone. Alexander is currently touring with K-POP star Eric Nam, whose show I may check next month when I’m in the US.
Alexander Stewart also opens for Eric Nam at HISTORY on October 16, 2023 in Toronto.
TIM YOUNG, “Supernova”
I recently wrote about Tim Young’s lush electronic pop release “Lavender”, and coming at us from a similar gay love story vantage point is “Supernova” – but this time it’s a ballad backed entirely by piano and cello. Like “Lavender”, “Supernova” is about a past lover, with the title flower being the connection. It’s a soaring, universal ballad reminiscing about how they were when then were at their best together. And while the story was the star of “Lavender” amid a lot of production, it’s Tim’s powerful voice this time that is duly showcased, and you can hear why the NYC-based performer has been part of two Grammy-winning projects, the play “Dear Evan Hansen” and the film “The Greatest Showman”. Check out the video above for some captivating choreography.
FEATURING
MARIA WILMAN, “Roll Your Soul”
The first thing that you’re going to notice about London-based, Bilbao, Spain-born Maria Wilman’s “Roll Your Soul” is how much at times she sounds like Chrissie Hynde. And I think the passionate side of that kind of voice is used effectively in Maria’s brand of alternative rock. “Roll Your Soul” seems ages old but fresh at the same time, in its story of how much you might choose to gamble to obtain power and gold, specifically. It’s culled from Maria’s debut album, Dark Horse, recorded between 2019 and 2022. She’s only been releasing music for the past few years but chose to make a fresh start in music – at age 50. That itself is a risk-taker, but when the music gods are guiding you, it’s hard not to follow them. “Roll Your Soul” can sure rock with the best of them.
WAITING FOR SMITH, “Let Light In”
Netherlands-based British talent Harry Lloyd is the kind of every day guy you’d enjoy spending time with over a beer in a pub, if his genuinely happy Instagram feed is any indication. His thoughtful and touching release “Heal” got to #10 earlier this year on the BILLCS Top 30. “Let Light In” is a folk-flavoured singalong to positivity from which we can all take notes. It may seem a little idyllic at times, but “Let Light In” is mood-changer that would probably be best heard in concert. Harry’s knowing vocal – he spent a year recovering from a broken back suffered in a skiing accident – is flush with warm honesty, making “Let Light In” so easy to enjoy.
MELØ, “Don’t Feel A Thing”
Windsor-based talent MELØ veers into danceable pop with “Don’t Feel A Thing”, which follows up his recent more rock-flavoured release “King of Nothing”, which I wrote about a while back. It’s an 80s/90s flavoured track that examines a relationship that is pretty much over and has gone numb, and why we put on the faςade of arguing when it’s not needed. The song’s brisk pace and some top notch saxophone work provide nice contrast to MELØ’s dark but knowing vocal and the song’s irrefutable lyrics.
NEEDS NO SLEEP, KXNE, “Kryptonite”
“Kryptonite” is a fun late night dance track by Australian dance producer Needs No Sleep (who charted a few years back on the BILLCS Top 30 with the #9 “Unnatural”) and UK singer KXNE, who also produces under the moniker DXSH. What sets apart “Kryptonite” from other techno-inspired deep house tracks is the distinct vocal by KXNE. For some reason “Kryptonite” is rhymed with “crib tonight”, and KXNE has a good time playing with nonsensical lyrics like this. The music anticipates his verses with a call-and-respond kind of melody, and this release is a winner for those who want to groove along.
BILL’S NEW MUSIC PICK OF THE WEEK
My New Music Pick of the Week is a 5-7 minute radio segment that airs more than 25 times/week on online radio stations around the world.
UK singer/songwriter Sam Dickinson returns with his pop/dance release “Falling”
“BIG DADDY” RUSS HORTON’S PICK OF THE WEEK
“Big Daddy” Russ Horton is the host of the “Top 40 Timeline” radio program and owner of online stations Radio GTA, Halton Hills Radio Online, & FM108.ca. You can hear my Retro Pick of the Week every week on the “Top 40 Timeline”!
“I Walk This Earth All By Myself” is from Australian electronic producer Throttle
HUNTER J. WILBUR’S BOP OF THE WEEK
Hunter J. Wilbur is the host of the online radio shows “Modern Hype” and “Addictive Energy” which can be heard on several online stations including Classic Hits Canada.
The veteran German duo ItaloBrothers team up with CHIPZ for the 90’s throwback “1001 Arabian Nights”
“THE MUSICMAN” JAMES ROGERS’ CLASSIC FIVE
“The Musicman” James Rogers is the owner and host of The 3D Variety Show heard Tuesdays on Planet Radio Canada. The Classic Five is “pop music 101” of the post-Beatles era – classics you need to know! Each title is linked to a Spotify stream of the song (except for the Klaatu song which is not on Spotify).
Kiss – Beth
Klaatu – Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft
Ohio Players – Love Rollercoaster
Manhattans – Kiss And Say Goodbye
Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music
THE BILLCS TOP 30 – 5-10-15-20…
The Top 5 songs from the BILLCS Top 30 5, 10, 15, and 20 years ago…
2018
01 BROKEN LOVE The Him featuring Parson James
02 PINK LEMONADE James Bay
03 NO PLACE Rüfüs Du Sol
04 SUBTERRANEAN/ESTRANGED Bobby Nourmand
05 GET DOWN RetroVision
2013
01 BLACK LIGHT (Stormby’s Mix) Kaden
02 VOCAL Pet Shop Boys
03 AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME Ryan Adamés
04 BEGGING Anton Ewald
05 SKIRT Kylie Minogue
2008
01 BEATING MY HEART Jon Mclaughlin
02 DREAM CATCH ME Newton Faulkner
03 BLACK AND GOLD Sam Sparro
04 STAMP YOUR FEET Donna Summer
05 FOREVER Chris Brown
2003
01 SIMPLY BEING LOVED (SOMNAMBULIST) BT
02 AS THE RUSH COMES (Tiësto remix) Motorcycle [aka Gabriel & Dresden]
03 ABSOLUTELY ZERO Jason Mraz
04 YET ANOTHER DAY Armin van Buuren featuring Ray Wilson
05 BEAUTIFUL THINGS Andain
BILLCSMUSIC BLOG 
You must be logged in to post a comment.