Music columnist John
Hill is a self-identified chart geek who has a passion for pop music of
all kinds. Along with his chart-watching that began as a boy, he has
also worked in the music industry in both retail and radio capacities,
along with establishing a successful music blog.
John's
experience with popular music goes back to his childhood, where he
maintained his own charts based off of the Billboard Hot 100. As he
progressed through his teens, he wanted to work in radio, and even
achieved degrees in Radio/TV and Communications during his undergraduate
studies. After graduating, he was drawn to the retail side of music for
close to a decade before deciding that he liked having holidays with
his family.
While his full-time job is in education, he currently writes a successful music blog titled Pop Music Notes. He is also active on Twitter @popmusicnotes and lives in Denver with his partners in crime James and Bruiser.
I’m a big believer in looking back to see
where we’ve been as we look forward to new opportunities and adventures, so
every year I tally up my favorite music from the past 12 months post it for all
to see. This year, I’m fortunate to have three of Denver’s favorite DJs help me
out with lists for 2012’s best dance music.
Check out the favorites, and then
let us know what music kept you movin’ and groovin’ in 2012.
Frequent DJ at the Wrangler’s Sweet and other Denver clubs
and prolific
podcaster:
1. Lost In Music (Chus & Ceballos Iberican Mix) - Chus & Ceballos, Cevin Fisher 2. Symphony (Original Mix) - Prok & Fitch 3. Listen Bitch (DJ Escape Vs DJ PP Mix) - DJ Escape, DJ PP 4. Dance Again (DJ Chus Iberican Remix) - Jennifer Lopez 5. BiMac (The Cube Guys Mix) - UAP 6. 212 (Tommie Sunshine_Disco Fries Edit) - Azealia Banks 7. Covergirl, Where Have You Been? (Hardwell Club Mix, RuPaul Mash) - Rihanna, DJ Brent 8. Opa-Locka (Original Club Mix) - Manuel De La Mare, Luigi Rocca 9. Unique Form (origianl mix) - Peter bailey 10. Only The Horses (Calvin Harris Remix) - Scissor Sisters
Denver based DJ who stands out in any crowd. Saturday, January 5 he will be DJ’ing Tryst Saturdays at Coco Breeze Lounge located at 539 W. 43rd Ave.
1. Let’s have A Kiki (Ben Castañeda's Reconstruction Mix) – Scissor Sisters 2. Groupie – Bob Sinclair 3. Lemonade (Cahill Mix) - Alexandra Stan 4. Beauty and a Beat (feat. Nicki Minaj) [DJ Laszlo Body Rock Club Mix] - Justin Bieber 5. Alive (Cash Cash & Kalkutta Remix) – Krewella 6. Scream & Shout - DJ Smerk & DJ GirlyVega Awesome Bootleg (Dirty) - Will.I.Am ft Britney Spears 7. Step Through The Door (Freeze KlubJumpers Club Mix) – Dmanti 8. Catch My Breath (DJ Kue Remix) – Kelly Clarkson 9. Die Young (The Scene Kings Remix) – Ke$ha 10. Too Close – Alex Clare
1. Azealia Banks - 212 (Tommie Sunshine/Disco Fries Edit) 2. Madonna - Addicted (Craig Cs Master Blaster) 3. Alex Clare - Too Close (Cazzettes Amphitheatres Surrounding Her Mix) 4. Kylie Minogue - Timebomb (Peter Rauhofer Club Mix)/(Style of Eye Remix) 5. Lana Del Rey - Blue Jeans ft. Azealia Banks (Smims&Belle Remix) 6. Calvin Harris feat. Florence Welch - Sweet Nothing (Extended Mix)/(Grandtheft & Diplo Remix) 7. Chris Lake & Lazy Rich feat. Jareth - Stand Alone (Original Mix 8. Kat Graham - Put Your Graffiti On Me (Richard Dinsdale Remix) 9. Dance Again (Iberican Remix)/(Chus Dub) 10. Ke$ha - Die Young (Seamus Haji Extended Mix)
And for good measure, here are my ten favorite club tracks
of 2012. You can check out my other favorites at Pop Music Notes
1. Get Over U (Director's Cut Mix) - Frankie Knuckles presents Director's Cut featuring B. Slade 2. Thinkin Bout You (Lonsdale Boys Club Remix) - Frank Ocean 3. Let's Have a KiKi (Ben Castañeda's Reconstruction Mix) - Scissor Sisters 4. The Veldt (feat. Chris James) [Original Mix] - Deadmau5 5. Perfect World (Seamus Haji Club Mix) - Gossip 6. Vision Of Love (Maison & Dragen Remix) - Kris Allen 7. Losing Myself (Bimbo Jones Club Mix) - Will Young 8. Call My Name (Richard Vission Remix) - Cheryl Cole 9. Try (Cosmic Dawn Remix) - Pink 10. Let There Be Love (Country Club Martini Crew Original Extended) - Christina Aguilera
Okay … so maybe they don’t mean “gay” the way that you and I
mean “GAY,” but still, why not?
Here is some original music from LGBT artists
that will set the mood for your holiday season.
George Michael – “December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)”
In the midst of George Michael’s Live 25 tour in 2008, he decided to make a Christmas song called “December
Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)” available for free for two days. That song,
which alludes to the focus on television during the holidays as well as a
former love, became an instant classic, prompting the song’s proper release in
2009, 2010 and 2011 in the UK, where the song peaked at number 14 in 2009.
While there are several new Christmas songs each year, you will be hard-pressed
to find one as beautiful and understated as “December Song.”
Matt Morris – “My First Snow”
Local boy Matt Morris made some noise on national charts in
2010 with his album When Everything
Breaks Open, and in the wake of that success, Morris released his first
Christmas song “My First Snow” at the end of 2010. In Morris’ words, he hoped
that “My First Snow” “inspires people to think about what they like the best
about the holiday season. When it starts to get cold, I find myself getting
really nostalgic and introspective.” Matt succeeds on that front with a song
that is mellow and reflective without being somber.
And while we’re talking about Matt, big props to him for
co-writing Cher’s new buzz track “Woman’s World” with none other than Paul
Oakenfold and Anthony Crawford. In the past he’s written hits for artists like
Kelly Clarkson and Christina Aguilera, so here’s hoping he continues his
successful streak.
Indigo Girls – “Mistletoe”
In 2010, I was fortunate enough to interview Amy Ray of the
Indigo Girls and talk
about their first holiday albumHolly
Happy Days. When asked about “Mistletoe,” Amy said “I was thinking about
writing something that was tied to the season in a way that was less Christmas
oriented, but had that emotional feeling around the holiday time, whether
you’re Jewish or Christian or Buddhist or whatever. The passing of the season,
that moment of hibernation where you should be pulling back in, and I wanted it
to do with the heart and love and relationships.” “Mistletoe” invokes that
holiday spirit in a gentle, peaceful way that will remind you of a quiet walk
through the woods after a light snow, with the wind blowing through the trees
as the only sound you hear, and Amy’s vocal is perfectly matched with the
loping tempo of the song.
The holiday shopping season is in full swing, and that means
sales galore. Among those bargains are a lot of new releases begging to be
wrapped up and given to the ones you love (including yourself). Here are a few
of the more high-profile releases to either consider or think twice about.
Kelly Clarkson – Greatest Hits
How is it even possible that Kelly Clarkson won American Idol over ten years ago? Time
flies when you are releasing hit after hit. This Greatest Hits collection spans the entire timeframe, from her
coronation song “A Moment Like This” to her current single “Catch My Breath.” Besides
“Catch,” there are two other new songs: “People Like Us,” a danceable track
that speaks to the outsiders (and is screaming for an epic remix); and “Don’t
Rush,” a lush 80s-style country-pop ballad with the legendary Vince Gill
playing guitar and singing harmonies. If you have any Kelly Clarkson gaps in
your musical collection, this set is a must-buy.
Christina Aguilera – Lotus
Christina Aguilera recently said in an interview that her
last album Bionic was a disc only
appreciated by those who really love music. While I will be glad to argue that
point with her, it was clear either way that she needed to come back a little
closer to the masses if she wanted to sell more copies. If that was Christina’s
goal for her new release, then it is mission accomplished. Lotus couldn’t be more of-the-moment unless PSY started rapping on
a track. From the autotuned first single “Your Body” to the Cobra
Starship-sounding “Let There Be Love,” Aguilera brings her potent pipes into
the mainstream, making a case for her continued viability. Standout tracks
include both of her duets with fellow coaches on The Voice: Cee-Lo Green on the
bangin’ “Make the World Move;” and Blake Shelton on the power ballad “Just a
Fool.” After a couple of listens, you (and the recipient of your gift) will
have multiple songs lodged in your heads.
Rihanna – Unapologetic
Reviewing Unapologetic
is a difficult task for me, as I have multiple issues with it before I even
listen to it. Besides the fact that Rihanna should just take a vacation and let
the public miss her for a minute, there is the inevitable discussion about why
on Earth she recorded a duet with former boyfriend/pugilist Chris Brown. This
fact is complicated by the simple truth that the duet “Nobody’s Business” is
one of the best songs on a mostly decent album.If you can make it through a few throwaway tracks, including
the abysmal “Numb” with Eminem, as well as your disgust with Chris Brown, there
are several songs that will justify the purchase. “Stay” is a stripped-down
ballad that lets Rihanna’s vocals shine through, “Right Now” hops on the David
Guetta Express for a future floor-filler, and “No Love Allowed” is a genuine
reggae-flavored track that goes to show that Rih can take on just about any
sound with the right production and make it work. Whether that’s enough to
justify buying the album is a judgment call.
Of all the albums I have reviewed, 18 Months may be the
easiest one yet because I already know half of the album. By the time this
album was released in October of 2012, it had been about 18 months since the
first single “Bounce” was released, easily making this one of the longest
promotional pushes for an album that I can recall.
Looks like it’s worked,
though: in his native England, every single released has gone to either number
two or number one, and he has scored two top 20 hits here in the US (“Feel So
Close” and “Let’s Go”). That’s not counting Rihanna’s number one smash “We
Found Love” that Calvin shares billing on.
The biggest concern coming into an album like this is that
it sounds more like a Greatest Hits set than an original album, but by the time
I hit track four (“We Found Love”), the album started to feel like a sonically
consistent disc that flowed from one thumping track to the next. To Harris’s
credit, the instrumental tracks do a great job of binding all of the hit
singles together. Even hip-hop cuts from Tinie Tempah and Dizzee Rascal still
fit in despite not being “dance.” However, the revelation on this disc is
“Thinking About You,” with vocals from frequent collaborator Ayah Marar. That cut alone makes releasing
the whole disc worthwhile and needs to be released as a single soon. Skip the
latest NOW hits collection and pick up 18
Months instead.
Kylie Minogue – The Abbey Road Sessions
When die-hard fans of Kylie Minogue think about her older
material, they think about high-energy jams like “Hand on Your Heart” and
“Better the Devil You Know.” But a well-established diva like Kylie can only
perform the same version of the same song so many times before she (and
probably her audience) gets sick of it. To her credit, Minogue has been
reworking her classics live for years, breathing new life into songs like
“Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and “The Locomotion.” Now, as she celebrates 25
years in the business, Kylie has released The
Abbey Road Sessions, recorded at the famed Abbey Road studios at the end of
2011.
While it might be easy to call this set a gimmicky
throwaway, there are some impressive moments. “Confide in Me,” which always was
a bit dark and sinister, amps up the Middle East flair and slithers along.
Speaking of sinister, Kylie’s duet with Nick Cave “Where the Wild Roses Grow”
is a perfect match for this format, and Cave even shows up to reprise his role.
A high-energy track like “On a Night Like This” takes on a slinkier sexy vibe,
and “Better the Devil You Know” becomes a mournful ode to decisions in a
relationship. There are a few misses: “All the Lovers,” which soars based on a
strong production and vocal, doesn’t fit the new format well, and “Slow” is
just TOO slow. The sole new track “Flower,” which was recorded but never
released on X, is a gorgeous ballad, proving that if Kylie decides to leave the
dancefloor fillers behind at some point, she will have more mature fare to fill
in that fits her like a glove.
While his full-time job is in education, John Hill also writes a successful music blog titled Pop Music Notes. He is also active on Twitter @popmusicnotes and lives in Denver with his partners in crime James and Bruiser.
With the overnight sensation from South Korea named PSY
threatening to hit number one on the Billboard
Hot 100 chart, people are now hearing about K-pop, or Korean pop. While a large
chunk of the world’s population has heard of K-pop acts like Super Junior and 2NE1,
there has been limited success for K-pop in the US until
now. Intrigued? Then check out some of our favorite current K-pop acts (all
singles are available on iTunes in the US except “Dazzling Girl”).
Wonder Girls “Like
Money” (featuring Akon)
While PSY may be the first K-pop artist to make the US top
10, he was not the first to make the Billboard
Hot 100. That distinction goes to Wonder Girls, who reached #76 in 2009 with
“Nobody.” These five ladies have done their homework over the past few years,
touring the US multiple times and releasing several singles in English,
including the infectious “Two Different Tears.” Their latest single “Like
Money” features American singer Akon and has a Beyoncé “Single Ladies” groove
that has garnered them some attention on pop stations in the US as well as a
tour of smaller US venues.
TVXQ “Catch Me”
One cornerstone of K-pop groups is the precise choreography
that accompanies many of their single releases. With the advent of English boy
bands not dancing like their predecessors (see The Wanted, One Direction), many
of the industry’s top choreographers have traveled to South Korea to work with
pop groups that still believe a tight dance routine will excite their fans. K-pop
duo TVXQ and top choreographer Tony Testa bring a more Euro-oriented sound to
their debut US single “Catch Me,” and the video (above) harkens back to the old
days of Backstreet Boys and ‘NSync when boy bands were not afraid to work up a
sweat on stage. “Catch Me” may be a bit too high energy to get played on pop
radio, but I wouldn’t count these guys out.
SHINee “Dazzling
Girl”
Another interesting trait of K-pop groups is that they often
record songs in Japanese to break on to the lucrative J-pop charts in Japan. Such
is the case with five-man boy band SHINee, who released their latest Japanese
single “Dazzling Girl” and the video that accompanies the song earlier this
month. Also note that most K-pop (and J-pop) songs also have a few English
lyrics scattered in…even PSY has the words “style” and “sexy lady” in “Gangnam
Style.” If you want to check out SHINee at their K-pop best, also look into
“Lucifer” and “Sherlock.”
Girls’ Generation
“The Boys”
American viewers got an eyeful on The Late Show with David Letterman January 31, 2012 when nine-woman
K-pop group Girls’ Generation performed their debut US single “The Boys.” While
the ladies didn’t chart “The Boys” here in America, their album of the same
name has been a huge seller back home in South Korea. Don’t think that this
will be the last American single because they most likely will give it another
go now that there is more interest in K-pop.
BONUS: PSY doing the
“Single Ladies” dance
I love PSY. It is very clear from the limited contact
Americans have had with this guy that he does not really take himself seriously,
which instantly endears him to me. But if you think the “Gangnam Style” dance
was just a fluke, check out the video below of PSY learning the “Single Ladies”
dance in 2011 to rock the crowd. PSY may not be built for speed, but he makes
up for it in sheer effort and pure abandon.
If you feel like you will throw a radio out the window if
you hear “Call Me Maybe” or “Gangnam Style” on the radio one more time, it may
be time for a new music intervention. Here are three songs that I think you’ll
be hearing a lot of in the near future. Check ‘em out now before they get
played out!
Priyanka Chopra “In
My City”
Do you remember the Pussycat Dolls taking on Slumdog Millionaire’s
“Jai Ho” and
thinking “that’s pretty good?” A lot of people agreed, as the song
became a
worldwide hit. Now picture that instead of Nicole Scherzinger singing
the lead
that someone from India did and RedOne produced with will.i.am guested
on the
track. That is exactly what we are looking at now with the debut of
Bollywood
star and Miss World 2000 Priyanka Chopra. “In My City” may very well be
the Jam Of The Fall with the right visibility. Chopra has Interscope
Records, Lady Gaga
manager Troy Carter, and mega producer RedOne all behind her, so do not
sleep
on this one. It’s going to be huge.
The Wanted “I Found
You”
While much of the world may be going crazy for One Direction’s
new single “Live While We’re Young,” the five guys of The Wanted who beat One
Direction to the US are also previewing their next US album (due in 2013) by
releasing “I Found You.” The opening chords sound very similar to “Glad You
Came,” but don’t let that chase you off. Vocally the band sounds like they have
gotten stronger since their debut EP, and lyrically there’s a maturity present
that 1D are probably a decade away from hitting - if they last that long. While
the single might not be as instantaneously catchy as “Glad You Came,” “I Found
You” may keep The Wanted from being one-hit wonders.
Delta Rae “Morning
Comes”
This one may not be as immediate as the other two songs
listed here, but Delta Rae is a force to be reckoned with as they make a move
for the mainstream. Consisting of two brothers and a sister, as well as three other band members, the family harmonies shine through on their major-label debut album Carry the Fire. And it’s not just any
major label. Seymour Stein, credited with discovering the Ramones, the
Pretenders and Madonna, signed them to his Sire Records personally. Delta Rae
are currently featured on VH1’s You Oughta Know, and they are killing it live
across the country, including at the Larimer Lounge here in Denver where they
played on September 28. Not only do they make great music, but
they are also allies in the fight for same-sex marriage rights. They dedicated
“Chain on Love” to the fight against a constitutional amendment in North
Carolina earlier this year banning same-sex unions.
If you were to ask Americans about a musician named Rod Thomas,
many would confuse the name with Rob Thomas, lead singer for Matchbox Twenty.
However, those in the know will instantly recognize Rod Thomas as the man
behind UK pop act Bright Light Bright Light. As Rod describes it, the music is
“melodramatic 90s tinged pop,” but the sound is fresh and current while still
paying homage to the music that inspired it.
In advance of playing multiple
shows in New York this week, Rod agreed to talk about his new single “Feel It,”
his Scissor Sisters connection, going on holiday in St. Tropez, and maintaining
a fan base in the US.
John
Hill: Your current single "Feel It" has a fun video that was
partially shot on the streets of New York. Was that during one of your trips to
play shows in NYC?
Rod
Thomas: I shot it in NYC in July when I was over yes. It was a blast. It
was one of the nicest teams I've worked with.
JH:
Early on in the video, (Scissor Sisters member) Del Marquis shows up for a
cameo. While a lot of Americans may not know you, a lot more of them know
Scissor Sisters. How did the collaborations with Del begin?
RT: We
met in NYC back in 2009 when I was over for a few shows and meetings. He'd
released some solo material that I really liked, so I emailed him and asked if
he was around for a drink while I was in town, and he was. We saw Depeche Mode
together and talked about music, what we were working on, and just clicked. I
sent him the demo of “Cry at Films” and he liked it so he added vocals and
guitar, and so started a great collaboration and friendship!
JH: And
then on top of that, you've just been added as an opening act to the Scissor
Sisters' UK tour. That has to be a huge bonus for your visibility in the UK.
RT:
It's amazing. I mean, it's easy to forget that they have sold MILLIONS of
records!! They've been one of my favourite bands since I used to play 'Laura'
on its first release on my student radio show. I literally couldn't be more
excited. And yes it's a huge bonus - the venues are great and I'm sure the
crowds will be super fun and up for a dance.
JH:
Aside from Del’s cameo, the revelation in the video is that the diva voice on
"Feel It" actually comes from a man. Where did the inspiration for
putting Mykal Kilgore on the record come from?
RT: Del
sent me a song a few months back that had Mykal singing on it, literally a week
after I'd recorded 'Feel It' and when I heard him sing I just thought "he
HAS to sing on this track" - so I wrote the answering lines and asked Del
if he would put us in touch and Mykal did the most AMAZING job singing those
vocals. Del recorded them in his studio, so I was really happy we managed to
get all three of us in the video.
JH: How
is it trying to cultivate a US fan base when your visibility here is limited?
RT:
It's hard. When you come from the UK you really have no idea how vast America
is, but I think even at this point I've tapped into a really great kind of fan
base. The NYC shows have been really, really important to me - I love that
people from the other side of the world have even heard of me, let alone want
to come watch, and I've met some great people. I can't wait until I get chance
to tour the US properly. It's difficult to properly focus on starting the fan
base in the US with so many work commitments over here, but things like Twitter
and Facebook have been a really good and fun way to reach out.
JH: It
seems you stumbled on an inadvertent way to get visibility in the US this
summer when you were on holiday in St. Tropez with Elton John and what seemed
like an entourage of hot men. How does something like that even come about?
RT: Haha.
Nicely phrased! I've been friends with him quite a long time now. I used to be
managed by his management company, and we kept in touch over the years. He's
been very supportive of my album, so we've been talking a lot this year. I was
in France, he was in France, so we went for lunch. Basically, two friends were
in the same country and we met up. It just sounds insane to say that when one
of your friends is one of the most iconic musicians in the world!! I'm amazed
that someone as busy and as established as he is has time to constantly listen
to new music, but he does. I guess it's a great way to make interesting new
friends!
JH: I
remember you saying a year or so back that you were working with different
people to eventually have a video for every track on (BLBL’s full-length album)
Make Me Believe in Hope. Is that
still a thing?
RT: Yes
it's still a thing. It takes time, but it's very close.
JH: What's
the plan once the Scissor Sisters tour is over with and "Feel It"
runs its course?
RT:
There's plenty more to come don't worry.
JH: Last
question...will there be a full-fledged US tour?
RT: Yes,
it's just a case of when. And it can't really come soon enough!
Bright
Light Bright Light is making three appearances in New York this week: October 9th
at Westgay (a dance pop set); October 10th playing a solo piano set at Mercury
Lounge and premiering a brand new song; and October 11th DJing at Nowhere Bar. The
official release of “Feel It” is on October 29th, but his
full-length Make Me Believe in Hope is out and available now. For all things Bright Light Bright Light,
check out the website at www.brightlightx2.com.
It has been a decade since Madonna recorded the theme song
for Die Another Day, which went to
number eight on the US pop chart. For those of you who have given up on seeing
another Bond theme become a hit, you might want to take a seat, because Adele
has come to your rescue.
There is something to be said for sticking to the style of
Bond themes that the public has grown to love, which may explain why the more
recent attempts by Chris Cornell and Jack White & Alicia Keys failed
miserably from the last two 007 movies.
Thankfully, Adele and producer/writer
Paul Epworth take “Skyfall” back to the glory days of Shirley Bassey singing
“Goldfinger” and “Diamonds are Forever” without ever sounding dated. In fact,
“Skyfall” sounds like a track that would have fit in well on her last album 21, just with a 77-piece symphony adding
additional drama into the mix. By the time Adele reaches the end of the track, the
sheer power of her vocals propelled by the swelling strings launches her into
the musical stratosphere and cements her place as one of the finest vocalists making
pop music (or any type of music) right now.
Come March of next year, I think
Adele may need to make room on her awards cabinet for an Oscar.
It’s October, which means that all the big box stores are
gearing up for Christmas, right? And that means popular music artists are
releasing new material to capitalize on the holiday shopping season. The
blockbuster releases are rolling out fast and furious, so here are a few of the
options being offered up for your gift-giving consideration.
Carly Rae Jepsen – This
Kiss
The challenge with following up a debut single as massively
popular as “Call Me Maybe” is coming up with a whole album that lives up to the
hype of that first song. Carly Rae Jepsen gets about 50% of the way there with
her debut US release This Kiss. While
there are at least three more potential hits on This Kiss, what is notable is
that the sound of those hits is not as original as “Call Me Maybe.” There is “More
than a Memory” which sounds almost exactly like Katy Perry’s “The One That Got
Away,” the Kylie Minogue-vibed “Curiosity,” and “Beautiful,” a duet with Justin
Bieber that sounds similar to the Plain White T’s “1, 2, 3, 4.” Having said all
this, all of these songs will bury themselves into your brain and the first
three-quarters of the album hold up well to multiple listens. This Kiss ends up being a solid if
inconsistent first stab at world domination.
Pink – The Trouble
With Love
Full disclosure: I am getting tired of pop artists feeling
the need to put curse words into songs they know will get played on Top 40
radio simply for shock value. No artist frustrates me
more with this than Pink, who appropriately used the F word to great effect on "Fuckin'
Perfect" a few years back.“Blow Me (One Last Kiss),” her first single from The Truth About Love, is the opposite end of the scale, using curse
words more for attention than substantial impact. In fact, “Blow Me” and
several other up-tempo tracks stand as a parody of Pink’s past music that used
to work because of Pink’s ability to maintain a balance between substance and
shock value. Because of this, about half of The
Truth About Love tries way too hard to be irreverent and shocking without
much to back it up in substance.
I know that there will be long-time fans of Pink who will
love the rougher upbeat tracks, but it creates a schizophrenic album that
doesn’t flow well and is jarring at times. When Pink slows things down and goes
into a more vulnerable mode (see “Try,” “Beam Me Up,” “The Great Escape”), her
voice soars and so does the material. One track that falls in between the two
extremes is “Just Give Me a Reason,” which pairs Pink with fun. lead singer
Nate Ruess on a track that would fit in perfectly with fun.’s current album Some Nights. The way Pink and Ruess’s
voices mesh on the chorus is magical and genuine, making for a great mid-tempo
track that easily could be a single.
Cher Lloyd – Sticks
+ Stones
If you have been wondering what all the fuss is over The X Factor coming to the US last year,
all you have to do is listen to your radio and hear exports from the UK version
in rotation. One Direction appear to be the New Kids on the Block for the 21st
Century, Olly Murs is slowly picking up steam at radio with his “Heart Skips a
Beat,” and a feisty sprite named Cher Lloyd just celebrated her first Top 20 US
hit with the upbeat “Want U Back.” Now that she is established, her debut album
Sticks + Stones that was released in
England last year has been repackaged for American consumption.
The biggest differences between the UK and the US versions
of Sticks + Stones are the absence of
US singer Mike Posner and X Factor US
finalist Astro, as well as two new tracks recorded for the United States
audience. I have no problem with the cameos being dropped because not only is
Cher Lloyd a strong vocalist, but she also raps well enough to not embarrass
herself on record. Lloyd stands out because while she is unabashedly pop on
these tracks, she brings in other influences that give her songs more heft than
they would show in a weaker artist’s hands. Even a song that looks like a train
wreck on paper like “Swagger Jagger” has just enough substance to it to keep it
from going over-the-top cheesy.
While the UK-original tracks mostly work, the two songs
added for the US (next single “Oath” and “Behind the Music”) go for Avril
Lavigne-like vocals and lyrics that seem to be pretty popular right now (see
Taylor Swift) while still employing her rap style to punch up the
attitude.Hopefully her management
and producers recognize that a talent like Lloyd does not need to chase trends
when she has more than enough style to set her own trends given the right
producer and writers. Still, this is a strong debut for a unique artist in a
crowded pop marketplace.
While his full-time job is in education, John Hill also writes a successful music blog titled Pop Music Notes. He is also active on Twitter @popmusicnotes and lives in Denver with his partners in crime James and Bruiser.
There are certain artists that seem custom-made for certain
live venues. Watching U2's Live at RedRocks: Under a Blood Red Sky, you would be forgiven for thinking the red
rocks that frame the amphitheater were visualized by a brilliant set designer
if you didn't know that Red Rocks is nature at its finest. While Red Rocks
Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado was already a popular venue well before
1983, the concert film announcing U2 to the world assisted the venue in
becoming legendary not only for spectators but for bands as well.
Such was the case with Mumford and Sons on August 28th as
they hit the stage for their first of two nights at Red Rocks. Natives to
Colorado who frequent Red Rocks concerts are used to artists expressing
gratitude just being able to play at such a legendary venue, and Marcus Mumford
and company were no exceptions. While simply playing a show at Red Rocks is
humbling to most, for Mumford and Sons it was also added pressure as both
nights were filmed for inclusion in a documentary/concert film documenting
their journey to this acoustic landmark. In fact, the projection screen on the
right side of the stage showed some of the best footage you have ever seen at a
concert, giving a good indication of the quality of what is to come with their
film.
Besides putting on a lively, well-paced show, Mumford and
Sons also previewed music from their just-released sophomore release Babel. Footage from the August 28th
performance of their new single “I Will Wait” was released as the official
video less than two weeks later (see above video). In fact, the Mumford boys
played about half of Babel at Red
Rocks almost a month prior to the album’s release, and yet the new songs fit
right in with the familiar tracks that the crowd knew very well.
For me, the familiarity of new songs to a listener who has
never heard them can be a blessing and a curse. The blessing comes from an
instantaneous acceptance of the new material, but the curse comes in casual
listeners not necessarily being able to discern one song from another. However,
when listening to Babel, it is a
small complaint for an otherwise stellar album.
When “I Will Wait” was released, many fans felt that the
Mumfords were lightening up a bit, but the main themes of dealing with the
struggles of life both in outward and inward interactions are still intact. While
“I Will Wait” sounds like an upbeat song, the theme of asking forgiveness for
some transgression and waiting for that forgiveness is not exactly uplifting. In fact, asking for forgiveness appears
a few times on Babel, most notably on
highlight “Lover of the Light,” where Marcus states “I have done wrong, so
build your tower,” and “Ghosts That We Knew,” with its shameful “and close my
eyes from my recent disgrace.”
If you want to pay a few more dollars and pick up the Deluxe
Edition of Babel, you will be
rewarded with what I believe is the best cover version of Simon and Garfunkel’s
“The Boxer” that I’ve ever heard. With original singer Paul Simon on the track
and renowned steel guitarist Jerry Douglas providing a haunting accompaniment, Marcus
Mumford proves he is just as adept at singing a straight-ahead story as he is
in a song shrouded in metaphors. The world-weariness of Mumford’s vocals adds a
grittiness to the boxer’s tale, making this remake a great companion to the
shiny delivery of Simon and Garfunkel’s original.
Mumford and Sons have picked right up where they left off
with debut disc Sigh No More and now
have a rabid fan following that will embrace Babel and sing along with every track. From
the rollicking title cut to the touching closer “Not with Haste,” both existing
fans and newcomers will find something to embrace and love.
While his full-time job is in education, John Hill also writes a successful music blog titled Pop Music Notes. He is also active on Twitter @popmusicnotes and lives in Denver with his partners in crime James and Bruiser.
To have a well-rounded musical palette, you need more than
shiny pop songs and thumping dance beats. Whether it’s a drive through the
mountains or simply chilling at home, there is a need for more laid-back music
that helps stir your soul or lift the burdens of the daily grind. Fortunately,
two new releases from UK acts The xx and Jessie Ware are set to fill that void
as we shift in to an autumnal mode.
The xx
shot to the top of critics’ Best Of lists in 2009 with their debut album xx, leading to the album’s selection as
the winner of the Barclaycard Mercury Prize in 2010 for the best album released
in the United Kingdom and Ireland. So how does a young band that found critical
and commercial success on their first release follow that up? If you are the
members of The xx, you stay true to your original indie pop sound while
evolving in other directions.
What is the sound of The xx? To say it is indie pop does not
do it justice, because it is fairly unique in a marketplace filled with
grinding chords and driving drum and bass lines. The trio, consisting of
vocalists Oliver Sim and Romy Madley-Croft and producer Jamie Smith, offer a
stripped-down sound that is both expansive and minimal all at the same time.
While guitar licks propel many of their songs, the vocal duo of Sim and Madley-Croft
add emotional complexity to each track they appear on. Check out Madley-Croft’s
heartfelt delivery of “Angels,” their first single off of Coexist as performed on Conan.
The amazing thing for me is that the way they sound on that
live clip is exactly how they sound on record. While opening track “Angels” may
not reflect it, Jamie Smith stated early on that Coexist would be influenced by club music. “Chained” sounds like a
sleeker version of music Everything but the Girl released in their Walking Wounded era with the added bonus
of both male and female vocals, but it is not all driven by beats. In fact, the
first half of “Reunion” is propelled not by guitars or a drum machine, but
rather a steel drum. However, the heart of Coexist
lays in “Sunset,” an all-too-familiar tale of ex-lovers who see each other on
the street but don’t acknowledge each other’s existence. When Madley-Croft’s
and Sim’s voices entwine at the end, the sadness of knowing they both wish
things were different is palpable.
Occasionally I find myself longing for the days of Soul II
Soul, Lisa Stansfield and Sade ruling the Pop and R&B charts with a mixture
of strong vocals, laid-back vibes and unexpected beats. While Sade pre-dated
those other acts by a few years, all three acts helped redefine pop upon their
releases with songs that were inherently soulful but with a pop sensibility
that allowed them to reach a wider audience. Fast forward 20 plus years, and
English vocalist Jessie Ware and producer Dave Okumu are bringing a similar
albeit updated sound to the masses via Ware’s debut disc Devotion.
Devotion kicks off
with its title track, which harkens back to the classic collaboration of
Massive Attack and Tracey Thorn (of Everything but the Girl fame) on
“Protection,” mixing a strong, distinct female vocal with a pulsating
electronic track. From there, the record flows through a stream of soul, pop
and trip hop beats that provide something for any mood. From the anthemic
“Wildest Moments” to the sensual Sade-esque “Running,” Devotion delivers a sonically diverse album without losing track of
the powerful vocalist that the tracks were created to showcase. Highlight track
“Taking In Water” is a power ballad fitting of a woman whose voice cannot be
confined to one genre, and closer “Something Inside” floats off toward the
horizon, hopefully leading to Ware’s next set of musical journeys. In a
business where music is written for a hook first and a vocalist somewhere
further down the list, the combo of Okumu’s production and Ware’s voice are
equally matched in brilliance.
While his full-time job is in education, John Hill also writes a successful music blog titled Pop Music Notes. He is also active on Twitter @popmusicnotes and lives in Denver with his partners in crime James and Bruiser.
As someone who enjoys seeing talented new artists break
through into the mainstream, it can often be frustrating for me when a
deserving artist on a solid independent label doesn’t get the attention they
deserve. When the exception to the rule breaks through, there is a satisfaction
from a fan standpoint that other people see the same promise and potential.
That is what makes seeing success come around for singer/songwriter Warren Nomi
all the more satisfying.
Back in April, I caught wind of Nomi and “The Rush,” and I
was instantly smitten. While I initially thought “great track, but who knows
what it will do,” the song stuck with me. Most of the dance pop songs getting
play at Top 40 Radio right now fit a similar David Guetta-esque formula that
will quickly burn out, but “The Rush” rides a slower, sexier beat that would
stand out in the mix while still fitting in with no problem. The sexy lyrics
fit the beat, rather than sounding like random lyrics dropped onto a hot
backing track, and Warren’s delivery helps push the hotness quotient over the
top.
Fast forward five months later, and “The Rush” has spent a
month on the Billboard Dance/Club Play
Songs chart supported by remixes from Chew Fu and Eddie Amador (FREE download
sample here)
and a video is on the way. Things are definitely looking up for Warren, and to
capitalize on that momentum, he also released a seasonal buzz track called
“This Summer I,” a laid-back electro-pop track which also has a video on the
way. Click here
to check out “This Summer I” and download it for FREE.
While Warren Nomi does not qualify as an LGBT artist, he
enthusiastically embraces his gay fans, and with a little more exposure I am
sure they will embrace him. Say hi
if you want ... this guy is VERY fan-friendly. You can check
him out on Facebook as well as
on Twitter, and his remixes for
“The Rush” are on iTunes here,
here
and here.
Nomi’s current deal with Citrusonic Label Group is for singles, but here’s
hoping that the success of these two tracks leads to a full-length CD in the
near future.
While his full-time job is in education, John Hill also writes a successful music blog titled Pop Music Notes. He is also active on Twitter @popmusicnotes and lives in Denver with his partners in crime James and Bruiser.
John Hill is a self-identified chart geek who has a passion for pop music of all kinds. Along with his chart-watching that began as a boy, he has also worked in the music industry in both retail and radio capacities, along with establishing a successful music blog.
John's experience with popular music goes back to his childhood, where he maintained his own charts based off of the Billboard Hot 100. As he progressed through his teens, he wanted to work in radio, and even achieved degrees in Radio/TV and Communications during his undergraduate studies. After graduating, he was drawn to the retail side of music for close to a decade before deciding that he liked having holidays with his family.
While his full-time job is in education, he currently writes a successful music blog titled Pop Music Notes. He is also active on Twitter @popmusicnotes and lives in Denver with his partners in crime James and Bruiser.
Music columnist John
Hill is a self-identified chart geek who has a passion for pop music of
all kinds. Along with his chart-watching that began as a boy, he has
also worked in the music industry in both retail and radio capacities,
along with establishing a successful music blog.
