singles

Random Notes – 07/16/09

Posted by John on July 16, 2009
Posted in: singles, us against the music. Tagged: , , , . 8 Comments

Madonna Black– Heard the new Madonna clip today, and I am liking what I hear. I can actually see this record getting some Top 40 play in the US in a climate where GaGa and Guetta are getting airplay. Speaking of the Lady, is it blasphemous to say that I hear shades of her (or maybe RedOne) in “Celebrate”?

– While we are talking about pop tarts, is Girls Aloud actually broken up? I thought from all the blog reports that they were, but they say otherwise. I love that Cheryl is working with will.i.am. Can anyone say “Fergalicious”?

Blake Lewis Sad Song– Those of you who are Blake Lewis fans should head on over to myxer.com to check out the ringtone for “Sad Song” that is available. The chorus sounds REALLY promising, and hints at the more dance-leaning stuff from the first record. I am officially psyched for the rest of his material now. He has also officially posted his album title as Heartbreak on Vinyl (I’d like to say you heard it here first, but I have no proof) on his official webpage.

– Tracks I currently love: “Remedy” from Little Boots, “Beat Again” by JLS, The Gossip’s “Pop Goes the World”, and “Meet Me Halfway” from the Black Eyed Peas. I may be digging the leaked sophomore CD from an American Idol winner, but maybe I’m not.

– Yet another attempt by Yuri and myself to find relevance has been posted this week. Read at your own peril.

Radio 1 Is My Luvah

Posted by John on June 9, 2009
Posted in: singles, videos, youtube. Tagged: , , , . 15 Comments

You think I’m kidding, right? Let me share some of the goodness that the BBC hooked me up with this afternoon. By the way, this was all in a row. I thought my head might explode from happy musical vibes.

– Paloma Faith/Stone Cold Sober – New single from a new artist. That’s why you listen to foreign radio stations, isn’t it? The single come out 15 June on Sony UK, who describe Paloma as:

The force of nature that answers to the name Paloma Faith is one that has been known in underground arts circles in London for some time. As an ex-magician’s assistant, trained contemporary dancer, St Martin’s college alumni with an MA in theatre direction, performer in burlesque shows and actress Paloma has been mixing media throughout her short adult life. A few years ago she introduced music, her primary love, into the equation, at first mimicking the blues and soul singers she so admired, but eventually finding her own voice.

They can describe her any way they want to, but that doesn’t change the fact that we’ve got another talented lady making 2009 a year to remember. While you wait for the single release, check out the excellent video down below:

-The Gossip/Heavy Cross – The Gossip return with the first single from their sophomore release Music For Men, hoping to avoid the Scissor Sisters’ fate of diminishing returns. “Heavy Cross” is already off to a good start, coming in at #47 on downloads alone in the UK, and ahead of it’s physical release on 22 June. Folks wanting to buy it in the US will have to wait until the 23rd, when the song will be available digitally.

– Linkin Park/New Divide – This is not my usual type of recommendation, but I have really been liking this new track from the soundtrack of Transformers 2. The clip below is a Making the Video piece that really looks pretty cool, but with Joseph Hahn behind the lens, you’re gonna get something visually out there.

– Mr Hudson/Supernova – The buzz is beginning, folks. Picked as Edith’s Record of the Week, the track is starting to get some traction, and now we’ve even got a remix from none other than Calvin Harris, which you can grab here. I can’t find a single release listed as of yet, but Straight No Chaser hits shelves in the UK on 03 August. The video hasn’t dropped for this one, either, but here’s the Calvin Harris mix.

Video Notables – David Guetta

Posted by John on June 4, 2009
Posted in: singles, videos, youtube. Tagged: , . 7 Comments

david-guetta-when-love-takes-overOne of the top contenders for “Club Jam of the Summer” has to be David Guetta’s collaboration with Kelly Rowland on “When Love Takes Over”. Who knew that it would take a dance track to make Kelly Rowland relevant again? Well, that actually wasn’t as far of a stretch as you might think, given the fact that it was her remixes of “Work” and “Daylight” that made her last effort relevant. The single is at #6 on the Club Play chart and #53 on the Pop 100 Airplay chart, so this is shaping up to be a mainstream smash. Check out the video and leave some feedback. If this isn’t your jam for the summer, what is?

Random Notes – 6/1/09

Posted by John on June 1, 2009
Posted in: music industry, new releases, news, singles, videos, youtube. 11 Comments

It’s been a busy week or so for me…classes back in session, projects galore with work, Memorial Day weekend, crazy weather. Life’s never boring around these parts, it seems. And after a brief lull in the music biz, things are definitely looking up there, too.

little%20bootsJustice_bandcee-lo3– Just got word today that Little Boots has been signed to the newly-reactivated Elektra imprint here in the U.S., along with Justice and Cee-Lo. That’s a triple-bill I would love to see in concert…can we work on a kick-off concert?

I have great memories of Elektra…Keith Sweat, Anita Baker, 10,000 Maniacs, Tracy Chapman, The Cure, Simply Red, and Howard Jones, just to name a few. The Eagles were their tentpole, but it’s a label with a rich history. Hopefully they do the legacy proud with the new start.

– Got tickets to see David Cook live next month here in Denver, and I’m glad to see that the tour rolls on and on. It’s a good sign that he’s been touring non-stop since March, and the dates just keep on coming. In the meantime, he has two songs currently on the Hot 100, and his debut single “Time of My Life” was just retired to the recurrents list at Adult Contemporary radio a year after its release.

Daniel Boys– A current obsession of mine at the moment is Daniel Boys, who a few of you might know from his duet with John Barrowman on “I Know Him So Well”. Those of you in the UK into musical-based reality shows will know him from “Any Dream Will Do”, where he placed fifth overall. Daniel is about to return to the West End in the male lead of “Avenue Q”, the same day that his debut CD comes out in the UK. The CD is a mix of pop covers and songs from musicals, and while I think the quality is a bit inconsistent, overall I do enjoy it. You can get an autographed copy here.

– It’s about that time where you figure out what your jam of the summer is, right? For me, it’s a toss-up between V Factory’s “Love Struck”, which seems to have died at pop radio, and “I Know You Want Me” from Mr 305 himself, Pitbull. It’s in the Hot 100 top 10 right now mainly based on sales, but Pop radio is quickly catching up with the popularity, and this track might actually have a shot at hitting #1. The video just hit the ‘net last week, and while it’s not really my style, I’ll leave it to your judgement.

She’s a Rich Girl

Posted by John on May 28, 2009
Posted in: singles, videos, youtube. 5 Comments

So I know all of you are out there, waiting for the new Destiny’s Child record, right? You’re not? Well, then I guess you wouldn’t be interested in the new girl group from Jive Records called Rich Girl.

Insane just how much they’re biting on DC’s style, isn’t it? One big difference between the two groups is that all four ladies sing on “He Ain’t Wit Me Now”. The svengali behind this group is Rich Harrison, who you’ll know from records by Beyonce, Kelly, and Destiny’s Child, as well as Mary J. Blige, Pussycat Dolls, and Toni Braxton. One listen to this track, and you’ll hear the influence. Two or three listens, and you’ll actually start getting into it. Despite the beginning of the song, which bites freely off “B’Day”-era Beyonce, the track is catchy and stands a decent chance of R&B chart success. Don’t know if I see this one translating onto the Pop chart, but it’s a good start.

You Worry About the Wrong Things

Posted by John on May 27, 2009
Posted in: singles, videos, youtube. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

The official Kanye West video appeared on the ‘nets today, and it’s slightly different than the original. For starters, Rihanna doesn’t seem as disturbed in this cut, playing up more of a model angle. There isn’t as much of the car simulation, and Kanye isn’t in nearly as much of the video, although there’s more of him at the beginning. Overall, it’s not as disturbing as I thought the first one is, but as ww_adh commented, this single is pretty much over here in the States.

You Took Something Perfect

Posted by John on May 25, 2009
Posted in: singles, videos, youtube. Tagged: . 7 Comments

D. Merriweather LoveSo Daniel Merriweather’s got a second hit this weekend as a solo artist with “Red”, which is a precursor to his full-length Love & War, due June 1st. I’m pleased to see this, and also a bit surprised. “Change” came in at #8, and given all of the hype that had surrounded the guy, it was seen by some as a bit of a disappointment. As ww_adh noted today, it’s rare when a new singer’s second single posts growth over the first. Having said that, the Saturdays come to mind, as each of their successive singles have had a higher peak, and their profile continues to grow. At this point, they’ve had more Top 10 hits off of their debut than Girls Aloud had off their current CD. But I digress.

I was in an Apple Store the other day, and “Stop Me”, the track Daniel sang for Mark Ronson, came on the sound system. One of the “geniuses” behind the counter stopped dead in his tracks and said he’d heard the song once before, and had to know who sang it. Being the dork I am, I rattled off the details, and the fact that the singer was about to release his debut in England. They all moved away from me there at the counter, but not before they all got into the track. I’m hoping that Love & War does well enough elsewhere that it gets a proper release here in the US (rumor has it that it will be released). The CD doesn’t sound like a game-changer, but it’s a solid debut effort, and highlights like “Red” show much promise.

There’s something about Daniel’s voice that pulls you in and lets your own experience breathe in the space between the lyrics. Even on a track like “Change”, which is a bit formulaic, his delivery allows you to forget multiple weaknesses within the song structure or production. Probably one of my strongest associations with Daniel is a blog post from adem with an e, who was dealing with a personal, painful situation, and found that “Stop Me” fit the mood perfectly. Once again, here is the power of a song; holding associations, and helping release pent-up emotions that we may not have even known were buried.

Give Me the Chance To Get It Right

Posted by John on May 20, 2009
Posted in: new releases, personal, singles, travel, videos, youtube. Tagged: , , , . 6 Comments

MVE Notting HillIt’s funny how different groups of friends will ask about different aspects of the London trip. Work folks tend to ask about monuments and sights, family asks about the quality of the trip and whether I enjoyed it, and blogger friends ask about what I bought at the record shops.

Following XO‘s lead, I headed out to Notting Hill on Wednesday to do a little shopping and check out some of the used bins. Two hours later, and I hadn’t even begun to make a dent in Music and Video Exchange’s selection, but I definitely found some good stuff. Friends in London asked what I did with my Wednesday, and I could tell they were disappointed by my answer, but I haven’t had a bin dive like that in a LONG time, and I really enjoyed it.

Hoosiers CDWhile it wasn’t my plan when I went in, I ended up finding CDs for other friends that I was going to give as souvenirs, instead of shot glasses or thimbles. One friend who is a huge ABBA fan is getting an Agnetha CD and a pre-success ABBA CD (“Ring Ring”). Another friend from Indiana will be receiving a Hoosiers CD. Those of you in the US should understand the joke; for those outside of the US, Indiana’s population is referred to as Hoosiers.

I didn’t really buy all that much for myself, and that was a little disappointing. Turns out I actually have a lot of what I want in terms of UK music, and if you don’t know what you don’t know on the remaining stuff, it is tough to find revelations in the bin. One CD that I did find and am thoroughly enjoying is the first Mr Hudson and the Library CD, A Tale of Two Cities. In listening to this, I understand what Kanye sees in Mr Hudson. In fact, while listening to “Picture of You”, I heard definite shades of John Legend in the delivery. This one will be in rotation for a bit.

So listening to A Tale of Two Cities got me thinking about the new Mr Hudson music that is supposed to be coming any time now. Turns out, it might be a bit closer than I thought. According to Kanye’s label blog, the video for “Supernova” was shot at the end of April, and the full-length is coming August 3rd. In addition, Mr Hudson is touring the UK starting this week. While a lot of my trip was brilliant, the fact that I didn’t get to see one show while in London was a little disappointing.

I thought I found an official version of the video, but it got yanked. Besides, XO should get to present the videos, as he’s the reason I found Mr Hudson in the first place. To hold you over, here is the audio clip of “Supernova”, which I think stands a decent chance of becoming a hit.

Inspiration Comes From All Over

Posted by John on April 22, 2009
Posted in: singles, videos. Tagged: , , , , , . 9 Comments

V Factory – Love Struck
Paul was raving about them, and I didn’t really pay attention. PosterGirl even mentioned them WAY back, and I didn’t heed the warning. But I got it now…pop nirvana.

Jesse McCartney – Crash and Burn
Speaking of Ms PosterGirl, she also had the inside track on Jesse McCartney’s bonus tracks, and after a brief “warming up” period, I’m right on board. This guy’s gonna be around a while.

Girls Aloud – Untouchable
Okay…who HASN’T been talking about the “abomination” that is the single mix of GA’s current single? The single mix doesn’t offend me…the sci-fi, low-budget video does.

Pitbull – I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)
Here’s one of my guilty pleasures, Mr 305, with potentially one of the big party records of the year as we move into the summer. The track may sound familiar to you, as it’s the same sample from Chicago used by the Bucketheads on “The Bomb”, but this version comes directly from “75 Brazil Street” by Nicola Fasano Vs Pat Rich.

Kings of Leon – Use Somebody
“Sex On Fire” finally got these boys on the map here in the States, but I am really hoping that “Use Somebody” gets them their first Top 40 hit (no doubt Melismatic agrees). Love this live version.

Madcon – Beggin’
I loved it last year when it was Top 5 in the UK, and I’m loving it all over again now that they’re making a run at the pop charts here in the US. Honestly, if Black Eyed Peas were still making fun records like this, I’d still care about them.

Shuttin’ John Rich Down

Posted by John on April 8, 2009
Posted in: commentary, singles, videos. Tagged: . 4 Comments

Uh oh…John’s venturing back into Country territory again.

John Rich CDOne of the most talked-about songs at Country radio right now is John Rich’s “Shuttin’ Down Detroit”, which tells a tale of the fat cats in the Motor City driving off with the livelihood of the folks who work in their factories. You know, noble idea to document a real-life situation in real time. However, Rich decides to wrap himself in some pretty lame cliches, and the result is an overblown, lowest common denominator track that misses any sense of balance whatsoever. But if you think that sounds lame, try watching the video.

Did you watch it? If you didn’t, good for you. It’s crap. On the same day that the guy with 32 years seniority at an auto plant gets laid off (like that’s gonna happen with unions), he also gets a foreclosure notice. Sorry…sledgehammers have slightly more subtle delivery methods than this self-important video. So the guy who wrote an ode to John McCain and compared gay marriage to incest gets a buzz track. Good for him. But karma’s a bitch…his “hit” stalled at #12 for a few weeks, and is now losing airplay. Songs that get that high on the country chart almost ALWAYS make the Top 10.