While much of the Country music universe is still reeling from dubstep Taylor Swift, one of Pop music’s brightest star continues her move toward Country music domination. Exhibit A was her duet with Reba McEntire on a remake of her “Because of You,” Exhibit B came in the form of “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Jason Aldean, and Exhibit C was the re-recorded Country version of “Mr. Know It All.” The latest and most successful attempt comes in the form of “Don’t Rush.”
Can you say vintage 80s Country? Vince Gill is in my all-time top five Country vocalists, and his background vocals on the chorus only help to bolster Kelly’s Country cred, but this song is a smash with or without Vince’s vocals (or guitar from the sound of it). And don’t even get me going on the key change at the end of the song! “Don’t Rush” is one of three new songs on Kelly’s upcoming Greatest Hits, along with her current Pop hit “Catch My Breath” and “People Like Us.” The album hits November 19th, but if you can’t wait that long, the single is out on iTunes October 30th, and Kelly will be performing the song live with Vince Gill at the CMA Awards on November 1st on ABC.
I am loving this new Bruno Mars song way more than I should be. Any track that takes the instrumental from the Police’s “Message in a Bottle” and mixes it with Michael Jackson “Beat It” era vocals sounds sketchy, but damn it works. I wish the chorus was just a bit more catchy, but the verses more than make up for that.
I’m not sure what the video is supposed to be about outside the performance. Is Bruno a touring pimp?
Bruno’s follow-up to the ubiquitous Doo-Wops and Hooligans is Unorthodox Religion, and it drops on December 11th. If you can’t wait that long for a Bruno Mars fix, he will be the musical guest on this week’s Saturday Night Live.
So I know things have been a bit quiet over here at the ‘Notes, but that’s partially because I have begun writing for a website based here in Denver called MileHighGayGuy.com (clever, right?). My contributions have been a mix of reviews and artist features, but my favorite so far is an interview with Rod Thomas (aka Bright Light Bright Light) as he prepared for a three-night stand in New York. You can check out the full piece here, but I couldn’t help but ask a few questions that were near and dear to my heart that didn’t make the cut:
JH: On a personal level, I have been drawn into single after single of yours because of how relatable the subject matter in your songs is. Does everything you release have a biographical slant, or is there a lot of fiction in your songs?
RT: A healthy mix of the two. I’m glad you said “biographical” and not “autobiographical”. People often assume that a record is like a diary. I tend to be more of a storyteller, so I write about things that friends have gone through, or ideas I get from things I overhear on the bus for example. ‘Feel It’ is based on Laura Palmer’s diary (Twin Peaks) and the idea of desire, passion and giving in to something. So I write about a mix of things, but put them all in first person.
JH: Is there any concern for you in 2012 about writing material that is blatantly about another man?
RT: No.
JH: “Moves” to me is one of the best “what comes next” break up songs I believe I have ever heard. How does the structure of a song like that develop?
RT: Completely by accident. We [Jon Shave from Invisible Men and I] wrote and recorded it in 4 hours. We sat down, talked about a kind of sound we wanted to create, found some synth sounds, played around with chords and I wrote the lyrics as we went along. It was maybe the most naturally made song we did together.
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.
I have been a fan of country music in one form or another for years. As a kid, it was more of the crossover stuff, like the Charlie Daniels Band’s “Devil Went Down to Georgia” or Crystal Gayle’s “Talking In Your Sleep.” As I got to college, I started venturing into the more traditional country fare, but still leaning toward the pop-sounding fare. The Judds’ Greatest Hits and Restless Heart’s Wheels were two albums that I remember having in heavy rotation in college, and it only snowballed from there. Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire and Mary Chapin Carpenter were favorites from the 90s, and I can say I have seen all of them live.
Readers of this blog know that country occasionally falls into my definition of Pop, and no country act has gotten more attention here than Lady Antebellum. While I was bit disappointed by their most recent release (Own the Night), I am still a fan and look forward to seeing their continued growth. As a result of their massive success, there are a lot of male/female vocal groups charting or attempting to chart on the Country chart. Here are three notable examples for your review.
Gloriana “(Kissed You) Good Night”
If there is one song from one group that seems to mimic the Lady Antebellum formula from “Need You Now” above all others, it has to be Gloriana’s “(Kissed You) Good Night.” One verse sung by a guy, one by a woman, and a soaring chorus where they met. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then “(Kissed You) Good Night” is a Lifetime Achievement Award for Lady A. The song has become Gloriana’s biggest hit to date as it sits at number two on the Billboard Country Songs chart with a solid shot at number one. They are also fellow Upstate New Yorkers, so I could not be happier to see them make it big.
Little Big Town “Pontoon”
Changing gears from a newer group to an established quartet, Little Big Town got off to a slow start when they first hit the charts in 2002, but their career kicked into high gear in 2005 with back-to-back top ten hits “Boondocks” and “Bring It On Home.” Their chart success has been mixed since then, but they are back in a big way with a monster hit called “Pontoon.” To my ear, “Pontoon” doesn’t sound very country, save a steel guitar buried in the mix, but whether it’s country or pop or Caribbean, it’s still a great song about “motorboatin’.” No, I didn’t make that up. Watch the video. While Little Big Town doesn’t fit the exact Lady Antebellum model, their combined harmonies and fun material always makes them one to watch.
Western Avenue “Highway Headin’ Out of Town”
When I write a compilation post like this, there is normally one idea or one song that inspires it. In this case, that inspiration goes to brand-new Canadian trio Western Avenue, who followed me on Twitter over the weekend. It isn’t often that Canadian country acts follow me, so I checked out their account and saw they have a debut single called “Highway Headin’ Out of Town.” I have a soft spot for Canadian country acts, and it is often very tough for them to break through in the US without living and working full-time in Nashville. So I found their song and played it. And I played it again. And again. Next thing you know, the chorus was stuck in my head for a solid hour.
One of the big reasons that “Highway Headin’ Out of Town” got lodged in my head is the hook in the chorus. It is one thing to write a song with a catchy hook, but it is another to capitalize on said hook with strong harmonies, and Western Avenue has that covered. The acoustic performance up above gives you a good idea, but check out the studio version to get the full impact of the song. A solid song, tight production and strong harmonies make “Highway Headin’ Out of Town” and Western Avenue ones to watch. In fact, I get the same vibe listening to “Highway” that I did from Lady Antebellum’s debut single “Love Don’t Live Here,” and look what happened there. Here’s hoping some success in the Great White North gets these folks some well-deserved attention in Music City.
“(Kissed You) Good Night,” “Pontoon” and “Highway Headin’ Out of Town” are all available now on iTunes. Gloriana’s A Thousand Miles Left Behind was released in July, while Western Avenue’s debut and Little Big Town’s Tornado are both slated for September releases.
New Mumford and Sons. If this doesn’t put you in a good mood, I don’t know what will.
In going back through my posts, I realized I have not mentioned the Mumfords previously, but that will change. There are few musical acts right now that excite me as much as they do, and I already have tickets to see them at Red Rocks at the end of August. Sigh No More was a revelation to me, and since that album came out I have had it on a pretty regular rotation.
“I Will Wait” continues their alt-Celtic, alt-bluegrass sound that sounds traditional yet contemporary, but it sounds as if Marcus Mumford has discovered what will bring a live crowd to its feet to sing along. As a huge fan of their live shows (this one will be number three), I’m glad to see a band give the fans what they want and still maintain their identity. If anything has changed, it seems that primary writer Marcus Mumford may have lightened up a bit: “I Will Wait” has a much more upbeat message than pretty much everything on Sigh No More.
Raise my hands
Paint my spirit gold
And bow my head
Keep my heart slow
Whether this is an anomaly or a precursor of a more optimistic theme, the Mumfords have successfully whipped their fans into a frenzy for their new opus Babel, which comes out on September 25th. If you can’t wait, “I Will Wait” is available for digital download now.
Sometimes it is good to be an American Idol finalist that people had counted out. After sitting out most of Season Nine of American Idol, I came back on board last year with the advent of new judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. Even with the disappointing treatment that third place Haley Reinhart received from the judges for not conforming to their expectations, I got sucked in again this year for Season Eleven, only to lose interest once they reached the Semi-Final rounds. One of the few sparks for me was Phillip Phillips’s Dave Matthew-esque take on more contemporary fare. By the time the show got down to the Final Three (Phillips, Jessica Sanchez and Joshua Ledet), I was back on board and loving all three. I braced myself for horrible final songs, and Sanchez didn’t disappoint with her bizarre “Change Nothing.” And then the unthinkable happened…Phillip Phillips got a decent song. “Home” is the first Idol download I’ve purchased since David Cook triumphed in Season Eight, and its Coldplay meets Mumford and Sons vibe has lodged itself in my head randomly over the past two months.
“Home” instantly shot to number one on iTunes and debuted at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100, but enthusiasm died after a couple of weeks. That enthusiasm returned during the 2012 Olympics, as NBC used his coronation song as the theme music for the now Gold-winning US Women’s Gymnastics team. “Home” currently finds itself back at home on top of the iTunes Singles chart, guaranteeing it will make a strong return to the upper half of the Hot 100 after re-entering at number 84 this week. Seeing that they have momentum at their backs, 19 Recordings decided to finally release the video for “Home.” It’s nothing exciting, which might explain why they didn’t bother releasing it, but it’s got some great scenery.
Someone who has taken a lot longer to finally break through is Season Six finalist Chris Richardson. We’ve been beating the drum for Chris pretty hard for a while now, but things have finally kicked into gear with the release of his first official single on Cash Money Records. Chris hit the Hot 100 last year singing the hook on rapper Tyga’s “Far Away,” and now Tyga is returning the favor by dropping a verse on the intro to “Joy and Pain,” a track that precedes his full-length debut later in 2012. “Joy and Pain” is very of-the-moment in sound and structure, and Chris sounds like he’s having fun with the track. The Tyga rap feels like an add-on rather than part of the song, but it doesn’t take much to picture this fitting in to current Top 40 and R&B radio station playlists. While I prefer some of his self-releasedtracks, “Joy and Pain” is not a bad way to introduce Chris to a wider audience.
Phillip Phillips’s “Home” is available on digital single now in the US. Chris Richardson’s “Joy and Pain” doesn’t have a release date yet, but he tweeted on July 29th “#JoyandPain cover art almost done. Radio add date is close. Hope y’all Are ready, cause I am.”
No…I’m not going anywhere. Not right now anyway. If anything, I’ve been around a lot more lately. Something has been pushing me to pick the keyboard back up and write more in the past two weeks than I have the past two months, and I’m glad for the incentive no matter where it is coming from.
Some of you who know me may think that I am a sentimental kind of guy, but I tend not to dwell too much on the past. My life has been geared forward since I was young as if my best days were ahead of me, and that drive has served me well. Much of my life has been spent thinking “I can’t wait to get to [enter life change here].” However, the last year has seen a bit of a change in that charging-forward attitude. My mortality has come into view a bit more clearly, and as a result, I have been contemplating what happens when we leave this existence we call life. In case you’re wondering, I don’t have any answers for you. It is safe to say that if I did, I wouldn’t be here to type up this post.
I want to tell you a little bit about my friend Ty, someone else who had a “forward” drive. Ty came into my life three years ago as my partner and I were first dating. While we had met once, it wasn’t until a rodeo in July of 2009 that we really got to connect. By the time that weekend was over, I felt like I had been adopted by an older sister. Unfortunately, four months later that newly acquired relative ended up in the hospital with a diagnosis of cancer so aggressive that we were told she only had months to live. Well, months became years, and despite multiple end-of-life predictions, Ty soldiered on. Everyone around her was in awe of the way that she continued to beat the odds. That is, until two weeks ago. I have been told that the passing was peaceful and on her own terms, and for that I am grateful.
People outside of Ty’s inner circle think that she showed a lot of courage in the face of her prognosis, but sadly I know otherwise. She was terrified, as I think most of us would be. So terrified that she never allowed herself to know how serious her diagnosis was until near the end because she wanted to stay positive and fight. However well-intentioned this thinking was, there is no denying that all of us have an expiration date. Unless you die instantaneously in a freak circumstance, you will have to at least think about coming to terms with the inevitable. Please don’t think I am criticizing, because the strength that Ty showed throughout the past three years was amazing and awe-inspiring. In a perfect world, someone would show that strength while confronting their mortality, but what works for one person doesn’t for another and I am not here to judge the decisions that someone facing the end makes.
All of this has made me wonder how I will handle myself when my time arrives. Not only for myself, but also those I love. And then I came across a review of the new single by Country duo Joey + Rory, and I lost it. You are going to need a tissue box for this video. Don’t try to be tough…just give in to the suggestion.
“Just give it time
We’ll both be fine
When I’m gone”
I have no doubt my friend is fine now. Better than fine, even. No suffering, no worries, no doubt. I wish I could say the same about those of us she left behind, but we’ll get there. Eventually we all get there. The only consolation I have in all of this is the time I got to spend with Ty. While it may be cliched to say, my life is a better place for having known her.
Back in the late 1990s, Mick Fleetwood pulled together “of the moment” artists (Jewel, Tonic, Tori Amos, etc) to cover songs from Fleetwood Mac’s epic Rumours album for a compilation called Legacy. The album was decent enough, but the bigger impact was that it kept the Rumours legacy alive. Most would argue that the mid 1970s was the peak of Fleetwood Mac’s creative output, and that corresponds with a lot of strife and drama occurring between the band’s members at the time. Pain begets art, I suppose. But Rumours is a testament to the theory that a band of Fleetwood Mac’s caliber is greater than the sum of its parts. All five members are wildly talented in their own way, but none would ever see the level of success that Rumours achieved in their own solo work.
Fourteen years later, and we have another Fleetwood Mac cover album, this time covering their full output and not just one album. Just Tell Me That You Want Me (a lyric from 1979’s “Tusk”) arrives on August 14th, but the tracks are available to listen to here. The artists on this compilation are less mainstream than the 1998 Tribute album, but from what I’ve heard, it’s clear that even indie bands are influenced by the Mac. Some of the tracks take on a new life in the hands of these interpreters, such as The Kills bringing an ominous vibe to “Dreams,” but it’s not always welcome. Best Coast misfire big-time with their perky version of “Rhiannon,” clashing with the less-than-optimistic original.
For me, the key to a great covers album is either the new versions are updated without losing the heart of the original or the artists covering the songs bring out something that wasn’t there originally. One of my favorite covers is from Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons, who brings his distinct vocals to the 1975 gem “Landslide.” Antony doesn’t bring anything new to Landslide” in terms of interpretation, but his vocals soar on a song that has varied meanings to so many people.
On a personal note, this song has had multiple meanings to me through the years, but right now the line “I’m getting older too” drives it home. Rumours was a staple on our turntable as I was growing up, but I didn’t discover “Landslide” until Fleetwood Mac released their live album The Chain in 1997. I’ve related this song to a relationship ending, moving away from family and friends, and now the simple act of aging. Whether Stevie Nicks wrote this song about career choices, drug addiction or any other inspiration, it remains a brilliant song that so many people can relate to. On a day like today (July 20, 2012), when at least 12 of my fellow Coloradoans have been shot down in a gratuitous act of violence, words do not come to mind easily to make sense of it. Hearing Antony’s version of “Landslide” this morning at least met my uneasiness with a small sliver of comfort. That is a sign of a great song and a great performance connecting with a listener, and for that I am grateful.
My recent post on Vicci Martinez reminded me of a little-known artist (in the US, anyway) named Titiyo who originally recorded Vicci’s single “Come Along.” As I was remembering her sole hit in the US, it dawned on me that there were a lot of singularly titled ladies of pop and dance that hit the charts in the early 90s. One thing lead to another, and I ended up with a list of one-word ladies who many would consider one-hit wonders.
Turns out Titiyo’s sole US hit is not available on YouTube, so you will have to click through if you want to check it out. While Titiyo has had huge success in Sweden, her hits outside of Scandinavia have been few and far between. She scored a couple of minor hits in the UK from her first two albums in the early 90s, but Europe wouldn’t catch on to her grooves until the Come Along album was released in 2001. As for the US, we got one shot at Titiyo in 1991 when “My Body Says Yes” was released, but the record stalled at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100. Influenced by both Hip Hop and House music, “Body” definitely was well-positioned for Top 40 airplay, but it never quite caught on. A top 50 ranking would be considered respectable for most new artist, but as with many European acts unleashed on the American marketplace, it wasn’t quite enough. Twenty one years later, Vicci Martinez records “Come Along” and Titiyo gets a small royalty check and small consolation.
Keedy “Save Some Love”
As Titiyo was struggling to reach the top 40 in 1991, another new singer with a single-name moniker was having much more success. Many people assumed that Keedy was a first name, but it was actually the last name of Kelly Ann Keedy. “Save Some Love” was not what you would call a huge hit, but in the somewhat bland musical landscape of American radio in 1991, it was upbeat and harmless enough. Reaching number 15, hopes were high that she could replicate that success with her sweet ballad “Wishing on the Same Star” (a personal favorite of mine). Alas, the song stalled at #86, and there was another promising pop star’s career sending spinning down the drain. Keedy parted ways with Arista before she could release a second album.
Alisha “Bounce Back”
Alisha spent a good chunk of the 80s bouncing from label to label, having recorded for both Vanguard and RCA before landing at MCA to record her third album Bounce Back. Tracks like “All Night Passion,” “Baby Talk” and “Too Turned On” had made her a mainstay on the Dance charts, but it was clear from the promotion leading up to Bounce Back that MCA badly wanted her to cross over to the Pop chart, releasing the title track to both the clubs and Pop radio in 1990. While she racked up another top 10 on the Dance chart with “Bounce Back,” the single stalled on the Hot 100 at number 54. “Bounce Back” is a decent song, but I much prefer her earlier Freestyle dance music, particularly “Baby Talk.”
Corina “Temptation”
Speaking of Freestyle, the highest charting single of all the songs included on this list goes to Corina, who took “Temptation” into the top ten on the Hot 100 in 1991. Freestyle music was a regional subset of the club scene in the late 80s and 90s. Focused primarily in New York City, artists like The Cover Girls, Exposé, and Sweet Sensation all helped break Freestyle out of the clubs and onto the Pop charts in the late 80s. By the time Corina came along, Freestyle was already on the tail-end of its popularity, but “Temptation” became one of the biggest hits of the Freestyle era, peaking at number six. Corina’s follow up “Whispers” sounded similar to “Temptation,” but couldn’t get any further than number 51.
Regina “Baby Love”
You’ll have to blame this inclusion on Dan over at This Man’s World, who posted an old playlist that included this mid-80s one-hit wonder. I could not let something like the wrong decade keep me from including yet another harmlessly perky one-hit wonder. If the song sounds Madonna-ish, that’s because Regina co-wrote “Baby Love” with Breakfast Club member and Madonna collaborator Stephen Bray. “Baby Love” was a genuine smash, peaking at #10 on the Hot 100 and filling dance floors across the country, but while Regina had a couple of club hits following “Baby Love”, she never hit the Top 40 again.
In the glut of talent shows currently running on US television, it is very easy to lose sight of the actual goal of finding someone who eventually goes on to have a successful recording career. American Idol has been the most consistent hit-making show, having given the world Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Fantasia Barrino, and most recently the one-two country punch of Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina. Even season 11 winner Phillip Phillips appears to have a legitimate hit on his hands with his surprisingly solid coronation song “Home.”
In its two years of airing, The Voice has yet to produce a breakthrough star. Following in her fellow competitor Dia Frampton’s footsteps is Vicci Martinez, who also made it to the finals in the first season of The Voice. Vicci’s major label debut album Vicci, hot on the heels of a lead EP, attempts to introduce her to a wider audience with mixed results.
The heart of Vicci is “Come Along,” which features Vicci’s mentor from The Voice, Cee-Lo Green. Turns out the track was originally recorded in 2001 by Swedish pop singer Titiyo, who barely missed the Top 40 in the US with “My Body Says Yes” back in 1991. While “Come Along” does sound contemporary, it also stands out from the crowd mixed in with the cookie-cutter vocoders and dime-a-dozen emo bands that fill much of the playlists Martinez is bound to be played on.
While “Come Along” is far and away the standout track here, the other tracks on this debut hold their own. “Run Run Run” sounds like something that Pat Benatar would have recorded in the mid-to-late 80s, and while vocally they may be different, both Vicci and Pat have a similar spirit and energy that bridge multiple genres like pop, rock and blues. In fact, one of Vicci’s stand-out performances from her time on The Voice was taking on Pat Benatar’s “Love Is a Battlefield.”
Two other tracks that also appeared on the Come Along EP (“Hold Me Darlin’” and “I Can Love”) both bring out a bluesy vocal that still mixes well with the contemporary production provided. As if that combination weren’t surprising already, it turns out that Martinez worked with renowned remixer/producer Jason Nevins on “Hold Me Darlin’” as well as “I Can Love.” Check out an acoustic version of “I Can Love” below for more of that bluesy vocal style:
While I’m a big Vicci Martinez fan, this album is very uneven. For every stellar track like “I Can Love,” there is a less-than-stellar cut like “I Want Your Kiss” that doesn’t click. Having said that, this album does serve as a solid intro to folks who didn’t watch The Voice as to what type of artist Vicci Martinez is. In a world of vocal competition finalists who release generic albums aimed for the mainstream, Vicci has personality and soul that already puts her well ahead of that pack of wannabes. Here’s hoping her label gives her the opportunity to grow and establish herself instead of just dropping her without the proper support.
While much of the Country music universe is still reeling from dubstep Taylor Swift, one of Pop music’s brightest star continues her move toward Country music domination. Exhibit A was her duet with Reba McEntire on a remake of her “Because of You,” Exhibit B came in the form of “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Jason Aldean, and Exhibit C was the re-recorded Country version of “Mr. Know It All.” The latest and most successful attempt comes in the form of “Don’t Rush.” 
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