Keeping It Fresh

Today I have a really sunny and lovely song for you by an artists known as Spencer Kane. Now this song is actually a cover of a Pentatonix original. Normally it is the a capella group that does the covers, but now we have the opposite happening which is a weirdly nice plot twist. From the moment the song starts. we are swept away into the adorably romantic and sweet sound, something that is happy and bubbly. The whole song has that really feel-good vibe to it, something which effortlessly shines with a warm brightness. Spencer Kane has a really smooth voice, but there is this nice underlying gravel to it, which kind of makes the whole thing sound complete. He also has quite a mature voice for his age, resonating with deeper octaves compared to the original. But that depth is so suitable for this song and adds envelops us in a sunny and light-hearted mood. He has a smooth falsetto that he transitions into at the end of some lines. Those nice little lilts are simple...

Wow, okay, it has been an awful long time since I last posted a song. Hopefully we can get back to some normalcy! And today I wanted to start out by introducing you all to some folk and acoustic music. And before I really jump into this song, I wanted to clear up a question that I have gotten multiple times in the past. Whenever I talk about music with people, I somehow always get asked the question "what is the difference between folk and country?" And I won't lie, at first I didn't have a definitive answer. It was always something I could hear in the music, an automatic distinction and difference between folk and country. But it took me quite a few times of trying to explain myself, before I actually was able to start verbalizing a good explanation as to what those differences may be. The first main difference, is that the term "folk" music, can apply to any style of music which is culturally traditional. It is an umbrella term which describes the music...

Today I have some new music for you by a couple of big-name artists. Ever since One Direction disbanded for a hiatus of sorts, all four members have gone off and pursued their own music. Each one of them also decided to take a different track, leading to four new artists in a multitude of genres. Liam Payne's focus has been on the electronic world, from releasing his own music as a DJ, to being a featured vocalist like he is in this song. With Zedd at the helm, the two major label artists have come up with what could possibly be a new summer anthem. This song is a great blend of the more popular styles of electronic music right now. We all know tropical house has become a very popular EDM genre. It is fun and fresh, with a more playful and light-hearted feel to it. On the flip side, more R&B infused electronic music has surfaced a lot, with more artists taking a look at finding the perfect blend of that intimate genre with a dance-oriented sound. Zedd and Liam Payne have give...

Today I have some music for you by an artist who has consistently been able to make me stop whatever it is I may have been doing, and just listen. Hunter Hayes is an artist who doesn't fall shy of the mark when it comes to writing and composing good music. He is one of the most talented artists that I have heard, and especially for his youth. Every song is an inside view  into  the talented world he seems to be a part of. Hunter Hayes is an extremely gifted guitarist along with being a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. As a country artist, we don't always get that stereotypical country vibe from his music. In fact this song is far from it. I have to say, out of every song I have heard by Hunter Hayes, this is downright my absolute favorite. For starters, the song tends to take on more of a blusey sound. From the beginning of the song, we are privy to Hunter Hayes' guitar versatility. He eases into the strumming to lead us into the first verse. The guitar does...

Today I have music for you by the band Goodnight, Texas. Now the first time I heard this song I was immediately captured. I am not normally one for country music, but this had such a folk twist to it that it made the song a million times better. There is something that older folk sounds do to music that turns it from being a typical country tune into a song that is powerful and intense. The percussion in this song pounds like the beating of a heart and it suits the mood that the guitar sets so incredibly well.  The vocals are minimal in this song, but the way that they are slightly fuzzed out is really fitting to give the song that intense and hardy sound. This is a song that I imagine the constant beating of a pick axe to the ground, the way you may see it in movies. That synchronized slamming to the ground, the way everything seems to be parts of a machine is kind of what I feel when I listen to this song. This does have that Wild West kind of s...

Today I have some interesting music for you, in the sense that you may find it a little bit quirky. Today's first song is by the ever incredible band by the name The White Stripes. Now The White Stripes is probably one of the most iconic bands of the late 90's and early 00's. This is a band that everyone seems to know, even if they have never heard a song by them. It is just one of those names that you know, regardless of what kind of music you listen to. What I like about this band is the blending of grunge rock and blues rock to create songs that have some really great bass guitar work in accompaniment with heavy drum work. The White Stripes tends to ditch the dependence on the electric guitar in favor of the lower tones and deep thrum of the bass guitar. This is a song that makes you automatically feel like a badass and a rebel. That is one of the things that The White Stripes can do to you-make you feel like the coolest and most suave person in the world. This song just...

Today I have a really sunny and lovely song for you by an artists known as Spencer Kane. Now this song is actually a cover a song by Pentatonix. Normally it is the a capella group that does the covers, but now we have the opposite happening which is a weirdly nice plot twist. The song from the get go is one that has such an adorable and sweet vibe to it, something that is happy and bubbly. The whole song has that really warm feel good vibe to it, something that is cute and has this nice brightness to it. Spencer Kane has a really smooth voice, but there is this nice underlying roughness that kind of makes the whole thing sound complete. He also has quite a mature voice for his age, but that depth is so suitable for this song. He has a smooth falsetto that he transitions into at the end of some lines, like a nice lilt in his voice. Spencer Kane makes his voice sound as smooth as honey and as sweet as sugar which is pretty much exactly what a song like this needs. Everything about this s...

Today was the day we celebrated the Grammys! For those of you who don't know, the Grammys is an award show in which the best and brightest of music in the past year, are honored on you behalf. This first Grammy winning artist is  a very interesting one because he likes to speak about politics. Kendrick Lamar is someone who is genuinely in it for the music. However, he also loves to point out social injustices and wrongdoings. By doing this kind of work and having that time to breathe, it is not easy having to wake up and get to work even though the last night was crazy. Now Kendrick Lamar is one of those rare artists who writes very controversial lyrics on controversial topics. Because we as a society have not done much in terms of making change and speaking out, Kendrick Lamar started with him being able to create this sense of well being. Each one of Kendrick Lamar's sounds has a sound of 100 men taking charge of the situation it is believe in. Every word chosen, every rhyme ...

Today I have some country music for you because it has been quite some time since I have posted any. This song is by my favorite country singer, Hunter Hayes. He is one of the most talented artists that I have heard, and especially for his youth. Every song is an inside view into the talented world he seems to be a part of. Hunter Hayes is an extremely gifted guitarist along with being a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Now this song in particular is one of my favorites because it has clever lyrics which make it the sweetest and most heartwarming song. The main chorus line is very witty in the fact that he addresses the idea of heartbreak in order to convey his intense feelings for her. There is so much passion and strength and overall power to this song that does not fall on the side of heavy and intense, but rather upbeat and desiring. The whole song features Hayes's incredible guitar work, especially toward the end. His guitar solo features amazing riffs and chord ...

Today I have some music from a genre we haven't seen lately on this blog. It has been a strangely long time since I have posted anything country, so today seemed like the kind of day to put on cowboy boots and strut that guitar. This song is by one of the biggest voices in the country music world. Jason Aldean is a rather popular artist from this realm of music because of his versatility. The thing with being a country singer is that it is often hard to cover multiple styles of sound. For example, if a country artist normally sings faster paced songs, it is generally because that is what they are best at. Now Jason Aldean is a little bit of an outlier because he kind of delves into different styles with his country music. This song is a great representation of the edgier side of country, something that Jason Aldean has mastery over. He has a heavier and slightly gruff voice which makes it absolutely perfect for this hard hitting country song. Now what makes this song that much more...

Today I have music for you from the movie Inside Llewyn Davis. I am not going to lie, this movie has one of the greatest blues, acoustic, and guitar albums I have ever heard. This song in particular features the voices of the main actor, Oscar Issac and the incredibly talented, Marcus Mumford. This song is performed at the very beginning and end of the film, which makes gives this movie a complete circular plot. Its nice to show how the origins are so similar to the ending. This song has extremely beautiful acoustic work, and it has a very distinct sound to it. Mumford and Issac's voices blend so well together, one providing a folksy sound and the other providing a soulful blusey voice. Oscar Issac is a Juliard graduate, which makes it quite interesting as to how he got into folk music. Generally speaking, Juliard is a school for classical music, but Oscar Issac delivers a beautiful folk rendition of his song. Oscar Issac has a beautiful voice that is gentle and warm. He has the ki...

Today I have some interesting music for you, in the sense that you may find it a little bit quirky. Today's first song is by the ever incredible band by the name The White Stripes. Now The White Stripes is probably one of the most iconic bands of the late 90's and early 00's. This is a band that everyone seems to know, even if they have never heard a song by them. It is just one of those names that you know, regardless of what kind of music you listen to. What I like about this band is the blending of grunge rock and blues rock to create songs that have some really great bass guitar work in accompaniment with heavy drum work. The White Stripes tends to ditch the dependence on the electric guitar in favor of the lower tones and deep thrum of the bass guitar. This is a song that makes you automatically feel like a badass and a rebel. That is one of the things that The White Stripes can do to you-make you feel like the coolest and most suave person in the world. This song just...

OKAY today is such a big day in the world of sports for pretty much the entire Eastern Hemisphere. Why, you may ask? Because the cricket world cup occurred last night and was pretty much awesome. For those of you who don't really know what cricket is, it is one of the biggest sports worldwide. Sadly, America has not really gotten into cricket, but decided to create baseball instead. Baseball is very much based on how cricket is played. Cricket is played with a bowler which is similar to what a pitcher is, and a batsman with the remaining players as "fielders" of sorts. Cricket is a long game, I can't deny it. But it is quite the game, and cricket matches can be so much fun, especially when people get all riled up. But in honor of the Cricket World Cup, I have to play some music from the teams that were up against each other. This year, the contenders were India and Pakistan. AND INDIA WON!! Of course this was super exciting for me, and I thought some nice celebratory ...

Today was one of the biggest award shows of the year- The Grammys. For those of you who don't know, this award show is the biggest music award show in America and features performances from a lot of incredible artists from a spectrum of genres. Now I do have to say that I have my own opinions about The Grammys. For me, lately The Grammys have been more of a celebration of who has the most popular songs on the radio rather than who wrote or composed or produced something that is a masterpiece. That being said, I am quite happy that Beck won quite a few awards this evening because he is an absolutely phenomenal artist and is one of the best folk artists out there right now. However, I am very disappointed that Ed Sheeran did not win any Grammys tonight even though I think he deserves one. But then again, a lot of artists who desereve these honors don't get them. I mean, look at Leonardo di Caprio! I could go on and on about this subject, so let us focus on what music was there fo...

Today I have some music for you by the famous country singer Jason Aldean. Now I know it has been a long time since I posted anything country, so hopefully this will be a nice change. I am going to keep this one a little short today. Jason Aldean is such a big name in the world of country music and it is clear to see why. He has that rich and powerful tone to his voice with a slight twang to make things sound really country. He takes more of the intense and energetic route with this song and I like that! This song features more electric guitar work than acoustic guitar but I think that is perfect for this song. The electric violin makes a spectacular entrance in this song. We really hear that fiddle twist of the violin and it seems to soar above all other sounds in this song like it has a solo of its own. And of course you can never go wrong with the sick banjo work. I mean if there is anything that people should love about country is that the fiddle and banjo really make or break the ...

Today I have music for you by the band Goodnight, Texas. Now the first time I heard this song I was immediately captured. I am not normally one for country music, but this had such a folk twist to it that it made the song a million times better. There is something that older folk sounds do to music that turns it from being a typical country tune into a song that is powerful and intense. The percussion in this song pounds like the beating of a heart and it suits the mood that the guitar sets so incredibly well.  The vocals are minimal in this song, but the way that they are slightly fuzzed out is really fitting to give the song that intense and hardy sound. This is a song that I imagine the constant beating of a pick axe to the ground, the way you may see it in movies. That synchronized slamming to the ground, the way everything seems to be parts of a machine is kind of what I feel when I listen to this song. This does have that Wild West kind of sound, but more so in regards to the...

Today I have music for you by a younger singer who has an incredible mature voice and musicality about him. James Bay has a lovely voice that is something soothing and moving. This song has such a great soft sound to it, but it isn't extremely gentle. This song has ups and downs between something more mellow and something with an autumn day kind of feel. James Bay is an artist who knows how to change the direction of a song with his voice. That seems to be the primary force, supported by an extremely strong instrumental background. This song is so great because it is almost like we are hearing an unleashing of James Bay's voice, despite the title of the song. This is a melody that is hard to shake off and the way the chorals swoop in and create this deep and far reaching sound. There is so much passion and sincerity in this song and we can hear that as soon as James Bay opens his mouth. I think one of the greatest things about James Bay is that there is no doubt that he is just...

Today I have music for you by the singer known as George Ezra. This song is so charming in this slightly antique way. I kind of like that sound a lot because it is both soothing and warming. This song just has this coziness that rides the sound waves. George Ezra has a style that is extremely different from all other folk groups out there. He taps into the older and earlier forms of folk music. He even goes a little bit americana for this song. George Ezra seems to channel some Bob Dylan in both musical style and vocalization. George Ezra has this rich tone baritone voice that can only be described as something wonderfully manly but subtly gentle. His voice is perfect for that blusey guitar sound, that original blues-rock feel that came before people like John Mayer. There is this grace to the way George Ezra sings. The words are discernible but also kind of run together in a way that makes the end of one note the beginning of another. George Ezra has this soulful and old voice that yo...

Today is Christmas Eve. This is the night when everything about Christmas comes to a calm and tranquility. It is the night where everyone comes together to just be. Whether you go to church for service or remain at home, there is this peace and coziness and warmth that settles over you. This is the night that really reminds me of what Christmas means and the true spirit of the holidays. It is about community, family, and giving to all. For this night, I have music for you that reflects that beautiful calm and serenity. This first song is a rendition of the biggest Christian holiday song and is sung by Josh Groban. He lends his rich tone and warm voice to sing this song in its full beauty. Josh Groban sings this song with so much love and meaning and it seems to touch the heart and soul. Today's second song is an instrumental of another Christian song that is very popular during the holidays. This version was performed by the Percy Faith Orchestra. To me, there is something indescri...

Today's Christmas themed song is out of the late 50's. This song is the pop culture take on Christmas. Now we hear a lot of songs like that, the songs that pop icons sing that are generally related to Santa and presents. This is the original pop culture Christmas song and it is my favorite. This song is an absolute classic and for good reason. It has that happy and light hearted nature that makes it so much fun to listen to. A lot of people have covered this song, but this version is still the best one. What I love about this version is that it has a mix of original rock n roll and big band. You can really hear the electric guitar in this song, and it has that suave Elvis Presley style. What I find so incredible is that Brenda Lee recorded this song when she was 13 years old. Brenda Lee has such a mature voice and I think that the juxtaposition between a young person and an older voice is perfect for Christmas. It is a holiday that never grows old despite how many years it has ...