Keeping It Fresh

Hello, hello! It has been quite a while since I last dropped a post on the blog. I want to go ahead and send a huge shout out to everyone who has been patient with me, and the more sporadic nature of my writing. Everything is a work in progress, and continuing to write about music remains in “progress” mode. Moving onto the music, I would be remiss if I didn’t include this particular song. Why? Because it may just be one of the single greatest musical moments to come out of the world of Game of Thrones and television as a whole.  As you all may know, Florence Welch is a singer I am completely in awe in. She has harnessed something so magical in music, something so enchanting that you cannot help but be enamoured by it. Her voice has the power of a tidal wave, soaring and crashing as she chases the high notes and smashes the lower notes. But her voice can also be gentle and deep, like the calm waves of a splendorous ocean. The versatility and depth with which she can sing made he...

Today I have some very interesting music for you especially because it falls in a weird space between being older music and newer music. One of the most well-known events in recent hip-hop history is the legal battle that one of the most prestigious names in hip-hop was fighting. Lil Wayne has brought so much to rap and has influenced so many rappers. The creative differences and legal battle that Lil Wayne was going through is now over. And what this means is that he can go back to releasing and creating music. Now when this legal battle started Lil Wayne was going to release an album but was never able to since the legal battle was with his record label. And now that he has been released from any legal obligations, Lil Wayne has now been able to release that album after waiting almost 9 years. Needless to say, this is quite the triumph! This is also where the music gets very interesting because this album was recorded so long ago and maintains the musicality, structure, and rec...

Today I thought we could go with something on the softer side of music. It has been a while since I've posted anything along the lines of folk or indie music, and this song just spoke to me. Today's music is by the artist known as My Life as Ali Thomas. This is a group out of Thailand, and they have absolutely swept me away. I will admit, music like theirs is not a phenomenon. We hear indie and folk music like this often enough if you know where to look. But what makes this group really stand out, is their brilliant command of instrumentals and composition. This track is a great example of their beautiful work. My Life as Ali Thomas relies solely on conventional instruments it seems. Nothing electronic or synthetic. And I won't lie, that is a really nice change of pace. All we hear are the gentle acoustic guitars, the quiet electric guitars, tapping drums and dreamy vocals. Everything is so raw and real in a way that we sometimes can forget given that so much music today...

Today I have some music for you by an artist who seems to have blown up the charts the past couple of years. G-Eazy is one of the more popular rappers making music right now, even though there is quite a bit of his music that goes unnoticed and unheard by the vast majority of radio listeners. G-Eazy is an artist that has the capability of creating extremely meaningful and heartbreaking music. This is one of those deep songs, a song that shows the grounded and vulnerable side of G-Eazy. A lot of rap and hip hop today is about living larger life, that feeling of being completely invincible and constantly on cloud 9. But what G-Eazy does with this song, is bring everything back to humanity, directing the music back to that flawed and imperfect sense of humanity. This song is definitely a meaningful one for G-Eazy, bringing his own demons up to the surface. And I love that he did this song with Kehlani because of what she has gone through. Kehlani has met som...

Finally back today, after a couple of days of being out and about. I want to go ahead and say right now I apologize for not keeping up with posting every day, but just a heads up, I may not be able to consistently keep up with posting every day. But I will definitely try my best! But today I have some music for you that comes from a famous singer, both because of his work with a boy band, but also because his debut album dropped earlier this year. And despite the fame and fortune, I have to admit I really do like this singer and how he has evolved his personal sound over time. Harry Styles is most notable for his involvement with One Direction, a group who supposedly is hitting the studio again (more on this later). I had found this song by him a while ago, however, I stumbled upon it again while I was shuffling through some of my old music. This song is with just him and no other band members. And it is absolutely lovely. This song showcases a completely different side of Harry Styl...

Today I have music for you by an artist that has some absolutely incredible and moving music. Aquilo is a musical duo out of London, and they are kind of new to the larger music scene. While they have been making music together for a few years now, they didn't drop a debut album till recently, and I am so proud to see how far they have come from their first released single. Aquilo is one of the music industry's best-kept secrets. Their underground nature and lesser known status keep them open to creating the kind of music that they do create. Finding artists who are good at created this kind of emotional and haunting and soulful music is so difficult. The heart-wrenching nature of the music is somehow eerie and moving at the same time, and the rarity of that sound makes the music even more bewitching. Aquilo pulls it off with ease and grace, giving us something that sounds like magic. If there were an award given out for the most moving and melancholy songs of the year, this ...

Today I have some music for you that falls on the sad and melancholy side of things. Today's song is by one of my favorite vocalists, Andrew Belle. As a solo artist, Andrew Belle has a style that is completely his own and falls into the group of lesser known, more underground artists. It is a shame that artists like this are not more prominent because songs like this are some of the most beautiful. Andrew Belle has a simplicity in his music which makes it even more powerful and moving. He sings with so much passion and soul, but has a slightly gravelly voice which is to die for. It gives this song a more vulnerable sound to it. I got chills listening to this song because it has an ethereal background while also having something that is so grounding. The lyrics of the song are so beautiful and sad and even romantic. The chorus line, the question he asks, it is emotional and meaningful. The vocals Andrew Belle provides adds so much to the meaning of this song because he does sound so...

Today I have a song for you by the boy band that took the world by storm, and is now out on hiatus for a little while. One Direction is one of the biggest phenomenons in music these past few years, and it is starting to become clear as to why. One Direction has finally matured into a musical group that can appeal to all kinds of listeners. From the younger crowd to the older crowd, male and female, romantics and everywhere in between, One Direction seems to be the group that has it all. And their success story has everything to do with how talented they are. Now one of the things I find impressive and really quite wonderful, is their evolution throughout the course of their career so far. The sound that One Direction started with is vastly different from what we hear from them today. For starters, they have ditched the high energy pop in favor of more contemporary and grounded music. There is a more wholesome nature to their music and more experimentation. One thing that hasn't cha...

Today I have some music along the lines of emotionally beautiful. This first song comes from the Bollywood film Ashiqui 2. This is a movie that is a sequel to another Bollywood film that was released in the 90s. Not only was it one of the biggest blockbuster films, the soundtrack was positively splendid. This is the most famous song off the soundtrack, and I think it will be quite clear as to why once you hear it. The playback singer Arijit Singh is the man behind the vocals in the song, and let me tell you, his music is some of the most moving that I have heard in a long while from Bollywood. What I like about his voice is that is soft and low, but has a little bit of a gravelly sound to it. This makes him sound even more vulnerable than he does with just listening to the lyrics. And this song is all about feeling the vulnerability of love, and all the pain and hardships that come with life and being able to maintain that love. This is definitely a heartbreaking song, and is also one ...

Today I have some music for you by a an artist who seems to have blown up the charts this past year. G-Eazy is one of the more popular rappers making music right now, even though there is quite a bit of music that goes unnoticed and unheard by the vast majority of radio listeners. G-Eazy is an artist that has the capability of creating extremely meaningful and heart breaking music. This is one of those deep songs, a song that shows the grounded side of G-Eazy. A lot of rap and hip hop today is about living larger life, that feeling of being completely invincible and constantly on cloud 9. But what G-Eazy does with this song, is bring it back to humanity, bringing the music back to that flawed and imperfect sense of humanity. This song is definitely a meaningful one for G-Eazy, bringing his own demons up to the surface. And I love that he did this song with Kehlani because of what she has gone through. Kehlani has met some very dark times, and she has had to sacrifice quite a bit to pul...

Today I have new music for you by a duo who is not well know, but have a really special place in my heart. Aquilo is one of the most interesting bands I have ever heard and I am absolutely in love with their music because of that. One way their music is defined is as a kind of electronica. Normally, when people think of electronica music, their minds go to dance singles and club jams, the things that are full of energy and are fun and active and lively. But Aquilo is not that. Aquilo is a rare kind of band and artist, one who takes what we think of one thing and turns it into something different. Aquilo is a rather mellow and dreamily sad artist, one who hones in on the side of life that is not normally described by electronic music. Their music has a soft calm to it, a sound that is so hauntingly beautiful and positively moving. Now this song has not been officially released yet, however Aquilo has done a live rendition of this and released that, and let me tell you, it is heart break...

Today I have some slower music for you by an artist who has stayed out of the spotlight, but really deserves to be in it. Kevin Garrett is a singer based out of New York, and he is not only a wonderful singer but a moving songwriter. Kevin Garrett is not just a singer, but also a storyteller. What I love about his music is that the lyrics are so much more than what you hear. There is so much more to their meaning than the surface value, what we can glean from the initial listen. This song is a tragically romantic ballad, one that really gets you into this mood of thinking and retaining this emotionally pensive nature. Kevin Garrett has created an album that is sophisticated and incredibly well produced, compositions that are infused with elements of pop and soul and some soft rock. What he does with this short album, is create a completely unique soundscape which is carried throughout the album. I won't lie, there is room for believing that the songs sound similar, but there is sti...

Today I have music for you by an artist that has some absolutely incredible and moving music. Aquilo is a musical duo out of London, and they are kind of new to the music scene. While they have been making music together for about two years now, they didn't drop a debut album till recently. I think Aquilo is one of the music industry's best kept secrets. Their underground nature and lesser known status, keeps them open to creating the kind of music that they do create. And finding artists who are good at created this kind of emotional and haunting and soulful music is so hard to find. But Aquilo pulls it off with ease and grace, giving us something that sounds like magic. If there were an award given out for the saddest songs of the year, this song would most definitely take a high ranking spot on that list. Aquilo uses electronic percussion and dreamy synths, something to amplify the somber atmosphere and the shadows that seem to hang over everything. This song also features a...

Today I have music for you by the duo known as Aquilo. Now they don't have a lot of music out, but the music they do have is absolutely spectacular and magical. There is this sense of simplicity and calm to the music they compose and write. And with that simplicity comes a dreamily sad kind of sound. But this is the kind of darker sound that seeps into your skin and soul. But the thing is, it doesn't fill you with sadness, rather just brings you down to this level of serenity and calm. Weird I know, but it just works so magically. This song gives you chills, and has so many emotions all in one that you feel a wave of everything wash over you. Aquilo is a really special band because their music has a story to tell. This video in itself is a two part story, the second half to a tale of sadness and heartache. The two songs in this mini series are actually the same story told from different perspectives. This one is done from the perspective of a boy in love with a girl who is spir...

Today I have some music along the lines of emotionally beautiful. This first song comes from the Bollywood film Ashiqui 2. This is a movie that is a sequel to another Bollywood film that was released in the 90s. Not only was it one of the biggest blockbuster films, the soundtrack was positively splendid. This is the most famous song off the soundtrack, and I think it will be quite clear as to why once you hear it. The playback singer Arijit Singh is the man behind the vocals in the song, and let me tell you, his music is some of the most moving that I have heard in a long while from Bollywood. What I like about his voice is that is soft and low, but has a little bit of a gravelly sound to it. This makes him sound even more vulnerable than he does with just listening to the lyrics. And this song is all about feeling the vulnerability of love, and all the pain and hardships that come with life and being able to maintain that love. This is definitely a heartbreaking song, and is also one ...

Today's song is by the London native band, Placebo. This song has a very eerie and haunting sound to it, that is so entrancing and beautifully dark. The lead vocals mixed with the accompanying music gives this song a deeper, colder, and darker meaning to the song, compared to the original. I prefer this version myself, but that of course is subject to opinion! I love this song and find it chilling and haunting. It is the kind of song that can send those deep shivers up your spine and through your entire being. But these are not chills of fear or horror. These are ones of truly feeling. There is so much depth to the way this song is structured and performed. When you hear the original song, there is more of a dance vibe and 80's vibe to the song. I personally don't think it goes well with the darkness that is written into the words of the song. But Placebo takes full advantage of the ability to make this a haunting and eerie song. This is a song that relies heavily on the ba...

Today  have music for you by the Irish singer known as Hozier. This is the only song I am going to be talking about today because it is that incredible. I have not heard a song like this that has so much depth, so many intertwining layers. There is so much meaning and complexity to this song and it has been such a very long time since a song like this has been released. This song is one of the best songs I have heard this year. Hozier has a voice unlike anything I have ever heard. To be quite honest, I think he sounds even more incredible live. This song has so many wonderfully dark things happening in it and I can't help but really feel the tone of this song when listening to it. Hozier has this very distinct voice that is capable of pulling different sounds out. This song drips with passion and is immersed in the being that Hozier is. His voice is this rich baritone that is so full of soul and he oozes this beautiful huskiness when he sings. He also has this remarkable smoky soun...

Today I have some music for you that falls on the sad and melancholy side of things. Today's song is by one of my favorite vocalists, Andrew Belle. As a solo artist, Andrew Belle has a style that is completely his own and falls into the group of lesser known, more underground artists. It is a shame that artists like this are not more prominent because songs like this are some of the most beautiful. Andrew Belle has a simplicity in his music which makes it even more powerful and moving. He sings with so much passion and soul, but has a slightly gravelly voice which is to die for. It gives this song a more vulnerable sound to it. I got chills listening to this song because it has an ethereal background while also having something that is so grounding. The lyrics of the song are so beautiful and sad and even romantic. The chorus line, the question he asks, it is emotional and meaningful. The vocals Andrew Belle provides adds so much to the meaning of this song because he does sound so...

Today I have some music for you by the ever incredible, Ed Sheeran. I have to say I am extremely pleased with the fact that he has really come to the top of the music scene. His talent ranges from being a songwriter to a guitarist to being a fantastic singer. His vocal talents also fall on quite a spectrum and was given the award as the most influential figure in black music for the year. This is quite an accomplishment because he is able to really capture that soul and feeling and passion that accompanies the music of the black community. This song is off one of his older albums but is a song that I love so much. Ed Sheeran sings this song with so much passion and soul and it is absolutely breathtaking. From the beginning we get the soft acoustics of his guitar and a darker tone to his voice. There is a melancholy that Ed Sheeran establishes from the beginning and it carries over into the rest of the song. However, as the song progresses, we are introduced to other emotions one by one...

Today I have a song for you by a singer that I really enjoy despite the fame and fortune that has befallen him. Harry Styles is most notable for his involvement with One Direction, which is still going very strong. However, I stumbled upon this song with just him and no other band members. I have to say, this song is absolutely lovely. This song showcases a completely different side of Harry Styles and his vocal capabilities. Sometimes being with the band cannot give us a full view of the vocal characteristics that a member has. This song is full of real vulnerability and almost a sad pain. The lyrics are very sweet and more emotional than I would have thought. This kind of this song is what I imagined Harry Styles would sing if he ever went solo. It is something heart wrenching, sweet, a little indie and even has a little bit of rock thrown in there. I can tell you that Harry Styles does come with rock influence in his voice, but a lot of that rock feel in this song comes from the fea...