Keeping It Fresh

Today I have music for you by a group of singers out of England who go by the name Collabro. They were actually a part of Britain's Got Talent, and did very well. What makes this group so different in comparison to every male group out there, is that they sing more broadway and theatre kinds of songs. They have powerful and large and strong vocals, the kind of vocals that you would hear as a part of a play or production. And I love that! I mean when is the last time you heard of an all male group who sings classical music? It is something we haven't heard in a very long time, and the resurgence of an older style of singing is very refreshing. This is the first song they ever performed together, and it honestly leaves you spell bound. It comes from the musical Les Miserables, also known as one of the most famous musicals of all time. It is a timeless classic, and needs that kind of a vocal performance to really capture the essence of the story. It is just so incredible to hear v...

Today I have music for you from a musical that was adapted from a movie. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is an extremely fantastic movie, one that talks about a lot of things without us even realizing it. Now last week, the official musical soundtrack was released, and so I decided to give it a listen. I was completely spellbound and speechless. There is a special kind of beauty that comes with a choir and orchestra. Now what is cool about this song and the album as a whole, is that each vocalist is a character. They still have the lines of their original characters, and their collective voice is what makes the choir. This is the first song that appears in the movie and in the musical, and it is still my favorite. Even the narrator has a singing version of the narrator lines. And each person has something fantastic to offer. Whether it is the character line they are providing, or a part of the choir, each voice is so beautiful and come together to make this rendition something that sweeps ...

Today I have music for you that is hot off the record. Now I know I blogged about Zayn Malik earlier this month, but I had to talk abut his debut single. It dropped today, and dear lord I was satisfied. So, let's do a little bit of a breakdown of it! First I really want to congratulate Zayn Malik on his new single and praise the song because it really is fantastic. This song went exactly the way I thought it would and needed to go, so I am over the moon about that. From the first few notes, I knew this was going to be a pretty big song. Second, let's talk about his voice. This man is like a South Asian/British Chris Brown. I mean this is a guy who can not only sing at a higher pitch than a lot of guys, but has also mastered the falsetto. And for a soulful song like this, being able to transition without a hitch is something that is very important. That transition is trademark to the genre and is a great way to turn the song into something more full of lust and sensation and sex...

Today I have music for you by the California duo known as XYLO. This is dark pop at its finest, a song that is slow and calculated. Every beat and chord has been purposefully chosen and placed. everything strategically put together so that we get something that is ethereal and dark and spectacularly somber. This is a track that is incredibly well rounded, and is a fantastic way to debut XYLO's sounds. Their production is way beyond that which we would expect from and indie band. The music and instrumentals serve as the perfect harmonies to the vocals, and the layering of these synth notes gives the song a lot more musical depth and complexity. And that combination between the music and the vocals, is what really capitalizes on this dark pop kind of sound. The vocals are haunting and strong, but they don't boom with power and robust vibration. The song drips in this dark melancholy, something that makes that gloomy indie sound burst forth. The whole song is just created in overc...

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 British rapper known as Professor Green. In a way, he is kind of like the British version of Eminem. But the ability to rap is pretty much where this comparison ends. Professor Green is a rapper who has an incredibly dark and hard past, something that he has turned into the music he produces today. This is a song that has the ability to leave you so speechless because of the depth of the song and the meaning of the lyrics. There aren't many popular rappers out there now who rap about the struggles of everyday living, the struggles that aren't necessarily about race or gender, but more about the human condition. Professor Green takes a very hushed up topic, and expands on its impact in his own life with this song. The lyrical content of this song is personal and so close to his heart, that you cannot simply compare it to any other artist out there. And that history, that wealth of emotional buildup and pain and recovery is what makes this such a...

Today I have some rock music for you, because it has been entirely too long since I have brought that to the table. And naturally, I have to talk about one of my favorite bands of all time, the band that got me into music in the first place. Anberlin will always have such a special place in my heart because of how their music changed my life. The first time I heard their music, I had to keep listening. I went back for more and more and before I knew it, I had fallen in love with them. Which led me to falling in love with rock music in general. Which led me to exploring all genres and kinds of music, leading me to where I am today. The evolution of my musical taste is quite interesting, but one constant is Anberlin. What makes this band so different from so many other rock bands, is that they sound like anyone else. Their musical style is very particular to them, and they have a common motif through every album and song. Anberlin tends to not be a heavy guitar rock band. They have such ...