Keeping It Fresh

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it has been a very long time since I last posted. But I'm really happy to be back and I have honestly missed writing about music so much. And to kick things off I wanted to go ahead and start with one of the newer symbols by Disclosure which recently came out. Let's get right into it! Disclosure is very well known for having really catchy beats and complex harmonies and melodies. Fortunately for us, that doesn't change with their newer single and in fact, the duo takes on a very interesting type of sound in this track. We don't normally get to hear Disclosure go for something a little bit more old school so this is a very nice fresh change and it's a sound that works really well with Disclosure's style.  I think one of the biggest things in this track that is worth noting is the way the vocals are presented. I wouldn't necessarily say that they are very clear and distinct and crisp, but it's still easy enough to unde...

Today I have some music for you by the artist known as Armand Van Helden. Now this is a guy who has been around in the music industry for a very long time. His name isn't one that is easily recognizable or recognized at all for that matter. But he is one of the biggest influences in the New York electronic music scene. He works with all kinds of genres, from funk to R&B to hardcore EDM. What I find really cool about Armand Van Helden is that despite the fact that he has been such an influential presence in the music scene of the Northeast, his music still sounds underground. He hasn't lost any sense of what his soundscape is supposed to sound like, and is very comfortable with creating sounds which eventually become the popular norm. There are still so many elements of his music that sound really nice and underground, very unique and quirky. Armand Van Helden tends to sample older songs, generally from the 80s or 90s. And he does so because of how rooted in funk and groo...

Today I have an absolutely incredible song for you all. Often times we hear covers of songs get done, with multiple covers of popular songs. And a lot of these times, the covers a wonderful tribute to the original song. The notes are beautifully reached, the melodies a beautiful flow like the original track. But what the single dimensional covers do, is create an extremely similar rendition of the original song. And then we get some rare covers which are stunning pieces of work. These covers tend to be extremely non-conventional and can change everything about a song. Today's track does just that. The original version of this song is incredibly popular, the girls' anthem for all the 90's and 00's girls out there. TLC is a musical staple - everyone knows them and at least one of their songs. This one is their most popular and it has been covered by many people. But no one has been able to turn the original into a completely new work of art the way Unlike Pluto has. Te...

Well, things have been a bit inconsistent with the bringing new music to the blog. But, things have finally calmed down some, and hopefully, I'll get to post a lot more! But today's song is by the up and coming artist Oddisee. This song is one of those endearingly quirky songs, with a really nice jazzy and R&B vibe to it. This is a sound that we don't hear often enough, but it is slowly starting to make its way into the popular stream of music. Now what makes this song so great is how it just oozes suaveness. Very few people remember that jazz is just as smooth as hip-hop, and the way this song uses jazz horns, gives the song a really great feel. This song is a great example of what modern day jazz could evolve into. When rap and hip hop seem to be taking over the industry, having that mixed in with something as old and vintage as jazz would be such an ideal mix of bringing the past to the present. We get this really great and prominent kind of funk, a genre that hasn...

Hello, everybody! It is so good to be back here writing about music! I spent the last week traveling and keeping really busy, which is why we had a bit of a hiatus. But, I'm back today, and it is all about getting funky and jazzy. Today's song comes from an artist that I've mentioned in the past.  Anderson Paak is a very eclectic artist, one who likes to combine differing styles to create something original and fun. This song is one that has this nice funky jazz to it, something that is like an old school groove with a modern twist. Anderson Paak has a strong command of his music, knowing exactly what sound he wants and exactly what words he wants to use. There is an incredible strength to his producing and songwriting skills, one that is impressive. Anderson Paak knows himself as a musician, and that can sometimes be hard to find. Even within his rapping style and cadence, there is strong confidence which comes from an artist who really knows how he...

Today I have a different kind of song for you. Covers have become an incredibly huge phenomenon in  the music world, and more and more we are seeing cover artists who are gaining just as much, and sometimes, even more coverage than other popular artists. So when it comes to cover artists, I really enjoy how each person takes their own spin of the song. And Postmodern Jukebox took one of the most popular songs of the last few years and created a cover that is astonishingly good. We all know Beyonce, we all know what her music is like, and we have heard some interesting renditions of her music. However, this is a cover unlike I have ever heard. Normally, Beyonce covers are done in that same R&B style of feature something more acoustic. But this is definitely not that. Welcome to the world of modern swing music! That is right, Postmodern Jukebox took one of the biggest songs of modern times and spun it to have that classic swing and jazz song. Who would have though that hip h...

Well this month happens to be a special month for this blog. 4 years ago, I started this blog with the intention of bringing music to the world. And I am so happy to see how far it has come and how much it has evolved. From the simple beginnings of just picking a couple of songs, I love how this blog has ended up. Now it is more than music sharing, but is also a review and a musical breakdown and a way for me to fully express how I feel about the music. This blog has seen so many holidays, special events, and remembrances. And over the course of these four years, over 100 different artists have been featured, from all over the world. I want to give out my thanks to everyone who takes the time to read about the music. Thank you so much for opening your minds and exploring all the nooks and crannies of the music world. Thank you for diving deep into genres that most people find weird or unpopular. And thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your lives, for allowin...

Today I have music for you by an artist who is one of the most iconic singers of the common era of music. Amy Winehouse had a voice that was sultry and powerful, a voice that was recognizable anywhere and everywhere. Her voice is a beautifully raspy voice which gives her songs that feeling of being lost in a smoky jazz room. Amy Winehouse was a woman of many gifts and talents, most known for her vocal capabilities. She is the kind of singer who captured the calmer and the more subtle and provocative nature of jazz music while being very upfront and open about mouthing off. There is a very charming nature to her music because of that, and it is hard to not be seduced by her originality and creativity. One of the things that make Amy Winehouse such an icon for this generation, is her modern twist to an older style of music. Swing and jazz were once the most popular sound, and Amy Winehouse beautifully takes that style and makes it her own. She adds her own rebellious spirit to the music,...

Today I am changing it up a little bit and featuring music that was made for films. This first song is from a movie that seemed to be an indie movie that became a sensation with the right crowd.Now this song that I chose is the one song that I know almost everyone has heard. This song comes from the movie Get On Up: The James Brown Story. Now, I am a huge fan of James Brown. Talk about a guy who knew how to sing and put on a show and prove to the world that everything is possible. I have not seen this movie yet but I am dying to see it! This movie is a biography, but like the kind of music it features, this film has funk and soul. There is so much more to this film than being a typical historic film. This song features so many incredible song renditions and Chadwick Boseman sounds so phenomenal as James Brown. Now in the movie, he did perform the songs, but the Godfather of Soul's voice was dubbed over the Chadwick Boseman's voice. But just from this scene alone, I can feel the...

Today I have some music for you by a lovely swing singer, my favorite female jazz singer of all time. Natalie King Cole takes after her father, having the ability to captivate all of her listeners. I love this particular piece of hers because it is actually a collection of three songs. Each of these three have been taken and folded wonderfully so that one follows the other in a beautiful way. The songs have been carefully connected so that we get to hear the best moments from each song. I love the way Natalie King Cole sings so vulnerably and with no inhibition. She just lets her voice flow freely, creating a romantically centered kind of song. Natalie King Cole sings with so much power and grace, while also being able to tone it down and come back to moonlight serenades. Her vocal range was incredible and we get to hear that on this medley. The notes soar high and beautifully and she nails every note every time. This medley sometimes gives me chills because of how beautiful it is. As ...

Today we are back with some new music, and today's song comes as a recommendation from a friend of mine. Now this is an artist who was actually featured in SXSW 2016, and has recently done some touring around the States. Anderson Paak is a very eclectic artist, one who likes to combine differing styles to create something original and fun. This song is one that has this nice funky jazz to it, something that is like an old school groove with a modern twist. Anderson Paak has a strong command of his music, knowing exactly what sound he wants and exactly what words he wants to use. There is an incredible strength to his producing and song writing skills, one that is impressive. Anderson Paak knows himself as a musician, and that can sometimes be hard to find. His rapping style is really interesting, almost like a conversation between the listener and himself. Even though he likes to pick out music from multiple eras, there is still that sense of complete control and mastery of the mus...

Today I have some beautiful music for you, something I haven't posted in a quite a while. This song is a wonderfully romantic and slower song, the kind that makes you stop and reflect for a moment. This song is originally by Elvis Presley, but the version I am writing about today is sung by Haley Reinhart. When I first heard this song, a part of me wanted to sit and cry. I mean this rendition is so incredibly moving, one that is done with so much gentleness and vulnerability. I have to admit, I did have some tears roll down when I first heard it. And that made the song even more beautiful for me. The complete emotional experience I got from this song was so breathtaking, so powerful despite the fact that this song is so soft spoken. Haley Reinhart has a voice that it utterly enchanting and she pours all of her feeling into this song. Normally, she showcases her ability to be raspy and put on the classic rock sound very well. But for this cover, she lets all of that go, and we get s...

Today I have music for you by an artist whose music is some of the most antiquely soulful. Charles Bradley has been a musician for a long while, and brings such a wonderful sound to his music. Sadly enough, he wasn't really discovered till recent, but Charles Bradley has been singing for years without the help of record companies. However, now, he is making amazing albums, geared towards the music that got him interested in it all. Charles Bradley has a very interesting style of music, combing 70s funk with soul and R&B. More often than not, Charles Bradley's music features a lot of big band sounds and brass instruments. This allows him to make a grand point with his music, and these instruments are a great accompaniment to the deep and funky voice that he has. Now this is a very interesting song because it is actually the cover of a Black Sabbath song. Going from heavy and hard rock to something that is more jazzy and blusey is quite the turnaround. But Charles Bradley doe...

Today I have some music for you that came as a suggestion from one of my friends! This song is by up and coming artists Oddisee, and has a really nice jazzy and R&B vibe to it, a sound that we don't hear often enough. Now what makes this song so great is how it just oozes suaveness. Very few people remember that jazz is just as smooth as hip-hop, and the way that the song uses the jazz horns, it gives the song a really great feel. This song is a great example of what modern day jazz could evolve into. When rap and hip hop seem to be taking over the industry, having that mixed in with something as old and vintage as jazz would be such an ideal mix of bringing the past to the present. We get this really great and prominent kind of funk, a genre that hasn't been heard from in a long time. One of my favorite things about this song is the fact that Oddisee creates all of the music on his own. All of the instrumentation is done on his own, as well as a lot of the production in th...

Today is Valentine's Day, the day of romance and love. And in honor of that, here are two beautiful and romantic songs, the kind of songs that we all secretly love! I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!

Today I have some music for you by Armand Van Helden. Now this is a guy who has been around in the music industry for a very long time. Not many know him, but Armand Van Helden is one of the biggest influences in the New York electronic music scene. He works with all kinds of genres, from funk to R&B to hardcore EDM. What I find really cool about Armand Van Helden is that despite the fact that he has been such a presence in the music scene of the Northeast, his music still sounds underground. There are still so many elements of his music that sound really nice and underground, very unique and quirky. If you want further reference, there is a song by him that has gotten really popular. The name that he went by for that song though, is Duck Sauce. Go look it up, and you will know exactly which famous song I am talking about. But this song samples some older songs, songs which come from the 80's era of music. But he does so because of how rooted his music is in funk and groove jam...

Today I have some music for you by an artist who got started in the 60's. Tom Jones is a lesser known singer for our generation. However he has had some major hits in his time, and this one is one of the greatest in my opinion. This is also one of the most known songs ever because of its connection to The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air. Yes, this is the song that The Carlton dance is most associated with. And for good reason! This song is such and upbeat and fun and classic song! This song definitely picks up on where the 50's styled swing left off and turns it into this fun tune. This song is a great example of what pop music was like in the 60's. It was this rich and full and vibrant sound. Tom Jones has a really wonderful voice, one that brings this warmth and coziness to the table. Tom Jones has a very powerful voice and a lower vocal range which makes the drastic difference between the higher pitched instrumentation that much more important. Which is another thing I love! The...

Today I have a new song for you, one that is to be featured in one of the few movies this year that I am having trouble waiting for. For those of you who don't know, this year will mark the release of the 24th Bond movie and the fourth installment Daniel Craig does. Now a lot of speculation is being thrown around out there regarding who the next Bond will be. And while yes, that is a very interesting conversation to have, I am definitely more focused on the release of Spectre. This movie will introduce one of the Bond's most notorious villainous agencies, and I personally believe will serve as a movie that answers a lot of questions we Bond fans have. And while I could go on and on about how excited I am for this movie, I am going to turn my attention back to the point of this blog. This round's Bond theme is performed by the one and only Sam Smith. I won't lie, I totally did not see that one coming. What is really cool about the Bond themes is that they have generally ...

Today I have a very interesting twist to a somewhat classic song. This song is one of the most well known Disney masterpieces, coming from one of the greatest animated movies of all time. Aladdin is first of all, an absolutely incredible movie. Second, the music score in this movie is absolutely spectacular. What really caught my eye when I went back to revisit these songs, is that Aladdin was among the first Disney movies to feature a very jazz-centric score and soundtrack. Every song has that great energy that comes with being part of a huge big band kind of song. So that in itself is such a one up compared to other Disney songs. Now what makes this version of the song even better, is that this version is song by the acclaimed R&B artist, Ne-Yo. Seems weird doesn't it? That is because no one would have expected a song like this to be redone by an artist like Ne-Yo. When you look at his track record of music, jazz and big band is not a part of that. Neither is Disney music to ...

Today I have a different kind of song for you. This is a cover of one of the biggest songs this past year or so. We all know Beyonce, we all know what her music is like, and we have heard some interesting renditions of her music. However, this is a cover unlike I have ever heard. Normally, Beyonce covers are done in that same R&B style of feature something more acoustic. But this is definitely not that. Welcome to the world of modern swing music! That is right, Postmodern Jukebox took one of the biggest songs of modern times and spun it to have that classic swing and jazz song. Who would have though that hip hop and swing would combine this way, and this well! This feat is one of the most incredible things to me. Nowadays it is very hard to find genuinely good swing and/or jazz singers. It just isn't something that is a huge market in the music industry now, which is fine. Evolution happens. But the fact that Postmodern Jukebox not only found phenomenally talented singers, but ...