Keeping It Fresh

Today’s song is more well-known, but for some reason, I have been unable to get it out of my head. And so I figured, might as well write about it! This song is one for the heartbroken and can be understood by those who have been through heartbreak. It is a poignant and emotional track, guaranteed to stir up some feelings. This song is by Julia Michaels and features some vocal work by Niall Horan, as the two singers describe the pain of letting go of a love that once was. Now if this isn’t enough to give the song away, great! That just means you get to experience this song like it’s the first time. This track is hauntingly emotional, figuratively and literally. In this song, we are moved by the haunting beauty of the melodies and soulfulness, but the narrator is also haunted by a past love. Julia Michaels effortlessly translates that yearning and longing, the ghost of something that was, into the song.  Julia Michaels lends a voice that is simultaneously light and grounded, s...

One of the highlights of SXSW was to see the plethora of hip hop artists from around the world. And this was quite a shift for SXSW considering there is usually a heavier focus on rock music or related genres. But this shift in music content for SXSW only reflects a shift in the way we listen to music in the US. And one of the cool things about the music festival this year, is that we got to hear hip hop and rap from all around the world. Previously I spoke about a group of rappers out of China. Well today, we are shifting to another part of the world. Today is all about Korean-American rapper, Junoflo. Junoflo started out on the South Korean rap show called Show Me The Money. Now I have to admit, I think this is one of the coolest things ever. We have shows like The Voice and American Idol, which focus primarily on singing capabilities. But Show Me The Money is all about whether or not you can spit bars, and if you can, how well can you do it. Needless to say, Junoflo is a man who ...

Today I have music for you by another artist I had the opportunity to watch at SXSW. Marco McKinnis is an artist who has taken R&B to new levels of seductive and creates music that is incredibly refreshing. This track is a dangerously sultry one. Marco McKinnis pulls us in with his vocals prowess and delivers an R&B ballad which proves that he really is in his element. The song is effortlessly smooth, drenched in a seductive soul and passion. I love that we can hear the old school soul influences throughout the track. The way Marco McKinnis holds his voice tells us how sure he is about his sound and style. There is a confidence there which makes this song sound and feel organic and natural. His voice is silky smooth, with the texture, richness, and sweetness of molasses. Marco McKinnis immerses this track in his deeply soulful and yearning voice. There is tantalizing tease in his voice, yearning and arms outstretched to welcome us into the embrace of his music. Marco McKinni...

Well, I'm back! It's been about a week or so since my last post, but I am so pleased about the music I am bringing to you going forward. This past week was South by Southwest, SXSW, which is a huge festival in Austin. For a week, we get to celebrate the most innovative and exciting new things coming up in technology, film, and music. I had the incredible opportunity to attend some of the SXSW Music events, and my goodness, it was spectacular. I've seen so many new artists and I am very excited to share these new players with you. So start off this exposé, we have an artist from New Zealand. Noah Slee is an artist who has been on my radar for a while, and I couldn't believe that he came to SXSW! Unfortunately, I was unable to see him perform, but that won't stop me from talking about his music. Noah Slee brought his cool soul to the SXSW stage, and I have to admit that Austin is so much better off by knowing his name. His musical style is not unfamiliar to us. N...

Today I have some music for you by an artist called Always Never. This is a super nice and chilled out song, something that I have been able to listen for days. It has a seductive smoothness to it, one that can catch you by surprise with its subtly lustful sound. I have to admit, I really like how Always Never has made the song to be so effortlessly smooth and even a but sexy. One of the things to note about this track is how it seems to fall into this newer and growing style of R&B. This emerging style relies a bit more on synths and electronic work to create an ambient sound, while the vocals hang onto a more soulful and R&B sound. Part of what makes this song really work, and one of the things I really like about this song, is that there is a darker undertone to some parts of the song. But this darker undertone is not menacing, melancholy, nor eerie It is an irresistible allure, the tantalizing call of an interaction filled with lust and seduction. Now I have to be hones...

Today I have some music for you by a very very interesting artist. This song is by the singer Tyler Carter. He started out as a metalcore band singer. He actually sang for the band Woe, Is Me which is a pretty hardcore band, I have to say. Now here is where it gets deliciously interesting. This song showcases the big surprise Tyler Carter sprung on us because his vocals make a complete turnaround. And when I say complete, I mean he jumped across the spectrum and has nestled himself on another side. Because in this song, we get to hear how sexy and seductive his voice can be as an R&B singer! It is quite the plot twist if you ask me. I have heard of punk going pop. I mean, there is even a series of albums that deal with that. But a metal singer going solo to sing R&B? That is so unheard of and rare to hear, and I absolutely love it! Tyler Carter is a beautiful example of the dynamism and surprise and utter talent that seems to get overshadowed or lost in the depths of the musi...

Today I have some music for you that is a remix of a song that I have been unable to get out of my head. This song was originally performed by T.I. and Christina Aguilera, but this remix features just her voice. Skrux and Collin McLoughlin turned this original rap song into a beautifully done melodic dubstep tune. And when I say beautiful, I really do mean it. This song is so wonderfully pieced together and produced. Skrux and Collin  McLoughin  turned this song into a darker, more emotional track, and I love that. Normally, dubstep is devoid of emotion, appealing to being an energetic and hype genre. But this rendition takes a more intense and serious turn, something that makes you remember those harder moments in life. When I hear this song, I actually think of a more futuristic battle scene, when everything is dark and people are fighting. And then the main "hero" looks back and sees everything that is happening, what is really going on around him. Honestly, this video...

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 some really new music for you. In fact, over the course of the next few days, I want to bring a lot of new music to the blog, so stay tuned! But for now, I want to start with a recent release by one of my favorite folk and blues singers, George Ezra. I haven't spent as much time talking about him, which is just bad on my part. But I absolutely had to share this song going into this wave of new music. One of the things that make George Ezra such a special artist, is how simple and heartfelt his songs are. Each song is filled with incredible amounts of soul. And when I soul in this particular context, I don't mean "soul" as a genre of music. There is genuinely so much life and so much of George Ezra's personality that goes into each and every song. Every word that he sings is filled with meaning and belief. We hear that a lot in this song especially because it's all about facing personal battles. This particular topic has lead to some of the great...

Today I have some music from you that comes from the world of Bollywood. We are seeing an interesting shift in the musicality of Bollywood cinema. On one hand, we have an evolution of music towards a more electronic and EDM based dance style. Many of the popular dance numbers today have that EDM base or some kind of electronic music base. And then we have music which takes another route entirely. This song is one of those. We are now seeing a new kind of music movement within Bollywood, which includes the use of guitars and typical rock band instruments. Lyrics are also becoming simpler, but convey the same kind of meaning. I will say, in the past, many romantic songs had lyrics that would simply take your breath away. I can't say the same for today's music, however, the overall musicality of the songs is what leaves you breathless. This evolution is very interesting to see because of how vastly different it is from the rest of Bollywood's music. I like this newer and emerg...

Today I have some Bollywood music for you since it has been entirely too long. This is a really moving song for a few different reasons. First, the way Papon sings this is saturated with emotion and longing. The basic lyrical translation of the song reflects a story of someone who has lost another. What is beautiful about this song is that it applies to any situation of loss. Whether it is someone who has moved away or has passed, this song is heart wrenchingly relatable. In the context of the movie, this song is for someone who's love has gone to another country. We can feel that pain and strife and the roller coaster of emotions with this song, and I love that so much. The multitude of emotions one can feel in the flash of a moment is well represented with this song. Which brings me to the second reason why I found this song so moving. A lot of times, Bollywood tends to favor slower and softer songs when it comes to emotional outpourings like this. However, every once in a while ...

Today I have some music for you which comes from the world of a Capella. I haven't posted much about a Capella in general, and today I wasn't able to get enough of one of my favorite a Capella groups. Chai Town is based in Urbana-Champagne, and is a fusion a Capella group. What I love about this group is that their a Capella isn't limited to just English and Hindi. There are other Indian languages which are thrown in, and other styles of music as well from famous Disney songs to some club bangers. But somehow Chai Town seems to make these all work, and sweetly and deftly creates mashups which are irresistible. Chai Town also does an awesome job of incorporating songs that aren't necessarily recent or current. A lot of the mashups and renditions we hear, are of songs that have been out for a while and even a bit classic. For example, with today's mashup, the English song is one that is reminiscent of my childhood. This was such a classic while growing up, and is stil...

Today I have some music for you that hails from South Korea. This song is by a duo which goes by the name Akdong Musician. Both members are actually siblings, and very young at that. The eldest of the two is only eighteen years old, so talk about talent! This is one the most hauntingly beautiful songs I have heard in a long time. I mean we do hear a lot of slower and more melancholy songs nowadays, but this is one that really stands out to me. And there are so many different elements that make this song the beautiful masterpiece that it is. For starters, the vocals in this song are incredible. I had no idea that people so young could posses this kind of power and emotional content. There is this back and forth between the male and female vocals during the main verses of the song, and harmonies featuring the vocal anguish and sweetness of being helpless and hopeful at the same time. Akdong Musician really makes you feel the song and what they are trying to convey. I don't speak or u...

Today I have a fun and bubbly song for you by the couple known as Us The Duo. I have to say, this song was actually pretty cute! This is definitely a romantic song, but it is put to such a lively pop beat, giving the song a more dance vibe than anything else. This song definitely has a little bit of a pop rock vibe as well, something that I could imagine hearing from a band like Neon Trees or Phoenix. I haven't heard much new music like this in a while, and I really love listening to this style of music again. There is a really nice warmth that comes with a song like this, something that you can't get from just a rock song or just a pop song. It is the elements of pop synths and rock beats that bring this song together very well. Another thing I really like about this song is the fact that it is not overly ambitious in trying to create a boisterous kind of sound.  Us The Duo does a very good job of making this a song that is vivacious and pleasant and the way the vocals are sha...

Today I have music for you by a very low-key independent artist known as Jimmy Needham. This is a man who definitely enjoys the low light, but somehow still shines above those in the spotlight. This is a man who really makes music for the love of music instead of all the other excuses some artists have. Jimmy Needham is a wonderful mix of Michael Buble and Jason Mraz which is actually the most magnificent thing in the world. Jimmy Needham has a wonderful voice, one that is warm and soft and lively. He has a voice that makes you feel really good inside and it just fills you with happiness. His tone is so warm and comforting to the point that even in his sadder or slower songs, I still feel. There is something whimsical and "sweep you off your feet" about this song and it can make anyone feel incredible. For all the girls out there, this is the cutest anthem to the father-daughter relationship. For all the guys out there, this song is how you should feel about your daughter or ...

Today I have some music for you by the R&B singer known as Khalid. The Texas native has dropped some really good music within the past few months and puts his own style to the genre of R&B. Each one of his songs is different, giving him a range of sounds and vibes and even genres. If anything, that is one of the things that makes Khalid such a cool and smooth artist. Khalid is very good at genre bending and bringing in other musical flavors from genres across the board. With this song, we get a bit of chillhop and some blues work as well. These are two styles that you wouldn't normally put together, but oddly enough they work very well! We really get to hear that blues influence in the way Khalid incorporates the guitar. There is a really pleasant flow to the guitar melody and is one that involves a lot less strumming and more picking. That gives the guitar line a crispness that makes us pay attention to the flow of the song and gives us more of that smokey room vibe. There...

Today I have some music for you by an artist that I fell in love with over YouTube. This is a guy who not only composes his own music, but is also able to create such incredible covers that they sound like original pieces by him. James Arthur won the X-Factor a few years ago, and I have seen so much progress in the way he sings since then. One of the things I love about his voice is how he is able to alternate between being raspier with a more soothing and vulnerable sound. And being able to effortlessly switch between the two kinds of vocals creates this beauty in the music that cannot be put into words. I can say though, that this is one of the most beautiful songs I have heard in a long time, and this is most definitely my favorite song by James Arthur. This song has a wonderful back forth between James Arthur and lead singer of Chasing Grace. There is something a little haunting and magical about this song. There are these special moments in the song where you cannot help but get...

Today I have some music for you by an absolutely incredible artist. Raphael Saadiq is one of the coolest cats I have heard from our generation of musicians. His style is one that is so incredibly jazzy and full of that R&B funk and soul, that his music seems to ooze swagger. This song, in particular, is one that falls on the slower side of jazz and really develops the R&B sound that I love.  Raphael Saadique embodies that old school R&B sound, the kind of sound we would imagine hearing in a smokey club. What is even better, though, is that the subject matter for his music takes on that old school R&B identity as well. Raphael Saadiq tends to sing about personal struggles, the kind of things we all face at some point. Now this song is used in the new Netflix original, Luke Cage. There is no better song than this one to describe that show. This should honestly be the show's anthem because this song is all about a man who is surrounded by bad things but still rema...

Today I have some music for you by one of my favorite artists out of England at the moment. George Ezra came into the spotlight recently, and I think it is quite understandable as to why. He is a special artist in many ways. For starters, he is only 21 years old and has the low, rumbling voice of an older man. But the thing is, he is so impressively smooth with his voice as well. It is beautiful and a little rough, deep but very warming and cozy. When I hear George Ezra's music, I think of the cozy warmth of a fireplace and snuggling up to a guy on a cold winter day. It envelops you in this feeling of home. And I love that so much. It is so hard to find that in artists these days, a time when a lot of music is revolved around electronic work and pop genres. But George Ezra stays in the realm of folk, blues, and some rock. But the thing about George Ezra that makes him so spectacular is his ability to easily switch between a high paced song, to something more mellow and contemplativ...

Today I had the opportunity to be in the presence of two of the most incredible singers I have ever heard live. Atif Aslam and Sonu Nigam are two Bollywood playback singers, and my oh my are they ridiculously talented. I have to say, out of all the concerts I have attended, this is one of the greatest shows I have been to. Each vocalist was stunning, singing their own hits as well as covers of others. They paid tribute to some of the trailblazers in Bollywood music, and all in all delivered performances that were breathtaking. What I find magical about Indian music, is that each song is sung with full heart and meaning. Hindi is a deep language, and the way that these singers perform completely conveys that depth of emotion. Atif Aslam has a deeper and stronger voice, a voice that is like molasses. Sony Nigam has a voice like birdsong. His voice is sweet and beautiful, playful and romantic. Both singers have incredible skill and technique, and because of that, every song seems effortle...