Sophie was an emerging talent who was a visionary pushing the boundaries of what electronic music could achieve by experimenting with sound design and expanding the concept of pop music. But unexpectedly the English musician tragically died from an accidental fall during a vacation in Greece almost four years ago. At the time of her passing, Sophie was working on the follow-up to her acclaimed 2018 debut, "Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides" with the album near completion. Her brother, Benny Long, who had been Sophie's longtime studio engineer, and their two sisters supervised to help finish the project. Simply entitled, "Sophie", the record features friends of the artist who wanted to participate and musicians that Sophie had wanted to collaborate with. This includes German pop star, Kim Petras; US singer/songwriter, Jozzy; performance artist, Signe Pierce who creates music under Big Sister and British visual artist and singer, Hannah Diamond.
Here are a few new songs that I like: the new version of Charli XCX's "Sympathy is a Knife" with Ariana Grande which is featured on the just released remix album, "Brat & It's Completely Different But Also Still Brat"; Jennie, the former member of the K-Pop group, Blackpink who has gone solo, has released a new single, "Mantra"; "You Look Like You Love Me", the country ballad from Ella Langley and Riley Green and an ode to young love and soda, "Diet Pepsi" from Addison Rae.
Kylie Minogue is currently enjoying a second wind after over forty years of making glorious dance-pop music, thanks in part to the song, "Padam Padam", from her "Tension" album from last year, becoming her biggest international hit in many years. Now the Australian pop goddess is set to release an album sequel, "Tension II" due out on October 18th. This collection will continue her journey into electronic music with the high energy, first single, "Lights Camera Action" taking us eagerly back to the dance floor. The music video for the song (directed by Minogue's longtime collaborator Sophie Muller) has the singer on a sound stage film set, appearing in various job roles preparing for a production shoot. And Minogue has announced that she going back on the road early next year with the Tension World Tour which will take her across the globe for the first time since 2011.
And I will pay tribute to two musicians we have recently lost: J.D. Souther, one of the singer/songwriters who helped define the LA country-rock sound in the 1970's, died on September 17th at the age of seventy-eight. Born John David Souther on November 2, 1945, he grew up in Texas playing multiple instruments before heading to Los Angeles in the late 1960's. He met Glen Frey in 1969 and they formed a musical duo, Longbranch Pennywhistle and recorded an album. They soon parted ways with Frey joining Linda Ronstadt's backing band and Souther recording a solo album.
After this backing band became The Eagles, Souther would work with the group, co-writng some of their biggest hits which includes "New Kid in Town", "Best of My Love" and "Heartache Tonight". Souther went on to create music for Ronstadt (whom he briefly dated), Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor and Don Henley. He had teamed with Chris Hillman of The Byrds and Richie Furay of Buffalo Sprinfield in 1973 and formed The Souther–Hillman–Furay Band, recording two albums. Souther still continued to do some solo work, recording nine albums, with his biggest hit was in 1979 with "You're Only Lonely", reaching number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Cissy Houston, the mother of the great Whitney Houston, aunt of the pop music legend, Dionne Warwick, cousin to opera vocalist, Leontyne Price and an incredible singer in her own right, passed away on October 7th. The two-time Grammy Award winner was ninety-one and under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease. Houston, born Emily Drinkard, was the last of eight children of a musical family living in Newark, NJ. She began her singing career at the age of eight performing with four of her siblings in a gospel singing group. They became the Drinkard Singers when other family members joined and recorded a live album, "A Joyful Noise" in 1958.
Not long after marrying John Houston, Jr., she moved into secular music and formed a r&b girl group, The Sweet Inspirations with her niece, Dee Dee Warwick. They became popular and well-respected backup vocalists throughout the 1960's, assisting Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Van Morrison, Dusty Springfield, Jimi Hendrix and Elvis Presley with their recordings and tours. The Sweet Inspirations also recorded their own music beginning in 1967, scoring their only top-forty pop hit with "Sweet Inspiration" (which Houston co-wrote), reaching number eighteen on the chart.
Houston left the group in 1969 in order to pursue a solo career and focus more on her family. She recorded ten albums over her career with the 1979 disco song, "Think It Over" crossing over to the Billboard r&b chart and becoming her most significant hit. Houston went back to session work, singing background vocals for many of the top artists of the 1970's and '80's. And she also returned to her musical roots, recording her first solo gospel album, "Face To Face" in 1996. Houston received a Grammy for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album for this recording and won the award again two years later for her follow-up album, "He Leadeth Me".
We know that pop music royalty, Lady Gaga has been actively continuing her acting path with a role in "Joker: Folie à Deux", the upcoming sequel to the 2019 Oscar-winning comic-book based film, "Joker", playing Harleen Quinzel, the love interest to the notorious Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) where they are both patients at Arkham State Hospital. Their feelings are expressed through musical numbers performed throughout while the followers of the deranged Fleck attempt to break him out.
But what was unexpected was a companion album from Gaga, "Harlequin" that was just released and features songs performed in the movie. There are Gaga versions of Hollywood musical showtunes ("Good Morning", "That's Entertainment", "If My Friends Could See Me Now") and classic pop songs ("Get Happy", "That's Life", "Close To You"). The record also features two original tracks; "Happy Mistake" and "Folie à Deux" written by the singer and inspired by her character. But Gaga has also made clear that her next studio album is still on the horizon.
"Joker: Folie à Deux" is due in US theaters on October 4, 2024
After some acting gigs ("Honey Boy", "The Crow") and a mixtape, "Caprisongs" two years ago following her signing with a new label, Atlantic Records, FKA Twigs is back with some fresh music. "Eusexua" is the first single and the title track of the genre-bending, alterative British artist's upcoming third album due out in January. Twigs (born Tahliah Barnett) states that Eusexua is "a state of being and the pinnacle of human experience". This unusually structured song begins with propulsive techno throbs before downshifting in the middle then picking the beat back up slightly to slow down again to the conclusion. The dance-driven music video for "Eusexua" features vivid imagery set in a corporate world where the workers strip away from conformity and liberating themselves of their clothing.
NELLY FURTADO
The Canadian-Portuguese artist, Nelly Furtado has just released "7" which is her seventh studio album and her first in seven years. Over the last four years, Furtado, who had recently been diagnosed with ADHD, wrote over four hundred songs yet managed to whittle them down to the fourteen tracks on the album. "7" continues the now forty-five year old singer's foray into soulful dance music and features contributions from a collection of international artists that includes Swedish performer, Tove Lo; Colombian electro-band, Bomba Estéreo; South African rapper, Blxckie and fellow Canadian musician, Charlotte Day Wilson.
KATY PERRY
Katy Perry announced in February that she was leaving the judging panel of "American Idol" after seven seasons to be able to focus back on her own music career. Now her seventh album, "143" is out and the reception has been lukewarm at best. Much of the critical reactions has been that the record feels outdated and Perry is not moving forward creatively. And while I tend to agree with this assessment of much of the collection, there are still songs that I really like from the album. I actually enjoy the last two singles that were released to date: the dance track, "Lifetimes" and the hip-hop flavored, "I'm His, He's Mine" that features Doechii.
Frankie Beverly, the smooth lead vocalist and songwriter who found fame with his r&b band, Maze, passed away on September 10th. The charismatic Philly native, with no cause of death revealed to date, was seventy-seven years old. Earlier this year, Beverly had stated he was planning to retire from music and had just concluded his last tour with Maze in July which they performed a final concert in his hometown of Philadelphia.
Born Howard Beverly, his passion for music was first sparked in the church as a young boy singing in the choir. As a teenager, he joined several groups where they performed doo-wop and soul music. He changed his professional name to "Frankie Beverly" in honor of early doo-wop vocalist, Frankie Lymon. The Butlers, a group Beverly was a member, recorded "If That's What You Wanted" in 1967 which caught the attention of local Philly producer Kenny Gamble. He recorded new material with the group and they toured extensively before deciding to relocate to San Francisco. The Butlers became "Raw Soul" and signed to a local label. Although they didn't achieve much commercial success, Raw Soul did get noticed by Marvin Gaye who hired them to be his opening act on tour in 1976. And it was Gaye who suggested they change their band's name to "Maze"
After signing with Capitol Records, they released their debut album, "Maze featuring Frankie Beverly" in 1977. This record would help the band begin to have a very loyal fan base and earn them their first gold record. Maze and Beverly would record six more successful albums on the label with the songs, "Workin' Together", "Southern Girl", "Feel That You're Feelin'", "Running Away" and "Love Is the Key" reaching the top ten on the US r&b singles chart. "Back in Stride", from their 1985 album, "Can't Stop the Love". would become Maze featuring Frankie Beverly's first number one song on the r&b chart. They went on to sign with Warner Bros. Records in 1989 where Maze released their final two albums together which included their other chart-topping single, "Can't Get Over You".
Bryan Ferry, the front man of the glam rock outfit, Roxy Music, is still creating music more than fifty years after forming the group, which disbanded in 1983. The now seventy-eight year old musician has announced a career-spanning music collection appropriately entitled, "Retrospective: Selected Recordings" that will feature eighty-one tracks from his solo career and due out in October. Ferry has also released a new song, his first in ten years, and teamed up with Trent Rezner and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails to help create the track. "Star" features vocals by artist, Amelia Barratt and offers a different sonic approach than what we usually hear from the mod rocker with edgy, techno beats. Ferry has promised this is just the beginning with more original music on the way.
Here are a few songs that I am enjoying at the moment: "Taste", the latest from the new pop sensation, Sabrina Carpenter who has just released her sixth studio album, "Short N' Sweet" with the music video for the song inspired by the 1992 dark comedy, "Death Becomes Her" and features actress, Jenna Ortega; Megan Thee Stallion's "Mamushi" is a bilingual hip-hop track that features Japanese rapper, Yuki Chiba; rising dance-soul artist, Jae Stephens has a new song, "Body Favors"; Another remix from Charli XCX from her "Brat" album with "Guess" that has Billie Eilish on board; and the American DJ, the Blessed Madonna has teamed-up with the Australian dance queen, Kylie Minogue for a throbbing new party song, "Edge of Saturday Night".
And I will close by paying tribute to two artists who have recently passed away: Greg Kihn, the rocker who found fame in the 80's with the hit songs, "The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em)" and "Jeopardy", died on August 13th at the age of seventy-five. Born in Baltimore, Kihn had a dream of becoming a professional musician after seeing the Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show" as a teenager. After spending time learning to write songs and playing guitar with several bands in local bars, Kihn made the move to California to try his luck, landing in Berkeley. In 1976, Kihn was signed to a local record label, Beserkley and recorded three albums that didn't generate much attention.
Four years later, he formed a group called, the Greg Kihn Band but they still struggled to breakthrough. But it was with the 1981 album, "Rockihnroll" and the single, "The Breakup Song" that brought Kihn his first taste of pop music success with the song reaching number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Two years later, Kihn had an even bigger hit with "Jeopardy" which made it to number two on the US pop chart. That would pretty much be the end of Kihn's charting success but he would continue to make music over the following years. He also became a Bay Area morning radio DJ for a classic rock radio station in 1996, holding the job for fifteen years, and went on to write four novels.
Maurice Williams, with his band, The Zodiacs, was the the writer and lead vocalist behind the r&b classic, "Stay". He died on August 5th at the age of eighty-six. Music had been an important part of his life since he was a child through his church where his family members performed. As a teen, he formed a gospel group called Junior Harmonizers. But doo-wop soon captured his attention and the group became the Royal Charms. The band went through several other name changes before settling on "the Zodiacs", taking the name from a short-lived British car.
In 1959, Williams and the Zodiacs recorded several demos in search of a breakthrough and the final song they did was "Stay", written years before by Williams. The song became a smash hit and is the shortest to reach the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 at one minute and thirty-six seconds. There were several covers of "Stay" including Jackson Browne's popular live version in 1978. This song would achieve even greater success as being a part of the soundtrack to the 1987 movie, "Dirty Dancing". Williams would continue to record and tour up until his death.
Two musical artists that has been largely out of sight and greatly missed are Lady Gaga whose last album was released four years ago although she has been busy lately making movies and made a recent appearance performing in French in a musical number during the opening ceremony of this year's Olympics. And the last time we heard from Bruno Mars was with his collaboration with rapper, Anderson .Paak as a retro soul act, Silk Sonic about three years ago.
Now these two pop music superstars have come together to release a new song, "Die With a Smile". This guitar-driven soft rock track is about dying happily as long as you have the one you love in your arms, with the song charged by the powerful, soulful vocals that each is known to deliver. The music video for "Die With a Smile" (directed by Mars and Daniel Ramos) features Gaga and Mars playing characters of a lounge act in matching suits performing the song in a television studio set with manequins as audience members. Both of these artists are rumored to have new albums on the horizon and this might mean we should be seeing them out very soon.
After her dazzling performance during the opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics, many Americans were left wondering who is Aya Nakamura? Since 2017, the West African born, French national, Nakamura has become wildly popular in her adopted country with five number one singles and selling well over a million copies.
The twenty-nine year old artist did have to endure racially motivated protests by far-right nationalists to the ideal of her representing France before the ceremony. But enthusiastic support from politicians, the media and her fans prevailed with Nakamura, looking dazzling in gold, delivering an exceptional performance of a medley of her popular songs before the Olympics.
She was born Aya Danioko in the Republic of Mali in West Africa. Her family migrated to France when she was a child, growing up in the suburbs outside of Paris. Danioko had an interest in fashion and studied to become a designer. However, her desire began to wan while in school, leading her to shift towards a career in music. In 2014, she took on the surname "Nakamura" from a character on the sci-fi television series, "Heroes" and put together her first single, releasing it on Facebook. Nakamura continued working on her music which lead to her being signed with Parlophone Records two years later.
Her debut album, "Journal Intime (Diary)" became a major hit in France with the help of the song, "Comportement (Behavior)". This was followed up with "Nakamura" in 2018, an album which had six singles reaching the top-ten in France (with "Djadja" and "Copines (Friends)" peaking at number one) and achieving Diamond status which are sales of a half million copies. This success also brought attention to Nakamura from across the globe, earning nominations from the MTV Europe Music Awards and BET Awards. With her most recent album, "DNK" from last year, Nakamura continues to be a popular international performer, reaching Platinum status in sales. Here is a brief sampling of the music by Aya Nakamura:
