AVICII (1989 - 2018)

Avicii, the Swedish-born DJ, musician and producer who successfully crossed over from the dance floor to the pop charts, has tragically passed away today at the age of only twenty-eight. No cause of death as been given at this time but the artist born as Tim Bergling had health issues over the past few years after being diagnosed with acute pancreatitis due to excessive alcohol use. He had his gallbladder and appendix removed in 2014 and had stopped performing live to help with his recovery.

Bergling, born in Stockholm to Klas Bergling and actress Anki Lidén, had gotten attention early as a musician with "Seek Bromance", an EDM song he wrote and produced under the name "Tim/Berg" in 2010. The vocal version of this track reached the top 20 in several countries including the UK where it peaked at number two. The following year as Avicii, he released the dance single, "Levels" (which samples Etta James' classic "Something's Got A Hold On Me") that became a worldwide smash hit and has remained one of his best-known songs. This lead to this young artist becoming a highly sought-after writer, producer and re-mixer.

In 2013, Avicii released his debut album, "True" and the lead single, "Wake Me Up" became an even bigger hit. With Aloe Blacc providing vocals and recorded with live instruments, the track blends elements of EDM, soul and country music and reached number one in over twenty countries. Avicii released a successful follow-up album, "Stories" in 2015 and an EP, "Avīci (01)" in 2017. He also participated last year in a documentary, "Avicii: True Stories" by Levan Tsikurishvili that explored his immediate success, health complications and the intensity of fame.

To pay tribute to this gifted artist we have lost way too soon, here are a few notable tracks by Avicii:

NUMBER ONE FLASHBACK

The number one song on the U.S. pop chart twenty years ago this week was "Too Close" by Next. This sexy crossover hit, which spent five nonconsecutive weeks on top, also reached this position on the r&b chart.

The group is made-up of Robert "R.L." Huggar and brothers, Terry "T-Low" and Raphael "Tweet" Brown who came together in Minneapolis in 1992. They were first known as "Straightforward" before coming up with "Next" after Naughty By Nature member,  Kay Gee helped them get signed to his label with Arista Records.

After the release of their debut album, "Rated Next", the first single, "Butta Love" became a top-five hit on the r&b chart but their follow-up was the trio's breakthrough. "Too Close" is simple enough; a grooving jam abut a couple having a good time, dancing very close together until all that friction causes an inopportune "rise" in the gentleman. The song would become Next's biggest chart success with the single selling over two million copies in America alone. Although they would reach the top-ten again in 2000 with "Wifey" (and land at number-one on the r&b chart), Next would break-up after the release of their third album, "The Next Episode" in 2002 due to internal conflicts.

But Next reunited in 2011 and began work on new music. However, the completed album was never released. The group has finally made an official comeback with a new single, "Want It" that was dropped just last month.  For now, let's go back and listen to this classic from Next:

2018 RECORD STORE DAY

April 21st will be Record Store Day, a day when a wide range of musical artists release new and vintage music on vinyl. For 2018, which is the eleventh year of this event, there will be up to 500 albums and singles that will be available in this classic format. Some of the artists participating range from AC/DC, Chuck Berry, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Marvin Gaye, Led Zeppelin, Iggy Pop, Elvis Presley, U2 and Wu-Tang Clan to name just a very small number.

For the complete list of the recordings to be released in the U.S., click  below:

2018 Record Store Day Releases

And I'm sure it might be difficult for some to track down an actual record store but here is a list of all the participating outlets worldwide. Click below for this and additional information:

2018 Record Store Day Locations

Finally, one highlight will be a new song available on vinyl from the long-missed Florence + the Machine. "Sky Full of Song" is a lush ballad this British alt-rock band is well known for and Ms Welch's soaring vocals lift this song to another level. It's a very welcome return and hopefully more is soon to come.

AZEALIA BANKS SERVES “ANNA WINTOUR”

I’m not sure whether Azealia Banks has serious anger management issues or just batshit crazy but whatever it is; this lady has got some problems. After spending the last few years involved with many social media spats, engaged in physical altercations with a number of people including actor, Russell Crowe (??) and standing before several judges, the troubled twenty-six year old has returned to what she really does best; music.

Banks has just dropped her latest single from the upcoming follow-up to her 2014 debut, “Broke With Expensive Taste” entitled “Fantasea II: The Second Wave”. “Anna Wintour” pays indirect homage to the long-time editor of the American edition of the fashion bible, Vogue magazine but this throbbing club track is actually about finally finding love. Banks has stated she chose to name this track (co-written and produced by New Jersey DJ, Junior Sanchez) after Wintour because it’s about self-empowerment and that’s what she represents as a strong, powerful yet feminine woman. I have been been a fan of Banks and love the song so I hope this is a turning point for her and she will put all her energy into a positive creative space. Check out the tune with this lyric video that pays homage to that classic cartoon series, "Josie & The Pussycats":

NEW SOUNDS

TONI BRAXTON

After spending much of her time involved with her family on reality television and coping with her own complicated health issues, Toni Braxton returned to music with a well received concept album with Babyface called “Love, Marriage and Divorce” back in 2014. That won the duo a Grammy for Best R&B Album and now she is back out on her own with “Sex & Cigarettes”, the fifty year old singer’s first solo record in eight years. For her eighth studio album, Braxton had a hand on the writing and production on this project and uses that smoky voice to deliver her brand of sensual soul ballads. While the record doesn’t break any new ground, Braxton makes a welcome return by adding some much need old-school spice to contemporary r&b. Have a listen to the second single from the album, “Long As I Live”, a classic tune about heartbreak that the singer does so well:



JACK WHITE

Known for keeping the spirit of pure rock & roll alive and well, Jack White offers a few unexpected surprises with his latest album, "Boarding House Reach".  The Detroit rocker has shaken up his routine and in the mood to be more experimental with his sound. Inspired by how Michael Jackson created his records by working them out in his head instead of writing ideas down, White attempted to recreate that method. And what he ended up with produced some interesting results with electronic beats, heavy metal, jazz piano and rap all scattered together throughout the record. The latest single, "Over and Over And Over" is one that White had been trying to complete since his days with The White Stripes and at one point was supposed to be recorded by Jay-Z. But White finally had a breakthrough and finished the song to his satisfaction which you can check out here:



DAVID BYRNE

David Byrne has always been a unique visionary in pop music since the early days with his art-rock band, Talking Heads. After leaving the group, the Scotland-born, American-raised sixty-five year old performer went on to further merge art and music as a solo artist. With "American Utopia", Byrne's first album on his own in fourteen years, this recording serves two purposes; one as a quirky musical statement with the esteemed Brian Eno on board to help co-write and produce. And the other is as a soundtrack for his multimedia project called "Reason to be Cheerful" which expresses some reasons to be happy and optimistic in spite of the political strife and environmental problems facing the world. Listen to the first single, "Everybody's Coming To My House" in a great video presentation: