Lizzo is back with a new sound and a new look. Following some unpleasant allegations and lawsuits made against her, the singer took some time away from the spotlight. But Lizzo has reemerged fully energized and in fighting shape, having recently achieved significant weight loss although she has made it clear she still continues to advocate for body positivity. And she has new music with the release of the title track off of her upcoming fifth studio album, "Love in Real Life". This rock-inspired song looks back at a time before social media when people connected face-to-face. The music video for "Love in Real Life" was influenced by 90's style and features Lizzo decked out in black leather and doing some moves with back-up dancers that Michael Jackson would envy. And the video for another song,the dance-pop track, "Still Bad" continues where the other clip ended. Lizzo will be hit the road this month for some shows in New York, LA and Minneapolis.
Here are some new songs that I'm feeling which includes "Taste", the latest from Coco Jones which samples Britney Spears' "Toxic"; Haim returns with the sisters getting funky while bemoaning "Relationships"; the Canadian singer, Tate McRae talks about her need for speed with her single, "Sports Car"; Sam Smith returns with a lovely ballad, "Love is a Stillness", rising British artist, Bishop Briggs has dropped a new single with the positivity anthem, "Woman is King" and Lil Nas X is back, embracing the pink, with a new single, "Hotbox".
Roy Ayers, a pioneer of jazz-funk whose music would be one of the most sampled in hip-hop, passed away on March 4th at the age of eight-four. The LA-born Ayers came from a family of musicians and began learning to play the vibraphone at the age of five. After playing with several bands and recording solo projects, he formed his own acid-jazz group in 1972, Roy Ayers Ubiquity, which he chose because "ubiquity" means "a state of being everywhere at the same time". Ayers worked on the soundtrack for the Pam Grier film, "Coffy" and released the 1976 album, "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" which the title track would go on to find great popularity later by being heavily sampled, with the song used at least two hundred times on various recordings. Some of his other music was also sampled and he returned the favor by performing the vibraphone as a session musician for albums of many neo-soul, jazz and hip-hop artists. During his career, Ayers would record thirty studio albums as a solo artist and with his band.
Fresh off her dazzling performance in the Disney live-action musical, "The Little Mermaid", Halle Bailey is here to remind us she has not abandoned her music career. After spending much of her professional life with her sister, Chlöe (who had released her debut studio album, "In Pieces" in March), the twenty-three-year-old singer has released a single, "Angel" which is the first song off her own upcoming solo album. This uplifting ballad (written by Bailey, Sebastian Kole, and the song's producer, Ron "Neff-U" Feemster) explores her experiences of growing up as a Black woman in this world. And Bailey will be back on the big screen soon as she will make an appearance in the musical adaptation of "The Color Purple" due in theaters on Christmas Day.
"Freak Me Now", the latest single from Jessie Ware's euphoric, disco-inspired, "That! Feels Good!", is a now remixed and features fellow Brit dance floor veteran, Róisín Murphy. This pairing does not disappoint, with these fierce vocalists tearing up on this retro track and team up together in a fun, campy music video.
And the latest song from Doja Cat's upcoming fourth studio album has dropped. Coasting along on a sample of the Dionne Warwick's classic, "Walk On By", "Paint The Town Red" is about the singer not caring what her haters think, ignoring them all and enjoying her life. The accompanying music video certainly give you the impression that Doja Cat is "the Lady Gaga of Hip-hop" with the clip featuring outrageous imagery that includes scenes of her dancing intimately with "Death", throwing bloody chunks of meat and riding on a giant dragon through the sky. And there is still no release date or title of Doja's next album.
On the verge of beginning her highly anticipated Celebration Tour which celebrates forty-plus years of making music, Madonna has been busy teaming up with several contemporary musicians for some new music that has all just been released. First, the Queen of Pop appears on "Popular", a song by Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye and also featuresPlayboi Carti for the soundtrack of the buzzy new HBO series, "The Idol" which stars Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp. Madonna lends her voice for three songs on the new album by Christine and the Queens, "Paranoïa, Angels, True Love". And finally, there is "Vulgar" which Madonna collaborates with Sam Smith on a boldly unapologetic yet disappointingly routine dance track that proudly proclaims the merits of being fearlessly outspoken.
June is Pride month and what better soundtrack for this celebration than getting your hands on "NOW! That's What I Call Proud!", the latest installment in the compilation album series, "NOW! That's What I Call Music!". What makes this edition stand out is that all the artists involved are out and proud: We have the legendary trailblazers (Elton John, k.d. Lang, Melissa Ethridge, George Michael) and the next generation who were able to begin their careers openly because of these pioneers (Sam Smith, Troye Sivan, Hayley Kiyoko, Lil Nas X). Here are a few of the classic songs on this collection:
Best known for the recording of "The Girl From Ipanema", the Brazilian singer, Astrud Gilberto has passed away at eighty-three on June 5th. This song would become an international hit, helping to popularize bossa nova, reaching the top five on the US Billboard Hot 100 and winning the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1965. Astrud Weinert married musician, João Gilberto, who would later be known as the "Father of Bossa Nova", in 1959. João teamed up with American jazz musician, Stan Getz and released the album, "Getz/Gilberto" in 1963. "The Girl From Ipanema" was first recorded for the album as a duet between Gilberto, singing in Portuguese, and his wife performing in English. An edited version of the song with just Astrud was released, becoming very popular and went on to sell over a million copies. Infidelity would bring an end to the marriage of the Gilbertos by 1964 but Astrud continued her career, releasing a self-titled debut album the following year. Gilberto went on to record fifteen studio albums with songs in various languages which impressively included Spanish, German, Italian, French and Japanese. And although she never officially retired, Gilberto said she was taking some time off after the release of her 2002 album. "Jungle" which would become her final recording.
And Cynthia Weil, one half of the songwriting team with her husband, Barry Mann based at the famous Brill Building who together helped shaped the sound of rock & roll throughout the 1960's with many popular songs, died at the age of eighty-two on June 1st. Born in New York City, Weil had studied to be an actor and dancer but not long after marrying Mann in 1961, she discovered her skill at writing pop songs. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'", "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration", "On Broadway", "Walking in The Rain", "Just a Little Lovin' (Early in the Morning)" and "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" are just a few of the early hits that were written by this songwriting duo. The couple would write as individuals, with other partners as well as team up together with other songwriters. Other popular songs Weil would later be involved in creating included "Just Once", "Never Gonna Let You Go"," He's So Shy", "Here You Come Again", "All I Need To Know" and "Somewhere Out There" for the animated film, "An American Tail" which won the team (along with co-writer, James Horner) the 1986 Song of The Year Grammy Award. With her husband, Weil was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
Here are the latest videos of singles from P!nk, Miley Cyrus and Chlöe who all have new albums dropping in the next few weeks.
And there is the return of Everything But The Girl, a British electronic band who found their greatest fame in the '90's with the remix of the single, "Missing". After twenty-four years, the duo (that features Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt) have come back together to create some new music with an album, "Fuse" due out in April. The first single, "Nothing Left to Lose" reveals that this band has moved forward with a sound that fits perfectly well in today's musical landscape.
I love how Sam Smith now feels free to openly embrace a queer esthetic without having to fear that it might adversely effect their career. Following their worldwide smash single, "Unholy" with Kim Petras, Smith has released their fourth album, "Gloria". This collection features a myriad of personal expressions and musical textures. They have with returned with two singles from the record, "Gimme", a sexy, Caribbean flavored track that features Jessie Reyez and Jamaican musician, Koffee and "I'm Not Here To Make Friends", a new dance collaboration with Calvin Harris. Both videos for these songs express an unapologetic queer vibe; free-wheeling, decadent and fun.
"80 For Brady" is the upcoming campy comedy that has assembled a cast of legendary actresses; Oscar-winners, Rita Moreno, Jane Fonda, Sally Field and nominee, Lily Tomlin. Based on a true story, these four longtime friends and big New England Patriots fans decide to travel to Houston in order to watch their hero, Tom Brady play in the Super Bowl and they're not going to let not having tickets stop them. And a theme song for the movie written by Diane Warren has put together an equally impressive line-up of veteran singers to sing on the track. Belinda Carlisle, Gloria Estefan, Cyndi Lauper and Dolly Parton have come together on "Gonna Be You". While the song might not be considered that memorable, it is certainly fun to hear this unlikely round-up of ladies performing collectively.
And to close out, here are tributes to a couple of artists we have recently lost. Anita Pointer of the family singing group, The Pointer Sisters passed away on December 31st at the age of seventy-four. She had been struggling with cancer over the last couple of years. Born and raised in Oakland, CA., she and her sisters, June, Bonnie and Ruth, all began performing together professionally in 1972, signing to Blue Thumb Records and releasing their self-titled debut which featured their first hits, "Yes We Can Can" and "Wang Dang Doodle". This r&b group enjoyed further success together before Bonnie decided to leave to pursue a solo career.
Now as a trio, the Pointer Sisters changed musical directions, moving into a pop-rock sound and found even greater success first with a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire". More high charting songs followed with "He's So Shy", "Jump (For My Love)", "Slow Hand" and "I'm So Excited". She recorded only one solo album, "Love For What It Is" in 1987. Pointer retired from the group in 2015 and co-wrote a memoir with her brother, Fritz, "Fairytale: The Pointer Sisters' Family Story" which chronicled their family history and career.
Considered one of the greatest guitar players in rock, Jeff Beck died on January 10th from complications of bacterial meningitis. He was seventy-eight. This British musician began his career playing with several bands and was a session guitarist before being offered to join The Yardbirds to replace Eric Clapton based on a reccomendation from Jimmy Page in 1965. Beck didn't stay long yet was a part of the band during their biggest commercial success. He was eventually fired from The Yardbirds due to excessive absences and his firery temper.
In 1967, Beck went on to form his own band, The Jeff Beck Group which included Ronnie Wood on bass and Rod Stewart on vocals. This blues-rock group was another short-lived venture for Beck that produced two successful albums before this line-up disbanded two years later. He would revive the band later with different musicians in the 1970's, recording two more albums. Beck soon began recording as a solo artist, moving into jazz-rock fusion. He had continued to work over the years on his own albums and with other artists, recently collaborating with friend, actor and part-time musician Johnny Depp last year on what would be Beck's final album, "18". During his accomplished career, Beck recorded fourteen studio albums and won eight Grammy awards.
"Unholy" is a new release that features the inspired pairing of Sam Smith and Kim Petras. First teased on TikTok back in August, this hyper-pop dance track (which was co-written by the non-binary performers) is about a family man leaving his comfortable life behind for a brief moment so he can sneak off to secretly get his freak on. "Unholy" just came out a little over a week ago and has already reached number one in four countries including the UK. This is the first single from Smith's upcoming fourth studio album but no release date has been revealed yet.
The New York-based, indie band, Yeah Yeah Yeahs first emerged during the turn of the 21st century, at a time when alt-rock was still a major presence in the pop music scene. The single, "Maps" from their 2003 debut, "Fever To Tell" brought worldwide attention to the band, receiving rapturous praise and award recognition. It has been almost ten years since their last album, "Mosquito" and the trio that makes up the band: Nick Zimmer on guitar, Brian Chase on drums and lead vocalist, Karen O, had not planned on taking such a long break but the starting of families, other artistic pursuits and the pandemic created an unexpected delay in coming back together.
But the wait is over and Yeah Yeah Yeahs are back with"Cool It Down". While the band has certainly matured (with the members all now in their 40's), they have lost none of their edge. This bold yet brief collection (running a little over thirty minutes) is filled with offbeat, punky electro-pop, taking on themes involving the global climate crisis and concern for future generations. The singles, "Spitting Off the Edge of the World" (featuring art-pop performer, Perfume Genius) and "Burning" are both accompanied by stunningly vivid music videos.
Here are some new songs that are enhanced by visually exciting music videos:
And I am sad to report the passing of Coolio, the rapper who was one of the early winners of the Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance for his 1995 single, "Gangsta's Paradise", on September 28th at the age of fifty-nine. Born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. and raised in Compton, CA, he began making music after working a variety of odd jobs. Making connections in the local rap scene in Los Angeles, Coolio recorded a few singles and later became part of the group, WC and the Maad Circle in 1991. He was signed as a solo artist to Tommy Boy Records and released his debut album, "It Takes a Thief" in 1994. The single, "Fantastic Voyage" became Coolio's first hit, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100.
Sampling Stevie Wonder's 1976 song, "Pastime Paradise", "Gangsta's Paradise" was part of the soundtrack for the Michelle Pfeiffer-lead, 1995 movie, "Dangerous Minds" and became an incredible worldwide success, reaching number one in nineteen countries and selling over six million copies. Coolio's follow-up album, also called "Gangsta's Paradise", featured two other hits, "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" and "Too Hot".
Sam Smith has quietly reemerged with a new song, "Love Me More". The British artist teamed with their frequent collaborators, Stargate and Jimmy Napes (who co-wrote and produced the track) on a song that explores the difficult challenges they had experienced throughout their life and career, never feeling completely worthy and adequate as a person or performer. But Smith has finally learned to accept himself and the song is an empowering anthem about making the effort in loving yourself more.
Smith has stated that it has taken them a lifetime to be able to express this type of joy and honesty in their music. "Love Me More" feels like an exciting new chapter in Smith's musical expression as a queer artist.
With an unplanned delay and a title change, Sam Smith's third album has been finally given a release date. "Love Goes" is the new name of the record and is due out on October 30th. The altered record does feature a few recently recorded tracks with the first official single, "My Oasis", a guitar-driven, dance-pop song featuring Nigerian performer, Burna Boy, came out in July. And the follow-up single out now, "Diamonds" is an emotion-filled, kiss-off dance track that the singer does so well. I love the music video for the song where Smith appears free and dancing with passionate abandon.
There were several promotional singles released last year (which includes their hit duet with Normani, "Dancing With a Stranger", the cover of Donna Summer's disco classic, "I Feel Love" and the ballad, "To Die For" which was the original title of this album) that were originally supposed to be a part of this collection but they will now appear as bonus tracks.
It's been eight years since we last heard from the gifted yet reclusive performer, Fiona Apple but the very long-awaited new album is finally here and I think it's absolutely well worth the wait. "Fetch The Bolt Cutters" (which the title comes from a quote in the British television crime drama, "The Fall") is a fascinating eclectic and eccentric collection of music filled with moods, ruminations, raw emotion and odd sounds that takes us on an inimitable journey inside of the mind of this singular artist. With a very small band of musicians to help execute her ideas, the forty-two year old vocalist felt free to allow herself to wander musically, restructuring and misshaping each song in any way she deemed fit. The timing of this release may have been to benefit her fans who may be looking for some fresh musical stimulation while under the stay-in-place orders due to the pandemic but I'm sure it's also to help Apple avoid having to leave the comfort of her home to promote this album. I love the entire album but here are two of my favorites from the latest by Fiona Apple:
KELLY ROWLAND
After Destiny's Child parted ways, Kelly Rowland has continued her career in music although she has not gotten nearly as much attention as another member of her former group. She has released four studio albums to date with them achieving greater success internationally. Rowland has also dabbled in acting, appearing in a few films including the horror flick, "Freddy vs. Jason", and hosted or participated in several reality television programs with her currently serving as a judge on the Australian version of the singing competition show, "The Voice". But Rowland has returned to music in a big way with her recently dropping a fantastic new single, "Coffee". This seductive song is simply about having a hot cup of java and even hotter intimacy in the morning with a loved one.
And I love, love, LOVE the music video for the song with it's sensual energy and emphasis on all shades of African-American beauty. Please check this clip out for "Coffee":
Sam Smith has decided to delay his forthcoming album (which was due in May and will get new title as it was going to be called, "To Die For") due to the pandemic facing the world. While there had been several singles previously released, these songs may not appear on the new record as Smith has just released what he is calling the first single. "I'm Ready" (co-written and produced by one of the hottest music craftsmen right now, Ilya Salmanzadeh) is throbbing dance track and features a duet with Demi Lovato. This passionate song is about being open to accepting love. For the music video, Smith fully embraces being non-binary and features drag queens, racing in glamorous gowns and heels, in an Olympics-themed clip.
Sam Smith had released a collection of songs throughout the previous year and had hits with "Dancing With a Stranger", a duet with Normani; "How Do You Sleep?", a cover of the disco classic, "I Feel Love" and "Promises" with Calvin Harris. Now 2020 will finally see the release of their third studio album, "To Die For". The direction of this record will be focused less on the ballads which they are best known for and more on straight-forward pop-dance songs, The non-binary artist has just released the title track (co-written with their long-time collaborator, Jimmy Napes and Stargate) which happens to be one of their trademark ballads about heartbreak. The video for the song is an inventive film which features Smith as a lonely mannequin head in a store window who watches various happy couples passing by it. And to promote the song and the upcoming album due in May, Smith recently opened up a pop-up wig shop in the Soho area of London.
The grande dame of pop music, Celine Dion, after recently ending her second Las Vegas residency, has quickly decided to get back on the road to see the world instead of the world coming to her. She is preparing to tour in support of her latest album, "Courage" which is her first English language release in seven years and the first without the guidance of her husband and manager, René Angélil who passed away in 2016 after a lengthy battle with cancer. It is not surprising that many of the songs from the album focus on finding strength during difficult challenges and tragic loss.
And while she has enlisted the aid of several contemporary musicians, songwriters and producers (which includes Sia, Greg Kurstin, Skylar Grey, StarGate, David Guetta, Eg White and Sam Smith) to help work on the album, Dion has wisely not strayed too far from the sound that has made her career. Be sure to catch Dion on her first world tour (which began in September) in a decade. Here are two of the singles from the album, "Imperfections" and the title track which seems to be the song which deals the most directly with her personal loss:
KESHA
After having her career sidelined due to a long legal battle with her former producer, Dr. Luke over emotional and sexual abuse since 2014, Kesha was finally able to return to music with an album, "Rainbow" in 2017. The record revealed a more serious side to the wild party girl persona and brought her new-found respect and acclaim including her first Grammy nominations. Now the thirty-two year old singer has returned with some more music and it seems like she's ready to get back to having some crazy fun. The first single from Kesha's fourth studio album, "High Road" (due in January) is "Raising Hell" and features the Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia to provide her trademark rap. With a gospel influence thrown in with her familiar pop-EDM sound, Kesha seems to have embraced her past while moving forward musically to create a whole new sound. Here is the music video for "Raising Hell" which plays up the gospel theme with Kesha appearing as a beloved televangelist. But the clip turns dark when her husband is abusive and she decides to bring an end to the abuse permanently. Also listen to the follow-up single, "My Own Dance" where she celebrates her freaky nature:
And we wrap up with a surprising new song from Sam Smith. The performer, who has struggled with gender all of his life, recently has come out as non-binary. Smith has been working on material for their upcoming third album but have been dropping new singles in the meantime. The latest is a cover of the classic Donna Summer anthem, "I Feel Love" and this version pushes their voice to the test. It's certainly not ground breaking or really necessary but it's fun:
I'm sure many of you are well aware of Mark Wahlberg, the Oscar-nominated movie star who appeared in such films as "Boogie Nights", "The Departed", "The Italian Job", "The Fighter" and "Ted". But how many of you remember when Wahlberg was Marky Mark and a part of the Funky Bunch? Back in 1991, a twenty-year old Mark released the rap hip-house single, "Good Vibrations" (co-written and produced by his older brother, Donnie who was a member of New Kids On The Block at the time) with his group which went to number one of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. While Wahlberg would release two albums with the Funky Bunch and a project with the late reggae performer, Prince Ital Joe, this million-selling song would be the highlight of his music career. Let's go back and listen to Marky Mark's hit as well as the 1980 disco single, "Love Sensation" by Loleatta Holloway which a sample is used as the hook on his song :
I guess country rap is now officially a genre. Following the incredible success of Lil Nas X's, "Old Town Road", Blanco Brown has brought us "The Git Up", another country-flavored hip-hop tune. Brown, an Atlanta-raised producer who has worked with Chris Brown, Fergie and Pitbull, has been a big fan of hip-hop and country music and decided the time was right to merge the two vastly different genres. "The Git Up" has become a crossover sensation and managed to achieve what Lil Nas X could not; Brown's track reached the top of the Hot Country Songs chart. There is even a dance created for the song so check out music video so you can learn the moves:
Here are a few new tunes I'm in to right now:
And finally, here is an obscure musical pairing I never would have imagined but it absolutely works. While going down the YouTube rabbit hole, I stumbled upon the Welsh sex-symbol, Tom Jones and Broadway star turned r&b vocalist, Stephanie Mills singing together on a sensual cover of Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway's "The Closer I Get To You". I have no idea when or where this was done beyond it must have been performed sometime in the '80's. Their vocals are on fire and it's really a great version of the song:
Normani, a member of the girl-group. Fifth Harmony who are on an indefinite hiatus, has been actively moving on as a solo performer but has recently become the Queen of the duets. Following her successful collaborations with Khalid, 6lack, and Calvin Harris, the only twenty-two year old singer has recently teamed-up with another prominent pop artist; Sam Smith.
"Dancing With a Stranger" is a song Smith wrote while on tour supporting his last album, "The Thrill of It All" and by chance he was in the recording studio at the same time Normani was there. As a big fan of her band, Smith jumped at the chance to invite her to sing with him on the track. This sensual, mid-tempo dance tune is a perfect way to kick off the year.
I have said that I've never been a huge country music fan but I can say that I have become a big fan of Kacey Musgraves. The twenty-nine year old singer from Mineola, TX. hardly does what would be considered "traditional" country as she embraces classic pop, alt-rock, electronica and even a little disco which has been slyly blended in to her sound. Since the beginning of her career, Musgraves has never played it safe as she has fearlessly tackled subjects like drug-use, one-night stands and same-sex love in her songs which is hardly standard country music fare.
I had heard a lot of good buzz about her fourth studio album, "Golden Hour" that was released back in March but only recently took the time to actually listen to it. And I'm so upset I didn't get to enjoy this incredible record sooner. Musgraves met her future husband, Rustin Kelly while writing the album and the budding romance is reflected in "Golden Hour". The track, "Butterflies" was written with Kelly in mind and the rest of the album is filled with more love songs than usual for the singer. Here are the music videos for a couple of Musgraves' singles:
Here are a few new songs I'm digging right now:
And we close with the latest single from Ariana Grande. While I think "God Is a Woman"(which will be on her upcoming third album, "Sweetener") is okay, it's the music video for the song that I find absolutely breathtaking. The clip is directed by music video veteran, Dave Meyers and incorporates vibrant visual imagery of the cosmos and mythology with Grande interacting with it. And if that female voice sounds familiar during the spoken monologue, it should. It is none other than the Queen of Pop, Madonna who recites a slightly revised part of the bible verse that was spoken by Jules in "Pulp Fiction":
With the queer, electro-rock band, Scissor Sisters on an indefinite hiatus, lead vocalist, Jake Shears has been keeping himself busy. Following making his Broadway debut in the musical, "Kinky Boots" and writing his autobiography, "Boys Keep Swinging", Shears is about to release his first solo album. The self-titled record is due in August and the first single, "Creep City" is out. The track may not stray too far from the sound with his band but it's still quite enjoyable and welcome. Check out the recently released music video filled with the singer in full glamorous camp mode:
KIM PETRAS
There has been a lot of media attention about German singer, Kim Petras due to her gender reassignment at the very young age of twelve. But the focus should be on the now twenty-six year old's unabashedly pure pop songs that she has been creating since a teenager. Her latest single, "Heart To Break" is another great tune but it's been mired in controversy due to production by Dr. Luke who has been accused of sexual abuse by singer, Kesha. Petras got herself further in to hot water by stating that she would never work with someone who abused women which came across as dismissing Kesha's claims. She has since clarified her stance and apologized for any misunderstanding. Be sure to check out Petras who will be opening for the Australian pop star, Troye Sivan on his upcoming U.S. tour. In the meantime, check out the delightfully charming music video for the Euro princess of pop's new song:
COURTNEY BARNETT
After Courtney Barnett's debut album, "Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit" (I love that title) was released in 2015, plenty of acclaim and accolades greeted the Aussie alt-rocker. She is finally back with her follow-up, "Tell Me How You Really Feel", another vigorous collection of guitar-driven songs filled with her frustrations and fears which seemed to have intensified with her sudden fame. But she helps her dark tunes go down easier with high-energy pop structures and classic rock flourishes. Listen to one of my favorite tracks from the album, "City Look Pretty":
And we have the latest from Sam Smith. The single, “Pray” has gotten a remix treatment with rapper, Logic providing some verses to the gospel-inspired ballad. While the song treads familiar territory, it is uplifted by Smith’s glorious vocals. For the music video, it was shot at a mansion in beautiful Lake Como, Italy and takes advantage of the scenic location:
Sam Smith, the British singer who burst on the scene back in 2014 with a debut album, "In The Lonely Hour" which won him four Grammys including Best New Artist, has made his return to music. Today, he just released a new single, "Too Good At Goodbyes" and it's another mournful ballad that Smith does very well. It may be a little safe and predictable but the song is quite moving and I can't wait to hear more. Have a listen for yourself:
It had been previously announced that pop stars the Weeknd, Sam Smith and Lady Gaga were invited to perform their nominated songs on the 2016 Oscars telecast next Sunday. Now, it's just been revealed that the other two nominees, J. Ralph & Antony Hegarty and David Lang were NOT invited to perform their songs.
The lame excuse is due to "time constraints" but I must ask when has the Oscars ever seriously been concerned about time? With the show to surely run well over three hours long, what's another ten minutes to give these performers their deserved moment in the spotlight? The real reason is clearly because these nominees are relatively unknown and their songs are not conventional enough to fit comfortably in to the star-filled evening. I think it's shameful, a disgrace and completely unfair. It should be all or nothing!
Let me get off my soapbox and let you listen to the two nominees snubbed from the show:
“Simple Song #3” from "Youth" (Music and Lyric by David Lang)
“Manta Ray” from "Racing Extinction" (Music by J. Ralph and Lyric by Antony Hegarty)
And here are the other nominees:
“Earned It” from "Fifty Shades of Grey" (Music and Lyric by Abel Tesfaye, Ahmad Balshe, Jason Daheala Quenneville and Stephan Moccio)
“Til It Happens to You” from "The Hunting Ground" (Music and Lyric by Diane Warren and Lady Gaga)
“Writing’s on the Wall” from "Spectre" (Music and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith)
British pop sensation, Sam Smith is the latest singer to perform the theme song for a James Bond film, "Spectre", the upcoming 24th movie in the long-running series. The song is called "Writing's On The Wall" which is co-written by Smith and Jimmy Napes and they produced the track along with Guy and Howard Lawrence of Disclosure.
Smith follows in this tradition of songs created for the 007 films by a varied group of top artists including Shirley Bassey ("Goldfinger", "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Moonraker"), Tom Jones ("Thunderball"), Carly Simon ("Nobody Does It Better" from "The Spy Who Love Me"), Tina Turner ("Goldeneye"), Duran Duran ("A View To a Kill"), Madonna ("Die Another Day"), Sir Paul McCartney ("Live and Let Die") and Adele, who went on to win an Oscar for her contribution to the last Bond film, "Skyfall" in 2012.
And how does Mr. Smith's song rank? Well, the reaction has been decidedly mixed but that may be because the expectation was so high. I think "Writing's On The Wall" is a fine song with dramatic horns and strings at the top and Smith's beautifully, impassioned vocal lifting the track to dreamy heights. But is it one of the more memorable of the 007 theme songs? No, I can't say that it is but there are certainly far worse (Sheryl Crow's "Tomorrow Never Dies" or Lulu's "The Man With The Golden Gun", for example, come to mind). Have a listen and judge for yourself:
Sam Smith, the soulful Brit pop vocalist, was the undisputed champ at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. He took home four of the six trophies he was up for including Record of The Year and Best New Artist. Smith performed his award-winning tune, "Stay With Me" on the telecast Sunday night as a moving duet with Mary J. Blige.
Alt-rocker, Beck was the unexpected victor of the Album of The Year prize for "Morning Phase". No one was more surprised than Kanye West, who got on stage briefly during the presentation of Beck's award, seeming to think it would be funny to protest the win like he did to Taylor Swift at the MTV Music Awards.
For the fourth consecutive year, LL Cool J hosted the show but this time, he kept the talk to a minimum to allow the music to speak for it's self. There were twenty-three numbers over the course of the program and at almost four hours, it might seem like music overload. However, there were really no clunkers (although the ballads performed by Ariana Grande and Adam Levine of Maroon 5 with his former "Voice" judge, Gwen Stefani bordered on snoozy) and the show kicked off with the fiery first appearance on the Grammys by heavy-metal legends, AC/DC. I know they're not every one's taste but I thought they were great as they performed the title track from their latest album, "Rock or Bust" and their classic, "Highway To Hell".
Other highlights included Usher's uncomplicated but moving version of Stevie Wonder's "If It's Magic" (with the artist himself popping up at the end on harmonica), the oddball team of Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney performing their hot single, "FourFiveSeconds", Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett serving up a little jazz from their Grammy-winning record and the thrilling return of Electric Light Orchestra.
My favorite moments on the Grammys have been the pairing of veteran artists with new musicians. While not everyone appreciated their efforts, I enjoyed what Tom Jones and Jessie J. did with "You Lost That Lovin' Feeling" during their tribute to the songwriters, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Irish rocker, Hozier was delivering his Grammy-nominated hit, "Take Me To Church" but it was Annie Lennox who joined him and took it home. The duo continued with a fierce rendition of the "Screaming" Jay Hawkins song, "I Put a Spell On You" from her nominated album, "Nostalgia" with Lennox bringing down the house.
Finally, what would the Grammys be without a little spectacle? First, Madonna showed the world she's still got it with a high-energy performance of her new single, "Living For Love" which featured a herd of male dancers wearing elaborate bull masks and concluded with the pop artist being lifted up in to the air.
While I thought Sia's latest recreation of the music video for her live performance of "Chandelier" was entertaining (and included teen dancer, Maddie Ziegler and comedian, Kristen Wiig), I, for one, am tired of seeing the Aussie vocalist singing to a wall. Enough with the silly recluse act. Anyway, it was another great celebration of music.
Here is a partial list of the winners from the 2015 Grammys. For the complete list, click below:
ALBUM OF THE YEAR: "Morning Phase" - Beck RECORD OF THE YEAR: "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)" - Sam Smith SONG OF THE YEAR: "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)" - James Napier, William Phillips & Sam Smith, songwriters BEST NEW ARTIST: Sam Smith BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE:"Happy (Live)" - Pharrell Williams BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE: "Say Something" - A Great Big World With Christina Aguilera BEST TRADITIONAL POP VOCAL ALBUM: "Cheek To Cheek" - Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM:"In The Lonely Hour" - Sam Smith BEST DANCE RECORDING: "Rather Be" - Clean Bandit Featuring Jess Glynne BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE: "Lazaretto" - Jack White BEST ROCK ALBUM:"Ryan Adams" -Ryan Adams BEST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC ALBUM:"St. Vincent" -St. Vincent BEST R&B PERFORMANCE: "Drunk In Love" -Beyoncé Featuring Jay Z BEST R&B ALBUM: "Love, Marriage & Divorce" - Toni Braxton & Babyface BEST RAP PERFORMANCE:"I" - Kendrick Lamar BEST RAP ALBUM:"The Marshall MathersLP2" - Eminem BEST COUNTRY SOLO PERFORMANCE: "Something In The Water" - Carrie Underwood BEST COUNTRY ALBUM: "Platinum" - Miranda Lambert PRODUCER OF THE YEAR (NON-CLASSICAL): Max Martin
I was quite surprised to hear how smoothly a settlement was reached between Sam Smith and Tom Petty in regards to the new pop star's hit song sounding very similar to the rocker's 1989 tune. Although Smith and his co-writers, James Napier and William Phillips were not familiar with "I Won't Back Down", the song composed by Petty and co-writer Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, the trio agreed to add them as writers to last year's smash, "Stay With Me" which earned Sam Smith multiple Grammy nominations. It's pretty amazing how there was no ugly, drawn-out legal battle and the situation was resolved very amicably.
Do they really sound alike? Well, maybe it's just me but I can't really hear it. Here are the two songs together, so listen and judge for yourself:
"Stay With Me" - Sam Smith (2014) vs.
"I Won't Back Down" - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1989)
This is hardly the first time this situation of songs sounding similar has arisen. Below are a few famous examples that were eventually settled in court. These cases, I can hear the similarities, (especially Harrison vs. The Chiffons):
The Rolling Stones - "Anybody Seem My Baby" (1997) vs.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
