Enlightened Conflict

Tag Archives: addictive songs

come along redux

May 17th, 2013

“Come along and you’ll see what it’s like to be free” - Titiyotitiyo come along

Well.

It’s about time. 12 years after its initial release <2001> one of my favorite little known songs has been redone <quite well> and is sneaking up the charts in 2013.

The song is Come Along.

Originally done by Titiyo <Teh-tee-yo> and  now sung by Vicci Martinez featuring Cee Lo.

Vicci, who has a nice voice, didn’t do much to the original version except speed it up ever so slightly. And it sound good.

It is nice done and extremely listenable and a good radio song.

 

titiyo vicci come2013 Come Along : http://vimeo.com/63360075

 

And here is the original.

2001 Come Along <original>: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLsVGwNWOA4

 

So. The first time I heard Come Along was on the TV show, Providence, soundtrack <I wasn’t familiar with the show itself>. A good soundtrack by the way if you were interested in rising thoughtful singers in the early 2000’s.

The soundtrack spans from the alt-folk style of Dar Williams and Jonatha Brooke to the contemporary country of Rebecca Lynn Howard and Kim Richey to Titiyo’s anthemic pop to Beatles remakes <both Shawn Colvin and Chantal Kresaviuk do versions of In My Life that are spectacularly sweet in completely different ways>.

 

Titiyo was more popular in Europe when she was cranking music out in the early 2000’s.

Titiyo Yambalu Felicia Jah is Swedish. Interesting, at least to me, she is the half-sister of singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry <remember the song Buffalo Dance?>, the stepdaughter of jazz trumpeter and composer Don Cherry and stepsister to Eagle-Eye Cherry <who had some annoying top 40 song I cannot remember off the top of my head>.

Anyway.

I didn’t share this post to share random background information but rather to share the song.

Really good song when originally done.

Really good song redone & rereleased.

Just really good.

whew new song … Crickets

April 21st, 2013

 

Ok.drop city-yacht-club

Last year it was Foster the Children and the song ‘pumped up kicks’ which was an awesome song but played and played .. and well … played.

This year? Here ya go. Its gonna be Crickets.

<and maybe this new song. … a  “whew” song  will make up for the fact I just wrote about Justin & Tim McGraw>.

 

“Crickets” by Drop City Yacht Club ft Jeremih: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F95RD4wGpdc

 

I heard this song driving home last night and it is infectious, fun and makes you drive a little faster than you were <always a good random sign you like it>. This song got stuck in my head and i immediately searched for it … its just one of those songs. The chorus will be on your lips as soon as you hear it in the car … after the song is over.

 

I didn’t know shit about who this band was but here is their website which not only has the song, but the video … and a download remix <which is kind of cool>.

Drop City-Yacht-Club. bwhttp://www.dropcityyachtclub.com/

 

 

They were originally called The Freshmen, but ‘re-branded ‘ themselves <renamed> Drop City Yacht Club <or DCYC> in early 2013. From San Francisco they are hip hop. Crickets seems to be the most radio friendly <they may be this year’s one hit wonder> so I am not sure how mainstream they will end up … but this song? … whew. This one is gonna shoot up the charts and you will be hearing it endlessly on the radio this summer.

In fact … I almost called this my “future overplayed song” selection. But. It is good stuff.

Enjoy.

 

 

 

highways & mirrors

April 20th, 2013

 

Ok.music bits and pieces

I am going to mention two songs from two very different artists <Tim McGraw & Justin Timberlake> who actually have something in common beyond the new song I like that I want to mention … they are both the most talented untalented musicians I can think of.

Now.

Just to be clear … I am also the only person I know who starts searching for an ice pick to shove in my ear whenever I hear Adele sing <ok … ok … I only run for the ice pick when she sings anything outside her lower register … which is at least once in every one of her songs>.

Anyway.

Neither of these gays are particularly good singers. In fact … they are actually pretty horrible singers. And songwriters? Well. I am not sure Tim ever writes any of his own songs … and Justin may … but regardless … both are studio driven artists.

But <and this is a huge but> all the negativity aside.

Put these guys in a studio with a gangbuster producer and they can create some really talented listenable music.

That said.

They have again.

Tim with a song ‘highway don’t care’ and Justin with a song called ‘Mirrors’.

 

highway taylor-swift-tim-mcgraw-keith-urban__oPtFirst. Tim and “Highway Don’t Care.”

Now. There are a lot of reasons to not like Tim McGraw’s music.

He doesn’t write his own music. He is a horrible singer live <outside a studio>. He is married to one of the most beautiful <talented singer> women in the universe. And his father was one of my favorite pitchers growing up <Tug McGraw> and Tim didn’t become a baseball player.

But.

Put the guy in a studio with someone else’s song and … well … it sure does produce some good radio listening music.

Tim McGraw’s latest single, “Highway Don’t Care” features Taylor Swift and Keith Urban guitar playing.

 

Highway don’t care: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gHfNBuirx8

 

It has some nice lyrics and McGraw and Swift do a nice job trading vocals. Tie the vocals together with some pf that typical guitar playing by Keith Urban and you have a top 10 hit.

<I do find it funny he selected Taylor to sing with him because it has to be kinda weird for her in that she wrote a stalker song in her debut single, called Tim McGraw … albeit a great sounding stalker song … so he is actually working with one of his teen fans … oh well>

Look.

Despite all the semi-negative things I said about Tim … I don’t begrudge Tim. He is a hardworking focused singer. He works hard to do what he does. Proof that just being hardworking can get you somewhere. And, of course, Tug is his dad.

Since the release of his debut album in 1993, McGraw has sold over 40 million albums, won three GRAMMY’s, 14 ACM Awards, 12 CMA Awards and 10 AMA’s, while simultaneously maintaining a parallel career as a successful actor in such films as the Oscar nominated The Blind Side, Country Strong, and Friday Night Lights—as well as hosting Saturday Night Live, a rare honor for a singer in any genre.  One source recently certified McGraw as the most-played Country artist of the past 20 years (1992-2012) with more than 10 million plays and Mediabase recognized him as the most-played Country artist in the history of their tracking service.

 

Next.

Justin Timberlake and a song called Mirrors.justin timberlake mirrors-video

Look. The majority of the time I just don’t get his music … and do not understand why so many people gush over what he does. Now. As a person? His Saturday Night Live appearances are must see, he seems to have a good head on his shoulders and this new song Mirrors captures a great message:

 

”One of the most valuable things in a relationship is being able to constantly change and be individual, but look to the other side to the person that you’re with and know that they’re changing as well individually, but somehow you two can mirror each other and be the other half of that world that you both create.”

 

Justin Timberlake ‘mirrors’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuZE_IRwLNI

 

Ok.

And just to show I can be sappy every once in awhile … I like the backstory behind the song. Well. actually there are 2 backstories … and I like both.

 

1st story.

It has been suggested that Justin Timberlake dedicated the video to his grandparents who died in December 2012. If so … well played Justin. They would be happy.

 

2nd story.

In an audio clip posted on his website, Justin suggested that ‘Mirrors’ was inspired by his wife. His personal explanation of the song is pretty nice <and probably made his wife tear up a bit>.

So.

Justin Timberlake is a romantic guy <and Jessica Biel must be a lucky gal>.

 

Girl you’re my reflection, all I see is you

My reflection, in everything I do

You’re my reflection and all I see is you

My reflection, in everything I do

 

Justin explains “Mirrors” … ‘Mirrors’ is a love song to someone that you feel like is, you know, sort of your other half.”

Gosh. So maybe this guy is more than a great SNL guest.

 

Two pretty good songs.

Excellent radio listening.

 

Merry Christmas post Mayan apocalypse

December 25th, 2012

Well.

Merry Christmas to all … and now that we have survived the end of the Mayan calendar … well … those of us that have … maybe we can also eliminate some other myths <and be enlightened in some way>.

Like Donner & Blitzen.

Yup.

Let’s eliminate two of Santa’s reindeer. And, no, I am not a member of the NRA and, no, I am not a hunter and, no, I do not want to suggest they sucked at reindeer games and they … well … lost <in a big way>.

Christmas has many myths and legends but I will focus on Santa’s 8 reindeer and 2 in particular.

Yup.

8 <not 9>.

Rudolph just had a song … he was not really part of the Santa team. He was a ‘walk-on’ if we want to use sports terms.

The flying reindeer. The most well-known tradition <in western countries> with reindeer is Santa Claus <or Father Christmas> and the sleigh pulled by flying reindeer.  Because of a song and a great television cartoon Rudolf became the lead reindeer. Regardless. The flying reindeer legend began in the early 1800’s <Rudolf did not join the Santa reindeer team until 1939>. It all began with a poem written by Henry Livingston, Jr. <although Clement Clarke Moore got credit for the poem despite not really being the author>.

Livingston, an expert on the subject of Dutch Folk law wrote the poem , A visit from St Nicholas, more commonly known as The night before Christmas in 1822.

<don’t worry … I will get to the point … but the whole Dutch thing is important>.

Anyway.

The eight reindeer.

Dasher.

Dancer.

Prancer.

Vixen <my favorite>.

Comet.

Cupid.

Dunder.

Blixem.

Uhm. Yeah.

Dunder & Blixem.

Not Donner & Blitzen.

Oops.

How did this happen?

Well. That aggravating Christmas ditty “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” was a 1949 hit tune sung and recorded by Gene Autry and based on a character originally created by a marketing team for Montgomery Ward <a now defunct retail chain>in 1939.

<by the way … have you noticed that there has not been one good new Christmas song since the 50′s or 60′s? … maybe a different post but that is possibly why almost all Christmas songs are aggravating … we have been listening to them forever !!>

Anyway.

Rudolph song.

The lyrics were written by Johnny Marks, who borrowed most of the reindeer names from the 1822 poem “A Visit from Saint Nicholas”.

The original poem refers to “eight tiny reindeer” and gives them each a name: “Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!/On, Comet! on, Cupid! on Dunder and Blixem!”

Yup.

“Dunder” and “Blixem.”

I bet you <as i> have always heard “Donner” and “Blitzen.”

The former were Dutch names written into the poem by Livingston.

Only in later versions, modified by Moore in 1844, were the two names changed to German: Donder (close to Donner, thunder) and Blitzen (lightning), to better rhyme with “Vixen.”

Finally, for some reason, in the song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” Marks turned “Donder” into “Donner.”

Whether Marks made the change because he knew German or because it just sounded better is uncertain. Or maybe he thought using German Donner and Blitzen (thunder and lightning) was cooler. Who the heck knows.

Bottom line? since 1950 or so, the two reindeer names have been Donner and Blitzen.

So what.

All I really know is that if 8 reindeer showed up on my roof I would not be yelling out their names … it would most likely be something like “holy shit.”

And if any of them answered to that it would truly be a Christmas miracle.

Merry Christmas.

underwater metric

December 24th, 2012

“is this my life? Am I breathing underwater?” – Emily Haines

The last time we visited the band Metric I was gushing over Gold Gun Girls and I’m alive and Emily Haines as a singer.

It was good stuff from an eclectic Canadian band.

And then they released a new cd … and I remained silent <meaning I didn’t type shit>.

And I didn’t type shit because their first song was … well … shit.

Second release? Breathing Underwater.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZuLsz4yPPM

Now this is good stuff.

As an aside … thank god for new technology where you can buy individual songs versus the bad ole days of buying an entire album and having to put up with ten crappy songs to get the two you wanted <does anyone else remember those days ? … before overnight delivery and you had to use a non portable phone and … well … I am dating myself>.

Metric’s music, when it is at its best, is powerful and buoyant and eclectic. Metric constantly seems to be shoving the current music trends off to the side and stare them down with a power-chord and a killer pop hook and their own sound

Me? I am content with living life breathing underwater.

nada surf

October 23rd, 2012

Nada Surf is one of those bands who seem to live on the fringe of radio play and popularity. The odds are you have heard at least one of their songs at some point … and you actually liked it. It is difficult to not like their music. They just tend to write stuff that makes your toe tap, almost always has a hook that grabs you and most likely has at least one line that just sticks in your head.

Well. they released their 7th album The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy (I love the name of the album and it is actually a great line in a great song on the album).

What I have always really liked about Nada Surf is that while they are seriously catchy/poppy they write thoughtful songs … and have that great presenter trait knack in that they have a tendency to only use enough words to say what needs to be said <i.e., they don’t typically waste words nor waste music>.

Always Love and From Now On are brilliantly written simple songs … and 3 minutes or less in length.

Killian’s Red and 80 Windows are more complex thoughtfulness stories and almost 5 minutes in length.

Anyway.

I have always been a Nada Surf fan. I could easily fill up a greatest hits cd with the songs they have done to date <and I will probably write that post one day>. What I do know is that whenever I play something of theirs inevitably someone ends up asking me “who is this?”

Check out their newest cd.

And here is some music to check out here.

“Waiting for something” is everything you will love, or hate, about Nada Surf.

<it is the featured song/video  on their site>http://www.nadasurf.com/

Probably most known for Always Love: http://www.nadasurf.com/videos/nada-surf-always-love/

And Weightless remains one of my favorite songs <lyrics + composition> of all bands:

http://www.nadasurf.com/videos/weightless-2/

As a bonus.

Probably my favorite two songs of theirs … lesser known but I love ‘em ..

80 Windows … with the great line … “the moon is closer to the sun than i am to anyone”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUeSP5kfoIY&feature=related

And Killian’s Red: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4tKe5nBbPw

Enjoy.

electronica as a commodity & zedd & kerli

October 7th, 2012

As the technology has developed in music it has became possible for individuals or smaller groups Well. While I do love the fact electronica <dance beat, club tempo, whatever you want to call it> has finally made the prime time playlists … I fear it is becoming almost commodity-like. Because of technological advancements almost anyone can produce electronic songs and recordings in small studios or even their basements. At the same time, computers facilitated the use of music “samples” and “loops” as construction kits for creating songs. This is the basis of this thing on today’s radio called electronica <which includes a variety of styles including ambient, downtempo, house and trip-hop>.

I really do like this kind of music. I always have … European dance clubs have been playing this stuff for years.

But … in doses.

But I will also admit that the advancement of all this technology makes it difficult to figure out who can really sing.  And the issue gets compounded by the popular dance-techno (what I call euro dance hip hop) sound. In this genre there are a bunch of really good songs where singers don’t sing songs … they provide well planned song bites. Listen to them … very very rarely does someone sing all the way through … they are given sections to sing somewhere between some amazingly danceable music bridges. Here is a thought.

Maybe we should think this generation is creating a contemporary version of the torch singer. And while it is a different time and place I tend to believe the rules are the same – singing in doses and complimentary.

Therefore. Someone like David Guetta <or any traditional dj/mixmaster> doing a cd and inviting Sia and Nicki Minaj or even a Pitbull to sing is perfect.

Now. Nicki or Pit doing their own cd? Crazy <meaning … “they shouldn’t”>. They’re not full singers who can carry an entire album <at least to my mind … and ears>.

Here is some further musical heresy. Here is today’s ultimate contemporary torch singer. Rihanna. Huh? Well, I am not really sure she can sing a song. But I am sure she can sing <I love her voice resonance>, and exceptionally deliver … the song-bite. That’s the way they produce her songs. That is the way she sings her parts. Now. She may be a very good singer but for now she is an electronica torch singer.

And this means we should look backwards for some awesome singers … Nadia Ali. Vanessa van Hemert <4 Strings>. Sophie Barker <Zero 7>. Thievery Corporation, Chicane, Wax Poetic and Delirium have been doing this for years … quite well I may suggest.

Now here comes the commodity thought.

All the dj/mix masters are putting out songs. But it just has officially become ludicrous. Let me give you examples (using songs I happen to like and have on my running mp3 player>.

This song is awesome techno. By a dj guy named Zedd < Anton Zaslavski known primarily by his stage name Zedd is a German electronic dance music producer and DJ from Kaiserslautern, Germany> and the song is called Spectrum.

Spectrum: http://thissongissick.com/blog/2012/zedd-spectrum-ft-matthew-koma-music-video/

And then there is Kerli <from Estonia> who sings something she calls “bubblegoth”  <I don’t remember where I heard it but she gave a delightful interview explaining it>. She is also a songwriter … she wrote Demi Lavato’s “skyscraper.”  Her song Zero Gravity is another very good electronic song but it sounds an awful like Spectrum:

Kerli singing Zero Gravity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEkS_mQ0GlI&feature=related

Here is the crazy part.

It is a guy singing the Spectrum song <Kerli is definitely a girl though>.

Yikes.

Supposedly he is dating Carly Rae Jepson <of “ call me maybe “ fame>.

Oh. And then there is Eva Simons “I don’t like you” which also kind of sounds like Spectrum and parts of Zero Gravity <but Eva is a dutch gal>.

I Don’t Like You: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ngzOj2zATM

Look. I actually like this music … but this has become slightly absurd. It is all almost exactly the same song with different singers singing different bridges and soundbites. The only thing that may save the genre is i-tunes/amazon ability to buy one song at a time. As long as these musicians can afford to produce people will buy one song at a time <but never really be sure who is singing what>.

Good songs though.

wonderwall

September 24th, 2012

Wonderwall is one of those special songs.

Love Oasis or hate Oasis Wonderwall is just a spectacular song – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hzrDeceEKc&feature=related .

It was spectacular in its original version, has been spectacular as a cover (Ryan Adams version is exponentially different than the original but explores a haunting side of the song you may never have visited if Ryan hadn’t done it – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gVxRvNfFLg ) and, as a testament to the song, and Noel Gallagher (I can’t remember which one of the Gallagher brothers is the jerk), the song has been spectacular in a completely different arrangement.

I always respect an artist who takes one of their best songs and seeks to deliver it in a different arrangement without losing its soul (that’s my way of saying ‘not doing it differently because you were tired of doing the original but rather you sought to explore different dimensions of the song’).

Ok.

That was a long preface to the fact in 2010 (I just saw it on palladia) Noel Gallagher performed Wonderwall at the teenage cancer trust benefit concert in an arrangement that was … well … spectacular. – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be0zUC4JeUU

I am not sure I have ever heard a choir used the way he did (they don’t really sing words but rather provide a wave of notes behind his singing) in addition he uses a small orchestral group behind the band to round out a simple (although it doesn’t sound simple as I type this) stripped down but richer arrangement.

I do love when the original artist figures out a way to rearrange a song where it can stand side by side with the original. Well done Noel (and I hope you aren’t the jerk brother).

By the way … if you haven’t heard Noel’s newest cd (Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds) it is nice. I wouldn’t say it is spectacular but … nice. Here is Everybody’s on the Run which I really like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpqQJfdLO14

Enjoy.

Kacey Musgrave on a Merry go Round

September 20th, 2012

Ok.

Haven’t found anything worth writing about in country music for awhile and then this little song popped up. There are a shitload of little female country singers coming out who are trying to sound just like Taylor Swift and the songs are cutesy <I cannot believe I just typed that> but they are not Taylor. Plus. I think we have had enough of her high school romance songs for now. Oops. Sorry. Different post.

And then this young lady comes along and sounds a little like a calmer Miranda Lambert with not only a catchy song but some outstanding gritty well crafted lyrics.

Merry Go Round: http://www.kaceymusgraves.com/splash/

Kacey is only 18, from Golden, Tx and plays the guitar, mandolin and harmonica. I think she participated in the Nashville version of American Idol but I am not sure cause I don’t watch those things.

But here is the really crazy information … she wrote her first song at age 9 and has since written songs for singers such as Martina McBride and Miranda Lambert. In fact Miranda’s current album includes Kacey’s co-written track “Mama’s Broken Heart” which Rolling Stone Magazine ranked #26 in their “50 Best Singles of 2011” list.

Yikes. Talented. Let’s see what she does as time goes on. Regardless. This is a good catchy little country song with some lyrics that have some bite rather than sugary sweet.

Enlightened Conflict