There seems to be a lot of songs out these days that contain the word work, for whatever reason. There's Rihanna's Work, Fifth Harmony's Work From Home, and this one, a newish collaboration between two of EDM's most successful artists. I'm really loving Zhu's unique, exotic sounds, either on his own tunes or as a producer on tracks by the likes of artists such as Aluna George, Galant, and even Lana Del Rey. This one has got so many great musical levels within it, from the lead male vocals to the female vocal interludes, sung/spoken in a foreign language, and of course, the music track. Check out the cool Working For It...
Once there was a Scottish singer named Sheena Easton. When she first came on the scene in 1981, her songs Morning Train (9 to 5) and Modern Girl were catchy and very bubble-gum and very innocent and they scored big with music lovers everywhere, but they gave Miss Sheena a lily-white reputation. She continued on with the same type of music, scoring a couple more hits like For Your Eyes Only, We've Got Tonight, a duet with country superstar Kenny Rogers, and the sugary sweet Telephone.
Then somewhere in the mid-eighties Sheena met Prince and the two of them started working together, most notably on Prince's song U Got the Look, from the 1987 concert film Sign of the Times. The icon, under the pseudonym Alexander Nevermind, had earlier wrote a song for her which would change her squeaky-clean image for good. With risque lyrics referring to Sheena's own personal nether region, the song was quickly banned from radio play on many stations for its suggestive lyrics. Nevertheless, Sugar Walls became a hit for it's unique, Minneapolis sound, and hit the top ten on three separate charts in 1984. Check out Sugar Walls...
Here's a mostly instrumental track from 2013 that I just discovered via Shazam a few weeks back. The track adds a funky groove to a sample from Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg's Still D.R.E., and the results are chillicious! Check it out...
Good morning and Happy Hump Day. Here's the lead track off of Ellie Goulding's latest, and most stellar album, Delirium. The song well represents the style of much of the record, which is full of catchy, dance oriented pop tunes. Oh, and Ms. Goulding is looking mighty good in the video, too! Check out On My Mind...
Florrie is a British dance artist that makes some pretty sweet music. I posted one of her songs, a fast-moving dance track called Speed of Light, way back in 2012, and I really haven't heard anything new and noteworthy from her since, until now. Real Love is the singer's newest, a single without an album that's popilicious, truly! I could definitely hear this one on the radio, though it'll probably never make waves over here. Please check out the sweet Real Love...
One of the most successful bands to come out of Prince's reign of the 1980's was the Minneapolis-based group known as The Time. Lead by front-man Morris Day, who wonderfully portrayed himself as Prince's chief rival in the film, Purple Rain, and including would-be master producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (who hit it big working with Miss Janet!), these guys had a sound that mixed funk, R&B, rock and dance music. Here's a clip from the film of the band performing one of their most well-known tunes. Check out Jungle Love...
Here's a hot new one from one of my favorite new acts, The Chainsmokers. I tell ya, these guys are making some genuinely great dance music these days and this time they've collaborated with sweet-voiced Hide Away singer Daya for a dance track that's got it all, great lyrics, nice vocals and slamming beats. Great song! Check out Don't Let Me Down...
In addition to the magic of Prince and his own music, the legendary artist had a keen eye for talent. Throughout the years, he'd penned many songs for other artists, several of which he groomed himself into bona fide recording artists in their own right. Acts that came out of Prince's Minneapolis Sound factory included the likes of Vanity, Appolonia, Morris Day & The Time, and Sheila E., an incredible percussionist. Starting with her own 1984 debut album, The Glamorous Life, Sheila had a few hits in the 1980's, several of them co-penned with The Purple One, before going off into a very successful career that still goes on today. Here's one of my favorite Sheila E. tunes, a funky mid-tempo jam that features Prince on vocals. Check out A Love Bizarre...
I knew that today's Song of the Day would be a challenge because I knew I wanted to post a Prince song, of course and have tried before, but it's not easy. I don't know the exact story, but it seems the legendary artist had pulled all of his own videos from YouTube and other such places a long, long time ago. So it's really hard to find any sort of Prince video, and even when you do the quality is not the same. I've actually struck paydirt this morning, as I did find a relatively decent quality clip of one of the singer's most popular songs. The year was 1986 and this Grammy-winning tune tune came on the heels of Prince's iconic Purple Rain soundtrack, hitting the #1 spot. Here's the instantly recognizable and irresistibly catchy Kiss...
In the 80's there was Michael Jackson, there was Madonna, and then there was Prince, an unassuming musical genius who transcended time and space and left an indelible mark on the world of music and in the soundtrack of many a life. It's almost unthinkable to imagine that anyone who lived through the 1980's and beyond hasn't loved at least one or two Prince songs in their time.
It was just a few hours ago that I received almost simultaneous texts from my sister and a friend telling me that the musical icon passed away earlier today at the young age of 57. The sudden and shocking news is even now spreading like wildfire throughout the world and I, like many others, have spent the time since reliving memories of my life that are connected to the singer and his musical genius.
The loss of Prince is huge, and I can already see that this most unassuming of the three 80's icons will now get the accolades he is so deserving of. His catalog is vast and varied and contains many a memorable line for us to remember and repeat as we continue to enjoy his music. There is so much more I wish to say about this artist, and I will in due time, but for now I just wanted to acknowledge the man and the many heavy hearts he has left behind. Rest in Peace!
When I reviewed this track back in December, I said that it was one of the few songs off Robin Schulz' Sugar album that I often skipped. At the time I thought it was no match for the original, which I even posted that same month. Well, over the past few months I've learned to appreciate this new version of a classic and I'm loving it all around. This version carries the same basic melody as the original, only a little more polished, and singer Solamay's raspy vocals give the tune a whole new, and comforting, feel. Check out Save Tonight...
I'm actually surprised it's taken me this long to get to this. I mean, P!nk has become my newest uber-icon, following in the footsteps of Diana Ross and Madonna, respectively, in the Soundtrack of My Life. It has now been almost a week since her newest single debuted, hopefully a sign of exciting things to come...
P!nk's Just Like Fire, from the upcoming feature film, Alice Through the Looking Glass, picks up where The Truth About Love leaves off, masterfully written lyrics that are catchy on the first listen and a similarly memorable track to boot. I even love the little rap she does! Let's hope that Ms. P!nk is still in the studio working on a whole new set. In the meantime, she'll be performing the song on the Billboard Music Awards on May 22nd, so set your DVR's. Now check out Just Like Fire...
We can get em' running, running, running, running..
Here's a tune from way back in 2006 that I only just discovered recently. It's a nice dance tune thats got a message I've been trying to get for some time now...changes in my life. Check out Changes and go out and have a great day...
And the new music extravaganza continues with American deejay/producer Morgan Page and a high energy dance tune that'll have ya up on the dance floor jamming away. Check out Running Wild...
Love takes its toll every time it don't work, yeah
One door closes and another opens
But it's hard to let go when your heart's broken
I give you my trust, can you give me your word?
Come take my heart of glass
And give me your love
I hope you'll still be there
To pick the pieces up
Cause baby I'm fragile, fragile, fragile
Cause baby I'm fragile, fragile, fragile
Oh man, what a treat these past couple of weeks have been! After seemingly endless months of boring, unoriginal music, suddenly a bounty of great great new stuff is coming along and it's all from new artists who I hope find success with these songs. The tracks I've posted in the past few days are unprecedented in their value to me as a music lover, and I find myself listening to all of them (and a couple more that will be forthcoming!) over and over and over. Case in point: today's gem...
Norwegian deejay/songwriter/producer has been on my radar screen, but until now not as a favorite artist, but one who've I've jammed to over the past year or so. This one, one of his newest, features a brilliant, soulful vocalist named Labrinth, and the tune is as soulful as it is beautiful. Quality stuff here! Check out Fragile...
But you play with my mind when you send me these signs
And I see other guys get 'em too
Swedish deejay/producer Alesso has been slowly gaining steam with his 2015 studio album Forever, and this newest single (from a forthcoming album?) with Am I Wrong singer-songwriters Nico & Vinz is arguably his best yet. It's a beautiful love song that totally belongs on mainstream radio and if you click play below and take a listen I am sure you will agree...
Don't ask me how I just now discovered this dramatic and frenzied dance jam just now, because I'm just seeing from my searches that it was released way back in 2010. Late or not, I'm glad I did. Great song.....
With the warm weather finally starting to settle in, I think it's time to start heating up the weekends with some great old dance music. Here's a one hit wonder from the 90's that's typical of the dance music of that era...fast n funky. Check out Jellyhead...
I've been downloading a virtual plethora of hot new songs lately. After what feels like a long, long slumber of nothing to get excited about, things are finally starting to look up. Here's a more mid-tempo chill track that's very easy-breezy and oh so groovealicious! Very singable, too! Check out EVVY's Collide...
A few weeks ago, I shared a photo of P!nk in the studio, adding the caption Recent photo? Fingers crossed! Well in the weeks since, reports have been coming out about two tracks she'd worked on for the upcoming Disney film, Alice Through the Looking Glass. One, that is the backdrop to the trailer in the YouTube link above, is a remake of Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit, and the other is the newest P!nk-penned tune due out Friday called Just Like Fire. This will be the third track she's recorded in the three-plus years since The Truth About Love, starting with the new theme song to the Ellen show, Today's the Day.
Well, we'll just have to wait until Friday to check out the new track, but here's to hoping that a new album is not far off. Fingers still crossed! In the meantime, here's a little ditty from the last record...
Here's a recent discovery that's a shameful bit of mystery. What I mean by that it's one of those songs that's got no Wikipedia entry, and so it probably isn't going to get too much attention, but it soooo deserves to! I have no idea who MNEK is, nor anything about the origins of More Than a Miracle, but I've been listening to it practically non-stop for a few days now and I just have to share it. The lyrics to the song are beautiful, no doubt, but what really makes if for me is the crescendo of the chorus. The beats that go along with it hearken to some of the great freestyle beats that were so popular in the 80's and you can't help but move to it. Like yesterday's song by Nick Jonas, there's no video available for the tune, but nonetheless it is so worth a listen, especially if you love to dance...
After a very successful couple of years, Nick Jonas is preparing us for a highly anticipated follow-up to his 2014 eponymous album with a new track off the forthcoming album Last Year Was Complicated (due to be released in June). Released just this past Friday, Champagne Problems picks up where Levels left off, at least musically. The tune is pleasing to the ears and pretty catchy, if you like that sort of mid-tempo pop music stuff, and it should do well with fans of the 23 year old singer. Check out the audio version to Champagne Problems...
Robyn is one very cool Swedish chick! She's going to be performing at The Governor's Ball in NYC this June and so I've been listening to her...a lot...lately. It's been awhile since she released anything solo, and I'm hoping that this appearance will have something to do with something new. Her catalog is long and deep and filled with all sorts of great stuff, from heartrending ballads to dancey tracks and with plenty of good old funky silliness thrown in, like on this one from 2007. Konichiwa Bitches is just so off the wall Robyn and one that's always got me singing along. Prepare to be entertained if nothing else...
On the heels of younger brother Nick's newfound success as a solo artist comes a new band lead by Joe Jonas. DNCE is the name of the band and Cake By the Ocean was their first single off their debut album, SWAAY. The song, about getting it on at the beach, basically, reached the #9 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 and is currently featured in the top ten on iTunes. Check out Cake By the Ocean...
Here's a song I wanted to post during Black History Month, but I simply ran out of time. It's a classic R&B jam from former Temptations crooner Dennis Edwards with a little help from sultry songstress Siedah Garrett. The song is an all time favorite. It's got this baseline that is just so groovalicious. So if you're into 80's R&B like I am, you're sure to remember Don't Look Any Further...
I've been wanting to post a song from Romanian dance artist INNA for a long time, and unfortunately the tune I chose from her newest eponymous album doesn't have a true video. Nevertheless, there's something about INNA's music that always gets me going and so this, my favorite jam off the album, post is worth it. Listening to virtually anything the self-proclaimed party-rocker has recorded hearkens you to exotic, beachy places like Rio or Ibiza, and almost always induces you to move your body. I have no idea what the word Bamboreea means, but this song is definitely a three-minute-long party. Check it out...
I've never been a huge fan of Ariana Grande (ever since that donut incident!), but I have to admit I'm liking this sultry, sexy first single off of her newest album by the same name. Perfect for a Hump Day. Here's Dangerous Woman...
Ooh, Miss RiRi ain't the only one work work workin! That's for sure as these girls from Fifth Harmony are definitely workin' it (from home) on this hot jam. Check out the smooth, styling Work From Home... Love it!
All along I thought that Meghan Trainor was going to be a short-lived, one-dimensional recording artist, but she's proving me wrong with this funky new track from her upcoming sophomore album, Thank You. Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved her when she first hit the airwaves with All About That Bass, and even her follow-up singles Dear Future Husband and Lips Are Movin'. but the former got so played out that I tired quickly of anything to do with her.
The hit songs from her first record sort of had a country/retro feel to em, and that's where the one-dimensional thought came in, but this little ditty is nothing like it (okay, well maybe a little at the beginning). It's got a decidedly R&B feel to it and the tune showcases the dimensions to Trainor's talented voice. The song is a hit already, and so if you don't know it already, check it out...
Baby I don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight
(I love cheap thrills)
I am loving everything about Sia these days. Her look. Her lyrics. Her voice. Her attitude. Her talent. Her latest record, This Is Acting, is chock full of awesome tunes, and curiously many of them were originally written for other artists and summarily rejected. Take this dancey, tropical gem, for instance. The song was originally meant for Rihanna's new Anti album, but the Work singer strangely turned it down, and I could imagine her singing it, too! Anyway, check out the very cool performance video to Cheap Thrills...
Today is April 2nd, a day that begins a three-month long reminder of a loss we experienced seven years ago. You see, 75 years ago today, my dad, George Myers, was born. Seven years ago today he celebrated his last birthday, his 68th. One month later, he lost his life after a long, long bout with diabetes, and then of course Father's Day in June marks the third and final day in these three months that we are reminded of his life, his death, and his legacy. Like the old saying goes, you never know what you've got till it's gone and that couldn't be truer than with my father. And I speak for my entire family when I say so.
Looking back on my dad's life, I can't help but think that overall it was a sad one. He immigrated to the United States at a young age, until that point raised by a single mother who ultimately tended to herself more than him. Dropping out of high school in the 10th grade, dad never really had the chance, nor the drive, to be successful. He found himself a father of six children, abandoned by the adoptive father who brought him here and gave him his name, always struggling to keep our heads above water, often resentful for it, and not often happy.
Many of his children, including me, became resentful towards him throughout much of our young lives. He shared a good relationship with no one really, not even mom, and this underscored an unhappy, underlying theme to all of our lives. Later on in life, his real struggles would begin when he was diagnosed with that insidious disease. For more than twenty years, my dad suffered through two rounds of dialysis, numerous surgeries and visits to the emergency room, a kidney transplant, and plenty of mental and physical pain. It was towards this end that many of us really began to realize why he was the way he was. He spent many of his final years in regret, I think, lamenting the isolation he'd created within his own family. After his death, the very depth of his being became clearer of all of us, and in the years since, we have all mourned him and missed him more than any of us ever thought we would.
Every time I look at myself in the mirror, I cannot help but see that I am his son. Our resemblance to one another is unmistakable. Perhaps being the first son and sharing such physical traits with him were the underlying reasons why I was the one who took on the brunt of his wrath during my growing years. Sometimes when I see his face in mine, I can't help but feel a twinge of all those years of conflict and I have to look away. I guess I'll never really rid myself of those younger, more difficult years with him. In a way, though, I think the life I've created for myself has been a positive result of our relationship, for I've always strived to be the antithesis of what he was. Still, I loved him and I do miss him. So for what it's worth, Happy 75th Birthday Dad!
We return to our regular mix of tunes today with a classic sing-along dance anthem by a rich-voiced artist named Anastacia. The tune was released in February 2000 and curiously was the only major hit for the songstress, but a major hit it was, hitting the number one spot on Billboard's Dance charts for two weeks. The tune is as fresh and singable today as it was back then, so click play below and get your Friday started off right...
