We follow the debut of new music from Harry Styles yesterday with a new track from fellow One Direction band mate Liam Payne, who dropped his new LP1 just a week prior. Payne's solo music is decidedly more pop/dance than Styles, a bit closer to yet more mature than their former band. Here's one of the tracks from the new record, a laid back pop song with DJ trio Cheat Codes. Here's Live Forever...
It's been a rough week and I have little time for this weekly post, but I can't miss it totally. Here are some hot new songs for this week. Just click the links to check em out...
Hello and welcome back to New Music Fridays. It felt like I was swiping away a lot of the new songs that were released this week and that I would have nothing to share with you all, but of course even amongst the vast emptiness of bad music come a few gems. There were so few songs I bookmarked this week, I could only really find four that I could really sink my teeth into. So, for what it's worth, here goes...
No Tears Left to Cry - Ariana Grande
The biggest new music story of the week is the return of Ariana Grande. No Tears Left to Cry is the singer's first single since the tragic bombing at her concert n Manchester last year and is an ear-pleasing and reflective pop/dance tune that is already a smash. Check it out right here...
Familiar - Liam Payne, J. Balvin
Other than Harry Styles, I would say that I enjoy Liam Payne's solo stuff second best to any of the One Direction boys. Familiar is yet another quality, catchy pop/dance tune by Payne, much in the same style as his hits Get Low and Strip That Down. Check out Familiar...
Bad Dreams - Pete Yorn, Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson reunites with singer Pete Yorn for a brand new EP, Apart, due out in June. Like their previous 2009 collaboration, Bad Dreams is a great, quality pop song. Check it out...
Controller - Channel Tres
One of my top picks this weeks comes from an artist I'd never heard of before. Channel Tres is a Compton-based rapper and producer and he's just released a hypnotic, bass-heavy, dance rap house production that had me moving the first time I heard it. Check out Controller...
Here's a song that placed at #21 on my Top 51 Dance Tracks of 2017 list. It's an ear pleasing collaboration between producer Zedd and singer Liam Payne and it reminds me of summer. Check out the cool Get Low...
Well the first week of 2018 in new music has already been monumental, with new efforts by Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars and more. Let's take a look...
Filthy - Justin Timberlake
Of course, the biggest news in new music this week is the always highly anticipated return of Justin Timberlake to the scene. The 36 year old singer released a new song and video for Filthy, a lead single to what will be his 4th studio album, Man of the Woods. Bottom line: the song's got a steady, mid-tempo vibe that's funky, as you might expect. It's not as catchy as Timberlake's previous effort, Can't Stop the Feeling, but it's definitely gonna grow on me. Though Entertainment Weekly's Eric Renner Brown hated it, I, for a change, think it's kind of exciting! Judge for yourself as you take a look and listen at the futuristic and fun accompanying video for Filthy...
All the Stars - Kendrick Lamar, SZA
The lead single to the soundtrack of Marvel's upcoming Black Panter film is a collaboration between rapper du jour Kendrick Lamar and R&B singer SZA. Now I don't often cover rap/hip-hop tunes, but Lamar is exceptional and this track is quality. Check out All the Stars...
Finesse - Bruno Mars, Cardi B
Anyone who was around back in the early 90's will immediately recognize the set for Bruno Mars and Cardi B's new video for Finesse, and the end of the video dedication gives proper testament to that great sketch comedy show, In Living Color. Of course, as with any Bruno Mars song, this one's funky and cool, but for me, and former fly girl Jennifer Lopez, the video is da bomb! Check out Finesse...
For You - Liam Payne, Rita Ora
Two of my favorite new singers have come together for a song from the upcoming Fifty Shades Freed movie. For You is a sweet duet that puts together two of music's brightest young voices. What a nice, dramatic tune! Check it out...
Heart's Ain't Gonna Lie - Arlissa, Jonas Blue
Jonas Blue is starting the new year off right with a reworking of British singer Arlissa's neew promotional single, Heart's Ain't Gonna Lie. There's no real good video or audio for this sweet pop tune, but trust me, it's good!
B.A.M. - Schilly
Here's another funky, funky tune that well worth a listen. It's really too bad that this one isn't around the Internet either! As always, though, you can check out the track on Spotify.
Hello and welcome once again to John's Music World's New Music Fridays. There's lots of great new music to check out this week, so let's get right down to business...
Gorgeous - Taylor Swift
Okay, so Taylor Swift has been trickling out new songs in anticipation of her newest album, Reputation, and this, the third such track is a light-hearted, catchy pop tune that's sure to keep her fans happy until the album's November 10th release. Check out Gorgeous...
Kids in Love - Kygo & The Night Game
Norwegian deejay/producer Kygo's newest record is already being compared to U2, Bruce Springsteen and Arcade Fire, and I'm going to add a little of The Who's Baba O'Riley into the mix. This one is a nice power ballad with a lot of energy and well worth a listen. Check out the hella cool Kids In Love...
Bedroom Floor - Liam Payne
The One Direction solo projects come out strong this week with a new album by Niall Horan and this new single by Liam Payne. Bedroom Floor is the closest thing to a One Direction song that I've heard so far, only with more of an adult theme. That being said, the tune is catchy and sure to be favorited by many fans of the One Direction phenomenon. Check out Bedroom Floor...
Anywhere - Rita Ora
Rita Ora is a name you're sure to be hearing more of as time goes on. I first discovered her on the wonderfully melodic Your Song and then again on Avicii's Lonely Together. Ora released a preview, Anywhere, from her debut album yesterday, accompanied by a fun video set in New York City. The song is nice, catchy and very easy on the ears. Check out Anywhere...
Seeing Blind - Niall Horan, with Maren Morris
Horan's recently released debut solo album, Flicker, also comes with an accompanying single. The beautiful ballad is a duet with country singer Maren Morris and you can check out the sweet Seeing Blind on iTunes or Spotify.
Back in Your Head - Tegan and Sara, Ryan Adams
From a new tribute album of the tenth anniversary of Tegan and Sara's monumental Cons album comes a hard rocking Ryan Adams cover that's too good to be missed. Check out Back In Your Head...
Good Advice - Fever High, Jeff Goldblum
My pick for funkiest tune of the week comes from a Brooklyn-based duo who call themselves Fever High. These gals have come up with a retro-sounding electro-pop single that'll be sure to have you bopping your head to the beat. Their voices blend perfectly together as they work their way through this jam, and actor Jeff Goldblum delivers a strange, but kinda cool monologue somewhere in there. Check out Good Advice on Soundcloud.
Though these new music tracks did not make my top choices for the week, please take note of these very worthy honorable mentions...
Sometimes great music comes to you from the most unexpected places. When I think of One Direction, I am usually turned off. Boy band. Pop sugar. Blech! It's never been my thing. That being said, I have been keeping an ear on the solo efforts of the band's members and for the most part I've been impressed. Niall Haron's latest, Too Much to Ask, is a beautiful ballad, I love Liam Payne's work with Zedd on Get Low and his own Strip That Down, and yeah Luis Tomlinson's Back to You is pretty good, too! As for Zayn, for whatever reason I've just not found anything...yet...from his music that's called to me. And then there's Harry Styles.
Gaining access to a wide variety of new music at an affordable price is the biggest benefit I've gotten from joining Spotify as a premium member, and when Harry's Sign of the Times, from his debut eponymous solo album came out, my interest was piqued. Back in May, when the album was released, I checked it out...and absolutely loved it!
Harry Styles, the album, is a collection of ten tracks that are anything but pop sugar. In fact, if I were to classify the album by genre, I would say it's a lot like a great 70's rock record. The styles of the songs are varied, from upbeat to melancholy and everywhere in between. There's not a song on the record I dislike, and throughout the life of the album, I've been turning people on to it with good results.
With the U.S. leg of his tour in full swing, I thought that now might be a good time to review the record, something I'd been thinking about doing for awhile. He's coming to NYC in a little over a week, and if I didn't have another engagement that evening, I would surely brave all the screaming teen girls to go check him out. Ah well, maybe next time. Anyway, here's my take on all of the tracks on Harry Styles...
Meet Me in the Hallway
The serious tone of much of the record begins with this acoustic and melancholy piece that speaks of someone who's been jilted by someone, yet would jump back in a heartbeat. The melody is haunting and the vocals in the verses and the chorus evoke both the sadness and desperation of the abandoned lover. Check out the audio of this track here.
Sign of the Times
Styles' debut single is another melancholic masterpiece. This one reminds me of something the Beatles might have done in their later years, or perhaps early Elton John. Styles revealed that the song is about a young mother who is told she only has moments to live due to complications of childbirth. Woof! The multi-genre tune was a smash for the young singer and deservedly so. It's still one of my favorites on the album. Check it out...
Carolina
The record picks up in tempo on the third track, Carolina. This psychadelic jammer is straight out of the 70's and was supposedly written for a beautiful young lady with whom Harry once had an apparently memorable blind date with. Take a listen to Carolinahere.
Two Ghosts
We're not who we used to be
We're not who we used to be
We're just two ghosts standing in the place of you and me
Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat
The fourth track is an easy breezy acoustic gem that's thoughtful and reflective. The album's second single has been compared to the likes of Pink Floyd, George Harrison, Bread, The Allman Brothers, and even the Rolling Stones. Perhaps it's just a wonderful mish-mosh of all of these influences, and it's s good. Check out a live, studio performance of the song...
Sweet Creature
Sweet Creature was a promotional single released just ahead of the album and this acoustic folk tune is simply sweet. Check out the song on John's Music World Song of the Day from May 30th.
Only Angel
The sixth track off the album is one of two up tempo rock tracks. The tune starts off with an, um, ethereal and 'angelic' intro before kicking into overdrive with nice guitar riffs and hard driving vocals. Great tune! Check out the audio of Only Angelhere.
Kiwi
The hardest rocking tune on the record has had people speculating that Styles has a secret child with a New Zealander. Hmmm!!! This one is fast-paced and hard driving and exemplifies the variety and range of genres found on this wonderful album. Check out a performance of the tune right here.
Ever Since New York
Oh, tell me something I don't already know
My favorite tune in the set is simply brilliant. The arrangements, the lyrics, the soft guitars, and the beautiful vocals. Love, love, love! I posted this video of him performing the song on the Today Show and it's definitely worth another look and listen...
Woman
The ninth track off the album is admittedly my least favorite, though it's still pretty darned good. It's a slow moving, dramatic rock ballad that's reminiscent, to me, of something Prince might have done. Check out the audio of Woman right here.
From the Dining Table
Harry closes the marvelous set much the way he opened it, with a melancholic ballad that Inquisitir's Kim McLendon compares to Nirvana's Kurt Cobain on his Unplugged performance of Where Did You Sleep Last Night? The comparison is not far off, surprisingly, and it just goes to show you the incredible range of Styles' style on this album. From the Dining Table is simply a beautiful and thought-provoking way to finish this stellar debut album that has made me a bona fide fan. Check it out right here.
First it was Harry Styles, now Liam Payne. Yet another former One Directioner has come out with some solo stuff, and Liam Payne seems closer to his roots on this effort. Kinda hot! Check out Strip That Down...
