Song of the Day - Nice To Meet Ya - Niall Horan

Harry Styles isn't the only former One Directioner to  put out new music lately.  Fellow crooner Niall Horan just released this very likable tune from his upcoming second album.  Check out Nice To Meet Ya...

Song of the Day - What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction

Guilty pleasure!  Happy Saturday!

New Music Fridays, October 20th, 2017 - New Music This Week

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...

Meaning of Life - Kelly Clarkson

High Rollin' - Jaira Burns

Home - Nick Jonas

Harry Styles' Stellar Solo Debut: A Track by Track Review

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 Carolina here.

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 Angel here.  

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.

Song of the Day - Back to You - Louis Tomlinson, feat. Bebe Rexha & Digital Farm Animals

Oh, those boys from One Direction are really churning out new music at a seemingly rapid-fire pace. With the initial departure of Zayn Malik (whose own solo music I just can't seem to wrap my head around.) and the subsequent hiatus of the band, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson have all put out some pretty impressive stuff individually.  Here's a nice, radio-friendly ballad from Tomlinson, with a little help from singer Bebe Rexha and deejay/producer Digital Farm Animals.  Check out Back to You...

New Music Fridays, September 15th, 2017 - Fresh New Tracks

Hello and welcome back to John's Music World New Music Fridays.  It's been kind of a slow week in the new music world, well for me at least, but as always there are a few gems to be found.  Read on...

Too Much To Ask - Niall Haron

Former One Direction member Niall Horan celebrated his 24th birthday this week with an announcement of his debut forthcoming solo album, Flicker, and a brand new song.  Too Much To Ask is a beautifully performed ballad that, along with his previous song This Town, just might bring him in league with fellow One Directioner Harry Styles as one serious solo crooner.  Take a listen to Too Much To Ask...

Best Friend - Sofi Tukker

The New York based duo Sofi Tukker has been growing on me more and more ever since I first came across their song Johny and it now looks like the rest of the world is catching on.   Their latest, Best Friend, is even more infectious than the ultra-clubby F**k They, which is saying a lot.  Check out the awesome Best Friend...

Find You - Nick Jonas

Former Jonas Brothers member gone solo superstar Nick Jonas had slowed down quite a bit after his breakthrough eponymous album, but now he's back with his second single of the year, and it's a sweet ballad that's clearly bests his prior single, Remember I Told You.  This one's impossible to find anywhere on the Internet, so I highly suggest checking it out on Spotify.

How You Feeling - Superfruit

Openly gay duo YouTube stars and musicians have released their latest single this week and it is instantly likable for it's nice rhythms and catchy hook.  Check out How You Feeling... 

Flags - Shoffy, with Yuna

Anybody who follows this blog knows how much I love chill music.  Well, this fresh track has all of the resident ingredients of a great chill tune...soft, easy-breezy vocals and a smooth smooth groove. Check out Flags...

So there you have it, my picks for the best new music this week.  There's some exciting stuff coming up in the weeks ahead, so as always, stay tuned.

Song of the Day - Strip That Down - Liam Payne

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...

Song of the Day - Sweet Creature - Harry Styles

The boys of One Direction have been busy with solo projects lately, with Harry Styles joining in the fray with his Sign of the Times.  I gave the album a shot a couple of weeks ago and I loved it...the entire thing (who'd of thought).  Anyway, here's the tender and catchy Sweet Creature.  Enjoy...

Song of the Day - One Thing - One Direction

London, England.  That's where I will be come Friday.  I can't wait!  Anyway, as for a song representing the good ole U.K., here's another short-lived boy band that was really hot just a couple of years ago.  I was listening to that same Current Faves playlist I've been talking about lately, and me n my pal Kyle couldn't help but sing along to this sugary pop tune.  Eh, what can I say?  It's fun!