Behind the Sample: Dua Lipa's "Love Again"

If 2020 was a person, it would've been named "Year Least Likely for a Dance Club Banger" in your high school yearbook.

This year, COVID-19 actively halted large gatherings, concerts, and--understandably--sweaty nightclub dalliances. 

However, that didn't stop Dua Lipa from putting out one of the year's most (dare I use the term) infectious pop albums with Future Nostalgia.

Even the album's title nails the mood of 2020--remember back when we could just pack a bunch of random people into to a tiny room and dance it out, breathing in one another's oxygen without a care in the world?  Who knew how much we'd take that for granted.

Lipa's major singles, like "Physical," have been blowing up the charts, even if her chants of "C'mon, let's get physical" seem weirdly out of place when you're manically bouncing around your bedroom by yourself.  But, it's that innate human desire for personal connection that's still striving to break out from the confines of your socially-distanced lifestyle.  So, in many ways, it's just the kind of album we needed.

Admittedly, I'm a fan.  Sure, I'd say I most typically gravitate towards the Rock genre, but I've always had a soft spot for a catchy Pop song. That's why if you saw my Year Wrapped list on Spotify, you'd see Dua Lipa holding her own right up there with the new Deftones album.

Upon my first full listen to Future Nostalgia a while back, I instantly picked up on a familiar sample from my youth in her song, "Love Again".

I paused the song and thought to myself, "Wait. Is that White Town?"

That's right, White Town.  Talk about some nostalgia...  Dua Lipa had me going all Marty McFly back to the year 1997 when my little sister owned the album Women in Technology based solely on the success of the one-hit-wonder, "Your Woman".  It's safe to say I've heard that song a few times, so  I'd recognize that little trumpety sample anywhere. But, what I didn't recognize was the rich history of its use, until I went down the proverbial rabbit hole.

According to WhoSampled.com, the Dua Lipa song does in fact owe a nod back to White Town, but that signature loop actually dates all the way back to a 1932 big band rendition of Bing Crosby's "My Woman," as performed by Lew Stone & the Monseigneur Band feat. Al Bowlly.  

Right off the bat, you can notice the familiar sample, which was originally performed by trumpeter Nat Gonella on the 1932 recording.  Do you think Gonella would've imagined a bunch of millennials going nuts over his trumpeting in 2020?

After being picked up and repopularized by White Town nearly 65 years later, that memorable trumpet sample has continued to find an audience.

Just 3 years ago, it found its way into another dance anthem, "Fight Back with Love Tonight" by German electronica duo, Kush Kush.  

Perhaps the Kush Kush sample more directly influenced Dua Lipa than White Town? After all, Lipa was only 2 years-old when White Town hit the charts (which subsequently makes me feel really old).  Or, who knows, maybe Lipa is a closet Big Band aficionado...? 

No matter the case, I always enjoy hearing a familiar sample and tracing it back to its roots.  After all, passing along a song's rich history to a new generation is one of the true beauties of music.  In fact, when taking something old and making it new, one could even argue the result brings about a certain... Future Nostalgia.

Juxtaposition: Mariah Carey vs. Mandy Moore ('Can't Let Go' vs. 'Walk Me Home')

A few years ago, our colleague Tae wrote a post in which he pondered the sonic similarities between Glenn Frey's 'The One You Love,' and Taylor Dayne's 'Tell It To My Heart.'  Although Tae may have thought he was taking crazy pills when he developed his self-described "crackpot theory," he was ultimately vindicated when some commenters on his post concurred with his musings.  

In a similar vein, I am here to present another, quite possibly, eccentric hypothesis.

Has anybody else noticed how the choruses of Mariah Carey's 'Can't Let Go,' and Mandy Moore's 'Walk Me Home' sound nearly identical?  Take a listen to the chorus of Mariah's song at the 1:04 mark in her video;  then, listen to the chorus of Mandy's song at the 1:12 mark in her video.   Although the tempos and tones of the two songs are distinct, the remaining similarities to my ear are uncanny.

Now, I have done some amateur sleuthing on the internet to see if anyone else shares this view, including other blogs and forums, and apparently I am on my own island with this theory.  Is there anybody else out there who agrees with me?

Check out the potential similarities for yourself by streaming the respective music videos in the players below:

Mariah Carey - 'Can't Let Go'

Mandy Moore - 'Walk Me Home'

Ratboys - 'Alien with a Sleep Mask On'

Funneling the feel-good sounds of Sixpence None the Richer with the much more secular alt-rock affections of Letters to Cleo, Ratboys have created a heck of a bop with their single, 'Alien with a Sleep Mask On.'  I can easily imagine early-nineties Liz Phair taking a crack at this one back in her indie heyday.  

Ratboys claim Chicago as their homebase.  They have been on the scene since 2012, when Swerp Records released their debut EP.  The band has evolved throughout the years, originally starting out as an acoustic outfit, while incrementally adding electric distortion and fuzz to subsequent productions.  

You can listen to 'Alien with a Sleep Mask On,' the opening track from 2020's Printer's Devil, in the YouTube player below:

Hotels - 'Sides'

Hotels has been described as New Wave Noir.  'Sides' by the Seattle band is consistent with that description:  It is dark and mystical and strangely gorgeous.  

Heart throbbing bass leads off the track, whereby it ushers in haunting synthesizer.  The song's structure is a slow burn, plodding toward a worthy climax at the end of the composition.  The real payoff, however, is the sublime vocals of lead singer Adra Boo.  Her voice is just perfect:  candid, plaintive, soulful, and fervent.  

Adra Boo has been a fixture of Seattle's music scene for some time now.  She was previously in Fly Moon Royalty, an electro-funk outfit.  She has also performed solo works and as a featured singer for several notable artists.  More information about this incredible vocalist can be found here.  

A YouTube stream of 'Sides' can be found in the player below.  Additionally, a video of her recent KEXP performance is featured below as well.  

Additionally, a Spotify link to some of Hotels' latest work can be found here.  

Beabadoobee - 'Sorry'

 

Beabadoobee is the stage name of Filipino-born Beatrice Laus.  I first came across her work when I was listening to the KEXP Song of the Day Podcast.   Her latest single, 'Sorry,' was featured on November 13. 

The song's lagging yet forceful guitar sound, which materializes at the 2:06 mark, sells the song for me.  In a time where contemporary music seems to all but completely ignore the six-string, 'Sorry' definitely brings back the 90s nostalgia of dark, moody lyrics intersecting with lo-fi fuzz. 

Check out 'Sorry' by Beabadoobee below:

Concert Review: Tim Cappello - July 26, 2019 at The Fremont - Des Moines, Iowa

It was a room smaller than my Grandma’s basement; dark, concrete floored, and perhaps 800 total square feet.  The shoehorned stage was just hefty enough to fit some keyboards, a few pieces of audio visual equipment, and two, maybe three people comfortably.  Just above the stage hung a landscape reproduction of the famous Johnny Cash photo—the one where he cavalierly flips the bird.  No other photos or decorations adorned the chamber.  

There were two total entrances to this space.    One door led to and from the adjoining bar.  The other door was located in the rear of the room and had a stickered sign stating, “THIS DOOR TO REMAIN LOCKED DURING BUSINESS HOURS.” (Which kinda meant it wasn’t much of a real door at all).  It was easy to grow a little claustrophobic standing in there.  And possibly even a little disenchanted. 

This was the state of things while the crowd anxiously waited for Sexy Sax Man Tim Cappello to appear for his one-manned concert at The Fremont in Des Moines, Iowa on July 26, 2019.

 

Spirits began to lift, however, when Cappello discretely and briefly came out to survey the stage, clad in a non-descript flannel.  He gave his instrumental set-up a quick once-over, smiled at the waiting crowd, and disappeared just as quickly as he arrived.  It was at this point, the evening was about to get a lot more interesting.

Fifteen or so minutes later, Cappello burst through that very back door that was supposed to remain locked during business hours, and immersed himself directly into the crowd of one hundred or so.  With his brawny arms oiled up, and his still-lavish hair slicked back into a ponytail, Cappello blew his brass and belted out the lyrics to “Only You,” the opening track of his latest release, Blood on the Reed.  

Playfully approaching multiple members of the crowd with his saxophone during this opening number, Cappello immediately personalized the show for each member of the audience.  You could feel that everybody understood from this moment onward, this show would not be a boring recital of some has-been playing his famous song from The Lost Boys.  Instead, we all knew this was going to be an unforgettable bash because the person putting it on demanded it be so.

And about that inextricable relationship between Cappello and his cameo in The Lost Boys:  The Internet has made much comical hay of that movie appearance in recent years, propelling Cappello from reliable backing band member to Millenial Folk Hero status, in the same vein as Sad Keanu or Chuck Norris.  Yet, what was most impressive about Cappello’s performance was that, from the get-go, he straightaway owned his identity, by admitting to the crowd he knew that Lost Boys was the sole reason most of them were there.  He didn’t beat around the bush, trying to pretend to be something he wasn’t.  When he decided to play a new, original song he forewarned his spectators, humbly asking all of them to bear with him for just a few short minutes while he floated his new creation out into the modern ether.  He would then assure everybody that the song they came to hear was surely on its way.    

Indeed, it was Cappello’s authenticity and candor which made him all the more impressive.  This wasn’t a man bitter that no one realizes he played with Tina Turner, Peter Gabriel, Ringo Starr, or that he was prominently featured on an episode of Miami Vice.  No, this was a pure entertainer who seemed genuinely grateful that he was lucky enough to gain just enough fame from a vampire movie in the 1980s, with a song called “I Still Believe,” written by The Call, to allow him the luxury to play music for the fun of it, on his own terms, thirty years later.   

When it finally came time for Cappello to play his magna opus, he explained how “I Still Believe” almost didn’t happen.  He first recounted how his own original composition for The Lost Boys was rejected.  Then, he advised that, since The Call were made up of practicing Christians, they wanted nothing to do with a movie about vampires.  So, in a strange twist of destiny, Cappello offered to cover the song for the film, gyrate his hips, and the rest is history.  

Toward the end of the concert, Cappello certainly milked “I Still Believe” for all it was worth, stretching the song to nearly fifteen or twenty minutes.  He even developed an interactive dance based around female lead of The Lost Boys, Star, which assisted in ensuring the audience remained engaged and motivated. 

Finally, as “I Still Believe” wore down, Cappello playfully called for all of us to request an encore.  It was a tongue-in-cheek allusion to his unlikely ability to spare an extra song.   But despite the apparent lack of musical stock, Cappello did in fact produce a magnificent encore by covering the rock standard, “Tequila,” with an electric clarinet.  “Tequila” is the song that Pee Wee Herman famously danced to in the motorcycle bar during his Big Adventure.  And just as Pee Wee won over the stoic and antagonistic gangsters, Tim Cappello won over the hearts of his crowd, prompting them to raise their hands and yell “TEQUILA” during the iconic chorus of the song.  Who knew that an electric clarinet could wail so hard?  

Following the encore and the conclusion of the show, Cappello set up at a meet-and-greet and stuck around to talk to his fans.  In the short time I conversed with him, I found him to be one of the nicest and down to earth showmen out there.  He was such a positive guy, that his confident energy was contagious.  For those who get a chance to see this 64 year old sax player perform, I strongly encourage you take the opportunity to do so.  You are sure to have one of the greatest musical experiences of your life.

***A special thanks to fellow contributor Tae who suggested we attend this concert—a concert I wouldn’t have in a million years thought of going to otherwise. ***

Below, here is the official music video to "I Still Believe" from The Lost Boys soundtrack:

John Grant - "Love is Magic" & "Diet Gum"

The former front man for The Czars, John Grant released Love is Magic, his third solo record since leaving the aforementioned band, on October 12 of this year.

To say the album is quirky would be understating it.

Imagine the lead singer of Crash Test Dummies deciding to jam with James Murphy and the guys from Kraftwerk, and you will better understand the spirit of Love is Magic.  Below are but just two stand out cuts from this wonderful LP.


Track 7 - "Diet Gum"

"Diet Gum" could be mistaken as a novelty track, but that would be oversimplifying it.  The synths are mesmerizing, and the lyrics are clever and funny, so long as you allow all seven and a half minutes to develop in the way Grant intended.

You know, being with you was like a cross between Cannibal Apocalypse and Lassie 9
Except nowhere near as good as both of those movies were
It's still a personal conundrum of mine
How anyone can have such few of self awareness

Track 2 - "Love is Magic"

The title track, "Love is Magic," emotes a much darker tone than "Diet Gum."  Out the gate, it addresses depression and medication and loneliness.  But the chorus turns on a dime, whimsically offering the listener an escape from the darkness by instructing them to simply give love a chance because you otherwise have nothing else to lose.  "Love is Magic" pleasantly surprised me with its ability to suck me in.

And this thing called intimacy
Is it what you always thought it would be?
Do you feel like you've experienced
What the word is supposed to mean?
Do you feel like you are in control?
Did you find out that there's really no such thing?

Deerhunter - 'Snakeskin'

Bradford Cox's eccentric vocals have always been a welcome addition to Deerhunter's music, and 'Snakeskin' is no exception.  The song exudes swagger and braggadocio throughout its arrangement, specifically in its jutting guitar riffs.  And Cox takes a play from the Scott Weiland speak-into-a-mega-phone-a-la-Dead-and-Bloated playbook, which adds a delightful touch.




Watch the video to 'Snakeskin' from the band's 2015 album, Fading Frontier, below:

The 1975 - 'Love Me'

Put 'Cult of Personality,' INXS, Peter Gabriel's 'Big Time' and the sensuality of Prince all in a blender, and 'Love Me' by British band The 1975 would be the inevitable result.

This band doesn't require any pomp from me; they have been racing up the charts recently and performed very well on SNL only a few weeks ago.  But I will say that the music video does a great job of capturing the zeitgeist of the current state of the Internet Age.



Watch 'Love Me' in the player below:  [Video removed due to request from copyright holder].

Chastity Belt - 'Time to Go Home'

Oh how so happy I have been to finally see the pendulum begin swaying back toward the raw, guitar-heavy sounds that were once so prominent two decades ago.  Yes, indie rock is starting to see a resurgence of Grunge-inspired bands and anthems, and I am a major cheerleader for such a development.  (Refer to the relative success of Courtney Barnett if you remain unconvinced that there is a hunger for gritty, punk-inspired rock).

Previously, we had posted on Speedy Ortiz, whose sounds certainly embody the sounds of that time.  Today, we present to you 'Time to Go Home' by Walla Walla-based (of course) Chastity Belt.  And while Speedy's sound tends to gravitate more toward the Veruca Salt side of the grunge-revival spectrum, Chastity Belt bolts directly for Sonic Youth territory.

'Time to Go Home' starts off slow and moody, but quickly adds some rapidity to the mix, ending on a steady, accelerating gait.



Watch the video to 'Time to Go Home' below:

Album Review: V.A.S.T. - Visual Audio Sensory Theater

I remember when I first heard V.A.S.T.---aka Jon Crosby's solo project---on the radio.  It was 1998, I was still in high school, and as I was laying in bed late on a Sunday night, I was listening to a radio show called hardDrive with Lou Brutus on my clock radio.  When the lead single, 'Touched,' was broadcast on the program, I quickly took note, as I hadn't ever heard of anything quite like that at the time.  The song contained acoustic guitar, plus Benedictine Monks, plus hard industrial sounds reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails, plus orchestral accompaniment.  Indeed, it was quite different from the hard hitting sounds of Korn, Rob Zombie, and Monster Magnet receiving heavy airplay at that time.

Afterward, I recall going to a faraway mall two hours away and buying the album.  On the way home, as my mother drove, I remember popping the self-titled disc into my CD-Walkman and finding myself engrossed by just how distinctive and diverse all the tracks were.  For example, 'Dirty Hole' is comprised of several layers systematically building atop one another, not the least of which includes those same Monk chants and Cathedral pipe organ.   And 'Three Doors' beautifully meshes Industrial Pop with the Classical canon.  And 'Here' is probably one of the coolest, cinematic-sounding openings to an album in recent times.

I have posted a few YouTube videos featuring a few of the great tracks from this album.  In descending order, they are 'Touched,' 'Three Doors,' and 'Here.'  Feel free to stream them and enjoy the greatness that is Visual Audio Sensory Theater, one of my favorite under-the-radar albums of the 90s.  

Forgotten Gems: Jay Ferguson + Spirit

Last weekend, while picking through crates of vinyl at an Antique Jamboree, I was beckoned by the thunderous call of Jay Ferguson's Thunder Island.

It was on sale for a buck.  And although a bit dusty and well-played -- particularly the title track -- it was well worth the investment.  Thunder Island is, of course, a classic album of the Yacht Rock era.  

Heck, even if the record had been missing, the cover photo is easily worth the dollar alone...

For those uninitiated, the single "Thunder Island" is a tasty - albeit cheesy - relic of '70s soft rock.  The instantly recognizable guitar hook and "doo doo doo doo!" backing vocals suck you right in from the get-go.

The song has a Jimmy Buffet-meets-Eagles vibe to it; a song for rockin' out while sipping margaritas in some tropical paradise.  And it's fitting, because The Eagles' Joe Walsh contributed his guitar chops to much of the album.

Thunder Island was Ferguson's second, and most successful, solo outing after performing with bands such as Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne.



Now, let's dig a little deeper and discuss Spirit -- an immensely talented, yet largely forgotten band of the late '60s-'70s.

Spirit formed in 1967 with Ferguson and 15-year-old Randy California (who had been in an earlier band with Jimi Hendrix) at the songwriting helm.  Spirit's 1968 debut album was as an eclectic a mix of musical styles as any of their contemporaries, mixing hard rock with jazz, blues, country and folk.

While Ferguson wrote most of the debut's tracks, California contributed the acoustic ballad, "Taurus" -- an instrumental piece that inspired the intro to Led Zeppelin's epic "Stairway to Heaven".

While the band (in some formation) would go on to record 11 albums between 1968 and 1977, their only single to reach the Top 40 would be the 1968 follow-up, "I Got a Line On You".

"I Got a Line On You" is a hard-driving rocker with a great chorus.  It has all the workings to be a classic, but for some reason has gotten a bit lost amongst the other great singles of its time.

The band split in different directions over the next decade.  California and Ferguson each went the solo route, while other members branched out to bands including Nazareth, Heart and Firefall.

Spirit did reform in various incarnations into the early '90s.  In 1997, California was swimming in Hawaii with his family when he was tragically swept into a riptide and never seen again.

A critically heralded and ambitiously innovative band during their heyday, Spirit lives on today through their recordings, which I'd recommend looking up.  

Below is a video for "I Got a Line On You" from the band's brief reunion in 1984.  **Bonus: check out guitarist Skunk Baxter (the Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan) jamming out in the back!

Torres - 'Strange Hellos'

'Strange Hellos' by Torres could possibly be summed up as "angsty noir."

The beginning of the tune seems to materialize straight out of the bar prominently featured in the second season of True Detective, before building up to a full-frontal sonic assault.  There is a hint of Jefferson Airplane's 'White Rabbit' as well.

Checkout the video to 'Strange Hellos' below:

Behind the Sample: The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy"

"Super Nintendo. Sega Genesis.  When I was dead broke, man I couldn't picture this."

It was all a dream for Christopher Wallace, a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G.

The hip/hop artist took the rap world by storm in 1994 with the release of his monumental single, "Juicy" - a personalized rags-to-riches tale that went on to sell more than a half million copies and secured his status as one of the biggest rap stars in history.  It's been called one of the greatest hip hop songs of all time by critics from Rolling Stone to The Source.

Biggie was, as his name implied, a large man. And he was a man with big dreams, who details his struggle and aspirations in "Juicy".  The song discusses his childhood ambition to become a famous rapper, and to escape from his impoverished Brooklyn upbringing.  In "Juicy", Biggie name-drops many of the artists who inspired him as a youth, including Heavy D - one of the first overweight rappers to find mainstream success.

In his early teens, Biggie started dealing drugs and found himself in and out of a jail cell, but his sights were always set on music stardom.

The opening of the song openly declares it's dedication, "...to all the teachers who said I'd never amount to nothin'".  Sure, many of the lyrics read like a laundry list of his lavish possessions, but for every boast he makes, he juxtaposes it with a hardship it took to get there.

The deepest message of the song lies within the chorus -- "You know very well who you are, don't let 'em hold you down, reach for the stars..."

It's one of the most uplifting choruses in hip/hop, speaking to all of those other kids who grow up with nothing more than a dream.

The Notorious B.I.G.'s life was cut tragically short when he was killed in a 1997 drive-by shooting, but his music - and his dream - proudly lives on.

__________________________


But let it be known that the musical sample for "Juicy" dates back more than a decade earlier...

In 1983, the funk/soul group Mtume - named after founder James Mtume - released a track called "Juicy Fruit".

Mtume, an accomplished percussionist who'd previously toured with Miles Davis, formed his namesake group in the late '70s.  The band reached their height of popularity with "Juicy Fruit" - a midtempo track that proved immensely successful on R&B stations and dance clubs.  While the single never quite reached the Top 40, it still sold more than a million copies.

The popularity of "Juicy Fruit" established it as a staple in the hip/hop sampling community and has lived on successfully in various incarnations in the 30+ years since its release.  For a full list of artists who've sampled it, visit the song's Wikipedia entry.

"Cuz if ya don't know, now ya know..."

You can watch the videos to The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy" and Mtume's "Juicy Fruit" below:

Toadies - 'Away'

Toadies came in like a lion and went out like a lamb during the mid-nineties.  Dominating alt-fm radio play in 1995, the Texas band's marquee single, 'Possum Kingdom,' proved to be its Tour de Force.  The band never replicated the commercial success it enjoyed as a result of that track, even though the song's iconic call-to-action--"SO HELP ME JESUS"--remains embedded in the minds of even the most casual listener of rock radio today.

Despite the epic reach of 'Possum Kingdom,' Rubberneck nevertheless featured several other really solid punk and grunge laced anthems.  Of course 'Tyler' comes to mind, an absolutely great song which slowly builds as it relays a story set in Tyler, Texas.  And 'Backslider' was one of  Rubberneck's more punk-based of tunes.

But there is a track which is one of the band's more overlooked deep cuts:  'Away.'  Similar to 'Possum Kingdom,' 'Away' liberally borrows from the Pixies, implementing a loud-quiet-loud-quiet song structure that drives toward the ultimate pleading choral hook:  WHEN I'M AWAY , I KNOW IN MY HEART THERE IS A HEAVEEENNNN!!

Relive the greatness of this track by watching 'Away' by Toadies in the video player below:

Zac Brown Band Feat. Chris Cornell - 'Heavy is the Head'

I never expected Grunge kingpin Chris Cornell to join forces with a country band.  But the pairing of Cornell with the Zac Brown Band is surprisingly decent.  Indeed, the match-up results in a solid Southern Rock jam.  And Cornell's unique vibrato enhances Brown's otherwise chicken-fried vocals (yes, that pun WAS intended).

Watch Zac Brown Band perform 'Heavy is the Head' with Chris Cornell live on SNL in the video player below:

Robert DeLong - 'Long Way Down'

'Long Way Down' by Robert DeLong is a clever amalgam of electronica, hip hop, rock, and pop.  It oscillates between both wooden and balladeering vocals, with some auto-tune sprinkled inbetween. A very chilled cadence serves as a reassuring beat all-throughout.  The end result is irresistible.

Stream the audio to 'Long Way Down' in the player below:

Meg Myers - 'Desire'

Probably one of the more visceral singles currently on alt-rock rotation, 'Desire' is the brilliant siren from Tennessee-born Meg Myers.

Why is the song so great?

First, it blends just the right amount of industrial beats with focused, intense lyrical stylings.

Second, the melody is--plain and simple--sensual and seductive;  indeed, the narrator exclaims, very plaintively, 'I want to f*** you.'

Third, the track's tenor and attitude serve as the very embodiment of its title:  desire.  The meter of the lyrics and arrangement is one of concentration and fixation all throughout the entire production.

Watch the video for 'Desire' in the music player below:  

St. Lucia - 'Elevate'

Capturing the Zeitgeist of current indie rock, St. Lucia's 'Elevate' is heavy on the synth rhythms and light on the pop hooks.  In fact, just a few bars of the beginning may lead you to believe you are watching a classic John Hughes film.  

There are other bands that also implement the sound:  Bear Hands and Future Islands are just a couple. Nevertheless, 'Elevate' is still a quality single.  It even has a sound reminiscent of Miami Sound Machine at the end.  (Yes, that's a good thing).  

Stream the video to 'Elevate' in the player below:

Sam Smith - 'I'm Not the Only One'

British sensation Sam Smith made incredible inroads with American audiences in 2014 with his epic ‘Stay with Me.’  In fact, it was near impossible not to walk in public without hearing the song blasted someplace, whether it be the local mall, aquatic center, park, or public square.

There is no doubt that ‘Stay with Me’ is one of the most soulful pop productions of the last decade.  Yet, ‘I’m Not the Only One’ strikes a different, but just as powerful chord, with Yours Truly.

Maybe it’s the subject matter featuring a narrator who is deeply hurt?  Maybe it’s the wonderful instrumental accompaniments?   Or maybe it’s just the sheer fact that Sam Smith is a damned good vocalist??  

In any event, ‘I’m Not the Only One’ resonates in an equally valuable, but very different, way as ‘Stay with Me’ did. 

You can watch the video to ‘I’m Not the Only One’ in the player below:

Hozier - 'Take Me to Church'

Hozier—born Andrew Hozier-Byrne—presents a modern day Gospel with his contemporary masterpiece, ‘Take Me to Church.’ 

The Irishman recently performed ‘Take Me to Church’ on SNL, and he brought down the house.  The song effortlessly brings together blues, Gospel, soul, and rock.  Indeed, it is refreshing to hear an electric guitar-driven alternative track in an era dominated lately by synth, computers, acoustic instruments, and light percussion. 

Beyond the music, the lyrics are deeply powerful and moving.  One choral stanza reads:

           "Take me to Church;  I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies;                              I’ll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife; Offer me that deathless                  death; Good God, let me give you my life."

And when Hozier sings these words, he belts them out with passion and heart.  It may take a few spins for the words to connect to the listener, but once they do, you’ll feel you’ve, in fact, been taken to church.

Watch the SNL performance of ‘Take Me to Church’ in the player below.  (If you want to watch the official video instead, click here):

Limp Bizkit - 'Rearranged'

Limp Bizkit is often minimized as self-indulgent: making music for the mere sake of mentioning their own name in their recordings.  Sure, they do utter the words “Limp Bizkit” in several of their songs.  And Fred Durst seemed pretty into himself during the band’s heyday.  

Nevertheless, the band produced some iconic songs and videos emblematic of the late-nineties.

Of course, everyone had ‘Nookie’ burned into their brains in 1999.  But Significant Other contained some other great gems.  Among them was ‘Rearranged,’ a seemingly mellow rap-rock track with an arc that travels from chill to raucous in the span of about four minutes. 

The video for ‘Rearranged’ follows the band’s faux arrest, referred to in the video for ‘Nookie.'   Interestingly, it featured Matt Pinfield, the former MTV VeeJay and Farmclub.com host.  He plays a judge who sentences the band to death.  Subsequent to that, the band rocks out with their cocks out in the death chamber, playing to the death as the room floods with milk and drowns them. 

The final scene shows the group in what is presumed to be Heaven, having been drowned, when Fred Durst says, “If this were Heaven, I’d be kicking it with Method Man.”  The video cuts to a “To be continued” title screen, setting the stage for the band’s following single, ‘N 2 Gether Now,’ which featured Method Man prominently. 

'Rearranged' was reportedly one of guitarist Wes Borland's favorite tunes of the band's to play.  Indeed, it is one of the undersigned's cherished tracks from the band as well.  

Watch the video to ‘Rearranged’ in the video player below:

Album Review: Godsmack - 'Godsmack'

In 1998, Godsmack was panned as a bunch of Alice in Chains rip-off artists.  Notably, the debut album’s ‘Someone in London’ could have served as sequel to AIC’s ‘Sludge Factory.’  (It also didn’t help that the band shared its name, sans space, with a track from Dirt).   But, for the most part, the Boston band survived off of its own unique energy, as its sound was just hard enough to remove it from the neo-grunge criticisms prevalent of the day. 

Led by Track 2’s ‘Whatever,’ Godsmack shoved its way unto rock and alternative radio with a vengeance.  Angry, pounding, thrashing—yet melodic and slightly poppy—‘Whatever’ served as an anthem for alienated Millennials coming of age in the late-nineties.  Indeed the song’s oft-repeated lyric, “better fuckin’ go away!’ spoke directly to the cohort’s misanthropic attitudes and overall angst. 

‘Moon Baby’ served as an interesting first track; it features a clip of Neil Armstrong’s famous quote just before the band launches into a driving cut sprinkled with exoticism and mysticism. 

‘Time Bomb’ harmlessly begins like a typical Depeche Mode synth-rock melody before vocalist Sully Erna screams, “I am in living hell; makes me wonder if I’m alive.”  His vocals, of course, are accented by robust guitar and drum work.

Many of the remaining tracks on the album fit within a similar framework:  Sully Erna projects guttural vocals whilst the rest of the band presents thrashing guitars and thumping drums and bass.  The final track, however, departs sharply from this paradigm. 

Godsmack’s final offering, ‘Voodoo,’ is a stripped down tribal chant that, not surprisingly, shares a similar structure with AIC’s ‘Angry Chair.’ But what separates ‘Voodoo’ from ‘Angry Chair’ is an earnest vocal, layered upon sobering acoustic drums and a steady, yet stripped down, bass guitar.  It also contains the same mysticism and exoticism ‘Moon Baby’ serves up—only tenfold. 

As a whole, Godsmack’s debut was a solid premiere, offering true rock fans a great alternative to the emo and pop-punk offerings prevalent of the day.  And 16 years later, it’s still a great album to pop into the ole CD player when you need just a little extra motivation to make it through the day.  

Steve's rating:  4 out of 5 stars.  

Watch Godsmack's live performance of 'Time Bomb' from 2000's Ozzfest in the player below:

George Thorogood and the Destroyers - 'I Drink Alone'

Here's a throwback Thursday post, inspired by a nightcap of rye whiskey (and by my fellow contributor Steve's closet favorite radio station, 95 KGGO).

There's something about pop culture that takes what's inherently cool, and then twists it and repackages it until it doesn't seem cool any longer.  A cliché.  That was always my relationship with George Thorogood and the Destroyers' biggest hit, "Bad to the Bone".

Granted, that song came out a whole year before I was born, but I grew up feeling like it was an "ode to being cool" that was really just pretty corny.

It's the type of song that's reserved for Harley Davidson rallies... no, not a Hell's Angels gathering, but more like an aging gang of American flag bandana-wearing financial planners who take a weekend to ride to Sturgis and drink one Michelob Ultra, because it has fewer calories and is still rather refreshing.

I even had a pair of boxer shorts as a kid that my mom bought from Pamida (anyone still with me?) that was covered in cartoonish skeletons and had a waistband that read, "Bad to the Bone".

You get my point.  But apparently I didn't get my own point recently when I found myself completely and utterly sucked in by one of G.T. and the Destroyers' other singles, "I Drink Alone".

There I was, cruising down a stretch of rural highway, when I quite randomly decided to switch to some classic FM rock radio.

I'd heard the song before, but I'd forgotten just how cool it actually was.  The dirty, blues-rock vibe of the song is undeniable.  Thorogood's voice has that distinctive grit and wail that really nails it on this song. The lyrics are simple, but witty and funny and delivered to perfection.  And then there's that saxophone solo. Seriously, what else do you need?  By the end of the song, I felt like I was Patrick Swayze doing flying kicks in Roadhouse.  It was invigorating.

The moral of this story is that much of what surrounds us deserves a fresh lease on life.  Take something old and look at it in a new way. You might be surprised how much you enjoy it.

Here's the video for "I Drink Alone" by George Thorogood and the Destroyers:

SOHN - 'Artifice'

I'm certainly a fan of London-based record label 4AD.

Artists such as Bon Iver, Iron & Wine and The National are some of the label's biggest acts to-date, but it's also been credited for breaking out lesser-known indie and electronic artists.

4AD started as a side-label to Beggars Banquet Records in 1979, and was popularized for releasing breakout albums by Bauhaus, Cocteau Twins and the Pixies in the 1980s.

But in recent years, the label has really hit a stride, signing some of independent music's brightest and most creative artists.

One artist on the label that deserves mention is SOHN.

An English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer, SOHN relocated to Vienna, Austria in 2010 to join the growing electronic music scene.  By 2012, he was signed to Aesop records, and a year later, to 4AD.

His debut album, Tremors, was released in April 2014 and features the lead single, "Artifice".

"Artifice" is a deeply atmospheric chillout session, played at dance-club pace.

It's layered with vibrant jungle rhythms, a haunting backdrop of electronic blips and keys and soulful vocals.

Fans of 4AD label-mates Purity Ring, Twin Shadow and Grimes should definitely give SOHN a chance.

The mysterious video for "Artifice" may be viewed below:




Visit sohnmusic.com for more information on this artist.

Artist Spotlight: Paul Sprawl

Paul Sprawl is an artist I learned about through another musical connection about a year-and-a-half ago, and his sound caught my attention right away.

Growing up listening to my father's Michael Hedges records, I've long felt a kinship to fingerstyle guitar.  The harmonic tapping of two hands on the neck of the guitar, drumming against the wood body of a hollow acoustic - there's a strange power I've always felt calming and beautiful.

Years later, I became a big fan of Minnesota guitarist Billy McLaughlin and his fingerstyle approach. I've been fortunate to see him play in intimate settings on several occasions and have been continually inspired by the magnetic quality of his live performances.

So, when I learned of Sprawl - another Minnesota-based musician with an incredible talent for fusing fingerstyle, experimental acoustic and bottleneck blues - I jumped at the opportunity to see him perform live.

Paul Sprawl is a California native, who's lived all over the U.S. and most recently settled in the Twin Cities.  He's been performing and writing music since the late '60s, but finally quit his temp job to pursue music full-time in the late '90s.  Choosing the life of a troubadour, Sprawl tours cross-country and internationally, with a staggering work ethic and commitment to his art.

The name "Sprawl" is somewhat perfect for a guitar style which blends technical accuracy with loose jams and unexpected twists.  Occasionally, his songs can start to spin outward and grow abstract, but then he'll suddenly bring them back inward.  His baritone vocals and bluesy harmonica reach through pockets and bring a distinctly American sound to the listener, like a campfire song held in an art gallery.

Sprawl has released nine independent albums, including 2011's stellar Dream Zoo - an album that finds his sprawling guitar technique tightened into more concise pop songwriting structures.  There's a sense of darkness sweeping down echoed halls, like the lyric, "Dreams are kept in cages, People buy tickets, They come to look and listen" from the title track, "Dream Zoo".  It's an album that's set perfectly for an introspective late-night drive down a forgotten highway.

I've met Sprawl on two occasions now and his conversations are well in tune with his songwriting sensibilities.  Both times, I've felt drawn in to his performances in the same meditative way as he seems to be playing - as if the music is light pouring out from some dark place within.

For more information on this artist, please visit: PaulSprawl.com

Dandelion - 'Weird-Out'

Dandelion emerged with 'Weird-Out' just as grunge was beginning to die off.  In many ways, the tune comes across as a blatant Nirvana rip-off.  (Maybe it's the double tracking of the vox track?)  Yet, there is something just a little bit different about the arrangement that distinguishes the song from the Cobain led troupe.

Dandelion never really went anywhere after the modest success of 'Weird-Out' wore itself out.  Indeed, the band found themselves the subject of ridicule in a Beavis and Butthead episode.    Nevertheless, Dandelion is surely a band that epitomizes the 1990s alternative music scene, especially when you consider the band's other singles: 'Under My Skin' and 'Waiting for a Ride'.  The video for 'Weird-Out,' for instance, features Gen-X slackers, dressed in t-shirts and jeans, vocalizing in shoe-gaze style whilst jamming out hard on the guitars.  The music is Pixies-inspired, the exuberance muted, and a slowed down Punk beat serves as backdrop--characteristics most grunge music shared with each other in that time.

Watch the video for 'Weird-Out' in the player below:

Morcheeba - 'The Sea'

This one is an oldie, but a goodie.  'The Sea' was featured on Morcheeba's 1998 release, Big Calm.  It's trip-hop all chilled out, and is--once again--another song well suited for a lazy Sunday.

Watch the video for 'The Sea' below:

In the Valley Below - 'Peaches'

'Peaches' contains catchy electro loops and a dainty chorus.  It's the perfect song for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Watch 'Peaches' by In the Valley Below in the video player below (wow, that's a mouthful):

Jagwar Ma - 'Uncertainty'

Industrial rock sprinkled among nineties shoegaze, Jagwar Ma presents a clamorous single with 'Uncertainty.'  Slightly detached, yet surprisingly focused, the recording is quite compelling.

Watch the video to 'Uncertainty' in the player below:

Future Islands - 'Seasons (Waiting on You)'

If Fine Young Cannibals had recorded a single in 2014, 'Seasons (Waiting on You)' would have been it.  The track is defined by synth, driving drum and bass, and a soothing vocal.

Watch the video for 'Seasons' by Future Islands in the player below:

Bear Hands - 'Giant'

"I am loving you more."

Bear Hands sets forth a catchy electronica-infused drum and bass single with 'Giant.' The track has gained greater airplay on regional indie stations as of late.  Of course, that's mostly due to its infectious chorus.

Watch the video for 'Giant' by Bear Hands in the player below:

Rixton - 'Me and My Broken Heart'

Here's some more British blue eyed soul for ya:

'Me and My Broken Heart' is infectious, to say the least.  Part Bruno Mars, part Maroon 5, Rixton sets forth a stylish summer crossover hit with the single that seems to be blowing up everywhere.

Watch the video for 'Me and My Broken Heart' below:

Ed Sheeran - 'Sing'

'Sing' is a pleasing blend of folk and hip-hop by UK redhead Ed Sheeran.  Pharrell Williams lends his Midas-Touch to the bridge, joining Sheeran's soulful chops in near perfect unison.  Sheeran does a great job rapping some of his lyrics as well.

Watch the video to the exciting 'Sing' below:

Jesse McCartney - 'Superbad'

Jesse McCartney reinvents his boyish image in the new video epic, 'Superbad.'  Smokin' stogies and sippin' down scotch, the Leo-lookalike's babyface doesn't entirely sell the new Don Draper playboy image.  But it's nevertheless an okay start to a potentially new dynamic career.

On the other hand, the vocals and underlying audio are great.  Jesse's voice has matured, and the end product is one worthy of JT or Michael Jackson.

Watch the official video for 'Superbad' below:

Ariana Grande - 'Problem'

If you liked it when Amerie belted "It's the One Thing That Got Me Trippin!," then you'll really like 'Problem' by Ariana Grande.

The tune has been climbing the charts lately, but despite its popularity, it's thankfully not pure saccharine like the rest of the Top 40.  Instead, 'Problem' is an amalgam of thumpin' bass, Jay-Z-inspired lyrics in the bridge, careless whispers, and some catchy hot sax (see Late Night with Jimmy Fallon).

Stream 'Problem' in the video player below:

Big Data - 'Dangerous (Featuring Joywave)'

'Dangerous' requires some patience, but the wait is well worth it.  Steady bass and drum slowly lead the song toward a metaphorical head butt at around the 2:10 mark (see video below).  From there, the track seduces its listener into a raucous crossover dance party that they don't ever want to end.

If you like the neo disco of LCD Soundsystem and the indie vocals of Of Montreal, then 'Dangerous,' by Big Data, is right up your alley.  Watch the official video in the player below:

Beck - 'Waking Light'

'Waking Light' is a soothing ode that caps Morning Phase, Beck's first studio album in six years.  It features beautiful orchestrals and luscious space-inspired vibes. 

All in all it's a very well put together song.  In fact, I've been playing the tune several times a day since Morning Phase was released last week.

Stream 'Waking Light' in the video player below:

Bruno Mars - 'Gorilla'

Ooh I got a body full of liquor / With a cocaine kicker

Bruno Mars absolutely slayed his Halftime Show at the SuperBowl tonight--with help from The Red Hot Chili Peppers nonetheless.

Despite his amazing showing, he neglected to perform one of my favorite B-Mars tunes: 'Gorilla.'  This is not to take away from his near-perfect performance tonight, but is merely a lament.

Watch the official video for 'Gorilla' below:

Speedy Ortiz - 'Everything's Bigger'

'Everything's Bigger' is phenomenal female fuzz.  The song's bridge is amazing, containing double-tracked vocals that march up and down the sharp chords.  It's lively, yet refined--loud, but graceful.

Stream 'Everything's Bigger' by Speedy Ortiz in the SoundCloud player below:


Speedy Ortiz - "Everything's Bigger"

Shiloh - 'Simple Little Down Home Rock n' Roll Love Song for Rosie'

Before Don Henley rose to fame in The Eagles and beyond, he was a member of Shiloh.  Kenny Rogers produced their one and only self-titled album for Amos Records.

One of the notable tracks off the record is 'Simple Little Down Home Rock n' Roll Love Song for Rosie.'

Stream this forgotten track in the YouTube player below:

Jake Bugg - 'Lightning Bolt'

Jake Bugg is a 19 year old from Nottingham.  Similar to his fore-bearers of fifty years ago, Bugg reintroduces to American audiences stripped down and back-to-basic versions of their own music.

'Lightning Bolt' is a folk-rock sensation that is sneaking its way up the charts of various American radio stations.  Upon first listen, it's easy to confuse the tune with a Greenwich Beatnik tune from 1960.  The song makes no apologies for its retro stylings and is a testament to the enduring quality of the basic components of rock and roll:  driving beats, simple chords, and a catchy chorus.

Stream 'Lightning Bolt' in the SoundCloud player below: