She is LIGHTS

I had discovered Lights earlier this year while just browsing on YouTube. I found some of her stuff off of her first album The Listening. Lights is a Canadian electric pop artist. She sings, she writes, she plays. I am really impressed when an artist is there for the creation of music from start to finish. I know that she does this only because I've watched her video blogs.

I think I had a greater affinity for her music at first on an emotional level, but then was able to appreciate it on a more musical level. I think some of my favorite tracks off of that first album are "Ice," "Second Go," and "Saviour." But even when it's just a stripped down version with just her and a guitar, you can find it just as appealing.

But (if you clicked the links above) you can tell that she more-so specializes in electronic-outer space type sounds. And even though the wording sounds weird, she does outer space sounds so well. She just makes harmonies flow into the synthetic sounds she creates. It's really appealing and easy on the ears. And then it gets better.

Because when I thought that her first album was going to be her only album, she whipped out another one. She seems to take a dubstep approach to this album. It's not completely dubstep, but you can definitely hear some of the influences from the big hype and interest DJs and other mixers have taken into the genre over the past two years.

So when her sophomore album came out on October 4th, I was so FRICKIN' excited. And may or may not have been obsessed with it since. Siberia takes those synth sounds to a whole other level. In addition, I think her lyrics develop as an artist, as well as her voice. The first official single, "Toes," didn't really do it for me. I mean it's a little slower overall. I mean catchy, yes. But nothing like the title track:

It hits you with a heavy pounding bass the entire time. And it really makes you want to leave Canada with the one you love and head to Siberia, even where the winds are cold and angry, just to escape from all the hysteria. Gosh, if only I had someone to do this with. Until then I'll keep imagining...

Other songs to note off of Siberia are "Banner," "Everybody Breaks a Glass," and "Timing is Everything."

I'm definitely going to see her live!

Maybe with a little more exposure, she could blow up. I think with her second album: THIS could get big.

Had a Simple Dream

Sorry friends for the long hiatus. I got a little overcome by work and school and now that finals are over and that I am done with my undergraduate career, I have a little more time to keep this thing updated.

Ok, so the next person I would like to share with you is Reece Robertson. Or he just goes by REECE. I don't know which one is the more permanent one, but if you YouTube either of them, you'll get his stuff. This young British lad has yet to make waves in his native land, but he is starting to make some ripples. I would classify him as rap/hip-hop. And he has broken out with a couple covers of some songs, one of my favorites being "Moment for Life".

His most recent single, "My Road" is reminiscent of the song "This City" by Patrick Stump, but only in theme. The song has raps in the verses and a slowed down hook, which is hard to get out of your head. Take a listen here:



It's just a simple song about a dream, trying to accomplish and achieve it in the city you were raised in. Easy to identify with it and again, the chorus is catchy. You'll find yourself looking at the street you live on, the images, the sights, the sounds, questioning if you'll make your impact there.

Of all his stuff, I would say he would have the most success with this song. So I'm just gonna leave it at THIS could get big. This being REECE in general, maybe not the song in particular. But we'll see. I hope to see more from him soon!

Dirty Dancing In the Moonlight

Ok, I've got 3 artists I would like to share but don't have the time to give them all the attention they deserve in one huge post, so I'll break them down...and I'll start with the song I currently can't get out of my head.

I think a lot of you might be familiar with songstress Jessie J. She is from the United Kingdom (I know y'all are probs getting tired of this, but her and the other two people I want to share are also international, sorry I'm not sorry) and she has some serious pipes on her. The song that she blew up with were she told us "It's not about the money, money, money" and how she just wants to "make the world dance" featured B.o.B. and is called "Price Tag."

Again, I heard this song long before it hit (American) radio waves, and pre-ordered her debut album Who You Are. And it is phenomenal. It includes tracks with subjects that have been covered by other artists, but presents them in a slightly different way. Some themes: poking fun at those who made fun of you when you were little and later you made it big (Jessie J's song: "Who's Laughing Now" - contemporary song: "Mean" by Taylor Swift - and this song has been stuck in my head as well); another theme: self empowerment (Jessie J's song, her album title track, "Who You Are" - and her contemporaries: Pink's "F**kin' Perfect," Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," and Katy Perry's "Firework"). Some acoustic performances of "Who You Are" even give me chills because she's that good and it it such an empowering message that you can just hear the emotion dripping in her voice when she sings it. She also devotes a song to the idea that girls can do whatever boys can and it it hilarious. It's "Do It Like a Dude."

But the song I'm here to share with y'all is one, that I got my hands on the day it was released (August 29th) and it has been one of those songs that I've been listening to non-stop. At times on the track you could possibly mistake the artist to be Katy Perry, but, no, it's Jessie J. The song is called, "Domino." Take a listen below:



This song, I feel, could have been a great summer song, but still, this is definitely dance floor anthem material. It's about going out and having a great time with someone special. It's catchy and fun and has that little guitar riff that replays in the background like other songs today (one that immediately comes to mind is Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger").

So listen up! Make every second a highlight! Dirty dance in the moonlight!

I rate this song: this could get BIG

Feel the Flo

No matter how much I would like it if the response I get when I ask, "Do you know Florence + the Machine?" wasn't "Oh yea, they do that song 'Dog Days Are Over,'" I feel like that's what I'll always get. Those who inhabit the United Kingdom just have taken on more of a passion, appreciation, and understanding of Flo than those of us in the United States. Now, I'm not saying that they don't have a following. I mean they recently completed their US tour (which I attended and seemed rather successful), which included an appearance at Bonnaroo. I just wish they gave her more of a chance than her seemingly only catchy song.

I was actually introduced to Florence + the Machine way back in 2009 by a good friend of mine. Yes, I realize this was right when Flo came out with their first CD, Lungs, which was yet again, another year before people caught on to "Dog Days Are Over" (which if you still haven't heard it, take a listen here). The first song I heard from Flo was called "Cosmic Love" (again, I implore you, if you are unfamiliar, listen/view here.

All their material from Lungs is outstanding! But that's not what I'm here to share. I am eagerly anticipating the release of Flo's sophomore album, Ceremonials. So far, Flo has released two singles. The first I heard and was a little disappointed. It was called, "What the Water Gave Me." She actually performed it when I saw her live in Philly. It was such an ethereal experience because we were on a pier and there was water there, and as she explained her reasoning behind the song (a thanks/tribute to what water has done for her), it just fit so perfectly. However, removed from the scene it did not seem as magical. Whenever it came up on shuffle I would skip it. Yet, as a true Flo fan, I gave it a couple more listens and developed my own personal cult following to it. Its creepy tones and atypical sounds (also lack of excessive harp - which had a rather heavy influence on Lungs) grew on me and it even invited me to even reflect on what water had done for me to the point of putting it repeat as opposed to skipping it.

But no, it's not "What the Water Gave Me" that I want to anticipate success for, it's Flo's second single, titled "Shake It Out"



I love almost everything about this song. I can relate to it emotionally, experientially, personally. I can identify with Flo here. I have trouble living in the past and moving on, as I "drag my horse around." But she brings in a spiritual aspect as well. She does this several times when she says, "it's hard to dance with a devil on your back." Now she may be talking about a metaphorical devil and I'm not here to analyze song lyrics (per-say) but another reason I love music so much is because I love to dance. And having anything that hinders that would be downright wrong. So I agree, it's hard when you've got something bothering you to dance, however, she offers a simple means to fix the problem, "Shake him off." She brings up faith again when she says, "I'm done with my graceless heart, so tonight I'm gonna cut it out and restart." I identify with this statement spiritually. I have come to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior, but for the longest time I had trouble accepting/understanding His grace. And I myself had a graceless heart for a long time. But since this past November, I've cut out my old heart, and have restarted on a new one.

Sorry for that in depth self-reflection, but it's what made it so catchy for me. It's a great philosophy for something we all experience: when things come at you, when life gets you down, keep pressing on and "shake it out." With her signature slant rhyming, simple chorus, and relate-ability, this song has potential. No, it's not as upbeat as "Dog Days Are Over," but I believe just as catchy - and includes a great thoughtful meditation!

So I'll give it a: this COULD get big.

Happy listening...and dancing! I hope you too will feel the Flo!

It's an Intangible Skill I Have

If you know anything about me, it's that music is pretty much my life. I connect so much with it and just find some things so catchy that I will legitimately listen to a song up to 60 times in a row because I'm reveling in the story and emotion it shares or it's just so freakin' catchy that I can't not listen to it. I listen to music when I drive, when I'm in the shower, when I'm walking, when I'm studying, right before I go to bed, even while I write this I'm listening to music. I just feel like I have an intangible connection with music: I know what's gonna get big before it gets big. Or at least stumbled upon/discovered it long before it hits the top 40 playlists on the radio or got anywhere near a million views on Youtube. And, no, this isn't my cry for validation as a hipster. I don't want to belong to that category. Absolutely not. No. NO!

All I'm saying is that I seem to have an ear for music. I may not be able to tell what is pitchy or not, if a note is off key, but I just have an ability to find music (I'm always on a constant search) and discover it before the masses do. This may payoff one day when I apply to be a talent scout or something. This could be my resume.

I realized that I possessed this skill when Facebook reminded me of a status from a year ago (about two weeks ago) with lyrics from the song "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry. Please click below and enjoy!



I found this country trio about a year ago, heard this song and bought the album and became familiar with their work. And just currently it's #27 on iTunes' Top 100 songs, #25 on the Country Charts, #12 on the Pop Charts, they released a pop version because it was garnering so much popularity, and were nominated for 5 CMAs including Single of the Year, Song of the Year, New Artist, Video of the Year, and Vocal Group of the Year. That's pretty big stuff. And some pretty big titles. Now I know because I had heard their music that someone had actually discovered them first and produced their album before I got to them, but I noticed them early on in their career. Again, not saying I did the work, but I know something's got the potential to be big when I hear it. And if you don't believe that I had heard them way back in the day, here's a screenshot of my status:



Other songs I've discovered in advance that have become hits/are on their way are "Mr. Saxobeat" by Romanian pop singer Alexandra Stan who made an effective use of the saxophone in pop music long before Lady Gaga and Katy Perry decided to feature it on one of their most recent tracks "The Edge of Glory" and "Last Friday Night (TGIF)" respectively.



And "This City" by former lead singer of Fall Out Boy, Patrick Stump, with some help from Lupe Fiasco



As I discover new stuff that I think y'all should hear or that I think has the potential of getting big, I'll indicate with a "This Could Get Big." This is a great statement that works well, because said with the right emphasis on different words and punctuation, it could mean so many different things :) You'll learn as time goes on!