Music Monday – Volume Sixty Four

1) Chris Brown – Your World

Verging slightly on Beiber territory, on paper, this shouldn’t work but it somehow does… It’s easy to see why this didn’t make the main tracklisting for Brown’s album ‘Fortune’ (it only appears as a bonus track on the Japanese edition) – it’s a little on the cheesy side but it’s a pretty little R&B track.

2) Liberty-X – Holding on For You

Slushy pop ballad from one of the UK’s best and most underrated pop groups. A beautiful melody leads the track, lined by tight harmonies and catchy production.

3) Razorlight – America

A song too easily forgotten until its occasional re-play on the airwaves. Gentle dreamy verses escalate into a huge stadium-anthem chorus. Irresistibly catchy; one of the greatest indie-rock songs ever recorded.

4) Rita Ora and Chris Brown – Body On Me

Steamy and sensual R&B track with crashing beats and a rousing chorus. It’s a massive track; another success in both artists’ ever-increasing discography. One of the hottest tracks currently around.

5) Sigala – Easy Love

The song of the summer. Cleverly sampling massive Jackson 5 hit ‘ABC’, it’s a huge dance track full of house-tinged piano riffs and synthesisers mimicking steel pans, not too dissimilar to Duke Dumont’s huge 2014 summer hit ‘I Got U’. It’s impossible for this song not to leave the listener with a huge grin on their face.

6) Stylo G & Gyption – My Number One

Catchy reggae track. Depends on mood for the enjoyment of this one but it’s a great summer song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPoHZ-IifZ0

7) Jess Glynne – You Can Find Me

Brilliant Prince styled track full of punchy percussion, gospel layered vocals, funky bass and 80’s synthesisers. SO good.

8) Galantis – Peanut Butter Jelly

It’s hard to determine if this is meant to be taken seriously or as a novelty track. Either way, it’s an impossibly catchy dance track full of sweeping 60’s styled strings.

9) Robbie Williams – Nan’s Song

Beautiful acoustic ballad which closed Williams’ best album ‘Escapology’. Williams croons about the loss of his grandparent, aching with sincerity. One of very few tracks Williams wrote alone, its a well-written and lovely track.

10) Michael & Janet Jackson – Scream

Aggressive and explosive electro-rock track by two of the Jackson siblings. Both Jacksons more or less spit the lyrics in assertion as they demand the press to “Stop f*****g with me”. The fury in the track is understandable considering it was Michael’s first single release since his 1993 child molestation allegations. Awesome, powerful track.

Music Monday – Volume Six

1)      Mutya Buena/Tracy Chapman – Fast Car

Such a great song. Obviously the original is the definitive version but I love Mutya’s version too. People may scoff as it’s an ex-Sugababe member but she has a really distinctive tone and it’s a fab version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8_4sCOZpDc

2)      Leanne Mitchell – To love someone like you

Winner of the first series of The Voice UK who disappeared quickly from the public eye. A real shame too – she has an incredible voice. Anyway, this song is truly special and very beautiful. It reminds me of something Whitney might have done in her career.

3)      Kelly Rowland – Train on a track

This was something suggested to me on Spotify based on my listening habits and I’m so glad it was. Such a smooth, beautiful song and I can’t get enough of it right now.

4)      Eric Clapton – Blue Eyes Blue

Gorgeous song – very soppy but I love it so much. Definitely check this one out.

5)      The 1975 – Falling for You

This is really chilled-out and beautiful. We all know that sense of awareness we have of falling for somebody and this song documents that.

6)      Eurythmics – There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)

I’ve heard this a couple of times recently and have been reminded of what a great track it is. LOVE Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart is an amazing writer/musician.

7)      Joni Mitchell – Both sides now

One of my favourite songs of all time. I love the original but the version I love most is a jazz version Joni recorded in 2000. I first came across it in ‘Love Actually’ during one of the most heartbreaking scenes in a movie ever. It’s just an absolutely stunning song. Was reminded of this by the gorgeous version by Sally on The Voice UK.

8)      John Waite – Missing You

Another track I was reminded of after a performance on The Voice UK. This reminds me of a crush I had a few years ago!

9)      Vanessa Carlton – Thousand Miles

One of the greatest piano-based pop songs ever written. I adore the piano instrumentation on this track and it’s such a sweet song.

10)   Gary Barlow – Lie to Me

One of the greatest Barlow compositions ever and yet it’s pretty heartbreaking it never got the recognition it deserved. It could have been a massive single. So emotive, so well-written and the production is so polished. Gary Barlow’s song-writing at its best.