Here’s the mixtape for June! 20 songs old and new that we’re loving at The Music Box.
Tag: singer
Prince – 20 of his Best
1) Raspberry Beret
Brilliant psychadelic pop track from Prince’s 1985 ‘Around The World in a Day’ album. Live instruments such as sweeping strings, acoustic guitar strums and Middle Eastern Cymbals form the backdrop whilst Prince’s almost-spoken vocals perform the narrative. Beck’s live cover is included below due to Prince’s copyright associates re-emerging to make his music impossible to find online once again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JJw9xwdjW4
2) Pop Life
Psychaedlic, funky pop track, also from 1985’s ‘Around The World in a Day’. Eeerie, detuned synthesisers howl over a tinny piano sound, fierce percussion and a tight bass line.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBKikjTHo-g
3) The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
Schmalzty, soulful and superb; Prince at his best. Written for then girlfriend (and future wife) Mayte Garcia, this was to amazingly be his only UK Number One single. His vocals are flawless throughout, mainly performed in a stable falsetto but occasionally drifting into a rich baritone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzmFlr6xRcA
4) Somewhere Here on Earth
Prince’s impeccable falsetto vocals drift over futuristic synthesisers, a saxophone and twinkling pianos on this gorgeous slow-jam-influenced jazz ballad. Prince always possessed the ability to straddle various genres of music and this is a reminder of his impeccable ability to do so successfully.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAluL631Ygk
5) Sometimes it Snows in April
Absolutely stunning ballad which closes his 1986 ‘Parade’ album perfectly. Performed in just one take, it’s beautifully raw – you can hear the squeak of the piano stool, the odd vocal imperfection and the organic sound of a live acoustic guitar and piano. The song has become all the more poignant since his death and is now largely considered by many fans as a eulogy written by the man himself thirty years too early. Lyrically, it covers the death of Christopher Tracey, the main character from Prince’s film ‘Under the Cherry Moon’ and with lyrics such as ‘I used to cry for Tracey cos he was my only friend, those kinda cars don’t pass you everyday’, it truly is beautiful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X0LYVZm5qc
6) Let’s Go Crazy
One of Prince’s signature tracks, the fantastically rousing ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ is the opening track to Prince’s 1984 album and film of the same name ‘Purple Rain’. Growling guitars and signature 80’s synthesiser shimmers drive this piece of pop heaven.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ebPrVf4go
7) Guitar
Seemingly an attempt to mirror the success of earlier guitar-heavy tracks such as ‘Let’s Go Crazy’, ‘Guitar’ is one of Prince’s more underrated album tracks. Taken from 2007’s ‘Planet Earth’, it features an incredible guitar riff which is prominent most of the way through the track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgPjINdENAk
8) My Computer
Widely criticised by many fans and critics alike, many overlook how clever and ahead of its time this song was. Lyrically documenting a loner browsing online for company, it’s somewhat sad yet its funky R&B track and glitchy computer sounds lifts its spirits. Also features the incredible Kate Bush on backing vocals.
9) Somebody’s Somebody
Prince always had the ability to make the best slow jams. This is one of his most underrated from 1995’s ‘Emancipation’. Released in the midst of great media interest relating to his battle with his record label, his name change and relationship with Mayte, ‘Somebody’s Somebody’ got somewhat lost as a track in Prince’s discography. Despite this, it’s one of his best; a moody R&B ballad which encapsulates the loneliness of 2am perfectly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6zDFBwsXBc
10) When We’re Dancing Close and Slow
Sometimes there is no need for polished production, excessive instruments, multiple chord changes or multi-layered vocals and this track emphasises this. An absolutely stunning ballad from Prince’s self-titled second album, this track utilises only two chords, created by gentle acoustic guitar strums and twinkling pianos. By its finale, eerie synthesiser sounds creep in to make it way ahead of its time, something else Prince always managed to do in his career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4xrNUxuanw
11) Starfish and Coffee
Not to be taken too seriously, this quirky but brilliantly catchy piano pop track was featured on critically acclaimed “Sign O’ The Times” before being featured in an episode of The Muppets. Simple, sweet and happy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW7Js9I9tRs
12) Gold
Clearly proud of this song upon its release, Prince hailed it as the next ‘Purple Rain’. It did not achieve status as one of Prince’s best known but fared relatively well on the charts. It’s a great Pop track with meaningful lyrics and a catchy refrain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwB6C1BWmqQ
13) She’s Always in My Hair
Whilst never appearing on a Prince album (except for a Greatest Hits compilation), ‘She’s Always in My Hair’ became one of Prince’s best-loved songs. A fierce rock and roll track complete with guitars, staccato organs and a great beat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3Z3c5RmWfI
14) I Would Die 4 U
Another track from both the film and accompanying soundtrack ‘Purple Rain’, this is Prince at his best. Unsettled percussion and multi-layered synthesisers perform its backing track whilst Prince delivers an energetic vocal delivery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qpOI92q6EU
15) I Wanna Be Your Lover
Infectiously catchy disco-stomper; the epitome of 70’s disco music. Taken from second album ‘For You’, it is one of the first Prince tracks to showcase his brilliant falsetto vocals, a trait which would be featured in many of his latest works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN6mDCEB6vY
16) Dinner with Delores
Perhaps Prince’s most underrated song, this gentle pop-rock/country-influenced track was the only single from 1996’s ‘Chaos and Disorder’. The album was released simply to fulfil Prince’s contractual obligations with Warner Brothers in the midst of their infamous feud, yet it contains a strong collection of Prince tracks. The track’s instrumentation is gentle and sweet yet upon closer inspection, the lyrics have a darker and more sexualised tone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9_aauED3Ys
17) Anotherloverholenyohead
Another brilliant track from the ‘Parade’ album. An introduction of wailing guitars and impatient percussion evolve into a catchy funk-rock track which is based around a piano chord sequence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KExTY9k_gj4
18) I Wish U Heaven
A joyful and spiritual single from ‘Lovesexy’. In-keeping with the album’s uplifting, religious tones, ‘I Wish U Heaven’ features elements of rock, pop, dance and gospel. Quirky production elements and Prince’s gorgeous falsetto vocals make this one of his best, yet most underrated works.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObzoKryyAi8
19) Diamonds & Pearls
Uplifting rock ballad which features New Power Generation member Rosie Gaines sharing vocals with Prince. Unlike a lot of Prince’s work which focussed on lust and sex, this ballad instead refreshingly explores love itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZCfu18lSl4
20) Purple Rain
Of course, this playlist would not be complete without Prince’s signature track. And what a song this is. It’s easy to classify songs as huge as this as ‘overrated’ but this gorgeous Rock ballad lives up to its reputation as one of the best ballads of all time. Recorded live at a benefit concert, it was later added to in the studio and became the track loved by all today. It was to become a staple of Prince’s live shows, perhaps its most notable moment was at the Super Bowl XLI’s half time show when it was performed during a downpour.
Prince once explained the meaning of “Purple Rain” is as follows: “When there’s blood in the sky – red and blue= purple… purple rain pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/god guide you through the purple rain.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ABd-cCcIxk
R.I.P Prince. We love and miss you.
Remembering Prince…
You may have noticed we are taking a little hiatus here at The Music Box. This is due to work commitments and it is hugely difficult to run a blog alone! Bear with us and we’ll have more content up as soon as we have some time to prepare it!
We just wanted to break our silence to express our shock and sadness over the death of Prince. He was nothing short of a musical genius – blurring boundaries between all genres of music, being one of the most underrated guitarists and vocalists of all time. He was a global icon, incredible songwriter and a true artist; one we will never again see in our lifetime. Similarly to Michael Jackson, he was one of a kind whose career spanned over thirty years, hopping from genre to genre and reinvented himself multiple times, remaining ever-relevant.
We plan to upload much more Prince-themed content when we get a moment but we just wanted to respond at the appropriate time.
Sometimes it Snows in April.
RIP Prince.
Thank you for sharing your gift with us and for being the soundtrack to millions of lives all over the world.
Rihanna – Anti Album Review
Artists are often wary of the potential ‘difficult second album’, being unsure of which musical direction to take and fearing not meeting the public’s expectations. In Rihanna’s case, it was to become the difficult eighth album. Throughout its construction, ‘Anti’ was plagued with issues regarding creative control, during which a great wealth of material was recorded and subsequently scrapped. Three successful singles were released in 2015; none of which are present on the album. Kanye West was once executive producer; Rihanna herself ended up assuming the role. What began as a short hiatus extended into a lengthy break for Rihanna as the release of ‘Anti’ became increasingly delayed and arguably, one of the most highly anticipated albums in years.
The finished product is a significant departure from the club bangers and massive Pop smashes Rihanna has become known for. It’s a moody and sullen affair, (not too dissimilar from 2009’s ‘Rated R‘) more a soundtrack for the aftermath of the party or the early-morning come-down than the party itself. This isn’t a criticism, however, it’s a powerful and compelling listen from start to finish.
Opener ‘Consideration’ is a dub-styled track with lo-fi elements, sparse production and Rihanna’s almost yodel-like vocals. The minimalistic production is a thread which is present throughout the remainder of the album, its simmering, dark tones resulting in a dark but enthralling album. ‘Needed Me’ is much in the same vein, comprised of unstable beats, tremulous synthesisers and eerie vocal samples. Lead single ‘Work’, a collaboration with Drake is a jittery reggae-influenced affair with mumbled, almost incomprehensible vocals whilst ‘Woo’ is abundant with furious distorted electric guitars and auto-tune soaked vocals.
The down-tempo softer moments also work well. ‘James Joint’ is a minute-long melodic soul interlude whilst ‘Yeah I Said It’ is a sulky soul ballad with mesmeric production. The inclusion of “Same Ol’ Mistakes”, an unexpected cover of Australian rock band Tame Impala’s ‘New Person, Same Old Mistakes’ is an unconventional move but one which pays off. It’s a more or less carbon copy of the original both in its delivery and production but is in-fitting with the moody, psychedelic nature of the album.
The second half of the album is reserved for ballads. From the pretty and acoustic-driven ‘Never Ending’ to the Soul infused, waltz-like ‘Love on the Brain’, it’s a peculiar turn in direction but largely works nicely until ‘Higher’, on which Rihanna wails like a banshee in a style not too dissimilar to Sia. Thankfully the track is only two minutes and avoids putting too much strain on the listeners’ ears (and Rihanna’s vocals…)
Whilst ‘Anti’ is certainly a change in direction, elements of Rihanna’s signature sound are still littered throughout. ‘Desperado’ is a classic Rihanna track, dark and broody on which, stuttering beats, moody piano chords and Rihanna’s purred vocals result in an intoxicating R&B hit. Likewise, ‘Kiss it Better’, heavily influenced by progressive R&B and rock elements is one of the album’s highlights.
Closing track ‘Close to You’ is a stunning ballad and a fitting reminder of Rihanna’s impeccable ability to deliver heartfelt R&B ballads. Built of nothing more than gentle piano chords and Rihanna’s syrupy vocals, it’s perhaps her best and most emotive ballad of her career.
Its mixed response from critics and fans alike is justified. It’s a somewhat confused and indecisive album, mirroring its conception. Despite this however, its dark and disturbing tone and eclectic approach makes it a captivating album and one of Rihanna’s best.
- Rating: 4/5.
- Highlights: ‘Kiss it Better’, ‘Work’, ‘Desperado’, ‘Same Ol’ Mistakes’ and ‘Close to You’.
‘Anti’ is available now on Roc Nation records.
Troye Sivan – Blue Neighbourhood Album Review
Every so often, an album springs from nowhere to challenge the public’s preconceptions of Pop music. Back in 2014, Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ obliterated existing Pop music and marked the arrival of 80’s influenced electropop with Carly Rae Jepsen successfully following a similar formula a year later. Troye Sivan’s ‘Blue Neighbourhood’ is the latest album to do just that.
Whilst still unfamiliar to many, to those he is known by, Troye Sivan is adored. He is certainly a man of many talents. As an actor, he played young James Howlett in X-Men Origins: Wolverine in addition to starring in the Spud film trilogy. He is also a popular YouTuber with over 3.6 million subscribers. He has now turned his attention to singing and songwriting to become the latest music sensation.
‘Blue Neighbourhood’ is a fierce album abundant with squeaky synthesisers, delicate piano chords, intoxicating drops and spectral electro samples. Lyrically, it’s an album of adolescence, heartbreak and affirmation with an emphasis on sexuality.
Lead single ‘Wild’ is a bold album opener with an irresistibly catchy hook performed by a children’s choir. It’s a dramatic dream-pop influenced track which documents infatuation perfectly. The rest of the album follows in similar fashion: eerie vocal clips reverberating infinitely, Sivan’s vulnerable vocals and jittery percussion all forming a perfect electronic sound-scape well-balanced in both heartache and fun.
It’s often an album of contradictions: the solemn lyrical content the antithesis of the fuzzy electro tracks, Sivan’s pensive lyrics at odds with his age and lyrics such as ‘I’m just a lost boy, not ready to be found’ on ‘Lost Boy’. This forms part of the album’s success, however. It’s compelling from start to finish, with the right levels of rise and fall.
Many of its tracks are deceptive in nature, opening as tender piano ballads before evolving into jittery synthpop tracks. ‘Fools’ is a prime example, on which Sivan’s bruised vocals smother gentle piano chords before an electronic hook launches in. ‘Talk Me Down’ also begins softly before transforming into a reverberating and eerie ballad on which the lyrics address homophobia.
‘DKLA’ (Don’t Keep Love Around) opens with stunning eerie strings but evolves into a dark R&B/Trap-influenced track on which Sivan pines that he no longer ‘keeps love around’. It’s far more mature than the rest of the album and one of the highlights on ‘Blue Neighbourbood’.
‘For Him.’ is a more care-free, light-hearted addition to the album featuring staccato piano chords, kicking drum machines and funky guitar riffs. It breaks up the album nicely. Likewise, ‘Cool’ is a buoyant affair with dreamy 80’s-influenced synths, and a catchy, chilled-out Chorus.
One of the album’s stand out moments is ‘Youth’, a bouncy track, which at times is reminiscent of Lorde, with an electrifying hook formed of broken pitch-increased vocal samples. “My youth is yours”, Sivan offers, once again conforming to the naivety present in the rest of the album.
‘Suburbia’ is a fitting finale to the album, a symphonic and fluttery conclusion which, similarly to the album title, addresses compact neighbourhoods and adolescence.
Never has an album captured contemporary Pop so perfectly. It’s emotive and enthralling throughout; a perfect pop album.
- Rating: 5/5.
- Album Highlights: Wild, Fools, Ease, DKLA, Heaven, Youth.
‘Blue Neighbourhood’ is available now on EMI/Capitol records.
Music Monday – Volume Eighty One
Music Monday is our weekly feature which showcases the hottest tracks in the world right now.
1) Wretch 32 ft Anne Marie and PRGRSHN – Alright With Me
Wretch 32’s commercial crossover is a triumph. Anne-Marie showcases her powerful vocals on an impossibly catchy hook whilst Wretch 32’s rap is refreshingly clear.
2) Babyface – We’ve Got Love
Whilst Babyface is an artist in his own right, he is also the songwriter behind many huge hits by the likes of Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown and Beyonce. ‘We’ve Got Love’ is his latest single, a catchy & uplifting R&B track with elements of new-jack swing. It’s a song which is bound to fall beyond the radar commercially but it’s one of the best R&B tracks in years.
3) NAO – Bad Blood
Slick and soulful vocals coat an eerie electro track with reverberating vocal samples. Nao is an up and coming British singer-songwriter from East London with a sound best described as ‘neo-soul with electronic’.
4) Grace Feat. G-Eazy – You Don’t Own Me
Whilst it’s still not a patch on the original by Lesley Gore back in 1963 , Grace & G-Eazy’s modernised interpretation is enjoyable. Produced by legend Quincy Jones (best known for his work on Michael Jackson’s ‘Off The Wall’, ‘Thriller’ and ‘Bad’ albums), G-Eazy’s rap and hip-hop beats bring the track into the 21st century.
5) Liss – Try
Danish band Liss perform a perfect spin on Pop music on the incessantly catchy ‘Try’. Abundant with broken vocal samples and tropical house-influenced synths, it’s a fun throwback to 80’s synthpop.
6) The 1975 – Ugh!
The 1975 perform their best Prince initiation on this R&B-Rock jam. Featuring heavily auto-tuned vocals, tinny guitars, luscious layered harmonies and rubbery bass-lines, it’s absolutely brilliant & fuses 80’s & 90’s music together perfectly.
7) Fleur East – Sax
Energetic and bouncy dance-pop track with funky guitar riffs and brilliant use of brass instruments. Whilst it’s been on the radio airwaves for weeks now, it’s still as hot as it was on its première.
8) WSTRN – In2
‘In2’ is West-London trio WSTRN’s début single; an R&B/Hip hop track with moody guitar riffs and an irresistibly catchy hook.
9) 99 Souls – The Girl Is Mine
99 Souls cleverly fuse two huge R&B tracks, Brandy & Monica’s ‘The Boy Is Mine’ and Destiny’s Child’s ‘Girl’ into a funky house track which is bound to become a huge club hit.
10) The Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Choir – A Bridge Over You
A strange inclusion on this edition, perhaps but in a chart so dominated by over-produced music, it’s refreshing to hear music in its simplistic form. Unaltered vocals accompanied only by a piano result in a gorgeous mash-up of Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and Coldplay’s ‘Fix You’. And of course it’s for a brilliant cause.
Music Monday – Volume Seventy Seven
1) Troye Sivan – Wild
Incredibly catchy synthpop track featuring eerie electro elements and crashing percussion.
2) Troye Sivan ft. Broods – Ease
Another brilliant and sincere track from Troye Sivan.
3) Lucy Rose – Till The End
Strong 90’s vibes on this incessantly catchy track. Mirroring All Saints’ ‘Pure Shores’ with distorted trip-hop styled percussion, pretty piano riffs and funky guitars, it’s an awesome & uplifting track.
4) Jason Reeves – Back With Me
Gorgeous acoustic ballad.
5) Crissi Cochrane – Pretty Words
Gorgeous acoustic ballad with lovely Sara Bareillies/Christina Perri-like vocals.
6) Amelia Lily – You Bring Me Joy
Was reminded how awesome this track is at the gym the other day. Awesome and underrated pop-rock track.
7) Adele – When We Were Young
Gorgeous emotive ballad which completely blows ‘Hello’ out of the water.
8) Take That – Will You Be There For Me?
Gorgeous and vulnerable ballad from Take That’s re-packaged ‘III’ album. It carries an R&B-like vibe and is beautiful from start to finish.
9) Take That – Bird In Your Hand
Stunning synthpop ballad with lush layered harmonies and a gorgeous vocal performance from Mark Owen.
10) Troye Sivan – Fools
Brilliant pop track which opens tentatively with gorgeous piano chords before evolving into a jittery R&B track.
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