A Music Year In Review - 2013

Happy 2014!

 

That's right folks, we have successfully made it through the past 12 months of music and can start gearing ourselves up for what could be the best year of music to date. But in the mean time, let's cast our minds back to some of the music highlights of the last year:

 

Haim

 

Anyone who has ever met me in person understands how much I love these edgy sisters from Los Angeles. Their impressive debut album, Days Are Gone, went straight to #1 in the UK charts during the last few months of 2013  and their popularity has rapidly grown, leading to sold out UK shows all across the country. It was refreshing to see them perform on Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny on New Years Eve on BBC2, with Don't Save Me, Forever, and Oh Well, and most definitely helped to give the programme that great universal appeal that you expect to see from a Jools Holland music show. I expect to hear a lot more musical greatness from the band over the next year. Just you wait!

 

Lily Allen

 

The UK department store, John Lewis, knew they were on to a winner when they came up with their 2013 animated Christmas advert. And the bigger winner happened to be Lily Allen's immaculate cover of the Keane classic, Somewhere Only We Know, which also went in at #1 close to the end of the year. Allen's rendition of the song matched the tone and atmosphere of the advert perfectly and catapulted Allen back into the forefront of the industry once more.

 

 

 

Some of the other music highlights of the past year have got to be Tom Odell being the first male to win the Critics Choice Award at The Brit Awards 2013, Bastille releasing their first studio album, Bad Blood, back in March, London Grammar's incredible single, Strong, The Killers performing at Wembley Stadium in June, and The Milk Carton Kids in all their live performance glory.

 

This year already looks like the one to beat, with the likes of Taylor Swift, The Backstreet Boys and Elbow touring the UK in the coming months. Oh, and for all of you #DA2014 fans out there, be prepared for the ultimate music comeback of the year from the incredible David Archuleta.

 

It's going to be a sensational year of music. Now it's time to get listening!

 

 

Music Review: Don't Run Away- David Archuleta

He may be serving as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Chile for two years, but that hasn't stopped the talented musician from releasing new music for our listening pleasure!

Since leaving the States to serve as a missionary in South America a year ago, David has already released two incredible albums in that time, with a third record scheduled to be released on 26th March this year, titled No Matter How Far.

Now let's get started on the actual review itself!

Don't Run Away is the ever so catchy first release off the soon to be released album and doesn't disappoint. There's something about the first two seconds of the song that just draws me in. There's also something very reminiscent of his self-titled debut album about it which instantly made me want to pause the song and rewind back to the start again for another sneaky listen.

It is incredibly satisfying to hear the simplicity of the first bridge at about 38 seconds into the song which leads onto a perfectly structured chorus, filled with just enough power and emotion to keep the listener engaged with the ideas and emotions that the song is conveying to the audience.

David's voice is truly captivating throughout the song. It is obvious to any fan that has been supporting since the beginning that his voice has developed and matured over time and has been able to acquire a stronger dimension and tone which allows him to bring new strength to his music.

Don't Run Away had been produced by the incredible songwriting and production duo, David Sneddon and James Bauer-Mein, otherwise known as The Nexus. The production on the song is just right and really adds a great set of dynamics that any music lover could appreciate. I've been a fan of Sneddon's work since his Fame Academy days, so was pleased to see his production skills in action with Bauer-Mein on the song.

With less than a month to wait for the release of No Matter How Far, I'm already expecting great things from everyone's favourite multi-tasking missionary, Elder Archuleta!

Music Of The 80s

I would wholeheartedly define myself as someone who has an everlasting passion for Top 40 pop music; the type of mainstream stuff which happens to dominate our lives through endless radio play and various other media outlets. Although this "modern-day" music plays such a pivotal role in society today, it's always interesting to step back from what we currently know and think about the joys of music from past decades.

Over the last few months I have been delving deep into various musical delights which happened to be either written or released in the 1980s. I couldn't resist sharing some of my personal favourites with you today, but of course, I have only just scratched the surface with my passion for 80s music and hope to find out about many other artists, bands and songwriters who made incredible music during this time. All of the following seem to have conveyed a positive, thought-provoking message through their music- something which I strive for on a daily basis:

1. Heaven Is A Place On Earth by Belinda Carlisle

A small number of my musical influences relate back to what I remember my parents listening to when I was younger. As soon as I first heard Heaven Is A Place On Earth, I knew I was in for a musical treat! I found the tone of Carlisle's voice to be astonishingly unique and was impressed by how much it complimented the lyrics and melody, adding a whole other dimension to the overall song. Circle In The Sand is also a firm favourite of mine due to not only the relaxing nature of the song, but its ability to make me want to stop and think for a short while.

2. Gold by Spandau Ballet

As I live in the UK, I am always ready and willing to support British bands. When I found out that Spandau Ballet were going to reunite and play a few concert dates in my area, I was more than eager to hear them live for myself. Sadly I wasn't able to attend their concert, but luckily, I was able to rekindle my love for Gold- their iconic power song in which the lyrics aim to inspire us with words of wisdom and encouragement.

3. Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears For Fears

Tears For Fears are another one of the great British bands which started to make an influential mark on the music world in the 80s and continue to have growing relevance in our society today. Even though I only started listening to their Greatest Hits album many years after it was initially released, the messages it tries to convey are still extremely accurate in our world where everyone is striving for the best. Two of the most well-known Tears For Fears songs have got to be Mad World and the absolute gem that is Everybody Wants To Rule The World. I have adored both songs for a long time, but hearing the inspirational David Archuleta sing Everybody Wants To Rule The World during his concert at the Myrtle Beach MayFest in South Carolina a short while ago, has made me finally understand what this song actually means to me. David's performance of this song made me shed tears of happiness, enough said!

4. Another Day In Paradise by Phil Collins

I'd like to start off by declaring that this song is a piece of musical genius. Not only does this song have musical impact, it also has a strong social impact due to the vivid message about homelessness which it portrays. There are very few people in the world of music who are able to convey pure emotion at this level, which shows just how skilled Collins was and still is to this day. I'm so glad this song has done so well over the years. I'm always excited to hear cover versions of the song which  happen to pop up when you least expect them, often with a stylish twist. Whether it's by the addition of a synth beat or just a simply beautiful acoustic version, this song will always have a special place in our hearts.

While many songs are released and immediately forgotten about the next day, these songs have all stood the test of time and will, undoubtedly, remain this way for decades to come. All that's left for me to do now is to go out and buy an 80s compilation cd to broaden my music horizons!

Sunny Songs for a Beautiful Day

The weather has been surprisingly good over the last two weeks in the UK and has put me in an extremely happy mood! To celebrate the fact that it is currently lovely and warm outside, I have compiled a list of songs which never fail to put a smile on my face, whether raining or sunny:

1. The Feeling -  "Love It When You Call"

The Feeling are another one of my favourite British bands who never fail to deliver catchy choruses and fun instrumentals throughout all of their songs. This track is taken from their first album,"Twelve Stops & Home", which includes a fantastic mix of fast and slow-paced songs. Without doubt, there is something to suit all occasions on this record! I had the opportunity to see the band perform live last summer and learned a lot about how important it is to connect to the audience and with your other band members. This song got everyone dancing and singing along, which can only be a sign of a great song!

2. Natasha Bedingfield - "These Words"

Can you remember what artists you were listining to during 2004/5? Natasha Bedingfield was my female artist of choice during this time period as she was something completely different to what was already in the music industry. She wasn't a diva, nor did she need to be. Her stunning vocals showed the world what true music was and everyone seemed to agree. Let's roll back to the present day where she is a huge global artist and has had incredible hit songs and collaborated with the hottest stars of the 21st century. She is still one of my top artists of all time. 

3. David Archuleta - "The Other Side Of Down"

I really can't help myself! You may have already guessed that my favourite singer of all time would get a mention on my list of sunny songs. It's probably because his music is just so positive and happy. It certainly is absolutely perfect for a bright, sunny day, or any day for that matter! This song makes me want to go out into the sunshine and enjoy life. The lyrics make complete sense to me and I know that all of his music choices have helped people all over the world to become happier, more confident people. He is incredible.

4. Brooke White - "Phoenix"

This song is one of the best road trip songs on this Earth. It makes me smile without even realising and puts me in a mellow mood, ready to get on with the rest of my day. Brooke White is another artist who radiates postive energy and seems to have her priorities in exactly the right place. She is clearly a unique talent who deserves more praise.

I hope you enjoyed my top sunny song picks! If you read my last post, you will remember that "Choices" by The Hoosiers is also an incredible song for summer. Just as I am finishing this post, the sun is being hidden behind a cluster of dark storm clouds.....

If only the weather was as reliable as these great songs highlighted above!