Forever (feat. Musiq Soulchild)

When I first heard this song I thought it may have been one of those rare gems found and put on a "best of" album of Floetry. I fell in love with this song the second I heard it because it was so profound. If you know anything about the group Floetry and their music then you know that after just two moderately successful albums the two talented females chose to go their separate ways. It was made to look like they had chosen to seek fortune and fame on their own and that both were cool with that. The real story was while the singer Marsha Ambrosius seemed fine with going on alone Natalie Stewart, the spoken word part of the duo didn't take the break up as well. She was honest with whoever asked her how she felt and more than once she expressed dismay and disbelief that Floetry was done.

So when this song hit my ears it immediately made sense to me. Natalie's lyrics tell more than one story, not just thanking a lover for being there but also sounding like they were born from the aftermath of the end of her group. Laid out over a really smooth groove reminiscent of her previous sound and with that familiar voice of Musiq adding some additional seasoning, this song is a winner in my opinion.

I won't get into how bad the video is but don't let that take away from the simple beauty of this song. This is a timeless song and it's the kind of song one hopes to have dedicated to them by that someone special in their life. At least I'd like to think so anyway. Enjoy!

Human Nature

When I first heard this song I couldn't get it out of my head. I am not the world's biggest Madonna fan though she has had some truly indelible songs (and for the record, her Dick Tracy inspired album was amazing), I can freely admit that. When this song dropped, Madonna was being vilified for her lazy Erotica album and her off the wall Sex book. This song was her punch back and it hit the critics like a Mike Tyson uppercut. They quickly quit attacking her person and listening to the lyrics, you can see why.

It's a heavy song, deep rumbling bassline, hip hop beats, and a sample of the iconic hip hop group Main Source thrown in for good nature. The track was the perfect bed for her lyrics. She starts of with her mantra Express yourself / Don't repress yourself and she's off and running. Her chorus of And I'm not sorry / It's human nature / And I'm not sorry / I'm not your bitch don't hang your shit on me sent this song into the stratosphere. Off of her 1994 release Bedtime Stories CD and produced by her and Dave Hall, Human Nature quickly became a favorite of mine. And the video just nailed it. Wrapped in latex, playing with rope, spreader bars, and riding crops, Madonna was TRULY pushing the envelope.

This song also bangs when played loud so break out your big boy speakers and enjoy this blast from the past.

Changeling (New Beginnings)

Those that know me know i like good music and can't stand bad music (which comprises about a good 85% of the industry today). In my opinion Zack Hemsey makes good music. While there are times he seems compelled to mix rap into his epic orchestral pieces, while a serious misguided attempt, I have learned to admire the attempt. That's originally what this song was, one of his misguided attempts though this is a slightly different version than what was on Zack's first recond Empty Room released in 2010. That version was without a lot that's in this re-imagined piece. Zack has done it again, crafted a beautiful piece of music that I can only guess was inspired by the struggles of those in Japan after the combination earthquake/tsunami.

Starting out with a simple keyboard overlay, they run headlong into the "taiko" or the Japanese drums producing that sound I love. Those two sounds form the foundation for the rest of the song, tempo, melody, and beat. Zack then brings in the first flourish only to them drop it away and bring in the melancholy solo cello which represents the despair of the island. The third movement is all about the first steps to a new beginning Japan took to get back on her feet. Changeling (New Beginnings) is a beautiful piece of music, powerful, emotional, and poignant all at the same time.

I really admire Zack's ability to create good music and if you give this a real listening to, maybe you will as well.

Heartbeat

I'll be the first to admit that when The Fray first hit, I was impressed. They made me a fan with their initial hit "Over My Head (Cable Car)" back in 2005. However, after that they slowly lost me as a fan because I thought their sound became rote, tired, that they where using the same formula over and over again and there was nothing special about them anymore. That was until I heard "Heartbeat".

This song grabbed my attention from the second I heard it. When I found out who was singing and playing I kind of brushed it off but it wouldn't leave me alone. The melodies and arrangement made me finally sit up and take notice. The playing is tight and the singing is heartfelt, like Isaac Slade has finally decided to just belt it out.

From a fan to an indifferent casual observer, I can't say this one song has brought me back to the Fray fold. What I will say instead is that I'll look in on The Fray more often than I have in the past now.

The Star Spangled Banner

I mentioned it before in my previous post. I'm posting it here for those that have never heard or seen this before....enjoy

Count on Me

Like with most artists, everybody has their favorite song from that artist. That's just a natural thing I feel and when it comes to the enigmatic and iconic Whitney Houston my favorite song isn't the song most would readily assume it would be. Whitney leaves behind an amazing collection of staggeringly beautiful songs and other than the late great Marvin Gaye, no one did The Star Spangled Banner more justice.

My favorite Whitney Houston song is a duet with Cece Winans off of the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack entitled Count on Me. It's a beautiful song of friendship and faith and every time I hear it, it puts a smile on my face. It's classic Whitney and Cece's velvet voice is a really nice contrast to Whitney's bright soprano. Whitney also does a great job of reigning in her voice because she could have blown doors off hinges with this song.

While this song didn't get much airplay or much of the recognition I think it should have gotten, I still think it's an amazingly beautiful song and one of my favorites. This was Whitney at her best and this is how I will always remember her, singing beautifully about something as beautiful as unconditional friendship. You'll be missed Whitney.

Meant

When I first heard this tune, I thought it was interesting. The vocal arrangement, the piano playing, the strings in the background all pulled me in at first and I thought Elizaveta was someone on the come up. She may still be and maybe it's just my opinion but the more I hear this song, I hear a knock off of Alicia Keys and a second rate Fiona Apple.

Off of her 2012 debut album Beatrix Runs, Meant starts off with a great piano intro, then right on the heels of that comes the beat and then her voice. Not a strong voice but it's an adequate one for her kind of songs, somewhat torchy. The strings come in right before the bridge and like I stated, they are a nice touch. I just feel that in the hands of one of the two ladies mentioned earlier, this song could have blown the tops of heads off.

The sample of the song I'm including is a live version so there are no strings, no percussion and the artist doing her best Gaga impersonation. Maybe I'm wrong about this song and the artist. Take a listen and let me know if you think I am.