Nothing At All

Are you at all familiar with the Matrix movies? Of course you are, who am I kidding? Anyway, since you are then while you may have not heard of this artist, you have definitely heard of his music. Rob Dougan is his name and his hard charging, beat heavy music played a large role in the Matrix Trilogy in creating atmosphere, so you can imagine my surprise when I came across this song. Nothing At All is dark and almost ominous in its lyrics and music. Rob's voice doesn't help matters any either.

Quite simply, Rob can't sing but then neither can Dylan or Tom Waits (who Rob sounds a lot alike, just a younger version). Thankfully though, I am not listening for great singing, just a great song and I think Nothing qualifies. Musically I can't get enough of this song and with lyrics like Where will we go when we get old / When the bustle and the noise gets too frightening / When each and every angry word / Is banished to the past that's when I think / We learn as we go / To float far away into the silence / And I watch your face / And find patience and grace / In each line there.... I find greatness.

This song is off of Rob's 2003 release entitled Furious Angels and if you like this song then you will LOVE that album. Might I also suggest checking out his song Born Yesterday which was tied into the movie The Professional. If you like Nothing At All then you will definitely like Born. Enjoy!

Let Her Go

Have you ever heard a song and remember that moment you fell in lover with it, thanks to that part that grabbed you by the shoulders and made you pay attention? When I first heard this song I remember that moment, that moment when my shoulders were grabbed and I was forced to pay attention. I was sitting in a movie theater waiting for the show to start and this song, Let Her Go by Passenger was playing. I had heard it before and thought it was interesting, the second time I came across it though did I realize how good it really was.

The artists name behind this sweet tune is Mike Rosenberg who goes by Passenger, the name of his defunct band but really it's just a one man show. The band Passenger disbanded back in 2007 but Mike stuck with the music and of course, the name. He was smart doing that if this song is any indication. This song is off his 2012 release All The Little Lights and it's a heart wrenching  song about a man who doesn't realize he loves her until he lets her go.

This is song is delicious to listen to. His voice rides the melody beautifully and the lyrics are smart and clever. I never get tired of hearing it and whenever I do, I get taken back to that moment when I fell in love with it. Maybe when you hear it, it'll grab you by the shoulders too. BTW, I included the acoustic version as well. Enjoy!

How Do I Say

This isn't exactly a classic but it's one damn good R&B song by Usher. He's had a few songs that were amazing and soared to the top of the charts respectively. This one however was hardly heard. It's called How Do I Say and if you didn't purchase Usher's 2001 8701 album then you never got the chance to hear this beauty. It wasn't released as a single and it had no video. Amazingly this song was album filler and it's my favorite song off of that album.

Written by Usher, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, How Do I Say takes you on a trip of someone who sees a vision of beauty but cannot let her know how he feels. They don't speak the same language so he does what can be done to draw her in and then does his best to express what he feels for her. The magical part of the song is at the end where Usher gets a tutorial on how to say certain phrases in a different tongue.

The song is smooth and easy with a great rhythm. It's a danceable track, the kind that would require some up close and personal moves, you know the kind I'm talking about, where the candles burn in silent witness. And to think, this song was album filler. Enjoy!

Speak Your Heart

This is one of my all time favorite songs by one amazing singer. I've posted another song of hers in the past but this one begs to be shared and I could no longer keep it to myself. Yes, I have been selfish but no more, enough is enough. This beautiful song is entitled Speak Your Heart by the incredibly talented lizz wright.

If there was ever such a thing as a perfect song, it's this song. There is nothing lacking in this song at all in my opinion. The melody is poignant, the lyrics are meaningful, and the vocals are exquisite. My favorite lines are when lizz sings  Let me out, let me stay after the sun rises / I want to be...real to you, no more disguises. Combine those lyrics with the yearning in her voice and you have what's known as a real powerful "moment".

Off of her superb 2008 release The Orchard, Speak Your Heart is just one of many incredible songs in that collection. In my humble opinion though, it's the crown jewel of the lot and when you hear it you'll forgive me for being selfish with it. Enjoy!

Song

This little ditty was recently used in an Apple computer commercial. I liked it so much that I went on a quest to find it and find out who did it. The name of the piece is called Song and the group is Kidstreet. The original version isn't as expansive as this version, though it's still very nice. Whereas this piece is dominated by strings the original version is dominated by piano and is far more staccato. Where the original comes across as stuffy, this version breathes.

The piece starts off almost innocuous but then becomes something more, it transforms into something else, something intense. The melody catches you at first and just before you get lulled by it, in come the drums and the song begins to build. All the while the strings never cease in the background. The song is like the tide, coming in and going out and you the listener ride the rhythm of it thanks to those never ceasing strings.

This is a great background piece while you go about your daily routines or it's a get you up and get you moving piece. Propelling you forward into your day thanks to the drums and those tireless strings. Enjoy!

Skyfall

The second I heard this song I realized what  sham that song by Jack White and Alicia Keys was that opened the last Bond film, Quantum of Solace. This song is extremely reminiscent to those classic Bond intros musically. It reminds me of those iconic Shirley Bassy numbers she did for Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, and Moonraker. Vocal wise Adele isn't in the same category as Shirley in any way, shape, or form. In fact she seems bored in singing this song.

Musically this song takes me back to those classic Bond films and as a huge Bond fan that's always a good thing. The piano that comes in after the brass intro is both sweet and melancholy. The guitar that joins the piano playfully introduces the Bond theme. Then when Adele hits the chorus the music explodes and hits its stride. It's a nice arrangement and lyrically it's a solid song.

When I hear this song I wonder what it would have sounded like in Amy Winehouse's hands. Sadly we'll never know and while I do like Adele this song is outside of her wheelhouse. You can hear that primarily at the end of the song. Her vocals are over processed to add more strength to her performance. Was this recorded too soon after her vocal surgery, perhaps. Either way, I do like the song and can't wait to see the movie. Enjoy!

All I Need

When I first heard All I Need, it struck such a serious chord within me that it shook me. First the music grabbed me and damn near suffocated me, that bassline rumbles unforgivingly and the beat is so crisp and sharp. Honestly it took me at least five listens before I even ever started paying attention to the lyrics. The music is SO emphatic that even if you aren't a Radiohead fan it's hard not to be a fan of this song.

This amazing song is on Radiohead's 2007 release In Rainbows and while the album is full of some material that borders on genius, this song IS. Musically this song builds on itself in such subtle ways that you almost don't realize it. The beat and bassline carry you through the first part of the song straight through to the chorus. Then it brightens a little with sound effects coming in and then suddenly cutting out when the chorus comes back around. Then the piano and the escalation to the crescendo, then the explosion with the voices.

And when it comes to the lyrics, when Thom Yorke sings I wanna stick with you/Because there are no others after singing lines like I am all the days/That you choose to ignore, you realize this song is the voice of that person who watched you from afar. That person who was so easily ignored by you but to them, you were their universe. This song is genius, pure and simple...at least in my opinion. Enjoy!