Savant is the first artist to be featured twice as track of the week. The track this time is taken from his latest album titled Invasion, and is another fun filled energetic trip to the somewhat bizarre world of Savant. The chaotic but somehow still structured mixture of sounds and textures makes this track an absolute joy.
Week 6: Swing Republic – Truckin’
I must confess that I had a hard time finding something that really grabbed me this week. However, when I finally stumbled upon something it turned out to be pretty great! Before finding Swing Republic I hadn’t even heard of the genre electro swing before, but I guess most people haven’t. This duo from Denmark really put a smile on my lips with their fun and modern interpretations of some good swing music.
For some reason this track was only available on Rdio, so no Spotify this week.
Week 5: Chicane feat. Paul Aiden – Oxygen
It’s not on purpose I’m choosing tracks that are similar a few weeks in a row, but this track has more than a few things in common with last week’s track. First of all, I had never heard of this artist before this week, and secondly he’s in roughly the same genre as last week’s entry. Not that it matters, it’s just funny. This is a great and energetic track that makes me happy I haven’t heard of every single artist and band that make music I truly enjoy listening to.
Week 4: Above & Beyond – Blue Sky Action
It’s amazing when you discover a band that you never knew existed, even tho they make music that’s exactly what you’re looking for. My newest discovery is Above & Beyond and their great album We Are All We Need. The album is a nice mix of slower and faster tracks, and I’ve chosen one of the more dance friendly ones. The vocals are provided by a very talented singer by the name of Alex Vargas, whose soulful vocals provide a nice quality that elevates this track further.
Week 3: James Bay – Sparks
The early trend for 2015 continues with another strong track from a very talented male singer and guitarist. This track, which I found on the EP Other Sides, features the strong vocals of James Bey and a very nice sound with a guitar that is borderline blues. At times, the singing reminded me a lot of the way Michael Jackson would use his voice to convey emotion, especially around the 2:15 mark. It’s not a complicated track, but that’s pretty much the whole point.
Week 2: Joshua Radin – Beautiful Day (Feat. Sheryl Crow)
I never intended to start the year of this relaxed, but what am I to do when two very talented songwriters release two great albums in a similar style in the first two weeks? The new album by Joshua Radin titled Onward and Sideways is a real treat and has a number of really great tracks. The track I chose is a duet with Sheryl Crow, and I just can’t stop listening to it over and over.
Week 1: Adam Dale – Midnight
I had to listen to quite a few tracks of new music before I found this gem. Before hearing his new album, I had no idea who Adam Dale was. I now know he’s a very talented musician and tracks like this is exactly why I wanted to only include new music from now on. This track has a lot of heart and is just the right kind of laid-back to kick off the new year smoothly.
Week 52: The Doors – The End
I thought it’d be very fitting to wrap up this year with one of the best tracks by one of the best bands of all time. The fact that the title is The End is just an added bonus. The track was recorded in a single take, which with today’s standard is an amazing accomplishment. Is this the end? I’m not sure yet. I might continue in 2015 with in a slight tweak. For now though, this is The End.
Week 51: The Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet With Butterfly Wings
There are a lot of great tracks by The Smashing Pumpkins, and even tho this is likely the most commercially successful, it’s still the one I have to include as track of the week simply because of when it was released and what it meant to me at the time. I think a lot of people who were the same age as me when this track was released have the same relationship to it. Billy Corgan’s somewhat unpolished vocals coupled with heavy guitars and really grungy drums is such a fantastic combination.
Week 50: Trans-Siberian Orchestra – The Lost Christmas Eve
Ah, Christmas time is upon us! Maybe you love it, maybe you don’t, but there’s no denying the fact that it’s that time of year again. I debated, with myself as I tend to do, if I should include any holiday themed tracks. After a lot of internal deliberation, I decided that I had no choice but to include a track by the amazing Trans-Siberian Orchestra. This is the title track from their fourth album, and while not as energetic as some of their other tracks it delivers a great vocal performance and tells an interesting story.