Archive for the ‘Pop’ Category
You might remember L.A.-based rock band Carolina Liar from its appearance on a recent 90210 episode, especially its performance of “Show Me What I’m Looking For.” With production by Max Martin (Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone”) and Johan Schuster (cowriter of P!nk’s “So What”), Carolina Liar is in good hands as “Show Me What I’m Looking For” builds with vigorous guitar, keyboards, and sing-along choruses. Chad Wolf’s voice compares favorably to Keane’s Tom Chaplin, while the rising tempo makes “Show Me What I’m Looking For” custom-made for a scene where shy lovers spot one another across the corridor and leap slo-mo into each other’s arms. If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Somalia-born Toronto native K’naan puts rap music in a choke hold on the first single from his upcoming album, Troubadour. “Bang Bang” is a call for creativity in a genre where homogeneity reigns supreme over nearly everyone. K’naan does it all – flowing over rock beats, singing the hook, defiantly stomping down his own path. If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
This track from the Latino R&B crooner’s latest long-player, Out the Box, is a sweet bit of soul music with a modern, guitar-tinged edge. The backbeat pulsates with touches of wah-wah guitar, chiming melodies, and conga drums. The man of the hour, Jean, delivers his plea for awareness in a versatile, slick style with a touch of gritty soul underneath. Be sure to check out the Spanish version of the track. If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
The orchestrated syncopation that opens singer-songwriter Erin McCarley’s “Pony (It’s OK)” is simply infectious. A steady stream of piano chords and a constant offering of measured guitar riffs contrast brilliantly with an off-kilter, manual typewriter-like percussion line. But the song isn’t built on gimmicks, as heard in the Dallas area native’s soaring, sing-along chorus. At the core of it all is McCarley’s confident yet personable voice. If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
This is some soulful, sentimental pop that starts with a piano-driven lead and proceeds to tell a bittersweet love story. The trio’s frontman, Danny O’Donoghue, engages with a conversational delivery, before diving into well-timed harmonies and a booming chorus filled with vocal swells reminiscent of Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Kick back, snack on some chips, and soak in the sunny vibe. Newcomer Little Jackie plays corner reporter on “The Stoop,” relaying big-city buzz from the steps of a Brooklyn brownstone. Imani Coppola is responsible for the free-flowing pop/R&B vocals, while beatsmith Adam Pallin takes credit for the production — a bouncy Motown-style rhythm spiked with horns and keys. File somewhere between Amy Winehouse and Lauryn Hill.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Lenka is a pop singer from Sydney, Australia, whose song “The Show” is a sugary bit of indie-tinged sweetness. It’s hard not to use the word “cute,” but there it is and we mean it in the most endearing sense possible. The pianos are jaunty and give the track a bit of bounce that’s furthered by the subtle horns in the backdrop. Lenka’s little-girl-lost vocals are the clincher, though. By the end, it’s impossible not to start grabbing hands anonymously and trying to skip, frolic, and otherwise enjoy life.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Chilean teen pop sensation Kudai set its sights on the U.S. with the band’s third studio album Nadha, the first to be released here in the States. The song “Lejos de Aquí” is an electro-tinged pop track with airy vocals and lyrics focused on global warming, reminding us that we all have to take responsibility for our actions that impact future generations.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Belanova shows that synth pop is not just the playground of tech-savvy Brits or Americans. On “One, Two, Three, Go!,” the Guadalajara, Mexico, trio (Denisse Guerrero, Edgar Huerta, Ricardo Arreola) cut loose with programmed beats, shout-along hooks and Guerrero’s high-pitch yelp reminiscent of Le Tigre’s Kathleen Hanna. “One, Two, Three, Go!” is a sweet blast of international pop, equally useful on the treadmill and the dance floor.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
A star of screens both small and large, Ximena Sariñana has also flirted with music throughout various periods in her young career. But the music contained on her official full-length debut, Mediocre is her most complete statement yet. Her individual songwriting style has a wounded jazzy style that is somewhere between Norah Jones and Fiona Apple, but she has a more evocative way of enunciating – and the instrumentation has a luscious, rock-edged feel.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
