Posts Tagged ‘Pop’
Each week we find a track from an artist or a band we’ve been enjoying and bring it to you, for free, as our Single of the Week. Long Island–born singer/songwriter Ryan Star was pegged as “the indie guy” on the reality TV show Rockstar. He didn’t win the competition, but he soon found himself signing on the dotted line with Atlantic Records. He’s got a gravelly voice that’s apt to soar over big, thundering kick drums and sensitive piano phrases. Lyrically, “Breathe” speaks to the simple act of letting go and learning to trust.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Gossip return unleash a new batch of rock ‘n’ roll mayhem with help from producer Rick Rubin with Music for Men. Transformative rock, sharpened disco hooks, soul, and gospel influence abounds. Check out our free Single of the Week, the funk-punk-tastic “Heavy Cross.” If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date. 
Still only juniors in high school, Comic Book Heroes already have four years of music experience in their gig bags. Don’t let their youth fool you, though: This is by no means teen pop. Citing collective influences that range from Charles Mingus, the Rolling Stones, and David Bowie to Dream Theater, Nirvana, and Franz Ferdinand, the quartet from Reading, Pa., perfectly combines sassy vocals, strutting guitars, and confident beats into a rumbling, grown-up rock ’n’ roll declaration. If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date. 
Any recording that begins with an old-fashioned walking double bass line already sounds like a winner to us. Add suave yet understated drumming, crisp acoustic guitar comping, and, most importantly, singer/songwriter/pianist/guitarist Leslie Mendelson’s spirited voice, and one gets a song that does indeed, as advertised, “Hit the Spot.” The bluesy piano and boozy horns that come in later fortify the song’s adult-pop brilliance, which will make listeners frequently click “repeat.” If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Puerto Rican reggaeton producer Naldo came to the attention of many a club-goer after his contributons to the Mas Flow compilations. His slick, syth-heavy style is all over this new track from his forthcoming album while the mic gets passed over to De La Ghetto for the sweet vocal work. If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Anuhea provides a sweet reminder that looks can be deceiving. This blonde-haired, blued-eyed singer/songwriter is actually Hawai’i born and bred, and laidback “Right Love, Wrong Time” showcases her engaging brand of R&B with a breezy twist — befitting of Anuhea’s island roots. File this sultry song somewhere near Lauryn Hill, Little Jackie, and Colbie Caillat. If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
Is it too early to think about the summer songs of 2009? The fledgling Charlottesville, VA quintet Parachute’s “Under Control” is an early qualifier, if not. Opening with a brief, dual guitar-and-keyboard instrumental exploration, it quickly transforms as infectious piano chords and Will Anderson’s soaring vocals join in to make it an irresistible pop-soul gathering. Organ stabs, whirling guitar interplay and sing-along group backing vocals join in for the chorus, as proverbial drinks in red plastic cups are raised and iPhones are illuminated and waved in communal celebration. If you like the track, check out the album.
IMPORTANT: Downloads are only free on iTunes for approximately 1 week from this post date.
