The music world lost quite a songstress yesterday. Etta James, perhaps best known for her rendition of Glenn Miller’s song “At Last,” died yesterday after complications of leukemia. For more on her life and legacy, read The New York Times article here. Watch her perform “At Last” below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADDigK8LwyE
Just over two years ago I caught SafetySuit’s impressive set at Bowery Ballroom and quickly became a fan. Their powerful live show had me wondering why I never heard of the talented Nashville-based act before. Last week, the band released their sophomore album, These Times. They enlisted the help of fans for the music video and title track and the album.
Of “These Times,” frontman Doug Brown says it was written out of a social need.
“As a band, we were talking a lot about the songs on the record, and obviously, a lot of songs are gonna be about relationships, love and loss; that’s the most common emotion people have. But as we were looking at the track, we felt like something was missing: what the pulse of the nation is right now,” he said. “When we started thinking and talking about that, ‘These Times’ sprang out of that. The chorus goes, ‘Sitting alone here in my bed/Waiting for an answer I don’t know that I’ll get/I cannot stand to look in the mirror I’m failing.’ You just get tired of being on the short end of the stick; I think a lot of people feel that way.
“There’s a lot of people out there who would kill to just have a job so they can provide for their families. It’s tough, man—it’s tough for people, and that sucks. But we didn’t want to leave it at that, so we wrote, ‘These times are hard/But they will pass,’ and that’s important to remind people of. We’ve made it out of bad times before, and we’ll make it out again.”
Watch the poignant video below and for more on the band visit their Website.
Last night, I witnessed Elizabeth and the Catapult live at Mercury Lounge for a phenomenal set. Having seen the band perform several times throughout New York, I’m always thoroughly impressed. Whether frontwoman Elizabeth Ziman is playing her own material or covering LCD Soundsystem and Dawes, she makes each track her own.
With captivating vocals that hushed the crowd, Elizabeth and the Catapult performed a powerful cover of Dawes’ poignant track, “When My Time Comes,” all the while reminding me how much I love the song. Watch Dawes’ version below.
Mariah Carey’s timeless classic, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is my all time favorite Christmas song. This is the one I never tire of hearing, whether it’s the day after Thanksgiving or the middle of July.
While Justin Bieber and countless other musicians have put their own spin on Carey’s hit, the original will never go out of style.
Watch the music video below and to listen to my 90s holiday mix, click here. Merry Christmas!
As the colder weather kicks in and holiday tunes are everywhere, it’s refreshing to hear a new song this season. Dublin-based Steafan Hanvey’s track, “Hundred Days of Snow” is just that: a welcomed addition to our seasonal repertoire.
Compared to Ray Lamontagne and Jeff Buckley, Hanvey’s soothing yet raspy vocals captivate the listener. With delicate guitar and percussion accompaniment, it’s the perfect track to add to your holidays.
To listen and download “Hundred Days of Snow” click below. For more on Steafan Hanvey, visit his Website. Stay tuned for the release of his sophomore album Nuclear Family, due out 2012.
Yesterday, I watched Paul McCartney Live on VH1 Classic and only found it fitting to feature The Beatles this week as my song of the week. While scouring YouTube for my favorite songs by the Liverpool lads, I found this iconic performance from The Ed Sullivan Show. While “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” is one of my personal favorites, watch as the band plays “All My Loving,” “Till Their Was You” and “She Loves You.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1wIXIFfrXI
If you haven’t yet, be sure to vote for You Sing I Write for a chance to cover the MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Paul McCartney. For more information, click here, like the MusiCares page and select Vote for Blogger Finalists on the left. Thanks!
Last week, NEEDTOBREATHE released the video for “Drive All Night,” the newest single off their album, The Reckoning. Currently on tour with Taylor Swift, the South Carolina natives have been making a name for themselves with their high energy Southern rock.
Their latest single further proves just why Swift hand-selected them to open up for her every night. With arena friendly choruses, catchy banjo interludes, a driving drum beat and frontman Bear Rinehart’s yearning vocals, “Drive All Night” adequately showcases the band’s staying power.
Watch the video below and be sure to catch them on their headlining tour next year. For complete dates, visit their Web site.
Related Links:
• Q&A: NEEDTOBREATHE
• You Sing I Write’s Top 10 of 2010
• Band of the Week: NEEDTOBREATHE
• 5 Tips for Landing an Opening Slot
With gritty guitar and a heart-pounding drum and bass beat, “Happens Every Day,” grabs the listener’s attention right away. Frontman Matt Reich’s catchy vocals only continue to add to the song.
The first single and track off Lights Resolve’s debut album, Feel You’re Different, it’s an adequate introduction of what’s to come. Clocking in at nearly three minutes, it’s hard not to have the band’s “oh-oh-oh-oh’s” stuck in your head long after the song is over.
Watch Lights Resolve perform the track live in the studio below. Download “Happens Every Day” for free when you post it on Twitter.
Exactly two years ago I posted this Switchfoot song as my Song of the Week. Just hours before my 25th birthday, the song held great meaning to me. As the years have progressed, his words still ring true.
Of “Twenty-Four,” frontman Jon Foreman said, “I wrote this song near the end of my 24th year on this planet. Wherever we run, wherever the sun finds us when he rises, we remain stuck with ourselves. That can be overwhelming. Sometimes I feel like my soul is polluted with politicians, each with a different point of view. With all 24 of them in disagreement, each voice is yelling to be heard.
“And so I am divided against myself. I feel that I am a hypocrite until I am one, when all of the yelling inside of me dies down. I’ve heard that the truth will set you free. That’s what I’m living for: freedom of spirit. I find unity and peace in none of the diversions that this world offers. But I’ve seen glimpses of truth and that’s where I want to run.”
Watch Foreman perform the track along with some behind the scenes footage from a Switchfoot tour.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW6fYE7xXMA
I haven’t been able to stop playing this song by Elizabeth and the Catapult after their phenomenal CMJ showcase last night. With captivating vocals, striking guitar accompaniment and catchy whistling, it’s a memorable track that is bound to get stuck in your head long after the first listen.
Watch below as Elizabeth and the Catapult perform the track live from their showcase last year at CMJ. Stay tuned for my complete CMJ reviews in the upcoming days.