One of the most anticipated global releases of 2017, “÷”
sees the 25-year-old in his finest form yet.
Drawing inspiration from a wide array of experiences and subjects,
Sheeran takes you through a hugely personal journey; be that reflecting on past
relationships, family memories, his musical career or his time off travelling
the world in 2016. Musically, ÷ is a varied collection of beautifully
orchestrated and emotive ballads, impassioned raps laid over hip hop beats,
timeless acoustic guitar masterpieces, and innovative, idiosyncratic pop
music. Constantly on the move, the
album was recorded between LA, London, Suffolk and while crossing the Atlantic
aboard the RMS Queen Mary 2. Executive
produced by multi-GRAMMY winner Benny Blanco and Sheeran himself with
additional production coming from frequent collaborator Johnny McDaid, GRAMMY
winner Mike Elizondo, and BRIT-award winner Steve Mac. Sheeran also created the album artwork
concept for “÷” , even painting the cover himself.
Editors Pick from this album is 'Supermarket Flowers' (see below)
Canadian-born blues/alternative rock band July Talk, notorious for their epic contrast of dark and light lyrical ability, have dropped their Album 'Touch' today and it's FABULOUS! Lead vocalists Peter Dreimanis and Leah Fay are a combined force unlike ANY we have heard on earth: a combustible energy not to be contended with when we also combine them with instrumentation that is cutting edge via band mates Ian Docherty (Guitar), Josh Warburton (Bass Guitar), and Danny Miles (Drums).
Let's begin with my fave 'Jesus Said So', a legitimate four minute twenty three second song/dose of reality: the worlds gone to shit, and Peter and Leah have no qualms about delivering this fact through carefully written lyrics delivered with their own unique 'let's do this/in your face' flair. It's genius and probably one of my most favourite July Talk songs to date. Why? Because these Artists aren't afraid to sing about the 'not so pleasant' things in life which the world needs right now: let's talk - not ignore the issues because only then can real change be made.
Delving further into the album, we have previously released singles 'Push + Pull' and 'Strange Habit'. 'Push + Pull' became my go-to gym song, and we gym rats need something worthy of repeatable nature when we are in mid run and aren't able change the tunes for fear of falling face first into the machine - also, in this case, why would I want to? The song is highly addictive! It was inspiring enough to want to listen on repeat and the tempo throughout was consistent, fast paced and conpletely addictive. If 'Push + Pull' was the 'taste' of what's to come for the upcoming album release then 'Strange Habit' became its predecessor quickly leaving all July Talk fans wanting more, anticipating this albums release. 'Strange Habit' was a nice contrast and truly showed the diversity of what this band has to offer as far as style, composition, and creativity.
The albums title song 'Touch' is a song which also harnesses humanity and all our idiosyncracies: the craving to be understood and loved while also not wanting to reveal too much for fear of being 'exposed' and 'vulnerable'. Another brilliant song.
Going further still, songs like 'Picturing Love' (first track off the album) is a good dose of Peters gravelly vocals and intensity followed by 'Beck + Call', 'Now I Know', 'Johnny + Mary', 'Lola + Joseph', and 'So Sorry' lend vivacity, power, and balance to this already epic 10-track album.
As a Music Journalist, I have to say that I am completely satisfied with this album in its entirety. There are no flaws here and I tip my hat to these Artists who have not only been consistently touring across country throughout the summer, but also charming and acquiring (and maybe even shocking? Just a little) a rapidly growing new fan base. Their onstage performances coincide with the powerful image and persona which they have engraved into the hearts and souls of their loyal fans. This album gets a Starlight Music Chronicles five out of five star rating!
The Lumineers are one of the unique success stories of the
past few years. A down-to-earth independent Americana trio hailing from Denver,
their banging anthem “Ho Hey” took the world by storm in 2012, followed by a
second #1 single “Stubborn Love” and their third charting single “Submarines”,
all carrying them on a journey from the Grammy's, to the top of the charts, to
the Hunger Games, all in a short period of time.
Their self-titled debut album became a multi-million seller
as they stormed stages around the world and legions of new fans fell in love
with the emotional and philosophical range of their pointed, lyrical
songwriting. Now, at long last, they are back with their second album,
Cleopatra, a collection of such depth and texture it affirms The Lumineers as a
band in for the long haul, with a growing canon of songs that stand comparison
with the best America has to offer.
The Lumineers consist of Wesley Schultz on vocals &
guitar and Jeremiah Fraites on drums & piano. They are joined by the
renowned cellist and backing vocalist Neyla Pekarek. “Cleopatra”, is the
culmination of three years of non-stop touring, six months of secluded writing
in a small house in Denver, and two months of recording in the rural isolation
of Woodstock. “I think the old fashioned way is the honest way,” says soft
spoken singer Wesley. “We wanted to take our time, strip it right back to its
raw and honest essentials, and make an album we believe in.”
This 10-track CD opens with “Sleep On the Floor” which grabs
one right from the first note. The lyrics relate to the ups and downs of ones
daily life and are powerfully projected by Wesley in a very hypnotic fashion.
“Ophelia” takes you to the core of very deep feelings. Jeremiah's piano work
sets the pace for this entire piece. The title track, “Cleopatra” features
Wesley's picking on his signature Guild guitar and his telling vocals. The
timeless Lumineers sound permeates throughout this wonderful tune.
“Gun Song” is about Wesley's father and the gun he found
laying in a drawer after he passed away. This pulsating composition will raise
your blood pressure and take one to another place immediately. “Angela” takes
me back to a day when music told a story that had a deep, heartfelt meaning.
This track will hold you captive! One of my favorite tracks on this LP! “In The
Light” is an Americana monster, hands down! The projection is so smooth and
makes one want to hit replay numerous times! The acoustic guitar just talks and
is so fluid!
“Gale Song” reminds me of some of the greats from the good
old days in the way this song is performed. Ballads are where an artist is
defined and the feelings they give to their listeners. “Long Way From Home”
tells of a personal journey that one takes from their youth to adulthood. This
track is finely detailed in every sense and is accentuated by tender guitar
picking. “Sick In The Head” tells a poignant story of those who were there and
now are gone. Touching! The final track, “My Eyes” is so powerfully expressed
and touches the listener in places we thought no longer existed. This song will
give you goosebumps in short order. I replayed this track numerous times to get
that deep feeling that exudes from it.
I can honestly say that this effort goes 'way over the top'
and will be Platinum in its first month of existence. This IS the best I have
heard from The Lumineers and will be a staple in my catalog for many years to
come. BRAVO!!
This LP is a MUST LISTEN and MUST BUY! On the Nor'easter
Storm Scale, I give this my highest rating, a FORCE 5!! WELL DONE!!
NASHVILLE, TN –(March 8, 2016) – The much anticipated new
single from country superstar Blake Shelton, “Came Here To Forget,” premiered
March 8th, 2013 and immediately raced to the No. 1 spot on iTunes’
Country Chart. The track is the first single off his forthcoming 12th studio
album, 'If I’m Honest', set to release on Warner Bros. Records/Warner Music
Nashville May 20. “This is the most excited I’ve been about a new album since
the release of my second record,” said Shelton.
Written by Craig Wiseman and Deric Ruttan, “Came Here To
Forget” is an intimate snapshot of a couple’s encounter at a bar. “I’ve had a
lot of music over the years,” Shelton continued, “but I don’t think I’v
Shelton recently performed to two sold out crowds at
Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena with The Tennessean noting that Shelton
reinforced “he is one of country music’s most skilled song men and reliable,
identifiable voices” and further adding that “his delivery of “Goodbye Time”
[was] one of the finest country music moments on Bridgestone Arena’s stage in
recent memory.” His ‘Blake Shelton 2016 Tour Presented by Gildan’ concludes
next weekend with stops in New York and Pennsylvania.
Slime-filled fun is set to take center stage this Saturday,
March 12 as Shelton prepares to host Nickelodeon’s 2016 Kids’ Choice Awards.
Super-sized surprises will take over this year’s awards honoring favorites from
the worlds of film, music and television, and giving kids a front-row seat to
slime, stunts and celebrities. The show will roll out on Nickelodeon’s more
than 180 countries and territories around the globe.
Shelton is currently coaching for his tenth season of NBC’s
two-time Emmy Award-winning musical competition series “The Voice.” A four-time
champion coach, Shelton is re-united with Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, and
Pharrell Williams.
Winter Tour Presented
by Gildan dates:
3/17/2016 - Buffalo, NY - First Niagara Center
3/18/2016 - Wilkes-Barre, PA - Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey
Plaza
3/19/2016 - Pittsburgh, PA - CONSOL Energy Center
Canadian Summer Festival dates:
July 9 Cavendish
Music Festival - Cavendish, PEI
July 30 Big Valley
Jamboree - Camrose, ALTA
August 6 Boots &
Hearts Festival - Oro-Mendonte,
ONT
by CA Marshall The long awaited single 'Like Destiny' by Missouri based Barley Station has launched today and, well, it's bloody fabulous! It is the band's music which originally connected Vocalist Randy Wayne Belt to Starlight Music Chronicles via mutual industry friends and there is definitely credibility that needs to be recognized here: Randy Wayne Belt is an exceptional writer and it clearly shows in this new release. All instrumental, mixing, vocals, and production was created singlehandedly by Randy and it is a credit to both his multitasking abilities & talent that such a pretty song has been created in such a short amount of time! In addition to his meticulous and consistently polished articles that he writes for Starlight Music Chronicles Magazine and online, he is able to continuously create something new every time for Barley Station and keeps up with the growing fan base. In the wake of last fall's epic 'Double Star' release on October 15th, 2015, 'Like Destiny' is a Mellifuous blend of both instrumental and vocal brought home with a folk/rock blend truly consistent to what is now known as 'The Barley Station Sound'. Congrats on yet another single knocked out of the park!
Toronto, ON - The Jeff Healey Estate, in conjunction with
Convexe Entertainment / Universal Music, have announced the release of Heal My
Soul. Never before heard by the public, this extraordinary lost album will be
on sale March 24, 2016, a day before what would have been Healey's 50th
birthday.
The music on Heal My Soul captures Healey in full flight,
displaying the virtuosity that made the Toronto native one of the most revered
musicians in the world during his all-too-brief lifetime. Key tracks include
the blistering "Daze Of The Night," the soaring acoustic ballad
"Baby Blue," and Healey's soulful take on Richard Thompson's "I
Misunderstood."
In a joint statement, Jeff Healey Estate Co-Administrators
Cristie Healey and Roger Costa said, "Heal My Soul is a project that we
have wanted to tackle for years. A 'lost' album, it contains material recorded
during one of the most creative periods in Jeff's rock career. Until now, it
has never seen the light of day. Jeff was very proud of this work and it features
some of the most powerful and impassioned performances he ever committed to
record. With complete creative control we've laboured hard, tracking down
recordings, identifying the right performances, restoring them to their proper
stature and mixing and mastering them from the ground up. This has been a true
labour of love for us from beginning to end and we're absolutely thrilled to be
able to finally share this significant release with the world."
Healey is remembered as one of the most outstanding
guitarists and all-around musicians of the past 30 years. He lost his sight
during early childhood due to retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer.
Playing guitar since the age of 3, he developed the distinctive lap-style
guitar technique that helped bring him international attention by his late
teens. A Grammy nominee and JUNO Award winner, his five releases with The Jeff
Healey Band totaled millions of sales worldwide. Over the course of his career,
he also shared stages and earned the admiration of countless other musicians
including B.B. King, Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, George Harrison, Stevie
Ray Vaughan, and the Allman Brothers Band. Jeff Healey died on March 2, 2008 at
age 41 after a three-year battle with sarcoma cancer.
Toronto, ON - Inspired to get their new music out to fans as
soon as possible, The Cat Empire have brought the release date of their new
album 'Rising With The Sun forward to March 4
(Two Shoes / Fontana North). "The music is finished, the artwork is
done, we're all excited about getting the album out as quickly as we can, so
people have time to listen to it ahead of our world tour this year. So we are
moving the release date forward a week to March 4" explains lead vocalist
Felix Riebl.
The cover art was created by local Sydney and ARIA Award
winning artist Aaron Hayward. Inspired by a traditional Mexican design known as
an "Ojos de Dios" (Eye of God), these designs were traditionally
created for a celebration, and often presented as a gift to bless a home.
Inside, the booklet art will feature the faces of over 3,500 lucky fans of The
Cat Empire from around the world who were quick to respond to the bands call to
fans to share their faces for the artwork. The band posted; "We know The
Cat Empire fan to be a spirited, international, ageless, music loving person
who loves to dance and have a good time. But sometimes from stage the audience
can start to look like a blur of faces. We want to know who you are, and we
want to be able to see each and every one of your faces. So we are going to
shine the spotlight back on The Cat Empire global army of fans for a moment,
and ask you to share a photo of yourself with us".
The album was recorded during 2015 in their home town of
Melbourne, Australia with sought after producer and long-time friend Jan
Skubiszewski. The band fit managed to
fit in recording sessions in between touring commitments which saw them play to
a global audience of over half a million people, including headlining some of
the world's biggest festivals, and a sold out show at London's iconic Royal
Albert Hall.
"We kept
everything fresh" front man Riebl reveals. "We were confident because
we had a sound from our previous record (2013's Steal The Light) that we were
really happy with, so that was our starting point... it was just a matter of
going back to that physical space and coming up with new songs."
"The spontaneous side of our music is the thing people
are drawn to," adds co-front man Harry James Angus. "We started each
day with all the musicians finding their seat, and we'd get a sound and play.
Something would sound good and we'd develop a song out of it. Felix and I both
brought ideas we'd already developed to the table but they were able to be
borne out in the band in a very spontaneous way".
With two songs already released including 'Que Sera Ahora',
which the band have been performing as part of their set throughout Europe, and
the triple j / double j favourite 'Wolves', fans have already had a glimpse at
The Cat Empire's new material.
The songs on Rising With The Sun feel explosive and custom
built for festivals. Riebl makes no secret about what the intention is for
these songs. "You can play it on a big stage. The choruses are ones people
can sing. The rhythms really work."
Pre-sales for the new album will go live this week on the
bands website. A 100% independent band globally, The Cat Empire have the
freedom to offer fans exactly what they want, and they are doing just that with
pre-order packages that include coveted opportunities like attending sound
check, one on one music workshops with band members, Harry and Ollie performing
in people's homes, signed memorabilia, limited edition packages of CD/digital
and vinyl versions of Rising With The Sun, artisan crafted jewellery, handmade
artworks of the album art, and many more offerings to make the fans smile. Fans
in Canada will not have long to wait to see the band live with a Canadian tour
being announced soon.
Where the following of one’s heart can occasionally feel foolish before the bumper-car headlights of
pragmatists asleep at the wheel, the results of allowing passion to strengthen and form as gifts comes
through clearly in Foolish Heart Songs, the long-awaited debut album by Tyler MacGregor. As a collection of new and re-mastered songs from previous release on SoundCloud, the album adds an
electric edge to MacGregor’s trademark acoustic style, and while electric guitar may not become an
addition to his live performances, its addition to the album felt natural for the Toronto singer-songwriter.
“I’m mostly an acoustic guy,” says MacGregor, “and wanted the whole record to have an unplugged feel.
As time went on, I started fooling around with the electric guitar and realized that, for leads, solos and
atmosphere, it really lent itself well to the songs,” as did amending elements and removing others. In a re-worked version of “Til the Day I Die,” MacGregor added electric swells throughout the song and
removed the brush drums from the bridge. He also brought up the lead vocals, “because in the original
mix, you couldn’t really decipher the lyrics.” For “Grouchy,” MacGregor infused the formerly all-acoustic
song with a dynamic interplay of electric leads and rhythms, augmented by amplified background vocals
in the chorus. In “Don’t Ever Wake Me,” he employed (and admittedly fell in love with) an
“echo-drenched wah-wah” guitar effect that made its way into many album tracks, and for “Asleep at
the Wheel,” he added more background vocals in addition to amending a few lyrics that had been
bothering him. The results is an album that comes across as a collection of brand new work—even for fans who’ve
listened to the few previously released SoundCloud tracks. Yet more than that, the album stands as
encouragement to anyone who feels the pull and passion of their own “foolish” heart songs but feels
they don’t have the resources to make them happen. Says MacGeregor, “Some of the record was paid
for using the old barter system.” In MacGregor’s case, he intrepidly exchanged studio time for helping
the studio owner paint his living room and renovate his kitchen, to which MacGregor happily says,
“Great system when you have no money left for recording. I got about four songs out of it.” 'Foolish Heart Songs' will be available for digital download on Bandcamp on November 26th. If you’re in
Toronto that night, head over to the Paddock Tavern at 9 p.m. for the CD release party. Joining
MacGregor on stage: Alexander Quail and Sarah Hiltz.
