A nice musical salad this week on “Single Play.” Norah Jones gets soulful, Bear Mountain pens a catchy one with Nelly Furtado, EarlyMorningRebel smolder on a emotionally naked track, and OneRepublic do that thing they do so well.
Norah Jones, “Carry On”
Norah Jones’ voice is almost tailor made for Adult Contemporary radio. Her resonant, yet silky sound is so relaxing that it’s kind of an oasis in the daily noise that can assault our senses. Her new album comes out in October, but this lead single demonstrates that she’s trying to strip down to a more soulful sound that doesn’t force the emotion in the song. It’s pleasant, soothing — and the video is awfully sweet.
Bear Mountain, “On My Own”
Nelly Furtado isn’t a name that automatically comes to mind when you think of EDM. But Furtado has co-written “On My Own” with the electro pop group, Bear Mountain — with mild flourishes of EDM laced into the groove. The hooks are there, but perhaps due to its mid-tempo vibe — and more restrained delivery — it’s not the kind of song that automatically reaches out and grabs you by the collar demanding that you listen. Instead, the tune slowly reveals its charms over repeated spins.
EarlyMorningRebel, “Set The World On Fire”
When people say “Radio is dead,” it’s often because when it comes to new music, television and not radio is the medium that will feature an adventurous song that is off the beaten path. Some artists write in a visual/cinematic way, and that’s certainly the case with EarlyMorningRebel — whose “Set The World On Fire” is being featured on “Murder in the First” (TNT). “Set The World On Fire” is, as I wrote at the outset, an emotionally naked song makes you sit up and take notice upon first listen. So, have a listen, and you’ll see what I mean.
OneRepublic, “Kids”
There are only a few groups who know how to hit the sincerity button effectively in their music. OneRepublic is one of those groups. Ever since they burst on the scene in 2007, they’ve been able to craft emotionally sincere songs that don’t really repeat themselves in terms of style. With “Kids” the band has another strong single off their upcoming record, Oh My My. While “Wherever I Go” was a good song, “Kids” has more depth to me. Maybe because they don’t rub some hook in the chorus in my face over and over. Rather, like Bear Mountain’s “On My Own,” “Kids” slowly reveals its strength in terms of composition and craft.
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