I've been meaning to write this post for a while now because I am obsessed with Jana Kramer's latest single 'I Got the Boy'. I've been a fan of Jana Kramer since I saw her on One Tree Hilland when she started releasing music I got really excited. I loved her first album and listened to it non stop but nothing, I feel, compares to this single.
'I Got the Boy' tells the story of a girl who fell in love with a boy and how he's now moved on to someone new. It's quite a sad song but it's something I think a lot of us think about when we see old friends/boyfriends/crushes finally growing up and getting married. Its a song for reminiscing which is what I love about country music, they tell stories so well. Jana Kramer has that really strong country sound to her voice which I really love, she sounds completely country music but her voice is incredibly powerful. I feel, that her voice also has the ability to really capture emotion, in particular on this track, at any moment I keep thinking she's going to break down in tears which may sound harsh but I like to hear raw emotion behind a song, I think it makes them stand out.
I love the entire sound to the track, it's got ballad elements but with those clear country guitars which makes it a little less dramatic which I always prefer. It's an incredibly emotional song sung perfectly. Furthermore, its very relatable and it's a song that I can't stop listening to at the moment. Jana Kramer definitely doesn't get enough credit for her craft as this is truly, one of the most beautiful songs I've heard this year. I cannot wait to see what she has to release next. The single is out now and available on iTunes.
Check out Jana Kramer's'I Got the Boy' below:
Have you listened to Jana Kramer before? If so, what's your favourite track?
The other day, I was on Twitter when I noticed I had a new verified follower. It always surprises me when I get a verified follower, especially when they are singers and it makes me curious to find out more about them. The person who followed me the other day was Daniel Pearson after checking out his Spotifypage I was pleasantly surprised.
'Mercury State' is a very relatable album for most people. Daniel Pearson comes from a working class background in Hull, and this shows through the lyrics within this album describing his struggles that have come from the recession. Guitar driven opening track of 'Factor Floor' describes this with Daniel Pearson's striking lyrics. I love the echo-y sound that the track features as he sings 'what more could you want from me' which gives the feeling of unity.
The first song that I played was 'I Still Believe' which is a slow song that is so beautiful, there's a long piano introduction which gave me the chills and then Daniel Pearson'ssilky voice comes into play, which makes it even more beautiful. It's a song that makes you think, and for me it's about cherishing every moment, regardless of what is happening in the world. 'There's still some power in the smallest of dreams', I love that lyric. It's a very hopeful song and very honest which I think is refreshing.
Daniel Pearson also has a heavier rock and blues feel to his music in tracks 'Promises' and 'Hard Times'. I feel like he has subtle digs at the government in 'Promises' and talks about their broken promises which is quite gutsy in opinion. It's also different, as a lot of the music that I hear are more love songs, so this is quite a different approach in modern music to talk about the issues of day-to-day life rather than lost love. It's very much reminiscent to how music used to be. I like the lyrics of 'hope has disappeared, it won't be coming back' and the 'lies you tell by the money you make'. I love the feel and the sound of 'Hard Times' it has that heavier sound and gives the feeling of people fighting back and surviving regardless of the difficulties that the state has put them into.
As well as his different approach to telling stories about real life, and not romanticising life. I think that Daniel Pearson is a great lyricist. Quite a lot of his lyrics stick out to me, not only do they reflect life struggles but I feel like you can take those lyrics and turn them into motivation. Such as in 'Rat Race' when he sings 'it's a hard race to run when you're running with the rats/when you're running out of time', it kind of makes me want to pursue my own dreams more to prove everyone wrong. Also in 'Old Friends' which sees Pearson return to his country/folk vibes with the ending lyrics of 'whether it rains or pours' it's just a reminder that you've got people there who will stick with you through the hard times of your life and they're the ones who count.
I was impressed with Daniel Pearson's completely honest and open lyrics and singing about topics that we don't normally hear. He also shows his range and what he is capable of when he sings with just a guitar and sounds more folk, or then amps it up with a heavier guitar and more production work and then slows it down again with a beautiful song of just him and his piano like 'I Still Believe'. He's quite a unique artist and one to definitely one to watch.
Check out the lyric video of Daniel Pearson's 'I Still Believe' below:
Have you checked out Daniel Pearson yet? Who are you currently listening to?
I stumbled across The Shires music a couple of weeks ago when I fell in love with a song that kept playing at work. After googling the lyrics I found out the song was 'Tonight' by The Shires and I was going to write a post then, but I noticed that they were releasing an album soon so decided to hang out and check out their album. Anyway, The Shires released their album 'Brave' yesterday and my god, it may be one of my new favourites.
The Shires are a British country duo, and we all know how I have a soft spot for country music, who formed in 2013. Their opening track from 'Brave' is 'Tonight'. This is probably my favourite but that's because I've been listening to it for ages. It kind of reminds me a little of Lady Antebellum (who I love). The song is very romantic about falling in love, it's upbeat and cheerful, its optimistic and just describes the moment of falling in love perfectly.
On 'Brave' there are a few up-tempo songs that remind me of typical country but they have their own unique flare and sound on country music.I love 'Nashville Grey Skies' as it demonstrates this country sound that reminds me a little of Dolly Parton in the opening verse. I like how it sounds like they're bringing country to the UK, and creating their own Nashville in their home country. I also love how they sing about 'dancing in the rain' which is typical Britain. It's fun and shows their character. Another of their upbeat and fun tracks is 'Friday Night' its kind of like an anthem about letting loose and having fun with your friends. To me, it has a little bit of pop thrown into it, in particular on the chorus. My favourite of the uptempo tracks though is 'All Over Again' it's cute and tells the story of falling in love with someone over and over. Their voices harmonise and flirt with each other which I really love. It's also really catchy, I can't get the song out of my head.
The track that I find the most different on the album is 'Jekyll and Hyde'. Its more edgy than anything else on the album with a more rock/country approach. For me, I take away that they bring out a different side of the person that they are with. I think it's a good use of the story and makes them a little quirky. I love songs that use well known stories to help tell their own messages. It also shows a different side of The Shires and shows that they are quite a diverse band and have a wide range and tones to their voices.
As well as the up beat and fun tracks, they also show a more romantic and softer side to their character with slower tracks which I can't get enough of. Title track 'Brave' is one of my favourite tracks on the entire album. In the verses, their voices remind me a little of The Civil Wars who are my favourite folk act. Ben Earle's voice sounds silky smooth in this track and gives me shivers. I like how the track doesn't stay slow and peaceful throughout the entire song and builds in the chorus into something more powerful making it sound like they are fighting for each other. 'I Just Wanna Love You' is another favourite. It sounds very reflective talking about what they once wanted and how now that they've grown up that doesn't matter and how they would rather be that special person. I love how they tell stories within their music. It's an incredibly romantic song and I can see this being used on TV or in movies.
'Made In England' describes typical British things that living in Britain we probably don't appreciate or think of as a nuisance. They make rain sound romantic with the 'grey skies' and I love the line, 'vinegar and salt on my lips, nothing like Friday night fish and chips' that really gave me a craving to go to the seaside for fish and chips. It shows that they are patriotic to England despite this country sound that is more typically associated with America.
Following on with the more ballad and slower tracks, we have 'State Lines' which gave me shivers, as they sing about all the little things that make up the relationship. I think Crissie Rhodes voice sounds so beautiful and vulnerable. You can hear the raw happiness in their voices that sounds incredibly precious. 'Black and White' portrays a very clear image of how when you're in love you're just yourself and everything is in black and white. It's incredibly romantic. Finally, we have 'Only Midnight'. I think this is the perfect song to end the album. For me it tells the story of being brave and exposing how you feel to the person you love, it shows their voices off perfectly, with a lot of power behind their voices and there's that flirting in the music again and between their voices that I love. It's all about being brave and being vulnerable. Which I think sums up The Shires perfectly. Country music isn't something we hear a lot of in the UK and so for them to come out as a country duo and stay true to who they are as artists is incredibly brave. I also think their lyrics are very vulnerable and tells relatable stories. I was thoroughly impressed with this album and will no doubt be listening to it for a long time.
Check out The Shires music video for 'Friday Night' below:
Have you checked out The Shires album? What's your favourite track?
If it hasn't been clear, growing up I was obsessed with One Tree Hill. Not only did I love the characters and stories on the show, but it also had really good music on the show too. A lot of those artists I have followed through their career, such as Tyler Hilton, Gavin DeGraw and Kate Voegele. Recently, Kate Voegele released a new EP called 'Wild Card' and I thought I'd share my thoughts.
It's been a couple of years since she released 'Gravity Happens' and I've been eagerly waiting for some new music from Kate and her latest EP doesn't disappoint. The opening track, 'Just Watch Me' sees her delve into a more country folk vibe. It's definitely a sort of reflective song about where you are and where you want to go. Kate isn't afraid of changing styles with her music and somehow it doesn't come across as her changing to fit what people want to hear or what will be popular, but it just seems to show the growth of her music and where she is. After listening to this song a few times, I really love this song, it's like a reminder that you've got plenty of time to figure out where you want to be and who you want to be.
'Carousel' the track is a little edgier than everything else that appears on her EP and has a hint of the vibe that she had in her debut album 'Don't Look Away'. It's a little quirky, but has that country hint to the sound once again. If there was a single thing that I love about Kate Voegele it's her 'break up songs'.
'Ooh La La' is perhaps one of her sweetest songs, it's almost describing that moment when you fall in love, the melody of the song demonstrates that for me. Kate has a unique sound to her voice, in my opinion, and that's what got me interested in her music. She doesn't have the classic pop voice that you hear everywhere, but has this very unique quality that manages to captivate you and draws an audience in. Her songs also tell a story but their stories that we can all relate to, this is also shown in 'Caught Up In You (Feat. Inland Sky) which is incredibly romantic. Their two voices melt together heavenly. It's like nothing that I've heard Voegele do before and shows a softer side to her voice. It's almost angelic when they join together on the chorus.
The final track on the EP is a cover of 'When I'm Gone' from 'Pitch Perfect'. I actually really like her version and how she's changed the song. It's been slowed down and sounds a lot more meaningful, Kate seems to have more power behind the words she's singer. I may just prefer this to the original which is saying a lot.
This EP, for me, shows how versatile Kate Voegele's talent is, even though she doesn't demonstrate that power from songs like 'Kindly Unspoken'. It's definitely got me excited for what she'll be doing next. To me, she's got a lot more to say and this is just the beginning for her return.
Check out Kate Voegele playing 'Just Watch Me' live below:
Are you a fan of Kate Voegele? What's your favourite song off the new EP?
Honestly, I have literally spent the entire day listening to Taylor Swift's'1989' on repeat. There's not many albums where I just sit and listen to the album back-to-back for hours on end but this album is incredibly addictive. Taylor Swift is always ahead of the game, in my opinion. She made Country Music cool, and after owning that she switched it up to pop and experimented a little with an indie style with 'Red'. Her latest release, '1989' shows her exploring sounds of the 80's and making it cool again.
The opening track, 'Welcome to New York' reminds me of 'The Carrie Diaries' every time I listen to it, which is a good thing suggesting the type of style she has aimed for. I wasn't too fussed on the song when I first heard it but now it's one of my favourites. I dare you to sit still whilst listening to the track, it's near enough impossible. She also teamed up with Ryan Tedder on the track so it's no wonder that the song has grown on me.
The album is full of dance beats, but not like the techno and dub-step sounds that we've heard in recent years, it's for me, that classic pop sound. Despite it being the perfect soundtrack for getting ready for a night out when you listen to the lyrics it's actually really amazing and relatable too. There's no doubt that Taylor is one heck of a good story teller with her lyrics. With this album she's not only switched up the genre of music that she's tackled, for me her lyrics show growth. No longer does she seem to have that naive girl sound to her. She seems to have grown up and whilst the songs are fun and innocent they no longer seem too cheesy, however they hold on to that optimistic approach.
'Style' is quite possibly my favourite dance track on the album, I just love 'you've got that James Dean daydream look in your eye' lyric, I've been singing it all day. 'All You Had to do was Stay' is another favourite. I don't normally like it when artists use that synthesised sound which she's used for 'stay' but I think it works incredibly well with this song. 'I Wish You Would' its a very optimistic song, in my opinion, almost like a daydream. It's like when you've been sat thinking about that person who you once had something with and just hoping they'll come back. I also love the lyrics again of 'you always knew how to push my buttons'. That's what I like about Taylor Swift's music, no matter what song you listen to you always pick up on a particular lyric which you love or relate to.
If you were to ask me what my favourite track on the entire album is, normally it would be a hard question for me to answer. But for me, the stand out track is 'Wildest Dreams'. It's sounds incredibly romantic and haunting, it's literally like a dream. It also sounds more grown up. We see a lower side of Swift's voice at the beginning which I love on the song. I hope that this is released as a single because I genuinely think it would fly. If it does, just reflect back to this post where I called it.
'This Love' is another slower track. It gives me chills listening to it. Again it shows growth and maturity in Taylor. It's the first album of hers where I haven't been trying to guess who each song is about and I don't know if it's because she's kept her private life, private. But I've found I've enjoyed the album a lot more. I haven't wanted to know who she's writing about and I know a lot of other articles are trying to guess, but my question is, who cares? Every love song written is about someone but we don't question who other artists are writing about. So can't we get over this?
Obviously you can't write a review about her album without talking about 'Shake It Off' it was definitely the right song to promote the album. It shows just how 'pop' the album is and also has that 80's beat and edge to it. I would definitely recommend this album regardless of what you're usual taste in music is. It doesn't really sound anything else out there currently and you will no doubt not be able to turn the album off.
Check out the music video for Taylor Swift's'Shake It Off' below:
I'm a fairly new fan of Phillip Phillips, but when I started working my second job in September I kept hearing this one song, and gradually (as I heard it most days) I began to sing along with it and so I had to find out who it was. The song was Phillip Phillips 'Home', and I've been listening to his first album 'The World From the Side of the Moon' for about two months now.
Last week, I discovered that Phillip Phillips had a new album out called 'Behind the Light' and so I obviously checked it out and other than listening to Hunter Hayes' 'Storyline' album (review coming soon, hopefully) this is all I've been listening to. I described the album on twitter as 'bloody brilliant' and for me it is (I would also like to mention he favourited this tweet which made me incredibly happy, I did fan girl a little, oh well). It's the perfect summer album with a cross of folk/pop/rock. Phillip Phillips also has the incredibly unique sound to his voice which I love.
It starts with 'Searchlight' which I've been listening to non-stop, I think it's one of my favourite songs on the album. I find the song completely beautiful about trying to find the person you love who you let get away, something that I'm relating to an awful lot at the moment. For me, it portrays the story of not realising how great the person is in front of you until its too late and they've already gone. I love the music of the song too, it's a little Mumford and Sons to me but with a bit of a pop twist.
For me, a lot of the album sounds like festival music to me, I know that there are festivals for each genre of music but this album is just full of summer songs which I associate with music festivals and just having a great time. 'Raging Fire' is definitely one of those festival/summer songs. It's optimistic and sounds like a celebration. The lyric, 'won't you turn my soul into a raging fire' for me means just letting go and having fun, ignoring all the rules and just giving into some passion. 'Fool For You' is another one of those songs that remind me of summer, it's got a Mumford and Sons meets Scouting for Girls sound to it, the chorus also reminds me a little of Lenka's 'The Show'.
Other optimistic and fun songs include 'Unpack Your Heart' and the final track 'Midnight Sun'. Both of these tracks I absolutely adore. They just put me in such a good mood and feel much better about things. 'Unpack Your Heart' for me is just giving in to someone and letting them know everything about you, it's that moment of falling in love. Also, I like how in 'Midnight Sun' violins are added in places which makes it that little bit more romantic and reminds me of a sunset when the day and the fun is possibly coming to an end. 'Midnight Sun' is definitely a BBQ and summer anthem for me, just wanting to spend as much time as possible with my friends, I think it's great for those of you who are just leaving school.
As well as having the fun, upbeat songs on the album which are my personal favourite, Phillips also incorporates soul/blues/jazz vibes on tracks like; 'Trigger', 'Alive Again', 'Thicket' and 'Face'. I feel like these songs bring a slightly more mysterious vibe to the album and to Phillips. This was a nice touch, in my opinion as it makes everything sound a little different and stand out a little. These songs, in particular 'Thicket' makes the emotion seem more genuine and adds an edge to the album. I like how in 'Thicket' also the music corresponds with the lyrics making the song sound almost dream like and relaxing.
'Lead On' is another personal favourite of mine. I just think that it's a song that everyone can relate to. Everyone has been lead on by someone and I personally love the lyrics 'hanging on to every word' because I think you do that when you're in love with someone. 'Lead On' is just a song that makes you think that keep chasing after that person may be worth it and who knows, hey?
Finally, the last song I really want to discuss is 'Open Your Eyes'. This is a close top favourite along with 'Searchlight'. Its a little slower and gorgeous, it's romantic and describes someone wanting the other person to just let go and give in to how they really feel. I don't really know what to say about this song other than it's perfect and simple. His music is so authentic and real which I think works well for him. He's not using gimmicks or synthesized sounds to make him sound different to fit into the charts. I also like that he's optimistic and positive in his music.
Phillip Phillips has really impressed me with this album. He's got the balance of fun songs with grittier and more mysterious songs without doing the normal ballads. I think he's shown a lot of growth in this album. The song writing is brilliant as is the music. A lot of the songs have a little Mumford and Sons vibe to them but that's probably due to the Folk/Rock/Pop sound that the album has. But Phillip Phillips has such a unique voice that it stands out from anything else I've heard recently. I can see me listening to this album throughout of the entire summer non-stop and thoroughly enjoying every moment of it.
Check Out Phillip Phillips 'Raging Fire' below:
Did you like what you heard? Be sure to buy his album, 'Behind the Light' on iTunes.
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If you watch Nashville then you'll know exactly who Clare Bowen is. She plays the stunning Scarlett O'Connor and she's one of the main reasons why I love Nashville. To me Clare Bowen is the stand out star of the show, or at least her voice is.
Now, I only know of Clare Bowen's songs which she has performed on the show and I will definitely be looking into seeing if she's released any original material and if she hasn't fingers crossed that she will be soon. Her voice is completely pure and honest, and you can forget about the music be over produced as the majority of the time the songs are just her and a piano or her and a guitar. She is the perfect folk/country artist.
Her voice captured my attention, I think it was in the Pilot episode, when Clare Bowen sings with Sam Palladio (plays Gunner Scott in Nashville) and they covered 'If I Didn't Know Better'. The song was completely mesmerising. It was haunting and completely drew you into the show and their two characters.
Ever since that performance Clare Bowen has been my favourite character on the show and I always look forward to seeing her perform on the show. But this post was written as I wanted to shine a light on 'Black Roses'. This song can be interpreted a hundred different ways and when I watched Nashville: On the Record, the songwriter even said that she had never intended it to be a daughter singing it about her mother. Which to me shows that the song can mean something completely different to each person.
'Black Roses' is beautifully written and with Bowen's hauntingly soft voice which still remains powerful it is a complete knock out in my opinion and restores my hope that beautiful songwriting is still possible and music can still have such an impact without beats and dubstep/dance. Trust me, this song will have you in tears and give you goosebumps all over, its simple but the story telling is gorgeous.
Check out Clare Bowen's version of 'Black Roses' below:
Are you a fan of Nashville? If so, who do you look forward to seeing the most?
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It's not everyday that I find a new song in which I absolutely love from the first time I hear it and have to immediately download the song on iTunes, and not stop listening to it for the rest of the day. In fact the last time that happened it was about two years ago when I heard Keith Urban's - Long Hot Summer. But that happened today with another uh-mazing country song.
It may have been released June 2013, but in the UK we are very short of country music and so it takes people like me a lot longer to click on to country songs. But after hearing Thomas Rhett's - It Goes Like This it just made me so happy and emotional all at once that I couldn't help telling my best friend about it and sing it for the rest of the evening. I even made my family listen to it multiple times. So this post is basically to share my new found love of Thomas Rhett's - It Goes Like This. I can't wait to listen to the entire album tomorrow because if it's anything like this single I know I will absolutely love it.
Country music holds a very special place in my heart, even though I am from the UK and we hear very little of it. Check out the music video below.
What's your favourite country songs at the moment? Let me know in the comments below.
They're will be two album reviews coming up this week too, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.
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