AMANDA-- "WAKE ME UP" by AVICII

Hey guys! It's nearly August, which means sadly the summer will be ending soon. But no worries, there is still enough time left to have magical adventures and plenty of great music yet to come. Speaking of music, I am crazy about Avicii's "Wake Me Up," released just over a month ago. I make a point of trying to keep up on the latest trends  and the first time I heard this I didn't care for it at all. Fortunately, I have awesome friends that send me music regularly and I took another listen. It made all the difference. Avicii has been taking some heat for the song, which fuses elements of rhythm and blues, folk, and rock with house and has a country feel to it. Personally, I give him kudos for daring to change things up and standing by his artistic choices. This has to be one of the best, most interesting of his tracks to date, due in no small measure to his collaborators Aloe Blacc and Mike Einziger (from Incubus) , who are responsible for the lyrics and vocals and and guitar work respectively. The official video came out yesterday and honestly I wasn't terribly impressed; it looks like a commercial for designer jeans which could have been the point seeing as how Avicii has a partnership with Ralph Lauren. The lyrical video released previously is beautiful in its simplicity and ultimately makes for a better accompaniment for the song. As a sidenote, it bothers me that Aloe Blacc's name isn't included in the title. He brings so much depth to the song and it feels like a disservice to someone who could use (and surely deserves) the recognition. In conclusion, "Wake Me Up" may not be what people have come to expect from Avicii but there's no denying it's a triumph in its own right. I find it very exciting and commendable to see musicians experimenting with their sound,  promoting collaboration across the different genres, and challenging their audience to think in new and creative ways about what they're listening to. I'm not asking anyone to engage in deep, intellectual thought here but simply to give it a chance, maybe two even. You might just be pleasantly surprised. Enjoy!

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Stuck In My Skull 441 -- "Alive"

Song: "Alive" || Artist: Empire of the Sun || http://youtu.be/IPKAwJKGSDc ||

Comments: Good morning and happy Monday! Not a happy Monday? Problem solved -- click the video about and your day will suck less. This song is the first single of Empire of the Sun's second studio album, "Ice on the Dune." The single was released back in April and peaked at number 1 on the Billboard dance charts. I'm actually predicting we'll see more from this track, though. To my reasoning, if "Radioactive" can spend roughly a year on the charts and keep coming back from the dead, there's a decent chance that the Australian electronic duo's song will likewise resurrect itself. This track is excellent. The signature sound of Empire of the Sun's vocals flows neatly over a relaxing, calm beat at around 120 BPM, sitting on the border of dance and down-tempo and able to pass itself off as either. I have no idea how this duo produces their vocals, but to my ears, they always sound as though there are more than two people singing their incredibly catchy chorus. Also, the visual style of their videos is something else. It's ridiculous, and awesome. Enjoy!

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AMANDA--"TAKE BACK THE NIGHT" by JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE

Happy Friday all! Today I'm serving up some fresh and funky beats a la Justin Timberlake's new single "Take Back the Night." I'd be lying if I said I didn't have some reservations about the song, which unfortunately shares its name with an anti-rape organization founded in the 1970's. When questioned, Timberlake denied any association with the group, who he had never heard of previously. Thankfully for him, the Take Back the Night Foundation has dropped the lawsuit against the singer. It's one of several 70's inspired songs containing sexually suggestive lyrics topping the charts  right now (sadly "Blurred Lines" comes to mind). In that sense, his latest single is not  unique but if you can get past the poor choice of name, you might find it enjoyable. What separates Justin Timberlake from the likes of Bruno Mars and Robin Thicke is that everything he does, he does impeccably and with class. It's not exactly ground breaking material and drags on a more than it should but there's something to be said about how grand and sophisticated "Take Back the Night" feels. Furthermore, my hope is that the controversy will translate into good publicity for the organization and lead to informed discussion. Anything that increases it's visibility or support and awareness in general is a good thing, even a silly pop song. Enjoy.

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Stuck In My Skull 440 -- "My Confession"

Song: "My Confession" || Artist: Kamelot feat. Eklipse || http://youtu.be/oSylbQEHhVo ||

Comments: Happy Thursday, and what a happy Thursday it is! I just discovered this video, and I am beyond pumped about this. I love this song, and I really wasn't expecting Kamelot to release another single off Silverthorne besides their first single, "Sacrimony." This song is excellent. Oddly, it starts with lyrics heard in another song on the album -- the intro song "Manus Dei." Can we say 'concept album?' Yes we can! And I most certainly love it. Once again, new-to-the-band vocalist Tommy Karevik proves he is more than capable of replacing long-time singer Roy Khan, and brings his own excellent style to the band. Also, he has stage presence that Roy Khan never did. His vocals fit perfectly with the instrumentation on this track, partially provided by an excellent string quarter called Eklipse. I'm honestly surprised that the song "Silverthorne" wasn't the next single from the album -- given the fact that it's the title track and all -- but this song is so masterfully arranged that I don't begrudge it the primacy. "My Confession" is a beautiful piece, and seeing this released as the next single/video really makes my day. Enjoy!

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AMANDA-- "NOTHING TO PROVE" by THE DOUBLECLICKS

Hey all! Sorry about last week! Today's song comes from a sister act from Portland, Oregon, the Doubleclicks. "Nothing to Prove" is a clever, heartfelt tribute to geek girls everywhere. The video features female nerds holding signs about their hobbies and experiences with nerd culture as well as some famous geeks, including Wil Wheaton, John Scalzi, and Adam Savage. In addition to being incredibly adorable, the song addresses a real problem many female geeks encounter in their day to day lives: bullying and shaming at the hands of elitist and misogynistic male peers who question their geek credentials and devotion to all things nerdy. The message is simple and one I hope reaches many; we (female geeks) are people too and love all the same things you do. Moreover, check out the video. It's awesome and touching and might just bring a tear to your eye. Enjoy!

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Stuck In My Skull 439 -- "Levels"

Song: "Levels" || Artist: Avicii || http://youtu.be/_ovdm2yX4MA ||

Comments: Good morning everyone! Sorry about the lack of a post yesterday -- I was up at some ridiculously early hour, and any post I wrote would have been incoherent mumbling, and I didn't think to write it the night before. Up today is that instant classic by Avicii -- "Levels." It was insanely popular awhile back, and not long after it got sampled into to the Flo Rida song "Good Feeling." "Levels" is built around an insanely catchy sample from the 1962 Etta James song "Something's Got a Hold On Me," which Avicii uses as a textbook example of how to use samples and sound awesome. This song is one of the most instantly-recognizable sounds in electronic music, and for good reason. Even if you've heard it before, give it a listen! It's sure to start your day on a good note.

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Stuck In My Skull 438 -- "Another OS"

Song: "Another OS" || Artist: Broken Bit || http://snd.sc/151p8IL ||



Comments: Good morning, everyone! Sorry about the lack of post on Tuesday -- I was completely and utterly exhausted. To make up for it, I figured giving you guys a free download might be in order. Yes, that's right. Free music! Better still -- free good music! Well, I think it's good music, and I'm hoping you will too. Broken Bit is an artist that a friend of mine originally introduced me to with the song "Dem Dorfs," which was another free download back in Entry 413. Broken Bit is a British musician who produces 8-bit, 8-bit-like, and chiptune tracks on his/her Soundcloud, and doesn't give out much information about themselves (hence the his/her). What Broken Bit lacks in biographical information, he/she makes up for in awesome music like this song. This track does an excellent job of reminding me of old-school video game music while still having just a touch of modern flare to keep things moving -- to my ears, the keyboard part that comes in at around 2:33 is more modern than the rest of the track, but I could be imagining things. Either way, this song is excellent. I also really enjoy the title of the track -- being a long-time user of multiple operating systems on my computer, 'Another OS' strikes just the right (8-bit) chord with me. While it seems like emulating old styles of video game-inspired music would be dry and pointless, Broken Bit neatly demonstrates how excellent it can be. I forget which of my friends originally showed me Dem Dorfs and introduced me to this artist, but I'm glad they did. Give this song a listen and if you love it, download it, and be sure to check out more of this stuff on Broken Bit's Soundcloud page. Enjoy!

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AMANDA-- Sorry!

So...I'm away from home and unable to connect to the Internet (typing this on my phone). If/when I get the WiFi working, I'll post the entry I had planned on doing for today. There's a good chance you'll get one from me and Chris Thursday so check back then!

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Stuck In My Skull 437 -- "Never Enough"

Song: "Never Enough" || Artist: Epica || http://youtu.be/MJbIiGRPlnw ||

Comments: Good morning and happy Monday, folks! Coming off my all-too-short weekend, I can definitely agree with the sentiment of this song. But, no matter how hard I wish it wasn't over, the weekend has in fact come to an end, and now the week must begin. Thankfully, I've got this song stuck in my head to carry me through the dreaded Monday. In typical Epica fashion, this song is all about the interplay between Simone Simons' powerful voice and the rough, heavy sound of the guitars. Both of these sounds are complemented by the orchestral-style keyboards in the background, which puts the 'symphonic' in symphonic metal. Enjoy the song, and don't let Monday get you down!

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AMANDA-- "A REAL HERO" by COLLEGE (FEAT. ELETRIC YOUTH)

Hello readers. By now, mostly you have probably noticed I'm something of a film fanatic. There are many things that go into making a movie good or worthy of praise - writing, direction, acting, cinematography, just to name some. Now and then, one is surprised to find that style is as integral to storytelling as those elements are. And Drive (2011) has plenty of it. I mentioned it previously in a post about the electro-pop band Electric Youth featured on the soundtrack and in today' s song "Real Hero" by French musician College. The movie is heavily inspired by cult movies of the 70's and 80's known for their stylistic and violent imagery as well as romance. Songs like this are major contributors to Drive's retro aesthetic and tone. It's says a lot when a soundtrack is as memorable if not more so than a film's characters and plot. Here, they could not be more essential to one another. The lead is a tough guy turned hero with a soft side, making the song an effective and fitting choice. I didn't plan on doing a synth week but sometimes the songs choose you and not the other way around. Enjoy!

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Stuck In My Skull 436 -- "Ruffneck (Full Flex)"

Song: "Ruffneck (Full Flex)" || Artist: Skrillex || http://youtu.be/dcLaYwl48v0 ||

Comments: Good morning, folks. For the life of me, I have no idea why this song was stuck in my head the other day, but it was. And yes, I called it a song. Dubstep is music too, not just all screeching noise (though I have to admit that this song has its fair share). Honestly, the thing I like the most about Skrillex is his ability to juxtapose beautiful and melodic instrumentation (piano parts) with the more typical, dubstep-y instrumentation (wub wub and WAAAAAANGH sounds)*. I think this song is probably the best example of that juxtaposition that I know of. And while I love "Bangarang" just as much as the next person (likely, rather much more than the next person), I'd have to say that I think this track beats it. It's just prototypical Skrillex, and I happen to like it. So put away your preconceptions and take a listen -- you might like it too.


*Author's note: You try describing dubstep noise. It's hard to spell.

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AMANDA-- "BURN" by ELLIE GOULDING

Hey all! For those of who are fans of Ellie Goulding, you should be pleased to know that the artist has released yet another Halycon single. "Burn" is classic Goulding if I've ever heard it and more proof that she isn't going anywhere anytime soon. With two months left of summer, this track has all the makings of a club hit and I cannot *wait* to hear the remixes that are sure follow. Here Goulding has departed somewhat from themes of love, heartbreak, etc. and appears to just be having some fun and loving life as seen in the official video. As gorgeous as it is, I did enjoy the fan video for the song released on Vine a few weeks ago. There's no doubt in my mind that the young musician will be burning the charts up with this one. Enjoy!

 

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Stuck In My Skull 435 -- "I Remember"

Song: "I Remember" || Artist: Deadmau5 & Kaskade feat. Haley Gibby || http://youtu.be/LGbRpdCRwt0 (Video) || http://youtu.be/zK1mLIeXwsQ (Album Version) ||

Comments: Good morning, everyone. Today's song is yet another exercise in how to fairly distribute credit among the artists in a song. Everywhere I can find it (meaning Wikipedia, on the album, and in the titles of both videos), this song is simply credits the artists as "Deadmau5 and Kaskade." I've always thought that vocalists should be credited though, so when Wikipedia told me this song featured vocals by Haley Gibby, I was rather torn. In the end, I elected to record her as a featured artist, because I think it's most fair that way. And hey, perhaps you'll fall in love with the ethereal, trance-like vocals of Ms. Gibby and decide to look her up. If that's the case, than I can rationalize that my including her as a featured artist will facilitate the discovery of new music, which is the point of this blog. This song is a calm, relaxing mix that sounds more than a little bit trance-y to my Tiesto-educated ears, which is by no means a bad thing. The album version of this song is nearly ten minutes long, but the music video version (the video above) comes in at just over four minutes. Honestly, I'd advocate in favor of listening for both, but they're both excellent. However you listen to this song, you won't be disappointed.

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Stuck In My Skull 434 -- "Wine Red"

Song: "Wine Red" || Artist: The Hush Sound || http://youtu.be/1r6MFfMEziE ||

Comments: Good morning, everyone, and happy Monday. I have a small confession to make -- I don't actually have this song stuck in my head. When I woke up this morning and finally shook off the remaining confusion caused by some very weird dreams (What the heck, brain?), I actually had "Sweet Nothing" stuck in my head. By the end of this entry, however, I'll probably have this song replacing it. A friend of mine showed me this song years and years ago, way back when I was first really getting into music. So far back, in fact, that it's in that category of partially-forgotten artists I never really looked up. Not looking this group up is a mistake, pure and simple. Why? Because this song is just that great. At 2:42, the song is a quick little track, but it's perfectly produced. The two primary vocalists -- Greta Salpeter (who now goes by Greta Morgan) and Bob Morris -- play off each other perfectly, complementing each other with all the right notes to produce a unique vocal sound that works wonderfully with the easy-going light rock sound of the instrumentation. "Wine Red" is a catchy little number, and masterfully done.
In a way, I'm glad I forgot about this track for so long. It turns out that the band was on hiatus for many years, and only recently got back together. (Source.) It turns out they released an EP in March, and are working on a new album. Talk about great timing. Enjoy the track, and remember not to let Monday suck just because it's Monday!

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Stuck In My Skull 433 -- "Don't Stop the Music"

Song: "Don't Stop the Music" || Artist: Rihanna || http://youtu.be/yd8jh9QYfEs ||

Comments: Good morning, wonderful readers! Today's entry is going to be full of things I've learned. First of all, I've learned that my friend Newt, also known as DJ Abso-Newt-ly, has started his own blog. At Stuck In My Skull, we love having company. Seriously, music blogging isn't a competition. Instead, we (or at least I -- I haven't talked with my co-bloggers yet) think of this as an opportunity to get awesome tracks stuck in your head all the time discover more awesome music. I know that he and Relinquish have more than a few commonalities in their musical preferences, so if you've enjoyed reading Secret Sounds, you'll love hearing what the DJ has to offer. So seriously, go check it out!
On to the song. For what it's worth, I actually don't have this song stuck in my head right now. Currently, Zedd and Foxes have crammed "Clarity" into my cranium sometime yesterday, and it doesn't seem likely to be going anywhere (which means it'll stick for about 15 more minutes). Before "Clarity," though, I had this track stuck in my head. It's a dance hall classic. What I didn't know, is that one of the writers was Michael Jackson. What? I know! (Source.) I'm not 100% sold on labelling this song as 'techno,' but I think dance pop is definitely a valid genre for this track. It does have elements of a good techno song, but I don't think the execution agrees with the genre label. But who cares, that's all just nit-picking. The point is, the song is great. Rihanna being Rihanna, she delivers her hallmark excellent vocals on top of an excellently-arranged track that bounces in the 120-125 BPM range (it clocked 123 when I counted it here). Something else I learned: The line she keeps chanting is "Mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-ko-ssa." Yet another interesting fact: Both she and Michael Jackson have used the line, and been sued for it. Interesting tidbits like this are why I've taken to reading the Wikipedia article about a given song if it exists; There are just so many wonderful things to learn. So, enjoy the song, and go check out DJ Abso-Newt-ly's new blog!

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Stuck In My Skull 432 -- "Silence"

Song: "Silence" || Original Artist: Delirium || Remixed By: Mt. Eden || http://youtu.be/Nymjfq2kXnI ||

Comments: Good morning, and happy Monday everyone! Today, I bring you a song that you've almost certainly heard some version of, if for no other reason than the fact that so many versions exist. Delirium's trance anthem "Silence" is one of the most remixed songs I know, and has one of the most confused lineages I've seen. In fact, I think only the track "Daddy DJ" and its many descendants and versions has a more jumbled heritage. This in mind, allow me to set some things straight (the Wikipedia article gives some information, but not necessarily enough). The original artist of the track is the trance group Delirium. The vocals were provided by co-writer and singer Sarah McLachlan. While her vocals certainly make the song, it's not her song. The song is "Silence", and the artist is Delirium featuring Sarah McLachlan. That being said, everyone has done a remix. Tiesto, Paul Oakenfold, and Above and Beyond have all remixed this thing. In fact, this song first got radio play when the remix by Airscape hit Canadian airwaves. As a matter of fact, the music video for the song is set to that remix, and not the original version. So are you really surprised there exists a dubstep mix? I'm not. I am surprised that I like it this much. Mt. Eden is one of the quiet giants of dubstep, and this New Zealand duo has put together an excellent track. The pulsating* synths perfectly accent Sarah McLachlan's ethereal vocals without overpowering them. The track retains its trance-like qualities to produce a surprisingly relaxing beat that I don't usually hear with such heavy bass. All said, this track is great -- a prime example of how to remix. Also, am I the only one who thinks that the background image for the 'video' looks really cool? I'd love to have it as a desktop background. Enjoy the song!

*I will not say "wubbing," but that would probably be a good descriptor here.

Update 7/21/2014: Download available on Mt. Eden's Soundcloud page

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