Tag Archives: tuneoftheday

Chad Brownlee, “Forever’s Gotta Start Somewhere” (Single, 2019)

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By Chelsea Ives

Fellow Canadian Chad Brownlee has made a sweet comeback with the release of his newest single, “Forever’s Gotta Start Somewhere” just in time for Valentine’s Day, and all those lovebirds out there who like to make sappy playlists on Spotify (unless burning CD’s is still a thing?) for their significant others. On January 4, 2019, Brownlee released his second major label single since his latest album was released in 2016. Brownlee’s single, “Dear Drunk Me” from 2018, bumped him up into the number 2 spot in the Canadian country music charts and gained him his recent recognition.

Chad Brownlee is a mix of old-school country ideals with new school country sound. Picture Tim McGraw meets Luke Combs’ down-to-earth vibes, with Kane Brown’s sweetheart songs and themes, all mixed together in a big ol’ batch of Miss Bell’s sweet tea. “Forever’s Gotta Start Somewhere,” is a hopeful, inspiring song about taking chances to find love – with a slow build into a fun, fast-paced beat. The song starts with the classic country twang which builds into electric guitar and tambourine which makes for a classic yet fun sound.

 “Forever’s Gotta Start Somewhere,” definitely has a different flavour from his last single in 2016, “I Hate You for It”. Brownlee shows that he has grown up a bit. The song truly shows Brownlee’s musical ability – he isn’t going to be another Florida Georgia Line, with pop-country superficial sing-alongs. Brownlee shows he’s seriously a grassroots country boy looking for love.

He is currently finishing his first major label debut album, and so far, the title of the album has not been released, leaving much to the imagination of his fans. Although if “Forever’s Gotta Start Somewhere” is an indication of what’s to come, it’s safe to say I’ll be waiting expectantly for some more heartfelt and authentic country music from Brownlee.

Chad Brownlee’s 2019 Single, “Forever’s Gotta Start Somewhere”

Khalid’s hot new single “Talk”

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El Pasoan R&B singer Khalid (Photo Credits: Twitter @thegreatkhalid)

Is it even possible for Khalid to create one song that is NOT amazing?” —Seriously, this 20-year-old knows exactly how to please the ears of anyone. Khalid’s unique vocals and his style of music even has my boss (a heavy rocker) absolutely love his music. Every single that this young man has been in or has released is just amazing! One thing that is unique about Khalid is that although he has done many colabs with multiple artists such as Normani, Billy Ellish, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, ect… he still somehow maintains his unique R&B chill vibe.

Recently, Khalid has joined with Disclosure to produce his new album set to release in April 2019. The first song that has been released from this album is called “Talk”. This hot new track is a combination of Disclosure’s known electronics and Khalid’s style of contemporary R&B. In this sizzling track the synthesizers are faded in the beginning, but not enough to overpower the mellowness. This beat not only has me feeling a type of way, but it is super catchy! The beat is a smooth R&B bounce that is incorporated with just enough electronic blemishes, which perfectly match to Khalid’s lyrics. The lyrics ease their way smoothly into a hot new relationship taking things nice and easy. Khalid mentions that he dreams about getting an attractive girl in his bed, but instead of moving things too fast he asks her “Can we just talk” to get to know each other better —ah such a gentleman! Just the thought of this track has me blushing and bouncing.  Although Khalid might take things easy in his relationships he is not slowing down anytime soon in his music. I’m excited to see what Khalid’s sophomore album has in store for his fans this coming April.   

-Maria

Alice Merton, “Honeymoon Heartbreak” (Mint, 2019)

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By Michaela Maxey

Alice Merton is the millennial we’ve all been waiting for, and it was worth the wait to get the masterpiece that is her debut album Mint. This album advocates for living life the way you want to, not how you should. But more than anything, this album explores Merton’s personal life as she was constantly moving due to her father’s job (and I’m talking 12 times in 25 years). So it is no surprise that she became an expert at saying goodbye and dealing with this feeling of loss.

“Honeymoon Heartbreak” is emotionally driven and is the only slow song on this album. This song interestingly starts with no sound until about seven seconds into the song. It’s almost a bit unnerving, and I’m checking to make sure I actually hit play. Then, only her voice. No loud crash of drums or strums of guitar, rather a soft croon that draws me in as she recounts the story of a relationship gone sour. It isn’t until about fifty seconds into the song that the guitar and drums join in, all working in harmony with Merton’s wide pitch range that seamlessly transitions between high and low notes. As she sings, “My homeless heart is still hoping/my homeless heart is still holding you”, I realize that although this recounts a relationship, it also works like “Homesick” where her heart is ‘homeless’ as she longs for the people/person she had to leave behind. As she sings, “You let me go, my honeymoon heartbreak” I can’t help but tear up, why would he let her go? Why would he let her leave?!

It’s feelings like these that make Mint so great as although it’s personal, it’s so relatable. We can listen to “Honeymoon Heartbreak” and think of our first love, but for Merton this heartbreak has happened ten-fold as she learned how to say goodbye all too well.

Toro y Moi’s “Ordinary Pleasure” (Outer Peace, 2019)

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By Mina Wiebe

Oddly enough, this funky tune pulls you in with bongos—yes, bongos—before layering the beats with basslines. I was unsure how to feel at first, mainly because I was confused; it felt like a hippie drum circle had been interrupted by some groovy, 70’s disco band. But within seconds the rhythms became cohesive, and suddenly the two instruments thrived off one another.

The song is a toe-tapper at the very least, and I wouldn’t put it past listeners to want to dance to this bubbly tune. But labeling it as a mere “dance-song” doesn’t quite feel complete. The bounciness of the bass paired with the smooth and cool vocals of Chaz Bear (also known by his stage name Toro y Moi) creates this strange yet fascinating strain that is simultaneously upbeat and laid-back.

Sure, it’s a song you can dance to (my mind immediately imagines John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever” doing his disco finger dance—you know the one I’m talking about) but it’s also a song I’d be content to listen to on a road trip or a casual hangout with friends over drinks.

The seemingly effortlessness behind Bear’s satiny voice makes you listen to the lyrics. The repetitive “Maximize all the pleasure, even with all this weather/ Nothing can make it better” initially confirms the idea that it’s strictly a dance-song; the singer himself is telling you to maximize your pleasure, and as the perky bass plays you can’t help but take pleasure in dancing along.

But as Bear’s smooth voice continues to earn your attention, the singer delves into some deeper topics when he examines a contemporary world that is too loud and “[m]akes it hard for [him] to feel what [he’s] thinking”. When you actually listen to the lyrics, you almost question if you should be dancing to it.

I can’t tell if Bear is telling us to ignore dark feelings by maximizing our pleasure, or if he believes the two simply coexist as a part of our reality. Regardless, the track seems to embrace a disenchanted world with an optimism relayed through disco.

Alice Merton, “Mint” (2019)

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By: Julia Ristoska

“Learn to live” is the opening track on Alice Merton newly debut album called Mint. She definitely introduces the album with a bang as she sings,“they’ve got fire// well I’ve got lightning bolts.” Merton comes on full force ready to fight all her fears, as she told Billboard that Learn to live is about “facing my fears and not be scared of everything. It reminds me that if you’re scared of everything in life, you’re not actually gonna live.”

Fear really has the power to trouble one’s mind and prevents one from taking up on opportunities. Merton does not let her fears steal her spotlight, I mean literally she is up on stage now promoting her new album. This takes a lot of courage, since writing this album is equivalent to her personal diary. She touches upon many topics from facing fears, feeling lost, finding her place in society and tackling everyday life’s issues. All these topics revolve around her journey on “learn(ing) how to live” in such a fast paced world.

She starts off by introducing the opening track with simple heavy strums of the guitar that gradually gets more complex as the layer of drums hit in. The constancy of the guitar strums gives that  “here I’m coming for battle” tempo. Merton’s strong voice comes in and captivates my attention. Unconsciously I realized myself humming along and next thing you know I’m bursting out “ I WANNA LIVE WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES!” I mean who doesn’t? These lyrics are so relatable, and the music is upbeat making it a perfect album to have a karaoke session in your car.

Sometimes we need a song like this to remind us to live in the present. It is easy to constantly think about the past or worry about the future. Life is full of questions, and it can be quite frightening. Yet, Merton tells us to not let those demonic thoughts control our lives.

Rather she tells us it’s time to armor up and get ready for battle.

Toro y Moi, “Baby Drive It Down” (Outer Peace, 2019)

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By Allesandro Rotondi

I first took a liking to this song because I thought it didn’t sound like dance/pop music, as opposed to many other tracks on the album. Rhythmically, it grooves like a dance tune, and the instrumental loops like a dance tune, but it sounds like a chillwave-synthpop song. The marimba-sounding synthesizer part loops and dances around the pulsing kick drum beat that drives the song forward and acts as the backbone. The marimba sound is light and fluffy, constantly fluttering in the foreground. It gives off a tropical vibe, like something off the Super Mario Sunshine soundtrack. Because of this, it makes me happy, and gives me feelings of childhood nostalgia.

The lead vocals are strong, but cool. Stacked with two layers of voice, the melody comes off as thick, but smooth in execution. There is also autotune, which is popular in modern pop music, and the hip-hop and dance genres particularly. The repetitious line that clamours “You know I want you right now” for the entirety of the choruses, thrusts this track into the dance/pop genre, noted for its looping instrumentally, melodically, and lyrically. However, it is not forced. It feels intended by the artist, and perhaps this voiced repetition is because he really wants the object of affection to know he means business. I want you, like, right now. The auto-tune and double tracked vocal almost create an unnatural, robotic feel, like a love song from a free-thinking machine.

Since the marimba loop is unchanging, the droning bass tones are the only musical element that can change the chord root. With two or three chords total at best (“Moves Like Jagger”, anyone?), Toro y Moi does a fine job of crafting a well-landscaped, memorable, and interesting vocal melody. It’s one of the best melodies over a simple dance/pop progression that I’ve heard in a long time.

“Baby Drive It Down” definitely drives it home.

Alice Merton, “Homesick” (Mint, 2019)

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by Chelsea Ives

Alice Merton, Mint cover.

On January 30th of 2019, Alice Merton released MINT: in the making (part 1), the first part of a documentary series explaining her creative process for her debut album, Mint. Merton describes her songs in the documentary as “notes that I would put on a fridge,” as her songs a personally driven from her transient lifestyle. Many of her songs including “Homesick,” are meant to express the displacement she felt as part of her young life always moving around – but the notes are there to help her remember that life isn’t always so bad.

“Homesick,” opens with jazzy upbeat piano, and Merton’s soulful, gravelly voice – which reminds me of Florence + the Machine but with a definitive Taylor-Swift pop twist. To the ear, the first line, “I was the new kid / I was scared of dogs and the weather,” starts the song off with an upbeat and playful sound, while the lyrics reveal the underlying woe of a child in a new environment, having to make new friends in a place which is entirely foreign to them. The lyrics take a turn with Merton’s reminder – “tried my best to fit in / Started puttin’ it in a song” which is her self shout-out that life can’t be all that bad when you can make beautiful music that touches and comforts others who are in the same boat.

The chorus and post-chorus drives the upbeat sound further, with the introduction of guitar and fast-paced hand clapping which adds to the pop sound of the song.

The twenty-five-year-old singer/songwriter has shot to fame since her single, “No Roots,” was released in 2016.  The song (which appears on Mint) beautifully unites the themes of the album which include the difficulties of relocation, of meeting and keeping long-distance friends, and the overall struggles of youth. Merton successfully captures what it is like to be a young adult trying to situate themselves in the larger context of life.

Alice Merton, “Homesick”
(Mint, 2019)

Alice Merton, “Why So Serious” (Mint, 2019)

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“We all have bad days… but there is something good in everyday, so find that something and embrace it baby girl” I took this quite personal while driving on my way home from work after a long and tiring day. The wise words of wisdom that were preached through the speakers filled me with hope and made me appreciate everyday with a little joy and comfort.

This exact feeling of sincere hope for enjoyment in the day is exactly what Alice Merton places on a silver platter and brings to the table for her audience. Merton’s fun new track “Why So Serious” literally summons the inner child in you and get’s you out of that boring “serious” comfort zone. This is why I absolutely fell in love with this song because it is a reminder that I should let my hair down and live in the now, and of course, – “screw what the past holds!” (as for you men let that beard grow, eat a doughnut, and live in the now!)

This fun track is so simple, but also powerful enough to bring out a good energy in anyone. With the song’s hybrid upbeat pop guitar riffs and 80’s slow disco beats layered with Merton’s amazing rock vocals, I promise you, it will always have you bumping, nodding, and tapping your feet.

My absolute favorite part of the song is when she sings, “Try to learn to let go of all those things that tie you down/ Get rid of it, the voice inside that tells me that/I’m scared, yeah, scared as shit/But I wanna let go of it now”. Hell yes sister! Tackling everyday life and dealing with things that hold us down is scary, but Merton is so right, we need to let this go and live each day with no regrets. I swear the beat and the lyrics still lingers through my body wanting to step outside my comfort zone and embrace the enjoyment that Merton lends to her audience.

So common people “Why So Serious?” Let it go! Find that little goodness in everyday and embrace it!

Amen!

-Maria

Tori Amos, “Cloud on My Tongue” (Under the Pink, 1994)

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By Michaela Maxey

Most of us have been there, and by ‘there’ I mean that weird aftermath of finding out your significant other has not been all too honest with you (to put it lightly). We struggle with this, knowing we should leave but fighting with the conflicting emotion of not wanting to. Somehow, Amos captures all of this with her soft piano melody and relatable lyrics that seem as inescapable as our own feelings.

The lyrics of the song brings us through the tale of the other showing up at the door and everything that follows, including “It won’t be fair if I hate her”. And she’s right that it wouldn’t be fair, but it would be real. As much as the narrator is trying to direct her anger/hurt to the correct person, it’s definitely a struggle that’s easier said than done.

Yet, there’s this strange sort of lyric that unsettles the listener and hints towards something more personal for Amos when she says, “Leave me with your Borneo”. While on her Little Earthquakes Tour, a man came to Amos backstage before one of her performances and wanted her to leave with him for four days to Borneo. This man remains frustratingly nameless, but many fans of Amos do speculate that it’s Anthony Kiedis from Red Hot Chili Peppers as he spent much of his time in Borneo in 1994. Although the two had previously met, it is left unknown whether they had any sort of relationship afterwards.

Nonetheless, whether this song is about Kiedis or someone else, Amos transports this whirlwind of feeling into a song that everyone can relate to. With piano melodies and lyrics that are cyclical, Amos truly gives us the impression of being entrapped by both the other and ourselves in a beautifully heartbreaking song.

Tori Amos, “Baker Baker” (Under the Pink, 1994)

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By: Julia Ristoska

With the title being “Baker Baker” I was expecting to listen to a sweet love ballad about a girl falling in love with her local baker. With valentine’s day around the corner I guess I had the sweets on my mind. Let’s be real though what girl wouldn’t like to have a man to bake her cakes and cookies? When Tori sang the first line “Baker Baker baking a cake” I was full of anticipation to hear the love story unravel.

As I was listening I quickly realized that the sweet song I was hoping for became bitter. Tori’s soft and airy voice puts you in a reflective state and makes you go down memory lane, and it’s not a happy memory either. During her interview with The Baltimore Sun she said “I think with Baker Baker, to deal with a man that truly loved me, but that I wasn’t emotionally available for.” Her remorse on her past relationship is definitely heard through her voice. Her voice hits centre stage and over powers the acoustic- like quiet piano ballad. The way she pushes out her long notes are full with emotion that digs deep in from her heart, and pours out of her mouth.

It’s almost as if Tori is talking to her past lover from a distance. She is on a journey to find out what happened to him as she ends with “And I wonder if he’s okay if you see him say hi.” Her one way conversation ends unresolved, but she is in no way searching for him anymore. Maybe she was feeling apologetic and wanted to meet with him once more to “make her whole again.” Or it could be that she is too anxious to even revisit the past, and instead she chooses to be stuck in a dream-like state of mind.