Hey earbudders,
Just wanted to say thanks for listening to me this year. I appreciate it. I made this very mini mix of some of my favorite songs of this year. Enjoy! See you next year, which is in a few hours! I’ll get the songlist in later. I just wanted to get this up before midnight. Can’t wait to see what next year has in store for music.
Follow @joelygabs
Follow me here if you tumble.. —> www.bondworks.tumblr.com
And here as promised, are my favorite songs of the year. They were upbeat, and catchy and in some cases, throwaway but still enough to garner my attention for over a minute. It’s all over the map. Some will agree. Some will disagree. I admit, there isn’t a lot of rap on this list. I just don’t listen to as much rap as I used to because the beats sound the same now. It’s really sad. But a few made the list that I really really loved. So, enjoy reading my earbudders.
40. Magic – Coldplay
39. Shut Up and Dance – Walk the Moon
38. La La La (Feat. Sam Smith) – Naughty Boy
37. Animals – Maroon 5
36. Fury Oh Fury – Nico Vega
35. No Fear – Common
34. Can’t Do Without You -Caribou. Long intro that’s repetitive, BUT once 1:30 kicks in, it’s all good.
33. Digital Witness – St. Vincent
32. Time of Our Lives (Feat. Ne-Yo) – Pitbull
31. Ghost – Ella Henderson
30. Brill Bruisers – New Pornographers
29. Sugah Daddy – D’Angelo
28. Outside – Foo Fighters
27. Black Rage – Lauryn Hill. Yes, she did make a single. Yes. I wish she’d make an album.
26. Röyksopp and Robyn – Do it Again. God I love Robyn. That is all.
25. Transgender Dysphoria Blues – Against Me!
24. Gogon City (Feat. Jennifer Hudson) – Go All Night
23. You and Me – You + Me
22. Get to You – Antigone Rising
21. Bury our Friends – Sleater-Kinney Thank Buddha they’re back. And they’re good.
20. I Wanna Get Better – Bleachers
19. January 28th – J. Cole – This dude is worth listening to. One of the few …
18. Rather Be – Clean Bandit (this band saddens me because while I LOVE this song, the album was such a major DUD)
17. Habits (Stay High) – Tove Lo
16. Right Now – Mary J. Blige
15. Stay with Me – Sam Smith
14. I Really Don’t Care (Feat. Cher Lloyd) – Demi Lovato
13. Bang Bang – Ariana Grande, Jessie J, and Nicki Minaj
12. Shake it Off/Out of the Woods – Taylor Swift – tie. Sadly she won me over. #popgold
11. Boom Clap – Charli XCX
10. Anagram – Young the Giant
9. Chandelier – Sia
8. Turn Down for What? – DJ Snake and Lil Jon
7. Head Underwater – Jenny Lewis. For the 30 something females like myself, a MUST listen.
6. Two Weeks – FKA Twigs. Beautiful Music Video.
5. All About that Bass – Meghan Trainor
4. Fancy (Feat. Charli XCX) – Iggy Izalea
3. Want it All – Tender Games. Seriously. This album was pretty great.
2. Beyonce’ (Feat. Jay-Z) – Drunk N’ Love – You. Just. Couldn’t. Escape. This. Song.
And my #1 FAVORITE SONG OF 2014
Wait for it…
UPTOWN FUNK (Feat. Bruno Mars) – Mark Ronson
“Don’t believe me just watch.” Hands down one of the funkiest tracks I’ve ever heard. Of course those two should give The Time and Morris Day a shout out for biting their style, but I loved this from the first time I heard it and it was my go to song to make me smile this year. I can’t wait for Mark’s album.
See you all next year. Thanks for reading.
Follow @joelygabs
Follow me here if you tumble.. —> www.bondworks.tumblr.com
Happy February Earbuddiens..
Here’s a new podcast. My throat was killing me, so I just decided to forego using the mic and, as 80s singer Shannon sang, “Let the Music Play.” Enjoy.
Download at this very link. Just click.
Here’s the list:
Partition – Beyoncé
Afraid – The Neighbourhood
Frontin’ feat. Jay-Z – Pharrell & The Yessirs
Getaway – Pearl Jam
Billie Jean – The Civil Wars
Lies – CHVRCHES
Repla – Zendaya
Murder – Justin Timberlake
Chocolate – The 1975
Move – Little Mix
Go Let It Out – Oasis
Gold Dust – John Newman
Animal – The Sounds
Cat’s Walk – Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
Where the Music Takes You (featuring Sasha Allen) – Ari Gold
I’m Coming Out – Diana Ross
Candy – Cameo
Follow @joelygabs
Follow me here if you tumble.. —> www.bondworks.tumblr.com
I’ve never been a huge fan of the vocal ability of The Weeknd. In fact, he kind of sounds like Beiber at times. Or I guess I should say, Beiber totally ripped off The Weeknd’s vocal style. Seriously, check the two out and compare, especially with Justin’s new joint, “Confident.” Maybe it’s a Canadian thing I missed out on. But The Weeknd represents this new crop of r&b that is more rough and dirty lyrically. Not so much about love, but about fucking. No romance at all. At times, his music is right up my alley (wink). Other times, not so much. However, this remix remake kind of fits The Weeknd. So he took it over. And ran with it. Best part is it’s FREE. Download it while you can. He does a solid job at remixing it. Kudos Week. Now go have sex. And turn this up loudly.
Well fellow earbudders, here is another end of the year list from me. This was particularly hard because I listen to a lot of different kinds of music and this year was just filled with great stuff – a lot of solid pieces of work from big name artists, and indie artists. It’s HARD to pick just 30. But here they are. I’ll keep them short and sweet. Nothing more annoying than long diatribes about one album in particular. I’m not a writer, but I know what I like. For those who read my blog or listen to my podcast, some of these names shouldn’t really be a surprise. And there are a few that are I imagine. So read up, take note, and listen at will. I’m sure some won’t agree with me, but oh well. This is what I loved this year.
30. The Head and the Heart – Let’s Be Still: There isn’t nothing new to this one. It’s still just as solid as their previous effort. Very chilled, very relaxed. I just took it for what it is, which was excellent.
29. Sleigh Bells – Bitter Rivals: They’re still loud. They’re still angry. They still want to put you in a “blow things up when you’re angry” mood.
28. Bonobo – North Borders: Each song makes you feel waves of emotions ranging from relaxed to excitement. Love it when an album can make your mood change at the drop of a hat at various times while listening.
27. The Lone Bellow – The Lone Below: I’m such a sucker for 3 part harmonies. And acoustic guitars. And songs that are heartfelt. It’s really a beautiful record.
26. The National – Trouble Will Find Me: It’s The National. That’s why.
25. The Julie Ruin: Riot grrrl returns. Truly a gem. Welcome back Kathleen! Garage rock at its finest. Makes you want to stand up and take the world on by storm.
24. The Wonder Years – The Greatest Generation: Easy laid back melodies this time around, but still can hit you with the power punk sound we’re used to from them.
23. Passenger – All the Little Lights: Peaceful and delicate delivery. Quite the headphone record.
22. Panic! At The Disco – Too Weird to Live, Too Young to Die!: Enjoy this ride. They switched styles from alternative emo (if there is even a thing now) to dance new wave pop. The difference? The songs stick out in my head a LOT more than their other albums.
21. Blood Orange – Cupid Deluxe: Melancholy dance, however Dev Hynes has enough collaborations to make it sound rich, gorgeous, and wonderful. The beats are pretty amazing.
20. A Fragile Tomorrow – Be Nice, Be Careful: An extremely fun album with an 80s feel. If the Replacements had children with R.E.M. circa Murmur, these guys would be the offspring. Jangly guitars give me all sorts of feels.
19. John Newman – Tribute: This album reminded me a lot of Mark Ronson & The International’s album a few years back. John has a very soulful voice that could easily be the male version of Amy Winehouse. Throw in some big band dance to back him up, it’s a winner.
18. Chvrches – The Bones of What You Believe: New wavers rule. Definitely a throwback to 80s sound.
17. Boards of Canada – Tomorrow’s Harvest: They never let me down.
16. Pusha T – My name is My Name: Lyrically sick. On some other level of sickness. Highly underrated this year.
15. Jessy Lanza – Pull My Hair Back: One of the most overlooked albums of the year for electronic music. It’s not over the top. It’s not in your face. She pulls you in with her light vocals.
14. St. Lucia – When the Night: Party music. Party music. Party music. Invite your friends, have some drinks, and turn it up.
13. Jay Z – Magna Carter: The real King of NY returns (Sorry Kendrick. But you shouldn’t even try to compare yourself to this man) with an album full of rough beats, braggadocio attitude, and commentary on the state of America as only Jay-Z can do it. In other words, Jay-Z has it all. And we don’t. And we never will. And I’m ok with that.
12. Demi Lovato – Demi: One of Disney’s former princesses hits my ears hard with dance pop goodness, and a few club hits. This album also showcases how great her vocal range is in one aspect, then reveals how she pulls back that range as she lets her emotions take over in her vocal delivery. Well done Demetria. Well done.
11. Rudimental – Home: The other kick ass dance album of the year. It’s a cosmic slop of drum and bass, house, and r&b all rolled into one. And they tapped Emeli’ Sande and Sam Smith to sing on tracks. Not too shabby if you ask me 🙂
10. Aloe Blacc – Lift Your Spirit: Easily a no brainer on this list. He has the will, the heart, the vocal talent, and the emotion to make you feel like it’s going to be okay – whatever you’re going through – it’s going to be alright at some point. Just listen.
9. Haim – Days are Gone: Three sisters who released an album that could have easily been made in a 70s r&b era. They’ve done their homework.
8. Mayer Hawthorne – Where does this Door Go?: One of the best in rhythm and blues this year. It’s a little more marketable this time, but he never completely abandoned what he’s known for – old school r&b. Smooth operator indeed.
7. Disclosure – Settle: “When A Fire Starts to Burn” was the song that introduced us to them. But the whole album is a gem. Sam Smith kills vocally. It’s a dance fan’s dream come true. It never loses speed. It leaves you wanting more. I certainly do.
6. Arctic Monkeys – AM: How much do I love these guys? A rock band with a little bit of soul and guitars that sound so dirty you want to take a shower after listening.
5. Luscious Jackson – Magic Hour: As stated in an earlier blog, this is the comeback band of the year. Dance, organs, with hip hop appeal is where they strive. Welcome back ladies.
4. Tegan and Sara – Heartthrob: Quite the departure from their acoustic rock sound, they returned with an 80s throwback to dance and new wave. The lyrics were more straightforward but the self deprecation was still in full effect, just put to happier beats. Funny how that works.
3. Laura Mvula – Sing to the Moon: Words cannot express how much I love this album and the harmonies. It would be easy to cast her off as a retro singer. But she’s more than that. She is heavy on the soul, singing about everything from divorce, to her image in the entertainment field, to the lack of feeling love, which personally touched my heart. It’s just such a great record. Please everyone give it a chance. You won’t be disappointed.
2. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories: I don’t even consider this an electronic album. It’s more dance and disco. It’s a throwback. It’s light, it’s airy, you can dance like no one is watching to it as much as you can listen to it in a car as much as you can listen in your living room. Or the kitchen. Great from beginning to end.
1. Janelle Monae – Electric Lady: This album is divided up into two halves for me. The first half is radio friendly – the jams that you can blow up and get crazy, and the second half is introspective and personal. I won’t go on and on about this album. Just know that she gives you many sides of herself, along with ideas and imagery of how life should be with all of us in a world where people stick up for one another and aren’t judged by who they are, how they dress, and who they love. Crazy thought huh?
Honorable Mentions:
I have a soft spot for singer/songwriter albums with minimum music. However, I also despise EPs. Frankly I wish all bands would save money and add to the money used for an EP and just release one full album. But I will make an exception in this case. The Saint Johns EP, Open Water, is a beautiful yet small collection of songs that tug at the heart strings. As much as I don’t believe in love, I believe in them. And I believe they’re excellent. Please give them a chance.
Oh Beyoncé. You magnificent creature. You record an album not too many knew about, then you released it on the fly, not alerting ANYONE. I mean, the nerve Mrs. Carter! But hey, you made a solid collection of tracks. You’re coming into your own. This is an r&b album, not a pop album, not a crossover album at all. If listeners are going to expect song friendly lyrics for all ages, think again. I admire you Mrs. Carter for bucking the trends and releasing songs that describe how you really are. Game. Set. Match.
So that’s it for the year peeps. Stay tuned for my END OF THE YEAR PODCAST, the last one of the year. Tell your friends. Keep it right, keep it tight.
From Beyonce’
“I miss that immersive experience. Now, people only listen to a few seconds of a song on their iPods. They don’t really invest in a whole album. It’s all about the single. And the hype. It’s so much that gets between the music and the artist and the fans. I felt like…I don’t want anybody to give the message when my record is coming out. I just want this to come out when it’s ready. From me to my fans.”
She JUST released an album. No promotion. No ads. No vids pushing it. Just the whole album. Dropped. Tonight. The best kept secret. EVER.
And this is why she’s mutherfucking BEYONCE’.
This is not a drill folks. It’s the real thing. 14 tracks and a video for each song.
I have seen the light.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/beyonce/id780330041
Follow @joelygabs
Follow me here if you tumble.. —> www.bondworks.tumblr.com
I was never a fan of the book The Great Gatsby. When I heard that there was going to be another movie made, I thought two things:
1. Leo DiCaprio would be great as Gatsby.
2. The soundtrack should be interesting..
I should have made a bet on this.. would have made a killing.
I listened to the soundtrack yesterday. Thought I’d share a few thoughts. Overall it’s a solid album. There is something for everyone on this and that’s always a good thing. Jay-Z was the supervisor on the album so I knew there would be talk of money, power, fame, yada yada yada on it. And again, I was right. Although I do remember the centerpiece of TGG was money and where it got you back then in the 20s.. kinda like now decades later. But he has enough experience to know that you have to please so many for a soundtrack and for a movie of this caliber. Variety is the spice of life.
Sadly the weakest tracks are by himself and his wife, Beyonce’. He opens the album with 100$ Bills, a song pretty much, illustrating just that. He’s Jay-Z. He is rich. He has more money than God. He really could have phoned this in. He might have. He infused excepts from the movie I guess to be a focal point. The beat sounds like it stops and starts but never has any real pick up and go. Honestly it sounds like a throw away track.
The other downside of the album is the cover of Back to Black, the Amy Winehouse hit, performed by Andre 3000 and Beyonce’. I don’t understand why this song had to be covered. And if it absolutely HAD to be done, Andre could have been eliminated. His voice isn’t melodic at all.. It sounded as if it was spoken word with a beat. I can’t really believe Jay-Z would allow this version to be brought to the forefront. Not even Beyonce could have saved this, despite her trying. Andre ruined it for everyone..
A few standouts: 1.Fergie’s “A Little Party Never Killed Anybody” Featuring Q-Tip. A mix of old and new, Fergie’s powerful voice works perfectly with the dance trend of pop music mixed with old school big band sounds. Q-Tip’s rhyme is on point as usual. Glad he’s back.
2. Jay redeems himself by adding Church in the Wild, his collaboration with Kanye West and Frank Ocean. That ridiculously infectious intro beat will stick in you head for hours after you hear it. It was a standout from his Watch the Throne album and it’s just as good with this compilation. My theory behind adding this song was that Gatsby was the young buck in the
3. Florence and the Machine shows up twice with Over the Love and Over the Love (Of You). Nothing new here. Her haunting voice reigns supreme over the tracks. If you love Florence, you will love these..
4. I really enjoyed the song Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey. The words trigger an emotional roller coaster even though her voice doesn’t really. My favorite line “Will you still love me when I’ve got nothing but my aching soul. I know you will. I know you will. Will you still love me when I’m no longer beautiful?” This and Fergie’s song are probably my two favorites. I think many of you will strike a chord with Lana’s selection because when you are with someone you love those two questions are always in the back of your mind. You want to feel young and beautiful forever and you want the person who loves you to love you no. Matter. What. Beauty fades but love is supposed to last forever. Supposedly. It’s a lingering feeling that we all hope at one point goes away and you trust that love trumps all.
Emeli Sande’s big band sounding version of Crazy in Love (by Beyonce’ for those living under a rock) sounded so much like Bey I had to look at the title to make sure it wasn’t.. Of course the beat was different, but the similarity in Emeli’s voice to Bey’s is very eerie.
What I enjoyed the most about the soundtrack was how it flowed.. the latter part of the album flowed very nicely from one song into the next. Very mellow but still pretty nice. I am assuming it goes with the theme of the movie. Still not as good as the Romeo and Juliet Soundtrack but the flow was the same. Powerful voices singing about love and loss and stability. Can’t go wrong.
One downside: Excerpts from the movie. I hate that. Jay could have added another song instead of excerpts. Such a waste of time.
Overall, I approve. It wasn’t perfect, but it was definitely solid.
Follow @joelygabs
Follow me here if you tumble.. —> www.bondworks.tumblr.com
Happy New Year my fellow music fanatics.
Got up this morning… and I saw THIS!
http://www.beyonce.com/news/destinys-child-love-songs
New Destiny’s Child music???? Will wonders never cease. Hard to believe it’s been EIGHT years. It had better be good.
Enjoy your day.
Follow @joelygabs
Follow me here if you tumble.. —> www.bondworks.tumblr.com
Feed The Ears!! 