Thanks to U-verse, I heard a bumper crop of impressive music this morning. Among the highlights:
'60s
- Concrete And Clay-Unit Four Plus Two (These weren't unusual sentiments for pop songs to convey in 1965, but the tune's catchy rhythm and relative brevity at just 2 minutes and 14 seconds should have made it a bigger hit.)
Brazilian Pop
- Vou Voar-Sabrina Malheiros (These vocals and the tune's start-and-stop piano rhythm wouldn't be out of place on a smooth jazz station.)
Canadian Indie
- Sad To See You Happy-Olivia Lunny (Lunny gives these lyrics about failing to get over a breakup such an appealing bounce.)
Chamber Music
- Maurice Ravel: Sonata For Violin And Piano in G major (Jing Wang, violin; Eduard Laurel, piano) (Tense--but lyrical nevertheless.)
Cocktail Lounge
- Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin'-Ray Charles (As usual, Charles's vocals and piano playing nailed the perfect balance between wallowing in one's sadness over a relationship not panning out and moving past it.)
Folk Roots
- Hometown-Sarah Jarosz (Is it more satisfying to be a homebody or a nomadic adventurer? As these lyrics suggest, it depends on your comfort zone and life circumstances.)
- Rider Of Days-Patty Griffin (A thoughtful way of saying, "Although we're no longer together, I still admire you.")
Indie Classics
- I Can't Help Myself-Orange Juice (Rhythmically, structurally, and vocally, this reminds me of The English Beat. The saxophone part seals it.)
Latin Lounge
- Matador-Candy Space (Modern yet somewhat '70s-sounding vocals and instrumentation. This could segue with various Jazzamor tracks.)
- Por Verte Llegar-Monica Giraldo (Pleasant vocals and guitar.)
Smooth Jazz
- Coastal Rays-Drew Simpson (Breezy, easy-on-the-ears guitar playing...)
- Nine 2 Five-Nils (...and that's an accurate description of this track's appeal, as well. The hook of three ascending notes that first appears 44 seconds in makes the tune.)
- Chasing-Andra Day (What do you do when you meet your ideal partner but you both prefer to be loners? This new release posits this quandary. Just about any tune that has this type of inviting guitar intro before its vocals will be a hit with me.)
World Carnival
- Jekajo-Chicago Afrobeat Project (An energetic stew of vocals, keyboard, horns, and percussion.)
