Earlier this evening, American Idol season 10 alum Pia Toscano and singer-songwriter Andy Grammer performed at the 555 California Street Holiday Tree Lighting in San Francisco. Check out performances from the event below!
“This Time”
Category: Music
VIDEO: David Cook Covers Meredith Brooks’ “Bitch”
The other night at David Cook’s show in Springfield, MO , he was apparently asked to cover “Bitch” by Meredith Brooks in honor of a couple’s anniversary. Who was the couple? His tour manager Jody and his wife, singer Meredith Brooks! Check out his performance below!
Yeah, so this is pretty much my new favorite cover that I didn’t even know I wanted.
What do y’all think of the new cover song? And what other female singer’s music catalogue should DCook dive into? I’m thinking Liz Phair…
Music Review >> Glee Cast – “Mash Off”
Among my favorite moments in each season of Glee have been the episodes that highlight song mash-ups. This season’s mash-ups for the most part lived up to their predecessors and one particular track stood out as probably the best mash-up Glee has ever done.
In an episode chock full of medleys, Mark Salling’s (Puck) take on Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher” was the only solo track. I don’t think Salling gets enough credit for his vocal versatility. He showed a more vulnerable side of his voice earlier this season on a Foreigner track and, this week, we got to hear more depth and fullness in his singing. I think this was one of the better vocal performances we’ve gotten from him, actually. Cory Monteith (Finn) could also be heard on the track, and his voice pairs nicely with Salling’s.
On to the mash-ups, Idina Menzel (Shelby) and Matthew Morrison (Will) sang a medley Lady Gaga’s “You And I” and the Eddie Rabbitt/Crystal Gayle duet “You And I.” On paper, one wouldn’t think this could work, but surprisingly it does. I’m not sure that I’m quite sold on the pairing of Menzel and Morrison as duet partners, however. That said, I liked that Menzel had the bulk of the mash-up, because she really redeemed herself from season one’s recording of Gaga’s “Poker Face,” of which I was never a huge fan. Overall, I found the double dose of “You And I” to be a success.
Music Review >> Daughtry – ‘Break The Spell’
Daughtry is back with their latest studio album, Break The Spell. The album was released on November 21, which happens to be five years to the day that they released their self-titled record, back in 2006.
The band (Chris Daughtry, Josh Steely, Brian Craddock, and Josh Paul) made a conscience decision to go into studio without preconceived notions about what was going to result from the writing sessions.
“We said, ‘Let’s just write and see what happens,'” lead singer Chris Daughtry said in the band’s press release. “We came up with some pretty interesting tunes that sound nothing like anything we’ve done before. Even though some of them didn’t make the album, the process stretched us and took us to new places. It was an absolutely inspirational experience.”
Working with producer Howard Benson, who also produced the band’s first two albums, Daughtry co-wrote the entire album with his fellow band mates, as well as collaborating with Marti Frederiksen, Busbee, and Brett James. It was Benson who encouraged the band to think outside of the box with their new tunes.
“Howard called me and said he had some ideas for what we needed to do to differentiate this album. He said, ‘I really think we need to push ourselves,'” Daughtry shared in the band’s bio.
And push themselves, they did. Break The Spell is harder rock music mixed in with Daughtry’s classic sound that the core fan base has grown accustomed to over the years.
The in-your-face track “Renegade” leads off the album with high energy guitar riffs and Chris Daughtry’s intense vocals. This is a side to the band that I felt was starting to show itself on their last album, 2009’s Leave This Town, but now has fully come to fruition. Roaring on, the guitar-laden “Outta My Head” is bold step in a rockin’ direction. The gritty rocker contains one of the catchiest choruses on the album and is sure to get the audience moving at live shows.
Continue reading Music Review >> Daughtry – ‘Break The Spell’
VIDEO: James Durbin Performing Live at Santana Row
Earlier today Windup Records recording artist and American Idol season 10 alum, James Durbin, made an appearance at Santana Row in San Jose, CA.
After doing a meet-n-greet with fans, James performed a stripped down set of songs from his debut album, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster for the crowd.
Set list: “Stand Up,” “Right Behind You,” “Love Me Bad,” “Screaming,” and “Love in Ruins.”
Check out video of James’ performance below!
“Stand Up”
Two more videos after the cut! Continue reading VIDEO: James Durbin Performing Live at Santana Row
VIDEO: Gavin DeGraw Sends a Holiday Message to His Fans
Earlier today, a new video message from Gavin DeGraw was posted up on his Facebook page wishing fans a Happy Thanksgiving! Check it out below!
Also, Gavin released his iTunes Sessions EP earlier this week. If you buy the entire album, you get seven amazing live tracks, plus an audio interview for $6.99! So, if you love his latest full-length album, Sweeter, you would dig this new EP. Just sayin’.
Aaaaand if you never got a chance to check out my interview with Gavin from earlier this year, you can do so right by clicking here.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news & tour info fromGavin DeGraw at his official website!
Music Review >> Stephen Kellogg and The Sixers – ‘Gift Horse’
Last month, Stephen Kellogg and The Sixers (Kit “Goose” Karlson, Brian “Boots” Factor, and Sam “Steamer” Getz) released their fifth studio album, Gift Horse. It’s the band’s second release with Vanguard Records.
“There’s the old saying, ‘Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,’ which translated as showing appreciation for what you have,” Kellogg commented in the band’s press release.
“That’s exactly what this record’s about – appreciation that I have a job right now in 2011, with all that’s going on economically in our country; appreciation for my family, because there’s nothing that I value more; and appreciation of America in general.”
Produced by Mark Weinberg, the songs on Gift Horse have a classic rock, almost Americana kind of vibe about them. You can tell by just how these songs were written from personal anecdotes. The entire album plays out like a collective book of stories on life and family.
Kellogg has taken his storyteller writing style and really captured moments within his life and turned them into meaningful music. This is demonstrated on tracks like the uptempo “1993,” which is the story of how he and wife met and fell in love and “Noelle, Noelle,” which is written in admiration of his daughter, which is probably the sweetest song on the record. In songs such as “Gravity” and “Roots and Wings,” Kellogg sings of lessons learned from his family.
Gift Horse’s lead single, “Gravity,” is an upbeat tune about enjoying and appreciating the life you have now, instead of worrying about what lies ahead. I like that the arrangment really fits the song; coming off lighthearted and fun and truly drawing that picture of leaving your woes at the door and enjoying what’s right in front of you.
“Roots and Wings” is one of my favorites on the record. The song speaks to doing the best you can with your kids, but when the time comes to let them off to explore the world, you handle the change as best you can. Arrangement-wise, the song has a very anthem feel to it; I can see it being a great track to hear performed live.
VIDEO: Syesha Mercado Covers Adele’s “Someone Like You”
I literally just got home from work and logged onto Twitter to find that the very talented Syesha Mercado (Idol season 7, Dreamgirls) had posted a cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You.” Check out her fantastic performance below!
The girl has got some pipes! Very few can do justice to an Adele song and she just did it seamlessly. Absolutely fabulous vocal performance, Syesha!
For more info on Syesha Mercado:
FLASHBACK: November 18, 2008 – David Cook’s Debut Album is Released
Alright Cook fans, do you remember where you were on November 18, 2008?
I do; I was on my computer at midnight downloading David Cook’s self-titled major label debut off of Amazon.com. And I’m going to assume that I wasn’t the only one.
The next morning before heading out to buy physical copies of the record, I sat down and wrote a blog post, which you can find HERE.
Last month during an interview I conducted for Blogcritics, I asked David about how his debut record resonates with him now – three years later. Check out what he said below!
I say this, and it’s not to discredit that record or anything like that, but it really feels like every other record that I’ve done up to this point. I go back and I listen to it, and it seems like a very accurate, very honest, I guess, self-portrait at that time. You know, I hear a lot of energy, a lot of spastic energy on that record.
I think coming off of Idol, finally after 10 years of toiling in clubs, and bars, and coffee houses, and stuff like that, I’m finally at this spot. There’s a great vibe to that record. I’m really proud of what that record did. I’m glad I got to make it. With this record, the new one, I think there was just a bit more of a concise focus. I think I was able to put blinders on a little bit with this new record and focus on a singular idea.
And now Cook fans, I turn to you. Being that it’s been three years exactly; how does David’s self-titled debut record resonate with you now? And which song off the record has remained your favorite? (My fave is “A Daily AntheM.”)
Hit me up in the comments!
VIDEO: Patrick Stump Performs “This City” on The Tonight Show
Last night on The Tonight Show, Patrick Stump took the stage to perform his current single, “This City.”
Check it out!
All this performance did was make me want to see him in concert again…BADLY. Seriously y’all, one of the best live acts out there right now.
Pick up a copy of Patrick’s record, Soul Punk, if you haven’t already!
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