Pop country is something that I feel Kellie Pickler fits into – she never needed the deep-seated country lyrics or the insightful stories to be a “hit” on the airwaves. She was the bubbly-fun girl that always delivered in interviews or on the red carpets of the industry. She had a few sappy ballads along the way, but more importantly she had writers to throw in those radio-friendly tunes to keep her relevant in the industry and connected to her Idol fans…

Bring on a few year hiatus and the final release of her new album, “100 Proof”. At first listen, I was surprised. Surprised for a few reasons. First, this isn’t the pop country that I am used to. I don’t instantly hear too many radio-friendly tunes that would surpass the country genre and into the mainstream (a la Sugarland and Lady Antebellum – two of my favorites). Secondly, I was surprised that the old-school country sound works for Kellie! There are songs on this album that showcase some beautiful vocals – not something Idol viewers may have expected years ago. Way to go. I approve.

Kellie clearly has matured over the years – at least in the world of lyrics and singing prowess. I hope that this gamble that she took with the old-school country sound pays off for her. Maybe even landing her some music nominations in the big scale arenas (Grammys?). This album features about six co-written songs by Kellie Pickler herself. I guess that its time for me to make my recommendations for “100 Proof”

Take a listen to her first single “Turn on the Radio and Dance”, her radio-friendly hits “Tough” and “100 Proof”.

Tracklisting:

1. “Where’s Tammy Wynette”
2. “Unlock That Honky Tonk”
3. “Stop Cheatin’ on Me”
4. “Long as I Never See You Again”
5. “Tough”
6. “Turn On the Radio and Dance”
7. “Mother’s Day”
8. “Rockaway (The Rockin’ Chair Song)”
9. “Little House On the Highway”
10. “100 Proof”
11. “The Letter (To Daddy)”

To wrap this up, I wanted to share a video of a performance that I am always reminded of by Kellie Pickler. This showed her vulnerability, her authenticity, and her connection to her music. On her first album, her song “I Wonder” spoke to her true life story of being abandoned by her mother as a child. Watch through to the end to see how the lyrics finally get to her (around 3:30).

After listening to “100 Proof”, what is your vote?

Tim Halperin was unfortunately cut in the semi-finals of American Idol Season 10. In my opinion, he would have gone much farther if he made it into the top 12. His voice and style may have been too similar to past winners and maybe that is why American didn’t push him through. However, he’s doing his own thing now that he is out from under the contractual agreements signed by any Idol contestant. With technological advances and a variety of platforms to showcase talent, true artists are able to make something happen in this world of fickle audiences, crazy big labels, and blurry distribution channels.

Today, Tim Halperin posted his cover of Bruno Mars’ song from the Twilight: Breaking Dawn soundtrack, “It Will Rain”. I might venture to say that I like it as much as Bruno Mars, which for me is saying a lot. I think this version has a quicker feel and a less desperate feeling in the delivery. Way to go Tim.

Hope this catapults you into even more iPods.

How about a little Rihanna cover, “You Da One”

If those covers spark your fancy, check out Tim’s latest full length release, “Rise and Fall”

1. All You Got
2. Pretty Girls
3. The Last Song
4. She Sets Me Free
5. Bullet
6. Crash Course to Hollywood
7. I’ve Gotta Know
8. Where I’m Going
9. I Wanna Fall in Love
10. Memories On the Ground
11. New York
12. I Believe
13. American Fame

iTunes link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/rise-and-fall-bonus-version/id466750886

Tim’s website: www.timhalperin.com/

For those of you who have never heard Nathan Angelo, he’s got some piano-pop rock stuff going on. His voice is smooth and is drenched in emotion (including his Holiday Inn Express video – see below). There are times when I listen to artists and I wish I could sing like them; this is definitely one of those times. I subscribe to the YouTube channel, mailing list, and… I am currently trying to kick his butt in Words with Friends.

On the newer studio album, Follow Your Heart, the listener can press play on track one and keep on going. The music takes you on a journey and you will be able to rest your “skip” finger. No need to move along, maybe just the need to press repeat – repeat – repeat (a la Jessie J and David Guetta).

Although it is hard for me to pick a few songs for you to sample, let me try…

You will fall in love with Nathan Angelo’s music by listening to “Hurt Me”, “Forgetting You”, and “Born to Love You.”

Track Listing:
1. Love Is On The Line
2. Forgetting You
3. Follow Your Heart
4. We Can Make It
5. Born To Love You
6. Reprise
7. Make Up Your Mind
8. Hurt Me
9. A Little Bit More
10. Fool
11. So Much I Don’t Know

Video for “Hurt Me” :

Check out the tunes and let me know your thoughts by adding a comment. Come back in the next few days to read more about my purchase of Nathan’s acoustic album and the potential giveaway!

Oh, here is the Holiday Inn Express video, as promised:

Nathan’s website - http://www.nathanangelo.com/

iTunes link - http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/follow-your-heart/id423820568

Fast forward a few years…

As part of the mailing list for Jonathan Clay fans, I received an email about a new group called Jamestown Revival. This group consisted of Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance. From what I gather, these two were friends and decided to get together and record some organic sounding music. This music feels real. It feels genuine.  The harmonies are out of control awesome, the music just flows through your bones, and the lyrics get caught in your head. I am still waiting for more songs (fingers crossed there will be more). However, in the meanwhile, I want you to check out some of their tunes.

My recommendations to start with – “Beat on Down” and “Looking For the Right Thing”

• “Beat on Down” – Slow jam with some great harmonies. First time in awhile I can recall hearing a tambourine in a recorded song. Authentic and real slow-rock-ballad. “Take it easy love / Its gonna keep on coming / Take it easy love…”
• “Looking for the Right Thing” – Down home, front porch jam. This is a prime example of the great harmonies by Zach and Jonathan. The southern, bluegrass, rock feel of this song will have you humming the song after the first listen. Need a few more listens to learn the lyrics, but I guarantee you will want to do just that.

So tell me, do you love Jamestown Revival. If so, leave Jonathan and Zach a little love and I’ll forward it on…

Beat on Down song/video of pictures:

Jamestown Revival Website - http://www.jamestownrevival.com/

iTunes link - http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-knives-pipes-ep/id418146290

When I saw the previews for Real Steel, I never thought that I would be writing this particular commentary or glowing praise for the film. Ever. I mean… I knew that the movie would be fun to watch due to the fight scenes, special effects and just the general action flick feeling, but I never knew that I would be so stoked to recommend it to everyone.

After reading a collection of positive reviews, I knew that I was not going to wait for this movie to come streaming on Netflix. In fact, today is the release of the DVD and take a guess of what DVD is being delivered to my house on Thursday? Yep. I bought it. Don’t judge.

So, I went to the theater ($4.50 matinee – woot!) as usual and prepped myself for this lengthy movie (almost two and a half hours). To my surprise many other people were joining me at this early showing a few weeks after the release.

The film is set sometime in the future where boxing by humans is no longer a sport. Instead, people have giant controlled or AI robots that battle and earn money, as did human boxers in the past.

Hugh Jackman plays a former boxer, Charlie, and gambling addict. He is head strong, stubborn and does not want to admit defeat. In comes the news that a son, Max, that he had and disowned is now his due to the death of the child’s mother. Charlie does not want to have anything to do with his son, however the child’s aunt wants to adopt and give him a rich and fulfilling life.

Being a swindler, Charlie, comes up with a deal that he will watch his son for a bit and then “sell” over Max to the aunt and uncle.

Without giving away the story, here’s what happens. After losing more money. Max and Charlie find a broken down robot to train and enter into competitions (for money, of course). Through the movie, Charlie and Max may (or may not) find something to bond over and may (or may not) take part in a strong father-son coming-together story.

My recommendation is to watch this film. Trust me. I sat in the theater and actually laughed at myself for being so into the film. This just proves, you never know…

Have you seen it? What do you think?

Buy it on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Real-Steel-Hugh-Jackman/dp/B004A8ZWW4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327424230&sr=8-1

This morning I got to attend a panel conversation with the Executive Producer/writer and actors of Magic City, a new period drama set in late 1950s Miami. The story follows the lifestyles of mobsters, heiresses and working ladies and the inner workings of the hotel scene and life in 1950s Miami.

The show will be aired on Starz in April 2012 and the first season will be eight (or ten) episodes. The show runner sees a future in this series and hopes to follow the characters and the city through the Kennedy assassination in the early sixties.

The uniqueness of this show is that it is one of the few Miami-based shows to actually be shot in the city of Miami. As you may know, Dexter is set in Miami, yet shot in Long Beach, California. Starz has built an almost identical replica of the hotels needed for shooting here in Miami Beach. As mentioned by the executive producer, Mitch Glazer, an individual coming to the set often thought it was an actual hotel. He joked that some of the Golden Globes representatives might still be there.

The big name actor tied to this show is Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Take a look at IMDB for Morgan to see just how many things you might recognize him from. Most recently, network television watchers might recall his characters on Grey’s Anatomy and Supernatural.

A writer for the Miami Herald was moderating the panel and commented on the music licensed for the show. The executive producer, Mitch Glazer, commented on the authenticity needed in the music of the era: His trick, include the music he wanted in the temps sent to Starz, so that the producers seek out the licensing. For one scene in the series opener, Bobby Darin’s tune “Beyond the Sea” was licensed for a pool scene. I would imagine this was somewhere between $35k-$100k to use this one song.

So, the question is: Will this show make it through the Kennedy assassination? Or will season one be it’s one and only?

Even though the user rating on IMDB is 4/10, I still plan on checking it out in April. Mainly because period dramas on premium cable can be quite a treat.

Years ago, when Myspace was cool, I made “friends” with someone named Colbie Caillat. This was before she officially released any music. We would go back and forth in emails and I would comment on some of the songs that she had on her profile Myspace player. I was referred to as the “Florida boy”. But then “Bubbly” was posted on her page and shot to the top of the Myspace lists, and then she was signed to a label, and then the song shot to the top of the Billboard charts. Personal Myspace touches fell by the wayside, but she was on her way.

I have enjoyed everything that Colbie Caillat has released. All three albums contain songs that are easy to listen to and fit in the mood of the day. Some songs bring on feelings of the ocean and summer, some remind us of loss, and some just are a bit silly… “it starts in my toes…”

Over the years, I would catch her performances on different late night shows or daytime talk shows. Unfortunately, she seemed intimidated and little off in the vocals. So when my friends were unable to go to her concert and asked me to go in their place, I was worried. I was worried that maybe I might enjoy the studio recordings less if the live show wasn’t amazing.

Guess what? The live show at the House of Blues in Orlando was stellar. She had such stage presence, her vocals were outstanding, and the crowd just had a great time. Since my friends could not attend the concert due to the loss of a family pet, I decided that I would make a little video of the event so they could enjoy it too.

I love live music and I am glad that I can add Colbie Caillat to the list of great concerts that I have attended.

If only she remembered her “Florida boy”.

About one hundred years ago, a friend of mine let me borrow a CD by a newcomer, Josh Kelley. The album was called, “For the Ride Home” and contained the hit single, “Amazing.” Now, I wasn’t blown away by the songs on this album, however I knew that Josh Kelley had one of the best voices that I have heard in awhile. After that release, I followed Josh’s career and releases very closely, always hoping that he would hit the top of the charts. It never really happened quite like that, but he has been able to make a career out of his major releases and independent releases.

My favorite song of his was the title track from his second album, “Almost Honest.” The lyrics, the phrasing, the melody, the everything makes this song one of his best.

That is, until I heard “Naleigh Moon” from his newly released country album, “Georgia Clay.” This song is dedicated to the daughter that he adopted with Katherine Heigl. The raw emotion in this song can bring anyone to pull out a tissue and have a sniffle. My hope is that mainstream radio gets a whiff of this one, because I think there are enough saps out there to push it where it should go.

On a side note, this was the track that I recommended to all my friends the week the CD was released. Maybe I was right…

Have you heard of Jon McLaughlin? If not, please keep reading because I feel that it is imperative that you discover his music and enjoy it. On all of his albums, he delivers great piano pop/rock. The first time I heard him sing “Smack into You” on a demo or something, I knew that it had the potential to be a big hit. Guess who decided to put in on their album? I’m fairly certainly your next guess was not Beyonce. But, it was Beyonce. However, in order to give herself some writing credits, she changed the lyrics slightly and the title to, “Smash into You.” If you can find it, listen to Jon’s version – much, much better (even though I do love me some B).

Recent news from Jon McLaughlin is that he has removed his latest album “Forever If Ever” from online retailers because he has changed labels and is working on a new release for 2012. On “Forever if Ever”, Jon recorded “Summer is Over” but it seems that the teaser (or lead-off) single for the new album is a recording of this same song featuring Sara Bareilles. Which, in my opinion, makes this song 2,372,972,332 times better. Don’t get me wrong, I love Jon McLaughlin’s music, however I think adding Sara Bareilles to anything is a joy for every listening ear. (Don’t believe me? Take a listen to the original OneRepublic “Come Home” and then take a listen to the duet version with Sara Bareilles)

If this reworking of the already catchy song, “Summer is Over”, is a sign of what is to come on the new and improved Jon McLaughlin album of 2012, count me in.

Summer is Over (featuring Sara Bareilles)

Amazing, right?

Buy it on iTunes – http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/summer-is-over-feat.-sara/id489615921

Years ago, when Myspace.com was a popular place to do everything that we do Facebook on now, I came across great new music all the time. One of those times, I found OneRepublic before they were signed and couldn’t stop listening to “Apologize”. But another one of those times, I found Jared Lee. The song that I got stuck on was “Why Do I Have to Choose?” So, I instantly made it the song my profile theme song (remember how you could do that?).

Fast forward a few years…Myspace was just a distant memory, yet the song never ceased to leave my mind. I guess my biggest question was always- why does Jared Lee not have a major label backing him and releasing new tunes?

A few singles emerged in 2009 and 2010, “Hooray for Hollywood” and “It’s Over (Goodbye)” and some television placement happened. Yet, no full length release for the general public to consume. Finally, in October 2011, Jared Lee released the EP, “Falling Through Holes.” A blend of radio friendly piano/pop ballads and mid-tempo jams. Now, it is our turn to make something of them.

If you like a smooth pop/r&b voice mixed with some catchy tunes, check out Jared Lee’s new EP. Start with “Out of Breath” and “Hold U Down”.

•  “Out of Breath” sounds like it could be on an upcoming Usher album. The opening of the sound has unique timing (in my opinion) which only adds to the catchy flare. Plus, we get a mid-tempo “you crushed my love”  tune. Very anthemic. Win/Win.“Thought you had a heart of gold/Did you have to be so cold/What the hell is wrong with you/Took a hammer to my soul/Spinning it out of control/What’s a man to do?” 

• “Hold You Down” is another mid-tempo anthem with unpredictable timing/phrasing by Mr. Jared Lee.  Sounds like someone had a pretty bad breakup or tumultuous relationship before these songs were written. “so far from home/ ill get by on my own/ I just hope that you find what you need”

Track Listing :

1. It’s Over (Goodbye)

2. Hold U Down

3. Beautiful World

4. Out of Breath

5. Falling Through Holes

6. What It Beats For

Now, when do we get a full LP release, Jared?

iTunes link - http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/falling-through-holes-ep/id468535819

Jared’s Website – http://www.jaredleemusic.com/