Songs of the Month | November 2014

So, in an attempt to make more regular posts and features, I have decided that at the end of every month I will post three or four of my favourite songs that month.
They don't necessarily have to be songs that were released that month so these posts will include old and new tracks that I have been loving that month.

Don't Tell 'Em - Jeremih feat. YG

I discovered this song a little late, and only because of Lorde's cover on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge a couple of weeks ago. I loved her rendition and I love the original version and all of the various remixes floating around - I feel totally out of the loop with this one.
It goes to show how my lack of nights out and clubbing have impacted my ability to keep up with music.

Jane Doe - Alicia Keys

This song is more of a rediscovery on my part after stumbling upon some Alica Keys classics on Youtube. I remember my mum having the Songs In A Minor album and listening to it many years ago and this was the song that stuck out to me for some reason.
The catchy hook, relatable lyrics and attitude really got me and this remains one of my favourite Alicia Keys songs even though it is only an album track.
Fun fact : This song was co-written by Kandi Burruss of Real Housewives of Atlanta fame.

Standing On The Sun Remix - Beyonce

What is a month of music without a little Beyonce. The platinum edition of her most recent album delivered quite a few gems but one of them has been overshadowed by her fabulous video for 711.

Her remix for Standing On The Sun which features Mr. Vegas and a lot of dancehall epicness is a beautiful ballad with some flare. 

I would love to see a video or performance to this track because it deserves more recognition.

2014 AMA Performances

It's that time of year again ! Late November marks the beginning of award season and it all starts with the American Music Awards which took place last night. As some of music's biggest starts gather to collect their awards, what we really look forwards to are the show-stopping, entertaining and often controversial musical performances.
Here is a summary of some of the shows biggest performances last night...

Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Christina Milian, Skylar Grey

Young lovers Lil Wayne and Christina Milian open the performance with a potential new song about their love. It could have been cute but it wasn't. I found it quite awkward and unnecessary - Lil Wayne is better than that - however, I will give credit to the song which sounds quite good.
Then out comes Skylar Grey and Nicki Minaj with a performance of Bed of Lies which wasn't anything special but it is a nice song.

Fergie

Fergie hit the stage and it's like she has never been away. She performed her latest single L.A Love alongside DJ Mustard and YG, and hit the choreography and rap with ease. She looked amazing too.

Jennifer Lopez and Iggy Azalea

J-Lo, as always, delivered a sexy and energetic performance to her song Booty alongside her friend Iggy Azalea. The girls looked hot and J-Lo really showed these young girls how to command a stage and an audience with her closing dance number.

Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj

The ultimate girl power trio reunited on the AMA stage, this time with no wardrobe malfunctions, and slayed the audience with Bang Bang. Jessie and Ariana were pitch perfect as expected and Nicki looked fierce so it was an all-round success this time.

Iggy Azalea

Iggy also took the stage solo (well, with Charlie XCX) to perform Fancy and newest single Beg For It. It was a bit lacklustre in parts and she didn't show any power or aggression in her verses, maybe because she was more concerned with hitting all her spots, but she did well considering that she is still a newcomer.

Ariana Grande

Ariana took the stage for a second time alongside The Weeknd for a sultry performance of Problem, Break Free and Love Me Harder. She looked beautiful and Jessica Rabbit-esque as she belted out her pop hits but with a jazzy rendition for originality. Then the performance hotted up for the sexy Love Me Harder. All in all, Ariana proved that she is not a teeny-bopper anymore and The Weeknd sounded superb.

Sam Smith

One of this years biggest newcomers, Sam Smith sang to perfection with a stunning vocal on Not The Only One but added a nice surprise with a verse from A$AP Rocky. Although they may not be a musical duo that would ever come to mind, it actually worked really well and this remixed version needs to be released.

Selena Gomez

Before anything, I need to address how beautiful Selena looked while performing on stage last night. An angelic look for an angelic performance.
Selena performed her ballad The Heart Wants What It Wants, which is not-so-secretly a song about her relationship with Justin Beiber. Understandably, Sel got a little emotional as she sang but that made the performance all the more mesmerising.

New Video : Beyonce

Another great day for music as Beyonce builds up to the release of the platinum edition of her self-titled album. Two new songs from the album leaked a couple of days ago but Beyonce, always one step ahead, almost immediately dropped the seemingly home-made video on her website.
The song, 7/11, is a fun, uptempo club track that has elements of the current trend trap music, in its repetitive and simple lyrics along with the strong hip-hop beat. It may be an unusual sound for the Queen of R'n'B but she pulls it off because the song may just be one of my favourites.
The video is also a revelation. We see Beyonce dancing around her bathroom, bedroom and in corridors with her friends as she drinks alcohol and dresses up in some of her most infamous red carpet dresses.
It is always entertaining and refreshing to see King Bey having fun and not in such a huge production like most of her music videos.

New Music : Meek Mill

Even from behind bars, Meek Mill can drop some pretty catchy club anthems and FYM is just that. What it lacks in substance and originality it makes up for in other areas which is pretty much the recipe for all Meek Mill songs.
Although this may never see mainstream success (based on the explictives alone), I am sure this will be playing in all the clubs by the end of the month.

Album Review | Teyana Taylor : VII

Many would say Teyana Taylor is underrated in the music industry because, although the girl is talented and hard-working, she has never quite reached her potential. The music has never been that great and she seems more dedicated to other artistic avenues and media drama than her singles.

However, her debut album VII may just silence any haters or doubters and finally prove that fans have a point when they call her the underdog.

I wasn't expecting much, if anything, from the album but I was pleasantly surprised to discover a smooth and genuine R'n'B album that may just be my favourite of the year.

1. Outta My League (Interlude)

I am kind of annoyed this is just an interlude and not the opening song because it sounds so different from everything else on the album and would have really stood out as a full-length song.

Teyana is making a statement about what is to come for the next eleven tracks, and it promises to be some real heavy R'n'B.

2. Just Different

This song grew on me over time and it now stands strong as the opening track. It reminds me of a smoke-filled bar with dimmed lights and a sultry R'n'B singer on the stage which is not a bad thing at all. The production is beautiful and really does transport you to another place and another time.

3. Request

Teyana continues the authentic, old school R'n'B sound with this sexy slow jam. This really takes me back to the early noughties in terms of simple yet effective production and soothing vocals to create a pleasant, laid-back bedroom song.

4. Do Not Disturb feat. Chris Brown

No surprises here that Chris Brown is featured on the album as a long-time friend and fan of the songstress. This track is yet another slow jam but there is a bit more tempo and production which prevents the sultry sound established thus far from becoming overused or tired.

Chris sounds great on his verse and this would make for a great single and video.

5. Broken-Hearted Girl feat. Fabolous

This may just be one of my favourites on the album thanks to Fabs strong verse and the catchy hook; it is a track that gets stuck in your head well after hearing it.
There is an element of vulnerability in Teyana's vocals which is rather endearing and easy for many girls to relate to.

6. It Could Just Be Love (Interlude)

Another brief interlude which seems to act as a break in the album separating the previous five songs from what is to follow. 

It is unfortunate that this song is only an interlude because it has potential to be a strong full length song; however, the musicality is carried out so well on the song that it works as an interlude too.

7. Put Your Love On

Teyana tries her hand at some reggae with this stunning mid-tempo track, and she pulls it off well. Unfortunately, the song is over in less than three minutes which is very disappointing because it would have been the strongest song on the album but it doesn't quite reach its full potential in the short track time it has.

8. Maybe feat. Pusha T and Yo Gotti

Another firm favourite on the album for me which confirms a marked change in pace on the album as this showcases the side of Teyana we are more accustomed too. There is the soft R'n'B vocals paired with a strong hip-hop beat and rap verses from Yo Gotti and label-mate Pusha T.
I love the haunting vocals on the verse juxtaposed with the thuggish attack on the hook and chorus. It is easy to see why this was chosen as the first single.

9. Dreams

This song leaked a little while back and gave me high hopes for the album and I am glad that it remained a part of the final product because it fits in well.

Dreams references a French Montana song throughout in a humorous and amusing way creating an all-round fun and flirty track. It may not stand out amongst other songs but it delves into another side of Teyana that shouldn't be misconstrued as cockiness.

10. Sorry

I adore the acoustic piano that opens this track and the melody throughout this song remains understated yet powerful and emotive. This is a stunning ballad which truly showcases Teyana's talent as a writer and vocalist in a very subtle way.

11. Business

Business may be my least favourite song on the album but that is only because it is competing with some of the best R'n'B music I have heard in a while.
The song is forgettable and doesn't hit as heavy as her previous slow jams which I feel is down to the lazy beat. There are promising moments such as the three seconds of acapella and the short-lived rap but, all in all, the song falls short on such a strong album.

12. In The Air

The only flaw with this song is that it is far too short, much like Put Your Love On, and misses its chance of being a favourite.

Aside from that, In The Air is another R'n'B moment for T with a catchy hook and chorus, solid production and sultry vocals. This is the album closer on the non-deluxe version and I completely understand why it has that position because it finishes off the album in an assured way.

13. Outta My League

I was so happy to see that the opening interlude is a full track on the deluxe version because it is such a mesmerising song. It reminds me so much of early Alicia Keys, vocally, lyrically and production-wise, and who doesn't love some 2000 Alicia.

The subject matter is almost unheard, a girl declaring that the guy who loves her is out of her league and questioning why he is even with her, something I am sure most girls can relate to at some point.

14. It Could Just Be Love

Once again, another beloved interlude has been made into a full song and I couldn't be happier - other artists should take a note out of Teyana's book.
As with every other song on the album, Teyana sounds great and the song is ridiculously catchy and sexy.

Teyana has truly outdone any expectations and every other R'n'B album this year because this album is near flawless. There are no filler songs or tracks that could be considered 'skippable' because it seems as though T has put a lot of time and effort into every minute of this album.
This deserves a lot more success than I fear it may receive because as far as R'n'B music in this day and ages goes, no one has delivered anything as endearing, authentic or exciting as VII.
Rating : 5/5

New Video : Fergie

Fergie's comeback hit, L.A. Love, has been making the rounds for a few weeks and now it finally has a video to accompany it.
The video is pretty much how I imagined it would be - Fergie looking hot, partying with friends and breaking out a little choreography. The video is fun, colourful and filled with some surprising celebrity appearances which she shouts out at the end.
If you weren't a fan of the song before, you will be now. Fergie, welcome back !

Weekly Round-Up | A Week Of Women Dropping Surprises

This week has been filled with surprises in the world of music and the first came from outspoken rapper, Azealia Banks. After three years of anticipation, Azealia dropped her debut album Broke With Expensive Taste unannounced on Thursday. It has received high praise from fans and critics which I can understand as the album is a courageous step for any musician with experimental sounds, bold attitude and impressive lyrics. However, the album is not to my personal taste and I was a bit let down what with Azealia having made amazing songs such as 212, Liquorice and 1991.

The surprises continued with an unexpected musical release from pop princess, Selena Gomez, who has been quite on the musical front for over a year. What was even more shocking was that the subject matter for her new song was very clearly about her rocky relationship with Justin Beiber. The Heart Wants What It Wants is a really personal and vulnerable song, as is the endearing video that goes with it and, although it was made almost a year ago, the lyrics couldn't ring any truer for the young star.
It is nice to hear a softer side to her and that she is, at last, opening up about a topic that has been making headlines for years.

There were more album releases this week from two other female artists whose music couldn't be more different. Teyana Taylor released her album, VII, at the top of the week to much critical acclaim. The album is brilliant, innovative and authentic, and Teyana has found herself a new fan in me - a more detailed, track-by-track review will be available on my blog tomorrow.
On the other hand, Cheryl Cole didn't deliver such a stellar album although I am sure it will still be a commercial success. She seems to have taken a step back in terms of musicality and there is no growth or excitement in any of the songs on the album. In fact, the only two tracks worth listening to have already been released as singles so the album was a disappointment to say the least.

New Video : Ariana Grande

Ariana is not done with dominating the charts and music industry this year as she drops her third single from her latest album. Love Me Harder features The Weeknd and discusses a lot of explicit and sexual topics which is a huge leap from the innocent and good girl image Ariana has created as a Nickelodeon star.
The video takes it even further as Ariana explores a more mature image with her hair down (yay) and provocative and suggestive movements as she lays on the ground. It may come as a bit of a shock and will no doubt garner some controversy but I like the fact that Ariana is ditching that child star, playful image and acting her age now.

New Music : Nicki Minaj

Sadly, Nicki announced last week that her album release date will be pushed back four whole weeks but to keep us satisfied she dropped a new song featuring Chris Brown, Drake and Lil Wayne. Only is a lyrically strong and provocative hip-hop song which sees Nicki at her best and delivering what many of her day one fans have been waiting for, that mixtape Minaj.
Chris' chorus is ridiculously catchy and I can definitely hear this being a club banger before the year is up so get ready to twerk to this one on New Years.