CDS Picks: OneRepublic, Ayah Marar, Nervo, Jason Aldean and More

Welcome back to another installment in the wildly popular CDS Picks feature. This time, I'm focusing on new recordings by Paloma Faith, VÉRITÉ, DJ Fresh, Ellie Goulding, Jess Glynne and more (which will be covered in part 2). Have more picks for this week? Just tweet me them and I'll give them a spin? Maybe they'll be make next week's rundown.

Lights - "Up We Go"
Not much is known about up and coming singer Lights... except for the fact that she's a fantastic singer. "Up We Go" is an amazing pop production that leads off her 3rd (and upcoming studio album, Little Machines) in a stormy electronic fashion. It's a must listen if you enjoy experimental, electro, pop, or a fusion of different dance oriented sounds. A stunner!

Rating: ★★★★
Bottom Line: Interesting mix of sounds, fresh, funky.

Jason Aldean - "Burnin' It Down"

I've never been really into Jason Aldean's discography (or any form of Country-esque music), but this track feels like a whole new chapter -- for the better. "Burnin' It Down" marks a massive turn around in Aldean's career, one that has more appeal while still staying pure and true (for the most part). The track's smooth groove and catchy lyrics/hooks will make this an easy win for Aldean, with a potential pop radio crossover on the horizon.

Rating: ★★★½
Bottom Line: A little bit too safe with strong overall appeal.

Rixton - "Wait On Me"
While it doesn't weigh in at nearly the same level that their debut "My & My Broken Heart" does, Rixton's sophomore outing still manages to captivate decently. However, "Wait On Me" follows the unfortunate pattern that many follow up singles end up taking: a massive downgrade that goes almost unnoticed in the marketplace. With impulse purchases lurking across all corners of the iTunes Store, it's going to be almost impossible to avoid this one.

Rating: ★★★
Bottom Line: A downgrade from their debut, but strong enough to give a few listens to.

Pitbull - "Fireball (feat. John Ryan)"
Pitbull has had lots of mixed success on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50, peaking as high as #2 (with 2013's "Timber" alongside Ke$ha) and as low as the #40-50 tier in early 2012. After a few months of break, Pitbull is finally back with a brand new hit. While it's highly unlikely that "Fireball" winds up becoming a top 20 success, it could potentially have a chance."Fireball", while being decently full of spice, falls a bit short of his previous efforts.

Rating: ★★½
Bottom Line: Decent enough to listen to, but not a whole lot better than that.

R3HAB & NERVO - "Ready For the Weekend (feat. Ayah Marar)"
There's not a whole lot to say about this one other than that "Ready For the Weekend" is a major club banger. Featuring the seasoned vocals of Ayah Marar (who has scored 2 back to back #1 CDS Music Chart Hot 50 singles), this R3HAB and NERVO (responsible for the #4 peaking "Hold On") collaboration is a must have for the end of the Summer season.

Rating: ★★★★½
Bottom Line: Sounds like it could be another #1 single for Ayah Marar, and the second top 5 for NERVO.

OneRepublic - "Ordinary Human"
Not nearly as catchy as I had hoped it would be, but OneRepublic's "Ordinary Human" certainly still does the trick. In preparation for the release of The Giver (an upcoming dystopian drama movie based on the New York Times #1 Bestseller of the same name), the track has been released as the lead single from the movie's soundtrack two weeks ahead of  the full physical release.

Rating: ★★★½
Bottom Line: It won't wind up becoming a massive hit, but a moderate success is to certainly be expected.

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CDS Picks: Kiesza, Weezer, The Script & More

Welcome back to another installment in the wildly popular CDS Picks feature. This time, I'm focusing on new recordings by Kiesza, Weezer, The Script and more. 6 more songs will be covered in part 2 of this week's CDS Picks series. Have more picks for this week? Just tweet me them and I'll give them a spin? Maybe they'll be make next week's rundown.

Sam Smith - "I'm Not the Only One"

While I critically panned one of his prior singles for being completely hypocritical ("Leave Your Lover"), Sam Smith proves that he's still a strong musician with "I'm Not the Only One". While his styles are completely haphazard and occasionally horribly confusing, he's still able to write decent material. "I'm Not the Only One" is one of the brightest highlights from his debut album In The Lonely Hour. See my original comments below.

"There's no denying that Sam Smith can tell a vibrant, passionate, heart-wrenching story, but when you compare the bold and downright ridiculousness of "Leave Your Lover" to what you hear on "I'm Not the Only One", you get a sense of confusion. For those criticizing "Leave Your Lover" for being hypocritical, it's hard to still call Sam Smith a hypocrite by the time the end of strings and chords come to a bitter end in "I'm Not the Only One". Why? Because you've already forgotten about the previous track, and are engrossed at the possibilities of what's next to come.

I'll give Sam Smith one thing: he's surprisingly good at telling a type of story that he hasn't had much experience with."

Kiesza - "So Deep"

While she's still riding high on the waves of "Hideaway" and "Giant In My Heart", there's a few other styles to be explored on her debut extended play, Hideaway. "So Deep" offers up a whole new image to the young budding singer. On this track, she swaps electronic deep house beats for a sexy r&b thump beat that still has some hints of progressed rhythm while feeling like a brand new experience. It's not as instantly captivating as her other works, but it works on a different level, and is a subtle grower. In a review for her Hideaway EP, I briefly touched on "So Deep". Here's a snippet of my original thoughts:

"..."So Deep" displays a trace/dance quality that feels so unique and glamorous all together..." 

Drake - "0 to 100 / The Catch Up"

Approximately a full year after his "Hold On, We're Going Home" became a massive hit on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50 (reaching #5 on the tally), Drake is back with a darker single to lead off his highly anticipated 4th studio album Views From the 6. "0 to 100 / The Catch Up" is a two part song that smoothes out from start to finish. It's a whole lot more grainy and really reminiscent of his early 2013 release "Started From the Bottom" (which ended up becoming my 2nd least favorite mainstream release of 2013), which leads me to believe that "0 to 100" will also become one of my least favorites of the year. Thankfully, it's not nearly as terrible. It's worth at least a listen or two.

Weezer - "Back to the Shack"

After 4 years of silence, American band Weezer is finally back with a brand new set of music.

The Script - "Superheroes"

During the last album cycle, British band The Script failed to impress me on many occasions, with "Hall of Fame" falling short of the CDS Music Chart Hot 50 back in 2012. Thankfully, The Script is back with a fresher sound. While "Superheroes" sounds a lot like the stuff on their last album, it's ripe with a new form of energy. 

Alexandra Stan - "Dance"
Stan's last effort ("Cherry Pop") got off to a less than pleasant start back in May, and barely missed inclusion on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50 on numerous occasions. Despite the mixed success of "Cherry Pop", Alexandra Stan's new single "Dance" could reverse her course.

Come back for more posts soon!

Album Review: Laura Walsh's "Laura Walsh" EP

Well known for her stint on Gorgon City's massive #1 single, Laura Welsh just popped up out of nowhere with her debut release "Break the Fall". While the single has yet to officially crack the CDS Music Chart Hot 50, it is worth pointing out that the alternative tinged track was actually the track of the week at the end of June. Looks like her quick success has lead to even more. Her debut extended play (called Laura Welsh) has already made a whole bunch of waves since its quiet July 8th launch date. The 4 piece album sampler is the current iTunes album of the week. Included on the tracklist is "Break the Fall" and two other tracks for a heavily discounted price alongside a track called "Ghost", which is offered for the premium price of $1.29.

Rating (Out of 100)

Generally Positive

CDS Picks: Paloma Faith, VÉRITÉ Launch

Welcome back to another installment in the wildly popular CDS Picks feature. This time, I'm focusing on new recordings by Paloma Faith, VÉRITÉ, DJ Fresh, Ellie Goulding, Jess Glynne and more (which will be covered in part 2). Have more picks for this week? Just tweet me them and I'll give them a spin? Maybe they'll be make next week's rundown.

Paloma Faith - "Only Love Can Hurt Like This"
Alongside its official release in the United States as the debut single from Paloma Faith, "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" comes under my radar for the first time. While it has been burning up the charts across the pond, neither it nor Paloma Faith herself have been promoted much in the United States. That's all about to change. "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" (which made its bow on the Social Songs Chart this week) is likely to make an appearance on the chart dated July 24th. Watch the official video below. Stay tuned, and vote for this song as your favorite of the week here.



VÉRITÉ - "Strange Enough"
She hasn't been around that long, but she's already making waves with her first ever single: "Strange Enough". American singer VÉRITÉ (currently based in New York) has received critical acclaim for her first major single... and for good reason too. "Strange Enough" blends multiple styles together in a way that doesn't seem overly fake or natural. Alternative, pop, electronic and dance notes can be heard throughout this masterpiece. For a limited time, you can download the track for free via VÉRITÉ's official Soundcloud page. It will then be released as an Amazon.com exclusive single. Hear the track and download it for free below. Vote for this song as your favorite of the week here.

DJ Fresh & Ellie Goulding - "Flashlight"
I wasn't that fond of the original version of this song, but this new version is actually something that could end up charting. The new version is shortened, more danceable and just more accessible overall. The track is now being branded as a DJ Fresh song (instead of a Ellie Goulding song) and will be released for purchase in mid September on the iTunes store. I'm rooting for this one, and I'm pretty confident that it will be a massive success around the world. Expect it to chart on the lower side of the scale this week. Hear the world premiere of the track below. Vote for this song as your favorite of the week here.



Jess Glynne - "Right Here"
It may not have reached the #1 position on the Official UK Singles chart, but that really doesn't matter to me. Jess Glynne's "Right Here" is a massive new release that deserves more attention than it will ever get. Following up from her stints on Route 94 and Clean Bandit tracks ("My Love" and "Rather Be" respectively), Glynne doesn't cut corners. "Right Here" is a cleverly crafted pop track with some clear electronic and deep house vibes. It is just the right consistency. Watch the video for the track below. Vote for this song as your favorite of the week here.




Come back for part 2 of this special double length CDS Picks!

CDS Picks: Usher and Nicki Minaj Team Up, Florida Georgia Line Returns

Welcome back to another installment in the wildly popular CDS Picks feature. This time, I'm focusing on new recordings by Usher, Iggy Azalea, Sia, Florida Georgia Line, Nicki Minaj and more. Have more picks for this week? Just tweet me them and I'll give them a spin? Maybe they'll be make next week's rundown.

Florida Georgia Line - "Dirt"
Following a slew of releases that really didn't grab me, Florida Georgia Line (who are most famous for re-releasing decent tracks in overly revamped formats, often featuring Country or Rap artists) finally struck it rich with "Dirt". The new track (which currently sits at #1 on US iTunes at press time) previews the band's 2nd official album (and 3rd overall after the re-release of their debut album under a new title) and is actually one of their most compelling efforts to date. Looking forward to hearing more from them this time around... hopefully they've phased out of the "country-rap" stint that initially made me dislike them so much. We'll see soon enough.

Usher - "She Came To Give It To You (feat. Nicki Minaj)"
While I was overly positive with Florida Georgia Line's newest release ("Dirt"), this new track from Usher really hit it out of the ballpark for me this week. Following up from one of his oddest singles to date ("Good Kisser"; it has officially charted thanks solely to a remix which takes the track from miserable to incredible), the Pharrell produced "She Came To Give It To You (feat. Nicki Minaj)" is a great comeback. While the track clearly feels like a song that's meant to be sung by Pharrell, Usher gives it his own personal twist, and Nicki Minaj delivers a solid (yet lingering) verse that's home to some of her most memorable lines to date. Overall, it's a great single and should eventually wind up being a late summer/early fall smash single. Expect it to be the biggest debut on the Hot 50 chart dated July 17th.

Iggy Azalea - "Black Widow (feat. Rita Ora)"
Hot off the heels of her still wildly popular breakthrough single, "Fancy (feat. Charli XCX)", Iggy Azalea has started promoting The New Classic's next single. "Black Widow (feat. Rita Ora)" was serviced to Pop radio as the album's next promotional single, and is already making large waves in terms of sales and airplay. The track ranks at #49 on the US iTunes Hot 200 and bows at #97 on the Billboard Hot 100 as of the most recent chart update.

When I first came across "Black Widow", I instantly knew that it would end up becoming the album's next release. It has yet to chart on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50, but it should be reaching the list within the coming weeks... Stay tuned.

Kiesza - "So Deep"
Marking a major departure from the dance and house oriented sounds of her first two releases through a record label ("Hideaway" and "Giant In My Heart"), Kiesza's "So Deep" should be considered a groovy, sexy R&B/Soul jam with some electronic influences. It doesn't have the instant appeal that her first two tracks did, but it does have its moments and its a bright track with a promising future. It's unlike anything else you've heard (or will hear this year), so be sure to check it out and purchase lead single "Hideaway" on US iTunes today (currently ranked at #2 on Electronic and #113 on Overall; EP at #103 overall and #2 on Electronic).

Sia - "Cellophane"
Despite the fact that it is not a single at the moment, "Cellophane" (taken from Sia's recently released 1000 Forms of Fear album) is one of her most unique tracks that she has recently released. Hopefully it becomes an eventual single. Read my original thoughts on the track from my 1000 Forms of Fear album review:

"While "Cellophane" isn't nearly as strong as some of the other tracks on 1000 Forms of Fear, it's home to some of the most dazzling beats and lyrics. It's set apart from the pack as somewhat of a standout because it feels original, its unlike anything else on the album, and it feels like a ballad with a passionate twist. Unfortunately, it's not an instant favorite because it feels like the components of the track (while being stunning on their own) don't mesh in the same way that the structures of other tracks on the album do.

Still, "Cellophane" has Sia soaring sky high with her impressive vocal chords. It's definitely a grower. It will surely captivate your heart -- literally (you'll see what I mean when you listen to it) -- it just may take a few listens."

Fifth Harmony - "BO$$"
While I did give this track a severely low score upon release, it's worth noting that "BO$$" (while occasionally being annoying and downright stupid) is actually a nice achievement for Fifth Harmony: it's their only track to attract something of a decent sized audience and their only track worth playing or listening to. It also appears to get better with subsequent listens. Read my original thoughts below:

"The beat is undeniably one of the catchiest ones for a pop song this summer, but I (like a handful of others) disapprove of the writing quality (lyrics). One particular set of words comes to mind: complete garbage. "BO$$" feels like a giant quilt made out of individual squares that don't align right. The lyrics are botched and sound childish, and name dropping the First Lady isn't going to help: it'll make more people hate it. Additionally, the lyrics that could pass off as "decent" sound like they were ripped out of the classic Destiny's Child track "Independent Women Part 1" and stapled to a hodgepodge of poorly written lines. To all the publications saying Fifth Harmony "channels" Destiny's Child or TLC or whatever on their new track: no, they're copying them. I don't care who you are, you can't call yourself the new Destiny's Child if you or your staff writes like this.

On the other hand, the beat is actually decently entertaining, but then yet again there are some issues: Fifth Harmony clearly didn't produce the beat so I can't really give them a grade on that, and it does sound really familiar ("Talk Dirty" and "Problem") which makes it a pleasant disappointment overall.

As for the song itself, I'd skip it but its not terrible in a pinch. Still, it's cheesy, and completely stupid sounding at times."

Come back for more posts soon!

CDS Picks: Chris Brown, Sia, Ariana Grande and More

Welcome back to another installment in the wildly popular CDS Picks feature. This time, I'm focusing on new recordings by Chris Brown, Usher, Rick Ross, Sia, Ariana Grande, David Guetta, Grimes and more. Have more picks for this week? Just tweet me them and I'll give them a spin? Maybe they'll be make next week's rundown.

Chris Brown - "New Flame (feat. Usher & Rick Ross)"
After several months out of the limelight, Chris Brown returns with "New Flame", a collaboration with Usher and Rick Ross. Built around a silky rhythmic beat, "New Flame" is an excellent track that offers an assortment of sounds that range from pop to soul to rap and a whole lot more. It's the hottest new track of the week. Here's what I initially said:

"The new track is one of his better tracks, despite being on the simpler side. Usher definitely brought it the hardest, delivering one of his best performances in several years."

David Guetta - "Lovers On the Sun"
After 4 consecutive single releases that became major busts ("Ain't A Party", "Shot Me Down", "Bad" and "Blast Off"), David Guetta quickly bounced back with another new track, "Lovers On the Sun", a brand new venture that sounds just like his older works. Co-produced by fellow EDM music producer Avicii, "Lovers On the Sun" sounds like a combination of "Wake Me Up" (2013's biggest EDM release) and most of the tracks released by Guetta during his Nothing But the Beat era. It's bound to be an instant worldwide smash success, even though Sam Martin is virtually unknown.

Note: To all the people out there who don't understand co-production: David Guetta isn't copying Avicii, he's using selections of his beat and giving him production credit.

Grimes - "Go (feat. Blood Diamonds)"
After she broke through in 2012, Grimes became a well known UK name. After a year and a half long hiatus, she's finally back with a brand new single that sounds both familiar and fresh. That's probably because it was written with Rihanna in mind.

The simply structured club banger starts off slowly paced and quickly progresses into a monster sized track with piercing vocals, a great breakdown and a killer beat.

For a limited time, you can download "Go (feat. Blood Diamonds)" for free courtesy of Soundcloud below.

Sia - "Big Girls Cry"
While "Chandelier" was a major game changer, follow up promotional single "Eye of the Needle" fell a little flat when it came to overall quality. Thankfully, Sia's next release, titled "Big Girls Cry", is a much more interesting track. Here's what I first said in my review of Sia's latest album 1000 Forms of Fear:

"No it's not a jab at Fergie's massive hit single "Big Girls Don't Cry". Instead. its more of a different perspective of the same story. Interestingly enough, Sia's "Big Girls Cry" is undeniably simple, yet gets its message out there really quickly. Fergie's similarly titled release felt (and still feels) fuzzy and at times unorganized. Overall, with "Big Girls Cry", Sia proves that she can turn a fairly simple topic into a major track and most importantly... nearly everyone will love it.

Ariana Grande - "Break Free (feat. Zedd)"
Hot off the heels of "Problem (feat. Iggy Azalea)" which debuted with monster sales and a huge radio presence, Ariana Grande (who is in fact somewhat small) is back with another new track that'll knock your socks off: this time featuring Zedd. The EDM brushed effort is easily one of the most anticipated releases of the summer, and will be available starting tonight at midnight on iTunes. There have been talks about how sales will go for the track (which has the unfortunate luck of debuting mid week). I will be covering that topic in a new post coming later tonight/early tomorrow morning. Stay tuned.

Come back for more new posts!

CDS Picks: Maroon 5, Kiesza, Mandy Rain and More

Welcome back to another installment in the wildly popular CDS Picks feature. This time, I'm focusing on new recordings by Maroon 5, Kiesza, Mandy Rain, and more. Have more picks for this week? Just tweet me them and I'll give them a spin? Maybe they'll be make next week's rundown.

Maroon 5 - "Maps"
It doesn't really have the same pizzaz that previous singles "Payphone (feat. Wiz Khalifa)" and "One More Night" did, but it's still a decent effort. Upon first listen, it's a bit underwhelming though it does manage to sound better with every subsequent listen. Still, "Maps" is unlikely to beat the debut frame of Kiesza's "Giant In My Heart" (a fellow debut that could steal Maroon 5's thunder this week). At this point, it's almost guaranteed to not open past the 116 spin debut of "Payphone (feat. Wiz Khalifa)" and an opening past 100 spins is looking a bit out of reach. I do, however, think track will be able to stand strong in the coming weeks and should at least end with over 900 points if it plays out similarly to Maroon 5's other releases.

Kiesza - "Giant In My Heart"
While it certainly doesn't have the same instantaneous hit quality that "Hideaway" did, but "Giant In My Heart", the follow up single, still will likely make listeners want to dance and groove all night long. At this point, "Giant In My Heart" will likely finish the week within the top 5. If it does debut their, it will be Kiesza's 2nd consecutive debut within the upper region. It won't match the #1 debut on "Hideaway", which blasted in at #1 with 115 plays 2 months ago, but it will still manage to post strong numbers and could easily wind up as Kiesza's second consecutive #1 single on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50.

Mandy Rain - "RIOT"
Yes, it has been out for quite a while but Mandy Rain's recent release, "RIOT", has just started to heat up around the world - particularly on Twitter in the United States. After skyrocketing on the Trending 140, Mandy Rain grew in both sales and social media marketing. That prompted me to list the track as a pick of the week, because let's be honest "RIOT" is extremely catchy and pop/dance friendly.

You can start voting for "RIOT" as your favorite song of the week here: vote now!

T.I. - "No Mediocre (feat. Iggy Azalea)"
I'm not normally a huge fan of T.I. (I normally avoid most releases by him), but "No Mediocre (feat. Iggy Azalea)" caught my ears by surprise when it had its world premiere this morning (Monday, June 16th, 2014). Mainly because you can understand what T.I. is saying (for once) and because of Iggy Azalea's interesting performance (she even references her 2013 track "Change Your Life" which coincidentally features T.I.).

The track could be one of the very few rap tracks to actually crack the CDS Music Chart Hot 50. We'll see at the end of the week.

Mike WiLL Made-It - "Buy the World"
Following the huge success of his first single, "23" (which featured Juicy J, Miley Cyrus, and Wiz Khalifa), Mike WiLL Made-It is finally back with another track. This one is titled "Buy the World". The track features Future singing the song's chorus as well as both Lil Wayne and Kendrick Lamar delivering the song's rap verses.

Despite the fact that Mike WiLL Made-It's "23" was listed as the WORST song of 2013 by me, "Buy the World" is actually a huge step up from his debut record ("23").


Le Youth - "Feel Your Love (feat. Javeon)"
The track is a perfect summer anthem brilliantly produced by American disc jockey Le Youth. "Feel Your Love", which features Bristol based artist Javeon, is likely to be another smash single for Le Youth, and will likely dominate clubs worldwide through the early fall.

The track is a beautifully sung masterpiece that continues the trend of popular 90s electronic tracks that have dominated the marketplace throughout much of early 2014.


Come back for new posts!

CDS Picks: Train, Colbie Caillat and More

Welcome back to another installment in the wildly popular CDS Picks feature. This time, I'm focusing on new recordings by Train, Colbie Caillat, Lily Allen, and more. Have more picks for this week? Just tweet me them and I'll give them a spin? Maybe they'll be make next week's rundown.

Lily Allen - "Bass Like Home"
Though Lily Allen didn't actually get the chance to record an official 2014 World Cup theme song, the British pop star did create a stand alone anthem of her own. Best of all, she offered the track as a limited free download starting on June 12th. The track, titled "Bass Like Home", is an electronic influenced pop production that's more entertaining than most of her recent discography (the majority of Sheezus). To be completely honest, the track has a big chance at reaching the CDS Music Chart Hot 50. If it does reach the chart, it will be the artist's 2nd charting track (2013's "Hard Out Here" reached a peak of #24) and the 3rd charting track used to promote the 2014 World Cup (after Shakira's "La La La" and Oceana's "Everybody").

Train - Angel In Blue Jeans
After taking 2 years off to tour the United States and record their new album, Train is finally back with another new single, "Angel In Blue Jeans". It's not quite as catchy as their previous recent releases ("Drive By", "50 Ways to Say Goodbye", and "Mermaid"), it's still a decent effort and should be able to make a nice sized impact on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50 (as a reference point, "Drive By" reached #1 for a single week but failed to hold well through the rest of its run). Either way, the track is bound to be somewhat of a success across the American radio airwaves this summer.



Robin Stjernberg - "Body Language"
It's a bit disappointing that it took Robin Stjernberg a full year to come up with this song. "Body Language" feels a bit odd when compared to Stjernberg's 2013 smash single "You" (which reached the CDS Music Chart Hot 50 about a year ago).

Fortunately, it's not the worst effort we've seen from Robin Stjernberg and it has some standing potential. It should be able to become a noticeable smash hit in Stjernberg's native Sweden and other neighboring Scandinavian countries.

Colbie Caillat - "Try"
Offered as the iTunes free single of the week, Colbie Caillat's latest single, "Try" is a fairly mellow effort, yet the track's intense vocals place it high within the ranks of Colbie's extensive discography.

Interestingly enough, "Try" was released alongside a surprise digital exclusive EP titled Gypsy Heart (Side A) along with several other tracks. It was later confirmed that this "side A" was actually part of her upcoming 5th studio album (likely to be stylized as just Gypsy Heart). This is an interesting promotion tactic... let's see if it ends up working in her favor.

Come back for more posts!