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.
Come back for more posts!
