Beyonce - "Sweet Dreams" from "I Am... Yours. An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas"

Beyonce's music is constantly stuck in my head. I will say that I'm not a fan of all her work, but "Halo" is one of my favorite songs of the year (especially the version by Diana Vickers). And "Sweet Dreams" is also up there, it's such a great song. On the 23rd of November she will be releasing a CD/DVD called "I Am... Yours. An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas". So far I have only seen/heard "Sweet Dreams" from that show and it is amazing. It is acoustic and really beautiful and haunting. Hopefully the rest of the show is as stripped and vulnerable as this is, although I'm not sure if "Single Ladies" will work acoustically. But with Beyonce, you never know.

Alicia Keys - "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart" Music Video & Performance

"Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart" is the new single from Alicia Keys. It is the second single from "Elements of Freedom" which is due in stores on the 15th of December. The first single, "Doesn't Mean Anything" wasn't a certified hit, but that won't be the case with "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart". I really like the track. Alicia Keys sounds really good and it is really catchy. I like depth of the lyrics and the video - it is classic Alicia Keys. I wasn't too excited about the album when I first heard "Doesn't Mean Anything", but that changed when I heard this track and Alicia talk about the album. I'm really anxious to hear it.

I really like the video; it is really simple and works with the lyrics and music. I really like all the different looks Alicia has, but I think she looks absolutely stunning when she is riding the motorcycle and when she is on the roof in the purple...wow! I also like that Alicia is at a piano for some shots, she is very talented and I'm glad that it is portrayed. I'm not to sure about the scene with the dog, it was a bit random and odd, but it made more sense after seeing the end of the video. The video is an improvement from her last video; she looks amazing, the concept is simple and cool. I like it. Alicia Keys is back!

Earlier this week, Alicia performed the single on Dancing With The Stars, and here is that performance:

Leona Lewis - Echo

November is a huge month for music, especially in the UK. It is when all the major artists release their new albums, and one of the most anticipated albums this year was Echo, Leona Lewis' sophomore album. It was released in the UK on Monday and in the US on Tuesdays. There are several differences between the UK and US version, and I prefer the UK version as it has the amazing "Stop Crying Your Heart Out".

After a few listens, I like the album. I'm not sure if it is as good as her first album, but it is a great album. The lead single "Happy" is one of the best pop songs of the year, although it failed to reach the number 1 spot in the UK charts which was a disappointment. "I Got You" is another track on the album that has potential as a single - it's very well crafted and a good love song. "Brave" is another track I like, the chorus is great and epic. Leona's singing really shines on this track. "Naked" is a great song - it starts slow and builds. This song also has great potential as a single. The lyrics and message of the song are great. Aside from "Happy" and "Stop Crying Your Heart Out", my favorite track is a duet with OneRepublic called "Lost Then Found". Leona and Ryan Tedder sound amazing together. The song is another epic ballad, and is just beautiful. I can picture each artists singing the song alone and it being good, but as a duet, it is amazing and believable. It should be the next single.

Leona Lewis and OneRepublic - "Lost Then Found":

Leona Lewis has been busy promoting the single "Happy" and performed it on this week's episode of Dancing With The Stars:

Echo is now in stores, be sure to pick up a copy.

Travis - The Lake Fever Sessions

Travis is a band that I am very fond of. They are one of my all time favorites and I have been a fan for more than ten years. Their music has been the soundtrack to my late adolescence - it is hopefully and happy, but also very melancholy. The lyrics of Fran are very profound, descriptive and relatable. Each of their songs takes me back to a different time and different memory. They have released 6 studio albums, but have over 150 songs. I cannot choose a favorite, but there are some that have really moved me including: "Sing", "Before You Were Young", "Side", "Closer", "My Eyes", "Pipe Dreams", "Big Chair", "More Than Us", "Driftwood", "Song To Self", "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?".. and so many more.

In 2001, Travis released a concert DVD called "More Than Us" and it is my favorite concert DVDs. The guys are brilliant. The lead singer, Fran is hilarious with his banter with the audience. The concert was shot in Glasgow, the band's home town, and the crowd is brilliant. After watching the DVD for several years, in April, I finally had to opportunity to see Travis live. It was an amazing show in a small venue.

 In October, lead singer Fran Healy and lead Guitarist Andy Dunlup went on an acoustic tour/show called "A Chronological Acoustical Journey Through the Travis Back Catalogue". It was amazing! The show started with the first song Fran wrote, and ended with the last song he wrote. And in between Fran shared stories and pictures about the origins of their songs. It was amazing to hear Fran talk about his inspirations and ideas. Especially with Fran's sense of humor - at one point, he had pictures of Jake Gyllenhaal, and a flag he created by combining the flags of Spain and Israel. The man is not only a musical genius, he is hilarious.

During their last tour, Fran and Andy stopped by the Lakeview Sessions and recorded a few of their songs.

"Driftwood":

"Big Chair":

"More Than Us":

Snow Patrol + Cheryl Cole - "Set The Fire To The Third Bar" Live

Last Thursday, a charity concert called Children In Need Rocks The Royal Albert Hall was organized by Gary Barlow of Take That. The aim was to raise money for "Children In Need", which will have a telethon on November 20th in the UK.
 
I was super excited when I heard that Cheryl Cole joined Snow Patrol to sing "Set The Fire To The Third Bar". I cannot even explain how excited I was! "Set The Fire To The Third Bar" is one of my favorite songs of all time. It is on my iPod and grabs my attention every time it comes on. I absolutely love it. And Cheryl Cole and her debut album are also on my iPod and on heavy rotation.

At any rate, the performance and audio are amazing. I'm not sure if it was recorded for the broadcast on the 20th, but there is video of it on youtube, and the audio did play on the Chris Moyles radio show. Enjoy.

As I've said, I'm a fan of the original, and of Cheryl Cole and really enjoy this version. The studio version with Snow Patrol is amazing, but this is special. I love the way their two voices blend and the harmony. It was a great idea and worked out great. If it were a single or for sale, I would buy it and it would be on repeat for at least a few days. Gary Lightbody, the lead singer of Snow Patrol is a bit too spastic in his perforamance for my liking. And as usual, Cheryl Cole looks absolutely amazing and gorgeous. Maybe Gary Lightbody was spastic with his movements to distract my attention away from Cheryl Cole!

Stacey Solomon - X-Factor 2009

Since Lucie Jones was sadly eliminated from X-Factor 2009 last week, I'm hoping Stacey Solomon wins. When I first saw her at her audition, I thought she was going to be a joke and ridiculous, especially when she said she was going to sing "What A Wonderful World". My first impressions were horrible wrong. She has an amazing voice and great control and range. I also love her personality; it is a bit much at times, but I can't help but smile when I hear her talk and her mannerisms. She has progressed each week and is getting better. And her mentor, Dannii Minogue has been the most consistent, fair, and I hope she too can win with Stacey Solomon's victory. I realy loved her first audition and her amazing performance of "Who Wants To Live Forever?" by Queen. Check them out below:

Stacey Solomon's Audition - "What A Wonderful World":

Judges Home - "Somewhere Over The Rainbow":

Live Show 1: "The Scientist":

Live Show 2: "At Last":

Live Show 4 - "Somewhere Only We Know":

Week 6 - "Who Wants To Live Forever?":

X-Factor 2009 - "You Are Not Alone" Live

The top 12 X-Factor Finalists have recorded a cover Michael Jackson's hit "You Are Not Alone" for this year's charity single. The acts included are Kandy Rain, Rikki Loney, Miss Frank, Rachel Adedeji, Lucie Jones, Jamie Archer, Stacey Solomon, Olly Murs, Joe McEdlerry, Danyl Johnson, John & Edward, and Lloyd Daniels. Last year, the charity single was "Hero" by Mariah Carey, and it went in at #1, giving all the contestants their first hit single, as well as helping out the charity.

Here is the Music Video:

And the Live Debut on X-Factor:

I have mixed feelings about this. I really like the concept of doing a charity single and it is for a great cause. The video before the performance about the charity and the clips in the music video did make me tear up a bit. But I don't know about the song choice or the vocals. "You Are Not Alone" is not one of my favorite songs, it's a bit boring. And this version in particular is really boring; there is not great big moment. The vocals by Stacey Solomon, Joe McElderry and Lucie Jones stand out, but the rest don't do it for me. I don't hate it, but I'm not excited about it. Last year's cover of "Hero" was amazing with Rachel Hylton, Laura White, Diana Vickers, JLS, and Alexandra Burke. And the music video is the same as last years! I would expect something different from a major tv show such as X-Factor. It is the exact same thing - with different people and different clips. Change it up a bit, no?

I'm not a fan of the vocals or the video. I really do like Stacey Solomon and Lucie Jones. I hope the single does well for the charity and raises money, but from a musical standpoint, it is short of amazing.

OneRepublic - "Secrets" Music Video

"Waking Up" is OneRepublic's highly anticipated sophomore album. It is scheduled for release on the 17th of November. The lead single from the album is a song called "All The Right Moves" and is a great song. I really enjoy it, although it didn't chart well. The second single is called "Secrets" and is a great track, and has OneRepublic and Ryan Tedder's signature sound. Although I enjoy "Secrets", I prefer "All The Right Moves".

The Saturdays Meet Madcon's "Beggin'"

The Saturdays are a great girl band from the UK. They just released their sophomore album, "Wordshaker". I haven't had a chance to listen to it, but I do like the lead single, "Forever Is Over". I also enjoy their debut album, "Chasing Lights" - it's great fun UK pop.

A while back, The Saturdays did an awesome cover of Madcon's "Beggin'" on Radio 1's Live Lounge.

It's a really great and catchy cover. I like the original, but it does get a bit obnoxious. The girls sound amazing and can really sing. I also enjoy all the harmonizes. It also love how they took the song and changed the melody, making it more catchy and in my opinion, better than the original.

Leighton Meester ft. Robin Thicke - "Somebody To Love" Music Video

I know I've posted this song/video a few times, but it's seriously always stuck in my head. I really like it and hope there is more like it in the future from Leighton Meester. Until then, enjoy the music video with me.

Leona Lewis - "Happy" on Paul O' Grady Show

Leona Lewis is amazing. She is by far one of my favorite female vocalists. I have heard her new album Echo and it is amazing. It has many great songs, especially the ballads. I don't think anyone out there can sing a ballad like Leona can. She is promoting her single "Happy" in the UK, and it looks like it will reach the top spot on the charts. I sincerely hope it does as "Happy" is an amazing track. Here she is on the Paul O' Grady show:

I think this is one of the best performances I have seen. She looks STUNNING. I think she is beautiful, but she looks amazing here. I love that there are no gimmicks, no pyrotechnics or dancers, just Leona, her voice and the emotions. I also love the eye make-up - it draws attention to her eyes and intensifies the emotion of the song. And her outfit - she is beautiful.

Sharon Corr Live at the RTE Hot Press Music Show

There are a few bands that have affected my life, and The Corrs are one of those bands. To say that I am a fan in an understatement. I absolutely adore everything they do and everything they are. They are an amazing and talented family, they play their own instruments, they write and arrange their own songs and lyrics, the often produce their own tracks. They are also involved in many charities and have done great work promoting many causes. I absolutely adore them, and can say that seeing them live and meeting them was a dream come true and one of the BEST days of my life.

The band is taking a much needed break, and Sharon Corr is using that time to record a solo record. It doesn't have a release date, but so far what I've heard is simply amazing. Sharon is one of the principle song writer and lyracist for the band and is creating amazing material for her solo album. Sharon is the romantic in the group and that comes across in her music and her violon playing.

A few months ago Sharon played a few songs at RTE Hot Press Music Show - and here are some clips:

"Ears Painted On":

"Radio": (a Corrs' classic)

 

"It's Not A Dream" (Not a great version - sorry!):

"Jenny's Chickens":

Rehearsals for the show:

And after the show:

And yes, I LOVE The Corrs.

Niki Evans - X-Factor 2007 Audition "I Will Always Love You"

I'm still really annoyed that Lucie Jones was booted off X-Factor 2009. She was one of my favorites this season. But I've had a few favorites including Diana Vickers, Alexandra Burke, and Niki Evans to name a few.

Check out this amazing audition by Niki Evans - she is amazing. I love the tone and control of her voice, she is so talented. I love the surprise on her face at 1:20 when she says "Really?!". I think she is phenomenal and will have to post more of her performances soon. 

Check out Lucie Jones singing "I Will Always Love You" at her X-Factor audition in 2009 below.

Lucie Jones' X-Factor 2009 Journey

Lucie Jones was eliminate from X-Factor 2009 in a VERY controversial decision by Simon Cowell. And I'm not at all happy about it. Lucie Jones was my favorite singer and here's why:

Audition: "I Will Always Love You" originally by Whitney Houston

Bootcamp: "Hurt" originally by Christina Aguilera

Judges Home: "Anything For You" originally by Gloria Estefan

Week 1 Live Show: "Footprints In The Sand" originally by Leona Lewis

Week 2 Live Show: "How Will I Know" originally by Whitney Houston

Week 3 Live Show: "My Funny Valentine" originally by Mitzi Green

Week 4 Live Show: "Sweet Child O' Mine" originally by Guns N' Roses

Week 5 Live Show: "This Is Me" originally by Demi Lovato

Live Show 5 Sing-off: "One Moment In Time" originally by Whitney Houston

And the horrible elimination:

Leona Lewis - "Happy" on X-Factor 2009

Leona Lewis returned to the X-Factor stage to sing her smash hit, "Happy".

As per usual, Leona's performance was amazing. She looked elegant and sang it brilliantly, especially the big high note in the middle. It crazy that she actually hits that note live and is not just a one time studio note. She is very talented and a great performer. I really love the black dress and the eye make-up. It really highlights the darkness of the song. Well done!

Black Eyed Peas - "Meet Me Halfway" on X-Factor 2009

The Black Eyed Peas also performed on this week's X-Factor Results show, singing "Meet Me Halfway" and what a performance it was.

Whereas Leona Lewis' performance was low key, the Black Eyed Peas held nothitng back. Check out Will.I.Am's enterance - so insane. And Fergie-Ferg! She looked amazing and her vocals were amazing! Check out the long note at the 4:30 mark - WOW!

Alicia Keys - Yahoo! Music Set & Interview

Alicia Keys is promoting her new singles, "Doesn't Mean Anything" and "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart" from her fourth studio album, "Elements of Freedom" which is due on December 15th. Alicia recently played a six song set for Yahoo! Music as well as an interview.

Since I am a huge fan, it was great to see Alicia perform some of her past hits including, "If I Ain't Got You", "You Don't Know My Name", "No One" and "Fallin'". As I've stated, I don't think her new singles measure up to her potential, although they are still good songs. I really enjoyed the interview - it reaffirmed all the reasons why I love Alicia. I always find comfort in her music and am really anxious to hear the new album as I can relate to some of the themes she explores and will find comfort and strength. The themes she is going to explore include: balance, growth, changing and testing yourself to get to a new place. I'm really stoked and December 15th can't come soon enough. But for now, enjoy the interview and the songs.

Interview:

"Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart":

"Doesn't Mean Anything":

"Empire State of Mind" and "You Don't Know My Name":

"No One":

"If I Ain't Got You":

"Fallin'":

Daniel Merriweather and Adele - "Water and A Flame" Music Video

"Water and A Flame" is an amazing duet with Daniel Merriweather and Adele. It is on Daniel Merriweather's album, Love and War, which was released in the UK earlier this year.  The album will be released in the US on the 19th of January.  It is one of my favorite tracks on the album. I was really excited to hear Adele and think that their two voices really blend well. I also like the soul and the depth in the song and it suits both singers. Here is the music video:

As much as I like the song, I really don't like the video much... it's missing something.... ADELE! How did they not have Adele in the video?! She has a whole verse in the song, it's not like she is singing in the background. I'm very annoyed and hope they asked Adele and there was a scheduling conflict or something. At any rate, the Daniel Merriweather's album is good, and Adele is amazing.

Leighton Meester ft. Robin Thicke - "Somebody To Love" Music Video

"Somebody To Love" by Leighton Meester and Robin Thicke is fast becoming one of my favorite songs. I didn't expect to like it at all, but I do, and I like it a lot. I'm not sure what the rest of Leighton's album is going to sound like, but based on this song, I will have to give it a spin or two.

Check out the full video here, or a sneak peek below:

Leona Lewis Meets Oasis' "Stop Crying Your Heart Out"

Leona Lewis' sophomore album, Echo, won't be released until November 17th, but it has already leaked on the Internet. And I've had a listen to most of the songs, and am very impressed. I was really impressed by her rendition of "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" which is a classic Oasis ballad.

I am a big fan of Oasis, and the song. I'm also a huge fan of Leona, but will admit to being a bit unsure of this choice for a cover. But it is amazing. The cover is epic in the same way as her cover of "Run" by Snow Patrol. Leona can take a great song and make it beautiful and amazing. The original is beautiful, but Leona's vocals make it a beautiful heartfelt track, and I really like it. I've actually been listening to it non stop for a few days now and it is still magical and haunting.



And the original by Oasis:

Jamie Cullum - Don't Stop The Music

The Pursuit is the fifth studio album from Jamie Cullum. The album is to be released in the UK on the Monday, the 9th of November. Jamie Cullum is known for his jazz inspired rendition of pop songs. The Pursuit has a brilliant version of "Don't Stop The Music" which was originally done by Rihanna and samples Michael Jackson.

I really like the original by Rihanna and was surprised to hear that Jamie Cullum was doing a cover, but then again, he did an awesome cover of "Frontin'" by Pharrell. This cover does not disappoint. It is competely different from the original but still sounds awesome. I'm a fan of this version. Well done!

James Morrison - "Get To You"

James Morrison is a great singer/songwriter from England. His first album called "Undiscovered" is great and one my favorite albums a few year ago. His second album is also fantastic, and is called "Songs for You, Truths for Me" which has amazing songs such as "You Make It Real", "Broken Strings" which has Nelly Furtado, and the amazing "Please Don't Stop The Rain". [Girls Aloud covered "Broken Strings" on their latest tour and it is fantastic] He is releasing a Deluxe Edition of the album which will have two new songs, as well as a second CD with six acoustic records of his hits. One of the new songs is called "Get To You" and here is the video:

 

I like the song - it's not the greatest from James Morrison, but it's also not crap. The video is also good - nothing too exciting, good concept, fairly simple, and not crap.

Robbie Williams - "You Know Me" Music Video

On November 17th, Robbie Williams will release "Reality Killed The Video Star", his 8th studio album. The lead single is called "Bodies" and is an instant classic and hit. The second single from the album is a great song called "You Know Me".

I really like the song. It took a few listens to really grow on me, but it did. It also got stuck in my head for a long time. It is a slow ballad, but has a great 50's vibe to it. I can hear it playing in a diner with poodle skirts and the sort. The video is really bizzare, but it works. It is entertaining, and it has Robbie Williams dressed as a giant bunny! How awesome is that! It is really different and somewhat creepy, but I half expect that from Robbie. He is always pushing boundaries, and sometimes he gets it wrong, but I think he delivers on "You Know Me" and the video.

The Script Meets Eminem's "Lose Yourself"

The Script are one of my favorite bands. Their music is so unique and different, and fuses many different genres. When I first heard of them over a year ago, I was amazed at their versatility, and then I learned that they write, play and produce all their own work, and also write/produce for others. Their self-titled album is amazing, from beginning to end, full of great songs and surprises. I HIGHLY recommend it. They are really talented and can do anything. Here is a cover they did for Radio 1s Live Lounge.

And Irish rock band did a killer cover of "Lose Yourself" by Eminem. (Note: The video is crap and the audio is not in sync with the video, but it's a great cover and worth listening to)