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!