A Rhyme: "Voodoo" - Alexz Johnson

Many know Alexz Johnson from the hit TV shows Instant Star and So Weird but Johnson's true passion is singing and that she does well on her debut disc. The title track, "Voodoo", is essentially about Johnson wondering what mystical or emotional power has her falling for her guy. If you're listening to the song thinking it'll sound like a tune from Jude Harrison (Johnson's Instant Star character) then you may be disappointed. Many site the song and the LP as a huge departure from the singer's TV show songs and I have to agree.

I came upon "Voodoo" when I was on the Internet one day and thought, "I wonder what ever happened to that album Alexz Johnson was supposed to be recording." I went to her official site, clicked on "Voodoo" and immediately loved the song. After streaming the album on alexzjohnson.com I downloaded the album from iTunes and have been playing the LP practically non-stop. Check out the title track below.



Picture Credit: Wikipedia

A Rhyme: "Red" - Daniel Merriweather

Released on Colombia records, "Red" is actually Daniel Merriweather's second single from his sophomore album, Love & War. The song debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 5, Merriweather's second top 10 single. The singer says "Red is a song "about the blindness of war and the absence of compassion displayed by western administrations."

Currently featured as a Vh1 "You Oughta Know" artist, his song has been playing quite often on Jump Start in the morning. It was there that I first heard the song and liked it ever since. I'd describe Daniel Merriweather as a male version of British songstress Adele. If you like her song, "Chasing Pavements" you'll probably like this song too. Check it out below!

Source: Wikipedia

A Riff: Disney Soundtrack Songs

What child born in the late 20th century hasn't heard these classic Disney soundtrack songs? These are the songs many children have grown up with, ones that any one person can start singing and another could finish. From "A Whole New World" to "Hakkuna Matata", Disney songs take you back into the past and make you feel like a kid again.

Take a trip down memory lane with the playlist below:

A Rhyme: "Eveyone's At It" - Lily Allen

A departure from her previous work on her 2006 debut album, Alright, Still, Lily Allen's latest effort features electro-pop songs that are similar to the trend in pop music this year. The song "Eveyone's At It" details people's use of prescription drugs ranging from "grown politicians to young adolescents". A striking line in the song to me is this one: "So your daughter's depressed well get her straight on the Prozac/But little do you know she already takes crack"

Many people around the globe abuse drugs. And prescription drugs are more easily obtained than many realize. King of Rock 'n' Roll Elvis Presley faked symptoms of various illnesses in order to obtain prescription drugs to help him during his concerts in the 1970s. He even bought a book that listed prescription drugs and their symptoms. Collage students take pills like Adderall, a drug used to treat ADD/ADHD to help them pull all-nighters. It is truly disheartening to think that young adults and teens would resort to such things. Would you take prescription medication if it helped your studies? Listen to the song on below and tell me what you think.



Source: lilyallenmusic.com, CBS.com

Music Video: Dan Black featuring Kid Cudi - "Symphonies"

This video actually contains the remix of British singer Dan Black's song "Symphonies" from his debut album ((UN)). The clip features various "movies" of the singer and rapper Kid Cudi which range from French films to Sci-Fi flicks to Westerns. It's different to most music videos out there right now, which makes it very appealing to me. I love the song too, which echos Rihanna's 2007 hit "Umbrella" (a song that Dan Black made a mashup of with legendary rapper Biggie's "Hypnotize")

The video is below. Comment and tell me what you think!

Dan Black - Subterranean - MTV Shows

Source: Wikipedia, MTV.com

Music Video: "Icky Thump" - The White Stripes

The first single released from the album of the same name, "Icky Thump" is a socially conscious song about immigration. It criticises the current American immigration policy, which also makes it the first politically charged song the band has put out since "The Big Three Killed My Baby" from their self-titled debut album. Probably the most important lyrics in the song can be found towards the end of the song. I think these lyrics portray the true meaning of the song and quite possibly exactly how lead singer (and co-writer of the song) Jack White feels about immigration policy in America.

"White Americans
What? Nothin' better to do?
Why don't you kick yourself out
You're an immigrant too.

Who's using who?
What should we do?
Well you can't be a pimp
And a prostitute too."

Watch the video for "Icky Thump" below.

The White Stripes - Rock The Deuce - MTV Shows

A Rhyme: "Make You Feel My Love" - Adele

On her debut album, 19, Adele covers the 1997 Bob Dylan song, "Make You Feel My Love". It was released as the fifth single from the album on November 3, 2008. After Adele performed the song on Comic-Relief it re-entered the UK iTunes top 100 songs at number 42 . This is a popular cover song, as Billy Joel covered the track for his greatest hits album in 1997 and country singers Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood recorded a version for the Hope Floats soundtrack in 1998.

I like this song because, like most of the songs on Adele's album, it focuses on her voice. The songs on her album are stripped down with little instrumentation. Adele brilliantly sings on the record (probably because most of the songs on her album are about a breakup or falling for the wrong guy) but then again, anyone can out sing Bob Dylan.



Source: Wikipedia
Picture Credit: Wikipedia