Recommended listening!
Where did you go Mr Ocean? Where did you hid the last couple of years?
Please come back – or should we say please make a comeback!
We surely know everything you do can turn into gold. Your voice still makes chills and goosebumps. The sound of YOU is deeply missed!
This hauntingly beautiful song, like many others passed me by 2015.
Wise man, Frank Ocean; Please come back in 2016?!
A brand new John Mayer record is just around the corner, and it´s called “Paradise Valley”.
What´s making his forthcoming album “Paradise Valley” even more interesting is his duet partners this time.
He has previously had duet partners like former girlfriend Taylor Swift (actually one line) in the song “Half Of My Heart” from “Battle Studdies” album, David Crosby and Grahamn Nash on “Queen of California” and “Born and Raised” (actually backing vocals) from the album with the same name as the latter.
This time he features two very different artists – both great vocalists in their genre – so I´ll look forward to hear what they both come up with, since none of them are normally categorized under the singer-songwriter/americana/blue-eyed soul sound John Mayer has made his trademark sound.
…And the duettpartners are;
Katy Perry and Frank Ocean!
The pop starlet Katy Perry is visiting sixth track “Who You Love”
And second duet partner, soul artist, Frank Ocean guests on song 8th, a track called “Wildfire”.
Now thats two good reasons to even look more forward to the forthcoming John Mayer album “Paradise Valley”. The album by the way is said to follow the similar sound as the former album “Born And Raised”!
Check out the John Mayer homepage here
Follow John Mayer on Facebook here – and on Twitter here
If I say Stacy Barthe – does the name say you something? I guess your answer – sadly – is “No”
Unless I ask you if you know; Britney Spears, Rihanna, Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child, Kathy Perry, Cheryl Cole, Brandy and Miley Cyrus? I bet your answer is “Yes, I know those!”
If you know or/and love one or more of those artists, you´d probably have heard the songs of Stacy Barthe. She has written for all those and a bunch of others. To mention a few male artists she has even worked with Rick Ross, Akon and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
…This is why i love Stacy Barthe
The first time you hear the voice of Stacy Barthe, close your eyes. What you hear is a voice so smooth and soulful. Deep and lush and it sounds like she has sung all her life. A mixture of Sade, Rihanna (as when she sings on her slow jams), and Nneka maybe?
I´m tempted to call her a female Drake because she, just like Drake on his “Thank Me Later” album strips down the melodies down to drums, percussion, sometimes a piano and/or a acoustic guitar – naked and organic sounds and full of air and allowing quietness to be a part of the music. The quietness in the music is important to let her fantastic warm voice be the main ingredient in the songs. She flirts sometimes with reggae – and it´s not over-the-top – and it works! When she slows things down and do a spoken word at the end of a couple of her songs. I´m sold again!
She has under her own name released three fantastic EPs “Sincerely Yours, Stacy Barthe” in 2011. “In The Inbetween” and “PS! I Love You” in 2012. These three albums all together contains 25 tracks – and over 90 minutes of music. And before you ask; Just marvelous tracks, no fillers! That’s a huge smile and two huge thumbs up from me!
All of the Stacy Barthe EPs can be bought on iTunes
and
You can stream parts of “PS! I Love You” , the complete “Sincerely Yours, Stacy Barthe” and “In The InBetween” here through Spotify
On her first release under her own name, she even worked with one of 2012s best artists: Frank Ocean. He did vocals along with Stacy on the beautiful “Without You”, and Rick Ross joins her with a rap verse on “Hell Yeah!”. I could go into mention single songs, but with Stacy Barthe, it´s not any use to recommend some songs – because they´re all so damn good and by not mention anyone, no one is let out.
A few did-you-knows at the end:
About the music of Stacy Barthe, she says it best on her own homepage:
“You can find hurt and pain in my music while finding the light. It represents empowerment… I speak from a very truthful and sincere place…with love”
I was so looking forward to R. Kellys new album “Write Me Back”! And then comes the long awaited “Channel Orange” Frank Ocean all of a sudden out on iTunes (nordic).
You can download Frank Oceans “Channel Orange” from iTunes (nordic) by clicking this link!
I knew Frank Oceans debut was supposed to come out in the stores the 17th of july – but a random search on iTunes today and there it was – one whole week before I was expecting it!
I got freaking goosebumbs all over – because this was a album I was really looking forward too! It took me two seconds to hit the buy button. A few short minutes later I had it in my hand – or more correctly in my iTunes account!
Hit the PLAY button and as I knew – because I had the “Nostalgia Ultra” already – a album I really loved. The mixtape has already been played to death, if it was a real cassette mixtape – But thank God it was also digital download and it still sounds as fresh as it did the first time I heard it about a (long) year ago!
I write this blogpost as i listen to the album – have now listened to less than the half album – track 7 of 17 – and I can already say – R. Kellys made a great album – but Frank Ocean has made the soul album everyone should own! His voice is as amazing as ever, and the album has classic album written all over.
The album includes, just like the legendary mixtape, interludes and sound bits – samples and sounds like a concept piece. His voice I sounds like a mix of Stevie Wonder, Prince, the earlier mentioned R. Kelly, Al Green – but most of all – Frank Ocean! Soulful, laid-back, smooth, funky! And while writing this, when coming to track 9 “Crack Rock” a drum sample from Jimi Hendrix “Little Miss Lover” appears. A track that has also been sampled uncredited by Prince on his “Graffiti Bridge” album track “Tick, Tick, Bang” (this was released before they had to credit the samples I guess). Another Prince reference!
The 10th track – the first official single off the album, the track “Pyramids” a 9 minute 3 part epic song. The second track on the album “Thinking About You” has been released on youtube, featuring first song Frank Ocean sings in falsetto and his voice is really smooth and fluid.
On the 11th track even John Mayer does and appearance on guitar. A track called “White” and it´s a little piece on only 1:16 minute, other guests is Andre 3000 of OutKast fame, Pharell Williams of the Neptunes and N.E.R.D, Earl Sweatshirt from Frank Oceans crew The Odd Future Crew, and Tyler The Creator , Lala Hathaway (Daughter of late soul legend Donny Hathaway).
Samples used on the album is Mary J. Bliges “Real Love” is sampled and replayed and a sample from “Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas” and audio clips from “The Last Dragon”, and other samples.
I don´t think there is more I can say about this album exept It is not being released many albums of this really great quality! A full complete album that should be listened to from start to end!
I have heard the full album and can only say one thing; If you prefer digital downloads as i.e. iTunes, or the real thing such as CDs or on Vinyl (hope it comes in that format)
You should own it! I repeat YOU SHOULD OWN THIS!
Frank Oceans official debut album, named “Channel Orange” to be released the 17th of July 2012.
On his official homepage (tumblr btw!) http://frankocean.com/ you can see the front and back cover
It can contains as you can see – it´s first single “Pyramids” and the earlier released “Thinking About You”.
Guests include (for me, until now, unknown) Earl Sweatshirt fra Odd Future crewet som også Frank Ocean er en del av, the fabulous John Mayer and André 3000 from OutKast.
Have you checked out Frank Oceans unofficial debutalbum, the classic mix tape “Nostalgia, Ultra”, you can read more about it here – or download it for free on the datpiff mixtape page!
Read and Hear 