Publisher’s Corner

January 21, 2024

Hello again! Yes, my writing has slowed down again the last few weeks. To those of you I’m planning to review, your target date has been pushed back a month. As I mentioned in my first “Publisher’s Corner” column last month, which some of you seemed to enjoy so I’ve decided to continue to write them from time to time, long-time readers know my writing time varies widely due to my career job and my family responsibilities, so you’re not surprised when I disappear from the blogosphere from time to time.

As last time, I’ve decided to share the first dozen songs from today’s morning YouTube binge, something my wife and I do at my house some weekend mornings while enjoying our morning coffee. Since morning YouTube and coffee binges are a couples affair, the playlist doesn’t extend across my entire musical taste, particularly at the harder rocking end, but it’s a pretty good glimpse into the rest of what I listen to and enjoy. And, of course, it’s music I’d recommend.

Also, if you’re curious about the latest goings-on of a few of the artists that have been featured in the Blog over the years, you can skip to the end to find some notes and links.

This Morning’s Coffee-and-YouTube Playlist

This morning’s YouTube playlist began with…

Def Leppard – “Kick”

We’re big Def Leppard fans, but we hadn’t really gotten into their new stuff… until we first heard “Kick” in the spring of 2022. The accompanying album, Diamond Star Halos, is probably my favorite Def Lep disc in more than two decades. Fresh, energetic, engaging. The guys seem to have really tapped into some serious creative juices on this album. And yes, “Kick” is a new spin on Def Lep’s classic rockin’ hit single.

Van Ghost – “Return to Innocence”

Van Ghost was the second artist I reviewed when I launched the Blog. In my “The Road Back” series, chronicling my road back to music journalism, Van Ghost was entry number two. That review covered a 2012 concert and the band’s The Domino Effect album, from which the energetic, dancealongable “Return to Innocence” is pulled. “Return to Innocence” is a little more straight-ahead rock ‘n roll than the Def Leppard song before it, which is harder rock, but still pairs well. I know Van Ghost was a rock band in a pop and country era, but there’s still no reason straight-up classic rock fans shouldn’t know about these guys and include them on modern playlists (or own physical copies of their music, if that’s your thing). A good follow-up to Van Ghost would probably have been Bryan Adams, but instead, on this morning’s playlist, we followed this song with…

The Dayz – “The 4th Estate”

The Dayz. A big rock band with an energetic style and a kind of funky – at times jazzy – groove. The band comprised several of New York’s best local musicians at the time. Again, one of those things about a great band not finding the audience that would love it. It happens more than you might think, which is one of the reasons I write the Blog. With my limited writing time, I stick to artists and albums I enjoy and think you should hear (rather than wasting some of my sparse reviews dogging a band or album you probably don’t know anyway, though I do infrequently cover a big-name artist if I’m so inspired). Anyway, back to The Dayz, once I began playing their music during our weekend morning music-and-coffee sessions, they’ve become one of my wife’s favorite bands, too. This song is a great introductory song to The Dayz, after which you can explore the rest of the band’s catalog. Here at the Blog, you can find a review of the band’s EP2, on which “The 4th Estate” appears, and a review of one of the band’s live shows, which I review as part of my “New York Residency” series in 2016. Unfortunately, The Dayz dispersed a couple years ago, so you’ll have to enjoy the band’s existing catalog; there’s no new music on the way.

Glass Tiger – “Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone”

Some ’80s pop-rock songs hold up better than others. Few hold up as well as Glass Tiger‘s “Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone.” Canada’s Glass Tiger still tours to devoted home-country fans (if I became aware of a Boston-area show, I’d definitely try to be there), and the band owns a back catalog that’s much deeper than they’re probably given credit for. They also had a few hits, and “Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone” was their biggest. Personally, I’m partial to the Canadian video for this song, which is playfully cheesy and fun. That’s why it’s the version on the playlist. (The U.S. version is just concert footage.)

Sara Bareilles – “Gonna Get Over You”

Sara Bareilles is one of America’s best songwriters, and I often wonder why she doesn’t seem to get more acclaim. I mean, with the depth and breadth of her music catalog, you’d think she’s be one of those most-sought-after concert tickets some year. Not that she’s not appreciated – she is one of the most successful artists out there and her 852,000 Instagram followers and 1.7 million Facebook followers are nothing to sneeze at – but those numbers are not nearly as high as the quality of her work and longevity would suggest they should be. And her 9 Grammy nominations and 2 wins just seem too few. Clearly, Broadway realizes her talent, and that’s pretty cool. But back to this song, “Gonna Get Over You”: It’s an uptempo, danceable number with a fun, clever music video. Actually, I’d almost dare you to try not to dance along with this song. Anyway, this song is always a sought-after addition to our morning playlists, as are several of Sara’s other hits.

iLO – “Safety Net”

This song is the sole repeat from the December 9th playlist. Rightly so. iLO is one of our favorite singers. With her amazing, rich, recognizable, versatile voice, she’s someone you should know. Of course, when it was initially released, I reviewed Fragile Heart, the EP that contains “Safety Net.” iLO’s 2015 showcase was also part of my “Road Back” series; my desire to share what I heard that day clinched my decision to launch the Blog. These days, she’s an in-demand songwriter with a publishing deal, but whenever she releases a new song or performs live, mostly around London, it’s a must-hear or must-attend moment.

Bryan Adams and Melanie C – “When You’re Gone”

There’s something about curating a playlist to make you really appreciate Bryan Adams. I think I missed “When You’re Gone,” the duet with Melanie C, when it was initially released. The album never broke the top 100 in the U.S., and no singles on the album charted in the U.S. The United States music biz had moved on from Bryan Adams by 1998, which is a shame, since he was still releasing great music. With Melanie C involved, I suppose it’s not surprising “When You’re Gone” reached #3 on the UK charts in 1998. Anyway, this “classic version” of “When You’re Gone” appeared on the second disc of Bryan’s 2021 release So Happy It Hurts. Disc one of that album is comprised of new, original music. (“Kick Ass,” is one of the several songs on disc one that deserves a listen.) Disc two is re-recordings of many of Bryan’s hits. We’ve been enjoying a lot of Bryan Adams’ songs, old and new, during our music-and-coffee mornings; this is one of our faves.

Cami Bradley – “Waiting”

You might have seen Cami Bradley on America’s Got Talent a decade ago, with her re-arranged versions of hit songs taking her to the finals of that competition. It also led me to dig into her musical past and discover her independently-released EP Seas, which spent years as one of the four or five discs I rotated through my car CD player. I’m not sure how easy a physical copy is to come by these days – Amazon says it’s sold out. It also doesn’t look to be available for streaming on Spotify. In fact, I can’t find where you can listen to the EP in its entirety, but several of the seven songs are available on YouTube (just not grouped together to be easy to find). “Waiting” was one of the songs on the Seas EP, though, and it’s a very fun listen. Since shortly after her AGT run, Cami joined forces with singer-songwriter Whitney Dean to form The Sweeplings. The vibe is slightly different from Cami’s early solo work, but man, some of those songs are thoughtful and powerful – all of the well-written, produced, and performed, so be sure to explore The Sweeplings’ music, too.

Diane Warren, Rita Ora, Sofía Reyes, Reik – “Seaside”

This is a fun pop song penned by one of music’s great hitmaking songwriters, Diane Warren. Just the words “written by Diane Warren” tell you it’s worth a listen. Indeed, this song, in which Warren teams with singers Rita Ora, Sofía Reyes, and Reik, delivers. The song has a fun, light pop energy and will get you up and dancing pretty quickly. Warren herself even makes an appearance in the music video, her first music video appearance, which is kinda cool for those of us who’ve admired her songwriting talent for decades but haven’t seen her in a video before.

Anne-Marie – “Unhealthy” (featuring Shania Twain)

We discovered pop singer Anne-Marie through some of her many musical collaborations, which help showcase her exceptionally broad-ranging vocal talent. This song, the title track from Anne-Marie’s 2023 album release, is a country-tinged, danceable pop number that features contributions from Shania Twain. So, yeah, star power. It should be no surprise that this is an infectiously catchy song.

Gavin DeGraw – “Best I Ever Had”

I’m a big fan of Gavin DeGraw‘s music. He often goes soft or mid-tempo, but I really dig it when he packs the energy, as he does on “Best I Ever Had.” Lyrically interesting, as is always the case with singer-songwriter DeGraw, “Best I Ever Had” will also have you jumping around. Pogo to it, if you’re so inclined. I often do.

Camila Cabello – “Never Be the Same”

When Camila Cabello released her solo debut album, Camila, in 2018, I quickly checked it out and was convinced, in part by this song, that she had a good chance to be hugely successful. And by that, I mean she has songwriting skills and a memorable voice and delivery that were likely to result in longevity. The crossover appeal of Camila’s music spans genres and generations, which is why I was psyched when I heard she’d be a coach on The Voice in 2022, potentially encouraging an older demographic to sample her music and broaden her appeal. My first impression of a new artist is not always right, but this time it was. And this song remains a favorite, as do many of Camila’s other releases.

OK, that’s twelve. And within a couple songs after this, we began to go about our business this morning, leaving music to play in the background but not curating it as actively. As with the last time I shared a morning playlist, let me know what you think. Do you still enjoy these? Should I keep sharing them occasionally? Would you mind if I shortened the list, when I do this, to six or eight? But yeah, that’s it for the “YouTube and morning coffee” playlist.

As promised, though, I’ll also share some happenings with favorite artists…

News and Releases

Several of my favorite artists have welcomed new releases recently. Some I’ll be reviewing in the future. Others I won’t. (Hey, I don’t have time to review everything.) But just to keep you all in the loop:

Houston Bernard: On Friday, January 19th, Houston released his new album Ditch This Town. I really dig this album and will review it in the future. But for now, check it out for yourself. I’ve reviewed Houston’s music several times at the Blog, most recently this review of three of his singles a couple years ago.

Cali Rodi: Practically at the beginning of Cali’s career, I reviewed her self-titled EP here at the Blog. In December, Cali released an EP entitled The RomCom Tapes. Four songs based on the titles of classic romantic comedies. Cali’s talent has only grown in the years since I reviewed some of her early material. If you like catchy, fun pop songs, give her new release a listen.

Kelsey Blackstone: Kelsey’s very cool cover of Arctic Monkeys’ “505” just dropped last week. I’ll say no more, since we will be reviewing this song at the Blog when I finally reach it in the queue (unless one of my other writers takes a shot at the review sooner). But you can see what we’ve written about this talented artist here, in our review of “When I’m With You,” her collaboration with Jason LaPierre.

Ashley Jordan: I make no secret of the fact that, if I were to start a record label with just one Boston-area country music artist, it would be Ashley Jordan. I’ve reviewed the of Ashley’s live performances at the Blog, and I’ve penned this review of her album He’s Crazy. Well, last week Ashley released her latest single, “I Wanna Be That Girl.” To be honest, this past week has been so crazy I haven’t even listened to the song yet, but it’s Ashley Jordan, so I have no doubt it’s going to be exceptional.

Metalite: AFM Records released Swedish melodic power metal band Metalite’s Expedition One last week. I wrote about three of the band’s singles from this album in my review of “New Generation.” (You can find my thoughts on “Blazing Skies” and “Disciples of the Stars” in the “Looking Back” section of that review.) I covered the band pretty thoroughly in that review that I probably won’t review the album, especially if my time is limited, though I reserve the right to change my mind. But if my review of “New Generation” piques your interest, be sure to give the album a listen.

I’m sure a lot more has happened with the Blog‘s favorite artists, perhaps some I should remember, but those are the ones I can recall right now.

In the coming weeks, watch the Blog for reviews of music from Viruette, Sado-Domestics, Major Moment, Michelle Held, Eddie Japan, Rachel Stacy, Dokken, and many others, including Twisted Rose, whose review I finished today and is just awaiting a final proofread this week.

This “Publisher’s Corner,” as always, will be published right now, sans proofread, so hopefully there aren’t too many typos here. Hopefully I’ve introduced you to some new music today. And please let me know what you think of the “Publisher’s Corner” format; I do listen to suggestions… well, except those that would require me to spend a lot more time on what is intended to be just a quick-hit write-up.

Publisher’s Corner

December 9, 2023

Hey there! You may have noticed a slowdown in the pace of my reviews the last few weeks. As longtime readers know, I write in fits and spurts, dictated by changes in work assignments and personal responsibilities that sometimes squeeze writing time out of my daily/weekly schedule. When things get busy, personal life outranks writing in importance. However, one of the things we do on a weekly basis at our house is music-related. Some Saturdays and/or Sundays, my wife and I enjoy a relaxing morning of coffee while playing music videos on our TV. Now, the playlist isn’t completely indicative of my personal preferences – we only play music we both like, and she doesn’t enjoy the heavier end of my musical taste (for example, I skipped over Europe’s “Hold Your Head Up” and Metalite’s “New Generation,” both of which I would have gladly played if listening alone, when YouTube suggested them this morning) – but the music we listen to during our weekend mornings covers a broad range of styles, albeit primarily pop-leaning.

Now, those of you who follow me on X know that I sometimes share my #PhoneOnShuffle playlist, listing the first several songs my phone shuffles up (out of more than 1,000 of my personal favorites) via X and then, if I’m out alone enjoying lunch or a long coffee break; when I run out of characters on X, I sometimes continue the playlist on Threads. Well, I thought you might enjoy a glimpse into my Saturday mornings by sharing the first dozen or so songs from this morning’s YouTube viewing/listening session. Sometimes we just let YouTube select the next song (since its algorithm has a long listening history as its guide). Other times, we intervene to skip a song or because there’s a specific song we want to hear. This morning’s YouTube listening session began with…

iLO – “Safety Net”

You know I’m a big iLO fan. Her voice is amazing, and “Safety Net” is one of the catchiest songs in her arsenal, a great co-write with Ålkemi that adds a hint of something different to iLO’s vibe. iLO has plenty of cowrites now and seems to only rarely release new singles of her own, which is a shame because her voice is amazingly engaging with a unique tone that sets her apart. Regardless, this is one of our favorite iLO songs, always a pleasant addition to a Saturday morning playlist. (My review of the EP that contains “Safety Net,” iLO’s Fragile Heart EP, can be found here at this link.)

Lady Gaga – “Hold My Hand”

This song from the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack does a great job of showcasing Lady Gaga‘s powerful voice in a song package with broad appeal. I don’t usually go out of my way to listen to Lady Gaga, but when you hear her incredible voice, it’s almost impossible to leave mid-song. I also love the kickass scene in the video with the flyover.

Train – “Drops of Jupiter”

“Drops of Jupiter” is just one of many Train songs I enjoy. I may get some pushback on this, but given my tendency to favor music with hooks and the potential for broad appeal, I place Train at or near the top of the list of mainstream rock bands whose hits primarily reside in the 21st century. The band is always willing to experiment, sometimes to the extent that I don’t initially recognize a new song as one of theirs, at least not until I recognize Pat Monahan’s voice, after which it’s unmistakable. Some of you know my advice about always experimenting with different styles or collaborations on at least two songs during a full-length album to avoid stagnating as a band. Well, Train does that in spades, which is why they’re one of my favorite pop-rock bands of this century.

iLO – “Best Day of My Life”

This second iLO song on this morning’s playlist, selected by the algorithm (probably because I hadn’t strayed yet from the playlist that began with “Safety Net”), also appeared on iLO’s Fragile Heart EP.

The Beatles – “Now and Then”

I love this new Beatles song. I mean, how could you not? Is it a top ten Beatles song for me? Probably not. But it’s catchy and fun, and it becomes moreso with each subsequent listen. It’s also cool how the old and new footage is blended in the video. And, if you’ve not already, I’d recommend reading about how this song was recorded. Here’s a link to an Entertainment Weekly article about it.

Ed Sheeran – “Overpass Graffiti”

Our Saturday morning coffee-and-music sessions have solidified my appreciation for Ed Sheeran‘s songwriting skills. His skill in blending different musical elements is noteworthy. His songs cross over with several pop-adjacent subgenres. I enjoy almost all of Ed’s hits and several of his “album cuts,” though his genius doesn’t necessarily exempt him from the old ratio, even among the best artists, of 3-4 our of 10 songs being hits while the rest are deservedly album tracks. I love what he’s trying, even when I think it’s a miss rather than a hit. But man, when Ed hits – as he does so often – they’re grand slams, not just bloop singles. Anyway, I always enjoy this song, and it’s one of the big production story-videos that probably only the biggest artists can afford to create. I studied video production as part of my undergrad degree, and, from a music-video perspective, many of Ed Sheeran’s videos are among my favorites, so it’s not just his music that I dig.

Bon Jovi – “It’s My Life”

This is one of my favorite post-’80s Bon Jovi songs, and this is from more than 20 years ago. Even today, though, while Bon Jovi’s songs don’t connect with me as often as they did in the early years, new music from Jon and the guys is always worth a listen. And there are still great songs from the aughts like “It’s My Life” and “Have a Nice Day” from what would now, I guess, be considered mid-career for Bon Jovi.

Passenger – “Let Her Go”

We’ve sampled a lot of Passenger‘s music, and Mike Rosenberg (Passenger) consistently delivers heartfelt, enjoyable songs, but he’ll have a hard time replacing “Let Her Go” as his biggest hit. The song draws you in and, in the realm of YouTube playlists, is almost impossible to skip.

Jason LaPierre & Kelsey Blackstone – “When I’m With You”

No, this isn’t a remake of the Sheriff hit from the ’80s. Instead, it’s the cool, jazzy pop song from Jason LaPierre and Kelsey Blackstone that I reviewed here at the Blog a couple months ago. The song is light and cheerful, and the video is playful (and is primarily shot inside a classic diner; fans of my Instagram #OmeletTour are probably aware of my predilection toward diners). It’s worth noting that this video was a New England Music Awards “Video of the Year” nominee this year. In fact, because this video is often part of the playlist I watch with my wife many Saturdays, I was able to recognize Kelsey at the New England Music Awards event, while I was unable to identify and chat with many of the artists I know because, as a music reviewer, I’ve met so few of them face-to-face, though I exchanged “Oh, you were there? I wish we had connected” messages with some people I’ve known online in the days following the event.

Leah Belle Faser – “Better Than Mine”

Another artist I’ve reviewed (twice, in fact), country ingenue Leah Belle Faser has several oughta-be-hits in her arsenal. This one is one of my favorites because, in addition to being  hooky and memorable, the lyrics are clever and stinging. “Better Than Mine” appeared on Leah’s Crossing Hermi’s Bridge EP, which I reviewed here. (More recently, I reviewed Leah Belle Faser’s single “Trash Talk,” which also sometimes makes an appearance during our YouTube mornings.)

Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting – “All For Love”

I defy you not to love this powerful old ballad, though I’ll grant you that it might be a little cheesy in spots because I’m in a forgiving mood when I listen to this song. (I forgive the video for its 50-second lead-in before the music starts. Though the pre-music scenes can be artistically clever, a long lead-in becomes a valid reason to skip over most videos after you’ve seen them a half-dozen times.) This Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, and Sting collaboration for The Three Musketeers soundtrack features a trio of legendary rock ‘n roll voices that will help it hold up for a few more decades, particularly as the output of the individual artists inevitably begins to slow down at some point. (Not yet, though; Bryan Adams’ 2022 release So Happy It Hurts is a must-own album for mid-range, pop-friendly rock ‘n roll fans. His video for “Kick Ass” is an example of the too-long-lead-in rule I mentioned earlier; the song is one of my favorites, but the clever lead-in becomes increasingly harder to sit through after multiple viewings.)

Shania Twain – “Pretty Liar”

This NSFW song is called “Pretty Liar,” I assume, because “pretty” would likely replace the f-word if the song were released to radio. (Does such a radio-friendly version already exist?) Instead, though, this particular song, from Shania Twain‘s 2023 Queen of Me album, became perhaps our favorite Shania Twain song by the end of our first listen, and it has continued to hold up well. It’s short – a quick shot in passing, I suppose – energetic, and fun to sing along to… but not if there are impressionable children or judgy adults around.

The music continued this morning, including songs from Andy Grammer, Rachel Platten, Dolly Parton, The Outfield, Rita Ora, Sara Bareilles, Cami Bradley, Lindsey Stirling, and more. But I only promised you 12 write-ups, so I’ll stick to that and get this posted.

Closing Notes

I hope you enjoyed this today. I thought a “Publisher’s Corner” column might be a nice way to convey quick-hit news and reviews from time to time. I’m not sure how often I’ll share weekend morning playlists this way. Perhaps, future “Publisher’s Corner” columns might include additional information of interest. What brought today’s write-up about is that I’ve been unable to work reviewing into my schedule lately. Sometimes, I’m not in a place where I can find time to play audio while I write, and that’s a requirement for me to write good album reviews. But I can write a column in silence.

Anyway, let me know if you like the idea of the occasional series of quick-hit reviews (or news) in this “Publisher’s Corner” format. And also if you enjoyed this peek into my listening habits, what I listen to while not preparing for the next review, and particularly the format of sharing links to a dozen or so music videos in a column like this. (Blog comments require my approval, but as long as you stay on-topic about the music or the bands or, really, anything related to the article/review, I always approve them. So please comment, either here or on one of our social media pages.)

Have a great weekend, everyone! And sorry for the slow flow of content lately; I expect to have more openings in my schedule to review albums and singles again in the coming weeks. (The first draft of yesterday’s review was written before Thanksgiving; yes, it took me that long to find time to proofread it!)

Also, I hope there aren’t too my typos here; I’m forgoing the proofread to get this out more quickly.