Jerry's Pick: "You're Alive" & "Go Go Go"

"YOU'RE ALIVE"-PANIC IS PERFECT
"GO GO GO"-PANIC IS PERFECT 

I should have written about this band the very first time I heard one of their songs, but I got lazy.  The tune was "Go Go Go" (something I lacked at the time) and was one of my favorite alternative picks from earlier this year.

Well, the group behind "Go Go Go" released another single last month and thus gives me a redeeming opportunity to shine my little spotlight on the San Francisco indie-band known as Panic is Perfect.

This five-member group of guys was founded by multi-instrumentalists Jeremy Belzer and Mike Hoffman both of whom had a chance to absorb different musical influences while traveling the world from America to Asia to Africa, an experience which provided that key touch of uniqueness when finally settling down to record in California.  (It's probably the reason why the lyrics to "Go Go Go" are part English, part French.)  But as far as Stateside inspiration, they cite several acts including Passion Pit, Phoenix, Two Door Cinema Club and -- one that was immediately very obvious to me -- Vampire Weekend.  (Allow me to add A Silent Film and Keene.)

Like "Go Go Go," the track "You're Alive" is a relationship-inspired composition and -- although lyrically more linear -- is a mini-tale of a Paula and Jimmy and their need to escape told over a well-crafted uptempo and very catchy backbeat.

In an recent interview with StairwayToNirvana, the band pointed out that in this on-line obsessed world, music has the redemptive and healing power to bring people together again.  Panic is Perfect seems to be doing their part by producing a pair of positively-titled pop songs that will definitely contribute additional energy to your iTunes library and (quite possibly) your day, too.

As of this posting, the band does not have a music video for "You're Alive," but you can click here to audition the audio track.  But first, check out the awesome vibes in this Panic is Perfect clip for "Go Go Go!"

So... what are you waiting for?!  "Va Va Va!"

Jerry's Pick: "Do You Remember"

"DO YOU REMEMBER"-JARRYD JAMES

Jarryd James has already found an audience in his native Australia where "Do You Remember" has topped the charts and he's now hoping for similar success in the States where this track was recorded.

James says he wrote this bleak post-breakup song in Los Angeles with his producer Joel Little, the New Zealander who had already racked up success working with Lorde, Elliphant and Broods.

It's not your typical break-up song.  This one comes across extremely personal and a little bit dark.

Jarryd explained to journalist Grant Smithies, "It's a kind of romantic, nostalgic song, about things in your life that you can't get back... and a lot of people know that feeling."

The steady, driving beat of Jarryd's music plays a perfect match with his emotionally-tinged, at times distressed, falsetto vocals.  "Do You Remember" is a perfect example of the less-is-more songwriting formula.

According to James, the basic track was recorded in a house his producer rented in Los Angeles.  He told freelance journalist Kasimiira Kontio, “When we recorded ‘Do You Remember,’ we had to do it in a spare room because we could not access a studio. When I was putting the track together, I had to use whatever stuff we could use as instruments. We used stuff like a nutcracker and a ukulele but we didn’t really want to come up with some weird shit so we disguised some of the instruments that we used."

The lyrics are powerful, especially coming out of the middle-eight ("When you find out that there ain't no other love, no other love for you") when the song's heart briefly skips a beat... then immediately revived with its pleading chorus ("Oh, don't be scared about it/Don't forget it was real").

James told Chris Danks of hillydilly.com, "I’ve always wanted to make moving music, and all these experiences that I’ve been through just add to all the emotions that I feel when I play and write music."

"Do You Remember" is part of a just-released five-song, eponymously-titled EP.

Jerry's Pick: "Cake By the Ocean"

"CAKE BY THE OCEAN"-DNCE

Move over Richard Harris and Average White Band as I am positive pop music will have a new Cake-themed song invading the top of the charts very soon.

In the wake of the success of Daft Punk's revival of 70s flavored R&B comes a brand new band aptly dubbed DNCE (would you like to buy A vowel or do you think you can solve the puzzle?) and a single so sweet it shouldn't take more than one taste before you're addicted to its sugary groove.

"Cake By the Ocean" has a recipe that features 1-part groovy bassline, 2-parts all-purpose funk, sprinkled with handclaps, baked for three-and-a-half minutes in fun and covered with lyrics full of sexual innuendo.  "Red velvet, vanilla, chocolate in my life/Funfetti, I'm ready/I need it every night!"

"Cut the Cake" indeed!

Joe Jonas of DNCE told MTV News the song's inspiration came about due to a communication misunderstanding with the band's Swedish producers (Robin Fredrikson and Mattias Larsson).  "They kept confusing (the shot) 'Sex on the Beach' with 'Cake by the Ocean,' so that's how the song started. Then, it became this kind of lyrically wacky song, and it kind of embodies the band." The middle Jonas brother added, "It's funky, it's fresh... I think it's something that people can dance to."

Although I tend to lean alternative, I have always been a sucker for a good pop-song with a great hook. This track has several, and is one of the reasons this confection cooks. That's why I highly recommend "Cake By the Ocean" for dessert.

In a word: Yum.

Jerry's Pick: "I'm In Love With My Life"

"I'M IN LOVE WITH MY LIFE"-PHASES

All RIGHT!

Now here's a track that's all about the groooove... a feel... your state of mind.

I've been listening to this song quite a while -- since its release last Spring -- and it's about time I passed it on to all of you who dig a smooth, sweet, well produced, uptempo, uplifting pop song.

"I'm In Love With My Life" comes from Phases -- four-fifths of 2013's JJAMZ -- a group of talented LA musicians who have roots in the bands The Like, Rilo KIley, Bright Eyes and Phantom Planet.  And if -- upon your first listen -- you immediately recall radio from the Eighties, congratulations!  You just happen to be in-phase with the dudes and dudette of Phases as they themselves defined their new project as, "...if Blondie made Thriller."

Guitarist, vocalist Z-Berg explained, "The songs sound fun because it was fun.  I had never written songs about anything fun before in my life."

Sure, the lyrics ain't too deep.  But, it's the perfect tune to crank-up when you're heading out to meet friends for a few beverages after a long-ass day at work on a Friday night.  First, augment the volume, then drop the bass a bit and you'll be ready to add your own vocals to the mix.

As far as the song's inspiration, well... it was actually quite basic.  As Z-Berg remembers, it came down to "'I'm in a great mood... let’s write a song about it!'"

Now, go ahead... take a chance and let your body move!

Jerry's Pick: "Deadwater"

"DEADWATER"-WET

A great majority of the songs that actively rotate in my iTunes library are decidedly uptempo tunes.  For a "ballad" to be included within my personal playlist, it has to be especially remarkable.

As you can imagine, a huge chunk of pop music falls into the "break-up song" category, but very few come across as emotional and heart-wrenching as "Deadwater," the lead-off track from the yet-to-be-released debut album (Don't You) from the Massachusetts trio Wet.

Lead-vocalist Kelly Zutrau delicately sings the part from the viewpoint of a heart that has been badly broken beyond repair.  As she tells her story, you come to understand that everything was done to make this relationship work but has painfully come to the conclusion that she had no other choice but to move on.

And yet she can't help but always wonder, "If..."

Even when she concludes, "There are better things for me," you sense in her voice that she's much more hopeful than optimistic.

For those of us with broken-hearts still in a state of repair, "Deadwater" -- with its perfectly produced piano-based backing-track set underneath Kelly's poignantly pensive poetry -- will surely resonate.  It's that powerful.

"Deadwater" will be part of Wet's first full-length major label album (via Columbia) and is due out this Autumn.

Jerry's Pick: "Sea Creatures"

“SEA CREATURES”-SOAK

Every so often your ears are treated to a sound that stands apart from the vast majority of the crap cranked-out by the star making machinery of the recording industry.

“Sea Creatures” is a song that conjures up images of a tortured, vulnerable and alienated soul dealing with unrequited love in a world that makes little sense featuring lyrics that seem to be taken straight from the pages of someone’s personal diary.  (“You don’t deserve this, and I won’t put up with their ignorance when they tell you they love you.  Well… they don’t mean it.”)

The words and music come from Bridie Monds-Watson, an 18-year old singer-songwriter-guitarist from Northern Ireland who performs under the moniker SOAK (apparently because her music falls somewhere between “soul” and “folk”).  Although the song will be part of her very first album (Before We Forgot How to Dream) due out next month, she actually wrote “Sea Creatures” at 14, an age when most of us were dealing with feelings we didn’t understand and thoughts we didn’t know how to convey.  (“I don’t know what to say… it might make you worse.”)

The wonderfully orchestrated “Sea Creatures” — most likely a metaphor for all of those people outside our bubble looking in — is painfully honest and whole-heartedly melancholy and seems to be a message of concern to someone important to her.  And that’s what good music does… conveys emotion.  But as she pointed out to The Guardian, “I am really not a dark or depressed person — I’m from a very happy family…” explaining, “I happen to write easier when I'm angry or sad, but I know from watching other musicians that you want more than that.”

Bridie is extremely charming as she doesn’t attempt to hide her Irish accent or who she really is,  and her voice is still adorably adolescent (especially while singing “…I think she’s just a fish”) which for some may seem out of sorts when dealing with observations most often considered adult.  And I give her additional bonus-points for growing-up a fan of Joni Mitchell and especially for blowing all of her first gig’s paycheck on vinyl records!

I feel this will be the start of a long musical career for BMW.  Although this teen-poet prefers to go by SOAK, I still think Bridie is much more pretty.

Jerry's Pick: "Black Soap"

"BLACK SOAP"-EX COPS

Broods and Chvrches.  They were a couple of bands that got me excited about the alternative-pop music scene during the last year or so.

Several weeks ago I discovered another track that fits that same style of ethereal rock groove.  Ex Cops (no, they’re not former officers of the law or even Sting fans… it’s just another dumb band name) — featuring the duo of Amalie Bruun (Denmark) and Brian Harding (North Carolina) — have created an arresting angsty power-popish single that deserves way more attention than it’s currently getting.

“Black Soap” — the first song written for Ex Cops’ second album Daggers — pulls you in immediately with a solid, twangy bass-line followed by flowing synths under Amalie’s dreamy vocals… aesthetics apparently inspired by executive producer Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins.  Brian told Greg Mania of Creem, “That came from Billy telling us that we needed a baritone-y deep guitar-voice in our songs… a ‘third’ voice.  He told us to buy Duane Eddy’s Greatest Hits, and within two-songs we knew what he meant.”  He added, “‘Black Soap’ still has our love of fucked-up sounding synthesizers and over-driven guitars.”

The song’s lyrics are a bit cryptic but it only took a few listens before realizing “Black Soap” is an apropos title.  Brian (in an interview with RVA Magazine) called it “dark-pop,” where “you make a truly happy song and write really depressing ideas behind it.”  Bands like the Smiths made a career out of that recipe.

Underneath the shiny up-tempo hook at its surface, you may discover a feeling of something a lot less effervescent.  In fact, its lyrical imagery and musical multi-dimensionality makes the “Black Soap” vibe a bit mood-altering... that is, if you allow it to sink in.



“Take a sad song/You're making it worse/Your publicized tragic life/Can never be cursed…”

No matter how many times you let “Black Soap” wash over you, it’s scintillating tempo doesn't completely mask a small, lingering sense of melancholy.  But in the pop-music building business, moving people is a good thing.



“Stay so clean/You’re obscene/Black Soap/Black Soap.”

 You can sample a few bars of this refreshing piece of pop right here!

Jerry's Picks: The Top-10 Tracks of 2014

As some of you may know, I listen to all of the new single releases from record companies each and every week and pick-out the few that I feel are solid enough overall songs to withstand repeated plays.  It's like a durability test for the ears.

Today I reviewed all of my picks from the last 12-months and have selected ten of my favorite tracks that still sound just as amazing as the first time they caused my tympanic membrane to vibrate happily.

I've included each of the song's videos but the focus should remain solely on the music itself.  Check 'em all out.  I hope there's something here you can take with you into 2015!

"MOTHER + FATHER"-BROODS
This brother and sister outfit from New Zealand imported a winner with this sentimental yet optimistic ballad featuring an irresistible hook.



"TEMPLE"-KINGS OF LEON
Am I the only person in the world who still thinks this awesome rocker was inspired by the book “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”?



"JACKIE KENNEDY"-INGRID OLAVA
I fell in love immediately with this Norwegian vocalist’s delicate handling of lyrics which are chock full of beautiful imagery.



"CAN'T BREAK ME DOWN"-BILLY IDOL
I was a doubter, but that 80s dude with the beached-hair, fist-pump and toothy-snarl has still got it!



"WAVES"-SLEEPER AGENT
A wonderful up-tempo song to close-out the year and say “Goodbye” to all of the assholes who held you back.



"EX'S & OH'S"-ELLE KING
I still think some NFL network should use Elle's (she’s comedian Rob Schneider’s daughter) sassy yet bluesy creation in one of their promos.



"GIRLS CHASE BOYS"-INGRID MICHAELSON
Cute and bouncy, this charming single gives hope to the broken-hearted and lots of poppy-joy to the rest of us.



"I'M WITH YOU"-GROUPLOVE
It may start out with a meandering keyboard but the chorus will have you “ah’ing” and “oh’ing” in a matter of no time!



"CRAZY"-KAT DAHLIA
I love this Cuban-American vocalist’s name almost as much as I love her rapid-fire delivery of the lyrics of this fun song.



"I'M CALLIN'"-TENNIS
It’s the light, carefree vocals of Alaina Moore (wife) and funky guitar-work of Patrick Riley (husband) that had me callin’ back for more.