Well, looking back at the past (very) few posts, it looks like what used to be a weekly thing has turned into a monthly occurrence. I really hate that too, because I do love to share about music I am listening to, and I hope it can return to a more semi-regular schedule after May… you know, when I get done with school. Anyway, let’s get to the great tunes that I picked for today, shall we?
Alex Clare – Too Close
I mentioned before that I have become a major fan of dubstep, and when you mix an amazing ballad with dubstep, well, you will probably have me on board. That’s exactly what this song does, and the lead singer’s voice is powerful to say the least. His voice reminds me a bit of David Gray, but with more raw soul behind it; he is giving some major vocals on this track. It looks like he’s got an album coming up soon, and I can’t wait to hear more from this guy. And did I mention that he’s quite the hottie? No? Oh well then, I just did. Watch the video for Too Close here.
Nicole Scherzinger – Don’t Hold Your Breath
She’s tried to go solo before, but had less than successful results; which is a shame, because some of the songs she released were pretty brilliant. There is no doubt that this girl can really sing, and I can personally atest to it; I saw the Pussycat Dolls open for Britney Spears, and let’s just say that Nicole was incredible live. All of that being said, I have always been pulling for this girl to succeed as a solo artist all along, and if she has any chance, it is certainly with this song; this song is amazing. It looks like she’s doing pretty well with it overseas (it went to #1 in the UK), but not a blip, or even a release here. What gives record industry? Why no be multinational; and by that, I mean release the artist’s work in their own country!? Either way, I am hoping this fantastic track will be the continuation of more great things from this talented singer. Watch the video for Don’t Hold Your Breath here.
Parade – Louder
I have thank my buddy Deb for turning me on to this one. It’s no secret that I love great pop music, and girl groups that make great pop music are the tops (see The Saturdays, Girls Aloud, Sugababes (well, they used to), etc.). Anytime some new group comes along, it’s a wonder if they have the goods, and in this case, Parade seem to be doing it pretty darn well. The jury has yet to be selected to decide on whether they have the overall brilliance of the Saturdays or Girls Aloud, but Louder is certainly a very, very good start. This is such a fun pop song; what’s not to love? Wow, this is shaping up to be a pretty UK-centered 5SS so far, isn’t it? Watch the video for Louder here.
Young the Giant – My Body
There is something about an amazing, powerful chorus that makes a song irresistible; and that is exactly the case with My Body. This song is a stomping fast-paced rock track, but the power lies in the lead vocalist’s belting the insanely catchy chorus. I first heard this song way back in February, but I haven’t had a real chance to gush about it. It reminds me a lot of bands like White Lies and Glasvegas, and the vocals take it to the next level. It’s like happy emo-rock! I can’t believe I just said that. Either way, a great song all around. Beware though; this is such an earworm. You will be singing it long after you’ve heard it! Watch the video for My Body here.
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
I’ll admit that a lot of times a group or singer comes along and people heap loads of praise on them, and for whatever reason, I don’t feel the same way. It’s frustrating, because I do the same thing, and I get upset when people don’t see the brilliance that I am pointing out to them, so I definitely sympathize when it happens. My good friend John loves the Fleet Foxes, and tried several times to get me to listen to them, to no avail. Then their new single, Helplessness Blues came out, and I listened to it, and I fell immediately in love with it. This song is epically beautiful, and really shows that sometimes, the good ones find a way of getting the attention they deserve. It may not have happened when I first shown the light, but I definitely see it now. Queue the “told you so dance”! Listen to Helplessness Blues here.
Well, what did you think of the 5 song choices for this 5SS? I hope you enjoyed them, and please let me know what you think in the comments. And as always, tell me what you are listening to as well. Hope to see you again soon!
I was so excited when I saw a new single from one of my favorite divas waiting for me when I opened the iTunes store a couple of weeks ago. Incorrect grammar aside, this is another home-run for Jennifer, and has me very excited for her sophomore album I Remember Me, which will be out later this month on the 22nd. I for one, will be heading out to the store to pick up my copy, because if this is any indicator of what we can expect, it is going to be more amazing stuff from this amazing singer. Her debut made 
A big thanks is in order to a great blog I follow, 
A big thanks goes out to my buddy Deb for this one. She posted the video to her Facebook a couple of weeks ago, and I have been loving it ever since. It reminds me a bit of Sharleen Spiteri vocally, and the backing dance track just invokes a little taste of something Sophie Ellis Bextor would probably release. Overall, the song is almost tribal, and most certainly enchanting; I love it more and more with each listen. A great find for sure… thanks Deb! 
I saw the (quite violent) video for this one, and was struck by how much this song reminded me of the Ting Ting’s stylistically. It sounds a lot like Shut Up and Let Me Go; which is a personal favorite of mine (maybe that’s why I like this one so much?) and as such, I wanted to hear it more and more. That being said, while similar, it has its own flair, and I’m glad to have stumbled onto this track. Also, I can’t help but notice that the lead singer of the group is quite the hottie. Double bonus. 
I heard this one afternoon randomly on BBC Radio 1, and was blown away. This, ladies and gents (well, for those of you that don’t know what it is), is dubstep, the bass-centered electro straight out of South East London. Since discovering this track, I have been seeking out more and more dubstep, because I love the undulating lower bass range that is the hallmark of dubstep, which is essentially when the beat “drops”. Feel how deep that bass goes!! Overall, it is a great genre of music, and this is a great example of high energy dubstep; which has taken my attention by storm. Special request: any dubstep suggestions are more than welcome; I am craving it more and more!! 
Everyone loves Katy Perry but me it seems. I’ve written about 
I really wanted to get into Plan B’s album, the Defamation of Strickland Banks last year, especially after loving his vocal on Chase & Status’ End Credits, but alas, it just didn’t happen. Well, a new year, and a new perspective, and I am wishing I would have given it a proper chance. There are several choice songs on the album, and this one is my current favorite; it’s smooth and easy on the ears, and Plan B is pretty easy on the eyes himself. I love when an artist can reinvent themselves, and seeing as Plan B is a British rapper and has turned out something so slick and soulful as this, I would say he’s doing just that; and doing it quite well. I may have missed it in 2010, but I am all ears now. 
I heard this song on this week’s Chuck, and thanks to the power of Shazam, I found it and immediately went and downloaded this fantastic track. I’ve been reading people on the internet rightly say it sounds like a melding of Passion Pit and MGMT, but I say it definitely sounds more like Passion Pit (probably because I like them way more than I like MGMT). Regardless of the similarity, it brings enough newness and flavor to the table, and the harpsichord-sounding effect throughout is lovely. I will keep my eye out for more from these guys, because this song is top notch. 
While I never got the chance to feature it on a 5SF before, this (still pretty) new track from Jesse McCartney did make my year end songs of 2010 list. It’s a refreshing pop song from someone who surprised me a few years ago with Leavin’, as well as his album Depature (which had a lot of great stuff on it); he’s growing up quite nicely, don’t you think? Now, he’s back on his game with Shake, which is certainly an ear worm; I find myself loving it more and more with each listen. While I don’t care too much for the video, I definitely love the song, and look forward to more new stuff from this guy in the coming months.
Since they apparently officially decided to disband this week, I thought I would share my very favorite song by the strange, yet pretty amazing White Stripes. I don’t claim to be a big fan by any means, as a lot of their stuff just didn’t mesh with me for whatever reason, but when they were on point, they were sharper than a pin. While most love Seven Nation Army (myself included!) this is the duo at their finest for me, it is a thumper, and makes me want to learn to play the drums so I can bang out raw energy like this. This song has me stomping my feet and gets me amped up every time I hear it. I hope these two can make more excellent stuff like this at some point in the future; regardless if it is together as the White Stripes, or as something new. 
What can I say, other than another amazing track by one of my favorite artists, City and Colour?! Dallas Green’s voice is like butter, and it just melts my heart. This is a song he did for a compilation album to benefit those affected by the Gulf oil spills, and it is heartbreakingly beautiful. This is one artist that I will continue to follow for as long as he makes music, because he consistently delivers song after song of amazing music. If you still aren’t familiar with City and Colour, I really have only one thing to say; why not? Seriously, his work continues to be purely amazing folks. 
Christina reminds me vocally a lot of Nicole Atkins; she shares a similar tonal quality to her voice, as well as her ability to craft a really well written, beautiful song. I love the lyrics of this song, and I love the vivid imagery she conjures in this tale of a woman scorned by love. I actually heard of Christina by hearing one of her live tracks (Bang Bang Bang), and I knew if she was that good live, I wanted to hear some studio stuff. I’m glad I looked deeper, because I love this song even more than Bang Bang Bang, and I cannot wait to hear more from her. 
What can I say about Adele that I haven’t said many, many times before? This woman is an amazing artist, and her voice is unique and incredibly beautiful. After seeing her live a couple of years ago, I have to say, this is one of those artists that we are going to still be talking about years and years from now. This is the first single from her upcoming album, 21, which comes out February. While I am glad to have this great track to whet my whistle, it simultaneously makes me sad that I have to wait nearly 3 months to get more from this soulful diva. I loved her debut, and based on what I have heard from her follow up (this great one, and the amazing Somebody To Love; google it, you won’t be sorry), I believe it will find its way into my favorite albums of 2011. 
Let me start by saying that I cannot get enough of this track. This song is H-O-T, and it makes me want to shake my ass all night! For me, Ciara hasn’t been able to reach the caliber of 1, 2 Step again, but that’s not really that much of a critique, because of how high that song set the bar for her; everything else pales in comparison because of how amazing that track remains to be. That being said, this is about as close as I could hope for; this is a BANGER, and I cannot resist hitting repeat when this comes up on my ipod. This is Ciara at her best, and I am glad to see her back in top form; now, if we could only convince her to stop wearing skin-tight cat suits in all of her videos. 
I saw Natalia Kills open for Robyn last month, and while her set was INCREDIBLY too loud, I did enjoy most of the songs that I heard. This one was the one that resonated with me most at the show, and it turns out it’s my favorite one of hers that I’ve heard so far. I also like Mirrors, which had a video come out very recently, but that one sounds like a track right off of Lady GaGa’s amazing debut, The Fame, which, while it isn’t necessary a bad thing, it makes me worry a bit about just how strong the RedOne vibe might influence Natalia’s music. This one is great on it’s own, and makes me want to hear more; I just hope it’s not all Lady GaGa wannabe tracks. 
Normally, the B-side isn’t as good as (and certainly is not better than) the single itself. However, that is exactly the case with Shayne Ward’s latest single, Gotta Be Somebody, taken from his upcoming album Obsession. Unfortunately, Gotta Be Somebody isn’t stellar (perhaps it being a cover of a Nickelback song has something to do with that), but at least Future Love (another, much better cover) makes the grade. Sadly, Future Love didn’t make the cut, and will not be on Obsession, which sucks, because it is far superior to the aforementioned lead single. Oh well, at least we can cherish it on its own, even though it’s just a B-side. 
First and foremost, I want to say, that I do not understand why in the hell the artist for this song isn’t marketed/labelled as Deadmau5 feat. Alexis Jordan, because they “heavily sampled” Deadmau5’s Brazil (2nd edit), for this song; which really means they just used it in its entirety, and gave him no credit. I would prefer to put credit where it is due, and while the lyrics and her singing definitely liven it up, and make it more poppy and enjoyable for me, I do think Deadmau5 deserves his due; the backing track is brilliant, and it is why I fell in love with this song in the first place (a big thanks to my pal Steve for giving me the heads up on it too). Now that I have said what I had to say about that, let me talk about the song; it’s saccharine sweet, and totally groovy. I love this song, and her sweet vocals over the brilliant Deadmau5 house music is pure pop perfection. I expect to hear this on the radio, and have been listening to it on repeat for a few weeks now. 
I first heard this song playing in the background during the pole dancing scene between Steve Carrell and Tina Fey in the movie Date Night. I loved it, and tried to download it, but according to the internets, it wasn’t available, and wouldn’t be; everyone said that it was going to be covered/released by Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton instead (and her version can’t hold a candle to this one). Hmpf! Well, low and behold, Cee Lo Green released his new album The Lady Killer this week, and there was my song! Hot!! I love the sexy swagger of this song, and how it just begs you to dance to it. The juxtaposition between both Cee Lo’s and Lauren’s voices is a perfect marriage in this throwback track. I am thrilled that Cee Lo decided to throw this on his new album, because it just meant that I would be sure to pick it up (especially after the fantastic Fuck You, which was featured not too terribly long ago on the 5SF).
Keeping the throwback swag going today, I have been enamored with this fun little song for a few weeks now. I saw the video, and immediately had to hear the song again. Thankfully, you can go to 
What can I say? I’m a sucker for a beautiful ballad, and if it’s Westlife singing it, I am definitely all ears. I have loved these guys for over a decade, and each new release shows that not only do they know their fan base extremely well, but that they have access to a plethora of wonderful ballads and love songs to feed us with.