They're streaming the debut from Dublin-based R&B singer Laura Ibizor over at AOL Music and it's definitely worth a listen. It's a flawlessly produced combination of soul, gospel, classic R&B and pop, perfect for lazy summer nights with all the windows open.
Unlike some of the other soul-infused efforts to come out of the British Isles recently, this doesn't feel nostalgic - it's perfectly current and yet timeless at the same time. Check it out.
Another album streaming over at AOL Music is Straight No Chaser's "Holiday Spirits." I can't help it - I get nostalgic for college a cappella at this time of year!
And Straight No Chaser is a Christmas feel-good story if ever there was one - formed over 10 years ago at Indiana University, the group of 10 guys did what all college a cappella groups do: they sang, they graduated and they moved on with their lives. But in preparing for a reunion last year, one of the members made a video of their college highlights and posted clips on YouTube and their "12 Days of Christmas" quickly became a viral sensation so enormous that even the president of Atlantic Records noticed. He reassembled the 10 original members of the group and gave them a record contract - "Holiday Spirits" is the result.
What sets them apart from the thousands of other a cappella groups around the country? Well first, their talent is enormous. Every single one of them is an outstanding singer and their voices fit together exceptionally well. But I think the real genius is in the arrangements, which show a real creative spark (the aforementioned "12 Days of Christmas" incorporates melodies of several other Christmas carols as well as Toto's "Africa.") They pick likeable songs, arrange them in unique and creative ways, and sing them flawlessly. That, evidently, is the recipe for success.
But to give you an idea, watch the original YouTube sensation:
AOL Music is streaming tons of Christmas albums free right now - I'm particularly digging the Hotel Cafe compilation Winter Songs, featuring all female singer-songwriters.
The first track is a duet between two of my faves - Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles. Sara's honey-soul alto on the bottom and Ingrid's sweet soprano on top is nothing short of perfect. Never mind that the song is a little depressing (as are lots of the songs on this cd - apparently female singer-songwriters find the holidays rough.) It's truly gorgeous.
Other standouts include KT Tunstall's unique interpretation of "Sleigh Ride," the laid-back warmth of Colbie Caillat's "Mistletoe," and the truly stunning a cappella rendition of "Silent Night" by Priscilla Ahn (this song was featured in the ER teasers last week.)
And you can listen to it all right now - for free! Happy holidays!
I'm still smarting over not getting to see Wilco in their residency shows last winter, but this live set from AOL's "Sessions" series is helping to ease the pain. Hear "What Light," "Side with the Seeds," "You are My Face," and my favorite Sky Blue Sky track, "Hate It Here."
More love for AOL Music - now they're streaming Colbie Caillat's new album, CoCo, as part of their CD Listening Party. I've written of my love for Caillat's music before - hear even more of it now.
