2015: MUSIC REVIEW

Disclaimer: I’m not a fan of rap/hip hop. Kindly note that the lack of Kendrick Lamar’s critically acclaimed album in this post doesn’t mean I’m saying it wasn’t a good album. I just I don’t do rap. Though I enjoy one or two rap/hip hop songs (e.g drip drop from empire), but generally that genre just doesn’t work for me.

I want to start this post by appreciating my music buddies...Aweezy, Lynda, Avidole, Melvin, Ibukun and Efe Cruz. We had some really nice music conversations the past year and shared songs we discovered both recently released songs and old ones. I still remember long chats and conversations, purely about music had with some of them and they were just so fulfilling, amazing conversations….music is life.

I've realized that like art in general, songs written from pain are the most beautiful. Sad songs sound a million times better when played at night, in the dark. The quietness, minimal distractions from the environment, when you are most relaxed and vulnerable emotionally, each word hits home as the song plays on.

You hear the strings and chords clearly. Your defenses breaks down with each note as the song takes you down memory lane to one or two life experiences. It shatters you all over again, bringing the pain to life once more. You re-live the hurt and the best part is, the healing the song brings, making you feel alive. Reminiscing makes you know that you being where you are now means you survived whatever it was, heartbreak, loss or just anything.

"Albums, you remember those? Albums still matter. Like books and black lives, Albums still matter, tonight and always." - Prince's speech when he came up to present the award for album of the year at the 57th Grammy Awards.

2015 was a great year music wise, with some really good albums and of course, my music buddies and myself discovering artists especially relatively unknown indie rock artists.  I've always stated I’m an album person. Most of these artists don't release the best songs as singles from what I have noticed. In addition, listening to the entire album gives you understanding of where the artists is singing from. The experiences and all that led to the creation of the body of art work.

Albums releaszed in 2015 I played a lot the past year include - Kelly Clarkson's Piece by Piece, Mikky Ekko’s Time, Demi Lovato’s Confident, Adele's 25, One Direction's Made in the A.M and Coldplay's A head full of dreams. That Coldplay's album saw me through the holidays. This is second Coldplay’s album I like all the songs, the first was Ghost Stories. Personally, Ghost stories is still my favorite Coldplay album of all time but of course, their old songs - The scientist, Fix you, Speed of sound, In my place, Viva la vida, and Clocks would always forever occupy a special place in my heart.

There were also cool songs I got from movies and series I saw last year, though some of the songs are old -

-       Hard to find by The national (Suits),

-       Say anything by Ashley Nite (the vampire diaries),

-       I think I’m in love again by Kat Dahlia (Grey's anatomy),

-       All of the stars by Ed Sheeran (The fault in our stars)

-       Oceans (where my feet may fail) by Hillsong (Captive trailer)

-       Don't dream it's over by Crowded house (The Perks of being a Wallflower)

-       Conqueror by Jussie Smollett & Estelle (Empire)

-       I'm not ok by Trent Dabbs (Mistresses)

-       Writings on the wall by Sam smith (Spectre)

-       Earned it by The Weekend/Love you like you do by Ellie Goulding (50 shades of grey)

-       Powerful by Jussie Smollett and Alicia keys (Empire)

-       See you again by Wiz Khalifa ft Charlie Puth (Furious 7) and so many others...

The beginning of the year was sort of slow ‘musically’ but then towards the end of the year, tight albums started dropping. I thought Rihanna's Anti album would be one of those released but seems the babe is scared. Not with the way everyone is focused on hit singles and chart dominance these days. It's sad.

That's one thing killing music now. I miss the old Rihanna who sang what she wanted to sing and dropped albums every year not caring about the charts. It's sad when an artist loses their freedom and allows the charts prevent them from doing what they truly love. That's what I love about Coldplay's latest album. They changed their sound and did something different - an album full of different genres.

Then Taylor Swift going the way of pop in 2014 with ‘1989’, and making a really good pop album! At first when she announced she was going to do a pop album, I was like nooooo! But then 1989 turned out to be one of her best albums.

That’s something I hope Adele does with her next album. Enough of the same sound. She was too safe on 25, I mean, those songs could easily fit into 21 album. I need something different, something fresh and new from her. Justin Bieber did good on Purpose album though I like probably just about half of the songs - Mark my words, Sorry, The feeling, Purpose, What do you mean, Love yourself, Company, Life is worth living, Hit the ground, All in it and We are. For a 20 track album I thinks that's really something. Initially I didn’t feel the album, but after several listens it began to grow on me.

Imagine Dragon's Smokes + Mirrors has started growing on me also. Though their first album (Night visions) was an instant hit with me, this one kinda took a while to sink in but I’m feeling the songs now. Songs like I bet my life, The fall, Shots, Smokes & Mirrors, Second chances  are kinda making me want to give the album another chance. (Notice my rhymes there? *wink)

Demi Lovato reaffirmed her place in my heart with Confident album! Though she really made me feel like she had given in and sold out to the stereotype pop songs that are more radio friendly seeing those songs came first on the album, but after the first few tracks the true picture of the album began to show. She hadn't betrayed what she's best known for - ballads which showcase her very strong vocals. Reminds me of Beyonce 4 album. Initially, I heard songs like Run the world, End of time and Countdown, then I thought to myself this is going to be a pop album, only for the album to finally get released and discovered it was one hell of a proper R&B album.

Remember that guy Rihanna featured on Stay? Mikky Ekko. Dude finally released his album early in the year. You should hear tracks like Time, Burning doves and my favourite - Comatose! The album didn't disappoint. Though I don't know why he didn't include Feels like the end in the album. I mean, he included old songs he had released before (Smile and Pull me down). I'm biased about Feels like the end ‘cus it was the soundtrack played in the Grey's anatomy episode Mcsteamy was on life support and about to die. The song was just the perfect song for that heart wrenching scene.

Errm...Hillary Duff tried to break into the music scene again. I really loved her Metamorphosis album back then. This her latest effort (I have even forgotten the title) was kinda lukewarm. Most of the songs are forgettable but one had some deep lines it definitely stock - you can't put your arms round a memory. The Song talked about long distance relationships ish. Title of the album is Breathe in. Breathe Out. The song I was referring to is titled Arms around a memory.

Adam Lambert released The Original high. He sort of changed his sound too. There was with less screaming this time around. I love Ghost town (especially retro sound at the staring part of the song), There I said it and Rumors. In my opinion, the best song happened to be an extra bonus track - These boys. It really got me wondering how artists choose their lead singles or decided the songs to make the final cut of an album. That's how Rihanna wasted a good song like Half of me as bonus track, same way Beyonce wasted Dance for you and Schooling life *sigh

I have been reading great reviews of Ellie Goulding's Delirium album. Songs from the album that have caught my ear are don't panic, Army, On my mind and Love me like you do. I haven't been able to listen to the full album at a stretch ‘cus her voice sounds like she sings via her nasal cavity and that's just too painful for me to song after song for an hour plus.

I still don't understand the hype over The Weekend's Beauty behind the madness album. Biko the album was kinda boring! Just a few songs like Earned it, Can't feel my face, Angel (my favourite) and two or three more tracks were really good.

David Cook, my guy! He released Digital vein. The album was okay but not as good as his previous albums but still it is something. Feel deep in love with Broken windows on first listen.

5 seconds of summer also released their second album. I really can't say which of their albums I prefer, though i'd say they are both decent albums with good songs on both. I particularly love Catch Fire and Broken Home from this new album. She’s so perfect and Amnesia were my favorites off of their previous album.

Albums released last year I haven't had the opportunity of getting and I feel would have good songs are Honeymoon by Lana Del Rey, Higher than here by James Morrison and Title by Meghan Tranor.

Downloading albums can be quite a risk though. Imagine using your data to download a full album only to discover the album is shit! The thing can pain! E.g – Morning Phase by Beck (I still don’t know how that won album of the year).

I discovered my wedding song! The one by Kodaline! The lyrics, the instruments, the sound!! Just so apt!

Kodaline is really cool. Songs like All I want, Lost, Better...the album was released early 2015. I have some of the songs and I plan on getting their two albums! They are that cool.

One major thing I love about Christmas is Christmas songs! I still haven't found a better Christmas album than Mariah Carey's own. But my favourite Christmas song changed last year. It used to be Hark the herald angels sing, but when I heard Kris Allen's cover of Mary, did you know? I was hooked!

I got to hear Pentatonix's version, I fell in love. The recent winner of the voice, Sam Jordan did a cover of it on the final show and he made it sound like angels were singing the song. Officially, Mary, did you know? is my fav Christmas song. I played it for my colleague and he made me put it on replay for over ten times.

One artist to look out for is Jordan Smith, boy, that guy's got mad talent! His rendition of Sia's Chandelier blew me away. Even O'nelly who is hard to please when it comes to covers of original songs hailed him and admitted he impressed him so much. Listening to Sia’s original version, you can hear the strain and effort when she hits the high notes, but here's a guy who just sang it effortlessly hitting all the high notes without any stress.

There were some really cool tracks I fell in love with over the course of the past year, though not all were released in 2015. Most of them I played over and over for day. I probably would need to download fresh copies cause I must have played the life out of the songs.

That reminds me, do songs have expiry date? Cus some people would be like, 'that song is old na'.

Me, I don't gerrit o, do songs have expiry date? #askingformypeaceofmind

Here’s a list of 50 songs out of the numerous ones I played over and over in 2015 -

1. I'm not ok - Trent Dabbs
2. Chasing cars - Snow Patrol
3. Traveler's song (acoustic version) - Future of Forestry
4. Everglow - Coldplay
5. Mercy Mercy - Hillsong
6. Organs - Of Monsters and men
7. Army of one - Coldplay
8. Withholding nothing – William Mcdowell
9. Love yourself - Justin Bieber
10. Oceans (where my feet my fail) - Hillsong
11. Remedy - Adele
12. One meant to be - 16 Frames
13. This is amazing grace - Phil Wickham
14. Shyer - London Grammar
15. Hello - Adele
16. All I am - Phil Wickham
17. Alive - Sia
18. Comatose - Mikky Ekko
19. Run - Nicole Scherzinger
20. Do we even matter - Loreen
21. Feels like coming home - Jetta
22. The one - Kodaline
23. Running - Naughty boy ft Beyonce &
24. Die with you - Beyonce
25. This love - Taylor Swift
26. Four five seconds - Rihanna ft Kanye West & Paul Mccartney
27. Hard to find by The Nationals
28. Say anything by Ashley Nite
29. Better - Kodaline
30. Promises - The Boxer Rebellion
31. New York - The Boxer Rebellion
32. You could be happy - Snow Patrol
33. All I want - Kodaline
34. Lost - Kris Allen
35. Let it rain - Matt Kearney
36. You belong with me - The Boxer Rebellion
37. Lost - Kodaline
38. Carry me - John Wilson
39. Take your time - Sam Hunt
40. Battle Scars - Guy Sebastian
41. Hymn for the weekend - Coldplay ft Beyonce
42. Burning doves - Mikky Ekko
43. But you won't - David Cook
44. Shatter me - Lindsey Stirling
45. Orente - Adekunle Gold
46. Duro timi - Yemi Alade
47. The one who never comes - Asa
48. Hotline bling - Drake
49. Lost in the world – Kanye West ft Bon Iver
50. Powerful – Jussie Smollett & Alicia Keys