Christina Perri

March 11, 2014.

HURRY UP AND GET HERE SO I CAN BUY CHRISTINA PERRI'S NEW ALBUM!!!

Since her first released, I've been anxiously awaiting her next. If you haven't purchased "Lovestrong.", I assure you, it's well worth the cost and I am sure this new album will be no different.

Her first single from her highly anticipated "Head or Heart" album is called "Human" and it could very well give "Jar of Hearts" a run for its money. It's just that good.

I think the thing I love the most about her music is it's just so real. Her lyrics are relatable and her powerful sound makes you want to blare the music and scream the chorus at the top of your lungs. "Human", much like all of Christina's music, is filled with absolute raw emotion and I think that's what makes her music so good. When she sings, it's believable. She means exactly what she's singing and it makes her music all the more beautiful.

Christina will be going on tour for two months in the spring, so be on the look out for those show dates.

Avicii

Avicii's latest is called "Hey Brother" and it is off of his latest album, True.

This song is different the usual EDM sound we know and love Avicii for. In fact, it has a bit of a twang to it and it isn't until the middle of the song that the beat begins to show signs of an EDM track. To me, the merging of Bluegrass and EDM is unfathomable because the two seem so distant from one another, but somehow Avicii has done the unthinkable and made them a united force.

As for the video, holy cow! The amount of chills I personally felt throughout the whole thing was insane. The storyline is absolutely beautiful and it has the ability to resonate with nearly every viewer in some way, shape or form.

Avicii's album, True, was released in September, but I can't say I've listened to it in its entirety. It's definitely on my list of music to check out as I'm beginning to think that everything Avicii produces is worth a listen!

Kelly Clarkson

Christmas is getting closer and closer, which means it is time for me to post about my favorite new Christmas song.

The song is called "4 Carats" and it's from Kelly Clarkson's Wrapped in Red album, which released at the end of October. This song reminds me of "Santa Baby" in a way, but instead of having a large "Grown Up Christmas List", Kelly has only one thing she's asking for this Christmas. A massive rock.

For us average folks who make enough to buy a plastic ring out of the vending machine, this song may seem a bit greedy and ridiculous, but I assure you, the lyrics are simply adorable and the sound is a whole lot of fun.

The beginning is a bit odd because all I can think of is Blue Man Group with their PVC pipe instruments playing along with a didgeridoo, but once Kelly comes in with the lyrics, the vibe of the song is just pure Christmas joy.

The album as a whole is fantastic. Kelly has a nice blend of the classics along with her own originals. Speaking of the classics, those songs have to be done right. If you stray from tradition and completely lose the original sound, you're running a huge risk of losing listeners right then and there. That's why Kelly's album is so great. She sticks to the traditional sounds we have all grown up with and she does them exceedingly well.

I know I say this time and time again, but this girl has some serious talent and she understands music, but more importantly, she understands her audience and that's what's important when it comes to making a successful Christmas album.

If you haven't heard the whole album yet, get on it! I assure you, it will be the best $10 you ever spend.

Calvin Harris & Alesso ft. Hurts

Food poisoning has gotten the best of me this weekend, so just as a fair warning, this post is going to be short.

I thought about sharing my favorite song from the last 48 hours, but I decided that classic Disney songs aren't super fitting to the premise of my blog.

Then again, maybe they are.

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Check out "Under Control" by Calvin Harris & Alesso ft. Hurts:

Told you it was going to be short.

Max & Macy Kate (feat. Kurt Hugo Schneider)

Let me just start off by saying that Kurt Hugo Schneider is brilliant. If you don't know who I'm talking about, get acquainted with his work because he is kind of a big deal. The guy is a musical genius and has put together some of the best YouTube videos around.

With "Jingle Bell Rock", Max & Macy Kate did a fresh take on a Christmas classic. The video is completely tricked out with the latest and greatest Samsung devices and there is never a dull moment. I mean, if I had to pick out the worst part of the video, I'd have to say it was the ending. Why? Because it ended. As cheesy as this may sound, this song is just pure holiday joy.

Looking solely at the vocals, they're perfect. Max and Macy Kate have a blend that sends chills all over your body. They not only look good together, but they can really belt it out.

The thing that impressed me most about this video is the fact that it was done in one take. Let me repeat that. This video was shot in ONE TAKE! Craziness!

All around, this video is fantastic. The technology, the vocals, the song itself...all fantastic.

Colbie Caillat

Better than "Bubbly"?? I think so! Colbie Caillat's new single, "Hold On" is one of her best.

Don't be fooled by the title, it's not a cover of the Wilson Phillips song, but it does mirror a few other artists. Personally, the song reminds me of Ellie Goulding mixed with Sara Bareilles (back from her "Gravity" days). I realize that's an odd combination to envision, and maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I hear. I'll let you be the judge on that one.

According to Rolling Stone, Colbie is aiming for a new sound, one that's upbeat and louder, for this next album. She also told Rolling Stone that she's been writing music with Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic) and Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds recently. Her first single off of the album, "Hold On", was co-written by Tedder.

If "Hold On" is just a sample of what's to come, I'm extremely excited for her next album, which is set to release early next year.

Check out "Hold On" because it is worth a listen!

MKTO

The greatest part of my job would have to be going to 1075 KISS FM Lounge events. Seeing artists perform some of their songs in an acoustic setting really allows their talent to shine through, which makes the performances that much greater.

Tonight we had MKTO in the lounge and it was a phenomenal performance. You may recognize the guys, Malcom Kelley and Tony Oller, from the TeenNick series Gigantic. Malcom also had a role in Lost, as well as a few other acting gigs. In addition to Gigantic, Tony was in the Disney Channel short series, As the Bell Rings, which also starred Demi Lovato.

Not only can these two act, but they also sing. Extremely well. Check out their single, "Classic":

The two are doing the ever popular combination of pop and rap, and usually I'm not a fan of that blend, but the way they do it is seamless. Their chemistry is apparent in their music and at the end of the day, I think that bond helps their music to be better than others trying to produce the same type of sound.

"Thank You" is just as good as "Classic", if not better in my opinion, and it's definitely worth a listen:

MKTO has some serious talent and I'm very excited to hear more of their music in the future.

**Adorbs**

Changing it up

Linking artists has been fun and I've definitely learned a lot, but it has become more of a chore rather than a passion at times. Finding music that is worth a listen should be FUN and that's why I am switching back to my old style of posting and just making this a space dedicated to awesome music and sharing it with all of you!

Enjoy :)

Lady Antebellum --> Dave Barnes

Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum collaborated on a Christmas song with Grammy nominated Dave Barnes. The song is called "Christmas Tonight" and the video stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Alex Beh.

Check back to see who I link Dave Barnes with and for more music that's worth a listen!

Josh Kelley --> Lady Antebellum

Well it seems that I've backed myself into a corner. I have tried for days and days (almost a month really) to find a connection for Josh Kelley, but I keep coming up empty handed.

Sure, he's married to Katherine Heigl and yes his brother is in Lady Antebellum, but beyond that, I am coming up with no direct connections. Yes, I could probably say that he met Kelly Clarkson at the 2008 CMAs, but that's a fact that I don't find interesting nor is it compelling.

Because of this, I have decided to backtrack a bit and use Lady Antebellum again as the subject for my post in hopes of finding new connections and getting back on track with my blog.

In honor of the first day of December, I've decided to pick a Christmas song by Lady A. Perhaps I will try to do something with that for the rest of the month? We shall see if I can pull that one off.

Until then, here's "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by Lady Antebellum.

Check back for more music that's worth a listen and to see who I connect Lady Antebellum with.