Wonderland Burlesque

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Of Note: ‘Open Heart’ by Morgan Page (feat. Lissie)

Of Note: ‘Open Heart’

by Morgan Page (feat. Lissie)

Morgan Page got his start early. He did an internship at the German record label Plastic City - when he was in GRADE SCHOOL! While in high school he had his own show on the University of Vermont’s radio station. And while attending college at Emerson College in Boston, he managed WERS 88.9 and had his own weekend shows.

Over the years, in addition to his own releases, he has remixed a plethora of artists, including: Regina Spektor, Madonna, Adam Lambert, Alanis Morissette, Nelly Furtado, Stevie Nicks, Tegan & Sara, Coldplay, Korn, and Norah Jones, just to name a few.

2008 was the year I first became aware of Mr. Page. A single, ‘The Longest Road’, featuring longtime collaborator Lissie, got a lot of repeat listens. I was quite taken with both the vocals and the song itself.

Fast forward to June of 2015 and we find Mr. Page revisiting that sound, but with a guile lushness heretofore only hinted at. ‘Open Heart’ is a winner out of the gate and Lissie’s vocals are as stellar as ever, poignantly ripe with a vulnerability that reveals both tenderness and strength.

‘Open Heart’ is currently in high rotation on the Twin Cities own Pride 97.6.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Of Note: ‘Headlights’ by Robin Schulz (feat. Ilsey)

Of Note: ‘Headlights’

by Robin Schulz (feat. Ilsey)

Here’s another one of those songs that I love, despite the lyrics rather boggling my mind. I’m not sure what this song is about, and hated it upon first listen. That, of course, meant I had to pay closer attention to it and that is when it snared me, reeling me in like a big, dumb, worm-eating fish.

Robin hails from Germany and has recently enjoyed a lot of success thanks to his remixes of Mr. Probz ‘Waves’ and Lilywood and the Prick’s ‘Prayer In C’, both of which charted well here in the U.S. and abroad.

Ilsey’s vocals, which I initially found annoying, remind me a bit of Cyndi Lauper – who, I must confess, I also found initially annoying. Now, I consider Ms. Lauper to be an exemplary, legendary vocalist, so that just goes to show how wrong first impressions can be. Whether Ilsey achieves similar status remains to be heard.

Then there’s the fact that the whole song sounds cribbed from other songs – melody and chord progressions. But I’ll be damned if I can name the songs it reminds me of.

Misgivings aside, ‘Headlights’ has certainly captured my attention and is currently enjoying a lot of rotation, not only on the CD player of my car, but also on the Twin Cities own Pride 97.6.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Of Note: ‘Never Sleep Alone’ by Kaskade (feat. Tess Comrie)

Of Note: ‘Never Sleep Alone’

by Kaskade (feat. Tess Comrie)

Kaskade (Ryan Raddon) has been around a long time, and continues to be one of my favorite dance artists. 2004’s ‘In The Moment’, featuring the sublime ‘Steppin’ Out’, as well as ‘Everything’ and ‘Sweet Love’, remains an apex in dance history. It brought a depth and musicality to the world of dance music unlike anything before it.

Originally from Chicago, at age 19, Raddon spent time in Japan doing missionary work, before returning stateside to attend Brigham University where he graduated with a degree in communications. He released his first single in 2001 and hit pay dirt in 2004 with the aforementioned ‘In The Moment’. He’s been a consistent dance artist since that time, routinely placing singles on Billboard’s Dance Club Play Chart.

In April of 2015, he released the haunting 'Never Sleep Alone' featuring Tess Comrie. He’s always had a knack for matching singer with song and 'Never Sleep Alone' is no exception. It is, however, rather exceptional.

I love the marriage between the lyrics and Comrie’s sleepy, distant vocals, as the gentle build beneath the chorus gives way to the crushing beat and acidic sounding synths. It’s the disparity between the two sounds that brings to fruition the tension in the piece. As the production dreamily ebbs and flows, the listener is carried away on a pill-induced, potentially nightmarish journey.