The Coffeehouse Playlist

Hello, JUKEBOXERS!!

Coffeehouses are cool places to get a drink and hang out with your friends. (Or for those of you who go to a school on the semester system, a good place to stay up and study for midterms!) Something that plays a big part in the coffeehouse ambiance is the music that plays in the background as you take a nice warm sip of your Pumpkin Spice Latte.  If you don't happen to like what the coffeehouse is playing that day or if you're at home drinking your coffee, we've compiled a list of songs that we think will help give you that coffeehouse feel.  We hope our Coffeehouse Playlist is just what you ordered!

-- the JUKEBOX girls

The Playlist:

Jewel

Back At Your Door - Maroon 5
Begin Again - Taylor Swift
Cold Cold Heart - Norah Jones
The Only Exception - (Cover) Sam Tsui
With Love - Christina Grimmie

Lia

Always - Panic! At The Disco
Mess Is Mine - Vance Joy
From Eden - Hozier
Scare Away the Dark - Passenger
Everything Is Everything -Phoenix

Kimberly
Everything-Michael Buble
The Way I Am-Ingrid Michaelson
Marry Me-Train
You Got Me-Colbie Caillat
I'll Be There For You (Theme From Friends)-The Rembrandts

“I Belong” from Sofia the First

Sofia singing about her chance to feel like she fits in which the other princesses

Hi everybody!  It’s Kimberly here for my thirty-fourth post for the genre “Children’s Music.”

Disney princesses are a staple of many little girls’ childhoods.  Ask practically anyone and she can tell you who her favorite princess is.  Some would say Ariel.  Others could say Tiana, Cinderella, or Belle.  Just last year, Disney Junior started a new show that introduced a princess for the new generation.  Today, I will be reviewing the song “I Belong” from Disney’s Sofia the First.

Ariel Winter provides the voice for Sofia.  Some of you may know her as Alex Dunphy on Modern Family.  It makes sense that she would do the voice of a character on Disney because Modern Family is on ABC, one of the many companies that Disney owns.  Her voice sounds young, so it is believable for her to be voicing a little girl even though she’s already sixteen years old.   

Sofia the First is about a little girl who becomes a princess out of circumstance.  She and her mother are from a poor village, but their lives change completely when her mother marries the King of Enchancia.  To learn how to become a proper princess, Sofia attends the Royal Training Academy.  In the episode “The Princess Test” her days of training culminates in a test that will evaluate if the princesses exemplify all the qualities of a true princess.  “I Belong” is about how The Princess Test is Sofia’s chance to finally feel like she belongs in the royal world.  “I Belong” has a nice melody with a pretty guitar accompaniment.  The lyrics help convey Sofia’s sense of self-doubt, but also her strong will to try her best to be a perfect princess.  “I Belong” is an inspirational song for girls to try their best even when it seems like what they’re trying to achieve is impossible.  For instance, one of the lines is “I’ve got to keep on trying and just stay strong.”   However, other lines are specifically catered to Sofia’s situation like, “Am I royal, or just pretending to be?”  I’m giving “I Belong” 3 records because it is a cute song that is appropriate for little girls, but it isn’t particularly a song that they will remember when they’re older.

Thank you for reading my review of “I Belong” from Sofia the First!  Please come back tomorrow for our playlist.  J

Below is the scene that features “I Belong.”

Here is a song from another Sofia the First episode called, “Bigger is Better.”

Rating: 3 RECORDS

Information:  IMDB, Disney Wikia, YouTube

Photo: YouTube

"Trainwreck 1979" by Death from Above 1979

Death from Above 1979: Basist/Syntesizer/Backing Vocalist Jesse Keeler and Drummer/Vocalist Sebastien Grainger

Hey guys, Lia here with a review on a punk act that's been around since 2001.

Death from Above 1979 is a Canadian duo from Toronto that's released really contradicting stories about how they got together. Some say they met in a gay bar; some say a pirate ship; still others say in prison. No matter how, Jesse Keeler and Sebastien Grainger got together originally under the name Death from Above--without the 1979. However, some legal disputes prompted them to add 1979--which is Grainger's birth year.

In 2006, the punk duo broke up because they weren't touring or working on anything new, but in 2011, they went through a period of reformation and rebooted their band--starting with a performance at EdgeFest in Toronto. Death from Above 1979 started working on their second album, The Physical World, which came out on September 9.

I don't know about all of you, but I really, really enjoy punk rock. There's something stark, honest, and unforgiving about punk. "Trainwreck 1979" is a more mature version of the same punk rock I was listening to when I was in middle school and high school. Grainger's voice reminds me of Gabe Saporta from Cobra Starship. I know, Gabe's not punk, but he was a little bit in the earlier years. Also, I know, Cobra is a terrible band, but I love them, so whatever.

Back to "Trainwreck 1979." This song is...awesome to listen to, but it's nothing special. Literally, the whole "I can't get enough" bridge part has been done to death. Again, I'm going to draw from Cobra Starship because I'm sure Gabe Saporta and company did that same exact hook/bridge part in 2007. If you can't get over 2007, then that's a problem. The song also musically doesn't go anywhere. It's just overall steady, with no real interesting change--except that small dynamic change right before the song's climax.

Also, lyrically, they were trying to tell a story, but it doesn't sound coherent or authentic. I don't know anything about their background but it sounds like an upper-middle class kid adapting someone's tough life into their own story. You can't do that and sound like you're not lying; it's just not possible.

I'll still listen to it on the radio, but I won't go out of my way to hear it elsewhere. All in all, I don't entirely think it sucks, I just think it's unauthentic and dated.

Information: Wikipedia

Photo: nme.com

"Don't" Ed Sheeran Cover by Joseph Vincent

Joseph Vincent playing live in the Becker Ampitheatre at CSUF!!

Hello, JUKEBOXERS!! It's Jewel with a new cover artist!! This week I'm reviewing a cover by Joseph Vincent because, well, he played at Cal State Fullerton today!!

I first heard of Joseph Vincent when I watched a Jason Chen collab cover of "I Want It That Way" by the Backstreet Boys. I'll put that cover down below.

Joseph Vincent is an acoustic artist who first picked up a guitar when he was just 15 years old. He began by playing covers of his biggest influences: Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz. At 16, he began songwriting and composing. He's played at a variety of venues, and as I stated earlier, HE PLAYED AT MY SCHOOL TODAY!! In August of 2008, he performed at the Annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture. He also entered and won a contest produced by a Filipino news-station here in SoCal called Kababayan LA-18. In 2010, he was featured on the "Wonderful Web of Wonderment" segment of The Ellen Degeneres Show. As a rising YouTube celeb, Joseph Vincent now has over 400,000 subscribers, and is currently recording his debut album.

This cover... What can I say about this cover?? First of all, I think he sounds just like Ed Sheeran, except for the accent of course. He's confident and it shows because this song is actually pretty difficult to sing. Joseph Vincent is definitely super talented. I mean, he's singing AND playing guitar at the same time. I know a lot of people can do that, but from my point of view, that's amazing. Why?? First, this song is a bit difficult to sing just because of the multitude of words. It must've been extremely challenging to find the places in which to insert a breath. Also, this song requires a semi-separate beat/rhythm for the lyrics and guitar. If you listen closely, you'll hear that the guitar and vocals are syncopated, meaning the rhythms are rather off-beat. Another reason I love this cover is really just because I LOVE his voice. It's unique and amazing and just. so. beautiful.

Not only are his covers amazing, I can personally attest to his talent as a live performer. His voice is so amazing and he performs songs almost EXACTLY like his recordings. It's absolutely beautiful and I'm so glad I had the chance to watch him even for just a few minutes.

Anyway, I really don't have anything to critique except maybe better enunciation. His covers meet all my "requirements". I don't hear any effects that mask his voice. Since he's an acoustic artist, his covers are practically as "raw" as it gets. His talent is perfectly showcased in his covers and I absolutely adore his voice!!

Just a little warning, this song does contain expletives that didn't really become clear until I listened to the cover.

Here is his cover of "Don't" by Ed Sheeran:

And here is his collab with Jason Chen:

Rating: 4 RECORDS

Information: Joseph Vincent Official Website

"All This Time" by Britt Nicole Cover

Hello, JUKEBOXERS!! It's Jewel for another bi-weekly cover, and this week I chose to cover a song by Christian artist Britt Nicole. A Facebook friend posted a video of her singing an acoustic version of the song live, and I thought I'd cover that version (since I can't really do the full studio one). Anyway, this song is just really inspirational and I had fun singing it. You'll see why I thought it was fun (maybe) when you listen to it. I hope you like it!!

The Monster Playlist

Boo!
Hello, JUKEBOXERS!!
It's the beginning of October, so that means it's time to prepare for Halloween.  Our playlist for today celebrates all those ghouls, vampires, and werewolves that are associated with October 31st.  Let's get in the mood for Halloween with The Monster Playlist!  We hope you enjoy it and that you live to tell the tale...MWAHAHAHA.  (But seriously, we hope you like our playlist and let us know what you think. XD)

-- the JUKEBOX girls

The Playlist:

Jewel

(You're The) Devil In Disguise - Elvis Presley
Ghost - Parachute
Puttin' On The Ritz (Re-Recorded) - Taco
The Munsters - The Daniel Caine Orchestra
Witchcraft - Michael Bubble (NOT Bublé)

Lia

Monster - Paramore
Let's Kill Tonight - Panic! At The Disco
Vampires Will Never Hurt You - My Chemical Romance
Highway To Hell - AC/DC
Dracula - Gorillaz

Kimberly
Monster-Imagine Dragons
Calling All the Monsters- China Anne McClain
Thriller-Michael Jackson
Ghost-Ingrid Michaelson
Ghostbusters-Ray Parker, Jr.

“Journey to the Past” from Anastasia

Anya and the dog she meets on her "Journey to the Past"

Hi everybody!  It’s Kimberly here for my thirty-third post for the genre “Children’s Music.”

I think we all have those movies that we fondly remember from our childhood.  As we get older, we talk about those movies with our friends and ask, “Do you remember (Insert your favorite childhood film here)?”  Anastasia is NOT one of those movies for me.  My friends would talk about it and I wouldn’t know what they were talking about.  Finally, I was able to watch it for the first time last week, so I thought I’d review the song that impressed me the most.  Without further ado, I would like you to join me in this “Journey to the Past.”

A popular thing that moviemakers do for animated movies is getting one actress to do the character’s speaking voice and another person to do the character’s singing voice.  Meg Ryan provides the speaking voice for Anastasia.  Some of you may know Meg Ryan for her roles as Annie Reed in Sleepless in Seattle and as Sally in When Harry Met Sally.  Liz Callaway provides the singing voice for Anastasia.  Her most notable in the singing voice roles were in the movies as Princess Jasmine in the Aladdin sequels and Kiara in The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride.

If you’re like me and haven’t watched Anastasia yet, you might not want to read the rest of the review.   

*MINOR SPOILERS*

I’m just going to give a summary of the very beginning of the movie.  Anastasia is part of a royal family in Russia called the Romanovs.  Royalty has its costs so as luck would have it a man named Rasputin vows to kill all the Romanovs.  As Anastasia and her grandmother were trying to escape via train, Anastasia falls off the train.  Fast forward to when Anastasia is an adult, it turns out that she has amnesia and that she ended up in an orphanage.  The only clue that Anastasia, or Anya as she is now called, has to her past is a necklace that her grandmother gave her which says, “Together in Paris.”  Naturally, to find out more about her past Anya decides to go to Paris.  When Anya first makes her decision to go to Paris, she sings the song “Journey to the Past.”  “Journey to the Past” reminds me a little bit of “First Time in Forever” because both feature two red heads ladies, Anya and Anna, singing about something that they finally get to do.  For Anya, it’s finding more about the family she once had and for Anna it’s getting to greet people at the palace that has been closed to the rest of the world for most of her life.  What I like about “Journey to the Past” is its very catchy melody, which sounds just like snowflakes falling (fitting because it’s snowing when Anya sings the song.)  I also like that the lyrics change throughout the song and connect to the line “Journey to the Past” because it prevents the song from becoming repetitive and also helps move the story along.  Unfortunately, because the lyrics are always changing it isn’t a song that kids will remember easily. I like the beginning melody in the verses, but the melody overall isn’t strong enough for kids to remember “Journey to the Past” in its entirety.  It isn’t like “I Won’t Say I’m in Love” which has lyrical changes, but the lyrics and melody are consistent and memorable enough to remain a favorite for many children.   I’m giving “Journey to the Past” 4 stars because it’s a great song as far as moving the story along and having a playful melody but the lyrics don’t make it a perfect song in terms of the genre “Children’s Music.”

Thank you for support and please come back to JUKEBOX soon!  Until then, I hope you all can enjoy a pleasant “Journey to the Past.”  J

Below is the scene that features “Journey to the Past.”

Here is another memorable song from Anastasia called, “Once Upon a December.” 

Rating: 4 RECORDS

Information:  IMDB, AZLyrics

Photo: Fanpop

"The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" by U2

U2: Percussionist Larry Mullen Jr., Bassist Adam Clayton, Guitarits/Keyboardist The Edge, Vocalist/Guitarist Bono

Hey guys, Lia here with a review from a song brought to us by the good people at Apple and U2.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you must not have an Apple product because on September 9, Apple users woke up to a new album digitally released for free by U2 called Songs of Innocence. When I say 'digitally released,' I mean automatically stored in my music without my prior knowledge. If that doesn't make you wonder what kind of world we live in--a world where things can just be placed into my phone without me knowing--then I don't know what would scare you.

U2 is such an iconic band. They formed in 1976 in Dublin, when the boys were in their early teens. At that age, they had very little musical knowledge, but were convinced they could become a band because of all the punk rock influence they were exposed to. Somehow, they interpreted punk rock to mean lacking in musical proficiency, but I don't really think that's true.

They bounced around lots of band names like, The Hype and others, but finally settled with U2. The band got their break when they won a competition and got free studio time and a chance to show their music to CBS Ireland, a record company. Under that label, U2 released an EP and some singles that was only available in Ireland. Although they had some success, U2 didn't get the big break they were looking for until they signed onto Island Records.

The band has done 13 studio albums, but their most famous one is probably The Joshua Tree. It's the album with the songs "With or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," which are probably their most famous songs to date. Still, they've stayed true to their sound--well, except for that little interval in their career called Pop--and, over the years, have become famous for their anthem induced sound and dramatic vocals.

Which brings me to "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)." If you're wondering who Joey Ramone is, then let me tell you. Is the name The Ramones somewhat familiar? Joey Ramone was drummer turned vocalist for The Ramones. A co-founder of the band, he suggested the name The Ramones because Paul McCartney used the false name Paul Ramon when The Beatles were The Silver Beetles. It's said that Joey Ramone died to the song "In a Little While" by U2 after he lost his fight with lymphoma at the age of 49.

While speaking about Songs of Innocence, Bono praised this album as the most personal one U2 has ever done. I actually believe him because this song is so beautiful and honest. It just fits the U2 mold in terms of sound. It's dynamic and inspiring, with an interesting guitar hook and vocals that lilt unexpectedly. Bono is such a good vocalist because he has this precise way of singing that makes his voice sound both soothing and crisp.

The topic of this song is also a very beautiful tribute to Joey Ramone, a musician that has effected Bono's life the most. I listened to an interview with Bono on the radio and he had such great things to say about how Joey Ramone changed his life. You can hear Bono's devotion in the song's lyrics. He calls the moment he hears The Ramones for the first time as "the Miracle." The best lyric in this song is: "Heard a song that made some sense out of the world." And don't you ever hear songs that shake the very foundations of your being and think 'wow, this songwriter just gets me!'? To Bono, The Ramones helped him understand what was happening in his world.

We all have our own miracle moments. I think mine would be when I was in middle school watching Fall Out Boy on MTV. Inside. I know they're not the greatest band. but they helped me make sense of the world. They, and some of my other favorite bands from that period of my life, still do

To end, I'd like to ask: what was your miracle moment?

Photo: factmag.com

Information: Wikipedia

"Shake It Off" Taylor Swift Cover by Chester See

The talented Chester See

Hello, JUKEBOXERS!! Welcome back to Jewel's regular cover review postings!! I hope you enjoyed my ten week "Original Song Series". This week, I'm introducing a new YouTube cover artist: Chester See.

Vocalist, song writer, performer, YouTube celebrity, and producer are just a few titles Chester See owns. He is originally from Fairfield, California and graduated from UCLA in 2005 with a degree in both Economics and Theater Arts. For those of you who think you recognize him, it's probably because in 2006 he became the host of "Disney 365". Now a YouTube star, he is among the most successful artists on the site today. He has over 1 million subscribers and over 100 million views. His YouTube channel has a vast array of entertainment options with a little comedy here, drama there, tons of songs (both covers and originals), and vlogs. He was nominated for two Streamy Awards in 2013 for the categories of Best Online Personality and Best Online Musician.

Alright, now for my thoughts on his cover. First, allow me to say I simply love his voice. While his originals bring out more of his skills, this cover brings out his fun side and the video just added to the amusement of "Shake It Off". What I like about this cover is the fact that I can hear his voice. I know that's a weird thing to say, but with so many artists nowadays drowning their voices in effects, I just adore artists who are confident (and talented) enough to let their audience hear their natural voices. If he used auto tune or any effects to fix his pitch, I can hardly hear it. I barely hear any reverb, which makes the song sound a little empty, but this song doesn't really need it.

I appreciate how he handled the bridge by simply beatboxing instead of skipping it entirely. I probably would've found his cover even better if he came up with new lyrics for the bridge, but I guess I'm used to KHS (I know it's unfair to compare...). Another thing I wish he would've done is add more harmonies. There were more in the bridge than in the rest of the song, but in my opinion he could've added more voices and harmonies. Nevertheless, he gets bonus points for the super fun video.

Here's his cover of "Shake It Off":

And to let you hear what I mean by his originals bring out more of his skills, here is my favorite Chester See original, "I'm Falling For You":

Rating: 4 RECORDS

Photo: Facebook - Chester See
Information: Chester See Official Website

The Sunset Playlist

Hello, JUKEBOXERS!!
Last week, we created The Sunrise Playlist, so if you're a fan of Fiddler on the Roof, the only natural choice for this week's playlist is The Sunset Playlist.  The songs we've picked this week are aimed at complementing the beautiful orange and red colors in the sky as the sun goes down.  We hope you enjoy The Sunset Playlist and that you will continue to visit JUKEBOX!

-- the JUKEBOX girls

The Playlist:

Jewel

Goodnight Goodnight - Maroon 5
Loving You Tonight - Andrew Allen
Today Was A Fairytale - Taylor Swift
Wonderful Tonight - Michael Bublé feat. Ivan Lins
Vanilla Twilight - Owl City

Lia

Days Are Gone - Haim
Love Like a Sunset Part II - Phoenix
Satellite Heart, Tiny Stars Remix - Anya Marina
Shadow Of The Day - Linkin Park
Sunset - The xx

Kimberly
Kaleidoscope Heart- Sara Bareilles
Golden- Lady Antebellum
Easy Love- R5
Gold- Owl City
Life In Color- OneRepublic

“(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care” from The Boxtrolls trailer

The Boxtrolls happy as ever

Hi everybody!  It’s Kimberly here for my thirty-second post for the genre “Children’s Music.”

Like I’ve mentioned before, it seems like movies nowadays are sequels, remakes, or movies based on books.  The advantage that this brings to moviemakers is that a high profit margin is almost guaranteed because there is so much hype surrounding the movie even before it’s released in theaters.  Movies that don’t have the edge of having previous movies or well-known books to increase its popularity have to rely on trailers (Fun fact: Trailers got their name because they were originally shown after movies.)  Although, The Boxtrolls is based on a book called “Here Be Monsters” by Alan Snow, I think what will draw audiences to the box office this weekend will be the many trailers that were released in the past months.  Today, I will be reviewing “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care” from The Boxtrolls trailer.

If you’re a big fan of Elvis Presley, you probably already recognized the song that I’m reviewing as one of his songs that was featured on his Jailhouse Rock EP.  “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care” was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in 1957.  Leiber and Stoller are the writing geniuses behind many of Elvis Presley’s hits such as “Hound Dog” and “Jailhouse Rock.”  Many artists have recorded different versions of “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care,” but the version used in one of the trailers for The Boxtrolls was by Cee Lo Green.  Most people would know Cee Lo because of his song “Forget You” (Yes, that’s the version I’m mentioning because this is the “Children’s Music” genre after all ;).)

As usual, there will be no spoilers in this review (I haven’t even watched it yet so major spoilers will be pretty impossible).  All you need to know for this review is that The Boxtrolls is about trolls who live in boxes (Fairly obvious, but I wanted to state it, so that I can fully convey the cleverness of using “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care” in the trailer).  “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care” is actually a song about a guy saying that even though his girl is “square” or “a stick in the mud,” he loves her anyway.  For instance, the guy tells the girl, “You don’t like crazy music.  You don’t like rockin’ bands.  You just wanna go to a movie show, And sit there holdin’ hands.  You’re so square.  Baby, I don’t care.”  I like how The Boxtrolls takes the literal meaning of the word “square” for its trailer.  Cee Lo’s version is faster than the original version, which is perfect to accompany the high pace action of The Boxtrolls.  I’m giving Cee Lo’s version of “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care” 3 1/2 records because it’s a fun, folksy take on an Elvis classic but it’s probably not a song that will stick in small children’s minds.

Thank you for reading my review of “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care” and please come back tomorrow for our playlist!  J

Below is the trailer of The Boxtrolls that features “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care.”

Here is Elvis himself singing “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care,” so you can compare the two versions.

Rating: 3 ½ RECORDS

Information:  IMDB, Wikipedia, AZLyrics

Photo: TV and Film Review

"All The Rage Back Home" by Interpol

Interpol: Percussionist Sam Fogarino, Vocalist/Guitarist Paul Banks, Guitarist/Backup Vocalist Daniel Kessler 

Hey guys, Lia here with a new one from Interpol.

I'm not familiar with this band, but I heard this song on KROQ yesterday and I thought I would look into it because one of the radio presenters raved about Interpol! So I looked them up and apparently they're a band from New York City that formed in 1997. I was kind of sold after that because the 90's had some great prog/experimental rock.

Interpol was in the same 90's indie music scene as bands like The Strokes and The Nationals. They're also most frequently compared with Joy Division and The Chameleons because of their post-punk sound that blends staccato bass with rhythmic guitar. So far, Interpol has released five studio albums with their most recent one released earlier this month called El Pintor. El Pintor is an anagram for Interpol. Pretty cool, huh?

Maybe I'm just easily impressed.

Anyway, "All The Rage Back Home" is actually quite good. It reminds me of a tame version of the Foo Fighters for some reason. Or Kings of Leon on a light acid trip. There's something flighty in the shifting guitar melody that never really settles in one place long enough for you to enjoy it. The flow-y, flighty guitar really reminds me of Kings of Leon circa Come Around Sundown. I find myself trying to catch up to this relatively slow song, partially also because of the singing that reverbs and echoes all over the place. Speaking of the singing, Paul Banks' almost Gregorian chant murmuring in the verses fascinate me. Then, in the chorus he sounds like Gavin Rossdale from Bush! Melodically, this song is eerie in the verses, just because the guitar is so free and leaning toward happy major, while the singing is monotonous and droning. The percussion is simple to supplement the intricate guitar.

Now, the question I had when I first listened to this song was: What is 'all the rage back home?' In my opinion, the answer is love. The narrator of this song is just not having very good luck with his lady friend. He can't satisfy her or himself. He keeps telling himself that he's in love, when really, it's just what everyone expects from him. Love is 'all the rage back home,' meaning it's the popular sentiment of the day. In my head, I envision him as an asexual trying to find love because everyone tells him that's what he's supposed to do. In reality, he doesn't want any of it. In the chorus, his significant other tells him, "you don't need time." She's reluctant of giving him a break. At the same time, he tells her "be tame," "my faith won't lie." He wants her to trust him that he loves her without having to prove it sexually. Meanwhile, another man comes along telling her "you don't need mine (the narrator)," trying to convince her that she doesn't need the protagonist.

It's one of those cases where the answer, love, really isn't the answer. This song is so weirdly complicated in an inverted way, but I like it.

Enjoy listening to it below!

Photo: pitchfork.com

Information: Wikipedia, rock.genius.com

"Bring Me The Night" Original Song by Sam Tsui feat. Kina Grannis

Just a screenshot I took from the music video (embedded below)

Hey there, JUKEBOXERS!! It's Jewel with the 10th and final post for the Original Songs Series. This week I've decided to do a #WBW (#WayBackWednesday) post of my absolute favorite Sam Tsui original. This song just brings out the feels, if you know what I mean!! I've written about Sam and Kina a few times, so you can go ahead and click on any of the following links to read my past reviews as well as for more information about these two talented vocalists.

• "Let it Go/Let Her Go" Frozen/Passenger Mash-Up by Sam Tsui
• "Pompeii" Bastille A Capella Cover by Kina Grannis and Peter Hollens
• "#Selfie" The Chainsmokers Piano Ballad Cover by Sam Tsui
• "The Moon Song" Karen O Cover by AJ Rafael and Kina Grannis

As you can tell by the multiple times I've posted about Sam, and the fact that I've chosen to end my Original Song Series with a Sam Tsui original, he's my favorite artist.

Alright, shall we begin?? I really don't know where to begin with this song, so let's start from the song's beginning. I just adore the little piano melody they composed for this song. It simply has this sound about it that I can't stop listening to. The sound is so simple and so classic, yet it's completely unique to this song.

Second, I absolutely love the vocals. Both of their voices suit the song and the both of them do a wonderful job harmonizing with each other. As I listen, I can hear both of their distinct voices (when they sing together) but their voices also blend in perfect harmony. It's just indescribably beautiful!!

Of course, none of it would be possible without Kurt Hugo Schneider!! (shout out to my friend, Vy, who just adores KHS!!) Anyway, Kurt is another talent behind this magical song, and I though I'd write a little about him. He's been friends with Sam for basically forever. They write and produce songs together. Let me just say Kurt is amazingly gifted. First of all, he plays so many instruments, produces music, composes and writes songs, directs music videos, and so much more!!

Okay, continuing with the song...

This song would've been great with just the talented instrumentalists and vocalists, but the lyrics make this even better!! Allow me to share my two favorite lines from the song. First, "Bring me the night, send out the stars". I mean how poetic is that? I don't know if you can see what I see in this line because I really don't know how to express how awesome this is!! At first it's "Bring me" then they complete it with "Send out". The lyrics complement each other both in meaning (night - stars) and in action (bring - send). My other favorite line is "Darken the sky and light up the moon". Once again, the lyrics are parallel; "darken" & "light up" and "sky" & "moon".

Not only are the lyrics poetic, they express the story of two people in love who are separated. I've heard many interpretations, the easiest being a long distance relationship. However, I've also read a comment about one of them being departed (sadly, meaning passed away) and the other is left to dream about him/her. My interpretation, though not completely relevant to the lyrics, has something to do with the fact that I haven't met my significant other yet. So, although I haven't had to say "goodbye" or "wonder when you'll be with me again" this song still speaks to me. I guess that's just another reason I love this song so much!!

As you can probably guess by the fact that I've stated this song is my favorite Sam Tsui original as well as the fact that I'm writing a review on a song who's music video was released over a year ago, I'm giving this song a five.

Here's the music video:

And here are the lyrics for you to enjoy:

Measuring days in the spaces between our goodbyes

Learning to wait through the endless parade

Of our same old "see-you-next-times"

But when I close my eyes, the miles melt away

Like you're here in my arms at the end of the day

So bring me the night, send out the stars

'Cause when I'm dreaming we don't seem so far

Darken the sky and light up the moon

So that somehow you'll be here with me soon

Bring me the night

Bring me the night

That brings me to you (you)

Swear I don't know if the days are as slow as they seem

Wondering when you'll be with me again and this

Finally can be more than just a dream

But when I close my eyes I want only to stay

Where the farthest you are is a heartbeat away

So bring me the night, send out the stars

'Cause when I'm dreaming we don't seem so far

Darken the sky and light up the moon

So that somehow you'll be here with me soon

Bring me the night

Bring me the night

That brings me to you

And it's enough knowing you (I know that you're)

Are calling to me

While you're dreaming beneath the same moon

All it takes is imagining you

So that I can get through

One more long and lonely day

So bring me the night, tell me it's near

Give me the chance to pretend that you're here

Darken the sky and light up the moon

Please bring it soon, bring it soon

So bring me the night, send out the stars

'Cause when I'm dreaming we don't seem so far

(we don't seem so far)

Darken the sky and light up the moon

So that somehow you'll be here with me soon

Bring me the night

Bring me the night

Bring me the night

Bring me the night

That brings me to you

Rating: 5 RECORDS

"Animal" by Neon Trees Cover

Hello JUKEBOXERS! It's Kimberly here for your biweekly cover. For this week's cover, I did a cover of "Animal" by Neon Trees.  This is a song that for me is that one song that you like singing along to when it comes on the radio, but you don't actually know the words so you mess up the lyrics.  Ergo, I thought I'd do a cover with the actual lyrics. It's another ukulele cover and it was fun to record because I liked playing the introduction by plucking the strings.   I hope you enjoy my ukulele version of "Animal" by Neon Trees! :)

The Sunrise Playlist

Hello, JUKEBOXERS!!
Have you ever stayed up so late that you saw the sun rise over the clouds?  That moment when the skies are no longer bleak and gray because light is peaking through.  We've picked songs that you can listen to as you wake up and watch the sun rise in the early morning.  We hope you enjoy our Sunrise Playlist and feel free to let us know what you think!

-- the JUKEBOX girls

The Playlist:

Jewel

Beautiful Day - Jamie Grace
It Stops Today - Colbie Caillat
Overnight - Parachute
Someday - Celtic Woman
The Sun Is Rising - Britt Nicole

Lia
Wake Up - Arcade Fire
Sun - Two Door Cinema Club
Awakening - Empire Of The Sun
Believe - The Bravery
Guiding Light - Muse

Kimberly
Sunrise-Rascal Flatts
Good Morning- Norah Jones
Beautiful Day- U2
Careful Where You Stand- Coldplay
All Will Be Well- The Gabe Dixon Band

“If We Were a Movie” from Hannah Montana

Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana singing "If We Were a Movie"

Hi everybody!  It’s Kimberly here for my thirty-first post for the genre “Children’s Music.”

Nowadays Miley Cyrus is probably more known for “twerking” and sticking out her tongue than being a Disney Channel star.   For kids who watched Disney Channel from 2006-2011, Miley was Hannah Montana.  Kids all over the world got to watch Miley Stewart (her name on the show) live the “Best of Both Worlds.”  I think I’ve mentioned before that Disney is doing this new thing called Disney Rewind.  Just last week on Disney Rewind they were showing some old Hannah Montana episodes, so I thought I’d review one of my favorite songs from the show.  Today I give you my review of “If We Were a Movie” from Hannah Montana.

Back in the days before Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus was probably best known for being the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus.  Billy Ray is best known for his country one-hit wonder “Achy Breaky Heart.”  Fun fact: I would guess that most people didn’t know that Miley’s birth name was Destiny Hope Cyrus.  She ended up with the nickname Miley because she smiled so much that her dad would call her “Smiley Miley.”  Miley actually legally changed her name to Miley Rae Cyrus in honor of her father.  Influenced by her father and her childhood in Tennessee, Miley originally had a country sound, but now most of the world knows her for her pop hits like “Wrecking Ball.”

Hannah Montana was a Disney Channel show that was meant for small children.  Viewers had to suspend disbelief as they watched Miley keep her secret of being an international superstar by just putting on a blonde wig.  “If We Were a Movie” is a fun, “cookie-cutter” pop song, which is about a girl who is in love with her best friend.  I like it because it plays on terms having to do with movies.  For instance at the end of the chorus she sings, “In the end we’d be laughing, watching the sunset/ Fade to black, show the names, play the happy song.”  I also like that it doesn’t take itself too seriously and almost admits that it’s a cliché song because it’s about a cliché movie plot.    It’s a fun, simple song that pre-teens or people reminiscing about those pre-teen years can sing along to without having to think too much.  I think that it’s nice to have songs that aren’t very deep in meaning but give a different spin on a story that we have heard so often and have come to love.   I’m giving “If We Were a Movie” 3 records because it’s a nice pop song with slightly clever lyrics, but would probably be unforgettable if you didn’t have the memories of watching Hannah Montana when you were younger.

Thank you for reading my review of “If We Were a Movie,” and please come back tomorrow for our playlist!  J

Here is the live version of “If We Were a Movie” recorded at Typhoon Lagoon at Disney World.

Below is the official music video for another one of my favorite Hanna Montana songs called “One in a Million.”  Both songs were about Miley’s crush Jake in the show.

Rating: 3 RECORDS

Information:  IMDB, Wikia

Photo: YouTube

"Mind Over Matter" by Young the Giant

Young the Giant: Guitarist/Keyboardist Eric Cannata, Drummer Francois Comtois, Guitarist Jacob Tilley, Bassist Payam Doostzadeh 

Hey guys, Lia here with your Thursday Alternative review.

And it’s a band from right here in Orange County, Young the Giant. The band members actually used to go to the high school I graduated from and the lead singer’s sister graduated the year before I did. I remember I went to that graduation and she sang a song with her brother on guitar during the ceremony, which was really cool. Plus, his sister has a really good voice!

But anyway. The members of Young the Giant formed a band called The Jakes in 2004 in Irvine, California. Throughout the years, the band lineup changed and finally settled to Young the Giant in 2009. By that time, the band had already played shows in South by Southwest and had songs like “Cough Syrup” being played a significant amount on KROQ(!). As they were recording their first (eponymous) album, Young the Giant toured with bands like New Politics, Marina and the Diamonds, and The Futureheads.

When they released their first album Young the Giant, “My Body” hit commercial success, topping at number 5 on the Billboard Alternative chart. Once “Cough Syrup” came out, Young the Giant was headlining the Billboard showcase at South by Southwest and getting the thumbs up from established artists like Morrisey (singer from The Smiths, if you didn’t know).

“Mind Over Matter” is from Young the Giant’s second album of the same name, which was released January of this year by Fueled By Ramen (which is my favorite record label!). I really like this song primarily because the sound is alternative and indie rock, but it has just an interesting pinch of Asian influence to it. Gadhia sings a bit of the lyrics in the musical scale most associated with Southeast Asian music, the pentatonic scale (a C pentatonic scale if you were curious). I'm talking about the part where he sings “New York City—it rains.”

It also somehow has the illusion of sounding full and loud and bold, while also affording some space for Gadhia to really sell the song with his singing. I feel like Gadhia does well when he can vocally let loose and fill out the melody with his singing. Take “My Body.” His voice is so sweet and smooth, but when you give him some space, it gets a touch rough like it does in the chorus of “Mind Over Matter.”

I also really love the lyrics, especially the chorus lyric “I’m a young man after all.” Because it’s true, in youth we are all young and “built to fall” The song discusses how he’s always thinking about this girl even when he’s seeing the world and riding in “big jet planes.” He’s asking the girl if he can love her and trust her to stand by him even when “seasons change.”

Overall, an enjoyable listen!  

Gave you guys this beautiful version :)

Photo: ocregister.com

Information: Wikipedia, rock.genius.com

"Just Fall" Original Song by Anthem Lights

Anthem Lights' album cover for their new album, Escape, coming October 6, 2014 

(*cough* that's 3 weeks before my birthday *cough* )

Hello, JUKEBOXERS!! Sorry I'm posting a little later than usual, it's been a crazy day/week. I've got an ANTHEM LIGHTS original for you today!! Just a little heads up, this post might be longer than what I usually write, but I'll try to control myself. You might remember Anthem Lights from when I wrote about their cover of "Everything Will Change" by Gavin DeGraw (click here to read that post for more about Anthem Lights).

The first time I listened to this song was last week when they posted it. I'm probably a little biased because I'm a huge Anthem Lights fan, but I absolutely LOVE this song. First of all, it's a song I can sing along to, which is a huge deal for me. If singing isn't your thing, it's also a song you can dance to, of course, I'm not much of a dancer, so I'll just stick to bopping my head and moving to the rhythm (hopefully). Not only does it make you want to get up and dance, it makes you want to get up, period. It's a song full of energy with a great build up. Lastly, but certainly not least, if you listen to the lyrics, you'll hear a love song. I'll get more into the lyrics later.

I know I say I prefer songs with raw sounds and less synths and/or effects, so no, I don't really enjoy EDM, but I have to say this song is wonderfully crafted and beautifully sung. I mean, sure they aren't playing their normal piano/keyboard and guitar, but this song is just something else. Again, it could just be that I'm a little biased since they're possibly my favorite band. Anyway, I simply adore how they start off simple and build up the music as well as their vocals. Okay, I'm going to continue before I make this post too long because I have a lot to say about the lyrics.

Alright, back to the lyrics. At first listen, you'll hear that the singer is telling the listener to "fall into me". This song speaks to the person who's having a tough day, week, month, year, or life. Life is undeniably difficult, but the lyrics and the song itself is full of encouragement. Not only does it say "you got it, you got it, you got what it takes", the singer states they'll "be the ground beneath your feet", to "let my arms be your escape", and "I won't let you break". I mean what a great love song!! The singer is promising the listeners that no matter what comes crashing into their lives, they will always be there.

The previous paragraph is not why I love this song. I love this song because it isn't a song written by men who are singing to their wives/girlfriends. This song isn't about a friend who'll stick by you through thick and thin. This song isn't even about a parent who does everything in their power to make sure their child has a bright future. If you read my previous post about Anthem Lights (link available above), you'll see that they are open and unashamed of their faith in God and Jesus Christ. Now that I've stated that, can you guess why I love this song?? I'll explain. I love this song because they aren't singing as husbands/boyfriends, best friends, or parents, they are singing a message from God. This is the love song they have chosen to pass on. I won't go on preaching because that's not what this blog is about, but I just thought it was such a beautiful message. Whether or not you believe in God, whether or not you think He exists, whether or not you can see His work in your life, no matter what you're going through, no matter who you are, and no matter what you've done, He will ALWAYS be there. He won't let you fall, and He "won't let you break". He will "be the ground beneath your feet". He knows you can do it.

I hope this song encourages you and helps you through the rest of your week.

Here's the lyric video:

And here's the music video with a very encouraging message:

Rating: 5 RECORDS (I'd break the scale for this song)

Photo: Facebook - Anthem Lights