Looking for new music to put in those ears? Have we got the list for you! Each week, staff from CBC Music, Radio 2, 3 and Sonica collect songs they just can't get out of their heads, and make a case for why you should listen, too. Press play throughout the list below, and you may just find your new favourite track. Let us know in the comments what catches your ear — or if you have new song suggestions.
Kendrick Lamar with Bilal and Thundercat, 'Untitled'
Kendrick is going to own rap in 2015. Even in a year that already promises Kanye's Yeezus followup and Drake's Views from the Six, I don't think either are going to be able to stop the momentum of Kendrick, who's hit a stride doing whatever he wants. First was the Isley Brothers-sampling, Black Eyed Peas/Outkast-referencing pop-rap anthem "I," and now comes a powerful, tense untitled track, which he recently debuted on The Colbert Report. It's funky and experimental, with none other than Thundercat on bass, with lyrics that are pointed and on point, addressing racial tension and commercial success with an explosive final declaration. Oh yeah, and there's a sax solo. Watch the Colbert interview and performance below. The song starts at 4:09.
— Jesse Kinos-Goodin
(Kendrick Lamar performs new 'Untitled' song on... by disnmad )
Brandi Carlile, 'The Eye'
The American alt-country and folk-rock singer is back with a new track in anticipation of her new album, The Firewatcher's Daughter, scheduled for release March 3, 2015. The great thing about the new music video for "The Eye" is that it's live off the floor, something we don't usually get to experience from an official video. It's also nice in a world where we are constantly wanting louder, more complex songs — e.g., EDM tracks — to hear a song at its core, stripped down to nothing but a guitar and vocals. It's here that we truly get to hear Carlile's beautiful, sultry voice and the harmonies of her backup band (twin brothers Tim and Phil Hanseroth, who also co-wrote the song). What a beautiful piece to finish off 2014. — Matt Fisher
D’Angelo, 'Sugah Daddy'
D'Angelo's new album, Black Messiah, needs little introduction. The R&B/neo-soul hero more or less broke the internet by announcing and releasing, in a span of 48 hours, his first album in 14 years. The album was long rumoured to be in the works, but according to The New York Times, D'Angelo rushed his label to release the record earlier than planned in response to civil rights protests across the United States. Listeners hoping for the same sound as the iconic Voodoo may be disappointed, but Black Messiah is the perfect followup album. D'Angelo's voice has changed over the years, but the singer spent his time mastering the guitar and creating the unique sounds used on the album. Take a listen to "Sugah Daddy," the single released a day before the rest of the album. The track features a bouncy groove, D'Angelo's trademark falsetto and horns by trumpeter Roy Hargrove (who also contributed horns to Voodoo). — Eric Haynes
Thom Gill, 'Jesus Was Born'
Let's be honest, the title of this song might scare some people off. I get it. You might not care for Christmas or organized religion. I get that, too. To be frank, neither do I. But if you can forget about the title and pretend for a minute or two that this isn't a Christmas song — that it's just a song — and allow Felicity Williams's vocals on the back half of the tune take you for a ride, well, it's a gift that keeps on giving, regardless of the season. — Judith Lynch
Chris Eldridge and Julian Lage, 'Mean Mother Blues'
I was asked by CBC Music to name my favourite album of the year last month, and that's sort of a weird thing to do. Because it's kind of just your favourite album at the moment. It's hard to really sit down and think of all the records you've listened to and rank them; they're all so good in different ways.
But at number one, I put up this record.
Two guitarists with very different styles: one, a bluegrass virtuoso who's played with the likes of Punch Brothers and the Infamous Stringdusters — two major bluegrass bands where you have to be exceptional to keep up; the other, a child prodigy jazz guitarist who established himself as a virtuoso at the age of 12. So you get this sort of contrast of high culture and traditionally "low" culture. The plush lounges of jazz mixed with the wooden barns of bluegrass — you get Chris Eldridge and Julian Lage's album Avalon. This is their live version of an old tune called "Mean Mother Blues." — Tom Power
Embassylights, 'Cold Skin'
This new collective spans Canada to Iceland, and features beloved indie musicians like Woodpigeon, Benedikt H. Hermannsson and Samantha Savage Smith. This debut single from their forthcoming record (First Play on CBC Music, Jan. 6, huzzah!) is like running up a mountain on a cold, crisp morning with nothing but clear skies and vast expanses for miles. Contemplative, invigorating, and you can't wait to see (hear) what new beauty will reveal itself next. — Andrea Warner
CBC Christmas Sing-In, 'Quelle est cette odeur agréable'
"Quelle est cette odeur agréable, bergers, qui ravit tous nos sens?" ("Whence is that goodly fragrance flowing, shepherds, stealing our senses all away?")
This gentle French carol invokes the sights, sounds and smells of the nativity scene from the familiar Christmas story. It was a highlight of the 35th annual CBC Christmas Sing-In, which took place Dec. 7 at the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul in Montreal, performed exquisitely by the 50 voices of the choir. You can stream the full concert, or, on Dec. 25, tune in to CBC Radio 2 at 9 a.m. or CBC Radio One at 12 p.m. to hear the broadcast hosted by Ben Heppner. — Robert Rowat
"Quelle est cette odeur agréable"
Choir of the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul
Jonathan Oldengarm (organ)
Jordan de Souza (conductor)
Anna of the North, 'Oslo'
'Tis the season for whimsy and reflection. In this synth-driven love letter to her native Oslo, Anna of the North wraps up the cold climate of the city with a warm and heartfelt affirmation that Oslo is her home. — Joan Chung
Deers, 'Castigadas en el Granero'
In search of the antithesis to the Christmas music of late, I stumbled upon this garage group from Madrid. My pick of their four tracks, "Castigadas en el Granero," roughly translates to "grounded in the barn." Fuzzy guitars and pop melodies intertwine in tangled layers of playful raucousness. So fun and catchy, it takes the edge off these dark, grey days. Which, honestly, are nowhere as bad as being grounded in the barn, ever. — Samantha Smith
Modest Mouse, 'Lampshades on Fire'
I didn’t know I missed Modest Mouse until they came back with a new single last week. It’s all a bit telling: we haven’t heard anything from the band since its 2009 EP (the last full-length was in 2007), and not much has changed. "Lampshades on Fire" showcases the same slightly frantic pace, staccato vocals, tight lyrics and slowed-down spaces we’ve come to expect — it’s a pretty close sibling to "Float On." And yet, that’s totally fine with me. — Holly Gordon
by Holly Gordon via Electronic RSS
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