ArtistoftheWeek:Natalia Lafourcade7/13/10-7/20/10

I found out about Natalia Lafourcade when I was looking for some more Latin Artists and I couldn't really find any I liked. Then I heard her song, "En El 2000", and I was blow away. It was as if I was listening to Nelly Furtado mixed with the Spanish version of Alanis Morrissette. It was pretty cool. Then I found out about her song "Casa" & "O Pato", then I heard her most recent song, "Ella Es Bonita". A great song, indeed. I really liked all of those four songs. But it took me a while to like the albums. They were the ones that you have to sit down and listen to till the end. If you don't you'll miss out on the whole thing.
~Music Videos~
Cursis Melodias
Ella Es Bonita
Te Queiro Dar
Azul
Casa
Busca Problema
O Pato
En El 2000

Official Website

ArtistoftheWeek:Carina Round 8/13/12-8/20/12 [Recycled]

I have loved this artist since 2006 when this ad on ArtistDirect (a music site I used to go to for information and new music before I knew about iTunes, Wikipedia and Youtube) caught my eye. I listen to the her album Slow Motion Addict and was hooked by 30-second sample of the first song, "Stolen Car". Her voice is very captivating and her lyrics are so interesting to listen to. Also, the album gave off an energy of anger (that I needed when I was a pre-teen). Her album has been a mainstay of my music collection. It's always been a different style than any other music I have come across from in the past six years of listening to over 1 million songs from all over the world (that might be an exaggeration) I've never encountered another musician with a style like Round, unless it was PJ Harvey. Her Slow Motion Addict album is a great one to have in anyone's music collection.
Especially for 90s kids who grew up listening to the female one-hit wonders like it was their job.
Since the release of Slow Motion, Round has come out with an EP called, Things You Should Know. The EP featured a song on their that was very befitting for new listeners of Round. Backseat, is a sweet love song that touches the hearts of many that look for love and comfort from that special someone, from their family members, their friends or even God. The EP is contains very intimate and slow sogs that Round has wanted to release for a long time.
After hanging around with Puscifer and doing things with Gary Go, she comes back hard with a new single called, "The Last Time". A hard-hitting, and yet seductively rock-filled song. The music video for it is one to see, trust me. After that she did a few gigs and then came out with a new album this year called, Tigermending. The album is a lot calmer and more folk than Slow Motion Addict. The album is a good introduction to new fans of Round's music in 2012. It's that album that you'd listen to if you need a break from all the clubby, upbeat, annoyingly repetitive music that is topping the charts today. So if you're that person in need of a break from radio music check out Tigermending, a chill album for the summer.
Free Downloads
Selective Songs From Slow Motion Addict
Backseat
Selective Songs From Tigermending
You & Me [Acoustic Version]

~Check out Carina Round, she is an Artist that you should watch!~

 

ArtistoftheWeek: Missy Higgins 8/6/12-8/13/12

Missy Higgins has been gone a long time. Five years to be exact. It seems that Higgins needed some time out from the music industry for some time to recollect with herself and get all her stuff together. I have to admit the long break is a surprise to many fans like myself. She released two #1 Australian albums acquired ARIA Awards (Australian Grammys) and broke out into the US with her single, Where I Stood. Her music was featured all over television and had so much going for her. Then in 2007, she disappeared. Some thought that she'd never be heard of again like Lauryn Hill but she couldn't live on without the embrace of the music. The sounds, the melodies, the arranging, the emotional connection and the sharing of one's thoughts through song. Of course, Missy missed that life, and decided to come back strong with her new album, The Ol' Razzle Dazzle. In her new album, she is pouring her heart out about her relationship with music, people, life, and herself. It's an open confession of unconditional truth. I personally think that it beats her last two albums out of the water. If you haven't heard of Missy Higgins at all check out the songs that make her who she is today.
Youtube|Twitter|Facebook| Official Website

Free Downloads
Where I Stood| Warm Whispers
Scar
Selective Songs From The Ol' Razzle Dazzle

 ~This Girl Knows Music~

ArtistoftheWeek: Gentleman Reg 7/30/12-8/6/12

Gentleman Reg's vocals are very different than many musicians out their that it can catchy your ears like Rihanna's vocals. His previous releases were very much of a singer/songwriter style. Throughout his music career you could hear how much he's grown as a musician by listening to the songs from his debut album to his recent songs. They became more profound, more relatable and of course, more catchy.
I found out about Gentleman Reg from a movie I watched called Wilby Wonderful because it had Ellen Page in it. I heard his song, "Given The Chance To Fall" play at the beginning of the film and was instantly hooked to his music. Mostly because of his different vocal style and catchy yet simplistic sounds. I then checked out his song, "We're In A Thunderstorm" when Psapp remixed it and found out about his album Jet Black that released in 2009 and  was introduced to even more powerful and soothing songs for that everyday life.
Now, Gentleman Reg is coming back with a hard hit this year. He's kind of been out of the picture with his last release. He's releasing the new album in three parts, he's released the first part on July 3rd and let me tell you, if the songs on the first one represents the style of the album, I'm giving it a five star rating. It's songs filled with pop/rock elements and relatable lyrics that you can easily remember and sing to in your car. I'm sure that Mr. Reg himself would appreciate the love if you recorded yourself actually doing that. I have to say I am excited for the new album and will purchase it when it comes out this fall!

Youtube| Twitter| Facebook|Official Website
Purchase his music here! Listen to his music here!

Free Downloads
Give Me The Chance To Fall
Selective Songs From Jet Black
We're In A Thunderstorm (Psapp's Megacake Remix)
Waiting Around For Gold

~His look reminds me of Winter~

ArtistoftheWeek:Dragonette 7/23/12-7/30/12

 It's surprising to know that Dragonette has done some much in so little time. They've released two albums within two years and on their way of releasing another one this summer (probably next spring but hey at least they're planning on releasing another album soon). This Canadian  electropop-rock group have achieved success with the release of Galore and Fixin' To Thrill. Their popularity is so noteworthy that many Americans label them as, "Canada's apology for Justin Bieber". 
The group formed in 2005 and have been going strong ever since. Their rise in success and popularity can be noted as similar as Metric's rise to popularity after their third album, Live It Out. The band work and tour a lot while also working hard on other projects. For example, Martina Sorbara was heavily feautured in Martin Solveig's album, SMASH. She also wrote and produced Dan Kurtz, bassist of the band, has another band he works with called, The New Deal (well, I guess had another band. They broke up in 2011) and their drummer Joel Stouffer has been a guest drummist on many albums.
Their music has that dance pop feeling fueled with the influences of rock n roll. This is shown well in their album, Galore. Songs like, I Get Around and Competition really show off that rock feel that the group has. Many of their songs give off that feeling of summer like, "Pick Up The Phone", "Big Sunglasses" and "Volcano". The band is perfect to have in your collection for a hot summer mix. Especially when you're planning on going to the beach.
Their recent single, "Let It Go", is a song that reminds me of "Warrior" by Kimbra, Mark Foster & A-Trak. It has that positive message of high self-esteem and the electro-pop feeling that makes you want to shake your worries away. With that being said, if you haven't heard of Dragonette, check 'em out because I can promise you that their third album will be talked about a lot when it releases.
Free Downloads
Selective Songs From Galore
Selective Songs From Fixin To Thrill
Volcano
Let It Go

~If You Like Dragons, Listen To Dragonette~

ArtistoftheWeek:Kyary Pamyu Pamyu 7/16/12-7/23/12

If you haven't heard about PONPONPON then you should check it out now before I start off.
Now that we've caught you up to speed (or got you back on this page after hours of being lost in Youtube) we can talk about the success of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and her music.
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu started out as a Harajuku model at the age of 14. She's kept up with the world by keeping a blog telling people about her travels and her photo shoots. She had fun modeling with food, machines, and creatures made from paper-mache but after a few years of doing all this she developed the desire to sing, so she released an indies track (in Japan unknown releases are called "indies") and got a little bit of recognition from people, but not enough. One day, Yasutaka Nakata took a look at Kyary and said, "I'mma make you a star", and the rest was history. She worked with him in the studio while he was also working with, Capsule, MEG, Perfume, Ami Suzuki, Coltemonikha, SMAP, the list goes on and on. I don't know how in God's name he does it (Adderral) but nonetheless he took the girl, worked on her with a few tracks and released the "PONPONPON" music video and single worldwide on July 16th 2011.
*Today is the anniversary of PONPONPON.*
The world responded to the music video in various ways, in shock, fear, enjoyment, fun, judgement and addiction. The music video has received more than 20 million views and people are still watching it even after a year of it being out. She then released an EP titled Moshi Moshi Harajuku which topped Electronic charts all over the world especially in the US. After that she released two new singles, "Tsukema Tsukeru" and "CANDY CANDY". The music videos for the two songs are ranking up in millions in views as well.
In May 2012, she released her debut album Pamyu Pamyu Revolution. This album topped the charts in both Japan and America (US iTunes Electronic #1 & Oricon Charts #2). The album has been well-received by critics and fans of KPP. Kyary has toured a little bit in the US and has been played on American radio stations (in California but hey that's a start). It'll be great to see where this success with take Kyary, Yasutaka Nakata and Jpop in the future.
Free Downloads
Chodo Iino (English lyrics)
Drinker (English lyrics)
Jelly [Capsule Cover]

~Keep Calm & PONPONPON~

ArtistoftheWeek: Skye Townsend 7/8/12-7/15/12

This artist will blow your ears off. Her vocals, her style, her passion, her music! I mean if you don't like it then...I don't know what to say to you...Skye Townsend is a singer/songwriter who's developed a great following of fans and fame with her music, connections, and talented friends. Daughter of Robert Townsend (American actor) she has been known on sites like youtube with her impersonation of Beyonce (which is hilarious) on twitter for her memorable tweets and tumblr for everyone fangirling on everything she does.
If you haven't heard of her yet, what are you waiting for?
Go check her out!
Youtube|Twitter|Facebook|Tumblr|Official Website

Free Downloads
Show Me You Care
It's Normal
Vomit EP

ArtistoftheWeek:Nicola Roberts7/2/12-7/9/12

Nicola Roberts has always been known as the ugly girl, the awkward one, the outsider, the one left out in the popular British group, Girls Aloud. She has been attacked by media harder than any of the other girls in the group and has taken the media bullying hard. Luckily she took all these emotions she felt about all of this and made an album for our enjoyment. Her debut solo album, Cinderella's Eyes, is a glamour pop album filled with songs that are very poppy, a bit girly, and channeling something from the 80s. Yet the album remixes all of that and comes out with something new. Roberts songwriting shows that many of the songs are covered with a theme of love but her voice exhibits that it's actually about being in the music industry.
She brings in a hip feeling with, Beat of My Drum, pulling in elements of jungle rhythms and high note synths to produce a good pop single. Her other song, Lucky Day is a song that represents that sweet cute poppy-ness that Nicola has. She does get personal with songs such as Yo-Yo singing about times she felt lonely and isolated from Girls Aloud and the world in general because of the busy schedules and the media's focus on her looks. The album is a good thing to have in your collection, it provides a sweet, sad, and triumphant story of a person's relationship with fame.
Free Downloads
Beat of My Drum
Lucky Day

~You'll like her if you liked the Spice Girls~

ArtistoftheWeek:Marina & the Diamonds 6/25/12-7/2/12

 Marina Diamondis has evolved. It's very apparent by how she carried herself back then performing live and how she carries herself now. It is also shown through her music how much more open she is to people than how she was before. Sucks that a bad break up had to get her that way. Anyways, despite her personal life, her music has always been a snarky yet welcoming slice of Pop. She gives you a strong attitude with her vocals and then comforts you with her sensitive lyrics. It's nice.

Her first album, The Family Jewels, was a great perspective on going into the music industry and having to change one self to fit in with a group of potential fans. The pressures and insecurities shown in the album was raw and covered over with a sweet sense of pop. Her second album, which released this year, Electra Heart, was more focused on the highs and lows of love (as I mentioned earlier, bad break-up). With her second album she opened up more with working with more producers with different songs that she wrote for the album. She invited Dr. Luke, the creator of Ke$ha, Diplo, known for being well Diplo, and a returning producer Greg Kurstin and many other producers got their hands-on experience of working with Marina. The result came out to be an amazing album that topped the charts in the UK and has received great reviews from critics for it's unique style.
The more Marina opens up the more she is welcomed by the music industry and the world. Hopefully with her next album she'll open up just enough that it'll catch attention to everyone and top the charts all over the world (or just be better than Electra Heart, whatever she does I'll be happy either way).

Free Downloads

Oh No!
Primadonna

 ~You like Pop/Rock? You'll love Marina & the Diamonds.~ 

ArtistoftheWeek:Kimbra 6/18/11-6/25/11

 Kimbra is an answer to many music lovers who are tired of the clubs, sex, money and promiscuity. Many people have heard of her from Gotye's hot chart topping single, "Somebody That I Used To Know". Where she sang a great female perspective of a hurtful break-up. Now she's singing about marriage. and love, and success and fitting in. She's singing about practically everything under the sun except club stuff.
Her debut album Vows is a great pop album that offers a different style to it than most modern day pop music. She provides amazing scatting and Jazz-elements in her tracks while writing lyrics that have been of course Kiwi-inspired (Kiwi is an Australian/New Zealand culture). Kimbra is showing herself in this album. After working so hard for the past 7 years of her life experimenting with different styles trying to figure out how to portray herself through her music has been an obstacle challenge but has paid of big time for her debut. She won an ARIA (Austalian Grammy) for her Vows album and has topped the Billboard charts for being at #13 in the first week of her Vows release in the US. Her album became the #1 iTunes Pop album and #2 iTunes album overall (right behind John Mayer but pfft on Mayer). As a fellow music lover who has watched a hard working artist build her way to the top is rewarding and Kimbra's journey has only just begun for her.

Free Downloads

Something In The Way You Are
Home
Withdraw

P.S. If you want to know, the album is WORTH the money! You can get it for 9.99 from Target with extra bonus tracks! Her album also has a lyric booklet for just in case you like to sing-a-long with Kimbra you can when you by Vows physically from Best Buy, Target (best place to buy it) or Barnes & Nobel.

~Kimbra will not disappoint~

It's Been A Long Time

Yeah, yeah I know I know...
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?
ALLL MY LII-I-I-FE?!
ALLL MY LIII-II-I-IIIIFE?!

Well life happened and then plans happened and then school and then girls and then etc, etc....

But now I'm coming back!

Mark your calendars everybody!


JUNE 18th 2012

Be There...

-AOTW

P.S. This time around some AOTWs may be "recycled".
Recycled just means that any Artist might have been featured on Quarterlife.com but not on blogger will be an ArtistoftheWeek again. This'll just be a way to keep up to date on what the artist has done since 2005/2006 and show many new fans of AOTW who they are.