Of Note: Lean On by Major Lazer (feat. MØ & DJ Snake)

Of Note: Lean On by Major Lazer 

(feat. MØ & DJ Snake)

Continuing on in a fresh, modern funk kind of vibe, today’s ‘Of Note’ entry brings a smile to my face every time I hear it.

Diplo’s group, Major Lazer, just may have a mainstream hit on their hands.

Effervescently funky, with a warm steel-drum like sound anchoring it, ‘Lean On’ is the perfect summer toe-tapper.  With stellar vocals by Danish sensation MØ (whose ‘One More’ with Elliphant remains in high rotation on my iPod) and assistance from France’s DJ Snake pushing this effort toward the limelight, the song is guaranteed to worm its way into the ‘souls’ of your feet.  

Of Note: ‘Call It Off’ by Shamir

Of Note: ‘Call It Off’ by Shamir

There’s so much going on in Shamir’s new single, ‘Call It Off’, that is would be difficult to call attention to it all.

Let’s start with that voice!  What an amazing instrument.  What a jaw-dropping range.

I’ll be honest… I thought this was being sung by a woman.  It is not. 

Shamir seems to be a part of a new, Nicki Minaj-inspired, male singer surge (find Toddrik Hall on YouTube).  Shamir is what Jermaine Stewart hath wrought, but even edgier and much more off the beaten path.

Next – check out that Teddy Riley / Michael Jackson thing he’s got going in the background.  It is dead on.  Damn thing percolates, gets under your skin and finds a place to live in your head.

Rather fascinated by this young man. 

Twenty-year old Shamir is from Las Vegas and soon to belong to the world.

A Brand New Day

A Brand New Day

"No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right." 

 - Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy

Of Note: 'Let It Be Love' by Jessica Sutta ft. Rico Love

Of Note: 'Let It Be Love' by Jessica Sutta ft. Rico Love 

In honor of Pride Month (and week, here, in the Twin Cities) and in light of the upcoming announcement from The Supreme Court regarding the constitutionality of gay marriage bans, I found this dance floor anthem - currently climbing up the dance charts - fitting.

Personally, I've been underwater for the past six weeks due to a number of issues at work (more on that later), so have not had a lot of time to write much of anything. Hopefully that will improve in the coming weeks.

I did notice that wonderful Tylenol ad; the one that has A Million Moms (more like a couple hundred) up in arms.  It was very beautiful.  Very subtle.  A gentle message: one I wish more would embrace.

These days it seems like this country is ripe like a pimple about to burst.  I don't know what to expect.  I fear it might get ugly.

Well, uglier.

The child inside me?  The one who still has hope?  He would like it all to turn out very much like that Tylenol ad.  

Yes, whatever is to come, please...

...'Let It Be Love' 

Photo Op: The New Face of Gold's Gym?

Photo Op: The New Face of Gold's Gym?

Something tells me this is not the key market demographic Gold's Gym intended to reach...

...and yet, rather reflective of their client base (minus the steroids), no?

Who says there's no such thing as bad publicity?

Photo Op: Wishful Thinking?

Photo Op: Wishful Thinking?

I abhor violence of any kind and would not wish this upon anyone, but...

...I'm thinking this may well have been a case of wishful thinking on the part of the photographer.

(P.S. Just look at that goober face of his in that first photo!  What a Gomer!)

Of Note: ‘Show Me’ by Team Me

Of Note: ‘Show Me’ by Team Me

‘Show Me’ is another example of the modern pop I have developed an ear for in the past few years. 

Team Me demonstrates the same pop smarts that made Passion Pit and Phoenix so popular.  Their sound is a tad shrill, just like the groups I previously mentioned, but contains enough melodic structure and tone to snag the listener’s ear. 

It shimmers with a positive, driven vibe.

Indie-pop band, Team Me hit it big in 2011 in their homeland of Norway with their debut album, ‘To The Treetops!’.  It won Norway’s equivalent of a Grammy and was proclaimed by many media outlets in the country as the best debut album by any pop band.  By coincidence, they are also former touring buds with the group I featured in yesterday's 'Of Note': The Wombats.

The group released their follow-up, 'Blind As Night’ in 2014.