bond

The band bond is a wonderful string quartet that do an excellent job of taking classical and original music played on string instruments and recreating it in a modern feel while still performing it on string instruments. They represent the United Kingdom as well as the cousins from down under- of the four women, Gay-Yee Westerhoff is from England, Eos Chater is from Wales, and Tania Davis and Haylie Ecker are from Australia. Nearly all of their music is upbeat and motivating, making it excellent music to listen to while driving in fast-moving traffic. You can actually see and hear bond playing in the movie Johnny English, a film that is “complete rubbish but absolutely hilarious” according to someone I know who lives in England, and in the movie XXX: State of the Union, a film that I have not seen.

A few of my favorite bond songs:

• Viva
• Victory (Mike Batt Mix)
• Explosive
• Duel
• Fuego

I myself bought their latest release from 2004, “Explosive: The Best of bond”. It is a purchase I consider quite worthwhile, and I heartily recommend it to most anyone who enjoys both beautifully-played string instruments and music that makes you feel like jumping a sports car that is on fire over a blown-out bridge and into a crowd of violinists who are also on fire. The disc is actually double-sided, with one side holding the actual CD, and the other holding a DVD with a few videos, some pictures of the four ladies in limousines, and the tracks in surround sound. One drawback to this disc, however, is that older CD players such as the one in my car won't play it because it's a bit thicker than regular CDs due to its duality.

Temptation (Feat Rebecca)

“Temptation (Feat Rebecca)” is a great song by Arash with a music video that really shows his charm and personality. The video opens with an ordinary day in the streets of an ordinary city somewhere foreign but not entirely exotic. But what is this? A man in a radioactive shirt is riding a funky low-rider bicycle down the street, and that man is none other than Arash! Then the song opens with those enticing words that instantly click with anyone who has ever pined for another. Meanwhile, Arash just keeps on riding that amazing bicycle in a playful chase with The Tempations in their sparkly blue car. The grooving baseline of the music is a direct manifestation of Arash pedaling and pedaling his bicycle, helping to perpetuate the image of Arash zooming around inside your head as you listen to the song. By the end, he has jumped around while swinging his arms, danced the night away, and brought out some excellent bongo playing by the waterside. These are all activities that this song represents with its addicting rhythm and singing.

The chorus to “Temptation (Feat Rebecca)” is obviously sung by Rebecca, who is able use the power of music and voice to transform the words from being quite nice but admittedly average to being beautiful and strong:

Temptation, in my heart

I'm burning, I'm falling apart

When the night falls, my heart calls for love and devotion

Temptation, I want you

Can you be my only one?

When the night falls, my heart calls for the touch of your hands

Arash is clearly a man who knows that ending words that don't rhyme can often make the lines more powerful than ones that do. “Temptation (Feat Rebecca)” is a song that really personifies the underrated fun side to unrequited love. Its combination of dim red background music, yellow vocals and white drums matches nicely with the theme of temptation. Whether you have finally reached the end of your music video, or are still riding your bike to the man or woman of your dreams, “Temptation (Feat Rebecca)” is a song that will keep you going day and night.

Gospel out of the Chi v. Get Rich or Die Trying

Hip Hop got a little broader now that Kanye West has entered the game. Anyone can tell you that with the unmistakable voice and beats of the Chicago kid. With three consecutive albums that have had a song go number one, at least. Not only has he grown but he has gone with the theme of school, college dropout, late registration, and graduation. Pretty much he runs the hip hop (not rap) game everytime he drops an album. With his unmerciful lyrics and views kayne shakes the world with different aspects of life. Not everything is about money and sex but it goes deeper, yeah he talks about it but its not just that, it goes into specifics about that certain topic. His perseverence goes above and beyond, I mean he made a song with a jar wired shut (Through the Wire). He is a genius with the type of music he does and with the gospel backround brings a breathe of fresh air to the hip hop world. We will see bigger and better things with Kanye, I mean he showing his Stronger side now.

What you thought that was it?

Curtis Jackson AKA 50 Cent has forged a million dollar luxury lifestyle for himself and there isnt very many people who dont know his name. From the streets to the riches 50 makes music about his admirable path to stardom, But that is about it other than the extremely sexual fantasies that people dream about, in which he has probably done! There is no variety it is either sex, money or murder. 50 nonetheless has had an impact on the music world with his story, shot 9 times and still living and breathing! Amazing right, but all that is over and done with, move on! His beats are decent and his vocals are just okay but the lyrics are what really slows him down. I could tell you what his next song will be without even listening to it. I am saying that 50 was fresh, now he is losing it. I wish we could go back to Da Club when 50 was still on top. It is die trying if you ask me!

So on a recap I will say that hands down the Gospel out of Chi wins this heavyweight matchup for who is the best! Not only is Kanye more diverse in his music but he can connect with the people and if you want to make the big time you need fans and that is what Kanye does he makes beats and songs that people can relate to. Be what it is, but last time I checked I think Kanye was running the charts and beating 50's album. Also this just in I was reading and 50 stated that if Kanye beat him on whose record sold more that he would quit the business. Kanye said that isnt what he wanted but if he wanted to go to the streets again then more power to him! I guess 50 might die trying to sell records or just buy all of them himself.

Sugarland - Stay

The Emotional Side

Have you ever heard a song and liked it but for a reason that to most would sound absurd, you liked it because it almost made you cry? This song does just that! This video has got to be one of the most gutwrenching videos I have seen in quite awhile. While most of Sugarlands songs are happy and talking about love, this song takes a new path on the road of happy-go-lucky love to the often less traveled dark and tearful side. The song is titled "Stay". Talking about a marriage that didnt work and had such an impact of such magnatude that it created a new way of life. A life not waiting on that person to come back but a life that would force her to move on! With the vocals that make your arm hair stand on end it will definitely keep you listening to the song. When you listen to the song really listen, it tells us all a message. "What do I have to do to make you see She can't love you like me Why don't you stay I'm down on my knees I'm so tired of bein' lonely Don't I give you what you need When she calls you to go There is one thing you should know We don't have to live this way Baby, why don't you stay You keep tellin' me baby There will come a time When you will leave her arms And forever be in mine But I don't think that's the truth And I don't like bein' used and I'm tired of waitin' It's too much pain to have to bare To love a man you have to share." "So next time you find you wanna leave her bed for mine Why don't you stay I'm up off my knees I'm so tired of bein' lonely You can't give me what I need When she begs you not to go There is one thing you should know I don't have to live this way Baby why don't you stay"

Well I know that this band is not really new but I figured the song has such an emotional impact I would share it. Jennifer Nettles with guitarist Kristian Bush were just newbies about a year ago but all that changed with their album, which went double platnium. This band will increasingly move up the charts in major numbers if they keep it up. Jennifer has such a magnificent country-soul sound to her voice that it will grow on people. She wouldn't be there without her trusty guitarist and friend who brings harmonics and the every so pleasant guitar.

By the way this song is based on Jennifers former marriage.

Arash

For my first musical delight, I bring you the Iranian signer and actor, Arash. Named after the archer of Persian mythology, he combines the funky rhythms of his homeland with the entrancing sound of modern Scandinavian music. The rhythm of Arash's music is one of its most powerful components. The complex layers of drums and syncopation drive each composition forward. That does not mean that the rest is nothing special, however. The combination of stringed and synthesized instruments along with the singing creates a feeling that is upbeat yet relaxed. The singing itself is usually in Persian, with some songs having parts in English. Arash often features other singers in his songs as well, which helps add to the variety of his music.

Some of my favorite songs:

• Arash (Feat Helena)
• Yalla
• Mitarsam (I'm afraid)
• Boro Boro
• Ey Yar Begoo (Feat Ebi)

The song “Arash (Feat Helena)” is probably my favorite. Overall the song has a very warm feel to it. The mysterious Helena's alluring singing flows nicely with the guitar and baseline, together forming a dichotomy between round and pointed. The middle section that has Arash howling “Ohhhohhoh” accompanied with a swaying orchestral plucking transitions beautifully back to Helena who soon returns to her chorus. When she is singing, that together with the music sounds like an eternal sunset on the ocean horizon being watched from shore but your loved one is far away in the other direction so you just stay there and look at the sunset for a thousand years. I suppose, however, that if I knew what the words actually meant in English then it would sound completely different. I would guess that because the title has “Arash” in it, Arash is the subject of the song. The whole song sounds rather like golden orange, with some turning red around one side. The baseline creates a comfortable darkness underneath, and the guitar puts in some light overtones of warm brown.

You can listen to "Arash (Feat Helena)" here.

You must remove the downloaded file from your computer within 24 hours. It is only a sample of a track which you can purchase on a CD. The author of this site cannot be held responsible for the misuse or copyright violation of this song as enforced by any given country's laws.