Album Review: "Sound of a Woman" by Kiesza

Sound of a Woman, by Canadian dancer, singer-songwriter Kiesza, pushes the debut star to become a signature electronic-dance act. The set is respectable, laden with hook-heavy tunes, as worldwide smash "Hideaway," though the twenty-five-year-old newcomer seems caught between commercial pop success and what she may deem as scholarly presentation.

There certainly is a 90's feel to Sound of a Woman. The production recalls deep house of the era, such as Haddaway's "What Is Love," which is actually covered on the album, but as a hauntingly beautiful ballad, with Kiesza's performance highlighting the intention of the lyrics through the backed-off production. When the album isn't holding to its house influence, it takes hold of Kiesza's jazz expertise to ride into the realm of 90's R&B, recalling Madonna's R&B flirt Bedtime Stories, though Madonna's effort holds more true to a dance-pop root than this release.

The entire album comes with good production, vocals, and songs. However, it's hard to hand out strengths to the set when its sound isn't unified. We begin with heavily dance-influenced "Hideaway" and "No Enemiez" but then veer into R&B land, only revisiting the deep house near the end of the set. Versatility is good on an album, but it sounds like we are listening to tracks that belong on two separate releases. Since the album's more danceable tracks have been released as singles for its promotion, it appears Kiesza is attempting to market as an electronic artist, in which case, the album would benefit from a full ride in that genre. Instead, its R&B, which is most of the album, backs too far from its dance tracks. That said, what is on the album is nothing to sneer at.

Kiesza's talent is definitely a highlight surrounding this album. She isn't shy to show off her range and clear vocals, and she certainly doesn't hold back her dance ability in her music videos. She is a trained professional and intends to use her talent to get where she wants to go. The biggest drawback to this, though, is that she is all skill. There is little here with actual personality, despite having written all the songs herself.

Standout tracks include worldwide dance hit "Hideaway," its sister follow-up "No Enemiez," and ballad cover "What Is Love."

Would I recommend it? If you're a fan of the defining sound of "Hideaway," you'll have to keep an open mind with this one. It's not exactly what you'd expect its parent album to sound like. Still, if you're a fan of female R&B, you might really take to the deeper selects of the release.

Kiesza definitely has potential within her. Hopefully, with future releases, she and her producers remember to allow each track its unique personality while not orbiting too far from a focused center.

I give Sound of a Woman 3 out of 5 stars.

Grammy Nomination Picks 2015

Ta-da! Here is my list for whom I think will be nominated for this year's Grammy Awards. The official nominee list will be released on the morning of December 5, with the Album of the Year nominees revealed that evening during the one-hour television special "A Very Grammy Christmas" at 9 - 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

In selecting, there were very few standouts, followed by a lot of above average choices, making narrowing them down fairly difficult. I put nominees in more categories than I have previously (34 categories this year).

NOTE: I am not a member of the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and this list is in NO WAY official or reflective of their attitudes. Typically, there are five nominations in each category, but I've left some blank. Nomination eligibility period was October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014.

Record of the Year

"Dark Horse," Katy Perry, Juicy J; produced by Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Cirkut

"All About That Bass," Meghan Trainor; produced by Kevin Kadish

"Shake It Off," Taylor Swift; produced by Max Martin and Shellback

"Stay With Me," Sam Smith; produced by Jimmy Napes and Steve Fitzmaurice

"Happy," Pharrell Williams; produced by Pharrell Williams

"Reflektor," Arcade Fire; produced by James Murphy, Markus Dravs, and Arcade Fire


Album of the Year

Frozen Soundtrack, Various Artists

Beyonce, Beyonce

The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Eminem

Reflektor, Arcade Fire

Platinum, Miranda Lambert


Song of the Year

"All About that Bass," Meghan Trainor; written by Meghan Trainor and Kevin Kadish

"Let It Go," Idina Menzel, Demi Lovato; written by Kristin Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

"Chandelier," Sia; written by Sia Furler and Jesse Shatkin

"The Monster," Eminem Featuring Rihanna; written by Marshall Mathers, Bryan Fryzel, Bebe Rexha, Aaron Kleinstub, M. Athanasiou, Robyn Fenty, and Jon Bellion

"Pretty Hurts," Beyonce; written by Joshua Coleman, Sia Furler, and Beyonce Knowles

Best New Artist

Iggy Azalea

American Authors

Meghan Trainor

Sam Smith

Aloe Blacc


Best Pop Solo Performance

"Happy," Pharrell Williams

"Stay With Me," Sam Smith

"Chandelier," Sia

"Birthday," Katy Perry

"Pretty Hurts," Beyonce

"All About That Bass," Meghan Trainor


Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

"Love Runs Out," OneRepublic

"Bang Bang," Jessie J Featuring Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj

"Love Never Felt So Good," Michael Jackson Featuring Justin Timberlake

"Do What U Want," Lady Gaga Featuring R. Kelly

"A Sky Full of Stars," Coldplay


Best Pop Album

In the Lonely Hour, Sam Smith

ARTPOP, Lady Gaga

PRISM, Katy Perry

Ultraviolence, Lana Del Rey

1000 Forms of Fear, Sia


Best Traditional Pop Album

Cheek To Cheek, Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga

Partners, Barbra Streisand


Best Dance Recording

"Wasted Love" by Steve Angello Featuring Dougy

"Hideaway," Kiesza

"Grab Her," Disclosure

"Break Free," Ariana Grande Featuring Zedd

"Lay Me Down," Avicii


Best Dance/Electronic Album

Do It Again, Royskopp & Robyn

while(1<2), deadmau5

Trouble in Paradise, La Roux

True, Avicii

Best Rock Performance

"Magic," Coldplay

"Warriors," Imagine Dragons

"Believer," American Authors

"Reflektor," Arcade Fire


Best Rock Song

"Reflektor," Arcade Fire; written by Arcade Fire


Best Rock Album

Ghost Stories, Coldplay

Reflektor, Arcade Fire

Turn Blue, The Black Keys

Lazaretto, Jack White

Hypnotic Eye, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers


Best R&B Performance

"Partition," Beyonce


Best Traditional R&B Performance

"All of Me," John Legend

Best R&B Song

"All of Me," John Legend; written by John Stephens and Toby Gad


Best R&B Album

Love, Marriage & Divorce, Toni Braxton & Babyface


Best Contemporary Urban Album

Beyonce, Beyonce

Trigga, Trey Songz


Best Rap Performance

"Rap God," Eminem

"White Walls," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring ScHoolboy Q and Hollis


Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

"The Monster," Eminem Featuring Rihanna

"Fancy," Iggy Azalea Featuring Charli XCX

"Drunk In Love," Beyonce Featuring Jay-Z

"Dark Horse," Katy Perry Featuring Juicy J

Best Rap Song

"The Monster," Eminem; written by Marshall Mathers, Bryan Fryzel, Bebe Rexha, Aaron Kleinstub, M. Athanasiou, Robyn Fenty, and Jon Bellion

"Rap God," Eminem; written by Marshall Mathers, Bigram Zayas, Matthew Delgiorno, Stephen Hacker, Douglas Davis, Richard Walters, Dania Birks, Juana Burns, Juanita Lee, Fatima Shaheed, and Kim Nazel

"Pills N Potions," Nicki Minaj; written by Onika Maraj, Lukasz Gottwald, Henry Walter, and Ester Dean


Best Rap Album

The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Eminem

The New Classic, Iggy Azalea

Mastermind, Rick Ross


Best Country Solo Performance

"Automatic," Miranda Lambert

"Something in the Water," Carrie Underwood

"That Girl," Jennifer Nettles

"Invisible," Hunter Hayes

"Shotgun Rider," Tim McGraw



Best Country Duo/Group Performance

"Somethin' Bad," Miranda Lambert Featuring Carrie Underwood

"Rewind," Rascal Flatts

"Meanwhile Back at Mama's," Tim McGraw Featuring Faith Hill

"Sweet Annie," Zac Brown Band


Best Country Song

"Automatic," Miranda Lambert; written by Nicolle Galyon, Natalie Hemby, and Miranda Lambert

"Something in the Water," Carrie Underwood; written by Chris DeStefano, Brett James, and Carrie Underwood

"Invisible," Hunter Hayes; written by Hunter Hayes, Bonnie Baker, and Katrina Elam

"Meanwhile Back at Mama's," Tim McGraw Featuring Faith Hill; written by Tom Douglas, Jaren Johnston, and Jeffrey Steele

"I Hold On," Dierks Bentley; written by Brett James and Dierks Bentley


Best Country Album

Platinum, Miranda Lambert

Out Among the Stars, Johnny Cash

Everlasting, Martina McBride

Storyline, Hunter Hayes

Sundown Heaven Town, Tim McGraw



Best Gospel Album

Anomaly, Lecrae


Best Comedy Album

Mandatory Fun, "Weird Al" Yankovic

Obsessed, Jim Gaffigan

Best Musical Theater Album

If/Then

Aladdin

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder

The Bridges of Madison County

Beautiful: The Carol King Musical


Best Song Written for Visual Media

"Let It Go," from Frozen; written by Kristin Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

"Ordinary Love," from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom; lyrics by Bono; music by U2 and Danger Mouse


Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Visual Media

Frozen (Deluxe Edition), Various Artists


Best Recording Package

Turn Blue, The Black Keys

Hypnotic Eye, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Beyonce, Beyonce

Best Remixed Recording

"Waves" (Robin Schulz Radio Edit)," Mr Probz

"Baby, Baby (Dave Aude Radio Edit)," Amy Grant


Best Music Video

"The Writing's On The Wall," OK Go

"Pretty Hurts," Beyonce

24 Hours of "Happy", Pharrell Williams

"Chandelier," Sia

Lately Listening: Deadmau5 x Alexis x Kylie

Nearly a year ago, I discovered Alexis Jordan's debut single "Happiness" from 2010 and was swept away by its techno (and sweet lyrics). The music video for the America's Got Talent contestant's track has been compared to the vid of "Can't Get You Outta My Head" by my personal favorite Kylie Minogue.

Interestingly, I recently found the unreleased track "Change Your Mind" from the bubbly Aussie pop princess's (2010) Aphrodite sessions that uses the same backing techno as Alexis's "Happiness." And with research, I found that backing track to be none other than Deadmau5's "Brazil (2nd Edit)" from Random Album Title (2008).

I know pop artist's do this a lot -- sampling, borrowing, and nodding to one another -- but it reminded me of the following year when Avicii's delightful "Penguin" was used as the basis for Leona Lewis's "Collide" and Avicii's own "Fade Into Darkness" (featuring Andreas Moe on vocals).

Anyway, Deadmau5's composition is gorgeous and dreamy and is only augmented by the beautiful vocal melodies and lyrics the two pop stars graced across it. They are a beautiful listen. Check them out! If hearing one of their songs isn't enough, there are always mashups of all three artists together: Deadmau5 meets Alexis meets Kylie.

3/20 Chart Highlights: Soko's viral hit debuts in Top 10; Frozen soundtrack reaches 1 million sales in 2014

Soko

French actress and singer Soko garnered high attention from her viral video "First Kiss," in which strangers are asked to kiss and features her track "We Might Be Dead by Tomorrow," leading the song to debut at #9 on the Hot 100. Soko's hit also ranks in at #1 on Streaming Songs, attributing to her earning the first top 10 debut of the year. The first 6 Hot 100 spots remain stale with no movement, while OneRepublic's "Counting Stars" and Beyoncé's "Drunk in Love" switch positions. Aloe Blacc's "The Man" also enters the top 10.

HOT 100 top 10
1. Pharrell Williams                                     "Happy"
2. Katy Perry featuring Juicy J               "Dark Horse"
3. John Legend                                               "All of Me"
4. Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz        "Talk Dirty"
5. Bastille                                                          "Pompeii"
6. Lorde                                                             "Team"
7. OneRepublic                                               "Counting Stars"
8. Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z                        "Drunk in Love"
9. Soko                                                                "We Might Be Dead by Tomorrow"
10. Aloe Blacc                                                  "The Man"

The soundtrack to Disney's Frozen claimed the top spot on album sales for a sixth nonconsecutive week, as it becomes the first album to shift more than a million units in 2014. Half of the other top 10 albums were debuts: Luke Bryan's Spring Break 6 ...Like We Ain't Ever EP (#2), Aloe Blacc's Lift Your Spirits (#4), 311's Stereolithic (#6), Young Money's Rise of an Empire (#7), and Sara Evans' Slow Me Down (#9).

BILLBOARD 200 top 10
1. Soundtrack                          Frozen
2. Luke Bryan                          Spring Break 6 ...Like We Ain't                                                                  Ever EP
3. Rick Ross                              Mastermind
4. Aloe Blacc                            Lift Your Spirits
5. Pharrell Williams              G I R L
6. 311                                          Stereolithic
7. Young Money                    Rise of an Empire
8. Lorde                                     Pure Heroine
9. Sara Evans                           Slow Me Down
10. Eric Church                      The Outsiders