R5’s “Loud” EP is filled of impeccable bubblegum pop rock songs that will uplift your spirits. (Album cover property of Hollywood Records)
By: Jacob Elyachar
This week’s New Music Releases features a mix of EPs from rising artists including R5 and One Arm Train plus new singles from old favorites including Mariah Carey, Nelly, Train and Eric Clapton.
Loud EP by R5
One band that continues to gain momentum in the pop rock world is R5. This band made up of four brothers and their best friend, who have a great peppy sound that will get anyone out of a bad mood. Their debut EP is filled of impressive bubblegum pop rock songs that have cool instrumentation and awesome lyrics. If R5 plays their cards right, they will be a band to watch. B+
Songs to Download: “Loud” & “Here Comes Forever”
One Arm Train by One Arm Train
In their debut EP, the Nashville based duo delivered six superb songs that perfectly blends the worlds of country, pop and rock music. Each track of the album entices the listener to go on a journey with them that features a mix of smooth guitar-based ballads like “I’m Nobody” and “If You Hang Around” with the up-tempo jams of “Damn.” Overall, this duo sounds awesome and this author personally thinks that they are not going to be unsigned for long. A
“Almost Home” features an incredible vocal from Mariah Carey and strong production from the StarGate team. (Album cover property of Disney & Island Records)
“Almost Home” by Mariah Carey
The American Idol judge and Grammy Winner’s single for the upcoming film Oz: The Great & Powerful is one of the best songs that she has co-written and released in the 2010s. “Almost Home” features Mariah’s superb vocals and splendid song production from A-List producing team: Stargate. This is a wonderful track to represent the upcoming film. A-
“Hey Porsche” by Nelly
As much as fans will be happy to hear from new music from the St. Louis rapper, it seems like Nelly is dealing with an identity crisis. Nelly should not have invaded the dance pop world and stuck with songs like “Ride With Me,” “Hot in Here” and “Tilt Ya Head Back,” because this track is one hot mess. D
To listen to “Hey Porsche,” click here: http://youtu.be/zZPEg9gOL9U
“Imagine” by Train
San Francisco’s favorites sons delivered a rousing cover of the John Lennon classic to raise money for Sea Bright Rising, a charity that will help those affected by Hurricane Sandy in the Sea Bright, New Jersey community. This cover is one of my favorite covers because of its up-tempo feel and this was also one of Pat Monahan’s strongest vocal recordings. Overall, this author hopes that this single raises enough money for the recovery efforts to help the people who were affected by Hurricane Sandy. A
Eric Clapton’s “Gotta Get Over” is a great track that shows off the music legend’s signature sound and backing vocals from Chaka Khan. (Album cover by Bushbranch Records)
“Gotta Get Over” by Eric Clapton
One of the greatest rockers of all-time recently released his first single off of his upcoming 21st studio album: Old Sock. “Gotta Get Over” is a breath of fresh air that will satisfy any music lover because of a combination of classic Clapton guitar riffs and strong vocals from the music legend. In addition, keep an ear out for Chaka Khan, who provides some of the backing vocals on this track. A+
I do not own the videos that are featured in this article. They belong to the artists and their respective record companies.
