New Music Releases: Week of September 8, 2014

By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com

Welcome to another exciting edition of New Music Releases!

This week, I dove into some of the most anticipated albums of 2014 and revealed my prediction on who is this year’s “breakout solo act”!

 

Bulletproof Picasso by Train

For those of you that waited for Train’s Bulletproof Picasso, you will be happy when the clock strikes midnight on September 10. The San Francisco-based pop rock band’s seventh studio album features a diverse combination of musical and pop culture genres. From the perky “Dancing in the Street”-inspired “Wonder What You’re Doing For the Rest of Your Life” (which features superb vocals from Marsha Ambrosius) to Spaghetti westerns (“Angels in Blue Jeans”), Bulletproof Picasso showcases Pat Monahan’s impeccable ability as a songwriter and vocalist. I look forward to see Train hit the road to support this album soon. B+

Tracks to Download: “Angels in Blue Jeans,” “Give It All,” “Wonder What You’re Doing for the Rest of Your Life” & “Son of a Prison Guard”

Title by Meghan Trainor

I strongly believe that 2014’s breakout solo artist might be Meghan Trainor! Her lyrics are so sturdy and can relate to everyone. In addition, Meghan proved that she could balance multiple genres of music ranging from Doo-wop to the current merger of Pop & Hip-hop. The only complaint I have is that “Close Your Eyes” reminds me so much of Ariana Grande’s “Tattooed Heart” that it might come close to breaking copyright laws. Otherwise, Ms. Trainor has a bright future ahead of her. B

Tracks to Download: “All About the Bass” & “Title”

 

Lullaby and…The Ceaseless Roar by Robert Plant

Robert Plant is in the eternal Hall of Fame for powerful Rock & Roll singers! For his tenth studio album, he transported his listeners on a psychedelic world tour with stops including colorful Bombay (“Pocketful of Golden”), working class Manchester (“Embrace Another Fall”) and a Nashville rock bar (“Turn It Up”). This generation of singer-songwriters should use Mr. Plant’s evolution from powerhouse rock god to versatile producer and songwriter as a guide, because Mr. Plant’s music will always remain timeless. A

Tracks to Download: “Pocketful of Golden,” “Turn It Up,” “Poor Howard,” “House of Love”& “Rainbow”

Songs of Innocence by U2

U2 surprised over 500 million iTunes subscribers with a free copy of their 13^th studio album: Songs of Innocence! First of all, I want to give a shout out to Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, Jr. for doing this for the fans! You exponentially set the bar extremely high for other acts to follow in regards to promotion. Musically, fans would be impressed with the Irish rock band’s decision to use the next generation of superstar producers Danger Mouse, Paul Epworth and Ryan Tedder to produce this sky-high quality album! Songs of Innocence is my Album of the Month! A+

Tracks to Download: “The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone),” “Every Breaking Wave,” “California (There Is No End to Love),” “Song for Someone,” “Iris (Hold Me Close)” & “Sleep Like a Baby Tonight”

 

“You and Me” by You + Me

Sometimes artists like to shake things up! P!nk joined forces with City and Colour front man Dallas Green to form folk duo You + Me. In all honesty, their first single is a disappointment. Vocally, the “So What” singer and the Canadian singer-songwriter do not blend well harmoniously. While the music is great, the vocals were just bland. C

“Westfjords” by Stargroves feat. Abigail Breslin

One band that I would keep on your radar is the NYC based Indie rock band Stargroves! The group recently released their new single: “Westfjords” which features vocal support from Academy Award nominated actress Abigail Breslin. Teddy Watson’s vocals mesh well with the August: Osage County actress and the group’s strong instrumental arrangements make this single my Song of the Week. A

I do not own any of the clips that are featured in this article. They belong to the artists and their respective record companies.