Adele: From "who's she?" To A Huge Fan in 18 Hours (Sound-raves week of 5/23/2011)

Adele continues on a tear once again this week, earning top honors for a second week on the SoundRaves 100 with "Someone Like You".    She also spent a second week on top the Billboard Hot 100 with "Rolling In the Deep", and her second album 21, is in week nine atop the Billboard 200 Album chart.   She certainly has come a long way, baby.

Especially for me, since that fateful day in October of 2008 when I became a fan.   And I wonder what would have happened had I slept late or turned in early that night.

To appreciate this story, one has to go back over a year before that, however.    I had been, for the most part, disenchanted with the current music scene, and, aside from downloading and burning 20 songs to a CD each month, just basically rolled out the oldies, classic rock, and 80s and 90s alternative tunes.  I was a lurker, if not a full time poster on something called The New York Radio Message Board, as well as the Oldies Message Board, discussing with fans even bigger than me, how great the music (and Top 40 radio) was back in the day.

One of the topics that came to mind was Amy Winehouse.   The Brit songstress had taken the world by storm with her song "Rehab", which had a sort of retro style to it, leading to a debate  "should an oldies station play a song like this".   The answer, of course, was "no" simply because it was a new song, but that didn't stop me from exploring the subject further.    My wife also loved her music as well, and we bought her album Back to Black, and realized that the whole album was awesome.   Retro soul had gotten back into the mainstream, if only across the pond.    Also in 2007, I was wowed by Lily Allen's "Smile", and Duffy's "Mercy", enough to perhaps create another British invasion...

Unfortunately, little did I know that "Rehab" was autobiographical in nature; that Winehouse would have problems with substance abuse as well as constant troubles with the law; watching her performeon TV in 2008, expecting her to self-destruct at any time.   And so it went.

Which brings us to October 18, 2008, a Saturday.   Again, feeling out of touch with what I expect to be good music (I rarely listened to radio anymore, and I was, for the most part bored with the scene; only looking at the charts and radio playlists each week did I have an inkling of what was out there).     I got up pretty early, and I really didn't know what compelled me to do so, but I turned on VH-1 which on early Saturday mornings actually still played videos.   Perhaps I would have some ideas on new music that was out there, and I'd actually *hear* it first.    So there I was in the den at six o'clock in the morning.

P!nk's new song "So What!" came on first.    I had lost track of her for a few years, but realized this song, her first #1, was sort of a comeback for her....I loved it.    Next was "Green Light" by the talented John Legend...great as well.   But then came something called "Chasing Pavements", by an artist named Adele.   I sat, watched, listened to this talented young lass from Britain sing this bluesy ballad.     Winehouse would have been lucky to write and sing a similar song.    All I can say is...WOW!.   

I wrote down the song and the artist, with the intention of looking her up on the online store sometime next week, and went ahead with the business of the day.     As it also was the middle of a Presidential election year which would pit Barack Obama against John McCain, all eyes were on the political races, including the intriguing Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who, among other things, could see Russia from her house.

On the show Saturday Night Live, former cast member and head writer Tina Fey had made guest appearances playing Palin in comedy skits, but there was now an announcement that tonight, Palin herself would be on as well; causing a swell of interest in the long-running late-night comedy.   And then, they announced the music guest:  Adele!    The same artist who I heard this morning for the first time.

So 11:30 PM came, and I made the decision to stay up and watch.    Skits involving Fey and Palin were the source of many discussions both that night and the next week.    And then Adele, a young, 19-year-old singer, who like me, nobody on this side of the Atlantic had really heard from, played her single, "Chasing Pavements".  She was very poised and steady, and she knew what she was doing.    Later in the show, another song from her 19 album, "Cold Shoulder" drew rave reviews from the audience, whose numbers were already high from the Palin appearance.   Adele was a success, and her album and track sales skyrocked the week after ther performance.  Winehouse may have gotten the publicity (most of it bad), but Ms. Adele Adkins got a heap of praise.

In October 2008, I had been on Facebook only a month and a half, but Adele marked the first artist that I "liked" (although I believe it was still "became a fan" in those days, but you get what I mean.   We bought 19, and both my wife Barb and I loved it.    It would set up her current success with "Rolling in the Deep" and 21 to make her where she is today.    One of these days, we hope to catch her in concert.   As for Winehouse?   She still has not made a follow-up to Back to Black; Adele, by releasing two albums had moved out from behind her shadow and in turn has eclipsed Winehouse.

And for me, I was just glad to get up early on that Saturday morning in 2008.

TOP 100:  As mentioned earlier, Adele tops the list with the ballad "Someone Like You", along with two other entries from her chart-topping set, 21.   But it was a very close race, as the song just barely beat's out "Two Against One", by Danger Mouse and Daniele Lippi.   The song features vocals by the ubitiquous Jack White (The White Stripes, Raconteurs, The Dead Weather).   Danger Mouse's real name is Brian Burton and he hails from White Plains, NY.    He is also a member of Gnarls Barkley, and the current album is entitled "Rome" which also features Norah Jones.

New in the top 20 this week are Foster the People's follow-up to "Pumped Up Kicks", "Houdini", from their new album Torches; "Please Ask for Help" by Telekinesis, from Seattle, which is really Michael Benjamin Lerner; and Britpop band Brother, with "Darling Buds of May"

Compared to last week, it's a quiet week for debuts, with the nod given to "Holdin' On to Black Metal" by My Morning Jacket, from Louisville KY.  They're described everything from jam band, indie rock to psychedelic rock.  The real jam this week is "Repo Man" by Ray Lamontagna and the Pariah Dogs, with its running time of 6 minutes.  It debuts at #95.

Noted:  Zep Fest, the Washington DC music festival which was to featured some seasoned bands (hence the name) from the past as well as a few new acts (like Rachel Allyn), has been canceled.   Our own Rachel Allyn, who launched her summer schedule last weekend at Kabob's, will be at the Jefferson House on Lake Hopatcong this Monday.   She has a date at Mohican Sun next month....Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, who are all over the map these days, did a gig last week at The Stony Pony.   Potter had two SoundRaves top 20 hits last fall, one of these, "Paris" is still rising on the chart.    "American Idol" pits two teen country comers against each other, Lauren Alaina and Scotty McGreery.  Lauren was my original pick seven weeks ago, but Scotty has shown amazing poise.... two long running songs fall off the chart this week:  "Firework" by Katy Perry (26 weeks), and "Forget You" by Danger Mouse's sometimes-partner Cee Lo Green (29 week), the latter is noteworthy since it, despite a few attempts, never got higher than #30. 

This weekend is my annual Roscoe camping trip with my buddies; always a hotbed of music heard as many of the guys bring their own music to the proceedings.   Next week I will report of what we've heard.

SOUND-RAVES for week of May 23, 2011

TW	LW	ARTIST-Title	WOC
1	1	ADELE "Someone Like You" Album: 21 (2nd week)	5
2	5	Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi-Two Against One	7
3	2	Florence + the Machine - Dog Days are Over	12
4	3	The Raveonettes - Recharge and Revolt	8
5	6	Adele - Rumour Has It	5
6	7	The Wombats - Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)	6
7	4	Adele - Rolling In the Deep	24
8	8	The Vaccines - Post Break-up Sex	11
9	11	Death Cab for Cutie - You are A Tourist	7
10	13	Dom - Living In America	7
11	18	Cage the Elephant - Around My Head	4
12	14	Lucinda Williams - Buttercup	14
13	15	The Cars - Sad Song	9
14	17	The Drums - The New World	5
15	10	Mt. Desolation - Bitter Pill	15
16	9	Rachel Allyn - Gettin' By	19
17	12	Leila - Hush Little Baby	14
18	22	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:   FOSTER THE PEOPLE "Houdini" Albums: Foster the People (EP)/Torches	4
19	23	Telekinesis - Please Ask for Help	7
20	26	Brother - Darling Buds of May	6

21	16	TV On the Radio - Will Do	10
22	25	Bell X1 - Velcro	5
23	24	Michael Franti & Spearhead - I'll Be Waiting	9
24	21	Dark Sacrament - Realm of Unlight	7
25	20	Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks	18
26	28	Chk Chik Chick - Wannagain Wannagain	9
27	29	Ben Harper - Rock n' Roll is Free	7
28	19	Foo Fighters - Rope	12
29	30	Rihanna - S&M	9
30	70	MOVER OF THE WEEK: FLORENCE + THE MACHINE "You Got the Love" Album: Lungs	2
31	53	Lady Gaga - Judas	3
32	61	Lykke Li - Get Some	2
33	54	Plan B - She Said	3
34	34	Helvetia - Arise Pt 1	12
35	35	Scars on 45 - Give Me Something	14
36	27	Peter Bjorn & John - Second Chance	16
37	31	Superhumanoids - Malta	9
38	41	Neon Trees - Your Surrender	5
39	66	Train - Save Me San Francisco	3
40	32	Cold War Kids - Louder Than Ever	20
41	40	Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now	7
42	62	Kate Voegele - Heart In Chains	2
43	46	Beastie Boys - Make Some Noise	6
44	48	Augustana - Steal Your Heart	6
45	68	Fleet Foxes - Battery Kinzie	2
46	44	Redlight King - Old Man	6
47	51	Alexander - Truth	8
48	73	Peter Bjorn & John - Dig A Little Deeper	2
49	58	Drive-By Truckers - Everybody Needs Love	4
50	60	Andrew Allen - Loving You Tonight	4
51	33	Ra Ra Riot - Too Dramatic	16
52	42	The Band Perry - You Lie	11
53	45	Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues	16
54	85	The Strokes - Taken For A Fool	2
55	57	Cake - Long Time	5
56	65	Middle Brother - Me Me Me	4
57	74	Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean	2
58	77	Cold War Kids - Skip the Charades	2
59	36	Company of Thieves - Death of Communications	9
60	52	The Sounds - Something to Die For	9
61	59	The Holidays - Moonlight Hours	18
62	67	The Kills - Satellite	10
63	50	Fitz and the Tantrums - Money Grabber	25
64	75	The Thermals - Not Like Any Other Feeling	3
65	38	Devotchka - 100 Other Lovers	11
66	78	The Raveonettes - Forget That You're Young	2
67	37	Kings of Leon - Pyro	17
68	49	Jack Johnson - From the Clouds	15
69	56	Acrylics - Sparrow Song	13
70	76	Interpol - Try It On	3
71	39	Colbie Cailat - I Do	15
72	43	Richard Ashcroft - Are You Ready	10
73	47	Tamar Kaprelian - New Day	12
74	55	Yuck - Get Away	14
75	64	My Chemical Romance - Bulletproof Heart	7
76	83	Eddie Vedder - Longing to Belong	4
77	69	Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know	16
78	86	Zac Brown Band f Jimmy Buffet - Knee Deep	3
79	91	Arcade Fire - Month of May	2
80	63	The Decemberists - This Is Why We Fight	17
81	71	He Is We - Happily Ever After	10
82	----	TOP DEBUT:   MY MORNING JACKET "Holdin' On to Black Metal" Album: Circuital	1
83	79	Incubus - Adolescents	5
84	93	Austra - Beat and the Pulse	2
85	96	Boxer Rebellion - The Runner	2
86	----	Noah & the Whale - L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.	1
87	82	R.E.M.- Oh My Heart	4
88	84	The Black Keys - Howlin' For You	21
89	----	Ke$ha - Blow	1
90	72	The Beets - Dead	8
91	80	Downtown Crossing - Seventy 4	14
92	----	Mumford and Sons - Roll Away Your Stone	1
93	88	The Decemberists - Down By the Water	29
94	90	Marianas Trench - Good To You	16
95	----	Ray Lamontagne & the Pariah Dogs - Repo Man	1
96	----	Sam Roberts Band - The Last Crusade	1
97	87	Downtown Crossing - Translation	17
98	----	Sixx: AM - Lies of the Beautiful People	1
99	RE-ENTRY	Los Lonely Boys - Fly Away	5
100	----	Christina Perri - Arms	1

Music, Cruising Style (Sound-Raves week of 5/16/2011)

As many of you who look at my Facebook page know by now, my wife and I have recently returned from a cruise on Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas, to the lonely island of Bermuda.    For the most part, it was a great time like the other cruises we've done, albeit hampered somewhat by rain which killed our beach time, or the fierce storm which haunted us on the way home.   But that's life.

Another part of life, of course is music, and of course, it played a major part of our vacation.   But the question is what kind of music?   It is not uncommon for a song to remind one of an event they partaked in; in fact, I have experienced decades of music that's associated with an event, vacation, getaway weekend, or specially the years of my summer beach houses and winter ski houses.

In recent years, however, that has changed, as much of the music heard were classic "party music", "classic rock" or any combination thereof.   Yes, you do hear current music, especially the current hip hop and pop songs (Usher, Pitbull, Lada Gaga, Katy Perry, etc).    Well, on this cruise we heard all of the above, plus what you'd expect when one headed down to the islands:  Calypso.  Reggae.   Throw in disco and you basically have it all.   Except alternative rock.

Yeah, folks, my favorite current genre wasn't too represented during the five days we were away, so my SoundRaves 100 doesn't really reflect what I heard--except for what was in my head.  In fact, I didn't even get to use my iPod:  The first few days of the trip, I couldn't find it; I figured I forgot to pack it.   But by the time I did manage to locate it, it was the final day at sea, and when I took it out on the deck to listen to it, my wife Barbara was so cold (if was very windy and chilly as we were heading through a big storm with rocky seas as we headed back home), we canned that idea...back in the suitcase it went.

So, what DID we listen to during those five days?   Well, start with the essentials: Calypso music performed by a combo named Riddin Wave.  On day 2, our first full day at sea, they rocked the decks several times during that sunny day (although, as Barb pointed out, they seemed to take longer breaks than times they were playing, and the piped in reggae music during those breaks was OK...hadn't heard Inner Circle's "Sweat (La la long) in ages, although I could have done without "Who Let the Dogs Out")...this is what it's all about.    When they weren't giving us those sounds, there was DJ Stimulus giving us current dance and hip hop sounds.   And yes, current stuff like "Firework", "DJ Got Us Falling in Love", "I Like It" and the rest.    Arcade Fire?   not so much.

Down on the lower decks, we had a cool piano player named James Barr, who played some classics ("Piano Man", of course, but you also gotta hear his rendition of "Weird" Al Yankovic's "The Saga Begins"...anyone remember The Phantom Menace?).  Tropical Jam provided us with some great Latin jams, a guitarist, Pedro Dela Llano with some original tunes.    Some great lounge standards were performed at Dizzy's lounge (named after trumpet great Gillespie) by the Viva Band.

Then there's the karoke (featuring some gems like "I Got You Babe") was well as "finish that lyric" game shows, with the songs being those classics you now so well.    Tuesday night was "70's disco night", with the Promenade Deck turned into a long dance floor; prior to that was a trivia contest, where I, along with Barb, and two new friends Rhonda and Sonya, got 19 of 20 right to win.    But the Raveonettes or the Strokes?   Nowhere to be found.      There was a Johnny Rockets on the ship, and during several intervals, the waiters would 'do a little dance' to "Stayin' Alive", "YMCA" and other disco classics.  Finally, one the nightly shows was a tribute to popular music, with segments dedicated to Elvis, The Beatles, Motown, disco, Michael Jackson (and his siblings including Janet), and others.

In fact, the only thing Alternative was a My Chemical Romance song heard on the radio in one of the Bermuda shops; Lady Gaga's "Judas" stuck in my head the most (and that song was somewhat of a 'stiff' as far as Gaga songs go).    Still, I love the music of the past so much, and what I heard on the cruise was no different.


Sound-Raves:   It probably wasn't any surprise, given her rapid rise, but Adele scores her second #1 here with "Someone Like You".  The song, purported to be her second single from 21 advances to the top, and Brit songstress joins Rachel Allyn as the only two acts with a pair of #1's.    Her previous single, "Rolling In the Deep", still a national chart-topper, continues at #4, her 21st consecutive week in the Top 10.   "Rumour Has It", an album cut that's charted on the Triple-A radio format, jumps to #6, giving her three songs in the top six.    Her album remains at the top nationally as well.

This week is also notable in that there were several debuts on the SoundRaves 100 chart, 12 in all, which probably is the most ever.   Nine of these are by artists who have been there before, and two of those are by the band Fleet Foxes, who, like Adele, also have 3 songs on the chart now.   Helplessness Blues, the Portland OR band's latest, debuted at #4, the third highest entry of the week on the Billboard 200, behind only the new Beastie Boys, and the "NOW 38" hits compilation, and ahead of Jennifer Lopez's latest.    Very impressive.

I really thought Kate Voegele would have the top debut, with new single "Heart In Chains", from her just recently released set, Gravity Happens.  The singer/actress (she has a recurring role in the One Tree Hill series) reached my year-end top 10 in 2009 with "99 Times".    There are also new songs (although from already released albums) from established (for me, anyway) acts like The Strokes, Florence + the Machine (who also relinquishes the top spot this week), Cold War Kids, Peter Bjorn & John, and the fifth single from Arcade Fire.

But the star of the week is a Swedish singer named Lykke Li, who I had never heard before...until a few days ago when it was Brian Sniatkowski's Song of the Week, and also debuted on the Triple A chart and on WEQX's playlist.   Wounded Rhythms is her second album; her music is in the electropop vein with indie rock strains.   Definitely a song to watch.

Elsewhere, Michael Franti & Spearhead crack the top 25 for the 3rd time with "I'll Be Waiting"; however they have yet to enter the top 20.   Lady Gaga's "Judas", the second single from the diva's set "Born This Way" jumps to #53, as stated above it was the only new song that stuck in my brain on my cruise.  But apparently it's not enough for her fans.....it appeared to flame out after its Hot 100 debut at #10 (it's dropped below even the title track), and her new single "The Edge of Glory" entered at #3.  A good chance for me to be defiant and stick with the prior one.



The SoundRaves Top 100 for the week of May 16, 2011

TW	LW	ARTIST-Title	WOC
1	3	ADELE "Someone Like You" Album: 21	4
2	1	Florence + the Machine - Dog Days are Over	11
3	2	The Raveonettes - Recharge and Revolt	7
4	4	Adele - Rolling In the Deep	23
5	13	MOVER OF THE WEEK:     DANGER MOUSE & DANIELE LUPPI featuring JACK WHITE "Two Against One" Album: Rome	6
6	11	Adele - Rumour Has It	4
7	10	The Wombats - Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)	5
8	8	The Vaccines - Post Break-up Sex	10
9	6	Rachel Allyn - Gettin' By	18
10	7	Mt. Desolation - Bitter Pill	14
11	14	Death Cab for Cutie - You are A Tourist	6
12	5	Leila - Hush Little Baby	13
13	15	Dom - Living In America	6
14	12	Lucinda Williams - Buttercup	13
15	18	The Cars - Sad Song	8
16	17	TV On the Radio - Will Do	9
17	21	The Drums - The New World	4
18	31	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:     CAGE THE ELEPHANT "Around My Head" Album: Thank You, Happy Birthday	3
19	9	Foo Fighters - Rope	11
20	16	Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks	17

21	19	Dark Sacrament - Realm of Unlight	6
22	39	Foster the People - Houdini	3
23	24	Telekinesis - Please Ask for Help	6
24	27	Michael Franti & Spearhead - I'll Be Waiting	8
25	35	Bell X1 - Velcro	4
26	38	Brother - Darling Buds of May	5
27	20	Peter Bjorn & John - Second Chance	15
28	28	Chk Chik Chick - Wannagain Wannagain	8
29	37	Ben Harper - Rock n' Roll is Free	6
30	25	Rihanna - S&M	8
31	30	Superhumanoids - Malta	8
32	23	Cold War Kids - Louder Than Ever	19
33	22	Ra Ra Riot - Too Dramatic	15
34	33	Helvetia - Arise Pt 1	11
35	47	Scars on 45 - Give Me Something	13
36	26	Company of Thieves - Death of Communications	8
37	29	Kings of Leon - Pyro	16
38	34	Devotchka - 100 Other Lovers	10
39	36	Colbie Cailat - I Do	14
40	52	Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now	6
41	56	Neon Trees - Your Surrender	4
42	41	The Band Perry - You Lie	10
43	48	Richard Ashcroft - Are You Ready	9
44	54	Redlight King - Old Man	5
45	42	Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues	15
46	59	Beastie Boys - Make Some Noise	5
47	32	Tamar Kaprelian - New Day	11
48	60	Augustana - Steal Your Heart	5
49	40	Jack Johnson - From the Clouds	14
50	50	Fitz and the Tantrums - Money Grabber	24
51	58	Alexander - Truth	7
52	65	The Sounds - Something to Die For	8
53	75	Lady Gaga - Judas	2
54	82	Plan B - She Said	2
55	43	Yuck - Get Away	13
56	46	Acrylics - Sparrow Song	12
57	66	Cake - Long Time	4
58	70	Drive-By Truckers - Everybody Needs Love	3
59	44	The Holidays - Moonlight Hours	17
60	74	Andrew Allen - Loving You Tonight	3
61	----	TOP DEBUT:     LYKKE LI "Get Some" Album: Wounded Rhymes	1
62	----	Kate Voegele - Heart In Chains	1
63	45	The Decemberists - This Is Why We Fight	16
64	57	My Chemical Romance - Bulletproof Heart	6
65	71	Middle Brother - Me Me Me	3
66	95	Train - Save Me San Francisco	2
67	72	The Kills - Satellite	9
68	----	Fleet Foxes - Battery Kinzie	1
69	51	Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know	15
70	----	Florence + the Machine - You Got the Love	1
71	64	He Is We - Happily Ever After	9
72	67	The Beets - Dead	7
73	----	Peter Bjorn & John - Dig A Little Deeper	1
74	----	Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean	1
75	87	The Thermals - Not Like Any Other Feeling	2
76	89	Interpol - Try It On	2
77	----	Cold War Kids - Skip the Charades	1
78	----	The Raveonettes - Forget That You're Young	1
79	79	Incubus - Adolescents	4
80	49	Downtown Crossing - Seventy 4	13
81	53	Cee Lo Green - Fuck You (Forget You )	29
82	85	R.E.M.- Oh My Heart	3
83	88	Eddie Vedder - Longing to Belong	3
84	69	The Black Keys - Howlin' For You	20
85	----	The Strokes - Taken For A Fool	1
86	92	Zac Brown Band f Jimmy Buffet - Knee Deep	2
87	55	Downtown Crossing - Translation	16
88	78	The Decemberists - Down By the Water	28
89	63	Dropkick Murphys - Memorial Day	12
90	84	Marianas Trench - Good To You	15
91	----	Arcade Fire - Month of May	1
92	73	Manchester Orchestra - April Fool	5
93	----	Austra - Beat and the Pulse	1
94	61	Sleigh Bells - Rill Rill	13
95	68	The Airborne Toxic Event - Changing	16
96	----	Boxer Rebellion - The Runner	1
97	76	Jenny and Johnny - Big Wave	20
98	83	Anberlin - Closer	10
99	86	Katy Perry - Firework	26
100	62	Iron & Wine - Tree By the River	17