First of all, you should know I’m lyric deaf, no joke. 100% groove attention, no room for words. So, my apologies if one of these songs has lyrics that rub you in a weird way, or that make you wonder if I’m cheating on my wife (looking at you, “Part Time Lover”). With that said, here are some great tunes I’ve listened to lately.
Let me just start out with a guy who sings SO well that he has no Wikipedia entry. Eric Tagg. Last week I would have rolled my eyes, head—nay, entire body—at the idea of listening to this kind of music. But those pipes! Incredible. And David Foster’s in there.
Another new one this week: Lee Ritenour? A week ago it was just a name I’d heard. But this song, Mr. Briefcase…it’s got David Foster hammering on a synth (& are those his hands at 1:50? Pretty accurate keying), Eric Tagg with those crazy perfect vocals (vocals—notice I didn’t say lyrics), and then of course the guitar thing.
Tagg looks so awkward, too. I mean, everybody in this video looks awkward, but Tagg looks like he just jogged over from football practice and learned he was going to be in a video.
OK, here’s one from Japan. A group called CASIOPEA. The bass…the jumpsuit…the keys…the passion. Love it. Laugh at it, but love it.
Finally, I’ve listened to this one (Electro-Funk Synthesizer solo) about 200 times since last week. I just can’t believe how perfect it is. It’s not just a typical electro-funk solo. It’s practically a compilation of all the best moves from all the best electro-funk solos. Read his comments on the Youtube page to see how much attention went into sculpting the classic analog synth sound inside Apple’s Logic music software. Incredible. And of course he played the guitar, too. And drums, etc. AND LOOK AT THE LEFT HAND, Geez
Felt good to get all that out. You’re welcome.