January Favorites

It has been a quiet January on the entertainment front, so I've used my time to catch up on music I should have been listening to in 2018.

Spencer Ludwig singles: I managed to let Spencer Ludwig fall off my radar last year, but he released a lot of great singles that I am just now catching up on: "Honeymoon" (with Z & Drü Oliver), "My Trumpet" (with MC Davo), "Just Wanna Dance", and the recent "Best Life". While all of these tracks are fun and sassy, "Honeymoon" is the true standout of the bunch. I seem to be a sucker for choruses that rhyme "closure" with "over" (see also: "I'm Comin' Over", by Chris Young), and "Honeymoon" delivers with the wonderful couplet "Baby, full disclosure / the honeymoon is over". I am also a sucker for upbeat songs that have sad lyrics. Meanwhile, "Best Life" can help you live yours with lyrics like "I look fly as hell in my fake Chanel / and you can't say that I don't". "Just Wanna Dance" does what it says on the tin, and "My Trumpet" delivers some slinky tropical vibes. With these solid tracks, Spencer won't being falling off my radar again any time soon.

Brighter Days, Sigala: Every track on this album is a winner. If 305 Fitness put out their own album, it would probably sound like this: joyful, euphoric dance songs with uplifting & empowering lyrics and fantastic vocalists. My favorite track is "Came Here for Love", but I can't sit still when I hear "Sweet Lovin'", "Say You Do", or "Easy Love" either. There are also fab cameos from Kylie Minogue, Craig David, and John Newman. This album is great because it serves strong Hed Kandi Beach House circa ten years ago vibes, and they just don't make Hed Kandi albums like they used to anymore, so I'm glad to have that void in my life filled by these Tropical House bangers.

Soul Eyes and Indigo, Kandance Springs: I saw Kandance Springs open for Hall & Oates and Train at Madison Square Garden last summer, but it took me until now to actually buy her albums. I'm not sure why I waited so long, because she has an excellent voice and a great jazz sound. She reminds me a lot of a jazzier version of k. d. lang – with some touches of Corinne Bailey Rae and James Morrison – delivering soulful and smoldering vocals. Both albums infuse Springs' jazz base with pop and R&B, resulting in a captivating selection of songs that are delivered with heart and soul.

Weezer (Teal Album), Weezer: What is not to love about an album that includes Weezer's covers of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)", "Take on Me", "No Scrubs", and "Billy Jean" – along with five other classic pop hits? There is nothing not to love, and Weezer puts a unique spin on each song that shows just how indelible these hits are.