The Music Suitcase

Keri Hilson

Music Suitcase — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:50:54 +0000

Ever since hearing Keri Hilson on her collaborations with Timbaland on his album Shock Value (namely, The Way I Are, Scream & Miscommunication) I have been waiting for the release of her solo work. This is her first song from hopefully an album full of songs just as good. Energy talks about the pain brought about by a relationship going sour. With her voice, beautiful looks and Timbaland on production it’s a sure hit.

NLT

Music Suitcase — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:09:13 +0000

I have just discovered this band through, you guessed it, Universal Music Group on youtube.com They are an American boy band and they still even do the boy band dance moves. But honestly the songs are pretty catchy – perhaps best when not watching the video if you don’t like to admit your a boy band fan (I enjoy them). That Girl is an upbeat funky song and was their first hit in the US. Karma has just been released and is a sure hit. Perhaps my favourite is their second release She Said, I Said (Time We Let Go), which takes a couple of listens but is a nice one. The four guys that make up the group seem like a lot of fun, with their own channel on YouTube with them messing about in cafes, rapping and all sorts! It’s called NLTtug. They are yet to make it to the UK but with songs like these it shouldn´t be long!

Victory for Spain…and Catalonia

Music Suitcase — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:07:30 +0000

It was incredible, I thought, to be in Spain for the Euro 2008 final between Spain and Germany. However, whether I´m actually in Spain, apparently, is debatable. After avidly following the other matches leading up to the final with Lucie and her French colocataires either in my flat or hers we felt we should take to the streets for the final – as England didn´t even qualify I had adopted temporary Spanish citizenship – as, it seems, had many of the inhabitants of Catalonia. Those Catalans you normally hear on the airplane being asked if their nationality is Spanish and who indignantly respond ´no, I´m not Spanish, I´m Catalan´ were now the ones conferring on Internet forums as to where they could watch the match on a big screen in Barcelona or buying fireworks in anticipation of ´their´ win. After Spain´s previous victories running up to the final it was impossible to sleep with the fans going crazy in the streets, singing ´PODEMOS´ (the TV channel, cuatro, who broadcasts the match, famous catch phrase) at the top of their voices as they passed every house or pipping their horn as they rounded street corners at dangerous speeds even for the average Spanish or Italian driver, whilst their Spanish flag was flying high – usually over the driver´s part of the windscreen. Lucie, Jules and I had spent the afternoon at the beach and you could feel the tension and excitment building up – everyone was talking about it! Because there were so many people heading into the city centre we decided against heading down to Maremagnum or Plaza España to watch the match. Instead we stayed at Lucie´s and celebrated Torres´ goal 30 minutes into the match with klaxons mixed in with cheers from all the other inhabitants in the block! Living in Joanic it was too far to head into las Ramblas to see the celebrations but it sounds like celebrations here would have made you think twice about whether you were somewhere that wasn´t part of Spain!

Lloyd feat. Lil Wayne – All around the world

Music Suitcase — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:05:49 +0000

Not yet officially released, this song from 22 year old, Atlanta born Lloyd was another finding on the Universal Music Group page. After previously only knowing Lloyd as a feature on other artists´ tracks and his collaboration with Ashanti on South Side he´s coming into his own with this surreal song. Check out the strange but slightly scary video. I´m not sure about the straightened hair. If you like this, other songs worth listening to are You also feat. Lil Wayne and Get it Shawty as well as Lil Wayne´s new song Lollipop. Lloyd´s new album, Lessons In Love, is out August 5th.

Kardinal Offishall feat Akon – Dangerous

Music Suitcase — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:04:11 +0000

Sorting through the latest offerings from the Universal Music Group on YouTube I came across Kardinal Offishall. Dangerous is a particularly catchy and nice R&B track with a great beat. If you´ve never heard of Kardinal Offishall, Akon featuring on a number of his songs is enough reason to check him out. Kardinal Offishall is the stage name for Canadian music artist and producer Jason Harrow. The 32 year old specialises in a new reggae style of hip-hop!

Bordeaux to Barcelona

Music Suitcase — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:00:55 +0000

My year abroad has now brought me to Barcelona. An unexpected occurence as I previously vowed I´d never live in the ´chilly´ Catalan speaking second capital of Spain during my year abroad – I wouldn´t learn any Spanish and I wouldn´t get a sun tan – a lose lose situation. After passing the telephone interview for an interesting internship (in which I said it would be no problem relocating the day after my language assistant contract finished in Bordeaux) I found myself jamming all my belongings (which easily overflowed from my one small suitcase and rucksack) into many a large plastic bag in preparation for the 11 hour train journey from Bordeaux to Barcelona. Perhaps one of the upsides of not thinking through my life was that at least I could bring everything I wanted with me – afterall I was going by train – the only limit was my bicep strength (unrivalled) and the number of people I could encourage to help me along the 3-train-changes way – the airline company and their 20kg would not have let me get half as far. At 11pm the day before I was due to leave Bordeaux Catherine came up to my ´bedroom´ to say her goodbye. There was little left to say between myself and my French host family by this point – having spent the previous 2 weeks with little conversation due to them being offended that I didn´t think it was particularly normal to pay 400 euros (a month´s rent) for my final two weeks. Catherine however did make it up the wobbly attic stairs of death to tell me that I didn´t look like I was by any means packed and that her husband, Jean would help me the following morning. His help the following morning turned out to be driving me 200m down the road, taking out my many bags from the car, putting them on the pavement and leaving me in the pouring rain wondering how I would heave them to the tram stop and wishing I´d walked to the tram stop next to our house instead of being driven further away from both that one and the following. Still this was more generous than I could ever have hoped – Jean originally was going to drive me the 5 minutes to the train station – which I politely was decling just as Catherine cut Jean off and loudly told him (in front of her lunch party of Jean´s extended family) that that absolutely wouldn´t be necessary – nor would it be necessary to take me to the tram stop – afterall my suitcase had wheels.