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Day 5: on the floor // “write it ON THE FLOOR” by Austin Brown // #photos #PhotoADayJuly #AustinBrown #backpackkids #music (Taken with Instagram)
MUZAK
“Groove 92” ft Merita AppleHead by Austin Brown
I took Austin’s awesome song “Groove 92” and upon request of my friend Porsha… added a rap to it. Please check it out!!
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MERITA MUSIC
Rap: “Groove 92” by Austin Brown
I added a rap to the end of AB’s song GROOVE 92If you like it, RE-BLOG it… Please & Thank you :)
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AppleHead Review: “Colorful Tambourines” by Austin Brown
by: Merita AppleHead, June 3, 2012
Yesterday for Music Monday, SoulTrain.com featured a brand new track called “Colorful Tambourines” from Back Pack Kid, Austin Brown. This of course made me happy as I love when AB lets lose the new new.
My initial impression when “Colorful Tambourines” blasted through my Bose headphones… I spoke aloud in an Indian accent and said.. “I like it already!” « No seriously. I actually did that, there was also a giddy expression on my face. I really want you to imagine it so you can know my joy. Because immediately I was thoroughly pleased with the dancey beat and wanted to get up and do THIS. « Click that.
Austin’s jubilant vocals are amazing. The falsetto. The harmonies. I mean, vocally, “Colorful Tambourines” contains so much of what I like, I’m almost convinced it was tailored special order for me. I know, I know, it’s highly unlikely that that’s true, but it’s still an amusing thought to entertain.
As for cons…Let’s see… I’m not nuts about the title of the song or the use of the title in the chorus. It’s not to the point to where I dislike the song because of it, but I enjoy the song much more when I don’t focus on the lyrics. So by all means, don’t let that stop you from checking out “Colorful Tambourines” because it’s definitely worth the listen.
Listen to Austin Brown’s “Colorful Tambourines”… HERE
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AppleHead Review: “What Did I Lose to Love You” by Austin Brown
by Merita AppleHead, June 19, 2012
Ladies and gentlemen, Austin Brown is at it again, that’s right, more music! With the release of “What Did I Lose to Love You” Austin gives us another taste of what’s to come when his album “Highway 85” drops (due out this month last I heard). I keep thinking there won’t be anything new and then another song will find it’s way to YouTube. Like when you have birthday money and it’s literally begging to be spent… it’s “burning a hole in your pocket”… that’s what it must be like for Austin with his music. It must be burning a hole in his pocket. Begging to be released and enjoyed by his fans. I don’t blame him and I’m not mad at all the free music either.
I heard this song a while ago on FaceBook via some lucky duck who saw him live sharing a video. I couldn’t quite tell what he was singing and the title of the song wasn’t listed. But I liked the melody and the man was on his knees passionately singing. That’s promising right? So after the long wait, I’m happy to say I do indeed like “What Did I Lose to Love You” very much.
I’m going to use one of my dad’s phrasings here, so bear with me…
This song is good from “the rooter to the tooter”… that is to say, from beginning to end. Austin really put some stank on his falsetto for this one and I love it, and like “Fxcked With My Head,” he really sings out on this one. The backing vocals are especially nice when all the lovey harmonies layer in with the “ahhhhs” and “doo-doo-doo-doo.” There’s only one other artist who has backing vocals that I enjoy singing just as much as the lead… I won’t steal AB’s thunder by mentioning him… but his name rhymes with Jichael Mackson. I’m just saying.
The rhythm section is a lock, nice bass & drums (ha, see what I did there?) But my favorite instrument on “What Did I Lose to Love You” is… the flute! Due to the movie “the Anchorman,” I find myself always loving a good jazz flute. I’m assuming that’s Scott Bruzenak (BPK) swagging out on the flute and I just want to shout him out because I always LOOOOVE the flute bits of AB’s songs.
As for cons. I’ll say this: The opening and very beginning of the verses, make me think of another song recently written by Tommy Parker (BPK) and Kelly Lumpkins. The very first time I played “What Did I Lose to Love You,” my mind immediately went.. “Mmmhmm.. Ah-hah” in the intro and “I can’t help it, I’m just selfish…” at the beginning of the verse. The similarity is very brief and limited, but it stood out to me. I guess that happens though.
Listen to Austin Brown’s “What Did I Lose to Love You”… HERE
Follow Austin on TWITTER
AustinBrown.com
Austin Brown - “What Did I Lose To Love You”
This is a special record release for all of the Back Pack Kids tonight. I hope you guys enjoy this and vibe out to it.
#Music
Ay check out AB’s latest release… be sure you re-blog it if you like it… spread the word… Austin Brown… Austin Brown… Austin Brown… BackPackKids on the rise. Leggo. « I actually hate the term “leggo” but it felt appropriate. LoL.
APPLEHEAD REVIEW coming soon…
AppleHead Review: “Friend to Me” by Austin Brown
by: Merita AppleaHead, May 29, 2012
“Friend to Me” is Austin Brown’s second release in his, now concluded, Music Monday series of releases and our very first taste of studio ballad from him. “Friend” doesn’t quite fit into the typical love song box though. As a matter of fact, I recall when listening to it the very first time and thinking… “Ohhh you sly dog, you.”
Austin sings so sweetly that you forget about the fact that he’s pulling the wool over some poor girl’s eyes. Throughout the “Friend to Me,” Austin serves up the vocals I’ve come to expect, a little high, some low and of course the yummy vibrato. My absolute favorite bit though, is the bridge, the vocal arrangement there is just… layered perfection. “Friend” is probably one of my lyrical favorites from Austin, because it’s like a country song without actually being a country song. What I mean by that is, “it tells a story,” which is from what I’m always hearing about country, is the best part about country.
When I listen to “Friend to Me” I always imagine Austin doing some smooth mic stand choreography, something like what Backstreet Boys do when they perform “I’ll Never Break Your Heart.” Many a time have I danced to “Friend to Me” with a broom, attempting such choreography. This of course is a fail, because well, number one, unlike a mic stand, the broom does not stand on it’s own… and then there’s the fact that I’m not an amazing dancer. Minor detail. LoL.
Cons…? Jeeze, are there any? I don’t think there are. I almost wish there were so that compliments meant more. Because I’m definitely not just laying it on thick to make Austin look good. I respect the work and talent that goes into an Austin Brown song so much that I’d never just kiss his ass to make him happy. But darn it, AB just doesn’t provide much opportunity to give constructive criticisms. This guy is on his shxt.
Listen to Austin Brown’s “Friend to Me”…. HERE
Follow Austin on TWITTER
AppleHead Review: “Write it On the Floor” by Austin Brown
by: Merita AppleHead, May 24, 2012
On February 20th, Austin Brown officially kicked off a series of Music Monday releases with “Write it On the Floor.” The song was originally done with Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins (Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Beyonce & Aaliyah) and later remixed with the Backpack Kids (a writing group composed of himself, Tommy Parker and Scott Bruznak). I don’t tend to like remixes, like, at all, but “Write it On the Floor” proves to be an exception.
“Write it On the Floor” is a fun dance song that’s sure to get everyone off their butts and on the dance floor. I think my favorite thing about this song are the sounds that make up the beat you’re sure to be dancing to. It opens with a sound that reminds me of one of Superman’s pavement cracking landings. The Superman sound is followed up by what puts me in the mind of what a symphony of electric rubber bands must sound like. I’m pretty sure electric rubber bands don’t exist, but if they did, that’s definitely them featured in this song. There are several more sounds in this song I that I love, but if I listed them all the way I perceived them, you’d get a much too clear view into my imagination. And probably this review would become way too long. So, let’s just say this, the beat is dope.
Along with the fun dance beat, Austin delivers quality vocals and lyrics that inspire you to dance just as much as the music itself. I hope this song becomes somewhat of a party anthem. Or that song that comes on in the club that makes you stop talking mid-sentence and go “OHHHHHH!!!” in excitement. “Write it On the Floor” blasting while people tell their stories on the floor.
As for cons? It’s technically a remix, but we have yet to hear it in it’s original Darkchild form. Will we ever get to hear that version? I sure would like to.
Listen to Austin Brown’s “Write it On the Floor”…. HERE
AppleHead Review: “Menage a Trois” by Austin Brown
by Merita AppleHead, May 23, 2012
I remember when Austin tweeted a video of behind the scenes footage of his upcoming music video for “Menage a Trois”… it was the first real taste of the video as well as the song (as the single had yet to be released). I know, I for one had been sketch when Austin tweeted that his second single would be called “Menage a Trois”… I remember thinking… “Oh Lord… a 3-some song” when I first heard of the title. But with the release of the behind the scenes footage, I, we, got to hear just what the song was about, and it wasn’t at all the expected 3-some song. The behind the scenes video opens with a full 30 second teaser of “Menage” and I remember falling for the song INSTANTLY. So much that I made a video of me singing the 30 seconds from the footage… and asking Austin to hurry up with the goods! He in turn promised it’d be released on Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day came and I finally got to make my second Austin Brown purchase and I was finally able to hear the entirety of the song that had gotten stuck in my head the month before. And boy was I ever pleased!
With “Menage” it’s the structure of the song that sweeps me away, the layers of perfection that make up that one complete product. The first thing that I loved was the bass line, after the introductory clapping, it’s the very first sound you hear. Its the sound that leads you to that musical promise land of “ooooo’s” and “trois”… shakers and groovy piano chord changes.
Now you know how much I love harmonies, at least, I’ve mentioned it many times in the past… and this song is laced with harmonies so sweet your dentist would frown upon it.. BUT.. it’s surprisingly not my favorite thing about “Menage.” I know, I know. What can be better than Austin’s lovely harmonies? Well, it’s the bass line. From the beginning, like I said, I love it… but after the little piano break, the bass line picks up as a dope azz vocal bass line. I swear I bout lost my mind. I can’t put my finger on why, but that just had me jazzed beyond belief.
The cons? I suppose it’d be the title. I love the song, but I imagine to some the title must be off putting, as the title alone practically screams 3-some. Not to mention me personally, I’ve had to avoid this song like the plague when I have my young nieces & nephew. Last thing I need is for them to learn a new fun phrase to say at daycare. LoL. Or have my 10 year old niece as me what it means. I’ve already had one slip up due to a Jackson, dang Michael and his nudity in “You Are Not Alone”.. SMH… I was babysitting a 3 yr old girl who’s in love with him and preferred watching his videos to Nick Jr… yea… I forgot to skip “YANA” and she was like.. “Oop… HIM NAKEY!!” …. *face palm*
Anyway, I digress. Title aside, this song knocks.
Listen to Austin Brown’s “Menage a Trois”…. HERE
Sidenote:
The video is simple but fun and totally worked for the song. But you know, my one critique of the video… Austin wearing white Chuck Taylors while dancing against a white backdrop. You could barely see his feet during his wiggle walk. That’s no good. So I hope in the future, he’s mindful of that. Making sure we can always see his fancy foot work or he might as well not even do it.
AppleHead Review: Backtracking…
For those of you who have been keeping up with my music reviews, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve reviewed MOST of Austin Brown’s music.. but not all of it. The reason behind it is simple, I didn’t think of doing it early on and started with the first new song that came along after the idea. So now, I plan on going back and reviewing the songs I’ve yet to review, starting with Menage a Trois and forward. Soooo.. sit tight.. more coming soon!!
Peace, Luv & Oatmeal
Merita
Find the AppleHead Review… HERE
AppleHead Review: “Bass ‘n Drum” by Austin Brown
by Merita AppleHead, May 15, 2012
Every time I think Austin Brown is done releasing music until the June drop of his album “Highway 85” … he releases something else. Kinda reminds me of how when the Backstreet Boys are working on their new albums, “mysteriously” songs leak online, it’s usually Nick, giddy and excited for fan feedback. Maybe that’s the case with Austin, or maybe these post Music Monday releases were already in his master plan, whatever the case, I’m glad to have whatever songs he wants to give us.
I knew I’d love “Bass ‘n Drum” the moment it began because Austin started it with my absolute favorite thing…. lovely harmonies… Le sigh. As a matter of fact, this song contains several of my favorite things. Bass and drum, obviously… as well as a little Auggie falsetto. I hear again what sounds like an electro-theremin, which of course reminds me of the Beach Boys “Good Vibrations.” And there’s two more sounds in this song that I love, the little whistle at the very beginning that follows the opening harmonies and the what sounds like someone clanking a wooden spoon on a Mason jar (which very much reminds me Randy and Janet clanking away for of Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough“… particularly the demo version). I really love little sounds like that, it kinda adds character to songs. Little splashes of color.
Cons for “Bass ‘n Drum” are fairly nonexistent as far I’m concerned. I will say, the one thing that would make this song absolute perfection… is knowing that it was indeed Janet or Randy clanking the mason jar on THIS song as well!! But you know, nothings perfect so I suppose I’ll just have to get over that one. LoL.
Listen to Austin Brown’s “Bass ‘n Drum”…. HERE
