This Week in Music features new music from James Bay, Plan B, OUTLYA and Shinedown!
James Bay – Pink Lemonade
James Michael Bay is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist, and was previously reviewed for his single Wild Love that was released earlier this year. In 2014, he released his certified platinum single "Hold Back the River" which peaked at Number 2 in the UK charts. He then released his UK No.1 debut studio album “Chaos and the Calm” in 2015.
Pink Lemonade follows the release of Bay’s second album, “Electric Light” and the announcement of his 2018 “Wild Love” tour. The lyrics of the song are about the ending of a relationship, with the beat of the chorus almost the same as the rate of a heart beat when a break-up is impending. The song contains an upbeat energy and with an incredibly catchy beat, you’ll find yourself singing along in no time!
Plan B – Guess Again
Benjamin Paul Ballance-Drew, more commonly known as Plan B, is an English hip-hop star, with many talents such as rapping, singing, song writing, acting and directing. He released his debut album “Who Needs Actions When You Got Words” in 2006, with his second album “The Defamation of Strickland Banks” being released in 2010. His second album contained music closer to soul than hip-hop, and went straight to number one on the UK Albums Chart.
Guess Again is modern dance track with a high chance of being found playing in a nightclub. The song contains his usual politically fuelled lyrical content, and is yet another example of Plan B’s range of musical talent.
OUTLYA – White Light
OUTLYA are a relatively new band, releasing their first single, The Light, in early 2017. The English indie-rock band comprises of three members, and they show promising talent for their future in music.
White Light is another classic dance track. Chorus-driven, the song is about finding your way through those darker days and towards the light at the end of the road. Still potentially one for the club, this hit more suits those sunny days at the beach, so keep it in mind when summer finally arrives!
Shinedown – Devil
Shinedown is a popular American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. They’ve sold over 10 million records across the world, with the third most number one singles on the “Billboard Mainstream Rock” chart at 11, sitting just behind Van Halen and Three Days Grace.
Devil is the first song off of their forthcoming sixth album, Attention Attention. Devil takes its place on the more negatively-themed side of the album, which becomes more positive as the songs progress. Lyrically, the song is about realising the world is a difficult place to live and becoming frightened by that thought. Musically its comprised of a strong beat, layers of synth, piano and guitar textures which blend together to create a really powerful song.