I’d heard Melissa’s name floated around a few years, but I just had the pleasure to hear her open for the incomparable David Ryan Harris this weekend. This song…I can’t handle it. It’s beauty is in it’s simplicity. The intimacy in play back and forth between the lead and backing vocals is poignant.
Remember the good old days when new music was released on Tuesday instead of Friday in the U.S.? Well, you should; it only changed back in July. As I’ve established, I’m not the biggest fan of change and I am a huge fan of nostalgia, so I’ve decided to steal an idea from several other people and put out a weekly playlist of songs that I’m jamming to. Maybe they’re old, maybe they’re not, but they’re in my head and they’re coming to you fresh, every Tuesday.
This week’s inaugural selection is Pentatonix’s “Can’t Sleep Love [with Tink] and JP Cooper’s “Satellite.”
Confession: I was in show choir in high school and we did a bunch of a cappella stuff, but I’m simply not feeling this recent trend of a cappella based entertainment entering the mainstream (I’m talking to you, Pitch Perfect). I was even a little “meh” on Pentatonix when everyone shared their YouTube videos (except for that Michael Jackson medley, of course). Imagine my surprise when I heard this little ditty because it’s basically everything my heart desires. I chose the version with Tink because, even though she should be banned for that Aaliyah remake, her verse gives the group an opportunity to layer it with more fun harmonization.
This guy’s voice reminds me of Donny Hathaway (HIGH PRAISE!!!!). It’s not quite as rich, but it’s still very tender and caresses basically every note. If Brian McKnight’s “Love of My Life” was the song that made my shoulders sag whenever I heard a man go into a falsetto (spoiler alert: it was), JP Cooper restored my faith in it.
“But what makes it a Dave Barnes song?” This question was posed to me by an acquaintance within the last few weeks. How’d we get there? No idea. I think we kicked it off with me ranting about the numerous reasons I despise the Green Hills area, but that’s neither here nor there (but if I had to pick, it’s there). When I heard the question, I was slightly taken aback and I answered, somewhat dismissively (but no less truthfully), “Uh, because it’s awesome.”
Hi, I'm Kia 