Solo Artist of the Week: Rita Ora

http://www.facebook.com/RitaOra

We continue Girl Power Week here at Bands That Need Love Too with our Solo Artist of the Week, Rita Ora! I've seen her name here and there, pretty much on tumblr because a girl I follow is quite a big fan of her, and I always make a note to myself to give her a listen, and then never do. Luckily, thanks to The Hits Radio (again) I finally heard her.

I honestly didn't know who I was listening to when the song came on, probably because I was only half paying attention (you know, because I listen to the radio when doing homework) but I quickly switched my attention because, wow, how boss is this girl's vocals and her track?

Admittedly, she's a little more known than I like to write about, what with her twitter having 900,000+ followers, but I can justify it if we pretend no one in American knows her. (Which, isn't a LIE per say. I mean, I did have to listen to British radio to hear her.) But I digress.

After falling in love with the song, R.I.P., I took to youtube to find all I could from Ms. Ora. What I found was a strong, soulful voice backed by rockin' dance beats that'd make anyone wanna move. I mean, that's kind of the main requirement for Girl Power Week if you haven't noticed. Rita Ora is the music you put on when you just want to have a good time. Her music is the music you blast while driving downtown through the city you love.

One of her singles, "How We Do (Party)," lyrically reminds me of Katy Perry's TGIF, only I personally think Ora rocks it so much better. Why I never heard it on the radio is beyond me. "R.I.P." is a harder song with heavier beats and showcases her voice better, which is probably why I love it so much. That, and it just makes me feel like the biggest badass.

In my own, humble opinion, Rita Ora has everything to make it big. She has the voice (as is apparent in her acoustic stuff), she has beats, and she has the looks. (Honestly, the girl is freaking gorgeous, and much like with Little Mix, I would LOVE to go on a shopping adventure with her.) That, and she just seems to be a pretty cool person. I mean, she cites Tina Turner, Ella Fitzgerald, David Bowie and Gwen Stefani as some of her influences. That's just... boss.

Let's just add her to the list of awesome talent coming from the UK, yeah?

America, you'd be remiss if you didn't learn to love her, like... now.

Go Download: Here in the US of A, you can pick up her single "How We Do (Party)" on iTunes! And if you're in the UK or Ireland, you can preorder her debut album 'ORA' which is set to drop August 28. No word on when it'll be out in the US though :(

And in case you needed proof of how amazing her voice really is...

Little Mix

http://www.facebook.com/LittleMixOfficial

I have quite honestly been the worst about blogging. It isn't my fault, I swear. I haven't lost my love for discovering bands, nor have I lost my love for writing. I've just been so busy that my head has been reeling from all the things that I've been trying to keep up with. (And by that, I mean I've been having one HELL of a time trying to stay on top of Spanish.) However, you will all be happy to hear that not only am I on my second to last chapter of this god forsaken book, I have also found some time to introduce you to another group :)

You see, a couple weeks ago I picked my next band to promo, but now that I listen to them a little more, I come to find I've changed my mind, which left me in distress and in dire need of a band. Who should I tell you lot to listen to if I can't decide?! Then, as I was listening to The Hits Radio-- my current radio obsession, honestly if there is anything you get from this post, it's a new radio station-- and it played Little Mix's single that I've been desperately trying to decide if I like or not, it hit me. (Along with the realization that yes, yes I DO quite like that song.) Why don't I introduce you guys to this group?

Now, I know, I KNOW. You're probably tired of my weird British artist obsession. At this point I might as well change the requirements for this blog to be from England. I swear I don't do it on purpose, it's just that A LOT of really good stuff is coming out of there right now. Cool, glad we got that out of the way. Now on to the important stuff, shall we?

Little Mix is an all girl group who won The X Factor UK (ugh don't you give me those judging eyes) and if I'm being totally, 1,000% honest, I wasn't exactly a fan of their live performances. I mean, I thought they were good, but they weren't for me, ya know? I haven't liked a girl group since The Spice Girls, and even then I think I may have only liked them because I was young and all about girl power.

But I, for the life of me, could not escape these girls. Tumblr talks about them. Sugarscape talks about them. The Hits Radio talks about them. So finally, FINALLY, I gave in (Are you happy internet?) and I gave their single "Wings" a listen. And I still wasn't sold, but I can admit that it makes me break out my inner diva. I mean, you don't have to necessarily like a song to wanna dance to it do ya? (Ex- Anything from Katy Perry) Dear lord, it's quite embarrassing how bad it makes me wanna whip my hair back and forth actually, but I still wasn't sold. In fact, as I started this post, I still wasn't exactly sure how I felt, because like I said, none of their live performances I had seen from the show had made me think, hm, those girls are fucking boss.

Then, I came across their a capella versions of "Cry Me A River" and "Survivor." (Found HERE) and though they clock in at about 25 seconds a piece, I started to get it. They weren't hiding behind any of the extras that come with The X Factor-- you know, fancy lights, dancing, etc-- they were sitting on a couch, singing and beat boxing. (That's right. BEAT BOXING. Fierce.)

But, then I saw the link that would change everything. You see, dearest readers, sitting in the "Suggested Videos" sidebar was their live performance of Damien Rice's "Cannonball." It is honestly one of the most beautiful songs, and woah, who'd think these diva-licious singers would cover that song, right? So curiosity got the better of me and I clicked it.

And then it was like the stars aligned and wow. I GET it. Alright, England, you dragged me kicking and screaming on this one but I see why they won. I understand. The song showcased each and every one of them and my breath was taken away by how spectacular they are. They aren't just some pop girl group, but four soulful singers that are SO much more.

"Wings" may be the fun track that is gonna get them on radios everywhere, but "Cannonball" is, well, it's the song that's gonna get them fans. GOD I hope they have more like it on their album, because you best believe that I'll be getting it, as I hope many other people will, because I'd actually quite enjoy seeing these girls make it. With voices like that, they deserve to make it.

That, and let's be real, I kinda wish I could be them. Have you seen how gorgeous they are? And do NOT even get me started on their wardrobes. Hey Little Mix, let's go shoppin' together, yeah?

Go Download: WELL, unfortunately you can't download anything yet :/ If you live in the UK though, you can pre-order "Wings." We Americans, however, have to wait. They're worth the wait though!

And of course, the single, which is full of color and fun and yeah. I'm still whippin' my hair.

Zach London

http://zachlondon.tumblr.com/

I've been missing for the past week. I even promised to give you a new artist/band and didn't hold up to that promise. Which makes me feel like a terrible person who should not be allowed to run a promotional blog and have Spanish homework at the same time. With that being said, I've been scratching my head trying to find who to break my mini hiatus with. I've had three solo artists queued for a bit, and I'm ever in the search for more bands, since, well... this is BANDS That Need Love Too. So finally, after much agonizing, I've decided to come back to you all with artist Zach London.

Much like the many that have come before him, Zach London was discovered through on of my various social networks. (Tumblr this time for all those wondering. I'm assuming he followed me due to the One Direction part of my blog, as I don't think the post-hardcore/pop-rock part of it wouldn't call out much to his genre lol.) What intrigued me so much about him is that none of his sites-- well, his Youtube, Tumblr and Facebook anyway-- are more than three months old, which leads me to believe he is seriously THAT brand spanking new.

Now, let's jump into his covers, shall we? That's right, all the guy has up right now are covers. Three on his Youtube and one on his Tumblr to be exact, but don't look anything into it, because each one is stunning. I'm particularly partial to his cover of Usher's "Climax." Maybe it's because I already loved the song to begin with, but Zach London breathes such a rich, smooth feel into it that I can't help but just sit back and feel like I'm rolling around in something completely decadent. (Think chocolate fondue for the ears, yeah?) Not that Usher DOESN'T deliver some rich R&B, but it's Mr. London here who takes it above and beyond, his tone the perfect breathy and light that makes it seem more like a heartbreak song than it sounds when Usher does it. (Let's be real, when Usher sings it, it's baby making music. Is that too far?)

He also covered One Direction's "More Than This," which is actually my least favorite of his covers. Not because I don't like it, because honestly I think this boy is great, but because it's too faithful to the original version. It's almost like I'm listening to 1D's long lost sixth member, and personally, I would like to hear more Zach London, because if I wanted to listen to 1D, I'd throw their album on.

His other two covers, Beyonce and Frank Ocean's "Miss You" and J. Cole's "Work Out" are both great covers. "Work Out" is almost tied with "Climax" as far as favorites go for Zach's covers. It's uptempo and is just fun. It's good stuff AND he made it his own.

I really, sincerely hope that we get new music from him soon, whether it be another cover or if it be something of his own. I think he can breathe some new life into the R&B/Pop scene and would GLADLY buy an album from him. So I think, you should get to liking him too. That way we all can point fingers and say I told you so when he makes it big :)

Go Download: It's a sad, sad day when I can't post a link for you to download anything, but hey, you can give his songs a listen on his Youtube!

Tich

http://www.youtube.com/user/Iamtichmusic

I'm a firm believer in checking out music that artists I like talk about. I mean, since I like them, it only stands to reason that I'd like what they listen to, at least a little, right? So when Louis Tomlinson tweeted about Tich's cover of "More Than This", I had to look into it, if not only for the fact that I love the song. What I ended up finding was a wonderful female vocalist who not only makes gorgeous covers of the songs I love, but who also makes amazing original songs.

If we're being honest, I was so excited to write the post about her, I almost double posted yesterday. But I exercised my self restraint and waited until this morning to post. Because of this remarkable self restraint I have (haha) I was able to become quite familiar with the songs she has on her youtube channel (I think I let her channel autoplay like.... four times in a row).

You see, Tich is the stage name of Rachel Furner, who started playing piano and writing music at quite a young age, so though she's only 20, she has the musicality of someone much older. Her voice is so clear and strong and I can't help but feel it's the voice that most female artists shoot to emulate, but never can. And because of that, I can't help but wonder how it is this girl isn't making radio rounds yet. Of course, I can only imagine it's a matter of time now before people pick up on how amazing she is as she has performed with artists such as Paolo Nutini, Pixie Lott, Justin Beiber and written music with Nick Jonas. (Oh, and in 2010 she performed at the iTunes Festival. Yeah.)

On top of all that, she just seems like such a genuine person. As we speak-- er... type-- her song "What I Meant To Say" is playing and the video consists of several clips of her and her friends just goofing off. Now, I like to pride myself in the fact that I'm an excellent judge of character, and this girl has the best kind of character. She not only captivates you with her music, but her personality.

Have I said enough about her to make you intrigued? No? Well, good, cuz I wasn't done yet anyway. You see, I was already pretty sold on Tich after the "More Than This" cover. I became completely sold upon hearing her cover of Queen's "No One But You." But the song that made Tich leap to the top of my favorite female vocalist list? Her own song "Breathe In, Breathe Out" that she wrote with Nick Jonas. The song is about the moment you realize you've fallen in love with someone, and who HASN'T been there before, right? But anyway, aside from the fact that it's so freaking relatable, she sings it SO passionately. I was completely blown away when I heard it. So much so in fact that I had to replay it just to make sure that I had heard what I thought I had. (If you were wondering, yes, I did. It still blows me away even though I'm sure I've added 100 views to the video.)

So yeah, I don't know if you guys get it at this point, but I think Tich is phenomenal. A lot of the comments on her youtube videos call for her to try out for X Factor, but if we're being honest, I don't think she needs it. She is wonderful on her own and I can't imagine she'll stay unknown for much longer. And if she does, than I have lost faith in the industry.

Go Download: Aside from the free download on her Facebook (which is also the Official Anti Bullying Ambassadors Campaign Song), we unfortunately don't have anything else to add to our iPods. Luckily, technology allows us to access youtube on just about anything now.

Have I mentioned that she's amazing yet? Thank you Louis!

Cher Lloyd

http://www.facebook.com/cherlloydmusic

Who do you have to thank for this post? Savan Kotecha. That's right, Savan Kotecha, songwriter and vocal producer behind artists such as Usher, Carrie Underwood and One Direction. WHY do you have him to thank? Well, my dear readers, because he has been tweeting nonstop about Cher Lloyd and curiosity finally got the better of me.

After seeing yet another tweet about her latest single, "Want U Back," I took to Youtube in search of the song and was hit in the face with a catchy summer song. Of course, this led me to start searching her album because I am in need of some serious summer tune-age. What I found, was a great, fun album.

Now, if I were to describe Cher Lloyd's music to you, I'd have to say this: It's like if Nicki Minaj and Lily Allen's music had a baby that was influenced by Godmummy Madonna. That's really weird to read, I'm sure, but I really can't think of how else to describe it. But I promise, it makes sense when you listen to her.

Let's start from the beginning, yeah?

Cher Lloyd is another product of the UK's X Factor, having been a contestant on the seventh series. (Seems to have been QUITE an exciting season, no?) She made it to the final, finishing in fourth place before being signed by Syco Music (Simon Cowell's label, in case you were wondering). And I guess you can say the rest is history.

Her debut album, 'Sticks + Stones,' boasts collaborations with Busta Rhymes, Carolina Liar and Mike Posner as well as beats that get under your skin. The album peaked in the UK at #4 and now she's trying her hand at cracking America. You know, as a part of this major British Invasion we got going on. NOT that I'm complaining. You guys already know how I feel about all things British.

That all being said, I don't think I've ever heard an album that is just so freaking catchy the whole way through. Even the one song that I'm not particularly a fan of has me bobbing my head, even if I don't want to. ("Swagger Jagger" for those of you wondering. Though I do love the chorus.) Overall, 'Sticks + Stones' is a great first album. I'm genuinely excited to see her grow as an artist and let's be real, I'm EXTRA excited to blast her music in my car with the windows down. Get with it America, I wanna hear this girl on the radio.

Go Download: "Want U Back" just dropped in America TODAY! So go pick it up HERE!!! And make sure to keep your eyes open for when her album happens :D

We Caught the Castle

http://www.wecaughtthecastle.com/

So I was checking my Tumblr, you know, to see if anyone thought any of my posts were interesting enough to reblog and whatnot when I saw that I gained a new follower! Gaining a new follower on Tumblr always excites me because I figure they're following me because the genuinely like what I post, which means they like me because my Tumblr is basically what the inside of my head looks like. Anyway, so I checked out who followed me, and much to my surprise, it was a guy by the name of Joe Sellers, and he is in a band.

Upon clicking on the video he had posted of his band, I just HAD to listen to more of their music. I have mentioned before that I am not a fan of the female voice. My iPod is dominated by men, mainly because women can just be so damn whiney. But We Caught the Castle's front woman Hollie Elizabeth could sure as HELL hold her own on my iTunes library. While I come to find that many female vocalists in the pop-rock/punk genre are often compared to Hayley Williams or Cassadee Pope, I can't help but feel that Hollie not only could run circles around the two, but should be one of the voices others are compared to instead. (Not that I have anything against Hayley Williams or Cassadee Pope. They just are not my favorite female vocalists.)

But Ms. Elizabeth's voice isn't the the main component of what makes WCTC so good. No, this band is one of those bands that has found the magical combination. Maybe separately they are all great, but together... well... together they're fucking menace. While Hollie is the main voice, Robbie Everett (Bass), Simon Jackman (Lead Guitar) and the aforementioned Joe (Rhythm Guitar) all contribute vocals, creating such a wonderful contrast to blast from my speakers.

Don't think that this means I've forgotten Zak Watson, the band's drummer, because this boy holds it down. Generally, I'm not immediately captured by drums. I am aware that they're there, but I get caught up in voices first, and then guitars, and so on. However, this time around, my ears are just drawn to the pulsing, driving, crashing sounds that he's doling out on his drum set, and boy are they pleased.

I also think I should mention that Simon rocks a killer guitar solo in their song "Say What You Want." (Fun fact: I just listened to that song three times in a row because I liked it so much.)

Basically, these guys are where it's at. As far as I'm concerned, I would consider them my favorite female fronted band, and that is saying something. They are definitely a gem, and I kind of feel like I need to personally thank Joe for following me on Tumblr so that I could discover them.

ALSO, they're going to drop an album in March. They're doing a launch party for it March 23, so I can only assume that it comes out around that time. So if you're in Reading, you should DEFINITELY check it out. (Just add this to the many list of reasons as to why I live in the wrong country. -.- I need to get to the England. STAT.)


Go Download: Everything they have on iTunes. Seriously. That's like, $6. So worth it.

We Are The Ocean

http://wearetheocean.co.uk/

It always blows my mind how a band can be so popular in one place and then not known in another. Now, I will admit that this time around I was a part of the "not knowing" category, but I have rectified the situation as it is a TERRIBLE category to be in.

You see, I got to catch We Are The Ocean on tour with You Me At Six, The Swellers and Twin Atlantic earlier this week and if we're being quite honest, I wasn't sure what I was expecting. Aside from knowing that they were British, I knew nothing of them. They definitely blew my mind though when they played. They were SO energetic even though the crowd was not. (Not only was it a really small crowd, we didn't know them.) One of their vocalists, Dan Brown, would come into the crowd and sing and rock the fuck out. It was actually in the moment that he came down from the stage and into the crowd that I decided these guys were gonna be HUGE. So of course, after the show I bought their album from them and talked with their guitarists Liam Cromby (who is also the second vocalist) and Alfie Scully and let me tell you they are some pretty cool dudes. I'm sad I missed meeting the others because I can only imagine that they're just as cool. (For real though. They are just so nice. I can't emphasize that enough.)

Anyway, I researched them the next day, and was really surprised to find that they weren't as little known as I had assumed they were. They actually have the second highest amount of Facebook likes of the four on the tour, which made me feel even worse about having just now discovered them.

I think what I love most is the contrast in Dan and Liam's voices. Liam's is like silk. It's fine and soothing and pulls you in and then Dan comes in and vocally punches you in the face. And what's weirdest of all is that on paper they shouldn't be able to blend so wonderfully together. But honestly, their voices come together to create one of the most unique sounds I have ever had the pleasure of listening to.

Now, what I have deduced from having their album on repeat since purchasing it two days ago, is that these guys offer something that we just don't grow in the US. In fact, I can't think of any band from the US that I could possibly compare them to. They remind me of Fightstar, but I mean, Fightstar wasn't from America either. So, I think what I'm trying to tell you is that these boys know rock.

There are people out there who will say that they are "rock" and maybe they're a category of rock, but WATO is the real deal.

So if you like your drums hard hitting (Thank you Tom Whittaker!), your bass causing your chest cavity to vibrate (Thanks Jack Spence!), your guitars ripping up the air (Here's lookin at you Alfie and Liam!) and your vocals dirty and gritty (Get it Dan!) than you have found the band for you.

I can promise you that checking them out will only lead to one of the best musical experiences you could have.

Go Download: Their latest album, "Go Now And Live," from iTunes!!! (However, I would suggest seeing them in concert so you can buy the physical copy because it comes with a download card to get 10 acoustic tracks. And between you and me, their acoustic stuff is just as mindblowing as the full band stuff.)

Top 10 Discoveries of 2011: #6

Name: Ed Sheeran
Original Post:http://corneroflostandfound.blogspot.com/2011/09/ed-sheeran.html

Why: Are you kidding me? Do I NEED a reason to love him aside from the fact that he's a ginger British singer?! Haha, but seriously, his music is some of the best music I have on my iPod. It isn't just what type of music he makes, even though it is some of the most chill music ever, it's also the subject matter. I feel like he covers a lot of real world problems that aren't seen in many artists' music today.

What they've done since I posted about them: He released an album, "+", but you can't get it in America. Go figure. BUT, America will be getting his EP on December 6 :)

In the mean time, watch his latest music video, which features Rupert Grint, my second favorite British ginger

Young Guns

http://www.facebook.com/younggunsuk

What do I like best about Young Guns...

Honestly? I don't know. But, it's most likely the fact that they are producing some of the best rock sounds I have been able to find in a while. Not pop-rock. Not punk-rock. Straight up rock sound. And I love it.

They are an extremely hard working group of boys, especially Gustav Wood and Fraser Taylor, who are the only ones who have been a part of the band since their creation in 2003. Their debut album, All Our Kings Are Dead, was self-released. And not only was it self-released, but it was a self-release that reached enough people to help them sell out their shows.

AND, not only have they sold out their own headlining tours, but they've even supported Bon Jovi. Yeah. BON. JOVI. So, I feel justified in saying that this band has their shit together, and they are definitely making wonderful music.

Gustav's voice is one of my favorite's in the rock scene. It's just so... pleasant? Is that the word I want? It's.... befitting the genre. And it has this very pure quality to it. It's just really clear, and I like it a lot.

Also, I think it should be mentioned that when I saw Yellowcard, LP was wearing a Young Guns hoodie. I told him I was really freaking jealous cuz I love them and Sean was like "Yeah, they're amazing!" and then rubbed it in that they get to see them next month T.T

Anyway, the moral of that story is that Yellowcard thinks Young Guns is amazing too.

The unfortunate thing about Young Guns is you can't buy their album in America, probably because it IS self-released. I, for one, had to find it off of Mediafire. But, it should be noted that as soon as I CAN buy it, I will. Their next album, Bones, has a planned release date of Febuary 6, 2012. So fingers crossed so we Americans can get in on some Young Guns action, because we are SERIOUSLY deprived.

Go Download: Though you can't buy their full length, you can get their 2009 EP Mirrors on iTunes. (My personal favorite off of it is "The Weight of the World")





AMERICA WANTS YOUNG GUNS!

Charlie Simpson

http://www.facebook.com/#!/charliesimpsonmusic

I liked Busted. I REALLY liked Fightstar. Why do I bring this up, you ask?

Busted, a British boy band, and Fightstar, a British rock band, have one key component.

Charlie.Simpson.

Now, I know what you're thinking. This guy went from being in the British version of the Jonas Brothers (Though, we should all take note that they 1)Happened before the JoBros and 2) Were far superior), to being in a rock, almost hardcore, sort of band, and now he's doing the folky scene?

I get it, and if I hadn't already been sold on Charlie Simpson beforehand, I might have had the same hesitance. Luckily, I've been in love with Charlie for some time now, and dove into his solo work head first.

And it was like jumping into a pool full of all the best things possible. Chocolate. Rainbows. Winning football teams. Puppies. You get the picture.

I will admit that had you told high school me that he'd be singing music like this, I would have laughed at you. But now, I can't even imagine him going back.

Charlie's voice is like a little slice of heaven and it actually kind of sounds like it was made for this genre. The acoustic guitars and harmonica play so beautifully with his distinct, husky toned voice.

He's one of my favorite British artists, and quite frankly, I would very much like to be able to get his music in America. (So either A) The UK needs to share or B) America needs to let this kid over!)

Also, he said he may be coming to SXSW :)



If this happens, you can bet I'll be there. So quick.

Go Download: Like I said, if you're from America, getting his music is a little tough. Luckily, you can get his FREE EP here

The Famous Class

http://www.facebook.com/thefamousclass

London based pop-punk band The Famous Class is hard to describe. I feel like the band said it best, "Like All Time Low and Paramore and Blink 182 in a hot tub together on a warm summer's day...Naked!" There is something about this bands that makes me flashback to middle school. This is the type of music I rocked out to after school with my black nail polish and my middle finger up in the air. Not to say that that is a bad thing. TFC is damn catchy and actually had my attention within 15 seconds of listening to their song "Have You Ever..." I keep trying to pinpoint who they remind me of, but I just keep coming back to what they said. They make for a fun listen, and I'll definitely be keeping my eye on them.

Go Download: Their cover of "Never Gonna Give You Up" for free here