Artist Review: Harry

It has been so long since I last wrote anything on here, it has been giving me pangs of guilt every time I checked my email and found a beautiful comment or a new artist update. But I'm back now and the first thing I'm gonna do is tell you about a great new artist!

Harry is a singer-songwriter from London (UK), with a sweet voice and a much mature outlook towards life than could be expected from kids his age. At just sixteen, Harry has succeeded in creating a medley of beautiful  tunes that touch your heart, whatever your age may be. His music portrays the innocence of youth with an uncanny peek at the mature soul inside. He has an easygoing, earnest manner of singing that is soothing to the ears. 

'This Is War' is a song that has an Enya-esque quality to it. Harry sings of war with such a calm demeanor that completely contradicts the nature of the idea that the lyrics convey. Most teen artists talk of being who you are, of being free and wild. Harry talks of being cautious, keeping your head down and being inside a shell. Of a life where enemies hide behind every corner and lurk in every shadow.
This Is War has the music that can lull you into believing he isn't warning you of a vicious war at all! Instead, it feels as if he is telling you of a faraway time when some faceless strangers fought their wars and left memories of the bloodshed; to be recounted by loving mothers to their little ones while they are being tucked into warm beds. Nowhere is the music harsh or exactly “war-like”. It kinda reminds one of The Call by Regina Spektor. The ribbons of string instruments in the background build up to an excellent, classical-inspired climax. This could be a perfect song to be considered for the next Hunger Games movie soundtrack. 

Harry's second song, ‘Bicycle that can fly’ shows the vulnerability of a lost child as analyzed by an adult mind. The song was apparently written when he was just ten years old. I wouldn't venture as far as to say that he had a really deep meaning in his mind when he wrote it originally. But maybe now, for people who listen to it at a much older age, it definitely has some philosophical connotations. The music is simple and elegant and accentuates his voice instead of drowning it out in a melee of instruments. The ribbons of cello in the background give the song a poignant quality. The minimal use of acoustic guitar evokes the feeling of a sunny day and fluffy clouds. The video is a dash of eccentric genius! Definitely something to make a note of.

I like how the strongest element in both songs is Harry’s voice, which is untouched by any kind of fancy filters or effects. His ability to emote the lyrics that he is singing is what makes the songs have the impact that they do. I guess some people are just born with oodles of talent, eh? Anywho, here is a sample of some of Harry's other songs. And you'll have to admit, these are just as great as the two I just reviewed. Enjoy these until I return next time with another interesting post. :)

Verdict: Harry is definitely an artist to watch out for. He just might be the next big thing!

Song Review: Nocturno by Oliver Dragojevic (feat. Stjepan Hauser)

I'm now officially listening to Croatian songs. Ha! Who would've even imagined that I would start listening to East European music? But stranger things have happened in this world. So yeah, you there giving me the "weirdo" look, get over it!

As you can easily guess, it all started with my 2Cellos obsession. I would go on YouTube and watch whatever videos I could find featuring either of those two talented cellists. That's when I stumbled upon a series of videos featuring the very famous (in Croatia) pop singer Oliver Dragojevic and the now famous Stjepan Hauser. There was this very quiet little song; the video featuring Dragojevic on the piano and vocals, Hauser on his cello and a very endearing young woman as Hauser's love-interest/human equivalent of his beloved cello. It is a very artistic, an aesthetically pleasing video that just touches you somewhere in the general region of your aortic valve and brings a lump in your throat. I did not understand one single word of the lyrics (which I am guessing are pretty deep and just as beautiful as the video). The song starts with Hauser playing a moving melody on the cello, which is then picked up by Dragojevic on the piano and vocals. His mellow voice is like a soothing balm to your ears as he belts out the refrain: Sve ce zvijezde s tobom leci/ pune tajnih putovamja/ prije sna ti moram reci/ "Budi dobra, lijepo sanjaj." Coupled with the ribbons of cello playing in the background, the melody will bring tears to any music-lover's eyes.

As I said, I did not get the lyrics at all; and Google translate does not help one bit. But the video conveyed a few things that I think go well with the overall mood of the song. It is as if Hauser is the younger version of Dragojevic, who is reminiscing about his long-lost love - a beautiful girl he just can't forget. Her memory still remains as fresh in his mind as if it were just yesterday that the two were together. He remembers each detail; every ray of the sun that shone in her hair, every gesture she made... He remembers her as if she were a melody he used to play - still plays; a melody so close to his heart, it is almost heartbreaking to hear him play it. Every night when he sees the stars, he imagines her lying among them. If only he could sleep, could dream of her, he would gladly do so. But he can't; and so he bids her - his beautiful dream- to stay as she is in his memory; untouched by the elements, untouched by time...

This is what I think the song means. But if someone could be so helpful as to ive me the actual meaning of the lyrics, I would be forever grateful to them. Like, for eternity! I swear!!

Verdict: If a song can touch you so deeply without your even knowing the lyrics, it has to be some serious shit!

Song Review: Smooth Criminal by 2Cellos

They came. They saw. They fucking destroyed the music scene! The first time I saw 2Cellos performing their famous cover of the Michael Jackson song Smooth Criminal on The Ellen Show, I was blown away by how effortlessly they manipulated that four stringed instrument to sound like a whole band! They were the percussion, the rhythm guitar, the lead guitar all rolled into one single instrument. I never thought a cello could round so rocking. I'd obviously heard of cello-rock before, but it didn't appeal to me until now.

Stjepan Hauser and Luka Sulic are two cellists from Croatia. They became an instant phenomenon last year when they uploaded their version of Smooth Criminal on Youtube. Within no time, they had a million views and a record contract in their cello cases!

Let me describe what 2Cellos really is. It is a treat to watch them perform as much as it is a bliss to hear them play. They get so engrossed in playing that instrument to perfection that nothing in the world seems to exist for them. It is just them and their two cellos and the omnipresent notes of the song that they are playing. The intensity with which they play is evident from the way their bows seem to be shred to ribbons by the end of the song. They must need a new bow after every performance, methinks! And the ecstatic expressions on their faces seem to crescendo with the music itself. If you could headbang on a cello, you'd do it like Stjepan and Luka.

They recently featured in the Glee episode (aired on 31 Jan 2012) where Naya Rivera and Grant Gustin sang to their accompaniment of Smooth Criminal. Glee and 2Cellos - does it get better than that? Heck to the no! They really redefined that song.

Bonus Time:
Their rendition of Welcome to the Jungle has a class of its own. How can anyone make that big old, upside-down violin (no mockery intended) sound like an electric guitar, a bass and a drum set all at the same time? Hats off man! Another song to watch out for is their cover of Highway to Hell by AC/DC. With only a drummer to accompany them, they effing ROCK the already rocking classic rock song!