Wham! frontman and pop legend George Michael sadly died of heart failure on Christmas day. Rising to prominence with Wham! and the perennial Christmas favourite ‘Last Christmas’, then later with his solo career which featured such hits as ‘Careless Whisper’ and ‘Faith’, and with his unforgettable performance at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert, he was one of the most iconic and best selling artists of the 80s. He was one of the most important voices of a generation and, despite being surrounded by controversy in the media in recent years, there is no denying the impact he made on popular music. He will be sorely missed.
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Belwood Music is now on Spotify!
You can now follow us on Spotify where we’ll be bringing you regular playlists of the best featured music on the site, some highlights from our favourite artists and spotlight stars, as well as the perfect soundtrack for whatever mood takes you. First off lets get things started with Belwood’s playlist of some of the best songs of the year!
Playlist: Nov/Dec 2016
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2017 inductees announced
The Rock and Roll Hall of fame has officially announced the acts that will be inducted into the institution next year. The acts include Journey, Pearl Jam, ELO, Yes and Joan Baez. They will be inducted in a ceremony due to be held 7th April. It has also been announced that Chic’s Nile Rodgers will be presented with the award for musical excellence. Pearl Jam have been inducted on their first year of being eligible and many fans are pleased with Yes receiving recognition as the Hall of Fame have been criticized for many years for their bias against progressive rock acts. The biggest talking point however is whether or not Journey will reunite with their former frontman Steve Perry for the induction ceremony.
Top Tracks: The Molochs – You And Me
Any self-respecting music fan would kill for the chance to go back to the late sixties and experience the golden age of music firsthand. Rest assured however that you don’t need a time machine, all you need is the latest single from The Molochs. ‘You And Me’, taken from their upcoming album America’s Velvet Glory out 13th January, perfectly captures that sixties spirit. With the Lou Reed-esque vocals and hints of the Byrds and the Grateful Dead, this slice of psychedelic Americana brings the age of Aquarius into the modern day. Few bands can so completely capture retro styles without sounding like a rehash of old ideas, but that problem never comes close to plaguing this song. Sometimes we need to take a step back and appreciate what came before to figure out what the future needs, and somehow this throwback track ends up being the perfect solution.
Top Tracks: Ksenia Valenti – Powerless
First impressions can often be misleading. From the beginning of ‘Powerless’, its gentle echoes fading away into the ether, I envisioned the song to continue as a delicate piano ballad. From the moment the chorus started I realised I was mistaken. Ksenia’s voice suddenly finds new life and confidence, swelling with power and purpose to lift the song to new heights. Her breathtaking vocals perfectly capture the mood of the song and the feeling of falling in love; what starts as something so fragile and uncertain suddenly eclipses all other thoughts, and before you know it everything has changed. As with love I find myself powerless to resist the pull of this track. Anyone wishing to recapture that incredible feeling should delve into the work of this wonderful artist.
Album Review: Delicate Steve – This Is Steve
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After Crash – #LOSTMEMORIESTop Tracks: Matt Blais – Set Me Free
This artful Americana artist cherry-picks all the finer points of the genre in this incredible new track. With splashes of slide guitar, bursts of blistering blues harmonica and simply fantastic gritty vocals that tell of a mis-spent youth and a life on the road, Matt Blais has pulled off a faultless song. ‘Set Me Free’ has an inescapable likeability thanks to the rich musical backdrop, the wild and rebellious vibe and Matt’s own apparent down-to-Earth nature. It’s like Neil Young’s greatest hits condensed into just a few short minutes. Looking at the video however you’ll see that Matt has something that Neil doesn’t; an air of effortless cool, wandering the desert in his shades complete with a classic car and some glorious vintage cinematography. This is roots rock at it’s finest, the perfect way to sum up what it’s all about.
Greg Lake passes away
I think 2016 will always be remembered as the year the music died, and the latest, and hopefully last, music legend to be taken from us is prog pioneer Greg Lake. This follows just a few months after the death of his dear friend and bandmate Keith Emerson. First gaining notoriety as part of the original line-up of King Crimson he was a key player on their landmark debut In The Court of the Crimson King, which is widely considered the first ever progressive rock album and influenced everyone from Pete Townsend to Kanye West. He later formed the prog rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer and went on to release such other successful albums as Tarkus and Brain Salad Surgery. His work had a powerful impact on the course of music and he will be sorely missed.
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