Gym Class Heroes - The Fighter

I’ll be honest. I’m not always a fan of Gym Class Heroes. They have a unique sound that if isn’t perfected can end in disaster. Most of the time though, when they pair their classic rap/hip hop combo with a well-known singer (think Adam Levine in “Stereo Heart”), the combination is excellent. This happened with “The Fighter.” So apparently, this song has been out for a while, but I just recently heard it and fell in love with it. I feel like any song featuring Ryan Tedder is guaranteed to be good, but that just may be my OneRepublic bias talking. Anyway, I love everything about this song. The intermix of the usual Travie McCoy rap thing and Ryan Tedder’s brilliant vocals transition seamlessly, creating a song with two very different, yet complementary tones. Not to be left out, the lyrics of the verses and chorus merge together to form an inspirational message about never giving up. And hey, who’s not for a song about fighting till the end. It’s like a musical version of Rocky, minus the actual boxing and such. All that aside, I think this song is excellent. It’s a catchy pop tune with just enough hip hop to satisfy the Gym Class Heroes enthusiasts and some really great message lyrics. And like I said, you really can’t go wrong with Ryan Tedder. True fact. - Lindsey

Mat Kearney - Runaway

Mat Kearney just released the deluxe addition of his latest album Young Love, on Tuesday, and my favorite track from the group of new songs he released, is without a doubt “Runaway”… Mat’s latest album had an overall sound I can’t quite explain (but I say that in a good way), and “Runaway” definitely stays true to that sound. The song has heavy percussions along with gritty keys and guitar that really make for a good combination and give the song a style unlike anything that you might hear on the radio right now. With that said, Mat has a serious knack for using/making beats that just make you want to clap your hands and jam out to the song. And I can’t go without mentioning the awesome storyline that’s being told through the lyrics (but I can’t say I expected anything less. All of Mat’s songs have great story lines)… I think this song, along with the others, is a great addition to an already perfect album and really makes me anxious to hear what else Mat has up his sleeve.

Mat Kearney - Runaway by Veronika1

You can purchase that song here. And be sure to check him out on Facebook and Twitter.

James Fortune & FIYA - Hold on (feat. Monica & Fred Hammond)

I’ve grown up listening to gospel music all my life. In fact, until I was about 13 that’s pretty much all I was aloud to listen to. Voices like CeCe Winans, Yolanda Adams, and Donnie McClurkin were constantly playing though out my house as a kid, so I’m definitely no stranger to this genre of music… I chose this song for today’s post mainly because of the message. The music part is great as well (Monica delivers a flawless vocal on this track that really just takes it to a whole new level, and Fred puts the icing on the cake with his signature and distinct vocal style) but again it’s the message that I love so much in the song. We all have tough things we’re dealing with in life and it never hurts to have some encouragement to just hold on and don’t give up… Hats off to James Fortune for writing such an uplifting song. Hope it can be a blessing to you the way it’s been a blessing to me.

Hold On - James Fortune & FIYA ft. Monica & Fred Hammond by sultryfreckles

You can purchase that song here. And be sure to check out James Fortune on Facebook and Twitter.

Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again

Michael Kiwanuka is a British singer/songwriter who has some serious soul. He just released his debut album Home Again today and its full of really great material. My favorite song from the album is the title track “Home Again”... Michael is a true musician and this song makes that so evident. To me, when I listen to him sing its like listening to him tell a story, and his guitar is the one that’s painting the pictures for you. His earthy/raspy vocal tone fits so well with the flow of the track and goes perfectly with his overall sound. Even with the addition of the light percussions and keys in the song, they never take away from the message he’s trying to convey… Overall I think it’s a truly timeless track that really shows a lot of promise from what’s to come from Michael Kiwanuka.

The song is currently iTunes song of the week so you can get it for free here. And be sure to check him out on Facebook and Twitter.