Kiko Navarro is a D-Jay. And he mixes the kind of music that is just to my liking. The bpm is fairly fast but the melodic sounds are very laid back. It is one of those: Can you feel the heat in the air - things. Smooth, subtle, exciting and great to dance on. Images of the Rio Carnival jump to mind immediately. This album is called: The Latin Sound Of Pacha and it has this under laying groove that gets you tapping your foot, clicking your fingers or bobbing your head. It's time to get some seagulls in the house and cover the living room with sand, put the lights low and the music loud. Invite some friends, open a few Desperado's and get on the floor. Enjoy...

Hello everybody, it is the best day of the week again. This weeks Absolute Weekend Starting Masterpiece is not only a fantastic track from a band that will release their debut album at the end of this month, this is also a band with a positive  message. The lyrics in this song are very easy to get for everybody. The execution of it is shown in the video clip and I have to say that this is one of the best video clips I have ever seen, if not the best. I have also linked a slightly different version of this song  a "live" recording at the BBC. Ladies and gentlemen I hope you have a great start of your weekend with: Rudimental - Waiting All Night feat. Ella Eyre. (true story)

All the Absolute Weekend Starting Masterpieces.

Hey, isn't Grand Theft Auto a video game? Yes it is. And a very violent video game it is too. So why would I be talking about a video game? Well, as this is a website about Music With Quality I check out music and if it's good I talk about it and if I can, I publish it. In GTA, no matter how much you may dislike the game itself and all it represents, there is something that is undeniably fantastic and that is the music. I'm talking about the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Official Soundtrack Box Set. This is a seven CD collection and every CD represents a different radio station in the game. There are:

1: V-Rock

2: Wave 103

3: Emotion 98.3

4: Flash FM

5: Wildstyle Pirate Radio

6: Fever 105

7: Espantoso

Rarely have I seen a more complete collection of diversity. And the songs in question are not just album fillers either. You will find big names of people who  have made and are responsible for the creation of musical history. The person who has created this compilation of music, to be heard in the games on your car radio, has done his homework and has an exquisite eclectic taste of music and that can only mean one thing... You will find something that you like. I hope you'll have a good time with these seven albums, enjoy...

The new season has kicked of. I'm interested in the music that has been shown so far and four audio visual candidates have sprung out. The first is the eleven year old Arisxandra Libantino who sings: One Night Only, originally performed by Jennifer Hudson, from the movie Dreamgirls. An incredible talent. At some moments it is a bit iffy where the correct note is concerned but if this improves, she might be a serious contender for the final. She has a very powerful voice but isn't yet at her best. We should hear from her again in a few years where she will be able to outdo this performance and give the likes of Celine Dion and Adele a run for their money.

The next performance was a bit of a surprise to me but that doesn't mean that it isn't good. (It's better than good, alright!) Their name is Incognito and they sing gospel. This is a very strong performance but again, I dare say, they can do better. The start of the song didn't sound as good as it should have been but this might also have been caused because they were not yet on the stage but on the balconies on the side. The moment that they are all together on the stage, that is where this close harmony feeling is pushing through and the last measures of the song until the end sound as it should, warm, soulful and thoroughly enjoyable. It would be nice if music like this could reach what it takes in order to be heard a bit more as mainstream/commercial music because it is well worth it.

The third act is not performed, musical wise, by the people on the stage. I have put this up here because the song that is used is the wonderful Read All About It from Emeli Sandé. It is just a wonderful song and the lyrics of this song hold a truth and sincerity that I haven't come across in any other song I know. The performers in question are dancers, their stage name is: Attraction and their performance is ... well... simply outstanding. There is no original video clip for this song but this could be it. Watch this and admire... 

( The dance group Attraction is originally from Hungary and not from the UK but the show is called Britain's Got Talent, as was pointed out.  For some people this has been a reason to not want them to win. I think that if you try to put frontiers around Art, you're a loser, why would you even try to deny other people to enjoy an artistic performance, based on something as trivial as a nationality?)

The fourth and last act is my favourite. I think here, we meet somebody who is well better than Amy Winehouse and outshines Ella Fitzgerald easily. Based on this performance I think it will be very hard to see a vocalist perform better than she has done. Her name is Alice Fredenham and she sings or shall I say "lives" My Funny Valentine. This song has finally been sung as it should, smooth and sultry with that sort of smokey voice. Her voice is considered as " Liquid Gold" so with some luck, the first album should be available, before next year. This is what it takes to justify the word Fantastic!!!

This is just a quick update about the music(al) acts in this years Britain's Got Talent show. If there are new music acts appearing over the next weeks and I judge them good enough to deserve some space and words here (I feel totally in control now) I shall keep you informed. 

The Killers are an alternative rock band. They have created a fantastic debut album called: Hot Fuss. Lovely, melodic, rock music. The bass is simply outstanding, not too technical or showing off but simple, straight forward and showing a drive and presence that gives the exact right push where it fits perfectly in the melody or drives up the speed. I had to get used to the keyboards. The sound and structures were, let's say, from time to time a tad too alternative for me. After a few times listening, it was all fine and dandy, of course and you start even to appreciate the ambiances created. The vocals (and again that surprised me) are almost the voices you expect to find in pop music and for me that is what makes this band so great. It's a combination of sounds, structures and ways of playing with familiar instruments used in a very original way. Listen to Hot Fuss and enjoy...

This band shows a fantastic power and energy. The Devil Wears Prada is a very skillful and talented band. Great rhythms and exquisite guitar work. The voices are unclean and clean and performed by two different people and that enables them to creates moments where it almost seems that they have a "battle" going on.  (Yes, you can use a vocalist who can do both and record separately but what are you going to do when you play live?) The DWP has created a wonderful heavy and raw sound on this album. The melodies are inviting and ask to be explored by the listener. The only thing that is a bit of a downer for me is that it is difficult to understand the lyrics. Let's call it a sound over matter kind of thing. What makes this album so special (to me) is the fact that even if they are playing fast and use their skills to the maximum, they don't do this in a showing off kinda way. (An impression that I get when I'm listening to the earlier works of Dream Theater is that it appears more important to them to show how fast you can play your instrument instead of creating a piece of music that can be enjoyed, for example.) No, what stands out here is the over all atmosphere of the entire album that simply blasts raw energy out of your speakers. And that is a feature that few bands can boost about. Enjoy the album: Dead Throne...

Well this is pretty straight forward isn't it? This is about No Doubt and Gwen Stefani. Gwen Stefani became the main vocalist of the band No Doubt in 1989. No Doubt had started in 1986. No Doubt is a rock band with influences as ska, new wave and pop. Their sound was at the time very original and their song structures are creative. Gwen's vocals on the music are impossible to ignore, in the sense that she is almost an automatic attention seeker. The tempo changes in the songs are fantastic, very few bands are able to do this in such a creative way. Even though the voice of Gwen Stefani may sometimes give the impression of sadness or complaining, the songs have a fairly up beat rhythm and a positive sound. I have put up No Doubt - The Singles 1992 - 2003 and The album of Gwen Stefani - Love. Angel. Music. Baby. This solo album of Gwen Stefani is a great album. It's a bit more pop orientated compared to her No Doubt work and it has very catchy tunes. Gwen has collaborated with a lot of different artists on this album and that has led to influences as hip - hop and soul. Great stuff to listen to, enjoy...

      The Singles 1992 - 2003                 Love. Angel. Music. Baby.

We all know David Lee Roth as the lead vocalist in Van Halen. David has done some seriously good solo work as well. This included working with Steve Vai on his first solo job. The music David Lee Roth has made without Van Halen does not stick exactly in the rock category even though it doesn't stray far away either. One of the nicest things about the solo work of David Lee Roth is that his sense of humor came to shine through. (Have a look at his video clips on Youtube). Also, not being limited by band structures, David has used entire orchestras to create some of his greatest tracks. Lovely stuff to listen to. The music is upbeat and sheer happy go lucky. Enjoy this compilation...

Hello everybody, I don't know about you but me, on a Sunday, I like to listen to music that can carry away my imagination. Music that isn't complicated and also easy to listen to. Excessive partying the previous evening may influence this a little. Anyhow... I remembered that I have put this up a little while ago. I shall see as well that I can publish a collection of music from this artist as he is so incredibly versatile and also an icon in the music and highly respected in the film industry. Even though you never may have seen this movie (and by today's standards it will probably be considered much too long with too little action and explosions) but never the less, even if you have never seen this movie, just listening to this will get your own movie going. Enjoy the soundtrack of: Once Upon A Time In The West by Ennio Morricone. Have a great Sunday...

Hip hop music is the word. The Black Eyed Peas have been hugely successful selling more than 50 million albums. Their style is hip hop but you will find that r&b, soul and old fashioned disco have created a large influence on their music. Some great songs have seen the light of day and the Black Eyed Peas are belonging to that very selective group that have a had a number one hit and at the same time covered the number two spot as well. A wonderful band with extraordinary tracks. Personally I think the way the vocals are used make that the group is so accessible for everybody. Mix that with a steady beat and an original melody and you will get far, as they have showed. I hope you will have a great time listening to theiralbums. Enjoy...