Jon McLaughlin Could "Promising Promises"

Jon McLaughlin has released a solo piano video for "Promising Promises," the title track from his most recent third full-length piano driven album, which was released on May 22. It's safe to say that McLaughlin has had a pretty accomplished career so far. The Hoosier piano-man has appeared in a Disney movie, toured with some high-end mainstream acts, and performed in front of 32 million at the Oscars. The 29-year-old Indiana-born singer/songwriter has been around since 2003, steadily releasing records throughout the years.
Opening with the title track, "Promising Promises," a piano tour-de-force, McLaughlin clearly emonstrates his ability to write a great pop tune as the tune builds to a triumphant chorus that will not leave your head. The "Promising Promises" is extremely catchy and also shows off his sheer and raw talent through instruments and vocals. With some added guitars and soaring vocals, it sets the stage for the rest of the album. The result is his most authentic album yet, and "Promising Promises," is exactly what the first word in the title says: Promising.
"Promising Promises" embodies McLaughlin's irresistible songwriting style along with his sweetly melancholic approach to storytelling. As he explains, "It feels really good to have a record that I'm working on that I can really deliver wholeheartedly knowing that the fans are getting a piece of me." He continues, "There isn't a note on the record that I didn't spend hours scrutinizing over, or at the very least sitting with and playing over and over again. I feel like it's a real connection to me."
Consistently, throughout this album, McLaughlin delivers great imagery in his lyrics and interesting, heartfelt, and complex piano parts, "Promising Promises," is an interesting test for a reviewer to tackle. If you're looking for a blatant God-centered message throughout the record, it's just not that obvious. But if you're looking for good, pure, and quality music from an up-and-coming musician, I highly suggest picking this up and giving it a listen. If you don't enjoy it the first time, give it another shot. This combined effort of guitar, piano, and pop will grow on you.

Vanessa Carlton Lets Fans To "Hear The Bells"

Hit big with her piano-driven "A Thousand Miles" back in 2002, and the last few years seem to have been transitional for her music and career, Vanessa Carlton is back and dropped a little indie-homemade video for her latest single "Hear The Bells," the second official single and third overall taken from her fourth studio album, "Rabbits on the Run," and it was also the title track for her 2011's four-track holiday EP, which isn't exactly the next episode in Carlton's tale of musical growth, but it still gives us something of significant substance to chew over.
"Hear the Bells" is the story of a person navigating their recovery, and making many stops along the way, angry winter walks through the city, meditating in a church cemetery, floating on the sea with lots of wine in you in Costa Rica, finding a Chinese witchdoctor, until you realize the remedy was pretty much there all along. Though I still float on seas and I boil my Chinese herbs every morning." The song is driven by a pulsating, almost temperamental piano riff, and Carlton herself sounds like she's in the middle of a séance as she insists in a sordidly deadpan tone. Her vague Victorian musings about death, witchdoctors, and stomachaches are pulled into their definitive form.
The 31-year-old songbird spoke about the track: "Hear the Bells" is about clarity, enlightenment. It is song map about the journey of someone who is seeking out a remedy. But remedies lie within us. That is powerful and true but not always obvious. I hope the song is a reminder. In society, the sound of bells marks an important moment in time, whether from a church tower or a wind chime in a garden, it is always a sort of mystical alarm." It does not sound anything like I've heard from her before. She has a total old school Kristen Hirsch vibe.
In the airy, blurry visuals, Carlton showcases a timeline of past rare never seen before footage of her ballet history as she reminisce on life. She explains: "This visual clip is my favorite video I've ever done thus far. Re-teaming with Jake Davis and his team was fluid and an inspired experience. It was filmed in my house in New York City, the place where I wrote the song. Doing a video for this song was Jake's idea and I'm really happy he pushed me to do it. It's a reveal of my history woven in with the story of a reclusive woman based on 'Little Edie of Grey Gardens,' an eccentric and wonderful lady who rarely left her house. I believe we are our own fortune tellers."

Tamar Kaprelian Premiered Video For "New Day"

Tamar Kaprelian has just premiered the official music video for her first single "New Day," will appear on her debut album, "Sinner Or A Saint," she has culminated a library of original music, which grows daily in the melodic journey that will bring her project to fruition, due out July 13 on Interscope Records. She calls the album a coming-of-age record that chronicles her life, relationships, and her utter determination to create an album that is real and true to herself, both personally and artistically. In video, the rising star take her piano through beautiful fields and forests in the ultimate fairytale setting.
Kaprelian has started writing songs from her early childhood, and wrote on her MySpace page that she has been influenced by classic Disney films as a child, but her true love for music came out after discovering Billy Joel and Paul McCartney. The 22-years-old recently has buzzed the music world with her latest released song "New Day." She has been writing since she was just fourteen years old and hopes to send a profoundly positive message with "New Day." She says, it's "about struggling, persevering, and being in a situation where you don't know how you’re gonna dig yourself out of it. And at the end of it, life is like a road—you don't stop in the middle of it. I really want people to listen to this record and get a sense of hope from it."
Kaprelian's big break came after winning the OneRepublic "Apologize" Cover Contest in March 2008, and and soon landed herself a contract with band's label. No doubt she have been brought up in a very peaceful environment, as her song lyrics are really different and classic. Kaprelian wrote her songs mainly over piano, and her songs are hopeful, honest, light and attractive. She describes her music as "thought provoking, hopeful, playful, and honest." Her unique style of piano driven pop-rock has surfaced as a distinctively inventive sound unfamiliar to today's typical model. Fans of MTV's 'The Hills' might recognize Kaprelian's single "New Day" which was featured prominently in the Season Five finale. Get to know this rising star in an intimate, acoustic performance of the song where she shares a little more about her music.

Francesca Battistelli Debut 'Beautiful, Beautiful'

Christian musician Francesca Battistelli, the newest addition to Fervent Records's diverse roster of artists, has just premiered her brand-new music video on Yahoo! Music for her new recording single "Beautiful, Beautiful" taken from her debut album, "My Paper Heart," produced by Ian Eskelin and written by herself, Ian Eskelin and Tony Wood. "So many are struggling in the world today, and many are looking for encouragement and hope. That's why 'Beautiful, Beautiful' was written." she said. Her soothing, raspy vocals get a real chance to shine on ballads and powerful "Beautiful, Beautiful." Battistelli's heart is a lot of things... colorful, vibrant, alive and unrestrained. As beautiful as her voice and that is something extraordinary and rare.
Golden voiced Christian pop songstress is no stranger to the stage. Growing up in an Italian family in New York, the smells that Battistelli associates with home are warm and spicy; sweet and fresh. Battistelli began her musical journey at a very young age, and having been raised by parents immersed in the arts and Broadway, she developed a love of music, theater, and performance at a young age. But instead of using these talents for applause and accolades, Battistelli prefers to point people much beyond herself - towards hope. Her soulful piano-pop sound resembles a blend of her music interests: jazz, rock, gospel and R&B woven beautifully together with themes of trust and risk taking.
The future Dove Award nominee began learning how to play the guitar and set out on a mission to write, in her own words, "soulful pop music that someone (plays) in the morning and says, 'now I can start my day, I feel encouraged'." She was originally an independent artist and had released an independent album, "Just a Breath" in 2004. An EP titled "I'm Letting Go" followed in early 2008. Her major-label debut, "My Paper Heart" arrived later that same year on Fervent Records. After erupting onto the music scene, Battistelli is breaking multiple records as her radio singles rocket up the Christian charts!
Battistelli's debut is unique with its organic, piano-fused pop sound through the majority. With an evident passion for songwriting, "My Paper Heart" really shows the feelings and emotions of Miss Battistelli. This first album features eleven songs full of heartfelt personal reflections on her life and faith. The album's highlights also leave a lasting impression on the listener. The lyrics conveyed on the album avoid the typical "Christian cliches" that have marred so many recent CCM albums. Her piano-pop sound could be compared to the likes of Nichole Nordeman or Sara Groves, but 24-year-old's music is significantly more light and upbeat than either. Battistelli's heart song has many notes and several different tones.
The future is bright for Battistelli, and her journey is just beginning. When she moved to Nashville, where she now resides, she left behind all the comforts of home she'd ever know. Everything she thought life would be was now different. No matter what the future holds, Battistelli will continue to use her music to inspire others and encourages everyone to go out into the world and have a wonderful adventure. Her music would bring together both Pop and Christian music fans.