by Cory Woodroof | Mar 14, 2013 | News Slider
Walk Off The Earth, the headliners of Tuesday’s SGA spring concert, sent Mike Taylor and Ryan Marshall Lumination’s way after the show to talk about their new album R.E.V.O. (out March 19), the process of recording a cover song and where the YouTube celebrities might be found next. While both are known for their versatile roles in the group (not limited to trumpet), Taylor can be seen behind the keyboard, and Marshall is usually up front on vocals and guitar. The band’s big break came when their cover of Gotye’s chart-topping hit “Somebody That I Used To Know” (featuring the huge guitar) received over a hundred million views on YouTube. The group has been performing with the ‘multiple people – one guitar’ angle for around six years, and the novel technique helps give the band a unique identity. “Multiple people on one instrument has always been a part of this band, and so, every time we do a video, we want to try and bring our live show into the video, and same thing with the live show. We try and bring YouTube to the stage,” Marshall said. The style and inspiration to cover the Gotye hit sent the band skyrocketing to internet fame. “So, all of those together gave us this idea of ‘let’s get as many people on one guitar as we can’, and the timing with the Gotye song was just a fluke,” Marshall said. “It was a great tune, and not too many people had heard it in North America, and we loved it.” “It was a perfect storm,” Taylor added. Cover songs are one of the...
by Nicci Carney | Mar 5, 2013 | News Slider, Opinion
Grammy-nominated keyboardist for Maroon 5 PJ Morton has crafted music for some the biggest and respected acts in R&B, gospel and soul music. Some worried that his gospel-laced, soul-tinged sound would change when he signed with YMCMB last year. He puts those worries to rest with the release of his EP, Following My First Mind. Last Tuesday, he released his new single “Only One,” proving his sound is unchanged. Morton is known putting his silky, soulful vocals with some smooth, jamming tracks, and he has done this with his new song that will be featured on his upcoming major label debut album New Orleans. The song begins with a nice drum lick with PJ’s smooth voice quickly following. “Only One” is a uptempo love song telling the love of his life that she is the only one he loves and lives for. The line that is sure to make anyone fall in love with this song comes in the second verse: “I know that forever is a long time, but there is no other choice in my mind.” It’s guaranteed to make any hopeless romantic fall in love. To accompany beautiful lyrics in the bridge is the sound of some the best horns I’ve heard in years. The production of “Only One” will put you in mind of Stevie Wonder’s music in the ‘80s, mixed with a few of the sounds of today’s R&B. And that’s to be expected, given that the Motown legend has a harmonica solo on this track, providing accompaniment that only Stevie Wonder could pull off. PJ Morton has knocked it out of the park...
