Song Music (label)
30 October 2015 (released)
25 October 2015
Celebrating the best of 2015’s live lounge sessions, Radio 1 are releasing their annual BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge album October 30th. Jam packed with artists leaving their comfort zones and jumping into a whole new genre, with the likes of Kodaline covering Taylor Swift and The Vaccines singing Cheerleader, it’s an album you need to get your hands on.
Returning artist Little Mix have still not lost their knack, singing their hit single ‘Black Magic’ but acoustically. This truly shows off their well crafted harmonies and vocals that fit together so satisfyingly.
The huge hits just keep flowing with the electronic due Disclosure working alongside old friend Sam Smith to produce a unique cover of Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’. After the original song reaching the top 3 this week, it puts a lot of pressure on the boys to create something just as good as Drakes. The upbeat tempo alongside Smiths stunning vocals creates a whole new song, which forces you to nod your head in time with the prominent beat.
Jess Glynne makes her first appearance on live lounge with ‘Let It Go/Umbrella (Medley)’ and what a first appearance it is. James Bay’s ‘Let It Go’ is converted into a jazzier upbeat song that smoothly transforms into Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ making it one of the most unique covers on the album. Unfortunately Years and Years first appearance isn't as memorable. We all know lead singer Olly Alexander has fantastic vocals but covering The Weeknd’s ‘Earned It’ doesn't demonstrate this at all. Wince worthing points makes the song difficult to listen to.
The second CD opens with Hozier’s ‘Lay Me Down’ cover, which stands out as the best song on the album. Fastening the tempo but still keeping that Hozier gospel sound makes the cover so unique but catchy. The heavy bass line pulls the whole song together and creates a gift for the ears.
Rock band of the year Catfish and The Bottlemen also make a surprising appearance showing a different genre to the album. The Welsh lads cover Kanye’s ‘Black Skinhead’, which when first seen was a shock but Catfish spun the song round to suit them, even intertwining Kasabian and Black Keys to create something that is pure brilliance. The track could easily be sold as a single next week and sell like crazy.
The album shows just how versatile and talented the artists of today are. A combination of different genres and styles makes the album accessible for everyones ears, making this Radio 1 Live Lounge album the best to date.
