Very rarely do I receive a remix single that is solid from beginning to end. A recent delight is Leona Lewis' "Collide." Her previous hits, "Bleeding Love" and "Happy," have been reworked for clubland.
With "Collide," she is no longer partial to her familiar power ballads. Similar to what Beyoncé has done with "Run the World (Girls)," Lewis uses a dance track, "Penguin" by Avicii, as the basis for her latest. The piano adds a nice touch, keeping the song moving in between waves of beats. "Collide" has a booming, uplifting chorus as the X-Factor winner wails, "You're all I want, yeah, you are the one. Crash into me at full speed. We can collide."
Remixes come courtesy of Afrojack, Alex Gaudino with Jason Rooney, Cahill and Nay Ray. The video is the perfect keepsake of summer and we can expect this to be a fall anthem.
Lewis was slated to tour with Christina Aguilera last year, but the trek was canceled, citing the blonde diva's need to ready to promote her motion picture, Burlesque. "Collide" will be on Lewis's forthcoming third album. Check out one of British vegetarian's career highlights online, as she flawlessly sings "Whole Lotta Love" with Jimmy Page at 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in Beijing.
Avicii has remixed the hits of dance luminaries like David Guetta, Robyn, Bob Sinclair and Tiesto. Even though the scorching hot club tracks "Penguin," "Street Dancer" and "Bromance" are instrumental, they are bubbling over with personality. Avicii returns to Chicago for a set at Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave., on Saturday, Oct. 1. Cazzette will open. For tickets, visit http:// www.clubtix.com .
Tomorrow's World marks quite a comeback for Erasure. Here, the synth-loving duo recruits Frankmusik to produce the nine-track set, the pair's first batch of new material since 2007's Light at the End of the World. The album comes to life with the very contemporary "A Whole Lotta Love Run Riot." "I Lose Myself" has Erasure in fine form with a big chorus and a stomping beat.
For those who just can't get enough of vintage Erasure, the electronic pioneers' first albums, Wonderland and Circus, have been reissued with a bonus disc of outtakes and remixes plus a DVD.
There is even more Erasure to be had, as DJ Greg Haus will be playing just the pair's music from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, at Berlin Nightclub, 954 W. Belmont.
Frankmusik opens for Erasure's tour, which comes to Congress Theater on Friday, Sept. 16 and Saturday, Sept. 17. Tickets are available at http:// www.ticketfly.com .
Frankmusik's full-length outing, Do It in the A.M., is due out Sept. 27 via Cherrytree/Interscope Records. Here, the British-born club fixture teams with Colette Carr on the infectious "No ID" and Natalia Kills on "No Champagne." The title track is ideal for making speakers vibrate with its heavy bass. Frankmusik has remixed tracks for dance-pop staples Lady Gaga, Pet Shop Boys, Alphabeat and Mika.
Five years since her last studio album, beloved folk singer Melissa Ferrick is back with vengeance on Still Right Here. On the title track, she reiterates that one cannot run away from oneself as she sings, "You keep running but you're still right here ... you keep thinking what you need is not there." The blue-eyed artist finds an escape in music on "Headphones On" and proclaims, "You can't fix me. I'm the one who's got to live with me." On "Seconds Like These" Ferrick puts a positive spin on the changes happening in current times. The closing track, "This Time of Year," is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser during her concert.
On Friday, Sept. 16, Ferrick will be at Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston.
On the heels of coming out with the new album Sister Vagabond, blues artist Candye Kane is embarking on a tour. Combining sass, attitude, humor and raw talent into her work, Kane takes to the stage at Space on Thursday, Sept. 15. Kane's 2009 song Superhero shows her mighty powers and spirit that helped her overcome pancreatic cancer. The 2005 effort White Trash Girl is possibly one of Kane's best.
After a brief partnership with Tommy Boy, queer female rock trio Hunter Valentine is hitting the road to support Lessons from a Late Night. These Brooklyn-transplants are slated to perform at Abbey Pub, 3420 W. Grace, on Friday, Sept. 16 with Minnesotan riot grrls Sick of Sarah. Lessons from a Late Night features a great, straight up rock vibe as heard on "Revenge" and "Stalker." Fans of The Runaways and The Cliks should definite familiarize themselves with Hunter Valentine.
When I told my friends that I missed most of Marissa Nadler's concert earlier this summer, they were in disbelief. For live shows, I like to stake my space and soak in the atmosphere before the set. Well, the start time of Nadler's performance at Schuba's was listed incorrectly in some sources. The part I did see, I thoroughly enjoyed. She easily translated the ethereal material like "The Sun Always Reminds Me of You" from her fantastic self-titled outing to a live setting. Before her upcoming European tour, Nadler returns to Chicago with James Vincent McMorrow on the bill at The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia Ave., on Thursday, Sept. 15.
