Blog #4 (the NEW Number One aka the RESTART)

Everything is back to square one here...hello everyone, Powerpoplarry here with the new rebooted blog now called MusicBuzzFeed.  Hopefully, more people will read it this time!!

Kicking things off...new Long Island artist Charlie Dane, whom you can find at www.charliedane.net

She just self-released her 4-years-in-the-making debut album "Dreamland", and at first, things seem not too unique, because there are plenty of artists releasing records like this, singer-songwriter, female, acoustic-rooted, melodic powerpop instinct, well-produced, etc.  But look deeper and listen more than once, and certain things stand out.  Firstly, the melodies.  They are accessible but not exactly formulaic.  There are lots of adventurous twists and turns, while still retaining her sense of hook.  The lyrics are personal but still universal.  No two songs sound the same, which means that somehow, each song retains an individuality and memorability, so they sound familiar but still fresh with each listen.  Charlie's voice is tuneful, on pitch and clear as a bell, with the feel of a sweeter, more girlish Colbie Caillat.  The lyrics sound like those from a mature singer/songwriter, and here's the shocker...she is only 15...15!!  And she's been writing thiese songs since she was a seemingly precocious 10-year old kid!!  Talk about an old soul and someone way beyond her years!!

Ranging from Beatlesque rocking pop tunes with colourful psychedelic flourishes, piano & strings (opener "This One" and "Past The Point", the ELO-ish title track, "Once In A While") to slower, bluesy acoustic numbers like "98", Charlie is a bright artist with a major future ahead of her.  With 14 cuts and not one of them a dud, "Dreamland" is one really good debut album that will impress anyone who listens.  And even better, she is still really young and will only grow as an artist as she enters her 20s.  Will people be ready to embrace a bright artist like Charlie??  I'd say yes.  Will they take her seriously and believe she wrote these 14 songs herself??  Hey, Justin Bieber started at just as young an age, but Charlie is more widely-appealing, to teenagers as well as Beatle fans & powerpop aficionados like myself.  Even fun youthful singalong tunes like the catchy "Tuesday's Just As Bad" can warm the hearts of longtime music listeners.  How can they not be??

All in all, Charlie Dane is one artist to watch...VERY closely.