Jon McLaughlin - OK Now

[street_symphony]

I guess every once in a while I feel promotion for an artist on my lj is necessary. I don't mean to spam f-lists, but I love this guy.



So, I only thought of this because they played a ten second snippet of the song on the radio tonight (way to promote a song released to radio a week ago, guys). I guess if you want something done right...

For anyone who really has no clue who he is, I made this post last summer on his first album with Island Def Jam called Indiana. It is a bit squeeish because I was excited. His new album, OK Now is coming out October 7th (and I'm all excited...). Amazon has the track listing, but the only one I've heard is "Beating My Heart" since it's the first single (apparently, he's doing many of these songs on tour, but his Michigan venue was a bar in downtown Detroit...who came up with that one?).

For those still unfamiliar with the man, Jon McLaughlin is a singer-songwriter-piano player who is influenced by the likes of Billy Joel, Ben Folds, and Harry Connick Jr. His style is piano rock, which is unusual for me to get into unless I think they're really good...because normally I'm staring at the guitar player. (What? I didn't say anything.) He released an 8 song EP in 2005 called Songs I Wrote and Later Recorded before signing with Island and releasing Indiana in 2007. He's gaining some power since recording the song "So Close" for the Enchanted soundtrack and touring with Sara Bareilles and Kelly Clarkson last year. And now comes OK Now. "Beating My Heart" is the current single (psst...it's on iTunes), and I've heard that "Smack Into You" will soon follow.




The track listing (as given by Amazon):
1. Beating My Heart
2. Four Years
3. You Can Never Go Back
4. Throw My Love Around
5. The Middle
6. You Are the One I Love
7. Always on My Mind
8. Things That You Say
9. Dance Your Life Away
10. Smack Into You
11. I'm Talking To You
12. We All Need Saving

The "Beating My Heart" video. All copies of the song on Youtube have been disabled for embedding, and it really isn't available anywhere else except to watch on Amazon. So, I included a link to the universalmusicgroup's upload on Youtube.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=foA0CFgu08M

My thoughts for now? I'm pretty impressed with the song. I think I liked the songs off of Indiana better, but I still love this one. I'll probably go into more detail later when I can listen to the rest of the album. I'm really looking forward to hearing it.

Jon available on iTunes:
"Beautiful Disaster" - Music Video
Indiana
Industry - EP (Really, just 4 tracks from Indiana)
"Another Layer" - Bridge to Terabithia Soundtrack (must buy the entire album to get this song... -_-)
"Proud Father" - Proud Father - Single
"So Close" - Enchanted Soundtrack
"Something to Believe In" - Van Hunt, Jon McLaughlin, & Jason Mraz from Randy Jackson's Music Club, Vol. 1
"Beating My Heart" - Beating My Heart - Single
"Beating My Heart" - Music Video

Jon available on Amazon:
Indiana
"Proud Father"
"So Close"
OK Now

Okay, I've taken up enough of your time. So, if I've gotten you interested, go watch "Beating My Heart" another fifty times, download, go out and buy some CDs, or do whatever it is you do.

Comments

[holly-hox-1985.livejournal.com]

You could write reviews, you're really good at it! I will check him out, definitely. :)

[street-symphony.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I've been thinking of doing some type of music blog, but I'm always so slow at actually listening to the stuff. haha.

[holly-hox-1985.livejournal.com]

I'd love to do something like that too. I was going to write for a music blog here on LJ doing reviews of live shows, then I got sick and couldn't really do it at that point in time. I'd like to try again.

[street-symphony.livejournal.com]

That sounds like it'd be cool. I love running into the sort of thing online.

[holly-hox-1985.livejournal.com]

Me too. oooh, I just got back from the Idol tour tonight. so good! I'm gonna have to blog about it tomorrow or something haha

[street-symphony.livejournal.com]

That sound is my jealousy. I'm kidding. :P Glad you had fun.
Haha, my brother mentioned something about might have gone but then also something about throwing a dish of dippin' dots at Kristy Lee Cook if he did...

[holly-hox-1985.livejournal.com]

Don't worry, I'll fill you in on everything. :)

lol she was so full of fail. two country songs and God Bless The USA...I could have nodded off in between them haha

[street-symphony.livejournal.com]

I'm looking forward to reading it.

He was mad because she stayed longer than his favorites. Of course, so was I.
I heard her set was something like that. I still don't get God Bless the USA. Who sings that song seriously on that show?

[holly-hox-1985.livejournal.com]

It seems like the kind of song to sing when you know you suck and you'll do anything to get some votes. Some people are real suckers for the whole "American pride" thing...some people gave her a standing ovation last night when she was done with it. o_0

[street-symphony.livejournal.com]

Ever since she sang that song all I could think was that she knew what she was doing when she picked it. I'm pretty convinced the reason Michael got the boot so early is that she sang that song and not something else. Even though I wouldn't doubt producer involvement.

[holly-hox-1985.livejournal.com]

Haha I always think things are fixed too. There's no doubt what saved her that week was the obvious patriotism. I guess it works on people...I couldn't care less, I've wanted to live in England since I was twelve lmao

[street-symphony.livejournal.com]

I'd be shocked if nothing on that show was fixed.
For me, yeah, it was the obvious "vote for me! I'm singing for America!" that I hated. I mean, I get it, so it seems like she was just using it for the votes. Yeah, there's troops overseas, my family's been a part of it. It feels like you're using them to win on a show.