Society always celebrates the records that top the Billboard 200 album chart. Back of The Billboards is a Music Times weekly segment that looks at the opposite end: the new record that finished closest to the back of the Billboard 200 for the previous week. We hope to give a fighting chance to the performers you haven't heard of.
Week of 01/10/2014
WHO: Aloe Blacc
WHAT: Wake Me Up EP
SPOT: 195
The name "Aloe Blacc" might not be familiar to the average mainstream media consumer, but guarantee you heard his voice at least twice during 2013. First was his vocal appearance on Avicii's "Wake Me Up!", the tenth best-selling single from the last year, and second was his single "The Man" as it was featured in an extended Beats by Dre commercial featuring NBA icon Kevin Garnett.
Avicii might have his name on the single, and Garnett may have taken the spotlight during the commercial, but there's no doubt that neither project would have succeeded sans Blacc. "Wake Me Up!" wouldn't have even happened, as the R&B performer wrote the lyrics. "The Man" embodied the "Hear What You Want To Hear" theme of the Beats' advertising series. Fortunately, both tracks are part of the Wake Me Up EP, which should make it one of the most desirable mini-albums of the year.
"The Man" comes exactly as heard in the commercial, so no risk. "Wake Me Up" comes in a "stripped down" version...as in, it's not an EDM single. The other three tracks are also worth the price of admission, particularly closing track "Ticking Bomb."
Blacc's husky voice stands out in an era dominated by falsettos. No offense to the talented Pharells and Ushers of the world, but Blacc's vocals bring a different level of swagger...one that's necessary for tracks such as "The Man."
Blacc released a full-length during 2013, but he should reconsider releasing another one soon. This EP demonstrates his marketability.
