Profiling great and underrated music by four artists. To submit an artist for a future profile, hit the "Contact/Info" tab and fill out the form.
Jillian Banks Banks
Putting actual song material as opposed to jingles in commercials is smart business. It attracts people to the advertised brand and the recording artist featured benefits from the exposure. Holiday ads from lingerie goddess Victoria Secret are usually very stimulating and appealing all on their own with elaborate sets and beautiful models in stunning costumes, but the company upped the ante for their already gorgeous 2013 Parisian-themed commercial with a haunting tune with lyrics that stopped me cold: “I'm thinking it over, the way you make me feel all sexy, but it's causing me shame…I don't wanna say your love is a waiting game.” I thought “please tell me this is a real song and not just the best jingle ever.” The song is called “Waiting Game” and the voice behind it is Jillian Banks, who simply goes by BANKS. The moments of quiet with piano and soft vocal, the pounding, drilling beat, the open-to-interpretation lyrics, the romantic danger, the moodiness—all things that can easily draw me to a song. Upon listening to more of BANKS via her Soundcloud profile, it seems ‘dramatic’ (and what has thus far been pegged as ‘alternative R&B;’ a term I have mixed feelings about, but that’s a different post for another day) is her chosen flair. Although the melodically-restrained style isn’t the catchiest and is somewhat of an acquired taste, the biggest plus is that brings focus and attention to lyrics, which typically are overlooked or aren’t analyzed because people tend to hear “the beat” 1st. BANKS’ lyrics give the impression that they’re intentional and thought-through, which is refreshing to me because it seems I’ve been inundated with simple, tacky and/or brainless. If you’re looking to get familiar with the personal side of BANKS, turn around because she’s a bit elusive; I couldn’t even find out how old she is. Her ‘official’ site is a post-stream Tumblr with no bio and her Twitter is mostly promotional. She’s toured with The WeekND and cites Lauryn Hill and Fiona Apple as her inspirations; Apple’s influence is most noticeable. She released 2 EP’s in 2013, “Fall Over” and “London,” under the Los Angeles based independent label, IAmSound Records and a U.S./England conglomerate, Harvest Records. Give a listen to “Waiting Game” and the steamy “Bedroom Wall” below and let me know what you think.
Putting actual song material as opposed to jingles in commercials is smart business. It attracts people to the advertised brand and the recording artist featured benefits from the exposure. Holiday ads from lingerie goddess Victoria Secret are usually very stimulating and appealing all on their own with elaborate sets and beautiful models in stunning costumes, but the company upped the ante for their already gorgeous 2013 Parisian-themed commercial with a haunting tune with lyrics that stopped me cold: “I'm thinking it over, the way you make me feel all sexy, but it's causing me shame…I don't wanna say your love is a waiting game.” I thought “please tell me this is a real song and not just the best jingle ever.” The song is called “Waiting Game” and the voice behind it is Jillian Banks, who simply goes by BANKS. The moments of quiet with piano and soft vocal, the pounding, drilling beat, the open-to-interpretation lyrics, the romantic danger, the moodiness—all things that can easily draw me to a song. Upon listening to more of BANKS via her Soundcloud profile, it seems ‘dramatic’ (and what has thus far been pegged as ‘alternative R&B;’ a term I have mixed feelings about, but that’s a different post for another day) is her chosen flair. Although the melodically-restrained style isn’t the catchiest and is somewhat of an acquired taste, the biggest plus is that brings focus and attention to lyrics, which typically are overlooked or aren’t analyzed because people tend to hear “the beat” 1st. BANKS’ lyrics give the impression that they’re intentional and thought-through, which is refreshing to me because it seems I’ve been inundated with simple, tacky and/or brainless. If you’re looking to get familiar with the personal side of BANKS, turn around because she’s a bit elusive; I couldn’t even find out how old she is. Her ‘official’ site is a post-stream Tumblr with no bio and her Twitter is mostly promotional. She’s toured with The WeekND and cites Lauryn Hill and Fiona Apple as her inspirations; Apple’s influence is most noticeable. She released 2 EP’s in 2013, “Fall Over” and “London,” under the Los Angeles based independent label, IAmSound Records and a U.S./England conglomerate, Harvest Records. Give a listen to “Waiting Game” and the steamy “Bedroom Wall” below and let me know what you think.
| Waiting Game | Bedroom Wall |
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