Rachel Platten: Noisetrade Sampler

Never mind the hipsters. There is a compelling reason why pop’s still everyone’s guilty pleasure: it’s that darn infectious.

Take the case of Rachel Platten, for example. She edges out Vanessa Carlton by a margin on the singer-songwriter genre by upping the tempo and feel of her offerings, most of them landing her on the soundtracks of various movies and TV series. Nevertheless, the songstress has earned that revered indie cred while keeping her musicality intact.

As a Yuletide gift for her widening audience, Platten is treating us to a free Noisetrade EP containing beloved hits and possibly, some future chart-toppers.

Kicking off the five-track collection is the piano acoustic version of her top 40 hit, “1000 Ships”, whose instrumentations magnify the hopefulness of the tune’s message, more than it did when synth beats ruled the original.

Rachel then gives a nod to 90’s pop with the laid-back “Don’t Care What Time It Is”, which one might frequently mistake for a left-over Mandy Moore or Robyn (circa ‘Do You Really Want Me’) song. As for the others, “Nothing Ever Happens”, “Remark”, and her take on “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch”, she shows Carly Rae Jepsen how breathy vocals are really done.

Can you say awesome?!

Track listing:
1. 1000 Ships (Acoustic)
2. Nothing Ever Happens
3. Don’t Care What Time It Is
4. Remark
5. You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch