Miike Snow - Animal

This is another Swedish band with three members who have previously been producers and songwriters and have worked with some big names in the past. They all got together in 2007 and started messing around and were able to release an album last Spring. It did really well in Europe and is getting lots of recognition recently here in the U.S. They started their first tour in January and they are selling out shows all over the country (Paradise show on March 31st is already sold out). Their music falls into the category of indie-pop/electro-pop. Their tunes are super catchy (think Peter Bjorn and John's Young Folks). Their big hits are Animal, Black & Blue, Silvia, Song for No One and Burial and you can check them all out on their myspace page. Animal is fun cause it makes me think of animingus people from Harry Potter. But Song for No One might be my favorite because the guitar part is really catchy and really easy to play on the piano.

Fun Fact: The animal on their CD cover is a Jackelope, a bunny with antlers, my favorite mythical creature right next to the Unicorn. Happy Friday! 

Shout Out Louds - Fall Hard

February has been epic in album releases that I am crazy about. I was/still am obsessed with this Swedish band's 2007 album "Our Ill Wills", one that I have highly recommended to people hundreds of times (maybe because it was all about travel?) I heart Normandie. Obviously I was really excited for this new album, "Work" that came out on Tuesday. As I have been writing this, I have changed my song choice four times already. Their music is always upbeat, great fun to drive along to, and just kind of gets me going. This album is different from their last in that its simpler and focuses on the guitar and strong drumming and leaves out any fancy schmancy studio tricks, resulting in a well produced album with 10 solid tracks. I have only had a chance to listen to it briefly but the standouts for me are: Walls, Show Me Something New, and Throwing Stones. They are also incredibly awesome because you can download "Wall" for FREE on their website!  While you are on their website also check out the local Cambridge band, Passion Pit's remix of Fall Hard. Enjoy.

Dr. Dog--The Breeze

When Jessica and I were in Cambridge One before the Amber Rubarth show, this song played. Gabbie put it on a CD a couple years ago. I love it. Philadelphia native. I was going to put a live version on, but I didn't love the quality.

Zack Hickman - Cowboy song

Bou and I saw this guy open for Amber Rubarth last night and he was one of those great little unexpected surprises. He plays with Josh Ritter on a regular basis as well as a bunch of other musicians. He plays the upright bass, casio digital guitars from 1983 (awesome), harmonica, guitar, keyboard...I'm sure the list goes on and on. He was a riot. Here is his goofy song "Mustache" he really does have a crazy, wild, well waxed mustache...it was rather impressive. You can see his onstage antics in the mustache song. But his cowboy song was really fun too and the video quality of this one is the best. Just keep in mind that he is one goofy guy and enjoy.

Mason Jennings - I Love You and Buddha too

I actually saw the video I am posting on TV the other day and was reminded of senior spring sitting in my friends' back yard with some beers, Mark playing the guitar and Paul going nuts on the harmonica. I used to sit there/jump on the trampoline for hours, while lots of Mason Jennings was played. Its not just the fond memories of a 70 degree springtime and Sessions (I miss it so much) beer in Denver that make me like Mason Jennings so much, but the unique quality he has in his voice and the variety of his songs. He reminds me a bit of freak-folk artist Devendra Banhart with his funky style and eclectic genre-mixing and Langhorne Slim. From his newer album I like Sunlight and Black Wind Blowing. In the Ever and Boneclouds are my favorite albums. Fighter Girl and Jackson Square are my other favorite songs. In this video he is playing with Jack Johnson, Matt Costa, and G Sauce, and a few others. It looks like an unforgettable concert.  

Grant Lee Phillips--Humankind

Sometimes people on facebook posts songs. Sometimes I get excited and sometimes it doesn't really phase me. But I do like Grant Lee Phillips and I do like this song. Underrated artist, in my mind.

Wilco - You and I

As usual I had Monday morning posting issues. I can't find videos for most of the Ten out of Tenn album. I am obsessed with K.S. Rhoads' album, Dead Language as well as all of the other musicians he has worked with. But damn you, youtube, there are no decent videos to show you (or at least not the ones I want). I urge you all to check out the Ten out of Tenn albums (ten awesome musicians working in Nashville up to volume 3), and then come back here and blog about the ones you like, if you are lucky enough to find decent videos. There is lots to discover when you get into the singer/songwriter/helper-outers of Nashville. There is a large backlog of artists I have from Nashville that I have been waiting to get to write about when the mood strikes me and when videos are available. Also check out the local Nashville radio station, Lightning 100, that brings a lot of the artist in like Trent Dabbs, Andrew Belle, Erin McCarley, Katie Herzig, Butterfly Boucher, the list goes on.

Anyways, in all of this mess and youtube stress this morning I somehow worked my way back to a favorite band. And was shocked to find out that somehow in the excitement that was the European summer of '09, I totally missed the fact that Wilco released a new album, Wilco (the album). It is really great, I don't think they have ever had one bad album. Compared to their other albums like my favorite, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, it is less experimental and inventive. But it is still a really well done album, the piano and string compositions flow well throughout the album and are up to Wilco standards. There is just nothing new or exciting that pops out at you, not that it is a bad thing at all. I really like Everlasting Everything, You Never Know, and especially I'll Fight because for some reason it reminds me of Jeff saying "I would die for your honor." But here they are with Feist on Letterman.

Jenny Owen Youngs - If I didn't know

This is an artists that I highly recommend checking out because she has so many great songs and is really talented. She is capable of fitting into many different genres from indie rock, folk rock, singer/songwriter, to pop...the list goes on, see for yourself. Jenny Owen Youngs had a new album out recently called, Transmitter Failure, which has a much different sound than her previous Batten the Hatches. For lack of a better word, it is less rough than her previous albums. I still like it a great deal but it is just different. I was hoping that my friend, Charly, would have something to say about her because she knows her music much better than I and has seen her in concert(please send me an email so I can include it!) . In the meantime Jenny Owen Youngs has a lot of good songs to choose from. From the new album I would suggest: Here is a heart,  Last Person, Transmitter Failure, and Start and Stop. From the old stuff I suggest my favorite, fuck was I, and the best ever depressing christmas song "Things we don't need anymore" is one of my favorites.  If I didn't know always gets stuck in my head for days and with the violins it reminds me of the band Stars.

(She is currently on tour and will be performing in Boston on 3/10 at Great Scott and with Bess Rogers and Allison Weiss, who are really awesome, check them out too!) 
 

Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More

I don't need to listen to any other albums in 2010 to be able to tell you that their album, Sigh No More, is the best album of the year. It just came out on Tuesday and I even made the effort to buy the real life cd, not just download it, I had to trek over to Cambridge to get it too. It was totally worth it. The band recently formed in London in 2007, they sparked the interest of a famous producer Marcus Dravs (he worked with Arcade Fire and Bjork), he encouraged them to hone in on their sound and to really develop it. That they did, and now they have released their first full length album. You should expect them to get big soon, they have an amazing live show (I've had friends that saw them and said it was the best concert of their lives), and they have that same kind of spark that Kings of Leon seems to have, while keeping their unique sound and playing their instruments really well. I obviously recommend every single song. The youtube videos are linked to the Mumford & Sons channel, so if you click on it almost all their songs are there for your listening pleasure. Check out their website here. I couldn't choose between Winter Winds and Little Lion Man so here they both are.

Balmorhea - Settler

Somedays you don't want any words, just music. Somedays you just want a soundtrack for your everyday life. This is it. I spent yesterday walking around snowy, slushy, Boston with this on repeat. It is amazing how the snow flakes fall in time to this song and when you are people watching from the coffee shop window the people move to the beat of the music. Basically I was distracted from real work by this song all day long.

This Austin, TX band pronounced Bal-moor-ay is made up of five people playing guitar, piano, melodica, banjo, violin, cello, and the double bass. They have toured the US 3 times and will be playing at this year's SXSW. You can listen to their stuff from their new album on their myspace page. I urge you to listen to the whole song, when it sounds over, it's not, thats part of the beauty. You will know you are near the end when you hear the...well I will let the ending be a surprise for you (around the 5:10 min mark). Enjoy!

Grace Weber Band - Sparrows

This is pretty brand spanking new music, it was just added to itunes and I've been waiting a month for it, I was going crazy without it on my ipod. Jackie's Sara Bareilles post made me think of this song because #1 the vocals are outstanding, comforting, and perfectly suited to the music. #2 it has that ability to reduce a lonely girl to some teeny tiny tears on particular days.  It took me a few listens to fall in love with it, and now I am hooked. On their myspace page they put themselves in the soul/indie genre and I think that is pretty fitting. Some of the band's songs have great little piano solos and I love the saxophone. Check out "What We Say" but everything is really good. You can hear lots of full versions of their songs on this website: http://www.thesixtyone.com/#/graceweber/


P.S. Maybe I do say male musicians are cute a little too often I'm just going to throw this out there...I think she is really cute. However, her looks (or any other musicians' for that matter) is not why I like her (or their) music. I like it because it is delicate, and touching, and she has a great voice. If I listen to it when I am in the right mood it is better than being curled up on a couch with a hot toddy (preferably made like this). I just kind of love anyone with musical talent, including the homeless who bang on buckets. Just felt like throwing that out there today. K. Thanks. Now go fall in love with this song! 
 

Girls - Lust for Life

Here is a fun one. I like how this video is a total throw back to the 90s grunge look/garage band. I want that to come back. By "that" I mean both the popular garage band and the style. It's one of those songs where I can't figure out why I like it. It must be the hand clapping...surprise! Maybe the stuff they wish for has something to do with it too:

Oh, I wish I had a suntan 
Oh, I wish I had a pizza and a bottle of wine
Oh, I wish I had a beach house
Then we could make a big fire every night
Instead I'm just crazy, I'm totally mad

Sara Bareilles - Gravity

I tried to find a more unique Valentine's-related song, but nothing will ever compare to this song. This is such a beautiful song and I really like this "stripped" version of it. It can bring me to cry at any given time. (Yes, I know that's not that hard to do.) But the bottom line is that I'm obsessed with this song.

Tune Out--The Format

Molly put this on my Valentine's Day mix this year. I listened to the CD one time through on my ride home yesterday and this little tune caught my attention. Probably more about the beat than anything else!

Barton Carroll - Poor Boy Can't Dance

Barton Carroll is a Seattle based musician who has previously played with the band Crooked Fingers and has accompanied some other musicians along the way while working on his solo albums. His sound is very Americana but without that gravely twangy sound that one might associate with the genre. His newest album, Together You and I, is really great filled with nice mellow sounds while the lyrics linger somewhere around hope or hoplessness and have a way of grabbing your attention. I could listen to him all day. There is just something to these songs that I can't quite put my finger on, other than I want to keep listening to them. I especially love, love, love the clarinet in this song and the little story. Listen to more on his myspace and I highly suggest these songs: Together You and I, Dark Place, Lets get on with the illusion, and Those Days are gone and my heart is breaking.
"I had a girl back home she left me all alone 
said i was born with two left feet 
and thats the truth of it, you know I must admit 
i can barely walk down the street, 
well if it takes one more to send me on the floor 
well let me see what I can do, oh to spend some time with you. 
So dance with me..."

Happy Valentines Day

Here is a little gift from Tristan Prettyman to me to you. I found this through the wonderful, yet sometimes creepy, world of Twitter. This is a new song that she has been working on and was kind enough to post it for us. The first part of the song might just be the story of my life. Thank you Tristan. Happy Valentines day to all. This song is only available for a limited time (but hopefully we will be able to hear the final version in the future?), so listen to it now!

http://icecreamisbetterwithafork.tumblr.com/post/388684115/for-a-limited-time-you-can-hear-the-new-song

Madi Diaz - Canvas

SJB's post about Meiko made me think of another favorite of mine who I came across at about the same time. Madi Diaz is a young and talented singer/songwriter who writes beautiful lyrics from Pennsylvania originally, she went to Berkley in Boston, and is now based in Nashville. Her songs were on last year's Valentines day cd. She has two albums out that I both really like. Canvas is probably my favorite song but I could only find this annoying video with Clive, whoever he is, so you just have to be patient or skip ahead to the 3:10 mark. She also looks a good deal different now if you click on the Let's Go link you will see. She will also be performing at SXSW this year so I expect her to become better known in the very near future. Keep an eye on her! Check out some of her stuff on myspace too.

Other songs to listen to: Side, Let's Go, Nothing at all, I know I know


"He said, this mattress is a canvas
So lets pour ourselves upon it
and paint a picture of our love."

Rogue Wave - Maps

Rogue Wave was one of those bands I came across in 2005 - The Year of Discoveries. I call it this because this was the year that I also stumbled upon Tristan Prettyman, Ben Taylor, Jackie Greene, and local Denver band The Fray, and about 20 other artists that I absolutely adore, thus spurring the creation of my first annual Valentines Day CD. I also discovered that year, among many other things, that I can't do shots of Captain Morgan's while wearing a Whorever 21 gold top that requires double-sided tape to stay on. Anyways...back at the ranch, I really liked Rogue Wave when I first heard them. I even went to one of their concerts in Denver, it was awesome, there were maybe 70 people at the Bluebird Theater that Wednesday night. Then their song, "Lake Michigan" was used in a Microsoft Zune commercial (funny how that mp3 player never took off), and then I think the O.C. used "California" and "Eyes" and with that Rogue Wave was a huge sensation and everyone knew about them. For whatever reason, this caused me to stop listening to them. Until now.

This song was originally done by another great band, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and you should also check out the original if you haven't already heard it. It is a long standing favorite of mine. Rogue Wave does a great cover of it. I came across it on the itunes made for Valentines day album Sweetheart, a compilation with some pretty good bands on it (Check out the cover of Yellow by Jem and the cover of I'm on fire (hey its one of the Bruce songs I like!) by Kate Tucker). Rogue Wave also just released a new single in January, called Good Morning, Rogue Wave fans hate it. So enjoy this instead!

Meiko--Reason To Love You

Jessica put "How Lucky We Are" on one of her Valentine's Day CDs. I put "Boys with Girlfriends" on my Valentine's Day CD this year. Here's another one of hers.

Kings of Convenience - Misread

Every once and awhile when I worked at Houston's the podcasts that they received from corporate every few weeks actually had some good songs on it. I definitely shazamed this one. I'm obsessed with that app. By the time I left, they actually had a John Mayer song, and a Robert Plant/Alison Krauss song on the mix. Crazyness. (*Sidenote: Houston's caught on fire on Friday and just reopened today. $500,000 worth of damage!)

This is one of those relaxing songs that you can put on in kitchen and dive into a recipe with. I'm very interested in hearing what else this duo is all about. This song is apparently from 2004, so I have some researching to do. I can't embed the video, so here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GD5voAaod8&feature=fvw

Gavin Castleton - Coffeelocks

I really don't want to write another long post today, but the story of how this song and this album came to be is really outrageous, yet very intriguing. This is one song off of his album, Home (is about healing from massive heartbreak), and is a song from the beginning about how he and his girlfriend met. They then dated for six years and then broke up. The break-up was so hard that he decided to write a rock-opera about it. He eventually asked his ex to help write the female lyrics so that he could include her perspective. After a short time they were unable to collaborate any longer and Gavin suffered from severe anxiety attacks.  I've listened to all of the songs on his website and let me tell you, it was one scary breakup. It makes my heart feel shiny and brand new in comparison. You should definitely read more about it on his website (click on the home side) as he explains what each song is about and how the album came to be. It is an interesting story that reels you in. Don't worry though, this is not a scary breakup song but actually a pretty cute song about meeting someone at a coffee shop.

Young @ Heart Chorus--Fix You

Going a different direction on this. The Young @ Heart chorus is a group of people from an old age home and they cover classic rock songs. Some people find this odd, and I undrestand that completely. I find it inspirational. I can't embed this, so I will put up the link. But it's not often you see a man with oxygen sing a beautiful version of Coldplay. There was a documentary done on them not too long ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gosIuO1HqEg&feature=related

Brandi Carlile - XOBC EP

So, I don't know if I should admit this or not but I don't really like Brandi Carlile. I guess it started before her Grey's Anatomy fame when I came across her songs and went on a downloading spree and had maybe 20 of her songs. A few weeks later after listening to bits and pieces of her songs I deleted them all. Something I almost NEVER do. I like to keep at least one song by those artists so that if they ever get big I can say, "see I knew about them, their song must have been remastered for the radio it sounds so much better now". Then her songs got played on Grey's Anatomy and people loved her, my mom bought not one but two of her CDs. I can only listen to so many of her songs before I get painfully bored and her voice starts bothering me. I have never liked her big hits like "The Story". They just didn't click for me and they all sound the same. I hate bashing music, really I do, because I profoundly appreciate and respect musical talent even if my ears don't. And I know Brandi Carlile has talent.

I am only doing this to show you just how much I had to overcome to love Brandi's new EP that came out yesterday just in time for Valentine's Day. It might have something to do with the fact that she covers "Heaven" the 80s hit by Bryan Adams and she did a good job making it her own. Or that "Us Again" has a fun country twang and is upbeat and happy. She sings happy songs? Who knew? I could care less about her "All you Need is Love" cover, but together as a package this EP works. The five songs fit together well and they sound different enough that I can actually listen to the five of them in a row. Ok, maybe I like "Dying Day" from her most recent album. Her sound is changing, musicians can change, and that is part of why I love music, musicians have the ability to change and be versatile, much more so than people in real life. Feel free to be angry at me for disliking her, I am hypocritical because I know I listen to plenty of people who have obnoxious voices (anyone remember Tilly and The Wall from the vday cdays? Nope? Exactly my point) but I just had to get that out there. While I am dissing people I might as well come out and say the really big one....I dislike Bruce Springsteen. A lot. I like about 5 of his songs but I have found covers of all of them and like the covers better than the originals. I once met another person who also disliked Bruce Springsteen as much as I did and we were instant BFFs, it was a magical connection, much stronger than what two people who like The Boss feel towards each other. I feel as free as a bird with that off my chest. Now we can move forward.  Feel free to comment on my confessions of the day.

Now from Brandi Carlile...I can only find XOBC on itunes right now, but give it a few days and I am sure I will be able to add a video.

Brazilian Girls - Good Time

Warning: This song will be stuck in your head for days. It is a really fun electro-pop ditty accompanied by some great (I can't believe I am writing this again) hand clapping. Why am I obsessed with hand clapping? Because I am always the person clapping off beat at concerts?  Anyways...In case you were wondering, nobody in the band is Brazilian and they got together a few years ago in New York City.  This is one of those to play loudly in your car. It is kind of my motto "We just want to have a good time tonight, we just want to have a good time ALL. THE. TIME." What's wrong with wanting that?

Other songs to listen to are "Pussy" (yes I am cringing writing it, but you do have to listen to it, makes me laugh all the time. Don't worry its not dirty except for that word.), "Don't stop", and "Homme".

Schuyler Fisk--Where I'm Standing

So this song just came up on Pandora. Look up the artist and see that she's on here because of Sara Barielles and Ingrid Michelson. Daughter of Sissy Spacek. So I look her up and learn that she's the girl who sings with Joshua Radin on "Paperweight. So far, so good. I like her sound. She's crossing over with good things in my book. Then I click on another video and it's posted by a girl whose youtube profile is "Brittanyobsessed08" with a picture of Brittany Spears. I'm currently struggling with this post. But I still like the song, so I'm going with it!

Hem - He Came to Meet Me

I had some real issues picking a song this morning. I wanted to present you with something fun for a Monday morning like a song Phoenix's wonderful new album. There are so many great Phoenix songs that I couldn't decide on just one so I jumped to Teitur, a long time favorite who has recently been getting more attention and has a fun new song out called Catherine the Waitress. But nothing really struck me...until I was scanning through an old playlist and saw Hem.

Hem can be classified (kind of) as an indie-folk-rock-lullaby band. They formed in New York a decade ago and are made up of eight people who play the following instruments (and then some): guitar, mandolin, banjo, drums, pedal steel guitar, piano, bass, and violin. This all creates a beautiful and unique sound especially when the soft and warm vocals of Sally Ellyson come into play. (Did I just make her sound like a blanket fresh out of the dryer? Well, she does have a similar effect, I suppose.) Bottom line is that I love them and you should too.

You will probably recognize the song "The Part Where You Let Go" from a commercial not so long ago. They have a newish album out, The Twelfth Night, that is more on the bluegrassy side and has a bunch of good tracks. Specific songs to listen to would be "Half Acre" which is so amazingly beautiful that I can't even find a good enough adjective to describe it, "Stupid Mouth Shut", "The Pills Stopped Working"...the list goes on and on. Check out their myspace. But for now try out this song. Their lyrics are often the story-telling type and this song is no exception.
But there is no one who
Could wake my heart like this
Could break my world in two
I felt a suddenness
I felt a suddenness
The day fell completely still
The dream was a lot like this
But I never knew until
He came to meet me


(the video is a mash up of a Bollywood film, so just ignore that...although I have heard that it is a good movie)

Ingrid Michaelson - You and I

Jackie's last post made me think of the one song that I just can't stop listening to these days (besides the German Culcha Candela's Monsta). What a surprise, I am hooked on another one of Ingrid's songs. I love how this song is simple and just seems like it was a lot of fun to write. I like to think of it as a modern version of Danny's Song (yup, that old Kenny Loggins's song). Again it has that hand clapping/foot stomping thing that I just can't get enough of, not to mention I am also a sucker for male/female duets. Oh, and the lyrics are great, especially the part about bunnies. This song really covers all the bases. It is just so much fun. And whoever made the little video to go with it had a good time too. Happy Weekend!

Joshua Radin (feat. Ingrid Michaelson) - Sky

This is from 2008, but I love it. Two of my favorite artists, and a happy little diddy to bop around to. Yes, diddy. Not a unique find, but something that I can't stop listening to at the moment. My favorite part:

oh oh, oh oh, you know
the way to keep me on my toes
I, I, I, I, will be fine
just say you'll stay forever mine
til we fall asleep tonight

*disclaimer: Ingrid Michaelson is not in this video.

Gin Wigmore -These Roses

Gin Wigmore, a talented singer/songwriter with one hell of a voice, is a pretty big deal down in Australia and has done well on the European charts, but for some reason we have yet to hear her on the radio here. I am predicting we will hear her on the radio soon based off of her collaboration with an amazing producer Mike Elizondo in Hollywood who has also worked with the likes of Fiona Apple, Regina Spektor, Eminem, Nelly Furtado, and Maroon 5. She has also played with the Cardinals (Ryan Adams and his band) quite a bit. Yup, pretty big names. Keep an eye on her and see what happens.

This song has the ability to catch your ear mainly due to her interesting crackly voice, (my mom calls it a grating voice but what does she know?), but despite or because of the voice it still remains a pretty great song. Her voice resembles Macy Gray now that I think of it, which seems strange coming out of a little blond New Zealander. But you can decide for yourself. "I will stay addicted to you"

(you can find a free mp3 download of her song "Golden Ship" on her website which is in the link above)

Mac Leaphart - Ooh La La (Cover)

Originally there was this band called "Exit 199" who played throughout the southeast, mainly at college campuses. They changed their name to "Five Way Friday" produced songs with a bluegrassy/country type of sound that sounded a lot like Hootie and the Blowfish or a lot of other 90s bands (probably because that was when this band was in its peak). Their lead singer, Mac Leaphart, decided to do his own thing. Their myspace page is actually still up and running because they basically get together for charity events, etc. I wouldn't say they're a new favorite band of mine, but it definitely reminds me of that era of music, which I loved....Deep Blue Something, Rusted Root, The Cranberries!?! Who didn't love those groups! I wish I had known about these guys then.

As for Mac Leaphart, I realllllly like his voice. He did a remake of Ronnie Lane's "Ooh La La" that turned out pretty awesome. Leaphart is also still touring, mainly in the Carolinas, as a cover artist. He released an album in 2008 and "Confederate Roses" is his most well-known single of it that I was going to post, but I'm tired and it's a slow country song that's making me sad. . . so you'll just have to enjoy his voice and not his own song.

Carlos Bertonatti - Perfect Picture

I know my life is like one big vacation from the real world, but after talking about warm places with some friends, all I want is a beach vacation. This song just makes me think about it. Irrational and unaffordable things usually find a way of working out for me so hopefully in a months time I will be on a beach listening to this song. Luckily babysitting (not au pairing) pays handsomely in the 'burbs.

Speaking of handsome, Carlos Bertonatti is adorable and sexy in that foreign-fedora-wearing kind of way. He grew up in Caracas, Venezuela and the ski slopes of Argentina before moving to his current home in Miami (I am not jealous cough cough). He has some great feel good music. The link above is for his myspace and I suggest listening to "the little things" and "It's so easy" the rest is good too, just a bit slower. Enjoy. Think sunny beach thoughts, I am.

Sorry there are no videos that i can find of Perfect Picture but you can listen to it here!

Allison Veltz - Lullabye

Just to prove how awesome this new website is. The one that is way cooler than Pandora and does a really great thing for artist trying to get noticed. Their tag line is "a music adventure", that is right up our alley. Look at what I just found! Its such a cute song.

Allison Veltz - Lullabye

Here is a video of her other song Running on Love

Jont - Sweetheart

I put my 10,000 (that must be why my computer hates me!) songs on shuffle yesterday and this is what came up. It was a Grey's Anatomy song a good while back. When I was looking up the video for this I came across a lot of other stuff of his I liked. He has released a lot of singles that I like too. I want to put this up before I get super distracted by my new favorite music website (5 million times cooler than pandora!) It is called The Sixty One after the famous Rt. 61. It is a little confusing and I keep jumping from song to song by accident and then I can't find the song I really liked and I get sad. But in time I will have this website down and then new music is going to come out the wazoo and my computer will die under the weight of it all. True story.

I told you I would get sidetracked. Back to the artist at hand....I suggest looking up some of his other songs but this one I just found really cute, he has a more upbeat version on itunes which is good too. Plus I love a skinny guy with a guitar in his hand. Who doesn't? He also has a cool campaign out where if you mention him you can get some of his music from him for free and other cool stuff so check out his sites below

His website: http://www.jontnet.com/
His myspace: http://www.myspace.com/jontmusic

Other songs to check out: Let's Roll, Another World, Enjoy the good times, 36 Oysters (from his soon to be released album...really awesome!)

The Pernice Brothers--Baby In Two

Jose from Spouse collaborated with these guys a few years ago, which is how I heard about them originally. They wrote "Moonshot Manny" for "Fever Pitch". I really liked to run to that song until I got tired of "Manny Being Manny". And another of their songs was on a Sherwin Williams add.

She and Him--Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?

Gabbie put this on a mix a couple years ago. It may have been on last year's Valentine's Day CD, but I am not sure. Video is interesting. (Sorry my blurbs are short. We're in folder reading mode at work. I just want to get the posts up. SORRY!)

Kyle Andrews - Sushi

We can file this one under Alternative Electronica, kind of like Jupiter One who Jackie brought up a while back. I like working out to Kyle Andrew's song and I find the video highly entertaining. They made a mosaic out of other youtube videos which makes the whole dancing scene rather amazing. His album is called Real Blasty and this is a pretty accurate description of it: “Real Blasty is an upbeat album for sad people who just want to dance. A lesser artist could get weighed down by the broody lyrics covering unrequited love, insecurities and general enui. But Andrews pulls it off by pairing his angst with bright electro-pop rhythms and irresistible hooks.” - Tamara Vallejos, NPR.ORG (Nov 07, 2008) 
Sad people who just want to dance haha. Love it. I can very easily see this song being used in a commercial. I just has that little something to it.  Check more of him out on myspace and his website. 

Blue Dogs - I'd Give Anything

This is a long time favorite, right in there with Perfect by Doria Roberts, and Anthem by Stephen Kellogg. It was on the first ever Valentines Day CD. I can't tell you how much I love these guys. I'll start with the fact that they sing a song all about the wonders of homegrown tomatoes (it's easy to find its called homegrown tomatoes). Their first album came out on cassette (what the hell is that?) although it was 1991 so I guess that makes sense. They are from Charlestown, South Carolina. They have been doing this for 20 years. The reasons to love them go on and on. But I guess I really like their lyrics which is why I am going to have to give you one of their newer (from 1999) songs as well, Carry Your Heart. Check them out here and listen to lots of their songs on their myspace.