Animal Lover

OK! Really trying to post more, like I said. 
Here goes:


GOOD SONG: Animal Life by Shearwater, from their upcoming album "Animal Joy" (due out next month).
A little bit about Shearwater first. The band's frontman, Jonathan Meiburg,  is obsessed with birds (like my dad!) so they named the band after the bird. A lot of their music has really interesting natural themes, especially bird themes. They focus a lot on the natural world, but not in an annoying, hyper-obsessed enviro-freak kind of way. I respect them for their fascinating and gorgeous and very well-crafted album covers, inserts, and other stuffs that go along with that. There is real craft going on here, folks, on many levels. Meiburg and bandmate Will Sheff were both members of the band Okkervil River, which is also based out of Austin, TX. Their sound is quite different, though, which you might not automatically have expected. Their fourth, fifth, and sixth albums (which were awesome) entitled "Palo Santo," " Rook," and "The Golden Archipelago" respectively, were a sort of trilogy. This new album is a departure from those. 


As for the song: I love Meiburg's voice. And the music builds and swells. I think it would be a good song to run to, if I ever did any running. 

I know. I don't get the tuxedo either. I like the bird, though.

If you liked this song, you might also check out:
The National
Wye Oak (Wye Oak opened for Shearwater)
Midlake
Coldplay (and Shearwater opened for Coldplay)


Over and out,
Anna


P.S. I love this little story about Meiburg coming to D.C.'s Smithsonian Museum:

"I had an amazing experience in D.C.," Meiburg says. "I went into the Natural History Museum and called up a scientist who works there who a paper of his I'd read 15 years ago about specimens of a giant, flightless, extinct bird of prey that he had discovered, basically. And sure enough, he was there, and he came down, and I talked to him about it for about 45 minutes. It was fantastic."

And that was an amazing experience?

"Oh, it was magical," Meiburg says. "I got to see the bones." (from npr.com)

Speak From Your Heart!

Hey there folks! Welcome to 2012. I hope you're prepared to listen to some good music while you wait for the end of the world to roll around.

I promise I will try to be better about posting more good music more regularly this year.

Speaking of good music, Porcelain Raft is releasing a new album "Strange Weekend" on January 24th. Here is a single off the upcoming album that I thought was a great tune. I love the refrain,
"And I don't wanna listen/
Unless you speak from your heart."

GOOD SONG: Unless You Speak From Your Heart by Porcelain Raft

Who is Porcelain Raft, you might well ask. Well, it's one dude whose name is Mauro Remiddi. He was born in Rome (one of my top five places in the world). And that's about all I know about him, folks. Sorry.

Apparently he looks like this.

If you liked this song, you might also check out:

Washed Out

Toro Y Moi

The XX

Panda Bear

Beach House

Over and out,

Anna

Some cutesy fun

Still need a bit more help getting up in the morning?
Here's another remedy for ya:
GOOD SONG: Light Bulb (ANR Remix) by Rachel Goodrich

So THIS is the famed founder of Shake-a-billy.
Interesting.

Such a fun song! I recommend it as a purely fun, danceable ditty to brighten your day a bit. Don't think too much about the words. The remix is better than the original, which is too cutesy for my taste. However, the original song has a HILARIOUS video:
Check it out here: Lightbulb video
Rachel Goodrich is a Miami-based musician, who claims to be a "shake-a-billy" artist. Yeah, OK, whatever the heck that means. I hate all these new micro-genres that people make up. Anyway, though, her music is definitely fun and quirky (although I fear she might be a perfect living example of Problem #4 here) . She can play the guitar, ukulele, banjo, kazoo, autoharp, piano, and others (question: who *can't* play the kazoo?). Her first album, entitled "Tinker Toys" came out in 2008, and her new self-titled album came out this year.  If you like twee-pop, or retro-sounding/vaudevillian stuff, you will enjoy her un-remixed music.

If you liked this song/the original song, you might also like:
The Boy Least Likely To
Lykke Li
Jens Lekman
April Smith & the Great Picture Show

Over and out,
Anna

Better than an alarm clock!

Need a little help getting up in the morning?

I know I do. What with this incredibly gloomy MONTH of bad weather, it hasn't been too easy to get my butt out of bed and out the door every day.
I recommend a healthy helping of some GOOD SONGS to assist you in your quest.

Their music is so energizing, it almost makes me want
to go biking. Almost.

GOOD SONG #1:Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People

GOOD SONG #2: Call It What You Want by Foster the People.

Foster the people was originally called Foster & the People, but because people kept messing it up, the new version stuck. Mark Foster, Mark Pontius, and Cubbie Fink (yeah, amazing name, I know) are the three main members, with some other dudes (Sean Cimino and Isom Innis) coming out to play at their live performances. They formed in California and DANG, do they make some find indie-pop. Really, if this stuff doesn't get you out of bed with your head bopping, I don't know what will. They released an EP in January, and their full album, entitled "Torches," dropped in May of this year. There are already various remixes of this stuff (check out The Hype Machine), which doesn't surprise me at all. It's just begging for it.

FYI, they will be playing on SNL on October 8th (this coming Saturday).

If you liked these songs, you might also check out:
Passion Pit
Local Natives
The Go! Team
Campire Weekend
and lots of other indie-pop groups which are popping up (ha! pun!) all over the place

Over and out,
Anna

Dream Teams for the Athletically Challenged

The other night some friends and I were talking about sports. Or, rather, they were talking about sports and I was listening. I was never really into sports (I like this one, though). However, the idea of the "dream team" fascinates me. Especially musically. 

Here is the first of two musical dream teams that I think deserve some love on the AGSIHTF.

Hey! That's not Reggae Pie! That's Chinese take-out!

GOOD SONG: Reggae Pie by Mister Heavenly

Joe Plummer- Modest Mouse drummer? Check. 

Ryan Kattner- Man Man singer? Check.

Nick Thorburn- Islands/The Unicorns singer? Check.  
(Oh yeah, and Michael Cera was the bass player for a while. Go figure).
That's some serious indie rock cred going on there. You can see the influences of all their individual styles in Mister Heavenly, and it really works. 
I love the song Reggae Pie for its slightly trippy sound- gotta love the sludgy organs in the background. Kattner (aka Honus Honus) has a unique voice with a sort of deep, crazy, ominous edge to it, yet it works really well with Thorburn's totally different, much higher voice. 


I find the lyrics interesting, too:
"It is too late to say that I want you
more than a man should ever admit to?
Is it passé to claim that I need you
more than a man should ever commit to?
And I don't care if I'm out of line.
And I don't care if we're marking time.
And I don't care if you'll never be mine,
Cuz I'm yours."


Is there a limit to how much a man can say he loves someone or wants someone or needs someone before he starts to lose cred with his friends? Or before he starts looking crazy? Or before he starts to feel "uncool?" Probably. Because, let's be honest, for many people these days, looking hip and un-passé is not easily compatible with loving someone and being dependent, in any way, upon another. It's not cool 
to seem as if you aren't totally yourself without anyone's help. 


Alright, no more pontificating on the plight of modern-day love (and the lack there-of). Anyhoo, they have only one album so far, which was just released, entitled "Out of Love." It's a bit goofy-- what do you expect from an album from the "Doom Wop" genre? (Who thinks up these genres, anyway?). It's definitely worth a listen (or more than just one, I'd say), especially with indie all-star musicians like that in their starting line-up. OK that's where my "sporty" vocabulary ends. If I go any further, I might embarrass myself.  

BUY THEIR MUSIC HERE: Mister Heavenly on Sub Pop Records

If you liked this song, you might also check out:
(obviously)
Man Man
Modest Mouse
Islands
The Unicorns
and also...
Dr. Dog
Foster the People
Yellow Ostrich
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Over and out,
Anna

Hold Your Head Up

Summer isn't over, folks! I thought I would post another GOOD (SUMMER) SONG while it was still the season.
I heard this song recently and knew I had to post it. It is a great, fun, super-catchy song that I have been humming since I first heard it a week or two ago. Give it a listen!!

Rockin out. Me likey.

GOOD (SUMMER) SONG: Beacon by Matt Duncan
Listen to those horns! The piano! And is that an accordion in the background? Amazing! I love the R&B vibes combined with the indie-pop sound. The whole EP is worth a listen, really. Matt Duncan, based in Kentucky, released his six-song EP entitled Beacon, winter of 2010. I can't find out too much about him, other than the facts I already mentioned (from Kentucky, male, young, makes music) but his music is happy-making.
I love the lyrics to the song, especially the first verse and chorus (I'm a sucker for songs that mention NY, for obvious reasons). It's funny, though, because I first thought that he was saying "Hold your head up, you're in Beacon"; Beacon is a artsy little town in upstate NY that I had *just* read an article about in the NY Times (read it here). But that's not what he is saying. Fortunately I like the real lyrics better than my imagined ones.

"I got friends in New York City
'Cause everyone I know left town
That's the place your day lit dreams go
Where you can't see the sun go down

Hold your head up, you're a beacon
You pull me northward in my car
You don't have to hit the big time, baby
We know who you are."

BUY HIS MUSIC HERE: Matt Duncan

If you liked this song, you might also check out:

Beirut

Jens Lekman

Elvis Costello

The Magnetic Fields

Over and out,
Anna

Maryland Represent!

So here I am chilling in upstate NY, in the Catskills, a-listenin' to some dang good alt-rock-folk-whatever-genre-you-wanna-call-it. And while I will always be a New Yorker, it's true, I have to give some much-deserved love to the great state of Maryland, since I am a resident of it now.
So, without further ado, here is Wye Oak, straight outta Baltimo'.

Apparently they're not only a good band, but also
a good decorating theme. 

GOOD SONG: Civilian by Wye Oak

I am sure you knew immediately (since you're all really into Maryland state tree history, I know)  the band is named after the famous Wye Oak tree of Maryland, the largest white oak tree in the United States... until it was destroyed in a thunderstorm in 2002. Extremely sad-making. It was 460 years old! DUDE. (In case you were curious, the largest white oak tree in the US now is the Linden Oak, located on the corner of Rockville Pike and Beach Drive in North Bethesda, MD. Nice.)
Anyhoo, they make great music together, these two. Oh yes, and "these two" consists of Andy Stack (known to play drums and keyboard at the same time!!) and Jenn Wasner. They've released three albums so far, with the most recent being Civilian (March of this year).  I love the steady rhythm that gets kicked into high gear half-way through the song. Wasner's voice has real strength to it, as does her guitar work, which goes from a nice country-ish strumming to some serious rock-n-rolling. The lyrics, in my humble opinion, show the struggle that many people do with a need for a real relationship, but having shortcomings get in the way.

"Perfectly able to hold my own hand/
but I still can't kiss my own neck/
I wanted to give you everything/
but I still stand in awe of superficial things/
I wanted to love you like my mother's mother's mothers did/
civilian."

If you liked this song, you might also like:
Deer Tick
The Cave Singers
The Rosebuds
Other Lives
Neko Case
The Rural Alberta Advantage

Over and out,
Anna

Doctor's Orders

Feeling washed out?

Take two of these, take a drive on the highway at night with the windows down, and don't call me in the morning.

Washed Out makes good music for days when
you take pictures like these. 

GOOD SONG #1: Far Away by Washed Out (be aware the album cover is a pretty sexual image)

GOOD SONG #2: Eyes Be Closed by Washed Out (" ") 

So who is Washed Out? It's Ernest Greene, from Georgia. He's a one-man-chillwave-band who just released his first full-length album entitled "Within and Without" from Sub Pop Records. He began just recording his music in his basement in his little hometown of Perry, Georgia, and has risen to (moderate) fame (in the chillwave world, which is pretty limited). People have busted a move trying to classify and describe his sound, with words like "gauzy," "ecstatic," "organic," "lingering," and others. His sound has definitely been inspired by 1980's synth-pop and contemporary hip-hop (listen to those beats!), but also house, and even other genres like folk (maybe). The songs I picked I love because they are fun to drive to at night, when it's warm, with the windows down. They are strangely beautiful and dream-like. 

The whole album is actually fantastic, and I definitely recommend giving it a listen.  

If you liked this, you might also check out:

Panda Bear

Loney, Dear

Animal Collective

Cut Copy

Toro Y Moi

Neon Indian

Over and out,

Anna 

But for the grace of God

OK, another quick post while I am still out of town.

Jenny and two life-size mannequins...um... I mean, the Watson twins.

GOOD SONG: Rise Up With Fists! by Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins

So this song isn't exactly new (it's from her 2006 album "Rabbit Fur Coat"), but I think it is amazing. For some reason, I have it stuck in my head pretty much all the time. No joke. The lyrics are in my head all the time. It's strange. The lyrics are great though-- pointed without being bitter or cruel. And the chorus "There, but for the grace of God, go I" is a great line. I would be as bad as you, if it wasn't for the grace of God. Not my own goodness or abilities or what have you.

Jenny Lewis, in case you didn't know, was the lead singer of the band Rilo Kiley, and is now currently recording songs with Johnathan Rice (Fun Fact #1: I met him years ago in NYC at The Living Room, well before he was famous, thanks to a cool friend. Fun fact #2: for those of you from the DC area, he is also from the DC area- Alexandria, specifically- and went to Gonzaga. Small world.).

If you liked this song, you might also like:

Jenny & Johnny (Jenny Lewis & Johnathan Rice duo)
Rilo Kiley
Neko Case (I LOVE HER)
The Elected
She & Him
Bright Eyes

Over and out,
Anna

A Summer Bouquet

I know it's summer and I should have a lot more free time, being a teacher and all, but it's actually been a bit crazy. I've been outta town for a while, and heck, I'm still outta town. Thus, my posts this month will probably be pretty short. Oh well.

Some summery dudes making some summery music.

Here's a GOOD (SUMMER) SONG for y'all:   Get Up by Jonquil

Jonquil is a group from Oxford, England (one of my favorite places in the world. You walk into that town and feel centuries of knowledge just seeping into your bones. It's pretty cool). A jonquil, by the way, is pretty much just another word for a daffodil. In case you were wondering. Anyway, this song has some great guitar opening it up and then the drums and vocals kick in, and it just gets more fun. I have no idea what the song is about or what the vocals are really, but it's OK. It's still a fun song.

If you liked this song, you might also check out:

Wolf Parade
Yeasayer
Vampire Weekend
Yellow Ostrich
Local Natives

Over and out,
Anna

"If I had an orchard..."

So here goes a quick post before Easter for y'all (I'm allowed to say that now. I live below the Mason-Dixon line).

So most of you are probably acquainted with Fleet Foxes already, but in case you're not: They're based in Seattle (again! I can't avoid em!) and released two EP's before they really got noticed. Their song "Mykonos" off their second EP "Sun Giant" is a GOOD SONG, too. Check it out if you haven't already: Mykonos. They relelased their self-titled debut album in 2009 and got rave reviews.

Look at all that hair! Look at all that plaid!

They were just MADE to be indie folk stars.

Fortunately for FF fans, they're releasing a new album on May 3rd! Also fortunately, they released a single from that album already:

GOOD SONG:  Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes (from their upcoming album of the same title as the song).

This is a GOOD SONG for many reasons: first, I love the lyrics.

 

"I was raised up believing I was somehow unique

Like a snowflake, distinct among snowflakes

Unique in each way you can see.

But now after some thinking

I'd say I'd rather be

A functioning cog in some great machinery

Serving something beyond me."

To me those are interesting: aren't we all raised up believing we are totally unique and yet don't we all want to be part of something greater, too?

And then:

"If I know only one thing, 

it's that everything that I see

Of the world outside is so inconceivable 

often I barely can speak

Yeah I'm tongue-tied and dizzy 

and I can't keep it to myself.

What good is it to sing helplessness blues?

Why should I wait for anyone else?"

I often feel this way: everything is so beautifully crazy and inconceivable that sometimes I feel like anything I say will just fall short. But it doesn't mean lack of action, or helplessness, or despair. Instead, it's joyful. 

And then the last part of the song (I promise! No more lyrics now!):

"If I had an orchard, I'd work til I'm raw.

If I had an orchard, I'd work til I'm sore."

Yes. And yes. 

Second, their sound is awesome. Their chiming, jangling guitars and their distinctive echoing vocal harmonies are so refreshing. There is real beauty in their music and I can't wait for their new album.

Buy their music here: Fleet Foxes

If you liked these songs, you might also check out:

Simon & Garfunkel

Bon Iver

Panda Bear

Grizzly Bear

Vashti Bunyan (super folksy & weird)

Joanna Newsom (super folksy & weird)

Iron & Wine

Over and out,

Anna

P.S. Happy Easter!!

"Can't you live and be thankful you're here?"

So I first heard of the band Guillemots (pronounced Gill-i-mots) my freshman year of college when they released an EP that I heard somewhere and was instantly hooked. The band is based in London, although only one ban member is actually from England: Fyfe "Yes This Is My Real Name" Dangerfield. The other band mates are mC LOrd "Probably Not My Real Name" MagRao from Brazil, Aristazabal "Yes I Too Have Cool Name" Hawkes from Canada, and Greig "Lacking In The Cool Name Department" Stewart from Scotland. Aristazabal is a classically trained jazz musician, MagRao often plays unconventional instruments like the power tool, the theramin, and the typewriter, and overall their sound is unusual and fresh and super-FUN. 

See? Like I said, men just look better in hats.

Their GOOD SONG Trains to Brazil was on repeat on my ipod for months. And months.

I love this song because of the great energy behind it. It sounds like it was recorded at a party, and the saxophone that comes in is fantastic. There is surprising depth in the lyrics. My favorite lines?


"And to those of you who moan your lives
from one day to the next-
Well, let them take you next.
Can't you live and be thankful you're here?
See it could be you tomorrow or next year."

As I said, I first heard their EP my freshman year. However, for some reason known only to certain synapses in my brain (very secretive synapses that won't tell any other synapses the reasons for their actions), I didn't download any of their other stuff. Which was stupid of me, since they then released a full-length LP, and then another one in 2008. As far as I can tell, though, it's only available in Great Britain, which is really annoying. 

Fortunately for me, though, they are releasing another album this year, and it's been streaming live from The Hype Machine. I've only gotten about half-way through it, and it is also incredible. It hasn't been released yet, like I said, but I found one of my favorite songs off the album on youtube, performed live on the radio. 

Check it out:

GOOD SONG #2: I Don't Feel Amazing Now (live on the radio) by Guillemots
It's much more chill (especially in this pared-down live version, as opposed to the album version) and more melancholy. His voice has a sweetness to it, but not in a saccharine way at all. 
"Just take my hand and make me feel amazing/ Cuz I don't feel amazing now."

If you liked these songs, you might also check out:

Elbow
Jens Lekman
Delta Spirit
The Elected
Dandy Warhols
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Buy their music here: Guillemots!
And cross your fingers that their new album entitled "Walk The River" (due out on this Monday, the 18th) will be available in America!

Over and out,
Anna

What I Ask

Just the other day I was listening to a mix I made in high school, and I came across a song that I hadn't listened to in a while. I guess I must have forgotten about it for a while, which is insane and kind of shameful, since it's an amazing song and I used to listen to it all the time. Oh well. I have returned to it. Why don't you all give it a listen?

GOOD SONG: What I Ask by David Kitt

What I Ask is for you not to spit on my mic

I didn't know much about David Kitt before I decided to write this post, so I did a little research. He's an Irish musician (from Dublin) and has toured with such big names as Yo La Tengo, Tindersticks, The Magic Numbers, and Television. The guy ain't no joke. He's released six LP's so far, with his most popular one being "The Big Romance" (2001), which is the record that "What I Ask" is from.  His most recent one is "The Nightsaver" (2009).

This song is great in its lyrical simplicity; the refrain is simply:
"Love/ is what I ask/ no less."
 I like his rather warm, earthy voice (can I use that adjective?) combined with the almost entirely electronic musical elements; he makes it work. I love the guitar that kicks in right around the 4:10 mark. The song keeps getting bigger, more beautiful, and more earnest as it goes, but eventually fades into a rippling guitar chord and then silence.  It's a great song to listen to while driving at night. Trust me.

Buy his music here! David Kitt

If you liked this song, you might also like:

Joseph Arthur
The Rosebuds
Loney Dear
The Frames
Simple Kid
Sufjan Stevens
The Beta Band

Over and out,
Anna

Behold the Power of Telekinesis!

Telekinesis (also called psychokinesis): the ability to move or affect objects unconnected to the body using only the mind.

Right.

Fortunately, it also happens to be a great band from Seattle (Seattle! Again! Something in the water maybe?).
Telekinesis is just one guy basically, whose name is Michael Benjamin Lerner, but on tour he's joined by Cody Votolato (former member of The Blood Brothers, and whose actual brother is Rocky Votolato, who is a great folk singer in his own right), David Broecker, and Jonie Broecker. So far there have been only two full-length albums: "Telekinesis!" (2009) and "Twelve Desperate Straight Lines" (earlier this year).

Here is proof of the power of telekinesis:
GOOD SONG: Fever Chill by Telekinesis.
This seemed like an appropriate song to pick, since I am feeling sick, and there is definitely some terrible fever chill bug going around amongst my students. I think I may have caught it :(

Watch out for that eagle behind you, my friend. 

It might have telekinetic powers. 

Their new album is awesome. It's great guitar-driven and hook-filled pop, but it's not just fluff. "Fever Chill" is a little bit darker than some of the other songs on the album. His voice sounds very young, but there is a quite mature brooding emotion on the song that I really like. When the drums kick in (literally), the song reaches another level of greatness. Give it a spin!

If you liked this song you might also like:

Throw Me The Statue

The Rural Alberta Advantage

Weezer

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart

Smith Westerns

Over and out,

Anna

Dostoevsky's So Hot Right Now

So as an Art History major, I don't always get the literary references that surround me. I'm just not as well-read as I would like to be. But, when I first heard of the band Ivan & Alyosha, I thought, "Hey! There is a literary reference that I *actually* get!" Ivan and Alyosha are the names of two of the main characters in Dostoevsky's "The Brothers Karamazov," which is one of my favorite books of all time.

Look at that beard!

Ivan & Alyosha is a band from Seattle. It began as a solo project for Tim Wilson, but eventually expanded to include Ryan Carbary, Tim Kim, and Pete Wilson. So far they have released one EP entitled "Fathers Be Kind" (Tim Wilson is a new dad, by the way) and another full-length album entitled "The Verse, The Chorus." Both are great, and should definitely be checked out. 

Their band website claims that they "are not nihilist indie rockers but a new brand of tender dreamers." 

Sounds good to me!

Sorry guys, you just can't beat Dostoevsky's facial hair. 

GOOD SONG: Living For Someone by Ivan & Alyosha (the video is very simply but beautifully shot, methinks).

The song includes the lyrics:

"Draw the line between 

what you want

and what you need."

I was reminded of a section from my all-time favorite part of The Brothers Karamazov, when the wise old monk speaks about the "isolation" that plagues modern man:

"He heaps up riches by himself and thinks, 'How strong I am now and how secure,' and in his madness he does not understand that the more he heaps up, the more he sinks into self-destructive impotence. For he is accustomed to rely upon himself alone and to cut himself off from the whole; he has trained himself not to believe in the help of others, in men and in humanity, and only trembles for fear he should lose his money and the privileges that he has won for himself... 

But...we must keep the banner flying. Sometimes even if he has to do it alone, and his conduct seems to be crazy, a man must set an example, and so draw men's souls out of their solitude, and spur them to some act of brotherly love, that the great idea may not die."

If you liked this song, you might also check out:

Magnet

The Head & The Heart

Joseph Arthur

Margot & the Nuclear So-and-So's

Sloan

Oakley Hall

BUY THEIR MUSIC HERE: Ivan & Alyosha

Over and out,

Anna

Love and the Lack Thereof: February Post #5

Here comes another one, folks!

GOOD (LOVE) SONG: Honey Come Home by The Head and The Heart

The Head(s) and The Heart(s) in the Tree(s)

First off, I love the band's name. It's perfect! Reconciling our heads and our hearts is basically what human life is all about. I approve.

But about the band: They're based in Seattle, and so far have released one self-titled album. They came out to play in DC recently, opening for Dr. Dog and I missed them. Damn!

About the song: It's a husband (I'm assuming a husband, since it's mainly the male singers singing) begging his wife to come back. The lyrics are really moving to me. There is no bitterness, no anger, just love and repentance, and and understanding of what really matters:

"Oh God I love my vices
but they've taken me to places
that I'd never thought I'd go
and I'm ready to be home
And I think of every spark,
every whisper in the dark,
now it's time
Just wanna die with the one I love
Just wanna die with the one I love... beside me."

What a love song!

I love that song, but honestly, I think I may like this other song of theirs even more. It's not a love song, but I just had to include it in this post because it's amazing:
Lost In My Mind (the video is kinda random).

BUY THEIR MUSIC HERE: The Head and The Heart
If you liked this song, you might also check out:

Ivan & Alyosha (I'll probably post about them later)
The Avett Brothers
Delta Spirit
Justin Townes Earle
Mumford & Sons
A.A. Bondy
Dawes
Blue Giant

Over and out!
Anna

P.S. If you sign up for their mailing list on their website, you can get two free mp3 downloads!

Love and the Lack Thereof: February Post #4

SO: The Features.
They're a great band who seem (to me) to get very little press, despite their awesomeness. They're from a random town somewhere in Tennessee, and have been together since middle school (Really?? Really!!).
Ever since high school, I've loved their extremely danceable, high-energy, but surprisingly emotional and well-written songs.
So, for this post, I picked:
GOOD (LOVE) SONG: The Idea of Growing Old

You turn me on to the idea of playing croquet, as well. 

It is a great love song about real love. The kind of love that makes you look forward to growing old with someone, being married, annoying each other, and still loving each other. It's clear that Matthew Pelham (the singer and song-writer of the band) has a great sense of humor. I love the lyrics:

"We can lay around
and count the number of times
I've acted foolish
and you've rolled your eyes.
You turn me on
to the idea of growing old."

Let's hope your loved one turns you on to the idea of growing old, with them right by your side. Cuz that's real love right there.

BUY THEIR MUSIC HERE: The Features!

If you liked this song, you might also check out:
Razorlight (they toured with them, and that's who I saw them open for)
The White Stripes
Locksley
Kings of Leon
The Zutons
Cloudcult
The Cloud Room
The Dandy Warhols

Over and out,
Anna

Love and the Lack Thereof: February Post #1

It's February! You know what that means: Valentine's Day themed crap EVERYWHERE!
I hate Valentine's Day. The only good thing about it is that my Dad always buys me chocolates from my favorite place (Bruno Bakery on LaGuardia Place in NYC). However, I thought this year I might try to be a little less negative about it all.
I decided that this month's posts on the blog would all be about GOOD (LOVE) SONGS. And with maybe a few GOOD (BREAK-UP) SONGS thrown in there for realism, eh? The songs will be extremely varied: old, new, indie, classic, jazz, pop, etc. I like to mix things up.

Without further ado, here is the GOOD (LOVE) SONG #1:
Frank, AB by The Rural Alberta Advantage

Apparently this is what Rural Albertans look like.

This song, off their one & only album Hometowns (BUY IT HERE: Hometowns), really struck me when I listened to the lyrics. It's about a town in Canada (in Alberta, the province where all three band members are from, hence the name of the group) named Frank, where a huge landslide buried about 100 people. Check it out.
The song is about a couple who die in the slide. The lyrics are great:

My love, I will hold onto your touch
Until there's nothing left of us
Save you from this life
And the cold weight, and the Rocky's clutch
Won't take away our love

So, yeah, it's sad but it's a great testament to the people who died and to the enduring power of love.
Oh, and the song is so catchy. Those "ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh"s are great. The three band members (Amy Cole, Paul Banwatt, and Nils Edenloff) make great music together. Yay! AND, this March the band will be releasing a new album, entitled Departing. Double Yay!

If you liked this song, you might also check out:

Wolf Parade
Frightened Rabbit
The Decemberists
Titus Andronicus
Telekinesis
Port O'Brien
The Rosebuds
Songs: Ohia


Happy February! Hope you got somebody to love!

Over and out,
Anna

Quick Post--New Album Alert!

Hello all!
I thought I might just  write a quick unofficial post and send out the word (in case you ain't heard) of two great new albums that just dropped:
The King is Dead by The Decemberists (January 18th, 2011)
AND
Kiss Each Other Clean by Iron & Wine (January 25th, 2011)


GOOD SONG: Calamity Song by The Decemberists

Yeah, I have no idea what's going on in this picture, either.

GOOD SONG: Tree By The River by Iron & Wine

Sam Beam, the brains (and hair) behind Iron & Wine.
I can't decide whether I think he looks more like Zeus or Jesus.

Also, the new album by Bright Eyes, which comes out on February 15th, 2011, can be listened to in its entirety here: NPR First Listen
It's quite good, you should check it out (especially the song "Shell Games").


Enjoy!
Over and out,
Anna

Ice Day

So while putzing around on the internet today, enjoying my day off from school because of insanely icy roads (thus an "ice day" instead of a "snow day"), I discovered a fantastic singer. And her last name is Ices! Ice day! Ices! Get it?
I like that.
To tell the truth: her real last name isn't Ices. I don't know what it is. Her name, Lia Ices, is a pseudonym, and she keeps her real name under wraps.
Turns out she and I have something in common-- we both went to NYU. That's where our similarities start and end, though, I think.
She has this unbelievably beautiful voice-- haunting, achey, sort of angelic. And she is incredibly beautiful, to boot. Some people get all the luck, right?

She's like Giselle's more artsy, talented sister. 

Her album, entitled Grown Unknown (on the Jagjaguwar label, which is almost always spot-on), isn't actually out yet. It will be released on January 25th. But you can still listen to her music here:

GOOD SONG #1: Grown Unknown by Lia Ices. The title track. Has fun hand-claps, her amazing vocals, violin, and beautiful guitar. Definitely worth a listen.

On her upcoming album, she collaborates with Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver), who is also hyper-talented. Their voices meld really well. The collaboration is kinda a no-brainer, since they have a similar sound/musical aesthetic.  Check it out.

GOOD SONG #2: Daphne by Lia Ices with Justin Vernon.

Talented, but definitely not related to Giselle.

If you liked these songs, you might also check out:

Feist
My Brightest Diamond
Cave Singers (they're touring together soon)
Bon Iver
Volcano Choir
Cat Power
Nouvelle Vague
Bat for Lashes

BUY HER MUSIC HERE: lia ices

Over and out,
Anna