Song of the Day: "Low Rising" by The Swell Season

>> Sunday, January 31, 2010

This is just a great song. And I feel like this song today. Just feel personally rained on.

This amazing video, is only a glimpse of what you get with this band. This the best band I have ever seen live. Ever. And that is a pretty long list.

"Low Rising" by The Swell Season

Song of the Day: "The Story" by Brandi Carlile

>> Saturday, January 30, 2010

I have a whole buttload of dumb rules that I try to follow while choosing my songs of the day. I do not like to repeat artists. I want to mix up genres, however, I do not like to do a hip-hop song more than once a week. Every third or 4th song needs to be a throwback of some sort. I do not have women listed back to back. And most of all, I try to stay away from those cliche, romantic songs that everyone already knows and hears at weddings all summer long.

However, this song, breaks several of those rule, primarily the last two I mentioned. If you saw yesterdays song of the day, you would have heard this great, powerful sad voice coming from the meek little singersongwriter. And today, my choice is not far off from that.

This song, is power and gives me chills whenever I hear it. Yes, it is another woman. Yes, it is a singersongwriter. Yes, it is a sappy, wedding-esq love song. Deal.

"The Story" by Brandi Carlile

Baker's Dozen: Best Bands with Punctuation in Their Names!!?

>> Friday, January 29, 2010

Bands have gotten more and more creative with their band names. The newest trend is using punctuation, often when punctuation is not needed. This is a simple list of my current favorites.

I have included one of my favorite tracks, as well as a great picture. I hope you enjoy.

Song of the Day (Stevie) Rush- Tom Sawyer

Song of the Day: "Kiss Me Again" by Jessica Lea Mayfield

Sometimes, you find a song that just makes you shut up a listen. In fact, I wrote a whole list of those songs, here.
If I were to tackle that job again, which I would prefer not to, as it was one of the more difficult lists to compose, I would have to include this song. But this version of this song only.
Its funny, with a single guitar, walking around a lobby, she sounds so rich, full, sexy and sad. But, when listening to her album version, which I have also inlcuded below the video, that fullness falls off to the wayside. Which is strange, becuase she is working with her full band. I guess there is just something to be said about a sad sexy voice that craves.

I hope you enjoy.

"Kiss Me Again" by Jessica Lea Mayfield

Songs of the Day: "New Shoes" & "Jenny Don't Be Hasty" by Paolo Nutini

>> Thursday, January 28, 2010

Not a whole lot behind this choice. I was just cleaning my studio apartment, and this guy came on and made that experience 3.5 times more enjoyable.
These are both live clips from a studio session, a little more subtle than what I was listening too earlier, but very quality.

"Jenny Don't Be Hasty" by Paolo Nutini

"New Shoes" by Paolo Nutini

Song of the Day: "No Sunlight" (Acoustic in a Taxi Cab) by Death Cab For Cutie

>> Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Found a new website today. One that will inevitably keep we distracted for far too long as I scour for acoustic versions of favorite songs, as well as those undiscvoered (by me) musical gems. Anyways, this is a clip from that website. Its call Black Cab Sessions.
It is exactly what it sounds like. They get a band, or often, part of a band, in the back of a Cab and drive around london, filming the song in one take. It's great stuff.

"No Sunlight" by Death Cab For Cutie.


Song of the Day: "Hook" by Blues Traveler

>> Tuesday, January 26, 2010

I love when a person writes about what they are writing about. And this song is the perfect example of this phenomena. It is a song about writing a song. There is almost no quantifiable substance to the topic of the song. nothing is learned or discovered. You are just given a songwriting lesson. And its just super fun.

"Hook" by Blues Traveler

Song of the Day: "There Are Listed Buildings" by Los Campesinos!

>> Monday, January 25, 2010

Ok, so I just posted a video from this band the other day on my Most Excited... Next Week blog. Well, the week has started! I just recieved the record I was so looking forward too!

"Romance is Boring" by Los Campesinos!
And, first things first. One of the most beautiful and understated album covers I have seen.

So, in an effort start listening to every second of this record, I am keeping this brief and sharing with you the first single.

"There Are Listed Buildings" by Los Campesinos!

Best Soundtracks of the Decade (Stevie)

>> Sunday, January 24, 2010

A great soundtrack can make the movie. Who didn't want to see Pineapple Express with MIA's Paperplanes in the advertisement? Or, who didn't feel like their life had changed when Frou Frou's Let Go came on in Garden State? Some directors make music the heart of their movies like Cameron Crowe. Others don't recognize the importance of a well-placed, well-chosen song.


With that said, here are my favorite movie/tv soundtracks from the last decade.

Best Soundtracks of the Decade

>> Saturday, January 23, 2010


So, I felt the driving urge to make a best soundtracks of the decade list, mostly because I left them off my best albums of the decade entry. If I had not done that, I can promise my top two soundtracks would have been amongst the first five selections.

A soundtrack is an artform that is often attempted but rarely successful. Every single movie, except Paranormal Activity, has a soundtrack. The director, studio, music supervisor and producers all try to create a world of music that exemplifies their picture, and more times than not, it is simply forgettable. On a rare occasion, a song, melody or score can come to life, and envelop the characters, and often become characters themselves, this list is celebrating those achievements.

Anyways, here are my best soundtracks of the last ten years, 19 from films, 1 from TV and one only available for purchase in the UK. It's a pretty comprehensive list, and I think that not only is the a personal list, but a categorical one as well. I think I got this one right!

I have to say. The years 2000 and 2008 kicked major ass! While 2004 and 2005 produced no quality motion picture soundtracks.

Song of the Day (Stevie's Pick) The Scratch- 7 Year Bitch

Song of the Day: "Memories From A Shore" by Right Away, Great Captain!

This is one of my "secret" bands. They are called Right Away, Great Captain! (who will also be featured on my upcoming list of bands with punctuation in their names) and they are sad, nautical, and lyrical. There is a fever of worry intertwined in the melodies of this band. And I keep turning too both their albums while looking for something to write too, which is always a huge indication of greatness.

With this band being a side project of the lead singer of Manchester Orchestra, they are not really flush with decent concert footage or "real" music videos, so I have included just a "clip" complied by a fan set to this amazingly written song.

"Memories From A Shore" by Right Away, Great Captain!

Things I am Most Excited For Next Week --- by Addi

>> Friday, January 22, 2010



1. The new Los Campesinos! album "Romance is Burning"








I have a feeling, already, from the 4 tracks I've heard, its going to take a hell of a firestorm of good music to keep this off, if not at top of my best albums of 2010.

Los Campesinos! - The Sea Is A Good Place To Think Of The Future


2. The Season Premier of "Greek"
Ok, so this video is kinda lame, but it combines "Sweet Disposition" and "Greek" and I am so invested in these, funny, real, and so well written characters that I cannot wait to see what happens.

3. Going grocery shopping on Wednesday (my standard shopping day). I am planning on buy Eclairs. Jealous?

Song of the Day: "Waiting For My Real Life To Begin" by Colin Hay

I do not feel that there is a better song to exemplify exactly how I am feeling today.

This video is the best one I could find. However, please excuse the creepy intro DJ and the even creepier hairy armpitted dancing backup singer.

I have included the lyrics just below the video, it is as good a poem as it is a song.

"Waiting For My Real Life To Begin" by Colin Hay


Any minute now my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
And I'll stand on the bow
And feel the waves come crashing
Come crashing down, down, down on me

And you said,"Be still, my love
Open up your heart
Let the light shine in"
Don't you understand?
I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin

When I awoke today suddenly nothing happened
But in my dreams I slew the dragon
And down this beaten path
And up this cobbled lane
I'm walking in my own footsteps once again

And you say,"Just be here now
Forget about the past
Your mask is wearing thin"
Let me throw one more dice
I know that I can win
I'm waiting for my real life to begin

Any minute now my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
And I'll check my machine
There's sure to be that call
It's gonna happen soon, soon, oh so very soon
It's just that times are lean

And you say,"Be still, my love
Open up your heart
Let the light shine in"
Don't you understand?
I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin

Hey heyeyeyeyey
Hey yeeeeeee
Hey heyeyeyeyey
Eeh eeh eeh eeh eh x5

On a clear day
I can see, see for a long way

On a clear day
I can see, see a very long way

Song of the Day: "If I Had a Boat" by Lyle Lovett

>> Thursday, January 21, 2010

Don't Judge Me!!!!!


I love this silly little song. And this is just a little precursor to our competing best soundtracks of the decade blogs, coming soon.

"If I Had a Boat" by Lyle Lovett

Song of the Day: "I'm Only Happy When it Rains" Garbage (Stevie's pick)

>> Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Song of the Day: "I Know I Know I Know" by Tegan and Sara

>> Tuesday, January 19, 2010

I have never been the biggest fan of this indie sister duo. Excluding this song, which is currently number 14 on my most played songs on my ipod. I listen to it every couple days, and when you have 5000 songs to cycle through, you have to make the effort to hear a certain song that many times.


This song is amazing. And this performance gave me chills.

"I Know I Know I Know" by Tegan and Sara

Song of the Day: "Hand on Your Heart" by Jose Gonzalez

>> Monday, January 18, 2010

Ok, so this guy make me feel dumb. I may have mentioned this. My co-blogger listed this gentlemans album on her top of the decade, and I had never heard of him. So, of course, I went out and picked up two of his records, and I have been blow away.


To make me feel even more retarded about this guy, I have started to notice him everywhere. He was on a poster in the background of a tv show. He was mentioned by name by one of the characters on Friday Night Lights which is only one of my favorite shows, and now his music is showing up everywhere.

So, with great embarrassment, I give you, Jose Gonzalez.

From his Stay in the Shade EP I hope you enjoy this Kylie Minogue Cover of, "Hand on Your Heart." I have also included a live video, just to show this guy is the real deal. Thanks Stevie for pointing him out to me.


Song of the Day: "Singing Joy to the World" by Fruit Bats

>> Sunday, January 17, 2010

I am moodless this afternoon. I am just reorganizing my music collection with football on mute in the background.


So, decide which song to post as my song of the day, I just picked a number between 1 and 50 and went to my most played section of my ipod. So, for your listening pleasure, here is number 41 of 50, and a hell of a song.

"Singing Joy to the World" by Fruit Bats (Live and Acoustic)

Songs of the Day: "Skeletons" and "Pop Chart" by Tiny Masters of Today

>> Saturday, January 16, 2010

Todays song of the day has no bearing on my mood. Just one of my favorite bands of '09. Tiny Masters of Today are a Brooklyn born brother and sister group thats average age is 13 when this was recorded. They play all their own instruments, write all their own songs, and even produced the majority of this record in their living room. Frightenly good. However, not for everyone. This bratty punk rock has only been appreciated by about half the friends I introduce it too.

Plus, they have one of the best names in rock.






















I hope you enjoy the Tiny Master of Today x2.

"Skeletons"


"Pop Chart"

Song of the day: "Lightning Crashes" by Live

>> Thursday, January 14, 2010

Still to this day, one of the most underrated bands and albums of all time. Both Throwing copper and Mental Jewelary were in my top albums of all time.

I want to write this story.

"Lightning Crashes" by Live

Songs of the Day: "Mad World" by Gary Jules & "Death to Los Campesinos!" by Los Campesinos!

>> Wednesday, January 13, 2010

You get two for one againg today.

The first song is one that my friend Auttie posted as her song of the morning. My first thought was "Fuck you, bitch. I want that song!" completely out of love and jealousy. (hi auttie) It fits my mood so perfectly today, and it a very very underratted song and one of my all time favorite videos.

"Mad World" by Gary Jules



The second song here is one of that just changed my mood on my drive home from work. If yo are familiar with this band, this performance may entertain you. It is stripped down, acoustic and only at 4/7ths strength. With 3 memebers MIA.
If you are not familiar, you will get a small taste of this loud, snarky, chaos ensuing band. One of my favorite albums of the latter half of the decade. Easy.

"Death to Los Campesinos!" by Los Campesinos!

Song of the Day: "She's Mine" by Brett Dennen

>> Tuesday, January 12, 2010

I think I want to find someone to make this song about. One of my favorite songs of the last couple years.
Live and Acoustic.

"She's Mine" by Brett Dennen

Song of the Day: "1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins

>> Monday, January 11, 2010

I was not in the mood to do a song of the day today. Then I listened to this "Life Soundtrack" thing I made for a friend and this song popped on, and it changed my whole outlook on the day. So, for that reason alone. This is my song of the day.

"1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins

Songs of the Day: "Neon Bible/Wake Up" by Arcade Fire and "Skinny Love" by Bon Iver

>> Sunday, January 10, 2010

This first video is actually a video that my co-blogger sent me a piece of several months ago. A few days back, i stumbled across its original posting on this great little French website called Le Blogotheque. Their is this section called Take-Away Shows. It is simply one shot, live, often acoustic, music videos. They have hundreds of them, most of them with bands I have NEVER heard of. Which is something I hate to admit. But, out of the 50 or show I have watched in the last couple days, this is one of the best.

Enjoy.

"Neon Bible/Wake Up" by Arcade Fire. (Filmed in an elevator. awe. some.)



This second video is maybe my favorite song of 2008, and quite possibly a top 5 song of all time. What I love about his video, is it live and acoustic, this time by candle light, from the same site. But it is not about Bon Iver. This is about the audience. The camera is actually behind the singer. Instead of being focused on cause, you are focused on the effect. I really hope you enjoy.

"Skinny Love" by Bon Iver

My Year in Movies.

This has been a hell of a year. I listened to a lot of music. I read a few really good books. But that was par for the course for me. What really made this year stand out, is the amount of movies I was able to take in. Out of all the films released in 2009, I have watched 67 of them. Of those 67 movies, 40 of those were watched in the theater. Yes, that is where all my money goes. But, seriously, my favorite time in the whole world is walking into a theater and picking out the best seat in the house, and sitting there, waiting to be surprised. The movie may be the best ever, or it may be Year One. But in that time, you don't know, and you don't need too. You are at the movies.

Song of the Day: "Poke" by Frightened Rabbit

>> Saturday, January 9, 2010

This just fits my mood at this exact time.

Live and acoustic, the best combination in the world.

"Poke" by Frightened Rabbit

Song of the Day: "Poison & Wine" by The Civil Wars

You may already heard this song. You may have already seen this video, as I have shared it in two different venues. But, this is offically my favorite song of the year, and the best music video I have seen in so many years I cannot even come up with a witty comparison.

Enjoy.

"Poison & Wine" by The Civil Wars.



Song of the Day: "Take a Minute" by K'naan

>> Friday, January 8, 2010

So, I am going to move my song of the day post from Facebook to here. I think it would be more approprate on this forum anyway. And it seems like a good way to keep this blog active between those major lists that Stevie and I tend to do.

Ok, so here are my Song of the Day "Rules."

Not everyday will get a song, because not everyday will deserve a song. Some days will get more than one song, cause days change. I will try to update as much as possible.

So, for the inaugural Song of the Day:

"Take a Minute" by K'naan

(Normally, I would not outsource an artist's profile, it's something that i really enjoy writing, however, his story is so dramatic, and so powerful that it really should not be abbreviated. And, I have already touched on his story on my best of '09 list)

I am not really, the biggest hip-hop fan. I mean, don't get me wrong, Out of my 50 albums of the decade, 9 were of the Hip-Hip/R&B genre, so I guess it's not out of the question for me to express and share through rhythms and rhymes, but it is not nearly as often that I do it as a song of the day. But this Acoustic, yes an Acoustic rap song has a real message, and it is from one of my albums of the year, and probably number 51 of my albums of the decade. Enjoy


Best Albums of the Decade- Stevie's Version

>> Saturday, January 2, 2010

So this was a project. It might be said that there were some arguments, some giving up and turning off the computer before I threw it, and also some good times listening to some songs I haven't listened to in a while. Overall, an emotional time and I hope that while you read through this list you also are reminded of good times and memories over the last decade.



As Addi did in his blog, here is my suggested list of videos to watch: Santigold (L.E.S. Artistes), The Killers (Mr. Brightside), Iron and Wine (Trapeze Swinger- Live!), Ben Harper (When She Believes- Live version, also my wedding song), Mike Doughty (Grey Ghost), and The Pierces (Secret)