Music Video Monday - A Thing for You

Without a doubt, one of the most original and clever music videos I've seen.

Top 10 Rachael Yamagata

Several years ago, I began a personal quest to discover more female musicians to listen to - not just pop stars who could sing and dance, but real musicians who wrote and performed music. When I embarked on this mission, my iTunes library was overflowing with male musicians (many of them from this very series of top ten lists: Ben Folds, Dave Matthews Band, Coldplay, etc.), but female musicians were dismally underrepresented. That's when I came across Rachael Yamagata's album Happenstance and my journey truly began. It is a beautiful, original and stunning album. Between Rachael and Ingrid Michaelson, my love for female singer-songwriters began and my iTunes library reflects it with many more brilliant and talented female musicians. Many people haven't heard of Rachael Yamagata, but if you like other original female singer-songwriters like Regina Spektor, Ingrid Michaelson, Elizabeth & the Catapult, Feist or Kate Nash, you may enjoy Rachael's subtle and soulful songwriting.

1. Collide - Rachael Yamagata EP - Not to be confused with the Howie Day song, this song may not be fit for mainstream radio, but that's okay with me - in fact, that may be why I like it so much. It's strange, experimental and compelling all at the same time. Love the strings at 3:10 and the following piano solo. Great chaos/clarity moment.
2. Worn Me Down - Happenstance - Probably Rachael's most famous single (though still not played that much on the radio), in spite of it's subject matter (heartbreak, cheating), it's upbeat with a ridiculously catchy melody. Definitely one of Rachael's most accessible songs for new listeners.
3. Sunday Afternoon - Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart - Wonderfully arranged, the strings are ethereal. This 9-minute song may be Rachael's magnum opus, it plays like a movement to a symphony.
4. 1963 - Happenstance - One of Rachael's peppier, happier songs (much of her music is somber but gorgeous), another great start for Rachael neophytes.
5. Would you Please - Rachael Yamagata EP - This song gives new meaning to a beautifully sad song. Love the way it was recorded. The guitar and vocals sound amazing as well as the background sounds.
6. Known for Years - Rachael Yamagata EP - "It'd be a shame to make believe, it's better to leave"
7. Under My Skin - Happenstance - An unusual song, the two parts are quite disparate, but it all seems to fit in the end and Rachael sings the bridge stunningly.
8. Letter Read - Happenstance - I like the orchestration in this song. The drum beat, the piano riff, followed by the bass, it has the sound of improvisation. I'm also quite fond of the chorus.
9. I Want You - Happenstance - I just had to listen to the first 10 seconds to know I was going to like this song. Fortunately, the rest of the song is equally interesting and enjoyable. I love how Rachael sings "no one". And any song with a clarinet is okay by my books.
10. What If I Leave - Elephants... Teeth Sinking Into Heart - Like a lot of Rachael's music, this song is subtle and pensive. There are some songs that may be more passionate (even angry), but in this one Rachael seems calm and at peace.

1963 (Album Version) - Rachael Yamagata

Top 10 Counting Crows

I remember Counting Crows being fairly popular in the 90s with their hits "Mr. Jones" and "Hangin' Around", but I don't know how many people still listen to them (other than when watching Shrek)- I don't hear them mentioned much, but that may just be in the circles I socialize with. I don't listen to Counting Crows all the time - in fact, before writing this list, the last time I seriously listened to their music was back in April. Nevertheless, when the mood is right, few things satisfy as much as a listen to "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby" or these other tunes:

1. Mrs. Potter's Lullaby - This Desert Life - "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby" is not just a song, it's a journey, an adventure, a story, the perfect road trip song (the best road trip songs are long, like road trips) - I imagine listening to this song while driving down the highway with the windows rolled down and the sun just beginning to set. It's the kind of song where a single verse can make my mind wander for minutes afterward. It's about the actress Monica Potter (Con Air, Patch Adams, Head Over Heels), but it's also about dreams, journeys and memories. It's epic, rambling, folksy and a must-hear for all Counting Crows fans.
2. Rain King - August & Everything After - This is the type of 90s music you can come back to after a decade and still enjoy (a la Third Eye Blind) instead of hanging your head wondering what you were thinking (a la Ace of Base).
3. Hard Candy - Hard Candy - Great upbeat song to start off a solid, underrated album.
4. Angels of the Silences - Recovering the Satellites - One of their "rock"-ier songs, but still uniquely Counting Crows.
5. I'm Not Sleeping - Recovering the Satellites - I'm probably not the only one who thinks the build up to the chorus rocks. And the string arrangements are awesome.
6. Carriage - Hard Candy - It took me a while to come up with this one. It was between this, "Why Should You Come When I Call" and "Butterfly in Reverse", all from the same album. I ended with this one because I think it is the most original in terms of Counting Crows' repertoire. I love the slower, relaxed pace and the trumpet solo is perfect (is the musician using a straight mute?), I like how Adam rhymes the line "I wish that I was anesthetized and sterilized". Lastly, the guitar solo at the end is sublime.
7. Sundays - Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings - There's actually quite a few songs I like from the band's most recent album, including "Los Angeles", "Hanging Tree" and "Cowboys", but this song seems to be a real throwback to their earlier stuff and it works splendidly.
8. Holiday In Spain - Hard Candy - What a beautiful, sad song. I really like Adam Duritz's performance on this one. "they left the television screaming that the radio's on..."
9. Four Days - This Desert Life - This tune sort of reminds me of some Barenaked Ladies songs, which together, send me back to the euphoric 90s.
10. Amy Hit the Atmosphere - This Desert Life - This was one of my favorite Counting Crows songs in high school and I still think it has a lot of merit. It has an easygoing feel, ambient electric guitars and an interesting chain of melodies. "All I really know is I wanna know, and all I really know is I don't wanna know..."

Rain King - Counting Crows

Top 10 Keane

1. Leaving So Soon? - Under the Iron Sea - I don't think this is my favorite Keane song of all time, but it energized and motivated me to create this list and it's a fabulous reminder of why I enjoy Keane so much: soaring pop-rock vocals, catchy melodies and creative instrumentation. And the giant inhale at the start is perfect.
2. This is the Last Time - Hopes and Fears - This is an altogether great album, but this song remains one of my all time favorites. I really like the beat the piano establishes from the beginning and then it's amplified by the drums and bass.
3. Your Eyes Open - Hopes and Fears - This song has a good groove, probably because of the bass part throughout. It's nice it doesn't drown out the piano though - they do a great job of balancing the instruments. I like the spacey bit around 2:20, which is definitely typical of Keane.
4. Time to Go - Perfect Symmetry - After many, many listens of the band's latest album, Perfect Symmetry, this song may be my favorite - and I really do like the whole CD. Oddly, this song is sort of the misfit on the album because it's the only acoustic song (just guitar, piano and vocals) and it's also one of the most straightforward, in terms of melody and form. In my opinion, it's also one of the most beautiful. Tom Chaplin really can sing.
5. We Might As Well Be Strangers - Hopes and Fears - Let lead vocalist Tom Chaplin turn an otherwise normal ballad into a wild, dramatic performance. It's nice when a rock band exhibits dynamics.
6. Spiralling - Perfect Symmetry - Wonderfully unique, bizarre and catchy, all at the same time. Love, politics, religion, rhetorical questions and a spacey bridge around 3:00. That about sums it up.
7. The Way You Want It - The Way You Want It Single - Great songwriting. Just piano. Different sound from the rest of their more electronic stuff.
8. Nothing in My Way - Under the Iron Sea - Love the chorus.
9. Snowed Under - Somewhere Only We Know EP - "You know sometimes I feel like I'm getting snowed under with the things you say, when I open my eyes and it's a lovely day"
10. Somewhere Only We Know - Hopes and Fears - Maybe a little cheesy and definitely overplayed on the radio for a while (think: the summer of 2004) but a classic nonetheless (along the lines of Coldplay's "The Scientist" or "In My Place"). This was the song that got me hooked on the band.

Snowed Under - Keane


Spiralling - Keane

Music Video Monday - Ben Lee

Is it just me or does Ben Lee look like Art Garfunkel in this video performance?

Top 10 Ingrid Michaelson

Ingrid is quickly becoming the standard by which I measure all my favorite female singer-songwriters: Meiko, Tristan Prettyman, Colbie Caillet, Erin McCarley, even artists who may have been around longer than Ingrid, KT Tunstall, (Leslie) Feist, the list goes on. This just goes to show the overarching influence Ingrid has had on my musical tastes these last few years. Katie introduced me to her music a few years ago and I immediately fell in love with the album Girls and Boys; I don't know if I can accurately describe it, but there's something about Ingrid's songs and her singing (even in recordings, I've sadly never heard her perform live), that sounds so personal and honest. I think there's some musicians who write music for others, the public, and there's musicians who write music for themselves. I don't think either is right or wrong, but I suspect Ingrid is the latter. Her songs are usually reflective and sensitive and always unique and beautiful. Unlike some of the other female singer-songwriters I've listened to, Ingrid has managed to succeed in the daunting task of sounding distinct and yet having variety within her songs. Any musician that accomplishes this challenging feat should be applauded. Admittedly, there's also something magnetic about a woman who plays an instrument, writes her own music and sings. Some presume only women think this way about men who play the guitar or piano, but trust me, nothing is more attractive than a woman who can play an instrument and sing well (yes, they're even sexier than girls dancing in skimpy outfits posing as musicians - you know who you are). iTunes classifies Ingrid as pop, but I think she's the exact opposite, whatever that is, anti-pop, the antithesis of pop, folk, good...



1. December Baby - Girls and Boys - In the last few lists I've written it's been difficult choosing a number 10; on this one, it was difficult choosing a number 1. I adore so much of Ingrid's music, but this one really stands out to me as a well-written, beautiful, sad, love story. And as if you didn't already know I'm a sucker for songs with accelerandos (that is, songs that speed up), I love the accelerando-jumble 4 minutes in, the musical rest and then clarity - it's like a good movie.
2. Far Away - Girls and Boys - Another wonderful narrative. Peppier than "December Baby" but equally brilliant and genuine. I love the verse lyrics and rhymes: "I will live my life as a lobsterman's wife on an island in the blue bay. He will take care of me, he will smell like the sea, and close to my heart he'll always stay."
3. Overboard - Girls and Boys - Being a guy, I don't know if women actually feel this way, but I suspect some do and it seems to me to be a realistic and healthy response to falling in love.
4. Charlie - Slow the Rain - I also really like "Empty Bottle" and "Porcelain Fists" from this album, but this one has received the most listens on my ipod.
5. Starting Now - Girls and Boys - Another, very different portrayal of love, but nonetheless valid and honest.
6. The Hat - Girls and Boys - "I knitted you a hat all blue and gold
To keep your ears warm from the Binghamton cold.
It was my first one and it was too small.
It didn't fit you at all, but you wore it just the same." Aw... first love.
7. Be OK - Be OK - Ridiculously catchy and infectious.
8. Breakable - Girls and Boys - I love how Ingrid's vocal parts surprise me. There's time when she sings a verse or line and I expect the note to go one way (based on listening to so many other artists and melodies) and it goes another way. Her originality is stunning.
9. Keep Breathing - Be OK - Plain and simple a beautifully written song - it's as if the piano and guitar parts are dancing.
10. Turn to Stone - Turn to Stone Single - This song is very new and hasn't withstood the test of time yet but out of Ingrid's most recent singles (see also "Maybe" and "All Love", I think it is the best and gets me very excited for her upcoming album Everybody which comes out next Tuesday, August 25th). Yes, the tempos change during the song :) For those of you who are interested, Ingrid is showcasing a new song from her upcoming album each day leading up the release on her website.

*Bonus video: Ingrid performs a rap remix of her hit single "The Way I Am" on the Bob & Tom show.

Top 10 Coldplay

Coldplay concerts have not only been some of the best concerts I've seen and heard, they've been some of the best times in my life: driving down to San Francisco with my wife and seeing Coldplay at the HP Pavilion Center in San Jose, going over to the White River Ampitheatre in Auburn, WA with my friend and most recently, this July at the Gorge. Perhaps there's something mysteriously uplifting about Coldplay's music that comes to the surface during live performances and creates a sense of euphoria. I think it can be heard in their studio recordings too; even the slow, somber songs sound hopeful. Their concerts also benefit from the fact they're fantastic performers who know how to put on a show. At the Gorge, giant yellow balloons floated across the crowd during "Yellow" and tiny paper butterflies flew over the audience during "Lovers in Japan", Coldplay left the stage to come in to the crowd to perform a few numbers including "The Hardest Part" and a cover of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean.

1. Warning Sign - A Rush of Blood to the Head - my favorite song of theirs to play on the piano. One thing I like about Coldplay's music is how simple their melodies are - they do an amazing job of orchestrating the different instruments to make the songs sonically interesting - one melody line may be played by a piano, guitar and sung all at different times or as harmonies at the same time. The piano parts aren't difficult to play, which allows me to enjoy their music in yet another way.
2. Shiver - Parachutes - This song is somewhat difficult to play on the piano, I don't know about the guitar parts, but I've never seen this song performed live and I really want to. I love the last minute of the song where you think it's going to end and Chris gives us one more verse.
3. The Scientist - A Rush of Blood to the Head - Simply a classic (you can watch the music video at the end of this post).
4. Clocks - A Rush of Blood to the Head - Regardless of how many times I've heard this on the radio, it's still one of my favorite songs. There's also this cool latin version by Coldplay and Rhythms del Mundo Cuba on iTunes - very, very cool.
5. Life in Technicolor II - Prospekt's March - Loved the original, love the extended version even more.
6. Don't Panic - Parachutes - So, so simple, and so, so beautiful. The poetic lyrics are perfect: "Bones, sinking like stones, all that we've fought for. Homes, places we've grown, all of us are done for. And we live in a beautiful world."
7. Yes - Viva la Vida - I love all the parts of this song from the strings at the beginning, to the haunting vocals and the electric guitar shift midway through. Probably some of their best songwriting.
8. Politik - A Rush of Blood to the Head - A classic by my books. This is about as "hard" as Coldplay gets (which incidentally is very, very soft) and I especially like the change of tone about 3 minutes in.
9. Brothers and Sisters - Trouble (B-Sides) EP - Great guitar part and another gorgeous melody.
10. Low - X & Y - This album is a bit more electronic sounding than their other albums, but it still offers many unique and enjoyable tunes, including "Square One" and "Swallowed by the Sea". Ironically, I think "Low" is one of the highlights of this album.


The Scientist (Edit) - Coldplay

Top 10 Dave Matthews Band

The thing I love about Dave Matthews Band's music is that there's so much going on; even after hearing their songs a thousand times, I'll hear a new guitar riff or a drum fill - and their recordings are always spot on - I can hear the velocity of Carter's sticks and LeRoi's dynamics on the various wind instruments he plays. Their music is the perfect example of a band that has a distinct sound and variety among their songs. For this list I only used studio albums - they have a plethora of phenomenal live recordings, but that would have added another 100+ tracks to choose from.

1. Crush - Before These Crowded Streets - to date my all time favorite DMB song from my favorite DMB album. I love the jazz influence. There's a radio edit version I've heard - avoid it! The final flute solo, guitar/violin jam is divine.
2. #41 - Crash - actually their 41st song (originally titled "41 Police"), this is my favorite numbered-song-title song of theirs. love the meandering nature, progressions and final transition into the following song on the album "Say Goodbye". Again, LeRoi is magnificent.
3. Rapunzel - Before These Crowded Streets - like most of their music, wonderfully non-mainstream in their rhythm and sequence (who needs a chorus?). Another transition into the next song. Remember when album's were recorded with the intent of listening to them in their entirety and the songs were all part of a cohesive whole? This album is one of the first time's I was exposed to that dying art form.
4. Pig - Before These Crowded Streets - "Is this not enough? This blessed sip of life, is it not enough? Staring down at the ground. Oh, then complain and pray for more from above, you greedy little pig. Stop, just watch your world trickle away. Oh, it's your problem now
It'll all be dead and gone in a few short years." These lyrics could've been in a emo-angst rock song, but they're not. This is one of the most optimistic and inspiring songs I've ever heard.
5. Two Step - Crash - Epic and beautiful. Stefan gets to shine on this song - I really like his bass part during the chorus, 2nd verse and the very end.
6. The Best of What's Around - Under the Table and Dreaming - I kinda feel like this is an underrated song. I've never heard it performed live, and no one seems to talk about it, but I think it's a great kick-off to a virtually perfect album (wait, it is perfect).
7. Ants Marching - Under the Table and Dreaming - I don't think a Dave Matthews Band concert would be complete without this song and Dave and Boyd dueling on the guitar and violin.
8. Tripping Billies - Crash - Carter's always amazing, but he's particularly impressive on this challenging song. The song title is supposedly inspired from a band member's girlfriend telling Dave they sounded like "a bunch of hillbillies tripping on acid". I don't hear it, maybe it was her...
9. Lie in Our Graves - Crash - surprisingly peppy given the title. I love the beat of this song. It's great for road-trips (along with "Drive In Drive Out") and a treat to hear live.
10. When the World Ends - Everyday - it's difficult choosing the last song, there's so many good ones, but I wanted to make sure I included the album Everyday in this top 10, because it really is fabulous, even if it does sound very different from the rest of their albums. Also recommended from Everyday are "So Right", "Fool to Think" and the title track.


Ants Marching - Dave Matthews Band

Top 10 Ben Folds

I'm kind of surprised I've never done this on the blog before, but I wanted to do something fun before school starts in the fall, so over the next month I'm going to take ten of my favorite artists and list my top 10 songs of theirs, along with some micro-commentary. Please, please feel free to add your own favorites (by leaving a comment) or create your own top 10 list for your favorite artist.



To kick things off, I have to go with my old standby Mr. Ben Folds - he really has been with me through a lot and I consider him one of the finest musicians around. He's supremely normal and incredibly talented at the same time. He has a ridiculous amount of energy on stage (I love that he stands up to play the piano) and his songs are as witty and sardonic as a Woody Allen movie (another one of my heroes - I know, judge me now).

Song title - Album title - micro-commentary
(in no particular order)
1. Smoke - Whatever & Ever Amen - my favorite song from the first Ben Fold's album I ever heard. My musical sensibilities were never the same.
2. Philosophy - Ben Folds Five - years later I still love that intro, "the inbetweens are never understood", so true
3. Regrets - The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner* - Ben Folds Five rejects pretty much every rule in the mainstream music guidebook and I love it.
4. Don't Change Your Plans - The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner - it sounds like it's from a musical, which in this case, is a very good thing.
5. Selfless, Cold and Composed - Whatever & Ever Amen - I like the jazz influence in this number and the strings are beautiful
6. Kate - Whatever & Ever Amen - Why is this song so infectious? One of many "person's names songs" by Ben over the years. They're some of his best. "when all words fail, she speaks, her mixtape's a masterpiece"
7. Where's Summer B? - Ben Folds Five - another person's name song. is this the first tambourine instance in Ben Folds history? now there's a tambourine guy.
8. Zak and Sara - Rockin' the Suburbs - "she saw the lights, she saw a pale english face. some strange machines repeating beats and thumping bass, visions of pills to put you in a loving trance, that make it possible for all white boys to dance". enough said.
9. You to Thank - Songs for Silverman - one of the most mature and impressive songs by Ben, truly one of my favorites - I love the rock/classical/jazz transition two-thirds in. Brilliant!
10. Army - The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner - it was tough choosing one last top 10 song, it was between this, "Cologne" and "Underground". There's a lot of good stuff on Ben's EPs too, but one listen to "Army" and you'll hear why I had to include it on this list. "cause my peers, they criticize me and my ex-wives all despise me"

* I thought this tidbit from wikipedia was interesting. In regards to the album title The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, the name was used by drummer Darren Jessee on fake IDs as a teenager without knowing there was a real Reinhold Messner, who was the first man to climb Mount Everest without the aid of an oxygen tank. The band thanks Messner in the album's liner notes for his understanding and cooperation. Later, Messner contacted the band to let them know that he was highly pleased with the album.

City of Black & White - Mat Kearney

I woke up to Mat Kearney's newest single "Closer to Love" this morning on the radio, so I thought it would be appropriate to blog about his album City of Black & White. I first heard Mat Kearney on the radio with his single "Nothing Left to Lose" and then I saw him open for the Fray at the Knitting Factory in Spokane. Strangely it wasn't until I picked up his album, also titled Nothing Left to Lose, that I really got into his music style - which I've heard compared to everything from Jason Mraz to Everlast to Coldplay (which truthfully, I can see comparisons to all of them). It's true, he raps in Nothing Left to Lose, and some of his best songs are the ones where he raps (see "Girl America" and "Undeniable" - the former does sort of remind me of "What It's Like" by Everlast). In City of Black & White, for some unknown reason, Mat doesn't rap. Theories range from "some people didn't like Mat's beat poetry/rap" to he wanted his songs to be "radio-ready" (both "theories" I found on Amazon.com reviews). Admittedly I do miss his beat poetry/rap (which I came to recognize as part of his style); fortunately, City of Black & White still manages to retain his sound.

Mat Kearney was born in Eugene, Oregon and has spent the last eight years living in Nashville, Tennessee. His songs have appeared on a plethora of popular television shows from Friday Night Lights to Grey's Anatomy. City of Black & White blends piano and guitar beautifully in an album of storytelling and hopeful love songs. Without the rap, I do feel like the album has less variety than Nothing Left to Lose - there's still variety among ballads, but I don't feel like I'm exposed to the same range of emotions from his previous album. Regardless, the slower, softer nature of the album does nothing to diminish Mat's energy and passion. My favorite tracks are "All I Have", "Fire & Rain (Acoustic)", "Never Be Ready" and I really do like the radio single "Closer to Love" - there's a music video for the song at the bottom of this post (I apologize for the ads, it's from Mat's site, but it's a pleasant video). Mat will be coming back to the Knitting Factory in Spokane on October 30th, 2009 and Seattle on November 2nd and Portland on November 3rd.

Fave tracks: "All I Have", "Fire & Rain (Acoustic)", "Never Be Ready" and "Closer to Love"
RIYL: The Fray, Coldplay, Jason Mraz, Everlast, Erin McCarley, U2

Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King

First off, let me say this is a fantastic album. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't crazy about their previous release, Stand Up (2005), but Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King is a wonderful return to form for the band. Everything I loved about their earlier albums - the jam style, songs with multiple parts and tempos, crazy beats and rhythms by Carter Beauford - have all returned in new and spectacular ways.

The album's been a long time in the making, beginning late 2007, the band worked on the album throughout 2008 at two studios in Seattle; they finished in 2009 in New Orleans. It's the first album to include Jeff Coffin on saxophone (who undertook LeRoi Moore's role since LeRoi's ATV accident in June 2008 and his passing on August 19, 2008). It's also the first album to include trumpeter Rashawn Ross and be produced by Rob Cavallo. The band also recorded with guitar virtuoso Tim Reynolds for the first time since Before These Crowded Streets (1998). The name of the album comes from a combination of the made-up word "GrooGrux" that Beauford used to describe the vibe and energy of the "wild-sounding rhythms" the band made up together, and a chance encounter with a drunk man in New Orleans who asked for money to buy "a big whiskey".

As mentioned before, the reason I first got into Dave Matthews Band was because of their innovation and phenomenal musicianship (I was in 9th grade and I'd never heard a contemporary band with a violin and a saxophone player - not to mention rhythms that weren't in standard time). I'd never heard music that borrowed sounds from so many different genres and mixed them together (jazz, rock, soul and country to name a few). One of the first concerts I ever went to was Dave Matthews Band at the Gorge and it was incredible (and as a result I mistakenly assumed all musicians were fantastic live and that all live performances enhanced their studio recordings with 20 minute jams). The same type of innovation and musicianship is evident on Big Whiskey. Some songs remind me of Before These Crowded Streets (like one of my favorites "Dive In) and some remind me of Under the Table and Dreaming. Others sound completely new, with bits and pieces from a variety of places, but none of it sounds recycled or generic. And unlike Stand Up, Big Whiskey makes good use of the band's unique instrumentation: the saxophone, violin and trumpet parts are wonderful to hear and an indelible part of the album. Whereas I felt like Carter Beauford was held back on Stand Up, here he gets to show off his chops (see Why I Am and Alligator Pie), reminding me why I think he's the most talented drummer in contemporary music.

As a whole, the album is a satisfying length with a tremendous amount of variety and hidden gems (a riff here, a sax solo there) - it's taken me many listens to get this far and I know there will be many more. My favorite tracks are "Dive In", "Shake Me Like a Monkey", "Seven" and "You & Me".

Fave tracks: "Dive In", "Shake Me Like a Monkey", "Seven" and "You & Me".
RIYL: Before These Crowded Streets, O.A.R., Counting Crows

I found this cool playlist on imeem of the entire album so you can listen to snippets from each song. Enjoy!

Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King

Music Video Monday - Funny the Way It Is

Happy Monday everyone! I haven't yet reviewed Dave Matthews Band's latest album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, but I own it, and it's a good one. Here's the music video to their first single from the album "Funny the Way It Is". Even by DMB standards, it's a little weird (starting around the part with the tape), but the song is fantastic.


Funny the Way It Is - Dave Matthews Band

Songs about the Summer

When I was a kid, I used to say my favorite season was winter... boy was I stupid. Of course that was before I could drive, didn't have to pay the heating bills and didn't have to work during "winter break". Now I enjoy the summer and fall and despise winter. Here are ten songs about the lovely season we're in right now:

1. Summer in the City - Lovin' Spoonful
2. Rainiest Day of Summer - Elizabeth & the Catapults
3. Hot Fun in the Summertime - Sly & the Family Stone
4. Wonderful Day - O.A.R.
5. Holiday in Real - Jack's Mannequin
6. Dreamgirl - Dave Matthews Band
7. Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams
8. Summertime - Bon Jovi
9. Take It Easy - The Eagles
10. Where's Summer B? - Ben Folds Five

All without any Beach Boys! What are your favorite songs about summer?

Enjoy your summer weekend everyone!

New music bonanza

Apparently the iTunes Indie Spotlight Podcast has been around since October of 2008 (Have I been living in a hole in the ground? It's possible.), but I just discovered it this morning. If you're looking for a nice way to hear about a slough of newish artists quickly, this is a great way. Updated once a week, the eleven to twelve minute podcasts features brief snippets of songs, sometimes introducing the artists, sometimes not (The list of artists is supposed to be found at itunes.com\indiespotlight, though I haven't been able to find it yet). As you're listening in your iTunes (or on your iPod), the album cover and song title shows up in the "Now Playing" art box. Conveniently (for iTunes and you), a quick click on the song title brings you to that artist's iTunes page, where you can purchase that song (and others).

This week's Singer/Songwriter Podcast features a new single, called "Maybe," by our dear Ingrid Michaelson, which I will probably have to go download now. Other great artists featured in this week's podcast are Mindy Smith ("Highs and Lows"), Bowerbirds ("Northern Lights"), and Matthew Mayfield ("Lives Entwined"). The podcast also features a beautiful acoustic version of a Matt Duke song that I've been loving for some time ("Sex and Reruns"). I'm also intrigued by "Anchor Made of Gold" by Jenny Wilson, "Cloud Nine" by Ben Howard (as if I need another favorite artist named Ben), and "Airplanes" by Local Natives.

Each week, the Indie Spotlight features a different genre. While I recommend the podcast to anyone who is always looking for new music, I must include a warning here--the Indie Spotlight Podcast, combined with one-click purchasing on iTunes may lead to increased spending and decreased space on your iPod. Proceed with caution.

double whammy! - Jack's Mannequin

Good morning Kharmonious readers! Thanks for all the recent comments. This post is more of a "have you heard" for Jack's Mannequin, but it's also a "double whammy" because I'll touch on both of their albums, Everything in Transit (2005) and The Glass Passenger (2008).

I first heard Jack's Mannequin on Pandora (I don't remember which station it was on, maybe Muse? They both use pianos... :/). It was their single "Dark Blue" and I was hooked (probably because of the piano - I still love the way the piano and drums bounce off one another with alternate beats). I picked up Everything in Transit soon after and recently The Glass Passenger. I would highly recommend both albums for fans of piano-driven alt-rock with a hint of punk. To this day, I think Jack's Mannequin is the best band Pandora has introduced me to, which speaks very well of the band, and maybe not so well for Pandora :/.

Jack's Mannequin is a four-member band from Los Angeles, California and is relatively new; they formed in 2004. Founding member, pianist and vocalist, Andrew McMahon was in the band Something Corporate before forming Jack's Mannequin, the name which he said was the combination of a song title "Dear Jack" and a band name idea "Black Mannequins". From the very limited amount of Something Corporate I've heard, I think Jack's Mannequin's sound is cleaner and striped of some of the feedback; less guitar and more piano. Something Corporate fans call me out if I'm way off track. It also sounds to me like Andrew McMahon's vocals take more prominence in Jack's Mannequin and the backup vocals are more background.

I think my favorite part about Jack's Mannequin is the energy they bring to each of their songs, even the ones with moderate and slower tempos (see "Rescued" and "Swim"). The talent of drummer Jay McMillan is imperative here, as he keeps the songs from sounding all alike or typical alt-rock. The piano Andrew plays is beautiful too, I have no clue how they recorded it, but it sounds fantastic on both albums (it's never drowned out by other instruments, which happens too often in rock bands, and even the bass notes come through clearly). Of the two albums, my favorite is Everything in Transit which includes "Dark Blue", "Bruised", "I'm Ready", "Rescued" and "Holiday from Real" (<-- one of my favorite Jack's Mannequin songs). The Glass Passenger isn't shabby though, my picks from it would include "Spinning", "Swim", "Annie Use Your Telescope" and "Caves". In my opinion, Everything in Transit is simply a more consistent album, but both have been enjoyable additions to my collection.

*Jack's Mannequin is coming to Spokane tomorrow at the INB Performing Arts Center with the Fray, however, I will be absent, as I don't have the dough to shell out $45 to see the Fray again... :(

RIYL: Something Corporate (?), The Fray, Jimmy Eat World, Relient K
Fave tracks from Everything in Transit: "Dark Blue", "Holiday from Real", "I'm Ready"
Fave tracks from The Glass Passenger: "Swim", "Spinning", "Caves"

Swim - Jacks Mannequin

Far - Regina Spektor

To say the very least, Regina Spektor exudes personality. One glance at her website or "Survival Guide to Soviet Kitsch" zine* will reveal this and her music is no different. Wikipedia associates her with "anti-folk" music - which I didn't know existed and am not really sure what it means. Nonetheless, much of Regina's music is beyond classification. It's piano and vocal driven (Regina is one of those gifted musicians who truly uses their voices as an instrument), it's experimental and it's kinda folksy (or anti-folksy if you prefer). Her most famous singles are "Fidelity" and "On the Radio" from her previous album "Begin to Hope" (2006).

Personally, it took me a while to get into Regina's music; "Begin to Hope" was the first album of hers I bought. Her newest album "Far" on the other hand, I fell in love with immediately. From the upbeat opening track "The Calculation", Regina entices and intrigues with interesting melody lines and unpredictable vocals. On the whole, I'd say "Far" is more upbeat than "Begin to Hope" but equally thoughtful and insightful, especially "Laughing With" and "Blue Lips" - two of my favorite songs from the album. In its entirety, the album covers a range of tempos and moods. Her piano melodies often begin simply, but gather steam throughout the song with the addition of percussion, her own beatboxing or a tuba (to cite just a few examples) - her instrumentation is fabulous. Her lyrics often muse on relationships, religion and humanity (but they really do feel like musings and not soapbox rantings). I recommend the entire album, but my favorite tracks at the moment are "Dance Anthem of the 80's", "Eet", "Human of the Year" and "Laughing With". You can also view her music video for "Laughing With" here: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid4020141001?bctid=23871654001 (the embed code wasn't working, but if it does later I'll add it). I thought it was pretty unique and cleverly edited.

* If you like Regina's music, I highly recommend checking out her "Survival Guide to Soviet Kitsch" zine. Just go to "Reginapolis" on the navigation bar and the pdf download link is in the bottom left corner. There's also a Tetris game called "Spektris" on the same page.

Fave tracks: "Dance Anthem of the 80's", "Eet", "Human of the Year" and "Laughing With".
RIYL: Kate Nash, Feist, Ingrid Michaelson, Sia

Eet (Album Version) - Regina Spektor

The Rebirth of Kharmonious?

Oi, it's been a long time since I wrote an honest review - not to insinuate any of my reviews are less than honest :) suffice it to say it's been some time so please excuse me if I'm a little rusty: I picked up Ben Lee's 7th studio album, The Rebirth of Venus several months ago, right before I drove to Portland to meet Katie. I listened to it a couple times through on the trip there and back on windy Highway 84 and a few times since.

For those of you unfamiliar with Ben Lee, he's a singer-songwriter from Austrailia whose music I'd describe as acoustic-pop-folk. His most recognizable single is "Catch My Disease" from the infectious Awake is the New Sleep (pun intended) - the song appeared in Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs and the film Just Friends - so you've probably heard it somewhere. Like a lot of Ben's music, it's catchy, campy and hokey, all at the same time - and sometimes that's a good thing. Ben isn't afraid to have a crowd of everyday people sing along with him.

The Rebirth of Venus is similar to previous albums, in that it mixes synthetic and acoustic sounds seamlessly (there may be a few more keyboards and mixed sounds this time around, but there still are some great acoustic tracks like "Surrender"). Ben's lyrics usually lean toward sensitive, introspective content, with a positive spin: Ben asks "what's so bad about feeling good?". A few songs on the album have political observations, "Wake Up to America" or social reflections, "Boy With a Barbie" and "I'm a Woman Too". They're completely harmless in that they're not mean-spirited, but some may find them obnoxious. "Blue Denim" sounds like it was written for a Gap jeans commercial, which again speaks to much of Ben's music; it's catchy, but not especially deep which may leave some listeners dissatisfied over the long haul. My picks for the album are "Surrender", "Families Cheating at Boardgames" and "Bad Poetry".

I saw Ben Lee open for Ben Folds a year or so ago, and it was the first time I've ever felt sympathy for a musician on stage: Ben (Lee)'s microphone stand wouldn't stay up and he had to sing his songs standing slouched over the microphone. He sang through several songs before any of the stagehands helped him. He didn't get mad at all and he was still great, but it was incredible to see that even with six studio albums under his belt (he hadn't finished the seventh), he seemed to be a genuinely humble and grateful musician and I admire him for that.

It's also worth noting that the bonus CD version of The Rebirth of Venus includes the track "Ben Lee" which is a song originally performed by the Ataris about how much they hate Ben Lee. Ben Lee isn't above making fun of himself or acknowledging that some people won't like him or his music.

Fave tracks: "Surrender", "Families Cheating at Boardgames" and "Bad Poetry"
RIYL: Ben Kweller, Ben Folds, Kate Nash

Surrender - Ben Lee

Masters programs and personal blogs don't mix

Okay, so I've officially decided writing a blog is not the best idea for two Masters students, nor the most practical. Nonetheless, the stream of phenomenal music this summer has been awe inspiring (Dave Matthews Band, Mat Kearney, Elizabeth and the Catapult, Regina Spektor... it's euphoric - I also saw Relient K this summer and they were incredible) I feel awful for shirking my blogging duties. So here's a track from Jack's Mannequin's latest CD, The Glass Passenger, which actually came out last year, but I just picked it up. It's called "Annie Use Your Telescope". Enjoy!

Annie Use Your Telescope - Jacks Mannequin