Song of the Week: Air "Sing Sang Sung"

This week's song comes from Love 2, the latest album from the French band Air.

I've been listening to Air for quite some time now. In fact, this March will mark the fourth time I'll see them in concert-- their live show really is that good.

They have a sort of mellow, electronica sound. You can put on just about any of their albums and just let it play through to the end-- something that can't be said for a lot of bands.

Anyhow, I believe "Sing, Sang, Sung" is the first single released form the new album, and it's quite good.

I'd say that I've had the song on loop, but really it's been the entire album. Give it listen.

Song of the Week: "Metamorphosis (Parts 1-5)" by Philip Glass

As I've mentioned before, I usually listen to music that has little or no lyrics when I write. It's something that I've learned works for me through a lot of trial and error. Whether it's jazz or classical, bluegrass or a soundtrack-- instrumental music is just what I prefer when I sit down to do some work.

Lately, almost all of my writing time has been accompanied by the trademark musical stylings of Philip Glass.

I first came to know of Philip Glass through his score to Godfrey Reggio's now-famous "Quatsi" trilogy. I especially enjoy the score to Koyaanisqatsi, but he has tons of other work that is equally impressive. Last week I came across his album "Solo Piano", which is comprised of five variations of his piece Metamorphosis, as well as two shorter pieces.

The song I've included here is Metamorphosis #2, which happens to be my favorite. It's a haunting piece that I've been able to listen to on repeat for the past few days.

Give it a listen. Even if Philip Glass is not necessarily your bag, it's hard to argue that this isn't a beautiful piece of music.

P.S.-- I've included his piece Pruit Igoe as well. Originally written for Koyaanisqatsi, you may also recognize it from the extended trailer for last year's Watchmen.

Song of the Week: "What?" by Rob Zombie

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to catch the penultimate stop in Rob Zombie's tour for his upcoming album, Hellbilly Deluxe 2. I went to the show by myself and, well... you may think that's kind of odd. Perhaps-- but I couldn't give a damn because it was one hell of a show.

Zombie's live performances are a throwback to the theatrical rock shows of the 1970's. And he certainly isn't not shy about wearing his influences on his sleeve-- specifically Alice Cooper. The two of them share a similar gruff singing style and I'm actually surprised Zombie's never covered any of Cooper's hits.

But I digress...

This song (What?) is the first single off of his oft postponed new album which is set to finally be released on February 2. There is no official video, so I've posted a live version that is very similar to what I saw the other night at the Electric Factory.

Enjoy the song.

And if you ever get the chance to see Rob Zombie live, by all means go.

You'll have a great time. And if you've got nobody to go with, hell-- drop me a line. Lord knows I've been there.

P.S.-- If you like the song, you can also hear the regular album version here, or download it on iTunes.

Song of the Week: Manic Street Preachers "If you Tolerate This Then Your Children Will Be Next"

No joke-- this song holds the Guinness Book record for longest song title that doesn't use brackets. But thats neither her nor there.

Fact is: this song is fantastic. Brit-pop at it's best.

Give it a spin already.

Enjoy.

Band of the Week: Owl City

I couldn't pick just one of the songs from Owl City's new album Ocean Eyes, so I just put them forth as the band of the week.

If you consider yourself a fan of the quirky, poppy sound of bands like The Postal Service, you'll gravitate toward Owl City immediately.

In fact, I was convinced that this was a side project of TPS lead singer Ben Gibbard.

Alas, it is not. But it damn well could be-- and that's quite a compliment.

With a sound that often upbeat and lyrics that are usually deeper and more clever than your typical pop act, Owl City is a nicely invigorating addition to the proverbial stale iPod playlist.

Their first single, "Fireflies", was available for free on iTunes. After giving it a shot (and loving it) I immediately shut down iTunes altogether and downloaded a torrent of the complete album.

Sorry-- that's just how it is today.

But since then, this band has been in my ear at home, at the gym and, actually, as I'm typing this very blog post.

If you're into thoughtful indie pop, like the aforementioned Postal Service or Death Cab for Cutie, you'll certainly find something to like about this album.

It's 100% certified JWFTS "good."

Enjoy.

Song of the Week: "Even in the Dark" by Company of Thieves

This week's song came to me from the one place I really rarely ever hear new, good music-- the radio! And I don't say that to sound like some pretentious, "I Hate Radio" type of guy. It's just, I never listen to music on he radio. When I'm in my car I listen to one of two things, my iPod or talk radio. 

It just so happened that I flipped to the one alternative station in Philly, and surprisingly liked what I heard. The song was "Oscar Wilde" by the featured band, Company of Thieves. It's a good song, but since downloading their self-titled album I've come to discover they have better songs to offer. Case in point, the video below-- "Even in the Dark."

The lead singer, Genevieve Schatz, has a cool style-- sort of a mixture of Fiona Apple and Bjork, two artists I thoroughly enjoy. And this is a band I'd definitely like to check out live sometime soon. If you're so inclined, check out the ret of their self-titled album, it'll be in my iPod loop for a while, I'm sure.

Enjoy.

Song of the Week: "Saviour" by Dredg

I came across indie-alt-rockers Dredg (not a misspelling) during one of my daisy chain iTunes hunts for new music. I start with a band I like, and then look at similar suggestions until I find something that catches my eye... or ear, actually.

Their sound is nothing particularly new, falling somewhere between Lydia and The Used. But the tonal shifts and genre crossing does just enough to differentiate them from much of the shit rock bands that are out there right now.

This album has 6 or 7 solid songs and the one below (Saviour) happens to be my favorite. Enjoy.

P.S.-- My iPod is officially broken and I am pissed.

Song of the Week: Steve Martin "Words Unspoken"

This may come as a surprise to some of you, but I am a huge fan of the banjo. Yup-- the twangy, goofy cousin of the guitar just has some kind of charm that I've always enjoyed. 

And though I've known for quite a while now that Steve Martin played the banjo, but when I saw he'd now released his own album I had to give it a shot-- and I'm really glad I did.

If you aren't a fan of bluegrass, and aren't willing to give it a fair shake I'd say you can stop reading about right.... now.

But is you are open to checking out a terrific new album that may be outside of the traditionally popular genres, you've gotta give this one a listen. Beside the catchy, picky tunes that you may expect, Martin has a few that are contemplative, sometimes melancholy and always beautiful--such as the clip I've attached below entitled "Words Unspoken." And his undeniable humorous side also shows up on childhood-themed track "Late for School." Having already more than proved his mastery as both a comedian and a writer, Steve Martin has now shown that he's a damn fine musician as well. 

If you're looking for something different, or if you like the clip I've provided, do yourself a favor and check the rest of the album out. I guarantee your toes will be tapping before even the first song is done.

Song of the Week: Unkle Bob "The Hit Parade"

I discovered "Unkle Bob", this Brit-Pop/Rock band, when they opened for "James" last year in Philly. They put on quite an impressive show, despite the lackluster sound system at the Trocadero. In fact, I went right home that night and downloaded their album, "Sugar and Spite." I was glad to see that I hadn't been mistaken-- they're pretty damn good.

Some people may recognize one of their songs, "Swans", because it was featured on an episode of Grey's Anatomy sometime last year, but that's okay-- we won't hold it against them. In fact, at the concert, lead singer Rick Webster said that the inclusion of "Swans" on that episode was probably the reason they were chosen to go on tour with a popular act like "James."

Well, good for us. The CD is pretty solid all the way through, and has been on constant rotation on my iPod for a while now. Check out the song posted below, "The Hit Parade" It's one of the best songs on the album. And make sure to check out "Birds and the Bees" too... that one is fantastic as well.

Enjoy.

Song(s) of the Week: "Pioneers" and "Skeleton" by Bloc Party

I consider myself a pretty big fan of Bloc Party, and I've actually been meaning to include them in one of my "SOTW" posts for quite a while now. The only thing that gave me pause was choosing which of their songs to post. After looking through their videos on youtube I've settled on two-- "Pioneers", because it's a great song and  this particular video is pretty interesting & "Skeleton" because it may just be my favorite of their songs.

I should mention that they have so many other songs that you should check out-- "Like Eating Glass", "SRXT", "Banquet", "Waiting for the 7:18", "Blue Light"-- just to name a few. They're a sort of punk-ish take on brit-pop, and frontman Kele Okereke is about as charismatic a lead singer you're likely to find these days.

Check them out below, and believe me-- their entire discography is well worth a look.

Enjoy.

Song of the Week: "Your Hand in Mine" by Explosions in the Sky

I came across Explosions in the Sky on the (indirect) recommendation of Sean Dwyer over at FilmJunk. He compiles rather good virtual mix-tapes every so often that you'll find at one of his other sites, Muzak for Cybernitics. 

What I like about the band is that their songs are usually sprawling, 7+ minute indie rock epics that are rather artfully done. Oh yeah, and there are no lyrics. I really like that part, specifically because it makes them the perfect band to put on when I'm trying to get some writing done. Listening to any music with words can get distracting when I write. And besides-- with instrumental music, you can ascribe feelings and emotions to a song that otherwise may not occur to you because of completely inappropriate lyrics. I learned that the hard way whilst attempting to write a children's film while listening to Akinyele.

Unfortunately there isn't a proper music video for the song, so what I've posted is essentially an audio file with a static title. But I think the song itself is enough, and I it's a great example of what you can expect if you check out some of their other stuff.

Enjoy.

Song of the Week: "Hoppipolla" by Sigur Ros

This week's selection came to me via the trailer for Disney's new film "Earth." Every time I watched the trailer, I found myself moved in the way that only very manipulative footage of baby animals and very uplifting music can accomplish. This trailer has both, so I had to seek out the song. I'm glad to say, the song, and the album "Takk...", is terrific all the way through, and I've listened to it about ten times since yesterday.

It's by the Icelandic band Sigur Ros. I'd had one of their albums on my iPod for a little while now, but never really gave it a fair shake. I suppose that's what happens in the age when you can download so much music in such a short amount of time-- some stuff is bound to fall through the cracks.

Anyway-- give this one a listen because it'll make you feel good and hopeful, and all that. At least that's what it does for me, and trust me-- I can use that. 

Enjoy.

And here is the trailer for "Earth."

Artist of the Week: Nat King Cole

This week, I simply couldn't select just one song to showcase from Nat King Cole's oeuvre-- the man was incredible. Frankly, I would take him over any of the (more successful?) crooners of his era. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin-- none of them measure up, in my opinion. 

I'm truly surprised that he doesn't have a more devoted following these days, considering the attention the same old Sinatra and Dean Martin songs get. Honestly-- how many times can we hear "The Summer Wind" or "Ain't that a Kick in the Head"? No-- I'll take "Straighten Up and Fly Right" or "It was only a Paper Moon" any day, thank you very much.

The two songs that I've selected below are two of my absolute favorites. "Smile" is one of the most beautiful and personally meaningful songs I've ever heard. Nat's version always gets me right in the old ticker.

Then, there is "I Love You (For Sentimental Reasons)", one of the most classically romantic songs you're ever likely to hear. This is the kind of song that makes me wish I was alive during the 1940's, just so I could sign up for the Army and fight in WWII, all just to get the chance to come home in uniform and dance with my gal to this song. Quite an elaborate setup I know, but the song is that good. Trust me.

So, whether you're a big fan or, even if you're someone who has never listened to anything produced before the millennium, do yourself a favor and listen to these songs. 

They just don't make 'em like they used to.

Song of the Week: "Somebody Loved" by The Weepies

This week's pick is a sweet little song that I came across while looking for new music by daisy chaining from band to band on iTunes via the "Listeners Also Bought" button. I've found a few gems this way, but it usually leads to me randomly sampling songs until about 3am. This time it paid off.

The Weepies are a pop, indie pair with a couple of albums behind them. I've only managed to get my hands on "Happiness" as of yet, but based on what I've heard, I look forward to checking out their other albums.

Singer Deb Talan has a unique and beautuful voice that, once heard, becomes instantly recognizable. In that way, she reminds me of an Amanda Palmer, or maybe even a young Allison Krauss.

In searching for a video for this particular song, I came across a few options on YouTube, none of which were superb. First off, it seems the band did a guest stint on ABC's "Dirty, Sexy, Money"-- the show with quite possibly the worst title of all time. And second, some poor jackass out there made a fan video of Jim and Pam from "The Office' to this song, which made me want to punch myself in the face.

So, I've decided to post the song here in a simple MP3 form, to save you the trouble of seeing those truly awful videos. I hope you enjoy this song as much as I do. If you have a romantic bone in your body, you'll like it. But beware, the lyrics are very easy to learn, and highly likely to get stuck in your head. 

I'm just saying... you've been warned.

Somebody Loved - The Weepies

Song of the Week: "Naked As We Came" by Iron & Wine

This week's pick is a folksy, acoustic tune that I can't seem to stop listening to. It's by Iron & Wine, and yeah it's a bit melancholy, but that's just fine by me.

I actually love a good downer song, and lately I've found a few really great ones from Iron & Wine, Will Stratton, William Fitzsimmons and The Weepies. You can be sure that some of those will be featured in future "Song(s) of the week." But for now, give this one a listen-- it's definitely a keeper.

Song of the Week: "I'd Hate to Leave You" by Will Stratton

I came across Will Stratton while looking to see if there was anything new on the horizon for one of my favorite musicians-- Sufjan Stevens. While there's nothing new for Sufjan, apparently Will Stratton is  a protege of Stevens', and they even collaborate on Stratton's fantastic debut album, "What the Night Said."

Stratton is primarily an acoustic artist, and his songs are delightfully depressing-- a quality I love in my music. I don't need to be driven to commit suicide by a song, but if it plants the seed of an untimely demise, it's tops in my book. 

Anyhow, Stratton only has one album out as of now-- his second will be out soon. And though I've only recently discovered his music, I have listened to it over and over. It's really great to find a new artist that I like as much as Stratton. 

So give it a listen, and if you get a chance, look him up on iTunes. That's right-- I'm asking you to pay for his music. 

Paying for music-- what a novel idea! I know-- It's something I'm no longer accustomed to myself. But in this case, it's well worth it.

Enjoy.

Song of the Week: "Paranoid Android" by Rockabye Baby!

This week's selection came to me during an insomnia induced perusal of the bowels of the iTunes store. So, apparently "Rockabye Baby!" is a musical ensemble that caters to the ultra-hip, "we-gave-our baby-a-quirky-name" set. If that sounds disdainful, there's a good reason-- I typically find this segment of the population tremendously annoying. But, I listened to some of these "lullabies" out of sheer curiosity. Turns out they're actually kind of cool.

When I write, I like to listen to instrumental music-- and this stuff fits the bill. I downloaded some Radiohead, Pink Floyd and Coldplay, and I have to say, I am really enjoying it.

I'm sure this one is not going to be for everybody, but you should check it out, if only for the quirkiness factor. And please, do what you can to refrain from naming your children after inanimate objects. Thank you.

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Song of the Week: "Rebel, Rebel" by Seu Jorge

Okay, so obviously I'm a huge David Bowie fan. But this week's selection is actually a cover of one of his songs. Anyone familiar with Wes Anderson's film "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" will recognize Seu Jorge, as he had a small part in the film. In fact, he performed a few of Bowie's songs in the film.

He later released an entire album of Bowie covers in his native language, Portuguese. The songs lose nothing in the translation, and in fact they sort of become their own entities-- the melody is familiar, but the cadence of the lyrics is slightly off, and you hear things you may never have before. For someone who has been listening to Bowie since my older sister introduced me to his music (and his crotch) a long time ago in "Labyrinth", I was under the false assumption that I had heard all of the possible iterations of Bowie. I was wrong. Even if you're just a casual fan, this is worth a listen. It's available on iTunes, I believe. And it's also available, um... on that thing.... what's it called? Torrent, or something?

However you procure the music, do yourself a big favor and give it a few listens. My wife was at a loss when I requested this one for Christmas a few years ago. But after letting (forcing?) her listen to it, she has actually become a bit of a fan herself. I think you will, too.

Enjoy.

This video is a "found footage" youtube clip. Kinda cool.

Song of the Week: "Heroes" by David Bowie

This week's song is definitely in my personal top 5 of all time.  There's not much to say, other than Bowie is-- without dispute-- the man. "Heroes" is just one of his many incredible songs. Basically, if you aren't into Bowie, I couldn't imagine why. If you're a fan of music, you should be a fan of Bowie, end of story. A good place to start is The Best of Bowie. Trust me, you delve deeper after listening to that one. 

And just for good measure, check out his appearance on "Extras" posted below. It's my favorite part of one of my favorite shows. Brilliant.

Song of the Week: "John Wayne Gacy Jr." by Sufjan Stevens

This week's selection comes from the "extraordinarily depressing" collection. It's "John Wayne Gacy Jr." by a very cool experimental, folky rock singer/songwriter named Sufjan Stevens. If you don’t already know him, I highly recommend checking him out. 

And, yes, as the title suggests, the song is about the infamous clown/child murderer, John Wayne Gacy Jr. It's still an amazing song. I find I have a strange affinity for extremely depressing songs, and I actually have a sort of depression collection... 

So, if you're feeling particularly morose this week, give this one a listen-- just stay away from the clown make-up, people may get the wrong idea.

Not that I'm speaking from experience, or anything...

Enjoy.