This week's featured band is the Swedish Indie rock band called: The Sounds. They formed in the wonderful year of 1999 and released their debut album in America in 2002, called, "Living In America," since then they've put out three other albums (2006's "Dying To Say This To You," 2009's "Crossing The Rubicon," and in March of this year they released, "Something To Die For.")
Here are a few tracks to wet your whistle with.
Enjoy!
"Living In America"
"No One Sleeps When I'm Awake"
"The Best Of Me" (My personal fave off of the latest album "Something To Die For")
This past week I've been breaking out old mix CDs and hidden on one I found this 90's treasure, "Spice Up Your Life," by The Spice Girls (obviously.)
This song and I go way back. We have all sorts of memories together. From my childhood, through college AND this year's birthday celebration. (My friends and I may or may not have broke out into song and a choreographed dance when this tune came on at the local watering hole where I was celebrating.)
In honor of all that, I'm making it this week's feel good Friday tune.
Last week I was going through old mix CDs (sigh, remember those? ) and I found one from the summer when I was a little sophomore in college. On that particular CD was a song called, "Rains In Asia," by a band called "Jump, Little Children."
I had completely forgotten about my love for this band until I found that CD. The love came flooding back to my brain and so I decided since it's all I've been listening to recently, I'd share with you all!
Here are a few of my personal favorites from Jump, Little Children!
"Rains In Asia"
"Mexico"
"Cathedrals"
(My favorite line from "Cathedrals," is: In the cathedrals of New York & Rome/ there is a feeling that you should just go home/ and spend a lifetime/ finding out just where that is.")
No, no, don't worry, no spoilers here. But, seeing as though the end of my childhood officially ends today, I thought I'd celebrate it with you all through a feel good song sung by Darren Criss who played Harry Potter in the fan made, "A Very Potter Musical" And "A Very Potter Sequel." (And if you love Harry Potter and have never seen either, please, PLEASE watch it. It's HILARIOUS. I never thought I'd say this, but, I love Draco Malfoy.)
Well, in honor of my childhood ending, for those of us who swear the owl sent to deliver our Hogwarts acceptance letters got lost: I'd like to know that I'm not alone, that you're here with me, and that love is all we need to make it through.
Here's Darren Criss performing "Not Alone"
(And here's the clip of the cast from A Very Potter Musical performing "Not Alone")
Due to my tardiness, I thought I'd do a little something extra special for all you folks out there on the interwebs. Instead of featuring just one artist today, how about a tune from 3 artists?!
(That sounds like it could be fun, am I right?!)
Well, a few weeks ago I asked a certain B-Side (Mary, to be exact) for some tunage we could listen to over in this particular corner of the internet. She obliged and gave us a tune from 3 bands and, to be honest, I think you're really going to enjoy each and every one!
(Side-note: If you're asking yourself, "Who's Mary? I don't think I know any Mary B-Side," allow me to put a little plug in for her right now. Click here to check out her youtube channel where she posts a Weekly Wednesday Vlog, and to follow her on Twitter, you can go here.)
Up first we have "Oh My God" by Cults
The next tune up is by the Shout Out Louds, it's called "Fall Hard," and it's remixed by Passion Pit
Last we have (my personal fave of the 3) Ladybirds and their song, "Oh No The Unicorns Are Knife Fighting."
There's no video on Youtube for it, so, click this link to have a listen, I promise it's worth your time!
That's it for today!
Again my apologies for the tardiness of today's post.
Have a wonderful week and I'll catch you on the flip-side for a feel good tune on Friday!
Today's feel good tune is by Ben Harper. It's called, "In The Colors." (Off of his 2007 album "Lifeline.")
This song is just the right amount of sweet and adorable combined with a melody that you can just bask in. It's the perfect tune to just gently sway to while attempting to take it all in.
So, what say you pals? Let's enjoy some Ben Harper together this fine Friday!
Have a lovely weekend and I'll catch up with you on Monday!
Before I delve into today's music selection, I'd like to share with you all a quote from Sylvia Plath's, "The Bell Jar," that I found oh so very appropriate for today!
"I wanted change and excitement and to shoot off in all directions myself, like the coloured arrows from a 4th of July rocket."
Feel free to put that in your pocket and save it for later.
Okay, thank you for putting up with me while I geek out over a few pretty words strung together.
Focus Maggie, FOCUS. Music. Right. Well, boy do I have a little something special for YOU!
Since it's the holiday an' all, thought I'd do something extra, hope you like!
Steel Train's latest album, which is self titled and a truly rad record, was released last year. Along with it they also released a sister companion album called, "Terrible Thrills Volume 1," in which twelve female artists covered each track from it's brother.
Jack Atonoff, the lead singer of Steel Train, has said the women who are on this companion album are all artists that he and the band find inspiring both musically as well as who they are as humans in general.
So, I pulled some of my personal favorites from said sister companion album!
In no particular order, here they are!
Tegan & Sara covering "Turnpike Ghost"
Angel Deradoorian covering "You Are Dangerous" (It moves me to tears. TEARS! So good.)
Holly Miranda (Shout out to my first "official" Music Monday artist!) covering "You & I Undercover"
and lastly, Rachael Cantu covering "Soldier In The Army"
So, these are some of my favorites, but the others are equally as good, honest. I mean with names like Amanda Palmer, Scarlett Johansson, Anna Waronker and Jack's sister Rachel Atonoff, how can it be anything other than totally, completely and utterly awesome?!
Today's feel good tune is brought to you by Corinne Bailey Rae. Her song "Put Your Records On," has been one of my favorite go-to songs when I'm in need of a smile. After the first chorus a warm fuzzy feeling washes over me, and I just can't help but want to dance around!
So, here she is, singing, "Put Your Records On," in hopes you too, will feel the same!
Happy Tuesday!
