Next to Me

Next to Me is a really well written song written and performed by Emelie Sande. May I suggest you keep track of that name, because in a few years, she will be HUGE. She reminds me of a young Etta James in not just her look, but her talent and powerful voice.

Next to Me is off of her debut album entitled Our Version of Events, released in 2012. This song has a hint of gospel to it but it's a song about a woman who knows she has a good man. A man that won't stray, get high, or out running the streets, he instead will be next to her. Great subject matter and the song is dominated by her voice. It's pretty much stripped down to just her voice, piano, and drums. That allows her voice to shine, and it does just that.

She's been around for awhile, writing songs for other artists in her native England so she's not new to the game. Just remember the name because soon she'll be everywhere over here, and giving another Brit songstress a run for her money. Enjoy!

 

Nightcall

If you saw the movie Drive, then you've heard Nightcall. It was the opening song in the movie, in fact, this song was the template for the entire pace and tone of the picture. I love this song by Kavinsky because it's really reminiscent of that synth-pop sound of the 80's. In fact, this song was the B side of the single Pacific Coast Highway which was off the EP entitled 1986, which of course was released in 2007.

Nightcall starts with a phone call and then the groove comes in. It's slow and sexy, and it sounds like what you would be playing as you drove through the hills of southern California. The vocals are provided by Kavinsky and Lovefoxxx from the Brazilian rock band CSS. Her vocals are perfectly suited for this groove, they make this song almost hard to resist, it's hypnotic.

The synths are in full effect here, so if you never liked new wave, 80's music, or synth-pop, then might I suggest you skip this song. If you loved those genres, then jump in, the waters fine. Enjoy!

Weather Storm

Okay, so everyone here has heard of Massive Attack, right? RIGHT? Okay, good. Next question, has everyone heard their really cool, extremely chilled tune entitled Weather Storm? No? Well that's not surprising, it wasn't one of their big hits like so many other tunes they've released, but it stands among my favorites of them, proudly.

Weather Storm was released on the groups 1995 album Protection and I will tell you right now, it's the kind of song you could get high too. That is if you are the kind of person who gets high, of course. No, I am not condoning drug use nor am I condemning it, I'm just....LOOK, Weather Storm is just a really cool song you can kick back to, with a glass of wine, or whatever, and just chill.

Weather Storm is the perfect background music to a dinner party. It's mellow, easy on the ears, but hard to ignore, which makes it a great conversation starter.
"Hey, what's that playing?"
"My ipod?"
"Yeah, what's your ipod playing?"
"Music, why?"
"Okay smart ass, what song is it playing right now?"
"Oh, that's Weather Storm by Massive Attack, cool huh?"
Or something to that effect, depending on who your friends are, and how you interact with them. Anyway, enjoy!

Eminence Front

Hey, do you remember this song by The Who? It's one of their classics entitled Eminence Front. It's one of those songs where the lyrics make absolutely no sense but the music is absolutely amazing. I feel it's time this song makes my blog so here it is. Now you may not recognize the name of the song, but I am confident you've heard this song somewhere. It's just that popular.

Eminence Front was on the 1982 album It's Hard, and while it wasn't the album's biggest chart topper, that title is held by Athena, Eminence Front is by far the album's most popular. It's also the biggest money maker. This song has been used in commercials, TV shows, movies and everything else you can possibly imagine. Why, you ask? Because it's so damn funky, seriously.

Throw this puppy on your big boy speakers and see if I'm incorrect about that. Listen to the first two minutes of the song without Daltrey's warbling and then judge, funky, or not? I say funky indeed (but you know that already, didn't you?). Enjoy!

Tonight, Tonight

Hey, have you ever heard of the group Passion Pit? Have you heard their remake of a song that I personally thought couldn't be made better? Yeah, they did Tonight, Tonight which was originally done by The Smashing Pumpkins and I'll be damned if their version was almost better than the original. There are a lot of things to like about this song, both the original and the remake, but since I am posting the remake, let's talk about that version.

It's softer, slower, and seemingly more heartfelt. I feel that way because unlike in the original, you can make out the lyrics better in the remake. It starts off really simple, guitar, falsetto, and keyboards. It stays that way until the chorus, when it just gets better. The song seemingly opens up only to go back to the voice, guitar, and atmospheric keys, though this time theirs some percussion. My favorite part is during the bridge when the drums come in and makes this remake something so good that it rivals the original. This song was originally featured on an album that is nigh impossible to find sadly.

Fret not dear reader (of the most fantastic music blog on the planet), Passion Pit's version of Tonight, Tonight is available to download as a single. Or you can just enjoy it here whenever you'd like to hear it again. Sit back, relax, turn up the volume, and enjoy!

Overwhelmed

Okay, to be honest, I first heard this song in a beer commercial. I am not about to write how I was up on this song before Sam Adams used it and made it popular, though I could have. I could have made myself out to be cooler than I already am (and we all know just how friggin cool I am, don't we?). The song is Overwhelmed by Tim McMorris and I really like this little ditty.

Overwhelmed is not on an album...yet. Tim though has more than enough singles to put together a few albums, and talk about diverse styles. Don't listen to this song and think Tim McMorris is one of those singer-songwriter dudes that wears cowboy boots and likes tractor pulls (though he may). There is a song by him called The World is Yours where he raps...well!

Still though, Overwhelmed is my favorite song of his, yes I've heard them all so quit asking me. This song is cute and the lyrics are poignant. Tim McMorris is a very talented artist and since it sounds like he may be around for awhile, you might want to jump on this bandwagon now, before it picks up speed, and enjoy!

Arrival of the Birds

Allow me to introduce to you a group, actually an orchestra, I have known about for some time. Well, okay they aren't really an orchestra but they call themselves The Cinematic Orchestra, and this is their amazingly beautiful song entitled Arrival of the Birds. Now before you go looking for it to download on your ipod, I need to inform you that the search for this song will not be an easy one for it is not on itunes.

This piece of music was part of the score to ther Disneynature film called The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos which was released back in 2008. To this day, this piece has haunted me since I first heard it, and that was two years ago. It's been used in perfume commercials so if it sounds somewhat familiar to you, that's why.

This melody, right now fits my mood like a glove. It's melancholy and somewhat restless, the perfect first song for 2013. I think it's absolutely beautiful and more than worthy of a place on my blog. I hope it's enjoyed by you, dear reader as it is by me.