I wanted to do something that's never ever been done on the internet before, and then it hit me, a music blog. Every month I create a playlist for my wife that contains 15 songs to help us stay up to speed with new music. This blog is a place where I will document the monthly 15 and give a brief description for each song. It is primarily a place for me to keep track of what I am listening to, but it can also be used to help you find new music.
1. Butch Walker - Bodegas and Blood
I got into Butch because of his amazing "Synthesizers" video, but upon deeper inspection this guy has quite the genre-jumping collection of recordings. B&B got into the November mix after I saw him perform it with Daryl Hall on the show Live from Daryl's House.
2. Bronze Radio Return - Blurry-Eyed Worries
After one listen if you're not singing along with the chorus you might not have a pulse.
3. Ben Howard - The Fear
He might be my wife's new favorite Ben (Sorry Harper, Kweller and Folds). He has a voice that just melts away the women's panties.
4. The Killers - Runaways
First single off of the new album, and they aren't exactly breaking any new ground here. Building rhythms, grandiose lyrics, explosive chorus. All the things I love and simultaneously hate about them.
5. Tegan and Sara - Back in Your Head
This song is 5 years old, but it's new to me. They are opening for The Killers this year, so I decided to revisit their catalog and found this gem.
6. Jack White - Hip (eponymous) Poor Boy
Dude is just Matchbox Twenty Money. If you don't like Mr. White, then we probably shouldn't be friends.
7. Of Monsters and Men - King and Lionheart
When I make lists like "My Top 5 Icelandic groups with 7 members", these guys are always at the top. They have the male/female lead singer combination that seems to be so popular these days, and I do enjoy the contrasting vocals. If I am home alone and in no danger of getting caught, I will instantly break into my version of an Icelandic indigenous dance for my pretend audience of Bjork like people in large wooly coats.
8. Ben Fold Five - Away When You Were Here
Ben's music has a familiarity that hugs you like an old friend.
9. The Gaslight Anthem - Here Comes My Man
These guys satisfy my need for straight forward anthemic rock. I rarely drive the speed limit when GA is blaring out of my speakers, and it takes me back to the old days when rock groups actually played in arenas.
10. Dawes - Coming Back to a Man
I play Dawes like top 40 radio plays Katy Perry, they are a staple of the 2011/2012 Crawford music collection. This is probably my 12th favorite Dawes song, and it whips a goat's ass.
11. The Avett Brothers - The Once and Future Carpenter
The wife and I are road tripping to Greensboro, NC to see the Avetts on New year's Eve, so yeah we kind of like 'em. Simple, sweet, easily digested, country-tinged ditties is their go-to sound, and this song fits that to a tee. Moonshine and rocking chair music.
12. Mumford & Sons - Whispers in the Dark
If Timberlake brought sexy back, then these guys brought the banjo back. I do get a wee bit excited when M&S come up on my mixes
13. Griffin House - Standing at the Station
He is one of those artists that probably should be bigger than he is, both in my music collection and in real life. Thanks for the French lesson in this one Grif! (I can call him Grif, because I've seen him live 3 times)
14. Sam Roberts - Twist the Knife
You can hardly tell that he's Canadian when he sings, his accent just kind of fades away. This one's a toe-tapper.
15. Blind Pilot - Keep You Right
BP has a pretty solid following, but I can't help thinking their sound is a Frankenstein hybrid of some of my other favorite bands. This is my second attempt at getting into them, but I'm not sure I'm ready to fly with them.
