January 2013

1.  Imagine Dragons - It's Time
After being asked by several people if I've heard of the Imagine Dragons, I decided to grab the last seat on their bandwagon and throw this one in the mix.  If you dig Fun.'s "We are Young" then this song will be pretty easily digestible for you.

2.  Tim McMorris - Overwhelmed
If you get an un-explicable urge to drink a Sam Adams when listening to this track, then they have done well with their advertising.  This is the second month in a row that Tim has made the 15, will he get the triple crown?  Tune in next month and find out.

3.  Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song
Hmmm, a song that talks about being lazy, putting your hand in your pants and learning how to Dougie, sounds like an instant classic to me.  This ditty has a strong summer flavor with it's reggae backdrop, which is perfect timing since I'll be in Jamaica in two weeks.  Suck it bitches!

4.  Mary Wells - You Beat Me to the Punch
I know what you're thinking, Motown doo-wap from 1962, really dude?  Yeah, well, the wife requested this one and I like sleeping in my own bed, so here it is for your enjoyment.  Who knows, maybe if you throw this one on, you'll get lucky at the soda shop after the homecoming dance.

5.  Ryan Adams - Lucky Now
I once crowned Mr. Adams the greatest songwriter of all time, because I love talking in superlatives.  He's made a career of cranking out great song after great song, and this one is no exception.  Check-plus in the grade book.

6.  Gaslight Anthem - Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
I was watching these guys play a concert on TV the other night and the wife asked why this tune never made the 15's, so here it is.  I'm pretty sure she likes this jam because they mention Tom Petty, and I can't really argue with that.

7. The Shins - No Way Down
I know, I know, enough with the fucking Shins already.  Sorry, they just have songs that blend nicely into every mix.  They're like that nice, dependable person in every group of friends who you don't really notice or miss until they're gone.

8.  Feist - Train Song
I watched this indie flick called "Take This Waltz" and during one of the scenes Feist covers an old Leonard Cohen tune called "Closing Time".  My internet search for that song led me to this gem.  Shit, I sound like I'm on an episode of Storytellers.

9.  Various Cruelties - If It Wasn't for You
If you're thinking to yourself, damn I know this song but can't place it, then I'll put you out of your misery and let you know that it came from a Zales commercial.  There's no rule that says good tunes can't be used to hock shitty jewelry.

10.  Frank Turner - I Am Disappeared
It's a little known fact that Frank studied at Eton College with Prince William.  Don't say you never learned anything from this blog.  Thanks Wikipedia!

11.  Men - Candy
People think I'm being a dick when they ask what I'm listening to and I just say "Men", but this tune just kind of stuck in my craw.  There's something about the mix of the vocals in this song that is bit off kilter and gives it a really raw vibe.

12.  Broken Bells - October
Most people might not know Broken Bells, but I bet they know the sum of its parts. They are made up of James Mercer (Shins) and Brian Burton (Danger Mouse).  Every time I start digging around for tunes this album shows up time after time.  If you like Bright Eyes, you'll love Broken Bells, if you like The National you'll really enjoy Broken Bells, if you like rubbing one out with your left hand, then you should do it while listening to Broken Bells. Damn I better check these guys out already.

13.  Green Day - Amy
"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road...", This song is like that one, but totally different.

14.  Ed Sheeran - The A Team
iTunes named his record the breakout singer-songwriter album of 2012, so naturally I said to myself, let's see what this joker is all about.  He's pretty much the standard issue singer-songwriter that you'd find at the local coffee house in town.  If you like the sensitive, introspective guys like Damien Rice and Glen Hansard (after he left the Frames) then this should be right up your alley.

15.  Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Fiya Wata
This one really took a long time to grow on me, but there's something infectious about the way Jade delivers this song.  It's one thing to have the musical chops and great lyrics, but something that gets overlooked far too often is the ability to deliver a song.  She harkens back to the haunting vibes of Layne Staley, one of the masters at taking a song to the next level just by the way he emphasized certain words and let notes linger in the air.