1. Rodriguez - Sugar Man
Star of the Oscar winning documentary "Searching for Sugar Man", Rodriguez kills it on his biggest hit. If they ever make a movie of my life and I'm standing up in the front seat of my old man's brown Ford Pinto circa 1974, this song will most likely be on in the background.
2. M. Ward - I Get Ideas
"I get Ideas" is one of those cross-generational, head-bobber songs that is impossible to resist. It has that swing dance sound (minus the horns) that Brian Setzer tried to bring back in the mid-nineties. I dare you to try and not like it.
3. Jake Bugg - Trouble Town
Do you love old Bob Dylan? Do you love Johnny Cash? If so, you will love this Jake Bugg tune. Plus, he said that One Direction "Must know that they're terrible" in a recent interview, and I can't really argue with his point. I have a feeling we'll be talking more about Jake in future posts.
4. Fun. - Carry On
This song is a slight departure from their first two singles, but it still relies heavily on vocals and percussion which is prevalent in their sound. I certainly didn't have to dig too far into the archives to find this tune, as they are everywhere these days, but it's worthy of making the March mix.
5. Ben Howard - The Wolves
My boy Ben making yet another appearance. If you liked his other stuff, get this one too, if you didn't like the other stuff I suggested, then please skip down to the next track.
6. Eels - On the Ropes
This is my first pick from the new record. Everett's voice on his slower jams just cuts to your soul in a way that makes you feel like you're listening to your best friend talk to you over a few beers. "I may never get, everything I bet, but I'm a man who always copes. I'm hurting bad, and fightin' mad I'm not knocked out, but I'm not on the ropes."
7. Amos Lee - Windows are Rolled Down
Strong effort from a Northeastern guy who sounds like he's a Southern native. If you have a "drinking beers and playing cards" playlist on your iPod, and let's be honest who doesn't these days, this song will fit in nicely with that mix.
8. Pink - True Love
I have to officially come out and admit that I have a big soft spot in my musical heart for Pink. She writes her own stuff and can sing her ass off, which is a lot more than I can say for some of her counterparts in the pop world. I saw her perform this song with Lily Allen on Storytellers and moments later it was in my March playlist. Thanks for letting me indulge some of my guilty pleasures.
9. Atticus Fetch - So Long (As We are Together)
Every once in awhile Showtime's "Californication" steps away from it's infatuation with Warren Zevon and offers up some solid tunes from some other guys. I was going to say artists, but Atticus Fetch is really Australian comedian/actor Tim Minchin. He must be one hell of an actor, because he is a more than serviceable rock star on this ditty.
10. The Gaslight Anthem - "45"
I've already fellated these guys six ways from Sunday in this forum, so I'll just keep it simple, this was their first single from their fourth album and it took me this long to add it into the blog because they have so many other great songs.
11. Young the Giant - 12 Fingers
I don't know why I keep coming back to these guys, it must be something about their easily digestible sound. If you don't like to work too hard to get intimate with your music, then YtG will be perfect for you.
12. Frightened Rabbit - Keep Yourself Warm
Big thanks to my buddy, Eric Davidson, who turned me onto these Scottish Lads, and like their fellow Scots, Snow Patrol, they have just enough of an accent when they sing to make them interesting. As a bonus this song has the cheeky line "It takes more than fucking someone, to keep yourself warm".
13. Phillip Phillips - Gone, Gone, Gone
My utter disgust for American Idol really makes it hard for me to like this guy, but the fact that he writes or at least co-writes a lot of his music earns him a level of respect from this music snob.
14. Duffy - Warwick Avenue
I'm not a fan of diva voice, so this song is a total departure from 90% of what I listen to, but there's something about the production and soulfulness of her vocals on this track that really pulls me in. You might be familiar with Duffy from her song "Mercy", which had a 60's throwback sound, well this one has more of a 70's throwback sound, so at least she's moving up in decades.
15. Matt Hires - Restless Heart
Mr. Hires put out the song "Honey Let Me Sing You a Song" in 2008 that just took me to worlds, so I figured I'd check out his free download from iTunes. While I like this song, it does feels like he has spent a little too much time listening to Mumford and Sons.
