High Fidelity - Public Service Broadcasting

Wow, I have been MIA for a long, long time.

A lot has happened since I last wrote a blog post (for the 2 people in the world that take the time to look at these things... hi again!) and I will share more soon but right now I have to share a new music group I recently discovered via my local alternative radio station, 94.7 NRK (KNRK).

I love listening to Greg in the mornings, he likes playing things that are different and he has recently been sharing a few pieces by this group called Public Service Broadcasting from the UK.  It is all music, no vocals besides news and broadcasting samples from history.  The geek in me LOVES this!   Everything from World War II footage to the Space Race have been used by these guys, all the songs below are unique in their own way.

My favorite song is available for listening on their new album, The Race For Space on Spotify, it is called "The Other Side" and it just kills me every time I hear it (in a good, wow - humanity is amazing - way).  Some other favorites are included below:

Everest

London Can Take It

Go!

ROYGBIV

Gagarin

High Fidelity - those songs: part one

As I've mentioned before, music is a major part of my day - I rarely drive without it, I listen to it all day at work, etc.  There are those songs that just resonate with you... I made a playlist on Spotify that has some of my favorites.  Whenever I am having a bad day I can retreat to a special place with my noise cancelling headphones and just the right songs.  

Here is the first installment - female singer/songwriters (or groups identified by their female singer) that touch the soul.

 

Patty Griffin - Rain

 

 Fleetwood Mac - Sara (written by Stevie Nicks)

Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now

Mazzy Star - Into Dust

Tracy Chapman - The Promise

Sia - Breathe Me

Sheryl Crow - Home

Tori Amos - A Sorta Fairytale

Stevie Nicks - Fleetwood Mac

High Fidelity - the bird and the bee

This indie pop duo has a great sound.  Plus they released a whole album of Hall & Oates covers.  That's kind of awesome.  Hope you enjoy some of my favorite the bird and the bee songs.

the bird and the bee

High Fidelity - The 1975

I am currently enthralled with this band. They are a Manchester, England based alternative rock band and are relatively new to the US charts (heck, they only hit the UK charts starting in 2012).  You might be familiar with the song "Chocolate" if you scored the free download that was available a couple of weeks ago on iTunes. 

I hope the US market embraces them like how they latched on, almost overnight, to the Imagine Dragons (see High Fidelity post about them before they hit it big here).  

The 1975's debut album is scheduled to drop on September 2, 2013 - I can't wait to hear it. 

 

Chocolate (Music For Cars EP)

The City (IV EP)

You (Sex EP)

 

Me (Music For Cars EP)

The 1975

High Fidelity - Ray LaMontagne

This man's voice is pure magic. No more words necessary, his music speaks for itself.

Let It Be Me

I Still Care For You

If I ever get married, I would be a very, very tempted to use this next song for our first dance.  

You Are The Best Thing

And this one just touches my soul. No other way to describe it really, other than in typical Sara-speak... it makes me *squishy*.

Be Here Now (Live)

Ray LaMontagne

High Fidelity - Daft Punk

I'm one of the millions who LOVE the new French electronic duo Daft Punk's song "Get Lucky."  I just think it's so darn catchy and obviously I'm not alone as the popularity of this song has majorly jumped over the past few weeks (it was just released mid-April) and it is now #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 List.  Pretty awesome! 

What is even more awesome is my discovery today of this gem.  While I love the song by itself, it is infinitely better when paired with the dance stylings of classic Soul Train clips.  

The dancing, the clothes - epic awesomeness.

Where following the yellow brick road gets you... pre-teen angst anyone?

You know when you stumble upon a song (or album/soundtrack) that immediatly takes you back to a specific age or event in your life?  I had one of those moments today.  I was grooving to my Boy Band goodness playlist on Spotify (don't judge) and while adding a song by 3T (anyone else remember them?) I saw that one of their songs was from the "Free Willy" soundtrack.  I, naturally, had to follow the yellow brick road and ended up on the "Free Willy" soundtrack page.  Yes, I realize how ridiculous this sounds.

It turns out I must have had the soundtrack because upon clicking on the first song my eyes immediately welled up and it was once again 1993 and I was an angsty pre-teen.  

Will You Be There (Theme from Free Willy) - Michael Jackson

Keep On Smilin - NKOTB (yes, that stands for New Kids on The Block)  ;)

Right Here (Human Nature Re-Mix feat. Michael Jackson)  - SWV (Sisters With Voices)

And because I couldn't find a video of the 3T song that lead me on this wild goose chase (called Didn't Mean to Hurt You) that wasn't unbelievably cheesy with crappy heart graphics and creepy obsessive photo montages of the 3T guys, I have included the video for 3T's biggest hit circa 1995 called Anything which is the reason why I stumbled across the Free Willy song in the first place.  

May your early 90's inner child rejoice.

Rest in Peace Keiko (1976 - 2003)

High Fidelity - Florence + The Machine

While I loved the British indie rock group Florence + The Machine's first album Lungs, it is their most recent album Ceremonials that really speaks to me.  Florence Welch has an amazing voice and I love how their sound ranges from the somewhat 60's style retro "Dog Days Are Over" to mysterious and haunting in "Seven Devils."   It always seems to tap into some emotion I am feeling at the moment and is awesome music to blare when on a random weekend drive with the windows down and the wind in your hair...

And we can't forget about the new Calvin Harris collaboration "Spectrum (Say My Name)" that totally speaks to my recent obsession with house/dance music (that's another post!).

"Dog Days Are Over"

"Shake It Off"

"Seven Devils"

"No Light, No Light"

Original version of "Spectrum"

Calvin Harris remix of "Spectrum (Say My Name)"

Florence Welch

High Fidelity - the ladies of early 90's country radio

So yesterday at work I kept myself motivated by listening to my Spotify playlist called "Chick Country."  While it includes a lot of awesome newer artists like Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert, Pistol Annies, etc. it also has a lot of great early late 80's/early 90's classics like Patty Loveless, Tanya Tucker, Reba McEntire and Mary Chapin Carpenter.  

I forgot, until I rediscovered them just recently, how much I enjoyed these talented female country artists - listening to these songs took my right back to my childhood and the country music I grew up enjoying on shows like the Grand Ole Opry, Crook & Chase, Hee Haw and Nashville Now with Ralph Emery.  Ah, memories!   

So here are a few of my favorites for you to enjoy:

Patty Loveless -" I Try to Think About Elvis"

Mary Chapin Carpenter - "Down at the Twist and Shout"  (I also LOVE "I Feel Lucky" but couldn't find a good video of it).

Tanya Tucker - "Two Sparrows in a Hurricane"

Suzy Bogguss - "Drive South"  (I also highly recommend "Someday Soon"  "Aces" "Outbound Plane" and "Letting Go" - have a hankie ready for that one, it always makes me cry)

Pam Tillis - "Maybe it was Memphis"

Reba McEntire - "Fancy"

Trisha Yearwood - "She's in Love with the Boy"

Patty Loveless "Blame it on Your..." (I know, another Patty Loveless but I LOVE this song, if I ever get the guts to do karaoke by myself this is one of my go-to songs)

So - what are some of your favorite songs from the country ladies of this era?

High Fidelity - Owl City

I love Owl City's sound.  Lead singer, Adam Young's voice and style of vocals reminds me of Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge of Blink-182 (if they did electro pop!) and the upbeat sounds tend to simply make me happy.  I also love the fact that he simply started making music in his basement and is just another newer artist who got his break via myspace music. 

Fireflies

Alligator Sky

Good Time

Shooting Star

Dementia - ft. Mark Hoppus (from Blink-182!)

While I enjoy the above songs, it was stumbling across this that made me decide to do an Owl City post.  Turns out Adam is a Christian and recorded this simple, heartfelt version of "In Christ Alone (I Stand)" which I love. 

Adam Young - Owl City

High Fidelity - Carrie Underwood

I have always wished that I would have been blessed with a really fantastic singing voice.  There is a feeling of freedom when I really allow myself to let go and sing out, a peace in that moment.  While I can carry a tune, I know that I just was not physically gifted with one of 'those' voices, even if I had extensive training. 

Carrie Underwood is one of those people blessed with a natural talent.  While I know she had a lot of training to get as good as she is now, there was an innate gift that she had which allowed her to be able to mold her voice into the powerhouse she is today.  What a rush it must be to know your voice is bringing such joy to others.


Carrie's newest album, "Blown Away" is by far her best yet in my opinion.  The songs range from fun "One Way Ticket" which sounds like a Kenny Chesney tribute, to heartbreaking on "Forever Changed", and powerful and poignant in "Blown Away" and "Two Black Cadillacs."   

"Blown Away" reminds me so much of Martina McBride's "Independence Day" in the fact that it is a crazy powerful ballad about a young woman who feels like she has no options in life due to domestic issues and the decision she makes to change that.  While I could never condone the actions that these women take in these songs, my heart hurts for the real women in situations like these everyday.  Domestic and child abuse is a sickness in our society and I have always felt a real calling to help women in these types of situations.  It was one of the reasons I originally went back to school for my psych degree and even if I do not end up in that specific field it will always be one that is close to my heart.

"Two Black Cadillacs" is along the same vein as "Blown Away" (for someone who appears to be as happily married as Carrie is, she sure has a lot of songs about guys being jerks... i.e. "Before He Cheats" - Lol).  I just think is a musically haunting and beautiful song, a more serious version of the Dixie Chick's "Good-bye Earl."  I love the visuals created by lyrics, I hope Carrie releases this one because I would love to see this video!

The final one I will share here (although I highly suggest checking out the entire album!) will be "Forever Changed."  This one is a heart-breaker, have some tissues ready.  As someone who has a loved one they are slowly losing to Alzheimer's (my paternal Grandma) and who has already lost another person who was like a Grandpa to dementia, this one hits home.

Life is a journey and the experiences we have inevitably change us, for good or bad...

Carrie Underwood

High Fidelity - Imagine Dragons

I love this new band, I started listening to their EP on Spotify a few months ago before the song "It's Time" started getting more airplay.  Their full length album called Night Visions was just released September 4th and it is excellent!  Imagine Dragons is a Nevada based alternative rock band that came together in 2008.  They will be touring with Awolnation this fall and are on the line up at many alt rock festivals including SXSW.

It's Time

Radioactive

Imagine Dragons

High Fidelity - Atlas Genius, Walk the Moon & M83

I love new artists, while I am saving one of my very favorite new bands (literally brand new, their first full length album dropped this week!) for tomorrow's High Fidelity, I thought it would be fun to share three new(ish) artists who are playing quite frequently on my headphones at work.  

The first is a new Indie rock group from South Australia called Atlas Genius, this group has only released an EP - they are brand new and I think they have the potential to be really big.  

The second group is another Indie rock band called Walk the Moon, I just love their happy sound.  Walk the Moon's self titled debut album was released in 2012.  

The third selection is playing all over the radio right now, it is French electronic music band M83's song "Midnight City."  While the band has been together, in some form, since 2001, they have just recently really started making a name for themselves on the US charts.  They have toured over the past few years with some amazing bands including the Kings of Leon, The Killers and Depeche Mode.   On a side note, I love how the "Midnight City" video starts a story line... their follow-up single, "Reunion"continues the story.  I'll be curious to see if future singles do the same.  Very cool idea!

High Fidelity - The Civil Wars

My newest musical obsession is a country/folk group called The Civil Wars which is composed of singer-songwriters Joy Williams and John Paul White.  The duo won the 2012 Grammy for Best Folk Album and Best Country Due/Group Performance.  I love their haunting sound and amazing harmonies, I have included a few of my favorites below, including the song that introduced me to them (Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars "Safe & Sound") and a fantastic remake of "Billie Jean"... hope you enjoy them!

"Poison & Wine"

"Barton Hollow"

Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars "Safe & Sound"

 

 

"Bille Jean"

The Civil Wars

High Fidelity - Ultra Lounge series

I frequently think I was born in the wrong decade... the music, fashion, art, design, etc. from the mid to late 50's thru the 60's majorly appeals to me.  Women were feminine and curvy.  Men were dapper and oh, so smooth.  :D  Yes, I realize this is a romanticized, "Mad Men" era view of the time however I do think it was a prosperous and culturally (by this I mean art & music) rich era in the our history where family was still super important, cars were big and finned, the music was smooth, sexy and super melodic and the Rat Pack ruled Vegas.  

I LOVE the Ultra-Lounge series released from Capitol Records - there are now 20 compilations in the series and they are full of kitschy, bongo and saxophone filled grooves that are perfect to mambo, mix martinis to or enjoy while snuggled up with your sweetheart in front of a cozy fire (hot toddy in hand, of course).  Here are just a few of my favorites...

(Do any fellow Dexter fans recognize this from the show?)

Hope you enjoy these as much as I do!