Songbird
May
8
Be Good or Be Gone
By Rachel | Album Picks | Leave a Comment
It was a nostalgic evening, these next couple of weeks will be filled with memories, friends, family and anticipation as I gear up to head North to the Bay Area.
A night of celebration. Celebrating my best friend and the birth of her gorgeous baby girl, as well as her sister becoming an Auntie. I am over the moon with glee.
We are all grown up. It is a beautiful thing…
As I drove back to my childhood home Fionn Regan shuffled on, Be Good or Be Gone. The gentle acoustic guitar melody and his dreamy vocals, hushing through the wind. It was utter perfection.
Be Good or Be Gone – Fionn Regan
The End of History 2013 (2007)
If you happen to read this,
Rose was born.
Child actress,
On the fifth day of the snow.Be good or be gone,
Be good or be, be gone.The range is staggering,
Movement and timing.
Frame by frame,
It did unfold.Be good or be gone,
Be good or be, be gone.I read to you on Saturdays,
Museum has closed down.
Sell all your things,
At the end of the drive.Be good or be gone,
Be good or be, be gone.I have become,
An ariel view.
Of a coastal town,
That you once knew.Be good or be gone,
Be good or be, be gone.
Tags: Acoustic, Fionn Regan, Home, Memories, Music 2007
Apr
24
Low, The Invisible Way
By Rachel | Album Picks | Leave a Comment
Update: I have been trying to post this for weeks. The uploaded mp3 just would not play and it was all very discouraging. Trying again. :)
The new album from Low is absolutely gorgeous. Piano driven, melancholy melodies that wrap around my soul. Amethyst is by far my favorite song from this 10th studio release. Slow, methodical and ever so pretty.
You hide, you always hide
So deep inside the amethyst mine
The color bleeds and fades to white
What used to be a violent mind
The Invisible Way 2013 (Sub Pop)
Tags: Indie Rock, Low, PianoMar
26
Wild Belle, Love Like This
By Rachel | Album Picks | 1 Comment
Hello. I miss you. Currently listening to the debut album from Wild Belle, Isles. A brother sister duo who have exploded onto the music scene with their funky reggae fused psych rock. A chill album with loads of style that I have been loving, enjoy.
My heart’s on fire
You light me up, and I can’t cool down
Your love is wild
You’re dangerous
Dangerous
Isles 2013 (Columbia)
Tags: Pop, Psychadelic, Reggae, Wild Belle
Feb
27
Running For Cover
By Rachel | Album Picks | Leave a Comment
At some point my posts will become more regular… I know it seems like I am fading, but this is not the case. The difference is I actually miss it, I just do not have the time in my day. Frustrating. Bare with me, things will change.
But tonight isn’t about me… No, tonight is about Ivan & Alyosha and their debut full length album, “All The Times We Had”. It is a long awaited album for me, they have not left us dry but EP after EP just makes feel like they are a bunch of teases. :)
There is a spiritual, philosophical side to Ivan & Alyosha, a side I respect. The name stems from a novel by religious and spiritual philosopher Dostoyevsky, ‘The Brothers Karamazov’. The novel discusses the existence of God between the two main characters, Ivan and Alyosha. The existence of God resonates with me, I have taken many religious and philosophical classes and have spent many of my days pondering my own beliefs in the existence of a higher spiritual power. It is rare to see these serious philosophical topics such as the existence of God in a folk-rock album, and Ivan & Alyosha do it beautifully. You are touched emotionally while their melodies and angelic duet vocals flow through your headphones and make you smile. I am impressed, this album is a nice surprise record for 2013.
Running For Cover – Ivan & Alyosha
All The Times We Had 2013 (Dualtone)
Jan
17
Top Five of 2012: Number 1
By Rachel | Album Picks, The Lists | 1 Comment
Did you like how I made you wait for this number 1? I did. ;-)
I have noticed through the years that most of the albums from Stars have grown on me. It has always taken some time for me to fall in love, but I always do. I saw them live again this year at the Mayan Theater in downtown LA… I cried. Wait… Let me re-phrase, I flipped the fuck out when they played, ‘Your Ex-Lover Is Dead‘. So amazing and wonderful to hear and see your favorite song played live and loud.
I’ll be honest, there is no way for me to give you some mind shattering new review of their latest album, The North. I can’t because I am biased. I love their pop-tastic, dreamy, gooey, nostalgic rock. It soars into my soul and makes me dance up and down with joy. EVERY album. However, The North takes me back to some of my favorite albums of theirs, Set Yourself on Fire and In Our Bedroom After The War. The North parallels these albums and flies right into my number 1 favorite album of 2012.
I know there were no surprises on this list of top five. But I am alright with that. This top 5 is my honest favorite(s) of 2012, they are albums I have enjoyed most over the past year. There will be one more post of some of the albums I have NOT mentioned at Untitled over the past year but feel they are certainly owed a nod.
“You are the bullet in the chamber of the gun…” – A Song Is A Weapon, Stars
The North 2012 (Ato Records)
Tags: Dreamy, Music 2012, Pop, Rock, Stars
Jan
10
Top Five of 2012: Number 2
By Rachel | Album Picks, The Lists | Leave a Comment
I sit here surfing the internet listening to the debut album from The Lumineers. The 2012 trio phenomenon that will get you up dancing and singing your heart out with their toe tapping, sing-a-long folk rock. I am belting out every lyric and I am literally dancing in my chair to their top Billboard hit, Ho Hey. I sing along to every song on this album.
And although my little indie hipster heart died a little the day they were nominated for a Grammy… I still love them. And when I suffered through a sold out venue in Orange County, CA with no AC while a bunch of drunken nit wits stumbled around, I didn’t care because when they got on stage, I no longer paid attention to anything else. I didn’t care that I was sweating through my clothes and I could barely move let alone breathe… I didn’t care. I could of listened and watch them perform all night like that. They are artists. THEY are about the music and I have found home in their lyrics. The melodies wrap me up in a warm blanket and take all the pain away. It is so very beautiful.
The Lumineers 2012 (Dualtone Music)
Tags: Country Folk, Folk-Rock, Music 2012, The Lumineers
Jan
9
Top Five of 2012: Number 3
By Rachel | Album Picks, The Lists | Leave a Comment
Master of My Make-Believe hit me right from the start, upon first listen I was already hooked. Her range is so varied that you hear so many great influences you never imagined could be mixed together and work. Santi makes it work and makes it her own.
The album starts out with an aggressive stomping reggae beat mixed with a dirty indie rock influence by the one and only Karen O. Then one of my favorite tracks, Disparate Youth, a heavily influenced island beat blended with a little indie dream pop. The chorus sings, Oh-ah, Oh-ah/We know now we want more/Oh-ah, Oh-ah/A life worth fighting for. So good.
There really isn’t a song on the album that I don’t like or that I find myself skipping through. Santi White is inspiring. She has just the right amount of attitude, but also has this soft gentle aura about her which gives her the ability to blend her musical tastes and create her own distinct sound. Her sophomore album is in no way a disappointment for me as you can see it is number 3 on my top 5 of 2012… That is quite a nod.
Master of My Make-Believe 2012 (Atlantic)
Jan
4
Top Five of 2012: Number 4
By Rachel | Album Picks, The Lists | Leave a Comment
This was difficult… So, so difficult. It was between Dry The River and Andrew Bird and as you can see Andrew Bird won. Maybe because I have a history with Andrew Bird, I have almost all of his albums. He is number 3 on my most listened to musicians. His music really hits me deep in my gut and makes me feel so, so good. He has truly become on of my favorite musicians of all time. This album is his sixth full length studio album and however divided people are about this album I am on the side that says it is a beautiful piece of art. Bird is an amazing talented musician who cannot fail because he is just flat out that good at what he does. Listen to Lazy Projector, Fatal Shore or Desperation Breeds and tell me that it doesn’t charm you with its gentle guitar melodies and subtle whistles luring you in and spinning you around. That is what Bird does best. Is this album knock your socks off blow your mind upon first listen? No. But that is not Bird’s style, he lures you in like the smell of a good sweet bourbon. Slow and methodical, his music stands the test of time. He is just that good.
Break It Yourself 2012 (Mom & Pop Music)
Tags: Andrew Bird, Folk, Jazz, Music 2012, Top 5 of 2012
Jan
3
Top Five of 2012: Number 5
By Rachel | Album Picks, The Lists | 1 Comment
I thought this would be a different way to debut my top five picks of 2012. An album a day, counting down to number one. This year I made it a lot more difficult on myself and committed to a top 5 as a homage to High Fidelity (one of my favorite movies of all time).
Number 5 on the list: Beach House, Bloom
For me, Bloom was a fabulous follow up to, Teen Dream. The flow, the dreamy pop melodies and lyrics. Beach House have found their nitch, their voice… It is all music to my ears. I really loved it from start to finish. I know an album is a true favorite when it comes out at the beginning of the year and I am still listening to it at the end of the year. Bloom is one of those albums.
Bloom 2012 (Sub Pop)
Dec
3
Three White Horses
By Rachel | Album Picks | 5 Comments
Final paper of the semester completed, 2 weeks left including final and I can’t wait for a bit of a break.
For the last month I have been enjoying Andrew Bird’s new EP, Hands of Glory. I sometimes catch myself not listening to him as much as I would like or that he deserves. I am always happy when I turn him on, he never disappoints and I can always count on him to make a beautiful album. Bird and a group of musicians created an EP as a companion piece to the earlier full length album, Break It Yourself. My absolute favorite track on this EP is Three White Horses.
Three White Horses – Andrew Bird
Hands of Glory 2012 (Mom & Pop Music)
Tags: Andrew Bird, Blues, Folk, Music 2012
Disclaimer
Music found on this blog is for sampling only. If you like what you hear then support the artist. Buy their music, attend a show and spread the word. If you own the rights to any of the music featured here and you would like me to remove it contact me and I will remove the link immediately.
Click the
tag to listen, right click the song title to save. If you find that an mp3 is not playing chances are it has expired.
Contact
Rachel - Music, FilmAggregator Love
