Month: January 2009

five song friday, listen up!, music musings, music suggestion, near and dear, show the love

5SF: january 2

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Happy new year, everyone! I had a great time making my year end list for you, and I hope that I exposed you to some great music that you can enjoy; I know that I enjoyed each one of those albums in 2008, and will continue to do so in the new year. However, now that 2008 has bowed out, and we find ourselves on the first Friday since the countdown began, I just couldn’t wait to get back to the regular installments of five song Fridays! So, let’s get started; each track that I am featuring this week is MASSIVE, and some of them I have been sitting on since the beginning of December, waiting in extreme anticipation to bring them to you! Well, that time has arrived, so here we go!

LeAnn Rimes – What I Cannot Change
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_12_leannrimes-whaticannotchange.mp3]
While this song may have come out way back in 2007 (waaay back, eh… lol), I only recently heard it when the dance mix surfaced. After really digging the dance mix, I was intrigued to hear the original, mostly because the lyrics were so emotionally driven and completely heartfelt; not to mention how much I related to them. Well, shock me, because when I heard the original, I realized that I had just heard a song that I would come to count amongst my favorite songs I’ve ever heard. This song is beautiful and amazing. The lyrics speak of pain that has been endured, and a painful solution to deal with the future of family and the unknown. This song completely speaks to me, and I relate wholeheartedly. I read a review of this CD, however, and someone got snippy and insisted that LeAnn would be better off singing about how “good she had it”, and to that, I call bullshit; it’s insulting to someone who has legitimately been through something to insist that they just get over it and move on. LeAnn has made a daring testament to dealing with a less than desirable family situation, and she has done so in the most beautiful way imaginable; I for one applaud her putting this out there and showing us some of her vulnerability. Screw you, reviewer… bravo LeAnn, girl, I certainly relate. I have been playing this song, non-stop on massive repeat since I heard it. It is truly amazing.

Sara Bareilles feat. Ingrid Michaelson – Winter Song
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_12_sarabareilles-wintersong.mp3]
Something that you may not know about me, is that I DETEST Christmas music. Seriously, hearing holly jolly Christmas is like nails on a chalk board to me, so the idea of a Christmas album is almost a complete NO from me. However, when I saw that Sara Bareilles has contributed, I had to take a listen; she has done a somewhat “Christmas-ish” song in the past that I loved; her live cover of River is amazing. Well, the 30 second clip on iTunes proved this to be another amazing Sara B track, so I had to snag it. I have to say, that I appreciate how many of you readers asked me if I had heard this song, because it really makes me appreciate the give and take with us sharing our music tastes!! I wanted to feature it, because even though Xmas has passed, this song is more of a “winter” song (ha!), and it is still winter, so why not, right?! This counts as one “Christmas” song I actually love!

A Camp – Stronger Than Jesus
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_12_acamp-strongerthanjesus.mp3]
I will admit that I actually screamed out loud a little bit when I heard that the new A Camp album was coming out in early 2009, and even more when I heard this amazing first single from that album (Colonia). I have loved Nina Persson for a very long time, and I count her amongst my favorite female vocalists; and the Cardigans are one of my favorite groups as well. With her previous A Camp album, Nina Persson did not disappoint me, and I know that by how much I am loving this song, that this record will probably be amongst my top records of 2009! See, I’m always calculating that list, people! I’m just hoping that they tour nearby; that would really make my day! As of this moment, the new A Camp is my most anticipated album of 2009.

Feist with the Constantines – Islands In The Stream
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_12_feist-islandsinthestream.mp3]
Wow. Can we say amazing?! It’s no surprise that I love Feist, and when she released a deluxe version of her amazing album, The Reminder, I was floored that this song was included. It is a brilliant remake of the original guilty pleasure made famous by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Feist’s sweet vocals paired with the Constantines is a real treat, and I am nothing less that elated to pass this one on to you. I love a GREAT cover, and this is truly a great cover of a classic hit. I hope that this treat gets some real attention, because its greatness really cannot be ignored. This song makes me want to go sing karaoke; right now!

The Bird and The Bee – Love Letter To Japan
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_12_thebirdandthebee-lovelettertojapan.mp3]
Finally today, I am pleased to announce another highly anticipated album of 2009! I love the sweet throwback sounds of the Bird and the Bee, and their last album was a complete and utter delight. Well, they are scheduled to release their next album later this month (January 27), and judging by this first single, it should be just as good as their debut; and possibly even better. The Bird and The Bee are another one to watch out for this year, because if they keep going strong with their amazing jazz/dance/pop style that I love so much, I am sure that their sophomore album will be on my year end list too. I love when my favorite artists release new stuff and it is great, and like this song, does everything to make me excited about the rest of the record!

Well, there’s the first five of the new year. I hope you enjoyed your new year’s eve, and I hope these songs find you well in the new year. There are some massive tracks here, so let me know what you think, and as always, let me know what you are listening to! After going through my favorites of 2008, I am dying to know what I missed, and what I need to be paying attention to in 2009!

music musings, music suggestion

the 31 best of 2008 – 1: City and Colour – Bring Me Your Love

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And finally… the moment you’ve all been waiting for, my number one album of 2008, by a landslide, is City and Colour’s amazing sophomore album, Bring Me Your Love.From the first sweet guitar chords of this album, through the tales of love, loss, and heartbreak, I was entranced by the sheer beauty in each song. Dallas Green (get it, a city, and a color? genius!) has an amazing quality with song writing, in that he completely wraps his heart around an emotion, and expresses it in such beautiful prose that I can really feel each break in his heart. Dallas’ stripped down acoustic style, accompanied by his incredibly beautiful and soothing voice really take each one of these songs to a level of mastery that I haven’t seen by many artists; both this year, and in my lifetime. With no facetiousness in this statement at all, I can say that Dallas Green has made a life long fan out of me with this album, and after becoming acquainted with his debut album under the name of City and Colour, I have definitely found someone that I would consider a favorite artist of mine; there aren’t many artists that I feel compelled to get everything they put out (demos, live tracks, bonuses, etc.), and City and Colour is definitely one of those very, very few. (thank GOD he is intent on using outlets like iTunes to churn these out, and I can easily get my hands on them!)

Luckily, I was able to catch him live this year, and armed with just his guitar and a microphone, he sat in his chair and poured his heart out in his music, and I completely loved every minute of it. The confidence in his lyrics and songs are coupled with this shy quality from the man singing them that make each track that much more beautiful and tender. Dallas Green himself is quite the handsome fellow as well; what can I say, a beard, black rimmed glasses, and tattoos just do it for me. It doesn’t hurt that his voice is one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard, and that he can write a song unlike most, capturing true emotion and love in a lyric. While I loved this album instantly, there are a few tracks that literally give me the chills because of how powerful and amazing they are. Sensible Heart, in particular, is definitely one of my favorite songs of all time. I can listen to it on repeat, and ever since I discovered this amazing album earlier this year, I have been. In fact, I have been listening to this album more and more with each passing month of 2008, and with each subsequent listen, I fall deeper in love with the pure passion that exists within these songs. It isn’t often that you come across an artist that is as truly understated, and as talented in song writing, orchestration, and singing as Dallas Green, and his work as City and Colour has captivated me in a way that I can’t explain. This music literally moves me, and I am more than thrilled that I randomly discovered it earlier this year.

Perhaps a sweet present to remind me that his album is the best of 2008, Dallas released a special edition of Bring Me Your Loveearlier in December, which was limited to 5000 copies. I managed to snag one, and was elated to see an inclusion of two new, and equally amazing tracks that compliment the previous release perfectly. Additionally, a second disc of demos really highlights the sheer talent that Dallas possesses in making music; the slight nuances in his guitar playing and singing are the stuff of real beauty. Honestly, I have said it many times in this review, but if I could describe City and Colour’s music with one word, it would probably be beautiful; because everything that I have heard thus far is nothing less than completely that. By far, Bring Me Your Loveis my favorite album of 2008, and for me, it was hands down the best album released all year. There wasn’t anything that captured my attention in the way that this acoustic folk-rock masterpiece did, and if there is any justice, City and Colour is surely going to be on many other people’s list of favorite artists in the future. Dallas Green is definitely my Sara Bareilles of 2008; he captured my attention with his amazing talent and beautiful music, and I am blown away by his amazing sophomore album, Bring Me Your Love,which is again by far, the best album I heard in 2008.

Sparkle Factor:
Standouts: Sensible Heart [audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_829_cityandcolour-sensibleheart.mp3]
Against the Grain [audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/cityandcolour-againstthegrain.mp3]
Body in a Box [audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_718_cityandcolour-bodyinabox.mp3]
The Girl [audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/cityandcolour-thegirl.mp3]
As Much As I Ever Could, What Makes a Man?, Sleeping Sickness, Constant Knot, Waiting.

music musings, music suggestion

the 31 best of 2008 – 2: Will Young – Let It Go

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I want to start off by saying how it’s a damn shame that this amazing (A-M-A-Z-I-N-G) album will probably never be released here in the US, and as such, Will Young fans will be forced to shell out import prices to gain access to this amazing record. Additionally, it is a shame, because people that are not Will Young fans that would otherwise love his music will probably not be exposed to him, because of said release restrictions. Now that I got that off my chest, I want to talk about my favorite pop album of the year, Will Young’s amazing Let It Go.I first became a fan of Will when I heard the amazing song All Time Love (which is still amongst my favorite songs ever), from his previous release, Keep On. I ordered Keep On immediately, and never looked back; the brand of jazz infused, perfect pop that Will Young compliments with is gorgeous vocals fills the album, and makes for a truly amazing pop record. After falling so hard for Will with Keep On, I wanted more, and even though Keep On was his third album, his previous two efforts were bogged down by what one can only assume was a result of his contractual obligations from winning the first UK Pop Idol. While there are more than a few great tracks amongst them, the albums just don’t contain the confidence and sexy swagger that Will truly exemplifies on Keep On, and as such, I was anxious for something new (those albums are a little cover-heavy too). Well, given the fact that Keep On was released WAAAAY back in 2005, I was more than elated to hear earlier this year that Mr. Young would be releasing a new album in the fall. After hearing the lead single, Changes, I knew that the energy, power, and professionalism that Will had put into Keep On would be “keeping on” with his new album; Changes is a brilliant song.

Well, it wasn’t long before track after track was available for listen on the internet, and I instantly realized that I was sitting in front of one of the best albums of the year. There isn’t a dull moment on Let It Go; Will Young has made an album filled with heartfelt anthems of love and loss, all with his trademark sweet vocals and jazz influenced pop rock. The tenderness in his lyrics highlights Will’s brilliant song writing capability, and his choice of producer to bring the songs to life shows consistent brilliance. I can say without a glimmer of doubt, that there isn’t a song on this album that I don’t love; it is a perfect pop album. Will Young has gone from someone that I was meagerly interested in to one of my favorite artists that I will now follow with unfettered attention; as he grows, he has proven that his music will continue to grow with him, and if his last two albums are any indication, this is one of pop music’s new people to watch out for. Will seriously has the ability and skill to place himself amongst his older peers, like George Michael, if he keeps this game going as well as he has to date.

Impressive as it is, I am still disappointed that this album will probably never see an American release. It is sad that pop music that is this brilliant is being produced across the pond, and we are forced to take to the internet to find out about it; especially considering the utter shit that is forced down our throats by American radio each day. I would gladly give up most of the crap out there for a few more minutes with Mr. Young, who confidently sings song after song, bringing the sexiness and swagger of a seasoned professional through in each track. Since I cannot do anything about his album being released here in the States, I will do what I CAN do; I will shout about the brilliance of Let It Gofrom the rooftops, and continue to tell anyone that will listen how completely amazing, beautiful, well produced, and down right fantastic Will Young, and this his fourth album, is. The only reason that this isn’t my album of the year, is because the one that edged it out holds a little more of my love; for me, this album is truly perfect in every way, and I am pleased that Will is continuing to make music that is both this impressive, and has this level of consistent quality. I will conclude by saying how refreshing I find it that Will is also an out musician, and he doesn’t sugar coat it; these love songs are definitely about a man, and are sung to him. I love that he wears his heart on his sleeve, and that you know it has the potential to belong to an actual partner; rather than a fictitious character created to hide his orientation. It is all of these reasons together that make me swoon heavy for Will Young, and with Let It Gohe has only made it incredibly harder to resist him!

Sparkle Factor:
Stand Outs:
If Love Equals Nothing [audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/willyoung-ifloveequalsnothing.mp3]
Let It Go [audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_103_willyoung-letitgo.mp3]
Grace, Changes, Tell Me The Worst, Simple Philosophy, You Don’t Know, Are You Happy.

music musings, music suggestion

the 31 best of 2008 – 3: Lady GaGa – The Fame

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This should honestly be no surprise for most of the readers of this blog. It is no secret that Lady GaGa took me by storm this year, and the fact that she is FINALLY blowing up is a great indicator of just how amazing she is. Before the summer had even started, I heard the MASSIVE track, Just Dance, and it was at that moment that I knew that I wanted to know everything about Lady GaGa, because she was clearly the fiercest thing I had heard or seen in a very long time. Well, Just Dance was such an earworm, that I went on to declare it my song of the summer, and rightly so; I couldn’t get enough of the track. This led to a build up of extreme anticipation for more GaGa, which should have been met with elation upon the late July release of her debut, The Fame.Buzz started to swirl about GaGa on the internet, and snippets of amazing track after amazing track began to surface; all of which added to my extreme anticipation for this potentially fantastic album. Well, something went awry, because her record release date was bumped by a few MONTHS, and it was then that I was just met with more and more frustration; apparently, the record company gods did not want me to get my GaGa fix as planned.

In this day and age, that proved to be a fatal mistake; once the record hit shelves in Canada, the album leaked onto the internet, and it was everywhere overnight. They should have released it everywhere at the same time, which would have probably helped album sales, but once again, the record companies have proven that they don’t know what they are doing. Regardless of record company politics, I couldn’t resist, so I downloaded the album, and let me tell you, that it was everything that I could have hoped for and then some. Led by the amazing pop party anthem Just Dance, The Fame contains some of the freshest, most innovative pop music of 2008. It is clear that Lady GaGa is a powerhouse when it comes to song writing and when she teamed her efforts with Red One, the result was some amazing pop music. For the better part of this year, Lady GaGa has been the one that I could not say enough about; and when I FINALLY got my hands on her debut, The Fame,I knew that all of my anticipation and hype was very well placed. Ladies and gentlemen, Lady GaGa is the real deal; a new member of royalty has been born in the family of pop.

It is almost funny, though, that it has taken this long for people to finally sit up and take note of this pop diva; her massive first single Just Dance has only just recently found its way to the top of the charts. While it was annoying to see so many ignoring this amazing album, I am glad that people are finally catching on to what is clearly the next biggest thing to happen to pop music (seeing her on TV last night for New Years really made me smile!). Seeing her perform live, only further increased my love and adoration of her music and her talent. She has proven with her album and her continued act of pure disco fueled rock glam that she has the talent and the drive to bring the best pop music possible to the table; and with The Fame,she has done just that.

Lady GaGa has an uncanny ability to write a hook that is so sharp and so crisp that it will get inside you like nothing else, and it will not let go until you are dancing about. The only misstep on this album, for me, is the inclusion of the complete filler track, Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say), which isn’t at all what I consider bad, but is completely overshadowed by the innovative, in-your-face brilliance of every other track. Also, it really deserves noting, that given the aforementioned issues with her record release date(s), Lady GaGa has proven that she has a few tricks of her own up her sleeve to keep it fresh, and to keep herself from succumbing to record company politics; she managed to release her album with additional tracks in almost every market, and each one only added to the brilliance the album already showcased (Starstruck is one of the best songs on the album). Without any duds (even Eh Eh is catchy and by all standards, a very good track), this album soars above many of the other pop records that were released this year, and if her recent surge in popularity is any indication (Grammy Nod!), it looks like 2009 might be a very, very good year for Lady GaGa; hopefully, better than 2008 was.

Sparkle Factor:
Standouts: Poker Face [audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/ladygaga-pokerface.mp3]
Just Dance, Starstruck, The Fame, Love Game, Boys Boys Boys, Brown Eyes, Money Honey.