Tag: songs

music musings, music suggestion

best songs of 2014

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I know this is a few months late, but it’s better late than never. I am also slowly working on my favorite albums of 2014 post, which will be posted eventually. What can I say, when you are a nurse, you relax on your days off, and when you are grad school full time as well, you end up doing that when you aren’t resting. Not a lot of time left for blogging. Either way, I am going to do my best! So… here is a list of the songs I was digging the most in 2014; some really great songs came out last year, and here are my 68 favorite ones!

1. Sia – Chandelier
2. Jessie Ware – Say You Love Me
3. Sam Smith – Stay With Me
4. You+Me – You and Me
5. Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX – Fancy
6. Betty Who – Somebody Loves You
7. Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud
8. Taylor Swift – Shake It Off
9. Broods – Bridges
10. Danity Kane – Lemonade feat. Tyga
11. Meghan Trainor – All About That Bass
12. FKA Twigs – Pendulum
13. Sigma – Changing feat. Paloma Faith
14. Katy Perry – Dark Horse feat. Juicy J
15. Beyonce – Drunk In Love
16. Ariana Grande – Break Free feat. Zedd
17. Charli XCX – Boom Clap
18. Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj – Bang Bang
19. Royksopp & Robyn – Do It Again
20. Oh Honey – Be Okay
21. Tove Lo – Habits (Stay High)
22. Olly Murs – Up feat. Demi Lovato
23. Brandi Carlile – The Eye
24. City and Colour – Nowhere, Texas
25. Bear’s Den – Above the Clouds of Pompeii
26. Nina Persson – Silver
27. Lady GaGa – Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye
28. Sheppard – Geronimo
29. Fifth Harmony – Sledgehammer
30. One Direction – Steal My Girl
31. Ingrid Michaelson – Open Hands feat. Trent Dabbs
32. Nicole Scherzinger – Run
33. Kiesza – Hideaway
34. The Script – Never Seen Anything ‘Quite Like You’
35. Jessie J – Personal
36. Calvin Harris – Pray To God feat. Haim
37. Bleachers – I Wanna Get Better
38. Phantogram – Black Out Days
39. Ella Henderson – Ghost
40. Lea Michele – Cannonball
41. G.R.L. – Rewind
42. BLUSH – Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That
43. Kim Cesarion – Undressed
44. Adore Delano – I Adore U
45. Ella Eyre – Comeback
46. The Summer Set – Lightening In a Bottle
47. Trampled By Turtles – Wild Animals
48. R3hab & NERVO & Ummet Ozcan – Revolution
49. Tiesto – Wasted feat. Matthew Koma
50. Clean Bandit – Rather Be feat. Jess Glynne
51. The Saturdays – What Are You Waiting For?
52. Bebe Rexha – I Can’t Stop Drinking About You
53. MAGIC! – Rude
54. AJR – I’m Ready
55. Neon Trees – Sleeping With A Friend
56. Grouplove – I’m With You
57. Nicki Minaj – Anaconda
58. May Kearney – Heartbeat
59. Jason Mraz – Love Someone
60. Nick Jonas – Jealous
61. Cheryl Cole – Crazy Stupid Love feat. Tine Tempah
62. Tegan and Sara feat. The Lonely Island – Everything is AWESOME!!!
63. Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake – Love Never Felt So Good
64. Rita Ora – I Will Never Let You Down
65. Maroon 5 – Maps
66. Jennifer Lopez – First Love
67. K. Michelle – Love ‘Em All
68. Becky G – Shower

There you have it! A fun mix tape of great songs from 2014! Hope you enjoyed it! Anything I missed? Please let me know in the comments; I always seem to miss something, and I really want to know what that is, especially if it is something amazing!

cream of the crop, music musings, music suggestion

Best songs of 2012

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Well, I know it’s a bit late, but better late than never, right? And yes, I DO plan on doing a best albums of 2012 post in the comings days/weeks!! Now, I bet you are hanging there with bated breath, right? Well, in the mean time, here’s my top 70 songs from 2012. Did I get it right? What are your picks? Let me know if I missed anything in the comments!

  • 1. Mumford and Son – I Will Wait
  • 2. Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe
  • 3. Phillip Phillips – Home
  • 4. Adam Lambert – Better Than I Know Myself
  • 5. Karmin – Brokenhearted
  • 6. Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know
  • 7. Jason Mraz – I Won’t Give Up
  • 8. Drake – Take Care
  • 9. Usher – Climax
  • 10. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis – Same Love (feat. Mary Lambert)
  • 11. Bat For Lashes – Laura
  • 12. Brandi Carlile – That Wasn’t Me
  • 13. P!nk – Blow Me (One Last Kiss)
  • 14. Adele – Skyfall
  • 15. Marina and the Diamonds – Primadonna
  • 16. Ke$ha – Die Young
  • 17. Girls Aloud – Something New
  • 18. Cheryl Cole – Call My Name
  • 19. Ellie Goulding – Anything Could Happen
  • 20. Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
  • 21. Nicki Minaj – Starships
  • 22. Owl City – Good Time (feat. Carly Rae Jepsen)
  • 23. Alphabeat – Vacation
  • 24. Azalea Banks – 212
  • 25. Scissor Sisters – Only The Horses
  • 26. Trampled By Turtles – Alone
  • 27. Gossip – Move In the Right Direction
  • 28. Maroon 5 – Payphone
  • 29. Fun. – We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monae)
  • 30. Loreen – Euphoria
  • 31. Madonna – Girl Gone Wild
  • 32. Angel Taylor – In My Dreams
  • 33. Christina Aguilera – Your Body
  • 34. Joshua Radin – Tomorrow Is Gonna Be Better
  • 35. Emeli Sande – My Kind Of Love
  • 36. Stooshe – See My Like This
  • 37. Olly Murs – Troublemaker (feat. Flo Rida
  • 38. Rudimental – Feel The Love (feat. John Newman
  • 39. Passion Pit – Take A Walk
  • 40. The Saturdays – 30 Days
  • 41. The Wanted – Chasing The Sun
  • 42. Alicia Keys – Girl On Fire
  • 43. Calvin Harris – Sweet Nothing (feat. Florence Welch)
  • 44. Tegan and Sara – Closer
  • 45. One Direction – Live While We’re Young
  • 46. Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again
  • 47. Will.i.am and Britney – Scream and Shout
  • 48. Deadmau5 – The Vedlt (feat. Chris James)
  • 49. Agnes – One Last Time
  • 50. Benjamin Gibbard – Bigger Than Love
  • 51. Icona Pop – Good For You
  • 52. Melanie Amaro – Don’t Fail Me Now
  • 53. Rita Ora – R.I.P. (feat. Tiny Tempah)
  • 54. The Shins – Simple Song
  • 55. Kelly Clarkson – Catch My Breath
  • 56. Justin Beiber – As Long As You Love Me
  • 57. Little Boots – Every Night I Say A Prayer
  • 58. Morgan Page – Body Work (feat. Tegan and Sara)
  • 59. Swedish House Mafia – Don’t You Worry Child
  • 60. Kylie – Timebomb
  • 61. The Script – Hall Of Fame
  • 62. Sara Bareilles – Lie To Me
  • 63. Casey Abrams – Midnight Girl
  • 64. Goldfrapp – Melancholy Sky
  • 65. Patrick Wolf – Overture
  • 66. Brandy – Put It Down
  • 67. Silversun Pickups – Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings
  • 68. Sleigh Bells – Comeback Kid
  • 69. The Ting Tings – In Your Life
  • 70. Stars – The Theory of Relativity

EDIT: GLARING OMISSION!!!!! I forgot to put Of Monsters and Men – Little Talks on this list!! EEK! I may go back and edit it in, as it was fairly high on my favorites this year. Ugh.

There it is! Thoughts?!

music musings, music suggestion

2011: my favorite songs

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This is kind of a recap of last year’s rules, which still completely apply:
1. No artist may appear more than once (not including collaborations, because honestly, I didn’t even think about that until just this moment, and the damn list is together), otherwise some artists would have literally 10 spots on the list.
2. These are most of my favorite songs from 2011; they aren’t all singles, and some of them were even better than the released singles by those artists.
3. This is a pretty representative song sample of 2011, IMHO; even though some of you may be pissed not to see certain Billboard “hits” on my list.
4. This really highlights how all over the place my music tastes are, doesn’t it?
5. Enjoy.

Without further adieu, here’s my favorite 80 tracks from 2011… considering the rules:

  • 1. Will Young – Jealousy
  • 2. Britney Spears – Till The World Ends
  • 3. Rihanna – We Found Love
  • 4. City and Colour – Northern Wind
  • 5. Adele – Someone Like You
  • 6. Patrick Wolf – House
  • 7. Jessie J – Who You Are
  • 8. Nicki Minaj – Super Bass
  • 9. Lady GaGa – Born This Way
  • 10. Nicole Scherzinger – Don’t Hold Your Breath
  • 11. JoJo – Disaster
  • 12. William Fitzsimmons – By My Side
  • 13. Beyonce – Run the World (Girls)
  • 14. The Decemberists – Rise To Me
  • 15. Marina and the Diamonds – Radioactive
  • 16. Bjork – Crystalline
  • 17. Florence + The Machine – Shake It Out
  • 18. Westlife – Lighthouse
  • 19. M83 – Midnight City
  • 20. Yasmin – Finish Line
  • 21. Owl City – Lonely Lullaby
  • 22. One Direction – What Makes You Beautiful
  • 23. Jon McLaughlin – I’ll Follow You
  • 24. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
  • 25. David Guetta feat. Usher – Without You
  • 26. Jennifer Lopez – On The Floor
  • 27. Feist – How Come You Never Go There
  • 28. Vanbot – Make Me, Break Me
  • 29. Nero – Me & You
  • 30. Medina – Addiction
  • 31. Cher Lloyd – Want U Back
  • 32. The Saturdays – My Heart Takes Over
  • 33. Death Cab For Cutie – St. Peter’s Cathedral
  • 34. Mat Kearney – Ships In The Night
  • 35. Sugababes – Freedom
  • 36. Bon Iver – Holocene
  • 37. Gavin DeGraw – Not Over You
  • 38. White Lies – Bigger Than Us
  • 39. The Naked and Famous – Young Blood
  • 40. Selena Gomez and the Scene – Love You Like a Love Song
  • 41. Maroon 5 – Moves Like Jagger
  • 42. Jason Walker – Echo
  • 43. Matt Nathanson – Run
  • 44. Parade – Louder
  • 45. Nicola Roberts – Beat of My Drum
  • 46. Clare Maguire – Last Dance
  • 47. Jennifer Hudson – Where You At
  • 48. Alex Gaudino feat. Kelly Rowland – What A Feeling
  • 49. Alex Clare – Too Close
  • 50. Slow Runner – Devil Moon
  • 51. Lady Antebellum – Just a Kiss
  • 52. The Antlers – I Don’t Want Love
  • 53. James Vincent McMorrow – We Don’t Eat
  • 54. The Young Professionals – D.I.S.C.O.
  • 55. Jessie and the Toy Boys – Push It
  • 56. Ester Dean – Take You To Rio
  • 57. Young The Giant – My Body
  • 58. Katy B – Broken Record
  • 59. Peter Bjorn and John – Second Chance
  • 60. Penguin Prison – Don’t Fuck With My Money
  • 61. Benny Banassi – Cinema (Skrillex Remix)
  • 62. LMFAO – Party Rock Anthem
  • 63. Cobra Starship – You Make Me Feel…
  • 64. The Wanted – I’ll Be Your Strength
  • 65. Ultraviolet Sound – Girl Talk
  • 66. Lana Del Ray – Video Games
  • 67. Audio Bullys – Only Man
  • 68. Pia Toscano – This Time
  • 69. DJ Fresh – Louder
  • 70. Leslie Hall – Hydrate Jirate
  • 71. Laura Marling – Sophia
  • 72. Emeli Sande – Heaven
  • 73. Deerhoof – Super Duper Rescue Heads!
  • 74. Aubrey O’Day – Automatic
  • 75. Alexis Jordan – How You Like Me Now
  • 76. Greyson Chance – Unfriend You
  • 77. Melanie C – Think About It
  • 78. Swedish House Mafia – Save the World
  • 79. AWOLNATION – Sail
  • 80. Ryan Adams – Dirty Rain

So there it is!! What do you think?! I hope you found a bunch of songs that you enjoyed this year on the list… it makes for an excellent “mix tape” in my opinion! There’s also a spotify playlist with MOST of these gems on it; check it out here.

music musings, music suggestion

the best songs/singles of 2009

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Since I rarely like to follow convention, I am NOT sticking to the prescribed definition of a single for this list; after all, some artists resist releasing their best songs as singles, while others know what’s good for them.

Here are my top 75 songs/singles of 2009:
1) Will Young – Hopes and Fears
2) The Saturdays – Here Standing
3) RichGirl – He Ain’t Wit Me Now (Tho)
4) Marina and the Diamonds – I Am Not A Robot
5) 30 Seconds to Mars – Kings and Queens
6) Noah and the Whale – Blue Skies
7) Antony and the Johnsons – Another World
8] Lady GaGa – Bad Romance
9) Madonna – Celebration
10) Passion Pit – Sleepyhead

11) Erik Hassle – Isn’t It Obvious
12) Silversun Pickups – There’s No Secrets This Year
13) Kelly Clarkson – Don’t Let Me Stop You
14) Angel Taylor – Chai Tea Latte
15) Katharine McPhee – Say Goodbye
16) A Camp – Bear On the Beach
17) Chase & Status – End Credits
18) Miike Snow – Animal
19) Great Northern – Story
20) The Gossip – Pop Goes The World

21) White Lies – Death
22) Amerie – Heard ‘Em All
23) Nick Lachey – All In My Head
24) Mariah Carey – Obsessed
25) Owl City – Hot Air Balloon
26) Marmaduke Duke – Rubber Lover
27) The Low Anthem – Charlie Darwin
28) JLS – Everybody’s In Love
29) Alesha Dixon – Breathe Slow
30) Death Cab For Cutie – Mirror Speaks

31) The Swell Season – In These Arms
32) Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll
33) Mat Kearney – Closer To Love
34) Band of Skulls – I Know What I Am
35) The Sounds – No One Sleeps When I’m Awake
36) Little Boots – New In Town
37) LaRoux – Bulletproof
38) Booty Luv – Say It
39) Alphabeat – The Spell
40) Ke$ha – Tik Tok

41) Bat For Lashes – Daniel
42) Glasvegas – Geraldine
43) Hellogoodbye – When We First Met
44) Peter Bjorn and John – It Don’t Move Me
45) Mew – Beach
46) A Fine Frenzy – Bird of the Summer
47) Alexisonfire – Young Cardinals
48) Florence and the Machine – Bird Song
49) Bon Iver – Blood Bank
50) Britney – 3

51) Metric – Gimme Sympathy
52) Elizabeth and the Catapult – Apathy
53) Matthew Barber – Easily Bruised
54) Frankmusik – Confusion Girl
55) Lily Allen – The Fear
56) Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks
57) Anouk – Lay It Down
58) Eulogies – Two Can Play
59) Weezer – (If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To
60) Mayer Hawthorne – Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out

61) Noisettes – Don’t Upset the Rhythm
62) VV Brown – Shark In The Water
63) Parachute – She Is Love
64) Mika – We Are Golden
65) St. Vincent – Actor Out of Work
66) Lady Antebellum – Need You Now
67) Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson – Relator
68) Cascada – Evacuate the Dancefloor
69) Lovemakers – Love Is Dead
70) Robbie Williams – Bodies

71) Nelly Furtado – Manos Al Aire
72) The Avett Brothers – I and Love and You
73) Alexandra Burke – Bad Boys
74) Adam Lambert – Time For Miracles
75) Imogen Heap – First Train Home

Well, that was quite lovely, now wasn’t it? Consider this the blueprint for a pretty kick ass play list; approved by me.

five song friday, listen up!, mixed media, music musings, music suggestion

5SF: february 15

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I was actually scratching my head and wondering most of this week about what I was going to pick for my five songs this week, as I haven’t really been blown away by any of the stuff I have been checking out lately (new or otherwise). Maybe I am just in a lull? Who knows… however, it has allowed me to reexamine some stuff that I really love, and I figured it would be fun to post a few of those songs today. I am sure that there is a chance that it might be the first time someone is hearing it, or it may re-awaken interest in something you haven’t listened to in forever; either way, it’s all about the music. Since I have been in such a rut lately with finding new, great stuff, PLEASE send me your recommendations, okay? Now, on with the show!

Note: No videos this week, so feed readers, come by and listen up!

The Postal Service – Brand New Colony
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_215_postalservice-brandnewcolony.mp3]
One of my favorite records, Give Up by the Postal Service, drifted back into my focus recently, and I have been enjoying reexamining this fantastic album. I really hope that Ben Gibbard gets around to doing a follow up record at some point, because I would love to have some new Postal Service material. I love the whole album, but this is one of the songs that I tend to listen to over and over from the record; such great lyrics (a couple of which can be found in my header from time to time).

Hellogoodbye – All Time Lows
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_215_hellogoodbye-alltimelows.mp3]
After the aforementioned disappointment that I have been having trying to find new stuff to check out, I also stumbled on Hellogoodbye again, which is one of those rare CDs that I loved instantly from beginning to end. I absolutely adore their electro-pop-rock sound, and after I saw them live, I became a permanent fan. These guys are awesome, and they totally rock that whole “nerdy-cool” vibe, which fits them, and makes me swoon like the other little girls at the concert were. If you like this song, I highly recommend the whole album; I am looking forward to more from these guys. Hearing this again is definitely a great reminder of some of the great stuff in my massive music collection.

RyanDan – The Face
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_215_ryandan-theface.mp3]
Not only are these two identical twin brothers totally gorgeous, but they have this amazing harmony and quality to their singing. While most of their record is watered down with cheesy covers, the two opening songs are fantastic. The Face, which is one of those two openers, is my favorite song of theirs, and is one that I find myself listening to often. It is a totally beautiful song. Sometimes a cheesy ballad is EXACTLY what I need.

Lumidee – She’s Like The Wind
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_215_lumidee-sheslikethewind.mp3]
True story: recently, I was riding in my car to get some lunch, and randomly, She’s Like the Wind (the Patrick Swayze version) popped into my head. I had to turn off the radio and sing the whole song… cheesy, right? Well, I actually kind of love that song, and found out that it had been remade into kind of a great little hip hop number last summer. I have to say, that I kind of like this remake, the sample fits really well with the hip hop beat.

Sugababes – I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_215_sugababes-ibetthatyoulookgood.mp3]
A long while back, my good buddy Stu was giving me a “crash course” in order to bring me up to speed with the Sugababes (who I hadn’t really heard much from at that time), and this cover of the Arctic Monkey’s song of the same name was one of the songs he exposed me to. Not only does it tower over the original version, but it truly highlights what one should do when attempting to cover a song; fucking blow it out of water. See, I don’t mind when you cover a song, and actually cover it really well. In this case, the cover is far better than the original.

Now are you beginning to see just how varied my music tastes are, right? I like a little bit of everything! As always, I hope you enjoyed the songs, and I hope even more that you have some feedback/suggestions yourself! Have a great THREE DAY weekend everyone!

five song friday, listen up!, mixed media, music musings, music suggestion

5SF: february 1

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Welcome to this week’s installment of the five song Friday, everyone! Today is going to feature songs you may be familiar with, songs that you may have heard a while ago and forgotten about, a song that you may hate (as I did when I first heard it), and maybe some songs that you are hearing for the first time. So let’s get to it, shall we?

Yael Naim – New Soul
First up today is a song that is as catchy as hell, from those new Mac Air ads by Paris-born/Israeli-raised singer Yael Naim. The main reason I wanted to feature this song, is because there are many of us that have tivos and DVRs out there that never get the chance to watch commercials, and as such, may miss great songs like this one. Personally, this song was recommended by one of you (my wonderful readers!), who told me that I might like it; and you know what, he was right! I do (thanks for the suggestion, see, I told you I want to know what you are listening to!)! Another reason for posting this one, is because the video is just awesome, and I totally love it. Such a catchy song, and a great video, paired with an Apple endorsement? Yael is going places, people! Who’d of thought before Feist, that we would be looking to Apple for new, great music? Well, now we know that they are onto something!

Candie Payne – One More Chance
In this current era of music, the throwback sound seems to be the “next biggest thing”, with artist after artist streaming that sound of old, and making it new. Such is the case with Ms Candie Payne, who uses those old influences, and Mark Ronson beats, to churn out this fabulous song. I have certainly been enjoying this reemergence of the “throwback sound”, and the more artists that jump on this band wagon that are doing it as well as Candie are, the happier I am destined to be. Also, take note that her look is very “That Girl”-ish, adding to the hip, vintage feel… it’s a great song, and great video.

Linda Kiraly – Can’t Let Go
I was trying to decide between this one and another song for this week, and I watched this video again, and it struck me much harder than it ever has before. This song is fantastic. Linda has a beautiful and powerful voice, and the beat makes for a perfect pop song. The beginning is a little slow (perhaps the reason that I wasn’t hit as hard the first time I heard it), but at 40 seconds into the video when she stomps on those drums, you get to see why you came out to the show. This is her first single from an upcoming album, and I cannot wait to see what else she has up her sleeve. My buddy Stu always has these random acts up his sleeve, and I just love it when he let’s me in on the goods; especially when they are as good as this!

Patrick Wolf – Accident and Emergency
Now, for the ultra-queer Patrick Wolf, who I totally flash on the beginnings of Ziggy Stardust, and queer glam rock when I see him. I will admit this openly, I HATED this song when I first heard it. I don’t know what it was about it, but it was just a huge turn off for me. However, it got into my head, and I gave it another go, and after a few listens, I really like it. The other day when I was waiting for jury duty, I ended up listening to his record, and I really liked a lot of it, whereas previously, I was wondering why so many people were into him. Was he to be another Roisin Murphy for me, I thought? Well looking now, I figure, perhaps not… I am glad that I gave it another go, because it is quite the catchy little hit. I highly recommend you give this more that one listen; it took me several to get into it, but now I quite like it.

The Darkness – I Believe In a Thing Called Love
Last, but certainly not least, is my “blast from the past” track for this week. I have to say, that I still remember the first time I heard this song; it was 3 in the morning, and my tivo started randomly taping an MTV video show (shock and awe! They were showing videos!), and the video for this song came on. I sat there, mesmerized, and completely freaked out at the same time. What the fuck? I thought. After it was over, I rewinded it, and ended up watching it 5 times. I was hooked. I haven’t listened to the Darkness in a while (their debut CD is quite fantastic), and this song came on XM the other day, and I ran home and put it back on my ipod (it was lost when iTunes decided to delete all my playlists a while back). Well, I am glad that I was reacquainted with the fabulousity that is the Darkness… their queer glam metal is pure music gold. I am such a closet metal lover, and this shit is just the type of thing that blows my skirt way up over my head. This is metal that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and in fact, makes fun of itself all at the same time. If only it were on one of the Guitar Heroes… perhaps maybe a future installment will include this gem! I certainly hope so, because this song is fantastic.

Well, there she is, this week’s 5SF is on the books. I hope that everyone found something that they could enjoy. As always, let me know what you are into, it may make a future list! Have a great afternoon, kids!

five song friday, listen up!, mixed media, music musings, music suggestion

5SF: january 25

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Guess what today is, kids!! It’s mothafucking Friday, and time to bring on the jams! What!?! Yeah, I am in a weirdly good mood today, but I have chosen to go with it, so I think that you should too. Let’s get to the music before things get out of hand.

Adele – Chasing Pavements
You may be thinking, Adele? Again? and you know what, you would be right. Adele is infectious. She is amazing. She is true talent, and her CD comes out this Tuesday in the UK, so I felt compelled to bring her to the forefront again. I have been enjoying my time listening to Adele this month, and I have to say, with each listen, I love her more. Fuck the haters that are bashing her (seriously, people are giving her shit for only debuting at number 2 on the singles chart… give me a break), this girl has a voice that is stunning, and weaves these amazing songs that capture your attention and leave you wanting more. This song, Chasing Pavements, is one of those songs that I just cannot let go of, and after a listen, it just stays with me all day. This is truly a wonderful song, and a reminder to pay attention to Adele; I have a feeling we are going to be hearing a lot more from her once the CD hits shelves on Tuesday. Also, this video is quite weird, but I like the quirkiness of it.

Bush – Swallowed
After posting two of my high school favorites (Elastica and Blur) last week, I got to thinking that it might be fun to feature at least one song every now and then, that I randomly heard recently, and was reminded of how much I loved it in the past. This week, Swallowed came on the radio, and I was all “holy shit I love this effing song, and I can’t believe I haven’t heard it in forever!”, and so, here it is. Whatever happened to Bush? Their first and second CDs were dynamite albums, and then I pretty much stopped paying attention. Oh well, at least we have the memories, right?

Kate Miller-Heidke – Mama
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_125_katemillerheidke-mama.mp3]
I heard about Kate on one of those many, many “ones to watch out for” lists that I randomly found on the internets, and after checking her out, I can see why she made that list; this girl is great! She reminds me a little of Regina Specktor, but with more spunk and panache to her sound (also, without that unnecessary double scoop of goody-two-shoes bubblegum flavoring). I chose this song, not because it is the catchiest from her record, but because it totally captivates me every time I hear it. I am drawn in by her desire to please her mother, which totally translates beautifully in this song, by the brash guitars and the shrill vocals. Love this song, and love her!

Georgie James – Cake Parade
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_125_georgiejames-cakeparade.mp3]
So, I heard about Georgie James from a flickr friend, who recommended it in the Monday music suggestion group, and I must admit, that I was instantly enamored with this song. It is so playful and enjoyable, that it really reminds me of the fun I have listening to artists like MIKA and Fountains of Wayne. Also, the guy in the group totally sounds like the guy from Fountains of Wayne, so that probably has something to do with it reminding me of them. Either way, definitely a fun group with a great “throw back” almost vaudeville-ish sound, that I am totally into. A great suggestion from my friend, that I am pleased to pass on to you!

Number One Gun – The Best of You and Me
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_125_numberonegun-thebestofyouandme.mp3]
This is one of those songs that I heard of randomly, and was instantly all about. I saw Number One Gun mentioned somewhere, and I liked the cover of the album, so I went to their myspace, and The Best Of You and Me was the song that started playing. I instantly downloaded the album, and have been really grooving to this electro-rock piece. It has a mellow feel, but powerful male vocals really make it a great pop song.

Well, there we have another five song Friday in the books, and some good songs to listen to this afternoon. I hope that everyone is having a kick ass day, and I hope that your weekend is even better. As always, let me know what you are jamming to, and we can make this music suggestion thing a two way street, cool?

five song friday, listen up!, mixed media, music musings, music suggestion

5SF: january 18

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TGIF is an understatement, and I am very pleased that this is a three day weekend for sure. With that said, let’s get to some music to brighten our afternoon, shall we?

Goldfrapp – A&E
First up, is the new song A&E by Goldfrapp; a decidedly different song from their previous effort. Going back to their more acoustic roots, Goldfrapp has managed to captivate me with this airy and beautiful song. While I have been spinning the whole album this week, this song definitely stands out to me, and makes me want to listen more intently to the rest of the record. I will personally admit that I like this new stuff better than their previous experiments in the more electro-pop stuff. I think that they got tired of everyone copying their sound, and went back to their roots; and the result is something beautiful for sure. Take note that this video is completely ridiculous.

Elastica – Connection
Earlier this week, I was listening to the lovely XM radio in the car (something I have been doing more frequently these days), and I was hit square in the jaw by a fantastic blast from the past. Coming through my speakers was the delightful, yet forgotten Elastica, a group that I so instantly fell in love with in high school. As soon as I got home, I downloaded their self titled debut, and relived a music moment that I hadn’t experienced in well over a decade. The best part, was that their songs are still as good to me as they were then. Needless to say, this blast from the past was more than welcome, and as you will see a bit further down, it inspired more glimpses into my music history. Note: I was going to post the actual video, but the audio is shit, so if you want to go and see it (it’s quite good), you can go and see it here; after all, this is five song Friday, not five video Friday, right?.

Christina Aguilera – Save Me From Myself
A lot of people really loved Back to Basics, but for me, it was just hard to get into, and as such, it was largely ignored. I liked the singles, especially Ain’t No Other Man, but that’s about as far as I went. Then, the other day, I was reading my blog-feeds, and Rich over at fourfour posted this amazing video. I didn’t even know it was on B2B, and I feel like I have been missing out of something really beautiful. This song is so touching, heartfelt, emotional, and beautiful. Christina has made a very mature and wonderful song with Save Me From Myself, and I am just happy that Rich showed me the light. This song only gets better with each subsequent listen. Bravo, Xtina. Bravo. Also, is it me, or is she more stunning than ever?

Blur – Parklife
After snagging Elastica’s debut, I was instantly craving a little more brit-rock from my past, and what better way to get that going, than to pull out my old Blur records and give them a go? While I have always loved Blur, and even consider them amongst my favorite groups, over the years, I have drifted away from listening to Parklife; which ironically, was the record that got me interested in them in the first place. With my nostalgic cap firmly on, I sat back and hit play, and was instantly reminded just how brilliant of a record Parklife truly is; and I was reminded of why I fell in love with Blur in the first place. While the title track isn’t my absolute favorite song from the record, it is the first Blur song I ever heard, and I felt it fitting to highlight it in my collection of songs this week. It has been really nice reminiscing about music, and tuning into stuff that I haven’t listened to in ages. Who knows what else will creep its way back onto my radar; I can’t wait to see what it will be!

Roisin Murphy – Let Me Know
There are heaps of Roisin lovers out there, and I have never really gotten it; her whole kit and caboodle it’s a little too much for me. That being said, after I saw her record making a lot of people’s best of 2007 lists, I pulled it back out, dusted it off, and gave it another go. I wasn’t really that into it this time either (sorry, it just isn’t my bag, y’all), but this song definitely stood out to me this time. It just makes me want to dance all night long. I think the reason that I really love this song, is that it sounds a little more like a Sophie Ellis-Bextor track, and gets away from the things that turn me off about Roisin. That being said, here you go, fans of Roisin, this is the song by her that I can definitely say that I actually really, really like. Some think that she can do no wrong, but so far, this is the only thing that she has done right for me.

Well, that does it kids, another five song Friday on the record and in the bag. I hope everyone has an amazing weekend, and does lots of great and exciting things. I also hope that you enjoyed the music on this very welcomed Friday, and as always, let me know what you are spinning. I have gotten some great suggestions lately, and I always want more, more, more! Till we meet again!

blog on blog, five song friday, listen up!, mixed media, music musings, music suggestion

5SF: october 12

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It’s that time again! Not only is it great to be at the end of the week, but it’s also time for another great installment of Five Song Friday! Woo hoo! Now, I have been giving some thought to the whole process of how and why I pick the songs that I do each week, and I must say, being limited to only you tube videos is highly frustrating; especially considering that there are many tracks I want to feature that do not have videos! So, I thought of a solution: after today, the five song Fridays will no longer be limited to just you tube videos! I have found a great plug in that will allow me to embed the mp3s right into the post, and I am going to start using them as I see fit (I’ll post a bonus sixth song to show you what I am talking about at the end of this post). Who knows, we might move away from you tube all together!

Also, as a reminder, if you want access to the songs that I have posted up until now, including today’s featured tracks, you have to let me know by comment or email. I will be happy to provide access at that point, but until anyone expresses interest, I will just assume that no one is interested!

Now, let’s get to the music, shall we?

This week, I have been listening a lot to the CDs that I was obsessing over last week (particularly Feist and Annie Lennox), but since there aren’t any “new” videos, I am probably going to focus on posting just some older, or fun stuff that I want to share. Either way, it is going to be a good time, because it doesn’t matter when music is made, so long as it is good, right? Also, it does a good service to bring older stuff back to the surface every now and then; I know that I am bad about forgetting a certain CD, and then being super excited when it is brought back into the spotlight!

Will Young – All Time Love
First up today is a blast from the not-so-distant past: the video for All Time Love by Will Young. I remember the first time that I heard this song, it literally gave me chills it was so good. I still love this song so much every time I hear it, and I honestly think that it is one of my all time favorites. It also got me to give the whole album a second chance (an initial listen wasn’t good), which I was glad that I did, because I really love the whole album. Will Young is a great singer, and I can’t wait for some new stuff from him.

Westlife – Home
Next up is the new single from my favorite boy band, Westlife. I absolutely LOVE this song by Michael Buble, and I have to say, Westlife can definitely turn out a cover of a song; as they did again with this great song. I have been a fan of theirs for years, and can’t wait for their new album. Until then, I will have to gaze into Shane’s beautiful eyes, and just dream that he is coming “home” to me… *swoon*

Kleerup feat. Robyn – With Every Heartbeat
This is an updated video for the amazing single With Every Heartbeat, which should end up in my “singles of the year” list, simply because of how amazing it is. Since she made a splash back in the 90s, she disappeared almost completely in America, but luckily, I rediscovered Robyn earlier this year. I think that acts like her bring the best in pop music, and given songs like this one, as well as her newest release, she has definitely got my attention. I hope that she makes a second splash in the US, because Robyn is definitely amazing.

Alicia Keys – No One
Alicia is one of those artists that truly broke the record set by many artists in the past; which was, if you won the best new artist Grammy, you practically disappeared… but not Alicia. After seeing her perform this song on the VMAs this year, I was in love with the song. I have always been impressed with her amazing voice, and her crazy talent; and this song is no exception. I may have to pick up her new album… Alicia definitely has that same feeling and intensity artists like Mary J have, and I for one, love me a diva.

Annie Lennox – Cold
Last, but certainly not least, is an older track by Annie Lennox. As I said earlier, I am really enjoying her new album, which is fantastic. I have loved Annie Lennox for a long time, and love how unique she is as an artist. Her voice is sheer beauty, and I could just listen for hours to her sing. This song is honestly one of my favorites of all time. The song Cold is from her first solo album Diva, which is about as appropriately titled as it can get; Annie truly is a DIVA.

I hope everyone is having a great Friday, and I hope you enjoyed this week’s five song Friday, I know I did! Again, if you are interested in getting the music, let me know! Finally, here is what songs will look like if they are posted directly, without the video; which again, will be used in instances where I want to share a song and not have to worry about whether it has a video or not (which I am finding to be VERY limiting):
Jennifer Hudson – And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/and_im_telling_you_im_not_going.mp3]

Let me know what you think of the “new” music format, and as always, it’s a pleasure exposing people to new (or old and fantastic) music! Have a great weekend!