I hope this blog introduces you to new songs, books and movies. If they aren't all already part of the popular culture, they should be. Or hopefully will be!
There will always be a new post of the day drawn from the new as well as old familiars that haven't been seen or heard in a while. The songs will always be personal favorites of mine so apologies in advance!
I like this song a lot from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It's an interesting song and I wondered about the song meaning. Literally, it sounds like the woman is in love with a cartographer who spends more time with his maps than her. Those maps will never love him like she does - I guess it can be frustrating if the one you love is more interested in paper than you. I'm pretty sure that's not the meaning, though it could be since stranger topics have been subjects of songs.
Lot's of sites, including my favorite, Songmeanings.net, state that Maps is an acronym for "My Angus, Please Stay." Karen O, the lead singer has or at least had a boyfriend named Angus (Angus Andrews from the group, Liars) so it is very likely true or at least more possible than the mad cartographer!
Please see the video below for music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the group and buy their music!!!
Royksopp is a duo from Norway with some very cool electronic music. With four four albums over the last twelve years, they definitely have a large body of work. I find that I either love or hate each individual song of their's but generally tend to have a positive reaction rather than a negative one. This Must Be It is from their third album, Junior (2009).
Please see the video below for music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!
Sarah Blasko is an Australian artist with five studio albums and two Extended Plays in the last eleven years. While she's been quite popular and successful in the Australian market, it has not translated to the huge international success she deserves. We Won't Run is from her third studio album, As Day Follows Night (2009), and her best song in my opinion.
Please see the video below for music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the artist and buy her music!!!
Great song by The Naked and Famous, a New Zealand group. They have one full studio album titled Passive Me, Aggressive You (2010) which contains Young Blood. It's their most successful single to date. They have also released two Extended Play albums as well.
I love this song. I think it captures the hope, possibility and the ephemeral nature of youth. It will end but you never know when it will until it does - promises made and dreams unfinished can pile up without regrets.
Please see the video below for music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!
Holly McNarland is a Canadian artist who has had seven albums over the last eighteen years. While her body of work is very good, she's definitely not a household name, which is a shame.
Ignore the silliness of the title and listen to the song from her album titled Chin Up Buttercup (2007). I think it captures the duality of emotions in any relationship.
Dev, otherwise known as Devin Star Tailes, is a US artist who has been featured in songs by the Far East Movement and the Cataracs. Dancing Shoes is from her debut album titled The Night the Sun Came Up (2012). She is supposed to release a new studio album in 2013. Can't wait for it to come out!!
The video below contains music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the artist and buy her music!!!
This is my favorite song from Christina Perri's first album, Lovestrong (2011). Jar of Hearts was probably a more popular song from the album but there's no accounting for taste. I really can't wait for the next album since it's very obvious that she is a talented song-writer.
Please see the video below for music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the artist and buy her music!!!
Florence + the Machine need no introduction. I think Ceremonials (2011) was a strong follow-up second album with lots of goods songs. As always, the songs are fraught with meaning and have a lot more symbolism than I am ever able to identify. The Vigilant Citizen does a great line-by-line review of the lyrics associated with Shake It Out. Perhaps the analysis is more detailed than I need but I thought I would share.
Please see the video below for music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!
Sick Puppies is an Australian group with an interesting name. Their Wikipedia site provides two possible reasons for the group's name - not sure if either one is right:
There are two stories as to how the band name was conceived. The official version is that Shimon Moore thought of the name himself when the band members were brainstorming, and then came home a few days later to find his father Phil reading the book Sick Puppyby Carl Hiaasen. The side version is that a neighbor's dog entered the garage during a rehearsal and vomited on their equipment. An early fan made the comment, "That's one sick puppy" and the name stuck.
The album title Tri-Polar (2009) is an interesting one as well. I'd love to know what that third state between manic and depressive is!
Please see the video for music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!
Wild Blessed Freedom (2011) is Carolina Liar's second album. As with most groups, it's not quite as good as the first but still a very good album. I guess it's inevitable for any group to suffer content issues when there are many years to hone the music on the first album and the second is normally created in a compressed time frame - filled with songs about the difficulties of life after success. Regardless, I like this particular song a lot.
Please see the video below for music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the artist and buy their music!!!
I like this song but it is a little scary. I think it borders on the edge of stalking...or maybe it goes right over that line into criminal behavior. Either way, lots of passion and determination from the singer. He is very committed.
Please see the video below for music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!!
Kind of a sad son but Rivers and Roads captures perfectly how things change over time and distance keeps people apart. They don't sing about flying though...all too understandable given the high cost of plane travel!!
In any case, the album cover definitely disturbs me though the music inside is excellent.
Please see the video below for music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!
Michelle Featherstone's had two full albums and one extended play, all of which contains good music. I'm surprised that she hasn't a larger following given the quality of her songs. I wish I had a cool blue bike like hers!!!
Please see the video below for music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the artist and buy her music!!!
Barcelona is a Seattle rock band with an unlikely name. I don't know much about the group but they do have two studio albums with some good music. It's About Time is from their first album, Absolutes (2007), which was released twice, once independently and then re-released from a major label. I'm only counting that as one album - they've since released Not Quite Yours (2012) which did not disappoint!
The video below contains music and lyrics.
If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!
This is the song that started Tina Dico's seven album career and probably my favorite. I think her albums have lots of good songs but also include what seems like filler material to me - I may just not be deep enough to appreciate them all.
Please see the video below for music and lyrics!
If you like the song, please support the artist and buy her music!!!
This is probably Robyn's most popular song - she has so many good ones from which to choose, having five full length studio albums as well as several extended play albums. While I love her music, I think she has a bright future in comedy. Take a look at her Saturday Night Live Performance (the shoes and the dancing at the end made me think this was a spoof even though I like the song a lot): Robyn - Dancing On My Own (Live on SNL)
Below is the video containing music and lyrics to With Every Hearbeat. Hope you like it!!
If you like the song, please support the artist and buy her music!!!
This is my favorite song from Christina Perri's first album, Lovestrong (2011). Jar of Hearts was probably a more popular song from the album but there's no accounting for taste. I really can't wait for the next album since it's very obvious that she is a talented song-writer. 
Florence + the Machine need no introduction. I think Ceremonials (2011) was a strong follow-up second album with lots of goods songs. As always, the songs are fraught with meaning and have a lot more symbolism than I am ever able to identify. The Vigilant Citizen does a great line-by-line review of the lyrics associated with Shake It Out. Perhaps the analysis is more detailed than I need but I thought I would share.
