Sky Ferreira - I Will

I don't know much about Sky Ferreira; however, her first full length studio album promises great things are in store.  She also has two extended plays that were released in 2011 and 2012.  You're Not the One was the first single released from Night Time, My Time (2013), but I like I Will the best!

Please see the video below for music and lyrics.


If you like the song, please support the artist and buy her music!!!

Indigo Girls - Closer to Fine

I cannot imagine that this song by the Indigo Girls is new to anyone but I thought I would post it anyway! The Indigo Girls are an American duo (Amy Ray and Emily Saliers) who sing intelligent folk songs with a message. They independently released their first full length album, Strange Fire, in 1987. Their second full length album was titled Indigo Girls (1989) and contained Closer to Fine, their first commercial success.

They've had thirteen studio albums over the years, a vast library of songs from which to choose. Another favorite of mine is Galileo from their Rites of Passage (1992) album.

Please see the video below for music and lyrics.



If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!

Ed Sheeran - Lego House

This is probably my favorite song from Ed Sheeran's debut album, + (2011). It doesn't hurt that the song mentions LEGO pieces which have to be among the greatest inventions ever. Wouldn't it be cool to live in a house made of LEGO bricks?

I cannot wait for Ed Sheeran's follow up album which is scheduled for release in 2014.  Wonder if it will be called "-" or "*" this time out?

Please see the video below for music and lyrics.


If you like the song, please support the artist and buy his music!!!

Tristan Prettyman - Say Anything

A beautiful song by Tristan Prettyman from her third studio album, Cedar + Gold (2012). The album is an excellent one, deserving of much more publicity and acclaim than it received. This is one of those albums that can be heard in its entirety without having to skipping through filler. It is definitely worth buying.

Hopefully, the additional exposure from having this song as part of the Safe Haven (2013) movie soundtrack will help raise her profile. Though based on the critics' review, that's not assured.

Please see the video below for music and lyrics.


If you like the song, please support the artist and buy her music!!!

Lady Gaga - Gypsy

I like this song from Gaga's latest album. While almost every song on Artpop is worth a listen, Gypsy seems very different from the rest of the album. I particularly like the end of Gypsy though I feel badly for all the countries and regions not mentioned. Here's to all those living in Antarctica who did not get a shout out!

Applause keeps ringing in my head from overplay on the radio and I am sure many of the other songs will become tiresome for a while as a result of the radio.  Overexposure to Lady Gaga's music forces one to retire her albums for a bit and then rediscover them after everyone else is done with them.



Please see the video below for music and lyrics.


If you like the song, please support the artist and buy her music!!!

John Legend - Made to Love

This is one of my favorites from John Legend's latest album, Love in the Future (2013).  It was the second single released from the album over the summer of 2013.  The background vocals are provided by Kimbra, an artist from New Zealand.

Please see the video below for music and lyrics.


If you like the song, please support the artist and buy his music!!!

Nine Inch Nails - Satellite

Nice song by Nine Inch Nails from the new album, Hesitation Marks (2013).  The music sounds a little different.  It's lost some roughness around the edges but it still has an industrial rock sound that works.  It's just different, that's all.

The lyrics remind me of "Big Brother" when referencing satellites.  I think the song is about the fact that we are constantly being watched from the sky, though it might be drones rather than satellites in reality. And maybe finding a way around all that surveillance?

Please see the video below for music and lyrics.


If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!

Jason Aldean - Staring at the Sun

Jason Aldean is an American country artist with five albums over the last eight years. This is one of my favorite songs from his last album Night Train (2012).  I like the fact that his country twang is authentic - at least I'm guessing that it is since he was born and raised in Georgia.  



Please see the video below for music and lyrics.


If you like the song, please support the artist and buy his music.

Eminem - The Monster (Feat Rihanna)

The Monster is one of my favorite songs on Eminem's latest album, The Marshall Mathers LP2 (2013). I think his best songs are collaborations with other artists (notable among the crowd are Nick Reuss from fun and Sia). Eminem is definitely talented and entertaining!  But, as always, the lyrics are not for the faint of heart.



Please see the video below for music and lyrics.


If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!

Modest Mouse - Satellite Skin

Modest mouse is an American group that's been around for almost twenty years. They have eleven studio albums.  Satellite Skin is from their most recent album, No One's First and You're Next (2009).
They've been working on their next album for several years - not sure if it will ever come out.

For those wondering about the name of the group, it is not a take on the cartoon character, Mighty Mouse.  Wiki reports the following as the source of the name:

Their name is derived from a passage from the Virginia Woolf story The Mark on the Wall which reads, "I wish I could hit upon a pleasant track of thought, a track indirectly reflecting credit upon myself, for those are the pleasantest thoughts, and very frequent even in the minds of modest, mouse-coloured people, who believe genuinely that they dislike to hear their own praises."

Please see the video below for music and lyrics.


If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!

Editors - What Is This Thing Called Love

The Editors are a group that formed more than ten years ago. After several name changes, they finally settled on their current name in 2004, as they were getting their first recording contract. They've had four albums, the most recent was The Weight of Your Love (2013). It's a good album with What Is This Thing Called Love being my favorite. It's a little melodramatic but still good.


Please see the video below for music and lyrics.



If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!!

The Civil Wars - Eavesdrop

The Civil Wars is an American duo with country roots. The group has said the inspiration for the band name came from driving around and seeing civil war monuments (see NYCARTSCENE for more from that interview). I wonder if it has more to do with the dynamics of the two as they sing on some of their songs.

With two studio albums to their credit in the last three years, John Paul White and Joy Williams have a good start towards a long and successful country music career.  Eavesdrop is one of my favorite songs from their second album, The Civil Wars (2013).

Please see the video below for music and lyrics.



If you like the song, please support the artists and buy their music!!!!