October Music!!

Okay, so I was only going to blog up to November to make it an even year of blogging then call it quits. Turns out I didn't make it to Oct... I'm still not entirely sure how much longer I want to keep this up if at all. Maybe just a monthly post? Who knows.

At any rate, October was AWESOME for music. My lovely wife took me to see SWITCHFOOT!!! They finally came to Utah!! After over 3 years of checking their tour dates almost daily my dream finally came true. It was at an all day festival so it was a short set (only 8 songs: set list below) and they didn't play all of the ones I wanted but it was enough to hold me over until I can see them again. I even got their new CD autographed! There's some good tunes on it too.

Coldplay & Kelly Clarkson both released new albums which are sure to please. I caught the last 8 songs or so of Coldplay's Live Madrid show on youtube which reminded me of why I like them. Truly spectacular. Here's the WHOLE SHOW.

Switchfoot- They played Stars, Dare You to Move, Dark Horses (new), War Inside (new), Sabotage, Meant to Live, The Sound, Mess of Me but not in that order. My favorite from their new album is TheOriginal.

I found out another favorite band of mine (Fiction Family) is close to releasing their 2nd album and have been playing new songs at small venues.

Fiction Family- For starters, this is what I like to refer to as a Super-cool-mash-up-and-of-epic amazingness (I'm pretty sure that's the scientific term for it...) It's made up of Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek Fame, Jon Foreman from Switchfoot, and... 2 other guys from 2 other bands, I'm sure... but they're great. Now, I know what you're thinking (at least some of you). You think I like them just because of Jon Foreman but I'll have you know that I loved Fiction Family before my love for Switchfoot came to full bloom. But they're great.  When She’s Near, Betrayal, War in My Blood, Look For Me Baby and their new one Give Me Back MyGirl is AMAZING!!

Post Previews!

Hey all! So, it's nearing November which means we've almost reached a whole year of blogging and listening.  It's been great and I know I've really enjoyed all the music I've got to listen to because of it (I hope that's true of y'all as well :) and I especially appreciate those of you who have shared stuff along the way. I would love nothing more than to do this all day, everyday until my ears fall off or I go deaf. However, I'm also realistic... and despite the thousands of followers I'm sure are just waiting to share any time now, I think I'm gonna shut things down until/ unless that happens.

I know, I know... you feel as if you'd die without this little blog. But the whole idea was to get people sharing music and to be honest... it's not happening.  I've gotten a few suggestions here and there but for the most part people just post music on FB or listen to Pandora and what not and that's fine. This isn't intended to be accusatory or whiny, just thought I'd let you know what's up. There's still a chance that I might keep going after the year mark; if people started sharing and I got followers and more than the usual 10-15 page views per post then I would definitely do it...but I don't see that happening...

If you really are one of those people who would die without this here blog, let me know and we'll talk. Until then, here's a look at some of the artists I would/ will cover in future posts to pique your interest and make you want to share with your friends. Enjoy!
Entire Playlist HERE
Stay Beautiful- The Last Goodnight
Mr. Blue- Catherine Feeny
The Book I Write- Spoon
Two Steps Closer- Throwback
Southern Girl- Amos Lee
Mr. Maker- The Kooks
Arms- Christina Perri

So there you have it! If things go well, hopefully we'll hear more from these guys, if not, then... not. But "we'll worry about that one later"... until then, pass it on and enjoy!

Underdog Replay!!

So, I've yet to blog about our wonderful experiences at the Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles concerts but there's still some listening to be done... I'm almost there, I promise. I've also started a Sharing Time 3 post but there's still room for more suggestions in case you want to send in a recent/ past favorite (hint hint!) What I thought I do for this post is rewind a bit and give some under-listened tunes another chance. Cop-out for a "real" post?... mayhaps... Nice and easy post for me?... probably... Desperate plea for readership and participation?... OF COURSE! ;)

Really, I was just listening to "TheMusicMann" playlist on Grooveshark and found myself listening to just a handful of songs over, and over and OVER because they're just THAT good.  Oddly enough, quite a few of them were from posts that relatively NO ONE looked at (except for Cliff) which is really sad because they're awesome. So, here's your chance to hear them again. When you skipped over them last time it really hurt their feelings. Please listen to them. It would really make their (and your) day.

The Shark Fighter- the Aquabats. Weird but such a solid, upbeat, movin' tune!
Just What I Needed- The Cars. Classic. Rock. Enough said. Crank it, and crank it NOW!
Have I Been a Fool- Jack Penate. Great little tune. Upbeat, fun to play on the ukulele...
Unlocked- Jesse Ruben. Great guitar work. Great vocals. Great song. Period.
KT Tunstall- Other Side of the World, I Want You Back
Sondre Lerche- Modern Nature, Say It All, My Hands Are Shaking
Newton Faulkner- Teardrop, All I Got, Gone in the Morning
Two Birds- Regina Spektor. This post has done okay but you REALLY need to listen (and love) this song.

I'll make it even easier to listen to this time too. You can always listen to the player over on the right-->, you can click TheMusicMann playlist link above, click all the individual songs OR I've made a special playlist in Grooveshark for just these songs. Click HERE and you can go straight there, click "Play All" any you're good to go! As always, suggest stuff, pass this post on and Enjoy! ;)

Regina Spektor

No clever title this time, sorry. Just Regina Spektor. This post's been in the works for a while and I wanted to get it out there for all the hear because her music is just so incredible. I'll keep the gushing to a minimum (because, let's face it, I'm not a great review-er with an endless vocabulary to basically say the same thing: AWESOME) Which is what her music is. It's fresh. EXTREMELY creative and original.  Her songs are very real, and emotionally charged. Her lyrics are really clever.  She has an AMAZING range of vocal... things... shes does some really cool stuff with her voice... just listen and you'll see what I mean. Sometimes it comes across as weird but it's never harsh or abrasive, it's always FUN. And not to mention her songs are RIDICULOUSLY CATCHY. Absolutely amazing. Seriously, any exaggerations aside, listening to her 5 albums back to back was some of the most fun I've ever had listening to music. She's russain, she's awesome, listen and love it.

Note: Sometimes she does have a mouth so watch out for swears or "not for 5 year olds" content but I only remember one F bomb (Daniel Cowman) and I'm not posting that one... that's just a heads up in case you decide to listen to the rest of her stuff... which you definitely should!... DO IT!... c'mon... you know you want to... all the cool kids are doing it these days...

11:11- First album. Good stuff. Kinda obscure/ weird. But still fun. Listen to Love Affair, Rejazz
Songs- This album was a little slower and more minor but Ne Me Quitte Pas was nice and perky.
Soviet Kitsch- She hit it big with Us but it's not my favorite. Ode to a Divorce is sad but beautiful.
Begin to Hope- Probably her most famous ones came from this album. Better, Fidelity, On the Radio
Far- This album is my favorite by...far! (Tee hee ;) It has most of my favorites. She just keeps getting better but stays true to her earlier style, I think. The Calculation, Eet, Folding Chair, Laughing With, Two Birds, One More Time with Feeling

She also did a great song for the Prince Caspian Soundtrack called "The Call." It reminds me of going to Germany. She also did duets with Sondre Lerche on the Dan in Real Life soundtrack (H*** No) and with Ben Folds on Ways to Normal but hear it here (tee hee) otherwise you'll get a wonderful little F-surprise... You Don't Know Me.

Any favorites I missed? Let me know! Please pass this on and enjoy! Til next week, keep the music coming ;)

Sharing Time 2!

From the title, you might have been able to guess what the final decision was. I'll throw these up really quick because they were fun to listen to and definitely new--which, in case you forgot, is the whole point of this here blog.
First up, in response to the Bass Guitar Therapy post:
Louise- Paul Revere and the Raiders
Gigantic- The Pixies
Many thanks to Rick and Mark for sharing those. The bass lines were fun indeed.

Next, in response to nothing in particular comes the request for Dynomite by Taio Cruz. I frankly had a hard time with this because it's been SO over played on the radio (unless you don't listen to the radio...), the words are ridiculous (in my humble opinion) but then again, it's not exactly like I have a mega hit on the radio and have any room to talk. But it's SO DARN CATCHY.  Not to mention it's also CLEAN hip-hop, r&b whatever stuff... yes that's a new category... look for it in Billboard... "Clean hip-hop-r&b-whatevah-stuff" (the whatever got "thuggin'" at the end there)... Thanks to Angela for that one.

Mary suggested "Happy" by the Kooks. Upbeat. Kinda fluffy. Nice. Almost like cotton candy for your ear.

Last but not least, Opera+Rock= eh? (Seriously haven't found a words to describe...) Wanderlust-Nightwish Emily suggested this one. Maybe a little dark for my tastes (especially since the title means "desire to wander" which usually is a... um... happy feeling) but the idea is to experience new stuff and I'm just more thrilled that people are sharing stuff. So I threw in the next one to end on a fun note. Hocus Pocus-Focus

Remember it's not over until the hairy, hippie Dutch band yodels...

Thanks again for sharing, everyone! Keep the music coming and pass it on! ;)

Tomorrow

K, so there's been a LOT of cool stuff that's just recently happened in my musical life and I wanted to do posts about that but I haven't given everything a thorough listen yet. So I thought, I'll go back and post what others have shared--I've been saving up and I think there's enough for another post--but then I realized there's one or two I haven't listened to and on top of that, I already had two other posts in the works... and so, I've come up with the perfect plan: You get NONE of them!!! Bwah ha ha ha! But I'm withholding music only because I care. So, since it's late, I'll figure things out tomorrow. Until then here's some songs about "Tomorrow"

Guster-I Hope Tomorrow is Like Today - Beautiful song. (Guest appearance by Ben Kweller)
Avril Lavigne- Tomorrow- I think this song really show cases how lovely of a voice she can have.
Jack Johnson- Tomorrow Morning- Just fun.

It's kinda nice that they're all pretty laid back too. A nice way to end the day. Although you probably won't be listening to this tonight. You'll probably be listening to this... tomorrow.

Blues Traveler

I'm sorry, I couldn't really think of a good title. John Popper Post probably would've been confusing and Harmonica Hero was a little too corny for even me. At any rate, I've long been a fan of a few of their songs especially since a common love of one of their hits played a part in bringing me and Dorothy together :p So when they came in concert, we went and they were awesome. So I decided to listen to all of their albums. After 8 albums, they all start to sound similar but that's not to say it's a bad sound. Most of their stuff is really catchy and John Popper is absolutely AMAZING on that there mouth harp o' his and his vocals are inCREDible! As usual, there are too many good ones so I tried to pick the ones that really stood out and put the rest in the Grooveshark playlist. Here are my favorites:

Blues Traveler- But Anyway
Save His Soul- Believe Me, Conquer Me
four- Run Around, Hook (top two favorite), Crash & Burn (fun little "jam" session)
Straight On til Morning- Canadian Rose (at Dorothy's request)
Bridge- Back in the Day, Just for Me (top 3 favorite)
Travelouge- Regarding Steven (really powerful vocals)
North Hollywood Shootout- Free Willis (not because it's great but because it's Bruce Willis and it's funny)

You can also hear the Pop-ster's harmonica skills on What Would You Say (the only good part of the song), and Curbside Prophet. Anyways, give 'em a listen, share suggestions, pass it along and enjoy!

Notice a theme?

Guess who's done with his massive paper and class that didn't have enough material to last as long as it did?... ME!!! Needless to say, I'm feelin' pretty good. I couldn't help but think of the lyrics to "Since U Been Gone" and apply them to my beastly class and paper...

Paper beats rock...

Here's the thing
We started out friends
It was cool, but it was all pretend...
But since you been gone
I can breathe for the first time
I'm so movin' on...

So here's some tunes to celebrate freedom! Not all the songs are necessarily about celebrating or freedom but I think they convey the general "phew! glad-that's-over-now-we-crank-the-volume" feeling that we're going for (I know I've posted some of these before but they fit the mood. Best for a drive on a bright day w/  the windows down :) So here they are:

I Just Want to Celebrate-Rare Earth
Island In the Sun-Weezer
Glass of Water- Coldplay
Zero Friction- The Presidents
Jerk It Out- The Caesers
Party Song- Catch 22
Times Like These- Foo Fighters
Jump- Van Halen

There you have it! What are your favorite kick-back, fun time songs? Send suggestions and pass it on!

Another Newton!

So, there's been a wonderful-ish turn of events. Y'all have broken the readership records! When I first started back in Nov, page views peaked and have been up and down since but this month's peak on the graph thingy was HIGHER! So, I s'pose a big thank you is in order, so... THANK YOU!! (get it? cuz it's in caps. tee hee)
There is one bit I'm wondering about, though. For some reason, the post about Newton Faulkner has been the VAST majority of views. I have several hypotheses to explain this phenomenon: either all the views come from a die-hard Newton fan who just can't get enough, Newton's getting increasingly popular and more people are googling him in general , or I'm a ridiculously good writer and people keep coming back to partake of my razor sharp wit and rugged good looks (and I think we all know which option is the most feasible... ;)

So, to all you Newton-ians out there, here are my favs from his 2nd album to hold you over until his nextalbum hits later this year. They're a little different from his last album (a bit more focused on his amazing vocals and bit fuller sound than just him and his guitar) but still great stuff!

If This Is It, Lipstick Jungle, Let's Get Together, Won't Let Go, Over & Out, I'm not Giving Up Yet and he's got some fun instrumental bits on this album too: Resin Theramins, Cheltenham

And to whoever you are that keep looking at that one post in particular, maybe we can make a deal: if you read my other posts or get a lot of your friends to follow my blog or just more people to share suggestions, I will BUY you your very own copy of his 1st album. How 'bout it? Until then, pass it on and enjoy! Thanks again to everyone who reads this :)

Norwegian Awesomeness!!

K, so I've already explained the situation with these next few posts in a former post so we'll just get down to business. Today's music is brought to you by Sondre Lerche (Ler- K... I believe that's close to how's it's actually pronounced) and he is AMAZING!! He does it all: acoustic, smooth quartet jazz, more alternative-y rock, even film scores! We went to his concert last month: likewise AWESOME!  His music is real; not formulaic or superficial. Not to mention his guitar work is SPECTACULAR! I simply can not rave enough.  This is what music is all about. It sounds funny but I think he is kind of what I would be had I been born more Norwegian, better looking and with ridiculous amounts of talent... so basically not like me at all... but still...

Proof I was there ;)

He has FAR too many great songs to pick my customary 5 or 6 so here are my favorites from all his albums. There's a lot but you should listen to them all. Seriously! Love them. And love HIM... but like a brother or something...
Faces Down- Modern Nature (this is one of my all time favorites)
Two Way Monologue- Two Way Monologue
Duper Sessions- Everyone's Rooting for You, Human Hands, Lulu-vise (Norwegian in action? Warning: it gets stuck in your head)
Phantom Punch- Say it All, Tragic Mirror, John Let Me Go
Dan in Real Life- Family Theme Waltz, To Be Surprised, My Hands Are Shaking (this was SO cool live), Dan in Real Life, Family Theme, Dan & Marie Melody, Dan & Marie Finale Theme.  A lot, I know but I just couldn't choose. This should tell you how great they are. Plus, most o' them are short.
Heartbeat Radio- Good Luck, Easy to Persuade
Sondre Lerche- Ricochet, Coliseum Town, When the River

There's many more that I didn't put on here but are on the "TheMusicMann" Playlist on my grooveshark page. Some that I really like but don't really know what they're about (ie- if they're entirely appropriate for here) are Face the Blood, The Tape, Private Caller, H__ No (with Regina Spektor). At any rate, LISTEN TO THEM ALL BECAUSE THEY'RE AMAZING!!

Next week: Blues Traveler. Til then, here's a preview. ENJOY! Send suggestions and pass it along!

And it's another long blog post... it's going, it's, it's...Intercepted!

Okay, that was my lame attempt at a "punny" title--I thought of making a reference to Inception just cuz that's hip and/or with it but that would've been even more of a stretch and it wouldn't have been pretty. Trust me.

At any rate, I feel bad for the low quality posts as of late and all the excuses so here's a short one just to say sorry. The band is Intercept. I found them via Pandora and I already posted one of their other songs but I've heard a few more since and thought I'd share. They're not real big (their website is kinda weak--think late 90's-- and they're not even on Wikipedia) but they're good. So you can be proud of knowing an obscure, non indie band. Give yourself a pat on the back!

Home
Imaginary Friends
Gravity (This is the one I already posted but it's worth listening to again)

And although I've already covered this artist, this song has not been shared. Enjoy!

Bass Guitar Therapy

I know it's mid-week but I feel so guilty I had to post something.  Here's the deal: recently I've been to two amazing concerts (Sondre Lerche and Blues Traveler) and I was so excited to do a "I just went to this concert last weekend and you should all listen to and support their music" post for both of them.  So I did my homework and listened to all their albums (7 for Sondre and 7 for Blues Traveler) but, due to other homework (see last week's post) I haven't really had time to pick favorites (there's a LOT) and compose my thoughts (submitting something here for the world to read can be daunting) even though it probably isn't as big of a deal to y'all.

So, until I get a break in schoolwork, you get to deal with my therapist... loud rock that I have figured out the bass lines to.  That's right, because I'm part of the awesomest family EVER, last night Christmas came early (not because you resemble Santa, Mark) and a bass guitar by the name of Dr. Funkenstein was bestowed upon me. I apologize if some of you aren't fans of this genre but just focus on the bass lines, I guess. They are cool... promise!

One last bit of house cleaning: Since the Jesse Ruben post where I bragged about beating the system to get Switchfoot on grooveshark, the system has fought back and most of them are gone. I will not take this lying down though, my friends! I will continue to fight!... and most likely lose but that's not important!  Also, the 3 songs that weren't up on the 'Merica post are now up and running so you can give those a listen to as well (which you really should because they're some of my favorites). And here we go!

Rock n' Roll- Led Zepplin. No fancy bass lines but it's driving. Plus, it has been a long time...
Are You Gonna Be My Girl?- Jet. Again, nothin' fancy but fun.
The Distance- Cake (maybe not so much "loud" as it is fun to play)
Sabotage (edited)- Beastie Boys (which really oughta be the beastie men since they're all in their mid 40's)
This week's mystery song is also a bass therapy song that's neither loud nor rockin'. But I can totally play it and it's fun. What are your favorite bass songs?

Midsummer Term's Nightmare

And here's the band spitting & smashing...

As you might have gathered from the title, I'm still in school... in the summer... not cool. As you may have further gathered from the title... it's a nightmare. And, if you haven't also gathered from the title, (I'll just come out and say it before your arms get tired from all that gathering) this will be short. I have been working hard on listening, I promise. I'm just not quite there yet. But I've got some in the works that are AWESOME. I know that's what I usually say but it's true.... AWESOME. So wait patiently. And until then, enjoy this one song from that one band that I probably won't give a deeper look into.

Goodnight Gravity by Falling Up

Sorry it's not more. Hope you still like it. Now back to reading "Faust."

'MERICA!

Okay, first an explanation. Last year around 4th of July time we were hanging out with our cousins at the mandatory 4th o' July flea market--you know, the ones where you can get an inflatable, squeaky anything and knock-off sunglasses for more than they're worth because they know parents really just want to keep their kids from whining? They gouge because they care... (or was it can?) Anyways, the various booths led us to the topic of that sort of "culture," I guess is what you'd call it, that is really into, well,... stuff. Wolf shirts, dream catchers, those bought-on-the-side-of-the-road-blankets with KISS, Bob Marley and Betty Boop on them... Which, individually, might not be too scary but when one person owns ALL of the above... "our powers combined, we are..." someone kinda creepy. So we decided this culture should be called: 'MERICA!

I'm not saying these songs are what constitute someone living in 'MERICA, especially since I really like most of them. That just made for a fun inside joke that I thought I'd share (kinda defeating the "inside" of it all but oh well...) All that work for a clever title? Yes. Why?... I don't quite know. ON TO THE MUSIC!

Fortunate Son- CCR. You don't get more American than this. I know for a FACT that CCR haters are all communists. K, I don't know but I have my suspicions...
American Girl- Tom Petty. Most people know Free Fallin' but this is from his very first album. It's a classic yet somehow I still find myself telling Dorothy that disliking Tom Petty is un-american.
All-American Girl- Carrie Underwood. I s'pose I had to put something country on here but this is as far as I will go. Plus, she's got some PIPES. So that makes it okay, I guess.
Saturday in the Park- Chicago. It's not Saturday and we're not in a park but no 4th is complete without it.
Sleeping w/ the Television On- Billy Joel. If you turn it up at the very beginning, you should hear something patriotic.
Kick Out the Jams- Presidents of United States of America. Just cuz their name is patriotic and the song is really fun.
On a more serious, respectful and reverent note, this is one of the most beautiful tributes I've ever heard. I was lucky enough to hear Ken Burns lecture at BYU when he sneak previewed this clip.

National Anthem- Jon Foreman. I know I already posted this but it's still cool.
And a mystery shout out to our northern neighbors in honor of last week and just cuz it's silly.
Thanks for listening and sharing and a special thank you to all those who made/ make this country great. Go read the Declaration or Constitution or watch 1776. Happy 4th! God bless!

Newsies?

Hey all! So... this is kinda awkward. I threw a less than dignified fit (which worked, by the way) and the views and comments abounded. But then I kinda felt silly for crying like a little girl... I thought, maybe if I could pretend it didn't happen but that doesn't give y'all the credit you deserve for your efforts and so I guess I'll just say a huge THANK YOU! (get it? cuz it's in caps?... he he... nervous laughter) and leave it at that. Also, I apologize for my absence in the past weeks. I was attempting to cram an entire term's worth of work into 2 weeks. I appreciate your patience. On to the music!

So, I don't have too much time today because it's the first day of Summer Term so here's some songs I've been keeping handy for a quick post. Some are suggestions from y'all and some are ones I stumbled across but the common theme is they're ALL NEW...ish (I think). Enjoy!

Without You, Tonight You Belong to Me- Jerry & Erin suggested Eddie Vedder's new album of Ukulele songs but didn't give specifics, so I picked the two I liked the best... hope I didn't pick the worst ones ;)
Shark Fighter- The Aquabats (Kinda silly but REALLY catchy)
The Ballad of Mona Lisa- Panic! at the Disco (not normally a fan but again, really catchy)
With You Around- from Yellowcard's new album. Suggested by Garrett.
Every Teardrop is a Waterfall- Coldplay's newest single!!! (more than a little excited for this album to come out...)

That's it! Give 'em a listen and pass 'em on! You guys ROCK!! ;)

(This week's Mystery Song is brought to you by Dorothy)

Grab Bag of Random-ness!!

I apologize for this not being "Sharing Time 2" like I said last time but I really try to give suggestions a good listen and I haven't gotten to all of them just yet and I'm musically against just throwing something on here last minute/ without any effort.

Please Come Back!

Also, there's been a recent trend that we need to discuss. Have a seat. This will only take a second.... *breathes in heavily*... participation is down. BIG time. Now, I don't expect every post to be everyone's favorite every time (but I actually kinda do;) and it's okay if you don't feel like taking a second to shoot me a suggestion (for those who have, this doesn't apply to you because I'm inexplicably grateful and I'm listening to them slowly but Shirley ;) because I like sharing and writing about the stuff I already know. I have faith in you guys and that y'all will warm up to the whole "sharing-my-music-with-Matt-so-he-can-find-new-stuff-too" idea eventually.  BUT, according to my figure (yes, I actually have A single number to support this... that number being zero) NO ONE is reading this.

I'm Sorry!

The Newton Faulkner post back in March has been the most viewed so far (for which I thank you profusely) but these last two posts have been virtually ignored (get it? like a computer?). Where did I go wrong? What can I do to make it up to you? Was it the Cars? I know they're 80's... I apologize! I'm sorry! I want to hear from you! What makes you view Newton Faulkner over 150 times and then stop altogether? Was he just THAT awesome and now you never need to listen to anything ever again? Please... SPEAK TO ME!! Take me back! I promise I'll do better!!! :( I put a sad face on there so you'd know I'm sincere.

I Need You! ;)

That being said, here's a desperate attempt to play something y'all will like. These are a bunch of songs where I've already posted about or probably won't bother with a post solely about that band but still like the one song. I tried to get a little of everything in here. PLEASE LIKE IT... and (by extension) MY BLOG! ;)

Desperate pleas aside, here's the music! ;)
Opportunity- Catch 22
Gravity- Intercept (I LOVE this one... so should you)
Little Girl- The Daylights (friends with Switchfoot I believe...)
The World Turned Upside Down- Coldplay
Monsoon- Jack Johnson
This Is Him- Virginia Coalition
The Story- Brandi Carlile
Fortune & Fame- The K.G.B.
Roll to Me- Del Amitri
And just in case I was right about Newton Faulkner being all you need in life: Enjoy! and Share!!

Whisper-man and the Vroom Vrooms!

Today is your lucky day!! It's a semi-sharing day combined with a current but classic event of a lifetime all rolled up into one (not too) big ball of fun... stuff! I'm not going to lie, I have mixed feelings about the first part but I hope no one will take anything I say too seriously. With that, onward we go!

Billy Joel meets Harry Connick

The first stop on our magical musical tour, brought to you by Traci, is... drum roll please.... Whisper-man! (aka Joshua Radin... "Whisper-man" is just what I decided to call him for reasons that will soon become clear). WARNING: don't listen to these while driving or performing some other task of which staying awake is an integral part... like working at the front desk in a library. They mostly all sound the same: soft and slow and you WILL fall asleep if exposed to severe "Radin-ation" for exteneded periods of time. However, although they all sound the same, they all sound good. Here's my favorites:

Everything'll Be Alright- He kinda whisper-sings but once you get past that, it's nice.
Star Mile- I like the duet feel. It balances out the whisper.
I'd Rather Be With You- He ups the volume a bit more and adds some drums.

I feel like I should throw in a "but don't take my word for it" in here somewhere. Listen to his other stuff whilst laying in a hammock or snuggled up in a blanket on a couch. Quite relaxing. (Word of caution: there's a COMPLETELY random, unnecessary, and just plain stupid F-bomb in "sun drenched world" but everything else seems perfectly clean :)

Then, after you've enjoyed your nap, we come to the CARS!!! (get it? vroom vroom?... nervous laughter...) This is already a longish post so I'll keep this short and sweet. They're awesome and they're BACK! In honor of their reunion tour that I sadly won't be going to, we will now celebrate them here with my personal favs:

My Best Friend's Girl
Let's Go- Fun claps.
Bye Bye Love- No awesome solo on this but it's punchy.
And the ABSOLUTE ALL-TIME BEST for last: Just What I Needed (You need to CRANK this one).

Next week- Sharing Time 2: Revenge of the Riffs!... until then, here's a mystery song. Enjoy! And keep sharing!! ;)

Self-awareness and Eric Hutchinson!!

This is me being not cool

So, I had briefly considered trying to incorporate something about Bin Laden in here since I do try my hardest to appear "hip and with it" and it's what all the cool kids are talking about but then I remembered,... I'm not cool; I cried; sought therapy; dealt with it and now I'm back ;) I will take the time, however, to steal my funny cousin in-law's quip that Osama must be very confused not having any virgins, having Hitler as a room mate, and being forced to watch Rosie O' Donnell reruns all day long. Tee hee. However, had it been MY quip, I think I would have substituted  Carrot Top in there...

"So, let's get down to the Neety Greety." Who is this artist of the week? None other than Eric Hutchinson!! His favorite color is light tan and his favorite animal is poopies... Don't ask me how or why Nacho Libre snuck its way in there but it is an awesome show. Seriously though, this guy is awesome. If you have extra time, give the whole album a listen because they'll all great songs but here are my favs. Also, keep a look out for his new album coming out soon! It looks to be very promising indeed. Enjoy!

All Over Now- Probably MY favorite. Good groove to it and it's happy.
Back to Where I Was- This one really showcases his vocals I think.
Hasn't Been Long Enough- This is a really well written song. Lyrics and melody and structure and what not.
Rock 'n' Roll- Probably his most famous. And rightly so, cuz it's awesome.

Next week I'll either hit Joshua Radin or Yellowcard... we'll see. And here's this week's Mystery Song! Remember to share! Send me suggestions, feedback, candy or pass this on to someone else!!

OH!! One last thing: For those who feel like this post wasn't nearly patriotic enough, I give you Jon Foreman. The National Anthem never sounded SO COOL! 

In light of recent events...

Okay, so I have a dilemma on my hands. I have been working on this post for the last 2 weeks. The problem is that there's just too many songs I want to share from this band. In an attempt to give a well-rounded, in-depth look at their music I listened to 5 out of 6 of their albums and found out that my favorites were the ones I already knew and liked. However, the less awesome, mediocre ones were really fun too and should definitely be given a chance... So here are the best ones in a nutshell but don't think this lets you off the hook... PLEASE listen to the other stuff anyways just because they're really fun... please? So here's the out-dated post from two weeks ago:
 
So, last week Mitt (which I STILL think is a really weird name...) Romney announced his whatever-you-call-it thing-that-basically-means-he's-running-for-president-without-actually-saying-he's-running-for-president (which, parenthetically, I think is ALSO a little off... Why not just say it? It's not like it'll be a surprise to anyone when he officially announces his actual campaign... "I'd like to announce my official presidential campaign" "WHOA!! Where did that come from? I didn't even see that coming!")

Anywhooo, it got me thinking of Presidents in general. And then I thought about THE Presidents. That's right, The Presidents of the United States of America. No, not the actual ones. The other Presidents of the United States of America. K, seriously? I'm not going to go through this. Where were you in the 90's? If you don't know, well,... shame on you. To put it simply, there's the Presidents and then there's the Presidents. And I think we ALL know which is better... (I'll give you a hint... it's the Presidents ;)

Rowdy Warning: These are kinda rowdy... if that's a problem, maybe wait until you're cleaning your house on a Saturday... perfect rowdy time.

Peaches- The song that started it all. Not their greatest... but it still is in a way...
Mach 5- Zippy little tune.
Video Killed the Radio Star- It's a cover but it's better than the original. The drums are TIGHT.
Cleveland Rocks- Kinda repetitive but I like it. Got a little blues shuffle and fun bridge...
Tiny Explosions- Peppy and what not.
Zero Friction- My personal, all time favorite. Just can't beat a "don't worry, be happy song." 
Poke & Destroy- The ABSOLUTE BEST DESCRIPTION OF THE MINDS OF BOYS EVER!!!

No mystery song this week due to the already lengthy playlist. Enjoy!!

(Insert Clever Title Here...)

So, if I've written 16 posts and I have 16 followers, does that mean that this post (the 17th) gets me another follower? Oh I hope, I hope!! ;)

Today is about... well, I don't really know how to classify this guy. His name's Newton Faulkner. It's mostly acoustic but it's not like Jack Johnson-ish stuff. It's mostly up-beat and perky. Kinda his own sound... Listen especially to his guitar work. He strums, picks and thumps on his guitar interchangeably which 1) takes an enormous amount of skill and 2) sounds just plain AWESOME. Also, you really NEED to listen to more than just these songs so I'll throw a few more on the Grooveshark playlist. But at least give these ones a listen. Enjoy!
Intro/To the Light- Although they're separate tracks on Grooveshark, you need to make sure to listen to them back to back so as not to interrupt the awesome-ness.
I Need Something
All I Got- "I gotta have more COWBELL!!"  :) @1:00 ish
Teardrop- kicks in @ 1:30 ish... cool.
Gone in the Morning- Warning: this one will get stuck in your head very easily if you let it... (I know I already put it on Facebook but it's still a good song)
People Should Smile More

Here's a video of him playing into the light: (looks like he plays his guitar much like a funk/ slap bass player)

Don't forget to pass this along and share your feedback! Have a wonderful day y'all!

Jesse Ruben and the Return of the Foot...

K. This one is late and is short. Sorry. But here's a really cool song: "Unlocked" by Jesse Ruben. It's awesome.

Also, I was FINALLY able to upload all those Switchfoot songs I  posted a while back. For some slightly idiotic reason, I could upload anything I wanted except Switchfoot songs. And you can't find them on Grooveshark. For a while I thought they had a personal vendetta against Switchfoot. So I changed the band name to "myband" and it worked. "Numba 2" is Hello Hurricane (album version) and Hello Hurricane is the studio version. In case any of y'all actually are as picky as me :) Those are now to be found in Themusicmann playlist on my Grooveshark page or on the side of the blog. As always, enjoy!! Please share songs with me or this page with others!! ;)

ps- here's a kinda creepy tidbit... I didn't actually call it "numba 2." I tried uploading it. It failed again and I gave up for the day, came back on a few days later and they were all there and this one was renamed.... weird.

"But I kinda like the music..."

So, I apologize if the last post didn't meet up with some peoples' standards and I must admit, those weren't exactly the cream of the crop as far as oldies go. However, if you'll recall, I was sick... does that make it okay? No? Well, that's too bad because, if you'll also recall, the point of this blog isn't necessarily to play the best, it's to find new things. Hopefully those will usually be one and the same but in instances where oldies are concerned, I can understand how certain songs could be seen as "moldy." Hence, in an effort to rectify the situation, I will now make another attempt at oldies but this time, with a bit more of a mix of best and the new (even though they're technically old...) So, if you please, join me in welcoming back from their recent cheap casino tour, 3 Dog Night!!! YAY! Seriously though, they're cool. Give a listen :D

First and foremost, their most famous (probably) and INfamous, Joy to the World. I say infamous not because drinking booze with an amphibian is in any way particularly dastardly but because it just so happens to be the song we were singing at the top of our lungs when I got in my first car accident... long story.

Next is one maybe not AS well known (or infamous) but just as good if you ask me. Old Fashioned Love Song. I even went through the trouble of finding my favorite version for you (took me a WHOLE 15 minutes) so don't ever say I ain't ever done nothin' for ya ;)

And last is Never Been to Spain. Not their best but still kinda fun and quirky. For instance, equating heaven with Oklahoma... at any rate, enjoyable.

And here's one more just for good measure: Click Here (it's a surprise!) 
Enjoy! Comments and suggestions are welcomed and encouraged. I'll even give you a topic: What's YOUR favorite oldie(s)? Share that with me and/or this with others! :)

"It just makes me SICK!... and tired!"

"I don't remember anything after that."--Bill Cosby. For anyone that hasn't seen it, Bill Cosby Himself, here's the quoted clip.  So, basically I'm sick. Well, not sick but not a happy camper. So I thought of this one. Dig it. Rockin' Pneumonia- Johnny Rivers

Which got me thinking of oldies. Which is an endless journey full of wonder and hippies. Unfortunately, there's not enough time for that but here's just a few to satisfy your need for flower power and shag carpet until I can get to a more extensive band by band exploration of what James Taylor calls "the forgotten decade." 

Red Rubber Ball- The Cyrkle- A happy bitter song? SWEET!

Shambala- Three Dog Night- Quite a few (too many if you ask me) are familiar with a certain (sub standard) accapella version of this song. So, here's the original in all its 3 Dog splendor.

Midnight Confession- The Grass Roots

Wonderful World- Sam Cooke- I just love how smoooooth his voice is. Especially his scales and what not.

Friday on My Mind- The Easybeats- Because let's face it. We all wish it was Friday again.

And one more that has nothing to do with any of that: Click Here for Awesome-ness

Enjoy! Don't forget to share! :)

Gabe Dixon Band

Hey all! Another short post... (do you guys even like these?) I was told to make them shorter but the participation has kinda gone down... :(  *Cough cough, hint hint*
Anyways, if there's anyone reading this, hopefully this one's worth it. I know I think it is. Enjoy!

Disappear- Gabe Dixon Band  (I especially like @ 3:35ish when the bass kicks in with the sliding and hammering...)

PS- Please please please, *ahem* "feel free" to leave me some feedback *ahem*... I know, I know, I'm WAY subtle ;)

French Music!!

The first comes from a group outta Portland called Pink Martini. They've got some pretty good stuff. Really fun. I might do a more indepth post on them later. And the second is from the Ratatoullie soundtrack. Also not originating from France but the girl singing, Camille, is french- Caution on the wikipedia link... she is French.  Okay, so these aren't really authentic french groups. But doesn't the fact that there's french in them make me sound cultured? I thought so. Enjoy!

Sympathique- Pink Martini

Le Festin (The Feast)- Camille

Quick Brit Tidbit

K. So, it's late and I don't have much time but I wanted to share this one real quick. "Have I Been a Fool?" Now, before y'all say, "Yes, Matt, you have and continue to be..." may I note that I did NOT write this song. This is brought to you by a wondrous little British chap, Jack Peñate... (clean little man, ain't he?). I don't know anything about him or the rest of his music so if you go wandering and find unpleasantness, not my fault :) But I LOVE this one and will try to find out more for a later post. But for now, ENJOY!! (and don't forget to share;) 

Midnight Post!

This is me not being tired...

So, it's late but I'm not tired and so I thought I'd throw a song on here real quick. It's called "Afterglow" by Ian Axel. It's kinda interesting. His vocals are... unique. They're somewhere between "different and refreshing" and "I can see this getting annoying really quick if I listen to more than one song of his in a row." But the music is great and it gets stuck in my head real easy. As far as the rest of his stuff goes, I have no clue. I started listening to the rest of his album and most of the other tracks had explicit lyrics so I didn't finish it and cannot, therefore recommend more of his songs. But I hope y'all like this one!

Vamlumtime's is SERIOUS times!

K, so I was debating whether or not to have a V-day themed blog or if I should post a bunch of "stick it to the man" songs in honor of the absolutely awesome recent events in Egypt. So how 'bout a little of both? Mush for the couples and rebellion for the singles! That's not to say that Egyptians are singles who hate valentines....

So, here's some of my favorite mushy songs. If you don't agree, tough. Skip to the end of this blog and have fun raining on peoples' parades ;)

Oh, How I Miss You- Ryan Shupe & the Rubber Band (our song ;)
The Luckiest- Ben Folds (any mushy list wouldn't be complete without it)
Never My Love- The Association
Lucky- Jason Mraz
Green Eyes- Coldplay
That's All- Michael Buble (I recall dancing to this song with a particularly beautiful bride at a certain wedding..)

I'll spare y'all any more. Let it simply be said that I love my girl more than anything (even MUSIC) and I hope y'all have found/ can find someone as wonderful as she is.

Now, HOORAY EGYPT!!!! First, I would be remiss in my musical duties if I didn't take this opportunity to share a little Bangles... but to be honest, I like this version better:


Other possibly applicable songs (some are Stick It to the Man songs and others are simply good ol' bitter songs. Cuz Who doesn't enjoy a good bitter song every once in a while?)
Get Up Stand Up- Bob Marley
Irreplaceable- Beyonce (can you imagine all the Egyptians singing this to their president? Tee hee)
Holiday- Green Day
Since U Been Gone- Kelly Clarkson
Gives You H...- The All-American Rejects (my lame attempt at editing it, that is...)
King Of Anything- Sara Bareilles

And for those with a twisted sense of humor: A Dramatic Reading of a Break-Up Letter

Sharing Time!! :)

K, so I'm sorry to anyone who's been absolutely DYING of anticipation waiting for the next post. I'm behind in my school work and have been kinda busy. But the good news is, I've finally gotten enough feedback from y'all to do a post about songs that have been suggested to me! Hooray!

I've also been told (by several people now, not just Garrett) that my posts are too long. I'd thought it would be nice to have some sort of back ground or explanation to serve as a contextual setting to better understand or appreciate the music. But this turn of events actually makes it easy on everyone because now I don't have to put as much effort into crafting my posts and trying to be funny/ entertaining and y'all don't have to put as much effort into reading/ experiencing the music and trying to put up with my lack of actual wit! Thus the (possible) end of my lengthy rambles has begun! Huzzah! Be free my followers! Free from incoherent rambling and lame jokes! With that, here's the music!

Garrett suggested "Worn" by Sherwood from their album QU. It's a pretty good acoustic song. I must confess I liked their last album, A Different Light, better but this one was still good. More info on Sherwood
Also take a listen to:
"You are" (the music video for it's kinda fun; click HERE)
"Song in My Head"
"For the Longest Time"


Caleb suggested y'all should give Steel Train a listen. I thought these were the best (of what I've listened to)
"Firecracker"
"Children of the 90's"
More info on Steel Train





 Ky shared We Shot the Moon.
"The Bright Side"
"The Water's Edge"
"Sway Your Head"
She only suggested 3 songs but they definitely warrant a more thorough listen later on... mayhaps whilst visiting Walden Pond? With Ralph Waldo Emerson? (Get it? Like Thoreau? Still got a lame joke in there, HA!)

And just for good measure: "Forget You" by Cee-Lo
Enjoy!!

Named After My Uncle "Nick"...el

Okay, maybe not REALLY but how cool would that be if I really did have an uncle Nick and a band was named after him? Ok, maybe not that cool. Makes for a lame joke, though! :)

K, first off: I apologize once more that I have yet to post some of the songs that have been suggested to me. I've been waiting to get enough for a whole post of nothing but what others have suggested and I think we're almost there. So, as usual, keep suggesting. Specifics always help but if all you can manage is a band name, that works too (it'll just take me some time to listen to their stuff and find some favorites... which is great for me but not so speedy for y'all)

So, I'll try to keep this one brief (which, of course, probably won't happen... sorry Garrett ;) Nickel Creek. Abso-freekin'-awesome. The tunes are catchy, well crafted and fun but the main draw for me is the sheer TALENT, with a capital T... (and ALENT) that is behind these songs. If I've got my backstories straight, they (Sean and Sarah Watkins and Chris Thile) were child prodigies on Guitar, Fiddle, and Mandolin respectively who formed a group in their early teens (?) and were simply amazing until they separated 18 years later. They're all doing solo stuff now some of which is okay and other stuff which is... well, not. But give 'em a listen, "cuz they good!" to quote Bubs (if you get that reference, you're awesome. Pat yourself on the back or buy yourself something nice ;)

I would strongly suggest listening to these albums in their entirety.  But for the "time-crunch-ed" peeps out there I'll give you the highlights: From their first album "Nickel Creek" (very creative title, btw) I like their instrumentals the most because it showcases just how amazing they are. Check out "Ode to a Butterfly" ( mind blowing amazing-ness occurs especially @ the 2:12 mark) and "House of Tom Bombadil." For vocals, check out "Out of the Woods" and "When You Come Back Down."

Their next album, "This Side" is probably my favorite. Awesomeness being "Smoothie Song," "This Side" (which is probably their most recognizable... "this is the reason they are successful and famous") and "Green and Grey." I also really like "Spit on a Stranger" but most people think it's pretty silly. It does have a rockin' awesome electric-wah pedal effect on the fiddle, though.

"Why Should the Fire Die" is a bit darker but still has some good ones. "Doubting Thomas" is just plain smooth. Absolutely incredible harmonies. Also in "Jealous of the Moon." "Scotch & Chocolate" is another amazing instrumental which is particularly fun because it starts out slow and smooth and builds. "Tomorrow is a Long Time" is also a good song for Sarah (her voice on her other ones kinda bothers me a little... don't know why). Kinda minor and it's a "bitter song" but "Somebody more like you" is kinda cool (who doesn't enjoy a good "bitter song" every once in a while?)

And just for good measure: Chris Thile's blowing Bach's mind!... Well, my mind anyways... hopefully yours too! Enjoy! As always, feel free to share suggestions! Or just tell your friends!

URGENT!!!... okay, well, maybe not that urgent but still pretty darn imiportant!

First off, I'm sorry for not posting anything for two weeks. New semester and what not... Anyways, apologies aside DROP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND LISTEN TO THIS SONG RIGHT NOW!! (Unless, of course, you're a doctor holding a new born baby or a heart surgeon mid operation... then don't... Pull it out, stitch it up THEN listen.) But considering I only have 14 followers (that I know of) and none of y'all are doctors, obviously the next most important thing--and Ben and Ky will most likely back me up on this, therefore making it even more legitimate--is my demand that you listen to this song. It's obvious you guys need to sort a few priorities out... besides, if your job or whatever is so important, why aren't you performing open heart surgery right now?... That's what I thought.

K. Seriously though, here it is: "Ruby Falls" by Guster. Yes, I know I already did a fairly large Guster post. Yes, it might be a little more minor than their other stuff... would you quit arguing and just LISTEN TO IT?... are you still reading this? Stop it!! Just listen! We'll talk more later!

For those who are still reading (Garrett is long gone by now) this is why everyone should listen to this song at least 5 million times and love it: It starts out small and grows (gotta love dynamics), I LOVE songs that "explode" (or "kick in," to coin a phrase from my pops) and this song does it several times--1:00, 2:20, and kinda @ 3:21, driving bass riffs are always a plus--after the "chorus" starts each time, I love the synthisizer/ keyboard/ whatever at the 2:20 mark that sort of wails or however you wish to describe it... the vocals are simply INCREDIBLE-- the melody is catchy and the harmonies (3:20 ish) are tight and really moving. Reminiscent of the Beatles in "Let it Be" or "You Never Give Me Your Money." And it all calms down and ends on a happy, floating jam band vibe. Otherwise it'd be kinda dark but it doesn't which is awesome. Also, it doesn't have the cookie cutter form to it where you can see the rhymes, choruses and modulations coming from a mile away which is always refreshing.

Basically it's an easy going power ballad that digs in deep, takes you on an incredible and moving ride through dark and light, sweet and edgy, dynamic emotions and spits you out refreshed, relaxed yet energized and feeling great! (Sorry if that's overly smarmy but that's the only way I can describe it in written form.) Enjoy! More songs later, this was just an absolute MUST.
If you must have a video, here it is but it's live and therefore the sound quality isn't as good but pretty true to the actual recording: