Yellowcard - City of Devils

Different music does different things for me.  Metal is the elixir of life, rap is for the gritty times, pop gives you a pulse...and then there's Yellowcard.  Lights and Sounds is one of my albums.  It's music that never sounds bad, and is always there to inspire the best ideas.  Seriously, guys.  The band has unfortunately gone a little downhill in the last two albums, but Lights and Sounds is their best work ever.  I'll give props to Ocean Avenue and Paper Walls, but Lights and Sounds is something else, and eventually all of the songs there will be here.  So let's keep it going, shall we?

"City of Devils" isn't one of their high-energy pop-punk pieces, but a slow and lovely orchestral-powered storm of awesome.  Yes, you got that right.  It's in the vein of the good Goo Goo Dolls songs, but still that sunny Florida rock we loved from Yellowcard back then.  Ryan Key has great strength to his voice when he takes it easy, and when that's mixed with the band's lovely violin and soft arrangements of the other instruments, you have a masterpiece.  On the album, it's the perfect compliment to the grand and lush tracks.  Some songs are soft, but there's still a punch packed in real tight for when you need it.

Children of Bodom - Scream For Silence

There's just something wonderful about death metal, and there's something even more wonderful about Finland's Children of Bodom.  I've been slowly getting into this band over the last few years, and every time I find something new, I love it even more.  Today's "Scream For Silence" is from the band's 2013 release Halo of Blood, but don't let the implied gore scare you away.  I actually find that Children of Bodom is a very approachable metal band, though not for everyone at the same time.  "Scream For Silence" is still a lush version of melodic death metal with a guitar arrangement that I would break for and harsh vocals from lead Alexi Laiho that are definitely harsh, as it should be.  Death metal isn't something you half-ass, and Children of Bodom puts everything they have into their work, and it shows in "Scream For Silence."  Looks like I've found myself another obsession.

Lea Michele - Cannonball

I've been a Lea Michele fan ever since Glee started in 2009, and though I don't follow the show as religiously as I used to, I can't discount that she has a voice for the ages.  Some people are born to sing, and she's one of them.  Her debut album Louder came out in March, and I've been sampling some songs here and there, but the lead single, "Cannonball," is the one that really jumped out at me.  On Glee she has a habit of sounding very theatrical and over-the-top (which is a part of her character, mind you), but on "Cannonball," Lea Michele is a refined sensation.  This is the way the pop music should always be done, because there's no way to go wrong.  "Cannonball" is pure beauty, and let's hope this voice isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

††† (Crosses) - †elepa†hy + †his is a †rick

Okay, this post is going to involve a lot of copying and pasting on my part, but work with me here.  The main thing you need to know about ††† (Crosses) is that it's the electro-rock side project of Chino Moreno (from Deftones!) and the guitarist from Far and a guy without any previous band.  There we go.  It's good music, of course, and it almost sounds like a modern take on nineties rock music to me.  Their self-titled album came out this year, their first full-length studio album, mind you, and it's chock-full of catchy ambient bits and pieces.

"†elepa†hy" does sound a little bit like it could be found on a Deftones album, maybe with more electric guitar and less keyboard work, but it's still deep-rooted in electronic rock.  It's soft, but it's a mysterious little bugger that could definitely be in a movie, serving as a track to be played during a set-up-the-big-plan montage.  "†his is a †rick" is less Deftones influence and more indie-electro (no wonder these guys were a hit on Rcrd Lbl back in the day).  This track ups the mysteriousness factor, but also makes use of some more electric guitar and builds to something stronger.  So on one hand, you have something a little more classic and familiar if you're a Deftones fan, but you also have something different to work with too, for the adventurous souls.  As well, these are only two tracks from an album of fifteen, so who knows what you'll make of the rest of the album...?

Diabulus In Musica - Inner Force

Now for something in the same vein as Nightwish, and why not?  There is plenty of great symphonic metal out there that's worth taking a look at, and it's not all a carbon copy of one band.  Diabulus In Musica is a Spanish band, new territory for me, but if this is what they're doing in Spain, then sign me up for the next plane over there!  I find that their sound in "Inner Force" is a little Nightwish, a little Amaranthe, and a touch of Within Temptation, but they're still doing their own thing.  Zuberoa Aznarez has a very lovely operatic voice on the verses, but the chorus of "Inner Force" is toned down nicely, giving some more variation.  The instrumental work is classic symphonic with some more technical keyboard work, and that's what reminds me of Amaranthe in the end.  Comparisons aside, however, "Inner Force" is a great song from the genre, and gives me another band to obsess over.  Where can we go wrong?

Nightwish - Creek Mary's Blood

This blog can never have enough Nightwish, and that's the rule if there ever will be one.  We'll give Tarja some time to shine today though, by looking at Once, definitely my favourite album with her on vocal duties.  I've featured a couple of the songs from this album before, but today we'll get a little weird.  Really, that's not a word I would use to describe any incarnation of the band, but "Creek Mary's Blood" might be one of their strangest songs, but in the best way.  While it's still symphonic metal, the band makes use of a lot of Native American elements, including vocals and flute work from John Two-Hawks.  It's something that really stands out from a vast sea of generic symphonic music, and "Creek Mary's Blood" becomes something that is both epic, but also very mysterious and worldly.  It's strange, sure, because it's not something they did regularly back then, and even now, but these tracks are what give the band something special.  "Creek Mary's Blood" is definitely special.

Chevelle - One Ocean

Obviously I was going to buy Chevelle's new album, La Gárgola, when it came out last Tuesday.  That was a given.  I went to the mall, picked it up, took the bus back home, and began to process of a thorough listen...and I was surprised.  Was it a pleasant surprise?  Maybe not at first.  It was Chevelle, but I didn't know if it was the lush and organic-sounding Chevelle that I knew and loved.  This incarnation of the band's music is familiar, closer to their Wonder What's Next and This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) days, but there's something quite different about it at the same time.  It's...it's...mature.  Grown-up, even.  It has traces of Tool and some other progressive metal mixed in with their usual alternative rock, and though it took me a few days to really get into it, once I did...I was in for life.

"One Ocean" is probably the closest song to their old styles, which may be why it stood out to me early on, but you can hear the difference here too.  Now it's a little darker and mysterious, but in the chorus I can hear the way things used to be, though it's closer to the minimalist approach of Hats Off To The Bull instead of the lush power from Sci-Fi Crimes.  We still get lyrical power, flawless instruments and vocals from Mr. Loeffler that pull at my heartstrings anymore.  Everyone has to grow up one day, and Chevelle has become quite charming and mature this time around.  Hats off to them for changing things up, because every one of their albums brings something new to the table, and perhaps a complete listen-through of everything is in order now.

Brandy - What About Us

Along the lines of "Sick of Being Lonely," Brandy is another old-school hip-hop fave of mine from the early days of the 2000's.  When I wasn't watching her on Moesha, I was watching the "What About Us" video in the winter of early 2002, and the chorus has literally been stuck in my head since.  Yes, I'm telling the truth about that.  I'm not really familiar with a lot of her music anymore, but what I like now about "What About Us" is the techno-electro-hip-hop feel that it has to it.  It's something you can move your shoulders to, but there's just something futuristic about it to me.  Brandy's voice is just lovely too, and I think this will be another case of music that is permanently ingrained in my head.  Not that I mind one bit...

Abba - Mamma Mia

Something I like to say a lot is that you cannot listen to Abba and be unhappy.  No matter how stressful the day may be, Abba will make it better.  I swear.  So it's about time that I got my favourite Swedish pop band on the blog.  "Mamma Mia" is from the 1975 self-titled album, but you probably know that it's also the name of the musical that was based off of the Abba catalogue, and the movie.  Meryl Streep owned it during her rendition, but the original is still special to me.  "Mamma Mia" is definitely one of my favourites from the group.  It might be because it's terribly infectious (in the best possible way), but the uplifting lyrics, instrumentals and vocals that are neither over-the-top or blending into the background.  Abba did pop right in the 70's, I can tell you that.  And what you know?  I'm feeling happier already.

Turisas - For Your Own Good

Out of Finland, Turisas is a band you should be listening to if you like anything in the vein of folk metal.  They remind me of Ensiferum-meets-Nightwish (and maybe just a touch of Avenged Sevenfold), and it's a unique sound, but it also has that familiarity.  I wouldn't steer you wrong here.  And you can't say no to electric violin, and in today's case, jazzy piano.  Yes, it can be done.  "For Your Own Good" is the lead single from 2013's Turisas2013 album, and with good reason.  It may not be as folky as some of their earlier work that I'm more familiar with, and I can imagine some fans would be up in arms about it, but I like it.  It still has the metal you love, but it's just delivered in a different way.  This is why I want to compare them to Avenged Sevenfold, but Turisas is less horror rock and more power-folk-symphonic-all-the-good-stuff.  Though "For Your Own Good" can be different, different can also be good at the same time....or very very very good.

Rush - A Passage to Bangkok

I like my new music, but more often than not I need some classics to get me through the day, and Rush is always the answer to life's problems.  I was first introduced to the band years ago, when my brother first began his obsession with classic rock and songs like "A Passage to Bangkok" were always on repeat at our house.  Some things stick if you listen to them enough, so here we are now.  I Love You Man also fueled this a little more too, just saying.  "A Passage to Bangkok" is a journey through the 70's, with drug-fueled night aplenty.  Geddy Lee's voice is also perfect...if I was alive in the 70's he would have been my Rody Walker or Ben Kowalewicz.  We also have awesome guitar and drum work thanks to Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart, and together, it makes "A Passage to Bangkok" a trip.  No, not a drug trip, but actually a lovely adventure through rock.  Classics are songs that people keep coming back to decades later, and this, my friends, is a classic and a half.

Field Mob - Sick of Being Lonely

You can really only call a song a throwback if it mentions using a pager, and that's what's happening here with Field Mob's "Sick of Being Lonely."  I was in the fourth grade when I first heard "Sick of Being Lonely" while watching BET and staying at my Oma's house when I was too sick to go to school.  106 & Park was what I always looked forward to watching on cable when I was there, and I can really credit that to my love of rap music back then, and the love that has grown into what I have now.  Though my favourite rap is a little different than it used to be, finding "Sick of Being Lonely" again was like taking a step back in time.

When I was younger, I really enjoyed the hook sung by Ciara (apparently I never knew it was her before...), and the southern drawl of Field Mob (which I know is true because I was a huge Nelly fan back then too).  Now, that southern rap sound still gets me, and that hook is just as catchy.  Some things last twelve years into the future, what can I say?  "Sick of Being Lonely" is indicative early 2000's rap, but these days I'm one for the sputtering background beats, rough rap that still sounds slick, and lovely hooks.  Some things never change.

Violent Femmes - Good Feeling

My favourite Violent Femmes album has slowly but surely become their self-titled effort from 1983.  I don't know if it's just the overall lovely melancholy of the album and the always-infectious classics that are a part of it, but something about it had just reeled me in for more.  First "Please Do Not Go," and now "Good Feeling."  What's next?  Well, we'll have to see, but today, let's stay on track.  "Good Feeling" has that lovely-yet-desperate yearning to it, mixed with soft acoustic guitars and a little keyboard here and there.  It's a delicate little thing, but one that will warm up to you in no time at all.  Besides, Gordon Gano is just as awesome when he's soft and vulnerable as when he's quirky and exciting, like in "Blister In The Sun," for example.  This another one those less-is-more instances, though Violent Femmes are never doing too much.  More is less, for them, and "Good Feeling" is a classic that I won't be moving on from any time soon.

Lana Del Rey - Get Drunk

First off, I have to prepare everyone because I bought the new Chevelle album today...so expect lots of talk about that very soon.

Then we have today's song, another selection by the lovely Lana Del Rey, and it's most likely one that you've never heard.  She seems to have a lot of music out there that's never been officially released, but that's okay, because I've somehow seemed to have acquired most of it.  "Get Drunk" isn't from an album or collection of unreleased songs, per say, but kind of fits in with the acoustic May Jailer work that I've mentioned before.  It's not as Jewel as those songs, though, and has a little hint of her more recent style of music, even if she's only singing with an acoustic guitar.  Though she does well with opulence in music, her minimal stuff is just as great.  "Get Drunk" is lyrically strong and has quite the dark energy to it, with Lana nearly breathing how do you like me now? over and over.  Lana manages to be dreary but wonderful at the same time, and it's the inner complexities that make up "Get Drunk" that makes it a thing of beauty.  Minimal beauty, but beauty nonetheless.

Cigarettes and robitussen, will I ever get to heaven?

Billy Talent - Burn The Evidence

While we're on the topic of guilty pleasure music, then my biggest guilty pleasure in music is Billy Talent, especially their second album.  We've probably been down this road before, but I'll say it again.  Their alternative rock is always catchy and always wonderfully crafted, and Ben Kowalewicz's voice always speaks to me (I've probably mentioned this before too, but the band went to the same high school as my boyfriend, though at different times, of course).  So even if they're not the band you'll get street cred for liking, I'll still be enjoying the band.  Today's track, "Burn The Evidence," comes from that lovely second album, and it's kind of dark and creepy, but it has the same elements you expect from the ban (the chanting-like thing they do on the chorus...you either love it or hate it).  "Burn The Evidence" is the last track on Billy Talent II, and I always vouch for the final track being a little weird, and the band definitely did that.  It doesn't sound like their bread-and-butter songs do, and maybe that's why I like it so much.  I am one who enjoys the weirder things in life.

Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX - Fancy

Now and then I have music that falls into the guilty pleasure pile, and Iggy Azalea is in that pile.  Her poppy brand of hip-hop and rap is a breath of fresh air, and if she's collaborating with Charli XCX (that darling angel pop princess), then who am I to turn down something like "Fancy"?  The video is a good throwback to those days I'd watch Clueless when I got home from school, but the music is something else.  "Fancy" isn't as proper as the title may lead on.  Iggy has a great throaty voice that gives her rap a dirty (but good kind of dirty) quality.  Combined with some minimal-electro backing beats and Charli on the chorus and bridge, "Fancy" is nothing but a good time.  Though Charli may not be up to the vocal abilities she's at on her own, it works here, and there's nothing I can really complain about, other than the fact that I want to watch Clueless now...

Dice Raw - Never Be A Gangsta

I'm a Dice Raw fan, though I think that's a given here, so I was surprised to have missed out on Jimmy's Back until now.  It came out last August, and centered around themes of incarceration and jail time, it's good.  Real good.  The Greatest Rapper Never Vol. 1 was good too, don't get me wrong, but there's something different about this album.  It has a different charm to it, and has a bit more grit, while still retaining the minimal-no-theatrics feel that'll reel you in and keep you there.  Today it was either going to be "Run Away" or "Never Be A Gangsta," so I guess you'll be waiting to see what I have to say about "Run Away."

"Never Be A Gangsta" is deceivingly simple, but overwhelmingly wonderful.  The big percussion beats of the background, spoken word overlay about the prison system, and the chorus's hook of what's a boy to do if I'll never be a gangster are the perfect compliment to Dice's slick rhymes.  In the rap genre, there's definitely merit in keeping things simple and staying true to the music.  Dice Raw proves that you don't need to go over-the-top to achieve greatness.  "Never Be A Gangsta" is cool, catchy, and just has something special that keeps you coming back.

Caracol - Shiver

There seems to be a pattern in French artists who perform songs in English...it's good!  Like Cats In Trees, Caracol (a.k.a Quebec's Carole Facal) has it down pat with "Shiver," which was free on Itunes some time ago, and that I only fully began to appreciate when it came on during the shuffled library play (a pattern for myself to follow, it would seem).  "Shiver" is boho-indie-folk-pop, and though that may sound complicated, never fear!  It's got that 70's charm to it, with that tambourine and folky elements, but it's also modern enough to fit right in with the indie of 2014.  Carole Facal kind of channels Alanis Morissette in "Knees of My Bees" and a little bit of Stevie Nicks, if you must ask, but it's her sweet vocals and whenever she says shiver that sends, well, a shiver up my spine.  And after a long and busy week with nothing but rain and snow, that shiver is welcome.

Lady Gaga - Bad Romance

Though "G.U.Y." seems to be the big thing right now, I'm still jamming to an older incarnation of Lady Gaga.  "Bad Romance" was the song that really got me into Mother Monster, and I'm still obsessed with it.  Even back then, she was artfully creating pop music.  "Bad Romance" definitely has a lot to it too, but she does it with such mastery and grace that everything works.  It's weird, definitely, and a dark kind of pop that can be hard to find these days.  Well, if you want weird, you'll have to watch the music video, but I remember watching it over and over again when I was a teenager, jaw dropped at every outfit she pulled out (that rocket bra at the end...where can I get one?) and getting ra ra ah ah ah roma romama gaga ooh la la stuck in my head for days at a time.  Though I listened to The Fame when it came out, the Lady Gaga I really fell for was in "Bad Romance," but at the heart of it, the romantic affair I have with this song is anything but bad.

Arch Enemy - War Eternal

Let's finish a week's worth of metal by talking about some big news in the metal world right now.  Alissa White-Gluz, former lead singer of The Agonist, has replaced Angela Gossow as lead singer of Arch Enemy.  Wait...what?  What!?  I only found this out a few days ago, and I'm still shocked.  Angela is remaining with the band as the business manager, but The Agonist has got themselves a new lead that I'll have to check out soon too.  I'll admit to being wary at the announcement, because this was going to turn into a death metal version of Tarja vs. Anette.  Alissa is good, but taking over Arch Enemy is quite the task.  Then "War Eternal" came out...and I was proven wrong.

"War Eternal" isn't the Arch Enemy I'm familiar with, but something a little more melodic, and more suited to Alissa.  Then again, it's only one song, so who knows what the new album is going to give us.  I like the fast-paced guitar work, personally, because it makes the whole thing catchy.  And if there's one thing I like in a melodic metal song, it's that it needs to be infectious.  At the helm, Alissa's growling is still wonderful, but now it's a little more refined, showing that our Canadian metal princess is all grown up and ready to take on the world.  I look forward to seeing how Arch Enemy shapes her, and how she shapes Arch Enemy.  "War Eternal" is proof that though some shoes may be intimidating to fill, there's nothing wrong with growing into them.

Nightwish - Amaranth

Here we are, folks.  Post number 800!  I try to do something especially special every hundredth post, and since we've been lacking a little Nightwish around here lately, I figured that we should kill two birds with one stones and look at the song that is perhaps my absolute favourite from the band (and the Anette era to boot!).  As much as they change the lead singer, Nightwish will always have a special place in my heart, and albums like Dark Passion Play are still on repeat in my library.  This was Anette showing the world that we'll be just fine without Tarja, and "Amaranth" just turned into a good ol' fuck you to the haters.

"Amaranth" is lovely symphonic metal, no question about that.  It's classic Nightwish, and everything is perfect (especially the keyboards, Tuomas), and Anette makes it even better.  This is probably the strongest vocally that she is on Dark Passion Play.  And the chorus?  Ugh.  I'm in love.  As it builds into a show-stopped end, it's equal parts mosh-worthy and beauty, and it is as catchy as hell too.  I have actually had "Amaranth" stuck in my head for three years, and what a good three years it's been.  Songs like this make me regret living in a part of the world where Nightwish rarely visits, especially now that Anette is out.  I hope this is stuck in my head for the next three years.

The video is also lovely and awesome too.  Check it out.

Arkona - Odna

It's been a long time since I've had any Arkona around here.  Too long, if you must know.  So when "Odna" (in English: "Alone" came on my ipod a few weeks ago, I had the strong urge to get back to my folk metal roots, and share it with the world.  It's off of 2011's Slovo, probably my favourite Arkona album, but Yav will be out in April, so we'll have to worry about that when it comes times.  What "Odna" has, though, is what I enjoyed the most from the album, and it's the traditional pagan sound that melds with lovely folk metal.  You get the bells and whistles (literally), along with a great guitar arrangement and Masha's vocals (clean and growling, it's all good).  Need I say more?  Well, I'll go on for a little bit longer.  "Odna" is mysterious, especially with the whistle-featured bridge in the latter half of the track, and it really transports you to the wilderness of Russia, where metal guitars just happen to make the story darker.  Yav can't get here fast enough.

Alexisonfire - Boiled Frogs

Most of my planned week of metal is dedicated to the ladies, but I figured that I could be nice and let the boys in on the fun, even if Alexisonfire is more hardcore.  Let's just stretch the rules today, okay?  Now, flash back seven years ago to when Crisis came out.  Me, fourteen and already obsessed with Watch Out!, got my hands on the band's new album.  I thought I had fallen in love before, but who knew that there was still a long way to go?  What Alexisonfire had for me back then was screaming, melody, and beauty, and I will always credit the band for creating the metalhead you all follow today.  If there's a best song to pick off of Crisis, it's definitely "Boiled Frogs."

Poor little tin man still swinging his axe,
Even though his joints are clogged with wax

"Boiled Frogs" stems from the idea that a frog will jump from a boiling pot of water, but if you slowly raise the temperature, it will stay in the pot until it dies.  It's high-energy hardcore that not only has the stellar combination of George and Dallas, but now Wade is in the mix.  The guitar work is utterly fantastic, reminiscent of "Hey It's Your Funeral Mama" in some ways, and Mr. Hastings on drums knows how to drive the song along.  The lyric content is commentary on working-class jobs and how low-pay and intense demands leads to the boiled frog effect (clever title, George), and though it's gritty, it's also quite lovely.  Though I can't believe it's been about seven years since "Boiled Frogs" first consumed my life, I can believe that it's still just as infectious.  This was the high point of Alexisonfire, and if they were still together now, one can only imagine would be with us today.

Iwrestledabearonce - Firebees

Day two of metal leans towards the metalcore side, which is not bad.  People who have a vendetta against metalcore are just trying to fit in with the crowd.  But don't worry, because Iwrestledabearonce also favors experimental metal in their music, so it's nothing like the metalcore you thought you knew earlier.  "Firebees" is from their last album, Late For Nothing, which means that it's with new lead singer Courtney LaPlante, and it's not the same as "Boat Paddle."  Oh, it's definitely something else.

"Firebees" is gritty, that's for sure.  It doesn't have the lush and easy feeling of "Boat Paddle," but if you're coming here for experimental metal, you're going to get it now.  The instrumental work is phenomenal, and LaPlante's vocals may be metalcore, but it's good.  Real good.  Her growling is perfect for this genre, and though her clean vocals may not be as strong, it works with the song, and it makes the chorus have this lovely mysterious atmosphere to it.  As a whole, "Firebees" works, and I suppose this means I'll have to complete the rest of Late For Nothing now.

Ancient Bards - All That Is True

Let's begin a week's worth of metal with a band that only needs a slight introduction.  My Italian metal love is all for Ancient Bards, and the best thing about them now is that they have an album coming out at the end of April...also Sara Squadrani and dem pipes.  Their holy trinity of their last album, Soulless Child, is "Valiant Ride," "Through My Veins," and today's gem and a half: "All That Is True."  Remember how I always say that long songs need to be epics?  This one is pushing ten minutes, but it is nothing short of epic.

What "All That Is True" has is what I love the most from Ancient Bards.  It's symphonic metal heaven.  There's no growling like in "Through My Veins," but it's got piano, a chorus of singers, and as you hoped, the metal guitars and percussion that just won't quit.  Sara's voice is on par, weaving a tale of love and heartache that builds slowly, but rises to an incredible finish.  I always get to my heart, you're all that is true stuck in my head too.  The band's strength is in transporting the listener to another place in another world, and completely falling into the story.  I'm falling into the story and falling in love with the love of "All That Is True."  They slay it here, and it's getting me antsy for the next album.

Dan Griffin - Stars and Satellites

I've got a week's worth of metal planned out after this, but we're going to bookend it with indie folk and Lady Gaga.  So first off, let's stick with the plan and look at Dan Griffin, who is actually from my neck of the south in the deep south of Canada.  Huh...I am literally just learning this now, and knowing that he's from Windsor has made him a thousand times cooler.  You learn something new every day, I suppose.  He's also a member of Arkells, a Canadian band that's like a modernized Trews, and I actually saw them open for Metric in 2010 too.  They're not my cup of tea, really, but on his own, Dan Griffin has me hook-line-and-sinker.

"Stars and Satellites" is a lovely acoustic piece that's bare bones and all emotion, and it's glorious.  It was the song of the week a while ago on Itunes, and with good reason.  This is just like what I was talking about the other day: there's beauty in simplicity, and Dan hits the nail on the head.  "Stars and Satellites" is raw, delicate and powerful all at the same time, and finding that balance with only an acoustic guitar can be a little difficult too.  He does it, and does it very well.

And I'm hoping that the stars and the satellites will bring me home to you.

Peter, Paul and Mary - Lemon Tree

I was recently riding quite the Peter, Paul and Mary kick.  And by quite the kick, I mean that I downloaded as much as I could and was listening to all of their stuff non-stop for a few days in a row.  I'm better now, but still not quite over it.  You just can't listen to Peter, Paul and Mary and not be happy.  Everything is perfect.  This is now another instance of where I could have picked a more well-known song, but instead pick something a little more obscure.  Well, I'm not really sure how obscure "Lemon Tree" is, but I never heard it beforehand, and now I'm obsessed.

Originally recorded by Will Holt, it was rerecorded by the trio in their 1962 self-titled album (which my mom found at Value Village in February...original vinyl...and we listened to it for a few days).  They sweetly compare love to a lemon tree, which is very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.  Probably not very optimistic about love, but everything about "Lemon Tree" is just lovely simplicity.  This is the way that people should still be doing folk.  And when they all sing together on the chorus?  Magic.  Everything they do is magic, but "Lemon Tree" has just a little more than average.

Ellie Goulding - Dead In The Water

Ellie Goulding can prove to be a little, you know...mainstream for me.  She has a unique voice in her scene, but what she does isn't too out of this world.  Well, you know how I love to be proven wrong, right?  "Dead In The Water" kind of proved me wrong, as a part of that water-themed playlist I found on Tumblr and have mentioned before here and there (remember "In The Sea"?  That was a good week).  I think the main reason why I like it is that Ellie isn't relying on any heavy production to get emotion and feeling across.  "Dead In The Water" is very minimal, which you can never go wrong with.  You've got her vocals, and later on some nice string arrangements, and some light sound effects throughout that never outshine Ellie.  And when you put her all by herself, Miss Goulding sounds even more powerful.  If there's any lesson from "Dead In The Water," it's that there's beauty in simplicity, and maybe water-themed songs are my new bread and butter too.

Týr - Hear The Heathen Call

Týr is probably one of my best discoveries of this year so far.  Viking metal?  Always a bonus.  They don't growl too much, from what I've heard so far, Heri Joensen's vocals are still pure metal, and with Terji Skibenaes on guitar and Gunnar Thomsen on bass, this trio is complete.  They're actually from the Faroese Islands, which is a collection of Danish islands due north of Scotland (a place I've never heard of before, but am now very interested by).  Their last album, Valkyrja, came out in late 2013, but today's song comes from 2009's By The Light of the Northern Star.  And that, my friends, brings us too the song that I've been obsessed with for the last few weeks...

"Hear The Heathen Call" is good.  Why?  First off, it reminds me a little of Amon Amarth, though replace all the growls with clean vocals, and add a touch of doom.  Just a touch, but you'll hear it if you listen.  I also get a little Ensiferum coming through too, but Týr's brand of folk metal is still different.  It almost has a tribal, old-world sound to it, like they really are vikings.  It's different from what I've heard before, but I like it for that reason.  It's viking metal that may not sound quite right at first, but the more you listen, the more you realize this is the way it should be.  The bridge between verses and the chorus of "Hear The Heathen Call" is also hella powerful, and this summer, people may catch me blasting this in my dad's truck.

Indila - Dernière danse

French music is always surprising me, but sometimes you just know that it's going to be good.  It just sounds beautiful, and even you don't understand it, you can still kind of figure out what the artist was going for, and pick out all of the emotions and feelings.  Music transcends language boundaries, is what I like to say, and I listen to enough European metal to know that what I say is true.  Indila is the artist of the day today, and her debut album that I'll be looking into now is called Mini World.  "Dernière danse," or "Last Dance" was free on itunes a few weeks ago, and I think that I've been listening to it non-stop ever since.

"Dernière danse" is slick pop, but nothing too over-the-top.  With a piano and the string sections, and a voice like Indila's, you've got all you need.  She gives us soul and she gives us feeling, but it's wrapped up in a cleanly produced package that will be stuck in your head in no time.  Put this in English and change a few things around, and this would have worked in the early 2000's pop scene, but what "Dernière danse" is modern and very, very nice.  I don't think it would be the same in English, but I'm also intrigued to see how that would go.  I'll work on that, and you sit down and listen to this, okay?

Marissa Nadler - Save Me A Place

Marissa Nadler's strength has been her ability to create haunting acoustic numbers that chill your bone, but also remind you of a simpler time.  She's got a seventies folk flavor to everything her voice graces, and that's what I want when I look at Marissa Nadler songs.  "Save Me A Place" reminds me a little of her duet with Angel Olson, the cover of "My Dreams Have Withered And Died."  It's the same feel, but it's all Marissa now.  "Save Me A Place" is haunting, as should be expected, but it's also soft and delicate.  People hear the word haunting and automatically assume it'll be creepy, but not here.  This is an intro to haunting music for those who may not be into it yet.  The acoustic guitar work is very minimal, but for "Save Me A Place," it's just right.  Some songs rely on grand theatrics, but others require the basics, and still knock us out of our seats.  If there's a queen of doing that, it's Marissa Nadler.

Also, no video to be found on Youtube, which means I probably got this one through a Tumblr playlist.  Damn Youtube...if they didn't ban me for uploading illegal content, we wouldn't be in this mess now!

Flogging Molly - The Cradle of Humankind

Flogging Molly has grown on me quite a bit, ever since P.S. I Love You and when my brother put Speed Of Darkness on my computer a few years ago.  It's not their loud and guitar-heavy stuff that appeals to me, though.  My favourite Flogging Molly songs are the quiet and subdued numbers that build and rise into some kind of awesome crescendo.  Acoustic stuff is good too, of course.  "The Cradle of Humankind" is more piano-driven, which I always have a hard time saying no to in music, and Dave King is once again amazing on vocals.  And the violins?  Oh, don't you even get me started on those wonders.  "The Cradle of Humankind" isn't something to be scared of if Irish music isn't your cup of tea; it's a song to embrace, and one that will ease you into the genre.  So....get on it!

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Avatarium - Moonhorse

You know my rule about long songs: if you're going to push past six minutes, then it better be pretty damn epic.  For today's epic, I brought back Avatarium, my favourite European counterpart to the likes of Christian Mistress and Spacegoat, with a lovely symphonic-sounding element that will be nice for all you Nightwish fans out there (I know you read my blog...someone is).  "Moonhorse" is about nine minutes long, and this track is all about the contrast.  On one hand, you have the whimsy of a young dreamer, wondering if horses prance around on the moon, but then you have the gritty and heavy guitar work and some darker lyrical business that makes the story seem that not everything is how you see it.  Then, just when you think it's going to get even heavier, we get back to that soft whimsy, complimented by Jennie-Ann Smith's lovely singing.  "Moonhorse" is a trip, believe me, but one well worth taking.

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The Earls of Mars - Poor Whores Petition

This may be common thing on this blog one day: today's song has come from Reddit.  Yes, Reddit of all places.  I subscribe to a few music subreddits, though I can't remember which one led me to the UK's The Earls of Mars.  Their brand of rock is a little eccentric, perhaps a cross between System of a Down and Stone Sour, maybe with some Avenged Sevenfold in there.  Don't worry, they're good!  Really good, in fact.  "Poor Whores Petition" is the track I chose to go with today, because in less than three minutes, it got me.  Oh, it got me good.  It has a very grand kind of feel to it, but at the same time, it's yanked back just enough that "Poor Whores Petition" doesn't get totally out of control.  It's eccentric, but also refined to some degree, with enough crazy to always keep you coming back for more.  Believe me, you'll be coming back sooner than you think.

Violent Femmes - I Hate The TV

There's something perfect about Violent Femmes music...period.  The Add It Up compilation still stands as one of my favourite Value Village purchases, and one of my favourite albums of all time.  It just has everything you like about the band...and more.  Today's "I Hate The TV" was actually unreleased before appearing on Add It Up, though why they would keep it from us until 1993, I'll never know.  It's actually been stuck in my head on and off since I added it to my blog playlist, mostly the lines it's kiiiiiiiiillinng me and I hate the president! repeated over and over.  The track has that late-80's-early-90's flavor to it, with a healthy dose of California rock, but it still retains to quirky touches that I always enjoy from the band.  Mind you, it's a short song coming it at two minutes and ten seconds, but when that time has passed, you're probably going to want to come back to "I Hate The TV."  I guarantee it (damn Reddit memes are rubbing off on me...).

Robotanists - On/Off The Ledge

I'm not done with indie yet!  Robotanists lean towards the pop side of the indie spectrum, but there's maybe a dash of alternative in there, and maybe some jazz elements to keep things interesting.  "On/Off The Ledge" is something that I've been sitting on for some time, but it's worth it, I swear.  Some things get better with age.  The keyboard may be my favourite part about this track, mainly because of its jazzy whimsy, but this five-piece is all strength to me.  Lead Sarah (last name not given on Facebook), has some kind of strange Emily Haines quality to her, but this song is more or less Metric with Fiona Apple at the helm...which I'd like to see in the future.  But "On/Off The Edge" is a fine piece of piano-driven indie pop, and it'll catch you like it caught onto me.

Rev. Lonnie Farris - Peace in the Valley

Let's do something a little different today...again.  Gospel and religious music isn't something I really listen to a lot, mostly because I'm not personally very religious and have trouble relating to the message.  I enjoy Flyleaf, so I'll say that.  "Peace in the Valley" came to me through Rcrd Lbl, and it is originally part of a 3-disc collection that goes by This May Be My Last Time Singing: Raw African-American Gospel on 45RPM, 1957-1982.  I have a few songs from this collection, but Lonnie Farris's "Peace In The Valley" isn't just your typical gospel.  It might be that lovely-and-lazy electric guitar, or the percussion that makes you just want to sway, or maybe even Lonnie's smokey-yet-subdued vocals.  It's gospel for the minimalist atheists inside all of us, though there is a religious message here, of course.  I just take the lyrical content as part of the simple beauty of "Peace In The Valley," and that's it.

Månegarm - Sons of War

Back in the metal game today, we look at one of my favourite subgenres in the lot.  Viking metal is simply awesome, because you can make it folkier or lean more on the black side, and done well, the mythology can make for some stellar lyrics.  Sweden's Månegarm favors black metal for their sound, and what they give us in "Sons of War" (off of 2013's Legions of the North) is somewhat of a happy marriage between the sounds of Ensiferum and Amon Amarth.  I like it, and if you like viking/folk/black/metal, you'll be all over this too.  The guitars are out of this world on this track, making for some rich and organic verses, and it all mingles beautifully with the growling of Erik Grawsiö.  Erik's got some nice clean vocal work too on the chorus, and though it's nothing earth-shattering, his range is what works for "Sons of War."  Now I've got to see what other secrets that Månegarm has been keeping, and even if their earlier work is half as good as "Sons of War," we're all going to be very happy.

Dice Raw - Video Game + LYRICS

As we revisit rap, why not combine it with one of my favourite things ever?  Dice Raw, meet Lana.  Lana Rel Rey, meet Dice Raw.  On his The Greatest Rapper Never: The Mixtapes Vol. 1 mixtape Dice's "Video Game" is a freestyle-type track (in the vein of his "Game of Thrones Freestyle"...that wondrous classic) over the instrumentals of Lana's "Video Games."  It's only two minutes along, but good ol' Dice Raw packs a lot into a short amount of time.  He gives us something that's kind of empowering empowering, while also having this dark and gritty atmosphere to it.  It's sad, but it almost lifts you back up at the same time.  And with the minimal orchestra from "Video Games," it's almost too much perfection to fathom.  And the lyrics?  Well, you're just going to have to read them to get what I'm talking about

My enemies draw the lines
My allies draw the blinds
Put the mattresses on the floor
We don't sleep, we just watch the door
I ain't scared, been here before
And I'm more prepared than they are, I'm sure
Yo, no one talks shit to me and lives
I don't give a fuck what your suggestion is
No one tells me how it's going to be
Satan's face, the next thing you see
But death it is like ecstasy
Gun play is like sex to me
I know how to handle n***** stressing me
Without all those complexities
Actually, it's really simple
Ice pick right to your temple
Pistols blastin', no question askin'
Throw slashes, kidnappers
Tires screeching, n***** beefing
N***** reaching, n***** bleeding
Blood, is overflowing
No, signs of receding
No signs from the God above
Guess we stopped believing
All that belief goes out the window
When a n**** ends low
Exhale to inhale
Face down, the only way it ends though
But it'll always be people like us
That n**** make them big bucks
And we gon make a big fuss
And we gon cause a big rush
And we kickin' up dust
And we don't give a fuck
Roll up that weed and hash
Roll up on that piece of trash
Blow his motherfucking brains out, then maybe we'll have peace at last
Peace at last
Maybe we'll have peace at last


I guess there's no video for this one either.  I'll work on it, but I'm not getting banned from Youtube again.  The Greatest Rapper Never: The Mixtapes Vol. 1 may still be free online somewhere, so get looking!

Snovonne - Things I Can't See

I wasn't sure about Snovonne at first, but now that I've toured through a lot of her work, it's grown on me, and I can say that I haven't found anything I don't like yet.  Her genre is a strange one, which is why I was unsure, but there's actually something infectious about "modern theatrical rock" with a hit of progressive metal that works.  Slovakian-American Snovonne sounds like a cross of Anette-fronted Nightwish and 90's Alanis Morissette with a little bit of late-2000's Marina and the Diamonds.  Even saying that, her sound is all hers, and that's what makes songs like "Things I Can't See" perfection.

"Things I Can't See" is a percussion and piano heavy track that you'll be surprised to sway along with.  It's almost a little bit jazz-and-swing with these instrumentals, but it's not confusing.  In fact, it's quite lovely, and with a little more guitar it could work on a Nightwish album.  Snovonne's vocal work isn't the kind that'll knock you off your feet with power, but when it's paired with the music, it works, and it only adds to the atmosphere, never taking anything away.  If you don't like it at first, don't worry, because it'll grow on you before you can even tell what's going on.

Blueprint - So Alive

Those indie days were fun, but now we need something different...something with some hip-hop-rap flavor.  Why don't I introduce you to another rapper you may not have heard of before?  Alright, let's do it.  Blueprint came my way a few years ago via Rcrd Lbl, and though today's song comes from 2011's Adventures in Counter Culture, the Columbus, Ohio artist has another album called Respect the Architect coming out in April.  Perfect, right?  Now I have something to look forward to during my exam period!  When you listen, you'll know why.

"So Alive" is a song that you may not be expecting, but it's something brilliant regardless of what you thought it'd be.  It's hip-hop with a healthy dose of swinging jazz and electric guitar, and I guarantee that it's friendly for everyone, even those who don't have a big thing for the rap genre.  Hell, it makes me want to dance.  Blueprint isn't rapping here as much as he's doing the in-between of singing and rapping (a little 808s-era Kanye, perhaps), but with beats this lively (fitting, really), it works.  Now that I know he's got a new album coming out, I've got to dig a little deeper to see what else he's been keeping from me, but in the meantime, you get on listening to "So Alive."  Even if hip-hop is the genre that you tell people is your exception (I've probably heard that 50 times...I listen to everything except rap), you'll still find merit in what Blueprint does with "So Alive."

James Vincent McMorrow - Glacier

In our last day of a four-day indie adventure, we take a look at something with a good hit of folk.  This time, we're back to our good old friend James Vincent McMorrow, a.k.a the guy that you keep mistaking for Bon Iver.  "Glacier," off of his new album Post Tropical, was free on Itunes a few weeks ago, and it's about time they improve their quality again.  It's great piano folk, with a lovely modern sound that doesn't leave it too far in the late-2000's sound era.  As always, James sounds flawless, and I'm still going to say that he's better than Bon Iver (who is still good in his own right, but sometimes it's hard not to compare them).  "Glacier" isn't any catchy pop ballad, but something magical that grows on you more with each listen, and I can never say anything bad about a song making use of the orchestra.  Get on it!

Phildel - Storm Song

We're almost through our stretch of indie, so stay with me here!  Now, from alternative indie, we move on to something a little more whimsical with Phildel, a London singer-songwriter who I found through yet another Tumblr playlist...possibly the same one where I found Ingrid Michaelson's "In The Sea," because I seemed to find a lot of water-and-storm-themed songs around that time.  But I can't complain, because "Storm Song" is quite fantastic.  It sounds like a funky Dido/Metric song, if I can say that, but Phildel is pretty unique in her own right.  If "Storm Song" is a tempest, it's one I wouldn't mind getting stuck in.  It's a strange blend of pop and alternative indie that's chock full of whimsy and wonder.  Really, listening to it is like listening to a storm.  The verses are the tender moments between the clap of thunder that's the chorus.  It's beautiful, and worth digging up for your own pleasure.

Torres - Honey

It took some digging, but I found Torres.  We'll move away from dark acoustic indie and look at some alternative indie today, from Nashville's Mackenzie Scott, who goes by the previously mentioned moniker in her music.  I got "Honey" some time ago, though I'm not sure from where.  Maybe Rcrd Lbl (RIP), who knows?  What matters is I have it.  For a young artist (only one year older than me), Torres is well beyond her years, and "Honey" isn't the sweet little something you may be expecting.  It's a little bit gritty and fuzzy, with a hint of California rock to it (like if there was only one member of Bleached, amirite?), and vocals that remind me of Alanis Morissette with a hit of indie.  It almost has a little 90's throwback if we're moving along those lines, because I don't come across music like this very often these days.  Torres....you've got it.

Everything hurts, but it's fine, happens all the time.

Tina Dico - Count To Ten

I'm back!  It was a long, but very nice week at home for reading week...and schoolwork in the last semester always seems to creep up on me in piles.  But I'm here now, and that's what's really important.  I can't hold out on the good music any longer.  What better way than to come back from a hiatus with some moody alt-indie?  Tina Dico is the artist of the day, a lovely Danish singer-songwriter with smokey vocal work that can seemingly do no wrong.  I had no idea she even existed until I heard "Count To Ten."  The combination of an acoustic guitar and minimalist piano is a nice and dark combination...think of a modern interpretation of Stevie Nicks, but with a dark twist.  "Count To Ten" is likely the best song you've never heard, I guarantee it.  The atmosphere (along with Tina's vocals) is what really makes this song stellar...it's moody, and it's a little dark, but it's also not too much.  A little goes a long way, or in the case of "Count To Ten," a little goes a long way, and then comes right back at you strong than before.

Caliban - Devil's Night

I guess a song called "Devil's Night" isn't really Valentine's Day appropriate, but I can't say I've ever made an appropriate Valentine's Day post in the past two years either.  And what says Valentine's Day like German metalcore?  Caliban is another band I've been aware of without really doing anything, but hearing Devil's Night from Century Media's Youtube channel really drew me into them.  "Devil's Night" is simply pure and wonderful metalcore, and it's hard to find any faults.  The sound reminds me of something like Dead and Divine but with less heavy grit and some more melody.  There is one band they really sound like, but I can't put my finger on it right now.  Either way, "Devil's Night" makes good use of growling and clean vocal contrasts, heavy guitars, and a lush chorus that really shoots some power into the whole thing.  This is more easy listening for me, but that's not a bad thing.  I could listen to "Devil's Night" every day (which I've actually been doing lately), and remind myself why I'll never tire of metalcore.

Rise Against - Architects

The one thing I really hate about the week before reading week is the stress and general lack of time to do anything I like (I have two magazines by my bed that I haven't opened at all since buying them on Tuesday), but I'll always have time for a paragraph or two on Rise Against.  I've probably said before that they'll never top The Sufferer and The Witness, but Endgame comes pretty close to that.  Endgame has "A Gentleman's Coup" and "Help Is On The Way," so we've got to complete the holy trinity now!

Enter "Architects."  It's a piece of evidence of the growth that the band had done since The Sufferer... days.  Some critics are tough on this track, but I really enjoy it.  You have the fast and powerful verses, and a chorus that becomes a lot more lush and organic.  It's a nice contrast, and one that I like to see in a good alternative song.  Tim McIlrath is his normal wonderful self here, and his vocal work reminds me a little of how it was on "The Good Left Undone."  The instrumental work?  I could find faults, but that's just if I want to split hairs.  Looking at Endgame, "Architects" is a fantastic way to open up that album, and it'll grow on you, don't you worry.

Dominic Lord - Old English

Dominic Lord, who's been around this neck of the woods before, is just one of those rappers that continually surprises you.  I appreciate his approach, I have to say.  He's got a little bit of a Kid Cudi vibe going on, but he's more about a minimal-art-somber kind of rap.  I quite like it.  Quite.  "Old English" has those mysterious piano notes in the background, along with some lovely bird chirping that kind of makes you want to be in a foggy English country house, but maybe that's me.  Dominic Lord kind of reminds me of GLC in "Angry Birds" here, but what "Old English" has is a more artful approach.  It's slick, but it definitely doesn't fall short in the whimsy category.  The rapping itself has that lovely melancholy feel that gets me every time, and it fits in right with the beats and that piano.  Dominic Lord, I can't wait to see how you'll surprise us next.

Within Temptation - The Truth Beneath The Rose

Man, Within Temptation is going to become the next Nightwish for me if this keeps up.  Weeks ago, I had planned to feature "Sinead," but I was rooting around Wikipedia, reading up on Sharon den Adel's biography, and noticed that it mentioned the Within Temptation song with her highest vocal note is "The Truth Beneath The Rose."  I went in for a listen, and now I'll have to save "Sinead" for another time.  Sorry, that's just how things work around here!  Knowing me, it won't be very long until that happens either.

"The Truth Beneath The Rose" definitely sounds a little higher than what I'm used to from Within Temptation, but I have no complaints.  It gives the track a very operatic feel.  I have to compare it to Nightwish in some senses, because it does sound like it could fit in on any Nightwish album.  Maybe not for Anette, but definitely Tarja.  Sharon den Adel puts a certain kind of power into this track, though, and that's what sets it apart from all the symphonic metal you've heard before.  "The Truth Beneath The Rose" is a little dark and creepy, but it still wraps a hand around you and won't let go.  The instrumental work is a very lovely mix of metal and classical, but it's combinations like that, that when done right, can grip you in a way like no other.  Not bad at all.

Avicii - Hey Brother

I'm guilty of going mainstream sometimes, I'll admit.  I was waiting for the Golden Globes to start last month and watching some music videos play on the website I'd found, and wouldn't you know, one was "Hey Brother" by Avicii.  I tried not to like it, really, but I'm weak in the knees for a good country dance song.  The good ones are few and far between, but they're out there (the P Smoov remix of Brent Amaker & the Rodeo's "Johnny's Theme," to name one).  I'm really not a big fan of Avicii outside of this track, but he at least got my attention.

"Hey Brother" has a heavy country-bluegrass feel to it, thanks to strong vocal work from bluegrass singer Dan Tyminski.  There's also the acoustic guitar, but it's brought to the dance genre through some strong percussion and clever DJing by Mr. Avicii.  I personally like the bluegrass elements a lot more than the dance ones in this, however.  It's more Dan's track than Avicii's to me.  Overall, it's a lovely modern twist to a genre that I'm never too sure how I feel about (country), and good kick of another genre to make something mainstream a little more likable to me (dance).  "Hey Brother" is still better than all that generic dance crap out there, and for that, I commend Avicii.

The Smashing Pumpkins - Disarm

I think at least everyone has heard "Disarm" at least once in their lives.  You may not even know that it's The Smashing Pumpkins, but you've heard this one before, I know.  When I was at my parents' house last weekend, I actually heard it playing on the radio on some regular-normal-boring station, though I definitely wouldn't use any of those words to describe this song.  Off of 1993's Siamese Dream, "Disarm" is evidence of good songs that just keep getting better with age.  Though I enjoy The Smashing Pumpkin's heavier work, this acoustic bit with help from the string section is a little more accessible, and it gives "Disarm" a bit of a more personal and haunting atmosphere.  Billy Corgan is phenomenal, as usual, and maybe, just maybe, this is even more beautiful than "Lily (My One And Only)."  Some people can be scared off by the gritty 90's sound of the band, but songs like "Disarm" are what really shows that the band is both versatile, and one of the greatest alternative rock bands to ever grace the music scene.

Winds of Plague - Snake Eyes

I wasn't going to blog today, I really wasn't, but when I saw which song I had lined up next, I knew that I had to suck it up and just do it.  It's worth it, I told myself, and as sure as hell, it is.  I found Winds of Plague through the Century Media channel on Youtube, and I can't say no to deathcore, can I?  It's also a touch on the experimental side, and while Wikipedia says they're also symphonic black metal (who knows, though), I'm quite happy with whatever you want to call this.  "Snake Eyes" didn't really hit me hard until I listened to it on a snowy walk home from school a few weeks ago, so I suppose skipping the bus and going on foot pays off sometimes.

"Snake Eyes" is something special out of the new Winds of Plague material I found.  It's heavy, don't get me wrong, but there's something about the track that just seems so organic.  It could be the guitar work, Jonathan Cooke's vocals, or lyrics that are as haunting as they are insane (you can take the angel out of heaven, it doesn't mean she will shed her wings).  Really, "Snake Eyes" is the perfect deathcore song, because it doesn't make the fatal mistake of getting carried away with itself.  This song is about power, rather than piling on the cliches, and it shows in the final product.  The growling isn't too guttural either.  Everything works as it should, together, and all of that is why "Snake Eyes" will likely be on the Top 50 of 2014 list for me.

Parlours - I Dream of Chicago

Along with Brooke Waggoner, Parlours was also on Noisetrade's "Best of 2013" list, though the more I think about that, the longer ago it seems.  But here's some sweet indie for you now.  Parlours is an indie pop five-piece out of Des Moines, and perhaps the second best band to ever come out of the city (you know who the first is, deep inside, you've always known).  The entire EP I downloaded is full of lovely and sweet little tracks that really strike an emotional chord with the listener.  There's nothing generic about Parlours, they've got the touch.  Example A: "I Dream of Chicago."

I'd probably be dreaming of Chicago too if I was living in Des Moines, but the track itself is one of traveling the world, but always regretting what were you weren't able to do before it began.  Vocalists Dana Halferty and James Peterson (or Steve Bergeron...I don't know which male vocalist is which at this stage in my obsession) kind of remind me of a folkier version of Stars, along with more acoustic guitar and less keyboard and synths.  All in all, "I Dream of Chicago" is sweet, delicate, lovely...all those words that you would use to describe something that's simply perfect.

Britney Spears - Passenger

Yeezus aside, another album that I currently can't get enough of is Britney Jean by Britney Spears, of course.  People are either excited or not by the electro tinge that it has, but you know, I think that the album has a little something for everyone.  Like "Perfume," "Passenger" has that new sound but is still a throwback to her old days of strong and powerful pop songs.  And if you didn't know...Katy Perry helped write this song, so you've got double the pop divas in one track.  Where could you go wrong?  Nowhere, as long as you're the passenger (see what I did there?).  "Passenger" is another track that shows off Britney's vocal prowess in a way that's new, but still reminds you of the Britney you fell in love with back in the day.  Also, something that's always a high point for me, it's catchy as hell.  For the past few weeks, I've actually had "Passenger" stuck in my head on and off.  That's usually a good sign.  This is one car I wouldn't mind riding in.

Kanye West - Guilt Trip

I'm sure there will be one day when I finish going through Yeezus, but let's not worry about that right now, because there's still a ways to go.  Today's song is "Guilt Trip," a little something reminiscent of Kanye's 808s & Heartbreak days with those electro beats, samples and tuned voices, so you can expect that I like it.  However, for an electro-tinged rap song, "Guilt Trip" fittingly has a very somber kind of feel to it, and somber rap is some of the best rap out there.  The whimsical sampled bits (by Kid Cudi, if I'm not mistaken) and pieces also give the track something darker, but you'd expect that from this album.  "Guilt Trip" doesn't have the aggressive-in-your-face moments that some of the other tracks on the album have, but it does have a different side to Kanye within the words and production.  This is the Kanye I fell in love with during 808s & Heartbreak, and I'm glad to see he's back in this incarnation.

If you love me so much, then why'd you let me go?

Amon Amarth - Shape Shifter

Well, the mystery is finally solved.  Along with that Stone Sour album, the other one I got from HMV in their 2 for $20 deal was Deceiver of the Gods by Amon Amarth, those viking metal mongers out of Stockholm.  They're a band that actually hasn't been featured here before, despite them being the viking metal answer to Ensiferum...and they're touring with Skeletonwitch right now too!  Where can you go wrong?  Nowhere.  I think that the album is pretty strong as a whole, though it took some time for one to leap right out at me.  But when it did...

"Shape Shifter" is their signature melodic death metal with quite the catchy feel to it.  It's dark, it's quick, and those guitars.  Dear god, those guitars...  I like Amon Amarth too because you can always understand what they're saying through their screams, and if you like vikings and their mythology, you're going to like this one.  From what I've heard of Amon Amarth before Deceiver of the Gods, "Shape Shifter" is quite faster in tempo and loses a little bit of atmosphere, but I think it characterized the album quite well.  Amon Amarth knows how to do what they do best, while still keeping it fresh and updated at the same time.

Tribes - We Were Children

"We Were Children" by London's Tribes falls into the category of songs I sat on for more than a year and then rediscovered by accident thanks to the library being on shuffle.  This seems to be a recurring pattern now that I really think about it, but I suppose that's what comes with 8500 songs to my name.  And we're here now with Tribes, so that's what matters now.  "We Were Children" is a lush and organic alternative track that sounds exactly like it's come out of the London alt scene.  I definitely wouldn't call it generic either, because "We Were Children" is refreshing to what we see now, and it breathes life into a genre where it can hard to do just that.  Following the perils of growing up while remembering the fond past, we get a track that's as easy to relate as it lush, and that's a winning combination for me.

Lana Del Rey - Once Upon A Dream

We all knew this was coming, and we should all know by now that there are two things you'll see a lot of on this blog.  Nightwish, and like today, Lana Del Rey.  Since my last Lana post, I actually got a poster of her for my room at my school's poster sale, taking my love even farther.  Excellent.  A few weeks ago, I heard that she was covering "Once Upon a Dream" for the new Maleficent movie, and that song was released a few days ago, if you didn't know.  Lana's put her own spin on a Disney classic, turning it from an orchestral songfest to a dark and dreary number that oozes Old Hollywood and glamour at the same time.  Typical Lana, am I right?  "Once Upon A Dream" was made for her to cover, really.  I have childhood memories of the song from watching Sleeping Beauty on VHS, but now I have some new memories to make with this version, and that sounds pretty good to me.

In This Moment - Whore

Maria Brink and the boys of In This Moment have been high on my list of favourite metal bands ever since I first heard "The Promise."  Now look where I am!  I can't get enough of them!  Well, everything you thought you knew about In This Moment has changed now, with "Whore."  It's rare that songs can just be so special and wonderfully done, that you instantly know you're never going to get tired of this.  That's my opinion on "Whore."  This is the best work that I've ever seen from In This Moment.

"Whore" has strength in its power and intensity, which you might except with a track title like that, but it still exceeds your expectations.  Maria Brink is amazing, and this may be as vocally strong as I've heard her (with hefty competition from "The Promise," I won't lie).  The instrumental side is something else entirely.  The guitar work isn't too thrashy or quick, but kind of this slowed-down industrial skew to their usual metal, and it's something that they've been doing a lot lately...and need to do more of.  "Whore" is angry and rough, but when you sit down and listen to it, you still get the beauty behind all of the grittiness.  Now I wish that I could scream like Maria Brink...

Stone Sour - Taciturn

Over the Christmas break, I made a stop at HMV since I had a gift card that needed to be spent.  I went right to the metal section, and browsed for a long time before getting stuck on three CDs: Amon Amarth's Deceiver of the Gods, Meshuggah's Koloss, and Stone Sour's House of Gold And Bones Part 1.  They were all 2 for $20, and I wasn't in the mood to buy all three or spend more money buying a fourth, so I had to decide.  I knew that I had to get the Stone Sour album, though, for my sheer allegiance to Corey Taylor and Slipknot (also...they're working on a new album), so you'll see which of the other two I picked sometime soon.  But that's the story of how I got the album, and why we're looking at "Taciturn" today.

The album is pretty strong as a whole, stronger than Come What(ever) May, but the song I found myself drawn to wasn't the gritty alternative metal tracks, but the softer side (though not too soft, don't get me wrong).  "Taciturn" reminds me of those slower acoustic tracks that Slipknot would put out now and again, but it's still different from that.  This is how Stone Sour does acoustic.  Corey Taylor is phenomenal, as usual, and the acoustic guitar slowly builds into something quite a bit more powerful.  "Taciturn" is so raw and chock-full of emotions...it's just simply amazing.  Now I've got to get House of Gold and Bones Part 2...

Arcade Fire - Joan of Arc

My sister got Reflektor for Christmas, but I probably would have gotten my hands on it eventually if she didn't.  There's an unwritten law in Canada that you have to like Arcade Fire, but it's not that hard of a law to follow at the same time.  The Suburbs was fantastic, and I actually think that Reflektor is even better.  All in all, it's really just hard to go wrong when it comes to Arcade Fire.  Of both discs of the album, "Joan Of Arc" is my choice of song to feature.  Where it succeeds in is, well, every corner.  We start of with a quick and fast-paced opener, but then "Joan Of Arc" becomes something a little more smooth and with a bit of a swing to it.  It's not too much, but it's not too little either...just right.  It's just a song that you can't help but tap your foot to, and sing along with the chorus to boot.  Lyrically, it's a loose interpretation of the Joan of Arc tale, directly or indirectly, though I think it's more of a figurative thing to keep in mind.  So there you have it.  Everything works, and everything is great.  Typical Arcade Fire.

Brooke Waggoner - Perish

Nothing will stop me from blogging, not even shin splints.  Noisetrade had a few "Best of 2013" albums at the end of last year, and of course, I had to take a look.  I'm only human.  I found a lot of good stuff in that pile, which you'll see later, but the best of the best has to be Originator by Nashville indie darling Brooke Waggoner.  The whole album is really stunning, but the track that jumped out the most and grabbed me by the collar and shook me back and forth....it was "Perish."

"Perish" is a little quirky, you can definitely tell that with just one listen.  It's a piano-heavy indie track with flecks of pop, but it's not really like anything you've heard before.  Think Stars meets Fiona Apple with a little bit of She & Him.  You've got that mysterious indie and jazzy piano, and Brooke Waggoner's soft and sweet vocals to boot.  "Perish" has a peppy tone to it too, brought to life by that aforementioned piano, and even then, it's still like nothing else out there.  And the ending?  It's surprisingly haunting, quite the good contrast to the rest of the song.  I don't think I can do "Perish" justice, but I can shove pleasantries down your throat and hope for the best.  That'll have to do.

*Video not available, of course.  I'll work on it*

Swollen Members - Devil

I don't think I'm ever going to find a rap group that I enjoy more than Swollen Members.  Believe me, I've looked, but there's not really anything better than Madchild, Prevail and Rob The Viking getting together and making amazing things.  I'm always going to have my eyes and ears open for new things when they come out, but by god, what a collection of music they've left us already, and I have all of it.  *Insert evil laughter*  2011's Dagger Mouth is still a gem, and "Devil" is still a diamond.

"Devil" has the side of Swollen Members that's deliciously creepy and also more on their aggressive side.  While I always enjoy their more subdued work, "Devil" is a happy medium between things like "Moonshine" and most of what was on Armed To The Teeth.  Everything works as it should, resulting in a track is very well-balanced.  "Devil" is something that will get your shoulders moving, but isn't too far into club-track territory that you won't feel guilty about enjoying it so much.  As usual, Madchild and Prevail are on point with some slick raps, and when it's all said and done, they leave you feeling better than you did what you started.  Good music should be that refreshing, right?

Bastille - Daniel In The Den

I keep finding more things that I like from London's Bastille...so I really should just go out and get the album from me.  I can compare them to the alt-pop counterpart of Mumford & Sons, if I must, and have yet to find something that I don't like.  Case in post: "Daniel In The Den."  It loosely reminds you of the Daniel in the lion's den story, but there's nothing preachy about this one.  The track is more of a tale of being progressive and a dreamer, and then being crossed by those you once loved.  The winner here is not only the lyrical content and story, but that delicate piano, that touch of choral sound, and Dan Smith vocals.  He sounds like a more exciting version of Chris Martin, if you ask me.  Hell, the whole band is really a more exciting version of Coldplay, forget the Mumford & Sons comparsion I made earlier.  "Daniel In The Den" is just another example of the power Bastille has plenty of, and if this is what they're doing on their first studio album, then I see them coming back to my blog a lot more in the future.

For every king that died, oh they will crown another.

Lorde - Million Dollar Bills + Ribs

I kind of went through a point in my life this past year where I thought Lorde was overrated and out to get my girl Lana.  I know, I know...it was a dark time for us all.  I still think that people need to give it up with "Royals" already (remember when I featured it before it got popular??), and take a look at the rest of Pure Heroine.  I gave Lorde the benefit of the doubt and went looking for gems...and boy, would you look at what I unearthed!

"Million Dollar Bills" is off of the extended version of the album, if you're wondering which bag of tricks I pulled this one out of.  Personally, I enjoy the pacing and the up-tempo feel of the track, and the little bit of a throwback that Lorde does to 90's hip-hop.  "Million Dollar Bills" also had a bit of a wondrous-and-magical-Katy-Perry element to it, which you can never argue with.  Overall, it's fun track, and remixed, I see it being big in the clubs.

"Ribs" is something a little different, more akin to "Royals," and follows Lorde's struggles with getting older and facing grown-up problems.  Right now she's only seventeen, so honey, there are a lot of grown-up problems coming your way, but there's nothing too cliche about "Ribs" at the same time.  It begins with a swelling ambient section, and when the vocals begin, you still get that ambient feeling to the track.  That's what I enjoy the most, and "Ribs" is probably my favourite track from the whole album.  Also remixed, this would be a good one for me to work out to.  What I'm the most interested in now is what Lorde is going to next, and if her music goes where I hope it will, we've got nothing but smooth sailing ahead, boys.  And if she stays away from Lana, all the better.

LP - Tokyo Sunrise (Live)

Okay, are you ready?  I'm going to let you in on a secret.  LP is the best artist you've never heard of, and if you have heard of her, then we must talk more.  I found her when I was going through more Game of Thrones playlists on Tumblr, and was very happy with my discovery.  Her alternative-indie-rock-pop is something out of this world, and even though she wrote Rihanna's "Cheers," we can forgive her and move on to what is really important here.  Her last album, 2012's live EP Into The Wild is brilliant, and "Tokyo Sunrise" is coming out on top.

Wherever you go, as far as Tokyo, I can say I'll see you again.

"Tokyo Sunrise" pulses with acoustic power and vocal work from LP that is as smokey and gritty as it is beautiful.  She's kind of like indie-alt's answer to Amy Winehouse, since I love to make obscure comparisons like that.  Also, for a live track, it doesn't have anything like that sub-par live sound that you sometimes get with the more mainstream artists.  There's something magical and full of whimsy in "Tokyo Sunrise," and it draws you in for more.  So now that you're in the know, get on this one, because you'll thank me when you do.

10 Years - Now Is The Time (Ravenous)

I'm back with another 10 Years song!  So in fact, I have gotten more into them between now and the acoustic version of "Soma."  I did struggle to find a good and catchy alternative song of theirs to feature, because some actually wasn't my cup of tea, but I found a bit of nostalgia in "Now Is The Time (Ravenous)."  The track reminds me of my alternative phase back in high school, when I was obsessed with Evans Blue and only slowly beginning to get heavier with Disturbed and Slipknot.  The guitars are heavy enough for the genre, the vocal work is superb and a little reminiscent of Wonder What's Next-era Chevelle, and there's just something dark and mysterious about "Now Is The Time."  Needless to say, I'm all in now.

Billie Holiday - Good Morning Heartache

This blog may not have an outrageous number of "old" songs, but I do like to dip into a time long ago when a certain something speaks to me.  I have a bit of Billie Holiday over here because there was a 2-disc greatest hits set of hers one day at Value Village.  "Strange Fruit" is my go-to from her, but today I want to do something a little different, because by God, this woman has quite the collection of music to choose from.  "Good Morning Heartache" came on my ipod one afternoon, and it wasn't long before I knew that this would be the one.  It's just a lovely smooth jazz number with Billie's sweet-and-stick vocals and that soft brass and woodwind section behind her that make this a masterpiece.  Jazz and heartache are the formula for success, but with the bit of magic that comes from Billie Holiday simply being herself, "Good Morning Heartache" has something a little more special to it than everything else.

Alexisonfire - A Dagger Through The Heart Of St. Angeles

Alexisonfire may not be a band anymore, but recently their self-titled debut was remastered and the re-released on itunes.  I haven't really given the remastered tracks a look though, because I enjoy them enough in their original state.  Compared to their later work, particularly the last album Old Crows / Young Cardinals, the sound on the first album is very, very different.  It's definitely a more gritty version of post-hardcore, less radio-friendly if you have to ask (part of why I didn't really enjoy the last album, aside from it having little variety outside of "The Northern").  And you know what?  I like it.  It's the sound I fell in love with back in the eighth grade.

"A Dagger Through The Heart Of St. Angeles" is the track-of-the-day now (though I hope you remember me featuring ".44 Caliber Love Letter" ages ago).  Mr. Petit's back to screaming most of the song as he should be, and Dallas Green is there to add that haunting beauty I enjoyed so much in early-era Alexisonfire.  Don't forget about the instruments either.  The guitars and percussion are keeping up to George's pace, and are heavy while not being too heavy.  Everything is consistent in "A Dagger Through..."  Well, there is a nice and soft spot a little more than halfway through that starts off the haunting beauty part, and some spoken words give a really great atmosphere before an amazing finish.  Now, if you excuse me, I have some nostalgia to get into.

Ingrid Michaelson - In The Sea

Let's continue along the lines of artists that I should have gotten into long ago.  Well, kind of.  I've had a few songs from Ingrid Michaelson in the past, but nothing that really leaped out at me and held on tight.  Until now!  "In The Sea" came my way through some Game of Thrones playlist I found on Tumblr somewhere, relating to the seafairing Ironmen.  Yeah, I'd say this one can get you to the sea pretty well.  Besides the lyrics about the saltwater sting and you drowned me in the sea, there's that heavy percussion beat that almost makes it seem like you're on a longship bobbing through the waves.  It's dark, it's gritty, and at the same time, it's pop.  Dark and gritty pop is my favourite kind of pop, and Ingrid does it well.  Vocally she's superb too, if you don't know already.  But while "In The Sea" has that aquatic feel, it's also about something else...perhaps scorned love?  That's what it seems like to me.  And then there's that delicate electric guitar plucking in the background....I'm in love with "In The Sea."  That's it.

The Bravery - Hatefuck

The Bravery is a band that I should be very familiar with by now, since I've heard enough about them to probably write a book, but it's easy to get behind with everything.  You know how it is.  So it's about time I got "Hatefuck," off of 2009's Stir The Blood.  Sure, it's punk, but I don't think that it's the punk you think it is.  The track has a really nice indie-alt flair to it, and I can respect that.  Lead Sam Endicott sounds like a better version of Brandon Flowers here, and put to those catch guitar chords and percussion that just won't quit, we get something...perfect.  "Hatefuck" is kind of throwback punk, with a modern twist to keep us wanting more.  The lyrics?  Gah.  The only thing that I ask, love me mercilessly.  That just about sums everything up for me in one complete sentence.  So don't be like me and fall behind, get into this already.

Panic! At The Disco - Build God, Then We'll Talk

While the boys of Panic! At The Disco may have grown up and changed, I still cling to the home that one day they'll turn back to their past of electro-alternative and throw some more swears into their music.  Eh, I can hope, right?  A Fever You Can't Sweat Out will likely always be my favourite Panic! album regardless of what they do next, and I couldn't think of a better way to end it than with "Build God, Then We'll Talk."  It's probably nothing you've heard before, because its power lies in its quirks.  Brendan Urie here is simply marvelous and macabre, and it isn't going to be long before this song worms its way into your head.  The track examines the life of several people visiting a seedy-looking motel, among them a virgin and a businessman, and boy, the storytelling is off the hook.  We even get a little Sound of Music reference near the end.  What do we call this quirky alternative music?  Lovely.  Think of it as a more macabre-sounding Ludo, who in turn sound like a less-macabre Panic! at the Disco.  I see this going on for a while...

What a wonderful caricature of intimacy.

Lana Del Rey - Bad Disease

At the end of 2013 I went kind of crazy getting my hands on everything Lana Del Rey made that I didn't have already, and in the process, I found Sirens, the acoustic album she recorded under the name May Jailer.  I don't think it's actually been confirmed that this is actually Lana, but it's widely assumed, so we're going to go with that for now.  Critics compare the sound of Sirens to Jewel's Pieces of You, which is a fair assessment, but what sets Lana apart from Jewel is that you're still getting the opulent-gangster-Nancy-Sinatra here, but with a more delicate approach and nothin' but an acoustic guitar.

"Bad Disease" is currently my favourite of the bunch, and it can be attributed to the line I've got a bad disease stuck in my head nearly all the time.  It may not be umtempo or scream catchy, but it's definitely the latter.  It's generally got that folky-delicate sound, but there are moments of power, and it really showcases Lana's vocal abilities, which you may not fully grasp from her newer work.  "Bad Disease" is sad, you get that from the lyrics where you just get a plea for help, but in this sadness is real beauty.  Should Lana ever go back to the acoustic world, I'd be quite the happy camper.

"Bad Disease" starts at 11:39.

Marilyn Manson - The Love Song

I'm still riding the Marilyn Manson kick that started last year, after I copied all of those CDs that I got from my brother's friend.  He's not an artist you should be intimidated by, and industrial metal shouldn't scare you either.  You take away the theatrics and only look at the music, and you have alternative metal music that's actually fairly accessible (though maybe not for everyone, I'll admit).  "The Love Song" is a slightly satirical piece about America and the 3 G's: God, guns and government, and there's lots of weaponry-related lyrical content to boot.  So yes, it's strong lyrically, but what I like about "The Love Song" is that it's industrial-sounding without getting carried away.  And as always, Marilyn Manson puts so much power into his words that we could light up the entire world with Holy Wood.  Just listen to the chorus and tell me you don't want to mosh.  That seems to be a recurring theme now that I think about it...looks like some moshing is in order...

A Static Lullaby - Charred Fields of Snow

It always comes back to metal, doesn't it?  Or in this case, it always comes back to post-hardcore, doesn't it?  Back in high school I was a regular post-hardcore princess, always hunting through Amazon to find the next amazing thing in the genre.  While I'm not as big of a fan of post-hardcore as I used to, I still enjoy the music to some degree, and bands like A Static Lullaby give me a certain kick of nostalgia.  I got ...And Don't Forget To Breathe when I was in grade eleven or twelve, I can't remember exactly, and it's really full of post-hardcore gems.  There's the classic "Love To Hate, Hate To Me," "A Sip of Wine Chased With Cyanide," and today's "Charred Fields of Snow."

"Charred Fields of Snow" likes to come up a lot when I listen to my library on shuffle, so I suppose it was trying to speak to me in order to get a feature.  As a post-hardcore song, it has the classic elements of pieces of punk, nice screaming, clean vocals where they're needed, and that fast-tempo feeling you have to headbang along too.  Wait until you get midway through the song with now I dispose of you...though you may be headbanging long before that.  I think of the sound as a cross between AFI and Thursday.  "Charred Fields of Snow" has that desolate hardcore feeling, but there's also something twisted and punky to it.  Lyrically, A Static Lullaby has strength as well, and this is no exception.  Hell, if I keep listening to this, it won't be long before you guys find me in a moshpit somewhere.

Oh yeah, since the only video I could find from Youtube was put to anime clips and I'm not uploading third party content and getting my account deleted again...this will have to do.