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.

Katy Perry - Legendary Lovers

I've been keeping my eye on Katy Perry ever since "I Kissed a Girl" came out when I was in high school.  Yeah, her stuff is good, but most of it has simply fallen into the category of catchy pop songs I like, but cannot love.  Mind you, my heart may be mostly metal, but only the best of pop makes its way into my good graces.  I got my hands on Prism this past weekend, and was actually surprised by what I found.  The album definitely shows the growth Miss Perry has done since she first hit the music scene, and even though she may not be the gritty pin up she once was, I'm all for this incarnation of her.

"Legendary Lovers" stuck out to me from all of the other songs on Prism because of its sound.  With a worldbeat flavor, Katy gives us something no one expected before.  I can compare the sound of the track to something like Shakira meets Amy Lee, but it still has that Katy Perry feel to it.  The music?  Oh, the production is spot-on here.  Some criticize the lyrical content here, but I actually enjoy it, and I find that it matches the musical tone quite nicely.  Maybe Katy's next album should be worldbeat.  I'd buy it in a heartbeat after this one.

Woodkid - Iron

Woodkid, a.k.a Yoann Lemoine, is someone I should have been getting into a long time ago, so I'm not struggling to keep up now.  He directed the goddamn "Born To Die" video for Lana, people!  When he's not directing videos for other people like Katy Perry and T. Swift, he's creating neofolk music under the name Woodkid, and by god, is he good.  I've probably heard "Iron" fifty times before getting it in my library and actually giving it a good listen, and now that I know the truth, why did I waste all this time getting here?

"Iron" is a cross between folk, baroque, experimental and even a little indie-alt, if I do say so myself.  It's got a little something for everyone.  There's orchestral sections, background organs, and percussion that could pound any competitors into the ground.  With instrumentals this strong, the vocal work has to be pretty high up there, but never fear!  Mr. Lemoine takes a more minimal approach to his singing here in "Iron," but it's hella effective.  He's the foil to the strong music with that voice made for folk.  Simply put, "Iron" is a piece of art, one that's worth having in your own collection.

Kanye West - Bound 2

I'm a little bit behind on the "Bound 2" wagon, but this was supposed to be up weeks ago, mind you.  That long break I took over the holidays wasn't planned, but no need to worry, we have our Kanye now.  The consensus with most people I know is that they hate Kanye, mostly for who he is as a person.  Is he the most modest star in the sky?  No, but he knows what he wants and I commend him for getting to the place he is now, while continually putting out fantastic music.

Strictly speaking about "Bound 2" as a song, and not a music video, there's nothing here to complain about.  Kanye has managed to do what most rappers can't do (in my opinion, at least).  Boiled down, "Bound 2" is a sweet love song with sampling done perfectly.  It's a lot, sure, but it all belongs here.  I find rap songs about love can either be too aggressive or too soft, but Kanye has the best of both worlds, and (without thinking of the music video) there is nothing too much about "Bound 2."  Now, when you do bring the video into the mix, things get a little campy and over the top, but hey, it got people talking, didn't it?  I've said before that as long as Kanye is making music, I'll be buying it, and unless he really takes a dive into the deep end, what he does in his personal life won't change that.

Periphery - Ragnarok

I may have gotten the new Katy Parry, Britney Spears and Lorde albums this past weekend, but my heart will always lie with metal.  Progressive metal rarely does wrong too, and with a subgenre name like that, there are few rules to be followed.  Periphery is the Maryland six-piece on the docket today, who I've known of over the years, but have't been motivated enough to get into them.  Now that I am: wow.  "Ragnarok" is off of the new album, Periphery II: This Time It's Personal, and with a track title like that, I expect very heavy and strong things.  I was not disappointed, believe me.

"Ragnarok" combined djent-fueled guitar work with a nice healthy mix of growling and clean vocals.  Everyone is happy here, and you better believe that they go in strong and finish just as powerfully.  Hell, the clean vocals might even have more power to them than the growling does in this case.  If djent has intimidated you in the past, "Ragnarok" is a good place to start before you get into the big guns with the likes of Meshuggah.  Now, time to get a little more into what Periphery has to offer.

HAIM - My Song 5

I'm currently obsessing over HAIM, but you guys should have seen that coming by now.  Days Are Gone is awesome and brilliant, the Haim sisters are lovely and I want to be them all...this was bound to happen.  I'm still leery of following what everyone else is saying and comparing them too much to Fleetwood Mac.  Really, they're their own thing, and why boil it down to comparisons when we don't have to?  As long as they keep making stuff as awesome as "My Song 5," I'll be happy.

"My Song 5" is grittier than my other fave "The Wire," but follows the same dark-sort-of-breakup-bit storyline as that song.  The lyrics go he's in her heart on the floor, thinking that I'll never know and I'll be up going through crazy shit I did for you with honey, honey I am never coming home again.  I think we know what's going on here, but HAIM doesn't do that typical scorned-lover ditty.  They use their charm and genre-blending masterful abilities to weave a gritty, percussion-and-bass heavy indie-alt track that makes you believe again.  Oh darling, I believe.

Paramore - Be Alone

I've said this before and I'll say it again, and if I haven't said it, then so be it: Paramore is just awesome and they're a band that I love unconditionally.  Their self-titled album, which came out in 2013 and has already been featured by me, shows a helluva lot of growth from RIOT!  Oh, Hayley, I'm proud.  The self-titled album also had its sweet, lovely moments, which we've already seen with "Proof," and today, we see it again with "Be Alone."

You should be alone with me.

"Be Alone" has that strong and peppy alternative sound, giving it that perfect mix of alt, pop and rock that makes everything flow nicely.  Hayley is still on the ball vocally, and the instrumental work is just as phenomenal.  "Be Alone" is simply lush and organic sounding....nothing too insane or crazy, just the way music is supposed to sound.  It's a sweet song, that will warm your heart and wish for someone to be alone with at that moment.  Music that makes you feel is the best music of all, and Paramore has that corner of the market...well...cornered.

GLC - Angry Birds

December was a rough month for this blog, hell, 2013 was a rough year for it too, but I can say now that I'm back.  No more need to worry over me.  What better way to begin this year (well....yesterday's post was really the beginning, but just work with me here) than with a nice good rap song?  Answer: there is no better way.  I've been sitting on "Angry Birds" from Chicago's GLC for a while now, so it's about time it made its debut here.  Produced by DJ Ayres, the track is one of those good ol' melancholy rap ditties that is nothing too heavy, but still hits you full-force with the sputtering beats, and the feeling that this is what all rap should be like.  "Angry Birds" has nothing in common with the game that is most likely its namesake; not cartoonish or over-the-top.  GLC knows exactly what he's doing here, and it's brilliant.

Top 50 of 2013

I may have been seriously lacking in the posting for the past few weeks, but I'll be damned if I don't make this post.  What's different about this one, as opposed to the Top 50 of 2012, is that I did this more logically.  While for the past 2 years I've just been picking the best news songs based on how I feel, I let itunes do the work this year.  I compiled all of the songs I added in 2013, and cut off the list at fifty based on the number of listens.  A lot of these songs didn't come out in 2013, but who cares?  I make the rules.  Here it is:

Crystal Castles - Untrust Us
Daft Punk - Something About Us
Blood Stain Child - S.O.P.H.I.A
Daft Punk - Instant Crush
Youth Lagoon - Dropla
Scott Lavender - Hallowed Be Thy Name (Orchestral Version)
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz - Thrift Shop
Anchor & Braille - Knew Then Know Now
Max Raabe & Das Palast Orchester - Oops! I Did It Again
Ensiferum - Bamboleo
HAIM - The Wire
Bastille - Pompeii
Charlie and The Foxtrots - Mademoiselle
Paramore - Proof
We Were Bears - Baby Animals
Cats On Trees - Jimmy
Matthew And The Atlas - I Followed Fires
Volbeat - Lola Montez
CHVRCHES - Recover
Dry The River - Demons
Max Raabe & Das Palast Orchester - We Will Rock You
Spacegoat - Black Glow
Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass
Gordon Lightfoot - Black Day In July
The Cranberries - Desperate Andy
 J. Ralph Feat. Scarlett Johansson and Joshua Bell - Before My Time
Julie Kathryn - In My Dreams
Lovin' Spoonful - Summer In The City
Taylor Swift - Red
fun. - All The Pretty Girls
Gin Wigmore - Black Sheep
Little Green Cars - Big Red Dragon
Protest The Hero - Mist
The Smiths - Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
HAIM - My Song 5
She & Him - Never Wanted Your Love
Squeeze - Heaven Knows
Two Door Cinema Club - Changing of The Seasons
Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know
Within Temptation - Somewhere
Delta Rae - Bottom of The River
Iwrestledabearonce - Boat Paddle
Lana Del Rey vs. Two Door Cinema Club - You Know Video Games (Find this bad boy of a mashup and you will not be disappointed)
The Lone Bellow - Bleeding Out
Protest The Hero - Skies
Trampled By Turtles - Victory
Violent Femmes - Please Do Not Go