Top 50 of 2012

It's that time of year again, and if you're like me, you've been anxiously waiting 366 days for this post to appear.  My sister was a bit surprised by my methods, but it's not that complex.  Over the year, if I hear a new song I like, I add it to a playlist that I whittle down to fifty songs at the end of December.  It requires patience and the ability to make some tough choices, but I think I managed to pull it off.  This year I was also more careful to include songs recorded or released in 2012; it's only fair.  Enjoy all fifty of these as much as I did, and enjoy tonight's festivities with the people you love.  Why not make a playlist out of these to crank?

A Rose For Epona – Eluveitie

Bent Up – Fki feat. Natasha Mosley

Rocket Ship – Dragonette

Zero Gravity – Kerli

My Soul – Ugly Kids Club

Somebody To Love – Rusko

Only Fields – Graph Rabbit

O.J. – 50 Cent feat. Kidd Kidd

Faster Horses – MNDR

Stay Awhile – Belle Histoire

Rained The Whole Time (Nicolas Jaar Remix) – Shlohmo

Grapevine Valentine – Kingsfoil

Ocean Floor For Everything – How To Dress Well

Game of Thrones Freestyle – Gotye feat. Dice Raw

Dark Star – Poliҫa

Lucky Struggle (Notorious B.I.G vs. Lana Del Rey) – Terry Urban

Default – Django Django

Oh Thee 73 – Felix

Bound To Let You Go – Wild Adriatic

Lotion – Dead and Divine

Some Nights – Fun.

Bloody Mary – Dice Raw

My Dreams Have Withered and Died – Angel Olsen & Marissa Nadler

Lover of the Light – Mumford & Sons

When I Am Alone – Natalie Prass and Among Savages

Total Recall – Flosstradamus

Sleep Alone (BeatauCue Remix) – Two Door Cinema Club

My Crown – 50 Cent

I See Hell – Skerrit Bwoy

Spaghetti – BBU feat. Mic Terror

Down – The Birthday Massacre

Rattler’s Revival – The Toadies

Soma (Acoustic) – 10 Years

King Wizard – Kid Cudi

Harakiri – Serj Tankian

Over it – Colin Munroe

She Did Not Know – Linus Pauling Quartet

Ball of Fire – The Orb

Breezeblocks – Alt-J

The Heart Asks Pleasure First – Nightwish

Waiting For Godot – Janina Gavankar

Runaway Love (Stars Remix) – Diamond Rings

Black to Gold – Christian Mistress

Coney Island High – The Everymen

Hot Knife – Fiona Apple

Glue – White Lung

Booggéré – Plaster

Queen of the City – Joshua James

Igloo – Mr. MFN Exquire

Gossip Folks – Angel Haze

 

And who gets honors for best song of 2012? At 168+ plays since January, there's no contest here.

 

 

Chevelle - Prima Donna

This year, it was difficult to narrow down one album that I enjoyed the most.  I know Hats Off To The Bull didn't come out in 2012, but I didn't get it until late 2011.  As well, it's my blog, so I make the rules.  Chevelle did something great with their last album, and it's evident from the amount of songs I've blogged about from it (perhaps the most songs from one album, but don't quote me on that one).  Maybe it's fitting to give the last single song feature to one of the tracks, and a dull snowy day like today calls for something acoustic with understated beauty.

"Prima Donna" is exactly that.  While the Loeffler clan has mastered powerful alternative rock, they've also got a delicate side that comes out with the acoustic guitar.  It's a sleeper track of Hats Off To The Bull, and while emanating a somber atmosphere, it is also a sweet little ditty that proves the band is capable of more than one style.  And you know what I say: you don't have to be loud to be powerful.

Scissor Sisters - Let's Have a Kiki

I'll admit to having heard of "Let's Have a Kiki" through Glee.  So sue me.  I am a fan of Scissor Sisters, mind you, but don't follow them as religiously as I do with certain other groups.  At least I've got it now, so we can all sleep soundly.  Sarah Jessica Parker might have done a good job on the small screen this American Thanksgiving, but "Let's Have a Kiki belongs to Ana Matronic.

After your first listen to "Let's Have a Kiki," a few things will happen.  It'll get stuck in your head, and you'll immediately want to learn and master the accompanying dance moves.  That was Scissor Sisters' plan all along!  It's diabolical, but it works.  "Let's Have a Kiki" is the club music that should be more rampant on the scenes outside of NYC.  God forbid they would play it in my city.  Scissor Sisters have me longing to make an overdue pilgrimage to the Big Apple to host my own kiki.  Mission accomplished, Miss Matronic.

Epica - The Obsessive Devotion

2012 was a pretty good year for symphonic metal, allowing me to get to know the Dutch collective Epica a bit better.  Well, their "The Obsessive Devotion" is from 2007, but you get what I'm trying to say.  If I hadn't heard their new "Storm The Sorrow" I'm not sure I would have gone looking for some of their older work to add to my collection.  "The Obsessive Devotion" is off of The Divine Conspiracy and rife with a lot of symphonic elements.  You have Simone Simons doing her thing (new girl crush alert), orchestral sounds and harsh vocals courtesy of Mark Jansen.  Admittedly, it's always good for a band to be consistent throughout time.  For Epica to be as brilliant in 2007 as they are now is a good sign.  Very good.

Nothing lasts forever, but you, you do.

Kid Cudi - King Wizard

Kid Cudi may not be an absolute favourite artist of mine, but he's still a hella good rapper.  Indicud is the name of his upcoming album, out in early 2013, but for now we have "King Wizard."  I know there are a few other songs out, but I think this one is the best.  Dare I say it, it's darker Kid Cudi, nothing like "Erase Me" or "Make Her Say."  And you know what I say, when an artist shows progression like this, it's nothing short of good.  Brilliant, even.  "King Wizard" is also fairly catchy, a trait of a lot of Cudi's songs that's retained here.  Lesson: change is good, but do keep a few elements of the past.  Cudi has it down pat.

My 10 Favourite Christmas Songs

A Top 10 list is here, just in time for the holidays and right before I take a two-day hiatus to spend time with my family and friends.  In the meantime, there's nothing wrong with giving these ten gems a listen while you do the same wherever you are.  And to everyone, have a safe and happy holiday season; spend it with the people who love you and you love back.

Lost Lander - Afraid of Summer

Have you heard of Portland, Oregon's Lost Lander before?  Probably not, and if you have, then you are awesome.  For those of you who haven't, you're missing out on some good indie from this four piece.  Their album DRRT was released in the early throes of 2012, and it's a surprise to me that they're only being featured now for their string-laden "Afraid of Summer."  This isn't the lush guitar indie you may expect from me, but something different.  "Afraid of Summer" is powered by the acoustic guitar and an impressive violin and delicate piano.  It's more haunting than anything, and anything haunting falls into my good books.

I'm afraid of summer 'cause you know I can't swim
I get lost in the water when the tide pulls me in.

Adele - He Won't Go

I'm currently doing a few things.  One: adding most of the CDs I've borrowed from my brother's best friend to my laptop.  Two: deciding how I can organize my own collection of 200+ albums.  Three: enjoying Adele.  The running joke in my family is that my brother has a voice like the British chanteuse.  He doesn't, and I'm not sure how it started, but that's how Adele will be remembered by me.  She's also pretty awesome, and 19 and 21 both find constant play in my parents' house.  You could make the obvious choices for "Rolling In The Deep," "Set Fire To The Rain" or "Someone Like You," but why not go a little more obscure?  If you haven't listened to "He Won't Go" then you better get on it.

"He Won't Go" pulses with delicate piano work, but Adele's voice is nothing short of a powerhouse on this track.  She's got the soul needed to make this the sleeper hit of 21.  She says it herself, I'm willing to take the risk.  This ditty follows themes of independence, and steadying a pair of shaky feet.  It's empowering without the repetitive breakup references of her other, more popular songs.  Adele ain't no one-note artist, people.  She's got it, and I'm looking forward to her next installment in the future.

Like Moths To Flames - Some Nights + Memphis May Fire - Grenade

Though my brother may listen to a generic brand of rock, he does throw me a few good music selections now and again, and it's his fault I got so hard into Iron Maiden (not that I'm complaining).  His recent contribution to my library (soon to be overtaken by the two Tool albums sitting next to me on the table) would be tracks from the new Pop Goes Punk 5 album, and we all know I'm a sucker for covers.

"Some Nights" is a favourite of the year for me from the boys of Fun., but it's something else when reworked by Ohio metalcore mongers Like Moths To Flames.  Less gospel, more alternative anthem.  The vocals are raw, the growls give the cover personality, and the guitars are heavy.  Perhaps this is the perfect cover?

Or one of them.  Memphis May Fire, radar favourites of mine, tackle Bruno Mars's "Grenade," a song that I actually enjoy the original of (or, at least I did when it first came out).  They've got a good balance of clean vocals and metalcore growls, done best during the chorus.  That contrast is sweet music to my ears.  It's easier on the ears than the Like Moths To Flames track, but still has as much metalcore as you need.

My brother asked me to get him Pop Goes Punk 5 for Christmas this year.  I hope he enjoys pre-opened gifts.

Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good

So I'm officially done this semester's exams, and will be back home in the throes of the country this time tomorrow.  How should I celebrate?  The Amy Winehouse way, of course!  Well...kind of.  This is just a lame attempt at me trying to justify the queue of songs I have lined up to feature.  "You Know I'm No Good" came up one day during a peruse through the library, and with Back To Black being the albums of hers I am less familiar with (Frank is the true gem), it reignited my attention enough to make the list.  She might be gone, but she's still got it.

"You Know I'm No Good" is indicative Amy Winehouse: smooth jazz, smokey vocals, and a little life that makes this accessible to those suspicious of the genre.  Jazz can be good, people.  You may know Amy Winehouse is no good, but her music was, and always will be.  This track doesn't have the popularity of "Rehab" and may carry the reminder of her death, but we can't appreciate music if we let other things outshine the beauty.

I cheated myself like I knew I would
I told you I was trouble, you know that I'm no good

Caspian - Some Are White Light

Some people have it set that they can't enjoy music without lyrics.  That's all fine and dandy for them, but missing out on good shit is something I never condone.  When it comes to instrumental music, you probably think of all things electronic, and of course, the classical genre.  What about rock without words?  And even better, what about lush rock confined to the instruments?  You end up with Caspian, a band without a lead singer, but you won't miss it.

"Some Are White Light" is five and a half minutes of lush guitar work, carefully crafted for a nice, rich sound.  This is like the score to a good slice-of-life movie, rising to a lovely climax, as it should do.  I think the introduction of lyrics would only bring this beautiful piece of art down.  There's merit in being able to tell a story with sound, and without words.  Caspian does it, and that's why they're in my good graces. 

French Montana feat. Rico Love and Mase - Grown Ups

Now, if you liked French Montana with the Coke Boys, you've got to love him tackling a mixtape solo, right?  It's the law of the universe, or at least, a law that I would enforce if I could.  Mac & Cheese 3 might be a "cheesy" name for a mixtape, but when it's good, you can name it whatever you want.  With the help of Rico Love and Mase, Mr. Montana gives us "Grown Ups," a rap ditty that sounds like a grown-up version of "Husband and Wife" from the last Coke Boys tape.  It's a mellow track, not too aggressive, but with rhymes like we'll do the things that grown ups do, it's anything but too laid-back.  You'll catch on to the story of "Grown Ups" quickly, and the song will catch on to you.  French does it again.

Sirenia - Led Astray

Let's have a symphonic metal Saturday today.  Case closed.  You're on board?  Excellent.  If you're familiar with the likes of Nightwish, Epica, Katra, Edenbridge and the like, you have to be aware of Norway's Sirenia.  They're a little gothic, enough to set them apart in the vast sea of symphonic bands, and make some damn good use of the violin.  "Led Astray" comes from 2009's The 13th Floor, and while it sounds a little like Nightwish in some parts, you still get something different here.  Trust me.

"Led Astray" belongs to female lead Ailyn, the fourth to take the position by my count.  She's Spanish, believe it or not, but fits right in here.  She's a higher register Anette Olzon with a voice made for metal, and a good contrast to some good lush orchestra movements within the track.  The instruments of "Led Astray" tell a story of their own; there's nothing outshining anything here.  I'll be surprised if you're another symphonic nut and haven't heard of this song, let alone Sirenia as a band, before, but I'll let it slide.  Just don't let it happen again.

Firehorse - Our Hearts

Who is Firehorse?  Brooklyn's Leah Siegel, who's got her place of origin on her side, which can't hurt.  "Our Hearts" is something a little Feist-y (as in Leslie Feist), but still unique.  It's chill too; something you can listen to at any time of the day with your legs up and  mug of tea in hand.  The vocals are sweet, definitely not overwhelming, and "Our Hearts" is simply...brilliant.  Short but sweet today, I know, but you know how things get around exam time: needlessly boring.  So get out of your funk with Firehorse, endorsed by yours truly.

Wuthering Heights, or "how to say goodbye to your pet frog"

Oh, it was an interesting evening last night.  About to go to bed, I swung by the small aquarium to add some more water form my African dwarf frogs, and immediately noticed one was missing.  To make a long story short, we found him behind the couch long dried out at two in the morning.  Thomas Stearns may be gone now, but he lives on through the weirdest thing I've ever made; a tribute video.  Yes, I had enough pictures to do so.

So what's this got to do with music?  I chose my latest favourite song of the moment for the backing track, "Wuthering Heights" by 80's English pop darling Kate Bush.  Weird for a video about a frog?  Yes.  But I don't care too much about how weird I am today.  There's also a decent cover of the song done by rockers China Drum, which I actually found before the original.  So let's all honor Thomas Stearns by listening to music that references the work of the Bronte sisters.  Good show.

Breaking Benjamin - Had Enough

High school was a good four years.  Well, not really.  No one can say in good confidence that those were the best times of their life.  Who knew getting blunt-cut bangs was such a bad idea?  At least it was good for one thing; exploring the alternative rock bands that would lead me to the metal I love so much today.  Breaking Benjamin is somewhere in the middle of that, a good transition band.  Still, I got their Phobia in the early spring of 2007 after frequent airplay on the Detroit alt station.  I've heard some of their other work, and this album is their best, no contest.  It might be the only album from 2007 that I still enjoy to the same extent now.

"Had Enough" is, quite simply put, a suck it song for the ages.  The lyrics say it all.  You should have learned by now, I'll burn this whole world down.  The sound is a little lush, but it's the vocals that get me.  Phobia has some of the best vocal work done by the band I've seen, and it's not only confined to "Had Enough."  But back to my original point: this is what you listen to if you're looking to pump yourself up and get you out of a funk.  We all need that sometimes, don't we?  And after five and a half years, it's passed my test of time.  Have you had enough yet?

Grimes - Genesis

There are a lot of ways to describe the obscure side of the electronic music spectrum.  Experimental, dark wave, witch house (a personal favourite of mine), noise, industrial...  Point is, the genre is a bit more complex than just dubstep and ambient.  Montreal's Grimes makes it a little easier to get into and, in turn, more accessible.  She's the current queen of the experimental subgenre; think of her as Cocorosie condensed to only one sister.  Her "Genesis" has a fitting title.  This is the beginning of something good.

"Genesis" starts out as something very dark and atmospheric, though works it way to an array of dreamy whistles and synths intermixed with Grimes' childlike (in a good way) voice.  Don't think of this track as something you can take to the club and dance to; it's meant to be listened to closely and enjoyed.  Though, that doesn't limit you to dancing to "Genesis."  I won't stop you, but I think it's more about the art and less about thumping in the club.  Grimes is the next best thing in electro, one of our more obscure Canadian treasures.

Joey Bada$$ - Little Rachel

How about some short-but-sweet rap on a rainy Sunday evening?  From Brooklyn's Joey Bada$$ and his Rejex mixtape comes "Little Rachel."  Sweet rap?  It exists here. Mr. Bada$$ raps over the tap of the piano keys.  Simple, but effective.  Nonetheless, he makes this a track rife with emotion as he follows the life of the titular character.  The rhymes are pretty slick too, which doesn't hurt.  She don't no blacks and blues on the eyes, for they have seen so many lies so many times and cried so many cries.  But Little Rachel has dreams, just as I dream of the underrated rap stars like Joey Bada$$ replacing the likes of Lil Wayne and Chris Brown in the scene.  That's Little Rachel.

Nightwish - The Islander

Music and good days come hand-in-hand in my experience.  My faith has been restored in HMV today, as they had Eluveitie's The Early Years on sale for ten dollars.  And then there's Nightwish.  Always Nightwish.  I'm long going to be nostalgic about Anette.  She's the complete package of the symphonic metal genre, and I'm following her personal blog closely for when she posts some new solo tracks.  In the meantime, I have Dark Passion Play and Imaginaerum to keep me occupied, today's feature coming from the former.

Okay, "The Islander" isn't an Anette-centered track, but she's still there in the background.  Lead vocals come courtesy of bassist Marco Hietala.  He's gotta have some of my favourite clean male vocals in the metal genre.  His pipes are matched with an acoustic feel to the song.  It's a little Celtic too, which I have no issue with.  "The Islander" is mysterious; kind of along the lines of "Turn Loose The Mermaids" (look it up if you have no clue what I'm talking about).  This is evidence of the versatility that Nightwish has a band, even if they're lead singer-less for the moment.

 

 

Parlovr - You Only Want It 'Cause You're Lonely

I've done lush rock and a bit of lush alternative (Silver Snakes, anyone?) but today is the day to listen to some lush indie.  It exists, and it consists of borderline-dreamy vocals and chilled out guitar work.  Think breezy and relaxed.  So we're on the same page now?  Good.  Parlovr is a Montral-based collective that gets the genre, and shows us that they do with tracks like "You Only Want It 'Cause You're Lonely."  Thank you, boys.

"You Only..." is about what you think it is, but gets its power from the flow of music.  What starts out on a mellow level rises to a stunning chorus.  To put it into context, think of Parlovr as Arcade Fire meets Foster The People.  That's what this track is.  It's a little beachy, a little lush, and a lot good.  Just listen to it, because I know you don't have much else to do today.

Angel Olsen & Marissa Nadler - My Dreams Have Withered and Died

What happens when you bring two folky indie darlings together?  Magical things.  You may remember Miss Nadler from an earlier post, but Angel Olsen is new to the Fromalt2zen bracket.  That's okay.  There is always room for new blood in my domain.  They come together here to cover Linda Thompson folk classic "My Dreams Have Withered And Died."  Not the typical choice of a cover song, but since when is anything I like typical?

Angel and Marissa turn "My Dreams..." from a take-it-easy folk ballad to a new dimension.  Here the song thrives on a minimal quality, focusing on their vocals intertwining.  I like that they don't exactly sing together in a sense.  Marissa's smokey vocals and Angel's slightly higher register are not perfectly synced, but with the delicate strum of a guitar behind them, they make "My Dreams..." something real.  You're there in the room listening to them perform (oh, how I wish that was true).  So take a leap of faith today, if you trust me enough.  Go minimal folk, and see how quickly you fall in love with this.

Ensiferum - Wanderer

Let's call this a folk metal Monday to end all genre-related Mondays.  Oh, you were expecting a Top 10 list?  Never fear, I'm saving it for next week, mostly because I'll have to upload quite the load of French music to Youtube before that can happen.  So in the meantime, let's stick with what we know best.  "Wanderer" is another selection from my favourite Finnish band's album Victory Songs, which boasts a title track to end all title tracks.

What do we have here?  Epicness.  "Wanderer" is a six-and-a-half minute voyage through viking territory.  Petri Lindroos rocks out on vocals, as usual, and you know that this is what the folk metal genre is all about.  This is the kind of music I listen to around the apartment and get asked if this was recorded for Lord of the Rings.  I wish!  "Wanderer" doesn't have a lot of the death growling that Ensiferum has used to their great advantage in the past, but it works here.  You don't need to scream to be heard, people.  This isn't a song you'd wreck your voice singing along to.  This is a victory song.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have You Ever Seen The Rain?

I'll say one thing first: I've had this post planned for about a week and a half, but didn't anticipate that it would fall on a day it rained.  Fate has an interesting sense of humor after all.  Anyways, there's something about "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?" that speaks to everyone.  We can all relate to the weather after all, right?  So gave you ever seen the rain coming down on a sunny day?  It sure is something, and musically, this is something too.  This is CCR's swamp rock at its finest, though I'll let you make an argument for "Born On The Bayou" if you must.  Just do this for me today: go sit in front of a window, plug this in, and watch the rain fall.  Nirvana will be reached.

Green Day - Letterbomb

Nobody likes you, everyone left you, they're all out without you having fun.

I'll admit to being a bit indifferent about Green Day.  Everyone I ask picks Dookie as their best work and is a bit shocked to find out I'm not their biggest fan.  Well, I got American Idiot when I was in the seventh grade, and though I don't enjoy it as much as I did back then, a few songs are still worthy of featuring.  "Holiday" is my absolute favourite Green Day song, but "Letterbomb" wins the feature.  It's got the Green Day brand of punk that makes it theirs, but doesn't leave that peppy-shouting-too-political taste in your mouth.  I find Billie Joe Armstrong likable in "Letterbomb," which says something, and the guitars are killer.  It's punk all grown up, and the fact that I'm still listening to it eight years later earns major awesome points.  Sure, a song can be good when it comes out, but that good feeling lasts?  Now we're talkin'

Dice Raw - Bloody Mary

Remember a month or so ago when I featured "Dining Alone" from Dice Raw's The Greatest Rapper Never Vol. 1 mixtape?  Do you also remember when I said that I hard time choosing between a handful of songs?  Well, now it's time for one of those others to shine here.  "Bloody Mary" has actually surpassed "Dining Alone" as my favourite song from the mixtape, and there's nothing wrong with that.  Take one listen, and you'll know why.  Much like the title suggests, Dice follows the seductive temptress that is Bloody Mary and the power she holds over men, even those she's hurt before.  And the chorus?  Oh my god.  I'd be a fool to let you in my arms again.  That's a lyric to sum up the whole song.  Dice keeps it real here too, giving us his brand of melancholy rap that I enjoy hearing so much.  Now, when am I going to get The Greatest Rapper Never Vol. 2?

Charli XCX - Forgiveness

Here's me waving goodbye to the last stressful day of the semester...well, at least that's what I'll be doing at seven o'clock tonight.  Some de-stressing music would be nice, but I'm not sure if that's what you can call today's feature from the UK's Charli XCX.  She performs her own genre known as angel pop which mixes sweet vocals with harsh synth and some bangin' electro beats.  She's the queen of contrast in music right now, that's all I can say.  I got her Super Ultra mixtape a few weeks ago and have been thoroughly enjoying "Forgiveness," since, one of the more toned-down songs of the collection.  Charli croons I can change, I change, I can change, I will try every day, do my best, are you impressed, I am not down with forgiveness.  It's a little sad for what you might expect from angel pop, but these vocals are killer, and since I'm riding an emotional musical kick this week, it fits right in there with the other selections.  I'm down with this.

Mumford & Sons - Broken Crown + Lover Of The Light

Let's flash back to a few years ago.  My sister was raving about a band called Mumford & Sons and told me that I needed to download a few songs.  I thought they were good.  Not great.  Good.  Now let's stay in the present.  A very good friend of mine told me to listen to their new "Broken Crown," insisting it could be associated with Loki and the plot for Thor.  We're fangirls, what can I say?  A few days later I came across "Lover of the Light," from the same new album, Babel, simply because I heard Idris Elba was in the video.  Both songs would blow me out of the water, and still do.

"Broken Crown" is banjo-fueled, somber and has a rising power I like to hear in music.  If you're going to be acoustic, take full advantage of the power that instrument holds.  While the lyrics do remind me of Thor, it's the power the band puts into the last half of the song that makes "Broken Crown" a folk masterpiece.  "Lover of the Light" is a little different, and the music video makes me want to curl into a ball and weep for hours.  It has Mumford & Sons' acoustic power, and is simply a masterpiece, about seeing things you may not be able to see.  Yeah, I know, I'm going deep today, but that's fine.  Literally, "Lover of the Light" is the best music video I've seen this year.  Get on that.  And then listen to "Broken Crown."

Diamond Rings - Put Me On

It's getting around that time of year when I have to stop buying CDs and tell others which ones to buy me for Christmas.  Luckily, I left one off of the list on purpose, mainly because I couldn't wait until December twenty-fifth to get my hands on it.  Free Dimensional is a fantastic effort by Toronto synth monger Diamond Rings; I've even got my roommates hooked on John O'Regan's latest work.  There are no fillers on the album, only masterpieces, and "Put Me On" may be one of the most enjoyable (it was made free on itunes too, after all).

"Put Me On" is subdued synth, which goes right up my alley.  Diamonds Rings, with a voice that low, reminds me of a modern Billy Idol or David Bowie, transporting the listening to a far off land of electric guitar and keyboard chords.  Put me on, put me on, come on will be stuck in your head, I promise you that.  Now I regret saying bad things about "Runaway Love" when I featured the remix several weeks ago.  Diamond Rings is the future of the synth-indie-electronic genres, in a very attractive package.  Bowie would be proud.

The Canadian Treasures Playlist

The idea for this Top 10 (of sorts) came after a visit to my aunt's house a few weekends ago, where I was able to swipe her Shania Twain CD long enough to copy it onto my laptop.  She's one of the few country artists I can respect (other than Carrie Underwood...now that girl has the voice of an angel), and wouldn't our luck have it that she was born forty-five minutes down the highway from my parents' house?  It got me thinking; which artists would I call musical treasures to Canada?  It was tougher than I thought, and involved asking for help from an old friend and consulting Wikipedia.  Part of me is a bit disappointed I didn't recognize a good number of names on their "List of Canadian Musical Artists," but the aid still proved to be helpful when compiling this list.  It was a hard one to put together and narrow down to ten, but I think I do Canada justice.

And don't worry, there's no Dead and Divine this time.  You shouldn't have broken up, boys, or you would have cracked the list.

Silver Snakes - New Light

This is another example of the alternative genre going in the right direction.  It's hit some snags in the past, but part of growing up is realizing what works and what doesn't.  Los Angeles tetrad Silver Snakes knows what works, and dare I say it, they have something along the lines of a lush sound.  They remind me slightly of Envy On The Coast, though sound a touch more punk.  Still good.  "New Light" is a short ditty, clocking in at just over two minutes long, but it packs power in every word and every chord.  These guys need to be out there for everyone to hear; this is also another example of music you're probably missing out on.

You see that writing on the wall, yeah, you got nothing left at all.

Roach Gigz feat. Husalah & Lil B - Stupid

Last time I checked, the bass still go down.

It's Friday.  Last day of the school/workweek, and the evening brings only epic times ahead.  Naturally, I should feature a danceable song that makes you want to move your shoulders and various other parts of your body.  "Stupid" by Roach Gigz and the gang is a track I've been holding onto for a bit, listening to whenever it would come up on the queue, but it was only recently that I listened closely enough to fall in love.  It happens.  As the first few words may denote, the bass goes low and is fuzzy enough for my liking, and the crew raps with killer efficiency.  "Stupid" is a little aggressive, a little dubstep (but it works here), and stellar overall.  This is what needs to be playing at the clubs now.

Weezer - Peace

What recently reminded me of Weezer was a late-night bender that ended at a karaoke bar, with a comrade of mine selecting "Say It Ain't So."  Well...that song doesn't have anything on my ditty of choice ("You Shook Me All Night Long"...which mostly consists of me screaming into the microphone and giving shoutouts to group members), but it take me back to a time long ago.  Make Believe has been in my possession since it came out while I was in elementary school, and I blame that damn catchy "Beverly Hills."  But there's a sleeper hit on that album.

"Peace" isn't dreary-college-rock-typical Weezer.  It's lush.  It's a cacophony of sound.  Hell, I sense some lyrical genius at work too.  And I don't have a purpose, scattered on the surface, I need to find some peace.  It's all brilliant.  This is the Weezer I want to hear more often.  The verses are soft, the choruses rise to some insane extreme that I can't get enough of, and there's a sense that this is what music should be all about.  This has been another lush rock Thursday.  I'm Laura, reminding you to get your hands on the not-that-bad-at-all Make Believe and listen to this track first.

Lillian Axe - Sad Day On Planet Earth

I've pretty much been playing "Sad Day on Planet Earth" by New Orleans rockers Lillian Axe every day for the last month.  My roommates are probably sick and tired of it, but I'm not, and now the NOLA boys get their moment.  Don't worry if you haven't heard of them, because they're on your radar as of now.  They're a rock band that borders on the lines of metal, but isn't quite there yet.  While their stuff is hard, "Sad Day On Planet Earth" is the anomaly.  Acoustic-powered, if you can believe it, and lead Brian Jones has vocals here that can haunt my dreams any day.  "Sad Day..." is meant to be a sad ditty, but where there are emotions this strong in music, there is power.  So go ahead, let Lillian Axe blow you away.

Cusses - Worst Enemy

I think I'll always be an avid indie fan.  It's like hepatitis.  Once it gets in your blood, you've got it for life.  Savannah's trio known as Cusses knows the name of the game, and I've been holding onto their "Worst Enemy" for a while now, and like almost every song in my library, its day has come.  "Worst Enemy" is indie with a heavy dose of rock, somewhat reminiscent of Die Mannequin.  Think of Cusses as their American counterpart.  It rocks, it swings a little...it's good stuff.  I suppose I can't really say much more about fuzzy guitars and post-rock tendencies, but I blame being burned out by school.  My worst enemy.

Nightwish's Top 10

This is a list long overdue, if you ask me.  I've been obsessed with Nightwish for a good year and a half now, and my only regret is not getting into them sooner.  But now where are they headed?  Tarja is long-gone, and now Annette is off on her own.  Floor Jansen has yet to be named the permanent replacement from what I can tell, until no one's updated the Wikipedia page in a while.  Whatever the future holds for the band, we can't deny what they've done for the symphonic metal genre.  Ten songs were hard to narrow down, but I think I did an okay job of it.  Enjoy!

Joshua James - Queen Of The City

It's time for another musical day of the week, this one being sweet indie Sunday.  Or folk.  Whichever you decide Joshua James is, it doesn't matter.  I went in reverse in finding out about him; first getting today's feature "Queen of the City" from a then-stellar-rcrdlbl and his 2009 release Build Me This in its entirety from Noisetrade.  But now that I have two time periods to compare, I have to say that I like the growth evident in Joshua James.  Very much so.

"Queen of the City" is an acoustic-driven ditty, one you'd hear on TV an immediately have to find and download.  If I can compare it to a cross of anything, it would probably be Jason Mraz and my recent-British-obsession Jake Bugg.  Remember "Seen It All?"  Yeah, it's along the same lines of "Queen of the City."  So if you liked that, you'll loved Joshua James.  You're in capable hands.

Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor

Ah, 2006.  Not my best year, I admit, but I've had worse.  I can't say a lot of bands I listened to back then are still prominent, one of said bands being Arctic Monkeys.  Apparently they're still releasing albums left and right, but I haven't heard much about them since their debut during my last year of elementary school.  Even so, I still find that I can enjoy their older work.  If you listened to music in 2006 and never heard "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor," then you're missing out.

Stop making the eyes at me, I'll stop making the eyes at you.

"I Bet You..." is kind of like Oasis and Franz Ferdinand jamming together somewhere in London.  It's fast, it's furious, and it's a strange version of indie rock that lets you dace to it without worry.  Well, it might be a little fast, but I'm sure that you'll manage.  It's rock club music, the song that real music appreciators would prefer to hear on Friday night versus any Top 40 garbage.  I bet you'll like it (if you by some chance haven't heard of it).

Angel Haze - Gossip Folks

Once upon in Detroit, there was a little bitch born with a sweet voice, all she ever wanted was to sing a song and have a crowd full of people to sing along.

It's time again to look at another female rapper better than the women out there trying to pass off as contributing to the genre (cough, cough...Beez In The Trap...).  Michigan's Angel Haze released her Classick mixtape at the end of October, and I've had the tracks of repeat since.  "Doo Wop (That Thing)" is nostalgic, "Bitch Bad" is tough, and today's "Gossip Folks" still rises above them.  It's a little industrial, and a little throwback, but it's Miss Haze's rhymes that set her apart from the counterparts out there.  Throwback, because it samples Missy Elliot's own track of the same name.  But to take the background beats from one song and being able to make it your own is a gift.  FKi has it, and so does Angel Haze.

Oh, and I want to see her go toe-to-toe with Azealia Banks.  You know you want it too.

Arcade Fire - Rococo

I know we all enjoyed the Ke$ha post yesterday, but unfortunately we have to get back to real music today.    Does it get more real than one of Canada's musical treasures, also known as Arcade Fire?  Not really.  I hate to say it, but if you have a reason not to like anything they've made, then something is wrong with you.  So naturally, you have to like my favourite song from their already classic The Suburbs.

"Rococo."

I do enjoy my lush rock, and while Arcade Fire leans a bit more to the indie side of the spectrum, they still have that nice borderline orchestral sound that makes my walks to school a touch more epic.  "Rococo" is what the protagonist of your life story runs in slow motion to at the climax.  That acoustic guitar...it makes me wish that I hadn't given up on the instrument seven years ago, and makes me want to pick it up again.  "Rococo" is a modern symphony, condensed to four minutes.  Yes, people of the internet, this is as real as it gets.

The Ke$ha Konundrum

Let's get a little more in-depth today, shall we?  My history with the artist known as Ke$ha is minimal, as I like to put it.  I'll fully admit to paying money for her debut album, Animal, and somehow enjoyed it in the throes of being a teenager.  Have I lost you yet?  No?  Good. 

My one issue with Ke$ha is that she's a manufactured pop star, someone that seems to have been pulled off of the streets and handed a sheet of music that's already been prepared for her and told to sing.  Hell, they gave her the image of the sleazy, glitter-clogged gutter angel that she's seemed to have embraced.  I also can't condone her heavy use of autotune when it should only be reserved for use on one album (808s & Heartbreak, sorry).  Does she have real talent?  It's possible. 

So why are we here?  I downloaded her new "Die Young" a few days ago, just to see how she was doing musically.  Unfortunately, I seemed to enjoy the single.  I really enjoyed it.  Earbuds in, my facial expression can only be described by one emoticon. D:

I can set her autotune aside, and I can ignore the lyrics about getting smashed if it means looking at "Die Young" a little closer.  Despite it being November, the song pulses with the beats of summer.  It's where girls get the titles of their albums on Facebook.  Like we're gonna die young... <3  This was their goal after the song was released at the end of September.  Get them while it's starting to get cold.  But "Die Young" got me.  It could have been the catchy beat, a string of lyrics I've enjoyed (I can hear your heart beat to the beat of the drum, oh what a shame, you came here with someone), or the fact that I enjoy music I can dance to while doing chores around the apartment.  Does this make me one of those girls that freaks out when a Top 40 hit comes on the radio, screaming this is my song?

No.  It just makes me someone that finds enjoyment in music, no matter the artist or genre.  This is the point of my post today.  There is no one artist, or one genre for that matter, that rises over the others.  You can't simply enjoy one side of the dodecagon.  That'd be like only reading the first chapter of a book.  Maybe it took Ke$ha, that sloppy gutter angel, to prove that there are no confines to enjoying music.  Perhaps the new proverb should be, don't judge a song by its artist.  Who knows, maybe one day Ke$ha will drop the autotune, brush her hair, and give me a reason to by a future album.

Oh, and here's "Die Young."

French Montana & Coke Boys - 100

Generally, there is a rule.  If you can sample Adele and pull it off, then you're going to go far.  It's as simple as that.  In saying that, let's look back at the Coke Boys 3 mixtape that I had been obsessing over earlier this year.  That's right; there are no fillers here.  French Montana works with his fellow Coke Boys, Cheeze and Chinx Drugz, and a sample of Adele's "Set Fire To The Rain" to give us the four-minute "100."

In "100," Adele is sped up and raised a few registers to sound a bit like one of those fluffy cartoon rabbits that sing a ringtone you can text to get.  Now, there's nothing wrong with that.  On loop during the masterful raps, it grows on you, and gives a good contrast to the aggressive sounds of French Montana and the boys.  Think of their "100" as the rap-fueled counterpart to "Set Fire To The Rain."  So get listening.

Autopilot Is For Lovers - Pine Box Town

I know, I know...you were expecting a Top 10 list today.  Thing is, when I have forty videos embedded onto one page of my blog, it slows it down quite a bit.  So until my ABCs of Music is off the first page, we'll be going back to some oldies but goodies.  At the same time, today's feature is one I've been sitting on for a while, and if any song gets to shine today, it's this one.

Imagine yourself in the backwoods of Oregon, or at least the outskirts of Portland.  It's woody, it's folky, and it's a little spooky too.  That's how to describe the sound of Portland's duo of Autopilot Is For Lovers, consisting of vocalist/instrumentalist Adrienne Hatkin and the musically diverse Paul Seely.  Their tune is "Pine Box Town," which sounds like Kimya Dawson's older sister leading a group of children in revolt through the streets.  The tambo shakes, the acoustic guitar strums, and Miss Hatkin's vocals are borderline haunting.  Perfect for a rainy day like today, when we're all in our own little pine box town.

Jake Bugg - Seen It All

I swear to god, I've seen it all, nothing shocks me anymore.

Those who keep tabs on me via Twitter or Deviantart may recognize part of those lyrics from comment tags and biographies.  Well, this is where it comes from.  Itunes gave me Jake Bugg's "Seen It All" a few weeks ago for free (how nice), and it's grown on me in that time frame.  Even more astonishing, Mr. Bugg is only eighteen years old, so you know there's going to be more from him in the future.  The Nottingham teen gives us a blend of folk and indie mixed with the twang of country in "Seen It All," which is heavy on the acoustic guitar and superb indie vocals.  I want to know where this guy has been hiding all this time.  He's got a set of pipes I wouldn't mind installing in my own house.

Asobi Seksu - Perfectly Crystal

Asobi Seksu means playful sex in Japanese, but don't worry, the namesake dream pop duo isn't playing bedroom music.  They blend shoegaze guitars with psychedelic-meets-pop vocals that will really take you into a far away land of playfulness (and if sex is waiting for you there, then so be it).  And they're from Brooklyn?  Even better.

"Perfectly Crystal" pulses with music from dreams.  The guitars yawn, every word glitters, and there is synth.  It's been a while since I've gotten too far into that, but any synth is good synth to me.  Yuki Cikudate kind of reminds me of the girls of The Pipettes, but in this case she's a little more psych.  So here's what I want you do to.  Plug in "Perfectly Crystal," take a walk outside, and see how much brighter the overcast world will become.  You'd be surprised.

Ghostpoet feat. Kano - Cash & Carry Me Home

Why enjoy plain-old-boring rap when you can live a little and listen to some experimental rap?  Don't fret if you're nervous; the subgenre is a bit more approachable than you might think.  Example: Ghostpoet, whose "Cash & Carry Me Home" is different, that's for sure, but nothing to be scared about.  Think of a cross between rapping, speaking and softly singing, and you've got his style down already.  And if you listen to the track, you'll find a very minimal backing beat.  We've also got lyrical genius here I know that I'll survive, well a little bit, I've had a couple drink, well a little bit, I'm begging you, please carry me home.  It's a little sad and tragic, but there's hope in the words of "Cash & Carry Me Home."

The ABCs of Music

Hello there, wondrous people of the internet.  While a 26-song post of epic proportions might seem alarming to some, I welcome it.  Hell, if I can do the musical days of the week, what's stopping me from associating every letter of the alphabet with something in the wonderful world of music?  Challenge accepted...and met.  I publish it now instead of a Monday because I'm too excited to keep it under wraps any longer, and I also will be MIA for at least tomorrow.  Anticipating my absence, here's some good shit.

A is for A Capella



B is for Beachy Tunes



C is for Canadian



D is for Deathcore



E is for Electronic



F is for French
You thought I was going to say folk metal, didn't you?  Didn't you?  There's always room for change in the world of music, and I've had a few French songs I've been listening the shit out of recently.



G is for Gangster Nancy Sinatra
Lana Del Rey, you've done it again.



H is for Hip-Hop



I is for Iron Maiden



J is for Jazz



K is for Kicking It Old School



L is for Latin



M is for Mashup
Another curve ball, right?  I felt simply putting metal was too general, as much as I wanted to do it.  So here's my favourite mashup of the moment, with none other than Nightwish.



N is for "Never Too Old For..."
From the first album I ever bought, all the way back in 2000.



O is for Oldies



P is for Progressive Metal



Q is for Quiet
You know, the toned-down-minimal-subdued ditties I love so much.  Perfect for walking down the street on such an overcast day.



R is for Reggae



S is for Soundtrack
This is absolutely my favourite song that has been in a movie ever.  It took the first Sex and the City movie from dismal to thinking I'll keep watching because I'm already here.



T is for Thrash Metal
The one time I won't throw a curve ball.



U is for Underground Rap



V is for Viking Metal



W is for World Music



X is for Xylophone
X is a hard letter when you try to use it for anything.  I had to put my head together with one of my roommates to come up with the obvious xylophone, and that led to some research into what bands use the instrument.  Wanting to avoid another feature of "Somebody That I Used To Know," I found that the approveable Noah & The Whale has used it before, and that works for me.



Y is for Yarilo



Z is for Zombies
Z was a hard one too.  My roommate suggested both zamboni and Zayn (One Direction...), before voicing that I try zombies.  Not bad at all.



Did I really just get through a list of songs without featuring something by Dead and Divine?  I guess there's a first time for everything...

Lana Del Rey's Top 10

It was almost a year ago that "Born To Die" came my way, and since then I've been a diehard supporter of Miss Lana Del Rey.  Why wouldn't you be?  She's got a good set of sultry pipes, understands that music needs soul as much as it needs sound, and there's never a shortage of lost tracks coming my way via Youtube.  To celebrate the upcoming release of her Paradise EP, here are my ten favourite songs that evoke that old-world, gangster Nancy Sinatra quality.  Mondays have never been more cinematic.



The demo of "Lolita," only because the album version from Born To Die sucks donkey balls.

In Mourning - A Vow To Conquer The Ocean

You can't say that death metal is my favourite of the metal subgenres.  In fact, it's far below the always-winning folk, thrash and symphonic routes.  But now and again, with a little bit of hope and faith, a challenger emerges from the snowy depths of Sweden.  Enter In Mourning, a band that can be called progressive in regards to death metal, and that's fine with me.  Perhaps it's just my progressive attitude that leads me in directions such as this.  They sound a little bit like Opeth and Amon Amarth jamming together, as awesome as that sounds.

"A Vow To Conquer The Ocean" comes off of their latest The Weight of Oceans, and at a little more than seven minutes, borders on epic territory.  I'll still allow it.  The guitars are dark and masterful, the growls have some substances to them, and the overall dark atmosphere of "A Vow..." make it a progressive work of art.  And the riffs...oh, the riffs!  The Swedes have done it again; forget about the best music outside of Canada coming from Ireland.

Museum Mouth - Blood Mountain

More alternative for a sunny, yet cold, Saturday afternoon.  You and I can both say what we want about the genre, but with a touch of indie thrown into the mix, this is the kind of music that's made to be enjoyed.  North Carolina three-piece Museum Mouth win the award for best album name with Sexy But Not Happy, and get kudos for pouring brilliance into the three minutes that is "Blood Mountain."  This is a track that had to grow on me to make it here, but oh, how glad I am for that.

"Blood Mountain" begins with beachy guitar chords, but then erupts into a cacophony of fuzzy vocals-meets-beach rock guitar work.  Vocalist Karl Kuehn does double duty as the drummer, and I've found in my experience that drummers who double as lead singers usually do a decent job on both.  So press play on the video below, listen to the slightly-summery "Blood Mountain," and enjoy ever chord you hear.

Kanye West feat. Big Sean and Jay-Z - Clique

What of the dollar you murder for, is that the one fighting for your soul, or your brother's the one that you're running from, but if you got money, fuck it, 'cause I want some.

Kanye may be frolicking with Kim Kardashian somewhere, but that's no reason to judge his music, or stop loving him.  Once you go Kanye, you're a fangirl for life.  "Clique" is a new song from my favourite rapper of the time, with his bread-and-butter collaborators Jay-Z and Big Sean.  If this is a lead-up to a new album, then I'm pretty damn excited about it.  It's a track that comes to be a mix between the sounds of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Watch The Throne, rife with the aggression I love to hear in his music.  Sean and Jay hold their own too, and when three rappers can rhyme together in perfect harmony, ain't nobody fuckin' with their clique.

Sick/Sea - Robot

Everyone's doing something Halloween-themed today, but I'm going against the norm.  I celebrated Halloween on the weekend, so it's just another Wednesday to me.

Sick/Sea is the kind of band you'd want to hang out with after the set and chat about music over chai tea.  This Texas triad knows their way around indie-pop (more indie than pop though), combining some sweet vocals with some jazz rock guitar work.  Lead Audrey Scott falls into the same category as my other indie darlings like Bebe Black and Laura Stevenson.  "Robot" is their hot commodity right now, rife with artistry and crafty lyrics to boot.  It swings and follows through, so what more can we ask for?  It's also approved by my roommates; I was listening to "Robot" the other day and one girl asked that I send the song to her.  Case closed.

The Epilogues - Hunting Season

I've found that lately, my bread and butter of music has been slowly reverting back to alternative rock.  Not completely, don't you worry, but I find myself enjoying a lot of the new stuff that's been coming out of the genre lately.  It's a pretty awesome thing to watch a genre evolve, and thirteen years after getting into the music scene, I have to say that I hope it continues to evolve.  But enough sentimental guff, let's get to the music.  The Epilogues is an alternative-slash-indie band out of Denver that remind me of Radiohead and New Found Glory jamming together stateside.  "Hunting Season" is their big hit right now, and with good reason.

If an alt band can employ the use of synth in its music, then I'm all for it.  It doesn't overwhelm "Hunting Season;" it's just a happy add-on.  My favourite part is the vocals of lead Chris Heckman, though he's got the lush guitars behind him in a close second.  Wait...this is another lush rock post?  Well there you go.  Some things are simply meant to be, and it's those things that's make any day a little more enjoyable.  So go ahead, enjoy it.

Sarah McLachlan's Top 10

Top 10s are back!  This is how I make up for being absent for a day over a violent illness and a general blah feeling.  Better yet, the two weeks after this will also have brand-spanking new Top 10 lists.  So don't worry, you can relax now.  Today we visit the work of one of Canada's treasured songstresses, Miss Sarah McLachlan, one of the few artists that I've been following for more than a decade.  And why not?  This chick is good at what she does.  So here's ten tracks of hers that speak to me.  Enjoy it this rainy afternoon.

The Birthday Massacre - Down

You should have seen this one coming, people.  If you listened to all of the songs from my Musical Days of the Week post, you probably would have wondered how "Down" could be included and not have its own feature.  Well...drum roll, please...because here it is!  Technically speaking, it may be Shoegaze Saturday today, but I'm willing to make an exception for Canadian synthrock.  Wouldn't you?

"Down" comes from The Birthday Massacre's new release, Hide and Seek, an album I wouldn't mind asking for come Christmastime.  It combines two things I love in one complete genre.  Synth, of course, and hard rock guitars.  I'm in heaven, and lead Chibi's vocals are dreamy-cloud-nine material here.  Well, she goes hard for the chorus of "Down," and I can't argue with that and my go hard or go home attitude.  She puts it best in the lyric we'll never see the light til we step into the dark.  There are few instances where music moves me the way "Down" has.  Things don't get more perfect that this.

Mr. MFN eXquire - Igloo

It's a good day to listen to rap today.  Well, that's how I feel every day, if you really must know.  This week I was lucky enough to get my hands on Mr. MFN (Muthafuckin', if you've read my blog before) eXquire's The Man In The High Castle, a mixtape of epic proportions.  What I like about it is that it actually isn't as aggressive as his older work ("Huzzah" for example), and this is the kind of growth I love to see in artists.  "Igloo" was the first song I chose to listen to, and it's still the one that stood out the most to me.

"Igloo" is subdued, but don't worry, you'll still love it.  The background beats are interlaced with the yawn of the string section, something I'll give Mr. MFN eXquire some props for.  Dear rap artists of the world, don't be afraid to take risks!  "Igloo" is also the place to find some slick rhymes, and a place to remember that the rap genre hasn't been ruined by the likes of Lil Wayne or 2 Chainz.  Artists (yes, because that's what he is) like Mr. MFN eXquire are the ones that need to be out there for the masses to hear.  It's as simple as that.

The Two - I Wanna Be With You Again

I think we all know by now that music is subjective, objective, ultra-jective...whatever.  Mostly the first one, really.  We all like something different.  Me?  I'm a paradox.  I go from melodic death metal to sweet folk all within the span of ten minutes.  While the loud side of the spectrum is fun, warm mornings for this call for the other end of said spectrum.  Say, why not listen to some sweet Parisian folk music to drown out the sound of buses whizzing by in packs?  Enter The Two, appropriately a duo who reeled me in a while ago with their subdued acoustic number "I Wanna Be With You Again."

"'I Wanna..." is another one of those songs that act as a conversation between lovers.  Fine by me, nine times out of ten these songs are done very well.  The lyrics are expected, I wanna see you again, I wanna see you more but I allow it.  The Two stick to the theme and keep everything where it should be.  Listen closely here.  You don't want to miss the little details that make this song the masterpiece it is.   Now excuse me, I'm compelled to take up guitar again.

Hollywood Undead - Dead Bite

Thankfully the masked boys of rap are back again, and were nice enough to release a free-to-download single for everyone.  I'm not sure if it's still free, so if not, you're out of luck. 

Hollywood Undead knows a thing or two about growth in music.  Swan Songs was more hip-hop, American Tragedy was more alternative, and judging by "Dead Bite," the upcoming third studio albums seems to have found the right balance between the two genres.  "Dead Bite" pulses with an industrial feel, a spooky chorus, and aggressive verses to boot.  How else would you approach a song that begins with the creepy good night, sleep tight, don't let the dead bite?  You either go all in or you don't, it's as simple as that.

The Smashing Pumpkins - Lily (My One and Only)

I'm having a good day.  A damn good day.  I should be featuring a song that's full of sweltering guitar riffs and everything else up-tempo, but I must relax.  Meditate, even.  I usually do abide by a lineup I've set up, and if I don't get to The Smashing Pumpkins, I'm not sure that I ever will.  So here it is.  You remember my post from last week about my epic trip to Value Village, right?  Good.  I finally got Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness in the old-school double CD package and am nothing less than thrilled about it.  Though I've always been drawn to their grittiest songs, it's the somber and ever-so lovely "Lily (My One and Only)" that speaks to me the loudest.

I'll give Billy Corgan some props.  If you can go from "Lily" to "The Everlasting Gaze" and back again, then you've truly mastered the art of music.  Yes, that's a piano you hear, along with a few other instruments not typical in an alternative rock band.  And the vocals?  Oh, the vocals.  They make "Lily" a soft and beautiful love song.  After all, she is my one and only.

The Musical Days of the Week

You know how the saying goes, seven days without music makes one weak.  Well, maybe that's not how it exactly goes, but I'll allow improvisation.  Last week I subjected my Facebook friends to my music choices for several days, giving a genre a day based on the first letter of said genres.  Lost?  You'll see.  Think of this as a revival of my Top 10 lists (even if there's only seven).  I've got two actually Top 10s for the next two Mondays, and then maybe I'll try this 7 genre list again.  Enjoy!

Metalcore Monday
"The Sugar Sickness" - Dead and Divine



Thrash Metal Tuesday
"Beyond the Permafrost" - Skeletonwitch



Witch House Wednesday
"You (Planningtorock Remix)" - Creep



Trip-Hop Thursday
"Gorecki" - Lamb



Folk Metal Friday
"Slavsia, Rus" - Arkona



Shoegaze Saturday
"Leave" - Whirl



Synth Rock Sunday
"Down" - The Birthday Massacre

Ancient Bards - All That Is True

It's another lovely Sunday here, and today it is symphonic power metal Sunday if you really must know.  Obviously, there's one band that gets their feature today.  Ancient Bards and I may have had a rocky first encounter, but they're high on my list of favourite bands now.  Though I'll always be an Anette-o-phile, Sara Squadrani might as well be another same-sex-crush of mine.  But enough about that.  Let's keep things epic today.  And does ten minutes garner an epic?  I say that if your song is that long, it better be epic, and I'm sure as hell that "All That Is True" is.

"All That Is True" showcases Sara singing a conversation between lovers.  Yes, people, we've got a love story on our hands, but don't worry.  Metal love songs have never let me down.  Lyrics and content aside, you also have the rest of the band tackling some always-epic guitars, the string section (resurrected and better than ever) and a backing chorus for a few key lines.  Epic, children.  Epic.  "All That Is True" will may even the most forever alone readers fall for the story.

After all, it's the story that makes the song.

FKi feat. Angela McCluskey - In The Air

There are a few albums that I could take every song and blog about.  The first, and maybe only two that comes to mind are Chevelle's Hats Off To The Bull and FKi's Transformers N The Hood.  Two drastically different genres, and two reasons why I love music so much.  Let's look at more rap today; "In The Air" is another solid effort from the boys of FKi, sampling Miss McCluskey's collaboration with Morgan Page of the same name.  Sampling can take some artists down a dangerous path (Flo Rida, I'm looking at you), but FKi does it right.  If you can keep elements of the original while taking it in your own unique direction, you're set, and definitely don't think about leaning on said sample to get you through the song.  FKi takes charge with "In The Air," a somewhat-subdued rap ditty that packs my favourite item: a punch.  Angela's vocals, still in the chorus, act as a perfectly airy compliment to the husky rhymes.

Perfection in rap can be hard.  FKi makes it look easy.

8mm - Around the Sun

I'm all for the variations in the pop genre that exist.  Death pop, dream pop, noise pop, baroque pop, power pop, hop on pop...  Okay, the last one was to make sure you were still paying attention.  Today we delve into noir pop courtesy of Hollywood's triad that is 8mm.  What makes a song noir pop?  I haven't the slightest; Wikipedia is no help right now.  But you've got guitars, smokey vocals from lead Juliette Beavan, and a slightly-slowed tempo. 

"Around the Sun" should have been featured much earlier in the month, but don't give me guff about changing the line-up too much.  What happened to living with no regrets?  But back to the music: 8mm gives us something nice here.  You may not think the electric guitar can be calming, but this time it is.  The lyrics remind us to just keep moving 'round the sun til we move on, and you realize that they are right.  Let's just keep going, may it be through the queue or through the day.  End of story.  Or rather, end of rambling.

Melissa Auf Der Maur - 1000 Years

About two weeks ago I had a pretty impressive haul of CDs from Value Village.  One, Melissa Auf Der Maur's Out of  Our Minds.  Then there was Nirvana's Unplugged in New York, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by the Smashing Pumpkins and the soundtrack to Get Rich or Die Tryin', but we'll get to those later.  Now to Ms. Auf Der Maur.  If I could have it my way, I would feature her stellar "Followed The Waves," but part of writing this blog is challenging myself.  Out of Our Minds is an okay album, but it's my job to point out the hidden gems.  Believe it or not, people won't go looking for buried treasure unless you tell them to.

"1000 Years" is the final track of the album, and there's something different about it.  Could it be the guitar work, the artistic lyrics, or Melissa's vocals?  By god, it's all three.  The atmosphere I get from "1000 Years" is a gypsy party in the desert underneath the Milky Way, with some elements of psych and seventies hippie rock.  Do I still have you?  Good.  There's a certain emotion in the line we've been singing the same song for over 1000 years that pulls it all together.  I give Melissa my props; it takes a special something to tell an intricate story with music.  And in my book, storytelling wins every time.

Before Adam, before Eve
The lizards sang this melody
Now it's twisted and it's torn
By felines and all you bores

Alt-J - Breezeblocks

Lately it seems that I've been listening to a lot of quirky indie and alternative music.  Not a lot is as quirky as The Burning of Rome, but this isn't a competition.  Leeds collective Alt-J falls into the quirky category today; their blend of alternative and indie mixed with something special has been playing on my ipod for the last few weeks, ever since "Breezeblocks" was free on itunes.  It's rare for their free songs to be good enough for a feature from me, so congratulations, Alt-J.  You've joined the ranks of Lana Del Rey, Fun., Django Django and Bahamas.  The vocals of "Breezeblocks" are quick and low, interlaced with minimal instruments and a sample of sound here and there.  You can hear the artistry if you listen closely enough.  So go ahead.  Listen.

Please don't go, I need you whole.  I love you so.

Starfucker - Death As A Fetish

Rcrdlbl might be changing for the worst now, but that doesn't mean I have to stop enjoying their classics.  Portland, Oregon tetrad Starfucker falls into the "classic" category here; their electro indie has been pumping through my veins since early 2011.  "Death as a Fetish" has been close to being featured numerous times before, and bad luck has taken it on and off of the roster.  But no need to worry any longer, fellow hipsters.  They're here now.  Everything is okay.

"Death as a Fetish" has that Mario-Kart-mushroom-valley feel to it.  You are meant to be racing on clouds or floating on a bubble while this plays.  Don't let the title trick you, or scare you off.  "Death as a Fetish" is as accessible as a wide array of rappers these days.  The vocals are understated, but still present and still as punch-packing as I'd like them to be.  Come one, would I ever steer you wrong?