New Video - Cath...

Death Cab for Cutie has shot a video of one of my favorite songs off of their latest album, Narrow Stairs. Check it out:

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Cath... - Death Cab for Cutie

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The Best of May

This past month has been really, really rich with music. There's been a lot of really good songs that've come through this way, and I'm really excited for what the rest of the summer will bring. Bring on the noise:

Ease Back - Amos Lee
Listen - Amos Lee
Amos Lee is one of my favorite musicians, and judging from the tracks that I've heard from his upcoming 3rd album (Due out June 24th), I'm betting that this one will be his best yet.

Life in Technicolor - Coldplay
Viva La Vida - Coldplay
Coldplay's changing things up a little with a bit of a newer sound, and like Lee, I'm thinking that this will be one of their better albums. I can't wait to hear the rest of it.

Cath... - Death Cab for Cutie
Grapevine Fires - Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie's latest album also changed things up quite a bit, and on the whole, it's stronger, edgier and it sounds fantastic.

Robots - Flight of the Conchords
I love these guys, they're absolutely hilarious. Robots is just a geeky song to begin with, and they just make me want to burst out laughing.

Lucky - Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat
This is a nice, cute duet from these two.

Killing for Love (Beatfanatic Remix) - José González
I love Gonzalez's work, and while I'm not a huge fan of remixes, this is a really good one that I've been listening to a lot.

Magnetismo (Magnatism) - Landon Pigg
Landon Pigg's off to a good start with his first EP, and I think this is the strongest song on the album.

Meet Me By The River - Matthew Ryan
This song is raspy, emotional and really, really good. I suspect that Ryan's album will make it to the end of the year as one of the best.

Dream - Priscilla Ahn
I saw Ahn last year with Cary Brothers, and I really liked her sound, it's sweet and calm. I picked up her EP, and have been waiting eagerly for more news about her next album, due to be released this June. I can't wait.

The World, The People Together - The Dandy Warhols
The Dandy Warhols are back, and they've got energy. This reminds me a lot of Bohemian Like You, which is a fantastic song.

Orbiting - The Weepies
I really dug these guys 2nd album, and this is one of the best songs on there. Very sweet, easy on the ears.

Hype - Buy

NYC

This past weekend, I went down to NYC to see my brother in concert, walked around, very fun weekend. I meant to post this last week, but just didn't have the time.

New York - U2
The Only Living Boy in New York - Simon & Garfunkle
59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy) - Simon & Garfunkle
Marching Bands of Manhattan - Death Cab for Cutie

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The Best of April

This month's had a bunch of really good new songs and releases. There was a lot of really good stuff this month:

View from the Root [Album]
The Adam Ezra Group has rapidly become a favorite of mine, ever since I saw them last December with Carbon Leaf, and again when they returned a week later. They've recently come out with their latest album, and it's a step up for them - they've really refined and strengthened their sound and have produced a really good record. Flyin' is a nice, laid back song that just feels right, and Katie is another fantastic song from them with a great beat and rhythms. My review is coming soon.

Thirty One Today - Aimee Mann
This song feels and sounds great, but it's depressing as hell. The guitar, keys, bass and vocals all work wonderfully today with a nice, seductive sound that's really propelled it to the top of my playlist.

Julian of Norwich - Bombadil
A Buzz, A Buzz - Bombadil
I covered these guys recently with a review of their debut album, A Buzz, A Buzz. They've got a really neat, unique sound with some fantastic songwriting that's really set them apart from a lot of other groups that I've listened to. Julian of Norwich and the title track, A Buzz, A Buzz are two of the best on the album.

Violet Hill - Coldplay
Coldplay's first single off of their upcoming album. It's pretty different from some of their earlier works. I like this sound, and I'll be interested to see what the next album brings.

I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie's back with a new album and a wholly new sound. I have yet to hear the rest of the record at this time, but so far, I really dig it. I Will Possess Your Heart, I think will become one of their better songs, despite the drama from the fanboys on this one. Bands do change their sound. Relax, you will live to see another day.

Westward Bound - The Fairline Parkway
Nowhere to Be - The Fairline Parkway
These guys are new, and made a splash at the South by Southwest festival. My review of this album is forthcoming, but here are two of my favorite tracks from this album.

Let It Go - Jon Regen
The Last Song - Jon Regen
Regen is a new artist to me, and I love his Soul/Jazz sound that really resembles Marc Cohn's Walking In Memphis. This whole album is tight, full of emotion and really sounds fantastic.

Memory One - Lili Haydn
Satellites - Lili Haydn
Lili Haydn's also a new artist to me, although this is her third album. She has a nice, easy going style that's really set apart with the piano and violin.

John Adams Theme - Robert Lane
My new favorite show - I'm in love with history, and it's fantastic to see a television show get something to the public that's actually good. John Adams is a wonderful show about the founding of the US, and this theme song is just amazing.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar - That Mitchell and Webb Look
This show just makes me laugh. This is actually a theme song for a reoccurring sketch within the show, but it's so slapstick, it's just hilarious.

Hideaway - The Weepies
I haven't listened to these guys extensively, but I'm adding them to my 'to listen' list because I'm really liking their laid back sound here. These songs are light, with a fantastic sound and some interesting lyrics.

Hype - Buy

Cover and Original - Love Song

This has long been a favorite song of mine - it's always seemed like a very honest and interesting song. Interestingly, the only one that I've ever really listened to, and what remains to be my favorite of these three versions is 311's.
311's version isn't all that different from the original by The Cure, which in and of itself is a fine song. Death Cab for Cutie's version seems a little more indie to me, but the vocals really work with these guys.

Love Song (The Cure) - Death Cab for Cutie
Love Song (The Cure) - 311
Love Song - The Cure

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Narrow Stairs

Death Cab for Cutie's got a new album coming out in a month or so - Narrow Stairs. This one's been in the works for a little while, and it's supposed to be really, really different from their other albums. There's a couple tracks floating around now from it, as the single (which comes in at a long 8:36 minutes) which is absolutely wonderful - Great song. The early reviews have been pretty positive thus far and if this first track's something to go by, I'm really eagerly awaiting this one. I suspect that we'll see it on a lot of top ten lists this year.

Track List for Narrow Stairs:

1. Bixby Canyon Bridge
2. I Will Possess Your Heart
3. No Sunlight
4. Cath...
5. Talking Bird
6. You Can Do Better Than Me
7. Grapevine Fires
8. Your New Twin Sized Bed
9. Long Division
10. Pity And Fear
11. The Ice Is Getting Thinner

I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab for Cutie

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