XoXo, Leighton

Leighton Meester released her first single. It's catchy... okay, kind of boring. Not nearly as hot as 'Good Girl Gone Bad.' But, 'Somebody to Love' is a solid first effort, and I really loved Robin Thicke (yup, son of Alan) verse. He has a sexy voice. I'm really not digging the single's cover (picture in video). What happened to album cover art, people?!


-TM
Photo Source

4.5 Hours Later.

I'm driving home from school tomorrow morning, so I'm (of course) making my driving music right now. I usually spend an hour of the drive in silence; quiet time can really be under appreciated. It's just a time for me to contemplate the weeks past and ahead, but the rest of my time is dedicated to music.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. I'm not a "hip" music listener. I find a CD I like and work it. I think I get this from my mom, she listened to Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell" so much one summer the cassette melted or exploded in her car. Not too sure on those details. Anyways, I'm still holding on to summer with the Matt and Kim CD. It's totally summer music, but fall's a comin' and it's time for me to find something different. And, my iTunes is suffering from the thinking I'M so cool, I wish it'd step it down a level- I don't listen to the radio, but I don't want obscure stuff either.

As I am writing this, I'm listening to Taylor Swift and mulling on purchasing Mayday Parade or Jay-Z. Or, I could just mix some music. UGHHHH. This is usually were Courters comes in- she leaves mix CD's (usually intended for Sarah Montgomery) in my car... therefore making them mine, right? Or Sarah Joseph will send me a CD with four hours worth of music. But, it's fall break- nothing special.

Find out what I'll be listening to after the break. 
-TM

Don't buy Jay-Z! I have it and can give it to you. And I'm sure Claire has Mayday Parade, so don't buy that one either. I'll send you another mix with the Jay-Z, I've been SUPER benefiting from this Observer gig. 
-CE

Delta Spirit.

They've been one of my favorite bands since I saw them open for (le sigh) Matt Costa at Jackrabbits in 2006, and despite earning much critical acclaim for their 2008 official debut LP Ode to Sunshine they haven't really touched the main stream. I mentioned them briefly in our first listening is sexy segment, but it is far past time to make Delta Spirit an official inductee.

Delta Spirit is a heavenly slice of Americana music pie at your favorite joint- not only do they taste damn good, but the atmosphere is outta site. These boys put on a helluva show, they are literally "banging on a trashcan", something the Doug fan in me cannot resist, plus it creates a forceful percussion sound that really defines this band. Lead singer Matt Vasquez projects with so much courageous love and simultaneous jittery agony that the entire audience is put into a rapture that can only be described as a spirit- a delta spirit. By the time he leads you into the soaring guttering call, "If you're feelin' what I'm feelin' come on, all you soul-searchin' people come on..." you're ready to follow this band to the end of the world.

They are the kind of band that makes you understand the hero worship that inspired Almost Famous. That is, the "we're all about the music" part, not the groupie part that is. Although it must be said that Matt Vasquez has a certain Johnny Cash meets Indiana Jones thing going on. No lie.

Although they hail from the sun and waves of the land of the Beach Boys, their sound borrows a lot more from the Southern end of the Mason- Dixon line than their San Diego roots. Sample Trashcan downbelow. Yes, they do use the trashcan in the song.
Members: Jon Jameson (bass), Matthew Vasquez (vocals, guitar), Sean Walker (guitar), Kelly Winrich (multi-instrumentalist), Brandon Young (percussion)
If you like: Spoon, Cold War Kids, Muddy Waters; you will like Delta Spirit.
-CE

Trashcan - Delta Spirit

Everything's better in the UK

Once or twice a week, I change the country on my iTunes to the United Kingdom.

I like to see what’s on top of the charts – what songs or shows are popular and stuff like that. More often than not, the top ten are about the same with maybe a techno song on top of the charts. Typical.

This week I stumbled across an artist and rapper named Ironik. The song I saw- wait for it. TINY DANCER. I know. I know. Ilovethatsongtoooo. Mainly in Almost Famous, that scene is classic.

So, I watched the video and caught myself bouncing around my living room. The song is catchy. I’ve heard better, but really anyone that can mix rap with Elton must have some potential. So, he had some stuff released in the USA, only problem it’s in French. Blah. after, two years of French I can barely say anything.




So, I continued my search, determined for a good find. Then, I found Jamie T. He’s described as a cross between The Streets (V.Mars, anyone?) and Arctic Monkeys. And, that accent. Everything is better with an accent.
And, lucky for us. He’s on iTunes USA? America? too.

Here’s a link to the video for “Sticks’ n’ Stones” and "Sheila".

-TM

Listening is Sexy.

Johnny Flynn (and the Sussex Wit).

Why you should listen: Not to be shallow, but...I am. Screw it, we all are. He's sa-woon, you know? Besides it's not like he doesn't have anything to back it up. The music is great, folk with...pop I guess- very catchy, and very British with a little bit of Thoreau built in.

He draws from everyone from Bob Dylan to Shakespeare and W.B. Yeats. If Johnny Appleseed, dressed in denim overalls, plaid and a tweed cap, sang songs as he walked the country planting trees...these are the songs he would sing. Although their "sounds like" proclaims they are like the bikini cafe. Whatever that is.

An actor, poet and songwriter, he, until recently, was part of the all- male Propeller theater troupe, which put on Twelfth Night and The Taming of the Shrew in New York last year. The name of their first album, A Larum, is even Shakespearean in it's root, as a stage direction ("alarum off") which means that a commotion is happening off stage.


They have a flickr if you would like to follow, although I think their touring is pretty limited to the UK right now, so not much going on there:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/18834898@N03/




Here is a video of Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling (formerly of Noah and the Whale) singing "Travel Light". Classic. Got to love whistling.
-CE