Song Sampler of the Day: “Never Forget You,” “Help Me Close My Eyes,” & “Revolution”

Another great Song Sampler of the Day, coming right up. One of these might be one of the more unique songs I’ve posted on Harmony Avenue. First off, though, it’s…

“Never Forget You” by the Noisettes!

I’m not too familiar with the Noisettes at the moment (as is often the case with artists whose tunes I feature in Songs of the Day), but I definitely would like to get to know their music a little better. (Mildly amusing tidbit: I first came across their work when another song by them, “Atticus,” was playing on our Pandora station at work, and I really was intrigued by it…at which point it was promptly skipped, since no one else thought it sounded any good. Sigh.) This is a very retro-tinged song…a way to describe it best might be Motown gone modern. It’s deliciously catchy, yet with a sneaky sort of depth that elevates it above the level of bubblegum. Lead singer Shingai Shoniwa (who apparently is British, but with Zimbabwean heritage) ties everything together nicely with a textured, impassioned vocal. (My sister said it reminded her a bit of Amy Winehouse.)  I’ve definitely been coming back to this song quite a few times.

Next up, by way of Sweden, it’s…

“Help Me Close My Eyes” by Those Dancing Days!

This song, by all-female Swedish indie pop group Those Dancing Days,  is somewhat stylistically similar to “Never Forget You,” in that it’s musically upbeat, but lyrically bittersweet. (Wow, I used both alliteration AND rhyme in that sentence. Since I’m posting on a music blog, not writing a Dr. Seuss book, that probably wasn’t for the best…) However, it’s definitely a bit more dance-oriented than the aforementioned tune. (Not that you’d hear it very often at a dance club or anything, but it’s fairly beat-driven.) It’s subtly intoxicating, haunting, and all those kinds of wonderful things that indie pop music should be.

And last but not least, an intriguing entry into the Harmony Avenue Song of the Day oeuvre…

“Revolution” by Dr. John!

Dr. John is a legendary New Orleans musician with credits and honors as diverse as five Grammy Awards, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, contribution to the soundtrack for Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog” (he sang the opening tune, “Down In New Orleans”), a collaboration with Hugh Laurie on his recent musical debut, and membership in the first incarnation of Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band. His very cool new record, “Locked Down” (which I haven’t gotten around to checking out fully yet, but I’ve heard a bit of so far), produced by Black Keys member Dan Auerbach, is in some ways influenced by all of those things (and more)…but at the same time, none of them. The vibe of this song (and of the album) is very hard to describe in terms of genre. In terms of atmosphere, on the other hand? Words that come to mind for me: funky, gritty, honest. Things get down and dirty here, but thanks both to Dan Auerbach’s innovative production, as well as Dr. John’s unique artistic vision, this tune stays incredibly, vividly accessible. I’m not usually attuned to this vein of music as much as I should, but songs like this just might change that.

Song Sampler of the Day: “Comme des enfants,” “Death By Perfection,” & “Reset”

So I have less than a month, officially, until I’m due to leave on my mission and depart for the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. Crazy, I know. But that means I have 29 days (according to the handy little countdown widget on your right) to keep the Harmony Avenue party going, and I have tons of artists & songs I still want to share. My solution (for now, at least)? I’m going to experiment with some ways to expand my posting repertoire, while still sticking to the (hopefully) simple ways I’ve done things on this blog since the beginning. (P.S.: Helpful feedback on what’s working and what’s not is always appreciated. A blogger can’t do it all on his own. ) And thus, I introduce to you…the Song Sampler of the Day! It’s the Song of the Day we all know and love, but thrice as nice at the same price! The first song in this trio of musical delight? A tune in French called…

“Comme des enfants” by Coeur de Pirate!

Coeur de Pirate is the stage name for young French-Canadian singer/songwriter Béatrice Martin. (“Coeur de Pirate is French for “pirate heart.”) I first heard another song of hers on our Pandora station at work, and I had been meaning to check her music out further, but before I did, I saw her name pop up again, this time while perusing Musicnotes, one of my favorite sheet music sites. This song was on the front page, so I took a listen to the audio sample of the sheet music, was intrigued, listened to the 90-second clip on iTunes…and boy, was I hooked. Such a beautiful song, and the kind that’s appealing and lovely regardless what language you speak. (I’m personally not the best at French, and I’m much less familiar with it than I am with, say, Spanish, though I do kind of admire it from afar. And we’re singing a song in French, from the opera “Carmen,” for the East Valley Mormon Choral Organization’s upcoming concert. It’ll be very fun.) Light and airy, yet haunting and riveting, this song is, as English-speaking people say in a clichéd fashion, thinking they’re all French…très magnifique.

Next, take a gander (with your…ears?) at…

“Death by Perfection” by Maia Sharp!

I actually don’t have a way to embed the studio version here. But you can listen to it rather easily thanks to NPR, by clicking on this link. The link also features a little story about the song (funnily enough, it was actually their Song of the Day…connections!), which is really insightful. Anyways, before I talk about that a tiny bit, Maia is an unbelievably talented songwriter and performer who has helped write songs for the likes of the Dixie Chicks, Bonnie Raitt, and according to the little NPR article, even Cher. The Dixie Chicks song, “A Home,” was co-written with her dad Randy Sharp, and was one of the standouts (for me, at least) from the Chicks’ stunning album “Home.” One of the songs she contributed to Bonnie Raitt’s last album, “Souls Alike,” is one of my all-time favorites…a stark, heartbreaking tune called “The Bed I Made.” She’s a gifted composer, but also a vibrant and dynamic performer. David Browne of NPR (who penned the article I linked to) states the essence of this song’s appeal best, I think: “A subtly ingratiating song, it makes its point with grace and nuance — in other words, a protest song for adults.” I just love the lyrics…Maia is skilled at putting things in unique ways, yet making them intensely relatable, and she’s also terrific at creating just the right musical setting for her lyrics. Plus, this song features a fine guest appearance by none other than Bonnie Raitt herself.

The last song in today’s trio? A breathtaking song that I have a favorite artist of mine to thank for introducing me to (more on that in a moment)…

“Reset” by Lucie Silvas!

Lucie Silvas is, from what I understand, a British singer-songwriter. This is the only song of hers I’ve heard. (I’ll soon have to remedy that.) I found about it via Jamie Cullum, one of my musical idols, and one who’s been previously featured on this blog. His brother, Ben Cullum, is a songwriter who’s co-written for Jamie and for other artists, and he made the following tweet about a song his brother had worked on:

@bencullummusic wrote a gorgeous song with @luciesilvas. It's going to be on One tree hill 2nite in the US. Listen here bit.ly/zcyYlC—
  (@jamiecullum) March 14, 2012

I saw it by chance while checking out his website for possible news about his upcoming new album (JAMIE JUST GIVE IT TO US PLEASE), and I went to listen to the song…sweet mama, is it good. It’s sweeping, and emotional, yet beautifully confessional and honest. (It also increases my desire/dream to someday co-write with Ben Cullum. He is terrific.) You’ll be hitting the play button quite often on this one.

There you have it! Harmony Avenue’s first Song Sampler of the Day. I have no idea how often I’ll be utilizing this combo format for Song of the Day posts, but it was worth an initial try at any rate. Thanks for reading, and I’ll be sure to make this final month of posting an exciting one!

Song of the Day: “Little Lovin’”

A new Song of the Day (back to its old spot in the late evening…guess some things never change?), coming right up. Via the a’ight remake of “Footloose,” it’s the captivating tune…

“Little Lovin’” by Lissie!

So I didn’t think much of the “Footloose” remake (then again, years ago when I watched bits and pieces of the original with my dad, I didn’t think much of that either), which I didn’t technically sit down to watch, but was in the room while it was being viewed by the rest of my family, so I basically saw the whole thing anyhow. Anyways, what caught my attention the most was this gorgeous song by folk rock singer Lissie, someone who I had heard of a bit before now, but whose music hadn’t reached my ears until I heard it in the movie. Lissie (whose real name is Elizabeth Maurus) delivers a fearless, haunting vocal, and the song is full of both relentless energy and chilling depth. It’s a song I can’t get enough of right now, pretty much.

More exciting posts are to come. Thanks for reading and listening!

Song of the Day: “Black Gold”

Tomorrow, February draws to a close, so there’s no better time than the present for a new Song of the Day (the first since Arizona’s birthday/that one day where there’s a bunch of love and happiness and stuff). I have about 2 months left to post here, so I’ll be sure to make much more frequent visits to Harmony Avenue from now on. (Cross my heart. Which reminds me of “Up”: “Cross your heart?…CROSS IT! Cross your heart!” ) Here’s a terrific new single from last year’s Best New Artist Grammy winner, who recently appeared on Sunday’s Oscars broadcast, with a theme particularly appropriate for this month, though applicable throughout the year…

“Black Gold” by Esperanza Spalding (feat. Algebra Blessett)!

Esperanza’s new album, “Radio Music Society,” comes out next month, and from what I’ve heard so far, it looks to be a beautifully innovative fusion of jazz, R&B, pop, and lots of great bits of pieces of other genres. This lead-off single, featuring stellar R&B vocalist Algebra Blessett, is a great demonstration of that dazzling sense of musical experimentation. As stated on Esperanza’s website (and as displayed in the heartfelt music video), this song is a message to African American boys, and is meant to give them hope and a sense of inner strength. However, the song isn’t limited to just one group of people…it features a positive, uplifting message that anyone, of any walk of life, can identify with. It’s a beautiful, joyous piece of music with lots of wonderful moments (I love in particular when a children’s choir comes in during the latter half), and if the rest of Esperanza’s new record is as terrific as this, it’s going to be one wonderful album.

More great music is to come in the next month or two. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!

Song of the Day: “Love Is You”

What’s today? Well, first off, it’s Arizona’s centennial birthday…my home state is 100 years young today! OK, and it’s also a little-known holiday a few people celebrate or something…Valentines’ Day, I think they call it? There’s a link to a lovely Arizona video at the bottom of this post (unfortunately, embedding is disabled), but for today’s Song of the Day (for once, it’s actually posted before the evening! sort of), I’ll focus on Valentines’ Day and post a beautiful song for the occasion…

“Love Is You” by Chrisette Michele!

I first came across this song about 3 or 4 years ago (another song by Chrisette, “Your Joy,” was a free single on iTunes), and it’s become one of my absolute favorites. With just a piano and some elegant strings, Chrisette delivers a heartfelt, tender message that’s perfect not just for Valentines’ Day, but really any day. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

And as promised, here’s a tribute to the beauty of Arizona (the song is a bit cheesy, but it’s heartfelt, and the pictures are stunning)…happy birthday, my beloved Grand Canyon State! (Just click on the link.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7xedmvJTzk

Thanks for reading, and have a great Valentines’ Day/centennial!

Song of the Day: “The Daily Mail”

It’s the first post of 2012! And after a barrage of list-based posts at the end of last year, I’m returning to one of this blog’s classic features…the Song of the Day. (As usual, it’s posted at night. I really need to get to doing these in the morning…then they’ll actually be a true Song of the Day for once.) Today, take a listen to…

“The Daily Mail” by Radiohead!

This song, a B-side released by the band last month, is more of a side of Radiohead that we don’t often get to see, and it’s something they should try more often, I think. It kind of harks back to their earlier stuff (in fact, it’s a bit reminiscent of “OK Computer,” before they went in a completely different, experimental direction after that), starting with just a stark, arresting piano line and then having Thom Yorke’s haunting vocals enter in. (He’s rarely delivered a more effective, heartrending vocal in recent years than he does here.) Eventually the full sound kicks in towards the song’s second half, but it’s a controlled explosion, with a deeply melodic quality that you don’t always get in Radiohead’s work. The guitars, the horns, the lyrics…everything combines to make a truly terrific musical experience.

A small preview of what’s coming soon:

• A new theme! I’ve grown quite fond of the one I’m using now, but it’s always fun to shake things up, and I think I’ve found a new blog theme that will work quite nicely. Look for it in the coming days (though knowing me, it will probably be much sooner than that…)
• The first new Artist Spotlight of 2012. I’m still brainstorming who it will be (I’ve got a long list in mind, but I haven’t done this feature for a while), but it will be a good one.
• A potential new feature…there’s one highlighting live performances that I think I want to try out.

As always, thanks for reading. 2012 is going to be a great year, and I hope to make the next few months on Harmony Avenue as jam-packed with good music as I can.

Holiday Song of the Day: “I Believe In Santa Claus”

It’s Christmas Eve night, so for once, I’ll keep it short and to the point. Here’s an absolutely beautiful song by Courtney Cotter, a talented singer-songwriter from the Mesa area (who I know from high school). I highly recommend you pay special attention to the lyrics  of the song…it’s a very profound message, and one that helps me, at least, really feel the true spirit of Christmas. So here’s tonight’s Holiday Song of the Day…

“I Believe In Santa Claus” by Courtney Cotter!

A Merry Christmas to all of you wonderful readers, whoever you may be. Thank you for visiting, and stay tuned for some fun end-of-year festivities to come.

Song of the Day: “Robots”

Alas, aside from the last lingering remnants of my “Sing-Off” recaps, I haven’t posted much else lately. Here’s a Song of the Day to whet your whistle (and for those of you who feel a bit oversaturated with holiday tunes, it’s a normal one this time around), and coming hopefully today or tomorrow, I’ll be making a Sketches post highlighting my all-time favorite Christmas albums. (This post will serve as a replacement for the round of holiday album reviews I had planned.) But for now, let me share with you…

“Robots” by Dan Mangan!

I was introduced to this song thanks to a coworker’s iPod that was playing at work. (This is the great place where I work, btw.) It’s a fairly enigmatic tune, but still incredibly emotionally resonant nonetheless. According to a comment on this song’s entry on my favorite lyrics site, SongMeanings, Dan once said in an interview that this song was inspired by having to live without a broken cell phone for a few days. Not sure if this is completely accurate, but it does make sense, and whatever this song was written about, it’s a gorgeous ride nonetheless. I especially love the last part, where the lines “Robots need love too/They want to be loved by you…” are repeated quite a few times, with a chorus joining in with Dan to sing the song out. It’s a beautiful mix of melancholy and celebration.

See you soon with more posts, both Christmas-themed and otherwise. Thanks for reading!

Holiday Song of the Day: “Christmas Without You”

I haven’t posted since my “Sing-Off” finale recap last week (and there’ll be another coming up momentarily…I know, I know, I said I wasn’t going to do one for the Christmas special tonight, but I guess I just couldn’t resist), so here’s a great Christmas song for your listening pleasure…

“Christmas Without You” by OneRepublic!

Chances are you’re already pretty familiar with OneRepublic, even if you don’t know it. They’re fronted by pop hitmaker Ryan Tedder (who’s produced and co-written songs for huge artists like Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, and Adele), and they’re the band behind the megahit “Apologize” (I prefer their slightly more stripped-down album version than the overproduced/overplayed collaboration on it with Timbaland), and ubiquitous recent pop radio staples like “All The Right Moves,” “Good Life,” and of course, “Secrets.” (AKA the song with the electric-sounding violins at the beginning, that’s been in everything from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” to, memorably, “30 Rock.”) Sadly, because those songs are all so prevalent on the radio, or have been at one time, their credibility as a talented, unique band has kind of suffered. However, I absolutely love both their albums, and they really have a lot more to offer than their poppier, hit-making stuff. Case in point: this gem of a holiday tune right here. The production is very intimate and piano-driven, and it’s a nice kind of shift in feel for the band. Ryan sells the vocal perfectly, and there’s some delicious pop-soul style backing vocals that really add to it in a great way. And of course, even though it’s a song more about missing someone than the Christmas season specifically…it still brings a palpable, warm sense of  holiday spirit, while still sounding like the kind of song you’d be comfortable playing year round.

See you in a bit with a short but sweet “Sing-Off Christmas” recap. It ain’t over til it’s over!

Holiday Song of the Day: “Love Is Christmas”

Lest you forget that I actually make posts on this blog that actually aren’t about that one “Sing-Off” show, here’s a quick Song of the Day to kick off the Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah/whatever holiday you choose to celebrate season. Last year I kept Harmony Avenue’s Christmas festivities kind of low-key, but this year I plan to make them a bit more, y’know, festive. If you’re left cold (ba dum cha…) by the holidays, no worries, as I’ll be continuing some general posting throughout this lovely month of December. Now, to an absolutely stunning song that, coincidentally enough, is a bit “Sing-Off” related now that you mention it (the artist is of course a judge on the program)…

“Love Is Christmas” by Sara Bareilles!

Sara delivers a truly heartfelt, warm message of hope and love with this song, and it’s uplifting and tender without being too sweet or cliched. Backed primarily by just her own piano, she sings beautifully about the true meaning of Christmas, and the peace that we can find with those we love, during the holidays, and really, anytime in the year. It’s a sentiment that’s been expressed in countless Christmas tunes, but Sara finds a gorgeous, genuine new spin on it here. It’s the kind of Christmas song that will make you want to cry without you even realizing. It’s the kind of Christmas song that you don’t feel guilty for playing over and over and over again. And best of all, it’s the kind of Christmas song that’s truly timeless.

Coming up on the blog, since I haven’t done a to-do list in a while, and it will keep me honest at any rate:

• A few Christmas-themed Cover Stories. Think you’ve heard all there is to hear when it comes to your favorite (and least favorite) carols and chestnuts? I’ll be posting some top-notch versions of Christmas classics.
• An explanation of why it’s not Christmas for me without Johnny Mathis, and more personal Christmas music thoughts, memories, etc., via a Sketches post.
• An Artist Spotlight or two (it’s not Harmony Avenue without them, really)
• Two album reviews! One of the Christmas variety, and one of…not the Christmas variety.
• And of course, “The Sing-Off.” (Go Pentatonix!)

Thanks for reading (and thanks to the amazing a cappella blogger Warren Bloom for posting a link to my last “Sing-Off” recap on his Facebook page!), and see you on Monday with a finale recap!