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!

My Favorite Albums of 2011, Part II

I’m back! Seeing as is the list about, y’know, 2011, I had to make sure to get this posted before the year is out. Also, I’ve made an executive decision and increased the number of albums on my list to 20. (There was a late-breaking addition.) This means that this post will be even longer (11 albums, 4 EPs, and some end-of-the-year words…whew!), but we’ll make it work. (In other news, by the end of this paragraph, the number will increase to 25, and by the end of this post, it will be so large you can’t even count it.) Now, on to the rest of my favorite albums list…these fine records, I consider the best of 2011.

Rachael Yamagata — Chesapeake

(Full disclosure: This is the late-breaking addition that pushed my list to 20.) What is “Chespeake”? It’s an understated, very unassuming album, full of songs that grab on first listen, certainly, but don’t show all their different textures until after repeated listens. Rachael has really opened herself on “Chesapeake,” and the result is a warm, honest collection of songs that showcase her at her very best. Her songs in the past have often been introspective and haunting, and they certainly are here, but there’s a certain underlying uplift to the proceedings that really helps her songwriting come to life. And when she does hark back to her previous work with raw ballads like “Full On,” she ends up creating exquisite, devastating works of art. “Chesapeake” is without question Rachael Yamagata’s finest work yet, and it’s a fascinating, engrossing glimpse into her artistic vision.

Amos Lee — Mission Bell

“Mission Bell” is in some ways a convergence of influences. You can see touches of jazz, folk, soul, country, Americana…a little bit of everything, really…within its songs, and Amos Lee is the kind of songwriter and performer that knows just how to tie all of it together. The album is fearlessly intimate but wonderfully expansive, and it has a world-weary quality that gives it great depth and texture. It also doesn’t hurt that Amos has a fine roster of guests (including country icon Willie Nelson, on an album-closing reprise of the opening track). His singular voice is used to great effect, and overall, it’s a beautiful musical portrait that stays with you long after the first listen.

k.d. lang & the Siss Boom Bang — Sing It Loud

It’s no hyperbole to make the statement that k.d. lang is one of the most incredible vocalists of all time…her instrument is rich, gorgeous, expressive, soaring, heartbreaking, and uplifting, all in one. This record is one truly worthy of that incomparable voice. Paired with a full-time backing band for the first time in quite a while, she delivers her best album in years, arguably the best of her career. “Sing It Loud” is an intoxicating, breathtaking recording, and k.d. and the band unite beautifully to create a collection that feels timeless. It’s raw and organic, but at the same mysterious, refined, and elegant. It’s a new direction for her in some ways, going back further to her country roots than any of her recent work has…but it’s a direction that if there’s any justice in the world, she should definitely keep exploring, because if it results in albums like this, as a listener I want to be there exploring with her.

Ben Sollee — Inclusions

You don’t get many artists like Ben Sollee, and I mean that literally…he’s a singer/cellist. (I don’t think you’d even need all of one hand to count how many of those there are out there in the music world.) Artistically, though, he’s even more unique…he’s unclassifiable genre-wise, but his songs work. They work wonderfully. They’re dynamic and fresh, and soaring in a very rare, understated way. There’s a lovely quality to his music that’s kind of hard to define, but it makes perfect sense once you take a listen. They’re the kind of songs that just get better and better as time goes on, and that’s the sign of an album that truly endures.

Florence + The Machine — Ceremonials

The rare album that feels both unendingly grand and ambitious, yet at the same time incredibly authentic and introspective, “Ceremonials” is a towering achievement. It’s a record you have to really dive into to get the full experience, but it’s a dive that’s definitely worth taking. Kicking off with a rousing opening track (followed by the gloriously anthemic “Shake It Out”),  song after song after song, it hits hard and deep, with Florence’s booming voice lifting up to the heavens, the lyrics setting the mood, and the instrumentation going in all kinds of fascinating directions. Only at a few points does she let the music run away from her…while “Ceremonials” is wild and experimental, it’s a very organized type of chaos at work here. Florence and her band know exactly what they’re doing, and the result of their efforts is a singular, spectacular kind of album that’s unlike anything else out there.

Elbow — Build A Rocket Boys!

How exactly does a rock band expand on huge success? After bursting into prominence with their last album, the revelatory “The Seldom Seen Kid” (which even garnered them a prestigious Mercury Prize in the UK), Elbow went exactly where they needed to with their next record…they went home. It’s not as if they ever left, but on “Build A Rocket Boys!”, they feel truly at home. The songs are warm, straightforward, and above all, absolutely beautiful. A prime example: “Lippy Kids,” in many ways one of the emotional centerpieces of the album, feels like frontman Guy Garvey’s love letter to what being a teenager is, and he delivers it with such nuance and tenderness that it very nearly breaks your heart. The use of the Halle Youth Choir on a few tracks is an inspired choice…they help the songs soar even more than they already do on their own, adding beautifully to the mix. There are countless moments of musical brilliance throughout, and it’s even further proof that Elbow is a band constantly creating incredibly well-crafted music that’s genuine, honest, and full of emotion.

Ximena Sariñana – Ximena Sariñana

This self-titled album is Ximena Sariñana’s second, and her first in English (only one track, “Tu y Yo,” is in her native language, Spanish)…and it shines. Taking a new approach with sonically adventurous, forward-thinking producer Dave Sitek, it’s a different vibe than her debut record in some respects, but the marriage of the acoustic and the electronic is a happy one, and her powerful yet delicate voice is a perfect fit. From the sunny opening track, “Different,” to the gorgeous ballad “Tomorrow,” to the light/dark exercise that is “Wrong Miracle,” the album’s closer, this is a highly enjoyable, top-notch record through and through.

Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Unfolding in quiet, explosive bursts, Bon Iver’s eponymous second album (there seems to a be a pattern here…hmmm) is, quite simply, beautiful. The band burst onto the scene with little more than singer Justin Vernon’s heartstoppingly fragile voice and his guitar on “For Emma, Forever Ago”…this time around, the sonic palette has exponentially grown, and the many new instruments are weaved into the album like a stunning tapestry. There’s absolutely no one genre you can pin “Bon Iver” to…all that can be said is that it is, without question, wonderful, wonderful music.

Company of Thieves — Running From A Gamble

On “Running From A Gamble,” Genevieve Schatz has her day. Lead vocalist of Company of Thieves, she tears into the songs with reckless abandon, singing with fire and spirit when the chorus swells, and bringing her powerful pipes down to a whisper when things get quieter. It’s a masterful set of vocals, but that would mean little if the band she’s a part of…and the songs she sings…weren’t up to scratch. They are, and then some. Company of Thieves has created a tour-de-force of lyric, melody, and sound. “Running From A Gamble” is gorgeously thought-provoking, engagingly fierce, and an enjoyable, breathless musical ride. You really can’t get much better than this.

Sondre Lerche — Sondre Lerche

Usually when artists title an album after their own name, it signals a debut or an early work (see the two albums above…I didn’t even realize until just now doing this post that I had three eponymous albums on it). For Sondre Lerche, however, this is his sixth studio release. What it most likely is meant to mean in this case is a rebirth…on this record, Sondre doesn’t do a complete 180, but his music is in some aspects filtered through a different lens. It’s more acoustically driven, more organic, a little more stripped down. At his essence, Sondre is a skillful, innovative songwriter, and it shows through brightly here. His songs are haunting, lovely, and lyrically inventive, even playful at times. Which is the way they’ve always been (Sondre’s music is remarkably consistent)…but here, the listener gets a front-row seat.

Feist — Metals

Let’s put it out there right now: “Metals” is a triumph. A hands-down, no-holds-barred triumph. It’s a very different album than “The Reminder” (Feist’s previous album that spawned the joyfully ubiquitous “1234″). In fact, it’s a bit unlike anything Feist has ever done. It’s revelatory and quietly sweeping in a way that most artists only dream of. Feist’s voice is in peak form, and her writing on this disc is absolutely stunning, plus the production is striking and unique in a way that enhances the songs in absolutely all the right ways. “Metals” is a tale of heartbreak, of acceptance, of everything in between…but above all, it’s a tale of humanity. So many moments in the album stand out. The a cappella chorus of Feist’s vocals at the end of “A Commotion”…the way “Graveyard” explodes into a cathartic sing-along…the slow, steady, breathless build of “The Circle Married The Line”…the underlying fierceness behind “Undiscovered First”…all that and more. Without question, this is pure, unadulterated musical magic.

But wait, there’s more! Four fine EPs I’d like to briefly highlight this year.

Courtney Cotter — Home I Roam

Courtney is a friend of mine, so it’s possible anything I write about her music is somewhat biased. That said, this is a terrific collection of songs. She’s grown since her last album (her debut full-length, “My Happy”) in wonderful ways, and all 6 of these songs (plus one from “My Happy,” the amazing “Unsaid”) are strikingly mature, beautifully warm, and impeccably crafted, and Courtney’s beautiful voice is the icing on the cake. The only downside to “Home I Roam”? It ends too soon.

Christopher Miller — Hair and The Hell

I was introduced to this album by a Facebook post by a friend, and I’m very grateful for the recommendation. This EP may be only 4 songs long, but what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. The songs are evocative and lively, and Christopher has a very developed writing voice that shines through very well. My personal favorite on the EP is “Ben Just Shy,” which boasts a terrific, infectious hook.

Alyse Black — The Honesty EP

Honesty is in the title, and it’s in the music as well, as Alyse Black goes back to basics and gives us 7 cozy, beautifully spare songs that are both confessional and uplifting. Her music really draws you in, and this EP is a fine display of her gorgeous vocals and outstanding songwriting skills. It’s well-crafted, incredibly genuine, and a celebratory act of pure expression.

Lucy Schwartz — Keep Me

Moving forward without losing any of what makes her so terrific in the first place, Lucy Schwartz delivers a fine EP with “Keep Me.” Between the stop-you-in-your-tracks piano ballad “You Are You Are,” the quietly sweeping title track, and the moody, atmospheric “Domino,” Lucy has outdone herself once again, creating rich, engaging songs that, while small in number this time around, provide countless hours of highly enjoyable listening.

Now I’m done. That kind of took a while…I guess that’s what happens when you add 1 or 2 albums at the last minute, eh? It’s been an absolutely wonderful 2011 blogging here at Harmony Avenue. This year, this blog went farther than I ever imagined it could, and I’m happy to actually have at least a few regular readers (I think), and lots of visitors, and the response to my “Sing-Off” recapping was terrific. Thanks to all you who commented, read, enjoyed, and especially those of you who shared, my posts this year. (Any compliments received have been MUCH appreciated.:)) Now, to a piece of news I don’t think I’ve announced here formally yet, mostly because any regular readers I have probably know it already: I’ll be leaving on a full-time mission for my church in May (to Peru!). That means in 2012, I’ll only be having a few months of posting. My plans for Harmony Avenue after that are a bit up in the air right now, but there are a few options I’m considering while I’m gone for two years and obviously can’t keep this blog up whatsoever, so I’ll keep you posted on those. For now, thank you all so much for helping make my blogging-related activities in 2011 an absolute blast. Happy New Year!

My Favorite Albums of 2011, Part I

The time has come for my last posts of the year, and they’re two posts I’ve been excited for a while to make. This year I’ve curated a list of my 19 favorite albums (yep, I know I said 15 earlier, but the times, they are a-changin’) of 2011, plus a few fine EPs I’ve loved the past 12 months as well. Because of the large number, I’ll be splitting it into two jam-packed posts. First off, a ground rule I set for myself: Each album on this list is one that I’ve listened to in its entirety at least once (and in pretty much every case, much more than once). This means that a few outstanding records regrettably got left off my list, because I haven’t been able to hear them completely (money and time issues are to blame). I’d like to highlight “American Road” by The Tierney Sutton Band, “The Gate” by Kurt Elling, “Helplessness Blues” by Fleet Foxes, and “Barton Hollow” by The Civil Wars as four albums that would be on this list had I the resources to have listened to them in depth by year’s end. (Hey, as you can see below and in the next post, I had a whopping 19 other albums to keep me occupied, along with tons and tons of other partial albums and individual songs to keep me company on iTunes.) Now, on to the first 9 entries in my favorite albums of 2011 list. Note that they are NOT ranked…choosing between music I love is pretty dang impossible for me, so there’s no way I would have been able to arrange these albums in any satisfactory way. The order isn’t exactly random, but where an album falls on the list means very little, aside from the fact that, y’know, I love it.

Vanessa Carlton — Rabbits on the Run

While many know Vanessa Carlton only as the girl who sang “A Thousand Miles,” I’ve loved her for a while for much more than that…I regard her sophomore album, “Harmonium,” as criminally underrated, and her somewhat experimental third album, “Heroes & Thieves,” as pretty nice as well. However, with “Rabbits on the Run,” Vanessa has unequivocally crafted her finest recording yet. Listening to the album, it feels like she’s finally found the artist she’s always wanted to be, giving us a collection of uniformly terrific, honest, engaging songs that never feel anything but genuine. “Rabbits on the Run” is the rare album in today’s world recorded on tape, and that production choice lends it a unique, intimate quality that enhances Vanessa’s voice and songwriting beautifully. The addition of a children’s choir on a few tracks is a perfect touch, as well. It’s a real treat from beginning to end, full of warmth, depth, and spirit, and it’s terrific to see that after years of wandering, Vanessa Carlton has finally discovered her musical home.

Peter Gabriel — New Blood

It’s hard to follow an album as ambitious as “Scratch My Back” (AKA a covers album of songs largely from this decade, performed only with a full-scale orchestra, sans drums), but with “New Blood,” Peter Gabriel has done more than just follow his previous work…he’s expanded on it. Using his own catalog this time instead of the work of others, Peter brings a new, stunning dimension to the songs of his past, creating timeless recordings that create a gorgeous new world for the listener. The arrangements, once again by master musician John Metcalfe (with some assistance by Gabriel himself), are superb and breathtaking. Guest artists Ane Brun (a sublimely haunting vocalist who sings in lieu of Kate Bush on “Don’t Give Up”) and Peter’s own daughter, Melanie (who sings a lovely duet with him on “Downside Up”) add immensely to the proceedings, providing background vocals throughout. “New Blood” is a tour-de-force recording that gets better and more rich with each and every listen.

Ellie Goulding — Lights (US release)

I’m kind of cheating with this album, because although it was released in the United States this year, I was already familiar with it before 2010 had ended. (It was released in the UK in March 2010, a full year before it bowed in America.) But I had to find a way to highlight this album somehow, so I’m exploiting the technicality for all it’s worth. With “Lights,” Ellie has created something altogether fresh and new, something that’s increasingly hard to do in the music world today. It’s hard to describe her music…the “folktronica” and indie pop labels would both fit here, but even then, they don’t even scratch the surface. Ellie’s voice is pure and beautifully fragile in the best ways, and her music is full of life. The songs on “Lights” are often ones you can dance to, but they have tons of emotional weight as well. Ellie Goulding has created a thoroughly engrossing debut album with a beat, but also with a beating heart.

Coldplay — Mylo Xyloto

Thanks to their huge level of success, Coldplay has become arguably one of the pop/rock world’s most polarizing bands. They have their legions of fans, but in a big way, it’s become ‘cool’ to hate them. By all accounts, this album should prove each and every one of those haters wrong. It’s in many ways a departure from their previous recordings (even the sonically expansive “Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends”), and as a result, it feels like a new Coldplay in a few respects…but at the same time, the same group we’ve known and loved for years on end. It’s been billed by the band as sort of a concept album, and while the story isn’t always clear while listening, there’s an underlying, intangible narrative that shines brightly throughout. The songwriting is impeccable, the band is fully engaged, and while the music is often calm and serene, it’s anything but sleepy or lazy. It’s an album that takes a listen or two to start fully revealing its many treasures, but it’s also an album that’s more than worth the wait.

Laura Marling — A Creature I Don’t Know

Laura Marling could all too easily be an artist defined by novelty. She’s only 21 (a year older than I am, which never fails to boggle my mind), and already she’s won quite a few accolades, seemingly endless critical praise, and a huge amount of fan respect. Her music is outstanding, but what’s more, it goes beyond her age. Listening to “A Creature I Don’t Know,” you don’t think of Laura as a 21-year-old wunderkind…you think of her as a true musician. Her songs are beautifully mature, fearlessly witty, and bracingly introspective, and thought-provoking to boot. Her voice is wonderfully evocative, a rich instrument that paints thousands of pictures with just one note. With “A Creature I Don’t Know,” Laura has created a work of living, breathing art, one that just keeps giving and giving.

Sachal Vasandani — Hi-Fly

When most people think of jazz albums, “innovation” probably isn’t the first word that comes to mind. However, innovation is the key to great jazz music, and it’s a quality that rising star Sachal Vasandani displays in spades. He and his band (along with veteran musician John Clayton, who serves as producer on the album) come up with new takes on songs (and equally terrific original compositions) that are forward-thinking, engaging feats of reinvention. However, they don’t forget to include just as much emotional resonance. These songs hit home in the most powerful ways…whether they be in the form of a gorgeous cover of the late Amy Winehouse’s “Love Is A Losing Game,” or a rollicking duet on the classic song “One Mint Julep” with vocalese legend Jon Hendricks, or a heartstopping remembrance of the recent Japan tsunami with “Flood.” It’s music to think about, music to celebrate, and most of all, music that truly moves.

Brandi Carlile — Live at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony

Usually, live albums are a nice complement to an artist’s body of work, and in some cases can be quite good, but most of the time they usually don’t stand out on their own as something truly remarkable. Brandi Carlile’s live recording with the Seattle Symphony is, without question, an exception to that rule. Performing a great selection of her own material (along with a few great covers) with, as the title states, a symphony, her energy practically leaps off the headphones, speakers, or whatever you’re using to listen to the album. She’s full of fire (her voice sounds just as soaring out of the studio setting, if not more so) and brings a perfect balance of charm and mischievousness to the table. The orchestra adds a beautiful dimension to her already amazing songs, and with some of her onstage banter included as well, you’ll feel like you’re right there in the concert hall. Despite the fact that it’s a largely unadorned live recording, “Live at Benaroya Hall” stands as one of Brandi Carlile’s best albums.

Foster the People — Torches

They may be famous for the sneakily ubiquitous crossover hit “Pumped Up Kicks,” but on this album, Foster the People prove they’re no one-trick pony. “Torches” is a collection of pure pop gold, featuring track after track of endlessly infectious, insanely well-crafted music that’s the kind you want to get stuck in your head. It’s electronically driven, but it never feels pretentious or inauthentic, yet at the same it’s strikingly modern and inventive. Pumped-up kicks may be their calling card, but with “Torches,” Foster the People prove that effervescent, intoxicating songs with complexity and depth are most certainly their forte.

Adele — 21

Adele, seemingly out of nowhere, has become the artist that unites, that speaks, that touches. It’s harder to find someone who doesn’t like her music than someone who does, and the impact of her songs is widespread. (This is probably the first time in recent memory that pretty much every member of my family agrees on an album, for starters.) “21″ captures that universal quality. Sure, it has the now-megahits “Rolling In The Deep” and “Someone Like You.” Sure, it’s full of heartache, acceptance, regret, pain, tension, release. But what’s more, this album truly has something for everyone, something hidden carefully in its notes and melodies and lyrics and instrumentation that speaks to all, while at the same time never selling out, never cheapening its storytelling, its musicality, its utter brilliance. What Adele does with “21,” just as she so perfectly did with “19,” is achieve a perfect marriage between singer and song. She is the music, and that deep connection translates beautifully to the listener. She achieves the seemingly impossible…creating music for the masses that feels as personal as if she was singing straight to you.

Part II to come tomorrow, on New Year’s Eve. Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment, discuss, disagree, agree, and more below.

My Best Songs of 2011

Alas, it’s the end of the year. The time when many “best of” lists are posted. Just like last year, I have utilized my handy dandy iTunes play count (and numerous Top 40/Top 100/Top 200-style auto-playlists) to formulate a list of songs I’ve downloaded this year that I’ve listened to constantly. To add to the fun, just for kicks I searched out the songs from 2010 in my Top 200 Most Played that didn’t make it onto last year’s Best Songs. They’re included in their own list below. As I noted last year, a few of these weren’t released this year…I just caught on to them within 2011. (In fact, this is true of more than a few entries on this list…this year I went old-school. Comparatively, anyhow.) Here they are…my top 23 songs of the year.

1. No Cars Go — Arcade Fire (#7, 45 plays, added Apr. 15)
2. How Come You Never Go There — Feist (#12, 42 plays, added Oct. 3) (check out my Song of the Day post on it here)
3. Never Leave Your Heart Alone — Butterfly Boucher (#13, 41 plays, added Feb. 10) (also a past Song of the Day, found here)
4. Cold War — Janelle Monáe (#19, 40 plays, added Apr. 25)
5. Tú y Yo — Ximena Sariñana (#22, 39 plays, added Jan. 5) (yet another Song of the Day alum, its post is here)
6. New York — Paloma Faith (#43, 35 plays, added Mar. 11)
7. Crown of Love — Arcade Fire (#50, 33 plays, added Apr. 15)
8. Queen of Hearts — Company of Thieves (#62, 32 plays, added May 17)
9. Rebellion (Lies) — Arcade Fire (#83, 29 plays, added Apr. 15)
10. Hoppípolla – Sigur Rós (#89, 29 plays, added Jul. 3) (these Songs of the Day are popping up like daisies on this list…find it here)
11. Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall — Coldplay (#92, 28 plays, added Jun. 3)
12. Sophia — Laura Marling (#99, 28 plays, added Jul. 25)
13. Stone Cold Sober — Paloma Faith (#102, 28 plays, added Jan. 2)
14. Lippy Kids — Elbow (#110, 27 plays, added Mar. 11)
15. Shake It Out — Florence + The Machine (#112, 27 plays, added Oct. 17)
16. Young Love — Mystery Jets feat. Laura Marling (#122, 26 plays, added Aug. 21)
17. Someone Like You — Adele (#124, 25 plays, added Feb. 20)
18. Mixtape (with the BBC Heritage Orchestra) (Live) — Jamie Cullum (#132, 25 plays, added May 16)
19. Rollerblades — Eliza Doolittle (#151, 23 plays, added Jan. 6)
20. Tallulah — Company of Thieves (#173, 21 plays, added May 17)
21. Love Is A Losing Game — Sachal Vasandani (#182, 21 plays, added Jun. 20)
22. Avenue — Agnes Obel (#187, 20 plays, added Sep. 28)
23. Cry Baby — Cee-Lo Green (#190, 20 plays, added Aug. 10) (subject of a Music Video of the Day earlier this year…watch it here)

An interesting note before I dive into the songs from last year that got left out of the 2010 list because they were late bloomers…”Mixtape,” a song that was no. 30 on last year’s post, found its way onto the “best of” list yet again in 2011, this time via an amazing live version he did with the BBC Heritage Orchestra during a BBC Proms performance. (I posted the video in my Artist Spotlight on him earlier this year.)

Now, the songs I downloaded in 2010 that grew on me enough this year to now be part of my Top 200 Most Played playlist on iTunes. There’s one group you may notice makes a strong showing…more on that in a minute.

1. Bulldozer — Bess Rogers (#17, 40 plays, added 12/29/10) (Song of the Day post here)
2. Deep Blue — Arcade Fire (#28, 37 plays, added 9/6/10)
3. Rolling In The Deep — Adele (#35, 35 plays, added 12/4/10) (yep, I had it a YEAR ago…)
4. We Used To Wait — Arcade Fire (#59, 32 plays, added 8/31/10)
5. Under The Sheets — Ellie Goulding (#63, 32 plays, added 12/16/10)
6. The Suburbs — Arcade Fire (#91, 28 plays, added 8/20/10)
7. Niño Hojas — Natalia LaFourcade (#101, 28 plays, added 12/4/10)
8. Wake Up — Arcade Fire (#125, 25 plays, added 10/28/10)
9. Kaleidoscope Heart — Sara Bareilles (#142, 24 plays, added 9/6/10)
10. Bluebird — Sara Bareilles (#143, 24 plays, added 9/6/10)
11. Guns and Horses — Ellie Goulding (#152, 23 plays, added 12/16/10)
12. Pocket Philosopher — Mandy Moore (#155, 23 plays, added 8/31/10)
13. Ready To Start — Arcade Fire (#159, 22 plays, added 9/6/10)
14. Scared of the Dark — Courtney Cotter (#160, 22 plays, added 6/27/10)
15. Every Time You Go — Ellie Goulding (#161, 22 plays, added 12/16/10)
16. I’m Not Calling You A Liar — Florence + The Machine (#162, 22 plays, added 10/14/10)
17. Swimming — Florence + The Machine (#175, 21 plays, added 10/14/10)
18. Machine Gun — Sara Bareilles (#183, 21 plays, added 9/6/10)
19. Big Jumps — Emiliana Torrini (#196, 20 plays, added 7/19/10)

Could you spot which group I fell madly in love with this year? Perhaps this post back in April might help you out. Yep, 2011 was the Year of Arcade Fire for me. I had gotten their album “The Suburbs” back in the summer of 2010, and loved it, but didn’t pay too much attention to it (evidence: the fact that not a single Arcade Fire song made it onto last year’s Best of list)…that all changed when I went on impulse to see them in concert earlier this year, and afterwards I immediately bought every single one of their songs that I didn’t already own.  I’ve listened to them a heck of a lot since April, and it shows on my most played songs, for sure. Eight songs from the two lists above are by Arcade Fire. Other artists that make multiple appearances: on the 2011 list, Paloma Faith, Company of Thieves, and Laura Marling each have 2 (Laura’s second is as a featured artist); on the list with leftovers from last year, Ellie Goulding and Sara Bareilles appear 3 times, and Florence + The Machine appears twice (in addition to an appearance on the 2011 list). All in all, it’s been a fantastic past two years of music.

My end-of-2011 posting isn’t done yet. Stay tuned for not one, but TWO separate posts highlighting my favorite albums of 2011. (And I picked them all by myself. Take THAT, iTunes!) You’ll find some big tickets, but also some hidden gems, and a few unexpected choices. At least one post will be on its way tomorrow, hopefully two. (If not, Part II will go up New Year’s Eve at the latest.) I’m excited to share my album picks with you, and for now, thanks for stopping by, and see you again soon.

Cover Stories: Christmas Edition!

Remember when I said I was going to go all out for the Christmas season this year on Harmony Avenue? In fairness, I’ve done much more than I did last year. Still, it hasn’t been quite all I’ve hoped…but that’ s OK. Since it’s only two days before the big day (and I still haven’t wrapped any of my gifts for my family…hey, at least I’ve got them all in the first place…), my planned Christmas Cover Stories series will be condensed into one wild, crazy post. Basically it’s going to be me sharing some intriguing holiday covers, in a disorderly, unorganized, possibly rambling fashion. In other words…business as usual. Let the Christmas cover-sharing commence!

Andrew Belle — “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”

This is one of my all-time favorite Christmas songs, so on paper it wouldn’t quite make sense that I love this cover so much, since it ends up changing a great deal of the melody and whatnot. However, Andrew Belle (the artist of a previous Song of the Day earlier this year) makes the right changes, in my opinion, and is a distinctive, talented enough singer that it really works. It’s both a subtly daring new reinvention of a classic tune, and a warm, heartfelt homage at the same time.

Feist — “Lo, How A Rose E’er Blooming”

With little more than a guitar (or two?), what sounds like a tambourine, and a small horn section, along with of course her delicate, gorgeous voice, Feist takes on a 16th century German Christmas carol and turns it into something altogether beautiful and new. It’s contemporary but traditional, soft but bold, and above all, peaceful and full of life. A chorus of humming and “ah”-ing atop a classy trumpet solo comes in in the last part of the song and ties it all up in a lovely, almost ethereal bow.

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals — “Please Come Home For Christmas”

I’ve never quite been a fan of this song, mainly because every time someone covers it, it’s done in almost exactly the same style…an inauthentic blues template. Not to be a Scrooge or anything, but it always seems like whoever is singing it is totally phoning it in against a background accompaniment that’s been passed on through the years or something. This version is the first in years that I’ve been able to get behind…there’s something about the energy that firecracker vocalist Grace Potter brings to the song that helps it feel fresh and new, even if it indeed sticks pretty close to the original on the surface. She really digs deep into the song, it seems like, and it comes through in her vocal. It’s fresh, dynamic, and I really love it.

The Puppini Sisters — “Last Christmas”

This actually isn’t the first weird jazzy cover of “Last Christmas” (the cheesy but lovable 80s heartbreak-at-Christmas hit by Wham!) I have, to be honest with you. I also own a version by an obscure…Danish? (don’t quote me on that…) jazz vocalist named Anders Blichfeldt. (It’s highly recommended, but I could find no way whatsoever to embed it. Just search for a compilation called “A Sound of Christmas” on iTunes, in the dead of night under cover of darkness, on the fifth Monday of the second week of…OK, never mind, just search for that compilation and you should be good.) This year (to save me from tears?), however, I found a great cover by a group I’ve loved for a while now, the Puppini Sisters. They’re kind of a throwback act, in a way…they specialize in close-harmony style music (much like the Andrews Sisters in the 1940s…the group was actually named in honor of them, from what I understand), but as a modern twist, they usually apply said harmonies to more recent fare. This is a great example of that technique, and it’s a slowed-down, fun, and also fairly gorgeous cover of a song that you can’t help but love.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir — “Carol of the Bells”

It may be the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, a group that’s been around since the mid-1800s, but this isn’t your mama’s “Carol of the Bells.” Well, I suppose it’s not THAT crazy. But it is a bit of a departure from many arrangements of the tune, in the most wonderful way. I had the great privilege of hearing this version of the tune (by Barlow Bradford, a former associate director of the Choir) for the first time live in the Conference Center, attending the Choir’s annual Christmas concert with special guest Renee Fleming back in 2005. I remember my mouth quite literally dropping open as the key changes kept coming, the piece kept growing, and it all just exploded into a beautiful crescendo at the end that took my breath away. Just when you think it’s going to calm down, it swells even more. Of course, this being the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, it’s all pulled off brilliantly. This is one version of “Carol of the Bells” that you simply have to hear.

Alice Smith — “Silver Bells”

This song, off the excellent “Hotel Cafe Presents Winter Songs” compilation from a few years ago, is stunning. There’s simply no other word to describe it. Alice Smith, a soul-influenced singer-songwriter with a jaw-dropping voice and songwriting skills to match, takes on this tune and makes you forget about anybody else who’s sung it. It’s that powerful, and that effortless.

Josh Groban — “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear”

Before Michael Buble’s outstanding piano-ballad version of “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” there was this similarly styled, but still quite unique take on the Christmas hymn “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear.” It’s a beautiful reworking of a timeless song, and it really brings a new angle to the song that’s very nice to hear. The gospel choir, and Josh’s excellent voice, really help anchor the cover and keep it moving, and even though it’s fairly radical a rearrangement, it feels natural, like this is the way it’s been done all along.

Pentatonix — “We Three Kings”

And to close it all off, it wouldn’t be a December post on Harmony Avenue without a subliminal “Sing-Off” reference. This track off the “Songs of the Season” collection released a month or two ago, by the Season 3 champions Pentatonix (you may have heard of them…), is both a fearlessly inventive resurrection of a Christmas carol I didn’t think could ever be this incredibly addicting to listen to, and proof positive of why Pentatonix has a bright recording future ahead of them. It’s the best of both worlds…the rock-solid a cappella sound that Pentatonix fans know and love, and the little additions that enhance the studio-recording experience. (I was delighted to find that this didn’t really fall into the overproduction trap…it’s certainly slickly produced, but in ways that bring out the a cappella element, rather than hinder it.) It’s a forward-thinking, infectious version of the unlikeliest of songs.

And…of course I end up closing my post with a thinly veiled manifestation of my Pentatonix love. Ah well. It’s only fitting. I’ll likely post one more Holiday Song of the Day before Christmas comes upon us, and after that, some end-of-the-year festivities await. I’ll make a “best songs” post much like I did last year (once again scientifically produced by way of iTunes play counts and the like), and also…I’m venturing into the “best albums” field as well! I’ve actually picked, all by myself without help of technology, 15 fine albums released this year that I’d like to proclaim my favorites of 2011. What will they be? Stay tuned in the final days of the year to find out. For now, thanks for reading, and in case this is the only post you get around to seeing while you’re here, a very Merry Christmas (or other lovely winter holiday) to you.

Song of the Day: “Estupida”

Here comes a Song of the Day…and this time around, it’s in Spanish! Take a look at this great salsa jam (yes, I just used the word “jam”)…

“Estupida” by India!

As is the case with a lot of songs I have, I found out about this one by a curious iTunes search. However, iTunes isn’t where I found out about India in the first place. My mom actually introduced me to her music…she’s a huge salsa fan (I am too at this point, but I wasn’t when I was younger), and one of the albums she had was a live recording of a concert (it was a 10th anniversary celebration for music  label RMM), and that concert featured a great song by India (known as “La Princesa de la Salsa,” or the “Princess of Salsa,” by the way) and legendary artist Oscar d’Leon. Anyways, long story short, years later I wanted to listen to more of her stuff (this actually isn’t the first time I’ve checked out more of her music), discovered this gem (and a few others) off her most recent album, and there we go. It’s a stunning combo of devastatingly delivered heartbreak (La India has a powerful voice, and it’s full of emotion here) and a dazzling salsa setting, and if you’re anything of a Latin music fan, it will probably get your finger stuck on the repeat button.

(Thanks for reading!)

It’s Anniversary Week!

Today is a special day here on Harmony Avenue. Exactly one year ago today, I made my first post. That’s right…this here blog is now one year old. When I started this off, I had high hopes…but as I’ve mentioned before, my previous blogging endeavors have been hit-or-miss, and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to keep this up, update it consistently, and make it what I really wanted it to be. My expectations have been exceeded, a year later, and this blog has turned out even better than I thought it would. I’ve gotten to share lots of great music, and it seems like at least a few people are actually reading this from time to time. A big thank you to all those who have visited Harmony Avenue, and an extra big thank you to those who have stayed for a while. Although I have no idea how many regular readers I have, your support means a lot to me.

Now, to celebrate my 1st anniversary, two exciting things coming up this week…

• Four special anniversary week posts, all connecting with stuff I shared my first month on Harmony Avenue. The first of these posts will come in just a little bit.
• A GIVEAWAY! To commemorate my year of posting on this blog, I’m pulling out all the stops. (Well, all the stops that a recreational music blogger can, more or less. ) I’ll be giving away a $15 iTunes gift card to one lucky reader who posts a comment this week on any of my posts. Here’s how it will work: Just post a comment on one of my blog posts. (It is, of course, preferable that the comment responds to said post. ) I’ll respond to your comment with a hearty thank you, and also assign you a number (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.). I’ll keep track of who goes to which number, and at the end of the week, I’ll enter them into a random number generator (as in the range, from 1 to whatever the last number is), and the winner will be the person whose number comes up. It’s as simple as that. The deadline for commenting is Saturday night, October 29, 2011, at 11:59 PM MST. Only one comment per person, and of course, you must be a real person, not a robot or computer or company or something. Good luck!

I’m excited to celebrate this Anniversary Week on Harmony Avenue. I’ll do my best to make it a party! As always, many thanks for reading.

Two Songs of the Day: “Keep Your Head Up” and “Landfill”

Since, as usual, I haven’t posted in a while, here’s not one Song of the Day…but two! They’re very nicely contrasting in style, and they’ve been on my mind (and in my ears) for a while. The first song? How about a little…

“Keep Your Head Up” by Andy Grammer!

A good friend, who’s now living and working as a sound engineer in the very entertainment-filled city of Branson, Missouri, actually tipped me off to this song, and Andy Grammer’s music in general. (He also was lucky enough to be able to attend an Andy Grammer/Natasha Bedingfield/Kate Voegele concert a month or two ago.) This song is very upbeat and positive, but what I really love about it, and a lot of Andy’s music that I’ve heard, is that it balances that positivity and catchiness with a nice sense of depth and maturity. It’s a very happy song that will most likely get stuck in your head (and keep your finger glued to the repeat button), but it has substance and a little something that keeps it from being too sticky-sweet, like some upbeat songs can tend to be. It also helps that Andy’s voice is soaring and very easy on the ears…it’s a great balance of textures, and it works very nicely for this song.

Now, for a more introspective offering…

“Landfill” by Daughter!

This was the Indie Spotlight Free Download on iTunes a week or two ago, and even though I got it for free (you can too…this SoundCloud widget includes a download link), I would have gladly paid quite a bit of money for it. It’s a gorgeous, heartbreaking, beautifully fragile song, full of warmth, longing, and soul. (Enough descriptors there for you? Whew.) The lyrics are very powerful…the crux of the song comes at the end of each chorus, when Daughter (AKA Elena Tonra) sings the very relatable line, “I want you so much…but I hate your guts.” The duality of desire and bitterness over a love lost is a very striking one, and it, along with Elena’s stunningly pure, expressive voice, and the beautifully stark instrumentation, makes for an unforgettable listening experience.

See y’all soon with some more new posts (in fact, if all goes to plan I should be introducing an intriguing new weekly feature tomorrow), and quite possibly, a new blog theme. Stay tuned for more musical goodness here at Harmony Avenue.

Song of the Day: “Hoppípolla”

I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July. I really need to get back to regular posting…anyways, here’s a gorgeous Song of the Day…

“Hoppípolla” by Sigur Rós!

So about a year ago or so, thanks to a viewing of “How To Train Your Dragon” (an excellent film, by the way) with my family, I fell madly in love with the music of Jónsi, the lead singer of (you guessed it) Icelandic band Sigur Rós. He had contributed a song to the movie, which played during the end credits, called “Sticks and Stones,” and while the rest of my posse didn’t pay it much mind at the time, I was hooked. I checked out his recently released solo album (called “Go”), and from then on it was musical love.

Except I forgot one thing. As I said before, Jónsi is the lead singer of a band…and I had neglected to check out any of said band’s music. Sigur Rós had actually caught my eye in a somewhat unusual way a few years prior…their most recent album, “Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust,” features a rather revealing cover, and while seeing it on the iTunes front page, and recognizing the name of Sigur Rós, I decided to briefly check their music out, mainly due to curiosity. I must not have stayed long, because I didn’t end up downloading or searching out anything else of theirs.

That all changed, though, a few days ago. After seeing a random song of theirs in passing on my iTunes sidebar (iTunes seems to be the key to a lot of my music discovery lately…), and taking a brief listen to it, a few nights ago I decided to take another look at their music, spurred by my admiration of Jónsi’s work. I don’t know how it came to be the first song I listened to, but “Hoppípolla” was my official introduction to Sigur Rós (I think it might have had something to do with the fact that I looked up the band on a favorite sheet music website of mine, and the song was one of only two the site had for sale), and it grabbed me almost instantly. It starts off with a simple piano line, then grows with guitars and strings…and takes off into something truly special. About halfway through the song, it starts to build even more, and after a sweeping orchestra melody kicks in…it’s pretty much musical heaven. Full disclosure: I started crying while listening to this song for the first time. That’s certainly not something that happens often with me, and when it happens, it’s something to be excited about. Even though the lyrics are in Icelandic (and, for the latter, part, “Hopelandic,” the ethereal made-up language that Sigur Rós utilizes very often), this song touched me in a deeper, almost unexplainable way than just any normal tune does. It’s music of intense beauty, creativity, and happiness, and it’s something that most certainly should be shared.

As always, thanks for reading! Up next on my writing queue is a new Artist Spotlight, on indie songstress Alyse Black. See you soon with that (hopefully “soon” this time will actually be “soon”), and keep on the lookout for some new posts, new features, and new ways to help make this blog better.

Song of the Day: “To Build A Home”

So…16 days have passed by. Without a post. For shame, Brandon, for shame. This tonight, and an Artist Spotlight tomorrow. Plus I still have a lot of interesting things cooked up for later. For now…today’s/tonight’s Song of the Day? How about…

“To Build A Home” by the Cinematic Orchestra (feat. Patrick Watson)!

 

This is a gorgeous tune by a British group called The Cinematic Orchestra, which actually usually does instrumental music, from what I understand. According to Wikipedia (because Wikipedia knows all? ), they often have a more jazz/electronic vibe. I haven’t checked out their music much, but since Jamie Cullum name-checked them, and this song is so terrific, perhaps I should. Anyways, it’s a very sparse, yet driving piano-based ballad (with some tasteful, beautiful strings) with vocals by Canadian singer/songwriter Patrick Watson (who I’d actually already heard of, and I have 2 of his songs on my iPod to boot). Of all people to introduce me to it…my sister actually told me about this, which is kind of crazy, since she’s totally into more mainstream music than I am. (Apparently she’s in a ‘contemporary music’ mood right now, so she’s been getting into a LOT of artists/music I love much more than whatever we agree on in the field of music normally. It’s kind of amazing. ) It’s sweeping, heartbreaking, and uplifting all at once. It’s rather hard for me to get enough of it.

See you soon with fresh posts, and lots of great music! My next post (if things according to plan) will be an Artist Spotlight on the aforementioned Jamie Cullum. You’re gonna love him, I know it. Thanks for reading, as always!