Songs of the Week: September 4-10

Hi! I apologize for taking last week off...I was out of town for a chunk of it. But I'm back, and with awesome tunes for your listening pleasure.


Alkaline Trio: This Could Be Love (Damnesia re-recording) -- Back in July, Alkaline Trio released the album Damnesia, which consists of acoustic and semi-unplugged versions of some of their greatest hits. Well, imagine my excitement when I discovered they did a re-recording of "This Could Be Love," one of my faaaaavorite Trio songs. And, my goodness, it Blew. My. Mind. "This Could Be Love" is kind of a twisted song (listen to/look up the lyrics and you'll see what I mean), and the Damnesia version totally takes on a more sinister, desperate vibe that fits absolutely perfectly. The original recording of the song has a somewhat manic air to it, which is also great, but I really dig the darker tone Alkaline Trio gave it on Damnesia. Gives me chills!

Cobra Starship: You Make Me Feel -- This song was the first single released from Cobra Starship's most recent album, Night Shades. I have lukewarm feelings toward the album as a whole (which will be addressed in a separate post), but I love this particular song. "You Make Me Feel" is typical Cobra Starship--very dancey, synthy, and catchy, with Gabe Saporta's stellar vocals shining through. It has a slight hip-hop vibe to it, which is cool, and the female vocals by Sabi add a nice dimension to the song. As for the video...how freaking cute is Gabe? I swoon.

Avril Lavigne: Smile -- I'm just going to assume you're judging me for the fact that Avril Lavigne is on this list. Let's just acknowledge that and move on, ok? Righty-o. So, here's why I like this song (aside from the fact that it's catchy and has sweet lyrics). Avril's first hit, "Complicated," was my self-proclaimed theme song in 8th grade. Sort of set the standard for my longtime reign as the emo one in my group of friends. Well, a decade later, someone has come into my life who makes me smile more than I thought was possible (seriously, I'm pretty sure if things keep up I'm going to have to relinquish my title as the emo kid). The chorus in this song is very fitting to the situation: "And that's why I smile. It's been a while since every day and everything has felt this right, and now you turn it all around, and suddenly you're all I need--the reason why I smile." It's also kind of cool to have come full-circle with an artist's music. So...yeah.

Matt & Kim: Daylight -- I had heard a lot about Matt & Kim and had listened to a few songs, but for some reason never gave them a very serious listen. Well, the other night they opened for Blink 182's Minneapolis/St. Paul show (review coming soon!) and I was so impressed. Super fun, high energy, interacted with the crowd, and great musically. Across the board, awesome performance. I've been listening to them somewhat incessantly since. And! Discovered while seeing them live that Matt is really cute*. Bonus!

*Sidenote: I am in no way whatsoever one of those people who will listen to a band solely because I think a member of the band is attractive. In fact, I make a very conscious point not to look for pictures or watch videos of the band until after I've listened to them so I don't have that sort of bias in my head.

Adele: Rolling in the Deep -- Vocally, Adele is pretty much the embodiment of perfection. I'm fairly certain the girl couldn't hit a sour note if she tried, and the power with which she delivers her music is earth shattering. As far as female artists go, Adele is what the music industry needs to try to get more of: someone who not only possesses pure talent (no autotune!!!), but who is all about marketing herself based on that talent and not off of gimmicks and raciness. Classic.

Enjoy the tunes, and be on the look out for several more posts coming in the next couple of weeks because I have lots of ideas tumbling around in my head that I want to share with you guys!

Glenton Davis: Are You Ready

I always think it’s interesting when an artist decides to mesh two different music styles together. What’s even more interesting is when an artist combines two styles that you wouldn’t expect to work with each other.

This is exactly what Glenton Davis does, though. Davis fuses R&B with pop, presenting a style that is soulful, while at the same time being up-tempo and danceable.

It’s an unexpected mix, but Davis pulls it off well.

On the four-track album Are You Ready, Davis manages to give a little taste of all the styles he’s incorporating. He moves from the dance track “Go Get on the Floor” to the slower “She Don’t Have to Know,” finally wrapping things up with the mellow “Dangerously in Love 2.” It’s a fluid transition between the songs, and each gives a little bit different side of Davis....MORE

Jess Ray & The Rag Tag Army: Jess Ray & The Rag Tag Army

In case you’ve never noticed, when you rip a CD onto your computer, iTunes will list a genre for that album. With Jess Ray and the Rag Tag Army, iTunes decided that the album fell under the label of “pop.” This could not be more misleading.

When you think of pop, generally the words “soulful,” “mellow” and “heartfelt” don’t really come to mind. But they are definitely words I would use to describe Jess Ray and the Rag Tag Army.

Jess Ray has a voice that will hook you instantly. It’s smooth, it’s strong, it emotional. It is impossible to hear her voice and not feel a connection to the music. Ray’s vocals come across in such a way that it makes you feel as though she is singing to you specifically, and the effect is something really quite beautiful.....MORE

Barenaked Ladies: Born on a Pirate Ship

It might be due largely to the fact that my formative years occurred primarily during the '90s, and as such there's a certain nostalgic value when I now listen to the music from that decade, but I am an ardent fan of '90s music. For some reason, though, '90s music--especially '90s pop--has unfairly earned itself a pretty bad rep.

Personally, I've never understood this. Perhaps it's because there were a lot of one-hit-wonder bands during the '90s, but even that doesn't justify it, seeing as those one-hit-wonders were all sorts of fantastic. I mean, think about it. If you're somewhere in the age range of 18 to 30, chances are pretty good that, as you're perusing radio stations in search of something other than today's tween sensations (Justin Bieber, anyone?), some of the songs that most catch your attention are straight from the '90s.

Admit it. You know you leave the station where it's at when you hear Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy" or "Breakfast at Tiffany's" by Deep Blue Something.

Now, somewhere in the midst of all the artists who came along in the '90s, leaving their mark on the music world with one (maybe two) big hit, there were a few bands who managed to consistently crank out stellar single after stellar single. One such band, however, managed to never quite get the attention that their music warrants. I'm talking about the Canadian band Barenaked Ladies.

Barenaked Ladies first hit the scene back in 1992 with the release of their first album, Gordon, featuring the still hugely popular single "If I Had $1,000,000." That song set Barenaked Ladies rolling with a series of single releases that all did pretty well. Interestingly though, despite the fact that several of their albums made it into the Top 10 on the Billboard charts, most of their albums seem to have gone relatively unnoticed by the general public. Really, the only one of their albums that I recall being talked about widely was 1998's Stunt, which, I'll admit, was in fact a very good album.

That being said, though, I strongly suggest that BNL's album Born on a Pirate Ship be given another listen by the masses.

I was eight years old when Born on a Pirate Ship was released in early 1996, and I remember instantly falling in love with the song "The Old Apartment" the first time I heard it on the radio. The track was played on a consistent basis for about 6 month, and then...nothing. It just sort of fizzled out. I'm pretty sure it's been years since I've heard "The Old Apartment" even randomly played on the radio. "Shoebox," the only other single from Born on a Pirate Ship, generated some buzz when it was on an episode of Friends, but aside from that, the album garnered little attention.

To be frank, the fact that Born on a Pirate Ship went so unrecognized is a downright shame. This is an album that has a little bit of everything in it, and it's all executed amazingly. You've got a touch of folk with the track "Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank," lighthearted pop with "Stomach vs. Heart" and "Call Me Calmly," an utterly heart-wrenching ballad in the form of "Break Your Heart," and a nice bit of introspection with "Same Thing." Throw in the strong vocal work of Steven Page, instrumentals that are catchy and completely unique on each song, and you've got a fusion of musical elements that make Born on a Pirate Ship a great listen the entire way through.

Where BNL's real genius lies, though, is in their lyrics, and on Born on a Pirate Ship they completely nailed that aspect of their music. The lyrics take on a serious note when necessary, but for the most part are driven by very well utilized sarcasm. They lyrics are humorous, often biting and tongue in cheek, witty, and thought provoking, even when they don't entirely seem like it on the surface.

Honestly, I have never been able to find a reason why Born on a Pirate Ship didn't receive more accolades, or why Barenaked Ladies remain (at least in my humble opinion) one of the most underrated bands in the music biz.From beginning to end, Born on a Pirate Ship is a fun, entertaining album without being cheesy or camp, and Page's voice perfectly conveys whatever emotion is called for in each song (believe me, the power and raw emotion in his voice on "Break Your Heart" has moved me to tears on more than one occasion).

As I said, Born on a Pirate Ship was released when I was 8 years old. I'm now 22, and it remains one of my most consistently listened to albums--and it's not just the sentimental value of listening to an album from my childhood that makes it such. Everything about this album is so spot-on to begin with, and yet I find something that strikes me differently, something I appreciate more, every time I listen to it; Born on a Pirate Ship gets better with every listen. Regardless of whether or not you're into '90s music, whether or not you enjoyed Barenaked Ladies at the height of their career, Born on a Pirate Ship is definitely an album worth revisiting.

Katie Locke & Bullet Proof Tiger

Plain and simple, Katie Locke & Bullet Proof Tiger’s self-titled EP is wonderful.

The music falls into that genre of jazzy tinged pop that you hear from artists like Dido, Feist, and Norah Jones. However, Bullet Proof Tiger stands apart from those, thanks largely to vocalist Katie Locke.

With Dido, Feist, and Norah Jones, you have artists who are certainly talented and possess excellent voices. In common with the three though is the fact that their voices all have a certain softness to them. Not Locke.

Locke has a very strong, full voice that makes the listener sit up and take notice. Her voice has a power to it, and an awesome range, that can’t be ignored. Locke isn’t an artist you can have on as background music—her voice demands that you actively listen to her...MORE

Erin Hunt: Meet Me in the Middle

In a music industry that seems to be moving ever closer to being taken over by synthesizers and electronic backing, anything that breaks away and has a sound of its own is a welcome change.

With her debut EP Meet me in the Middle, Toronto-based singer-songwriter Erin Hunt has given the music world something completely refreshing.

With a sound that can’t help but elicit images of a dimly lit jazz club, Meet me in the Middle is a fusion of soul, R&B, and pop, with a nice dash of Latin flair thrown into the mix to make for an album that is anything but generic...MORE