Favorite albums...so far...

So, I've been thinking for a while that I'd like to take my writing to Youtube in attempt to keep my posts more recent, and basically I wanted this post to be my first video, but never fear! I do have an intended review for the end of the month, and the album drops on the 31st so it will hopefully be up by August!

But, since I've already done most of the work for this video I figured I may as well post the list and include my favorite track from each album. (alphabetical order!!!)

• Sound & Color - Alabama Shakes

Favorite Track: "Gemini"

• California Nights - Best Coast

Favorite Track: "In My Eyes"

• Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit - Courtney Barnett

Favorite Track: "Small Poppies"

• Coming Home - Leon Bridges

Favorite Track: "Lisa Sawyer"

• Feels Like - Bully

Favorite Track: "Milkman"

• Surf - Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment

Favorite Track: "Familiar"

• Tomorrow Is My Turn - Rhiannon Giddens

Favorite Track: "She's Got You"

• Por Vida - Kali Uchis

Favorite Track: "Lottery"

• You Should Be Here - Kehlani

Favorite Track: "

• After - Lady Lamb the Beekeeper

Favorite Track: "Atlas"

• To Pimp A Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar

Favorite Track: "Complexion (A Zulu Love)"

• Strange Trails - Lord Huron

Favorite Track: "Cursed"

• Short Movie - Laura Marling

Favorite Track: "Strange"

• Pageant Material - Kacey Musgraves

Favorite Track: "Cup of Tea"

• Angeleno - Sam Outlaw

Favorite Track: "Country Love Song"

• Lucid Dreaming - Say Lou Lou

Favorite Track: "Wilder Than the Wind"

• Traveller - Chris Stapleton

Favorite Track: "Tennessee Whiskey"

• Tuxedo - Tuxedo

Favorite Track: "Lost Lover"

• Multi-Love - Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Favorite Track: "The World Is Crowded"

• A Lesson Unlearnt - Until the Ribbon Breaks

Favorite Track: "Persia"

• English Graffiti -  The Vaccines

Favorite Track: "Maybe I Could Hold You"

• Our Love Is Cool - Wolf Alice

Favorite Track: "Freazy"

So of course, I don't know if this list is going to stay the same but these are what I've really been into so far this year, but there are still a lot of releases that I'm excited for still to come, so we shall see.

Favorite 20 Songs of 2014

Long time-- no blogging, I know-- I'm horrible, schoolwork got the best of me this semester but I've got three posts, I've got an album post coming, and something I haven't done before, which will be my favorite discoveries of 2014, all coming to hopefully make up for my lack of posting lately, but we'll of course start with my favorite songs of 2014, I feel like this list isn't nearly what I'd want it to be, I feel like there is so much more I could include (that's why I always make a general year playlist which includes almost EVERYTHING, I've been listening to throughout the year.) So, let's get started.

Review: Sam Smith "In The Lonely Hour"

Brit soul singer gives voice to shy guy



Let's cut to the clear chase, Sam Smith isn't doing anything innovative, but that by no means makes "In The Lonely Hour" a bad record, on the contrary, the stripped down back-to-basics plays on Smith's strengths, his vocals, which have the ability to stir even the most hardened of souls.

We see Smith with gospel tinged ballads such as "Stay With Me", and a reworked "Lay Me Down", along with brooding tunes like "Like I Can" and "I'm Not the Only One" with most of the tracks hitting a solid middle ground.

Set Your Blocks: "Kimbra Stays 'Golden'"

First and foremost, Set Your Blocks, is my segment about promotional tracks, off of upcoming albums.. just for clarification

Kiwi songstress Kimbra has just released promotional singles "Love In High Places" and "Nobody But You" as part of promotion for her sophomore release The Golden Echo , with "Love In High Places" featuring bass from Thundercat, reminiscent of no other than Ms. Erykah Badu with a dash of Prince, and yes, you've read that right. While "Nobody But You", is a John Legend collaboration, where you can see
Kimbra taking on an R&B flair, perhaps delving further into the genre than previously, but still keeping the jazz flair to her vocals.

worth a listen

So, I am a massive Kooks fan, and with the new singles, I've had a reaction that's been a bit-- lukewarm.. but, I finally had the opportunity to sit and fully embrace the new EP, and the minute I heard the first few seconds of "Hold On", I had to tell myself that exact phrase, hold on

It has such a throwback feel, I felt transported, and honestly this made me think of something I might hear from someone like Mayer Hawthorne, but The Kooks, no way-- but it works, it really works, I never figured you'd hear such a nice falsetto from Pritchard but, his falsetto is surprisingly not..lukewarm.

april discoveries

alright, so I am going to make it a point to share new artists, well not even all the time will they be new necessarily, just new to me, but I'll make it a point to share some of my personal discoveries with you all, I've been working on this for about a week so here we go

first

St Paul & The Broken Bones

So yes, I know how unbelievably late I am on this group, especially since they hail from Birmingham and I stay in Alabama? I really can't believe this dudes vocals, I love the Southern soul influence and this is, when I first heard it my mouth kind of dropped open, yes, I know this is nothing new but, refreshing nonetheless.

Favorite Releases: February

These are just some of my personal favorite listens of February, in no order

Temples - Sun Structures

Voices - Phantogram

Hurray For The Riff Raff - Small Town Heroes
















and of course

St.Vincent - St. Vincent