Posted on

Four for Friday… is back

It has been several weeks since I’ve done one of these. There was music overload (as if that’s possible) there at the end of December, so I’m guessing you’ve appreciated the break. But now, back to business.

Teen Daze – Let’s Groove // This is a re-working of a classic from Earth, Wind & Fire.

Sleigh Bells – Comeback Kid // Sleigh Bells is back and I believe they have an album coming out sometime soon.

Boy & Bear – Part-Time Believer // “I hope you know how lucky you are.”

Taylor Swift & The Civil Wars – Safe and Sound // Love me some Civil Wars. Taylor Swift I can tolerate. This song is somehow connected to The Hunger Games movie coming out soon.

Bouus…

The Barr Brothers – Beggar in the Morning // That these folks got left off my end of year wrap-up is inexcusable. There is such a flurry of activity in putting those collections together that I’m often not in my right mind. This is better than most of the stuff that managed to find its way on there. Here they are bringing it on Letterman.

Posted on

Four (Christmas Songs) for Friday

I say four, but since Christmas is about giving, I’m choosing to [give more] than the usual amount. Needless to say, this is Christmas music in the key of Chino.

Sleeping at Last – Christmas Is All Around // Do you remember the movie Love Actually? Of course you do.

Seryn – Go Tell It On The Mountain (feat. Mark Apel) // Some Seryn nearly made it on my “Best Of’s.” Love what they have done here.

Beta Radio – The Song the Season Brings // “Ring your bell now / Hear the swell now / The Christ is come a child our king!”

Andrew Belle – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas // I’m not really a huge fan of this song in its original form, but somehow Belle makes is sound so good.

The Civil Wars – O Come, O Come, Emmanuel // One of my favorite Christmas songs sung by one of my current favorites.

Quiet Company – O Holy Night // I should mention that several of these songs come from Fuel/Friends’ 2011 Midnight Clear December Mix that my good friend Bryan made me aware of.

Red Mountain Church – What Child Is This? // Goodness.

Sufjan Stevens – Silent Night (with Bryce and Aaron Dessner of The National and Richard Parry of Arcade Fire) // No Christmas is complete without Sufjan. Add some The National and Arcade Fire and it is enough to make your head explode.

Should you desire all the songs in a handy .zip file, HERE it is.

Merry Christmas!

Posted on

Four for (Labor) Friday

Well, it is a holiday weekend and currently I’m a bit cooped up (in case you couldn’t tell). I obviously have no idea what your Labor Day weekend plans hold for you, but here’s some music to pass the time.

M83 – Midnight City

The Civil Wars – I Want You Back

Brooke Waggoner – So-So // This one comes courtesy of my friend, Jessica.

Josh Garrels – Farther Along

Posted on

A (Royal) Four for Friday

The title may be a wee bit misleading. None of the music hear has anything to do with the marriage that I hear has garnered some media attention. I have even heard that they showed it on T.V.!!! I guess that means it was a big deal.

Instead, the music is just as it always is… great. But in honor of the royal nuptials, every song description will have a regal term slipped in. Here we go!

The Salvadors – Eliza Jane // I don’t know who Eliza Jane is, but there was once a queen of England named Jane Grey that only sat on the throne for nine days. Ok, so you see how this is going to work.

The Head and The Heart – In The Summertime // I’ll be continuing to pummel you with THATH (that’s right, they get an acronym) until you realize that they rule.

David Bazan – Wolves At The Door // I hear that if you live in a palace, you don’t really have to worry too much about wolves. If they start bothering you, your soldiers shoot them.

The Civil Wars – Disarm (Smashing Pumpkins Cover) // I wonder if the Royal Family refers to the American Revolution as a civil war.

See you next week.

Posted on

Four (more downers) for Friday

Ok, first thing to notice. I got a new look. I know, it’s fly…  like a G6.

Now, down to business. Last week, I promised to offer up some tunes that weren’t of the the “sad b%$#@*&” variety, but I just wasn’t able to pull it off. What you see before you is the best I’ve got to offer from the previous week.

Get excited.

William Fitzsimmons – The Tide Pulls from the Moon // Folks, this one is worth the price of admission alone.  You did pay to get on my site, right?

James Vincent McMorrow – If I Had a Boat // “I’d row in the morning. I’d row in the evening.  All over this land.” If you missed out on the somewhat obscure Peter, Paul, and Mary reference, that’s ok.  It was pretty lame.  Great song though.

Andrew Belle – The Ladder // Somehow I missed out this guy’s music last year.  Criminal.  If you close your eyes, you would think you are listening to Greg Laswell’s long lost twin.  I guess you don’t really have to close your eyes.  It doesn’t make any difference. My good friend Bobby threw a couple of his tunes up yesterday.  By the way, Bobby does have twitter.  @bharrison24.  You should flood him with twitter messages until he caves and joins the #twitterevolution .

The Civil Wars – Barton Hollow // So I thought these guys were pretty cool. Then I went to their myspace page, and saw that they played The Tonight Show. I guess that’s forgivable. Maybe. By the way, their theology is pretty spot on. No preacher man can save their soul. 

And that’s a wrap my friends.

Be safe.

And don’t listen to crappy music.

Words to live by.