Keeping It Fresh

Today I have some music for you that is by an artist I have been following for a little while now. Father John Misty seems to have broken through and is on a quiet but steady rise within the music world. What I really like about Father John Misty, is the depth he has both musically and lyrically. He's also a bit eclectic, which is always a plus! To kick us off, I want to talk about Father John Misty as a whole. He has taken on the artistic persona as someone who oddly fits a more folksy kind of sound. It is a neat progression because Father John Misty was a former member of a couple of indie bands, including Fleet Foxes. And with the latter band, we do get to hear some of that folk sound which seems to have translated over into Father John Misty's music. He also happens to be a singer, songwriter, guitarist and drummer. Meaning, he has the capability to record and produce his own music. Which he does. The production of this song is absolutely incredible! From vocals to instru...

Today I have music for you by the band Goodnight, Texas. Now the first time I heard this song I was immediately captured. I am not normally one for country music, but this had such a folk twist to it that it made the song a million times better. There is something that older folk sounds do to music that turns it from being a typical country tune into a song that is powerful and intense. The percussion in this song pounds like the beating of a heart and it suits the mood that the guitar sets so incredibly well.  The vocals are minimal in this song, but the way that they are slightly fuzzed out is really fitting to give the song that intense and hardy sound. This is a song that I imagine the constant beating of a pick axe to the ground, the way you may see it in movies. That synchronized slamming to the ground, the way everything seems to be parts of a machine is kind of what I feel when I listen to this song. This does have that Wild West kind of s...

Today I have some music for you by a band called Judah & the Lion. This is a band that plays a style of music that is slowly becoming popular. I was very impressed with this song when I first heard it because it has such a hearty sound to it. That Southern soul which isn't country music is what makes up this song. I really really like it! This might sound like music Mumford and Sons or The Lumineers put out, but Judah & the Lion have a very different soul to their music. Part of it may be easier for me to recognize because I am from the South. But there is less country to this song and more Americana in it. This is more folksy fiddle music and carries over a lot of the sub genres that make up Americana music. I really like the way they perform this song in the video. You can tell that Judah & the Lion has fun doing what they do and really enjoy making music. There is enthusiasm and energy which carries over into the song itself. This song does have a liv...

Today I have some interesting music for you, in the sense that you may find it a little bit quirky. Today's first song is by the ever incredible band by the name The White Stripes. Now The White Stripes is probably one of the most iconic bands of the late 90's and early 00's. This is a band that everyone seems to know, even if they have never heard a song by them. It is just one of those names that you know, regardless of what kind of music you listen to. What I like about this band is the blending of grunge rock and blues rock to create songs that have some really great bass guitar work in accompaniment with heavy drum work. The White Stripes tends to ditch the dependence on the electric guitar in favor of the lower tones and deep thrum of the bass guitar. This is a song that makes you automatically feel like a badass and a rebel. That is one of the things that The White Stripes can do to  you-make  you feel like the coolest and most suave person in the world. This song ju...

Today I have some music for you by a band called Judah & the Lion. This is a band that plays a style of music that is slowly becoming popular. I was very impressed with this song when I first heard it because it has such a hearty sound to it. That Southern soul which isn't country music is what makes up this song. I really really like it! This might sound like music Mumford and Sons or The Lumineers put out, but Judah & the Lion have a very different soul to their music. Part of it may be easier for me to recognize because I am from the South. But there is less country to this song and more Americana in it. This is more folksy fiddle music and carries over a lot of the sub genres that make up Americana music. I really like the way they perform this song in the video. You can tell that Judah & the Lion has fun doing what they do and really enjoy making music. There is enthusiasm and energy which carries over into the song itself. This song does have a liveliness to it an...

Today I have some music for you by an artist known as Six Def. It has been such a long time since I have posted anything rock related, and the craving for this kind of music was way too strong. This song is probably best known for being featured on the television show Suits. I actually first heard of this band through that show as well, so one point for TV! But this is the kind of song that makes you feel really suave and makes you walk with a kind of swagger. This is the kind of song that makes you feel like you can walk into a room like you own the place. Which is one of my all time favorite things about this subgenre of rock music. It isn't hard hitting like heavy metal, nor overly synthesized like indie pop rock. There is this gritty element to blues rock that can be equated to something like a dusty plain out of an old cowboy movie. This song is dripping in that kind of sense, as if you are holstered up and walking around like a sheriff. Which probably seems like a silly compa...

Today I have some foreign music for you, in particular, some Bollywood music. I haven't posted a song like this in a long time so I thought, why not? The wonderful thing about Bollywood music is that it has the ability to be something so full of energy and fire and is something you want to dance to. However, it also has the ability to be the most beautiful thing you have heard, whether happy or sad, and it can touch your heart even if you don't understand the words. This song is one of those songs that connects to your emotions. This song is just so incredibly lovely and the balance between male and female vocals is perfect. These are two of my favorite Bollywood singers, Atif Aslam and Shreya Goshal. Both of these singers have voices that are like magic. Now I have to say, I do prefer Atif Aslam's voice over Shreya Goshal, however, the two of them sound so incredible together. The thing with Indian music is that there must be chemistry within the song and between the singe...

Today I have some music for you by the famous country singer Jason Aldean. Now I know it has been a long time since I posted anything country, so hopefully this will be a nice change. I am going to keep this one a little short today. Jason Aldean is such a big name in the world of country music and it is clear to see why. He has that rich and powerful tone to his voice with a slight twang to make things sound really country. He takes more of the intense and energetic route with this song and I like that! This song features more electric guitar work than acoustic guitar but I think that is perfect for this song. The electric violin makes a spectacular entrance in this song. We really hear that fiddle twist of the violin and it seems to soar above all other sounds in this song like it has a solo of its own. And of course you can never go wrong with the sick banjo work. I mean if there is anything that people should love about country is that the fiddle and banjo really make or break the ...

Today I have music for you by the band Goodnight, Texas. Now the first time I heard this song I was immediately captured. I am not normally one for country music, but this had such a folk twist to it that it made the song a million times better. There is something that older folk sounds do to music that turns it from being a typical country tune into a song that is powerful and intense. The percussion in this song pounds like the beating of a heart and it suits the mood that the guitar sets so incredibly well.  The vocals are minimal in this song, but the way that they are slightly fuzzed out is really fitting to give the song that intense and hardy sound. This is a song that I imagine the constant beating of a pick axe to the ground, the way you may see it in movies. That synchronized slamming to the ground, the way everything seems to be parts of a machine is kind of what I feel when I listen to this song. This does have that Wild West kind of sound, but more so in regards to the...

Today I have music for you by the singer known as George Ezra. This song is so charming in this slightly antique way. I kind of like that sound a lot because it is both soothing and warming. This song just has this coziness that rides the sound waves. George Ezra has a style that is extremely different from all other folk groups out there. He taps into the older and earlier forms of folk music. He even goes a little bit americana for this song. George Ezra seems to channel some Bob Dylan in both musical style and vocalization. George Ezra has this rich tone baritone voice that can only be described as something wonderfully manly but subtly gentle. His voice is perfect for that blusey guitar sound, that original blues-rock feel that came before people like John Mayer. There is this grace to the way George Ezra sings. The words are discernible but also kind of run together in a way that makes the end of one note the beginning of another. George Ezra has this soulful and old voice that yo...

Today I have a little more Christmas music for you. I'm going to try and keep this one a little bit shorter because let's be honest, you guys are busy with the holidays! Today's Christmas song is by the famous Nat King Cole and features his daughter Natalie King Cole. This song is absolutely lovely and the two of them have beautiful harmonies. Like her father, Natalie King Cole has a superb swing voice and it has the ability to sweep you off your feet. I wish I could sing like her. Nat King Cole makes us feel so cozy and happy with his warm voice and smooth tone. This song has been done many times, yet this version is still my favorite. This is the time of the year where swing and jazz and older music styles are so incredibly perfect for every occasion. This song is so beautifully sung and makes me feel so wonderful. Today's instrumental song is a version of an incredibly popular Christmas song by Swing Shift. This song is one of those really jolly songs. This song is d...

Today I have a cover of an incredibly famous song by another extremely famous artist. Willie Nelson has done a very beautiful rendition of one of Coldplay's best songs. This song was done for the movie The Judge, and it fits splendidly with the entire mood and tone and essence of the movie. What I love about this cover is that it sounds absolutely nothing like the original song. Willie Nelson is able to convey that same sentiment in a way that is completely different from the way the original song was done. This version has more of a country tone to it, but there is something more folk to this song. I think that is what makes this song so beautiful. The fact that is folk and has that warmth of perceived 1800s ranch homes. It has that warmth that comes with summer nights in the prairie, that beauty of the wide open space. Willie Nelson did an incredible job with this cover, and I love the fact that it is simply him and a guitar for a majority of the song. Everything about this song ...

Today I have some foreign music for you, in particular, some Bollywood music. I haven't posted a song like this in a long time so I thought, why not? The wonderful thing about Bollywood music is that it has the ability to be something so full of energy and fire and is something you want to dance to. However, it also has the ability to be the most beautiful thing you have heard, whether happy or sad, and it can touch your heart even if you don't untderstand the words. This song is one of those songs that connects to your emotions. This song is just so incredibly lovely and the balance between male and female vocals is perfect. These are two of my favorite Bollywood singers, Atif Aslam and Shreya Goshal. Both of these singers have voices that are like magic. Now I have to say, I do prefer Atif Aslam's voice over Shreya Goshal, however, the two of tehm sound so indredible together. The thing with Indian music is that there must be chemistry within the song and between the sing...

Today I have music for you by Fleet Foxes. This song is a really nice song to listen to while doing something relaxing or easy going. I hadn't heard this song until recently but I fell in love with it. Everything about this song is so nice to listen to and it is very different from a lot of the folk music we hear today. This is folk music that has a slightly darker undertone to it, but while this song does have a little bit of that darkness, it has these brighter spots which adds so much to the song. I love the vocals of this song. The first thing we hear is the vocals of the lead singer and his voice has a very nice twang to it. It is not a heavy Southern twang, but is a slight trace that gives this song a folksy sound. The harmonies in this song are absolutely wonderful as well. There are three and four part harmonies in this song and all of them are flawlessly executed. This song has a sound that is both urban and rustic at the same time. I love this so much about the band. They...

Today I have some music for you by a band called Judah & the Lion. This is a band that plays a style of music that is slowly becoming popular. I was very impressed with this song when I first heard it because it has such a hearty sound to it. That Southern soul which isn't country music is what makes up this song. I really really like it! This might sound like music Mumford and Sons or The Lumineers put out, but Judah & the Lion have a very different soul to their music. Part of it may be easier for me to recognize because I am from the South. But there is less country to this song and more Americana in it. This is more folksy fiddle music and carries over a lot of the sub genres that make up Americana music. I really like the way they perform this song in the video. You can tell that Judah & the Lion has fun doing what they do and really enjoy making music. There is enthusiasm and energy which carries over into the song itself. This song does have a liveliness to it an...