New York Smells Funny

Song: Luke Doucet - New York

Pardon me folks for not posting in a while, I thought I had posted this, but it was still a draft....silly me.

So here is the popularity gaining Luke Doucet, yet *another* canuck for you. He's not too well known, not even amongst Canadians, but his last album "Broken (And Other Rogue States)" threw him into the spotlight a bit more. This was the second song of his I ever heard and is off "Aloha Manitoba". I liked it, but the whole album is so good, that it took some time for this particular song to stick. When I saw him play it at the Horseshoe in Toronto for the NXNE festival last year, this tune completely blew me away. He's a very expressive singer and performer, as long as he's not too drunk. Either way, I got Todd, Skye and Nina (musical name dropping ahoy!) hooked on it and I'm sure I can do the same with you :)

Middle Man

Song: Stealers Wheel - Stuck in the Middle With You

Here's an old but goody many of you know. This song is *oh* so sweet, and just rolls along. It rocks just hard enough, but not so much to that it slays you at the end....This little gem came about around 1973 and the album has a lot of very obvious influences from the Beatles to Dylan but at least they aren't stealing from Styx or Skynard.

Yeah!

Song: Clap You Hands Say Yeah - The Skin of my Yellow Country Teeth

Pardon for the very long names here. The song is also rather lengthy (in my oppinion most songs - the shorter the better) I've recently turned into quite the fan of these duders. This doesn't fit into the catchiest of catrgories, but this song has totally wormed its way into my head. These guys are pretty new up and comers in the indie world, so I highly suggest you go get the album this is from, also titled "Clap Your Hands Say Yeah". They also recently appeared on the NPR podcast "All Songs Considered" where they broadcast them live from the 930 club in DC (which regularly gets some fucking awesome acts!)

Oh and ps this dude sings kidna weird, but I promise it grows on you.

Crash, Bang, Boom

Song: Stone Temple Pilots - Big Bang Baby

After the Easterly weekend, I figure its time to jump back in the saddle and post some more songs!

Here's an oldy but goody! I think this is about 7th grade for me, back in my short lived grungy days.....oh the memories. I remember happening upon this song about 4 years ago and thinking 'Holy shit, that was a good song!' I remember I listened to it over and over again after it came out.....that and some Porno for Pyros, and Smashing Pumpkins....but I'm going to *not* post that stuff.

So here is a little of the Ol' STPs......now everyone get high!

Remote Controller

Song: Controller.Controller - PF

Here's a Toronto based group, whose lead singer has the coolest name ever: Nirmala Basnayake. And she's hot. These guys play with such a rawness in all their songs that I haven't heard in a while. That's one of the things that really gets me about music in Canada these days, these bands are making such a unique sound that is so them, but is also so orginal. I feel so incredibly lucky to be living in the city where a lot of these incredible musicians are from, and playing in. There is so much musical brilliance and inspiration in this city, in all genres, that we truly are blessed here.

Bye, Bye Baby

Song: Metric - Combat Baby

This was my #1 stuck-in-the-head song of winter 04/05. As many of you may know this is my favourite band.....and they're getting a bigger name now, whee! Let's hear is for more good music on the radio! Steve actually saw them last night in Minneapolis with some friends and I hope they rocked their socks off for me because no one makes you want to girate like a crazy quite like Emily Haines.

Again, I love the beat in this song and I love the way it starts off. They really know how to build tension in a song. So enjoy, off their album "Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?" - let's rock!

Sweet & Sour Dreams

Song: The Coral - Dreaming of You

This is the song I currently have stuck in my head, i have to listen to it at least 2 times a day. Goddamn my iPod for dying 3 days ago!!!!

I first heard this on the show Scrubs....oh that Zack Braff. Such good taste in music has he.

This little ditty is so angry and hot and short and sweet. Can't go wrong with 2:21. There is just enough time to express your emotions with a hot melody, hot bassline and hot backup vocals, then *poof*, its over.

an addition: I'm extending the number of posts that remain up so that this little series can all show at once and the songs will remain downloadable as long as they are on the main page.

The Swedish Swallow

Song: Jens Lekman - A Sweet Summer's Night on Hammer Hill

So thus I start a series of my favourite catchy pop/rock songs......a tribute to the song that you listen to over and over again for a week straight, to the song that gets stuck in your head more than the "I Dream of Jeannie" theme. I think what attracts me to these songs in particular is the combination of a really good beat and a really solid, catchy melody over some nice chord changes....if you wanted the dorky answer.

Yes indeedy, boys and girls, here some of my favourites over the past year, some of them you may like and some of them you may not, but either way, enjoy getting really sick of them!

This one also goes out to my luva boy Steve who has jumped on and started his own music blog. Take heed children, this man has fantastic taste and knows way too much random shit about popular music, so check it out:

Steve's Music Blog

On the Topic of Sad...

Song: Lenny Welch - Since I Fell For You

This is one of the saddest songs I have ever heard. The version I knew first was off a Nina Simone record that my dad used to play alot. I remember when I first heard this version, my mom and I were driving in South West Louisiana surfing radio stations and this came up. I went to change the station since it sounded super-schmaltzo but my mom didnt let me. After hearing it all the way through, I decided I didnt hate it and downloaded it when I got home. Then I listened to it some more and I love it to pieces. Rarely do I hear *any* version do justice to the meloncholy nature of this song......but this one tears the shit out of your heart.