Hurricane Isaac

Thanks everyone for checking out my blog.  Hurricane Isaac has left me on emergency duty at LSU and then without power in my home as I clean up the damage.  I just got power back but I will begin posting again soon...

Delta Rae: Fantastic Vocals, Amazing Lyrics, Great Talent

Named after a mother's character from a story, Delta Rae are Simply Amazing!  So much talent in one band... Delta Rae hail from Durham, NC and they are giving the Avetts a run for their $ on being the most talented band from North Carolina in the modern era.  Below they are performing 4 of their best songs in a medley live in ONE take...impressive!

One of the things that I appreciate about them most is that they wrote a song about marriage equality that not only didn't sound cheesy, but has some AMAZING lyrics such as "Love doesn't know when its a sin".  It is called Chain On Love...supporting all LGBTQ peeps...check it out:

The group has a few videos as well.  "Bottom of the River" is one of the catchiest songs I have heard in ages.  Cool concept, great masks, and Brittany sings the HELL out of this song.  I fear a producer will tell her that she should go solo because of her beauty and talent, but when they sing I am reminded that they are among family and friends.

Finally, in case you thought it was just the females in the group that had all the talent, check this out "Morning Comes", a really cool video (As always with this band, filled with GREAT lyrics and vocals) that shows me something about his group of musicians: They would be fun to hang out with!

The beautiful and talented  Johanna & Klara Soderberg

If you have never heard of First Aid Kit you are missing out on the most talented sisters I have heard in years.  Johanna & Klara Soderberg began in their mid teenage years covering other artists songs and posting their harmonies to you tube.  They are definitely rooted in American Standards but have an alt. country flair.  Here you can see them when they were very young singing "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song" by The Fleet Foxes in a Swedish forest:

This performance garnered them enough fame to release an actual album called The Big the Black and the Blue.  I respect that they appear to be avowed atheists and you can see this come out in their song Hard Believer.  They attempt to tackle some big themes here in way that I have not seen before musically.  Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and Penn Jillette would be proud......

I have a special place in my heart for these two and I think both are highly intelligent and extremely talented.  The last two performances I will post are live from the USA and Sweden Respectively.  The first song is them performing the first single of their new record "The Lion's Roar" called "Emmylou" on Conan.  They give shout out to some of favorite musical couples, specifically Emmylou Harris, Graham Parsons, Johnny Cash, and June Carter.

The last performance is of two famous American Country covers on a Swedish TV program.  I have gathered that the Swedes are fans of American country from watching some other Swedish artists such as the sublime artist the Tallest Man on Earth.  I love the fashion showcased on this clip by both the sisters and the audience.  If this were an American performance I would have guessed that it was not 2012 but instead 1973.  Enjoy!

You can purchase these shirts on their website :)

Oh Canada!

Ok so it is long past the time I paid homage to our surely neighbors in the great white north:

Below are 5 songs from Candian artists I think that you should hear right now.  Some are old, some are new "ish."  Did you know that the Government of Canada MANDATES that a certain % of songs played on the radio up there are Canadian?  Crazy Eh?  Eh?   Eehh?  Ok grab your Molson Ice and strangely shaped breakfast bacon and enjoy!

City and Colour is simple and beautiful.  "The Girl" is a timeless song that is as eloquent as it is benign.

Dallas Green, the lead singer, has a sweet voice that will make almost anyone pause and listen. So check out

#1) "The Girl" by City and Colour.  Best Lyric "I wish I could do better by you 'cause that's what you deserve"

#2) "At the End of the Day" by Doug Paisley. Best Lyric "See the sunlight combed on the shapes at the Fray"  Doug is a great singer that never has to force a note.  Check out the insanely good vocals at 2:37 of this:

#3)"A Case of You" by Joni Mitchell.  Best Lyric "Part of you pours out of me in these lines from time to time"  My mom saw her on TV before she was famous and still tone deaf.  Now she is an Icon.

#4)"Suzanne" by Leonard Cohen.  Best Lyric "For you have touched her perfect body with your mind".  L. Cohen is bar none one of the best song creators of all time.  He wrote "Hallelujah" which is probably the most covered song ever.  A contemporary of Bob Dylan, I have always liked this guy more.

#5) "Little Boxes (Cover)"by Walk Off the Earth.  Best Lyric not included because they didn't write this one.
WOTE is a Canadian band who found great success covering "Somebody that I used to know" by Gotye.  I suspect the will burn out and break up soon trying to find their next big thing.  That being said, I truly enjoy this performance.  If it hasn't been on Weeds yet it should be!

What is an "Epic" Song?

Very few songs I would describe as "epic."  "Sweet Child O'Mine" perhaps, "Stairway to Heaven" certainly, "One" by Metallica probably.  I am not seeing a lot of "epic" songs these days.  I think I may have found one.    I have seen Dawes Live and they can pull it off better that way.  That being said, I am definitely a fan of the video and production on this one.  Do you think this qualifies as "epic"?  If not, what does better than this?

Jose Gonzalez...More than the sum of his parts

Jose Gonzalez has the one thing I can't pin down in an artist.  It is even more difficult when it isn't a complete band.  he has a SOUND that is bigger than his talents should afford him.  He is not the best singer, guitarist, lyricist, show-person, or even the most interesting person out there right now.  What he does have is that GITM quality that almost no one you hear on the radio has...he is more than the sum of his parts.  I love this song and it gives me a feeling that is fleeting, difficult to describe, and beautiful.  Cheers Jose!

Have you ever heard a voice like this one?

His name is Fred Neil.  Check him out.

Songs you should Hear: Trampled by Turtles "Alone"

I first time I heard this song it made me love the one I love more than ever before.  "but in between there is you and me....alone".  This song is called "Alone" by the band Trampled by Turtles:

By the way...great tat on the singer!

Prediction: Great Song about to break

I have been following the Head and the Heart since a good friend of mine referred me to them for great music about a year ago.  The best part of this wonderful band has always been their harmonies.  That being said, this songs stands out to me as one that will be AMAZING with some adequate production.  Sung by only one member in this video (the writer), I will be heartbroken if this song doesn't receive the musical treatment it deserves.

Thanks in advance to the fan that took this video...you were there for magic!

If you want to hear the version that made me fall in love go here: http://www.fuelfriendsblog.com/2012/05/08/fuelfriends-chapel-session-15-the-head-and-the-heart-encore/
and listen to "Untitled" the fourth track.

JH

Artists you Might not have heard of but need to hear: Sons of Bill

I love discovering undiscovered talent.  Sons of Bill isn't a new group by any means, but they have yet to receive the acclaim and success that I think they deserve.

Hailing from Charlottesville, Virginia these brothers take their band name from their father Bill Wilson.  Band members include brothers James, Sam, and Abe Wilson, Seth Green, and Todd Wellons.  The youngest brother Luke is not in the band, but is a great talent in his own right and he is TRULY undiscovered.  SOB funded their latest record Sirens through Kickstarter and made it happen.  I wish I knew about them then as I would surely have contributed (especially to get some the awesome stuff they were offering to contributors like signed vinyl and live concerts in your house!)

The signer James has a low voice with a beautiful tone.

James Wilson

Sam Wilson

The guitarist Sam is excellent and on some solos reminds me a LOT of  Mark Knopfler of Dire Straights fame.   I suspect they were all metal heads at one time because you can find them doing an excellent cover of my favorite Metallica song Fade to Black.  The keyboardist is also very good and sings very well.  In any case, I will forever tell everyone who loves good music, specifically alt country and straight rock and roll, about the great talent in this band.  Without further ado, here is Sons of Bill:

Virginia Calling (Live on WNRN): Watch Virginia Calling
I can't get this song out of my head, and I suspect it is about their home state or a lost love named Virginia
Best lyric "Sometimes is makes you wonder, all you lose and all you gain, with your conscience cocked to hear the thunder, but boy your just standing in the rain"

Santa Ana Winds: Watch Santa Ana Winds
This is SOB doing straight forward rock and roll.  According to them the song is about arson in Los Angeles because "when we sing about other states we only sing about burning them down."
Best lyric "There ain't no skating by, cause were all gonna die, no matter what the plastic surgeon told you"

Siren Song (Live on WNRN): Siren Song
A beautiful song about music fame
Best lyric "And your heart it screams to belong, but we live and die as we dream all along"

SOB in their Younger Days 

Undiminished, with a heart that longs for light

Morrissey's most recent letter to his fans ended with the words "Undiminished, with a heart that longs for light".  These beautiful words have inspired me for my latest challenge.  My  favorite songs dealing with light.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfaRh5nlnY8
Jon Allen "In your Light" Live on the Jools Holland Show-  With a voice like Rod Stewart and the ability to pull it off live, I am continually impressed with this young British singer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj1jJnl0UO0
Priscilla Ahn "Pretty Lights (City Lights)"  -I heard this in a theater while waiting to watch a movie and I couldn't get it out of my head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QzGvoUMBoA
The Black Keys "Everlasting Light"  -Straight forward blues with nothing added done by two guys and no one else.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uln9iSS0f1s

The Avett Brothers "Smoke In Our Lights (Live)" - The Avett Brothers are easily in my top ten favorite bands of all time.  I have seen them live twice and their harmonies are incredible.  Their lyrics are amazing and they have more country in them than any mainstream country artist out there right now.  This song is about the feeling you had when you were 16 and invincible and in love with someone.  More then that, it is about when you attach a time of your life to a person and that time happens to be some of the best times of your life.  If you have the opportunity to watch them on a rerun of  Austin City Limits you better take it...trust me!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-cD4oLk_D0

The Smiths "There is a Light That Never Goes Out"- The Smiths are my favorite group of all time and this song is definitely one of my favorite songs of all time.  Very British, very honest, very touching.

Delta Rae

If you have never heard of Delta Rae you need to get your ears checked

Three of their best are below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bimam2j2gEg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ_JqRcU9YA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnd9yIWsfRA

Enjoy!

I am back...LIVE & International Vocals

It has been a few years since I posted anything here.  There has been a lot of good music I have found since I posted last.  2 years since my last post is a LONG time so I think I will begin with the stuff I am excited about most recently and work backward.  The catch here is that these were all recorded LIVE and the bands have (some) international roots.  If the you haven't seen these recently, you should check them out in my opinion.  They are in no order of preference starting with Hugo.

1) Hugo - 99 problems (Cover)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8pbCtJjuqo  My thoughts: He may have 99 problems but a bitch ain't one.  At the end he calls it a bit of misogyny.  I agree.

2) Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vkqx4nRLdc My thoughts: Temper trap have been compared to U2.  Similar guitar to be sure, but Bono doesn't have a falsetto like this guy.  They are an Australian band mostly, but Dougie (the lead singer) is from Indonesia originally.

3) Young the Giant - Cough Syrup (Acoustic) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdPgRtwlE6g
My thoughts:  Sameer is an AMZING lead singer.  If you are not convinced, go check out their cover  of "rolling in the deep".  Beautiful Lyrics and great structure.

4) Ben Howard - Old Pine (Live on Jools Holland Show) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Oz2Tv8mpP0 My thoughts: Simply Amazing lyrics, voice, and presence.  This guy will be the next Amos Lee/Ray Lamontagne/Damien Rice/Brandi Carlile if he is not careful.  The first album includes this track and MANY other AMAZING ones.  Good on ya Ben!

5) Paolo Nutini - Pencil Full Of lead http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twuzki0ZpDo
My thoughts: This Scottish Singer with roots in "Da Boot" has an amazing combination of voice, style, good looks, and soul.  If only he would come to Baton Rouge!



Well friends it has been awhile.  I take requests and list challenges if you send them my way.  Otherwise I will keep posting for fun , make up my own, and hope someone finds a new favorite song, band, or style of music.  As always, I challenge anyone to question the quality of the music above.  Enjoy!