I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday, I think you should know: Mumford and Sons. Actually, I am assuming you already know the Grammy playing, banjo strumming, English folk troubadours, but what I want you to know is their new album Babel. Since its release on Tuesday here in the United States I have listened to the full album at least 10 times. I even wrote a review for my university's paper on it (which will be up shortly).
I may have judged the album too quickly though. Upon my first couple of listens, as you will see in the review, I found to be a little slow and repetitive. However, now that I have heard it a few more times-even enough to remember some lyrics-I think that each song is different in its own small way. As an album they all really come together to tell a beautiful story about love, loss, and religion.
The whole album is great and I recommend listening/buying the entire thing, but the songs I think you should know are "Whispers in the Dark" and "Broken Crown."
"Whispers in the Dark" is the second song on the album and a great fit right after the opening song, "Babel." Since the album is so new it is hard to find a good version online. The one below is good, but the album version is chills worthy.

"Whispers in the darkSteal a kiss and you'll break a heartPick up your clothes and curl your toesLearn your lesson, lead me homeSpare my sins for the ark, I was too slow to departI'm a cad, but I'm not a fraud, I've set out to serve the Lord"

"Broken Crown" is a haunting song that seems fitting with all the political turmoil happening around the world and even in this country with the approaching elections. Marcus Mumford's voice is particularly raw and emotive on this track. Some of the lyrics from this song were previously attached to the song "To Darkness" which the band sang on tour. (You can also find it on YouTube.)

"Crawl on my belly til the sun goes down

I'll never wear your broken crown

I took the rope and I fucked it all the way

In this twilight, how dare you speak of grace"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday I think you should know Anais Mitchell, an artist I did not know until Monday, when I saw her open for Bon Iver. Mitchell, with her soft vocal harmonies reminds one of St. Vincent with a touch flower child-she did grow up on a farm in Vermont after all.
Mitchell owes a lot of her success to Bon Iver; not only is she touring with them, but front man Justin Vernon was featured extensively on her 2010 album Hadestown. Described as a "folk opera," Veron plays the part of Orpheus, appropriately named after the poet and musician from Greek mythology with the enchanting voice. Mitchell plays Eurydice, the wife of Orpheus. There are also other singers playing parts on the album including Ani Franco, Greg Brown, and Ben Knox Miller.
Mitchell just released her new album called Young Man in America this year and said in concert that it was named after her father (as well as the song by the same title).

"Wedding Song" is the first song from the album Hadestown. It is one of the many that features Justin Vernon. I had to include a song with him because their voices work so well together. Both singers have a lovelorn, folksy sound that evokes imagery of the forest and the beginning of the myth. "Wedding Song" is one of those songs that brings you some place else when you listen to it; somewhere not very far away, but also unfamiliar and enchanting. 

"EURYDICE/Mitchell: Lover, tell me if you can

Who’s gonna buy the wedding bands?

Times being what they are

Hard and getting harder all the time

ORPHEUS/Vernon: Lover, when I sing my song

All the rivers sing along

And they’re gonna break their banks for me

To lay their gold around my feet

All a-flashing in the pan, all to fashion for your hand

The rivers gonna give us the wedding bands"

"Coming Down" is from Mitchell's new album, Young Man in America. Here, her soft, clear voice is featured more prominently against only a piano. Both the song and the video that accompany it seem to represent a desire to grow up, but at the same time a nostalgia for the past and a fear of loneliness.

"Please

Please don't leave
Easy feeling
Don't leave me like that
Not yet
Don't set me
Free, free, free, free, free"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

For this special edition of I Think You Should Know Thursday, I am doing the "Six Songs of Me" which was recently featured in an NPR article. The article quoted another article from The Guardian where scientists are asking music lovers six questions to try and understand the nature of why we love music and what music defines us. Since music has played such a central part in my blog, I thought I would take part.
1.) What was the first song you ever bought?
I honestly don't know the answer to that question. I am sure many people in my parents generation and older can point to specific albums, but it makes me sad to say I cannot remember mine. I would say it is likely that it was a Britney Spears album, namely Oops...I Did It Again. Hey, I'm a kid of the 90's so you can hardly blame me. I also think my love for the singer had something to do with our shared first name. "Lucky" was my favorite song, I used to sing and act out the lyrics with my sister.

2.) What song always gets you dancing?
I cannot help but dance when I hear the song "Lisztomania" by Phoenix. There is just something I love about the song and the beat and the lyrics that don't quite make sense. It is so fun and happy. Phoenix is one of my favorite bands to listen to in the car because I love to wave my arms about and bop about...while driving.

3.) What song takes you back to your childhood?
My childhood was not that long ago, but the song that can take me back there is "Daughter" by Pearl Jam. I have a memory of singing that song while dancing around my living room table at a very young age. I did not know the real words at the time so I used to sing, "Fisher Price/$1.99" instead of "the picture kept will remind me." I blame my father for my eclectic tastes as a child.

4.) What is your perfect love song?

While I'm partial to "Your Song" by Elton John for a number of reasons, "All the Way" by Ole Blue Eyes himself is the perfect love song to me. I just think there is something so quintessentially romantic about Frank Sinatra's songs. For awhile now I have imagined walking down the aisle to this song which is one of the major reasons I find it so romantic. A honorable mention goes to "You and Me" by Lifehouse which held the spot as my favorite love song for many years. 

5.) What song would you want at your funeral?

This song is morbid, but a song I have always imagined during funeral scenes of films is "Hold My Hand as I'm Lowered" by Noah and the Whale. It has just the right amount of sadness and the lyrics are fitting for such an occasion.

6.) One song that makes you, you. 

I had a lot of trouble picking a song for this one. How can I possible pick a song that defines me? I did know one thing though, it had to be The Smiths. The Smiths are not only my second favorite band of all time, I feel like they define so much of what I feel on a daily basis: loneliness, awkwardness, the desire to be alone despite the loneliness because other people are annoying. One of the songs I have always felt defines me the best or at least explains how I feel a lot of the time is "Ask." The song talks about shyness preventing you from doing the things you want in life, which actually used to be a big problem for me. I used to be terribly shy, but college and some amazing friends have helped me come out of my shell in a big way. Still, I feel like this song is one of those that will always be special to me and remind me who I was. Honorable mention goes to "Just a Girl" by No Doubt for its message of girl power. 

I Think You Should Know Thursday

Since this is the first official Thursday of summer and it has been a scorcher here in New York and because I have been bad and have not blogged in awhile (reason for that upcoming), I give you, not one, not two, but FIVE songs  you should know for what I like to call ITYSKT: Summer Songs.
1.) Summertime Sadness- Lana Del Rey
My friend posted this song on facebook about a month ago and I kept looking for the opportune moment to share it...looks like I missed that moment because the original is no longer on youtube. I did find a live recording that is close to the album recorded one. I love this song because it speaks of goodbyes that inevitably come with the changing of the seasons. When I first heard it I thought it was mournful and yet beautiful at the same time.

"Kiss me hard before you go

Summer time sadness
I just wanted you to know
That baby you're the best
I've got that summertime, summertime sadness"

2.) Summer in the City-Regina Spektor

I know I already shared Regina Spektor recently, but this song is appropriate for a number of reasons. First, I have been spending most of my summer in New York City so it is a song that always comes to mind during my time here (again, more on that later). Second, it is perfect and truthful and for me always brings up memories of hot, sweaty, summer days like today. It also expresses a lot of things I have been feeling lately like how a city can be so big and make you feel so alone.

"Summer in the city, I'm so lonely lonely lonely 
I've been hallucinating you, babe, at the backs of other women 
And I tap on their shoulder and they turn around smiling 
But there's no recognition in their eyes 
Oh summer in the city means cleavage cleavage cleavage 
And don't get me wrong, dear, in general I'm doing quite fine 
It's just when it's summer in the city, and you're so long gone from the city 
I start to miss you, baby, sometimes"

3.) Youth without Youth- Metric 
You may recognize Metric from the soundtrack of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World where their song "Black Sheep" was sung by Envy Adams (Brie Larson). They are one of the few bands that can get away with being fronted by a female because Emily Haines is equal parts sweetness and attitude. While this song is not necessarily about summer, it is a song about playing outside and watching your youth slip away- two things I think summer is all about. It also has a feeling of nostalgia in bringing up song titles from the past.

"Hangman we played blind man's
Bluff til they stopped the game Youth without
Youth born without time, Youth without

Youth, can you read my mind?"

4.) Escape in the Afternoon- French Films

How could I not love a band with a name like this? I found this band as a result of youtube stumbling (try it, you won't regret it) and I was instantly hooked by their sunny sound. This is one of those songs that should have a music video with teenagers doing fun things like swimming and running and dancing and kissing and just generally making you jealous that your life is not as awesome.

"Oh take me

Anywhere the sun shines

Away the harms of mankind off my shoulders

 'Cause anything that we were meant to be

Was lost but I want to escape in the afternoon

To see the youth run through my hands"

5.) Good Vibrations- Beach Boys 

For me any summer playlist is not complete without the Beach Boys. They are the quintessential summer band; you can feel the sunshine oozing from their every note. Everyone knows their music so they do not really belong on this list, but I could not help myself. I like all their songs. I had trouble just picking one, but for some reason "Good Vibrations" is always the first to pop into my head when I head out to the beach. Plus, it is a classic.

"I love the colorful clothes she wears
And the way the sunlight plays upon her hair
I hear the sound of a gentle word
On the wind that lifts her perfume through the air
I'm pickin' up good vibrations
She's giving me excitations"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday the artist I think you should know is New York indie darling Regina Spektor. She is one of those artists that you have probably already heard without knowing it. Her songs have been featured in films such as (500) Days of Summer, In Bruges, and (the awful) My Sister's Keeper as well as on shows such as Criminal Minds, Grey's Anatomy, and How I Met Your Mother. And while she is one of the more famous artists I have profiled on a Thursday, I think more people should know about her.
Spektor is one of the many artists that have been introduced to me by my younger sister. At first I was wary, but soon I became hooked on her unique sound. Spektor is known for her vocal aerobatics. She has this way of  adding vocal jumps and stops as well as beatboxing in songs which make her music unlike any you have heard or will hear. Her songs are also upbeat for the most part and extremely catchy.
"Hotel Song" is one of my favorite songs from her 2006 album "Begin to Hope." I chose to show this song rather than others because I found an incredible a capella version of the song on YouTube that was just begging to be shared. I feel like the lyrics to this song are not as deep as some of her others, but I used to sing this song with my sister all of the time so there are good memories associated with it.

"Come in, come in

Come into my world I've got to show

Show show you

Come into my bed

I've got to know

 Know know you"

"Laughing With" from the album "Far" (2009) is one of Spektor's more serious songs and one I really like because of its message. It does not feature her usual vocal stylings, but instead her strong deep vocals provide a backdrop for a thought provoking song.

"No one laughs at God

When the cops knock on their door

And they say 'we've got some bad news, sir'

No one's laughing at God

When there's a famine or fire or flood

But God could be funny

At a cocktail party listening to a God themed joke"

For some reason I am having an exceedingly difficult time deciding what songs to share because she has so many great ones. All the artists I have shared do too, but for some reason this one is trickier than the others. If you like what I have posted I also recommend listening to "Us," one of her most popular songs and "All the Rowboats," the single off her new album "What We Saw From the Cheap Seats."

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday I think you should know a song, but for many it is a song that you already know: "Hallelujah." Many may know it, but do you know the original? Or have you only heard one of the numerous cover versions?
The song was first written and performed by Leonard Cohen for his album "Various Positions" (1984). I first heard the song in the movie Shrek where it was performed by Rufus Wainwright. "Hallelujah" seems to be one of the most covered songs, performed by everyone from Bob Dylan to Paramore in their live album and almost everyone from any reality singing show ever.
It is understandable why singers would want to cover this song. It is beautiful and evocative, with imagery of both love and the Bible. Depending on the emotion of the singer it can sound equally romantic or desperate, like a cry for help. Depending on the instrumentation the preference of the singer the song can have a simple piano (like the well known Jeff Buckley version) or a more widely ranging set of instruments.
Here are a couple of versions to compare and contrast:
1.) Leonard Cohen
You cannot compare covers without listening to the original. This is not my favorite version of the song, it seems too spoken and choppy. Not to knock on the original, the man did write the song, but I believe others  have performed it better.

"Your faith was strong but you needed proof

You saw her bathing on the roof

Her beauty in the moonlight overthrew you

She tied you to a kitchen chair

She broke your throne, and she cut your hair

And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah"

...........................................

"Maybe there’s a God above

But all I’ve ever learned from love

Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you

It’s not a cry you can hear at night

It’s not somebody who has seen the light

It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah"

2.) Rufus Wainwright

I had a really hard time deciding if I should share this version or Jeff Buckley's. Both are very emotional and have the potential to make you cry, but Rufus is the one that made me fall in love with song in the first place. I think the song fit into Shrek perfectly (the soundtrack was great overall in that film). Definitely check out Buckley's version too. Just not if you are feeling sad.

3). Imogen Heap
I like this version of the song because it is so different from the others. Besides the fact that it is sung by a female, the yearning of the lyrics comes through most clearly in this song. Without the background instruments Heap's voice shines. I think this version is simple, but beautiful.

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday I think you should know a band that is (geographically) close to me, the Syracuse, NY indie rockers Ra Ra Riot. The band formed in 2006 on the Syracuse University campus and started out by playing at house parties. They, like many of the other bands I have been profiling on Thursdays, have been gaining some recent popularity with songs on television shows, but for the most part they remain under appreciated.
I found Ra Ra Riot on Pandora and it was another one of those moments where a song came on and I froze because the lyrics completely described my life at that time. I love the upbeat, multi-instrumental sound I'm and sucker for string instruments.
"Call You Tell" from the 2008 album "The Rhumb Line" is the fateful song that got me into the band. I feel like it is one of those songs that everyone can relate to. Also, the video is really cute.

"Oh what am I supposed to do?

It's hard to stay cool

Oh , when you smile at me

And I get nervous every time you speak."

"Too Dramatic" from "The Orchard" (2009) has been getting more play recently. It has a very different sound than "Can You Tell" and shows off the band's versatility. It is one of those songs that constantly gets stuck in my head. 

"You know I couldn't live here that way

You said it before

He left Cincinnati, just sixteen

Had his fill, boy

And though I guess

There's nothing honest

Honest"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday I think you should know Kina Grannis. I first discovered this lovely California songstress in 2007 during the Super Bowl. Doritos had sponsored a contest called "Crash the Super Bowl" which allowed the viewer to create their own commercial. The only thing I remember seeing was a girl with long, curly brown hair sitting on the roof with a guitar singing with an utterly beautiful voice. I instantly went out and bought the song.
And while winning the contest did not launch Grannis into stardom, she has been steadily making music and touring with some of her songs appearing on television shows. She may not be the most famous artist, but I still think she is someone you should know.
I like Grannis for her upbeat and bubbly sound. To me, she sounds honest and real-like a friend you may know. Her voice may not be the strongest, but at the same time it is pure and her music makes you feel good. Her songs are about love and happiness, two things we need more of in this world.
"Message from Your Heart" is the fateful song from the Doritos commercial that made me want to listen to more of her music. I really like the lyrics and the imagery that it evokes of the heart and the meaning of love.

"This is a message from your heart

Your most devoted body part

Taking blood and making art

This is a message from your heart

Pounding away into the dark

You can thank me for the start"

"In Your Arms" is from Grannis' new album "Stairwells" (2011). The video is really cool and her voice and songwriting skills seem to have grown over time. The song is a little less upbeat but has a soft beauty all the same. 

"Anything we have known, anything we've forgotten

In the rain, in the dark we'll lay

In your arms, in your arms I'll stay

Anything we have known, anything we've forgotten

In the rain, in the dark we'll lay

In your arms, in your arms I'll stay"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday I bring to you the folksy, punky Englishman, Frank Turner. He has gained more recent popularity with his 2011 album "England Keep My Bones" and in opening for The Dropkick Murphys and previously Green Day. I really like Turner's sound, it's all about the power of his strumming and catchy hooks. Some may say the instrumentation of his songs sounds occasionally like Mumford & Sons, but I personally think he has a sound all his own. Some criticize Turner for his atheist lyrics, but if you can past that he is just a scruffy man who just loves to play music.
"If I Ever Stray" from "England Keep My Bones" is a song that my boyfriend showed me and first put me on Frank Turner's radar. I love the jaunty guitar and sing-a-long lyrics. It is song that you can't help tap your toes to, it has a great beat.

"'Cause love is free and life is cheap

And as long as I've got me a place to sleep

Clothes on my back and some food to eat

I can't ask for anything more"

"Photosynthesis" is perhaps my favorite song purely because of the lyrics. Turner has a lot of songs that make for great chants; lyrics that probably sound great yelled by a big crowd at a concert. This song is no exception. It is about the fears of growing up, but it is not too serious, there is still that Frank Turner rhythm and that powerful guitar. Plus, the video is adorable.  

"And I won't sit down

And I won't shut up

And most of all I won't grow up"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday I think you should know the bubbly Brooklynites Matt & Kim. The band has a do-it-yourself approach to music with a style that stretches across genres, however, they are most known for their upbeat indie-pop sound. The duo have been around since 2005 and have gained small successes from having their music aired on shows such as "Community."
"Daylight" was that song and was a single off their 2009 album, "Grand." It is the only non-rap song on the album and has been used as an advertisement for many video games. It is one of those songs that's perfect for a sunny day like today. The lyrics are not too deep, but it still has a good beat.

"We cut the legs off of our pants

Threw our shoes into the ocean

Sit back and wave through the daylight

Sit back and wave through the daylight"

"Wires" is from the album "Sidewalks" (2010). It has a much more electric sound and a great keyboard and percussion introduction. The lyrics are also a little more meaningful here with a slightly political tone.

"And all my fancy books are just for looks

It drives slowly like this train

Train's been delayed

Take the long way

Figured we'd hop up here"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday I share with you First Aid Kit, a band that I have pretty much been listening to exclusively this week (well, that and "El Camino"by the Black Keys). First Aid Kit is composed two incredible Swedish sisters, 21 year old Johanna and 19 year old Klara. (Their age makes me wonder what I've been doing with my life.) Their name comes from the fact that they wanted to be "a band-aid to the soul" according to Klara.
And are they ever. The girls are incredibly talented; they sing close harmonies and play guitar. Their videos usually feature them in long flowing peasant dresses running, dancing, or singing in some lush forest or field. They would fit in quite well in the 1960's, but at the same time they have a great sound that fits in well with the new folk movements of today. Their popularity as of late has grown; their new album "The Lion's Roar" is number one in Sweden and they are touring the states this month (unfortunately for me, not at a time where I can see them). They have come a long way from their early days when they gained attention for covering the Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Band" on YouTube.
"The Lion's Roar" comes from the First Aid Kit album by the same name. The song and video are haunting with the girls marching in a funereal like procession through a mist shrouded forest. It is a song that will get stuck in your head, but you won't want it to leave.

"And I'm a goddamn coward, but then again so are you

And the lion's roar, the lion's roar

Has me seeking out, has me searching for you

And I never really knew what to do"

"King of the World" is my personal favorite First Aid Kit song. It features Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes who

brings his instrumentation, namely trumpets and jaunty guitar, to the sisterly harmonies. He also joins in on the last verse, with his spoken-sung lyrics and soothing voice blending in with the girls. This song has a great rhythm and is more upbeat than many of their others. It is one of those songs you cannot help but tap your toes to.

(This video is not official, but I felt like it fit)

"I keep running around

Trying to find the ground

But my head is in the stars

And my feet are in the sky

Well I'm nobody's baby

I'm everybody's girl

I'm the queen of nothing

I'm the king of the world"

Oh and p.s. this is my 100th blog post! I would like to thank you all for reading and beg you to continue you to do so. I really appreciate all the support I've been given. 

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday the artist I think you should know is New York based singer song writer Jaymay. I first heard her on Pandora with one of her more well know songs, "Sea Green, See Blue" and fell in love with her soft, sweet melodies. This week my feelings for her were confirmed when I watched the awesome Happythankyoumoreplease for which she did the score. Her songs are upbeat, but at the same time have an attitude that can only come from New York. Her songs really capture the feelings of love and life that the movie centers on.
"Grey or Blue" is my favorite song by Jaymay from her Sea Green, See Blue EP (2006). It was another one I found on Pandora and didn't realize I liked until I began to listen to the lyrics. Then I went and bought it. At the time I heard this song last year it described pretty accurately what was going on it my life. And while it doesn't any more, it still is great.

"Are you too nervous to be lovers
Friendship's ruined with just one kiss?
I watched you very closely, I saw you look away
Your eyes are either grey or blue
I'm never close enough to say"
......................
"Don't second guess your feelings
You were right from the start
And I notice she's your lover
But she's nowhere near your heart
This city is for strangers
Like the sky is to the stars
But I think it's very dangerous
If we do not take what ours"
"Never Be Daunted" is from Happythankyoumoreplease. It fits the themes of the movie of being afraid of life and love but also of trying to lose that fear. I just love the way she sings in such a clear, earnest voice.

(This video is kind of hokey, but the one with scenes from the film had spoilers)

"What are you so afraid of?

Why are you so scared? 

What's the worst that's going to happen?

Standing in the moonlight

I can tell that you feel doomed

Though nothing is wrong, no nothing"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday starts a new semester so I am going to do something a little different. This week it is not a band I think you should know but songs, specifically songs from (semi) recent trailers. I could go into an entire rant about how much I love trailers, frankly it's a post I've been meaning to do for awhile, but right now that is not the point. The point is that recently some fantastic songs from bands I love have been featured in trailers and they need to be shared.
The first song is "Wake Up" from  the trailer for Spike Jonze's 2009 film Where the Wild Things Are sung by Canadian husband-and-wife band Arcade Fire. And while I liked the movie for most part, I loved the trailer. I think the song perfectly captures the vulnerability and yearning that encompasses childhood as well as the spirit of adventure that the movie represents. I love the build up to the words as well and the idea that they represent what is inside all of us. The editing and shots of Max running while the scene continuously changes is also edited to perfection. I immediately bought this song on i-tunes after seeing the trailer because seeing it for the first time gave me chills. The song is one of my favorite from the band whom if you remember, won the Grammy last year and caused the twitter "who the hell are these guys?" heard the world 'round.

"If the children don't grow up,

Our bodies get bigger, but our hearts get torn up

We're just a million little god's causin' rain storms

Turnin' every good thing to rust

I guess we'll just have to adjust."

The other song is from the more recent trailer Like Crazy (2011) directed by Drake Doremus. And while I haven't seen the film yet, I will admit that the trailer makes me tear up slightly every time I see it. The song in this trailer is "Dead Hearts" by another Canadian indie band, Stars. My favorite song by Stars is "Your Ex-Lover is Dead," but the song featured in the trailer is a close second. It captures the feeling of young love fraught with despair, loss, and hope that I believe the film is trying to convey. Also, the way it is shot and sung it makes it feel like the characters are singing and it is reflecting their emotions. 

"I can say it, but you won't you believe me.

You say you do, but you don't deceive me.

It's hard to know they're out there,

It's hard to know that you still care.

I can say it, but you won't you believe me.

You say you do, but you don't deceive me.

Dead hearts are everywhere!

Dead hearts are everywhere!"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday, I think you should know Tegan and Sara, the Canadian band formed by twin sisters of the same names. The girls are best described as intense and brooding; their sound has always been mature, even in their early albums. There is a darkness that seeps from the lyrics giving the listener the thought that maybe these two girls have seen their fair share of the world. Despite all this their sound is not hard. Tegan and Sara may be tough but their vocals are nothing of the sort. They convey their emotions through songs that are heavy hitting, but also lyrical and soft.
"Nineteen" is one of my favorite songs off of their 2007 album The Con. It is a beautiful song that rises and falls along with the strong background instrumentation.

"I felt you in my legs

Before I ever met you

And when I laid beside you

For the first time

I told you

I feel you in my heart,

 And I don't even know you"

"Like O, Like H" is another song from the same album that has great lyrics and an almost chanting beat. Sure to get stuck in your head.

"SOS to my mother

Take the hinges off the door

Oh, oh sugar spell it out like

Like O, like H

In your gut"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This (finally) snowy Thursday the band I am sharing is the Massachusetts electropop band Passion Pit. Besides knowing the band, the story of how it formed should be heard solely because it is adorable. The band began when lead singer Michael Angelakos wrote and performed a CD for his then girlfriend as a late Valentine's Day present. The CD traveled around their friends and family until eventually it made its way into the hands of Ian Hultquist who approached Angelakos to play together. The rest is musical (semi-known) history. The band game together when they added several other collaborators including a drummer and bass player all of who attended Berklee Music College in Boston.
The band has an electric sound without sounding too "dance-y." They are able to be simultaneously  upbeat and serious; not a band concerned just with rhythm, but also lyrical content. They also do incredible remixes, including "Telephone" by Lady Gaga and Beyonce and "Grenade" by Bruno Mars (check them on youtube).
"Moth Wings" off the 2009 album Manners was featured on several television shows when it was first released. It's one of those songs that can easily get stuck in your head and has really interesting lyrics.

"You're just like your father
Buried deep under the water
You're resting on your laurels
And stepping on my toes
Whose side are you on?
What side is this anyway?
Put down your sword and crown
Come lay with me on the ground"

"Sleepyhead" is the song that started it all. Passion Pit's single from their first album Chunk of Change (2007-8) and the one most people know if they have actually heard of them. It is much more electric in sound and slightly nonsensical in lyrics than "Moth's Wings."

"They couldn' think of something to say the day you burst

With all their lions and their might and thirst.

They crowd your bedroom like some thoughts wearing thin

Against the walls, against your rules, against your skin"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thursday, since I remembered that it is Thursday, I am sharing with you another sort of one man band, The Mountain Goats. The core of the band is John Darnielle, a singer song writer who occasionally collaborates with others such as Peter Huges and Jon Wurster to form the band. The Mountain Goats are known  for releasing their music on cassette tapes in the most  indie darling way.
The band is a favorite of young -adult- author-with-a-cult-like-following John Green. Many fans of the band have discovered them because of his writings which is pretty cool. Most of the YouTube comments for the band are quotes from Green's books. Anything that gets kids today reading and listening to good music is fine by me (that just made me sound really old).
"Woke Up New" from the album Get Lonely (2006) is my favorite song by the band. The lyrics read like a poem and Darnielle's voice is melodic and soft. It's like a lullaby for the lonely. It is one of those sad songs that manages to be hopeful at the same time.

"The first time I made coffee for just myself, I made too much of it

But I drank it all just cause you hate it when I let things go to waste

And I wandered through the house like a little boy lost in the mall

And an astronaut could've seen the hunger in my eyes from space"

"This Year" from The Mountain Goats album, The Sunset Tree (2005), is one of those celebratory songs you belt at the top of your lungs. With its feel good chorus and great opening instrumentation, this song is another gem. 

"I am going to make it through this year

If it kills me" 

I Think You Should Know Thursday

So this Thursday is a happy one for two reasons: one is because it snowed here last night so it kind of looks like a winter wonderland and two because I am officially done with finals and my first semester as a junior! Wow, how time flies.
So this Thursday I would like to share with you the talents of British darling Ellie Goulding. She is one of those artists that you've probably heard in the background of a commercial but never on the radio. Her style is a mix of indie pop and electric and is great for dancing or just plain listening. Her lyrics and persona are ethereal, with her long so-blonde-its-almost-white hair and unique sense of style she seems like some kind of fairy. She is truly an artist that only Britain could produce.
"Starry Eyed" is one of Goulding's most popular songs and was one of the singles from her 2010 album Lights.

"Next thing, we're touching

You look at me it's like you hit me with lightning"

The acoustic version of "Wish I Stayed" proves that Goulding is not all about the synthesizer, this girl actually has a voice that's light and airy and sounds great with just a guitar.

"

"'Cause you can fall if you want to, it's just a matter of how far,

You've treasured your home town, but you've forgotten where you are

And it will stay with you until you're mind's been found

And it has been found wondering around"

...................................................

"I don't own my own clothes 

But I own my own mind

And it's not what you've lost

But what you will find"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

It's finally December which means snow, sweaters, hot chocolate, and tunes that warm your soul. The perfect December 1st band I have to share with you today are the Fleet Foxes, a folk rock band from Seattle (remember when all awesome music came from there?) The band is known for their incredible harmonies as well as their lyrical stylings. They have a sound that is perfect for a day like today with just a hint of winter chill in the air. Their music is also great to listen to while reading a good book curled up in front of the fire place.
The Fleet Foxes are relatively unknown, but they have started to gain more prominence after their 2011 album Helplessness Blues.
My favorite song by the Fleet Foxes is "White Winter Hymnal" not only because it reminds me of winter, but also because of its cyclical nature and imagery evoked by the lyrics.

"I was following the pack

All swallowed in their coats

With scarves of red tied 'round their throats

To keep their little heads

From fallin' in the snow

And I turned 'round and there you go

And, Michael, you would fall

And turn the white snow red as strawberries

In the summertime... "

I also like "Your Protector" for its different sound and rhythm. 

"She left a week to roam

Your protector's coming home

Keep your secrets with you, girl

Safe from the outside world"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This Thanksgiving Thursday the band I think you should know is The Shins. This band may not be as obscure as some of the other artists I have shared, but they are not as well know as they should be. If you know them, it's probably because you heard them on the Garden State soundtrack. Or because you have good taste in music.
The New Mexico indie rock band is known for their catchy, upbeat tunes. There music works well for days of both sunshine and rain because it is mellow while still remaining happy. I'm trying to listen to more happy music since most of my friends tell me my music is too depressing.
"Girl Inform Me" is from the Shin's  first album, Oh! Inverted World. It has a poppy sound without being too sugary sweet.

"Girl inform me all my senses warn me 
Your clever eyes could easily disguise 
Some backwards purpose 
It's enough to make me nervous. 
Do you harbor sighs, or spit in my eye?"

"Kissing the Lipless" is a bit more mellow but with great lyrics. It manages to be beautiful and serious, but also non-depressing.

"Called to see
If your back was still aligned
And your sheets
Were growing grass 
All on the corners of your bed
But you've got too much to wear on your sleeves
It has too much to do with me
And secretly
I want bury in the yard
The grey remains of a friendship scarred"

I Think You Should Know Thursday

This blustery and cold Autumn Thursday I present to you the acoustic folk artist City and Colour. City and Colour is actually a one man band lead by Canadian singer Dallas Green who is accompanied by a rotating group of backing artists. The band's name comes from Greens own: Dallas-a city and Green-a color.
To me, Green's songs have the perfect sound for fall. There is just a feeling that goes along with his music that evokes images of falling leaves and flannel (or maybe that's just me). His voice can be best described as sincere; you can feel the emotion spilling into his every chord. Like most of the artists I like and have presented here, the Green's focus is on the music. He is a man with a guitar and his heart on his sleeve, nothing more.
"The Girl" is my favorite City and Colour song. It's one of those songs that you wish someone would sing to you or you wish you had someone to sing it to. It's also just plain beautiful.

"I wish I could do better by you, 
Cause thats what you deserve."

............

"You don't ask for no diamond rings, 

No delicate string of pearls, 

That's why I wrote this song to sing, 

My beautiful girl."

I also love "Comin Home." Plus, that's what I'm going to be doing a week from today for Thanksgiving break, so I had to share it as well. I love the yearning that seems to come from this song, anyone who's ever been away from the one they love can relate.

"I know that we're takin' chances, you told me life was a risk
But I just have one last question...
Will it be my heart or will it be his?

I'm comin' home."