Regina Spektor: My Dear Acquaintance [A Happy New Year]

There's no way. 

It can't already be another year. That's simply not possible! So much has happened personally, internationally, politically, pop-culturally, technically, musically and most other 'lys' this year! It seems like only yesterday I was sharing Gogol Bordello's wild, wacky, and fun 'Start Wearing Purple', but it was a year ago. My writing seems to have gone downhill since then, or maybe I just had more time in the ol' days. Read last years post here, it's full of memories! 

This year is a more tranquil but more 'New Years Eve' appropriate song by everyones favorite Soviet Union born singer Regina Spektor! I think that the lovely lyrics

A happy new year to all that is living

To all that is gentle, young, and forgiving

Raise your glass and we'll have a cheer

My dear acquaintance, a happy new year

speak for themselves. It's kind of a beautiful song to sit back and reflect on all the good times with all the good people that you've enjoyed this past year. :) 

Enjoy, and thanks for another amazing year! Love you all! 

American Authors: Hit It (Catchy Pop-Rock)

From the suggestion of a vague friend of a friend at a concert (thank you Sam Maurer for figuring out who it was) I explored American Authors Spotify, and I'm glad I did! Addictive hooks and uplifiting lyrics make their upbeat songs perfect for say...a Lowe's commercial! You'll certainly recognize their song 'Best Day Of My Life' from this commercial: 

Since that one is overplayed and annoying now, here's my favorites! 'Hit It' hits it off right and is my definite fave of theirs. Quite catchy. 

'Luck' has a really great flow to it and sounds like something Mumford And Sons could have some fun with.


For a free remix of their song 'Believer' by Captain Cuts click here. For some reason SoundCloud won't let me embed the song, but it's certainly worth a listen and download!

Bondax: All Inside (Funky Deliciousness)

Firstly, adorable guys making this super funky and sexy music: props to them! Secondly, damn is their music ON FIRE! If you don't remember or have been living the daily tragedy of not having heard Gold (Snakeships Remix), then check that out right now right here. So incredible, probably one of the funkiest songs ever made! This time around, Bondax are getting 'All Inside' your eardrums with this succulent scorcher. Warped and gorgeously warbled female vocals drive the track, and it's just beautiful to behold! I don't know how they give brilliance like this for free! Enjoy! 

'Just Us' is just as epic but with male vocals and beats dropping on you like raindrops. Enjoy!

Calvin Harris feat. Example: We'll Be Coming Back (Warkids Remix) (EDM)

More DJ's mo' betta, right? The final product seems to be pretty catchy when you throw together Calvin Harris and Example, and then have Warkids remix the whole thing! Uplifting progressions, cheesy but catchy vocals, some great handclap builds from Warkids, and synth-filled drops make this one ready to dance away your Saturday to! Snag a free download by following the SoundCloud link below, or by clicking here (this Zippyshare IS supported by the artist, so never fear!). Enjoy! 

Christoph Andersson: Capital

Christoph Andersson sounds like he should be chart-topping, club-stomping, beats-bopping material. The first 30 seconds of this song hook you like ice-fishing, and there's no escape once his crooning "oohs" turn into him telling you that he "Can't stop now". Armed with a ridiculously catchy beat, this little indie-pop tune is going to be stuck with you for a while. I love the subtle vocal distortions and echoes! Enjoy! 

Also, thanks to David Strand, I've just pillaged Google Play's free music section and got 'Yeezus' for free, along with CHVRCHES debut album 'The Bones of What You Believe' for FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I also picked up a lot of shameless pop hits that they're giving out for free, ranging from Taylor Swift to Drake. Heck, they're even giving away Arcade Fire's 'Reflektor'! Google may not be Apple, but they're a hell of a lot more generous and let you download all the music to iTunes, so I have yet to ever give them a dime...So cool! Grab some free music here!

Satellite Stories: White Christmas!!!!!!! (Merry Christmas World!!)

It's Christmas peeps. What an amazing holiday! God I love Christmas! Can you believe that we're going to wake up in a few hours and a jolly man will have snuck into our house and given us presents!?!?!?!?! God bless Santa!

Ok, I would write more about how fantastic Satellite Stories are, but we all know how flipping great they are, and they obviously love Christmas, so here's their festive Christmas release! Enjoy and the happiest of Christmases to you all! Happy holidays!

Said The Whale: Summertime In Australia (Christmas Music!)

We

Gather soon

Under a frosty moon

Christmas is in in the air. 

Family gathers around the table

Memories and laughter are shared.

It seems like food is constantly being prepared! 

Sappy songs may abound, but all carry a pleasant sound.

Glittering lights and falling snow

Or the sad lack of the latter, a fate too many know. 

But Christmas is Christmas, and cheer is cheer,

So I guess it's my duty to give you all something to hear! 

Said The Whale try to be somber, but even they can't dampen

Rizzo The Rat from The Muppet's "Don't light the rat, light the lamp'n" 

Because Christmas means love that you always carry along 

So get on with it Miles and give us a song! 

[]

[]

[]

[]

The first 3 lines and this one are filler of the finest filigree once I realized it looks like a Christmas tree.

A very tongue in cheek song about it being nice summer somewhere else during Christmas, luckily Said The Whale just make really great songs, so this one makes the Christmas list! And hey, it IS summertime in Australia! Enjoy a free download courtesy of Santa (and the band)! 

Another quality track that this time reminds you that you'll miss the festive love tangible in the air after Christmas is over, so hold it close and cherish every moment and carry it with you the whole year round! :)


And if you're incredulous about what season it is and are asking, "Is This Christmas?" left and right, and are itching for quality Brit-Indie-Rock-Neo-Punk irreverence, then this one's for you. A wild romp that reminds us everyone loves christmas. Enjoy!

20 Years Of Music, Life, Love, and Laughter Among Fine Friends (Soundtrack By Passenger-Life's For The Living)

To commemorate 20 amazingly blessed years on this earth, remember and cherish these unforgettable two decades, and try to gracefully usher in the future, I made this little video of my life thus far. 

I've had the incredible gift of being surrounded by such loving family and friends, and I wouldn't trade a single memory of all the times--good and bad--with each and every one of you magnificent, bright human beings. From birth to boat trips and skiing to saying goodbyes, I love you all, and I'm overjoyed we've taken this journey together. 

20 years is years is too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable hobbits...erm, humans. I hope this brings you as many smiles as making it did me (but hopefully less tears, I blubbered and bumbled my way through seeing myself grow up) and I wish you all the merriest of holidays and the grandest of new years! 

Enjoy this nostalgia filled highlight reel of my life set to the tune of Passenger's stirring song 'Life's For The Living'. It was great fun to make (5 hours after midnight of picture searching, video editing, and getting no sleep), and I hope is great fun to watch. :) Thank you all! 

Angel Haze: Werkin Girls and Same Love (Sick Female Rapper)

Big thanks to Ben Amann for sharing Angel Haze's music with me, she is certainly someone who I wouldn't have discovered on my own, but who I'm thoroughly enjoying! On the one hand tender, deep, and lyrically probing, Angel Haze also can spit some serious fire and knows how to bring it. Her variety, ability, and unique perspective and story make her quite a force to be reckoned with! 

Starting off with the slower and more tender side, her cover of 'Same Love' is amazingly powerful, and brings Macklemore's anthem one further with amazing new lyrics. Really and truly worth a full listen through, it just may be better than the original. 

Completely different vibe from 'Same Love', I was not expecting the onslaught that is 'Werkin Girls'. It's dope though. Angel Haze's flow is on point here, paired with a sick beat, and a whack music video. She's on top of the green like a mother F'n tractor, so watch out. Enjoy!

Unafraid to jump in on anything and everything (check her extremely deep and varied SoundCloud here), she kills it on a beat as hallowed as 'No Church In The Wild'. Can't wait to hear more! 

U2: Ordinary Love (First New U2 in Three Years!)

U2 are back in gorgeous fashion! This soft, majestic, and delicate song will be featured on the upcoming documentary 'Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom', and is the exciting precursor to a new album! With a simple and elegant lyric video that is beautifully done, U2 prove that they are far from done, and plan on continuing to make powerful and evocative music that stirs something in all of us. 

The Edge speaks about the construction of the song as:

We thought it should be a love song, a very human song. Not epic, not earnest in dealing with world-changing political shifts but personal in two people trying to hold on to one another in the face of dreadful mistreatment and heartbreak.

There's certainly nothing ordinary about 'Ordinary Love'...another classic to add to the U2 treasure trove of transcendent tunes! 

Not quite sure how much is different in this version, there's certainly more background instrumentation, but U2 have it up on their official SoundCloud, so it is also worth a listen! Enjoy! 

Frank Ocean: Super Rich Kids (Hip-Hop)

Christopher Francis Ocean, better known by his stage name Frank Ocean, is an American singer, songwriter and rapper from New Orleans with a flair for, well, having an awesome voice! He's written music for other pop artists, but came into his own music to great success. He's dissed Chris Brown (always a positive), helped shift perspectives within the hip-hop community about homosexuality (an even bigger positive), and happens to release great music on top of all that! 'Super Rich Kids' is a sad ode to a life of "maids coming round too much, parents not around enough" that has a laid back beat and features Earl Sweatshirt. Enjoy! 

I've posted this before, but kind of under the radar, and it seems relevant now, so here's morose indie band Typhoon's take on Ocean's most popular track 'Thinkin' About You'. A nice fresh take and a free download!


My personal favorite is a chilled-out remix by Ryan Hemsworth of 'Thinkin' About You', which adds just the right amount of dreamyness and sounds and feels like an ocean (a Frank ocean, if you will) washing over your eardrums. Super dope.

Haywyre: Raw Crunch (Smooth Glitch...Is that a thing?)

This kid looks like the nicest and happiest person in all of EDM! It's been quite some time it feels like since I've done anything non-indie, and there are, in fact, other genres! Haywyre somehow makes a super funky and super smooth song with lots of glitchy elements and it all just comes together nicely into one...how to describe it...a 'Raw Crunch' of sound? That sounds about right! Parts of this song are wild and I don't even know what will become of the poor planet upon which these synth monsters are battling, but then just as quickly, glitchy violence gives way to silky smooth parts that make me really love the wild sounds in music these days. Stick around until the end of this song: I guarantee you won't regret it. 3:10-3:45 is quite nice, and just search the tag 'glitch-hop' on SoundCloud for more wildness! Enjoy!

Smallpools: No Story Time

Ok, I promise this is the last in my series of posts about the bands I saw last week, I just wanted to give each and every group proper due for being the incredible artists that they are! 

Smallpools...what can I say. When I first heard Smallpools, it was through a remix by The Chainsmokers of their song 'Dreaming'. I didn't really give it much thought, and in fact wholeheartedly disagreed with the blog I was on that these guys were going to be huge, I found the song annoying. Flash forward a few weeks and I hear the original version of 'Dreaming' on another blog, and I decided to download it just because everyone was raving about it, not because I particularly enjoyed it. I forget about the song for a while, and then one day while I'm listening to my recently added on iTunes what should I hear but 'Dreaming'. My toes started tapping uncontrollably, my body was grooving within seconds, and the rest is history. I don't know why it took so long for it to get through my thick skull how incredible Smallpools is, but I'm ever so glad I kept giving them a chance, because since that day I've seen them twice live and would count all four of their released songs as among my top 100 songs! 

Headlining The Troubadour was one of Smallpools's dreams ever since going to a show there and seeing the pure ecstasy of the headliner playing a sold-out show. Well, last Friday I got to share in the experience of Smallpools making that dream a reality and playing to a sold out crowd that could not get enough of their infectious sound! Their tracks are the DEFINITION of my Hipster-dance-party playlist and just bring such good energy to any setting. It is their song 'Over and Over' that defined my year and is the soundtrack to a music video of my life that I'm making, and their music that gets me dancing, running, or driving in the perfect mood. Ladies and gentlemen, if you haven't yet experienced the rather large sound that is Smallpools, I suggest that you change that this instant. They really are wonderful. :) 

If you weren't one of the kind people who helped elevate their debut single and music video 'Dreaming' to one million views, then be one of the awesome people who gets it to its second million! Lovely video people!

Parade Of Lights: Flash Of Light

Parade Of Lights came out of nowhere and absolutely amazed me when I saw them opening for Smallpools! Possessed of a confident and assured sound, these alternative-electronic rockers know how to get a crowd dancing! Instantly infectious and with lyrics simple enough to have the whole Troubadour singing along within minutes, Parade Of Lights made my night! Their enormously catchy single 'We're The Kids' was an incredible last song, and I was almost sad to have Smallpools come on, because I wanted to hear more from these guys! The opening electronics alert you to how awesome the song is going to be, and within 30 seconds you know who the kids are...Enjoy! 

My personal favorite of the night was 'Flash Of Light', which proved ridiculously catchy, and had Perrin, Sam, and I jumping up and down like crazed hooligans and having the time of our lives! There's even a snazzy jazzy interlude! Enjoy and feel the love! 

The Mowgli's: Carry Your Will

I'm kind of overdoing it at this point, but The Mowgli's just bring so much joy, life, and heart to everything that they do, that I simply can't NOT post more of them after seeing them live for the second time this past week. 

There have been few moments more joyful in my life than seeing The Mowgli's, Blondefire, and Hunted Hunted all swarm out on stage together and belt out the most exuberant, beautiful, communal rendition of 'San Francisco'. They brought up kids from the crowd, the main vocalists mom came up to sing. It was simply unadulterated passion for music, friendship, community, and the power of song! They sometimes border on sappy with how overwhelmingly positive they are, but boy is their message clear. I can't wait until the next 'Random Acts of Kindness Tour'! 

'Carry Your Will' is a gorgeous song that slows things down for this energetic group and creates something quite moving. Acoustic and powerful, the song crescendoes and builds starting at the 2:00 and getting awesome at the 3:00 mark into a massive ballad that was incredible live with hundreds singing along. Enjoy and let your faith guide your faith! 

"Cherish this, because when it doesn't last, you'll wish you had."-Wise words Mowgli's. Thank you.

Hunter Hunted: End Of The World

I have so much music to share and am so behind on giving all the bands I've just seen due credit! These last two weeks of the semester have been truly incredible and incredibly busy! Going to Disneyland last Friday, The Mission Inn Tuesday, The Mowgli's, Blondefire, and Hunter Hunted Wednesday, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug midnight premiere Thursday, and Smallpools, Parade of Lights, and The Hard Knocks tonight! I need to share all the great music I've been privileged and blessed to enjoy! 

First up: damn. Hunter Hunted killed it opening for The Mowgli's. It's so sad that all these great bands only have 4 or 5 released songs, because they're all so freaking good, but it's fantastic to be among the first that they're all trying new material out on, and boy was everything they touched gold! They were so friendly on stage, and they had such a perfect grasp of their sound, and such mastery over it, that their set was magical to behold. Stoked to be back in L.A. (their home town), they shared with us the Christmas tree that they had taken with them on top of their tour-van for months and months, and had finally gotten to take off. Their microphones were wrapped in christmas lights, their vocals wrapped in joy, and the whole venue wrapped up in infectious frivolity! Loved them so much! Enjoy!

I dug this song even more live! You could feel the powerful drumming in every fiber of your shaking body, and this one was a fantastic crowd sing-along. Enjoy and check out their self-titled debut EP! 

Blondfire: Where The Kids Are

So, some background: I enter 2-3 contests, drawings, sweepstakes, ect. every day in the hopes that one day I'll actually win that free trip to New Zealand, or $10,000 of Amazon gift cards... Well today I won not one, but two drawings! Coincidentally they were both to the same place. I entered to win free tickets to see The Mowgli's, Hunter Hunted, and Blondfire at the El Rey theater today on a whim, and what should I discover when I return from volunteering all morning but notifications that I've won BOTH CONTESTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am beyond thankful to www.thescenestar.com and to youtellconcerts.com for graciously giving me free tickets to this amazing show! :) Unfortunately, I can apparently only win one pair of tickets, not two, but the support from both of these sites is so, so appreciated! 

I CAN NOT WAIT to see this show tonight, part of The Mowgli's Random Acts Of Kindness tour! The overwhelmingly positive vibe and constant cheeriness of The Mowgli's is infectious, and their message of love and caring clearly rubbed off on these two gracious music sites! I'm a big Mowgli's fan, as well as Hunter Hunted, but I'm stoked to hear more from Blondfire, whom have a really enjoyable sound! 

I can never stress enough how incredible live music is, and I hope all of you beloved followers enter a contest or two (I'm always here to share that pair of tickets you win!), who knows what might happen! Enjoy this exciting and snazzy-electronics-filled song from Blondfire, and I'm sure I'll have more to tell you about them soon! This song sounds a little like Ellie Goulding, and features some panda hunting, so be warned. Enjoy! 

Ghost Kollective: Dance of the Seven Sisters (Epic Wyoming Wildscapes Video)

A post more for the video than for the song, this video truly illustrates how amazingly gorgeous and diverse my wonderful home state of Wyoming really is. Showing awe-inspiring visuals of sunsets, clouds making their relentless and tumultuous treks through the sky, lightning illuminating the vast open space, snow-peaked mountains, and everything in between, Nicolaus Wegner has created something truly stupendous and breathtaking with this video. The nostalgia cuts deep. Enjoy these fantastic visuals accompanied by a tailor made and quite fitting song by Ghost Kollective entitled 'Dance Of The Seven Sisters'. 

So, so, so, so cool! 

Wyoming Wildscapes II from Nicolaus Wegner on Vimeo.

Hugh Masekela: Bring Back Nelson Mandela

In the memory of the incredible soul who has left such a lasting and powerful legacy for humanity to always remember, I bring you Hugh Masekela. A song peacefully calling for Nelson Mandela's release from prison, Masekela released the song, knowing full well that the mere mention of 'Mandela' would cause his music to be banned in his home country. As the song pleads, we all wish to see Mandela walking once more down the streets of Soweto, but his lasting memory shall forever be walking amidst our hearts with his timeless message of philanthropy, anti-apartheid, and peace. 

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”-Nelson Mandela

Love of music comes naturally to my human heart, and I hope this song shares some of its love with you. 

Fanfarlo: Luna

What band is complete only with blowup orcas, dolphins, and a Tweety Bird? Fanfarlo, that's who! As far as London based indie bands go, they're pretty standard. You know, incorporating modern escape artists reenacting Harry Houdini's Hanging Straightjacket Escape into their live shows, and of course describing their sound as "Space Opera meets Spaghetti Western". God I love bands. :) 

The song I'm digging was introduced to me through Meghan's impeccable music taste, and I just can't get enough of 'Luna'. Catchy and consistently progressing throughout its duration, things get interesting when they fade out at the 2:53 mark and caress your eardrums with soft violin and gorgeous accordion. I just love the last minutes of this song. You could call me a FANfarlo. Stunning. Enjoy! 

Check out their live version below! Equally wonderful!

Royksopp: Running To The Sea (Ft. Susanne Sundfør) (Seven Lions Remix)

What is it about the human ear that just makes tastefully beautiful remixes of female vocal songs the best thing ever? 

This song will HAUNT YOUR DREAMS! The eerily silent intro with ominous drums and just Susanne Sundfør's voice is incredible, then after your chills are magnifying and getting chills of their own, a gnarly beat enters at 0:57. If you're still alive at 1:27, then there's no escaping the relentless pull of all Seven Lions tearing at your eardrums with their ever so classy and gorgeous sound. The lyrics really make this one, and are transcendent when paired with the massive builds. I'm such a fan. Seven Lions themselves said that this was one of their most emotional pieces to work with. So fresh and sick! Enjoy! 

The Lion King Cast: He Lives In You

You know, just another typical Tuesday...being driven into L.A. by school and attending the broadway musical 'The Lion King'!!!!!!!!!!

Holy Mufasa on Pride Rock was it good!! The sets, the costumes, the singing, the acting, the movement on the stage, the theater itself, the companions I got to go with...WOWSERS! What an experience! A spectacle stimulating far more than just the ears, every detail was so gorgeous and awe-inspiring! The way all the creatures moved and were ingeniously operated was stunning, and some of the lithe stalkings across the stage just blew my mind! Quite funny and with some wonderful performances by every member of the cast (especially Rafiki, Timon and Pumbaa, and Scar) I can't believe that I've been missing out on the Broadway experience for so long! If you haven't seen it yet, it's a must, and if you happen to have tickets to upcoming Broadway shows, I'm quite interested!!!! Book of Mormon anyone?? 

Probably my favorite song by far, 'He Lives In You' is beautiful, and the chanting in the background that comes in around 1:00 moved me to tears in the theater. A beautiful song!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy!

The reprise of the song from the second act has even more chanting and is just as en-chanting! What a play! AGGGGGHHHHH! :) 

Ronald Jenkees: Stay Crunchy (Piano Insanity!)

If you've never seen Ronald Jenkees on YouTube, then you are missing out! So passionate, and remarkably talented, Jenkees brings excitement and crunchy groove to your life! With nay but a passing exuberant, "Hello YouTubes!", you are launched into a piano crescendo that undulates and progresses through many crunchy iterations! After just absolutely DESTROYING the piano for four minutes, Jenkees stops and exclaims at the pure pleasure he gets from playing, and encourages everyone to play: it's just so much fun! Awesome song, awesome message, awesome energy! Enjoy! 

Little May: Hide

There is absolutely nothing little about Little May's sound! Full bodied and gorgeously orchestrated, these three gals from Sydney know how to make a song that tugs on your heartstrings! The opening guitar strums of 'Hide' just conjure up images of old rustic wood looking really majestic in a log cabin somewhere (I have no idea where that is coming from...). By the 1:43 mark you are utterly captured by the voices of Little May, and the amazing song really bursts open stupendously at 2:23 when they start a steady build of, "Can you see me count to three? No, I won't play your hide and seek" which just moves me. These ladies are going big places with a sound this polished and delightful to listen to! Enjoy and show your support on iTunes!


If you dug 'Hide', then you HAVE to listen to 'Boardwalks' which similarly starts off slow, but settles quite comfortably into its wonderful self by about halfway through. 2:26 on is some of the most beautiful sounds I've heard in a while!

Craaze: Snow Lights (Red Hot Chili Peppers x Ellie Goulding Mashup)

There's a secret formula that some mashup artists just GET that takes disparate ideas that never in a million years would be combined, but who--with a mixture of alchemy, what must be black magic, and some music programs--morph these separate pieces into something that seems so natural you would never know they were apart, and swear they were always meant to be together. Think of it as holy matrimony for songs. 

Craaze struck gold here. More seamless than products that don't contain seams, Red Hot Chili Peppers 'Snow (Hey Oh)' was MEANT to be crooned over the tune of Ellie Goulding's 'Lights'. It's way too perfect, way too listenable, and just makes me smile. Enjoy a free download below and cuddle up with this for the coming snow!

Childish Gambino: Telegraph Ave (Hip Hop)

'Because The Internet' is poised to drop on December 10th and I couldn't be more excited. One of the very few rappers whom I actually follow and consistently enjoy, Childish Gambino just brings something fresh, quirky, and unstoppable to the game. It also helps that 'Community' is one of my all time favorite shows and he plays Troy on that...Also he wants to be Spiderman and heavy influenced Stan Lee's creation of the newest SpiderMan...also Tina Fey hired him to write on '30 Rock'...also his name came from the online Wutang Name Generator...also he’s never had sex listening to his own records, but recommends James Blake... So yeah, Donald Glover is pretty damn awesome. 

Another thing that's damn awesome? His new song 'Telegraph Ave'. Sick beat as usual, sick verses as usual, sick vibe as usual. Listen below and be sure to preorder 'Because The Internet' on iTunes! 

Another blog favorite Ta-Ku has already provided a remix and it's super chill and enjoyable!

The New Pornographers: The Spirit Of Giving (Happy Thanksgiving!)

As the holiday season begins its wonderful lifespan, it is unbelievable that it is already Thanksgiving! A time for family, for frivolity, and for a ridiculous amount of food, I LOVE Thanksgiving! I hope that each and every one of you stuff yourselves beyond any point of decency or good nature, and then go a little bit further just to prove your American Citizenship. I know I will. 

The New Pornographers are perfect holiday music with their communal fireside-singing atmosphere and their feel-good tunes. Also, it doesn't get much better than A.C. Newman AND Neko Case! In 'The Spirit Of Giving', here's one of my favorites of theirs which is just wonderfully composed and gets kind of heartbreakingly beautiful around the 1:34 mark. Enjoy, and a happy Thanksgiving to all! :) 

P.S. I'm on a merrily child-blocked wi-fi network, so I'm using a proxy to access YouTube...Just let me know if the link isn't working and I'll find a different way to post the video. Happy Holidays! 

Wild Child: Crazy Bird (Indie Folk Majesty)

If you love Whale bands (that is to say, good, joyous, magnificent bands) then you'll love Wild Child! Even without the great indicator of greatness of having 'Whale' in their name, these indie darlings deliver songs full of heart, quirkiness, and beauty! Already a huge fan! Give it up for the band that was named the best indie band and the best folk band of the 2013 South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival, AND the selfsame group that has soundtracked a Purina Cat Food commercial! These wild children have big things in their future! 

Paint fights, crotch burgers (you'll see), giant foxes, banana walking, exploding toys, naked lawn-mowing, yoga-Jenga, and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup glasses are just some of the awesome things you'll witness in this absolutely bonkers and absolutely brilliant music video! Enjoy! 

Claire: Games (Passion Pit Remix) (Indie-Synth-Pop-Gold!)

Claire describe themselves as, "a band that finds itself somewhere between synthpop, electronic-pop, half-time beats, hip-hop and indie and they´re ready to be let loose on the stages of the world". 

Sounds too good to be true, eh!? Well, it gets even better! Passion Pit jumps into the mix to bring this song from fun and games to fun and games and Passion Pit!!!!! Who knew Passion Pit had such a pension for vocal distortion and remixing! Claire's lovely synthpop masterpiece is given such a fresh take and truly shines! The epic deep voice at 2:27 is unreal!!!! Enjoy! 

Check out the original and show your love for this up and coming band!

Coldplay: Rainy Day

Apart from the awesome-tastic fact that it was just revealed that Chris Martin disguised himself as a skeleton to help Win Butler (Arcade Fire frontman) DJ at an Arcade Fire show at London's Roundhouse earlier this month, this song kind of perfectly describes today in unparalleled eloquence and poise. It was both quite rainy and indeed a day in our modern sense of the word. 

'Rainy Day' sounds quite unique compared to most Coldplay especially with its wild intro. I swear to you that if you stay until the 1:08 mark you'll thank me, everything from that point onward is pure magic! Off of their bonus-track-esque album 'Prospekt's March', 'Rainy Day' is a gem that many don't know about from these geniuses, and well worth a listen! My dad even likes this song! 

The crooning, "I love it when you come over to my house" for the last 30 seconds of the song beckons you to the safety of indoors to stare redolently out at the rain and wonder. 

Enjoy! 

Felix Cartal: New Scene (CRNKN Remix)

I've featured Felix Cartal before for his expert blend of electronic music paired with passionate female vocals, and 'New Scene' is no exception. CRNKN take Felix's original a few steps further with a subtle reworking that feels even more fluid than the original. Making a very dubby feeling drop at the same time smooth and completely unlike dubstep, CRNKN craft a winner! Enjoy a free download below! 

Minnesota: Stardust Redux (Chillstep)

Minnesota offers up a fresh electro-chill track here that sounds like what I imagine stardust sounds like! Dreamy and with pinpricks of spacey echoes, this song is a ride. Things fade out at 0:45, the cosmos open up at 1:07, a dubby soundscape of almost emotional breakdowns crashes in at 1:30, and the chill just won't stop the rest of the track! Super fresh, and it's free, so snag below! 

On an unrelated note, anyone doubting how awesome rollerblading is should watch this video and be utterly amazed...and want to move to Canada! So epic!

Satellite Stories: Australia (Don't Ever Let Her Go) (Best Band Ever?)

I can't even. I think The Decemberist's get a run for their money as my favorite band every single time I hear the effervescent, sparkling, exuberant, SOOOO energetic, and just hands-down perfect Satellite Stories. This is like the 8th time I've had them on the blog, but they're just amazing. I swear to you, that the best $10.99 you've ever spent is right here on iTunes at this link! You get a whopping 19 songs from these Finnish superstars, AND a digital booklet AND tunes to fuel the rest of your life AND a pet dinosaur! Ok, maybe you don't get the dinosaur, but it's so worth it! Please support them!!!!! Better yet, fly to Europe and see them live! I'll be eternally jealous! 

No song is bad on their new album 'Pine Trails', and almost every one I want to post about, but I'll contain it to 'Australia (Don't Ever Let Her Go)'. "DeLoreans" seem to be a running theme throughout this album, and this song starts off with a soft croon which quickly advances into throbbing and pulsating guitar riffs to have you dancing the whole night away! Fuel your Saturday on the best Finnish Indie Rock Neo-Punk Pop ever! ENJOYYYYYYYY! 

Also, you simply HAVE to watch the 'Scandinavian Girls' music video! The whole band are such goofy looking adorable guys, but they got all stoked and just have a ton of Scandinavian models walking around them while they play the song! It's too funny AND it's a fantastic song! Enjoy!!!!! The 1:50 mark in this song blows my mind. They fade out into something just so gorgeous. Enjoy! 

Duke Dumont feat. A*M*E: Need U (100%) [Dave Edwards Remix] (Funky-Fresh and Fantastic)

What happens when Funkalicious coincides with electronic pop, a dash of vocals, and lots of booty-poppin' head-boppin' energy! The irresistable lead in just hooks you, the humming reels you in, then the vocals firmly cement you in front of your computer to listen to this gem. Duke Dumont has an amazing original song here to work with, and Dave Edwards just takes this to a magical place! If you're not dancing by 1:30, I suggest a routine doctors appointment! Enjoy! 

I 100% can't stop listening to this song, and I need you to 100% give it a chance and listen and download for free below. You won't be disappointed!

The original song isn't nearly as pumpin', bumpin', and dance-friendly, but I'll be darned if it doesn't have one of the greatest music videos in which a poor soul has a boombox in his stomach, and everyone around him is having dance parties while he just wants to get it out. 13 million other people have loved this video, so join them comrades! Enjoy!

NONONO: Pumpin' Blood (Scandinavian Electronic Indie Pop Magic!)

You're going to be screaming YESYESYES before you know it about how great NONONO is! Scandinavia has a knack for relentlessly producing the best bands ever of late (Satellite Stories anyone?) and NONONO is no, no, no exception. Composed of two beat-makers who fuel the electronic pop backgrounds, and one ice maiden who works full time as a psychiatric nurse when not making hauntingly epic music, these guys have a great story and a better sound! 

There's literally no way you can dislike this. Within the first 10 seconds an irresistible whistle hooks you, then Stina Wäppling gets the whole wide world whistling with her awesome voice. The epic music video of a dancing and whistling man atop the rocks at sundown near the ocean completes a top-notch song by yet another scandinavian sensation! Enjoy immensely! 

If this is tickling your fancy immensely, but you want something just a bit more dance ready, look no further than a blog regular: The Jane Doze! They kill it on this remix that strips nothing from the original and just creates a feel good song to get your body 'Pumpin' Blood'! Fantastic echoes thrown into Stina's voice, which make for a fantastic and fresh take! Enjoy! 

Cold War Kids: Miracle Miles

Every American Indie Rock band needs to cut loose and dress up once in a while, eh!? 

Opening this miraculous lyrical and aural mile of sound, Cold War Kids sing out, "I was supposed to do great things" atop a riff throbbing with a restless intensity. The song pulses along beautifully but breathlessly, until the gorgeous 1:53 fade that slows down enough to remind both us and the song to, "Come up for air, come up for air, come up". The 3:00 mark until the end is my absolute favorite, but is far too short, and this miracle mile is over before it has even begun. 

Enjoy! 

Groove Armada: At The River (Beyond Groovy)

Seriously, these guys have a full armadas worth of groove up their sleeves. It's unstoppable. Summer days, lazy ways, and a relaxing haze settle over everything when this song comes on. Big shouts to Garrett Ewing for exposing me to this powerfully groovy track! The shortened music video version jumps right in with the seductively floating vocals, but I'm even more partial to the 6:33 minute version, because who would ever want to shorten this magic!? 

My goodness, it's hard to not be fond of sand dunes and salty air after a few listens of this smooth trumpet infused beauty! Enjoy! 

And to make that groove last even longer...

Gramatik: My People (Dope First Electronic Concert!)

What a long overdue blog post! It's been a few days now since I last posted, and boy have I missed this therapeutic upchuck of my thoughts, music, and ramblings every night! 

I took a wee break to relax and catch up on things a bit, and I feel fresh, rejuvenated, and ready to settle into a nice healthy cycle of sleep deprivation once more! I kid, I kid... I had a full weekend of going to a Gramatik concert, drinking boba, exploring sushi boats, finding Engrish, volunteering, eating chestnuts (not a fan AT ALL), hiking, going to Lake Arrowhead, eating gigantic waffles, having cream soda, watching movies, running a half-marathon, and oh yeah, HAVING MY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH MEGHAN! Who knew one weekend could be so incredible! I'm the luckiest man on the planet to have gotten to spend the last year with someone as special and wonderful as Meghan Proulx, and I have every confidence our incredible adventures will continue to be life changing! Happy Anniversary my love! 

I saw Gramatik this past Friday with my roommate and it was quite the experience. Neither of us having ever been to a more electronic concert before, we didn't quite know what to expect from the crowd, the performers, anything. We showed up at what we considered quite late, only 10 minutes before doors opened, because we were used to indie shows like Walk The Moon having lines around blocks even an hour before doors open. Alas, when we walked up, we were literally 2nd in line, which was uncanny. We got front row, on the fence spots, and then the insanity was unleashed! 

The openers Exmag were similar chill electro-soul like Gramatik, and their jazz guitarist was super cool and funky (turns out he's also in Gramatik) They played for a while and everyone was vibing and the atmosphere was pretty cool. Then suddenly, without the customary long while between sets while roadies set new instruments up and everything, the other opener started nearly instantly and things went bat-poop crazy! This DJ's name was Herobust, and he unleashed some of the grossest dubstep remixes I'd ever heard. At one point Perrin turned to me and exclaimed, "This is filthy!" As filthy as it was, it was hard not to get caught up in the raw energy of everyone raging around us, so it was actually pretty fun to just wiggle your body in the absolute weirdest and seizure-like motions imaginable for song after song. What the music lacked in originality and subtlety, it made up for in bass and raw energy! Certainly a good learning experience for what a massive EDM festival might be like. 

Finally, Gramatik came out, and the rest of the night was an amazingly trippy light show, complete with remarkably fun to dance to beats. A very interesting mixture of dubby and glitchy beats along with very chill jazz guitar and old-timey samples, every song was fresh and interesting. Definitely not what I was used to or expecting, but you can't complain about front row concert experiences! 

This song, 'My People', is actually a collaboration between fellow electro-soul artist Griz and Gramatik...hence Grizmatik. It's dope if I do say so myself! Super cool vocal distortions, and a very sick, unique sound that incorporates a lot of live instruments! Great drop at 1:06, "1,2,3. Grizmatik!" Enjoy! 

Snag a free download here! 

I just discovered this one called 'Just Creepin', and its beat is just waaaaaaaayyyyyyy to cool, creepy, and irresistible to let slide. Snag a download below!

Chelsea Lankes: Ghost (Chill Female Fire)

I swear: you could find ten amazing female artists every day and still not even scratch the surface of all the talent that is out there! 

Chelsea Lankes is an up-and-coming artist who sounds like one of the dreamy and magical voices that make up the vocals of every Adventure Club song. And that's high praise! The vibe is chill, the voice is off-the-hook, the beat is a head-bobber, and the lyrics are as haunting as the title. I can't get enough of 'Ghost'! There is some real magic at 2:07, and 3:37. Enjoy a free download below and look out for more from Chelsea! 

Hall And Oates: You Make My Dreams Come True (Dance-tastic!)

In celebration both of No-Shave-November and to commemorate how awesome of an ending to Two Door Cinema Club this was, here's some Hall & Oates for you! After their raucous encore, TDCC bid their final adieu's and the house lights went up. Just when people were turning around to disperse and live out their miserable little lives compared to the raw energy of the night, what should come blasting over the speakers but 'You Make My Dreams Come True'!?

Many of the hipsters were worried they might cut loose and have some fun, or perhaps scuff up their (insert a clothing name here, I draw a blank after naming Gap and Old Navy...), so they didn't stay and dance, but the intrepid and awesome groups of people who did stay all started busting out the funkiest of funky moves, and it was absolutely beautiful to take part in! Literally nothing could have put the cherry on top of the night better than this coming on! It's just such a feel good tune! Perrin, Meghan and I danced out what little energy we had left and then ecstatically embraced each other to revel and cherish the probably-unrepeatable dance-moves that had possessed our bodies with otherworldly power. 

This song will get you moving and has been known to restore life to corpses...just warning you. Enjoy and happy Monday! 

Toro Y Moi: Talamak

Hipster flares, hipster smoke, and hipster frivolity all to a hipster soundtrack...sounds like the perfect Sunday playlist!

A chill song from Toro Y Moi that has just about the coolest sounds ever from 1:47 to the end. Nothing too jarring, nothing too slow, 'Talamak' is that perfect "eh...I should start homework, but I'm realllllly loving sitting here" song. Enjoy!

Two Door Cinema Club: The World Is Watching (Another Incredible Concert!)

Another weekend, another concert! I truly live such an amazingly blessed life to go to school in a place with access to so much live music, to live in a world with such stellar bands, and to have such amazing friends who want to share the incomparable experience of concert-going with me! 

Seeing Two Door Cinema Club for an astounding third time tonight was every bit as epic-tacular-pendous as the last two times! My arms and legs are exhausted from jumping and gesturing, and my voice is squeakier than a high-pitched opera-mouse from screaming at the top of my lungs for many hours. The light-show, the throbbing bass, the exhilarating thrill of joining heartstrings and interweaving vocals with hundreds of multiple-layers-of-clothing-clad Pomona hipsters. It was so great! Random and spontaneous acts of dancing were the name of the game! 

St. Lucia were just as top-notch as the last time I saw them open for Two Door, they killed it, it was just a shame that all the Pomona hipsters either didn't know them or were too cool to dance for the opener. Their performance of 'September' had me nearly having a seizure on the dance floor it was so exciting. Check them out and buy their new album on iTunes here! 

Certainly one of the most emotional of TDCC'S catalogue 'The World Is Watching' is just too beautiful, and reminds us to dance, to dream, and to seek love. Enjoy this super fitting sky-diving video put to the song! (Hey, extra bonus: you might even learn some spanish from this lyric video!) Gorgeous! GO SEE A CONCERT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, ALL OF YOU! Much love, Miles out. 

Kevin Drew ft. Taryn Manning: Summer Ashes (Culture Code Remix)

I put on a sweatshirt today.

You can caterwaul and carry on all you want, but that doesn't change the fact that the weather is changing and bro-tank and shorts weather is fading like the autumn leaves lovely colors. That doesn't mean we have to mourn summers warm embrace however...

I think it means we should rejoice in 'Summer's Ashes' and dance until the moonlight, eh? Enjoy this rager that builds to a gorgeous pinnacle at the 1:21 mark. A little dubby at times, but lovely nonetheless! Thanks to Keaton Brown for continuing to serve as my direct IV drip of quality music!

Said The Whale: Helpless Son (Tear-Jerker)

It's funny how life works. I nearly scrolled right past Said The Whale announcing their new music video, putting it off as just another video. Something urged me to click the link however, and after I saw in the description that they cried while writing the song, I knew I had to watch attentively rather than let the internet suck my soul on ten different windows while it played. Boy am I happy I did.

This song and video are emotional. They are powerful, they are tragic, they are hopeful. I cried watching it. I hadn't realized the weight behind the words until I saw them held up before me by sons and daughters holding their parents. Losing my mother to breast cancer, the song spoke to me as if written specifically for my life story, but even without a traumatizing family event, every single human being needs to watch this video. It tells and shows a story of love, of friendship, and is a reminder to cherish each and every day with those we love. The words:

I'll keep you close with all my might 

And I'll always call you back on time

Just really choked me up, but the song finds such hope in such unbearable sadness, and that's what family is for: making the dark times a little more bright together. Disease, age, and the cruelty of life can seem overwhelming, and being the 'helpless son (or daughter)' is nothing new for far too many children, but take the advice of Said The Whale. Seize on the wondrous gift that every day you get the chance to show the ones you love that you care. Ask them, "all about their youth, the boys they kissed, the men they knew, the places that were dear to you." Be in their lives before they're no longer in yours. Love and be love-full every day. Always. 

I Miss You Mom. Always. 

The Beatles: Michelle (Groovefunkel Living Strings Remix)

The hook to this song has been running through my head for a few days now, and I thought to myself, "I'm sure people have made some snazzy remixes of it!" After wading through disgusting dubstep attempts at poor Michelle, I found this groovy (Groovefunkel if you will) remix, which changes very little, but gives the song a fresh spin. I'm loving it! As my roommate quoteth, "I feel like I'm walking through Paris right now!" If The Beatles can't provide you a smashing Tuesday, then you need to seek professional help (or perhaps Satellite Stories, because they seriously can do no wrong). Enjoy and download below! 

Jhene Aiko: Bed Peace (Feat. Childish Gambino)

Anything featuring the one and only Childish Gambino is a classic, and my goodness am I thankful that I was introduced to Jhene Aiko through Childish! Jhene's voice is sultry and smooth, and makes for the perfect slow jam for a slow start to the week. Snuggle up and follow her on SoundCloud here for oodles of beautiful songs with sick beats. Childish jumps in at the 2:24 mark for some spoken word rapping that just feels good and has a sleepy, relaxing vibe. This song is delectable and one of my favorite discoveries of the week! Enjoy and get excited for the new Childish Gambino album 'Because The Internet'! Happy Monday peeps! 

If you're digging the Jhene Aiko vibe, you'll fall in love with her free-styling over the chillest beat.

Passion Pit: Little Secrets (Incredible Front-Row Live Show)

Even though the lyrics are:

Let this be our little secret, no one needs to know we're feeling higher and higher and higher! 

I'm still going to let you in on the secret: Passion Pit kills it. Full of energy, extremely hipster, complete with sexy-smooth guitars and impressive vocal ranges, they were quite the sight to see front row at the Greek Theater in L.A.! 

The Joy Formidable opened for Passion Pit (whom incidentally, just for future reference are named after the term for early drive-in theaters coined thusly because of their privacy and appeal to horny teens) and were quite entertaining but brief. They strode out just a three member band, with the front-woman dressed in yellow and appearing to be a sweet, tiny lady. Boy was I wrong. The second her fingers started flying on the guitar, all cuteness flew out the window as they wailed through their songs with her sometimes kicking the drum set and generally being badass, finishing by smashing her guitar on the drums. The drummer was hilarious, looked like Russell Brand, and would make ridiculous, maniacal faces at the camera people whenever they tried to photograph him! The third member of these Welsh alternative rockers was shredding his guitar as well, and since the reaction of the pit was fairly tranquil and I was one of the few people nodding their heads and dancing along, he came in front of me, and played his guitar over me, leaning out over the crowd, screamed and whooped in my face, and when I yelled and whooped back just as much he tousled my hair and continued playing. I'd never been front row before and hadn't had that much interaction with a band before, so I was fairly stoked! 

The second Passion Pit came out the venue erupted, and it was a non-stop sing-along from thousands belting it out and dancing it out along with Passion Pits varied catalogue of music. Michael Angelakos (the lead singer) was a jumping bean on stage, striding back and forth feet from us for their entire set, and he fed off the energy of the crowd and led the whole venue in the choruses with joy! He literally had to towel off in between every song he was sweating so much from his performance! The one downside to this incredible night in L.A. with Meghan Proulx was that Michaels vocals were sometimes so high that they were drowned out by the rest of the instruments, and only audible when his voice went deeper. That it was still an unbelievable show despite the fact that you couldn't quite make out some of the vocals is a testament to the fact that they put on a great show! If you ever have the chance to see Passion Pit, DO IT! 

'Little Secrets' was one of my favorite songs of their performance, for they had the whole crowd jumping up and down, "higher and higher and higher" during every chorus, and you could just tell what a great time the band and the whole crowd was having! Enjoy, and happy sunday! 

Icona Pop: All Night (Cash Cash Remix)

Icona Pop have broken into the mainstream effortlessly, while retaining their fringe status, and are masters at crafting addictive hooks and builds. 'All Night' is one such sick hook, and I have full confidence that this song will fuel your weekend. Enjoy! 

If this isn't quite hard hitting enough for your taste, then check out the Cash Cash Remix or Captain Cuts remix! I'm personally digging Cash Cashes take on it, full of grimy sickness and sick griminess! Enjoy!

Van She: Idea of Happiness (Quirky Australian Electro-pop!)

For those enthusiasts of pink christmas trees, banana hammocks, dance parties, sun-tanning bed casualties, pool, and lots of other weird, random things, than Van She is for you! If you can't tell from the picture above, they're perfectly normal and there is nothing to see here...

They're actually batsh$% bonkers guys. I was being facetious. The Australian electropop neo-psychedelic group is actually quite talented and I'm a big fan of 'Idea of Happiness'! As weird as the music video is (and I'm talking WEIRD here people), it's a very catchy song and the fact that the meteorite that they're holding above has eyes should not be a deterrent in any way shape or form! Imagine what a twisted world we would live in if you discriminated against all sighted meteorites before learning about their true character!

The song is great and any lyrics encouraging me to dance hit right where it counts! Positivity, quirkiness, and dance: what more do you need! Enjoy!

If that is just too weird for you, here's a fairly accessible and upbeat remix by Robotaki who is pretttttttty dope. Snag a free download below!