America: F#$% Yah!

4th of July. What a spectacle! 237 years after the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independce and here we are living the American dream spending over $302 million on fabricated flags, $231 million in fireworks, and over one billion dollars on beer as a nation. 'Merica, am I right!? 

While all the songs with the word 'America' in my iTunes library aren't exactly the most positive, there are countless blessings that come with living in the United States. Whatever your opinion on the U.S., everyone likes some good tunes, a good warm day, and colorful explosions in the sky! Go celebrate our nations birthday! 

First up: Lupe Fiasco is so politically conscious and socially charged! Substance instead of bragging about cars, money, and girls is something I can get behind. Armed with impressive lyricism and a message, Lupe kills it. Enjoy! 

'American Terrorist III' is an epic song and especially relevant with recent NSA revelations and America's perception of terrorism. 

Hip-hop really seems to capture America the best. Edgy and rebellious enough to speak its mind, and complex enough to convey real issues, Hip-hop bleeds America. I posted 'Goodnight America' last September here, but it has the word 'America', and you can't argue with that Langston Hughes sample and lyrics from Adele! 

Macklemore takes a lighter, more fun-loving take on America, with an epic "Merica!!!!" song. Hilarious in it's ridiculousness (and it's infinite grains of truth) 'American' is the quintessential 4th of July song. If you're not clapping your hands to this song you're a terrorist. So great! Let Aberdeen Washington flippin preach his ignant' hilarity! Absurdly great video too!

And just to maintain my indie cred: Portugal. The Man's 'So American' is an awesome song. This 'La Blogotheque' Take Away Show is truly great! They use a guitar, and ALL the other instrumentation is stuff they found in a coffee shop!!!!! Epic!

Happy 4th of July everyone! Make it one to remember! Here's a wild video of EXTREMELY unsafe fireworks in Thailand to make you feel better about America!

Vector Lovers: Neon Sky Rain (Chillstep)

I've got a mad amount of music coming your way in the next few weeks! Listening to Pandora Radio 11 hours a day at work and going on maniacal music hunts each night will really scare up some awesome stuff! With over 50 new songs by different artists gracing my Recently Added on iTunes, I'm ready to jam! 

And how do all jams start? Slow and steady! 'Neon Sky Rain' is a great chillout song, and a nice easing-in to the the musical cornucopia laid before you. With a sick backbeat and echoing whispers appearing and receding in the periphery, this song is dreamy and slick. At the one minute mark the track really comes into its own, and is perfect to lay back to and contemplate life, the universe, and everything. Enjoy and let this get you primed for some major musical discoveries in the coming weeks! 

Rusted Root: Send Me On My Way

You'll certainly recognize this fantastic song from the first Ice Age movie, and if you don't, #1: listen to it, and #2: go watch Ice Age! 

A really fun song with some awesome vocals that go all over the place, Rusted Root kills it! The music video is also one of the most unintentionally funny i've seen in a while, at the same time as being deep and touching! One thing I know for sure: I would go dance with Rusted Root in the desert in a heartbeat! Enjoy! 

Also the frontman looks like Rob Stark from Game of Thrones...

Cazzette: Blood Theme (Return of Dexter!)

I apologize for my brief hiatus, I was camping Friday night and tired as a pack donkey last night. I hope great music found its way into your day without my help.   

As most of you hopefully know, the 9th and final season of Dexter just started this Sunday, and though I haven't watched it yet, I'm sure it's as dark, creepy, disturbing, brilliant, and downright impossible to stop watching as every other season! Dexter--everyones favorite serial killer--is hands down one of the best shows I've ever watched, and as sad as I am to see it go, it's had a fantastic run! And also has a great theme song! The original is light enough to seem innocent, yet has that dark element just under the surface, just like Dexter Morgan. Cazzette, one of the craziest electronic artists I've heard recently, turns the 'Blood Theme' into something as wild as the show itself. Enjoy! 

And here's the original for you purists! 

Deviations Project: Pavanorama (Chill Violin Floatstep)

First off: look at those badasses. You just know their music's going to be good, haha. 

The inspiration for this post came from the most unexpected of places. From a hole in the ground wherein lived a...wait, wait, that's The Hobbit, no, my inspiration came from my coworker. The man I worked with today had a most curious taste in music, the likes of which I had not experienced before. Another coworker described it as, "A Racist blend of Southern Country and Redneck Rap that was certainly not appropriate to be blasting at a family establishment! Also some Megadeath." I think he put it quite well. I was forced to put on song after song that I didn't care for in the slightest, and cringe as some of the lyrics and absurdity of what was happening washed over me. I realized that the softer, perhaps more PG music I was playing earlier could have sounded as abrasive and unpleasant to his ears as his favorite music sounded to mine. After my high and mighty revelation I did my best to not bat a lash, (or take a bat to the speakers for that matter) at his music and felt very self-righteous and aloof. Classic hipster-music-pretentiousness, am I right!? 

Well continuing my 'my-music-is-better-than-yours' streak, here's some chill floatstep that's about as far from what I listened to all day as possible! Lil' bit o' bounce, lil' bit o' violin, lil' bit o' fun. Enjoy! 

The Beatles: Getting Better

I just had a great day this wonderful Wednesday, not really for any specific moments, there was just something in the air, everything was going ok! You could almost say that everything was getting better all the time...I also played some amazing ultimate frisbee...that could be part of it. The whole bike back from frisbee I was singing 'Getting Better' at increasing volume and was just loving life! Whatever you've got going on in your life, hopefully remembering this song will brighten your predicament. In terms of the week, you've made it through hump day, and the week can only get better! Enjoy your thursday, and maybe go back and listen to some ol' Beatles (pronounce it bee-at-les), they're pretty awesome! Enjoy!

The Paper Kites: St. Clarity

You may remember The Paper Kites for their amazingly wonderful indie songs that I've posted before (bloom and featherstone) or you may be a lucky newcomer whos' entire world is about to spring open! Whichever it is, The Paper Kites have outdone themselves on this slow track that has one of the best music videos I may have ever seen! It's so full of life and wonder and bubbles and hope and wowwww! So great! Watch it! Enjoy!