mp3: “Blood” – The Middle East
I can’t really hear the lyrics well enough to understand them, but I am drawn to the mood of this song. The melancholy and then bells and light. It caught me in the first few seconds and then I was pleasantly surprised with the end.
Album: Recordings of The Middle East
The Middle East-MySpace

mp3: “Heart to Tell” – The Love Language
I love the turn this takes at about 33 seconds in (I can often tell where a song is headed, but I didn’t see this coming), I appreciate the retro sound…and the smiles it left me with. Is it a break up/troubled relationship song?
Album: I can’t find one…possibly Libraries?…maybe it’s not released yet.
Here is a link to their label: Merge Records: The Love Language
The Love Language-MySpace

mp3: “Brother” – Color of Clouds
I fell in love with this one right away. It’s soft and slightly swingy, though sad.
Album (or EP in this case): The Look
Color of Clouds-MySpace

mp3: “I Was Denied” – Thee Oh Sees
Another song with a retro sound (so many lately!). A banger. It’s loud and bit rough, but like it? I do!
Thee Oh Sees-MySpace

Also:

I can’t link to these songs, but check out this Daytrotter session with Josh Ritter (check it out when you have some time to listen, it’s good):

Josh Ritter: Daytrotter Session recorded April 12, 2010

Bonus mp3: “Kathleen” – Josh Ritter
Album: Hello Starling

mp3: “Ice Age” – Ten Centuries
New to me this week, but I’m liking what I hear!
Album: White Pines
Ten Centuries-MySpace

mp3: “Loxtep” – Annuals
Give it a minute and then maybe another listen.  I’ve really enjoyed Annuals in the past, I like this too…very much. Speaking of the past, I still have a special fondness for “Sore” , it gets me right here *points to heart*.
Album: Sweet Sister
Annuals-MySpace

mp3: “Symphonies” – Dan Black
I like it, but I liked it a little better when it was HYPNTZ and I like it even more with Kid Cudi (<—links to respective videos).
Album: UN
Dan Black-MySpace

mp3: “The Way We Get By” – Spoon
Not new, but there are so many memories attached to this song (I love that about music!), when I heard it the other day, I felt the need to share.
Album: Kill the Moonlight
Spoon-MySpace

Pick up a free (and legal!!) mp3 of one of my newest favorite songs ”In Spain” by Vadoinmessico here at RCRD LBL! Here is the video that turned me on to it and them:

“In Spain” – Vadoinmessico
A Tiny SXSW Concert via NPR

Vadoinmessico Website
Vadoinmessico-MySpace

mp3: “The Last Time I Saw You” by Sam Reynolds

I know that I recently posted a Tuesday Mix, but I just heard this song and had to pass it along. It hit me in ways that made my breath catch. I don’t know Sam Reynolds, but I plan to!

You can listen to the whole album here on his website: Sam Reynolds

I was a little surprised to find that Sam is only 22 years old. I copied the below from his website:

sam reynolds is a 22 year old singer-songwriter from the new York state in America. he’s played in illustrious venues in London, irrelevant coffeehouses in New York, and any number of only-just-relevant bars and clubs in Charleston, South Carolina (among others). critical and popular acclaim has followed sam’s young career in abundance. we, the people at samreynoldsmusic.com both encourage and appreciate this.

recently, he recorded his first studio album, entitled “sam reynolds I,” in Los Angeles with the aid of one brian t. moore (producer/engineer/mixer) and one derek cournoyer, sam’s beloved french-canadian manager.

now residing in and around New York City, sam continues to write and record material, as well as play in reputable venues throughout these united states of America.

sam’s creative influences include primatology, astrophysics, elliott smith, the philosophy of the universe, biology of the planet earth, depression, anxiety, psychosis, larry levis, small villages, the color green, and the very strange matter of self-aware matter.

“the moment I saw you I was home” …*sigh*

mp3: “Swim Until You Can’t See Land” – Frightened Rabbit
I am guilty of breaking my own rule about ignoring band names when it came to Frightened Rabbit, never really listening until just recently. This song proves to me that I need to listen first. Now I need to go back and see what I’ve been missing!
Album: The Winter of Mixed Drinks
Frightened Rabbit-MySpace

mp3: “Song for Dreaming (Good Ol’ Wobbly Version)” - Judson Claiborne
I like it! It’s good and wobbly!
Album: Time and Temperature
Judson Claiborne-MySpace

mp3: “Below It” – Peter Broderick
The more I hear this song, the more I am drawn to it.
Album: Home
Peter Broderick-MySpace

mp3: “Good to Get Out” – Devon Sproule
Spring is here! When it’s not snowing the weather has been beautiful, open the doors, drive with the window down, breeze on your face beautiful. I look forward to more and more days like today and it does feel really good to get out of the house!! I don’t know what this song is really about, but with these sunny Spring days, that is where it takes me.
Album: Don’t Hurry for Heaven!
Devon Sproule-MySpace

mp3: “Hurricane” – Emily Rodgers
“…I haven’t asked too much of love…”
Album: Bright Day
Emily Rodgers-MySpace

mp3: “Twilight” – Elliott Smith
Apparently Kill Rock Stars is releasing a couple remastered Elliott Smith albums this Spring. While trying to find a link to those albums I found a couple more mp3s to share. I wish that I had known about Elliott and his music before he decided to leave this world. Actually, I wish he hadn’t made that choice in the first place. I am sure that he still had a lot of music left to share.
Album: “From a Basement on the Hill”

mp3: “Between the Bars” – Elliott Smith
Album: Either/Or

mp3: “Angel in the Snow” – Elliott Smith
Album: New Moon

Here are links to Kill Rock Stars upcoming Elliott Smith releases:
Buy (pre-order, to be released April 9th): Roman Candle
Buy (pre-order, to be released April 9th): From a Basement on the Hill

And here is a recently released video from a favorite of ours. KiD CuDi!! Starr and I have both admitted recently  that we can’t get enough of his music!!

“Pursuit of Happiness” – KiD CuDi featuring MGMT and Ratatat
KiD CuDi-MySpace

mp3: “Anna” – Taken By Trees
It took several listens before this song settled in and left it’s mark.
East of Eden
Taken By Trees-MySpace

mp3: “Resolution” – Adam Svec
This one, on the other hand, caught me right away. There is something friendly and familiar here.
Rarefaction
Adam Svec-MySpace

mp3: “Measure” – Field Music
I have had Field Music on my playlist for several years…I really like their sound. This song is off their new album released last week.
Field Music (Measure)
Field Music-MySpace

mp3: “Cecilia/Amanda” – Elliott Smith
Unreleased, but provided recently by Kill Rock Stars in anticipation/celebration of their reissuing of Elliott Smith’s 1994 debut album Roman Candle and 2004 posthumous LP From a Basement on the Hill on April 6th, 2010.

mp3: “For You” – Sharon Van Etten
Buy the album directly from the artist: Because I Was in Love
Sharon Van Etten-MySpace

mp3: “Numbers Don’t Lie” – The Mynabirds
Album will be released April 27, 2010: What We Lose in the Fire, We Gain in the Flood
The Mynabirds-MySpace

mp3: “Nervous” – Tessitura
Album: On The Importance of Being Confused available for free download at the link.

mp3: “As Long as We’re Together” – Andrew Morgan
Album: Please Kid Remember
Andrew Morgan-MySpace

mp3: “Glorious” – A. Graham and The Moment Band
Heard this for the first time earlier today. Smiling, I’ve now listened to it at least six more times.
“Glorious/Triumphant/Optimistic/Transcendent”
Album: This Tyrant Is Free
A. Graham and the Moment Band @ Lawrence.com

mp3: “I Will Live On Islands” – Josh Rouse
I’m dreaming of life on the outside…
Album: El Tourista
Josh Rouse-Official Website

mp3: “From the Hips” – Cursive
From the hips. Maybe I should try living that way for a bit, my way isn’t working so well.
Album: Mama, I’m Swollen
Cursive-MySpace

Starr twisted my arm today and talked me into renting movies for tonight. But first we had to find her a journal. Not just any journal, but the perfect journal. The one and only journal that she will be pouring her thoughts out to for the whole year! It’s a big deal! Quite the commitment. We spent quite a bit of time at the bookstore…trying not to get distracted by our surroundings and failing! We had fun. We also found what she was looking for!!

Back to the movies. We ended up renting a couple of indie-ish movies, none of the “big” movies looked very interesting.

We both really enjoyed Adam, it was sweet. We also watched Paper Heart before Skye called and made a “better” offer of a late movie at the theater! “See ya, mom!”

Oh well.

The song at the end of the trailer? I know it’s just me, but I recognize the Fruit Bats, who I recently posted about. I really do like them!

mp3: “When U Love Somebody” – Fruit Bats
Album: Mouthfuls
Fruit Bats-MySpace

mp3: “I and Love and You” – The Avett Brothers
I’ve had this song bookmarked for a long time, not knowing if I really wanted to share it.  I heard it on the radio the other day and it hit me differently than it had before. I finally felt it.
Album: I and Love and You
The Avett Brothers-MySpace

mp3: “Don’t Know You at All” – Blood Feathers
Album: Goodness Gracious via iTunes
Blood Feathers-MySpace

mp3: “Hotel Lights” – Amy Cook
Album: Let the Light in
It hasn’t been released yet, but I’ve linked directly to Amy Cook.com
Amy Cook-MySpace