1. Luv Letter (Teena Marie) - We lost her in 2010, but Lady T left behind some recordings which her daughter Alia took upon herself to complete and release as a final album. I have to say - I love this song!!! It sounds very true to Teena Marie's legacy. And it's always nice to get a luv letter!
2. I'm His Girl (Friends) - Funky indie band keeps the groove going with this upbeat song.
3. Ouch That Hurts (Dionne Bromfield) - London soul singer and friend of Amy Winehouse apparently shares Amy's love of classic soul. This one sounds like a lost 1970s hit from Maxine Nightingale.
4. Chevy Van (Sammy Johns) - I was sad to hear of the NC native's passing last month. This is his biggest hit and one of my all-time favorite 70's jams. Always reminds me of summer. RIP Sammy
5. Get On the Road (Tired Pony featuring Zooey Deschanel) - "New Girl" joins members of Snow Patrol and other bands for this country-tinged ballad. Dave turned me on to this.
6. We Are What You Say (Dead Sara) - WoooooOOOaaa WoooooOOOaaa! Adrenaline-charged rock from LA band. Great for blasting on the stereo with the windows down!
7. Reunion /Mylo Remix/ (M83) - French band, named after a Galaxy (I was wondering - had to Wiki that) gets the remix treatment. The revised version is a tad smoother than the original.
8. I'm a Nasty Slave 4 U (Britney Spears vs. Vanity 6) - Brilliant mash up of Brit Brit and the most excellent Vanity 6. My personal hero Jason was able to extract the audio from a free downloadable video on Vimeo.
9. My Love Grows in the Dark (Sscion) - Pronounced "Shun", this Kansas City band sounds like the love child of Maroon 5 and The Archies. Impossible to listen to and not smile.
10. Two Fingers (Jake Bugg) - English singer-songwriter who was definitely influenced by 1960's pop and probably Oasis. Love this song! Not sure if the two fingers are a Peace sign or two middle fingers, but in the end I can't say I care either way.
11. Though It Aches (Daniel Norgren) - Jill had him on her January playlist, and I was sure it was a retro throwback to Levon Helm by some Southern rocker. Imagine my surprise to find out he was Swedish!
12. Why Did We Have to Part (Marianne Faithfull) - Some singers have truly "lived" life and you can hear it in their voices. Mick Jagger's ex-girlfriend Marianne Faithfull is one of those singers. This is off her "Horses & High Heels" cd but found it as a free download on Amazon.com.
13. Blue Ice (Shout Out Louds) - I debated about including this song. I love the band and their first two albums. Since then, they've been getting progressively mellower - which I think is weird for a band called Shout Out Louds. Still, not a bad song. I'm just ready for more of their peppier stuff.
14. Back It Up /Kraak & Smaak Remix/ (Caro Emerald) - Dutch people remixing Dutch jazz! Kraak & Smaak give Caro Emerald's 1940s-sound a little extra punch.
15. Hour Fortress (Light Asylum) - Bizarre disco from NYC duo. The lead singer is actually a woman!!! Reminds me of some of the 1980s industrial/goth stuff I'd occasionally hear at Pterodactyl Club back in the day!
16. Keep Me Crazy (Chris Wallace) - Bouncy pop from former lead singer of White Tie Affair.
17. Adorn (Miguel featuring Wiz Khalifa) - It wouldn't be Valentine's Day without some bow chicka wow wow. R&B singer gets his Marvin Gaye on with a little help from rapper Wiz Khalifa.
18. When the World Ends, I Hope You Burn (Music by Bradley James) - Ever wonder what Michael Buble' would sound like if his girlfriend cheated on him and then dumped him? Look no further! Acerbic but still very appealing jazz from a young Texan.
So that's February! I guess depending on what the Groundhog predicts, I'll either see you in the Spring or in the continued Winter of March! Au revoir!
