Brant's August 2013 Playlist

It's August, y'all!  Hard to believe the summer is two thirds over.  Hope everyone has been having a good one.  Here's this month's batch!  To listen click HERE

1.  Dissolve Me (Alt-J) - In my head I picture Fleet Foxes jamming with Laurie Anderson.  Gentle harmonies with a trippy electronic backing. 

2.  Dreams (Passion Pit) - Has it REALLY been 20 years since the Cranberries released this?!?!  Love this cover by Passion Pit.  Pretty sure Pandora shuffled this into my consciousness during a night on the porch with some friends.

3.  Video Killed the Radio Star (Bruce Woolley & the Camera Club) - Discovered this on a recent visit to the Used CD store.  I didn't even know it was a cover when the Buggles did it!

4.  This City's Local Italo Disco DJ Has a Crush On Me (Sally Shapiro) - The title doesn't exactly flow off your tongue, but the easy breezy beats and female vocals remind me of the early 1980's in a Madonna/Tom Tom Club kinda way.

5.  Funny Heartbeat (Kisses) - Bubblegummy pop from LA duo.

6.  Life Is Better With You (Michael Franti & Spearhead) - I guess his Ganja Babe days are behind him, but he's kept his sunny outlook.  I never tire of this guy.  He puts on a great live show if you ever get the chance to see him. 

7.  Life Ain't Fair and the World Is Mean (Sturgill Simpson) - Not quite as sunny in his outlook as Michael Franti, but I'm digging the retro country stylings.  Jill had "You Ain't Dolly" by Ashley Monroe on her last playlist, and it got me in the mood for more of this type of music.

8.  Clear a Space (Lake Street Dive) - This was a Spotify rec, and I liked them.  They also do a great cover of George Michael's "Faith".  The lead singer definitely has been listening to Amy Winehouse and other soul divas.

9.  Second Chances (Gregory Alan Isakov) - Gentle acoustic waltz from Colorado singer/songwriter.

10.  Only In My Dreams (Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti) - Groovy 1960s lo-fi stylings from California band.

11.  The Mother We Share (CHVRCHES) - Complex but catchy Scottish electropop.

12.  Right Action (Franz Ferdinand) - More from Scotland!!!  FF return with their usual sexy alt-rock.

13.  Classic (MKTO) - How can I not like a song that name-checks Prince and Marvin Gaye?!?  J'adore it.

14.  Mysterious (Rodney Hunter) - Robot disco that would make Daft Punk proud!

15.  Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It (Stars) - Canadian band that sounds like New Order with maybe a touch of The Naked & Famous.

16.  Dear Prudence (The Leslie West Band) - Another stream of consciousness selection inspired by Jill.  She had a cover version of one of my fave Beatles' songs ("Dear Prudence") so I surfed around the Interwebz to see who else had done it.  This was a really cool classic Southern rock interpretation from 1976 that I'd never heard before.

17.  The Bottle Let Me Down (Vince Gill & Paul Franklin) - More classic country vibes from legend Vince Gill.

18.  Cry Me a River (Chante' Moore) - Soul siren gives Julie London's signature tune an astounding update!!!  Her voice sounds strong as ever.  Chante's 1992 hit "Love's Taken Over" is one of my all-time favorite slow jams.

19.  Long Hot Summer (The Style Council) - Eric had a SC tune posted a few weeks ago, and he suggested I put them on the August playlist.  It never takes a lot of arm twisting to get me to listen to anything Paul Weller does (the Jam, Style Council).

So that's August!  Best wishes for a great conclusion to your summer.  See ya next month!

Brant's July 2013 Playlist

EeEeEeK!!!  Sorry this is late!  I had a Board retreat and a friend from NYC visiting this weekend so my time got away from me.  Anyway, I'm a day late - but here's July's music!  Click HERE to listen.

1.  Sign 'O' The Times (Dino Lenny & Amnesia) - Ultra funky update of the signature Prince song!  Makes me bounce around like a Solid Gold Dancer (or whatever the millennium version of that is).

2.  Honey /Mr. Moon's 80s Vocal Remix/ (Lisa Shaw) - More funk, this time taking us from the dance floor to perhaps poolside for some lounging and cocktails.

3.  Love Is a Dog from Hell (the Limousines) - San Francisco Indie Band follows up their 2010 hit "Internet Killed the Video Star" with another toe-tapper.  Is there a Grammy for Best Song Title???

4.  Tomorrow (Gianluca) - Bouncy pop from a tiny little island in the Mediterranean (Yes, I had to look up Malta to see where it is.  Geography is not my strong suit.)

5.  Shake Sugaree (Elizabeth Cotten) - I first heard this in the world's most disturbing Tic Tac commercial.  Did some research and learned she is a Carolina girl, who was discovered during the folk music revival in the 1950-60s.  

6.  I Feel a Sin Comin' On (Pistol Annies) - Miranda Lambert and friends are back again this month with an unapologetic jook joint stomper. 

7.  Stockholm (Jason Isbell) - Drive By Trucker goes solo, gets more contemplative, still good.

8.  Wake Me Up (Avicii) - There are some really exciting things happening in dance music right now.  The STALE formula of a sample or looped hook + pop diva (yes, Calvin Harris and David Guetta - I'm talking to YOU) is being replaced with more organic sounds and wide ranging influences.  Thank you, Avicii and Daft Punk!!!

9.  Tonight /Nouvelle Vague Remix/ (Wax Poetic) - Personal fave Nouvelle Vague takes WP's electronica and refashions it as a lazy bossa nova.  ¡Muy bueno!

10.  Everybody's Watching Me (the Neighbourhood) - Moody electronica with a pulsating beat that vaguely reminds me of Michael Jackson?  Perhaps?

11.  Melting in My Icebox (Bronze Radio Return) - Ever wonder what Creedence Clearwater Revival would have sounded like if they were an 80s band?  Look no further!  Earthy vocals blended with a Club Nouveau beat box!

12.  Be My Man (Asa) - Groovy 1960s vibes from super cool Nigerian vocalist.

13.  You & I (Crystal Fighters) - Folksy UK band serves up some frantic folk rock.

14.  Desert of Pop (the Ruby Suns) - Yummy 80s synth pop from New Zealand band.

15.  Blue Velvet (Lana Del Rey) - I can't think of a better song for this "self-styled gangsta Nancy Sinatra" (her words, not mine) to cover!  Would love to hear her take on "Is That All There Is?" by Peggy Lee, though.

16.  Dreaming (Smallpools) - In a perfect world, this would become a Top 40 Radio summer anthem.  Just reminds me of the carefree energy of summer vacations. 

17.  Baby You're My Treasure (Breakbot vs. Bruno Mars) - Inevitable mashup of plagiarist Bruno Mars and Breakbot, the artist he ripped off.  Free download HERE.

18.  Living In America (James Brown) - I simply HAD to include a patriotic song, since this is our nation's birth month!  20 years after his prime, the Godfather of Soul proved he still had it with this classic celebration of all things American.

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!  Hope you like the tunes and I'll see ya next month!

Brant's June 2013 Playlist

The legendary Bettie Page - RIP beautiful lady

INDIE BANDS!!!  I remember when this meant 4 guys in a garage jamming away.  Not bad, but these days it can mean anything.  This month is heavy on some of my faves in the indie band/artist category.  Great for summer cookouts or just wine on the dock.  Hopefully some of these artists will be touring over the summer!  Click HERE to listen on Spotify!


1.  Fools Gold (Fitz & the Tantrums) - I'm pretty sure Jill was the one who turned me on to this awesome band!  They are back and still rocking their late 60's/early 70's vibe, but now with a more contemporary edge than their previous album.

2.  Say So (Allen Stone) - Self described "hippie with soul" seems to be channeling Stevie Wonder on this upbeat R&B tune.

3.  I Second That Emotion (Japan) - I'd have bet the farm that this was Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music.  Not too far off, though.  I had them on my Feb 2012 playlist, and now they're back again covering Smoky Robinson & the Miracles.  Not a new band, but still a great band.

4.  Dream Machine (Tesla Boy) - Newest jam from a band Gary turned me on to.  Feels like you're soaring thru outer space!  If you are on Spotify and dig EDM (electronic dance music), subscribe to his Heavy Rotation playlist.  It's great.

5.  Asteroids (Wussy) - Did someone mention outer space?  Watch out for those asteroids!!!  Wussy is one of my personal fave Indie bands, from the 'Nati.  Love the trippy 60's sounds.

6.  Love Me Two Times (The Doors) - Okay, this is feeling very stream of conscious - but speaking of trippy 60's sounds (!) we lost Ray Manzarek last month.  The Doors would not have been The Doors without his incredible keyboards.  RIP.

7.  Mother (Natalie Maines) - Dixie Chick warbles Pink Floyd!  It's interesting when women cover this tune - not a very flattering representation of their gender.  This is my favorite cover of this song since Sinead O'Connor did it back in 1990 for "The Wall Live in Berlin" concert.

8.  Weight (Mikal Cronin) - Perky old-school garage rock from American Singer/Songwriter.

9.  No Destruction (Foxygen) - I'm not gonna lie.  They had me at Foxygen.  But I was also happy to listen to their marijuana hazy, Dylan-esque music.  Totally reminds me of college.

10.  Girls Like You (The Naked & Famous) - Indie synth-pop from New Zealand with a delicious blend of Aaron Short & Alisa Xyalith's vocals.

11.  Gasoline (Alpine) - Groovy Australian electronica with sexy female vocals.

12.  We Belong Together/It Ain't Over til It's Over (S.I.R. Remix) - (Mariah Carey vs. Lenny Kravitz) - Awesome mash-up of two classic R&B songs.  Free download HERE.

13.  All Kinds of Guns (Tilly & the Wall) - Another fave Indie band.  Love their 60's  wall-of-sound stylings.  Their earlier stuff actually used a tap dancer (yes, you read that right) as their percussionist - but I guess that was starting to feel gimmicky so they've moved into more traditional means of keeping the beat.

14.  Make It Out This Town (Eve feat. Gabe Saporta) - Eve is back to Blow Ya Mind for a second time - this time with an assist from Cobra Starship lead singer Gabe Saporta.

15.  Stay Out (Nina Nesbitt) - Scottish Singer/Songwriter delivers some folk pop from across the pond.

16.  Easy Is Hard (Friska Viljor) - Indie Rock from Sweden!!!  Awfully sunny tune from a country that I imagine is fairly chilly.

17.  Say Say (Youngblood Hawke) - Upbeat Indie Pop from California band with soaring chorale refrains.

18.  Can't Pretend (Tom Odell) - This guy sounds way too mature and world-weary to only be 22 years old!!!  Winner of the BRITS Critics' Choice Awards earlier this year.

19.  I Hope You're the End of My Story (Pistol Annies) - I love me some Miranda Lambert!!!  When she's not singing her own stuff or teaming up with John Fogerty on his Creedence Clearwater Revival revival, she's joining her friends to make more great music.  Here she's with Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe (who just sang with Train on "Bruises", see March 2013 playlist) creating gorgeous harmonies on this simple acoustic ballad.

So that's June!  Hope everyone's summer is off to a great start and we'll see you next month!

Brant's May 2013 Playlist

Summer is almost here, and just as there are myriad things to do when the weather gets warm - there are myriad musical styles and genres on this month's playlist.  Enjoy, and don't get sunscreen on your iPod! *Image above is "Boombox Massage Table" by Raquel Echanique*

1.  Buttons (the Weeks) - Maybe it's because I'm from the South, but somehow, I always enjoy a little classic style rock and roll with my summer.  This one, from Mississippi band the Weeks, does the trick.  Thanks, Holden (saw it on his FB wall)!

2.  If Only (Gin Wigmore) - Sounds like a lost Shangri-Las song!  She's touring with the Vans Warped Tour this summer so be on the lookout.

3.  Hero (Family of the Year) - We had them on March's playlist, and now they are back again.  More airy and less crunchy than "Buried", but still brilliant. 

4.  I'm Into Something Good (the Bird and the Bee) - I had their cover of Hall & Oates' "She's Gone" on October 2011's Playlist, but Josh turned me onto this one.  Originally done by Earl-Jean of the Cookies, and made famous by Herman's Hermits. 

5.  Somebody (Niki and the Dove) - Lifted from my friend Gary's "Heavy Rotation" playlist.  Swedish indietronica from the band that won the 2013 European Border Breakers Awards (Best New European Band!). 

6.  Feed Me Diamonds /RAC Remix/ (MNDR) - More indietronica, this time from New York City!  RAC gives the electro number a little extra thump-thump.

7.  Without You (One Two) - They drop an F-bomb in the first few seconds, yet still manage to be heartbreaking. 

8.  Valentine (Kina Grannis) - Yes - it's not February, but I couldn't wait and that One Two song has me feeling sentimental.

9.  The Pit (Silversun Pickups) - New Wave rock from LA Band

10.  Long Train Running (Richie Havens) - We lost a lot of great artists in April:  Richie Havens, George Jones, Annette Funicello, and Chrissy Amphlett from the Divinyls.  Rather than pick one song from each and take up a quarter of my playlist, I just picked this single track to represent them all.  Havens is usually known for his Beatles and Dylan covers, but I kinda liked this take on the Doobie Brothers.  RIP to all.

11.  Get Lucky (Daft Punk) - I love what the French are doing with dance music!  The latest from the greatest has elements of disco and old school R&B!

12.  Sign Your Name (Nossa Alma Canta) - Terence Trent Gilberto?!?  Italian band converts D'arby's 1980's love song to a summery bossa nova.

13.  Heartache Avenue (the Maisonettes) - Jill turned me on to this one.  Lost 80's single that pays tribute to some of the 1960's Easy Listening sounds.

14.  Broken Glass Park (Simple Minds) - Did someone say 1980's?  Simple Minds is back and sounding as great as ever!

15.  Lose to Win (Fantasia) - Carolina girl returns and samples the Commodores on her new record.  The album release party was here in Charlotte but my invitation seems to have gotten lost in the mail.

16.  Trying to Be Cool (Phoenix) - More good music from France - this time some mid-tempo pop.  J'adore!

17.  High Hopes (Kodaline) - Irish quartet serves up some tasty rock.

18.  Sex Shooter (Firefox) - Jeff & Ed turned me on to this.  Apollonia 6's show-stopper from "Purple Rain" gets new life on the dance floor.  It actually sounds close to the original demo that Vanity recorded before dropping out of "Purple Rain" to pursue a solo film and recording career. 

So that's May!  Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day.  Stay safe and I'll see you in June! 

Brant's April 2013 Playlist

Last month's playlist was retro and crunchy, so this month the pendulum swung in the opposite direction.  We've got some slick R&B, some Euro pop and other smooth grooves.  Pour yourself a Pinot Noir and enjoy!

1.  Lose You Tonight (Kristina Train) - Dreamy vocals soar over piano driven soft rock.  The musical equivalent of a sunset.

2.  Nights (Sy Smith with Rahsaan Patterson) - Smith has spent years singing back up for artists like Whitney Houston and Brandy.  Here she pairs up with Rahsaan Patterson for some funky electronic soul.

3.  Fade Away (Selah Sue) - Obsessed with this song!!!  Love its slinky Eartha Kitt sexiness.

4.  Rewind (Devlin featuring Diane Birch) - I wanted this for last month's playlist, but it wasn't released until I'd published it.  No worries - now we can enjoy it in April.  Birch lends her soulful voice to Devlin's British rap.

5.  High School Lover (Cayucas) - One of those songs that sounds retro and new at the same time!  Peppy garage rock from Santa Monica band.

6.  Please Don't Say You Love Me (Gabrielle Aplin) - Light and airy ballad from 20 year old singer/songwriter.

7.  Oh My Lord (Steve Mason) - Not sure where I heard this, but I like its easy electronic sound.  Imagine a hybrid of Scissor Sisters and Alan Parsons Project!

8.  Everything Is Embarrassing (Sky Ferreira) - I almost overlooked this one, but Gary called it to my attention.  More 80's goodness (she was also on last month's playlist) from LA model/actress.

9.  Call Me a Hole (Nine Inch Nails vs. Carly Rae Jepsen) - First saw this on my friend Patricio's Facebook wall.  Deliciously diabolical mashup of NIN and CRJ.  Free download at http://official.fm/tracks/PCKP

10.  Pompeii (Bastille) - Facebook music feed is responsible for this one.  My friend Jason was listening to it.  Very Icicle Works sound - soaring chorus and pounding percussion.

11. Chocolate (The 1975) - This has been on fairly high rotation on Sirius.  Perky alt rock.

12.  Sacrilege (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) - NEW Yeah Yeah Yeahs!!!  This owes a small debt to Madonna's "Like a Prayer" but has its own twisted take on the religion-themed dance  anthem.

13.  I Have Never Loved Someone (My Brightest Diamond) - This is a weird one, but it has its appeal.  Kinda Regina Spektor-ish.

14.  Walking in Your Footsteps (Shout Out Louds) - I think the Swedish band has reclaimed their place in my heart with this charming song.  Just when you thought Jethro Tull had cornered the market on rock-flute accompaniments.

15.  Don't Rush (Kelly Clarkson with Vince Gill) - The first time I heard this, I thought the radio station had somehow gotten switched to an 80's easy-listening channel.  This totally sounds like the stuff my mom used to listen to back in the day.  Think "Whenever I Call You Friend" by Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks or "An American Dream" by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.

16.  Heard It All (Illy) - Funky hip hop from Australian rapper.

17.  The One (Alice Smith) - Seven years after her debut album, Alice is back with a new batch of soul songs.  Here, she gets her Minnie Riperton on with a slow jam.

18.  Recovery (Frank Turner) - Rollicking folk-rock that seamlessly works Seratonin boosters and smelling salts into the lyrics!

19.  My Number (Foals) - Another one that has been getting a lot of play on the radio - but I love its new-wave beat.

So that's April!  Assuming the pollen doesn't kill me - I'll see you in May!

Brant's March 2013 Playlist

When's the last time we had a good, old fashioned hippie singalong?  Greeting the morning starshine in the Age of Aquarius!  It seems like forever, but your wait is over.  This month's playlist is chock full of groovy 1960's sounds.  I wasn't actively searching for them, but that's what I ended up with.  Several of this month's selections seem to be teaching the world to sing as they channel "Godspell" and the Mamas and the Papas.  I'm not sure if it is the recent success of acts like Mumford & Sons, The Avett Brothers and The Black Keys - but it seems like Americana and roots rock is also making a comeback.  So why fight it?  Let's strap on our macrame' headbands, put on our brightest tie-dyes, and enjoy!  To listen on Spotify, click HERE.

1.  Buried (Family of the Year) - Catchy vocals espousing hokey spirituality gets us going.  I hope they have a big coffin!

2.  Kissing You Goodbye (The Pierces) - If someone had told me this was a long-lost Mamas & Papas recording, I would have believed them!  Gorgeous harmonies and a great melody from two Alabama sisters.

3.  Because I Know That I Can (Andy Burrows) - I had "Hometown" on January's playlist, and now he's back with this mellow groove from the same album.

4.  Little Numbers (Boy) - Swiss/German band serves up some early-Cure sounding pop (think "Love Cats" with female vocals).

5.  Halleluiah Man (Love and Money) - Every now and then I find a song I missed the first time around.  This showed up on Traxx FM's 80's channel and I loved it.

6.  Sweet Life (Frank Ocean) - The man won a Grammy AND beat Chris Brown!  #winning

7.  Yellow Gold (Andy Allo) - Produced by PRINCE!!!  You can definitely hear his influence on this funky/jazzy tune.  Looks like she got into Sheila E's wardrobe for the album cover!

8.  Middle of the Night (Lilly Wood & the Prick) - I was expecting punk rock when I saw the name of the band, but it's actually disco!

9.  Ten Thousand Angels (Mindy McCready) - This tragic country singer committed suicide last month, following the suicide of her baby-daddy.  This is a re-recording of her 1996 hit, from her final album.

10.  A Case of You (James Blake) - As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm obsessed with the music feed on Facebook.  This was one I saw my friend Desiree listening to - and immediately sought out.  The vocals are very similar to Antony Hegarty (of Antony & the Johnsons), which works perfectly on Joni Mitchell's classic ballad.  Thanks, Desiree!!!

11.  Love Is Easy (McFly) - Because I'd never go a month without a boy-band.  One of the UK's biggest boy bands recorded three new tunes for their Greatest Hits CD, "Memory Lane".  This is the first of them.  J'adore.  NOTE:  If you don't see this on Spotify, but you can listen to it on Soundcloud at https://soundcloud.com/ligia-savoine/love-is-easy-mcfly

12.  Bruises (Train featuring Ashley Monroe) - I wasn't a huge fan of "Drive By", which sounded a little too pop/generic for my tastes.  This is the follow-up single, which sounds a little truer to their legacy of hits like "Hey Soul Sister" and "Calling All Angels", IMHO.

13.  Lost in My Bedroom (Sky Ferreira) - Another poached song - this one is from Zach.  Featuring female vocals over Euro-influenced electronic beats, it kinda reminds me of early Berlin and Terri Nunn.

14.  The Great Divide (The Mowgli's) - Hey, the hippies are back again!  Upbeat, groovy rock in the style of Canned Heat.  Let's hop in the VW Bus and roadtrip!

15.  In It Together (Human Life) - Perfect for strutting down the runway in your fiercest couture (or at least practicing for the day you might).

16.  From Nowhere (Dan Croll) - Icy anthem from Liverpool up-and-comer who has worked with Sir Paul McCartney, while attending the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts!

17.  Circles Around the Sun (Dispatch) - Upbeat folk-rock from recently reunited Boston band.

18.  Restless Heart (Matt Hires) - More adrenaline-charged folk-rock, this time from Tampa, Florida singer-songwriter Matt Hires.

19.  Up Against the Wall (Fiction Family) - Winding down our March playlist is this easy ballad from hybrid band Fiction Family, made up of members from Switchfoot and Nickel Creek.  "Our love is a puzzle that can't be solved..." Been there, done that!

So that's March!  Hope everyone has a great month.  See you in April!

Brant's February 2013 Playlist

Ahhhhh February!  That magical time of year when our minds turn to romance and we put our future in a rodent's hands.  I'm happy to say, I've found some new tunes to go with your Valentine's and Groundhog's Day festivities.  Hope you like!  To listen on Spotify click HERE.

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!