Lost Things Found

If you like Ryan Adams, thank The Faces

2012-01-29T12:36:00.000-08:00

I could write reams about the chameleon-esque tendencies of enigmatic rocker Ryan Adams and the debt he owes to a wide swath of early rock and soul pioneers. (In fact, I did write a very comprehensive review of my favorite of Adams's albums, 2001's Gold. It is still available online here.)

But today, let's talk about a very specific debt Adams owes to Rod Stewart who, along with the rest of the lineup that called themselves The Faces, made four albums that have gone on to influence countless bands that followed, though they were never particularly commercially successful.

The Faces evolved in 1969 from an earlier incarnation called The Small Faces. It was not until they added Stewart and a pre-Rolling Stones Ron Wood to the lineup (and dropped the "Small" from their name) that they really hit their stride. They only released a handful of albums together before Stewart's burgeoning superstardom did them in -- their 1973 album Oooh La La, with its legendary cover art, was their last offering as a group.

But to this day, their influence is undeniable, and can be heard distinctly in at least one of the tracks Ryan Adams laid down on Gold.

Listen first to The Faces' biggest commercial hit, "Oooh La La," paying particular attention to the acoustic guitar lick immediately following the words "Oooh La La," which are finally uttered for the first time toward the end of the song:

Now listen to Ryan Adams sing "Rescue Blues":

You should immediately be able to pick out a very familiar guitar lick, this time played on an electric guitar, but repeated throughout the song like a kind of love letter to The Faces and 1973. The whole album is a love letter to a bygone era and this connection is just one small homage, but it is possibly my favorite moment on the album for its obvious reverence. So, if you like Ryan Adams (this song, at least), thank The Faces.

If you like Adele, thank Etta James

2012-01-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

Legendary blues singer Etta James passed away yesterday at the age of 73 (remarkably just three days after the death of Johnny Otis, the man who first discovered her singing with a girl-group called the Creolettes as a teenager.) Her incredible talent sustained a six-decade-long career and produced one of the biggest blues hits of all time, the inimitable "At Last." Her influence on modern music is probably immeasurable. She laid the groundwork for an entire generation of female R&B artists, and has been immortalized on film by no less than Beyonce in the greatly underappreciated movie, Cadillac Records.

But perhaps no current artist owes a greater creative debt to Etta James than Adele. Adele has had enormous success in the past few years by adhering very closely to the blueprint that Etta James first set down in the 1950s: throaty, impassioned vocals mixed with symphonic blues arrangements.

Take for example, the song "Turning Tables" from her latest album, 21:

Listen to the strings arrangement. The sad, defiant lyrics. The throaty push of her husky vocal tone. (This in particular is pure homage to Etta James, right down to the signature glottal rasp.)

Now compare that to Etta's 1961 hit "Fool That I Am:"

This song is rhythmically smoother than almost any Adele song (it was made for an era when men and women still swayed in each other's arms on dance floors occasionally), but otherwise every element of Adele's interpretation can be traced to this song, and others just like it.

Etta James was unparalleled at channeling raw emotion through her voice, a mantle that Adele has assumed, and which (I would argue) is the key to her success. So if you like Adele, thank Etta James. May she rest in peace.

If you like Mumford & Sons, thank... America

2012-01-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

I think it's fair to say that the band America is best remembered (if they are remembered at all) for their 1972 AM radio hit "Horse with No Name," which is somewhat unfortunate, as that song has not aged as well as the rest of their catalog. That particular song sounds more trite and gimmicky now than it did when it was released, whereas the rest of their songs achieve a timeless blend of acoustic hooks and breezy vocal harmonies that evoke 70s-era California in the best possible way.

No song better illustrates their appealing folk-pop sound than "Ventura Highway," from their 1973 release Homecoming:

In this song, you hear a driving rhythmic insistence, complex minor-to-major chord progressions, a perpetual, jangly background guitar and beautiful vocal harmonies employed only on the choruses.

And if you're thinking any of that sounds familiar, it may have something to do with Mumford & Sons. Listen now to the ubiquitous "Little Lion Man" from their 2009 release Sigh No More:

Again you hear a driving rhythmic insistence paired with complex chord progressions. Again you hear beautiful vocal harmonies employed primarily on the choruses. And where America used a jangly, high-capoed guitar, Mumford & Sons famously uses a banjo to achieve the very same sound.

(It bears noting that America has influenced many bands that have come since. Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger cites them as a huge influence and even helped to produce their 2007 "comeback" album Here & Now.)

So if you like Mumford & Sons, remember... thank America.

If you like The Avett Brothers, thank The Band

2012-01-09T19:19:00.000-08:00

The now-iconic Canadian rock band was still called The Hawks when they first met Bob Dylan in 1965, but by the time he asked them to join his tour as backing band later that year, they had already become simply The Band. In the roughly eight years they performed together under that name, The Band (including prolific songwriters Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm) amassed an extensive catalog of songs, all of which combined R&B-based rock and roll with Southern folk-country to forge a new sound that complemented the direction Dylan had taken since going electric.

It's a recipe that still works today, as evidenced by The Avett Brothers. Listen, for example, to "And It Spread" from their 2009 album I and Love and You:

That slight twang in the vocals. The confident, almost defiant acoustic guitar rhythm. The mournful, wandering fiddle line.

Now listen to The Band's version of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," from their self-titled 1969 album,(a song written by Robertson and covered extensively ever since):

You'll hear the same twang in the vocals. The very same confident, defiant acoustic guitar (right down to the same rhythmic structure.) No mournful fiddle here, but a mournful, wandering harmonica instead.

This was the album that elevated The Band to the pantheon of classic rock gods, influencing all of their peers and, subsequently, countless bands that would follow. Including, evidently, the Avett Brothers. So if you like the Avett Brothers, remember... thank The Band.

If you like Fleet Foxes, thank Crosby, Stills & Nash

2012-01-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

The term "supergroup" didn't quite exist yet in 1969, when Crosby, Stills & Nash released their debut album. But if it had, they certainly would have qualified. All veterans of other successful rock bands of the early and mid-60s, the three founding members of CSN (they would not add Neil Young to the roster until later that year) pioneered a lush, vocally harmonic, folk-rock sound that continues to influence the most cutting-edge bands today.

Case in point? Fleet Foxes.

Listen first to "Bedouin Dress" off of Fleet Foxes' 2011 release, Helplessness Blues:

Listen to the acoustic guitar, the ever-expanding harmonies, the melody and the lyrics reminiscent of an old English folk song.

Now compare it to CSN's "Helplessly Hoping" from their self-titled debut in 1969:

The arrangement is a little more spare, yes. But you'll hear the same acoustic guitar, and most importantly you'll hear the same hauntingly gorgeous vocal harmonies, harmonies that were first adapted and perfected by this group. CSN builds toward a musical peak at "We are one... We are for each other," using the power of stacked vocal harmonies. Similarly, Fleet Foxes build toward a musical peak at the line "One Day at Innisfree," opting to drop out all the instruments at that point and let the vocal harmonies ring out a cappella.

Because in both cases, when vocals are this beautiful, nothing else is necessary.

If you like Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., thank the Rolling Stones

2012-01-05T08:09:00.000-08:00

One of the inalienable truths about music is that it all comes from somewhere; even the most revolutionary, innovative new sound will ultimately reveal an influence in something that has come before. But with the rapid cross-pollination of sound enabled by the explosion of music in the internet era, those influences are sometimes lost, or forgotten, or overlooked. So welcome to a new feature here at Lost Things Found: If you like __________, thank ___________.

To start the series, take a listen to this charming Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. song, "Simple Girl:"

That whistling! The ringing glock! The whimsical lyrics! The expanding harmonies! The polyphonic themes!

Where have we heard this before? Well, if you like "Simple Girl," by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., you can thank... the Rolling Stones.

Listen now to "She's a Rainbow," from the Rolling Stones' 1967 album, Their Satanic Majesties' Request:

Sound familiar? Where you hear whistling in Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.'s version, the Stones play a ringing piano. There are "ooohs" instead of "da-das," yes. But the overall effect? Almost exactly the same song, right down to the lyrical content, "She's a simple girl" vs. "She's a rainbow." And in either incarnation, regardless, she's got a great song.

It's not summer without Fountains of Wayne

2011-06-29T21:11:00.000-07:00

It appears I am going to have to make my peace with my least-favorite month of the year, because on Aug. 2, the new Fountains of Wayne album, Sky Full of Holes, will be released by Yep Roc (love that band, love that label!). Thanks to the ever-wonderful NPR Music, you can listen to a track from the new album right now here.

In the meantime, I highly recommend listening to every other Fountains of Wayne song ever recorded, as they are all little triumphs of power pop confection ideally suited to the summertime.

Need help getting started? Dig deeper than "Stacy's Mom" and "Hey Julie" (though those are both great) with one of my favorites, "Red Dragon Tattoo:"

Live from George, Washington

2011-05-31T14:01:00.000-07:00

If you're anything like me, the music part of the summer music festivals sounds great, but the heat, crowds and camping is enough to make you barricade yourself in your air-conditioned apartment for three months. Thanks to NPR, those of us with nature aversions don't have to miss out on last weekend's Sasquatch Festival in George, Washington (yes, it's really called that.) NPR has archived many of the live performances on this page.

I'm particularly excited about Wilco, Death Cab for Cutie, Iron and Wine, and Sharon Jones, but with so many to choose from, you're bound to find something you love. Enjoy!

Cameron Crowe on Bob Dylan

2011-05-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

Today is Bob Dylan's 70th birthday. To honor the man who transformed popular music, Rolling Stone devoted an entire issue to him, including a piece on the "70 Greatest Dylan Songs" in honor of his milestone birthday.

My favorite Dylan song, hands down, is "Buckets of Rain":

And who did Rolling Stone tap to do the write-up on my favorite Dylan song? Why, my favorite filmmaker, writer and music lover - Cameron Crowe! You can read the full write-up on his website here. Cameron is insightful and eloquent, as always, but I particularly love the simple way he explains his love of this song: "Any room I’ve ever played it in has changed as a result." I feel exactly the same way.

Where Soul Meets Body

2011-05-06T10:34:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with Death Cab for Cutie the same way I fell in love with Wilco: at first I heard them in passing and thought they were totally nice, but we ended up going our separate ways. And then, years later, I woke up with one of their songs turning pages in my brain over and over again, so I looked them up again and fell madly, deeply, passionately in love.

I am eagerly awaiting the release of their newest album at the end of this month (see previous post), but while we wait...

Today for one day only, you can download their debut album Plans at Amazon for only $3.99. This includes arguably their first hit (if you can call any of their impeccably crafted songs "hits"), Soul Meets Body, as well as the darkly liminal I Will Follow You Into the Dark. I think my favorite from this album might be Crooked Teeth, however:

This fire grows higher

2011-04-29T21:07:00.000-07:00

Eagerly awaiting the release of the new Death Cab for Cutie album at the end of May - only one more month to wait! In the meantime, I've had the early-release single "You Are a Tourist" on repeat.

In case you missed it a couple of weeks ago, they shot a video for this song in a rather ingenious way - they did the entire video (replete with laser light show, confetti and Busby Berkely-esque showgirls) in one take and simultaneously broadcast it via their website. The result is whimsical, witty and infused with a certain live-theater energy:

Pre-order the new album here, if you're so inclined.

All the other kids

2011-04-19T20:18:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, dear invisible followers, I give you measured, fascinating music history or carefully researched reviews or advice on festivals and touring bands. And sometimes I just tell you, "Listen to this song. It's wonderful." This is one of those times.

Check out Foster the People singing "Pumped Up Kicks":

Buy the EP here. And special thanks to WXRT, where I heard it first.

Radio Louisville

2011-04-18T20:12:00.000-07:00

I have to confess I've been in a bit of a musical rut lately. It happens to the best of us - you hit a point where everything you hear suddenly sounds unremarkable and uninspired and you can't figure out what genre of music you're craving, you just know nothing is quite right. Indie seems too lo-fi or quirky or groove-less; classic rock feels too familiar, expected, predictable; singer/songwriter is too cliche, chamber pop is too cacophonous... and on and on.

As is often the case with ruts of any kind, sometimes the cure is simply a change of scenery. Which is why I was so happy to re-discover 91.9 WFPK Radio Louisville on a recent trip to the bluegrass state.

If you agree with my theory that all music is local, then you'll understand what I mean when I say that WFPK just sounds like Kentucky. Their DJs create the perfect playlists of Americana, roots rock, bluegrass, indie, jazz, folk... endless combinations of music and yet everything flows beautifully from one song to the next. As a wise friend explained it to me, "WFPK is just always perfect for every moment. They're like your own personal soundtrack, and they are never wrong."

And suddenly, listening to these perfect playlists, my musical rut disappeared. I once again found myself hastily scribbling the names of songs or bands while stopped at stoplights, desperate to hear more from every band that caught my ear - Walk the Moon, Wild Sweet Orange, the new TV on the Radio, Foster the People. I once again have a whole mental queue of music to investigate.

Even better, WFPK is a listener-supported station, which means that in non-pledge times, it is almost completely ad-free. And you're in luck - they stream online as well. If you're in need of new inspiration, this is an excellent place to start. And then if you love it as I do, consider becoming one of those listeners that supports. Because no matter where you live, Radio Louisville makes the world a better place, and we should all be so lucky as to be able to keep it around for a long time.

I just wanna let it shine

2011-04-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

Songcrush confession: Sheryl Crow's "Summer Day" is like pure honey on a sunshine-y day, and I just can't get enough of it right now:

In fact, the whole album is great. 100 Miles from Memphis was released last summer and feels like a timeless classic rock gem. You'll hear the influence of the Rolling Stones, Bob Marley, Motown and Mellencamp, among others, but always in that inimitable Sheryl Crow style, which often doesn't get enough respect in my opinion. This is a very smooth, solid record and the perfect complement to warmer weather. Need a backyard barbecue soundtrack, perhaps?

Who cares if you disagree?

2010-09-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

I can't seem to stop listening to Sara Bareilles' new single, "King of Anything," this week:

Those hand claps! That effervescent right hand on the piano! Those ascending, harmonic "Oh! Oh!"s!

Lost Things Found is eagerly awaiting the release of her new album next week...

Top 10: $5 downloads

2010-08-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

The always-wonderful Amazon mp3 digital downloads store has expanded its usual selection of monthly $5 downloads from 100 to 1,000 (yes... 1,000!) for the month of August only. With so much great music to choose from, where to start?

Here's the official Lost Things Found list of top 10 recommendations:

10. Huey Lewis and the News, Greatest Hits - This selection should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me, but for those still skeptical, I have one retort:

9. Nikka Costa, Everybody Got Their Something - In 2005, with very little fanfare, Nikka Costa put out this album, one of the best electronic soul albums of the 2000s. The title track found its way into a variety of movies and TV shows, but the whole album is strong. Fun fact: Costa is the god-daughter of Frank Sinatra.

8. Corinne Bailey Rae, Self-Titled - The first time I heard "Put Your Records On," I was in Louisville, KY and it came on an independent radio station and literally stopped me in my tracks. There have been a lot of imitators to Corinne Bailey Rae's sultry jazz, neo-soul sound, but this is still the best.

7. Steve Miller Band, Greatest Hits 1974-1978 - Summer is the perfect time for classic rock, yes, but there's something completely timeless about Steve Miller Band as well. This collection gets you all the big hits, plus my favorite, "Dance, Dance, Dance":

6. Donavon Frankenreiter, Revisited - Frankenreiter's laid-back surf-folk music gets even more laid-back from ukelele-heavy Hawaiian reinterpretation. There is no better music to unwind to - you can practically hear the waves in the background. Here's the original, un-Hawaii version of "Free":

5. Tallest Man on Earth, The Wild Hunt - I wrote about this awesome debut album from the Swedish folky a few months ago. It's reminiscent of my favorite Dylan song - thoughtful, melodic and lovely from start to finish. Listen to the beauty of "Thousand Ways" live:

4. Peter Bradley Adams, Traces - The former half of the folk duo eastmountainsouth struck out on a solo career a few years ago, and this album captures everything that's wonderful about his music. Beautiful harmonies and layers, good songwriting and a sound that's almost wistful. Here's "I Cannot Settle Down" live:

3. Lauryn Hill, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Before we knew the term neo-soul, Lauryn Hill was making amazing neo-soul music, mixing in rap and hip-hop and somehow managing to keep everything perfectly balanced. It's 12 years later, and this album still sounds as fresh as it did the day it dropped. Here's "To Zion" from the 41st Grammy Awards (featuring Carlos Santana):

2. Sondre Lerche, Two Way Monologue - Something about Sondre Lerche's music reminds me of the Beatles circa "Norwegian Wood." It's charming and quirky and melodic and full of interesting layers. It's also damn catchy. Here's the title track:

1. Boston, self-titled debut - Admittedly, I'm on a bit of a Boston kick right now. I feel they are ripe for revival. And is there any purer joy of rock and roll that "Rock and Roll Band"?

And there are so many more! Albums by Stars, Mumford and Sons, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Phoenix, Belle & Sebastian, Spoon, M. Ward, Regina Spektor, Andrew Bird, Paper Tongues, VV Brown, My Morning Jacket, The Bird and the Bee and so, so, so many more! Happy music hunting!

You know that you can't fake it

2010-08-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

I have a friend at work who tells me that he thinks he was born in the wrong era - he'd feel more comfortable sporting the classic styles and debonair demeanor of the early 1960s. Good news for him: Eli "Paperboy" Reed provides the perfect soundtrack for this.

Reed has single-handedly revived Motown - you'll hear Sam Cooke, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, the Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder and the Temptations all in one of Reed's inspired wails. Except this music is brand-new and this kid is white, but you'd never know it to listen to him. He's already caught the ear of some heavy hitters, including LTF favorite Daryl Hall, who invited Reed to appear on a recent episode of Live from Daryl's House. Reed performed "It's Uncanny" with Hall from the Hall and Oates repertoire as well as several hits from his debut album:

But the best news of all is that Reed's sophomore album is out today and is streaming free on Spinner. And oh my... get ready to fall in love. There isn't a stumble or a mood-killer on the whole album. It is pure, heart-lifting vintage rock and soul from start to finish. An early contender for favorite would be "Come and Get It", (not least of all for the subtle similarities to Brenton Wood's infectious"The Oogum Boogum Song"):

And when you can't get enough of Reed and his band, the True Loves, head over to Amazon to download Reed's debut album for just $5. Slim suit and martini optional, but definitely encouraged.

Scanning the dial and searching the sky

2010-06-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

When I was a freshman in college, I bought tickets to see Shawn Colvin live in Columbus, Ohio. But thanks to poor planning on my part, I never made it to that show. It took me 13 years, but last weekend I finally righted that unfortunate misstep when I took my mom to Shawn's 10 o'clock solo acoustic show at the Old Town School of Folk.

She's totally wonderful by herself on a stage. Her wit and self-deprecating humor are endearing and entertaining and her songs are spare and stunning and powerful. But the thing that really stands out when you hear her play live is what a truly brilliant cover artist she is. I suppose I shouldn't be so surprised by that, since my introduction to her music was through her 1994 album Cover Girl, which featured Shawn's reworkings of other people's songs.

On Saturday, we were treated to two songs written by Robbie Robertson of The Band, "Acadian Driftwood" and "Twilight," (which is featured on Cover Girl), as well as the Talking Heads' "Naive Melody (This Must Be the Place)" (also on Cover Girl). And then she pulled out a gorgeously sad version of Simon and Garfunkel's masterpiece "America," which she informed us she had recently performed as a duet with Paula Cole at the Summerstage fundraiser in Central Park last week. (That fundraiser is another story entirely -- it paired modern folkies and tasked them with recreating a Simon and Garfunkel hit. She told us that Loudon Wainwright and his daughter Lucy did "Bleecker Street" and Aimee Mann and "some guy I don't remember" (John Roderick) did "Only Living Boy in New York," maybe? Must have been amazing.)

She often jokes that her songs tend toward the depressing and melancholy, and what makes her such a good cover artist is that she is able to draw out the emotional heart of other people's songs in much the same way. In her cover of "America," for instance, I've never really heard the line, "'Kathy, I'm lost,' I said, though I knew she was sleeping/ 'I'm empty and aching and I don't know why'" in quite the way I heard it when Shawn sang it. And her version of Dylan's "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" is still the definitive version, as far as I'm concerned. (Listen to that and "Naive Melody" on her MySpace page.)

And I had heard Joni Mitchell's "River" a thousand times but I never really knew what the song was about until I heard Shawn's plaintive voice sing, "I'm so hard to handle/ I'm selfish and I'm sad/ Now I've gone and lost the best baby that I ever had."

Of course, her own songs are wonderful as well. I was particularly impressed on Saturday with "Wichita Skyline." I haven't been able to get it out of my head. Here she is performing it at Lilith Fair in 1997:

And listening to it live, I heard "Polaroids" in a whole new way as well. It's a much sadder song than it sounds on the album. Here is a comparable performance from a couple of years ago:

She & Him in the sun

2010-06-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

I had the excellent opportunity to hear She & Him free in Millenium Park last night, and came away a bigger fan than ever before. Sure, I've always enjoyed their twee, vintage-60s-pop-meets-classic-country-meets-surf-music vibe, but hearing them live, I realized this is no throwback vanity project. Adding in some extended solos and a big backbeat to many of the songs in their normally kitschy, short-but-sweet repertoire made for a rocking live-music experience. (I couldn't actually see the stage, but had an amazing view nonetheless!)

They played most of the songs from their two albums, Volume One and Volume Two, and threw in a couple of showstopping covers as well, including two favorites of mine, Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven" and Joni Mitchell's "You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio." As an encore, the amazingly talented Zooey Deschanel tore up a version of Screamin' Jay Hawkins'"I Put a Spell On You."

Head to the She & Him MySpace page to hear a couple of songs from the new Volume Two as well as favorites from Volume One. Then watch the charming video for my favorite Volume Two song, In the Sun:

She & Him - In The Sun from Merge Records on Vimeo.

As a bonus, here's video from the Millenium Park show of one of my favorite She & Him songs from the first album, "Sentimental Heart." Could she be any more adorable?

Troubles will be gone

2010-06-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

A little over a week ago, I made the fun-but-inadvisable decision to stay out WAY past my bedtime on a schoolnight, and as a result, I missed the Tallest Man on Earth show at Lincoln Hall the next night, which everyone has assured me was one of the best concerts ever performed in public. Of course, it was inevitable that it would be. The modern Bob Dylan-with-a-melodic-bent could not disappoint.

I fell in love with the Swedish folksinger's debut album, The Wild Hunt, a few months ago… and I fell hard. His voice may take some getting used to for those who are not huge Dylan fans. (He definitely affects a Dylanesque gravelly delivery in his own unique tenor.) But the melodies are so instantly beautiful and the ringing guitar tone (punctuated by mandolin and a handful of other acoustic instruments) so clear, this is modern folk at its absolute best, truest, most lovely. (Occasionally, the songs remind me of early Simon and Garfunkel in their simplicity and purity, and Woody Guthrie in their timeless lyrics.)

Listen to the rollicking "King of Spain" on TMOE's MySpace page.

And then check out the two encore numbers from the show I missed last week, both Dylan covers: "I'll Keep it With Mine" and "The Man in Me."

Truly gorgeous. Learn from my mistake, LTF-ers. See him as soon as possible.

---
"I simply lost the words to tell you I'm afraid" - From "Troubles Will Be Gone"

Nothing but a miracle

2010-05-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

Last night is likely the closest I will ever come to seeing Joni Mitchell live in concert. Or Carole King. Or Laura Nyro. As my musical heroines have mostly given up touring (or in Nyro's case, passed on to angelic choirs of the great beyond), I gladly turn to a new generation of musical genius. I had the good fortune of seeing Diane Birch at Park West last in a surprisingly intimate show (I think there were about 100 of us in the audience) and she completely blew me away. I even got to meet her after the show, and she is both clever and gracious in the way you hope your musical idols will be:

I have been in love with her debut album Bible Belt since it came out last October. From the minute I heard the first notes, I was transported to a golden era where soul music and a folk-based, singer-songwriter genre intermingled. Or to quote my friend Emily, who attended the show with me last night, "It's such a throwback sound, but it's vintage in a way that's never been done before."

Even more reason to love her? She's a favorite of Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates). Check out this full ep of Live from Daryl's House featuring Birch. (They mostly cover songs from Birch's album, but throw in a great rendition of Hall & Oates' "Fall in Philadelphia" and a transcendent version of a forgotten Aretha Franklin gem, "Daydreamin'":

The video for her single "Valentino" is adorably clever as well:

Above all is just the sheer power of the music, at turns soulful, rollicking and contemplative. Last night, she opened with a rocking version of "Choo Choo" and played through the entire album with so much passion that we were left somewhat dumbfounded. There was even a soulful, extended cover of Hall and Oates' "Rich Girl"... pure heaven. (And that gorgeous white Rhodes keyboard throughout the whole show was pitch-perfect!) If you get the chance to see her live, do yourself the favor. Top 10 show.

The city resonates; we hum along

2010-05-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

I used to play the bells in high school and college (for those who lack a certain concert-band savvy, "the bells" are a lot like the xylophone, but with metal keys – the marching version of the bells is better known as the glockenspiel, or the "glock" in nerd parlance), and as a result I am somewhat partial to pop music that incorporates that character-building instrument. Also, you know I like happy music, and there is no such thing as a sad song that features the bells.

For this reason, and many others, I am love love loving the debut album from The Paper Raincoat. Thanks to the ever-wonderful Paste Magazine, you can stream the whole album right now and even download the first two tracks, the charming "Right Angles" and "Sympathetic Vibrations." Each week, they will give away another track from the album, so collect come back often enough and you'll collect the entire album! (If you can't wait that long, go ahead and download it here.

The sound is alternately lush and symphonic and then charmingly intimate, full orchestra with strings one moment, then pizzicato violins and the bells ringing out happily the next. Gorgeous layered harmonies between Amber Rubarth and Alex Wong keep the music from sounding too twee.

I am totally and completely smitten with the album's only a cappella song, "Rewind." You just have to hear it to understand. In the meantime, check out a live performance of the excellent "Brooklyn Blurs" on the Luxury Wafers Sessions:

Turn it up to 10, and start it up again

2010-05-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

You all know how much I love Hall & Oates (counting the days until their concert at the Chicago Theatre this summer!), so how could I resist checking out The Bird and the Bee's Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates, which is currently a $5 download at Amazon?

But I was also nervous that, like so many cover songs, this would not be able to hold a candle to the original. So I was very pleasantly surprised to discover that The Bird and the Bee's Greg Kurstin and Inara George must be equally big fans of Hall and Oates as I. How else could they have so wisely chosen to record mostly 80s-era H&O, which lends itself brilliantly to the subtly updated electronic-pop arrangements? How else could George's gorgeously lilting vocals so perfectly match - note for note! - Daryl's Hall's sexy phrasing?

Listen to "Heard It on the Radio" at their MySpace page.

And then check out this live performance of "Sara Smile" (and catch an adorably pregnant Inara George!):

Still all I got is love for you

2010-05-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

I've missed you, LTF-ers! Life got crazy for a bit there, but I'm back. And there's so much wonderful music to talk about.

Let's start with Tyler James's fantastic It Took the Fire. Gorgeous 70s-style, soul-infused pop straight out of Nashville.

According to James's MySpace page, the album was recorded on a piano once played by Elvis. Like fellow vintage soul-pop-folk songstress Diane Birch (more on her later), the sound is both authentic and fresh at the same time, and the sound is appealingly organic and analog-sounding in a digital world. You can practically hear the needle drop at the beginning of the record.

An early standout track is the phenomenal "All I Got." Check out this live in-studio recording using only an old-school Casio keyboard for accompaniment:

PS. Thanks Paste Sampler!

Bill Joel, 1978

2010-03-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

Let us not forget, despite the sad downward spiral that is his life and career, that Billy Joel is an INCREDIBLY talented man:

Free Download Tuesday

2009-10-13T09:04:00.000-07:00

Those of you who follow the blog know of my love/hate relationship with Coldplay. I kind of can't stand their bloated, self-important whiny Brit-pop, but then they come out with "Viva La Vida," which I have always grudgingly admitted is the greatest pop single of the past decade.

Due to my Coldplay-centric inner conflict, I have never actually purchased a Coldplay album, but now that Coldplay is offering a free download of their new live album as a thank-you to fans, I am powerless to resist. (I am a sucker for a free download, and this one does feature a live version of "Viva.")

Follow this link to download leftrightleftrightleft.

And while we're on the subject of free downloads, Vampire Weekend's first single from their upcoming album is available via this link, thanks to the greatest radio station in the world, 93 XRT.

Live from Austin, via Hulu

2009-10-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

If you couldn't make it to the Austin City Limits festival this year, Hulu is here to rescue you. They're currently streaming live and delayed performances from Austin via this link. Today's schedule includes Airborne Toxic Event, Bon Iver and The Decemberists. Tomorrow look for Passion Pit, Ben Harper and the Relentless 7, and the B-52s, among others.

I've heard Hulu also plan to compile a "Best Of..." selection on Monday as well. It's the next best thing to fighting the heat and crowds in Texas. Or... maybe even better?

A thousand hugs from 10,000 lightning bugs

2009-09-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

Scanning the Red Eye today, I saw that Grey's Anatomy darling Kate Havnevick was opening for a band called Owl City last night at Metro in Chicago. Intrigued, I headed over to Owl City's Myspace Page and was quickly blown away.

Bright Eyes-style, Owl City appears to be the name of a one-man band, and that one man is Adam Young, a Minnesota native who creates the perfect poptronica sound I've been hoping for in other bands like Phoenix, Mute Math, and Passion Pit but have always been slightly disappointed by. Until now.

Among Young's listed inspirations are Imogen Heap, Sigur Ros, Cary Grant and optimism, four of my favorite things, so I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised that I love every single track I've heard so far. Young has a very similar voice to Ben Gibbard's (of Death Cab and Postal Service, among other indie exploits), but unlike Gibbard, Young uses his child-like, speak-songish tenor to perfect effect, balancing it with clean, light, happy, major-key electronic pop arrangements that get in your ears and bounce around happy in your brain for hours.

Further research revealed that Owl City's major-label debut album, Ocean Eyes, has a perfect five-star rating from 73 reviewers on Amazon, and the show at Metro was sold out last night, so the secret is out on Young, and yet somehow no one has ever heard of Owl City yet, either. If you fall into the latter camp, do yourself a favor and fix that situation.

Check out this witty video for "Fireflies" (it features a Speak 'N Spell!).

If he wanna rock, he rocks; if he wanna roll, he rolls...

2009-09-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

One big benefit to Conan taking over the Tonight Show is that the musical guests seem to have come up a notch. I caught Eric Hutchinson there, on an otherwise unremarkable Friday night a couple of months ago, and fell in love so instantly and totally that I went out and bought his album without hearing another track on it. I was not disappointed.

On Sounds Like This..., Hutchinson combines the neo-Rat Pack vocal stylings of Michael Buble or Jamie Cullum with an irresistible, acoustic singer-songwriter pop sound with hooks that don't quit.

Favorites include the album opener "Ok, It's Alright with Me," a musical Zen meditation that hints at the difficulties Hutchinson faced in putting out this album (hint: it took over five years and three labels,) "Food Chain," and "Rock & Roll", (which in my opinion would make an excellent soundtrack for another obsession of mine, "Gossip Girl.")

Don't believe me? Watch the video for "Rock & Roll" and fall in love yourself.

James Taylor Live at 1

2009-08-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

I find it absolutely impossible to pick a single desert-island disc, so instead I often play the Desert-Island Artist game: If you had to pick one artist whose entire discography you could bring with you on the desert island, who would it be? I still can't really choose, but for me, James Taylor would definitely be on the short-list.

Check out his intimate, acoustic set for the Borders Live at 1 series and you'll hear why - basically it's because I feel fine anytime he's around me.

The setlist includes interviews as well as "Something in the Way She Moves," "Suzanne," "Carolina in My Mind," "Secret o'Life," "Sweet Baby James," and "Mexico." The perfect soundtrack for August.

Truth Be Told

2009-06-17T19:01:00.000-07:00

They're streaming the debut from Dublin-based R&B singer Laura Ibizor over at AOL Music and it's definitely worth a listen. It's a flawlessly produced combination of soul, gospel, classic R&B and pop, perfect for lazy summer nights with all the windows open.

Unlike some of the other soul-infused efforts to come out of the British Isles recently, this doesn't feel nostalgic - it's perfectly current and yet timeless at the same time. Check it out.

Help save Paste!

2009-05-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

Those of you who follow the blog regularly know of my undying devotion to Paste Magazine. They have impeccable musical taste and they love to share new music with their readership - every single issue of Paste comes with a 20-song sampler of new music. I've discovered some of my favorite new bands thanks to those editorial ears.

But right now, Paste needs our help! It would only take $1 from every single person on their email list to keep the magazine alive through the current economic crisis, and as an incentive to make a donation, Paste has posted more than 70 exclusive music tracks that all become yours - FREE! - when you make a donation to help keep Paste alive.

It is a star-studded roster of indie music, all yours for FREE when you donate as little as $1. Pretty amazing, right? Artists include Ben Folds, Bettye LaVette, Brandi Carlile, Cowboy Junkies, G. Love and Special Sauce, Gomez, Greg Laswell, Jamie Lidell, Josh Ritter, Katie Herzig, Loney Dear, Marc Broussard, Matt Nathanson, Meiko, Matthew Sweet, Neko Case, Of Montreal, Over the Rhine, Rosie Thomas, Robert Pollard, She & Him, the Decemberists and SO many more.

All this for as little as $1, and it's for a great cause. So come on, everyone, let's SAVE PASTE!

Somebody's heart is broken and it becomes your favorite song

2009-05-10T20:28:00.000-07:00

I've been nostalgic for high school lately, which led me back to Dave Matthews Band and their first two major-label albums, Under the Table and Dreaming and Crash. It's hard to explain to people now, but at the time, in the atonal, minor-chord angry-pop world of post-grunge, Dave Matthews really did sound revolutionary. His return to complex major key melodies and polyphonic harmonies was such a welcome respite to the simplistic emotive punk of Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Live (et. al.) It's easy to dismiss that contribution now, but it had a major impact on pop music that still resonates 15 years later.

In revisiting this welcome return to musicality, I discovered that Dave Matthews Band has a new album coming out on June 2 called Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, and you can listen to an exclusive track right now on Pandora. The album is a memorial to fallen band member Leroi Moore, and it feels like a return to DMB's earliest material, which was a true collaboration among musical equals.

While there, check out a couple of videos of the band in the studio, where they talk about the difficulty of losing Leroi and how his death brought them all back together in the studio. (Loved the shot of Dave talking about how much "the hippies will love this!")

Only at Pandora. Check it out.

Flying high on life

2009-05-04T18:19:00.000-07:00

From his earliest albums, Ben Folds has always exuded a certain college-rock vibe. (Whatever and Ever Amen provided the soundtrack to an entire month of my freshman year, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.) Capitalizing on that quality, Folds has recruited the help of college students on his latest album, University A Cappella, which is actually a collection of covers of his songs performed by college a cappella groups from around the country.

Groups "auditioned" for the gig by posting video to YouTube - Folds himself picked the winners, who represent UNC-Greensboro, UNC-Chapel Hill, Ohio University, the University of Georgia, Washington University, Sacramento State, the University of Chicago, the University of Colorado, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania at West Chester, the University of Rochester and UW-Eau Claire, as well as one lucky high school in Newton, Mass. Then Folds added two new songs written specifically for the album (he sings all of the parts.)

The result is quirky, it's creative, and it's infectiously likeable, just like the rest of Folds' work. Highlights include "Not the Same," as interpreted by the UNC-Greensboro Spartones, "Landed" as interpreted by the University of Chicago Buffoons and "Fair" as interpreted by the UW-Eau Claire Fifth Element.

If you occasionally find yourself nostalgic (as I do) for the strange tradition that is college a cappella, for that mix of raw vocal power and prankster ridiculousness, then here is the answer.

To hear two songs from the album, visit his MySpace page.

To get an idea of how he recorded the groups and watch a behind-the-scenes look at the college a cappella world, check out this 15-minute "making of" documentary:

Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella! The Documentary

Sometimes the only way is jumping

2009-04-26T18:34:00.000-07:00

I first heard Gavin Degraw several years ago in his very first television appearance, on Last Call with Carson Daly. (I think he and Carson were friends from way back, if I remember correctly, which is how he landed the gig.) I was immediately impressed by his bluesy piano-heavy style, but he didn't even have an album out yet, so I went out and downloaded a bunch of his live stuff.

Of those live songs, one of my absolute favorites was "Dancing Shoes," which has finally made it onto one of his albums - the recently released Free.

Here he is performing a beautifully sleepy version of that song on Regis and Kelly:

I'm also digging his self-titled 2008 album, which is much poppier and heavily produced, in a good way - it's pure ear candy. (This is the album that spawned the radio hit "In Love with a Girl," though I think there are several songs on the album that are even better top-40 radio hit material, such as "Next to Me," "Cop Stop," and "Untamed.")

Degraw's music is such a likeable mix of blue-eyed soul, blues and piano singer-songwriter, it's hard not to love.

As evidence, here's a live version of "Meaning," my favorite song from his first album:

You take it on faith, you take it to the heart

2009-04-14T14:09:00.001-07:00

It may be four hours long, but the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers doc "Runnin' Down a Dream" is the best two nights of television I've spent in a long time. Directed by Peter Bogdanovich, this comprehensive documentary chronicles the entire life of the legendary rock star and his iconic backing band. You'll learn that before they were Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, they were a country-rock band called Mudcrutch (under a slightly different lineup) whose first album tanked hardcore.

The first third of the doc is my favorite - you see the kinetic power of the young band as they go from obscurity to darlings of the British club scene to major American megastars. There is no shortage of sheer magical serendipity in the story of their formation and their initial record contract. You get the feeling that this band was literally destined to be successful.

But the power of the documentary is in its completeness. The story of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers has a little bit of everything - addiction, battles with the record company, creative genius, wild travel, music videos, crazed fans, infighting, reconciliation and, of course, heartbreak. But through it all shines the zen soul of Tom Petty himself, who in his reflections and interviews sounds more like a Buddhist sage than a rock star from the Deep South.

The doc runs so long because Bogdanovich is not afraid to let the music speak for itself. He includes tons of live footage, sometimes whole songs at a time, preferring to let the power of "American Girl," "Free Fallin'," "Learnin' to Fly," "Won't Back Down," and "The Waiting," (among many others) make the point for him.

I was extra thrilled by this doc because, after spending four hours absorbing the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers story, Bogdanovich chooses to close on an anecdote from Eddie Vedder about a joint show they did in Milwaukee - and I just happened to be at that show! (I feel strangely immortalized in film as a result.)

Don't let the long running time scare you away - this doc is not just for diehard fans. In many ways, it tells the story of every rock band and it gives a clear picture of the changes that took place in the music business between the late 1970s and the present day. It is as much a documentary about music history in general as it is about one specific band. (MTV Executive Bill Flanagan is interviewed in this doc and without exception, every single thing he says about the music industry and the Heartbreakers specifically is stunningly insightful.)

As a sample, check out this clip about "The Waiting:"

Seriously, watch the whole doc. And when you're done, make sure you own Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Greatest Hits.

Power Soul Pop

2009-04-05T20:11:00.000-07:00

What ever happened to the Honey Cone? What ever happened to music like this?

Just enjoy the show

2009-03-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

I've been loving the self-titled debut from Australian singer-songwriter Lenka this weekend. The album is a whimsical blend of strings, bells, horns, piano... all with a wry message of realistic heartache in the endearing lyrics. In that way, Lenka reminds me of Aimee Mann, though her voice is much breathier and more melodic than Mann's.

Though this is only her debut, Lenka has garnered tons of critical support. After playing at the prestigious Hotel Cafe in LA (a venue that has launched lots of quirky female singer-songwriters recently), her songs were adopted as media darlings and made the requisite appearance in Gray's Anatomy, among others.

All the accolades are warranted in this case - the sound is happy, catchy indie-pop but the message is deeper than you'd expect. When she sings "The writing's on the wall/ you gave nothing and I gave it all/ But I want something better/ And I won't let this burden bring me down," there is a truth that belies the light poppiness of the music.

Check out her MySpace page to listen to a few of the tracks or watch the video for "The Show."

Happy listening!

Crack the darkest sky wide open

2009-03-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

And speaking of great music in advertising, I saw a sweet Liberty Mutual ad during American Idol tonight that features Hem's "Half Acre" - another amazing indie gem with medieval folk influences. (Is anyone sensing a trend?)

I first heard about Hem thanks to my favorite movie of all time, Elizabethtown. (Hem is not featured on the soundtrack, but they do make an appearance on one of the mixes that Claire makes for Drew's road trip - yes, I'm that geeky for Cameron Crowe movies.)

You can listen to "Half Acre" on their MySpace page, along with a few other songs, all of which make a lovely companion to the Sleepy Rebels.

Maybe unbelievable

2009-03-09T18:37:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this JC Penney ad?

The song is "Unbelievable" by the New York-based Sleepy Rebels and you can listen to two different versions of it on their MySpace page, plus a few other songs by this up-and-coming band. They somehow manage to mix a 1920s radio sound with medieval English folk with indie pop (!) for a result that is totally charming ear candy.

Their album is called World Record - check it out!

The ladies of alt-country

2009-03-02T18:45:00.000-08:00

It's a very fine line for me between the "good" country music (singer/songwriter-style, grassroots-Americana, lyrical alt-country) and the downright twangy, trite and silly "modern country." Here are three women who do it right and do it well:

Tift Merritt

If Marilyn Monroe ever showed up in a dive bar to sing about a man that done her wrong, you'd have Tift Merritt. An airy, adorable voice (and beautiful, fleshly figure!) meets the blues. One of a kind.

Shelby Lynne

Lynne's music can swing wide from angry rocker to quiet folky stuff, always with that hint of alt-country thrown in. This song almost sounds like an old standard, with elements of classic jazz in it. Easily my favorite of her repertoire.

Patty Griffin

Patty Griffin is the total package - that raw, true voice that rises above the simplicity of song and haunts long after the album has stopped. In a world of false emotion, there is nobody more authentic than Patty Griffin. Every song is great. I just picked this one because of the high sound and video quality. Listen to that voice!

Japanese Pop-tacular!

2009-02-19T14:50:00.000-08:00

Japanese pop is having a moment right now and a couple of great songs have crossed my ears this week.

First up it's "Parachute" by Shugo Tokomaru (courtesy of this month's Paste Sampler.) There is something totally infectious and adorable about this song, which is heavy on the bells/xylophone and yet somehow manages to remind me of Sondre Lerche's excellent Dan in Real Life soundtrack at the same time. (A soundtrack I absolutely loved, if you recall.) Tokumaru hails from Tokyo and has a new album out right now called Exit.

Next up is the LA-based Fol Chen. You can listen to their song "No Wedding Cake" on NPR Music. The band's goal of making people dance seems like a good bet in this single, which has some Of Montreal elements blended in with the Japanese-sounding bells/xylophone again. For more Fol Chen, check out their Myspace page.

UK Top 40

2009-02-12T14:18:00.001-08:00

I was listening to the UK Top 40 charts on BBC1 this week and a couple of songs caught my ear.

The Script is an Irish band - their "Break Even" is an instantly likeable pop gem, combining the emotive lyrical power of Howie Day with just a touch of R. Kelly-style r&b/funk in the rhythm.

Also, remember this name: Aussie Daniel Merriweather has collaborated with Mark Ronson and opened for Justin Timberlake and Kanye West - he has his own album coming out in April. His "Change" is in the UK Top 10 this week and it reveals an impeccable blend of British neo-soul (replete with a horn arrangement) and r&b/rap. ("Change" features rapper Wale.) This sound is perfectly fresh, sure to be a big hit in 2009. Remember, you heard it here first.

Listen again: Sonya Kitchell

2009-01-30T18:46:00.000-08:00

We're quickly approaching that time of year when my love of French jazz and pop ratchets into overdrive. (Hello, Valentine's Day - I've missed your delicious chocolate cheesecake and your love of all things pink and heart-shaped.)

To get into the spirit, I've been spinning Sonya Kitchell's Words Came Back to Me.

You may remember a couple of years ago when Starbucks was really pushing this teenage phenom - she was signed to their Hear Music label. I don't know why she didn't catch fire then - she's got a unique, bluesy voice not totally unlike a Duffy or an Amy Winehouse and a sound that segues gently between Madeleine Peyroux and Joss Stone. Absolutely perfect for soundtracks or quiet evenings at home with a honey. So it's the perfect time of year to revisit this underappreciated album.

To get an idea, check out this live performance of "Can't Get You Out of My Mind:"

Pitch perfect: The Kinks

2009-01-28T20:06:00.000-08:00

Long before there was a Vampire Weekend and their self-described "Upper West Side Soweto," there were the Kinks. The crazy, amazing Kinks:

Pete Townshend of the Who (a musical genius in his own right) once said of the Kinks' Ray Davies, "I've often thought he should be made a national treasure." The Kinks pioneered a grittier approach to the British Invasion, combining impeccable three-minute pop hits with dirty guitar licks and imperfect vocals - as a result, they sound pitch perfect among today's indie bands. (And it's not just because they have a song about gas being prohibitively expensive.)

In today's indiescape, bands seem to trip over themselves to prove that they are NOT professional singers, as if that somehow destroys the integrity of what they're trying to do. But long before it was hip to have a quirky-voiced lead singer, the Kinks had Ray Davies. He was far from golden-throated, but when he warbles above that irresistible guitar lick in "You Really Got Me," there is simply no resisting:

And from that inauspicious beginning has launched an entire modern genre in which the vocals are allowed, even expected, to be slightly off-kilter. But Ray Davies did it first, and he did it best:

So if you've somehow missed the Kinks, check out their greatest hits, aptly titled Come Dancing with the Kinks. You'll hear kernels that would eventually blossom into bands like the Eels, Vampire Weekend, even Flight of the Conchords.

Enjoy!

Singular Obsession: Obsessed With You, the Orion Experience

2009-01-18T06:39:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I heard a single that inspired the kind of passion necessary to declare it an LTF "Singular Obsession," so it seems appropriate the song that finally makes the cut is a song about (what else?) obsession: "Obsessed with You" by the Orion Experience.

The Orion Experience has a neo-glam rock sound (a la Scissor Sisters) that combines with an almost Abba-like pop dynamism to create a totally infectious sound. On "Obsessed with You" all the elements combine to make 3 1/2 minutes of total blowout eargasm.

(By the way, it's worth mentioning that I discovered the song through Fred Flare awesome podcast, where you can hear a higher quality version of "Obsessed With You" on the Staff Picks mix.)

Going the Distance

2009-01-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

Now I know you've been wondering, "How did Lost Things Found ring in the new year?"

Thanks to the wonderful people who maintain the Pabst Theater's Website (though the show was technically at the Riverside,) I can share the whole awesomely wackadoodle night with you. (Click the link for tons of pictures and a show review.)

There were Polka Kings. There was a trick Chihuahua. There were Racing Sausages. There was a guy in a bird mask. There was an Elvis impersonator. And oh yeah... there was Cake. The first song I heard in 2009 was an EXCELLENT live version of "Short Skirt and Long Jacket." Any year that starts that way has to be good. Here, 9 minutes before we said goodbye to 2008 forever (phew!), we heard another Cake classic:

If you ever get a chance to party with Cake on New Year's Eve, take it.

Little Bit of Feel Good

2009-01-09T15:13:00.001-08:00

Happy 2009! If you'd like to start your year with a little upbeat soul, check out Jamie Lidell's excellent album, Jim. This British electronic-music guru had a change of heart last year and made a retro soul album worthy of the masters. Just the latest in a long line of excellent retro soul to come out of the UK lately (see Joss Stone, Duffy, Adele, Amy Winehouse.)

Standouts include the impossibly catchy "Wait for Me," the minor-chord triumph "Little Bit of Feel Good," and the sunny album opener "Another Day:"

12 Songs that Made Me Happy in 2008

2008-12-28T09:14:00.000-08:00

In no particular order. 12 songs that made me happy in 2008!

(In cases where an official video isn't available, I linked the artist's name to their MySpace page - most of the songs can be heard there.)

1. "I Want to Have Your Babies," Natasha Bedingfield

2. "Say It Again," Marie Digby

3. "Imaginary Girl," The Silver Seas

4. "Say," John Mayer

5. "Ordinary Day," Emilie Mover

6. "Doin' It All For My Baby," Huey Lewis and the News

7. "Got It Good," Jem

8. "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time," Mariah Carey

9. "To Be Surprised," Sondre Lerche

10. "Nothing At All," Madi Diaz

11. "Be OK," Ingrid Michaelson

12. "Why Can't It Be Christmastime All Year," Rosie Thomas

Confessionally sing in the new year

2008-12-28T07:50:00.001-08:00

Boston singer-songwriter Madi Diaz has a new EP coming out soon called Ten-Gun Salute. It's streaming for free over at Spinner. I have an ear crush on the song "Nothing At All," but they're all good. She has a strong, reedy voice that soars above the simple arrangements beautifully. (You can also check out some of the songs on her MySpace page.)

To get an idea, listen to the EP or watch this acoustic performance from Acoustic Long Island:

The first day of Christmas

2008-12-20T08:59:00.000-08:00

Another album streaming over at AOL Music is Straight No Chaser's "Holiday Spirits." I can't help it - I get nostalgic for college a cappella at this time of year!

And Straight No Chaser is a Christmas feel-good story if ever there was one - formed over 10 years ago at Indiana University, the group of 10 guys did what all college a cappella groups do: they sang, they graduated and they moved on with their lives. But in preparing for a reunion last year, one of the members made a video of their college highlights and posted clips on YouTube and their "12 Days of Christmas" quickly became a viral sensation so enormous that even the president of Atlantic Records noticed. He reassembled the 10 original members of the group and gave them a record contract - "Holiday Spirits" is the result.

What sets them apart from the thousands of other a cappella groups around the country? Well first, their talent is enormous. Every single one of them is an outstanding singer and their voices fit together exceptionally well. But I think the real genius is in the arrangements, which show a real creative spark (the aforementioned "12 Days of Christmas" incorporates melodies of several other Christmas carols as well as Toto's "Africa.") They pick likeable songs, arrange them in unique and creative ways, and sing them flawlessly. That, evidently, is the recipe for success.

But to give you an idea, watch the original YouTube sensation:

Tidings of comfort and joy

2008-12-13T12:13:00.001-08:00

AOL Music is streaming tons of Christmas albums free right now - I'm particularly digging the Hotel Cafe compilation Winter Songs, featuring all female singer-songwriters.

The first track is a duet between two of my faves - Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles. Sara's honey-soul alto on the bottom and Ingrid's sweet soprano on top is nothing short of perfect. Never mind that the song is a little depressing (as are lots of the songs on this cd - apparently female singer-songwriters find the holidays rough.) It's truly gorgeous.

Other standouts include KT Tunstall's unique interpretation of "Sleigh Ride," the laid-back warmth of Colbie Caillat's "Mistletoe," and the truly stunning a cappella rendition of "Silent Night" by Priscilla Ahn (this song was featured in the ER teasers last week.)

And you can listen to it all right now - for free! Happy holidays!

A very famous address

2008-12-07T18:21:00.001-08:00

I just Netflixed the Live from Abbey Road 2-disc DVD series and found quite a few little live performance gems. The series, which airs on the BBC, invites musicians both new and classic to come to the fabled studios and lay down live in-studio versions of their songs. Each song is preceded by an interview that is often quite revealing and the musical results are often illuminating.

I discovered to my surprise, for instance, that I love this unabashed pop tune from Natasha Bedingfield:

Not earth-shattering but so happy and likeable!

Sometimes the performances are fairly straightforward (as with Bedingfield,) but every once in a while, a version seems to slip out that surprises even the band itself. The Zutons, for example, seem like a band that has some tensions between them, but they turn out a version of "Valerie" that is nothing short of astonishing.

Other artists appearing on the Best of Season 1 compilation include John Mayer, Amos Lee, Nerina Pallot, Corinne Bailey Rae, Dr. John, Craig David, Dave Matthews, Jamiroquai, Norah Jones and Gnarls Barkley, among others.

I also discovered a passion for a British band called the Kooks:

Check it out.

Everyone loves a potato monkey!

2008-11-29T08:12:00.000-08:00

From the opening notes (in incredible five-part vocal harmony) of Tally Hall's Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum, I am completely smitten. Maybe it's nostalgia for my college days, but right now I just can't get enough of the unique blend of a capella music, nerd rock and complex quirky pop (a la XTC) that Tally Hall creates.

Hailing from Ann Arbor, Mich., I suspect the college circuit has greatly informed their music, so I suppose it should be no surprise that they carry the mantle of bands I loved as a co-ed - bands like Ben Folds Five, Barenaked Ladies, and They Might Be Giants. The lyrics are mostly silly ("Two Wuv" is an ode to Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, for example,) but the music is exuberant and infectious and full of hooks. And their vocal harmonies are amazingly complex and tight.

Check out their MySpace page for a few tracks from the album, as well as a charmingly ridiculous version of Biz Markie's "Just a Friend." You can also watch episodes of Tally Hall's Internet Show and meet all five members of the band through their random musings and general silliness.

50 for $5

2008-11-28T19:05:00.000-08:00

Christmas came early here at Lost Things Found: Amazon.com is currently offering the 50 top-selling new-release albums of 2008 in mp3 download format for only $5 a piece. This includes Paste's "Best Album of the Year:" Volume One, by She and Him, as well as titles from Radiohead, REM, Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson, Death Cab for Cutie, Fleet Foxes, Beck, Duffy, Vampire Weekend, Moby, Al Green, Mariah Carey, Mates of State, the Walkmen, Jamie Lidell and many, many others.

I don't know how long it will last, so get there fast!

LTF Playlist: The OC Soundtrack

2008-11-16T19:58:00.001-08:00

Over the past few months, I have spent many of my free moments visiting Orange County, Calif., via the magic of DVD boxed set. I realize I'm a couple of years late on the obsession with Seth, Summer, Ryan and Marissa, but that's okay, because the very best part of the show - the music - has held up extremely well.

From an indie lover's standpoint, the OC might be the best television soundtrack ever conceived, and I don't just mean the several volumes issued as "official" soundtracks on CD. I mean that every song chosen to run in the series was great and deserves its own spotlight. There are classics that have been woefully overlooked and mainstream music that was largely misunderstood. There are cutting-edge bands that ran on the series 2 years ago or 4 years ago that are just now beginning to get the airplay they deserve. There is Journey.

So in the interest of paying homage to this most seminal TV music lineup, I have compiled a new LTF Playlist: The OC Soundtrack.

It's such an extensive catalog that I'm still adding to the playlist, but I have enough to get you started, including songs by the Eels, Jem, Mazzy Star, Thicke, Fountains of Wayne, Guster, Iron and Wine, and Seth's absolute favorite band - Death Cab for Cutie, among many others.

Just click the player at right and give it a spin! (And check back as I continue to update the playlist!)

Oh, and...: For more music from the OC, visit www.musicfromtheoc.com and listen to 6 different mixes, including mix 6, which features indie bands covering the songs of other indie bands.

LTF approved: Jem

2008-11-13T19:39:00.000-08:00

I have to admit I wasn't one of the people who thought Welsh singer Jem's debut album, Finally Woken, was the greatest album of the year, come down from the mountain to redeem us all with its gentle shoegazing sound. (I'm looking at you, Nic Harcourt!) Yes, the song "Just a Ride" was pretty great, but it instantly got played out in soundtrack-ville and the rest of the album failed to charm me the way it charmed everyone else.

In spite of this, or possibly because of this, I like Jem's latest outing better than everyone else, or so it seems. Down to Earth has a certain bi-polar quality, yes, swinging wildly from mellow light indie to clubby trip-hop but there's a certain appeal in the general quality of the sound that keeps me coming back for more. It's may be the undercurrent of Baroque classical music that runs throughout the whole bi-polar affair that binds it all together for me. (For instance, on "Got It Good," you can actually hear the influence of Pachelbel's Canon in D Major. How many indie albums can you say that about?)

There's a little too much stereotypical "ethnic" sound going on in some of the songs - "Crazy" tries way too hard to be Latin-influenced, for instance - but when Jem just relaxes and lets her natural classical inclinations shine through, the result is excellent. (See songs "It's Amazing," "Got it Good," and "And So I Pray.")

Definitely worth a listen. To get you started, check out Jem's MySpace page and listen to "It's Amazing" (or for nostalgia's sake, "Just a Ride.") Then listen to "Got It Good" via the miracles of YouTube:

Everything leaves a mark

2008-11-02T06:48:00.000-08:00

I've been holding off writing about Pictures and Sound, the latest project from former Blue Merle lead Luke Reynolds, because the sound sort of defies description or categorization. There's a big element of New Wave in the shiny, electro-laden arrangements, but the foundation is pure pop/singer-songwriter, reinforced by Reynolds' organic voice. There's a touch of punk ("The Last Ocean,") a little soul ("It's You,") some electro synth-pop ("100 Directions,") even a hint of Western country ("Every War.") The result is an album that has the cutting-edge sound that makes soundtrack editors swoon - deceptively addictive ear candy, packaged in layers of complexity.

Listen to a few tracks on Pictures and Sound's MySpace Page. This is music that gets under your skin after a few listens, so give it some time to sink in. And then just try to stop listening... it's nearly impossible.

Oh, and...: Thanks to the September Paste sampler for introducing me to this band!

Know that maybe I will be OK

2008-10-27T19:09:00.000-07:00

Autumn is an excellent time to listen to Ingrid Michaelson, so her new CD Be OK coulndn't be more perfectly timed. This collection of new songs, covers and live performances benefits the national Stand Up to Cancer campaign. Unfortunately, this means that it's not available for DRM-free download anywhere. But it's well worth the trek to the store for a physical copy.

You can listen to two of the tracks at Michaelson's MySpace page, including the toe-tapping title track, which reveals the influence of Mika's "Love Today" in it, if I'm not mistaken. There's also the harmonic masterpiece "You and I" which sounds a little like something from the Dan in Real Life soundtrack (a high compliment from me, as you know.)

Other highlights from the album include a mournful cover of "Over the Rainbow" and "The Chain" live from Webster Hall. In general, this album has a sadder, more sober sound to it than her ebullient debut CD and somehow, that suits me just fine. Get the CD. You'll have some great music and you'll help a charity at the same time.

Feels good to be free

2008-09-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

The problem with most break-up songs is that they're, well... pretty depressing. As a whole, musicians tend to focus on the soul-wrenching sense of loss engendered by a break-up rather than the possibilities and sense of freedom it opens up. But when Rilo Kiley sat down to make their most recent album together, Under the Blacklight, the not-so-distant break-up of leads Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett actually made for their best album to date.

The band has finally figured out something that Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie) figured out long ago when he recruited her for his Postal Service projects - Jenny Lewis's voice sounds best paired with a maximalist's penchant for electro-pop. (To me, her voice sounds twee and theatrical when paired with the organic folk and Americana influences she has favored on side projects and earlier Rilo Kiley albums.)

As a result, Under the Blacklight sounds bright, edgy and perfectly balanced - early-era Madonna meeting Liz Phair, but always with that hint of cabaret vibe.

Not incidentally, the album contains the happiest break-up song I have ever heard, "Breakin' Up"(how is there no video for this song?):

And on the same theme, check out "Silver Lining:"

The whole album's good. Listen.

One Man Gift from Above

2008-09-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

There is something completely reassuring about the sound of James Taylor's voice, as though here is a man who has been through it all and come out the other side to tell you, "Whatever it is, it's going to be okay." In the darkest of times, there is nothing more timeless and calming to me. But there has always been a bit of mystique about this prolific singer-songwriter - I always got the feeling he'd rather sing than talk.

So it was doubly entertaining to watch his latest concert DVD, One Man Band, and discover that once you get James Taylor talking, there is just no telling what's going to come out.

One Man Band was shot in a very small theater in his hometown in the Berkshires - Taylor and one other musician make up the entire ensemble (unless you count the enormous, early-20th-century-looking "drum machine.") The show is largely acoustic, though he does play his electric guitar on a few songs for variety. But preceding each song is an often lengthy and meandering introduction (often with photo slideshow!) that reveals Taylor's wry charm.

In these candid introductions, he reveals his love of the Beatles, discusses the intersection of Richard Nixon and Rev. Sun Myung Moon, and describes Joni Mitchell as "his bitch" (in the past tense, of course.) And that's just a small sampling.

For a taste, check out this fantastic montage of the DVD:

The accompanying CD is an excellent addition to the collection as well, because the concert features a lot of his newer (though still timeless) material.

This is a brand new day

2008-09-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

I spent a rare few minutes tuning into the Real World: Hollywood and was instantly charmed by a song I heard playing in the background. After some internet sleuthing, I discovered the song was "Goodbye from California" by Lindsey Ray, who it turns out is the very same person that provides the vocals for this Target ad I have also enjoyed:

The Power of Love

2008-09-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

Some things just don't change. Twenty years ago, I bought a copy of Fore! by Huey Lewis and the News on cassette tape (!) and listened to it so hard that the tape eventually broke. I didn't know it at 8 years old, but that mix of classic R&B, doo wop, and shimmering 80s pop was exactly the kind of sound that I would love for the rest of my life.

Well, fast forward a couple of decades to last Sunday night, when I got a chance to see Huey Lewis and the News live in concert at the Walworth County Fair (!) and I am happy to report that they sound as great as the day I bought Fore! - maybe even better. Apparently they've all been friends since elementary school, and it shows - the band is tight, talented and totally in sync with the brainy rock star that is Huey. The highlight, though, is how great they all still sound on the complex vocal harmonies - they performed "All Right" a capella and their voices blended together perfectly. To paraphrase Ellis Paul, their voices are all torn in just the right places and so they fit together perfectly.

They performed most of their big hits - and this is a band with a LOT of hits. To quote Huey after the show, "So many hits, so little time," but still they managed to fit most of them into their hour-and-a-half long set, including "Power of Love," "Heart of Rock and Roll," "Hip to Be Square," "Back in Time," and my personal favorite, "Doing it All for My Baby," which got the power ballad treatment and totally blew me away. They also performed their new song from the "Pineapple Express" soundtrack (and apparently it's already got some fans - one girl in the front was wearing a pineapple tiara and waving pineapple wands during that song.)

So all I can say is, if you get a chance to see Huey Lewis and the News live, don't miss it! They put on a great show and 8-year-old you deserves it.

Such a silly game we play

2008-09-03T19:14:00.000-07:00

For some reason, the song "Love" by Matt White keeps finding its way to my ears this week. Who am I to argue? It's unabashedly sweet and folky, with a subtle hint of surf music thrown in. I'm sold:

And it's more than just a throwaway hit - visit White's MySpace to hear more tracks from his album "Best Days," all of which feature the tropical, laid-back singer-songwriter vibe.

Becomes Eclectic

2008-09-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

I've written about my love of KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic before - and today you can buy the latest Nic Harcourt-selected compilation CD of live performances from KCRW's studios. A screening copy of Sounds Eclectic: The Next One reveals Harcourt's impeccable taste in cutting-edge music and features performances by the Swell Season, Spoon, the Shins and the Ting Tings as well as lesser known greats such as Architecture in Helsinki, Seawolf and the Orange Lights. Get it while it's hot.

On a similar note, I recently picked up a copy of Music Lust, written by Harcourt. Much like the Book Lust series, this is a book of lists - this time of music for certain themes, artists or eras. Sample "chapters" include TV Actors Who've Taken the Plunge, Livin' Large: The Big Band Booom!, and Polyester Suits and Wraparound Dresses. The book reveals some of Harcourt's early influences (punk and Australian pop among them) and tells the story of how he came to be the country's foremost expert on eclecticism in music. Definitely worth checking out, if only to see if you agree with his choices.

Finally, inspired by some of my favorite songs from Morning Becomes Eclectic, I have created a new LTF playlist, entitled Soundtrack Becomes Eclectic. The sound is heavy on the retro soul - artists include Al Green, David Ford (who I saw open for Aimee Mann recently - he puts on a VERY impressive live show,) Katie Herzig, the Magic Numbers and the Slip. Cue up the player at right and enjoy!

Remembering Katrina

2008-08-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

Three years ago today, we all watched with rapt horror as a flooded New Orleans disintegrated before our eyes on live television. With another hurricane approaching the beleaguered city as we speak, I thought we should focus on the one thing in New Orleans that can't be destroyed - the music.

Sheryl Crow's "Love is Free" video was inspired by the survivors in New Orleans:

Marc Cohn's "Dance Back from the Grave" sounds like Tom Waits eulogizing the New Orleans of pre-Katrina:

And finally, here is Dave Matthews Band with Robert Randolph performing "Louisiana Bayou" live from the Weekend on the Rocks DVD: (RIP LeRoi Moore.)

I was stranded in the middle of the night

2008-08-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

Are you ready to fall in love with a new band?

Yet again I owe a debt to television commercials - this time it was Kenmore Elite that introduced me to the Silver Seas, by using their lovely "Imaginary Girl" in one of their ads. I instantly had to have their first album, High Society.

At times evoking the 70s baroque classic rock-ism of Poco, the intricate surf harmonies of the Beach Boys, the lush-pop wail of Rufus Wainwright and the quirky complexities of Ben Folds Five, this album goes by too quickly and begs for multiple listens. (You know I can't resist a band that makes heavy use of a 12-string guitar.)

Highlights include the unstoppably happy "Country Life," the Wainwright-esque "Imaginary Girl" and the layered harmonies of the sonically perfect "Hard Luck Tom," which, coming in at just 1:51, may be the shortest piece of pop perfection ever recorded. Listen to two of the three on the band's MySpace page.

Or, if you prefer, you can watch the band (formerly known as The Bees) recording "Country Life" in the studio:

Not just another ordinary day

2008-08-26T16:32:00.000-07:00

First of all: welcome back, Beth. It's been a long summer without you.

Secondly, have you seen the new ad for Bounce dryer sheets? Well that song you hear is "Ordinary Day" by Canadian folkstress Emilie Mover and it's a bright and happy folk-pop gem. Listen to the song and other, slightly sadder songs on Mover's MySpace page. ("No Hill Too High" is also upbeat and lovely.)

Or you can download the "Ordinary Day" mp3 for free at the Bounce Website.

Something's bound to happen

2008-08-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

With the recent obsession with girl-power neo-soul from across the pond (see Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Adele), I thought we should give some credit to the American born, neo-soul-influenced phenomenon that is MoZella.

Born Maureen McDonald in Detroit (what are they putting in the water in Detroit lately? - there are so many talented and beautiful people coming from Motor City!), Mozella started gigging around coffeehouses when she was just 15. Her debut album, I Will, came out in 2006, shortly after Mercedes-Benz used one of her songs in their ambitious "Framed Portraits" ad campaign. Her songs have since been used in TV shows and more recently she has toured on the Hotel Cafe tour.

She has the jazz-tinged vocal quality of Nikka Costa blended with Norah Jones and the white-girl soul of Duffy thrown in. The songs are catchy and contemplative at the same time, and the overall sound blends soulful singer-songwriter with just a touch of electro-pop for a sound that is very fresh. Sadly, it appears she was recently let go from her record contract at Maverick/Warner, but you can keep up with her new stuff via her MySpace page - hopefully another label will snatch her up soon!

In the meantime, check out this live performance of one of my favorite songs on the album, "Killing Time," performed at one of the ubiquitous Coffee Beans in LA in January 2007:

Bonus: Because you know I can't resist Beyonce, listen to MoZella cover "Irreplacable" and then check out the rest of her YouTube series entitled "Under the Covers" for covers of Weezer, the White Stripes, U2 and the Fray, among others.

He will make of you another believer

2008-08-23T22:59:00.000-07:00

Found a hidden Rufus Wainwright gem in the Disney animated feature Meet the Robinsons, entitled "Another Believer":

And there's another lovely Rufus song that plays over the credits as well, called "The Motion Waltz (Emotional Commotion.)" The man can write songs, no doubt about it.

Viva... Coldplay?

2008-08-13T07:35:00.001-07:00

Ok, I'm not happy to have to admit this, but I honestly cannot get enough of Coldplay's latest single, "Viva La Vida." When Chris Martin sings, "The old king is dead, long live the king," the syncopated rhythm sends me into eargasms every time. Though I have never been a fan of theirs before, this time I am powerless to resist! If you're in a similar situation, you might want to give them a chance this time. And I say that begrudgingly, as I still very much hate this video. (It's too pompous and it lacks any wit.) So just close your eyes and listen...

I like how the day sounds through these new songs

2008-08-05T07:20:00.001-07:00

While visiting my favorite music store in the whole world this weekend, The Electric Fetus in Minneapolis, I discovered the album Three Flights to Alto Nido by Greg Laswell. It's perfect for right now. It's a solidly-crafted singer-songwriter sound but with a little more attention paid to production and uniqueness. (He's even got a song in 9/8 time!)

At times quirky and confessional like the best of Death Cab, at times expansive and uplifting like the best of Coldplay (those are words I never thought I'd say, but you've won me over, Chris Martin, with "Viva La Vida"), Greg Laswell's music is a really appealing mixture of very of-the-moment sounds with the general energy level of Counting Crows at their angst-iest. (You have to love any musician who proudly describes himself as "music to not run to.") I'm not surprised that, according to his MySpace page, his music has been featured on some of the more music-savvy TV shows and he is now touring with the Hotel Cafe tour in California.

Highlights include "It's Been a Year," "The One I Love," and "How the Day Sounds," two of which are available on his MySpace page.

Have a listen and see what you think!

LTF approved: The Eels

2008-07-24T19:53:00.000-07:00

Via Charlie Bartlett:

Do you know what it's like to care too much about someone you're never gonna get to touch?

Hey man, now you're really living.

Listen here.

What am I gonna do when I run out of shirts to fold?

2008-07-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

I'm still smarting over not getting to see Wilco in their residency shows last winter, but this live set from AOL's "Sessions" series is helping to ease the pain. Hear "What Light," "Side with the Seeds," "You are My Face," and my favorite Sky Blue Sky track, "Hate It Here."

Listen:

Do it like this and seal it with a kiss

2008-07-12T08:50:00.001-07:00

AOL Music is currently streaming "The Stoop," the first full-length album by Brooklyn's Little Jackie (singer-songwriter Imani Coppola and programmer Adam Pallin,) and it's definitely worth checking out.

Mixing old-school hip hop beats and classic R&B with very clever, pop-culture-laden lyrics, this album is perfect summer fun. You'll hear a touch of Macy Gray, a bit of Kate Nash, a lot of Lauryn Hill. Vh1 loves it so much, they're using the second track ("The World Should Revolve Around Me") as the theme song to the third season of "I Love New York," which apparently premieres in August.

But you can get a head-start on the grooves. Have a listen!

(PS. The version of the album streaming on AOL right now is the "clean" version - the unclean version is even better, in my opinion.)

For the record

2008-06-26T20:16:00.001-07:00

To paraphrase Kurt Vonnegut, no matter how bad things get, the music will still be wonderful.

Ok, full disclosure here: I am a HUGE fan of Mariah Carey, even bordering on superfan, in fact. Yes, I love her because she reminds me of my innocent, camp-filled adolescent summers, all Wet 'n Wild lipstick and Dreamsicles and Choose-Your-Own-Adventure novels. But as an adult, I've also grown to respect her as a songwriter, producer, and insanely talented singer. Ignore the train wreck that is her personal life. Focus on what really matters - the woman is gifted and she makes GREAT albums.

The superfan status, (at least as an adult,) began with her 2005 release, The Emancipation of Mimi, which brilliantly blended her melodic R&B with club and hip hop beats with truly inpsired effect. I consider that an essential album, and one you should definitely check out if you haven't already.

The total girl-crush adoration has only increased after hearing her newest release, E=MC2. A little less edgy than Mimi, perhaps, but again, amazingly solid pop/R&B songs fill out this album. You've probably already heard "Touch My Body" (check out the video for a Kenneth-from-30-Rock sighting!) and may also have heard "Bye Bye" on the radio, but inexplicably, the best song on this album isn't getting any airplay yet. There isn't even a video for my favorite song on the album, "I'll Be Lovin' You Long Time," so instead I will post YouTube audio here:

Grab a Dreamsicle and enjoy summer!

LTF Playlist: Summer Punkish

2008-06-17T09:01:00.000-07:00

So I think we can all agree that the "Midwinter Melancholy" playlist way overstayed its welcome. Time for something new, something fun, something... summery.

The "Summer Punkish" playlist (in the right sidebar) was created with California sunshine in mind. When the weather's warm, I love a soundtrack where kinetic punk meets shimmering pop. Somewhat reminiscent of the soundtrack of the OC or shows on the WB (may it rest in peace.)

Artists include Finger Eleven, Good Charlotte, Cake, Soul Coughing, Fall Out Boy, Green Day and the All-American Rejects - many bands I wouldn't necessarily choose to listen to on their own. But put them all together, and you've got the perfect soundtrack for soaking up some sun, driving with the top down, and just generally feeling like a teenager enjoying summer break again.

Enjoy!

Summerfest 2008

2008-06-15T12:19:00.000-07:00

Why I love the idea of Summerfest: In the span of one hour on a random Thursday night during the biggest music festival in the world, you have to choose between Alejandro Escovedo, Ingrid Michaelson, and Marie Digby. Later that same night, you'll get to choose between Gomez, Gavin DeGraw, Lucinda Williams and the Plain White T's. All for a flat entry fee of $15.

Why I find Summerfest very trying in practice:
1. The crowds -(See pic)

2. The technical difficulties -

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Summerfest, Unplugged - Boom boom go the lights for almost three hours

3. But perhaps most importantly, the escalating beer prices! Grrr... -

WISN 12: Price of beer goes up for Summerfest 2008

Hit the beat and take it to the verse now...

2008-06-04T22:03:00.001-07:00

I first encountered Welsh R&B chanteuse Duffy while streaming the BBC online last winter. Already a megastar in the UK, her hit "Mercy" is starting to pick up speed on this side of the pond (on a recent trip to Ohio, I heard it blasting in a Ruehl so loudly that I was genuinely concerned about the welfare of the teenage employees. And wow is Ruehl a strange shopping experience, by the way.)

Duffy's US debut, Rockferry, is a short album, but there isn't a weak track on it - just good solid retro R&B that often sounds like it was unearthed from the Motown vault circa 1967. Comparisons to Amy Winehouse are a little overstated - Duffy has a softer quality to both her voice and her subject matter and she embraces the classic Motown sound more fully than Winehouse (who in my opinion is at her best when she combines classic jazz and modern club sounds into her brand of R&B, but that's a subject for another day.)

Highlights of the album include "Warwick Avenue," "Delayed Devotion" and, of course, "Mercy." Here she is performing "Mercy" live on Later with Jools Holland last November:

Prepare to be surprised

2008-05-18T19:57:00.000-07:00

I don't know why it took me so long to see Dan in Real Life, given my celebrity crushes on both Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche, but I finally Netflixed it this weekend was totally stunned by how much I loved it. Those of you who know me know that I'm a sucker for any movie with a good soundtrack (hello Bewitched?) and WOW - does this movie have a great soundtrack.

Almost all of the music was written by Norwegian singer/songwriter Sondre Lerche specifically for the film, a la the Graduate or Harold and Maude (two movies cited by director Peter Hedges as major influences.) In the bonus features, Hedges talks about how important he felt it was to get the music right and how he absolutely fell in love with Lerche's acoustic sound. Both Hedges and Lerche worked hard to keep the sound intimate, raw and sweet (just like the film itself.) The result is one of the best soundtracks I've heard in a long time.

To give you an idea of Lerche's sound in the movie (which reminds me of a much happier version of a former Euro-band crush of mine, the Guillemots,) check out this video of him performing "Prepare to Be Surprised" on Letterman last October, and then check out the whole soundtrack. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Irreplaceable

2008-05-16T07:27:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to get this song out of my head for the past month. It's been playing in heavy rotation on our local Urban AC station, which I have really been digging lately. Pop/R&B is going through a nice melodic thing right now that is way more interesting than anything happening on top 40 right now. Check it out!

Album release countdown: The Weepies, Hideaway

2008-03-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

Here at Lost Things Found, we've set the countdown clock for April 22 when the Weepies' new album, Hideaway, will be released. The title track appears on the April Paste Sampler and I love it already. It does not seem to exist on the Internets anywhere, but to tide yourself over until the big release, head over to the Live Music Archive and listen to a couple of full live sets from the Weepies circa 2004. Or check out this NPR studio interview from 2006.

Want more info on the Weepies?
Previously on LTF: All That I Want

Floating on 'Air'

2008-03-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this Macbook Air ad?

The song is "New Soul" by Israeli singer-songwriter Yael Naim. Listen to the whole thing at her MySpace page. You know I'm a sucker for some happy la-la's in a television commercial. And I love the angelic oohs at the very end.

Also, is it just me or does her voice sound remarkably like Leona Naess's?

If you're interested in hearing more, check out her self-titled album, where you can hear her multi-lingual talents and the French jazz influence as well.

Oh, and: While you're at her MySpace page, check out her haunting cover of the Britney Spears hit "Toxic."

Double update: Stream the whole album for free here!

Looking and listening

2008-03-11T11:56:00.001-07:00

A couple of really great music documentaries have passed before my eyes this week - if you're looking for something to watch that is both visually interesting and musically inspiring, check out either of these:

Jeff Tweedy, Sunken Treasure

It will come as no surprise to regular readers of this blog to find the Wilco front man's solo acoustic DVD on this list, but even for those who are not rabid Wilco-philes, this DVD is well worth checking out for its gorgeous cinematography and the between-set interviews with Tweedy himself. The doc essentially takes you on the road with him as he plays a series of venues along the Pacific Coastline, splicing the live performances with sympathetic-yet-realistic images of America as seen from a tour bus. Meanwhile, Tweedy ruminates on the nature of being a professional musician and displays a depth you don't normally associate with rock bands. An example: "Everybody suffers. The world is built on how well you cope with your suffering, how well you transcend it and move past it, and what you learn from it." Check it out.

Heima

This beautifully crafted music documentary about Icelandic band Sigur Ros is as much a documentary about social and economic conditions in Iceland as it is about music. The documentary follows the band as they return to Iceland to perform a series of free, unadvertised concerts, many of which take place in unusual venues in small villages throughout rural Iceland. (One performance appears to take place on an abandoned fishing tanker.) The band's lush, expansive indie-pop sound (they are one of the few bands for whom I advocate use of the term "emo" and consider it high praise) creates the perfect soundtrack for the cinematic tour of Iceland. Again, interviews with the band are spliced throughout, but what really lingers after watching this doc are the faces of the Icelandic villagers of all ages who show up at town halls, empty fields and abandoned fishing tankers to hear the music. You come away with an appreciation for Iceland as an impossibly lovely and mournful place, and perhaps the only place in the world where Sigur Ros's classical-music-on-the-moon sound makes perfect sense.

The best part? You can watch the doc in its entirety on YouTube completely free. Don't miss this.

Happy watching!

More bacon than the pan can handle

2008-03-03T12:40:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you'll be hearing more from me about Mike Doughty in the coming weeks (I have tickets to see him at the Pabst on March 21), but I wanted to take a moment to put the official LTF stamp of approval on his latest album, Golden Delicious. It's a totally likeable pastiche of the rhythmic power-pop he became famous for with Soul Coughing and the pop culture poetry that he has honed in his solo career, while displaying elements of the electronic music he's been dabbling in recently. The result is excellent.

All of the tracks are solidly enjoyable, but early standouts include "I Just Want the Girl in the Blue Dress...", "Like a Luminous Girl," and the first single off the album, "27 Jennifers."

To listen to two of those songs, visit his MySpace page.

Sidenote: Doughty's last album, Haughty Melodic, is one of my desert-island discs. There is nothing I don't like about it and I swear it actually gets better with every listen. If you haven't heard it yet, listen to "I Hear the Bells" on his MySpace page and then, get the album.

Oh, and: Listen to the album first, and then check out this live set and interview originally broadcast on WXPN, now archived on NPR.org. Hear stories about smoking pot with Ani Difranco, how he reveres Jose Gonzalez, and how he thinks the universe began with an E Major chord.

LTF playlist: Mid-winter melancholy

2008-02-22T09:30:00.000-08:00

Reason number 4 billion and 20 why I love the internet: when you're suffering from mid-winter ennui so severe you can barely blog, the internet will give you just the kick in the pants you need to get inspired about something again.

Case in point: a few months ago, I started a FineTune playlist of songs I had heard on KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic," but I only got about five songs into it before I got distracted by something else and moved on. The playlist sat there untouched. Well, this morning, FineTune finally got fed up with that state of affairs and decided to finish the playlist on its own (using its "I'm Lazy" autofill technology.) The result is the perfect soundtrack to the mid-winter blahs.

You'll hear A Fine Frenzy, Death Cab for Cutie, Snow Patrol, Earlimart, Iron and Wine and plenty more - emphasis on melodic and melancholy.

I've added it at right - click the player to listen.

Strangely awesome bedfellows

2008-02-20T19:15:00.001-08:00

My love of Daryl Hall is no secret anymore, but how cool is this? He's started a new webcast called "Live from Daryl's House" and in the first installment, he sings a couple of songs with Gym Class Heroes' Travis McCoy. First check out how un-freaking-believable Daryl Hall's voice still sounds on "Every Time You Go Away" and then check out how well it is updated by McCoy's rap mid-song. SO cool!

More Wilco

2008-02-18T20:49:00.001-08:00

Andrew Bird provides the mournful violin line in "Jesus, Etc." from night 2 at Wilco's residency at The Riviera (still my absolute favorite Wilco song):

Wilco loves Chicago

2008-02-17T11:55:00.000-08:00

In my opinion, Wilco is one of the best live bands currently touring, and I am still unspeakably sad that life and Ticketmaster conspired to prevent me from seeing any of their 5-night Winter Residency shows at Chicago's Riviera Theatre this weekend (tonight is night 3.)

But thanks to the miracles of YouTube and Chicago Tribune music blogger Greg Kot (another huge Wilco fan,) I feel a little bit closer to the action today.

What really impresses me about Wilco live is how they are able to both rock out and entertain so consistently and also reinterpret old songs just enough to make them sound revolutionarily different from their album counterparts. Case in point, "Pot Kettle Black" from Friday night:

I love how it starts out pretty straightforwardly, sticking close to the album version and then opens up in the middle to become eye-opening uptempo soul. This song, which frankly gets a little overshadowed on the album, suddenly comes into its own through the live performance. Amazing.

Can't wait to hear how nights 3, 4 and 5 go.

Quirky genius

2008-02-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

Pretty much couldn't have been more excited to read in this recent interview that legendary quirk-folk trailblazer Robyn Hitchcock is working with XTC's Andy Partidge!

"Last but certainly not least, what are you working on, now?

Immediately, I’m getting a pizza from Pizza Express. They have Peter Blake’s artwork on the walls in there, it’s almost like eating Peter himself. With olives. Otherwise I’m editing a collection of old recordings made with the Egyptians in the 1980s, preparing a new record album with the Venus 3 for fall release, and working on something with Andy Partridge (legendary XTC main man) in his shed."

Robyn Hitchcock plus Andy Partridge making music in a shed? It's pretty much destined to be genius.

(The rest of the interview is equally entertaining, I highly recommend it.)

In a relatively unrelated segment, here is some rough video of Hitchcock performing one of his songs with the Decemberists:

A bandit and a heartbreaker

2008-02-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

If you haven't discovered eMusic yet, head over and check out their impressive selection of indie music, available in blessedly DRM-free downloadable form. Right now they're also offering 50 free downloads if you sign up for a one-month subscription at $10. So that's 80 downloads you'll get for $10, a remarkably good deal by anyone's standards.

And it was thanks to this surplus of download credits that I discovered an excellent gem of 70s folk - Judee Sill. Her "Live in London - the BBC Sessions 1972-1973" is hauntingly lovely, particularly when you hear her story (she had kind of a tragic childhood and died young of a drug overdose.) Her music is both lyrical and quirky - one song is about "flying saucers coming when the world is over to take all the sensitive, deserving people away and then bring them back to start the new age." She combines a lot of traditional folk and gospel elements to create songs that are catchy, thought-provoking and somehow timeless. ("Down Where the Valleys are Low" is an excellent example of this.)

As a big fan of the folk revival movement, I can't believe I've gone this long without hearing her. Don't make the same mistake.

The Holy Grail of soundtracks

2008-01-29T20:03:00.000-08:00

Improbably enough, one of the greatest movie soundtracks of all time has actually never been released in any format - Cat Stevens's amazing soundtrack to cult classic Harold and Maude. Until now.

Straight from CameronCrowe.com:

"Vinyl Films Records is honored to announce the release of the Holy Grail of unreleased soundtracks, Harold and Maude. Thirty-six years after its initial release, every one of Cat Stevens’ masterful songs from the film are compiled in one incredible package. In addition to such classics as “Miles From Nowhere”, “Where Do The Children Play?” and “Trouble”, the album includes the two songs written specifically for Harold and Maude, “If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out” and “Don’t Be Shy”, along with alternate versions of both Harold and Maude tracks.

"Over two years in the making, the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Harold and Maude comes with an extensive 36-page full-color booklet filled with never-before-seen photographs and an oral history of the making of the film and the music, as told by the filmmakers and participants. Also included is a bonus 7” single with unreleased versions of “Don’t Be Shy” and “If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out”, two suitable-for-framing posters, and much more!"

As if I wasn't 100% totally obsessed with all things Cameron Crowe already, this might just push it over the edge.

They're only printing 2,500 copies on limited edition vinyl - sure to be collector's items. To purchase, head here.

Borders Live at 01 series

2008-01-23T19:33:00.001-08:00

When people lament the imminent demise of the brick-and-mortar bookstore, I cry a little inside. If not for bookstores, there are so many wonderful things I would never have discovered, like Chuck Klosterman, the QuirkyAlone movement or, perhaps most importantly, tons of great music.

Bookstores that carry CDs are some of the best sources to find out about new and promising artists - next time you're in one, keep your ears open and see what they're playing.

Borders proves this point beautifully with its new online series, "Live at 01" - a series of live performances and interviews filmed in Borders Store #01 in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Each episode features a single artist or band playing acoustic versions of about five songs and speaking thoughtfully on the art of crafting music. Some of the artists so far include Rickie Lee Jones, Patty Griffin, Gomez, Joss Stone, and Ingrid Michaelson. Right now, I'm rocking out to the Magic Numbers (if you don't have time to listen to the whole episode, make sure you hear "Take a Chance," my favorite Numbers song, and no - nothing to do with Abba.)

Even better, the episodes are free and downloadable, so you can take them with you everywhere you (or your iPod) choose to go.

Check back often for updates, it seems like they add eps pretty frequently.

(Btw: They also have interviews with authors and filmmakers as well!)

LTF Guide to Mp3 players

2008-01-17T12:55:00.000-08:00

Here at Lost Things Found, my commitment to Windows-based machinery and my belief that music purchased should be music OWNED (DRM-free) means that I am not one of the millions wooed by iTunes and iPods. But I have to give credit where credit is due - from what I've seen, the iPod is the best mp3 player out there. In an attempt to find something that even comes close, I've been through many non-Apple, Windows Media-friendly mp3 players, all of which had varying degrees of quality and usability.

So to help others who might be in a similar situation, I decided a brief guide might be in order. Keep in mind, this is just a list of the mp3 players I've used - it's not intended to be comprehensive in any way. But I thought it might be helpful for anyone considering any of these machines.

The first mp3 player I owned was the Rio Carbon. Although it had a nice big memory (5G) and looked pretty cool, it was plagued with problems from the start. It did not support graphics, it only worked with its own bulky and difficult-to-navigate software, and it was insanely buggy, requiring frequent resets. It also took hours to integrate new music into the library and did not support making playlists on the fly. (I'm pretty sure they don't even make this player anymore.)

Rio Carbon
Pros: Lots of memory, cool design.
Cons: No graphics, user-unfriendly software, buggy, no playlists on the fly.

Next up, I tried a Creative Zen V Plus. Size-wise, this unit was nice and tiny, but it felt cheaply made from the start, weighing next to nothing and seeming to be made entirely of very cheap plastic. It did support graphics and could be used with Windows Media, but it had some integration problems with Windows Media that made the use of Creative-provided software more desirable. (Though Creative's software was easier to navigate than the Carbon's software, and it did support playlists on the fly, though the navigation was pretty complicated.) I was relatively pleased with it until one day, about six months after I bought it, the screen went dead. I did a little online research and discovered this was a common problem with the Zen. Worse, once the (very short) manufacturer warranty ran out, it cost $25 just to have Creative look at the unit, at which point it was entirely possible that they would tell you that it would cost more to fix it than to buy a new one. I decided to cut my losses instead.

Creative Zen V Plus 4G
Pros: Very small, software easy to navigate, supported playlists on the fly.
Cons: Very cheaply made, broke after very little time and limited use, poor customer service/manufacturer's warranty.

From there, I was looking for a player I could give to my mom that played mp3s and had an FM tuner. I ended up going with the Sandisk Sansa e250 2G. It met the criteria she needed, featuring Plays4Sure Technology so that she could transfer music in almost any format, and an FM tuner. The unit felt substantial and well-made, though the navigation was hard to get the hang of, featuring a scrolling wheel not unlike the iPod, but not quite like the iPod either. This was by far the easiest unit to transfer music to, fully integrating with Windows Media. If she gets ambitious, she can watch videos and upload digital pictures as well. And it features a voice recorder and supports playlists on the fly. Overall, a very nice little unit. My only complaint is that the menu navigation is a little confusing and could be streamlined.

Sandisk Sansa e250 2G
Pros: Feels well-made, features Plays4Sure technology (supports all file types), FM tuner, voice recorder, easy music transfer through Windows Media, playlists on the fly.
Cons: Complicated navigation, awkward scroll-wheel design.

For myself, I finally decided to go with a Sony Walkman A810 2G. I've only had it a few weeks now, but so far, I love the sleek design (and the fact that it came in a pretty girly color!), its relatively large, clear screen, and the intuitive navigation system. It also integrates fully with Windows Media, and plays several file formats (though it does not feature Plays4Sure, like the Sansa.) The sound quality is outstanding, and it came with high-quality "muffin"-style earbuds (they fit inside the ear.) It also supports video playback and digital pictures, as well as displaying album art and featuring a "time machine shuffle" feature that plays all the songs from a particular year. (Unfortunately, my digital music collection is not that well organized, so I haven't been able to take full advantage of this feature yet.) My only complaint on this one is that there are STILL no playlists on the fly! What is with all the playlist hate? Overall, I'm very pleased with the quality and design of this unit, so much so that I also recently bought a Sony Ericsson Walkman phone as well.

Sony Walkman A810 2G
Pros: Sleek and pretty design, large and clear screen, excellent sound, intuitive navigation, fully integrated with Windows Media.
Cons: No playlists on the fly, no extras like FM tuner or voice recorder.

John Mayer covering Justin Timberlake

2008-01-14T13:07:00.000-08:00

Happy 2008.

And welcome back.

All That I Want

2007-12-22T15:17:00.000-08:00

Have you seen that charming JC Penney commercial where people are shopping on an idyllic street in the snow and a folky Christmas song about ships in a harbor is playing? Well that song is "All That I Want" by an awesome folk duo, The Weepies.

And over at archive.org, you can listen to an excellent live show they did back in 2004 in Cleveland. (Unlike in the past, now you can stream it right there on the page - SO convenient!) The show is excellent - a good, long setlist, excellent sound quality and cute between-song banter. (If they sound like an extra chummy folk duo, that's because shortly after they met and formed the Weepies, they also fell in love. In fact, just a few months ago, they had a baby! For their full bio, which is ADORABLE, visit their MySpace page.)

Highlights of the concert include "How Will He Find Me," "I've Got To Have You," "Vegas Baby" and the positively charming "All That I Want," which is destined to become a new Christmas classic.

Happy holidays!

JPP Review: Feist, The Reminder

2007-12-16T19:21:00.000-08:00

Over at Just Press Play, I just posted a review of Amazon's top album of 2007, The Reminder, by Feist. And no, Amazon, I don't agree.

The first 'graph:

Don’t listen to Feist’s album The Reminder with headphones on.

This time, that's all you're getting. For the rest, go here.

Slowhand Christmas

2007-12-15T08:10:00.000-08:00

Something about the holidays makes me crave the blues, and particularly Eric Clapton's gorgeous, honeyed version of it. My favorite modern Christmas song is his version of "Merry Christmas Baby" with Sheryl Crow from the Very Special Christmas compilation of 1999:

From that same period, "Cryin' Christmas Tears":

And as an added bonus, here's a clip from the Sessions for Robert J. DVD - my favorite song on that stunning album, "They're Red Hot" (ignore the strange syncing problem and just listen):

Holiday music that won't make you sick

2007-12-11T20:05:00.001-08:00

I'm having trouble getting into the holiday spirit this year - I don't know what it is, exactly, but all of the saccharine Christmas music that I usually crave at this time of year suddenly sounds trite and suffocating.

So the WOXY holiday mixer is a real blessing - like a lot of radio stations, it plays all holiday songs, but they're all indie gems, deep cuts, rarities... All music that won't make you want run screaming from a mall. You'll hear holiday songs from artists like Rufus Wainwright, Fiona Apple, Matt Pond PA, the Flaming Lips, the Dandy Warhols... SO refreshing.

Cue it up and relax into the yuletide spirit on your own terms.

JPP Review: Alicia Keys, As I Am

2007-12-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

Oooops, posted this review a week ago on Just Press Play - almost forgot to cross-link it here.

As usual, the first paragraph:

At times, it seems like everything Alicia Keys touches turns to gold. At 27, she has accomplished more than most musicians can hope to achieve in a lifetime, including winning nine Grammys (so far) and selling over 25 million records worldwide. Her latest release, As I Am, continues the string of pitch-perfect soul/R&B albums that has defined Keys and earned her such a diverse fan base.

For the rest, go here.