Something's bound to happen

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

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?

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

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

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?

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

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.)