music must not only be heard, but felt.
1) Lorde//Melodrama
1) Coldplay Ghost Stories
2017 IN REVIEW
1) Lorde//Melodrama
2) Ed Sheeran//Divide
I never purposed to like Ed Sheeran. In fact, his songs never really caught me. But then a friend of mine took me to one of his concerts and I was completely blown away. His one-man show, his charm, his passion, his musical capabilities and vocal capacity...I was smitten. I really appreciate all of his albums, but what caught me most on Divide was the song "Happier" I find that it continually ends up on my monthly playlists. And at the risk of sounding cheesy or cliche, it never fails to transport me somewhere good.
3) Vaults/ Caught in Still Life
Shameful admission: I discovered Vaults via the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack and totally loved "One Last Night." I hunted down more of their music immediately, but only found a conglomeration of singles much to my dismay, though I loved them all. Then much to my joy, they released a full length album. And so far, they are one of the few artists, in which I love every single song they create.
4) Sigur Ros//Von (1997)
Rediscovered this album this year. I re-fall in love with Sigur Ros every few years...and I find that this album continues to stir my heart towards the heavens.
Shameful admission: I discovered Vaults via the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack and totally loved "One Last Night." I hunted down more of their music immediately, but only found a conglomeration of singles much to my dismay, though I loved them all. Then much to my joy, they released a full length album. And so far, they are one of the few artists, in which I love every single song they create.
4) Sigur Ros//Von (1997)
Rediscovered this album this year. I re-fall in love with Sigur Ros every few years...and I find that this album continues to stir my heart towards the heavens.
2016 IN REVIEW
TOP TEN RELEASES OF 2016
10) Radiohead//A Moon Shaped Pool
9) Switchfoot//Where the Light Shines Through
8) Britney Spears//Glory
7) Gavin Degraw//Something Worth Saving
6) Bon Iver// 22, A Million
5) Phantogram//Three
4) Hillsong Worship//Let there be Light
3) Melanie C//Version of Me
2) Maria Taylor//In the Next Life
1) Gungor//One Wild Life: Body
2015 IN REVIEW
TOP TEN RELEASES OF 2016
10) Radiohead//A Moon Shaped Pool
9) Switchfoot//Where the Light Shines Through
8) Britney Spears//Glory
7) Gavin Degraw//Something Worth Saving
6) Bon Iver// 22, A Million
5) Phantogram//Three
4) Hillsong Worship//Let there be Light
3) Melanie C//Version of Me
2) Maria Taylor//In the Next Life
1) Gungor//One Wild Life: Body
2015 IN REVIEW
1) Coldplay/ A Head Full of Dreams
nothing coldplay will ever do can replicate the magic that was ghost stories for me. but head full of dreams makes it onto my 2015 music list because there are a sampling of songs on here that are meaningful and just beautiful to listen to. i would say this album errs more on the side of fun and light hearted and lacks the depth of tales that previous albums have weaved. irregardless i would recommend this album because of its upbeat nature, making it a great one for driving or working out.
tracks to invest time in: everglow, up and up, army of one, and fun.
2) Death Cab for Cutie/ Kintsugi
this album is a masterpiece. it carried me through the spring season this year as i battled a few demons of my own. the record is in one word: vulnerable. and that alone sets it apart as album of the year in my book. kintsugi is the japanese art of repairing broken pottery, as a philosophy it treats breakage and repair of an object as part of the history of it, rather than a disguise to make it appear perfect again without damage. the idea of that alone gives the listener a hint of what is to come on this album. gibbard himself admitted that many of the songs are written in honest and raw vulnerability of how he dealt with his divorce to a hollywood actress. he described how his story may be similar to others and therefore can bring the same solace he found in crafting the tunes. that, to me expresses what good music is all about...that is the connection and camaraderie it can bring between listeners and between listener and musician.
tracks to invest time in: no room in frame, you've haunted me all my life, black sun, ingenue.
this album is a masterpiece. it carried me through the spring season this year as i battled a few demons of my own. the record is in one word: vulnerable. and that alone sets it apart as album of the year in my book. kintsugi is the japanese art of repairing broken pottery, as a philosophy it treats breakage and repair of an object as part of the history of it, rather than a disguise to make it appear perfect again without damage. the idea of that alone gives the listener a hint of what is to come on this album. gibbard himself admitted that many of the songs are written in honest and raw vulnerability of how he dealt with his divorce to a hollywood actress. he described how his story may be similar to others and therefore can bring the same solace he found in crafting the tunes. that, to me expresses what good music is all about...that is the connection and camaraderie it can bring between listeners and between listener and musician.
tracks to invest time in: no room in frame, you've haunted me all my life, black sun, ingenue.
3) Mumford and Sons/ Wilder Mind
this album was a gift. mumford and sons is my #1 for all time. i can't forsee that ever changing. this album dropped on my birthday and i fell in love. yes, it is different. yes, they abandoned the banjo and their known sound, but it still contains words and tunes that penetrate deep into my heart and soul-filled longings. i cannot give proper due to mumford and sons in words. it is hard to explain. for me it is a feeling, a feeling that only comes from their creations. and i am so thankful they follow their hearts and create good music.
tracks to invest time in: the wolf, just smoke, monsters, snake eyes, and hot gates.
this album was a gift. mumford and sons is my #1 for all time. i can't forsee that ever changing. this album dropped on my birthday and i fell in love. yes, it is different. yes, they abandoned the banjo and their known sound, but it still contains words and tunes that penetrate deep into my heart and soul-filled longings. i cannot give proper due to mumford and sons in words. it is hard to explain. for me it is a feeling, a feeling that only comes from their creations. and i am so thankful they follow their hearts and create good music.
tracks to invest time in: the wolf, just smoke, monsters, snake eyes, and hot gates.
4) Muse/ Drones
i have been an on and off again muse fan. they've never totally lost me, but not every album has captured me. but drones was different and i am still unsure of why. but i like it. it is one i go back to time and time again to find the funky moods and unique tunes that it brings about in me. what i find most interesting about drones is the story it tells. bellamy discussed the themes of the album in an interview i read in which he said the messages the band is trying to get across to the listeners is the empathy gap that occurs when humans rely on modern technology and the deep void that creates in human interaction. there were deeper elements he tackled in relation to actual drone warfare and such but i thought the empathy idea was profound and makes me listen carefully when i listen to the story this album offers and the journey of its protagonist and how he recaptures hope again.
tracks to invest time in: dead inside, mercy, defector, the globalist, and drones.
i have been an on and off again muse fan. they've never totally lost me, but not every album has captured me. but drones was different and i am still unsure of why. but i like it. it is one i go back to time and time again to find the funky moods and unique tunes that it brings about in me. what i find most interesting about drones is the story it tells. bellamy discussed the themes of the album in an interview i read in which he said the messages the band is trying to get across to the listeners is the empathy gap that occurs when humans rely on modern technology and the deep void that creates in human interaction. there were deeper elements he tackled in relation to actual drone warfare and such but i thought the empathy idea was profound and makes me listen carefully when i listen to the story this album offers and the journey of its protagonist and how he recaptures hope again.
tracks to invest time in: dead inside, mercy, defector, the globalist, and drones.
5) Brett Eldredge/ Illinois
this is strictly for the country girl in me. i met brett eldredge last year when he was the opening act for keith urban and i was so excited to discover he was taller than me, i probably freaked him out a little bit. brett eldredge covers all my country longings with his deep, smooth voice and sweet, heart-felt songs. this is more fun and sweet listening than anything else.
tracks to invest time in: wanna be that song, drunk on your love, just a taste, and lose it all.
tracks to invest time in: wanna be that song, drunk on your love, just a taste, and lose it all.
6) Punch Brothers/ The Phosporescent Blues
my love for chris thile runs deep and whatever he puts out there, either alone or with his bands, i will buy it. the man is a musical genius and i will devour whatever he offers. the newest album from the punch brothers is just as unique as all of their other albums. they don't have one sound, so i enjoy the new inventions they offer with each album. there are a few stand out songs on this one that quickly became my all time favorites. while nothing may surpass the greatness of "who's feeling young now?" "the phosphorescent blues" offering is a little more subdued and intriguing on a lyrical and instrumental level. i adored "julep" as a fun tune that to me showed the happiness that thile has achieved in his life now after a darker period of time. the music reflects a certain joy. and that has been fun to take along with me on evening walks and winter drives as of late. i also got to see thile perform a solo rendition of "my oh my" on the mandolin and since my heart has been full.
tracks to invest time in: my oh my, julep, i blew it off, magnet, and boll weevil (which has a very nickel creek feel to it)!
2014 IN REVIEW
I didn't always love Coldplay. I couldn't even attach a song to their name until 2008 when I finally realized The Scientist was a Coldplay song. And then, ever so suddenly, I was smitten. I saw them live in 2009 and it is still, after MANY shows, hands down, the best one I've ever been to. Listening to Coldplay is a spiritual experience. (I am fully aware that sounds douchey and cliche) HOWEVER, it's true. This album in particular spoke light, peace, hope, comfort and joy into my life this year during a dry and slightly depressing season.
Tracks to invest time in: Midnight, O, Sky Full of Stars and Ink
2) Sia 1,000 Forms of Fear
Sia is a bit of a strange bird, but this is why I love her. Chandelier came out and I knew I may love this album just as much as I loved Some People Have Real Problems. I did not love We Are Born as much. However, 1,000 Forms of Fear made me a fan again. This album was my summer and it was just so poignant. It often felt like reading a book and every song produced a new story in my head. I found solace in Big Girls Cry and the video for Chandelier, well, it was everyone's favorite, but I sooo loved it.
Tracks to invest time in: Big Girls Cry, Chandelier, Fire Meets Gasoline and Elastic Heart
3) Jenny Lewis The Voyager
I heart Jenny Lewis. She is just fabulous in most every way. Her voice, her style, her lyrics, her musicality, her respect in the industry...I just wish I was cool like her. This album took me by surprise. I don't know why but I did not expect to like it as much as I did. This album is fun. It doesn't propel me into deep thinking or a spiritual experience, but I truly enjoy it.
Tracks to invest time in: The Voyager, Head Underwater, She's Not Me, Slippery Slopes
Omigoodness, I seriously love these guys. I like to say I knew and liked them before everyone else. I'll wear that like a badge of honor! But seriously, they are like soooo good, and I'm so happy that everyone else seems to be catching on. I was hooked ever since I first listened to Mouthful of Diamonds. That song was on repeat for most of 2010. Voices has brought forth a whole new kind of musical experience. Now, I may be a bit impartial as they have a song entitled Bill Murray that won me over before I even listened to it. The truth is, this album is my love because of the mood and feeling it creates. I would often listen to this album whenever I took long drives. There was something about the melancholic nature it brought out in me. And for me that is not a bad thing. It is where I find inspiration amidst the pensiveness.
Tracks to invest time in: Nothing But Trouble, Bill Murray, Howling at the Moon, Falling in Love
5) Andrew McMahon Into the Wilderness
McMahon was an end of year discovery via an instagram buddy. She raved of the wonders of his new album and because I find her to be a reliable source of musical insight, I investigated. McMahon had a familiar history (Something Corporate) but I had never had any vested interest in his musical endeavors. Not because they weren't good. I just never found myself listening...until now. Into the Wilderness is a phenomenal album. It has heart. It is personal. And it is an interesting story, all of which make me a fan. What people most likely are to recognize is the leading track Cecilia and the Satellite. It's sweet and beautiful and the music video will make you cry. Not to mention I read up on the history on McMahon which will help to appreciate the personal-ness of the album.
Tracks to invest time in: Cecilia and the Satellite, Canyon Moon, See her on the Weekends and All Our Lives.
I adore The Head and the Heart. They are just a fun group of fun sweet songs. I feel at home with dear friends when I listen to them. I find that they are the best accompaniment when I am writing. Their songs fuel my soul and my creativity.
Tracks to invest time in: Let's Be Still, Springtime, Another Story, and Shake.
What can I say? Imogen's voice is infectious. You hear it and you know it's her. It has a certain unidentifiable charm. She is diverse and the emotional terrain of each album is vast. I like it and her because I feel many feelings when I listen to her. It is not just for a certain mood...it is for all times and days, and with music that is a rare find. Sparks took awhile to grow on me, but now I love and it is on high rotation in my playlists.
Tracks to invest time in: Entanglement, You Know Where to Find Me, Minds Without Fear, and The Beast
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