Young Oceans - "To Thee We Run"

Young Oceans is an excellent band, and you should really check out everything that they've put out to this point. But this is my favorite song of theirs. Enjoy!

Dallas - "Weatherford"

This is one of the best crafted songs I've heard in a long time. The guitar lick that drives the song is catchy as all get out, too. Enjoy!

Andy Zipf - "Reach is Wide"

This song is perfection. The feel, the tone, the mix...everything. You really need to check out Andy Zipf's album "Jealous Hands" (which this track is from) because it's wonderful. That is all. Enjoy!

Andrew Belle - "Sister"

I just discovered Andrew Belle the other day, and I've really been digging into his "Black Bear" album. Very solid all the way through; I highly recommend giving it a listen. This is currently my favorite overall track from the album, and apparently also happens to be his personal favorite. Enjoy!

J. Roddy Walston and The Business - "Heavy Bells"

I can't fully explain why I love this song. Part of it is the sheer energy behind the vocals. Another part is the fact that it feels like rock and roll with teeth. It also doesn't hurt that the little guitar solo (at the 2:39 mark) feels like something right out of Led Zeppelin's catalog. So much so, in fact, that I spent the better part of an afternoon going through all of Led Zeppelin's studio tracks to see if they just straight up lifted it. Turns out, the answer is no...the closest I could come up with is some combination of "Heartbreaker" and "The Ocean". But I have to believe the homage is intentional. Regardless, I hope you enjoy this one!

Augustines - "Don't You Look Back" and The Outfield - "Your Love"

Alright, we have a two-fer today. The first track is another from the Augustines' self-titled second album. The funny thing about this tune is that I really don't like the chorus. However, there are two parts of the song that make it impossible for me to resist. The first is the prechorus (the first one starts at the 0:34 mark); it's a simple but effective little guitar lick, and when it's combined with the snap-back of the snare and that bouncing vocal line it's just fantastic. (One last thing I love about that prechorus: the line "this kiss ain't got no hope, but I'm gonna get it right" is just great.) The other part of the song I love is the basic guitar part that starts and underpins the song...



...and it's that part which leads me to the next song for the day, because it's impossible for me to hear that track without thinking of "Your Love" by The Outfield. Lyrically, it's just a terrible tune, but from the very beginning of the track, there's that classic guitar part, which -- in my mind, anyway -- is the spiritual ancestor of the part you hear in the Augustines' tune. Also, that vocal melody over the top of it ("Josie's on a vacation far away...") approaches perfection. Seriously, how memorable is that intro? I'm not a fan of the lyrics, but love the tune, and I definitely think it's a song worth hearing. Enjoy!

Augustines - "Cruel City"

I'm happy to get to share this song with you today. This track comes from the Augustines' self-titled second album, and I highly recommend giving the whole thing a listen. The singer's voice reminds me a bit of the lead singer from Gomez, a band I've featured on this blog before. I might end up posting another track from this album in a couple of days, because it's that good. In the meantime, enjoy!