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!

Thumpers - "Unkinder (A Tougher Love)"

Just try to get this song out of your head...I dare you. Tip of the hat to Huckberry for recommending this one. Enjoy!

Foals - "Inhaler"

Hey everyone! Long time, no post. I'm trying a new way of getting the music to you today, so we'll see if it works. The band is Foals, and everything I've heard from them at this point is awesome, but this song just kicks some serious tail. Their videos lean towards the risqué, so I don't want to embed it here on the site. I've gone with Grooveshark, so hopefully this works. BTW, if you like this tune, you need to check out another track of theirs called "My Number". Another earworm. Enjoy!

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The Village Church - "Look and See"

This is a song our church has been doing on and off for the past few months. It's a fantastic tune, and quite appropriate for the Easter season. Enjoy!

The Ember Days - "Awake"

This one counts as a win for Spotify's recommendation service. The first third of the album is quite strong, after which it really starts to drag. This song was in strong competition with "Brothers", which is the opening track, and "I'll Never Let Go", a song which seamlessly switches between a true 5/4 time signature (not merely 3/4 with 2 extra beats tacked on) and 3/4...an impressive feat in my book. However, the catchiness of this track (along with the vocal harmony in the chorus) gave it a slight edge over the other two. Enjoy!

David Crowder Band - "Oh, Great Love of God"

I was trying to get some work done this morning and found that the chorus of this song was running through my head. So I thought I'd share it with you. Enjoy!

House of Heroes - "Remember the Empire"

This is a killer track from House of Heroes' new album "Cold Hard Want." The entire album is good, but this happens to be one of my favorite tracks, probably for the chanted BGVs as well as the guitar breakdown at the 2:17 mark. Seriously, go give the album a listen...I promise it will be worth your time. Enjoy!

Shane & Shane - "Without You"

This is a great song from Shane & Shane's latest album, "The One You Need". Not a lot to say about it, because it's just a solid tune. However, I do find it interesting that the song never lands on the I (tonic) chord. I think that adds a bit to the desperation/anticipation element of the song, because the chorus (and most of the song) just cycles I/III, IV, VI, V, I/III, IV, V. I'm always amused by songs that never land on the tonic chord, or wait until the end to do so. Enjoy!

Matt Redman - "Never Once"

The intro will immediately remind several people of "Shout to The Lord", and the lyrics come off a bit like a musical formulation of "Footprints", but this also happens to be a really good tune, and definitely worth hearing. Enjoy!

Switchfoot - "The Economy of Mercy"

This one has been running through my head quite a bit lately. I generally pay more attention to the music than to the lyrics, but sometimes the lyrics are so good that they grab even my attention. This is one of those songs. It comes from the "Learning to Breathe" album, which is one of Switchfoot's earlier efforts, and one of my favorites of theirs. Enjoy!

Leeland - "Beautiful Lord"

I've got a good one from Leeland today, though it's not exactly new. This was on their debut album "Sound of Melodies", and it's my favorite track of the bunch. Enjoy!

Jukebox The Ghost - various songs

I'm so happy to get to share Jukebox The Ghost with you today. I couldn't pick just one of their songs, so I decided to share four...all of which are definitely worth hearing. Enjoy!

"Don't Let Me Fall Behind"

"Somebody"

"Everybody Knows"

"Summer Sun"

Howard Jones - "No One Is To Blame"

Today, I bring you what is probably the catchiest tune ever written about adultery. Seriously, it's an earworm. Also, check out that hair! Bonus trivia points to anyone who can identify the background vocalist singing harmony with him here. I'll give you a huge hint: he both produced and played the drums for this recording. Enjoy!

Wilco - "Walken"

I woke up today with this one on my mind, and I think that the blame rests with my friends who were discussing simple solos a few evenings back. For me, this one - a one note solo starting at the 3:10 mark - has always taken the cake. I think the main reason is because one-note solos are really only cool if they're the result of a conscious decision, rather than a limitation of the musician. Nels Cline is ridiculously talented (as are the other members of Wilco), so to hear him plunking away on a single note and still making it groove while the rest of the band moves around it is definitely cool. This track comes from Wilco's "Sky Blue Sky" album, which is in my Top 10 albums of all time (if not my Top 5). Enjoy!