Jersey Shore...

Jersey bred Nerina Pallot has somehow gone under my radar for way too long, as i have just found out through listening to this acoustic version of her song 'Put your Hands Up'....



me likey....

'If MGMT and Passion Pit had a baby it would sound like The Naked and Famous'

Kiwi hipster band The Naked and Famous have bestowed upon us one of the best album titles of recent times... 'Passive Me, Aggresive You'. It just sounds so good!
Here is my favourite track from the album which also features said phrase! It comes with a rather nifty video of rhythmical stomping and food throwing too, which is always fun...

Beyonce 2007 vs. Beyonce 2011

So back in the B'day days, Beyonce released a deluxe edition of the album with added DVD (I have to say i was a little peeved coz they mixed 'Kitty Kat' in with 'Green Light' when i felt it did deserved it's own video, but still..) This DVD included this version of 'Get Me Bodied'



It appears that in a post Austin Powers haze Beyonce has foolishly allowed her mother (who designs possible THE most hideous outfits) to let loose on the lamé....IT BURNS USSSSS!!!

One has to feel sorry for the rest of Destiny's Child in this video (oh and her sister Solange) It's like Beyonce went and said 'There's going to be a video where you MAY NOT sing for I am the DIVA and I shall dress you in the most hideous outfits Momma can knock up and I expect you ALL to be happy about it!!! Ok!'

Fast forward to 2011 and Sasha Fierce is running with an altogether higher calibre of woman! The first lady Michelle Obama herself!! Enlisted to help get young people to move, Beyonce has ditched momma's threads, ditched the superfluous other band members, donned her curly blonde weave and turned a pretty average song into a dance frenzy!!



This, my friends, is what we call EVOLUTION....



Work it Michelle!

Far from home....

For those who check from time to time I would like to apologize for the lack of posts in the last few weeks.....What the hell have you been listening to in my absence? anyways... I have been much travelled since last I posted with little to no time to search for new things...
But fear not soundtrackers for i have returned to the web (if not to the motherland just yet!) and have found a cheeky little ginger, Ed Sheeran, strumming away on his boat through London to his song about a drug taking girl...



He almost takes his head off on the bridge but the whole thing makes me feel rather homesick... who knew clips of industrial work could make one pine for good ol' Blighty?

When Irish ears are.....smiling?

Does anyone else remember that one summer in the mid-nineties....River dance was a sensation, Michael Flatley became a household name, lucky charms cereal was like an uber treat because it was almost like being allowed to have candy for breakfast (my parents wouldnt buy it... i only snuck it in on sleep overs at friends' houses...)and this song by the Corrs was on the radio, at some point, on some station...at all times ....



good times, good times!

A tale of Parental Wishes....

Following on, if slightly randomly, from yesterdays post I remembered this little, nutty, gem of a song by the king of loopy loo Devendra Banhart...



It is a strange wish for one's child to have long hair in order to keep it's head warm but fair do's, cranial cosiness is important!

Interesting fact about bonkers Devendra is that he is also the ex of Natalie Portman and somehow persuaded the oscar winning actress to take part in this Bollywood inspired video....



She was perfect.....
He was mad as a sack of badgers!

A song for a momentous occasion!

Yesterday my sister gave birth to a beautiful baby and I became an uncle for the first time!!! A momentous day indeed!
Although the lyrics are completely unrelated... I was listening to my new find Laura Jansen when i got the text message from my dad simply saying: 'it's a boy'



SO HAPPY and most definitely not 'The End' but a fantastic Beginning...

Not sure What he's going on about .... but i like it!

Darwin Deez's 'Radar Detector' is so addictive it should come with a warning...



Particularly useful if you need to get out of bed and to work in a hurry...

An Ingrid I like (part 2)...

Having told you all about norwegian ballad warbler Ingrid Olava, I would like you all to say 'howdy' to the lovely Ingrid Michaelson.
I first came across Ingrid when on holiday with one of my good friends in Portugal... her song 'Be OK' was on the radio in nearly every taxi we went in and, mixed with some portugese wine, became quite the favourite of ours...



However my love affair with Miss Michaelson continued when i heard some more of her songs....
Particularly touching is the song 'Giving Up', which sounds like it should be about the end of a relationship, but cheeky Ingrid is actually talking about giving up on second guessing in a relationship and just living in the moment...



But possibly my favourite is the beautiful 'Sort Of',



The lyrics are stunning! I think we have all felt the frustration of being able to be lifted up so high by someone but knowing that that person can't reciprocate this love, which is crushing you...

I could seriously talk about another ten songs that are completely embedded into the Soundtrack to My Life but i shall leave you with a simple and sweet duet with fellow Soundtrack-er Sara Bareilles...



Is Love Alive....

Annette Bening's got it sussed!

There are times in one's life when this song is not only acceptable but completely necessary. Available in many forms I have chosen the Lea Michele version....



Annette favours the Bobby Darin version and uses it to full effect...



Why not find your own version to get you through the day....

Self loathing with bass...

Herman Dune's 'Good for No One' is a parable of self destructive behaviour. Set to it's driving bass drum and tambourine rhythm, it picks you up and carries you on it's bizarre journey of self loathing ...



Love it!

The 'Take Off Your Cool' List...

Ke$ha, Kanye West, Victoria Beckham, Joss Stone, Russell Crowe, Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, Charlie Sheen, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Usher, Catherine Heigl, Adam Lambert and finally the Olsen Twins may all please TAKE OFF THEIR COOL!!!! Although I am thinking it is doubtful they ever will.... *sigh*

Compare and Contrast!

'The Limit to your Love' by Feist and the cover 'Limit to your Love' by James Blake are both fantastic in their own right.

The original, written by Leslie Feist (all round genius lyric writer and tune creator), is a slightly sweeter affair. It floats along like a paper boat on a stream but when you listen to the middle eight where she exclaims 'I can't read your smile/ It should be written on your face/ I'm piecing it together/there's something out of place' it's hard not to feel the pain and frustration of a love that she can not understand but can not give up...



James Blake's version is a much darker affair. This is someone who has been damaged and is now sitting in a darkened room feeling a little lost and sorry for themself...



I love the pumping beat of the James Blake version and it's haunting melancholy but I definitely miss the ommited lyrics from Feist's original.....

Ooooh it's sooo difficult to choose...

Memory Lane...

I think it is unlikely to find anyone who was born before 1987 who doesnt have a soft spot for 'All That She Wants' by Ace of Base...

I have a distinct memory of listening to this song on the radio when my family finally moved house and ,at the age of 8, I was entrusted with my OWN BEDROOM!!! Which I then proceeded to cover with posters of Ace of Base, Boyzone and Janet Jackson....



Turn it up loud and go back to younger days...

Royal Wedding...

In honor of Cate and Will's impending Royal nuptuals, I thought i would share the song that, as a teenager, I always thought would be the first dance at my wedding (should it ever arrive)...



Madonna's 'Something to Remember' album was actually my first ever CD! I bought TLC's 'crazysexycool' CD first but then had to exchange it for the Madonna album because my brother and sister had already bought the cassette version of 'Crazysexycool' as my christmas present a couple of months in advance....

I can remember being 16 and thinking being 'Crazy' about someone would be quite romantic...

My first ever music bought on cassette was this...



I think i was about 6... I'd listen to it constantly on my portable tape player....

Says a lot...

Happy Chocolate Day!!

So, I've been away over the Easter break with no internet to speak of, visiting family and friends and generally enjoying the heat wave that has hit northern Europe (25 degrees in April... don't mind if i do!)
There have been a few revelations I must say...
-sleeping on a blow up mattress perched atop a very large bean bag does not increase one's comfort but does, infact, make one feel like one is sleeping up the side of a steep hill...
-wind up toy chicks (as in small chickens, not girls from the 1970's) are endless fun, especially when they are fluffy....
-pregnant women should not eat prosciutto...
- And this song is rather wonderful when accompanied by a long journey....

Your in my blood like holy wine Joni...

There is something quite magical about a song that so clearly tells a story, creates a mood and transports us away from ourselves whilst also telling us something about ourselves...
'A Case of You' by Joni Mitchell, from her life changing album 'Blue', is one of those songs...



Thank you Joni!

Surprisingly laid back...

Daft Punk, best known for there upbeat floor fillers such as 'One More Time' and 'Digitial Love, also have this little gem of a track in their musical library! It's simple laid back beat, combined with it's romantic lyrics, make for a sweet listen!
The manga style video is pretty cool too... it appears the hero is suffering from a condition known as hyperhidrosis (or extreme sweating under the pit!) poor manga man!! Him and a grown up Smurfette do get a lovely waltz around the galaxy though...



I hope he's wearing deoderant....

And so to bed....

'Elusive' by Scott Matthews has been on the soundtrack to my life for the past few years... It is the perfect late night, pre-bed, red wine song.... You'll understand when you hear it...



Amazing...

Also, having seen this live vid of 'Eyes Wider than Before', I am dying to see the man in concert!!



Husky brilliance.... Night night!

Where for art thou Chromeo.....

Chromeo are a French Canadian duo creating 80's enthused pop/dance tracks.
'100%' makes me wanna get the biggest shoulder pads I can find, a neon bar light and a dry ice machine... so i can *step tap, step tap* from side to side to my hearts content!



Join in, it's FUN!

Gretitia's Urban Mix!

Oh heyyy!

Gretitia's back y'all! So, you know, somtimes I be hangin' with mah girrrls on the streets and I be seeing all these players all up in their volvos and their cadillacs n sh*t and I be hearin' all those lame ass songs they be playin' and ah'm like, 'Damn boys..., y'all hear me! Yo' need some more bass in yo' lives!!'

So I gots me on here to give y'all some extra Urban! This is from mah boy Fiddy n will definitely get yo' bumper bouncin'. This bass got me shakin' my booty down low n lickin' mah lips fo' a little sumthin' sumthin' OH KAYYY!!!!



Word... x

Home Alone....

'Young Dreams' by Young Dreams is a throbbing, crashing, banging, harmonious, thrill of a song. It's video, distinctly scandinavian in feel, contains some of the most visually interesting images I have seen in a music video for some time... I hope you like this as much as I did!

Gallic charm...

Remitocoko is apparently France's 17th most popular youtube musician and calls his guitar Javotte!
There is something incredibly charming about his simple guitar playing, monochrome videos and slight hint of a french accent when he sings his cover versions of popular pop hits...



Charmant...

Onomatopoeic pop star...

Much like 'splash', 'bang' and 'clunk', 'Winehouse' is pretty onomatopoeic when refering to british, drug fiend Amy Winehouse!
Her album 'Back to Black' was undoubtably one of the biggest hits of the 'naughties' with such hits as 'Tears dry on their own', 'Rehab', 'Love is a losing Game' and my own personal, drunk, karaoke, self pitying fav 'Black to Black'...



I was recently reminded of her amazing/inebriated appearance on british comedy panel show 'Never Mind the Buzzcocks' ....







'Do something with Katie Melua' -Simon
'I'd rather have cat AIDs thankyou...' -Amy Winehouse

ADELE's BFF!!!

10 reasons why me and Adele should be friends....



1. we are both british.
2. we both partake in late night skype chats with best friends, ending in hangovers the next day.
3.we both like dogs.
4. we are both under 30.
5. I would happily wait at the side of the stage to wipe up her tears, when she belts out an overly emotional rendition of 'Someone Like You'.



6. we could easily pass the time, telling raucously inappropriate stories to each other, where I could answer all her life questions...'Yes, Adele I think you should stop chasing pavements...'
7. I would enjoy brushing her long, ginger locks...
8. We both have a blog where we post our favourite music videos (granted hers is attatched to her own actual website, where she sells her own actual music, but still...)
9. it would be much more enjoyable, on both sides, than me being her stalker...
and finally...
10. BECAUSE SHE IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lazy days...

A miracle has occured....the sun has come out!! Seizing the day is what it's all about!!



I'm imagining running my hand through still water as I float along in a small boat, listening to this...
In reality I am still in bed, in need of a shower, surrounded by my own filth...
Seize the day???
Maybe later....

Oh what a night....

I'm not really sure what it says about one's Friday night antics, when one wakes up with Eminem's 'Lose yourself' playing in one's head....
Taken from the movie '8 Mile', it comes from when Slim Shady was at the height of his powers and it's nigh on impossible not to find yourself bobbing your head along to it's driving bass line!



The sound of a generation...

Nothing like a bit of vintage Whitney....

Before Ms. Houston looked like this...



she was the fresh faced choir girl, who lit up the 80's with her amazing voice, rocking bod and a tight curl perm even Julia Roberts was jealous of!

From the opening 3 seconds of synth beeps and snare, you know you're in for a treat!! So get out your leggings, ra-ra skirt, stone wash denim jacket and pumps to enjoy this LOUD!!!



For even more fun, play Whitney while watching this clip from Will and Grace with the sound down.....



Happy FRIDAY everyone!

Guilty Pleasure....

Ok, so british band N-Dubz are generally offensive on mostly all counts....
In their song 'Girls' the opening line by someone I beleive goes by the name of Dappy (isn't that a synonym for 'idiot'??) proudly proclaims 'Girrrrrls, I f*ck with them..' followed shortly by the 'lady' of the group, Tulisa (who incidently looks like she could be a contestant on 'Snog Marry Avoid')crooning 'Guuuuuuuuuys, I f*ck with them'. Joni Mitchell they are not!!!

That said and done, their version of the Script's 'The Man Who Can't be Moved' is rather addictive....



...until, in the last 5 seconds, they undo all the good work.... oh N-Dubz!!!!

Seriously beautiful...

Here is the official description of this touching and arresting song from Brandi Carlile:

On "That Year," Carlile remembers a friend who committed suicide while they were both teenagers. She had a dream about that friend, which led to the song: "Something like that never really leaves you. At that age, you might not have the coping skills to really understand."

I really love this song's simple guitar melody, emotion filled vocal and faintly military snare drum...


Seriously beautiful...

Wie Geil!!!!

Hallo meine lieblings!!!
Diane Kruger here! You may remember me from such kino films as 'Troy' ( wie scheisse... basically the gay porn for the straight men oder?) and 'Inglourious Basterds' ( Super toll!!! You know ven i was being killed at the end vas actually ze herr direktor, Quentin Tarantino, whos hands ve all see!! True story haha!)
Anyvays, I vas thinking, you know, zat I vas vatching Sean Penn in ze kino film 'Milk' und he plays ze homo man... and zen I vas vatching Tom Hanks in 'Philadelphea' und he vas also playing ze homo man....UND zey both won ze Oscar mit these roles!!!!
So, meine freunde, I vas saying to myself 'HALLO... DIANE!!!! You must be playing ze homo man!!!'
Und vat better homo man than ze Boy George!!!! So viel spass!!!! He vas alvays playing in ze diskotek ven I vas small!! Und the hit from Mark Ronson is so uber cool prima I just had to do zis video!!!!!
FANTASTISCH!!!
Tscheuss!!!
Diane Kruger xxx

Paris, Je t'aime!

Alors....Paris est formidable... cette chanson aussi!!



Merci Madeleine :)

It's Business Time....

Imagine... the candles are lit, the red wine is decanted, you've flossed, brushed and mouthwashed and used extra soap on your naughty regions... oh yeah it's business time!!!! And what better way to set the mood than Robin Thicke's 'Lost Without You'! Nothing says sultry more than a latin style riff and a man singing in falsetto.....



Enjoy....

Basket Case...sounds a little better than Nut Bag....

The sky is grey, rain is falling, it's Sunday and one's head is ever so slightly groggy (read hung over!) I'm feeling the need for 'Basket Case' by Sara Bareilles.



The above video is from youtube and I believe the comments underneath, from the site, say it all.....

- The tags make no sense. And the Asian lady makes no sense. Are you on drugs?
januarycreek 6 months ago 79
- Dude who cares about the tags? just listen to the song??
Andrew180180 5 months ago 65

Well said Andrew180180 :)

Do their parents know where they are?

From these Scandinavian teenagers comes a beautiful cover of Fleet Foxes 'Tiger Mountain Peasant Song'. The setting could not be more perfect and their rendition almost more touching than the original...



They kinda look like they emerged from under a rose bush one day and flit from wood to glade singing their folk/pop crossover covers from now until the end of time.
I hope to stumble upon them one day on a sunday walk....

Gretitia's Urban Mix!

heyyy,
Gretitia here, from the projects, fool! I be bringin y'all da hottest, dirtiest, sexiest and blinginest tracks for yo' pleasure!
ma first choice be whuppin' y'all into shape, cuz we don' want yo' flabby ass bringin' us down! yo hear me!
From mah boy Kanye (back when he had a sense o' humor) his own personal workout plan, bitches!

It's a party up in here yo!

Before Delilah came Regina apparently...

Regina Spektor is one talented lady, let's not deny!! I once saw her at a festival where she sang, played piano and banged a stool with a drumstick simultaniously... Two words: MAD SKILLS!
She has also been featured on many soundtracks including 500 days of summer ('Us' and 'Hero'), In Bruges ('That Time'), My sister's keeper ('Better') and ,accolade of all accolades, she sang the intro theme to 'Weeds'....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEvEEcc9iC8 (embedding disabled by youtube...BOOOOO!!!)
But most beautiful of all has to be the hauntic ballad of Biblic hair dressing, 'Samson'...



Funnily enough the Bible didn't mention me once either Regina....
Oh, she also speaks Russian. I say once more... MAD SKILLS!!!

They're from Oxford don't you know....

Coming out of the grey muginess of winter is proving hard this year.... Just when we all thought the cold was over and Spring may have sprung, a new wave of chilly comes round the corner and slaps us in the face!
Luckily i think i may have found a cure to all this bleakness in the musical stylings of Oxford folktastic band Stornoway... With their harmonious encouragement to 'fluel up and drive on, fuel up and drive on' it has been possible to actually get out of bed each day!!!



Am also loving the nostalgic picture they paint of youth and getting older,
'You may feel like the passenger but now you're the driver...'
wise words....wise words....

Swoon for the Woon...

So a friend of mine put me on to Mr. Woon after seeing him in concert and I think I am a little light headed from his silky smooth voice and intense into camera starings!!! Is it just me or does he look a little like Joseph Gordon-Levitt? I have a feeling Jamie Woon is gonna be big in the near future with his soulful dance music but as always I am a huge sucker for an acoustic guitar and a sunset...



'I'm with you and I'm ........ with you.....'
and I am also with you Jamie....