Stuck In My Skull 551 -- "Cool Kids"

Song: "Cool Kids" || Artist: Echosmith || http://youtu.be/SSCzDykng4g ||

Comments: Good morning, everyone! Today's song has been stuck in my head off and on for several days, so I figured it's high time I looked it up and shared it with you all. I first heard this song on pop radio, and according to Wikipedia this song made it to 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. The artist, Echosmith, is apparently a group of four siblings. Unlike many fairly tumultuous families, these four brothers and sisters play nicely together, creating a really excellent indie pop/rock song. It's calm, upbeat, and catchy. Well done, Echosmith, well done.

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[Secret Sounds] ~ Moto Boy - The Heart is a Rebel

Track: The Heart Is a Rebel
Artist: Moto Boy

Moto Boy is Oskar Humlebo, a Swedish indie pop-rocker who has toured with the Cardigans and has several of his own studio albums, the next one to be released in fall of this year. His music has been played on the radio all across the globe.

This track opens with electric guitar arpeggios and the soft but full vocals. The leading tones beautifully guide the melody through the chord progression. The cello enters and adds great texture, supporting the chords opposite the guitar, whilst the mesmerizing ebb and flow of the melody weaves between it. The sustained, lilting strings of the chorus bring even more emotion and shape to the arrangement. As the song winds down, it circles back to the start of electric guitar and vocals, until the fades as well, leaving the vocals to echo poignantly.

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AMANDA-- "SACRILEGE" by YEAH YEAH YEAHS

Hey all! My sincerest apologies for not posting last Friday. Things happened and I was tied up for most of the day. Hope you're having a good week. Mine has gotten considerably better since I found out that the Yeah Yeah Yeah's have a new single out and that their album will be released on the sixteenth of this month. That is music to my ears quite literally. What can I say about "Sacrilege?" Well, for starters it has one hell of a video (Warning: NSFW). The lovely Lily Cole, British actress and model, plays a seductress in a small town who is *spoiler alert* captured and burned alive for her sins. The backwards progression of the video and the storyline itself are incredibly interesting. Thematically, I'd say it's one their best songs even without the video, though it certainty adds a layer of drama and intensity. What has kept me listening to this over and over again is that scintillating guitar, and Karen O's ethereal vocals. Did I mention the track features a gospel choir? Perfection. Enjoy!

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ETC #69 "Bleeding Out"

Song: "Bleeding Out" ~ Artist: Imagine Dragons

~ http://youtu.be/gJEoxeW7JvQ ~

Comments: Hey, guys!  So, I am bringing a new favourite song of mine to the blog today from the album Night Visions that was released late last year. I recently had a friend give me a bunch of Imagine Dragons and I have had the songs on repeat for the last couple of hours because it's that good!  This song has a certain kind of wonderful mixture.  The guitar in this song makes me feel the rock, the lyrics and vocals have a pop vibe to them, and the clapping (?) in the background reminds me of something that I would hear in a country or choral song and it all combines into one amazing song. I didn't realize what a unique sound this group has. From what I've listened to all of their songs have this relaxing, yet up beat feel to them that makes me want to sing, rock out, and chill out all at the same time. I hope that you all enjoy this song as much as I did. Happy listening!

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ETC #69 "Heartlines" and "Leave My Body"

Song: "Heartlines" ~ Artist: Florence + The Machine

~ http://youtu.be/aTHgbmKNUr8 ~

Comments: Happy Tuesday, all! So I'm bringing a little Florence into your Tuesday. I have had the album Ceremonials on loop for the last couple of days. I didn't realize that there were six singles off of this CD.  The most famous one you all are probably familiar with is "Shake It Out" which is a great inspirational song (and an interesting yet visually striking video).  I fell in love with several of the songs.  This album has been out a while and even though there are several singles I have to admit only hearing one of them so far on the radio which is really disappointing because they're all very good. This song in particular shows of some of the range that Florence has and I especially love that she can sing well live! She not only has a beautiful range, but she has power behind her vocals.

Song: "Leave My Body" ~ Artist: Florence + The Machine

~ http://youtu.be/BM9QJIIMTcs ~

Comments: Again, half of the songs on the album so many of my favourites were already taken as I'm trying to not provide singles from the artist featured on Tuesdays. This second song has a mild tempo, yet is soothing and relaxing. Some parts of the words in here were a bit hard to understand so here are the lyrics in case you need them.  All I have left to say (and repeat) is that I just absolutely love this album and Ms. Welch's voice. It is one of the best ones I've heard come on the radio in a long time (not to say that there aren't other great ones of course) and it's something that could rock me to sleep. Happy listening!

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AMANDA-- "CARING IS CREEPY" by THE SHINS

Hey all! I intended do a song from a musical but while browsing through my collection of soundtrack music, "Caring Is Creepy" (interesting title I know) popped into my head out of nowhere. It works because it's 1) a good song  and fairly representative of The Shin's music and 2)  featured in one of my indie favorite films, Garden State. Happy listening!

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ETC #14 "It's Time"

Song: "It's Time"
Artist: Imagine Dragons
Link: http://youtu.be/sENM2wA_FTg

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sENM2wA_FTg]

Comments: Hi, everyone.  Despite whether you were happy with the election results yesterday, I have brought to you a good song for your Wednesday.  I'll admit that the video is darker (literally and figuratively) than I anticipated, but I really like what they did with it.  I also am absolutely in love with the chorus of this song. It's one that I sing to frequently while in the car.  Believe me when I say that this song deserves a listen.  I'm a little surprised by it only being 30 on the Billboard chart, but I'm hoping it climbs the ladder a little higher. It was nominated for the rock video of the year and this is the second single from their album Night Visions.  Happy listening!

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ETC #9 "Seven Devils"

Song: "Seven Devils"
Artist: Florence and the Machine
Link: http://youtu.be/hBcXe2B97TQ

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBcXe2B97TQ]

Comments: Happy Friday, all!  I'm bringing you some more music from those who brought you "Shake It Out".  Florence and the Machine have a different sound to them and I have to say I really like it as a change to what's usually on the radio.  If you listen to them you can now add English Indie Rock to your collection!  I  heard this song thanks to a friend of mine who said it was a bad idea to listen to it in the dark while sitting in your car. Now, whether or not she's right I'll just take her word for it. Though I'm really glad that she passed this song along to me because it convinced me to listen to more of their music and now I'm a fan. I think it would have been cool to make a music video for this song; the makers could definitely have found something creative to do with it.  Happy listening!

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Entry 276-- "Kiss with a Fist"

Song: Kiss with a Fist || Artist: Florence and the Machine || http://youtu.be/1SmxVCM39j4 ||

Comments: Hey all! Amanda here! Hope you're all having a good Monday thus far. Sorry for the lateness of this post; things are bit crazy around here today. Even so, we would never neglect our duties here at Stuck In My Skull. Many of you are probably familiar with this particular song or the artist, who has since become a music sensation. The song was Florence and the Machine's first hit single and the track that put Florence Welch on the map. After its release, the lovely and talented singer-songwriter was accused of encouraging domestic violence with her lyrics, which she has denied wholeheartedly. I like it frankly because it's boisterous and has tenacity. Hopefully this will help you tackle whatever challenges you might face over the course of your day. Thanks for reading and enjoy!

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Entry 261-- "Radioactive"

Song: "Radioactive"
Artist: Imagine Dragons

http://youtu.be/eu-xFvLaE68

Comments: Amanda here! Sorry for the lateness of  today's post but hopefully this song will make up for it. I'm excited to introduce a new band to the blog: Imagine Dragons, one of the most refreshing musical acts I've encountered in a long time. A couple weeks ago, word of a new study suggesting that today’s pop music is louder, blander, and more unimaginative than ever floated around the web. While I don’t contest that there is a lot of sub-par music out there it seems unfair to generalize about an entire genre, especially one as diverse and ever-changing as pop is nowadays. Imagine Dragons reminds me that modern music isn’t in the state of decline some think it is. There is always great music to be found as long as people are willing to look for it. For me, listening to music is an emotional, subjective experience. My musical tastes aren’t so much rooted in objectivity and it’s hard to quantify why I like this song or what makes it good. No doubt part of its appeal is its infectious chorus and killer hip-hop beats. But it'd be more accurate to say “I feel it in my bones.” Enjoy! 

Edit: Chris here-- it's worth noting this song is getting quite a bit of exposure being featured in an ad for a new TV show ("Chicago Fire") being promoted in NBC's Olympics coverage. Also, we're experimenting with different formatting and templates for the blog. If things look weird, bear with us-- it'll come back to normal (or at least settle on one option) soon enough.

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Entry 240-- "Tongue Tied"

Song: "Tongue Tied"
Artist: Grouplove

 

http://youtu.be/1x1wjGKHjBI

Comments:  Hey everyone! Amanda here to wrap up the week. This song has been stuck in my skull for a couple days now and I felt I needed to share it with you all today. Apple featured it in a commercial last year, essentially catapulting the band into mainstream success. And I am definitely a fan. Grouplove (sometimes spelled GROUPLOVE) has a fun, youthful pathos about them that is kind of irresistible and  "Tongue Tied" captures it perfectly. It comes off their debut record and is a fantastic amalgam of rock, pop, electronica, and indie music that makes me want to dance and headbang all at the same time.The music video is also quite entertaining. If you like what you hear, I suggest checking out their entire album. Happy listening and happy Friday!

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