Stuck In My Skull 564 -- "Whatsername"

Song: "Whatsername" || Artist: Green Day || http://youtu.be/Z2LC1xrdOaM ||

Comments: Hello everyone, and happy Friday! Honestly, I couldn't begin to tell you why I have this song stuck in my head right now -- it's been ages since I listened to it, or for that matter anything on the album. Regardless, it's stuck in my head, and I want to share it. This song is the final track of Green Day's rock opera album American Idiot, and takes a different tone than most of the songs preceding it. It's a slower, more mellow tune that almost seems to be the 'years later' coda to the upbeat insanity that comes before it. It's a really good song, and you should give it a listen. Don't forget to like us on Facebook!

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Stuck In My Skull 560 -- "The Longest Road" With Remix!

Song: "The Longest Road" || Artist: Morgan Paige feat. Lissie || Remix: Deadmau5 || Original: http://youtu.be/M4pugDVEBxY || Remix: http://youtu.be/shBKTA3QIok ||

 Original Track

Deadmau5 Remix

Comments: Hello and happy Friday, everyone! If you ask anyone who knows me, they can tell you that my memory isn't always the greatest thing. My short term memory just plain sucks sometimes. So when I hear a good song, I write it down. I've got a running document saved in my phone of all the neat songs I've heard, and when I'm struggling to find a song to write about or have a song stuck in my head that I've already written about, I break out the song list. That's exactly what happened today, and this particular song has been sitting on my list for way too long. 

I originally ran into this song listening to Deadmau5's set from Ultra 2014, where everyone's favourite Mau5 mixes the accapella version of this track with "My Pet Coelacanth" (starting at about 18:00). I recognized the name of the producer of the song, Morgan Paige. He's appeared on this blog before, back in Entry 512 where I was talking about his song "Body Work" with Tegan and Sara. Lissie, however, was unfamiliar to me, so I looked her up. It turns out that she's a fairly talented singer-songwriter from Illinois, with a thing for that country/folk/rock triad that's all the rage these days. Her vocals really make the track move. For that matter, they'd make any track move. I love all three versions of this song that I've heard -- the original, the remix, and the accapella version thrown against "My Pet Coelacanth." The original version sounds about 60/40 house/folk, and the Deadmau5 remix neatly steps up the beat and makes the song into a bit better of a dance groove while keeping all of the original energy intact. Give this track a listen, and you won't be disappointed. Have a fantastic weekend, and don't forget to like us on Facebook!

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Stuck In My Skull 559 -- "Final Masquerade"

Song: "Final Masquerade" || Artist: Linkin Park || http://youtu.be/i8q8fFs3kTM ||

Comments: Hello, everyone! Not too long ago I was surprised to hear this song on the radio, especially on the station that I think of as the local 'soft rock' station. This song is definitely rock, but I would hardly consider it to be 'soft rock,' though I don't think I necessarily agree with Wikipedia's characterization of the song as 'alternative rock' either. Setting aside labels, this is one of the better tracks I've heard from the newest Linkin Park album The Hunting Party, from which this song is the third single. It's got really compelling vocals from lead vocalist Chester Bennington, but I noticed it seems very light on backing vocalist and rapper Mike Shinoda. I noticed the same thing when I reviewed the previous single from the album, "Until It's Gone." That's not to say that Shinoda doesn't make an appearance on the album -- quite the opposite! -- but that this track really revolves around Bennington. Let me tell you, he makes the most of it. The vocals on this track really shine, and drive the entire song. It's also pretty catchy, and I won't be surprised at all if it gets stuck in my head after listening to it to write this entry. Check it out! Enjoy, and don't forget to like us on Facebook!

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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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Stuck In My Skull 545 -- "Better"

Song: "Better" || Artist: Plumb || http://youtu.be/-HeaceAbOtw ||

Comments: Hello, everyone! Today's song originally came up when Pandora (I suspect) decided to inject some randomness into my symphonic metal playlist. I have to say, I'm glad I didn't skip this one. I wasn't paying attention to the music scene when Plumb was in her heyday, so I would have otherwise completely missed this. To my ears, it sounds more than a little bit like Evanescence, but that's quite frankly a complement. It's a good song, it's got a catchy chorus, and I like it. Give it a listen!

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Stuck In My Skull 544 -- "Rain"

Song: "Rain" || Artist: Breaking Benjamin || http://youtu.be/Pgs2oiWiYV4 ||

Comments: Hello everyone! I was woken up this morning at 3:00 AM by some seriously massive storms, and I've had this song stuck in my head since. It's a slower song off Breaking Benjamin's second album We Are Not Alone, and I like it. It's acoustic, slow, calm, even a bit sad -- all completely uncharacteristic of Breaking Benjamin's usual fare, but I have to say I like it.  After doing a bit of reading, I found that apparently this song and several others off the album were co-written with Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins fame (source). It's a good song, and it's gotten my day started right. Have a listen, and don't forget to like us on Facebook!

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Stuck In My Skull 542 -- "Shatter Me"

Song: "Shatter Me" || Artist: Lindsey Stirling feat. Lzzy Hale || http://youtu.be/49tpIMDy9BE ||

Comments: Hello, everyone, and happy Wednesday! If you live in the US, hopefully your Labor Day went well. I know mine did! I rather unexpectedly slept in until nearly 11 AM -- a rare treat in my life. To make up for missing Monday, I'm hoping to blow you away with a really excellent song. I'm a bit behind the times with this one so some of you have probably heard it, but I think it's still worth posting. For today, I'd like to talk about the title track and second single from Lindsey Stirling's second album, Shatter Me. It features vocals from Lzzy Hale of Halestorm, and I have to say that they're fantastic. I'd never heard of Halestorm before this, but after seeing this video and watching the behind the scenes videos (yes, plural -- one for the studio and one for the video set), I have to say that I'm definitely agreeing with Lindsey and becoming sort of an "instant fan" of her work. This song is slightly less violin-focused than some of Lindsey Stirling's other hits, but more than makes up for it by putting just the right amount of instrumentation and emphasis in all the right places. I mean, seriously, a violin dubstep drop? I just can't get enough! The lyrics are excellently written -- there's no evidence at all that this is Lindsey's first time writing lyrics. While the drop is definitely Lindsey Stirling's take on dubstep, the rest of the song carries strong pop overtones, and to my ears what is a strong rock feeling, no doubt complements of Lzzy Hale's influence. Call it whatever you want, the song is fantastic and the video is just as good. Go watch it, and remember to like us on Facebook!

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Stuck In My Skull 535 -- "Empire"

Song: "Empire" || Artist: Shakira || http://youtu.be/QapfTGTXbxc ||

Comments: Good morning and happy Wednesday, everyone! To help you get through Hump Day, I've got a song that'll put a smile on your face, a beat in your ear, and get your mind out of a rut. A more rock-influenced song than many of Shakira's recent hits, "Empire" opens with a soft, acoustic section before bringing in some really well-done guitars behind the Columbian singer's powerful vocals. It's got a bit of electronic distortion in the chorus that I think is really well done, up there with the purposeful misuse of autotune in Kanye West's album 808s & Heartbreak. And yes, I just made a Kanye-Shakira comparison, and yes, I'm still torn about how I feel about that. Either way, this song keeps getting stuck in my head, so I figured it was time to share it with all of you. Enjoy!

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Stuck In My Skull 532 -- "Until It's Gone"

Song: "Until It's Gone" || Artist: Linkin Park || http://youtu.be/oM-XJD4J36U ||

Comments: Good morning, everyone! Today's entry is coming at you a bit earlier than planned, but I'll try to make it worth the wait. Without further ado, let's jump right in.
I've been a massive Linkin Park fan for a long, long time. I've been enjoying this band since before Minutes to Midnight was released in 2007. I've enjoyed each of their albums for what they were, and enjoyed hearing their sound change over the years. Listening to Hybrid Theory and Living Things, you would hardly think that they were the same band. Their current album -- The Hunting Party -- is yet again something completely different. They've stepped back from the electronic feel of Living Things and by their own words tried to make a rock album. This is neatly highlighted by the minimal (or perhaps even absence of an) appearance by Mike Shinoda (the rap vocalist of the group) in this track. This album also makes heavy use of guest artists, whose performance I'm torn on in their first single.
While it's a definite step back from Living Things and subtly different from the bands' sound in previous albums, there is no doubt in my mind that "Until It's Gone" is vintage Linkin Park. It's got just enough synth to call to mind previous Linkin Park tracks without sounding like a repeat, and builds itself into an excellent, somewhat-dark rock song. It's excellent. Give it a listen!

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Stuck In My Skull 502 -- "Ain't It Fun"

Song: "Ain't It Fun" || Artist: Paramore || http://youtu.be/EFEmTsfFL5A ||

Comments: Happy Friday, everyone! Today I'm bringing you a truly spectacular ear worm, whose presence graced my skull literally all day yesterday. No, really, I could not get this song out of my head for something like twelve hours. It's really excellent -- it's upbeat and cheerful, and the video is pretty entertaining to boot. I haven't really paid much attention to Paramore in quite some time, and it appears they've changed their sound to something less punk-rock and more fun (not to be confused with Fun!, who they sound nothing like) since I last listened. I think the change suits them. This song is just plain great. Enjoy!

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Stuck In My Skull 494 -- "TNT"

Song: "TNT" || Artist: AC/DC || http://youtu.be/pR30knJs4Xk ||

Comments: Good morning, everyone! Sorry for not posting this week; I'll be looking at my schedule and trying to find a way to make things work out so I can post more reliably. I woke up with this song stuck in my head. Frankly, it needs no description. It's AC/DC at their best. You know this song, you love this song, and I really think you should go listen to this song. Happy Friday!

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Stuck In My Skull 490 -- "Push It To The Limit"

Song: "Push It To The Limit" || Artist: Paul Engemann || http://youtu.be/9D-QD_HIfjA ||

Comments: Good morning everyone. Today's song comes from the movie Scarface, where it provided the background for a montage of the hero's ascent to power. My friend and workout buddy was playing it this morning before our run, and I have a sinking suspicion that it's going to get stuck in my head today. It's campy 80s goodness, and really does make you run faster. Check it out!

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Stuck In My Skull 480 -- "Ride Captain Ride"

Song: "Ride Captain Ride" || Artist: Blues Image || http://youtu.be/r8lf7RLYIww ||

Comments: Good morning and happy Friday to everyone! This post was originally going to be a really cool track I found by Royksopp, but I haven't had a chance to really finish listening to it yet. Thankfully, I woke up with this tune stuck in my head. Actually, the chorus gets stuck in my head fairly often, and it's high time I wrote about it. I'll be the first to admit that as a general rule I don't particularly care for 'oldies,' and my knowledge of classic rock is sadly lacking. Whichever genre you want to call this, I love this song. It's upbeat and cheerful, while still somehow managing to put me in pleasant and relaxed state of mind. Not knowing much about this song, I had to look up the lyrics and read up on this track on Wikipedia, where I found that this band was essentially a one-hit wonder. I guess I won't be looking for much more of their stuff, but a quick search couldn't hurt. There's a good chance you've heard this song before, but even if you have, take a listen and enjoy. Have a great weekend, and check back Monday for a free song download!

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AMANDA-- "SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL" by THE ROLLING STONES

Hey all! I don't have much to say about today's song except it is so much fun and a real favorite in our family. "Sympathy for the Devil" gives an account of human history from the point of view of Lucifer himself, whose not shy about his many exploits-from the crucifiction of Jesus Christ to the assassination of JFK. Jagger in the role of the Devil doesn't take all of the credit for the many atrocities committed against man but one cannot help being both slightly amused and terrified by the gleeful arrogance in his voice. Adding to its overall masterfulness and originality is the percussion, which gives the song a samba rhythmn and almost mystical if not hypnotic feel. Here the Stones are at their best and certaintly their most devilish. Happy listening and enjoy!

Fun fact: "Sympathy for the Devil" created a controversy upon its release in 1968, leading some to believe that the members of the band were real-life Satan worshippers and involved in the occult.

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Stuck In My Skull 455 --"I Died for You"

Song: "I Died for You" || Artist: Iced Earth || http://youtu.be/mUGuF8hpMQs ||

Comments: Good morning everyone, and wake up Riley! Sorry for the lack of post yesterday, but I was sick as heck and simply too tired. To make up for it, let's talk about this band. I'm fairly sure Iced Earth has never been featured on this blog, but thanks to my roommate, this song is firmly lodged in the interior of my skull and appears to be going nowhere. This song is an excellent combination of hard rock and heavy metal with the chugging riffs and roaring rhythms that are the best of both worlds, and the vocals of this song are epic. Seriously, I have no idea how this guy manages that sort of haunting tone, but it's just brilliant in the song. This is the first time I've really paid any attention to Iced Earth, but I can basically guarantee it won't be the last. Enjoy!

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Stuck In My Skull 434 -- "Wine Red"

Song: "Wine Red" || Artist: The Hush Sound || http://youtu.be/1r6MFfMEziE ||

Comments: Good morning, everyone, and happy Monday. I have a small confession to make -- I don't actually have this song stuck in my head. When I woke up this morning and finally shook off the remaining confusion caused by some very weird dreams (What the heck, brain?), I actually had "Sweet Nothing" stuck in my head. By the end of this entry, however, I'll probably have this song replacing it. A friend of mine showed me this song years and years ago, way back when I was first really getting into music. So far back, in fact, that it's in that category of partially-forgotten artists I never really looked up. Not looking this group up is a mistake, pure and simple. Why? Because this song is just that great. At 2:42, the song is a quick little track, but it's perfectly produced. The two primary vocalists -- Greta Salpeter (who now goes by Greta Morgan) and Bob Morris -- play off each other perfectly, complementing each other with all the right notes to produce a unique vocal sound that works wonderfully with the easy-going light rock sound of the instrumentation. "Wine Red" is a catchy little number, and masterfully done.
In a way, I'm glad I forgot about this track for so long. It turns out that the band was on hiatus for many years, and only recently got back together. (Source.) It turns out they released an EP in March, and are working on a new album. Talk about great timing. Enjoy the track, and remember not to let Monday suck just because it's Monday!

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AMANDA-- "FAT BOTTOMED GIRLS" by QUEEN

Hey all! Forgive me for not posting sooner but I had house cleaning to do and kinda sorta maybe forgot a little bit. In terms of new music, nothing has really caught my eye in the last couple days so I thought I'd share a classic as I'm one to do. On that note, I give you the timeless rock ode to bodacious butts everywhere, "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen. No one and I mean no one harmonizes better than the guys of Queen. Except for maybe the Bee Gees but that's debatable. Apart from the magnificent harmonization, Brian May, the one responsible for writing this beauty, kills it on guitar. That riff is downright unforgettable. At its best, rock music can be deep, poignant, meaningful, and even inspirational. But occasionally, all of us, myself included, need something a little lighter and more simple from our music and there's nothing wrong with that. Here's some good clean fun. Enjoy!

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Stuck In My Skull 426 -- "Beautiful"

Song: "Beautiful" || Artist: P.O.D. || http://youtu.be/fX506PWT0dA ||

Comments: Good morning, everyone! I heard this song yesterday on the radio, and immediately knew that I had to post it here. I haven't heard a P.O.D. song since someone gave me "Youth of the Nation" about a million years ago. At this point, I have to wonder what they've been up to in the mean time, because this song is epic. Seriously, it's the right blend of calm piano and guitar and thrumming riffs. The lyrics are about as uplifiting as you can get without being P!nk's "F***ing Perfect," and I'm not sure how this song could get much better. If you're feeling down, just give this song a listen. Enjoy, and smile, okay?

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Stuck In My Skull 417 -- "I Will Wait" [Pop Week II]

Pop Week II || Song: "I Will Wait" || Artist: Mumford & Sons || http://youtu.be/rGKfrgqWcv0 ||

Comments: Hello, everyone! I wasn't originally going to use this song for this week. In fact, I originally thought this song was overrated. When it was performed live on an awards show I was watching (I thin it was the Grammys...), I found myself dissapointed that the show had used this particular artist for the big performance. And yet, here we are. I have to say, this song really, really grew on me. It holds the dubious honor of being the only song with a prominent banjo that I actually enjoy. And on the subject of that banjo... wow. That banjo is ridiculous. If you just listen to the banjo part, you might be surprised that the banjo player's fingers haven't fallen off. This song is impressively arranged, with instrumentation that fits together beautifully and shakes up the norms for pop music. Looking at the music video, I count and acoustic guitar, a banjo, a keyboard, a stringed instrument I'm going to tentatively peg as a cello, and a kick drum. Just a kick drum. Not a drummer with a drum set, just a kick drum. There's a full drum set in the background behind the artists, but it sits unused. Also, I'm no cellist, but I'm fairly sure those are usually played with a bow, not by picking at the strings. (I went poking around the Wikipedia article about them: There might be a mandolin, and I saw no reference of a cello.) Their vocalists blend wonderfully in both the mastered versions we hear on the radio and the live version they recorded for the music video. While I'm the first to defend the artistic use of auto-tune  even I can respect vocal skill in its absence. But I'm getting off topic. Mumford and Sons has managed to make bluegrass and folk into pop and manage to get a song with a prominent banjo stuck in my head. As it's no secret that I generally dislike the sound of banjos, I must doff my hat and say "Well done, Mumford and Sons." Enjoy!

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Stuck In My Skull 411 -- "Space Oddity (Chris Hadfield Cover)"

Song: "Space Oddity" || Artist: David Bowie || Covering Artist: Chris Hadfield || http://youtu.be/KaOC9danxNo ||

Comments: Good morning, everyone! First, a little bit of housekeeping. As I alluded to in Monday's entry, I recently did some travelling. I'm going to do my level best to keep a consistent schedule of posts going up, but unfortunately, I'm in an earlier timezone now. This means my posts might be going up a little later in the day. I'm still going to try to make this a breakfast blog, though. In fact, I'm writing this entry while eating breakfast (leftover lasagna, yummy!).
Right, the song. If it wasn't clear from the video, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield covered the David Bowie song "Space Oddity" and made a video of himself doing it... aboard the International Space Station. Is that not epic? I confess I actually prefer this cover. Perhaps it's just because I heard Chris Hadfield's version before I listened to David Bowie's original, but I definitely prefer the cover over the original. (Yes, I'd never heard the original song before today. Yes, I know. There are some serious holes in my musical education.) Chris Hadfield actually has a pretty nice voice, and his accoustic guitar playing skills definitely appear to be up to snuff. I suppose it's possible that the original track was used and he's just pretending to play guitar in zero-gravity, but I don't think so. I mean, I've seen Chris Hadfield be pretty active in answering questions and doing science experiments (here's a good example: link), so I don't think he'd really be the type to fake it. But I'm getting off track. The song is good and the video is pretty cool too. Check it out!

Random thought: Randall Munroe -- the guy who does the comic xkcd -- determined that by most sane criteria, this is not the most expensive music video produced. His logic is explained here.

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