Entry 267-- "Sahara"

Song: "Sahara" || Artist: Nightwish || http://youtu.be/auHuwRAYDPE ||

Comments: Happy Tuesday, everyone. If you haven't heard it, "Sahara" is one of the lesser-known songs off Nightwish's album Dark Passion Play, and I can't understand why for the life of me. It's an excellent song, and has a habit of getting stuck in my head for hours on end. Don't let that discourage you from listening, though. Enjoy the song!

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Entry 266-- "Good Time"

Song: "Good Time" || Artist: Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen || http://youtu.be/H7HmzwI67ec ||

Comments: Happy Monday, folks! As it happens, I'm actually travelling today, so I wrote this previously and scheduled it for today. So I say hello to the future! Anyway, I saw this song sitting on the youtube top 100 for music, and being a long-time fan of Owl City, I couldn't resist listening. I'm glad that I did-- the song is excellent. It manages to sound like both Owl City and CRJ without either being overbearing or ending up sounding like a song from the Disney Channel. For some reason, though, I never realized that Adam Young (Owl City) looked like such a hipster. Maybe it's just the video. Beyond that, this song convinced me that Carly Rae Jepsen is worth following, and I'll probably end up buying her album when it releases. Enjoy the song!

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Entry 265-- "Whatta Man"

Song: "Whatta Man" || Artist: Salt 'N' Pepa || http://youtu.be/8-WFNbMohTQ [NSFW] ||

 Comments: Hello all! Amanda here! Before there was Lil Kim, Missy Elliot, and Nicki Minaj, there was Salt 'N' Pepa. These ladies were one of the first all-female groups to break into the hip-hop industry and the first female rappers to win a Grammy, accomplishments that I think make them worthy of our time. This song combines their epic rapping skills with the smooth vocals of R&B duo En Vogue, another successful nineties group. I personally love how strong, confident, and not to mention, talented all of the women involved are. As for the song, it’s an unabashed tribute to good men everywhere, a gleeful celebration of  having found those qualities one most seeks in a romantic partner in another person. While I don't agree that "most men are hoes,"I will say that I appreciate the song's honestly and overall sentiment. For its somewhat racy visual and lyrical content, I’m marking this video as NSFW. Anyway, I figured there are enough sappy love songs devoted to my gender so why not show the guys some love today. Enjoy and happy Friday!

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Entry 264-- "Parabola"

Song: "Parabola" || Artist: Tool || http://youtu.be/fxiFoYMsIJw || http://youtu.be/_z2O289Jemo* ||

Comments: I was playing this song on Guitar Hero World Tour this afternoon, and let me just say, playing Tool's set really, really hurts your wrist. Totally worth it, though-- I love the songs. After having various bits of Tool stuck in my head for much of the afternoon (interspersed with Ozzy, of all things,) I decided to throw it up as the blog for today. The second link includes the intro instrumental song "Parabol" and has a video that is weird enough to get an honorary NSFW. If your boss doesn't know what it is, they might just have a cow over some of the craziness in there. The song "Parabola" starts (or more appropriately, the important parts of "Parabol" end) at about 4:06, if you want to skip ahead. Enjoy!

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Entry 263-- "How Deep Is Your Love"

Song: "How Deep Is Your Love" || Artist: Akcent || http://youtu.be/2zfwY3CaE7Q ||

Comments: Hey all! It's Miriah here bringing in some new Romanian music that I stumbled across today.  This particular group is excellent.  Which sounds like a generic statement, but to put it more specifically these are someone that I would go out and buy their album.  I have found some other new artists as well that have some similar sounds.  Akcent, which Chris compares it to Edward Maya (Stereo Love), is Eurodance and from the songs I listened to there hasn't been one yet that I didn't like.  This particular video isn't terribly exciting as the scenery is consist through approximately ninety percent of the video, however the song itself is definitely worth a listen. I hope that you enjoy this song and it encourages you to listen to others. Enjoy!

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Entry 262-- "Phantom of the Opera" and Site Update!

Song: "Phantom of the Opera" || Artist: Lindsey Stirling || http://youtu.be/TCL94-MsxYc ||

Comments: I originally ran into Lindsey Stirling when I was slumming around for material for Tour of Techno Week, if I recall-- her "dubstep violin" came up on my radar, and very nearly made it into the slot for dubstep. Lindsey Stirling is a freakishly talented violinist and a talented dancer. She has an energy that radiates through the screen to the audience, and infects them with her vibrant spirit. Having heard many a cover of Phantom of the Opera, I can say that not only is this one of-- if not the-- best, but it's a fantastic medley. This song is very much worth a listen, and the video is a captivating watch. Check it out! (click to read more)

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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 260-- "Miami 2 Ibiza"

Song: "Miami 2 Ibiza"
Artist: Swedish House Mafia feat. Tinie Tempah

http://youtu.be/LCH1AsUydSc
Comments: I heard via Amanda today that SHM is going on hiatus, and I couldn't resist using one of their songs for this entry. Unfortunately, Swedish House Mafia is not exactly a prolific producer of pristine pieces, so my selection was a tad limited. Thankfully, this song had not yet made it to the site, so I can use their last big (unused) single to send them off in style. I love SHM-- they make great music, and from what videos I've seen of them, they seem to have a blast doing it. Heads up on this song, though-- the video borders on NSFW. Enjoy the song, have a great Friday, and enjoy the weekend!

Update: Miriah has asked me to announce that the official video for "Blown Away" by Carrie Underwood is out! Links on the post: http://stuckinmyskull.blogspot.com/2012/07/entry-253-blown-away.html
UPDATE 7:00 PM: Stuck in my Skull has big news in the works, folks! Make sure to check back on Monday!

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Entry 259-- "Too Close"

Song: "Too Close"
Artist: Alex Clare

http://youtu.be/zP50Ewh31E4
Comments: Some of you might recognize this song, but have trouble placing it-- this song is currently getting used in the ads for Internet Explorer 9 (not endorsed by this blog in any fashion), and getting a ton of attention for it. It is, in fact, where I encountered the song. I'd heard the ad a few times, but yesterday I went and looked up the song, and it's been raging in my head ever since. And I mean raging. Resonating, deeply, all the way in my soul where only a few songs ever reach. It's heartfelt, but has all the deep, thrumming bass of electronic, with a hint of dubstep. It is beautiful. Please, listen. Hope you like it!

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Entry 258-- "Follow"

Song: "Follow"
Artist: Breaking Benjamin

http://youtu.be/CeDeImahXyc
Comments: Happy Wednesday, folks! Today we've got some Breaking Benjamin on tap. This song, off the album 'We Are Not Alone,' was stuck in my head all of yesterday evening, so I couldn't resist putting it up for today. It's a good song, and fairly catchy. The section in the bridge with just Benjamin Burnley and the drums is fantastic, and ridiculously resonant in my head. I don't know 'We Are Not Alone' so much as I know 'Phobia,' but I think I'll have to listen to it after this. Enjoy!

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