God Save the Queens Music! (#32)

The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and The Who invaded our soil and stole Americans hearts some 50 odd years ago, and ever since then our musical tastes and interests have been intertwined. I watch Palladia from time to time (which is everything Mtv should be, but whatever), and they are always showing these massive English music festivals. I feel like they appreciate good music a bit more than us Yankees. Thousands of people going nuts and singing along to bands that are considered obscure here. A lot of those bands are American too!

This week we will look at some of the top British artists and bands from the last hand full of years. Some new stuff, and some slightly older stuff. What is amazing to me is all of this music is coming from a country that is about 60 times smaller than the United States. England is roughly the size of Alabama, yet they produce some of the industries heaviest of hitters! Here's a sampling...

Jump Into The Fog, by The Wombats - This is one of those weird cases in which I don't really like the band but I freaking love the song. It actually slipped past my radar completely. "Techno Fan" was the first song I heard of theirs... Meh, I was not a fan. Then I heard this and I was like "Oooooh! Ok! Let's roll Wombats!". Here I come to find out that this song was released almost a year and a half ago... Whoops!

2 + 2 = 5, by Radiohead - What this band lacks in basic elementary addition skills, they more then make up for with their ability to make supreme rock music. I like all of the different hats that Radiohead has tried on over the years, but this might be be my favorite. I LOVE (yes, in all caps) their new stuff, but I miss when they used to freak out like this.

The Fear, by Lily Allen - I have a big ole soft spot for British Pop music. Robbie Williams was a stud and Bittersweet Symphony might be a Top 10 Pop song of all time. Now days Mrs. Allen is the queen if Brit Pop. She is to England what Brittney is to us... kinda. Ok, forget I said that. Just know that she is awesome!

Night And Day, by Hot Chip - This song has been getting lots of play on The Current and for good reason. It's infectious. It get's stuck in your head, but not in an annoying way if that makes sense. These guys have been lurking around the music scene for the better part of a decade, but have just recently started to gain some major steam here in the states. It probably doesn't hurt that they played Bonnie to LCD Soundsystem's Clyde. They were long time collaborators and tour mates.

Future Starts Slow, by The Kills - Just another moody, menacing, brooding tune from one of my favorite bands. C'mon Danny! This is great!

Is It Any Wonder?, by Keane - Keane is one of those bands that's WAY bigger in Europe than they are here in the states. They have pumped out four LP's and a couple of those (Hopes and Fears, and Under the Iron Sea) are considered to be among the greatest British albums of all time! Just ask Q Magazine...

Junk Of The Heart (Happy), by The Kooks - I included this one on my Throwbacks playlist a month or so ago. I thought I'd throw it in again, just in case it didn't stick.

Starlight, by Muse - Muse is another one of those bands that has not fully captivated us Americans quite like they have with the rest of the world. They are definitely getting there with the Grammy wins and all, but it is other worldly over seas. They have sold over 15 million records worldwide, thanks in large part to songs like this.

Prospekt's March/Poppyfields, by Coldplay - Coldplay is an obvious choice. They have countless hits, they are arguably the biggest band in the world, and I am not ashamed to say that I love them. This is one of their "under the radar" songs, off of the Prespekt's March EP. I love it! This song blooms like a freaking flower!!!

I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor, by The Arctic Monkeys - This Beautifully loud (some would say obnoxious) song is from Britain's favorite indie rock band The Arctic Monkeys. They supposedly put on a fantastic live show so check them out if you get a chance. (Won't be for a while. They just came through with The Black Keys)

The Cave, by Mumford & Sons - No band has ever swooped in and grabbed me as quickly, and as effectively and Mumford did in 2010. It was all Mumford all the time (radio,TV, Grammy's, music festivals), and what a weird band to accomplish such a feat. A four piece neo-bluegrass outfit with a dramatic flare, who primarily worked with sappy, sometimes whiny love songs. Whatever their formula was, we were ready for it.

So Human, by Lady Sovereign - When a lot of Brits sing you don't really pick up on an accent too much. Take Adelle for example. Everyone knows what she sounds like when she's singing, but when she talks... WHOA! Holy thick British accent! British rap is funny to me because they can't hide their accents. Lady Sovereign is a very British rapper, who is also very belligerent, bubbly, and delightful.

Angels, by The XX - I am sooooooo looking forward to this album. Coming from a bunch of 17 year olds, their shockingly tempered and reserved 2009 self titled debut was an absolute treat. From the sounds of this first single off their follow up album "Coexist" due out in September, we can expect to hear more of the beautiful same.

Sweet Sour, by Band Of Skulls - This band kinda reminds me of the rockier, less hop-hop side of Beck. They seem to always come up with the catchiest rock songs.

Last Living Souls, by Gorillaz - One of the most unique music experiences around. Damon Albarn and Co. have created a cartoon band and world in which rock, punk, hip-hop, dance, and symphony blend together. Their second album "Demon Days" is one of my all time favorites. Here's hoping they make at least one more!

This was just a tiny taste of what the old country has to offer. Maybe next time we'll visit Sweden where we can check in on Lykkie Li, First Aid Kit, and The Tallest Man on Earth. We'll see. No promises. Thanks for reading people! You're beautiful.

Andy "The Man-chester Orchestra" Hull

this playlist is a tribute to one of my favorite musicians: andy hull. he's the lead vocalist for "manchester orchestra", "right away, great captain!" and he also collaborates with the manchester band & kevin divine to form "bad books". his music has certainly inspired me, so here's hoping he does the same for you! sorry if it's not your cup of tea, but give it a shot!


1. Wolves At Night by M.O. - this is pretty much the song that made me develop my man crush.


2. Golden Ticket by M.O. - this is probably my favorite track off the "i'm like a virgin losing a child" album. i love how he backs off the mic at the end of the song. creates a pretty cool effect.


3. How This All Ends by B.B. - the track that starts off the album. freaking amazing. can't wait for bad books new album! should be out soon!


4. Pensacola by M.O. - pub chant = ALCOHOL, DIRTY MALLS, PENSACOLA, FLORIDA BARS!


5. Tony The Tiger by M.O. - good cereal mascot. great cereal music.


6. April Fool by M.O. - my dad had this one on his playlist, but i thought it was worth a re-post. he's got that rock and that roll!


7. Where Have You Been by A.H. - alright, let's take it down a notch. this is what i love about andy hull. he can rock hard with the best of them, but he knows how to deliver a softer song with the same punch.


8. When I Met Death by R.A.G.C. - might need to turn this one up a bit. for some reason this album was recorded at a very low volume. andy's work on this album is really incredible. The Church of the Good Thief. go get it.


9. Pride by M.O. - this song starts slow & then takes off like hull strapped himself to a rocket ship.


10. I've Got Friends by M.O. - the crowd pleaser.


11. Simple Math by M.O. - another re-post, but some of manchester's most beautiful work. couldn't leave it out.


12. Shake It Out by M.O. - it's almost blasphemous to play this version. i just stumbled upon it recently & i really like it now. but the original is where it's at. if you get a chance, go give it a listen. i absolutely hated it at first because it felt so different from the andy hull that i had begun to love... but holy crap is it ever an insanely tasty track.


13. Sleeper 1972 by A.H. - this is a live version of this song. andy really takes you somewhere with this one. listen all the way through cause there are some really special moments towards the end.


alright kids. hopefully y'all enjoyed that as much as i did! till next time.

jTunes (#31)

Listen to Jess's playlist!!
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1.  Comfy in Nautica by Panda Bear

Thanks to RadioK for this gem - I'm really enjoying Panda Bear.  Also, this guy is the founding member of Animal Collective.  Insert grin here. 

2.  All the Right Things by Son Lux

Ryan Lott, a bright and hopeful dude writing beautiful music for the cynic.  His entire We Are Rising album is so freakin tasty.  Apparently he writes commercial jingles??  Ask mega-super-star Aaron Strumpel about it. 

3.  Old & Gray by Maps & Atlases

Matt Axelson posted on FB (regarding new music) - "Who's been floatin your boat or rockin your ship lately?

As the suggestions came flooding in, of course I began writing down the bands I hadn't heard yet.  Maps & Atlases was definitely the diamond of that bunch for me.  

The very next day, RadioK offered up some free tickets to see M&A at the Amsterdam Bar in downtown Saint Paul (have you visited this local gem, yet?) - and I won!!  Matt and I both got to go for free and were just so pleasantly surprised by how AWESOME this band is.  I seriously had no idea.  

If they ever come through your city, make like Sufjan and do yourself a favor..

4.  Santa Fe by Beirut

Beirut just makes me so happy.  So do NPR's tiny desk concerts.  

5.  Other People by Beach House

6.  Plenty by Roma di Luna

Raise your hand if you love Channy Casselle (hello Polica, oh hey Gayngs).   

She's touring with Gardens & Villa later this year - double high five.

7.  He's Simple, He's Dumb, He's the Pilot by Grandaddy

Don't give in, 2000 man.

8.  Swing Tree by Discovery

Catchy collab between fellas from Ra Ra Riot and Vampire Weekend - thanks for showing me this band, Danny Churchie!   This LP is super catchy and playful - buy it today for perfect poolside tunes. 

9.  You by Gold Panda

"Intimidatingly technical; furiously simple." - Ryan Dombal, Pitchfork.

10.  Raindrops by Grand Hallway

When you’re starting out, when you’re waking up, when you wash your hair, 

when you’re taking coffee home, when you go to work, when you eating lunch, 

when you pay your bills, when you’re dancing on the floor, when you hear this song, 

when you close your eyes at night, listening to those drops of rain, 

when you have the time, when you have more time, 

when you’re in love with the thought of love once more. 

11.  House by Kindness

12.  Baby by ДахаБраха

Get ready for a serious mid-song groove.   This Ukrainian band claims their music style as "ethnic chaos", and their name means a combination of "give" and "brothers".

Which pretty much gives me a full twenty-tooth wide grin.  Enjoy. 

13.  Don't Go Phantom by Jookabox

Asthmatic Kitty, you are the mint to my julip. 

-----------------

More soul, more sound.

Hey MatchyMatchy!!! (#30)

Hi. My name is Joey, and I'm not a member of the Indie/Folk cover band MatchyMatchy. That's actually worth mentioning because basically everyone else on this blog is. Jessica, Danny, Matt, and Kevin have come together to play some of their favorite songs, and it is rapidly evolving into something very special. I figured I'd take this time while they're still playing other peoples stuff (which honestly won't be for long, way too much talent) to throw out a few suggestions.

I'm sure if you're reading this in say... Japan, you're probably saying to yourself "誰がMatchyMatchyで、なぜ私は気にしない????". Well don't worry. You don't need to know who MatchyMatchy is or any of the band members to enjoy the playlist. So sit back, relax, and enjoy. This is the official MatchyMatchy request line!

Listen to Joey's playlist!
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To Be Young, by Ryan Adams - This song is just awesome.  I feel like it's right in the MatchyMatchy wheel house and would really provide an opportunity to cut loose! Yeeehaw!!!

VCR, by The XX - Romy and Oliver of The XX are basically begging to be covered here. Male and Female coexist beautifully on the vocals, and Jess could even rock the Glok. Make it happen!

Ho Hey, by The Lumineers - Ok, so Danny put this on his list last week, but who cares, right? It's a good song and trust me, I know, it's uber popular, but how much freaking fun would this song be to perform!? I sure know it would be a ton of fun for us in the crowd!

Calgary, by Bon Iver - You guys should seriously consider expanding your Bonny Bear collection beyond "Towers" to include "Calgary". The MM spin on it could be delicious, and that jam at the end... look out! (MM = MatchyMatchy from here on out. I'm getting lazy)

Sigh No More, by Mumford & Sons - Hey! It's an "old" Danny and The Churchill Boys classic. I looked forward to you guys playing this song every time and I think it would be even better now with your full sound.

Sim Sala Bim, by Fleet Foxes - C'mon now... no explanation required.

I've Got This Friend, by The Civil Wars - Male and Female lead vocals + all the right instruments + Jessica's favorite band = WINNER!!!

Alone, by Trampled By Turtles - This is another one I think would be a lot of fun to perform. It would probably require some special MM tailoring, but I'm confident the final product would be great.

Love Love Love, by Of Monsters And Men - I'm actually not as big of a fan of this band as I probably should be, but this song is great. MM would kill it.

While You Wait For The Others, by Grizzly Bear - Not an obvious choice, but the harmonies make this one a slam dunk.

How This All Ends, by Bad Books - Andy Hull and Kevin Divine make music that seems custom fit for MM.

Modern Man, by Arcade Fire - This is one of my favorite songs from the past couple years. Not sure how well it would translate with the Acoustics and Banjo, but I'm pretty sure The MM could make Nickleback work. Needless to say, I'm pretty confident some Arcade Fire finished product would be delish.

So there you have it. If you haven't seen MatchyMatchy yet get on it. If you have and have any requests of your own fire away. If you actually do live in Japan and take the time to read this blog, ありがとう、さようなら。. Peace out!!!

Wham Bam Shazam! (#29)

alright, so this playlist is coming in a day late with a recycled idea. in my defense, i had already begun building my playlist when jess posted her list of what she's been listening to... which happened to include some shazamed tunes. well this is a playlist of complete shazam goodness. i first heard these tunes on the radio & used the handy little app to figure out what song i was listening to & who was performing it (save one tune which i discovered via daytrotter.com). anyway, i hope these songs strike your interest like they did mine!

Listen to Danny's playlist!
---


1. Dougou Badia by Amadou & Mariam feat. Santigold - COME ON!


2. Up, Up, Up by Givers - this song makes me want to do the raise the roof gesture during the "up, up, up" part. give it a try. you won't be disappointed.


3. A Candle's Fire by Beirut - these fellas sound so distinguished. shall we waltz?


4. This Head I Hold by Electric Guest - UHN! this is a toe tapping booty shaker. kinda has a tightrope j.monae vibe to it. i keep waiting for big boi to drop it!


5. Origins by Tennis - COME ON!


6. The Only Place by Best Coast - i wonder where this band lives & whether or not they enjoy living there.... hmmmmm. do they ever have fun? honestly though, i think this song owns atmosphere's "Say Shhh" song... the midwest needs a new anthem in my humble opinion.

7. The Look by Metronomy - for some reason this tune has a david bowie vibe for me... in my mind i keep imagining my friend joey cavalier dressed up as him, dancing strangely to this song. close your eyes & imagine him snapping along with me.


8. God From The Machine by Santigold - Santigold making her second appearance in this playlist. she is rocking my world & rapidly climbing my favorite artists list.


9. Generals by The Mynabirds - love when the beat changes in the chorus.


10. Rise To The Sun by Alabama Shakes - danny likey.


11. Dogpile by The Fling - this is the one i found on daytrotter. just randomly decided to check them out & i'm SO GLAD i did! their EP is quite good! and by quite i mean askjdfhoiquwhtawtaweoy4wotyvaoiurtyoavw4ytouavwet9my329yo9q4ytmouavygouachwou3ry3ouwrouihaewtmiouahvweugvhacew!!!

12. Otherside by Delta Spirit - i'm really diggin' this song. just gonna be honest & let you once again into my strange brain: for this one i imagine elton john as a chipmunk. just go with it.


13. Ho Hey by The Lumineers - this one's been getting a ton of play recently & i'm sure folks will be sick of it soon if they're not already... but i love it. and i'm gonna go ahead and dedicate this one to my beautiful girlfriend :)


till next time!

Father's Day (#28)

hey folks! since it's father's day season, i thought it would be appropriate to ask my old man to give us a father's day playlist. so here it is... give it up for my pops, dave churchill!

First off, let me say thanks to all the S.O.S bloggers who have expanded my musical tastes. We tend to get stuck in the generation we grow up in when it comes to style, fashion, thinking and music. As a child of the 70's this was especially true for me on the music end of things. I grew up on classic rock, Motown and, unfortunately to some extent, disco. Joey, Danny and my wife Terri have for the most part pushed me into listening to some new stuff. At first I was very resistant. How could I forsake my classic rock roots? What would my friends say? My co-workers? My generation?

Well, I gave it a shot, and boy am I ever glad I did! I love this new stuff! I drive truck for UPS and have a lot of time to listen to the radio. So I went and invested in satellite radio. Most of the time I'm listening to an alt-rock station which is where I discovered most of the stuff on my playlist here. And you know what else? Now when I do listen to my classic rock stuff it's not quite as stale. It's fresh and it still sounds good. Classic rock will always be my musical base that I'm jumping off of, but I gotta say you kid's are really putting out some kickin' tunes.

So without further ado, here's some of the music that's been keeping me truckin' down the road. I only wish I could've put more on here. There's a lot of really good music out there....

Listen to Dave's playlist!
---

1) Little Black Submarines:  The Black Keys - This Led Zeppelin-esque tune really had me the first time I heard it. This is one band I've been listening to a few years now. A dispatcher at work burned three CD's for me to listen to and I was hooked. I really like these guys and if anybody has an extra ticket for when they're in town later this summer give me call.

2) Crystal Vases:  The Last Royals - I'll be honest. This is the only song I've ever heard these guys do, so for all I know they're one hit wonders, but if any of their other stuff is as good as this little number, count me in. I heard a little blurb on the radio where they were discussing how they made this song. If you listen at the beginning, somebody's playing a ukelele which they had pulled out of a dumpster somewhere. They decided to restring it and feature it in a song to show that you can bring something back from the trash heap to being very useful and productive, yes even beautiful. I love that they did that....

3) Lazy Eye:  Silversun Pickups - These L.A.-based rockers have a little bit of the Smashing Pumpkins sound to them. Maybe I need to go back and give the 'pumpkins another shot because I was never a big fan of theirs but everything I'm hearing from these guys is pretty good. Lazy Eye is the first song I ever heard them do and it remains a fav.

4) April Fool:  Manchester Orchestra - A few years ago I heard the two Joeys (Churchill and Cavalier) gushing over some band called Manchester Orchestra and all I heard was "blah, blah, blah...".  Then earlier this year I'm rolling down the road listening to my alt-rock station and this song comes on. Wow! I was blown away at how GOOD these guys are! To me, they hit ya right in the gut with some classic, hard rock, guitar riffs coupled with great vocals. If I could get NDY (my band) to do this song, I could die and go to heaven. This whole album, Simple Math, is A+ in my book. Plus, Danny totally sounds like Andy Hull.  How could I not like these guys?

5) Charlie Brown: Coldplay - Off their latest release, this is one of my favorites. The whole CD is good. Coldplay will go down as one of the greatest bands of all time. I know some of you may argue with this, but you should really respect your elders.

6)  Trojans:  Atlas Genius - This song grabbed my attention the first time I heard it and within 6 months it was No. 1 on the Alt-Nation top 18 weekly countdown. It stayed there for quite a while. After you hear this song I think you'll know why...

7)  Strange Attractor:  Animal Kingdom - This is a recent addition to my playlist. "The light in your eyes, well, it's pulling me in." I love that line. It reminds me of my wife. 'Nuf said.

8) Jump Into The Fog: The Wombats - I love the grungy keyboards on this number.

9) Reunion: M83 - I loved "Midnight City" and this song was an amazing follow-up tune.

10) Easy Way Out: Gotye - Thank you Danny...

11) Get Burned: Sleeper Agent - This song and "Get it Daddy" are the only two songs that I've heard from this group so far. Loved them both.

12) Cough Syrup: Young the Giant - This song also rode along the top of the Alt Nation top 18 for a number of weeks. It is a unique blend of movement, vocals and acoustic guitar. If I had a top ten for last year this one would be close to the top. "A dark world aches for a splash of the sun." Love it.

13) Allies: Mutemath - I saw these guys in concert a while back and got a whole lot drunker than I intended. I guess I was so wrapped up in the music that I lost count of the drinks I was pouring down my throat. I'm very grateful that I can remember the concert. That drummer must have made a deal with the devil. He can do things that shouldn't be humanly possible. I love Mutemath. One of my favorite bands. Thanks for the tickets Danny. Best Christmas gift ever!

14) Your Touch: The Black Keys - Did I mention that I like this band?

Thanks for putting up with the old guy. I promise I'm not going through a mid-life crisis, but your music gave this baby-boomer a lot of good miles driving for Big Brown all night long. Thinking about this song list made my father's day weekend a little more funkified.

Something Borrowed, Something New (#27)

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. A lot of bands these days are making big bucks off of music that sounds like it's more out of their parents era then their own. This week at Sound of Souls we'll take a gander at some newer tunes that would've fit right in 30-50 years ago. Your comprehensive retro music smorgasbord awaits!

Listen to Joey's Playlist here!

Staying In Love by Raphael Saadiq - I fell in love with this song instantly and staying in love with it was not tricky. Mr Saadiq sounds like he's rocking the crap out of Berry Gordy's Motown records. Goodness gracious, this song is delicious!

Junk Of The Heart (Happy) by The Kooks - Hey! It's the British Invasion all over again! I can just imagine seeing these guys on a grainy, black and white TV decked out in super uptight suits, playing to hoards of screaming girls. They even have a British Invasiony band name!

Don't Gotta Work It Out by Fitz and The Tantrums - A lot of the bands on this list just kinda dabble with a song here or there that has a certain "throw back" feel to it, while the rest of their music is more progressive and modern. Fitz, however, kicks it old school exclusively. This is a unique and bold band (no guitars) that feels like it stepped right out of a time machine.

You Ain't Alone by Alabama Shakes - Holy crap! One of my favorite new songs from one of my favorite new bands! Brittany Howard slathers the vocals on this song like one would generously apply barbecue sauce to a plump rack of ribs. Janice Joplin and Joe Cocker would be proud...

Your Magic Is Working by Of Montreal - Another tune with a total 60's vibe. The wavey vocals, distinctly 60's-ish guitar, and the trippy organ are quite the combo. Perfect for some nice sunny weather!

Are You Gonna Waste My Time by Zues - I'm picking up hints of Led Zepplin here..... Mmmmm yes, that's good. They could throw this song on KQRS tonight and the bonfire wouldn't skip a beat. Pass me a PBR!

Walk At Night by Cults - You can tell this band cut their teeth on Garage Pop and 60's girl power. Cults songs have a dreamy, cinematic vibe to them as they doo wop and shoo wop along. It'll be fun to see how this band evolves.

It's Working by MGMT - Hey, What'ya know! MGMT made a freaky song about doing drugs. Welcome to your psychedelic beach party! I poke fun at MGMT because of how far off the deep end they have gone, but this song actually is really good.

Holdin On To Black Metal by My Morning Jacket - Here we have the ever diverse MMJ delving into some hazy, psychedelic glam rock. I'm picturing James Bond sipping on a Martini (shaken, not stirred), or Austin Powers hitting on a shaggadelic Minx. Yeeeah baby!

Mykonos by Fleet Foxes - These guys would've slayed the 500,000 concert goers that attended Woodstock in the summer of 1969. Crosby Stills and Nash, America, and Simon and Garfunkel all rear their heads from time to time when listening to these modern day folk giants.

Tomato In The Rain by Kaiser Chiefs - You say tomato, Kaiser Chiefs say to-mah-to. They also make music with a serious Eric Clapton or Doors vibe.

Pull My Heart Away by Jack Penate - This was one of my favorite songs from a couple of years back. I guess you could say it sounds like it's from the 80's but it's really just on this list because Jacks voice sounds almost exactly like Robert Smiths of The Cure.

North Side Gal by JD McPherson - Holy Oldies! I swear to you, this song isn't even two years old. Little Richard and Fats Domino give it two thumbs up!

Wake Up Alone by Amy Winehouse - Unfortunately, we lost another one to the infamous "27 Club". It's sad that she had to fight her demons on such a public platform and at such a young age. During her much too short music career she blessed us with gems like this and many others. This song might be my favorite of hers.

The Last Prom On Earth by Gayngs, and Beth/Rest by Bon Iver - Pretty much everything on the radio these days seems like it is a cheap knock off of 80's pop music but these last two songs take a little different approach to the 80's craze. Gayngs goes totally cheesy and schmaltzy, while Justin Vernon channels his inner Mike and The Mechanics. Yes please!!!

I love it when bands get creative and push the envelope, but there is something to be said about tipping your cap to those who came before you.  These acts have been inspired by the all time greats and they honor them with the music they make.