Welcome to 2012!
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted, well, anything to my blog, and I’m trying to get back into the swing of things. With the holidays and the various projects I’ve been working on I haven’t been able to get a lot of coherent thoughts written down, but I’m finally starting to feel a bit balanced here and I’m ready to get some posts going. I actually have three or four different blog topics in mind, so I’ll do my best to get those posted in the next few days. I wanted to first get back on schedule with “What I’m Listening to Wednesdays.” I’ve got some random choices again this week, but I think you’ll find some songs to enjoy as the winter weather finally starts to arrive here in Iowa. Curl up with these and enjoy!
Holding Back the Years: Gretchen Parlato. Gretchen Parlalto is a jazz vocalist who released one of the best Jazz vocalists albums of 2011, according to I-tunes anyway. I recently picked her disc up from the library, and I’m very glad that I was adventurous enough to do so. Gretchen has a really beautiful voice, at times both sweet and soulful. This isn’t the kind of music that attacks your ears full on, but gently slides into your core until you’re swept up in the groove. She’s great for relaxing nights at home, or for keeping me chill during my commute.
I’d Rather Die Young: Beyonce’: New mom Beyonce’ will likely not be putting out any new music for a while, so fans will have to be content with her release from this past year. This is one of the songs on her latest disc that I keep coming back to whenever I’m in the mood for some Bey. Every time I listen to this song I hear Prince, which is certainly a good thing in my book. I think maybe it’s the use of guitar, but it’s certainly a song worth listening to and checking out if you enjoy some throwback to the 80’s R&B.
Young: Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg: At first glance this probably doesn’t seem like the type of song I’d choose to listen to, with a chorus basically calling out the joys of getting drunk and smoking herbal supplements, but I find this song to be really catchy! The chorus bounces along and gets stuck in my head, and it’s a feel-good song, whether you choose to partake or not. It’s a good pairing of a fresh new artist with a seasoned performer also, and the two have put together an entire soundtrack album, so fans of hip-hop will surely want to check it out.
Smoke and Mirrors: Jack and White: For those of you remembering Brooke White from American Idol season 7, this is her latest project. No longer going the solo route, Brooke has joined up with Jack (and his last name escapes me at the moment) to form “Jack and White.” They’re working on new music and released an EP in 2011 with some really great songs. The songs still feature Brooke’s beautiful voice and are worth adding to your playlist. I get a bit of a Fleetwood Mac vibe on this song as well, and you can never go wrong there.
To Whom It May Concern: The Civil Wars. The Civil Wars are another duo getting my attention these days. They’re music has been described as folk and Appalachian, but I would just call it great. They released their album Barton Hollow to much acclaim and have been touring to support. They are getting ready to head overseas, so they’re gaining an international following too. Recently, their song “To Whom It May Concern” was featured on “Parenthood,” and it fit perfectly into the storyline of a couple trying to reconnect. I’m hoping the Civil Wars get back to the US for some summer touring, as I think they’d be perfect to see in an outdoor setting.
So there are my picks for the week. A little bit of everything really. Hope you find something worth checking out!
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