Eat ham on Turkey Day

Ghost Under Rocks by Ra Ra Riot from The Rhumb Line
All I Need by Radiohead from In Rainbows
The World Was A Mess But His Hair Was Perfect by The Rakes from The World Was A Mess But His Hair Was Perfect
Three More Days by Ray LaMontagne from Till the Sun Turns Black
Lake Michigan by Rogue Wave from Asleep at Heaven's Gate
Life Like by The Rosebuds from Life Like
Don't Haunt This Place by The Rural Alberta Advantage from Hometowns
Sleepyhead (Passion Pit cover) by Run Toto Run

Lykke Li covers The Shirelles

I'm one of those who feel that the philosophy of "If it ain't broke, then don't fix it" can be applied to music. Truth be told, I'm not a big fan of most covers. For me to even listen to one is a feat in and of itself. So, when I was going through the other blogs I read and noticed that Swedish singer, Lykke Li was giving away a free download of her take on The Shirelles hit, "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" I thought it would at least be a little interesting.
Fact is, it's an amazing version. Heartbreaking, almost. Still, a job well done.

34 and counting

For as far back as I can remember, the dreaded "S" word won't be joining us in the Detroit area for my birthday. Not that it got an invite.
Though I had to spend my day at work and later at home doing homework, it was a really good one. Good food, lots of laughs, and just an all-around great day; exactly as a birthday should be - nice and simple.

With that said, there's an Australian band that I'd been reading about on various blogs and what-not, but wasn't able to find any tunes available in the US. Until now, that is. The Middle East released an EP, The Recordings of the Middle East, in the US in October. The downside to this is that it leaves off some of the songs featured on the full-length album, which is still unavailable in the US.
Blood by The Middle East from The Recordings of the Middle East

1 year and counting

It's been one whole year since I started this site. Not bad for a rookie, if I do say so myself. I'll spare everyone the mushy sentiment and get right to business with a new video from my favorite Scottish band, Frightened Rabbit. The single for "Swim Until You Can't See Land" is being released tomorrow.

---

Speaking of Scottish bands, I somehow managed to completely pass up an amazing album last year from Meursault called Pissing on Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues. They also released an EP, Nothing Broke back in July. I highly recommend checking them out.
Nothing Broke by Meursault from Nothing Broke

New track from Cold War Kids

Audience of One by Cold War Kids from Behave Yourself EP (scheduled for release on 1/19/10)

Pick a track, any track

There's way too many tracks accumulating in the inbox for me to properly scrutinize all of them, but I've at least narrowed it down quite a bit. I'm feeling slightly democratic today, so I'm going to let the people choose.

Comin' Undone by Kuba Oms from How Much Time

Days by Sambassadeur from European

Great Love Story by The Idyllists from The Long Hours Between Sunset & Morning

Apocalypso from Squirrelhouse

Gold Mine (radio edit) by Showstar from Think Ringo

Alleycat by Awesome New Republic from Hearts

White Lights by Me My Head from Survival in No Man's Land

Shadows of Men by Alpha Leonis from Shadows of Men

When You Walk in the Room by Fyfe Dangerfield from Fly Yellow Moon

image from _remo @ Flickr

Berlin, November 9, 1989: Wir sind ein Volk

It would be practically impossible for me not to post about the events that took place 20 years ago on the night of November 9th. It literally changed the world, even if the events that led up and added to it had started some months beforehand within Germany, and in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Poland. Yes, I'm old enough to remember exactly where I was when I first heard the news. I was just finishing my first of three years in Iceland and was sound asleep that night, so I didn't hear about it till first thing the next morning. Living on a US military base, there were some of us young'ins who naive enough to think that this meant we might get to go home early. Silly of us to think, I know.

I'd originally thought of posting U2's "One" for this post, but after hearing about the sick, insensitive, and utterly stupid stunt used at a recent free concert in Berlin, I had to rethink things.

Surf City Eastern Bloc by Arcade Fire from No Cars Go [single]