The Goods

Hello all,
It's that time again and let me tell you, I have some great stuff this week.  Fist off I just want to inform anyone who liked the Cold War Kids songs last week that their EP "Behave Yourself" is out now (only on itunes) and is fantastic.

So the first group I want to tell you all about is called The Swell Season.  Many of you may have heard of them or then again maybe not.  They are composed of Glen Hansard (an Irish singer/songwriter) and Marketa Irglova (a Czech pianist) who became widely know for their songs in the movie "Once," which they also starred in, and eventually won the Oscar for their song "Falling Slowly."  Now this amazing duo is back with another album and it is incredible.  It is a little more produced than previous albums which is both good and bad as I really enjoy the quality of the production but I also liked the raw feel of the songs in "Once."  However they do not lose any of the emotion that they put into their songs.  Hansard has a knack for writing songs that grab hold of you and allow you to really feel the emotions he felt while writing the song.  Take a listen to the first track off their album "Strict Joy."  It reminds me of Van Morrison in the days of "Into the Mystic"



The next group I have for you is another hip/hop group called Madcon. They are a Norwegian duo that were hugely popular in Europe.  I'm not really sure how big they are in the States yet but they are definitely getting radio play here in Ft. Lauderdale.  They sound to me like the product of The Roots, Outkast, and Amy Winehouse's producer all mixed into one with some reggae and Latin vibes here and there.  I think they are bound to make it big so keep an eye open for this group.  Check out their song "Liar" off their album "Conquest" and prepare to dance around with joy because it is so catchy and good.  Also the track starts about 23 seconds in.




The last group I have no idea how I missed, so many of you may already know about them.  But, I figured I would do a segment for anyone who hasn't heard them yet because they absolutely rock the house and hard.  Them Crooked Vultures is a super group comprised of Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters/Nirvana, Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age, and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin.  This album is pretty much exactly what you would expect to come out of sessions with these three at the helm.  The song are very dark and heavy with great riffs and haunting vocals.  You can hear the sound of all three artists coming out in the music and it makes me want to shout thanks to the gods of rock & roll for this amazing collaboration.  Here is the track "Elephants" off their self-titled album; I think it's the best example showcasing the influence that each artist had on this album. Enjoy



Lastly is my "group you must hear," which this week is The Redwalls.  This Chicago native band are one of my top 5 favorite bands of all time.  The Baren brothers, Logan and Justin, are the core members of the band with Logan on guitar and Justin on bass.  They write and sing the songs and have even produced a few.  They are greatly influenced by some amazing 60s rock groups including The Beatles, Niel Young, The Kinks, The Stones, Bob Dylan, etc.  They have great vocals; which can at times be rough and edgy but then at others be soft and melodic, perfect harmonies, and write some all around wonderful tunes.  They are also an amazing live band with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.    Although they are still unknown to most, this band could single-handedly keep rock & roll alive so put them on your list of bands to watch.  Their sound has evolved a little bit from album to album as all great band's should so I am including three tracks to showcase some different styles.  I hope you like them.  Also look for some new music from them to be released soon.

Featured Songs: Build a Bridge, Hangman, You'll Never Know




P.S. Here is an early Christmas/Hanukkah/Ramadan/Kwanzaa/Festivus gift to anyone who bought the new John Mayer album and didn't get the itunes pre-order bonus track, like myself.  I have been trying to get a hold of this song for weeks.  Here's John doing an awesome cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire." 



Cheers and have a happy holiday,
Emerson