New (to me) Music

I have been able to get my hands on some great music lately. Among my recent finds:

Mat Kearney – Nothing Left To Lose. Mat has had a handful of songs get some radio time, but his best music hasn’t found it’s way to most ears. I don’t like all the songs on the album, but the good songs are stunning. Check out “In The Middle”, the heart-wrenching “What’s A Boy To Do”, or my favorite “All I Need.”

Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion. I’ve listened to this CD more than any other over the past month. Each song is catchy, energetic, fun, and unique. This has also been the most requested CD by the youngsters. I’m good with that. Mika’s style is a little 80’s, a little pop, a lot quirky, and an ample mix of falsetto. Chock full of great tunes to run to. I like "Happy Ending" and "Love Today."

Taylor Swift – Fearless. This may be the first time I’ve ever agreed with 15 year old girls about what music is good. Don’t count on it happening again. Taylor’s cute, and has a pretty good voice, but her writing (both lyrics and music) is far, far beyond her 19 years. There is actually some very mature music here. The kids love this CD also.

Ryan Adams – Cardinology. The closest comparison I can think of for Ryan is Bob Dylan, but I like Ryan A LOT more. It seems like the beginning of songs on Cardinology start a little bland, but then you reach the chorus and get slapped with some of the best music in years. Take “Go Easy”, “Cobwebs”, or “Let Us Down Easy” (my fav) for example. Fans of old-school singer/songwriters will definitely like this one.

OneRepublic – Dreaming Out Loud. This is the best album I’ve heard in years, hands down. There is a varied style of music along the lines of Coldplay, including some faster tempo songs as well as some slower ones. I can’t say enough good about this album. It’s probably one of my top ten favorites ever. Check out “All We Are” or “Prodigal”.

If you live nearby, I’d be happy to loan you any of these to listen to. You’ll be glad you did.