Track on Tuesday - O Children

Album: Abattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus

Artist: Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds

Genre: Indie, Rock and Roll

Label: Anti

Released: 25 October 2010

My Review:  I’ve had this song for years, and I listen to it a LOT.  There’s really no way to truly figure out what Nick Cave is trying to say in this song.  There are so many different things being illustrated in the lyrics, although the beat is pretty simple.  In that simplicity the lyrics are even harder to define.  It would be easy to say this song is a commentary on the day and time we live in, but when has any interpretation ever been that easy?

Pass me that lovely little gun

My dear, my darling one

The cleaners are coming, one by one

You don't even want to let them start

They are knocking now upon your door

They measure the room, they know the score

They're mopping up the butcher's floor

Of your broken little hearts

O children

Forgive us now for what we've done

It started out as a bit of fun

Here, take these before we run away

The keys to the gulag

O children

Lift up your voice, lift up your voice

Children

Rejoice, rejoice

Here comes Frank and poor old Jim

They're gathering round with all my friends

We're older now, the light is dim

And you are only just beginning

O children

We have the answer to all your fears

It's short, it's simple, it's crystal clear

It's round about and it's somewhere here

Lost amongst our winnings

O children

Lift up your voice, lift up your voice

Children

Rejoice, rejoice

The cleaners have done their job on you

They're hip to it, man, they're in the groove

They've hosed you down, you're good as new

They're lining up to inspect you

O children

Poor old Jim's white as a ghost

He's found the answer that we lost

We're all weeping now, weeping because

There ain't nothing we can do to protect you

O children

Lift up your voice, lift up your voice

Children

Rejoice, rejoice

Hey little train! We are all jumping on

The train that goes to the Kingdom

We're happy, Ma, we're having fun

And the train ain't even left the station

Hey, little train! Wait for me!

I once was blind but now I see

Have you left a seat for me?

Is that such a stretch of the imagination?

Hey little train! Wait for me!

I was held in chains but now I'm free

I'm hanging in there, don't you see

In this process of elimination

Hey little train! We are all jumping on

The train that goes to the Kingdom

We're happy, Ma, we're having fun

It's beyond my wildest expectation

Hey little train! We are all jumping on

The train that goes to the Kingdom

We're happy, Ma, we're having fun

And the train ain't even left the station

Track on Tuesday: Pieces

Album: Black Bear

Artist: Andrew Belle

Genre: Alternative Rock

Label: Elm City (ECI)

Released: 20 August 2013

My Review: I’ve been really into songs with longish intros lately.  I’m not sure why.  I also really enjoyed Belle’s 2011 album The Ladder, which is why I bought Black Bear in the first place.  This song really reminds me of the end of summer – and new beginnings.  I would listen to this at the beach or driving through the mountains looking on as fall passes you by.  The lyrics are pretty great too.

You and me
Got ourselves a problem
I can see this
Better than I solve em

I believed
I found a way around it
I will leave
This better than I found it

There’s too much smoke to see it
There’s too much broke to feel this
I love you, I love you
And all of your pieces

There’s too much smoke to see it
There’s too much broke to feel this
I love you, I love you
And all of your pieces

History’s a letter made of scarlet
Victories look better when you’ve called it
Misery’s the moment when I lost you
It’s pleasure in a costume
It’s more than what it cost you

There’s too much smoke to see it
There’s too much broke to feel this
I love you, I love you
And all of your pieces

There’s too much smoke to see it
There’s too much broke to feel this
I love you, I love you
And all of your pieces

All of your pieces
All of your pieces
All of your pieces

All of your pieces
All of your pieces
All of your pieces

There’s too much smoke to see it
There’s too much broke to feel this
I love you, I love you
And all of your pieces

There’s too much smoke to see it
There’s too much broke to feel this
I love you, I love you
And all of your pieces

Track on Tuesday: There Will Come A Time

Album: Heat of Nowhere

Artist: Noah and the Whale

Genre: Indie Rock/Singer Songwriter

Label: Caroline

Released: 6 May 2013

My Review: This song slays me.  And the music video is crazy amazing and I adore it.  I have a special biased place in my heart for Noah and the Whale because it was the first ever concert I took my sister to and we had a blast.  Ever since then they’ve been in my top five favorites.  This track is a great introduction to their current album, and I absolutely love it.

One day things will turn out as planned
You'll have her in the palm of your hand
But it's not tonight, no not tonight

One day she'll look at you and say
I never thought I could feel this way
But it's not tonight, no not tonight

There will come a time
Where you will need your friends tonight
There will come a time
Where you will need someone tonight

One day she'll hang on to your arm
Chasing the night all the way 'til the dawn
But it's not tonight, no not tonight

One day soon you'll find a way
To learn to lie and what you're thinking you say
But it's not tonight, no not tonight

There will come a time
Where you will need your friends tonight
And there will come a time
Where you will need someone tonight

And when it feels like everyone's turning their backs on you
And when it feels like everyone's turning their backs on you
Oh well the sun's not out but you know you got to see it through
Oh well the sun's not out but you know you got to see it through

There will come a time
Where you will need your friends tonight
There will come a time
Where you will need someone tonight

Needle and Thread

Album: Beautiful Creatures: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Artist: Alice Englert

Genre: Folk/Indie

Label: WaterTower Music

Released: 12 February 2013

My Review: If you didn’t gather already from my last post, I have watched a lot of movies lately, and one of my favorites so far has been Beautiful Creatures.  I am going to preface this with saying: No, I have NOT read this series (though it’s going on the list.) so I will not be doing a book versus film on this one until after I’ve read the series.  Anyways, this song is featured in the film and was written and sung by one of the lead actresses Alice Englert (who plays Lena).  I am a big fan of soundtracks – I think I’ve mentioned this before – because they give so many choices on one album, whereas single artist LP’s have every single track sound similar to the last (and rightly so.)  With soundtracks you get such a variance, and this song comes at a point in the film that really gets to you as a viewer.  I absolutely adore this song, and I hope you do to.

Listen waiting

Pulling a thread on through

The fabric in my head

But is it how so

How I fear what I make

And I so want

For sewing sake

To play a part

This needles just to sharp

And the blood is just as dark

As the blue

Opening my heart

And I have manners

So if you won't talk go away

But do me the favor

Of being honest if you want me to stay

Cuz baby you're an impone

And I could never hope to beat

I never learned the rules

And I don't know how to cheat

I can feel my sides unstitching

And my hold on things

Begins to shake

But still I follow the path

And without knowing what I make

When I feel you in my head

I turn away to my needle and thread

Cuz I was never yours to sew

And you were never mine to weave

You said that I should go

And I pretended I wanted to leave

In a dream besides a warm heart

The seams are gone, none

The figure says I'd rather stay and be rapt with you

Than to be wrong and run

When I feel you in my head

I turn away to my needle and thread

Cuz I was never yours to sew

And you were never mine to weave

You said that I had to go

And I pretended I wanted to leave

Track on Tuesday: Beggar in the Morning

Album: The Barr Brothers

Artist: The Barr Brothers

Genre: Rock/Indie

Label: Secret City Records 2

Released: 27 September 2011

My Review:  This song reminds me a little bit of when Kings of Leon decide to go a little more county.  I first heard it on an 8tracks mix, which I usually listen to in the background when I’m working and this one stuck out.  There are so many sounds I hear from other bands in this song, and all of them mixed together with a smattering of something really unique and special is incredible.  I love where indie music is headed right now, I love how it’s taking simple chords, simple phrases, and creating something meaningful and beautiful.  It’s not that I don’t love top 40’s, I rock out to those like it’s nothing when I’m the car, but when I need to find inspiration, I turn to songs like this one.

Steady woman won't you come on down?

I need you right here on the ground

I've walked the outskirts of this town

Been terrorized by what I've found

I saw a standing virgin bride

Where holy Dionysus died

She tore the heart out from his side

And laid it there, and there she cried

(Whoa's x4)

She said, "Hello, I'm a monster too."

"What poisons me is what poisons you."

Into these animals we grew

(But) When we were young our eyes were blue

I take my medicine on my knee

Twice a day but lately three

Keeps the devil from my door

And it makes me rich and it makes me poor

I'm a beggar in the morning,

I'm a king at night,

My belt is loose,

But my trigger is tight

May come without warning,

At the speed of the light

Make it shine so pretty

Make it shine so bright

(Music Break)

I think I've come a long, long way

To stand before you here today

They're yours alone, the songs I play,

To take with you or throw away

Whoa-o-o-o, Whoa-o-o-o-o-o-o, Whoa-o-o-o-o, Whoa-o-o-o, Whoa-o-o-o

(Away forever or fade away)

Oh, I want an angel to wipe my tears,

Know my dreams, my hopes, desires and fears

We may capsize, but we won't drown

Hold each other as the sun goes down

I'm a beggar in the morning,

I'm a king at night,

My belt is loose, and

My trigger is tight

May come without warning

At the speed of the light-

Make it shine so pretty,

Make it shine so bright.

Track on Tuesday: I Loved

Album: I Loved Single

Artist: Emilie Chytreaus

Genre: Jazz/Soul Indie

Label: Unsigned

Released: 31 January 2012 (via soundcloud)

My Review: Do you ever hear a song and just think, “wow that was pretty incredible.”  That’s how I felt the first time I listened to this song by Emilie Chytreaus.  I discovered Emilie through twitter, I’m not super active on twitter so it took me a little while to get around to listening to some of my followers, but let me say this: I have really enjoyed and loved the music of all my musician followers.  Seriously. 

With this track, and Emilie, sigh: I don’t know if it’s the season, if it’s just where I’m at in life, but Emilie and her incredible lovely smoky vocals really struck a chord with me.  She reminds me of the old jazz night club singers of the twenties.  Her vocal styling has a certain degree of maturity that is hard to find these days, and I adore it.  This piano heavy track is so incredibly lovely and heartfelt, honestly? I couldn’t help but love it. 

I couldn’t find any official lyrics, but here is the track via soundcloud:

You can find out more about Emilie via her twitter page. 

(That's how I did.)

Track on Tuesday: Home

Album: Home EP

Artist: Phillip Phillips

Genre: Pop

Label: Interscope

Released: 27 June 2012

My Review: So I’ll admit, I heard this on the radio, and not cool indie internet radio, but, like the actual broadcast radio.  I caught the tail end of it, and liked it.  I guess he was on American Idol?  He sounds like a 5th Mumford,  anyways, I love it, I love this track, I love that it is getting major radio airplay because more awesome music should be played on the radio.  (It’s not that I don’t like Maroon 5, but I swear they have seven singles out right now, I can’t listen to anything for more than five minutes without hearing Adam Levine, and that makes me want to puke.)   

So sing on Phillip Phillips, sing on.

Hold on, to me as we go
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave is stringing us along
Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you’re not alone
Cause I’m going to make this place your home

Track on Tuesday: Anything Could Happen

Album: Halcyon

Artist: Ellie Goulding

Genre: Indie/Techno

Label: Interscope Records

Released: 9 October 2012

My Review: Alright, this girl has been every where lately, and she’s out of my usual genre range (though I adored her first album Lights) and, in truth, I haven’t had the chance to listen to Halcyon yet.  Thought judging from the album artwork it seems a little dark than her first, not so many bubbly beats, and judging by this song the subject material has drifted away from first love and growing up, and on to more . . . heavy subject matter.

So, this song.  Every song has a journey, a “how I came across it.” And here is this one: I listen to Greg James’s Radio 1 show kind of religiously.  He’s funny, and he plays good music to the twenties set.  He also plays a mix of mainstream and indie stuff which is where my head is usually at, so when Ellie’s sophomore album was getting ready to drop and they released this single, it was played on his show.  And I really enjoyed it.  I feel like this is great running music, but it also has the ability to tug at your heartstrings.  It’s strange, because I can hear this song in a club, and I can hear it coming off an old record player on a Saturday night.  She’s multifaceted that way.  Anyways, the best news is that she and a friend (Ben?) made an alternate new video, and although the multi-layered effect isn’t my favorite thing in videos, I like it here, and it’s better than the original, which involved a fake cloud and giant mirrored orbs.

Stripped to the waist

We fall into the river

Cover your eyes

So you don't know the secret

I've been trying to hide

We held our breath

To see our names are written

On the wreck of '86

That was the year

I knew the panic was over

Yes since we found out

Since we found out

That anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could

After the war we said we'd fight together

I guess we thought that's just what humans do

Letting darkness grow

As if we need its palette and we need its colour

But now I've seen it through

And now I know the truth

That anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could

Baby, I'll give you everything you need

I'll give you everything you need, oh

I'll give you everything you need

But I don't think I need you

Stripped to the waist

We fall into the river

Cover your eyes

So you don't know the secret

I've been trying to hide

We held our breath

To see our names are written

On the wreck of '86

That was the year

I knew the panic was over

Yes since we found out

Since we found out

That anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could happen

Anything could

I know it's gonna be

I know it's gonna be

I know it's gonna be

I know it's gonna be

I know it's gonna be

I know it's gonna be

I know it's gonna be

I know it's gonna be

But I don't think I need you

But I don't think I need you

But I don't think I need you

Track on Tuesday: Ho Hey

Album: The Lumineers

Artist: The Lumineers

Genre: Indie/Folk

Label: Dualtone

Released: 3 April 2012

My Review: I first heard Ho Hey on an iHeartRadio station. (Do you have the iHeartRadio app? It’s free and it’s pretty sweet) Anyways, as the story often goes with radio, I wasn’t paying very close attention to what I was listening to.  I heard it, thought I had heard it on television before and moved on.  Then the other day I really listened to it.  Listened to the words, and the simplicity of the music, and I just sort of . . . fell in love a little bit.  The lyrics really got to me on this one.  You know how people say that sometimes they feel like a song was written about them, or a character in a book is them?  That is how I feel about this song.  I punctures my heart, and I love every blasted minute of it.  And I love the part in the music video when the light bulb is smashed, I don’t know why but I think it’s beautiful.

(Ho!) I've been trying to do it right
(Hey!) I've been living a lonely life
(Ho!) I've been sleeping here instead
(Hey!)I've been sleeping in my bed,
(Ho!) I've been sleeping in my bed (Hey!)

(Ho!)

(Ho!) So show me family
(Hey!) All the blood that I would bleed
(Ho!) I don't know where I belong
(Hey!) I don't know where I went wrong
(Ho!) But I can write a song (Hey!)

1,2,3 I belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweetheart
I belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweet (Ho!)

(hey!)
(ho!)
(hey!)

(ho!) I don't think you're right for him
(hey!) Look at what it might have been if you
(ho!) Took a bus to Chinatown
(hey!) I've been standing on Canal
(ho!) And Bowery (hey!)
(ho!) And she'd be standing next to me (hey!)

1,2,3 I belong with you you belong with me you're my sweetheart
I belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweetheart

And love, we need it now
Let's hope for some
Cause oh, we're bleeding out

I belong with you you belong with me you're my sweetheart
I belong with you you belong with me you're my sweet (Ho!)

(Hey!)
(Ho!)
(Hey!) 

Track on Tuesday: My First Love

Album: The Day We Ran Into The Sea

Artist: Paper Aeroplanes

Genre: Indie

Label: Red General Catalog

Released: 25 October 2010
My Review: This song came up on my internet radio a little while ago and I immediately went and downloaded it from Amazon.  I haven't heard a fun song like this in ages, and it was such a pleasant surprise!  I love the lyrics to this song, bright, fun, happy. Incredible end of fall tune from a band out of Wales.  I can't believe I haven't heard of these guys yet, but discovering them was like musical gold.  They already have a few albums out, and I haven't been able to really listen in depth to their stuff, but what I have listened to, so far, I'm loving.

Woke up in the garden shed
Curled up on a makeshift bed
Our fingers and toes entwined
Three drinks and we lost track of the time

You said you would never leave
Carved promises into apple trees
For me

But I'm ruthless
I'm a fool
I think I left my heart at school

My first love would have saved the people
My first would have parted seas
My first love would have sailed to China
And back again for me
My first love was a fearless soldier
My first love would have won hands down
But he's back there with a wife and children
Back in my home town

We'd wander about for hours
Brave winter and April showers
Broke curfews and household rules
I'd climb walls in a party dress for you

I knew you would never leave
You wore crosses and hearts upon your sleeve
For me

But I am ruthless
I'm a fool
I left you standing there at school

My first love would have saved the people
My first would have parted seas
My first love would have sailed to China
And back again for me
My first love was a fearless soldier
My first love would have hunted you down
But he's there with a wife and children
Back in my home town

And he would call three times a day
When there were no more words
And nothing left to say

But I am ruthless
I'm a fool
I think I lost my heart at school

And my first love would have saved the people
My first would have parted seas
And my first love would have sailed to China
And back again for me
My first love had a bow and arrow
My first love would have hunted you down
But he's there, a forgotten stranger
Back in my home town

My first love
I'll see you around
In my home town
I'll see you around
My first love
I'll see you around
In my home town
I'll see you around

 

Track on Tuesday: Babel Release

With Babel releasing today in the states, I've decided to forgo a Track on Tuesday (as the track would be something from this album, and that would be redundant).  So just go out and let this incredible album infiltrate your life?

Everybody's doing it.

Seriously.

My favorite tracks currently are: 

Lover's Eyes

Hopeless Wanderer

Not With Haste

Where are You Now

Which ones are yours?

-E

Track on Tuesday: It's Time

Album: Continued Silence EP

Artist: Imagine Dragons

Genre: Alternative with a dash of AWESOME

Label: Interscope

Released: 6 March 2012

My Review:  So the story of how I stumbled upon this song starts earlier this past week when I received a smart phone (and it’s true what people say – those things are pretty smart). And in the app downloading frenzy that followed I stumbled across iHeartRadio.  I had heard of iHeartRadio and wasn’t sure how I feel, you know, big wigs taking over radio, what?!  But it was free, and I’m all about the free so I downloaded it, immediately created some stations (for those of you wondering, it’s basically Pandora, but you can access legitimate radio stations all across the states as well – which I guess is what sets it “apart” from the rest) and started listening . . . and listening . . . and listening.  Most of the songs I had heard before, but than this lovely tune came on.  I had heard it in the Perks of Being a Wallflower trailer (are you going to see it?) but it didn’t really sink in until later, and now.  Well, now I just repeat it . . . and repeat it . . . and repeat it . . .

So this is what you meant
When you said that you were spent
And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit
Right to the top
Don't hold back
Packing my bags and giving the academy a rain check

I don't ever want to let you down
I don't ever want to leave this town
'Cause after all
This city never sleeps at night

It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am

So this is where you fell
And I am left to sell
The path to heaven runs through miles of clouded hell
Right to the top
Don't look back
Turning to rags and giving the commodities a rain check

I don't ever want to let you down
I don't ever want to leave this town
'Cause after all
This city never sleeps at night

It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am

It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am

This road never looked so lonely
This house doesn't burn down slowly
To ashes, to ashes

It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am

It's time to begin, isn't it?
I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit
I'm just the same as I was
Now don't you understand
That I'm never changing who I am

Track on Tuesday: Bones

Album: Home Again

Artist: Michael Kiwanuka

Genre: Soul (ish – I prefer to think of it as just awesome.)

Label: Interscope

Released: 17 July 2012

My Review:  Michael Kiwanuka is a relatively new find for me.  I mean he’s been in the Communion Newsletter for a few months, but I just barely got on the bandwagon when I listened to Home Again on Spotify.  And then I thought to myself, “holy crap this guy is freaking amazing.” And then I looked at his website and realized he’s doing a North American tour with Nathaniel Rateliff (another incredible artist).  So, if he’s coming to your area, check him out (see you on tour MK! You incredible musician, you.)  And if he isn’t, just repeat this song over and over again, so much talent crammed into this. Seriously.  It reminds me a little bit of Pete Roe’s Oh Susannah (lyric-wise.) Ahhh, just my kind of song. Freaking melts my heart.

Honey, I’ve been thinkin’ ‘bout you
All that you do
Don’t you think of me too?
Lady, where you’ve been for so long?
I don’t need you no more
Had to write you this song

Well I long to be alone with you
And if I couldn’t,
I dont know, what I would do
I guess I would leave (I would leave)
This world alone (This world alone)
Cuz without you I’m just bones (Booones)

Well I dream of you so much
Love you so much
Thoughts at large
Well I speak only of you
So what else is new?
What am I to do?

Well I long to be alone with you
And if I couldn’t, I don't know what I would do
I guess I would leave (I would leave)
This world alone (This world alone)
Cuz without you I’m just bones (Booones)

Days go more and more I see
That your love is all my soul needs
That you’re gone and now I’m fallin’
Fallin’ to my knees

Well I long to be alone with you
And if I couldn’t, I don't know, what I would do
Well I long to be alone with you
And if I couldn’t, I dont know, what I would do
I guess I would leave (I would leave)
This world alone (This world alone)
Cuz without you I’m just bones (Booones)
I guess I would leave (I would leave)
This world alone (This world alone)
Cuz without you I’m just bones (Booones)
I guess I would leave (I would leave)
This world alone (This world alone)
Cuz without you I’m just bones

and as an added bonus, beautiful old school video.
Gah, I'm in love with this music.

Track on Tuesday: While We Were Dreaming

Album: Outside Love

Artist: The Pink Mountaintops

Genre: Alternative Rock

Label: Jagjaguwar

Released: 28 April 2009

My Review: I first heard this song in Charlie St. Cloud and stayed all the way through the end of the credits to figure out who had written this lovely tune.  They released this record in 2009 and, after listening to a lot of their other stuff, this one still remains my favorite.  There is just something about the combination of the music and lyrics that really gets to me.  And I still can’t figure out what they’re really singing about. Which is what I love the most.

While you lie on your back
And move through the scars
So careful you are
To surrender a thing

But Jesus ain't comin'
So don't waste your time
Not yours and not mine
You're only dreaming

And while you were scheming
The silver the sheets
Far above the leaves
I snuck into your scene

Don't lie there, lurking
Behind your troubled walls
Wicked as they are
You're not deceiving

And if I could find your heart
I would pull it from your chest
And smash it with my fist
'Til it was beating

And if there's a hole inside
Heaven in your bed
'Cause the angel that you kissed
Just left you bleeding

I know it ain't easy
To keep roundin' on
When the voices in your skull
Are always screaming

Broke into your prison
And dropped the sleeping guards
Painted flowers on the bars
And snuck you out the yard

Paralyzed and gleaming
With visions of new states
We're wrapped in our embrace
While we were dreaming

Track on Tuesday: The Motherlode

Album: The Motherlode EP

Artist: The Staves

Genre: Folk

Label: Atlantic Records UK

Released: 13 April 2012

My Review:  These sisters not only have gorgeous voices, incredible style, and great harmony, but this track also has a certain warmth to it that I don’t generally hear in music today.  Like, I want to curl up with a blanket and watch the sunset.  But seriously, aren’t their harmonies incredible?

Counting the winters, numb too cold
Searching the valley, for secrets untold
The mountains are children, to someone so old
A king without kingdom or throne
Digging the mud and the stone
All men have left here
But you have remained
At the banks of the river, forever the same
Though no water flows here, the memory stays
As long as it stays you are here
Heart broken year after year
People running away, running like strangers day after day
Breathe in, you're not alone
Golden river running from her home

The sun was an altar, before reaching out
And raised up the dagger, that hung from his belt
He cursed his disillusion and the sadness he felt
Weeping at what he'd become, just a fool in the gold of the sun
People running away, running like strangers day after day
Breathe in, you're not alone

Golden river running from her home
Golden river running from her home
Golden river running from her home
Golden river running from her home.

Track on Tuesday: Sweet Dream

Album: Three Flights from Alto Nido

Artist: Greg Laswell

Genre: Indie/Alternative

Label: Vanguard

Released: 26 August 2008

My Review: For a track that clocks in a just over a minute this may be one of the cutest songs in the universe.  Greg Laswell always has a tendency to blow me away because although his music sounds so simple his lyrics are so incredible and powerful.  Love him, and this track, so much.

If I could write out my own dream 

For the next time that I sleep  

You'd be the first one that I see  

And I the last one that you keep

And the dream would go on and on  

While we sway against all things thrown our way  

And the morning would be so cruel  

When it came with sunshine and warmth to blame  

For announcing the end of my sweet dream  

For announcing the end of my sweet dream

Track on Tuesday: I Will Wait

Artist: Mumford and Sons

Genre: Folk and Roll

Label: Glassnote

Released: 25 September 2012

My Review: This track really speaks for itself.  First released a few (like two and a half-ish?) years ago at a Toad Session under the moniker “Untitled” and then later, after fans had live recordings it garnered the name “Nothing is Written” But I have to admit, "I Will Wait" has a special ring to it.  I can’t talk about Mumford and Sons enough, they truly are a remarkable band, and I love them with all my heart.  This track is truly a gem.  The video is incredible because it gives you the opportunity to really focus on the music.  The track had its world premiere on Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 Show (one of my favorite shows to stream – seriously check it out) last Wednesday, and I think it’s safe to say I’ve had it on constant repeat since.

Well I came home
Like a stone
And I fell heavy into your arms
These days of dust
Which we've known
Will blow away with this new sun

But I'll kneel down wait for now
And I'll kneel down
Know my ground

And I will wait I will wait for you
And I will wait I will wait for you

So break my step
And relent
Well you forgave and I won't forget
Know what we've seen
And him with less
Now in some way shake the excess

And I will wait I will wait for you
And I will wait I will wait for you
And I will wait I will wait for you
And I will wait I will wait for you

Now I'll be bold
As well as strong
And use my head alongside my heart
So tame my flesh
And fix my eyes
A tethered mind freed from the lies

And I'll kneel down
Wait for now
I'll kneel down
Know my ground

Raise my hands
Paint my spirit gold
And bow my head
Feel my heart slow

Cause I will wait I will wait for you
And I will wait I will wait for you
And I will wait I will wait for you
And I will wait I will wait for you

Track on Tuesday: Be Still

Album: Scars and Stories

Artist: The Fray

Genre: Christian/Rock

Label: Epic

Released: 7 February 2012

My Review: You know that song that you hear and suddenly you’re insta-obsessed?  That is how this song was for me.  I heard in on an episode of The Vampire Diaries and it sort of blew me away. I'm a piano junkie and I think it's the piano in this track that really made me fall in love with it.  I don't know what kind of piano that they're playing on, but it doesn't seem electric, which makes it that much more real.  Add to that the words from a Pslam that is one of my favorites, and it just doesn't really get any better.  Definitely a favorite song to fall asleep and dream to.

Be still and know that I'm with you

Be still and know that I am here

Be still and know that I'm with you

Be still, be still, and know

When darkness comes upon you

And covers you with fear and shame

Be still and know that I'm with you

And I will say your name

If terror falls upon your bed

And sleep no longer comes

Remember all the words I said

Be still, be still, and know

And when you go through the valley

And the shadow comes down from the hill

If morning never comes to be

Be still, be still, be still

If you forget the way to go

And lose where you came from

If no one is standing beside you

Be still and know I am

Be still and know that I'm with you

Be still and know I am