"Music Touches Us Emotionally, Where Words Alone Can't"

Day 2: Eight songs you love right now

1. Do I Wanna Know - Arctic Monkeys

It was hard to pick just one song from Arctic Monkeys new album AM, but this song took the cake, mostly because it's so charming. It lies on the brink of somehow being both dark and corny at the same time; yet instead it's just a well written, musically simple tune. There are so many great lines in it: ""Cause there's this tune I found that makes me think of you somehow, and I play it on repeat until I fall asleep." Been there, done that.

2. Give Me Love - Ed Sheeran

Intense and passionate, this song comes straight from the heart. The music video tells a gripping story and the emotion in his voice throughout the song fluctuates from grief to rage to a melodious poem at the end. I can listen to it on repeat all day.

3. Last Request - Paolo Nutini

Not only is Paolo Nutini's voice comforting and unique, but his words ring almost as achingly true as Bon Iver's in I Can't Make You Love Me. I can definitely relate to that feeling where you know the love is gone and there is no hope, but you can't physically let it slip away. "Sure I can accept that we're going nowhere, but one last time lets go there. Lay down beside me."

4. The Lengths - The Black Keys

This is the calmest, slowest Black Keys song I've heard, barely beating out These Days. I'm a sucker for sad love songs and this one is especially beautiful because it's rare coming from an rockin' band. My favorite lines are "I felt you leaving, before you'd even gone. Hold me now, never ever hold me again." The heartbreak and the lyrical contrast are so painfully real. One of those golden songs you pull out of an otherwise upbeat album. 

5. And We Danced - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

This is truly a genius song. I'm not too fond of how mainstream Macklemore is, but he definitely caught my attention with this one. It's funny, great to dance to, and the music video is a MUST SEE!

6. Tip Of the Tongue - The Donnis Trio

An incredibly soothing song, the chorus is what hooked me: "If I wait long enough now, will you come to me? Will you come to me? So far away but right beside me, will you come to me? Will you follow me home?" It's not especially literately profound, but there is so much feeling behind those words. 

7. Blood - The Middle East

This one hit hard the first time I heard it. I ended up texting both of my brothers that I love them. The song is about family pains. I really take my family life for granted because everything has gone so well - no divorces, no untimely deaths, no big blow outs. We are tight, and I love that. This song makes me grateful to have a loving family.

8. 40 Day Dream - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

This is just a great, funky song! I'm learning it on guitar right now. So much fun! Warning: in the video link, the song actually starts at around 1 minute so skip forward or just hang in there, haha..


And just because I couldn't help myself, I have to list my eight favorite artists right now:
1. Arctic Monkeys
2. Eric Hutchinson
3. The Black Keys
4. Jason Mraz
5. Kings of Leon
6. Ed Sheeran
7. Josh Ritter
8. The Lumineers / Of Monsters and Men (it's a tie!!)