Top 5 Songs of The Week (It's Been A Loong Time Edition)

You may or may not have noticed that it has been A WHILE, since we last posted a Top Five Songs of the Week - it is not that we have not wanted to, it's simply that we've just been crazy busy.

Also, we wanted to add that one of the many reasons we have not been blogging nearly as much is that Jose was been asked to do freelance writing, submitting a couple of articles per month for the very awesome, Ohio Authority. If you are not yet familiar with Ohio Authority, we highly suggest that you check it out. It is an online magazine started by two editors of the now defunct Northern Ohio Live - it is the best place to go for the freshest info regarding the arts, food + drink, home + style, health education, and so much more.


Now onto the music :) Hope everyone enjoys their weekend and our Top Five Songs of the Week*

5. (mp3) Erik Gundel - Playing Lake on My Roof Erik Gundel plays guitar and pedal steel in the band Motel, Motel who we have posted about it before. This song comes from his solo effort a self titled ep that is now out. This song has has so much going on it, it is hard to classify, from the banging of the timpani drums to hand claps to orchestral chants to then echos and strings + horns plus throw in some catchy guitar riffs it is a true "coalescence of sounds." This is some real experimental pop, very avant garde.

4. (mp3) Hawksley Workman - Maniacs First off, going to give you fair warning you might be put off initially by the excessive yodeling on this track. Once you get past this you have a fairly stripped down piece basically just accompanied by just a drum kit and some synth noises. It is almost like taking the melodies from the Dirty Projectors and then having those backed up by the more chamber pop arrangements of Grizzly Bear. On a side note this track comes from his album, For Him and The Girls, which just came out in the U.S. - the original release of this album was actually back in '99. Jose played this album on the radio back in college and he could not describe it then either.

3. (mp3) Will Stratton - Who Will This is an exceptionally talented 22 year old singer/songwriter from Northern California/New Jersey now based out of Brooklyn. His second album just came out November 3rd titlted No Wonder. He has been compared to the likes of Nick Drake, Elliot Smith and John Darnielle. His music is truly the beautiful sound of lament backed by orchestral movements, indie pop and slide guitar. Perfect music for an overcast fall day like today.

2. (mp3) Finn Riggins - Wake (Keep This Town Alive) This trio are currently on tour with Built to Spill through the North West. They are from Boise, Idaho just like Built to Spill. The chorus of this track goes "Wah oh oh oh", instantly pulling you in and leaving you tapping your feet and bobbing your head along with each drum fill and guitar riff. The melodies that come from from lead singer Lisa Simpson work well this band's amalgamation of styles ranging from indie rock, post punk to an almost country fried funk.

1. (mp3) Surfer Blood - Swim (To Reach The End) When you think of music coming out of West Palm Beach, Florida you don't expect a band to sound like this. These guys just swung through town this week to play @ Now That's Class. We missed their show and we bet you guys did too. Once you listen to this track, you will see why these guys are currently creating a buzz everywhere they go. They are playing some of the best pixies-esque anthemic driven indie rock we've heard in quite some time. They make a beautiful mess of distortion and pop that you will want to put on repeat. They are currently touring with Japandroids - do not make the same mistake we did and miss them if they come to your town!!