When I’m not working, I am sleeping; this job is one that wears me out majorly, but it is something that I am glad I worked so hard to get into. Being a nurse is incredibly frustrating, tiring, irritating at times, and very, very draining, but it is also really rewarding.

That being said, I am excited about bringing the year end best albums of 2011 to you, but in the mean time, here is a song that I recently rediscovered; it was on Body Talk part 2, but didn’t make the “cut” for the Body Talk album (which was a compilation of the three EPs). This song is incredible! Why didn’t it make the cut, Robyn? Oh well, at least it was on one of the EPs…

Now… stay tuned for the albums of the year… I am going to try and get that up soon!

Vanbot – Make Me, Break Me

I couldn’t wait for a 5S-day, so I posted the video for this on Facebook the other day immediately after I heard it, because of how incredible it is. While the Robyn influence is undeniable (and frankly, welcomed with open arms), this song is fresh, and highlights the fact that there must be something genetically inherent about pop music in Sweden. In fact, Vanbot’s entire debut album is delightful, and a great find; it’s full of great songs that I am pleased to have randomly discovered. I expect to see it among my favorite albums of this year; like I said it’s delightful. Whatever is going over there in Sweden, I am glad that the pop music keeps flowing out of that magical land, and into my ears.

One Direction – What Makes You Beautiful

It seems like the Brits do boybands better than almost anyone, and this is a new contender in the boyband genre that are killing it with this single (they were on the show the X-Factor, and came in third… looks like that show really does well at finding talent). Their new album Up All Night is a solid release, and one that is sure to have many singles. This song is a great pop song that will probably never see the airwaves here in the states; which is a bummer, because it has a lot of great energy. I have been listening to this one on repeat, and I am glad to share it with you today. Thanks to my buddy Douglas for telling me about the wonderful One Direction!

Cher Lloyd – Want U Back

After falling head over heels for Cher with her previous single, With Ur Love (which I posted about on the previous incarnation of the 5S-day), I was curious to hear what else she would release. Imagine my surprise when her debut album Sticks + Stones was actually brilliant (save a song or two), and was filled with great songs like this one. I love this song; it’s my favorite from her album. She has a lot of the same spunk that reminds me of Lily Allen, which I adore. This is yet another great find that I randomly stumbled upon; 2011 has had some great finds, and they seem to be getting better and better!

Penguin Prison – Don’t Fuck With My Money

I have seen a lot of talk on the blogs about Penguin Prison, but for whatever reason, I was never moved by one of their songs. Then I saw the video for this one, and I loved the song! This song reminds me a lot of that one song from the 90s that I’m sure everyone knows, but not a lot know who sang it: the New Radicals’, You Get What You Give. Similar feel with a more dance beat; I like it. I’m glad I am on board with the oft talked about Penguin Prison now!

The Saturdays – My Heart Takes Over (Digital Dog Remix)

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING tears it up like taking a beautiful ballad, and a laying a slick as hell beat over it, turning it into a dance-floor filler. This song is definitely one of the best examples that I have heard in many, many years. The Saturdays’ My Heart Takes Over is a gorgeous ballad that I love all on it’s own, but this remix that they released is like pure pollen to a bee; I cannot get enough of it. I only wish there were more remixes of this high quality doing the same thing… where are Thunderpuss when you need them (remember them?)? Either way, brilliant. Their new album is great as well; not as wonderful as I was hoping, but I guess you can’t win them all, can you?

BONUS:
Westlife – Lighthouse

Lastly, it is bittersweet that I bring you Westlife’s most recent single Lighthouse, off of their final album, which is a Greatest Hits collection. This is a band that I have followed for more than a decade, and have loved for so long that I am really broken up about their impending split. I am a major sucker for a beautiful pop ballad, and these guys have delivered many, many times in that department. I have loved following them for all of these years, and am glad that they have put out so many wonderful albums. Westlife will always be among my favorite artists, and I will definitely cherish the great pop music they released in their impressive career. My only hope, is that Shane and Mark release wonderful solo albums, and keep making music that I love. Westlife, I love you guys, and you will most certainly be missed.

Well, a farewell, and some great music, what more can you ask for on a Monday? Hope you enjoyed my picks, and please let me know what you are listening to as well. As I said, I will greatly miss Westlife, and I am just glad that those guys have made so many amazing albums over the years; the fans have a ton of great music to cherish from their amazing career… I just wish it wasn’t over. *sniff*

Hence, why it’s the song of the day, duh.

Florence + The Machine – Shake It Out

She’s back!!! While it took me a while to warm up to Florence the first time around, and perhaps it had something to do with the fact that everyone and their mom was telling me just how amazing she was, I eventually came around, and was all ears when her new album came out this week. So far, this is my favorite track off of Ceremonials, and it is a real mover and a shaker, which is the stuff by Florence that I like best. Great single; this one is sure to get her even more exposure (like she needs it… haha).

Jon McLaughlin – I’ll Follow You

This is what I have come to expect from Jon McLaughlin; beautiful, well written ballads (and he doesn’t disappoint). This is from his recently released third album, Forever If Ever, which didn’t pack quite the punch his debut did for me, but has some great stuff nonetheless; this being the best of the bunch for me. The arrangement on this track is just hauntingly beautiful; what can I say, I am a sucker for a great piano-driven ballad.

M83 – Midnight City

I really only heard about M83 with their last album, Saturdays = Youth, which I quite enjoyed, and after hearing this new single from their recently released double album, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, I am hooked back into their weird, ethereal sound. This song is too catchy to turn off. They are even using this song in the latest Victoria’s Secret ad; so I expect M83 to get pretty huge in the coming months.

Cher Lloyd – With Ur Love (feat. Mike Posner)

My buddy Stu turned me on to this song; it is perfect pop, and a major earworm! I love how cute and sassy this song is, and how adorable is Cher Lloyd? I wish that more British pop would make waves here in the states, but at least I have friends that keep me updated on the clearly better pop music being made across the pond. I can’t wait to hear what else this lady has in store with her debut album, out this month.

Rihanna – We Found Love (feat. Calvin Harris)

I have been hard on Rihanna in the past; perhaps a bit too hard. I made some amends when I professed my love for Only Girl (In The World), which I still think is one of her best songs to date. Well, I am here to make even more amends, because this may just be her best song to date. Calvin Harris’ magic has made this THE song of the moment right now. I have been playing this on repeat for a few weeks now, and I cannot get enough. RiRi, baby, as long as you keep this up, we might just get along in the end; who would’ve thought after Rude Boy that I’d say that? Not me, that’s who!

So what did you think of the 5 songs from today’s 5SW? I hope you enjoyed them; please let me know. Also, let me know what you are listening to; I am constantly on the hunt for new music!

What a great ballad, huh? Also, I guess this makes this a 1SF? Eh, who knows… either way, it’s something to whet your appetite til I can get back to another 5SF; maybe I’ll be able to do one early next week… stay tuned. Til then, enjoy the weekend!

Feist – How Come You Never Go There
As a huge fan of Feist’s previous album, The Reminder, which came out waaaay back in 2007 (and was subsequently my #2 album of that year), I have been chomping at the bit to get some new music from this Canadian chanteuse. Well, it is an understatement to say that this, the first single from her forthcoming album Metals, is quite simply amazing. This track is beautiful, and really builds on where The Reminder left off. All of a sudden, I cannot wait for October to get here!

Gavin Degraw – Not Over You
I’m honestly shocked by this one; I have always considered this guy to be firmly in the column of ‘artists I cannot stand’ for whatever reason. Perhaps it was that damn obnoxious song of his, I Don’t Wanna Be, which was played on the radio every five fucking minutes back in the day and is a song I cannot stand. What can I say, first impressions are very strong, indeed. That being said, I heard this song thanks to Spotify playing a snippet during a commercial, and I didn’t even know it was Gavin Degraw; and when I found it was him, I was all, “hmpf! Who cares, it’s excellent!”. So there; what can I say, I am a sucker for a fantastic piano-driven ballad, and this is a very, very good one.

Jessie J – Domino
There is a lot of love for Jessie J on this blog, a lot, and rightfully so; she’s amazing! I love this girl, and it seems like when everything new I hear, I fall harder and harder for her. Her voice is powerful and incredible, and I hope that she becomes just as big (especially stateside) as (IMHO) less deserving acts like Katy Perry. This song is decidedly more pop than some of her previous singles, and it shows just how varied her style can be, while highlighting how she can keep it young and fresh as well. This is such an earworm, and it is perfectly ready to blaze the airwaves; this is one I would expect to hear on repeat on the radio. Jessie J ladies and gents; this is pop, and let’s enjoy it, shall we?!

Nicole Scherzinger – Wet
It appears that I might be a little obsessed with Nicole Scherzinger these days. I have a habit of promoting stuff that I feel like is deserving of attention, and this is a great reason I keep turning to Nicole; she should be way bigger of a star than simply as the “lead singer of the Pussycay Dolls”. Every time I turn around, I hear another amazing single from her, and I keep wondering, why in the hell hasn’t this girl been topping the Billboard charts with these hits?! Her album, Killer Love is still slated for a November release date here in the US (even though it was released in the UK back in March of this year!!!), and this is the latest UK single from the album. Might I say, Wet is another blazing hit (thanks to my buddy Steve for posting this on facebook a while back). Nicole is gorgeous in the video, and this song is a dance banger ready for the dancefloor. After seeing the video, it struck me that someone should show Britney this video to remind her that girls her age can still dance and show the level of enthusiasm she used to back in the Toxic days… Either way, another fantastic single and video for Nicole!! Fingers still crossed for you, lady!

David Guetta – Night Of Your Life feat. Jennifer Hudson
Oh my goodness. Finally. A KILLER club track featuring the vocals of one of my most favorite divas, Ms. Jennifer Hudson! This song is incredible, and a great testament of what it means to work with superstar DJ David Guetta; he will treat you right! Kelly Rowland has known that for a while, and with David’s most recently release, Nothing But The Beat, it looks like several fantastic artists are following suit to work with this guy. If anything, it pretty much guarantees you at least a very good chance of having a very radio-ready single. This song is definitely reminiscent of Rihanna’s Only Girl (In The World), but different enough to hold its own (and honestly, I loved that song too, so fuck, the more the merrier!!). I honestly loved it the first time I heard it; but then again, my lady Jennifer is tearing it UP on this track. My only wish, is that they would have released this back in June, because it could have been my song of the summer; so I guess it’ll just have to be my song of the autumn!! I expect to here this a lot at the upcoming Pride festival!

So there we go, another five songs… what did you think? Any suggestions you’d like to see in a future five song Friday (or Wednesday… or whatever day I do one)? Let me know!

Laura Marling – Sophia

I always underestimate Laura Marling for some reason. I’m an idiot, because she always manages to impress. Another beautiful song from this incredible artist. I can’t wait for her next album; her last one was one of my favorites from last year.

Emeli Sande – Heaven

This is kind of a sad one to post, seeing as it was one of the final songs I discovered via BBC Radio 1, and I doubt there will be more excellent discoveries from them seeing as XMradio decided to yank the channel and replace it with disco hits. Seriously? Either way, excellent song, and it makes me want to hear what she’s got in store for her album as well.

Maroon 5 – Moves Like Jagger

I’m extra hard on Maroon 5 for some reason, but a hit is a hit, and this is definitely a hit. My apologies to my buddy Kelly who tried to get me into this one a month ago, and it fell on deaf ears; I am all ears now. This is such a slick track!

Ultraviolet Sound – Girl Talk

I heard this one the other day, and I instantly fell in love with it. It has all of the energy of Dragonette and Alphabeat, and I enjoy that it is so lyrically playful. Great earworm, and it will definitely get you dancing. Maybe now I need to actually pay more attention to Ultraviolet Sound (seeing as this is the second song I have heard from them and liked)…

Bjork – Crystalline

Bjork is insanely talented, and this new single is a testament to that; she truly stands in a category of her own. I especially love the beautiful lyrics, and the play with drum and bass at the end. This song is slick, and unlike anything out right now. The verdict? Absolutely brilliant.

Well, there you have it, another 5SF. Be sure to let me know what you think, and as always, keep me informed as to what you are listening to; I am always on the lookout for new and fantastic music.

Will Young – Jealousy
Yes, I featured this as the song of the day a few days ago, but I cannot get enough of this amazing new track from one my favorite singers. The “new direction” he has gone into full tilt dance initially made me feel very apprehensive, because of how delicate and beautiful his previous Let It Go was, and because of how very much I loved that album. That being said, after hearing Jealousy, and now that I have heard another song The Way I See (a free download on amazon.co.uk for you UK-ers out there; sadly not for us stateside), I have to say, that my apprehension has turned to sheer excitement. I have had this track on repeat since I first heard it, and I cannot wait for August 22; the day when Will’s long anticipated new album Echoes is out. Watch the beautiful video for Jealousy here.

Owl City – Lonely Lullaby
I will be honest; I kind of waned a bit with love for Owl City when he signed to a major label. Hearing Fireflies on the radio all of the time made me crazy; it isn’t his best song, and for as long as I had sung his praises, I was a little nonplussed to have the masses licking him up so feverishly all of a sudden. Don’t get me wrong, I am very pleased with his success, and am very happy for the guy, but I feel like some of the stuff on his major debut Ocean Eyes was a bit of a rehash of the fantastic Maybe I’m Dreaming (well, some of it was just a repeat, to be honest). For whatever reason, I was just over it all. However, recently, I heard Lonely Lullaby, and it was like a call from an old friend; this song is incredible! It instantly reminded me of everything I loved about Owl City, and it was like no time had passed! While I still think a lot of the lyrics are a bit out there overall, this song is very well written, and quite touching. Great return to form Owl City! I’m glad we’ve gotten reacquainted!! Listen to Lonely Lullaby here (not super great quality; just buy it on iTunes! Also, for those of you on Spotify, here’s a better quality link/place to listen.).

William Fitzsimmons – Ever Could
I could probably go on and on about William, and how incredible he is, and how much I love his beautiful and delicate music, so I tend to do so. I was lucky enough to see him earlier this year, and it was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. William posted about this song being on a show recently, and I was wondering why I hadn’t heard of it; it was on a bonus 2 disc version of his most recent release Gold In The Shadow. I honestly feel a little cheated, because I bought the album the day it was released on iTunes, and there wasn’t a bonus 2 disc version, but I guess I’m over it, because I have it now. This is definitely one of the best songs on the album, and I wonder why he didn’t just put it on the original release. Either way, it’s more amazing music from this incredible artist; I’m not exactly complaining. Listen to Ever Could here.

Lana del Rey – Video Games
My buddy Stephen over at xolondon clued me into this song, which is a haunting, gorgeous, and down right impressive debut from Ms. del Rey. Her voice has some qualities that remind me of both Sia and Laura Marling, both singers that I adore, and the arrangement is spine tinglingly good. The strings, the downbeat, the booming slow bass; all of it is magic to my ears. I hope to hear more from this new artist, and a huge thanks to my buddy Stephen for letting me know about this little gem; it’s been quite an earworm since he told me about it. To listen to Video Games, visit his blog here.

Pia Toscano – This Time
All I gotta say, is fuck American Idol. This girl was definitely the best singer from this previous season, and she got kicked off way too damn early. Well, looks like she’s getting the last laugh; this is a great lead single, and it really highlights her incredible voice. She reminds me of a younger Jessica Simpson (back when everyone actually enjoyed her music), with a taste of Katharine McPhee (a fellow AI alum!) thrown in; together it makes for a pure pop sensibility that is perfectly ready for the radio. The video is a little sexed up, but Pia is incredibly beautiful, and when it comes right down to it, she can really sing to boot. I hope this is beginning of some really great things from this fantastic singer. Watch the video for This Time here. (Also, get to iTunes this week, because this song is only $.69!)

Greyson Chance – Unfriend You
Even I am sometimes surprised by how much I love blatant pop music. Greyson Chance is about as poppy as they come, and his new single, Unfriend You is just too catchy to ignore. If you don’t know the back story on this kid, he covered Paparazzi by Lady GaGa at a school concert, put it on youtube, where it caught the attention of Ellen DeGeneres, who in turn gave him a record deal. A few months later, here we are; his album was released last week, and it’s actually pretty decent! This is my favorite song from the album, and highlights this kid’s singing talent nicely. Hey Justin Beiber, watch out, this kid’s coming for your fans!! Watch the video for Unfriend You here.

Matt Nathanson – Run (feat. Jennifer Nettles)
I have been a fan of Matt’s for a few years now, and his last album even made my year end best of 2007 list. Needless to say, I was kind of excited to see that he had a new album coming out, and when I got my hands on a couple of weeks ago, I was glad to hear this guy was back and making more great music. This is my favorite song from his new album Modern Love. It is a beautiful rock song fitting with the name and theme of the album, and it transcends into amazing with the addition of Jennifer Nettles on vocals; Matt’s vocals are beautiful, but with Jennifer on board, it goes to the next level. In my opinion, this should most definitely be the next single, *hint hint*. Listen to Run here.

Mat Kearney – Ships In The Night
My goodness, this man is so swoon-able. Mat Kearney has been steadily on my radar since I heard his debut so many years ago, and with each subsequent release, it seems he only gets stronger. His previous release, City of Black and White was my number 7 album of 2009, and after hearing his new album, Young Love, which was released last week, I am sure that we will see him sitting high on the end of the year charts once again this year. This is one of my favorite songs from the new album, and truly indicative of his trademark style, something I have come to love. This song is excellent, and the entire album is fantastic from beginning to end. Apparently, it debuted in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 this week, which is awesome to see him getting the success he so truly deserves; perhaps fans like myself running out and buying the new album didn’t hurt either. Listen to Ships In The Night here.

Selena Gomez & The Scene – Love You Like a Love Song
I recently posted on twitter, “Hey Selena Gomez! Stop making songs that I like; this is embarrassing!”, which is so, so true. I was talking about this song, because it is so good; and are we really supposed to be taking Selena Gomez, a Disney-channel bred pop star seriously? I mean, do those kids ever actually make legit pop music that transcends the teen-scene? Well, dammit, it looks like they do; this song is mature, well written, and a major fucking earworm. This girl has transcended successfully into the pop music market, and if you had no idea of her Disney past, there is no need to think of it ever again; she has transcended past the teen-scene, and as far as I am concerned, into legit pop music. So long as she keeps making stuff like this, there will be no need to be even slightly embarrassed about liking a Selena Gomez song ever again. Watch the video for Love You Like a Love Song here.

Medina – Addiction
It seems like there just isn’t anywhere near as much good dance music out there as there was 10 or 11 years ago, but every once and a while, something great and new song pops up unexpectedly. This, ladies and gents is one of the great ones. I was listening to BPM on XM Radio recently, and this song came on, and I immediately grabbed my phone to Shazam it; this track is catchy, and infectious. I have to say, that when I hear this, I can’t help but think of Anges’ incredible Release Me from a few years back; both songs are radio-ready dance tracks, and both are fantastic. I have hopes that Medina’s track can gain some traction, and get some US radio play like Agnes did. Fingers crossed; this song is too good not to cross over! Watch the video for Addition here.

Whew!! So there you go!! What did you think? Did you enjoy your reward for waiting on me to get back to the 5SF? I hope you did. Let me know what you thought, won’t you? Also, please let me know what you are listening to as well! Hopefully, it won’t be so long before the next 5SF!

Logan Lynn – Quickly As We Pass
Let me start by saying a major thank you to my buddy Popmuse for alerting me to the amazingness that this track lays down. I cannot get enough of its synthy goodness. It is such a throwback to delicious 80′s styled glam driven pop, yet it is fresh, and updated digitally to fit perfectly alongside the “future” of pop music, like the stuff being made by acts like Calvin Harris and Mark Ronson. This is such an earworm, and I cannot stop listening. I love Logan Lynn’s sweet vocal style, and laid over this catchy track, it has me wondering why I don’t pay way more attention to this fabulous artist; perhaps now there is no time like the present!! Watch the video for Quickly As We Pass here. (Note: there is a little nudity in the video, possibly NSFW).

Yasmin – Finish Line
Lord knows I have thanked BBC Radio 1 in the past for turning me on to some amazing tunes, and here’s another shout out to perhaps my favorite radio station, that just happens to be located across the pond. I heard this song a couple of weeks ago, and I immediately jacked the volume up, and grabbed my phone to Shazam this gem; this song is gold!! While Yasmin may be signing about the Finish Line, I certainly hope she has more amazing stuff like this slated for the future, and this is more of a beginning than anything final. This is the type of music that should be on radio stations here in the US; as always, the UK is getting it right time and time again, way ahead of the game. Watch the video for Finish Line here.

Nicola Roberts – Beat of My Drum
After a couple of the other girls from Girls Aloud broke out on their own, and failed to fully blow me away, and sustain (to be fair, I did LOVE both Cheryl Cole’s Fight For This Love, and Nadine Cole’s Insatiable), out of nowhere, Nicola Roberts is BURNING IT UP. This track is hot, and just in time for summer! Produced by seemingly everywhere producer Diplo (he’s 1/2 of Major Lazer, and throws in a recognizable sound effect, which I can only assume is his calling card), and containing a heavy beat, killer chorus, and outlandish beats, this song has been burning up my ears since I first heard it a few weeks ago. This song begs to be danced to, and Nicola is commanding you in a way that Kelly Rowland would be proud. I hope that the rest of Nicola’s upcoming album is like this dance floor killer, because it if is, I think we may have found the one girl from Girls Aloud that stands a chance of holding her own stylistically and musically. While the style is totally different, it reminds me a bit of when Siobhan Donaghy made her amazing sophomore album Ghosts, after leaving Sugababes; you never know how talented one of the group is until they decide to go their own way and try something different. “L-O-V-E! Dance to the beat of my drum!” Absolutely!! Watch the video for Beat of My Drum here.

Nicole Scherzinger – Right There
FINALLY. Ladies and gentlemen, something that I have been waiting on for quite some time, may have finally happened; Nicole Scherzinger is going to break through the US market, and finally have a fucking SOLO HIT. While I did think that this sounded a bit Rihanna-ish the first time I heard it, I didn’t see that as a negative. In fact, I think it is exactly what Nicole needed to finally break through solo on her home turf; familiarity. So far, I have heard this on the local radio station a few times, and it seems to be making at least some ripples on the charts. While I doubt it will be a number one for her, I do think it will open the door for her in home country musically, and we may finally get to hear more and more solo stuff from the most talented Pussycat Doll. Ladies and gentlmen, Nicole Scherzinger is home, and hopefully, there’s more to come! And yes, 50 Cent’s cameo in the song/video is almost 100% unnecessary. Watch the video for Right There here.

DJ Fresh – Louder
What can I say? Again, the UK is killing it; this is the current number one hit in the UK. They are so far ahead of the pack sometimes, it just makes me wonder what the hell is going on in the US music scene. Dubstep is the “new” sensation in the UK, and is a style of music that I cannot get enough of. I am hoping that Dubstep makes more of a splash here than previous styles of music from the UK did stateside (most notably UK Garage, which I still fucking love; thanks to *N’SYNC for trying to make it happen, though!). This is such a great song for summer, and one that I am glad to have discovered, thanks again to my musical saviors over at BBC Radio 1. I love how the end of the song starts to get louder, faster, etc; it reminds me of Beyonce performing Suvivor live as she did on her concert DVD. Pure energy! Watch the video for Louder here.

Oh shit, did someone say bonus track? And now for a +1…

Beyonce – Rule the World (Girls)
Speaking of Beyonce… Well, 4 is out, and well, I’m underwhelmed. I wanted to love it, because I do love Beyonce, but I just didn’t. That being said, I had high hopes for this album, mostly because of how much I loved Run the World (Girls) as its lead single. In fact, I thought, that I had posted this song in a 5SF or something, because of how much I think this song is SICK, but I apparently didn’t, and as such, wanted to feature it as a bonus track (or a super-relevant Google+ approved +1) in this week’s 5SF. A lot of people were turned off by the Major Lazer sample throughout the song, but I have to say, that while YES, it does sound almost identical to Major Lazer’s Pon De Floor, please keep in mind that Switch produced the track, and he is 1/2 of Major Lazer (apparently it is a Major Lazer day for me today…). I think Beyonce’s vocals elevate the track, and put a fresh, and frankly sick-as-shit spin to it. I have been loving this song more and more with each listen, and I just wish that I didn’t stick out like a sore ass thumb on 4 (I was hoping for more like it on the album); but hey, you can’t win them all, can you? Watch the video for Run The World (Girls) here.

So what did you think? I hope you enjoyed these tracks. As always, let me know what you thought, and definitely tell me what you are listening to; you may see it on a future 5SF! Stay cool out there!!

Patrick Wolf – House
Not only is this song amazing, but the video is incredibly beautiful as well. I love Patrick Wolf; he always seems to be standing outside of the box, and yet crafts such amazing pop, that you’d think that everyone in the box would be singing his praises. This guy is eccentric, but that’s his strong suit; he really pours a lot of that eccentricity into his music, fashion, and style, and the result is a true pop superstar that never seems to get enough praise or credit for his work. His new album, Lupercalia is slated to come out in the next couple of weeks, and after hearing and falling head over heels in love with this track, as well as the first single, The City, I am simply bursting at the seams to get my hands on it. Watch the incredibly beautiful video for House here.

City and Colour – We Found Each Other In the Dark
The new album, Little Hell, came out earlier this week, and it is incredible. After hearing O’ Sister, Fragile Bird, and Northern Wind prior to its release, I had high hopes, and pretty high expectations that this album would be yet another amazing release from Dallas Green, aka, City and Colour. After one listen, I will say that I was not disappointed in the least. It is a fantastic album from beginning to end, and represents some of his most beautiful work. While it isn’t as delicate and achingly beautiful overall as the previous release, Bring Me Your Love, it has true heartfelt moments that stand right along side that album, as well as more uptempo and more rock tracks that add a more gritty element to his previous work. Dallas is an exquisite song writer, and an incredible musician, and this album is hands down, one of the absolute best of 2011, by a landslide. With this album, Dallas has solidified his place amongst my most favorite artists, and has proven that he just gets better with each new release. I really hope that he makes a tour stop in Atlanta some time soon.Be sure to get Little Hell, which is out now.Listen to We Found Each Other In The Dark here.

Death Cab For Cutie – St. Peter’s Cathedral
Death Cab For Cutie are certainly one of my favorite bands, and they have been for many years. I love lead singer Ben Gibbard’s voice, and their music is epically beautiful. I was more than excited when I saw that they would be releasing a new album at the end of May, so I marked it on my calendar. As always, they did not disappoint, and the album, Codes and Keys, is pretty amazing overall. I was extra excited, when I listened for the first time, and I found a few songs like this one, that harken to the side project Ben did several years ago called The Postal Service; whose only album was down right incredible. I am sure fans of both bands squealed with delight just as I did upon hearing the infusion of some Postal Service elements into this album. I am glad they gave the fans something as wonderful as this, and continue treating us to great music with each new release. Be sure to get Codes and Keys, which is out now. Listen to St. Peter’s Cathedral here.

Mat Kearney – Hey Mama
This is the new, very peppy track by Mat Kearney. It reminds me stylisitically a lot of Pete Yorn’s track Relator that he did with Scarlett Johanson a couple of years ago. That being said, Mat Kearney is one of those artists that I have followed for years, and consider myself to be a big fan of his work. I’ve seen him in concert a couple of times, and his voice has this amazing ability to make one weak in the knees. This is a much more peppy direction for him, but I think that it works quite well, and it might be his most radio-ready track to date. As always, I am looking forward to his next release, and if this is any indication as to what it might sound like, it seems that Mat is going to be a little more upbeat, and a lot lighter this time around. Maybe this song will help him get some much deserved airplay, and allow more people to find out about this amazing artist. Listen to Hey Mama here.

The Weepies – Same Changes
I was watching the movie Morning Glory the other night, and this delightful song started playing, and I instantly recognized it as the Weepies. While I didn’t really get into their 2010 album Be My Thrill (perhaps because of being busy with nursing school…), I do enjoy the Weepies a lot, and really loved this song when I heard it. It’s very similar to other songs by the Weepies, but when the formula works, why mess with it? The movie was very sweet, and I ended up enjoying it a lot, and I had to download this track as soon as the movie ended. This is yet another example of how using a great song at a pivotal point in a movie can really draw you in and make the experience that much more enjoyable. In this case, it made me enjoy the movie that much more, and solidified a music purchase from me; what’s not to like about that? Do yourself and see this movie too; the previews did not do it justice. It is well written, very cute, and full of laughs and sweet moments. I really enjoyed it. Watch the video for Same Changes here.

So there’s five more songs for you. What did you think? Let me know what you thought in the comments, and as always, tell me what you are listening to as well! Stay cool out there!