Sound Sanctuary

Hey, you single girls! How was your Valentine’s Day? If you’re still hurting from a chocolate hangover like myself, here’s song to soothe the soul—just for you.

If you’re from the Netherlands, you may have already heard of her (and by that, I mean she is a pop sensation in her native land, selling over 250,000 of her 2009 album, Bells). Named after the the sounds of her nearby church, Bells takes you through the backwards breakup (think (500) Days of Summer). Despite her delicate demeanor, clear vocals and precise sound, be forewarned: don’t wear mascara before listening to this album.

Not to be confused with Beyonce’s Single Ladies, Laura’s raw sound is lyrically focused and aims for a deep understanding of heartache. If you dealt with “Single’s Awareness Day” by “drinking with the guy down the hall,” “reading books on meditation,” or “cutting hair,” this is the perfect song for you.

The album, Bells, drops March 22nd, but if you simply cannot wait until then, check her out live as she opens for Joshua Radin in his 2011 tour. (Coming to Columbia, MO, Feb. 25th!)

If you, too, hate talking, stop and just listen to the sweet sounds of Katie Costello. If you haven’t heard her before from her first debut with self-released Kaleidoscope Machine, then you are truly missing out. She’s kind of the person that you would love to have write the soundtrack to your life: upbeat and fun with lyrics that come from the core.

Katie released her first album at the young age of 17 in her hometown of Los Angeles. Just recently, after her 18th birthday, she fled to the “Big Apple” for a change of pace and a chance to step back into limelight. Like I said, this isn’t her first time on the music scene, as she is soon to release her most recent album, Cassette Tape, on February 22nd.

Cassette Tape, the first song on the album, is lyrically genius with an outstanding sound the pumps through your veins. It almost takes you back to a time when cassette tapes were actually popular (this is for all you male readers…give me a mix tape, I’ll give you my heart).

I’ve been a singer for as long as I can remember, but recently I took a step outside the “voice box” and took on the guitar (or the guitarra, as I like to say thanks to its origin of Argentina). Despite my short background with piano and flute, strumming my guitar came as a new musical challenge. With that, however, it made me discover some of my old favorites as I attempted to actually play songs on the guitar.

The first song I proudly accomplished on the guitarra? Afterwards by Danielle Ate the Sandwich. More commonly known by friends as Danielle Anderson, Danielle Ate the Sandwich first started off as a YouTube sensation, but soon developed into a full recording artist. She most recently put out her album Two Bedroom Apartment, complete with tracks including bass, drums, violin, banjo, organ and much more. Despite her funky name that leaves you craving a sub, her light and easy going sounds make for a perfect rainy afternoon listen. And if that rain makes you want to escape to a more tropical place, check out songs such as Two Bedroom Apartment or Gone.

There is something to be said about music videos. Sure, as the Buggles put it, “Video Killed the Radio Star,” but my thoughts are that music videos only enhanced the music scene. I can remember the afternoons spent in middle school rushing home to see the oh-so-cute Carson Daly host TRL and being crushed that I missed the first video of the countdown because my teacher let me out late. Well, as MTV used to stand for music television, now when I think of MTV all that comes to mind is Teen Mom and Jersey Shore (don’t get me wrong, I guiltily watch both).

If even MTV is losing its heart of music, where is the music industry going? Well, thank God for YouTube, because that is where I discovered this little gem. “Be My Honeypie” by the Weepies. Prior to this finding, I only had a few tracks off of their 2006 album, Say I Am You, but after doing a little research, I found out I was truly missing out. This album reached the top of the folk iTunes charts back in its premiere, so you didn’t have to ask me twice to download the whole darn thing. It doesn’t disappoint (see “Lyrics of the Week”).

As for this song in particular, it brought back those same feelings I felt on the couch as a 7th grader watching TRL. I get excited and teeny-bopper giddy when a video portrays exactly how I feel about a song. Sometimes the radio is just not enough to capture a moment (okay, or 2 minutes and 13 seconds) of a song. Get curled up on YOUR couch this time and get ready to fall in 7th-grade-puppy-love with this one.

This blog is only in its infant stage, but it got me thinking as to why I actually started it in the first place. Well, beyond wanting to start a blog for a while and also my growing passion for music, I recently received an e-mail from a childhood friend welcoming me back home. She signed the e-mail with a link to a “must-listen.”

I clicked to find Adele, whose voice has blessed my iTunes since 2008 with my personal favorite, Hometown Glory, off of her album entitled 19. Now, this British songstress gives us a sneak peak of her album 21, which is set to release on February 22 in the U.S. She released her single, “Rolling in the Deep” just a few weeks ago, but her performance of “Someone Like You” (see above), which she performed last month on Later Live…With Jools Holland, is what really caught my attention.

Adele pulsates with emotion as she sings this powerful, yet tastefully simple ballad. Her fiery voice backed by the flutter from the piano provides the perfect combination for the delicate lyrics and soulful sound. This number will keep you clutching that kleenex box until we hear the rest of 21 in just a few more months.

In the words of my friend Newt*, Adele is “pretty hip.”

*name has been changed, well, since grade school.