Sound Sanctuary

If you’ve ever been to the UK, the name Ellie Goulding...

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:38:00 -0500

If you’ve ever been to the UK, the name Ellie Goulding should sound familiar. As winner of the Critic’s Choice Award at the Brits in 2010, it comes to no surprise that there has been an intense anticipation for this album to release. Finally, today we get to hear what the hype is all about.

The album, Lights, speaks about a time that many of us face at some point or another—leaving home. The song “Guns and Horses” hit me the hardest as the melodies and acoustics reflect this inner turmoil and tension to hit the big city lights.

Ellie Goulding remains one of my favorite artists since being introduced to her sounds last summer. She stretches the boundaries of definitive genres and each song fills a different musical void. I highly recommend this purchase, but until then, listen to the song that got me hooked on the album, “Your Biggest Mistake.”

yslaurent: FOREVER 21 GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY ENDS ON MARCH 9TH at...

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 14:13:30 -0500

yslaurent:

FOREVER 21 GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY

ENDS ON MARCH 9TH at NOON EST.

RULES:

You must be following yslaurent.

You must reblog this.

You may also like the post. However, reblogging more than once is an automatic disqualification.

All tumblrs must be active blogs. I had people create side tumblrs with absolutely no posts in my previous giveaways. They will not be counted in the giveaway.

Anybody can enter, including outside of the United States.

WINNERS:

2 winners will be picked by using a random number generator on March 9th. Winners will be notified and announced on March 9th. Winners will have 24 hours to message me back with their address.

Before asking me ANY questions including why I am doing this giveaway, read the information given here: http://yslaurent.tumblr.com/f21

Hey, you single girls! How was your Valentine’s Day? If...

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:10:00 -0500

Hey, you single girls! How was your Valentine’s Day? If you’re still hurting from a chocolate hangover like myself, here’s a 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!)

Bonnaroo. Who's with me?

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:35:00 -0500

Bonnaroo 2011 Lineup

Eminem

Arcade Fire

Widespread Panic

The Black Keys

Buffalo Springfield feat Richie Furay, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Rick Rosas, Joe Vitale

My Morning Jacket

Lil Wayne

String Cheese Incident

Robert Plant & Band of Joy

Mumford & Sons

The Strokes

The Decemberists

Ray LaMontagne

Bassnectar

Iron & Wine

Girl Talk

Primus

Dr. John and The Original Meters performing Desitively Bonnaroo

Alison Krauss & Union Station

Pretty Lights

Florence + the Machine

SuperJam with Dan Auerbach and Dr. John

Explosions In The Sky

STS9

Gogol Bordello

Beirut

Big Boi

Scissor Sisters

Gregg Allman

Ratatat

Global Gypsy Punk Revue curated by Eugene Hütz

Robyn

Warren Haynes Band

Deerhunter

Opeth

Atmosphere

Old Crow Medicine Show

Bootsy Collins & the Funk University

Wiz Khalifa

Matt & Kim

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

The Del McCoury Band & the Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Mavis Staples

Béla Fleck and the Flecktones

Chiddy Bang

Jovanotti

Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers

Loretta Lynn

Cold War Kids

The Walkmen

Devotchka

Wanda Jackson

Neon Trees

Portugal. The Man

Sleigh Bells

Amos Lee

Best Coast

Dãm-Funk & Master Blazter

The Sword

The Drums

The Black Angels

School of Seven Bells

J. Cole

Nicole Atkins & the Black Sea

Wavves

!!!

Junip

Freelance Whales

Justin Townes Earle

Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses

Deer Tick

Band of Skulls

Sharon Van Etten

Abigail Washburn

Omar Souleyman

Twin Shadow

Kylesa

Man Man

The Low Anthem

Alberta Cross

Railroad Earth

Jessica Lea Mayfield

Smith Westerns

The Head and the Heart

Karen Elson

Beats Antique

22-20s

Phosphorescent

Clare Maguire

Hayes Carll

Pure Bliss. Tickets go on sale Feb. 19th. Get on it.

If you, too, hate talking, stop and just listen to the sweet...

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:08:00 -0500

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 that 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).

Dont Worry. Be Happy.

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:35:00 -0500

Now that school is back in session, we are sure to start feeling the pressures of a busy schedule again (not to mention, looking for a job…hire me!). If you’re anything like me, then your planner is already full and going to bed before midnight is not an option. But sometimes we just need to take a moment or two and just relax.

That’s where music comes in. Ok, so I’m not condoning procrastination, but for your own sanity, take a minute to check out a funny YouTube video (my current favorite, Double Dream Hands), or unplug and do nothing for two minutes. Literally. It’s during that special “me time” in which you discover the best things about yourself. In my most recent “chill out session,” I turned to Stumble Upon. Beyond the countless LOLcats and dirty jokes, I came across this site complete with eight “feel good songs.”

Song after song popped up, some I was familiar with and others that ended up being new additions to my iTunes. Because I want YOU to discover, feel and enjoy the music yourself, I won’t spoil the track list :)

So, stop pulling your hair out. Just listen.

I’ve been a singer for as long as I can remember, but...

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 16:30:51 -0500

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...

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 01:13:00 -0500

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...

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 01:04:00 -0500

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.

Decembers 100 Albums for $5

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 23:40:00 -0500

So, we are four days away from Christmas, but who’s counting, right? Well, me. The last-minute-shopper. And did I mention I’m on a budget? If this sounds like you, too, well you’re in luck.

Each month, amazon.com showcases 100 albums for just one little Lincoln dressed in green. That’s right, five bucks. Well, this month amazon.com is offering an extra holiday addition to their regular “100 albums for $5” deal to ensure that everyone is getting a full stocking this year.

This means your music choices reach well beyond the usual heap of rock, pop, indie and R&B—there is a whole section dedicated to you “rockin’ around the Christmas tree.”

My recommendation for December is She & Him’s “Volume Two.”

And for some Christmas cheer? Try “Christmas with the Rat Pack.”

Don’t forget to check out what else made the list here.

"Write what you like; there is no other rule." O. Henry

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 22:19:34 -0500

After tumbling (yes, pun intended) across this quote today, I finally decided to make one of my many ideas a reality.

As the holiday season is near and I’m starting to have a little more time on my hands, I’ve made a few goals for myself. Among the more *cough* boring *cough* goals, like sending out umpteen job applications, writing graduate school essays, and sharpening my resumé, I have endlessly put off a few of my more interesting goals, this blog included.

This blog is filled with some of my raw opinions about something I have been forever passionate about—music. You see, music does something to me that nothing else ever has done. It fills a void in my soul when I’m grieving, lets my head rest a little more soundly at night and makes a celebration that much more electrifying. When you find the right song for your mood, there’s nothing like it—it might be even better than that “first kiss” (yeah, there are songs for that, too).

So, welcome. To my “Sound Sanctuary.” There are no rules.