The Voyage of a Voyageur: Kathleen Edwards

I, like many these days, have found myself in a state of soul-searching. And while most would be panicked by such a tumultuous time, I find peace in the multitude of tunes to soundtrack my reflective thoughts. At the top of my "serenity now" playlist? Kathleen Edwards' new album, Voyageur. This Canadian singer-songwriter had classical training as a violinst and an international upbringing as the daughter of a diplomat, characteristics you may not pick up from her Plain Jane persona and Americana folk sound.

As her fourth studio album, it is clear that Edwards is consistent in her sound and wise in her words. Through her effortless yet poetic lyrics come a poignant message with each track, as in Voyageur's first single "Change the Sheets": "Change this feeling under my feet/Change the sheets and then change me."

Other favorites of mine include:

"Empty Threats"
"A Soft Place to Land"
"Chameleon/Comedian"
"House Full of Empty Rooms"
"Sidecars"

You can hear every song on the album in its entirety here:
www.kathleenedwards.com/voyageur/

Del Rey of Sunshine

With films like "The Artist" and acts like Mayer Hawthorne gaining popularity in 2012, it's fairly clear that we are craving a restoration of our artistic roots. Perhaps it's the simplicity of former eras that entices us to revisit the past; perhaps it's the glamour that accompanies a time classified by its stars rather than its celebrities. When it comes to Lana Del Rey, I'd venture to say both play a part, yet the intrigue and wonderment she produces may be most aptly attributed to her rare and simultaneous embodiment of beauty and fear, as well as her honesty when penning her personal heartaches into her music.

Having said herself post-SNL (a fiasco we'll graze over, just this once), she is not a "natural performer." Whether due to a case of nerves or her lack of experience as some have speculated (her millionaire father is partially responsible for her speedy success), her voice posesses a quality that is so pure and pretty, it's almost haunting. And the fact that she writes her own music is something I always admire and aim to boast. I can also appreciate that her videos all look homemade because they are, as she spent months editing clips she found on YouTube to create makeshift music videos in an effort to broadcast her sound.

Take a listen to "Video Games," the unintentional first single off her second album entitled Born to Die, to be released worldwide at the end of this month, as well as the title track. Don't miss "Blue Jeans," "This is What Makes Us Girls," and "Diet Mtn Dew."

For the record, she claims that her lips are real and that she's just "pouty" when she sings.

LANA DEL REY-VIDEO GAMES

Lana Del Rey - Born To Die

50/50

50/50

Okay, so perhaps it's not the "feel good" movie of the year. And maybe it does reveal the worst in people facing a terrible situation (the protangonist's girlfriend, in particular). And so what if it shows how unemotional and unattached doctors can be to their patients when delivering a blow as traumatic as "you've got cancer"? It still has a great soundtrack (as well as an insanely lovable dog, dubbed "Skelator" due to its long, bony frame). The soundtrack is as mixed as my emotions were when watching this film, which I suppose is only fair.

The trailer (misleading as it may be) also has some great music that is not included in the film, namely, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. You can hear their song "Carries On" in the last thirty seconds of the trailer (above).

While the film showcases some favorites such as Radiohead, Bee Gees, Pearl Jam and Roy Orbison ("Crying" is a classic, afterall), there are some newcomers worth mentioning. They hail from many genres-Punk, Folk, Dance, etc. One song, "Stay the Same" by Autokratz, stands out as the clear non-"depressing movie"-accoustic-type song on the album with their British, electronic duo, underground club sound. They also win for strangest video:



But where would a film about cancer be without those aforementioned "depressing movie" accoustic-type songs? The Walkmen do it well, with their track "New Country," almost reminiscent of the sound that made Bob Dylan so iconic. You can find the link to The Walkmen's "New Country" below (#27 on the band's playlist):

http://www.myspace.com/thewalkmen/music/songs?filter=popular

My other favorite in this genre? Hands down, "The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack" by Liars. If you're into this sound, do yourself a favor by checking out the video for this and other tracks on their MySpace page (link below).

http://www.myspace.com/liarsliarsliars/videos/the-other-side-of-mt-heart-attack/16142518

What a (Ra Ra) Riot

You may not be familiar with the band Ra Ra Riot- unless you're from Syracuse, New York, that is. The band, consisting of 6 members, spent their first months playing at frat houses and small venues around the Syracuse University campus and gained notoriety shortly after recording their first demo in 2006. They've performed at music festivals such as South by Southwest several times and have already released two albums, one of which was mixed entirely by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla. Their song "Boy" was recently featured on an episode of (one of my favorite summer shows) "Royal Pains" on USA, and their song "Too Dramatic" is rapidly gaining radio exposure on indie rock stations.

What makes this band unique for me is their range of instruments and the genre in which they classify themselves. Aside from the talented albeit typical drummer, bassist and lead singer, characteristic of all indie rock bands, Ra Ra Riot enhances their sound thanks to the use of violin and cello, helping them to steer away from the "indie" sound and embrace the "baroque."

Check out my favorites at their MySpace page, including "Can You Tell," "Boy," "Shadowcasting," and "Too Dramatic" (video below).

http://www.myspace.com/rarariot