Before You TiVo...

While this is surely not a social commentary on the poor habits and expectations of what has been dubbed "Generation Y," or the technology generation, it is no secret that we are characterized in part by our need for instant gratification. How can I make such a harsh generalization, you ask? By a show of hands, how many of you have DVR? See, that's how. But you may want to think twice before you hit the fast foward button, for commercials are often an amazing vehicle for new and moving music. Years later, I carry with me a memory of a Nike "Courage" commercial featuring "All These Things That I Have Done" by the Killers and swoon. Here are some artists worth watching in real time.

M83

Red Bull recently released its "World of Red Bull" commercial, featuring clips from Red Bull Media House's own snowboarding flick "The Art of Flight." Both feature M83's "Outro," an epic ode to dark, celestial electronica. The brain child of French musician Anthony Gonzalez, M83 has been making music since 2001, but has only recently gained transatlantic notoriety with its first double-album Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, thanks to the album's first single, "Midnight City."

www.ilovem83.com

ALEX CLARE

This British Jewish singer-songwriter earned his big break on US soil when his track "Too Close" was featured in Internet Explorer 9's 2012 ad campaign. His contagious beats tinker between soul and dubstep, covering almost everything in between. What's more are the startling honesty and accuracy that make his lyrics so poignant, penning phrases like "Maybe it's another chance/ To mug myself again ... I'm sure I'll fuck things up in the same way."

http://www.alexclare.com/

THE LUMINEERS

This trio hails from Denver, Colorado and is finding success with their debut, self-titled album. Featuring instruments such as the cello and mandolin, the band's sound tends to err on the side of sweet, piano-led melodies; however, "Ho Hey" showcases the unrestrained folk rock Americana sound the band is so capable of. While I placed the commercial below for your reference, I encourage you to watch the official "Ho Hey" video, as Bing's version simply doesn't do the track justice.

http://thelumineers.com/

Into The Fame

My friends say I fall in and out of love often and easily. While I doubt and resent that statement slightly, it couldn't be more accurate when it comes to my love affairs with music. My infatuation with -- nay, feelings for -- Matt Corby are deep and true, if I may get a bit "Hemmingway" for a moment. And when someone feels a love this strong, it's only natural that I wish others feel the same. And I guarantee you will.

This Aussie is only 21 years old, yet he has a voice that is as raw and emotion-filled as it is controlled. Moving between registers and octaves with ease, one is almost thrown aback by his intense focus while singing as he strums gently, then forcefully, at his guitar. What's even more endearing than his sweet smile and heartfelt lyrics is what translates as a lack of confidence before and after he performs each song. When live, he looks down humbly, noticeably nervous, as his fingers find their place. When he's through, he finally looks back up at a crowd so intoxicated by him with a boyish charm and humble demeanor as if to ask "What did you think? Be honest." One would never believe that his career began after his almost-win on 2007's Australian Idol when he was only 16, although one might believe it once one sees how unfairly good-looking he is.

Having released four EP's over the past 2 years, it would be accurate to describe much of Corby's music as "bluesy," pensive and accoustic, yet his first single from Into The Flame, released this past April in the US, is anything but subdued. Listen to "Brother," undoubtedly the song with which Matt courted me so quickly and effortlessly, and let yourself fall fast in love with him as I have.

Others I love from this and past EP's include "Letters," "My False," "Big Eyes," "Made of Stone," "Coloured Stones and Walls," and "Lighthome." I also posted what has surely become my favorite cover of any The Black Keys song. Watch it.

http://mattcorby.com.au

Sandé Days Are Here To Stay

Still think that women with brains, beauty and a badass demeanor are a modern day myth? Then try Emeli Sandé on for size, smartass. Weighing in at a mere 24 years, Emeli already has quite the impressive resume, including four years towards an MD. Discovered at age 16, her manager "waited patiently" for her to explore her education, as Emeli was adamant towards having a fall-back. Uh, Emeli? While I respect your desire to exercise your God-given intellect and your beyond-your-years insight, it doesn't look like you'll be becoming Dr. Adele Emeli Sandé anytime soon. Great for us. Bad for Glasgow.

Not impressed? How about her laundry list of writing credits? Following a Ne-Yo-esque path, Emeli has written songs for Cher Lloyd, Susan Boyle, Leona Lewis, Cheryl Cole and Tinie Tempah, to name a few, before signing with EMI/Virgin in 2010. Her debut album Our Version of Events, released this past February, has made Emeli a bonafide Top-40 artist in the UK. Be that as it may, she is news to us. And we need some good news here in the States, no?

This album certainly brought good news to Sandé, as it earned her the 2012 BRIT Awards "Critic's Choice" Award. Need a reference? Think Alicia Keys meets Annie Lennox, although I compare her sound hesitantly. It's all Emeli. Listen to the first three singles released in the UK -- "Heaven," "Daddy" and (my favorite) "Next to Me," (below, for your viewing pleasure). While you're at it, listen to Tinie Tempah's "Let Go" featuring Ms. Sandé (also below).

http://us.emelisande.com/

The British Are Coming

At the suggestion of a foreign friend, I thought it wise to write a post dedicated entirely to a showcasing a few of my favorite English musicians as they are surely soon to become part of yet another British invasion. With such songbird sirens as Duffy, Adele and -- most recently -- Ellie Goulding gaining fame from across the pond, I fear the men have been a bit overlooked. Allow me to enlighten you.

ED SHEERAN

Born in West Yorkshire to Irish and English parents, Ed has been recording his own music since as early as 2005, releasing multiple independent EP's before being signed to Asylum/Atlantic about a year ago. "The A Team," the first single off of Ed's album entitled +, debuted at number 3 on the UK charts, becoming the best selling debut single of 2011. Happened to see Snow Patrol on tour this spring in the US? Then you may recognize Ed Sheeran as the band's opening act. Watch The Vampire Diaries? If so you may recognize his song "Give Me Love," as it was featured on an episode this past February.

If you need a sound reference, think Matisyahu meets Jason Mraz meets The Script. My recommendations are "The A Team," "Small Bump," "Drunk" and "Lego House" (this is where the Matisyahu comparison becomes relevant, by the way). View the official video for his newest single below:

JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW

Okay, so James Vincent McMorrow isn't English -- he's Irish. But he spent time recording in London! Eh, close enough.

James spent years exploring his musicality as a rock drummer before taking a chance on singing/songwriting folk music. A move to London proved fruitless, forcing a self-imposed seclusion near his hometown in Ireland for a month, thus birthing his greatest creation, Early in the Morning. His songs exude the heart of Sufjan Stevens and the voice of Ray LaMontagne. Or, as my sister so eloquently stated when listening to his cover of "Higher Love," "he sounds like he's going to cry through the whole thing." That's a real man, baby.

My favorites, in addition to his covers of "Higher Love" and "Wicked Games," are the following:

"We Don't Eat"
"If My Heart Should Somehow Stop"
"If I Had a Boat"
"Breaking Hearts"
"Early in the Morning, I'll Come Calling"

Turtle Time

If you frequent such famous American music festivals as Coachella, Lollapalooza or Bonnaroo, you may be familiar with what may be the only thing East Coasters love about Minnesota (aside from the minute margin of Kris Humphries fans). While Trampled By Turtles has certainly earned its stripes over nearly a decade of touring local arenas and failed folk LP’s, the band's grunt years began to pay off with the release of its 2010 album Palomino, and most recently, with the release of its sixth album, Stars and Satellites, released this past April. And although TBT may be proud of such recent mentionables as being featured on Deadliest Catch and a live television debut on Late Show with David Letterman, the real feat is the new album’s impressive Billboard placement, including #1 on US Grass, #2 on US Folk and top spots on the Alternative, Rock and Indie charts. Need something to compare their sound to? Try Mumford & Sons meets Neil Young meets Bob Dylan. For all of you “I listen to everything but country” people reading this post, don’t be deterred by the comparison.

Like what you hear? If so, you’re in luck, as the band is currently touring cross-country, kicking off in the members’ home town of Duluth, MN tomorrow and concluding in Massachusetts late September. For all of you New Englanders who might want to kill a few birds with one stone, TBT will partake in the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island on July 29th. For more info on the two-day summer festival, visit the official link at http://www.newportfolkfest.net/lineup, as limited tickets are still available. It seems to be an all-star lineup, with acts like My Morning Jacket, Iron & Wine, City and Colour, Jackson Browne and The Head & The Heart, among other notables.

Take a look at the band’s video for its first released single from Stars and Satellites, “Alone,” as it is one of the more mainstream singles from its country/folk-influenced compilation. Other favorites of mine include “Midnight on the Interstate,” "High Water," “Sorry,” "Keys to Paradise" and "The Calm and Crying Wind." Check out the band's official site for more tunes and info at http://trampledbyturtles.com/.

Imagine the Possibilities

There's something about West Coast-bred bands that stimulates my senses. Whether Seattle, L.A. or (the home of my newest favorite band) Las Vegas, the warm weather cultivates musical greatness from its emotional roots. Imagine Dragons is hardly an exception. Born in Utah, the band relocated to Las Vegas, clearly a smart move based on its impending sucesses. Several battle-of-the-band wins and a "Most Requested Band of 2010" title later, Imagine Dragons signed with Interscope Records only a few months ago and has since released its EP entitled Continued Silence, gaining notoriety, however, for its previously, independently released EP It's Time.

Imagine Dragons' credentials include their music featured on MTV's "Real World: Las Vegas" and "Real World: San Diego," CBS's "Around the World for Free," TeenNick's "Degrassi" and "American Idol" commercials. They've played many music festivals alongside such notable acts as The Temper Trap, Interpol, Weezer, Neon Trees, Kelly Clarkson and Foster the People (to name a few).

My favorites include "America," "Tokyo," "Leave Me" and, of course, "It's Time." Check out the title track's video below as well as the band's official site, http://www.imaginedragonsmusic.com/

54th Grammy Awards: The Song that Never Ends

I, along with about 40 million others, anxiously awaited last night's telecast of the Grammy Awards to see if and how they would acknowledge the sudden passing of Whitney Houston

while keeping the show upbeat and lively. I am proud to report that they did, in fact, maintain this balance between respectful reverence and rock and roll. What was off in equilibrium, however, was the distribution of performances and awards (or lack thereof). Fine by me! Bring in the noise, bring in the funk...

Let's begin with the very suave and very... velvet... LL Cool J. While he originally struck me as a

somewhat odd and irrelevant host for the evening's festivities, I thought he handled what could have been an awkward telecast quite well. Setting the tone early in the show with a prayer in remembrance, it felt as though "Father" Cool J was giving us all the permission we felt necessary to allow ourselves a night of fun and enjoyment in the wake of such a tremendous and horrific loss. And enjoy ourselves we did. Performance after performance -- this was a year for the pure of heart and the genuine of talent. The genres were well sorted, showcasing legends like Sir Paul and The Boss (a great way to start and end the show) and entertaining the (younger) masses with acts like Chris Brown and Kelly Clarkson at the same time. I was pleasantly surprised by Bruno Mars' and Katy Perry's vocal performances, as they are notorious for struggling through the high notes of their live sets, although I've never been so sick of their "Look, I'm James Brown" and "Look, I'm a hybrid smurf/alien" motifs.

One of my favorites of the night was the ode to Etta performed by Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt with "A Sunday Kind of Love." Their pitch was perfect and their blend harmonious. There are few things I could think of more appropriate to honor someone like Etta than a collaboration of two different artists with different sounds from different genres -- undoubtedly a "nod" to the

many types of artists influenced by her musical stylings. On a side note, I noticed a bit of a social networking uproar over her absence in the “in memoriam” section. While I can't say the same for Don Cornelius, I was satisfied with the amount of attention they gave to Etta. The past year has proved a dark year for the music world, as we've lost more of the recognizable contributors to the industry than we're accustomed to, and I'm getting the impression that it's simply impossible for The Recording Academy to honor everyone as much as we'd like. After all, there was no Amy Winehouse tribute, right? And to give credit where due -- Jennifer Hudson has always irritated me (I mean, butchering "It's a New Day" for a Weight Watchers commercial?), she was the obvious and only choice for the moving musical tribute to Whitney Houston. She did a nice job, but it was clear (and truthfully, appropriate) that her emotions got the best of her during the song. Regardless, hearing someone else sing what is widely regarded as the single most romantic song of all time made me appreciate the bionic voice that was Whitney Houston all the more.

Back to the music. I'll go as far as saying that the Country performances and Rock performances are always on the top of my list. My theory is this: many Pop performances pale in an effort to recreate a tune to which there are several studio alterations, while many of the Rap genre are a let down because it's simply impossible to edit such a track without losing entire chunks of it (due to the lack of FCC approved vernacular, no doubt). When Blake Shelton or Civil Wars or Foo Fighters take the stage, there's very little in addition to their voices and their instruments. And, as a result, very little opportunity for us, the viewers, to be royally disappointed with how they sound live. But hey, that's just a theory.

Now, let's talk Adele. I thought she looked absolutely fantastic, not just stylistically, but in her demeanor. Despite her unprecedented success, we sometimes forget that she is a kid, younger

than most of you reading this very post. She was humble and gracious, charming the crowd more with each win. She's earned the respect of her "peers" twice or three times her age. When she took the stage, the room was inaudible. This very wealthy, very successful and (for the most part) very talented group of people were somehow, and rightfully so, in awe of this beautiful kid with a superhuman voice. And while I was slightly sad to hear that the raspy tone so characteristic of her voice had changed (perhaps due to her laying off the cigs after surgery?), it was undeniably stronger than it's ever been. Of Adele, my sister said it best: "Adele and her voice. No fancy set. No dancers." No competition.