Nice, calming, beautiful.

Delightful guitar chords, harmonies and whistling. Pretty much perfect. This sounds like it should be an autumn song, playing on repeat while walking on sidewalks covered in leaves that delicately crunch beneath your boots. But I think it is just perfect for this sunny February day. All of this bands music is great. The Paper Kites just may turn into my most played artist.

Staring out the window, there are beautiful marble snowflakes drifting down to the already snow covered ground, but all I am thinking about is the simplicity of summer and the soothing heat of the sun on my shoulders and legs. Xavier Rudd's playful voice in Messages reminds me of the blitheness of summer. Only 5 months left until everything is carefree!

Here is a man form the U.K. who just wants to release his words through lyrical rhythms. Maverick Sabre's voice has certain aspects that remind me of Citizen Cope, but he still manages to sing in his own way. His soulful voice is like honey and butter on a piece of perfectly golden toast.

Blood - The Middle East

There is nothing worse than disappointment, especially when it occurs from those you thought would never disappoint you.
Though we've had our issues, my family has not yet let me down. They are constant. They will always be there for me.
This song is a portrayal of family. Simple, beautiful, melancholy, lovely.

"..wake up in a cold sweat on the floor
next to a family portrait drawn when you were four."

An extremely luring lullaby by a charmingly serene woman. No Room For Doubt carries you on a cloud through both comforting and sinister thoughts and yet, strangely, you remain relieved despite the quiet fears floating in the background. Lianne La Havas and Willy Mason perform this dreamy duet perfectly together. With Mason's rumbling folky love song and La Havas' shaky hesitant soulful response, the song is like a smooth, silky, silver ribbon lightly being coaxed in a cyclical motion. The sudden pauses jerks you awake from your drifting thoughts, but right away you are reassured again by the ribbons orbit. The refrain consists of La Havas singing "please sleep, softly, leave me no room for doubt.” There absoloutly is "no doubt" that this song will not be on repeat for a long time.

I could not decide between these two videos. The top one is the original video featuring Willy Mason and is beautifully classy. The second one is a take away show from La Blogotheque. It takes place in Montmarte, Paris at the end of summer and is absolutely gorgeous(especially around 2:52 when a breathtaking smile is flashed...)

This one is from Australian artist Gotye. He recently took number one in Australia's music charts. This song, surprisingly, is not about having a great time on a Friday night as other "number one songs" are. On the contrary it is about a failed relationship and how not everything ends up dandy in the end. The rhythm is intriguing and the vocals captivating and truthful. This piece is neither here nor there, its somewhere in its own special place.

Here's one from The Japanese Popstars featuring the great rasp of James Vincent McMorrow. This is unlike what McMorrow usually does. Unlike his typical folky tunes, this one contains super synths and electro beats created by the Popstars.

Great for pensive drives.