Imogen Heap: "Hide & Seek"

This song is intoxicating. Harmony is my favorite musical indulgence, and this song is nothing but Imogen Heap and a harmonizer. (Which makes it an enticing but exceedingly difficult a cappella arrangement). It's simple and different and beautiful. Jason Derulo thinks so too. Enjoy.

"Hide and Seek," performed by Imogen Heap.
Original on Heap's "Speak for Yourself" (2005).

Carrie Underwood: "Cowboy Casanova"

I'm not a regular country listener, but I'm blown away by Carrie Underwood in this video. I need to get more of her stuff.

Underwood is musically gifted, but she also fits the country songstress archetype perfectly. A beautiful blond with a big voice, little jean shorts, a white shirt and cowboy boots, trendy, sexy but not lude, with killer legs. She's got Shania's attitude, Shakira's body and Aretha's powerful voice, complete with a blues twang. She is what every girl under the age of 16 wants to look, sound and be like -- at least in this particular community. The community that listens to pop country, which undeniably encompasses much of middle America, particularly the Midwest. It's a reminder of how much our society is influenced by famous, pretty, and/or talented people. (And also by what kids in Iowa think is cool.)

Hell, I'd love to be Carrie Underwood when I grow up. I mean, damn. Enjoy.

"Cowboy Casanova," performed by Carrie Underwood.
Original on Underwood's "Play On" (2009).

OneRepublic: "Apologize"

Good pop music -- yes, such a thing exists -- requires good composition. A hook, a melody, a chorus, something memorable and satisfying. Songwriter, producer and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder seems to have found the magic formula.

Two of Tedder's songs found unprecedented radio success in the last few years. "Bleeding Love," which launched singer Leona Lewis onto the scene, reached number one in 34 countries in 2008. (The only other song to do that was Elton John's "Candle in the Wind," which is the second-best selling single of all time.) But that success was preceded by "Apologize," which was released by OneRepublic in 2006 and then remixed by Timbaland in 2007. The remix shattered radio play records, subsequently becoming one of the biggest pop songs of the decade.(Sidenote: Compare the original version of the song to Timbaland's remix. It's rare that we get a glimpse into a finished product that was revised and then positively exploded thanks to those changes. See, kids? Revision can be worth the time, tears and effort.)

Tedder also wrote Kelly Clarkson's "Already Gone" and Beyonce's "Halo," among many others. With eight Grammy nominations (but no wins yet), he's posturing to be one of the most successful pop songwriters working today. Enjoy this stripped-down, beautifully pure performance -- free from the influence of auto-tune.

"Apologize," performed by OneRepublic.
Original on OneRepublic's "Dreaming Out Loud" (2006).

Lily Allen: "Smile"

The first single from British musician Lily Allen, "Smile" was released in 2006 and rose to #1 in the UK singles charts.

Here, she performs it for what appears to be a respectfully swank office holiday party. (Metallic garland boas and Santa hats FTW, ladies.)

I love how Allen uses her voice, lilting around like she's got nothing else to worry about. She places each note without apparent effort. It's light, airy, easy to listen to, and she understands the music inside and out, so doesn't overreach for notes or harmony. She's not trying too hard, which is an accomplishment in itself for a 25-year-old pop star.

She's also got a fun persona -- a cute little British girl singing about sex and drugs and fame and revenge. She and Amy Winehouse are building a whole new female British musician personality -- one based on frank, candid lyrics and an irreverent attitude.

I actually first heard this song when it was covered on Glee in 2009 by Lea Michele. I love Michele's voice, and comparing hers to Allen's is inconsequential; both are great. Allen just brings a certain charm to her performance. Maybe it's the British thing, or the little stars next to her eyes. She's also got killer taste in shoes. Enjoy.

"Smile," performed by Lily Allen.
Original on Allen's "Alright, Still" (2006).

Flight of the Conchords: "Business Time"

It's Friday, so I tried to find a live version of Rebecca Black's new smash hit, cleverly titled "Friday." No dice. I guess her agent isn't letting her tour yet.

So instead we'll go with something that was actually intended to be funny: New Zealand folk-parody duo Flight of the Concords. Bret McKenzie and Jemain Clement have been performing together since they met in college in the late '90s, singing about everything from love to robots to racist dragons, and have developed a devoted following. They gained recognition on the comedy circuit and eventually landed a BBC radio series, then a Comedy Central gig, which led to an HBO series and more albums, tours and the like. In 2007 they won a "Best Comedy Album" Grammy for their EP "The Distant Future," which includes this song.

I saw Bret and Jemaine perform at a sold out show at Northwestern in 2009 and they're fabulous -- never completely dropping the characters that they've created, which are ridiculous and somewhat delusional. They're even more fun live than they are on their TV show, which is amusing but sometimes goes off on the deep end, even for me.

I don't usually listen to music for lyrics, but of course in comedy that's the whole point. Jemaine's delivery of his proposal to make love to his wife is hilarious. His delusion surrounding the scandal of a fairly mediocre night at home is a great example of effective, concise comedy writing. I'll never look at business socks the same way again. Enjoy.

"Business Time," performed by Flight of the Conchords.
Original on Flight of the Conchords' "The Distant Future" (2007).

P.S. I really, really hate that Rebecca Black song. I feel bad that a thirteen-year-old is catching so much flak for trying to follow her dream, but I think the whole situation raises a legitimate debate about how we view the music industry and the rise to fame in this country.

Weezer: "Undone (The Sweater Song)"

Today's goal: Write this blog post in the amount of time it takes the song to play. Ready go.

Last night I was at trivia with some friends I don't see too often and we were giving brief "life updates." I gave the basics -- work, school, social life -- and also mentioned my current musical obsession with Weezer thanks to attending a concert in January with my friend Laura (who was present for trivia and flaunts the startlingly useful skill of recognizing musicians from their high school photos). (Kurt Cobain ftw.)

My roommate rolled her eyes in my general direction and said something along the lines of, "Yeah, whenever I pass your room I hear the song about the SWEATERRRRRR."

She was talking about this song. Even more specifically, this video, which I LOVE because it's from 1994 and Rivers' hair kind of defies the passage of time. I also can't get over the rhythmic babbling. Did you catch "eggplant" in there somewhere?

Time's up. Say hi to Jon Stewart, and enjoy.

"Undone (The Sweater Song)," performed by Weezer.
Original on Weezer's Blue Album (1994).

B.B. King: "The Thrill is Gone"

B.B. King really is the king. He's one of the best guitarists to ever live, the backbone of American blues. Not to mention that he's 85 and still performing. One of my music fantasies is to see him live, but every time he comes to town tickets are scalped at $200 and even if I explained how I was living out a lifelong dream, I don't think my landlord would appreciate being shortchanged on rent.

This song, which is actually a cover of another blues artist, is King's signature and is responsible for a couple of the fifteen Grammy's on his mantel. This video touches my soul every time I hear it. The vibrating notes, the soul-gravel voice, the sad, drawn-out lyrics -- I know it's a song about a lonely guy, but it's still one of the sexiest songs ever.

Speaking of sexy, check out that blue jacket. As one YouTube commenter correctly noted, "Anyone else wearing that suit would look like a total idiot. But you just don't question BB King." Enjoy.

"The Thrill is Gone," performed by B.B. King (1993).
Original song by Rick Darnell and Roy Hawkins (1951).

Keller Williams: "Freeker by the Speaker"

I've always wanted to play guitar. My parents got me one, a beautiful red wood acoustic, for my sixteenth birthday, and I was positive I'd be the next female singer-songwriter (that can totally rock out when called upon). Three chords later, I retired my dream. I can still play "Good Riddance" by Green Day and a haphazard version of Kenny Wayne Shepard Band's "Blue on Black," but my true artistic talent must lay elsewhere. (I'm hoping with electric bass, because that was this year's birthday gift.)Having attempted guitar, I learned to appreciate not just good guitarists, but guitarists that could wipe the floor with me. Keller Williams is one of those guitarists.

Like much of the music I listen to these days, Keller was introduced to me by my parents. (The ones that keep giving me instruments. See the trend?) They described him as this guy that plays a bunch of instruments and is a one-man band, basically, and he creates tracks live. With a basic road map, some lyrics, and a flair for improv, watch a song get written, live. I did not understand, so they showed me this video.

What follows is the video that I've since watched no fewer than 150 times. I wish I were joking. I could write six paragraphs about why this is a really amazing freaking video, but I'd rather just save it and let you discover the magic for yourself. From the whistling to the percussion to the looping to the amazingly full sound of the guitar to the notes practically dancing across the strings of three instruments to the barefoot dancing -- my god, the dancing -- this song may be perfect. Enjoy.

"Freeker by the Speaker," performed by Keller Williams.
Original on Keller Williams' "Laugh" (2002).

Something Corporate: "Drunk Girl"

It's Monday, the first day of spring, and a day for bold declarations:

There is not enough piano rock in the world.

I know, I know, Keane had a good run. Coldplay is alright. Ben Folds is a legend. But I want more. I want a rock band jumping around, pounding the keys like a 28-year-old singing about taking home drunk chicks. Is that so much to ask?

Andrew McMahon to the rescue. McMahon fronts Something Corporate (three studio albums and already had a reunion tour in 2010) as well as Jack's Mannequin (two studio albums with another set to release this year). McMahon has proven himself not only an engaged, talented musician but also something of an inspiration after his public battle with leukemia about five years ago.

This video was made for a DVD release in 2004, right before all that went down. The band gives a tight performance; McMahon's voice has a bit of the whiny edge, made popular in the last decade with teeny rockers (thank you, emo). Even when he forgets the words ("You shoot a DVD, you forget the lyrics to your own f*@#ing song..."), he's having fun, hopping around, getting the crowd involved. And if the screaming, drunk and/or teenage girls are any indication, he's doing just fine. Enjoy.

"Drunk Girl," performed by Something Corporate.
Original on Something Corporate's "Leaving Through the Window" (2002).

Ke$ha: "Dead Flowers"

I have a strange fascination with Ke$ha. She's such an odd specimen of a pop star: Her breakthrough was singing the melody on Flo Rida's 2009 hit "Right Round" -- a song I detest more than finding cockroaches in my cereal box. Then she released "Tik Tok" as a single, followed by the full album "Animal" in January 2010. It debuted at number 1.

Her tracks are dance-pop and incorporate spoken rap. (I mean, ugh.) The lyrics are vapid -- usually about sex and/or drinking -- and nothing she does makes any damn sense.

But I just love her. I can't really figure it out; something to do with chutzpa. She's got a Nashville/LA singer-songwriter pedigree, a voice that can handle everything from pop to country to soul, and an attitude. Not all her songs are great, but the ones that are ("Boots and Boys," "Your Love is My Drug," "Stephen," etc.) are great. She's fun, and she doesn't seem to give a fuck what others think. She doesn't sing about crushes or wine coolers -- she'll walk in the room and order a round of whiskey, then take home the hottest guy in the room. (And then stalk him.)

Girl can hold her liquor, that's for sure.

Given her poppiness (and superficial trashiness), I've hidden my love of Ke$ha. Until now. I wish I had some context for this recording; all I know is what you see, which appears to be a house party at which a jam session occurs, and Ke$ha sings the Rolling Stones' "Dead Flowers." (With some help with the crowd at the chorus.) She doesn't start until about 1:20 -- but as soon as she opens her mouth, you stop. You listen. Her inflection is beautiful. And I love the glimpse into, like, what she's actually doing on a Friday night. We'd totally be tight. Enjoy.

"Dead Flowers," performed by Ke$ha
Original on the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers" (1971).

Celtic Woman: "Danny Boy"

Okay, so it's not the most original idea on St. Patrick's Day -- in fact, it's about as traditional as it gets -- but it's still really freaking awesome.

Penned by Englishman Frederic Weatherly in 1910, the lyrics to "Danny Boy" are set to the tune of "Londonderry Air," the victory anthem of Northern Ireland. The lyrics have something to do with a man leaving; some say it's a mother's song to her son going off to war; others insist it's a love song. Whatever the intent of the words, it's a beautiful song about some dude named Danny going off somewhere and returning to find the narrator dead and waiting for Danny to join her.

Er...It's prettier when it rhymes.

Celtic Woman is in fact an ensemble of multiple women performers formed by a guy associated with the Irish Riverdance. (Apparently singular vs. plural didn't come into play in the naming process.) Nine women have rotated in and out, with four or five in the group at a time, and they've made five records that have sold 6 million copies worldwide. One of the performers dubbed the group "Riverdance for the voice," which sounds about right if you lump all Celtic stuff together.

This particular performance is breathtaking. The a cappella, four-part harmony is perfect. (I even checked their ending pitch against their first pitch. Dead on.) It would be easy to write it off as somewhat cheesy, but c'mon -- today we're all Irish. And when it comes to live performance, who can say no to a castle, torches and coordinated ball gowns? Amiright? Enjoy.

"Danny Boy," performed by Celtic Woman.
Lyrics by Frederic Weatherly (1910).

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Barenaked Ladies: "The King of Bedside Manor"

There's a reason we sing in the shower. Take a standard bathroom and throw in a pair of musician friends that have known each other most their lives (and happen to have written a few really huge hits, even know they're Canadian) but who peaked in the nineties -- and you've got the Barenaked Ladies Bathroom Sessions.

The Barenaked Ladies are famous for their fun on-stage persona, so the chance to get up close and personal with Ed and Steve and their personalities is more than enough to convince me to watch the 10+ videos they made casually in Ed's bathroom in 2007. What sold me on this particular song was the inclusion of so many cameo covers -- Van Morrison and Styx are not the first related bands that might come to mind, but somehow it works.

The song is from their very first album, released in 1992, and though I applaud the pun in the title, it's not really the band's best song. (With 12 full-length albums, there's a lot of material to choose from.) But the cameo covers, tight harmonies, the forceful voices of Ed & Steve and their inability to get through the whole thing without cracking up are what make this video one of my favorites.

The rest of the Bathroom Sessions are so good that I'm giving you a bonus video, just because it's Wednesday. (Don't worry, it's brief.) When they're having fun like this, who wouldn't want to hang out with these guys? Enjoy.

"The King of Bedside Manor," performed by Ed Robertson & Steven Page.
Original on the Barenaked Ladies' "Gordon" (1992).

"If I Had $1,000,000," performed by Ed Robertson & Steven Page.
Original on the Barenaked Ladies' "Gordon" (1992).

(Get it?)

Death Cab for Cutie: "President of What?"

I found a gem, you guys.

Death Cab for Cutie formed in Washington in 1997 when vocalist Ben Gibbard decided to get a full band together to play the music he'd written as a solo artist. In 1999, they played a show at a little joint called Crocodile Cafe in Seattle. Their friend recorded the show, waited for them to get famous, and then posted the videos of the early band on YouTube. The album containing this song (the band's first LP) was released in 1998, about five months before this video was taken.

It's not the best quality recording, so fans with previous knowledge of Death Cab may appreciate this more than the general populace. But it boggles the mind; at the beginning of the clip, someone yells happy birthday to bassist Nick Harmer, who turned 23 that day. Five EPs and six studio albums later, the entire band is still (mostly) intact, and still performing this song. (There have been three different drummers, but the front line has remained solid for 14 years.)

And now lead singer Ben Gibbard is married to the adorable Zooey Deschanel. I'd say life has treated Death Cab pretty well, which makes it especially fun to look back to when and where it all began: Seattle in the late nineties. Plus this is just an awesome song. Enjoy.

"President of What?," performed by Death Cab for Cutie.
Original on Death Cab's "Something About Airplanes" (1998).

Colin Meloy: "We Both Go Down Together"

In high school an old friend sent me a set of mixed CDs filled with stuff I'd never heard before - Death Cab for Cutie, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Ben Kweller, the Dandy Warhols, and the Decemberists, to name a few. She was much cooler than me, so I took the CDs and studied them carefully. The Decemberists immediately stood out; their odd instrumentation (which regularly includes an accordion) coupled with storytelling lyrics and originality hooked me. I was an impressionable youth.

The Decemberists formed in 2001 in Portland and have released five EPs and six albums, all of them awesome. They tell great stories, and use weird instruments, and generally have a great time on stage. I've seen them live more than any other band. Thanks to the power of YouTube, I can now enjoy Colin's weird facial expressions and one-of-a-kind voice within the confines of an elevator.

Dreams really do come true.

Fun fact: Most of the Decemberists' artwork is produced by Meloy's wife, Carson Ellis. She's also done work for Weezer. And it all comes together...

Enjoy.

"We Both Go Down Together," performed by Colin Meloy of the Decemberists.
Original on the Decemberists' "Picaresque" (2005).

The Beach Boys: "Kokomo"

Okay, it's not really The Beach Boys, because the original line-up hasn't performed together since 1996. (Only two of the founding five members remain active in the band.) But I'm headed to a tropical destination for the weekend, and I grew up loving The Beach Boys, so I'll take what I can get.

Of course, I could always go the Muppet route instead...

Fun fact: This song was released alongside the Tom Cruise movie Cocktail, for which it was on the soundtrack. "Kokomo" was nominated for a Grammy but lost to Phil Collins' "Two Hearts." (Story of my life.) (What?) (Just enjoy.)

"Kokomo," performed by The Beach Boys.
Original single released in 1988.

Tracy Chapman: "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution"

It seems like Grammy-award winning artist Tracy Chapman has been around forever. She's been releasing music steadily -- a new album every two to five years -- since 1988. This song is one of her best known releases (after "Fast Car"), off her first album that reached #1 in both the US and the UK and is credited with helping launch the female singer-songwriter movement of the '90s. (So Alanis, you know who to thank.) Three of Chapman's four Grammys are credited to this album.

I love this performance for its simplicity. A set of modest guitar chords create an uncluttered background for Chapman's voice, which is silky, emotional; she breaks and catches the ends of phrases in the back of her throat. She also speeds it up a bit by the end of the song, pushing forward and adding to the sense of urgency created by the lyrics. Enjoy.

"Talkin' 'bout a Revolution," performed by Tracy Chapman.

Original on Chapman's self-titled "Tracy Chapman" (1988).

Swell Season: "Into the Mystic"

Singer-songwriters Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová stepped into the spotlight after starring together in the 2006 indie musical Once, for which they took home an Oscar for "Falling Slowly." Together they make up the band The Swell Season. Hansard has also fronted Irish rock band The Frames for more than 20 years.

I didn't know any of that when I found this video, which is a cover of Van Morrison's 1970 classic "Into the Mystic." (A cover of this song is also on the Once soundtrack.) It's the harmonies that sold me, as well as the willingness to bend the long notes in the chorus. In less capable hands that could have been disastrous, but listening to Hansard and Irglová I just want to throw up my feet, sip a glass of wine and sink into the music.

Fun fact: If you get surgery in Britain, your doctor may serenade your anesthetized self with this song, along with Vivaldi and The Police -- at least according to the BBC. Enjoy.

"Into the Mystic," performed by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová.
Original by Van Morrison, off the album "Moondance" (1970).

Inaugural Post: Weezer and Sara Bareilles

The inaugural video on this blog is one that I have not been able to get out of my head for seven days. Seven. Full. Days. It's actually the reason I'm starting this blog: To try to get this song out of my head. I figure if I post a new live music performance every day, eventually, maybe in four or five years, I'll get this song out of my head.

Dear God please get this song out of my head. I think my friends are getting sick of how much I talk about Weezer. (I'm a recent convert, about two months now that I've listened to them every day.) They assume I have some sort of unhealthy obsession.

This video is proof of why they're wrong. I can't get over Rivers' voice; it's so clear and confident. The descending "Whoa" he hits in the last chorus is just money. The song itself is upbeat and fun, solid harmonies, beautiful execution, and I love the playful chemistry between Rivers and Sara. Enjoy.

"(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To," performed by Weezer and Sara Bareilles.
Original on Weezer's "Ratitude" (2009).

And welcome. Hope to see you back here tomorrow.