Best Kept Secrets

So, in addition to being quite infrequent with posting, I've been holding out on some really hot tracks and keeping them all to myself. I've been feeling like sharing the love lately, so here you are. ;)

Seabird: Falling For You
I was watching Grey's Anatomy and I was watching crazy Izzie go off on Alex or something, and this really achingly beautiful song came on. For a moment, I stopped breathing. The last line of the song "When I found you, my heart found a home". Sappy in literal view, but the way lead vocalist, Aaron Morgan, sings it makes for a pretty emotive vocal.

Their latest album "Til We See the Shore" is out now. Get it here.

Empire of the Sun: We Are the People (Ted & Francis Remix)
EOTS is a dream. I love these guys. I must've listened to the original "We Are the People" 50 times one day. Here's a remix that's fairly good. I'll admit the music doesn't fit the words until the chorus kicks in, but it's creamy.

Empire of the Sun's debut album, Walking on a Dream, is out now. Get it here.

Janelle Monáe: Sincerely, Jane
It's taken me awhile to get into Janelle Monáe, which doesn't mean she's not easy to "get". I've just been really preoccupied with Lenka to experience the futuristic R&B songstress that is Monáe. I love this song primarily for the fact that she uses horns, and it doesn't sound like radio-R&B. It's a shame she only has the Metropolis: The Chase Suite, a 5-track EP out, but it's #1 of 4 so hopefully the rest will come out soon. She's been making appearances in new GAP Christmas ads singing (and dancing) with various silly people like Jon Heder.

Janelle Monáe's EP, Metropolis #1: The Chase Suite is out now. Get it here.

Lenka: Trouble Is A Friend
Some of her tracks were being given away for free on iTunes a while back so I downloaded them and I really couldn't get into them for some reason, but I listened anyway hoping something would catch me. And then, of course, I was watching Grey's Anatomy and heard this trolling and menacing piano bass creeping through the (boring) dialogue on the show. I had to find out who was singing this song. Lo and behold. Lenka. In some ways this song reminds me of Regina Spektor's "Hotel Song" but slightly darker. And I hate to make that comparison because everybody wants to compare every "unorthodox" female singer-songwriter to Regina Spektor. That being said... FEIST IS NOT LIKE REGINA SPEKTOR NEITHER IS LENKA. GET EDUCATED.

Lenka's self-titled solo debut is out now. Get it here.