mash-up monday becomes mp3 monday. today’s theme is “love”

In light of the relative dearth of mash-ups in relation to music in general, and my music in particular, I’ve decided that from now on, Mondays will bring sexy mp3s, but not necessarily sexy mash-ups. So without further ado, I give you this Monday’s tried and true theme: Love. Note: not all Mondays will be themed.

Down to 43 songs from 148, so enjoy, damnit. (Another beneficial side effect of the change is that I can afford to consistently post a shitload of music w/o running out of new material for a looong long time (4,000+ songs in my library). Also, note that while these tracks are in alphabetical order by artist (except for craig armstrong, spiller, kylie minogue, and sean paul because they’re under “various artists” in my library), that is the only order they’re in. This is by no means a mix tape, and I didn’t try to make the songs flow at all, just match a fairly common theme. So feel free to arrange in whichever order you feel appropriate and/or comment on said order. So much for no further ado. For real this time:
.
.
Anna Nalick – “Forever Love (Digame)” – Wreck of the Day: soft beginning, beautiful voice, good beat kicks in a few seconds in
Buy
.
Arctic Monkeys – “Love Machine” – Live BBC Session; Girls Aloud Cover: as usual, sounds like they’re having a great time. fast and wonderfully british.
Buy
.
Astaire – “L-L-Love” – Don’t Whisper Lies (EP); they have since renamed themselves “blondfire”: simply an amazing song. begins with some sensuous sounds to suck you in, and never lets go. synth guitar or something like that kicks in almost immediately, followed by snare. then comes the amazing voice. apparently Don’t Whisper Lies was a self-recorded album, which makes it all the more amazing. a brother sister duo band that really pulls it off.
Buy
.
Audio Bullys – “I’m in Love” – Generation: like most Audio Bullys songs, very techno and very british. in my opinion, not as good as their perhaps more famous “We Don’t Care”, but still damn good.
Buy
.
Björk – “All Is Full of Love” – Homogenic: although she doesn’t actually start singing until around the :45 mark, once she starts it’s classic Björk. shiver-inducing, soaring, sliding, slippery, classic Björk. the instrumental portion is pretty cool, too.
Buy
.
Blue Man Group – “I Feel Love” – The Complex; Featuring Venus Hum: with The Complex, Blue Man Group basically just recruited a different amazingly talented singer for each song and played their usual fare – insane percussion – behind the particular singer whose work was currently on display. again, a wonderful voice – reaches the high notes effortlessly. nowhere near the ease with which Björk slides through songs, but then, this is more of a rock feel.
Buy
.
Bon Jovi – “Without Love” – Slippery When Wet: starts with some late eighties/early nineties upbeat instrumentation with a strong beat underneath, and it’s Bon Jovi’s usual recognizable voice. the lyrics are a bit repetitive, but definitely not a “background music” song.
Buy
.
Cake – “Love You Madly” – Comfort Eagle: holy hell I love Cake. seriously. one of the most unique and wonderful bands in existence. for those not in the know, trumpet, guitar, drums and various percussion instruments behind a completely unique voice. at times vaguely rap-like, at times just spoken word, at times following a catchy tune, but always fucking addictive. and the trumpets are just so perfect. anyway, like all their songs, the instrumentation is flawless and the lyrics are smart.
Buy
.
Daft Punk – “Digital Love” – Discovery: another band I just adore. Daft Punk has to be heard to be believed. it’s techno slash electronica slash pop slash who the hell knows. like every single one of their non-instrumental tracks, amazingly catchy, with a beat that holds on. yes, some of their tracks are entirely “instrumental” (i’m 90% sure it’s all synth, or at least all computer-edited), but even those tracks are amazing for what they are; they even transcend Jean-Michelle Jarre’s wonderful work, though to be fair he’s in a completely different category. anyway, while the music is to die for, they have a shitload of animated music videos which are must-see. just really cool, completely-matches-the-music type animation.
Buy
.
The Darkness – “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” – Permission to Land: while there can be no excuse for the music video to this one, The Darkness is unbelievable. the lead singer hits ridiculously high notes – AND SOUNDS GOOD – while the band rocks underneath. makes you palpably aware of how frustratingly limited your own range is. but so fun to listen to. did i mention the guitar is fucking ridiculous, too? well, it is.
Buy
.
Dave Matthews Band – “Lover Lay Down” – Underneath The Table And Dreaming: probably the closest to “background music” of any of these, but it’s really just the usual Dave Matthews Band chill, lazy day style. both the instrumentation and his voice are nice to listen to. definitely a relaxing track. the lyrics are probably a bit depressing, but it’s not a song you listen to just for the lyrics, so it doesn’t matter.
Buy
.
David Guetta – “Just A Little More Love” – Just A Little More Love: starts with catchy vocals that build up with back-up vocals and some nice electronics in the back ground and a few seconds in he holds a note forever and it’s amazing. like most David Guetta songs, there’s a lot going on in the form of percussion and synth. Personally, I like “Love, Don’t Let Me Go” better, but I don’t have the mp3 handy, so that’s for another day. the lyrics are a mite repetitive, but the pulse of the song means you don’t really notice.
Buy
.
Death Cab for Cutie – “All Is Full of Love” – Stability EP: the standard ethereal vocals and wonderful instrumentation with amazing lyrics. probably not one of the better known songs, since Death Cab for Cutie only became really popular with Transatlanticism and Plans, and Stability EP was both before and an EP. this also isn’t their best song, but it’s still good.
Buy
.
Dion & The Belmonts – “Teenager In Love” – Teenager In Love: definitely an oldie. so, if you like oldies, great, but if you don’t, maybe not so much. i personally love oldies, so this is great for me. obviously, the singing is amazing, with vocalizing back-ups underneath a smooth lead and an unobtrusive band. it’s also damn catchy for an oldie.
Buy
.
Don McLean – “And I Love You So” – The Best of Don McLean [EMI]: another song that doesn’t reach out and grab you, but hardly background music. like all of Don McLean’s songs, it’s soulful and almost painful in it’s intensity. the vocals are smooth, the lyrics are poignant, and the package is perfectly executed. in case you didn’t know, Don McLean is an 80s/early 90s singer, but he’s definitely not the rock of that era. sort of like Cat Stevens, except not as irritating, because Cat Stevens can definitely get on your nerves after a few plays, while Don McLean just soothes. he also sings “American Pie” which is much more famous (you know, “bye bye miss american pie, drove my chevy to the levee but the levee was dry . . . “).
Buy
.
Enigma – “Principles of Lust: Sadeness/Find Love/Sadeness (Reprise)” – MCMXC A.D.: amazing. hellishly long, but simply amazing. begins with gregorian chants over top of an awesome beat and some nice synth stuff. some of what sounds like a wind flute in there, too. Enigma is really good and really unique. I’ll just let you listen to it.
Buy
.
Fall Out Boy – “It’s Not A Side Effect of the Cocaine, I Am Thinking It Must Be Love” – My Heart Will Always Be The B-Side To My Tongue: since the album is obviously one of b-sides, this is an acoustic track and therefore lacks some of the kick of most fall-out boy songs, but the lyrics are still wonderful, and fans of Fall Out Boy will recognize the voice and realize the talent behind it even more. it’s also quite short.
Buy
.
Fountains of Wayne – “Peace And Love” – Welcome Interstate Managers: a “groovy” song. completely unlike their more famous “Stacy’s Mom”. it’s easy to relax listening to this song, and in that sense it might be considered background music, but it deserves more than that. the vocals are catchy without being overly pop-ish.
Buy
.
Frou Frou – “It’s Good To Be In Love” – Details: you have no idea. seriously. Frou Frou is effing ridiculous. brilliant vocals – sheer poetry – and an inhumanly perfect voice. Frou Frou is composed of Imogen Heap (who has another song in this collection b/c she went solo after producing Details) and Guy Sigsworth, who no one’s heard of but has worked with literally everybody in the music business – from Madonna to Björk. amazing electronica.
Buy
.
Hawthorne Heights – “Ohio Is For Lovers” – The Silence In Black And White: standard Hawthorne Heights, but probably one of their more melodic and less screamo tracks. the lyrics are pretty good, and the tune is pretty catchy. not amazing, but still pretty good. if it weren’t for the sea of similar sounding bands, this would probably be better.
Buy
.
Honeydrippers – “Sea of Love” – The Honeydrippers, Vol. 1: another oldie but goodie. some pretty cool vocalizing in the background and, as with the other oldie, great vocals and an unobtrusive band.
Buy
.
Imogen Heap – “I Am In Love With You” – Speak For Yourself: like I said before, I adore Imogen Heap both for her vocals and for her lyrics. her solo album conveys better her style than Details, I think. lots of cool effects with layered vocals. awesome awesome awesome.
Buy
.
Interpol – “Length of Love” – Antics: cool vocals – vaguely Killers-esque except less urgency – and a good band behind it. not much to say, except check out Interpol if you’re looking for a new band that won’t take over your life but will still be pretty good.
Buy
.
Jimmy Eat World – “The World You Love” – Futures: like most Jimmy Eat World – cool lyrics, awesome vocals, good band behind it. somewhat calmer than their more popular work (“Pain”, for example), but still head-nodding-inducing.
Buy
.
(can you tell I’m starting to get bored of writing these descriptions?)
.
Kelly Clarkson – “Before Your Love” – Thankful: though this is pretty reminiscent of her American Idol stuff, and EXTREMELY pop, it’s not that bad to listen to and hints at some of her better, more recent songs (like “Since U Been Gone”, though I hate the intentional awkward spelling). obviously, soaring vocals and pretty textbook piano, etc. in the background.
Buy
.
Liz Phair – “Love/Hate” – Liz Phair: this song can definitely become irritating very quickly, probably b/c it’s so repetitive, and her voice kind of rubs me the wrong way. also very pop. not that that’s a bad thing, but there you go.
Buy
.
Madonna – “Love Profusion” – American Life: you also have to be in the right mood for this song, just because too much Madonna can be a bad thing. I mostly included this b/c a) it’s Madonna, and b) well, it’s Madonna. not one of my favorite songs, but it’s not bad, either.
Buy
.
Maroon 5 – “She Will Be Loved” – Songs About Jane: okay, I know Maroon 5 was ridiculously overplayed when it was popular and now has faded a bit, but they have some damn good songs, they just were played too often. I forewent the more obvious “This Love” because it’s even more overplayed than “She Will Be Loved”, and I don’t like it as much anyway. the lyrics tell a sad story, and the vocals are appropriate to it. the band doesn’t suck, and neither does the song.
Buy
.
Matchbook Romance – “Lovers And Liars” – Stories & Alibis: Matchbook Romance is a vaguely Fall Out Boy-ish band with less “clever” lyrics and more rock feel. I love the lyrics anyway and love the vocals. the guitar and drums behind are damn good, too.
Buy
.
Michelle Branch – “I’d Rather Be In Love” – The Spirit Room: Michelle Branch has an amazing voice that actually sounds real, not like all the ethereal beauty of some other singers. her lyrics are good, too; and when you consider she wrote this song at age 14!, it’s flipping amazing. just a beautiful track.
Buy
.
The Raveonettes – “Love In A Trashcan” – Pretty In Black: The Raveonettes aren’t really uber-famous, but they have some damn catchy songs, and this is one of them. the lyrics are strong, and the delivery is languidly head-bobbing. the tune sounds like you’ve heard it somewhere before and you probably have without knowing it.
Buy
.
Relient K – “In Love With The 80’s (Pink Tux To The Prom)” – Two Lefts Don’t Make A Right…But Three Do: Relient K is a Christian Rock Band, but they’re a lot more versatile than that usually connotes. their lyrics are funny and catchy as a rule, and their singing is infectious. this song is upbeat and definitely sing-along-able.
Buy
.
Rooney – “That Girl Has Love” – Rooney: this whole album is surprisingly good for the fairly unknown status of Rooney. their most famous song is “Blueside”, and it’s similar to this, but this one is a little calmer. the lyrics are good, and I like the lead singer’s voice, but this is just a little too easygoing to be one of my faves. Rooney’s still a fine band, though, so check them out.
Buy
.
Soft Cell – “Tainted Love” – Tainted Love: everyone knows this song. it’s insanely catchy and sweeps you away in a whirlstorm of beats, little sounds, and a repeating chorus that burns itself into your brain. apparently this is a remake of a Gloria Jones song, but no one remembers it as anything but theirs. Marylin Manson also remade it later on, and I think that one’s just a bit cooler b/c it’s more synth, but this is still the most popular and well-known version.
Buy
.
StellaStarr* – “Love And Longing” – Harmonies for the Haunted: the name makes it sound like it should be an all-girl band, but the lead singer is male, and only the back-up singer is female. I’m of two minds on this song. the lead singer’s control is a little lacking, but that’s partially the style of the song, and makes it easier to sing along, etc. there’s a great repetitive vocal bit that goes “won’t you stay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay; i’m drowning in the rain, darling say the words and i will stay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay” and sounds amazing (not just one note). the lyrics are heartfelt and the singer delivers them well. the band is also pretty damn good, too.
Buy
.
The Strokes – “Between Love & Hate” – Room On Fire: similar sound to most of the other songs on the album, great vocals and a good beat/guitar to back it up. sounds a bit like Kings of Leon, too.
Buy
.
The Thrills – “Your Love Is Like Las Vegas” – So Much For The City: The Thrills are another amazing unknown band. love the vocals, a more than strong backing from the band. apparently an Irish band, but you wouldn’t know it from their lack of accent. really cool song.
Buy
.
Craig Armstrong – “This Love” – MTV Weekender CD 2 (Chill Out); listed as “Various Artists” in my library, hence the breaking of alphabetical order: Craig Armstrong is actually the name of the composer (he’s Scottish) – he’s done all sorts of work for orchestras and movie scores as well as electronica (which this is an example of). the singer’s name is Elizabeth Fraser and she’s done work for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack and used to be part of Cocteau Twins as their lead singer. this song is really low-key and smooth, and like most of the songs on the MTV Weekender set (a European release), is by people no one here has heard of.
Buy
.
Spiller – “Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)” – MTV Weekender CD 4 (Dance); see previous song: starts immediately with a hispanic beat (maracas and drums) and is pretty damn catchy the whole way through. (Cristiano) Spiller’s the name of the DJ (a well-known Italian DJ), the song itself is sung by Sophie Ellis Bextor, another European well-known who has a relatively small following in the US.
Buy
.
Kylie Minogue – “Love At First Sight” – Now That’s What I Call Music 7; see previous song. also, note that this is NOT the american version. not sure where it’s from, but the US version has different songs: very pop, with a slightly electronica background, sounds like something custom made for a dance-hall. ie very catchy but if you’re not in the right mood for it very headache-inducing.
Buy
.
Sean Paul – “I’m Still In Love With You” – Totally Hits 2004; Featuring Sasha: standard Sean Paul – incomprehensible lyrics with a vaguely reggae feel, Sasha has a pretty nice voice. I mostly included this to widen the genre of songs I had here. not one of my favorite songs, but Sean Paul is just good enough as a curiousity to keep my attention.
Buy
.
Westlife – “Why Do I Love You?” – World Of Our Own: okay, technically this is the Euro equivalent of *Nsync or the Backstreet Boys, but they’re a lot more vocally smooth and less canned pop. Westlife is a European boy-band, but they sound a lot more mature than their US counterparts, and are a whole helluva lot more succesful considering that they’re a) still in existence, unlike any US versions, and b) 4th behind Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and Cliff Richard for most number one singles in the UK (they have 13) and they hold a number of other records as well. this is standard fare for them – soaring instrumental background and perfect vocals with decent lyrics and a damn catchy chorus.
Buy
.
White Stripes – “Fell In Love With A Girl” – White Blood Cells: aha! the last song! i’m pretty sure everyone’s heard this song, too. fast and strong, good guitar and better vocals. a little faster than most White Stripes songs, but twice as catchy as some of them. definitely check out White Stripes if you’ve never heard them before and/or like this one. they’re also well-known for “The Hardest Button to Button”, “Seven Nation Army”, and “Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground”.
Buy
.
.
A-be a-be a-be a-that’s all folks!

P.S. – leave a comment if one of these songs is linked to the wrong URL. there were a lot of them and I might’ve messed one of ‘em up.