Music to My Ears

While there are many things to love about St. Louis, the ability of its radio stations to play the same song simultaneously on four different stations and once every 15 minutes is not one of them. And while I still like pop music as much as the next person, this issue has lead me to prefer music that you can't find on local radio yet still maintains a mainstream albeit slightly eclectic sound. So in a departure from the norm I decided to write a post to share favorite albums and songs of the moment. Check them out when you need a break from Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, and Diddy Dirty Money.

Albums

(All albums can be found on Amazon)

Adele's 21 is easily becoming my favorite release of 2011 so far. Songs you must hear are: Someone Like You, Set Fire to the Rain, Turning Tables and Rolling in the Deep.

Touring with Adele later this year (only in the UK sadly) is another favorite Amos Lee. Released in late January Mission Bell hit the top of the Billboard charts in it's first week of release. Songs that you must hear are: Learned A Lot, Violin, Stay With Me, and Windows Rolled Down.

The first single from Mumford & Sons' Sigh No More, Little Lion Man, has already started to trickle down to radio stations like The Point and Z107.7 but there is plenty more to choose from. Some others to check out are:The Cave, White Blank Page, and After the Storm.

Florence + The Machine has definitely hit the ranks of mainstream with their 2009 album Lungs, their summer stop at the Pageant sold out in the first week. Tracks like Dog Days are Over and their cover of You've Got the Love are all over the radio but some of the other not so well known songs include: Girl With One Eye, Cosmic Love and My Boy Builds Coffins.

Tyrone Wells made somewhat of a name for himself when his song Sink or Swim was chosen for the previews for the debut of Season 6 of Grey's Anatomy. He's set to make his mark on St. Louis in April when he performs at the Old Rock House. His 2010 album Metal and Wood has some of his best work including: Give Me One Reason, Running Around In My Dreams, and a mellowed cover of Kings of Leon's Use Somebody.

Songs

Here are 10 songs new and old that are getting significant time on my ipod that will make great additions to your summer playlist.

1. Two Door Cinema Club- What You Know

2. Bon Iver- Blood Bank

3. Lykke Li- Get Some

4. The Dead Weather- I Can't Hear You

5. The Naked and Famous- Young Blood

6. New Young Pony Club- The Get Go

7. Ryan Adams- Come Pick Me Up

8. XX- Shelter

9. Band of Skulls- I Know What I Am

10. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club- Beat the Devil's Tattoo

Happy Listening!