Most of the media attention coming out of Super Bowl media day yesterday was focused towards Ray Lewis and the Sports Illustrated story of his use of deer antler spray, a banned substance by the NFL—and by the way, I loved the sports media hypocrisy yesterday. Ray Lewis tore his tricep and less than two months later is playing again. Do the math. But all I heard was, "he's never failed a test!" Please, the WWE's drug policy has flunked more guys than the NFL's. But Alex Rodriguez gets named on a list of customers for a crooked pharmaceutical joint in Miami and the media is bent out of shape calling for the guy to retire/be deported/forfeit every dollar to his name. Can we just have some consistency? — But lost was San Francisco cornerback Chris Culliver's anti-gay statements to comedian/sports talk host Artie Lange. Here's a couple:
"I don't do the gay guys man, I don't do that. No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do."
"Can't be with that sweet stuff. Nah...can't be...in the locker room man. Nah."
"Yeah, come out 10 years later after that."
Now I'm not hear to get on my high horse about gay rights, I'll leave that to Chris Kluwe who is surely penny a six thousand-word letter to anyone that will read it on the topic. I do have a few knee jerk reactions however:
1. Mr. Culliver isn't the most eloquent gentleman walking the planet.
2. Mr. Culliver probably doesn't know much about the city he plays in.
3. How bad do you think Torii Hunter is rooting for the Niners on Sunday?
One of the best things about working in the creative part of my company is the freedom to share and play music with my coworkers. For the most part my boss and coworkers have really good tastes in music and there are several times a week where my ears perk up and I discover something new.
Today I want to dive in and share some of my favorite songs that I have discovered, several of them are hits that surely you are aware of, some may have slipped past you.
In no particular order.
Ke$ha "Die Young" Just kidding.
Mumford and Sons "I Will Wait." I would argue that no band has a collection of songs that sound the exact same more than Mumford, but I'm not complaining.
M83 "Midnight City." What a hook! Can we please get a WWE superstar to use this song?
Atlas Genius "Trojans." A late entrant in 2012, this song is going to have some real life in the first quarter of 2013.
Of Monsters and Men "Mountain Sound." You are probably more familiar with their hit "Little Talks", but that was 2012's second most overplayed song behind Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know." It is weird living in a world where an obese Icelandic folk singer can have a hit record. Good for him.
Muse "Madness." Every single person I know raves about it so you got to give it its due.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band "Death To My Hometown." Bruce doing what Bruce does best. I am a complete homer, but I agree with Rolling Stone naming "Wrecking Ball" the album of the year.
Passion Pit "Take A Walk." Hard not to love this infectious hit.
Calvin Harris "Feel So Close." I do not see how this song could not put you in a great mood.
Bloc Party "Octopus." Comeback album of the year with "Four."
Frank Ocean "Thinking About You." channel Orange, best R&B album since...since....??? A must download.
Alabama Shakes "I Ain't the Same." I just love the soul this band brings. They are true throwbacks whose debut album never gets old.
The Gaslight Anthem "45." Somehow these guys just keep getting better and better. Sky is the limit.
Beach House "Myth." Fun fact: You can even enjoy Beach House when you are sober.
The Lumineers "Ho Hey." Ever heard it?
John Mayer "Queen of California." Maybe the days of top five singles on the radio are behind him. Doesn't mean he still cannot write or play the guitar really well.
Dr. John "Revolution." Produced by the Black Keys' frontman Dan Auerbach, the O.G. of the New Orleans Jazz-Rock sound brings it on this track.
Gary Clark Jr. "Ain't Messin' Round." Like Dr. John, this is a great cut for dirty rockers. Clark might be the best guitarist to emerge in years blending Rock, Blues and R&B. Guitar lovers need to jump on his stuff immediately. Performed with Eric Clapton and The Rollings Stones this year.
Jack White "Sixteen Saltines." iTunes named this the song of the year for a reason.
The Killers "Runaways." For a band that tries to make their next song bigger and more grandiose than the last these Mormon's from Las Vegas outdid themselves on the first single of their new album.
The Shins "Simple Song." A truly under appreciated band, The Shins suddenly seem like the grandparents of Alternative Rock. But like fine wine they get better with age.
Lana del Rey "Cola." I love her while many despise her. "Cola" is awesomely inappropriate.
Norah Jones "Happy Pills." What happens when you combine the forces of a supremely talented multi-winning Grammy performer and the best producer in the businees, Danger Mouse? This.
Walk the Moon "Tightrope." I am beyond jacked to see these boys from Cincinnati at the Fine Line on Jan. 18th. Sold out, natch.
The xx "Angels." This British trio is two albums in and have yet not to make a great song.
What do you think? I would love some feedback on this one.
.jpg)
