Rodrigo Leão feat. Beth Gibbons - Lonely Carousel

I heard this song on the radio… in KOREA. It took me by surprise a bit. The vocalist is from Portishead, whom I haven’t posted music by (yet).

Rodrigo Leão feat. Beth Gibbons - Lonely Carousel:

Miz Korona feat. Real Reid - This or That

Dangggg, Detroit kinda owns when it comes to hip hop. It produced the most famous rapper alive, Eminem, along with a whole slew of other talented emcees, and now I'm hearing about a lot of talented female emcees emerging outta there too, including Invincible (whom I've posted before) and this artist. Fun fact: this artist got to spit with a significant audience when she was in a scene of the Eminem-starring movie 8 Mile.

Miz Korona feat. Real Reid - This or That:

Miyavi - 嗚呼、悲しきかな雇われの身のブルース

This favorite artist of mine makes a return to this blog! For the longest time I didn't even understand what this song is about (and when I asked my friend who speaks Japanese as a first language she also had no idea), I just thought it sounded hilarious. More recently I came to find out it’s about hating your job. It’s basically the movie Office Space, in song format.
Note: This really should be listened to in HD, because it allows you to better appreciate the weird sounds.

Miyavi A.K.A. 雅 - 嗚呼、悲しきかな雇われの身のブルース [Aa, Kanashiki Kana Yatoware no Mi no BURUUSU - Oh, the Blues of Being Employed in Sorrow]:

Johanna Kurkela - Prinsessalle

I’m not very familiar with this Finnish artist’s music and Lord knows I can’t understand the lyrics by myself, but I think her voice is pretty. I came across her through YouTube surfing.
Note: HD!

Johanna Kurkela - Prinsessalle [For a Princess]:

IAMX - Fire and Whispers

I have been listening to this artist’s album Volatile Times on repeat lately, and this is my favorite track on it. There’s just something beautiful about it. This artist is also known as Chris Corner, the vocalist for Sneaker Pimps, whom I've posted a few songs by already.
Note:  Listen in HD!

IAMX - Fire and Whispers:

3LW - Not This Time

It’s another song by this disbanded R&B group, and it’s from the same album as last time because that’s the only album by them I owned.
Note: There are Spanish subs, if you want them.

3LW - Not This Time:

Emmanuel Jal - Gua

I found out about this Sudanese hip hop artist through an article in Rolling Stone magazine some years ago. I thought his story was interesting and looked into his music. Technically, the English lyrics aren’t that strong, but that can be forgiven because his story and perspective (as a former child soldier) are interesting and the instrumentals are fantastic. This song is especially cool because he codeswitches like a motha among FOUR languages: English, Arabic, Dinka, and Nuer. The title itself can be translated two ways: in Nuer, it means “good,” and in Sudanese Arabic, it means “power.” It’s a linguistic dream!

Emmanuel Jal - Gua [Good/Power]:

Kokia - Ave Maria

I'm so jealous of this artist's voice; you have no idea. It's so angelic! Although this “Ave Maria” is not the famous song everyone knows, this artist has covered that song too—but I find this one more beautiful.

Kokia - Ave Maria:


And here’s the live video!:

JJ Lin - Endless Road

I previously only posted dancey tracks by this Singaporean artist, so I thought it was about time for one of his ballads. It just happens to also be in English, unlike the others I posted by him. His voice is adorable. He’s classically trained, too, which gives him an advantage over many other pop singers.
Note: I found it in HD! (And with German subtitles, in case you should find that necessary.)

JJ Lin A.K.A. 林俊傑 - Endless Road:

Natalie Imbruglia - One More Addiction

I know I’m posting another song from the same album by this Australian artist as last time, but honestly I only own that one album by her and haven’t looked into her later ones, which she’s still releasing. Hmm, maybe I should do that one of these days…

Natalie Imbruglia - One More Addiction:

HIM - Join Me in Death

I think I heard of this Finnish artist through an mp3 rotation site many years ago, but one of my friends is a big fan of the band and sent me more music by them. This song, if you can’t tell by the title, is pretty dark. But I think it’s going for “darkly romantic” rather than outright depressing, because it’s about wanting to commit joint suicide.  But if that disturbs you you probably shouldn't listen to it.
Note: You can listen in HD once again!

HIM - Join Me in Death:

P!NK - Centrefold

I realized I hadn’t posted a song from this artist’s album I’m Not Dead yet, despite it being one of my favorites in my music collection. And I’m a fan, so when I bought this album (that’s right, BOUGHT) I got the fancy platinum edition, which included this song. It’s not exactly kid-friendly, but I think it sounds great and it’s a good embodiment of her “bite me” attitude that has always charmed me.
Note:  HD!

P!NK - Centrefold:

Rain - 태양을 피하는 방법 (Gtr. Remix)

This guy is a maaaajor Korean pop star. He acts, too, and last time I checked wasn’t bad at it. His voice is not my favorite, but I quite like this song.
Note: Woooo, HD again!

Rain A.K.A. 비 - 태양을 피하는 방법 (Gtr. Remix) [Taeyangeul Pihaneun Bangbeop - How to Avoid the Sun]:

YeLLOW Generation - 扉の向こうへ

This was the ending theme song of the much-praised anime series Fullmetal Alchemist. Quite catchy! I know virtually nothing of this artist outside of this song.
Note: You can listen in HD!

YeLLOW Generation - 扉の向こうへ [Tobira no Mukou e - Behind the Door]:

Sage Francis - Inherited Scars

This hip hop song is legit poetry. It might be disturbing to some people, though, because it’s about the artist discovering his sister cuts and wishing he could have done something to stop her.
Note: You can listen in HD!

Sage Francis - Inherited Scars:

Stefanie Sun - 我不愛

Bringin’ this Singaporean artist back! This is the first song I heard by this singer/songwriter, and also one of the first Chinese songs in my music collection! It’s purdy.

Stefanie Sun A.K.A. 孫燕姿 - 我不愛 [Wo Bu Ai - I Don’t Love]:

James Morrison feat. Jessie J - Up

My friend recommended this song to me, knowing that I was already a big fan of Jessie J’s fantastic voice.
Note: HD!

James Morrison feat. Jessie J - Up:

Hadiqa Kiani - Jaanan

This popular Pakistani artist is singing in Pashto. This was somewhat eye-opening to me, as I didn’t know there was a significant Pashto population outside of Afghanistan. The main singer, however, is NOT Pashto, so this song was viewed as a barrier-breaker. Supposedly she is credited for launching a trend in Pakistan of promoting and embracing Pashto culture despite not being Pashto herself.
Note: The video includes an English translation of the lyrics!

Hadiqa Kiani A.K.A. حدیقہ کیانی feat. Irfan Khan A.K.A. خان عرفان - Jaanan [Sweetheart]:

The TRAX - Over the Rainbow (Piano Version)

This is the piano version of a pretty cool rock song by this Korean artist. They used to make rock music that I was into, but at some point they stopped making rock and started making the exact same boring pop ballad music as everyone else in Korea. But before that, though, they made this song, which I’ve always thought is really beautiful, and I loooooove playing this piece on the piano.
Note: Woo, found it in HD!

The TRAX - Over the Rainbow (Piano Version):

Ana Tijoux - Shock

I’ve been listening to this Chilean hip hop artist’s most recent album, La Bala, a lot lately, and I really like the first few tracks on it, especially this one. When she raps fast it melts me. It’s a protest song! The music video conveys the general meaning if you don’t know Spanish, so I’m including that.

Ana Tijoux - Shock:


Here’s the music video, which has HD:

Darren Hayes - Hero

I noticed that I keep posting solo songs by this artist from the same era of his career, but I can’t help it. He’s made great music since then, but this album has me frothing at the mouth every time I listen to it, including last night. It’s what made me fall in love with his music in the first place.  Plus it’s terribly underrated. So here’s yet another song from his genius The Tension and the Spark album, yet another album I'm tempted to post almost every song from.  This has always been one of my favorites from it.  That high note at the end--!!

Darren Hayes - Hero:

Naya Rivera, Jenna Ushkowitz, and Amber Riley - Shake It Out

I maintain that this is one of the absolute best covers the TV show Glee has ever done. While I’ve posted songs with Naya’s smoky vocals and Amber’s breathtaking singing before, this song is a rare opportunity to hear Jenna’s voice, and she does not disappoint. It’s a shame the show largely ignores her. Their voices harmonize so beautifully, the song is arranged excellently, and the original song is lovely to begin with. The original artist is Florence + the Machine.
Note: Listen in HD!

Naya Rivera, Jenna Ushkowitz, and Amber Riley - Shake It Out:


Here’s the scene from the show in which it appeared, which you can also watch in HD:

Eisbrecher - Vergissmeinnicht

If you have never listened to this band before, but the vocalist’s voice sounds familiar, that may be because he was also the vocalist for Megaherz, another German band I’ve posted music by. I can’t really remember how I came across this track, but I guess it was through a fanvideo or something.
Note: Wahh, I found it in HD AND with English subs!

Eisbrecher - Vergissmeinnicht [Forget-Me-Not]:

Destiny's Child - She Can’t Love You

I can’t believe I’d only posted one song by this group so far. I played this artist’s albums SO MUCH it was ridiculous, especially this one. I’m tempted to post almost every song from their album Writing’s on the Wall, but I’ll start with just 2. I like how Beyoncé sings low in it.
Note: Listen in HD!

Destiny's Child - She Can’t Love You:

Piko - 桜音

My friend sent me this song by this Japanese artist, which confused the heck out of me because he looked like a dude in the MV but the singing sounded exactly how female Japanese pop singers sound. Turns out the artist’s talent is impersonating a female singing voice, although he has mastery of a male-sounding voice as well.  Crazy!
Note: Hay HD!

Piko A.K.A. ピコ - 桜音 [Sakurane - Cherry Blossom Sound]:

Evanescence - Missing (Demo Version)

More Evanescence! Oh man, when I was in the first year of high school I listened to this band SO MUCH. This was always one of my favorite songs, and it’s one of their older ones. There’s another more common version of the song that I think was an official release from recent years, but this is the version of the song I heard and loved first.
Note:  You can listen in HD!

Evanescence - Missing (Demo Version):

Selvmord - Råbe under Vand

I don’t really understand the lyrics myself ‘cause I don’t know Danish, but the song sounds pretty cool. A quick run of the lyrics through Google translate indicates it’s about a cheating significant other, though, so it’s pretty standard song subject matter.

Selvmord - Råbe under Vand [Shouting Underwater]:

Missy Elliot - Get Ur Freak On

Oh, Missy. Even at a young age, I appreciated the wackiness of her style and music videos. She’s not my favorite lyricist, but I really like her style. For some reason, this music video features appearances by other famous hip hop artists like Eve, Busta Rhymes, Timbaland, and Ludacris. It has profanity.

Missy Elliot - Get Ur Freak On:

Patrick Wolf - The Sun is Often Out

Time for another track by this artist! This was a standout track for me on his album The Bachelor. In case you’re wondering why it sounds so melancholy, supposedly this song is about his friend, a poet who committed suicide.
Note: Song available in HD!

Patrick Wolf - The Sun is Often Out:

Slava - Одиночество

I found this through a music blog and thought it was pretty catchy, but was a bit surprised and amused when I noticed one of the most conspicuous words I could understand in the song is a swear word. So if you’re a Russian speaker you have been forewarned of profanity!

Слава A.K.A. Slava - Одиночество [Odinochyestvo - Lonely]:

PSY - 강남스타일

This music video is making the rounds of the Internet lately, even among people who don’t normally listen to K-pop. I figured I’d put it up at the inception of its popularity. I heard of this Korean artist years ago when he did a collaboration with one of my favorite music artists, Miyavi.
Note: You can watch in HD!

PSY - 강남스타일 [Gangnam Style]: