For the past year or more I’ve been posting a list of artists that I listened to on the drive to work to Twitter/Facebook as the MCS or Morning Commute Songs/Shuffle. It started out as a kind of memory game, one in which I see if I can remember the 4 to 5 artists in order that I listened to on the drive. I realize that doesn’t sound too difficult, but given lack of coffee and my proclivity to zoning out that early in the morning, there were times I would have to shuffle back to see who I’d heard.
Again, if you follow me on the Twitter or Facebook, you already know that as of January 18th, my job and work location (but not company) changed to one that takes me from garage door to office door in about 10 minutes with the drive itself lasting for a song to song and a half. So, with the revamp of my blog, I’ve decided to feature those songs here as a sort of weekly mixtape. I’ve long enjoyed sharing and introducing friends to music, so this is just another way to do just that. As I’m still working out the kinks and learning to use WordPress, please feel free to drop me a comment as to your thoughts. With this first post I’m playing catch up with the first of songs.
Will Hoge – “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”
Years ago when I was living in Bakersfield, a friend highly recommended I check out this guy that was performing at the Troubadour. So glad I listened to her since that guy, Will Hoge, has long since become one of my favorite singer/songwriters.
Zac Brown Band – “Jolene (Ray LaMontagne cover)”
I watched the Grammy’s tonight and Zac Brown Band won the 2010 award for Best New Artist. See, this is what kills me (among many other things) about the Grammy’s – The Foundation was released in 2008 (NOTE: I think I picked the album up at Waterloo’s in Austin sometime mid-2008 with the release year on the album listed as 2007 – need to dig out the album to confirm). No matter, this song came up on shuffle before setting out on my drive. Do yourself a favor though, and check out Ray’s original version.
Greg Laswell – “Your Ghost (Kristen Hersh cover)”
Greg Laswell is one of the Hotel Cafe crowd. Which is to say – one of the amazing singer-songwriters that Hotel Cafe is known to be the breeding ground for. Laswell’s original material is worth checking out, but this song comes from his Covers EP and has been featured on Grey’s Anatomy.
I’m not sure if she was joking, but my friend V suggested that I watch So You Think You Can Dance for the music about two seasons ago. She was right – I’ve discovered a few songs such as this one and have been amazed by the dancing too.
Needtobreathe – “Won’t Turn Back”
I was planning on going to see Matthew Mayfield open for a band at Warehouse Live last year, but unfortunately he had to cancel due to illness. I ended up not going to the show, but had given the headliners a listen and picked up their album on my next trip to Waterloo Records. Needless to say, they will be coming back to Houston in March and I am planning on going. Nice little bonus is that I recently found out that Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers and Graham Colton will be opening.