Songs I Dig - 9

Wow, do I have a lot of catching up to do. Since August has been a whirlwind of a month - I have a lot of blogs to catch up on including the regular "Songs I Dig" blog. In fact, I had a SID blog planned for last month but I never got around to writing it. I will promise you this, though; you will eventually see it posted here as the 10th edition of the "Songs I Dig." It may not be right away, but it will be soon. I have a brand new list of songs that I am currently "digging" and a couple of the artists are new to the blog, while the remainders have already had songs featured here. So there won't be too many new surprises but each of these songs are great in their own little way. Let's start the latest edition of the SID!

"Broken" by Lifehouse - What more is there to say about this song other than it sure is good! "Broken" is the third track to be released from Lifehouse's "Who We Are" album. In my opinion, the songs are getting better and better as they are released. "First Time" was a decent up-tempo song and "Whatever it Takes" was a beautiful ballad. But "Broken" is the best of all three. It's got a haunting tune, lyrics that make you think, and it's all backed up by some great vocals by the band. I wouldn't be surprised if this song shoots up to the #1 spot very soon because it is quite deserving. And it appears that "Broken" may not be the final song released from this album as the band is looking to have a video make for the song "Make Me Over" by holding a contest for 60 USC School of Cinematic Arts graduate students to represent their own creation as the video to this song. Not bad of a deal for the potential winner. And for those watching out for a new Lifehouse album (not that this one is anywhere close to getting old for the fans) - internet rumors are circulating towards an early 2009 release. Let's hope they hold true.

"In This Life" by Delta Goodrem - This is the first newcomer in this edition and Delta is making her American debut in grand fashion. She hails from Australia and is a well-known singer down under, winning countless number of awards and claiming number one hits. However, just as it goes with many singers not from America - those outside of the U.S. border tend to struggle to be successful here. You look at Robbie Williams and a few others who are huge musicians over in their respective countries - yet they are virtual unknowns over here. However, Delta isn't off to too bad of a start with "In This Life." Probably the one thing that drew me to this song was it's unique sound. One thing I enjoy the most is when she sings the lyrics "in this life" before the chorus where she vocalizes in a variety of different melodies. You can definitely tell she has a very powerful voice which is easy to understand why she's known as a successful singer/song-writer in other parts of the world. If she keeps it up by releasing songs like "In this Life" here in America - she won't be as unknown over here, either.

"Disturbia" by Rhianna - I don't think I was all that happy when I first heard the news that Rhianna was going to release yet another song. Don't get me wrong, I think Rhianna is an amazing talent and she is deserving of all of the success she has achieved so far in her young career. But I was beginning to feel that she was going overboard when it came to releasing new music. I believe at one point, she had two songs out and a third if you count the Maroon Five collaboration. And at first, I wasn't a huge "Disturbia" fan. But the more I listened to it, the more I learned to love it. And lately, it's been one of those songs I never get tired of hearing. And you know which song I kind of compare it to? Michael Jackson's "Thriller," because it has that super-natural theme going on in the video. It's actually a very fun song and one that's easy to sing and dance along to. I can just imagine how popular of a song it is at the dance clubs. And needless to say, any male fans can never tire of seeing Rhianna in her skin-tight outfits.

"The Little Things" by Colbie Caillat - I don't know what it is, but Colbie's music has a way of drawing you in. And if you ask me, so far she has hit a grand slam since releasing her debut album titled "Coco." "Bubbly" ended up being a mega-hit with "Realize" being a nice follow-up. I think "The Little Things" is on it's way to being even bigger than "Realize." It's got a nice, soulful and soothing sound with not a lot of musical fanfare. It fits right into Colbie's genre of music. Just as it was with "Realize" for me, "The Little Things" was a song that took some time to really warm up to. But after awhile the "back up, back up" lyrics I was hearing began to get catchy and soon enough - I ended up having this song stuck in my head for an entire day! That's when you know you're hooked. It's a true love song and conveys the message not to screw up a good thing that's going on in any relationship.

"Dream Catch Me" by Newton Faulkner - This particular song has been playing on the radio for awhile but it's one that never gets old. It's a fun, light-hearted, and pleasant-sounding tune that really gets your toes tapping. Newton is a newcomer to the music scene, releasing his debut album titled "Hand Built by Robots" in July of last year. He's 23 years old and originates from England. "Dream Catch Me" has been out in the UK and was released around this time last year to moderate success. Is Newton going to be another one of those artists from the UK whom we'll never hear from again? Will he be one of those one-hit-wonders here in the states? Hopefully not, because I thoroughly enjoy the kind of music he puts out. He's got a folksy-soulful vibe about him and it appears he's into more of the light-hearted, pleasant subjects. It'll be interesting to see what else he releases from this album here in the states and what he may have up his sleeves in the years to come. He's definitely one of those up-and-coming artists if he can sustain his current success.

That about wraps it up for this particular edition of "The Songs I Dig." Once again, watch out for the tenth edition to be released very soon with songs that have been out for about a month or two already. All five are still very popular songs and continue to get plenty of radio airplay, so it's not like they'll be forgotten too quickly. It was a blog I never got around to releasing but one in which I very much intend to write. Not only that, but also look for a variety of other themed blogs as we wind down the rest of this month. I've got a lot of catching up to do and if you're a fan of my blogs - then you shouldn't be disappointed!

Songs I Dig - 6

It's back! After a roughly three-month hiatus, the "Songs I Dig" blog has returned for its sixth edition. It's been a slow period for me lately in regards to new music. There really hasn't been much that has tickled my fancy. Lately, though, that has changed and I am happy to bring to you the latest five songs that I dig. I have also realized that in order to create these blogs that feature new music, I need to be less picky at which songs are mediocre and which ones will be bonafide hits. True, the songs that are pure stink-o's (at least in my opinion) will never be featured, but then there are songs that should be categorized as being "in the middle of the road." And those shouldn't be ignored, either. So even if I like the songs somewhat, chances are you'll probably begin to see them here. It's an effort on my part for this feature to appear more frequently as part of "Luke's Ponderings." So let's get this show on the road!

"Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop" by Landon Pigg - There is something about this song that makes me mellow out and relax because it's just so soothing. It reminds me of songs written by the legendary duo Simon and Garfunkel; which is probably why it's so appealing to me. Landon was born in Nashville, Tennessee and was no doubt influenced by that city's rich music history. His first album was released in 2002 but it's his most recent songs that have been most noticed by the music industry. Plus, it doesn't hurt having a song being played during Grey's Anatomy, which is one of the most popular TV shows on the air right now. "...Coffee Shop" is a song I'll definitely be playing a lot more of in the days to come.

"Never Too Late" by Three Days Grace - I've heard this song off and on the radio for the past couple of weeks and although it hasn't quite reached the heights of popularity yet, I think it has potential. Three Days Grace, whom also goes by TDG or 3DG, is classified as being alternative metal and post-grunge. "Never Too Late" is a great tune because it starts off soft and then slowly builds into a rock song. It also has a great message because it talks about people ending their lives but that it's "never too late" to turn things around. So the song tries to convey the message that even in the worst of times, things do often rebound. This song is slowly creeping up the charts so be sure and check it out.

"Whatever it Takes" by Lifehouse - This song has been on the radio for a little while now and gets frequent play. And it's no wonder because this is such a great song to listen to. The group Lifehouse has been no stranger to success. In 2001, their debut album scored an award with the song "Hanging by a Moment" winning as the Hot 100 single of the year during the Billboard Music Awards. The band's fourth album is titled "Who We Are" and already produced the hit "First Time." "Whatever it Takes" is slower than "First Time" and has a gentler tone. I particularly like the transitions from the chorus to the next verses when "Ba ba bum bum ba" is sang. It sounds almost angelic in a way.

"Say" by John Mayer - Have I ever admitted to being a fan of John Mayer's music? Okay, I'm bringing forth that information right now. He's an amazing song writer and has produced many hits in his short recording career. His latest hit song titled "Say" displays his musical genius once again. How can anyone not like what this guy sings (okay, so maybe the tune "Daughters" was a touch on the corny side)? "Say" is a song featured in the movie "The Bucket List" starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Mayer's hit song "Waiting on the World to Change" won a couple of Grammy awards in 2007. He's definitely no stranger to the music industry and I believe he'll be around for a long time.

"Realize" by Colbie Caillat - Colbie is an up-and-coming musician who first received fame from myspace. Her hit song "Bubbly" recieved major radio airplay and has gained popularity throughout the world. She has since released her debut album titled "Coco" in which "Realize" is part of. Music is in her blood as her father, Ken, was involved with the group Fleetwood Mac. She definitely has a unique sound to her songs and brings a pure, wholesome vibe to her music. And there is a rumor out there that she once tried out for American Idol but was turned down. If that is indeed true, I am happy to hear she has found success on her own. It just goes to show you that even American Idol isn't always the way to go for some people.

That wraps up this edition of the "Songs I Dig" for this time. Please be sure to watch out for the latest "Songs I Dig" blog coming very soon. Before I sign off, there's one song from last year that never wound up in my blogs that at least deserves some mention. It's called "Ruby" by the Kaiser Chiefs and I almost considered putting it in as one of the five songs I dig in this edition. But seeing that it's already old and I ended up finding five decent songs that were recent, it's relegated to the concluding paragraph. Hey, at least I mentioned it, right?