Oh man am I excited for this list! 21 of the best female vocalist in today's music for your listening pleasure. My goal going into Volume 5 was to make it a bit more upbeat than previous iterations and I think it was a success. There are still the big slow moving ballads but a lot more in your face rock songs.
Go to the end of the list for full stream.
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| [Amazon / 7digital / iTunes] |
It is such a travesty that people like Gaga, Perry, etc are more popular that Ida. Even after insanely awesome songs like 'Oh My God', 'I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked,' and 'Louie' she's not on everybody's lips.
'Bad Karma' just roars right out of the gate and into your face. I think she is trying to compete with Karen O.'s reign as current female rock god and I think Miss O should watch out.
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Let's be honest and just say that most house music is just a pile of good beats. I like it, but without a great vocalist they can all sound..how should I say it..a bit repetitive?
Mason delivers the beats, and Roisin Murphy delivers the perfect vocal pitch and delivery for an electronic song. It's frankly the best I've heard in a long time. The extended syllables and airiness fit the song so well.
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| [Amazon / iTunes] |
Cutesy pop vocals usually don't cut it for me but Alex Winston has added just enough soul to it that make it work for me. Plus, I just finished watch all the Big Loves and thought the lyrics were pretty funny. This is some straight forward candy pop and it's delicious.
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| [iTunes] |
After listening to this two or three times you will be definitely be singing the 'nananana woaaahooo' part in the beginning. Trust me. Now this is the first of many Australian artist on this album because the Aussies are absolutely killing it on the rock scene these days. Serious.
Check out the video for the song here.
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| [Amazon / iTunes] |
This is why I love Last.fm because I find great music on there like the Downer Party which is anything but a downer. This is a fun upbeat rock tune about one of the greatest American cities (even though the band is from San Fran). Even while I'm writing this I find myself tapping along to the song - especially at ~ 1:40.
And who doesn't love a song with some whistling?
Keep reading for the rest of the song! Download at the bottom.
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| [Amazon / 7digital / iTunes] |
(6) Birdy - Skinny Love - Single - [2011] - cover, indie, folk
If you haven't heard this cover yet - what the hell are you doing on an obscure music blog like this? It's so good. Possibly the best cover in the last decade. I seriously can't think of a better one. And to top it all off, it's covering one of my favorite songs in the last ten years. (Bon Iver did the original)
This girl is like some sort of teenage prodigy with all the awards she's already won so I expect to be writing a lot about her in the future.
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| [Amazon / 7digital / iTunes] |
Oh Land reminds me a lot of Niki & the Dove which is a good thing (because I heart them!) and Oh Land's first single 'Son of a Gun' is really good. But Wolf & I is super trippy and fantastical and better.
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| [Amazon / 7digital / iTunes] |
So, so pretty. Not much else to say about this tune. It's just really pretty.
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Okay, three soft songs in a row and I promised an upbeat mix! The audacity! Let's pick this up a bit with a modern classic in Anna Calvi's son to be smash hit 'Desire.' This is how you write a modern day rock ballad. It's big and bold and builds and blows you away with its intensity.
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| [Amazon / iTunes] |
The lead singer for Zebra Mirrors has just about a perfect indie rock voice with just a little bit of that Americana twange. I would love to hear them do a cover of Rilo Kiley. This song may be down tempo but it's not sad or boring. It makes you want to listen to it over and over again and hang onto every word.
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| [Band Site] |
Shit I love a band with a sense of humor. First, the name of the song is brilliant. Second, the name of the album is also brilliant. Third, if you go and buy the EP from their site you can get it in cassette form. Fucking Cassette! That's so hipster I think it might break the internet. I wonder if they send it to you by carrier pigeon?
One of the hottest tracks from 2010 covered to perfection by the Aussie lady Owl Eyes. You can't buy this one yet - you'll have to wait until the release of Triple J's Like a Version. If you can believe it, this is a live recording from inside the radio station. You can watch a video of the performance here.
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| [Website / iTunes] |
Put this single in the produce isle because it is fresh! Hah. Dorky. But it's seriously good. Kyla doesn't have much out yet but keep ya ears open.
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| [Bandcamp] |
Light, sweet, floating melodies akin to Belle and Sebastian with the musical instrumentation of the Mamas & the Papas - it's easy to see how they came about their name. This is the type of band that feels like they've been playing together for decades and borrowing a little 50s pop, 60s ballads, and 70s folk along the way.
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| [Download This!] |
'I can not breathe at all. Let me be free from myself.' And that voice! Wow. Those Englanders sure now how to make a good song. I will give this song the chillasfaux stamp of approval.
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| [Amazon / 7digital / iTunes] |
'Wise Enough' starts extremely minimal with singer Lou Rhodes basically going a Capella, and then come in the dragging drums, pulling strings, tapping mandolin, and pretty soon you are engulfed in some of the most beautiful music since Massive Attack's masterpiece Mezzanine.
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| [Amazon / 7digital / iTunes] |
What a great hook. If you haven't noticed (you've noticed) I love songs that have a big feel to them. That intangible sound that surrounds you while you listen. This song has it.
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| [Amazon / 7digital / iTunes] |
Pretty funny lyrics and a pretty catchy tune. Make sure you check out this album because Those Darlins look like they will kick your ass if you don't.
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| [iTunes] |
Do you like funky ass music? Good! Because I do too! I can just image seeing this song live and being blown away. So, a little shout out to Little Dragon - please come to the DC metro area soon!
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| [Amazon / iTunes] |
Besides being the oldest song on the list, I think this is also the most heartfelt. It really feels like the band put everything they had in it. I just really love the beginning with the drums and piano line. And when it breaks into singing - this is what music is supposed to do. It can bring people together, it can be fun to dance to, but the best music makes you feel something. Okay, time to turn off the sappiness.
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| [Amazon / 7digital / iTunes] |
If you think 'Bizness' was a good, you have to check out this infinitely re-playable jam. Besides writing the name of her band like a 6th grader and sounding a lot like Robert Harvey, Merrill Garbus produces a song that will just not leave your head.
[Play in Grooveshark]
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