Second Best

       Hudson Taylor released, yet another, ridiculously good video of them performing a fantastic song on Christmas Eve and I can't get enough of this band. The combination of those vocal harmonies and two acoustic guitars complimenting each other perfectly is almost too much. 

      Check out their acoustic version of "Second Best" from the band's Osea EP and see why they may be my number one pick for band to watch in 2014. 

       If you live stateside, you cannot pick up their latest EP (you can only cry and lament the fact that you had to be born in the US when, obviously, all the cool things are available in the UK first).

"Second Best" Hudson Taylor

- E

Walk You Home (Night Vision Binoculars)

       It's an oldie, but a goodie. The beginning sucks you in with sweet verses like "I see you nearly everyday, I see you, but you don't see me. I wish I had something clever to say, and I wish I had something better I could be" and "I just wanna walk you home" but by the time he gets to "I see you nearly every night, I see you when you're down in your house. With my night vision binoculars, I creep quiet as a mouse" you realize that it's everything you never wanted to hear your stalker say. 

       Regardless, I maintain that it is one of Rosenberg's catchier songs and that, despite this year's amorance of "Let Her Go" and all the other amazing tracks that were featured on 2012's All the Little Lights (listen to "Keep On Walking", "I Hate", "Patient Love", and "Things That Stop You Dreaming" [actually, just listen to all of them]) any one who really wants to listen to some amazing music should head back to Passenger's debut Wicked Man's Rest and work their way through all the albums (I previously explained Mike Rosenberg's use of Passenger as his stage name but: Rosenberg was part of a British band called Passenger whom released their debut album in 2007 [Wicked Man's Rest] then the band broke up and Rosenberg, heading out as a solo act, kept the moniker for the next four albums [Wide Eyes Blind Love, Flight of the Crow, fan released Divers and Submarines and, everyone's favorite, All the Little Lights]).

       Check out "Walk You Home" for a track you should know before heading into the new year. 

"Walk You Home (Night Vision Binoculars)" Passenger

- E

We Belonged/Turn It Around/The Optimist

       I have a lot of cleaning to do before Tuesday so, as is to be expected, I am procrastinating. A lot. So, here's a sneak peek at what 2014 and the upcoming 'best of' lists for 2013 will hold (because I will always wait until the last week of the year to get those finished).

       If you missed Stoney's "We Belonged", you probably haven't cried at a music video yet this year; watch it below so that you can enjoy how tragically, beautifully, heart-breaking the song and video are. More Than Animals is set for a January 14 release and you're going to want to buy the entire album. Despite the sorrowful sound intrinsic in this gorgeous piece, the rest of the album seamlessly intertwines good, solid rock tracks with those that scream alternative rock and others that sound just as pure and sweet as this one; be ready to grab your copy in 2014 because this album is kind of perfect.

       Silent Rider's remix of Lucius' "Turn It Around" may be even better than the original and, after listening to more tracks from these guys (check out their SoundCloud here), I can't wait to write up more about the band in 2014.

       I think I'm most excited to see what City Rain is going to come out with in the new year, though. They have yet to come out with a track that doesn't have awesome lyrics with even better music and their latest forthcoming album, Songs for A High School Dance, is bound to be great. Check out tracks like the greatly hypnotic "Mama I Wanna Go Home", the fantastic "Join the Human Race" that should really have you more than ready for this new album to be released, and the ever popular "The Optimist".

- E

Wake Me Up

       I'm working on lists for you guys, but mine don't add up to other's, because I really think Tonight Alive is overrated (and their music puts such a strong emphasis on being misunderstood that I can't actually sit through the entire album), I'm never going to support Robin Thicke, and songs like Zedd's "Clarity" or Passenger's "Let Her Go",which were big this year, were in my playlist last year and overplayed and thoroughly memorized by January of 2013, so it's hard to think of it as something from 2013, rather than 2012's sleeper hits. Regardless, I might come up with a few things for you guys in reference to the albums/EPs you should get and the bands you need to know before we head into 2014. 

       This song is fantastic and catchy and I love it and we should never ever play it again once 2014 hits. It's a gorgeous mixture of sounds and the lyrics are great, but we should shove it wherever we put Swedish House Mafia's "Don't You Worry Child", because every catchy EDM track has an expiration date and this one is soon approaching.

"Wake Me Up" Avicii

- E