Need new music? Here at Chord & Lyric, we post music recs straight out of our favorites playlists, along with the occasional accompanying image. We hope you can find what you're looking for here!
This blog is currently run by
Lydia and
Rachel. All graphics posted here are made by one or both of us, and are not to be reposted. All images used in graphics belong to their original owners. All songs belong their original owners. We are not making any profit from this blog, it's just for fun!
VV Brown is the stage name of English pop singer Vanessa Brown. Brown developed an interesting in music at a young age, and was given her nickname “VV” by her classmates in school. Brown was offered a record deal at the age of fourteen, but declined in order to finish her studies. At the age of 18, she received a record deal, but was dropped at the age of 19. Finally, at the age of 25, she signed with Island Records and recorded her debut album, Traveling Like the Light, in 2007.
I first discovered her song Shark in the Water just a few days ago from a music rec post on Livejournal. I then decided to listen to some of her other songs, and I quite like them. Her style can simply be described as pop, but I personally enjoy her acoustic versions much more than the actual songs.
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Oren Lavie is an Israeli singer, songwriter, and playwright. Oren is best known for his Grammy winning video of Her Morning Elegance. His music can best be described as folk rock. Oren released The Opposite Side Of The Sea in 2007 and contributed the song A Dance ‘Round the Memory Tree to The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian movie soundtrack.
I had initially heard his music when i downloaded a free copy of Her Morning Elegance form iTunes. I thought the song was beautiful and different. His album is no exception.
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Adele is the stage name for Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, an English singer-songwriter who has grown increasingly popular as of late. She began singing at age four and wrote her first record, Hometown Glory, at the age of 16. Her debut album was released in 2007. Her most recent album, 21, was released in January of this year.
I first heard Adele’s song Chasing Pavements while flipping channels and happening upon VH1’s Top 20 music video countdown. She has this great bluesy folk style that I really enjoy, and of course her new single Rolling in the Deep does not disappoint. She has not been very popular in America until recently, but with the release of her latest album (and the ever-popular Rolling in the Deep) comes the recognition she deserves.
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Cœur de pirate is the stage name of Canadian singer-songwriter Béatrice Martin. Béatrice began playing the piano at the age of three, and was briefly a member of a band called December Strikes First at age 15. She released her first album, Cœur de pirate, in 2008. The majority of her music is in French.
I was first introduced to Cœur de pirate when I heard her song C’était salement romantique. Now, French music is not everyone’s cup of tea, but being as invested in French as I am, I instantly fell in love with it. I have since heard a few more of her songs, but C’était salement romantique remains my favorite. Her music is simple and beautiful, and if you don’t mind it being in another language, it is definitely something I would recommend.
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Rachael Cantu is an American singer-songwriter based in California. Rachael has been included in three compilations, has released three EPs and two albums since 2001. She is often compared to Tegan and Sara, but she is much more folk-inspired and soft.
I first fell in love with Rachael when hearing her Devil’s Thunder. It is still easily one of my favorite songs. It is so haunting and beautiful.
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The Good Natured is the stage name of eighteen year old Sarah McIntosh from Berkshire. Her debut EP, Warriors, is comprised of only four songs, but since then she has put out a couple full albums.
I first heard of The Good Natured from watching a music video created by a Youtube user. The first song I ever heard was Your Body is a Machine, which is still my favorite to this day. The one thing that always stands out for me is the uniqueness of the lyrics of these songs, which is something that I always look for in a song.
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Grouplove is an indie/alt-rock band formerly based on the island of Crete. However the ecclectic band, led by Christian Zucconi and painter Hannah Hooper, is now based in LA. Their extended six song EP was released in 2011. Fun Fact: Hannah painted both EP album covers.
I was introduced to this electrifying band when they were an opening act for a Florence + The Machine gig I attended. They were so alive and so is their music. I love Christian’s unusual voice and the pure energy that’s infused in the music.
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Frankmusik is the stage name of producer and songwriter Vincent Frank from Thornton Heath, South East London, England. His first album, Complete Me, was released in August of 2009.
This is not the sort of music I usually listen to (a bit too dancey for my tastes), but my friend introduced me to 3 Little Words a while back and I fell in love. It’s the perfect music to dance to, and listening to it always puts me in a better mood.
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Radical Face is the project of American artist, Ben Cooper. The only full length album of Radical Face is Ghost. Released in 2007, it is a concept album about houses and the stories they hold. Radical Face also released a six track EP titled Touch The Sky in 2010. A trilogy of albums called Family Tree is set to be released later this year.
There is a fluidity and quietness to this kind of music. I’m very interested in the unique. And Radical Face accomplishes uniqueness beautifully. He often uses wind chimes and an array of instruments. Ghost has a way of making you feel the emotion of the song. For example in Asleep On A Train, you feel as you are literally dozing on a train and it is brilliant. The lyrics are also wonderful and vibrant and completely different.
The first song I heard by Radical Face was Wrapped In Piano Strings, which is a lovely song about a man who is afraid that his wife will forget him after he dies. It’s beautiful. The lyrics and beautiful instrumental instantly drew me. Radical Face is so beautiful and enchanting.
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Basia Bulat is a folksy singer-songwriter from Toronto, Canada. She has been interested in music since the age of three, and can play a wide variety of instruments, including guitar, banjo, and ukelele. Her first album, Oh My Darling, was released in 2007. Her second album, Heart of My Own, was released in 2010.
What first appealed to me about Basia’s music was the uniqueness of it. It wasn’t like the music I was used to hearing on the radio. It allowed me, in a way, to escape into a sort of old-time fantasy world, which is quite unique and enjoyable.
The first song I heard by Basia was Heart of My Own, and it is still one of my favorites. I even got my mom obsessed with it, which shows that it can be well received by more than one generation. I truly hope the word gets out about her and that more people will come to love her music, because it is beautiful and unique and she deserves more praise for her work.
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