24
by Jem

It’s been a while since I’ve written any music-related posts, so I thought I would get back in the swing of things with the edge-of-your-seat song “24″ by Jem. I first heard the song in the movie trailer for Ultraviolet, but was unsure who performed it. The answer was easily found on one of my favorite resources, the AdTunes fourms, where songs for commercials, trailers, and movies are detailed by anyone who happens to recognize them. After finding out which song it was, I went and sampled it on the iTunes Music Store and bought it shortly thereafter. While “24″ doesn’t specifically describe the TV show with the same title, the lyrics certainly allude to it. Words aside, “24″ really comes to life with the addition of the violins enhancing the soundscape in an almost cinematic fashion. Fans of the show 24 will definitely want to get this track.

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Leave Me Here, Half Acre
by Hem

I thought I would try something different in my new Music section and name a favorite single of the week on my “New Music Thursdays.” For another twist this week, it’s actually two songs, as it was a tough call between them. Available on iTunes are two beautiful pieces by Hem, an artist I addmittedly hadn’t heard of before stumbling upon a thoughtfully titled “Sunday Sunrise” iMix. Leave Me Here and Half Acre remind me of the popular song Breathe Me from the Six Feet Under soundtrack. However, both Hem songs have a distinct Fiona Apple sounding female vocalist with a gorgeous piano and string backdrop, with the occasional flute to carry the song from verse to verse. Though not listed in the iMix mentioned, “Half Acre” and “Leave Me Here” definitely fit a no-rush Sunday sunrise setting — one of those mornings where you have nothing to do and plenty of time to do it.

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I originally posted this on my About page, but I decided to create a Music category and toss some particularly oustanding albums into the mix of regular postings. I’m far from a music reviewer, though, so please bear with me as a I try my hardest to describe what is best listened to, not read about.

Eastmountainsouth
by Eastmountainsouth

I listed this album first, as it’s undoubtedly my favorite. Released in 2003, the self-titled Eastmountainsouth is the work of the folk/country artists Kat Bode and Peter Adams, both of whom have bluegrass backgrounds. The work they’ve crafted is an absolutely beautiful album of southern and Appalachain harmonies, making use of unique instruments. If I had to choose a favorite track from this wholly fantastic album, it would likely be “The Ballad of Young Alban and Amandy,” a track which both tells an adventurous tale and has a great sound. It seems unlikely that the group will release another album together, as they’ve each gone to explore their own individual talents, but Eastmountainsouth is a timeless piece that will remain at the top of my iTunes Library.

Hear it on iTunes