(Artist) Ingrid Michaelson

Where to begin about Ingrid Michaelson. She began as a MySpace sensation and wrote that charming 'sweater song' for the Old Navy commercial as well as composing "Keep Breathing" specifically for the Season 3 finale of Grey's Anatomy (where Burke leaves Christina at the altar). When I first found this lovely lady I was attracted most to her charismatic voice and her nonchalant delivery of music. She always seems to just roll up, drop something beautiful on the mic and roll back out. It is only recently that I had the chance to catch up on her live stuff and realize that she is INCREDIBLE live. Also, she is my facebook friend and that is awesome. Pick up her album "Be OK." You will thank me. In the meantime, enjoy Ingrid Michaelson.


"Oh What a Day" (This is actually the first time she ever played this for anyone. She talks at the beginning for like 7 minutes, just to warn you, so you might want to start it loading, then watch another song while this loads and come back to it. However, she IS very witty in person, so you can also listen to her be herself on stage and intro the song. Your choice.)


"You and I" (With Jason Mraz, but with another man on her album, but still awesome)


"Can't Help Falling in Love" (A cover of the classic. Beautiful)


"The Chain" (All four of these songs are on her new album "Be OK" which I assume I have now convinced you to purchase.)

(ARTIST) Sia

I am lame. Lame lame lame, I know. My commitment to these beasts known as blogs continues to wane sadly. However, I will here begin anew my pursuit of sharing my favorite musics with everyone on the internet. Meet Sia. You may already know her but not realize you do. Her song "Breathe Me" was featured as the finale song of Six Feet Under and has been used in a few other television shows, I believe. The thing that attracted me to her initially was her song-writing. She also did a lot of things with Zero 7 so you might recognize her voice from that. I had the random pleasure of watching a live concert of her a few weeks ago and could not believe how incredible she was live. On recording, she sounds good, but not great. Live, however, she has the soul of a young Stevie Nicks and the most pleasant personality. When she was talking about the obvious failure of her second album, she said she did almost no press for it because she thought she was "fucking Radiohead or something." If that doesn't say it all, nothing will. Also, her on-stage antics are hilarious. Lastly, her latest album cover-art was done via a contest where the entry had to be as crappy as you could possibly do. She wanted legitimate low-budget crap. Awesome. So the soulful songbird herself is here to delight you. Enjoy Sia.


"Buttons" (the costume makes it all okay)


"Breath Me" (I love how she completely enthralls the crowd. Also, she has some great uppers towards the end)


"You Have Been Loved"


"Don't Bring Me Down" (Live recording with a music video attached to support her live album Lady Croissant, which I highly recommend)

(ARTIST) The Fratellis

So much for my promise of streams and streams of new musical content. Here's one, though. The Fratellis. I freaking love them. They are like a combination of Paper Street Saints, the Kooks, and Franz Ferdinand. They just like to rock out and have some great songs. Usually I would pontificate on their glory for a little while here, but these guys can pretty well speak for themselves through their music.

Flathead - from Costello Music, and awesome album.

Henrietta - also from Costello Music

For The Girl - Costello Music, again.

On a side-note. I have a radio show now, every Friday morning at 10am EST. You can listen to my live on wxou.org or near the Rochester Hills area on 88.3 WXOU. Also, if you have facebook, look me up and become my fan. The show is called "Matt and Sprout in the Morning" and we play music and talk about pretty well everything.

(ARTIST) Eric Hutchinson

Alright, back by popular demand, and by popular I mean one person commenting that I hadn't posted in a while, here I come with Eric Hutchinson. He's got the vocal range of Justin Timberlake with the delivery of Gavin DeGraw and the humor of Jason Mraz. He's freaking sweet, and just on the brink of absolutely blowing up. He plays guitar, sings, plays piano. Rocks my world. So without further ado, I present Eric Hutchinson.


His version of "My Love" by Justin Timberlake. He sings is better than Justin does. Classico.


This video makes my life. It is "My Girl" "My Humps" and "Ignition" all mixed together. Yeah, he's that sweet. Did I mention the transitions are seemless?


"Oh" (Off his album, Sounds Like This. Available on iTunes)


"Rock & Roll" (Also from Sounds Like This. Buy it already, it is all quality.)

(ARTIST) Natalie Dessay

I return yet again and with another amazing talent. Natalie Dessay is a French coloratura, but I won't hold that against her and neither should you. She was initially an actress and studied theatre so her acting is always impeccable. Combine that with an incredibly effortless voice and you have one powerhouse of a soprano. She has played roles varying from Lucia and Violetta all the way to the Queen of the Night herself (though she is not better than Lucia Popp who IS in fact the Queen of the Night). Her range is incredible, though a bit diminished due to recent surgical procedures. She had vocal polyps and has subsequently had them removed more than once over the past 10 years or so, leading her to lose her highest notes, or at least their ease and soft tone, now adding a distinct edge to her upper register. Regardless of this though, pre-surgery, it was not unheard of to hear her sing, full-voiced, a G6 or even A6, which is higher than the Queen goes in "Der Holle Racht," that being an F#6. (And at this point, anybody who didn't believe I was actually a voice major has been convinced. I'm a pretty big voice nerd.) Without being able to find a video of it, I highly recommend you iTunes her version of Frühlingsstimmen, by Strauss, it is spine-tingling. I know you will enjoy Natalie Dessay.


"Où Va la Jeune Hindoue" From Lakme


"The Flower Duet" also from Lakme. (This one you will probably recognize from commercials)


"Glitter and Be Gay" from Candide, by Bernstein. (This is an American Operetta, which is funny to hear her sing. The funniest version of this has to be Sumi Jo, though, who actually says "Jewers" instead of "Jewels" in the middle recit. Classic. Oh and this part was recently played at Lincoln Center by Kristen Chenoweth.)


This is the final scene of Ophelia in Hamlet. Just beautiful. And thanks Kate for showing me this.

(ARTIST) Feist

Bonjour compatriots! I'm sure you thought I was gone, but I was on musical hiatus listening listening listening and I'm very pleased to announce that I finally got to grab a copy of Feist's new CD and it is just so good I'm going to put her up here as a whole artist, not just an album, because she's super talented. She has a great Chrissy Hynde thing going on with her stage presence and vocal phrasing. But she has a very distinct voice that's pretty much all her own. So much talent, so little time. Enjoy again, Feist!


"Mushaboom" (Her first big hit and I am mesmerized by what she does at the end of this song. KT Tunstall ain't got shit on Feist)


"1 2 3 4" (In case you missed it the first time. Still one of my summer jams)


"Secret Heart" (A little different side, a little Marley-inspired jam)


"Gatekeeper" (This song opens The Reminder and is just fantastic live and album)

(ARTIST) Kate Nash

So I have a truly unheard singer for you. This girl is only 19 and has yet to release a full LP. She is often compared to Lily Allen (previously on el blogo) and has the same lyrical tastes and musical delivery. She has a great summer feel to her music and would make a welcome addition to any summer mix CD that you might be making. Enjoy Kate Nash.


"Caroline's a Victim"


"Foundations" (I frickin' love this song)