California gurls

What’s your take on Bruno Mars? While I admit that he is totally overplayed on the radio, this video of him covering Katy Perry’s California Gurls has me kind of smitten. So much so that I purchased tickets to his show this summer. Call me a dork, a teenage dork at that, but I don’t care. I will freely admit my admiration for artists who can sing without the use of auto tune.

The Lady Killer

What are your thoughts on Cee Lo Green? I’ll admit, I don’t know that much about him, but I kinda like him. His music is fun and upbeat. And kinda silly, and that’s never a bad thing in my book. If you like him too – Amazon has his album, The Lady Killer, for sale/download for only $4!

HEARD: DJ Earworm

Here is a great look back at 2009 in pop music from DJ Earworm. He creates mashups from Billboard’s top 25 Pop hits into what he calls “The United States of Pop.” He’s so talented at it, in fact, he even wrote a book on mashups. I’d say this would make a great addition to tonight’s party playlist!

via My Modern Met

HEARD: Joshua Radin

Perhaps it’s a sign that I’m getting old because I find myself really into folksy rock these days. I don’t know what it is about it, I just find it so melodious and soothing. Kinda like a lullaby. It makes me smile.

Many of you have probably heard Joshua Radin’s music before even if the name is not familiar. He went to college with actor/director Zach Braff and singer/songwriter Cary Brothers (who also kinda rocks) which has landed him not only songs, but his face featured in episodes of Scrubs and Grey’s Anatomy. He also performed on the The Ellen Degeneres Show, which then landed him a gig performing at Ellen’s wedding to Portia de Rossi.

The video below is for his song, You Got Growin Up to Do, from his second and most recent album, Simple Times. I think it’s just groovy. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s kind of adorable too.

HEARD: Priscilla Ahn

I gotta give mad props to shows like So You Think You Can Dance for educating me on the music of today’s youth. It’s no secret that I LOVE this show and the featured music is just one of the reasons why. And I have to give a big thanks to Pure SYTYCD for featuring the music list (even with iTunes links) from each week’s show.

Last night I was introduced to singer/songwriter, Priscilla Ahn – a young girl who packed her bags and headed west to L.A. to find fame and worked her way through the ranks to make something of herself. A mix of folk, country and pop, some might consider her melodies to be emo chick music. I, however, think it’s fabulous. Take a listen and judge for yourself. The video below is Priscilla’s Dream from her first album, A Good Day. Dreamy is right.

Currently LOVING:

Ray LaMontagne! I feel like I’ve been living in a cave not having heard of him or his music before. Why did someone not tell me about him sooner? I can’t express with enough enthusiasm just how much I’m loving his music! He looks like a smelly tree hugger which confuses me when I hear him sing because his voice is so melodic and soothing. One of my favorite songs (video below) is Empty. It could easily have substitutted for any of the music from the movie Into the Wild.

Just loving it!

HEARD: Stateless

Stateless are one of Leeds’ most exciting bands (in Yorkshire, England). They fuse a conventional set-up of vocals, bass and drums with the electronic mesh of turntables and live programming. With breakbeats, melodic keyboards and a falsetto that could make Chris Martin blush, the British five-piece infuses trip-hop rhythms with the powerful voice of lead singer Chris James who says he’s been singing all his life.

Their ultimate goal with their second album being released this fall is to expand their fandom and do a “proper” world tour. I’m in!

HEARD: Reggie Watts

A big thanks to Kate over at for me, for you for turning me on to Reggie Watts, with whom I am now completely captivated by. He combines looped vocals that he creates live on stage with a unique brand of improvised comedy – his show is one definitely not to be missed by comedy or music fans alike.

Reggie’s subjects range from ancient history, technology, magic, spirit elves, dragons, mythology and theology to pop culture. The music incorporates hip-hop, trip-hop, 80′s pop alternative, nu-metal and classical opera, and no two songs are ever the same. The best description I can give it is an ultra-unique form of beat-boxing.

Check out the video of Reggie’s performance from last week’s Jimmy Fallon show. It’s pretty amazing. Particularly because he seems like such an unassuming guy.

Check out more of Reggie Watts on Muxtape.

HEARD: Natalie Walker

With two solo albums under her belt, it’s clear that Natalie Walker is coming into her own. Like many of the other artists I’ve come across and blogged about in the HEARD segment, Natalie’s music has appeared on many of my secret TV vices like 90210, Smallville and The City. Her music is funky, elegant and all together beautiful and I am so glad I found her! Check out her Quicksand video from her first album, Urban Angel.

HEARD: A Fine Frenzy

A 16 year old high school graduate who considers herself “nerdy and quiet,” A Fine Frenzy is the musical work of young Seattlite, Alison Sudol. A self-taught piano player, she pairs sweeping orchestral arrangements with dreamlike lyrics inspired by the classic literary works of writers like CS Lewis, EB White, and Lewis Carroll. Her music is as equally melodious as her voice and her songs have been featured on popular TV shows such as CSI New York, So You Think You Can Dance (LOVE that show, by the way) and One Tree Hill. Check out her video for Almost Lover from her debut album, One Cell in the Sea.

*UPDATE: it will say “embedded video disabled” so click on it twice and it will open a YouTube page where you can see the video there. Sorry…