The Friday Lovefrain: A bit of what's new in music

See what I did up there? Threw in a little Valentine's in the heading? Yeppers. Anyhoot - Fanfarlo (Let's Go Extinct) and Sun Kil Moon (Benji) each have albums out this week. But wait there's more!

Check my post for those who woo or woe for some music ideas on this Valentine's. Then go to the google homepage to check out the This American Life doodle, and their website for more samples of stories! It's the bestest Valentine's present ever, thank you This American Life. Now a few music picks from this week's releases:

It's love...

Darren Hanlon, Covers for Lovers - I enjoyed this one it's sweet.

"Til The End," Joe Settineri

New albums from Catherine Russell and Frank Wess wouldn't hurt either, check out Jazz below.

Oh, wait. Love sucks

"Free Broken Heart," and "Little Big Lies" Joe Settineri - Oh Joe! I did a 3 song set for his album and these were the 3 I randomly picked. Man, it seemed like there was so much hope in that first song. Then I heard these two. That sucks dude.

"Tour Song," Robert Ellis

The Lovelocks album was pretty much heartbroken of what I listened to.

"Pothole," Modern Baseball, You're Gonna Miss It All

Moving on: World Music

El Poder Del Norte, XX Anos

Mamani Keita, Kanou

Tinariwen, Emmaar

Ferverson, Soneros de Siempre

Like Vampire Weekend?

Thumpers, Galore

Hollow & Akimbo, Hollow & Akimbo

A little twang in your step?

The Lovelocks, The Lovelocks

Robert Ellis, Lights From the Chemical Plant

Noah Gundersen, Ledges

Frankie Ballard, Sunshine & Whiskey

Hurray for the Riff Raff, Small Town Heroes

No twang in your step?

The Royal Oui, The Royal Oui  - It's just kinda sweet. But I like male and female vox in this fashion

Poemss, Poemss - Okay, I only did a 3 song set, but it's like the opposite of The Royal Oui who were kinda sweet sounding, and here the female is a bit grittier with a male counterpart kinda sounding like The Magnetic Fields dude. I don't think you can listen to this one in the background on first listen, you need something more intimate - you need headphones.

Sam Roberts Band, Lo-Fantasy: I really liked "Kid Icarus"

Blondfire, Young Heart - There's some pep in here that I like.

Temples, Sun Structures - Easily one of my favorites from the week.

Seabound, Speak in Storms

The Casket Girls, True Love Kills the Fairy Tale

Marsheaux, Inhale

Cibo Matto, Hotel Valentine - I didn't really get into it until the 3rd and 4th track. Her voice sounds a little like Bjork at times. "10th Floor Ghost Girl" is what hooked me, and I started paying attention. 

Echo Arcadia, Beauty in an Average Life

Soft Science, Detour

Cheatahs, Cheatahs - It kinda has a Smashing Pumpkins sound to it. I think, haven't run that by my 90s guru husband yet.

Yumi Zouma, EP

Some Jazz?

Catherine Russell, Bring It Back

Stefan Zeniuk & Gato Loco, The Enchanted Messa - Didn't get a whole listen, but I'm coming back to finish it off.

Adrian Raso & Fanfare Ciocarlia, Devil's Tale - I love me some gypsy jazz...

Frank Wess, Magic 201

Something that hits you hard?

Rawhide, Murder One

PyPy, Pagan Day - Listened to a random 3 song set on this, and it felt like what would've happened if Yeah Yeah Yeahs took a different direction than they did. Perhaps.

Electronic?

The Glitch Mob, Love Death Immortality

Cashmere Cat, Wedding Bells

Illum Sphere, Ghosts of Then & Now

Singer-Songwriterish?

Jamestown Revival, Utah

Nina Persson, Animal Heart

 And it's the To-Listen List for the week: Doug Keith, Pony; Fleshtones, Wheel of Talent; Nostalgia 77, A Journey Too Far; Baal, Shurado; Helms Alee, Sleepwalking Sailors; Parasitized, Existence Unveiled; Black Crown Initiate, Song of the Cripple Bull; Speedy Ortiz, Real Hair; Matt Webb, Right Direction; Skittish, The Five Stages EP

 And now for a romantic weekend of budgeting and taxes. Happy Valentine's! It's not about romantic love or corporate buy things love. Valentine's should be a day where we take stock of all of our relationships and show our appreciation to those we care about and kindness to everyone. Attention adults - the Center for Biological Diversity is trying convince you to be responsible to the Earth this holiday and practice safety first with these. That's just crazy. Happy weekend!

 Friday Refrain is a weekly post regarding what new releases have caught my ear for the week. I try to compile a pretty comprehensive list of pop/rock releases of the week and see what is available for me to listen to on the web. This is just my non-scientific, highly-subjective, randomly-listened-to list of stuff I enjoyed from the week. Oh, and I don’t always listen to lyrics or look at album art/music videos, so appropriateness is left up to the listener.

Playlists for those who woo or those who woe.

No matter whether you're celebrating romance tonight or burying it in a box of chocolates, here are some last minute music ideas to add to your playlist. (Disclaimer: If you are unfamiliar with something, please look it up or listen to it before you add it to your evening as I have not gone through and labeled anything with questionable material, such as profanity, in it. Not everyone has the same definition for what is okay, so I leave that to the individual)

First, I'll spare the broken-hearted reading a list of romantic songs and get right to the sad. My list starts out depressed and ends sad but not defeated, which is a nice way to do it in my opinion. Reverse the list if you like to end in wallowing sadness:

Elliot Smith

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Eddie Vedder - Ukelele Songs

Lissie - "Wedding Bells"

Blitzen Trapper - "Not Your Lover," "Furr"

Beck - "Ramona"

Beck - Sea Change

Craig Finn - Clear Heart Full Eyes

Explosions in the Sky or Sigur Ros would work nicely here, and a great spot for the wallowers to end

Ben Folds - Whatever & Ever Amen

The National

Wilco - "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart," "How To Fight Loneliness," "Hummingbird," "At Least That's What You Said," "Let Me Come Home," "Leave Me (How You Found Me)," and "Was I In Your Dreams?"

Aimee Mann - Bachelor No. 2

Devotchka - How It Ends

Best Coast - "Boyfriend"

Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight

The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive"

Black Keys - Attack & Release

Kansas (You should be feeling pretty good about now to rock out to "Carry on")

Well Broken-Hearted, that's all I've got for you. Hope that list gets you through it.

And now for the Lovers: (from upbeat/offbeat to sweet and demure)

Flaming Lips - "Be My Head"

Arcade Fire - "Tunnels"

Wilco - "I Got You (At The End of the Century)," "Magazine Called Sunset," "I'm the Man Who Loves You," "What Light"

The Who or Pearl Jam - "Love Reign O'er Me"

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetics - "Home"

I'm From Barcelona - "Treehouse"

The Decemberists - "The Hazards of Love 4"

Spoon - "Nobody Gets Me But You," "Goodnight Laura"

LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening (Not really romantic but it just seems like a good one to put on for some upbeat dancing)

Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs

My Morning Jacket - Z; the songs "Wonderful," and "Librarian"

Beck - "Ramona" and Sea Change (I feel that these both can be used for woeing or wooing)

Mason Jennings - if you want some specifics "The Light," "The Mountain," "Ballad For My One True Love," "Raindrops on the Kitchen Floor," could just go on and on...

Fleet Foxes

Swell Season - "Falling Slowly"

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Baby I'm Afraid" (but she uses expletives in it, so it's not for everyone)

Stereolab

Explosions in the Sky

Sigur Ros (these last two are also good for woeing or wooing)

So there you go, hopefully that gives you a few different ideas that will help you woo someone special tonight. Happy Valentine's Day!