Listen [updated 7.8.10]
Currently digging these musicians:
[Changed periodically. Suggestions welcomed.]
Matt Berninger, the leader singer of The National, has one of the most distinctive singing voices you’ll hear these days. In short, he sounds like pure man. Give them a listen and see if you disagree.
K’naan, a Somali-Canadian hip-hop artist, got some serious international exposure since his song “Wavin’ Flag” was chosen by Coca-cola as their anthem for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Hopefully that means more people will start catching on to his inspiring, thought-provoking, but still groovy music. “Wavin’ Flag” was actually a song of hope and personal triumph written in response to having 3 of his childhood friends shot dead while they were all playing in Mogadishu when K’naan was 11 (how f’ed up is that?!). Hearing someone who grew up in war-torn Somalia talk about violence and freedom is a great antidote to the gangsta rap clichés we hear so much. K’naan is a refreshing break from Amercan hip-hop that’s, by and large, so morally lacking and originality-deficient.
Warning: Listening to Phoenix may inexplicably make you want to buy a Cadillac (thanks to this song primarily).
Zey are Parisian (Versaillais, or from the city with that big château, to be more precise), which automatically earns zem brownie points with me. Zey are francais, but zey sing zeir infectious French pop in anglais. Basically, zey are awesome, particularly if you find some of zeir acoustic performances. Thomas Mars, the lead singer, is also the partner of Sofia Coppola; their daughters basically have the hippest parents, ever.
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