Deerhunter - "Helicopter"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5RzpPrOd-4

Bradford Cox and co. continue to write some of the best pop music of my generation. The man is fearless and he talks about real shit. None of the faux indie sincerity that so many bands pass off as genuine art. But few bands are making music of this quality. Kudos Mr. Cox.

John Mayer - "I Don't Trust Myself" (Live Glastonbury 2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ff6kiaXLYE&feature=related

Superior musician and songwriter to just just about anybody out there.

Fruit Bats - "Ruminant Band"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PpHkI7fc2s

Great cut from the Sub Pop outfit. Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, the Fruit Bats are tradesmen in the art of 70's guitar stomp, but without the bullshit machismo that so often hinders bands in the same vein. Think Band of Horses if Ben Gibbard fronted it.

Grateful Dead - "Help On The Way"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KLIOy9E9_s

Amazing songwriting and musicianship. GD's songs never stay static, always shifting and taking you along for the ride. "Help" is Jerry and the boys at their most musically ambitious.

Volcano Choir - "Island, IS"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7Zs2vXxSUE

Justin Vernon. Vocals. Nuff said.

Walkmen - "The Rat"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipehdaDw7v4

This stellar NYC outfit lays down one of the most bruising tracks I've heard in a long time. Everything about this track, from 2004 album Bows and Arrows, screams virtuosity. Drummer Matt Barrick destroys his set, cementing himself as one of today's truly great and original drummers while singer Hamilton Leithauser screams his frustrations, at once scolding with conviction while also timid with weariness. The Walkmen display raw emotion, melding aggression with melody without compromising either one. A masterpiece.

Endless Playlist

I'm starting this blog as a dedication to all the music that has meant so much to me and that I feel obligated to share with the others. Now that I'm in college and have had appropriate time and means to effectively delve into the nostalgia of my childhood, I find the most tangible things I brought out of it were songs. Nothing else possesses the power to transport you to the past, move you in the present, and shape you for the future. That said, everyday I will post songs, both old and new, that move and inspire me.