New year, new music

By Paige Thompson

With the end of a year comes the beginning of another and I tend to start it by finding new music.  One group, recently introduced to me by my sister, is The Like: An all-girl alternative band from Los Angeles. They put a lot of personality into their music and have a modern look and sound that makes them different from any other all-girl band out there.
 
Analternative/folk group from England, Noah and The Whale is also a new band to me.  I had put some of their music on my iPod a few months back, but did not really listen to them much because I was stuck on other music. But last month I listened to their album “The First Days of Spring,” a concept album written about singer/songwriter Laura Marling.  It also has a film to accompany it, written and directed by the groups singer and guitarist Charlie Fink.
 
I have been listening to a lot of older music as well, and I have had Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” album on repeat for weeks now. “Blue” is my personal favorite. She has such an interesting voice and she is a timeless artist. Her lyrics are deep and they really speak to you. This album, and most of Mitchell’s songs, can really get me through nearly any situation.
 
Finding new music is one of my hobbies. When I want new music to listen to, I use a variety of sources such as family and friends, Facebook, and Paste Magazine to name a few. One way that is helpful to find new music is by browsing my iPod. Occasionally, I find music that I forgot I had, or never got a chance to listen to. I find that listening to the soundtrack of some of my favorite movies can lead me to new artists. Another great way is to share with friends. I love to have my friends make me mix CD’s of their favorite music, especially if we have similar taste in music because there will be a greater chance they will introduce me to a great new artist in a genre that I love.
 
I try to branch out and try new music. Lately, I have been enjoying artists like Kanye West, who’s latest album, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” is one of my favorite albums of 2010. Though I am not always the biggest fan of hip-hop/rap music, West’s album is different. It features different artists, such as Bon Iver, Nicki Minaj, and Kid Cudi, and it tells a story through the music video for “Runaway,” in which West uses bits of every song on the album throughout the video.
 
I anticipate a great year for music. A new year means a fresh start. This also gives many artists another chance to redeem themselves. In 2010, Katy Perry redeemed herself for me with her new album. I hated her last album. It was repetitive and all of her songs sounded the same to me. But her new CD, “Teenage Dream” has caught my attention a little with catchy tunes like “Teenage Dream” and “Firework.” Both of these songs are definitely guilty pleasures.Though I do not tend to like much pop music, I do like it when a pop artist can make a solid good pop album like both of Lady Gaga’s albums “The Fame,” “The Fame Monster,” and Perry’s album “Teenage Dream.” 
 
Along with the start of 2011, artists are going to be releasing new tracks and albums. Recently, The Decemberists have released their new album “The King is Dead,” and I am still listening to it, trying to see how much I like it. It will be hard for them to top “The Hazards of Love” CD.
 
Albums that I am looking forward to are Devotchka’s “100 Lovers,” Adele’s “21,” and new material by Fiona Apple, Fleet Foxes, Franz Ferdinand, Lady Gaga, and many more. Hopefully 2011 is going to be a great year for music.
 
In 2011, I plan on discovering even more music than I usually do. I love the idea of having another whole year ahead to find new music and listen to awesome new releases from artists that I already love.