Artist: Pharoahe MonchSong: Push (2:52, 2007)Sounds Like: Motivational Movie Montage Music
Last year Pharoahe Monch put out Desire, his first album in eight years, and some were skeptical about how gratifying it would be to the ears of his listeners who had waited so long for his new release. While the commercial success of the album wasn’t great, Monch did not disappoint his true fans. “Push,” the first single, is a perfect representation of what to expect from the rest of the album. To sum it up, it’s a cluster of nearly three minutes of pure energy, blaring horns, singers, and creative lyrics serving as an inspirational and motivational tool of encouragement to keep pushing through whatever life throws at you. Pharoahe Monch is a master of captivating his listeners. Plus, how can you go wrong when you have Tower of Power backing you?-Paul Sieger
Artist: Colbie CaillatSong: Realize [4:05, 2007]Sounds Like: Something you just have to listen to
Smoky and sweet pop singer, Colbie Caillat just released her second single off her debut album, Coco, will make listeners “Realize” her great potential. Fresh off the hype from her huge hit smash “Bubbly,” Caillat again delivers and effortless vocal, with a simple acoustic guitar. The verses have an instant singalong melody and harmony to them. At the core of the song is a blossoming relationship: “We’d never have to wonder if we missed out on each other.” “Realize” is a sure hit and the perfect song to accompany you’re newest spring fling.-Kathryn Burgess
Artist: Between the Buried and MeSong: Blackened [6:40, 2009]Sounds Like: A good day in hell
Even with “metal” in their name, Metallica couldn’t make metal sound this good, and that is more of a compliment to Between the Buried and Me than an insult to Metallica. Between the Buried and Me’s cover of the classic tune “Blackened” is by far the best Metallica cover you will ever hear. With heavy riffs, growling vocals that makes James Hetfield sound like an amateur and a pretty damn orgasmic guitar solo that will make Kirk Hammett proud, Between the Buried and Me have made this song their own, and they will have you banging your head for almost seven minutes long. Go raise your devil horns and be prepared to go to hell!-Enrico Jurado
Artist: Yael NaimSong: New Soul [3:45,2007]Sound Like: Walking through your high schools door freshman year
Your first impression of this song will be to purchase a new Mac Book. Your next impression will be that this song actually has content relevant to anyone experiencing change. Yael Naim and David Donatien’s folk tune New Song is short, sweet, and to the point. A song that deals mostly with the difficulties of adapting to a foreign place and the misconceptions accompanied with it, allows for a tone of growth on a personal level.Ignoring the commercialism surround the song you too will be sing” I’m a new soul I came to this strange world hoping I could learn a bit bout how to give and take. But when I came here, felt the joy and the fear. Finding myself making every possible mistake” -Dominic Mitchell
Artist: BassnectarSong: Blow [3:31, 2005]Sounds Like: Trippy Beat Boxing
Trip hop or acid rap is just one of the ways to describe this piece by local San Francisco DJ, Bassnectar. Blow is mutated mix of electronic, hip-hop, and break beats. The beginning of the song begins with mouth beats that progress to blend with the electronic beats. The mouth beats can definitely be described as mutated; the sounds coming out his mouth are literally unlike normal beat boxing. The transition is the best part, because you can hear the change from the mouth beats to electronic ones. This song will definitely introduce you to a new style of music. -Stephanie Uniacke
Artist: Pere UbuSong: Humor Me [2:44, 1978]Sounds like: Reggae in a nightmare
Perfectly off-key vocals lilt through an upbeat rhythm while a Theremin warbles its b-movie majesty. This is the kind of music you would want to stay away from if you were taking part in a Timothy Leary experiment, the kind of music that might just break your brain if you listen to it for too long. This track would fit perfectly on a mix tape with White Album Beatles, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, or something equally as trippy and punk rock.-John Harrison
Artist: Sara Bareilles Song: Love Song [4:20,2007]Sounds Like: Telling you boyfriend to sharpen his listen skills
Imagine the frustration of telling your significant other things need to change or you’re walking away. Now imagine if that significant other said no in the kindest and catchiest of ways. Couple that with a soothing melody and the voice of and angel and you’ve got the latest song by up and coming artist Sara Bareilles.The Latest Love Song, details conflicts in a less than fair relationship in which one party puts their foot down and says enough is enough. For anyone who’s experienced the difficulties of getting their loved ones to listen will quickly flock to the inspiring message of the song. More than just a commercial for Rhapsody’s music service, Love Song says what everyone in this predicament is thinking. “If all you have is leavin’, imma need a better reason to write you a love song…today.”-Dominic Mitchell
Artist: System of a DownSong: Pictures [2:07, 2002]Sounds Like: Several Repetitive Nuclear Explosions
System of a Down are known for their off-kilter lyrics and their rowdy guitar rifts, and what that results in is four men making music that exceeds all guidelines of normality while having as much fun as possible doing what they do. That attitude is then emanated to their listeners, until you eventually find yourself banging your head back and forth all night until you nearly break your neck and wake up with a headache the next morning, but with no regrets. “Pictures” is not for the weak ear-drummed or the migraine prone. If you absolutely can’t stand screaming, I suggest you stay as far away from this song as humanly possible. There is actually nothing but screaming in this song. The funny thing is I have no idea what they’re talking about. But it just doesn’t matter.-Paul Sieger