Top Five Recommended Music Videos

It's rare that I listen to the radio these days. Usually, I just pop in a cd or listen to my ipod. There were a few days last week when I was a bit tired of hearing the same things over again. I decided to give the radio a chance which led to hearing some songs I wouldn't have otherwise. Below, you'll find the songs and videos that stuck in my head or made an impression.


Grizfolk - Troublemaker
I'd never heard of this band before. Troublemaker is from their debut album, 'Waking the Giants'. It has quite a catchy chorus that gets stuck in my head. There's something else about the song that I like, but can't quite put my finger on. I might have to check out the rest of the album to see whether it holds up to this catchy song. The video features a familiar face in The Walking Dead's Josh McDermitt (Eugene). I'm not sure how the kidnapping plot of the video relates to the song though.



Silversun Pickups - Nightlight
For a band that formed in 2002, Silversun Pickups didn't manage to show up on my radar. Their debut album was released in 2006. The song in question is from their fourth album, Better Nature, which was released in September 2015. Nightlight was one of those songs that slowly grew on me. I wasn't sure if I liked it at all. The more I heard it, the more I liked it. The dual vocals work well on the song. Their sound is pretty reminiscent of 90s bands like The Smashing Pumpkins. It was later that I discovered the video stars Meg Steedle (Boardwalk Empire). In seven minutes and forty-five seconds, the director has captured everything Ryan Murphy wished he could have done with American Horror Story: Hotel.



Miike Snow - Genghis Khan
My next choice features a James Bond inspired video. Miike Snow is a Swedish indie pop trio that formed in 2007. Once again, I'd never heard of them despite two of the members being responsible for songs like Britney Spears' Toxic. Their debut album was released in 2009. This song, however, was released in December 2015. From the opening seconds, it's quite an earworm. The lyrics depict a man who feels irrationally jealous about someone he's not quite sure he wants to keep in his life. I'm quite amused by the video! It's so campy and fun.



Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats - S.O.B
Where have I been for all these artists? Nathaniel Rateliff has been doing folk-pop since 2005. He formed Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats in 2013. Their self-titled release came out in August of 2015. The lead single, S.O.B., reminds me of old soul and blues songs. It's quite fun to sing along with. The video is a hommage to The Blues Brothers film from 1980. I'm quite curious to hear more from this group with their soulful sound.



Highly Suspect - Lydia
This trio traces their beginnings back to 2009. I'm really starting to wonder why I'm not listening to more modern rock radio. They released their second full-length album, Mister Asylum, in July 2015. Lydia was the first single from the album. It's a song that quickly stuck with me. It's not surprising that it peaked at number 4 on the mainstream rock charts. The video features a woman submerged underwater and unable to escape. It's quite a concept that ties in well with the lyrics.