Ask the Reader: New Music Recs

So, I am in a slight music rut. I love music, but being busier than I used to be has eliminated a lot of my music discovery time. So I turn to the very few of you who read this to ask what I should check out. In order to help you with my musical tastes, I'll provide lists of my most recent favs as well as my all time favorites. I'm limiting this to secular songs, as my husband has no problem helping me find new Christian artists/songs. Don't be afraid to suggest older songs/artists either!

New (to me) Picks
"Sea Green See Blue" by Jaymay
"Sleep" by Azure Ray
"You and I" by Ingrid Michaelson
"I Love the Rain the Most" by Joe Purdy
Shotgun (album) by Tony Lucca

Favorites
"Nightswimming" by R.E.M.
"Your Song" by Elton John
"American Music" by The Violent Femmes
"Ticket to Ride" & "In My Life" by The Beatles
"Wild Horses" by The Rolling Stones
"Reptila" by The Strokes
"Don't Think Twice" by Bob Dylan
"Fix You" & "Don't Panic" by Coldplay
"Honey & the Moon" by Joseph Arthur

Ask The Reader #3: Songs Everyone Loves

On my way to work this morning, I was listening to my regular a.m. radio show, Ace & TJ, and one of their call in bits was "Songs Everyone Loves." While no song is going to be loved by literally everyone, it's undeniable that there are songs that transcend musical styles, gender gaps, age, race, etc. I have now made it my mission to make a wicked awesome playlist of nothing but such songs. This is, of course, where I ask for your help, gentle readers. I will throw out a couple of songs that I believe "everyone" loves.

"Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey
"Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-A-Lot

What have you got for me?

Movies I Want To See, In List Format

Inspired by Heather, here's a list of movies that I want to see before 2007 be done. And read on for there is a surprise after the list... (Sherry).

1. Lars & the Real Girl
2. Across The Universe
3. Martian Child
4. Fred Claus
5. Enchanted
6. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
7. Love In the Time of Cholera
8. Bella
9. Gone Baby Gone
10. Atonement
11. Alvin & The Chipmunks (I know. I don't care.)

Let me know if you've see any of these and whether you liked them (please don't spoil the ending). And now for the surprise...the long awaited Ask The Readers #2! Beowulf. Do I see it or not? Why?

Ask The Readers #1

I've decided to start a couple of new regular segments, if you will, on my blog. This is the first of one of those segments. Ask the readers. I think its name is rather self-explanatory, don't you?

Anyway, I am trying to make the best Christmas mix CD ever. I can tell that I am going to be crazy invested in Christmas this year-- not the gifts, mind you. So I would like for you, the various readers, to tell me what your favorite Christmas songs are. Please tell me the title and who performs the version you love most. I also am looking for a version of "O Holy Night" that both includes the second verse and isn't too showy vocally. Hopefully, you guys can help me with that too!

Now comment away!

ETA: I should have done this first, but I've added the list of songs I currently have. I haven't had a chance to listen to some of the specific ones, but I'm looking forward to it. Haley and Sherry, it's neither Bing Crosby nor Emery for "White Christmas." It's Otis Redding. Oh, and if there's no artist, I'm still looking for the perfect version.

1. God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings by Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan

2. White Christmas by Otis Redding

3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

4. All I Want for Christmas by Mariah Carey

5. Christmas Is All Around by Bill Nighy (yes, from Love Actually)

6. O Holy Night

7. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee (thanks, Sherry)

8. Do You Hear What I Hear

9. Happy Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon

10. Silent Night

11. That Christmas song by The Chipmunks

12. My Grown Up Christmas List by Kelly Clarkson

13. O Holy Night by Eric Cartman