Photographed in Opelika, AL

I heard my first Dana Swimmer song live behind John Emerald Distlling Company with Jess Graves. I snapped this during their performance of “Take What You’re After” (video here). Not pictured above is the rest of the the band: background vocalist Maggie Blauvelt, drummer Parker Lusk, leader guitarist John Riccitelli and bassist Danny Hurley. The three above slayed their one take for us and we were sold. I turned off the cameras, Jess and I looked at each other, and one of just blurted out “wow…y’all are really good!” Jack’s voice is rock and soul and easy to love. You can read a little more about Athens based Dana Swimmer on The Love List’s Meet Me in Lebanon story.

Stream: “I’m Still Your Man”
I’m Still Your Man
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iTunes | Spotify

A few of my favorite images (and a tune) of Delta Spirit that I photographed in Opelika, AL at John Emerald Distilling Company. I took these for the Meet Me in Lebanon: A Tale in Three Acts story on The Love List. Head there for the full piece!

Stream: “Hold My End Up”
Hold My End Up

I first heard about The Whiskey Gentry at a wedding I shot two years ago. They were the band, and I was impressed. I put their album in my car on the drive home, and it’s remained in there since alongside a random assortment of CD’s I listen to when I’m too lazy to plug my iPhone in: Boyz II Men, Pearl Jam, Stroke 9…

Fast forward to last week. I’m on their back porch with a whiskey and camera in my hand shooting a story of them with Jess Graves. It was an amazing handful of hours hanging out with Jason and Lauren. Jess and I agreed that high school us would be really proud of what we called a job that day. Enjoy the video below of a new song of theirs and then head over to The Love List: At Home with The Whiskey Gentry for the full story.

Photographed by Sean Berry

Seryn is the third band I featured on Music Monday back in 2012. There, I explained my love for Seryn not only for their beautiful music, but for my red bearded buddy Nathan (second from left) who was one of my dearest friends in college. I miss getting his big bear hugs just about every day, and their music for me has become just that: a giant hug. A giant hug of layering instruments, loud choruses and heart warming words.

Stream: “Paths”
Paths
The band recently moved from Texas to Nashville and last week, released their sophmore album. For those of us who have been listening to This is Where We Are since 2011, Shadow Shows has been hugely anticipated and for me, just what I wanted. It’s a matured Seryn without losing that classic sound that makes them so damn good. I can’t urge you enough to go fall in love with this band if you haven’t yet, as I’m confident you will with just one listen.

Stream: “Foreign Fields”
Foreign Fields
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Keep listening…
iTunes | Spotify

Photo via The Adroit Journal 

I’m going to be honest with y’all…
My most played artist of December was Taylor Swift. And over the holidays, I didn’t check out any new music. I was all about the pop ballads and the 90s rap (thanks to Houston’s Boom 92).

When the internet exploded last week with this Taylor Swift mashup by Louisa Wendorff and Devin Dawson, I exploded as well. If you haven’t seen it, let the video below be your gateway into this Nashville singer/songwriter’s music. Then give her EP Arrow a listen (iTunes | Spotify).

Personnel on the USS Lexington, December 1944

1. 100 Mile House – “We’ll Count All The Days”
we’ll count all the days
… a single. You can get this for free on Bandcamp.

2. Al Owen – “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
… on Our Christmas Wish a Cancer Free World (iTunes | Spotify). I wouldn’t call myself a fan of this song, but I can get down with this funky blues version. Real down.

3. LAYLA – “Winter, You Tease”
Winter, You Tease
… on The New Year EP (iTunes | Spotify). So, so crazy about this one. Sure, it’s not a “Christmas song,” but it’s a winter song and it just fits in a Christmas playlist.

4. The Canon Logic – “Kiss Me on Christmas”
Kiss Me On Christmas
… a single (iTunes | Spotify).

5. Echosmith – “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”
I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day
… a single (iTunes | Spotify).

Photographed by Slim Aarons

1. The Crane Wives – “Winter Song”
Winter Song
…on A Very Crane Wives Christmas EP (Bandcamp). I dig this folky take on Sara Bareilles’ original.

2. Amy Stroup – “You Make The Cold Disappear” 
You Make the Cold Disappear
… on You Make the Cold Disappear EP (for free on NoiseTrade). I was torn between posting this one and “Wishes Come True” from the same EP, so make sure to get it.

3. John Pringle – “Christmas in Bruges”
Christmas in Bruges
… a single (iTunes | Spotify).

4. Jeremih – “You’re Mine”
You’re Mine
… a single (iTunes | Spotify). This one gets stuck in my head just like “Don’t Tell ‘Em,” but it’s a lot more appropriate…

5.  Dean Martin – “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm”
I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
… on Christmas With the Rat Pack (iTunes | Spotify). Don’t forget about these perfect classics. This one in particular just transports me to a Christmas party in the ’50s, and I look fabulous as I gaze over the New York City skyline and sip a martini…

Subscribe to Go Christmas on Spotify for over 350 songs of Merry Music Madness.

Photographed by Richard Avedon

It’s that Holly Jolly time of year again, people! Get in the spirit here every week with one of my favorite features every December – Merry Music Monday. 5 songs, every Monday, until Christmas Day. Pretty simple, and pretty amazing. Let’s get this party started right…

1. Gent & Jawns – “Turn Up Ye Merry Gentleman”
Turn Up Ye Merry Gentlemen
…on A Very Decent Christmas (iTunes | Soundcloud). Yup.

2. Nick D’ & The Believers – “Christmas in the City”
Christmas in the City
…a single (iTunes | Bandcamp).

3. Zerbin – “Fall”
Fall
…on Christmas! (free on NoiseTrade). I love this take of “Oh Holy Night.”

4. The Lonely Wild – “Holidays”
Holidays
…a single (iTunes | Spotify). There’s just something I love about a bitter, Christmas heartache song.

5. Johnnyswim – “Christmas Day”
Christmas Day
….on A Johnnyswim Christmas (iTunes | Spotify).

Subscribe to Go Christmas on Spotify for over 350 songs of Merry Music Madness.

Photographed by Brendan Walters

High School Caroline was obsessed with Something Corporate, her first introduction to Andrew McMahon‘s piano, vocal and songwriting skills. She loved all of their albums and still jams them, and not just for the nostalgia. End third person, move forward.

I’ve been into every one of Andrew McMahon’s projects. SoCo, Jack’s Mannequin, and now his solo venture. It’s no surprise that I’d be into this new endeavor. In Billboard’s Exclusive Premier of the album, I learned that to write the album, he literally set off for the wilderness – a cabin in Topanga Canyon. “McMahon would write during the week and head home on weekends to be with his wife Kelly, who was pregnant with their first child. Their newborn baby, Cecilia, inspired the album’s second track, ‘Cecilia and the Satellite.'” The song mentioned is my favorite from the record, and even sweeter after reading him describe it – “I wanted to have a snapshot of who I was in the years leading up to meeting her.”

I love this album in it’s entirety – it just gets better and better with each listen.

Stream: “Cecilia and the Satellite”
Cecilia and the Satellite

iTunes | Spotify