Coldplay cover of "Fun" from their new album, A Head Full of Dreams

It's been a while! We are very glad to be back. Our goal is to post at least one cover video a month for you to enjoy. I wanted to kick off the year with a song I've been digging recently in Coldplay's "Fun" from their newest release, A Head Full of Dreams.

The whole album is a bit of an uptick in energy and vibe from their previous release, and "Fun" immediately struck me with the beautiful guitar line (which was converted to a piano line for the cover) and the angelic vocals of Tove Lo. Luckily, our good friend Debi Baxter also has an angelic voice and agreed to use it for the purposes of this cover.

After the initial draw of the sound, I was struck by the poignancy of the lyrics in the song. In case anyone is somehow not aware, Chris Martin, lead singer of the band, divorced his wife of ten years, Gwyneth Paltrow. While I have nothing to add about the gossip of why it happened or whose fault it was, "Fun" is about dealing with a loss like this. After spending so much time with someone, is it possible to end on positive terms? Is it possible for a relationship to end and for that not to be a bad thing? I'd like to think so. Whether or not it's possible, I'll leave for you to decide.

Either way, I hope you enjoy our cover. I had fun learning it, and we had a lot of fun getting together and making it.

See you soon.

JB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gRWinOzZMM (use link if video doesn't play)

Good For What Ails You

There once was a whale who taught the duck how to loosen up--at least there will be.

Our first EP is coming out June 12th, 2015, and I can't wait for you to hear it. None of the songs are about a duck or a whale. They are  instead about a journey I've been on the past several years to lighten up. You see I have this proclivity--one I'm sure many of you share--to spend too much time focusing on the shadows instead of the lights. I don't know whether it is just because it is easier for me or the way I'm wired, but the journey of this little EP is a progression of this journey.

These songs have been good for me, and my hope is that they can be good for you too.

We've put in a lot of work into release and particularly into making this pre-order special for you. We will be offering all of this for $8 (including shipping):

-Physical copy shipped prior to June 9
-Early digital download
-Lyric book with original short story
-Access to demo versions and exclusive video
-Hand-written thank you letter

Pre-order starts May 12, 2015

Be well,
Josh
LC

Lover of the Light (Mumford and Sons Cover)

 When I heard my first Mumford and Sons song, I remember feeling angry. I was frustrated that they were able to perfect--and make incredibly popular--the music I thought I wanted to make. I was initially drawn to the foot-stomping folk feel, and I enjoyed the melodies even if they sung lyrics I couldn't quite understand. Is it religious? Is it "spiritual"? Is it saying anything at all?



They get some heat for a number of reasons (pretty scathing review here), but I think much of the heat is overblown. Mumford writes nice pop songs whose formula is different, albeit very familiar/related to mainstream pop. They helped create a segue to great folk artists for many who may have otherwise not paid any attention, which I can get excited about.



 I'm still not sure what their songs are exactly about, but I enjoy most of them anyway.



 Hope you like the cover, and thanks for listening -J

Andrew McMahon and the Wilderness

From his beginnings in Something Corporate and through Jack's Mannequin, I have been a fan of Andrew Mcmahon's songwriting for a long time. In high school I related to the angst, loneliness, and reflection. I have matured along with his songwriting--though I openly profess nostalgic bliss towards his older material--and am delighted to report that amidst the vast array of emotions his music elicits in me, there remains always a resounding ringing of hope.

I have a deep love and respect for Andrew Mcmahon, and his new project "Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness" (get the recently released album here) only strengthens those ties for me. The first single immediately resonated with me as he wrote it for his soon-to-be-born-daughter, Cecilia. Having just had my first baby, Iris, Andrew captured perfectly many of the thoughts and feelings that I'd recently gone through, and I couldn't wait for the opportunity to cover it.

All that said, we hope you like our cover of "Cecilia and the Satellite" from Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness: