You Oughta Know Music LifeStyleLetter PART 1

VH1 began the new year featuring Sia in their "You Oughta Know" Artist program. Which befuddled me. Honestly, I even said as much in my Facebook status update...I was convinced VH1 was screwing with me as I've known and loved Sia for at least seven years and a handful of albums; her voice is powerful and yet naive at the same time; and there has been nary a better live show than the one I saw her perform at SXSW in neon dayglow a few years ago. However, according to a cross-section of responses to my posting from Facebook friends, it would seem there is actually a fairly large group of people who don't know her.

So New Year's Resolution Number 1; inspired by VH1, I am sharing artists and songs that I hope to become household names in 2011, in the event they've mysteriously slipped through the cracks until now. Turns out there's a lot, so consider this Part 1.







And since everyone likes the fun facts that I seem able to remember easier than the names of people I meet at parties, here's a few random ones:


The Pogues, Love you Till the End - My namesake that just happens to be an iconic band. The song was amply used in a sweet film with Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler; "P.S. I Love You"

Sia, Breathe Me - The featured song in "HBO's "Six Feet Under" final montage of the series.

Zero 7, In the Waiting Line - This album featured Sia and was when I first fell in love with her vocals. And you might remember it as part of the soundtrack from a little film called "Garden State".

Florence + the Machine, Dog Days are Over - A good song, and likely the most recognizable given it was featured in the trailer for Julia Robert's film version of "Eat Pray Love" (My mom loved the film, my Aunt Caroline asked me to never mention it though did have an amusing story about a local T-shirt it inspired in Bali, "Eat Pray Leave").

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Hot Summer Night - This band's new album reminds me of the jumping off point that Kings of Leon's Only By the Night album was for that band. Plus, it's the first band that seems to have captured the same mix of talent, fun and sex appeal this year. Paris (Ooh La La) is the more recognizable song, but it's chilly out and this song helps to trick me into thinking it's warmer.

Pink Martini, Hey Eugene - I have no idea how I stumbled upon this band, but it was this year and is a cherished find. Any band that describes themselves as what the house band for the United Nations in 1962 would sound like if there was such a thing, is worth a listen.

Alice Russell, Hurry on Now - Hands down one of my favorite songs. I was introduced to Alice while working at 456 by Matt Life (one half of the epic A&R duo alongside Schott Free who make up East Village Radio's "Frozen Files" (On air TODAY from 4-6PM).

Eli Paperboy Reed, Tell Me What I need to Know - I've tried to catch a show at least five times and it's always a near miss for one reason or another. At this point the band is my unicorn.

Raphael Saadiq, Keep Marchin - Probably one of my most favorite albums overall. Who knew a founding member of Tony! Toni! Tone! and Lucy Pearl would pull together one of my go-to albums?

Part 2 coming soon. I'm impossibly impatient when it comes to sharing new music...especially when half my friends have admitted to knowing less than 75% of the names on this list.