All Categories - Ears Like a Hawke

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - "Fresh Start"

1/1/2019

Well this seems appropriate for the new year, huh?

How have I never heard this song before? I mean, I truly thought I had heard all the Joan Jett music there ever was to hear, but somehow this feels so new to me!

Any resolutions out there for this fresh start of a new year? I vote for a new move, a refreshed outlook, and a focus in on self care so we can better take care of others. At least, those are the thing on my list.

Happy New Years everyone. :)

Sometimes I feel like I've been here before
It's like the past knocking on my door
Sometimes I feel like I'm standing still
Or better yet I'm running up a hill

Sometimes I feel like I need a crutch
Sometimes I feel like it's all too much
Sometimes I wonder what are we here for
And if I wanna do it anymore

I need a fresh start, let's go back to the top
Rewind the tape and reset the clock
This time, there's no turning back

2018 Songs of the Year - SPECIAL EDITION POST

12/31/2018

At the end of every year, instead of making big NYE plans with friends, I typically find myself enjoying some quiet, solitary days at home along with Iris, cleaning and prepping for the coming year. It's nice to be alone, I guess. It leaves me ready for people and fresh starts in the new year though.

Anywhos, you didn't come here to hear about what drives me to do this list at the last minute. You came here for music!

I've found myself thinking about this all during the year, trying to keep up with new songs mentally for this list. In the end, thank god for Spotify and their wrapped lists, because I can't tell you how much that helped.

So, usual disclaimer, as always - these are all songs that have had some sort of mainstream release; no b-sides or non-single tracks from albums. These are the ones that the labels and artists saw fit to push the most, and that I personally saw fit to invade my ears on repeat throughout the year. Now, granted, this is getting harder and harder to figure out, since everything seems to be a single release these days, but we'll do our best here.

Want to listen to the whole thing in order? No prob! I've got you! Check out the Spotify playlist I created (first fifteen in artist name order, last 10 in countdown style).

As per tradition, on this New Years Eve, let's kick things off with 15 Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order by artist):

Alien Weaponry - "Kai Tangata"

Anne Marie - "2002"

Brett Young feat. Gavin DeGraw - "Chapters"

Camilla Cabello - "Never Be the Same"

Carrie Underwood feat. Ludacris - "The Champion"

CFO$ - "Best of Both Worlds"

Daughtry - "Backbone"

Fall Out Boy - "Wilson (Expensive Mistakes)"

Jess Glynn - "I’ll Be There"

Kesha - "Here Comes the Change"

One Republic - "Connection"

Panic! At the Disco - "The Greatest Show"

P!nk - "A Million Dreams"

Rascal Flatts - "Back to Life"

Sam Hunt - "Downtown's Dead"

10. The Struts feat. Kesha - "Body Talks (Remix)"

You can be cool, you can be shy
Say what you want, say what you like
'Cause ooh, your body talks, your body talks

I loved this song before the added female voice, and it became an addiction when Kesha got added to the mix. It becomes this awesome back and forth conversation that could rock any LES back-bar show room.

9. Keith Urban feat. Julia Michaels - "Coming Home"

I'm longing for the real thing
People who know the real me
And all the ways to love me back to life

So "no shit there I was" on my way to the airport on my first trip to Nashville in a while, and this song is the first one I hear. This is a great part of Keith's gentle pop-country line he's been treading, with a collaboration with this incredible songwriter in Julia. I don't know how they managed to make these effects sound like they worked so well, but there's nothing that called me back to the sweet southern highways quite as much as this song this year.

8. Hunter Hayes - "Dear God"

You make me love so hard
When everything I love just leaves
Are you sure that there's nothing wrong with me?

Talk about the one that'll hit you hard. I literally had a walk in the rain listening to this on repeat. For still such a young man, Hunter takes on the feelings I think a lot of us are afraid to vocalize. He and Andy Grammer teamed up on this, and I think they nailed it for sure. It'll make you question everything all at once.

7. David Cook - "Death of Me"

I fall apart at the very thought of me and you
We're running through each other ’til we’re black and blue

David Cook created some of the sexiest music his smooth voice has ever created this year (it's about now I'll remind you I'm a single 30-year-old girl). "Death of Me" came out around Halloween this year, with David himself calling it his own holiday song.

Also, I met the guy this year, so hey, I'm a little biased towards him and his great music.

6. Avril Lavigne - "Head Above Water"

God, keep my head above water
I lose my breath at the bottom
Come rescue me, I'll be waiting
I'm too young to fall asleep

Avril re-emerged this year after a life long battle with Lymes Disease drove her to deliver the most epic anthem of the year. This is an incredibly powerful song from someone who's proven her power for years in so many different ways. It's hard to see, I guess, if you haven't grown up with her along the way, but her truths mean so much for all of us that did.

5. Sara Bareilles - "Armor"

I see
The unforgettable, incredible ones who came before me
Brought poetry, brought science
Sowed quiet seeds of self-reliance
Bloomed in me, so here I am
You think I am high and mighty, mister?
Wait 'til you meet my little sister
All my, my, my, my armor comes from you
You make me try, try, try, try harder
Oh, that's all I ever do, ever do
Oh, no no, my, my, my, my armor comes from you
You make me stronger, stronger
Now, hand me my armor

#MeToo

4. Imagine Dragons - "Natural"

That's the price you pay
Leave behind your heartache, cast away

What an incredibly hard hitting, powerful, awesome song! I mean, these guys really nails it in every respect. This is for the workouts, the powerful walks, and the encouragement. It's dark enough with a burst of light to push you. Damn this is a good one.

3. Dan + Shay - "Tequila"

I can drink whiskey and red wine
Champagne all night
Little Scotch on the rocks and I'm fine, I'm fine
But when I taste tequila, baby I still see ya

Good country music tells you a story, and great modern country music puts smooth voices on the track to tell it. Day and Shay may have just had their most incredible year to date, and it's thanks to songs like this, even if it does bring a tear to the eye every single damn time.

2. Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey - "The Middle"

I'm losing my mind just a little
So why don't you just meet me in the middle?

Maren is a queen as it is, but then she turns around and belts out this killer tune that crosses all lines. It's got an incredible rhythm with a great beat to keep your hips going. It's the addiction of love that pulls people together, and this song just grabs it all at once.

1. Dierks Bentley feat. Brothers Osborne - "Burning Man"

I still go wherever the wind blows me, but I always find my way back
I still don't get it right sometimes, I just don't get it as wrong
I still go a little bit crazy sometimes, yeah, but now I don't stay near as long
I'm a little bit steady but still little bit rollin' stone
I'm a little bit heaven but still a little bit flesh-and-bone
Little found, little don't-know-where-I-am
I'm a little bit holy water but still a little bit burning man

In what is possibly one of the most beautifully written lyrical pieces of the year, Dierks Bentley encompasses everything it is to be an adult these days. I remember driving down the Parkway at some point this year and hearing this, and everything made so much sense along with the words. It's the acceptance that nothing has to make sense at all and that's fine. It's the growing up and figuring it out and not knowing in any way. It's all... okay.

And with that, I accept it too. Bring on 2019.

As always, love y'all and Happy New Year! Cheers to you and more music and great things ahead!

<3 J-Hawke

Aimee Mann - "Goose Snow Cone"

3/18/2018

As I sift through the many, many nominees from this year's list, the Grammys once again bring on some different sounds. Aimee Mann has a long-standing reputation, and this album's mood for its nomination (and win!) for Best Folk Album is set right from the start with this opening track.

It's a light track to ease you in, with lyrical content to confuse you just enough to draw self-conclusions. Personally, I think this is the epitome of what folk is, but I have my own biased opinions on these things. Welcome to my personal blog. :)

Gotta keep it together when your friends come by
Always checking the weather but they wanna know why
Even birds of a feather find it hard to fly

Thought I saw at my feet an origami crow
It was only the street hidden under the snow
Always snatching defeat, it's the devil I know

Maroon 5 - "Leaving California"

3/13/2018

I miss Songs About Jane so badly. Maroon 5 came at us with this incredibly unique jazz technique to their pop music, and we all fell for Adam Levine and his falsetto for life.

In rising success, the band seemed to go this odd pop route where the falsetto became less attractive and the sound less unique. I couldn't tell you is this was because the band chose the direction, or everyone else came in to mimic it.

V brought along a few good tracks again. While not quite what it had been, the band's experimentaiton seemed to pay off a little more. This song has this great steady marching beat in the background and Adam's voice is enjoyable. I love when there are silver linings that remind you how good music can be.

Pack your things and go, oh
But if you run away
I won't be alright

Even if the sun crashes into us
I won't let go, I won't let go
And I can be your light
Stay with me tonight

Aida Cuevas - "Nuestro Gran Amor"

2/11/2018

One of the reasons I've always loved exploring the complete Grammy nominations, beyond the ones that get televised, is that you get to discover some truly incredible music in a variety of genres you may never get to hear on a regular basis. That's the case here with this really lovely acoustic piece from her full album that was nominated for Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano).

Worth a listen just for the guitar playing along, the entire song has a beautiful tone. Then you read the lyrics (translation below just to give you a taste), and it's all perfect.

Como el sol le hace falta a la luna pues sin el no podría darnos luz como el aire hace falta en el mundo así me haces falta tú

Translation:
As the sun lacks the moon because without it it could not give us light as the air is needed in the world so you need me

Ariana Grande - "Break Free"

1/30/2018

What a great belting feel-good song. I mean it, really, this is power in a loud way. No matter how you feel about Ariana and her music, this is a track that would have us all up and yelling out the words on the dance floor.

Not a bad one to randomly come on the catch-all play list before a pivotal birthday.

You were better, deeper
I was under your spell
Like a deadly fever, yeah, babe
On the highway to hell, yeah

This is the part when I say I don't want ya
I'm stronger than I've been before
This is the part when I break free
'Cause I can't resist it no more

Jordan Fisher, Angie Keilhauer - "Happily Ever After"

1/29/2018

Yes, it's a sappy, sweet, Disney love song, and yes, I love it. Come on - the inner princess in us all can't help but still get swept up in the magic that imagination can bring. This is apparently the new theme song for Disney's new fireworks show too!

Plus, there's Jordan Fisher, and if he didn't win your heart during last season's "Dancing With The Stars," then you are ice my friends.

The battles, the stories, the losses and all the glories
We're changed by the way we live every day
Just look up and reach to the sky
We all have the courage to fly

The story comes alive, when we look inside
A new adventure there in your life
There in your eyes It's just beginning
Feel your heart beat faster
Reach out and find your happily ever after

Luke Bryan - "Roller Coaster"

1/16/2018

I don't love the Bro Country trend that seemed to attack us in the past few years, but Luke Bryan holds a special place in my heart. I've met him a few times, and once he accidentally kissed me on the cheek. It was magic, y'all.

And anywhos, it doesn't suck thinking of warm summer fun on these cold, bitter winter days.

The rest of those days
Turned into long crazy nights
When the music got loud
We'd sneak away from the crowd under the boardwalk lights
And with all the things we said
What I just can't get past
Is the way we let it end
Now I'm wonderin' where she is
Knowin' I can't get that goodbye back

Billy Redfield - "Die For You"

1/15/2018

It's kind of lovely when your Discovery Playlist starts off with guitar strumming and sweet love songs. I'm an unashamed hopeless romantic who's a sucker for them, so you can bet they're (a) always a win for me, and thus (b) always heading up by Discovery list each week because Spotify knows me too well.

March the earth 'til I fell through
Yeah I would die for you
Pass this life onto a new I would die for you
But I hope it ain't soon

6LACK - "PRBLMS"

1/14/2018

Look, I can't say this is one of my favorites, but we've got to start Grammy Sundays somewhere, so why not the first artist alphabetically? The style is, granted, unique (we'll elaborate more when I get to the full album review), and for sure shows a shift in musical mentality when it comes to awards.

Nominations:

Best Rap/Sung Performance
Best Urban Contemporary Album (for Free 6lack)

And she said
You a God damn lie
I ain't mean to say that shit girl I was God damn high
So we left the crib now we in the God damn ride
She lookin' God damn fine
I wanted a bitch who was down to Earth
But she want the God damn skies