Music Since Christmas

Before Christmas I had gone a long time without new music. I have definately indulged since then.

For Christmas as gifts (or via returns) I got:

David Crowder Band - "Church Music" (really dig the way track 12-15 flow together. Makes me want to dance, which I think is the point.)

Sara Groves - "Fireflies and Songs" (Who doesn't like Sara Groves?)

The Afters - "Light Up the Sky"

For Christmas I received $65 worth of iTunes gift cards. The first thing I decided to buy was the Mumford and Sons album “Sigh No More.” I was having trouble getting iTunes to redeem my gift cards so I decided to download the songs on my iPhone. The problem was that I didn’t now know how to redeem my gift cards on my phone either. I thought I could hit download and then it would ask if I was sure and at that point I could add my code. Nope. Just started downloading. So, I paid for “Sigh No More.” Best $10 I ever spent. I love this album.

This is my favorite song on the album. Their lyrics are so good. "Love, it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free. Be more like the man you were made to be."

I decided that I wanted to spend the rest of my money on individual songs instead of full albums. You know how it is, you buy an album and you only like half the songs, if that. So, instead of falling into that trap, I decided only to buy the songs I knew I liked. Back when my work computer was worth a damn I could listen to Pandora Radio (seriously, my work computer can not play music or videos without crashing now) and found a lot of new artists I liked. Bret Dennen, Forest Sun, the Decemberists and Ben Gibbard's solo stuff came from my Avett Brothers station. The Panic! at the Disco and Metro Station songs came from my Owl City station. I bought:

Bret Dennen: (these 7 songs are on 3 different albums. The convenience of being able to buy individual songs)

• Just Like The Moon
• When I Go
• Blessed
• Make You Crazy
• Heaven
• Aint No Reason
• She’s Mine

The Decemberists: The entire “Picaresque” album. (Yea, I know what I said, but I liked enough songs that buying the entire album was cheaper than song-by-song.)

Ben Gibbard: Carolina (good folk music)

Forest Sun:

• No Regrets
• Walk Through Walls
• Weep and Wail
• Drops in the Ocean
• In the Morning

Panic! At the Disco: Nine in the Afternoon (fun music)

Metro Station: Kelsey

I also picked up:

B.O.B – Magic (this is one of my favorite songs of the moment)

Bruno Mars – Just the way you are (an awesome, pure, non-sexual love song)

Katy Perry: Firework (pure pop, which is something I usually hate. But this, I love. A song that picks me up.)

Josh Turner: Would You Go With Me (love the deep voice)

Sanctus Real:

• Forgiven
• We Need Each Other

I also ended up, from previous purchases, with $5 of credit to Amazon's mp3 store. I bought:

Flo Rida: Club Can’t Handle Me (MY JAM!)

La Roux: Bulletproof (Abby loves this one)

Jason Derulo: Whatcha Say Dexys

Midnight Runners – Come on Eileen (Tu La Ta Lu Ra Lay!)

Phil Wickham – You’re Beautiful (a, well, beautiful song)

So, I still have 34.37 left on iTunes. Any suggstions?