I was looking for socks.

She was looking for love.

It was the day before Valentine’s Day and she was shopping for her girlfriend, who was single. I had never heard of this phenomenon but apparently, women get each other presents on Valentine’s Day. So the quote “looking for love in all the wrong places” clearly applies here – when was the last time you ever heard someone say they met the love of their life in Walmart?

Whole Foods, Starbucks, I could even imagine that happening at Staples (women go CRAZY for printer ink cartridges**) but Walmart?

She was unsuccessful in her quest for love that day but I was victorious in my quest – finding the perfect woman’s tank top. $10.69. And pink. Just something I can wear out and about casually to get my Klinger on…which is not to be confused with my klingon…or my #stagefiveclinger - hi Stacy.

* I never played football

** email me and I’ll tell you the story

We are now a month into the new year! Time to check in with those resolutions. One on my list was to listen to at least one new band a month in the hopes of expanding my music listening repertoire (so far, so good). In case there are any other music lovers out there with the same goal, I’ve decided to compile my list of “must haves” from 2011. Here are the top 10 releases from last year!

10. Cage the Elephant: Thank You Happy Birthday
The second release for Cage the Elephant came out at the beginning of 2011. It’s exactly what you would expect from the young indie band. An eclectic mix of sounds from the frenzied “Indy Kidz” to the more sultry coos of singer Matt Shultz on “Right Before My Eyes” and “Rubber Ball.” And as asked in “Around My Head” can you dig it? Yes, Mr. Shultz, I can.

9. Mat Kearney: Young Love
The upbeat ramblings of Mat Kearney are always a welcome addition to any music collection. His single “Hey Mama” found success on mainstream charts following its release. While the album starts off with this pop number the album as whole gives off a more somber feel. Many of the songs share a deeper message with listeners. “Ships In The Night,” “Sooner or Later,” and “Rochester” are all meaning filled lyric poems. The real treat with Kearney is ability to show his love and belief in God without throwing it right into your face. There are also tracks like “Young Dumb and In Love” and “She Got the Honey” that share the life of “Hey Mama.” A mix that can warm anyone’s heart.

8. Casey Shea: In Your Head
Brooklyn based artist Casey Shea brings joyful sounds to all who will listen! His second album release is a smile inducing journey through time and space. With emotion filled tracks like “Let It Slide,” “It Is What It Is,” and “I Don’t Know Why” you are dropped deep into the streets of croon city. He leads you back out riding the wave of joy on “Jennifer,” “Chelsea,” and “Can’t Get Enough.” Shea’s talent lies in his ability to jump for a song that will make anyone get up and dance to one that teenage girls all over the world will listen to when they need a good cry. Great things lie in store for this singer.

7. The Black Keys: El Camino
The Black Keys album, which started with the release of their single “Lonely Boy” has been widely accepted by listeners. This album was my first purchase of any of their music and I am already in love. I like the kind of slow sound their album has. It’s one of those you think you could just lay on your bed, stare at the ceiling, and listen to. I’ve particularly been enjoying “Hell of a Season,” “Money Maker,” “Mind Eraser,” and “Nova Baby.” There are some throwback sounds in their music I’m really digging.

6. Foster the People: Torches
The debut album for Foster the People came out in early May. The release of their single “Pumped Up Kicks” brought them mountains of recognition in the indie and mainstream music worlds. But that track only scratches the surface of what singer Mark Foster has to offer. His real vocal talent is found on the gems “I Would Do Anything for You” and “Don’t Stop.” For those who like the sound of “Pumped Up Kicks” can find similar enjoyment with the tracks “Helena Beat” and “Houdini.”

5. Noah and the Whale: Last Night on Earth
My past experiences with Noah and the Whale occurred when I heard their album Peaceful The World Lays Me Down. With my listening of Last Night I have discovered that their sound has changed quite a bit. If you’re one of those fans who don’t like when bands advance their sound, this may not be the album for you. Despite the significant difference I hear in the sound, I still really enjoyed it. They’ve moved into a more electro feel with the insertion of synthesized sounds on tracks such as “Tonight’s the Kind of Night” and “Wild Thing.” I hear reminisces of The Killers and retro 80’s. Kind of makes you wish you were on some kind of something there…

4. The Kooks: Junk of the Heart
The title track “Junk of the Heart” was one of my favorite songs from 2011. It’s a great mix of old Kooks sounds but clearly show the new direction for the group. The whole album sounds this way really. The unique voice of singer Luke Pritchard can’t be masked. This album, for the band, has moved them in a somewhat blander direction than previously. But, with that in mind, I still deem it a must download. For more old school Kooks sounds, check out the track “How’d You Like That.”  Tracks to love: “Rosie” “Time Above the Earth” and “Is It Me”

3. Eddie Vedder: Ukulele Songs
Alright, now who doesn’t love an old rock star starting fresh?! Eddie Vedder, that guy from Pearl Jam, released his second solo album in 2011. What works for Vedder is that he has gone in a completely different direction from what was Pearl Jam. It’s just him and his ukulele on this album. There are some frenzied messes like “Can’t Keep” and some sweet love coos on “Sleeping By Myself” and “Without You.” The single off the album “Longing to Belong” is a fantastic middle ground between the two. Vedder proves that despite what reputation he may have gained in the rock world, he isn’t afraid to truly go after his musical passions. Which in this case, are the musical stylings of a ukulele.

2. Switchfoot: Vice Verses
And of course Switchfoot is that ever faithful band you can always count on for a good album. Their sound, which never seems to fully change but merely evolve, can clearly be heard on every track. There’s the uplifting lyrics of “Where I Belong,” the deep message of “The War Inside,” and the passion of “Thrive.” Something newer for the band is the spoken word style of “Selling the News” and they pull it off well. That subtle hint of “Christian rock band” is ever present on every track but they wouldn’t be Switchfoot without it. Tried and true, the Californian boys deliver a smashing album as always.

1. Tally Hall: Good and Evil
Six years after their first album release and three years after the re-release of that same album, Tally Hall finally released their second studio album on June 21. Good and Evil certainly was worth the wait. The 14 track album is littered with the signature sounds of the quintet. The grand sounds of harmonious melodies fill each song. From the chipper sounds of “Out in the Twilight” and “Turn the Lights Off,” to the more sombering tones of “A Lady” the lyrical genius expected of Tally Hall can be found. Previous fan or not I would classify this as the top release of 2011.
With that we end the list. Let’s take a moment to recognize that there were plenty of other great releases through the year but these 10 albums were by far the best downloads of 2011.

1. my complete inability to grow facial hair (grateful for this, by the way)
2. my head always getting cold in the city…hard to wear hats with this hair though
3. the fact that there’s a bible in every hotel room that I stay in
4. I routinely use the word “mingle”

1. Wilco – The Whole Love
2. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Here We Rest
3. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
4. Foster the People – Torches
5. Drake – Take Care
6. Dawes – Nothing Is Wrong
7. J. Cole – Cole World: The Sideline Story
8. Bon Iver – Bon Iver
9. The Horrors – Skying
10. Deer Tick – Divine Providence

December is my favorite month of the year & my favorite holiday is Christmas…yes, I know that from the 10th to the 24th, driving anywhere after 5pm is like trying to climb Mt Everest in flip-flops (there’s a better analogy somewhere in the world)…and sure, every Starbucks has a line 20-deep to keep the shopping going strong but man, it’s CHRISTMAS. I’m such a sucker for the romance of December in New England – town greens lit up with 20 small Christmas trees, wreaths on every mom & pop store on main street, that awesome pumpkin spice latte that works just as well for apple picking as it does on a train ride to Rockefeller Center.

So with my love for the Christmas season in mind, we shot a music video for “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” complete with a gingerbread house, brownies and a dog dressed in a Santa costume. It was shot and directed by the lovely Josh Adams and he decided that the two lovely ladies in the video won the gingerbread house decorating contest – apparently, their side had “continuity” and “style” while ours had “nothing particularly special or appealing about it.” So there you go.

The video is below, enjoy!

In the last video, I didn’t really have to do a lot of acting – I was just being my normal outgoing self on the streets of Atlanta, having a great time. But for THIS video, I will be acting. So the real question is whether or not I’ll be able to become Ryan Reynolds in the next 7 days to pull this off. As you can see from the video below, I was having a good time but wasn’t necessarily doing any ‘acting’…we were more focused on seeing how the ladies and I interacted on-camera in whatever form that presented itself.

We’ve picked the top 3 actresses and I’d love to hear your thoughts on who you think should be in the video. Watch belowwww….

Haha so here are mine.

Record of the Year
“Rolling in the Deep,” Adele; “Holocene,” Bon Iver; “Grenade,” Bruno Mars; “The Cave,” Mumford & Sons; “Firework,” Katy Perry.
Who I think will win: “Rolling in the Deep,” Adele
How certain I am: 100%

Album of the Year
“21,” Adele; “Wasting Light,” Foo Fighters; “Born This Way,” Lady Gaga; “Doo-Wops & Hooligans,” Bruno Mars; “Loud,” Rihanna.
Who I think will win: ”21,” Adele
How certain I am: 93%

Song of the Year
“All of the Lights,” Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter and Kanye West, songwriters (performed by Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi and Fergie);
“The Cave,” Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford and Country Winston, songwriters (Mumford & Sons);
“Grenade,” Brody Brown, Claude Kelly, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars and Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Bruno Mars);
“Holocene,” Justin Vernon, songwriter (Bon Iver);
“Rolling in the Deep,” Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters (Adele).
Who I think will win: ”Rolling in the Deep,” Adele, “All of the Lights” Kanye West
How certain I am: 70% Adele, 30% Kanye

New Artist
The Band Perry, Bon Iver, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj, Skrillex.
Who I think will win: Skrillex.
How certain I am: 30%. Time to recognize that SiriusXM has Electric Area (channel 52) but it’ll probably go to Nicki Minaj because she’s been, you know, everywhere.

Best Pop Solo Performance
Adele – “Someone Like You”, Lady Gaga – “You And I”, Bruno Mars – “Grenade”, Katy Perry – “Firework”, Pink – “[Expletive] Perfect”
Who I think will win: ”Firework” Katy Perry
How certain I am: 100%

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse – “Body And Soul”, The Black Keys – “Dearest”, Coldplay – “Paradise”, Foster The People – “Pumped Up Kicks”, Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera – Moves Like Jagger
Who I think will win: ”Body and Soul” – Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
How certain I am: 100%. “He’s old, and she’s dead.” – Megan Baker

Pop Vocal Album
“21,” Adele; “The Lady Killer,” Cee Lo Green; “Born This Way,” Lady Gaga; “Doo-Wops & Hooligans,” Bruno Mars; “Loud,” Rihanna.
Who I think will win: ”Doo-Wops & Hooligans” Bruno Mars
How certain I am: 70%. Adele can have album of the year but Bruno kicks pop music right in the teeth with his disc. It’s so great, it’s top-40, it’s something everyone can have a listen to and enjoy. He wins for me.

Rock Album
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Party Honoring Les Paul,” Jeff Beck; “Wasting Light,” Foo Fighters; “Come Around Sundown,” Kings of Leon; “I’m With You,” Red Hot Chili Peppers; “The Whole Love,” Wilco.
Who I think will win: ”The Whole Love,” Wilco
How certain I am: 90%. This album is just TOO DARN GOOD not to win a Grammy.

Rap Album
“Watch the Throne,” Jay-Z and Kanye West; “Tha Carter IV,” Lil Wayne; “Lasers,” Lupe Fiasco; “Pink Friday,” Nicki Minaj; “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” Kanye West.
Who I think will win: ”My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” Kanye
How certain I am: 80% I also agree with Megan, it should’ve been nominated for Album of the Year in place of Rihanna.

Country Album
“My Kinda Party,” Jason Aldean; “Chief,” Eric Church; “Own the Night,” Lady Antebellum; “Red River Blue,” Blake Shelton; “Here for a Good Time,” George Strait; “Speak Now,” Taylor Swift.
Who I think will win: ”My Kinda Party,” Who DOESN’T like this album? Other than people who don’t like country…
How certain I am: 100%

Best Rock Performance
Coldplay – “Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall”, The Decemberists – “Down By The Water”, Foo Fighters – “Walk”, Mumford & Sons – “The Cave”, Radiohead – “Lotus Flower”
Who I think will win: “The Cave,” Mumford & Sons
How certain I am: 80%. M&S is cool, they’re in and they’re hip. And they’ll stay that way.

Best Alternative Music Album
Bon Iver – “Bon Iver”, Death Cab For Cutie – “Codes And Keys”, Foster The People – “Torches”, My Morning Jacket – “Circuital”, Radiohead – “The King Of Limbs”
Who I think will win: ”Torches,” Foster the People
How certain I am: 70%. Forget that they’re all over the radio and in every airport PA system – this record is AMAZING. I’ve had it on repeat since the wonderful power outage in the northeast and it’s so slick and alt-pop-dance-electronica-goodness. It’s like Owl City but for the hipsters. And everyone who listens to top-40.

Best Rap Performance
Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes – “Look At Me Now”, Jay-Z & Kanye West – “Otis”, Lupe Fiasco – “The Show Goes On”, Nicki Minaj & Drake – “Moment 4 Life”, Wiz Khalifa – “Black And Yellow”
Who I think will win: ”Look At Me Now,” Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
How certain I am: 100%. Because this song made white kids THINK they can say the N word…guess what? YOU CAN’T.

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Beyonce & Andre 3000 – “Party”, DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne- “I’m On One”, Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey – “I Need A Doctor”, Rihanna & Drake – “What’s My Name?”, Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne – “Motivation”, Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie – “All Of The Lights”
Who I think will win: ”Motivation,” Kelly Rowland & Lil Wayne
How certain I am: 50%. This song turns me on.

Best Rap Song
“All Of The Lights” – Written By: Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West. Performed by: Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie.
“Black And Yellow” – Written By: Mikkel Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen & Cameron Thomaz. Performed by: Wiz Khalifa
“I Need A Doctor” – Written By: Andre Young, Marshall Mathers III, Alexander Grant & Skylar Grey. Performed by: Dr. Dre, Eminem & Skylar Grey.
“Look At Me Now” – Written By: Jean Baptiste, Chris Brown, Ryan Buendia, Trevor Smith, Dwayne Carter, Jr. & Wesley Pentz. Performed by: Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes.
“Otis” – Written By: Shawn Carter & Kanye West. Performed by: Jay-Z & Kanye West.
“The Show Goes On” – Written By: Dustin William Brower, Jonathon Keith Brown, Daniel Johnson, Kane & Wasalu Muhammad Jaco. Performed by: Lupe Fiasco.
Who I think will win: ”The Show Goes On,” Lupe Fiasco
How certain I am: 60% Again, Megan said it best: “I think he deserves it…but probably won’t get it.”

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
Jason Aldean With Kelly Clarkson – “Don’t You Wanna Stay”, Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter – “You And Tequila”, The Civil Wars – “Barton Hollow”, Thompson Square – “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Who I think will win: ”Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” Thompson Square
How certain I am: 80% not just because it’s a sure pick but because I like that song the best out of any of them.