My friend is a music psychic.  I know this sounds odd, but she is.  She has the ability to pick out that next hit song or trendy new artist a week or so before they break onto the musical landscape.  She claims that her husband just reads Rolling Stone at work, but I still find it remarkable.  She will give me a mix tape full of artists I’ve never heard of and within the next week, I’ll hear one of the songs playing in starbucks, another one over the closing credits on Grey’s anatomy, and a third one used on the new Mac commercial.

It’s not surprising that she’s ahead of the curve.  We were sitting around in book group once, talking and someone asked what our soul’s true age was – the age that you are internally, despite what your biological clock is reading.  Well Kris who is 40 said that her soul’s age was 21.  I, who am 35, reported that my soul’s age was probably about 42.  I’m just an old soul.  I don’t know what to say.  I like folk music, NPR, and Cracklin Oat Bran.  Perhaps this explains why middle school was kind of rough.  Nobody wanted to come over to my basement and jam out to my Joan Baez recordings.  Go figure.

Anyway, in addition to my lameness, I enjoy what the kids are listening to now a days as well.  I’m fairly eclectic in my tastes and, while I do have a favorite opera singer and can bore you to tears talking about obscure folk singer Phil Ochs (anyone?),  I have an equal affinity for mindless pop music.  Much to my wife’s chagrin I have a Kelly Clarkson CD and have a bit of a thing for Tina Turner (concert at the Verizon Center Nov. 23!).

So, here are some up and comers all recommended by Sensei Kris.  For some reason most of these folks are all British.  It worries me.  What happened to USA’s dominance in radio friendly music?  I mean, sure the Brits gave us the Beatles, but we’ve more or less kicked their butts since then.  It got so bad that they had to start stealing our stars.  Come back to us, Madonna!  All is forgiven for that crappy album you gave us back in the late 90s.  Pat Robertson says he’s sorry!

Go USA!

Here are 5 artists to check out.  Bear in mind, you may absolutely hate my taste in music and have just wasted, 15 minutes of your life, but there’s not really anything I can do about that.

Duffy

This girl is hot.  She’s like a sober Amy Winehouse.  You’ve probably heard her new song Mercy and not realized it.  Her album just came out.  Go buy it now and make your friends think you’re cool.

Mika

I really like this guy.  He sounds a lot like Freddie Mercury, if Freddy was even more effeminate (I know, I know).   Check out the song Grace Kelly.  It is so much fun.  My daughter, Audra, loves Mika too.  She’s always asking me to play “that Lollipop song.”  I think that’s appropriate.  I’m not really sure what the lyrics are talking about.

The Fratellis

Their song, Flathead, was used in one of the first Mac commercials where all those shadows are dancing around so crazy.  I will say, this album does kind of make you want to get up and dance like that, with limbs flying around and your head flailing up and down like a meth addict.  Plus, I personally think that they took their name from the badguys in the movie “The Goonies.”  I have no actual knowledge of this, but wouldn’t that be awesome?
 
The Pipettes

These three saucy gals are fun and infectious and don’t require a lot of singing talent to wail along with them.  It is definitely sunny-day-bounce-around-with-the-kids music.  They’re like a 50s girl group, but more sassy.  I especially like Pull Shapes and Your Kisses are Wasted on Me.

Eric Hutchinson

And finally an American to round out this group.  Eric Hutchinson is a local Marylander and is so far pretty unknown.  Check out Oh! and Ok is Alright With Me.  Another upbeat, sunny guy.  I find that I need that somewhere around 4:30 in the afternoon when I know I’ve still got another three hours before my wife gets home.  A quick music and dance break in our house does wonders for all of us.  I’ve also heard that this guy is a lot of fun in concert.

So, that’s my list of music to help you stay young and get down with that new happening sound that the kids are listening to.  Actually I’m not sure the kids are listening to any of this stuff. The kids are probably listening to some kind of weird death metal electronic accordion or something, but I don’t think I can stomach that.  I do have a soul’s age of 42 after all.  If you find something you like, thank Kris.  If you don’t, just go back to listening to your Fleetwood Mac CD and eating your Luna bars.  There’s nothing wrong with that either.