MP3s: Jeni and Billy, Emmy the Great, Lykke Li, Viking Moses

The song link itself will take you to an MP3 search engine if the direct link ever goes dead. Feel free to reply and post other tracks below.

Jeni and Billy – Chicken Ridge

When this track came on the radio on a sunny fall Sunday while driving around the Bronx, Jeni’s and Billy’s voices transported me away from the crumbling warehouses and over-paved neighborhoods to the Appalachian wilderness. There’s no narrative to the lyrics, but these two voices, guitar and banjo take you on a personal audio tour of a sad and beautiful place.http://jeniandbilly.com/audio/JENI_HANKINS-Chicken_Ridge.mp3

Emmy the Great – Easter Parade

Emma-Lee Moss has a great, clear voice. This track is a live recording of a performance at this year’s SXSW, and is as good a reason as any to resolve to see more live shows. Her phrasing of the dense prose-like verses is nimble and confident and I especially love the melody and phrasing of familiar Latin hymn lyrics in the chorus which make them entirely her own.http://flouz.info/mp3/Emmy_the_Great-Easter_Parade.mp3

Lykke Li – My Love

Most of the songs I’ve heard by Lykke Li are fun like 80s pop was fun, but this understated two-chord track is lush and dreamy and finishes with a great a cappella whirlwind. She’s got a baby voice which doesn’t always work for me in all the different deliveries she tries but it works here as she sings in a hushed register. Also, dig one of the backup singer’s crazy warbling falsetto.
http://www.cavacool.com/files/05_my_love.mp3

Viking Moses – Al Jazeera

This track has a sweet melody and sung from the perspective of one living in an occupied country and dealing with daily oppression. I admire Viking Moses like I admire early Bright Eyes or The Mountain Goats in their drive to put down so many of their thoughts and experiences into song. I’ve only just been introduced to this artist, but look forward to listening to more.http://www.marriagerecs.com/sound/aljazeera.mp3