LET YOUR EARS DECIDE TURNS 1!

I I II I can't believe it's already been a YEAR since I published my first post on this o'l thing. Since March 21, 2012 I've had the opportunity to share plenty of new (& old) tunes, remixes, B-sides, and covers with my lovely readers (aka YOU) on this blog! I've met some pretty cool people & learned a LOT about how these things work. There's been plenty of detours and obstacles in the way, but now that LYED is stationed in Fort Worth, Texas there will be exciting adventures on the way. I've had a lot of fun with this, and hope that you've enjoyed it just as much! Thanks to everyone who's "Liked" Let Your Ears Decide over on the Facebook page and continues to spread the word! 423 likes is amazing & I couldn't be more appreciative! :) If you haven't already, please click here! 

P.S. For those of you who have twitter, follow here!

So if you've been keeping up with LYED since the beginning, this might be a bit of a review but here are the 3 most popular posts to date:

#3 - freshvibesmonday #16 (Date: September 17, 2012)

This was a special post for me, as it was the first addition to the blog once I was (finally) settled in Philadelphia. Finding a handful of new music each week seemed like a load of work to some, but it's without a doubt one of my favorite pastimes! This particular FVB featured a few bonafide, including "Don't Call It Love" by Eliza Doolittle & a snazzy little remix of Ellie Goulding's "Anything Could Happen" by Birdy Nam Nam. Even though I moved to Philadelphia for a styling internship, I was constantly surrounded by music (which was awesome to say the least.) While I was living in Philadelphia during those 2 1/2 months I was lucky enough to see Two Door Cinema Club, Polica, Gardens & Villa, Beach House, Cold Cave, Divine Fits, Tame Impala, CocoRosie, The Neighbourhood, Paul Banks, The Early November, Taking Back Sunday, Purity Ring, and a few others that are slipping from my mind. In short: the music scene in Philadelphia is unlike any other and should not be taken advantage of! Quite envious of those who live in the area *sigh*.

#2 - ALL THINGS CHVRCHES RELATED (Date: November 27, 2012)

This trio from Glasgow is unstoppable! I was pleased with how this post turned out, since majority of the internet population aren't aware of CHVRCHES other tunes (at the time) besides "The Mother We Share" & "LIES." I was lucky enough to catch their set at the I Guess I'm Floating showcase over at Hype Hotel during SXSW last week. CHVRCHES had played one showcase the day before & already someone had written a review mentioning that Lauren Mayberry's appearance as a front-person wasn't that impressive (and to answer that question we've all been wondering - she's 25 years old.)

CHVRCHES put on one hell of a show by starting off with the powerful sounding "Lies." Mayberry's stage presence didn't change as it apparently did the day before when she switched positions with Martin Doherty for one of their last tracks "We Sink In."  Do your homework & if CHVRCHES is playing a show near you - don't let this amazing opportunity slip you by! 

#1 - YouTube Narnia (Date: March 24, 2012)

I guess there's something about "that part of YouTube" that really attracts the viewer. At the time that this was posted, most of these songs were slightly unheard of. That's definitely not the case for the artists of the songs now, and I am definitely excited to deliver a post filled with more gems.  It was quite unfortunate to find out that the friend who introduced me to "Maliblue" by Darius had passed away a couple days after this post was published. RIP JILL! <3

So to wrap things up for this post, here's one of LYED's favorites Daughter covering both "Perth" by Bon Iver & "Ready For The Floor" by Hot Chip for Zane Lowe on BBC Radio One! Daughter's debut album If You Leave was released earlier this week, but won't be released until April 30th in the states! The full-length features a handful of brand-new tracks as well as a re-mastered version of the all-time favorite "Youth."

Stay tuned for a recap of SXSW (or should I say the Disneyland for music aficionados.)

(ON AN ON) 

LYED Cheat Sheet

So I had to put LYED on pause for a bit & left the Lonestar State last Tuesday for a sweet lil va-cay in California. How sweet was it you ask? Well, I was lucky enough to snap this picture of Hendry's Beach in Santa Barbara on a day when it likes to show off its amazing features. I miss it already! While I was "home" I was fortunate enough to catch Ellie Goulding & St. Lucia at the Hollywood Palladium. This was the final stop for the Halcyon Days Tour, and for being a bit under the weather I thought Ellie pulled it off quite well! I must admit, I was EXTREMELY disappointed with the crowd during St. Lucia's set. St. Lucia is an incredible up-and-coming band from New York, and if you haven't heard of them then check out this gem of a song featured below. 

This isn't the first I've mentioned about St. Lucia on here, and definitely won't be the last. Since 2012 they've released a self-titled EP plus two EP releases for "We Got It Wrong" & "September"  which are all impressive in my opinion. To sum up the experience, hearing their old & unreleased material LIVE exceeded my expectations. Their performance was full of energy and I was very surprised to witness the lack of movement from those in the crowd around me. Then again, leading up to St. Lucia's performance I overheard countless comments and questions regarding this "Saint Lucy or Saint Lucca" band. Anyways, if you ever have the chance to catch St. Lucia live, I highly recommend it! Now back to Ellie Goulding: she put up a good fight overall. Since the first time I saw her live (Coachella 2011), she has grown immensely in stage performance and overall delivery as a musician. I must admit, I was a bit sad about the fact that she only performed one track with her guitar (Guns & Horses) & wished "Your Biggest Mistake" made it onto the set list. Yes, that happens to be my favorite song from her in case you were wondering. ;) The entire performance was a treat from beginning to end, but she won me over with "I Know You Care" from her sophomore release Halcyon which is about her father. I could go on and on about her set which featured everything from her standout cover of Elton John's "Your Song" to "Without Your Love" a song that every individual needs to hear (after a falling out or break-up.) 

A few days ago it was announced that Ellie will be touring with Bruno Mars this summer & if you're curious about when and where they'll be playing - click here!

Now for the good part of the post - the music! Since it's been quite some time since you've been given a post full of new tunes, I decided to create a "cheat sheet" aka a playlist via Spotify with 32 tracks that range from new releases to new finds for LYED. Hope this helps with satisfying your craving for new tunes! Enjoy :) 

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'Tis the season for LYED FREEBIES!

What's better than free music that's worth a damn? While everyone is knee-deep in finishing their lists and lists of lists....I decided to do something a bit different (for LYED). This is the first of (hopefully) several posts that focus on music that's made available as a free download by the artists themselves. The gift of giving can be quite amazing if it's real. 
ANYWAYS... If you thought this post was a good idea, feel free to spread the word or head over to Let Your Ears Decide via FACEBOOK or TWITTER. 

YES, LYED finally has a twitter account that's made specifically for sharing all things music related for those who prefer the "twittersphere" rather than Facebook. So c'mon guys, let LYED know what you thought...these ears know how to listen. *insert winking emoji slash cheesy smile* 

To sum up this amazing "Life In Color" mix by a duo called Adventure Club that I've been praising since LYED first started back in March- there's a little bit of Ellie Goulding, a little bit of Disclosure, some TNGHT and a couple of your favorite AC remixes (to say the least). This mix is a little over 27 minutes, but it's definitely worth investing in for a little energetic pre-game ritual or whatever you feel like pairing it with. 

So.. what are you waiting for? Get it while it's in front of you!

Mornin' was one of the first Star Slinger tracks that I fell in love with, and to hear this newly edited version is quite a delight. Feel free to listen to this "2k12 edit", and if you're curious to hear the original - here it is! Definitely check out Star Slinger's SoundCloud for more gems! You won't regret it. 

Let me be the millionth person to say this... Jack Steadman is a genius. He's 1/4 of the UK indie rock band Bombay Bicycle Club, and one hell of a talented individual to say the least. If you haven't stumbled across Steadman's solo materials,this is your time to catch up on the magic he's been making from the past couple of years. It was a bit difficult when choosing which song to feature on here... so spend some time on his SoundCloud where you'll find several free downloads as well as some unique twists to tracks you might be familiar with (cough cough for those who are BBC & Lucy Rose fans). 

4 THINGS YOUR EARS NEED TO HEAR ASAP.

& what a big surprise, each of the songs featured below are quite different from the next one. This was definitely a coincidence, but then again I've never been one to stick with a single genre when blogging or listening to music. I also posted a couple of videos/tracks that I'm currently digging on my Twitter account 

www.twitter.com/emponce

& also - don't forget to check out www.facebook.com/LetYourEarsDecide!

For all of you Bombay Bicycle Club fans - I recently gave away two free tickets to tonight's sold out show at The Fonda Theatre in Hollywood from the LYED Facebook page! Congratulations to Calia Minasian who won the tickets & is currently enjoying the show :) 

ON AN ON - "GHOSTS"

This was recently brought to my attention from a good friend named Kat, and without hesitation I clicked on it because she is someone who knows what I like (when it comes to music). I immediately fell in love with the track and that led me to find out more about this group called ON AN ON. What attracted me to this track? I'm a sucker for melancholic-sounding tracks. Ironically, this type of song makes me happy inside when listening to it. It definitely triggers a form of nostalgia that is somewhat heavy-hearted, but I appreciate a song's ability to do so. This track is off their forthcoming album titled Give In & it will be released on January 29, 2013! 

GHOST BEACH - "TEAR US APART"

The word "ghost" seems to be the key word in most band names that are currently on the rise (don't forget Holy Ghost!) and this is one of the examples. Ghost Beach = "Tropical Grit Pop" and I definitely cannot argue with that! The more I listen to them, the more I find myself attracted. Very catchy and this a band that I would file next to Reptar (who I've featured on LYED in the past). Feel free to check out CRAZY HEART RECORDS via SoundCloud for more Ghost Beach tracks that are more than worth your ears' time!  

JESSIE WARE - "RUNNING"

So this isn't the first time I've posted about the lovely woman named Jessie Ware from London. This is definitely an artist that's very underrated, and I want to share the talent that this woman has with each and every individual that finds their way onto this website! I've posted a bit about Jessie Ware's hit single "Wildest Moments" in a variety of ways. I first posted the Star Slinger remix of this track back in July, and then a few weeks later I stumbled across an edition of "Watch Listen Tell" that featured Jessie Ware! She has such a soulful voice 

BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD - "IT'S A WAR"

If you've ever listened to an Indie band on Pandora, there's a huge chance that Blackbird Blackbird has popped up in the randomness of tracks that play. That is actually how I found out about this artist while listening to Discovery's Pandora station about a year ago. This is the opening track on Blackbird Blackbird's recent EP release titled Boracay Planet. I love what this song does to my mind, and I didn't realize how long it was until I actually looked after I listened for the first time. In a previous post I featured "All" by Blackbird Blackbird which was the first single off the EP, and I love how "All" is the 2nd track following the one above. Overall the EP is amazing, and if you have the time - go check it out! Definitely something that is fitting for a night drive or an early morning subway ride to work (take it from me). 

freshvibesmonday #19

Shove everything that's bothering you to the side for now & just enjoy the music that's on this page. :)

Daughter - "RUN"

About a month ago when freshvibesmonday #16 was posted, I featured a track by Daughter titled "Smother". The track above was released as the proper B-side on October 1st. This track isn't entirely new, but this sharpened studio version is! Reminder, if you live in the Philly area - Daughter will be playing a show at Kung Fu Necktie on October 16th! Daughter has released two EP's titled The Wild Youth and His Young Heart that are AMAZING. You can find Daughter on Spotify or check out their SoundCloud // BandCamp. I love this band for how much power is conveyed through the lead singer's soft voice & their overall sound isn't afraid to tug with your heartstrings (a lot). 

The Babies - "GET LOST"

This is a band from Brooklyn that I recently stumbled upon via e-mail, and I am glad that I did. This is is definitely 3 minutes & 19 seconds of ear candy, so don't skip this gem! This is the right enough of garage rock that keeps me interested. "Get Lost" is featured on their forthcoming LP Our House on the Hill out on November 13th (via Woodsist). Click here to check out another song called "Moonlight Mile" that's a bit more rugged but still just as good. The Babies just announced a fall tour this is quite lengthy & by clicking on their name above you will find the list of tour dates from their Facebook page! 

Feed Me & Crystal Fighters - "LOVE IS ALL I GOT"

While I was on my way to work yesterday morning (730am East Coast time) I was looking through my Twitter feed and noticed that Feed Me had posted the official version of his recent collab with Crystal Fighters (who are well known for their perfect mix of Spanish & Basque music). After the first listen I immediately found myself going back to replay the track if that says anything. There are so many different words running through my head when listening to this song that I feel the only way to understand this song is to listen to it yourself. 

Kimbra - "TWO WAY STREET" (Aeroplane Remix)

I was very surprised (in a good way) when I found out that Aeroplane aka Vito De Luca recently remixed one of Kimbra's most popular tracks. If you're digging this track, check out Aeroplane's SoundCloud account for more! 

Chrome Canyon - "GENERATIONS"

So this track might not be fresh to you, but it is fresh to me! You can never go wrong with a little synth in your life (or a lot for this case). I was recently traveling through YouTube narnia the other day when I found this track.... and then to the right of the video were several other Chrome Canyon tracks that I eventually checked out as well. If you're looking for some futuristic instrumental material to get lost in - here you go!

Saturday Looks Good to Me - "SUNGLASSES"

This is a brand new track that I recently stumbled upon thanks to Pitchfork. It's definitely catchy in that Summer Camp / Envelopes kind of way. This is unfortunately the first I've heard from this Michigan band, and apparently it's been quite awhile since Saturday Looks Good to Me released something (4 years to be exact). This is a great "feel-good" song to include towards the end of the post if I do say so myself. 

Iggy Azalea - "BAC 2 THA FUTURE (MY TIME)"

Ugh I don't know what it is but I sure am hooked on Iggy Azalea. Actually I do know - it's a combination of her voice, style, and the way she raps about whatever is on her mind, literally. Iggy Azalea is about to release her latest mixtape titled TrapGold this coming Thursday & the track/video above is a "teaser" to keep us hanging on until then. She is currently on tour with Rita Ora & will be coming to Philadelphia pretty soon! For more updates regarding this Australian "Rapstress" check out Iggy's Twitter account. 

P.S. Today two of my favorite albums were finally released in the US! Halcyon from Ellie Goulding & Lonerism from Tame Impala. Both Halcyon & Lonerism are sophomore albums and do a damn good job at following up to the respected debut albums. 
Don't forget to check out LYED on Facebook & please share with your friends!