King and Lionheart by Of Monsters and Men

I can guarantee you that this will not be the last time you will see Of Monsters and Men on Heartstring and Melody. In a matter of hours, I have fallen in love with nearly every song they have ever released. This is partly due to the fact that they are from Iceland and the Icelandic culture produces some amazing musicians (think Bjork, and Sigur Ros) and their particular sound is incredible to me. A quick fact about the Icelandic culture; according to the OECD Better Life Index, "Icelanders are known for their deep sense of community: an OECD survey found that 98% believe they know someone they could rely on in a time of need, higher than in any other industrialized country. Similarly, only 6% reported "rarely" or "never" socializing with others. This high level of social cohesion is attributed to the small size and homogeneity of the population, as well as to a long history of harsh survival in an isolated environment, which reinforced the importance of unity and cooperation." hmm just let that sink in for a second. I believe that this deeply rooted sense of community adds an extra layer of beauty to their artistic expressions and this song and its following music video would be the epitome of all of that. King and Lionheart as a song by itself is incredible; the melody is clear and fulfilling, it's well written and produced, and the message of bravery in the face of fear is filled with depth (food for the soul), but when you throw in the music video.. WOW! The music video is an experience that points to that beauty found in a sense of community that I was talking about earlier. There is so much depth in the video that you might have to watch it twice to understand it. For example, What are those glowing animals? Are they actual creatures? A representation of the Human spirit? Why are those men chasing this family of two? Do the men represent the evil in our soul and the light animals the good? why is a machine (a man made entity) able to destroy the animal (which seems to be magical in nature)? Is that pointing to man's dominion over the natural world (whether for good or for evil)? SO. MUCH. DEPTH. Now some may be wondering, why ask all of those questions? whats the point? and to that I would say, all you have to do is simply look at your life. You will quickly realize that your life (and life in general), is much more than what meets the eye. Life is spirit and body. Soul and Mind. Life is all questions and very few answers. Some see that and choose to ignore it, but others, a very few individuals, choose not only to embrace that, but also to express that in art and in music. Of Monsters and Men is a collection of those individuals. Listen, Enjoy, and Share if you wish!
 
  P.S. here is a video of them performing the song live!

London and Soloman Vandy by James Newton Howard (Blood Diamond Soundtrack) (Bonus+ Music)

Why hello there! Where have you been Israel? you ask, well I've been preoccupied with work, life, girls, and all sorts of other nonsense. Its been a time of growth, change, and awkward conversations to say the least, and I am once again willing to lavish all my great stories upon you, my dear readers. This week is a double feature of sorts. If any of you have ever seen the movie Blood Diamond, then you know exactly where this is headed (or maybe you don't.. it depends.. did you attend college?). The movie is one of my favorite movies of all time (up there with Hotel Rwanda, Sin Nombre, and O Brother Where Art Thou?)and the story is one of redemption and survival among utmost chaos. So it should come as no surprise that the score for such a movie would be spectacular. As previously mentioned, I'm not crazy about listening to movie and video games scores like some of my friends (see: Simeon Snow), but there are some scores that stand out so well that you can't help but notice them outside of the schematic of the movie/scene itself. These two scores are exactly that. When you listen to London and Solomon Vandy by James Newton Howard, you quickly realize that on their own, these songs are magnificent; they make you feel as if you were a character in the movie. When I listen to Soloman Vandy, I feel like I AM Solomon as he carries Archer up the mountain to his death, i feel his pain as he watches Archer die, and I feel his joy as he witnesses his son's redemption from a life of murder and violence. People, that is what a good soundtrack does, and Mr. James Newton Howard has definitely outdone himself with this one. Listen, enjoy, and tell me what you think in comments below. P.s. Here are a few of my other favorite movie scores for you to enjoy! Let me know what some of your favorites are!  
Now We Are Free from Gladiator Healing Katniss from The Hunger Games Halo 4.. Nough said Hace Tuto Guagua from Argo