5 ARTISTS I DISCOVERED THROUGH MY KIDS

by Norah Wilson
(the Wilson in Wilson Doherty)

I've always loved music, and frankly, I thought I'd collected enough favorite artists to do me a lifetime. Then my kids turned into teenagers and exposed me to a whole new world. I can't say I love it all, but what I do love, I'd put right up there with my favorite artists.

Okay, here goes:

1. Elliott Smith
OMG, if you’ve never listened to Elliott Smith, do it now. Musical genius. In fact, I’ll make it easy. Here’s a YouTube video of him singing “Twilight”. That song kills me every time. I have a hunch this guy has helped a million kids through depressive episodes, just by the mere fact that they know they’re not alone when they listen to him. Unfortunately, Elliott succumbed to his own depression. RIP, Elliott.

2. Brighteyes / Conor Oberst
Brighteyes totally rocks, too! And Oberst is an amazing songwriter. I was in heaven when he released two CDs -- "Digital Ash for a Digital Urn" and "I'm Wide Awake It's Morning" -- on the same day.  Check him out singing “Lua” from the latter CD.

3. Modest Mouse
Indie band roots with big crossover success. I adore these guys. They’ve got a sound uniquely their own (deranged!), thanks to frontman Isaac Brock. And a horn section. I thought about posting the anthemic “Float On”, which everyone knows, but instead, here’s “Perpetual Motion Machine”. Enjoy!

4. Joel Plaskett
Not sure how much exposure this guy gets outside of Canada, but he’s amazing. Here’s a vid of him (or rather The Joel Plaskett Emergency) singing “Fashionable People”. If you like it, surf up “Work Out Fine”. I credit my daughter with turning me on to this Canadian Indie rocker, but I think I’d have come to him eventually. In recent years, he’s been cleaning up at all the awards.

5. Wintersleep
An eastcoast band out of Halifax. Dude, just listen. This is them doing “Weighty Ghost”.

There you have it. Five bands/artists I love, most of whom I might never have heard if I didn't have teens in my house. Okay, they're not teens now. They're both in their early twenties. But they were teens when I drove a van load of kids to Portland, Maine to see Bright Eyes. But that's another post.

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