Thursday, January 12, 2012

Feature & Follow Friday #79

Welcome to Feature & Follow Friday (err Thursday) on Parajunkee.com


If you are new to the #FF fun, Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. Feature & Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, Rachel of Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

*Thanks so much to Rachel for allowing me to be part of the Follow Friday fun. Parajunkee is one of the best blogs out there and FF is a highlight of the blogging community. The FF has been one of my favorite parts of my week for over a year and I'm so excited to help my fellow book bloggers get to know each other better.

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you! Now to make this #FF interesting we do a FEATURE blogger.

If you are interested in becoming a Feature click on the link here for Follow Friday Feature or go to Parajunkee and click the drop down link above FEATURES > Feature & Follow Friday and get on the waiting list!

It is also required, that if you participate you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) and the two Feature blogs.


Our Feature - Bad Ass Book Reviews



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My name is Erika, I own the blog Badass Book Reviews. I'm a mom to four children who are seven and under. I started blogging to get my opinion on whatever books I was reading out there to the masses. I didn't realize just HOW many bloggers there are out there! *Waves Hi* I find I like to have fun, blogging allows me to socialize with other readers and more grown-up type people :lol: Talking to kids all day get's old fast, like that commercial where the Mom talks babyish and gibberish at her husband when he comes home from work--I didn't want to be that woman. So, after being a goodreads nerd for over a year, I started a blog. (did I mention I have template ADD?) I think I have found a look I like, but we'll see.

I tend to be snarky --hence the name badass book reviews. I am addicted to Starbucks Peppermint Syrup in my Coffee. I like Dark Chocolate. I mostly read Urban Fantasy, Paranormals, Romantic Suspense and Contemporary Romance, but if it sounds interesting to me, I will read it.

Question of the Week: Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.


Music is a huge deal for me. I listen to a wide variety of bands/singers. My favorite groups probably fall into the Indie Folk category. Here are a few of my favs:

Bands:

The Decemberists
Death Cab For Cutie
Bon Iver
: Check out the video for my favorite song "Calgary." So beautiful:



The National
Blind Pilot
The Civil Wars
The Wailin' Jennys
Metric
Fleet Foxes
Mumford & Sons
Florence and the Machines
The Shins
- new album coming out in March!
Cloud Cult - a Minnesota band with lyrics speaking of life, love, religion, and death. Shaped by the death of the singer's 2 year old child in 2002. It's a different sound but very beautiful once you get used to it. Here's a video of "Running with the Wolves," from the newest album - one of their most accessible songs:



Singers:

Gillian Welch
Neko Case
Iron & Wine
- A signer named Sam Beam. This song, "Love Vigilantes" never fails to make me tear up:



Abigail Washburn
Sufjan Stevens
Tegan & Sara
Laura Marling
: Check out "Sophia," one of my favorite songs from 2011. It changes from slow to very upbeat about 3 minutes in:



Jeremy Messersmith
Sarah Jarosz
Laura Veirs
Alison Krauss


Now for the Follow Fun!








RULES To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:



  1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
  2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers - Bad Ass Book Reviews & Book Lover Musings.
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
  5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  7. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!


Happy Follow Friday! Follow it up with your twitter address if you want to get that one out!

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76 comments:

  1. That's a great list of music! A lot I haven't heard of before. :) Thanks for sharing them!

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  2. I LOVE all of your choices!! Especially Mumford and Sons :)

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  3. Wow, that's an awesome list. I haven't heard of most of them!

    Check out my FF @ http://australianbookshelf.wordpress.com/2012/01/13/feature-follow-friday-23/

    Jayne

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  4. Looks like we have similar tastes in music. I love Mumford & Sons! And Florence!

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  5. I've not heard any of those songs before but I'm going to check them out right now.

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  6. Oh my gosh! I LOVE so many of the same singers/bands! I love it when I find someone else with similar musical tastes--it's almost as good as finding someone with the same taste in books :)

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  7. Wow that's a super long list. I haven't heard many of them before!


    Ning @ Reading by Kindle Fire

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  8. Ooh these are great picks! I was actually listening to Bon Iver earlier today, I think he is perfect winter music. The National are also incredible live. I'm always amazed at how mature Laura Marling is and I have a lot of feelings for Sufjan!

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  9. Hey Alison, you have FABULOUS taste in music, I love almost everyone on your list! Have a great weekend ;0
    Tristan @ Reads With Wreckless Abandon

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  10. I am sort of shocked (although I know I shouldn't be!) at the amount of bookish people who love indie folk! You've got some AMAZING songs on here. I think "Sophia" is one of my favorite also!

    Check out my TGIF / Follow Friday post!

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  11. Ah! You're amazing. I ADORE Iron & Wine and Sufjan Stevens. And, uh, Laura Marling is AMAZING.

    Plus, Fleet Foxes!!!!! THE SHINS! THE NATIONAL! EEEEEEE!

    *takes deep breath... backs away*
    I'm trying not hyperventilate from the awesome that is your FF.
    You reall do have fab taste in music!

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  12. Awesome list!
    Bon Iver and Florence and the Machine are on my list too.
    Happy Friday the 13th!

    Here's my FF

    :) Aeicha @ Word Spelunking

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  13. Great choices. Awesome list as I've never heard of some of these choices. Great selection. Yes, I will be at BEA this year. I live in NYC, so it's silly for me not to go.

    Grace
    Livre De Amour-Books of Love Blog

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  14. There are a lot of people on your list that I don't recognize. Guess we have different tastes!

    Happy Friday!

    Amber
    The Musings of ALMYBNENR

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  15. Interesting picks. A lot I haven't heard of before. lol. Thanks for stopping by,

    Livin' Life Through Books

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  16. Thanks for hopping by!! I agree, 9 crimes is an amazing song! I love anything Damien sings really his voice is just dreamy!!

    -ShawnaLeAnn @ Dreaming In The Pages

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  17. I'm not familiar with any of your choices but I tend to pick songs that I like and about half the songs I don't even know who the artist's are. Old follower.

    http://readinginthemountains.blogspot.com/2012/01/follow-friday-8.html

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  18. I am officially in love with your song list and I am surprise I know most of the bands you listed! Bon Iver, Iron and Wine, Death Cab for Cutie, they are one of my favourites!

    Old follower stopping by:)

    Natasha @ Dreamland Teenage Fantasy : My Hop

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  19. I haven't heard of the majority of bands on your list but I've been a fan of Mumford and Sons and Death Cab for ages! Love them <3
    Taneika @ Flipping Through the Pages

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  20. Such a great question this week. I enjoyed listening to some of your choices, Alison. :)

    Here's our #FF post

    Maja @ The Nocturnal Library

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  21. Enjoyed listening to your fave music choices. :D I'm familiar with three names off your list. :D Here's my post for FF. Happy weekend.

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  22. Oh a lot I didn't know about, thank you!!!

    old follower

    here is mine

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  23. Happy Friday! My hubby is really into this type of music and has been listening to The Decemberist for the past few weeks. I love the Civil Wars.
    old follower

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  24. Ok, I will just come right out and say this: I LOVE your music choices!!! Like, really really love xDDD
    Thanks for sharing :3

    Have a fab weekend!
    My #FF

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  25. Happy Friday the 13th!!! May it bring you lots of luck :)

    My FF is here

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  26. Wow, nice list! Can't say I listen to many of them, but Metric is definitely a favourite. I usually cue them up alongside Silversun Pickups.

    Here's my FF

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  27. Ooh, thank you for sharing Calgary. I really loved it! Great music taste! Happy Friday! :)

    Sarah @ Smitten over Books
    Come check out my FF post!

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  28. I think I love almost every band on your list. The ones I don't know I now have to go look up.

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  29. I don't know most of your bands, but I'm liking the songs you posted, so I'll have to check them out!

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  30. Ooooh! Iron & Wine!! I like THEIR song on the Twilight soundtrack! They're awesome :D

    Thanks for dropping by Kristin from GrowingUp YA

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  31. Wow, that's quite a list! Great picks though, sounds like you have some pretty awesome playlists to rock! Thanks for stopping by my FF post!Book Savvy Babe

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  32. I haven't heard of half of the people you listed. But, then again, I don't often know songs by their performer or title. I just know the song, lol. But, I do know Deathcab for Cutie and Mumford & Sons and I do love them.

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  33. Fun prompt/question this week! I'm a Pandora girl, I'm kind of obsessed with it:) It's so nice to pick your own music and have that be the only thing that plays on the radio station. Win. Hope you have a fantastic weekend Alison!

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  34. Fun choices. I love, love, love acoustic guitar. Sophia is so beautiful. That first one... that's a wild video, eerie-cool. I like running with the wolves, too. Great idea. :-) thx for hopping by my FF!

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  35. Wow- you really listen to a lot. I love Mumford and Sons as well as Florence and the Machine! But about 90% of them? Never heard of them!

    Don't feel old! My Dad's quite young after all. I guess they were just popular so much so that they stuck!

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  36. I have to admit, I haven't listened to a lot of Indie Folk, but who doesn't love Florence and the Machines!

    Thanks for sharing this list of your favs. It's fun to get an insight to what you like. Happy Friday, Alison.

    P.S. How are you liking your iPad?

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  37. Great picks for this week. It's nice to see so many different artists. Thanks for stopping by. :)

    Alexandra~
    http://www.wordsoftheworlds.blogspot.com

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  38. I love Metric. I heard one of their songs on the radio one day and had to go online to the radio station to find out who they were so I could buy their CD.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. =)

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  39. I have to admit that I only listened to death cab for cutie because of the book Shade. And I loved them! thanks for stopping by!

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  40. I can't say that I have heard of a lot of your favorites. But from what I listened to (from the videos) they all sound pretty amazing. I will have to check into them some more. Thanks for the hop by on my blog earlier. Old follower. =D

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  41. I can't say that I have heard of a lot of your favorites. But from what I listened to (from the videos) they all sound pretty amazing. I will have to check into them some more. Thanks for the hop by on my blog earlier. Old follower. =D

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  42. I've only heard of a few of these bands and artists, so I guess I have a lot to check out. Thanks for stopping by my blog!

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  43. The only two there I've heard of is 'Mumford & Sons'& 'Death Cab for Cutie', but i've never listened to them. I'll have to have a look at some of them.
    Thanks for stopping by my blog. :D

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  44. I like Thalia as well! Thank God for Pandora and iTunes, that way I can keep in touch with my Latin music (only ONE station that plays Spanish music here!)

    Thanks for stopping by!

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  45. You have great taste in music! Have you heard of Gem Club, they sound a bit like Bon Iver. I think you'd like them (:

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  46. Great music choices! Thanks for stopping by!
    Already following :)

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  47. cool new songs alli
    tnx 4 sharing

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  48. The only band I have heard of is Iron and Wine. I need to catch up on some new tunes! Happy Friday and have a great weekend :)

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  49. I've been listening to that Love Vigilantes song since I was a teenager because I've been a New Order fan for a very long time! Funny to hear it being covered by another musician, but still good.

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  50. Hi Alison :)

    I haven't heard of most on your list but they sound wonderful..

    Happy Friday!

    Sharon @ Obsession with Books

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  51. Hey!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog! :D
    I haven't heard of some of those artists before, but I've got some new songs to add to my playlist now! :D

    Happy Friday!

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  52. Great picks! The songs are really good.

    Have a good weekend!

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  53. The Shins have a new album coming out!?>! You just made my day :D

    Thanks for hopping by; old follower :)

    Kelly
    Radiant Shadows

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  54. Oh my gosh, BON IVER! That dude is so cool. Excellent list! Very, very good.

    Renae @ Respiring Thoughts

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  55. Hey Alison, glad you enjoyed the Czech Dracula clip. There are some fab musicals in French, German and Czech out there!

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  56. Nice! I had a period I really enjoyed Death Cab for Cutie as well! Lots of stuff I don't recognize though.

    Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a wonderful Friday!

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  57. I also mentioned Mumford & Sons on my post (I get so happy when someone mentions something same as me!) I only listen to The Cave & Little Lion Man though since I just found out about the band. What are your fav music by them?

    I found out about the Civil Wars when Letter From the Sky played in the movie I am Number 4 & it's been love at first sight since then:D

    Racquel @ The Book Barbies♥
    -thank you&come again.

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  58. Am officially in love with Bon Iver, aahhh!!!

    Thanks for stopping by! (:

    Hikari @ Imaginary Reads

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  59. Such amazing choices and there were even a couple that I didn't know!!!! I must check them out immediately!!

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  60. You've got a lovely list of artists! Fellow fan of Mumford & Sons, Metric, and Iron & Wine...there's a couple there I haven't heard, so will definitely check them out. :)

    Happy FF!

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  61. Iron and Wine is pretty good.

    Beth ^_^

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  62. Iron and Wine is pretty good. Great list. Thanks for stopping by!

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  63. I love Sufjan Stevens! His song Impossible Soul is my favourite right now ... at 25 minutes long, I can't stop listening to it! And Laura Veirs is great, too ... Good choices! :)

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  64. I love your list! We have fairly similar taste. Do you listen to Blitzen Trapper at all? Furr is my favorite by them but they have a lot of good songs. If you don't already listen to Mountain Goats you might like them as well, they don't sound anything like The Shins but they're kind of quirky in the same way. This Year is their best song IMO.

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  65. thanks for hoping through .. great choices in music for sure http://totallybookedsolid.blogspot.com/2012/01/follow-friday.html

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  66. Thanks for hopping by my blog

    Anna @ Readit..Blogit..

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  67. Love Running w/the Wolves. That is so different. And the first video is gorgeous.

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  68. Florence and the Machines are awesome! Great picks :) And thanks for stopping by my FF! Hope your weekend is going great!

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  69. I loved the video for Running with the Wolves!

    Love Flornece and the Machine. Also, I just discovered The Civil War after the Taylor Swift THG song.

    Lucia
    iLive, iLaugh, iLove Books

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  70. Thanks for stopping by, Alison! I love a lot of the choices you used as well, especially The Decemberists!

    Leslie
    WorkingfortheMandroid.com

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  71. You have great taste in music! I really enjoy Bon Iver! Thanks for stopping by :)

    Amy @ Following the Reader

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