Category Archives: Good Vibes

headshine

Feel-Good Friday: Headshine

Another Friday is upon us and here at Incognito HQ that means it’s time for some music to make you feel good. After all, you’re putting the cap on another week at work, and you should start your weekend with some good vibes.

You can think of this as a continuation of yesterday’s Take ‘Er Easy Thursday post in which Robert Earl Keen sings “Fuck it!” when it feels like things are closing in on you. This song doesn’t advise anything as brash as saying “Fuck it!” Mind you, it has the same overall message that you can’t let things get you down. But while Robert Earl Keen suggests laughing in the face of unfavorable circumstances, Headshine says that you should keep your head up when troubles and worries get you down. Yes, we’ve all heard the advice loads of times before, but like most songs I feature on Fridays, it’s a message you can’t hear frequently enough. Sometimes – especially when “days feel like years” (like every day in your cubicle) – we all need to hear the message that better things are going to come your way.

Know a good song for Feel-Good Friday? Feel free to let us know about it in a comment or an email.

 

Wherever you find it, find the courage to grow.

Feel-Good Friday: Rebelution

Well, loyal reader, you’ve made it through another work week. It’s time to get into weekend mode with a little something we like to call Feel-Good Friday. If this is your first time checking it out, this is where I feature a song that is all about good vibes to help you coast into your weekend. Since my weekend will include a Rebelution show (look for my slideshow on Examiner), I figured this is a good time to feature the band on a Feel-Good Friday. But before I get to that, allow me to say that I recently interviewed Rebelution’s singer Eric Rachmany (for the second time) and I think he is a righteous dude.

Yesterday at work, I went to Rebelution’s Bandcamp page and listened to Courage to Grow. The opening track is perfect for Feel-Good Friday. First off, Rachmany dedicates the song to those who have lost hope. From there, the song is chock-full of lyrics that we should all heed every day. “You’re not too old to accomplish goals” is a particularly good message, although it’s not the only one. “Take some chances” and “take action” are just some of the messages we could all take to heart every day. Rather than sit here and break the song down line by line, allow me to just invite you to listen to the song for yourself and say that I agree with Rachmany who says, “I hope you find the courage to grow.” Enjoy your Feel-Good Friday and your weekend.

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Feel-Good Friday: The Pepper Pots

If you’ve ever read this blog at all, you know that I am a sucker for funk and soul. Needless to say, I didn’t need any convincing to give The Pepper Pots a listen. In listening to this album, I was particularly smitten with “You’ve Got the Future.” It is a great song in general, but it is especially good for Feel-Good Friday.

This song has the kind of message that you frequently hear in inspirational quotes: namely that the only person who holds your future is you. Of course what sets this apart from some inspirational quote is that it is set to a soulful melody that will get your toes tapping. But in the midst of that catchy tune is a message that encourages you to start your future now. Indeed. That is advice we would all do well to follow. Enjoy your Feel-Good Friday, everyone, and heed the wisdom of The Pepper Pots.

TheGreen-Hawaii13

Feel-Good Friday: The Green

Welcome to another edition of Feel-Good Friday. If you’ve listened to Jay Mohr Sports, you know that every Thursday is Positivity Thursday on his show. Feel-Good Friday has the same idea. We want to send you off to the weekend with some good vibes.

Our song for this edition of Feel-Good Friday is “Power in the Words” by The Green. This song encourages you to think about the words you say. If you’re thoughtless when you speak, then negative things will come your way. On the other hand, if you say a lot of good words to others, then positive things will come your way. It’s hardly earth-shattering, but frankly it’s a message we probably all need to hear at some point. So on this Friday, let’s all take the words of The Green to heart. Let’s all feel good on this Friday by saying good things about others.

The Green’s latest album Hawai’i 13 is available now from Easy Star Records.

keyser_soze

Feel-Good Friday: Keyser Soze

Welcome to another Feel-Good Friday. I hope you’re all feeling good. If you’re just joining us, on Feel-Good Friday I usually feature a reggae or ska song that just makes you feel good inside. After all, the weekend is upon us, and it’s good to head into that weekend with some good vibes.

Keyser Soze is a band from Reno that gives us all a good reminder on a Feel-Good Friday. Think about it. You’re at the end of another work week. Maybe you’re fortunate enough to have a job you love. If that is the case, congratulations are certainly in order. But even if you do like your job, it’s easy to get bogged down by work and all the other things that pile up in life. That being the case, it’s sometimes necessary to get a little reminder to do what makes you happy and what makes you dance when there’s no one else around. It’s simple. But how often do we need that simple reminder? So, this weekend do what makes you happy, and by all means dance – even if other people are around.

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Feel-Good Friday: The Shifters

Normally when I introduce a post, I’ll mention how I found the band. A lot of times, it’s as simple as randomly searching for something on Bandcamp and coming across something good. I found The Shifters in the bathroom of The Slidebar in Fullerton last night. No, not literally. When I was there to see Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, I made a trip to the restroom, which is decorated with band stickers. One of the stickers bore the name The Shifters and I remember the word reggae being somewhere on the sticker. That was fortuitous because reggae and ska are always good for Feel-Good Friday. This song in particular is a good one for the occasion. After all, the weekend is right around the corner, and it’s as good a time as any to dance like no one is watching. Enjoy your Feel-Good Friday, everyone.

 

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Feel-Good Friday: Gary Dread and Jahmen

A recurring theme in music – particularly reggae – is the journey of life. It makes sense. After all, we all experience life although each person’s journey is different. Gary Dread and Jahmen have an excellent song about the journey of life. It is a song that is just packed with lyrics that we should all take to heart. And if we do, I think we’ll all have not just a better feel-good Friday, but a better day every day of the week.

It includes lyrics about love and respect for everyone, working harder, being strong and righteous. You don’t need me to catalog all the great lyrics in this song. Just give it a listen for yourself. I think you’ll find – as I have – that this is a great song for Feel-Good Friday and every day.

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Feel Good Friday: Michael Franti

Yes, I know, loyal reader. Michael Franti is much more commercial than the music we normally cover here on Incognito HQ. However, I had the opportunity to interview Michael earlier this week, and I found him to be a righteous dude. And the thing is, when you listen to his music, you can’t help but feel good. His tunes are like a buoy for the soul. And that’s what Feel Good Fridays are all about. It’s about putting a week of crummy work behind you and moving on to the weekend, where (hopefully) you don’t have to worry about some job that you don’t care about on your best days.

I know that Michael Franti needs no introduction from me, so I’ll just get on with it. If this song doesn’t lift your spirits, you might be dead inside. As we head into the weekend, enjoy “The Sound of Sunshine.”

Groove and rise up with By The Rivers

Feel Good Friday: By the Rivers

England has long had a connection with reggae, ska, and rocksteady. So it was no surprise that I stumbled onto a reggae band from England (Leicester specifically) for Feel Good Friday. And this band is an excellent choice for the occasion.

This band works a pretty good groove, and – like a lot of reggae bands – it delivers a lot of messages that people need to hear. A good example of this is “Make Your Own Road.” Let’s face it. The message itself is not new. Poets and writers for generations have been telling us to forge our own paths. And yet, so many of us still end up in cubicles. Maybe it’s time we started taking that message to heart instead of just hearing it and grooving to it.

Another good example of a message we all need to hear is in “Rise Up.” This song encourages the listener not only to “rise up and know yourself” but also to avoid being sidetracked by things like politics. Frankly, I can’t think of any better advice than to avoid politics at all costs. Generally, thoughts of politics only bring people down. But I’m not here to talk about politics. In fact, that is the antithesis of Feel Good Friday.

Do yourself a favor this Friday. Check out this album from By The Rivers. Even if you’re (regretfully) sitting in a cubicle, the grooves this band produces will help you feel better.

Feel Good Friday: Wookiefoot

Loyal reader, I know you’re expecting Funk Friday, but I want to try something different today. It’s a Friday, and probably more than any day of the wee, this is a day we need good vibes to get us going into the weekend. And so, I present to you the first Good Vibes Friday. Leave your comments to let me know what you think of it.

Wookiefoot: thought-provoking good vibes

Wookiefoot: thought-provoking good vibes

Before I get on to the music, allow me to say that I am a sucker for a good, unique band name. I like to think that a band put at least some thought into its name. Wookiefoot obviously put some thought into its name and didn’t just play Mad Libs to come up with The [nondescript noun].

As for why this band gets the inaugural Good Vibes Friday slot…well, it’s partly because of the band name, and partly because of the lyrics. Ready or Not is filled with lyrics that make you think and make you feel pretty good about being a human. The best example is the song “Don’t Stop!” This song is all about fighting your way through the hard times and includes the lyrics, “When you’re going through hell, don’t stop!” Frankly, it’s a message we all need to hear. Repeatedly. We should probably all make this a personal anthem. Hey, that’s a pretty good idea. Add this song (if not the whole album) to your phone or MP3 player, and whenever you feel like you’re going through hell, play it and sing along. Make it your theme song.

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