Music Recommendations for Sarah

So my friend Sarah has asked for a music recommendation list.  I am so very far from a music critic.  So I need your help.  I will share my favorites but would you consider adding to the list?  Thanks so much!

Here goes:

U2 is always at the top of my list - I am a devoted fan...

Mumford and Sons - newest Babel - highly recommend it!!  I think I may even like it more than their first album, Sigh No More, and that is saying a lot because that is one of my favorite albums of all time.  Genre can't be defined... just as the group likes it. But there are four part harmonies and a banjo...  (just so you know, they are British, so there is language - might not want to listen with the kiddos the first time).

The Avett Brothers - check out their two albums - I and Love and You and Emotionalism (favorite songs:  January Wedding, Murder in the City).  Just released a new album that I haven't listened to yet - the Carpenter.

For straight bluegrass my favorite is The Punch Brothers.  They have a new album called Who's Feeling Young Now?  (For something pretty inventive - bluegrass with a classical twist - check out their first album Punch.  Impressive.)

Gungor, Beautiful Things, is great - and I rarely listen to Christian music.  Oh wait - I do enjoy Andrew Peterson.  Have you heard him?  Start with Dancing in the Minefields (from Counting Stars) and Lay Me Down (from The Far Country).   ***And don't forget Jon Yerby - The Terrors of Law and of God.***

Also for Bluegrass, I have a soft spot for Steve Martin - check out both The Crow and Rare Bird Alert - but you may rather buy those as individual songs - some are only instrumental, others have lyrics.  Listen on iTunes first. (But for basic bluegrass start with Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou? for a bluegrass sampler.)

Adelle - Her album 21 is brilliant.  Pop, but worth listening to at least once.  I would check out Youtube for this one.  You will know whether you like it in about two seconds.  Start with Rolling in the Deep and Set Fire to the Rain and go from there!

You can never, ever go wrong with anything by Yo-Yo Ma!

Jakob Dylan (of Wallflowers) has a solo album that you might like - Women and Country.  It is amazing.

One for the kiddos - Beethoven's Wig is a must - but it will change how you hear classical music forever!  My kiddos love it.  We listened to it almost every day on the way to school for a whole year. We still can sing all the songs.

For a little something different:  Elbow - Favorite album  - The Seldom Seen Kid, but I also like their next two. (Check out the songs One Day Like This and The Bones of You.)

Hmmm... I am guessing Steve-O would say Sigur Ross and Victoria would say Regina Spektor and Bon Iver.  Esther would say Matt and Kim or Neon Trees and Paramore.  Altogether we have given you about 75 hours of music listening.  Enjoy, my friend!!

Okay everyone else - let the recommendations begin!