A Breath of Fresh Music

Discover Foy Vance: It Pays To Be Last

2012-02-17T09:00:00.000-06:00

I have this thing I always do when I get a new album. It does not matter if it is an artist I love, or a new discovery. A could be a compilation, soundtrack, EP, live album, whatever and I always start at the end and work my way forward for the first listen. This is how I discovered Foy Vance. Earlier this week, Noisetrade offered up an awesome 25 track compilation for FREE (You can still get it here) and there were a ton of artists I was familiar with on it. The very last song on the compilation is the song Indiscriminate Act of Kindness by Mr. Vance and I was truly blown away when I heard it. I replayed the song 3 more times and then went online to find out about this amazing artist. His voice is so pure, so strong and amazing. His lyrics are honest, heartfelt and meaningful. I am hooked on Foy Vance. After some searching, I found a fantastic sampler you can get for FREE from Noisetrade. The sampler has 8 songs, including an awesome cover of Billie Jean. I also found a couple songs on his website you can download for FREE as well (including a cover of Crosstown Traffic by Jimi Hendrix). It was great to get some tunes to learn more about Vance and I am totally a fan. Foy is from Ireland, so the chances of me seeing him live anything soon may be space, but I am crossing my fingers. If you dig the free downloads and are hungry for more like me, Amazon has some music in their MP3 store and iTunes has a ton more. I hope you enjoy Vance's music and spread the word if you do. Enjoy~

Scars On 45 Having Success In The US With First Headline Tour: Debut Album To Be Released This Spring

2012-02-10T11:00:00.000-06:00

Scars On 45 are currently on their first headline tour in the US and have two hit singles. They have manged this without and album, which is amazing! The have released two EPs: Heart On Fire and Give Me Something. Both contain hit songs of the same name and are being heard on radio stations across the US as well as rising in the charts. Their music has also been featured on the hit TV shows Grey's Anatomy and CSI: New York. It is rare for a band to be so successful without a full album under their belts, but once you hear their music, you will understand why...they are incredible! I recently sat down with co-lead singers Danny Bemrose and Aimee Driver to talk about the debut album, touring in the US and artists and music that inspire them.

A Breath of Fresh Music: The first thing I want to know about is the album?

Danny: The album is finished, it is recorded...well we’ve got one song to re-record. We have two EPs out and it is just kind of...things have gone great for us so far! We never thought that we would be able to have our own tour. We have had 5 gigs so far and most have sold out or nearly sold out. We can’t quite believe we have been able to do this with just two EPs...you know? We are desperate for the album to come out. The label (Atlantic/Chop Shop) is in charge of when it comes out and so far it has been fantastic for us, so we just have to trust their judgment. As long as we can continue to work and continue doing gigs, we’re fine.

A Breath of Fresh Music: Is there a target date for when the album will be released?

Danny: We’re told...well, it was supposed to be out in this year February, but as more things come along for us, it just keeps getting put back a little bit further, but it will definitely be out in April or May of this year.

A Breath of Fresh Music: Are we going to see a lot of new songs, or will there be songs from the EPs as well?

Danny: Apart from the two singles, there are going to be all new songs.

Aimee: You got your two singles and then one more song called The Way That We Are, which the label actually chose. They wanted that song to be on the album after it was on the EP, because they liked it that much.

Danny: The thing for us is, there could have other songs from those EPs that were included on the album, but we just want as many songs out there for people to hear. We want people to buy the album and know they they like that song, but also have a lot of new material.

A Breath of Fresh Music: One thing I really like about the band is that both of you take the role as “lead singer” on songs and on others, you share the role. Will there be a lot of diversity like this on the album as well?

Aimee: There is another song that I sing (alone) on the album, which I am gonna do tonight actually!

Danny: The good thing is it means we can change it up a little bit, you know.

Aimee: There are only certain words in a song for both of us to sing separate parts. Mainly, I sing my own verse and he sings his own verse and then we sing the chorus together.

Danny: The main thing for us is in every song that we do, it is important for us to two different melodies on a chorus which could be the lead vocal because we both sing it together. A lot of the songs, what I sing is what you assume to be the main melody, but it is really important for us to try and not just settle for any melody. We always try to find a melody that if Aimee were to sing it on her own, it would sound like the main vocal line.

We don’t try and intentionally write a song for me or for Aimee. What ever sounds best and fits each others voice best is what we like. Vocals are obviously really important to us and melody and harmony, so we probably spend more time on that than anything really.

A Breath of Fresh Music: What are some bands that you are into right now?

Aimee: I like Mumford & Sons, but I like Foster The People as well. That single they have...Pumped Up Kicks is genius! We don’t have much time right now, so we really only know the bands we tour with. We toured with Matt Nathanson, we fell in love with him. We toured with Marc Broussard, The Fray..who we have known for a long time. You don’t really get much time to listen.

Danny: We have all have favorite artists, but we don't really have much time to get into new artists. Our favorites tend to be artists that have been around for quite a while. We’re more of a song band really. It doesn't really matter what kind of genre.

Aimee: Like, Pumped Up Kicks for me, could have been any band, but with that melody and the way the songs starts with the bass. Not a lot of artists can start a song with a great catchy bass.

Danny: When we are on tour, we never really listen to albums or specific artists. Every track is by a different artist, it doesn’t really matter. It could be Matt Nathanson or Jessie J...Adele..she is obviously flying the flag big time. If it’s got a good melody and it is a catchy song and the lyrics are not too cheesy, then it is fine by us.

A Breath of Fresh Music: What has it been like touring over here in the states? Has the reception been good?

Aimee: This is our first headline tour and it has been amazing so far. We are blown away! As soon as we come of stage we are all like jumping about because we cannot believe the reception that we are getting so far.

Danny: When we were told at the end of last year that we were going to go out on tour this year (headline) we wondered if anyone was going to come.

Aimee: We were really scared, I am not gonna swear, but we nearly (shit) ourselves.

Danny: The first gig was in San Francisco and the place was packed out. Last year we manly did support tours with Matt Nathanson, Jacks Mannequin and Christina Perri. It is really weird because you are playing to their crowd. So we never really experienced our own show. We went home for Christmas and played a gig in our hometown and everyone was singing every word. We hoped that someday it would be like that when we played gigs in America and it has been like that here every night so far, it’s just been incredible!

Aimee: Overwhelming.

Danny: Yeah, it has been over whelming. It is fun when you can come to a place like Minneapolis....

Aimee: And Nova, our keyboard player is actually speechless...and he is NEVER speechless.

Danny: ...the fact that we can sell 300-400 tickets in each city and we are like a really new band, it is just...

Aimee: Without an album out as well, we are really proud of ourselves. We have worked hard for like two years now and we are proud.

A Breath of Fresh Music: One of the local stations, Cities 97, plays your music quite a lot.

Danny: It is a great station...

Aimee: Even if they play one song a week...

A Breath of Fresh Music: Actually, on the way here they were talking you up!

Aimee: We like Minneapolis...in the Summer it is even better.

Danny: One of our favorite times last year was in Minnesota.

Aimee: We went out on a boat and went swimming as the sun was setting..with our clothes on! We should not have done that with our clothes on because they were absolutely wrecked, but it was good. It is a beautiful place.

The show that night in Minneapolis was amazing. Both Danny & Aimee have incredible voices and when they perform live, you can feel the energy, passion and emotion in every song. If you get a chance to catch them on this tour, I highly recommend it! It so amazing hearing both of their voices live on these songs...some from the EPs as well as many new songs they are playing, which will be on the new album. I cannot wait for the album and will definitely be posting a review once it is out. You can get the digital version of the EPs on iTunes or Amazon. You can also buy CD versions from their website. Also, if you sign up for their web community, you can get a FREE download of their hit song Heart On Fire (Acoustic), which is not available on either EP. Enjoy~

Anya Marina To Release Self-Produced Album Felony Flats

2012-02-04T15:00:00.000-06:00

I recently sat down with the lovely and talented Anya Marina to talk about her new album Felony Flats, which will be released on March 13th (Chop Shop/Atlantic). This is her third full-length album since she began her musical career about 8 years ago. The album is named after an area of Portland, OR, where she now calls home (though she does not live in Felony Flats). Anya is currently on tour with Scars On 45 (new blog and interview to come soon with them) supporting her new album. If you catch her on the road, you can get an advanced copy of the new album with a limited "hand-pressed" cover. Only 600 of these were produced and 10 of them include a golden ticket which will get you some cool swag! Check her out on the road and grab yourself a copy. Before her February 2nd show at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, I sat down with Anya and talked about the new album, current music she is listening to, Lana Del Rey and musical influences.

A Breath of Fresh Music: You have a new album coming out soon?

Anya Marina: Yes and we have advanced copies tonight, it is coming out March 13th. I am very excited. I finished it about a year ago, it is called Felony Flats. I produced it myself with my friend Gregg Williams as engineer. Probably my most...sonically, to me anyways, interesting record. Keeping my interest more than any of the others, but maybe that is because it is so new. I really, really love it.

A Breath of Fresh Music: Are those some of the songs you were playing during sound-check? It is pretty rocking!

Anya Marina: Yes! That is what my friend said the other day, he said it’s so heavy. I haven’t heard a lot of feedback yet, because I am just starting the interview process. The press, you know, leg of the career cycle of a record. I am just now entering the press part, so it is interesting to hear for the first time, others people’s feedback. Yeah, he said it was heavy, which I took as a compliment, so I guess it is heavy.

A Breath of Fresh Music: Yeah, it is definitely rocking. I have heard all your other stuff you have and I have kind of noticed that you have progressively...I don’t know If I should use the word “experimented” with different things and everything is changing every time and I really like that. When an artists puts out the same time and time again, it starts to get a little stale, so it is nice to change things up.

Anya Marina: I don’t know if it is because I am a later bloomer or what it is, but I have always felt sort of like, if there were such a thing as an old soul, I am not that. Which is not to say I am not, you know, self-reflective and I have my wise moments, but I definitely have felt like a baby at the party you know and that includes the music party. I learned about popular music really late. I am still learning about it, so I feel like I came into my own really later on as well. I can’t even really listen to my first record that much. It is sweet, but it doesn’t seem like me. It is like reading an old journal. So I really respect people and am in awe of people who nail it on there first try. Like they already know there sound and who they are right away.

A Breath of Fresh Music: Another thing I would like to find out what my favorite artists are listening too as it is a great recommendation and chance to seek out some new and fresh music.

Anya Marina: I haven’t been listening to a whole bunch of new music, although I like the tUnE-yArDs. I love the new Stephen Malkmus album. I like that Lana Del Rey song. I think she was undeservedly bashed.

A Breath of Fresh Music: I actually picked up her album this week and I like it. I saw the SNL performance and, it was bad. I don’t know if she was really nervous or had to many drinks before the performance, or what, but it was...

Anya Marina: Here is what is is...I mean I wold guess this is what it is. It is just a case of somebody....(I don’t know anything about it, so that is is my disclaimer)...my two-cents on this, I look at it like she made a record “in the box,” which is to say it was really produced in the studio and she probably hasn’t had, I am just guessing, I don’t know anything about her, but probably hasn’t been on the road for 10 years, you know. Plugging it out in clubs in front of audiences and getting comfortable performing. That is what that performance looked like to me. It looked like someone who was very fresh, in terms of performing in front of a live crowd and very green. She made a great record (I have only heard that one song) but that doesn’t mean you can pull it off live. I don’t think you have to be drunk, or stoned or anything to do that. That is how everybody looks their first time. Everybody gets nervous and shaky. Plus, whoever it was that decided to stick her out there without a band, that was a bad idea. Yes, it was cool and “old Hollywood” and she has the look for sure...she is mesmerizing. It would have been cool with some strings behind her, like some kind of band. Otherwise it was like just thrusting her out there alone without it. If she hasn’t had a lot of touring experience, why not say to SNL, give us 3 months and put her on the road and make her feel a little more at ease and she would have nailed it. But that performance wasn’t so bad. I mean, let’s all remember Ashlee Simpson.

A Breath of Fresh Music: She still sold a ton of records this week.

Anya Marina: If your selling records, kudos to you!

A Breath of Fresh Music: Do you have some major influences that got you going in the business?

Anya Marina: Certainly...like The Beatles...and Liz Phair...people who sort of paved the way for any woman with a guitar...Blondie, The Breeders...

A Breath of Fresh Music: Tonight and on this tour, are we going to hear a lot of new music?

Anya Marina: Definitely. I'd like to try out the news songs in a live setting. Like I said, I finished the record about a year ago and I have just been getting a band together...a slightly different incarnation than I had last time. We've all been playing together and feeling really good. It's such a different animal to do the songs that your recorded, live...for me anyways because I don't tend to record everything at the same time. This whole tour is just a chance to try as many new songs out as possible. It has been about a year and a half since I was even on the road and that was only the West coast. It has been over 2 years since I have been in some of these markets, so I figure, no one's heard them. They've heard the old stuff, so why don't we just inundate them with the new and fresh music.

Anya did play a lot of new songs that night, as well as some old favorites of mine. Including one of my personal favorites All The Same To Me, which she dedicated to me. That is the first time that has happened and I was quite honored.

I have spent the last couple of days listening to the 10 new tracks on Felony Flats and I really like it. There is definitely a "heavier" feel on many of the songs and I like that a lot. As expected, there are some great catchy and fun lyrics on these songs. Add that to the sweet voice and fun attitude and you have yourself a really great release. My favorite songs so far are Notice Me, Felony Flats and Flinty (sign-up for the mailing list here and get a free download of this track). I think this is Anya's best work to date and I really look forward to following her career in the years to come.

Watch Out: Here Comes Lana Del Rey

2012-01-12T12:00:00.000-06:00

Lana Del Rey most likely is a name in music that you do not know, however you will. I heard her for the first time about 3 months ago and have been falling in love with her music ever since! Her self-titled independent release came out at the beginning of 2010, however it disappeared into obscurity once she signed with Interscope, who is set to release her major-label debut on January 31, 2012 titled Born To Die. If you want to check her out now, you can download her current self-titled EP on iTunes and they are also offering her single Born To Die as a FREE single this week. I am really looking forward to her album and already know this will be in my top ten for 2012. Lana's smoky and soulful voice is pure talent and this girl will be moving up the charts very fast this year! I think her album is going to perform very well on the charts and many will know of her by the year end...this is the year of Lana Del Rey. I have heard that while performing live in concert she has been noticeably nervous and you can tell she is a very inexperienced performer. That will pass as she grow more confident as an artists and If I get the chance to see her live, I will be all over it. Grab the free single from iTunes and see what you think. Lana Del Rey IS "A Breath of Fresh Music" at its finest!

Graham Colton Offers Free EP: Pacific Coast Eyes Vol. 2

2011-12-30T16:00:00.000-06:00

Just a quick post today to spread the word about the amazing artist Graham Colton whom I have blogged about in the past. He is offering up a FREE EP on Noisetrade titled Pacific Coast Eyes Vol. 2. This EP is is a collection of new songs & alternate versions of songs from the album, Pacific Coast Eyes. These 6 songs were recorded over 2 days at Blackwatch Studios in Norman, OK. You can't beat free, especially when you have great vocals, lyrics and great catchy tunes. Leave a tip if you can...every $1 helps as this guy works his tail off. Enjoy :)

Anna Nalick: Broken Dolls & Odds & Ends

2011-12-29T12:00:00.000-06:00

Six years between albums is not a scenario that a new, young and thriving musician envisions. However, for Anna Nalick, that is how her career started out. This was not totally her choice as she has issues with her record label and as time went on more issue arose. She did manage to release an EP (Shine) in 2008, three years after the release of her debut album Wreck of the Day, which went Gold and her name and voice were being heard all over the world. I was one of those who fell in love with her amazing voice and craved more new music. The EP was just not enough and eventually, she fell off of the radar for me. Recently, I discover that Anna released a new album on an indie label title Broken Dolls & Odds & Ends. The album contained songs for what was to be her second album Broken Doll, as well as covers and reworked songs from her first album,. It was more or less for her hardcore fans and not meant to grow her audience. Overall, the album received solid reviews and it sound like Anna will release a new album in early 2012. She will fully produce the album and it will be all new material, so hopefully I'll here her beautiful voice on the radio waves once again. Even though the new album is kind of a mishmash of miscellaneous songs, individually, these songs are very good, but would have never fit as an "album," thus why she release it more as a compilation. The songs have great melody, hooks and lyrics. My favorites on this album are: Broken Doll, Walk Away and Scars. You can get the new release right now only Amazon for only $4.99, which is quite a bargain. If you are looking for a physical copy, it may be tough to locate at a record store, but you can order from her site for only $10. I cannot wait for her new album of all new material in the coming year and will definitely bee blogging about it :) cheers!

Daytrotter Will No Longer Be Free: This Website Must Not Disappear!

2011-10-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

I have been religiously following Daytrotter for years now and yesterday, they made a huge announcement, they are no longer going to be free. Here is exactly what they sent out:

"Many of you have been with us for the bulk of our nearly six years of working our butts off to shed some light on all of the great music beingmade out in the world, through our words, markered illustrations and our one-of-a-kind analog recordings. You've helped us make the transition from a scrappy start-up to a site that amazingly enough is now seen as something of a household name, in the right households. We have never had more people visiting Daytrotter and we have you to thank for that.

Keeping the lights on and paying the bills through advertising revenue - and thereby passing along these unique recordings to you freely - is not working. We want to keep Daytrotter in everyone's lives and so we're looking for a little help.

We need you to sign up as a Daytrotter member for the modest fee of $2 a month.

We wouldn't ask you for this if we didn't need it. We believe we're doing something special and important, but we can't afford to do it for free any longer. We're hoping Daytrotter means enough to you that you will stay with us by paying the cost of a coffee a month to keep it going.

Membership isn't the only change here - there is a bunch of dope new stuff:
We're now posting three new sessions of great new music every weekday.
No more ads - they are gone from Daytrotter.
Live Sessions streaming while they're being recorded at the HorseShack!We're really excited about this one. We've been testing this for the last twomonths and the quality is amazing. It's a bit extra, but the great thing about it is that we're allowing each band to come up with the admission price to hear their session live. All of the money from these live streams will be split evenly between the band and Daytrotter. You'll be directly helping Daytrotter and your favorite band if you eavesdrop!
HD video and lossless audio from our legendary live Barnstormer concerts.
We've doubled the quality of our streams and free downloads, and we've added a fantastic new queue player.

Your next visit to Daytrotter will kick off a 7 Day Free Trial - so please get familiar with our new look, listen to some live streams, and, if you love us, do us a tremendous solid and sign up for a membership.

Thank you so much for five and a half amazing years! Here's to many more! -- Mr. Daytrotter

I wanted to post this on my blog because I love this website and I plan on paying the fee to be a member. I mean, seriously....$2 a month! that is so cheap for what you get! That only gets you 2 songs on most digital download sites and barely a cup of coffee in the morning. If you are a fan and follower of this amazing site, you most likely know how easy of a desicion this is. If you are not a fan, spend some time with the free 7 day trial and hopefully you will decide after that it is well worth paying the small membership fee.

Stephen Kellogg and The Sixers To Release New Album and Offer Free Sampler

2011-10-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon Stephen Kelloggand The Sixers a few years back when they opened for another band that I went tosee perform live. I was completely blown away by these guys and since then, have becomea fan! Next week, the band commonly refereed to be their fans as SK6ERS,will release their new album Gift Horse. I am really looking forward to thisrelease and right now, Noisetrade is offering a FREE sampler toget to know the band which includes 2 songs from the upcoming release as well as 3older songs I really like the way the lead singer's voice and the lyricsare always incredible. Also, to see these guys live is a real treat! Theyreally know how to put on a show and treat their fans great! The band isgoing on tour this fall to support this new release with another amazingmusician Jon McLaughlin. If you get a chance to see them, I HIGHLY recommendit! I hope you enjoy the songs!

Discover Marc Broussard With 10 Free Songs!

2011-09-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

I have been enjoying the music of Marc Broussard for about 7 years now and I was extremely exited when Noistrade announced they were offering 10 FREE songs from Marc for a limited time on their website. I thought this would be a great opportunity to share with my followers my love for his music. The very first song I ever heard from Marc blew me away and I have been hooked since. Marc's music is a blend of Rock, Blues, Funk, Pop and R&B with a touch of Soul. He self proclaims his music as "Bayou Soul". His lyrics make you think and can relate to where you are in your life. His music is passionate, relevant, emotional and gets your foot tapping and your body moving all in one. The 10 songs that are available are compiled from his most current, self-titled release from 2011, his 2008 release Keep Coming Back and his 2008 EP Must Be The Water. All of these songs are great and if you like them, I highly recommend you check out his second release Carencro, which is by far my favorite album. There are even guest singers Sara Bareilles and LeAnn Rimes on 2 of the songs! I have also seen him perform live 3 or 4 times and he is a must see if you get the chance! I hope you enjoy these songs and maybe discover a new artist. If you do like what you here, make sure and tip some $ as Marc is one of the hardest working musicians I have ever met and am a fan of and if anyone deserves it, it is him. Enjoy~

Gavin DeGraw Keeps Getting Sweeter With Time

2011-09-20T22:28:00.000-05:00

I have been a fan of Gavin DeGraw since the first time I heard Chariot over 7 years ago. Since then, I have been impressed more and more as each album is released. His fourth album, Sweeter, was released today and once again I get to hear an amazing voice filled with heart and soul singing me some new tunes! I have never questioned Gavin's voice, piano playing or writing. The thing I like the least over the years with some of his music is that it is to polished and overproduced. This tends to rip the emotion right out of the songs. I have seen Gavin perform live on multiple occasions and he has tons of emotion and energy. I can feel some of that on this new release and cannot wait to hear the new songs live! His last album Free was just the opposite, it was just too rushed and felt forced, not natural. This new album, feels like the best of both worlds. Some raw, natural ballads along with some well-produced songs that all fit well together on an album. If you ever have tried getting over someone, than you will relate well to this album. Grab it on Amazon, iTunes or your local retail store. My picks for songs on this are Soldier, You Know Where I'm At & Not Over You. Also, for a limited time, you can download the song Sweeter for FREE from Amazon - Enjoy :)

Discover 10 Amazing Artists With Ten Out of Tenn for FREE!

2011-09-04T20:00:00.005-05:00

Ten Out of Tenn (Vol. 4) is an incredible compilation of 10 amazing artists who all individually have had great success in the music industry. The all tour together and collectively they are like magic together! Here is the lineup of artists: Trent Dabbs, Gabe Dixon, Andrew Belle, K.S. Rhoads, Katie Herzig, Matthew Perryman Jones, Tyler James, Butterfly Boucher, Amy Stroup and Jeremy Lister. I have been a fan of a few of these for a while now and others are new to me. Right now for a limited time, Noistrade is offering this album for FREE! As always, you can donate some money for the artists and I highly recommend it. They are all on tour right now as well and to say it any better, I cannot. In the words of Noisetrade; "when the TOT artists swap instruments on stage, gather around one mic, and improvise on their own and each other’s songs that the magic really happens. Authenticity and creative passion cannot be faked. And if these artists are anything, it is at the utmost, sincere." Enjoy!

TFDI: When I Stop Running Is Singer/Songwriter Music At It's Best

2011-08-30T10:00:00.020-05:00

TFDI is compromised of 3 amazing musicians in the music industry: Jay Nash, Tony Lucca & Matt Duke. I was a fan of Jay an Matt for the past few years and after I discovered TFDI, I have also became a fan of Tony. All I can say is WOW! Individually, each of these artists write incredible, heartfelt music with honest lyrics and pure talent. When you bring the 3 together on stage (they tour live as TFDI and recorded this live in a studio together) it is pure magic! The album consists of 9 original songs and 3 covers. As you travel through the album, you get to experience each of the artists individually and collectively through amazing harmonies and melodies along with excellent acoustic guitar playing and raw emotional lyrics. For the next couple of days, you can get the full album When I Stop Running on Amazon for only $1.99. That is a true steal for such an amazing work of art. If you want a taste, you can also download the song Stranger In A Strange Place for FREE. I have not been able to see these 3 live together yet, but I hope to soon. Once you listen to this, I think you will agree.

Graham Colton Releases Pacific Coast Eyes

2011-08-30T08:00:00.008-05:00

I have been a fan of Graham Colton for about 5 years now, so when he released his new album Pacific Coast Eyes for FREE on Noisetrade, it was like a double bonus for me. I really like this new album from him. It has some of the older "Graham Colton Band" feel, but with more experience and growth. If you are a fan of the Counting Crows, Augustana, Matt Nathanson or Better Than Ezra, then this music is right up your alley. If not, download it and check it out anyway. This is another freebie that is only available on Noisetrade for a limited time, so get it sooner than later. Also, toss him a few bucks in tip, it is well worth it for such a great album. He is also on tour with an artist I blogged about the other day, Ben Rector, so if you really like his music, go see him live! Later~

Honeyhoney Set To Release Sopohmore Album "Billy Jack" October 24th

2011-08-27T13:30:00.010-05:00

I have been a huge fan of the band honeyhoney for a few years now and I was very excited to here they are releasing their second album Billy Jack on October 24th. The cool part is, you can pre-order the album on their website and receive the FULL album digitally right now! I did just that and am extremely happy with the album! I am currently loving the songs Ohio, Lets Get Wrecked & I Don't Mind. The best way to describe their music is alternative-country rock with a twist of folk. I really love the lead singer Suzanne Santo's voice. If you want to check out a track for free, you can sign up for the newsletter on their site and get the new song Turn That Finger Around for FREE. The new album is little more country than the previous, but I still love it! Catch them on tour this Fall with the amazing Joshua James! Enjoy~

Discover Ben Rector With a Free Album!

2011-08-26T10:30:00.007-05:00

I am been slacking lately on my blog, but am ready to dive back into it! I recently discovered an artist by the name of Ben Rector through another musician I listen to. Ben's music is a mix of Pop, Folk and Rock and so far, I am loving what I hear! Right now, for a limited time (I believe), you can download his 2010 release Into The Morning for FREE on Noisetrade! This is my new favorite website for great music that is legally free. The artists greatly do accept tips however and I highly recommend it. Even if it is only a few bucks, it helps them a lot. Check out Ben and see what you think. He is currently on tour with another favorite of mine, Graham Colton, so if he is coming to your town, go see him live. Later~

Christina Perri's Debut Lovestrong Shines

2011-05-31T13:00:00.002-05:00

After releasing her song Jar of Hearts last Summer and exploding on to the music scene, Christina Perri had a lot to live up to on her first album. Before her debut was even released, her first song had sold of 2 million downloads and spent 23 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Many were expecting her to fail and few thought she could pull off a successful album. I think some even wrote her off as a one-hit-wonder. So far, her album has sold over 100,000 copies and it debuted at number 4 on the Billboard chart. Not too bad for a new artist. Many of the review for her album were not very favorable and I think that did hurt her a bit, however, the album is not bad. There are some very emotional and heartfelt lyrics on the album and you can really hear them in Christina's voice. I really liker her soulful voice and think that as she gains more experience though time, she will be come a much stronger voice in the music industry. Perri is a stunning girl, has a strong following and can sing well. I'd give them album a B+ and would recommended you check it out. Keep an eye on this girl. she is not going away. Check out the deluxe version of Lovestrong on iTunes here and see what you think. Enjoy~

Will Lelia Broussard get a shot at the cover of Rolling Stone?

2011-05-03T11:00:00.000-05:00

I have been a fan of Lelia for many years and have followed her from a completely unknown musician to where she is now. She has a chance to be on the cover of Rolling Stone (she is in the final 4) and I wanted to giver her some love on my blog! Check her out, download some free tunes and please vote!

Eliza Doolittle: The Next Big Thing?

2011-04-19T09:00:00.002-05:00

I discovered Eliza Doolittle a few months ago with a free download from iTunes. After downloading her album, I was instantly hooked! Eliza is only 23, but her vocals, personality & sound and feel much older, mature and experienced! I love her sassy and fun lyrics and the music is very catchy. Her music is mainly pop, but has some hints of jazz, soul and blues. Eliza's self titled album was released last year in the UK and today, it is FINALLY available in the US. You can get it on Amazon for only $5.99 or iTunes for $7.99 (this versions includes an additional track I'll Be Your Pillow. Also, if you are a fan of CD's (as I am) Newbury Comics has the CD with a FREE signed booklet for only $9.99! Some of my favorite songs and recommendations are: Rollerblades, Moneybox, Pack Up & Police Car. I really think Eliza is going to make it big here in the states. Only time will tell, but she has the voice, looks, talent and personality for it. Enjoy!

Jay Nash Releases Diamonds and Blood: Free Download

2011-03-24T16:00:00.002-05:00

I fell in love with Jay Nash's music a couple of years ago when he opened up for the Counting Crows. He recently released a new studio album titled Diamonds and Blood on iTunes. As of now, it is a digital only release, but may be available as a CD at some point also. I love Jay's honesty in his music. He writes good solid songs with meaningful lyrics and is the true definition of a singer/songwriter. Check him out if you get a chance. Right now, you can download the opening song Till I Get Through for FREE on Paste's website. Enjoy~

The King Is Dead, But The Decemberists Are Very Much Alive!

2011-01-25T15:00:00.002-06:00

The Decemberists released their sixth full-length studio album The King Is Dead on January 18th. The album rose to the top of the iTunes and Amazon charts and is still riding high on both sites. The album is much more song oriented than previous releases and the songs are shorter and more radio friendly. That being said, they are good, catchy songs with all of the elements that have made the band famous. Variety of different instruments, meaningful lyrics, multiple singers and depth. The album is more "Country" that the band's older albums, but it still has that indie-pop feel that the Decemberists have always had. Overall, I'd give the album a 3.5/5. Many "die-hards" are ripping the album apart, but I think it will grow on them some over the next few weeks. The album is available at your normal retail/music stores and digitally on iTunes and Amazon. Enjoy~

Well, Well, Well - Duffy Releases New Single: New Album On The Way

2010-11-08T09:00:00.009-06:00

The lovely and brilliant Duffy completed recording her sophomore album titled Endlessly and it is set to be released on December 7th in the US. The first single from the new album, Well, Well, Well was released on October 19th. My first impression of the song was a good one. The song is a more upbeat than the last album and overall, I am satisfied. I really look forward to the new album to see if Duffy can succeed and rise in the charts again. Will she top the sales from her first album? I doubt it...we are talking over 6 million worldwide and this one hell of an accomplishment for a new artist. We'll just have to wait and see what the rest of the album sounds like...only time will tell. The single is available on iTunes and Amazon and you can check out the video for the new single below...she is smokin' hot! Later~

The Decemberists Announce New Album And Offer A FREE Taste!

2010-11-06T10:00:00.004-05:00

The Decemberists have just announced that their new album will be called The King Is Dead and will be released on January 18th. They are giving away a free download of the track Down by the Water for a limited time on their website, so go grab it and see what you think. This will be the band's sixth full-length release since they started in 2001, along with a handful of EPs and other appearances, they have been one busy bunch. The thing I love most about The Decemberists is they way they tells stories in their music! Many of the songs are upbeat, while others employ a dark feel that I really like! Add to that the use of instruments like the accordion, Wurlitzer organ, upright bass and more, you end up with a fantastic sound that is different from most other Folk-Rock bands on the scene right now. This new songs is very good and if the rest of the new album is like this, it should be very well-received by the fans! Enjoy~

Discover Florence + The Machine With FREE Music!

2010-11-05T09:00:00.009-05:00

I recently discovered a new artist and had to blog about her. Here name is Florence Welch and she performs under the name Florence + The Machine. After hearing a lot of buzz about the band and seeing their debut album Lungs climb the charts in the UK, I had to have a listen. My first impression: I loved it! The music is a melting pot of different genres: blues, electronic, pop, rock & soul. Florence's voice is incredible and the lyrics on theses songs are amazing. Their are so many incredible artists who from the UK, especially lately and Florence is no exception. I am really excited to watch this band grow over years and enjoy the incredible music. The album is available right now on Amazon for only $3.99, which is a steal! It is also available on iTunes and a two-disc deluxe version (titled Between Two Lungs) will be out November 15th in the UK, not sure about the US at this time. I must say, this is one of those debut albums that we will look back on years from now and say, "wow, that is such an amazing album!" For a FREE taste of Florence + The Machine, go to rcrdlbl.com and you can download 8 songs!!! Six of these are remixes and two are album versions. Enjoy and pass along to your friends~

Anya Marina Gives Us A Taste Of Something New On Spirit School

2010-11-03T09:00:00.001-05:00

Anya Marina's latest release Spirit School is only an EP, but it gives us a taste of some new music from the sassy songwriter until her new album drops in 2011. However, don't think this new music is the "New" Anya. According to her, the EP "is a collection of similarly misfit songs that are very dear to me, but may not be quite right for the album I was--and am still--working on". The 5-song EP includes a remix of her song Satellite Heart (originally released on the The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack) and 4 new songs. All (except one) of the songs have an electronic-pop sound and are a change from what Marina usually releases. I prefer her other material over this style, but the songs still offer up the silly, sexy and fun personality that Anya is so good at. The EP will be a digital only release available on November 16th and released by Chop Shop/Atlantic Records. It will be available on iTunes and Amazon. I'll update with links as soon as they are available. The tracklist is:

1. You Are Invisible
2. Whatsit (featuring Courtney Taylor-Taylor)
3. Spirit School
4. Busrider
5. Satellite Heart (Tiny Stars Remix)

My favorite track is Spirit School, but the others are growing on me quickly. If you already are a fan of Anya, you will be satisfied with this release as an appetizer for her next album. If you are not a fan of Anya, check it out. It doesn't hurt you to try new music once in a while...heck, you might even like it. Later~

Christina Perri's Jar Of Hearts Is Captivating

2010-11-01T13:30:00.007-05:00

From the first verse of Christina Perri's Jar Of Hearts, I was hooked and absolutely blown away! I had no clue who she was, but I do know where she is going; to the top of the charts! She is definitely one to watch. After appearing on the TV show So You Think You Can Dance, the song blew up and over 100,000 songs were downloaded in the first month. Since then, it has continued to climb the charts and gain more exposure. I am very excited to hear her full album, which is most likely not going to be released until mid-to-late 2011, but hopefully will be worth the wait. She has signed with Atlantic records and as of today via her Facebook and Twitter accounts, has started recording. Until then, The Ocean Way Sessions, which will be released November 9th, will have to suffice.With an amazing voice, incredible looks and one hit song already under her belt, I'd say Perri is ready to be a star. It is available iTunes or Amazon and you should check out here video for the song, it is hauntingly beautiful.

Alexa Wilkinson is a Breath of Fresh Music!

2010-08-20T15:00:00.001-05:00

I recently discovered Alexa Wilkinson and wish I had heard her voice much earlier! She has been around for a few years and has 2 albums under her belt, with a new EP on the way titled Mechanical Circles. I was lucky to be able to hear Alexa live at a house concert in a very small and intimate setting. No mics, no electric instruments, no soundboard; just Alexa and her 1967 acoustic guitar. With her unique voice, well-thought lyrics and sense of humor, I was stunned! Love every minute of it and am hungry to hear more! I am current awaiting the arrival of my EP in the mail and you can get yours too for only $5, which INCLUDES shipping and 2 demos from the release e-mailed to you. Such a great deal for an amazing independent artist's music! I planning on buying her albums Lions & Lullaby Appetite from iTunes or Amazon soon and she is now an artist that I will follow, buy music and see live. Enjoy~

Toby Lightman Releases Acoustic Album: Know Where I'm From

2010-08-06T11:00:00.001-05:00

Toby Lightman released her fourth studio album Know Where I'm From back in June. The album is acoustic and includes songs from her three previous studio releases. All the songs are done acoustically and many of them have an added element (i.e. violin, piano, etc.) that was not included in the original recording of the song. Toby asked her fans what songs they wanted on the release and once she compiled the results, she re-recorded the top 11 songs. All the songs are great...fan favorites for sure and these acoustic renditions really are amazing. I have seen Toby perform live numerous times and always loved when it was just her and the guitar. When the album first was released, a limited edition version was also available. These were limited to 100 CD's and included a new song called And Dream, plus two lives songs. The lucky 100 also were able to send one story to Toby about a song of hers and what it means to them. Toby is compiling these into a book which will also be sent out to the lucky fans who purchased the limited edition. Great idea and I cannot wait to see the finished product. These limited versions are sold out, but if you want to sample or buy the regular album, you can get it direct from her website for only $8 digitally or $12 for the CD....well worth the price. The album is also available on Amazon and iTunes, but I would recommended buying direct from Toby, since she is an Independent artist and it is cheaper! If you like what you hear, get her other albums and check out her collections online in her T Killa's Workshop. Enjoy~

Josua James Is Perfect for iTunes Sessions

2010-06-28T14:00:00.000-05:00

iTunes recently release on of the best iTunes Sessions to date; that of Joshua James. Some of the artists they feature just don't seem to grasp the concept and pull of the session, but Joshua and his band killed it! I'd give this session 5 stars all the way and am very glad to have added this to my Joshua James catalog. If you are not familiar with him, you must check him out. His voice is unique and his lyrics are hauntingly beautiful. He really makes the hair on your arms stand up at times and I love that. Pure, raw emotion and thoughtful, deep lyrics make him one of a kind. The session is only available on iTunes and is only $3.99 for 7 songs. My favorites are Pitchfork and FM Radio/Weeds on this set. If you dig this, you should also download the FREE set he did for Daytrotter last year, it is awesome as well. Enjoy!

Discover Grace Potter and The Nocturnals

2010-06-04T15:00:00.002-05:00

After hearing a lot of buzz about the new self-titled album from Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, I had to find out for myself. I picked up another release a few months ago and enjoyed the album, but it did not blow me away. Well, I received the advance of the new album and from the first song I was blown away! The number on track Paris (Ooh La La) immediate get's your head bobbing and body moving. By the end of the song, you will want to start it over and listen to it again...it is THAT good. The album slows down a bit after that, but like roller coaster it is up and down...as in some faster, rocking song and then some slower, almost country-blues songs. It is a great mix of songs and by far the best album from this great band, who has been around now since 2004 and this is their 3rd full studio album. The new album contains 13 songs and will be available on June 8th on iTunes (pre-order now for $7.99,; has extra song) and Amazon digitally, HOWEVER, If I were you I would go to Best Buy and buy it...it is going to be on sale for only $6.99 and that includes an exclusive bonus DVD! Such a great deal. My favorite songs so far (besides the first song) are: Medicine, Tiny Light and Money. To get a taste of Grace and the band...you can download a nice 3 song set from Daytrotter for FRE E and it includes a great cover of the Rolling Stones Paint It Black and an early version of Paris. Also, you can stream the full album right now on the website. Enjoy!

This is a Blog About the New Black Keys Album Called Bothers

2010-06-02T14:30:00.003-05:00

I have blogged about The Black Keys before and I will again. Their new album Brothers kicks ass. Period. What another incredible demonstration of what amazing music great minds can create. Blues, gritty riffs. Rock, soul and pure awesomeness. That is all I can say. If you have yet to listen to these guys, I highly suggest you pick up this album. You can get the deluxe version on iTunes or Amazon. Otherwise, go to your local Target, Best or music store. It will change your life. Your ears will never be more happy. The artwork is boring..but who cares! These 15 tracks are proof that great songwriting still does exist. May favorite songs I recommend are: Ten Cent Pistol, Tighten Up, Next Girl and Unknown Brother. The video for Next Girl is great...it is below. Enjoy~

The Dead Weather: Sea of Cowards

2010-05-24T14:00:00.002-05:00

I would consider myself a moderate fan of Jack White. I like his White Stripes music and a little Raconteurs as well. I received a couple free songs from another of his projects, The Dead Weather, from their new album Sea of Cowards a couple of weeks before it was released on May 7th and I could not get the gritty, bluesy music out of my head. It was addicting, emotional, gloomy and great all at once. I was overcome with emotion and knew I had to hear this release in its entirety. Since the release day, it has been the ONLY album played on my iPod. I think I have listened to it over 25 times and it is better than I could have expected. What started as an impromptu jam session with Alison Mosshart (of The Kills and Discount), Jack White (of The White Stripes & The Raconteurs), Dean Fertita (of Queens of the Stone Age) and Jack Lawrence (of The Raconteurs and The Greenhornes) has grown into something special and amazing! I don't think any of the members ever expected this indie "super-group" would be causing a stir among the music industry. The album is cold and dark at times, but uplifting and energetic in others. It is really quite a piece of work and I now need to dig back to their first release and see how it compares. For your listening pleasure, you can download the song Die By the Drop for FREE from RCRD LBL and if you send a Tweet about the album, you can download the song Hustle and Cuss (one of my favorites) for FREE as well. You can buy the album from iTunes or Amazon or stop by your local store where music is sold to get a physical copy. Two other favorites songs you must check out are Old Mary and Looking at the Invisible Man. Last, but not least, I LOVE the album cover, don't you?

Sara Bareilles Releases New Song for Upcoming Album

2010-05-11T12:00:00.002-05:00

I am a huge fan of Sara Bareilles and have been patiently waiting for new material from her for a while now. Yesterday, my wish came true when she released King of Anything, which is the first single of her new album Kaleidoscope Heart. The song has been sent to radio and is available to stream live on AOL Music. I absolutely love the song and hope the rest of the album is just as amazing! The song will be available to purchase in June and the new album should be released in September of this year. Here is what Sara had to say about her new single: "'King of Anything' is sort of a 'f*ck you' song," jokes Sara Bareilles. "I've had more unsolicited advice on my life than I care to mention, and this was how I dealt with it. It felt empowering to turn that frustration into music, especially a song that doesn't even sound angry. That's sort of what "Love Song" was as well. Apparently, I don't get over things very quickly." Check it out and I am sure you will love it! Also, make sure and contact your local radio station and request they play the song! Enjoy~

Amanda Blank Loves You: Free Music!

2010-05-04T14:00:00.001-05:00

I stumbled upon Amanda Blank last year and immediately found her song Make It, Take It quite catchy. I don't get into too much electronic style music these days, but really enjoyed what I heard from her new release I Love You. She is part rapper, part singer and all attitude. Her music has been compared to the likes of M.I.A. and Santigold, so if you are into artists like that, you will love Amanda Blank. You won't hear her music on the radio (unless highly edited)but definitely check out the songs Might Like You Better & Leaving You Behind (feat. Lykke Li). You can get her album digitally on iTunes ($9.99) or Amazon $9.49. You can also download 2 of the songs I listed along with a pile of remixes for FREE on RCRDLBL.com. Can't beat that...enjoy~

Discover One eskimO With Free Khandi

2010-04-26T11:00:00.003-05:00

One eskimO, a brilliant four-piece from London, has been around for a while now and recently caught my attention after a local radio station started been playing their single Khandi. In a word, the song is incredible! After hearing it, I explored the rest of their self-title album One eskimO and it is excellent. Not all the songs sound the same and the lyrics and songwriting is top-notch. You can download Khandi right now for FREE on Fuse.tv and the song Amazing (which ironically is amazing!) from Amazon for FREE as well! If you like what you hear, you can the regular and deluxe version on iTunes or Amazon ($5.99) digitally. Otherwise, I picked up the CD at Target a few weeks ago for only $5.99, which was a steal! If you like this debut, they do also have a few EP's available with some different mixes and other songs. Great new discovery for me and I look forward to more music from them in the future! Enjoy~

Chase The Sun: Rednecks & Gentlemen

2010-04-23T11:00:00.003-05:00

After stumbling across this amazing bluesy-rock trio a couple years ago...I have been hooked! Chase The Sun recently released their 2nd studio album Rednecks & Gentlemen and it is authentic, pure blues-rock, as good, if not better than their first release! These guys can shred on the guitars and the vocals dig deep. If you are a fan of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Lang & Kenny Wayne Shepherd (as I am) than you will absolutely LOVE these guys. They are from Australia, so locating a hard copy of the CD's has been a challenge for me, but you can buy the new release digitally on iTunes ($9.99) or Amazon ($8.99). The album has been out since January and is pulling some great reviews! The artwork is amazing as well...as was their first. Check it out and enjoy!

Amy Macdonald A Curious Thing

2010-04-16T10:00:00.005-05:00

Scottish singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald released her sophomore effort A Curious Thing on March 8th in the UK. The album has 12 tracks, plus a bonus hidden live cover of Dancing In The Dark (Springsteen). I loved Amy's first album and was hoping this one would blow me away as well. It did not do that, but it is still a very solid release. To me, the album seems like a continuation of her first release. There is nothing really new or different to discover about Amy. Her fans will thoroughly enjoy the album, as I do, but I don't see her gaining a larger fanbase with this release. You can sample the album on her website and see what you think. As of now, it is not available in the US, but hopefully will be soon. You can order it on her website from the UK, but shipping may be a little expensive? With all of that said, the album is charting very well in other countries and, I am glad to have some new tunes from Amy Macdonald. Check out the video for her first single Don't Tell Me That It's Over below. Peace~

Holy Smoke Gin Wigmore!

2010-04-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

Gin Wigmore is a stunning 23 year old singer-songwriter from New Zealand with a unique and amazing voice. After recently discovering her, I downloaded her new album Holy Smoke and her EP Extended Play. I am so glad I discovered her music. If you are a fan of Duffy, then will will love Gin. There are similarities, but also many differences. Wigmore's voice is fresh and warm, with great tone and a smokey richness that seeps into your veins. I love her and I think she will really do well here in the states. You can download her song Golden Ship for FREE on her website and Amazon also has the song Too Late For Lovers for FREE for a limited time. Check her out and if you like these songs, you can get her full album for $7.99 on iTunes or Amazon. I hope to catch her live soon! Enjoy~

David Ford Let The Hard Times Roll

2010-04-09T11:00:00.001-05:00

Let The Hard Times Roll is the third full length studio album from David Ford. As of fan of a few years, I was expecting the album to be good....but it is not good, it is GREAT! Ford is so amazing at expressing himself through his music. His songs are chock-full of emotion and sincerity. Hailing from the UK, many people in the US are not familiar with David and his music. Some of that is to due with the fact that his music is raw, real and contains a fair amount of expletives. That is what makes him so unique and incredible. I have seen Ford perform live before and I highly recommend it if you ever get the chance. You can get his new album digitally on iTunes or Amazon for only $7.99. It is also available to buy on CD at David's mech site. My favorite songs off the new release are Call To Arms, Panic, Sylvia & Hurricane. If you like what you hear, his older material is amazing as well. Later~

George Stanford Rolls On With Roll Away

2010-04-01T14:00:00.000-05:00

If you are a fan of singer/songwriters, then George Stanford is someone you must check out. He recently released a new EP Roll Away and it is great. The EP includes 5 songs, all originals from George; one of them being duet with the amazing Lissie. My favorite song on this short, but sweet collection is definitely Natural Girls. Sticks with you from the first time you hear it and it is just a great song. The worst thing about this EP is...just that! It is an EP and I wish he would have released another full-length album. In due time, I am sure. The album is available on iTunes and Amazon, BUT if you order it direct from George's website, you pay WHAT YOU WANT for it! Yes, whatever you want...such a cool way for him to get this out to his fans. You can buy just the digital, or do what I did and buy the physical CD and you get a digital copy to download right away. Buying direct from George will put more money in his pocket and that is what I would recommend. Enjoy!

The Rescues Are Here To Stay

2010-03-17T09:00:00.004-05:00

What happens when you bring together a group of singer/songwriters who already have established themselves as great musicians? You get The Rescues. Band members Kyler England, Rob Giles, Adrianne Gonzalez & Gabriel Mann all have faithful fans and followers as solo artists and now, as a group they are about to have many more! I have been a fan of Gabriel for a couple years and was also familiar with Adrianne. I recently found out about this so called "indie supergroup" through the amazing singer/songwriter Jay Nash and after listening to the bands newly released The Rescues EP on iTunes, I was instantly hooked. The band has excellent harmonies and chemistry. You can just feel the emotion pouring out of the songs and the music is real, raw and some of the best I have heard in some time. Shorty after listening to the EP, I ran across their first album in a used music store and snatched it up immediately. Crazy Ever After is equally amazing as the EP and it has been playing non-stop on my iPod since! If you are looking for this album, I would recommend getting it soon. Secondary-market sites like Amazon and Half.com have the CD listed near or over $100. As of right now, you can still get the album from the band's website or on CD Baby for only $15. Once these are gone, this is gonna be a tough CD to get a hold of. This will be a name that you will hear much more of in the coming year. Spend $3 on iTunes and get the EP...you won't be disappointed.

Dave Barnes: What We Want, What We Get

2010-03-15T10:00:00.006-05:00

Dave Barnes is set to release his fourth full-length studio album What We Want, What We Get on April 6th. The first single God Gave Me You is available on iTunes now, however, you can download it for FREE right now on the Alternative Addiction website here. The song is amazing and there is no doubt in my mind that the new album will be as well. There are currently over 85 ratings on iTunes and it is sitting at 5 stars! You can pre-order the album right now on Dave's website and you get an immediate download of the entire album, the physical CD will be mailed to you on April 6th and you get an exclusive bonus track Soldiers In A Silent War. All this for only $10 plus shipping! Great deal. Dave Barnes is an amazing artist. His voice is incredible and is he incorporates Rock, R&B, Blues, Alternative and so much more into his style. Dave's lyrics are meaningful and the songs are full of emotion, truth and reality. If you like what you hear, I highly recommend getting his earlier works. Enjoy! Here is the cover of the new album:

Discover Band of Skulls With FREE Music

2010-03-08T13:00:00.003-06:00

I first heard Band of Skulls almost one year ago when iTunes featured the song I Know What I Am as the free single of the week, which coincided with the digital release of the album. I liked the song, but failed to explore the band more. After the song kept "popping" up in my iTunes shuffle, I loved it more and more and I decided it was time to check into this group. I am so glad I did! I picked up the album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey and instantly was hooked. This British trio has a great blues/alternative/rock sound and the songs really tell a story. Instead of having an "exclusive" lead singer, the job is shared between guitarist Russell Marsden and bassist Emma Richardson. This sets the band apart from other bands and provides the listener with one brilliant album! I have been planning this blog a for a while now and today seemed like a perfect day since Daytrotter has released a FREE session of 4 songs from the band. This is a great preview of the songs from their album and if you like what you hear, you can get their full album on iTunes for $7.99 or Amazon for $5.99. I also really love the album artwork and band name...enjoy the tunes!

Download 20 FREE Songs From Sister Hazel!

2010-02-16T15:00:00.002-06:00

I have followed Sister Hazel since about 1995 and they are one of my favorite bands of all time. I was shocked today when I found out that Amazon is giving away 20 FREE songs from the band! The collection is called 20 In '10 and is a compilation of 20 songs from four Sister Hazel albums. Here is the breakdown:

Lift (2004)
Firefly
All About the Love
I Will Come Through
Hold On

Absolutely (2006)
Mandolin Moon
Hello, It's Me
Where Do You Go
Truth Is
One Time
Everything Else Disappears

Bam! Volume 1 (2007)
Wrong the Right Way
Sail Away
Save Myself
Mona Lisa
What Kind of Living
Grand Canyon
Work in Progress

Release (2009)
Ghost in the Crowd
Vacation Rain
Walls and Cannonballs

If you are already a fan, you most likely have all of these, but if not, you cannot pass this up. 20 awesome songs for nothing. Share with your friends and spread the Hazel love!!!!

Caitlin Crosby Shares Her Flawz: Free Download

2010-02-06T17:00:00.006-06:00

I discovered Caitlin Crosby through some other artists I follow and took an instant liking to her music...her voice....and her looks. Caitlin's debut album Flawz was released digitally early in 2009 and has been slowly making noise online and in cities across America ever since. Caitlin acted quite a bit from 1997-2006, which helped her get her name out and was a great springboard for her music career. She is currently on tour with Matt Hires and Jason Castro (American Idol). Her songwriting is excellent. She is truly a unique artist. Her voice is sexy and soulful and Caitlin really stands out from the boring artists that have no natural talent and try too hard. She has soul. She has heart. She has true talent. As I write this, Caitlin has nearly 200 review on iTunes and her album is ranked at 5 stars overall, which is very impressive. You can buy her album there for $9.99. Also, her album was just recently re-released by Barnes & Noble with new artwork and a bonus acoustic version of the song Generation. To get a taste of Caitlin's voice, you can download the song Imperfect Is The New Perfect here for FREE. I think we will be hearing a lot more from Caitlin Crosby in 2010. Later~

Matt Hires Take(s) Us To The Start

2010-01-13T13:00:00.000-06:00

A while back, Sara Bareilles made mention of a new artist to check out named Matt Hire s. She actually co-wrote a song for him on his new album Take Us To The Start, which was released in July of last year. Banking on her word, I sampled the album and within a few days, purchased it on iTunes. Hires has been compared to artists such as Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Matt Costa, Mat Kearney, and Bright Eyes, but has his own style and flair. I would agree to a point with these comparisons and definitely recommend listening to what he has to offer. He has a uniqueness to his voice, which is key and his music and lyrics are very good. He is pulling great reviews so far on the album and I think his popularity will grow immensely in 2010. His first single Honey Let Me Sing You A Song is fantastic and the rest of the album has some great potential as well. Matt is currently on tour with Jason Castro (American Idol) and Caitlin Crosby (love her..to be featured in an upcoming blog) and I plan to attend the show here in Minneapolis. The album is available digitally on iTunes and Amazon for $7.99, which is a great deal. I think Matt Hires is most certainly an artist to watch this year. Later~

Eddie K of LIVE Flys Solo: Free Acoustic Album For All

2009-12-28T11:00:00.002-06:00

Eddie Kowalczyk, former front-man for the band LIVE is on is own. After over 20 years, it sounds like the band LIVE is calling it quits due to some" inappropriate actions" by the lead singer, Eddie K. Originally the band had announced this as a 2 year hiatus, but it is seeming more and more that the band has dissolved. I doubt they will get back together, which is sad to see, but such is life. Recently, Eddie has started his own website and has been touring and playing acoustic sets. Most of these are available to purchase online as digital album as MP3's and some as videos. Last week, Eddie announced that hes was giving away FREE 1 year memberships to his new fan club and that includes a full FREE download of his newest "bootleg album." This includes 16 songs as MP3 files and 10 as video files. Many favorite and familiar songs he wrote with LIVE are included. This included I Alone, Lightning Crashes, The Dolphins Cry and tons more. You can't beat this great deal for free, so take advantage of it. Here are the details:

::LIMITED TIME OFFER::

FREE 1 YEAR EKL MEMBERSHIP ($30 Value)

Join the EKL Fan Club now for FREE!

This Exclusive One Time Offer Includes:

• Digital Download ($20 Value) - EddieKLIVE Bootleg 8 (Bootleg consists of 16 MP3's and 10 music vids from London, England show July 2009)

• Access to EKL Fan Club Site

• Exclusive ticket pre-sales for my concerts

• Unique gifts, (ever wanna know what inspired a certain lyric? how about the chance to talk to me on the phone about it? YES, we will be doing that! )

• SNEAK PEAK of a song from my new album to be released in 2010

NOTE: Offer expires 1/31/2010.

Take care and sorry for the lack of updates this month...things have been hectic with the holidays. More frequent updates to come starting January...I promise. Later~

Blakroc Hits the Mark

2009-12-10T10:26:00.020-06:00

As a huge fan of The Black Keys, I was extremely excited about their new collaboration album Blakroc, which was released recently. The album had a ton of hype built around it and now that it is out, I am not sure if fans of the band or the Hip-Hop artists on this release were ready for this? This collaboration takes the bluesy, thick and heavy music of the Black Keys and blends it with Hip-Hop artists like RZA, Mos Def, Q-Tip, Ludacris, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Jim Jones, Nicole Wray and many more. There have been many rock/rap collaborations in the past, but this one is much different that anything I have ever heard. It is raw, real and relevant. I think this is a sign of things to come in 2010 and beyond. You can hear samples here and I recommend trying to find the CD instead of downloading it from online sites. The online sites (iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody) do not include the song Coochie featuring Ludacris and ODB. You can get the CD direct from the music store on the site here or I would check your local independent music store. It is also available on vinyl. Later~

Discover Serena Ryder With a FREE Download!

2009-11-23T11:00:00.001-06:00

After receiving a free song from Serena Ryder a few weeks ago, I was instantly hooked. She has actually been around for about 10 years and has made quite a name for herself in Canada and Australia. Now, she is spreading her amazing music into the US. You can download the song All For Love, from her new album Is It O.K. for FREE on Amazon. This is the song that hooked me and may sound familiar to you since it has been getting some radio airplay. Serena has an amazing three-octave voice and she will blow you away. Her music is a blend of Rock, Country, Folk and Pop with very well written songs/lyrics. Beside the free song, you should check out Little Bit of Red and Weak In the Knees. Enjoy!

John Mayer Fails With Battle Studies

2009-11-19T15:00:00.001-06:00

I was a fan of John Mayer back when he was all pop. I loved his bluesy phase and was very surprised to see an artist evolve into something musically different than what made him famous. John's new album Battle Studies had a lot of hype and I was very excited when I picked it up on Tuesday. My initial reaction was it is too slow and laid back. After spending a few more days with the album, I still feel like Mr. Mayer got a little lazy on this one. There are a couple songs I love and a couple that are okay...the rest...bore me. If this was a new artist on the scene, would people become fans because of this album? I really do not think so. However, since he is famous and already has a fan base, people eat it up. Well, I am still a fan and will be...unless he pulls this off again in his next release. Hopefully John Mayer will release another Trio album next year and somewhat redeem his manhood. Oh, and that lame-ass cover reminds me of a gay guy in an Abercrombie ad. If you at all are still interested in hearing samples of the album, go to iTunes. They have a deluxe version with an exclusive track (I'm On Fire). The two songs I feel worth listening too are Crossroads and Who Says. Later~

Orianthi: Do You Believe?

2009-11-13T11:00:00.005-06:00

A few weeks ago, I downloaded a free song on iTunes from an artist named Orianthi. I had no clue who she was, but after listening to the song, she definitely intrigued me to investigate further. After a little research and some time on YouTube, I realized that this girl can really play the guitar! Not just play, but master that thing! She is absolutely incredible and one of the best guitar players I have ever heard...definitely the best female!!! She is from Australia and has been playing since she was 6. Most recently, she was to be the guitar player for Michael Jackson's tour and is featured in the new movie about him. She has jammed with Carlos Santana, opened shows for Steve Vai and has played with Prince. Those are some seriously big names, but she is so talented, that it does not surprise me at all. Here music is pop/rock and her voice reminds me a little of Hayley Williams (Paramore) and Avril Lavigne. She writes solid songs and her voice is very good & she is beautiful. Her guitar playing, however... is out of this world...definitely a prodigy. Check her out on iTunes and you can get her new album Believe for $7.99. Also, check out the video below to see her shred!

She has lots of other videos on YouTube as well if your not convinced. Enjoy~

Discover Matt Wertz For FREE!

2009-11-05T11:00:00.001-06:00

I have been meaning to blog about Matt Wertz for some time now and after recently discovering that he is giving away a FREE full-length live album, I figured now is the best time. A friend of mine told me I had to check out Matt's music and shortly after that, I stumbled upon his third full-length studio album (Everything In Between) for super cheap. After listening to it once, I was totally into his music. Matt is a singer-songwriter and has a similar sound to artists like Dave Barnes and Jon McLauglin. He writes his own music and has been around since 2001. His last studio album Under Summer Sun was his first to be released on a major record label. As I mentioned, he is giving away his new live album If It Ain't Broke... for FREE just for signing up for his newsletter or by Tweeting about the album. It is a full-length show and includes 17 tracks. The sound quality is great and Matt sound amazing. After hearing this, I definitely want to check him out live the next time he come to town. Take 5 minutes of your time and download this...come on, it is FREE. I can almost guarantee you will be a fan. Click here to sign up, later~

Wolfmother Hatches Cosmic Egg

2009-11-03T15:00:00.001-06:00

When the sounds of Wolfmother first hit the US airwaves in 2005, I was totally into the sound and loved the retro bluesy-rock sound. Their debut album was in a word in credible. Wolfmother released their second studio album Cosmic Egg last week and in one word...it is, well, incredible. I was not expecting this at all, since the only existing band member from the original lineup is the singer, Andrew Stockdale. However, I believe that is all your really need to keep a band together. That is what people recognize and bond with and it will keep them coming back for more. The new members did not effect the sound one bit. In fact, they made the sound better. It is more complex than before and darker. It is more intense and deep. The sound is similar to 70's acid rock rock, but with a modern twist. The album is available in a regular and deluxe version and I must say, the deluxe version is a lot to digest (16 songs...plus there are other exclusive versions of songs here and there). It will take a while yet to completely process the entire album, but my initial reaction is these guys did it again and I am stoked. Let's hope the new members can get along. A few of my early favorites include: New Moon Rising, Cosmic Egg & Back Round. Check it out on iTunes, Amazon or your local music store. Later~

Joss Stone Releases Fourth Album Colour Me Free!

2009-10-25T17:00:00.000-05:00

Joss Stone keeps on rolling with her fourth studio album in her short 6 year career. In that short period of time, she has sold over 10 million worldwide and is only 22 years old. She is an amazing artist and I have been a fan since I first heard her in 2003. Her new release Colour Me Free! came out last week and is exclusive to iTunes and Target. This could very well be her best work yet. Amazing vocals with perfect R&B & Soul sounds that gets your feet tapping and hands clapping. The album was supposed to be released a while ago and include a different cover, however the label (EMI) decided to be difficult and would not allow her to use her cover because the described it as offensive. Now that is is finally out, the world can experience how incredible and brilliant Joss Stone is once again. Fans of Stone will be familiar with some of the songs, which have been played live for a while and a couple were released in other formats at a previous time. If you get a chance, go check it out on iTunes or pick it up at Target, it is well worth the money! Oh...the image below is what the cover was supposed to be...damn record labels...enjoy~

Five For Fighting Releases 5th Studio Album: Slice

2009-10-13T12:00:00.002-05:00

Been out of the loop lately my friends, but wanted to pass on a note from John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting. I love John's music. His lyrics are always so meaningful and hit home with me and my life. The music is just solid and amazing. I have heard a few songs of the new album Slice and it is probably his best work yet. A note from John:

"Friends, Today we release, the new Five For Fighting album! As every record is a couple years in the making, these Tuesdays are special days for the Ondrasik family. Starting with the blank page I'll write about a hundred songs, whittle them down to 14, and spend a thousand hours in the studio producing, mixing, and mastering the tracks. It's fitting that this album stylistically combines the old with the new. It was great working with Gregg Wattenberg again (Superman, 100 Years) and writing the title track with Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell) was a thrill. Times sure have changed since I started this gig but my intentions haven't. It's always been my goal to give you the best songs I can while presenting one songwriters slice of life. As this is my 5th swing, I'm grateful to be living a kids dream in this, the greatest nation on Earth. Thank you for supporting me over the years. We all have our Slices of Time...Here's this one... -John"

Take a listen to this album on iTunes or Amazon, it really is incredible. Also, for a limited time, you can download the song Slice from Borders at no charge. Later~

Discover B. Reith With a Free EP

2009-10-01T10:00:00.004-05:00

Last week, I received a tip about an up-and-coming artist who has been compared to the likes of Jason Mraz and Matt Karney. Amazon was giving away a FREE 4-song EP, so I thought, what the heck. I was actually very surprised and impressed with the artist known as B. Reith. To me, he sounds like a combination of Jason Mraz, Justin Timberlake and Eminem. One big surprise for me is that B. Reith is a Cristian hip-hop/pop artist. It is not too often you find an artist in this genre of music that has the potential to break out and make it big, but I think Reith does have what it takes. The EP is still available for free on Amazon and his full length studio album Now Is Not Forever was released on September 18. Three of the songs on this EP are also on the album, so if you like what you here, I'd recommend buying it. It is available on Amazon or iTunes for $7.99 and both include a non-album track. Later~

Joshua James: Build Me This

2009-09-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

Joshua James has a very distinctive voice and after hearing just one song by him two years ago, I have been hooked ever since. James' second release (full-length LP) Build Me This is a possibly the best Folk record of the year. The album is filled with deep lyrics that you just don't get from your everyday singer/songwriter type. The music for each song flows perfectly with James' cleverly crafted lyrics. Joshua's unique voice and how how sings with so much emotion, meaning and purity really makes him stand out from the crowd. Another thing I love about this album is that it consists of 13 songs. The iTunes version also includes 3 bonus tracks and a video for the song Weeds; all for only $9.99, which is such a bargain for a gem like this. A vinyl version will also be available soon with 18 tracks and I believe and extended version of the CD will be available as well so fans can get all of the songs. The ratings on this album so far are all top of the charts and for good reason. I'd easily give this a 5/5, no question. Check him out and spread the word. Enjoy~

Pearl Jam Rocks On With Backspacer

2009-09-22T13:30:00.000-05:00

I have been a fan of Pearl Jam since 1991...yes, I am old, but so are they and they still rock! Pearl Jam totally "brings it" on their 9th studio album Backspacer. The album was released on their own label Monkeywrench Records and is available exclusively at Target stores and on iTunes (and on Pearl Jam's website and some independent record stores). I was a bit concerned about this release, since the last 3 Pearl Jam albums were very sub-par. However, I had heard they teamed up with past producer Brendan O' Brien and that gave me hope. Well, as soon as I put the CD in and started listening, I was hooked. Upbeat, rock songs with a punk edge at times. Just what I need and I think most fans will agree. The album is pulling solid reviews on iTunes and I am sure it will be the #1 album in the country come Monday. I am totally hooked on the songs The Fixer, Supersonic and Just Breathe at the moment and Speed of Sound is my next addiction. With the purchase of the album, you also get to choose 2 full concert downloads to download digitally, which is very cool, since Pearl Jam is an incredible live band. The album is also available in a Vinyl format, which has again become increasingly popular over the last few years. Overall, this is by far the best release in 10 years for these guys and they should be very proud of it. Enjoy and rock on!

Angel Taylor Debuts Love Travels

2009-09-22T13:00:00.003-05:00

It took me just one listen of the song Make Me Believe on my local radio station about 6 months back to realize that Angel Taylor would be a name to remember in music. Shortly thereafter, she was featured as an iTunes free single of the week artist and today marks the release of her debut album Love Travels. Angel is a very talented singer/songwriter and the songs on this album prove that. Whether she is playing a piano ballad or an upbeat acoustic-pop song, her voice is what guides you through each song. If you are a fan of Colbie Caillat, Kate Voegele or Sara Bareilles, then Angel Taylor is right up your alley. My favorites are Make Me Believe, Spinning Wheels & Like I do. Both iTunes and Amazon have the album available digitally for $7.99, which is a steal for a 13 song album from such a talented artist. Enjoy and I expect this amazing 21 year old to have a very long career in music~

Hill Country Revue: Make A Move

2009-09-18T14:00:00.001-05:00

I stumbled across a song a couple of months ago called You Can Make It from the band Hill Country Revue and within 30 seconds, I was tapping my foot and singing along. I had to have more, so I downloaded the full album Make A Move from iTunes and instantly fell in love with the music. If you like rock and roll, Southern style, then these guys are for you! Awesome guitar licks, smooth lyrics and an overall great bluesy Southern-rock sound make this band a keeper. After a little research, I found out that this band is an "extension" of the North Mississippi Allstars, so if you are familiar with them, you most likely already know of this band. Go check these guys out and I know you'll love them! I'd love to see the band live sometime as I have heard they are spectacular. Enjoy~

Experience Brett Dennen With FREE Music From Daytrotter

2009-09-16T20:00:00.005-05:00

I am a huge fan of the website Daytrotter and try check the site daily. They offer free, exclusive downloads from tons of independent artists from all walks of life. Recently, they posted a session with the amazing Brett Dennen. This four song set includes songs from his new album Hope For The Hopeless. These versions are extremely stripped down and raw. This allows you to feel the true emotion of Brett singing live and it is a thing of beauty! My favorite of these is the song Heaven. The lyrics in this song are deep and really make you think. Like I have mentioned in the past about Brett, he is one of the best lyricist in music today. Check these out and for free, you have nothing to loose. Enjoy and if you get the chance to see Brett Dennen live in concert, I would highly recommend it. He is on tour now supporting his new album. Later~

Howie Day Sound The Alarm

2009-09-11T13:00:00.001-05:00

It has been six years since Howie Day last released a full length studio album. Finally, on September 8th, his third album Sound The Alarm was available for the world to hear. I think a lot of people have forgotten about Howie Day and waiting this long between releases is very risky. According to Day, he needed the time to regroup and "sort through his emotions." We'll, from the sounds of the album, that is exactly what he needed. This album is by far Day's best work yet and if his record label and him play their cards right, people should again know the name Howie Day. A few of my current favorite songs right now are Counting on Me, So Stung and Longest Night. Check it out on iTunes and and see what you think. That version also includes the exclusive track Stay This Way. Some fans of Howie may not agree with me and prefer the "old" Howie Day, but I think this is a better direction for him to be going musically. Later~

A Fine Frenzy: Bomb In a Birdcage is a Masterpiece

2009-09-08T10:00:00.001-05:00

Alison Sudol is one of the most talented songwriters and singers in music today. She goes by the name A Fine Frenzy and today marks the release of her second studio album Bomb In a Birdcage. I have been fortunate enough to have had this album for about 2 weeks now and it is amazing. Alison's songwriting takes your mind to a whole new level of thinking. Each of her songs is an intricate story that you so easily get lost in. She writes songs that are like mini novels...in a matter of 3-5 minutes, she takes your mind on an intense ride of musical nirvana. This new album is quite different than her first. Many of the songs are more upbeat and in a sense, take on a lighter side. They are not as calming, but still very sensitive. Some of my favorites are Happier, Electric Twist, Blow Away and What I wouldn't do. The version on iTunes is available with an exclusive song called Coming Around (the song can be purchased separately) and it is a great song. The Amazon version also has an exclusive song called Silent War and for TODAY ONLY, you can get the full album with the exclusive track for ONLY $3.99. Such a great deal! I have seen A Fine Frenzy live a few times and if you get the chance to experience her live, I highly recommend it. With the new album out, I'd expect a sizable tour announcement soon. Later~

Discover: Crosby Loggins with a FREE Download

2009-09-03T11:00:00.005-05:00

Crosby Loggins is a singer/songwriter that is no stranger to fame. His father, Kenny Loggins, has released a slew of songs since the early 70's and is a Grammy award winner. I took an immediate liking to Crosby's voice on his debut (solo) album Time To Move. It is very smooth and calming. Perfect for the style of music he writes and very much of what people want to hear today. Some songs are little more rock and roll, while others are pure ballads. I think with some good exposure, Crosby will do very well with his music. I am looking forward to hearing more from Crosby in the future and if he comes to my neck of the woods, I'd love to hear his live sound. For a sample, listen to the previews on iTunes or MySpace. Also, check out the song Time To Move, which features John Mayer on guitar (download it here for FREE!). It is a great song...one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy him as much as I have and feel free to leave comments...positive or negative. I love feedback. Peace~

Colbie Caillat Breakthrough

2009-09-01T10:00:00.001-05:00

A week ago today, Colbie Caillat released her second studio album Breakthrough in both a regular 12-song and a deluxe 17-song version. For only a couple bucks more, I opted for the deluxe version and initially was very overwhelmed with the amount of songs. My first impression was that the album was good, but consisted of "filler" songs which could have maybe been offered to fan club members at a later date or just left in the vault for a future "B-Sides" type record. Overall, there are some fantastic songs like Begin Again, I Never Told You and Breakin' at the Cracks, but maybe a little too much "Colbie" here. I like how some of the songs are more up-tempo than the last record and the lyrics are great. However, the music tends to blend together and sounds extremely over-produced. Too much "studio" sound. Her last album had much more emotion and a "real" feel to it. It was innocent and rich. This to me is a perfect example of record executives getting to much input on an album. I am still a big fan of Colbie's music, but hopefully she will be able to have more control over her next album. I'd give it a 3.5/5. Later~

Gary Go: Should He Stay or Should He Go?

2009-08-28T12:00:00.006-05:00

After grabbing the song Wonderful as an iTunes single of the week a few weeks ago, I expected the tune from Gary Go to be just another boring song that I'd listen to once and delete into obscurity from my computer's hard drive. Instead, I liked it and I was fortunate enough to get this album from a music rep just a couple days later and gave it a thorough listen. Is he the next big thing? I'd say no. However, he has gained a lot of popularity in the UK and that tends to eventually work its way over here in the US. Gary Go a.k.a Gary Baker has picked up some publicity due to his use of the iPhone and apps in the process of writing and recording his music. The music has solid lyrics and memorable melodies and there is a lot of potential here. I'll keep my ears open and wish him the best. You can get the album on iTunes with 2 bonus tracks for a measly $7.99 or try and find the CD at retail. Here is the video for wonderful, enjoy~

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Everybody Should Love Ingrid Michaelson

2009-08-27T15:00:00.011-05:00

Ingrid Michaelson is brilliant! Her latest album Everybody is her 4th release and is definitely her best work yet. Her music gets better with each release and she has come a long way since Slow the Rain. We are talking about witty lyrics and catchy choruses that you hum, clap and sing to almost immediately. She is such a sweet and personable artist that you just love from the start! Her wisdom and experience shine through incredibly on this album and I applaud her! She also released this on her own...yes, Indie...love it! A few of my favorites include: Everybody, Maybe, Locked Up and Soldier. Buy this CD, it is worth every penny. Check it out on iTunes where it is only $7.99 with 2 bonus videos or Amazon. She is also on the road and from what I have read, she does not disappoint. Later~

Sister Hazel New RELEASE Is A Work of Art

2009-08-25T09:00:00.005-05:00

Sister Hazel is like a fine wine, they get better with time. Each album these guys create proves how talented they are as songwriters and musicians. The new album Release is possibly there best work yet. The songs offer the amazing harmonies and perfect lyrics you would expect, plus a little experimentation. One thing that is so cool about this album is that each band member contributed to the writing process, which was not the case on previous releases. The drummer, the bass player...everyone! Each of the 5 members wrote at least two songs and then they worked together to produce one incredible album of fresh, new material! Not one of these songs is a "filler" song. Some songs that really stand out for me are Take A Bow, Run For The Hills, One Life and Ghost In The Crowd. The album is priced low and can be found at most of your big retail/music stores. The iTunes version includes an acoustic version of Take A Bow and Vacation Rain and so far out of over 130 ratings, it has a 5 star rating. You can download Take A Bow for FREE right now here or just got get the album. Enjoy~

Chase The Sun: Blues at its Best!

2009-08-14T15:00:00.002-05:00

If you like the Blues & Rock, then you will LOVE Chase The Sun. These guys are incredible! After discovering them over a year ago, I tried to locate a physical copy of their CD with no luck. They are from Australia and I just could not get the CD anywhere in the US, so I recently purchased it from iTunes for $9.99. Best new Blues music I have added to my library in a very long time. The lead singer drags you in with his perfect bluesy rock voice and the guitar playing is top-notch! The trio recently released a 3 song EP on iTunes as well called Living Free/Sweet Candy and I hope a new album is in the works soon. If you are a fan of SRV, Hendrix and BB King, then Chase The Sun is right up your alley. Check them out on MySpace or iTunes and get hooked~

Kings of Leon In Your Ears!

2009-08-10T16:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, call me late to the party, but I recently discovered the band Kings of Leon....mainly because of the song Use Somebody. I heard it once and it stuck in my head. I had no idea who sang it, but after finding out, I needed to hear more. After spending a few days with KOL's latest effort titled Only By the Night I knew I had stumbled across something special. These guys totally rock! I love the new album and have plans to go back and get their entire catalog as soon as I can. A few other songs that make my ears extremely happy are Revelry, Sex on Fire and Closer. I knew of the name of the band, but for some reason had never experienced their music. They won a Grammy for Sex on Fire, so I am very surprised I didn't catch on then. These guys have been around now for 10 years and have four studio albums under their belt. Definitely a cool find for me and if you are not familiar with them, now is the time. Check them out on MySpace or iTunes and enjoy~

Colbie Caillat to Release Breakthrough

2009-07-31T11:47:00.018-05:00

I am a big fan of Colbie Caillait and look forward to her sophomore album Breakthrough to be released on August 25th. Colbie's career exploded after her song Bubbly became famous and I am very proud of her. I knew when I stumbled across her on Myspace that she was gonna hit it big. Her new single Fallin' For You is available on iTunes now and is basically what I expected form Colbie. It is a good song. The regular version of the album will have 12 tracks and a deluxe version will include 5 additional songs. You can pre-order the Deluxe version on Colbie's website now and get it autographed for FREE. Here are the songs for the album:

Regular Version:

I Won't
Begin Again
You Got Me
Fallin' For You
Rainbow
Droplets
I Never Told You
Fearless
Runnin' Around
It Stops Today
Breakthrough
Breakin' At The Cracks

Deluxe Version Includes above, as well as:

Out Of My Mind
What I Wanted To Say
Don't Hold Me Down
Never Let You Go
Stay With Me

I have heard a few of these songs. She has played some of them live in the past couple of years.
One thing I have noticed about Colbie is that she looks incredible lately! Not complaining about that. She also just announced a tour to support the album, so go see her live if you get the chance. Not all dates have been announced yet, but I am sure there will be plenty more to come. Later~

Discover The Ropes with FREE Music Galore!

2009-07-23T09:00:00.001-05:00

I have been aware of The Ropes for about a year now and enjoy listening to their music when the mood is right. Right now, you can download almost every song they have ever released for FREE! Yep, 27 songs free direct from the bands website. Can't beat a deal like that and the music is great as well! Lead singer Sharon Shy has a good, solid voice and the lyrics are top-notch, very engaging and sometimes quite deep. Add some great beats and solid music and you have some great music. To get the tunes, click here. The Ropes are an Indie duo based out of NYC that has been around for a few years and has built up a very solid fan base in the US and UK. If you are into bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Bravey, Rilo Kiley and The Strokes, then The Ropes are right up your alley. Enjoy the music and if you like them, they are heading out on tour now! Later~

Brooke White: High Hopes & Heartbreak

2009-07-16T09:00:00.003-05:00

I was a huge fan of Brooke White when she was on the the 7th season of American Idol and have been waiting for her album to be released for a while now. This is actually Brooke's second release, but she has changed completely since being on Idol....and that is a good thing. High Hopes & Heartbreak is now available to the world and overall, it is a very solid album. Brooke has a great voice and she proves that on these songs. The album is a mix of Folk, Rock and Pop and a few songs could very easily be top 10 hits. This week, you can download the video for the song Radio Radio on iTunes for FREE. This is a great upbeat song and I find myself singing it later in the day after I hear it. A few more of my favorites are: Use Somebody, High Hopes & Heartbreak & When We Were One. The album is only $7.99 on iTunes as well and totally worth the money. I am excited to watch Brooke climb the charts. Later~

Sister Hazel: New Album Coming Soon!

2009-07-14T09:00:00.004-05:00

Just wanted to spread some great news about one of my favorite bands of all time. Sister Hazel is set to release a new studio album on August 18th titled Release. Right now, you can pre-order the album for a super price of only $7.99. There's more! If you pre-order before July 24th and you get a FREE autographed Take A Bow single cover & FREE shipping!!! If that isn't enough, you also get an immediate download of the new single Take A Bow and an exclusive acoustic version of the song I Believe In You, which will not be included on the album. What a deal! These two songs I mentioned are both fantastic. I am very excited to listen to the full album and will definitely post a review once it is out. You can reserve the album here and also take advantage of other great music and merchandise deals. Also, I am not sure how much longer these will be available for FREE, but you can get BOTH Ken Block's Drift and Drew Copeland's No Regrets solo albums for FREE from Amazon. Both albums are great and you can't beat the price! Enjoy~

A Fine Frenzy to Release New Album in September!

2009-07-07T09:00:00.002-05:00

I guess I have been out of the loop lately, but I recently discovered that A Fine Frenzy is set to release a new album on September 8th titled Bomb in a Birdcage. Lead singer Alison Sudol has an incredible voice and writes songs incorporated with so much meaning. The lyrics are like mini novels and the music soothes the soul. I have been waiting for something new, since it has been a couple of years since One Cell In the Sea was released. One of the new songs, Blow Away, can be heard on her myspace page and should be avilable on Amazon next week. The song is a lot more upbeat that most of the songs on the first album, but is is very good. It immediately stuck in my had and now I am craving more songs from the new release! Other song names that have been rumored are:

Electric Twist
From Whence You Came
Happier
Stood Up
What I Wouldn't Do

I will definitely be posting more about this album as I find out more. If you have yet to experience A Fine frenzy, I highly recommend it. I have also seen AFF live on several occasions and Ali is the real deal. Here voice sounds better live than on the CD. Enjoy~

Free Ingrid Michaelson Download & New Album Soon!

2009-06-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of Ingrid Michaelson and always try and get my hands on everything she releases. She recently announced her new album Everybody will be released on August 25th and I am very excited. Right now by signing up for her e-mail list, you can get a FREE download! If you sign up friends, you can also get bonus downloads! I received the song This Is For when I signed up and it is a great song. Ingrid has come a long way since her debut album Slow The Rain was released interdependently back in 2005. Her new single Maybe is hitting radios across the US and it is pure Inrgid. Her music is so spunky and fun...I love it! Full review of the new album once it is out~

July for Kings Reunite and Release New Album: Monochrome

2009-06-24T15:00:00.001-05:00

You may never have heard of July For Kings (a.k.a JFK), but they blew me away years back when they released their debut album, Swim. After that album was released, the band basically dissolved and released what many thought would be the end, Nostalgia. Joe Hedges, the lead singer, ended up releasing a solo album a few years back and that soothed the hunger for new JFK music, but it just was not the same. Well, the band is back together and a new release Monochrome was released this week. I have actually had the album for about 2 weeks and it is very solid. It is definitely better than their first release and I prefer it over Joe playing solo. My favorite songs I recommend are Blue, Say It Now and Like A City. You can order the album from their website and may be able to find it at some larger music stores. It is not yet on iTunes, but should be at some point. They have some songs up on MySpace as well you can check out to see what you think of them. I am very stoked they are back together and hope to catch them live at some point. Later~

Anya Marina: The Daytrotter Sessions=Free Music

2009-06-17T16:00:00.001-05:00

Daytrotter's daily free download session for today, June 17th, is from the amazing singer/songwriter Anya Marina. I have blogged about Anya before and love her unique voice. This is a great set of 5 songs from her current release Slow & Steady Seduction: Phase II. All the songs are great and it is fun to hear Anya in a more stripped down setting. She is a great live performer and these songs prove that. You cannot beat the price...FREE and if you like what you hear, pick up her new album on iTunes for only $9.99. Enjoy~

Paolo Nutini: Sunny Side Up is a Sophomore Slump?

2009-06-10T15:00:00.000-05:00

Many artists come out of the gates with a strong first album and later follow up with what is usually called a 'sophomore slump'. Thus is the case with Paolo Nutini and his latest effort Sunny Side Up. Now, before you flame me, this is a GREAT album, but with how amazing his first album was, this really just does not measure up. Yes, you still have the unique voice and a little bit of soul with this release, but it just seems lost and messy. Incomplete. It does not flow and move like it should. Maybe the record label rushed him to get this out....of course, it has been 3 years since his debut. Whatever the case, if you are already a fan, you will enjoy the CD, but find yourself listening to These Streets before too long. If you are new to Paolo's music, check out the songs Candy, No Other Way & Coming Up Easy on iTunes and decide for yourself. Until next time~

Mandy Moore Releases Amanda Leigh

2009-06-05T15:00:00.002-05:00

Don't laugh. Serious, she is no longer the sugar-coated pop starlet that made her famous. She is grown up now, evolved into a folk/pop singer/songwriter type. Her latest effort, Amanda Leigh, (named after her real first and middle name) is a true folk album. Try to ignore the pretenses you have of Moore and give the music a chance. I think you will be surprised. The music has a warmth to it that makes you feel good inside. The songs are well written and the lyrics are very solid. Overall, I'd give this one 3.5 out of 5 stars. I never thought I'd say that about her, but she really has developed into artist. Check it out on iTunes and see what you think. Enjoy~

Mat Kearney: City of Black & White

2009-05-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

Mat Kearney has such a soothing voice and it is hard not to like his music. On his latest release, City of Black & White, Kearney provides his fans, both new and old, with his best work to date. The one thing that has always bothered me about Mat is when he would mix hip-hop & spoken-word into his songs. His first two albums were a mix of amazing singer/songwriter tunes with half of these other songs mixed in. These songs always made me feel uncomfortable and they felt out of place. I skipped them every time. This new album includes none of this...and that is a good thing. From the first song to the last, Kearney shines with his comforting voice and great songwriting. For some hard-core fans, they will consider this a sell-out album, but I disagree. This is who Mat is. He finally realized that and the sales will prove that. Check it out on iTunes and see what you think. Great work Mr. Kearney~

Discover Diane Birch With FREE Music....6 Songs!

2009-05-22T09:30:00.001-05:00

Diane Birch impressed me from the first verse to the last when I downloaded her iTunes FREE single of the week Rise Up. She has an "old soul" at the age of only 20. Her music is a blend of Soul, Pop, Gospel, Jazz & Blues. Her voice is unique and impressive for someone so young. After some research, I ran across another FREE song called Fire Escape. A very solid song set to be released soon on her debut album Bible Belt. And if these two free songs are not enough to get you hooked, how about 4 more? Daytrotter featured her just yesterday with a FREE 4 song session from SXSW. This set is amazing and all the songs featured will be on her album as well. She sounds great live and plays a ton of instruments. Diane also writes all of her own music, which to me is very important. Artists are always much more connected to there songs if they actually write them. I will definitely be getting her album when it is released on June 2nd. You can pre-order the 13 track album on iTunes right now for only $6.99! What a steal!

Kate Voegele: A Fine Mess Released Today

2009-05-19T10:00:00.001-05:00

Singer-songwriter Kate Voegele released her second studio album today titled A Fine Mess. This album is far from a mess and showcases Kate's incredible voice perfectly. After running across some of her music a couple of years ago on Myspace, I was hooked. She is pure pop, but she writes her own music and is a true musician. Kate has worked hard to get where she is today and I look forward to watching her develop in the future. She shows a lot of growth since her last release on this new album. Songs like Inside Out, Who You Are Without Me and Sweet Silver Lining all display her great voice and solid songwriting. Two versions of the album are available on iTunes; the standard version which includes one bonus track and the deluxe version, which includes 6 bonus tracks. Also, for a short time on Amazon, you can get the standard version as a download for only $2.99 and the deluxe version for $4.99. The Amazon versions contain some different songs than iTunes, so there are a ton of options here. A great deal either way for a great album. Enjoy~

The Campaign to Save Paste

2009-05-18T15:29:00.002-05:00

I am a big supporter of the magazine Paste and after hearing about this, I wanted to do more than just donate, I want to help spread the word:

"Paste Needs You!

The global recession has taken its toll on Paste as advertisers have slashed their spending. We are turning to our readers to help bridge the gap. Even a small contribution can make a big difference.

Join 100+ of our favorite artists in the campaign to save Paste and get rare & exclusive tracks as a thank you.

Artists include The Decemberists, Neko Case, She & Him, Cowboy Junkies, Of Montreal, Indigo Girls, Jayhawks, String Cheese Incident, G. Love, Josh Rouse, The Hives, Matthew Sweet, The Avett Brothers, Joe Henry, John Roderick of The Long Winters, Over the Rhine, Bob Mould, Arrested Development, Brandi Carlile, John Doe, Josh Ritter, Marc Broussard and more. We also have a number of goodies (such as signed R.E.M. and Band of Horses posters, an ocean-view cabin on next year's Cayamo cruise, and more) to give to donors in random drawings."

Better Than Ezra: Paper Empire Shines!

2009-05-13T16:43:00.013-05:00

After being in the business for over 20 years, Better Than Ezra proves they still have what it takes!! Their seventh studio album Paper Empire, released last week, is one of there strongest efforts to date. Lead singer Kevin Griffin shows off is amazing songwriting abilities with lyrics that make you think and you can relate to. Some of the songs will remind you of why you first started listening to the band, other songs will make you never want to stop listening! After recently replacing there longtime drummer Travis McNabb and not having any new music for four years, I was worried that the band was done. Kevin has been working with a lot of other bands writing and producing, so I figured he would head in that direction. I am so glad he didn't. The first single Absolutely Still can be downloaded here for FREE. This song is what I expected of the band and it is a great song. Some other songs I highly recommend are Hell No!, Just One Day & I Just Knew. The iTunes version includes an exclusive bonus track In Between Moments, which I have heard is amazing. Otherwise, the CD is available at most stores that carry music. Check it out and support a band that has been making great, honest music for over two decades~

Have You Heard of Cage The Elephant? Get a FREE Download Now!

2009-05-07T18:00:00.004-05:00

On April 12th, iTunes featured the song Ain't No Rest for the Wicked from the band Cage The Elephant as a free single. I downloaded it and after one listen, I was intrigued and instantly checked out the band. Apparently their self-titled debut was released last year with some very solid reviews. After releasing this free single on iTunes, I would assume they be gaining a lot more fans. Cage The Elephant is a five-piece based out of Kentucky. It is serious rock n' roll with a twist of blues, soul, pop, R&B all 'southern fried' to perfection. Totally cool. New. Definitely worth a listen. You can download there full album right now on iTunes for $6.99, which is a steal. Check out Spinner.com here and you can download a free MP3 of their song Tiny Little Robots. Check out the video below for Ain't No Rest for the Wicked also, it is sweet!

Discover Melody Gardot with a FREE Download

2009-05-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

I first ran across the amazing voice of Melody Gardot a while back when her song Worrisome Heart was released as the free single of the week on iTunes. I was very impressed and ended up buying her album by the same name which was released last year. I am not a huge fan of Jazz, but Melody's sexy smokey voice just blew me away! After a little more research, I found out the she had been in a serious accident in 2005 and during here therapy and recovery, she worked extra hard on her voice and released an EP titled Some Lessons: The Bedroom Sessions. This limited pressing EP can be ordered from CD Baby (they are out of stock at the moment, but are supposed to get more in). Last week, Melody released My One and Only Thrill and I had to have it! It is a great album and I highly recommend it. Check out the songs on iTunes (this version has a bonus track) and you can always download a FREE version of the song Baby I'm a Fool here. After you enter your information, you will need to enter the code LOVEFILMMG to get your free download. This is a great song an it really shows how amazing her voice is. Melody Gardot is definitely an artist to keep an eye on and I will be following here career from here on out. Later~

Discover The Script with a Free Download

2009-04-22T11:00:00.002-05:00

Hailing from Ireland, The Script is a three piece band that recently caught my attention. After checking out some clips of the songs from there self-titled release, I quickly bought the album. You can download a FREE copy of their first single We Cry here. The song The Man Who Can't Be Moved has been getting quite a bit of attention lately and I think the song is amazing! These guys are a cross between a pop boy-band, hip-hop, soul and R&B. All in all, the album is very good and solid. A few of the songs are a bit to pop sounding for me, but they make up for it with the two songs named above and songs like Before The Worst and Breakeven. If you get a chance to listen to some samples on iTunes, I think you will be impressed. Take care and enjoy~

Dave Matthews Band Offers FREE Single for New Album!

2009-04-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

I have been a fan of the Dave Matthews Band for 13 years. I love DMB and am extremely excited for their 7th studio album Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King to be released on June 2nd. Yesterday, they released there first single Funny The Way It Is as a FREE download which will be available for the next week here. According to Wikipedia, the word "GrooGrux" is a nickname for founding band member LeRoi Moore who died in August 2008 after an all-terrain vehicle accident. The album cover has been released as I have shown here and the track listing was just announced officially yesterday as well, it is:

01 Grux
02 Shake Me Like A Monkey
03 Funny The Way It Is
04 Lying In The Hands Of God
05 Why I Am
06 Dive In
07 Spaceman
08 Squirm
09 Alligator Pie (Cockadile)
10 Seven
11 Time Bomb
12 My Baby Blue
13 You And Me

Also, if you pre-order the new album, you will receive a FREE copy of the 3-CD set, Live Trax Vol. 15: 08.09.08 Alpine Valley Music Theatre, one of the most fan requested shows for live release! This is one hell of a sweet deal!!! This pre-order should be available very soon. The new single is good. Not as good as I was hoping, but I like it. If you are a fan and do not have it yet, grab the song and I am sure you will enjoy it. Later~

Free Lelia Broussard Music from True Anthem!

2009-04-14T11:30:00.000-05:00

I have been a fan of Lelia Broussard for a couple years and wanted to share this great opportunity with you. Right now, Lelia is involved in the Wonka Battle of The Bands contest. She is giving away 4 previously unreleased songs.
The track listing is:

Don't Let Go (Special Acoustic Version)
Alone On A Train
Hipster Bitch
Shoot For The Moon

I want to help her out to try and win because she is a truly amazing artist and deserves the exposure. A quote from one of her blogs, "I'm really excited to be giving this music to you guys. I did all the songs totally acoustically which I know a lot of you have been asking me to do for a long time. So that's it! I hope you enjoy these songs, and please tell your friends about this too! I think I can TOTALLY win this with your help. I've never done anything like this before but winning this contest will help me continue to put out new music and best of all to get out and do more TOURING in your town. love you guys and thank you so much for your help!"

She gets points for each song that is played and also for songs that are downloaded. It is a win-win because you get free music and she moves up in the rankings. You can listen to and download the songs on the widget below. Enjoy~

Gavin DeGraw 'Free' is Worth My Money

2009-04-07T10:00:00.006-05:00

The new release by Gavin DeGraw Free is in a word: amazing! From the moment I started listening to the first song and all the way to the final song, I was drawn in so deep by the emotion in Gavin's voice and the lyrics, I almost forgot where I was. This album is what Gavin is: Raw, real, emotional, talented, soulful, stripped and honest. It includes a couple songs that Gavin has performed live for quite some time: Dancing Shoes and Glass, as well as a cover song from the late Chris Whitley called Indian Summer. In a sense, Gavin treated this an Indie album. An album for the fans. An album that is not overproduced and cluttered. I love this and with more people had the guts to do this. My only real disappointment is the fact that it is only 9 songs long, however, as I will point out below, there are other tracks that are not on the album, that are available as well.
The version on iTunes includes a bonus track Never the Same. On Amazon right now, you can download an exclusive track for FREE without even buying the album. The song is called Young Love and it is a song that was on his self-titled release, but this version is more stripped and simple. Also, for those that pre-ordered the CD through his website, you received a digital download of the song Get Lost. I am very happy that I did not have to wait another 5 years for new Gavin music and these are the type of songs Gavin should focus on in the future. Later~

Chirs Cornell's Newest Effort Might Make You Scream

2009-04-06T15:00:00.000-05:00

I have been a fan of Chris Cornell since way back in the early Soundgarden Days and followed him through his career with Temple of the Dog, his solo projects, Audioslave and back to being a solo artist again. His new release Scream is the worst I have ever heard from him and I am completely disappointed. Yes, I said it. I hate it, deal with it. I understand artist's trying "new" things, but Chris really dropped the ball on this one. He worked with...drum roll please....Timbaland. That had me worried right there when I read that a while back. Well, I was right to be worried. You would think that after 25 years of making music (and making good, successful music) he would not try and pull something off like Scream. I am not sure what he was expecting, but the album is not who he is. His voice seemed out of place and forced. I felt uncomfortable when listening to the album. The proof is also in the numbers. The album debuted at number 10 on the charts with only 26,000 copies sold (so yes, he was in the top 10), however, the very next week, it dropped to number 65 and tied a record for having the largest second-week drop for a top 10-debuting album in two and a half years. Way to go Chris. Congrats. People do make mistakes. Fine. Chris Cornell, you have made yours, no go make some music your fans will actually want to listen to.

Matt Nathanson Live Session iTunes Exclusive EP

2009-04-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last week Matt Nathanson released an iTunes exclusive Live Session EP. The EP consists of six songs, five from his most recent release Some Mad Hope and a cover of the Everly Brothers hit from 1958, All I Have to Do Is Dream. There is nothing better than live Matt Nathanson and this EP proves that. He is a brilliant singer-songwriter and has continued to build a larger fan base and sell more records this past year. It still amazes me that it took him so long to grab the attention of the world, but now that he has, he is gaining popularity faster than I think he ever thought he would. If you already like Matt, you'll know these songs and enjoy this EP. If you are not a fan, buy this and you will be. I wish he would have included at least one older song on this, but overall, it is a very good EP and well worth the money. Download it from iTunere here. My favorite off of this has to be Falling Apart, but also love the cover song. Later~

A Breath of Fresh Music Turns One!

2009-03-31T09:00:00.002-05:00

WOW! I cannot believe it has been one year since I started this blog! Time has gone so quickly and I feel so grateful for all the fans, followers, friends and newcomers that have visited my blog. I have had over 80 blogs in the past year and hope to increase that number for year number two. In the last year, I have had almost 3,500 visits to my blog from 73 countries!!! I hope I have introduced some new music to many and that you continue to follow some of the artists that you like. I strongly believe that word of mouth is the best form of advertising and with so many bands and artists sprouting up everywhere, they need fans more then anything.

My goal for the next year on A Breath of Fresh Music is to include more opportunities for you to get FREE (legal) music, interviews, contests and more video. I also want to thank all of the music reps who have contacted me and sent me albums to review. It is a pleasure to be able to listen to music before the general public and it is good to know that someone out there appreciates the blog. If you ever have comments, feel free to leave them here and if you ever have any suggestions for me, let me know. Take another deep breath and get ready for year number two!

P.S. I ran across this great Sub Pop music sampler on Amazon the other day and it is great! It is totally free and includes songs by some great bands including: Fleet Foxes, Blitzen Trapper, Flight of the Conchords and Iron & Wine. You cannot beat the price and if you have not heard of any of these bands....you most likely will during this year. Later~

Erin McCarley FREE Exclusive Download!

2009-03-20T15:00:00.003-05:00

I have been praising Erin McCarley since the day I first heard her voice and will continue because she is amazing! She is definitely a top new artist for 2009! Right now on Amazon, you can download an exclusive acoustic version of her song Pitter-Pat. The original is amazing and this acoustic version is just as good! Just wanted to pass on this quick tidbit about one of my absolute favorites new artists. If you get a chance to pick up her full album, it is well worth it. Enjoy~

John Ondrasik Releases New Song Brothers in Arms

2009-03-19T12:00:00.002-05:00

John Ondrasik, more commonly know as Five For Fighting, released a new song this week titled Brothers in Arms. The song was written specifically for the documentary film BROTHERS AT WAR. The song is amazing and and I would expect nothing less from such an incredible songwriter. The song is available to download on iTunes and I highly recommend it. To find out more about the film or if it is playing near you, check out the website. John has been a huge supporter of our men and women in the military, so writing the song and being part of the documentary is not a surprise. Here is a quote from John regarding the film:
"BROTHERS AT WAR is an honest glimpse into the reality of our troops and their families. I wrote the song two hours after seeing the film," Ondrasik said. "The final production you hear is the demo I recorded that night in my living room, accompanied by a string section Lee Holdrige composed and directed a year later. Whatever one's politics, BROTHERS AT WAR is an example of films that need to be made, and I'm proud to be associated with Jake's and his brothers' story." Enjoy the song and if you get a chance, check out the film. Later~

Better Than Ezra NEW MUSIC with a NEW DRUMMER

2009-03-13T12:00:00.004-05:00

I have been a fan of Better Than Ezra for about 15 years and was very excited to find out recently that a new studio album, Paper Empire, is set be released on May 12th of this year. It has been four years since their last studio release and many fans were wondering if the band had decided to call it quits. They did not quit, but did lose their long-time drummer Travis McNabb (who has been touring with Sugarland for quite some time) and already have a replacement, Michael Jerome. I am super excited for BTE's new studio album and I really hope they can get some promotion for this release. The first single, Absolutely Still, is being released March 17th on iTunes, but you can get it here for FREE. The band is also on tour and has tons of dates for this Summer. If you get a chance to see these guys live, I highly recommend it. The lead singer Kevin Griffin has a truly unique and amazing voice and the lyrics and songwriting are incredible! I will be writing a full review of the album in May, so keep an eye out. Until then, keep listening to music and take care~

Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue CD Review with FREE Download

2009-03-11T12:00:00.002-05:00

If you are familiar with Rilo Kiley, then you already know who Jenny Lewis is. If you are not familiar, then you need to check out the newest solo effort by Lewis, Acid Tongue. I was slightly familiar with Rilo Kiley, but it was not until I recently downloaded the song Acid Tongue when I realized I had to find out more about her. You can get your FREE download here and check out the song for yourself. The song is very driven by emotion and the lyrics...I love it! Lewis has a really great voice and her songs are a mix of pop, folk, country and rock. She experiments with some different sounds, melodies and ranges and it really pulls you in like a paperclip to a magnet. The album was mostly recorded "live" and very little editing or "re-recordings" were needed which adds to the rawness and edgy feel to the album. Besides the title track, I highly recommend checking out Carpetbaggers (with Elvis Costello), Trying My Best to Love You & Sing a Song for Them. Since getting this album, I have started to dig back into her earlier career with her previous solo release, her albums with Rilo Kiley and some of her many vocal contributions with numerous other bands.. Check some of these out and enjoy the music, especially this fantastic new album!

Gavin DeGraw to Release New Album Free

2009-03-05T12:00:00.003-06:00

There was a 5 year gap between Gavin DeGraw's first and second album, but fans barely had enough time to digest his most recent self-titled album before his newest release, Free, is released on March 31st. I am very excited for this album mainly because it is Gavin going back to what he does best: Gavin, his instrument and his voice. His last album was way overproduced and it took much longer than needed to be released. Free is said to be a collection of raw songs. I am really hoping for some of the emotion similar to what was released on his stripped sessions a few years ago. You can pre-order the CD now on Amazon or just wait until it is released and save yourself some dough. Gavin is also on tour with dates into July of this year. I have seen him live twice and he is truly amazing!!!! If you get a chance to make it out, you will not be disappointed. Later~

Discover Angel Taylor with a FREE Download

2009-03-02T12:30:00.001-06:00

After hearing the song Make Me Believe by Angel Taylor on a local radio station in Minneapolis, I eagerly wanted to hear more. After a little research, I found out that her producer, Mikal Blue, is the same as Colbie Caillat's, so if you like Colbie, you'll like Angel as well; they are very similar. She is only 20 years old and her music sounds like it is from someone with much more experience. It is from the heart, real, truthful and emotional. She currently has an EP available on iTunes called Love Travels - EP. Her first album, Love Travels, is due out in stores April 7th. Right now, if you sign up for her e-mail list, you will get a FREE download of Make Me Believe. She is also on tour right now supporting some great artists, check it our here. I am excited for the release and look forward to following Angel's musical career. I think this is a name that will be know by many more people by the end of 2009. Enjoy~

Howie Day Free Song Download & New Album

2009-02-27T11:00:00.001-06:00

It has been over 5 years since the release of a full studio album from singer/songwriter Howie Day. A new album, still untitled, will be released at some point in 2009. Day recently gave away a FREE song titled Counting on Me for anyone who signs up for his e-mail list. The song is very good and should be with such a long gap between albums for him. He has totally fallen of the radar in the music scene and needs something very good to get back in the mix. This song has potential, but it is no Collide. I am hoping a release date is announced soon for the album and I hope the other songs are even better than this song. If not, Day may be in trouble. He did also announce some tour dates for March and I have heard he is incredible live. He uses a lot of looping and sampling during his shows and really gives the fans their moneys worth. Get out and see him if you can and enjoy the free song.