The Jefferson are a four piece rock band based in Sydney, Australia and while Jared King (bass), Andrew Horvath (drums) and Andrew Turner (guitar) are the body that drive the resonance and unison, it’s the unique caliber and honesty of singer/songwriter Geoff Rana's voice that makes them truly stand out.
In 2006 Geoff left Australia and headed to Europe instigating a writing spree of material that would appear on their debut album ‘Safe Return To Earth’. Returning back to Australia in 2007 Geoff met future bassist Jared King and quickly recruited him into the band. “Jared’s style draws you in, it’s impossible not to be intrigued by his talent” says Geoff. Andrew got the call to play guitar, adding fresh melody’s to the guitar hooks. Responding to a classified add Dion joined the band on drums and with a complete line up the band dived straight into playing live gigs around Sydney capturing the attention of renowned Australian ARIA-Award winning producer/engineer, Craig Porteils.
The Jefferson went into the studio in June 2009 to record their debut album ‘Safe Return To Earth’. The dynamic between Craig and The Jefferson produced a stand out first album from an indie band. “it’s all quality” says Craig, “The album is one to look out for and the video looks incredible”
Releasing the single ‘Running’ on iTunes worldwide with their first music video in Feb 2010 the band will be touring Australia in May and New Zealand in June 2010 to promote the release of their debut Album. After receiving considerable airplay in New Zealand the band will be playing the main stage at Winter Festival in Queenstown.
2010 is looking promising for The Jefferson and the band are already crafting new material. Wasting no time the band headed back into the recording studio to record a new single with producer’s Trevor Steele and Lee Groves. The new single ‘No Surprise’ adds layers musically not found on their debut album while maintaining the unique sound of the band.
"You're sweet, like I can't deny." These are the opening lyrics of Steve Moakler’s first full-length album, All The Faint Lights. The same words can be spoken about the music that this Pittsburgh native has been making for the past five years. Having previously released two EPs The Weight of Words (2007) and Like I Mean It (2008), Moakler has proved himself to be a master pop craftsman with anything but faint lights in his future. Listen to his music, and you too won't deny his gift for sweet melodies and moving narratives that stick in your head like happy memories. His songs have a maturity you wouldn't expect from a young twenty-something who is quickly emerging as one of the best of a new generation of pop-rock songwriters who call Nashville home. Be sure to keep an eye out for this banana-eating, curly-headed minstrel as he continues to blaze his trail across the map.
"Aaron was born in Cleveland, TN to a musical family. He mostly kept his musical talents to himself until his late teen years, or at least until he realized that his sports dreams were fully dead. During college at Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro, TN, he was the principle songwriter in a couple of bands, most notably in the emotive indie-rock outfit Imaginary Baseball League. Imaginary Baseball League played lots of shows and had lots of fans, relatively speaking.
IBL broke up in 2005, and shortly thereafter, Aaron started another band, Young Professionals.
After a short stint with YP, Aaron launched a solo career, recording 2008's We Are Racing Ghosts with notable Nashville artist and producer Neilson Hubbard. WARG featured a softer, more careful sound, and received excellent critical reviews in national publications such as Performing Songwriter and USAToday.com.
After playing for a spell with the band Aaron Robinson & the Lost Verses, Aaron & the band recorded a 7-song EP at Lake Fever Productions in 2009. The band unofficially broke up in 2009-2010 when two of its members moved to NY, NY and Portland, OR respectively. The EP will be released in late 2010, most likely under Aaron's name. Following the release of the upcoming EP, Aaron hopes to join/form another collective band with the batch of new songs he has collected over the last year. Until then, you can see Aaron vocalizing in various upcoming tributes to modern classic albums, as well as in Nashville's only 90's cover band, My So-Called Band."
Tyler Bryant lives his life for music. Passionate about expressing himself and connecting with others through his songs and sounds, Tyler moved to Nashville from Honey Grove, TX when he was 17 to write songs and start a band. He has pushed the musical limits of guitar, vocals, and performance, and has captured the attention of the music scene with his spectacular talent and rare showmanship. Tyler is currently focused on songwriting in Nashville and Los Angeles that is centered on guitar-driven rock with an undeniable soul.
Tyler Bryant is a guitar prodigy who has shared the stage with Heart, REO Speedwagon, BB King, Gloriana, Styx, Vince Gill and others, this past year. Tyler and his band; Caleb Crosby on drums, and Calvin Webster on bass, perform intensely and passionately and have captivated audiences while on their Samsung sponsored USA tour. Tyler is currently working on writing and recording songs for his first CD.
At age 15, Tyler won the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation's New Generation Award, which recognizes him as one of the most promising new artists on the music scene. He has also performed at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago, recently released a single, "Bittersweet," produced by legendary Led Zeppelin producer, Kevin Shirley, and was signed by Creative Artists Agency on the spot, after, one performance in Nashville.
Tyler is also featured with Jeff Beck, Santana and Slash, in the award winning Rock Documentary Film, “Rock Prophecies,” and most recently, his song, “Who I Am” is featured on the “Guitar Hero 5” game. With a fearless obsession for his art, Tyler Bryant is advancing his music at a feverish pace, and without limits!
There are four of us, and we all live in Philadelphia, which is where Rocky is from. We do all sorts of stuff here. We all work for a moving company that only hires artists and musicians, and we tour as much as possible. We share a massive warehouse in North Philly with 18 other people called the Philadelpha Institute for Advanced Study, which is center for higher learning operated by real living urban sophisticates.
Aside from theater, film, and visual art we play music. We would describe our music by saying "swoosh", or with a picture of Shaq slamming a dunk. We tell stories through lyrical craftsmanship and our sound can sometimes be like an electric muppet showdown.
23-year-old Nashville-based singer, songwriter and guitarist, McCormick takes a wealth of both uplifting and disheartening experiences that belie her age, and transcends her unpredictable emotional landscape by coalescing her experiences into the sexy, raw, heavy, beautiful rock & roll of her debut, Honest Words out on Ryko Aug 17th.
Megan grew up listening to the likes of Bonnie Raitt and Steely Dan, but her most essential influences were from her musical family. "Watching and listening to them was life-changing," notes McCormick. She started singing and picked up her first guitar at age 9, delving into a variety of styles, from blues to folk to alt-country, until finding her own personal style. She also plays the lap-steel, mandolin and bass and writes all of her own music.
On Honest Words, which is produced by GRAMMY Award-winner Dave O'Donnell (John Mayer, Joss Stone, James Taylor), Megan addresses love, life and addiction with wisdom and grace. "My songs reflect a deep look inward as well as the world around me. I find inspiration sometimes in my guitar, on a street corner, or even in a lover. The new album will touch on love, family, addiction and the never-ending search for self-understanding."
Before forming the Mynabirds in 2009, Laura Burhenn made her living as a solo artist in Washington, D.C., where she also founded Laboratory Records in 1999. Eight years later, she teamed up with John Davis -- another veteran of the local music scene -- to form an experimental duo named Georgie James. Although Davis’ previous group, Q and Not U, had been known for its aggressive post-hardcore music, Georgie James looked to pop groups for inspiration, particularly harmony-heavy outfits like the Zombies and the Kinks. The group didn’t last long, though, with Burhenn and Davis going their separate ways after releasing one album.
For her next project, Burhenn decided to stay with Saddle Creek, the same Nebraska-based label that had released Georgie James’ debut in 2007. She wrote a new batch of songs inspired by the likes of Neil Young, Motown, and Carole King, and eventually relocated to Oregon to record the material with producer Richard Swift. Another Saddle Creek artist, Orenda Fink, helped Burhenn assemble a solid backing band, and the resulting record -- What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood, which Burhenn released under the Mynabirds moniker -- appeared in 2010.
Tristen is the 87th most popular baby name in the United States, and has been consistently among the top 1,000 names given to baby boys since 1971. From the Old French Tristran, which is from the Gaelic Drystan, a name derived from drest (tumult, riot). The name was borne in medieval legend by a knight who was sent to Israel by King Mark of Cornwall to bring Isolde back to be the king's bride. On the return trip, Tristan and Isolde accidentally drank a love potion intended for the king and fell in love. Tristan left to fight for King Howel of Brittany and, seriously wounded in battle, sent for Isolde. She arrived too late and died from grief next to Tristan's deathbed. The tale was the subject of many popular tragedies during the Middle Ages.
Daniel Tashian (vocals, guitar) was already an established solo artist when he enlisted the help of producer/keyboardist Jason Lehning to fashion the '70s-inspired classic pop/rock of the Silver Seas. Formerly known as the Bees (U.S.), the group formed in Nashville, TN, with John Deaderick (bass) and David Gehrke (drums) rounding out the lineup. The band's self-pressed debut disc, Starry Gazey Pie, was released in 2004 and received support from such influential radio stations as Boston's WFNX and L.A.'s KCRW. This, coupled with a national tour alongside Guster, enabled the group to release a follow-up, 2006's High Society. Cheap Lullaby signed the Bees (U.S.) in April 2007, and the Nashville band changed its name to the Silver Seas that September, citing a legal conflict with the British outfit A Band of Bees. The following month, Cheap Lullaby re-released High Society.
Known for his work fronting the enigmatic rock band Pedro the Lion, David Bazan’s emotionally charged narratives, eye for telling detail, and mournful voice have more in common with J.D. Salinger’s “Nine Stories” or Flannery O’Connor’s “Wise Blood” than with the usual lyrical slant of popular music. Bazan is a gifted storyteller, weaving parables of spiritual conflict, suburban ennui, and personal surrender into magnetic, well-crafted songs.
His debut solo full-length album, Curse Your Branches (out now on Barsuk), is a masterwork by a modern American poet at the height of his powers. Paste Magazine called him one of the “100 Best Living Songwriters”. This record is the deepest and most explicit exploration of his struggles with faith and a meditation on all things passed between the generations.
An ever roving cast but one solid constant, the Mattoid (Ville Kiviniemi) hails from the cold morelle land of Finland. After traveling the countries of Western Europe, Mexico, Thailand, India, and Egypt the Mattoid decided to spread his message amongst his fine American friends. A few years back he resides amongst the Anti-folk presence ala NYC, has had stints in Reno, San Francisco and Phoenix... Now resides in Nashville, (Jiaaaaaa!) Tennessee. Who knows where next!
Contrary to doomsayer rumor, rock music doesn’t need saving. But a wake-up call is long overdue, and this is it. Actually, not just a wake-up call, but a joyous reunion of rock with its oft-forgotten prodigal twin, the roll — with papa blues and mama soul along for the ride, too. All of which makes Pardon Me the perfect introduction to one of the most electrifying young bands in America — or at least the next best thing to experiencing Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights live. Literally.
Hailing from the small mining community of Beauty, Kentucky, Angaleena possesses a voice rich with Appalachian heritage, and the songs she crafts push creative boundaries even as they draw inspiration from Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and other trailblazers of American music. Grammy winning songwriter Mark D. Sanders once said, “if John Prine and Loretta Lynn had a baby, it would be Angaleena.” With her unique guitar style, lyrical prowess, natural charisma, and unapologetic honesty, Angaleena warrants such praise in a way few others can. She is currently promoting her debut self titled album.
Forrest Bride is a rotating ensemble of some of Nashville's brightest and most adventurous experimental musicians. The band pulls from a wide range of influences from Suicide to Sun Ra to create a large dynamic sound that weaves from pop to noise and beyond.
"brilliant slab of freak folkin' Krautrock"
Nashville Scene: Buzz and Click VI preview:
"big, Krautrockish skronkedelia that made the whole room feel like a swiftly twirling planet."
Nashville Scene:Buzz and Click VI review:
"as anyone who's seen the band play live will tell you, Forrest Bride's music is grand, evocative and powerful, even if it seems shapeless at times."
Nashville Scene:10 artists to watch in 2010
Led by charismatic showman Henry Wagons and described as a ‘local treasure’, WAGONS offer an unlikely mix of stompin grand rock, border-crossing dark country, irresistible crooning and classic pop. They draw upon an uncommon range of influences given the current musical climate, including Vegas era Elvis, Roy Orbison, Adam Green, Johnny Cash, Clockwork Orange synthesisers, 70s trumpets and Cormac MacCarthy. Their live show is a performance like no other, treading a line between a Vegas 70s showroom extravaganza and a bunch of fresh-faced undertakers letting loose at a rained sodden rock festival.
Having spent the last few years supporting and touring with the likes of Justin Townes Earle, The Violent Femmes, Calexico, Bill Callahan, Will Oldham, Okkervil River, John Hiatt and Jolie Holland, it is safe to say that Wagons are road-hardened, formidable live band.
Their latest album, The Rise and Fall of Goodtown, the band’s fourth, has seen them win best group and best album in the 2009 Age EG Awards as well as in the Mess and Noise Readers Poll along with a string of feature album, best live act and record of the year accolades. Henry Wagons was also recently named as one of the ‘Top 100 Most Influential Melbournians’ by The Age Melbourne Magazine. Yet more proof that Wagons” Goodtown is the place to be.
Nashville’s Lenny return with their new EP, entitled Broca. It serves as the follow-up to 2007’s debut national release, We Are Criminals. Shortly after the release of We Are Criminals, Lenny mastermind JD Dickerson decided to step away from the music world in order to finish his degree at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. “I kind of put Lenny on the backburner for a while," says Dickerson. "In hindsight, it made the musical fire inside me even greater, and it’s now raging brighter and stronger than ever.” During his final semester, Dickerson entered Saint Claire Recording Company in Lexington, KY with compatriots Jason Gilmore and Chad Horst to record Broca. The result was a mature, autobiographical effort, dealing with the realities of desperation, self-destruction, and personal redemption. The EP is now streaming in its entirety at Myspace.com/Lenny, and will be available for download soon.
If you're a singer, his name is probably familiar to you. He started out like many singers--frustrated with the lack of results from the vocal lessons he found. After searching through several vocal coaches and methods, Brett came across a set of closely-guarded exercises compiled by an old gentleman who taught several well-known "star" singers.
The exercises proved very effective for Brett's own voice and every singer he taught them to. These techniques truly made singing as easy as speaking.
Building on those simple foundational exercises, he began to experiment and innovate, filling in the "gaps," testing new techniques for effectiveness as he went. He eventually formulated lessons for teaching vocal tone and style, and incorporated the older exercises into his own innovative method.
Brett has become a master teacher and one of the world's most sought after vocal coaches, largely because of his uncanny ability to "see with his ears," and instantly invent exercises that get astounding results.
He teaches voice in his Nashville studio to singers of all genres, both the undiscovered... and "the best of the best." He is also a Judge/Mentor for the new CMT music television reality show, "Can You Duet."
His new full-length album, produced by Malcolm Springer (Collective Soul, Full Devil Jacket) is due out Fall 2010 and contains tracks ranging from finding hope to healing heartbreak.
The glorious sounds of the Torch were forged in the fires of country music and southern culture in the fall of 2006 when Jason Yeary, a talented, band-less songwriter from Kentucky was walking the lonesome roads of Murfreesboro, Tennessee and a flaming hammer burst out of the stratosphere, scraping the September sky. Angelic whispers and the sound of a wiry, pedal steel guitar accompanied the blazing light through the night. The heavenly noise pierced his ear like nothing had before and the fiery mess left behind nothing but a trail of smoke that spelled out: “HAMMERTORCH”.
That smoke became an explosive country rock band from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. They are not your ordinary country band, but rather a volatile vehicle of southern goodness that is driven by a desire to explore uncharted musical terrains. They have their sights set on destroying any and all boundaries that have traditionally limited southern music.
"Bows and Arrows are a five piece rock band from Nashville TN. They have spent the past three years touring and along the way releasing their critically acclaimed album 1010 Eaton Street, and vinyl debut, Let's Take On The Night. Their tours have led to them to cities such as Chicago, Montreal, New York City, Atlanta, and Orlando to name a few. Notable shows include Next Big Nashville Music Festival 2009, and opening slots for artists such as Deerhunter, No Age, and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart.
"With a fetching mix of artistry and chemistry, atmosphere and offhanded charm, Bows and Arrows have created one of the year's most intriguing local releases. 1010 Eaton Street, recorded by the band over the past two years, shows a young group already in command of its sound and surprisingly assured in its writing." -Nashville Scene
"The good news is that we finally got to see an entire set by Bows and Arrows—at least an entire set where they were playing their own songs—and we found out just how overdue that was. The Murfreesboro quartet played a short but effective set of reverb-soaked indie pop that flashed with influences from the Velvets to Galaxie 500, Jesus & Mary Chain to Pixies, all delivered with a slack, cool-kid charm that had us grinning. The band sounded best when Rodrigo and Anna sang together, as they do on the disarmingly simple gem "Carbon," one of several songs they played off 1010 Eaton Street. They closed with "Burn It," which seemed to explode off the stage. If these youngsters can manage to bring that kind of energy to an entire set anytime soon, watch out." -Nashville Scene"
Justyna Kelley was exposed to the charm and allure of the music industry from day one. While growing up in “Music City” as the daughter of renowned singer/songwriter and recording artist Irene Kelley, musical visitors and impromptu jam sessions at home were always the norm. From an early age, Justyna was encouraged by both her parents to pursue her natural gift for singing, performing and songwriting. When Justyna ecstatically received her first guitar for Christmas at age nine, she realized that this was not only her calling, but a deep and heartfelt passion that she would pursue naturally, fearlessly and without compromise.
By her senior year in high school, Justyna began to take the craft of songwriting more seriously. Intent upon writing more proficiently and wanting to actively pursue co-writing opportunities with other like-minded songwriters in Nashville, Justyna was earnestly able to hone her songwriting skills and create a body of work that continued to grow exponentially. Justyna became even more skilled in guitar and piano as her reverence for musical icons such as Joni Mitchell, Patti Griffin, James Taylor and The Beatles continued to inspire her. Justyna attended college at The University of the South, where she became a member of the University Jazz Band and joined a local rock group that performed around campus.
In December 2005, Justyna moved to New York City to study music and theatre as part of her college curriculum. Upon her arrival, she quickly found herself performing as an off-Broadway actor and singing in clubs around Manhattan. It was during that year in New York that Justyna began working in the studio with music business veterans, Charles Koppelman, Joel Simon and Guy Eckstine. During the rest of her college years, and between studies, Justyna also toured with Irene Kelley as a back-up singer, often opening the show with a set of original compositions. One of her fondest and most formative musical memories is of headlining venues around the US with her mother and opening for such luminaries as: Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris and Jonathan Edwards.
After graduating Summa Cum Laude from The University of the South, Justyna moved to Los Angeles to carve out a career in the music business. In 2008, working under the tutelage of co-producer and manager Guy Eckstine, Justyna embarked on an ambitious and creative journey that has led to the completion of her very first album, “Over The Moon.” With legendary record producers, David Kershenbaum and Kevin Killen at the helm, and songwriting collaborations with such hit-makers as Diane Warren, Phil Galdston, Irene Kelley and Rand Bishop, Justyna’s artistic visions have been fully realized on her breathtaking debut.
The Kicks. Nashville knockouts with class, gods of harmony, humans with soul, this four piece band is eclectic, electric, and will rock and roll you for days. Go ahead and slap a MySpace tag on them like rock/indie/alternative. They'll only peel it off and reinvent the genre. With influences from Paul McCartney and Rod Stewart to Pete Yorn and Tom Petty, The Kicks are salted with the South but still pop like soda.
The Kicks are fronted by Jordan Phillips (guitar) whose voice is so dangerously full you're tempted to kneel. The rasp of a chain smoker, the range of an Albatross, be warned - this isn't Hanson. On lead guitar is the face of heaven, Adam Stark. Strapped with a beard and fret-flying talent, Stark reminds listeners what it means to feel euphoria. Sure, he can pick apart a guitar like a DJ with vinyl, but he does it with taste. And his voice, his harmonies, pure honey. That pounding in your body right now, the one you mistake for a heartbeat - that's the sound of truth, of bass. And it usually wears a headband. Gabe Anderson somehow juxtaposes his ripe, high harmonies with a bass so low it feels undiscovered. And the ladies love him for it. But The Kicks wouldn't kick, the sun wouldn't rise, if it weren't for a little snare, a lot of toms, and a whole world of Lucas Cummins. He's the one sweating in the background, making you believe in rhythm.
Having worked with Grammy winners Mitch Dane (Jars of Clay) and Vance Powell (The Raconteurs, Kings of Leon, The White Stripes) on their first full length album “The Rise of King Richie”, The Kicks have managed to retain the integrity of sound that brought them together while revamping the quality of production to a level fit only for saints. If you aren't mesmerized by melodic ballads like "Good Morning" or fist-pumpers like "Sore Thumb," please call a doctor. But it might be too late. The only remedy is a magic-marker X on your iCal, for they tour frequently. From Minnesota to Georgia, New York to Alabama, they'll heal you with words, mend you with music, and all the while breathe a little life back into your lungs, a little love into your bones.
"“Imagine if Kings of Leon learned to play guitar from Led Zeppelin while growing up with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers reading stories to them,” (MTSU Sidelines) and there you would have one of Nashville’s newest and most promising rock groups, Modoc.
In 2007, Modoc left the cornfields of Indiana and set out to find a new place to call home. Nashville seemed like a natural fit for the band and so far they have been extremely well received by the local music industry and fans alike. Just one year after Modoc’s arrival in Music City, The Nashville Scene spoke to a handful of bloggers, writers, promoters and radio personalities about their favorite discovery of the year. Todd Sherwood, owner of The 5 Spot, said “[Modoc] put on a great rock ‘n’ roll show,” and that Modoc WAS his favorite discovery of the year. Movement Nashville’s Dean Shortland said that the first time he saw Modoc play, “[They] made me stop what I was doing and shut my mouth.” That speaks volumes for a city that is saturated with live music.
Modoc has released two albums, the latest of which was released early 2009. Led On, a track from Modoc’s Passive Aggressive album, was featured on the promotional video for Next Big Nashville where Modoc also showcased.
Modoc has easily mixed “originality and accessibility,” something not easily attained, with “a mix of solid songwriting and enough edge to keep it fresh upon repeat listening.” (Star Press). “They seem to be less concerned with breaking new and innovative ground, and more dedicated to reviving a genre that has been broken down for the past 30 years” (MTSU Sidelines). No matter your age, Modoc is “sure to satisfy any craving for Rock.” (BMI)."
Harkening back to the days when labels like 4AD had an identity, Nashville’s nite nite is a neo dream pop band with garage-infused sonic intensity and a touch of tasteful theatrics. Think of nite nite as a punk-informed version of an Edward Gorey illustration, an early Blondie on acid, or a macabre pop group that takes inventive cues from Sioxsie Souix, This Mortal Coil, and Public Image Ltd.
Enter songwriting maestro Davis and classically-trained Sarah-Brooks Levine, both alums of MTSU and armed with icy chops, preternatural style sensibilities, and a love for The Cure and Siouxsie Sioux. Bassist Matthew Gibson Brown rounds out this triumphant trio informed by Warhol’s Factory sound, new wave, and complex pop rhythms that have piqued the interest of Nationwide retailer, Hot Topic. Their dynamic, synth-heavy melodies, intricate song structures, danceable rhythm, ethereal vocals, and crooning, tongue-firmly-in-cheek glam rock flavor have not only added a fresh and delightfully morbid dimension to The Music City’s scene, but have also earned the gals and guy a spot on Hot Topic’s shelves as well as on their Nationwide Play Network.
Their cavernous dance parties have spooked (in the best of senses) writers at Nashville Scene, Deli Magazine, and many more. nite nite’s debut album, “How to Touch the Moon,” has earned more than impressive reviews from usatoday.com, The Tennessean, Bootleg Magazine, and Music blogs across the country. Now the group is aiming to spread the grisly gospel elsewhere on various nationwide jaunts in support of their debut album, “How to Touch the Moon.” Every nite nite show transplants the audience into La Hacienda and Batcave, while also adding a bit of Nashville flair to keep things distinct. The album is great, but it is the stage where nite nite’s natural habitat lies, as proved by their opening slots for Mates of State, The Faint, and The Pink Spiders.
Based out of the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the Knocks are emerging as a force to be reckoned with as far as music production is concerned. Consisting of Ben "B-Roc" Ruttner and James "JPatt" Patterson, the Knocks are named in reference to the early days of their production career when they worked out of their home studios and their complaining neighbors would pound on the walls and ceilings. Years later, they have upgraded to the HeavyRoc Music Studio in Chinatown and are making names for themselves finding and developing talent as well as remixing the likes of other artists and bands.
Ask Ryan - is G-Side Courtney Jaye is an artist on a lifelong musical and spiritual journey. Her first memories? Sitting in her high chair bubbling with pure toddler joy while her parents spun “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane” on the record player. When she was just six, she saw Springsteen on the Born in the USA tour and was blown away by the power of his performance. She even read Led Zeppelin bio Hammer of the Gods by the time she was 11. In fact, when I met Courtney in high school in the Atlanta suburbs in the mid-’90s, she was already cutting her teeth on Dylan and Neil Young covers, whipping that gorgeous voice into shape and diving headfirst into life and everything it had to offer. Even as a teenager, Courtney was operating with a quiet drive and heartfelt passion, not just to succeed at her musical dreams but to succeed at life—at being a good person and a genuine, positive force in the lives of the people immediately around her.
Since her high-school days—when she got a firsthand taste of Kerouac-ian road mythology while following the Grateful Dead across America—Courtney has packed what seems like a lifetime of experiences into little more than a decade: moving to the mountain town of Flagstaff, Ariz.; studying acupuncture and Eastern medicine; playing in her first bluegrass and folk bands; finding a whole new part of her soul in Hawaii, and bouncing between some of America’s most notorious music towns (Athens, L.A., Austin and Nashville) while honing her writing chops with the likes of Matthew Sweet, Gary Louris (The Jayhawks), Kristen Hall (Sugarland) and Thad Cockrell.
Along the way, she ended up impressing hard-to-impress musical heavyweight L.A. Reid, landing a spot on the roster of his major label Island/Def Jam, who released Courtney’s folk-pop debut Traveling Light in 2005. When the album dropped, she toured the country in a whirlwind, making scores of radio appearances and even landing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. But she quickly realized that the world of pop & pretend (and airbrushed covers!)—as much as she enjoyed the challenge of writing all those über-catchy hooks—was something her soul could not handle. “I was learning how to draw boundaries,” Courtney says. “It was like, ‘No! I don’t care what you pay me. I don’t care what you’ll make. I have to go to sleep at night, I have to look at myself in the mirror, and it’s this world of illusion. It’s all about money, fame and image—stuff that has no truth or relevance or honesty at all.” So she left it all behind and moved to Northern California for a spell—where she found shelter on an Indian reservation in Mendocino County—so she could decompress and make sense of things. And it’s a good thing she did, because this time of rebuilding and regrouping led her to some valuable realizations—first, what she doesn’t want out of her career, and even more importantly, what she does want: to be immersed in music, writing and performing, living the life of an honest and true artist, making records that move her—and hopefully her listeners—in the process. It wasn’t long before Courtney felt the Nashville underground calling. Realizing that the bohemian East side of town—with its incredibly artistic and open-minded indie scene—was a much better fit for her than Music Row, she eased comfortably into the community of musicians. At this point, she felt like she was emotionally, spiritually and musically back on track, and—with new friends like Hall and Cockrell at her side—she was finally ready to make the record she’d been dreaming of for years, a record that, at first, no one seemed to understand. Years before, while living in Hawaii, the indigenous music and its more popular incarnations had a profound effect on Courtney. As these native sounds fused themselves to her very being, they inspired her, and she began imagining a unique sound of her own. “Hawaiian music is just an extension of country with some jazz and Western swing,” she says. “It’s ukeleles, slack-key guitars, washtub basses and earthy percussion, and I’m fascinated with all of that. And the sound I’d been hearing in my head had this country influence, but also this vintage, exotic quality. I’m inspired by old-school country and the 1960s exotica and Tropicalia movements—everyone from Patsy Cline to Martin Denny to Sergio Mendes, Brasil ’66 and Astrud Gilberto. This tropical element mixed with the rootsy element—it was torture for years because I could hear the sound I wanted to make in my head, I just didn't know how to explain it.”
Eventually, Courtney found sympathetic ears. First, she tried to make the record with her mentor Louris, who encouraged her to explore her idea. While the album was never completely finished, the resulting independent EP ’Til it Bleeds was an important stepping stone on the way to realizing the elusive sound for which she’d been searching. Still determined, Courtney picked up the project again in the fall of 2007, this time with friend/multi-instrumentalist Seth Kauffman, who was excited about making a record with her. They began tracking at his home studio in Black Mountain, N.C., and once they’d finished the bulk of the work, Band of Horses bassist Bill Reynolds offered his engineering/producing skills and—with the help of engineer Danny Kadar (My Morning Jacket, The Avett Brothers)—spent some time at Echo Mountain studios in Asheville, getting the all-important vocals just right. The record was mixed by Guster’s Joe Pisapia, and even caught the attention of Reynolds’ bandmate, BoH frontman Ben Bridwell, who provided guest vocals on the project.
“It was like, ‘OK, let’s try this again—let’s try it from a real place this time, from the place I belong,’” says Courtney, reflecting back on her ups and downs now that she’s in a much more artistically satisfying place. “These days, I feel like I belong as a singer, a writer, an artist and a performer. So it’s a fresh, exciting period. I have no idea what’s going to happen next.” For now, Courtney is self-releasing he Exotic Sounds of Courtney Jaye, but she’s also shopping it around, this time talking only with labels that support her musical vision as she continues developing the sound she’s dubbed “Tropicalicountry.” That her music has appeared regularly in films and on TV shows like ABC’s Brothers & Sisters (thanks in large part to the avid support of director Ken Olin and Los Angeles based composer Michael Lord) has not only helped Courtney survive during her recent DIY periods, it’s also allowed her the opportunity to finally make a record that deeply reflects who she is, where she’s been and, hopefully, where she’s going.
And a fine record it is: a quietly visionary statement full of lush instrumentation—lap steel, slack-key Hawaiian guitar and subtle percussion textures. With Queen of Sabotage, Courtney Jaye has come into her own as a singer and songwriter, her sweet, gorgeous voice, ingratiating melodies and alternately impressionistic/heart-on-sleeve lyrics proving that—even if she doesn’t know exactly where next—she’s going places.— Steve LaBate, Associate Editor, Paste
Be on the look out for the new album from Fly Golden Eagle entitled, "BoreUS". It's already being hailed as one of the most economical albums in recent memory. Also, be sure to purchase a couple raffle tickets to win a bottle of the new fragrance cologne from Fly Golden Eagle entitled "SWAGGER". It's sure to make that scented statement you always dreamed of. Coming this fall! If you would like your own copy of the first release from Fly Golden Eagles entitled "The State of the Industry", please e-mail Mr. Bill Rowe at flygoldeneagle@gmail.com. He'll be sure to take care of all your needs.
Parachute Musical isn't what it used to be. Since it's conception in 2003, the Nashville-based, piano-fronted indie rock quartet is building a better city with perfect song-craft, highly energetic performances, and a hearty work ethic. Since the sold-out show for their sophomore release, Everything is Working Out Fine in Some Town (2008), these charmingly handsome brunettes have been touring the U.S. for the better part of the year and have built up quite a loyal following in the process. It's the good looks really, though.
D.C. natives Josh Foster (vocals/piano), Tom Gilbert (guitar/vocals), and Ben Jacoby (drums) deposited themselves into Nashville just a year before releasing Everything is Working Out, and work out it did. The guys settled in place after discovering Tennessee music man Andrew Samples (bass/vocals). Foster's soaring voice and detailed compositions are the perfect home for Gilbert's unique, artistic style on guitar. Samples' driving bass sparks a fire under Jacoby, setting ablaze a well-matched rhythm section.
With the line-up now finalized, Parachute Musical has clicked. New songs are pouring out of them, and, with strong momentum, their latest single, No Comfort, is set to be released on January 8th, 2010, kicking off their brand new tour. The single features two new songs recorded with Nashville producer Derek Garten, whom the band worked with on the previous record.
The new sound is a step ahead in the right direction. Foster's lyrics remain heartfelt while the music becomes stronger. It is original and well-rehearsed; they're so tight you'd swear they were all wearing girdles. These guys are having fun, no doubt about it, and there isn't another band in Nashville more ready to be taken seriously.
The Clutters grew organically out of a garage in Nashville, TN. Their sound is vintage, hooky, and more than anything, fun. On their second long-player, The Clutters sound like a polished 70's rock 'n' roll act-- poised to rock your face off or destroy a hotel room. Like Tennessee colleagues Kings of Leon, The Clutters produce raucous and catchy tunes appropriate for running from the cops, bar fighting, breaking out of jail, or similar illicit activity. Thunderous guitar and drums are bolstered by controlled-angst vocals. Antique keyboard sounds outline hooky melodies. The raw, country-tinged tracks on Don't Believe A Word will undoubtedly be the most fun listening experience you've had in ages. Any critic who has recently etched the words "rock 'n' roll is dead" has yet to hear the classic sound of The Clutters.
Mother/Father artfully manifested a sound which evokes the darker side of 1980's Manchester, England. Yet their inspiration takes shape in a non-linear continuum. Each band member's individual influences serve as a conduit for the golden tones of the 60's, the psychedelic fuzz of the 70's and the raw grunge of the 90's. These compulsions seep into the band's music to create subtle, yet gripping undertones.
The Genesis
Mother/Father started when the four individual members crossed paths while on tour in support of their respective previous projects. The collaboration was instantaneous, as they each quickly realized how much their individual artistic affinities, both musically and visually, were in reality one unified vision.
This new formed alliance paved the way for the members of Mother/Father to work together in a way they never had the freedom to before, creating an aural and visual identity, which attracted the heavy interest of several notable industry professionals, namely producer/engineer Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, The Parlor Mob, Archie Bronson Outfit, Modest Mouse).
Mother/Father then entered into a unique type of business relationship with King and Radical Notion (independent media), a new artist development, artist management, and new media company of which King is a managing partner.
The outcome of this unique relationship has resulted in more artistic liberation, freedom, and ultimately, creativity than most bands, whether indie or major, get to enjoy.
Forgive us, dear readers, for this most transgressive of transgressions: Somehow we missed the delicious nugget of battered funk known as the Deep Fried 5. Usually we can be counted on to be abreast of the latest and greatest in our hometown funk sound — it doesn't take much — but somehow this six-piece managed to fly under our radar. But no more! These dudes have moved to the top of the chart in our heart with a sound finds the more commercial aspects of late-’70s soul — you know, when it was bumping uglies with the beast that was about to become disco. Deep Fried 5 celebrate the release of their debut album Saturday Night Funk, Sunday Morning Soul with the always awesome Biscuits N Gravy and the notorious DJ Doctor Wicklestein. — Sean L. Maloney from the Nashville Scene
Mike Diaz, Florida's own electronic genius, or as we like to know him by his hypnagogic pop project of MillionYoung has found his niche in providing music lovers with a soundtrack to reminisce their nostalgic memories with his dreamy washes of synth and seductively rueful computer melodies accompanied by electric and acoustic guitar. In early October of 2009, MillionYoung released his digital EP entitled "Sunndreamm". Then on January 19, 2010 MillionYoung released his "Be So True" EP on Arcade Sound Ltd. as a 5 Track cassette including rave-reviewed songs such as "Cynthia" and "Mein". MillionYoung was reviewed by The Guardian as the New Band of The Day where "Be So True" was quoted as being "ideal for the icy, barren terrains of winter: "Like snowfall on a quiet winter's night, the songs fall ever so gently, blanketing your ears with blissful enchantment."-Paul Lester. Both EP's have received a wave of recognition and buzz from Pitchfork, Big Stereo, Transparent Blog, and Future Sounds. MillionYoung is currently in the process of recording his first full-length project which is anticipated to be released later in the year.
From the sad simplicity and grace of his NY Times heralded film scores to the ornate and diverse string sections ringing throughout his brand new LP, Keegan DeWitt is someone who represents the human heart in all it's variations. A native son to Portland, Oregon, Keegan left home at 17 to attend the exclusive SUNY Purchase film conservatory in New York. It's here that he most likely pulls his unique talent for translating the human experience into art.
Whether it's writing a film score for the Independent Spirit Award nominated "Quiet City" or orchestrating all genres into one truly effective work on his new record "Islands", Keegan offers something truly unique to the Nashville landscape. His textured voice speaks to the folk-like immediacy of the work, but the classic structure of the material shows a deep love for artists as timeless as Sam Cooke, The Faces or Brian Wilson. Almost inseparable from the material (all of which he composes and arranges), Keegan represents an artist from an earlier time... when Bacharach slaved in the Brill Building and Brian Wilson sat over his mixing board for days at end. In a town where so much value is placed on "the song" and "the pitch"... Keegan is someone you'll wanna see for yourself, in person, with the strings filling out the room, the piano hammers jumping and the human heart fully present.
Armed with guitars and synthesizers, the richness, exotic flavors, and sensual but sophisticated feel of Mia Calderón's songwriting encompass many influences. Nuances of Massive Attack, Bajafondo, Portishead, and Bebel Gilberto are weaved throughout Calderón’s music. Born and raised in San Francisco, then Miami; her musical mix captures the psyche as well as the imagination. Her family origins---part Guatemalan, part Spanish, part Mexican-American---contribute as much to her music as does her fascination with everything Brazilian.
It’s been a busy year for the Nashville based rock band, The Worsties. With two EPs under their belt they spent a majority of 2009 recording their third entitled “Dude. Dude. Dude. Totally!” and are currently back in the studio working on a full-length album. Alongside a busy recording schedule, The Worsties have generated quite a stir in the local and regional touring circuit sharing the stage with such acts as Big Boi from OutKast, Saving Abel, Candlebox, Cage the Elephant, American Bang, Marcy Playground, Theory of a Deadman, Pop Evil, Luna Halo, Ligion, Autovaughn and a slew of others. Along the way the band has attracted a faithful following in Atlanta, Louisville, Alabama, Lexington, Austin, and of course, in most of the major markets in their home state of Tennessee.
In late 2009 and early 2010 they’ve had numerous television placements, including “Kitty Litter” which was a featured song on MTV's “The Real World D.C.”
The Worsties are one of the top 10 requested bands on Nashville’s 102.9 The Buzz and were also nominated for four 102.9 The Local Buzz Awards in 2008 including Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Best Alternative/Pop-Rock, and Best Female Vocalist.
The band melds the sounds of 70’s era punk, 80’s pop and glam, The Pixies and even Motorhead to create a feisty, straight ahead rock n’ rollin’ good time. “Dude. Dude. Dude. Totally!” follows in the post-punk, riff based footsteps of their previous effort “Put Your Babe On” but with more focus and execution. While on the road supporting DDDT in the months to come, the band will be visiting the studio again to begin recording a handful of more new material.
The Worsties formed in 2005 with vocalist Anna Worstell, guitarist Jesse Worstell, and bassist Jairo Ruiz. Nathan Shelton joined the band on drums in March of 2008.
With a sound that falls somewhere between Otis Redding and Os Mutantes, Garotas Suecas is a six-piece Brazilian band that blends influences from their home country with a hearty mix of American soul and garage rock. And, according to their site, "Garotas Suecas will make you dance."
Uncle Skeleton is the brainchild of Ross Wariner – once best known as half of the Nashville, TN band Kindercastle. Finding himself with a overflowing myriad of ideas and an overactive drive to try them all out, Pancho Chumley was born.
Shortly thereafter REMIX was compiled by a host of friends to re-interpret the potential of the record. The results were all over the map – in a good way.
In late May 2010, Warm Under the Covers was released. The twelve track album takes the next logical progression beyond Pancho Chumley. Best experienced in its analog vinyl form the album is divided into equal halves creating an ambient, perfect for summer, dual soundscapes.
Moon Duo was formed by Ripley Johnson of Wooden Shjips and Sanae Yamada in San Francisco in 2009. Inspired initially by the legendary duo of John Coltrane and Rashied Ali, Moon Duo counts such variant groups as Silver Apples, Royal Trux, Moolah, Suicide, and Cluster as touchstones. Utilizing primarily guitar, keyboards, and vocals, the Duo plays space against form to create a primeval sound experience. After a debut 12" single on Sick Thirst, the group released the acclaimed Killing Time EP on Sacred Bones, followed by the Escape LP on Woodsist.
The Distribution is a blend of old school funk and ghetto soul-pop which results in Motown nostalgia with a shot of LCD
Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, the enigmatic sounds of Brenn run the gamut to create a diorama of guitar-driven rock that is as sweeping and grandiose as it is grounded and approachable. Having recently released their second EP, “Stacks of Fears” (2008), Brenn is gathering attention throughout the country with an unmistakable sound that has been recognized by the likes of Nylon Magazine, as well as a performance on New York’ Fearless Music TV (which described them as "one of the most original acts" on their show).
With dynamic synths, piercing riffs and dramatic vocals, Brenn’s musical vistas sweep from the anthemic sounds of Muse, U2 and Radiohead to the dreamy soundscapes one might find sprinkled throughout Sigur Ros or M83. Timeless structures abound throughout each song, combining vintage instrumentation with flourishing layers in order to create a truly unique musical experience.
Madi Diaz does not settle for passive engagement. Their songs are too compelling and the performances too much fun to resist getting caught up in them, be that singing along, feeling your heart squeeze or more than likely both. Madi Diaz is, of course, Madi herself, the 23-year-old, Nashville-based musician. But for the purposes of making music together, Madi Diaz is also the name under which the duo of Madi and Kyle Ryan perform. The naming convention is not unlike Gillian Welch, who shares an eponymous pairing with David Rawlings. Or Bon Jovi. Madi and Kyle truly make their own kind of music, drawing inspiration from the pop bands that mattered, the singer-songwriters for whom roots rock was just a starting point and that slender sliver of indie that can still surprise. If the left of the dial still exists, that's where you'll hear them. She grew up as part of a musical family in Lancaster, PA, near the heart of Amish country. Her father, Eric Svalgard, serves as Music Director at the Wilmington, Delaware campus of the Paul Green School of Rock Music (her brother Max is also an instructor there).
As a teenager, Madi herself was one of Green's star pupils at the original Rock School in Philadelphia (she's one of the students prominently featured in Don Argott's 2005 documentary film about the program). Ryan, 26, hails from Lincoln, Nebraska, where there "wasn't much to do other than become really passionate about something." He eschewed popular regional choices like football and meth in favor of music, and played drums in a number of local bands before enrolling in the University of Nebraska. The physics major also switched instruments and when guitar playing began to usurp the study of wave phenomena, a transfer was in order.
Madi and Kyle met in Boston where each relocated to attend the Berklee College of Music. They test drove their musical partnership and budding friendship through the process of recording Madi's self-released 2007 album Skin and Bone. Following its release, the pair (often accompanied by bassist Adam Popick) gigged around Boston and New York City, attracting publishing and management deals on the strength of their songwriting and live performances. Having each found, as Madi puts it, "the right buddy to orbit around," the pair decided to decamp the cold of the northeast for Nashville, where Popick had transplanted a few months earlier.
While it might appear to be a step towards country, the music scene in Music City has long veered away from singer-songwriter norms and into something more varied and collaborative. Within weeks of the 2008 move, they were performing at The Basement and Mercy Lounge, and teaming up with new and old friends alike including Tim Lauer, Daniel Tashien, Sarah Siskind, Garrison Starr, David Mead, Ian Fitchuk and Justin Loucks. Studio sessions with Fitchuk and Loucks behind the boards yielded 2009's six-song EP Ten Gun Salute (characterized by one reviewer as "tinged with heartbreak, yet sunny in melody").
The sound of Ten Gun Salute was a progression from Madi's debut, exploring more classic pop-rock veins in terms of instrumentation and arrangements, always from an experimental angle With the EP in hand and further opportunities to perform across the country, in 2009 even more folks began to take notice. Paste magazine named them one of the "Top Ten Buzziest Acts" at SXSW, with writer Steve LaBate praising their "inviting" performance, "especially Diaz's voice, an instrument that comforts as if a favorite blanket leftover from childhood." The esteemed Songwriters Hall of Fame conferred the Abe Oleman Scholarship for Excellence in Songwriting upon Madi, while American Songwriter magazine pegged her Writer of the Week in October.
In June, she and Ryan played their biggest show to date at the Bonnaroo Festival, and in addition to their own continued touring, Madi joined fellow Nashvillians in the fall for the national 10 Out of Tenn tour. Madi Diaz and Kyle Ryan have just finished working with producer John Alagia (Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Liz Phair, Rachel Yamagata) on a new full-length album titled Plastic Moon, recorded in Matthews’ Charlottesville, VA studio.
Listen to the music of singer/songwriter Sarah Silva and you'll immediately know three things: who she is, where she's been and where she's going. The small town girl with the big voice makes no qualms about infusing past, present and future into her lyrical storytelling, and from the moment she instigates the listener, it isn't hard to figure out what has shaped her as an artist.
The texture of Silva's music is made up of a little pop here, some rock there, a refreshing amount of soul and just enough Freddie Mercury theatrics- all appropriate considering her varied upbringing in Fort Smith, Arkansas. At the same time, Sarah has always indulged herself in the music of those artists who still remain idols: Whitney, Ella, Ann Wilson— all defining female vocalists.
Now in Nashville, Tennessee, Silva is taking what she knows as an artist to the city's ever-thriving music scene, allowing the eclectic mix of genres that sculpt the city's sound to equally influence her own composition and vocals. In a town as musically multifarious as Nashville, Silva has found the perfect haven for invention and inspiration.
For Sarah Silva, time has brought not only a maturity of self but also a maturity of music, with all of her influences—and even criticisms—serving to only enhance her style. Whether she is playfully poking piano chords, trolling about past loves, or screaming out that powerful voice, we know Sarah Silva is putting every trial, tribulation, triumph and tribute behind the words; and I, for one, understand exactly where she's coming from.
On his breakout solo debut, Deadringer, Rjd2 sent listeners on a musical foray into instrumentalism, feasting on styles both old and new, and in the process creating a sound that’s emerging as one of the most interesting and exciting new voices in instrumental music. In a genre filled with ambient spacemen and droning techno fromage, Rjd2 brought a sense of song structure and vitality that was sorely missing, harkening back to a time when instrumental groups like Booker T. and the MG s got radio play (no joke). And the accolades rolled in. From industry luminaries like Chris Blackwell, to members of Radiohead and The Strokes, to ?uestlove of The Roots (who nominated Dead Ringer for the prestigious Short List awards in 2003), to DJ Shadow, Rj soon became a favorite of those in-the-know. Dead Ringer was an incredible success globally, appearing on many a year-end list, including Spin’s Top 40 Albums of 2002. In ’03, he followed up the success of his debut with The Horror, an EP of B-sides that played closer to an entirely new album than a collection of leftovers, and cemented Rjd2 as one of music’s most talked about new artists. Touring from Japan to Amsterdam, Rj caught wreck with a dizzying 4-turntable reconstruction/reconfiguring/reinterpretation of the album for fans worldwide, sharing the stage with the likes of DJ Shadow, El-P & the Def Jux crew, David Lynch, The Roots and Prefuse 73, amongst others.
While Rj soon became the name to drop in hipster circles, he made his bones in the underground, playing a major role in that mid-west power surge better know as Columbus hip hop. After setting it off in 1998 with the mighty Mhz crew on Bobbito Garcia’s legendary Fondle Em Records, he caught the attention of El- P and in 2000, he locked in with the Definitive Jux camp, and soon after made his DJX debut on Def Jux Presents I, co-starring with Company Flow, Cannibal Ox and Aesop Rock. Then came the now classic "Good Times" white label 12-inch, and the rest has been indie hip hop history. Over the past few years, Rj’s profile as a producer has grown immensely as he’s clocked time on the boards producing or remixing Mos Def, Massive Attack, El-P, Aceyalone, Polyphonic Spree, Elbow, Cannibal Ox, and others, wielding a versatility rarely seen in music today. His prolific nature has brought him the unique accolade of ’freelance producer/remixer extraordinaire’ in Urb Magazine’s Best of 2003 issue, amongst others. As one half of the duo Soul Position, he’s the ultimate team player, taking a back seat to his MC, Blueprint, and letting him do the talking, while RJ’s music keeps the heads nodding. Their 8 Million Stories LP was received in 2003 to rave reviews and continues to nod, and turn, heads.
2004 brings a new, self-titled album, a more focused and cohesive effort than Dead Ringer, while still maintaining the vitality and soulfulness that made his debut so enjoyable. Like a modern day Quincy Jones in the abstract, RJ truly orchestrated his new record, creating a multitude of new songs from all angles, writing music and lyrics, arranging vocals and melodies, auditioning singers and even experimenting with a vocoder. He cut out any fat or filler, and in an industry virtually afloat on the concept of the guest appearance, the album features none (well, maybe one). It’s strength instead lies in the meticulous programming, lush instrumentation and solid song arrangements. In many ways, an artist’s sophomore album is when their true colors are shown (or exposed), and when their real career begins (or begins to end). In the words of Jimmy Castor, it s just begun.
Chicago post-punk revivalists the Ponys formed in early 2001, inaugurated by singer/guitarist Jered Gummere in the months prior to dissolution of his previous project, local punk unit the Guilty Pleasures. He began writing and singing with girlfriend and bassist Melissa Elias, and after adding former Mushuganas drummer Nathan Jerde, the Ponys began playing the Windy City club circuit. The late 2002 addition of one-time Happy Supply singer/multi-instrumentalist Ian Adams radically reconfigured the band's sound, transforming their straightforward guitar rock via more idiosyncratic pop melodies and arrangements that accounted for the addition of second guitar and keyboards. During a tour stop in Memphis, the Ponys recorded their debut single, "So Sentimental," issued on the Contaminated label in mid-2003; the follow-up, "Wicked City," appeared on Big Neck by year's end. After agreeing to a handshake deal with Los Angeles label In the Red, the Ponys traveled to Detroit to record their debut full-length with producer Jim Diamond -- the resulting Laced with Romance followed in early 2004. Extensive touring and critical acclaim for the album followed, and in the summer of 2004, the band began work on their second album, Celebration Castle, which was recorded by Steve Albini at his Electrical Audio studio in Chicago. The album was released in the spring of 2005; a few months earlier, Ian Adams parted ways with the band, and Brian Case signed on as the newest member of the Ponys. Matador picked up the band soon after, and in 2006 the Ponys found themselves back in the studio recording their third album, Turn the Lights Out, which was released the following year.
A Place To Bury Strangers have often been called “the loudest band in New York”. While there are obvious reference points: Pornography-era Cure, early Ride, My Bloody Valentine, and pre-1990s Jesus and Mary Chain, the sound is all their own, in part due to singer/guitarist Oliver Ackermann’s day job of building custom guitar pedals (see deathbyaudio.net). Coupled with the solid bass of Jono Mofo and the relentless drumming of Jay Space, the APTBS team is a force to reckon with.
The Dozen Dimes are here to thrill ya.
The alt-country/indie rock quintet from Chapel Hill had its roots in bandmembers (and brothers) Skip and Logan Matheny's childhoods in Wilkesboro, NC, where they grew up with a great-grandfather who took them to the Grand Ole Opry and a high school band director father who also performed in R&B bands and took his family to Merlefest, an annual musical event held by Doc Watson to remember his son. In 1997, when Logan joined his brother at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, the Mathenys formed an unofficial band (with Logan on drums and Skip on guitar and vocals), having friends and acquaintances sit in to fill out the sound. Within a few years, they had a consistent lineup and were playing around town regularly. The band, called Roman Candle, was put on hold, however, when Skip and his wife, Timshel (who played Wurlitzer and Farfisa with the brothers), moved to Oregon and took more regular jobs. But when Broncos defensive end Trevor Pryce, wanting to start a label, approached Skip with the possibility of a contract, Roman Candle reunited (guitarist Nick Jaeger and bassist Jeff Crawford rounded off the band) and their debut, Says Pop, was recorded and released in 2002. Wanting better promotion for the album, Pryce and Roman Candle went to Hollywood Records, and although various options and contracts were discussed, nothing ever materialized. By this time the bandmembers were back in North Carolina, where they met producer Chris Stanley, with whom they reworked the songs on Says Pop, and in 2005 they signed with V2 Records, which released the new version of their first album (with a new title, The Wee Hours Revue), in 2006. The well-regarded Oh Tall Tree in the Ear arrived in 2009.
As if the warm familiar melody of rootsy porch music has been plugged in and turned up: The Delta Saints are driving listeners from the comforting recline of their porch swings right to the edge of their seats. It’s a fusion of traditional southern soul and funk-inspired power, all layered with furious harmonica lines that simultaneously tie the group together and threaten to unseat it all in one sweep.
It’s the unsettling sound of strength. A strength fueled by talent and bridled by a passion to relate to another that catches the attention of passers-by with its language-like quality. You can hear within it a conversation between five men able to speak to one another through their instruments.
The essence of the Midwest and the bayou work together to make a sound unique but befitting of Nashville. And the energy that sweats from this gritty howling dynamic is a message heralding love and loss and consequence. And though the songs may end, the intensity generated from the act of something old made new again will hauntingly remain.
Music has been an influence in the Collier girls' life for as long as they can remember. Even as little girls, they would gather up their parents' old records and perform "stage" shows, complete with singing and dancing.
The sisters (Bree, Lyndee, and Hailey) first began singing publicly with their dad and his band, Sonny Joe Blues Band, covering Motown songs at weddings, parties, and receptions. It wasn’t long before their multi-faceted vocals became a much sought-after item. After a taste in the spotlight, it became clear to them what they wanted to do, and the group Collier was born. The sound was a mix of their roots- a soulful blend of R&B;with a Motown flair.
A short time later, the girls met up with Tom Michael, Todd Shay, and Brett Vargason, three Detroit area players who brought with them some of the coolest live chops around. Vargason and Michael make one of the tightest rhythm sections going and Shay's guitar can do everything from ride comfortably underneath the girls' voices to shout out along with them! The guys grew up on the Motown sound so it was a natural fit when they all joined forces. Together they started crafting songs with undeniable grooves and strong lyrics, hit songs that said something and took a stand, drawing from their musical backgrounds and real-life experiences. Once they figured out they had something, they gave it a name, and along came Like Candy Red!
Like Candy Red is unique, as each of the girls takes turns as lead vocalist. Their natural harmony shines through in every song they sing- something that only comes from singing together for years. The show is a raucous good time, full of hip dance moves, awesome players, and three beautiful girls who are here to lay down the truth in their own way! There's plenty that could be said to try and describe what it is, but the best thing to do is check it out live! If it's indefinable, but undeniable, then it's Like Candy Red!
ABX (pronounced like three consecutive letters) and STV SLV (pronounced “steve sleeve”) are collectively known as The Hood Internet. For the past three years, the duo have been chewing up the indie, pop, rap and R&B landscapes and spitting out pure fire. Like laptop-armed alchemists, they draw from their expansive interest in the many faces of modern music and re-imagine songs for mass public consumption through thehoodinternet.com.
Nearly 400 mixes and literally millions of free downloads later, The Hood Internet continue to ricochet across North America like an Arkanoid ball, bringing their arsenal of reassembled tracks to crowded dancefloors. And the dance parties have definitely been ignited in every city they roll through, not to mention holding it down at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Monolith Festival, SXSW, CMJ and Canadian Music Week.
"The demos for these songs are spare and eerie and gorgeous. Live the tunes are bigger and meaner, particularly Wolves & Owls. You can expect a very good record to come from this that should sell these guys well beyond its adoring Houston legion.
- Andrew Dansby, Houston Chronicle
In January 2008, “A Family Light� was released to acclaim. Buxton crosses so many genre lines so quickly but holds it together. That is the impressive part to me; they could pull off opening at Grand Ole Opry or for Radiohead.
We see a lot of bands and to stand out is special; to stand out and not be a bunch of *ssholes, well, that’s even better. These guys work hard, play well and are some of the sweetest you’ll meet.
- Jim Ward (of Sparta and At The Drive-In)
’ve said it once, I’ve said it 100 times: Buxton is Houston’s answer to Wilco. Its music is folky–but also often rides that same line between rock and country–and there’s no one else in Houston making music quite like Buxton. Its 2008 album, A Family Light, earned the band a devoted fan base and accolades from practically all of Houston’s music press. Houston Chronicle called Buxton “one of Houston’s finest bands,� and Space City Rock wrote that “Buxton are one of a small handful of indie-folk bands in town who’ve taken the current folk idiom and pulled it backwards to an earlier time, and they’re one of the best around.� I can’t disagree with either description, have ranked Buxton’s releases among my favorite local releases in both 2008 and 2009, and look forward to the band’s future work.
- David A. Cobb, www.houstoncalling.net"
Mario A. Moore, a native Nashvillian is the newest on the upcoming music scene. Be on the lookout for a fresh and refreshing new sound that comes from this talented young man. A product of the infamous Music City; Rio has firm roots in Gospel, R&B, Soul, Rock & Roll, Rap, and Hip-Hop. Rio has been working diligently behind the scenes as a producer under JonToinn Productions (named after his musical mentor and father John Moore) and also BeatSquad Productions.
Rio desires to produce a musical product that will be universal regardless of its lyrical content or musical style. Believing that music speaks to the heart of all and should in some form reach all. Rio comes from a singing family and began singing when He was very young, however producing quickly became Rio's first love. Helping other aspiring artist reach their musical goals has been his heartbeat for the past ten years. However, the time has come to propel his solo career off the ground. It has been Rio's dream to reach the world with his music, and he has been patient and awaited his turn. Now working on his self-produced project entitled: "A Trip to Rio" singer, Rio can smell the sweet flavor of success approaching. Rio continues as humble as ever stating, "I only want to reach the masses and share what God has given me". So without hesitation its time to introduce to the WORLD, the newest musical sensation.
"I've been singing and writing songs since I can remember, but I've only been playing guitar for about 6 years. I was born and raised right here in Music City, but decided I need a break from the musical life right out of high school, so I moved to Durango, CO to study Biology. It didn't take long for me to realize that music is in my heart and in my bones, so I moved back to Nashville after about 2 years and that's where I am.
I've played in many place all over Southwest Colorado and on stages that Willy Nelson, Johnny Cash and Rodney Crowell have played on: Fly Me to the Moon Saloon and Sheridan Opera House both in Telluride, CO; The Summit, Steamworks Brewing Company and the Durango Concert Hall (opening for Pure Prairie League) in Durango, CO. I've played at Sand Hill Berry Farm and Twin Lakes in Pennsylvania and Avila Beach Music Festival in Avila beach, CA opening for Emmy Lou Harris. I have also played in many places all over Nashville."
What became known as Taxicab Racers began in the mere toying with computer drum workshops and sequencers. It started in 2004. Up until that time I had never really ventured much into the realm of electronic music, and the bandwagon of that music scene was just starting up. We played our first show in a crowded deli in Dayton, Tennessee for about 70 people. A portable CD player streamed our loops through a miniscule PA setup, and despite the humility of the occasion, we knew at the time it could grow into something bigger.
Flash forward to 2006. An inspired move to Chattanooga instigated new thoughts and ideas. I learned there was a world to absorb out there, and I had been encapsulated so long in a place that was not conducive to creativity. I was attracted to the nightlife of the city and the energy it promotes. I was intrigued by a music scene - small in size but huge in heart. In these big changes, my thirst for opportunity and adventure was at odds with my addiction to comfort and convenience. But I knew I had to fight it.
I made the rounds, as any avid musician would, playing in several projects while still developing the scope of focus I would need to undertake this band. I found many like minds and kindred spirits running these circles, but the one thing I did not find was matching ambitions and goals. So I called home. This was 2008.
My old friends, Nathan, Adam, and Josh had recently gone through a band breakup. We had played together in previous outfits, but there was a newfound chemistry when we all got back together in the same room. There was the established trust of old, but it was seasoned with a newly discovered sense of respect for what we had all become. The songs took on new life with a full band format. Gone were the control elements of the studio and writing electronica in your bedroom. I had been trying so hard to not do rock 'n roll. But this was the release the songs needed. Getting human players to realize perfect, programmed parts.
Taxicab Racers in its present form is a channeling of rock and dance music. Beneath the surface of swirling arpeggiators and club-friendly leads, you will find a humble pop song that could just as easily be played on a simple instrument. It is poignant dance music without all the repetition and indulgence; ear candy but with a hint of substance. We believe all great melodic ideas start from a core, and if that core is healthy, a great song is produced. I feel that this is the strongest version of Taxicab Racers yet, and from this healthy center you can expect great things to come.
Hailing from Nashville via North Carolina, Virginia, Alabama and Texas, The Westbound Rangers are forging a new sound that crosses boundaries between Americana, Bluegrass, and Old-Time. The four piece string band, consisting of clawhammer banjo, mandolin, guitar and doghouse bass, has been turning heads since the band’s unassuming start in 2008. Music City provided the perfect artistic melting pot for the boys to embrace each other’s unique musical sensibilities. Some of the resulting strengths include a unique style of humor, genuine heart-felt originals, and strong vocals. The Rangers’ three part harmonies manage to preserve an energetic spirit that is often missing in modern vocal styles—bluegrass and other. This pursuit of energy and excitement led the Rangers to record their debut album completely live around three microphones in a living room. What came out is a literal “slice of time” that has the same raw feeling you would experience if the boys stepped right into your living room to spend some time with you. It’s this commitment to being real that binds the Rangers together and creates such a devoted following. The Rangers are currently making plans to record a second album this summer.
"In wilder times, man hunted for survival or to prove his worthiness to
pass along his DNA. This modern life requires no such effort. But the
compulsive nature of man leads us to search none-the-less, scouring
the city for the best taco or the perfect lamp. Obsession is a modern
man’s hunger, and no variation of man knows this deep-pitted yearning
more than the music fanatic. We track our prey on the interwebz and
through the record stores, flipping through racks of records and
reading tomes of reviews with a junkie-like fever, searching for the
next morsel to sate our urges. We have a yearning in the pits of our
soul that is as real as any physical craving.
In truth, we can never get enough. It is as if our record collections
are somehow the measure by which our worthiness is now measured, and
we consume as if our genes depended on it. But sometimes in our
journeys, we can stumble into something so satisfying that we can just
kick back in our caves and give our restless search a respite.
In late February of 2010, me and a group of like-minded brothers
rambled into Jackson’s Ole Tavern on George Street. We were coming
from a banquet in our suits and ties, hoping to find a drink and not
much more. But for creatures such as we, the hunger is always boiling
below the surface. As we entered the building and made our way up the
stairs, a soaring sound echoed off the walls and into our minds. With
intricate harmonies that recalled the playfulness of Feels-era Animal
Collective and a crisply fast-tempo guitar that was equal parts Surf
and Graceland-era Paul Simon, our interests were piqued. What we found
was a band of young men on stage whose youthful appearance belied the
maturity and complexity of what we were hearing.
Our eyes narrowed as we drew a bead on them, stalking quietly from the
shadows. Who were these guys with their fancy tunes and their modern
pants? Our inquiries would be answered by the barkeep, with
uncertainty: “Young Buffalo?” I would find out who this Young Buffalo
was, as I approached their singer/guitarist, Jim Barrett, for the real
word {and later the rest of the band through the miracle of the
telephone.}
Young Buffalo, as it turns out, was a newly-formed band from Oxford
that had only been playing together a few months at the time. Despite
the brevity of their union, Barrett had formed a tight and dynamic
sound with keyboardist Alex Von Hardberger and bassist Ben Yarbrough.
“We played together some in high school {in rural Taylor, MS}, and
then they {Barrett and Von Hardberger} asked if I wanted to join this
new band…” Yarbrough recalls. “We all wrote our own songs, and we just
kind of play through them and add our own parts” Barrett adds. That
dynamic of individual creativity and freedom has served the band well,
as they’ve managed to forge a cohesively complex sound out of the
individualism.
They sound familiar, but in a way that makes their music instantly
accessible while not being derivative. “We drew a lot of inspiration
from The Beach Boys, David Bowie, Neutral Milk Hotel, and some indie
groups like Animal Collective…” Barrett stated. Amazingly, as I
listened to a demo recording of their songs, it wasn’t exaggeration to
say that Young Buffalo, at moments, held their own with the bands that
have influenced them. Could they build on these moments of brilliance?
It may be unfair to ask that much of such a young band, but their
first recorded efforts confirm the high promise of their live
performance.
On “New Beat” and “Speak EZ,” the band channel’s Fleet Foxes’
harmonies and song structure while adding a more modern flavor, via
their instrumentation, that is far more clean-shaven than mountain
man. Snow Angels, in addition to a wonderfully melodic chorus,
features a killer guitar solo that reveals not only good songwriting
and vocalization, but surprising musicianship. But it is on
“Catapilah,” that the band’s potential is truly revealed. Barrett’s
crisp guitar playing creates an energetic pace while Von Hardberger’s
keys subtly add textures as the song builds to a memorable crescendo
in the chorus where harmonies soar higher and higher. Barrett sings
“…you get what you put into it” before the rest of the band breaks in
with a playful and creative vocal breakdown that recall’s Feels-era
Animal Collective in both structure and tone. The imagination and
musicianship on this song, more so than any of their others, leads you
to believe that Young Buffalo’s first record could be something that
garners national attention, should they be able to sustain it over a
full-length release. But these recordings confirmed what we suspected
the moment we heard them that night in the stairwell - these guys were
something special.
As we left that night, our unexpected hunt successful, our hungers had
been satisfied completely. Young Buffalo was exactly what we went out
into the city nights looking for, a band so new that no one had heard
of them, yet so good that everyone you know would very soon know them
well. We had found the white buffalo in Young Buffalo, a sight so rare
and special that you take it back to your homes and tell others about
it in words that would seem like hyperbole had you not been there to
witness it yourself.
----Chris Nolen, Hymnalzine"
"Diarrhea Planet has an answer to all your problems: more guitars. The five [and sometimes six or seven!] piece from Nashville, Tennessee have captured the attention of people all over the nation with their EP, Aloha!, and have stolen the hearts of punk-hungry youths everywhere with their incredible live shows. The band’s “play anywhere” attitude has led them to countless house parties, backyards, skate parks, and stages. Just make sure they’ve got enough power outlets and they’ll turn any spot into a party. Tearing through their sets with an intensity that any band around would have a hard time matching or following, the bad boys will leave you covered in sweat and reeking of fun. They’ll also leave you wondering where your jaw went [here’s a hint: look on the floor] You’d be a fool to not expect even bigger and better things from this band in the near future.
Diarrhea Planet’s first EP, Aloha!, is being reissued on a 7” through Evil Weevil Records this Fall and a new EP entitled Loose Jewels is expected to also come out around then. "
Jonny Corndawg is a country singer, not a singer-songwriter. Born in Montana, raised in rural Virginia, Corndawg has been touring on his motorcycle since he dropped out of school in 2001. He's played shows in every U.S. state, Canada and eleven European countries, Australia, Argentina and India. But you won't find him on CMT. His music is more in the vein of that obscure '70s gay country that housewives would discover on a Bear Family reissue in twenty years. In addition to pursuing the lost art of the Real Deal, Corndawg is an airbrushing, leather-working, marathon-running, truck-driving American. Born and Bred.
They say blood is thicker than water. If that is the case, then the members of the Kopecky Family Band are forever bound together by the music running through their veins. With their undeniable connection both onstage and off, the band is composed of an eclectic mix of both classically trained musicians and home-honed talent that is truly unique. Everyone in this family brings something different to the table. Their captivating blend of neo-classical, folk, and electric sensibilities still maintains a strong, distinctive musical voice. From their thoughtful lyrics to their ethereal harmonies, this band demands attention.
From humble beginnings inside a practice room at Belmont University, they have already garnered an impressive following both in and outside their “birthplace” of Nashville, TN since coming together musically in the fall of 2007. Maintaining close relationships while still working hard to expand their musical horizons, the Kopecky Family knows how to stick to their roots and build upon their bonds to create a truly cohesive musical experience. If their hauntingly beautiful brand of folk rock is any indication, the Kopecky Family Band will be sticking around for a long time to come.
"Fresh Nashville rock 'n' roll outfit, The Hollywood Ten brandishes itself with pristene harmonies, ripping guitars, tight rhythms and a modern rock edge-meets-indie rock heart. Watch out for 'em."
- Under the Radar Review, American Songwriter Magazine"
Born and raised in the “Music City,” Nashville, TN, the multi-dimensional, multi-talented, multi genre singer/songwriter, Ilyasin “Ya Za” Zarifa is a reflection of musical diversity. She started singing at the age of 7 with the W.O. Smith School of Music Vocal Ensemble and is formally trained in the flute and piccolo. Throughout high school, she was well-known for her active role in the fine arts (music, speech drama, etc) and at the age of 14 started writing songs and lyrics as another means of expressing her many levels of creativity.
After high school, the 5’9” “tomboy” pursued a career in modeling. She signed to Elite Models and traveled abroad as a runway model with much success. While focusing on her modeling career, Ya Za continued creating in her first love, music. At the age 19, she was asked to sing in a studio session by world renowned songwriter and hit maker, Adonis Shropshire. It was then she discovered “the studio” was her true home – translating her life experiences, reality, love, and pain into the universal language of music. Hearing her voice and vision come to life in song, she was immediately and permanently hooked to music.
Acknowledged and complimented often for her precise tone and ability to adapt to different musical styles, producers have found it easy to record her voice. She has worked with, written for and recorded with such artist as Lloyd, Yola the Great; Gangsta Boo; RL from the hit group “Next”; and notable producers such as Adonis Shropshire; Dorian “Soul Dog’ Daniels; Colin Morrison; Voytek Kochanek; and Sanchez Harley and many others.. In 2007 she worked as the Director of Operations of One Staj Music Group in Nashville, TN. There she collaborated with CEO/ artist/producer/arranger, Jonathan Winstead, and Martian Society Music Group, Ronald ”Drizzo” Mills, begin creating her signature sound.
When ask what her style of music is, one can simply say “well rounded”, in the sense that she can transfer any style of music she brings into popular music, drawing a spectrum of domestic and international listeners and fans. Ya Za is an easy going vocalist that pulls the listeners in with her clever lyrical concepts and a unique, sweet, yet demanding voice. Whether expressing through seduction or through pain, she has the ability to make the listener feel how the words connect to the emotions throughout …
Her debut album “Bipolar in Stereo” is due to hit the store in the Winter 2009/2010. The album is full of hits and possible singles like, “Socialite”, a party girl’s anthem, its simple and catchy melody along with its pop culture relativity, this song is sure be a club hit. The track “Bipolar” is a reflection of her creative writing skills, its combination of African drums and euro dance club rhythms, which makes for a sure club hit. Songs like “House on Fire” shows off her signature vocal talent and true diversity.
Rayland Baxter is a gentleman, a singer of song, a teller of tale, a picker of strings, a thinker of things. Born in the untamed hills of Bon Aqua, Tennessee, he tells a story unlike any other, a story that is true and full of unravelling emotion. No lines drawn, no box to be found in the world of Rayland Baxter. He is who he is and he tells the unmatched story. Wether it be the story of love, the story of struggle, or the story of joy, the road that he travels is full of dust and flowers, fire and ice, comets and dreams, and he walks with stars in his eyes, leaving the scent of wild magnolias for those on his trail...for us, we are fortunate to find him at the end, smilin. Tradition is a staple in Rayland's music. In any given song, one can hear the nuances of his favorites...from Dylan to Van Zandt, Johnson to Hopkins, or anyone else on the musical map that has tickled his fancy at one time or another. His reconstruction of song is mesmorizing in its own right...a true artist...a humble man...a dreamer.
Tallest Trees is the Nashville-based duo of Thomas “Trees” Samuel and Dabney “Voice” Morris. Their full length debut, The Ostrich or the Lark, is something they've been growing for some time. This growth is stunningly documented by the sounds of the album - simple secrets conveyed through intentionally misplaced instruments, clashing harmonies, multidimensional arrangements and elements out of character, playing atypical melodic/rhythmic roles. But all the while, a firm root in pop-arrangement is maintained. It’s kind of like “listening” to your little brother's coloring book -- lots of colors, most of them outside the lines, and the occasional slightly demented editing to the characters, but, for some reason, all the dogs and birds look normal.
With his roots in Texas, singer and songwriter Andrew Combs has been steadily growing his branches in Nashville. In essence, he is a storyteller. His sharp, southern voice carves out stories and carries you through the ridges, making you feel as if you whittled out this story from your own past. When accompanied by fellow singer and song- writer Heidi Feek, the contrast is deep, dark, and beautiful. Her tranquil and smokey style pairs with Combs' reflective exuberance like a cold glass of whiskey and a long cigarette on a sunny day.
Following in the footsteps of his major influences like Guy Clark, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, and Townes Van Zandt, Combs vocalizes the beauty and turmoil of our vices and virtues. His debut EP Tennessee Time captures the songwriting and performing prowess that he has long been developing. The EP’s title track is a heartfelt tribute to the southern state delivered with as much simplicity and genius as songs like “City of New Orleans” and “Georgia on My Mind”. It is enough to make Tennessee’s children bloom with pride and its out-of-state visitors weak with envy. With four other songs, including "Too Stoned To Cry" and "Wanderin' Heart" that easily rival the strength of the title track, Tennessee Time is just a taste that will surely leave the listener wanting more from Andrew Combs.
Girls In The Eighties is the solo (now full band) project of 25-year-old Chase Reynolds. He started the band in 2001, but it ended in 2004. Years went by, and it sounds like they weren’t good years. In Reynolds’ words: “At the beginning of 2008, I tried to kill myself. Then I tripped ’shrooms and completely changed my life around. I decided that I wasn’t going to be a worker bee the rest of my life.” Mushrooms will do that.
Musically, Nashville’s Girls In The Eighties are a total joy: Short, keyboard-dusted songs with lo-fi noisiness, where appropriate. It’s hard to hear exactly what Reynolds is singing, but the lyrics sheet hints at rougher days, full of nightmares and yearning for disconnection. “Teenage Royalty” is steeped in keyboard blips and churning rhythm, and it’s the best of his Reynolds’s older songs. “Burn Your Riches” seems like a nice transition toward his newer, more structured tracks. Of the new batch, “Yesterdays Don’t Mean Shit,” benefits from both the expanded lineup and the crowd of friends he got to sing along, and album opener “Vacation” is stuffed with hooks, finding, as does the rest of the album, a sweet, sloppy zone between No Age and (good) Weezer.
Reynolds began writing and recording the songs on Teenage Royalty in 2008, then released it via Deerhunter message board in 2009. It made it onto a self-released CD January of this year. Between then and now, Reynolds recruited his roommate and a keyboard-playing friend to record Faceless Sonic Boom, which will be out in a couple weeks. He says they haven’t played many shows yet because they can’t afford to, but here’s hoping.
Oblio (Nashville, TN) is an epic rock trio that blends fierce rhythms with inviting pop vocals and shimmering guitars to create an innovative sound revealing influences as diverse as the Walkmen, Paul Simon, and Arcade Fire. Exuding southern charm with a metropolitan sense of cool, Oblio seduces both the heart and the mind.
Oblio was formed in Nashville in 2004 by Terry Price (vocals/ guitar) with original members Travis Vance (bass/ keyboards) and Ben Dumas (drums/ percussion). After a lineup change in 2007, the trio has continuously wowed concert-goers with their incendiary live performances, Bonham-esque drumming and sweeping melodicism. Regional buzz over the next year earned Oblio an invitation to the highly publicized Next BIG Nashville festival, a shared bill at a sold-out 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA, and stints opening for Camera Obscura and Chairlift. Foregoing full-time employment at home, Oblio continues to prove its mettle through a dedicated touring ethic.
In August 2009, Oblio self-released Tonight, You're Gonna Be A Revelation, their first full length record as a trio with producer Neilson Hubbard (other production credits include: WPA, Matthew Perryman Jones, Glen Phillips, Garrison Star). The album emphasizes the band's signature energy and yearning passion, despite Price's battle with Bell's Palsy that occurred in the middle of recording. The featured track from the album, “A Story of Nashville,“ was featured in the Paste Magazine music sampler for the month of February. Oblio continues to engage live audiences in the Southeast, Midwest, and Northeast in 2010
"Lil' Larry, started performing and singing at a young age….really young. He made his debut performing Wonderful World and I Feel Good at the age of four on a beautiful summer night in Monaco/Monte Carlo. The audience included Prince Rainier and Prince Albert and a host of people from around the world. He was so entertaining, he was asked to sing at the world famous Jimmy'z, landing him on the front cover of the local newspaper with comments from Prince Albert, Eric Clapton and Ringo Starr. People were wondering ""who is this kid?”
Over the years, he’s appeared in Showboats International, Selecta, and ""D"" magazines; featured on Good Morning Texas, Vive l'ete Show - Television Monte Carlo, Good Day Dallas, Insights, Grammy After Party, Positively Texas, It's Showtime At The Apollo – Apollo Kids, Nice-Matin and Dallas Morning News newspapers. Additionally, he’s performed frequently with his father - Dr. Larry ""T-Byrd"" Gordon & The Music People Luv Band. They still were asking – “who is this kid?”
At Temple Christian School he graduated Valedictorian (4.0 GPA) and served as captain of the Blazers Varsity Basketball Team, Sr. Class President, member of the Temple Times Journalism Club, Homecoming King, and was active in various community service projects. He is currently a senior honor student at Dallas Baptist University and scheduled to receive his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration in December 2010. Apparently, there’s more to Lil' Larry than meets the eye.
His influences range from Michael Jackson to Usher to Justin Timberlake. He’s a student of today’s music. Lil’ Larry is creating music that comes from his heart. He’s spent all of his life waiting for this moment – and he’s not going to waste it.
He’s in the studio with top writers and producers – and will soon be releasing his debut recordings. He’s writing songs for other artists. He’s performing. He’s got music inside of him – and his time is now. "
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone is the musical alias of American film school drop-out Owen Ashworth, who has been writing and recording pop albums under the moniker since 1997, when he realized that song-making was a far more cost-effective means of storytelling than film-making.
Early in his career, Ashworth defined a hybrid strain of raw, emotional, and very homemade synth pop that was instantly recognizable as his own. Claustrophobic two-minute character studies shuddered with reverbed beats, blown-out chords, and simple but infectous melodies, all layered beneath Ashworth's sometimes funny but always heartbreaking lyrics.
Most typically, Ashworth accompanies his vocal performances with the sounds of keyboards, drum machines, & other electronic devices, although recent releases have included more live instrumentation.
Colonel JD Wilkes (The Legendary Shack Shakers) and his wife Jessica, along with "Slow" Layne Hendrickson, make up the hillbilly/hokum trio THE DIRT DAUBERS! Hailing from western Kentucky, these three caterwaulin' hooligans sing loud and proud an ecclectic mix of Appalachian, ragtime, and hot jazz standards and original music.
With their first ever performance having taken place at London's Raindance Film Festival, the DIRT DAUBERS are off to a rousing, rollicking start. Be sure to catch their special brand of jangling tomfoolery at a hootenanny near YOU!
Y'all come.
Washed Out is Ernest Greene, a young guy from Georgia (via South Carolina) who makes bedroom synthpop that sounds blurred and woozily evocative, like someone smeared Vaseline all over an early OMD demo tape, then stayed up all night trying to recreate what they heard.
Formed in 2006 Biscuits and Gravy has quickly evolved from jazz hip hop band to a full blown up and coming powerhouse of N.E.R.D. meets the Roots. They have recently opened up for Nappy Roots and most recently GZA from the legendary Wu Tang Clan. They are currently finishing up their first E.P that will be released in the fall.
The story of Chief is one of two coasts. Though Evan Koga, Mike Moonves and brothers Danny and Michael Fujikawa were all born and raised as sons of Los Angeles, they left for New York University, worlds away. It was in New York that they first got to know one another as collaborators, rumbling through a number of semi-serious projects and solo ventures before feeling swept away by a small run of songs Koga had penned and presented to them. He had written them under the name Chief, a moniker the rest of the guys opted to keep the day they first formed. It was on New York stages that they honed their songs and found their sound, a thoughtfully melodic update on summer and road records past. Natural, timeless songwriting for times that change too quickly.
In early 2009, Chief started to migrate home to the City of Angels for good.
On "Modern Rituals" (out August 17th), their first full-length and Domino debut, their transcontinental downshift is captured in gorgeous, full-bodied stereo.
Dylan LeBlanc's songs - ominously dark yet tenderly appraising emotions to find light and balm - don't just open up a world and his personal feelings and experience, they provide their creator with a valuable lifeline. "It helps me…I'd be a lot darker if I didn't write and it’s almost like playing God writing a song." It’s a telling comment from the usually modest and soft-spoken LeBlanc. He is not the sort of performer to shout about his arrival or proclaim his talent from the rooftops. Nonetheless, the seamlessly organic and selfproduced Paupers Field presents a fully formed total artist and this record speaks for itself. LeBlanc's is a voice from the present connected to the past, one sure to outlast passing trends and fads. Soul deep.
If 2009 was about blistering Nashville rock trio Run With Bulls building their musical foundation and blazing new trails, 2010 is surely the Year Of the Bull. Like Nashville-based rock bands before them from Jason & the Scorchers to Kings Of Leon, Run With Bulls are a mix of influences, all galvanized with the musical vision, fiery licks and gritty vocals of charismatic lead guitarist/vocalist and principle songwriter Brad Sample. The sound is hard to define but the groove is dead-on, with strains of country, blues, modern rock and R&B; coalescing in a style uniquely Run With Bulls, and it ignites both on stage and in the studio.
Patrick and Alaina bought a boat together and sailed around the ocean. They dodged freighters, wade squalls, swam ashore in the bahamas, ate at restaurants with names like “Spanky’s,” and got married. With no destination in mind, the trip led them to the songs you'll hear them play.
Although Sarah Siskind's rootsy, folk-based songs attracted more attention when performed by other artists, the North Carolina native enjoyed a recording career of her own, effectively straddling the line between musical ghostwriter and solo artist. Raised in the continental southeast by musical parents, Siskind was exposed to bluegrass and old-timey music as a toddler, an experience that fueled her songwriting from an early age. She began writing music at 11 and completed her first album three years later. Regional songwriting competitions began to recognize her marriage of rustic Americana and contemporary country, and Siskind moved to Nashville at the age of 21, where she continued to release albums while attracting attention from industry veterans.
Bluegrass icon Alison Krauss recorded a version of Siskind's "Simple Love" in 2007, and the song's subsequent Grammy nomination helped raise the songwriter's profile even further. She subsequently contributed backing vocals to a Paul Brady album and toured Europe alongside Bon Iver, whose sets often concluded with a performance of her song "Lovin's for Fools." Meanwhile, Siskind also found time to continue writing music, and Say It Louder marked her sixth release in 2009.
Yeasayer (pronounced /'je?se??r/) is an experimental rock band based in Brooklyn, New York.
The band's three core members, Chris Keating, Ira Wolf Tuton, and Anand Wilder, first came to attention after appearing at the SXSW festival in early 2007. Their first single consisted of a double A-side of the tracks "Sunrise" and "2080". Following the release of debut album All Hour Cymbals in October 2007 by We Are Free, Yeasayer described their music as "Middle Eastern-psych-snap-gospel". Live performances often include psychedelic visuals.
In 2008, Yeasayer toured with MGMT and Man Man and supported Beck.[3] The same year, a public a cappella concert, "Take Away Show", was performed on the Paris metro. The band has also played at Lollapalooza, the Pitchfork Music Festival, the Austin City Limits Festival, and the Reading and Leeds Festivals. Yeasayer appeared at the Coachella Music Festival of 2010, the Dutch Pinkpop and are scheduled to perform at the Australian music festival Splendour In The Grass in August. Backed by labels Secretly Canadian and Mute Records, Yeasayer released their second studio album, Odd Blood, in February 2010, featuring more pop music influences than earlier work. In July 2010 they appeared at Latitude Festival in England at the Word Tent where they also completed a signing session.
A fierce and edgy alt-country band from Columbus, OH, Two Cow Garage takes the twangy melodies of vintage country music and fuses them with a muscular, amped-up attack that recalls Nirvana or Dinosaur Jr. as much as the Jayhawks or Blue Rodeo. Two Cow Garage was formed in the fall of 2001 by guitarist and singer Micah Schnabel, who was born and raised in the rural Midwestern community of Bucyrus, OH. Weaned on vintage country, Schnabel didn't care much for the mainstream rock that dominated radio, preferring harder and edgier sounds. At 18, he moved to the relatively big city of Columbus and started playing with drummer Dustin Harigle. Chris Flint, a guitarist and lawyer who used to manage the Lilybandits, saw an early version of Two Cow Garage and was struck by their passionate energy and Schnabel's songs; he signed on as the band's manager and part-time guitarist, and with the addition of bassist Shane Sweeney the group's lineup was complete. In the fall of 2002, Two Cow Garage released their first album, Please Turn the Gas Back On, through Shelterhouse Records; the band supported the disc with a relentless tour schedule that put 332,000 miles on their van's odometer over the course of two years. 2004 saw the release of their second album, The Wall Against Our Backs, which received rave reviews from critics while the band kept up their punishing tour schedule, which was captured on video by fan and filmmaker John Boston in his documentary The Long Way Around: One Badass Year with Two Cow Garage. Two Cow Garage's third album, aptly titled III, was released in April 2007.
There are actually three Christmas Islands; one off the coast of Australia, one in the Pacific Ocean (which also goes by the name Kiritimati) and one who released their incredible self-titled debut album on In The Red in 2009. Hailing from sunny San Diego, California, Christmas Islandís music is happy and poppy on the surface, yet there is a dark undercurrent to their brand of lo-fi pop punk. Simultaneously joyous and almost twee while secretly depressed and deeply disturbed. †Citing Tronics, Urinals, Television Personalities, the Clean, Versatile Newts and The Fall as influences, Christmas Island are Beach Boys style pop by way of the late 70ís- early 80ís UK DIY scene. All brought to you by way of sunny southern Californian culture. The results are sublime.
DeRobert & The Half-Truths are the house band of Murfreesboro, TN indie funk label - G.E.D. Soul Records. Built around the principal song- writers within the label, the band specializes in creating a unique and vibrant soul sound around DeRobert's powerful vocal stylings. DeRobert has been recording for G.E.D. Soul since the very beginning, lending his voice to early recordings with the Grips as well as the yet un-released Magic In Threes material.
There is something to be said for taking the old and making it new. With their self titled debut album The Honeymoon Thrillers have done that very thing. Drawing on influences from The Beach Boys and Elvis to The Clash and The Strokes, it is no wonder THT have developed a sound all their own.
In the winter of 09' lead singer Nathan Barlowe decided it was time to do something different. "I was listening to old records and just remembered growing up how simple and moving that music was that my dad and uncles would play," Barlowe says, "I sat down and wrote a song a day for 10 days and felt like that was the record." After a "happy accident", THT's sound was born. Nathan was recording the first demo tracks to what would become the album when he accidentally left a distortion pedal on. "I realized I had never really heard anything like what was happening. It was retro and modern all at once."
He immediately began searching for the right pieces to form the new band. After adding brother Cary Barlowe on lead guitar, old friends Chris Boyle (bass), Jared Byers (drums), and Josiah Holland (keys), the sound and vision of THT were coming together. Chris Grainger was brought on as producer and the band immediately went into the studio to start recording the album. "We really just wanted to capture the sound of the band as it was, and let the songs speak for themselves," Grainger says. "There was no trickery or studio magic. We used 3 mics on the drums and one in the hallway all recorded in mono. Everything was done at lightning speed just to get it down as it was." The album was mixed by Grammy winning engineer Vance Powell (White Stripes, Raconteurs, Dead Weather).
The result of capturing these songs "as they were," is a stunning debut that is light and dark all at once. The songs themselves are quite possibly what would have happened if The Everly Brothers grew up listening to The Smiths.
Elf Power emerged as part of the second wave of bands linked to the Elephant 6 Recording Company collective, a coterie of likeminded lo-fi indie groups -- including the Apples (In Stereo), Neutral Milk Hotel, and the Olivia Tremor Control -- who shared musicians, ideas, and sensibilities. Formed in 1994 by singers/multi-instrumentalists Andrew Rieger and Laura Carter, Elf Power debuted in 1995 and over the last 16 years have released ten albums, two eps, a handful of singles, while also touring America, Europe, and Japan. The Athens, Georgia pioneers have readied their tenth studio album for release - a self-titled, dozen-song sonic totem, representing the group's spiritual endurance and their continued relevance as the flagship band of the celebrated psych-rock scene, which they helped forge over a decade and a half ago. “Elf Power” sees release on September 14, 2010 on the band's own label, Orange Twin Records.
Drawing on the talents of up-and-coming Nashvillians Andy Hall, Andy Falco, Chris Pandolfi, Jeremy Garrett, Jesse Cobb, and Travis Book, the Infamous Stringdusters manage to balance a fluency in old-timey bluegrass with indie jamgrass sensibilities. They released their first album, Fork in the Road, on Sugar Hill in early 2007, which resulted in three awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association later that year. An eponymous sophomore effort arrived in 2008, followed by Things That Fly in 2010.
When author Cormac McCarthy describes looking upon “paths of feral fire in the coagulate sands” in his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Road, he hit on what Glossary lead singer Joey Kneiser says is “the perfect image of longing.”
It sparked the title of Glossary’s sixth full-length album, Feral Fire, which includes a testifying batch of R&B;and country tinged rock songs that explores the band’s dysfunctional relationships with time, religion, materialism, the universe and southern ideals. It’s that same longing, says Kneiser, that drives people to pursue the things they wouldn’t normally pursue.
“I think every human being feels like they are here to do something great, but they just don’t know what it is,” he says. “The record is really about trying to find out what that is… having this real longing fire.”
Mixing pedal steel and other traditional instrumentation with bending and crashing electric guitars, Glossary’s spirited, American rock & roll speaks loudly to those beyond the southern region—those who relate to the great communicators like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and Otis Redding. Joey Kneiser’s cracked voice, complemented by Kelly Kneiser’s relaxed, creamy vocals, creates an everyman musical quality able to fit the passing night through a car window, or a rowdy beer swilling get-together. The group has shared the bill with everyone from southern rockers the Drive-By Truckers to the punk-spirited Against Me! and been embraced as musical family by their crowds.
Produced by Centro-matic drummer and recording guru Matt Pence, and released on sister band Lucero’s label, Liberty & Lament, Feral Fire was recorded in ten days and encapsulates Glossary’s unremitting musical drive---one that involves playing and creating for the sake of simply playing and creating. In fact, the five-piece from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has been releasing records both independently and on labels for over a decade. In 2007, the band posted its previous record, The Better Angels of Our Nature, online free of charge to gratified fanfare.
Feral Fire sees a band full of “pop music junkies” (with a soft spot for both underground music and ’80s country radio) delving into multiple genres. The soul-soaked “Pretty Things” is a love song pointed at a materialistic girl coming to grips with her own identity, while the jaunty, rebellious “Save Your Money for the Weekend” chronicles a rough-and-ragged southerner pleading with a waning Christian girl to shed her inhibitions—kind of a southern version of Billy Joel’s “Only the Good Die Young”. The latter includes the affectionately irreverent line, “All I know is southern girls are sweeter ‘cause they’re full of Jesus’ love,” and seems to resurrect the spirit of Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott.
“Nowadays, we definitely want the songs to have some sort of groove to them… or swing a little more,” says Kneiser. “Really, we just try to just work the song. Nobody plays more than they should. It’s more like ‘how can we serve the song?’”
Formed in 2005 by cousins Tom Van Buskirk and George Langford, Brooklyn, NY-based indie electronic duo Javelin crafts funky, abstract, R&B-flavored pop with an emphasis on painstakingly re-created samples and loops. The band's 2009, self-released collection of demos (Jamz n Jemz) and pair of Thrill Jockey 12"s (Javelin, Number Two) were followed by their debut album, No Mas, on the Luaka Bop label in 2010.
Winter was approaching and we all felt trapped. For years, we had played in Nashville rock groups, playing successful regional shows, selling thousands of CDs, getting play on popular MTV shows. But we felt a yearning for change, a need to break out of the old mold.
We formed Lovers and Liars with a focus on doing things differently. We broke with modern rock tradition, trading Les Pauls and Marshall stacks for lead piano, drum machines, and synthesized textures. Switched straightforward singing for a diverse Mike Patton-style approach, using a variety of vocal deliveries to convey more complex sonic ideas. At the core, though, we stuck to hooky, personal songwriting.
We found that our outside-the-box approach drew converts instantly. Nashville's rock scene was the first to embrace our new direction, craving a new sound and approach as much as we had. Three months after our packed-house stage debut, we were awarded "Best Alternative Band" and "Song of the Year" (for "Buried Alive") honors at Nashville's Local Buzz Rock Awards. We found ourselves earning both radio play and opening slots for national acts in cities across the southeast. We earned a main stage slot at Nashville's annual Buzzfest.
Our sound and songwriting soon caught the ear of Tom McKay of Universal Republic, who signed us in early 2010. Yet even as we write and record new material for our major-label debut, it still feels like just the beginning...
When not watching Cops or drinking 40s in the park, Nathan Daniel Williams blogs on classic rap and records waves of effortlessly great slack/crust/beach/punk compressed onto 4-track cassette in his San Diego bedroom.
How I Became the Bomb formed in 2005 in the university hub of Murfreesboro, TN. Childhood friends Adam Richardson and Jon Burr conspired with like-minded popsters Ricky Bizness, Rusty Hanberry, and Andy Spore to make music they wanted to hear. Something big. Something bold. Something cinematic. In June of that year, that nameless something became nameless no longer at The Temptation Club, an underground all-male revue. Tossing their fates to the wind, the quintet allowed a friend to christen them as they took to the stage for their first show. Thus How I Became the Bomb was born.
With a mere 4 shows under their belt, the band fast-tracked the recording of an EP at Lakefever Productions on famed Music Row in Nashville, TN. The culmination of two weekends in the studio, the Let's Go! EP was released May 13, 2006.
Recording in hand, How I Became the Bomb began touring regionally, attracting the interest of both national and international press. On September 2, 2006, How I Became the Bomb was featured in Billboard Magazine, and on October 25, 2006, Rolling Stone named the group "Online Pick of the Day". On June 4, 2007, the Guardian UK selected How I Became the Bomb as "Band of the Day".
After securing UK management, How I Became the Bomb played the European Festival circuit in July of 2007. Their first batch of shows had them performing at the Summercase Festival in Spain and the Latitude Festival in Suffolk, UK, where they shared the stage with Spoon, Arcade Fire, Jarvis Cocker, AIR, Jesus & Mary Chain, and Super Furry Animals.
While on their first European jaunt, the Bomb signed licensing deals with V2 in the UK (later bought by Universal), Yep Roc in Japan, and Sinnamon Records in Spain (Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Hot Hot Heat).
Later that year, How I Became the Bomb returned to Europe to play the Wintercase Festival in Spain. They end up staying for months, touring clubs in the UK and Spain, including an extended set of dates with Editors.
The troupe spent the next year recording four digital music packs and releasing them online for free, accompanied by two music videos. They have now compiled this formerly online exclusive audio content into a physical release (available from this very web site). Including four previously unavailable tracks, Deadly Art is the sixteen song epic Bomb fans have long sought. With expert assistance from producer John Baldwin (LakeFever) and mixers F. Reid Shippen, Craig Alvin, and Buckley Miller, How I Became the Bomb has created a work of filmic majesty that exceeds even their own high expectations. They will continue to do so in 2010, recording more music and touring clubs, house parties, and sci-fi conventions extensively!
The brainchild and full-band vessel of musicians Trey Rosenkampff, Graham Elder, Christian Ebetino and Brent Bolde, Asherel is a southeastern alternative rock band from Atlanta, Georgia.
After spending most of his adolescent years writing and performing at venues such as Eddie’s Attic and Variety Playhouse, songwriter Trey Rosenkampff began to recruit his friends in an attempt to portray his songs through a fuller, more dynamic sounding outlet. Partnering with Brent Bolde on bass, Graham Elder on lead guitar and later enlisting Christian Ebetino on drums, Asherel quickly took off to perform at venues around Atlanta, including the locally beloved Smith’s Olde Bar.
“It was all sort of a whirlwind effect,” says Rosenkampff of the quick accumulation of Asherel’s activity. “One minute we were scrambling to put together as many songs as we thought was decently possible, and two weeks later we were playing at Smith’s [Olde Bar]. It was just crazy.”
When it comes to their sound, Asherel isn’t afraid of who they are or how they are affected by the music they love. Wearing their influences on their sleeves while still retaining a unique twist, the music of Asherel is pure, unadulterated rock, which is exactly what the members of the band wanted to accomplish.
“We all love the music we love, there’s no doubting that. But we each bring our own twist along with our influences. Graham [Elder, lead guitar] is definitely the strongest rocker of the band; Brent [Bolde, bass] loves to add funky foreign rhythms and feels; Christian [Ebetino, drums] has four years of jazz band up his sleeve. All in all, we all take the outline of each song and give it our own flair.”
The individual “flair” of each member certainly takes the raw, rock music and surrounds it with a unique and stylistic environment, which is just what Asherel aims for.
“We just play to play. We enjoy performing our songs, we appreciate other people listening, we’re all good friends. We don’t have any plans to stop soon, whether we play under the name ‘Asherel’ or not. Our only goal is good music; hopefully we’ll achieve that.”
Not only one of the sharpest up-and-coming songwriters in Nashville, Natalie Prass possesses a rare artistic method she infuses into all her endeavors. She handcrafts album artwork and flyers and organizes local vinyl listening parties/drawing sessions, and there appears to be little end to the homespun creativity of this bright young talent. She’s also no slouch in the pipes department either — the girl can sing. Although her debut EP is titled Small & Sweet, Prass’ brand of indie folk is not to be underestimated. While her delicate alto evokes clear benchmarks of influence — see early Rilo Kiley, Feist, Karen Carpenter, etc. — Prass never seems weighed down by the artists she’s absorbed. Instead, she has developed a refreshing guitar-grounded musical vocabulary and a knack for infectious and entrancing tunes. Still, it’s a spirit of invitation and friendship that continues to be Prass’ most pronounced attribute.
WAGES is James DeDakis (Drums, Vox), Nick Campbell (Vox, Guit), and Alex Hornbake (Bass, Vox), all previously of Brooklyn band Arizona. -Their debut EP "in Sun" was engineered by Alex and produced by Hank Sullivant, the Godfather of Transmutilation (you know him from Kuroma and MGMT).
Alyssa Bonagura moved home to Nashville in August 2009 after earning a degree in Sound Technology at the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts. On the heels of school, Alyssa was anxious to give her full attention to her burgeoning career, and she has done just that -- concentrating on both songwriting and performing. On her 22nd birthday, she signed a co-publishing deal with LA-based Rondor Music that will allow her to work on her music full time.
No stranger to the music biz, Alyssa’s childhood was spent between home and a tour bus with her singer/songwriter parents Michael Bonagura and Kathie Baillie, from the hit country act “Baillie and the Boys”. It seemed only natural for Alyssa to become a singer and songwriter herself—as a ten year old she recorded a Christmas duet with Kenny Rogers, and she started writing songs at eleven.
Her acoustic/pop style encompasses influences from European pop, urban and dance mixed with country, indie, pop and folk styles from the United States. Already, interest in her songs has come from both Europe and the US; her first cuts should come out this fall. Alyssa recently released The English Diaries, a collection of songs that she wrote, performed and recorded that represent the three years she spent in England.
She's performed with acts as varied as Pete Wylie, Ralph Stanley and Richard Thompson both in the US and Europe. She’s performed at two of the largest music festivals in the world--Glastonbury Festival and Bonnaroo.
Alyssa has a flair for fashion and style; she was selected as one of the Rimmel 10 - ten young women in the US who personify the “London Look” for Rimmel Cosmetics. Check out her blogs about Rimmel on her wordpress site and her You Tube Channel.
Hailed as “Nashville’s Most Eclectic Rock Band”, Cheer Up Charlie Daniels roared onto the local scene in 2008, with ever evolving stage shows and colorfully outlandish costuming.
Their debut album, Live in ‘79, skillfully weaves outrageous front-man Neil O'Neil's often playful, occasionally messianic, lyricism with stinging sock-hop style melodies to create a genre-bending auditory adventure. Live in ‘79 is energetic enough to get even a jaded Nashville audience up and out of their seats. Immensely catchy standout tracks such as "Moving to Malibu" and "Bunsen Burner Baby Blues" aptly illustrate why Mike Grimes of Grimey’s says, “Cheer Up Charlie Daniels is going to own this town.”
Cheer Up, Charlie Daniels is currently recording a follow-up EP due out this fall and filming a top secret music video to coincide with the release.
Faux Ferocious is a band with roots in Nashville. Yet, the chance of attending college together brought them all to Knoxville. Since then, the Faux guys have left their mark on rad house parties and pubs all over town. They are indie with just enough of that 50's twang rock to get everyone in the crowd dancing. They have hosted sold out parties in Knoxville with plenty of great bands from Nashville, such as How I Became the Bomb and Jeff the Brotherhood.
Tipped by Kings of Leon’s Matthew Followill as the new band to watch in NME’s 2010 New Music issue (a sentiment echoed by Matt Costa on jambands.com), THE ROMANY RYE is touring in support of its debut album, Highway 1, Looking Back Carefully, an intimate collection of songs penned by former Colour guitarist Luke MacMaster. The singer-songwriter produced and recorded the album along with Delta Spirit’s Kelly Winwrich and the two were joined in the studio by a group of friends that included Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), David Quon (We Barbarians) and Blake Mills. Shortly after completing the album, MacMaster put together the band now known as THE ROMANY RYE, inviting Judson Spillyards, Joshua Spillyards and Ryan Hitt from Christopher Denny’s former backing band, The Natives, to join him.
Raised in the rustic mountain community of Big Bear, California, located outside Los Angeles, MacMaster grew up listening to his dad’s vinyl record collection and soon began crafting his own songs. From its vintage looking album art and organic instrumentation, to its deeply personal ruminations on life, love and despair, Highway 1, Looking Back Carefully recalls the L.A. songwriters of the 60s and 70s who first fused the intimacy of folk music with the vibrancy of rock and roll – and then blows through that intersection to blaze its own path.
Formed in 2007, at the beginning of a romantic relationship, Action! is the melding of the songwriting and compositional talents of both Robyn and Dan Burns. Nostalgia, disenchantment with friendship, and desire for more vacations are the center-points for their debut album "Friend Weakend," a culmination of several years of songs and ideas.
Working daily as computer slaves and carpenters, the Woodbine, Tennessee duo strives for authentic art. They recorded nights and weekends in Nashville with Jeremy Ferguson of Battle Tapes Recording early in 2010 to create "Friend Weakend." It's an intimate and sometimes scathing look at the friendships you take for granted, a sincere response to platonic love and its complexities.
Dynamics and crescendo are central to the music, and the space and air felt in the sparse instrumentation is filled with the ambiance of the playing environment and the harmonic contours of vocal cooperation.
"[Gift Horse] takes the oaky style that can only be bred in steamy southern heat and pairs it with the Seattle sound of grunge to make a brand of garage-y shoe-gaze all their own....A hauntingly atmospheric record."
-Reviewsic.com
"'Plastic People' is nothing short of grimy, with heavily distorted, droning guitars mashed with hollow, almost-half-hearted vocals from Hunter Morris. 'Missionaries' dials back the distortion significantly and offers a slightly cleaner sound overall while still basking in the same grungy charm."
-MAGNET Magazine
"Gift Horse generate a brooding, bulky, booming monster of a sound. Dense, sprawling mini-epics where pockets of calm are upended with 30-foot-tall waves of guitars, drums and atmospheric embellishments."
-STOMP AND STAMMER
"Call it bootgaze. The combination of the heavy psychedelic rock and dark shoegaze makes the album a tour de force. Mountain of Youth brings out the best in Gift Horse: the sound is still as dense as ever, its reverb blanketing the listener with a false sense of security, but now that wall of sound strikes with deadly precision."
-FLAGPOLE
"The cold only seemed to fortify the band as they bashed through thirty-plus minutes of damaged sludge-rock."
-AQUARIUM DRUNKARD
"A mixture of shoegaze, grunge and indie-drone resulting in a very atmospheric and emotional wall of sound."
-GOLDMINE Magazine
"In short, the quartet has struck an alluring balance of earth and ether, of muscle and dreamlike ambience."
-PERFORMER Magazine
"Mountain sledgehammers said assumption, taking it’s time over 10 tracks and 44 minutes to repeatedly assault speakers and astound the listener into remembering the rock of decades gone that’s been so sorely missed...a near flawless collection of shoegaze rock the way it’s meant to sound."
-ATLANTA MUSIC GUIDE
"It sweeps the listener right into the full-on, bluesy shoegaze tsunami of “Both of Me�, but then a funny thing happens: All that stony gauze suddenly dissipates like so much Slowdive-y smoke by an open window, just as the album’s early upward trajectory hits its clear high water mark: “Missionaries�, a heavily stomping, perfectly mid-tempo slacker-rock anthem of monstrous proportions, the kind of thing I’d have proudly committed to a mix tape between songs by Sebadoh and Nirvana maybe 18 years ago."
-CRAWDADDY! Magazine
"Gift Horse is keen on dissonant, shoegaze chords heavy with distortion and dripping with moody atmosphere."
-PREFIX Magazine"
After being introduced during a 2008 recording session in Nashville, Sam and Tre, along with DJ Kidsmeal, decided to collaborate and see what happened. Eventually, their unique brand of Electro Glitch Hip Hop was born. With roots in Hip Hop and Rock, their unique group represents all of their respective upbringings in London, Atlanta and Trenton, Tennessee, while still keeping an international sensibility.
Sam has produced artists such as Josh Doyle, Circle of Sound, Intramural, and Damien Horne, just to name a few. Sam and Tre have recently performed major music events such as Nashville's 8 Off 8th/BMI promotional series at Mercy Lounge, RedGorilla Music Fest, and SXSW festival.
Sam and Tre’s forthcoming EP effort will be their first collaborative recording. While showcasing their own unique sound, they hope to channel influences such as Producer/Composer Alan Shacklock (Sam’s father), Jimi Hendrix, Bach, Kanye West, Tupac Shakur and Michael Jackson.
In the upcoming months, you can catch Sam and Tre, along with DJ Kidsmeal, hosting all-night parties at schools, houses, and even makeshift music venues from Nashville to Miami to London, where Sam and Kidsmeal are no stranger to the diverse music scene.
Frank the Fuck Out was formed from the dirt and cement found in Nashville's darkest basements. Frank is on a mission from God: To provide the Music City with a soundtrack to every party. Much like Damn Yankees and Cream, Frank is made up of only the most superior rockers in the world; a super-duper group. Bryce Leonard, guitar, and Clint Wilson, bass, cut their teeth in rock and roll with the carnival punk group Darla Farmer. Steve Smith, drums, was the founding member of one of Nashville's most popular blues-rock bands, The Hollywood Ten. While the group is only in its infancy, they have managed to pen some of the greatest party anthems in history!
Remember: It's not a real party unless someone Franks the Fuck Out!
Originally from the southwest suburbs of Chicago, where he managed an ice-cream shop, Kyle moved to Nashville to escape the northern winters and to be surrounded by other musicians. His first official album, Amos in Ohio, was released by Badman Recording Co in 2006. Clearly, he was doing something right, as WXPN (NPR) dubbed the album "instantly memorable… packed with infectious hooks" and praised Kyle's "ear for melody that's as strong as his songwriting ability." The next year, his seven-song EP, Find Love, Let Go, also released by Badman Recording Co., included the single "Get Mad," which was featured as KCRW's Song of the Day.
In 2008, Kyle released Real Blasty on his own label Elephant Lady Records. NPR called it "an upbeat album for sad people who just want to dance." The undeniably charming, catchy single "Sushi" gained Kyle new fans worldwide, especially through its intricate "YouTube mosaic" music video, which has more than 300,000 plays to date.
In addition to the digital single "You Always Make Me Smile," available digitally worldwide on June XX, 2010, Kyle’s five-song EP, KANGAROO will be released later this summer and his full-length album, Robot Learn Love, is due out in early 2011.
Kyle has opened for The Submarines, Josh Rouse and Peter, Bjorn and John, and has toured as part of Ten out of Tenn, a collective of Tennessee non-country musicians. He'll be back on the road this fall, entertaining fans new and old with his high-energy shows that tend to turn into dance parties.
“We make Southern hip-hop/funk/soul music; it’s kind of hard to pinpoint but we just say we create good music. It’s something that you can listen to with your parents.” So say the Dukes of DaVille when prompted about their upcoming debut entitled. Time Machine. While this tickling, tantalizing response addresses one question,it begs many more. Namely, how a duo from rural Hinesville, Georgia is poised —as comments on their MySpace page assert— “to bring back music.”
By the letters, the Dukes of DaVille comprises Ricky Balboa and Jimi Smalls, two army brats who first crossed paths in 1992 on a dusty baseball diamond in Fort Stewart, Georgia. But conjoining James’ first name with that of his proclaimed “brother from another mother,” the two conjured up the delightful moniker RicJames. It’s that sort of subtle cleverness that defines the Dukes. But what of their musical odyssey? And better still, where the heck is Hinesville, Georgia?
Time Machine is nothing if not ambitious. But while many artists attempt a lot, the Dukes of DaVille actually achieve a lot. Their energy, their earnestness damn near leap right into the listener’s living room. “I believe we’re the most flexible group out right now,” James asserts. “We feel like we’re placing a standard to other artists; that wasn’t our intention, but to the world this is our opening statement. When you pop in Time Machine, expect the unexpected. Going track-to-track, this album is a sigh of relief: ‘Ah, music is back.’ Ric sums up the experience concisely: “The journey, the recording process has been the fun part, the real accomplishment. Along the way, if you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone believe in you?” We believe Ric.
These United States is a musical group from Washington, D.C. and Lexington, KY, made up of songwriter and bandleader Jesse Elliott, pedal steel and electric guitarist J. Tom Hnatow, drummer and vocalist Robby Cosenza, guitarist and keyboardist Justin Craig, and bassist and vocalist Colin Kellogg. The band released two albums in 2008, one in 2009, and one in 2010, all via Colorado-based record label United Interests. In the four years since their formation, TUS has played 700 shows across the United States, United Kingdom, and northern Europe, appearing at South by Southwest, CMJ Music Marathon, and High Sierra Music Festival in the U.S., and the UK’s Glastonbury Festival.
TUS’ debut album, “A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gate to the Garden of Eden,” was recorded by Elliott and producer David Strackany (known to the music world as Paleo) in Elgin, IL, Iowa City, IA, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, IL. The album features musical cameos by a large supporting cast — notably, Saadat Awan, Dan D’Avella, Dave Hahn, and early TUS collaborator Mark Charles, now of Vandaveer. “Picture” was mixed and mastered by Chad Clark of Beauty Pill and T.J. Lipple of Aloha at Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, VA, and released on March 4, 2008. Track ‘First Sight’ had its UK debut on BBC Radio 6 on July 14, 2008, and the album as a whole enjoyed favorable reviews from The Austin Chronicle, Alternative Press, The Village Voice, and others.
“Crimes,” the group’s second album, was recorded in Lexington, KY at Shangri-La Studios, 6 weeks after the release of “Picture.” It was produced and mixed by Duane Lundy, with co-production by Rob Gordon and These United States (by then composed of Elliott and full-time band members Charles, Cosenza, Craig, and Hnatow), and released on September 23, 2008. Paste Magazine, Pitchfork Media, National Public Radio, and others praised the album despite (and in many cases because of) its sonic departure from the group’s debut. These United States recorded live sessions and interviews for All Things Considered, Daytrotter, and WOXY.com, as “Crimes” reached #30 on the College Music Journal Top 200 radio chart in late 2008.
In February 2009, TUS recorded its third album, “Everything Touches Everything,” at Inner Ear Studios, with T.J. Lipple this time taking on the role of producer. Released September 1st of that year, the album proved TUS’ most energetic and upbeat to date. SPIN Magazine sang its praises (“captures the overwhelming jolt of simply being alive…swings between a sleazy leer and a dreamy purr…deftly blurring the line between carnal and cosmic”), as Jon Pareles of The New York Times weighed in on the band’s live show (“superb…equally at home with quiet, morose tales and galloping punky-tonk adventures…a rambunctious alt-country band with story-songs that are both tangled and aphoristic”). Influential DJ and music writer Bruce Warren, of public radio station WXPN, called These United States “one of indie-rock’s — no, make that American rock’s — best kept secrets.”
Heartbeater is a rock band from Nashville, Tennessee.
In Fall 2009, Heartbeater released their self-titled debut EP. The four songs comprising the EP possess a nostalgic quality which combines the energy of indie greats like Pixies, Dinosaur Jr and the Wipers with walls of surfy, reverb drenched guitars to create a sound the Nashville Scene calls “unique and ballsy as all get-out."
The band consists of Greg Mabry (guitar/vocals), Corey Taylor (guitar), Jon Shoemaker (bass) and Jeff Ehlinger (drums).
In just one year, Heartbeater has managed to win the hearts of Nashville's ever difficult non-country music scene, capturing Nashville band of the month for Nov. 2009, as well as being named one of the top ten bands in Nashville of 2009 (#8). As an added bonus, Heartbeater has been hand picked out of the enormous number of great bands in Nashville to compete in a contest held by Budwieser and BMI where the winner gets to perform at Bonnaroo 2010!
Heartbeater recently solidified a Mid-West tour to take place this coming May, and there are plans to do more touring as the summer approaches. March 5th, 2010 began the process of recording our debut full-length record, "Slow Waves."
Though mostly known for country music royalty—the likes of Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash—Nashville has a flourishing indie-rock scene, that along with the neighborhood streets, the hills, and the woods—make this a perfect place for Heypenny to create their world of indie-pop-fun-rock.
With outstanding performances like their "Road To Bonnaroo" show, which had them marching through the capacity crowd accompanied by an 11-piece marching band thusly winning them a coveted spot performing at the 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, to their "CopCar Release Party" which featured performances by 7 of their favorite regional bands and local artists painting giant 8'x5' versions of the pages from their EP, which is packaged as a coloring book, they've been rapidly building their profile and fanbase, inking them as a must see live show.
Heypenny recently headlined the final night of Next Big Nashville at Mercy Lounge, closing out the festival to a sold out crowd. Running with big ideas and surprises, they played a short 7-song set of blistering, high energy songs and then made a surprise move to the middle of the crowd with an upright piano, string quartet and horn section, blanketing the audience in a hundred feet of white Christmas lights. Suffice to say, they think big and deliver.
Three years ago, Ben Elkins lived about 150 miles south of Nashville in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He experimented with sounds and spaces and new ways of writing songs. Through these efforts, Heypenny was born and an album called Use These Spoons was completed and Elkins relocated to Nashville, TN and recruited long-time friends Kevin Bevil and DJ Murphy on guitar and bass respectively.
Though never fully distributed, Use These Spoons made waves in the blogosphere and garnered accolades throughout the region/country/Western hemisphere for its pop-infused balance of rhythm, harmony, and DIY brilliance, ultimately selling out of all their pressings.
What started out as a quiet, solitary and patient endeavor has over the last year erupted into a staccato-rock band that finds company with contemporaries, while channeling the pop-appeal of Michael Jackson, and the naiveté of Sesame Street.
The band, now a complete 4-piece, who’ve been known to dress in tailor-made Neapolitan-colored marching band uniforms or futuristic LEGO-MAN/robot outfits, put on an explosively energetic live rock show that rivals most. And it’s their DIY aesthetic that makes it something wholly unique and special. It’s the attention to detail—those custom, hand-made uniforms to the old-fashioned, big-knobbed, wood-paneled television sets that bathe the audience in abstract colors, flashing and pulsing with the songs—that gives the audience and actual show.
At last years, SXSW, the band performed as part of the Red Gorilla showcases—their time slot competing with Peter, Bjorn & John—and the bar was at capacity with a line serpentining into the street. At Bonnaroo, the band was thrown into an unforgiving slot, performing opposite Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, Grizzly Bear and Santigold, yet they still managed to attract quite a crowd and leave them with an impression. Graham Hawthorne, drummer for David Byrne emailed the band after their performance and said that he happily stumbled onto the set and that it was perhaps “the best thing he saw at the festival.” It’s little things like that, going in as the underdog and winning the hearts, minds and ears of strangers that keeps them going and make them pour everything they have into perfecting their craft and giving their fans something memorable.
Heypenny is currently finishing up their follow-up to Use These Spoons.
The Apache Relay take more long car rides than most bands. But only a portion of their car time is dedicated to their touring schedule -- the rest is something like driving in the middle of the night from Nashville to Alabama and back, just to listen to a new record 12 consecutive times. Despite their wagon’s sketchy brakes, this happens a lot. It’s where the indie-roots band discovered a shared love for the timelessness of Motown records, the weight of the Raising Sand album, the textures of modern rock bands, as well as the intensity of a really skilled acoustic player.
It’s also where they cemented their bond, spontaneously forming the band after one gig at Belmont University. Just a few months later they enlisted producer Doug Williams, best known for his authentically raw approach with the Avett Brothers. Under their original name, Michael Ford Jr. & The Apache Relay, they tracked their debut 1988 live -- applying their musicianship to an eclectic and textured array of pop-influenced original songs with guests Jessica Lea Mayfield, Joe Kwon and Byron House. Paste Magazine named 1988 an “Auspicious Debut of 2009,” and highlighted the band as “Best of What’s Next” with, "It’s a spirited collection of songs that shine with hope like light under a doorway."
Ford Jr. found his bandmates by chance in a dorm at Belmont University in Nashville, where he was becoming known for his soulful folk-rock songs. His first introduction was to guitarist Mike Harris, who circumvented the music school’s practice hour rules to pretty much any time he wanted, rolled his amp into Ford Jr’s room to jam on Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn tunes all night. Later, when he started disliking performing his songs alone, he heard about Harris’ new band, The Apache Relay (named for the underdog race in Ben Stiller’s Heavyweights.) And though Ford Jr. had never heard or met the trio with Brett Moore and Kellen Wenrich -- he hired them to back him at a show, and that was that.
There was something about the musicality that everyone brought to the table that just worked right off the bat. Mixed in is a Bad Brains bumper sticker, a bit of Suzuki training, jazz lessons, a lot of Beatles listening, knowledge of traditional mountain music, a worship of Phil Spector and the love for the complex but accessible layers of bands like the Arcade Fire.
Michael Ford Jr. wrote every song on the album. He has an unvarnished way of presenting the joy of infatuation or the sadness of loss. It’s youthful in a way, in that it grasps of deeper emotions before time starts making them more complex and overwrought.
Now after a year under their belts, the band- with the really long name - are now just known as “The Apache Relay.” With equal parts acoustic and electric, they are gaining following and a buzz on the road for their jumping-up-and-down energetic shows. Even on the acoustic numbers there’s always some head-banging excitement with a mic stand or two getting kicked over, the crowd reacting to the band’s joy of just playing together.
This young artist started 2010 off with a bang, opening for the Lil Wayne Farewell Tour. This should be no surprise however after the rave reviews of his recently released mixtape, “Proving You Wrong Since 1988. Blogs such as Ill Roots and The Smoking Section tagged Skewby as an artist that revives “real hip hop”. His music is compared to the likes of a Kanye or Lupe, but he can definitely hold his own with his clever lyrics and catchy beats. One only has to peep the mixtape to get a feel of his versatility. Only 21, he’s been making his mark slowly since the age of 14 by producing for artists such as Short Dawg and Pimp C to name a few. Although production, engineering and writing is a passion, his real love is performing. More recently he performed at MTV’s Spring Break 2009 and hooked up with DJ Crumbz to headline the Red Bull Southern College Tour. Future endeavors include a much anticipated release of his recent collaboration with Gorilla Zoe that should be out later this year.
Skewby reigns from Memphis, Tennessee although his music tends to break the mold and veer away from the traditional Southern Gangsta Rap that is expected out of the Bluff City. But its obvious Memphis has caught on to his movement, dubbed, “The New Memphis”, and embraced this young artist by naming him one of the top 20 performing artist in the city, of which Skewby was tagged as #1 in the rap category.(Memphis Chamber Magazine, 2009). This multi-talented phenom is understandably on a lot of people’s radar. 2010 appears to be the beginning of great things to come
It's disturbing just how deeply the whole Us vs. Them mentality has saturated our modern lives. Think about it for a moment. It surrounds us: race, religion, politics, class, artistic tastes, sports (well, I guess that's ok), business, and on and on and on and on. Sides are chosen, lines are drawn and vitriol is unleashed with with fire and fury.
We need a unifier. We need a hero to rally around. We need someone to bring us together... Or maybe we just need a distraction from it all. Some great work of art - a sound, perhaps - that finally lets us drop our guard for a moment and enjoy life. Regardless of what we need, can we all just agree why we need it? Good. We're on the right track.
Enter majestico.
He is a man, this one known as majestico. Nothing more, nothing less. Well, maybe a little more; he's a song and dance man, you see. And he's here for you and for me and anyone within earshot. And I mean anyone. His music is for all. Hipsters, greasers, record store dorks, hippies, trust-fund hippies, your folks, the Greek kids, actual Greeks, cute girls, ugly dudes, white boys, black guys, Democrats, Republicans, sinners, saints, jocks, nerds, CEOs, mail room clerks, the aged, little-bitty babies... majestico is for all of us.
You should listen. Seriously.
Shhhhh! Listen...
Do you hear that? Yeah, I know. That's good, right? Yessssss. Oh yessir. I can tell you like this, I knew you would... Damn! How 'bout his backing band, huh? Totally pro, right? Say, did you just uncross your arms? Haha! Nice! Oh no, it's cool, man. No shame in getting down like no one's around... it's natural, baby. There you go. I'm gettin' loose right here with you. Looks like this whole room is, too. Turn around. OK, now try to keep up, son....
So what was it exactly we were all fighting about earlier? You know, it really doesn't matter anymore 'cause majestico is here. Get with it.
Andy Davis’s smart and seductive blue-eyed soul music weds indelible hooks to sly, incisive lyrics, creating songs that sound like newly minted pop-soul classics.
A Louisiana native, Davis released his first album, “Thinks of Her,” in 2004. “Thinks of Her” struck a chord on college campuses, selling out its initial print run. The original pressing of the CD -- with Davis’s hand-written lyrics and stenciled cover art -- became a collector’s item within months of its release.
In 2005, the remastered rerelease of “Thinks of Her” gained Davis national exposure and brought him to the attention of legendary music producer Mitchell Froom (Paul McCartney, Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello). The result of their collaboration was “Let the Woman,” a sophisticated, sonically adventurous album that ignited a bidding war. Barnes and Noble won the exclusive rights to distribute “Let the Woman” online and and in their stores all over the world. The album’s single, “Brown Eyes,” became a staple on AAA radio stations nationwide, and “Let the Woman” became a #4 bestseller.
Davis toured extensively in support of “Let the Woman”, both headlining and opening for Colbie Caliat, Jakob Dylan, Mat Kearney, Will Hoge, Howie Day, and NEEDTOBREATHE.
The following year, Davis became a prominent member of Ten Out of Tenn, a critically acclaimed collective of Nashville singer/songwriters who joined forces for a collaborative tour that was documented in the award-winning documentary film, “Any Day Now.”
In 2009, Davis returned to Nashville to record his latest EP, “New History,” which was featured in -- and inspired -- a recent episode of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.”
A thoroughly contemporary artist raised on old-school rock and soul, Andy Davis’s infallible ear for hooks -- for a well-turned phrase -- and for the often irregular heartbeat of human relationships continues to engage longtime fans and win him new ones.
His new album is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2010.
The Bridges were born July, 2002 with a disposition to blend lyric and harmony with haunting melodies and the poetry of reality. Brittany Painter lends her gifted voice, writing, and acoustic guitar to providing the basis for intriguing arrangements in an acoustic style reminiscent of the sixties and seventies. Natalie Byrd and Stacey Byrd provide the truly unique harmonies as well as playing acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and keyboards. Jeremy Byrd on drums and Isaaca Byrd on bass add a full and forceful edge to the acoustic foundation. The cousins hail from North Carolina and are presently based in Oxford, Alabama, coming together in 2002 to begin in earnest the pursuit of music writing, arranging, recording, performing, and enjoying the gift. This new, old sound is full of the issues of youthful life with a strange and compelling appeal to those who have gone this way before. This masterful mix of pop, folk and indie rock leaves you confident and expectant. Get ready to enjoy these fresh songs that carry the listener through a wonderful range of sound and emotion introducing - The Bridges.
FreeSol is a progressive and unique hip-hop, rock, and soul infused band from Memphis, Tennessee. They started in 2003 when the lead singer/rapper, Free, decided to move beyond the basic hip-hop formula of “two turntables and a microphone” and formed an actual band with the addition of Elliott Ives on guitar/vocals, Premo Danger on the keyboard, and Kickman Teddy on the drums. Growing up surrounded by the rich musical landscape embedded in Memphis’ history, Free Sol is naturally influenced by a variety of sounds from blues to rock to hip-hop.
The band’s name, “FreeSol”, refers to a state of mind – a freedom of expression with a main objective of never conforming to the usual way of doing things… especially in music. With this philosophy, coupled with their musicianship and intelligent lyrics, their music swept the live band scene in the south as they battled their way to win every competition they entered.
In 2006, Justin Timberlake, also a Memphis native, saw them perform, immediately recognized their talent, and signed Free Sol to his upstart label, Tennman Records. Currently they are working with a variety of producers such as Jim Jonsin (Beyonce, Pitbull), Mike Elizondo (Dr. Dre, Eminem), Cool & Dre (Lil’ Wayne, The Game), and more. Their first album is scheduled for release in 2010 on Tennman/Interscope.
In Athens, Georgia, the future can look a lot like the past. Often not too many changes down that way and Futurebirds certainly don’t mind. Some folks think good music comes from making a whole bunch of sounds no one’s ever heard before. Some folks think that you can sit back and take her easy for a little while without trying too damn hard. Some folks think you can have a little of both. If you push yourself every once in awhile, you might wind up in the right place around the right friends and come up with something worth playing on the porch-swing over an ice-cold beer. That’s exactly Futurebirds’ situation. Surrounded by a sleepy-living music community—more earnest than you’ll find elsewhere—the band works to set things right where they belong. Provide people with an infectious melody and a refreshing song about things they understand and they’ll sing with you.
Last spring saw the release of their eponymous EP, a euphoric backwoods sing-a-long that made the six guys in Futurebirds a lot of choir buddies. Now, after only a short, hazy lifespan, the band has signed with Autumn Tone Records. With the help of Drew Vandenburg at Athens’ own Chase Park Transductions, there’s a new record in the can—one that sees Futurebirds harnessing the youthful exuberance of the EP to fashion songs of a grander scale.
Hampton’s Lullaby aims to prove that they’re not simply standing on the shoulders of giants like Flying Burrito Brothers, Andre Benjamin and The Band. Four distinct voices telling tales of trials and tribulations provide the strength for it to relate to the masses. New singing buddies are welcome July 13th, when this puppy hits the shelf.
Punk-pop trio the Pink Spiders -- who go under the names Matt Friction (vocals/guitar), Jon Decious (bass), and Bob Ferrari (drums) -- formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2003. Clad in pink and black and suggesting a rowdy, pretentious persona, the band released its first EP in early 2004, titled The Pink Spiders Are Taking Over!. They soon signed on with CI Records and in January 2005 released the full-length Hot Pink. In support of the record the band went on tour, which lead to their trailer catching on fire and sleeping in New York City subways. Their fortunes changed with several offers from major labels before settling with Geffen. In summer 2006, the Pink Spiders played the Vans Warped Tour and released their major-label debut, Teenage Graffiti, which was produced by Ric Ocasek.
The Protomen are more than just a band. They are messengers, riding atop an Iron Stallion on their way to deliver the most vicious rock 'n' roll fable that the world has ever known. With several planned albums, and a live show that could crumble mountains, there's no denying The Protomen have created a work unique to its medium.
The first record, 'Act I', includes elements of Ennio Morricone, Queen and Black Sabbath, that culminate in a listening experience unlike anything you've ever heard. If you're afraid of sky cracking distortion and epic chaos, you won't survive this album.
Act II is a departure from the signature distorted sound of the first record. It focuses on a time before the world had fallen under darkness. It is a brighter and more optimistic look at the world The Protomen have created. The album is split into two separate eras (and sounds), and gives the feeling of two distinct albums in one. Act II was produced by Alan Shacklock (Meatloaf, The Alarm, Bonnie Tyler, Babe Ruth, Roger Daltry) and The Protomen. Mastering was provided by Richard Dodd (Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, George Harrison, Traveling Wilburys).
After last year's electrifying performances at both Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and New York's CMJ, where they supported their latest effort Act II: The Father of Death, the Nashville natives plan to take on 2010 with a vengeance. Not only did they perform at SXSW 2010, but The Protomen are supporting their own tour that will take them to every corner of the US. Do not miss what Alternative Press calls, "so epic Mr. Roboto would blush" and what Wired Magazine calls, "unequivocally unique" and "positively inspired."
With the countless niches and corners of musical genres, it becomes more difficult to describe a band as genre-defying. The Whole Fantastic World requires that description. Part pop, part rock, part prog, with jazz and psych leanings, the Chicago via Nashville band The Whole Fantastic World has created its very own style.
After two years of relentless writing, touring, and recording, with long time friend Simon Lynn. Craig Hamilton and Daniel Sherron parted ways with Lynn for a move to Chicago while Lynn remained in Nashville to pursue his Master's Degree. After settling in, while writing and recording over twenty new songs for the their next Theory 8 release, the two found Chicago native Chuck Harling, formerly of the Palaxy Tracks, to take over drumming duties. With all settled into their respective new homes the trio are set to start spreading the word in Chicago, booking shows throughout the fall before heading into the studio to record their second record for Nashville's Theory 8 Records.
Chime!, the band's debut full-length was released in August of 2004 by Theory 8 Records. Chime! has garnered a significant amount of success during its short lifespan. The record entered CMJ's "Top 200,"landing the #19 most-added spot in its first week. It also shot to #2 on Nashville radio station WRVU, as well as received airplay on various stations around the country. WOXY.com has taken quite a shining to the band, awarding them the 7th most played song on the station, and putting them in the Top 50 of their "Best of 2004" list. To promote Chime!, the band went on an extensive U.S. tour with stops in Los Angeles, Nashville, Chicago, Austin, San Francisco among many others.
Nashville native Mikky Ekko's vocals have been compared to Jeff Buckley and Freddie Mercury while his stage-presence, lyrical poetry, and emotional intensity has been likened to The Doors' Jim Morrison. Produced by Tim Lauer and recorded at Dogwood Studios in Nashville, Mikky Ekko's debut EP Strange Fruit was released in 2009. He is currently working on his next full release.
Vonnegutt is your girlfriend’s favorite new band.
Here’s an unlikely recipe: Take classic emcee skills and dope lyrics, add pop sensibility and rock energy. Stir. Sprinkle a dash of inspiration from a literary icon. What do you get? Vonnegutt.
Formed in early ’07, the band has quickly built a tremendous buzz, placing in the top ranks of several unsigned band lists, drawing an ever-growing fan base, and catching the eye of several record labels. In the summer of 2008, their popularity earned them a spot at the Vans Warped Tour in Atlanta.
Though the band’s success may seem to have come easily, Vonnegutt’s two founding members had been paying their dues for years before crossing paths. Frontman/emcee Kyle Lucas was earning a name for himself in the underground hip-hop and mixtape scene. Guitarist Neil Garrard was busy doing session work for some of the south’s biggest names in Rap/R&B(Dungeon Family, Pastor Troy, and Kelly Rowland).
Looking to create something that fit his expansive musical tastes, Lucas decided to form an alternative hip-hop band. Garrard soon responded to his flyer at a local music shop, and after meeting they recognized their shared vision and musical chemistry.
Within months, with the help of friend and producer Michael Woodruff, the duo had created their first record, a promising marriage of rock, hip-hop, funk, and electronica. The Vice Nine EP lit up the internet with thousands of plays on Myspace and a big response from college radio with their single “Bright Eyes”. Their style has been described as “refreshing” and “a unique blend of hip-hop & rock.”
"The Coolin' System might just be one of our favorite new bands in the whole city. Their tight, instrumental funk workouts were so good... it's pretty obvious that this band thinks solely about the tunes.The System were tight, rocking a groove that recalled the brighter, bouncier vibes of Chicago's late-'60s pop-jazz scene that allowed the band's top-notch musicians to shine on their solos without ever distracting from the songs " -Nashville Scene 11/12/09
