Friday, February 25, 2005

The Bravery

The Bravery - shades of Flock of Seagulls hair???

The Bravery has been getting a lot of exposure lately - and it's well-deserved. Their sound reminds me so much of the '80s alternative rockers that I loved so much, but it's definitely not derivative. Check out their official website for some multimedia. The record doesn't come out until the end of March. Pre-order the self-titled debut.

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Amel Larrieux

Amel's Gorgeous

Amel Larrieux's been around for a while (you say her last name "larue"), but I don't think she gets enough attention, so I'm posting about her anyway. She started in a band called Groove Theory who I remember fondly from the mid-'90s. The band was comprised of Amel and Bryce Wilson (from Mantronix) and made some great tunes on their self-titled album. Amel's had two solo records and the most recent one, called "Bravebird", came out last January. She has a very soulful, beautiful voice and really can span several octaves. Check out her website for some songs and videos. Buy "Groove Theory" or Amel's "Infinite Possibilities" or "Bravebird".

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

The Exies

The Exies - Cool, Calm and Collected

The Exies are an L.A. alternative rock band that caught my attention when their third album, "Head for the Door", was released last November. You've probably heard the catchy first single "Ugly", because it's been all over the place lately. Check out some audio/video at their website. Buy "The Exies", "Inertia" or "Head for the Door".

Monday, February 21, 2005

Koop

Koop - Jazzy, but not really Jazz

Koop (otherwise known as Magnus Zingmark and Oscar Simonsson) is a duo from Sweden that makes jazz music tinged with electronica and hip-hop. It certainly makes an interesting combination. They have help from vocalists Cecilia Stalin and Yukimi Nagano. Check out some videos at their official site. You can hear some tracks from "Waltz for Koop" at the Palm Pictures site. They've actually been around since the late '90s, but they've only released two albums. If you like what you've heard, buy "Sons of Koop" or "Waltz for Koop".

Saturday, February 19, 2005

Res

Shhhhh! Res wants you to listen!

Res is another one of those artists that mixes genres very successfully. Her music is a combination of rock, r&b, soul, and hip-hop. She worked with Doc (of Esthero fame) on her debut album "How I Do" and will hopefully be coming out with a follow-up very soon. The songs are mostly about love, but she's a little less obvious on some tracks, which is a welcome change. Check out her website for some oldish news and some multimedia. Buy the cd.

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Nikka Costa

Nikka Costa's Hot!

Nikka Costa has a beautifully soulful voice. You've probably heard the song "Everybody Got Their Something" because it's been popular in commercials and movies. Her official website is pretty sparse now because she's working on her second major-label album, "can'tneverdidnothin" and it'll be updated when the record comes out. You can check out her EPK which has some snippets of new songs and is a pretty cool look into her personality. Buy "Everybody Got Their Something" or pre-order "can'tneverdidnothin".

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

The Damnwells

The Damnwells - Aren't They Cool?

The Damnwells remind me of one of my favorite alt-country acts from the '90s, Old Pike. Old Pike is no longer together, but if you've ever heard of them, you know that they were great. The Damnwells have an Americana vibe, which is definitely one of my favorite genres because of its mixing of different sounds. Their debut album came out in October of 2003 and it's called "Bastards of the Beat". The song "Sleepsinging" is definitely my favorite and you can listen to a piece of it, along with a few other tracks, at their official website. Buy "PMR + 1", an early EP, or "Bastards of the Beat".

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Frou Frou

Frou Frou Rocks!

I've been thinking a lot about doing a post about Frou Frou lately and eshan finally made my mind up because he's got a link to Imogen Heap's website. I'm sure everyone will recognize the song "Let Go" from the Garden State Soundtrack. The Frou Frou album that song comes from is called "Details" and every song is excellent. I recommend you visit the website to hear more tracks. Frou Frou is comprised of Imogen and Guy Sigsworth (who must be brilliant because he's also worked with Bjork). The album came out in 2002 and really didn't get much attention in the U.S. until the song was chosen for Garden State. Imogen is also a great solo artist and, according to her website, is releasing an album this year. There are also a lot of Frou Frou videos there. I remember when "I Megaphone", her solo debut and only other recording, came out, I was knocked over by her amazing voice. Buy "I Megaphone" or "Details".

Monday, February 14, 2005

Ian Brown

Ian Brown

Ian Brown's been around forever; he was the lead singer for one of my favorite '90s bands, The Stone Roses. His solo career hasn't gotten a lot of attention in the States, but his records are great. His third solo record in particular, "Music of the Spheres" which came out in 2001, has 10 strong tracks, including "Stardust" and "Whispers". Check out his official website for some sound samples and videos. He's also on the new UNKLE single called "Reign". The video is super cool. His new album "Solarized" comes out next Tuesday. Buy "Unfinished Monkey Business", "Golden Greats", "Music of the Spheres" or "Solarized".

Sunday, February 13, 2005

Goapele

Goapele

Goapele is a singer from Oakland with an amazing voice. Her debut, "Even Closer", came out in 2002. She's definitely in the R&B/Soul genre, but has a distinctive sound. Her website has the whole album to stream plus the video for "Closer". Her second release is soon to be out and it's called "Change It All". Buy the cd.

Friday, February 11, 2005

M.I.A.

M.I.A.

M.I.A. is a new artist from London. She's originally from Sri Lanka and her real name is Maya Arulpragasam. Her sound is a mixture of dancehall and rap like you've never heard before. She certainly reminds me of Dizzee Rascal and seeing as how they're both working in London, that's no real surprise. Her album is called "Arular". You can poke around her website and check out some audio and video. Buy the cd. Happy Birthday to Chellee!!!

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Gemma Hayes

Gemma Hayes

Gemma Hayes is from Ireland. Her debut cd "Night On My Side" came out in the U.S. in April of 2003 and it showcases how great the female singer/songwriter can be. Gemma has an intriguing voice and she knows how to craft a catchy hook. The record is a combination of electronic and folk sounds and is a bit reminiscent of Beth Orton. She's working on her second release and it should be out in the next couple of months. If you need confirmation from a cooler source, check out Uncle Grambo's ringing endorsement. Go to Gemma's official website for some audio/video. Buy the cd.

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Ms. Dynamite

Ms. Dynamite

Ms. Dynamite is a kick-ass MC/singer from the U.K. She won the Mercury Music Prize in 2002, but not many people have heard of her in the U.S. If you need comparisons, she reminds a little bit of Lauryn Hill, but with more of a reggae sound and definitely funkier. You might have heard "It Takes More" because they played the video on MTV way back when. She's coming out with a new album in the next few months - apparently she took a bunch of time of to have a baby. I'm excited to see what she's got in store. Go to her website to find out a little more about her. The Forum has more up-to-date news and if you're really into her sound, register so you can get some MP3s. Check out the first single from the new record called "Judgement Day". Buy the cd.

Monday, February 07, 2005

Hem

Hem

Hem are a great band with a soft and southern kind of sound. They're not country, but they sound like they come from the country. They're from New York and have a kind of Americana vibe. Their debut "Rabbit Songs" is great and they released their second album "Eveningland" last October. Check out some MP3s at their website. Buy "Rabbit Songs" or "Eveningland".

Saturday, February 05, 2005

OK Go

OK Go

What a fun and goofy pop band OK Go is. I was taken by their infectious hooks and silly sensibilities. Check out some videos at their website. You might have heard the song "Get Over It" because it was a minor hit in 2003. The rest of the cd is just as catchy and I think all of the songs are great. They're from Chicago and their manager is one of the Johns from They Might Be Giants. Their new record is coming in July of this year. They're also going on tour again starting this month. Check out the dates. Buy the cd.

Jolie Holland

Jolie Holland

Jolie Holland was a founding member of The Be Good Tanyas, but I find her solo work to be much more interesting. She has a very folky kind of sound with a deep, resonant voice. You can listen to some tracks on her sound page or stream the album "Catalpa". I have some tracks from the unreleased new Fiona Apple record and think that Fiona's new sound is very similar to Jolie's. Buy "Catalpa" or "Escondida" by Jolie Holland.

Friday, February 04, 2005

Me

By overwhelming request (all three of you), I have been asked to post a bit about myself. I'm 32 and have a very close-knit family. I've loved music for as long as I can remember and The Beatles were my first favorite band. I still love them and think they were amazingly talented musicians and songwriters. I know a lot about music and wanted to put this blog together to try to introduce people to some artists that they might not have heard of otherwise. I find the idea that some people have that music died a long time ago to be a crock. By posting about artists that are new and good, I hope to dispel that myth. I don't listen to the radio, but I watch a lot of music videos and read a lot of different magazines and internet sites to find out about new music. I've lived in the Dallas area for the past 25 years and have also gone to more live music shows than I can count. All of the posts are artists that I connect with in some way and I would recommend you, dear reader, check them out and listen to them for yourself.

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

South

South

South is a great band from England. Their sound is a mix of rock and electronica. All of the members of the band are multi-instrumentalists and were discovered by James Lavelle of UNKLE, one of my favorite bands. You can listen to all of the tracks from "With the Tides" at their website where the player automatically launches. There are also some MP3s you can download if you go to the downloads page. Buy "From Here On In" or "With the Tides".

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

The Pierces

The Pierces

The Pierces are a new discovery of mine, but they've been making music since 2000. They're sister singer/songwriters who harmonize beautifully. They're originally from Birmingham, Alabama, and their newest record came out on January 25th. You can listen to some tracks at their website. There's also a video for "A Way to Us". Check out Last Call with Carson Daly on Friday to see them perform live. Buy "The Pierces" or "Light of the Moon".