McKisko

McKisko is yet another of those artists that I have discovered quite a while ago, but kinda lost track of. This australian singer-songwriter is gifted with a voice that hits straight at the heart of her audience. Described by one reviewer as “the voice of a bruised angel”, it can powerfully soar or it can brush raw against you, beckoning goose bumps. Incorporating keys, guitar, melodica, percussion and subtle use of a loop pedal, McKisko’s songs sway between delicately layered lullabies and emotionally charged assaults. She builds songs using inventive instrumentation, an intimate honesty and a lyricism that journeys through abstract landscapes imbued with emotion. Helen Franzmann spent her childhood on a farm in rural Queensland, the second youngest of six children. Although she had been singing classically from age nine, it wasn’t until she moved to Europe that she began to consider quitting her day job for music. From the age of 21 she spent four years in London and Barcelona studying a different kind of voice. She filled her days working 12-hour shifts as a cardiology nurse and her nights with gigs or playing a small Spanish guitar and dinky keyboard. She began to write and perform the simplest of songs at parties and, through a collaboration with songwriter-musician Ben Schiller, those songs evolved into the grand and hauntingly beautiful sounds of their band redbreast. Here, Helen became known for her unique and choppy style of keys and compelling voice. During this time, Helen also collaborated with Brisbane act Jacob S. Harris and the Morning Belles, providing harmonies, keyboard and organ on his three LPs. A move in winter 2007 to a small attic room in Dublin with a keyboard, guitar and a loop pedal began a new phase in her song writing. Here, her solo project, McKisko, saw a revival of her original, more pared-back style. She returned to Brisbane later that year, with the songs ready for recording. 2008 saw Mckisko touring Australia repeatedly, recording with Jamie Trevaskis of Junkship Studios, accompanying German Expressionist films at the Gallery of Modern Art and playing in Tom Cooney’s band. Her debut album Glorio filled with beautiful minimalistic folk songs saw its release in the spring of 2009.

@ Queensland, Australia
♫ Indie, Folk, Acoustic
♥ Marcel (mp3)
♥ A Difficult Crossing (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Candice Casagrande

Born in Lismore on the North Coast of N.S.W, Candice Casagrande grew up writing poetry with sand between her toes and an acoustic guitar. This brilliant coastal artist writes intelligent acoustic / pop songs that will knock on the door of your heart, promise hope and challenge any stale mind-sets. Her artistically constructed lyrics are a trademark, allowing her songs to grip people with more than just a catchy tune. During the release of her EP “Fearless Heart” in 2007 Candice actively came alongside teenage girls in the local area dealing with issues of self harm, suicide and eating disorders. In 2008; amongst performing at festivals, local venues, surfing and recording at studio, Candice reached No.1 indie/folk artist on mp3.com and top 5 finalist in the Music Oz Awards. The first single from her album “Make It a Good 1” was instantly welcomed on high rotation by popular radio station 100.9 ZZZ Fm. 2009 has been a tide of success for Candice with International recognition in the Prestigious Unisong International Songwriting Contest and taking home 4 North Coast Dolphin Awards for 'Song Of The Year', 'Pop', 'Devotional' and best 'Female Vocal'. Candice performed to packed audiences at the Workers Club Lismore, Sonfest and Easterfest for the release of her debut album ‘New Day’ deeming her North Coasts best selling Female Artist! The self-titled album is available from Koorong stores Australia wide, All Music & Vision locally, itunes and live shows.

@ Lismore, Australia
♫ Indie, Pop
♥ Just A Mask (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Rokhsan

We are all the sum parts of what we see, what we feel, who we meet, where we live, who we love and how we process this crazy mother of 21st century life. Rokhsan Heydari is a remarkable embodiment of the world today. Daughter to a British/Indian mother and Persian father, she has the stunning look of a Saudi beauty queen and a truly international attitude in her style and manner. She is also multi-lingual speaking French, Spanish, Persian and English. Playing piano from the age of 6, and then picking up vocals, guitar, drums, production and now violin, Rokhsan has continued to develop her writing and live performance skills at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, immersing herself in every opportunity made available. Over a period of 3 years Rokhsan played literally hundreds of live shows with the Huw Stephens’ recommended Worst Case Scenario label mates, Little Things, as well as showcasing her solo material. Now at just 22, Rokhsan’s solo work has a beautifully crafted charm of folk, soul and pop with a touch of Eastern frailty in her vocal phrasing. This has created a small storm at radio and in A & R circles way ahead of her first single release on Worst Case Scenario records in October 08. In June a performance witnessed by key Radio 1 staff led to a crowd pleasing Glastonbury slot on the BBC Introducing stage. Imminent shows at Bestival and Manchester’s In The City, quite simply because they love her, are all clear signs of big things to come.

@ London, UK
♫ Indie, Folk, Pop
♥ You Look At Me (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Josh Pyke

It didn’t take long before Josh’s unique voice and song writing style, influenced by the likes of Elliott Smith, Evan Dando, and Sparklehorse, began to find favour amongst music tastemakers, critics and Triple J listeners. The first taste, the assured ‘Kids Don’t Sell Their Hopes So Fast’, found high rotation on Triple J and soon ‘Silver’ and the gently sweeping ‘Doldrums’ followed to similar praise and airplay. Josh signed to Ivy League Records and shortly afterwards travelled to New York for some further writing, performing and demoing and upon return set about recording what was his debut release under his own name, a mini album entitled “Feeding The Wolves”. “Feeding the Wolves” signified a great deal more than a change in name: It revealed a huge step in the development of Josh as an artist and songwriter. The subject matter was as broad as titles like “Beg Your Pardon”, “Private Education”, “Middle Of The Hill” and “Goldmines” suggest, however it’s Josh’s lyrics that draw this collection of songs together into a complete package. He cleverly dissects human emotion and feelings and shows them for what they are: complex, abstract, fascinating. With production by the much-lauded Wayne Connolly “Feeding The Wolves” had the artist now rightly known as Josh Pyke letting his talent flow without constraint. The words seem to tumble out of him: honest, evocative, and emotional all at once. The playing - again mostly all Josh - is one moment sweetly melodic, then turning urgent and insistent as needs be. This range of feelings, packaged so they bounce around inside your head like good songs do, and given so generously, go together to make “Feeding The Wolves” the sound of an artist beginning to realise an enormous potential. In 2007 Josh released his first full-length album ‘Memories and Dust’. Although the record features three of the stand-out tracks from ‘Feeding the Wolves’ there are a further 8 tracks of similar quality, including the title track, which was the first single taken from the new batch. The release is again through Ivy League Records. Josh’s second album Chimney’s Afire was released 4 October 2008 and was recorded at Sydney’s Linear Recording studios. The first single off the album was “The Lighthouse Song”, and the second was called “Make You
Happy”.

@ Sydney, Australia
♫ Indie, Acoustic, Folk
♥ The Lighthouse Song (mp3)
♥ Make You Happy (mp3)
▸ MySpace
▸ Official Website

Jack Savoretti

The half-English, half-Italian singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti is my most played new artist of the last few months. I immediately loved his vocals and songwriting when I heard it in One Tree Hill. Jack is currently signed to De Angelis Records which was set up by Anne Barrett who is also the former manager of Natalie Imbruglia. Jack didn’t pick up a guitar until he was 16. He was brought up most of my child hood in London before moving to a Swiss mountain village. Savoretti released his first single on 9 October 2006, called Without. Savoretti was then spotted by Corinne Bailey Rae and she invited Jack to perform with her on her European Tour. His album gained support on Radio 2, where it was declared Album of the Week. The album Between the Minds was released in March 2007, After his Caffe Nero tour he re-released his debut album with a bounus disc with unplugged versions of some of his songs, 3 new songs as well as a live cover version Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire on March 31, 2008. Jack's second album Harder Than Easy was due for release on 6 July 2009. The album release was postponed and is set was released digitally in North America on September 15. I really recommend buying (at least) his first album, I love every song on it and have listened to it at least 50 times this last few months. Let's hope he'll tour Europe soon!

@ London, UK
♫ Acoustic, Folk, Pop
♥ Without (mp3)
♥ Dreamers (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

I'm back, still here.

Hi loyal, and new readers. Sorry for the lack of updates lately. Tests, projects and more collegestuff have been consuming all my time lately. But I've just had my last test of the semester today and have some quite weeks/months ahead of me. So I'll be back with regular updates of my new musical discoveries. Starting tonight!

Signe Tollefsen

Was it ‘An American in Paris’? No, this is about an American in Amsterdam. But the story has elements of a fairy tale too. Picture this; an American tourist in Amsterdam gets bored with staring at the wallpaper of his hotel room and decides to take a stroll through the famous Vondelpark where a young female singer/songwriter is just finishing the last song of her ‘open-air concert’. All he hears is the last verse of the last song. Nevertheless he is very impressed and takes a recording of the young woman home. Friends and music industry professionals listen on his request to the tape and the verdict is unanimous: ‘beautiful, and an enormous potential’. The American invites Signe Tollefsen to Los Angeles to record a number of songs in Linda Perry’s studio. Two of these recordings, You, Me & the Brewers and My Old Man are included on Signe Tollefsen’ s CoraZong debut album. You, Me & the Brewers features legendary violinist Jerry Goodman, famous for his work with The Flock and John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra. When the half-American singer moved from the UK to Holland to study music at the Amsterdam Conservatory in 2004, she also started successfully performing for a constantly increasing and, as it turns out, very loyal audiences. As a support act for established artists Signe is very much in demand too. She shared the stage with amongst others Alela Diane, Ane Brun, David Sylvian, and former Pavement member Stephen Malkmus with whom she performed in Germany and Italy. Signe’s music has already been noticed by well-known musicians such as famous Dutch chanteuse Mathilde Santing, who recorded Sweet Tears for her latest album. In 2006 Signe Tollefsen was both the winner of the Best Musician Award and got most votes from the audience at the Grote Prijs van Nederland, Holland’s most prestigious New Talent competition for Alternative Music. From the first note in It Smells of You, with a beautiful contribution on pedal steel guitar from Urban Dance Squad member René van Barneveld until the very last note of This Is It, you are listening to an extremely gifted artist. This is it, but we already want more!

@ NL
♫ Acoustic, Folk, Alternative
♥ It Smells Of You (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Micadelia

Micadelia, (Mika Sundqvist), was born 1989 in the small town of Skellefteå in the northern parts of Sweden. Her love for music in general, and Neil Young and Led Zeppelin in particular, led to performances on different stages in various contexts. After playing Led Zeppelin material with the band Mica and The Other Pages and doing several concerts interpreting Neil Young songs under the name of Mica and the Gold Rush, she felt that it was time to take the next step and record an album of her own. The American singer-songwriter Ferraby Lionheart was visiting Skellefteå while on tour and was invited to the studio by Micadelia to have a listen. When leaving an hour later he had ended up singing on two of the tracks, one hearty duet version of The Beatles/George Harrison’s Long Long Long and back up vocals on Nirvana’s Polly. Her own songs are coming along and slowly maturing as the sweetest of fruits. The self penned song Sadness on the debut album reveals the path Micadelia has started to wander, with great promises of a bright future ahead.

@ Västerbottens Iän, Sweden
♫ Indie, Pop, Acoustic
♥ Under The Milky Way (mp3)
♥ Hanging on the Telephone (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Gemma Ray

Essex born-and-bred beauty Gemma Ray is a singer-songwriter with a difference: her songs beguile you in the same way classic melodies do, yet somehow defy comparison. The heart-on-sleeve craftswomanship of her tunes allows full rein to roller-coasting intensity and twisted humour as she wraps her velvety vocals around little gems of pop, country, blues and gospel-inflected beauty. Such is the breathtaking scope of this album that its epic multi-layered sound has, you assume, the dedicated workforce of a full blown orchestra behind it, yet this beguiling mix of pop, country and blues is the work of Gemma Ray at home with co-producer Michael J Sheehy. Gemma’s first album, ‘The Leader’, though critically acclaimed, was fraught with setbacks. Recorded against a backdrop of illness, tours were cancelled and for the sake of her sanity the only way to abate the frustration was to keep recording and writing at home in London. Despite the circumstances, the darkness of her songwriting is seamlessly interlaced with humour, playfulness and beauty throughout. Make no mistake, doubters and stragglers will be converted and convinced by the kick-ass live show in which Gemma (now back on track and in good health) and her band take the songs to an even heightened level of hypnotism and drama. Recent shows saw audiences captivated by Gemma and her band, not least when she plays slide guitar not with a slide, but with a very intimidating ‘Psycho’-style knife. The album is preceded by the single 100 mph (in 2nd Gear) released on September 7th, and backed with 900 Miles, the Odetta cover that was used as the soundtrack to the BBC psycho-flick Mum & Dad.

@ London, UK
♫ Alternative, Folk, Pop
♥ 100 MPH (in 2nd Gear) (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Free Music: Emilie Lund

Emilie Lund from Stockholm, Sweden. Emilie is a young and talented singer/songwriter who is inspired by musicians like Nick Drake and Coco Rosie. Listening to music of others is by far not her only inspiration: Studying theatre at daytime and taking long walks through the nightly streets of Stockholm is part of her musical recipe. But the most important ingredient for her music is a remote area, far away from the city, somewhere in the Swedish countryside. The woods around that area can be seen as one of her main sources of inspiration. She spent half of her life in a house, practically in the forest – where she used to live with her parents. Whenever she gets there, creative things happen. She doesn’t need much to sound as wonderful as she does: “I like to make music with simple tools, whatever I can find in the house, my voice and my guitar.” Emilie sees beauty in simplicity. Things, just like music, have to have a soul, she says. “The music has to come from somewhere, a feeling that you just need to express. I love simplicity and intimacy and I try not to think too much about the sound.” After Emilie recorded a handful of songs in 2007, we stumbled upon her via Myspace. We immediately fell on love with her music and asked her whether she would like to release an EP with us. We can’t tell you how glad we are she agreed. The 5 tracks of the Emilie Lund EP can be downloaded for FREE – you are also free to copy and redistribute the songs for non-commercial purposes.

@ Sweden
♫ Indie, Acoustic, Pop
♥ Childhood Friend (mp3)
▸ Myspace
+ Free Emilie Lund EP

Tim Myers

After having heard him sing on several songs of other singer-songwriters I like (e.g. earlier featured Lindsey Ray and Mozella) Tim really caught my eye, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that he has been releasing his own material as well. Music has been the driving force for Tim from a very young age. Being compelled by piano at age five, guitar and bass were introduced to him shortly after. At eighteen, he joined the Platinum selling band OneRepublic. Myers entered the studio with the group, writing and performing on their debut record, “Dreaming Out Loud”, prior to leaving the band a few years later to embark on his solo career. Myers’ soon-to-be-launched debut solo album will have its pick from over one hundred tracks, which he has compiled in the last year. Recently, iTunes release of Myers’ “The Good Life EP” was highly successful in presenting his carefree tunes, “A Beautiful World” and “The Good Life”. A true songwriter and visionary, Tim Myers does more than write ‘good’ songs. He creates synergy between him and the listener by evoking intimately warm, fresh and cheerful emotions. He finds influence in music's greatest songwriters; John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Bob Dylan. By also seeking inspiration from The Beatles' catchy melodic rhythm and lyrics, a touch of The Beach Boys-esque harmonies, while infusing his own modern twist, Myers has introduced a unique style of songwriting to the world. A writer and poet, Myers also often finds inspiration from America’s most prominent authors and poets like Charles Bukowski, T.S. Elliot, C.S. Lewis, George Orwell, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Aside from working on his own music, he continues to produce, write and collaborate with several other noted artists such as Tyrone Wells (Universal/Republic), Lindsey Ray (Original Signal/Epic), Days Difference (Universal/Motown), Mozella (Universal/Motown), Mitchel Musso (Disney), Social Code (Universal/Canada), Schuyler Fisk (Independent) among many others. With his notable success and consistent yet unique songwriting, Tim Myers will continue to make a strong impact as an artist in the constantly evolving music industry.

@ Los Angeles, USA
♫ Indie, Alternative, Folk Rock
♥ The Lucky Ones
♥ The Good Life
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Free Music: The Wind Whistles

Tom and Liza are the Wind Whistles and they live together in the suburbs of Vancouver, Canada. As an indie folk duo, they both sing and both play acoustic instruments (guitar,bass). Sometimes they play alone and sometimes they bring friends, more times not. They think they sound like a cross of Lemonheads and Violent Femmes while people tell them they sound like a cross of the Decemberists and the Moldy Peaches. Beginning in the spring of 2006, they’ve done the usual artist thing: demo, radio, festivals, tours, friends and lots and lots of shows. In 2007, they have released their first full length “window sills” and try to spread it around as much as they can. That’s why they have decided to re-release their 12-track LP under a creative commons license. Aaahh-records, your new favourite netlabel for absolutely charming music, is very proud to have “window sills” their first release and will do its best to promote the album. In April, Tom and Liza have quit their jobs and headed across Canada with the the Greenbelt Collective, then they will head alone to Europe in May, June, July, August, and back across North America in September and October starting from the East Coast. Annually the Wind Whistles organize the Annually the Wind Whistles organize the celebrated local Beanstalk Folk Festival; a festival in which the ‘Folk’ is a loose term for some of their favourite artists that aren’t rock or too loud. The Wind Whistles are notorious do-it-yourselfers and love to meet generous and creative people that make beautiful things happen. So, please do not hesitate to get in touch with them. Get the FREE album here.

@ Vancouver, Canada
♫ Indie, Folk, Pop
♥ Gold Fever (mp3)
♥ Communication's Dead (mp3)
▸ Myspace
+ Free album "Window Sills"

Stephanie Lang

Hailing from the tiny logging town of Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada, 20 year old Stef Lang is perhaps at first glance an unlikely troubadour. But the unique combination of her mixed heritage coupled with growing up in the remote working town of 7500, provided just the right atmosphere to fuel Stef's youthful pursuit of truthful expression and self-knowledge. This drive to achieve her ultimate expression eventually caused her to pack up her guitar and walk away from small town life at 17 and relocate, on her own, to Vancouver, a city of over 2 million, to chase her songwriting dreams and locate kindred spirits. An extremely prolific writer and performer, Stef now works closely with many diverse and talented musicians in the vibrant Vancouver songwriting scene. This includes vocals on indie boys The Dudes latest record and a co-writing credit for “Dust In Gravity,” which will appear on Delerium’s upcoming album. She is also a participant in the respected weekly songwriting circle known as Hipjoint Throwdown, of which she has become a core member. Stef recently penned a publishing deal with Nettwerk/H-Songs and was accepted to play at The Canadian Music Café during The Toronto International Film Festival, which in past years has seen the likes of Martha Wainwright, City and Colour, Chantal Kreviazuk and Steven Page. Stef Lang is currently writing, recording and producing her 4th studio record in Vancouver. Her brand new EP titled “Blood and Bravery” is set to release Oct.1st 2009 prior to her Western Canada Tour.

@ Vancouver, Canada
♫ Pop, Rock, Acoustic
♥ Give A Little Bit (mp3)
♥ Diamonds (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Twitter

Rock Paper Safety Scissors

Rock Paper Safety Scissors (RPSS) are two girls from Calgary, Canada who sing indie pop songs in perfect harmony. In a way they sound like the acoustic version of the earlier featured linden. "We're not really a big deal but we absolutely love what we do. Our music may not always be the happiest of tunes, but sometimes it is. It's there for you in the dark and it's there for smiling. Each song is written with care, not to mention a few tears, hugs, and laughs along the way." was what they said about their just finished first EP entitled 'Don't Cut Yourself' released not too long ago and available on iTunes. They hope you all enjoy listening to it as much as they did making it. The production of the EP is very simple and basic, but the lyrics are clever and the combination of their enthusiastic voices make it worth a listen. With the willpower these ladies show at their age, it can't mean anything else than this won't be the last we've heard from them.

@ Calgary, Canada
♫ Acoustic, Indie, Pop
♥ Skin + Bones (mp3)
♥ Democracy! (mp3)
▸ Myspace

LMTY Shorts: Sarah McLachlan, Ariana Gillis, Gin Wigmore, The Hussy's, Hannah Georgas, Les Singes, Rachael Cantu

Canada based singer-songwriter Ariana Gillis that was first featured here about two years ago is finally releasing her debut album "To Make It Make Sense" this October. There are three official cd release shows planned. For more info visit her MySpace. This is a release I am really looking forward to..

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Gin Wigmore’s debut album 'Holy Smoke' makes its entrance, led by the unmistakable urgency of the hit single ‘Oh My’ . The 10 tracks on the album almost defy description, a unique hybrid of pop and soul and blues and down-and-dirty rock & roll, often in the same song. Buy the album here.

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The Hussy's, the pop group from Glasgow are releasing their third album "Japanese Graffiti" this October. It is said to sound really different than previous released albums "We Expected" and "Super Pro" and contains 9 tracks, would've been more if they did not run out of money. So help them record a proper full length album next time, and buy the album!

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Singer-songwriter Hannah Georgas previews two songs from her upcoming full-length album on a special split 7-inch vinyl release, The Quarter EP. It is available on iTunes, with the physical record available on tour this fall.

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Les Singes, the twee pop duo from Amsterdam just released their first EP. Containing 4 songs, Recorded by jan schenk. The did not give it an official name, so you can call it an ep, a demo or a pre-ablum! Send them an email if you're interested and we will send it to you! (it costs €5,-) Have a look at the albumart over here.

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Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan wrote and recorded a new song called "One Dream". She wrote it for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. A new studio album is planned for April 2010.

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The artwork of Rachael Cantu's upcoming album "Far and Wide" was revealed a few seconds ago. Have a look at it here.

Free Music: Jodi King

In a day and age where the prevailing pop culture loves nothing more than to pit women against one another and provoke confrontation and antagonistic independence, Winnipeg born singer/songwriter Jodi King is a breath of fresh air. Non-confrontational and non-aggressive, Jodi is every girl’s best friend and every guy’s “girl-next-door”. Honest, sincere and intimate, the songs evoke KT Tunstall or Colbie Caillat. Jodi’s forthcoming LP, This Is Jodi King is a modern take on the female acoustic pop album, showcasing Jodi’s vocal and musical talents and refreshing songwriting skills. LP includes collaborations with Kyle Riabko and Colin Munroe. While playing in one of her favorite clothing stores in Toronto, the owner of Roots Clothing. Don Green, happened to be shopping and enjoying Jodi’s music. This lead to Roots offering their unflagging support to Jodi’s musical development; seeing her play in the major Roots stores and selling her CD across Canada. Music is quite simply what Jodi King was meant to do. Jodi is now offering her first EP "Street Lights" as a FREE download, get it HERE.

@ Winnipeg, Canada
♫ Acoustic, Pop
♥ Breathing In/Breathing Out (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website
+ Free EP

Susie Ro & Ayla

Susie Ro & Ayla is an harmonious folk soul duo, consisting of two incredibly talented songstresses: Susie Ro and Ayla who first made name for theirselves in music by releasing several albums and playing countless gigs. The combination of their voices will astound you with a mix of strife and serenity, politics and peace, and their enchanting vocal prowess compels the heart and evokes the soul. These two travelling Sirens wander this land weaving the tales of their journey through beautiful melodies sewing the seeds for the fruition of a conscious future. They've toured Spain, "hitching there with no money and a guitar we sung our way, stumbling upon tipi communities and glorious secret beaches where we lived and played and mingled our voices with astonishing musicians. Living from busking and selling the new album, from smiles andthe heart-opening generosity of others" And are just about to embark on another kind of journey through the United Kingdom. Recently they released their first album as a duo called "She and I" featuring 12 beautiful soulful folk tracks. You can order it at their MySpace.

@ Brighton, UK
♫ Acoustic, Folk, Soul
♥ Silver City (mp3)
♥ As The Ivy Grows Tall (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Chère Françoise

Armed only with a few instruments and her alluring voice, this chanteuse knows how to fascinate an audience. The Toronto based Swiss singer creates a unique English, French & German cocktail, mixing traditional song writing with a touch of jazz and European flair. Educated as a jazz singer, Chère Françoise possesses an extraordinary powerful and captivating voice. She has performed twice at this year’s Canadian Music Week and in the summer Chère Françoise will return home to tour Switzerland and Germany to promote her debut solo EP. On her tour she will be playing gigs in Berlin, Hamburg, Bern and Zurich, sharing the stage with acts such as Portugal. The Man, The Howling Bells or Sophie Hunger. Where irony meets unpredictability and melancholy says hello to happiness, Chère Françoise’s music comes alive. So don't hesitate and give this talented lady a chance!

@ Toronto, Canada
♫ Acoustic, Folk, Pop
♥ I Am Chère Françoise (mp3)
♥ Milupa The Cat (mp3)
▸ Myspace

LMTY: Plumb, Basia Bulat, Brooke Waggoner, Seabear, Jose Vanders

On November 3rd, Plumb will release a new double cd Beautiful History: A Hits Collection featuring two new songs ('Hang On' and 'Beautiful History') three 2010 mixes of 'Stranded', 'Here With Me' and 'Godshaped Hole', and a remix disc. (click on the album cover for a better look)



Following on from her Polaris nominated album Oh, My Darling, Canadian songstress Basia Bulat is raring to go on album number two. Her sophomore album Heart Of My Own will be released in the UK on the 25th of January. Basia is giving away the track "Gold Rush" from the upcoming album for free. Get it HERE.


Brooke Waggoner returns on November 3rd with her second full-length album titled Go Easy Little Doves. All twelve songs on the album were not only written and composed by Waggoner, as with her previous releases, but Go Easy Little Doves was entirely self-produced. Brooke Waggoner has a full run of tour dates starting on September 1st with Denison Witmer. She will join Owl City on the road beginning October 8th. Brooke's official website offers a preview of 4 tracks of the upcoming album.


Seabear posted an update on the recording of their new album saying: "We are really happy what is happening with the new album. We are now in the studio and finishing mixing the album that will be released in february or march 2010. PLUS we will be on the road in march (US/CAN) and april (EU)." Can't wait to hear the first track(s) of this upcoming album.


Jose Vanders is releasing a new mini-album called "Literature Lovers" October 12th. All eight songs are recorded last summer with friends, fun and hard work. It is featuring a beautiful handmade 12 page scrapbooklet, filled with photos, words and souvenirs collected from all sorts of places over the last few years. If you preorder it now, you'll get it a week early!

fun.

Today's feature was actually inspired/recommended by Greta Salpeter from The Hush Sound, that tweeted that Fun's debut album was currently her favorite album. She was right, Fun's debut album "Aim and Ignite" is a lot of fun, that will remind you of summer and get you through the upcoming winter months. Fun is what happens when three extraordinarily talented musicians come together to create something altogether new and wonderful. Nate Ruess, late of The Format, has teamed up with ex-Anathallo multi-instrumentalist Andrew Dost and Steel Train’s Jack Antonoff, resulting in their ingenious debut, “Aim and Ignite.” The trio melds a stunning array of diverse inspirations – spanning Broadway to The Beach Boys, “Nillson Schmilsson” to “Pinkterton” – into an irresistible collection of freewheeling pop songcraft. Songs like “Benson Hedges” and “All The Pretty Girls” are fit to burst with richly prolix lyricism and intricate melodic twists and turns, which provide plenty of room for Ruess’ distinctive vocals to soar. With “Aim and Ignite,” Fun have crafted something special indeed, a contemporary rethinking of classic 70s pop, where ornate arrangements and inspired orchestrations meet present-day rock ‘n’ roll.

@ New York, USA
♫ Indie, Pop, Rock
♥ Be Calm (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Asha Ali

Asha Ali is a swedish singer/songwriter whose music contains elements of indie pop and soul. She was born in Ethiopia, moved to Uganda and came to Sweden as a 9-year-old together with her family and now lives in Svedmyra, outside of Stockholm. Asha also lived in London for a year between 2001 and 2002. She first became famous in 2005 when she released a acoustic EP. called "Warm Fronts". At the end of 2006 she released her first album "Asha Ali", which almost immediately got nominated for both a Grammy and a P3 Guld. Musically she's inspired by Jeff Buckley, Joni Mitchell, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Nina Simone, Tom Waits, Cat Power, Gillian Welch, Jackson Browne and Neil Young. This october, Asha will release her second album "Hurricane" featuring titletrack and also first single "Hurricane" and her new single "The Time is Now" which is featured in an ad-campaign for Saab.

@ Stockholm, Sweden
♫ Indie, Pop
♥ Hurricane (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Free Music: The Black Atlantic

The Black Atlantic is an acoustic indie pop band based out of Groningen, Holland. The Black Atlantic's music is in introspective and intimate affair of melancholy, folk influenced acoustic pop, relying heavily on vocal harmonies and melody on soft strummed guitars, piano and minimal percussion. The band often uses nature imagery to express their stories on love, death and family. The band has toured in various incarnations around the world (US, EU, UK) and have played with bands such as Nada Surf, Patrick Watson and Saturday Looks Good to Me. They recently finished their debut album, entitled “Reverence for Fallen Trees”, most of which was recorded over the fall of 2008 in a log cabin in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. Everyone but especially fans of Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, Sigúr Ros and Patrick Watson should download this album for FREE, highly recommended!

@ Groningen, NL
♫ Ambient, Acoustic, Pop
♥ Fragile Meadow (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website
+ Free Album

Edwina Hayes

Edwina Hayes is a singer/songwriter who has been a regular performer on the UK acoustic scene since 1999. Edwina was born in Dublin in June 1973 and grew up in Preston, Lancashire before moving to the East coast of Yorkshire as a teenager, where she has been based ever since. Dividing her time between the UK and America, Edwina's second home is Nashville where she is much loved as a songwriter and artist. In March 2003 Edwina signed as a writer with Warner Chappell. Her influences include Mindy Smith, Ray Charles, Carole King, Van Morrison, Nanci Griffith, Richard Thompson, Patty Griffin and Bob Dylan. In 2005 Warner Brothers released Edwina's debut album 'Out On My Own' produced by Clive Gregson and John Wood, and her song 'I Want Your Love' from the album was included on the No.1 bestselling CD 'Acoustic Love'.Edwina appears as a guest vocalist on recent albums by Alastair Artingstall, Christopher Holland, Kate Bramley, Jimi Alexander, Shane Lynch, Joan Coffey and Dan Webster.In 2008 Edwina released her second album 'Pour Me A Drink' on her own label Twirly Music. Much more acoustic and reflective of Edwina's onstage style, it continues to attract an increasing number of sales and excellent reviews. Nanci Griffith's June 2009 album 'The Loving Kind' features Nanci's recording of Edwina's song Pour Me A Drink and Edwina's version of Randy Newman's Feels Like Home features in the New Line Cinema major motion picture My Sister's Keeper (June 2009) starring Cameron Diaz and Alec Baldwin. Also in June 2009 Edwina supported Roger McGuinn on his UK Tour and her 3rd album Good Things Happen Over Coffee will be released later in the year.

@ Driffield, UK
♫ Acoustic, Folk, Pop
♥ Feels Like Home (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Nat Johnson and the Figureheads

Nat Johnson is the former singer, songwriter and guitarist of Monkey Swallows the Universe a indiepop band I was quite fond of. That unfortunately decided to take an indefinite hiatus two years ago. Her debut solo single, 'Dirty Rotten Soul' was released in September 2008. Since then, she has put together a band operating under the name of "The Figureheads". One of The Figureheads (Kevin Gori - Guitar) should be familiar to fans of Monkey Swallows the Universe. Kev and Nat have been playing music together since 2003. The Figureheads are completed by Chris Loftus (bass), who has previously played with Fury of the Headteachers, and Neil Piper (drums), who also drums for Champion Kickboxer. Having recently signed to Damaged Goods, Nat Johnson and the Figureheads will be releasing their debut album, "Roman Radio", on October 19th. This will be preceded by a double A side single, "Wonderful Emergency / Don't Worry Baby", on October 5th. From what I've heard so far Nat Johnson seems to have found and formed a new indiepop band that will make abscence of MSTU easier and with only two songs released so far I dare to say that Roman Radio might even going to be my favorite (british) indiepop record of the year...

@ UK
♫ Indie, Pop
♥ Wonderful Emergency
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

LMTY: Nejra, Laurell Hubick, Catherine Feeny

Nejra, one of my favorite Swedish singer-songwriters is finally releasing her debut album "In Hindsight", on October the 14th. The album will be available in stores and via iTunes, cdon, and other providers. It's already available for pre-order here. The next single from the album will be called "Dancing"and can be listened to on her MySpace, together with three other tracks of the new album.



Canadian singer-songwriter Laurell (Hubick) which we featured here two years ago is now releasing her third album on October 13th. It will feature her newest single "Can't Stop Falling". You can have a listen to some of her older songs over at MySpace.



Catherine Feeny's new album “People in the Hole” is now available for pre-order here. When you order the album you will get a signed and numbered album in beautiful matte eco-wallet, as well as an MP3 version of the album, downloadable immediately. Copies ordered between now and Sept. 20 will be shipped by the end of September, and received well before the album is available at other retailers. Six track of the upcoming album are now streamable at her official website.

Leena

Hello everyone, I'm back from France. Since last friday actually. Yesterday all college madness started again, but you really deserve some new music so I saved some time to post this. Enjoy!
Leena is one of my latest discoveries found through a random MySpace browse. She describes herself as "a girl who moved from Hobart to Marseilles to Cork to Fremantle To Los Angeles To Melbourne. And after writing a million songs, having a million adventures and meeting a million lovely people, the time came to release her first EP called ‘Mean Old Clock’ which released a few months ago in Australia. She's find inspiration in other talented aussie's like Bob Evans, Whitley, Josh Pyke and our earlier featured Jess McAvoy. And also has been playing support slots for some on that list. Leena is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (she plays the electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, synths, ukelele in her songs) Australia can be proud of!

@ Australia
♫ Indie, Pop
♥ Universe Can Wait (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

LMTY: Amy Macdonald's Sophomore Album in November?

Will Amy Macdonald release her sophomore album this November? Amazon.co.uk added a new release, temporarily titled "TBC", to their store with a releasedate of November 16th. It's been two years since the release of Amy's very succesful debut album "This is the Life" so it might really be the highly anticipated second album we all are waiting for! Will be continued...

UPDATE: Amy replied this on twitter: @letmelikeit sorry to say but amazon are wrong. New stuff is under way but won't be ready until next year. So no new album this year, but definitely some new stuff next year. Can't wait!

Megan Washington

This post was supposed to on here the third of July but somehow it did not get published, so enjoy this belated feature of this talented singer-songwriter.

Megan grew up in Papua New Guinea, and moved to Brisbane when she was eleven or twelve. They lived near the sea, and she loved hanging out down by the water with friends, or at someone's house playing cd’s. She always wanted to be Judy Garland as a child and used to stay at home and watch old MGM musicals like Easter Parade, Show Boat and Can-Can, and dance around the lounge room, singing along. Once she got older, she spent a lot of time in the Fortitude Valley; the hub of live music in Brisbane. A normal Megan Washington day consists of checking emails, trawling MySpace, having breakfast and putting in a few hours at her piano. She always brings black pens along with her and does not like animal cruelty, crap housemates and people who say 'Lol' in actual conversation. Musically she finds her inspiration in artists like Rufus and his sister Martha Wainwright, Jolie Holland and Kate Miller-Heidke. Megan has previously been known as a collaborator (Paul Grabowsky) and bandmate (Ben Lee, Old Man River), but now she strikes out on her own with Washington, with a unique take on indie-rock and minimalist elegance. Her debut EP "Clementine" received a very warm reception accros the australian musical landscape in 2008, and Megan is now gearing up to release her next EP "How To Tame Lions" this September.

@ Australia
♫ Indie, Pop
♥ Clementine (mp3)
♥ One Man Band (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Sam & Ruby

Nashville-based duo Sam & Ruby are a blend of R&B, folk and pop. Their newest album The Here And The Now is due to come out in August 2009. Ruby, who was born in Ghana, has spent most of her life in Nashville. Her father, a computer scientist, was recruited by a Tennessee-based firm, and he moved his family to Nashville when she was just three. Sam formed a band in high school and, by the time he’d finished college, it was practically a career. It would still be several years before Sam & Ruby officially became a duo. Sam left Nashville for New York City to work as a solo artist, sticking it out until after the September 11th attacks. Ruby released a solo album, Smoke and Honey in the UK, which reached Top Five on the British pop charts with a song called, "Sugah." Just as Ruby should have been savoring this success, record label snafus left her high and dry in Nashville. That’s about when Sam came back into town. So they combined their complementary talents, and the track "The Here And The Now" was born, laying the foundation their partnership. A year later they were invited to play at Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans where they also decided to record an EP that would contain some of the tracks that would eventually make their way onto their debut full length. They cut, mixed and mastered everything in a one-bedroom apartment. That EP led to a publishing deal, access to better recording facilities and, finally, to a deal with Rykodisc. In between, Ruby co-wrote "Heaven’s My Home," and an early version by Sam & Ruby was featured in the Queen Latifah-starring film, The Secret Life Of Bees. Now Sam & Ruby have reclaimed this tune for their debut album, The Here and The Now.

@ Nashville, USA
♫ Folk, Pop, Soul
♥ What Do I Do Now (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Faye Blais

When someone melodically declares, “I wanna show you the inside, so won’t you come in,” you listen. This is the captivating and honest nature of Faye Blais, the Canadian singer/songwriter who has been seen swooning crowds from around campfires in Northern Ontario to the stages of Taiwan, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand for more than ten years. Self-taught from an early age, Blais released her long-awaited debut “First Tooth” in 2005. The independent album, recorded at Hamilton’s Crossfade Studios, characteristically resounds with upbeat odes to the greater things in life and gentle reflections upon her cross-country adventures. She sounds like a mix of Regina Spektor and Canada’s own Feist. This Sudbury, Ontario native and world traveler lead the trio Faye & The Slacks around Taiwan in 2007-08, garnering much attention overseas, and being tagged as “one of Taichung’s most energizing new bands.” Upon arriving in Australia in early 2008, Faye teamed up with pianist/producer Brad Viterale (aka Mr. Bardley) to complete her second full-length release “Two Pieces.” Quoted as “a collection of deep, soulful songs that paint an elaborate masterpiece of life's ups and downs,” this new album takes listeners on a musical journey that shines through in Faye”s honest, true-to-heart nature. Faye, completed both Australia and New Zealand tours over this past year, included performances at Woodford Folk Festival and Port Fairy Folk Festival, astounding crowds with her constant flow of fresh tunes and unique sounds.She is set to perform throughout Australia over the coming months before heading home to tour Canada in August.

@ Ontario, Canada

♫ Indie, Folk, Pop
♥ Something's Changed (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Al Lewis & Sarah Howells

Acoustic folk pop duo Al Lewis and Sarah Howells caught my eye not too long ago. I’ve always been a sucker for folky pop duo’s especially when at least of them is female, after listening to one of their songs on Myspace I knew that Al and Sarah were not going to be the first exception to that ‘liking folky pop duos’ rule. Al en Sarah met through either fate or coincidence, on the tube one night, traveling home from separate acoustic shows. Having both only recently moved to London, they decided to keep in touch. Jam sessions turned to writing sessions which resulted in a number of London shows together and the Skin & Bones EP released last month. Skin & Bones features five acoustic gems that because of their simplicity in melodies and blended voices do really let you feel it through to your bones just like their EP is called. Tracks as Skins & Bones and Sinking Boat show you that this duo is one to look out for!

@ London, UK
♫ Acoustic, Folk, Pop
♥ Sinking Boat (mp3)
▸ Myspace

LMTY Shorts: Tegan and Sara, The School, Imogen Heap

Tegan and Sara's new album will be called "Sainthood" and will be released October 27th. It will contain 13-15 tracks. Visit their official website to watch a video about it.

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UK indie pop favorite The School is about to release their next single 'And Suddenly' The are releasing it on a split single. The single will not be on the album so make sure you buy a copy! You can order it over at Rough Trade, Norman Records and Slumberland Records.

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Watch the stunning video for Ellipse album track Canvas exclusively at MSN Music and check back at Imogen Heaps official website on Tuesday July 21st to find out how to download the video for free!

Chloe Hall

It had been a while since the last time that I was looking at Myspace for new music until I found the Australian singer-songwriter Chloe Hall last week with some random browsing.
Chloe Hall is an engaging, intriguing and charismatic performer, but it’s the simple, undeniable quality of her songs that will make you want to listen to her songs non-stop. Tragedy is met with grace, loneliness is met with a wry humour – the sun never entirely leaves Chloe’s moody autumnal sky. From her early days as a teenage-troubadour on Australia’s folk-circuit, through years of touring both in Australia and, more recently, North America, Chloe has blossomed into an exciting international artist. Her new album “Outside“, due for release in 2009, reveals the fulfillment of Chloe’s development into the serious recording artist she has always been threatening to become. Chloe is currently on a mission to get 10.000 listeners to her new album and I was more than happy to help her to reach that goal. If you want to be part of it too, read more about it here and start listening to the fully streamable new album Outside.

@ Australia
♫ Acoustic, Folk, Indie
♥ Shipwreck (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website
+ Free Album Stream

LMTY Shorts:A Fine Frenzy, Seabear, Chantal Kreviazuk

A Fine Frenzy's first single of her new upcoming second album "Bomb in a Birdcage" : Blow Away is out to buy everywhere!

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Seabear have been really busy in the studio last months and their second album is almost finished. It will be released in January 2010. Finally! And then we will start again... well to play in all the wonderful cities around our globe. More news about that later.

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Chantal Kreviazuk new album called “Plain Jane” will be out on September 22. Read more about it here.

Boat Beam

Beam Boat are Josephine, Alisha and Aurora. One Australian, one American and one Spanish. No joke. They use the guitarstrings, viola, cello and piano to create music that sounds like The Cinematic Orchestra and The Divine Comedy. Their voices sing songs such like Fiona Apple or Tori Amos but also as writers who sing like Sylvia Plath or Süskind if Patrick were dedicated to it. Boat Beam was inspired by the great music of Johann Johannson, The Dresden Dolls and PJ Harvey. Their songs are inspired by their experiences. Their music sounds like books, movies, and traveling; in short a life. Josephine came to Madrid in 2006 after passing through the world and having played in several bands in her country (Terapin and Sparkadia). She met Alisha in Spain, which had violated its service combos classical, jazz and rock. And together, they gave with Aurora, a cellist who had stepped up tables Madrid half. Boards were able to square the circle with only three vertices. Call it a miracle. Call it destiny. Call it Boat Beam. The fact is that since they joined their talent and effort, they generated quite a buzz on the underground scene in Madrid. Rumors were started of a group that filled the halls with their touching repertoire. Very positive reviews made others want to experience the thrill of discovering something great. Now it's no longer a rumor, it is no longer underground. Boat Beam now have released their first album "Puzzle Shapes" and the whole world will be able to verify the truth of all the rumors. There are three girls in Madrid that play pop classics, current and timeless. Those three girls are Boat Beam.

@ Madrid, Spain
♫ Indie, Pop
♥ The Rain Pauly (mp3)
▸ Myspace

Let Me Tell You: Kate Walsh's Light & Dark

The build-up to the release of Kate’s new album continues to pick up pace. We can now reveal the new album will be released 31st August and will come in two formats – CD and Download. The album will contain 12 brand new recordings whilst the iTunes version will contain a bonus track. The full track listing is:

1. As He Pleases
2. Trying (listen)
3. June Last Year
4. Greatest Love
5. Light & Dark (listen)
6. Seafarer
7. Be Mine
8. 1000 Bees
9. On The Stage
10. I Cling On For Dear Life
11. Old Man
12. Gather My Strength
13. On & On (iTunes only)

The album will be preceded by the first single ‘June Last Year’ (24th August – Download only). But, as a teaser of what’s to come, Kate has made a limited run of 500 7” singles featuring the title track from the album ‘Light & Dark’ and ‘Trying’ - this song features Turin Brakes. The 7” single is available to purchase from today and on top of the vinyl, you’ll automatically be sent high quality mp3s of the two songs + a bonus track - ‘Sitting Pretty’. Click here to order... The album will be available to pre-order shortly from iTunes and Amazon.

Let Me Tell You: Kate Nash, Dolores O'Riordan, Terra Naomi

Kate Nash has started recording her second album. Three days in resulted in roughly laying down 5 tracks. Read more about it on her MySpace blog.

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Dolores O'Riordan is now offering a free download of the track, "Stupid", from her upcoming second soloalbum No Baggage. It is available at http://www.no-baggage.net It's available for a limited time only, so head on over and download today!

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Terra Naomi is planning on releasing an EP with a selection of 6 songs from her upcoming album, and she will also release an acoustic album which will be available ONLY at live shows. The EP from the album will be available on her website, and will be a limited edition, signed CD.

Free Music: Tirzah Lemmens

Growing up performing with her father, Tirzah Lemmens has been an aspiring musician from an early age. In the spring of 2008, Tirzah was awarded a residency at the Contemporary Music Center, an invitation only artists' colony on the island of Martha's Vineyard, MA. Here, she spent four months of intense writing, performing, and recording alongside twenty other selected artists and music executives. During her time at the CMC, in addition to performing with artists every week, she was able to work on developing her musical style and refine her songwriting. Tirzah grew up in a small town in Minnesota and attended Northwestern College in St. Paul. After graduating this spring, Tirzah finished her debut EP, “Songbird” which can be downloaded now for FREE, with NoiseTrade, and has started working on a full album. Combining a variety of influences including Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Colbie Caillat, Fiona Apple, Etta James, Aimee Mann, Over The Rhine, Leigh Nash, and others. The EP features five beautiful songs all with Tirzah's pure, ethereal vocals in the piano-driven folk pop songs. All lyrics are wrapped gracefully around genuine stories and meditations on life.

@ Minneapolis, USA
♫ Acoustic, Folk, Pop
♥ Wish (mp3)
▸ Myspace
+ Free EP

Let Me Tell You: New Imogen Heap Single: First Train Home

"First Train Home" first single from Imogen Heap's upcoming third album "Ellipse" premiered yesterday at KCRW radio. The ones that have missed out yesterday, now can have their first listen over at Stereogum, where "First Train Home" is streaming.

UPDATE: You can also listen to the stream, right here at LMLI, enjoy!

Let Me Tell You: The Social Services, Sia, Amy Kuney, Immaculate Machine

The Social Services announced on their MySpace that they are working on their second album. "The most exciting thing at the moment is the new songs new songs new songs that we are churning out like a 24-hour pop factory. They're not quite ripe for your ears yet but soon they will be" The record might be called "'I work down a mine and you've got no front teeth'. Or it might not" they joke in their announcement. They're also playing at a couple of small festivals over the summer.

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Immaculate Machine released a new musicvideo for "Sound of the Alarms" one of the tracks from their most recent album 'High On Jackson Hill'. Watch it on YouTube.

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A recent tweet from Amy Kuney suggest that she's working on a new song called "Fireworks", probably one of the first songs for a new album? I really hope so.

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Twitter is really a useful source for news in the musicindustry, Sia tweeted yesterday that she's working on a new album which means that there will be no shows of her till later in the year. More details will follow.

The Iveys

The Iveys are Arlen, Jessica & Jillian. The brother/sister band grew up in West Texas, about fifty miles outside of El Paso surrounded by family and a love for music. Growing up they listened to all of our dad’s old records, from The Beatles to the Rolling Stones, Queen to The Eagles. It really influenced their songwriting in a positive way. The musical influences are hard to miss when you hear their soaring melodies, rich harmonies and heartfelt lyrics. During the time they spent at Sonic Ranch Recording Studios working on the songs for their album they were introduced to noted Italian producer Ettore Grenci who began recording with them in late 2008. With the additional guidance of Stephen Short and Tony Rancich their self-titled debut album was completed and released in 2009. "On this album they put a lot of focus into our harmonies", says Jessica, “It’s a big part of who we are as a group.” They recently released the music video for their single “Back When it was Our World” and are now looking forward to touring the country this summer. “Our music is something we can share,” Jillian says, “Something that’s alive and that can spread, touching everyone.”

@ Tornillo, USA
♫ Pop, Rock, Country
♥ Running Out (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website

Let Me Tell You: The Swell Season Announce New Album : Strict Joy

The Swell Season, the Oscar-winning duo of Frames frontman Glen Hansard and Czech ingénue Marketa Irglova, are putting the finishing touches on ‘Strict Joy,’ (Sept 29/Anti- Records), the follow-up to their beloved, surprise hit 2007 film and gold-certified soundtrack ‘Once.’ The twelve new, original songs on ‘Strict Joy’ were recorded last year and document a time of great change.

‘Strict Joy,’ which borrows its name from a work by Irish poet James Stephens, was co-produced by Hansard and Peter Katis (The National, Interpol), and recorded mostly at Katis’ Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, CT. In addition to Hansard and Irglova, the album features Frames members Colm Mac Iomaire (violin), Joe Doyle (bass), Rob Bochnik (guitar), Graham Hopkins (percussion) plus guitarist Javier Mas (Leonard Cohen), pianist Thomas Bartlett (Doveman), percussionist Chad Taylor (Chicago Underground Duo), horn players Steven Bernstein and Clark Gayton from Levon Helm’s band, and others.

1. Low Rising
2. Feeling the Pull
3. In These Arms
4. The Rain
5. Fantasy Man
6. Paper Cup
7. High Horses
8. The Verb
9. I Have Loved You Wrong
10. Love That Conquers
11. Two Tongues
12. Back Broke

Let Me Tell You: Bomb In A Birdcage Albumart?

This afternoon the albumart for A Fine Frenzy's new album 'Bomb in a Birdcage' was updated. All news surrounding Alison's new album is exciting althought to me, this albumcover (clickable) seems more like a temporary thing to show of the logo and the new promotional shoot they are going to use for the new album. What do you think?

UPDATE: A Fine Frenzy also used this albumart in the announcement she made today on MySpace about "Bomb in a Birdcage" that is coming September 8, so it might be the final albumart afterall. She also states that the album "features 11 infectious, bubbly, fun tracks infused with gorgeous lyrics and danceable beats" sounds definitely different than One Cell in the Sea to me!

Let Me Tell You: The Narrative, Dash & Will, guest.

The Narrative's debut full lenght is still in the works and it may take a while before it's released but in the meantime they've posted a demo of a song called "Fade" on their MySpace it's a song they've been playing live so people that have seen them may recognize it. I really like the song, so I hope they release some additional demos soon.

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Indie pop duo Dash & Will have a new song called "Too You Too Dumb" that you can download for free. Download the free track HERE. This free download is for this month only, so get it while you can!

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Pop rock duo guest. have their new website up. It features new merchandise, a bio, fully streamable audio and a blog. They are still workin on it so if things aren’t looking right, they will be fixed soon.

Let Me Tell You: Imogen Heap, Susan Enan, Alva Leigh

Imogen Heap is currently on a whistle-stop promo tour of the USA and will be popping into Santa Monica's KCRW radio station on July 10th to premiere 'First Train Home' the first single to be taken from upcoming new album 'Ellipse'. Tune in at 10:20am PDT or listen online to catch Imogen...

Susan Enan's debut album Plainsong will be available for pre-sale from her website on the 21st July 2009. Plainsong will also be available as a download before the end of the month. More news on that to follow very soon. The blog over at her website is now up and running. Check out the blog and news pages for more details as things unfold this month. Or, the best way to be kept up to date is to sign up to the mailing list.



Alva Leigh got a publishing deal through Position Music! They will be representing her new record which is one song away from being finished. For more information about Position, visit the website. Alva is also redoing an old song of hers "Nashville" for her upcoming album. She's also shooting some more photos for the cover this week.