Jessica Frech

Call it fate, call it whatever you want but if I had not logged into MySpace today, the first time in months, I would not have discovered  singer-songwriter Jessica Frech. Jessica is a guitarist, ukulele player, and enjoys performing barefoot. An interesting quirk to an interesting show where the songbird from Nashville, TN always brings a unique performance that is entertaining and funny. Along with Jessica’s honey and smoke voice, she combines acoustic instruments with a twist of creative wordplay to form humorous and bright imagery that everyone can relate to. Jessica’s sultry voice is compared to such artists as Norah Jones, Ingrid Michaelson and Sarah McLachlan. After years of performing at state fairs, festivals, coffee houses and songwriter nights, Jessica decided to hit the studio for some recording time. Her latest EP “Grapefruit” contains six original songs; happy, zippy tunes that are catchy and fun. Her style crosses musical borders from jazz, to soul, to folk-based pop. Keep an eye on this young rising star that is enthralling audiences with her cleaver lyrics and engaging performances. Jessica Frech is sure to be shining brightly in a very short time.

@ Nashville, USA

♫ Folk, Pop

♥ Jewelry (mp3)

▸ MySpace

▸ Official Website

Alina Orlova

When I stumbled upon Alina Orlova's music on Spotify, I immediately knew that I found something spectacular, that would end up high in my  year's top list. Alina's high, hrilling vocals combined with the indescribable beautiful piano parts provides an unique musical experience of balkan folk pop, you will not easily forget. Orlova's fame preceded her first studio album when she was awarded an alternative music award A.LT back in her home country, whilst at the same time also being named a "Breakthrough of the year 2006" Her song Nesvarbu was voted by the readers of highly popular Lithuanian youth magazine Pravda as the best debut of the year. In 2008 her debut album Laukinis šuo dingo (The Wild Dog Dingo, named after a Russian book (by Ruvim Fraerman) for school children about teenage love) was released under the MetroMusic label Later the same year Orlova held concerts in Russia, London, Liverpool. According to her fansite, she is going to perform in Poland, Ireland, participate at Europavox festival in France, and elsewhere. Orlova received positive recognition both worldwide and in Lithuania where she is seen as a huge success - her "cozy" gigs are highly anticipated there. "Mutabor", Orlova's second album, was released last month in Lithuania, while her first album got a re-release in the UK.

@ Vilnius, Lithuania

♫ Alternative, Folk

♥ Vaiduokliai (mp3)

♥ Lijo (mp3)

▸ MySpace

+ Spotify

Caitlin Rose

Sometimes I feel guilty for not sharing stuff with you earlier, today's featured artist, the talented singer-songwriter Caitlin Rose from Nashville is one of those forgotten hidden treasures. When I listened to her first EP, "Dead Flowers" on her BandCamp in the summer of last year I immediately liked her. She sound like someone that you could meet on the street, singing honest songs about love life and everything in between, and that will make you wait and listen, even in the rain. Her recently released debut album "Own Side Now" which I only discovered today,  renewed my love for her, and I could not find it in my heart to keep her away from you any longer, so don't hesitate and start listening!

@ Nashville, USA

♫ Indie, Folk, Pop

♥ Sinful Wishing Well (mp3)

▸ MySpace

▸ Official Website

+ Spotify

Phosphorescent

And here's another one that I have been listening to quite a lot during the last few months, it was his last album "Here's To Taking It Easy" that made me start listening to all of is his amazing albums and music. Don't miss out! Phosphorescent, fronted by Matthew Houck, is an indie folk/alt country band that is often compared to Iron and Wine, Will Oldham, and Neil Young. Phosphorescent currently resides in Brooklyn, New York and is signed to independent label Dead Oceans. Houck's career began in 2000 when he released the Hipolit album under the name Fillup Shack. A tour of England and Spain followed, and while the European press drew comparisons to Bob Dylan and Will Oldham, the London Evening Standard declared him "the most significant American in his field since Kurt Cobain." Houck's first release as Phosphorescent, entitled A Hundred Times or More, appeared in 2003 on the Warm label. The 2004 EP The Weight of Flight was his last release for the label, as the 2005 full-length Aw Come Aw Wry landed on Misra. Two years later the release of Pride began a relationship with the Dead Oceans imprint. To Willie, Phosphorescent's tribute to Willie Nelson, arrived in early 2009, followed by the all new Here's to Taking it Easy in 2010.

@ New York, USA

♫ Alternative, Indie, Folk

♥ The Mermaid Parade (mp3)

♥ It's Hard To Be Humble (mp3)

▸ MySpace

+ Spotify

Beach House

A lot, I actually think most of you already heard from the amazing dream pop duo Beach House, but since they weren't on LMLI yet and the fact that I have been listening to their last album "Teen Dream" quite a lot the last few months and have seen them play in Amsterdam, I had to share them with you. No one should miss out on the music of this  amazing duo. They formed in 2005 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The group consists of Victoria Legrand (vocals, organ) and Alex Scally (guitar, keyboards). Legrand is the niece of french composer Michel Legrand. The group has released three albums: 2006’s “Beach House”, 2008’s “Devotion” and “Teen Dream” in early 2010. Within a year of formation, the group charmed indie music enthusiasts across the blogosphere with their languid songcraft. Two months later, Beach House issued their eponymous debut album for Carpark. In September of 2009 Sub Pop Records announced that Beach House had signed and that a follow up album to 2008’s “Devotion”, “Teen Dream” would be released in early 2010

@ Baltimore, USA

♫ Alternative, Dream Pop

♥ Zebra (mp3)

♥ Norway (mp3)

▸ MySpace

▸ Official Website

+ Spotify

LMLI is in France

Will be back in two weeks!

Fiona Bevan

When Spotify was introduced in the UK, I tried it for a few days and immediately loved it. A free legal, way of listening to new music, can't get any better than that right? That's why I was very excited when it finally was available in the Netherlands and have been using it, since. Fiona Bevan might be the first discovery I made through Spotify that's posted on this blog, but expect many other great music, found through Spotify to follow soon! The sweet, fiery warblings of Suffolk singer-songwriter Fiona Bevan have been compared to Erykah Badu, Joni Mitchell and Marc Bolan. Her band simmer and shimmer, her folk songs are inflected with jazz, and her award-winning lyrics pry into the dark corners of love, with a cast of stumbling party-girls, fickle sailors and forlorn lovers sleeping out in trees. Fiona Bevan has been steadily flouncing her blonde afro round gigs in London / Brighton / Manchester / Zurich / Berlin / Glastonbury. She recently faced the judges on Channel 4's "Orange Unsigned Act" with trembling knees and a cheeky grin, and won over Blur’s Alex James with her melodies and guitaring.  After a Spring jam-packed with gigging, including the acclaimed Vortex Tour East for the Mayor of London’s East Fest 09, Fiona released her debut solo album called "Plant Your Heart"

@ London, UK

♫ Acoustic, Folk, Jazz
♥ The Revel and the Devil (mp3)

♥ The Balance (mp3)

▸ MySpace

▸ Official Website

▸ Spotify