Elenowen

Sorry for the lack of updates on here, but I was in the hospital last weekend for appendicitis so had to get rest this week to recover from the surgery.

There is so much music every I encounter every day that unfortunately sometimes artists go unnoticed until you find them again later. The same happened with today's featured folk-pop duo Elenowen. Quite a while ago I stumbled upon their music somewhere on the net, I actually saved their debut album cover in my "to listen" folder, but I wasn't until today when I saw them perform The Swell Season's "Falling Slowly" on The Voice (which was very succesful here in Holland) that I remembered why I needed to check out their music. Hailing from Nashville, TN, Josh and Nicole pursued individual careers before forming the folk/pop Elenowen duo that sings through the journeys of everyday life and the many battles it brings. After about a year of living from paycheck to paycheck working at the same local coffee shop, Josh and Nicole started pursuing their dream by creating their debut album, Pulling Back the Veil which was released January 2010. On Pulling Back the Veil Elenowen showcase their talents with eight songs filled with beautiful harmonies and honest lyrics. Go get it on iTunes or CD Baby.

@ Nashville, USA

♫ Acoustic, Folk, Pop
♥ Falling Slowly (mp3)

♥ Cripple Me (mp3)

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▸ Official Website

Kris Berry

Today was a beautiful sunny day here in Holland, which definitely inspired today's post. While studying in the sun, I listened to today's featured "Kris Berry"; an upcoming soul and jazz formation from my own  country. While listening I imagined being on an Caribbean beach, drinking coconut cocktails under palm trees. Kris Berry is perfect for warm summer days or even to dream away a little on rainy days. On their five track debut EP, which was released last february Kris Berry are treating you with a melting pot of Jazz, Country, Latin and Rhythm & Blues with songs, that according to the band itself hides the story of it's origin. Kris Berry is Kris Berry (vocals), Jet Stevens (bass), Claus Tofft (percussion) and Coos Zwagerman (trumpet) and their "Flower Empty Tree EP" is available on iTunes and Spotify! Don't hesitate and bring some summer in your life!

@ Amsterdam, NL

♫ Jazz, Pop

♥ Seeds of Blue (mp3)

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▸ Official Website
+ Spotify

Birdy

Normally I'm not that big on artists getting fame by releasing cover songs, but when I heard this incredibly beautiful cover version of Bon Iver's "Skinny Love" I had to adjust those views immediately. Loyal readers know I'm a sucker for piano driven music, and this stripped down version with piano instead of guitar managed to grab me from the very first few seconds. It's still a cover, but still sounds very original. Can't wait to hear what her own songs sounds like! Birdy is one Jasmine Van Den Bogaerde, a fourteen-year-old (!!!) singer/songwriter from Lymington, England whose self-released version of Bon Iver's "Skinny Love" has broken through on the U.K. charts. It already reached the 25th place and got her a deal with Atlantic UK records and an beautiful new Sophie Muller-directed musicvideo. Let's just hope that Jasmine stays true to herself. If so, she'll have a bright future in front of her.

@ Lymington, UK

♫ Acoustic, Piano, Pop

♥ Skinny Love (mp3)

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Misty Miller

I still remember that when I discovered Laura Marling a few years ago I was so surprised when that she was only 18 when her debut album came out. With her new album scheduled for a late fall release, Misty Miller, a very young talented singer-songwriter from the UK seems to fill that gap perfectly with her just released self titled debut album. Misty Miller sounds like a younger catchier version of Laura Marling  she writes pretty songs with her pure soulful voice accompanied on the ukulele. Misty grew up as the only girl in a large musical family, writing songs as a child with her brother. After being encouraged by friends to take to the stage at an open mic festival it was clear that Misty was ready to go into the studio. At the age of 15 she recorded her first tracks for the ‘Remember’ EP and her debut album ‘Misty Miller’. As a fan of the classic artists such as Elvis and Billie Holliday Misty Miller takes influence from their varied styles which can be heard clearly throughout her debut self-titled album. As a young singer songwriter, she composes all her songs on an ukelele, and performs live with the confidence of a seasoned artist. If you can, go see her live, since performing live is what she loves most!

@ London, UK

♫ Indie, Folk, Pop

♥ Remember (mp3)
♥ Eve (mp3)

▸ Official Website

▸ Facebook
+ Full Album Stream

Free Music: Susan Enan

It's been over two years since I featured Susan Enan on this blog. Today I recevied an email from NoiseTrade that her album "Plainsong" is downloadable for FREE from their website for a limited time.With this post I wanted to make sure you were not missing out on this great offer! Be sure to check it out! Susan Enan released her debut album 'Plainsong' in 2009. In 2006, while demoing songs for the record, Enan began receiving worldwide attention after her track "Bring On The Wonder" featuring Sarah McLachlan, appeared on the second season of the Fox show Bones. The song was also featured on the shows soundtrack two years later. It took another 6 months to wrap up the record proper which features Enan's remix of "Bring on the Wonder" along with 9 other tracks. In June 2010 Sarah McLachlan recorded her own version of "Bring On The Wonder" for her seventh studio album Laws of Illusion. Susan is currently embarking on a worldwide house concert tour called "Bring On The Song". The self-produced record was recorded in 5 different countries, much of it in Enan's small home studio in Brooklyn. It was finally released in July 2009 and features co-production from Alan Bezozi, musical appearances from Ashwin Sood (drums), Steve Schiltz (guitars), Graham Maby (bass), and vocal appearances from Declan O'Rouke and Sarah McLachlan.  Be sure to check it out!

@ Brooklyn, USA

♫ Acoustic, Folk, Pop

♥ Bring on the Wonder (mp3)

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+ FREE ALBUM

Anna Von Hausswolff

I am having a really hard time remembering the first time I heard Anna von Hausswolff. But what I will never forget is how her music touched me from the very first seconds she started singing on “Track of Time”. With one the of most honest and expressive vocals I’ve ever heard, Anna makes you feel it in your bones. “Her voice is that of total expression” as her bio says it. On her ten-track debut album, Singing from the Grave, which was released in May after her Track of Time EP, 23-year-old Swedish pianist and singer-songwriter Anna von Hausswolff sings about gloomy Sundays, lovers lost at sea, life, death, pills, and all things gloomy in between. Although Anna already has been attracting plenty of attention in Scandinavia she sadly remains somewhat obscure outside of her homeland. All genuine music lovers should give this enormously underrated album a listen and spread the love!

@ Goteburg, Sweden 

♫ Alternative, Folk

♥ Track of Time (mp3)

▸ Official Website

+ Spotify

Free Music: Elastic Summer

Now that spring is coming closer and closer, I already cannot wait for summer to start with long days of being outside and doing nothing. If that is the same for you, then already get in the mood in the mood with the happy carefree indie pop of Elastic Summer. A friend of mine recommended Elastic Summer, and when I listened to their EP I just could not believe they're offering their EP for FREE! Elastic Summer is a pop band based in Brooklyn, New York. It was founded by Rebeca (vocals) and Michael (drums) in the Summer of 2010. They then recruited Joe (guitar) and Bryan (on the bass) with an incredibly successful Craigslist ad. Rebeca is a Brazilian from New Jersey. Michael is from California, Joe is from Texas and Bryan is from Berklee College of Music. Together they enjoy asian cuisine, tequila shots, and playing the board game taboo. The average band height is 6 feet and 1/4 inches. The average age is 22. Their first EP, “Elastic Summer,” was engineered and mixed by Rebeca at her house, and released in February of 2011. And now can be downloaded for FREE from their Bandcamp.

@ New York, USA

♫ Indie Pop

♥ Super Powers (mp3) 

▸ Official Website

+ download FREE EP