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Free music. Usually when we hear the term on the news or in an article, we are given a lecture about the evils of pirating. The term is filled with negative connotations about profit loss and intellectual property. However there are bands that are electing to share their music with the world for free. The Wind Whistles is such a band.
The Wind Whistles hosts their music through Aaahh Records, a netlabel that hosts music from six different groups. Two albums are available for free from The Wind Whistles. A third "secret" album is available only to the elite fans: those that are willing to put their money where their mouth is and support the band they love.
I first became aware of The Wind Whistles' first album Window Sills through Pandora. They are a folk/indie band out of Canada. Tom and Liza, a committed couple, are the only members... Read More »
Confession #2: I eat before I sing. I know it breaks one of the rules of being a performer, and my old vocal coach “Big” Mitch used to scold me for doing this when I was younger. “You’ll never make it through those songs with a full belly!” But somehow I always did. So he couldn’t say much after that ;)
There’s my random thought for the day. Let’s move on…
So, I’ve had several record label meetings since arriving in “Music City”. The first one was with the VP of a major label just a few weeks after moving here, and I was freaked. Being 22 years old and a newbie and of course having NO idea what one should wear to their first possible career altering appointment, I had good reason to be. I was so excited and hopeful while my nerves were shaking and my knees were weak! But as soon as we sat... Read More »
As their devoted fan base anxiously awaits the arrival of Dr. Dog's newest LP, the boys behind the band have graciously leaked the first single from the forthcoming Shame, Shame on Stereogum. "Shadow People" has been making the rounds in their live repertoire for some time, though typically as a sparse solo effort by co-lead singer/guitarist Scott McMicken.
"Shadow People" has been described as an homage to life in West Philly, an antiquated neighborhood often overlooked when compared to the trendier sections of Philadelphia. In that sense, West Philly seems like the perfect backdrop for a song by an equally overlooked band, whose sound clearly borrows from the rich pop-psychedelia of 60's era groups like The Beatles and The Beach Boys. The album version adds Dr. Dog's ubiquitous vocal harmonies and unusual instrumentation, as is common for most of the band's recordings, making the song soar as the LP's first... Read More »
Determination, patience, integrity, perseverance, and pride are all characteristics that describe the average blue collar worker. These five characteristics also describe Miranda Lambert and her career.
After finishing third on the inaugural season of Nashville Star (behind winner Buddy Jewel and runner-up Travis Howard), Miranda landed a deal with Epic Records. For most artists this would be the deal of a lifetime and the start of a booming career. But for Miranda, she just wanted the chance to do things her way; a chance to prove that she could write her own music, select her own tracks, and still be successful in the process. In the music industry, however, success is generally defined by two things: chart success and sales.
Right out of the gate though Miranda did not have much of either. Sure her first album, Kerosene (2003) debuted at #1 on the Top Country Albums chart, but the lead single "Me and Charlie Talking" peaked... Read More »
February 2
Rob Zombie - Hillbilly Deluxe 2
Toni Braxton - Pulse
k.d. lang - Recollection
Lifehouse - Smoke and Mirrors
Lil Wayne - Rebirth
Toro Y Moi - Causers of This
Nick Jonas & The Administration - Who I Am
February 9
Josh Turner - Haywire
Fear Factory - Mechanize
Redman - Reggie Noble 9 1/2
Sade - Soldier of Love
Watson Twins - Love You, Love Me
Young Jeezy - Thug Motivation 103
Jaheim - Another Round
February 23
Josh Thompson - Way Out Here
Sarah Buxton - Sarah Buxton
Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
Johnny Cash - American VI: Ain't No... Read More »
We wanted to start something new where we highlight notable album releases each month. We can't possibly list every album to be released each month so don't be upset if your favorite isn't here. Although January 2010 is over, we present the notable album releases of January 2010.
January 5
Katharine McPhee - Unbroken
Ke$ha – Animal
January 12
O.A.R. - Rain or Shine
OK Go - Of the Blue Colour of the Sky
Omarion - Ollusion
Ringo Starr - Y Not
Vampire Weekend – Contra
Adam Green – Minor Love
January 19
Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life
Eels - End Times
Spoon - Transference
One Republic - Waking Up
January 26
Lady Antebellum - Need You Now
Patty Griffin - Downtown Church
Vince Gill - Love Songs
Corrine Bailey Rae - The Sea
David Bowie - A Reality Tour
Dolly Parton - Live From London
Flo Rida – Hits Mix... Read More »
You might not recognize the name but if you were a fan of country music in the 90s, you will remember the songs "Someone Else's Star," "Rebecca Lynn," "I'm Not Supposed to Love You Anymore," and a duet with Shania Twain, "From This Moment On." Bryan White was a staple voice in country music in the 90s but he has been absent for much of the last decade.
After charting 17 singles on Billboard's Country Charts, White realized he needed to step away from the music industry. He did just that by getting married and starting a family. In 2001, he released a country album and a greatest hits album. In 2006, he had another Christmas project. However, in 2009, he released Dustbowl Dreams, an album that encourages people to never forget their roots. A native Oklahoman, White wrote the song "Dustbowl Dreams" about his roots and heritage. His hopes for this new album? Modest in... Read More »
Artists and bands often have multiple ways of playing their songs and, frequently, fans prefer one of the non-album versions of the song. Anyone who has ever experienced this should get in a moderately long but growing line of people that desire to kiss the feet of Andrew Futral and The Age of Rockets.
The Age of Rockets (Andrew Futral, Saul Simon-MacWilliams, Bess Rogers and Adam Christagau), an unsigned indie band out of New York, has come up with the idea to record three versions of ten different songs and release it as a 30-track triple album. This way, fans can pick their favorite of the three different recordings of each song thereby creating their own special official version of the album.
The Age of Rockets ask for donations to make their triple album idea a reality
The band refers to this idea as a “choose your own adventure album” in reference to the once popular children books.
In... Read More »
Terra Naomi has not been overweight since she was a child, but her voice could represent a fat lady’s for the music industry in the not-too-distant future.
After a frustrating and short relationship with a big label (Island Records), singer/songwriter Terra Naomi decided to return to being her own boss and pursue her music career by marketing herself through the internet—a pursuit that has worked brilliantly thus far.
Terra Naomi before she became a YouTube phenomenon
Naomi was a self-proclaimed “big nerd” as a kid growing up in New York. After graduating high-school, she attended the University of Michigan School of Music where she studied opera and claims on her website to have abused drugs.
In the early 2000s, Naomi cleaned herself up, returned to New York, wrote her first songs, got her first guitar and played her first gigs. In 2003, she moved to Los Angeles; and, in 2006, she started a YouTube Virtual Tour that would... Read More »
The album should look familiar - That's Robyn. She had a couple huge pop hits in the 90s, "Do you know what it takes?" and "Show Me Love". She put out one more album in 2002 before she left to go back home to Sweden in 2003 due to creative differences with her then label, Jive Records.
Robyn had this to say about her 3rd album on Jive Records:
“I think the third record I made was a big compromise,” she says. “I felt like it wasn’t fun anymore. Once you make the record and you give it to the record company, it’s not your record anymore! And I hated that situation. “I was going backwards. I wasn’t doing what I wanted to.”[caption id="attachment_970" align="alignleft" width="221" caption="Robyn now"][/caption] She then bought herself off of her label and started her own label, Konichiwa Records. Her fourth album, Robyn was the first album... Read More »
If you were around in the 90s, you certainly know who I am talking about. They hit the world by storm in 1997 with their album Middle of Nowhere and their smash single, "MmmBop," that shot straight to number one.
The next four singles off that album didn't do well, with the exception of "I Will Come To You," which made it to number 9 on the charts. Then, they kind of dropped off the face of the Earth, at least for most people. They actually put out another album in 2000, This Time Around, before taking a four year break.
So maybe you have been wondering, where are Hanson now?
They look similar but yet so different and they are still making music. However, the road hasn't been easy. After a three year struggle with their label, depicted in the documentary film, Strong Enough to Break, by Ashley Greyson, Hanson formed their own indie label, 3CG Records... Read More »
We reviewed their EP Sing What You Want in February and wanted to follow up with The Ugly Club. The band hails from Jersey and is comprised of six members. Their influences are... Read More »
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