I have decided to relocate my blog to WordPress. I've grown tired of Blogger deleting posts whenever it feels like it, I've ran the count up to 10 lost posts for no apparent reason and have finally had enough. I hope everyone continues to read at the new location, I'm still working on getting the new site to look exactly how I want it, so there might be some changes from the way it currently looks. Please update your bookmarks and RSS feeds so you can continue to read my blog. Thanks for the patience and understanding, and I appreciate everyone who takes the time to stop at my blog and read.

It's no secret to anyone who knows me or that reads this blog that Bob Dylan is my favorite musician of all time. He has consistently put out amazing albums, from the 60's all the way up until the current day. He has made albums that deal with tough issues in an easy to understand format, and albums that you need a college education or hallucinogenic drugs to decipher what's going on in them. His most recent effort, Together Through Life, is what I would classify as a fun Dylan album, outside of a few tracks. The first song to appear streaming on his website, "Beyond Here Lies Nothing", is the albums opening track and is just a fun sounding song that starts the listening experience off with a kick. Then it moves into a more serious sounding "Life Is Hard", which is the song that inspired Dylan to even record this album. He recorded the song for an upcoming movie, My Own Love Song, and felt the urge to keep recording and ended up with this album. After those two tracks, most of the songs, outside of "My Wife's Hometown", which is funny and sad at the same time, and "Forgetful Heart", feel like filler, but filler for Dylan is still amazing material. This album is not as good as Dylan's previous album, Modern Times, in my opinion, but it is on the top of my list for 2009 so far, and will be hard to beat.

• Beyond Here Lies Nothing
• My Wife's Hometown
• Forgetful Heart
  

A native of Chicago, Rob Nicholas has been writing and recording for nearly 10 years. Rob’s unique brand of fusion music comes from a vast respect and understanding of many types of music. You can hear influences from Latin Jazz to Delta Blues, from Pop to Classical. Rob always tries to be inventive and innovative.

Trying to play out as much as possible, Rob has been welcomed at various venues as a supporting act at The Red Room in Davenport, Iowa for G-love and the Special Sauce, Martyrs Chicago for Brian Vander Ark of the Verve Pipe and at Eastern Illinois University for Howie Day. Rob has also played in various places in Chicago such as the Cubbie Bear, The Double Door, and Subterranean.

Rob has bounced around a lot of projects in the past five years with the culmination of the 2006 release of “Secrets To Be Told” under the group, Rob Nicholas and a Moments Notice. It was during this recording that Rob’s numerous styles were portrayed. Songs like, “In Hopes to Comprehend” and “Maya” grant some insight into how Rob tries to blend world music with Pop and Rock where as “Sitting Away” demonstrates Rob’s more singer/songwriter styles. Shortly after “Secrets to be Told” was released, A Moments Notice disbanded leaving Rob with an interesting task ahead.

Rob took some time off to write and develop a new sound. Rob currently plays with a band of musicians that consist of percussion, bass, electric keyboards and synth, electric guitars, and acoustic guitars. Rob is currently in the process of writing an EP that is projected to land sometime in the beginning of 2009. Rob’s goal is to bridge the gap between good stylistic Pop Music with Electric influences. Some of the influences of this new project can be found in the music of Sting, Apex Twins, Jars of Clay, and early 90’s alternative.

• Dare We Go

Since she was a child, Trina Elle showed an interest in music. Her mother recalls hearing her sing along to various songs or movies all the time.

As Trina grew up, her interest in music and singing grew to become a passion. In school, piano lessons were always her first choice. She went on and participated in various variety shows and talent shows, including Montreal’s renowned Reggae Festival. With the help of a vocal instructor, she perfected her technique, since vocalizing was very important in keeping her vocal scale strong and powerful. Trina then took on song writing to create her own original material. As time passed, she developed and perfected her writing skills, growing to become the talented singer and song writer she is today.

In 2009, Trina has completed and produced her first album, named My Reality. All 14 tracks are performed, and lyrics are written, by Trina Elle.

• People
• Stutter
• Crept Up

I've decided to steal a page from Bob Dylan's book, and do a Theme Time Radio Hour type post. I'll pick a theme, and create a mix tape to correspond with the theme. I will probably not be doing them much, but it will be good posting material for those days when there just isn't much to post about otherwise. I'm starting today with one of the most obvious and simple ones, "Love".

1. Lover, You Should Have Come Over- Jeff Buckley
2. Are You Still In Love With Me- Tift Merritt
3. The One Who Loves You The Most- Brett Dennen
4. Love At The Five And Dime- Nanci Griffith & Darius Rucker
5. Dance Me To The End Of Love- Leonard Cohen
6. Real Love (Acoustic)- John Lennon
7. Can't Get Enough Of Your Love- Barry White
8. What Would Love Do Now?- Matthew Jay
9. Make You Feel My Love- Bob Dylan
10. I Love You- The Zombies
11. How Do You Keep Love Alive?- Ryan Adams
12. Can't Help Falling In Love- Elvis Presley
13. I Will Always Love You- Dolly Parton
14. True Love Ways- Buddy Holly
15. I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You- Aretha Franklin
16. I Love You For Sentimental Reasons- Sam Cooke
17. At Long Last Love- Frank Sinatra
18. Hello, I Love You- The Doors

On Saturday, May 30th a cast of true living legends will gather in New Orleans to honor one of the most revered founders of rock & roll: Fats Domino. The Domino Effect will feature performances from musical icons B.B. King, Little Richard and Chuck Berry alongside gifted performers Wyclef Jean, Taj Mahal, Keb' Mo', Junior Brown and Ozomatli.

Tracy Morgan, of Saturday Night Live & 30 Rock fame, will serve as emcee for the star-studded event. Proceeds will benefit the Brees Dream Foundation, providing care, education and opportunity for children in New Orleans. The Domino Effect event will take place on Saturday, May 30 at the New Orleans Arena.

People can add the Domino Efftect widget to their Myspace, Facebook or blog to be automatically registered to win one of 3 pairs of VIP tickets. For those unable to attend, you can still catch all the action via live streaming podcast. More information can be found at dominoeffectnola.com.

Cass McCombs is a working artist whose material has as many faces as there are "fat cities" that he's called home. Think of a parade of troubadours. Some of them are young, fresh-faced and mischievous, weaving fairy tales of innocence and idealism. Others are ragged, weathered poets, who's hearts in contrast are comforted more by religious ballads and bittersweet songs of betrayal. Nevertheless they forge ahead together, singing as one, united, all part of the same parade.

Since getting started out west, slumming it up north, working himself like a dog out east, making a go for it down south, doing his time over seas, and now living in the middle of the country where rock and roll was born, Cass McCombs has made a mysterious and mythological moniker, he writes songs for both the streets and the priests, the seers and the school children, friends and enemies, for suburban families and whatever's left of the ivory tower.

As of late, besides recording and writing, he's been working on developing esoteric artistic models which aim to unite the arts in these times of "corruption and perversity;" also his wife just got a cat who he nicknamed "Hi-tone".

Cass McCombs' new album, Catacombs, will be released on June 1st in Europe and July 7th in North America.

Dreams Come True Girl (feat. Karen Black)- Music Video--- MP3

While not a full-fledged Ben Folds solo outing, University A Cappella! is a labor of love for the renowned alt-pop singer-songwriter, who searched the U.S. for the finest collegiate vocal groups to record his ever-quirky songs. Drawing from both Folds's solo work and his tenure with the Ben Folds Five, A Cappella opens with two ensembles from the performer's native North Carolina, as Greensboro's Spartones take on "Not the Same" with gusto, and Chapel Hill's Loreleis offer up a lilting version of "Jesusland." Folds himself gets in on the act, unveiling thoroughly studio-tweaked a cappella renditions of "Boxing" and "Effington," with the pulsing latter track standing out as one of the album's clear highlights.

• Brick
• You Don't Know Me

11 years ago today Frank Sinatra passed away. In my opinion, he was the greatest vocalist of all time, and his music is timeless. 70 years after his recording debut (w/ Harry James), his music continues to live on, used for weddings, commercials, or basically any occasion where a great tune and voice is needed. The following is a recording of his last show, it's a soundboard recording so the quality is amazing. I have also posted a compilation called "From The Vaults, Vol. 2", which includes unreleased studio recordings as well as some recordings from some various TV shows.

Frank Sinatra
2/25/95
Marriott Hotel
Palm Springs, CA

I've Got The World On A String
You Make Me Feel So Young
Fly Me To The Moon
Where Or When
My Kind Of Town
The Best Is Yet To Come

42 years ago Jimi Hendrix released "Are You Experienced" in the UK, where it shot up to #2 on the charts right behind The Beatles Sgt. Peppers. It went on to become of the most praised albums of all time. VH1 named it the 5th best album of all time in 2001, while Rolling Stone ranked it #15 on it's all time list in 2003. Here are some studio sessions from the album, recorded between October 26, 1966 & April 3, 1967 in London, at De Lane Lea, CBS & Olympic Studios.

Volume 1

1 Hey Joe 1-4 (October 23 1966)
2 Can You See Me 1-4 (December 13 1966)
3 Can You See Me (December 13 1966)
4 Red House (December 13 1966)
5 51st Anniversary 1-3 (January 11 1967)
6 51st Anniversary (January 11 1967)
7 Wind Cries Mary (January 15 1967)
8 Fire 1-6 (February 1 1967)
9 Purple Haze-rejection mono mix (February 3 1967)

Volume 2

1 Remember 1-6 (February 8 1967)
2 I Don't Live Today 1-4 (February 20 1967)
3 Manic Depression (February 23 1967)
5 No No No No (March 29 1967)
6 Red House 1-4 (March 29 1967)
7 Waterfall (April 3 1967)

Change is good. Sometimes, you just need a little shake-up to get things to how they always ought to have been. With Heat Sin Water Skin, BettySoo adds some welcome edge and grit to the heartbreaker ballads and bell-pure vocals she’s come to be known for.

Teamed with seasoned producer Gurf Morlix, BettySoo has made a record worth sitting up and paying attention to. Her vocals are striking, the players strong, the sound gripping, and the lyrics compelling. Her first studio efforts (Let Me Love You, 2005; Little Tiny Secrets, 2007, Never the Pretty Girl EP, 2007) were well received by critics, earning praise locally and nationally- even securing her performance opportunities overseas. And she’s not slowing down any time soon. Since their release, she has earned multiple songwriting awards (including Kerrville New Folk, Wildflower Festival, and Big Top Chautauqua Songwriter of the Year) and has proven herself a strong emerging live performer.

Joining her on Heat Sin Water Skin are Todd Wilson on organ, Gene Elders on fiddle, and Dave Terry on drums. BettySoo and Gurf handled the guitar and vocal parts themselves. As for genre, she’s still nestled in the folk-rock world, but she is bringing something new to her listeners.

“There’s a little gospel, some straight-ahead folk, a bit of twang, and maybe even a familiar oldie with a new twist. Be ready for a surprise.” Then again, not much about BettySoo isn’t surprising. People are surprised just to see her take the stage. Plain-faced, petite (clocking in at exactly 5 feet), and freckly, people don’t have any idea what to expect – they certainly don’t expect such a large voice and moving songs.

“I guess Asian-American singer-songwriters aren’t that common,” she comments, “at least, not in Texas.” And, of course, there’s the whole issue of her name. How did a second-generation Korean end up with such a classic southern name? Is it a stage name? “No,” she answers, laughing, “I guess I’m just lucky that way. It’s right there on my birth certificate. Soo is my dad’s middle name, too. Yep, he’s a boy named Soo.”

Exploring the comedic twists and emotional turns in one couple’s journey across contemporary America, Away We Go is the new movie from Academy Award-winning director Sam Mendes, from the first original screenplay by novelists Dave Eggers & Vendela Vida, and featuring the music of singer/songwriter Alexi Murdoch.

During the filming of Away We Go, Mendes began thinking about the music that would be the sound and soul of the film. When he first heard Murdoch’s acclaimed debut album, Time Without Consequence, he knew he had found what he was looking for.

Over the past 5 years, Alexi Murdoch’s music has been quietly engaging a fast-growing audience across the globe. After the unprecedented indie success of a first home-spun EP in 2003, which ultimately sold over 50,000 copies, Murdoch released the critically acclaimed debut album Time Without Consequence through his own label, Zero Summer Records, in 2006. Rolling Stone quickly named Murdoch one of that year’s “10 Artists to Watch,” while Interview lauded his “ability to directly communicate a wellspring of deep emotion,” Alternative Press awarded the album a 5 out of 5 rating, and similar raves came in from Entertainment Weekly, Paste, The Onion, and many more.

While his songs have been featured in such films as Gone Baby Gone and Garden State, as well as the trailer for Academy Award-nominated foreign film Paradise Now, his work on Away We Go represents the first instance where Murdoch is the primary musical voice of an entire film.

In addition to the tracks from Time Without Consequence that captivated Mendes, the Away We Go soundtrack features three previously unreleased Murdoch songs; “Towards The Sun,” “The Ragged Sea,” and the bonus track “Crinan Wood.” On the soundtrack, Murdoch finds himself in fine company with classics from Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground, George Harrison, and The Stranglers.

A total of eight of Murdoch’s songs are featured in Away We Go which opens, fittingly, with “All My Days,” also the opening track from Time Without Consequence. The song has also been used in its entirety in the movie’s theatrical trailer, which is already creating a buzz about the film’s music.

The track listing is as follows:
1. All My Days
2. Blue Mind
3. What Is Life (George Harrison)
4. Song For You
5. Golden Brown (The Stranglers)
6. Towards The Sun
7. Meet Me In The Morning (Bob Dylan)
8. Breathe
9. Waitm
10. The Ragged Sea
11. Oh! Sweet Nuthin’ (The Velvet Underground)
12. Orange Sky
13. Crinan Wood (bonus track)

Alexi Murdoch.com ## MySpace ## CD's ## MP3's ## Hype Machine

Jenny Gillespie continues to weave and bloom her dreamy, intricate songs on her new album Light Year. Light Year is the bridge between Jenny’s earlier folk-pop leanings and the new darker, more honest direction she finds herself working towards.

Fans of Martha Wainwright, Kate Bush and Aimee Mann will gravitate to this album, instrumented thoughtfully by world percussion, pedal steel, accordion, and more, but with the insistent thread of Jenny's inventively tuned guitar, piano, and a broken-angelic voice that heightens and speaks unabashedly to the listener's emotions.

Born in 1980 in rural central Illinois, Jenny first picked up her mother’s 1972 baby Martin guitar and wrote her first song at thirteen, after years of piano lessons and singing in the church choir. Her childhood was spent in the woods, sailing a lot on a lake, and making movies with her sister, including some very funny, earnest music video remakes of Wilson Phillips and Indigo Girls. Her mother is a landscape painter who played Nanci Griffith, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen in her studio—artists who became lodged in Jenny’s musical psyche. Her father is a jazz and bebop fan who loved to croon along to Chet Baker, the fluid, joyful melody of his voice also soldered to her vocal DNA. The house was always full of music and art-making, and Jenny and her sister were encouraged to sing, write, paint, and act.

Jenny spent college at the University of Virginia and graduate school at the University of Texas studying poetry writing. In Austin, between classes, she recorded her first EP, Love and Ammunition with singer/songwriter Lee Simmons as producer. Upon hearing the EP, the vice president of Blue Note Records contacted Jenny to tell her she was one of the best undiscovered singer/songwriters out there, prompting her to further focus on her music. In 2004 Jenny moved to Chicago. She wrecked her car within the first week, which was a blessing because walking around the Wicker Park neighborhood where she lived, she began to write new melodies that would become her first album.

Throughout her first few years in Chicago, Jenny met new musician friends to work with and befriended engineers at Electrical Audio and Carterco Recording. It was within this new circle of friends that her album Light Year was created, and perhaps as a result the performances and arrangements on the album are more comfortable and natural than Jenny’s previous recordings. Light Year features John Knecht on percussion, Adam Ollendorff on pedal steel, Alan Scalpone and singer/songwriter Aimee Bobruk. Additional production and mixing by Darwin Smith brought out both sparkling and dark ambiances to the songs. Light Year was partly funded by $3000 in donations from fans.

Vanishing Point
Littleblood
Nightmares And Appointments

On Sunday I had the great pleasure of seeing Leonard Cohen in concert at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. I'd heard some recordings of his concerts this tour and I was really impressed by them, but nothing compares to actually being there and seeing him on stage. He was amazing and nothing short of perfect Sunday. He got on stage around 8, and finished around 11:15, which for a 74 year old guy is quite impressive. If you get a chance to see him, take the opportunity, this is most likely his last tour, and a living historical figure that should not be missed. The following download is 2 sets he performed in 1968 at the BBC, the sound quality is great and the performance is one of his best in my opinion.

Leonard Cohen Live At The Beeb

8-31-68

You Know Who I Am
Bird On The Wire
The Stranger Song
So Long Marianne
The Master Song

9-7-68

There's No Reason Why You Should Remember Me (Improvisation)
Teachers
Sisters Of Mercy
Dress Rehearsal Rag
Suzanne
Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye
Story Of Isaac
One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong

Bonus Tracks
Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye (1-27-68)
Bird on the Wire; So Long Marianne; You Know Who I Am (8-11-68)

Nettwerk Music Group is proud to announce the signing of Australian rock n' rollers Howling Bells. The breakout group is set to release their sophomore album and North American debut Radio Wars on July 28th in the US and Canada, with their smoldering first single "Cities Burning Down" out June 2nd on iTunes. They'll celebrate early by joining Coldplay on their North American tour this May and June.

The UK-based band--lead vocalist Juanita Stein, guitarist brother Joel Stein, bassist Brendan Picchio and drummer Glenn Moule--formed in Australia in 2004 and shortly after moved to London, where they recorded their 2006 self-titled debut album with producer Ken Nelson. Since the first guitar strums of their stellar eponymous debut, the group has delivered a dark and razor sharp rock n roll sound that has left fans and media swooning in their wake. Driven by singles "Setting Sun" and "Low Happening," the success of Howling Bells saw the foursome tour with the likes of The Killers and Placebo in Europe and Snow Patrol in Australia.

Already a top 30 album in the UK, their sophomore release Radio Wars sees the band expanding their darkly majestic sound and seems certain to elevate the group to a wider consciousness. The dark subject matter that marked the first remains, but it's a set of songs that are far more adventurous and diverse sounding, yet equally as melodic. For Radio Wars, the band partnered with Dan Grech-Marguerat.

The UK press have continued to pour on critical praise, declaring Radio Wars "unashamedly epic in it's scope, awash with windswept beauty and darkly romantic lyrics..." (UNCUT). The DAILY MAIL observes: "Singer Jaunita Stein's breathless vocals evoke vintage Debbie Harry while nodding towards the swagger of Garbage's Shirley Manson."

Now fresh off a triumphant homecoming show at V Festival in Melbourne, the group has the distinct pleasure of joining Coldplay this May and June as they tour across the US and Canada. Concertgoers will do best to be punctual as the Bells have been known to put on an intoxicating live performance. Says NME,"Take one magnificent frontwoman, one guitar genius, and a set of incredible songs, and what do you get? Total brilliance, obviously."

Cities Burning Down
Nightingale
Golden Web

For better and for worse, this trans-generational pairing of Willie Nelson and producer Ryan Adams takes the veteran into musical territory where he wouldn't have likely ventured on his own. There's long been an organic unity to Nelson's signature sound--the way his conversational phrasing plays against the staccato runs of his gypsy guitar, with the backing of a band that's been with him so long he calls them family. On Songbird, Adams substitutes the more aggressively electric backing of his own band, the Cardinals, and plainly had a large say in selecting and arranging the material. Two highlights that most bear his imprint are "Blue Hotel," which Adams wrote for the project and with which Nelson plainly connects, and the bluesy, ominous arrangement by Adams of the closing "Amazing Grace," which sounds closer to "House of the Rising Sun." At the other extreme, Nelson's lumbering take on the Grateful Dead's "Stella Blue," which culminates in an electric squall, sounds like the kind of music Willie would rather not listen to, let alone make. And the hard-edged riffing on "$1000 Wedding" practically bludgeons the Gram Parsons song to death. While the three Nelson originals (two old, one new) all work fine, the rest is hit (Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah") and miss (the title cut, by Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie). It has been said that Nelson can sing just about anything--which doesn't necessarily mean that he should.

• Blue Hotel
• Hallelujah
• Amazing Grace

Duke Ellington
Kongresshaus
Zürich, Switzerland
10-9-59
FM Broadcast

Take The "A" Train
The Black And Tan Fantasy/Creole Love Call/The Mooche
Such Sweet Thunder
Sonnet For Hank Cinq
Kinda Dukish/Rockin' In Rhythm
All Of Me
Jam With Sam
V.I.P.'s Boogie
El Gato
Satin Doll
I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart/Don't Get Around Much Anymore

Happy birthday Ella Fitzgerald, she would have been 91 yesterday. Here is a live compilation of her with Frank Sinatra & Count Basie called "A Swingin' Summit". The performances are mixed between 1958 and 1975, so the sound might sound different depending on which track you are listening to, but all of them are listenable.

1. Sweet Georgia Brown
2. There Will Never Be Another You
3. One O'Clock Jump

Ella & Frank - 1958

4. a. Moonlight In Vermont
b. I May Be Wrong
c. Party Blues
5. Our Love Is Here To Stay
6. I've Got You Under My Skin
7. Let's Do It
8. Mountain Greenery
9. Can't We Be Friends
10. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
11. Pennies From Heaven
12. Blues In The Night
13. Honeysuckle Rose

Ella, Frank, & Basie - 1975

14. a. The Song Is You
b. They Can't Take That Away From Me
c. The Lady Is A Tramp
15. I've Got You Under My Skin

Autumn Sky is a singer/songwriter based out of Sacramento, CA. Her voice is comparable to Mandy Moore or Schuyler Fisk, and her songs are sweet, without being overly sweet. She has a new album due to be released tomorrow (April 24th), so if you like what you hear, definitely check out a concert of her's, where she will be selling her new CD.

Conversations
Rockets
Can Opener

Jason Harrod draws from the best traditions of American music to create a sound all his own. His songs about lost love, found joys, and spiritual longing have garnered him a loyal following across the country.

Harrod’s latest release, Bright As You, finds him backed by a crack group of musicians featuring Phil Madeira. The songs, sung in a rich, brooding tenor and underscored by inventive guitar work, range from the Beatle-esque "Bright As You" to the blues-infused “Night, Fall On Me,” to the dark, ambient lament “Messed Up Everywhere Blues,” which will appear in the upcoming film "The Wager," starring Randy Travis.

After releasing 3 albums to critical acclaim as half of the folk-pop duo Harrod and Funck, Jason ventured out on his own. In 2000, he won first place in the bluegrass category of MerleFest’s Chris Austin Songwriting Competition, an honor held by Grammy Nominees Tift Merrit and Gillian Welch. He followed that up with a first place win in the 2001 North Carolina Songwriters Co-op Contest and in 2002 appeared on the legendary Arthur Smith’s “Carolina Calling” television show along with Alison Krauss and Union Station. In 2005, Jason performed at the International Bluegrass Music Association's annual gathering as part of an emerging artist showcase.

Living in Skin, Jason’s acoustic-based first album, features the award-winning songs “When I Get Home” and “Carolina,” the latter of which was included on WUNC’s compilation CD, Best of Back Porch Music.

Bright As You
Good Night Sunshine
Messed Up Everywhere Blues

Starnes & Shah is the folk-rock duo of Dania Abu-Shaheen (Arab rock'n'roll hopeful/singer/songwriter guitarist) and Zilpha Starnes (Texan choir girl/vocalist/keyboardist). In 2005, this unlikely pair began delivering music to New York audiences that always left the bar wanting to hear more.

Starnes & Shah's first recording effort was an acoustic EP, Here Again on the Island, which they completed at the Loft Studios in Bronxville, NY. The six song EP was recorded and engineered by Matt Noble and features Sarah Nurbhai on violin.

Shortly after releasing the well-received EP, the duo returned to the Loft to record Summer in the Woodshed. The full-length album was engineered by Roy Matthews and features Eric O'Connell on drums. While promoting Summer in the Woodshed in dive bars and well-known New York venues including The Living Room and Kenny's Castaways, Starnes & Shah gained the
reputation of being the little folk band that promised a great show complete with catchy melodies and infectious harmonies that made folk music enjoyable to punk rockers, classical music enthusiasts, and everyone in between. Their music also made an impression on the radio community when the song Wilt was featured on NPR's Open Mic.

In 2008, Starnes & Shah began working on their second full-length album Pink White Blue Green. While writing the album, they packed their Astoria apartment and 13 rough mixes in a rental car and moved to Boston. They returned to the Loft Studios for whirlwind weekend recording sessions with Eric O'Connell on drums, Matt Noble on Bass, and Roy Matthews in the role of engineer and general music guru.

Described by bassist Matt Noble as 'psychedelic folk', Pink White Blue Green is a musical tilt-a-whirl spinning with rock energy dipping in and out of the expected and the strange. Launched to space and back, The Arab expat and Dixie deportee prove to listeners that no matter how peculiar or mundane the surroundings, Starnes & Shah always have something to say that's definitely worth listening to.

Pink White Blue Green is set to be released in May of 2009 and Starnes & Shah are ready to play
for you! They can be heard in and around Boston and New York.

• 
  
Teeth
Romance The Throne
Saturn Starter Home

Lori Lieberman has remained in the spotlight since the early seventies, quietly gleaning the respect of an industry and a devoted base of fans. As the one responsible for such hits as "Killing Me Softly With His Song" she consistently recorded album after album for Capitol Records, RCA, EMI, Pope Music, and currently, Drive On Records.

Throughout the years of ever-changing styles and fads, one thing has remained constant in Lieberman's music--her honest and heartfelt lyrics, coupled with her haunting, and beautiful melodies, always cutting right through to the heart of the listener.

Landing her first record deal with Capitol Records, amongst the collection of songs was a simple folk song, detailing Lieberman's experience of sitting in the back of a nightclub, transfixed by the musician onstage who seemed to sing right through her. The album, simply titled, "Lori Lieberman", garnered both critical and audience appeal, and as it crept up the charts, it was Roberta Flack who heard Lieberman's version featured on an American Airlines music channel, immediately contacted her producer, Joel Dorn, and recorded the now classic, Grammy award winning song,"Killing Me Softly".

Lori Lieberman went on to record four more albums ("Becoming", "A Piece Of Time", "Straw Colored Girl", and "The Best Of Lori Lieberman"), touring extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe. It was, however, a little known New York based record label, Millennium,where Lieberman was most encouraged to step away from the mainstream. Under Jimmy Ienner's guidance, she wrote one of her most candid collections of songs, entitled, "Letting Go".

As the styles of the music industry changed from James Taylor to disco, Lieberman retreated from the spotlight, becoming the mother of three children, and living a settled country existence in the hills of California. For many years, her music took a back seat to her busy day to day life, and it wasn't to come forward again, until producer Joseph Cali coaxed a reluctant Lieberman out of the shadows, and got her singing again. In the time spent away from the music business, Cali was surprised to see that she had continued writing, consistently putting her thoughts and music hidden in her treasure trove. Together they released her first of three CDs on the Pope Music label.

"A Thousand Dreams", marked Lieberman's return to the music industry. A two mic live recording, engineered by Mark Levinson, captured her performance which was nominated for The Golden Note Award for the best original recording of the year. Followed by two more CDs on the Pope Music Label, ("Home Of Whispers", and "Gone Is The Girl"), Lieberman established herself amongst a devoted following with her large fan base once again.

Lieberman returned to performing, playing to sold out crowds with "An Evening With Lori Lieberman", at Pepperdine's Smothers Theatre, playing to sold out crowds. She was the featured artist on WFMT's Midnight Special with Rich Warren in Chicago, a staple of John Platt’s WFUV playlist, and a favorite of recording artist Christine Lavin, who rated Lieberman’s two CDs, “A Thousand Dreams” and “Home Of Whispers” among her top ten recommended favorites.

"Monterey", her first release for Drive On Records, holds particular importance for Lieberman, the artist, whose compositions and arrangements embrace Lieberman’s signature subtle, beautiful vocals. With co-producer Joseph Cali, and featuring the talents of such superior musicians as Greg Liesz, John Leftwich, Stefanie Fife and Timothy Drury, “Monterey” is another exquisite work from an enduring talent.

Lori Lieberman’s latest release, “Gun Metal Sky”, is the definitive Lori Lieberman recording. Four years in the making, this CD reflects Lieberman’s growth as a vocalist, writer, producer and arranger. With eight songs penned by Lieberman, it also includes four songs by some of the most beloved songwriters and interpreted by her unique sensitivity and style.

Killing Me Softly
He Needs You (To Chris Brown and Rihanna)
Gun Metal Sky

Rosie and Me are a folk/acoustic band from Curitiba, Brazil, made up of Rosie, Alex, Guilherme and Tiago. Their music is driven by Rosie’s voice, with an increasing level of vocal participation from Alex, whose voice blends entirely with the whole set.

Perfectly matched, their songs are catchy and heartbreaking at the same time. While “Come Back” introduces you to sweet acoustic guitar, introspective lyrics and Rosie’s inspiring singing, "Folkie Song #2" is one of those songs that get stuck in your brain for several days. Well worth a repeated listen, or ten.

Describing Rosie’s voice is a bit tricky: it’s almost impossible to do so without sounding cliché. Slighty folk-ish, a bit pop-like, it’s definitely far away from that squeaky annoying singing voice that haunts contemporary teen idols. Soft and powerful in the same song, she manages her voice and accent in a unique way, and it never fails to give you a ‘kick’ in the gut.

And one may say that Alex’s voice sounds rather ordinary, at first. But Alex proves them wrong at the very beginning of their cover to the song “I Lost You (But I Found Country Music)", originally recorded by Ballboy. His voice is then not only strong and confident, but also gentle and smooth; a perfect fit to dazzling guitar strings and sweet lyrics. It’s hard to think of anyone better to offer such a great counterbalance to Rosie’s voice.

What they create is simple, yet smart and contemporary: good, honest songs.

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Come Back
You're Laughing At Me
Old Folks (New Year)

Goodtimes Goodtimes is back with two new songs from their upcoming EP. The EP consists of 7 brand new songs and should be released very soon, but no official release date as of yet. Check out my previous posts about Goodtimes Goodtimes for more info on this great band, and be sure to check out the new songs below.

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Let It Begin
The Rescue

Simavi was born in Istanbul, Turkey on August 22nd. He lived there until the age of five, when he moved with his family to London. He then moved again to New York City at the age of twelve. Growing up, his parents were lovers of music. His father loved Johnny Mathis, and his mother played pop music in the house. Listening to albums with his parents developed an early love and ear for music.