Category Archives: Music

New music by emerging artists.

“Desert Run” by Willie Ames
11
Sep

From sunny San Diego, Willie Ames is a guitarist/banjoist/singer/songwriter performing acoustic folk/rock music. At the age of 18, Willie became deeply inspired by the music of Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits and Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac. Willie has written, and continues to write, his own original material that has listeners comparing his sound to his influences and other well known musicians.

Willie’s track titled “Desert Run” is a good example that proves his ability to finger pick his instrument while singing. As many other banjo players play bluegrass style of banjo, Willie digs deep to find a harder/darker rock type of sound. For years now, Willie has been performing showcases at music venues, festivals, party functions, corporate gigs, and weddings with his original music all across the United States (all 50 States covered to date).

His current album Night Owl features 10 original tracks (with both his solo work and collaborations with other musicians) and a cover of Lindsey Buckingham’s “Never Going Back Again”.

[audio:Desert Run.mp3|titles=Desert Run|artiste=Desert Run]
“Desert Run” by Willie Ames

Image and mp3 courtesy of James Moore, Independent Music Promotions – Music Marketing For Serious Independent Musicians

“Spin Me Ever After” by Side FX
11
Sep

Indie dance/pop band Side FX is picking up momentum and cranking out hit after hit. The boundary-defying group is back for the fourth time to give fans a new album. Released on September first, Spin Me Ever After is available for purchase on the band’s website and iTunes.

Side FX with lead singer, Kim Cameron (the ‘FX’ factor), is well known for exploring new sounds and combining rhythms and beats that, together, offer the unexpected. National TV and films have licensed their songs and radio stations across the US, UK, Canada and Australia have added them to their playlists. Have a listen to the title track below.

[audio:Spin Me Ever After.mp3|titles=Spin Me Ever After|artists=Side FX]
“Spin Me Ever After” by Side FX

mp3 and image of Kim Cameron courtesy of Cleo Gordon, LaFamos, Marketing & Publicity Department.

“Full Moon Rising” by Neil Halstead
11
Sep

British guitarist and singer, Neil Halstead, released an album today on Brushfire Records titled Palindrome Hunches. The song “Full Moon Rising” is the first single. Neil is an old soul and his newest solo record is exactly who he is – welcoming, warm, clever and kind. He likes mellow music, after all. Staunch fans of his fiercely alternative music in the early 1990s (with his teenage band Slowdive) may not enjoy his transformation, but I welcome it.

[audio:Full Moon Rising.mp3|titles=Full Moon Rising|artists=Neil Halstead]
“Full Moon Rising” by Neil Halstead

mp3 courtesy of Brushfire Records.

Image by John Isaac courtesy of MTV Hive

“Home Again” by Tini Grey
30
Aug

Tini Grey is emerging with unique and soulful songs akin to those of Jack Johnson and John Mayer.

Born of Samoan heritage, Grey grew up in a famous musical family. Despite his inherent musical talent, Tini shied away from the business until his 30’s. Tini began to contemplate his own musical destiny in 2006 and, not long after that, his innate passion to write and play inevitably became his life path.

Shades of Grey is a sophisticated blend of Acoustic, Pop and Soul. An exploration of love, passion, pleasure and empowerment through keen storytelling and heart-felt insight.

[audio:Home Again.mp3|titles=Home Again|artists=Tini Grey]
“Home Again” by Tini Grey

Image and mp3 courtesy of Jennifer Thorington, Working Brilliantly

“Halfway” by Belmont Lights
27
Aug

Los Angeles, CA alt-pop-rock band Belmont Lights‘ highly anticipated debut EP Telegraphs is available for purchase on iTunes and Bandcamp.

Hailing from sunny San Diego, the band was formed in 2009 after frontman Isaiah Blas won San Diego’s Songwriting Competition, earning a spot on the House of Blues SD main stage. The band spent two years playing up-and-down the West Coast, honing their soaring, melodic sound.

Telegraphs was recorded at LA’s very own historic Westlake Recording Studios under producer Alejandro Barajas, engineered by Michael Sanchez and mixed by Mike Ault of Ault Sound. It was mastered by Robert Vosgien (Etta James, Demi Lovato, Saosin, Sick Puppies) at Capitol Records. The release lives up to its title, as from start to finish it delivers an ambient journey through the inner workings of relationships and the human heart.

[audio:Halfway.mp3|titles=Halfway|artists=Belmont Lights]
“Halfway” by Belmont Lights

mp3 courtesy of Tiffany Youhanna of LaFamos PR & Branding

Image courtesy of Belmont Lights’ Followgram

“What I’m Waiting to Hear” by Eric Schackne
20
Aug

Reputable as a singer-songwriter,Eric Schackne, also encompasses a unique piano-driven pop rock style all his own. He writes, plays and produces each song from top to bottom.

During his four years at University of Florida in Gainesville, Eric began polishing his songs further. He acquired his first acoustic guitar. Still, he often found himself sneaking up to play the pianos in the practice rooms of the university’s music building, discovering that was where his true passion was. After graduating with a degree in psychology, Eric ultimately decided to gamble on his talents, record an acoustic five-song EP, and leave the east coast for Los Angeles.

A little over a year after the release of his first untitled, six-song EP, Eric was ready to record again. This time he produced, wrote, recorded, and mixed every single song on his second album, Hammers & Strings EP, in its entirety. Have a listen to “What I’m Waiting to Hear” below.

[audio:What I’m Waiting to Hear.mp3|titles=What I’m Waiting to Hear|artists=Eric Schackne]
“What I’m Waiting to Hear” by Eric Schackne

Image and mp3 courtesy of Amanda Blide, Director of Publicity, LaFamos, Marketing & Publicity Dept.

Installment #2 of Two for Tuesday
14
Aug

It’s actually after midnight, so technically it’s Wednesday. However, I still would like to offer my second installment of my new series, “Two for Tuesday.” This week, we have the original version of the song “Outta My System” from Jim James and the rest of the psychedelic rock band, My Morning Jacket. It can be found on thier latest 2011 release Circuital. The second one is not a cover, but it’s a remix by Sub Pop’s Ernest Greene, a.k.a Washed Out. It can be found on a remix EP titled Remixez Y Friendz EP.

[audio:Outta My System.mp3|titles=Outta My System|artists=My Morning Jacket]
“Outta My System” by My Morning Jacket

Image courtesy of EarplugsNOTIncluded

[audio:Outta My System (Washed Out Remix).mp3|titles=Outta My System|artists=Washed Out]
“Outta My System” by Washed Out

Image courtesy of THE BLUE INDIAN

“Always Invisible” by Bells
13
Aug

The indie rock / post-rock / instrumental novices, Bells, started with two friends, Jon Hershey and Sean Hennessey, back in 2005. Hershey and Hennessey played casually together for years, with a number of line up changes. In 2010, Sean left his former band to seriously pursue music with Jon. This is when Bells was born.

Bells started writing and recording their first album at Hennessey’s Studio in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. During recording, Jon asked his close friend, Tim Kettering, to join the band. Therefore, the current band members are Sean Hennessey, Jon Hershey, and Tim Kettering. During live shows, they are supported by two additional individuals, Joe Terranova and Matt Greiner.

“In short, our music combines layered guitars sprinkled with electronics, with occasional soaring vocals. We can be compared to Sigur Rós, Arcade Fire, and Mogwai. Our Debut album, “Our Forest, Our Empire”, will be releasing on August 28th…” ~ Sean Hennessey

[audio:Always Invisible.mp3|titles=Always Invisible|artists=Bells]
“Always Invisible” by Bells

Image courtesy of Sean Hennessey via Bells’ EPK

Installment #1 of Two for Tuesday
7
Aug

I am instituting a new series titled Two for Tuesday. On Tuesdays, I will post two versions of the same song by different artists. The first installment features the original song “The High Road” by Broken Bells. The song is found on their self-titled 2010 album. The cover is done by Joss Stone and can be found on her sixth studio album, The Soul Sessions Volume 2, recently released on July 23, 2012.

[audio:The High Road.mp3|titles=The High Road|artists=Broken Bells]
“The High Road” by Broken Bells

Image courtesy of CAUSE=TIME

[audio:The High Road (cover).mp3|titles=The High Road|artists=Joss Stone]
“The High Road” cover by Joss Stone

Image courtesy of RockKent.com

“Old Friend” by Sea Wolf
30
Jul

Sea Wolf frontman and songwriter, Alex Brown Church, will release his third full-length album Old World Romance on September 11, 2012. Church shares, “After the last record, which was written and recorded far from home and was more of a group experience, I really wanted to stay close to home, be in my own space and give myself room to explore and write and record on my own schedule.” Church produced and recorded Old World Romance in the comfort of his home studio, with mixing by Kennie Takahashi (Broken Bells, The Black Keys, Jessica Lea Mayfield).

Church is currently solidifying venues and dates, but his tour will most likely start in the first week of October as a full US tour with some Canada dates.

[audio:Old Friend.mp3|titles=Old Friend|artists=Sea Wolf]
“Old Friend” by Sea Wolf

Get a free download of “Old Friend” here.

Image courtesy of SAVOIA