“Above the Norm” by Aaron Childree

Pop singer/songwriter, Aaron Childree, combines a hopeful message, memorable melodies, and an infectious beat. His music has the ability to take you to a place long abandoned by many of today’s popular musicians — a place where poetic lyrics can be set to catchy melodies and pop music can be a meaningful way to unify and inspire.

Currently based in Atlanta, Georgia, Childree has built up a hefty following. He is known for his exceptionally produced YouTube videos of current cover songs as well as several of his own original productions.

Childree’s first single, “Better Than Walking Away” off of his debut EP, was chosen as a finalist in the 2010 International Songwriting Competition, and his song “One Way Street” was a finalist in the 2011 Next Movie Classic song contest.

This year, Childree released an album called Above the Norm. Have a listen to the title track.

[audio:Above the Norm.mp3|titles=Above the Norm|artists=Aaron Childree]
“Above the Norm” by Aaron Childree

Above the Norm

mp3 courtesy of Nate Guze of LaFamos, Marketing & Publicity Department

Image courtesy of Aaron Childree on Facebook

“Adopted” by The Slants

Nestled in Portland, Oregon’s predominately white and hipster culture is all-Asian American dance rock band, The Slants. The Slants took their influence from grabbing onto the corners of foundational 80s synth-pop music and blending it with modern dance rock sensibilities. They call this amalgamation of contagious, energetic, and danceable music “Chinatown Dance Rock.”

Their third full-length release, The Yellow Album, explores the dichotomy between darker undertones and the thrills of new love.

The Yellow Album could be a natural progression from either 2010’s Pageantry or their 2007 debut Slanted Eyes, Slanted Hearts. Musically, it draws from the wider synthesizer driven palette of the first album while retaining the harder hitting rock sounds of the second. The lyrics explore the personal lives and experiences of the members of the band.

Frontman Aron Moxley’s life began with abandonment. He explains, “I was one of the babies born in Saigon during the Vietnam War. I’ll never know my real birthday, let alone find out who my mother is or know if she’s still alive.” The song “Adopted” illustrates Moxley confronting these feelings, which have plagued him for so long.

[audio:Adopted.mp3|titles=Adopted|artists=The Slants]
“Adopted” by The Slants

TS004_pgs_16_1_v2p

Image and mp3 courtesy of Alex Steininger of In Music We Trust PR

“Half Your Heart” by Sonnet

Sonnet Simmon, a.k.a. Sonnet, has a fresh new look and sound that is gaining attention with her new soulful pop-infused single “Half Your Heart.” Sonnet delivers a fresh perspective of pop, illuminated with pulsating electronic beats and themes that connect across emotional lines and frame her eight-song self-titled debut. The album was released on September 25. On the album, she incorporates traces of some of her greatest inspirations — Joni Mitchell, Ella Fitzgerald and Ani Difranco.

Throughout her childhood, Sonnet lived a gypsy-like lifestyle with her mother and sister, travelling around Europe and Asia. Born in Greece, she eventually travelled from Switzerland to India with various stops in between. During her nomadic adventures music was her solace, her rhythmical soul mate. She attended Hamilton Music Academy of Music (a performing arts high school in LA) and also received a Jazz Voice degree from UCLA.

Be sure to check out the video.

[audio:Half Your Heart.mp3|titles=Half Your Heart|artists=Sonnet]
“Half Your Heart” by Sonnet

Sonnet

Image and mp3 courtesy of Sera Roadnight of MT Press via Soundcloud

“Amelia” by The Boston Boys

Electrified bluegrass/folk rock group The Boston Boys, who formed as a quartet while attending the Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts in 2009, released their second EP, Keep You Satisfied on October 8, 2013. The EP can be streamed from Bandcamp.

Plus, a visual teaser for their song “Hypnotized” is on Youtube. In addition, their new live video for “Amelia” can be viewed here.

The Boston Boys harness bone-shaking grooves, sing soulful melodies, and melt the genres of soul, rock, jazz, americana, blues, and pop into a fine example of captivating, modern American music. This music is called Future Roots because it is fresh and original, while expressly building upon great musical tradition. Eric Robertson/mandolin, guitar, vocals; Duncan Wickel/fiddle, vocals; Josh Hari/bass, vocals; Nicholas Falk/drums, percussion, vocals.

[audio:Amelia.mp3|titles=Amelia|artists=The Boston Boys]
“Amelia” by The Boston Boys

The Boston Boys 4 by Shervin Lainez

Image and mp3 courtesy of James Moore of Independent Music Promotions

“Forever” by Dree Paterson

Singer-Songwriter, Dree Paterson, is set to bring her lively and refreshing pop rock style to light with her debut EP A Louder Side of Me due out in January 2014.

Her first single, “Forever” is invigorating and melodic. A song that centers around taking a risk on forever love with a promise that nothing will break it down. It morphs from a timid love song into a deeply rooted rock chorus. Paterson offers up a distinct vocal performance, with a rush of energy that guides the song to it’s explosive and stylistic end.

[audio:Forever.mp3|titles=Forever|artists=Dree Paterson]
“Forever” by Dree Paterson

Dree Paterson

Image and mp3 courtesy of Sera Roadnight of MT Press via Soundcloud

“Just Pretend” by Sweetwater and the Satisfaction

Sweetwater and the Satisfaction is the love child of brutally honest lyricist and uniquely powerful singer, Alana Sweetwater, and multi-faceted producer and instrumentalist, Scott Feldman. In 2011, the talented duo meshed their diverse backgrounds into the bold and soulful sound of Sweetwater and the Satisfaction. Recalling the first writing session, both called it “Easy.” The sound they created evokes old soul, mixed with bluesy rock ‘n roll, and the two are painfully dedicated to constantly evolving.

To date, Scott marks producing the Sweetwater and the Satisfaction debut album as his greatest musical accomplishment. Alana proved to be just the compliment he needed to achieve the musical statement he has always envisioned. The band also includes a permanent horn section comprised of Mark Einhorn (Bari & Alto Sax), Mark Manriquez (Trombone), and Michael Dabach (Trumpet). Sweetwater & The Satisfaction marry their heartfelt compositions with explosive lyrics that encompass the intensity of one-night stands, love and heartbreak, to create a modern, yet deeply rooted original sound that has become their signature.

The band is currently promoting a Kickstarter campaign for their new Sophomore album to be released in 2014.

[audio:Just Pretend.mp3|titles=Just Pretend|artists=Sweetwater and the Satisfaction]
“Just Pretend” by Sweetwater and the Satisfaction

Anyway, you may learn more about Legionella control measures by reading. Keep reading to learn more.

Sweetwater & the Satisfaction

Image and mp3 courtesy of Nicole Acosta at LaFamous | PR & Branding

“Still Beating (demo)” by Josh Ritter

Singer-Songwriter, Josh Ritter, has released The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter as a deluxe double LP in a gatefold jacket!

The story of Conquests starts with the release of The Animal Years. The Animal Years was heady stuff. It was political, religious, searching in the ways that I felt best represented my own feelings about the nation at the time… the next record would be about love. Big love… And rather than spend a long time writing, I would fly by the seat of my pants. So … we all found ourselves in Maine, at Sam Kassirer’s newly-acquired farmhouse, beginning work on The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter… I hadn’t written a word before I arrived. Over the next three weeks, however, I wrote like a madman. Sam had gotten me a tiny house down the road, and each morning after breakfast I would walk down through the snow, the air freezing my breath, making me feel more alive than I had in a while. There was no sluggishness from too long on the road, no worry about what might or might not happen next, nothing but the electric shock of the cold and the promise of hours of uninterrupted writing, recording, and hanging out with great friends… When I look back at it now, Historical Conquests was the moment when I took my own work into my own hands. For better or worse, I learned to embrace it as a part of me that I could neither control nor destroy nor ignore. And it was at that moment that I feel we all became each other’s worthy companions. Ours weren’t the lives of those dependent on the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Ours would be outrageous, and that was all that mattered. My friends. This is what Conquests was about. My friends, and all that we were and all that we could do.” ~ Josh Ritter

[audio:Still Beating (demo).mp3|titles=Still Beating (demo)|artists=Josh Ritter]
“Still Beating (demo)” by Josh Ritter

The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter

Image and mp3 courtesy of Josh Ritter’s email campaign via Topspin

“Born at 5:00” by Bombadil

Bombadil‘s new music video for “Born at 5:00” has premiered!

Head over to Rolling Stone to view it!

Bombadil have a knack for intertwining the silly with the emotional. Filmmaker Chris Bowen takes a similar approach on the band’s new video for ‘Born at 5:00,’ a stripped-down singalong from their recently released fourth album, Metrics of Affection.

Bowen was told by Michalak to pick a song to direct. ‘Born at 5:00′ just jumped out at me,’ he says. ‘The song was a narrative that ran the course of a life, from birth to death. The lyrics were brief snapshots of that life, and there was so much rich emotion throughout.’” ~ Rolling Stone Magazine

[audio:Born at 5-00.mp3|titles=Born at 5:00|artists=Bombadil]
“Born at 5:00” by Bombadil

Bombadil

Image courtesy of Bombadil’s campaign mail via Topspin

“Go Home (Live)” by Lucius

After three years of hard work, endless hours recording, writing, and even waiting, WILDEWOMAN by Lucius has been released.

Have a listen to Lucius’ Tiny Desk Concert by NPR here. A FREE download of the audio is available.

One minute, Lucius sounds like a ’60s girl group; the next might conjure images of Emmylou Harris. The charisma and charm of the women at Lucius’ center, Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, helps transform good pop songwriting into an endearing performance.” ~ NPR

[audio:Go Home (Live).mp3|titles=Go Home (Live)|artists=Lucius]
“Go Home (Live)” by Lucius

Lucius Wildwoman

Image courtesy of Lucius’ campaign mail via Topspin

mp3 courtesy of NoiseTrade

“Cutting Ties (Acoustic)” by Emily Hearn

Singer/Songwriter, Emily Hearn, has released an EP titled Promises available now on iTunes.

I believe there’s something for each of you on this EP — There’s a song about falling in the real deal kind of love, a song about getting strung along, a song about fighting for your relationship when it gets hard, a song about getting married, and a song about what it looks like to be a friend to someone going through a hard time. These are moments and stories from my own life, but my hope is that they would grow into something deeply meaningful in your life.” ~ Emily Hearn

Have a listen to the the acoustic version of “Cutting Ties” below.

[audio:Cutting Ties (Acoustic).mp3|titles=Cutting Ties (Acoustic)|artists=Emily Hearn]
“Cutting Ties (Acoustic)” by Emily Hearn

Emily Hearn

Image courtesy of Profile Pictures on Facebook.