Why someone from Vermont with a soft, mellow Ben Folds-esque voice would desire to write a country album is beyond me, but something about it just works. Maybe it’s the something different that comes from pop/rock/country composition without the vocal twang. Perhaps Levinson says it best: “I’ve come supplied with duct tape and a…
3985 search results for "blues"
E.P. HALL OFFERS “EMPEROR’S NOTE” OFF NEW ALBUM
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Mommy Crow is a pensive folk album that mixes in strings, story book narratives, and various sounds such as the wind. The acoustic guitar carries the listener through the album, as though one were walking along, leafing through the pages of Mommy Crow.
EMILIE AUTUMN CONTINUES “THE ASYLUM TOUR”
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Chicago-based rock violinist and advocate for freedom of all kinds EMILIE AUTUMN has extended her inaugural U.S. Asylum tour in support of the recent release of the Deluxe Edition release of her seminal album OPHELIAC on The End Records. Her not-to-be-missed two hour plus live show is an extravagant event involving music, burlesque, fire, trapeze,…
MUSIC UP CLOSE WITH JANIE – NOVEMBER 2009
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My apologies for the lateness of this month’s Music Up Close. I’ve been reveling in unheard of 50 degree temperatures up her in the Northern Plains where I live AND working on details for my debut as a fiction author. The Bowdancer, my novelette, will be published as an ebook by Breathless Press later this…
MOBY BRANCHES OUT WITH THE LITTLE DEATH / MP3
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The Little Death are self releasing their self-titled debut. The band is Laura Dawn (lead vocals), Moby (bass,guitar), Daron Murphy (guitar, bass, harmonica), and Aaron A. Brooks (drums) creating raw blues, soul, psychedelic rock with gritty vocals and lyrics.
THE DOORS SHAKE THE BIG APPLE TO ITS CORE
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Rhino and Bright Midnight Archives unleash four inspired performances from The Doors’ final tour with LIVE IN NEW YORK. The latest addition to the band’s acclaimed series of archival concert releases, this six-disc collection contains all four of The Doors’ performances — in their entirety — recorded in 1970 at the Felt Forum in New…
TEACHERS ROCK IN MALAYSIA
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Together since 2005, the Benchmarx are set to release their second studio album “Smell the Music”. Besides being talented musicians, all of the band members are teachers at the International School of Kuala Lumpur.
Mojo Rising, Feel What You Feel
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Mojo Rising has taken the land down under by storm as they now set out to take over the states. Making the move from their home-land of Australia to the sunset strip of Los Angeles hopes to be a beneficial one for the band. They hope to create a brand new fan-base by…
Mason Daring, Self-Titled
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Mason Daring is a well-established film composer who has been hard at work since the early 70s. Early on, the singer/songwriter performed solo at the Bull & Finch (eventually Cheers) in Boston and later toured & recorded as a popular duo with singer Jeanie Stahl. He is highly recognized for composing scores for…
“GRANDPA” ELLIOTT PRESENTS “SUGAR IS SWEET” / VIDEOS
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In partnership with the Concord Music Group, Playing For Change announced the launch of a new record label that will support releases from select artists associated with the global music and multi-media collective Playing For Change. The first artist signed to Playing For Change Records/Concord Music Group is legendary New Orleans street performer “Grandpa” Elliott…
THE ALMOST COME TO SAUGUS, MA FRIDAY OCTOBER 23
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Just wanted to touch base and let you know that THE ALMOST will be doing an in-store acoustic performance/meet n’ greet on Friday, October 23rd to promote their new album Monster, Monster which drops November 3rd. The Almost Square One Mall- Hot Topic 1277 Broadway Saugus, MA 01906 The guys will go on at 5pm!…
VIOLENT SOHO TOUR WITH DINOSAUR JR.
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Fresh off their tours with Built to Spill and the Raveonettes, Violent Soho will be joining alternative-rock legends and one of their own favorite bands Dinosaur Jr. on a few of their Midwest and West Coast tour dates, starting October 27th in Omaha, Nebraska and concluding November 8th in Seattle. See below for…
Ihsaan Khatim, Speak Life
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The meaning behind this artist’s name is “Excellence, Finally”, which was given to him by his uncle. Ihsaan Khatim is definitely following suite with Speak Life by pouring everything he has into this project. This EP is just a taste of what’s to come in 2010 when the new album hits the streets.…
L.A.’S ICONIC MEXICAN-AMERICAN BAND WITH TIMELESS DISNEY SONGS
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Los Lobos, the Grammy-winning East L.A. band famed for blending rock, blues and traditional Mexican music styles, is back with their first new album in three years. Los Lobos Goes Disney from Disney Sound features 13 all-time classics from Disney films and theme parks, each given the raw and raucous Los Lobos treatment. Produced by…
CRGruve, Naughty and Nice
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Two men make up CRGruve and they are bringing you some Naughty and some Nice. This Portland, Maine-based duo offers up a fun & party-like atmosphere that everyone can jam to. They go by Craig Handley & Ramone Jones and they are set to take the world by storm with their infectious sounds. It is…
DESTROPHY OCTOBER TOUR DATES
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Victory Records newcomer, DESTROPHY will be heading out on an October tour with Type-O Negative in support of their self-titled label debut, out October 27th. The tour kicks off at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey on October 16th and rounds up October 31st at Harpo’s in Detriot, Michigan. DATES ARE AS FOLLOWS:…
MUSIC UP CLOSE WITH JANIE – OCTOBER 2009
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This month’s Music Up Close takes a look back at artists of the 60s and 70s and see what some of them are doing today. There are, of course, too many to chose from, but some recent releases helped me narrow the focus for this column. Main Stage features Gordon Lightfoot recently…
Joe Henry, Blood From Stars
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Upon first listen, Joe Henry’s blend of folk, blues and jazz on his 11th LP, Blood From Stars comes across as entirely too ambitious. The record struggles to find a happy medium and therefore, loses its groove very early on. Now, if chaotic is the spice which entices your tongue, then Blood From Stars might…
SUPERSTAR ENTERTAINER SNOOP DOGG ANNOUNCES WONDERLAND HIGH SCHOOL TOUR DATES
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Global superstar and EMI/Priority Records recording artist Snoop Dogg announces his latest tour featuring hip hop greats Method Man, Redman and Devin the Dude. The tour, titled “Wonderland High School Tour,” is a bonafide hip hop lover’s dream and will kick off on October 27th in Baltimore and travel across North America. Tour Dates:…
Rich Hope, Is Gonna Whip It On Ya
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Where do the blues come from? Is it a persistent hole in one’s soul that’s only filled by dirty jams in smokey bars? And if so, are the blues really that simple of a vocation? On Rich Hope’s debut LP, Rich Hope Is Gonna Whip It On Ya, the answer is a resounding no. There…
HOT CHELLE RAE ARE HITTING THE ROAD WITH THIRD EYE BLIND / MP3
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Chelle Rae will be the main support to Third Eye Blind for two weeks in October. The tour leads up to the release of the band’s debut album Lovesick Electric, coming out October 27th on Jive Records.
WARREN G US TOUR DATES
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After 10 million albums sold worldwide, Warren G’s seventh studio album, THE G FILES, will be released on September 29th. Self-produced and packed with all-star talents including Snoop Dogg, Travis Barker, Ray J and many more, the current single, “100 Miles and Runnin” featuring Raekwon and Nate Dogg is quickly making its way on to…
THE CLIENTELE BONFIRES ON THE HEATH STREAMING NOW!
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The Clientele formed a long time ago in the backwoods of suburban Hampshire, playing together as kids at school, rehearsing in a thatched cottage remote from any kind of music scene, but hypnotized by the magical strangeness of Galaxie 500 and Felt and the psych pop of Love and the Zombies. Singer Alasdair MacLean still…
SONICBIDS LINKS UP WITH ‘MUSIC UP CLOSE WITH JANIE’
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Each month, veteran music journalist Janie Franz offers a variety of content in her Music Up Close with Janie column.
MUSIC UP CLOSE WITH JANIE – SEPTEMBER 2009
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After our initial open house, where you saw the contents of our little virtual music club here at Music Up Close, we will be highlighting different rooms each month, but always ending with our cocktail meet-and-greet at the SonicBids Lounge. For September, Club Ladies brings a look a Teisha Helgerson, the frontwoman for the band…
THE DECEMBERISTS TO UNVEIL “HERE COME THE WAVES: THE HAZARDS OF LOVE VISUALIZED”
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The Decemberists’ album The Hazards of Love was released by EMI’s Capitol Records in March to rave reviews with NPR calling the album an “epic adventure” and SPIN writing that it “yields spectacular sparks,” adding that it contains “some of the snarliest, bluesiest, rockingest moments in The Decemberists’ catalog.” The raves continued when the band…
The Black Crowes, Before the Frost/Until the Freeze
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This past year has seen plenty of rock bands that ruled the 90s reunite in an effort to relive their past glories with some being much more welcome (Blur!!) than others (Creed??). Nevertheless, do not lump the Black Crowes in with this reunion bands. Sure, the blues rock band led by Chris and Rich Robinson…
LIVE NATION KEEPS THEIR ALL-IN, NO FEE CONCERT TICKET DEALS GOING
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This Wednesday’s No Fee, All-In concert ticket deals include hundreds of shows by an enormous variety of artists from every genre of music. Beginning on September 16th at 12:01 a.m., live music fans can purchase concert tickets at the All-In, No Fee Prices of $10, $20 and $30 to shows by such artists as…
Michel Ackermann, Kite
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This Berlin-based singer/songwriter brings you a 4-song EP titled Kite. I have to mention the cover art due to its incredibly tranquil setting. I am seeing vivid blues skies along with plush, white clouds. The initial reaction of this scenery is a very peaceful feeling, which could definitely offer someone a calming effect. Now, let’s…
Imelda May, Love Tattoo
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With a voice that’s impossible not to fall in love with, and a heaping helping of Audrey Horn (Sherilyn Fenn) sex appeal; Imelda May can with your heart in a verse. This Dubliner rose to fame after being hand-picked by former founder-member of Squeeze; Jools Holland to appear on his show “Later… with Jools…
TAKING BACK SUNDAY AND THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS HIT THE ROAD
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Currently on different legs of the sizzling summer tour with Blink-182 and Weezer, Taking Back Sunday and The All-American Rejects will continue to entertain fans this fall by launching a co-headlining tour in early November. This is the first time New York quintet Taking Back Sunday has toured with Oklahoma’s The All-American Rejects. Both…
DIANA OLSON INTRODUCES VLAD TO SKOPE READERS
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Vlad’s biography says, “Music has the ability to transform, heal and speak to the soul. And when it transcends itself, music is no longer music but rather the truth and philosophy of life. This is the true essence of highly accomplished guitarist, arranger, producer – Vlad…
The Stone Foxes, The Stone Foxes
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You know what you’re getting into with The Stone Foxes from the moment you drop the needle on their debut, self-titled LP. It’s an unabashed, dirty, rollicking good time. Borrowing heavily from their influences, the greats of the past and present including Jimi Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Black Crowes, The Stone Foxes is…
Built to Spill, There Is No Enemy
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Built to Spill has served as the influence and inspiration for many other indie bands. They inhabit a secure area in indie rock, which gives them credibility, but where fame remains out of reach. Their folk-infused, bluesy rock teeters along the postmodern lines of Pavement while hailing to an earlier era evoking the likes of…
Quincy Jones: The 75th Birthday Celebration Live At Montreux
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What best way to pay tribute to one of the biggest music moguls today than to give a five-hour concert on his 75th birthday? That’s what Quincy Jones received last year at the Stravinski Auditorium in Montreux, Switzerland, home to the Montreux Jazz Festival. In this more than two-hour long DVD, the Montreux stage…
SEE THE FRAY FOR FREE
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The Fray are putting on a free show at the House of Blues in Chicago and they want you to be in attendance. All you have to do is head to the Denver band’s Web site and fill out a questionaire and then you can print your ticket to the show. The performance…
THEM CROOKED VULTURES FIRST EVER NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
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Them Crooked Vultures–a/k/a Dave Grohl (drums, backing vocals), Josh Homme (guitar, vocals) and John Paul Jones (bass, keyboards, backing vocals)–has confirmed the dates of its first ever North American tour. The dates kick off with an October 2 performance at the Austin City Limits music festival, to be preceded by a September 30 Austin City…
Cristen Grey and the Moving Dunes, 10,000 Things
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Cristen Grey once was the lead guitarist & rhythm guitarist for the heavy metal act, All Eyes. She and her heavy-hittin’ band opened for some pretty big 80’s rock acts such as: Quiet Riot and Cinderella. That was then and these 10,000 Things are the now. 10,000 Things came from “Grey’s realization,…
DIRTY BLONDE ENSLAVED THEIR AUDIENCE AT PALMER’S IN ANDOVER, MA
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Dirty Blonde is one of those bands that many have not heard of but many will love once they’ve heard them. Sultry singer Cheryl Aruda fronts this hard-driving, non-stop rhythm machine. Playing at Palmer’s Restaurant in Andover, Massachusetts last Saturday night, Dirty Blonde made a believer out of everybody who had not seen them before.
Sideways Reign, A Stand For All Stages
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Expect the unexpected here from a Washington-based band known as Sideways Reign. A Stand For All Stages is music for all faces. This group of musicians blends an interesting variety of rock, blues, folk and even some funk. The meaning behind the band name relates to their “Pacific Northwest roots and as a reference to…
