Joseph Arthur is the singing /songwriting protégée of former Genesis front man and current world music guru Peter Gabriel.  Arthur was the first American recording artist singed to Gabriel’s Real World Records.  His 2000 release Come to Where I Am and the opening slot on tours with Ben Harper and Gomez helped Arthur attain a larger fan base.  He also briefly toured Europe with R.E.M. in 2004.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Brett Dennen is something of a pop/folk artist. Brett’s impressive inflections are the focal point of his music.  His voice has a youthful timbre but is deceptively soulful.  His debut album is a bit more bright and playful than the rest of his work.  Through poetic lyrics he addresses numerous sociopolitical issues such as poverty, child labor, war, disasters, and the dark side of politics.  The thought provoking lyrics are gently delivered through his warm, dulcet vocals.  Read the rest of this entry »

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A Perfect Circle is the ever changing heavy metal/hard/alternative rock group that was formed in 1999 by Tool’s Maynard James Keenan and guitar tech to the rock stars Billy Howerdel.  Howerdel’s resume includes bands such as Faith No More, Fishbone, Guns N’ Roses, Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, and most fortuitously Tool.  It is through his work with Tool that he approached Keenan with his music and Keenan offered up his vocals in the event that Howerdel ever formed a band. Read the rest of this entry »

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Wade Bowen is a Waco, Texas born singer/songwriter who has become a staple of the Texas music scene.  He self released his debut album “Try Not To Listen” in 2002.  Early on, he was tearing up the road playing over 250 shows per year.  In 2006, he released “Live at the Blue Light” and his studio follow up “Lost Hotel” both of which helped him expand his audience outside of Texas.  In 2008, Bowen released “If We Ever Make It Home” and in 2009 he recorded his 2^nd live album at the famous Fort Worth, Texas honky tonk Billy Bob’s Texas.  It is scheduled to be released in early 2010. Read the rest of this entry »

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The air rushes through the leaves, they dance and sway in the wind, the trees stand solid. Water brushes down the muddy banks of the river, and the stones are awash in freshwater as they stand still. Wild grasses grow and lean into the breezes direction, sun shining still and strong. Somewhere in the distance you can hear a voice carried amongst the thick of the forest, and soft strings playing through the cool climate of the pacific northwest. A zen like folk song conjuring up images from which the voice originates. This sound native of Nevada City, California now carried up through my earphones sending me through memories and images of peace. This sound can only come from such a beauty of a voice and a gorgeous landscape of our fair country.

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Belew motions for you all to come out to one of his shows and see his music. Photo courtesy Coming Age

In case you readers in the South East region of Pennsylvania don’t know about it, there is a wonderful multi-level music club/eatery/radio station near the 30thStreet Train Station called World Café Live.  I have been there several times and even blogged about a couple of those experiences.  It is a really nice venue for artists who don’t require the impersonality of a stadium.  It is an intimate performance space capable of handling the loudest metal band to the most introspective and demure acts.

I’m positive Adrian Belew will plunk us somewhere right in between those two extremes.

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Alexi Murdoch is a singer/songwriter who self published his 2003 EP “Four Songs” which ironically, had four songs on it.  In 2006 he released his debut album “Time Without Consequence”.  In 2009, in a rare display of accessibility, he toured the Unite States.  It certainly appears that Mr. Murdoch is pacing his musical output. Read the rest of this entry »

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Sorry, my copy of Belew's e was written all over... BY THE BAND!! (Reprinted with permission from Adrian Belew Presents)

Hi!  Remember me?  I’m the guy who broke the story that King Crimson was rumored to be over because a player in the scenario affixed situations to realities and created a rumored scheduling rift between when Fripp had wanted to do Crimson dates and the subject of this review, the Adrian Belew Power Trio had dates scheduled during that time.  When Fripp became aware of the scheduling rift, he took it as Belew not being as committed to KC as Fripp would have wanted.

Or so it is alleged.  I am not sticking my neck onto that chopping block again…

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Such was our discourse, a lengthy journey that would tear at our seams and restore our souls. It took 636 miles to reach this destination, this divine spot. Each mile counted was one in waiting, an eagerness accompanied each mile closer. The trek was arduous and most tiring, leaving with such little sleep and arriving at 3:40 in the morning to meet a line of cars entering the campgrounds. Bumper to bumper traffic more reminiscent of daytime gridlock in major metropolises than anything else. After many hours sitting in a line of cars as people of many ages imbibed spirits, beer, wine, and smoke we had arrived at our humble campground inebriated, the sun rising as we put up our tent. We had finally reached our destination, and this would be an indicator of the days to come. We had laid our weary heads down, we had arrived at Coachella. Read the rest of this entry »

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BOSCH are (from l to r) Christopher Brown, Charles Greenleaf, and Kevin Sims. I dig `em daddy-o!

I find it hard to find new music I LIKE.  Yeah, yeah, there are satellite channels, pay-radio, web-radio, TV “music” channels, friends, etc.  But just because there are multiple sources of input does not necessarily yield categorical output.

I like BOSCH.

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Pour a cup of coffee, walk into the den, dim early morning light trickles in through the bent blinds as my cat wraps himself around my leg. Pull a fresh new vinyl out of its sleeve, place it on the table, and pull the needle close, let it fall onto the grooves, pure energy releases and suddenly music fills the room. Ambient sounds at first, then synths accompanied with vocals ethereal. A beautiful female voice escapes through the speakers and bends your ear, reminiscent of Bjork as the hook does just that, reel you in. A beacon of light shining through the wash and tide of music mediocre. Read the rest of this entry »

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There is a nagging suspicion that these recurring themes I hear in music lately are no accident, but play into
the hands of a generation without direction, nothing of its own but hopelessness. All these purported advances in musical style are not braving a new world but are borrowed from our most colorful decade the 80’s.  The 80’s bred some sort of
strange postmodern musicianship that had previous generations scratching their heads. Read the rest of this entry »

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Spoon is an indie rock band that hails from the great city of Austin, Texas.  Formed and co founded by Brit Daniels and Jim Eno in 1993.  Early musical comparisons to The Pixies and Sonic Youth quickly subsided as they began to define their own sound, a blend of sophisticated, guitar driven pop/post-punk that rocks.

Spoon’s career can be likened to that of a slow boil.  They have seven full length albums and an equal number of EP’s and received critical recognition for their work but have received little radio play along the way.  This might, in part, be related to the label issues that plagued them in the early years.  The irony of this is that there music has found it way on a litany of television shows that include the following: The Simpsons Veronica Mars, Bones, The O.C., Scrubs, and How I Met Your Mother.  Spoon also appears in the movies 17 Again, Cloverfield, and I Love You Man.

Their music is inventive and ambitious yet accessible. Their albums are consistently tight, usually containing ten or twelve well crafted tracks and clocking in around the forty minute mark. 

Spoon Discography

Check out Spoon at www.spoontheband.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro95Ns58qSE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqPfCoAp_O0

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For movie fans there is Sundance.  For sports fans there is the Super Bowl.  For us music nerds, there is the Grammys.  Actually — you know what…scratch that.  For the most part, we were all equally outraged (or at least should have been) by what transpired at this past year’s awards ceremony.  In a perfect world, the Grammys should be able to accurately inform the nation of which artists are currently trending and deserve recognition for their efforts.  Here in the real world, we were just told Taylor Swift’s “Fearless” was the best album of 2009.  Hmm…

There is a light at the end of the tunnel for music geeks everywhere, though.  No, I’m not talking about those of us that are obsessed with Rihanna or that think Drake is the man.  I’m talking about the select few that view music as a complete and utter obsession.  Those of us that still go to our favorite record stores and buy albums.  Those of us that still play in bands even though we know we really can’t afford it.  For us there is the South By Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas. Read the rest of this entry »

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Brooding guitar strings and loves lamentations as told through the expressions unique of Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s. The band hails from the ordinary land of Indianapolis, Indiana. Indiana contributed to the music world with the musical stylings such as Shannon Hoon from Blind Melon and Axl Rose from Guns and Roses to name a couple. The band formed in 2005 when Richard Edwards and Chris Fry met in a pet store and became friends. What ensued would be musical releases that are a throwback to emotion in music and a rhythm unforgettable. They have released a number of noteworthy records to date, The Dust of Retreat released in 2006, The Daytrotter Sessions EP released in 2008, and Animal and Not Animal which were both released in late 2008. The band is on Epic Records which is home to other notable artists such as Fiona Apple and Modest Mouse. However, the latest and most awakening artist at the moment on the label has to be Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s. Read the rest of this entry »

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Them Crooked Vultures is the musical love child of Led Zeppelin and Nirvana consummated in the California dessert. The group was conceptualized in the mid 00’s but did not officially form until 2009.  Their self titled debut album was released in November 2009.

 The musical triumvirate, which I think sounds cooler than super group, of John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Dave Grohl ( Nirvanna & Foo Fighters), and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) play bombastic guitar driven rock that is in your face and unapologetic.  This is to say, they play rock music as it should be played.  Read the rest of this entry »

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In this issue of Music You Should be Listening to:

Welcome to 2010! The Indie music world has been gearing up for these first couple months and MYSBLT is all a buzz for things to come. New Years Eve is one of the best nights for hearing good music, but only if you are willing to spend a little extra. So I will let you in on the secret to dropping less coin without sacrificing good tunes. For those of you who have been on the edge of your seats waiting for the new Vampire Weekend album, I will let you know what I think of my first couple listens. Want a hint? I am not happy. On the side of recent news, the Coachella 2010 lineup has been announced and we finally have news from the guys at Brand New who have been tormenting their fans with the possible release of God and the Devil on vinyl. And finally, MYSBLT will pay its last respects to indie garage rock mastermind Jay Reatard who tragically passed away on January 13^th at the age of 29.

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Here at MYSBLT and The Princeton Record Exchange, we cannot tell you how excited we are to bring to you our second issue in the feature: Bands to Watch in 2010. I was lucky enough to sit down with Los Angeles band, The Local Natives, before their show in Boulder, Colorado, on December 1^st. As it so happens, I met with the band the eve after they had announced signing with New York indie rock mega-label Frenchkiss. Going backstage with the band before they opened for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, we discussed their music, signing with Frenchkiss and the upcoming debut release Gorilla Manor. If you have yet to hear their tunes, you can expect to be blown away. The Local Natives are MYSBLT’s second act in our feature: Bands to Watch in 2010, and I thank them for welcoming me and my cameras backstage.

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In this issue MYSBLT: Music You Should Be Listening To:

We are proud to bring you the first installment of a double feature: Artists to watch in 2010. I’ve been lucky enough to sit down with two acts that represent the bright and promising future for independent music. Up first is Indiana’s own soul-rocker, Jenn Cristy. She’s been building her musical resume since 2000 and has recently generated quite a buzz as the Jenn Cristy Band has released their third album, Hotel Confessions. I recently met with the front woman whose motto, “Less Diva, More Rock!” sums up her sound perfectly. In a basement coffee bar in Bloomington, Indiana, we discussed her impressive history in music, influences and the new album. MYSBLT is proud to feature her as our first act to watch in 2010 and we can’t wait to see the great things she has in store for us.

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In this issue of Music You Should Be Listening To:

We’ll take a wondrous musical journey with New York based band, Alberta Cross. I’ll discuss their September release Broken Side of Time, as well as their recent set in the Daytrotter studios.  In one word… Amazing!

We’ve also got some big news this week including not one but two upcoming releases from New Jerseys own, Real Estate. In the next 30 days the band will release their highly anticipated debut album as well as a brand new EP.  Jack White is also making headlines as he gears up for a new project featuring one very unlikely pairing. He’ll put his producing skills to the test as he once again teams up with a rock and roll icon.

Finally, I’ll let you in on the upcoming schedule for MySBLT. On the docket we have the first in a series of interviews with up-and-coming bands as well as a few concert reviews. Big things, they are a-coming! Read the rest of this entry »

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