From The Mailbag : Sweet Japonic

January 28, 2007 by -tom · 1 Comment
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Today's From The Mailbag pick was sent to us by reader Chris Z from Wyoming, Michigan. Thanks Chris !

The third release from Sweet Japonic is entitled Two O'Clock Sirens. Eight radio friendly songs that are a smooth mix of rock,folk and bluesy soul. The musicianship and production is top notch and it could easily hold its own with the artists it most sounds like. Think Train, Counting Crows, or Los Lonely Boys and you'll have an idea of where they're coming from. Their prior disc Through the Eyes of Lucie Blue even snagged them a 2005 Jammie Award for best local rock album in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.

Sweet Japonic is:
Lucas Wilson - Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Matt Young - Lead Guitar/Mandolin/Petel Steel/Backing Vocals
Ryan Braman - Bass Guitar
Roy Wallace - Drums & Percussion
Davy Tyson - Piano/Organ/Analog Synth/Backing Vocals (select shows)

Upcoming Sweet Japonic Shows

Feb 13, 2007 8:00 PM WYCE Jammy Awards @ The Intersection Grand Rapids, MI
Feb 20, 2007 10:00 PM Montes Grand Rapids, MI
Mar 3, 2007 10:00 PM Rubbles Mount Pleasant, MI
Mar 10, 2007 9:00 PM Bells Brewery Kalamazoo, MI
Mar 17, 2007 9:00 PM Founders Brewery Grand Rapids, MI
Mar 22, 2007 9:30 PM Billy's Lounge Grand Rapids, MI
Apr 7, 2007 9:00 PM Private party @ Hideout Brewery Grand Rapids, MI















MP3: Sweet Japonic- She Was Doin' Fine
MP3: Sweet Japonic- Go To Hell

[BUY IT] [iTUNES] [WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

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From The Mailbag : Me And The Machine Records

January 21, 2007 by -tom · Leave a Comment
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From the mailbag this week the first releases from the brand new Nashville based label Me And The Machine.If you're a fan of folky singer songwriters like John Prine,John Gorka or David Wilcox you'll want to check these records out.






MP3 : Nick Shelton - Marijuana Blues
release date 2/6/07







MP3: Brad Sweitzer - Your Sister
release date 2/6/07








MP3 : Josh Preston - Picture
available now




Here's some of their upcoming tour dates :
01.21.07 Nick Shelton 7pm The Monkey Bar (Benefit Concert) Huntington, WV
01.25.07 Brad Sweitzer & Josh Preston 8pm Blue Bar Nashville
01.27.07 Brad Sweitzer & Josh Preston 7pm Plowhaus Artist Co-op East Nashville
02.06.07 CD Release Party - Brad Sweitzer, Nick Shelton & Josh Preston 6pm Blue Bar & Rack Room Nashville TN

website : www.meandthemachine.com
myspace : www.myspace.com/meandthemachinerecords

BUY IT : Me And The Machine Website

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From The Mailbag : The Swimmers,Triggers,New Chelsea Taube

January 14, 2007 by -tom · Leave a Comment
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First up from the mail bag today, The Swimmers.
from their myspace bio :
The Swimmers are a band based on a story. It’s not the story of how the
Philadelphia four-piece met or of how they came to music or even how they shook
off their alt-country tendencies; it’s the story of a young man who swims home
through the backyard pools in his affluent suburban town only to find his home
abandoned and ruined.

Former One Star Hotel frontman Steve Yutzy-Burkey
based his new pop project on the famous short story, “The Swimmer” by John
Cheever, suddenly so inspired that he dismantled One Star Hotel to complete an
album’s worth of ambitious, upbeat songs far removed from the band’s jangly
country style.
Let me be one of the first to proclaim their new album Fighting Trees the first truly important release of 2007. Forget all about the new Shins,this is one disc you need to have right now. In trying to find a way to describe their sound, names like Tweedy, Dando, and McCartney spring to mind. This is an album chock full of intelligent, catchy songs. Watch for it to be released early this year, it is a must have.

The Swimmers are:
Steve Yutzy-Burkey, Rick Sieber, Krista Yutzy-Burkey, Scott French

With many thanks to the band here's the first song off of Fighting Trees for a limited time only.
Stream the entire album at their website.

MP3: The Swimmers -It's Time They Knew

website: www.theswimmers.com
myspace: www.myspace.com/helloswimmers

Be sure to get out and catch them live soon. They have a Wednesday night residency coming up at the Khyber in Philadelphia during the month of February and a Sunday night residency at Pianos in New York City in March.

Upcoming Shows
Jan 20 2007 9:00P Tric Town January @ Mojo 13 Wilmington, Delaware
Feb 3 2007 9:00P Great Scott Allston, Massachusetts
Feb 7 2007 9:00P Khyber Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Feb 8 2007 10:00P Sin-e New York, New York
Feb 14 2007 9:00P Khyber Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Feb 21 2007 9:00P Khyber Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Feb 28 2007 9:00P Khyber Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mar 10 2007 9:00P DC-9 DC, Washington DC
Mar 11 2007 9:00P Pianos New York, New York
Mar 18 2007 9:00P Pianos New York, New York
Mar 25 2007 9:00P Pianos New York, New York


Up next is Pittsburgh based band Triggers

Imagine if Ben Folds and Devo joined forces with some help from Elvis Costello to form a band, and you have an idea of what Triggers sounds like. Triggers new EP, Elude the Suits, takes the sound introduced on their first demo and refines it even further. From the jumpy staccato new wave guitar hook of Eyes Like A Ninja to the hyper pop She Had Me At Takeoff with its falsetto vocal, to the piano pounding rocker Anyone At Anytime, Elude The Suits is full of great pop songs.

Triggers are :

Joe Kasler – Bass, Vocals
Rich Kawood – Drums, Vocals
Adam Rousseau – Guitar, Vocals
Brett Zoric – Keyboards, Vocals

MP3 : Triggers How Do I Get To The Roof
from Triggers Demo

Stream the new Elude The Suits EP on their website: www.triggersmusic.com

Upcoming Shows
Jan 19 2007 Southminster Church PGH, PA 8pm ALL AGES w/ TBA
Jan 26 2007 Brillobox PGH, PA 10pm w/ Life in Bed, The Receiver. 21+
Mar 9 2007 Brillobox PGH, PA 10pm w/ Donora and Librarians. 21+

And last but certainly not least, a new song called Wilson, from Bag Of Songs favorite the lovely and talented Chelsea Taube.


MP3: Chelsea Taube - Wilson

myspace : www.myspace.com/chelseataube

Upcoming Shows
Jan 24 2007 07:00 PM - The Blue Note Cafe, Pontiac, Michigan
Feb 03 2007 05:00 PM - Kaya Coffee VOX ROX, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Feb 06 2007 08:00 PM - The Modern Exchange , Southgate, Michigan

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From The Mailbag : Lovesick Cousin

January 7, 2007 by -tom · 1 Comment
Filed under: Uncategorized 
Something from the mailbag today. If you have something I should hear, all the contact info is there on the right hand side of the page. I may not feature everything that gets sent on the blog but it all absolutely gets listened to and you will hear back from me.

If you've ever been in a band, or have known anyone in a band, you know there's always been that struggle between playing the music in your soul to often little acclaim or "selling out" and being a cover band and playing to larger audiences.

This quote from Lovesick Cousin's myspace page kind of sums up the frustration bands begin to feel.

How long 'til we get there?

Lovesick Cousin started out as a wonderful
little americana band about three years ago.

Fronted by two
singer-songwriters with a passion for music that was at once accessible and off
the beaten path.

The singer-songwriters are still the same, but
somewhere along the way it became rather nice to actually be paid for
playing...and that usually means selling your soul to those who want to
hear...well...what-ever type of music it is that they want to hear.

Don't get us wrong, playing is better than not playing and when the
collective age of your trio is just about 131 or so, and Karaoke is
everywhere...you learn to be entertained by playing "Soul Pocket" or whatever
the group dujor may be--because it could just be that you're lucky to be
playing...period.

But do us a favor...if you'd be so kind.

If
you come out to see/hear us (by this I mean if you happen to
actually/accidentally stroll into a club/bar where we are performing) ask if the
band does any originals...then you may proceed to ply us with requests for "Bob
Seger", "Bag of Snot", "Brittany what-ever-her-name-was", etc.

We will
smile, God will smile on you everyone wins.
Lovesick Cousin has crafted a fine disc of alt country songs. They list The Jayhawks, Johnny Cash, Neil Young,and The Byrds among thier influences and they have learned their lessons well. I hear a bit of all of those as well a bit of bands like Lone Justice or the Cowboy Junkies in their sound. If you like the songs posted below they have quite a few more at their website and on their myspace. These are roughs from their upcoming album, I know I'm looking forward to the finished product. If you're in the Norfolk area, go and check them out. Make their day, tell them I sent you and request their original songs.

Lovesick Cousin is:
April Phillips-Bass and vocals
Bob Rankin- Guitar and vocals
Russell Scarborough- Drums

Upcoming Shows:
01/13/2007 09:00 PM - Captain Ron's 9300 Chesapeake Blvd., Norfolk, Virginia
01/19/2007 09:00 PM - O'Sullivan's Norfolk 4300 Colley Ave., Norfolk, Virginia
01/20/2007 09:00 PM - O'Sullivan's Norfolk 4300 Colley Ave., Norfolk, Virginia
01/27/2007 09:00 PM - Whitehorse Pub Pembroke Mall, Virginia Beach, Virginia


MP3: Lovesick Cousin - Somehwere Behind
MP3: Lovesick Cousin - Greeting Card
MP3: Lovesick Cousin - Rollin' and Wonderin'

website: www.lovesickcousin.com
myspace: www.myspace.com/lovesickcousinband

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