Half Moon Run is a Canadian indie rock band based in Montreal. The band members, who previously lived in British Columbia and in Ottawa, are singer Devon Portielje on vocals, guitar and percussion; Conner Molander on vocals, guitar and keyboard; and Dylan Phillips on vocals, drums and keyboard. Only having been together about two years, they have played South by Southwest and Canadian Music Week festivals, and have opened for such artists as Metric, Patrick Watson and Mumford & Sons. Their debut album, Dark Eyes, was released in 2012. Their folky three-part harmonies hold down moody, psychedelic arrangements and electronic-infused soundscapes. Certain songs if I’m concentrating only on the vocals it’s like listening to Crosby, Stills and Nash but of course I snap out of it and realize; instantly impressed. This trio bonded and created their unique sound, fusing together the restless elements of indie, pop and folk with beautiful rhythmic harmonies. Ben Lovett from Mumford & Sons said it best of this band, “I’m going to be cheeky here and pick one band […] Half Moon Run – potentially one of the most important bands debuting an album this year. It’s progressive without being pretentious.”
Half Moon Run
songs: Full Circle, Call Me In The Afternoon, Need It, Give Up, Unofferable, She Wants To Know, No More Losing War, Nerve
I know I have been MIA…but that is because I extensively search for new/old music and won’t share unless I feel something strongly for it. This way you are just as blown away as I am. With that being said….there will be two new posts this week (Wednesday and Thursday)!! I hope you like what I have to share, to not just listen but to read what I express about each artist/band.
Thanks to all of you that continue to come back, it is much appreciated!
Ruston Kelly is a Nashville based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. “At only 23, Ruston is gaining great esteem as a sought after songwriter in the Nashville scene. As the former lead singer of Elmwood, Ruston has toured with the likes of O.A.R. and G. Love to name a few, and graced the stages of festivals such as Bonnaroo, Forecastle and Wakarusa. In 2012 Ruston has toured with Truth & Salvage Co., The Lumineers, and Jackie Greene as a solo artist. Ruston’s life experiences can be felt in every word he writes. His ability to tell a story by an unparalleled emotion and melodic vocal control leaves a listner hanging on every word.” I have only listened to a few songs by Elmwood and really liked what I heard but for Ruston to go out on his own really showcases his talents. In 2013, he released his EP The Bootleg Sessions via Noisetrade. By listening to this EP in it’s entirety, you can hand pick several songs that can easily be placed on a TV show or even a movie soundtrack. He’s currently touring around certain cities with Marcus Foster and The Lone Bellow. (for a list click his website below) If you like Ray LaMontagne, Ryan Adams and James Vincent McMorrow (featured June 23, 2011) then Ruston Kelly with his sweet raw voice and honest lyrics will sure please those who truly love the singer-songwriter genre. Support this artist by listening and donating a few bucks to download his music.
Think Citibank’s current commercial (ad campaign) on TV right now. I know you’ve heard it. Well this is the artist. L.P. (born Laura Pergolizzi) is an American pop/rock artist and songwriter originally from New York City, who is currently living in Los Angeles; and is openly and proudly a lesbian, in case you were wondering. After graduation high school and leaving the suburbs for New York City, she began touring with her band called Lionfish. It was during that time that she adopted the “L.P.” moniker. David Lowery of the band Cracker saw L.P. perform around that time and featured her on My Cinderella, a hidden track on the band’s 1998 album, Gentleman’s Blues. Lowery followed up by producing her 2001 debut album, Heart-Shaped Scar. In 2004, L.P. released her second recording, Suburban Sprawl & Alcohol. L.P. toured extensively to promote the new release but in spite of positive reviews the album failed to gain widespread recognition. But it wasn’t until 2006 when she performed at the famed music conference, South by Southwest that garnered an all out bidding war for her among major record labels. She eventually would be signed by L.A. Reid to his Island Def Jam Music Group, part of Universal Music Group. Under her IDJ deal she wrote with many pop songwriters for artists on the label but due to creative differences she abandoned the contract. In 2007, L.P. signed to SoBe Entertainment, an independent record label with the album tracks she had written at the major label. Love Will Keep You Up All Night, one of the tracks she had written at Island Def Jam Music Group with Billy Mann, was released in late 2007 on the Backstreet Boys album, Unbreakable. During 2009 L.P. started writing songs for other artists, working extensively on the Heidi Montag album, Superficial (Warner Music). She landed her first major breakthrough as a songwriter, co-writing Rihanna’s song Cheers featured on her album Loud. Rihanna’s song Cheers features a vocal hook performed by L.P. (taken from Avril Lavigne’s I’m With You). L.P.’s major label songwriting breakthroughs continued, she co-wrote Beautiful People performed by Christina Aguilera. The song is featured on the Burlesque: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. In June 2011, L.P. co-wrote Afraid To Sleep which was performed by NBC’s The Voice finalist Vicci Martinez and reached #10 on Itunes Top Singles Chart. In September 2011, L.P. signed a deal with Warner Bros. Records. Shortly after, Into The Wild written and performed by L.P., was prominently used in a Citibank national TV ad campaign. In April , 2012, she released her first major label album Into The Wild (Live at EastWest Studios), a Live EP (CD/DVD) and started touring relentlessly including SXSW, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and Tropfest. She is currently in the studio collaborating with Billy Steinberg, PJ Bianco, Isa Summers (from Florence and the Machine), Carl Ryden and Rob Cavallo. Quite the accomplishments, don’t you think? I love not only her original/cover songs and her voice, I love that she plays the Ukulele to accompany her voice. This artist is sure to please not only with her Bob Dyan looks but with those strong upper registers and soulful edgy pipes. Listen for yourself.
L.P.
songs: Into The Wild, Someday, Wasted Love, Something (The Beatles Ukulele cover), Fighting With Myself, It’s Over (Roy Orbison cover), In The Pines (Leadbelly Ukulele cover)
album: Into The Wild (Live at the EastWest Studios)
Kalli (Karl Henry) is a musician from Reykjavik, Iceland. Kalli was the former front man for a popular Icelandic band that gained much attention with two albums but the inevitable happened, they broke up. After the end of the band, Kalli picked up his guitar and recorded ten new songs for his debut solo album, While the City Sleeps (2007). ‘This album continues the tradition of beauty and pain finding a nesting ground in the heart of a young man.’ “I wrote the album when I had just split from the band, and was going through some changes in my personal life too, so there were a lot of negative emotions curling up inside of me,” explains Kalli. Drawing comparisons to those masters of dark, pop realms such as Ray LaMontagne, Elliott Smith, Jeff Buckley, Ryan Adams, and Neil Young, While The City Sleeps is deep, doomed and dream like, a record scattered with illusions of darkness, stormy weather, and uncertainty. It’s also a deeply personal record, as Kalli writes about personal transitions, the movement from excess to stability and the pain that comes with the change. Along with producer and multi-instrumentalist Arnar G., Kalli recorded, performed and produced everything himself on While the City Sleeps, furthering this intensely personal journey. But positivism shines through. In May 2010 Kalli travelled to Nashville, Tennessee and teamed up with Producer Kurt Storey to record Kalli’s second solo album, Last Train Home, in the Burns Station Sound Studio located just outside Nashville. On the record Kalli had the great fortune of having some of Nashville’s A list musicians accompanying him on the record. Last Train Home was officially released internationally by One Little Indian on August 8, 2011. Support this unsigned indie artist. Listen and download to keep the affecting songs of quiet heartache coming.
Kalli
songs: River of Darkness, Raindrops, Last Train Home, Nothing At All, Smoke, Shine On Me
Daughter are a London-based band. Originally the solo work (acoustically) of Elena Tonra, they are now a trio with electric guitarist Igor Haefeli and drummer Remi Aguilella. They released their first EP entitled, Demos in 2010 which garnered much attention leading the band to self release another EP, His Young Heart in April 2011. That same year the band released another EP, The Wild Youth through Communion, an organization in London formed by Ben Lovett (Mumford & Sons), former Cherbourg bassist Kevin Jones, and producer Ian Grimblethat. It combines elements of live promotion, publishing, records and production to create a hub for songwriters and musicians to develop and flourish in an increasingly competitive industry environment. Again with their latter EP release, garnered them much attention that the respected British website, For Folk’s Sake quoted, “one of the most unique sounds in the pop landscape today”. Radio 1 famed DJ Huw Stephens, enamored by them, invited the band to come play a session on his show. With all this happening it led the band to ink a deal with the prestigious UK label 4AD. Elena commented on this exciting partnership, “we couldn’t be happier to be working with 4AD, a label that has released so many inspirational records and whose ethos we hold in very high regard. It really is a privilege.” Daughter’s first single, Smother was UK released in October 2012 and was heavily played on Radio 1 and 6Music giving the status of ”Single of the Week” by early supporter Huw Stephens. Their next single, Youth was placed in several UK advertisements (adverts as Brits like to say) for TV series and promos. Now with all this success the band is now getting recognized in the U.S., signing with Glassnote Records, performing SXSW, CMJ and being placed on popular TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy (song: Home) and The Vampire Diaries (songs: Medicine, Smother). One of my favorite songs is The Woods on The Wild Youth EP. I just love the atmospheric airy vocals of Elena Tonra blended with poetic lyrics and their mystical sound. Daughter’s debut album is set to be released sometime in 2013 which I can’t wait. In the meantime, if you are drawn to what you hear then I suggest you skip over to Itunes and buy these EP’s. It’s totally worth the aural experience.
Daughter
songs: Youth, Smother, The Woods, Switzerland, Medicine, Home, Run, Candles
Oh man how I’ve wanted to write about him for about seven or eight months now but I completely forgot about him until I was sifting through my many lists of artists/bands to share with you. I’m like “YES!”, he will be my next musical discovery to share. Although some of you probably already have heard of him and his music but for those of you who haven’t this will be a real treat! Gary Clark, Jr. is an American guitarist and actor that was born and raised in Austin, Texas. He began to play guitar at the young age of twelve, playing small gigs throughout his teen in various clubs in Austin until he met promoter Clifford Antone, proprietor of the famed Austin club Antone’s (once was a favorite place of mine to witness music greatness). This club is known for launching the careers of Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughn. After meeting Antone, Clark began playing and opening for many iconic artists within the Austin music scene. The Mayor of Austin, proclaimed May 3, 2001 to be Gary Clark Jr. Day; he was seventeen years old at the time. Clark won the Austin Music Award for Best Blues and Electric Guitarist, on three different occasions with his self released albums, No Worries (2008) and Gary Clark Jr EP (2010). Clark was SPIN magazine’s breakout artist for the month of November 2011 and Rolling Stone declared Clark “Best Young Gun” in its April 2011, “Best of Rock” issue. Since Clark has performed outside of Austin with some of the most loved and recognized artists in the business like BB King, Eric Clapton, Alicia Keys, Dave Matthews and Sheryl Crow. From the White House to Bonnaroo Festival, Clark has catapulted with making a name for himself and inking a deal with Warner Bros. Records, which led to his debut album, Blak and Blu in 2012. Aside from that he has also acted alongside Danny Glover and Stacy Keach in the 2007 film Honeydipper. The grittiness and intensity of his voice along with his heavy guitar slinging attack that weds blues chords to metal distortion has you head swaying and toe tapping; a good mixture of R&B, Blues and Rock. Just think Jimi Hendrix. Take a moment to enjoy this amazing artist because you will not be disappointed. Listen and download.
Gary Clark Jr.
songs: Nextdoor Neighbor Blues, Things Are Changing, When My Train Pulls In, Please Come Home, Soul (bonus track), Numb
Asa (pronounced Asha) is a Nigerian French singer-songwriter and recording artist that resides in Paris, France. Her stage name Asa means Hawk in Yoruba; a Nigeria–Congo language spoken in West Africa. Her desire to sing began at a very young age that she preferred to sing rather than talk, improvising endlessly until her mother made her stop. Asa’s father over the years built up a fine collection of records featuring soul classics and Nigerian music that included the likes of Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley, Aretha Franklin, Ebenezer Obey, Femi Kuti and Lagbaja; where she drew her musical inspiration. Asa said, “I was a tomboy and when I was a teenager I became very shy because people made fun of me … in my own way, I was already attracting attention! I got in the habit of never doing anything like everyone else. People didn’t understand my low-pitched deep voice, the choirs didn’t want anything to do with me. I had to get to church first if I was to have any chance of getting near the mic.” In 2004, Asa met her manager and friend, Janet, who introduce her to Cobhams Emanuel Asuquo, who in turn became her musical partner and producer. Asuquo is currently signed to Sony/ATV Publishing in London as a songwriter. He enabled Aṣa to find her bearings with songs in English and Yoruba, where the music falling somewhere between pop and soul, inspired by her musical heritage with particular melodies and reflecting the feeling she puts into it. Her lyrics talk about her country, the things in life, the things in her life, all delivered with naivety and real irony. She states “I like writing or thinking about my texts on the bus, or the molué, as we call it, 49 seats, 99 passengers standing up, as Fela Kuti described it. Everyone’s squashed up together and mini-dramas break out all the time. And, at the end of the day, we still manage to laugh, that’s where our strength lies.” By this time Asa was making a name for herself in the Paris music scene with her first album, Asha, which won her the prestigious French Constantin Award in 2008 as she was voted best fresh talent of 10 singers or groups by a jury of 19 music industry specialists in Paris. In October 2010, she released her second album entitled, Beautiful Imperfection. Asa’s rendition of the song, Feeling Good, which has been sung by many like Nina Simone is just spectacular. I can’t say I prefer her either in English or in Yoruba or when she intertwines the two, I just love the vibe she exudes that has me coming back for more. If you like a pop/soul sound with an occasional non-English lyric then you might be intrigued enough to check out Asa’s music. Support indie artists. Listen and download.
Asa
songs: Jailer, Bibanke (When I Cry), Fire On The Mountain, The Way I Feel, Dreamer Girl, Bamidele (Baby), Feeling Good, Iya (Mother)
Saturdaysun is a band from Swange, England, a coastal village off of Dorset. At least that is what I heard them say for I couldn’t find much about them. The bio on their website states that: “We realised when we started doing stuff online that whenever a band has a biography on their site it’s usually written by themselves in a way that makes it sound as if it’s not written by them. Almost like when you see an advert on the television and it has some overblown quotation by one of their customers telling you how great the product is. Check out our tunes and you’ll probably get a better idea of us.” And right they are, their music speaks for them in so many ways and so many levels. I began to wonder where they might have got the band name from? And thought that maybe it was from Nick Drake’s song entitlted, Saturday Sun? But who knows, just a thought. I can tell you this, the band has four members: Alex Hedley (guitar and vocals), Bill Merrick (guitar), Alec Harrison (base) and Luke Kill (drums). They released their EP Seagull independently in 2010 for free on bandcamp and soundcloud until they added several more songs and re-releasing Seagull as an album in April 2012, which is available on Itunes. Since Saturdaysun having been playing clubs and doing small tours. When I purchased and downloaded some of their free material I made a copy for my car, my favorite place for listening to music, especially new music. And as I was listening I was trying to study their style, epecially the vocals. I hear a bit of Bono in one song and then I can hear a bit of Jeff Buckley in another. You decide. And comment to let me know what you think. Saturdaysun is sure to please anybody who like that indie yet singer-songwriter feel. Support this unsigned artist and keep them working. Listen and download.
Saturdaysun
songs: Seagull, Light Again, Borderline, Seeds To The Sun, Le Monge Snail, Through Space
Agnes Obel is a Danish singer-songwriter from Copenhagen, Denmark who currently resides in Berlin, Germany. Agnes began playing piano at a very early age due to her unconventional environment of strange objects and instruments her father loved to collect. Her mother was also a brilliant musician; she used to play Bartok and Chopin but it wasn’t just her mother and the house full of music that influenced her, it was also the influence and inspiration of Jan Johannson. His European folk songs done in a jazzy style really had an impact on the young musicians style. Agnes continued her musical path playing in various bands, singing and writing songs. In 2010, she released her first album, Philharmonics under the PIAS recording label in Denmark, Norway, Germany and many other European countries. She writes, plays, sings, records and produces all her material herself. The album is a melodic collection of works that have a somber, childish purity with dusky, near-whispered vocals that draw you right into Obel’s world. All the songs on Philharmonics are original works except for Close Watch and Katie Cruel, a traditional folk song; and one of my favorite tracks. The album has garnered much attention from the BBC and several of her songs like, Riverside and Avenue have been placed on various U.S. TV shows. As a seasoned adult musician she sites the influences of Roy Orbison, Joni Mitchell, PJ Harvey along with french composers Claude Debussy and Erik Satie. At times I feel like I’m listening to Tori Amos, the resemblance of their musical styles are so incredibly close that in some moments I can’t tell who is who, vocally there is a distinction but not so far off either. Since 2011, Philharmonics is certified gold by the Belgian Entertainment Association. At the Danish Music Awards, Obel won five awards: Best Album Of The Year, Best Pop Release Of The Year, Best Debut Album Of The Year, Best Female Artist Of The Year and Best Songwriter Of The Year. Personally, I think this artist is brilliant in her own right and the beauty of this album with it’s stunning and breathtaking story-like lyrics and melodies. A must listen to on raining day or cold winter morning or actually anytime. Support this artist. Listen and download.
