A bit of advice is in order, I suppose.

I really wasn't intending to use this blog as an advice column, but I think that young bands out there might need to hear some of this.

Do you know what the biggest thing all of those HUGE bands out there have in common is?
A lead singer with an unusual, distinctive voice. I'm not talking distinctively BAD. I'm talking about swoon-worthy, voices that could melt butter. Or, in Kurt Cobain's case, voices that could boil water. Either way, musicality comes first. But an unusual timbre or interesting pronunciation is KEY.

Take, for instance, Adam Levine of Maroon5 fame. His voice is one of the most unusual I've ever heard; girls drool over and guys practice to have the kind of tone and control and musicality this guy has. It only helps that he's found a niche that really works for his voice.

Another example: Rob Thomas. Now, I'm not a huge huge fan of his solo work. However, one must admit that his voice is instantly recognizable. That is a major selling point! I honestly believe that Matchbox Twenty did some of the best adult contemporary rock of the 90's. Bar none.

1 more very recent example: you might remember that I posted a blog about a band called Barcelona. Well, their lead singer has a very controlled, powerful falsetto, and has found a style of music that sets his voice off perfectly. They recently signed with Universal Motown.

See? Unusual voice= just one more chance your band might become ridiculously famous.

A Single Artist for once....

Debuting on 33 and 1/3 records,

Jay Clifford

has one heck of an incredible voice. His smooth, soulful pipes truly lure you in, while his catchy hooks and tight harmonies craft melodic pop-rock sure to please. Easily transitioning from your radio to the next romantic comedy, I could listen to him forever. Well, probably not forever, but I could certainly cycle his EP through my Itunes a few times. Which is saying something for someone with extreme musical ADD like me.

Another Seattle Band.

Notice a pattern? I hate to say this but there are some absolutely amazing bands and artists coming out of the Northwest right now.

These guys are really in a catagory of their own: Swing-rock. Now, I thought that swing stopped being popular in the mid-90's, but I am completely in love with this sound. It's slightly nostalgic without sounding cheesy or dated, and I can only imagine how much fun a live concert would be!
Side note: since I'm home for Christmas, even my parents, upon listening, admitted that they liked it. Now that is cross-generational appeal!

The Raggedy Anns

I'm snowed in...

And I've had plenty of time to listen to all these bands who want me to "be their friend!" on Myspace...I think it's time for a little professional advice.

1. Please, please, please edit your songs. I don't care if you love your 4 and a half minute, Muse-like, ambient intro...those of us who are sifting through hundreds of MP3s do not. Make it short and sweet, or include a "radio edit" of your single for us poor folk. (Unless you are Muse, The Mars Volta, or Sigur Ros...in which case...um, keep on doing your thing, man.) Otherwise, us A&R kids might just get bored and not even listen to your amazing vocals and that freakin' awesome guitar solo.

2. If it is obvious that I will never make it to one of your shows, think twice before "friend requesting" me. I will not sign someone I've never heard of AND never seen live, or even have the capability of seeing live. I live in LA most of the time, and Portland the rest. I will not fly out to Minneapolis or Tallahassee just to see your band who has less than a hundred profile views.

3. Include a personal message with your friend request. Without it, you are subject to my moods and whims: depending on the day, I may deny it, I may let it sit for another day when I feel like denying it, or I may actually click through to your page and listen. Option #3 happens very infrequently (I usually just have too much to do!). A personal message will increase the odds of #3 actually occurring.

And, lastly, 4. For the love of all that is holy, when you record, make it sound professional. My job is to hear past bad recording quality, obvious lyric issues, and pitch problems, but it makes it easier for me to hear your true potential if those things are taken care of during the recording process. Plus, since most of those things are so easy to correct nowadays (thank you, non-destructive editing and Garageband), it makes me think that you're just lazy and/or rushed for time...and no one likes an unprofessional band. Make it CD quality, at the very least.

Night owls inevitably make the best songwriters.

My friend showed me this guy's Myspace page the other day I was dazzled, to say the least. And no, that is not an exaggeration. Check out the page views, friend list, and number of plays on his single.

Owl City

He sounds like a lighter version of early Death Cab, or possibly a cuter Postal Service (yes, I know it's all Ben Gibbard. I'm just sayin'). And his self-promotion is having fantastic results. Everyone with any indie cred at all has heard of this guy. He plays all his own instruments, as well. And he is an un-ashamed insomniac, which leads me to believe that more of us should have this problem. Maybe then we could be incredible songwriters, too.

80's dance pop? Is she crazy?

Possibly...but

The Epilogues

are simply too cute to ignore. What more could you want than something you can dance to? 80's dance beats and a voice that really brings the sound into the 21st century mark this band's killer single, "King Arthur". They state on their page that they're unclassifiable, and I would have to agree...but whatever it is, they do it really well.

Best Live Show I've Seen In Quite A While.

I drove out to Costa Mesa last night with some friends of mine to catch what we were hoping was going to be an incredible triple bill: The Shys, Low Vs. Diamond, and Barcelona. While the opening and closing bands were a bit…well, let’s just say we left after two songs of Low Vs. Diamond... Barcelona was the gem of the night and completely worth not only the drive and the cover but the really janky 20-something bar atmosphere.

Barcelona

When I first listened to their mp3s, I thought “Wow, good potential there. I hear some stuff I really like. They’re very tight, the harmonies are great, and the lead singer has a voice that is absolutely to-die-for (Literally. Record labels kill for lead vocalists like this guy.)”. However, nothing on their Myspace prepared me for their live show. Three Seattle guys: a guitarist, a keys/lead vocalist, and a drummer, took the stage and immediately captured the audience’s attention. These guys rocked a club full of bored ex-scene-kids on a Tuesday night at a dive-y bar in Costa Mesa. They did a cover of “One Is The Loneliest Number” which honestly impressed me more than the original song, and all of their tunes were not only singable, but stayed with you after they left the stage. And the lead singer…oh, where to start? He belted falsetto notes that most men only dream of hitting, and no matter how many ridiculous notes he hit, he was always pitch perfect. Now that’s impressive!

Anyway, enough of me talking them up. Go listen to their music. And wait for them to be signed to a major label…because it won’t be long now.

Not so indie, but still definitely worth a listen.

This isn’t really indie…but it is a collaboration I simply can’t ignore. Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman and Nickel Creek’s Sean Watkins teamed up and formed Fiction Family. Their single is hippie-happy, with a hint of both of their roots. Jon Foreman’s voice has been an obsession with me for a long time, and to hear it with Watkin’s particular brand of guitar and tambourine-filled folky-pop is approaching perfection.

Fiction Family

Since everything’s been done before...

...why not bring it back and do it one more time?

Dirty Hearts

Dirty Hearts hails from Glasgow, Scotland. Yeah, that’s the UK for those of you who didn’t know. And those happy British (or Scottish) invaders are back with a vengeance. This is pop at it’s finest, folks. It harks back to the early days of No Doubt…without the trumpets…and with a bit more of a Euro-techno beat thrown in. Dirty Hearts are incredibly danceable, but they’d be great for party-background, too. Bookmark this page: you’ll want to check up on them in a year.

It is officially the day before the last week of my year.

Today I'd like to write about a band who is closer to home than some of the others I've been covering. They hail from the OC and have built quite a nice little following for themselves, but it is really their infectious brand of indie folk pop (with extra reverb thrown in there for good measure!) that ensures their position as my pick of the day. They've got cutesy lyrics and catchy harmonies, and just enough edge to make it more appropriate for 20-somethings and less for the 'tween scene. Check them out!

The Halos

Christmastime is here.

I thought, hey, it's nearing Christmas. The spirit of the season is giving....so....why don't I give a gift to one of my friends who really truly deserves it? And by "gift" I mean "shout-out on my blog".

Here's my pick for the day:

Scott Ryan

I went to school with Scott; I watched his musicianship grow and blossom for 3 years. It is incredible to me that a label hasn't dropped everything to sign him.
He writes folksy/bluesy/rocky/pop-y tunes that always proclaim his Northwest roots. He's written for soundtracks and has just released an EP. This guy is under the radar, but hopefully not for long. Keep an eye on him.

And so it continues...

Back again for day 2 of this craziness:

I write now about a band that I'm excited to watch. They have a great pop-y sound that makes them infinitely listenable without being repetitive. The lead singer's voice has a very appealing, almost ethereal quality that provides a nice contrast to some of the guitars and slight industrialization of their sound.

The World Romantic

And thank you to Case who actually introduced me to these guys. It's much appreciated, my friend :D

PS- The World Romantic is currently unsigned...and rumor has it may be looking for a label? Watch out, world.

The first of many.

So I should probably start by introducing myself...however, I think that will wait for another post. I, as my name implies, want to get right down to the music.

Think of this blog as a starting block. A place to explore an alternative to the badly executed R&B, Rap, Pop, and Country-driven musical culture half the US subscribes to. I'll feature 1 (or possibly 2) bands or artists that are either unsigned or on an independent (read: small) label, and give you my personal opinions about why they could be the "next big thing". So let's get to it, shall we?

My pick today?

The Perishers

This indie band from Umea, Sweden has already been featured on The OC, One Tree Hill, and Veronica Mars, and their particular brand of ambient, folky pop is appealing in a very understated way. If you don't believe me, listen to their single "Sway" 3 or 4 times. It's insidiously infectious.

-audiophile