Kanye, JoBro Mash-Up?

When you think Jonas Brothers what comes to mind? Personally, I think of the Disney Channel, Miley Cyrus (sorry) and Tiger Beat. Hip-hop is not the first thing that jumps into my head.

However, Nick Jonas, the youngest of the JoBros, recently told MTV News that's just what they want to do. They are hoping to remix their newest single, "Paranoid," with Kanye West's single of the same name.

"We want to do a mash-up of [both 'Paranoid' songs]," Nick Jonas told MTV News

Kanye is known for his innovation and swagger in the hip-hop community. Teaming up with the Jonas Brothers might just be crazy enough to work. And if any hip-hop artist could pull it off, it would be him.

Personally, I don't think Kanye would give the Jonas Brothers the time of day with this idea (his head might be a little too big). Even though it could help both artists cross over into different audiences.

Check out both videos and let me know what you think about a Kanye, JoBro mash-up...

Tired of You!!

If you couldn't tell already, I'm a pretty big music fan. I am listening to music all the time. For this reason, I stopped listening to traditional radio a long time ago. They tend to play the same songs over and over again. Top 40 radio is the bane of my existence! Who wants to hear the same song every hour on the hour?! Here are a few songs that just need to be put on pause for a little while...(And in case you've been living under a rock for the past year I've included videos)

1. Taylor Swift- "Love Story"



2. Beyonce- "Single Ladies"



3. Lady Gaga- "Just Dance"



4. Kanye West- "Heartless"



5. Britney Spears- "Womanizer"



It's not that these songs don't have entertainment value or artistic merit, because some of them do. They just don't need to be played every two minutes!!

What is the song(s) that drives you crazy?

Thursday's Top 5: Guilty Pleasures

Wikipedia defines Guilty Pleasure as follows:

"A guilty pleasure is known as something one considers pleasurable despite feeling guilt for enjoying it. Often, the "guilt" involved is simply fear of others discovering one's lowbrow or otherwise embarrassing tastes, rather than actual moral guilt. Fashion, music, and food can be examples of guilty pleasures."

For this week's top 5 I'm highlighting the five songs that I hate to love. The songs I crank up loud as I'm driving down the street, the songs that I sing along to when no one else is around and the songs that I secretly listen to when I'm having a bad day. I hope you enjoy my top 5 guilty pleasures

1. Ace of Base- The Sign



2. Britney Spears- Oops! I did it again



3. 'Nsync- Tearin' Up My Heart



4. Hanson- MmmBop



5. Fabolous- Holla Back



Honorable Mention (these are a few that just missed my top 5):

6. John Denver- Thank God I'm a Country Boy



7. Neil Diamond- Sweet Caroline



8. Rick Astley- Never Gonna Give You Up




What are some of your musical guilty pleasures?

Bounce house anyone?

What adult wouldn't want to play in a bounce house in the rain?

But the clowns...they creep me out!

PJ Harvey-Black Hearted Love=AMAZING!

Thursday's Top 5

It's that time again... Thursday's Top 5. This week is going to be pretty interesting because I've been on an 80's kick this week. I don't know if it's the lovely spring time weather that's finally hit Ohio or what. But, for some reason, I'm loving these songs again right now and the videos are pretty entertaining as well. Please enjoy!

1. Young MC- Busta Move


2. Def Leppard- Pour Some Sugar on Me


3. Rick Springfield- Jessie's Girl


4. Aerosmith and Run DMC- Walk this Way (Not the official video but a pretty good live performance)


OK, this one isn't so old school. Heck, it's a complete guilty pleasure but I've been listening to it a lot this past week. Please don't judge:

5. Jesse McCartney- Leavin'


I hope you enjoyed this week's (somewhat flashback) Top 5. Be sure to check back next week...

Artist Spotlight: Andrew Bird

Starbucks is one of my favorite places in the world. As a college student, I love to spend an evening there writing papers, reading, or doing other forms of homework. One of my favorite parts about Starbucks is the music they play.

Last week I was sitting at Starbucks working on a paper and this mesmerizing sound came echoing through the speakers. It was this melodic tune with nothing but some whistling for the first 30 seconds of the song. I was instantly intrigued.

After running the Shazam application on my iPhone, I discovered the name of this interesting artist, Andrew Bird. I was hooked. I went home and listened to everything I could find by Bird, which is quite a lot. Bird's first album was released in 1998 and he has since released 16 albums.

Bird mixes vocals, violin, guitar, glockenspiel and whistling to create a truly unique sound to his folk rock. His study of centuries-old music and styles gives his sound depth and breadth that is difficult to find in today's music industry. With a degree in violin performance from Northwestern it is not hard to understand where his variety comes from.

His beautiful, melodic sound is only enhanced by his superb lyrics. Andrew Bird is a true musical artist in an era of entertainers. Amazon.com has selected "The Mysterious Production of Eggs" as one of the "100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums of All Time"

Hope you enjoy!






You can pick up Bird's latest album Noble Beast at Starbucks and iTunes. You can also check him out on tour now. For more information on this artist check out his website http://www.andrewbird.net/ or his MySpace page www.myspace.com/andrewbird.

Thursday's Top 5

Ok...so I slacked a little last week with my Thursday's Top 5, but it was spring break. I was on a road trip to New Jersey. I ran out of time to update. But, I did listen to a bunch of great music along the way. Which leads me to this week's picks for Thursday's Top 5...

This week's top 5

1. The Script- The Man Who Can't Be Moved (still addicted to this song!)


2. Maroon 5- Sunday Morning Remix (Questlove)


3. Brendan James- Green (FYI: below is a live version)


4. Dispatch- Two Coins (also a live version)


5. Griffin House- Better Than Love

Brand New Day

Today, I was listening to Pandora at work. Enjoying my James Morrison radio station. A song by one of my favorite artists, Joshua Radin, came on. The song is called "Brand New Day."

This song really spoke to me on this particular day. It is the beginning of my final quarter of college and I'm just getting back into the swing of classes. At this exact moment I'm slightly overwhelmed. (I know every other senior out there can feel my pain.) Classes, job searching, apartment hunting, deciding where to live, not wanting to grow up, etc. It can seem daunting.

This song came on and completely calmed me down. From Radin's newest album Simple Times, "Brand New Day" is the soothing melodic type of tune that I have come to love from Radin. His lyrically driven music truly speaks to me, especially at this point in my life. The simplicity of his songwriting is what I truly love about his work. This song highlights that simplicity and his effortless delivery.

Enjoy!



For more on Joshua Radin you can check out his Artist Spotlight from January 23. You can also visit his website www.joshuaradin.com.

Thursday's Top 5

Thursdays will give you something to look forward to (more than one more day left in the work week.) Thursday's Top 5 will highlight the top five songs that have been keeping me entertained over the past week. These are the songs that I have been listening to non-stop. I hope you enjoy!

This week's picks:

1. James Morrison- Broken Strings (check out his Artist Spotlight)

2. Eric Hutchinson- Oh! (check out his Artist Spotlight)

3. Gabriella Cilmi- Sweet About Me

4. The Script- The Man Who Can't Be Moved

5. Plain White T's- 1,2,3,4

St. Patrick's Day Music

Today, is the day that everyone pretends they're Irish. It does not matter where in the world your family originally came from, today everyone hails from the picturesque country where green reigns supreme.

I have created a playlist to enjoy on this wonderful day of joy and drunkenness.

Enjoy.

1. Dropkick Murphys- Gonna be a Blackout Tonight
2. Jason Myles Goss- Irish Eyes
3. Flogging Molly- Drunken Lullabies
4. Young Dubliners- Rocky Road to Dublin
5. Great Big Sea- The Night that Patty Murphy Died
6. The High Kings- The Parting Glass
7. The Pogues- If I Should Fall from Grace with God
8. Gaelic Storm- What's the Rumpus?
9. The Tossers- Whiskey Makes Me Crazy
10. George Thorogood- One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer
11. The Real McKenzies- King of Fife
12. Street Dogs- Rebel Song
13. The Corrs- Toss the Feathers

Let me know what you're listening to to prepare for this evenings festivities.

Everyone have a safe and happy St. Patrick's Day that you will remember tomorrow (or not)!

Artist Spotlight: James Morrison

2006 brought the debut album, Undiscovered, from folk-soul artist James Morrison. This album yield no fewer than five singles and got Morrison the 2007 Brit Award for Best Male. Undiscovered reached No. 1 in Britain and Top 20 in America, Morrison was only 21.

Morrison's raw, soulful, bluesy sound caught listeners attention. There was no cliches, no bull, just pure talent and people like talent. His audience can relate to the genuine emotional content of his music.

In August 2007, after relentless touring, Morrison finally stopped to write and record a follow-up to the smash debut album. Under all that pressure, Morrison struggled. "As soon as I’d get something good I’d think about it and screw it up." He said. And then the light bulb went off: “Just go for what you’re feeling at the time. That’s how I worked on the first album, and in a way I think that’s some of the reason why people liked it. It wasn’t trying too hard.”

Songs for You, Truths for Me, the second album from the Cornwall native, is once again a showcase of Morrison's unique style. This album is filled with more raw, distinctive soul of a young boy growing into a wise man. Songs for You, Truths for Me illuminates Morrison's large, hopelessly romantic heart and genuine spirit.

"It’s less playful, more to the point,” Morrison says. “But I haven’t consciously gone for a different sound. With me, it always comes down to the lyric, the melody, and the rest flows from that. But I’ve definitely tapped into my feelings about life more on this album, rather than writing about characters on the bus (Wonderful World), or whatever. I was just letting stuff flow through me.”

Morrison's music has been featured in Apple commericals and was spotlighted in the holiday iPod Nano campaign.

Morrison partners with singer Nelly Furtado on the first single from Songs for You, Truths for Me, Broken Strings. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into the world of James Morrison. Enjoy!




For more information on Morrison, visit www.jamesmorrisonmusic.com or find him on iTunes.

New Shuffle Design

Apple unveils newly redesigned iPod Shuffle. The new mp3 player (pictured to the left) now only comes in black and silver and is half the size of its predecessor.

The taller and even smaller design completely omits any surface buttons except for a three-way toggle switch. This switch toggles between song, shuffling and power. Volume and track control are now handled through an in-line remote on the earbuds, similar to those of iPhone, Nano and Touch.

VoiceOver is the most significant new feature. This feature reads out artist and track information at the press of a button. It can also be used to read out playlist names, enabling users to switch between playlists, this is a first for Shuffle.

This new Shuffle will only be available in a 4GB version, which is a step up from the previous 1 and 2GB options. The price for the newly redesigned shuffle is a cool $79.

For more information or to purchase the new iPod, visit http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/

iPod Playlists

I enjoy discovering new music and sharing it with my family and friends. I wanted to use this blog to accomplish that.

Some people have asked me what I am listening to right now. So, I thought I would share that with all of you.

Here are some of the playlists that are currently on my iPod.

Upcoming Columbus Concerts

I've already talked about the great venues for small concerts here in Columbus. Here is an update on the upcoming shows in March at some of my favorite places.

The Basement:

03.09.2009 The Whigs

03.10.2009 The Hard Lessons

03.12.2009 Senses Fail

03.13.2009 The Heartland CD Release Show w/ Terrafirma

03.14.2009 Kathleen Edwards

03.19.2009 Howie Day

03.20.2009 Project 19 Promotions Presents Chemical Valley

03.27.2009 The Von Bondies

03.29.2009 Loganpalooza IV Selection Showcase

03.31.2009 The Movement


Newport Music Hall:

03.13.2009 The Recession Tour Starring Young Jeezy

03.14.2009 Ekoostik Hookah

03.15.2009 Kottonmouth Kings

03.17.2009 Badfish, a Tribute to Sublime with Special Guests: Scotty Don't

03.18.2009 Rachael Yamagata

03.19.2009 Mindless Self Indulgence

03.20.2009 Strikken / Fluwid

03.21.2009 The Great American Beast w/ Burning Graceland

03.27.2009 The Aesthetics / Sturbridge

03.28.2009 8 Days Dead / Answer 42

03.30.2009 CD101 Low Dough Show featuring The Gaslight Anthem

03.31.2009 The Sub City Take Action Tour featuring Cute Is What We Aim For w/ Breathe Carolina/ Meg & Dia, Every Avenue & Anarbor


For more information or to find more dates and venues visit http://www.promowestlive.com/. Happy concert-going!

The Streets Have a Name...and it's All Because of You, U2!

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is honoring the legendary Irish rock band U2. A ceremony was held Tuesday afternoon to rename a portion of West 53rd Street in Manhattan U2 Way.

In one of the greatest PR stunts of the year, the temporary name change coincides with the release of U2's latest album No Line on the Horizon. This honor is also a way to celebrate the band's unprecedented week long stint on "The Late Show with David Letterman."

"Somewhere south of Duke Ellington Way and north of Joey Ramone Place we find ourselves," said lead singer Bono. "And we're the band where the streets have no name."

U2 is trying to find ways to encourage sales of their new album after their own label (Universal Music Group) unintentionally leaked it late last month.

Forbes reported, "UMG's Australian branch is being blamed for accidentally leaking the album, offering high quality downloads for purchase from their digital music site Getmusic.au. The downloads, which were being sold roughly two weeks before the album's February 27th Irish release date, were available for about two hours before the error was noticed."

U2 will be performing on David Letterman all this week to promote No Line on the Horizon. Also, to reward the fans that weren't tempted by the illegal leak, you can listen to the album in its entirety on the band's MySpace page, http://www.myspace.com/u2. They will also perform LIVE this Friday on ABC's Good Morning America.

For a little taste, here is a video for the first single "Get On Your Boots." Enjoy!

Artist Spotlight: Eric Hutchinson

Soulful, honest and approachable are the best ways to describe Eric Hutchinson's music and personna. His music is truly passionate and soulful. He is brutely honest in his lyrics. He seems like your friends big brother, who just happens to play guitar and keyboard.

Influenced by the song-styling of greats Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel and Paul Simon, Hutchinson mixes genres to create a truly unique sound. Sounds Like This, travels from the thoughtful to soulful to jazzy illustrating Hutchinson true breadth as an artist. It is clear to see that Hutchinson is a well-studied student of pop music.

2007 found the release of Hutchinson's debut album, Sounds Like This. He released the album independently after the collapse of Maverick Records. Hutchinson hit the road to get exposure and experience. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton recommended Hutchinson on his site and the rest was history. Hutchinson's album became the highest-charting album by an unsigned act in iTunes history.

The history making artist soon found himself in high demand. Features appeared in Billboard and the Washington Post. His song "Rock & Roll" appeared in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, introducing him a new audience.

Hutchinson is out touring to promote his album, which began getting airplay on VH1 in mid-August. If you get a chance to see Hutchinson live, I would truly recommend it. He does not disappoint. Splitting his time between keyboard and guitar, Hutchinson entertains through the entire concert. He jokes around with his audience and plays amazing medleys of popular top-40 hits and classic soul.

For more information on Eric Hutchinson please visit his website http://www.erichutchinson.com/ or find his music on iTunes.

I found this video of him playing live....Enjoy!

FYI

Joshua Radin, highlighted in an artist spotlight about a month ago, has debuted on VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown!

From the album Simple Times, "I'd Rather Be With You" is the first of Radin's songs to get this type of mainstream recognition. The video, directed by Zach Braff, is the perfect accompaniment to the mellow sound of Radin's vocals.

To vote for Radin's video click HERE.

Enjoy!

Oscars: The Musical

2009 took the Oscars back to the "Golden Age" of Hollywood, singing and dancing all the way. Song-and-dance man (not to mention Sexiest Man Alive), Hugh Jackman hosted the music filled three and half hour show.

Producers took the Oscars back to the 1950s by taking the orchestra out of the pit and onto the stage in a big band style setup. They infused classic movie scores with well-known big band sounds to create upbeat tunes throughout the evening.

Broadway veteran, Jackman opened the show with a rousing musical compilation paying tribute to the top nominees of the evening. He even pulled Anne Hathaway out of her front-row seat to sing with him. (Her voice was surprisingly good.)

Musical numbers broke up the normally dull show. Beyonce, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens all joined Jackman on stage to salute the return of the musical to Hollywood. Queen Latifah belted out a touching rendition of the tune "I'll Be Seeing You" (Originally from the Broadway musical Right this Way) during the In Memoriam video. Best Original Song nominees performed a confusing melody of the three songs with John Legend filling in for Peter Gabriel on vocals for "Down to You" from Wall-E.

I am a music fan but even I thought the Oscars had too much music. (Although I did appreciate that they did not cut off acceptance speeches with the orchestra this year, especially for Heath Ledger's family.) It reminded me more of the Tony awards than the Oscars. Producers needed to keep in mind their audience for the show. Jackman did a great job as a first-time host and his musical numbers were a welcomed change, but keep the singing and dancing to a minimum. The show is long enough without time-wasting Broadway-inspired over-the-top performances.

For a complete list of nominees and winners from Hollywood's biggest night visit www.oscars.com.

Small Venue Slide Show

Artist Spotlight: Tristan Prettyman

If you like Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat then you will love Tristan Prettyman. Her laid-back melodies and acoustic sound are the perfect way to beat a sour mood. She sounds like a California summers day.

Simplicity is the key to her songwriting success. With little more than an acoustic guitar to back up her soothing vocals, Prettyman creates a sound that is pure and uncontrived. This simplicity is what makes her stand out in an industry full of studio sensations.

Prettyman grew up in San Diego, California. This former Roxy model and avid surfer stumbled into music after performing for some friends. She played for her friend, Chris Malloy, and he used a song in his 2001 surf film, Shelter.

Following that success, Prettyman began playing gigs at small venues across the country. She was signed to Virgin Records and released her debut album twentythree in August 2005. The release was critically well-received but did little on the charts. Following the release, Prettyman toured for two and a half years promoting the album. She toured with such artists as Jason Mraz, Ray LaMontagne, G. Love and Special Sauce and Chris Issac.

In March 2008 Prettyman released her sophomore album, Hello. The album shows much artistic growth from the young artist. "I have grown so much in the last two years," Prettyman says. "I've gone through so many changes and I think the album definitely reflects that. It's more grown-up, and it just feels legit. I've never been more excited about anything in my life as I am with this record. It is so me."

You can check out all of Prettyman's music on her website http://www.tristanprettyman.com/ or her myspace page http://www.myspace.com/tristanprettyman. You can also find her on iTunes.

"Sorry"

After nearly a week of silence, Chris Brown has finally commented on the horrible news (that's spread like wildfire) that he is connected with a domestic violence investigation. Through a statement released by his publicist, Brown said he is "sorry and saddened" over what has happened. The statement goes on to say that Brown is seeking counseling from loved ones and family members. He did not go into much detail regarding the issue. However, he did mention that many of the reported "facts" of the case are inaccurate.

Brown was booked by Los Angeles police on Feb. 8 for allegedly making a criminal threat. (He and then girlfriend Rihanna both cancelled performances at the Grammys leading to speculation of her involvement in the case.) He has not been charged by the district attorney and is free on $50,000 bail while the case is under investigation.

As a music fan, it disturbs me to hear talented artists get mixed up in situations like this. However, many other artist have made it through their difficult personal issues. Snoop Dogg beat murder charges and his career was not phased. He even has a reality show on E! about fatherhood. Britney Spears suffered an extremely public breakdown including head shaving and car beating (with an umbrella) and her new album, Circus, was recently certified platinum. And don't even get me started on Robert Downey, Jr. Chris, let these stories be a lesson to you. Take some time out of the spotlight, get a good PR team behind you and give it a week. After that, another young celebrity will be taking over the tabloids with some new "shocking" headline. Just give it some time.

Anti-Valentine's Day Music

With Valentine's day right around the corner, we are all getting sick of the sappy music being played. MSN music posted their top 10 anti-Valentine's Day music and I thought I'd share it with all of you...and maybe add a few of my own.

MSN's List:

1. The J. Geils Band "Love Stinks"
2. Def Leppard "Love Bites"
3. Nazareth "Love Hurts"
4. Kelly Clarkson "The Trouble with Love Is"
5. Alanis Morissette "You Oughta Know"
6. Maria McKee "If Love is a Red Dress (Hang Me in Rags)"
7. Michael Buble "Down with Love"
8. Tie: John Mayer "I'm Gonna Find Another You" and Beyonce "Irreplaceable"
9. Dixie Chicks "Hold in My Head"
10. Adam Sandler "Somebody Kill Me"


for your consideration...

Maroon 5 "Makes Me Wonder"
Joe Purdy "Can't Get it Right Today"
Jet "Cold Hard B****"
Carolina Liar "Coming to Terms"
Danity Kane "Damaged"
Jay Clifford "Know When to Walk Away"
Pink "So What"
AFI "Prelude 12/21"
The All-American Rejects "Gives You Hell"
Plain White T's "Hate (I Really Don't Like You)"
Katy Perry "Hot 'N Cold"
Charlotte Sometimes "How I Could Just Kill a Man"
Sublime "I've Seen Better Days"
Kate Voegele "It's Only Life"


These are just a few I would add to the list. What are your favorite Anti-Valentine's Day songs?

Live Nation Entertainment?

Well, concert goers, the world as you know is changing. It was announced today (after long speculation) that Live Nation (a spin off of Clear Channel) and Ticketmaster will be joining forces to create Live Nation Entertainment. 

For those not in the know, let me give you a little background on the two companies. Live Nation is a concert promoter and owner of large amphitheaters across the country. Live Nation has brokered deals with huge acts such as Madonna and U2 for exclusive rights to promote their concerts at only their venues. Referred to as "360 deals" gives the company handles all aspects of an artist's career, recording, concerts and merchandise.

Ticketmaster is the well known ticketing agency that has been criticized by fans and artists alike for their extreme processing fees that pile up on top of ticket prices. 

What does this mean for you, the concert goer? Well, if we thought ticket prices were high before just wait a few years. In my opinion, this company is getting dangerously close to having a monopoly over the concert industry.

This deal is still waiting for the approval of government officials. I, personally, am hoping it does not go through. Yes, Ticketmaster is known for its price mark-ups. But, Live Nation was the closest thing to competition for the giant. If they combine ticket prices are going to skyrocket. Concert tickets are already obscenely high. We do not need this to continue. Competition is the best way to keep prices under control. 

Long Night...

It was, once again, a long night at the 51st Grammy Awards. With 110 categories for awards and so many performances, no wonder the show was long. They do hand out many of the, dare I say, unimportant awards before the show begins but the show is still quite long. (Did you know you can win a Grammy for best recording packaging? I didn't)

Many of the performances seemed rushed and not quite perfect. Neil Diamond phoned in his performance of "Sweet Caroline." (I have heard better renditions at weddings and karaoke bars.) The tribute to the Four Tops was a great attempt. However, the choreography was off (not that it is that hard) and Jamie Fox was lost at the end of the performance. If you looked closely you could see him running across the stage to make it in time for the bows. There was a wonderful guitar performance with B.B. King, John Mayer and Keith Urban (who seemed to play with everyone during the evening). But, it was not explained what the performance was for. I enjoyed it. It was one of the highlights of the night, at least for me.

Despite some no shows (Rihanna and Chris Brown) the 51st award show went fairly well, especially for Lil' Wayne. (He was the hardest working man in music in 2008. He deserved his boatload of awards.) There were some surprises along the way (album of the year) but that's why we watch.

A few days ago I listed my picks for the Grammy winners. Let's see how I did...

Best New Artist:
Adele
Winner: Adele

Album of the Year:
Coldplay, Viva La Vida
Winner: Robert Plant and Allison Krauss, Raising Sand

Best Alternative Album:
Radiohead, In Rainbows
Winner: Radiohead, In Rainbows

Best Dance Recording:
Lady Gaga & Colby O'Donis, "Just Dance"
Winner: Daft Punk, "Harder Better Faster Stronger"

Best Pop Performance, Female:
Leona Lewis, "Bleeding Love"
Winner: Adele, "Chasing Pavement"

Best Pop Performance, Male:
Paul McCartney, "That Was Me"
Winner: John Mayer, "Say"

Best Pop Performance by a duo or group with vocal: (this is where the categories, in my mind, get too specific)
Coldplay, "Viva La Vida" or OneRepublic, "Apologize" (I'm torn)
Winner: Coldplay, "Viva La Vida"

Song of the Year:
"Love Song" Sara Bareilles
Winner: Viva La Vida, Colplay

Record of the Year: (If anyone can tell me how this is different than song of the year it would be greatly appreciated)
Coldplay, "Viva La Vida"
WINNER: Robert Plant and Allison Krauss "Please Read the Letter"

I, personally, think Coldplay was robbed for Record of the Year. But, that's just my humble opinion.

For a complete list of Grammy winners visit www.grammy.com. Let me know what you thought of the show (highlights, disappoints, performances, winners or losers for that matter)

Small Venue Concerts

Hello!

I have attempted to create a podcast. I have mentioned my love for small venue concerts before on this blog and I will discuss that more in detail in this podcast. Follow this link Small Venues and it should start right up.

Let me know what you think.

Grammy Awards

With the Grammy Awards just 4 short days away, I thought I would give you some of my picks for the awards this year. (We all know that there are too many awards at the Grammys to care about all of them.)

Best New Artist:
Adele

Album of the Year:
Coldplay, Viva La Vida

Best Alternative Album:
Radiohead, In Rainbows

Best Dance Recording:
Lady Gaga & Colby O'Donis, "Just Dance"

Best Pop Performance, Female:
Leona Lewis, "Bleeding Love"

Best Pop Performance, Male:
Paul McCartney, "That Was Me"

Best Pop Performance by a duo or group with vocal: (this is where the categories, in my mind, get too specific)
Coldplay, "Viva La Vida" or OneRepublic, "Apologize" (I'm torn)

Song of the Year:
"Love Song" Sara Bareilles

Record of the Year: (If anyone can tell me how this is different than song of the year it would be greatly appreciated)
Coldplay, "Viva La Vida"

These are just my picks. Let me know what you think and be sure to check out the show on Sunday, February 8, at 8 p.m. on CBS. And check back here for my recap of all the show highlights and performances.

Super Bowl Music

Super Bowl music usually creates a lot of buzz (Thanks Janet Jackson). However, this year didn't really entertain. Faith Hill and Jennifer Hudson opened the sporting event with wonderful renditions of their respective tunes. (This was Hudson's first performance since the horrifying murder of her family.) It was great to see Hudson perform again. It was clear why she has been nominated for four Grammy awards. Hill was perfectly pleasant but nothing exciting or really worth mentioning here. 

The halftime show left something to be desired. I remember when the halftime shows were entertaining and brought the biggest names in music. (Thanks Janet for ending that.) Not that Bruce Springsteen isn't a big name in music. He is. However, if you notice, there was no one in the audience under the age of 40. My question is...who is audience for the Super Bowl? If they are only hoping to entertain my parents...then great job. Springsteen urged us at home to step away from the guacamole dip and put down are chicken fingers and turn our TVs all the way up. My question is why? Was it so we could hear his muffled lyrics? I was looking for something to like some chicken fingers to entertain me after his lackluster performance. 

I could not understand a word Springsteen was saying until his last two songs. He spent the first two minutes of his 12 minute set trying to pump up the crowd. Jumping on a piano and dancing his way into a camera man. When he finally started singing he was too out of breathe to sing. Luckily, his band has a million people to help cover-up Springsteen's lackluster performance. 

The glimmer of hope that made the halftime show worth watching was Springsteen's new hit single "Working on a Dream" It was the only song you could understand. Probably because he had his background singers right next to him on the stage and he is trying to sell his new album and tickets for his upcoming tour. 

I have never really been a Bruce Springsteen fan and this performance certainly did not help.

Hey Super Bowl, just because Janet Jackson messed up some years ago doesn't mean that you can only hire aging rock stars to perform.   

That's just my opinion. Let me know what you thought of Springsteen's performance and the rest of the music from the Super Bowl. 

American Idol

As you may have heard, American Idol is back. This year there are a few things different about America's favorite reality show. First, there is a fourth judge. (I guess Simon's mean comments and Paula's crazy antics weren't enough to get ratings.) Next, they are adding more music to the auditioning process. Yesterday we enjoyed some Journey "Don't Stop Believin'." (If you didn't know, judge Randy Jackson played with Journey in the 80s.) Tonight we have enjoyed some R.E.M and Joshua Radin (who I featured in the artist spotlight last week.)

American Idol is usually a place for pop music and nothing else. It is refreshing to see them featuring new and different sounds. Hopefully, this trend will continue on past the audition process. Maybe we will see some indie music played during the top 12 performances. American Idol was the place that featured "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter as their farewell song. This launched Powter onto the pop music charts. Perhaps American Idol has recognized its power within the music industry and will feature more indie music. Or better yet, maybe America will vote an indie artist as this year's American Idol. 

New Playlist

As I've said before I am the queen of the mix CD. I just created a new mix that I think you might enjoy. Check it out and let me know what you think. (FYI all of these songs can be found on iTunes)

Amy Macdonald- This is the Life

Bryan Greenberg- Someday

KaiserCartel- Seasons Song

Coldplay- Lost!

Snow Patrol- Take back the City

Lenka- The Show

Noah and the Whale- 5 Years Time

Slow Runner- The Stakes were Raised

John Butler Trio- Better Than

Daniel Martin Moore- That'll be the Plan

Jose Gonzalez- Heartbeats

Bic Runga- Sway

Jeremy Fisher- Goodbye Blue Monday

Joshua Radin- One of Those Days

Kate Voegele- Lift Me Up

Bebo Norman- Into the Day

Jason Reeves- Colors

Dashboard Confessional- Stolen

Sugarbomb- Hello

The Format- On Your Porch

Obama Inspired Music

President Barack Obama has inspired many people. These artists are no different. Below is a list of songs inspired by the election of our 44th president.

Dying to Survive (Feat. Barack Obama) - Ghostwridah

Barack Obama My Heroes- Roy Medina

Lookin' For A Leader- Neil Young

Black President- Nas

The People- Common

Barack Obama "Deans Way"- The Don

I Saw a Black Man in the White House- Lester Lewis

For more songs about Obama visit www.music.yahoo.com

Artist Spotlight--Joshua Radin

Joshua Radin's soothing voice and frank lyrics catch your attention and make you fall in love. If you love the mellow melody of the Garden State Soundtrack you will adore Joshua Radin.


This singer/songwriter does not sugarcoat his lyrics. Instead he mesmerizes you with melodies and a haunting voice.

Radin is just beginning to get airplay however, he has been around a while. His songs have been featured on television shows such as Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs (thanks to Zach Braff) and One Tree Hill. He also recently serenaded Ellen DeGeneres as she walked down the aisle.

As a Northeast Ohio native, this Cleveland born singer holds a special place in my heart. He enjoyed singing during his childhood, however, Radin never intended to be a professional musician. During his time at Northwestern University he studied drawing and painting. He held jobs as an art teacher, screenwriter, and art gallery employee after his years in college. It wasn't until he played one of his songs for pal Zach Braff that he began his career as a singer/songwriter. Radin's early work, a song called "Winter," found it's way onto Braff's TV show Scrubs in 2004. When fans started requesting more of his work, Radin decided to pursue songwriting and signed a deal with Columbia Records. In 2006 Radin released his debut album, We Were Here.


Radin then relocated himself to L.A. and began performing with the Hotel Cafe, a unique Hollywood venue specializing in performances by singer/songwriters. He then found himself on a national tour with other Hotel Cafe regulars such as Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles. He has continued writing and produced a pair of digital EPs which were released through iTunes. In late 2008 Radin released his sophomore album, Simple Times.





To learn more about Joshua Radin visit his webiste http://www.joshuaradin.com/ or www.myspace.com/joshuaradin. You can also find all of his work on iTunes. Enjoy!

And The Nominations Are In...

This morning Hollywood woke up early to announce the nominees for the 81st annual Academy Awards. There are only a few categories I care about (sorry outstanding achievement in sound mixing). The Academy has a history of surprising when it comes to nominations and winners for Achievement in music written for a motion picture, or what us normal folks call Best Original Song. (Remember when Three 6 Mafia won for "It's hard out here for a pimp.") This year is no different. Only three songs were even nominated and two are from the same movie.

Wall-E, "Down to Earth" by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman

Slumdog Millionaire, "Jai Ho" Music by AR Rahman with Lyrics by Gulzar

Slumdog Millionaire, "O Saya" by AR Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam

For a full list of Academy Award nominations visit www.oscar.com

Inauguration Music

As the inauguration of the 44th president comes to an end I would like to know what you thought about the music performed during the historic ceremony. (I'm not going to comment the fact that Obama struggled to recite the oath of office because that's not what this blog is all about.)

Aretha Franklin opened the ceremony with her rendition of "My Country 'Tis of Thee." Every American over the age of six knows the words to this song. Franklin, however, struggled. Maybe it was just me. She hid behind her soul background and belted out the few words she knew and let her background, pre-recorded music, do the work for her. The "Queen of Soul" maybe was not the best choice for this occasion.

Yo-Yo Ma, Hzhak Perlman, Anthony McGill and Gabriela Montero performed "Air and Simple Gifts" composed by John Williams. Did this song sound familiar to anyone else? If you grew up in church, it probably did. "Simple Gifts" is a Shaker song written in 1848 by Elder Joseph Brackett. Below are the lyrics to the one-verse song:

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come round right.

If those are not the lyrics you remember from Sunday morning singing. That may be because the melody is used in many hymnals for the song "Lord of the Dance."

Let me know what you thought of the music used to celebrate this historic event.

Record Sales

We are now half way through January and, of course, new albums have been released. But, have we heard of any of them. Have you gone out to buy any new albums since Christmas? It is not hard to understand why record sales dropped 14 percent from 2007, according to Nielsen SoundScan data. 

Even though digital sales have increased, it is not enough to make up for the loss in physical sales. "We don't focus anymore on total album sales or the sale of any one particular product as the metric of revenue or success," said Mr. Caraeff, the executive vice president of Universal Music Group's digital division, "We look at the total consolidated revenue from dozens of revenue lines behind a given artist or project, which include digital sales, the physical business, mobile sales and licensing income."

Music industry execs should probably start looking at record sales as an indicator of trouble. Maybe sales have dropped because the public has lost faith in the supposed "artists" they are being asked to support. I know I have. 

These "artists" that are being signed to major labels are the people that the record companies believe have the right look. The "right look" means the artist can be marketed, they have mass appeal or they can be cross-promoted with their acting career. Whatever happened to artists being signed because they have talent? Executives pass over these true artists for someone who looks good on a album cover. The labels are looking for people who will make them money right from the start. Example, Miley Cyrus had a built in fan base for debut album due to her success as Hannah Montana. 

I am still an idealist. Music has changed my life. It has given me faith when I had nothing else to believe in. I believe that music can change the world, if artists and labels still care enough to change it. If the artists and producers put out music they do not believe in, why am I supposed to believe in it? 

I know I am not the only person out there searching for more meaning from the music on the radio. The music industry can return to its glory days, but that's only if the industry executives and the artists they sign care about the work they put out. If the people making the music start to care about the music they put out the public will respond and record sales will increase. But, of course, this is just one person's humble opinion.  

Travel Music

I work part time for a company that plans trade shows. We are involved in a travel show called the AAA Great Vacations EXPO. I was asked to come up with some music to play during the show. (My bosses know me well.) This is what I came up with:

1. Two Tickets to Paradise- Eddie Money

2. Beautiful Day- U2

3. Living In Fast Forward- Kenny Chesney

4. Vacation- The Go-Gos

5. California Dreaming- Mamas and the Papas

6. Beverly Hills- Weezer

7. California- Phantom Planet

8. Surfin' Safari- The Beach Boys

9. Hotel California- The Eagles

10. Say Goodbye to Hollywood- Billy Joel

11. Hit the Road Jack- Ray Charles

12. Free Ride- 

13. Baby You Can Drive My Car- The Beatles

14. Living On a Prayer- Bon Jovi

15. Viva Las Vegas- Elvis Presley

16. Fun, Fun, Fun- The Beach Boys

17. I'm Gonna Be (5o0 Miles)- The Proclaimers

18. The Great Escape- Boys Like Girls

19. Mexico- James Taylor

20. Kokomo- The Beach Boys

21. Movin' Out- Billy Joel

22. Love Shack- B-52's

23. Midnight Train to Georgia- Gladys Knight and the Pips

24. The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia- Vicki Lawrence

25. Sitting on a Dock of the Bay- Otis Redding

26. Wake Me Up Before you Go-Go- Wham!

27. I Ran- Flock of Seagulls

28. Chattahoochie- Alan Jackson

29. Sweet Home Alabama- Lynyrd Skynyrd

30. Boys of Summer- Don Henley

31. I've Been Everywhere- Johnny Cash

32. Down Under- Men At Work

33. Margaritaville- Jimmy Buffet

34. Here I Go Again- Whitesnake

35. Day Tripper- The Beatles

36. New York State of Mind- Billy Joel

37. New York Minute- Don Henley

Let me know if there is anything that I missed...

Artist Spotlight-Jason Myles Goss

I stumbled across Jason Myles Goss and my life will never be the same. I was sitting at work listening to Pandora online radio and this tranquil voice came out of the speakers. I instantly stopped. I had not heard a sound like that since. . .I can't remember when. Goss pairs a soothing voice with mesmerizing lyrics to create a sound that is dramatically different from everything else around.

Poetry is the only way to describe Goss's songwriting style. He is a thinking person's songwriter. He sucks you into his world and takes you on a journey with his disarmingly sweet vocals. Another Ghost is so amazingly diverse that you never get tired of listening. Goss is a resurrection of folk singers of long ago. His lyrically driven music transports you to a simpler time.

Goss began his career like many people do, as a fan. According to his website, he became a fan of Bob Dylan while riding in the car with his dad on their traditional Sunday outings. (You can definitely hear Dylan's influence on Goss's early writing style on the album, Long Way Down.)

Born in the small town of Hopedale, MA, Goss began recording not far from the flea markets he used to frequent with his father on their Sunday outings. In 2003 he pressed his first album, Long Way Down. Later that year he was chosen as one of the finalists in the Newport Folk Festival Songwriter's Contest. After a month-long trip to Ireland to find inspiration, Goss moved to Boston and entered the music scene. It was there that he discovered some of the music that would be most influential to his writing, among them Josh Ritter, Elliot Smith and David Gray. The next two years were filled with performing and working on his follow-up.

In 2005, Another Ghost was released at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA. One of its song was recently featured on the trailer for the independent film Reticence.

Goss is not yet receiving the airtime he so desperately deserves. However, other media outlets are praising his talents:

"A diamond in the rough. . . his talent and appeal are undeniable. If you are not convinced of this yet, just wait until you catch him live or one of his fans catches up with you." -Pat Keating, Insite Magazine (Boston, MA)

". . .Goss's musical performance was enticing; his combination of storytelling and singing lured in listeners and brought them to his own level, as if they were living the songs themselves. . ." -The Ithacan, (Ithaca, NY)

2008 brought release of his live EP, Dreamland. This record was recorded live at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, MA. On his website, Jason writes, "Dreamland is a stepping-stone to a future album; these are not polished studio tracks, there are no smoke and mirrors, but the feeling is right. Throughout you can hear the bar staff washing glasses, shouts from the crowd braving the late hour; I can't think of a better place for these songs to live."

For more information on Jason Myles Goss visit www.jasonmylesgoss.com or www.myspace.com/jasonmylesgoss. You can also check him out on iTunes.

My Love Letter

Currently, my iTunes stores 4,523 songs and you probably haven't heard of half of the artists. I have become quite an audiophile in my 21 years. My library just keeps growing with each passing day and each concert I attend. 

It began when I was in junior high; everyone else I knew was obsessed with N'Sync and Backstreet Boys. And yes, I was a big fan of both bands. However, I also had two older brothers and a father who were introducing me to a variety of music while my 13 year-old girlfriends were only listening to the bubblegum pop that dominated the radio and Total Request Live (TRL).

I grew up listening to Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles and James Taylor. I grew an appreciation for singer/songwriters early in my life. (Even though I would never tell my father this.) I realized that the popular boy bands of my adolescence were entertaining, but did not have have the same qualities as artists like The Beatles. But, they were good-looking and I was 13. What is a girl supposed to do? 

As I've gotten older, my interest in true artists and good music has grown with me. I work hard to discover new artists that truly inspire me the way Simon and Garfunkel and The Beatles did when I was young. However, it became harder and harder to find these artists. 

It wasn't until I got to college that I realized there were other ways to get music outside what the radio was playing and the top 10 videos on TRL. I discovered websites that helped me explore my passion for music, such as Pandora and MySpace. Then, I discovered my true passion. I went to my first small venue concert. 

I realized that the best way to find new music was not only scouring the internet and my friends' CD collections, but also discovering an artist at a live performance. A live performance can turn you on to an artist instantly. As well as introduce you to new music through opening acts. 

Since then, I have been collecting a diverse portfolio. Put my iTunes on shuffle and you will hear anything from Britney Spears to Frank Sinatra to Brand New. I have no limits to what I will listen to. I will give everything a chance because I believe that there is music out there to fit every one of your moods. However, I do get tired of the same old stuff that is played on the radio. 

I cannot remember the last time I listened to the radio; I am the queen of the mix CD. I do not get in the car without one. The radio is just too repetitive. I blame the record labels for that. They have forgotten what a true artist is. There are very few artists like Simon and Garfunkel anymore. Or at least signed to major labels. You have to scour the indie labels' MySpace pages to find something good to listen to. 

My dream is that this can be a place to help people discover new music and help me discover new music as well. There is so much more out there than what the media gives us to enjoy. It is my hope that I can share some of my insights on the music industry and indie music's place in said industry. This is my love letter to an industry that, I believe, has changed my life and possibly yours as well. 

Some of the things that I am listening to... 

1. Voices- Nick Drake

2. Somewhere Only We Know- Keane

3. Twilight Serenade- Jason Myles Goss

Blogs I'm reading....

1. www.hearya.com

2. www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily

3. www.indiemusicfilter.com

4. www.indieupdate.com

5. www.BrooklynVegan.com