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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.