Medleyville

Neil Nathan taps Detroit scene to make debut album

There's just something about the Detroit music scene that strikes a chord with Neil Nathan.

It's not just one genre or era, either: Nathan, a New York-based singer/guitarist, digs Detroit rock, pop, R&B and soul from various decades. And his list of favorite acts includes legends (The Stooges, Alice Cooper) and contemporary names (Brendan Benson, The Go), plus artists who might not immediately come to mind when thinking about the Motor City’s music scene (such as Glenn Frey and Marshall Crenshaw).

Looking for a little "Midwest working-class grit and purity of soul without pretense," Nathan recorded nearly all of The Distance Calls, his debut album (which follows a series of EPs), at Tempermill in Ferndale, Mich. Joining Nathan at the studio, which is about 12 miles from Detroit, was a cast of Motor City-area musicians recruited by producer Bobby Harlow of The Go.

Continue reading "MOTOR CITY ADMIRER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 04:59 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Joe Firstman talks Treehouse and more

Singer/songwriter Joe Firstman has done a lot in his almost 10-year career in music. He's had a much buzzed about major label debut album, 2003's The War of Women. He’s been the opening act for such heavyweight headliners as Willie Nelson and Sheryl Crow, and he even had a stint as a late night bandleader for Last Call With Carson Daly.

With a new live-in-the-studio album, Live at the Treehouse, out now and a solo acoustic tour in progress, what does the California-based tunesmith have to say about these and other topics? Firstman checked in from a tour stop in Oxford, Miss., to provide the lowdown.

Continue reading "SPEAKING HIS MIND" »

Posted by Medleyville at 04:19 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Richard Patrick revisits Filter's past for new album

Turning 40 has not mellowed Richard Patrick. The Filter leader comes out swinging on the band's latest album, The Trouble With Angels, which he's proud to say echoes elements of Short Bus, Title of Record and Amalgamut.

Patrick recently checked in to discuss Angels, which is due Aug. 17 on Rocket Science Ventures.

Continue reading "A ROARING RELAPSE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 03:06 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Great Big Sea takes advantage of technology to make new album

Recording music is all about capturing ideas, feelings and moments. And these days, there’s really no need to panic if inspiration strikes outside of the studio.

The members of Great Big Sea, like other artists, have regularly used laptops for demo purposes. But the Canadian roots-rock band recently took things one step further, recording straight to singer/guitarist Alan Doyle's laptop and including those tracks on Great Big Sea's latest album, Safe Upon the Shore.

Continue reading "LAPTOP OF LUXURY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:32 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Sweden's Sister Sin draws selectively from '80s metal

The drummer stool for Counting Crows has seen its share of players, while second guitarists have come and gone for The Black Crowes.

Sister Sin can relate to that kind of turnover: The Swedish hard-rock act just can't seem to put its "bassist wanted" sign away for very long.

Continue reading "HOLD THE CHEESE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:31 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Unauthorized Bon Jovi book revisits band's rise to stardom

Debauchery, drugs and drinking went hand in hand with hair metal throughout the 1980s. And whether by design or accident, with tremendous pride or with great shame, evidence of the artists’ real or fabricated rock 'n' roll behavior reached the public during those years.

Bon Jovi pretty much avoided having anything of that sort connected to the band's image — until now.

Former Bon Jovi tour manager Rich Bozzett has written a book about the band's early days and its ascent to superstardom called Sex, Drugs and Bon Jovi.

As Bozzett says in his book (which includes some rather racy photos involving singer Jon Bon Jovi), a series of recent, independent Bon Jovi-related events led him to write Sex, Drugs and Bon Jovi, which was released July 26 through Blumberg Corporate Services. The following day, Bozzett checked in with Medleyville.us to talk about his book.

Continue reading "WILD IN THE '80s" »

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It's full speed ahead for AM Taxi

Talk about good timing. Chicago-based AM Taxi's debut album, We Don’t Stand a Chance (Virgin), was released June 8—just a few weeks before the pop-punk quintet joined Motion City Soundtrack, The All-American Rejects and others for the start of this year's Warped Tour.

Singer/guitarist Adam Krier checked in from the road to talk about AM Taxi's origins, recording the band's full-length disc in Texas and his thoughts on the Warped Tour so far.

Continue reading "PLENTY OF DRIVE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 05:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Christine Lavin serves up Cold Pizza for Breakfast

Babysitting Rex Ryan, meeting Bob Dylan, opening for Joan Rivers: These are just a few of the memories folk singer/songwriter Christine Lavin, best known for her work with the Four Bitchin’ Babes, covers in her new book, Cold Pizza for Breakfast: A Mem-Wha?? (Tell Me).

Lavin recently talked about her approach to writing Cold Pizza, her thoughts on the head coach of the New York Jets and her latest music project.

Continue reading "SLICES OF LIFE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 01:56 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

David Rhodes doesn't get boxed in by stylistic considerations

During the last 30-plus years, guitarist David Rhodes has built himself quite a resume.

He's successfully collaborated with Peter Gabriel, both in the studio and as part of his touring band; helmed a group called Random Hold, which has garnered a cult following; and has worked and recorded with such artists as Paul McCartney, Akira Inoue and Roy Orbison, among others.

Rhodes, who will be touring this summer in support of Bittersweet, recently checked in to talk about his new album, his style and select moments from his career.

Continue reading "SOUND OVER TECHNIQUE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:02 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

She may only be in her early 20s, but folkie singer/songwriter Samantha Crain is very old-school in her approach to recording music. The way Crain sees it, a recording captures a moment in time, and she doesn't like to devote a whole lot of time achieving the end result.

Continue reading "Q&A: SAMANTHA CRAIN" »

Posted by Medleyville at 03:35 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Whether it has to do with lyrics or song sequencing, Justin Currie puts a lot of thought into his work.

Currie, the former Del Amitri leader (and the voice behind the band's U.S. hits such as "Always the Last to Know" and "Roll to Me"), released his second solo effort, The Great War (Rykodisc), last month. He recently checked in with Medleyville.us to discuss (with dry humor and specific detail) his latest solo album as well as the aforementioned topics.

Continue reading "Q&A: JUSTIN CURRIE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:57 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Songwriter Rob Morsberger blends craft with content

Murdered civil rights workers, naturalist Charles Darwin, the blacklisting of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo – these are not typical topics found in pop songs.

Then again, singer/songwriter/keyboardist Rob Morsberger is not your typical pop musician. For one thing, he's classically trained. And when he's not pursuing his solo career, the versatile Morsberger is working as a sideman (his credits include Crash Test Dummies, Marshall Crenshaw and Dan Zanes) or as a TV composer (most notably for PBS' NOVA series).

On his recently released album, The Chronicle of a Literal Man, the New York-based Morsberger explores a variety of subjects in a, well, literate manner, but there’s plenty of melody to go along with the wordplay. Morsberger recently discussed his background, his approach to songwriting and more.

Continue reading "IDEAS AND EMOTIONS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 01:24 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Improv school spawns Derek and the Darling

They met at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, an improvisational and sketch comedy school in New York. But these days, instead of trying to make audiences laugh, Derek Nicoletto and Sammi Garett are focusing on connecting with crowds through their original music under the billing Derek and the Darling.

Continue reading "NO LAUGHING MATTER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:06 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Like many singer/songwriters, Martin Sexton walks to the beat of his own drum. For Sexton, that not only means making albums with songs that cross different genres, but also taking calculated risks during the recording process.

Sugarcoating (Kitchen Table Records), Sexton's latest, covers a range of sounds and emotions, and the process he used to make the recordings required a lot of confidence and preparation on his part.

Sexton recently discussed his approach to Sugarcoating and his upcoming tour, which begins April 15 in Connecticut.

Continue reading "Q&A: MARTIN SEXTON" »

Posted by Medleyville at 03:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

There are only five songs on Sweet Sister, but the latest from Raleigh, N.C.'s Annuals contains a double album's worth of interesting sounds and instruments.

The recently released new EP (on Banter Records) finds singer, songwriter and band leader Adam Baker once again in the producer role. Baker recently answered some questions about each track on Sweet Sister, as well as offered some additional insight into the making of the experimental pop collection.

Continue reading "TRACK BY TRACK: ANNUALS' SWEET SISTER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Man or Astroman?

As Austin, Texas, prepares to be overrun by musicians from around the world for this year's South by Southwest, Joe Belock makes life a little simpler by offering his Top 10 acts to check out during SXSW.

Continue reading "JOE BELOCK'S SXSW 2010 PREVIEW" »

Posted by Medleyville at 03:39 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Southern Gothic (EMI/Virgin), the debut album by the style-blending Atlanta-based collective The Constellations, won’t be released until June 22. But curious music listeners can get a taste of the album by visiting the Constellations site or, better yet, by checking out the band (which tours as a five-piece unit) at one of its many scheduled shows during South by Southwest.

Leader Elijah Jones took a few minutes to discuss the making Southern Gothic, the music scene in Atlanta and what's on his shortlist of things to do while in Austin, Texas.

Continue reading "SXSW PREVIEW: THE CONSTELLATIONS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 04:16 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Matthew Ryan gets creative with his own label, new video collection

One man's early leak of a new album is another man's staggered release. Singer/songwriter Matthew Ryan prefers the latter to describe the fall 2009 digital distribution of his latest, Dear Lover (Dear Future Collective), that preceded the mid-February arrival of the physical product in retail outlets.

Whether talking about the thought process behind the two-part release of Dear Lover, why he started his own label or explaining the story arc that runs through the new album, Ryan is not at a loss for words.

Continue reading "TAKING CONTROL" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:34 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The 88 hits the road with Ray Davies

Only time will tell if the rumored Kinks reunion tour will become a reality. Meanwhile, leader Ray Davies hit the road recently with a very capable band in The 88 backing him on classic Kinks songs.

The Los Angeles-based quartet may not be a household name, but its music has made its way into households nationwide via song placements in various network TV shows (such as CBS' How I Met Your Mother and NBC's Community) and through performances on late-night TV talk shows (among them Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Last Call With Carson Daly).

Singer/guitarist Keith Slettedahl recently talked about how The 88 landed the opening/backing spot on the Davies tour, the value of distributing music through TV shows, movies and commercials and what it was like for his band record an entire song using an Apple iPhone.

Continue reading "A KINKY COLLABORATION" »

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Newseum examines Elvis Presley's impact on popular culture

Jet-black dyed hair, long sideburns, frenzied performances, flashy clothes, innovative music, mediocre movies -- when Elvis Presley's name is mentioned, these are some of the things that immediately come to mind.

But don’t forget about freedom of expression, censorship and massive media exposure.

In its exhibit Elvis! His Groundbreaking, Hip-Shaking, Newsmaking Story, the Newseum in Washington, D.C., takes an all-encompassing look at Presley's personal life, career and overall impact on popular culture.

Continue reading "AN EXHIBIT FIT FOR A KING" »

Posted by Medleyville at 11:12 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Recent career choices have worked out well for April Smith

When April Smith needed money to record a new album, she turned to the fans. Not in a folkie pass-the-hat way or by employing public broadcasting-style pleading from the concert stage. The singer hooked up with Kickstarter.com, a fan-funding site that helps artists and creators reach their predetermined financial goals for specific projects.

Thanks to more than 200 backers, Smith not only reached her dollar goal in a two-month period, she surpassed it.

Continue reading "HER SHIP HAS COME IN" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:37 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

As the follow-up to 2008's Mockingbird, a collection of mostly cover songs, singer/songwriter Allison Moorer is set to release Crows, her first album for the Rykodisc label, on Feb. 9.

Moorer recently talked about how her craft has changed since recording Mockingbird, her working relationship with longtime collaborator R.S. Field (who produced the 13-track Crows) and the influence her husband, Steve Earle, has had on her guitar playing.

Continue reading "Q&A: ALLISON MOORER" »

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Sensible touring schedules matter to Barefoot Truth

The road can really make or break a band, no matter how long the act has been around or the length of the tour.

Just a few years after forming, Barefoot Truth embarked upon a weekend trip in spring 2007 that wasn't exactly a Spinal Tap adventure, but it did prompt everyone to think long and hard about future touring.

Continue reading "A LOGISTICAL THREAD" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:07 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Idol alum Katharine McPhee grows as a composer

When making their first albums, American Idol winners and high-placing runners-up tend to rely heavily on outside material, just like they did when competing on the Fox series.

Katharine McPhee finished second to Taylor Hicks on Idol in 2006, and she released her self-titled debut album the following year. True to form, it was dominated by songs written by others.

Unbroken (Verve/Forecast), released Jan. 5, is a different story: McPhee had a hand in writing half of the album's 12 official songs (a version of Melanie's "Brand New Key" is listed as a bonus track).

Continue reading "ON THE WRITE TRACK" »

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Even though she had been posting the occasional solo song on her Web site, Maura Kennedy says she never really had plans to make a proper solo album.

After all, as one half of the folk-rock duo The Kennedys with her husband, Pete Kennedy, her recording and touring schedule was already pretty full.

Some unexpected time off the road, though, gave Maura Kennedy the opportunity to write and record a batch of new songs. After hearing from some fans who preferred to have a tangible product instead of music downloads, Kennedy went ahead and put together a 13-song solo CD, Parade of Echoes (Planned Effervescence Recordings), due Jan. 19.

Kennedy recently discussed how the album came together, her husband's role in the project and the different locations she used to record the songs on Echoes.

Continue reading "Q&A: MAURA KENNEDY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:19 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Class Actress suits Elizabeth Harper just fine

During her brief recording career, singer Elizabeth Harper has not been shy about letting her myriad 1980s influences shine through.

Harper's self-titled debut album, originally released in 2005, essentially was a collection of guitar-driven demos she recorded and produced with Scott Rosenthal.

"I had no idea how Smiths-y it really was, but I was sort of obsessing over them at the time," she recalls.

But she also had a love of sampled drums and electronic music a la New Order and Depeche Mode. That side of her not only led to Harper adopting a different sound but also working with Rosenthal and Mark Richardson under the name Class Actress, which will release its debut EP on Feb. 9.

Continue reading "SHE'S WITH THE BAND" »

Posted by Medleyville at 12:22 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Doughboys waste little time making second album

Some reunions take a little time to gather momentum.

When The Doughboys got back together in 2000 after more than 30 years apart, the result was a period of sporadic gigs for the New Jersey rock 'n' roll band. The chances of the group expanding its recording catalog beyond the two singles that were released in the late '60s didn't seem likely at first.

Then in 2007, The Doughboys released their first album, Is It Now? "Black Sheep," one of the album's originals, found a home on Little Steven's Underground Garage, and the band gigged throughout 2008 and 2009.

Relatively speaking, The Doughboys have quickly cooked up a sequel, Act Your Rage, which was released on RAM Records. Singer Myke Scavone, drummer Richie Heyman, guitarist Gar Francis and bassist Mike Caruso recently discussed the making of the new album, the "garage rock" tag and more.

Continue reading "RAGE ON" »

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Holiday compilation album benefits diabetes research

When they were the backbone to Creedence Clearwater Revival, Stu Cook and Doug Clifford covered their share of early rock hits for the band's studio albums.

As the bassist and drummer, respectively, for Creedence Clearwater Revisited (above), Cook and Clifford continue that trend with the group's rendition of the Chuck Berry holiday favorite "Run Rudolph Run" that's featured on Hope for the Holidays: Rockin' Christmas for a Cure.

Continue reading "ROCK OF HOPE" »

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Golden Bloom, Motion Sick team up for split effort

Golden Bloom and The Motion Sick have taken a different approach to the split-single concept.

Instead of contributing one original song to the project, each band covered a tune from the other’s catalog.

Agreeing to the project was a no-brainer for The Motion Sick's Mike Epstein.

"All of us in The Motion Sick are big Golden Bloom fans," the singer/guitarist says. "We've always been excited when we have a chance to do shows together."

As for the decision to record Golden Bloom's "Doomsday Devices," Epstein says, "It's one of those songs that [makes me] think, 'Damn, I wish I had written that.' "

Continue reading "SINGLE-MINDED" »

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Photographer reflects on his years with Pearl Jam

As Pearl Jam made the rapid climb from rookie to superstar act, Seattle native Lance Mercer was there with his trusty camera as the band's designated photographer.

5x1: Pearl Jam Through the Eye of Lance Mercer features plenty of Mercer's images of the group, and on Dec. 12, he’ll sign copies of the book at Manhattan's Morrison Hotel Gallery, where some of Mercer's PJ pics will be on display.

Mercer recently talked about his working relationship with the band, shooting the cover for Ten and much more.

Continue reading "Q&A: LANCE MERCER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:49 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Alison Sudol breaks down her band’s holiday EP

Making Oh Blue Christmas (Virgin) was a series of firsts for A Fine Frenzy leader Alison Sudol, and that's only natural considering the EP is the band's first holiday release.

Recorded in less than a week with very little prep time, the Oh Blue Christmas sessions marked the first time Sudol and the rest of her band recorded with everyone playing at once, the first time they worked with David Bianco and the first time Sudol formally held the producer role.

"It was terrifying at first," she recalls, "but once I got the hang of it, [producing] was so very rewarding and fun. It was quite an adventure."

Sudol recently sat down to give a little background on each song that's included on Oh Blue Christmas.

Continue reading "SEASONAL INSIGHT" »

Posted by Medleyville at 03:23 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Carolyn Sills writes holiday tune based on a classic film

Plenty of people have Christmas Eve traditions.

Growing up, Carolyn Sills would watch the James Stewart classic It’s a Wonderful Life with her father on the night before Christmas. By her estimation, she’s seen the movie in its entirety more than 20 times.

Those repeated viewings eventually resulted in Sills being inspired in the fall of 2007 to write a song named after Stewart’s character, George Bailey.

Continue reading "A WONDERFUL RESULT" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:11 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The '00s, the aughts – whatever you want to call this decade, it's coming to a close.

Musically speaking, it's been an interesting era, to say the least. Without further ado, here are the albums of the decade according to Medleyville staffers.

Continue reading "MEDLEYVILLE'S ALBUMS OF THE DECADE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 02:44 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

MxPx starts own label for latest releases

MxPx has a thing for EPs, but what's different about the latest, Left Coast Punk, is that it’s the first one on the California punk band's own label.

Singer/bassist Mike Herrera recently fielded some questions about the new EP as well as the trio's first-ever Christmas album.

Continue reading "ONE STEP FURTHER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:54 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

For The Sweet Remains, voices and personalities are a nice fit

When solo singer/songwriters Rich Price and Greg Naughton would team up to play an occasional show, they often wondered how good their vocal harmony blend would be with a third singer.

During a cross-country tour in 2007 with acquaintance Brian Chartrand, Price felt he had found the right guy.

Continue reading "PERFECT HARMONY" »

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Saving Abel tops hard rock package tour

My, they grow up so quickly these days.

Saving Abel only has one album under its belt, but after scoring a bunch of radio hits from its self-titled 2008 debut, the Mississippi hard rock band has already established somewhat of a veteran presence.

That explains why Saving Abel is the headliner of The Class of 2009 Tour, which also features fellow recent hitmakers Red and Pop Evil, as well as Taddy Porter, which has been dubbed the freshman act of the bunch.

Guitarist Jason Null, who co-founded Saving Abel, recently took some time between tour dates to talk about the band’s past, present and future.

Continue reading "HEAD OF THE CLASS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 03:52 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Singer/songwriter Chris Ayer continues working on his craft

Revising lyrics – it’s all part of being a songwriter. Throw a little philosophy into the process, and that can complicate things a little more.

While at Stanford University, Chris Ayer studied philosophy and music, so every now and then he might become lyrically trapped in "overly complicated, convoluted ways of describing something" when a song has been inspired by philosophical elements.

Continue reading "GRADUAL GROWTH" »

Posted by Medleyville at 11:40 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Latest album by The Almost brings band together

"Hey, we got a record over here, Dusty," Jay Vilardi shouts across the EMI rooftop to Dusty Redmon, his guitar counterpart in The Almost.

Redmon, who is standing a few feet away, cuts off the conversation he's having with someone else and looks over at Vilardi.

"What?" Redmon asks.

"We got a record," Vilardi responds with enthusiasm.

Redmon got the message the second time.

"Are the thank yous in it?" Redmon asks as he approaches Vilardi.

“Yeah -- thanks to him,” Vilardi answers, smiling.

Vilardi gestures to singer Aaron Gillespie, who's carefully looking over a copy of Monster Monster (Tooth & Nail/Virgin/EMI), the new Almost album. Bassist Alex Aponte joins the others in gazing at the CD's booklet and packaging, and their collective reaction makes it evident that this sunny late October afternoon in Manhattan has taken on some added meaning.

Continue reading "A MONSTER EFFORT" »

Posted by Medleyville at 11:15 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Livan rebounds from addiction to make solo debut

The list of rockers with unhealthy vices is a long one, and so is the tally of those who died as a result of their addictions.

London-based singer/songwriter Livan makes no bones about being a recovering drug addict, and he says it’s so much better "to be one of them and not six feet under."

Continue reading "STILL AROUND" »

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TV connection has served Green River Ordinance well

Count Green River Ordinance guitarist Joshua Wilkerson among those who feel that video and music make for a perfect marriage.

Like so many other acts in recent years, his Texas-bred rock band has gone prime-time by having its songs featured in various television series. In GRO's case, the TV placement of tunes from the album Out of My Hands led to a recent spike in visits to the Green River Ordinance MySpace page, according to the band's label, EMI/Virgin Records.

Wilkerson recently spoke about his band's television exposure, what he and his bandmates are listening to as they travel from gig to gig and other topics.

Continue reading "SMALL-SCREEN SUPPORT" »

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Blevins mixes sonic flavors on hyperstory debut

When C. Scott Blevins says he conceived the self-titled hyperstory debut album as a studio project, he's not kidding.

Guitarist/producer Blevins used about nine different facilities in the Los Angeles area to program, record, edit and mix the ambient, genre-blending, nine-song effort, which is due Nov. 10 on Pureland Records. (The song "a happening" can be downloaded for free now.)

Continue reading "AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 12:19 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Dennis Diken teams up with old friend for side project

Smithereens drummer Dennis Diken is quick to point out that the recently released Late Music (Cryptovision Records) is not a solo album.

The 1960s-flavored pop and rock songs on the album, which is credited to Dennis Diken With Bell Sound, were "hatched," Diken says, along with longtime friend Pete DiBella. Along the way, they had help from Dave Amels, Andy Paley, The Honeys and members of The Wondermints, with recording done in New Jersey and California.

Diken recently sat down to talk about reuniting with DiBella, Amels' role in making Late Music a reality and what the future holds for The Smithereens.

Continue reading "BETTER LATE THAN NEVER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 04:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Adam Marsland talks about influences behind Go West

The way Adam Marsland sees it, the hallmarks of a great double album are "a spirit of adventure, creating a larger world of the imagination that you can retreat to again and again, and knowing when to reel it in, so you don't try the listener's patience."

With that in mind, the California-based singer and multi-instrumentalist recorded a double disc of his own, the diverse, 23-track Go West, which was released during the summer. He recently took some time to discuss the half-dozen double albums that were the most influential to him making Go West. His tastes skewed toward the ‘70s, he says, because the concept of the double album is "rooted in vinyl, and the sounds that resonate with me are layered, pop-based compositions recorded by real musicians on real instruments."

Continue reading "DOUBLE THE INSPIRATION" »

Posted by Medleyville at 05:37 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Over the last 20 years, Ace Frehley has done a reunion album and full-makeup tours with the classic Kiss lineup, appeared in a very funny Dunkin' Donuts commercial and dropped by VH1 Classic's That Metal Show, just to name a few of his high-profile accomplishments and appearances.

What he hasn't done is release a new solo album. That changes with this month's release of Anomaly, the first on Frehley's own Bronx Born label. Frehley recent discussed the work involved with Anomaly, his new signature Gibson Les Paul guitar and what he remembers from making his first solo album during the heyday of Kiss.

Continue reading "Q&A: ACE FREHLEY" »

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Colin Linden talks about Richard Bell, latest projects

Although keyboardist Richard Bell doesn't play a note on Colin Linden's latest, From the Water, his spirit can be felt throughout the album, which was released in May on True North Records.

Perhaps the most respectful gesture that singer/guitarist Linden and his bandmates made during the recording process was not including a full-time replacement for Bell, who died in 2007 at age 61 after a battle with cancer.

Continue reading "FROM THE HEART" »

Posted by Medleyville at 11:21 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Marcy Playground allows Indaba community to reimagine latest album

John Wozniak says he's always thinking about new and interesting ways to collaborate and share his music.

During this year's South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, the Marcy Playground leader and some new acquaintances came up with something that he can't stop raving about.

Continue reading "(RE)MIXING IT UP" »

Posted by Medleyville at 04:17 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Chloe Temtchine endures rough moments making her debut album

You get what you pay for, and that old cliché certainly applies when it comes to hiring musicians for a recording project.

Chloe Temtchine made an entire album with musicians who worked on the cheap, and the New York-based singer/multi-instrumentalist ended up with what she describes as "terrible stuff."

Continue reading "QUITE AN EXPERIENCE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:40 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Justin Trawick loses day gig but doesn’t miss a beat

Losing a steady job can be catastrophic and heartbreaking. For singer/songwriter Justin Trawick, his dismissal was a case of divine intervention.

Trawick was working as an accounts manager for SoundExchange, a nonprofit company that collects performance royalties from satellite radio and other avenues for musicians, when he was let go in November.

Continue reading "WORKING TOWARD HIS GOALS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:54 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Shawn Fogel, who records alone and with others under the group name Golden Bloom, has been very generous of late, making individual songs from the album Fan the Flames available as free downloads on various Web sites.

For those who prefer one-stop shopping, the entire 10-track Golden Bloom album is due Aug. 18 via the Sleepy West label. The New Jersey-based Fogel – who plays nearly all of the instruments on Fan the Flames -- recently took the time to provide a little background on each song.

Continue reading "TRACK BY TRACK:
GOLDEN BLOOM’S FAN THE FLAMES" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:19 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Sara Wasserman releases her debut album

Although she was helped out by a variety of music industry veterans – including her father, the acclaimed bassist Rob Wasserman -- singer Sara Wasserman clearly was in charge during the making of her debut album, Solid Ground (That Other Label).

She co-produced Solid Ground and co-wrote six of the songs for the album, which was seven years in the making. As for bringing in the star guests, that was entirely her responsibility.

Continue reading "WORKING FROM THE GROUND UP" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:57 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The Rhode Island-based folkie trio The Low Anthem made a splash late last year with the release of Oh My God, Charlie Darwin.

On June 9, the Nonesuch label released a remastered version of the album with a different track sequence. Bassist Jeff Prystowsky recently discussed the thinking behind the reissue, working with studio ace Bob Ludwig on the project, the band’s experience at Bonnaroo this year and other subjects.

Continue reading "Q&A: THE LOW ANTHEM" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:18 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The Lonely H capitalizes on its momentum

In summer 2007, newly minted high school graduate Mark Fredson talked about the immediate future for his band, The Lonely H.

"We're going to college, and we're going to get our degrees and have something to [fall back on]," the singer said at the time. "Doing the band full-time -- if we start making some profits, I can definitely take that option. But we're not solely relying on the band as a career. We're looking at it from a more practical point of view."

Plans have changed since then – the members of the Port Angeles, Wash.-based rock band have shelved college.

Continue reading "ENROLLED IN ROCK 'N' ROLL" »

Posted by Medleyville at 06:42 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Roughly two years ago, singer/guitarist Bruno Mascolo met guitarist Jason Nott outside the Troubadour in Los Angeles. Since then, they've formed the band Drive A, played shows with such veteran acts as Papa Roach and Stone Temple Pilots and recorded the debut album Loss of Desire, which was released in May.

Nott recently reflected on meeting Mascolo as well as some other key musical firsts in his life.

Continue reading "FIRST THINGS FIRST: DRIVE A" »

Posted by Medleyville at 11:26 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Rocker recalls his road to music and more

Before Tim Brantley became consumed with music, playing baseball occupied a lot of his time. And even though his primary tools these days are guitars and pianos, not bats and spikes, he still makes baseball comparisons when talking about his music career.

One important lesson Brantley says he learned while making his debut album, Goldtop Heights (Blackledge Records), was discovering "what you're really going to get out of every guy on the team" while recording.

Continue reading "THE BALLAD OF TIM BRANTLEY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:12 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The Clarks find the time for work, family

It's been five years since The Clarks released a new studio album, but the Pittsburgh-based quartet hasn’t exactly been loafing since 2004's Fast Moving Cars.

There have been children born, outside projects released and continuous band touring leading up to Restless Days, due June 9 on High Wire/Fontana. It’s the latest hummable, rockin', toe-tapping album by the longtime no-nonsense band – still featuring the original lineup of singer/guitarist Scott Blasey, guitarist/singer Robert James, bassist/singer Greg Joseph and drummer/singer David Minarik Jr. -- that typifies the hard-working and humble character of its home city.

James recently discussed the band's new album, the band's longevity and other subjects.

Continue reading "STRIKING A BALANCE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:40 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Growing up, Emily Wells says she was surrounded by music. But it was after visiting a self-described "tiny jazz hole in the wall" during her teens that the experimental singer and multi-instrumentalist gained a greater appreciation for jazz and live performance.

Continue reading "STORYTIME: EMILY WELLS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 03:24 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Mike Herrera keeps busy with MxPx, Tumbledown

The idea of Mike Herrera fronting an Americana-sounding band might throw a few MxPx fans for a loop. But that's what the longtime punk is doing on the self-titled album by Tumbledown, which is due this month.

Herrera recently fielded some questions about his new project as well as the most recent MxPx album, On the Cover II.

Continue reading "DOUBLE DUTY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 05:25 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Fastball singer/guitarist talks about Little White Lies

A lot has changed both personally and professionally in recent years for Fastball's Miles Zuniga.

Currently on tour in support of Fastball’s latest, Little White Lies, the singer/guitarist recently talked about some of those life changes, the Texas-based rock/pop band's new album and other topics.

Continue reading "MILES ZUNIGA TELLS THE TRUTH" »

Posted by Medleyville at 03:56 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Just from reading their self-penned band bio, it's easy to tell that Suzanne Santo and Ben Jaffe -- who record under the group name honeyhoney -- have a good sense of humor.

Interviews tend to bring out the funny in them, too. Santo and Jaffe recently took time out from their tour in support of the eclectic First Rodeo (released last fall on Ironworks Music, a label run by actor Kiefer Sutherland and musician Jude Cole) to answer a few questions via e-mail.

Continue reading "Q&A: HONEYHONEY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 02:11 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Kevin Russell discusses the latest Gourds album

The new Gourds album has a slight country flavor to it, and according to singer Kevin "Shinyribs" Russell, that element of Haymaker! (Yep Roc) is his doing.

Continue reading "A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:56 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

For her new album, the recently released Red River Flower, Americana singer/songwriter Brigitte DeMeyer recorded in Nashville, Tenn., for the first time ever, and she was backed by some ace musicians.

The California-based DeMeyer, who is a showcasing artist at this year's South by Southwest, recently talked about recording in Music City with the likes of Buddy Miller and Al Perkins.

Continue reading "SXSW PREVIEW: BRIGITTE DeMEYER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:10 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Singer JJ Sicotte hasn’t been shy about making a change to the lineup of his current band, From Jupiter.

"Trying out different members really helps you narrow down what you seek in a band member," says the 19-year-old Sicotte, who already has had musicians come and go since making the band’s debut album, No, Seriously.

Continue reading "(UNOFFICIAL) SXSW PREVIEW:
FROM JUPITER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:27 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Nobody would ever mistake Hammonton, N.J., with New York, Los Angeles or any other music capital.

But Hammonton – roughly 30 miles west from the casino town Atlantic City – is where Early November frontman Ace Enders calls home.

Continue reading "(UNOFFICIAL) SXSW PREVIEW:
ACE ENDERS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:20 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Throughout 2008, New York-based singer/guitarist Ari Hest was a songwriting machine, composing and recording a song per week as part of his 52 project.

He reworked a dozen of those songs for his latest album, Twelve Mondays, which was released March 10. Hest recently spoke about his challenging and productive '08, shaping up the material for the album and whether he'd work with a major label again.

Continue reading "Q&A: ARI HEST" »

Posted by Medleyville at 11:21 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Apples in Stereo, others booked for tribute in NYC

For Apples in Stereo bassist Eric Allen, his interest in R.E.M. began when he first heard “Begin the Begin” from the Georgia-bred band’s 1986 album, Lifes Rich Pageant.

On March 11, Apples in Stereo -- along with Bob Mould, The dB's, Marshall Crenshaw, Patti Smith, Guster and others -- will pay tribute to R.E.M. during a fundraiser at Manhattan’s Carnegie Hall.

Continue reading "IN HONOR OF R.E.M." »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:58 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Blind Pilot’s Dobrowski recalls self-powered tour

Overpacking is a concern no matter if the road trip in question is a family vacation or a band tour. It's also an issue regardless of the chosen mode of transportation.

Last summer, Blind Pilot launched a three-month tour by way of bicycles, and traveling that way meant the group could only bring "just enough" gear to get the job done, says drummer Ryan Dobrowski.

Continue reading "HAVE BIKES, WILL TRAVEL" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Blagojevich mess inspires Golden Bloom's Fogel

Andy Warhol once predicted that everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.

For his ode to Rod Blagojevich, Golden Bloom frontman Shawn Fogel gives the former Illinois governor 60 seconds in the musical spotlight.

Continue reading "POLITICAL PUSH" »

Posted by Medleyville at 11:45 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Bigelf wears old-school badge with pride

Anyone who knows anything about instruments would be impressed by the vintage gear that Bigelf brings on the road: a Hammond C3 organ, a Mellotron keyboard and Gibson and Fender guitars from the 1960s and 1970s.

"Yeah, it's quite a haul, but it's the only way," says singer/keyboardist Damon Fox. "These instruments are unique; they give off a special sound. That's why we use them."

Continue reading "HIGH STANDARDS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:31 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Vox Jaguars come out swinging with debut EP

The Vox Jaguars may be young, but the members of the feisty, Santa Cruz., Calif.-based garage-rock band are wise when it comes to the realities of a recording budget and a lack of studio savvy.

Continue reading "YOUTHFUL SWAGGER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 11:58 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Fifty years later, Dion DiMucci still thinks about his late Winter Dance Party tour mates Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. DiMucci also has not forgotten what it was like riding around the frozen Midwest with them during early 1959.

Continue reading "STORYTIME: DION DiMUCCI" »

Posted by Medleyville at 03:25 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Aaron Zimmer is in a New York state of mind

When Aaron Zimmer felt that relocating to the big city was best for his music career, his new start coincided with the start of a new year.

Continue reading "THE RIGHT MOVE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 03:41 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

DiNizio covers Holly classics on new solo album

Throughout his career, Pat DiNizio has tipped his cap to Buddy Holly by performing the late rock 'n' roll legend's material, writing a song named after Holly's widow and even wearing oversized Holly-style specs.

DiNizio takes his appreciation for Holly to another level with Pat DiNizio/Buddy Holly, due Jan. 27 on Koch Records. The latest solo album by the Smithereens leader features his renditions of 11 songs from the Holly catalog.

Continue reading "ALL ABOUT BUDDY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 12:21 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

After years in the making, Guns N' Roses finally released Chinese Democracy.

Sorry, Axl Rose, but it didn't make Medleyville staffer George Henn's list of the best albums from 2008.

These discs did make the cut:

Continue reading "GEORGE HENN'S TOP ALBUMS OF 2008" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:56 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Ollabelle is close to finishing new studio album

One more day -- that's all it should take for Ollabelle to finish up its new studio album, according to bassist Byron Isaacs.

"Getting this all together for that one day in the studio is turning out to be tricky," he admits. "We just have a couple of background parts that haven’t gone down. That's it -- then it will be ready to mix."

Continue reading "IT'S ALMOST TIME" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:16 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Social Code singer talks new studio, new EP

When Social Code singer Travis Nesbitt says his band built its own recording studio, he really means it.

"We did it all -- demolition, framing, electrical, drywall, taping, painting and all the finishing work," Nesbitt explains. "There was a small plumbing job that we got someone in to do, but everything else we did."

Continue reading "WHAT HE SAID" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:07 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Even old friends surprise each other every once in a while.

Longtime Eagles collaborator JD Souther says he had no idea that the band chose to record "How Long," a song from his 1972 solo debut, for the group’s Long Road Out of Eden.

Continue reading "STORYTIME: JD SOUTHER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:14 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Glen Phillips enjoying solo career, band projects

Put a bunch of notable musicians together under a common name, and the natural thing to do is dub the collective a "super group."

Glen Phillips, best known for his work with Toad the Wet Sprocket, doesn't use that term to describe Works Progress Administration. In addition to Phillips, WPA's members (eight total) include siblings Sean and Sara Watkins from Nickel Creek, Benmont Tench from Tom Petty's Heartbreakers and Pete Thomas from Elvis Costello's Imposters.

Continue reading "BEST OF BOTH WORLDS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:07 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Mad Buffalo's Randy Riviere has the Wilderness on his mind

It's easy to understand why Randy Riviere's music often has a landscape setting.

The roots-rock singer/songwriter/guitarist who records under the name Mad Buffalo has a master's degree in wildlife biology, and his nonmusic career includes contributing to the preservation of 40,000-plus acres as permanent wildlife conservation easements for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Continue reading "LAND OF OPPORTUNITY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Solo career is Brian Vander Ark's focus

In 2002, the year after The Verve Pipe released what to date is the band's last studio album, singer Brian Vander Ark hit the road, but not in the typical way.

Needing "some sort of cleansing," Vander Ark says he got rid of most everything he had except for a 1994 Ford Fleetwood RV.

Continue reading "OPTIMISM'S GLOW" »

Posted by Medleyville at 06:22 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Laura Warshauer, Island Def Jam are on the same page

Call it the appetizer before the main course.

With Laura Warshauer's first full-length effort for the Island Def Jam Music Group finished and due in 2009, the company will release a self-titled, seven-song CD on Sept. 23 by the folk-pop singer/songwriter/guitarist as a way to whet the public’s appetite.

Continue reading "IN A GOOD PLACE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Unwritten Law documents live show, works on new album

A bigger budget could have meant an orchestra playing on Unwritten Law's new concert set, suggests singer Scott Russo.

Continue reading "STAGE AND STUDIO" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:31 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Nashville, Tenn.-based singer/pianist Brooke Waggoner is making the most out of releasing her debut album, Heal for the Honey.

First came an exclusive iTunes release on Sept. 2. She will make it available worldwide on Sept. 9. And for those who like purchasing physical copies of albums in brick-and-mortar buildings, well, Waggoner will release Heal for the Honey in CD form via her own label, Swoon Moon Music, on Oct. 7.

To commemorate her first album, Waggoner recently took some time to discuss some of her other musical firsts.

Continue reading "FIRST THINGS FIRST: BROOKE WAGGONER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:50 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Musicians join forces for benefit concert

When it comes to memorable moments at Manhattan's Bowery Ballroom, singer/songwriter Frank Bango can recall quite a few from his days working there as a bartender and manager.

There was the time he and Jonathan Richman played Wiffle ball following a concert. And then there was the night he served Arthur Lee a bloody Mary.

On Aug. 26, Bango, who has been battling cancer since March 2007, added a batch of Bowery memories to his list. That evening, Richard Buckner, Victoria Williams and others performed at the hip venue as part of the Frank Bango Bone Marrow-thon/Stem Cell-abration benefit.

Here Bango shares with Medleyville.us some of what he felt made it a special night.

Continue reading "ALL FOR FRANK BANGO" »

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She likes to keep busy, and lately, singer/songwriter Juliana Hatfield has been just that.

Continue reading "Q&A: JULIANA HATFIELD" »

Posted by Medleyville at 06:24 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Chris Cain of We Are Scientists breaks down Brooklyn's best and more

Coney Island. Nathan's Famous. The Dodgers.

Through the years, Brooklyn, N.Y., has been the home to some pretty notable things. Chris Cain, one half of the Brooklyn-based rock duo We Are Scientists, recently took time from his band's tour supporting Brain Thrust Mastery (Virgin/Astralwerks) to talk about his beloved borough.

Continue reading "SYSTEMIZED KNOWLEDGE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:42 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Matt MacDonald talks about his Classic Crime band mates

One guy brings many more clothes on the road than others. Another is a smooth talker with women.

Classic Crime singer Matt MacDonald recently discussed this and more about the fellow members of his alt-rock band.

Continue reading "THE WAY THAT THEY ARE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:10 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

By helping former Impressions singer Jerry Butler at the start of his solo career, Curtis Mayfield ended up helping the group get back on track by earning much-needed money, recalls Sam Gooden.

Gooden (above left, with Mayfield and Fred Cash), a member of the Impressions as far back as 1958's "For Your Precious Love," recalls that the money Impressions singer/guitarist Mayfield earned from touring with Butler played a key role in the R&B vocal group recording one of its most notable hits.

Continue reading "STORYTIME: SAM GOODEN OF THE IMPRESSIONS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:53 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

the morning benders wrap first national tour

Spring 2008 was a memorable one for the morning benders. In addition to releasing its debut album, Talking Through Tin Cans (+1 Records), on May 6, the California rock band embarked upon its first national tour, making stops in Denver, Milwaukee, Chicago and New York, among other major markets.

Singer/guitarist Chris Chu recently fielded some questions about the morning benders' recent road adventures as his group prepares to go on tour again.

Continue reading "TRAVEL TALK" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:50 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Cherry Poppin’ Daddies return with Susquehanna

Named after a river in upstate New York, Susquehanna (Space Age Bachelor Pad Records) marks the return of Oregon's Cherry Poppin' Daddies. Singer Steve Perry discusses some of the challenges in making the new album, what he did during the eclectic band's hiatus and more.

Continue reading "BACK IN THE FLOW" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:40 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Architects singer Brandon Phillips embraces songwriting basics

The way Brandon Phillips sees it, creative freedom needs to be used responsibly when writing songs, particularly within the indie-rock realm.

Continue reading "A SOLID FOUNDATION" »

Posted by Medleyville at 01:38 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Allen Hill talks classic tunes and summer's appeal

Across the greater Houston area for more than a decade, an Allen Oldies Band performance has generally meant an instant party, thanks to the combo's Lone Star Beer-fueled hijinks, its impressive chops -- when not paying tribute to '60s pop classics at their own headlining shows, they semi-regularly back such legends as Roy Head and Archie Bell -- and its mission to keep dance floors full.

With the release of their new CD, Ride the Wild Surf (Freedom Records), Allen Hill and his expansive backing band provide a spirited -- and portable -- soundtrack that is tailored for a summertime bash.

Continue reading "ALL ABOUT THE OLDIES" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:18 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Prolific would be one way to describe Matthew Ryan. Given his background, calling him a working-class musician would suit the 36-year-old singer/songwriter just as well.

Continue reading "Q&A: MATTHEW RYAN" »

Posted by Medleyville at 06:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Del Amitri's Justin Currie flies solo

As he was writing songs for his first solo album, Justin Currie was totally against releasing it under his own name, which he describes as "annoying and very uncool."

Continue reading "UNDER HIS CONTROL" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:12 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Zach Rogue talks about changing labels

Sub Pop was never intended to be a place where Rogue Wave would spend its career, says leader Zach Rogue.

So when the California band's two-album deal with the Seattle-based label ended, re-signing wasn't on the agenda.

Continue reading "FROM SUB POP TO BRUSHFIRE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:32 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

What a difference a few years can make.

In 2002, singer/songwriter Rosey made her debut with Dirty Child, released on Island/Def Jam. Since then, she's put pop music on the back burner in order to pursue jazz.

Continue reading "Q&A: ROSEY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:13 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

First-time showcases by R.E.M. and Van Morrison, plus separate humor-filled interviews with Lou Reed and Mick Jones, were among the notable events of this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference/festival in Austin, Texas.

R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe in action at Stubb's.

Continue reading "SXSW '08 IN REVIEW" »

Posted by Medleyville at 05:47 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

What began in 2006 as a folkie solo project for singer/guitarist Meric Long (under the billing Dodobird) has evolved into the San Francisco guitar-and-drums duo The Dodos, which also features Logan Kroeber.

Continue reading "SXSW '08 PREVIEW: THE DODOS" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:51 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

His real name is Jason Drake. But when it comes to his music career, the New York-based singer and multi-instrumentalist goes by the moniker Cassettes Won’t Listen.

Continue reading "SXSW '08 PREVIEW: CASSETTES WON'T LISTEN" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:41 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Cary Brothers readies latest Hotel Cafe Tour

He originally called it a crazy idea, Cary Brothers remembers. Now he describes his Hotel Cafe Tour as bigger and better than ever.

Continue reading "MUSIC IS SERVED" »

Posted by Medleyville at 05:37 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Checking in with Jennifer O'Connor

Last spring, Jennifer O'Connor hinted that the songs she planned to write around that time would reflect her current romantic bliss.

O'Connor did end up composing some love songs, "but there are a lot of different themes, I think, in the new stuff," the New York singer/songwriter/guitarist says.

Continue reading "FROM THE HEART" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:27 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Dawn Landes turns misfortune into music

When her laptop computer and hard drive containing songs meant for her second album were stolen, Dawn Landes took a page from Ernest Hemingway's career and started over from scratch.

Continue reading "SHOWING PLENTY OF SPARK" »

Posted by Medleyville at 06:45 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The Kennedys explore the unconscious mind

Dreaming is a great source of creativity, says singer/multi-instrumentalist Pete Kennedy, and he and wife Maura tested that theory while writing songs for the latest Kennedys album, Better Dreams (Appleseed).

Continue reading "CREATIVE AWAKENING" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:23 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Ari Hest launches ambitious Web service

It's not unusual for a musician's calendar to be filled with commitments a year in advance.

New York singer/songwriter Ari Hest's datebook for 2008 is rather unique, though. Throughout '08, he will deliver one new song per week to subscribers of his Web-based service called 52, which he launched Jan. 7 with the song "One Two."

Continue reading "SONGS APLENTY" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:04 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Drummer John Johnson uses whatever works best

Five years ago, John Johnson and Henry Kammerer decided to make music together, with Johnson playing the role of drummer.

But in reality, he wasn't a drummer, didn't have real drums and couldn't afford to buy any.

Continue reading "PLENTY OF KICK" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:44 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The time has come to celebrate and scold the music, artists and events of the past 12 months. Medleyville.us staffers Joe Belock, Michael Corby, George Henn, Chris M. Junior and Mike Madden have their say about 2007.

Continue reading "MEDLEYVILLE.US -- 2007 IN REVIEW" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:39 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

He was familiar with the artist and her signature song, but only recently did singer/songwriter Tom Gillam become consumed with Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe." It led to Gillam writing and recording "Where Is Bobby Gentry?," which can be found on his latest album, Never Look Back (Treehouse).

Continue reading "STORYTIME: TOM GILLAM" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:55 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

On Dec. 1, 1982, Michael Jackson's Thriller arrived in stores, and it would prove to be a commercial and cultural juggernaut that very few artists have ever produced. Staffers Chris M. Junior, Michael Corby and Joe Belock revisit the album to commemorate its 25th anniversary.

Continue reading "THRILLER AT 25" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:35 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

AM finds his groove on second album

Even though New Orleans is an undisputed music mecca, singer/songwriter AM felt as though he needed to leave the Big Easy to advance his career.

Continue reading "SATISFYING HIS SOUL" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:59 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The Thrills return with Teenager

When it came time to record their third album, The Thrills felt a change of scenery was a good idea.

Continue reading "ROUND THREE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:53 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Los Lobos, John Mellencamp hit the road

It already was shaping up to be a typically busy fall for Los Lobos.

Then John Mellencamp reached out to the band with an offer to open for him across America.

Continue reading "ON THE SAME TRAIL" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:05 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Original Superdrag members reunite for tour -- and maybe more

Even before the original Superdrag lineup reformed for a series of shows this fall, singer/guitarist John Davis could understand why such reunions are a big deal to devoted fans.

Continue reading "TIMING IS EVERYTHING" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:04 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Kasey Anderson talks about travel habits

Everyone has a road-trip checklist. Washington singer/songwriter Kasey Anderson is no different.

Continue reading "LONG WAY HOME" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:07 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Barcelona is a group effort

Around the time he released his solo debut, 2005's Safety Songs, Brian Fennell noticed there was "an over-saturation of young, male, singer/songwriters."

That prompted the singer/guitarist/keyboardist to go for a band sound and identity, and so he formed the Seattle rock quartet Barcelona.

Continue reading "ALL FOR ONE" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:25 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

For his first major-label album, Do You Feel, Texas-bred Bryce Avary -- a.k.a. The Rocket Summer -- has hooked up with Island Records.

The 24-year-old pop-rock singer and multi-instrumentalist, who is on the road in September with The Academy Is …, recently reflected on some other musical firsts in his life.

Continue reading "FIRST THINGS FIRST: BRYCE AVARY/THE ROCKET SUMMER" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:06 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

"The whole record is about the title," says singer/songwriter Johnny Irion about his latest solo album, Ex Tempore (Rte 8/RCAM Records).

He's not kidding: Recording with various musicians (including his wife, Sarah Lee Guthrie), Irion worked off-the-cuff, with most arrangements done on the spot.

Continue reading "Q&A: JOHNNY IRION" »

Posted by Medleyville at 09:10 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The Lonely H graduates to extensive touring

Just like thousands of other high school seniors across America, Mark Fredson couldn't wait to graduate in June.

He had big plans for the summer: touring the United States with some fellow graduates of Washington's Port Angeles High School.

Continue reading "SCHOOL'S OUT -- FOR NOW" »

Posted by Medleyville at 10:40 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Tokyo Rose curbs the urge to experiment

There have been many notable entertainment duos through the years, and the way Tokyo Rose singer/guitarist Ryan Dominguez sees it, only TV's Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa is a better tandem than Fred Archambault and Mark Renk.

Continue reading "PROMISE FULFILLED" »

Posted by Medleyville at 08:59 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Checking in with Cindy Wasserman

Only recently did her band release its first album, Honey and Salt (Populuxe), but Dead Rock West singer Cindy Wasserman is no rookie when it comes to music.

Continue reading "STEADY AS SHE GOES" »

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Her band's first album, One Cell in the Sea, is due in stores July 17 via the Capitol Music Group. A Fine Frenzy leader Alison Sudol, 22, recently took time to discuss some of her other musical firsts.

Continue reading "FIRST THINGS FIRST -- ALISON SUDOL" »

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Britt Daniel discusses the new Spoon album

On one hand, recording Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, the new Spoon album, was business as usual, according to leader Britt Daniel (second from left).

"I'm always just scrambling to make everything as cool as it can be and as great as it can be," he says, "so I'll try any theory or any strategy to get there."

Continue reading "AN INTENSE EXPERIENCE" »

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The Bad Plus shows a gentler side

It's common for jazz acts to interpret outside material, although songs by Black Sabbath, Nirvana, David Bowie and Tears for Fears are not typical choices.

Don’t tell that to The Bad Plus.

Continue reading "A NATURAL PROG-RESSION" »

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New Atlantic hones stage act, finds musical focus

A singer's voice can't be 100 percent every night, and at some shows, it can be close to a whisper.

That's when a singer has to rely on showmanship.

Last month during the Bamboozle festival in East Rutherford, N.J., New Atlantic singer Giovanni Gianni, who was suffering from a sinus infection, had to rely on his stage smarts to get through his band's set.

Continue reading "SIGHTS AND SOUNDS " »

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Musicians generally are budget-challenged when making their first recordings, and Richard X. Heyman was no exception.

Continue reading "Q&A: RICHARD X. HEYMAN" »

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Ari Hest endures delay of his second major-label album

When personnel changes at Columbia Records delayed the release of his second album for the label, Ari Hest decided to familiarize himself with Apple's GarageBand software.

The end result: an EP he recorded at home that Columbia released first.

"It's been a strange couple of years," the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based singer/songwriter/guitarist says.

Continue reading "BREAK ON THROUGH" »

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Singer/songwriter schedules steady New York club gig

Songs about "current, happy love situations" don't come to mind right away when talking about the Jennifer O'Connor catalog.

That might change in the near future.

Continue reading "RESIDENT O'CONNOR" »

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The Ponderosa Stomp, the annual celebration of the unsung heroes of the blues, soul, rockabilly, swamp pop and New Orleans and Gulf Coast R&B, returns to the Crescent City on May 2 at the House of Blues after a year in exile in Memphis, Tenn.

"The Stomp is the ultimate jukebox -- all killer, no filler," says festival founder and producer Dr. Ike (Ike Padnos). "Everyone comes to play. The musicians see each other after 40 or 50 years. [Or] they have been hearing about each other for 50 years and never met. Where else would Oliver Morgan and Marshall Allen of Sun Ra's Arkestra be hanging out?

"The shows at SXSW were amazing. It was way too much fun. We got rave reviews. We definitely wanted to do it again but with a different look."

Continue reading "SXSW '07 PREVIEW: PONDEROSA STOMP" »

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Moving to California has not mellowed the Bloody Hollies at all, and that is a good thing. The group's new album, Who to Trust, Who to Kill, Who to Love, is its third and second for Alive Records, which is part of the Bomp! empire.

Continue reading "SXSW '07 PREVIEW: BLOODY HOLLIES" »

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Sadly, most talk of record stores these days usually is about their demise as shops big and small are shuttered in the wake of Internet sales and downloading.

Fortunately that's not the case when talking about Goner Records.

Continue reading "SXSW '07 PREVIEW: GONER RECORDS SHOWCASE" »

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Canadian singer/songwriter Leeroy Stagger has racked up a lot of stage time in recent years. In fact, since October 2004, there have only been three months in which he didn't play at least one show.

Continue reading "SXSW '07 PREVIEW: LEEROY STAGGER" »

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For 20 years, Norton Records in Brooklyn, N.Y, has been keeping alive the wild side of rock 'n' roll, whether it be crazy rockabilly, greasy R&B or garage rock.

Continue reading "SXSW '07 PREVIEW: NORTON RECORDS SHOWCASE" »

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It's hard to be in an ugly mood when The Ugly Beats are rocking local Austin clubs. The quintet formed in 2003 and was filling dance floors across Texas with a mix of chops, hooks and strong songs.

Continue reading "SXSW '07 PREVIEW: THE UGLY BEATS" »

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Australia’s Hoodoo Gurus set to tour America

Since regrouping in late 2003, the Hoodoo Gurus have focused on their home turf of Australia.

That will change this month when the band tours America for the first time in at least a dozen years.

Continue reading "BACK ON THE SCENE" »

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Jeff Golub mixes covers, originals on Grand Central

When it comes to covering a vocal song as an instrumental, guitarist Jeff Golub has his standards.

Continue reading "ALL ABOARD" »

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Cult-classic film inspires new Drats!!! CD

The 1979 teen rebellion movie Over the Edge, while not a blockbuster or an Academy Award winner, has its share of die-hard fans, among them Drats!!! singer/keyboardist/bassist Chairman.

Continue reading "CINEMATIC SOUNDS" »

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You never forget your first.

With that in mind, Blue October bassist Matt Noveskey recently took time out from the Texas rock band's latest batch of tour dates supporting Foiled (Universal) to recall five musical firsts in his life.

Continue reading "FIRST THINGS FIRST -- Blue October's Matt Noveskey " »

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Concert set is not just another album for Virginia Coalition

A concert album can do wonders for an artist’s career.

For Peter Frampton and Cheap Trick, theirs from the 1970s made them superstars.

For Virginia Coalition, 2006's two-disc Live at the 9:30 Club could mark the start of multiple changes for the jam band.

Continue reading "REACHING A TURNING POINT" »

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Pat DiNizio discusses new Smithereens disc, upcoming project

Despite his forays into satellite radio, movies and television in recent years, Pat DiNizio still considers himself to be a musician first and foremost.

"But I'm also an entertainer, and I'm also a conceptualist -- someone who enjoys putting projects together from scratch and seeing them brought to life," says the leader of The Smithereens.

Continue reading "FAB PLANS" »

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Paul Weller recalls Band Aid, looks ahead to U.S. shows in 2007

Sometimes putting the greater good ahead of one's personal taste is the right thing to do.

That's essentially what Paul Weller did when he agreed to participate in the making of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" -- the star-studded 1984 famine relief single credited to Band Aid.

Continue reading "'TIS HIS REASONS" »

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It's time to recap the best discs of 2006, and here are the picks from Medleyville staffers.

Continue reading "TOP ALBUMS OF 2006" »

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Set free from the group, Skye stands on her own two feet

Dismissal from a band isn't always a dramatic Hollywood-type scene complete with shouting, shoving and/or expletives.

Sometimes it happens via an ordinary phone call, which is how it went for ex-Morcheeba singer Syke Edwards, now a surname-less solo artist.

Continue reading "LIFE AFTER MORCHEEBA" »

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Brevity is key to Exercise1 benefit CD

A big part of songwriting is knowing what to leave in and what to leave out.

And that's really important when there's an imposed limit on song length.

Continue reading "EVERY SECOND COUNTS" »

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Jeremy Enigk resumes solo career with World Waits

Musicians usually hate when their work is categorized. But record companies do just that for marketing and promotional purposes.

Jeremy Enigk, best known for his work with the bands Sunny Day Real Estate and Fire Theft, might have to change his thinking now that he's running his own label, Lewis Hollow Records.

Continue reading "HIS LATEST EXPERIMENT" »

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Sandi Thom effectively uses the Internet to advance her career

There are hometown shows, and then there are shows in your home.

In February, Scotland native Sandi Thom began a 21-night run of performances in the basement of her flat in Tooting, South London.

Continue reading "SPINNING HER WEB" »

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Fags' full-length debut finally sees light of day

Over an exasperating two-plus years, The Fags signed a major-label record deal, completed their full-length debut album only to have it shelved indefinitely amid corporate reshuffling, and were quietly dropped by the company. But that doesn't mean the Detroit trio came away with nothing from the experience.

Continue reading "BETTER LATE THAN NEVER" »

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Val Emmich returns to his indie roots

Val Emmich says he has mostly fond memories of his time with the New Jersey bands Ben Trovato and Awake Asleep.

"I was hanging with my best friends in the world and just being creative," recalls the 26-year-old Emmich. "I am very nostalgic for those times."

He doesn't feel the same way about his stint with Epic Records, which re-released his full-length solo debut, Slow Down Kid, in October 2004.

Continue reading "IT'S PARTY TIME" »

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Actor Jeff Daniels takes his hobby on the road

In 2003, the year his beloved Detroit Tigers lost 119 games, actor Jeff Daniels wrote a song called "The Lifelong Tiger Fan Blues."

But every now and then, tunes -- just like movies -- have sequels.

"When the team got good [this year], that [first] song had to be retired," says Daniels, who considers music to be a hobby and has been writing songs for more than 30 years. "And the deeper we got into the [2006] season, the more I realized the Tigers were for real, so I rewrote it."

Continue reading "HAVING A BALL" »

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The Kennedys are enjoying their satellite radio show

If Pete and Maura Kennedy aren't performing music, chances are they are playing music.

The folk-rock couple, on tour in support of Songs of the Open Road (Appleseed Recordings), also serve as weekend hosts on Sirius Satellite Radio's Disorder station (channel 24).

Continue reading "SIRIUS BUSINESS" »

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America's Anderson Council digs English rock sounds

The next British Invasion is being launched from New Jersey.

The Anderson Council, out of New Brunswick, delivers a tightly wrapped mix of psych and power-pop on its second album, The Fall Parade, released this summer on Groove Disques. The band gets its name from the surnames leftover from when Pink Floyd took its name from old-time blues musicians Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. Early Floyd, not surprisingly, is a prime influence.

Continue reading "ACCENT ON THE POSITIVE" »

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Songwriter Maia Sharp's latest chapter: a self-released CD

Maia Sharp has a multifaceted music career, but if she had to hang her hat on just one skill, it would be songwriter.

"It's the thing that I can identify with the most," she says. "It's the thing that I love the most. If I had to choose one, if I could only do one, it would be writing, which is probably why that's the one that's succeeded the most."

Continue reading "MARCHING TO HER OWN TUNES" »

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Aug. 29, 2006

Fox's Celebrity Duets, the latest creation from American Idol judge Simon Cowell, made its premiere Aug. 29. The basic concept is this: "Celebs" with some degree of singing talent are matched with two different music "legends," chosen at random before the episode.

The celebrities compete and one is voted off every week by the viewers at home. (For the first episode, the judges decided who was ousted.) The duet partners change from week to week. Wayne Brady (above) is the host; the judges are Marie Osmond, Little Richard and David Foster. The winning celeb gets $100,000 for charity.

Here is Mike Madden’s recap of the first episode:

Continue reading "CELEBRITY DUETS PREMIERE" »

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Grant-Lee Phillips revisits some '80s rock faves

For fans as well as musicians, fashion goes hand in hand with rock 'n' roll, and Grant-Lee Phillips went through his share of looks during the 1980s.

"I probably tried them all on at one point," recalls the singer/songwriter/guitarist. "I had a few shirts with French cuffs [like R.E.M.'s Peter Buck], for sure. That was part of it -- looking for your identity."

Continue reading "ALL COVERED" »

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After major success, Glen Phillips takes indie solo route

Solo tours oftentimes are just that for Glen Phillips, who found fame in the 1990s with Toad the Wet Sprocket.

Continue reading "THE WAY HE WANTS IT" »

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Disco Biscuits strut their stuff on new concert set

Just like with a studio effort, attention to detail is essential when recording a concert album.

"I think one of the hardest things to do when you release any live album is [to] capture the energy that really only exists at the actual concert," says keyboardist/singer Aron Magner of the Philadelphia-based jam band the Disco Biscuits, whose The Wind at Four to Fly (Diamond Riggs/Sci Fidelity Records) was released in April.

Continue reading "LETTING IT FLY" »

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The official Web site for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival describes the annual event as a "cultural feast" showcasing "unforgettable music."

Papa Grows Funk leader John Gros (above left) believes there is more to this year's edition than just eats and entertainment.

Continue reading "Q&A: JOHN GROS/PAPA GROWS FUNK" »

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Singer/songwriter/guitarist Brandi Carlile has come a long way since her days backing an Elvis Presley impersonator. That said, she admits to panicking last month when k.d. lang dropped by to watch her perform.

Continue reading "Q&A: BRANDI CARLILE" »

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Tina Dico shoots for U.S. success

The SXSW music festival/conference attracts artists from all corners of the world, and among the acts heading to Austin, Texas, this year is singer/songwriter Tina Dico, a native of Arhus, Denmark.

Continue reading "A BLONDE'S AMBITION" »

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March 7, 2006
Vintage Vinyl -- Fords, N.J.

An apology, a spirited set and constant crowd interaction can go a long way in making up for a late start.

Continue reading "RHETT MILLER" »

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Talking with the artist simply known as Lou

Madonna. Prince. Cher. Lou.

Unfamiliar with the last performer? With some notable names attached to his latest album, The Other Side (Cornerworld Records), and a promotional push in full swing, the surname-free pianist/producer from Massachusetts is hoping that changes.

Continue reading "NAME RECOGNITION" »

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Harvard student Catherine Tuttle releases second album

It's not uncommon for athletes to drop out of college for a pro career and leave their pursuit of a degree in the dust.

Plenty of musicians have done the same thing, too, but singer/songwriter/pianist Catherine Tuttle, a 19-year-old freshman at Harvard University, doesn't plan to add her name to the list.

Continue reading "FINDING HER WAY" »

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One musician was on the rise, the other at the peak of his popularity. And one night in the mid-1980s, their worlds collided, as Dan Zanes, leader of the up-and-coming band The Del Fuegos, shared the stage with superstar Bruce Springsteen.

Continue reading "STORYTIME: DAN ZANES" »

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What’s in store for 2006? George Henn and Chris M. Junior take a look into the future.

Continue reading "PREDICTIONS FOR 2006" »

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Memorable lines as told to www.medleyville.us during 2005.

Continue reading "AND I QUOTE '05" »

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