Don’t you hate it when the station you listen to keeps playing the same songs over and over? Or when your friends stay stuck in a music rut? Want to explore? You have come to the right place.
I try to share all the newest songs that are the freshest and peak my interest the most. Here are some of my favorite music submissions this week. Check them all out because they are a wide variety of sounds. Please support the bands and share the ones you are really digging.
Michelle Branch-Hopeless Romantic
Michelle Branch is a Grammy award winning, multi-platinum singer/songwriter who has her fourth album release April 7th, Hopeless Romantic.
The album, produced by Patrick Carney (The Black Keys) and Gus Seyffert (Beck, Norah Jones, Sia), weaves a tale of love both lost and found.
“A lot of these songs are about heartbreak, but knowing that it doesn’t mean the end of the world. It just means letting go and moving on and knowing that you’re going to be okay, says Branch. “This is my first real-life autobiographical record.”
In the tune, “Hopeless Romantic” there is a quality about her vocal tone that is distinctive. I especially like the steady beat of the drums and the bit of guitar work toward the end of the song. Can’t wait to hear more from her.
I’m getting so stoked about Savannah Stopover this year. I am listening to some incredible artists from their playlist on Soundcloud (Savannah Stopover Music Festival 2017 Final Lineup) a 75 song compilation. Hoops will be there and here is a new song they sent out into the world this week.
Hoops-Rules
Photo by James Lacroix
I first saw Hoops when they came to Atlanta touring with Whitney. Amazing. Here is a bit of that concert, playing a favorite of mine….”Gemini”
Their music is chill and I am excited they have a debut album, Routines, out May 5th on Fat Possum Records. Hoops is Drew Auscherman, James Harris, Keagan Beresford, and Kevin Krauter. Despite being from Indiana and basketball country, Hoops is named after the hoop houses where Drew Auscherman worked. From Fat Possum Records….
“Three of the four members write and sing, each a frontman and a sideman simultaneously. During a live show, the bandmates can be seen frequently swapping instruments and positions on stage. The setup isn’t democratic so much as it is simply adaptable and committed: doing what the song demands, getting the sound just right.”
It is definitely a show to watch and behold. The new music will make it just that much sweeter!
The Wooden Sky-You’re Not Alone
Listen to The Wooden Sky if you have been wishing for a formidable rock band with an ethereal psych twist. These are your dudes. The band is Gavin Gardiner, multi-instrumentalists Simon Walker and Andrew Wyatt, violinist Edwin Huizinga and drummer Andrew Kekewich. “You’re Not Alone” is a hopeful song combining multiple instruments and lovely guitar melodies. Add to the mix, a strong vocal with a raw natural quality and I believe they have a nice hit on their hands.
The Wooden Sky has an album, Swimming In Strange Waters, due out in April. On their Toronto label’s website,
“The title of The Wooden Sky’s fifth full-length album is an abridged quote from Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi novel, Dune: “Survival is the ability to swim in strange water.” It’s a phrase that seems especially apt in 2017, as many of us are still reeling from the previous year….Swimming in Strange Waters is Gardiner trying to make sense of the world.”
True creativity typically stems from questioning and trying to make sense of the absurd. I find this intriguing and can’t wait to hear more.
The Khanz-Be Somebody
Elli Rose Photography 2017
The Khanz is a fantastic band I blogged about back in my fledgling early days of music exploration. Click HERE to listen and learn what they were up to several years ago. Also, I love that as I was exploring their website for more info, I found my blog quoted on their page. What’s not to love? They put out solid music and this song, “Be Somebody” is a case in point. The tune is expansive from the start with an all encompassing sound and chanting like vocals which build solidly on the good vibe. It is another song focusing on an optimistic view, something we need right now.
Their debut album, Mistakes That Nature Made, will be out March 7th.
Altar Eagles-What Are You Coming To?
Altar Eagles is a solo project of Erik Alcock who has been a professional singer songwriter since the age of 17. Interestingly, back then he talked his way into a live audition with EMI Canada in his native Toronto and then proceeded to cut himself on his guitar, bleed all over the auditioning executive’s office, and played terribly. He was signed on the spot. What a beginning story! After honing his craft, playing with a touring band, as well as collaborating on Grammy winning songs, he is now writing and performing on his own.
“What Are You Coming to?” has a depth of perception about the difficulty of breaking up a relationship. Memories, emotion, and change all explored in song, questioning the ability to actually know and understand another. A song to soak up and ponder.
I am seriously looking forward to all the live music I have planned this spring. After the drought of winter, new touring schedules and festivals are beginning to fill my calendar. One new festival on the scene is the High Water Festival in Charleston. The former frontman to Delta Spirit will be playing there and this is his newest tune.
Matthew Logan Vasquez-Headed West
Matthew Logan Vasquez is the man behind the music. His latest single, “Headed West”, has a nostalgic instrumental beginning where it might be the start of a familiar western movie. Then, he enters in the mix to power his vocals which land an exclamation mark on the thoughtful lyrics. He explains the tune…
“If you live in California it’s easy to forget what an odd and wonderful place it is. After moving to New York and then Austin I felt I could really appreciate the facets that I both love and hate.”
His album, Does What He Wants, is all about the ups and downs of life and the observations in it all. He has an extensive tour schedule, so check it out, he may be coming to a town near you.
Be sure to check out my latest Spotify playlist. I’ve included these songs as well as the songs I have blogged about this year.
