I’ve been a fan of Matthew Sweet since I heard the song “Girlfriend” off the album of the same name.

That album was my soundtrack for that whole year it came out. My husband and my bestie both loved it too so we would go see him in concert together often. We have great memories of those shows. Even the one where Matt got food poisoning and had to leave the stage to barf, only to pop back on stage and play another song. What a trouper! His shows are always great.

So I was very pleasantly surprised last week when I got a notification on Facebook that he had just started a livestream from his home. I clicked over and was immediately transported to First Avenue in the 90s. His songs are so comforting to me. His banter was great too. He just seems like such an awesome human.

I’m usually not one to appreciate a guitar or bass line, but with his music, I honestly do appreciate the composition and great guitar playing on his songs. He really rocks!

He’s a beautiful songwriter too. Some of his songs remind me of The Carpenters (“If Time Permits”, for example), while others he shreds like Hendrix (“Sick of Myself”). He’s just so amazing. In one of my favorites, “Thunderstorm” there’s a line, “…and nothing is wrong when it rains, even from my eyes” *sigh*

In doing some research for this feature, I realized that there is not only one volume of Under the Covers, a cover album he did with Susanna Hoffs, but there are THREE!! Vol. 3 is 80s music (my heart). It has covers of “Save it for Later” (English Beat), “Kid” (Pretenders) and “Killing Moon” (Echo and the Bunnyman) for starters. I’m super excited to have found this!

As luck would have it, he also has a new album coming out on the 15th called CatsPaw. You can pre-order it now (and listen to three songs from it right away)

If you are not already a fan of Matthew Sweet, I really recommend checking him out.

**The audio version of this blog post, aka the Podcast, is up now too, just check your regular podcast app or go here. If you want to subscribe but can’t find it in your favorite app, copy and paste this into your app: < https://feeds.redcircle.com/990a2251-82b3-49e3-b3c1-fdee6585d958 > (without the carats)

Some of my favorite songs:
Girlfriend ( Girlfriend. If I’m being honest, ALL the songs on that one)
Sick of Myself (100% Fun)
Time Capsule (Altered Beast)
Thunderstorm (In Reverse) – this one is epic. It has movements!
Trust me, I had to stop or I would just list them all.

Links
Official 
Instagram 
Twitter 
Facebook – here’s the livestream
YouTube 

Discography
Inside (1986)
Earth (1989)

Girlfriend (1991)
Altered Beast (1993)

Son of Altered Beast (1994)
100% Fun (1995)

Blue Sky on Mars (1997)
In Reverse (1999)

Kimi Ga Suki (2003)
Living Things (2004)

Under the Covers (2006 60s covers)
Sunshine Lies (2008)
Under the Covers Vol.2 (2009 – 70s covers)
Modern Art (2011)
Under the Covers Vol.3 (2013 – 80s covers)
Tomorrow Forever (2017)

Tomorrow’s Daughter (2018)
Wicked System of Things (2018-this one is rare, I can only find it on eBay for $80)
Cat’s Paw (2021)

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Amazon

NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

The post Artist Rec :: Matthew Sweet first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Jackie Miskanic, known professionally as Jax, is an American singer from East Brunswick, New Jersey. She finished third on the fourteenth season of American Idol. (Wikipedia)

So let me preface this by saying I’m an ‘Old’. I resisted TikTok because when it started, it was marketed to me so heavily through my language learning app (Duolingo) and I found it stupid. I even complained about it on Facebook saying “Stop trying to make TikTok happen! It’s just annoying!” and the comments I got were mostly “what is TikTok?” and “I don’t get those ads, they must be targeting you for some reason”.

Then a certain someone who shall not be named started hating on it, and I thought, that’s good enough for me; I will check it out. And now I’m hooked. I am especially loving all the posts from doctors, chiropractors, nurses, and psychologists with their tips and stuff (see, I told you I’m old). I’ve actually realized that I likely have ADHD though it was never diagnosed. But that’s not why you’re here…

One day while I was scrolling through all the medical posts I happened upon this loveliness. A cute young lady was playing the piano and singing a silly parody song. I just loved her voice. I believe it was THIS ONE 

She writes a lot of short songs from people’s point of view that we maybe haven’t heard: “Bohemian Rhapsody” from “mama’s” perspective; a parody of the old Fountains of Wayne song, “Stacy’s Mom” from the mom’s POV. Very clever.

For a bit, she asked people to comment with their friend’s name or a song prompt and she’d write a song about them. It was really cute.

She doesn’t just do parodies or song prompts though. She has some great full songs. “Bitchcraft” could easily be on the radio. When she posted it on TikTok she said: “Wrote a song called bitchcraft when my best friend’s boyfriend cheated on her. Hope he hears it “

Some of my favorite Jax songs:
“Papercuts” gives me Sia vibes.
“Come Home To Me” (on TikTok)
“Ring Pop” (on TikTok)
“Teenage Dirtbag” – this is with Post Modern Jukebox


I hope you check her out, follow her, etc.

Instagram 
Twitter  
Facebook 
YouTube
TikTok 

I found her on Amazon and Spotify, but I think there must be more than one artist called Jax because some of these songs sound nothing like her. 

The post Artist Rec :: Jax first appeared on Collected Sounds.

I started writing this on December 9th. On the morning of the 10th, I got the news that she was releasing a surprise new album! She is calling the sister to Folklore, called Evermore. So of course I ordered it and listened right away (well, OK not RIGHT away, I didn’t stay up until midnight to hear it. I’m old.)

It’s equally as good as Folklore. She’s got The National’s Aaron Dessner on board again and I really can hear his influence in these songs, especially in Coney Island (honestly, I didn’t even see the name of the song or that The National was on this one, LOL). She’s got HAIM guesting on a song and Bon Iver (Justin Vernon) is back too.

I really wonder what her long time fans think of this shift in her. I for one, am here for it. If you’re a lifer Taylor fan, let me know your thoughts about her evolution.


Some of my favorite songs:
“Mean” (Speak Now)
“The Man” (Lover)
“Death by a Thousand Cuts” (Lover)
“You Need to Calm Down” (Lover)
“Welcome to New York” (1989)
“The 1” (Folklore)
“Exile” with Bon Iver is amazing and heartbreaking (Folklore)
“My Tears Ricochet” made me cry. (Folklore)
Willow (Evermore)
..I’m sure there will be more Evermore songs the more I get to hear it.

Discography (Studio albums)

Taylor Swift (2006)

Fearless (2008)

Speak Now (2010)

Red (2012)

1989 (2014)

Reputation (2017)

Lover (2019)

Folklore (2020)

Evermore

She also has a Holiday album!

Official 
Instagram 
Twitter  I got curious why the actual person would have to have a number after her name, why can’t she be ‘taylorswift’? I checked and that account has been suspended. I’m sure there’s a good story there, that a proper fan would know. If you’re that fan, feel free to post it in the comments.
Facebook 
YouTube 

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Amazon Music

Amazon links NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

The post Artist Rec :: Taylor Swift first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Photo By Natalie Williams

I “met” Gregory online about a million years ago when he wrote to me and gave me a very heartfelt and convincing argument for why I might want to feature him on a ‘women in music’ site (Collected Sounds featured only women back then). It was a sweet, and funny email and I immediately loved him. What a relief when I got his music and fell in love with that as well.

Not only did I feature him, but he came to our house to play a house concert. A few of them over the years, in fact! Each one a special, fun night filled with amazing music and great friends. And one not-so-great friend who got drunk and kept shouting “Play __**!” over and over again. We had a good laugh once the friend passed out. Oh, I miss those times. (**I don’t remember the song, it might have been “Freebird”)

I’m listening to Gregory’s music again today and realize that even though I am on his mailing list (and read all the emails) I somehow missed that he has an album I still don’t have yet. So, I’m listening to that as I write this. Sometimes I space on an artist and forget to listen to them on the regular. I regret that I did that here. A week or so ago he did a Livestream which I “attended” and realized how much I’d missed his music in my life. So, I made sure all of his albums are on my rotation playlists (I honestly don’t know why I missed some before).

I also realized he has a Patreon account so I am now supporting him there, I suggest you do the same!

Gregory not only produces beautiful music, but he has also developed some workshops. One of them is called Create Your Own Opportunity and it’s THIS coming weekend! Click on the name to register. It’s Sun, December 13, 2020, at 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM CST

He also leads workshops on his unique brand of Intuitive Songwriting.

Some of my favorite songs:
“I Wanted to Run” (Pseudo-Rotary)
“Crazy Love” (Stark)
“The Garden” (My Hero, the Enemy)
“Broken Through” (Battler)
“Day of the Battler” (Battler)

…and I think all of Up & Away, honestly they’re all good.

He does some amazing covers as well (Florence + the Machine, Adele, Brandi Carlile, etc.)

I hope you check him out, follow him, etc.

Links

Official
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
Patreon

Listen:

He has a Spotify Holiday playlist that features songs from his 2009 holiday album, Merry as well as some lovely tunes by other artists.

Listen on Spotify
Complete playlist

Listen on Amazon

Live video of the song “Point of View” Live at The Chapel in San Fransisco with a full band including Lisa Piccirillo, on vocals, who joined him for one of our house concerts.

Discography

Gregory’s Store

If I Were A Man (1998)
Gregory Douglass (2000)
Teeter (2001)
Pseudo-Rotary (2003)
Stark (2005)
Merry (2009)
Up & Away (2006)
Battler (2009)
Lucid (2011)
My Hero, The Enemy (2015)

Amazon links
NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

Disclosure: This page provides Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Artist Rec :: Gregory Douglass first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Laura Marling was recommended to me by a relative who is a big fan. She knew what kind of music I liked and knew I’d like Laura too. I listened to a couple of songs, thought it was pretty, filed it away, and went on a trip to Scotland.  This was in 2008.

While in Edinburgh we walked into a gritty bar (which ended up being our favorite place, Bannerman’s) and there was a poster on the wall for an upcoming concert headlining, Laura Marling! I took a picture of the poster to remind me to buy some of her music. The concert was to take place after our vacation was over. So, I wasn’t able to see her live.

Fast forward to when I bought her album A Creature I Don’t Know and played it almost obsessively.

It was my car go-to for about 6 months on my way to and from a job I hated. So sometimes those songs would take me back there, and it was hard to listen. But I had to just play it over and over again while in a good place, to kill those demons. Tell me I’m not the only one who does this.

In April of this year (2020) she released Song for Our Daughter which was recently nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Folk Album.

Her voice is mesmerizing and the melodies dreamy.

If you need some soothing for your soul, this is one place to look.

Some of my favorite songs:

Don’t Ask Me Why (Creature I Don’t Know)

I Was an Eagle (Once I Was an Eagle)

You Know (Once I Was an Eagle)

Blow By Blow (Song for Our Daughter)

Fortune (Song for Our Daughter)

Rambling Man (I Speak Because I Can)

I hope you check her out, follow her, etc.

Read about Laura’s concert at Bannerman’s

Discography

Alas, I Cannot Swim (2008)
I Speak Because I Can (2010)
A Creature I Don’t Know (2011)
Once I Was an Eagle (2013)
Short Movie (2015)
Semper Femina (2017 – also nominated for a Grammy)
Song for Our Daughter (2020)
…and a bunch of EPs.

Find her in the Ether:

Official
Store
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube

Listen on Spotify

Listen on Amazon

Buy her Music

From her site

NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

The post Artist Rec :: Laura Marling first appeared on Collected Sounds.

She was born Janice Sue Meghan Myers in Tennessee (which she sings about in “Tennessee” on Daughter in the Choir). She was raised as Jehovah’s Witness and I’ve got to believe that breaking free from that must be at least part of the reason for the intensity of her music.

Her voice is fierce and dynamic. Her music is filled with strong beats and interesting melodies. Her tunes don’t go where you’d expect, most of the time.

Some of my favorite songs:

Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush Cover 2018 – single)

Desire (Sorry)

Take Me to the Disco (Take Me to the Disco)

Make a Shadow (Make a Shadow)

Monster, Adelaide (Daughter in the Choir–Actually I love everything from this record as it’s the one I’ve listened to the longest)

I hope you check her out, follow her, etc. I find it quite entertaining that on Instagram while she has over 76,000 followers but she only follows 2 people. Enya and herself,

Discography
Daughter in the Choir (EP 2013)
Make a Shadow (EP 2014)
Sorry (2015)
Take Me to the Disco (2018)
Thank U 4 Taking Me 2 the Disco (EP 2020)
I’d Like to Go Home Now (EP 2020)

Find her in the ether:

Official
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
Store
Listen on Spotify
Listen on Amazon

NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

The post Artist Rec :: Meg Myers first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Some of my favorite songs:
“Be Like Water”
“Lioness”
“Bring me a Light”

Discography 
Cocooned (2002) 
A Perfect Dream (2002) 
Nexus (2004) 
Near Infinite Possibility (2011) 
Barn Sessions
White Birds (2009)
The Vanishing Sessions (2009)
Red Yellow Sun (2009) 
Adaquarium (2015)
Potnia Theron (2015)
Given Never Offered (2018)
Broken Arrow (2020)
There Thy Beauty Lies (2020)
Planting Oblivion (2020)

Find her in the ether:
Instagram 
Twitter 
Official 
Art 
Facebook 
Spotify 

Amazon links NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

The post Artist Rec :: Sarah Fimm first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Find her in the ether:

Halloween album on Spotify
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Official
Spotify
Patreon
YouTube 

Discography

She has two studio albums, and a bunch of special releases as well, check them on her store.

Amazon links
NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program. It’s really better if you buy her stuff from her, on her site.

The post Artist Rec :: Lex Land first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Today’s Recommendation is Ane Brun

She was born Ane Kvien Brunvoll in 1976 in Molde Norway. I recently learned I’d been saying her name wrong for years. I was saying it like the American “Anne” but according to Google’s pronunciation, it would be “Ahhn-NEH” in Swedish with an accent on the second syllable. At least I think I got the Brun part right (Broon). If any of you speak Swedish/Norweigian, please correct me if I’m wrong!

I discovered Ane Brun so many years ago that I don’t even remember how. But I think it was probably e-music. I was a huge fan of that site when it started. I discovered so much NEW good music. They had a really good algorithm that recommended things that I really loved. At any rate, I still listen to her music at least every week, if not every day. Even more than Sarah McLachlan (GASP!)

I brought her album Changing of the Seasons with me when I went on a music festival cruise. It helped me through a few panicked nights (being in the middle of the ocean with no way out, turns out, is panic-inducing to me).

Her voice is a balm for my soul and is so unique and beautiful. Her lyrics are stunning and powerful, and her songs are so gorgeously composed. I tend to prefer her quiet songs, but she has some fun rocking ones too.

Her album, Leave Me Breathless is made up of covers and they’re really good. Her version of “Always on My Mind” brings me to tears.

If you’re not already a fan, I assume it’s because you haven’t heard her yet. Check out her new song, Crumbs from her upcoming album of the same name.

Some of my favorite songs:
“The Puzzle” (Changing of the Seasons)
“Temporary Dive” is a beautiful song about depression (A Temporary Dive)
“Treehouse Song” (Changing of the Seasons)
“Changing of the Seasons” (Changing of the Seasons)
“Worship” (It All Starts with One)

Find her in the ether:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Official
YouTube
Spotify

Discography

Crumbs (out soon!)
Leave me Breathless (live-2018)
Live at Berwaldhallen (with The Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra – 2018)
Leave Me Breathless (2017)
When I’m Free (2015)
Songs Tour 2013 (2013)
Rarites (2013)
Songs 2003-2013 (2013)
It All Starts with One (2011)
Live at Stockholm Concert Hall (2009)
Sketches (2008)
Changing of the Seasons (2008)
Live in Scandinavia (2007)
A Temprorary Dive (2005)
Duets (2005)
Spending Time with Morgan (2003)

Here are some videos:

NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

The post Artist Feature :: Ane Brun first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Alex has done TONS of work with other musicians. Aside from The Paper Raincoat, he was in a band called The Animators (those albums are great too) and has done numerous projects with other musicians.

When I first fell for Alex’s music he was in a duo called The Paper Raincoat with Amber Rubarth. I’m not kidding when I say that is a DAMN near-perfect album. Every song on there could be a huge hit. If only it got enough recognition.

I’ve been following him throughout his whole journey. I even went on a music festival cruise just so I could see him and Vienna play. I am not really sure how to describe his because other than beautiful and transportive. His songs are so exquisitely composed with so many sounds, instruments, feelings. Ugh, I know that’s not a great description but I want you to listen to him either way. So please follow the links provided.

Alex is also a producer and he takes that role quite seriously. I’m not kidding when I say he carefully crafts every second that makes it to the final product. I’m following him on Patreon and he has a series for his Patrons where we join him on Zoom and he explains how he creates a song, from concept to finish. He calls it Cooking Records because….oh yeah, not only is he a brilliant musician, and beautiful soul, but he’s a chef! I mean, staaaaph already! He created a concept where he invites people into his home and makes homemade meals for them. I just can’t. *sigh*

Plus I’m in love with his dog, Charlotte.

Some of my favorite songs: I’m going to try really hard not to name every single song…
“In the Creases” (duet with Amber Rubarth on Elephant and the Seahorse and The Paper Raincoat)
“The Quiet Voice” (Elephant and the Seahorse)
“Brooklyn Blurs” (with and on The Paper Raincoat)
“Wherever You Are” (Elephant and the Seahorse)
“Show Yourself” (Elephant and the Seahorse)

If you watch the video for this amazing song, you will see yours truly! It was a project he did with his Patreon fans, asking them to film themselves holding signs with their assigned lyrics. It was super fun and what an amazing song. Very timely!!

Wherever you are (Char is in this one)

Oceanside

Links

Official 
Instagram 
Twitter 
Facebook
Spotify
YouTube

Discography
Elephant and the Seahorse (2020) https://amzn.to/33uCW4m
Fivalina (with Jesse Terry, 2019)
City on a Lake (2012)
The Paper Raincoat (as the Paper Raincoat, 2009) https://amzn.to/3ivr7z5
How We Fight (as The Animators, 2006) https://www.amazon.com/Animators/e/B001LHXO0Y/ref=dp_byline_cont_music_1
The Chamber Sessions (as The Animators, 2004)
Home By Now (as The Animator, 2003)

Amazon links
NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

The post Artist Feature :: Alex Wong first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Her music is very eclectic. It can be soft and pretty, or loud and aggressive. But always creative and interesting and amazing.
I really don’t know how else to describe her style. It’s not like anyone else, in my opinion.

Some of my favorite songs:
“The Kingdom” remains my favorite (Hunting My Dress)
“Murder of Birds” is another great one (Hunting my Dress)
“Out the Backdoor is fun” (Kismet)
“Shouldered” (Stonechild)
“Fear of Father” (Stonechild)
…I guess I could just name everything from Stonechild, so I’ll stop.

Links
Instagram
Twitter
Official
Facebook
Spotify 

Videos
Tiny Desk Concert
The Kingdom

Discography
Hunting my Dress (2009)
Kismet (2011)
The Complete Kismet Acoustic (2012)
The House That Jack Built (2012)
Undress (2014)
Memories are Now (2017)
Phonograph/Moon Rock/Needle (?)
Stonechild (2019)

She has other albums with other artists as well.

Amazon links
NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through the Amazon affiliate program.

“We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

The post Featured Artist :: Jesca Hoop first appeared on Collected Sounds.

I first learned of Hannah Fury in 2003 when she sent me her album, The Thing That Feels. I reviewed it, and called it “a thing of beauty” and “dark and beautiful”. The album made it to my Best of 2003 list (even tho it was released before that, I based my lists on when I heard the music).

Hannah writes, performs, engineers, and produces all of her recordings. Her music is rhythmic, eerie, dreamy, spooky, and beautiful.

She recently released two “EP”s on Bandcamp and I just got them both. I’m happy to say that 17 years later, she’s still got it.

She recently suffered a great personal loss. In true artist fashion, has funneled this into music that she has put up on Bandcamp for free (or a donation). Please check it out.

Listen:
Bandcamp
Spotify
Amazon

Follow:
Official
Facebook group
Facebook profile

On Collected Sounds:
The Thing That Feels
Subterfuge
Through the Gash

Discography:
Soul Poison (1998)
The Thing That Feels (2000)
Meathook (2001)
I Can’t Let You In (2003)
Subterfuge (2006) 
Through the Gash (2007) 
Not Sad (2015)
Little Family (2020)
The World We Want (2020)
Spidersong (2020)
Time (2020)

NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

“We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

The post Artist Rec :: Hannah Fury first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Liza Anne was born Elizabeth Anne Odachowski and is originally from the state of Georgia.

Liza Anne

It’s been quite a while since I first heard her music. I have her album, The Colder Months, which came out in 2014. So I no longer remember how I found her.
My guess is Amazon Music or Spotify. But at any rate, I’m glad I listened when she was new and that I’ve remained on her mailing list and connected on social media because I was aware when she released her newest album, Bad Vacation. It’s a good one!

I really can’t find much info on her personal life online. The “bio” on her site is a blurb about her new record, as opposed to a biography. So if you want to know more about her, I suggest following her on Instagram. She’s quite candid.

I could go on about her style, trying to describe it, and comparing her to other artists, but honestly, it’s better if you just listen for yourself. She’s amazing!

A few stand out songs for me, and the albums they are from:
“I Am Not in Love Anymore” – The Colder Months
“Devotion” (sort of an 80s feel) – Bad Vacation
“Thin Ice” – Bad Vacation
“Ocean” – Two
“The Colder Months” – The Colder Months

Discography
The Colder Months (2014)
Two (2015)
Fine but Dying (2018)
Bad Vacation (2020)

Listen on Spotify

Official

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

“We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

The post Featured Artist :: Liza Anne first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Sophie Payten (her given name) according to Wikipedia “worked at Prince of Wales Hospital as a doctor, after completing her medical studies at The University of New South Wales in 2018.” Yes, a doctor.

I discovered Gordi through the feature on Amazon music called My Discovery Mix. It just plays songs it thinks you will like and I have to say their algorithms are pretty spot on. It was first playing stuff from her 2017 release, Reservoir (I don’t recall which song) but I liked it enough to make a note to check out her other music.

I think I like her new album, Our Two Skins even better. “Aeroplane Bathroom” is really pretty. Her sound is sort of echoey, ethereal. There are some nice harmonies and cool melodies. Some of the songs have a bit of an 80s feel (my heart). I guess it’s the guitars. Anyway, I really hope you check out her music. Like, subscribe, stream, buy the album, etc.

Official Site

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

“We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

The post Discovery :: Gordi first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Overcoats is a New York-based electronic-pop duo consisting of singer-songwriters Hana Elion and JJ Mitchell. They met on their first day of freshman year at Wesleyan University where they sat next to each other in an ‘Intro to Anthropology’ class. Their debut album, YOUNG, was released in 2017. Their latest album, The Fight came out in March of 2020.

When asked to describe their music the answer is: “It’s like Radiohead, but cool.”
I don’t know if Radiohead is what I think of when I hear them, but what I do hear are beautiful voices harmonizing wonderfully together. Think First Aid Kit without the country twang, maybe a titch of HAIM thrown in. The first song I heard of theirs was Leave the Light On and it remains one of my favorites.

When asked what is their favorite city to play in, they say: “We love all the cities equally. (Minneapolis)”. I hope someday to see them play here if the world ever opens up and it’s safe to go downtown again.

Here’s a cool article about them from American Songwriter magazine

Official Site

Social Media:
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

Support them on Patreon

NOTE If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

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The post Discovery :: Overcoats first appeared on Collected Sounds.

katz·en·jam·mer
nounINFORMAL•DATED
confusion; uproar.
a hangover; a severe headache resulting from a hangover.
plural noun: katzenjammers

However, my Alexa pronounces it: KAHTZ-en-yahmmah – which appears to be the German pronunciation. In German, it means Cats Wail (or Caterwaul)

Per Wikipedia: “Katzenjammer was an English-language Norwegian band from Oslo, formed in 2005. The band consists of Anne Marit Bergheim, Solveig Heilo and Turid Jørgensen. Former band member Marianne Sveen left the band in the beginning of 2016.”

The band Katzenjammer is not a NEW discovery but when you abandon your blog for 15 years you discover artists the whole time, without posting about them. You will hear them if you listen to my Amazon music playlist, Ladies Night. Linked over there —>

Even though they’re no longer active, I wanted to feature them because I still listen to their music on a regular basis.

I discovered this group around 2008 when a music friend (from the old Ecto mailing list) who lives in Norway suggested it to me. I was immediately smitten. The first song I heard was “Ain’t No Thang” and I saw the video. I just wanted to be in that boat with them singing and having a grand old time.

Watch video

So I searched out their other stuff and I’m happy to report that it’s all amazing. I particularly like this video for A Bar In Amsterdam. Their “regular” videos are great too, but they’re definitely a LIVE type band so watching them on stage is a treat.

I’m still amazed that they didn’t get super popular here in the US. I’m convinced that it’s just that they don’t have the right exposure. Go listen and if you like them, spread the word! However, I don’t know how much good it will do since they’re not still active. 

Listen to Rockland on Spotify

Facebook – they’re still updating this.

Official

Instagram

Twitter

If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these links to be ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

“We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

The post Discovery :: Katzenjammer first appeared on Collected Sounds.

I was obsessed with their 2002 release, Different Stars. It was so beautiful and calming. I went through a period many years later where I had pretty bad panic attacks. One of the only ways to shake myself out of them was to listen to songs from that album. So I made sure to always have it with me (on my phone) so I could pop in those earbuds and calm myself.

Well, part of what made that music so amazing was the voice of the lead singer, Anna-Lynne Williams.

Flash forward to about 2008 and Anna-Lynne is now known by her stage name, Lotte Kestner. I remember hearing that was still making music and being so relieved! I wanted to be sure you all knew about her too.

She recently released an album called Covers, Vol. 2 – Listen on Spotify. She covers Catherine Wheel!

Here’s the rest of her stuff.

If you are using an Adblocker, you’ll need to pause it for this site, so you can see the albums. It considers these ads. They’re just links to products, but it is through an affiliate program.

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Or on Bandcamp

The post Lotte Kestner first appeared on Collected Sounds.

I’d describe it as dirgy, folk/bluegrass and it’s so so good. Think, like dark Americana. Her voice is deep and transcendent. I mean, just listen to this!!

Samantha Crain is from Shawnee, Oklahoma and she proudly fills her band with others from her home state.

Well…all this to say, she has a NEW ALBUM OUT on Ramseur Records.
It’s called A Small Death and she says that this is her favorite album of hers in the last fourteen years. What I’ve heard so far is really good (I’m listening right now, as I type).
Tracklist

1. An Echo
2. Pastime
3. Holding to the Edge of Night
4. High Horse
5. Reunion
6. Joey
7. Constructive Eviction
8. Garden Dove
9. Tough for You
10 When We Remain
11. Little Bits

Listen on Amazon

Buy from Amazon:

Here’s where you can find her on Social Media:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Listen to the new record
Official Page

Here’s the rest of her discography:

The post Samantha Crain Spotlight and New Music first appeared on Collected Sounds.

From their website:

Wyvern Lingo have been writing music together since they met at age 11. They originally bonded over hand-me-down albums of Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell and Simon & Garfunkel along with the R’n’B of the 90s/00s that then dominated the radio. Their music stitches together this tapestry of influences, all united by their chilling vocal harmonies.

The first I’d heard of them is from Collected Sounds friend/reader Robert Cullen. He sent me a link to their video, Used. It took me a while to listen, partially because I was busy and then I forgot. Oops! But once I listened I was in awe.

The video shows three women standing in a circle facing each other, on what appears to be the middle of a street, and they’re singing a capella. The harmonies are amazing and they all have lovely voices.

I did the YouTube Rabbit Hole thing and listened to some of their other songs. The others have a sort of funky beat, sometimes a bluesy guitar, a little R and B. They’re really lovely.

Check them out at these links:
Official Site

Bandcamp: Order the new album
Bandsintown
YouTube
They also have a podcast!

The post Discovery :: Wyvern Lingo first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Bio:

Melissa Oliveri came to Minneapolis from Montreal, Canada in 2006, bringing with her an eclectic mix of both French- and English- Canadian cultures.

Her diverse influences range from Alternative music like Pixies and PJ Harvey, to French artists like France Gall, Serge Gainsbourg, and Jean Leloup, and women songwriters like Regina Spektor, Imogen Heap, Tori Amos, and Amanda Palmer.

Having experienced an important loss as a child and lived through the grief that ensued, her songs often tug on the heartstrings, but she can also write about everyday life situations from a humorous angle. Whether playing a silly song about her favourite snacks, dreaming about living among palm trees, or softly singing an ode to a departed loved one, her songs will make you feel exactly what she wants you to feel.

Find Cannelle online:

VIRTUAL TIP JAR
PATREON
INSTAGRAM
FACEBOOK
YOUTUBE
BANDCAMP

The post Discovery :: Cannelle first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Today I chose Jonatha Brooke. Mostly because her concerts are another bright spot in my week! Every Monday she broadcasts from her kitchen for an hour (or so) long concert. She checks the chat and talks to viewers and answers questions. It’s super fun and I love hearing all her songs again. She’s a very engaging performer.

This coming concert, on Monday (June 1) at 2pm central time she will be doing requests and answering questions she didn’t get to in past concerts. Set your reminders to tune into her Instagram or Facebook page to watch. (I prefer Facebook since Instagram cuts off after 1 hour and the layout is funky.)

Instagram
Facebook

Also she is releasing an album of her songs, re-worked, called The Sweetwater Sessions and you can order soon, on her site. It will be released July 10th. Here’s the link to pre-order. I got mine! https://jonathabrooke.com/store

The single, Taste of Danger, is out now and you can hear it if you go to her Facebook page.

See you on Monday!
Note: the pic shown is one I took when she played the Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis. Many years ago.

The post Jonatha Brooke revisited first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Nerina Pallot

I plan to highlight one artist per week that I have discovered over the years.

Today’s pick is Nerina Pallot. She’s received a little more notice lately because she reworked the song “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and it appeared on a show called Normal People on Netflix.

I first heard of her back in 2004 when someone suggested to her that she send me her album Fires. I was very smitten. I did a spotlight on her in November of that year, I then did a review of the album which came out in 2005 and landed on my Best of 2005 list.

She’s put out a lot more music since then! But my favorite part is that she does a livestream concert from her home every Thursday (2pm central time). She gets all dressed up and takes requests, answers questions and you might get a cameo from her adorable son, Wolf, too.

Listen to Love Will Tear Us Apart and Subscribe to her YouTube Channel so you can watch the livestream this afternoon!

Click the pix below to order the albums on Amazon.

The post Nerina Pallot revisited first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Since leaving their former record label, Columbia, and signing with Dirty Hit Ltd, Little Comets have been busy touring with artists such as Delphic and The Noisettes. They’ve been gaining great radio and TV support for Isles and are continuing their tour of the UK with 20 dates in the next month alone!

They describe the song thusly:

“The song is called ‘Isles’ and I suppose it is just a collection of notes and words that fell out of us when whilst practicing in Gateshead. Like lots of places we’ve travelled to, there a strange disconnect between the people and their environment. Despite the simplification of bleak streets and wild youth, the lyrics can maybe convey the yearning subject matter more accurately.”

You can get a free orchestral MP3 of their song, Isles [here]

[Little Comets Official]
[Little Comets on MySpace]
[Little Comets on Facebook]

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The post Meet Little Comets first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Phoenix embraces a wide range of musical styles from country, to pop and recently decided to give her own interpretation of some popular songs.

Here she’s done a cover of a Katy Perry song, Hot N Cold:

and here’s a free MP3!

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The post Meet Phoenix Hart first appeared on Collected Sounds.

This weekend a friend of mine asked me about an artist (as in, do you know her?) and it was one I’d not yet heard of. Her name is Soko and she’s French. I guess someone called her the ‘French Lily Allen.’ So I checked out her music yesterday.

I have to say, she sounds nothing like Lily Allen (tho looks like her a little) but she’s cool. She’s more acoustic and soft. She started out as an actress in French films but became a songwriter when he had her heart broken. She currently lives in LA. She sings in English, at least some times.

She’s sold out shows in Denmark, so obviously I’d like her since I think I’m a misplaced Dane. Her Wikipedia page says she quit music in January of 2009 to return to acting. But Here’s hoping we’ll see her again.

The first song I heard was actually a video for “I’ll Kill Her” which is cute and disturbing at the same time. She’s talking about the woman who took her boyfriend away from her, naturally. It’s a cute sweet sounding song, but she’s planning murder.

So what do you think? Most of the other videos I found were fan-made pieces where they put photos over the audio. But at least you can hear them.

I haven’t figured out where to purchase her music yet.
I looked on Emsuic for her and there’s a Soko, but all the reviews say is “This is NOT the French girl.” So there’s another band out there with the same name. Both are shortened versions of their real names (she was born Stephanie Sokolinski but has been called Soko for as long as she can remember).

Here’s her [MySpace] page (she’s still logging in so that’s good)

The post Artist Discovery: Soko first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Album Name: Stranded In Suburbia
Artist: Melissa McClelland
Year/Label: 2004 / The Orange Record Label

[Buy at Amazon]

Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

This post is serving as both a Spotlight, and an Album review.

I first heard of Melissa McClelland from Ecto (a music mailing list I am on). There was some discussion about her being married to Luke Doucet, who played guitar for Sarah McLachlan for many years. I knew this and that she was signed to the same label as Sarah, Nettwerk Records. But since I am usually so flooded with new music that I never have time to seek any out on my own, I never followed up.

Until, that is, I heard she’d be on the Cayamo Cruise. If you don’t already know what Cayamo is go [here]. Once I booked my spot on this cruise, I found it important to get to “know” as many of the artists as possible seeing as I’d be spending 5 days listening to their music. So I downloaded what I could from Emusic and Melissa’s album, Stranded in Suburbia was one of them (also Luke’s but that’s for a later post).

I love this record. It wasn’t an immediate crush for me. It took a few listens. With the exception of Glimpse into Hell, which I loved from the very first guitar note. It’s still my favorite on the album, but I’ve since also fallen for Rooftop, Jaded (in which she uses the F-bomb), Picture Postcard is a cool story song. Blue Farewell too. Beautiful.

There’s also a Bruce Springsteen cover (Factory) which I don’t love. But I didn’t really like the original either. I like The Boss, that’s just not one of his I ever really liked.

Her voice is nice and clear. There’s nothing very unique about it, but it’s lovely. And I love to sing along with these songs….at the top of my lungs…in my car.

I was expecting more mainstream pop or pretty layer-y McLachlan-esque stuff. It’s neither. It’s pop, but it’s more edgy. I can see it played on the radio, but (with the exception of the VERY mainstream title track, aka White Lies) only on really cool stations.

Her shows are one’s I am definitely going to try and catch on the cruise.

Note:I still am not 100% sure how this cruise works. I know I had to sign up for one concert slot per night but I’m guessing there are shows going on all the time that we can go to. If not, if we only get one show a day…I don’t know.

Track Listing
1. Good As Gold
2. White Lies (Stranded In Suburbia)
3. Pretty Blue
4. Jaded
5. Glimpse Into Hell
6. Rooftop
7. Factory
8. Picture Postcard
9. Encinitas Rainstorm
10. Little Birds
11. Blue Farewell
12. Smoke Signals
13. Jaded (Ogilvie/Fu Remix)

[Melissa McClelland Official Site]

The post Cayamo Spotlight: Melissa McClelland first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Andrea began playing piano at age five. She recorded her first full length CD at age 21. Self funded and promoted, it generated over 1000 sales within just a few months. In the following 2 1/2 years, Andrea recorded 2 more CD’s, “only human” and “somehurrygood”. A break from recording kept her busy on the road with touring and promoting, landing her several coveted promotional opportunities such as a full length article in NY’s Billboard Magazine, a number of festival showcases, a Factor funded video for her single, “She Said”, several recording and touring grants as well as numerous television appearances in Canada and the US. After coming home from a self booked and promoted tour through Australia, in 2002; an effort that took her through the entire southeast coast and consisted of 25 shows within two weeks, features in major press, TV and street festivals, Andrea joined John Switzer (Jane Siberry, the Waltons) in the studio to complete, “Picture This’, a full length album of her first co-written songs. The album was well received and Andrea set out on tour once again to promote the new songs.

Four years later, Andrea has been devoting her time to writing and spending time with her new family. These three new songs are just a sampling of the many songs still lying in wait to get their turn in the studio. In the next few years, Andrea intends to release several more EP’s of this type, hoping that it will allow her to give more focus to each song, and release more songs more often. We appreciate everyone’s patience these last few years and promise that there is still much more to come!

[Andrea Florian Official]
[MySpace]

Discography
Grapefruit Moon (2009)
Only Human (2008)
Picture This (2002)
somehurrygood (1998)
Truths (1996)

Buy Truths at CDBaby

Buy Somehurrygood at CDBaby

Buy Picture This at CDBaby

Buy Only Human at CDBaby

Buy Grapefruit Moon at CDBaby

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The post Spotlight on Andrea Florian first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Tiffany Apan

From the time she was barely walking, Tiffany Apan has been drawn to music. Early on the Wilkes-Barre, PA native was influenced by film musicals such as The King and I, The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, and West Side Story and the cast recordings of Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. She was picking up instruments such as the piano, acoustic guitar, accordion, and violin.

Tiffany began taking dance lessons and gymnastics when she was only three years old and resumed her dance lessons at age six after a fight with a childhood illness. She continued her dance classes throughout grammar school and thoroughly enjoyed performing in the dance recitals. Tiffany’s dance instructor was Kathy Burke, niece of famed dancer/actor Gene Kelly. Throughout the years, she would be trained in classical ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and hip hop. Her vocal abilities were discovered when Tiffany performed a solo song and dance number for a dance recital at age 11. She was then enrolled in voice lessons where she received classical training. Her early love of musicals resurfaced when she began auditioning for and winning roles in various musicals, plays, and operas with some local and regional theatre groups including Oklahoma, The Crucible, The Sound of Music, The Magic Flute, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Macbeth, and others. Favorite roles include Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof, Esmeralda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, First Witch in Macbeth, and Free Style Jazz Singer in Whispers Want to Holler. She later would meet long time musician, Jason English who would become her collaborator in music.

In December of 2006, Tiffany released her first single, the ethereal and haunting pop ballad, Ghost to the internet which was met with overwhelming positive responses from listeners all over the world. She then released two more tracks. One being a more industrial/goth influenced song entitled “Porcelain Doll.” The other was a symphonic gothic rock song with sort of a funk styled beat titled A Prayer. These songs were also well-received and they would be the base of what would come to be her debut album. Throughout 2007, Tiffany worked with partner, Jason English, on crafting the remaining songs to make her debut album. Tiffany calls Poet a very personal album which chronicles her life from the time she was in junior high up until recently. On February 26, 2008 Tiffany’s debut album Poet was released to the public.

Poet was met with great success from the critics and music fans alike with almost everyone describing Tiffany’s sound as unique drawing from the sounds of symphonic metal, goth, classical music, new age, pop, ethereal, opera, and celtic/world. Poet has so far been gaining recognition within the metal, goth, classical, adult contemporary/pop, alternative/rock, progressive rock, and ambient genres. She is often compared with artists such as Sarah Brightman, Lana Lane, Loreena McKennit, and Tarja Turunen; she has also been called a cross between Sarah Brightman and Lana Lane in more than one review. The singles off of “Poet” have done quite well on music charts throughout the internet and have been featured on radio stations all around the world. Poet has had physical CD and digital sales in the US, Europe, and Australia. Tiffany has also enjoyed features in a few magazines and webzines.

In December of 2008, her first music video off of Poet for the song Run Away and Hide was debuted on New York’s music video program, IndiMusicTV. The video has also been spun on Music Corner TV based out of Croatia and will be featured on The Jay Rossi Project. While the “Run Away and Hide” video receives rotation, the video for the song “Ashes to Dust” is being filmed and is set for a spring release.

Upon completing her 2008 Poet Tour, Tiffany is embarking on a 2009 Poet Tour to support the album. She is also headed back into the studio in the spring of 2009 to begin work on her second album. She has also begun to release her personal artwork (paintings and sketches) to the public and plans to make a return to theatre within the next year or two. Whatever project Tiffany embarks on, she continues to carve out her own genre defying niche.

[Tiffany Apan Official Site]
[Tiffany Apan on MySpace]
[Tiffany Apan YouTube Channel]

Run Away and Hide video

Discography

Poet (2008)

Buy from CDBabay (click on the album cover)

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The post Spotlight on: Tiffany Apan first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Emilíana Torrini

Emilíana Torrini Davíðsdóttir was born May 16, 1977 in Iceland to an Icelandic mother and Italian father. She grew up in Kopavogur working at her father’s restaurant as a waitress and joined opera school at the age of 15.

She became well-known after winning a song competition singing Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”.

Her 1999 release Love in the Time of Science gained her international exposure and recognition.

She has won several Icelandic music awards and her music has appeared in several television shows including Grey’s Anatomy and One Tree Hill.

She has also collaborated with several other musicans including the band GusGus, Tricky , Thievery Corporation, Paul Oakenfold, Moby, Sting, Dido, and Travis.

[Emilíana Torrini Official Site]
[Emilíana Torrini on MySpace]

Read review of:
[Emilíana Torrini in concert in Manchester]

Discography

Me and Armini (2008)
Fisherman’s Woman (2005)
Heartstopper (2005)
Love in the Time of Time of Science (2000)

Photo by Jon Bergman
(note: to the photographer, if you would like me to remove the photo I will, just let me know…but it’s just so pretty!)

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The post Spotlight on: Emilíana Torrini first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Taj was the artist spotlight for May 2005

From the errant radio signals wafting over the Caribbean basin came waves of divergent musical styles; from calypso to country and western, rock n roll to rhythm and blues– an eclectic confluence that permeated the air of West Indian life.

In the West Indies of the 1970s, this witches brew of sound formed the soundtrack to the turbulent cultural and social shifts, namely, the nascent Rastafarian movement. Restless youth and the threat of political violence hung like a shadow over such times. From these conflicting and coalescing currents a musical original was born, Taj Weekes.

It has been a musical odyssey that has taken Taj from the shores of the Caribbean to Canada and now to New York City. A magical pilgrimage that has all come together in spellbinding fashion with the release of his first album ‘Hope and Doubt.”

Part lover, part mystic agitator, part aggrieved spokesman; this acute observer of the human carnival has crafted a work that signals a seismic shift in the future of reggae music.

An inspired work of uncommon verve. Audacious and original, it shines like a beacon among the gray of contemporary reggae.

[Taj Weekes Official Site]

Read reviews of:
[Hope & Doubt]

Discography

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The post Spotlight on Taj Weekes first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Gregory Douglass

Douglass’ passionate amalgamation of contemporary folk, pop, and rock have been compared to Jeff Buckely, Tori Amos, Peter Gabriel, and Bjork, while he has been equally influenced by his love for underground female singer/songwriters.

His intense, high energy performances either as a solo acoustic artist or with his full band are consistently solid. The winner of the 2003 GrammyFest in New York City, he currently plays at clubs, festivals, and on campuses throughout the U.S., and was the inaugural performer on the American Red Cross 2003 “Save A Life Tour”.

He is an active juried artist on the Vermont Arts Council, har toured with They Might Be Giants, and been co-billed with Tracy Chapman, Third Eye Blind, Melissa Ferrick, Martin Sexton, and Michelle Branch to name a few.

[Gregory Douglass Official Site]
[MySpace]

Read reviews of:
[Up and Away]
[Stark]
[Pseudo-Rotary]

Discography

Up and Away (2006)	Stark (2005)	Pseudo-Rotary (2004)
Teeter (2000)	Gregory Douglass (2000)	If I Were A Man (1998)

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The post Spotlight on: Gregory Douglass first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Ethereal gothic singer-songwriter, composer and fantasy illustrator born in the Canary Islands and now living in Barcelona (Spain). A world of fantasy: dark fairy tales, romantic ghost stories, and “other creatures” that dwell in the boundaries between dream and awareness inspired by her personal experience with sleep paralysis, night horrors and hypnagogia… old fears and passions… ancient shadows…

Her debut album, Ancient Shadows is a collection of 19 illustrated song-tales that take you to a ride through the haunting and spectral realm she creates with her sorrowful eerie but sensuous music, led by an angelic and silky voice that invites you to shed your own cultivated defences. Wistful, evocative, pure and meaningful.

Priscilla studied Molecular Biology but now her life is devoted to illustration and music. Her drawings and paintings, just like the songs, are inspired by old fairy books and gothic literature: haunted houses, mourning willows, nymphs,vengeful fairies, ghosts fluttering like moths around the living… A world of spectral romance and intense melancholia. Also, her personal experience with sleep paralysis, night horrors and hypnagogia is a constant influence in her lyrics.

With a remarkable success in internet, Priscilla’s dedicated fan base continues to multiply. After declining a wealth of record deals, including majors, just to remain true to the spirit of her music, Priscilla founded YIDNETH, her own record label and publishing company that takes name from her illustrated book project. She also created, along with the spanish composer Héctor Corcín, Nuevas Músicas (nuevasmusicas.org), a platform for the promotion of independent artists in Spain in genres like hers. She has been aired in several spanish national television channels, featured in countless specialized magazines and media and also played in radio stations all over the world. As a songwriter and vocalist she’s participated in several published cds and soundtracks and also have performed in some european emerging talent festivals.

Often compared to Tori Amos. Kate Bush and Enya, Priscilla claims to be nourished by Tears for Fears (Orzábal lyrics), Cocteau Twins and most importantly her fascination for film scores and soundtracks. Still she truly carves out an original image for herself and is more than the sum total of her music influences creating an unique and personal soundscape that is difficult to put a finger on or describe.

[Priscilla Hernandez Official Site]
[Priscilla Hernandez on MySpace]
[Shop and fanclub]
[Videos on You Tube]
[Demo Reel] with excerpts from the album.

Read reviews of:
[Ancient Shadows (the ghost and the Fairy)]

Discography

Buy from CDBaby

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The post Spotlight on: Priscilla Hernandez first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Halie Loren

When Halie Loren was 4 years old, her parents heard her singing along to her sister’s walkman from the other room and looked at each other in total amazement. Was that incredible voice coming out of their ‘little’ girl? It was, and it still is. Today this 22 year-old alternative singer/songwriter is already carving out a unique musical niche with her jazz-infused breed of intelligent piano-rock. Her richly textured, emotive voice and compelling song interpretations make it easy to see how she was nominated and won the Female Rising Star and Alternative Entertainer categories in the Independent Music Awards before even turning 16. Halie writes with passion and delivers with a keyboard-driven focus carried along by her dynamic vocals. She has garnered multiple songwriting awards in almost every music genre from well-respected sources including the Billboard International and John Lennon Songwriting contests, and took an Independent Songwriter of the Year award before she had graduated from high school.

Growing up on an island in Southeast Alaska, much of Halie’s diverse music exposure came early-on from listening to everything public radio had to offer and her parent’s eclectic music selections. Says Loren, “I loved Jazz the most out of any genre when I was younger and I doubt that would have been the case had I been raised in a less isolated area. My favorites as a kid were Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, and Diana Krall-and they still are some of my favorites today.” From her first on-stage jazz performance at the Sitka Fine Arts Camp at age 10, Halie knew music was to play a big role in her life. After moving to the ‘lower 48’, she was quickly ‘discovered’ by Northwest music communities and touted as a rare vocal talent, and music opportunities immediately began coming her way. Within months of making the move, she was being invited to be a main performer in a sold-out John Denver Tribute Concert Series that got a lot of exposure around the Northwest-it was an exceptional learning experience for a 13-year-old. By age 14, her musical influences had expanded to a wide array of eclectic artists, but she found herself especially drawn to singer/songwriters such as Sarah McLachlan and Paula Cole and she began to write her own music, with three of the first original songs she wrote riding in a car on a family road trip receiving 1st place awards in folk, country and jazz categories-the judges in the competition were doubly impressed once they learned their top winner wasn’t even old enough to drive yet.

Graduating early from high school at 17, Halie moved to Nashville to further pursue songwriting and industry experience. She spent the next 1-1/2 years in that music-saturated town writing, recording, performing, and exploring Nashville’s extensive musical offerings. She found herself writing and forming long-lasting friendships with the wonderful writers and musicians who call Nashville home while cultivating many new life-experiences as she figured out life in the “big city”, away from everyone and everything familiar. Although she made the decision to expand her musical horizons beyond the country music realm, those experiences and kind, caring people influenced her immensely as a blossoming songwriter and were key factors in some of the artistic paths she was to choose in the years ahead.

On returning to the Northwest to attend College, Halie completely stayed away from music for about six months before she sought the writing muse again. That’s when she “re-discovered” playing the piano, the instrument that has become such an inexorable part of her writing and performing throughout the past couple of years. She had abandoned piano lessons at an early age after becoming frustrated by sight-reading skills that could not match her natural aptitude toward ear-training. After an off-and-on love/hate relationship with the guitar over the next year, she decided to stick with being satisfied with keeping her voice as her only true instrument. However, after shifting away from Nashville and the country-oriented music scene, the need to truly explore her musical potential led her yet again to her long-forgotten friend, the piano-“it all seemed to fall into place very quickly once I sat down at the piano and deliberately attempted to compose a song with that instrument… I felt like I was finally tapping into a voice inside my creative self that was saying to me ‘wow, it sure took you long enough!'” says Loren. The layers of her music took on a whole new flavoring and depth once the piano became the core foundation she built her material around. As one fan so aptly described it after attending one of her house concerts…” Halie Loren’s music gets in your head, plunges you into darkly-effervescent musical waters and pulls you on a journey through the emotional gauntlet with her-sorta like a molasses-dipped combination of Tori/Sarah/Joni”.

Halie’s live performances highlight her intense emotional outpouring and commanding stage presence. She has headlined full bands in front of thousands, spiced up jazz trios in intimate club settings, and brought down the house at musical festivals. She also plays solo, with her trusty keyboard as her only companion, including showcases in New York City (International Songwriters’ Guild), Nashville (famed Bluebird Café) and in Seattle (Rockrgrl International Conference). She’s collaborated with many well-known and respected writers and numerous other music industry veterans, all while going through her teenage years and preparing for college. Though often compared to other modern female artists, she has been able to hold on to her own unique musical voice.

In her senior year of college, Halie continues performing throughout the Northwest. For the past 8 months, she has been working on her newest (and first) solo CD effort, “Full Circle.” Loren initially planned to take the DIY route literally and do it all herself, but she soon found herself overwhelmed time wise as well as with some of the technical aspects. She invited her friend/fellow musician James House in as a co-producer/engineer and all-around make-it-sound-right person. House’s attention to detail on the CD brought clarity to the tracks that keep them fresh and alive throughout the CD. Released July 7, 2006, the album’s collection of eleven of her most recent songs and a Joni Mitchell cover is a snapshot in time of Halie’s musical journey. The material showcases her as a compelling vocalist as well as a talented pianist in her own right. Reviewers are giving the CD high marks, with no small portion of their praise aimed toward the writing skills of this young artist. It is a work that is incontestably “Halie”, with her having not only created the music, but also having playing a major role in the production, recording, and engineering as well as designing the CD cover.

Artists are cautioned to avoid taking a broad approach in their music in today’s genre-centric radio format, and instead are told to choose a narrowly-focused path and aim down the middle to help insure their music gets radio play. That’s too bad because once you hear Halie Loren, you readily agree that she really can ‘do it all’ and do it so well you want to hear her do it again. Loren doesn’t see herself taking the narrow path because she knows this is just the beginning of her musical journey and she’s ready to explore and find out what’s up ahead.

[Halie Loren Official Site]

Read reviews of:
[Full Circle]

Discography

Full Circle (2006)

Photos by Sally Yaich

The post Spotlight on: Halie Loren first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Olga Salamanca grew up all over the Midwest as her family moved from state to state. She remembers happy memories in the black hills of South Dakota as well as the very flat plains of North Dakota. She also remembers dreading piano lessons with various teachers and then slowly the music lessons phased out. Music didn’t enter again until 12 years later.

Olga eventually moved to southern California where she graduated from UC Irvine with a psychology degree. It was only after college when someone showed her a few chords on the guitar when Olga realized her talent for singing and songwriting. Olga’s dormant gift surfaced bringing to light an artist with raw natural talent.

Olga moved to San Francisco for graduate school in 1999 and this move somehow served as a catalyst for songwriting. Olga began to hit the San Francisco open mic scene with her acoustic guitar performing live for the first time. She let her brilliant voice breakthrough and soon became a favorite among the scene.

Although difficult to describe, Olga’s musical style has been compared to Fiona Apple, Mazzy Star, and Portishead. Olga conveys a musical honesty that is truly rare. Her voice and songs captivate any audience with the simplicity of just her and an acoustic guitar. Olga now plays with a full band adding a rich flavor that would tempt any palate. She and her band have performed at various venues throughout the bay area gaining popularity with each show.

With her debut album, Pale Light, Olga presents songs and lyrics that resonate deep within. You will find catchy tunes that make you want to rock out to sweet ballads that pierce your heart. Olga is an emerging artist that is guaranteed to move you.

Note: Olga is the Collected Sounds Spotlight of the Month for October 2005

[Olga Salamanca Official Site]
[Olga Salamanca MySpace]

[Watch a video] of Olga performing on Open Mic Showcase. (this crashed my browser, but you migth have better luck)

Read reviews of:
[Pale Light]

[Buy at Amazon]

Discography

> Pale Light (2005)

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The post Spotlight on Olga Salamanca first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Rebekah Jordan’s “the trouble with fiction” is music for wallflowers and dreamers with a.d.d, a gentle mix of genres held together by velvety vocals and a unique point of view, and not what people tend to expect from a girl raised in an all black neighborhood in Cleveland.

“My father worked in a steel mill when I was young, and when he came home he wanted to get as far away from that world as possible. Music was the easiest escape.” So Rebekah grew up in a home filled with the sounds of everything from Debussy to Donny Hathaway, João Gilberto to James Cleveland and with the sense that musically, anything is possible, a concept in direct opposition to the urban limitations surrounding her.

As much as she loved music, pursuing it as a career never seemed feasible or wise. “Where I’m from you grow up and you get a job. A real job.” So after high school, she went off to college to study biomedical engineering. “I showed up wearing mocassins and mood rings, blasting the Cocteau Twins. To say I didn’t fit in is an understatement. People always thought I was in the wrong building. They would point me towards the art department. One day I realized they were right.” So here we are.

Rebekah financed, produced and is now releasing her 6 song EP, “The Trouble With Fiction” through her own Tea Party Records. For the recordings, Rebekah enlisted the help of the talented (and wonderfully sarcastic) musicians who play with her on stage, Butch (from the Eels, Rufus Wainwright and Tracy Chapman) on drums and percussion, John Ballinger (from Rufus Wainwright) on guitar and clarinet, and Jessica Catron on cello. The EP consists of 5 original songs and what is becoming a signature cover of “Dreams” by Stevie Nicks.

Rebekah never imagined she’d be wearing so many hats, artist, producer, label. “Being independent is more than a notion. I certainly never planned it this way, this is just how it has happened. And it’s hard. But with each little victory you’re more encouraged and it is incredibly empowering watching these little seeds you plant grow.” Thanks to many sleepless nights, Rebekah is starting to get airplay on stations like WRAS in Atlanta, CFUV in Victoria, CKUT in Montreal, KUMD in Duluth and WXPN in Philadelphia. And Rebekah was just chosen to perform this fall at the 2005 Nemo Music Conference, held every year in Boston. She will use the Nemo showcase as an anchor for her first east coast mini-tour. How she’ll organize and finance it is anybody’s guess. But she’s not discouraged by the daunting task ahead of her. “Obstacles are a given. I’m learning to welcome the chaos, it’s what makes the calm so sweet.”

[Rebekah Jordan Official Site]
[Rebekah’s page on My Space]