Shelby Earl’s recommendation: “There are a number of artists who move me or whose music makes me feel deeply, but there is one at the top of the heap – one who regularly takes me somewhere special with his music: Icelandic artist, Jonsi. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Jonsi live multiple times, both with his band, Sigur Ros and solo (I even got to see him play IN Iceland!) and every show has been extraordinary. I don’t know what Jonsi’s spiritual beliefs or practices are, but to me he seems undeniably tapped into the divine. He lays himself bare when he plays music and he takes his listeners to church every time. It’s as though he is dedicated to beauty above all else in his art. Through his ethereal voice and his songwriting – both seemingly full of immense heartache AND hope – and through instrumentation so beautiful it’s almost painful (strings, winds, keys, heavy rhythm, layered voices, etc), Jonsi’s music is utterly transcendent. And not only is he a brilliant artist, but I had the opportunity to hang out with him after a Seattle show in 2010 and found that he’s also an incredibly kind and genuine person. How rare and exciting to learn that an artist’s heart is as beautiful as the music they make. He is an inspiration on all levels.”
New to Jonsi? Shelby suggests you start here: “I would recommend every Sigur Ros album – especially Takk (2005) and Með suð í eyrum… (2008) – but above all I would recommend Jonsi’s debut solo album Go (2010).”
About our guest author, Shelby Earl: Shelby’s story is the sort of underdog tale that both inspires and restores faith for artist-wannabe office workers who think about trashing their steady gig and risking it all to pursue their dreams. Shelby spent her days at several arts related jobs in the Pacific Northwest, including stints at The Experience Music Project and as a music liaison at Amazon, but her true calling was song craft and performing. “To be totally honest, I was pretty unhappy those last couple years doing the 9-5,” Earl told Spinner, so she quit, threw herself into writing and caught the attention of two heavyweights on the indie music scene: John Roderick, lead singer of The Long Winters, who went on to produce Shelby’s collection of tunes, and Rachel Flotard, the can-do powerhouse behind Visqueen who also runs Local 638 Records. Her debut, Burn the Boats quickly gained support from Earl’s long time acquaintance, Ann Powers (NPR/LA Times) who passionately wrote “… I don’t want this record to get lost in the avalanche of releases that confronts every critic and music fan…Burn the Boats is an album beyond trends, a classic work of singer-songwriterly craft and beautifully framed confession.” Praise for Earl poured in from other outlets as NPR made At the Start the song of the day and Seattle Weekly dubbed the same track as “…an early frontrunner for best song put out by any artist in 2011.” To cap off this feel good story, Burn the Boats snagged the number one spot on her former employers’ (Amazon) “Outstanding 2011 Albums You Might Have Missed” list. Be sure to visit Shelby’s site for tour dates, to join her Facebook page and more.
Joe Grushecky’s recommendation: “My favorite CD of the past couple of years is Horsefly by a journeyman singer/songwriter/guitarist named Pat McLaughlin. I saw Pat play at Douglas Corners in Nashville and was blown away by his band and songs. The CD has everything I look for: great playing, impeccable grooves, intelligent meaningful lyrics, and passionate soulful singing. I think it really speaks to an audience that has a few miles on them (like me!). I have listened to this album endlessly.
Also, I have recently discovered Eli “Paperboy” Reed and his Come And Get It CD. I grew up listening to a lot of soul music, both mainstream and obscure stuff. Eli has an authentic sound. It is timeless, modern, and retro all at the same time. I like the horns and really admire his singing. My son discovered it in my car CD player. “Hey Dad, listen to this!” Listen indeed.”
About our guest author, Joe Grushecky: Joe has been making straight forward, righteous rock records since 1979. His first record with the Iron City Houserockers caught the attention of Rolling Stone’s Greil Marcus as he wrote, “…their debut album is strong, passionate and a little desperate…I hope they’re around for a long, long time.” The praise continued into the early ’80s as Joe and the band released three more albums, including Have a Good Time But Get Out Alive which was slugged by Rolling Stone as “a new American classic.” Joe split with his first band and took a position as a special education teacher in Pittsburgh (where he still lives and teaches today), but the rocker was far from finished. He formed a new group, The Houserockers, put out three more three more gutsy, earnest records and in 1995, Joe released American Babylon, a collection produced by fellow working class hero, Bruce Springsteen, whom Joe had met through Steve Van Zandt. Bruce co-wrote two of the songs for the album and even toured with Joe and the band. That marked the first of several collaborations between Joe and Bruce (the most recent being a November, 2011 two-night stand in Pittsburgh, review here) including the pair co-writing Code of Silence which has become a staple in Bruce’s live show. Joe has a new live CD out called We’re Not Dead Yet and you can catch his full-throttle performances by checking his tour page.
Alyssa Graham’s recommendation: “Two of the greatest influences on my music, my life and my worldview are Neil Young and Nick Drake. I have spent numerous hours and days listening, loving and disappearing to these two profound and magical artists. However, I would like to take this opportunity to talk about two of my more recent obsessions, namely Francoise Hardy and Serge Gainsbourg. Gainsbourg is one of the most interesting, creative and diverse artists I have ever explored. Gainsbourg has experimented in jazz, funk, pop and rock. He often explored morbid sexuality and suffering and recorded concept albums with themes like Lolita and Nazis. He is “limitless.” His music is always progressive and always deep and it challenges me to go deeper into my own music and expression. When talking about Serge Gainsbourg and how he influenced French pop music it is impossible not to point out the sensual, lush and dreamlike voice and music of Francoise Hardy whom Gainsbourg often worked with. Hardy’s beautiful and spare sound can always lull me into a deep peaceful meditation. The subtle arrangements and the whisper and hum of Francoise’ vocals allow me to imagine and create in a continuous world of beauty and euphoria. She is a constant source of inspiration for me and was a big influence on my current project, The Lock, Stock & Soul EP.”
New To Serge Gainsbourg and Francoise Hardy? Alyssa suggests you start here: “Gainsbourg’s 1971 concept album Histoire de Melody Nelson is a great place to start. Often referred to as his “Lolita-esque” pseudo-autobiographical album, Histoire De Melody Nelson is a combination of funky guitar styling, dark string arrangements and spoken word like vocals. A quintessential Gainsbourg creation. A new super deluxe version coming out this month. Also, 1971, Francoise Hardy’s LA Question is truly a masterpiece. Subtle and spare, seductive and romantic, La Question is brilliantly produced and offers everything you could ever want from this dreamy and stunning artist.”
About our guest author, Alyssa Graham: Praise has been following Alyssa Graham for some time now. She co-led a band called Blindman’s Holiday in college and the group was quickly recognized by Entertainment Magazine as one of the best college bands in the country. The hype helped the band get touring gigs with The Band, Lisa Loeb and The Wailers. Not a bad college education, huh? (Note that Alyssa did graduate while holding down the tour schedule.) Graham then enrolled at The New England Conservatory of Music and released her debut album, What Love Is, in 2005. The album was chosen by All About Jazz as one of the Best New Recordings of 2005 and set the stage for her 2008 release, Echo, a collection that was named one of the Top 10 Vocal Albums of the Year by iTunes. Graham is now back with her new EP, Lock, Stock and Soul which features contributions from Me’Shell Ndegéocello (bass) and David Garza (vocals) and is described by Team Graham as “…a full circle return to Graham’s longtime musical loves: Neil Young, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan.” We hear a bit of Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell in there as well and one can’t help to hear a echos of Norah Jones too, and for good reason. Graham was able to snag Grammy winning producer Craig Street for this record, who happened to produce Jones’ breakthrough Come Away With Me and Jesse Harris, who penned Norah’s smash, I Don’t Know Why wrote Watching the Sky (mp3 below). Alyssa has friends in high places and is utilizing them perfectly on this EP. The praise ain’t gonna slow down for this sort of talent folks, so be sure to check Alyssa on the road before the venues get bigger and the bandwagon gets too crowded.
Tim Easton’s recommendation: “A long list here because it’s all the classics plus those that came before them. I could sum it up in the way the Rollings Stones interpreted “I Used To Love Her” and sold our American music back to us with new attitudes of freedom and complete liberation. I love the band that I see on any given night that is putting it out there, going for it in whatever style they know best. I love the emotional honesty of Lucinda Williams, and I stand in awe of the relaxed and precise delivery of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. I love the Velvet Undergound, but who doesn’t? I saw a band called The Feelies when I was in college and I’m pretty sure they moved me to write songs too. My parents played classical records and I’m certain it moved me as a child as it does now. Then American classical music came along, otherwise known as Jazz, and you don’t stop.”
Tim Easton’s album suggestions: “Definitely Soul Journey by Gillian Welch. It seemed to be an album even she couldn’t get over for a while! Also, Lucinda William’s Car Wheels on a Gravel Road will inform any songwriter or artist on how to be honest and strong at the same time. With the Stones, it’s Beggars Banquet for me. I love the folk music in the middle of the rock and roll.”
About our guest author, Tim Easton: You don’t have to go further than Tim Easton’s 2006 release, Ammunition to learn about his extreme street cred in the alt-country/singer-songwriter community. The collection features production from Jayhawks’ co-lead Gary Louris and backing vocals from Lucinda Williams and Tift Merritt. Big time enough for ya? Yeah, we thought so. Fast forward five years and three Independent Music Awards later, we find Easton (who is originally from Akron, OH), releasing not one but TWO solid records: the electric, band backed Beat the Band and the acoustic collection, Since 1966 | Volume 1, both being released on Easton’s own Campfire Propaganda label. Easton puts on a fantastic show and tours often, so be sure to support this A-level indie and check his tour page.
Lydia Loveless and The Fever (Lydia Loveless photo: Paula Masters Travis)
Lydia Loveless’ recommendation: “As a 13-year-old growing up in the butt crack of nowhere, I really had never heard anything like The Fever before the day I heard them blasting out of my older sister’s bedroom. It sounded like John Lennon mining for diamonds with the seven dwarfs as his backing band. Geremy Jasper’s voice and lyrics were a big turn-on for me. The first time I saw them live was when I realized that the bands I idolized weren’t necessarily other worldly rock stars. I’d recommend starting with their album Red Bedroom. That’s where I started, and it’s worth it for the song Put it On You alone.”
About our guest author, Lydia Loveless: We first heard about Lydia Loveless when her album, The Only Man made a Donewaiting.com top albums of the year list. That album won her an 8 out of 10 rating from Spin as well as praise from The Chicago Tribune and Uncut magazine. Our interest in Lydia then moved closer toward mild obsession when she got signed by Bloodshot Records, the label that put out recordings by alt-country heroes Whiskeytown, The Old 97s, Alejandro Escovedo and Neko Case. Her latest effort, Indestructible Machine (CD Pre-order | Amazon MP3s) is a fantastic follow-up (Spin has already weighed in with another 8 out of 10 glowing review), full of the signature cowpunk that delighted on the debut. There’s plenty of straight talk, humor and a bunch of ‘explicit’ labels to boot. This twenty-one year old firecracker is on tour now. See her live, grab a brew and get ready to stomp your feet off.
Star Anna (photo: Hillary Harris) and Chan Marshal of Cat Power (photo: Steve Gullick)
Star Anna’s artist and album recommendation: “Cat Power’s You Are Free is the first one of hers I bought. I was in High School and I had just started playing guitar. It meant a lot to me that the songs could be simple without compromising depth or feeling. This was one of the records that really helped me make the transition from garage band drummer to singer/songwriter.”
About our guest author, Star Anna: As soon as we clicked play to listen to For When We Go (mp3 below), we were immediately knocked out by Star Anna’s voice. It has the same controlled urgency that drew us to Lucinda Williams. It’s experienced, it’s soulful, it’s honest and it has won over a couple of big name fans to help spread the word. Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses fame classified her as ‘the real deal’ in this editorial for The Seattle Weekly and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam (who plays guitar on her new album) states that her singing ‘…takes me to a higher place.’ Her first two praise-magnet records won her a Song Of the Day spot on NPR in 2009 (Through the Winter) and she was labeled as one of the ‘Next Big Things’ in On Sound magazine. The new album is called Alone In This Together and it’s on Local 638 Records, the label run by our favorite female North Westerner, Rachel Flotard of Visqueen fame. Buy Star’s album here and check her site for upcoming tour dates.
About our guest author, Shelby Earl: Shelby’s story is the sort of underdog tale that both inspires and restores faith for artist-wannabe office workers who think about trashing their steady gig and risking it all to pursue their dreams. Shelby spent her days at several arts related jobs in the Pacific Northwest, including stints at The Experience Music Project and as a music liaison at Amazon, but her true calling was song craft and performing. “To be totally honest, I was pretty unhappy those last couple years doing the 9-5,” Earl told Spinner, so she quit, threw herself into writing and caught the attention of two heavyweights on the indie music scene: John Roderick, lead singer of The Long Winters, who went on to produce Shelby’s collection of tunes, and Rachel Flotard, the can-do powerhouse behind Visqueen who also runs Local 638 Records. Her debut, Burn the Boats quickly gained support from Earl’s long time acquaintance, Ann Powers (NPR/LA Times) who passionately wrote “… I don’t want this record to get lost in the avalanche of releases that confronts every critic and music fan…Burn the Boats is an album beyond trends, a classic work of singer-songwriterly craft and beautifully framed confession.” Praise for Earl poured in from other outlets as NPR made At the Start the song of the day and Seattle Weekly dubbed the same track as “…an early frontrunner for best song put out by any artist in 2011.” To cap off this feel good story, Burn the Boats snagged the number one spot on her former employers’ (Amazon) “Outstanding 2011 Albums You Might Have Missed” list. Be sure to visit Shelby’s site for tour dates, to join her Facebook page and more.
by a journeyman singer/songwriter/guitarist named Pat McLaughlin. I saw Pat play at Douglas Corners in Nashville and was blown away by his band and songs. The CD has everything I look for: great playing, impeccable grooves, intelligent meaningful lyrics, and passionate soulful singing. I think it really speaks to an audience that has a few miles on them (like me!). I have listened to this album endlessly.
CD. I grew up listening to a lot of soul music, both mainstream and obscure stuff. Eli has an authentic sound. It is timeless, modern, and retro all at the same time. I like the horns and really admire his singing. My son discovered it in my car CD player. “Hey Dad, listen to this!” Listen indeed.”
About our guest author, Joe Grushecky: Joe has been making straight forward, righteous rock records since 1979. His first record with the Iron City Houserockers caught the attention of Rolling Stone’s Greil Marcus as he wrote, “…their debut album is strong, passionate and a little desperate…I hope they’re around for a long, long time.” The praise continued into the early ’80s as Joe and the band released three more albums, including 
is a great place to start. Often referred to as his “Lolita-esque” pseudo-autobiographical album, Histoire De Melody Nelson is a combination of funky guitar styling, dark string arrangements and spoken word like vocals. A quintessential Gainsbourg creation. A new super deluxe version coming out this month. Also, 1971, Francoise Hardy’s 
is truly a masterpiece. Subtle and spare, seductive and romantic, La Question is brilliantly produced and offers everything you could ever want from this dreamy and stunning artist.”
About our guest author, Alyssa Graham: Praise has been following Alyssa Graham for some time now. She co-led a band called Blindman’s Holiday in college and the group was quickly recognized by Entertainment Magazine as one of the best college bands in the country. The hype helped the band get touring gigs with The Band, Lisa Loeb and The Wailers. Not a bad college education, huh? (Note that Alyssa did graduate while holding down the tour schedule.) Graham then enrolled at The New England Conservatory of Music and released her debut album, What Love Is, in 2005. The album was chosen by All About Jazz as one of the Best New Recordings of 2005 and set the stage for her 2008 release, 
, a collection that was named one of the Top 10 Vocal Albums of the Year by iTunes. Graham is now back with her new EP, 
by Gillian Welch. It seemed to be an album even she couldn’t get over for a while! Also, Lucinda William’s 
will inform any songwriter or artist on how to be honest and strong at the same time. With the Stones, it’s 
for me. I love the folk music in the middle of the rock and roll.”
About our guest author, Tim Easton: You don’t have to go further than Tim Easton’s 2006 release, 
to learn about his extreme street cred in the alt-country/singer-songwriter community. The collection features production from Jayhawks’ co-lead Gary Louris and backing vocals from Lucinda Williams and Tift Merritt. Big time enough for ya? Yeah, we thought so. Fast forward five years and three Independent Music Awards later, we find Easton (who is originally from Akron, OH), releasing not one but TWO solid records: the electric, band backed 
and the acoustic collection, 
, both being released on Easton’s own Campfire Propaganda label. Easton puts on a fantastic show and tours often, so be sure to support this A-level indie and check his 
About our guest author, Lydia Loveless: We first heard about Lydia Loveless when her album, 
made a 
About our guest author, Star Anna: As soon as we clicked play to listen to For When We Go (mp3 below), we were immediately knocked out by Star Anna’s voice. It has the same controlled urgency that drew us to Lucinda Williams. It’s experienced, it’s soulful, it’s honest and it has won over a couple of big name fans to help spread the word. Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses fame classified her as ‘the real deal’ in 
