Rock Torch

Keith Zarriello of The Shivers recommends Nina Simone

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Keith Zarriello and Nina Simone

Keith Zarriello and Nina Simone

Keith Zarriello’s recommendation: “I am deeply moved by the music of Nina Simone. From the first time I heard her voice I was paralyzed. I will never hear another voice like hers for the rest of my life. She doesn’t get enough credit for being a true revolutionary. I think you could make an argument she was the first punk. She was so bad ass and yet so beautiful and vulnerable at the same time. Every cover she did became her own.”

New to Nina Simone’s music? Keith suggests you start here: “Nowhere is this more evident than on her live album, Nina Simone At Town Hall. It combines everything I love – the 1950’s (recorded in ’59), New York City and of course Nina herself.”

Keith ZarrielloAbout our guest author, Keith Zarriello: Keith is the co-lead of The Shivers, the Queens based band that proves that all great indie music from New York doesn’t have to come out of Brooklyn. Classically trained church organist Jo Schornikow joined Zariello six years ago and since then the band has won praise from Pitchfork and The Guardian (UK) and has earned tour spots with big names like M. Ward and Deer Tick. With four solid records under their belt, The Shivers recently travelled to the UK to record their personal best collection, More in, get this, AN ALL ANALOG STUDIO (sorry, Pro Tools). Producer Adam Lasus (Yo La Tengo, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Helium) helped create an ultra-warm album that showcases both up-tempo hum-alongs (Used To Be) and brooding ballads (More, below). So go ahead and one-up your Brooklyn buddies. Support Queens, support The Shivers and check the dates for their live shows here.

MP3: Used To Be by The Shivers

The Shivers – More [Official Music Video]

Lydia Loveless recommends The Fever

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Lydia Loveless and The Fever (Lydia Loveless photo: Paula Masters Travis)

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.”

More about The Fever

MP3: Gray Ghost by The Fever

Lydia LovelessAbout 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.

MP3: Can’t Change Me by Lydia Loveless

Noelle Scaggs of Fitz and the Tantrums recommends Fleet Foxes

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Noelle Scaggs and Fleet Foxes

Noelle Scaggs and Fleet Foxes

Noelle Scaggs’s recommendation: “Lately it seems like I can’t have my day completed without throwing on something by the Fleet Foxes. A friend of mine put two of their albums on a travel mix for me a couple tours back, and since then I have been either sleeping with Robin Pecknold’s voice or rising with it. It is as though they were born in a castle placed in an enchanted forest that you would find in a story like, Narnia. I really enjoy artists that can manage to build imagery within their music inviting the listener to a new experience. The vocal harmonies matched with their whimsical melody reminds me of the first time I’d ever heard Neil Young, Joni Mitchell & Bird And The Bee, who all spoke to my spirit upon first listen. Their songs have a very calming effect on me which is needed with this non-stop schedule me and the gang currently have. I highly recommend their song Meadowlark to any new mothers whom are trying to calm their child for a nap. I played that beautiful lullaby for my nephew and I think he was as entranced in the lyrics as I was when I first heard it:

Meadowlark fly your way down, I hold a cornucopia and a golden crown for you to wear upon your fleeced gown. My meadowlark sing to me.”

New to Fleet Foxes? Noelle suggests you start here: “If you have never heard Fleet Foxes before, I think the best album to grab would be their self titled LP, Fleet Foxes. It’s a great album from beginning to end and it’s their first full length LP as a band. Check out White Hymnal, Quiet Houses & Your Protector. One should also grab their first EP called Sun Giant and check out a song called Mykonos. This song is a great example of their creativity as composers and lyricists.”

Noelle ScaggsAbout our guest author, Noelle Scaggs: If you are keyed into all that is hip on the West Coast, then you most definitely have heard of Noelle Scaggs. She started singing at the age of eleven and since has collaborated with The Black Eyed Peas, Dilated Peoples and Mayer Hawthorne. But her cool factor does not end there. She’s also modeled in an art piece for Kanye West and co-hosted TV programming with T-Pain. Her “moment,” however, appears to be NOW as she rocks, shimmies and belts out powerful harmonies in Fitz and the Tantrums. Spy any of the Fitz videos (like the knockout performance on Conan below), witness the energy she brings and just try to take your eyes off of her. Impossible, right? She’s the clearly the co-star here and Fitz himself perhaps puts it best in saying of Noelle, “…we have repartee. Onstage, we’re Ike and Tina.” Fitz and the Tantrums’ new album, Pickin’ Up the Pieces is a hunk of pure joy, an experience that could perhaps only be topped by their ass-shaking, earth-quaking live show (check the tour dates here). More goodness comes with the news Noelle is working on a solo record. Remember her name, folks, and get your iTunes set for download.

MP3: Don’t Gotta Work It Out (Live)

Lindi Ortega recommends Timber Timbre

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Lindi Ortega and Timber Timbre

Lindi Ortega and Timber Timbre

Lindi Ortega’s recommendation: “The band that moves me lately is a Canadian band called Timber Timbre. I just love their spooky dark music. I listen their music on a daily basis. The vocals are just so unique and mesmerizing.”

New to Timber Timbre? Lindi suggests you start here: “The album I would recommend is Creep On Creepin’ On. It’s atmospheric, textured, haunting, and leaves you slightly uneasy in the most beautiful way ever!”

Lindi OrtegaAbout our guest author, Lindi Ortega: Hailing from Canada, Lindi Ortega has spent the last ten years earning her stripes and a reputation for being “Toronto’s best kept secret.” She has two EPs under her belt and has opened shows for Keane and Kevin Costner and the Modern West (where have we been? Kevin Costner has a band?) and recently backed up Killers frontman Brandon Flowers on his solo tour. Her latest record, Little Red Boots is produced by Juno winning producer Ron Lopata and is a splendid blend of rockabilly, country and a whole lotta sass. The album has fantastic buzz and recently reached number 18 on the Roots Country chart. Lindi is currently on tour (check her website for a listing of tour dates) and is offering her fiery single Little Lie (video and sound file below) as a free download on her Facebook page.

MP3: Little Lie

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