Wednesday, December 13, 2006

The difference between a singer and a songwriter

Tonight I had the pleasure of witnessing Corinne Bailey Rae live at NYC Town Hall. My first time at the venue was a great one. The setting and the acoustics were great (except for a few sound glitches towards the end). Going into the show I only knew "Put Your Records On" and didn't know what to expect from the show...but I was blown away. Although there were 10 people on the stage there was no doubt that Corinne was the center of it all. The band and backup singers were the perfect accompaniment to Corinne soaring and soulful voice.

The difference between someone who gets their songs and sings them and someone like Corinne who writes them isn't always evident on an album, but it is clear in a live show. The amount of emotion and energy that was put into each and every note of every song was moving. She was able to connect with the crowd and draw her audience into the palm of her hand.

ALthough it seemed effortless when she sang, the in between banter and praises is where she got flustered. Whether she was clapping along with the audience ("thank you for thanking me and enjoying me so much, perhaps?) or talking just a bit too much, it seems that is the only thing she needs to work on.

"Put your recods On" was played somewhere in the middle of the set and everyone was still there at the end of the show. At the encore she came out and said..."I only have 11 songs that you know, so i guess you're getting the whole album."

A great artist and one who is sure to be around for a few years.

Corinne was also recently nominated for several Grammy awards.

Hodges

So the newest musician I'm hooked on is Hodges. This guy is a singer/songwriter originally from Fort Worth, TX. He moved to LA where he started playing coffee houses, open mics, etc. Got booked to some festivals, was named one of Hollywood's "30 under 30" and continues to expand his fanbase. He is currently finalizing a record deal and the record should be out the first half of 2007. This guy is going to be big in 07...mark my words.

here at MTV i just gave my presentation to my department on him and I think it went really well. if you want to check out some of his songs you can visit is myspace page www.myspace.com/hodgesmuzik or his website www.hodges-music.com. Also you can check out a short clip of him on www.citysessions.com Go to Los Angeles and scroll down to Hodges...and i'm sure theres some live clips on YouTUbe if you search for them.

Tonight going to see Corinne Rae Bailey at Town Hall in NYC. Look for a review later.

Check out: Blink of An Eye by Hodges

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

The Sweet Escape

It's getting closer and closer and the more I think about it I realize just how far away I'm going to be in Australia. I've been away from home before, but never that far and never for more than a month without out seeing some sort of family. This will be four and a half months. I guess thats why I'm going home as much as I can now to get that family fix.

Now I was upset that I was going to miss my annual trek to SPAC to see Dave Matthews Band with the rumors of them returning to the capital region while I was Down Under, but now they have announced their first tour dates and guess what...they are going to be in Sydney when I am. So now add Dave, John Mayer, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers while I'm down under...hopefully I'll have the money to feed my habit.

Currently listening to the latest Gwen Stefani "The Sweet Escape" streaming for free on AOL.com before it drops on December 5. Check out "Now That You Got It" and "Breaking Up".

Til Later

Monday, November 20, 2006

Girls Like Boys

So the latest band that I can't stop listening to on my iPod is this group called Boys Like Girls. Their self titled debut Boys Like Girls includes songs such as "Five Minutes To Midnight" and "Dance Hall Drug". The first single to be released is "The Great Escape" and the first video is "Hero/Heroine". You can check out the video for "Hero/Heroine" on their Myspace page www.myspace.com/boyslikegirls. The guys are from Boston and have a little bit of a All American Rejects (who they are going to be opening for on the Tournado Tour)/Jimmy Eat World sound to them. After coming together late last year the boys were quick to hit the top of the unsigned acts charts on Purevolume.com. They have toured with Cute is What We Aim For... and Butch Walker among others. They are currently signed to Columbia Records.

These guys really know how to rock and you should definitely get your hand on their album. I have yet to see them live, but as soon as I do you can bet you will read about it here.

Currently Listening to: Boys Like Girls - "Thunder"

And so it begins...

In just under four months I will again be packing my bags and moving again to my next destination. This time around I'll be heading down under to Sydney, Australia. There I will be taking classes at the University at Sydney and doing all the travelling and exploring that my wallet will allow. I plan on using this blog to keep in touch with everyone and share my adventures and pictures. I also am going to blog about some of my favorite established and up and coming musical artists. Keep checking back for details.