How can you not like an artist that dances around in a banana outfit? Drew Holcomb, pictured with his wife Ellie, plays somewhat like a Tennessee spin on Jack Johnson. Less beach and more twang.
Category: music
LaTasha Lee
Talk about addictive. Just try to listen to a few of these, and not find yourself looking for more.
LaTasha Lee started out as a singer, and recently wrapped a band around her music. A modern spin on an older sound with a real world flavor. I look forward to seeing her music and style mature.
I found this band looking through a list of “Best New Music in Austin, TX”. Amazingly, I think she was somewhere near the middle of the list. As an added bonus, her music is available in lossless formats through Bandcamp
St. Paul & The Broken Bones
St. Paul & The Broken Bones are a great soul band, and bring back wonderful sounds of the Stax and Muscle Shoals era. But not only are they fun to hear, they are great to watch. Check out the videos of lead singer, Paul Janeway, gyrating around the floor.
Amerigo Gazaway
All mixed up.
Take Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Marvin Gaye, and Aretha Franklin, and throw them together in a song called “Ms. Fat Booty“? Release the song on the internet, with a “pay what you want” model? And offer high quality FLAC downloads? Unheard of. Until now.
Gazaway, as a producer and DJ, seems to be pushing the envelope in all directions. With delicious results.
Lake Street Dive
Been following them since seeing a sidewalk performance video in 2012. Fascinating to see them mature and change – from appearance to presentation to music. Enjoyed Fun Machine, and am looking forward to unwrapping their newest, Bad Self Portraits. Feels like the smoothness of a cappella blended with the funk of a jazz beat wrapped around popular melodies.
Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes
What a great name. Just fun to say. And even more fun to hear the music. Another import band playing good old Motown. No so keen on the production sound of Love Letter. Far Too Late and others are just great.
Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes – Far Too Late
Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes – Love Letter
Alice Russell
Always a sucker for blue-eyed soul. Not sure about the new swept back hair do. But I do like the music.
Seems like the UK is a hot bed for a genre I would have thought of as quintessential Americana. (Though Gin Wigmore, Amandine Bourgeois and the Pepper Pots might have something to say about that.)
Toby Lightman
Folks of a certain generation always confuse my name with that of Gordon Lightfoot. Probably happens once a month. And while I always chuckle, I must note that I’d much rather have the talent of this also-almost-homophonous singer.
