Last weekend, I caught Toronto trio Elliott Brood‘s phenomenal performance at the Emerging Music Festival in Canada. While the four-day festival boasted numerous French-speaking acts, frontman Mark Sasso asserted, “In English or French, we just want you to dance.”
And dance they did.
Perhaps the most energetic crowd of the festival, the audience were on their feet until 2 a.m. stomping and clapping along. With rousing banjo and harmonica coupled with Sasso’s raspy Dylan-esque vocals, the band transformed the church where they played into a loud honky tonk where fans drummed along during their set on makeshift tambourines the band handed out.
Standout tracks like “Fingers and Tongues” impressed while banjo driven “Write It All Down For You” featured heavy hitting percussion alongside Sasso’s relentless singing.
“It feels really nice and hot in here. That’s how rock shows should be,” Sasso commented.
With intricate finger picked guitar and the band’s rich harmonies, their alt-country rock & roll satisfied as the enthusiastic audience hung onto every note played.
Elliott Brood’s new album, Days Into Years, is due out Sept. 27. For more on the band, visit their Web site. Watch them perform “Miss You Now” below live in studio Q from their Polaris Prize nominated album Mountain Meadows.
Earlier this month, I caught Mike Mangione & the Union‘s performance at Real Madrid soccer stadium while in Spain covering World Youth Day. The six-piece band traveled from Chicago and played several showcases throughout the week and I was lucky enough to catch them one of my last days there.
Frontman Mangione has a powerful stage presence and captivated the stadium filled with people from countless countries who most likely didn’t understand every word sung. But, good music transcends language barriers and he had the stadium clapping along throughout the set and at times even singing along.
Songs like the catchy “Darling Little Sister” impressed with violin and cello accompaniment while Mangione’s soulful vocals satisfied. In fact, Mangione brings slight resemblance to Ray LaMontagne with his deep and raspy singing style. After joking that he and violinist Kristina Priceman wrote the song in 1965, Mangione & the Union segued into a solid cover of Bob Dylan’s “Tombstone Blues.” With fast paced guitar and percussion, the energetic number showcased the band’s talent.
“It’s hot. We’re gonna sweat and it’s gonna feel great,” Mangione told the crowd. The thermometer hit the upper 90s throughout his set, so he wasn’t kidding.
Poignant ballad, “You Were Beautiful Once” followed soon after while Mangione’s heartfelt vocals and soaring guitar accompaniment led the track before the band ended their set with the bluesy “Somewhere Between.” With heavy hitting percussion, haunting string accompaniment and riff ready guitar parts, Mangione & the Union left Spain with hundreds of new fans.
To listen to Mike Mangione & the Union, be sure to visit their Web site. You can watch my interview with him below and see some of the band’s performance.
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Mat Kearney’s latest album, Young Love, is 10 tracks of feel good, energetic music, so much so that it’s nearly impossible to not stomp your feet along. Kearney filled fans in on his new release on his Web site.
“Today marks a day I have only experienced a few times in my life; the release of a new record, the preparation for a new tour, and another shot to live my dream. I can’t help but feel freaked out and completely blessed all in the same breath. I have to hold still so that the DJ kid sitting next to me ripping vinyl onto his laptop doesn’t see my eyes fill with tears as I write this.
“Here we go again. We are in this together. If “Young Love” is worth anything it’s because you think it is. I started out making records for my friends. I’d track them down and make them listen to the new songs I had written. It was like I was trying to rip their heart out with a pocket knife and sing the grace of god back over the damage I had done. Not much has changed over these last years. I’ve kept on trying to do that same thing in different ways. And it seems I have made a few more friends than when I started. Thank you for all your support, I hope this finds you well,” he wrote.
Young Love kicks off with catchy first single, “Hey Mama.” With hand-clapped rhythms and a fast beat, its a new side to Kearney than witnessed on previous singles. “Ships In the Night” follows with a striking piano introduction before Kearney joins in on vocals. Blending his eased singing style with spoken word features, the song is refreshingly new.
The beautiful “Sooner or Later” soars with textured guitar and percussion accompaniment while Kearney’s songwriting continues to strike a chord. “We’re all waiting on a dream that’s hard to own, sooner or later/Trying to feel the high without the low, you know/You can feel fire in the night lying here/Baby it’s like we’re walking on a wire through the fear/Take my hand, we’ll get there,” he sings.
While fast paced songs like “She Got the Honey” impress, it is on his slowed ballads like “Learning to Love Again,” the heartbreaking “Rochester” and bonus track “Seventeen” that he leaves the greatest impact. His voice is at the forefront, with no distracting drum loops or electric guitars, allowing his tales to unravel. With remarkably descriptive stories the listener can envision himself inside of the tale. It is this moving storytelling that reveals Kearney’s talent.
A few years ago I interviewed Kearney and asked about his songwriting process.
“It’s always different. You never know what’s going to happen. Sometimes there are songs, sometimes it’s a movie, sometimes it’s your friends, sometimes it’s a book, sometimes you’re laying in the bed in the middle of the night and you hear this idea going through your head and so you have to get up and write it down. It’s very different. Sometimes I’m breaking into schools and writing on a piano because I really wanted to write on a piano. It’s very varied. It’s elusive the writing process,” he said.
For my complete interview with Mat Kearney, click here. Be sure to watch him perform on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno tonight and catch him live Thursday at SoHo’s Apple Store.
Taking the stage shortly before midnight, A Million Years captivated a packed Mercury Lounge Thursday with their anthemic rock. After tours with 30 Seconds to Mars, Phoenix, The Drums, Longwave, One Eskimo and Jesse Malin, their hour-long performance showcased their prowess onstage.
The Brooklyn-based band kicked off their set with high energy as they performed “No Distance.” With Keith Madden’s soaring vocals, solid guitar riffs and heavy hitting percussion it’s easy to picture the band in an arena setting.
Throughout their hour set the band impressed with impeccably layered guitar textures, catchy choruses and powerful musical interludes. The haunting “Holy Ghost Town” featured polished guitar accompaniment while the atmospheric ballad “Incandescent” demonstrated their more serious side with slowed, ethereal vocals and delicate guitar parts.
While they’ve been compared to The Strokes and Queens of the Stone Age, A Million Years continue to set themselves apart with their memorable live show. Watch them perform “Holy Ghost Town” and “Suspicious” below and be sure to check out their Web site for more.
Music has always been the passion in Brooke Annibale‘s life. It comes as no surprise, then, that the 23-year-old just released her third full-length album. An impressive LP, Silence Worth Breaking, debuted this spring and continues to put the Pittsburgh based singer-songwriter on the map. With smooth vocals and thoughtful lyrics, her music is bound to get stuck in your head.
Songs like the emotional “Under Streetlights” are relatable. While her familiar vocals draw the listener in, it is the impressive musical landscape that keeps one’s attention. Strong guitar parts and percussion add to Annibale’s singing style, but never overpower it.
Singing about love, life, and loss, Annibale holds a certain wisdom unprecedented for her age. At times, her raspy and earthy singing style give slight reminiscence to Brandi Carlile while comparisons to John Mayer’s “smoky” quality have also been made. Fittingly, on “Empathy” she sings “I just can’t be someone I’m not” with soaring electric guitar reminiscent to that of Mayer at the fadeout of the song.
While her whispered vocals are familiar to that of Priscilla Ahn and Meiko on tracks like “Feels Like Home,” Brooke offers something fresh with her personal and relatable lyrics. With additional string accompaniment, the song strikes a chord.
Silence Worth Breaking was produced by Paul Moak (Third Day, Jennifer Knapp, Matthew Mayfield, Mat Kearney) in Nashville, Tennessee. After working with Brooke in the studio Moak said, “Brooke Annibale is an artist of true depth both as a writer and a performer. Her ability to draw you in with that voice is equally matched by what she has to say once you are there.”
I couldn’t agree more. Annibale’s emotion fueled vocals captivate the listener, begging him to hit that repeat button. Watch Annibale perform “Under the Streetlights” below and for more, be sure to visit her Web site.
Last month, I received an email from Michael Shoup introducing me to his music. While I receive plenty of band pitches on a daily basis, his words were genuine and his past and current projects peaked my interest. The Nashville based singer-songwriter got his start attending songwriter nights in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio, in his teens before moving to Nashville for college. He soon began designing artist Web sites, including A-listers like Lady Antebellum and Kelly Clarkson, when he noticed bands he toured with were in need of a Web site to promote their music.
When not working his 9-5 job, he has spent his time writing, recording and producing his debut solo release, Learning How to Live. An impressive LP, the 10 tracks (which you can download for free this week here) are relatable and emotion fueled with solid music accompanying Shoup’s soulful vocals.
While in Nashville last month I caught up with Shoup at 12South Taproom, his neighborhood cafe/bar that he described to me as “one of the most unpretentious, chill bars around.” Well recommended as a good place for conversation, we even ran into fellow singer-songwriter Mat Kearney. So, on a hot day in June I escaped the craziness that was the CMA Music Festival downtown for a while as we chatted about his career in music, latest album and the stories behind many of the tracks on Learning How to Live.
This is your first album as a solo artist. How was the recording process?
It took just about as long as I expected because I was doing it in pieces and didn’t want to ask fans for funding. I wanted to be able to do it myself and have it as a gift to people. Like, ‘Hey, I know you’ve been waiting to hear some of this, I want you to hear it.’ Not that I have anything against Kickstarter projects. For a debut I didn’t want people to feel like they owed it. And, what if they didn’t like the record? I wanted to do something they would enjoy.
I had a producer that worked with me on it named Paul Shearer. Paul and I took basically eight months to a year and scheduled how we wanted to do every song. We did it very systematically. ‘What parts do we need on this? Let’s plan it out.’ It came out to a really good process and a really good relationship between he and I. We continued that process throughout the last year. Even new stuff we’re writing. I know what I need to do and I know when I need to send it to him.
You’ve been collaborating with fans for Song-A-Week. How did that concept come together? (Watch one of the videos below and for more click here.)
The Song-A-Week I’m doing, Paul and I have co-written two of those together and those are working out really nicely. It was twofold for me. I released the record in November and I’ve had a Tumblr blog for years so I just said I would focus on that to be a way to talk directly talk to people who were into the music. I was trying to find a good way to do that, how to get some consistent content and also motivate me to keep writing. The record’s already out, what are you gonna do now? The thing with music for me, I always want to have something that’s communicating with people. I don’t want to just write a song and say, ‘This is what I was feeling.’ I want it to be what somebody else is feeling so they can feel like it’s their song. I think Tumblr as a format works really nicely.
I just opened it up and said, ‘If you guys want to submit ideas or stories about something big in your life, send them in and I’m going to start writing songs about it.’ For me, it was partially a challenge but it was also a weight lifted off because there was this giant pallet of things I had to choose from. I think the further it’s gone along, I’ve gotten some really in depth stories and some really personal stories that move me. I don’t think you can put a price on that as a writer. It’s like I just opened this great book and found an awesome story that I have to write a song about.
The week timeline was just to make sure I had a challenge. I wanted to put up consistent content. Having worked in the Web world for a long time, I understood that. But I also know myself and if I don’t put a deadline on it so many things could happen. I wanted to see if I could do it. It’s a perfect testing ground for me. I’ll write a song, stick it out there and I’ll see how much of a response it gets. If I hit close to what people had written in about, then they’d probably like it. If they don’t, that’s cool. It’s another song, I got some practice out of it, somebody probably got connected to it. I’m surprised I don’t see more songwriters doing that back and forth because it’s right there. There’s no reason you can’t do it. You’re getting instant feedback from the people that will hopefully be purchasing your stuff down the road.
One of my favorite tracks on the album is “Dying to Live.” What was the idea behind it?
That was a co-write between Paul and I and I had a basic idea. All my friends are in their late 20s and early 30s. I’m sure you’ve seen it. It happens in New York, it happens in Nashville, it happens everywhere. You get out of college or you get out of high school and you have these giant dreams and all these mountains you’re ready to scale and the world beats you back a little bit. That’s what it’s about. Sometimes it feels like those dreams are unattainable or sometimes it feels like they’re attainable but you don’t know how to get there. I wanted to put all of those stories from my friends around me into a song and say, ‘Hey, we understand you’re trying to get there. Hold out. Everybody else is trying to get there too.’
I was feeling the same thing myself. The whole time we were producing and writing and making this record, I was working 9-5 doing Web design. It was an anthem for myself to keep going to finish the record and to get everything together.
It was a funny turn around for me while we were doing the record. We took enough time to do it that by the time we had written and recorded everything it was sort of like an out of body experience. I didn’t feel like I 100% had written those songs, I could relate to them as a listener instead of a writer, which was the first time I had ever been able to do that. It was a really weird feeling.
Is there a song you’ve written that means more to you now than when you first wrote it?
Sure. There are a couple. I wrote this song called “Last Goodbye” years ago. I think you go through seasons in your life with relationships and a lot of times those seasons return. As I got older, the words that I put into that song made a lot more sense to me. I had written them out of this emotional moment and I never understood why other people related very well to it. As I got older and had other experiences, it made a lot more sense to me than when I first wrote it. There’s a line on “Last Goodbye” that says, “Maybe life’s not right for what this love has got in store.” That made a lot more sense to me as I grew older and realized that even though two people are in love, it can’t be right sometimes.
The other one that was really stuck in my head as we were doing the record and it was why I made it the title of the record, “Learning How to Live.” That’s one for me…I don’t know if it’s ever going to be a single. It’s not your usual pop song. You don’t get to the chorus in 30 seconds. But, for me and I think a lot of people who are in the same life place as me, can really relate to the chorus of it. “All I want to be is right in front of me but all I can see is how to live carelessly.” You understand how to get to where you want to get, but it doesn’t mean it’s always easy to get there.
What keeps you motivated?
Two things. Learning. Honestly, this is something I’ve newly learned about myself. I’m motivated to continue to do stuff when I feel like I’m learning new things from it. For Song-A-Week, when I first took that on I added a video element to it because it’s a totally new field I’ve never tried to do before. I’m going to learn how to shoot and to edit and figure out what 720p is and all that other stuff and it’s going to keep me motivated to want to do it more. The other side of it is the back and forth communication that I can get to people to be able to experience it with me. Whether it’s at a live show that I do or posts on Tumblr, emails that I get. That is the driving force. Anybody that does anything creative has to get that feedback.
What would you be doing if it wasn’t for music?
I really just like doing creative stuff. I think if I wasn’t making money off of music I would be doing something like that. Whether it’s helping other people be creative or doing video work or design. My life goal is to try to communicate to people that way. I just think the way that I’ve been gifted to do that is through songs. If it wasn’t through that, it would be something else.
For more on Michael Shoup, be sure to visit his Web site. You can download his debut album, Learning How to Live for free this week here and watch him live all day until 11PM CDT as he plays some music and gives viewers tutorials on making and editing videos, how to build a Web site and more.
Last week, I witnessed The Trews live in Park Slope for a 30-minute stripped down performance before their set at Mercury Lounge the next day. After listening to their latest album, Hope & Ruin, all afternoon on repeat I was intrigued to see just how the Canadian four-piece would sound live.
While an energetic plugged in set tends to captivate the concertgoer, often it is a stripped down performance that best showcases a band’s talent. Having toured with everyone from the Rolling Stones and Robert Plant to Kid Rock, The Trews didn’t disappoint.
The band kicked things off with energetic title track, “Hope & Ruin” as frontman Colin MacDonald’s powerful vocals led the song. With catchy “woah-oh’s” and dynamic guitar interludes, The Trews captivated the room. The tongue-in-cheek “I’ll Find Someone Who Will” followed with beautiful harmonies and more aggressive guitar and percussion.
Next track, “One By One” continued to showcase the band’s talent with a solid guitar breakdown mid-track coupled with MacDonald’s wavering vocals and a fitting percussion beat while the energetic “Paranoid Freak” saw fans dancing along. Mid-song, the music stopped to showcase MacDonald alone. As the room stood silent, it was evident that the band left a mark on listeners.
Stand-out track “Poor Ol’ Broken Hearted Me” began a cappella before a funky bass and percussion beat took the lead. An impressive stripped down sound, I wish I could have witnessed The Trews plugged in set.
The band closed their performance by taking requests. Slower ballad “Stay With Me” continued to impress while the up-tempo “Hold Me in Your Arms” set the band apart with soulful vocals and powerful instrumental features. As the band ended their performance, they reminded the room that they’d be playing NYC’s Mercury Lounge the next night.
“Come on out and bring a date. If you don’t have a date, bring one of us,” guitarist John-Angus MacDonald said.
Currently on tour promoting their latest release, Hope & Ruin, be sure to catch The Trews live. Stay tuned for my interview with the band.
Earlier this week, Virginia-based band River James released their debut four song EP. No strangers to the music industry, frontman Vince Scheuerman, formerly of Army of Me, and drummer Jacob Marshall, formerly of MAE, met while on tour years ago. Bass player John “Scoops” Hutchins and guitarist Tyler Strickland were added to the mix during a canoe trip along the James River in Virginia. After 410 miles, much soul searching and bonding, they decided to tell their story to the world in song.
The songs were recorded live with the goal to produce an organic and raw sound. With honest lyrics and light music accompaniment, each track allows room for Scheuerman’s delicate singing style to leave a lasting impact.
“We would like to keep it organic, with acoustic guitar or piano in each song. And the idea is to run the gamut of dynamics, from the whisper of one man and his guitar, to the full band hitting you with everything they have,” Scheuerman said.
The EP begins with the haunting “Avenue A.” A song that discusses the struggles of alcoholism, crushed dreams and soul searching, the stripped down track strikes a chord. With light guitar strumming and Scheuerman’s questioning lyrics, the song has an intimate feel, as if the band is letting the listener into their recording studio with them.
“I’m wondering is this all that I get, everything I worked for/The few that I called my dear friends have finally walked out the door,” Scheuerman sings. This begins the constant questioning of one’s path in life, a theme frequently portrayed throughout the EP. Mid-song the beat picks up with wavering electric guitar and background percussion as Scheuerman continues to sing with passion.
Standout track “Heart Of Love” follows suit with Scheuerman’s familiar whispered vocals. With fitting percussion and soaring guitar parts, he sings of love. A beautiful tale, the song was inspired by one woman’s heartbreaking discovery.
“I wrote this song after I’d heard the story of a woman who found out she had terminal cancer and one year to live. There was no treatment option for her. So her husband took the next year of his job off, and just spent that year with her. They travelled and did all the things that she wanted to do before she died and he just enjoyed the time that he had with her, knowing that it was limited. The song is meant to be his words to her,” Scheuerman writes.
The EP continues with a new relatable issue: the universal desire for intimacy. Influenced by a Bruce Springsteen song, “In My Blood” embodies striking vocals while a steady percussion beat and guitar accompaniment round out the track. The album comes full circle with last track, “Dreams.” A song about struggling to pursue your dreams in the midst of endless obstacles, it strikes a chord.
“I pray we not forget our dreams” Scheuerman sings, convincing the listener to pursue his passion. No doubt influenced by his own experience, the listener finds solace that if River James didn’t leave their dreams behind, we shouldn’t either.
For more on the band and to listen to their music, be sure to visit their Web site. You can watch the video for “In My Blood” below.
A few months ago I reviewed Tiffany Thompson’s beautiful self-titled release. While she’s been performing at numerous locations in the D.C. area, this Saturday marks her debut New York performance at Rockwood Music Hall’s Stage 1 at 6 p.m. With warm vocals and inspirational lyrics, she is without a doubt an artist to watch.
Late last year, Thompson filmed a music video for “Till That Day Comes,” a striking ballad that showcases her emotional vocals and lyrics. Reminiscent to that of Colbie Caillat and Priscilla Ahn, her voice is comforting as she tells a tale of a hopeless romantic. “So I close my eyes and pray one more time/That the day would come when I’d find someone/Who will hold me close oh and love me more than I’ve known before.”
A relatable track, Thomspon writes, “No matter how content I am with being single; there are still moments—however rare—when I long to be in a relationship. And, I’d love for that man to be sitting in the chair next to me. However, as I wrote this song and entered into the emotions of longing, dreaming, and a bit of loneliness, I kept remembering the truths that root and guide me.”
It’s her honest lyrics and openness that make her stand out. Taking the DIY approach, Thompson is taking this year to completely focus on her music and pursue her dream.
“Writing honest, personal lyrics that will be brought to life by the clarity and melodic charm of vocals and pop instrumentation is my dream. In my songs, I seek to engage life on a very personal level and sing stories about longing after lost love, comforting hurting friends, and being there when it matters most. Call it, my other self-education. My songs articulate the everyday struggles of loneliness, loss and love, but all the while looking with a hopeful eye toward the future,” she writes on her website.
And that she does. Watch her video for “Till That Day Comes” below and visit her website for more music. Be sure to catch her live this Saturday at Rockwood. For a free download of “Till That Day Comes” click here.
His first full-length album as a solo artist, Matthew Mayfield‘s newest release, Now You’re Free, encompasses 11 standout tracks of raw vocals combined with solid musical interludes and emotional lyrics. His deep, raspy singing style immediately draws the listener in while soaring guitar and percussion round out much of the LP.
No stranger to the music scene, Mayfield released an LP with his former band, Moses Mayfield, in 2007 and recorded eight solo EPs years later. He’s had much success as a solo artist so far, having songs featured on “Grey’s Anatomy” as well as some going to No. 1 on iTunes’ singer/songwriter chart.
“My journey started in 1992 when I fell in love with Guns N’ Roses after seeing Slash get up on the piano for the finale of “November Rain.” When I was 9, I decided I was either going to be a bank robber/surfer or play in a rock ‘n roll band,” he writes on his website. “I’m not brave enough to ride the big waves and not radical enough to rob banks, so here I am with a guitar in my hand. I think my mother is very happy with that call.”
With the help of fans, Mayfield raised $14,000 via Pledge Music by selling handwritten lyrics, living room demos, house parties, guitar tabs, and more. He took to Nashville to record Now You’re Free with producer Paul Moak and writes that the album is everything he wants it to be.
” Honest, anthemic and diverse. The songs are full of hope, which in some ways is very new to me. They are the sound of a fresh start. I’m excited about attempting to change something with this record. It could be someone’s mood for a few minutes, the temperature in their room, or the way they watch the sunset driving down the interstate. Music has changed everything for me. I want to be a part of that for other people.”
And that he is. Now You’re Free kicks things off with “Come Back Home,” an impressive start to the release. With guitar buildup before Mayfield’s wavering vocals enter, it is easy to picture him in an arena setting as each instrument crescendos at the perfect spot. The song fades to a close with Mayfield alone on vocals singing passionately, “Come back, come back, come back, come back please come back, come back home.”
Next track, “Missed Me” quickly picks up the pace with electric guitar and a faster paced singing style from Mayfield. While the more uptempo numbers showcase Mayfield’s rocker side, it is his heartbreaking ballads that leave the greatest impact. The beautifully haunting “Fire Escape” paints the picture of a man waiting around for a former flame. With deep vocals, the listener can feel the pain he feels as he sings each word.
Standout song, “Element” has quickly become my most listened to track. The song begins with Mayfield lightly strumming the acoustic guitar before his slowed, soft vocals enter. “I’ve been waiting/Wish I was watching you/In the daylight/A perfect view/This is always a favorite of mine/Said I don’t want to go/ ‘Cause it means I’d have to throw/This element of mine aside/What if I don’t want to be the lonely one/The truth I know is this/I don’t want to miss you more/Than I already do,” he sings passionately. Written when he was 19, Mayfield has said it’s the one song that’s stuck around so long that he still likes.
“Ghost” follows suit with guest vocals by Bo Rinehart of NEEDTOBREATHE. While the track picks up the pace, it continues to showcase Mayfield’s introspection with light strokes of the piano. Guest vocals continue, this time by The Civil Wars’ Joy Williams on “Can’t Change My Mind,” a moving ballad before the upbeat and hopeful “Grow Old With You” closes the LP on a strong note.
Though his first full-length solo release, it’s hard to tell. Now You’re Free is an adequate introduction to the singer-songwriter’s talent. One can only wonder what the future will bring for Matthew Mayfield. To listen to his newest release and find out when he’s coming on tour near you, visit his Website.
