Artist Review Videos
newest 100 artist review videos / artist review widgets / media rss:

Meshach Jackson has released an eight track ep called Experiments In Drowning, asking you to pay what you want for the disc. Available on his Myspace page, fans of Canon Blue and Mute Math will enjoy their experimental friend. Meshach Jackson - Smile (me)shach Jackson grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in a family that opened their home to youth that had criminal records. His past speaks of brothers in prison, surviving hurricanes, and moments of crisis. Jackson now lives in New York City, after New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. His conversational style of writing on his blog touches on political topics, anxiety attacks, and random musings. Self-described as down-temp, ambient, and neo-soul, Jackson approaches his songwriting in a similar way as his blogging, writing lines like keep your head above water. Simple one word titles hint at his musical ethos. Processed but not layered for the sake of layering, Jackson creates luscious atmospheres that pull the listener in. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhEIoDXoINo Tags: Canon Blue, Meshach Jackson, Mute Math

Oconomowoc, Wisconsin usually isn t the town you think of when indie music comes up in conversation, but The Cold Comfort Band is out to challenge your preconceived notions. Their sound is indelibly influenced by their surrounding landscape, and they make no attempt to hide the silo of corn in the background; rather, they pose with it in a band photo as all eight members hang off the edge. The Cold Comfort Band seemingly begs of Sufjan Stevens to move North to Wisconsin and join them in their experimental folk. Formed in Sprint of 2007, The Cold Comfort Band have posted two demos on Myspace and Purevolume and they re worth your attention. At first impression, Rae Klagstad s angelic voice is reminiscent of the Taxi Taxi! sisters. She s not afraid of using her range, and remains in control with every note. But this band is not only fueled by a strong vocalist, seven members bring their wide range of influences with them as they play their trumpet, sax, and guitars. The Cold Comfort Band hint of numerous directions they could take with their sound, and will be an exciting group to scope even more thrilling than saying Oconomowoc. The Cold Comfort Band - A Heart Unseen The Cold Comfort Band - Awake In Me Oh Morning Tags: Sufjan Stevens, Taxi Taxi!, The Cold Comfort Band

HAMBURG - Hamburg is like Portland. And although I’ve never been to Oregon before, this coherence is a fact that I’m pretty sure of. At least when it comes to the local music scene. And because of the somehow interconnected dozens of hundreds of thousands (!) of bands, artists and songwriters working and creating in this beautiful German seaport city that I am blessed to call home, I’m more than happy to welcome you to… the first part of a series about Central European bands and singers! (Imagine a flourish or a fanfare at this point, please.) Let’s get started smooth and easy today with some newish blokes on the blocks of Hamburg – Junges Glueck (Myspace). Even though the band was originally founded in 2001 they had a few, well, changes in their line-up going on and have just released their second album called Raus aus Flüsterleben (which could probably be translated to Out of a life of whispering ) a few months ago. So, they still feel more than unconsumed to the listener, I reckon. It’s quite an excitingly unusual blend the three guys have gathered with their plain instrumentation: 12 songs oscillating between impellent instancy and laid-back lovesickness. Sometime – even if this might be a bold statement – they remind me of Bloc Party, but without the disco-attitude. And even the early Shins seem to have left some marks, somehow. There’s no whinging and wimpyness on the album, fortunately. Instead you are treated with the individual conditions of average lads in their late twenties. And the best thing: Whenever Niclas Breslein (guitar and vocals), Ingmar Rehberg (bass) and Lars Watermann (drums) switch into the rocking mode, you can be sure that they put all their energy into the song. Don’t be afraid of the language barrier, by the way, because as always it’s the gesture that counts, as we Germans tend to say; or in case of this series it’s the melodies. So just lean back, turn the volume up and give it a go! Junges Glück - Fluss Junges Glück - Technicolor Junges Glück - Herzkommando none

Preston Edmands was recently featured on a Starbucks holiday promotion, singing a gingerbread latte version of Deck the Halls. Preston blogged about the experience, saying that after a day of tracking several versions of Deck the Halls, their weaker moments were selected in the final mix. This is probably the case, having been introduced to his debut release and hearing how selective Preston is when he records his songs. Preston Edmands relocated to Queens several years ago to pursue his musical aspirations, having grown up in Maine. He studied at a recording school, set up gear in his New York City loft, and began recording. His impressive O Captain! My Captain! was tracked over the past twelve months and was independently released this fall. In June Preston made it to the final round of a music competition, pushing Edmands to develop a live band, which he endearingly calls The Wonderful Undertones. Since then they have performed around New York City, picking up a Gibson endorsement along the way. We re told to expect a short tour, jaunting out to Chicago and returning back. Preston Edmands writes timeless songs that create a movement of underground folk pop. Edmands style of song writing will appeal to fans of The Decemberists, Paul Simon, M Ward, and The Shins. Preston Edmands - My Fire (more ) Tags: Preston Edmands

At the age of 31, Jesse Sprinkle has accomplished a tremendous amount as a professional recording artist, performer, producer, photographer, and designer. His work has varied from `90s alternative to metal, from emo to classical guitar begging his fans to ask, What will Jesse do next? Sprinkle has toured and recorded with a long list of bands over the past fifteen years. Now his creative mind is focusing on his Bluebrick Recording Studio in Avon, New York. Over the past twelve months Jesse has produced at artists such as: Fusion, Subcolour, Blue Was A Bear, The Wrong Mind, and Courtney Streb. Sprinkle has a gifted eye as a photographer, amassing thousands of artistic photographs as he toured the world. He also offers his photography services at Bluebrick Recordings, drawing upon his catalogue. Bluebrick Recordings is a 24 track digital recording facility operated by Jesse Sprinkle and George Hochbrueckner. We are people devoted to real art created by real humans for real reasons. Our services include: Recording, Mixing, Mastering, Photography, Design, CD manufacturing, T-shirt printing, Studio session players, and Lessons. When Jesse was thirteen years old his brother, Aaron Sprinkle, sixteen at the time, asked him to play drums in their band. Jeremy Enigk shared vocals, but would later leave to form the legendary Sunny Day Real Estate. Three years later Jesse s band, Poor Old Lu, signed to Alarma Records, and the Sprinkle brothers began touring full-time. Four full-lenth studio albums and an EP were released within a short period of four years before Poor Old Lu broke up in 1997 when Jesse was 21. Aaron Sprinkle continued on with his project-turned-band Rose Blossom Punch, and began his veritable career as a producer. A new young band called Magnified Plaid, MXPX, as Aaron to produce their debut album for Tooth and Nail Records. Several years later Aaron Sprinkle was hired by Tooth and Nail to produce their artists at the Compound Recording Studio. Aaron also found time to release six solo albums between 1999 and 2004, as well as recording a new Poor Old Lu album in 2002. Aaron has produced or engineered artists such as Pedro the Lion, Rocky Votolato, The Almost, Eisley, Mae, Starflyer 59, Damien Jurado, Deftones, Anberlin, and many others. In 1996 Jesse Sprinkle recorded a classical guitar instrumental album called Sunsites, with Phil Peterson backing him on cello. After Poor Old Lu broke up Jesse began releasing acoustic-driven solo albums under the name The World Inside, where Jesse tracked every instrument, and three albums were released through Organic and Paste. In 1998 Sprinkle began producing and engineering in his Mackie studio in Danville, New York, but had difficulty due to his relentless touring. Jesse Sprinkle is most notably renown as Demon Hunter s drummer, whose music videos were cast in heavy rotation on MTV. Two albums later he left Demon Hunter and switched drumming seats with Dead Poetic. He has tracked as a studio drummer for numerous bands on Tooth and Nail at his brother s request, though his name is not always credited. Other bands and projects that Jesse Sprinkle has recorded or performed with include: Serene, Holiday Runner, The Wrong Mind, A Cold Vein, Clive Staples, Dinner Mint, The Color Nature, Morella s Forest, Kutless, Paul Wright, Burning Daylight, Dolour, The Lashes, Denison Witmer, Starflyer 59, Robert Deeble, Michael Knott, and many others. Bluebrick Recordings on Myspace Jesse Sprinkle on Myspace Jesse Sprinkle - Unnoticed (more ) Tags: A Cold Vein, Aaron Sprinkle, Bluebrick Recordings, Damien Jurado, Dead Poetic, Deftones, Denison Witmer, Eisley, Jeremy Enigk, Jesse Sprinkle, MTV, Pedro the Lion, Robert Deeble, Rocky Votolato, Sunny Day Real Estate, Tooth and Nail