October 2009

How Now Brown CowHow Now Brown Cow - How Now Brown Cow is an all improv groove jazz thang. If you love the funked up soul sound of the 70s, the jazzy grooves from the chase scenes from SWAT or the get down phat soundtrack from Shaft then you will GET DOWN WITH BROWN. Often compared to Galactic, Soulive, The Headhunters, Medeski Martin & Wood, How Now Brown Cow have a sound that appeals to fans of jazz, funk, blues, soul and anything with a groove. Featuring some of Seattle's finest improv musicians, How Now Brown Cow lays it down on the spot for you to enjoy.

Negative TrendNegative Trend - Negative Trend was formed in 1977 by Craig Gray and Will Shatter from the shortlived (2 gigs) band Grand Mal. After seeing Rozz break his wrist jumping over an amp singing an Iggy song at a party at Iguana studios,they decided he was there new man. Only together in this form for about 6 months, this version of NT were known for chaotic, unpredictable shows. More likely than not Rozz would be swinging from the rafters, leaping at the audience from a PA stack or generally abusing himself and the audience. The music reflected the chaos of the live show. The CD, The Miners Benefit captures this era of NT and is the only recording of that version of the band. The CD Rozz and NT is not a Negative Trend realease but a Rozz solo project. Just to clarify a couple of rumors. Rozz's last name is Rezabek, not Williams.

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The WhigsThe Whigs - Garage/Grunge/Southern Rock

Tyrone WellsTyrone Wells - Tyrone Wells has delivered an epic pop/rock album with his second major label effort, Remain.  Pursuing a more collaborative process and having added a more lush production to his singer- songwriter roots, the new album proves to be a great showcase for his powerful and emotional voice.

Wtich MountainWitch Mountain - Witch Mountain was formed in Portland, OR in 1997 by Rob Wrong (Iommi Stubbs, ex-M99) and Nate "Nanotear" Carson (Point Line Plane, Two Ton Boa, Sunn0))) collaborator, etc). By 2000, the groundwork had been laid, the demo "Homegrown Doom" was remastered and released in Europe, and Dave Hoopaugh (Iommi Stubbs, Comavoid, Towers) was brought in to be the final bass player after a string of many.Debut album "...Come the Mountain" was released to critical acclaim in 2001. Man's Ruin tried to license it stateside, but they went under before it could happen.

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Indian Valley LineIndian Valley Line - In·di·an Val·ley Line (n.) ; An imaginary railroad "at the end of the rainbow," on which you could always find a good job and ideal working conditions. Boomers resigning or being fired would say they were going to the Indian Valley. The term is sometimes used to mean death or the railroader's Heaven. ___________________________________________________________A waking dream of the West Way out where the telephone poles lay down and buckeye overtakes the train tracks, there’s an old shack with a sagging front porch, whistling winds and a place for everyone to sit.

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Friday MileFriday Mile - 

Jace Krause and Hannah Williams met in college during a music theory class. It was three years later when they connected again, a chance encounter during a show at Seattle's famed Crocodile Cafe in 2005. After the show, they traded songs in William's apartment. He liked her voice. She liked his songs. They decided to form a band.

The band has taken many trips up and down the West Coast, where they encountered friendly hot dog vendors, 2 AM hotel hot tub break-ins, surprisingly good food in Sacramento, tons of awesome people, and a blown transmission in Santa Monica.

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Kissing GirlsKissing Girls - 

Once upon a time, there was a little girl who plans to never grow up, named Susie. She would sing all day long. She played the piano since birth and started the violin at age 3. She grew up listening to the most beautiful music in the world. Her parents played classical music for her every day. Then, one day her brother handed her a pair of headphones and said "This is rock and roll! Shhhh, don't tell Mom & Dad!" All of a sudden, life had meaning to the little girl! Within the music was the answer to all of her questions about her future and her own place in this crazy, dangerous, fun and exciting world!

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Rain MachineRain Machine

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Shannon StephensShannon Stephens - After many years of pseudo-retirement, the long wait for Shannon Stephens’ second solo album is coming to an end. “The Breadwinner”, due out in September 2009, is a beautiful testament to Shannon’s love for her husband, daughter, garden and planet. The former singer and co-songwriter for the Michigan-based band Marzuki, (with Matt Haseltine, Sufjan Stevens and Jamie Kempkers), Shannon embarked on a solo career in 1999 when she recorded a demo ("How I Got Away") and a self-titled album. Then Shannon moved to Seattle, where she had the pleasure of working with artists such as Rosie Thomas, Damien Jurado, Denison Witmer and others. She soon burned out on the mu..sic scene and has spent the last few years tending to her family and her plants.

BatriderBatrider - 

"As brutal as they are melodic, and as abhorrent as they are beautiful, Batrider presents wonderfully destructive images, backed by guitars that will slice at your heart, then turn around and pummel the fuck out of it."Drum Media - Sydney

"With a belly full of acidic insight but a heart full of hopefullness, Batrider's Tara is easily the independent album of the year."A Fine Line Magazine

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The MisfitsThe Misfits - The band started back in August 2005 but at the time wasn't actually even a band. It began with Johnny recording in his basement by himself on all instruments and vocals which led to the release of the first album in October of 2005 entitled "How to Wake the Dead." This was only intended to a be a solo project just for the sake of Johnny wanting to get it out of his system but when his friend (x-band member Mark E. Mortal) suggested that he put together a band, he decided to do so with some of his close friends who he had grown up with and been in other bands with previously. The early stages of the band were very reminiscent of The Misfits & Samhain but as they developed as a group and as Johnny developed as a song-writer, they would eventually stray quite a bit from their roots but never completely.

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Drop Dead GorgeousDrop Dead Gorgeous - 

Hard rock heroes DROP DEAD, GORGEOUS have returned with an explosive thrill-ride of a record. Bolstered by the same crushing intensity that first earned the Denver-bred band a loyal global following, DROP DEAD, GORGEOUS’ electrifying and adventurous new studio disc--appropriately dubbed THE HOT N’ HEAVY (Suretone)--can’t help but leave its metalcore peers in the dust.

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FinchFinch - Grindcore/New Wave/Visual

Poison PenPoison Pen - Rhyming is an art form. Just like painting, dancing and hustling. If you don't know the techniques of the genre you can easily be swept off your feet. Enter Hip Hop staple, Poison Pen, a battle MC turned street prophet. The Brooklynite started in 1996 at the first online radio station 88HipHop.com, before tearing through the streets as the undefeated champ of the NYC MC battle circuit. After participating in the Blaze Battle, Pen decided to retire in 1999 and later host the most popular lyricist competition to date, Da Cypha Emcee Battles featured throughout NYC including special showcases at Kevin Powell & Russell Simmons' Hip Hop Speaks. It was hunger, not chance, that brought Poison Pen to the forefront.

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Explode Into ColorsExplode Into Colors - EXPLODEINTOCOLORS = three weird aunts + basement party + drawing and sewing till our hands hurt but we keep on keeping on + lost mix tapes + lots and lots of dramedy. One of us currently plays with Kickball and some of us used to play in Thunder!Thunder!Thunder!, Hornet Leg, and Japanther. One of us sometimes dances with Janet Pants.

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Immortal TechniqueImmortal Technique - I work all the time, I try to keep distractions out of my life which is difficult because I am always connected to the streets and the people. The Middle Passage and the Green Lantern mixtape these are my life's work right now, I live and breathe Revolution, Rebellion is in my blood and HipHop is the heart that pumps it. The fight has brought us to many places but with the completion of this weapon of mine I am building it will take us to even more places. Harlem and Washington Heights is home for now, but the Earth is my turf and I'll be out there fighting soon. When I am done we are going everywhere around the world we will ask for nothing from these devils take the right that is yours. We cannot possibly answer all of the messages from you, since there are almost 150,000 people on here.

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The Summer SetThe Summer Set - Indie/Pop/Rock

Tori SparksTori Sparks - Tori Sparks calls Nashville home, but spends most of her time on the road in the U.S. and Europe. Called “a knockout” by the Village Voice, her dynamic live show is equal parts eye-popping soul-singing, and zany stand-up-style humor. Tori’s brand-new third album, The Scorpion in the Story, was co-produced with indie rock veteran David Henry (R.E.M., Ben Folds, Josh Rouse, Widespread Panic, Cowboy Junkies) , and features players such as Steve Bowman (Counting Crows), Will Kimbrough (Rodney Crowell), Viktor Krauss (Lyle Lovett, Mindy Smith, and yes, Alliison’s brother), Fats Kaplin (Mark Knopfler, Kevin Welch), and Barry Walsh (Gretchen Peters).

The Loose DigitsThe Loose Digits - Birthed in Spring|06, THE LOOSE DIGITS are 5 individuals who hail from all corners of what our 5th grade geography book told us is the continental US. Converging on a neighborhood bluegrass jam, these musicians quickly found a common tie uncommon to most musicians in the area: A mutual love for dynamic arrangement/performance, coupled with a humility to listen to each other (and not quit their day jobs).

PinbackPinback - “That weird smell in the air when you somehow get outside in the morning of the harsh sun is baking the night off of the concrete. It makes you feel as if you’ve been missing something, and of course you have. One wonders how many experiences one will miss during their short time on earth just by doing what they would normally do everyday. There is almost always somewhere that you’d rather be, whether you know it or even think it’s possible or not. I think I’ll sleep on the roof tonight. When I was a kid, I would bring my guitar, my radio, and a couple of pillows up there and watch packs of coyotes invade the neighbor’s backyards chasing rabbits. There is always so much more going on, even right next to people, than they would ever know about.

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Among the Oak and the AshAmong the Oak and the Ash - Among The Oak & Ash began with two friends looking for a change. New Yorker Josh Joplin and Nashville’s Garrison Starr were both signed to major labels when they were teenagers, and have traveled the world performing their songs. Their paths crossed on the road and they discovered a natural camaraderie born from shared experiences and over time, their friendship meandered into a musical collaboration just when they were looking to take a breath from their solo careers. Their self-titled debut, Among The Oak & Ash I (Verve Forecast), starts at the beginning. It is immersed in some of America’s oldest music – in this case Appalachian murder ballads -- and illuminates the tenacity, beauty and universality of its themes and subjects.

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A Fine FrenzyA Fine Frenzy - "I think some people may be surprised,” says Alison Sudol. “They think that I’m all fragile and ethereal—and that’s lovely, it’s flattering. It's all I've really let anyone see, up to this point. But I have a wild side too. I like to bang on things and cause a ruckus every now and then. I’m a quiet person with a loud streak. I like both. This record is a testament to that.”Sudol, age 24, is the leader of A Fine Frenzy, which she introduced to the world with the 2007 album ONE CELL IN THE SEA. The project established her as one of the most talented young singers and songwriters around; it received rave reviews, was widely exposed through songs being licensed to numerous television shows, and reached Number One on Billboard’s “Heatseeker” charts.

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These United StatesThese United States - We’re Jesse, Robby, Tom, Justin, and Colin. We’re in a band. Some people love us. Others don’t. Soon the time will come for you to choose. We play lots of shows, a couple hundred a year since we started a few years ago. It’s all we do, really. We don’t pay rent anywhere, we don’t have health insurance, 88% of our socks have holes in them, and our teeth have not been professionally cleaned in a very long time – though we all floss often, and thoroughly. You shouldn’t feel sorry for us – it’s a good life, if a hard one – you should just Buy A Compact Disc Now. Maybe even better, come SEE us now. Live. In concert. As one. With you. United. We go a lot of places. Surely one of them is near enough, yeah?

The BraveryThe Bravery - Electronica/Indie/Rock

Tori SparksTori Sparks - Tori Sparks calls Nashville home, but spends most of her time on the road in the U.S. and Europe. Called “a knockout” by the Village Voice, her dynamic live show is equal parts eye-popping soul-singing, and zany stand-up-style humor. Tori’s brand-new third album, The Scorpion in the Story, was co-produced with indie rock veteran David Henry (R.E.M., Ben Folds, Josh Rouse, Widespread Panic, Cowboy Junkies) , and features players such as Steve Bowman (Counting Crows), Will Kimbrough (Rodney Crowell), Viktor Krauss (Lyle Lovett, Mindy Smith, and yes, Alliison’s brother), Fats Kaplin (Mark Knopfler, Kevin Welch), and Barry Walsh (Gretchen Peters).

Common MarketCommon Market - Hip Hop

Swollen MembersSwollen Members - 

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Horse FeathersHorse Feathers - Folk/Indie

3 Inches of Blood3 Inches of Blood - Metal/Rock/Thrash

Kaitlin McGawKaitlin McGaw - East coast bred, Harvard graduate Kaitlin McGaw struck gold in San Francisco when she moved west, ditched all rationality, and pursued what really made her happy: music. A graduate in African-American studies, she had intended to dive into the scene and continue her efforts in social change and nonprofit development. It was after her second false start in the 9-5 world that she realized that she could no longer put a job ahead of singing and performing. Fast forward to 2009, and Kaitlin has released two critically acclaimed and award-winning albums, collaborated/worked with musicians and professionals tied to GRAMMY-winning jazz, hard rock and rap recordings, brought audiences to tears and laughter coast-to-coast, and become a integral part of the San Francisco music scene. Oh.

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Three Chord KillerThree Chord Killer - Three chord killer is fast paced, guitar driven, street metal, with influences around the board, with killer live shows and a hardcore approach to their music.

Furniture GirlsFurniture Girls - Furniture Girls began as a Seattle based electronic duo made up of long time friends, and troublemakers, Viking Snowcone(Nikki) and Butterfly Hambone(stayC).

The F-Girls ran into Bubba Jones (literally) and pelted him with tiny fish until he agreed to produce an EP with them. The introduction of Bubba to the duo provided an opportunity to expand the sound of the project. What began as two girls and their drum machines has morphed into a delicious stew of funky goodness with Bubba adding extra layers of bass & guitar and Thane adding live drums. Down the line, they picked up this Jim cat to slap the bass around.

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The EnlowsThe Enlows - The Enlows started playing music in the greater Sacramento area in the year of 1999. The original line up included the brothers Ry S. on bass, Steele S. (of Mallrats fame) on guitar, and their good friend Keith D. (of Three Weeks Yesterday) on drums. When Keith left the band in 2000, the brothers were joined by Ryan G. on bass, whilst Ry took a shot at drums. After a couple shows, Steele and Ry switched instruments and recorded 2 singles - "Nitwit" and "Think of Your Happiest Thoughts." The band also produced a few home recorded cassette tapes (their self titled “The Enlows”, “Psycho Over You” and unofficial "The Morning After Tape") which were released to a limited audience.

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The RaveonettesThe Raveonettes - Rock

EvangelicalsEvangelicals - Soul

Ghostland ObservatoryGhostland Observatory - Ghostland Observatory is not a band, but an agreement between two friends to create something that not only heals their beat-driven hearts, but pleases their rock ‘n roll souls. Taking the working man’s approach, Ghostland Observatory spend countless hours in their south Austin studio. They have released two albums in less than a year, and have moved audiences from coast to coast with their live performances and unique style. Ghostland Observatory is the duo of front man Aaron Behrens and producer/drummer Thomas Turner. Behrens’ vocal style and stage performances are unique and uncompromising, and he has drawn early comparisons to Freddie Mercury and Prince.

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The Foreign ResortThe Foreign Resort - The Foreign Resort is new wave rock. A resonant vocal rambling between restless and frayed guitar sounds and a defiant rhythm section. The Cure stumbling into Sonic Youth.The Foreign Resort has existed for about two years. During this period they have played shows throughout Denmark, Germany, Italy and the US.

Jacob JonesJacob Jones - Idol/Lounge/Lyrical

Five for FightingFive for Fighting - If every album provides snapshots of where an artist's mind at heart is at the moment, Slice, the latest offering from John Ondrasik (aka Five for Fighting), is a collection of digital jpegs and faded Polaroids. The album takes stories of friends, family and even American servicemen, and sets them to music shot through with the spirit of the great songs of his youth. It's a diary, or a blog, in which Ondrasik speaks his mind about current issues, experiences and sentiments, while setting those thoughts to piano, bass and drums.

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Jason Isbell & the 400 UnitJason Isbell & the 400 Unit - For a comparatively brief moment in the mid-1960s, Muscle Shoals, Alabama was the unlikely epicenter of a major American songwriting renaissance. Here are some of the names: Arthur Alexander, Donnie Fritts, Eddie Hinton, Dan Penn, Spooner Oldham, O.C. Smith, Joe South, Tony Joe White. Toss Bobbie Gentry into that mix, on style if not geography, and the list is not complete, regardless. Style matters, for in those turbulent times these writers and their collaborators fused the vocal passion of African-American soul and gospel to an Anglo-Saxon storytelling tradition which goes back at least to Beowulf: Tough, hard, passionate, unflinching songs, unrepentant in their sense of place and direct in their stubborn Southernness.

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SchudgeSchudge - Rock/Metal/Garage

Dirty ProjectorsDirty Projectors - A'Cappella/Experimental/Indie

GoodybaggGoodybagg - Hip Hop/Jazz/R&B

Krista DetorKrista Detor - Krista Detor's debut album, Mudshow, was released in 2006 to international critical acclaim, garnering an average of 4+ star reviews, and reaching the No. 1 spot on the Euro-Americana chart. Her follow-up record, Cover Their Eyes, achieved equally unanimous critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. Krista has been featured on NPR and countless syndicated radio shows internationally. She defies genre, but the quality of her writing has been compared to the likes of Leonard Cohen, Laura Nyro, Tom Waits, and Joni Mitchell, company she is more than happy to keep.

Ruxton TowersRuxton Towers - Indie/Rock

Mara LeviMara Levi - Mara Levi (Mah' ruh Lee' vee) is a Smart Pop musician who specializes in transcending musical genres and building live multi-layered loops to accompany her songs. Her music is quirky, catchy and intelligent, and mixes bluegrass, hip-hop, folk, pop, and jazz. Classically trained, Mara grew up listening to folk music, studied jazz composition, and fell in love with Rock and Roll. Mara has been touring nationally for six years, and has had great success with her CD, What Are You? which features songs like The Homo Song, and Angelina. Come see Mara live and ask about being included in her Installation Art project, The What Are You?

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DesillusionDesillusion - It’s no Desillusion—over the past two years, the hottest clubs in Seattle have been rockin’ hard and heavy with the band’s blistering rocktronic/industrial/metal explosions—a hybrid vibe that Exotic Underground compares to Nine Inch Nails, Stabbing Westward and early Marilyn Manson. Driven by the rebellious intensity of wild and charismatic frontman Westin Halvorson (who also handles guitars and programming), the three piece unit is ready to blast out of the cozy confines of the Pacific Northwest with the release of their debut five-song EP Blasphaestetic. The disc’s moniker sums up Desillusion’s take on the world perfectly.

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Curtis PeoplesCurtis Peoples - A songwriter with an understanding for what it takes to make a great pop record, Curtis Peoples crafts songs that fans of rock to acoustic folk and pop can enjoy. With a mix of big choruses and jumping rhythms, Curtis’ style of “coffee shop arena rock” incorporates the radio-friendly and inspiring sounds of U2 and Bon Jovi as well as the rhythmic folk of John Mayer and Jason Mraz into his songs resulting in his own unique musical fingerprint. Although brand new to the Los Angeles music scene at the time, it took merely a matter of months for Curtis Peoples to score his first big break via a national tour with friend and fellow singer-songwriter Tyler Hilton (Warner Brothers Records, One Tree Hill, Walk The Line).

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