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JENNY OWEN YOUNGS
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Oh, Jenny Owen Youngs. She is my favorite artist that I have found to date. I don't believe that she will be under the radar for too much longer. She is a singer/songwriter from New Jersey that plays mostly acoustic guitar and sings. Her songs are rather self deprecating but I enjoy it. The song I picked is called "Lightening Rod." I chose it because I was at this show in Chicago and it was the only video I could find from this particular concert. Most of her act is with an entire band, but she usually takes a break in the middle for a couple of songs to play by herself and this was one of those songs. Enjoy.
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SARAH BLACKER
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What can I say about Sarah. I met her when she lived in Lawrence. She is an amazing musician whom I had the privilege of playing with. She has a powerful voice and is a great acoustic guitar player. She now resides in Boston where she is working as a music therapist. The song on this video is called "Miles Away" and is one of my personal favorites of hers.
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SIMONE WHITE
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Simone White resides in California but has fans all over the globe. She has acquired a decent fan base in Europe after one of her songs was featured on a commercial overseas. She is very political in her songs and constantly points out the downfalls of the U.S. In some of her songs, especially "Blueprint 9/11," she has an uncanny ability to sound like Joni Mitchell while other songs offer a more modern pop/folk sound. The video is titled "I am the Man" and is the title track of her second album.
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ONCE - GLEN HANSARD AND MARKETA IRGLOVA
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Glen and Mar are two musicians that complement each other perfectly. Beyond being in a band together the also shared the spotlight in an independent movie titled "Once" which is a must see if you even remotely enjoy their music. Glen is the lead singer of the Irish band The Frames. This is his side project that in my mind has surpassed his primary group. Glen plays the acoustic guitar and sings. Mar is an extremely talented pianist and vocalist. Her piano skills are not utilized in this group but they are in the movie "Once." Mar and Glen take turns on lead vocals while the other one sings backup. I chose two videos. The first is "Falling Slowly" in which Glen is the lead singer. The second is "If You Want Me" were Mar takes the lead.
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THE AGE OF ROCKETS
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The Age of Rockets are a trio from New York. Stylistically, they have a lot in common with the band Postal Service. Andrew Futral is the singer/synth/guitar/drum programer of the band. Saul Simon Macwilliams plays drums/harmonium/harmony/trumpet. Bess Rogers is bass/synth/glockenspiel/harmony/flute. They are another New York project that I have fallen in love with. Their songs are electronic driven that can range from very up tempo to quite prodding ambient tunes. The video I picked was actually the only video that I could find for them. It is their most ambient song to date and might not be a great representation of their complete body of work. It is titled "Pictures of Space."-----------------------------------------------------
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GREGORY AND THE HAWK
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GATH is the brainchild of singer/songwriter Meredith Godreau. Her voice has a different sound to it that makes it hard for me to compare her to anyone. The structures and the lyrics in her songs are just great. She doesn't seem to play many shows, at least not as of late. She is another New York musician that I have stumbled upon. The video is of "A Wish."------------------------------------------------------
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WOODBELLY
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Woodbelly is the band of one of my closest friends from high school, Ben Drake - Bass. Along with Ben this group includes Brandon Morris on the drums and Cas Haley on guitar and vocals. Some of you might recognize the name Cas Haley, he was the runner up in last years season of America's Got Talent. So close to being a millionaire, I still think he should have won. They are a reggae band from Texas that is filled with tremendous musicians. The video is a song titled "I Loved You All Along."-----------------------------------------------------
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POLLY PANIC
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Polly Panic is a two piece from Portland. The band revolves around Jenette Mackie's cello playing and vocals. The other member of the band is an ever changing drummer. Their style is hard to explain, the video will probably do a better job then me. They play metal licks on instruments that aren't associated with that genre which creates a unique sound. I was lucky enough to book them a show in Lawrence while they were on a national tour so I could see them up close and personal. If you ever get a chance to see them, do it. It was a great show. Check out the video.