i like...

077: Hold You In My Arms

2007-09-22T02:25:15Z

Ray LaMontagne

Ray LaMontagne
"Hold You In My Arms"
Trouble
Official Site | Wiki | iTunes | Hypem | Lyrics
Similar Artists: Damien Rice • Amos Lee • Joshua Radin • Ben Harper

Ray LaMontagne is a singer/songwriter from Maine. He has released two studio albums and has a bunch of rare EPs/Demos. I was reading about him on his Wiki entry and found this interesting:

"LaMontagne refers to himself as a 'very private person', and infrequently gives interviews. He also usually does not interact with the audience between songs during his live shows. LaMontagne has been known to perform live shows in the dark in order to separate himself from the audience."

His song "Be Here Now" from Till the Sun Turns Black is featured in the trailer for Sarah Polley's feature-length directing debut Away From Her released last year.

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076: Sweet Pea

2007-08-25T01:45:29Z

Sweet Pea

Amos Lee

Amos Lee
"Sweet Pea"
Supply and Demand
Official Site | Wiki | iTunes | MySpace | Lyrics
Similar Artists: Ray LaMontagne • Joshua Radin • Ben Harper

Amos Lee is a singer-songwriter from Philadelphia, PA. He's signed to Blue Note Records, the same label as Norah Jones and Priscilla Ahn. In 2006, he performed at the Hotel Café with Ahn for his song "Black River". He's currently on a solo tour, but beginning in late September, he'll be touring with Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello.

I like how the tempos of Lee's "Sweet Pea" and Ahn's "Are We Different?" are similar. They segue nicely lyrically and harmonically.

Download "Colors" via SXSW.com

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075: Are We Different?

2007-07-30T23:48:37Z

Are We Different?

Priscilla Ahn

Priscilla Ahn
"Are We Different?"
Priscilla Ahn EP
MySpace | iTunes | imeem | Lyrics
Similar Artists: Ingrid Michaelson • Jaymay • Keren Ann

I happened to stumble upon Priscilla Ahn while browsing iTunes. I forgot the exact artist that led me to her, but it was one of those times when you start clicking on similar artists that lead you to others which then lead you to others, etc. Anyway, after listening to the first two songs from her EP, I purchased it immediately.

She currently has a self-recorded/released five-song EP available from iTunes and working on a full-length album slated for a Spring 2008 release on Blue Note Records.

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074: Collide

2007-07-30T23:36:29Z

Collide

Rachael Yamagata

Rachael Yamagata
"Collide"
Rachael Yamagata EP
Official Site | MySpace | iTunes | Lyrics
Similar Artists: Fiona Apple • Norah Jones • Leona Naess

Rachael Yamagata made a splash in 2004 with her full-length debut, Happenstance. She's often compared to Fiona Apple and Norah Jones, which seems correct. Female singer? Check. Pianist? Check. Love songs? Check. Great songwriting? Check. She used to be part of the "Chicago funk-fusion band" Bumpus and this song also appears on their album Stereoscope.

She's currently working on her second album she hopes to release by the end of this summer. Here's a teaser that she posted on YT.

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073: Snow White

2007-07-30T23:10:09Z

Snow White

Jaymay

Jaymay
"Snow White"
Sea Green, See Blue.
Official Site | MySpace | iTunes | Lyrics
Similar Artists: Fiona Apple • Regina Spektor • Casey Dienel

Jaymay is a New York based, antifolk, singer/songwriter who crafts well-constructed acoustic treats for the ears. As great as her recorded tracks are, I really think she excels in her live performances. She has a couple of EPs, two of which are available for purchase. Her self-released, official debut EP Sea Green, See Blue is available via iTunes and InSound and her split EP with singer/songwriter Kayoko is available from Amazon or by contacting her through MySpace. Jaymay was recently signed to Heavenly Records which is distributed by EMI.

I also posted an entry about her over at W♥M.

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072: Habanera (Tango Version)

2007-07-28T15:32:46Z

Habanera (Tango Version)

Kate Nash

Kate Nash
"Habanera (Tango Version)"
Foundations - Single
Official Site | MySpace | Amazon | Hypem | Lyrics
Similar Artists: Lily Allen • Regina Spektor • St. Vincent

Kate Nash is a London-born musician. Music blogs and mags are comparing her to Lily Allen and Regina Spektor which is spot on since her music is a perfect combination of the two musicians. Nash is already being touted as the next Lily Allen even though Allen is still developing her music. So, it's kind of weird to be calling someone the next *fill in new artist* since they're still maturing, but she really seems to be "the next Lily Allen". But soon, people will be saying so and so is the next Kate Nash. "Habanera" is a b-side off of her "Foundations" single.

Download "Foundations" via Archive.org

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071: Love Affair

2007-07-28T14:51:04Z

Love Affair

Regina Spektor

Regina Spektor
"Love Affair"
11:11
Official Site | MySpace | iTunes | Hypem | Lyrics
Similar Artists: Fiona Apple • Jaymay • Laura Veirs • Casey Dienel

Regina Spektor is a Russian-born New Yorker who's a classically trained pianist and is another musician that's part of the anti-folk scene. Most of her songs are piano-driven that are astounding to listen to and is known for her "hiccups" which is apparent in "Edit". When she first moved to America as a child, she didn't understand English at all. After awhile, she started to pick it up, but pretended she didn't understand a word until she was asked a question in English and she answered it... in English. She's also a fan of The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players!

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070: All My Stars Aligned

2007-07-28T06:24:19Z

All My Stars Aligned

St. Vincent

St. Vincent
"All My Stars Aligned"
Marry Me
Official Site | MySpace | iTunes | Hypem | Lyrics
Similar Artists: Leslie Feist • Regina Spektor • Laura Veirs

St. Vincent is the moniker of Annie Clark who has played for The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens. Her reason for the name? She says, "I felt like it could make the music 10 times bigger than I am. Besides, Annie Clark just doesn't have the same ring to it" (IndyWeek). Sometimes she reminds me of Zero 7 ("Land Mines") and sometimes she reminds me of Dusty Springfield ("What Me Worry?") and sometimes it feels like you're listening to movie since her songs are so cinematic at times ("All My Stars Aligned"). Simply fantastic musical compositions from such a young artist.

Download "Now Now" via Beggars Group USA

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069: Snakes and Ladders

2007-07-28T04:23:47Z

Snakes and Ladders

Basia Bulat

Basia Bulat
"Snakes and Ladders"
Oh, My Darling
Official Site | MySpace | Contact Music | Youtube
Similar Artists: Julie Doiron • Meg Baird • Cat Power • Leslie Feist

Basia Bulat is a folk, acoustic, singer/songwriter from London, Ontario. She sort of has a voice that could be used to sing soulful R&B songs (perhaps like Joss Stone). I like her current headline on MySpace which reads "More fun than your very own pony!". Her album isn't yet available in the US, but it's available from Rough Trade (Europe) if you're willing to fork over some import shipping plus do some money conversion and will be released in Canada on September 18 from Hardwood Records. A USA release date has not been set yet, but it's in the works.

Download "Snakes and Ladders" via CBC Radio 3

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068: To Hide This Way

2007-07-27T04:05:01Z

To Hide This Way

Taxi Taxi!

Taxi Taxi!
"To Hide This Way"
Taxi Taxi! EP
MySpace | iTunes | Rumraket

Like Tupelo Honeys, Taxi Taxi! are two twins, Miriam and Johanna Eriksson Berhan, and are from Sweden. There's a band that goes by a similar name called Taxi Taxi sans the exclamation point so you may get confused at first when trying to search for their stuff, but the musical stylings are vastly different; the vocals are quite reminiscent of Stacy and Sherri from Eisley. They're signed to Efterklang's record label, Rumraket and their EP was produced by Björn Yttling from Peter, Björn, and John. It's available digitally from iTunes, Emusic, and Klicktrack and in cd form from Dotshop and Boomkat.

Download "To Hide This Way (Demo)" via Rumraket

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