I was much more touched and saddened by Farrah Fawcett’s passing. She was my idol and my friends and I played Charlie’s Angels every chance we got (I always got to be Jill since I was the lone blonde.)

But I do have to admit that MJ did contribute a great deal to music and many of the artists I admire today are obviously influenced and affected by him and his life and death.

Here’s an interesting article from Moses Supposes, Moses Avalon’s blog.
As for #1 on his list, I’m glad to hear from someone who knows, because that always bothered me. A lot.
I always had a feeling that Sony was evil.

Over my 30 years in the music business I’ve worked, briefly, with or for more than one member of the Jackson camp. I never met Michael directly. What I know of him personally is filtered through my interactions with both “his people” and Sony as a consultant/journalist and one of his siblings whose album I worked on back in the 1980s. So, my connection to him was nothing great but I did get insight through social osmosis. I’ll share:

[read the whole article]

Album Name: Non-Synchronous Sound by
Artist: Foreign Cinema
Year/Label: 2009 / Parallax Sounds

[Buy at Amazon]

[The Foreign Cinema on Emusic]

Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

This is a quick cool little EP. Only 4 songs, but they’re all kind of ambient and reminiscent of The Church (not the vocals or anything, just the guitar lines, and mostly on the opening track).

I thought my husband who loves the Church would dig them but his comment was, “They’re alright, sounds cool, but it’s pretty simple. They aren’t doing much.” He can be harsh.

I would say my favorites song is probably the opening song, Arbitrary Map Mode. But I think if you like one you’ll like them all.

It’s not really my cup of tea for everyday listening but it’s cool and would be great to have on just as background music.

What do you think?

Track Listing
1. Arbitrary Map Mode
2. Deep Blue Sea
3. Ice Machine
4. Reflections

[Foreign Cinema MySpace Site]

Album Name: Alright Dynamite
Artist: Kendel Carson
Year/Label: 2009 / Independent
[Buy at Amazon]

[Kendel Carson on Emusic]

Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

My first impression was that I didn’t like this. But that was hearing it on shuffle with the other 50 albums I’m currently listening to. I don’t know what the deal is because when I gave it the “one last chance” listen I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.

Opening track, Oh Baby Lie Down is nice, it’s kinda country, but has a good melody and is sweet. I like her voice. It’s strong and solid.

I also like Lady K, it’s memorable and quite pretty.

Belt Buckle is almost Chris Isaak-y. I can imagine his band doing this one. But it seems to be lacking a little bit of punch. Maybe live it would be better. But I still like it.

One Blue Dress on the Line is a waltz and I always find myself dawn to waltzes.

Ah, listening deeper into the record, now I see why I didn’t like it while it was shuffling…
Many of the songs on the last half of the record are more in the blues realm (Which I…um…*shudder*…). I can handle the stuff that’s country-ish, but when it starts to stray into blues that’s when it loses me.

New Shoes an example of what I mean. It’s a mixture of country and blues. Just add Christian in there and you’ve got my personal hell. But I know I’m in the minority here.

Mercedes Benz is, yes, that old chestnut. I didn’t like it the first time and haven’t any subsequent time either. I know, it’s a sacrilege, but it’s the truth.

Cowboy Boots and Mexico slow things down and get rid of the twang so they’re cool.

So I guess I like her slower songs, and I like the ones that aren’t too bluesy. Which just means that some of this stuff isn’t for me personally.

She’s talented and no doubt there are many who will find all the songs appealing. It’s just not for me as a whole package. But I do think she has a strong future with music lovers that can appreciate the genre more than I can. This is a case of “It’s not you, it’s me” and I mean it.

Track Listing
1. Oh Baby Lie Down
2. Belt Buckle
3. Lady K
4. Seven Shadows on My Golden Roses
5. I Don’t Wanna Be Your Mother
6. One Blue Dress on the Line
7. Ten Lost Men
8. Jesse James
9. Ooh That Dress
10. New Shoes
11. Mercedes Benz
12. Submarine
13. Cowboy Boots
14. Mexico

[Kendel Carson MySpace]

Album Name: My Siren Song
Artist: Juliet Lyons
Year/Label: 2009 / Mystic Voyager Music

Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell

Juliet Lyons records in the New Age genre and she has a fabulous voice as well as head for good songs.

The Quest is suitably dreamy and has a stunning vocal to underpin its transcendent rhythms and lyrics of soul-searching.

The title song succeeds in being a crossover between electronica and New Age, Lyons siren song could lead any sailor astray.

Other Side of the Moon is sweetly played and has atmospherics worthy of an Enya song. Lyons really has the vocal chops for this genre.

Dreaming of the Hajar has atmosphere to spare and an utterly gorgeous Ofra Haza-style vocal.

This album should win Juliet Lyons many fans.

Track Listing
1 My Dreaming Mind
2 The Quest
3 My Siren Song
4 Behind The Future
5 Other Side Of The Moon
6 Voyage
7 Peace Within
8 Dreaming Of The Hajar
9 Steal My Secret
10 My Siren Song-Do You Fear Me Remix

[Juliet Lyons Official Site]

Album Name: Christina Courtin
Artist: Christina Courtin
Year/Label: 2009 / Nonesuch
[Buy at Amazon]

Review by David Adair

The sound, vibe and general influence of the likes of Feist, Tori Amos, Katie-Jane Garside Cara Dillon, Regina Spektor, Nick Drake and the instrumental carefree and tingling touch of The Coral. These flavours are indiscriminately and, at times, delectably scattered around this ten track debut from the skipping and roving New York resident, Christina Courtin. Occasionally, the above sounds are blurred together to give off calmness, soul-searching and a hint of desperation shrouded around mid-tempo tingling melodies.

Bundah, gives an early pedestrian and searching vibe that unravels from a spindling string led instrumental, with Courtin’s low-key skipping vocals acting like a warm hug to a loved one. Before a modicum of intensity and urgency takes grip, as the bass element fattens out this foraging effort.
However, this is no Laura Marling impersonation and the tone and mood soon switches, with the hollow percussion pushed folk flirting skip of Foreign County. It is the delving lyrical snap and the Feist veined stammering delivery of it that starts to make your ears pick up like a pointer’s;

If I was a foreign country would you come and visit me??….
If I was woooo oohh if I was a foreign county would you vacation?

Courtin’s ability to drag out her pleading vocals across a stirring piano base, gives Mulberries a bluesy hue and shows up her aptitude at creating a slow and stirring tone. An ability to make universal feelings that are quite personal illuminates the album and gives it a general accessible edge.

Something that the forlorn yet hope espousing February, draws out and it increases in the slow turning, but focused mini-epic, Laconia that features a cathartic, slightly frenetic ending.

The lullaby lobbing One Man Down, extols an earthy friendliness as well as an openness that adds to the accessibility of this charming and sometimes demonstrative songwriter.

If it’s mild adventure, expressively ranging delivery and deft, often string led decoration (by the artist themselves) that you feel is the perfect accompaniment to a balmy summer’s evening? Then this thoughtful and occasionally flighty, Buffalo songstress certainly fits the bill.

Rating; 4/5

Track Listing
1. Green Jay
2. Bundah
3. Foreign Country
4. Hedonistic Paradise
5. Mulberries
6. February
7. Laconia
8. One Man Down
9. Rainy
10. Unzipped
11. Thanks

Amazon.com Widgets

[Christina Courtin Official Site]

The Sounds are making their single No One Sleeps When I’m Awake** available as a free mp3 beginning today!

**I wonder if my puppy helped them write that.

As the first single from their new album, Crossing The Rubicon, they performed No One Sleeps… on The Late Show with David Letterman on June 19th

…and have released an official video

[http://the-sounds.com]

For more about The Sounds including tour dates (supporting No Doubt) continue reading…

THE SOUNDS
CROSSING THE RUBICON
June 2nd, Original Signal Recordings

The Sounds return with their third album, Crossing The Rubicon. A career -defining twelve song set that demonstrates the type of growth that can only come from a band in total command of their talents. Their synth-pop, guitar driven sound still takes center stage, but there’s an ambition and sophistication to both the songs and production that reveals new layers of depth to the overall aesthetic.

Recorded in Sweden, Los Angeles and New York, Crossing The Rubicon continues to deliver gripping hook-filled songs full of the punch and swagger that helped bring the band from Helsingborg to the world. With songs that have an undeniable energy, like the dance electro-funk of “Beatbox,” and the powerful combination of spitting-rock cockiness and pop synth on “Four Songs And A Fight,” the new album presents a deeper version of the sound that established the band as one to watch.

THE SOUNDS on tour:

* supporting NO DOUBT

JULY
2 Arvika, SE Arvika Festival
4 Turku, FI Ruissalo Festival
10 Hultsfred, SE Hulstsfred Festival
11 Kristianstad, SE Tivolirock Festival
19 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre*
21 Concord, CA Sleep Train Pavilion *
22 Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amphitheatre *
24 Wheatland, CA Sleep Train Pavilion *
25 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre *
27 Universal City, CA Gibson Amphitheatre *
28 Universal City, CA Gibson Amphitheatre *
31 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre *

AUGUST
1 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
2 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
4 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
5 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
7 Las Vegas, NV The Joint @ The Hard Rock Casion
Hey 8 Chula Vista, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
20 Malmo, SE Festivalen Festival
22 Salzburg, AT Frequency Festival
29 Konstanz, DE Rock Am See Festival

The band is back in Minneapolis gearing up for the release our new album “Field Day”
and our Midwest summer tour. “Field Day” is the first full-length album under our new band
name and will be released late July. It includes original songs we recorded in Minneapolis
and L.A. as well as remixed tracks from our “Sketches” E.P. For band info, music, album art,
and show details- visit our myspace [Lynhurst on Myspace].

Thursday, July 2
Thursdays on First
Rochester, MN
6:30p- 8:30p
Free, outdoors, all ages

Friday, July 3
Taste of Minnesota
Harriet Island, St. Paul, MN
12:00 noon
All Ages

Saturday, July 4
Tanglefest in Fuller Park
(4800 Grand Ave S, Mpls, MN)
11:00a (morning) – 12:15p
free, outdoors, all ages

Saturday, July 4
Saint Anthony Main- Courtyard Stage
Minneapolis, MN
4:00p- 7:00p

Thursday, July 9
University of Minnesota Saint Paul Campus
Garden Terrace outside St. Paul Student Center
12:00 noon- 1:00p

Friday, July 10
Arnolds Park Green Space
Arnolds Park, IA
7:00p- 8:00p
Opening for Blessed Union of Souls

Friday, July 17
7th St. Entry
(701 1st Ave N Mpls, MN)
With The Melismatics & Sick of Sara
*Two shows*
All Ages: 5:00p- 5:45p
21 Plus: 9:00p- 9:45

July 24 or 25
D-Fest Music Conference
Tulsa, OK
Set time TBA

Saturday, August 1
Cafe 318
(318 Water St, Excelsior, MN)
With Jeff Arundel
8:00p- 8:45p

Thursday, August 6
Mears Park Band Shell
(221 E 5th St, St. Paul, MN)
7:30p- 9:00p
free, outdoors, all ages

Friday, August 7
Java Jacks Basement Music Club
(818 W 46th St, Mpls, MN)
Minneapolis, MN
8:00p- 9:30p
$5, all ages

Monday, September 7
Lake Harriet Bandshell
(4185 W Lake Harriet Pkwy, Mpls, MN?)
Annual Labor Day Show
5:30p- 7:00p
free, outdoors, all ages

LYNHURST

Album Name: The Only Thing That Matters
Artist: Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs
Year/Label: 2009 / Independent

[Buy at Amazon]

Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell

Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs play a country-tinged rock that’s very well done.

Opener Sleep My Darling has a nice Cowboy Junkies-like tint to it and a great lead vocal.

Where I Come From surges with longing and has a lovely melody. Star Anna’s voice is supple and has a suitable cadence for this song.

Burn is up-tempo and has a strong tune; the band’s interplay is well done here. The vocal is strong and with a lot of presence.

Running Man is a cool song, a lengthy dirge with less of country influence than the other ones. The vocal is very expressive and taut.

Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs have made a very good record.

Track Listing
1 Sleep My Darling
2 Through the Winter
3 Hawks on a Pole
4 Where I Come From
5 Spinning My Wheels
6 Burn
7 For Now
8 Restless Water
9 Lonely Ride Home
10 All Her Ghosts
11 Running Man
12 Tripping Wire

[Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs Official Site]

Here’s the naughtier version

I’m quite excited for this record!

I haven’t had a lot of time to learn about this site yet, but it looks to be sort of an iTunes for female indies. But there’s also a place where they have guest bloggers. But they don’t just blog about music. I’m kinda confused. Maybe I’ll sign up and see if I can learn more that way.

What do you think?

[Twolia]

Back in 2006 I reviewed a record that consisted of Susanna Hoffs and Matthew Sweet, calling themselves Sid and Susie and performing covers of great old ’60s songs. It was called [Under the Covers] and I loved it.

So I’m happy to announce that they’ve be teamed up once again to revisit, this time, the ’70s!

From Billboard’s site:

The album will be released July 21 by Shout Factory. That day, Hoffs and Sweet will take part in an onstage interview, audience Q&A and acoustic performance before an intimate audience of 200 at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. September tour dates are already booked in Philadelphia, New York and Chicago with more to follow.

Pre order:

[Read the Story on Billboard]

Here’s the tracklist:
1. Sugar Magnolia
2. Go All The Way
3. Second Hand News
4. Bell Bottom Blues
5. All The Young Dudes
6. You’re So Vain
7. Here Comes My Girl
8. I’ve Seen All Good People: Your Move/All Good People
9. Hello It’s Me
10. Willin’
11. Back Of A Car
12. Couldn’t I Just Tell You
13. Gimme Some Truth
14. Maggie May
15. Everything I Own
16. Beware Of Darkness

and if you don’t have the first one, [Get it here]

Once it’s available on other outlets I’ll post those links too.

Album Name: Watercolor Ghost Town
Artist: The Blueflowers
Year/Label: 2009 / Analog Terror Music

[Buy at Amazon]

Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell

Blueflowers were born from the remains of Ether Aura who were a fine band. Singer Kate Hinote and guitarist Tony Hamera carry on making fine music here. They have a neat alt/country slant to the opening title song. Hinote’s vocals dreamily sigh in a Hope Sandoval fashion to a great tune.

I Can’t Stop My Heart From Breaking is ripe for a soundtrack to a David Lynch film. It’s dreamy and filled with tangible longing. The spooky mood is very well accomplished.

Just for Show is a bit more up-tempo and happily echoes the sixties pop era. Hinote’s vocals sound good here too.

You’re Not the Only One is a spaghetti western soundtrack well played by the band. The Julee Cruise-esque lead vocal is just dandy too.

This band is just as good as Ether Aura were, though with a different sound. It’s a masterful debut.

Track Listing
1 Watercolor Ghost Town
2 A Reason
3 I Can’t Stop My Heart From Breaking
4 Any Three Words
5 The Weight
6 Just for Show
7 Float
8 I Wasn’t Her
9 You’re Not the Only One
10 The Strangled Song
11 Helpless and Hopeless

[The Blueflowers MySpace]

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