Tim Blane (June 5, 2011)

Tim Blane (http://timblane.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/TimBlaneBand ) is an outstanding singer-songwriter who has just released an incredible album, "You Can't Go Back." It starts with one of my favorite songs of the year 'Magnetic" which deserved serious radio attention. The album doesn't stop there with more great songs such as "Take 2 or 3" and "Lay It All On Me" which brings a 70s feel to modern pop music. The entire album is great and you can get the whole thing for $7 at http://timblane.bandcamp.com/

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira

Hannah Winkler (May 29, 2011)

Hannah Winkler (http://www.facebook.com/HannahWinklerMusic) is a wonderful singer songwriter currently based out of Ann Arbor, MI (though I'm lucky enough to have know her since she was a high school student in Washington, DC). Her debut EP, which you can download for free at bandcamp, is outstanding. The opening track "Away From You" starts with a whisper and builds to a perfect crescendo. Her songs grow from simple to complex and all are totally enchanting. This is a great debut that needs to be heard. Go download it from her bandcamp site (http://hannahwinkler.bandcamp.com/) for free or feel free to make a donation to help support great new music!

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira

The Five One (May 22, 2011)

This week's featured artist is The Five One (http://www.facebook.com/thefiveone) - a creative hip-hop group that blends great beats and rhymes with a variety of musical backgrounds. Check out the "My Band" tab on their facebook page for a free download of "Closing Time" (a pseudo cover of the Semisonic song) and other good songs including "Mandatory."

More good stuff on their website: http://thefiveone.com/

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira

P.S. Don't forget to listen to 8 of April's best new songs on 8Tracks (Free streaming music)
http://8tracks.com/emergemusicgroup/emerge-music-group-s-april-2011-mix

Favorite April 2011 songs on 8 Tracks

Check out some of April's best new music streaming online on 8 Tracks:
http://8tracks.com/emergemusicgroup/emerge-music-group-s-april-2011-mix

Great new music from One Hot Minute, Hannah Winkler, Delta Rae, Rachel Platten, Jon McLaughlin and several more!  We'll post a new playlist each month!

Ben Schofield (May 15, 2011)

Ben Schofield (https://noisetrade.com/benschofieldmusic#) has one of the best and most soothing voices I've ever heard. There are lots of people you could compare him to but in reality he is a unique talent who has quickly become a favorite of mine. His solo EP is available for free at the Noisetrade link posted above. These 5 songs will take you through a variety of moods and styles and each on its own would be impressive - together they are truly outstanding - and again, free.

IMPORTANT! PLEASE follow this link and join the new Emerge Music Group.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_218175601526813

Facebook is changing their groups and this group will be archived. I'm still figuring out the new group page and I'm concerned it doesn't have the same features. With that in mind I"m going to post all new entries on the blog as well:
http://emergemusicgroup.blogspot.com/

So please check that out and subscribe. It's going to be a bit of a transition but we're hoping to bring all of you along for the ride.

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira 

Best of the Rest 2010

There is so much good new music released each year and 2010 was a great year for new bands and new music!!  I've already featured 23 artists on my Best of 2010 collection and this is my list of the best of the rest - many of these could have easily ended up on the main list as well. Songs end up on this list because they are really to my liking and hopefully they will be to yours as well - refer back to this list whenever your in the mood for something new - there are 50 bands on this list so lots to listen to and choose from!  Enjoy and Happy 2011 to one and all!!



This list is in alphabetical order by band name or artist first name - not in any type of priority order
1. When I Show Up... ABCDE (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Abcde/85254221002)
2. Waiting... Alexa Wilkinson (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alexa-Wilkinson/21063662344)
3. Heart... Aubrey Wood (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aubrey-Wood/49674662885)
4. My Goodbye...Automatic Loveletter (http://www.facebook.com/AutomaticLoveletter)
5. Mississippi...Benjy Davis Project (http://www.facebook.com/benjydavisproject)
6. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Fame...Black Cards (http://www.facebook.com/blackcardsmusic)
7. Stereotypical Fountains...Boxer and Clover (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boxer-Clover/59442027226)
8. Hear Me Now...Boyce Avenue (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boxer-Clover/59442027226)
9. The Lucky Ones... Brendan James (http://www.facebook.com/brendanjamesmusic)
10. Sugar Rush...Charlee Drew (http://www.facebook.com/charleedrewfans)
11. Promise This...Cheryl Cole (http://www.facebook.com/CherylCole)
12.  Jar Of Hearts...Christina Perri (http://www.facebook.com/ChristinaPerriMusic)
13. What It Takes...Clear for Takeoff (http://www.facebook.com/clearfortakeoff)
14. My Love, My Enemy...Dave Barnes (http://www.facebook.com/davebarnes)
15. Breathe In Breathe Out...Erik Gronwall (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Erik-Gronwall/112490288764261)
16. Pulling Away...Foreverinmotion (http://www.foreverinmotion.net/)
17. Holding A Heart...Girl Named Toby (http://www.facebook.com/girlnamedtoby)
18. Nothing But A Song... Great Big Sea (http://www.facebook.com/greatbigsea)

19. Shake...Hey Champ (http://www.facebook.com/heychamp)
20. This Is The New Year...Ian Axel (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ian-Axel/7505423402)
21. Wait On Love...Jake Ousley (http://www.facebook.com/jakeousleymusic)
22. It's A Good Thing...Jaron and the Long Road to Love (http://www.facebook.com/JaronandTheLongRoadtoLove)
23. Dive In...Jennifer Knapp (http://www.facebook.com/JenniferKnappMusic)

24. Maybe...Josiah Leming (http://www.facebook.com/JosiahLeming)
25. Love Shocked...Joy Island (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Joy-Island/106452079410732)
26. Weak...Kate & Kacey (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kate-and-Kacey/47070303252)
27. Desperate Girls & Stupid Boys...Kimberly Caldwell (http://www.facebook.com/KimberlyCaldwellOfficial)
28. I Just Realized...Matt Wertz (http://www.facebook.com/mattwertz)
29. Come Out Of The Woods...Matthew and the Atlas (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matthew-And-The-Atlas/75319148294)
30. Winter Winds...Mumford and Sons (http://www.facebook.com/mumfordandsons)
31. Early Spring Till...Nathaniel Rateliff (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nathaniel-Rateliff/106500672716748)
32. Miss Nothing...The Pretty Reckless (http://www.facebook.com/theprettyreckless)
33. Nothing Ever Happens...Rachel Platten (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-Platten/6346584785)
34. Stay Over... The Rescues (http://www.facebook.com/therescues)
35. You Gotta Believe...The Rocket Summer (http://www.facebook.com/TheRocketSummer)
36. Breathe...Ryan Star (http://www.facebook.com/ryanstar)
37. Taking Memories...Sam & Ruby (http://www.facebook.com/samandruby)
38. Fallin'...Sam Little (http://www.purevolume.com/SamLittle/)
39. Hard Working Man...Seth Lakeman (http://www.sethlakeman.co.uk/)
40. Fireworks...Stacy Clark (http://www.facebook.com/StacyClarkMusic)
41. Leave Her Alone...Steven Page (http://www.facebook.com/stevenpage)
42.This Is Our Moment...Storyline (http://www.facebook.com/storylineband)
43. Like A Million Lights...This Love (http://www.facebook.com/thisloveband)
44. Wasting Away...Tonight Alive (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tonight-Alive/155381905811)
45. Into U...Tori Blake (http://www.facebook.com/toriblakemusic)
46. Keep On...Tyler Hilton (http://www.facebook.com/TylerHilton)
47. All I Want...Tyrone & Elina (http://www.facebook.com/tyroneandelina)
48. Almost Everything...Wakey! Wakey! (http://www.facebook.com/pages/WakeyWakey/20283793584)
49. Wish You Would Stay...Weatherstar (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Weatherstar/131969762786)
50. Bootstraps... You, Me, and Everyone We Know (http://www.facebook.com/youmeandeveryoneweknow)

Best Albums of 2010

As the year comes to a close it's that interesting time with all of the "best of" lists that are out there. In my opinion this was a very good year for music (except the whole Justin Bieber thing - sorry kids, that kid may be cute but if you actually listen to him sing for real he is NOT GOOD!) and was especially good for those of us who try to help emerging bands - there were a lot of good ones!  So with no further ado this is my first Best of 2010 list - the best ALBUMS of 2010. For the most part I only focus on lesser known artists - this list mostly stays true to that with one exception - Mumford and Sons, who were just nominated for 2 Grammys, but a lot of people still don't know them and their album is SO good that it deserves to be on any and every list.

The list is in alphabetical order (by first name/band name) only - picking between the top albums and songs is like picking favorite children.

1.       Amely – Hello World (http://www.purevolume.com/new/amely)

2.       Ben Rector – Into the Morning (http://www.facebook.com/benrector)

3.       He Is We – My Forever (http://www.purevolume.com/new/HEISWE)

4.       Ian Axel – This is the New Year (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ian-Axel/7505423402)

5.       Jaron and the Long Road to Love – Getting Dressed in the Dark (http://www.facebook.com/JaronandTheLongRoadtoLove)

6.       Jennifer Knapp – Letting Go (http://www.facebook.com/JenniferKnappMusic)

7.       Lelia Broussard – Masquerade (http://leliabroussard.com/)

8.       Marc Collis – Louder on the Inside (http://www.facebook.com/MarcCollisMusic)

9.       Marianas Trench – Masterpiece Theatre (http://www.facebook.com/MarianasTrench)

10.   Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More (http://www.mumfordandsons.com/)

11.   Not Advised – After the Fight (http://www.facebook.com/notadvised)

12.   Pegasus Bridge - While We’re Young (http://www.facebook.com/pegasusbridge)

13.   Ryan Star – 11:59 (http://www.facebook.com/ryanstar)

14        Shayna Goldstein – Painted Blue (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shayna-Goldstein/148035282317)

15.   The Heyday – Till We See The Sun (http://www.facebook.com/theheyday)

16.   The Rescues – Let Loose The Horses (http://www.facebook.com/therescues)

17.   The Rocket Summer – Of Men and Angels (http://www.facebook.com/TheRocketSummer)

18.   The Scene Aesthetic – Brother (http://www.facebook.com/thesceneaesthetic)

19.   Tyrone & Eliana – Different As Can Be (http://www.facebook.com/tyroneandelina)

20.   We Are The In Crowd – Guaranteed To Disagree (http://www.facebook.com/wearetheincrowd)

 A few things to note about this list....

Ian Axel's album "This is the New Year" was released way back in January but is currently not available. He will be re-releasing it sometime in early 2011 (hopefully) and right now there is a 3 song sampler you can buy on the various download sites. This is the way of the music business as independent artists sign deals, etc. but go ahead and check out what's available now and get ready for more good stuff soon!

Marianas Trench - for those of you who have followed me for over a year you may remember that they appeared on last year's list. But their album wasn't released in the US until 2010 (it was out in Canada in 2009) and it's still SO amazing that I took that opportunity to mention it again on this year's list. There is an extended "director's cut" that includes a few bonus songs and also an AMAZING acoustic/a capella version of Billy Joel's "And So It Goes."


Marc Collis is a quickly rising Australian artist who I hope makes a splash here in the next year. His voice and album are fantastic and I think his songs would take off on US radio, etc. This album has so many good songs that I could have picked almost any of them for my end of the year Best of 2010 Song list.

Ben Rector is my favorite singer-songwriter of the year - his voice is captivating!

Tyrone & Eliana's album is the perfect relationship album. Not a good album if you're in the midst of a break up but a great gift for someone to show them that you care.

The Rescues not only put out one of the best albums of the year but also put on the best live show I've seen!  4 incredibly talented musicians and singers all doing everything throughout the show. They trade lead and backing vocals, they trade instruments, etc. etc. Simply amazing!

Every album on this list has something special about it - so refer back to it and over time please check some of these out and let me know what you think!

I'd love to hear about your favorite albums from this year so please comment on this post and tell me what album and/or artists you couldn't get enough of in 2010!  Happy New Year everyone and as always, enjoy the music!

Ira