Taylor Mathews (November 30, 2014)

For those of us looking for a different "Taylor" to enjoy, check out  Taylor Mathews, an outstanding singer-songwriter who released his great album, "Do What You Want To" about a year ago (my apologies for being slow on this one - but better late than never).  This album contains what should be one hit song after another. These songs could easily be in a playlist along with One Republic, The Script and at times Jason Mraz and other similar artists.   It's also an impressive album because there is a lot of diversity of style throughout the 12 songs but all of it is good.  Find out for yourself:

Have a great week and enjoy the music,
Ira

Special note: I wrote this blog post totally independently, and then after finishing it happened to see this note on Taylor's website which I swear I hadn't seen before writing the above.

"I’M MOSTLY INFLUENCED BY JASON MRAZ/ONE REPUBLIC/THE SCRIPT BUT JUST AS ART IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, MUSIC IS IN THE EAR OF THE LISTENER. IT’S REALLY ALL DEPENDENT UPON WHAT YOU FEEL WHEN YOU LISTEN, NO WORDS WILL HELP THAT.
- TAYLOR"

Luke Reynolds (November 23, 2014)

Luke Reynolds has had quite the journey leading up to the release of his new album "After The Flood."  About 10 years ago he was the lead singer of an incredible group called "Blue Merle" (check out their album "Burning In The Sun") and his distinct vocals were captivating to me.  But a year after this great album was released the band fell apart.  I lost track of Luke and his career until he magically reappeared in 2010 as the newest member of my favorite band of the last 15 years, Guster!  I was thrilled that Luke not only had resurfaced but with this amazing group of musicians.  Luke's addition to Guster has been fantastic but I was also excited to hear his new solo album which just came out this week on his website. The album has a variety of songs and styles but are also distinctly Luke.  The whole album can be streamed on SoundCloud and I highly recommend checking it out.

Have a great week (Happy Thanksgiving!) and enjoy the music,
Ira

Hailey Steele (November 16, 2014)

Hailey Steele is a great representation of the incredible music coming out of modern day Nashville.  She is a country artist (who previously appeared on The Voice) and she owns that label even though her music is easily enjoyed by those who like singer songwriters and people who generally say "oh, I don't like country music."

Her new EP is coming out this Tuesday (Nov 18) and having spent hours and hours listening to it I can verify that it's outstanding!  Hailey has an incredible voice that brings in just enough of that raspy quality to give her sweet sound a little grit.  The songs are instantly singable and catchy and each stands strong on its own. Many new artists fall into a trap where each song starts off the same or sounds almost identical but not here. Each song, from the first note to the last, has something different about it.  The first song that really grabbed my attention was "High Horse" which has a chorus that just makes me melt. Not sure why but I can't get enough of it. "Getaway Car" is a great track and could easily be a hit single. "Diamonds" is a favorite because I love the imagery and using the idea of diamonds in a different way.  There are only 5 tracks on the album but they are 5 outstanding songs.  Not only do I love then, but my 3 year old daughter is obsessed and has quickly learned the words too (see below).  I hope you'll take a listen as well!


Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira

Call It Off (November 9, 2014)

Sometimes you just have to turn the music up loud and go a little crazy.  Call It Off is a great band to help you do just that! When I first heard them I was brought back to the sounds of "old" Green Day hits from the late 90s/early 2000s.  Their songs are short but pack a lot of punch.  Their latest EP "Liars" is a 5 song high energy sprint to the finish.  This Netherlands based band rocks hard but also finds ways to show off harmonies, have lyrics you can actually understand and write songs that stick in your head.  If you like what you hear then go grab their previous EP "Lovers" as well!

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira

Kate Voegele (November 2, 2014)

It seems weird to feature Kate Voegele because I've been following her for over 8 years and thousands of people know her from her time spent on the TV show "One Tree Hill" starting in 2008 where she shined both as an actress and musician.  Kate's been laying low for a few years but is about to burst back onto the scene with her new EP "Wild Card" (out this Tuesday, 11/4) and a tour that begins the following day in Virginia and continues right up until Thanksgiving all over the East Coast and mid-west.  The first song from her EP, "Just Watch Me" is outstanding and clearly touches on why we haven't heard from her in a while. She is a huge talent and I can't wait to hear and see more from her.  She's a singer songwriter who plays around with the pop/country line very successfully.  If you're not familiar with her music now is the time to hope on the KV bandwagon!

Have a great week and enjoy the music,
Ira