Greg Sykes and Karlene Markham (April 27, 2014)

Perhaps I should warn you that I'm coming off an emotional weekend which  may have something to do with why I chose to feature Greg Sykes and Karlene Markham this week.  Indepedently, they do great work (Greg is a worship leader and Karlene lists herself as a singer/songwriter).  Together they are creating some of the most beautiful duets I've heard in a long time.  They have several singles out and I urge you to check them all out at http://www.reverbnation.com/gregsykeskarlenemarkham.  I particularly enjoy "Forever After Yours" and "Before the Sun Goes Down."

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira

The Wild After (April 20, 2014)

The Wild After's debut EP "Lesson Learned" was released earlier this month and it's timing is perfect to serve as a complement to springtime. Their music is like a warm awakening after a long, cold winter. A great combination of pop, acoustic and folk music that just goes down easy.  This Denver based band (which includes members of The Heyday) is off to a great start!

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira
http://thewildafter.bandcamp.com/album/lesson-learned-ep

The Strange Familiar (April 13, 2014)

The Strange Familiar's new album, "The Day The Light Went Out," was streaming online this past week and I am obsessed with it.  Kira Leyden, the lead singer, has the most incredible voice and each song on the album is outstanding.  This is a wonderful pop rock album that hopefully will make this band a household name.  I want to tell you which are my favorite songs but each time I go back and listen I like each song so much and each time a different one stands out. So go check out the whole thing!

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira

Circa Zero (April 6, 2014)

Circa Zero is the new collaboration between Rob Giles (of The Rescues) and Andy Summers of the legendary band The Police.  It's a great rock album with Rob's amazing vocals and Andy's guitar featured throughout.  Be sure to check out "Levitation" and "Say Goodnight" which are two of my favorite tracks.  For fans of The Police it's the closest thing to that epic band that I've heard in a long time.  A great album through and through!

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira

P.S. The video for "Levitation" has just been released - check it out:

Oh Honey (March 30, 2014)

Oh Honey not only has released their debut EP "With Love" in the last week but it includes the early front runner for the song of the summer (assuming it ever actually warms up) with their super catchy "Be Okay."  It's hard to not smile and sing along with this song and it's a perfect anthem to accompany those car rides with the windows down.  This EP may only be 4 songs but it's 4 great songs.  "I Love You Will Still Sound The Same" is a great twist on the typical love song and "Lonely Neighbor" and "Get It Right" have a lot to offer as well.  If you like fun songs, great harmonies and complementary male/female lead vocals this is your new jam!

Have a great week and enjoy the music,
Ira

Jared & The Mill (March 23, 2014)

I wish I had never heard of Jared & The Mill - simply because the reason I learned about them was because of a horrific incident at the SXSW festival in Austin, TX. As you may have heard, a drunk driver plowed into a group of concert goers killing 2 and injuring another 2 dozen.  A few days later, Jared and his band went to visit some fans in the hospital. I saw a news story about it, and while the band was never mentioned by name, I was intrigued to find out more.  What I found was one of the best sounding bands I've come across in quite some time.

Jared & The Mill fall in line with bands such as Mumford & Sons and The Avett Brothers but if I'm being honest I like this band more.  Their album "Western Expansion" is outstanding and avoids the pitfall that Mumford seems to fall into where songs tend to sound the same after a while. "Breathe Me In" starts the album with gorgeous harmonies and Mumford fans will love it.  The album is full of incredible banjo picking, guitar playing, lyrics and vocals.

It is hard to use finding a new favorite band as a silver lining for such a terrible tragedy, but I was impressed with them for reaching out to fans who had been injured and equally impressed with their music.

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira

Royal Teeth (March 16, 2014)

In my never ending quest to stay ahead of the curve, I'm excited to give you a head start on Royal Teeth, an outstanding pop group out of Louisiana who's debut album "Glow" is incredibly enjoyable.  With a nice mix of male and female lead vocals, this group had crafted an excellent album with catchy songs such as "Hold Me," "Vagabonds" and "Pick up the Phone."  There songs have caught someone's attention because this week they will appear on American Idol's results show on Thursday. This season the show has been showcasing lesser known bands that the judges suggest. I'm guessing that this is Harry Connick Jr.'s pick with the Louisiana connection.  So before they gain another 10,000 followers later this week, hop on the bandwagon know and impress your friends as you let them know you heard them first!

Have a great week and enjoy the music!
Ira