Jason Yates self titled 2009 sophomores solo CD, from Vapor Records, included nine tracks, and was recorded at Manny Nieto’s Estudio in East L.A., and produced by Yates, Nieto and Shane Smith. This well done CD bridges modern rock, blues, and a jazz filled soul sensation quite effortlessly.
Five years after forming at a Rainforest Action Group benefit show, the all-stars that make up Great American Taxi (Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon, Chad Staehly, Jim Lewin, Edwin Hurwitz and Chris Sheldon) are reinventing jam-band orientated roots rock into something they call “Americana Without Borders.”
And without borders it is, their new record, Reckless Habits, is a delightful array of genre-mixing tunes calling on influences like the Grateful Dead, Woody Guthrie and the Byrds.
The October 2009 debut release, Bittersweet Lullabies, from songwriter Sam Schrieve, contains a wide mix of styles — folk, pop, alternative, indie and ambient soundings. The recording displays his abilities to be a vocalist, pianist, acoustic guitarist, and drummer who can also play the strings.
Now in his third year of study, Schrieve, a 20-year-old from Seattle, Washington, is a student at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, in Boston.
The Villains, a rocking debut and independent label DCM release, is an evident labor of love from a six-piece group of musicians each bringing an elemental different style yielding the creation of a refined collaborative release. The diversity within the band is the secret ingredient.
In essence, The Villain’s solid corner stones are six great musicians, well-written lyrics — written and co-written by Dan Call, finely honed harmonies, and terrific melodies.
Patty Griffin never expected to make a gospel record. In fact, she figured that “Wiggley Fingers” from her 1998 release Flaming Red effectively ruined any chance she might have had; after all she is a self-described “lapsed Catholic.”
But with Downtown Church, her new collection of spiritual standards (and a couple of originals) she proves she has the soul and the pipes to dabble in the music of Sunday morning services and stained glass windows like the ones in Nashville’s beautiful Downtown Presbyterian Church where she recorded the album.
When Jessie Torrisi opens her mouth the sound that comes out is a sweet mixture of one part vintage torch singer, one part fierce rocker chick and a hidden dash of sensitive singer-songwriter.
The eight songs on her debut record, Brûler, Brûler (French for “burn, burn”) are like silver-lined clouds with tinges of hope within the longing raindrops.
After hundreds of hours listening to all types of new music from the last year, we’re pleased to bring you our “best of 2009″ list with some of our favorites and a few that slipped through the cracks in our radar but we love just the same.
Download our Best of 2009 iMix with our favorite track from each of these records.
With touches of zydeco, blues, country, rock, soul and folk, Welcome Home, Shelley King’s latest record with members of the Subdudes (John Magnie, Tim Cook and Steve Amedée) is a spicy gumbo of roots style and sound for your ears.
Growing from a few demos, the talented musicians eventually recorded enough material in John’s Colorado home studio to create a full-length album.
