Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons, The Avett Brothers, & South Jordan

First post of 2010! Wooooo! haha Okay...I know I'm behind--it's February. :) So...what am I starting out my new year listening to? Quite a few things actually! After all--a new year means lots of new things! So I encourage you to embrace new music in OH-TEN!!! :) Maybe it could be a resolution of sorts. So--without further ado...

Old: South Jordan--"Firefly"
I definitely have a soft spot for these guys because they formed in Bloomington, IN. :) I met the lead singer, Michael David Hall one day when he came into The Buckle while I was working. He mentioned that he had just finished performing at the IU Dance Marathon, and being me--with my music obsession--I asked what kind of music they played. Well, this lovely boy pulled out a CD and handed it to me (great promotion skills, haha). So once he left I immediately ran to the back to put it into the CD player. They have a sound that's vaguely reminiscent of The Fray. Michael has a really amazing voice. Oddly enough they recently put a cover of The Fray's "You Found Me" on their MySpace page that is pretty spot on. Lyrically they are quite talented, which is always something I'm attracted to. I have so much respect for people with such talent and I would love to turn some people outside of the Midwest on to them (although they're doing a pretty good job of that themselves). In my opinion--they sound nothing like a band that's just starting their musical journey. :) But I'll leave that to you to decide. http://www.myspace.com/southjordanmusic


Other songs to Check Out: "Fatal Flaw" and "Runaway"

New: Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons--"Born Again"
This Wisconsin folk-rock band is considered part of the "Americana" genre and that really hits the nail on the head as far as their sound goes. Their Southern roots are definitely present in their sound. There's also something very...Springsteen-esque about the vocals. After doing a little research I found out that a few of the band members are actually from The Raconteurs! The music has a sort of "earthy" sound to it. Just very...natural. In an interview Cory discussed his hesitancy to ever leave the Midwest and explained how "nature is a critical part of his artistic process". He said, "If you’re in a superficial environment, I think the music tends to lean that way. Something about being in the woods… it’s a critic, the environment itself". There is something really beautiful about that mentality and it really shines through in their work. I always love music that is raw. I think this is why I find myself attracted to indie bands--no one has tampered with their sound or "corrected" anything. It's just musicians doing what feels/sounds right to them. This is a group you definitely don't want to miss out on!!

Other songs to Check Out: "Calm Down"

New: The Avett Brothers--"I and Love and You"
Well it seems my two new bands are both a bit southern...which is something VERY new for me. In the past I have stayed far away from anything remotely reminiscent of country music. I'll admit that I'm usually pretty quick to write off anyone that claims to have a "southern sound". But one of MY new year's resolution is to give more thought to things I might not normally be open to. So--here goes nothing, right? I mean I love classic Southern Rock...so I can't be a hypocrite, now can I? Well, this folk-rock, bluegrass trio has really won my heart. They are definitely hitting the music scene in a big way...having recently opened for Dave Matthews Band and Widespread Panic, as well as performing with the likes of Wilco and My Morning Jacket. Some of their songs have a bit heavier of a Southern influence than others, with their heavy use of banjo as evidence. Although those may take a little more warming up for me, I have found a number of songs I really do enjoy. They have taken their southern roots and infused them with folk-rock and it is really relaxing to listen to. I hope you'll agree! :)

Other songs to Check Out: "Will You Return?" and "Find My Love"


As always...turn it on and turn it UPPPPP!!! :)

Peace,Love,& RockNRoll,
--A