The Age of Rockets

If you dig the Postal Service sound, you may enjoy The Age of Rockets, an indie pop/electronica group that feature glitch-like beats and gentle male vocals drenched in harmony. The sophomore album Hannah contains the talents of Bess Rogers, Saul Simon-MacWilliams and Adam Christgau in addition to the original Andrew Futral, who won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest after starting The Age of Rockets in 2003. The album has a wonderful orchestrated feel, mixing strings with synthesizer and incorporating lush choral-esque "bapabahs" on songs like "Elephant & Castle" and allowing the organic grainy beats to wonderfully contrast the otherwise dreamy nature of songs like "The End of Faith." The album is a palindrome, with 5 songs on each side similar in arrangement and sound with a middle pivot song that mirrors itself as well. My favorite track is probably Avada Kedavra, which unfortunately won't be posted today, but check out their myspace and give it a listen. They got a show coming up in NYC, March 11 at the Canal Room, so if you'll be in the area, you should definitely check them out.

Elephant & Castle [mp3] iTunes

Happy 400th Post!!!! (and meet Peter Adams)

It is our 400th post here at GFP. How exciting! Not that I can think of anything huge to mark the occasion. So instead I'm going to write about Peter Adams.

Peter Adams is a musician from Cincinnati (midwest represent!). I've heard people compare him to Radiohead, which I think is an apt observation. His music has an orchestral whimsy to it that I really enjoy. It also kind of reminds me of a tamer Sunset Rubdown because it seems to me that the music kind of tells a story - it has drama - and it's also what some people might consider a little weird (but from me, that's a compliment. I don't like music that sounds like everything else). Actually, his newest album, "I Woke With Planets In My Face," probably should've been a candidate for best albums of 2008 or artists to watch for 2009. But alas, it sat in my pile of unlistened music until it was too late. That will teach me. Oh well, here it is now. Enjoy.

Antarctica [mp3] (iTunes)

Oh, and P.S. Congratulations to Melissa, our contest winner! Thanks to all those who participated.

WIN FREE CONCERT TICKETS! BOWERY BALLROOM NYC - FEB 5!!!

I'm very pleased to announce our first ever contest here at Guilt Free Pleasures!!! The prize is 2 tickets to see Francis and The Lights, Savoir Adore, and The Bloodsugars at Bowery Ballroom on February 5th. The show is to celebrate the release for Guilt By Association, Volume 2 - a compilation CD of the hippest current indie bands doing covers of classics like "In the Air Tonight" or "We Didn't Start the Fire".

So here is the contest - the first person to email me and answer the following question wins: Which of the three bands performing at the show on February 5th are not from Brooklyn (hint: check their myspaces)?

The Top [mp3] - Francis and the Lights (iTunes)

Oren Lavie

This is a featured video on youtube today and was the free download of the week on iTunes last week, so you've probably already seen it, but it was too intriguing not to post.




The artist is Oren Lavie and the song comes off his 2007 (UK)/2008 (US) album The Opposite Side of the Sea. In general, Oren's sound is quiet, calm and oddly familiar and comforting. There is something very aged in the musical structure and instrumentation - almost as if he was raised on the subdued classics of Wagner preludes and Mahler symphonies. Give him a listen and let me know what you think.

Her Morning Elegance [mp3]
The Man Who Isn't There [mp3]

Purchase Oren's music on iTunes

Anya Marina

I've been meaning to write about Anya Marina for a while now. Then the other day I heard her song on the radio. But the weird thing was, it was on some rock station. Now, I mean this in no negative way, but Anya Marina is not rock. Her music is poppy through and through. And her music didn't really fit with the other stuff, so I was a little confused. But on the plus side, it reminded me to write about her.

I know we recently started our "Predictions" segment, and I was going to post Anya as a Grey's Anatomy prediction until I realized that Grey's Anatomy has already used her music. Whoops. No surprise there though. Her songs are catchy and sexy, and just different enough to keep your attention. Her music will definitely keep your head bopping.

Move You [mp3] (iTunes)

Stickboy

Ok everyone, listen up. This is serious business, and I'm gonna do my best to not come across as a teeny-bopper, but I just came across a musician that I can't help but wonder how he is not super-famous and also not the father of many, many babies. Cause wow. I feel like I just hit some sort of hidden indie-pop jackpot and I'm actually furious with myself for not knowing about this one sooner. Ladies and gents, I present to you Stickboy aka Craig Edmonson. This indie-pop songwriter is not to be confused with the alternative/rock group of the same name, hails from the UK and is destined to become a legend. Ok so I may be getting a bit ahead of myself there, but let's go over his track record, shall we?

October 2004 - Contacts Piccadilly records to release his first EP, Odd Little Moments
2004-2006 - Releases mini-LP Empty Pages
June 2006 - Releases pseduo-album Stickboy
November 2007 - Releases EP, Basement Sessions
January 2008 - Writes 7 songs in 7 days as part of a New Year's personal challenge.
January 2008 - Releases The Red Words on iTunes
January/February 2008 - Releases The Magical Tree and Other Stories on iTunes just three weeks later.
April/May 2008 - Releases Pointing At Clouds on iTunes
June 2008 - Releases collaboration with Run Toto Run on vinyl
June 9th 2008- Releases official debut album, Under the Sleepy Moon through Piccadilly Records
September 2008 - Starts sideproject, Officer Owl
December 2008- Releases EP, EP3 on myspace
January 2009 - Speaks of releasing another album before the end of the year.

So to sum up: that's 3 albums in 2008 plus an EP. That's just a taste - add to that near daily updates on his myspace and youtube about his newest songs and covers, my favorite being his cover of "If I Had A Hammer" posted below, the man is a bone fide songwriting machine! I can't gush enough about the quality of his music. His songs are smart, the lyrics engrossing, the british twee indie-pop are perfectly dashed with an influence of Dylan, and the uplifting homespun nature and the everlasting desire to soak up more of this man's music is just a START of how I would begin to describe it all. A lot of his talent is out there for free, as per his desire, but this is one I'm going to strongly suggest funding if you can so the guy can go on tour. It's just...logistically unfair that he isn't more renowned by now, cause every review on earth about him is just about one step away from being considered a form of religious worship. Along those lines, thank God this boy shows no signs of stopping.

Four Leaf Clover [mp3]

Predictions: Grey's Anatomy Music

Welcome to our newest (and hopefully regular) segment Predictions, in which we at GFP will do our best to predict the future of your mainstream musical listening adventures. Basically, the goal here is to try to guess what new artists and/or songs will be featured on the next mainstream show or apple commercial, or what we believe would be a really good match for those sorts of things. In all honesty, both Em and I secretly want Alexandra Patsavas's job, but really, who doesn't.


Rosi Golan has traveled across the world, from Israel where she was born, to Germany, Paris, and finally the US where she recently released her debut album, The Drifter & The Gypsy, this past November. Her voice is infectious, the sound sweet, with plucked banjo and emphatic resonance of the mixture of piano and guitar. This song in particular contains the hook "Come around, come around, come around to me," which is perfect for any Grey's "relationships have gone awry and now we're all being reflective about it for the end of the episode montage scene" moment. Rosi has also collaborated with an old Grey's choice, Ben's Brother, so I figure its only a matter of time before she gets some airplay as well.

Come Around [mp3] (iTunes)

One Last Sundance Review

So after I posted that extensive review of Sundance films earlier in the week, I saw one more film at Sundance and it was too good not to write about.

I Love You Phillip Morris
Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor star as a gay couple who meet in prison. Jim Carrey's character is the center of the story - a con man extraordinaire and Ewan McGregor's character is a sweet-hearted, rather naive boy who wants to believe the best in him. As you can probably tell just from the premise, it's a comedy and a quite hilarious one at that. I have to say I think it was one of my favorite movies that I saw at Sundance. I also have to say that never in my life did I anticipate that I would see Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor making out... Priceless.

Previously on Lost - The World's First (and so far only) Recap Band

On Wednesday night I had the privilege of being a part of something very special - a Lost season premiere watching party at the Bell House, before which the band Previously on Lost played. If you don't know, Previously on Lost is a recap band - the first and at this point only recap band, in fact. What does that mean you ask? It means that most (if not all) of their songs are recaps of various episodes of Lost.

Even if you're not a fan of the show Lost, you should definitely see these guys if you have a chance. They put on one of the most fun shows I've been to in a long time. They were a large band with a lot of energy and they were quite zany, with fun costumes (props to the guy in the speedo - that takes guts!) and cool instruments like a Theremin. My one wish was that the sound mixing were better because I found it really hard to understand the lyrics or hear the vocals a lot of the time, and the lyrics are part of the fun since they're recapping episodes of Lost. But considering how much fun I still had even though I couldn't understand half the lyrics, I would recommend them to even those of you who don't like the show Lost.



As for Lost itself, I would say they are off to a pretty good start this season - though I still wish they would close some loopholes instead of opening more and more and more and more. But they've definitely got my attention and it seemed like they had the attention of the couple hundred people at Bell House too. It's definitely more fun to watch it in a group and hear everyone's reactions. I highly recommend finding a bar that throws Lost parties and going. It's an interesting experience.

Be My Constant [mp3] (iTunes)

Glass Pear

Glass Pear debuted their first EP in September and it's finally getting the recognition it deserves, as major network shows like Grey's Anatomy are featuring the stellar collection of songs. The brainchild of Yestyn Griffiths, the 5 songs on the EP are smartly melodic, with well constructed rhythms for the drums and fresh arpeggios that echo the influence of Radiohead, Coldplay and Keane (case in point: the song "Come Alive.") Yestyn's vocals are sturdy, comforting and assured amongst the raw keys and euphonious guitar, but they absolutely shine on the song "My Ghost" (which was composed after the EP came out, but can be heard on myspace). I can't wait for the debut album and when the tour is finally brought over to the states. Oh, and fun fact: Yestyn's sister is Jem.

Last Day of Your Life [mp3]
Support the Artist: buy the EP on iTunes

More Sundance Reviews

Happy inauguration day! I am certainly excited for the regime change, as are many Americans. Hopefully we can begin to put the last 8 years behind us and rebuild the country. I really thought Obama's speech was fantastic and I have to admit I got teary-eyed. I watched the inauguration in downtown Park City with many other Sundancers, and it was quite an emotional experience. I can't even imagine what it was like in Washington DC, but I think I'm glad that I was somewhere smaller. Anyway, on to the film reviews...

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
I was fortunate enough to get tickets to the world premiere of John Krusinski's directorial debut. The film is based off the book of the same title, a series of interviews. While I haven't read the book (though now I want to), the film presents it from the perspective of a female grad student interviewing men for her thesis about sexuality, power, gender, experiences, etc. It is edited in an extremely non-linear format - jumping around from scene to scene frequently and without warning - which sometimes works incredibly well and sometimes... doesn't. The acting is fantastic and John found interesting ways to make the interviews more compelling - so it wasn't just a man sitting at a table all the time. Sometimes through re-enactments that the storytellers participate in, for example. The film is a strong directorial debut for John, who couldn't have been much more humble during the Q&A, always heaping praise on everyone who worked on the project besides himself.

Push (UPDATE: Theatrically released as "Precious")

An incredibly dark story about an illiterate Harlem 16-year old girl, raped multiple times, pregnant by her father, pregnant with his second child and abused by her mother, I honestly wasn't sure I wanted to see this movie because it sounded so depressing. Another film adaptation of a novel, it turned out to be somewhat uplifting, and at times even funny. It's a powerful story about a girl who won't let the worst of the worst get her down and features some truly amazing performances. It will make you feel like you don't have any problems and that anyone can overcome anything.

Burma VJ
A documentary in which the violent footage was filmed by secret videographers and literally smuggled out of the country, this film paints a grim picture of Burma's current regime. But it's a story that needs to be seen. Something needs to be done about the authoritarian regime and the only way that will happen is if people know about it. And you have to admire the courage of the videographers and the protestors, many of whom are Buddhist monks, literally risking their lives to tell this story and attempt bring about change to their country.

Prom Night In Mississippi

It's hard to imagine that in this day and age, with an African American president being inaugurated today, there are still high schools in this country that have segregated proms. Well, in Charleston, Mississippi, they did. Until 2008, that is, when Morgan Freeman offered to pay for their prom if it was integrated. They took him up on the offer (which they declined when he offered in 1997) and had their first integrated prom. The teens make interesting characters. I'm very impressed at how forward some of them think when they've been raised by racist parents. Of course, none of the racist parents (or kids) agreed to be interviewed. But in a way, it was almost more powerful that way - their silence was proof of their shame. The film is disturbing, enlightening, funny and heartwarming all at the same time. It was great to see the kids socializing and warming up to each other. I hope that Charleston will continue to have integrated proms, but only time will tell.

Remember the Greatness

Up To the Mountain (MLK song) - Patty Griffin [mp3] (iTunes)
I've Been to the Mountaintop Speech - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. [mp3] (iTunes)
I Have A Dream Speech - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. [mp3] (iTunes)

Paper Heart - The new Michael Cera movie

Last night I got to go to the premiere of Paper Heart, a mockumentary of sorts starring Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera. It's a movie that starts out as a documentary about love (and how Charlyne doesn't believe in it) and then turns into a narrative love story between her and Michael Cera. Charlyne Yi is a stand-up comedian and from the clips they played, I have to say that, besides how awkward she is, I didn't think she was all that funny. But the movie itself was very funny - full of adorably awkward moments and impecable comedic timing. There's a great scene where Michael Cera gets up and leaves a date and they hold on Charlyne Yi waiting for him to come back for an absurdly long time and finally Michael Cera returns through the back door. Also, Jake Johnson plays the director of the film within the film and he was hilarious. And there was some cool puppeteering in the film too, which was random but I think added a lot. I also liked the soundtrack, which was mostly written and performed by Charlyne and Michael (although I will say that it kind of resembled the tone of the music in Juno).

The one thing I don't understand is how Charlyne (or Michael Cera for that matter) are performers because during the Q&A, they were both so shy and awkward and didn't really seem like they wanted to be there - though I admit their awkward (yes, awkward is the key word for anything relating to this film), short answers to questions were kind of hilarious in themselves.

I'm sure that this movie will make it out to theaters after the festival, so go see it.

Hello from Sundance!

Hello from the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT. I'll be here until January 22nd, and I am sadly still computer-less so I'm not sure how much I can update. But you can expect me to be writing mostly about films until I get back, as I have no access to my music anyway.

Thus far, I have to say, I am not impressed with the organization of the film festival. Everything is 10 times harder than it should be, if you can even figure out how to do it in the first place, and most of the volunteers don't really seem to even know what's going on (though they try their best to be helpful. Most of them have been really nice). But so far the 2 films that I've seen have been absolutely spectacular (which is obviously the most important part).

It Might Get Loud

A documentary about the evolution of guitar-playing and an interesting discussion about technique between three legends: Jimmy Paige, The Edge and Jack White. While this might not actually sound like a very exciting film, it will make you love rock 'n' roll in all its glory. They utilize music beautifully to make you feel what the three legends are talking about. And there are some beautiful shots of guitars that just make you want to reach out and touch them. Not to mention Jack White is freaking hilarious. One of my favorite quotes from the film is when Jack White says "I just got in an accident with a suit on a cell phone. He was probably in the middle of saying the phrase 'totally organic.'" If you already love rock 'n' roll, see this movie. If you don't already love rock 'n' roll, see this movie anyway. You will find a brand new appreciation for it.

Mary and Max

A dark claymation film about two penpals from across the world who don't fit in - one a chubby girl in Australia with troubled family, the other an obese man in New York with Asbergers Syndrome. This film was completely magical. Despite how incredibly dark it is, it's also quit funny and a little bit whimsical. And I have always had an intense appreciation for stop motion animation and the amount of work that goes into it. This film was entirely "in camera" (which means there was no computer animation). Definitely a must see.

Best New Bands of 2008 at First Avenue

So last night I headed out to First Avenue for Radio K's Best New Bands of 2008 concert. Since multiple bands performed aaaannnd it's almost time for the Office/30 Rock, this'll be relatively short. Mp3s at the bottom. Oh, and by the way, it's freezing in Minneapolis.


First up was Bouncer Fighter, which classifies itself as "2-step/progressive/thrash." I gotta admit, they know how to work the 6/8 rhythm, and the music had an insane metal/country vein pumping through it. There are no good words to describe lead singer Caleb Pease's voice, but I'm gonna simply say "South Park" and leave it at that. The band is definitely something I've never come across before, so I think that adds to their charm, plus the energy spouting from this group is more than enough to get a show started.

Then it was time for Lookbook to take the stage, and they couldn't be more different than what we had all just heard. 80's minimal down-tempo music produced by a girl (singer) and a guy (mixer and disturbingly-good falsetto harmony). It felt like they had the shortest set of all, so I really don't have much more to add than that, but if you want to hear Tiffany-esque music with a modern twist, check them out.

Caroline Smith & the Good Night Sleeps came on and were most welcomed by the large audience that had gathered by then. Acoustic guitar, drums, banjo, keyboard, glockenspiel, tambourine, female singer-songwriter? How can I not like it. Spunky songs with a bit of a homespun kick. Caroline's voice is so familiar that my mind immediately jumped to comparisons, but none matched right. If you have a thought as to who she sounds like, PLEASE let me know in the comments section, cause my brain will not stop until it figures it out. It looks like Caroline and the Good Night Sleeps will be on Daytrotter.com soon, so keep your eye out for that.

Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles may not list her as an influence on their myspace page, but it wouldn't surprise me if they all listen to Regina Spektor's albums, cause they got a serious edge of anti-folk to them. Lucy has fun with her voice while the piano, guitar, drums, cello, bass, accordion, glockenspiel and harmonica all conduct a quirky musical dance behind her.

Before I had to head out for the evening, The Dynamiters came on stage. A serious rock band composed of former members of Die Electric!, Freedom Fighters, and the Monarques, they played an impressive set that made cymbals crash down to the floor and lead singer Brian Shuey sing "I'm gonna break your f*cking heart" followed by stating "I wrote that song for my sister."

Believe the Hype- Lookbook [mp3]
Where Has Sally Gone - Caroline Smith & the Good Night Sleeps [mp3]
Postcard - Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles [mp3]

Mirah, you bring me closer to God.

"I think that singing is as close as I get to praying..." Mirah recently told Stereogum. Indeed, it looks like the hard economic times has inspired her to get as close as praying as she can get, cause Mirah's coming out with a new album, (a)spera, in March, and it includes tracks entitled "The World is Falling Apart," "While We Have the Sun," and "Country of the Future." I hope it's as political as I think it'll be.

Gone Are the Days [mp3]

Project Jenny Project Jan @ The Bell House

I still don't have my computer back (and I won't be getting it back any time soon), so I apologize for my delay in posting this. On Saturday night I went and saw Project Jenny Project Jan at The Bell House in Brooklyn. It was my first time at the venue and I have to say it's a pretty cool venue. It's big and warehouse, yet cozy. Project Jenny Project Jan put on a fabulously quirky show. The first time I saw them, they didn't have a very big audience but there were more people this time and I think they definitely fed off that energy. Not that I even thought it was possible for them to have more energy than they did the first time I saw them, but apparently it was. And of course it wasn't long before one-by-one everyone in the audience was dancing like crazy. They also played a couple of new songs, which is always cool. The show was full of hilarious moments too, like when vocalist Jeremy Haines had to tie his shoe and he paused the show in between songs to fix his "wardrobe malfunction."

All in all, I'd say it was a great show. Definitely see Project Jenny Project Jan if you have the opportunity. They're so much fun. They're going on tour soon. Here are the dates:

2/13/09 - Wesleyan University - Middletown CT*

2/20/09 - Cats Cradle - Carrboro NC**

2/21/09 - 40 Watt Club - Athens GA**

2/23/09 - Back Booth - Orlando FL**

2/24/09 - Club Downunder - Tallahassee FL**

2/25/09 - Spanish Moon - Baton Rouge LA**

2/27/09 - Emos Alternative Lounge - Austin TX**

2/28/09 - Palladium Loft - Dallas TX**

3/2/09 - Rhythm Room - Pheonix AZ**

3/3/09 - Echoplex - Los Angeles CA***

3/5/09 - The Independent - San Francisco CA***

3/6/09 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland OR***

3/7/09 - Neumos - Seattle WA***

* w/ Passion Pit

**w/ Fujiya & Miyagi

***w/ Fujiya & Miyagi and Pop Levi

Maria Taylor

I've been a fan of Maria Taylor's ever since I heard her "Smile and Wave" song being played on the Current (those of you in MN understand what an amazing radio station it is). Looks like the indie-pop songstress is releasing her third album Ladyluck on April 7th, with two songs off the album available now on iTunes. Alongside her acoustic guitar, Maria has mastered the ability in the last couple of years to match the quality of her perfectly pure and confident voice with a lush orchestral or synth background to create a rich and vibrant collection of songs. Couple this with catchy hooks and poignant lyrics, and you got an artist I can listen to on repeat for days on end. I expect nothing less from her upcoming album and greatly look forward to it. Until then, give yourself a little preview and do your best not to get the "it was just like that" hook stuck in your head all day long.

Time Lapse Timeline [mp3] (iTunes)

Seabear

Seriously you guys, can someone please tell me whatever happened to Seabear? I guess they're coming out with a new album in 2009, but I feel like they totally fell off the map in 2008 when they could've gone to great heights...am I right?

I Sing I Swim [mp3] (iTunes)

Getting back in step...

Sorry that it's been such a quiet week. Things will pick up really soon, we promise. Until then...here's a track off the newest the Bird and the Bee album, Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future, which will be released January 27.

What's In The Middle [mp3]

But Watch Yoself.

So where I'm at right now had a 4.5 earthquake last night so I immediately turned to the iTunes to find out what songs I had that went along with an earthquake theme. I came across this gem that I didn't even remember having, and even though it's not something new or indie, I can't resist posting it. Hopefully you'll understand.

Rump Shaker [mp3] by Wreckx-N-Effect

Zoe Keating

Hey guys, Lise here. I'll be doing my best this week to update as much as possible, but most likely it'll be quick blurbs. Like today's post.


So on New Year's a friend of mine introduced me to Zoe Keating, a wonderous celloist who uses a loop machine during her performances to create a full multi-cello sound. The gorgeous cello tones layer, blend and resonate whilst circling about in a rich sonorous manner. As my friend simply stated, "I can just get lost in this." She's been the opener for one of Em's favs, Amanda Palmer, and this song is from the RadioLab: Quantum Cello podcast which Zoe says doesn't have a name yet but will be on the new record. Enjoy!

Untitled [mp3] from the RadioLab podcast

Excuse This Interuption

Hi all,

Just wanted to warn you that updating this week may be... sporadic. Em's computer is in the shop and Lise is on vacay, so it will probably be a quiet week here at Guilt Free Pleasures. Our sincere apologies. Please check back next week.

Love,
Em

Tim Harrington (Les Savy Fav) is Beardo

Ok, so I am kind of in love with this little pitchfork channel starring the slightly outrageous Tim Harrington from Les Savy Fav. It's called Beardo, and it's (mostly) freaking hilarious. My favorite episode is actually "Ghost Writer," because I have a really dark sense of humor... But I posted the most recent episode because it's a song, because it is appropriate for this time of year, and because it has lots of cool guest stars.

Artists to watch for 2009

Happy New Year everyone! We actually meant to post this yesterday, but we were just so busy celebrating the New Year that it didn't happen. So, in honor of the first day of the new year, here are some artists we think you should keep your eye out for in the year 2009.

Erin McCarley

It's hard to believe that her album was just released on iTunes two days ago- December 30th- with a physical release in stores planned for January 6th, 2009 (despite claims that it would arrive in the fall of 2008), cause God knows she's been everywhere on hype these days. Plus, she recently went on tour with Josh Radin, so you know this girl has talent. Basically this girl is the new Sara Bareillis with a side of A Fine Frenzy, and if the radio ever catches on to this one, she's gonna be big.
Love, Save the Empty [mp3] (myspace)

VV Brown

Self described as a "fusion of doo-wop sound, swing, bebop, and then obviously that indie edge," this British 24-year-old is set to be the next big thing to come out of the UK. While her music video for the single Crying Blood seems to try to incorporate something from each decade from the last 50 years, whether it be the tetris background or the 1960's simple slightly-lame dancing, its no doubt a single you will be hearing much more of, especially in remixed format. With a major label backing her up, she's destined to reach fame in 2009.

Quick Fix [mp3] (myspace)

Florence and the Machine

Again, the Brits are doing great things. Florence and the Machine sounds as if someone took Lily Allen/Kate Nash and mixed it with some of Amy Winehouse's insanity and an indie rock band. People are taking notice of this one, though. In February Florence will be awarded the Critics' Choice Award at the Brit Awards, an honor bestowed upon Adele just last year. At a Versace party at Donatella's mansion in Milan, Florence sang cover songs to audiences that included Jay-Z and Beyonce. Interviews with Florence herself come across as way-energetic-border-line-insane, which can only a good thing in the music world of expression and entertainment. Two singles, Kiss With A Fist and Dog Days Are Over have been released with a full album anticipated sometime in 2009.

Kiss With A Fist [mp3] (myspace)

Matt Jones

While we wanted to put his album in my best debut albums category, technically it's still not out yet. But good news, it is due out very soon from my understanding. Matt Jones is that rare singer-songwriter with incredible talent that naturally stands out from the other throngs of singer-songwriters. His amazing lyrics and whimsical complex simplicity make him shine.

Waltzing With Lady Dawn [mp3] (myspace)

Ravens & Chimes

I think they have to count as Em's favorite discovery of 2008. She absolutely fell in love with them and their music. There's just something about them... We love the drama in their music and many of the songs off their 2007 album have been on repeat on our playlists since Em first saw them back in August. We don't know if there is a new album due out soon, but we hope so. And in honor of the new year, we're posting the song January.

January [mp3] (myspace)

Aaron Beaumont

Aaron Beaumont has got it all - the talent, the voice, the looks, the wardrobe. He writes beautiful piano ballads and I can picture him rocketing to fame pretty swiftly, so listen to him now so that you can say "I knew him before he was famous."

Love Doesn't Hurry [mp3] (myspace)

Via Audio

This fun, quirky band is relatively popular within the indie scene. Em saw them play with indie darlings Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. From silly but poignant songs such as Digital (about digital media and how talentless people are getting ahead because their voices and images can be digitally altered) to the melancholy but beautiful Oh Blah Wee (about how life goes on), Via Audio is a pretty hip band and they are definitely going places.

Digital [mp3] (myspace)