La Vie En Rose

Pamplemousse is one of my favorite words in French. It means "grapefruit" in English.

So imagine the joy I felt the day I stumbled upon the Pamplemouse YouTube page.

Pamplemousse is a 2 piece indie alternative/jazz band, composed of Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn. Not only do they produce their wonderful music together in the comfort of their own home- they film the entire process of recording the song, one instrument/part at a time, and piece it all together in a music video mash-up that makes it seems as if you're right there in the room with them.

The duo produces and performs both cover songs (the most popular, with over 6million views, being a cover of Beyonce's "Single Ladies," which you can watch HERE) and originals, each one delightful to listen to. Singer Nataly Dawn also has her own YouTube channel, where you can hear her beautiful solo endeavors.

Here is a video of one of my favorite Pamplemousse covers,' Edith Piaf's "La Vie En Rose." Enjoy!

1 and 2 and 3 and 4

I only needed to visit New York University once in 2008 to discover that it wasn't for me. It was really the lockers, intended to house suits for NYU's Stern School of Business students, that completly turned me off.

However, NYU has redeemed itself just a little bit in my eyes after I learned of an indie-duo called Savoir Adore, composed of Deidre Muro and Paul Hammer. They met as students at NYU, and began colaborating in 2008. (I have to mention that my best friend now goes to NYU, so it can't really be too bad!)

I can't get enough of the drum-line beats and synth-rhythm- I could listen to their song, "Bodies," all day. Savoir Adore is so Brooklyn, it's not even funny. And I love it.

This is one of their latest music videos for a song entitled "MERP." It really brings out the disco lover in me.

I feel just like a child!

You ever stumble upon a song that sounds like nothing you've listened to before?

Devandra Banhart is an artist I first heard on New York's Fordham University radio station, WFUV.

Banhart was born in Houston, Texas, raised in Venezuela, and most recently relocated to California. Having lived in several very different locations, you could imagine that his music has had some diverse influences.

You can find a wide variety of music in indie/folk artist Devandra Banhart's catalog- some songs calming, and others that make you want to get up and dance.

Today, this one made me dance.



Check out Devandra Banhart on MySpace.com for more music, videos, and tour dates!

UO Music

I am attempting the impossible.

Today’s blog entry is being written offline. So far it is easier said than done. How did anyone exist without the Internet?

This week I have spent hours searching for, networking, and connecting with artists of all different shapes and sizes. It is my goal to create content on this website that you will love to watch. But please, be patient with me, because musicians (the real good ones) aren’t always too open to experimentation.

The past two weeks I have been trying to set up “Skype Sessions” for you— performances with artists from around the globe who have agreed to sit with me on Skype and sing you a song. I have been searching all over the Internet for some of the newest talent.

And so, you trendy, trendy kids…. I’m going to share with you another website that I use to search for your musical content.

I bet many of you know what Urban Outfitters is. Trendy clothing company- hipsters- Williamsburg- Brooklyn- blahblahblah. Okay. Have you ever clicked around on their website?

This past year, there was an Urban Outfitters around the corner from my home institution, The New School, in Manhattan, NY. Every time I went in to browse (every day….), I was always impressed by the tunes they were playing.

At some point I figured out that Urban Outfitters has a Music section of their website.

UNN-believable.

Not only can I buy trendy clothing, but also I can listen to trendy music.

Every month, Urban Outfitters releases a 20+ track album, entitled LSTN#-, which you can stream online or download for free, featuring some of the best new alternative, independent, and unheard artists around.

And it doesn’t stop there! Each Monday you can find have what they call “Music Monday,” where you can go to their website and download five free tracks from various artists. These artists differ from those offered on the LSTN playlists, but are equally as awesome.

So, I suggest, while you’re waiting for me to get my act together, that you check out UrbanOutfitters.com, and find the music portion of their website. If you love it, you can stream the Urban Outfitters free radio station. I promise that you will not be disappointed.

In Loving Memory Of...

My poor bank account.

Two days ago I bought a ticket to a concert that I was hoping to attend this evening.

Yesterday I remembered that I had made very important dinner plans with my wonderful friend, Marie, who will be leaving town tomorrow. Goodbye $40.

This post is dedicated to the band I was supposed to be seeing tonight, The Swell Season.

I saw this band perform this past February at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and it was one of the most pleasant concert experiences I have ever had. I was alone, drinking a glass of wine, and the band had encouraged the entire venue to sing along. I felt like I was a apart of the show.

The Swell Season is a band out of Dublin, Ireland, composed of Glen Hansard, Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová, and the supporting band, who were once called The Frames. They gained their popularity in 2006 with the movie/musical, Once- and independent film written and directed by John Carney. The film gained recognition when it won the 2008 Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Here is a video of one of my favorite songs by The Swell Season, When Your Mind's Made Up, being performed live two years ago in Paris. Every time I hear this band play together, I am blown away with how talented they are. The music is remarkably well composed, and Glen Hansard's voice is just incredible. Enjoy!

A Pirates Life For Me

Nothing ever comes easy. A theory that has been drilled into my brain since day 1.

I am trying to put together this wonderful music project for YOU (yes, you!). But you have to understand that it's gonna take a bit of time. I, sadly, do not have superpowers.

In exchange for your patience and understanding while I am sorting things out- sending out e-mails and generating musical content for my faithful blog followers- I am going to share with you a very handy tool that I often use for discovering new music.

Three years ago, I was recommended by my good friend, Stephanie Daniels, to visit a website called last.fm. This social music project has completely altered the way I listen to music.

Let me explain.

last.fm offers a program called the last.fm scrobbler, which links your iTunes music library to your last.fm account. The music you are listening to in iTunes is then automatically posted to your user profile. Anyone who visits my profile can then see what it is that I am listening to.

What's great about this is, not only can I share with my friends and the community the great music in which I am always listening to, but last.fm offers recommendations for artists similar to those in my library, and links me up with users from all over the world who are listening to the same things as me. I visit these pages, browse around for a couple of hours, and voila! 8 new albums. 6 hours of new music. It's just like finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

I urge you to visit the last.fm website and browse around. I have found some of my favorite artists on there, and have discovered some really great independent artists from all over the world as well.

One last thing that's worth mentioning--- last.fm has a channel on YouTube.com called LastFM Presents. It is not updated as frequently as it has been in the past, but there are still dozens of artist performances and interviews that you can watch and listen to.

For your viewing pleasure, here is a LastFM Presents session with one of my favorite folk/soul singers, Joshua James. You can almost see his old soul flying out of his mouth when he sings.

Tyler Lyle, Ladies and Gentilemen

Do you know who this is? Well, you should.

Atlanta, Georgia's very own Tyler Lyle is ready, willing, and able to sing your pants off.

This country and blues influenced singer/songwriter, and very good friend of mine, just released two EP's, and will soon be headed to Los Angeles, California, to record a full-length album with the big shots.

Tyler Lyle - No Relief

I urge you to head over to Tyler's MySpace account, listen to the tunes, and see if you are lucky enough to catch him on the road this fall.

BLACK CAB SESSIONS

I have toyed with the idea of creating a music-themed blog for a while now.

I think the time may have come.

About one year ago, I stumbled upon a YouTube video of one of my favorite bands, Grizzly Bear, performing an acoustic version one of my favorite songs, All We Ask, in the back of a black cab, driving through the city of London.



For years, I have been trying to figure out how to sneak myself in this post-modern music business. And all of a sudden... bands singing in the back of a cab?! The project is called "Black Cab Sessions," and the founders are absolute geniuses.

Black Cab Sessions Promo from Black Cab Sessions on Vimeo.

For a while now, I have been coming up with and throwing out ideas on how I could actually work this out for myself. Music is my passion. Four years ago I worked at a record label called Victory Records, but the music industry but it wasn't for me- I needed something more hands-on than PR, marketing, and sales.

Perhaps a blog with new and live music could do the trick... but the twist? Hmm. I'll have to work on it.

THIS BLOG IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING RE-VAMPED

things should be back in order by the weekend.
for now, please excuse the mess!