A Long Time Coming

Sorry it's been so long since i did a post.  I haven't had a day off in like 2 weeks and it's been hard to find the time to write for all of you.  But now the good news is that i have quite a bit of new music to share with you.  So let's get right to it shall we?  The first group I have to share with you is Frightened Rabbit.  They are quintet from Scotland who have recently begun to nudge their way into the public eye.  They are an unconventional band with a folky pop feel.  They have a knack for singing songs about ordinary people or situations, but using their upbeat and epic sound to bring out a feeling of greatness and making those people or situations feel extraordinary and significant.  The band themselves also feel as though they are ordinary guys.  The lead singer Scott's voice cracks and may not be exactly on pitch at times, but it gives them authenticity and really works with their sound.  It makes them sound genuine.  Take a listen to these tracks and enjoy.

Frightened Rabbit - The Twist


Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land


Frightened Rabbit - Living In Colour


The Next group I have for you is The Morning Benders.  I featured them in one of my previous posts as a band you have to hear.  I am including them here because they have a brand new album out today (3/9) called Big Echo.  It is there second studio LP and brings about some definite changes in there sound.  The sound on previous records has been more fast paced alt rock based.  They have been in your face and featured driving drum beats.  On this new record however, they have taken a different route, aiming more for the Phil Specter "wall of sound."  They sound more distant and grand in the mixes.  The instrumentation has improved and expanded as well.  The songs on Big Echo are more like composed pieces of music than just a four piece band playing some songs.  It shows major growth in the way they write and understand music.  I have been incredibly excited to hear this new record and it has lived up to all my expectations of being creative, different, and just plain good.  Now I just can't wait to see what they do next.  Here are a few tracks for your listening pleasure.

The Morning Benders - Excuses


The Morning Benders - Cold War (Nice Clean Fight)


The Morning Benders - All Day Day Light


The third artist on my list is Andrew Belle.  It's is not a common occurance to come across an artist with the ability to catch my full attention with just a 30 second clip, but that happened when I listened to the title track off Andrew's latest album "The Ladder" for the first time.  Andrew is a singer /songwriter out of Chicago.  His voice is incredibly unique.  It is deep and soothing and kind, and it drew me in immediately.  His music is beautiful and well written with flowing and catchy melodies.  His lyrics are personal and easy to relate to.  Everything about Andrew Belle just fits and feels right while you are listening.  If you like artists like Coldplay, The Fray, or Peter Bradley Adams (featured on a previous blog) then you will like Andrew Belle.

Andrew Belle - The Ladder


Andrew Belle - Static Waves


Andrew Belle - My Oldest Friend


Next we have a band called This World Fair.  It is the brainchild of Chris Kalgren who hails from Minneapolis.  Unlike the rest of the artists this is not a new release but the music is new to me (and hopefully you too).  I heard about This World Fair a while back but never really got around to actually checking them out until last week and I am definitely glad I did.  Chris write fantastic guitar driven pop/rock songs that have that epic feel like they are in a huge room shouting at the top of their lungs to make the rafters shake.  They are powerful and uplifting.  The sound reminds me of Tonic or Coldplay or even Wings at times.  The songs are very well crafted and catchy and the lyrics, which are inspired by past experiences are personal and emotional.  To sum up, This World Fair is music at it's best.  You will want to be blasting them on your radio as soon as possible.  I have included a couple songs off their latest EP as well my favorite off their debut self-titled album.  Hope you like them.

This World Fair - White Flag


This World Fair - Brother Run


This World Fair - This Morning


Last but not least I have my artist you have to hear for this week.  Brother Ali is probably one of the most talented Rap artists I have ever heard.  Also hailing from Minneapolis, Brother Ali is part of the Rhymesayers crew.  He is a confident genius of the microphone.  His level of lyrical talent and his ability to write songs that have messages and deep thoughts are what make him great.  And it's not just a few songs that showcase this talent, he now has three full length albums and numerous EPs that all carry a consistent level of brilliance.  His descriptions of situations and places make you feel like you are there with him.  To put it in his own words "you can call [him] modern urban Norman Rockwell, [he] paints a picture of the spot well." He is very personal and introspective in many of his songs, which gives his listeners a window into his life to experience what he has gone through to get to this point.  He puts everything out in the open and boldly and eloquently speaks the truth.  I urge you listen closely to these songs and to what Brother Ali has to say because he is amazing.

Brother Ali - Begin Here


Brother Ali - Picket Fence


Brother Ali - Sleepwalker


Brother Ali - Room With A View


Brother Ali - Uncle Sam Goddamn


Brother Ali - Crown Jewel