I’ve been following the beautiful alto voice of Marina V for awhile now. She has a phenomenal voice and creates some interesting music too. Marina is a Russian transplant to the states-and a great import she is! She released the full-length My Star in January 2011. You Make Me Beautiful was released as a single from that offering. Marina V has a handful of other released available from her store link on her web site, where you will find all of the…
Read MoreI ran across Clara C while trying to fill a spot for folk or Americana on the blog. It isn’t what I was looking for, but it is bright, infectious and simple. Clara C, has a full range of vocal abilities as heard in this mix of The Camel Song, a wistful love song about sharing life’s experiences with the one you love. Yes, I know, nothing very original in that and I almost passed this song by until the chorus kicked…
Read MoreIn pop music, the melody and how it is executed by the band or artist seems to me to be one of the most important things. Can you remember it? Does it echo in your head in a way that makes you want to sing it or hear it again? Both are true when you are listening to tunes by the pop foursome, Xylos. A great example is 2010’s Not Enough, which has sweeping vocal harmonies throughout. Xylos are not much for releasing information…
Read MoreMichael Kiwanuka is a British soul singer who’s parents were from Uganda and escaped from Idi Amin’s regime there. Here on the prayerful I’m Getting Ready, Kiwanuka shows his formidable pop-soul chops in a beautiful way. His voice penetrates the ether around you and calms your inner tortured spirit. You can find out loads of info about Michael Kiwanuka by visiting his web site, which includes all of the social links you would expect, an extensive bio and links to the music….
Read MoreMeet Ben Rector, a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter with skills to spare. Here he covers Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and in the video, you can see what parts he’s playing in the production (all of them). I usually look for tracks that are completely original, but sometimes you have to make exceptions. Check it out! Ben Rector’s first major long-player, Something Like This was released in September of 2011. He’s got a nice web site with all of…
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