They’ve been compared to Lifehouse, Counting Crows, the Fray, Coldplay, and David Gray, but they definitely have a sound all their own. Plus, Crash Parallel has infused a social conscience into their music. Sister site WatchMojo.com sat down with Tim and Dan from the band to discuss their recent success. For more information click Here
A few months ago, The Fray released the single “You Found Me” (in conjunction with a Lost promo spot) to give fans and listeners a taste of what’s to come on their upcoming album release. Next week, The Fray will officially release their second self-titled album on Tuesday, February 3rd.
To gear up for the upcoming album release, check out some behind-the-scenes videos featuring The Fray in action as they work on putting together their new album.
Here’s a taste of The Fray on the road featuring a sneak peek at the song “Never Say Never”
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=51166333
And here’s a look at behind-the-scenes of the making of “You Found Me”
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=48540062
The Fray is set to release their album next Tuesday, February 3rd. For more info and to see some of the band’s video blogs head to TheFray.net or myspace.com/thefray.
Check it out:
Be sure to tune into to Keane TV performances next week on the Ellen Degeneres show on December 2 and Jimmy Kimmel Live on December 3. Also catch Keane perform live in LA next week in support of the recent CD release Perfect Symmetry. The band will be performing at the Echo on December 4 and the Roxy on December 5.
Keane Official Site:
and MySpace page:
Nice to see Keane back on the scene. Here’s the new single off of their upcoming third album, Perfect Symmetry:
Grammy-nominated British trio Keane previews their third album, Perfect Symmetry, with the release of “Spiralling,” August 19, 2008. The song will be available at all major online retailers. The track was made available for free on the band’s website (keanemusic.com), and logged over half a million downloads in one week. “Spiralling” was the #1 most added song on UK radio for its first week of release.
Keane has released two previous albums, 2004’s Hopes and Fears, and 2006’s Under the Iron Sea. Their third album, Perfect Symmetry, will be released on October 14, 2008. The track listing for Perfect Symmetry has been confirmed as:
Perfect Symmetry Track Listing:
1. Spiralling
2. The Lovers Are Losing
3. Better Than This
4. You Haven’t Told Me Anything
5. Perfect Symmetry
6. You Don’t See Me
7. Again And Again
8. Playing Along
9. Pretend That You’re Alone
10. Black Burning Heart
11. Love Is The End
Keane Official Site:
and MySpace page:
Eric Hutchinson shines with a unique brand of pop-soul on his debut album, Sounds Like This. Although the charismatic singer/ songwriter has been favorably compared to his early idols (Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Paul Simon), one of the most remarkable things about Sounds Like This is the sheer breadth of musical styles that Hutchinson effortlessly encompasses.
Listen to “Rock & Roll”
The record was released on Hutchinson’s own label, Let’s Break Records, at the end of August 2007 and overnight it was breaking records. One of his buddies emailed celebrity blogger Perez Hilton a link to his MySpace page, and Hilton was immediately impressed, recommending the music on his site. Soon after, Sounds Like This was ensconced in iTunes’ Top 10 becoming the highest-charting album by an unsigned act in iTunes history.
Since then, the self-described student of pop signed to Warner Bros. Records, toured with One Republic, released the undeniably catchy single “Rock & Roll,” snagged a spot on The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 Soundtrack, and recently became one of VH1’s “You Oughta Know” artists. Hutchinson takes pride in the raw, vintage vibe of Sounds Like This: “I tried really hard to keep it organic,” he says. “Music is human expression and what’s more human than to make a mistake? So to record something and then take out all the mistakes leaves the project with no soul to it.” With ska-inflected grooves, jazzy melodies and vocals that veer from a gritty growl to a shimmering falsetto, Sounds Like This might just be the most soulful thing you’ve heard all year.
erichutchinson.com
youtube.com/erichutchinson
imeem.com/erichutchinson
vh1.com/artists/you_oughta_know
Nashville piano rockers, The Gabe Dixon Band, have a busy few months ahead. The trio just shot the video for their single “Till You’re Gone” and will release their debut, self-titled album on August 26th. The band is set to play select dates with Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers and then join soulful, singer/songwriter Justin Nozuka on a slew of tour dates throughout September and October. Check out more info on their Myspace page to read what other musicians have been saying about the band and find out why Dixon turned down a spot to play on Paul McCartney’s tour.
Check out the new single “Till You’re Gone”
The Gabe Dixon Band’s Upcoming Tour Dates:
Date Venue Location
9/10 Cat’s Cradle Carborro, North Carolina **
9/11 Orange Peel Asheville, North Carolina **
9/12 Belcourt Theatre Nashville, Tennessee **
9/13 Smith’s Olde Bar Atlanta, Georgia **
9/14 Workplay Birmingham, Alabama **
9/18 Town Ballroom Buffalo, New York *
9/19 Paradise Rock Club Boston, Massachusetts *
9/22 Bowery Ballroom New York, New York *
9/24 State Theatre State College, Pennsylvania *
9/25 Rex Theatre Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania *
9/27 Recher Towson, Maryland *
9/28 Theatre of the Living Arts Philadelphia, Pennsylvania *
9/30 Cambridge Room Cleveland, Ohio *
@HOB Cleveland
10/2 Turner Hall Plymouth, Wisconsin *
10/4 Martyr’s Chicago, Illinois *
10/5 Varsity Theater Minneapolis, Minnesota *
10/8 Bluebird Theater Denver, Colorado *
10/15 The Roxy West Hollywood, California *
10/19 The Glass House Pomona, California *
10/21 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, California *
** w/ Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers
* w/ Justin Nozuka
Jack’s Mannequin may not be releasing their sophomore album until September 30th, but their new EP, The Ghost Overground, is available on iTunes now. The 4-song EP features “The Resolution” and “Bloodshot,” two new songs off of The Glass Passenger. Additionally, it includes older tracks “Holiday From Real” (live from SIR) and “Kill The Messenger” (live from Rock Xentral). Catch the band on tour now with Paramore.
Inspired by the likes of Prince, Carole King and Stevie Wonder and musical genres such as Motown, hair metal and classic rock, Ianuzzi is a classically trained pianist and saxophonist who uses her musical inspirations to create witty songs loaded with wordplay and pop-culture references.
Lauren Ianuzzi ain’t just a pint-sized Jersey girl with thick brown curls, a pearly-white smile and sparkling enthusiasm. She ain’t girlie girl vanilla either. The Bergen County-bred songstress boasts a hustler-like spirit with the vocal chops to match, and there’s no mistaking her tenacity as she madly croons, “I will turn up the heat” in the sultry funk flavors of “Sweat,” one of the many self-penned tunes by the twenty-two-year-old Ianuzzi. She’s been tellin’ it like it is for a long time now. It’s now the world’s turn to catch up and turn an ear.
LAUREN IANUZZI - “A Funk I Won’t Forget”
From the funkalicious pop-soul of “A Funk I Won’t Forget” to the slinky R&B grooves of “Strawberry Poison” and “Love You Now,” it’s quite clear what Ianuzzi’s heart and soul is soaked in. She professes to have been a “reserved tween,” yet her vibrant personality blossomed once more upon high school. “I was totally that kid!” exclaims Ianuzzi. “I was a band nerd and I was in all the choirs. I was in every single music thing I could possibly be in and more.”
She’s previously co-written songs with songwriters such as Jeff Franzel (*NSYNC, Taylor Dayne), Martin Briley (Celine Dion), and Elisa Korenne (Super Sweet Sixteen), while also having recorded with producers such as Adrian Gurvitz (Sheryl Crow, CeCe Winans), Jim Beanz and Charlie Brown (Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado), the Noize Trip team (Fergie, The Roots), and Visionary Music Group (Destiny’s Child, Elton John). In January 2008, Ianuzzi opened for Train frontman Pat Monahan and Grammy-nominated songwriter Emily King at the Sundance Film Festival. She also performed at the 25th anniversary gala for the Operation Smile charity in Virginia Beach, VA, where she opened for the Beach Boys with her original song, “Show Me That Smile.” Ianuzzi is currently putting the finishing touches on her first EP, to be entitled “A Funk I Won’t Forget”
Shake up a little of Nikka Costa’s sexy brashness with the smooth soul of Prince and Jill Scott, and add a dash of Carole King — Lauren Ianuzzi will sate you. You ready to meet this Jersey Girl?
LAUREN IANUZZI - “Strawberry Poison”
TRACK LISTING:
1. A Funk I Won’t Forget
2. Obsessed
3. Electricity
4. Sweat
5. Strawberry Poison
6. Love You Now
7. Go-To Girl
WEBSITE: http://www.laurenianuzzi.com
###
Scarlett Johansson performances on AOL Sessions and Yahoo Pepsi Smash (links below). Scarlett’s debut album Anywhere I Lay My Head will be available in stores and online on May 20th. The album features 10 Tom Waits covers and one original track.
Scarlett Johansson AOL Sessions:
http://music.aol.com/video
Scarlett Johansson Pepsi Smash Performance:
http://music.yahoo.com/promo
Even before 16-year-old Karina Pasian signed to Def Jam records, the stellar singer was already making a name for herself. From her winning performance on Star Search in 2003 to singing at the White House last June during Black Music Month, this New York City chanteuse has been paying her professional dues since she was a toddler.
“I’ve been singing and playing piano since I was three,” says Karina. “My babysitter had a piano, and she started teaching me how to play. It wasn’t until a year later that I began getting professional lessons.” While some have been quick to compare Karina Pasian to other performers including Aaliyah, Alicia Keys and Mariah Carey, one listen to her self-assured debut disc is evidence enough that she is destined for success.
Karina remembers the first time she sang in front of an audience. “I sang Céline Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’ at a talent show. I was kind of nervous, but the audience loved it.”
From that point, there was no denying that music would be her life. A few years later, after using the Prince-penned ballad “How Come U Don’t Call” for an audition, Karina Pasian was cast on a revamped version of Star Search. “That was such a wonderful experience,” says Karina, who won the first round of the competition with a rousing version of the Jackson Five classic “I’ll Be There.”
Working with an array of songwriters, producers and artists that include The Dream, Tricky Stewart, Gordon Chambers, Chris Brown, Carlos McKinnney, Lil Mama and others, Karina proves to be a breath of fresh soul. “I’ve recorded over 70 songs in the last two years,” Karina says. “It was a period of real growth for me as I learned to focus and stay consistent.”
Karina Pasian’s godfather, famed producer and businessman Quincy Jones, has also been a guardian angel for the young singer. In addition to giving her advice, the maestro included her in the “We Are the Future” charity concert in 2006. Considering the talents Jones has worked with, from Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan to Michael Jackson and Tamia, she is in good company. “I know I’m blessed to have someone like Quincy in my corner,” she says.
A fan who embraces all forms of music, from the stylish Black pop of Brandy to old school jazz greats, Karina performed the standard “Misty” when she was at the White House last year. “Emilio Estefan, who has been a friend of my family for years, helped to put the show together, and invited me to be a part of it,” says Karina. “Later, my brother told me that I was the first Dominican to play at the White House, and that made me very proud.”
Karina Pasian - Sixteen At War
http://www6.islanddefjam.com
Studying music and voice at High School for the Professional Performing Arts, the Washington Heights native was more than prepared for any challenges that arose in the studio. “I was blessed to have some pretty amazing teachers who prepared me well,” she says sweetly. Refusing to fall into any cliché, Karina Pasian has recorded an album that is a reflection of her age and independent point of view.
Karina Pasian’s song “Sixteen” is a song of independence and admiration. “Ain’t no daddy’s where I’m from, its just mad mothers…why am I disrespected by someone I should call brother,” she sings in a pristine voice. “I wanted to do a song about what teenager girls go through in urban areas. It’s not cool that boys think they’re being cute when they say nasty stuff to us on the street.” Written and produced by The Dream and Tricky Stewart, best known for their work with Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and Madonna’s “Me Against the Music,” the song “Sixteen” reminds one of vintage Brill Building girls like the Crystals or Little Eva with an electro-groove.
Another The Dream and Tricky Stewart track that will leave fans breathless is “Baby Baby,” an uptempo song that is destined to be a dancefloor scorcher. “Though this is a fun song, it’s not just a party song,” says Karina “It’s about guys who simply see young women as sex objects, but I refuse to be that girl.” Indeed, like Aretha Franklin, she simply wants some respect. Sharing the mic with rapper Lil Mama (“Lip Gloss” & “Shawty Get Loose”), the two young stars connected in the studio. “Lil Mama was so cool, but it was her confidence in the booth that was really exciting.”
Produced and written by Carlos McKinney, the sing-songy “Can’t Find the Words” embraces elements of jazz and pop while simultaneously creating a whimsical track that sounds like nothing else of the radio. Additionally, Karina’s favorite song “Winner,” which highlights her elegant piano (her light touch on the keyboard reminds one of Erroll Garner) playing, is laidback and uplifting.
A beautiful young woman with more musical moxy than most sixteen year olds, Karina Pasian has constructed one of the finest debut discs in years. Melancholic and truthful, funky and real, blissful and bold, Karina’s album is the sound of a better tomorrow.
PLAY
