NeutralAxis

I wrote about The Detroit Cobras’ music a few months ago and have been following them on Twitter.  They just put up a gallery of really cool images of their 2009 tour posters on Facebook.  I especially like this one because it reminds me of 60s psychedelic rock art.  Bigger image after the break. (continue reading…)

Go to Blondie.com for a free download of Debbie Harry’s high velocity take on the Christmas classic, We Three Kings.  Sample after the jump. (continue reading…)

OK.  Here I sit in the US Midwest, minding my own business thinking “am I too old to bother with Twitter?”  But I’m a geek, so I sign up and follow a few bands I like.  Within 24 hrs; actually before I had even made my first tweet, I see that I’m being followed by hayleyjfoster in Australia.  Who?  Why?  I haven’t even tweeted yet.  Clever marketing, that’s why. (continue reading…)

Grey Eye Glances is a folk-rock band like you might find some evening playing at your local Borders Book Store.  In fact the band played New Jersey Borders stores before they got their major label debut in 1997.  Their most recent album, A Little Voodoo came out in 2002, but their website says they’re back touring and recording for 2009.  I’ll be watching and waiting. (continue reading…)

I saw The Sounds on Letterman doing a song from their new album Crossing The Rubicon. I have two of their past CDs, and while they were good, they weren’t really favorites.  They’ve stepped up their game with this new song, “No One Sleeps When I’m Awake.” And even though they’re not an American band, the whole album would be good for a Fourth of July picnic today.  Video of the Letterman appearance and a link to streams of the whole album after the jump. (continue reading…)

Sia is an artist I’ve come across lately whom I can’t get enough of. I’ve picked up all her solo CDs and also some from Zero 7 that she performs on. (Two sentence ending prepositions in a row.. I’m on a roll.) Check out the samples and a fantastic clip from a performance on Letterman after the jump. (continue reading…)

Every once in awhile I stop at the public library and pick out a CD from an artist I’ve heard nothing about.  My only guidance is the cover art and the genre printed on the label.  This week I found Miss Understood by Carolyn Wonderland on the shelf, labeled “Blues” and decided to give it a try.   Sometimes I make awful choices, and sometimes I find a gem.  This was a bit of a gem that still needed some polishing. (continue reading…)

This weeks featured CD is As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls by Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays.  While I usually try to pick something that perhaps isn’t so well known, Pat Metheny will certainly be known to people who enjoy jazz.  I’ve owned this CD since at least 1986 and still enjoy listening to it while reading or doing other quiet things. (continue reading…)

I heard Diane Birch perform on Craig Ferguson this week and liked her performance well enough to see what else I could find from her.  This CD, Bible Belt, appears to be her debut.  Some of the reviews I’ve read have compared her to Norah Jones, but in my opinion, that’s not a valid comparison.  Ms. Birch is going for a pop sound rather than Jones’ smoky jazz style.  She’s also steering clear of the singer/songwriter/piano waif style that seems to be all too common.  Vintage Carole King might be a more valid comparison.  Give it a listen. (continue reading…)

The temperature is due to hit 90F today, so I”m picking a very summery CD by The Orange Peels called Circling The Sun for this week.  It has that “jangley”, happy summer sound that says its time to spend more time outside. (continue reading…)