Saturday, January 31, 2009

"Skull & Magpies" by The Mad Maggies (World/Folk Artist from San Francisco, California (CA))

Journey through the deep blue seas as you listen to "Skull & Magpies," a recently released album by The Mad Maggies. This album has a wonderful assortment of musical genres ranging from Celtic to Ska, which produces creative arrangements with bouncy, syncopated beats. Vocals are clean with crisp clarity while the lyrics are sung in 'buccaneer' style. This album also has a refreshing variety of instruments that really capture the essence of musical adventures in the high seas. Swing to the accordion as it plays an upbeat rhythm on "Dark Matters." The instrumental song "Sandglass" features a well-balanced mix between the tuba and the gentle, sweet melody on the whistle. Fans of The Specials and Flogging Molly won't be disappointed with the colorful seafaring tunes on The Mad Maggies' "Skull & Magpies."

-Diane and The RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out The Mad Maggies's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

Monday, January 26, 2009

Check out The Woodhouse Band, one of RadioIndy's favorite Folk artists

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Band Name: The Woodhouse Band
Band Location: Virginia Northern
Sounds Like:
Visit Band's Website: click here

Check out The Constant Tourists, one of RadioIndy's favorite Folk artists

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Band Name: The Constant Tourists
Band Location: Oregon
Sounds Like: The Pink Martinis
Visit Band's Website: click here

Monday, January 19, 2009

RadioIndy is pleased to present Jimmy Lott with a GrIndie Award for the CD "Not Enough Love"

RadioIndy is pleased to present Jimmy Lott with a GrIndie Award for the CD "Not Enough Love"

Jimmy Lott's "Not Enough Love" is an album ten years in the making, but perhaps Lott needed all of that time, all of those life experiences, to fashion such a solid, diverse, and mature album. Fueled by acoustic work on guitar and piano, Lott touches base in the folk, rock, blues, Americana, and country genres and skillfully crafts beautiful arrangements throughout. Lott has the raw, weathered vocals and country twang reminiscent of latter Bob Dylan, occasionally accompanied by a stunning female backing vocal. Lott's songs are original and poignant, both political, about soldiers and war, and socially conscious, about the world running out of love, the rich getting richer, and moving west. "Not Enough Love" is well-produced and sounds excellent, from the soft piano ballads to the lively Americana tracks, and everything in between. "Ain't No Use" is a bluesy track with nice acoustic and keyboard work, a rhythmic drumbeat, and a great vocal performance from Lott. "Rich People" is a cynical, socially conscious track about "those poor, poor, poor rich people" with great acoustic work and memorable lyrics, including, "Rich people don't get rained on/Rich people don't have to stand in line." With "Not Enough Love," Jimmy Lott has resoundingly returned to the music world and put himself out there with a musically diverse, well-crafted album. Fans of great acoustic work and latter day Dylan should definitely pick this one up.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out Jimmy Lott's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

RadioIndy is pleased to present Anne Milligan with a GrIndie Award for the CD "Thoughts of Home: Traditional American Folk Music"

RadioIndy is pleased to present Anne Milligan with a GrIndie Award for the CD "Thoughts of Home: Traditional American Folk Music"

Not surprisingly, Kentucky native Anne Milligan's "Thoughts of Home: Traditional American Folk Music" is an excellent traditional Appalachian folk album with tracks that span the history of the United States. Milligan's vocal performance makes this album, as she sings beautifully, heartfelt, and with such purity, reminiscent of folk predecessors such as Joan Baez and Emmylou Harris. Roughly, this is a collection of songs about home, both literally, as she sings about Kentucky and America, and figuratively, about the feeling that home brings. The arrangements are diverse, keeping with the traditional folk sound in some, relying solely on her strong acapella performance for others, and modernizing the sound with piano renditions on still others, such as "My Old Kentucky Home," the state song of Kentucky, and "Amazing Grace." "Thoughts of Home" is well-produced though not over-produced, so it maintains that great raw folk sound. "Keep On the Sunny Side" is traditionally done, with a clean and beautiful vocal performance and nice vocal harmonies on the chorus. "Angel Band (3-part Acapella)" is a hauntingly beautiful acapella performance from Milligan of this song modernly popularized by the Sirens in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" where which Milligan sings all three acapella parts. The album closes with "I'd Come Home Today," a Milligan original that sounds just as timeless as the other songs. Fans of traditional Appalachian folk music and stunning female folk vocalists should definitely look into Anne Milligan.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out Anne Milligan's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites

Sunday, January 18, 2009

RadioIndy is pleased to present James Moore with a GrIndie Award for the CD "Crows"

RadioIndy is pleased to present James Moore with a GrIndie Award for the CD "Crows"

"Crows" is a great four-track EP that nicely fuses folk with alt-country from New Jersey singer/songwriter James Moore. Drawing from a variety of influences, Moore creatively and skillfully blends slide guitar with great folk guitar work, great guitar and drum rhythms, and sincere lyrics. At his vocal best, Moore sounds like Jim James from My Morning Jacket, but he has such a range that he is also reminiscent of David Gray. His lyrics are honest, personal, and often saddening, well-suiting the arrangements and vocal styling. Though "Crows" was recorded by Moore on a digital four-track, it sounds impeccably clean. The title track, "Crows," has a nice acoustic and drum arrangement, a superb Jim James-esque delivery from Moore, and great lyrics. "One Way To You" is the type of song you might sway to at a concert, holding a lighter high in the air and features a great vocal delivery and heartfelt lyrics against a slow acoustic progression. Overall, "Crows" is well done, its four tracks leaving you anticipating what Moore could do with a full length release. Fans of folk, alt-country, and talented singer/songwriters should check out James Moore.

-Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
Check out James Moore's music on RadioIndy.com with link to purchase and links to popular sites