CD REVIEW: Jason Damato "Floating Down A River"

This debut EP is an incredibly mellow, yet soulful, collection of tunes by up-and-coming singer/songwriter Jason Damato. Produced by Damato and fellow independent musician Tom Freund, the EP blends soulful soft jazz elements with the acoustic pop sounds of summer for a unique twist on both styles. For fans of Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz, Damato's music is epecially catchy and easy to listen to, yet the simplicity of the music still has depth and character. It's not just another guy with a guitar, strumming away, singing about his girl and the beach. Damato's performance and songwriting, coupled with the musical talents of Freund and Adam Topol, Jack Johnson's drummer, makes this EP just a tease for what is to come in his certainly fruitful musical career. The EP's standout songs are the title track and "Life You Love."

New Release Tuesday

New music out today that is worth checking out:

• Army Of Me - Make Yourself Naked EP
• Jack Johnson - En Concert
• Rey Fresco - The People
• Tegan & Sara - Sainthood
• Train - Save Me, San Francisco

NEW TUNES: Brushfire Records - Fall 2009 Sampler

Check out the Fall 2009 Sampler put out by Brushfire Records at Amazon.com! It features 9 songs by Brushfire Records artists Jack Johnson, G. Love & Special Sauce, Mason Jennings, Matt Costa, Rogue Wave, Zee Avi, Zach Gill, Neil Halstead, and ALO.

Click here to download it now!

CD REVIEW: Brandi Carlile "Give Up The Ghost"

On her third album, Brandi Carlile has shined brighter than ever before. This album brings the songwriting to the forefront of each of her songs, with the entire band and instrumentation adding the punctuation to her incredible compositions. She showcases her ability to rock as always and she also has brought her storytelling through song to the next level. "Dreams," the album's first single, could possibly be her best song to date. More than ever before, she shows that she will, and may already be, the next Sheryl Crow or Melissa Etheridge. The sound of Americana-style rock music is some of the best ever by a female performer. The album also features a guest spot by music legend, Elton John, who lends his musical talents and unparalleled vocal to "Caroline." She even gets a little help from the Indigo Girls' Amy Ray and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. Carlile even picks up the banjo and sits behind the piano on this album as well, showing us that she's not just another girl with a guitar.

CD REVIEW: Andrew Hoover "Chances, Stances, And Romances"

Andrew Hoover is a breath of fresh air in the music industry. His debut full length album is one of the most refreshing and inventive albums to come out this year. From start to finish the album is full of well crafted songwriting, stellar production, and some of the coolest musical arrangements found in this style of music. Andrew has an incredibly soulful voice and is an outstanding guitar player as well. He brings elements of John Mayer mixed with elements of John Legend to life in his own unique way. His closest musical comparison is possibly Kyle Riabko, but Hoover's music certainly stands alone. The best tracks on the disc are "Lie To Me," "Come On." and "Saturday," but the entire album, from start to finish, is incredible. Andrew Hoover has brought soul back to the world of the singer/songwriter.

NEW TUNES: Tim Williams

Check out these two great new songs by Tim Williams off this latest album entitled "Careful Love," out today!

• "I Hit Another Wall"
• "Murderous Air"

New Release Tuesday

New music out today that is worth checking out:

• Peter Bradley Adams - Traces
• Nathan Angelo - These Ol' Keys
• Jay Farrar & Benjamin Gibbard - One Fast Move Or I'm Gone: Kerouac's Big Sur
• Robert Francis - Before Nightfall
• Inara George - Accidental Experiment
• Kings Of Convenience - Declaration Of Dependence
• Elvis Perkins In Dearland - The Doomsday EP
• Tim Williams - Careful Love

NEW TUNES: Carbon Leaf (for Breast Cancer!)

Vanguard Records and Carbon Leaf partner with The Breast Cancer Site and the National Breast Cancer Foundation to give away a song to help support the fight against breast cancer. Vanguard and Carbon Leaf are offering a free download of the band’s song “Pink” from their new album, Nothing Rhymes With Woman. With every free download of “Pink” throughout the month of October at www.vanguardrecords.com/pink Vanguard will donate one dollar to The Breast Cancer Site, benefiting the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

New Release Tuesday

New music out today that is worth checking out:

• Five For Fighting - Slice
• Five Times August - Life As A Song
• Jon And Roy - Another Noon
• Josh Rouse - Valencia EP

CD REVIEW: State Radio "Let It Go"

Since the breakup of the prolific independent rock band Dispatch, Chad Urmston and his new band State Radio have been able to keep a piece of the band alive in their own music. This new album is the first album to depart fully from Dispatch and rise up as a true State Radio album, not an extension of the past. It contains heavier rockers than some of the band's previous albums, such as "Doctor Ron The Actor" and "Knights Of Bostonia." The album also feature two of the best reggae tunes that State Radio has ever recorded, "Evolution" and "Calling All Crows." It is truly refreshing to see a band develop a true sound that doesn't mimic the sound of its members' previous musical endeavors. This is a stretch, but it seems as if Chad Urmston and State Radio are going down the same path once ventured on by Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters, when they were trying to break away from the label of being just "the drummer from Nirvana's new band." It's safe to say that this album helps State Radio achieve similar success, and from this point on will no longer be "that guy from Dispatch's new band."

CD REVIEW: Owl City "Ocean Eyes"

While we are all eagerly awaiting Ben Gibbard to his popular success, his new marriage, and his other side project, enter Owl City. This new album is the answer to the long awaited follow up to The Postal Service's excellent debut album. But Ben and The Postal Service had nothing to do with it. Owl City is Adam Young, and Adam Young is one hell of a talented musician. His gentle mix of production and electronic music with his outstanding vocals, instrumentation, and lyricism, make this album one of the most creative to come out this year. On the heels of successful indie rock acts like Passion Pit, Phoenix, and Paper Route, who all mesh together electronic elements into their groundbreaking sounds, Owl City manages to do the same. With songs like "Fireflies" and "Tip Of The Iceberg" it's hard to believe that this album isn't a relic of the 80's. "Cave In" and "On The Wing" are a few of the other standouts, showing off Adam Young's musical genius in the best possible way. Although, this album is not Owl City's first, it's the first that the masses are going to get their hands on. Ben Gibbard better get on with it and get to work on The Postal Service's new tunes, because with this album, Owl City is poised to take over as the go-to-band for indie electronic rock.

NEW TUNES: Elizabeth & The Catapult

Check out Elizabeth & The Catapult's new single "Race You" here, which is off of their album entitled "Taller Children" out now on Verve Forecast.

New Release Tuesday

New music out today that is worth checking out:

• Air - Love 2
• Basement Jaxx - Scars
• Brandi Carlile - Give Up The Ghost
• Mike Doughty - Sad Man Happy Man
• Mike Dunn & The Kings Of New England - Sundowner
• Everclear - In A Different Light
• Greg Laswell - Covers
• Blake Lewis - Heartbreak On Vinyl
• Lotus - Oil On Glass EP
• Lotus - Feather On Wood EP

CD REVIEW: The Avett Brothers "I And Love And You"

Some might think that because of the past recordings by the Avett Brothers that they are a bluegrass or country band. In fact, they are, more than anything, a rock band. Just because their instrumentation and harmonies lend them to be compared to certain styles of music doesn't mean that they should be classified as such. This album will once-and-for-all solidify that fact to be true. The boys solicited famed producer Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jakob Dylan) to help them realize this new, full, and incredibly individual sound. Incredible songwriting and storytelling by the Avetts make this album one of the year's best. Their musical talents make the album a work of art. Songs like the title track and "Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise" are subtle masterpieces, equally showing off the sincerity of the lyrics and the richness of the music. The album, which unlike previous releases, is heavier on the piano and much more darkly themed. The Avett Brothers also shine on "Kick Drum Heart" and "Laundry Room" which draw the closest comparisons to their previous work, showcasing their unique bluegrass-meets-punk style. Each song is a window into the heart and soul of the band and the album as a whole is timeless, defying classification into any specific musical genre.

CD REVIEW: Angel Taylor "Love Travels"

Angel Taylor doesn't fit the mold of any one type of female singer/songwriter. She is her own unique personality with a very familiar sound. He debut album features collaborations by Brendan James and Jason Reeves and as a result her album takes on a quality heard in both collaborators' individual albums. She will, and should, be compared to Colbie Caillat, mostly because of the feel and the production quality of her album. She is in no way and this album certainly isn't a carbon copy of any of Caillat's releases. In fact, Taylor's sound features much more soul and much less of an at-the-beach feel than Colbie's music. The album is full of wonderful compositions with "Like You Do" and "Make Me Believe" surely becoming the popular favorites. There are subtleties to the album that showcase the realness of Angel Taylor and she will definitely become a star if she keeps up singing and performing like this album.

NEW TUNES: Andrew Hoover

Check out Andrew Hoover's new song "Lie To Me" here, which is off of his new album entitled "Chances, Stances, & Romances" out now on Rock Ridge Music.

Also, head over to www.rockridgefree.com to download another free track by Andrew Hoover called "Saturday," as well as other free tunes by Matt Duke, Sister Hazel, Ernie Halter, Ken Block, Keaton Simons, Curtis Peoples, Pat McGee, Tony Lucca, Josh Hoge, Jay Nash, and Benjy Davis Project.

BURN THIS / October 2009

1. Mason Jennings "Ain't No Friend Of Mine"
2. State Radio "Knights Of Bostonia"
3. Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers "Shady Esperanto And The Young Hearts"
4. Lowell Thompson & Crown Pilot "The Love You Had"
5. Will Hoge "Hard To Love"
6. Mike Dunn & The Kings Of New England "Princeton"
7. Matt Hires "State Lines"
8. Will Dailey "Love Is On The Way"
9. Benjy Davis Project "I Love You"
10. Andrew Hoover "Lie To Me"
11. Rob Blackledge "Sweet Sweet Lady"
12. Matt York "Lucky Man"
13. Landon Pigg "A Ghost"
14. Paolo Nutini "Coming Up Easy"
15. Kate Earl "Melody"
16. Jason Castro "Let's Just Fall In Love Again"
17. Angel Taylor "Like You Do"
18. Colbie Caillat (featuring Jason Reeves) "Droplets"
19. Jer Coons "Legs"
20. Chris Velan "Oldest Trick"