Zac Brown Band always flirts with the mix between country music and jam band rock and roll. On his newest album, his mixes everything up in a huge way, showing off all his many musical facets. Guest appearances are made by country superstar Alan Jackson and hippie extraordinaire Jimmy Buffet, showing Zac's range, as well as his ability to have fun playing music. While this album may feature much more country than rock as compared to his critically acclaimed debut, it does feature one of his best songs ever written, "Who Knows," which is as fun in the studio as it is live. The song, clocking in over nine minutes, shows off his true core as an epic jam rocker. Zac Brown Band are part of a new generation that is blurring the lines between country and rock, and if you can get rock fans to listen to country and vice versa, you have found yourself a successful career path.
Dave Barnes is sometimes underappreciated as an artist. Take note however, as his talent is showcased to the max with the release of his first ever Christmas album. Mixing originals with classic and revamping some popular holiday hits, Dave Barnes pulls out all the stops on this one. He takes on Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas" and delivers a version that is second only to the original (first, if you're not a MC fan). His renditions of "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "The Christmas Song" are going to be in heavy rotation at Christmastime each and every year to come. Dave Barnes knows how to make great records, and that goes doubly for making great holiday albums as well.
Back again for more, Oh, Starling has put a new spin on five more classic Christmas tunes. Yet again, Dan and Jessica have proven that two is truly better than one in some cases, and when love and artistry comes into play, music is elevated to a whole new level. They pick up where their previous EP left off, and have delivered yet another excellent collection of holiday tunes. Staying away from creating originals, the duo are possibly the best at consistently reinventing the Christmas classics. It's looking like this is bound to become an annual thing, so looking forward to next year's EP should be very exciting all year long.
Oh, Starling is husband and wife duo Dan Craig and Jessica Sonner. When they aren't busy making incredible music on their own they combine their talents to create some incredible holiday music. Part of the booming Colorado music scene, these folk artists take five classic Christmas tunes and reinvent them with their own personal styles. Any fan of Christmas music needs to add this collection to their annual playlists and allow Oh, Starling to assist in brightening your holidays.
Woodshed Films is known for putting our very artists surf films that feature some of the best surfing and music outside of the spotlight. For the first time, Woodshed Films is releasing a film that showcases the female aspect of the surf community. Picture any of their other films and remove the guys. What is surprising (or maybe not) is that much of the surfing is better than what you may have expected. The soundtrack is also excellent, featuring bands in total obscurity to indie bands like Vetiver and more well known artists like Band Of Horses. The film is beautifully shot and follows some up-and-comers and legends, showing that girls can do anything that guys can. And they even can show it all off in artistic films too!
This release is actually a collection of music contained as 3 EPs in box set form rather than one continuous album. That being said, each of the three mini collections have their own sound and feel, making it as if Tina released them separately. As a whole, the collection of music portrays a musical journey, hence the title. As a one time guest vocalist for electronic artists Zero 7, Tina has managed to make quite a name for herself, and although she's not as big in the states as she is overseas, this collection of music shows her range of talent and dedication to her craft. It's the first album that she has released that really showcases artistry rather than just pop singing and songwriting, and that in itself makes the album intriguing and exiting.
Jer Coons is an indie pop artist that doesn't take his craft lightly. That's why, without major stardom, he has released an EP of remixes of some of his songs furthering the playfulness of his already potent brand of pop rock. His songs "Speak" and "Legs" get a new treatment which elevate Coons' already fun lyrics and music to a new level without taking away from the original recording. Jer Coons is a master of indie pop rock and has proven that it's not all about making great music, but also how you deliver it to your fans.