Pop-Culture | Posted by Brian C on 11/20/2011

Support Women Artists Sunday: The Carolina Chocolate Drops

Carolina Chocolate Drops

It’s time for some, bring out your fiddle, folk music!

The Carolina Chocolate Drops is an old-time string band from Durham, North Carolina, United States. Its 2010 album, Genuine Negro Jig, won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, and was number 9 in FRoots magazine’s top 10 albums of 2010. Formed in November 2005 following the members’ attendance at the Black Banjo Gathering in Boone, North Carolina, the group grew out of the success of Sankofa Strings, an ensemble that featured Flemons, Giddens and percussionist/banjoist Sule Greg Wilson, with Robinson as an occasional guest artist. The Drops are one of the two known full-time African American string bands. There were originally three members: Rhiannon Giddens, Dom Flemons, and Justin Robinson, who…

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Pop-Culture | Posted by Brian C on 11/13/2011

Support Women Artists Sunday: Polica

Polica

CMJ was without a doubt, the greatest week of my life. If you ever have an opportunity to go to a festival such as CMJ or SXSW which have concerts all the time over a one week period, with all sorts of new acts, DO IT. I got to see previously featured Dum Dum Girls (sounded great but were a bit lackluster live to be honest) and An Horse (totally kickass) in this week of music explosion. The best part of CMJ is finding those under the radar bands that sound amazing. Hence I present Polica.

Polica were the first warmup for Dum Dum Girls and played a fantastic little set (I snagged the setlist as to be expected). Polica has a band composition like none I’ve seen before. Polica is…

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Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 11/6/2011

Support Women Artists Sunday: Maria Bamford

Maria Bamford

So, I’m breaking the musician mold this week with something a little different…a female comedian! And not just any female comedian but one of my favorite comedians of all time. I present to you Maria Bamford:

Maria Bamford (born September 3, 1970) is an American stand-up comedian and voice actor. She is best known for her portrayal of her dysfunctional family and self-deprecating comedy involving jokes about depression. Her comedy style draws upon surrealism and incorporates voice impressions that good-naturedly mock various character types. Comic Patton Oswalt has called her one of the most creative and original comics working today.

Bamford was born at the naval base in Port Hueneme, California, where her father Joel was serving as a Navy doctor. She grew up there and in Duluth, Minnesota, where she…

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Pop-Culture | Posted by Emily A on 10/30/2011

Support Women Artists Sunday: Tati Kalveks

Tati Kalveks

Tati Kalveks is an 18-year -old girl from London who, as she describes it, is producing some beautifully poignant and funny songs. Her topics spread over a whole array ­of things, from female grooming habits to her love of gingers.

In one of her greatest songs, “Because I’ve Got Breasts“ (or ‘B.I.G. Breasts’ for short) she sarcastically celebrates the fact that everyone in her life is more than happy with her to enter into an unstable career as a musician because one day she is going to marry a rich wealthy man. Why? Because she’s got breasts, of course.

Says Tati about the song: “This one churned itself out of a song about not getting enough done, after enough people (family) pointed out to me that work is way overrated when I…

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Pop-Culture | Posted by Brian C on 10/23/2011

Support Women Artists Sunday: Austra

Austra

If you’ve ever heard an Austra song, you would know it. Few bands in my repertoire have such a unique and distinctive style. Even their covers of rock out songs like The Strokes’s Alone Together are spun into truly original arrangements that capture the dark synth essence that is Austra. Austra was one of the biggest buzz bands at SXSW this year and have even started touring with the likes of the wonderfully talented James Blake. I had the pleasure of seeing Austra back in Cleveland with Cold Cave which was quite the spectacular spectacle. Austra manages to be dancey while maintaining a creepy allure that leaves the listener in a dazed state of desire for more.

The band consists of Katie Stelmanis (lead vocals) who sounds like a weird vocal…

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Pop-Culture | Posted by Brian C on 10/9/2011

Support Women Artists Sunday: Blair

Blair

Alright time for super indie. The near impossible to find, but incredibly talented Blair!
You know how when you go to a concert you kind of roll your eyes when the warm up band comes out that you’ve never heard before? If you find a gem, your concert experience is multiplied by about 10000 but if they’re a dud, it really puts a damper on your evening. This year I saw Say Hi when they came to Cleveland. Blair opened up for him and wow were they talented. She has just that right kind of voice that’s soothing to listen to. Blair’s style is kind of pop but while teetering on the edge of becoming folk. I can’t recommend Blair’s first album Die Young highly enough, it’s a go to relaxation…

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Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 10/2/2011

Support Women Artists Sunday: Clare Maguire

Clare Maguire

Clare Maguire (born 1987 in Birmingham, England, United Kingdom) is an English singer, songwriter signed to Polydor Records.

Maguire comes from a large musical Irish family and started singing and writing music from the age of 7. She was announced on the 3 January 2011 as 5th place in the BBC Sound of 2011 list of the top 15 most promising new artists. Clare was also singled out as one of MTV’s Brand New: For 2011 Acts. Her voice has been compared to Annie Lennox and Stevie Nicks.

Maguire signed a recording contract with Polydor Records in 2008 and since then has been working on her debut album ‘Light After Dark’ with producer Fraser T. Smith, who has previously worked with Kylie Minogue and Adele. ‘Light After Dark‘ comes out 28th…

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Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 09/25/2011

Support Women Artists Sunday: Jane Lui

Jane Lui

Listening to singer-songwriter Jane Lui’s music is like watching a Michel Gondry film. There’s a whimsical, homemade feel that’s inventive, magical, & intimate. Handmade music boxes, found objects, percussion pipes, and cardboard boxes, all a part of a handcrafted sound that makes her music enduring and lovable. It began this way though – “You’re poor in college — don’t have stuff, so you make it up.”

“I’m painfully shy and learned that I feel most earnest in music. More than anything, I want honesty between my listeners and I; as it should respect intelligence.” With a sensitivity towards the interplay of sound, space, & subtlety, Lui’s artistry is fierce with utmost musicianship & self-respect.

“..Spent a lot of time in my room when I was little listening to the radio. That’s…

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