It wouldn’t be a normal day if I didn’t spend it listening to tons of music. However, there are times when I prefer to work in silence. I’m easily distracted so even at a low volume, the right track can cause me to daydream. So I wanted to turn off the music and concentrate on my work, but since I was too lazy to go to the other side of the room and turn it off, I decided to let the music play. Shortly after I began to work, Natalie Walker’s Urban Angel began to play. I listened to the CD a lot when I originally purchased it back in 2006 but hadn’t heard it in a long time. It was like an unexpected visit from an old friend, a pleasant surprise filled with re-experiencing beautiful moments.
From her work with the group Daughter Darling followed by her solo debut Urban Angel, she has been connected to some of my favorite downtempo work outside of Bristol, England. (“Dust in the Wind” from Daughter Darling’s Sweet Shadows was a previous Underrated Song of the Day.) This romantic stroll down memory lane caused me to temporarily abandon my work and revel in musical bliss. I even overcame my laziness and went over and added Sweet Shadows to the playlist.
Walker auditioned for Daughter Darling after seeing an ad on the internet. She eventually dropped out of college to work with them full-time and record Sweet Shadows, which was extremely well-received critically. She left the trio before recording a second CD and chose to pursue a solo career. Her second CD With You was produced by the same production team who produced her debut, a duo called Stuhr, who released a CD earlier this year under the name Color of Clouds. Though With You has some similarities to Urban Angel, Walker mostly went in an indie pop direction with her sophomore solo release. Since With You, she has formed a band called Mouchette. So far, the band has released two EPs of indie pop music. It’s good stuff but nothing compares to an old friend.
A few days ago I saw an advertisement for Elisabeth Withers’s upcoming CD and it got me thinking about some of the other artists I recommended at the beginning of Me Like Good Music. So here’s a quick update of what’s going on with the first ten artists. Because these are non-mainstream artists, it’s sometimes difficult to find information. They disappear into the night only to reappear with (hopefully) great new music. Unfortunately, they sometimes never return and get relegated to the category of “one minor hit wonders”. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they’ll all reappear someday.
Lina
Shelina Wade (aka Lina) was the inaugural recommendation on Me Like Good Music. The Inner Beauty Movement sounds just as good today as it did when I first heard it. Her subsequent CD Morning Star was a venture into mainstream R&B that proved unsuccessful. I have no idea what she’s been up to since then. Her record label’s website is lacking current information about her. The same is true for her Myspace page. (The last blog entry is from 2008.) Hopefully she’s hiding somewhere, creating more fantastic music in a vein similar to her first two releases. In the meantime, here are some tracks from The Inner Beauty Movement.
Since I fell in love with this beautiful singer, she’s release one additional album, Dans mon rêve. I shared a video with you from that album in a previous post. Like Lina, I haven’t been able to find any current information on Samina. The website for her record label is completely outdated. However, the video that initially caught my eye was there, her cover of the Joe Dassin classic “Et si tu n’existais pas”. I’ve wanted to share it with you but haven’t been able to find it on the usual video suspects. Check it out here.
Gaelle has been promising to throw her hat back into the musical ring for a long time. Her Myspace page has had “The New Album Drops Soon!!” since I first recommended Transient back in 2008. Maybe it’s because she’s a perfectionist. Maybe it’s because she’s currently unsigned. Maybe, like so many indie artists, she’s sick of the way the music industry treats artists. Who knows? I still “hope, wish and pray” (quoting Lina) that she’ll release something soon. Wouldn’t it be nice if she gave the Me Like Good Music family a sneak preview? Yum. Now let’s have an ethereal flashback moment using the title track, “Transient”.
After many delays, it looks like the next studio release from Within Temptation will be available in early 2011, accompanied by an arena tour across Europe. I’m crossing my fingers that the long wait will be worth it. Until then, I’ll continue to listen to The Heart of Everything. I posted the video for “The Howling” before. Now here’s the video for their fantastic ballad “Frozen.”
I frequently return to the debut from this very talented singer/songwriter/actress. Partly because her work is so great and partly because it’s the only thing available. But now there’s good news. The wait is finally over. Withers’s new CD, No Regrets, will finally be released on September 14, 2010. I have high expectations for this CD but (knock on wood) don’t think I’ll be disappointed. Here’s the first single from the new CD. I hope No Regrets will have the variety of her first CD. But, if not, a well-done CD of R&B genius also has a place in my collection.
I must admit I’m so in love with Yoav’s debut release that it’s caused me to be a little disappointed with his latest CD, Foolproof Escape Plan. That doesn’t mean the new one isn’t good, I just haven’t overcome my bias for the first one just yet. Take another listen to the tracks from my original recommendation, then listen to the samples from his new CD and let me know what you think.
Why do they keep me waiting? I know it takes time to create the good stuff but I’m impatient. Like a trailer for a great film, Anthony David continues to tease me with the release plans for his upcoming CD, As Above, So Below. The current release date is October 5, 2010. As we get closer to the date, I hope he won’t go through a creative phase and recording frenzy that causes him to change the release date. Or maybe I should just shut up and be patient. I haven’t been disappointed with any of his previous three CDs, so I’m sure he’s cooking up some tasty goodness for our eager ears and minds. But please Anthony, don’t make us wait much longer. We’re hungry!
Click to read the original recommendation: Anthony David
Until then, how about a live performance….
BUY ANTHONY DAVID’S MUSIC AT
Midnight Juggernauts
Midnight Juggernauts have gone a little more commercial with their sophomore release. The Crystal Axis is not as dark as their debut but the high quality music is still there. Like Yoav’s debut, it’s gonna take me a second to fully appreciate The Crystal Axis but I’ll eventually get there. Here are a few tracks from it. Let me know what you think.
If you’ve been following Me Like Good Music from the beginning or ventured back to the early posts, you already know how much I adore this woman (which is why she’s the only artist with multiple recommendations). “You’ve Changed” from her current CD We Are Born has been in heavy rotation for many weeks. Check out the video for it and you’ll understand why. Though I’ve always appreciated the dark, introspective side Sia shows on her earlier releases, upbeat Sia is a side that I’m also starting to enjoy.
Click to read the original recommendation: Sia1, Sia2, Sia3
BUY SIA’S MUSIC AT
Zero 7
What a decade it’s been. Since the release of their first CD nearly ten years ago, Zero 7 has produced so much greatness that they just released a greatest hits CD. If you want to experience the best of downtempo, grab a copy of Record today. Because of my own biases, I’m partial to their collaborations with Sia, especially “Distractions”, my all-time favorite. Here’s the video for it.
Is she R&B? Is she pop? Is she reggae? Dub, hip-hop, folk? Uhhhh… YES!…and she can rap too!
Now before you even say it, I already know what you’re thinking. Based on the first sentence, Nigerian singer/songwriter Nneka Egbuna sounds like someone throwing it all at the wall to see what sticks. Au contraire, she’s so much more. She’s an artist who loves a variety of musical styles and has figured out a way to successfully incorporate them into her self-expression. Start listening to her tracks and you’ll see what I mean.
Nneka moved to Hamburg, Germany at the age of nineteen to pursue her music and to study anthropology. Shortly after her arrival, she met her long-time collaborator DJ Farhot and the two have been creating musical delicacies ever since. Her latest CD, Concrete Jungle, is a 12-track compilation of music from her first two European releases – 2008’s No Longer at Ease and her 2005 debut Victim of Truth. Hopefully, Concrete Jungle will capture the attention of audiences outside of Europe and Africa and Nneka will finally get the worldwide attention she deserves.
In describing her inspiration, she says “I get inspired when I take a severe look at the things going on in our world today; especially in my country. How people live, suffer and endure pain, politics and religion, when I see all that man has evoked and created out of self-centeredness and devotion to material things”. Any artist who uses such things as their artist motivation will always have my attention. Tell your friends about this one. She deserves good word-of-mouth.
By the way, this is the third African artist I’ve profiled on Me Like Good Music. (Asa and Ayo have been previously recommended.) All three have been female and all three have been connected to Nigeria. It’s time to give the men some attention. Who are some of your favorite underrated, male African artists? I’m not talking about legends like Fela and Masekela. I’m talking about the talented lesser-knowns who deserve their moment in the spotlight. Leave me a comment with some of their names.
Buy a copy of Concrete Jungle today. And, as always, if you like the artist, share this post with your friends by using the retweet button above or the Share/Save button below. “It’s about showin’ love.”
Australian band Midnight Juggernauts are a favorite here at Me Like Good Music. Their previous album was one of the first recommendations made here and continues to be a personal favorite. Here’s a video from their sophomore CD, The Crystal Axis, scheduled to be released at the end of next month. Like it? Let me know what you think.
The darkness continues. Fever Ray’s “When I Grow Up” is like an indie mini surreal psychodream. The imagery of the video fits perfectly with the eeriness of the song. Definitely a song for taking a moment to analyze your inner-being. If you haven’t checked out the full album, do so today. I highly recommend it.
I'm a music enthusiast dedicated to recommending the best in new and old underrated indie and non-mainstream music of multiple genres. Particular attention is given to artists and bands flying under the radar of popular music. I'm also human, so expect a few random thoughts here and there also.
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It wouldn’t be a normal day if I didn’t spend it listening to tons of music. However, there are times when I prefer to work in silence. I’m easily distracted so even at a low volume, the right track can cause me to daydream. So I wanted to turn off the music and concentrate on my work, but since I was too lazy to go to the other side of the room and turn it off, I decided to let the music play. Shortly after I began to work, Natalie Walker’s Urban Angel began to play. I listened to the CD a lot when I originally purchased it back in 2006 but hadn’t heard it in a long time. It was like an unexpected visit from an old friend, a pleasant surprise filled with re-experiencing beautiful moments.
Is she R&B? Is she pop? Is she reggae? Dub, hip-hop, folk? Uhhhh… YES!…and she can rap too!
