Music | Me Like Good Music

The Music Industry Report Offers Free Video Advertising to Indie Artists

Monday, August 30th, 2010

Here’s an opportunity you don’t want to miss. The Music Industry Report (TMIR) is offering free video advertising for indie artists, bands and producers. Yes, I said FREE. This is a chance to get your music in front of thousands of music insiders.

To be considered, submit your video to info@musicindustryreport.org. Though emailing your video directly is allowed, I recommend uploading your clip to a hosting service (like Youtube) and submitting a link to TMIR. You’re likely to run into problems when trying to email a large video file. If you use a service other than Youtube, make sure it produces embed code for your video. TMIR will use that code to copy your video.

The offer is open to all music genres. The only restriction is that the video must be in the form of a professional interview. So having your mom hold a mic in front of you in your bedroom won’t work. If you don’t have anything available, have someone conduct a quick interview before or after your next performance or during a recording break. Promotional videos will also be considered but music videos are not allowed.Starting in September, TMIR will select five (5) videos to run on a rotating basis on their website. Five new videos will be chosen each month. They don’t specify how long the free advertising will last so get your clips in as quickly as possible.

Don’t miss this opportunity to promote yourself and your music. Free widespread publicity like this is a rare thing, especially free publicity where you control the content. Take advantage of it now!

Music Video: Scotch & Sofa “Visite des recoins”

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

When I stumble upon music that gets my attention, I’m eager to share it with anyone willing to listen. That excitement gets bumped up a level when someone shares their underrated gems with me. Well, after you see this video, you’ll understand why this duo has me swooning.

Many, many thanks to our fellow music lovers over at Aurgasm.us for recommending them. My credit card is ready to buy more.

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Archive – Lights

Friday, July 9th, 2010

Archive A few days ago I was going through this CD from Archive, trying to pick an Underrated Song of the Day. After I narrowed it down to five songs, I realized it made more sense to make Lights my next recommendation.

I’ve been enjoying music from this London “music collective” (as they call themselves) for several years. They initially got my attention with their trip-hop/electronica offerings from their first two CDs. (“You Make Me Feel”, a previous Underrated Song of the Day, is still a favorite track.) Since then, and after multiples changes in the lineup of the group, they have ventured more into the rock/prog rock sound, while maintaining hints of their early electronica sound. Lights definitely falls into that category and the combination of sounds is what makes it such a strong album.

Who Will Be the Next Justin Bieber?

Monday, June 28th, 2010

With the skyrocketing success of Justin Bieber, music labels are scouring social networks looking for the next big thing. A&R assistants are sitting in their cubicles at this very moment looking at homemade YouTube videos hoping to find a pot of musical gold. Both Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi of American Idol have plucked their first signings from the latest crop of YouTube hopefuls.

Will it be possible to achieve success of Bieber’s level? Probably not. The marketing artistry of L.A. Reid and Bieber’s management team of Usher and Scooter Braun have contributed exponentially to his success. But then again, any accomplishment close to what Bieber has achieved would be welcomed by any label.

Recently, I was sent a YouTube video from “the people” of Maria Zouroudis, a young singer who is gaining the distinction of YouTube’s “Queen of Covers.” (I’m not sure of the source of the distinction. Maybe it’s self-proclaimed like “King of Pop.” ) And like everyone else, they present her as the freshest talent to hit the industry.

In the video, Zouroudis gives an engaging rendition of Alicia Key’s “Un-thinkable (I’m Ready)”. You can see more of her performances on her YouTube channel. I can honestly say, she got me. I pressed play, listened and was drawn into her stripped down performance.

In what musical direction does Zouroudis want to go? It seems like she wants to be more than just another pop singer. Though it’s completely out of my hands, I implore her to research the great “song stylists”. (It’s a long list with a wide variety of musical styles.) Start with Sarah Vaughan or Ella Fitzgerald. These are singers who were thoughtful in their singing. It’s not about how many high notes you can hit or if the notes are so high to make dogs howl two counties over. It’s about thinking of your voice as an instrument contributing to the greatness of a song. If that’s your goal, continue to learn, explore and experiment with the beauty of a note and not only will you have a long-lasting career but it will be one where you’ll enjoy what you do for many years. If you’re dedicated to the quality of your work, you and your audience will eventually find each other. And a dedicated fan will make what you do sustainable. That is, if your goal is to be a great singer, as opposed to being a superstar.

When it comes to your collaborators (producers, managers, songwriters, etc.), try to align yourself with people who are trying to do more than make the next hit. Try to find people who want to help you create the kind of music you will never get tired of singing. (If you’re unsure, work with people who will help you experiment with the widest ranges of what music has to offer. Not everything you create will end up on an album so now’s the time to play.) I assure you, if dollar signs are the foremost goal of your team, they’ll place pressures on you beyond the ones you will already experience as an “overnight” success. Plus, if you don’t immediately achieve the lofty goals they set for you, they will probably abandon you. (In hindsight, you will see their disappearance as a blessing.)

When I started this post, my intention was to simply say “I like her. Check it out.” Somewhere along the way, I started feeling like a protective parent. In the end, I say “Well done, Maria Zouroudis. I’m crossing my fingers for you.”

What do you think?

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Nneka – Concrete Jungle

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

Nneka 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.

Nneka

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.”