Up-and-Coming Giants of the Music Industry or Just Another Artist?

Well I'm back, after a brief absence from the blog scene. What, you may ask, has inspired this return? A national news story? A wise insight? A witty observation? A social criticism/commentary? Not quite, you guys will know me better than that in due time.

            Rather, my attention is drawn to the constantly evolving and ever-changing music scene. A combination of my age, my community, and the area that I live in have led me to delve into the world of unsigned artists. Whether it be at local open mic nights, such as the ones held at Milkboy Coffee, or through one of my new favorite websites, PureVolume, I have found myself opened to the world of original, unsigned, or little-known musicians. I’m not sure whether this endeavor will reap any benefits, but I will attempt to share some of my findings thus far. We all need a change from the radio – and hey, who doesn’t like finding what could be the next big thing? So be prepared for a link-filled blog that may ask a little more of your time than most others; take a listen to some of these up-and-coming artists, it can’t hurt to add a little diversity to your music library.

            I’m not sure where to start; I don’t want to scare any one off with my odd taste in music. So lets start with a band that some people may be familiar with, especially if you listen to Radio 104.5 in Philly. The band Company of Thieves hails from Chicago, Illinois but has recently gained some national recognition and radio play for their single “Oscar Wilde.” I found this band at the end of last year via their PureVolume website, which is linked above. The band’s singer has a very unique voice and the structure/sound of the music reminds me of another band, but I can’t quite put my finger on whom. The song “Oscar Wilde” is my favorite one of theirs, I especially like the lyrics and the idea behind them of how we cause a lot of our own problems in this world. However, I am not here to provide a critique or analysis of the songs – that may come in another blog; today I am just presenting some new musical options. Unfortunately, the band’s PureVolume page only has one full song on it, the rest are samples. But that is expected once a band begins to establish itself and starts to turn their efforts towards selling records.

            The next band has also recently gained some national recognition with their song “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked.” The band’s name is Cage the Elephant and they’re from Bowling, Kentucky. I won’t spend much time on this band because they are not that unknown and some readers may be thinking, “I’ve already heard about these two bands, this isn’t anything new; maybe you’re just really behind on music J.G.” So I will leave this band at this, check out their well-known song, but also take a look at the song “In One Ear” on their PureVolume site.

            Now that we’ve eased into the music scene with some artists that you may or may not recognize, but have most likely heard of at some point; lets dig a little deeper. Here’s a band out of Orlando, Florida that you most likely haven’t heard of. Transmit Now is an alternative rock band that sort of reminds me of something I would have heard on the 90’s radio station Y-100 (Best radio station that there ever was) or that I might here on Radio 104.5. I like this band’s style; it’s one of the few modern alternative rock bands that I actually like. This band, once discovered, may enjoy similar popularity to that of Kings of Leon, in the sense that they are both quality modern alternative rock bands. As far as Transmit Now goes, I like mostly all of their songs on the PureVolume site; but my personal favorites are “Posterboys” (constantly getting stuck in my head) and “Let’s Go Out Tonight.” These two songs are also available for free download on the band’s PureVolume site. So if you like their style, download it now so you can say, “I had them in my libary before they were popular.” And if they don’t become popular, the music is still good and it’s a nice addition to any alternative rock library.

            So we’ve covered some alternative rock now, but I am an equal opportunity listener and this band may be a little “pop” for some people. The band The Friday Night Boys, from Harrisburg, Virginia, is a nice take on pop bands. I admit that they are a pop band, but they don’t try to sell themselves as anything else – which is refreshing in a music scene where bands try to be whatever genre is selling best at that time. They remind of a band I listened to in grade school called Simple Plan, I’m sure some of us remember them and for all I know they may still be around and popular. Anyways, I recommend listening to the song “Stuttering.” This is really the best song that they have up on their PureVolume. The rest of their songs are a little too “pop” for me, but I also kind of like the song “Suicide Sunday.” I wouldn’t buy an album from them, but I would buy either of these two songs as singles. They’re not really my favorite genre, but it doesn’t hurt to have a little variety in your music library.

            Now lets look at a band from Southbury, Connecticut that describes its genres as rock/pop-punk/indie. The band, Y Stereo, first came to my attention from an acoustic video that was featured on the front page of PureVolume. I’m not sure how I feel about this band. I like the songs “I Know You Know” and “The Real You.” I also enjoy the acoustic version of “I Know You Know,” listen to both versions of the song if you have time. I like the alternative rock and indie aspects of this band, combined with the relatable lyrics of these two songs. But there’s something about them that keeps me from completely getting behind and supporting them, I think I’ll keep an eye on their PureVolume page and see how they progress.

            No venture into original and unknown music would be complete without a look at the artist in his or her simplest form – just the artist and their insturment. These types of artists tend to be either loved or hated by listeners. I tend to enjoy artists of this simple nature as long as I can connect with their lyrics and recognize sincerity in their work. The first artist that I will mention is a little unfamiliar to me, more so than all the rest, but he is known among many college students. The artist goes by the name Bright Eyes; he is singer and guitar player named Conor Oberst. I am really only familiar with his one song “Lua.” I hate to admit it, but I really like this song and I enjoy it even more because I can play it myself on the guitar. It’s a beautiful melody paired with genuine lyrics, and delivered in a simple way. I intend to look into more of his music, because as of yet I have only heard this song. But he’s somebody worth checking out.

            Continuing with the one artist who does it all theme, the next performer on my list goes by the name NeverShoutNever. He’s from Belle Center, Missouri and writes all the parts to his music himself. Now, he definitely gives off a pop and indie vibe that would appeal to girls ages 18-25 (basically college girls). I can’t say that I fully enjoy all of his music, but I appreciate his style and his use of the ukulele. I found the live tracks on his PureVolume to be a little corny and too much for me, but if you scroll down the player to the studio versions I like “Trouble” and “Happy.” These are two songs I might be embarrassed about if they came on while my music library was on shuffle, but I still enjoy having them to listen to occasionally. He is an acquired taste and I’m not sure if I’m sold on him, but, again, it doesn’t hurt to listen to some different things.

            The next artist up for your consideration is from Boston, Massachusetts and released his first album recently. His name is Jesse Ruben and he is one of the artists that I really do enjoy all of the music that I’ve heard from him thus far. The instrumentals, the lyrics, and his voice combine to create, what I think, is a very aesthetically pleasing listening experience. He also has a PureVolume page with a few tracks on it, but my favorite track gets cut off on the PureVolume page. So I have searched the web for the best version of it I could find, unfortunately my choices were limited to people’s cell phone footage at live performances and some other videos. This is the best version of “Ace of Spades” that I could find, I think it’s from one of his performance at a college. He occasionally makes it around to the local Milkboy Coffee for an acoustic show, although I have yet to be able to attend one. I also enjoy the song “A Lack of Armor.” Jesse Ruben is worth taking a listen to, if you have the time.

            Now we come to an artist/band (I’m not sure which he is, because at one point it was a band but I think that at the moment it is just one man) called Obadiah Parker. Obadiah Parker is a folk/acoustic band from Scottsdale, Arizona. It originally had three members, but I’m not sure if it is still a band or if it has become a solo project by Matt Weddle (one of the original members). Obadiah Parker has gained some national radio play with his (I am going to refer to it as one artist) cover of the song “Hey Ya.” I have heard this song played several times on Radio 104.5. There are also some good original songs on the PureVolume page, such as “6 or 7,” and there are more original songs on his MySpace. He also has a website dedicated to funding the recording of his first CD, through something called “The Elihu Project.” Obadiah Parker is another artist to keep your eye on.

            As I’ve said before, I listen to all kinds of music; so I couldn’t leave out rap. Lets look at an up and coming rapper from Baltimore, Maryland. 810 is rapper that a friend of mine turned me on to. I downloaded his recent mixtape “Glass Half Full.” It’s hard to judge rappers, but I like 810’s flow and the beats on the tracks. My personal favorite is “Tight Rope,” you may have to scroll down a little on the track list on his MySpace because this track is towards the bottom. If rap is your thing, check 810 out he is one of the more unique and original rappers out there.

            So, we’ve made it; are you still with me? We’ve ventured through the unsigned and little-known music world, from alternative rock, to punk, to indie, to pop, to acoustic, to folk, and even to rap. Whether you’re just looking for some time to kill or you’re trying to expand your musical horizons, these artists are worth checking out. You may not like all of their stuff, and some of them may not be your style; but my goal was to bring a little recognition to some of the true artists who are just trying to get their music out there. So next time you’re surfing the net, after you check out thelunchbreakblog.com of course, check out some sites like PureVolume and see what you can find. Who knows, you may find the next giant of the music industry.

Comments

[James Dugan]

Great comeback post. I have so much to discover and if you knew me and my music library, I need all the help I can get. It is part of my New Year's resolution to make music, especially new musical artists, part of my everyday habit. Maybe you can help me by giving me links on this site, since I do return everyday. A band feature each week that I could explore.

The Lunch Break needs more music. You have given and offer us an ethusiastic look at new music that doesn't necessarily exist on our commuting radios. As I get older, silence has become a valuable thing, but there is still so much to gain from artists performing ideas through instruments.

You have helped me start my new resolution early this year. Maybe one day we could sponser one of the bands on your list in a concert. I will check out the links above and I am just plain excited to try purevolume.com. I will be back in a day or two to give you more feedback.

Thanks

Welcome back and thanks for your voice.