Anna Zoe

This girl works her butt off and she is fantastic at it. She even has her own label! However, this blog isn't about her business sense, but her music, and, believe me, it is just as fantastic. I recently purchased her album on iTunes and it is super great. 


Today, while baking a million cookies, I listened to Fiction in Some Direction three times. Zoe's website says that she is like "Tori Amos having dinner with Coldplay, and meeting Death Cab for Cutie for drinks", and although I believe this is right on, I am also reminded of Alanis Morissette's first album. The energy that Jagged Little Pill had is very similar to the energy coming through in Fiction is Some Direction. If I had to single out one track, which is hard because I truly dug them all, I would say my favorite is track 8, In Love. In Love reminds me of a lullaby, but in a rockin' kinda way.


Every track on the album is wonderful and if your interest has been peaked, follow the link below. Zoe's album can also be found on iTunes. If you do check her out, which I highly recommend (would I ever steer my readers wrong), comment below. I would love to know what my readers thing for once. Don't forget to click the link below and get to know a wonderful musician, Anna Zoe.

http://www.annazoe.com/

Ethan Hanson

Listening to Ethan Hanson for the first time made me smile. Not just any smile, but that "yeah this is what I'm talking about" smile. With a smooth bluesy voice backed by an acoustic guitar I am in heaven. When wanting to relax and enjoy some great music, Hanson sure does deliver.

I am reminded of John Mayer, and not the bad stuff, but the really great stuff, like from the album Continuum. I also get a little sense of Matchbox Twenty, once again their older stuff. The song Real Love by Hanson is perfect. It is one of those songs where the eyes can be closed and the music and lyrics can be felt through every part of the body. I am actually typing with my eyes closed right now listening to Real Love. I especially like the break down in the middle of the song. I believe I even hear a cowbell!

Hanson has a couple of singles on iTunes and you can find him on Twitter as well. Follow the link below and check him out. Grab a beer, or a glass of wine, and just soak in the wonderful tunes!

http://ethanhansonmusic.com/

Ten Year Vamp

All I can say is why did I not hear this band sooner? They are AWESOME!! Ten Year Vamp is made up of four rockin' dudes, a super hot chick, and lots of energy and style. This band reminds me of something I listened to in high school, but I cannot quite put my finger on it. Their website (at the bottom of this blog) describes them as a mix between No Doubt and Foo Fighters, which I can certainly get on board with.


I recently became aware of this band and got their newest EP, Lust, and I absolutely adore it. I have listened to the record a million times since the first time I heard it. It still has not gotten old, and I don't think it ever will. Normally I would pick a song or two and state why I like each one, but with this record I can not just pick a couple. I truly enjoy every song on Lust!


If you are looking for something that is rockin, sultry, sexy, and a plain out good time, Ten Year Vamp is for you. I encourage every single one of my readers to check this band out. They are on Twitter, @TenYearVamp, and have a fan club on facebook! Look them up and dig this fantastic music with me. As I always promise, there will be no disappointment! Don't forget to check out their website below for show listing, merch, and plenty more.

http://www.tenyearvamp.com

MonannLisa Wilde

I am reminded of an album I have always loved when I listen to MonannLisa Wilde. That album is Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too by The New Radicals. Wilde's music reminds me of this because it is so unique. I believe uniqueness is a hard thing to find these days, but if you are looking for it, then Wilde is where you will find it.

Wilde's voice has a rock star quality to it and at the same time sounds so smooth. Her lyrics can be funny and deep, depending on how a person interprets them. And the music is just incredible. It has a club feel, a rock feel, and a chill feel. I am not sure if that even makes any sense, but this is what I get from Wilde's music.

I am willing to bet if any of my readers check her out, they too will be hooked. I listened to her while doing homework all night last night! You can find her on twitter @MonannLisaWilde and you can get her music and learn more about her at www.monannlisawilde.com . Check her out, buy her music, support an amazing artist!

The Sing Off

I like to take little breaks from my reviews of musicians and write about something different. This week I am going to write about one of my current obsessions. The Sing Off is a contest in which a cappella groups compete to win the prize of $200,000 and a recording contract. I became addicted to this show their second season, but this season is blowing my mind!


The very first show this season was amazing. I fell in love with Delilah and their cover of Bruno Mars's Grenade. This cover is the best cover I have ever heard and it was a cappella. AMAZING!!!! Therefore, from the start of the show I wanted Delilah to win. I was so impressed.


Then about three shows in, Pentatonix caught my attention with their rendition of Your Love Is My Drug. My guilty pleasure is cheesy pop songs, and Pentatonix's version of this one was incredible. Not to mention their covers of Video Killed The Radio and Love Lockdown, which are the two coolest performances I have ever seen. As Ben Folds said after one of their performances, they really do sound like the future.


The other thing that makes this show so enjoyable for me is Sara Bareilles being one of the judges. As my readers know, she is one of my favorite singer/songwriters of all time. She and the other two judges, Ben Folds, and Shawn Stockman, are the best judges I have seen on a show like this.


I have never been a fan of American Idol, or any of the other reality type singing contests because I think the judges are rude and not very encouraging. Getting up in front of millions of people and singing your heart out takes a lot guts. I just do not find it fair that the judges of these other shows rip apart people for doing what they love to do and I think it makes a mockery of the business. With this being said, The Sing Off is not like that at all. The Sing Off is a showcase of wonderful, and real, talent. The two groups mentioned above are only the beginning. There are now seven groups left and I urge all of my readers, if they are not watching already, to start.


Check out The Sing Off Season 3 on iTunes and at NBC.com. You can also find all of the final groups on Twitter.

Daniel Levi Goans

As most of my readers know, I have been doing this blog on music reviews for a few months now. While searching for my newest musician to write about, I found Daniel Levi Goans. And wow, I am really glad that I did. Goans has such a smooth and sensual voice. While I am writing this, his music is playing in the background, and I have a smile on my face.


Goans has a confidence in his voice that is thrilling to hear. His music tells a story with every song. I am reminded of music from Dylan and Biaz when I listen to Goans. He has a way of saying things through his music that really makes the listener think. In my opinion, Goans's music does exactly what music is suppose to do. It makes the  listener feel at ease, while at the same time, the listener is hearing a story that makes him/her wonder and ponder life.


I sincerely recommend that all of my readers check out David Levi Goans. His music can be found on iTunes, and his website http://daniellevigoans.com/ . Goans deserves to be recognized for his wonderful contribution to the music world and I am glad to be sharing him with all of you! 

Marilyn Carino

Need some music to just listen too and relax? Marilyn Carino is definitely what you are looking for. When I first heard Carino I immediately thought of Portishead. I have always been a huge fan of Portishead, and I was ecstatic to find a musician that gave me just as much delight has Portishead did, and still does.

I read a bit about Carino and all I can say is WOW. Her amazing music goes right along with her amazing story. This girl has done it all. Before making her solo album she was in the band Mudville (I will definitely be checking them out), as well as being an activist, dating influential men, and donating her time to great causes. Carino says, "“My music is about what I’ve learned about the world and what I’m still figuring out. I think happiness is about freeing the individual, and that’s the theme of my work. We’ve got to feel free to fall down and be a mess, to fuck the wrong people, to fail 99 times and keep coming back to get it right on the 100th. The solution to the hardening of the world around us is personal human revolution.” As she indicates in this quote, her life experience is spread throughout her music and it is certainly worth a listen.

Marilyn Carino is the kind of musician I have been looking for, a musician that has depth, experience, and a wonderful voice to top it all off. I am notorious for ending my reviews with "I promise you will not regret listening to" whatever musician I am writing about at the time, but Carino deserves more than that. I do not just promise no regrets, but also will say if you do not give Marilyn Carino a listen then you are missing one of the greatest musical moments you will ever experience.

Check her out at: http://www.marilyncarino.com/