Ladies Nite! New musical talent reviewed

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Automatic Loveletter “Truth or Dare”
Lead by the fearless Juliet Simms, Automatic Loveletter got my attention with the fist pumping anthem “Heart Song” and her distinct rasp will appeal to fans of Pearl Aday or Alanis Morissette. The lyrics are full of the drama related to heartbreak and overall the tunes are melodic despite the slick rock production. A very good debut.

Lola Spriggs “Nobody But You” EP
Lola is a  multi-talented Ottawa, Ontario based pop singer with a knack for catchy sweet songs. The title track, “Nobody But You” will bring to mind the best stuff Abba never wrote.  “I Wanna Love You” has a bouncy rhythm and lazy guitar riff that compares well with Sheryl Crow’s debut. Lola’s infectious voice makes this EP come alive and even the hokey country pop stylings on “Love On Rock” are a treat.
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Amy Regan “Gonna Get Better” EP
With so many good female pop vocalists out there you need a little extra to cut through the clutter. Amy Regan is a great songwriter too, and her success doing songs for TV commercials helped her break through. Her balladry compares well with Joni Mitchell or Edie Brickell on “Keep You Warm,” but the pop bounce on “Crazy” is what impressed me the most. This is honest to goodness pop that just makes you smile.
MySpace | Amazon | CD Baby
Jamie Bendell “Something More” EP
Jamie Bendell is a New York City artist with a wistful songwriter vibe that draws you in with a wavering vibrato in her voice. She makes the whole act of drinking “Chocolate Milk” a exercise in self reflection a la Ben Folds. “Rescue Me” is a compelling single as well, with a strong melody in the chorus.  If you’re looking for a more poppy version of Norah Jones, then Jamie Bendell isn’t a bad place to start.
MySpace | itunes | CD Baby
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Beware Fashionable Women "s/t"

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Good music is always easy to miss. This talented Pittsburgh band has a vibrant album that came out last year, but it’s still making it’s way to fans slowly but surely. The band has worked with Rivers Cuomo of Weezer on demos for his upcoming solo album. Songs from their debut album can be heard as backdrop to a few cable TV shows as well. Not much else is known about them, as lead singer Barak Shpiez is just “trying to hook people with our music.”

One thing is certain, these guys know how to use a hook – “I’ll Be The DJ” is a tour de force single, that inspires repeat plays. The songs collect influences from all over the place, and on occasion it hits the sweet spot for a power pop fan, like on “Rock Bottom” with it’s fast paced harmonies and rhythm. A great tune also is found on “Your Allegiance,” if you imagine Green Day going totally pop. A few jazz influenced songs like “The Big Yellow” have such charm and with great Beach Boys styled harmonies. “Found” is another oddity that sticks, and draws comparisons to The Eels . Some songs have wild shifts in tone, like “Obligatory Tattoo” starts with a Latin beat and morphs into a They Might Be Giants styled song. It’s not perfect, but never predictable and the dark lyrics here are a plus to these sunny gems. Just to whet your appetite the band is offering a  FREE download bonus track called  “He’s A Boy.”

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Music video for Beware Fashionable Women’s “I’ll Be The DJ” directed by Jason Arber of Wyld Stallyns

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William Duke presents "The Sunrise and The Night"

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Few artists have the stylistic depth I’ve heard from William Duke. This California native has two distinct personas that come together in a brilliant  fusion. The 12-stringed jangle of “It’s Only The Beginning” typifies this first style. It’s a gentle atmospheric pop that The Millenium, Yes and The Moody Blues excelled at. This style culminates with the prog infused instrumentals “30 Ave. Entrance To The Park” and “The Canyon.” The other style is pure early 70’s influenced rock, “The Great Escape”and “A Moment In The Sun”are gorgeous pop tunes similar to Big Star and Bread. Every track is awash in inventive bass lines and minor chord shifts, by the albums mid point the styles intertwine together on “The Impending Happiness” and the lush harmonies of the title track. This is where the “sunrise” meets the “night” – and even though it’s got a retro-sound, when it performed this well, you sit up and take notice.
Duke is originally from alternative pop faves Bye Bye Blackbirds. He takes things up a notch or two here. This is a hauntingly beautiful album that gets every track right. and for fans of the Curt Boettcher style of pop this is a must-buy. Better yet, Kool Kat Musik is offering a 20 song bonus disc with alternate mixes and demo tracks, so get it while it’s still available. 
My Space | CD Baby | Kool Kat Musik
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The Russians "Crashing The Party"

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A few doors down from fellow Bostonian Oranjuly is a five-piece alt rock band called The Russians. Lead by frontman Scott Janovitz (former Gram Parker sideman),  the band is a neo-psychedelic delight. The ironically named “The Record’s Over” sounds like a Beatles meets Flaming Lips hybrid, it’s a brilliant standout track.  Each strum and slow beat strings together random thoughts like “Weren’t we listening to The Beach Boys and dreaming?” 
The songs float along a dreamscape that draws the listener in right away like the laid back “Taking To Yourself” with catchy hooks that draw comparisons to Ken Stringfellow.  The subtle groove on “Sober and Un-Upsetting” leads to a wonderful horn filled break and multi-track chorus. It shifts in tone from slow ballad pop to alt. country, synth-pop all have flavors from his previous experiences with Parker, The Figgs and others. It gets a bit meandering at times, but ultimately satisfying with strong melodic tracks like the acoustic “Measure Out Our Space” and Big Star influenced “Make It Easy.” The album ends with the slow anthemic “Lovesickholiday,” a hidden gem with it’s sweet harmonies and not one single filler here. A highly recommended headphones album if there ever was one.
My Space | CD Baby | Amazon
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