Songs of the Day :: Natalia Zuckerman “Favorite Shirt”…”The Right Time”…”Brand New Frame”

Natalia Zuckerman opened for my favorite artist, Ani DiFranco, earlier this year.  I’m usually not too impressed by opening acts, but she’s great and much in the same vein as Ani.  Her cd, Brand New Frame, is available now from Weasel Records.

Songs of the Day :: The Airborne Toxic Event “Sometime Around Midnight” and “Does This Mean You’re Moving On?”

Check out a new one by The Airborne Toxic Event. Their new self-titled disc came out August 5th.

Reader Submissions :: Teddy Thompson, The Pack A.D., Beau Jennings and Laura Marling

Teddy Thompson :: “In My Arms”

Teddy Thompson’s “In My Arms,” the first single off of his new album ‘A Piece Of What You Need,’ out now.  The new disc features 11 original songs produced by Marius DeVries, long time Bjork, David Gray and Rufus Wainwright collaborator.  Teddy is the son of British folk icons Richard and Linda Thompson.   Watch for a cameo from Teddy’s pal Rufus Wainwright, dressed like Elvis and jamming on the organ.   Thanks to M:M:B reader Chris Taillie for the heads up on this one.

The Pack A.D. ::  “Making Gestures”

Blues-infused garage rock from Vancouver, on the road in America making their way from WA to NYC and back this month.  Thanks to M:M:B reader Meredith for this one.

Beau Jennings :: “In My Veins Again”

Taken from his MySpace page….

Occasionally channeling the energy of young Bruce Springsteen, other times the delicate vocals of Jeff Tweedy, Jennings has quietly crafted an Americana masterpiece with Holy Tulsa Thunder. It’s Nebraska through a Being There kaleidoscope. It’s a late night requiem for the lost stomping grounds of youth that forever stand tall in our memories. It’s a drinking record. Pour yourself a whiskey and give it a spin!

Beau Jennings in the Press:

“The main constant in the band’s MO is singer/stalwart Beau Jennings, whose woozy yet knowing delivery occasionally recalls Ray Davies” – Performing Songwriter

“he is a sonic everyman. You almost know him; he’s that friend of yours who is kind of quiet at first, but has the tendency to bust out an incisively insightful statement or a perfectly timed quip. Most of all, he never tries to win your affection-he just does. ” Soundcheck Magazine

Laura Marling :: “New Romantic”

Here’s an update from M:M:B reader Justin Dorset in regards to one of our favorite debuts of the year, Laura Marling…

…Congratulations to  LAURA MARLING who has been included in today’s MERCURY MUSIC PRIZE nominations! The highly coveted UK music award is given to just one artist for making the “Best British Album Of The Year“.

18 year old Laura Marling’s debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim has enjoyed huge critical acclaim since its European release earlier this year. The album gets a US release on Astralwerks on August 19th and is available now from digital retailers in the US.

Laura Marling is one of just 12 artists nominated in 2008, on a list which includes: The Last Shadow Puppets, Elbow, Radiohead, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Adele and Neon Neon.

Founded in 1992, previous Mercury Music Prize winners include Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, Badly Drawn Boy, Primal Scream, PJ Harvey and Pulp.

July Firecracker :: Charlotte Sometimes’ debut Waves and the Both of Us

Charlotte Sometimes‘ is MMB’s latest crust.  Her debut full-length, Waves and the Both of Us, is super-catchy, packed with powerhouse songs filled with both aggression and libido.  It’s strange when a pop record sneaks up on you and connects on an emotional level and ushers you to an unexpected place at an unexpected time.

Charlotte Sometimes, named for a Penelope Farmer 1969 children’s book (not the Cure song), is a 20-year-old with attitude from New Jersey.  It would be easy to pass off C.S. as just another flash-in-the-pan female Meredith Brooksish one-hit-wonder, but just one listen to Waves and the Both of Us makes you realize there’s deep talent there; and I don’t know about you but I prefer my bubble-gum-pop to come wrapped in a cd case plastered with a Parental Advisory label on the cover.

Here are a few highlights from Waves and the Both of Us, but the disc deserves to be purchased and listened to from beginning to end.

Charlotte Sometimes :: “Sweet Valium”

Charlotte Sometimes :: “Ex-Girlfriend Syndrome”

Charlotte Sometimes :: “How I Could Just Kill a Man”

Song of the Day :: The Kills “Goodnight Bad Morning”

The Kills :: Goodnight Bad Morning

The Kills is an American indie band consisted of Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince. The album, “Midnight Boom,” contains the song “Goodnight Bad Morning”.  This is one of the most consistently good cds of the year so far.  Pick it up. It’s very catchy indeed.

Song of the Day :: Josiah Leming “One Last Song”

Josiah Leming :: One Last Song

Song of the Day :: Ani DiFranco “Present / Infant”

This new Ani DiFranco single, “Present / Infant” is off her upcoming cd Red Letter Year which is due out this fall.

Song of the Day :: James “Hey Ma”

Welcome back, James.  Their new album of the same name, Hey Ma is in stores now.

Song of the Day :: Santogold “Les Artistes”

Santogold is my current obsession and “Les Artistes” is one of my favorites.  She’s opening up for Coldplay all summer.

Santogold :: “Les Artistes”

CD of the Year…So Far :: Iron and Wine :: The Shepherd’s Dog

Iron and Wine’s The Shepherd’s Dog is the best cd beginning to end I’ve listened to this year. Incredible. “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” is just one of many great tracks. Can’t recommend this cd enough.

Iron and Wine Home Page

Song of the Day :: Fields :: "Charming the Flames"

Love this new song by a newly discovered Irish band simply called…Fields. Their debut cd Everything Last Winter is out now. MMB is always searching for songs that make us feel something; that move us in some way and I love the building and building of this song into something akin to rage or joy or a strange combination of both.

Fields MySpace Page

Fields Official Site

Feist :: 1234

Feist’s The Reminder may be at the top of my 2007 cds so far. I love it from beginning to end, and it’s one of those rare discs (especially today) that’s best when listened all together instead of song by song. Check out the pomp and production of the first video “1234″.

Feist MySpace

Feist Official

65daysofstatic :: Don’t Go Down To Sorrow

65daysofstatic Official Site

65daysofstatic MySpace Page

Death Cab for Cutie :: Your Heart Is An Empty Room

Just wanted to hear this one again.

Damien Rice :: Rootless Tree

Check out the latest from Damien Rice’s cd 9.

Damien Rice Official Site

Guillemots :: Annie Let’s Not Wait

Lucky Soul :: The Great Unwanted

Euro pop for a sunny Saturday. Go for a bouncy walk today.

Lucky Soul “The Great Unwanted”

Song of the Day :: The Mountain Goats :: Woke Up New

Check out the latest video from the John Darnielle fronted band The Mountain Goats “Woke Up New” and visit their band site on Rhapsody.

Song of the Day :: Ash :: Starcrossed

Official Ash Band Site

Song of the Day :: Aqualung :: Something to Believe In

aqualung-something…