Duet - Leo Abrahams and KT Tunstall

This week's duet comes from artist Leo Abrahams and KT Tunstall, from the upcoming album The Unrest Cure, by Abrahams. This is a shorter version off of his myspace site, but the full version is free on UK iTunes today.

City Machine - Leo Abrahams and KT Tunstall

Hype - Buy

New KT Tunstall Video - Saving My Face

KT Tunstall has been on a roll with her latest album, Drastic Fantastic, and already, we're on video number 3, this time for Saving My Face (Sounds like this song would have been fantastic with the show Nip/Tuck).

It's a cool video - I like the freezes and fades with Tunstall, turning ghost-like. Very appropriate for today...

Hype - Buy - Look

The Best of September

This has been a really good month for music, with a ton of albums being released and with some good stuff floating around out there. Here's the best of what I found this month -

You Can't Always Get What You Want - Band from TV

The Band from TV is just as it sounds, a band from TV. It's a collection of actors from various TV shows who've come together, including Hugh Laurie (House MD) and Greg Grunsberg (Heroes, Alias), among others. One of their first tracks released was for the House, MD Soundtrack, a cover of the Rolling Stones song, You Can't Always Get What You Want, one of the trademark songs from House, MD. It's a fun cover, with a bit of a different take than the original.

Eh Hee - Dave Matthews

This song is weird. Just plain weird, and really different from everything that Dave Matthews has done thus far. It's got a weird beat, lyrics and video. And it's pretty cool, once you get over how odd it is.

State of Massachusetts - Dropkick Murphys

This is the latest from the Dropkick Murphys, which sounds like one of their Irish rock songs, with a kickass beat and an interesting story with their lyrics.

Hard Sun - Eddie Vedder

One of the main tracks from the soundtrack Into the Wild, this is a cover of somebody's (I can't remember what the original artist was), and it's one of those songs that just struck me while I was driving. Good lyrics, and when the chorus kicks in, I'm good.

Beautiful - Elvis Costello

I've been trying to find this for a while, ever since it was used in a House, MD episode, Elvis Costello's cover of Christina Agulara's Beautiful. It's got a good beat and overall, a much better cover than the original.

Let It Die - Foo Fighters

Just off of Echoes, Silence and Grace, the Foo Fighters are back (review coming soon) and this is one of the cooler songs off the album, starting off really slowly, but building over the whole song.

Home - Foo Fighters

This is one of the softer Foo Fighters songs off the album, and it really goes to show that these guys can do more than just fast rock. Dave Gohl's voice with the piano is just fantastic here.

Pagen Angel and a Borrowed Car - Iron & Wine

This is one of my favorite favorites of the month. It starts off stripped of sound before opening up about 20 seconds into the song, with amazing drum and guitar work, as well as Sam Beam's fantastic voice. I love this song.

Carousel - Iron & Wine

I also love this one. It's got some amazing guitar work and vocals and has a delicate and relaxed sound to it. One of the best off of the album The Shepherd's Dog.

In Our Nature - José González

José González is back with In Our Nature, and the title track has a fantastic sound and off beat tone to his acoustic guitar and drum work.

Teardrop - José González

This is a cover of Massive Attack's song, and like Heartbeats before in Veneer, González shows what he can do with an electronic song, although the result isn't as dramatic as it was with Heartbeats. No matter, this song is just amazing as is.

White Bird - KT Tunstall

KT Tunstall is back with Drastic Fantastic. While not as good as her earlier album, White Bird is one of the stronger songs on the album, with a nice laid back sound and really good vocal work on her part.

Hopeless - KT Tunstall

This is another one of the stronger songs off of Drastic Fantastic, with a nice beat and good KT Tunstall sound. The vocals and drumwork are flawless here.

Love Song - Sara Bareilles

This is the lead single off of newcomer Sara Bareille's album Little Voice. She's got a good sound with the piano and a strong voice here, and some fantastic lyrics.

Many The Miles - Sara Bareilles

This is another fantastic song off of Little Voice, with fantastic piano and vocals, with a good opener that eases nicely into the chorus here, with a nice blend of soul, R&B and rock.

Buttons - Sia

Sia's best known (at least to me) for her collaborations with Zero 7. I like her work with them just fine, but it wasn't until this song that I really listened to her. This song's quirky pop sound is really cool, and distinctive.

Hype - Buy

Review: Drastic Fantastic

As previewed earlier, Drastic Fantastic is the sophomore album by Scottish singer KT Tunstall. It’s a fine addition to her repertoire, and as expected (at least for me) it’s not a clone of her prior work, Eye to the Telescope.

Little Favours – This song feels like a Cranberries song for some reason – there’s elements here that sound like Dreams by them. It’s a good start to the album, with a steady beat that’s not too fast or slow.

If Only – This track starts off cool. It’s got a really neat sound with the guitar, and the vocals don’t really follow any typical routes – it sounds as if she’s singing on a weird key, but its been years since I’ve taken any sort of music class, so I’m not sure. This is another pretty good one.

White Bird – This has some cool guitar picking, really delicate, which fits interestingly with the background drum work. The lyrics here are pretty cool as well, and Tunstall sounds really good throughout the track here.

Funnyman – This song feels a bit restrained, from the muted guitar work and the slight pickup of energy that comes in a minute or so with the song. It’s rich with sound, from the bass and guitar work, and while this sounds like it should be a faster song, it feels laid back a little.

Hold On – The energy picks up with the lead single off this album from the fast guitar and drum work here, and when KT enters, the song really picks up nicely.

Hopeless – This song’s got a pretty good feel to it. The vocals are really what stand out with this song, as Tunstall goes up and down the scale easily.

I Don’t Want You Now – I’m not quite sure what I think about this song yet.

Saving My Face – This one starts off a bit slower, with just the vocals and guitar, but it quickly speeds up when the bass and drums kick in. Has a good sound here, although the vocals seem a little disjointed from the rest of the set.

Beauty of Uncertainty – This song is very different from the rest of the album. It’s more stripped down, with less movement, with the focus completely on KT, with the background music completely supporting her voice, something that’s pretty different from just about everything else on here. This, I think is the best song on the album.

Someday Soon – This song feels pretty delicate, with the focus once again more on the vocals rather than the background music. It works pretty well here, with some superb vocals and some really nice guitar work.

Paper Aeroplane – This one also feels to be pretty delicate, vocally and instrumentally. A flute is introduced, with gives it a good feel. KT’s voice clashes a litter here. The lyrics are solid, and the guitar work is just as good.

Overall, this album feels different from Eye to the Telescope. Where that album was more varied, with songs being either fast or slow, Drastic Fantastic feels like it takes more of the middle road, with a bit less energy, and with more attention paid towards the instruments, rather than the vocals, although this isn’t the case with every song there. The guitar work seems to have a bit more in the way of picking, with some really good work done here.

Furthermore, songs don’t really stand out here, as they did in Telescope. A couple of songs do, such as Hold On and Hopeless, but the first half of the album sort of blends together in a pleasant mix. For KT Tunstall fans, this is a fantastic album, but a different, more sentimental, less wild. It’s a maturing, and it’s an interesting and good direction for Tunstall.

My favorite songs off of this album are White Bird, Hopeless, Hold On and Beauty of Uncertainty. I’m really hoping that she’ll swing back up towards Vermont again, because this time around, I’m going to go see her.

Hype – Buy – Look

Women Who Rock - CYA's Top Ten

I've been looking up information on Regina Spektor, as she's got a concert here next week, and I'm contemplating on going over to see that at some point. While looking around, I came across a reference that she was #5 on Spinner.com's Women Who Rock list. I took a look and decided to come up with my own list.



10 - Brandi Carlile
It took me a little while to get into Brandi Carlile. It wasn't until she released The Story that I started getting into her unique sound, and really started listening. She's got one helluva vocal range, and a fantastic voice to go along with it. She'll be up here in October and I'm planning on seeing that.

The Story - Brandi Carlile

9 - Regina Spektor
I've started to get into Regina Spektor. She's got a very cool sound that borders on a bunch of things. Originally from Russia, she's come to New York and is doing quite well for herself with her first album, Begin to Hope. She's coming to Middlebury next week. Should I see her?

On the Radio - Regina Spektor


8 - Tristan Prettyman
My first exposure to Tristan Prettyman was through the show Six Degrees with Love, Love, Love, and since then, I've loved, loved, loved her music. Acoustic guitar and great vocals is what she's all about.

Evaporated - Tristan Prettyman


7 - A Fine Frenzy
A Fine Frenzy is another one that I've picked up from the television world, this time when they used Hope for the Hopeless in House. Her fantastic voice couples well with her piano work, along with some absolutely stellar lyrics. I'll be seeing her in October with Brandi.

Rangers - A Fine Frenzy

6 - Feist
I got into Feist with her first single, Let It Die, and I've really enjoyed her upbeat, pop sound, as well as her work with Broken Social Scene. I just missed her show up here in Vermont with Rogue Wave, and I'm kicking myself about that...

1 2 3 4 - Feist


5 - Sara Wheeler
I came across Sara Wheeler at my school five years ago, and just got one of her newer albums. Like Prettyman, she's got the whole acoustic guitar and fantastic vocals going for her, with some great songs. I hope that she'll be back out and about soon.

Freedom - Sara Wheeler


4 - Rilo Kiley
Rilo Kiley is a new band for me - I got Under the Blacklight and loved it. They've got a great feel and variety to all their music, and are quite standoffish in a way that's not overdone.

Dreamworld - Rilo Kiley


3 - KT Tunstall
Where to start with KT Tunstall? I loved her first album, Eye to the Telescope, as well as her second album, Drastic Fantastic (review coming next week) and just love this woman's sound and style. She did some time here in Vermont, and hopefully, will be returning.

Black Horse and the Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall


2 - Sara Bareilles
I just got into Sara Bareilles a couple weeks ago when I came across her fantastic first album Little Voice. She's got great lyrics and sound here with this first album, and I'm hoping that we'll see more from her in the near future.

Love Song - Sara Bareilles


1 - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
No contest for me - Grace Potter is the best female vocalist out there at the moment. She rocks hard, her live concerts are just out of this world, and she's got some deep influences with Rock & Roll. Plus, her songs, sound and voice are all just amazing. Go out and buy This is Somewhere, you won't regret it. Or, get her other two albums, Nothing But The Water or Original Voice.

Mr. Columbus - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

Hype - Buy - Look

Album Preview: Drastic Fantastic

One of the best albums of last year was K.T. Tunstall's Eye to the Telescope, which had several really, really good singles, such as Black Horse and the Cherry Tree, Suddenly I See, and Other Side of the World, but several others as well - Another Place to Fall, Under the Weather, Silent Sea, and pretty much the rest of the album, a solid, rocking album.








Now, KT Tunstall is back with a followup album, entitled Drastic Fantastic. The first single released was Hold On, which picks up KT's fantastic energy and style right off and doesn't let go. Other tracks, such as Little Favours stay true to familiar ground with her style, while keeping a little distance, keeping this album from a total copy of her debut. She slows down for a couple songs, such as White Bird, Paper Aeroplane and Beauty of Uncertainty, but for the most part, this album is a bit faster than the last one, with Hopeless, I Don't Want You Now and Funny Man maintaining a steady, consistant beat throughout.

I haven't seen a list of tour dates yet, but I'm more than sure that she'll be out in full force across the US. I'm still kicking myself for missing out on a concert here at the Higher Ground, and the publicity thing that she did on Church Street (she went out and did some busking - free of charge. Unfortunently, it was on the day that I started a new job. Blah). Tunstall actually spent some time here in Vermont, apparently getting her start with public performance on Church Street.

Little Favours - KT Tunstall

Hype - Buy - Look

New KT Tunstall Video - Hold On

I just got a press release for KT Tunstall's upcoming album, Drastic Fantastic, and it had a link to the new video for the lead single, Hold On. A quick look at YouTube showed that there's already a copy up:

This upcoming album is one that I really can't wait to hear. Eye to the Telescope was a fantastic first album from a really exceptional artist, and from all sounds of this upcoming one, this one will be just as good.

Hype - Buy - Look

Best of the Month: August

Over the past month, I've been collecting, listening and buying songs as they catch my interest, and here are my picks for the best of August:

Radio Nowhere - Bruce Springsteen
The boss is back with the first single in a couple of years now, and this one's pretty damn good. Solid guitar work and drive behind this one, with a solid track once again.

Don't Stop Now - Crowded House
Even A Child - Crowded House
Crowded House is back after, inadvertently. Starting out as a solo album with the older members of the band added on, they're back with a bit of a better sound than before, with two fantastic songs, Don't Stop Now and Even A Child.

Ashes and Wine - A Fine Frenzy
Rangers - A Fine Frenzy
A Fine Frenzy, whom I've talked about before, is off to a fantastic start with her first album, with a sweet voice and beautiful piano accompaniment, all the while displaying some fantastic lyrics. Ashes & Wine and Rangers are two of the best songs off the album, although the entire thing is pretty damn good.

The Pretender - Foo Fighters
The Foo Fighters are back with their latest single, The Pretender, which starts off slow before exploding into a really good song. I'm not sure if it's as good as Best Of You, but it's still a pretty good track.

Mr. Columbus - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Falling or Flying - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Grace Potter and The Nocturnals exploded with their first major studio release, This Is Somewhere, refining their sound and sharpening their already fantastic songwriting skills. Mr. Columbus and Falling Or Flying are two of the best tracks from the album, although you'd be hard pressed to find a bad song on that album.

Boy With A Coin - Iron & Wine
Iron & Wine's latest single shows a little experimentation, adding in a bit of a faster rhythm and a richer sound than some of his older songs, but it's an a really catchy track that's just amazing.

1973 - James Blunt
I wasn't a fan of Blunt's first single, You're Beautiful, but 1973 really won me over, I'm not sure if I'll check out the rest of the album, but this one's a much stronger track that's good in it's own right.

Killing for Love - José González
Down The Line - José González
José González is following up the amazing Veneer with In Our Nature, with more original works, but a couple of covers as well (Teardrop). Killing for Love and Down The Line are two really good tracks that highlight his acoustic guitar work and lyrics.

Close Call - Rilo Kiley
Dreamworld - Rilo Kiley
Rilo Kiley's been the talk of the blogging and media community for the last couple weeks with her new album, Under the Blacklight with some of the best pop music out there. Blending some really cool guitar work and vocal talent, this album's certainly a really good listen. Close Call and Dreamworld are my two favorites from the album.

Hold On (iTunes)– KT Tunstall
K.T. Tunstall’s back with a new single, for her upcoming album Drastic Fantastic, which is fast, hyper and sounds like a fantastic followup to her last release, Eye to the Telescope.

Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa – Vampire Weekend
This is a fun offbeat song who’s just released their first self-titled EP. It’s light, poppy, indie music at its best. These are some guys to keep an eye on.

Hype – Buy