Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: The Guggenheim Grotto
Plenty of Irish folk bands have found eager listeners on American soil over the years, beginning with the Chieftains and Clancy Brothers in the 60s and 70s. If Irish folk popularity had waned a bit in recent years, the 2007 Irish musical “Once,” and its resulting folk duo, the Swell Season, reindoctrinated audiences here in the States. So it’s no surprise that another duo of Dubliners, The Guggenheim Grotto, is riding a wave of success stateside as well.
The twosome is comprised of Mick Lynch and Kevin May, who create lush and euphoric folk pop with just a handful of stringed instruments, a keyboard and some pretty great vocal harmonies. “Her Beautiful Ideas” begins with marching beat and a funereal organ and then breaks into a soaring pop chorus of pulsing guitar and bubbling bass lines. Likewise, “Fee Da Da Dee” is a dreamy synth pop melody that harkens back to ‘80s dance floors. Sometimes complex, sometimes deceptively simple, The Guggenheim Grotto’s arrangements are almost always infused with joy. If you’re seeking solace in a sad song, maybe put on the soundtrack to “Once.” Otherwise, we recommend spinning these guys – just make sure you clear some room to dance.
Every Friday on the OurStage blog, I’ll be featuring a great example of flow and lyricism on a hip hop song pulled from the OurStage ranks. I’ll get the artist’s thoughts on the track, as well as post the lyrics or best verse so fans can follow the flow themselves.
“Who is 
Country music has many appealing qualities—great lyrics, long history, amazing stars—so it’s no wonder that many celebrities love and identify with the music of Nashville. Some, in fact, are so envious of the country lifestyle they too try to dip a toe or two into the vast pond of country music. And, while some fit right in, (ahem, Mr. Darius Rucker) others seem more like fish out of water. However, with a community so accepting and open, it’s almost expected that— eventually—everyone goes country.
While the goofy guys in Flight of the Conchords are enjoying immense popularity stateside, not all New Zealander bands are lucky enough to have their own HBO comedy series as a platform. In fact, very few New Zealand acts are well known outside Oceanica. Today we’re hoping to change that by taking a peak at the New Zealander offerings on OurStage. So take a break from looking for that stupid ring with a pack of hobbits and get your groove on to these kiwis.
There’s no denying that musicians today are far less outspoken about political affairs than they were during the 60s. Maybe this wouldn’t be so alarming if we lived in a state of eternal peace, but we don’t. Far from it. Among the handful of musicians still giving the political scene its due publicity is roots rock band 
Portland, Oregon’s 
