Tag Archive for new music

In addition to singing “Auld Lang Syne,” watching people freeze their fingers off in Times Square from the comfort of your living room and consuming copious amounts of sparkling beverages, many people like to start off the new year by making resolutions. While you may not be able to remember your own New Year’s resolutions thanks to your annual New Year’s Day hangover, there are many bands who resolved to give their fans new music this year. From Brutalist Bricks to Addictions, major labels to indies — get the scoop on some of the most anticipated releases of 2010 below! Continue Reading Punk On the Rocks: New Music For A New Year

Here’s the dirty truth of music scribes everywhere: none of us have a clue where to find the next big thing. While we spend a fair amount of time looking under rocks, we are by nature  lazy. Instead, we simply keep our trained ears attuned to what our trusted sources are listening to on their ipod or watching play in some dank basement club. Since we are judged by our ability to unearth noteworthy new artists, we guard this insider information closely.

You see, there is no true epicenter of the industry buzz machine.  No secret mount on high from which oracles herald the coming of each new indie darling. But,  if you were to hold a hot poker to a music critics eye and demand they name their trusted sources, they would begrudgingly cry out, “Daytrotter!”

Yes, just off the Interstate in aptly named Rock Island, Ill., Sean Moeller openly runs this critic darling, “for those in the know” Website highlighting new music discovery for general consumption. While there are a glut of music-centered sites with ten times the amount of visitors, none speak as sweetly to true music geeks as Daytrotter. The premise is relatively simple: invite bands into the studio, ask them to record a few original songs and post the resulting sessions on the site. Yet Moeller succeeds where so many other more richly funded operations fail; in being authentic and unabashedly homespun.

With a small cast of web designers, music engineers and amazingly hip illustrators, Daytrotter is nothing more than a glorified pit stop for “van bands” headed West out of Chicago on the road to fame, fortune and endless Taco Bell. Yet, the hospitality and love for all things music is so genuine, artists end up leaving behind tracks drenched in raw splendor and inspiration.  Intimate sets by the Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Bonnie Prince Billy, and Blitzen Trapper are instant classics. However, the real beauty comes in discovering truly twisted downloads of The Walkmen reading scenes from a Sex & The City script with deadpan aplomb or re-introducing a jaded hack like me to the Cold War Kids after summarily dismissing them based solely on their single.

Moeller and Daytrotter shine a warm light on the overlooked. Like a cool  high school English tutor who corrects your grammar but doesn’t take credit for your term paper, Daytrotter schools you on the latest music but let you claim bragging rights when playing your hot new mix tape. Even though exposing this insider secret feels like a surfer broadcasting the secret spot or a magician showing the audience the sleight of hand, the truth sets you free. And, really, the world needs more people who care about discovering new music.

While you are exploring all that Daytrotter has to offer, check out some past OurStage artists who have been featured on the site:

If you’re looking for things to do at SXSW we have plenty to add to your itinerary: a list of must-sees from Paste Magazine’s Jay Sweet, a TON of OurStage artists live on stage and some great (and entertaining) resources for indie artists and music lovers alike!

1) Sweet 16: artists not to miss

Living in the Northeast during March is a mud-filled, merciless grind. Luckily, the gods created SXSW. Yes the BBQ and Shiner Bock beer-soaked savior for those suffering Seasonal Affective Disorder begins this weekend. In wading through the oodles of e-mail invites, Jay Sweet, OurStage’s Editor at Large, has compiled the Sweet 16 list of artists not to miss while strolling along the sunny streets of Austin:
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2) Over 80 OurStage Artists performing at SXSW!

Having just discovered that 86 members of the OurStage artist community will be performing at SXSW showcases next week, we’re glowing with pride like parents of a champion little leaguer! We dare you to try to catch them all live and in action!
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3) Get Tour:Smart

At OurStage, we have a soft spot for NIN drummers; we recently posted an interview with current drummer Ilan Rubin and have recently launched a new partnership with past drummer, Martin Atkins.  Anyone trying to make a go in the music industry needs to know Martin; he’s a champion of independent musicians and their tour buses (which might not be your own RV, but we’re hoping it is at least a step above Greyhound). Swing by Martin’s booth at SXSW to get real-world advice on how to survive your own music career and pick up a free CD with tracks from OurStage artists.

To jump start your learning process, Martin has pulled together a list of his top 10 nuggets of advice for OurStage artists on the road:
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Indie Pop sensation Matt Nathanson kicks it with OurStage.com host Alyssa Jayne Hale at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, MA.  See how Matt keeps it fresh on his fall tour, how he picked the opening band and how he feels about two very important issues: voting … and porn.  Mixed among the jeers and witty banter you’ll ALSO catch live performance clips of his hit song, ‘Car Crash.’

Join Matt Nathanson’s fanclub on OurStage.com!
Win tickets to a show!