V.V. Brown
Travelling Like The Light
Capitol Records
Lincoln Hall
Thursday, April 1, 2010

Every once in a while an artist comes along that bridges musical styles and generations simultaneously and flawlessly. V.V. Brown is one of those artists. Her debut full-length record Travelling Like The Light is a breath of fresh air at a time when the collective audience of music fanatics is choking on the fumes of Taylor Swift and American Idol contestants. One of the elements that draw listeners to this amazing little collection of songs is Brown’s fearlessness combined with her cheeky attitude. V.V. turns an intriguing (and often humorous) rhyme reflecting her advanced academic background, but Brown’s intricate compositions clearly reflect the jazz and classical piano classes she took in her youth.

V.V. Brown has an uncanny knack for taking an uncomplicated melodic line and layering a variety of textures around it. Thus taking the melody and the listener to unexpected places that eventually become welcome little surprises. There is a difference between production tricks in the studio and well-crafted arrangements. Brown is clearly having a blast offering the latter of the two. This is not to dismiss her as a novelty act. V.V. Brown is so much more than the sum of her parts. “Shark In The Water” is most likely to be labeled the performer’s signature song from this point on and with good reason. This buoyant happy-go-lovely tune should (and deserves to) enjoy a long shelf life on the ears and lips of her loyal listeners. As well as the neophytes who use the contagious composition as a compass to find their way to Brown. However, it is this breakout artist’s versatility that is her true calling card.

“I Love You” is a softer-than-spring sunset ballad that features both Brown’s sweet and sensitive sides. This is easily one of the best love songs recorded since the Philly soul days of the mid 1970s. The melody is haunting. Brown’s vocal delivery is innocent-in-love. The lyrics are intimate while simultaneously reflecting an experience that is universal to all. “I Love You” is followed by the British singer/songwriter’s cry, “You best believe I’m in love, baby!” This lyric then kicks off “L.O.V.E,” a song that shifts gears back to upbeat happy-to-be-here music that will surely make V.V. Brown a household name in no time.

Buy Brown’s new disc Travelling Like The Light. See V.V.’s Chicago show next month at Lincoln Hall. Repeat aforementioned process with V.V. Brown’s next album and concert. Ready, set, go!

Stand Out Tracks: “Leave!,” “Crying Blood,” and “I Love You”

Written By: Paul Barile

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Dessa
A Badly Broken Code
Doomtree Records

Dessa, born Margret Wander, transcends the narrow-minded labels created by music execs who want to understand everything they try to sell. In another place and time Dessa might have had trouble getting her music out to a wide audience because so much was controlled by so few. These days, with all of the technology available an artist can take complete control of their music and not have to answer to anyone but their audience.

This is the perfect time for the Minneapolis, Minnesota based artist to have released A Badly Broken Code, which veers seamlessly between spoken word confessionals and vintage ennui. When Dessa speaks, as she does on the record’s opening cut “Children’s Work,” her voice commands attention by virtue of urgency and honesty. When Dessa sings there is a frailty that she balances with flashes raw power. Dessa’s vocal acrobatics though, never sound forced or manipulated and her harmonies soar.

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MySpace Records is proud to present Ladies Night! Day Party on Thursday, March 18th down in Austin for SXSW!

No badges, no wristbands, NO PROBLEM! Everyone is invited to come down and check out the amazing line up that is Meiko, Madi Diaz, Kitten, Amber Rubarth, Hana Pestle and some other very special unannounced guests!

The party kicks off at 12PM at the Ace’s Lounge on 222 E. 6th St.

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YOKO ONO Continues Her Dance Floor Domination On The Billboard Club Play Charts
With Her Contagious, Chart Climbing Top 5 Single”GIVE ME SOMETHING” (THE REMIXES)
Featuring mixes by RICHARD MOREL, DAVE AUDE, RALPHI ROSARIO, STONEBRIDGE, SPARKS, JUNIOR BOYS, ROBERTO RODRIGUEZ & More

NEW YORK – YOKO ONO continues to keep her fingers on the pulse of underground and commercial dance music with her new single, “GIVE ME SOMETHING” (THE REMIXES). Currently #4 (with a bullet) on the Billboard Club Play Chart (issue date: 03/27/2010), it is the latest offering in the pioneering avant-garde icon’s acclaimed remix series, that has spawned 5 #1 dance singles: “I’M NOT GETTING ENOUGH”, “GIVE PEACE A CHANCE”, “NO NO NO”, “EVERYMAN / EVERYWOMAN” and her seminal “WALKING ON THIN ICE”.

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All it took was for me to hear the opening guitar riff in V.V. Brown’s single “Shark In The Water” and I was in love. Then I heard the chorus. Words cannot express how insanely catchy that song’s hook is. The horn section! The layered vocals! The chord progression! The voice! The beat and groove! The guitar riff! The clapping! There is not one tiny thing wrong with that chorus. It is absolutely perfect. It serves its purpose: to get stuck in the listener’s head and have that person singing or humming along to the melody over and over all day long. That’s what it did to me upon hearing it the first time. “Shark In The Water” is still on repeat when I listen to it (over and over again). I am not only in love with the song, but in love with the woman singing it. Again, all it took was 20 minutes of conversing with V.V. Brown over the phone and my respect and admiration for her skyrocketed. V.V. Brown is by far my new favorite artist of 2010 and she should be yours as well.

Read on to hear what the British singer/songwriter had to say to The Dead Hub…

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“Everybody’s Hurting” off Women and Country

Jakob Dylan is set to release his sophomore solo effort ‘Women and County’ on April 6th. The album was produced by T Bone Burnett and features vocals from Neko Case and Kelly Hogan.

Jakob Dylan will be performing at SXSW as Jakob Dylan and Three Legs (Featuring Neko Case, Kelly Hogan, Paul Rigby, Jon Rauhouse, Tom Ray & Barry Mirochnick).

http://www.jakobdylan.com/

http://www.myspace.com/jakobdylan

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iTunes “Best New Artist” Mishka Returns with 2010 Release Talk About

Reggae singer-songwriter adds some rock and roots flavor to his new record with the help of super producer Butch Walker and label founder Matthew McConaughey

LOS ANGELES, CA – Named 2009’s Best New Artist by digital music leader, iTunes, j.k. livin artist Mishka releases his new album, “Talk About,” on March 30th 2010. Mega-producer Butch Walker (Pete Yorn, Pink, Fall Out Boy) infuses some of his mainstream melodies on two of the tracks on the much-anticipated sophomore album.

Setting the tone for the self-described “album of movement,” the lead single “Bittersweet” began as a studio experiment before evolving into a musical space that surprised even its creator. “When I brought the song to the band it was extremely raw—just a few chords and a couple lyrics played at a modest tempo,” says Mishka. “But as we started jamming on it, it started to move into an up-tempo track like I’ve never recorded before—a place, musically, that is brand new to me.”

Two of the tracks on “Talk About”, “Stars Will Be Shining” and album opener “Give Them Love,” are the product of collaboration with super producer Butch Walker. The pair was introduced by label owner, album co-producer, and Hollywood icon Matthew McConaughey.

“This is an album of movement—of stepping outside the box of traditional folk-reggae and adding a real mainstream rock influence,” says Mishka. “Butch works fast—he works efficiently—and he knows how to cultivate those rock tones in the artists he works with.”

The album’s 13 tracks span a distinct ebb-and-flow, from the fast paced and up-beat first half to a more mellow and introspective second half. “In the days of the LP, this would definitely be an A-side/B-side type record,” Mishka commented.

The title track, “Talk About,” explores the imbalance of words versus action—a lyrical theme that runs through much of Mishka’s work. “People make statements about love, equality, and peace and then try to measure their quantity in instant gratification,” he explains. “Whereas those things are really about a long-term way of life where all your actions—not words—add up.”

Mishka’s 2009 release, “Above the Bones,” debuted at #1 on the Billboard Reggae Charts last February and was followed by an exhaustive world tour. Mishka then provided the soundtrack for summer with two features of his soulful island melodies: a music video for the title track, featuring the iconic Venice Beach Boardwalk, that premiered across the Yahoo! Entertainment network in June, and a selection by Starbucks Entertainment and iTunes for their music discovery program, “Pick of the Week,” that was available at Starbucks locations nationwide.

Popularity: 1% [?]

V V BROWN KICKS OFF FIRST EVER NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

IN SUPPORT OF HER DEBUT RELEASE ‘TRAVELLING LIKE THE LIGHT’ SUPPORTING LITTLE DRAGON

One of 2010’s best new artists V V Brown will be heading out on the road this spring in support of her debut album ‘Travelling Like The Light’. Her first single, “Shark In The Water,” was recently featured as iTunes Single of the Week and came in #2 most added at Hot AC radio that same week. The New York Post describes it as “so crazy catchy that it’d make Kelly Clarkson green with envy.” The album is currently available exclusively on iTunes, where it debuted in the top 15 on their pop album chart.

Recently, V Vs songs have made dozens of impressive appearances on television (Cougar Town, The Vampire Diaries, CSI: NY, 90210, and ABC’s Desperate Housewives), with print and online media catching on quickly. Perez Hilton writes, “We LOVE love LOVE her first U.S. single, “Shark in the Water” and USA Today notes she “knows how to juggle elegance with attitude”. V V was most recently named the new face of Marks and Spencer alongside Twiggy, Dannii Minogue, Ana Beatriz Barros and Lisa Snowdon.

The 25 year-old singer has already been tantalizing American ears for months, “her vocal shines through every track” (Elle). She’ll now get her chance to showcase those insanely singable, danceable and memorable songs with her live show. “It’s about letting out all these ideas I’ve had locked up in my mind,” V V states.

V V Brown on tour with Little Dragon:

March 21 – Charlotte, NC @ The Milestone

March 22 – Charlottesville, VA @ Rapture/ R2

March 23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brendas

March 24 – Washington, DC @ Liv Nightclub

March 25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

March 28 – Allston, MA @ Great Scott

March 29 – Montreal PQ @ Lambi

March 30 – Toronto, ON @ Wrongbar

April 1 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall

April 5 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird

April 6 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge

April 9 – Seattle, WA @ Nectar Lounge

April 11 – Bellingham, WA @ The Wild Buffalo

April 12 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios

April 13 – San Francisco, CA @ Independent

April 14 – San Francisco, CA @ Independent

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Alec Ounsworth
Schubas – Chicago, IL
2/25/2010

Alec Ounsworth – Guitar
George Porter, Jr. – Bass
Stanton Moore – Drums
Robert Walter – Keys
Matt Sutton – Baritone/Pedal Steel Guitars

For some who are unaware, Alec Ounsworth fronts the indie rock band Clap Your Hands, but last year struck out on his own and released Mo Beauty that dropped  October 20, 2009, on Anti- Records.  He already embarked on a tour earlier this year with the Cold War Kids and this was his second time this year he hit Chicago.

Check out more photos from Alec’s performance at Schubas after the jump…

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