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Here they are - my Top Ten Records of 2013 : 1. Mike Viola - Ghoul GHOUL is not a traditional record, GHOUL are trading cards. A set of 24 cards, each card contains autobiographical stories written by Mike Viola and a download code for an exclusive unreleased song.   GHOUL is a project by Mike Viola and Steve Loter (an American director and producer known for "The Ren and Stimpy Show" or "The Penguins of Madagascar"). If you have all the cards you'll get a 24 track record (!) , consisting of almost completely new songs. There is so much good stuff in there - just to name a few: Tonight, Rock'n'Roll Denny's, Moving Forward, Time For Everything To Change (with Kelly Jones), She Thinks She's In Love ... It could easily have been two completely new records - and it's my personal record of the year! http://mikeviola.com/store/ 2. Bleu - To Hell With You So, here it is: To Hell With You , the fifth record auf B...

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The singer-songerwriter Teitur returned to his home - the Faroese Islands - and his musical roots to record his sixth album Story Music . Story Music was recorded in the brand new Studio Bloch in Torshavn (a 130 year old former ice factory). I recommend to listen to the opening track " Hopeful ", the unconventional but gorgeous " If You Wait " and the beautiful " Rock And Roll Band ". If you like the record, I really recommend also its forerunner Let The Dog Drive Home . Official Website: www.teitur.com

Jeremy Messersmith is back with a new song called Tourniquet . The new album - Heart Murmurs - will be out in early 2014. If Tourniquet is an indicator for the full record, he surpassed himself again.

In October 2013 Bleu played a House Concert in Halle (Saale), Germany at the Brasserie SKURIL . Watch four of the songs and some pics of this incredible show here: Bleu - Live at Brasserie SKURIL in Halle (Saale) #1 Bleu - Live at Brasserie SKURIL in Halle (Saale) #2 Bleu - Live at Brasserie SKURIL in Halle (Saale) #3 Bleu - Live at Brasserie SKURIL in Halle (Saale) #4

Mike Viola - Ghoul (Trading Cards) Here's the deal: 24 trading cards including 24 biographical stories about Mike Viola - each with one unreleased song (download).  Get it now!  Individual packs and ultra-limited autographed boxes available! Each pack contains 5 cards. So, if you get doubles - trade them! And: collect them all! http://mikeviola.com/store/ Paul McCartney - New  The latest record of Sir Paul McCartney - " New " - will be out October 14, 2013. " New " is also the first track - and it sounds promising: Kelly Jones - Alta Loma Alta Loma is the latest record of Kelly Jones . Its official release will be later this year. It was also available on the tour this summer. Find out more about the record and Kelly at the official website .   Robbie Williams - Swings Both Ways The Great American Songbook was sifted though by Robbie Williams again: The successor to Robbie's most successful album...

Come and join us at Bleu’s house concert in Halle/Saale   His very first tour in Germany! Location: Brasserie Skuril Time: 18:30 Date: October 13, 2013 Entrance: free Facebook Event Doodle Schedule

The Cry are on kickstarter right now.  Folks - donate for the second album of these guys - the first one was a real gem!  Nine days left! NINE days!

First I was introduced to George Barnett by this:  It's quite impressive stuff. Then I discovered his records. 17 Days is his recent full length album. If you like Ben Folds (Five) or Jeremy Fisher - or any artists who are passionate about music, you really should take a listen: 17 Days by George Barnett   Official site: www.georgebarnett.co.uk

Tears For Fears are back in the studio for the first time since their huge Everybody Loves a Happy Ending record in 2004. Before that they put out a cover of Arcade Fire 's Ready to Start :

James Yoshinobu Iha is known to be the guitarist of The Smashing Pumpkins . But he's a lot more than that: Iha was a member of the group A Perfect Circle and Tinted Windows - a super group of members of Cheap Trick, Fountains of Wayne and Hanson (Bun E. Carlos, Adam Schlesinger, Taylor Hanson). He co-owns the record indie label Scratchie Records (with Adam Schlesinger) and has a recording studio called Stratosphere Sound with Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase (from Ivy) in Manhattan. But most important: he released two solo records in 1998 ( Let It Come Down ) and 2012 ( Look To The Sky ) that are stunning. These records are musically very different from what you'd suspect from a member of The Smashing Pumpkins . If you don't know James Iha at all, I suggest you listen to: Beauty, Speed Of Light, See The Sun, Be Strong Now, Dream Tonight.  

Justin Currie - Lower Reaches The Ex- Del Amitri frontman Justin Currie releases his new record Lower Reaches August 19, 2013. Preorder it HERE (you can get a signed lyric sheet for free). You can also ge the first song from the record Little Stars for free HERE . Travis - Where You Stand Travis is back. The new record Where You Stand is out August 19, 2013. Preorder it HERE (digital, CD, vinyl, t-shirts - and an exclusive signed deluxe edition).   Goldfrapp - Tales Of Us The new Goldfrapp record Tales Of Us is out September 9, 2013. Preorder the CD, vinyl or deluxe edition HERE .   Kelly Jones - Alta Loma The new record of Kelly Jones will be called Alta Loma and can be purchased on the tour this summer, it will be available online later. More about the tour, the record and Kelly at the official website . Parks - Limited 7" Vinyl A limited 7" 180g v...

Buy  To Hell With You - the new record from Bleu - @ Pledgemusic.com

It's a rare feeling to listen to a record for the first time and being sure that this piece of music is special. So very special it won't leave you alone for quite a while. Two days ago this happened to me with Daft Punk. Daft Punk ? Yes, Daft Punk .  Daft Punk is a duo of the musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter from France, which tend to refuse to fit in a single genre: house, synthpop, disco, funk, dance music - just to name a few. Their first hit was Around The World from their debut album Homework in 1997. I was never really interested in their music until Discovery in 1999, which really impressed me. Now, in 2013 Daft Punk is back with Random Access Memories .  So, you may ask "Why is this review here?". Because of a simple reason: it may be my personal album of the decade (at least til today). Random Access Memories is a kind of a hybrid: a reminiscence to history of music and futuristic sounds that could al...

Here's your chance to hear the Lite Rock classics of the late '70s and early '80s, reimagined and reinterpreted by some of the best indie pop artists of today. Drink A Toast To Innocence: A Tribute To Lite Rock is out April 29, 2013. To quote Mr. Curry: "As a kid in the late '70s, I used to call these songs and others like them "Putt-Putt music," because I vividly remember hearing them blaring from the sound system at the miniature golf course where I spent my summers. Years later, while chatting with buddies in my college dorm room, I realized that I wasn't alone in my (secret) fondness for these songs. It was those college friends and I who ran with the idea of "Monsters of Lite Rock" and endlessly debated which songs and bands could really lay claim to the Lite Rock brand. (Manilow? No way, dude.)  And now, more than twenty years later, I'm still talking about this stuff, and I've taken things one step further. ...

So, here it is: To Hell With You , the fifth record auf Bleu . Also crowd funded like the previous album FOUR , To Hell With You was financially even more successful than its forerunner. You can still pledge for the record at Pledgemusic (get signed CDs, house concerts - and much more!). The big question is: Was it worth it? In my humble opinion: YES! (with a little "but...") It was known the record would be very different from FOUR . More electronic, even more experimental. And that's right. It IS different. Did anyone expect rap parts? Or Eurodance? Now for the tracks: Overture - The album starts with a lovely orchestral intro of what to expect later. To Hell With You - The title track reveals: this record is very different than everything before. Very electronic, in parts even kind of Eurodance. All Downhill From Here - This one is more familiar with the Bleu sound including lots of snapping fingers. In My Own Little World - Delight...

Eric Barao - Eric Barao Eric Barao is a powerpop singer-songwriter and co-founder of The Cautions , a band from Boston. His self titled debut album was co-produced by Bleu , and recorded / mastered by Ducky Carlisle at Ice Station Zebra.  Eric Barao cover The album is a collection of power-pop gems and it's a beautiful reminiscence of bands like Jellyfish ( On Holiday ), Owsley , Jon Brion ( Alive - But Barely Breathing ), Pugwash ( In Love With A Broken Heart ) or Fountains Of Wayne ( To All You Guys ).  Ten songs, no filler - an impressive debut record, Mr. Barao!   Buy it at CDBaby - a great shop with the best shipping confirmation emails ever! (I won't spoil anything here) or at the official website www.ericbarao.com for a signed copy. Eric Barao by Eric Barao

First thing I thought about King Charles : Hey, this guy looks ... special. I stumbled upon him by a live gig on TV, listened to Love Lust and was instantly impressed. His first full length record Loveblood proved my first opinion. The record has primarily one thing: versatile! I bet you never saw a musician that looked like Heinrich IV and mixed Glam Rock, Pop Music, Folk, African Rhythms and Hip Hop - resulting in a fantastic record.  Highlights: Love Lust, The Brightest Lights, LoveBlood, Lady Percy Official website: www.kingcharles-music.com

David Bowie - The Next Day David Bowie's The Next Day is out now. The regular CD has 14 tracks, the Deluxe Edition consists of 17 tracks ( So She, Plan, I'll Take You There ) - and the Japanese version has even a 18th track ( God Bless The Girl ). It's a good, strong record. It's not a striking change in direction as with Outside or Earthling , for me it's more a collection of superb songs. I'm still not sure about the cover of the record though. Yes, it's an unusual concept, but I don't like it. Highlights: (You Will) Set The World On Fire, The Stars (Are Out Tonight), Where Are We Now, If You Can See Me, I'd Rather Be High, God Bless The Girl Phoenix - Bankrupt! Bankrupt! is the fifth album of Phoenix and it's out April 22 2013. Phoenix never failed, considering their first single Entertainment they won't do this time either. She & Him - Volume 3 Volume 3 is the third album by She ...

You Take My Breath Away , the new single by Brandon Schott , is out now. Brandon says: " It was 5 years ago to the day on Feb 26th that I found out I was cancer free, it's a big anniversary for me and my family. 'You Take My Breath Away' dates back a few years. I wrote it and recorded it for my Grandmother Judy's wedding to an amazing man named John Anderson on the beach in Sarasota, Florida in the summer of 2009. Unfortunately, a couple years later he was diagnosed with stage three lung cancer and passed in August 2012. The day he died, I was working on background vocals for another song. I just kind of redirected the emotion as the day went on, and at the end of the session I excised only those parts recorded that day and arranged a new accapella piece called 'Now', which is the closer for this set. " Proceeds from the sale of this single will be turned around to The Benjamin Center in Santa Monica, CA - a branch of the Cancer S...

The second single " Modern Fiction " for the forthcoming record of Parks is out now: Modern Fiction by Parks

Phoenix is back with the new song " Entertainment ":

Drink A Toast To Innocence: A Tribute To Lite Rock  Drink A Toast To Innocence is a new compilation including artists like Bleu, Mike Viola, Brandon Schott or Cliff Hillis . It's all about classic Lite Rock hits of the late '70s and early '80s, reinterpreted by today's best power pop and indie pop artists. The project is created by Andrew Curry , who started a kickstarter campaign just some days ago.  In his own words: "As a kid in the late '70s, I used to call these songs and others like them "Putt-Putt music," because I vividly remember hearing them blaring from the sound system at the miniature golf course where I spent my summers. Years later, while chatting with buddies in my college dorm room, I realized that I wasn't alone in my (secret) fondness for these songs. It was those college friends and I who ran with the idea of "Monsters of Lite Rock" and endlessly debated which songs and bands could really lay claim ...

2013 starts with a blast of a discovery - The Candle Thieves ! The Candle Thieves is the brainchild of two serious songwriters, who wear big, thick-framed glasses, walk out onto the stage to the sound of the Jaws theme tune, set off bubble machines, and play glockenspiels, toy pianos, shakers and snares.  They summon up the spirits of Eels, Sufjan Stevens, and the Lucksmiths in their sounds, but make wonderful songs that are utterly their own.  The Candle Thieves are Scott McEwan and the mysterious man who hides behind the moniker, The Glock . " We had both been listening to songs that were very different to the music we made ", explains McEwan. " We both like melancholy things that were happy on the surface, but more serious underneath – songs that weren't trying to be clever, but somehow said everything ."  They named their band after The Glock's peculiar habit of stealing wax candles from wedding parties, many of which would fill the ...

Big-Box Store - noun 1) A physically large retail establishment. 2) A pop covers project by Joe Seiders, produced by Bleu. Big-Box Store is a project by Joseph Seiders . He's mostly known as drummer - touring with artists such as Bleu , Taylor Locke & The Roughs , The Everyday Visuals , Juliana Hatfield and Tracy Bonham . Originally from New Hampshire he lives now in LA. The 5 track EP Love Songs is out on iTunes January 15. Based on the two tracks that are already available, this EP will be remarkable! Official website: http://www.bigboxstoremusic.com