Kate Havnevik

As an introduction to this week’s artist I have to give a little history behind my quest for new and unique music. When the show Grey’s Anatomy first started I became addicted to it along with most of my girlfriends. Along with the drama and romance in the show I also fell in love with the music. Almost every episode I would hear a song and would run to my computer at the end to find out what the song was. It was usually an unknown artist, many of which gained a new following of fans due to the show. I wanted to know who was behind finding this great new music, which is why I want to give credit to Alexandra Patsavas, the music supervisor for Grey’s and many other shows. She inspired me to explore more music and expand my music collection.

If you are a Grey’s Anatomy fan then you will most likely recognize this first song by our second feature artist, Kate Havnevik. Several seasons ago Kate’s song “Grace” was featured as the soundtrack for a very intense moment between the show’s main characters. After that episode the show’s fans, including myself, flocked to Havnevik’s myspace hoping that we could hear “Grace” again and she posted it especially for all of us messaging her to do so.

Havnevik is a singer and songwriter from Norway which is where I had to go to buy her debut album Melankton (online, not in person) before it became available in the U.S. Havnevik grew up wanting to be a classical and jazz musician like her parents until she joined a female punk band at 14 which widened her musical horizon and she began to mix her classical style with electronica.

Her music has a soothing melodic quality with the edge of electronica to make it unique. But what is really unique about Havnevik is that she is not sticking to one formula. She is working on several new albums including an acoustic album which you can get a sample of with her new single “ So:Lo”.

Look out for her new acoustic album, Embla. The release date is yet unannounced. If you like her track “Grace” you can only buy it with the Grey’s Anatomy Season 2 soundtrack.

I hope you enjoyed my second installment of Mary’s Monday Musicology. My goal is to feature a wide variety of musical types to appeal to all your musical tastes but I’m sure you’ll get a feel for mine after a while. Remember, I would love to hear your favorite artists that are under the radar and you can even write your own blurb about the artist or song and be one of our midweek features! Also please leave your comments on what you think of the music and what music means to you.

Brendan James

I am very excited to start off this new music blog with one of my favorite new artists. There are very few albums that I love every single track and this debut album from Brendan James is now one of them. Brendan released The Day Is Brave last spring showing that he has an amazing talent in the singer/songwriter category. I discovered his music while scoping out John Mayer’s website and started checking out the artists who would be joining John (yes, John and I are on a first name basis now…) on his John Mayer Cruise. After hearing just the 30 second snippet on iTunes I knew I would have to buy the whole album. If butter could sing it would sound like Brendan James. His voice mesmerizes me (he is pretty easy on the eyes as well, tehehe) and I hope some of you have the same affect.

Brendan James did not start pursuing a career in music until college when a music instructor heard him sing at a memorial service and told him, “I can’t get your voice out of my head.” The instructor encouraged Brendan to learn an instrument (he chose the piano) and to write his own songs. Brendan’s songs are very personal and usually about his own life experiences. Each song tells a story like my second favorite track on the album, “Green” which is about an ex-girlfriend who had a troubled family life and always wore something green from the store they both worked at. My favorite track from the album is “Early April Morning” which I decided not to include on the page to give you all incentive to look into him more and buy his album! And if you are in California he has several shows coming up including my old stomping ground San Luis Obispo at Downtown Brewery on May 7th and at my new stomping ground performing at The Roxy May 3rd (you know I’ll be there!). He has a bunch more shows you can check out on his webpage.

I truly hope you enjoy my first installment of Mary’s Monday Musicology and remember, I would love to hear your favorite artists that are under the radar and you can even write your own blurb about the artist or song and be one of our midweek features! Also please leave your comments on what you think of the music and what music means to you.