Haley Bonar

There isn’t too much information on this week’s featured artist Haley Bonar. I found her while listening to Pandora Radio at work and took note when I heard “Big Star” come on. I quickly wrote down her name and promised to look into her more.

What I do know about Haley is that she is a 25-year-old pop folk singer/songwriter from South Dakota who now resides in Minnesota. She plays a 1957 acoustic Guild guitar, which makes me happy as I have a 1962 acoustic Guild I call “Ole Willie”. Bonar is signed to Afternoon Records, an independent record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

If you are enjoying Haley Bonar’s music and would like to purchase it then here is how you do it. Some of her early releases are available on iTunes but her recent album Big Star is only available from the store on Afternoon Records’ website. You can still sample 30-second clips on iTunes as well.

To buy:

You will need a paypal account in order to pay for your purchase

http://www.afternoonrecords.com/catalog/music

Find Haley Bonar in the list and you can choose to download her MP3 album ($8.99), purchase and actual CD or if you are really cool, a vinyl.

Once you have made your purchase just sit back and wait a few minutes and don’t start freaking out like I did wondering how to get the music after you’ve paid. You will receive an email from AR with a link and codes to download a zip of the album. Just add it into your iTunes or player of choice and bam!! You’ve got yourself some new music.

Hope you enjoyed this weeks feature artist! I love comments so let me know what you think.

 www.haleybonar.com

*Spoiler* Next week we just might have a CD giveaway! Yeahy!!

Andrew Belle

When I was about 6 or 7 years old I had a friend in the apartment below who was a few years older than me. She had high heels, make up, and music - music that my mom would not let me listen to. Still I couldn’t resist the cassette tapes of Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson that my friend was willing to lend me. So every once in a while I would sneak down, borrow the tape, then listen to it quietly in my room. My mom was always very cautious about the music I listened to which is probably a good thing but it didn’t quiet my desire to hear the pop music of the day. I had this trip down memory lane after reading about this week’s artist, Andrew Belle. Andrew Belle is another Brite Revolution find from their new/emerging section.

After reading about Belle I discovered we had a similar history with music. When Belle was young his parents wouldn’t let him listen to the radio or secular music until he was in high school. In Junior High he would secretly record music off the radio and then listen to it quietly in his room. His first album was by the Counting Crows – one that had been out for several years but that time spent secretly listening to that music set the foundation for his career in music.

“Not that I think of myself now as important to music as Adam Duritz or the Counting Crows have been, nor do I even dare to compare myself to such talent, but thinking back on my earliest experiences with music, there is no doubt that those quiet moments spent alone in my bedroom shaped my desires and passions and gave me the hope to make my small mark on this world, one song at a time.”
-Andrew Belle

Belle is a 25-year-old singer/songwriter from Chicago who is also residing in Nashville. His EP All Those Pretty Lights was released last fall and his full length album, The Ladder, will be released January 2010. You can download his EP for free or be a good human being and pay something. Click here to download. He has a duet with Katie Herzig, who was featured here a while back, which is the first track on our playlist. The last track “My Oldest Friend” is a demo and shows off his Coldplay sound. Belle has probably been my favorite find on Brite Revolution next to Joy Williams.

Hope you enjoyed reading about Andrew Belle and hearing his music. For more information check out his webpage and myspace.

http://www.andrewbelle.com/

http://www.myspace.com/andrewbelle

*** All photos of Belle are by www.dartphotographie.net

Nikki & Rich

This week’s new artist is hot off the presses. Nikki & Rich is a brand new duo that just signed with Warner Bros. Records. They had only their second show together last Thursday at The Viper Room in Hollywood and I was invited to attend. I was enticed with free admission and open bar to celebrate the duo’s signing and I happily attended.

Nikki & Rich are comprised of Nikki Leonti, a pastor’s daughter from California, and Rich Velonskis, who goes by Rich Skillz, from Queens, New York. Rich is a former DJ and hip-hop/R&B producer who has produced tracks for Robin Thicke, Ludacris and several others. Nikki on the other hand was working out of Nashville as a background singer for Carrie Underwood. Rich was looking to do something different with his music and found Nikki in 2007 to collaborate as the vocals to his tracks.

So what happens when you pair Rich’s DJ/Remixing/Producing skills with Nikki’s strong vocals? Something that sounds like the Supremes, a little Amy Winehouse and a touch of the Black Eyed Peas. Music that will make you want to shimmy and shake, do the mashed potato and the Beyonce booty shake all at the same time.

At their show last Thursday I knew I was in for a treat when the three back up singers came out all wearing the same vintage gold dress and matching black wigs. Rich started out with some beats and a beautiful woman in black came out and began dancing on the stage to welcome Nikki up. The backing track for “Heatwave” started up, a few choreographed moves and Nikki appeared dazzling a short white sequined dress and high heels. Everyone on stage had great energy, the music was great and the spirits in the room were high thanks to the open bar.

Nikki & Rich have taken the great sounds from 40 years ago and made them contemporary without being just a tribute group. They have already had several tracks featured on Entourage and the new 90210 so this new duo is on their way to be a huge success. Their single “Cat & Mouse” is available on iTunes and you can hear two other tracks on myspace.com. Their debut album is due out in 2010 and I’ll keep you all updated on the release. Hope you all enjoyed this brand new group. I thought we could use a little music that gets the body moving since the cold weather is setting in.

Giveaway Winners!!!!

Drum roll please.....

Well after my super scientific procedure of picking a winner

(name on a piece of paper - 3 entries = 3 pieces of paper)

I have chosen the following lucky music lovers:

Grand Prize of a $20 iTunes gift card goes to:

Stephanie from The Gimlins - http://thegimlinfamily.blogspot.com/

Second Prize of a $10 iTunes gift card goes to:

Jeanneoli from A Bushel and a Peck - http://www.bushelandapeck.typepad.com/

Thank you to all who entered and gave me mention on you blogs and Twitter,

especially Stephanie, Lindsey and Beth - You three gave me great shout outs and I'm so grateful.

And to my dear friend Allegra who suggested I do this giveaway so you should be thanking her for your gift cards ;)

Congrats winners!!

To collect your prize email me at:

marysmusicologyblog@gmail.com

and I will be sending your gift card to your email.

(If I do not hear from the winners by Friday, October 17th the prize will roll over to the next giveaway so hurry, hurry!!)

Michael Bublé - New Album

Today was a good day.

Why?

Well, because Michael Bublé's new album Crazy Love came out today!

I heard it a while back and now I can finally share it with you.

I've been a fan of Michael since his start and love his work with bringing back the standards of music.

I have been to two of his concerts and I am always amazed at his incredible vocal skills and cheaky humor.

I usually leave his concerts with my face and stomach hurting from laughing.

He has this power to hold the audience in the palm of his hand with his wit, charm, boyish good looks and crooner status.

Here is a little taste of the first track off the new album.

If this song doesn't make you want to move your hips and have a Michael Bublé moment (when you all of a sudden have a desire for a dirty martini and a cigarette even though you don't smoke) then you might be broken inside... ;)

Love it!!

Enter to Win An iTunes Gift Card!

Hey there music lovers!!

Are you ready for the first giveaway on

Mary's Monday Musicology?!

Here's how it will go:

For ONE entry become a follower of this blog

(Note: You must follow publicly or I can't tell that you are a follower)

For TWO entries become a follower and post a comment on this entry or one of your favorite artists I've featured.

For THREE entries become a follower, leave a comment and mention this little page on your own blog or website. Be sure to let me know in a comment if you do that.

What will you win you ask?

First prize will be a $20 gift card to iTunes

Second prize will be a $10 gift card to iTunes

I am a huge supporter of buying the music you love and supporting the artist so here is a little incentive to do that.

Be sure to check back on Monday's feature to see if you won!

Well, I'm off to see live the artist for next week's feature and can't wait to hear from all of you!

Mary

Lórien

This week is another great find from Brite Revolution. Lórien is a great new band coming out of Nashville, TN. They got their start back in 2005 and since then have released two EPs and one full length album last February. This group of friends and strangers has come together to create a great new sound. They are gaining a great following throughout the Midwest and Southeast and are starting a tour though the area. They have been know to put on an amazing live show so if they come to your town be sure to check them out and let me know. No shows yet for California…

Memphis, TN. The Hi Tone. September 30 2009.

Springfield, MO. The Outland Ballroom. October 1 2009.

Kansas City, MO. Mainstree Cafe. October 2 2009.

Urbana, IL. The IMC Theatre. October 3 2009.

Chicago, IL. October 4 2009.

Carmel, IN. The Warehouse. October 5, 2009.

Cincinnati, OH. Play By Play Cafe. October 6, 2009.

Nashville, TN. Mercy Lounge [Next Big Nashville]. October 7 2009.

Knoxville, TN. The Shed. October 10 2009.

Winston-Salem, NC. Club Oasis. October 11 2009.

Greensboro, NC. The Cliff. October 12 2009.

Peachtree City, GA. First Presbytarian. October 15 2009.

Macon, GA. The Refuge. October 16 2009.

Pulaski, TN. Festively Local. October 18 2009.