Be brave! Be proactive! Get new music!

Hello, dear readers,

I have been quite neglectful of my writing since my Lady GaGa orgy on here in the spring. But when inspiration hits...

It seems many folks are complaining the lack of intersting music floating around these days. But I know better! There are probably hundreds of thousands of independent artists (myself included) who would love to be in your ipod right about now.

You can see where this is going...

I have a challenge for you all. Find an artist who you are a little interested in. Then, buy one mp3. You'll spend 99 cents (or less). A really great place to start is www.cdbaby.com. There, you can search for a mainstream artist you like (look at http://www.cdbaby.com/Search for "sounds like"), and a group of related independent artists come up. For example, if you're a Tom Waits or Edith Piaf fan, MY CD might come up! (Was that a shameless plug? Oh, do forgive me!)

BUT, as long as we're on the subject of folks who sound a little like Tom Waits--or more importantly, have his amazing independent spirit, there are two artists with whom I have worked who make music that AMAZES me: Nathalie Matteau (Montreal) and The Peculiar Pretzelmen (Los Angeles). Both are very different from each other, and both are auditory delights.

Nathalie Matteau is based out of Montreal but does a lot of work in The Netherlands. She sings in French, Dutch, German, and English. And mostly originals (already, pretty damned impressive). She has a few recordings out, but recently released her new full-length album "Nathalie Matteau & Les Hommes Perdus" (the "Lost Men", a clever nod to J.M. Barrie). The music also references French superstars like Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel, but also there is a healthy dose of American folk and pop playing through the recordings. A personal favorite is "Kir Royale", a sort of francophone ode to Miss Havisham.

Also on the horizon is The Peculiar Pretztelmen. They're quirky, dark, gritty, but not without a sense of humor. Last time I saw them, at the Seattle Cabaret Festival where we shared a bill, they had quite a wall of junk percussion items in use and were performing with a film projection. It was magical. My favorite song is the apocalyptic "Who's that Knocking?" from the first album, God's Anger, The Devil's Influence.

Check them out online (and buy a song!)

Nathalie Matteau:
http://nathaliematteau.com/
http://www.myspace.com/lenyab
http://nathaliematteau.com/bloodycd.html
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/matteau

The Peculiar Pretzelmen:
http://www.pretzelmen.com
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/PeculiarPretzelmen
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/PeculiarPretzelmen1
http://www.myspace.com/pretzelmen