I saw Michael Tolcher perform back in 2004 when I was still studying to be “undecided” at my university. Me and my buddy listened to his album I Am a number of times during that year, which also prompted a number of replica photographs we called the “Michael Tolcher” pose (see Figure A.) It would have made for some great Facebook profile pictures had it been around at that point in time, but I suppose it’s never too late.
Figure A
Honestly, after I left school and moved on to the real world, I sort of forgot about Michael Tolcher. I really wish I hadn’t because he really was a talented guy. His music mixed elements of funk, pop, alternative, rock and hip-hop into one catchy compilation. I Am was an album you could listen to for any occasion and not get tired of hearing it. He had a knack for creating songs with positive messages (which was a nice change of pace considering the top radio hits at the time consisted of the Ying Yang Twins and Eastside Boys.)
Michael Tolcher has still been around the music industry creating songs occasionally and even attending the Sundance Film Festival to educate attendees on music for feature films and television. He’s sort of a music professional. A professional of music if you will. Check out his album I Am if you’re looking for something poppy and positive. It will definitely hit the spot.
Buy the album:
From the first time I heard Matt & Kim‘s single “Daylight”, I was hooked. Their quirky indie alternative pop sound was distinctive and just catchy enough to make you think about it all day long. But how could they possibly keep it up? Surely they can’t continue to create catchy songs that will play on repeat in your mind for days on end? Well surely they can. Because they did. How ’bout them apples?
Sidewalks is the latest release from this Brooklyn duo, and it definitely lives up to their names: Matt & Kim. Synthesizers, hip-hop beats, high energy, dancing, toy pianos, killer drums and horns. All of the things you’ll find at Burning Man. Oh, and also all of things you’ll find on Sidewalks. They are practically interchangeable.
If you’re not fully familiar with Matt & Kim, perhaps this will jog your memory:
It’s not easy playing piano in bed. Or in the bathroom. Or in the car. Trust me. I’ve tried. All I got was six stitches and a moving violation. They got a record deal. How fair is that?
Their latest album is even more up-beat than this single, so if you are looking to push your Matt & Kim love a little further, make sure you pick it up. And don’t delay because it’s going to sell out everywhere. I’m not even sure if that’s true, but I like to create a sense of urgency.
Here’s a commercial-type thing for the first song off of Sidewalks:
Buy the album:
I recently stumbled across Matthew Perryman Jones on my musical travels. To be honest, I’m not sure how I made it there, but I’m glad I did. It was like finding a $5 bill in your coat pocket a year later or realizing you got 11 chicken nuggets instead of 10 at your favorite fast food joint (in my case Wendys.) It was an unexpected treat.
His voice is easy on the ears and his songs have a quality similar to that of Rufus Wainwright. And I loves me some Rufus. If you’re looking for a singer-songwritery, adult alternative man of the hour, look no further than Matthew Perryman Jones. It probably helps that he lives in one of the musical capitals of probably the world: Nashville, TN. I mean, it’s the home of country music, not to mention the likes of some of our favorite artists including Andrew Ripp, Dave Barnes and Ben Rector (just to name a few.)
But don’t take my word for it. Check out this super official video for “Save You” from Swallow the Sea. It’s like, the real deal.
Buy Swallow the Sea:
If you hear the term “white rapper” and you immediately think of Vanilla Ice, well… 1990 called and wants its Hammer pants back. Over the past two decades, dudes with trace amounts of skin pigment have been holding their own on the mic. Everlast, Atmosphere, MC Serch, The Beastie Boys, and Eminem are just a few of the more commercial examples. Robert Matthew Van Winkle would be one of the less popular, yet memorable examples. All of those dudes have helped paved the way for cats like Outasight, aka Richard Andrew.
Outasight aka Richard Andrew
Outasight hails from Yonkers, New York and as a teen he was heavily influenced by A Tribe Called Quest, Talib Kweli and Stevie Wonder. Since 2007, he has been pounding the pavement honing his craft and pushing to get his music heard. A heavy circuit of club, cafe and festival appearances has provided Outasight the opportunity to prove his musical prowess. He has also mastered the fine art of releasing mix tapes. To date, he has five solid tapes under his belt. In 2008, it was an appearance on mtvU that brought him to the attention of executives over at Warner Bros.
Studio backing helped Outasight bring his first studio EP, Further, to the masses. The six track EP has created some solid buzz all leading to his upcoming full album release. Outasight delivers smart rhymes with a lyrical flow that doesn’t sell the listener short. He simply speaks to what he knows and demonstrates that he is an artist with a clear vision. Simply put, he is an innovator that is raising the bar in a genre that has become saturated with sound-a-like hacks. Treat yourself to something different and be a part of a music career that will certainly make waves. Scroll on down to the bottom of this post to find out how you can get your hands on his latest mix tape for FREE!
KC’s Personal Picks: “Catch Me If You Can”, “Stranger Than Fiction” and “Brand New Day”
Check out “Catch Me If You Can”
Buy the album
Want his latest mix tape Never Say Never for FREE? Get your copy here!
So we haven’t posted anything super hardcore in a while. I’m talking about the type of stuff that makes you feel like you just got punched in the face by pure awesome. The kind of music that makes you run faster and jump higher. The stuff that was made by the business end of a kick-ass stick. Well guess what? You’ve just been served. 10 Years has that kick-ass stick.
Figure 1.1
Their new release Feeding the Wolves not only has a manly name, but a manly album cover (see Figure 1.1). Historically I’ve found that if an album has an awesome cover, an awesome name and an awesome artist behind it, you are destined to have something worth its weight in gold. Don’t believe me? Tell that to Michael Jackson’s Thriller or Guns N Roses’ Appetite for Destruction. Yeah, I didn’t think so.
The entire album is a hard-hitting mix of heavy guitar and steel-laden vocals to match. The tracks rarely miss a beat, taking breaks only to show their softer side with powerful ballads (that are not-so-much ballads, I just can’t think of another word to describe them.)
10 Years is currently on the tail-end of the Carnival of Madness tour with the likes of Shinedown, Chevelle, Sevendust, and Puddle of Mudd. But not to worry, they will be headed back out on the road with numerous upcoming tour dates to support the release of their new album.
Buy Feed the Wolves:
