Nirvana

The Shins

2007-07-19T11:00:01-05:00

In early 2007, the acclaimed indie-rock ensemble The Shins released their anxiously anticipated third album, Wincing the Night Away, touching off a veritable barrage of flattering reviews. Blender magazine called the album “catchy, literary, lushly produced,” while the indie-rock arbiters at Pitchfork Media branded the disc “a lovely and well-executed album.”

Apparently, fans couldn’t have agreed more. Debuting at number 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with over 118,000 copies sold, Wincing the Night Away is the highest charting independent release in the storied history of Sub Pop Records. Considering that Sub Pop is the label that launched the careers of grunge idols like Nirvana and Soundgarden, The Shins’ spectacular chart performance is no small accomplishment.

The new album marks another musical departure for The Shins. Unlike its lo-fi predecessors, including Oh, Inverted World (2001) and Chutes Too Narrow (2003), Wincing the Night Away boasts a decidedly pro-audio sound. Tracks like “Phantom Limb,” “Spilt Needles” and “Sleeping Lessons” frame the exquisite, contemplative vocals of singer/songwriter James Russell Mercer, the well-tempered guitars and keyboards of Martin Crandall, and the supple rhythms of bassist/guitarist Dave Hernandez and drummer Jesse Sandoval.

Formed in Albuquerque, NM in 1997 by Mercer, The Shins released two independently produced 7” singles, “Nature Bears A Vacuum” (1999) and “When I Goosestep” (2000), before going on tour with Modest Mouse. Relocating to Portland, OR, the band signed with Sub Pop Records.

“Caring Is Creepy” and “New Slang,” two tracks from The Shins’ 2001 debut CD, were showcased in the 2004 box office hit Garden State, thrusting the band into the global spotlight. Additional exposure came via various tracks featured on the hit TV series Scrubs, One Tree Hill and The OC.

With the recent recruitment of singer/guitarist Eric Johnson of the acclaimed indie-pop band Fruit Bats, The Shins have extended their creative options. It’s a typically forward-thinking move that helps explain why The Shins are one of the most credible acts in contemporary pop.

BMI Songwriters Dominate Mojo’s “100 Records That Changed The World”

2007-07-03T17:55:00-05:00

Mojo, the prominent and influential British music magazine, has selected a list of “100 Records That Changed The World” in their June issue.. The list is described as “The most influential and inspirational recordings ever made, they changed music – the way it was played, bought or even imagined.” A group of prominent songwriters and performers – which include such BMI veterans as Chuck D, Dr. John, Pete Seeger and Brian Wilson – selected the list of remarkable 78s, singles and albums, which stretch in time from 1927 to 2006.

BMI songwriters dominate the selections, representing 58% of the individuals and groups. The variety and superiority of the material attests not only to the wide-ranging talents of BMI songwriters but also the consistency of BMI’s involvement with all eralms of music throughout the course of its history. The diversity of styles and genres included is remarkable, ranging from folk (Woody Guthrie) to rap (Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five), jazz (Miles Davis) to punk (Sex Pistols), blues (Howlin’ Wolf) to country (Hank Williams), rhythm & blues (Sam Cooke) to soul (Aretha Franklin), disco (Chic) to folk-rock (Fairport Convention), the over-the-top (Velvet Underground & Nico) to the indefinable (Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band).

As with any list, arguments are invited and disagreements encouraged. The following are BMI’s representatives in Mojo’s decisions, including their number in the final grouping.

For the complete list, consult mojo4music.com or rocklistmusic.co.uk/mojo.html.

BMI Songwriters on the MOJO List:

Animals: “The House of the Rising Sun” [#86]
Anthology of American Folk Music [#8]
Beach Boys: Pet Sounds [#21]
The Beatles: “I Want To Hold Your Hand” [#2]
                       Revolver [#40]
                      Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band [#16]
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band: Trout Mask Replica [#51]
Chuck Berry: “Johnny B. Goode” [#12]
Big Youth: Screaming Target [#76]
David Bowie: The Rise and Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And the Spiders From Mars [#31]
                       Low [#64]
James Brown: “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag” [#15]
Jeff Buckley: Grace [#37]
The Byrds: Sweetheart of the Rodeo [#57]
Ray Charles: “What’d I Say” [#9]
Chic: “Good Times” [#54]
John Coltrane: My Favorite Things [#60]
Sam Cooke: “You Send Me” [#47]
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue [#43]
Lonnie Donegan: “Rock Island Line” [#38]
Nick Drake: Five Leaves Left [#78]
Brian Eno: Discreet Music [#68]
Fairport Convention: Liege & Lief [#58]
Aretha Franklin: “I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You” [#18]
Gang Of Four: Entertainment [#77]
Gnarls Barkley: “Crazy” [#100]
Davy Graham with Alexis Korner: 3/4AD [#35]
Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five: “The Message” [#29]
Woody Guthrie: Dust Bowl Ballads [#13]
Billie Holiday : “Strange Fruit” [#67]
Buddy Holly: “That’ll Be The Day” [#52]
Howlin’ Wolf: The Rocking Chair Album [#23]
Michael Jackson: Thriller [#33]
Carole King: Tapestry [#74]
John Lennon: Plastic Ono Band [#55]
The Libertines: Up The Bracket [#94]
Little Richard: “Tutti Frutti” [# 1]
Love [#66]
MC5: Kick Out The Jams [#69]
New York Dolls [#39]
Nirvana: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” [#27]
Nuggets [#42]
N.W.A.: Straight Outta Compton [#61]
Oasis: Definitely Maybe [#89]
Charlie Parker: “Koko” [#26]
Pixies: Surfer Rosa [#79]
Elvis Presley: “Heartbreak Hotel” {#3]
R.E.M.: Murmur [#75]
Rolling Stones: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” [#19]
                        “Sympathy For The Devil:” [#48]
Ronettes: “Be My Baby” [#45]
Sex Pistols: “God Save the Queen” [#10]
The Shadows: “Apache” [#84]
The Smiths: This Charming Man [#80]
Sonic Youth: EVOL [#85]
The Stone Roses [#99]
The Stooges: Funhouse [#36]
Television: Marquee Moon [#97]
Upsetters: Blackboard Jungle Dub [#59]
The Velvet Underground & Nico [#7]
The Who: “My Generation” [#44]
Hank Williams: “Move It On Over” [#30]
Link Wray: “Rumble” [#41]

Ivory

2007-04-10T13:25:00-05:00

With piano ballads and pop songs centered on the eighty-eight keys of a piano, Wisconsin act Ivory aren't afraid to create music that rushes through rather than over their audience.

The Midwestern group, fronted by singer/writer Nathaniel Swokowski, drew inspiration from their home town of Appleton, a small college community consumed with paper mills, hunting gear, and taverns.

In just a few years, Ivory's lush instrumentation and epic sound has earned them the attention of fans and industry across the country. Following the successful self-release of their Ivory EP - recorded at Smart Studios in Madison (Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Hawthorne Heights) - Ivory start 2007 with a fresh set of songs and plans to tour - winning over America one vibrato, tenuous, mood-setting note at a time.

Ultra High Frequency

2006-09-07T17:01:01-05:00

The Long Island-based pop-rock quartet Ultra High Frequency owes its existence to skate punks more than other like-minded bands. When front man Frank Fussa and bassist/vocalist Christopher Johanidesz, childhood friends, were in their mid-teens, they met Jon Tehel (guitars/vocals) and Dennis Joseph (drums, vocals) at a skate camp. After Fussa convinced them that the melodies he had been hearing in his head since age four were worth putting actual sound to, he had his band.

But it wouldn’t be until 2001 — half a decade later — that the group started making the seriously catchy music it has since become known for throughout the Northeast.

Mixing substantial vintage guitar riffs with rough-edged harmonies and an old-school, 60s-flavored sense of tight-bandedness, Ultra High Frequency seemed destined for big things after the release of its 2004 debut, Sun Never Sets in Dramaville. A favorable response led to bigger stages and an opening slot on fellow Long Island act Brand New’s feverish tour in early 2006. The band released its sophomore album in June of 2006 — Matter in Time — produced by Barrett Jones (Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Presidents of the United States of America).

‘Honor’ Shows Foo Fighters at Their Finest

2006-06-02T15:27:00-05:00

The Foo Fighters‘ career has been, as even its members concede, an unlikely one. Starting out with a handful of self-recorded demos never meant for release, former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl has grown the group into one of rock’s most energizing and accessible acts, scoring Best Rock Album Grammys for two consecutive releases (1999’s There Is Nothing Left to Lose and 2002’s One By One) and selling out concerts around the world.
To celebrate its 10 th year of existence—and to thank its numerous fans—Grohl hit upon the plan to make its fifth album, In Your Honor (RCA), a double disc. And if that wasn’t enough, he decided the album would be evenly split between one hard rocking set and one acoustic, more introspective one.
“By splitting the difference,” he explains, “you eliminate the middle ground. We can make the acoustic record far more delicate and beautiful and atmospheric than anything we’ve ever done, and we can make the rock record far more brutal and aggressive and powerful than anything from our past. I’ve always sort of believed we were capable of doing both—just not as well as this has turned out.”
Indeed, In Your Honor has received critical hosannas across the board, with comparisons to Led Zeppelin’s double album Physical Graffiti making practically de rigueur appearances in reviews. Ranging from the intensely personal single “Best of You” and the throbbing title track, to quieter numbers like “Still” and “Friend of a Friend”—the latter apparently a tribute to the late Kurt Cobain—the release comes off as two very distinct records, albeit of one dedicated mind.
“Everyone in the band has so much to offer,” Grohl says of fellow Foos Nate Mendel (bass), Taylor Hawkins (drums) and Chris Shiflett (guitar). “But we’d sort of remained in this one ‘thing’ for so long that I felt it was time to break out, to branch out, that maybe we should make the acoustic record. But then this band just has to make some rock music so I thought, ‘Okay, why don’t we do this? Why don’t we make a double album?’”
Throw in an impressive range of guest stars—from Norah Jones on “Virginia Moon” and Queens of the Stone Age leader Josh Homme on “Razor” to Zep’s own John Paul Jones on “Miracle” and “Another Round,” and you have a work that’s musically beefy yet also just fun to listen to, as is the case with the best of the Foos.
“In 20 years, when some kid asks his dad, ‘You ever hear of Foo Fighters? Which record should I get?’ they should say In Your Honor,” Grohl affirms. “I want people to say, ‘Wow, that’s the album they’ll be remembered for’.”

Atlanta Urban Showcase Finalists Share the Stage Again on BMI’s Podcast #10

2006-05-11T18:00:00-05:00

BMI celebrates the first anniversary of its groundbreaking "See It Hear First™" new artist podcast series - the music industry's first - with the release of the tenth edition highlighting participants in BMI Atlanta's recent unsigned urban showcase. Available at bmi.com/podcast, BMI podcast #10 magnifies the potential of urban music by featuring Atlanta's Suga Suga, California-based Leo, Atlanta's Malachi and New Jersey-based band Thunderkatz, four talent-soaked up-and-comers full of bold ideas about the genre's future.

Showcase finalists were chosen to perform from over 300 submissions by a group of top BMI songwriters, producers and industry executives. Rock/hip-hop band Thunderkatz was selected as the winner by a celebrity panel of judges directly following the performances.

BMI's "See It Hear First" podcast has become an important tool for exposing new BMI songwriters and artists to key industry professionals and fans alike. Since its release in May 2005, more than one million listeners from around the world have tuned in to discover new music from a broad range of genres and regions.

All editions of the BMI podcast are available at bmi.com/podcast, as well as from iTunes at bmi.com/itunes and Yahoo's podcast directory at podcasts.yahoo.com, or you can listen on the go with mobile podcasting services like Pod2Mob. The first in the music industry to be listed in Apple's podcast directory, "See It Hear First" is currently rated five out of five stars at Yahoo! and has won the "5 Star Award" from PodSpider, one of the world's largest podcast databases.

PODCAST #10 FEATURED ARTISTS:

Suga Suga
Proud Atlanta native Suga Suga moonlights as a producer, songwriter and artist, dead-set on a long and versatile career. The rapper's lyrics glorify night life and its temptations but are not without a sense of introspection. Hear Suga Suga's dance-provoking skills here with "Do it With No Hands."

Leo
Leo is a man of soul and all that his moniker implies. The California transplant originally hails from Atlanta and combines jazz, pop, gospel and old-school soul for a sound that is anything but dated. The singer's smooth vocals are displayed here on "Still Friends."

Malachi
Passionate singer/songwriter Malachi's potent blend of r&b, hip-hop and eclectic soul has been dubbed a new genre by its creator. Malachi calls the sound "heart and soul," and sincerely pours both elements into his work. Hear the unique mixture here on "Get Out Da Way."

Thunderkatz
New Jersey-based sextet and BMI Atlanta showcase winner Thunderkatz seeks to dispel all preconceived notions of the definition of African-American music. The diverse band combines rock and hip-hop influences to create a Nirvana/Outkast hybrid, low on rules and high on energy. Hear the appealing results here on the cleverly titled "Pop Luck."

Thunderkatz

2006-05-09T17:14:00-05:00

The Thunderkatz are the best thing to happen to music since stereo systems went hi-fi. This group is exactly what the music industry has been looking for… a band with an exciting edge of your seat sound, capturing the “Teen Spirit” Nirvana beautifully brought to life. Add the feel good vibes that the smash Outkast song “Hey Ya” moved the whole world with and you have the Thunderkatz; a fun loving, explosive version of today’s American culture.

The Thunderkatz are a mix between superstar rock band Greenday and N.E.R.D. It could be said the band’s diverse, universal sound is the bastard child of hip-hop’s irreverence, R&B’s smoothness, the improvisation of jazz and the pureness of rock. Just like the cartoon characters, the Thunderkatz have joined together to start kicking ass and taking names with their debut album “Don’t Let The Rollie Fool U”, scheduled for release on Wall Street Entertainment. As soon as people hear their infectious single “Pop Lock” it’s over. The Thunderkatz are destined to be the next big thing!!!

With their strong personalities and individual quirks, the Thunderkatz name iconic sixties group The Monkee’s as their closest musical peers. That goofiness and open minded attitude towards life and music is what gives the group that extra OOMPH!!! The members of the group are: XO, softly killing the keyboard, jUnO murders the Skins with power and grace, Benjive drops the bottom on the Bass with smooth lines, Just Jon the ultimate guitar afficianado, Levelz the hypest hypeman/back up singer/producer, and finally Dell aka 080 putting it down as MC/lead singer. They are all producers and pop culture connoisseurs. 080, the lead singer explains it best. “My MC name, 080, stands for a zip code in the south New Jersey suburbs. We want to show that there is no stereotypical black music.” Thunderkatz represent a new counter culture. The Thunderkatz have worked with everyone from Seven Aurealis (Ashanti and Murder Inc.), Lady Patra, Poster Boy, Sire Castro, Tony Sunshine (Terror Squad) and Star Trak (N.E.R.D). Writers, musicians, producers, engineers, Thunderkatz do it all.

No longer do music fans have to toggle between classic rock stations at lunch, Top 40 at drive time and the hip-hop station at night. You can find it all wrapped up in one with the Thunderkatz. o8o says that besides making music to move the asses of the masses their mission is, “To show that hip-hop is the new rock that really rocks”.

Paul Anka: Talent That Trancends Generations

2006-03-24T18:06:00-05:00

For proof of Paul Anka’s continuing versatility, vitality and relevance as a pop music icon, look no further than his new release, Rock Swings. On it, the 64-year-old singer and composer covers songs by such unlikely acts as Nirvana ("Smells Like Teen Spirit"), Oasis ("Wonderwall"), R.E.M. ("Everybody Hurts"), Soundgarden ("Black Hole Sun") and Billy Idol ("Eyes Without A Face"), albeit alongside some seemingly more apropos numbers as Lionel Ritchie’s “Hello” and Eric Clapton‘s “Tears In Heaven.”

On the album, he proves that Tin Pan Alley now travels through some new territory and reasserts the notion that a great song can be dressed in many styles. “There were some great songs written in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s,” notes Anka, who also stresses that swing music remains a viable mode. “The fashion of that era hasn’t gone away—Vegas, Sinatra, all of that kind of stuff.”

On Rock Swings, he blends what at first glance may seem like disparate elements into one of the more groundbreaking albums of what is closing in on a 50-year career.

And if anyone knows what makes for a good song, it’s Anka. In 1957, he emerged at the age of 16 from Ottawa, Ontario to score a No. 1 hit with “Diana,” which went on to sell 20 million copies worldwide. By the time he was 18, Anka had five more Top 5 songs to his credit, including another No. 1, “Lonely Boy.”

The hits launched a career as a recording artist, entertainer, songwriter and actor for Anka. With some 900 songs to his credit, he has enjoyed more than 150 million plays and 60 million copies sold of his compositions. Some of the many artists who have recorded Anka songs are Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, Tom Jones, Linda Ronstadt, The Sex Pistols, Nina Simone, Gypsy Kings and Robbie Williams.

He helped launch Donny Osmond’s singing career with the No. 1 song “Puppy Love,” provided Buddy Holly with his biggest (and sadly posthumous) hit, “I Guess It Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” and penned Frank Sinatra’s signature song, “My Way.” Anka also co-wrote the theme to “The Tonight Show,” which has been performed over 1.4 million times, earning him the Classic Contribution Award at the 2005 BMI Film/TV Awards.

Beloved in his native Canada, Anka is an international star who has recorded albums in Japanese, German, Spanish, French, and Italian. He composed the theme music for the film The Longest Day , which won Anka an Academy Award nomination, and he has also appeared in such movies as 3000 Miles to Graceland , Mad Dog Days and Captain Ron . And Anka remains busy as a performer, touring some 10 months out of every year.

Rated by Billboard as the one of the most successful artists in the magazine’s history, Anka is a truly global phenomenon. Odds are that if you have a pair of ears, you’ve likely heard something created or sung by Paul Anka.

JD Natasha

2006-03-03T19:53:00-05:00

After being instantly signed to a recording contract on the strength of a self-made demo and then chosen as the first artist for AOL’s “Impulsa” program, teenage Miami native JD Natasha quickly developed a large following of young, bilingual U.S. Latinos who have finally found a homegrown artist to call their own. Created from Natasha’s emotional poetry and musical composition influenced from her love of bands such as Radiohead, Nirvana and many more, her debut album Imperfecta/Imperfect found the introspective performing arts prodigy creating Spanish music “with some attitude instead of just ballads and love songs” and also looking to encourage other young Latinas to “embrace self-expression instead of emulating unrealistic images of ‘perfect’ pop stars.”

Upon release of the album, the young rock songwriter and guitarist quickly achieved extensive critical praise, and wide broadcast and online video play for her Spanish singles (“Lagrimas”-“Tanto”- “Plastico”) and English language tracks (“Imperfect” - “Not Healthy” and the fan favorite cover of Outkast’s “Hey Ya”). Now, with three Latin Grammy nominations under her belt, JD Natasha has solidified her place as one of Latin music’s top new artists.

Weezer Keeps It Real on ‘Make Believe’

2005-09-29T20:00:00-05:00

Heartily breaking with decades of jock-rock tradition, Weezer’s self-titled 1994 debut album was that rarity of rarities: a pop record that farcically celebrated willful underachievement. The band’s approach was manifest in the hit single “Buddy Holly,” which detailed the plight of a haplessly nerdy couple tyrannized by local bullies.

Eleven years and several lapsed musical trends later, Weezer towers as a musical force to be reckoned with. By critical consent, the band’s pop-injected rock songs paved the way for the post-punk “emo” sound. Yet despite their current status as rock & roll major leaguers, Weezer hasn’t changed. On their new album, Make Believe , singer/songwriter Rivers Cuomo, guitarist Brian Bell, drummer Matt Sharp and bassist Scott Shriner continue to cast their lot with the world’s working class heroes.

The band’s affection for the underdog is apparent in their video “Beverly Hills,” in which the quartet bemoans its misfit social standing while romping with fans and Playmates at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy mansion. The result is a broadly appealing fantasy clip that combines the self-deprecating humor of Nirvana, the bling-brandishing charm of rap videos, and the wink-wink cheekiness of vintage Weezer.

Treading the road less traveled is a habit for the members of Weezer. Founded on Valentine’s Day, 1992, the band was signed to DGC Records (Geffen) after a mere 16 months together. Produced by Ric Ocasek of Cars fame, Weezer’s self-titled debut album sold over two million copies on the strength of three singles/music videos: “Undone (The Sweater Song),” “Say It Ain’t So” and “Buddy Holly.”

Following several tours, Weezer took time off to discover itself. Cuomo attended Harvard, while Sharp and Wilson worked on extra-curricular music activities.

The group emerged from their hiatus with their pop instincts intact. The band’s 1997 sophomore disc, Pinkerton , won raves and gold certification. In 2001, The Green Album was released to a Top 5 welcome, fueled by the infectious tracks/videos “Hash Pipe” and “Island in the Sun.” The following year saw the release of Maladroit , a record that solidified Weezer’s reputation as a band with a rock-solid musical heart.

During their current Make Believe world tour, Weezer has performed before a massive, marquee-like “W” insignia that is an obvious aesthetic homage to their childhood influence, KISS. As they enter their second decade, the members of Weezer are still pursuing the rock & roll dream on their own comic terms.