Concert Photo Taken by Me (DO NOT STEAL W/O PERMISSION, please!)
Here are links and information about musicians I highly reccommend:
I can't even begin to talk about music without information about my favorite band, the Indigo Girls. Basically, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers have made my life that much better. I know every word to every song of theirs (released and unreleased). I've loved them since I was 14 (but never admitted it back then for fear of being a middle school outcast for not liking Top 40 crap). I've seen them live 20+ times and have even met them a few times. Yes, I am obsessed and additcted, but hey, it's a healthy addiction! Their music has gotten through some of the hardest times in my life. I have a more extensive IG webpage up along with links to my IG boot trading page. Please check out my Indigo Girls page. Also, be sure to check out the official IG website. Finally, one of my biggest hobbies is collecting and trading Indigo Girls boots (boot=live recording). Please click here for my list of recordings and rules for traders and newbies! Amy Ray's solo album will be released by Daemon in early March. Although the Girls have promised an acoustic album (to be recorded this summer), Amy's solo is punky and rockin'!
Concert Photo Taken by Me (DO NOT STEAL W/O PERMISSION, please!)
Another artist I love is Dar Williams. I have loved Dar since her first album, The Honesty Room. Her songs range from political to hilarious to just plain beautiful. The newest album The Green World was just released and she is touring to promote it! (Although I must admit, compared to her earlier albums and recordings, I do not like The Green World nearly as much, but live the songs rock! In other words, see her in concert!) Yah! I will see her for my third time at the end of September (front row, center!). The last time I saw Dar (way back when... maybe in like 1997) she remembered my name when I talked to her after the show. I always like an artist who takes time to meet her fans! My favorite Dar songs are "The Great Unknown" (from The Honesty Room) and "Iowa" (from Mortal City) Check out her webpage.
Dar and I!
Michelle Malone has is a friend of the Indigo Girls who has been performing with them since forever. But Michelle has lots of musical talent in her own right. Her style is diverse. Her voice is powerful. It is sort of gravely and very beautiful. She is truly one performer who you MUST check out live! Michelle is becoming one of my favorite artists quickly. I used to like her (a lot). Now I guess you can say I am (somewhat) obsessed! My favorite Michelle songs are "Strength for Two" (I LOVE how Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls harmonizes with her) and "Brand New Dream" (both from her latest album, Homegrown) Click here for her website.
Image from official Michelle Malone site taken by Susan Alzner
I first heard of Carrie Newcomer on WYSO, Yellow Springs, Ohio's NPR station. One summer, while living in Berkeley, I decided to check her out live at the Freight and Salvage. I was impressed. And like most of the other artists I adore, Carrie has great political views. She even did a benefit album for Planned Parenthood. My favorite Carrie songs are "Just Like Downtown" and "My True Name." Check out her groovy new webpage!
Image from Carrie Newcomer website
Rose Polenzani is another independent artist who I like. In fact, she is originally from my hometown of Evanston, Illinois! Yah for the Midwest! Rose still plays in coffeehouses and smaller venues. According to Amy Ray, "She is the shit." It is true. There is not much not to like about Rose. My favorite songs of hers are "Olga's Birthday" and "Or." Her new album will be coming out in April, and after hearing the free preview download from Daemon, I CAN'T WAIT! Check out her webpage.
Photo by Jeff Krueger from the Rose website
Jess Klein is a recent discovery of mine. Everyone on both the IG and the Dar Williams lists raves and raves about her, so I figured I'd give her a shot. I fell in love with her during the first verse of my first Jess Klein song ("Little White Dove"). No, I will not claim to be her biggest or longest fan, but I do admit that I became hooked pretty quickly. Jess's website is pretty good (though a bit outdated) and includes photos and diary entries about her recent trip to Japan to play at a festival.
Advertisment for Jess in Japan!
Sarah McLachlan is one of those artists whose older stuff I like much better. In fact, I am not fond of Surfacing or Mirrorball. Fumbling Towards Ecstacy is brilliant, though. All of my favorite Sarah songs come from that album: "Wait," "Ice," "Hold On," "Elsewhere," and "Good Enough." Sometimes I just need to listen to that entire album because it's like an old friend. So many memories are envoked from those songs: spending time with AC at Wittenberg, traveling throughout Japan, and doing my WUSO "Womyn in Music" radio show at Wittenberg. Sure, those songs may not be as folky and as (in my opinion) lyrically brilliant as some of my other favorite artists' music, but I can not escape the fact that Fumbling Towards Estacy" is full of great memories. Her website is pretty cool.
From the Sarah website.
I always like checking out an artist that I like for an acoustic performance at a coffeeshop. I had the chance to see Christine Kane in that kind of setting. Not only is her music wonderfully original (she is so talented), but I also love her little stories in between songs. And on top of that, Christine is just one of the sweetest people! "Big ol' full Moon" reminds me of my solo travels while "Isn't That What Makes You Cold" is deeply connected to my first half of my junior year at Wittenberg. These are both from her A Thousand Girls album. And if you live on the Southern Atlantic Coast, you will have many chances to see Christine live. Go! Trust me! And buy her CD's (especially the live one!)! But for now go here!
Image from the Christine Kane website
U2...ok, so I must admit, I like one mainstream music group. But I have loved U2 since I was in maybe 4th grade. The thing that impresses me about U2 is their committment to political and social causes such as Amnesty International. I am partial to old U2 (The Unforgettable Fire is my favorite album), althougg "One" from Achtung Baby is one of my favorite songs. and I have been quite dissappointed with the two most recent releases. Hopefully the album due out in October will be more like the real U2. Go to a U2 website.
Promo photo from Germany
Perhaps it was Kristin who introduced me to Sinead Lohan or maybe I heard her on WYSO first. But nonetheless, she is awesome. Sinead is from Ireland and her music is sort of contemporary folky Celtic style. I would often showcase her No Mermaid album on my WUSO show. Check out her website.
Photo from the Sinead Lohan website
Kristen Hall is another southern artist; another friend of the Indigo Girls. Her CD's are hard to find, so my best advice is to order them straight from Daemon. She has a sort of southern folky style. If you like Michelle Malone, you will probably like Kristen Hall. To her website.
Photo by Gail Anthony from 12/27/98 @ Eddie's Attic
Although I am not nearly as obsessed as the people on their e-mail list, The Nields are way cool. They are just so much fun. I am sad to say that I misplaced my copy of If You Lived Here You'd be Home by Now, their latest album. (I'll find it when I clean!). But my favorite Nields album is Gotta Get Over Greta and I honestly believe that the title track describes every woman at some point in her life. Check out their ultra fun website.
Photo from the official website.
One of Kristin's favorite artists (did I not tell you this woman has GREAT taste?!?) is Richard Shindell. True, I don't adore Richard nearly as much as Kristin does, but nonetheless, I like him a lot and he deserves a mention here. I mean, anyone who can write a song about a Kenworth rocks, right? I was first introduced to Richard Shindell in 1997 when he opened for Dar Williams (he, Dar, and Lucy Kaplansky make up ry Cry Cry as well). I love his songs about traveling ("Next Best Western"). Visit his page on the web.
Performing at the Boston Folk Fest.
It's funny when my mother and I agree on an artist. We both like Joni Mitchell. Joni is just classic. Everyone who likes folk and women artists likes her. My favorite Joni album is Hits just because i love to sing along to it. I'd die to see her live one day, but I highly doubt that will ever happen. Stop by the Joni Mitchell official website.
From Fraser's Joni Mitchell Page.
Mary Chapin Carpenter may be classified as "country" (which I hate), but she's not annoying, whinny, and non-political. Like the Indigo Girls, Mary's music often appears on benefit albums for women's causes. I must admit that my favorite songs of hers are those she does with the Indigo Girls ("The Hard Way" and "Walking Through Fire"), but she also does a kick ass cover of "Passionate Kisses." Yes, my favorite album is Come on Come on. Visit her webpage.
Photo from her official website.
Photo from her official website.
Sensei intorduced me to Gretchen Phillips and Two Nice Girls long before "I Spent My Last $10 (On Birth Control and Beer)" appeared on the lesbian compilation album. So, no, I didn't jump on the bandwagon. In fact, I have all of Two Nice Girls' actual albums (trying to hunt them down was great fun. not...). Sure, "I Spent My Last $10..." is my favorite song of theirs, but that is because of Sensei, NOT because it happened to be on some compilation album. Go to a Gretchen Phillips site (Gretchen was the lead singer of 2 Nice Girls), and don't accuse me of jumping on the bandwagon!
Image from The Gretchen Phillips Experience.
Yes, I lived in Japan. I even began to like some J-Pop. Shonen Knife is one of the funest (I know, not a word!) bands in the world. They're so adorable as well. Though their music isn't exactly deep, I must admit I am partial to the line "Konnichi wa konnichi wa, we come from OSAKA, JAPAN!" And guess what, Shonen Knife even opened for the Indigo Girls et all during the Suffragette Sessions Tour! To learn more, click here!
Photo from a Shonen Knife page.
Another fun J-Pop artist is Takako Minekawa. Some of her songs are in EngRish (hehe), some in Japanese. Pure fun (and her newest album is called Fun 9!) Check her out!!
From the Takako Minekawa Page.
Cibo Matto is famous in the US and Japan. Everyone knows the "Know Your Chicken" song! I could've seen Cibo Matto in Japan for 65 bucks, but I was broke at that point. How cool would that have been? Next time... But go here!
Photo from the Cibo Matto site.
Well, even I ended up liking some of the Japanese popular music. Maybe it was because my home visit sister worshipped her, or maybe it was because everytime I entered a big store in Japan, her music was being blasted. Or It could have been that I enjoyed (attempting) singing her songs at karaoke. But I developed a keen enjoyment of Utada Hikaru. I own her album First Love which has my favorite (and most popular) songs on it like "Automatic" and "Time Will Tell." To my surprise, I could not find a good Utada Hikaru website out there (the best one was in Japanese, and just because my computer can read Japanese, that doesn't mean that everyone's can...), so I have included a link to a somewhat incomplete fan site. Sorry, I could not find a suitable picture either...
What, no Ani DiFranco, you ask? I know I am going to have every big Ani fan on my back for saying this, but here is my opinion of Ani (I mean, this is *my* music page)... I like (and in fact love some) Ani's older music. Imprefectly is by far my favorite Ani album, and I still listen to it from time to time. But, in my opinion, everything more recent than Little Plastic Castle (which is my second favorite Ani album) has been garbage. I was so disappointed by Up Up Up Up Up Up and To The Teeth that I no longer consider myself an Ani fan. But I think the main thing that turned me off to her is her attitude. I have heard stories of her being flat out rude to fans. Come on, is she *that* high on herself? Yes, I do respect her music and her activism, but in some ways I feel she has sold out. Ticket prices to her shows have been extremely high and I believe she is striving toward quanity, not quality of releases. And yes, I do think she is a poetic master, but that alone does not dismiss her actions. I will continue to listen to her older albums. But I will not support her any further. Go ahead, flame. But keep in mind that this is MY opinion. I am not telling you not to listen to or love Ani DiFranco. I am not starting a big "anti Ani" movement. I am not throwing away all my old Ani cd's. I am just expressing my opinions of her recent releases, her actions, and her prices.
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I am a member of many Indigo Girls webrings, and the Dar and Nields rings. For more information, you can check out my webrings page.
