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WXPN Artist To Watch - May 2008
Santogold
Combining elements of hip-hop, punk, new wave, electronica and classic pop music, Santogold's self-titled debut album is truly a remarkable piece of work. Philadelphia native Santi White, along with songwriter and producer John Hill – a.k.a. Johnny Rodeo – is quickly developing a reputation as one of music's best and brightest, and this album certainly shows why.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - April 2008
Melody Gardot
It's not hard to see why Melody Gardot's debut album Worrisome Heart (Verve) has already established her as one of music’s most exciting new discoveries. The 23-year-old chanteuse’s songs offer deeply compelling evocations of love, loss and heartache, while her voice offers a level of emotional authority and technical fluency that one would normally expect from a veteran performer.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - March 2008
Back Door Slam
This band has been wowing festival audiences in the past year, showcasing a true blues sound. These natives of the tiny Isle of Man, include Davy Knowles on vocals, lead guitar, mandolin and lap steel, Ross Doyle on drums, and Adam Jones on bass - all three, still in their twenties.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - February 2008
Nicole Atkins
Her major label debut album Neptune City, was released in October 2007, starring the title song of the album as well as "Brooklyn's on
Fire!" and "Together We're Both Alone." There's a lot to
enjoy from this laid-back rocking Jersey girl with her dark songs, long
hair and beautiful eyes!
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WXPN Artist To Watch - January 2008
Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend has emerged from the fertile New York indie-rock scene. Still, they stick out of the crowd for two reasons. First, their endearingly wordy lyrics make Vampire Weekend's songs sound collegiate in the best possible way. And second, their unique sound inventively mixes contemporary American indie-rock, Western classical music and South African traditional music.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - December 2007
Ryan Bingham
South roots country rocker, Ryan Bingham, has a rough style that encapsulates his life struggles on Texas and New Mexico ranching communities. Though he is still young at 26 years old, his husky voice and mature content makes him appear wise beyond his years. His new album, Mescalito, contains hit after hit of gritty and dense material.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - November 2007
Ingrid Michaelson
Ingrid Michaelson may be compared to artists Fiona Apple and Regina Spektor, but she has definitely staked out her own territory in the music industry. The New York-based singer-songwriter fuses indie pop, folk and alternative in a smooth and unique way, a quality that first attracted her audience via MySpace. Her career has taken off with the release of her second album Girls and Boys. A few songs from the album were featured on the popular television dramas "Grey's Anatomy" and "One Tree Hill."
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WXPN Artist To Watch - October 2007
Devendra Banhart
Devendra Banhart's been pegged as the leader of the indie-folk or "freak-folk" movement since his debut back in the early 2000s. Houston native Banhart has been heavily influenced by 60s folk and psychedelia - Bert Jansch, Donovan, Nick Drake, Vashti Bunyan, and Dylan. This immensely talented singer-songwriter has just released his new album Smokey Rolls Down Canyon Mountain.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - September 2007
Sea Wolf
World Cafe: Next artist, Sea Wolf is Alex Brown Church,
best known as the bassist and co-singer/songwriter for the L.A. indie-rock band Irving. Church, who cut his teeth crafting Irving's neo-psychedelic alt-pop sound, got a big break when his home recordings found their way into the hands of Seattle producer Phil Ek, who's worked on records by The Shins, Band of Horses and Built to Spill.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - August 2007
Scott Matthews
Frequently compared to a cross between Jeff Buckley and Nick Drake, English singer-songwriter Scott Matthews crafts an endlessly listenable blend of folk, rock and blues.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - July 2007
Hoots & Hellmouth
Not quite folk or alt-country, but more than just a rock group, Philadelphia's Hoots & Hellmouth crafts fiery, cathartic roots-rock that the band describes as "new music for old souls."
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WXPN Artist To Watch - June 2007
The National
The National's pedigree is becoming harder and harder to trace. There are sketchy suggestions of Leonard Cohen, Grace Paley, Nick Cave, John Ashbery, The Smiths and Tom Waits. They may remind you of distinguished ancestors but, now, The National sound like no one so much as themselves: a meditative rumble that starts in the heart, gets caught in the brain, and resonates outward.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - May 2007
Ryan Shaw
Drawing inspiration from great talents such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Shaw sidesteps the transient quality that so many of today's artists cling to and opts for a more enduring sound that finds fans in both the young and old. When asked to describe what drives him Ryan states "I am a man with a heart for the arts and how it affects the human spirit, and that is what I share."
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WXPN Artist To Watch - April 2007
Amy Winehouse
Critics and fans alike rave about her voice, drawing comparisons to Sarah Vaughan, one of her biggest lifelong influences as well as Macy Gray and Lauryn Hill. But the attention hasn't stopped there. Amy is hailed as vibrant and lively, bringing a real voice of human emotion to her lyrics in a genre that has long been focused on the singing alone.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - March 2007
Dr. Dog
Filtering classic rock and pop hooks through a willfully lo-fi slacker aesthetic a la Pavement or Guided by Voices, Philadelphia's Dr. Dog are able to sound both timeless and immediate as only the best music can.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - February 2007
The Bird & The Bee
The Bird & The Bee is an adult-pop duo from Los Angeles who have been living and loving music almost from birth. Their passion is beginning to pay off in a big way.
The Bird & The Bee played the World Cafe Live Tuesday, February 27. This concert was broadcast live on 88.5 FM and online.
Listen to the concert archive |
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WXPN Artist To Watch - January 2007
Lily Allen
Allen's witty songs about life in London have made her one of the
biggest new stars of the year.
Thursday, February 28, Lily shared some of her favorite songs (The Clash, Blondie, Kasabian, Jay-Z, and more) as she became a DJ for the evening. Listen to the archive online at YRockOnXPN.org.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - December 2006
The Slip
The music of The Slip seems at first like straightforward indie-rock, but its subtle and intricate layers reveal themselves over time. After meeting and
graduating from college, the trio went on an intense
touring schedule that's seen it at Bonnaroo, South
by Southwest and Bumbershoot.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - November 2006
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Meet Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero. They play flamenco guitar and are influenced as much by Metallica and Led Zep (which they cover on their debut)
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WXPN Artist To Watch - October 2006
Sasha Dobson
Singer songwriter Sasha Dobson upholds the jazz
tradition of past greats like Ella Fitzgerald while
breaking conventional rules.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - September 2006
Gran Bel Fisher
Full Moon Cigarette finds Gran Bel Fisher's unique, life-affirming perspective fueled
by his powerful and mellifluous voice, passionate
songwriting, and consummate musicianship.
Listen to Gran Bel Fisher recorded live August
21, 2006 - World Cafe Live, Philadelphia PA
MP3 | Windows
Media | Set
List
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WXPN Artist To Watch - August 2006
The Format
Throwing dance parties after being dropped by their record label and making an unforgivingly happy pop album after a difficult breakup, the Format is determined to stay positive. They've succeeded. In fact, listening to Dog Problems may just inspire you to just get up and dance.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - July 2006
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are a blues-rock quartet with a passion
for music from decades past. Rural Vermont is home to the band, which
is led by 22-year-old Grace, a talented frontwoman whose vocals have
drawn comparisons to legends like Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt. With
their inspired blend of americana, rock and roll, and blues, the band
stirs up a sense of nostalgia for the artists and music of the 60s and
70s, which are very much instrumental to the band’s overall sound.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - June 2006
The Hiders
The Hiders display a musically robust Americana style that recalls
such genre classics as Uncle Tupelo, Sparklehorse, Emmylou Harris and
The Band. The Hiders also make a strong companion to current rustic rock
artists such as Band Of Horses and My Morning Jacket.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - May 2006
Gnarls Barkley
So, who is Gnarls Barkley? The rumors fly
in every direction and remain unverifiable, but with
links to underground hip hop artists Danger Mouse (of
'The Grey Album' fame) and Cee-Lo,
the listener is in for the most unique and surprising
soul
music experience of 2006 so far.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - April 2006
Guillemots
Britain's Guillemots are a young band greatly skilled
at fusing unique sonic textures to their catchy &
uplifting music. The end result is a completely modern
sounding pop ensemble that is able to challenge the
listener while also paying homage to the rich history
of classic pop songwriting.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - March 2006
James Hunter
Anyone who's seen or heard James Hunter perform
is already hip to his remarkable talents as a singer,
guitarist and songwriter. This includes Van Morrison
who asserts, & "James is one of the best voices,
and best kept secrets, in British R&B
and Soul. Check him out."
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WXPN Artist To Watch - February 2006
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
While a lot of bands view the promotional apparatus
as a necessary evil, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah prove
that it's still possible for a band to get heard, given
enough talent and perseverance, without a PR agency
or a label.
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WXPN Artist To Watch - January
2006
KT Tunstall
KT Tunstall is a sparkling new songwriter with Chinese
blood, a Scottish heart, great legwarmers and a cool
name who celebrates classic singer-songwriting with
an articulate, accessible, immediate brew of rootsy
sass, wistful quandary and after-hours atmosphere.
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