AWOLNATION Comes Back From Earth

Here’s a quick look at some of the new releases hitting the physical and digital shelves this week… Audra Mae’s debut full-length The Happiest Lamb is out on SideOneDummy Records. The singer-songwriter just returned from a UK tour and is getting ready to start a North American run with Philadelphia’s Good Ole War… Infinite Arms, the highly anticipated third LP from Band of Horses drops today via the interesting label combo of the band’s imprint Brown Records along with the newly paired Fat Possum and Columbia Records… New EMI act Chiddy Bang releases their Opposite of Adults EP exclusively on iTunes this week, with a full-length expected next month.  The EP features a sample-laden title track that recently caught fire in the UK – and you were worried there wasn’t going to be a MGMT summer jam this year… Brooklyn son Gordon Voidwell unleashes his Ivy League Circus single on 12″ vinyl, checkout a video promo on Ralph Lauren’s Rugby site, and AWOLNATION is Back From Earth…

John "Hollywood" and his Dirty Limo

After stopping by the Manatt/Red Ghost party for some sunshine, tacos and tunes, day two of SXSW saw a trip to South Congress (SoCo to the locals) with a little help from the Dirty Limo (pic above) to see Jason Poe. You can catch him at the Purevolume house on Saturday at 4:15pm, following April Smith and before Joe Purdy… From there we made our way to catch a stellar set from Audra Mae, where she played some songs from her upcoming full-length, before heading to the SESAC showcase to catch OPS, Ten Bears and Get Busy Committee… Amid the ping-pong and taco truck at the Dickies/Filter show, NY’s Cymbals Eat Guitars filled the tent with an epic wall of sound.  A jaunt to the BMI showcase for a set from Imagine Dragons was followed by a pop-in for Austin’s Quiet Company and then on to Boston’s Bad Rabbits. Finally back to the Driskill bar for a nightcap of course. Stay tuned…

Mumford & Sons @ Troubadour Tuesday Night

Mon. Feb 8th – Imagine Dragons @ The Roxy (view)

Tues. Feb 9th – Mumford & Sons @ The Troubadour (view)

Wed. Feb 10th – Joe Sib’s California Calling (ft. Audra Mae) @ Largo (view)

Thurs. Feb 11th – Joe Pug @ The Echo (view)

Fri. Feb 12th – Fitz & the Tantrums @ The Echo (view)

Hot Dawg of the Week: Blue Hamilton

Warner Chappell Publishing’s A&R up-and-comer Blue Hamilton is feeling anything but blue lately. With a building track record and the ink still wet from his newest signing, we thought it was a good time to catch up with the pubcos’ young earner for a spotlight in the first edition of our new feature Hot Dawg of the Week… Blue’s roster includes singer/songwriter Audra Mae whose cut “Who I Was Born To Be” is the only original song on Susan Boyle’s I Dreamed A Dream, which has sold to date over 7-million units worldwide. He signed the Oklahoma native back in ’06 when she was only a twinkle in SuBo’s eye. Audra Mae’s debut album comes out this spring on SideOneDummy Records… Hamilton also inked famed girl-kisser Katy Perry for publishing back in ’07, prior to her multi-platinum debut album One Of The Boys. She also had cuts on last year’s All I Ever Wanted from Kelly Clarkson as well as the self-titled debut from Jessie James. Perry is currently in the studio working on her follow-up album with collaborators including Tricky, The Dream and Dr. Luke among others… Blue’s newest act is Brooklyn’s Semi Precious Weapons who recently signed to HouseofGaga/Interscope Records. The band is currently in Europe finishing a run supporting Lady GaGa on The Monster Ball tour and their debut album is slated for a spring release.

Stay tuned for our next Hot Dawg of the Week…

MOG launches All Access

This week saw the launch of MOG’s new All Access $5/month music service, see an overview and some initial reactions here… Tunecore announced a new campaign with radio promotion company Unleashed Music to provide a to-be-selected unknown artist with a 6-week commercial radio campaign… The Sunset Strip’s Key Club has closed its doors, but hopes to reopen early in the new year… And SideoneDummy recording artist Audra Mae was featured on MTV.com discussing the song she wrote, “Who I Was Born to Be,” the only original tune on Susan Boyle’s chart-topping album I Dreamed a Dream…