02.11.10

It’s Been Said…

DIY Currency: Solid Gold

SXSW is 6 weeks away and if you’re starting your ‘must-see’ list, be sure to add Minneapolis’ Solid Gold. The indie-electro trio has been building one of the more impressive DIY stories of late. They’ve sold close to 10,000 albums, received press nods in Billboard, NME, Pitchfork and Filter among others and their new video is premiering on MTV2 and mtvU this month. We hear labels are circling in on this one with some offers already in. The band has two upcoming hometown shows if you want to beat the SXSW rush.

Labels and pubcos are taking notice of Oren Lavie, as the buzz continues to build around the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter. Lavie, who has now garnered over 10.5 million views of his “Her Morning Elegance” video on YouTube, played a string of recent dates at the Hotel Cafe that brought out majors and indie A&R folks (with no record or pub deal in place, and an a new album’s worth of material, it’s no surprise). Attorney Ben Laski is handling legal duties…

The story keeps building on Matthew Mayfield. His new EP Breathe Out in Black was sitting at #1 on the iTunes singer-songwriter chart this morning, just two days after being independently released. In fact the entire EP was recorded, mixed, mastered and up for sale digitally in the span of a week. Check out www.matthewmayfield.com for more… Keep an eye on L.A. locals The Sequel. The band has been popping up on label radars of late and has more than a few showcases already on the horizon. EMI Music Pub players Dan MacCarroll and Declan Morrell snapped up the band early for publishing. Get on it…

Young gun Ben Adelson settles in at a new A&R gig at Epic Records. Adelson was previously at Universal Republic and brought in Flobots and Owl City. He also co-manages recent Roadrunner signing Young the Giant (formerly The Jakes)…  Meanwhile, we hear there is an established big-rock act who is currently a free-agent and is being courted by multiple labels on both coasts. Inquiring minds want to know? Here’s a hint, they didn’t play the Super Bowl Halftime Show

IN THE MIX: K Sera, Moonlight Bride and Tyrone Wells

01.18.10

File Under: Stuff We Like

Heavy Young Heavens @ The Echo, Wednesday 1/20

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12.8.09

Take Notice: Oren Lavie

Oren Lavie's "Her Morning Elegance" Nominated for Best Short Form Video

The nominees for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards were announced last week.  Typically this occasion holds about as much significance to us as the seasonal return of McDonald’s McRib (and yes, it’s back), however buried amongst the many Gaga’s and Swift’s this year was a nomination that caught our attention.  The video for Oren Lavie’s song “Her Morning Elegance,” is nominated in the Best Short Form Music Video category.  The video has already received over 9 million views on YouTube, no SuBo numbers but damn impressive, and the song was used in a Chevy truck ad-campaign earlier this year.  Lavie also won this year’s ASCAP Foundation Sammy Cahn Award. Labels and pubcos are sure to take note, particularly as we hear that he is getting back the masters for his full-length The Opposite Side of the Sea. The album was originally self-released earlier this year in conjunction with Chris Douridas via A Quarter Past Wonderful, before being licensed by a now moribund ADA-distributed virtual label. Checkout the video for “Her Morning Elegance” HERE