On Pop's Edge: The Feeling

So many groups have alligned themselves with pop's "current" sensibilities, albeit with enough separation as to not be blatant copycats and the like. Then there are the bands that have made inroads into reviving the softer sounds that permeated the radio landscape of the 70's like Jellyfish, The Rembrandts, Ben Folds Five and Spymob. One band that has dominated my listening this week is on pop's edge, just about to break big time. I love being on the ground floor like this.

The band is the Sussex quartet The Feeling. I caught the single 'Sewn' on Xfm late Tuesday night. Not getting a backsell, I posted on Xfm's message board, trying to get a name or ident, with a couple of lyrics to help. I didn't get my answer, but noticed another post that asked about the same song, which got a reply for me to go on. Finding the band's website was first, then finding out they also had set up a page on myspace (the ultimate promotional weapon/resource at the moment) giving me a chance to hear more tracks, including 'Never Be Lonely' and 'Fill My Little World.'

I'm digging the inspiration from these boys, having listened in my younger days to Queen, 10cc, Supertramp and the like; the songs are very friendly, with quite a bit of fuel for more. They have gigs a plenty on the horizon in the UK, so it's only a matter of time before they make a splash here, like Coldplay, Keane and David Gray took their sweet time to hit stateside success.
They're signed to UMD/Island, so you will be hearing more soon, guaranteed.

The Feeling on MySpace
Official Site
The Feeling, 'Sewn' (Realaudio from BBC)

Donald Fagen to Tour Behind New Solo Effort

Great news for Dan fans; Donald Fagen will hit the road for a few weeks touring for the first time as a solo artist. His third album, 'Morph the Cat' hits March 7th, which is also the date set for one of his favorite places to play, the Beacon Theatre. Great way to have a release party!

Here's the itinerary:

3/01 New Brunswick, NJ State Theatre
3/03 Westbury, NY North Fork Music Theatre at Westbury
3/04 Upper Darby, PA Tower Theatre
3/06 Washington, DC Warner Theatre
3/07 New York, NY Beacon Theatre
3/09 Boston, MA Opera House
3/10 Atlantic City, NJ Borgata
3/12 Ottawa, ON National Arts Centre
3/13 Toronto, ON Massey Hall
3/15 Cleveland, OH Palace Theatre
3/16 Detroit, MI Opera House
3/18 Chicago, IL Chicago Theatre
3/19 Minneapolis, MN State Theatre
3/21 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
3/24 Las Vegas, NV The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
3/25 Temecula, CA Pechanga Theater
3/27 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltem LG
3/28 Oakland, CA Paramount Theatre

Check Donald's site for updates and more news

Harmony Junction on WKZE 1/14/2006

Cherish the Ladies 'Broken Wings'
Fairport Convention 'Willow Creek'
Drew Emmitt 'All That You Dream'
Iain Matthews 'Timing'
Randall Bramblett 'I Burn for Someone'
Walter Hyatt 'This Time, Lucille'
Hot Club of Cowtown 'Exactly Like You'
Joshua Bell/Edgar Meyer 'In the Nick of Time'
Natalie MacMaster 'Eternal Friendship'
Turtle Island String Quartet 'Jaco'
Grisman/Hartford/Seeger 'Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay'
Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul 'Darlin' Corey'
Capercaille 'Hoireann O'
Ashley MacIsaac 'Chorus Jig/The King's Reel'
Wolfstone 'The Howl'
Nanci Griffith 'Everything's Comin' Up Roses'
Paul Brady 'I Believe in Magic'
Sam Pacetti 'Saturday's Revival'
Andy Summers/John Etheridge 'Counting The Days'
Patty Larkin 'Open Arms (Don't Explain)'
Charlie Haden/Carlos Paredes 'Canto de Trabalho'
Bruce Molsky 'Blackberry Blossom'
Alasdair Fraser/Natalie Haas 'Stirling Castle Set'
(Jay Ungar & Molly Mason Interview and performance)
Stephen Fearing 'The Finest Kind'
Brooks Williams 'May You Never'

Sorry for the delay. Thanks again for all the kind words. Hope to stop in again soon.

iDo: A Macworld Expo Wedding

Above link to article in The Mac Observer

Your Mac Life host Shawn King and Lesa Snider of graphicreporter.com were married by friend and Chicago Sun-Times tech columnist Andy Inhatko January 12th at the close of the 2006 MacWorld Expo in San Francisco. It was truly a "big fat geek wedding," with MacWorld columnist and Playlist magazine editor Chris Breen at the piano and NY Times columnist David Pogue giving the bride away. A fitting way to start the next chapter of their lives.

Watch the QT video. Be sure to catch Andy's closing remarks.

Jay Ungar and Molly Mason on WKZE Tomorrow

As I fill in for Dick Hermans' 'Harmony Junction' one more time, I have the honor of having Jay Ungar and Molly Mason on the program Saturday (1/14) around 11amET.

The duo are hosting 'Fiddler's Dream,' an evening of American and Celtic fiddle music at Unison Art's Studley Theater Saturday January 21st at 8pm. Featured performers include Scottish fiddler Alasdair Frasier, cellist Natalie Haas and fiddler Bruce Molsky. Tickets are available by going to unisonarts.org or by calling 845-255-1559.

In the "If you've got it, flaunt it " department

From theTripwire's Erin Chandler: (registration required)

Levis And iPod Want You To Sit On This

Are you happy to see me or is that an iPod in your Levis? We might all be asking that soon because this week the jean giants made it public that they have created pants that are compatible with iPods. The special trousers will feature a joystick in the watch pocket to make the device operate. They will also have a have a docking cradle with retractable headphones. Coined Levi’s RedWire DLX Jeans, the company stated that they will be available this fall for a mere $200.00.

Levis is not the only company that is trying to be a part of the digital music craze. It 2003 Burton Snowboards shed light on the first iPod compatible snowboarding jacket, and last fall Kenpo launched men’s jackets featuring iPod controls on the sleeves.

It is a shame that we are going to have to wait until fall to strut our stuff in our new iPod pants. With SXSW around the corner, it would have been a prime time to show off. I guess some things are just worth the wait.

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I don't have $200 burning a hole, and an green iPod mini, so where does that leave me?

You don't have to answer that.

More Saturdays on WKZE

Looks like I'm staying on the air for a little while longer. For the next few weeks, I will once again be hosting 'Harmony Junction' on WKZE 98.1 FM from 9am to noon ET. If you miss the live show, catch it again Sunday mornings at 6a.

Listen online at www.wkze.com

I'll post playlists once more just after each show.

Nellie McKay Leaves Columbia Over Album Dispute

From FMQB.com: Singer/songwriter Nellie McKay received critical acclaim and a cult following after the release of her 2004 album Get Away From Me. The follow-up, Pretty Little Head, was slated for a late December release, then pushed to the first week of January. After completely disappearing from the release schedule, it was made public that McKay had split from Columbia over a disagreement over the length of Pretty Little Head. Her version of the album had 23 tracks, while the label wanted only 16 songs. McKay also had a live concert DVD on the way, but that has been shelved as well.

McKay had been vocal in the press and in concert over her unhappiness with the label and in a recent interview with Paste magazine, was outspoken about wanting to be dropped from Columbia. In a statement to Reuters, McKay simply said that "Sources are hopeful that Pretty Little Head will be released in early 2006." She has partially attributed the troubles with her release to recent executive changes at the label.

Such a public spat between an artist and their label is not unheard of. In 2001, Wilco and Reprise Records went their separate ways over a well-documented disagreement about their album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The record was picked up by Nonesuch and released in 2002 to critical praise and the band's biggest commercial success.

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I wish her well. She's got a full plate this year with the upcoming Roundabout staging of 'Threepenny Opera' and some possible shows in between.

Pete Tong's WIRED Interview

Pete Tong: Apple's Gone Wrong?

The phenomenal British DJ swears by Macs and believes iPods have changed the planet. But as Apple conquers the music world, Tong worries the company may be going all Microsoft on us. A Wired News interview by Jonny Evans.