White Hinterland is the artist name of Portland, Oregon based Casey Dienel (born March 10, 1985), an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She released her debut album, Wind-Up Canary, in 2006 on Hush Records under her own name. Dienel presently performs and records as White Hinterland, whose first album, titled Phylactery Factory, was released on March 4, 2008, by the independent record label Dead Oceans.
'Sideways Glance is a 5 piece indie/pop band hailing from Worcester, England. Singer Paul got together with Mark and started writing songs together back in college days, this soon progressed into wanting a full band and, with a few line up changes, evolved into the perfect blend of musicians they are today. Paul's intelligent and often humourous lyrics, Matt’s unmistakable catchy riffs, soul inspired bass work from Winston, Marks acoustic rhythm guitar and Andy tieing it all in on the drums produces music of rare quality and originality.
K's Choice is a Belgian rock band from Antwerp. The band centers on siblings Sarah Bettens (lead vocals, guitar) and Gert Bettens (guitar, keyboard, vocals). They are joined by Eric Grossman (bass), Jan van Sichem Jr. (guitar) and Koen Liekens (drums). Their music can be described as guitar-based singer-songwriter rock or folk-rock. It ranges from very delicate and intimate singer-songwriter songs to songs that are stronger, more active and louder.
Brown Bird is an American acoustic band. Pulling from the influences of the blues, outlaw country, roots rock, early American folk, Gypsy and Eastern European music, Brown Bird offers harmonized voices, haunting lyrics and diverse rhythm and instrumentation, which surges in waves that often swell into high-spirited, foot-stomping madness. Brown Bird began in 2003, and has since toured extensively, including a European stint supporting RI-based band The Low Anthem. The band went through several line-up changes before settling on it's current form as a duo:
The Ditty Bops is a band from Los Angeles, California that play a blend of folk, bluegrass, jazz, swing music, ragtime and musical theater. They are headed by Abby DeWald (vocals and acoustic guitar) and Amanda Barrett (vocals, mandolin and dulcimer). They are noted for their excellent harmonies and generally playful style and tempo. The Ditty Bops formed in New York City, when Abby and Amanda were on a hunt for a friend's lost cat.
"Mama" Cass Elliot, Baroness von Wiedenman (19 September 1941 – 29 July 1974), born Ellen Naomi Cohen, was a noted American singer who performed with The Mamas & the Papas. She then went onto a successful solo career, releasing nine albums. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, she spent most of her childhood both in Baltimore and Alexandria, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. Elliot was widely considered the most charismatic member of the Mamas & the Papas due to her sense of humor and optimism, in part because of her large size and weight.
www.mpjmusic.com "An articulate songwriter with a versatile and gritty tenor voice -- a combination that has drawn comparisons to everyone from Jeff Buckley to Leonard Cohen -- Matthew Perryman Jones has the touch of a poet and the narrative reach of a short story writer, making the best of his songs deeply resonant." -Steve Leggett (Rovi) Having just finished his first full length album since 2008, Land of the Living was produced by Cason Cooley (Katie Herzig) and is set to be released on May 29th.
Freelance Whales found one another in late 2008, in Queens, amidst a strange amalgam of unfamiliar instruments, and precariously arranged pop songs. Using whatever musical gadgets they happened upon (mostly harmonium, banjo, glockenspiel, synthesizers, guitars, bass, drums, waterphone), the five members worked at crafting songs with interlocking rhythmic patterns, lush textural layering, and an engaged group-vocal energy.
Circus Envy are a rootsy five piece based in East Yorkshire, notable for using the irish bouzouki as a lead instrument while playing in the pop-rock genre.