Artists
Jun 3, 2008 6:10 PM
LANKY
Lanky is the moniker adopted by New Jersey–native and die-hard road warrior Francis Lancaster. A reluctant troubadour, his music is more of an evolution of acoustic pop, moving from introspective, heart-on-sleeve ballads to infectious, hook-filled rockers effortlessly. And he does it all with honest performances and a gorgeous voice. Odd Hour Work Week, his most recent release, landed in the Top 200 FMQB album airplay chart, and Performing Songwriter magazine wrote: "Lanky's music is reminiscent of John Mayer and Sting with a dose of Jeff Buckley, but has an irresistible innocence and longing distinctly Lanky's own."
PERRIN LAMB
Emerging from the ever-growing pack of modern singer/songwriters, Perrin Lamb has worked tirelessly to develop a unique sound and point of view. This can be heard in spades on Perrin's 2007 release, Be This Way, the title track of which has been placed in several major TV series and has garnered praise from all over Webdom.
GAVIN MIKHAIL
With more than 150,000 fans on MySpace, sales in excess of 10,000 CDs and 40,000 downloads internationally, and an extensive resume of songs featured in film and television, Gavin Mikhail is a shining example of the modern-day independent artist. At the heart of his appeal is a lyrical honesty and devotion to his fans seldom found in today's mainstream musical landscape. Plainly put—he cares. And his fans love him for it. As testament to this artist/fan connection, in November 2007, out of 1,700 artists entered in the SSL/Eventful/Tunecore "Lay It Down and Mix It Up In the UK" contest, Mikhail took first place, winning by a margin of more than 13,000 votes. All told, 22,000 fans voted for him, more than doubling the number of votes cast for the second-place finisher. Having won, Mikhail traveled to Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios in December to begin work on his third studio album (due for release in summer 2008). Like his previous two offerings, My Personal Beauty Needs (2003) and Like Normal People Do (2006), the album is sure to please fans and critics alike, showcasing his poignant lyrics, true musicianship and further setting him apart from other artists in the ever-burgeoning piano-rock genre. Talented, down-to-earth and with songs that touch the soul, Mikhail is truly one to watch in 2008.
DISAPPOINTED BY CANDY
The Nashville-based Disappointed By Candy was born out of the hearts and minds of two classically trained percussionists, Gabe Ruschival and Jeremy Lutito. Formed in May of 2003 as a raised fist to a long simmering pot of false starts and dead ends in their diverse musical journey, Disappointed By Candy emerged quickly as one of Nashville’s most exciting and promising acts. Their dance-inflected beats lay a perfect bed for their engaging melodies and driving guitars. Armed with an energetic and engaging live show that Nashville’s All the RAGE described as “more dynamic and entertaining than ever.” DBC operates as a full-fledged trio, using sampling and programing as they fly around the stage and at times switching instruments mid-song. In early 2006, DBC went into hiding and immersed themselves in the creative process. Ruschival and Lutito both write songs but like to consider them all co-written in the end. They both have to agree on every musical nuance, every part and lyric before it becomes finalized. Even a fully conceived song will get put through their collaborative process. The result is their new self-titled full-length debut that was released on November 6, 2008.
