It pays to contact me

Like most mp3 bloggers I get a load of emails from various record labels, PRs and occasionally from the artists themselves, plugging their wares. To be honest, I don’t get a lot of time to sort out the wheat from the chaff and many of them remain un-listened to. There are only so many hours in the day, right? The problem is that lots of them fail to initially grab me in any way. Especially if they never actually send any music.

However, a couple of people recently have captured my attention a bit more than most. I guess the moral of this story is that flattery will get you everywhere. I got separate myspace messages a few weeks back from a couple of different singer-songwriters saying how they liked this blog and expressing love for artists I also love. So that was enough to get me interested and listen to their music. And I reckon some of it’s worth posting.

First of all Steve Jowett. He describes his music as 'electronicana', and goes on to say “I'd like to say I invented that word, but when I Googled it, someone else had beat me to it”. I like that word too, and it’s a good one to describe his music. But to give him more of a say on his stuff: “it’s often Americana/ folk/ country in its rhythm and instrumentation (banjos, mandolins etc.) but often gets a slice of electronica thrown in to the mix to create a new feeling”. However, “Live it's just straight folk/ Americana. I hate messing with laptops live and creating barriers to the audience with some sort of tecchy shrine.”

What the ‘electronicana’ and his description fail to mention is his impressive voice. It’s one that contains elements of the likes of Stuart Staples and Antony, but is very much his own. It’s one of the main things that makes his music rise above the ordinary. As well as writing good songs of course. I like his stuff. Definitely one to watch out for. In fact you can watch him – at several upcoming gigs in London. Check his myspace for details (including an upcoming ‘secret’ gig with a more well-known artist).

Download: Steve Jowett – Crossed Paths
Download: Steve Jowett – Let the Lights Out

Next, we have a young guy called Eddie Harrison. He’s not so sure about how to describe it his music. He says that “[Daily Growl faves] Noah and the Whale describe it pretty well – ‘like eating salami after an intensive 5 year vegan diet.’ But generally I refer to it as like, lo-fi alternative pop. It's all happy and a bit of fun I suppose.”

Again he’s right about that. It is pretty lo-fi. He doesn't seem to be worried about virtuosity. Or clever lyrics. I’d guess that he was influenced by anti-folk, but his myspace makes no mention of it. He isn't not taking himself too seriously either. Not with lyrics about train sets, trousers and being sick in the bathroom at parties. It does seem to be about having fun. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Download: Eddie Harrison – Jennifur
Download: Eddie Harrison – Party Invitation

All that said, I'm going to be a bit more sceptical about flattering emails after this!