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Matt Hopper

Matt Hopper, Boise 2011, photo by Peter Piek, click to download high resolution picture

According to various writers, Matt Hopper shows elements of the Jeff Tweedy/Wilco, Ryan Adams/Cardinals and Tom Petty/Heartbreakers variety. His band, The Roman Candles, takes its name from a favorite Kerouac inspiried passage and has included over 30 sidemen and women since inception in 1999. Hopper has enlisted entire bands to collaborate and back him up on tours including The Devil Whale, Matt Lewis Band, Equaleyes and Cold War Kids. His blend of psychadelic-tinged rock n roll, soulful blues, and hushed folk can be heard on six mostly self-produced/financed albums released on his own label, Hatcher Pass, named after the mountain range in Alaska where he grew up. Currently residing in Boise, ID Hopper tours actively and is working on two new full length albums.

www.matthopper.com

Lucky Fonz III

Lucky Fonz III, photo by Sanja Marusic, click picture to download high res pic

Lucky Fonz III is a unique singer-songwriter to emerge from Amsterdam’s underground music scene. His quirky yet engaging body of songs and lyrics has gained him a dedicated international following.
He is known as much for his distinctive live-act as for his records: ‘Lucky Fonz III’ (2005), ‘Life is Short’ (2007), A Family Like Yours (2009) and the dutch ‘Hoe Je Honing Maakt’ (2010). His records have been released in Australia, The Netherlands, Belgium and the US. ‘Life is Short’ reached no. 56 on the CMJ charts after extensive airplay on US college radio. In 2010 the dutch song ‘Ik heb een meisje’ became a top-10 hit in The Netherlands. Lucky has toured extensively throughout Europe, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Spain and the US. He has performed at festivals such as SXSW, CMJ, OppiKoppi, Lowlands and Canadian Music Week. Lucky has also opened up for, among others, Jason Molina (Magnolia Electric. Co), Donavon Frankenreiter, CW Stoneking and Badly Drawn Boy.
The name Lucky Fonz III was derived from a given nickname, Lucky’s actual name and an obscure royal connection. Despite his name and his sometimes outrageously comic live performances, his music remains stark and poetic. Next to more obvious influences such as Leonard Cohen and Bright Eyes, it blends classic American song traditions with European elements such as French chanson and British 60s pop. Although Lucky Fonz III is mostly a solo performer he also appears with his string quintet The Lucky Orchestra and his band De Felle Kleuren. Besides singer-songwriter Lucky is also half of notorious DJ-Duo De Rotjes as well as a member of Amsterdam/Rotterdam-based noise collective Aemstellarcreek.

www.luckyfonziii.com

Peter Piek

Peter Piek, Seattle 2011, photo by Hae Eun Park, click picture to download high res pic

There used to be several Peters but since the reunification of Peter Piek in 2006 from the remaining partial personalities, the german artist (painter, songwriter, author and multi-instrument player) born in Karl-Marx-City (former East Germany) tries to meld Painting and Music to a new identity.
Peter Piek is rock, is guitar, is indie. Following the motion of 60s art -from Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan or painters like Ernst Wilhelm Nay or de Kooning - his work states in music and painting also something sketchy, an unclouded & fresh move that unites rock, beat & art in an inspiring way.
Critics get rather complicated when they talk about Peter Piek as painter, using words like 'Being', the 'Physically compound consistency of the canvas' and 'the rhythmic breathing' which is 'synthesised' 'into an interwoven interaction'. One stereotype is not enough. If you try describe Peter Piek's music, you might classify it as Independent Rock, although it would hardly fit as this is not quite correct. The term Pop would not come close to his ambition for art, as his Songs are too ecclectic and complex. Peter Piek's voice is unusual. He sings in a high pitch, but not in head voice. It sounds similiar to Neil Young and Sigur Ros.
He plays shows in wide parts of Europe and has been on tour in the United States twice, playing South by South West Festival in Austin as well as Pygmalien Musicfestival in Illinois. He played shows with Art Brut, Moneybrother, Robocop Kraus, Saalschutz and was supporting John Watts at Paradiso in Amsterdam. Noisedeluxe Records released Peter's self produced record "I Paint It On A Wall" 2010 in Germany, which was praised in German music press.

www.peterpiek.com

Denitia Odigie


Denitia Odigie (pronounced Deh-NEE-sha Oh-DEE-Jee) is an American soul artist based in New York City. Fans of r&b, pop, soul, and blues are drawn to the gravity that Denitia's music creates. By 2009, Denitia had released 4 independent EPs on her own, experimenting with in psychedelic folk, country, lo-fi, grunge, and soul. It was that year that she signed a publishing deal with Weston Boys Entertainment, home of Jace Everett (True Blood theme song). She then released the folk-soul Brick by Brick EP on the WB imprint. Reviewers called the EP "tasteful pop music: the product of a modern ear and a world-wise iTunes library…” “…a delicious musical impression of a revived old soul."
2010 saw Denitia releasing her debut full-length album, Vitality, on the Weston Boys label. From psychsoul tunes like "Tightrope" to the horn-laden whisper of "Lover" to the dreamy, swimming "Sold", Vitality is her consummate album, highlighting the many colors and vibes that encompass Denitia Odigie. A review in Deli Magazine summed it up: “From start to finish, this record is in a constant state of grooving; relaxed or raunchy; sweet or sultry. Few artists can actually accomplish creating a record that not only grooves, but relaxes, from start to finish… fresh and classic at the same time.” Denitia is currently working on her second full-length album and preparing for international touring in the fall/winter.

www.denitia.com

Stefan Honig

Stefan Honig, click picture to download high res pic

HONIG ist nicht süß und klebrig. HONIG ist melancholisch, intensiv, hoffnungsvoll und harmonisch. Bitter erfrischend. Leise summend und laut drängend. Seine Texte erzählen von erfahrenen Gefühlen, seine Musik trägt weiter in gefühlte Erfahrungen. HONIGs Songs sind diese Art Lieder, die einen durchs Leben begleiten. Durch Freude und Trauer, durch Liebe und Schmerz, den "ganz normalen" Alltag und das Liegen auf einer Wiese im Frühling. HONIG will die Welt nicht lärmend und hämmernd aufrütteln. Er will sie einfühlend verstanden machen und selbst verstehen. Und auch die Welt beginnt, ihn zu verstehen. Bereits als Teil der Düsseldorfer Band Benevolent, und zunehmend als Solokünstler, etablierte sich HONIG in der Singer/Songwriter-Szene Nordrhein-Westfalens. Durch seine Qualitäten als Live-Künstler dauerte es nicht lange, bis er sich auch deutschlandweit einen Namen machen konnte. So tourte er mit internationalen Acts wie Calexico, Chris Garneau, John Vanderslice, Castanets, Anna Calvi, Tunng, Super 700, Young Rebel Set, the Black Atlantic, John Watts oder Joshua Radin und präsentierte sein erstes Album "Treehouse" (2008) erstmals einem größeren Publikum. Dass HONIGs Musik nicht nur hierzulande ihre Anhänger findet, bewies sich nicht nur im benachbarten Ausland – Holland, Polen und Tschechien, sondern auch weit über Europas Grenzen hinweg. Im Sommer 2010 spielte HONIG, unterstützt durch Martin Hannaford (Benevolent) und Francis Norman, im Rahmen einer 6wöchigen Tour 24 Konzerte im Land der aufgehenden Sonne. Neben den Auftritten in Metropolen wie Bejing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chongqing und Xi'an begeisterte HONIG bei den Festivals Snow Mountain in Lijiang und Westlake in Hangzhou über 6000 Menschen. Im Oktober und November geht es auf ausgedehnte Deutschland Tour als support von Isbells, Tim Neuhaus und An Horse. Ihn zu hören bedeutet, mehr zu wollen. Er gibt mehr. Seine neue EP "contraband" (VÖ März 2011) und ende 2011 folgt ein Album.

Jolanda

Jolanda, Berlin 2010, photo by Michele Brancati, click picture to download high res pic

In 2006, italian Singer-songwriter and piano player Jolanda started her project which involved a series of collaborations, the first of which was with guitarist Demian Endian. Classical studies and various experiences in the musical field lead to conscious songwriting with an international appeal, recently confirmed by her U.S. tour. “Arcane, full of energy, beyond styles…”: so the music of Jolanda has been defined, “… when she plays, it looks like she’s conducting a little imaginary orchestra between her fingers and her voice”. Jolanda’s songs tell about inner landscapes, restless astronauts, mirror reflexes, faceless children, shadows, memories in a parade, nightmares and ghosts. On stage, always just a few steps from Jolanda, are Demian Endian (guitar, arranger) and Eros Giuggia (sax). Jolanda also plays musical box, toy piano, kalimba and typewriter. During Fall 2008, when she was only 22, after many concerts in Europe, and having shared the stage with Joan as Policewoman, Amanda Rogers, Handsome Family, Jenny Sorrenti, Jolanda crosses the ocean to introduce her first release Wintry Rains Wailing (2006) to New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. One gig in San Francisco was recorded on the “Live in California EP”. On June 2010 Aubade her last record has been released in the USA through D.I.T. Records.

www.jjolanda.com

John Elliot

John Elliot, LA 2011, photo by Peter Piek, click picture to download high res pic

end of summer cigarettes, undercover backyard bets, next to me the music plays, next to her it’s better, candy bars and shooting stars, endless fog and endless cars, i let her fall asleep so she wouldn’t catch me lookin’, i was fine until i saw her in a dress the week of end of summer cigarettes… an old friend came to visit me i didn’t see her comin’, when i breathed her it was something like a high school football game, we took turns, we looked for signs, i knew that she would have to leave, i knew that we just couldn’t be together anymore, i showed her out, i shut the door and i was fine… wild in the evergreens, i met her there, i saw her knees, i saw her shoes outside my tent, we both went straight to sleep, end of summer cigarettes, long forgotten dreamed regrets, i know that we will meet another time, i’ll be clean and she’ll be free, she’ll spend another night with me and i won’t let her fall asleep, i was fine until i saw her in a dress the week of end of summer cigarettes… i was fine until i saw her in a dress. (End Of Summer Cigarettes by John Elliot)

www.thehereafterishere.com

Phia

click picture to download high res pic

Phia is the entrancing DIY-art-pop music project of multi-instrumentalist songwriter and composer Sophia Exiner.
Using only an African kalimba and a loop and octave pedal on stage, she creates compelling and absorbing soundscapes for her enchanting storytelling. An accomplished musician, Phia weaves humour, emotion, beat boxing and finger clicks to create kaleidoscopic, organic washes of sound.
April 2011 saw Phia release her debut EP, Garden of Youth. A diverse five-track collection replete with toy instrumentation, found sounds and skip-along melodies all tied together by Phia's considered lyricism - an indie pop delight for all the senses. Garden of Youth was named 'Indie of the week' by Brisbane streetpress Rave Magazine and its lead single 'Indecision' has gained remarkable steam in Australia’s radio land, seeing national airplay by way of JJJ as well as finding a lot of love at community radio.
Phia is currently living in Berlin, showcasing her EP around Europe and writing material for her forthcoming solo album, due out in 2012.

www.listentophia.com