March 2012

“Like the Dead Sea, you told me I was like the Dead Sea. You’ll never sink when you are with me” – The Dead Sea

About three months ago, my friend Jess brought up The Lumineers in a conversation. I checked out a few seconds worth of  “Ho Hey,” and I’ve honestly never fallen in love with a band so quickly. I obsessively Youtubed everything this band did and then, the Internet skies opened and a close friend sent me a copy of the album. If this isn’t the best album of the year, I will be beyond shocked. In fact, for me, this is easily the best album that’s come out since Mumford & Sons hit the scene. The Lumineers have a compelling back story too, having been born out of tragedy so to speak.

The Lumineers serve as a reminder of why I fell in love with music in the first place. Wesley Schultz’ voice is equal parts uplifting and “jerk the wheel” soul crushing – and it’s always appropriate. But this album is more than the vocals. It’s the foot stomps. It’s the hand claps. It’s the feeling of pure joy and in some instances, extreme grief. There are very few bands out there that can break your heart in the best way possible and leave you begging for more.

The album releases on April 3, and it’s a must buy. You want to get in on this before the entire world is talking about them. They’re also on tour with another up and coming band, Kopecky Family Band. If you just can’t wait for the album, there’s a great Chapel Session from I am Fuel You are Friends (a blog you should be reading anyway) and a sweet Daytrotter session.

Ho Hey

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“Oh mighty friends, I give thanks yet I am ungrateful. I have faith but then again I am unfaithful. Cause you will not find the good if you ain’t looking for evil too and you can’t believe in God without believing in you-know-who” – An Empty Cup

They say that breakups often lead to something better. Michigan’s John Bonham may be living proof of that. Bonham, formerly of Your Best Friend, began performing as  American Opera last summer and though YBF was very good, his stuff as American Opera shows a hell of a lot of promise.

Bonham’s got a knack for taking the emotions we all feel and putting them into words that few of us can seem to find, all while exploring different musical genres. There’s a twinge of bluegrass in songs, while others lean towards Americana. The storytelling is incredibly rich and Bonham’s voice sounds as honest as the words he’s singing – a rare quality indeed.

If you like what you hear from American Opera, head over to the Bandcamp page and buy what you can. It’s not even on iTunes yet, and if that doesn’t tell you that you are ahead of the curve on this guy, I don’t know what will. I’ll feature two songs below, but you can catch a few more on the soundcloud. Enjoy.

Bright Lights & Amplifiers

A Spot For My Sister

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