Plugging Away

Well, folks, I'm beginning to like the idea of doing a monthly podcast in place of this blog (though I wouldn't rule out the occasional written entry), so I'm gonna shoot for either next weekend or the weekend after as its "season premiere", which you'll be able to find right here as usual. But until then, here are a few up-and-coming artists that have been lobbed my way thanks to being added to the email lists of industry folk. I might not necessarily be buying these CDs myself, but seeing as how said industry folk have begun sending me free promotional CDs that I never even asked for (How cool is that?!?!), it's only decent of me to return the favor and give a bit of promotion to artists that I think some of my readers might like.

First up, a 24-year-old New Jersey singer/songwriter named Laura Warshauer, whose self-titled debut release is now out on Island Records. A sweet voice, and a nice sense of lyric and melody:





Next up is a new boyband (yes, boybands are back, and who am I to pass one up?!) named Varsity Fanclub. Their album drops later this year via Capitol Records (a major label ... wow, I guess they are back!). Here are a couple of adorable videos of the guys, one of whom appears to be non-heterosexual.... (Will he take the bold and momentous step of being the first ever openly gay member of an active American boyband? It's about time, frankly....)

Varsity Fanclub Photoshoot:


Varsity Fanclub Pool Party:


And finally ... we've all probably heard of this guy by now, but just in case we haven't, here's newcomer Brendan James with the video for his single "Green", from his album "The Day Is Brave", now out on Decca Records: