Category Archives: Music

Music defines my world.

My Top Ten Albums of 2009

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If it’s possible, I continue to fall more in love with music – and as the years pass, I seem to invest more and more in purchasing music each year. Every December, I sit down and go through all of the new music I’ve purchased over the last 365 days and try to narrow it down to the ten “best” of the year. It’s near impossible – I truly love most of the music that I buy, all for different reasons. But, there are always a few that seem to stand out, the ones that get more exercise – on the iPod, in the car, on the computer – than any others.

I’m no music critic, and I certainly have no idea what I’m talking about – but if I had shiny silver statues to give out, these are the records that were released in 2009 that would receive a “Krissie.”

As an aside, I decided not to give out honorable mentions this year, as that was really kind of a cop out from having to exclude records I really liked from the list…I’m being tough this year and forcing myself to make some hard – and unpopular with myself – decisions.

So, without further adieu, kids, I give you – My Top Ten Albums of 2009.

10. The Fray – The Fray
Yes, I’m just as surprised as you are about this one. After much debate, I decided that it had to be in the Top 10 and not an honorable mention. It was a late buy for me – I probably waited six months after it came out to buy it. But it has been in consistent play since the moment I purchased it. It is one of my favorite albums to put on while I’m driving. I think it’s a much stronger overall record than How to Save a Life – The Fray has grown up. The album is rich, huge sounding, and really just well done. C’mon, you can’t tell me that you don’t belt out “You Found Me” when you hear it on the radio! I’m particularly partial to “Say When,” which has an unbelievably philosophical and dark edge to it….Say what you want about The Fray, I love this album.

9. Shane Hines & The Trance – The Glory Journal
There is no songwriter who can touch my emotional heart strings the way Shane Hines does – the man writes these insane missives and turns them into songs – sometimes beautiful, often heartbreaking, and occasionally witty. When The Glory Journal was released in March, the first thing I did was devour the lyrics. Want to know what it’s like to stare depression in the face? Listen to “Way Up” and see if you don’t walk away feeling like you might have an idea. Ever felt heartbreak – true heartbreak – too late? “We Can Never Be” is your song. Wanted to kick yourself for being ungrateful? Yup, “Boy” is for you. Combine the powerful writing with a huge (and unique) voice, amazing guitar skills from both Shane and bassist Thumbs, and you’ve got a pretty fabulous record.

8. The Airborne Toxic Event – The Airborne Toxic Event
I bought this album on a complete whim. Was hunting around iTunes, looking for some new stuff to listen to. The “Others who bought this album also bought” link led me to The Airborne Toxic Event. I listened to some snippets. I thought, “Eh, I’ll see what it’s all about.” Turned out it would be one of my best investments of the year. This little five-piece from LA has one of the most unique sounds out there right now: a genuinely spooky vocal, crafty lyrics about love, betrayal and obsession – and their resulting chemically induced stupors, and seriously fantastic instrumentation (they have a viola, for crying out loud!). It’s exceptionally sharp writing: “She’s laughing, she’s turning, she’s holding her tonic like a cross…” – come on, that’s flipping awesome! Strangely, it’s incredibly upbeat and happy, despite lyrical subject matter that is at most times the complete opposite. It’s probably my favorite thing to put on late at night when I’m driving or when I’m out running. A solid debut effort from this band – cannot wait to see them live and hear what they put out next!

7. Needtobreathe – The Outsiders
Gotta give credit to Annie and Brad here. Nearly four years ago, they convinced me to go see this little band from Possum Kingdom, South Carolina (yes, there IS such a place) and they had me from their first song. Enter Needtobreathe into Krissie’s heart. Mark my words, kids: in 2010, Needtobreathe will become a household name – and this record is going to have a lot to do with it. Tremendous vocals, great lyrics and melody, and lots of stompin’ and handclappin’ made this record a favorite from its first play. I do believe that Bear Rineheart could sing the alphabet to me and it would sound amazing. From the dance hall fun of “Girl from Tennessee” to revival-esque songs like “Lay ‘Em Down” and “The Outsiders” to touching, slow-down-and-think numbers like “Stones Under Rushing Water,” there’s something for everyone on this record. An easy choice for the Top 10 list this year.

6. Green River Ordinance – Out of My Hands
2009 was definitely the year of GRO for me. After being a fan for several years, I finally got to meet and see the boys live on The Rock Boat in January, shortly before Out of My Hands was released in February. The intoxication of seeing them on the Boat led to a pretty excited Krissie when the album came out, and it has been in pretty permanent rotation all year. It’s a melodic, happy and sweet record that would appeal to anyone who likes a good tune. These boys are on the brink of super stardom, and I’m super excited for them. If you somehow missed my missives this year, please, for the love of Bruce, go out and pick up a copy of this record right now!

5. Christopher Jak – The Leadfoot Lover EP
Two words: Finally. Perfection. We all know that C Jak is in my Top 5…so of COURSE I’ve been waiting with bated breath for new music to come from him. And he didn’t disappoint me in 2009…his first new music in over three years. Three perfect new songs, and one re-done older song, all in a nice little package. Jak has this insane talent for being able to write deeply emotional and poignant songs – a la “Strong Enough” – and pair them with humorous, fun and sexy songs – “Leadfoot Lover” – and the combination just works. And damn, his ear is near perfect. I mean that quite literally; he’s a pretty savvy producer and has a knack for just making songs that sound fluid and full … and that just soar. It might be a small record, but it packs a punch. Welcome back, Jak … I missed ya!

4. Will Hoge – The Wreckage
How do you give the middle finger to fate? Recover from a brutal and nearly fatal car accident and put out what is perhaps the best record of your career nearly a year to the day later. Welcome to the story of The Wreckage, boys and girls. Will Hoge continues to channel the harbingers of great rock n’ roll – Otis, Hank, Johnny, Bruce, The Band – and create his own breed of rock. A little soul, a little country, a bunch of guitar. The Wreckage retains the grit and swagger that Will is known for, but takes it down a notch, coming across a little softer, a little more incisive – and it’s absolutely fantastic.

3. Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons – Death Won’t Send a Letter
The battle for my top album this year was really close and a hard decision. Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons come in third, but only by a hair. Cory Chisel found his way into my iTunes in 2008, and quickly became a favorite. His voice is gravelly, smoky and powerful – three things that win me over nearly immediately. The music is a beautiful blend of folk and rock. Coupled with gorgeous harmonies and insightful lyrics, it’s an absolutely enchanting record. “Born Again,” “So Wrong for Me” and “Longer Time At Sea” are my three favorites…but the whole record is stunning. And seriously, how bad ass is the name of this record?

2. Damion Suomi – Self-Titled
Where do I even begin? Damion was a gift to me this year from another band I listen to – Gasoline Heart. They share a label and when Damion’s album came out in March, the guys from GH tweeted about it. I clicked out of curiosity and almost instantly made the decision to buy the record. It is a free wheeling ramble of an album – drinking, heartache, self-doubt and self-love – a total barn-burner. The songs sway from sing-songy simple numbers like “Waltz” to fiery philosophical arguments like “Darwin, Jesus the Devil and Me.” It’s one of the most complex albums I’ve ever heard, and every time I listen to it, I find new jewels in it. Besides, how can you not love an artist who starts out a song by reciting Yeats “A Drunken Man’s Praise of Sobriety” (which is in itself a little shout out to Elvis Costello, who obviously influences Damion a bit)? If you want a musical adventure, pick yourself up some Damion Suomi. You will not be disappointed!

1. Tim Brantley – Goldtop Heights
This could potentially be a controversial choice for the top spot, but I’m sticking to my guns. Technically, I got this album in 2008…however, it wasn’t officially released until 2009, so that’s the date I’m using. Quite simply, Tim is a storyteller and a modern-day poet – much like my beloved Bruce. And I won’t lie that when Gail first sent me Tim’s album and said, “Just listen,” the Springsteen undertones were what immediately drew me to Tim. But the more I listened to Goldtop Heights, the less I heard Springsteen. Tim’s ability to take the stories and really charge them emotionally is absolutely brilliant. Lines like “Buried in me like a bullet, too dangerous to take it out, carried it with me like a souvenir, the scar from where you took me down…” are at the very crux of what made me fall head over heels in love with this album. Add all that to 70s-era piano skills reminiscent of Billy Joel and Elton John, a guitar, and an incredibly sexy voice, and you’ve got the recipe for my number one album of the year.

Will Hoge Lovin’ on CBS

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I love it when my musical loves get camera love on network TV.

My favorite live artist – on CBS Saturday Early Morning Show! Congrats to Will & the boys. Looks like his accident might bring some much deserved attention to the music (it should stand on its own, but sometimes it takes something big to wake the rest of the world up).

The Return of Rock n’ Roll

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Late last August, I was sitting at my desk when an e-mail came through from a sorority sister who lived in Nashville. The title was “Oh no.” And all it had was a link. What it led to made me tear up sitting at my desk. One of my favorite musicians – and probably my favorite musician to see live – had been involved in a serious scooter vs. car accident. Will Hoge was in critical condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

His injuries were severe – broken collarbone, ribs, punctured lung, shattered femur and kneecap, over 100 stitches for various lacerations – it may have been shorter to list what wasn’t broken.

How does someone recover from that?

I watched, with thousands of Will’s other fans, over the next few months as he battled his way out of the hospital, into recovery, and through surgeries and physical therapy. I was so happy that he survived the accident, but as he came back to life, and it was apparent through blog posts and news from friends that Will was still Will, I began to worry about the music.

This is a musician known for his powerhouse live shows and his relentless touring schedule – we’re talking 300 nights a year doing shows. And I can’t even put into words the sheer … electricity of Will’s live show. To steal a phrase from Grace Potter – “three cups full of bottled lightning.” Going to a Will Hoge show is, for me, the utter epitome of what rock n’ roll is about, even moreso than a Springsteen show. Maybe because Will brings that old gospel church revival feel without the “show” of a Springsteen performance. To me, a Will Hoge show is all about making you feel the rock ‘n’ roll, to feel the emotion behind the music. I’ll never forget the first time I saw him perform “Woman, Be Strong,” watching him drop to his knees and wail and thinking “Oh my god, he loves that girl.” And then Annie and I catching each other’s eyes and her just mouthing “Wow.” Afterwards, she said, “I think we just witnessed a moment.”

Here’s the thing – in the 54 times I’ve seen Will, there are more of those moments than I can count. He is, plain and simple, a rock ‘n’ roll musician. There is a reason that I’ve seen him as many times as I have. I can’t explain it, I can’t put it in words to convey it, but watching Will perform makes me feel alive. He literally animates the emotions of his songs – pain, anger, hope, love, frustration, sadness, longing, injustice – you can watch them play out on stage. There is raw power in what he does. It is electric and fantastic and exhilarating. I want to bottle it and carry it with me at all times. Isn’t that what music should be about?

I know it was selfish, but I was so worried that I’d never get that feeling back again. How would Will’s injuries (and being intubated) affect his ability to sing? Would he ever be able to recreate the live magic?

One of those questions was answered in April. Just eight months after what could have been a life-and-career ending accident, Will went on tour. He played a short run of sit-down acoustic shows. I saw him in Charlotte and it was clear that his singing was just as strong as it had ever been. But watching him hobble onto stage made me want to cry all over again…He, of course, made light of it when I asked if I’d break him if I hugged him…”You can’t bend metal,” he said. But it did leave me asking the question as to whether or not the Will Hoge show that I had once known was now a note in history.

That question was clearly answered last month for me when I went to see Will and the band in Greenville. Will, back on the big stage, with a full band. It was just like the old days, with maybe a little less jumping around on Will’s part. The magic was all there. Hell, sparks may as well have been shooting off the stage it was so hot. They played the music with a renewed intensity; the old ones brought me back to where they started and why I have loved Will since the moment I saw him stand on a table in Nashville and sing “Carousel” for the first time, and the new songs are all about what’s to come. Will and the guys were explosive…and I was just so happy to be there, watching the magic happen again.

Welcome back, Will.

More Ruse News…

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Check it out next week, everyone! The Ruse’s song “Beautiful is Gone” will be the iTunes single of the week beginning June 9th. If you dig it, pick up their album Midnight in the City on iTunes or at your favorite record store!

Fans & Musicians

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So a musician friend and I were chatting today about what makes a good fan, and more importantly, what makes a good musician. Beyond the nuts and bolts of playing music, there is something else that has to go into playing music in today’s music environment – fan interaction.

I know it sounds like a given, but I think there are a lot of musicians out there that aren’t getting it. Who know they are talented and think they deserve their fans’ dollars for delivering a great product. And they do…but fan interaction is a lot like customer service. You can provide a quality service/product and not do that little bit extra that will make me a raving fan of your good product. The same goes for music.

Every fan is different. A hardcore music follower, like me, is going to have a different set of standards than average Joe listener hearing a cover band at a local bar. But when it comes down to it, I think there are a few things that today’s musicians must deliver on in the fan experience – whether diehard or casual – that can make or break them.

There are a MILLION bands out there vying for my attention, my dollars, my attendance at shows, and my word-spreading. I am not the greatest fan on the planet, but I’m a good fan. I buy records. I understand that you need to make money. I know traveling is hard. I get that this is your job. I don’t mean to sound cocky – but seriously, you should want me as your fan. So how do you make me a fan? Here’s my formula for delivering the ultimate fan experience – to me or the undiscerning casual listener.

Make great music. Now, this doesn’t mean that you have to be a phenomenal musician. Everyone has to start somewhere. But love what you’re doing. Write good songs. Don’t half-ass it. Your fans know when you put a clinker out there to fill up a record. Trust me.

Have an awesome live performance. Okay, we all know that everyone has bad days, even musicians. But do not ever take the stage and not give it 100% of whatever you’ve got that day. Just because only two fans showed up to see you doesn’t give you the right to slack off on stage. Those fans paid their money and deserve a good show. Make your shows memorable for the fans. Take the time to notice people in the audience. Call them out. Listen to their requests. Don’t be too stuck on yourself or your talents to appreciate those who see the same talent in you. That doesn’t mean you have to play your cover of “Single Ladies” every time someone requests it – because we know you get sick of playing it. But if you’re not up for that one that night, ask the fan what else they want to hear and make sure you give them something that makes them feel special. We all understand that you can’t make everyone happy all of the time…but try your darndest.

A great example of this happened recently when I went to see one of my favorite bands, The Influence. They know I love one song of theirs in particular. It’s a number that requires an acoustic guitar. They didn’t have a lot of time to sound check and skipped checking the acoustic. The lead singer called me out saying, “Krissie, I know you love ‘Corpse Song,’ but we can’t play it tonight, so I’m going to play this one for you instead.” Was it one of my favorites? Not necessarily. But did it make me feel special? You got it. And even if I hadn’t known them and had asked a new band to play a song and they had denied me, if they had said, “I know you asked for X song, but so and so doesn’t know it yet…hope this will suffice for you,” I would have been happy.

Be genuinely interested in your fans. Talk to them before and after the show. If they take the time to come out to see you, sing along to all of your songs and buy a CD or a t-shirt, they DESERVE to have two seconds of your time for you to say “Thank you” and ask them a question or two about how they heard you, if they live in town, etc. If you’re paying attention to the audience during your set, you’ll naturally have questions to ask about them individually or at the very least, about the show itself (“How’d you like the new song? I’m interested to see what fans think of it…”). All it takes is one personal question to let someone know that you really are interested in hearing about them. Yes, there are hangers on and people that don’t know when to shut up or let the next fan approach – but you’re a professional musician. This is going to happen. Be honest and just say, “I’ve really enjoyed chatting with you, but this young lady/man over here has been waiting to talk to me and I want to make sure I thank everyone for coming to my show. I hope you don’t mind if I say hi to them.” They’ll get it…because, after all, they’ve probably been the one waiting in line before. Oh and P.S. I can tell when you could care less. Don’t let me figure that out. There’s nothing worse than someone who is being fake.

Be genuinely interested in making new fans – of all types. I know it sounds silly, but this is key. If a guy with piercings and tats hanging at the back of the room doesn’t look like your “typical” fan but stuck around for your whole show, dude, make an effort to approach him. You never know when the “new person” in the crowd is going to be one of those rare finds who can get you in the door with a whole new audience. If a long time fan brings friends to a show, pay special attention to them. A few minutes with them will gain you a handful of new fans at the next show. And while we know that looks sell, don’t forget about your less attractive fans. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a musician make a beeline for a bottle blonde Playboy model lookalike at the back of the room (who, by the way, was talking during your whole set) when someone who had just seen you for the first time and was genuinely interested in buying a CD was hanging out at the merch table for 10 minutes and eventually walked away. This goes for female musicians, too. Don’t just talk to the guys. Talk to the girlfriends and the wives.

Remember me. Now, this is of particular interest to indie bands whose audiences are still small, but damn it, remember me. If I’ve come to see you every time you come to my city, try your damndest to remember me. I know you meet a zillion people. I don’t expect you to remember my name. But if I’ve consistently come to see you as your audience grows, a smile and a “Thanks for coming out to see us again” will win you a billion bonus points with me.

Make it easy for me to see you live. Play in my city more often than once every six years. Let me know when you’re going to be in town (or even close by – I will travel!) – send e-mails, tweets, Facebook and MySpace bulletins. Hang posters. Hire someone to run your social networking sites. Ask your wife or your girlfriend to do it. Use your fans (this requires having a good relationship with your fans – which goes back to some of the above points). Train your pet monkey…I don’t care how you do it, but don’t make me work to find out about your shows. If you want people to come to your shows, you need to put the effort into making sure we know about them. Don’t expect that I’ll go to your social networking pages or the venue websites of the 10 clubs in town to check to see when you’re coming. Because 50% of fans aren’t that dedicated.

Anything you do above and beyond these things is bonus, really. And let me give you a clue: it’s not too hard to go above and beyond this. That kid who has been to see you the last 20 times you’ve been in town? Give him a free t-shirt. It’s a $10 loss for you which you’ll get back 50 fold in him telling his friends and bringing them all to the next show. Got a fan who has done an insane job of promoting your music or your shows? Guest list them at the show. Nothing makes a fan – especially a loyal one that you aren’t “friends” with – feel more important than walking up to the door with a friend and being able to say, “I’m on the guest list.” Make your college buddy who you haven’t seen in six years who didn’t care about you for squat until he found out that you were a musician pay the cover charge. Notice that a fan bought six CDs on pre-order? Take two seconds to send them a thank you note via e-mail (yes, you can use the “junk mail” account to do it so they don’t have your real address). Sending out the orders of new CDs yourself? Watch the mailing addresses and if you recognize a name, put a sticky note on the CD with “Hi”, a smiley face and your name on it. Thank a long time fan on a website, Twitter or other networking site or in the liner notes of your CD – unprompted. Mention a crazy fan’s antics in a video blog. It’s the little things, gang…those little extras…that make fans for life.

Words of wisdom? Probably not. But they could help make me a fan.

What makes YOU a fan?

(Thanks to all of the amazing artists and their management teams in my life who “get” it and gave me the background for writing this – Shane and Thumbs, Wil, Josh, Mr. Hoge, Sammy and the guys, Gareth, Honor By August, The Influence guys, Swifty from Georgia, Matty…you know who you are!)