Songwriter Spotlight: Daniel Tashian of The Silver Seas

Nashville is known for nurturing classic songwriters -- the kind of songwriter who will last through the ages. I recently came upon a great band from Nashville called The Silver Seas. The band's music speaks to the lonely and romantic -- the every man and woman. Their universal songs are what I call instantly "gettable," making your leg shake along with each chord, each sweet note.

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Concert Review: Film School - 10/25/07 @ Mercury Lounge (New York, NY)

Last summer I heard a rumor that Film School had broken up. This was disappointing news as I had just seen them at SXSW and really was beginning to love them. Turns out the band was just on hiatus, or maybe they came back to their senses and realized they couldn't just quit like that. What kind of happy ending would that be for a band called Film School?

Last night I went to see them at Mercury Lounge, and really enjoyed their heavy, dark, shoegazy set. Lead singer Greg Berten's vocals range from soft, dreamy coos to sensitive-guy mutters.

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Hustlin' and Flowin' @ CMJ Music Marathon

My philosophy this year at CMJ Music Marthon was to "go with the flow." I would have a loose plan each day with what I hoped to see, but generally I would just high-five friends and see where the day (and night) ended up taking me. This laid-back approach served me well at SXSW (a huge indie festival in Austin, TX) earlier this year, and it didn't steer me wrong at CMJ.

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Unofficial CMJ Parties

Another side of CMJ Music Marathon are all the shows that are considered "unofficial" day parties or shows. This year there are quite a few -- too many to be named, but they usually include free admission, free booze and free swag!

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Learn As You Go @ CMJ

I spent the last few posts focusing on the "music showcase" side of CMJ, which is a huge part of the festival that appeals to both fans and music industry professionals alike. But another important aspect of CMJ is what is happening behind the scenes -- networking between musicians and the pros who support them and their careers.

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More 2007 CMJ Music Marathon Show Picks

I listened to too many MySpace pages and came up with my show picks from the second day of CMJ... See them here!!

CMJ Music Marathon Preview: Day 1 Picks

CMJ Music Marathon recently announced the schedule for this year's festival. I went through the list of bands playing and picked the ones I thought were interesting enough to pop my head in and check out. Read the article here.

Lifeskool TV Songwriter Spotlight on Matt Pond of matt pond PA

check out my revealing interview with matt pond of matt pond pa. he talks about how he writes his songs and what is currently (and perhaps always) inspiring his work. read the interview here.

Lifeskool TV Songwriter Spotlight on Scott Masson of Office

i asked scott masson of chicago-based band office about his musical inspirations... the band just released their debut LP, a night at the ritz, on scratchie records this week... read the interview here.

songwriter spotlight on christopher denny on lifeskool tv

check out the interview i did with indie country singer christopher denny. he's got a voice that's otherworldly, caught in another era... read the interview.

songwriter spotlight on ferraby lionheart on lifeskool tv

here's the songwriter spotlight on ferraby lionheart on lifeskooltv.com.

songwriter spotlight on orba squara on lifeskool tv

check out my interview with mitch davis of orba squara for lifeskooltv.com. he's the guy behind the iphone song. he was also recently featured by pitchfork and stereogum! read the interview here.

songwriter spotlight on luke temple

i featured luke temple as the songwriter spotlight on lifeskooltv.com. his new album, snowbeast, debuts this week... check out the interview here.

songwriter spotlight on simple kid on lifeskool tv

i did an interview with simple kid, a diy, lo-fi singer-songwriter from london. he's doing three nights in a row at mo' pitkins in new york, starting today. plus a show at union hall. check out the interview on lifeskooltv.com!

songwriter spotlight on mirah on lifeskool tv

here's my songwriter spotlight interview with mirah on her new insect-inspired album, share this place, with spectratone international. check out her current inspirations now on lifeskooltv.com.

this week (and last week's) new releases on lifeskool tv

i worked on a roundup of this and last week's new releases on lifeskool tv, including bishop allen, bat for lashes, yeah yeah yeahs, john vanderslice, sebadoh, emily haines and more... read what the artists have to say about their releases... check it out on lifeskooltv.com.

songwriter spotlight on greg barkley of oh no! oh my! on lifeskool tv

i chatted with greg barkley of oh no! oh my! about his songwriting inspirations. read the interview at lifeskooltv.com!

songwriter spotlight on robbers on high street on lifeskool tv

i recently interviewed ben trokan of robbers on high street about the band's new album, grand animals, and about his latest musical inspirations... check it out on lifeskooltv.com.

music biz buzz

just posted another music biz roundup on lifeskooltv.com. check it out here...

music biz buzz

i wrote up another round of music industry news for lifeskooltv.com, including live earth, apple's "next big thing," starbucks, last.fm & sony bmg, and more... check it out here.

songwriter spotlight on die romantik

i recently interviewed the boys of die romantik about their new album, narcissist's waltz and their dark inspirations... check out the interview at lifeskooltv.com.

music biz buzz on lifeskooltv.com

i've started doing a weekly music biz news roundup on lifeskooltv.com, so check out the latest one here to get the scoop on what the industry is buzzing about this week...

songwriter spotlight on kai fish of mystery jets

i interviewed kai fish of mystery jets about songwriting inspirations and more. check it out at lifeskooltv.com.

songwriter spotlight on fujiya & miyagi's david best

i asked david best of fujiya & miyagi some songwriter spotlight questions. check it out at lifeskooltv.com.

tony wilson presents in the city of new york festival

i wrote about the in the city of new york festival, which begins tomorrow. check out my preview on lifeskool tv.

songwriter spotlight with danny barria of the big sleep

i caught up with danny barria of the big sleep for a songwriter spotlight interview on lifeskool tv. read the interview here...

interpol at bowery ballroom concert review on lifeskooltv.com

here's another concert review i did of interpol at bowery ballroom. it was my first time really seeing them (the first was at a carson daly taping a few years ago, which i don't think really counts...). i walked into bowery ballroom not sure about how i felt about interpol. i walked out of bowery ballroom a changed woman. read my review on lifeskooltv.com.

songwriter spotlight with jason friedman of the boggs



i interviewed jason friedman of the boggs on his new album, forts, on gigantic records. the boggs are playing a free show tonight at union pool and then going on tour.

check out the interview and concert information at lifeskooltv.com.

national screenings of "the jesus lizard live"

there will be special one time screenings around the country of the "the jesus lizard live" to help promote the release of this concert dvd. i wrote about it for lifeskool tv. check screening dates and a clip from the dvd here.

jesus and mary chain live review on lifeskooltv.com



i wrote up a review of the jesus and mary chain show at webster hall for lifeskooltv.com. you can read up on it here...

Quick Overview of Free Summertime Concerts at Lifeskooltv.com

I wrote up a quick review of all of my favorite FREE summertime concerts. Everything from the JellyNYC Pool Parties to the Siren Festival to the River to River Festival. Read and enjoy here!

bamboo shoots win mtvu's best band on campus contest and perform on late night with conan o'brien



here is a band that i have come to like over the last year... bamboo shoots. i wrote a little feature on the band who performed on late night with conan o'brien this week after winning mtvu's best band on campus contest. find out more about them and watch the performance at lifeskooltv.com.

songwriter spotlight on holly miranda of the jealous girlfriends on lifeskooltv.com



check out the interview i did with holly miranda of the jealous girlfriends on lifeskooltv.com. click here to read the interview...

mogwai scores a soccer documentary

i reported on mogwai's new gig as composers for a soccer documentary coming out... get the details on lifeskooltv.com.

bjork concert review on lifeskooltv.com

i did a lil' review of the bjork show from united palace last weekend. it's posted now on lifeskooltv.com. check it out!

songwriter spotlight on noah chernin of sam champion on lifeskooltv.com



sam champion has grown tremendously since releasing their debut lp, slow rewind. now they are ready to explore richer pastures of music with songs that are well crafted with an alt-country whimsy. i recently talked to frontman noah chernin about all things sam champion on lifeskooltv.com.

modest mouse concert review on lifeskooltv.com



i attended one of the modest mouse shows at united palace in new york. i had no idea what to expect now that the lineup included johnny marr of the smiths fame... but i ended up looooooving it! find out why by reading my review on lifeskooltv.com.

songwriter spotlight on nick peill of fields on lifeskooltv.com



i'm totally loving field's single, "if you fail we all fail." i got a chance to ask nick peill some questions about songwriting for lifeskooltv.com. read what the charming brit had to say.

Pela Releases Their Debut Full-Length, Anytown Graffiti, on Great Society This Week!



I want to congratulate all the boys in Pela for releasing their debut CD, Anytown Graffiti, this week on Great Society.

Get tour dates and read my preview of the record on Lifeskooltv.com.

songwriter spotlight with eddie argos of art brut on lifeskooltv.com



hey everyone, sorry it's been a little quiet here on jinners this past week. i've been in LA for work, and haven't had a breather in a long time. i just posted the interview i did with eddie argos of art brut, talking about songwriting and such. please check it out here and leave me some feedback! everything will return to normal next week. in the meantime, check out these invites to the LA listening party for the new art brut album, it's a bit complicated, on downtown records.

xoxo
jinners

cheeseburger concert review on lifeskooltv.com



i just happened to be really drunk and standing out of a sold out cheeseburger show at mercury lounge, when an angel appeared and let me pay for a ticket to get in. then the magic happened. best cheeseburger show ever. read my review of the show on lifeskooltv.com.

songwriter spotlight on jaymay on lifeskooltv.com



this week i got to interview and feature one of my absolute favorite contemporary singer-songwriters, jaymay. i am happy to announce that she just signed a deal with heavenly/EMI and (sad for me) is moving to london this month. check out my lifeskool tv interview with this songstress!

tonic's final shows

so it looks like tonic is closing down for real this time. can rent in the LES really be that expensive? crazy. but it's good that they will at the very least be continuing on as promoters of the underground/indie/avant garde. i posted a lifeskool blog with a couple letters from the venue and the schedule for the final shows.