Tag: Fan Favorite

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Artists Worth Checking Out indie music Reviews Women in Entertainment

Rachel Arianna brings hope and awareness in the message of ‘We Become’

photo courtesy of Catherine Fiehn.

Rachel Arianna is not your typical teenager.  At the tender age of 15, she is already a gifted songwriter and performer as well as the founder of the “Words Can Soar” anti-bullying campaign.  This young lady from the New York City area  has worked tirelessly as a mental health, suicide prevention and anti-bullying youth activist and her mission is to raise awareness through music, the arts & activism.

Arianna is releasing her latest single, “We Become” on all media platforms today.  The song is not just about accepting who you are, but also about accepting the little mistakes that we make because “today is now, but we always have the future.”  The song will also be featured in the Lyme Light Journey documentary featuring Brooke Procida Ritchie (Studio P.C.I.)

The song is a powerful anthem of hope that needs to be shared with the world.  It is well-written and crafted in such a way that it should appeal to music lovers of all ages.  The message comes through loud and clear with a call to action that must be answered.

The single was recorded at Shorefire Recording Studios in Long Branch, New Jersey, was produced and co-written by two-time Grammy winner Marc Swersky (Hillary Duff, Joe Cocker) and was engineered by Joseph DeMaio (Bon Jovi).

When she was 10 years old, Arianna started her “Words Can Soar” anti-bullying initiative after learning that a teen in her hometown had committed suicide.  She expanded her program to reach many more venues and individuals as she witnessed the impact that bullying takes on suicide and mental illness.  She is also in favor of gun control after learning that they have become one of the leading causes of suicide in teens.

Arianna realized that healing begins through communication and that young adults need to talk to each other and hear each other’s stories.   With a desire to empower others, she began her mission to create change through the arts.  Using her poetry, she collaborated with songwriters Marc Swersky and Brielle Brown to write “We Become,” her second single with them, as a vehicle to inspire the communication young adults so desperately need and to make sure they know that no one is alone.

Rachel has been performing for 11 years and has appeared in national commercials, television, movies, and off-Broadway, while her voice has been used for voice-overs.  In 2017, she was presented with the State Honoree Award for Community Service for Middle Schoolers through the Prudential Spirit Awards, and was a two-time recipient of gold medals from the Presidential Awards.  She  has been invited to leadership conferences, won the Clarence F. Heimann Award and the Halaby Award, as well as the LA Music Critic Award for Rising Star in 2018 and for Fan Favorite in 2017.

Arianna hopes to use her music to spread messages of kindness so that no one else will lose their lives to the horrible epidemics of bullying, suicide, mental health or guns.

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Artists Worth Checking Out LA Music Critic Awards Women in Entertainment

Announcement of LA Music Critic Award winners for second half of 2018

What a year this has been.  We have been overwhelmed with the quality of music created by indie artists in 2018, and by the public support of their craft.  This cycle of nominations has generated 745 comments and 5,366 views from 63 countries, 23 of which generated at least 10 views each.  In addition, our blog has been viewed a total of 8,826 times since the nominations were announced on December 7.  We are so proud of each and every artist and their fans and thank you sincerely for this accomplishment.

The winner of the Icon Award will be announced at the Winners Showcase on June 18, 2019 at The Mint in Los Angeles.  Please save the date and come out to see the winners perform.

Without further delay, here are the winners for the second half of 2018:

BEST EP (Male) – Zach Callison (A Picture Perfect Hollywood Heartbreak)

BEST EP (Female) – Lauren Jaimes (Here to Stay)

BEST EP (Group) – Shelby Texas (We are Shelby, Texas)

BEST EP (International Artist) – Paolo Preite (An Eye on the World)

BEST EP (International Group) – The Fisherman & The Sea (I Can’t Alone)

BEST CD (Male) – Hadden Sayers (Dopamine Machine)

BEST CD (Female) – Brigitte Rios Purdy (Still I Rise)

BEST CD (Group) – Birds and Arrows (Arbitrary Magic)

BEST CD (International Artist) – Kate Reid (The Heart Already Knows)

BEST CD (International Group) – Crack of Dawn (self-titled)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Male) – Everlast (“Don’t Complain”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Female) – Dree Mon (“Dance Like I Want To”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Group) – Fanny Walked the Earth (“When we Need Her”)

BEST VIDEO (FOR A CAUSE) – Kim Kline (“Stand Tall”)

BEST VIDEO (LYRIC) – The Spider Accomplice (“Epilogue”)

BEST VIDEO (COVER) – CALICO the Band (“California Dreaming”)

BEST VIDEO (COLLABORATION) – Seawaves & Jerad Finck (New Kids)

BEST VIDEO (INTERNATIONAL) – Ziggy Alberts (“Stronger”)

BEST SINGLE (Male) – Curtis Peoples (“Castaways”)

BEST SINGLE (Female) – Kris Angeles (“Stained Glass”)

BEST SINGLE (Group) – Honey River (“Peace, Love”)

BEST SINGLE (INTERNATIONAL) – Vanessa Zamora (“Malas Amistades”)

BEST SINGLE (HOLIDAY) – Mustangs of the West (“Everybody Wants Peace on Earth”)

BEST BLUES ARTIST – Brigitte Rios Purdy

BEST BLUES BAND – Michelle D’Amour and the Love Dealers

BEST BLUES (TRADITIONAL) ARTIST – Lawrence Lebo

BEST BLUES (TRADITIONAL) BAND – Julianne Q and the Howl

BEST BLUEGRASS ARTIST/BAND – Tellico

BEST CHILDREN’S ALBUM – Ruth and Emilia (The Spaceship That Fell in my Backyard)

BEST COMEBACK ARTIST – The Textones

BEST COMEDY ALBUM – Brad Wenzel (Sweet Nothings)

BEST COMPILATION ALBUM – A Blue Élan Christmas (various Blue Élan Records artists)

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST – Hilary Scott

BEST COUNTRY BAND – Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis

BEST EDM/DANCE ARTIST/BAND – TNEO

BEST FOLK ARTIST – Lauren Balthrop

BEST FOLK BAND –   The Skiffle Players

BEST HARD ROCK/METAL ARTIST/BAND – Rebel Rampage

BEST HIP-HOP/RAP ARTIST/BAND – Everlast

BEST HOLIDAY ALBUM – Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers (All I Got for Christmas is the Blues)

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST – Abby Zotz

BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND – Norway Reloaded

BEST INSTRUMENTAL ARTIST/BAND – Andrew Abaria

BEST JAZZ ARTIST – Slim Gambill

BEST JAZZ BAND – CeCe Teneal and Soul Kamotion

BEST LATIN ARTIST/BAND – Constanza Herrero

BEST LIVE ALBUM – Shari Puorto (Live at Bogie’s)

BEST POP ARTIST – Jordan Siwek

BEST POP BAND – My Brothers and I

BEST POP/ROCK ARTIST/BAND – KT Tunstall

BEST PUNK ARTIST/BAND – Taco Mouth

BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST – Candace Devine

BEST R&B/SOUL BAND – Diane Durrett & Soul Suga

BEST ALT ROCK ARTIST – Trevor James

BEST ALT ROCK BAND – The Upstart Crows

BEST ROCK ARTIST – K. Michelle DuBois

BEST ROCK BAND – The Guess Who

BEST REGGAE ARTIST/BAND – Sean Paul

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST – Jeffrey Foucault

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA BAND – No Dry County

BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER – Gaelynn Lea

BEST SOUTHERN ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Moonshine Saints

MOST UNIQUE ARTIST/BAND – Grave Danger

RISING STAR – Sofia Evangelina

FAN FAVORITE – Once again, the fans have spoken, and 25 artists were nominated for this award.  YYNOT was the early favorite, with Reloaded Norway, Paper Gliders, Jordan Siwek and Mindi Abair close behind.  All of a sudden a dark horse appeared in the final week that changed everything.  When the dust had settled, LAUREN JAIMES overtook YYNOT by a score of 184 votes to 170 votes.  Jordan Siwek took third place with 140 votes.  Reloaded Norway (64 votes) and Mindi Abair ( 42 votes) rounded out the top five.  Congratulations to you all.

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it – Electric Neon Clouds, Chris Peace, Horror Section, Ariel Gold, KOKOKO!

Today is the final day to vote for your Fan Favorites.  The standings have tightened up, and the race is on.  Don’t lose the momentum for your favorite indie artist.  Vote today but remember, you can only vote once per valid email.  The winners will be announced next Friday.  In the meantime, here are five new December 7 releases for your consideration.

Artist Name:  Electric Neon Clouds

Album Name:  Electric Neon Clouds

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Synth Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Two Birds; 2.  Elemental; 3.  I Don’t Know Why; 4.  The Ocean

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Canadian band Electric Neon Clouds deliver high quality synth-pop with an 80s new wave feel.  On this self-titled EP, they give us an appetizer of their full-length album coming early next year, and we can’t wait.  All four of this tasty morsels are fun and will make you want to get up and dance.  We really love “Elemental,” but could easily put all four of these tracks on perpetual repeat.   Even if only these four songs from the upcoming album are good, they are still worth the price of admission for the entire album.  We will bring you the entire new album as soon as we receive it.

Recommendation:  Get this one now – hopefully it will keep you occupied until the full-length album comes out next year.

Artist Name:  Chris Peace

Album Name:  Songcraft

Label:  Winding Way Records

Genre:  Folk/Americana

Track Listing:  1.  The Worry (ft Sharon Little); 2.  Lawless (ft Maggie Pope); 3.  Eyes on You (ft Rob Pallet and Margo Cisneros); 4.  Silver Gun (ft Christine McAlister); 5.  You are the One  (ft Rob Pallet and Margo Cisneros)

Publicist:  Winding Way Records

Review:  Chris Peace is a mega-talented singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer from Philadelphia.  On this sterling EP, he joins forces with some gifted vocalists who bring his amazing creations to life.  The EP starts off with the unmistakable voice of Sharon Little on “The Worry,” and foretells the awesomeness that is in store for the listener as they make their way through this EP.  He joins in with Maggie Pope on “Lawless” and Christine McAlister on “Silver Gun,”  and the harmonies are a thing of beauty.  This entire EP is definitely going on repeat, as all five songs are simply some of the best we have heard in 2018.  Well done Mr. Peace – hurry back with another batch!

Recommendation:  Don’t let this train leave without you – Get it now!

Artist Name:  Horror Section

Album Name:  Horror Section

Label:  Eccentric Pop Records

Genre:  Punk Rock

Track Listing:  Side A:  1.  Six; 2.  They’re Inside; 3.  Are you There?  4.  Behind the Wheel; 5.  Forever Gone; 6.  First Kill; 7.  Somebody Else; 8.  I Want it Back  Side B:  1.  Rooms and Echoes; 2.  Make Them Pay; 3.  Murder; 4.  Wait for You; 5.  Resonator; 6.  Working Title; 7.  Remains; 8.  Don’t Know

Publicist:  Earshot Media

Review:   The debut album from Horror Section follows years of releasing 7″ singles and EPs at their performances.  The self-titled album has been simultaneously released on vinyl and CD,   As with most punk songs, these are short and sweet and offer an intriguing soundtrack for lovers of the horror film genre.  They would make great placements in horror films as well, or Halloween themed commercials.

Recommendation:

Artist Name:  Ariel Gold

Album Name:  Grace

Label:   Self-released

Genre:  Singer-songwriter Folk/Americana

Track Listing:  1.  Weather; 2.  Blue; 3.  A A; 4.  Grace; 5.  The Ballad of Codependency; 6.  Lullaby for the Unborn Child

Publicist:  Pendulum PR

Review:  We previously featured Ariel Gold’s single, “Blue” in our Ten Great Singles article last month.  Her music has an ethereal quality that is comparable to Enya, but with a more folky feel, similar to the indie Periscope queen, Clare Means or the magnificent Ingrid Michaelson.  Her sound is enticing and radio friendly, and she would be a great opening act for many Folk/Americana bands.  These are songs that will haunt you long after their final note, and become instantly memorable, especially “Blue” and “A A.”   Truth be told, all six songs are worthy of your attention.

Recommendation:  Definitely Get this one!

Adult Man Gesture Stand Studio Portrait

Artist Name:  KOKOKO!

Album Name:  Liboso

Label:  Transgressive

Genre:  World Music

Track Listing:  1.  Blvd Lumumba; 2.  Azo Toke; 3.  Affaire a Mbongo; 4.  L.O.V.E. (ft Nyangombe); 5.  Longola ye Kupe

Publicist:  Worldwide Friendly Society

Review:  We had not been exposed to much world music until we experienced the incredible Moroccan sounds of Tinariwen at the Traveler’s Rest Festival last year.  KOKOKO!, which means knock, knock, knock, has more of a central Africa sound, specifically the Congo, but is no less stirring and riveting.  They create their own sound with DIY instruments and thus once heard, they are not easily forgotten.  This music might also be useful on the soundtrack for your next rave or EDM get-together.  They are definitely worth your attention.

Recommendation:  This is an intriguing addition to your eclectic music collection.  Give them a try.

 

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it – Liz Fawcett, Karen Craigie, Brother Brad, Belly Squad, Ronny Morris

We’re heading into the home stretch for the 2018-2 LA Music Critic Award for Fan Favorite.  Voting ends tomorrow, so don’t miss the chance to recognize your favorite indie artist.  Winners will be announced on Friday, January 4, 2019.  In the meantime, here are five more reviews to check out.

Artist Name:  Liz Fawcett

Album Name:  Start Again

Label:  Lizzard Productions

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Start Again; 2.  Waiting; 3.  New Times; 4.  Why you Gotta Change Me; 5.  Let’s be Gone; 6.  Ohh la La La; 7.  Crazy Land; 8.  I Just Wanna Dance; 9.  It’s all Gone; 10.  Don’t Let Go; 11.  Somehow; 12.  Make it Through the Day; 13.  Never Before

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Liz Fawcett is an actress and singer-songwriter from Orange County, California.  While we have seen a large number of actors/actresses branch out recently into the music industry, this one truly has the goods to make it as an artist.  Her voice is heavenly, while her musical accompaniment is first rate and truly classy.  From the first notes of the title track, she announces to the world that she has truly arrived.  Although the overall sound is pop, there are so many nuances to her music that we think she could excel in any genre.  Her songs are radio friendly and also perfect for placement in television and film.  Best songs include the title track, “New Times,” “Why you Gotta Change Me,” “Ooh la La La,” “Crazy Land,” “I Just Wanna Dance,” “Don’t Let Go” and “Make it Through the Day” (both of which would make great Disney themes) and “Never Before.”

Recommendation:  Run out and Get this one!

Artist Name:  Karen Craigie

Album Name:  Mountains of Gold

Label:  Buttercup Records

Genre:  Country

Track Listing:  1.  Little Heartbreaker; 2.  Kill me Now; 3.  Bottom Line; 4.  Mountains of Gold; 5.  High; 6.  Game Face; 7.  Happy Ending; 8.  Lonely Town; 9.  So Long; 10.  Till it Gets Done

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  Once again a rising country star has emerged from Australia with the third release from Karen Craigie, who reminds us of such country greats as Mary Chapin Carpenter and Patty Loveless.  Her songs are flawlessly written and should do quite well on American country radio, and have that classic country sound that endures, especially “Little Heartbreaker” and “Kill me Now.”  Other songs worthy of your attention include the title track (the perfect waltz),  “High,” “Happy Ending,” “Lonely Town,” “So Long” and “Till it Gets Done.”

Recommendation:  This one truly belongs in your country music catalog.  Go Get it.

Artist Name:  Brother Brad

Album Name:  Get Around

Label:  A&R Records

Genre:  Soul/Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Gotta Be; 2.  Digital Revolution; 3.  Ger Around; 4.  Yesterday; 5.  I Gave you my All; 6.  My Girl

Publicist:  The A&R Department

Review:  Combining elements of jazz, funk, reggae, R&B and pop, Sydney, Australia-based band Brother Brad create a fun and entertaining sound that deserves worldwide attention.  The horns truly shine through these six amazing tracks and clearly capture the chemistry and amazing songwriting that signal this is the band to see perform live.  There is not a weak track in the bunch, and this one is definitely going on repeat.  We especially love their first single, “My Girl,” and can certainly understand why everyone seems to love it as well.

Recommendation:  Get off your duff and Get this one now!

Artist Name:  Belly Squad

Album Name:  Bon Appétit

Label:  Self-released Mixtape

Genre:  Rap/Afro Swing

Track Listing:  1,  SOS; 2.  Best in Town; 3.  Jumpstart (ft Young T & Bugsey); 4.  Bag; 5.  Wanna Ride (Skr Skr); 6.  Ribena; 7.  Teamwork; 8.  Missing (ft Headie One); 9.  Say Nuttin

Publicist:  Worldwide Friendly Society

Review:  This mixtape clearly demonstrates why Belly Squad has risen to the top of the UK’s rap scene.  Their tracks contain great music and lyrics you can actually understand.  The first single “Missing,” which features Headie One, has amassed more than 8 million streams since it was released, and it is not the only great song in this collection.  Other memorable tunes include “Best in Town,” “Jumpstart” (featuring Young T & Bugsey), “Wanna Ride (Skr Skr),” “Ribena,” and “Say Nuttin.”

Recommendation:  If you love rap, this is a must-have for your collection.

Artist Name:  Ronny Morris

Album Name:  Sweet Silence

Label:  Warner Music Scandinavia

Genre:  Classic Rock

Track Listing:  1.  I’ll Survive; 2.  All About Love; 3.  Still; 4.  Windows; 5.  Sweet Silence; 6.  Purge; 7.  Hey; 8.  Lilly; 9.  Built to Last; 10.  Lost my Way; 11.  Every Time it Gets Real; 12.  So Young

Publicist:  Morris Music

Review:  Ronny Morris has already achieved success with his music, even before the release of his debut album Sweet Silence.  He has secured placements in such television hits as One Tree Hill, Brothers and Sisters and The Ghost Whisperer, to name a few.  Hooking up with Grammy-winning mixer Steve Thompson helped shape this composer into an artist, resulting in this album, which includes a dramatic score featuring the Czech Symphony Orchestra.  This helps give his music the same feel as ELO, making these songs extremely radio friendly.  His vocals are dreamy, seemingly floating on the musical accompaniment.  There aren’t any misses in this dynamic collection, and you just may want to put it on repeat.

Recommendation:  Definitely go Get this one!

 

 

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Awards LA Music Critic Awards Women in Entertainment

Announcement of nominations for LA Music Critic Awards for the second half of 2018 (updated)

It’s finally here.  We are so proud to announce this amazing list of nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards for the second half of 2018.  We culled through 461 CDs and EPs from around the globe, and an equal number of singles and music videos to create what we believe is one of the most diverse group of musicians in the world.

The committee votes on all nominations except the Fan Favorite, where you the reader get to choose your favorite performer.  In order to vote, you must leave a comment below.  Votes left on social media do not count.  The deadline for voting is December 28, and the winners of the awards will be announced on January 4, 2019.  Please remember that you cannot nominate an artist who has already won this award.

Without further adieu, here are the nominations:

BEST EP (Male) – Wolfe Jackson (Nobody Knows Me (Better Than You)); Trevor Douglas (Four in the Morning), Zach Callison (A Picture Perfect Hollywood Heartbreak), Ben de la Cour (The High Cost of Living Strange), Alex Riddle (Snow White)

BEST EP (Female) – Frankie Simone (Love Warrior); Mariel Austin (Runner in the Rain); Lauren Jaimes (Here to Stay), Leslie Nuss (The Album V)

BEST EP (Group) – Shelby Texas (We are Shelby, Texas); Small Million (Young Fools); Paper Gliders (Trials), Heartspank (II), PublicArt (Modernika), Neverwonder (self-titled)

BEST EP (International Artist) – Paolo Preite (An Eye on the World); Jon Mullane (Singles); Valerio Lysander (We are Like Colored Moths Towards the Sunlight); Matty T Wall (Sidewinder); Abby Zotz (Local Honey)

BEST EP (International Group) – Delta Will (Multitudes I); The Fisherman & The Sea (I Can’t Alone); CAP ON. (Be Better Than Jeff), thisquietarmy (The Body and the Earth), The Spanish Flies (Good Things Come to Those Who Wait)

BEST CD (Male) – Slim Gambill (Fake Jazz); Doran Danoff (King of Crown City); Ken Sharp (Beauty in the Backseat); Jeffrey Foucault (War on the Radio); Jordan Siwek (Sun Inside You); Hadden Sayers (Dopamine Machine)

BEST CD (Female) – Deb Ryder (Enjoy the Ride); Rachel Sage (Myopia); Tammie Shannon (All of Me); Bridget Rios Purdy (Still I Rise); Gina Sicilia (Heard the Lie); K. Michelle Dubois (Autumn)

BEST CD (Group) – The Furious Seasons (Now Residing Abroad); Broken Bellows (I, Kaleidoscope); Post Season (self-titled); Birds and Arrows (Arbitrary Magic); The Dream Logic (Liquid Sunshine)

BEST CD (International Artist) – Leeroy (Burn to Ashes), Dustin Tebbutt (Chasing Gold), Kate Reid (The Heart Already Knows), Hollie Haines (Letters to my Last Love), Zsuzsika (Start Again)

BEST CD (International Group) – Hymn for Her (Pop-n-Downers); VNV Nation (Noire); Neville & Sugary Staple (Rude Rebels); Crack of Dawn (self-titled); Norway Reloaded (My Longest Mile)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Male) – Michael Peterson (“From Here to Eternity”), Colin Devlin (“High Point”), Kramies (“The Hill Dweller”), Everlast (“Don’t Complain”), Van Bobbi (“Kickdrum Heartbeat”), **Jason Robert/Stone Stanley (“Mr. Bell”)** Inadvertently left off list

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Female) – Alana Sweetwater (“Gotta Get Up”), Nuela Charles (“Danger”), Lauren Duski (“Costume Party”), Tiffany Young (“Teach You”), Dree Mon (“Dance Like I Want To”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Group) – Satellite Citi (“Collide”), Fanny Walked the Earth (“When we Need Her”), The Guess Who (“Playin on the Radio”), Honey River (“Peace, Love”), Roan Yellowthorn (“Talk About It”), JP Soars (“Southbound I-95”)

BEST VIDEO (FOR A CAUSE) – Lora Kelley (“Good Men Don’t Hurt You”), Kim Kline (“Stand Tall”), No Small Children (“I’m so Concerned”), Sofia Evangelina (“This is Your Song”), Aijia (“For You”), Various Artists (“Let’s Rise”)

BEST VIDEO (LYRIC) – Smoke Season (“Sweetest Thing”), Stephen Michael Murphy (“Why”), Post Season (“Numb to This”), Rachel Eckroth (“Call my Name”), Greg Laswell (“Royal Empress”), The Spider Accomplice (“Epilogue”)

BEST VIDEO (COVER) – CALICO the Band (“California Dreaming”), Rachel Eckroth (“Love is Lost”), PaperDolls (“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”)

BEST VIDEO (COLLABORATION) – Janiva Magness & Bryan Stephens (“Love is an Army”), Seawaves & Jerad Finck (“New Kids”), Free Love & Suzanne Roden (“Pushing Too Hard”/”July”), Defanico & Avanti (“You Make me Feel”), Cindy Alexander & Rusty Young (“My Favorite Artist”)

BEST VIDEO (INTERNATIONAL) – Constanza Herrero (“Packing Up”), Chesca (“Azucar”), Ziggy Alberts (“Stronger”), The Trouble Notes (“Grand Masquerade”), Peakes (“Still Life”)

BEST SINGLE (Male) – Rod Melancon (“Westgate”), Mike Edell (“Grow with You”), CJ Harper (“When we Rise”), Curtis Peoples (“Castaways”), Thomas Graff (“Make it Easy”)

BEST SINGLE (Female) – Amy Wilcox (“Bandwagon”), Chelsea Gill (“Ray-Bans”), Alexis Keegan (“Gospel”), Kris Angeles (“Stained Glass”), Christine Parker (“Where You Are”)

BEST SINGLE (Group) – SIGNY (“Water”), Honey River (“Peace, Love”), Only Bridges (“Ordinary”), Mustangs of the West (“T-Shirt from California”), The Textones (“20 Miles From Wrong”)

BEST SINGLE (INTERNATIONAL) – Vanessa Zamora (“Malas Amistades”), Liron (“Pina Colada”), Maya Payne (“Jungle”), Greta Jaime (“Computer Games”), Carlo & the Montes (“Nobody’s Fool”)

BEST SINGLE (HOLIDAY) – PaperDolls (“God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen”), Tiffany Young (“Peppermint”), Jack Tempchin (“Jesus and Mohammed”), Mustangs of the West (“Everybody Wants Peace on Earth”)

BEST BLUES ARTIST – Gina Sicilia, Brigette Rios Purdy, Hadden Sayers, Katie Knipp, Kirk Fletcher

BEST BLUES BAND – Detroit Rebellion, Black Cat Road, Michelle D’Amour and the Love Dealers, Keith Stone and Red Gravy, JP Soars

BEST BLUES (TRADITIONAL) ARTIST – Tammie Shannon, Tom Hambridge, Wily Bo Walker, Lawrence Lebo, Deb Ryder, Jonathon Long

BEST BLUES (TRADITIONAL) BAND – Peter V Blues Train, Delta Moon, Karen Lawrence and Blue by Nature, Matheus Matthews, Julianne Q and the Howl

BEST BLUEGRASS ARTIST/BAND – Roland White, Tellico

BEST CHILDREN’S ALBUM – Ruth and Emilia (The Spaceship That Fell in my Backyard)

BEST COMEBACK ARTIST – Mustangs of the West, The Textones, Frank Bey, Buddy Guy

BEST COMEDY ALBUM – Brad Wenzel (Sweet Nothings)

BEST COMPILATION ALBUM – Come See About Me (IBMA Trust Fund), A Blue Élan Christmas (various Blue Élan Records artists)

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST – Dennis Duff, Hilary Scott, Corinne Cook, Stephanie Urbina Jones, Lauren Jaimes

BEST COUNTRY BAND – Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis, The Bob Peek Thing, Shelby Texas

BEST EDM/DANCE ARTIST/BAND – Sterling Infinity, Risky Motion, Andrew Bayer, United Ghosts, Lavender Fields, TNEO

BEST FOLK ARTIST – Paul Givant, Lauren Balthrop, Wolfe Jackson, Jason Erie, Ben Bostick

BEST FOLK BAND –   The Furious Seasons, The Skiffle Players, Max Caddy, New London Fire, Lay Low Moon

BEST HARD ROCK/METAL ARTIST/BAND – Rebel Rampage, YYNOT, Code Red Riot, Cosmogyral, Lana Blac

BEST HIP-HOP/RAP ARTIST/BAND – Everlast

BEST HOLIDAY ALBUM – The Humming Bards (Holy Common Grounds); Redhead Express/PaperDolls (Christmastime); Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers (All I Got for Christmas is the Blues); Paul Cardall (Christmas)

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST – Solomon Grey, Dave Wells, Jon Mullane, Abby Zotz, Mac Murray

BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND – Monsta X, Ace of Wands, Koenix, Crack of Dawn, Norway Reloaded

BEST INSTRUMENTAL ARTIST/BAND – Andrew Abaria, Rob McAllister/Music Within, Daniel Aged, Lucky 757, Tauk

BEST JAZZ ARTIST – Mariel Austin, Walt Weiskopf, Calvin Arsenia, Slim Gambill, Leo James Conroy

BEST JAZZ BAND – CeCe Teneal and Soul Kamotion, Strunz & Farah, Frank Gambale Soulmine, S U M, Mark Winkler and Cheryl Bentyne

BEST LATIN ARTIST/BAND – Lauren Henderson, De’Anza, The Chamanas. Constanza Herrero

BEST LIVE ALBUM – Shari Puorto (Live at Bogie’s), Sonia Leigh (Live in London), John McLaughlin & Jimmy Herring (Live in San Francisco), Jocelyn Michelle (Live at Viva Cantina), Karen Lawrence & Blue by Nature (Best of Live)

BEST POP ARTIST – Greg Laswell, Rachel Sage, Trevor Douglas, Ken Sharp, Jordan Siwek

BEST POP BAND – Small Million, Broken Bellows, My Brothers and I, Baby Jay, Roan Yellowthorn

BEST POP/ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes, The Persian Leaps, Coyote Choir, Teddy and the Love Gang, KT Tunstall

BEST PUNK ARTIST/BAND – Subterfuge, Castle Black, A Very Special Episode, Taco Mouth, Post Season

BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST – Sara Marie Barron, Candace Devine, Dave Keller, Nuela Charles, Doran Danoff

BEST R&B/SOUL BAND – Down North, DaM-FunK, The Dream Logic, Diane Durrett & Soul Suga

BEST ALT ROCK ARTIST – Kayla Starr, Trevor James, Ruby Rose Fox, Scott Shifflett, Polly Panic

BEST ALT ROCK BAND – Ascent, Farewood, Static and Surrender, Birds and Arrows, The Upstart Crows

BEST ROCK ARTIST – Guilande, Eric McFadden, K. Michelle DuBois

BEST ROCK BAND – Fellow Robot, Tokyo Police Club, Animal Waves, The Guess Who, Band of Silver

BEST REGGAE ARTIST/BAND – Phony Ppl, Sean Paul, Megative

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST – Ian Crawford, Roger Len Smith, Lora Kelley, Andy Sydow, Jeffrey Foucault

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA BAND – mmhmm, No Dry County, Mapache, The Textones, Lil’ Red & The Rooster

BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER – Cynthia Brando, Peggy James, Kris Angelis, Gaelynn Lea, Dave Tamkin, Paul McDonald

BEST SOUTHERN ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Sunshine Riot, Moonshine Saints

MOST UNIQUE ARTIST/BAND – Grave Danger, Bella Bartok

RISING STAR – Shaunt Avakian, Hayley Lynn, Sofia Evangelina, CH3LS, Sarra, Bella Rios

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it – Hadden Sayers, Popa Chubby, Mariel Austin, Paper Gliders, The RG’s

We started sorting through the nearly 500 submissions for the LA Music Critic Awards for the second half of 2018 yesterday.  There were so many great albums submitted it is going to be a very difficult job for our committee to choose the nominations, but we think you will be happy with our choices.  Start thinking about your fan favorite because the voting will open on Friday and run for three weeks.  The winners will be announced on January 4.  In the meantime, we have five more new releases to share, so here we go.

   

Artist Name:  Hadden Sayers

Album Name:  Dopamine Machine/Acoustic Dopamine

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Blues Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Unsatisfied; 2.  I Feel Love; 3.  Hit the Road; 4.  Blood Red Coupe DeVille; 5.  Wanting Wanting; 6.  Good Good Girl; 7.  Learning to Disappear; 8.  Peppermint Patty; 9.  Dopamine Machine; 10.  Gravity; 11.  Backbreaker

Publicist:  Frank Roszak Promotions

Review:  Hadden Sayers is one of the hardest rocking blues guitarist in the world.  Even Billy Gibbons looks up to him.  This time around not only has he released a killer album in Dopamine Machine, but he has also recorded a companion acoustic album of the same songs, with nothing but the sweet voice of Ruthie Foster to help him.  This masterpiece is definitely one of the best blues rock albums we have ever had the privilege of reviewing.  We can’t choose the best tracks because all 11 of them are smoking hot, especially the lead track “Unsatisfied” and the smooth blues sound of “Blood Red Coupe DeVille.”  This album needs to be heard again and again.

Recommendation:  Do whatever it takes to Get both of these albums.  They deserve the highest place in your musical collection.

Artist Name:  Popa Chubby

Album Name:  Prime Cuts (The Very Best of the Beast From the East)

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Life is a Beat Down; 2.  Angel on my Shoulder; 3.  Hey Joe; 4.  Stoop Down Baby; 5.  Sweet Goodness of Love and Beer; 6.  San Catri; 7.  Caffeine and Nicotine; 8.  Grown Man Crying Blues; 9.  Go Fuck Yourself (ft Theodora Horowitz); 10.  Hallelujah; 11.  Somebody let the Devil Out; 12.  I Can’t see the Light of Day; 13.  Dirty Lie; 14.  Daddy Played the Guitar; 15.  There on Christmas

Publicist:  Frank Roszak Promotions

Review:  NYC-based Popa Chubby is a beast on the blues guitar, and in this collection he has chosen his favorite tracks from his 30 year career, including an incredible cover of the Leonard Cohen classic, “Hallelujah.”  He also includes a previously unreleased political rant appropriately called “Go Fuck Yourself,”  which features his daughter on violin, as well as a holiday track, “There on Christmas.”  This is traditional blues at its best, and will appeal to every true blues lover.  As he says in “Angel on my Shoulder,” “spread your wings and fly.”

Recommendation:  If you love the blues, then this is a must-have for your collection.  Get it today!

Artist Name:  Mariel Austin

Album Name:  Runner in the Rain

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Jazz

Track Listing:  1.  A Rough, Unsorted Compiling of Ways not to Exist; 2.  Night Dreamer; 3.  Mirrorshift; 4.  One-way Journey Home; 5.  Runner in the Rain

Publicist:  Mouthpiece Music

Review:  Up and coming jazz trombonist Mariel Austin is also a producer, arranger and composer, and she has created this short but sweet five-song masterpiece especially for big band as an introduction of sorts.  On her debut EP, she shows why she is an award winning jazz musician, and provides a beautiful soundtrack for your everyday life.  This is the perfect album to introduce your friends to the beauty of jazz.

Recommendation:  Definitely add this one to your list.

Artist Name:  Paper Gliders

Album Name:  Trials

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  This Magazine Scene; 2.  Petri Dish; 3.  Birthday Candles

Publicist:  Self-promoted

Review:  With harmonies galore and a brilliant progressive pop sound, Houston’s own Paper Gliders make beautiful music together.  This all-too-short three-song EP gives us just a taste of their brilliance, and whets our appetite for their first full-length album.  The guitars are dreamy as are the vocals, and the well-crafted songs are truly radio friendly.  We think they have a great future in store and can’t wait to hear what comes next.

Recommendation:  Definitely take a chance on this band.  They are truly worthy of future stardom.

Artist Name:  The RG’s

Album Name:  The Cricket Sound

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Bored Ass Tony; 2.  Stevie, the guy who Didn’t pay Us; 3.  The Cricket Sound; 4.  Dirty Allan; 5.  All Day; 6.  Keep Your Secrets; 7.  Dead Inside; 8.  My Friend Ed; 9.  Smack Your Neighbor

Publicist:  Viral Propaganda PR

Review:  The RG’s are a Belgian band that brings the rock in the style of Queens of the Stone Age, Alice in Chains and Rival Sons.  Although the music has a hard edge, it is melodic, much like Metallica.  The vocals stand-out and are easily understandable,  contrary to the usual screaming of most hard rock bands.  Much like Taylor Swift, these songs are written about their real-life encounters with people, so don’t piss them off or you might become a song in their catalog, like “Stevie, the Guy Who Didn’t Pay Us.”

Recommendation:  If you like your rock on the hard side, then definitely check out this band.

 

 

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Awards LA Music Critic Awards Women in Entertainment

Winners of LA Music Critic Awards for second half of 2017

Thank you for your enthusiastic response to this round of nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards.  Last July, when we announced the winners for the first half of 2017, we thought we had reached a pinnacle in fan support, but you blew that away this time around.  In a two week period, there were 5,725 views of the nominations article on our blog and 7,996 total views from 59 countries.  You left a mindboggling 864 comments that included the nomination of 30 artists for the Fan Favorite Award.  Thank you for your support of indie music.

The second annual Winners Showcase will take place in June in Los Angeles.  Watch for more details.

Before we get started with the announcement of the winners, we wanted to add in a couple of special awards.  It has become more and more obvious of the value of promotion for an indie artist.  They can either do it all themselves or hire a professional publicist.  We wanted to give some credit and recognition to those who promote.

LA MUSIC CRITIC PUBLICISTS “SEAL OF APPROVAL”  – We have worked with a lot of publicists this year, and are happy to give our “Seal of Approval” to two of them who have truly stepped up for their clients – ABIK Promotions and Frank Roszak Promotions.  They now join the previous recipients of this award, including Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, Red Boot PR, Noisy Ghost PR, MAD Ink PR and KG Music Press.

BEST SELF-PROMOTION – We received a lot of submissions from artists doing their own promotion, and we were impressed by the quality of their work.  Among those we noticed were Ben Anderson, Andrea Harsell & Luna Roja, and Kate Steinway, but the award this year goes to The Khourys.

Without further ado, here are the results for the second half of 2017.  Winners are indicated with BOLD type.

BEST EP (Male) – Ryan Sims, My Side of the Story; Sam Marine, Big Dark City; Ben Anderson, YouTopia; Matt Westerman, Life Out Loud; Vinnie Paolizzi, Kids

BEST EP (Female) – Jacquie, The Only One; Katie Costello, New World; Cara Frew, Dance; Helen Culver, Seven Year Glitch; Libbie Schrader, Red Thread

BEST EP (Group) – Mare Island, Eponymous; TYA, No Money, More Love; RVBY My Dear, Cycles; Social Repose, Empress; Surf Rock is Dead, We Have No Friends?

BEST EP (International) – House Hounds, Saturate; Wolf & Moon, Frames; HUNDREDS, Wilderness; The Raft; Orion; The Raft, A Lullaby

BEST CD (Male) – Canyon City, Constellation; Chuck McDermott, Gin & Rosewater; Case Garrett, Aurora; Rusty Young, Waitin’ for the Sun; Bryan Stephens, Village of Dreams

BEST CD (Female) – Monica Chapman, Small World; Chelsea Williams, Boomerang; Cindy Alexander, Deep Waters; Marina V, Born to the Stars; Katie Costello, Twice the Love; Amilia K. Spicer, Wow and Flutter

BEST CD (Group) – The Commotions, Vol 2; Great Willow, Find Yourself in Los Angeles; Andrea Harsell and Luna Roja, Something for the Pain; FreeWorld, What it Is; Chris Daniels and the Kings, Blues with Horns

BEST HOLIDAY ALBUM – Katie Garibaldi, Home Sweet Christmas; Balsam Range, It’s Christmas Time; Jennifer Hanson, Under the Tree; Beth Marie Anderson, Christmas with You; Bloodshot Records, 13 Days of Xmas; Blue Elan Records, A Blue Elan Christmas

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Male) – Matt Hawkins, Steel Ya Blues; Brandon Bonine, Remember my Name; Canyon City, Midnight Flight; Josh Johnstone, Just What it is; Rod Melancon, Dwayne & Me

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Female) – Janey Street, Undone; Dree Mon, Rebel Soul; Lexie Rose, Wrong; Katie Costello, Hearts on Fire; Rachel Ariana, Imperfect; Suzanne Santos, Ghost in my Bed

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Group) – FlecHaus, Tell me Something; Satellite Citi, Undead; Elizabeth and the Catapult, Ambrosia; Oh Geronomo, No More Stones; Pet Fangs, Gold Coast Dreaming; The Flatlines, Indoors

BEST VIDEO (LIVE) – Sierra Blanca, Paint the Road; Bernie Faulkner, Potbelly Stove; CALICO the Band, The Leaving Kind; Rosi Golan, Underneath; Chelsea Williams, Anything Worth Saving

BEST VIDEO (LYRIC) – Mellott, Shooting Stars; Rachel Price, Love is War; The Rebel Light, Where did all the Love Go; Chris Chilton, Adonai; Jared Finck, New Kids

BEST VIDEO (HOLIDAY) – Redhead Express, Love is Christmas; Chelsea Williams, Peppermints and Mistletoe; Kate Steinway, White Christmas; Pam Taylor, Let’s Get it on for Christmas

BEST VIDEO (INTERNATIONAL) – Straw, Bang Bang; Straw, 1965; Captive (ft. Hannah Trigwell), I Could be the One

BEST VIDEO (COLLABORATION) – Blue Elan Artists, Shine Down on Us; David Garfield and J. Paris, I Lied; Beckett and Claire Ridgely, Butterflies

BEST SINGLE (Male) – Mikey Wax, “Spaceman;” Zvchvivh, “Think of Me;” Tim Maiden, “So Far Gone;” Matt Zambon, “Blue and Yellow;” Jason Crosby, “Final Step”

BEST SINGLE (Female) – Hannah Lucia, “Your Love;” Heather Bonds, “Keep it Quiet;” Ashleigh Watson, “Little Love;” Liz Kennedy (ft. Taj Mahal), “Everyone Knows how it Goes”

BEST SINGLE (Group) – Featurette, “Upside Down;” Delsinki, “Wishing Upon a Star;” Echo City, “Burn Me;” Astral Queen, “Take it all the Way;” The Sound of Ghosts, “Train to Nowhere”

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST/BAND – The Fisherman and the Sea, Belle Miners, The Raft, HUNDREDS, Wolf & Moon

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST – Case Garrett, Tim Bennett, Whitney Lusk, Kaylee Keller, Ryan Sims

BEST COUNTRY BAND – CALICO the Band, Steve Azar and the Kings Men, Honey County

BEST BLUES ARTIST – Pam Taylor, John Verity, Stacy Jones, Alastair Greene, R. D. Olson, Dave Hunt

BEST BLUES BAND – Paradise Kings, FreeWorld, Andrea Harsell and Luna Roja, BB and the Blues Shacks, Chris Daniels and the Kings, The McKee Brothers

BEST POP ARTIST (FEMALE) – Marina V, Cindy Alexander, Katie Costello, Alex Mabey, Maggie McClure, Rosi Golan

BEST POP ARTIST (MALE) – Curtis Peoples, Fernando Perdomo, Matt Westerman, Bryan Stephens, Ben Anderson, LeRiche

BEST POP BAND – Flood Coats, Seasonal Beast, Elizabeth and the Catapult, Warbly Jets, High Dive Heart, Laini and the Wildfire

BEST ROCK ARTIST – Billy Burnette, Rusty Young, Ben Lorentzen, Russ Carrick, Robert Francis, Peter Simpson

BEST ROCK BAND – The Khourys, Surf Rock is Dead, Social Repose, The Slants, Xs and Arrows, Dopapod

BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST – Ray Goren, Leslie Clio, Zoey Clarke, Louise Lemon

BEST R&B/SOUL/RETRO BAND – The Marias, The Commotions, Burgess Meredith

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST (FEMALE) – Lydia Loveless, Shannon McNally, Liz Kennedy, Chelsea Williams, Amilia K. Spicer, Suzanne Santos

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST (MALE) – Rich McCulley, Marc Berger, Chuck McDermott, Jason Hawk Harris, Sam Marine, Vinnie Paolizzi

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA BAND – Great Willow, The County Liners, JD and the Straight Shot, The Empty Pockets, Dead Rock West

BEST BLUEGRASS ARTIST/BAND – The Jerry Douglas Band, The Grascals, My Girl My Whiskey and Me, Tommy Emmanuel and David Grisman

BEST JAZZ/INSTRUMENTAL ARTIST/BAND – Tout, Noon, Monica Chapman, John McLaughlin, KRON

BEST DANCE ARTIST/BAND – The Innocent Bystanders, TYA, Elephant Stone, Niteshifters, Cara Frew

BEST REGGAE ARTIST/BAND – Never Ending Fall

BEST PUNK BAND – Franks and Deans, Emmer Effer, Hang Tight, The Paranoid Style

BEST HARD ROCK/METAL BAND – SBK, Vacant Home, Aviator, The Black Hand, Downfall 2012

BEST FOLK ARTIST – Ben Bostick, Canyon City, Garrison Starr, Fred Smith, Sierra Blanca, Brandon Luedtke

BEST FOLK BAND – Tony Lovato and MEST, Fire Chief Charlie, Amber Run, Nescora, FXRRVST

BEST TRADITIONAL FOLK BAND – Storywrens, The East Pointers

BEST PROG ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Orissa, Dave Kerzner

RISING STAR – Ray Goren, Kaylee Keller, Rachel Arianna, Gina Sicilia, Chelsea Williams

FAN FAVORITE:   This year’s competition was fierce, with 30 artists nominated.  However, it came down to a battle between two artists, and went neck and neck until the final day.  In fifth place was Flechaus.  Kate Steinway took fourth place by a slim margin to third place finisher Andrea Harsell & Luna Roja.  Second place goes to The Khourys.  This year’s winner is RACHEL ARIANNA.

Thank you all for voting and for your support of indie music.  We’ll be back on Monday with our next edition of Monday Mashup.  Have a great weekend.

Categories
Artists Worth Checking Out Awards Best of 2017 LA Music Critic Awards Women in Entertainment

Announcement of LA Music Critic Award nominations for second half of 2017

We think that 2017 will go down as one of the most prolific years in outstanding music being released by indie artists.  We received and reviewed so many that we had to change the review period.  Consequently, we considered more than 235 albums and EPs that were released between July 1 and November 30, 2017, in compiling our nominations for the LA Music Critic Awards.  Albums and EPs released from December 1, 2017 through May 31, 2018 will be considered for the first half awards of 2018.

Fans are encouraged to vote for the Fan Favorite Award.  To vote for your favorite,  simply leave a comment below in the following format:  “I vote for (name of artist) for Fan Favorite.”  No other comments will be counted toward the Fan Favorite Award, and each reader may only vote once.   Comments made on other social media sites will not count.

Fans are also encouraged to comment on other award nominations, and those comments will be reviewed by the Awards committee.  However, they will not count for the Fan Favorite Award unless the comment specifically says that the artist is being nominated for the Fan Favorite Award. 

The deadline for voting for the Fan Favorite Award is Wednesday, January 31, 2018, at midnight MST.  The full list of winners will be announced at 6 p.m. MST on Friday, February 2, 2018.

Without further delay, here are the nominations.

BEST EP (Male) – Ryan Sims, My Side of the Story; Sam Marine, Big Dark City; Ben Anderson, YouTopia; Matt Westerman, Life Out Loud; Vinnie Paolizzi, Kids

BEST EP (Female) – Jacquie, The Only One; Katie Costello, New World; Cara Frew, Dance; Helen Culver, Seven Year Glitch; Libbie Schrader, Red Thread

BEST EP (Group) – Mare Island, Eponymous; TYA, No Money, More Love; RVBY My Dear, Cycles; Social Repose, Empress; Surf Rock is Dead, We Have No Friends?

BEST EP (International) – House Hounds, Saturate; Wolf & Moon, Frames; HUNDREDS, Wilderness; The Raft; Orion; The Raft, A Lullaby

BEST CD (Male) – Canyon City, Constellation; Chuck McDermott, Gin & Rosewater; Case Garrett, Aurora; Rusty Young, Waitin’ for the Sun; Bryan Stephens, Village of Dreams

BEST CD (Female) – Monica Chapman, Small World; Chelsea Williams, Boomerang; Cindy Alexander, Deep Waters; Marina V, Born to the Stars; Katie Costello, Twice the Love; Amilia K. Spicer, Wow and Flutter

BEST CD (Group) – The Commotions, Vol 2; Great Willow, Find Yourself in Los Angeles; Andrea Harsell and Luna Roja, Something for the Pain; FreeWorld, What it Is; Chris Daniels and the Kings, Blues with Horns

BEST HOLIDAY ALBUM – Katie Garibaldi, Home Sweet Christmas; Balsam Range, It’s Christmas Time; Jennifer Hanson, Under the Tree; Beth Marie Anderson, Christmas with You; Bloodshot Records, 13 Days of Xmas; Blue Elan Records, A Blue Elan Christmas

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Male) – Matt Hawkins, Steel Ya Blues; Brandon Bonine, Remember my Name; Canyon City, Midnight Flight; Josh Johnstone, Just What it is; Rod Melancon, Dwayne & Me

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Female) – Janey Street, Undone; Dree Mon, Rebel Soul; Lexie Rose, Wrong; Katie Costello, Hearts on Fire; Rachel Ariana, Imperfect; Suzanne Santo, Ghost in my Bed

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Group) – FlecHaus, Tell me Something; Satellite Citi, Undead; Elizabeth and the Catapult, Ambrosia; Oh Geronomo, No More Stones; Pet Fangs, Gold Coast Dreaming; The Flatliners, Indoors

BEST VIDEO (LIVE) – Sierra Blanca, Paint the Road; Bernie Faulkner, Potbelly Stove; Calico the Band, The Leaving Kind; Rosi Golan, Underneath; Chelsea Williams, Anything Worth Saving

BEST VIDEO (LYRIC) – Mellott, Shooting Stars; Rachel Price, Love is War; The Rebel Light, Where did all the Love Go; Chris Chilton, Adonai; Jared Finck, New Kids

BEST VIDEO (HOLIDAY) – Redhead Express, Love is Christmas; Chelsea Williams, Peppermints and Mistletoe; Kate Steinway, White Christmas; Pam Taylor, Let’s Get it on for Christmas

BEST VIDEO (INTERNATIONAL) – Straw, Bang Bang; Straw, 1965; Captive (ft. Hannah Trigwell), I Could be the One

BEST VIDEO (COLLABORATION) – Blue Elan Artists, Shine Down on Us; David Garfield and J. Paris, I Lied; Beckett and Claire Ridgely, Butterflies

BEST SINGLE (Male) – Mikey Wax, “Spaceman;” Zvchvivh, “Think of Me;” Tim Maiden, “So Far Gone;” Matt Zambon, “Blue and Yellow;” Jason Crosby, “Final Step”

BEST SINGLE (Female) – Hannah Lucia, “Your Love;” Heather Bond, “Keep it Quiet;” Ashleigh Watson, “Little Love;” Liz Kennedy (ft. Taj Mahal), “Everyone Knows how it Goes”

BEST SINGLE (Group) –   Featurette, “Upside Down;” Delsinki, “Wishing Upon a Star;” Echo City, “Burn Me;” Astral Queen, “Take it all the Way;” The Sound of Ghosts, “Train to Nowhere”

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST/BAND – The Fisherman and the Sea, Belle Miners, The Raft, HUNDREDS, Wolf & Moon

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST – Case Garrett, Tim Bennett, Whitney Lusk, Kaylee Keller, Ryan Sims

BEST COUNTRY BAND – CALICO the Band, Steve Azar and the Kings Men, Honey County

BEST BLUES ARTIST – Pam Taylor, John Verity, Stacy Jones, Alastair Greene, R. D. Olson, Dave Hunt

BEST BLUES BAND – Paradise Kings, FreeWorld, Andrea Harsell and Luna Roja, BB and the Blues Shacks, Chris Daniels and the Kings, The McKee Brothers

BEST POP ARTIST (Female) – Marina V, Cindy Alexander, Katie Costello, Alex Mabey, Maggie McClure, Rosi Golan

BEST POP ARTIST (Male) – Curtis Peoples, Fernando Perdomo, Matt Westerman, Bryan Stephens, Ben Anderson, LeRiche

BEST POP BAND – Flood Coats, Seasonal Beast, Elizabeth and the Catapult, Warbly Jets, High Dive Heart, Laini and the Wildfire

BEST ROCK ARTIST – Billy Burnette, Rusty Young, Ben Lorentzen, Russ Carrick, Robert Francis, Peter Simpson

BEST ROCK BAND – The Khourys, Surf Rock is Dead, Social Repose, The Slants, Xs and Arrows, Dopapod

BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST – Ray Goren, Leslie Clio, Zoey Clarke, Louise Lemon

BEST R&B/SOUL/RETRO BAND – The Marias, The Commotions, Burgess Meredith

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST (Female) – Lydia Loveless, Shannon McNally, Liz Kennedy, Chelsea Williams, Amilia K. Spicer, Suzanne Santo

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST (Male) – Rich McCulley, Marc Berger, Chuck McDermott, Jason Hawk Harris, Sam Marine, Vinnie Paolizzi

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA BAND – Great Willow, The County Liners, JD and the Straight Shot, The Empty Pockets, Dead Rock West

BEST BLUEGRASS ARTIST/BAND – The Jerry Douglas Band, The Grascals, My Girl My Whiskey and Me, Tommy Emmanuel and David Grisman

BEST JAZZ/INSTRUMENTAL ARTIST/BAND – Tout, Noon, Monica Chapman, John McLaughlin, KRON, Dave Yaden

BEST DANCE ARTIST/BAND – The Innocent Bystanders, TYA, Elephant Stone, Niteshifters, Cara Frew

BEST REGGAE ARTIST/BAND – Never Ending Fall

BEST PUNK BAND – Franks and Deans, Emmer Effer, Hang Tight, The Paranoid Style

BEST HARD ROCK/METAL BAND – SBK, Vacant Home, Aviator, The Black Hand, Downfall 2012

BEST FOLK ARTIST – Ben Bostick, Canyon City, Garrison Starr, Fred Smith, Sierra Blanca, Brandon Luedtke

BEST FOLK BAND – Tony Lovato and MEST, Fire Chief Charlie, Amber Run, Nescora, FXRRVST

BEST TRADITIONAL FOLK BAND – Storywrens, The East Pointers

BEST PROG ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Orissa, Dave Kerzner

RISING STAR – Ray Goren, Kaylee Keller, Rachel Ariana, Gina Sicilia, Chelsea Williams

We encourage to subscribe so you can keep up with the Awards and with our blog year-round.  We’ll be back tomorrow with the first reviews for the next cycle.