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LA Music Critic Awards nominations announced for first half of 2016

The time has come again to recognize the incredible indie talent in the world of music.  We are so thrilled to have so much of it this year, and are looking forward to one of the most productive years for indie music in a long time.

On behalf of our wonderful committee, composed of Bob Leggett, Jennifer Lyneis, Michelle King, Melissa Dragich-Cordero, Steve Belkin, Heather Jacks, Kim Grant, Doug Deutsch, Laura Goldfarb and Patrick O’Heffernan, we now present our nominations for the first half of 2016.  Remember, the Fan Favorite Award  is nominated by you.  Simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page.  The artist who gets the most votes will be the winner.  Support your favorite by voting now.

Best EP Female: Rooted Clarity (Katie Garibaldi),  Heartbreak is Contagious (Kris Angelis), Endless Road (Alexis Keegan)

Best EP Male:  Royal Blue (Lasers Lasers Birmingham), LA 14 (Rod Melancon)

Best EP Band:  29:11 (One From Many)

Best CD Female: Dressed up for Goodbye (Corinne Cook), Blow (Emily Clibourn), Cure for Dreaming (Jenny Gillespie), Hold Fast Open Palm (Sarah Ault), Long Road (Diana Rein), Popular Songs for Wholesome Families (Rae Fitzgerald)

Best CD Male: Northeastsouthwest (Mike Jacoby), Sugarland (Brian Whelan), Turns to Gold (Gabe Dixon), Let me in (Chi McClean), Blood Moon (Morgan Washam)

Best CD Band: … and friends (Jason Adamo Band), Love & Rent (The BGP), New Coastline (Riddle & the Stars), II (Lovers & Poets), Gung Ho (Freddy & Francine)

Best Single:  “Jackal II” (Rae Fitzgerald), “Big Man” (Jenni Alpert), “Crave” (Gabe Dixon), “Desire (Lo Que Vale La Pena)” (Halo Circus), “Diamond” (Kaylee Keller), “The Machine” (The Daybreaks)

Best Video (cover):  “Better When I’m Dancing” (Redhead Express), “Love Yourself” (Redhead Express), “Blue” (Alice Wallace), “I Knew I Loved You” (Redhead Express), “Cruel Summer” (The Daybreaks)

Best Video (live):  “Headrush” (Jamey Geston), “I am” (Katie Garibaldi), “Beautiful Forever” (Marina V), “Trespassing” (McKail Seely ft Jesse McLeod)

Best Video (comedy):  “Honest Singing Telegrams” (Un5gettable), “Sorry” (Un5gettable)

Best Video (lyrical):  “Pregunto” (Sin Color), “Diamonds (Vip mix)” (Kaylee Keller x VinylJackers), “Pieces of April” (Jerad Finck),  “Holding Her Freedom” (Gabe Dixon), “Blood in the Water” (Jerad Finck)

Best Video (official) Female:   “Lonely Love” (Ryal), “Last One” (McKail Seely), “Jackal II” (Rae Fitzgerald), “Paper Bag” (Anni Piper), “Diamond” (Kaylee Keller), “I Just Don’t Care Anymore” (Alice Wallace)

Best Video (official) Male:   “Crave” (Gabe Dixon), “Perry” (Rod Melancon), “Evergreen” (Shane Alexander)

Best Video (official) Band:   “Desire (Lo Que Vale La Pena)” (Halo Circus), “You + Me in the Summer” (Lovers & Poets), “Calico Concrete” (The Spider Accomplice), “These Three Words” (One From Many)

Best Video (series):  “Los Angeles:  The Abduction” (The Spider Accomplice)

Best Rock Band:  Halo Circus, The Spider Accomplice

Best Pop Band:  the BGP, Freddy & Francine, Lovers & Poets, One From Many

Best Country/Americana Band:  Riddle & the Stars, Jason Adamo Band, Junk Parlor

Best Pop/Rock Male Artist: Gabe Dixon

Best Pop/Rock Female Artist:  Kris Angeles, Sarah Ault, Allison Iraheta, Alexis Keegan

Best Blues Artist:  Anni Piper, Diana Rein

Best Country/Americana Artist:  Brian Whelan, Rod Melancon, Lasers Lasers Birmingham, Alice Wallace

Icon Award:  Ronnie Mack, Dave Yaden, Shane Alexander, Darwin Johnson

Fan Favorite – Who will it be this time?  this one is yours to nominate and vote.  Simply leave a comment below or on our Facebook page with the name of your favorite indie artist.

Winners will be announced on July 22.

 

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Awards

LA Music Critic Award winners announced

First off, the LA Music Critic Awards apologizes to Rachel Alena for omitting her nomination for Best Blues Band from the previously published list of nominations.  Thanks to her publicist, Doug Deutsch Publicity Services for bringing this to our attention.

Secondly, the LA Music Critic Awards wishes to thank the fans of indie music.  Through the previous five years of nominations, this has been the most successful and eagerly followed set yet.  More than 2,000 fans viewed the nominations and almost 400 of them took the time to vote for their fan favorite or post comments on behalf of their favorite artists.  Their feedback was instrumental in helping us choose this year’s winners.

Last, but not least, it has become very apparent this year of the role that PR firms are playing in getting the word out to potential fans and industry people on behalf of their indie clients.  The LA Music Critic Awards has previously issued two “Seal of Approval” awards to Ue3 Promotions and Red Boot PR for their work.  This year we would like to issue four additional Seal of Approval awards to Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, Noisy Ghost PR, MAD Ink PR, and KG Music Press for their efforts in promoting indie music.  Congratulations.

And now, without further ado, here are the winners (indicated in BOLD):

Best EP Female: Rebel Pop Singer Songwriter (Katie Costello), Phoenix (Lyndzie Taylor), Black Sheep (Sara Routh), Fire (Brooke Moriber)

Best EP Male:  Move (Dave Yaden)

Best EP Band: Captiva (Captiva), The Trap (The Spider Accomplice)

Best CD Male: Criminal (Jerad Finck), India, Seattle (Mike Edel), I Struggle & Emerge (Ryan Aderre’y)

Best CD Female: Follow Your Heart (Katie Garibaldi), Time in the Middle (Claire Holley), Save Your Heart (Patricia Bahia), An American Girl (Cindy Alexander), Memories, Music and Pride (Alice Wallace)

Best CD Group: The Lil Smokies (The Lil Smokies), Little Silver Hearts (Little Silver Hearts), Fantasm (Starlight Girls), The Whole Shabang (Carly and the Universe)

Best Single: Zach Linley and the Rebel Daredevils (“What it Takes”), Jakey Lee (“Children of God”), Katelyn Marie (“Enjoy the Ride”), Keaton Simons (“When I Go”), The Spider Accomplice (“Atmosphere)

Best Video (cover): Alexis Keegan (“Drunk in Love”)

Best Video (live):  Reverend Tall Tree (“How do you get Over That?”)

Best Video (lyrical):  Lyndzie Taylor (“What do I Know?”)

Best Video (official): Paige Nichols (“Burn), Shane Piasecki (“Jackie O”), Katie Costello (“New York Graffiti”), Katie Garibaldi (“Lock the Door, Lose the Key”), Redhead Express (“Mary Did You Know?”), Dave Yaden (“Two”)

Best Rock Band: Sleep Machine, Captiva, The Spider Accomplice, Rocket

Best Pop/Rock Male Artist: Chris Lind, Jerad Finck, Mike Edel

Best Pop/Rock Female Artist:  Katie Costello, Patricia Bahia, Brooke Moriber, Lyndzie Taylor, Cindy Alexander

Best Jazz/Funk Artist:  Dave Yaden (“Two”)

Best Blues Artist:  Rachel & the Ruckus (“Bounce”)

Best Folk/Cultural Artist:  Marina V (Russian Bootleg v2)

Best Country/Americana Artist: Alice Wallace (Memories, Music and Pride), Zach Linley and the Rebel Daredevils (What It Takes), The Lil Smokies (The Lil Smokies), Little Silver Hearts (Little Silver Hearts)

Icon Award: Tony Lucca, Dave Yaden, Mike Edel, Tonya Watts

Fan Favorite: Thirteen artists were nominated this year – a new record.  After all the votes were counted, one artist rose to the top.  Congratulations to Zach Linley & the Rebel Daredevils.  Honorable mentions to Alice Wallace, Cindy Alexander, Marina V and Sara Routh, who rounded out the top five vote getters.  Congrats also to Katie Garibaldi, Patricia Bahia, Shane Piasecki, The Spider Accomplice, Sleep Machine, Lyndzie Taylor, Ryan Aderrey and Little Silver Hearts for being nominated by their fans.

Categories
Awards

LA Music Critic Award nominations for second half 2015