Remember This Name

Out of Provo, Utah comes the next big folk indie artist. Paste Magazine even named him one of their "Next 25 Artists You Need To Know" in their September 2008 issue. Joshua James is the name. He is American rock and folk musician, known for his intimate vocal style and bittersweet lyrics, often dealing with tragedy, religion, and substance abuse.

Joshua James' sounds are light, and easy-with a variety of upbeat more fun/rock and roll songs, and slow emotional songs as well. Many songs are solely his voice and guitar, but often times there will be a piano, and even full band sounds behind him. Joshua James is often compared to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Bright Eyes or Ray LaMontagne.

I first heard Joshua James in America Fork, Utah at 2010 Garbett Homes Fork Fest. Performing alongside other indie bands such as Fictionist, The Vibrant Sound and Location Location, James was the featured final act-where the amphitheatre was packed with hundreds of indie fans. What stuck out most about James was his passion in what he was doing, he gave a completely in the moment and intimate performance. There was hardly a moment James wasn’t moving his entire body in a jellyfish like motion. It was especially entertaining during the guitar solos when he would dance around himself across the stage, once practically lying center stage.

His original digital release of The Sun is Always Brighter on iTunes reached #1 on the service's Folk Album list in 2007. The album caught the attention of the indie folk scene, with, and prompting artists such as John Mayer, David Gray, Ani DiFranco, and Brett Dennen to have him support their North American tours.

You can find Joshua James music and more information at http://www.joshuajames.tv/

A Lasting Echo

Sometimes great talent is found in odd places. But on a small Rexburg, Idaho stage is not where I thought I would find one of my new favorite bands.

 

 http://ericarphoto.blogspot.com/search/label/Musicians

Working for the school newspaper as a photographer, I was assigned to shoot the "Sammy's Grand Opening", a new diner type restaurant in town celebrating their opening by having Utah native artists perform. The main stage artists included The Neighbors, Benton Paul, Mindy Gledhill, and Fictionist. It was one of the most fun shoots I've done-being able to get up close to these artists while awesome energy and music filled the area. I noticed that I particularly loved taking photos of the band, Fictionist. The beat was catchy and as the night went on I continued to be impressed. Their music consisted of the guitar, bass, piano (synthetics), the drums, and amazing belting vocals.

 

Their sounds don't fall under some of your classic indie slow, or folksy music, but instead more of a rock indie sound. According their website http://fictionist.com/, they would describe themselves as a six-person band that creates a wall of sound comparable to classic bands such as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. Pandora lists the following bands as similar artists: The Format, Rockfour, Ryan Lindsey, The Gurus, Otter Petter.

 

After the show I talked to a few of the band members, very kind and fun people, and they gave me a “photographer” discount on their two CD's Invisible Hand, and Lasting Echo. You can find links on their website to buy their albums, and if you become a fan on Facebook, you can get free monthly downloads of new songs. Definitely work the click of a button and a few bucks out of your pocket.

Fork Fest

American Fork, Utah held it's first, and hopefully not last, Garbett Homes Fork Fest: Music and Arts Festival, October 16, 2010 (http://forkfest.net/) It is a festival filled with more than 30 top indie musicians around Utah and was filled with independant art and businesses as well. It is a free outdoor come and go concert that runs from 12pm to 12 am.

I had the oppotunity to travel down with some friends to witness this event. There is not much I love more than new music, and that is exactly what this concert was. Only three out of the 30+ artists were recognizable to me.

Our day started with the sun shining and a cool breeze in American Fork at about 1:30pm-we were late. First thing we see is a small stage with a ram on it. In front of the ram was an acoustic artists with many people sitting on the grass around her. Down the hill was their outside stage with even more of an audience, and then past the art, food, and band merchandise booths was their amphitheater. The schedule was set so an acoustic artists was constantly playing while the other two stages took turns with the "bigger bands".

I think I enjoyed(a lot) every performance I saw. Indie artists from the sad acoustic, to the electric guitar indie rock, to the folk rock. I knew of Allred, Fictionist, and Joshua James-perfect examples for each of the named categories. Along with those were many more that I hadn't heard. A huge variety of indie artists-every one unique-every one powerful. A few that stuck out in my mind are Location Location, The Archers Apple, and Shark Speed.

It was a beautiful day, and a beautiful concert. So worth the four hour drive there and back. I now have a long list of artists I will look up and listen to, and also that I will write about on my blog so all of you readers around the world can be enlightened by these fantastic artists.

For "those" days

Sometimes-well, very often, we have those bad days. I've felt feelings I wish I never knew existed. I, along with most of the rest of the world are in need of a medicine. And that's where music comes in. To me, when I hear something so beautiful I can't help but forget my struggles and concerns for a moment and get lost in melodies. Contrary to many others who turn to loud screaming music for comfort or release of pain, I usually chose something different. Pandora and I have become very good friends over the past months (it's easy to do, just sign up for free http://www.pandora.com/) I put in one of my favorite slow "pretty" bands-Sigur Ros, and recently came across a band called,  Palaxy Tracks. I can't remember exactly what I was doing at the time, but I paused and was surprised at the feelings I was getting from the music. Love. Haha, cheesy maybe, but it was that feeling that sends you into a comfortably numb and blissful state. I immediately bookmarked the band and have been casually listening to their stuff. The founding members of indie rockers Palaxy Tracks -- Jason Masters, Greg Wallace, and Brandon Durham -- originally came together in Austin (keep Austin weird!) under the name the Seven Hundred Club in late 1995. In 1997 they changed their name to Palaxy Tracks, and by 2000 they had their first album. Palaxy Tracks has similar qualities of Radiohead, The Little Ones, and Early day Miners. I also would compare them a bit to Sigur Ros and Explosions in The Sky because of their relaxing tone. I strongly suggest them for the next time you are having one of those days. Thank goodness for melodies that can take me out of reality for a while.

Falling in love all over again

As I was sandwiched between 2 half-asleep grown men in a small Ford Focus for over four hours, an old friend of mine-Death Cab for Cutie-was playing in the background. As I drifted in and out of consciousness I couldn't help but love every uncomfortable minute I couldn't sleep. Back in my early high school years I remember having quite a few songs that I would listen to almost ritually-usually in my nostalgic, possibly depressed moods. They were definitely a love of mine for sometime. Unfortunately over time I've lost that iPod, and more importantly lost my connection with Death Cab. But for 90% of that drive I had the pleasure of listening once again, from Tiny Vessels to songs that I have never heard the name of. It was like falling in love all over again. I can't believe I have been deprived of it for this long. Death Cab for Cutie is an American indie rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard (vocals, guitar), Chris Walla (guitar, production), Nick Harmer (bass) and Jason McGerr (drums). Their music has a sort of tone that you can just fall asleep happy to. It also has some of the most beautiful lyrics. I find that they come across very honest, and I love more than anything music I can relate to in some way or another. Now I need to go out and get a hold of all their music. I am so behind. I think I will always love Death Cab-they are a classic example of true Indie music.  Now I'm actually looking forward to the four hour long drive back to Rexburg, lodged between grown men; as long as my love, Death Cab for Cutie, is with me the whole way.

How it all started

I remember when my eldest brother would blast eminem and blink-182. That was the cool stuff. And then there was the time I wanted to be just like my sister, I would sneak in her room, she hated that, and borrow her Cd's or admire her teen-pop sensation magazine cut-outs across the tops of her walls. I learned all the words to the classic pop songs, Avril Lavign was a favorite-I swear I started the tie fad and knew her music first...  My brothers and sister were cool, so I just went along with what they listened to. Then, when the older ones left home, I was forced to find my own source of music. I generally would listen to the radio...maybe purchase a Jack Johnson or Incubus CD here and there. Then this kid, who would soon become one of my great friends, gave me a ride home in his car and I heard the most unique sound. It was amazing. I loved the way it made me feel. Kirk listed off the oddest names of bands he loved as I tried to mentally write them down, along with weird terms like "alternative" , "emo" and "indie" (yes, I was uneducated). I think I can honestly say that boy inspired me, and to this day I got to him for the latest. I love new music. Its like getting a new toy or gadget on Christmas. And I've come to find that what I love most tends to be in this so-called "indie" category. My goal is to give myself my own present, look for new artists, inform the unfortunate who are still stuck with the radio as their only and favorite source of music. I love music, and I'm going to [try] and share it with as many people as possible.