Wednesday 30 July 2008

Save the Frogs

SAVE THE FROGS! is the nonprofit organization founded by biologist and musician Kerry Kriger. Their website features info on amphibian extinctions, threats to frogs, ways to help save frogs, cool frog facts and pictures, and a Frogs of Australia poster and bumper stickers being sold to raise money for amphibian conservation projects.

Sunday 27 July 2008

CD: Tanya Tagaq (Inuit throat singing + Bjork)

Tanya Tagaq

Auk/Blood (Ipecac Records, 2008)

After the 2005 release of her first debut CD Sinaa, Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq continues to dazzle audiences with her ongoing collaboration with Icelandic singer/songwriter Björk in recording the soundtrack to Matthew Barney's film Drawing Restraint 9, appearing on her ...

Monday 21 July 2008

CD: Rough Guide to the Music of Romanian Gypsies

The Rough Guide music series has a new title focuses on Gypsy music. The Rough Guide to the Music of Romanian Gypsies (RGNET1210) represents the music of Romania’s 2.5 million Roma (Gypsy) population. Romania has many of the world’s top Eastern European Gypsy musicians, including Taraf de Haidouks, Fanfare Ciocąrlia, Mahala Raï Banda, Toni Iordachi and Gabi Lunca. From energetic brass bands and mesmerizing cimbalom players to legendary haunting fiddlers, The Rough Guide to the Music of Romanian Gypsies presents the internationally acclaimed performers together with renowned local artists...

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Wednesday 16 July 2008

CD: Introducing Hanggai (Mongolia)

Hanggai

Introducing Hanggai (World Music Network, 2008)

I’m always elated to hear a group of musicians rediscovering a lost or faded musical tradition, and I’m also a little puzzled because the music produced is usually so entrancing or just downright enthralling that I just can’t imagine why the tradition ever fell out of fashion. No example could be truer than that of Introducing/World Music Network’s release of Introducing Hanggai.

FULL STORY....

Sunday 6 July 2008

CD: Baaba Maal - On the Road (acoustic)

London, UK - The clearest evidence of Baaba Maal's remarkable shows comes with 'Baaba Maal on the Road' a selection of live performances collated from concerts around the world over the past ten years.

Although Maal's music has embraced everything from electric bands to 70-piece orchestras, it is his intimate acoustic performances which, for many, properly encompass the very real contagious nature of Maal's work. It is this raw emotional edge that is showcased on the eight tracks featured on this album.

Included are live versions of a few of the finest songs in Maal's repertoire plus three collectors items a song called Iyango' which has never been recorded before, together with 'Farba', a tune that's appeared only on an Africa-...

FULL STORY HERE

Wednesday 2 July 2008

Tibet2Timbuk2 are Q Song finalists!

Tibet2Timbuk2's song "White Crane" (aka "Crane Song") has been selected as a finalist in the World division of Q Song 2008!

2008 Q Song Finalists Announced: Queensland Songwriters Exposed: First Announcement 1 Jul 2008
Q Music is thrilled to announce the finalists for Q Song 2008.

Judges faced an enormously difficult task with almost 1400 songs entered in Q Song 2008.

Each song was judged anonymously (track title only) by a team of dedicated music industry representatives from The Courier-Mail, triple j, ABC, 989 fm, Musicadium, Australian Music Biz, overcranked, Ward 69 Records, dew-process, 4zzzfm, QUT and APRA.

Judges were once again overwhelmed by the enormous talent of Queensland songwriters and the high quality of entries.

Executive officer Denise Foley said “The quality of entries continues to increase from year to year, and in this, our third year, there were some world class songs entered. It is a huge job to coordinate everyone who participates in both the short listing and final judging process and we really appreciate the efforts of all involved.”

The winners will be announced at The Q Song Awards night to be held at The Tivoli, August 12, 2008.
Tickets for this event are now on sale! Purchase tickets online at www.qmusic.com.au/qsong .
A limited amount of tickets are available to the public for the event.

Without any further ado, the 2008 Q Song finalists are:

Song Title - Artist - Writers

Primary School

Love Chime - Woo Woos - Jazz D’Arcy
No Surprise - Stephanie Burns - Stephanie Burns
Banana Cake - Emma Hocking - Emma Hocking
Believe - Jenna Dearness-Dark - Jenna Dearness-Dark

Secondary School

Poor Boy - Courtney Young - Courtney Young
The Boat Song - Shaun Pryor - Shaun Pryor
Insomnia - Emma-Louise Lobb - Emma-Louise Lobb
Darkness - David Richards - David Richards

Gospel Spiritual

Ode To Peace - Mr Rascal - Christian Duell
For You - Dave Saxby - Dave Saxby
The Family Song - Tyrone Noonan - Tyrone Noonan
Regenerate Me - Emmanuel Worship - Pat Keady

Rock

Ten Paces Away - The Gin Club - Ben Salter
Gun And Your Friends - Bowser - O. Mitter/B. Weyuton/ N. Williams/G. Wallis
Gifthorse - Little Vegas and the Fuzz Parade - S Lawrie/B. Dean/W. O’Brien/P.O’Brien.
Untied Laces - The Faze - The Faze

Pop

Honey - Chris Pickering - Chris Pickering
Strawberry Wine - The John Steel Singers - Scott Bromiley / Tim Morrissey
Shake - Tara Simmons - Tara Simmons
Gravity and Grace - The Brave - Mathew Griffith, Roger Van Raalte, Michael Mann & Caleb James

Alternative

Go - My Fiction - E.Robinson, M. Willmett, J.Laubscher, D.Murphy, S.Rigly
Suicide Tuesday - Andrew Kennedy - Andrew Kennedy
Take Time Take Time - Amy Cushway - Amy Cushway
Til You Come Home - James Grehan - James Grehan

Blues and Roots

Yellow Moon - 8 Ball Aitken - 8 Ball Aitken
Judgement Day - Gerry O'Brien - Gerry O'Brien
What Do I Tell the Newborn Child - Michael David - Michael David
Miss Mayhem - James Grehan - James Grehan

World

Mari - Yemanja - Edson Gazani & Anita Fernandes
Crane Song - Tibet2Timbuk2 - Tenzin Choegyal
Mira Que Bonita Eres - Andrew Veivers - Andrew Veivers
Trish's Wish - Dan Cosgrove - Dan Cosgrove

Punk/Metal

Veil of Dolour - bloodredskies - Hayden Mitten
Dearly Beloved - Torn Asunder - Torn Asunder
Home Now - New Rocky Cowboy - Cummins/ Kirkbride/ Tighe/ McPherson
Mower - Butcher Birds - S. Coleman/J. Walker/J. Nilson/S. Tronc

Country

Perfect - Katrina Burgoyne - Katrina Burgoyne
Broken Wing - Chris Pickering - Chris Pickering
Dusty Boots - Shari Williams - Shari Williams
Maybe We've Met Before - Steve Grady - Steve Grady

Folk Ballad

Old Ceylon Road - Asa Broomhall - Asa Broomhall
That's the Reason - Dan Parsons - Dan Parsons
You, Me and The Sea - The Gin Club - Ben Salter
Armistice Day - Noel Gardner Alex Bridge - Noel Gardner

Hip Hop

Orphan's Voices - Mantist - Mantist
Keep An Eye Out - Pure Product - J.Zonday/D.McEintosh
Common Ground - Common Ground - Contact Crew
Don't Bring Me Down - Surecut Kids - Sensai and Surecut Kids

Regional

Till You Come Home - James Grehan - (Carrara )
Mira Que Bonita Eres - Andrew Vievers - (Coolum Beach)
The McMenamins - The McMenamins - (Cairns)
Fear the Fury of a Patient Man - PJ Weston (Mt Tamborine)

Electronic New Music

Watching it Unfold - Lawrence English - Lawrence English
All She left - Christopher Robin - C. McGarry/B.McLauchlan
Little Beat - Dizzygotheca - H.Middleton/ A. Smith
Retro 80’s Video Game Theme - Oxford Parker - John Parker

The Courier- Mail People’s Choice Awards

Honey - Chris Pickering - Chris Pickering
Strawberry Wine - The John Steel Singers - Scott Bromiley / Tim Morrissey
Orange Red - Emma Dean - Emma Dean
Small Town - Dana Hassall - Dana Hassall
Til You Come Home - James Grehan - James Grehan
Ten Paces Away - The Gin Club - Ben Salter
Jaqueline - Brianna Carpenter - Brianna Carpenter
Too, Somebody - Jackie Marshall - Jackie Marshall

Please Note the nominees in the following Categories will be announced shortly:

Song of the Year
Published Song of the Year
The Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award



To see the full list of finalists and listen to their songs, head to www.qmusic.com.au/qsong

ALL MEDIA INQUIRIES TO: jim@qmusic.com.au Phone : ( 07) 3257 0013