Hi everyone.

Each week I will post a blog about an artist I have come across and who has blown me away.

This week for the first entry, I am travelling all the way to Sweden to tell you about Irya Gmeyner ( http://www.myspace.com/iryamusic ) & (http://www.irya.se/).

She started off in a band called Urga which musical genre was closer to punk & ska though you could already hear some pop melodies. (http://www.myspace.com/urgamusic)

Now her musical genre is more pop rock. The melodies are enchanting, the lyrics beautiful. The whole project is very catchy!

She has recorded her first EP with some of the best swedish musicians (from T.S.O.O.L to weeping willows), mixed by Mr Lundberg himself from Soundtrack of our lives (a few years ago, Noel Gallagher supported this band as being one of the best of our times).

So you can all imagine the quality of this first EP.

All that is left to say, is go and listen, buy, download, stream whatever you like doing, but go check her out!

Iryas webshop : http://www.irya.touchplaymusic.com/

Take care.

After a couple of fags outside, ran back down to watch what I had really come for: Lonely Drifter Karen. Bought her album in September last year when visiting Vienna. Singer-Songwriter Tanja Frinta (vocals, guitar, songwriting), Marc Meliá Sobrevias (piano, production) and Giorgio Menossi (percussion and drums) make up this wonderful band which embraces the diversities of Europe with Miss Frinta coming from Austria but living in Sweden and meeting her band in Barcelona. Signed to one of the most elegant record labels in this modern world (Crammed Discs), her first album Grass Is Singing is now available! She invites you into a wonderful world of cabaret folk alternative sounds. Tracks like “This World is Crazy” and “Climb” are must haves! Last night, listening to her was like being in a film set in Paris introducing the wonderful world of Amelie (Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amelie Poulain)! The stage presence is well balanced creating a nicely crazy atmosphere in the veins of Moriarty or Miss Li; the band coming at one point around her playing the guitar and singing whilst they were making the percussion sounds with sticks and brushes on the base of her guitar. Playing in Southampton tonight, go see her, you won’t be disappointed!

The Headliner of the night then came on: Pete Molinari. Had heard of him and had a couple of songs on some compilations plus the fact he’s enjoying quite a bit of airplay at the moment made me aware of what a great singer-songwriter he was. For those of you who aren’t sure whom he may be, he’s a folk blues singer-songwriter of Egyptian / Maltese parentage, from Chatham where he was discovered by Billy Childish. Coming back from the US, he was “bandless” apart from is upright bass player so last night resembled a cool jam/impro session. When you listen to him, you feel like you have just travelled back to the days of Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash and early Dylan. He manages to embrace all these heavyweights of days gone by but adding is own very personal touch, his unique vocal style. And last night I became a fan of “Sweet Louise” which I have been listening to all morning, and actually simply a fan of Pete Molinari himself. Both albums are worth investigating, the first (Walking Off The Map) has a raw sound to it as it was recorded live on half track in Billy Childish’s kitchen and is more acoustic whereas his second (A Virtual Landslide) which came out last year was ranked number 18 in Mojo magazine’s “50 Best Albums Of 2008” and has a more polished finish to it with a full band.

So as you can see, great evening, even my friend who is a hardcore Metal, Trash and Death fan enjoyed it, so that must say something!

A new blog page! Another one you may say, but hopefully another one of the good ones!
The idea is to write about music so this page will be dedicated entirely to music, new releases, gigs, maybe a bit of business, new media but always to do with the music industry… from an insider’s (well still fighting my way into it…) but also and before all, a fan’s point of view.

Working for a small indie record label, here in London, I am lucky enough to “have to go” to gigs, as part of my job!
But here it’s not about work, it’s about the music I would like to talk about and support as much as possible, known and unknown, signed and unsigned, commercial (not that much actually) to unrecognized!

I arrived in London last year from Paris, (yeah that’s France) so though I do agree with most of you, London is possibly the biggest and most intriguing platform for music and possibly always has been, there are many other indie artists coming out of France, Austria, Brazil etc… so I will try and introduce these guys as much as possible, so if you are looking to read about Miss Allen and her friends, well how can I put it, wrong page, stop reading. But if you are looking for something a little different, hopefully, you’ve come to the right place!
So please feel free to leave as many comments as you wish with your much appreciated inputs.

If you would like to know more about my work and the record label, go to:
- Blog
- MySpace
- Website