Amber Ojeda Space.Bar.Love

We’ve had the pleasure of watching this talented actress/singer/woman develop into who we at IMCRadio know today – the most dynamic new independent talent on the planet.  Amber Ojeda has been a friend to our station since its beginning in 2004.  We can safely say, and without bias, that her new CD Space.Bar.Love is her best work yet.

What do you get when you have a wonderful mixture of jazz, R&B, Soul, and Hip Hop?  You get  a new genre that has sultry reflections of the 1930s and 1940s; a rich cultural blend from an artist who is equally as beautiful in life as she is in her recordings.  Amber Ojeda is vintage with a modern flare.  We like to call it ‘ear candy’ her at IMCRadio.com.

Amber is definitely not a novice to the entertainment industry.  Since arriving in Los Angeles, she has placed tracks on various movies and television shows and gained sponsorship with Old Navy and Wonka through the social media company True Anthem.  In 2010 Amber acquired a distribution deal with Sweet Soul Records releasing her debut album Here I Am in Japan.  In 2011 she also landed a coveted spot on Bravo’s emerging singer songwriter competition series “Platinum Hit”.

Amber Ojeda is a sultry throwback to a time when singers didn’t have to cuss to get your attention.  If you listen closely enough, you’ll hear flavorings of Sarah Vaughn, Etta James, and Billie Holliday in her vibrato.  This is such a refreshing characteristic against the backwash of ‘same old-same old’ music that permeates today’s entertainment marketplace.

We call her ‘our own’ here at IMCRadio!  We’ve posted the first interview that we did with her a few years ago on our Featured Artist page.  What is different is that we’ve included samples of music from her new CD Space.Bar.Love in between segments.  We’re positive that you will absolutely love what you will hear from this chanteuse.  Space.Bar.Love is available on iTunes and to get it, simply click on the graphic of the CD in this article

Enjoy!

“Live” – Lannie Spann Mcbride and the Greater Fairview Young Adult Choir

In the summer and fall of 1995 I served as a recording and mix engineer on this CD.  It was recorded at Terminal Recording Studios then in Brandon, Mississippi.  Then, as now, Oh Lord We Adore You (aka Contemporary Praise) holds its place as one of my 10 favorite songs of all time.  Lannie and the Greater Fairview Young Adult Choir are stellar in their performance of this gospel powerhouse.  It was recorded live at Greater Fairview Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi and is included in two parts on the CD on J & B Records.

Let me give you a heads up.  This performance that you are about to hear will move you.  I remember in the mixing sessions for this CD sitting at the console with chills running down my spine and many times, on this song, being a little misty eyed for a moment.  The musicians and the choir are fantastic, but, it is Lannie – Lannie, Lannie, Lannie and her soulful delivery, particularly on this song, that will literally set you right with whatever ails you. 

Soul music, as we know it, has its roots in the black church.  As I mentioned earlier, this song is in two parts on the CD.  That’s a shame that it was sequenced that way during the mastering process because like watching a really good movie, you don”t want to be interrupted.  That’s because this song is more than music, there is a message that will be delivered.  All you have to do is listen.  With that in mind, and because this is my mix from the mix sessions, you are about to hear the complete version of this song.  So, for the next 11 minutes and 15 seconds prepare to be blessed.  It is my sincere hope that this song reaches you in a mighty way.  God bless, and, cheers!

Click here to listen.

Revis

Post grunge rockers Revis are rocking the souls of countless fans everywhere.  After an eight year break, fans around the world have been begging them to reunite and make another record.  Everyone can now celebrate the release of the new single “Save Our Souls” from Revis’ forthcoming album Do We Have To Beg?  scheduled for release on May 20, 2011 on NRG Artists.  “Save Our Souls” is available on iTunes and Amazon.

“Save Our Souls” is a quintessential rock track, which reflects the passion and drive that is Revis.  It was written for the as-yet-to-be released documentary of the same name on the burlesque scene in New Orleans in the aftermath of the hurricane Katrina disaster.  Directed by Mike Sanchez, the song will debut at the New Orleans Film Festival in the Fall of this year.

The band teamed up with producer Jay Baumgardner to lay new tracks down at NRG Studios in North Hollywood for their new album.  Powerful and fervent vocals from frontman Justin Holman along with the raw, bluesy guitar lines and a heavily defined rhythm section performed by guitarist Robert Davis and drummer David Piribauer rounds out what has become Revis’ own version of a modern arena rock sound.

For more information and upcoming tour dates visit www.revisrocks.com

Mary Mary Is Definitely On To Something Big!

Ladies and gentlemen, we live and work in highly stressful times.  So often is the case that our favorite artist(s), actors, or other celebrities that we follow are getting into trouble or are just falling short of our own personal expectations.  Now, it’s important to remember that these people are just that; people.  We look up to them and in many cases make them larger than life in our own minds.  We often create the persona that so often let’s us down.

Well, along comes a group like Mary Mary.  Their latest project, Something Big is out and this writer is impressed.

With powerful voices that soar, harmonies that chime and empowering lyrics, Erica and Tina Campbell deliver songs on Something Big that are instantly memorable.   Having a bad day?  Try ‘Walking’ the Top 10 Urban/Adult Contemporary smash that is the lead off single from the CD.  Having a great day?  Try any of the other 11 songs off of the CD.  The bottom line is this, you won’t be sorry for adding this CD to your library.

Ladies and gentlemen, Mary Mary is on course to drive their indisputable reputation smack into the mainstream.  Billboard Magazine’s recent review of ‘Walking’ stated “The song’s synthesizer-accented. percolating rhythms are immediately arresting, and the mix is seamlessly strung together by the engaging vocal interplay…’Walking’ is the pair’s latest track to leave the listener with a bounce in his or her step.”

As songwriters, Mary Mary’s honesty and passion are unmatched by most contemporary storytellers.  Mary Mary’s lyrics underscore an unwavering faith and belief in God to conquer the challenges that life sends our way.  It is that faith that has connected with fans around the globe and secured an even wider fan base that continues to grow each day.

“In life, we all need to believe in our inner strength to endure the unexpected, to face challenges which confront us, and ultimately survive; we are living in difficult times, but there are infinite reasons to be hopeful,” say Erica and Tina.

During their career, Erica and Tina have sold upwards of five million albums,. In a remarkable and still ongoing story, Mary Mary’s 2008 release, The Sound topped multiple charts and broke several records.  A string of awards, including 2 Grammy Awards, and American Music Award, a BET Award, a Soul Train Award, and an NAACP Image Award, among others were racked up for the album.

Mary Mary have made it their life’s mission to connect with people all over the world.  “It’s not just about musical achievements, awards, charts, and sales,” say Mary Mary.  “That’s not our guiding light.  It’s about helping people…we’re committed to our message and purpose.”

Motion City Soundtrack

My Dinosaur Life

There is an old saying that says, “To be irreplaceable, one must always be different.”  It’s Motor City Soundtrack’s constant quest to evolve and challenge themselves as musicians – and people – that keeps their fans coming back for more.  My Dinosaur Life is the latest release (January 19, 2010) from MCS on Columbia Records.  The first three releases, 2002′s debut I Am The Movie (Epitaph), 2005′s Commit This To Memory (Epitaph), and 2007′s Even If It Kills Me (Epitaph), were all unique works of art; individual canvases that told separate stories through the band’s lyrics and music.  Continuing with the theme of individuality, My Dinosaur Life finds the band paired with Blink 182′s Mark Hoppus as producer.  Hoppus first worked with the band on their second release, Commit This To Memory.

My Dinosaur Life is 12 new songs that are lyrically contemplative, poignantly honest and cleverly and culturally astute.  The music harkens back to early Motion City Soundtrack with its grit and hooks while employing the musicianship and maturity the band has gained over the past seven years.  During these years they’ve accomplished quite a bit – including headlining Warped tour, Bamboozle and the mvtU Campus Invasion Tour to playing Lollapalooza, Fuji Rock Festival and Honda Civic Tour.  They’ve won two mtvU Woodie Awards – in 2005 the Breaking Woodie for Best Emerging Artist and in 2008 the Best Video Woodie for “It Had To Be You.”  Motion City Soundtrack has worked incredibly hard over the past seven years for everything they’ve achieved and they’re excited about the next chapter.

My Dinosaur Life provides the listener with a sonic feast made up of 12 tracks that are masterfully put together and sequenced on the CD.  The album’s first single, “Disappear” is reminiscent of 90′s-era angst rock (a la The Pixies and The Replacements), with its muffled guitars and cautionary vocals.  “Pulp Fiction” is a piano driven rock overture that frames the rousing adventures of a stranger in a strange land, all while name-checking everything – and everyone – from Miami Vice to Seabury Quinn.  Finally, “A Lifeless Ordinary” is a perky yet pensive romp that ponders themes of escapism and displacement – emotions that are felt and expressed throughout the lyrics of My Dinosaur Life.

The verdict?  My Dinosaur Life is a damned good CD.  MCS is supporting this release with a tour this year; the first in a over a year and first in support of this release.  Fans can pre-order the album now and the band is offering a special deluxe edition only available through the MCS store which you can access via the band’s website www.motioncitysoundtrack.com

The Hollywood Blue Flames

Larger Than Life, Vol. 2

Deep In America

When you spend 30 years together playing music you are not only defying the odds of continuity as a band but you are also honing your musical chops.  Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the Hollywood Blue Flames!

Blues traditionalists and aficionados will be very pleased as their new CD Deep In America delivers on all fronts.  While listening to this disc on would swear that the band you hear originated from the home of the blues, the Mississippi Delta.  Nope, not the case.  These are California boys.  It’s the music that has roots here in this writer’s beloved home state.

This is a two-disc set with the second disc by West Coast Blues legends The Hollywood Fats Band‘s Larger Than Life, Vol. 2 rounding out this musical package.  Led by the late first rate guitarist Michael “Hollywood Fats” Mann and comprised of members Fred Kaplan – piano, Al Blake – vocals & harmonica, Richard Innes – drums, and Larry Taylor – bass “Larger Than Life Vol 2″ is loaded with performances that laid the foundation for modern day West Coast Blues.  Some of the tunes on this disc are culled from live performances released on the band’s then label PBR.

This writer recommends “Nit Wit”, “Jalopy To Drive”, “He’s A Blues Man”, and “My National Enquirer Baby”, for your playlists from the HBF CD.  From THFB this writer recommends for your playlists  “She’s Dynamite”, “Half Steppin’”, and “Baby, Let’s Play House”.

The Return Of Your Favorite Internet Radio Station!

Yes, it’s true.  This past week we had a very fruitful discussion with Live365.com about the return of our station to the network.  The conversation was positive and both sides agree that upon the station’s return our listeners can expect exceptional programming, insightful commentary, and truly unique internet radio broadcasting experience.

It’s nice to be missed.  The emails, phone calls, and letters have not gone unnoticed.  As many of you know, the station went ‘black’ on the network last year (2008) because of bandwidth disputes between the network and the IMCRadio administration.  I guess you could say that the station was a victim of its own success.  The administration here brought attention to the initial fight, which is still ongoing by the way, between internet radio and the Copyright Royalty Board and SoundScan.  We led the cause, literally, of letting our listeners and those of other stations on our network and elsewhere know of the broadcasting peril that internet radio faces.  To our knowledge, we were the first internet radio station to produce special programming on the subject of unfair licensing fee rate hikes that were, and still are, on the horizon for internet radio.  While it is true that there have been pirate stations broadcasting music over the internet illegally the member stations of the Live365.com internet radio network all broadcast legally.  We all pay our monthly network fees.  These fees are to insure that the artists who are members of ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, artists who publish their wares, are payed when their songs are played on the member stations of the network.  To say that the fees that we pay are too low is unfair to the thousands of internet radio station owners around the globe.

So, why the argument?  For the past few years terrestrial radio has watched its listener base erode.  Each year, more and more listeners are opting to get their daily radio programming, be it talk radio or music, via the internet.  As we’ve seen in the news, over the past four years especially, newspapers have been suffering a similar fate.  More of us each day are getting our information and entertainment through digital means.  What this means to terrestrial radio and other ‘analog’ media entities is that as your constituent base erodes so does your advertising rate base.

Well, enough of the lecture on eroding listener and readership bases.  Trust me, these are subjects that will be covered on ‘Byrd Talk’, our ultra-successful entertainment talk show or other special programming that we may produce.  The bottom line is this.  We will continue, as we have been since we left the Live365.com internet radio network, to support the endeavors of the musician; independent or major recording artist.  Our special programming has covered emerging authors as well.  If knowledge truly is power then it will be important for you to continue to support IMCRadio.com.

You’re probably asking, ‘how can I support the station?’  One of the most effective ways is to spread the word.  Tell others of the cool and hip radio station  that you’ve found on the internet.  Tell musicians that you know who are worthy of radio play, but just can’t get it, to contact the station.  We’ll do what we can to help with the airplay situation and we’ll also critique their material so that it can be properly submitted to other stations as well.  We will continue to be “The Home Of The Better Music Mix!”

Stay tuned.