Music Monday - #FRFF Emerging Artists Showcase notes

Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Mon, 07/18/2011 - 20:31

For the past few years, I’ve taken to searching out the emerging artists for Falcon Ridge Folk Festival online before the festival and listening to their music, so I have an idea of what to expect. I share the results of my searches on my blog. In earlier years, I mostly found performers on MySpace. Then, I started finding them on SonicBids, since they need to use SonicBids to submit their material to Falcon Ridge.

This year, I am starting off by using Spotify. It is a little hit and miss. However, I’ve included some of the links below.

I’ve been pretty busy and dragging a bit, so I have some of the links, random notes jotted down. Nothing as extensive as I would like, but it’s getting late and I really want to get this up on Monday.

So, with that, here are my random links and notes about some of the performers. General reactions: I like just about every performer. Bulat Gafarov jumps out at me, because he’s different. Brittany Ann and Pesky J. Nixon jump out at me, because I’ve heard them playing on the hill late at night last year. A bunch of people have songs about autumn, and particularly, October. Beyond that, a lot of it all sounds a lot the same and is blurring together for me, but then again, I’m pretty tired.

Blair Bodine (Ambler, PA)

7.0
Spotify, SonicBids, Twitter

Pleasant listening, fairly polished. Nothing outstanding.

Brittany Ann (Philadelphia, PA)

8.5
SonicBids. Twitter,

If I recall properly, Brittany Ann was one of the performers that I heard at a Thursday night performance up on the hill last year, and I was really impressed. She’s not on Spotify, and the songs on her EPK don’t really do justice to her performance on the hill on Falcon Ridge, although the last two songs on the EPK, “October” and “Puzzle Pieces” come close.

Brooke Annibale (Pittsburgh, PA)

7.5
Sonicbids. Facebook, Twitter

Another polished female vocalist. Nice.

Bulat Gafarov (Moscow, Russia)

8.3
SonicBids. Facebook

World Music. Lots of interesting instruments and music.

Devlin Miles (New York City, NY)

8.0
SonicBids, Facebook, Twitter.

Her EPK says, “Devlin Miles is causing a ruckus with her Sarah McLachlan, Bonnie Raitt, Shania Twain concoction.” I don’t know anything about the ruckus, but the quote seems to capture what she is about. Well worth the listen. Autumn Fires

Ellen Bukstel (SW Ranches, FL)

7.7
Spotify, SonicBids, Facebook, Twitter.

I have mixed reations to Ellen Bukstel. Some of her songs, especially about fathers, or exploring protest issues are powerful. However, her songs about menopause and whining kids, while mildly funny, are mostly just annoying.

Friction Farm (Greenville, SC)

8.7
Spotify, SonicBids

I really like Friction Farm. Great vocals. The sort of songs I like to listen to when sitting on a farm hill in the middle of summer.

Gail Wade (Colchester, CT)

8.6
SonicBids

Good guitar, good vocals, Really enjoyable to listen to. October Moon

Grace Pettis (Harrisonburg, VA)

8.6
SonicBids, Twitter
Pure, simple, enjoyable.

ilyAIMY (Baltimore, MD)

7.8
Spotify, SonicBids, Twitter.

Initially, this group didn’t really do a lot for me. Perhaps I was tired after listening to a bunch of performers. However, the longer I listened, the more I enjoyed them.