Caitlin and Will’s 1st album, Dark Horse, should have been released by now. If you don’t remember them, Caitlin and Will were the winners of last year’s “Can You Duet”. The prize for winning was a record contract with Columbia Nashville, but it seems that lackluster sales and ratings have killed the album.
Columbia Records has confirmed that Caitlin Lynn and Will Snyder have split as a duo. Future plans for the two are uncertain as of now. Headline Country
I don’t like this at all. Apparently, winning gets an album produced, but not necessarily released. I hope Caitlin and Will get rights to the album so they can at least release it on their web site and make a few bucks. Address in the Stars should have been a top 10 hit, but Columbia put out a cheap looking video and killed the song. A better video might have pushed that song to the top.
I sure hope they stay together as I don’t think either will make it on their own. Not that both are not extremely talented, but this is a case where the sum of the parts is greater than the parts.
C&W put out some good stuff, so here’s to you Caitlin and Will.
Address in the Stars
Dark Horse
Even Now
I’m guessing Sony will probably remove these soon. Enjoy while you can.
Last year, in the first season of Can You Duet, 3 duos emerged with major label contracts and a shot at stardom. The winners, Caitlin & Will, just released a video for a great song written by Caitlin about the death of her aunt from breast cancer. This song, Address in the Stars, is already a big hit with fans and should quickly move up the Country video charts. Because of the fan comments this video was receiving, Caitlin started a web site where people post memories of their lost loved ones.
Address in the Stars
Joey and Rory were the other powerhouse to make their name in the first season. Their 1st single, Cheater Cheater, made it to #30 on the Country Chart. Another great song from their 1st album is Play The Song.
Joey and Rory – Play The Song
Kate and Kacey Coppola also signed with a major label, but I’m withholding judgement. So far, they haven’t shown me anything that makes me think they will make it in Nashville.
This year, there is only one duo, Ryan and Avalon, that has the potential to be great – in an Allison Krauss and Robert Plant kind of way. Ryan is a story teller who currently plays the church circuit. Avalon is kind of new age country. She just signed with BMI in June, so I wonder why she is still in the contest. Together they are fantastic – but I don’t think either will make it as a single.
Avalon Peacock recently signed with BMI at the organization’s Nashville offices. In addition to being a contestant on the new season of CMT’s Can You Duet, Avalon is the daughter of legendary avant-garde musician Annette Peacock. BMI
Ryan and Avalon – Tennessee Waltz
Their Myspace page has a nice version of I Can’t Stop Loving You.
CMT’s Can You Duet? web site has their performance of Shine. A little flat at times, but a pretty good performance for only being together for 2 weeks.
Melody is in Europe playing several Jazz festivals to rave reviews. During her set at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, someone’s cell phone starts ringing. Wath the video to see what happens.
She also did a great rendition of Ain’t No Sunsshine (Sorry but it’s a short cut)
Melody Gardot appeared on Letterman a couple of days ago. I missed it, but I found the clip on Youtube. Dave and Paul seemed to love Melody. Melody is showing us how to build a career.
American Idol certainly isn’t what it once was. Season 5 reinvigorated my love of music and I began to use the web to search out new music and new artists. But then came Season 6, Season 7, and now Season 8. How uninspiring AI has become. Adding a 4th judge was one of the dumber things Idol has done. I understand Idol was never just about the music, but the last few seasons Idol has been about everything but the music.
So, I will not be posting about music much anymore. From time to time, I may write a music post; but for the most part, I will just write about whatever I feel like writing about. Politics, my garden, making wine, bread making, homesteading, going Galt – anything and everything is fair game.
Part of my disappointment springs from the albums put out by Taylor Hicks and Melody Gardot. I was looking for some great blues and neither delivered. So maybe when I find some new artists that can sing the blues, I will write a music post again.
For one last song, how about this blues harmonica – from a French woman no less.
Melody Gardot’s My One and Only Thrill released today (April 28) and is #12 on Amazon. Pretty good for an unknown jazz/blues singer on her debut major label album. I’m a little late to order, it so I can only go by the samples, the live performances she did during her chat last week, and Youtube performances. Love it. I wonder if her perfect pitch is a result of her severe Hyperacusis/Tinnitus?
Give the album a try and let me know what you think.
ETA: It hurts me to say this, but I don’t think this album is as good as Worrisome Heart. The stripped down versions of the songs she performed during her chat were fantastic. The songs with the full orchestra – not so much. I love the rawness of Melody’s music and it seems to be lost on this album. Really disappointed in Who Will Comfort Me. Compare it to this version on Youtube and I think you might agree the Youtube version is better.
Melody Gardot’s My One and Only Thrill will be available on April 28. Melody is one of my hot picks for 2009. A little Blues, a little Jazz, a little Folk, a little Pop – Melody is making some beautiful music and was recently signed by Verve Music group.
“Melody will be taking part in a live video chat and giving an exclusive acoustic performance later today.” April 23 – 6 pm ET Click here for performance and chat.
ETA: Hope some of you were able to hear Melody today. She is very funny. And she has an absolutely amazing voice. She sang 4 songs accompanied by just her guitar. Really nice version of Over the Rainbow, Who Will Comfort Me with a lot of scat thrown in – excellent, Goodnight – nice way to end her chat session, and I’m drawing a blank on the 1st song she did. I’m hoping someone will get them up on YouTube in the next day or 2. Definitely got to see her live in concert.
This is my favorite Van Morrison song and I’m guessing it will only be on youtube for a short time. So just wanted to let everyone know to check it out while it’s still up.
Is this what we are seeing? A President with no executive experience making one blunder after another. A President who has never had to live with the consequences of his actions? It looks to me like Obama is acting more like a congressman than the President. Does he not understand that there are consequences to what he says and does? Does he really think that he can just throw all these Democratic proposals out with little or no staff work and that we will buy into them? Does he not understand the financial crisis must be addressed now – not by having health care discussions but by fixing the banking system?
I only see 2 choices. Either Obama is one of the least competent Presidents we have ever had or he is purposely trying to worsen and extend the financial crisis as a means of accomplishing his agenda. Either of these choices scares the hell out of me. And since he was elected, I have not seen or heard a single news reporter/analyst discussing his lack of executive experience.
In his Saturday radio address, this is what Obama boasts his administration accomplished this week.
Recent efforts include a more detailed plan to help struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure; another plan to spur lending for people and businesses; an overhaul of the way the government hands out private contracts to reduce waste; and a summit on how to overhaul health care.
Will any of these create 1 new job? Doubtful.
Will any of these stop people from losing their jobs? Doubtful.
Will any of these lower my health insurance cost in the next year? No
Will any of these make people feel more financially secure and start to spend money again? No
So either Obama doesn’t have a clue or he is the most sinister President we have ever had.
