The Dave Matthews Band

OK, I know what a lot of you are thinking right now.  Dave Matthews is such a throwback from the 90s!  But have any of you kept up with his recent work?  I'm guessing not.  I actually didn't really learn to appreciate his music until a few years ago, through friends in Fort Collins.  I can't remember if I've already posted about his music, but his recent albums warrant another post.  I was paying attention to the band around the time they released "Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King" in 2009, and I really appreciated that album.  It was really compelling.  I have distinct memories of biking around Fort Collins in torrential rain and listening to that music.  But somehow I lost track of them in the subsequent years.  Now I come to find out they've released two new albums since 2009, and the most recent one "Come Tomorrow" has been rocking my world in the last week.  It's everything everyone loves about Dave Matthews, with unbelievably catchy lyrics and riffs.  There's the perennial saxophone, and driving percussion, and all the thoughtful lyrics.  Definitely give it a listen!  It's unbelievable how this band has maintained their relevance and excellence over the years. 

Vinicius Galant

This dude is from Florianopolis, Brazil...his style of music is quite appealing to me.  It's an indie-folk style with a hint of electropop, and he has a unique voice which works really well in his particular style.  Sort of a dark, brooding voice.  I have a hard time understanding his lyrics, but quite apart from that the songs are rather nice.  The tunes are melodic and pleasing.  His album "Mud" is less than a year old, and it's available for download on noisetrade for free...I recommend giving it a listen. 

Evan Redel

This artist is quite skilled.  His style of music is an interesting mix of genres; many of the songs on his album "St. Marcus" (which is the only one I've heard) sounds very electropop-like, but with a bit more of a classic chord progression generally.  He has a deep voice, which works really well with the driving electronic beats and the backing instrumentation.  His voice actually reminds me somewhat of Marble Sounds, including his somewhat Euro accent.  The melodies and harmonies are extremely pleasing.  Definitely give him a listen.