Judging from the words being thrown around about this singer, he is gaining fans right and left. He’s appeared on a couple of top radio shows and has been heating up the blogosphere. One comment tossed his way at the L.A. Music Awards was that “Wave” (Cumulonimbus 2008) was very, very good.

He’s pop and alternative, while being somewhat rock, socially conscious rock, that is. “Phantom Love” from this collection is a well-crafted song and is performed admirably by Blake, Dave Chamberlin and Heather Senner (vocals). It’s billed as an “anthem for the dispossessed,” which it is, I guess.

If you want a bit of hip-hop, as in Nelly-style, “Party on the Last Iceberg” will fill the bill. The chorus becomes a bit more melodic than the St. Louis native puts out, especially now. Blake is certainly no rapper, but he does justice to the little bit of hip music on the CD.

His songwriting has found openings in some film/TV outlets and with the University of Southern California. A lot of folks in the southern half of the Golden State have seen Blake at the top clubs.

For true, 21^st rock, new listeners might want to go with “How Journey Saved My Life” or maybe “Blow Away.” The latter tune could be an ear-catcher, so to speak.

Chris Blake on MySpace
[tags]Chris Blake[/tags]

This folk duo has a CD for you. Try out “How Am I To Be” from Fire Songs (2008 Vanguard). This doesn’t strike the listener as earth-shattering stuff, but it is sort of nice to listen to. They are twins, and they will travel together to, well, nearly everywhere this summer. This tour will take Chandra and Leigh a long way from their roots in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Watson Twins will start in Hollywood in late June, whisk their way across the U.S. to Pittsburgh and then return to Long Beach, California. The Pennsylvania date is the 11^th Annual WYEP Music Fest. That might be a nice place to check them out. How about seeing these folkies in Washington D.C., New York City, Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, St. Paul, Minnesota and then follow them back to the west coast.

Personal note: I sort of like “Just Like Heaven” from the new CD. Again, it ain’t overpowering music, but there’s something there that grabs attention. Maybe it’s the background players who interpret the twins’ songs well. For what it’s worth, they have attracted enough attention to appear on some “major” television shows. The biographical information provided by the duo states things like “warm” and “comfortable.” That’s not too hard to buy.

The Watson Twins on Myspace
[tags]The Watson Twins[/tags]

Almost from the first note, this group called The Paper Tiger has something. In spite of the fact that this listener has described everything from punk to soul, Abba to ZZ Top, I can’t quite put the idea into words. Perhaps it’s the fact that half of the songs are instrumental. The other songs have limited lyrics that resemble free-form poetry. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just delightfully unusual.

It’s so simple. It’s so retro. “locasta y fuji” and “Coast Is Clear” are recommended for an introduction to this musical effort. It does seem that The Paper Tiger is hiding behind technology a bit, because www.thepapertigersound.com is spare, at best. But the tunes are quite suitable for a road-trip sound track.

According to “a short history of tigers” someone named Dan Gelder began a new project in 2006. That project apparently took some time to move out of his home and onto the public consciousness. Someone named Ker, from Canada, moved to the U.K. and started looking for musicians to work with. She hooked up with Gelder. The Paper Tiger sound was heard live in 2007, in Norwich, then in Sweden. In December of 2007, the musical effort was “transatlantic” and “digital.” Gelder decided to go it alone, in the U.K. 2008.

It would be wise not to confuse this music with that coming from several other bands that have adopted the paper tiger name. Seems there are three, maybe four. Keep your eyes and ears open.

[tags]The Paper Tiger Sound[/tags]

There may be a surprise in store for those who go looking for Soulbucket the band. In fact, this musical project is Jay Wright, a singer and songwriter based in New York. He has been recognized for a unique ability to fuse folk, urban music and soul, all the while giving the listener “socially conscious songs,” according to Josh Jackson of Paste Magazine.

There are some really nice rhythms on what he has titled “The Low Down Dirty Love CD.” Dirty Love is good listening, especially for those who long for a taste of some decades-old soul/love crooning. This is not complex music, but then it’s not necessary to have complicated arrangements to qualify for the “good music” category. “Why tell me” offers some nice electronic keyboard, along with smooth vocals from Wright. One observer has stated that this music has “vibe.”

Listeners in the U.K. are urging Jack Johnson fans, and Ben Harper fans, to give Wright a listen. This is good advice, for the styles fit very well. This listener particularly likes the comparison to the legendary Bill Withers, a comparison made on www.garageband.com.

It’s acoustic, its soulful, it’s mellow. But most of all, Jay Wright and Soulbucket is tasty. (I’ve always liked that adjective.)

[tags]Soulbucket[/tags]

Unlike some other true, new rock/alternative bands, Paper Street Saints are alive and well. “Wrestling the Angel” is a 2007 kicker that hits the listener in the face. This and other pieces should be on the card when PSS take to the road, with a June 24 show in Ferndale, Michigan, a June 29 show at The Bullfrog in Redford, Michigan and a date with Bakers Dozen Festival in Taylor Michigan July 12.

Paper Street Saints are from Detroit, by the way, and for some reason their methods indicate some very classic influences. They are not Motor City madness, thank heaven. “Chains,” from the 2007 EP, is a solid rock ballad. Do I hear some Pearl Jam and other influences here? According to www.garageband.com, this group has some Velvet Underground influences, along with a bit of Foo Fighters. There may even be some Soundgarden in there. Could be, could be.

The band is Cheyenne Goff- Vocals, Charlie Grover- Drums, Chuck Kemen- Guitar, Donnie Patty- Bass and Steve Shaheen- Guitar. The drum work is solid and the guitar playing Shaheen and Kemen is worth listening to several times over. “Chemical Girl” (Paper Street Saints 2004) is an indication that this band has been doing it right for a while.

Paper Street Saints on MySpace
[tags]Paper Street Saints[/tags]