Here's To The New Year!

 Hello fellow music lovers! Well, another year is almost over which means it is, once again, time to reflect on the year that was. 2013 wasn't a great year for YourMusicNews (YMN). Posting was very sporadic and we never really got into much of a rhythm. That all changes come next year.

 We already have a couple of interviews and reviews lined up for January with some very high quality artists. In addition, we are bringing back our popular "Artist Of The Month" (AOTM) segment. We have plans to expand upon this and are very excited to share these plans with you.

 Near the beginning of every month, we will select one artist to be our AOTM and at the end of the year, these artists will be in the running for Artist Of The Year. We really want our readers to decide the Artist Of The Year and at this time we are in the process of figuring that out. There will be a few ways to vote, probably through Twitter, email and the blog but we will make an official announcement when we get everything sorted out.

 As always, we appreciate your thoughts, feedback and suggestions about how we can improve the blog. In addition, we are always looking for new bands to listen to. Feel free to send us an email at: yourmusicnewsblog@gmail.com .

 Here's wishing you a Happy New Year!
-Matt

YMN Interview- Junkyard Poets

This is an interview we did with Junkyard Poets back in the summer. We just found it now, so enjoy!

How did you guys meet and how did the idea of forming a band come about?

We all went to the same school growing up and just played in different combinations of groups and bands. Peter and I had been in a band together and there was about a year break when I didn’t do anything music related, so I was just getting sick of not playing and wanted to put together a really energetic band.

 

How did you settle on a band name?

The first 2 years of playing we had trash cans on Stage with a second drummer that would just play junkyard percussion. The name was inspired by Tom Waits nickname the Junkyard Poets.

 

What is your favourite thing about performing live?

Just connecting with the fans and having those cool “not apart of the plan” moments. Some of our mistakes have been our most entertaining shows.

 

Do you have a specific process that you go about when writing new songs?

I just sit in front of the computer at my studio and start playing on the keyboard till I have something. Mixing together loops and keyboard patches until I have something I like.

 

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Definitely other bands. We’re all big music enthusiasts of 1930s and up so we really just draw from the classics.

 

What is your favourite song that you have written thus far and why?

Favourite song would have to be You Gotta Love Somebody. We had it on the first album and 2 years later I realized how dissatisfied I was with the lyrics and rewrote the whole thing. Lyrically I’m definitely the most pleased with that song. 

Blog Stats III

Welcome to the third edition of our "Stats" series. I hope you enjoy!

Most Traffic per Month:

1) May 2011 (1,277 views)
2) June 2011 (566 views)
3) July 2011 (363 views)

Views per Country:

1) United States (2,489 views)
2) Canada (517 views)
3) Latvia (472 views)
4) United Kingdom (342 views)
5) Russia (170 views)

Most Viewed Posts:

1) Interview with Dark Beauty (456 views)
2) La Fin Absolute du Monde- A Review (200 views)
3) A.O.T.M June- Deadlines and Diamonds (174 views)

68.2% of our views come from our top three countries!

Anyway, we hope you enjoyed. If you know of an awesome band we should check out, let us know. Send us an email at: yourmusicnewsblog@gmail.com Artist Of The Month is returning January 2014!

YMN Reviews: Tiki Black

 Born in Paris, raised in France and Cameroon and now based in England, singer/songwriter Tiki Black has been entertaining audiences with her natural musical talent for years. For Tiki, the words and passion seem to come straight from the heart. For a first time listener like myself, I found that rather impressive. A childhood that involved many moves and little consistency, music was the one thing that she could always rely on and are we ever glad that she did.

Tiki Black

 Released in July of 2013, Tiki Black's debut album "Out Of The Black" is nothing short of a masterpiece. Ten tracks are included on the album and each one is worth listening to ,and more then once. Piano is quite evident throughout the record and it compliments her voice quite well. If I had to pick one song that stood out to be, it would have to be the first track, "Feel Like Smoke". The song has a very powerful feel to it and it does a great job of setting the tone for the rest of the album. Other personal standouts include the title track "Out Of The Black" and "Powder Masks".

 Throughout the past few years, Tiki Black has played many shows in Europe and that will continue into next year as well. I can only imagine the powerful and moving shows that Tiki Black puts on and if you get a chance to go, I highly recommend that you do.

 Well, it was an honour to do this for Tiki Black. She is a deserving musician and we wish her nothing but the best going forward. Be sure to check out her music, links will be below.


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tikiblackmusic

Website: http://tikiblack.com/

Listen: https://soundcloud.com/tikiblack

In Concert With: Oh Village

 Recently, I had the chance to see local band Oh Village in concert. I had only been listening to them for a few weeks prior on a recommendation from a friend. Seeing them live really blew me away.

Oh Village.

 You can tell that they throw all of their emotions behind their music, which is great to see. At the same time, they have so much fun on stage. It's easy to see that this is what they are meant to do. The four piece band uses such a wide variety of instruments which helps keep things interesting and fresh.

 Personally, Oh Village's sound draws comparisons to The Fray and another local artist, Teen Daze. They are a great band to see live and they know how to both interact and respect their audience. With such a young band, that was great to see.

 They say no one is perfect but Oh Village is about as close as they come. I encourage you to check these guys out!

Website: http://www.ohvillage.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohvillage

"A.O.T.M" May- Junkyard Poets

Junkyard Poets.

 Junkyard Poets are a Christian Rock band hailing from Sherwood Park, Alberta. Earlier this year, they released their second album, "Mrs. Sophomore". Featuring twenty tracks, there is no shortage of potential stand out singles. Personally, "Fly Away" is a track that immediately jumped out at me. Be its catchy chorus or its genuinely crafted instrumentals, the reasons could go on and on. Often times, I'll catch myself humming along to it.

 The bonus track on the record, "You Gotta Love Somebody", is an artfully crafted seven minute piece that truly blew me away the first time I heard it. The lyrics are simple yet heartfelt, easy to relate to and to the point. Judging by the album cover, you would seem to think that a track such as this would be out of place.However, I am glad that I included it as it diversifies the album.

"Mrs. Sophomore" album cover.

 If you ever get the chance to see Junkyard Poets live, do it. You will not be disappointed. I got the treat of seeing them recently and that's what persuaded me to explore this band on a deeper level. They have a great, commanding stage presence and do an excellent job of interacting with the audience. Junkyard Poets are one of the few bands that actually sound better live as opposed to their record. They seem to take things to a whole new level and you can tell that they enjoy doing what they do, truly a talented band. I look forward to what they put out in the future and wish them nothing but the best. Buy their album, come out to their shows and support Junkyard Poets.



Connect With The Band:

Website: http://junkyardpoets.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/junkyardpoets

Update

Hey guys! I am now writing part time for a new blog. Check out my first post here:

http://blog.houseofjames.com/2013/03/easter-paska-bunnies.html