We apologize for the interruption and now return to our regularly scheduled blog. We’ve been busy here at MusicStrands working on new music discovery stuff that we will be announcing very soon.

What they will let me talk about is what I hear when people talk about “Music Discovery” around here. When I boil it all down, I hear people describing a number of different personal experiences with music:

• The Oracle experience - Go online and search for info, and now the opportunity to buy, music of interest.
• The Record Store experience - Surrounded by a music environment talking about, listening to, and buying CDs you didn’t even know you wanted when you walked in.
• The Radio (live DJ!) experience - Someone who knows a lot more about music and new releases taking me on a musical excursion.
• The Living Room experience - Friends not letting friends listen to bad music.

Enhancing all of these experiences and providing you with a new music discovery experience that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without, that’s the vision.

Eavesdropping on the record store/living room teams as they were “working” on the things I can’t talk about (couches and recliners, killer entertainment center, stocked ‘fridge - guys, how do I get that gig to do the punk music?):

The Gregory Morris Group … Cincinnati, Ohio band … unsigned … playing locally in southern Ohio … unusual Cuban folk derivative … amazing guitar work … never heard anyone like the lead singer on “Baylight Lullaby” … lyrics are troubled but hilarious … CD at CDBaby .

This music free to share under a Creative Commons Music Sharing License.

Wideband Network … two guys in Toledo, Ohio … wrote and recorded their entire debut album through a solely online collaboration!! … been to Toledo … no decent dance clubs … where did these two get their inspiration?! … (Depeche Mode, Savage Garden?) … “The Silence” begs to be remixed and blared across a dancefloor … Apple iTunes .

This music free to share under a Creative Commons Music Sharing License.

St. Somewhere … quartet from Knoxville, Tennessee … heritage is mainstream American Rock and Blues … peculiar international twist … … impressive guitar work of the Stray Cats … akin to Calypso … what would happen if Brian Setzer played steel drums? … describe “Fool”? Groove! … gotta Google these guys to find them on a bunch of websites.

This music free to share under a Creative Commons Music Sharing License.

Kevin Mark … classic-style, toe-tapping blues … Canadian … BB King … Memphis Blues guitar picking … 7-piece band backing band?! …“Big Blue Cadillac” - cars and women, but not serious enough to become cliched … horns give a great dance-hall feel recorded live in Chicago … Apple iTunes .

This music free to share under a Creative Commons Music Sharing License.