Formed 1989 by David Bridie and Helen Mountfort (members of Not Drowning Waving) Like their former band, My Friend The Chocolate Cake's music can be seen to straddle the worlds of ambient and world music, with an emphasis on piano and violin-led acoustic music. Influences range from the obvious (such as Penguin Cafe Orchestra and Celtic folk music), to the less obvious (such as John Cale and Talk Talk).
Scott Kelly is one of three founding members of Oakland, California, United States experimental metal band Neurosis. Has been writing and publishing music since 1985 with Neurosis, Tribes Of Neurot, Blood and Time and his solo acoustic project. He has contributed guest vocals on three Mastodon recordings, Aqua Dementia from the album Leviathan (2004), Crystal Skull, from Blood Mountain (2006) and the title-track off Crack the Skye (2009).
It was the cat-poles around the lake at his grandfather’s farm that inspired Ben Sollee’s debut album Learning To Bend. The frailty of those awkward looking plants standing stoutly against winds that challenged even the strongest of nearby trees is an affecting metaphor for human struggle and perseverance. This idea is central to Learning To Bend.
Key tracks on Learning To Bend include two reactions to the current political landscape, “A Few Honest Words,” and an adaptation of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” in which Ben has written updated, politically relevant verses.
Lo-Fi solo project of ex Meet Me in St Louis front-man and former bassist from Shield Your Eyes Toby Hayes. Toby recorded his debut acoustic album 'From the Muddy Banks of the Melitzer' on September 24th 2008, which has been released on Big Scary Monsters Records. Acting as a two-part release, 'From The Muddy Banks...' has been followed up with a second album, 'Hand-reared Suburban Piglet'. This second record features the same ten songs, but re-recorded with full orchestration.
Willy Mason (born 21 November 1984) is an American singer-songwriter. He is the son of Jemima James and Michael Mason, both folk singers who, according to Mason, have influenced his music. When Mason was five, he and his family moved from New York to West Tisbury, Massachusetts on the island of Martha's Vineyard. He attended West Tisbury Elementary School and Martha's Vineyard Regional High School, where he participated in several local bands such as Keep Thinking, Cultivation, and Slow Leslie. He later moved to New York City, playing mostly at open mikes and small venues.
Laura Jean has been gracing Australian stages for many years. Invitations to share them have come from overseas artists such as Mark Kozelek (ex-Red House Painters) Richard Buckner, M. Ward, Faun Fables, Tuck and Patti, and Australian acts like Augie March, Ben Lee, Claire Bowditch, Machine Translations, Gaslight Radio, and Sarah Blasko. Her first E.P, 'The Hunter's Ode' (2003) was embraced by community radio and street press across the country, as well as Triple J. The title track is apparently still sometimes heard late at night.
Drawing on influences from old-time jazz standards, folk balladry and traditional country, Halifax Nova Scotia’s Jill Barber has become one of Canada’s most distinctive young voices. Jill is gaining acclaim and radio play for her new 2008 album " Chances" and her status as a 2008 double-Juno nominee and multiple East Coast Music Award winner for previous releases "For all Time" (2006) and "Oh Heart" (2004).
Born January 11, 1985 as Sam Newton Battenberg Faulkner. Faulkner began playing guitar at the age of 11-12 with session guitarist Bob "crazy guy" Cranham and also attended the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford, where he spent 2 years gaining both diploma and the higher diploma award under the tutelage of Eric Roche. His first band was a Green Day cover band, in which he played bass guitar.
Liz Green is a Manchester-based singer-songwriter. She is linked with Humble Soul records. Green won Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent Competition for in 2007. She includes Shane MacGowan, Blues, Canadian Hip Hop, Anti-folk, Musicals, George Thomas, and Late nights that last until dawn among her influences