Angelo Spencer

ALTERNATIVE/FOLK/ROCK
Artist: Angelo Spencer et les Hauts Sommets
Album: Angelo Spenver et les Hauts Sommets
Tracks: “Estonia” & “Northwest”
Street Date: February 16, 2010
Label: K Records

Singer/Songwriter Angelo Spencer has made quite a few "anti-folk" records in his day, one of our personal favorites being "Love my Friends." But take a way the singing part, and add "Les Hauts Sommets" (translation: The Peaks) and you get the soundtrack to the best roadtrip of your life. Cue Music Video:



(Sunny is pretty sure the snowy road leads you directly to her hometown)

After moving away from the French Alps to the Northwestern states, Angelo Spencer released a few solo contributions on his own before ending up in the hands of K Records. There, he recorded "Music is My Sweat," before getting the help of Karl Blau, Arrington De Dionyso and Clyde Petersen to record "Angelo Spencer et les Hauts Sommets."

Although the absence of lyrics is certainly what makes this group interesting, it is the upbeat instrumentation that keeps the listener from "changing the dial." Its sweeping melodies mixed with a various - and often untimely - grouping of guitars make this group something that the directors of Garden State missed out on.

Angelo Spencer has done a split 7" with K Records Band, Tender Lovers, in the past. But his most well known collaboration is definitely with Kimya Dawson (yes, of Juno Soundtrack Fame) to make this little gem:



Yes, that's their daughter, Panda Delilah, looking cuter than ever.

So make your life the story you want it to be, and play some Angelo Spencer to really bring out the moving moments.

Jason Shannon

ALT/ FOLK/ ROCK
Artist: Jason Shannon and the Morning Electric
Album: The EP Collection Volume 1
Tracks: “Chained,” “Judgment Day”
Street Date: December 1, 2009
Label: Wild Horse Records

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After breaking up with his old band in 2003, Minneapolis-native Jason Shannon spent most of his time writing and recording his own music. Shannon’s recently released EP, titled The EP Collection Volume One, combines troubled and heartache themed lyrics with soulful country, folk, and rock undertones – a creative blend to say the least.

Shannon toured with Bob Schneider in mid-2009 and has seen continued momentum on the heels of his debut self-titled album (2009). Will there be a followup to Volume One from the Morning Eclectic? Common sense says yes, but who really knows with singer-songwriters these days. We're pushing for a revitalization of Jason's good ole' days as 'The Jason Shannon Band'.

The Jason Shannon Band consists of Shannon on electric and acoustic guitar, Daryl Bolicek on drums, Nick Johnson on bass guitar, and Wendy Tangen-Foster on violin and vocals.

Judging from his humorously bawdy and amusing lyrics, clearly Jason Shannon is here for business and he only plays for keeps. His lyrics are strikingly relevant to daily life, because this happens to students EVERYDAY:

I showed up to school with a pencil in my hand,
And the schoolteacher said, “Boy don’t you know you can only use a pen,”
Well I screamed at the top of my lungs,
But the screaming didn’t help and I still felt stung.

Stick it to the man, Jason! Also, near the end of the track, there is a woman almost/in the process of gasming in the background… I’m convinced it’s included to prove how hardcore and awesome he is!

To check out some Jason Shannon and the Morning Electric stuff, visit his MySpace!